Genealogy Trails
Whitley County, Indiana
History

Upon the establishment of Indiana territory, in 1800, Gov. William Henry Harrison thought best to define the line anew, and by proclamation, January 14, 1803, he declared all that part of Indiana territory lying north of a line drawn from the southernmost point of Lake Michigan to Fort Recovery, to be Wayne county, Indiana territory, and we were changed from Wayne county, Northwest territory, to Wayne county, Indiana territory, the seat of government still being at Detroit, that territory still being a part of Indiana territory. January 11, 1805, Michigan territory was cut off from Indiana territory with line as now between the states. There was no legislature in Indiana territory until after Michigan was taken off in 1805, but on the 7th day of March, 1803, Governor Harrison, by proclamation and without warrant of law, and it was openly charged, for the purpose of furthering some financial schemes of relatives, laid off the county of Dearborn, the line extending from the Ohio river to the north line of the state, and at least far enough west of the east line to include all of Whitley county. The county seat was Lawrenceburg. In 1810, the legislature formed a county in the north-east part of the state and far enough south to include nearly, if not all of Huntington county, and to it was given again the historic name of Wayne, and we were included. In 1818, the county of Randolph was created by legislative act and we fell within its limits. In 1823, the county of Allen was created and we became a part, with Fort Wayne as county seat. The only record in Allen county affecting this territory was the naming of all original Whitley county, Murray township, Allen county, and the survey of the Goshen road through present Smith township. In 1834, Huntington county was created, and by the same legislative act the original boundaries of Whitley county were defined, but the act recited that we were attached to Hunting- ton county for judicial purposes.

The second record pertaining to Whitley county is in Huntington county. In 1834, Whitley county was, by the legislature, defined and described as nine congressional townships, and was attached to Huntington county for judicial purposes. As there was no organization of any kind here, there was no reason for any jurisdiction being extended over the few straggling settlers except to protect their persons and property with law, should any occasion present, but this jurisdiction carried the right to extend local government over the territory should necessity arise. Allen county, in 1830, had located the Fort Wayne and Goshen road across its territory and through this county over the trail and substantially as it runs today through Churubusco, but few of the monuments by which it was marked exist today and no surveyor could ascertain at this time just where it did run, there having since been many changes of record in both counties.

The entire original county of Whitley was surveyed in the years 1828 to and including 1840. and books for entry were opened at Fort Wayne in March, 1830. The survey began in the south-west corner of the county, and all that part of township 30.range 8 (now Cleveland township), south of Eel river, was surveyed in 1828, by Basil Bentley. In 1834, John Hendricks surveyed all of range 8, north of Eel river, being the remainder of Cleveland, all of Richland, Troy and Etna townships; the latter at that time was not a part of this county. Washington township was surveyed by Basil Bentley and William Brookfield in 1834. All of Columbia township, except the Reserve, was surveyed in 1834, by John Hendricks. The Reserve of fourteen sections, at Seeks Village, were surveyed in a whole tract, and report made and work concluded in October, 1827, by Chauncey Carter, and in 1840, the same man surveyed the reserve into sections to conform with adjoining lines. John Hendricks surveyed the whole of Thorncreek township in 1834. Basil Bentley surveyed all of Jefferson township except the reserve, in 1828, and Chauncey Carter surveyed the reserve in 1840. John Hendricks surveyed all of Union township except the reserve in 1834, and as before stated, Chauncey Carter surveyed the reserve in 1840. David Hill surveyed all of Smith township in 1829. All the lands in the county were entered or sold by the government at the Fort Wayne land office, except that ceded by the general government to the state as swamp lands, and these were disposed of by the state from the Indianapolis land office and ran through many years up to comparatively recent time. Much of these swamp lands, considered worthless, have become, through drainage, the very best in the county. In 1833, Jesse W. Long entered one hundred and twenty acres, and George Slagle eighty acres, all in section 36, Smith township, and Absalom

Hire forty acres in section 35, same township, and this comprised all the entries of that year. In 1834, the entries covered three thousand four hundred seventeen and five-tenths acres, all in Smith township, except the north-west quarter of section 13, in Cleveland township, entered by M. P. C. Wood, and the north-west fractional quarter of section 7. in same township, by Morse P. C. Wood, undoubtedly the same person. By the first of January, 1836. there were one hundred and twenty-one tracts entered in Cleveland township, sixty-six in Richland. twenty in Washington, twenty-six in Columbia, fourteen in Thorncreek. ninety-six in Jefferson, thirteen in Union. fifty-five in Smith and none in Troy.

The price at which the land was sold by the government was one dollar and twenty five cents per acre, in lots to suit purchaser of not less than forty acres, and first come had first choice, but to us of today it would seem the early purchasers selected the poorest instead of the best lots. Such change has clearing and drainage made, that much of the first entries are the very poorest of our farms, and that so long rejected the very best.

Whitley county being defined in bounds and by congressional townships, but with no record distinctly its own, the residents of township 30, range 8, applied to the commissioners of Huntington county at their September term. 1836, for an order to hold an election in said congressional township for justice of the peace, which was granted. The date of that election is not preserved, but return of same was made to Huntington, on November 3, 1836, as follows:

Jesse Cleveland, Candidate. Henry Swihart, Inspector. Palmer Cleveland, Judge.
Benjamin H. Cleveland, Clerk. David H. Cleveland, Clerk. Samuel Obenchain, Judge.

The above six persons cast their votes for Jesse Cleveland; there were no other votes cast. This election was held at the house of either Jesse or Benjamin Cleveland; the weight of evidence is that it was at Jesse Cleveland's home, which was also the home of Benjamin H. At the time of holding this election, it was decided to name the congressional township 30, range 8, Cleveland. Henry Swihart, many years after a resident of the county, proposed the name, which was seconded by Obenchain, and Swihart put the vote, himself and Obenchain voting aye, and no one voting nay. The four Clevelands refrained from voting. On January 2. 1837, Henry Swihart was allowed by the Huntington county board three dollars for making return of the aforesaid election.

