Van Buren Township, Part 1

1882 COUNTIES OF

LaGRANGE and NOBLE INDIANA HISTORICAL and BIOGRAPHICAL

Chicago F.A. Battey and Company Publishers 1882

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP

Part 1

By: R. H. Rerick

Van Buren Township- Surface Features-Incidents of Early Settlement-

Catalogue of Pioneers-Village of Marion- Industrial Growth-Village of Van Buren-

The Dwight and Barnes Tragedy- Learning and Religion

Van Buren, was named by the founder of the second village of the county in honor of the then President-elect, was "admited into the Union" in 1837. Van Buren is the northwest township of the county, bounded by the Michigan line on the north and Elkhart County on the west, and comprises a variety of lands- level, fine farming land in the east, and in the west a beautiful country, which in part compensates for a little lack in suitability for the farmer, by affording, in its rolling hills and beautiful lakes, a refreshing relief from the monotony of sandy prairies.

The township is well watered by Pigeon River, flowing through the middle, and its tributaries: Crooked Creek to the north, and Shipshewana, Muddy and Buck Runs at the south. Pigeon River supplies a valuable water-power, which was early utilized, and in such capacity that surveys were made at an early day to discover if it could be navigable as an outlet for this region to the lakes. But the development of railroads soon discouraged that project. The most important lakes are on the boundary lines- on the Elkhart line: East Lake and Stone Lake, the latter interesting as the most beautiful of the county and as the scene of a sadly romantic tragedy. One-half mile from this place lies Fish Lake, about a mile in length, on the State line. These lakes are rendered very attractive by the unbroken sweep of sandy beach surrounding them, and the picturesqueness of the enclosing hills. They are a part of a group which includes Klinger's Lake, a well-known resort on the Lake Shore Railway, further to the north across the line in Michigan. A very large part of the land at the first settlement was in marshes, and though this area has been much reduced, perhaps one-eighth of the