On Monday morning, May 15, 1837, the Huntington justices, John F. Merril and Leander Morrison, met to do business as a county board, but Jesse Cleveland, from Whitley county, had not arrived. Partly in pleasantry and also to show the exercise of authority, these officers ordered an attachment to issue for Cleveland. At one o'clock he was present, and after making full explanation, was purged of contempt.

After reciting in their record that these three were the only justices within the two counties, they elected Jesse Cleveland president of the board. They ratified the name of Cleveland for township 30, range 8, and as there were no other township organizations, ordered that Cleveland township, in Whitley county, embrace all that part of Huntington county known as Whitley county, and all of Whitley county became Cleveland township, Huntington county.

Whitley county was named in honor of Col. William Whitley, who was killed at the battle of the Thames, in Canada, in the war of 1812, and the legislature at its session in 1833 and 1834 defined its boundaries.

On June 10, 1834, Samuel Smith entered the south-east quarter of section 34, in township 32, range 10, and in October of the same year located on his land and lived on it till his death in 1863. The largest early settlement was in the south -east corner of Smith township, and the few settlers gathered at J:he home of Samuel Smith on the 20th day of August, 1837, and all signed a petition to the Huntington county board asking that the township be name-! in his honor. Therefore, at its September term, 1837, it was ordered by the Huntington county board that township 32 north, range 10 east, be organized and known by the name of Smith township, and that the remaining east half of Whitley county be added to Smith township and that the west half of Whitley county remain Cleveland township. An election was ordered to be held in said Smith township (east half Whitley county) on the last day of November, 1837, to elect a justice of the peace. Richard Baughan was appointed inspector of said election and George Penn was appointed road supervisor of said township. At this session it was ordered that all that part of the Fort Wayne and Goshen state road running through the north-east part of Whitley county comprise the first road district of Whitley county, and that all persons living in the aforesaid Smith township (east half Whitley county) be attached to said road district.

Robert Starkweather, of Whitley county, was appointed commissioner to survey, relocate and properly define said Fort Wayne and Goshen road through the county. During the month of October, 1837, Nathaniel Gradeless wrote a petition asking the Huntington county board to organize township 32. range 9, into a civil township and order an election for justice of the peace. This was signed by Benjamin F. Martin, Adam Egolf, Joseph Egolf, John H. Alexander. Martin Overly. Peter Shriner, Daniel Hively, Jacob Shearer and Jacob Brumbaugh. Opposite each name was given the choice of name for the township by each subscriber. Five chose the name of Thomcreek, in honor of the little stream in the north-west corner of the township, already called by that name. Two chose the name of Lake; two others had no choice. Accordingly, on' November 6, 1837. the Huntington county board ordered that township 32, range 9, of Whitley county, be organized and known and designated by the name of Thorncreek township, and that Nathaniel Gradeless be appointed inspector of an election to be held at his house on the first Monday of December, to elect one justice of the peace.

In view of the coming organization of the county the few citizens of township 31, range 8, began to bestir themselves for a township organization. The principal movers were William Rice and Edwin Cone. They personally invited all the settlers to meet at the home of William Rice on the east half of the southwest quarter of section 5, on the 15th day of October, 1837, for the purpose of naming the township and asking for an organization. David Hayden lived at the extreme north-west corner of the township. Just as he was entering lite opening in front of the Rice cabin he met William Cordell and Zebukni Birch and they began an animated discussion of the richness of the soil. Each insisted he had the richest land. Arriving at the house, the discussion assumed a general form, and several others, each with just pride, told of the richness of his own land Finally. Edwin Cone said he thought the letter for which they came together was already settled, that each man had very rich land, that was all rich and that they had already unconsciously named it Richland township. The remark was so timely that good naturedly passed the pet name he intended to insist upon and all acquiesced in a name that had not been thought of before. Therefore, on November 5. 1837, ( same day Thorncreek was named) it was ordered by the Huntington county board that township 31. range 8. he organized and known and designated by the name of Richland township, and an election was ordered at the home of Ezra Thompson on the second Monday in December, 1837. and William Rice was appointed inspector of said election. This election was held near the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 9. and just west of the old family burying ground of the Thompson family.

The legislature of Indiana, at its session of 1837 and 1838. declared Whitley to be an independent county from and after the first day of April. 1838. and Governor Wallace appointed Richard Baughan sheriff to serve until after the election. His first duty was to call, advertise and cause to be held, elections at such places as he would deem most easily of access for the voters, for the purpose of electing a county clerk, recorder, two associate judges and three county commissioners. There were but four organized townships, Cleveland, Smith, Richland and Thorncreek, and four places of voting in these townships were designated as follows: One at the home of Lewis Kinsey in Cleveland township; one at the house of Andrew Compton in Richland township; one at the house of Richard Baughan in Thorncreek township, and one at the house of John N. More in Smith township. This election was held the first Monday in April, 1838. There was no fear of repeaters or illegal voters. Voters residing in organized townships were required to vote in such townships. Voters living in unorganized townships were ordered to vote at such designated places as might best suit their convenience. There were no newspapers in which to give notice, but notice was required to be posted at twenty-five conspicuous places in the county, at least one in each congressional township. 'They were placed on trees along Indian trails, and on the doors of settlers' cabins. A few days before the election, a caucus of convention was called at the home of Calvin Alexander, on the creek in north-east quarter of section 33 in Thorncreek township, for the purpose of considering candidates for the offices. About twenty-five citizens attended. It was not like the latter day political caucus. All politics was eliminated and the settlers met to become acquainted, to discuss questions concerning the future of the new county and to select candidates fitted for the offices and vote with concert of action. Abraham Cuppy was selected for clerk. Joseph Parrett. Jr., Nathaniel Gradless and Otho W. Gaudy for commissioners, Benjamin F. Martin and Jacob A. Vanhouten for associate judges. The election a few days after ratified this action. If there were any votes for any other persons, there is neither record or tradition of it. The place designated by the state precept for holding courts was the house of James Parrett, Jr., but there being no such person in the county Richard Baughan notified the persons elected to meet at the house of Joseph Parrett, Jr.. on ground now covered by South Whitley. on the 7th day of May. In the presence of the officers elect and other citizens assembled, Baughan opened the election returns, declared the candidates duly elected and administered to them the oath of office on the 7th day of May, 1838. The board of county commissioners organized by electing Otho W. Gandy as president of the board and adopting the eagle side of the dime as the seal of the board of commissioners of Whitley county. The present seal of the board of commissioners was adopted January 4. 1840. and the organization was completed.

The first official act was to appoint Henry Pence assessor for the county for the year 1838; John Collins, treasurer: Benjamin H. Cleveland, three per cent, fund commissioner, and Henry Swihart, county agent. The first tax duplicate, made in 1838, is still in perhaps as good state of preservation as when closed from active use and laid away in 1839. It consists of the straw board covers of a well worn atlas by Thomas T. Smiley, teacher, and published by the author in Philadelphia in 1825. It is eight by eleven and one-half inches. It consists of eight leaves of a fairly good quality of foolscap paper, sewed in; only three (six pages) of which are used for names and taxes and the other five are scribbled over with figures, making calculations no doubt, to insure tax-payers that no mistakes were made in their computation. The handwriting is unquestionably that of Richard Collins, whose name is inseparably connected with the early history of the county. He was the deputy of his brother-in-law. Abraham Cuppy. Descriptions of lands are not given nor is there any way to designate what persons are the owners of realty and who owned personal property only. The amount of taxable property is given in one column. in another the amount of county tax to be collected, and in another the amount of state tax to be collected. The amount of county tax totals two hundred twenty-two dollars and sixty cents, and state tax eighty dollars, thirty-two and one-half cents. The following is the list:

TOWNSHIP 30. RANGE 8, CLEVELAND. Amount Taxable Property Total Tax
Collins, John 529.00 6.08  1/2
Collins, Aaron M 70.00 2.05 1/2
Collins, Richard 70.00 2.05 1/2
Chapman, Charles 70.00 2.05 1/2
Chaplin, Stedman A.. 70.00 2.05 1/2
Chaplin, Moores P... 70.00 2.05 1/2
Circle. Peter 70.00 2.05 1/2
Creager. Samuel 34.00 1.64
Creager. Peter 181.00 2.08 1/2
Cleveland. B. H. & F.. 65.00 3.24
Creager, Adam 65.00 1.25
Cunningham, John.... 65.00
 1.25
Hapner. William 65.00
 1.25
Kinsey. Lewis 84.00
 2.21 1/2
Lesley. Daniel 14.00
 1.41
McQuigg, Abner T.. 14.00 1.25
Oliver, John 14.00
 1.25
Obenchain, Samuel. 288.00. 4.56 1/4
Parret, Elias 288.00
 1.25
Parrel, William 20.00
 1.48
Parret, Joseph. Jr. 515.00
 5.92 1/4
Parret, John 288.00
 3.62 1/2
Parret. David D 288.00
 1.25
Parret. Anderson D 288.00
 1.25
Swihart, Henry 110.00
 2.51 1/2
TOWNSHIP 30, RANGE 9. (Afterward named Washington township)

Ecker, Joseph 21.00
 .24 1/2

Townships 31 And 32, Range 8.
(Richland; and 32-8, afterwards Troy.)
Anderson, John 288.00 1.25
Cuppy, Abraham 120.00 2.63
Burch, Zebulon 97.00 2.37
Burns, John 97.00 1.25
Cordill, William 97.00 1.25
Cone, Edwin 97.00 1.25
Cone, David 18.00 .20 3/4
Curtis, Levi 50.00
 1.82 1/2
Compton, Andrew 75.00
 2.11 1/4
Estlick, Thomas 52.00 1.85 1/2
Hayden, David 88.00 2.26 3/4
Hartsock, Samuel 158.00 3.06 1/2
Jones, John 18.00 1.45 3/4
Ivistler, Jacob 94.00 1.09
Kistler,Jacob, Jr 94.00 1.25
Laing, Adam 94.00 1.25
Martin, Stephen 114.00 1.31
Perrin, Jesse 175.00 3.41 1/4
Payne, David 250.00 4.12 1/2
Rice, William 250.00 1.25
Rine, Joel 110.00
2.51
Snodgrass, John 169.00 3.19
Thomson, Ezra 50.00 .57 1/2
Thomson, John 50.00 1.25
Tinkham, Joseph 130.00 2.75

THORNCREEK TOWNSHIP 32, RANGE 9.
Egolf, Adam 146.00 2.93
Egolf, John 65.00 2.00
Egolf, Henry 65.00 1.25
Egolf, Joseph 81.00 2.18 1/2
Alexander, John H. 81.00 1.25
Boughan, Richard 405.00 5.90 3/4
Gradeless, Nathaniel 130.00 2.74 1/2
Gradeless, Milo 130.00 1.25
Grable, Benjamin 255.00 2.93
Grable, John 255.00 1.25
Hively, Jacob 18.00 1.45 3/4
Hively, Daniel 58.00 1.91 1/4
Johnson, James 70.00 2.05 1/2
Marcell, Jacob 70.00 1.25
Martin, Benjamin F. 200.00 3.55
McDonald, William. 200.00 1.25
Oberly, Thomas 200.00 1.25
Oherly, Zachariah 200.00 1.25
Suavely, Jacob 200.00 1.25
Salts, Frederick 200.06 1.25
Shriner, Peter 140.00 1.61
Neeper, James 140.00 1.25
Shearer, Jacob 140.00 1.25

TOWNSHIP 32, RANGE 10 (Smith Township.)
Byran, John
1.25
Brumbaugh, Jacob. 160.00 3.09
Briggs, Jesse 267.00 4.32
Blair, William 267.00 1.25
Braddock, John G 52.00 1.85
Crow, Joseph 55.00 .63 1/4
Crow, James 55.00 1.25
Comperit, Francis 1,920.00 23.08
Dungan, Samuel 130.00 2.74 1/2
Davis, Isaac 130.00 1.25
Elmandorf, Jacob E. .. 20.00 1.48
Fulk, Solomon 20.00 1.25
Garrison, Zachariah 79.00 2.16
Garrison, Artimess 79.00 1.25
Gordon, James 113.00 2.55
Giger, Thomas 14.00 1.41
Gandy, Otho W 150.00 2.97
Godfrey, John B 132.00 1.52
Harter, George 98.00 2.38
Jones, Benjamin 92.00 1.06
Jeffries, Wyatt 100.00 1.15
Jones, James 100.00 1.25
Kruzan, Benjamin 100.00 1.25
Lucas, Seth 100.00 1.25
Long, David E 100.00 2.48
Long, Jesse W. 300.00 4.70
Long, C. W 50.00 1.82
Miner, Byram D 50.00 1.25
Miner, Samuel 324.00 3.72 1/2
Mayo, John R 324.00 1.25
Noble, Silas
1.25
Nott,Thomas 324.00 1.25
Pence, George C 238.00 3.99
Pence, Henry 238.00 1.25
Rousseau, James H. 238.00 1.25
Sipe, William K 238.00 1.25
Smith, Samuel 75 .86 1/4
Spear, Jesse 75 1.25
Sine, Jacob 250.00 4.12 1/2
Tulley, Francis 127.00 2.70
Turner, John 135.00 2.80
Vanhouten, Jacob A 37.00 1.67
Vanmeter, William 228.00 3.87
Weller, Isaiah 210.00 2.411/2
Wolf, David 236.00 3.96 1/2
Wood, Philetus 210.00 1.25
Zulman, James 210.00 1.25
Zulman, John 210.00 1.25
Roebuck, James 236.00 1.25
More, John 165.00 3.15
Miller, Daniel
6.00 1.43 1/2
Nickey, Samuel 97.00 2.37
Norris, John 97.00 1.25
TOWNSHIP 31, RANGE 9.     (Afterward named Columbia.)
Shoemaker, Asa 65.00
 1.25

TOWNSHIP 31, RANGE10 (Afterward Union township.)
Bruce, George
1.25
Cleveland, Horace 37.00 1.68
Gardner, Benjamin 109.00 2.50 1/2
Oman, George 109.00 1.25
Perry, Talcott 117.00 2.59 1/2
Pierce & Starkweather. 1,765.00 20.29 3/4
Pierce, Joseph 1,765.00 1.25
Starkweather, Robert.. 65.00 2.00


Smith township was the most populous. Cleveland next, Richland next, and Thorncreek close on the others. There was but one person assessed in Columbia township and one in Washington, but two in Troy. Martin and Perry, Jefferson being the only township in the county with no representative on the tax list. Union had eight. The levies as recorded were one per. cent for county purposes and fifty cents per poll. For road purposes, seventy-five cents or one day's road work, for each one hundred dollars of valuation. For state purposes, fifty cents for each poll. On June 26, 1838, the board of commissioners established the commissioners' districts, one, two and three of said county; all of range 8 to be the first district; all of range 9 to be the second district; all of range 10 to be the third district, each to have one county commissioner, all to be elected by the voters of the count} at large. The fifth township to be organized and the first organized after the Whitley county machine was put into operation was Troy.

On the 3d day of April, 1839, Jesse S. Perrin and Stephen Martin met at the house of the latter to name congressional township 32 in range 8. Perrin was the first settler and lived at the extreme south line of the township near present Larwill, and Martin at the extreme north line of the township. Martin said: "You are an older settler than I am and have honored me by having the meeting at my house. You may name the township." He named it Troy, after the township in the state of New York from which he came. A petition was drawn accordingly and signed by these two men only, was presented to the board of commissioners of Whitley county at their regular session on June 6, 1839, and an order entered of record that township 32, range 8, should be organized as a separate township, to be known as Troy, and that Price Goodrich should be appointed inspector to hold the first election. Following directly, or the next day, came the 'record establishing Union township. Early in 1839, two petitions were circulated in township 31, range 10. for the organization and naming of the' township. One by George Oman, asking that the township be called Union, and the other by Talcott Perry, asking that it be named Adams, in honor of President John Adams. Quite a rivalry was manifested, but Oman secured the most signatures and asked that Perry be appointed inspector to hold the first election. Perry fearing that any opposition before the board of commissioners might endanger the organization, withdrew his petition and on the 7th day of June. 1839, an order was entered organizing the township and naming it Union.

Madison Switzer, David Bennett, William H. Coombs and Daniel R. Bears were, by act of the state legislature of 1838, ordered to proceed to Whitley county and locate the county seat. They were to meet at the house of Joseph Parrett, Jr.. on the first Monday in May, 1838. Switzer only appeared, and the board of commissioners adjourned till June i8th, at which time Switzer, Coombs and Bennett met. and after spending ten days examining sites and hearing arguments and offers, located the county- seat on section 19, Union township, on lands now principally owned by William A. Clugston. The court house lot was to be near the center of the section about a half mile due east of the present Compton brick church. Lot Bayless, the owner of the lands, agreed to give the county $500, pay all expenses of surveying and location, and purchase a set of record books costing $100. The action of these special commissioners was very unsatisfactory, and the feeling was quite bitter. Corruption was charged against Bayless and others. A petition was signed by four-fifths of the people of the county, protesting against the action and presented to the legislature in 1839. The protest was so strong that the report of the commissioners was set aside and Isaac Covert, Samuel Edsall, John Jackson and A. S. Ballard were appointed a new set of commissioners. These men, after a week's examination and three adjournments, on the 16th day of October, 1839, made the following report, which was accepted by the people of Whitley county:

"We, John Jackson, A. S. Ballard, Isaac Covert and Samuel Edsall, after being duly sworn, proceeded to the discharge of our duties assigned us by law. After examining the several sites presented by those wishing to offer donations, and after making examination of the several sites, do hereby-establish the permanent seat of justice in and for said county on section n, town 31. range 9 east, as the best situation that can be had."

"Given under our hands, this 16th day of October, A. D. 1839.

(Signed.) "John Jackson,"

"Samuel Edsall,"
"Isaac Covert,"
"A. S. Ballard."

And the county seat was located as it stands today. The lands on which it was located belonged to Elihu Chauncey, a resident of Philadelphia. It was fractional section 11, containing 443 acres. He was to donate half of said lands to the county and build a saw mill within the limits, on Blue river, which he did. Chauncey's deed, executed February 1, 1840, in Philadelphia, recites:

"whereas, Elihu Chauncey is the owner of a certain tract of land situate in Columbia township, Whitley county, Indiana, which has been selected by commissioners duly appointed, as the location of the county seat of Whitley county; and,

"whereas, Elihu Chauncey hath agreed to appropriate and convey to and for the use of said county, one-half of the lots into which the site of said town has been laid off; and,

"whereas, a plat or map of the said site has been made containing twenty-eight squares, each square being sub-divided into eight (8) lots, except squares twenty-one, twenty-two and twenty-eight, which are divided into four lots each, which map had been certified and acknowledged;

"Now. in consideration of said premises and one dollar to him in hand paid, the said Elihu Chauncey releases and quit-claims to Richard Collins all the lots numbered 3, 4, 7 and 8 in all the squares except 21, 22 and 28, and in 21 and 22 lots 3 and 4. and in 28, lots 1 and 2, to have and to hold the same forever to the use of Whitley county as and for the location of a county seat.''

Upon the first location of the county seat on the lands of Lot Bayless, he caused a survey and plat to be made by the surveyor of Huntington county, but the acts of the commissioners being set aside, it was never put on record. He subsequently filed a bill against the county for $246, services of the commissioners, surveys and procuring of the record books. The commissioners allowed and paid him the hundred dollars for the books and took and used them: also $102 paid the locating commissioners, but nothing for survey or other expenses, and he accepted the allowance without appeal. At their regular term at Parrett's house in November, 1839, the board of commissioners appointed Henry Swihart county agent, and agreed to meet on the site of the new town on November 25th of the same year, to adopt measures for laying off the new town. The board of commissioners. Clerk Cuppy and the sheriff appeared on time, but Henry Swihart not appearing, Richard Collins was appointed in his place. He being present, accepted and gave bond at the temporary county headquarters on outlet 6, on the west bank of Blue river, just north of the Pennsylvania Railroad and almost directly west of the Tuttle flouring mill. Asa Shoemaker's house, more than two miles to the north-west, being the nearest place of habitation, the weather being cold and the ground covered with snow, the session occupied but one day. Richard Collins was ordered at once to proceed with the survey and plat. The few straggling settlers who came in were invited to assist in naming the new town and it was done before adjournment that day. Asa Shoemaker, whose wife was named Elizabeth, wanted it called Elizabethtown; Richard Collins wanted it called Beaver in honor of the Indian who once owned the nearby reserve; Little Turtle was also suggested. Finally at the suggestion of Abraham Cuppy, ably seconded by Vanhouten. the name Columbia was adopted and the new town was given that name of record on that 25th day of November, 1839. and before any survey had begun, and the board adjourned. This was Thursday. On Friday, Collins began preparations for the survey, and on Saturday, under his direction, George Cromer, surveyor of La Grange county, began work and prosecuted it vigorously. Just when it was concluded we do not know, but it was finished before the spring of 1840. This first survey included only the town site. The remainder of the section was surveyed by the same man in January, 1841, the county and Elihu Chauncey each paying half the expense.

David E. Long bought from Collins, county agent, in January, 1840, the lot on the north-west corner of Main and Van Buren streets at a very low price, with the verbal agreement that he erect a building at once. He did put up a two-room frame building and had it open as a boarding house and hotel by the middle of May, 1840, the first house in the town. On the 7th day of April, 1840, the commissioners held a special session at the house of Zebulon Birch and ordered that the county agent be directed to advertise and sell or offer for sale as many lots as he may deem advisable on the 4th day of May. This was the last session outside the county seat. On the 4th day of May, 1840. the board met at the hotel of David E. Long, in the town of Columbia, the county seat of said county of Whitley. On the following day it was ordered that congressional township 31, range 9, be organized and called Columbia township, all other names having now disappeared. On the 8th day of September. 1840. there was filed with the commissioners a petition containing seventeen names, asking that congressional township 30, range 9, be organized as a civil township, to be called Washington, and it was so ordered. Daniel Lesley was appointed inspector to hold the first election at the house of Abraham Lesley, on Saturday, the sixth day of the month. Thus Washington township held her first election two days after being admitted to the sisterhood of townships.

In the latter part of the year 1844, citizens of township 30, range 10, began circulating petitions asking an organization of the township. One asked that it be called Raccoon, another Jefferson, another Fair- field, and the fourth Polk. The competition became so animated that fears were entertained the commissioners would not authorize organization. Finally, all names were withdrawn and a new petition circulated, leaving- off the name and asking only for organization, with the understanding that the supporters of the different names would appear before the board and argue the cases. The petition was filed March 5, 1845, and the contestants agreed to appear the next day. Chauncy Hadley was the last to sign and endorsed on the back, Jefferson township. On the day of filing, the commission Minor civil divisionsers, having heard of the jangle, concluded to pass upon it at once. Daniel Rice, president of the board, made the order on the back of the petition calling it Jefferson and it was so entered of record on the 5th day of March, 1845, and an election was ordered held on the first Monday in April. Michael C. Crowell was appointed inspector and the organization of Whitley county and all its townships was completed. The population of the county was, in

1840 1,237
1850 5,190
1860 10,730
1870 14,399
1880 16,941
1890 17,768
1900 17,328

The following tabulated statement gives the population of minor subdivisions from 1860 to 1900. the last census.


1880 1890 1900
Cleveland township, including South Whitley town 2,295 2,516 2,774
South Whitley town 408 720 1,113
Columbia township, including Columbia City 3,583 4396 4,364
Columbia City 2,244
3,027 2,975
Ward 1

1,081
Ward 2

1,045
Ward 3

849
Etna township
577 580 535
Jefferson township 1,523 1,577 1,468
Richland township
1,917 1,683 1,490
Smith township, including Churubusco town 1,892 2,060 1,956
Churubusco town 720 869 884
Thorncreek township 1,488 1,322 1,338
Troy township 924 945 847
Union township 1,263 1,169 1,043
Washington township 1,479 1,520 1,513

Minor civil divisions 1860
 1870

Total
 Native
 Foreign
 White
 Colored
 White
 Colored
Cleveland
 2,041
 1,999
 42
 2,041
1.379
Columbia (b) 1,271 1,177 94 1,269 2 1,016  (c)
Columbia 1,663 1,400 263 1,663
885
 2
First Ward 355 327 28 355


Second Ward 255 217
 38
 255


Third Ward 240 213
 27
 240


Fourth Ward 217 182
 35
 217


Fifth Ward 213 168
 45
 213


Sixth Ward 383 293
 90
 383


Etna (d) 429 427
 2
 429


Jefferson 1,263 1,199
 64
 1,263
871
Richland 1,723 1,659
 64
 1,723
1,257
Smith 1,232 1,211
 21
 1138
 94
 974
 90
Thorncreek 1,343 1,253
 901
 343
1,037
Troy 894 886
 8
 893
 1
 1,140
Union 1,294 1204
 90
 1,294
1,105
Coesse 192 168
 24
 192


Washington 1,244 1,138
 108
 1,246
974


(b) Exclusive of city of Columbia.
(c) Also one Indian.
(d) In September, 1860, Etna organized from the township of Washington, in Noble county.

We deem it worth the while of our reader to inquire into the causes that impelled the south one-third of Washington township, Noble county, to separate from that county and join its future with Whitley county in 1859, Washington township being the south-west corner of Noble county.

Noble county was organized in 1836. two years prior to our organization. Sparta was its first county seat, but there is neither record nor tradition of any court house or other county buildings ever having been built at that place. In 1843. the county seat or seat of justice, as it was called, was relocated at Augusta. Without an unkind word for our neighbor, it is just to say Noble county was almost covered with lakes and swamps, especially the south and south west portion. A wild fastness, scarcely equaled by the jungles of the tropics, and to this day not entirely cleared away. Roads were run without regard to lines, and in many cases a distance had to be traveled two or three times that of an air line or section line, and roads almost impassable in many places. The county was infested, naturally, from the condition of the surface, with thieves and robbers, who operated all over northern Indiana, north-western Ohio and southern Michigan. The Noble county regulators, a combination of citizens for the purpose of protecting life and property from these, criminals, has a record of daring well worthy of historical preservation. In one or two cases they did execute obnoxious outlaws. A county seat anywhere located was almost inaccessible from other parts of the county, and there was continuous agitation for changes that were not entirely settled until commissioners appointed by the governor in 1886, appraised the property at Albion and settled the matter for all time.and the present court house was finished in 1887 at a cost of $14,000. In March, 1843, almost immediately after location at Augusta, the court house was burned by an incendiary. Again, in 1844, the county seat was located at Port Mitchell and a court house and other buildings erected at a cost of $1,350. This was unsatisfactory to all but the nearby residents, and finally the location was fixed by vote of the people at Albion, in August. 1847, and on the 16th day of September, 1847, the county commissioners ordered the records and offices removed from Port Mitchell to Albion and into a court house costing $4.045. A jail was also built costing $1,300. This court house was destroyed by an incendiary fire in 1859 and all the records in the clerk's office were, destroyed except one order book which Samuel E. Alvord, then clerk, had at his home. Also a very valuable law and miscellaneous library. Matters were further complicated by the building of the Lake Shore Railroad through the county in 1858, building up the rival towns of Ligonier and Kendallville, near the extreme east and west lines of the county, each clamoring for the county seat or some upheaval or change in county boundaries that would make them county seats. From 1854 until the final building of the Grand Rapids Railroad in 1873, north and south through the county, near the east line, there was an agitation for the voting of subsidies which was very obnoxious to the people on the west side of the county. Preparations were being made for the building of a new court house at Albion, entailing a heavy tax, and it was built in 1861, at a cost of $11,000. The people were thoroughly disgusted with paying for court houses and having to hunt a new one every time they paid their taxes sometimes two or more days' travel among swamps and robbers, who were especially active at tax paying times.

Columbia City, with her Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway completed, was the natural trading point for the people of south and south-western Noble county; was nearer than isolated inland Albion, and a good road led to it from present Etna township, almost air line. The route was well populated and travel over it safe. These and other questions were thoroughly discussed, and an animated campaign began early in 1858 and continued through the winter. Petitions were circulated, speeches made and opponents to the change, mostly from other parts of the county, were almost driven out of the territory. A decided majority of the voters signed the petition for the change, and petitions were filed in both counties in March, 1859. In Whitley county, the exact date was March 9. 1859. and was laid over to the next term of the commissioners' court as the law directs. On June 10th, the board having heard all the proof and being satisfied the petition was signed by a majority of all the qualified voters, and that the law had been complied with in both counties, ordered that the south third of Washington township. Noble county, become a part of Whitley county, namely: Sections 25 to 36, inclusive, in township 33, range 8. The signers of the petition were:

L. Lampson, William Graves, Silas Scott, Robert Blain, John Blain, Jonathan Trumbull, D. K. Chandler D. J. Bowman, Thomas Blain, James Blain, Jacob Kile, D. S. Scott, Robert Scott, Sr., Simon Trumbull, Jacob P. Prickett, S. Trumbull, Jr.,
William A. Blain, S. Benton, Benjamin Boyer, Thomas Gaff, W. B. Cunningham, Samuel Bennet, Fielding Scott, J. C. Matthew, Abram Straight, Henry Myers, Eli R. Jones, John A. Miller, Alex McKendry, John W. Long, Lyman Robinson, M. C. Scott, Samuel Garrison, J. B. Long. Levi Kile, J. F. Cunningham, Abraham Straight, Sr. A. B. Gandy, John Kisler, Thomas Hartup, Aaron Bennet, Alanson Tucker, Washington Jones, Alex M. Blain, Jr., Franklin Hunt, Joseph Welker, Thomas Scott, F. M. King, J. D. Goble, A. M. Blain, Isaac Sheafer, William Crow, James McKendry, Jacob Fashbaugh, John Long, John Bennet, Frederick Sheets, Francis Kind,

This change met with great opposition from the board of commissioners of Noble county and every possible obstacle was thrown in the way to prevent it. James Long, one of the county commissioners, resided in the district, and it was only through the great friendship of one of the other commissioners for him that he finally consented to vote with Long for the change. Prior to the change, Lafayette Lamson had laid out the little town of Etna, naming it after the town and township from which he came in Ohio. It was the wish of the citizens that the new township take this name. Accordingly, on the 12th day of September, 1860, the commissioners entered of record an order that it be called Etna, and on the following day they appointed A. W. Myers to draft the field notes from the records of Noble county and to transcribe the names of the owners of land therein and place all on record in Whitley county with the valuations. Also to make copy of deed records of said lands and to secure from Noble county the part of Congressional school fund to which Etna township was entitled, all of which was promptly done. The county auditor did on the 19th day of September, 1860, appoint T. B. Cunningham trustee of Etna township, to serve until the ensuing- general election. This change was followed by two other attempts soon after.

On the 9th day of March. 1860, Moses Trumbull. John B. Rowland, H. A. Adair, Leander Nicholas. James A. Nicholas, Robert Bowlesby, Andrew S. Carill, C. B. Wood, Michael Bowman. Thomas Kern, J. Brown, Clayton Fisher, Charles Hanson, Noah Cripe, L. Makemson, J. S. Hindbaugh and John Ruggles, filed petitions in both Noble and Whitley, representing that they were a majority of the voters in sections 19 to 24, inclusive, in Washington township, Noble county, a strip one mile wide across the township adjoining that part set off the year before as Etna township, and asking that they also be set off to Whitley county and made a part of Etna township. After due course of law, the board of commissioners of Whitley county entered an order on the 9th day of June, 1860. finding the matters and things contained in the petition to be correct and solemnly declared the strip to be a part of Whitley county. It was to be expected that Noble county would not ratify the action, and as it did not the order of Whitley county became inoperative and no further action was taken.

On March 10, 1860, a petition was filed in both Allen and Whitley counties, by sundry citizens of Allen county, residing in the twelve most westerly sections of Lake township. Allen county, asking- that two miles off the west side of that township be declared a part of Whitley county and made a part of Union township, as it lay adjacent to Union township. This was signed by—

William Thorp, Luke Dugan, J. C. Springer, A. Hyre, Nathan Smith, W. Raley, A. W. Ruby, J. G. Vandewater, W. G. Miner, John Owens, H. D. Vandewater, Patrick Roe, M. Bowerman, William Tracey, John Fry, Charles Crary, James Lawrence, C. Gearman, William Sternberry, Thomas Tracy, M. Waugh, Thomas Tracey, Dennis Gorman, William Brown, Thomas Larimore, John Thorp, John H. Gratcer, Edward Ruby, M. Smith, William McManus, A. M. Long, John W. Therbond, Jac. Diffendarfer, John Owen, G. Stahel, David Tawney, A. Vandewater, Samuel Nickey, M. Dugan, Patrick Leslie, E. Hyre, P, J. Upp, James Ralby, Basil Butts, M. R. Vandewater, Joseph Finch, C. Lemley, James Tucker, Octavius Baff, Robert Hanna, William Miller, William Stamboy, Patrick Donan, A. Ryan, Bernard McLaughlin, Dennis Gearing,  William Thorp, Jr., Thomas Quicksell, David Gorman, William McMahan, H. Diffendarfer,Wm. C. Vandewater.

On the 9th day of June, 1860. the board found that the legal provisions had been complied with, and ordered that said strip be attached to Whitley county and made a part of Union township. Counties are always lothe to yield up any part of their territory, and under ordinary conditions never do so. Allen county never granted the change, and therefore the action of our county was void. The line between original Cleveland and Richland townships was at the very northern part of South Whitley. The line between the original Richland and Troy townships was directly through the center of Larwill. It will also be remembered that up to 1882 there was but a single voting place in a township. Consequently, about the close of the war, both the villages having grown to a pretentious size, residents on the north line of Cleveland township, practically in South Whitley, resented the idea of going three miles north into the country to vote and several miles into the interior to do township and school business. On the north line of Richland the feeling was greater. More than half the voters of Lanvill, then a larger town than South Whitley, were obliged to go three miles north and one and a half mile east to the center of Troy township to vote, and anywhere to do local official business. Roads were bad at any season of the year, and by the time of October and November elections almost impassable. At both ends of Richland township there was desire for change. Cleveland would of course be gratified to have her territory increased by one-third its original size, and Richland perfectly contented to have the change made by gaining as much to the north as was lost at the south side. Troy only would be the loser of one-third its territory. At the September term, 1867, a petition was presented to the board of commissioners asking that a voting precinct be established in Larwill, at which place the voters residing in the south two-mile strip of Troy and north one-mile strip of Richland might vote. This was granted, but the privilege could only be available for general county and state elections and not for township elections. Then this required the expense of having a voting place additional in both Troy to the north and Richland to the south and created the names of New Richland Center and New Troy Center. This was an unsatisfactory makeshift. On the 12th day of December. 1868, the people of Cleveland, Richland and southern Troy were almost unanimously in favor of attaching two miles across the south end of Richland to Cleveland, and two miles off the south end of Troy to Richland. The north two-thirds of Troy was appeased by joining Etna township to them, giving them again a full township six miles square. Accordingly, all this was done by order of the board of commissioners on the 12th day of December, 1868. It was supposed the people of Etna township would be more than satisfied with the change, as they would belong to a full-size township and expenses of township administration be lessened. As a concession also the town of Etna was designated as the place of holding elections, which was much more convenient for the people of that township than those living in Troy.

Albert Webster was trustee of Richland, William H. Liggett of Cleveland and Benjamin Wooden of Troy, and as the residence of each of these officers still remained in the townships as they stood before the change, it was ordered that they hold office, as officers of the new townships, until their successors should be elected at the April elections, 1869. With the abolishment of Etna township, her offices were declared vacated. The assessors of Troy and Cleveland resided in the new townships of same name, but James Runkle, assessor of Richland, now a resident of Cleveland, his office was vacated, until the new election of the next spring. The people of Etna township, however, resented the change. For what reason does not appear of record, but tradition says they were proud of their independence and desired to be left alone. The officers held their books and papers, and under protest ceased to perform the functions of their offices. No election was held for officers in April, 1869. The assessor of Troy reported to the commissioners that nearly every resident of Etna township refused to list their property with him, whereupon the board ordered him to return, demand the listing of their property and advise them that any further refusal would put them in contempt of court and that they would be fined under the law punishing persons for refusing to list their property. The case was acute. At the March term, 1869, the trustee of Etna township reported to the commissioners his levies for township and school purposes for the year, which the board refused to consider, but an order was finally entered admitting the levies, but that they should be vacated, and the auditor not to compute taxes on them unless the action making them a part of Troy should be rescinded and vacated, the people already having taken action toward this end.

On June 10, 1869, the board found that it was the unanimous wish of the people in this strip that the functions of a township should be restored to them and it was given them and the township of Etna was restored. Since that time there has been agitation for the consolidation of the two townships, but it came more from people outside than within either of them. Some of this was political. Both townships are strongly Republican, each having a trustee, and while politics dominated the election of a county school superintendent, there was Democratic sentiment for consolidation and Republican sentiment against it. This is practically the only political advantage of the office of township trustee. This has so much abated under the superb management of the schools by the present superintendent, George H. Tapy, a Democrat, that with him as the issue at the November election 1904, only Troy and Etna townships elected Republican trustees, though President Roosevelt carried the county by seventy-eight, and each party elected part of its county ticket.

At the loss of Etna township, the people of New Troy felt very much aggrieved over the final outcome of the boundary upheaval of 1868. They had another serious and just cause of complaint. It was inserted in the order making the change, insidiously they believed, that each new township should assume all debts contracted by the township of that name before the change. This was in no way objectionable to Cleveland, for the two mile strip would help them pay all debts for improvements of which the people in the strip got no benefit. It was particularly pleasing to the people of Richland, because old Troy township had built a new frame two-story school building in Larwill which was not yet paid for. Richland township and Larwill got the building and New Little Troy was obliged to pay for it. Troy lost her school building, but with loss of one-third her territory and at least half her taxable property she must pay for it. Everyone saw the rank injustice. If an attempt was made to enforce this order, the courts might annul the whole proceeding, and the change of territory being more desirable to the citizens of Richland than getting rid of their just share of debt, they were in a conciliatory mood. The county com- .missioners therefore appointed Alexander S. McNagny on behalf of Richland township, and Ambrose M. Trumbull on behalf of Troy, to arbitrate and reach a satisfactory settlement. I. B. McDonald, county school examiner, was appointed the third member of the arbitration board and the commissioners bound themselves to ratify any agreement reached by any two of the arbitrators. The arbitrators met at Larwill March 18. 1869. McNagny and Trumbull agreed that McDonald should act as referee, president of the board, and manager of the proceedings. Henry McLallen, now president of the First National Bank of Columbia City, was selected as secretary to the board of arbitration. Mr. McLallen says that McDonald explained the situation so clearly and figured out a settlement so just, that it was accepted without even suggestion of a change.

The debt due on school house was $695.4 3. There was special school funds in hands of county treasurer, $1,100, of which amount one-third or about $366 equitably belonged to that part of the township now Richland, for they had paid in it as residents of Troy. Deducting this $366 from the total debt on the school house, would leave $329.43. This sum of $329.43 was assumed by Richland township, but Troy township paid Richland township $34. And thus for the period of thirty-five years there have been no changes made in the civil subdivisions of Whitley county.
Source: History of Whitley county, Indiana by Samuel P. Kaler, Richard H. Maring
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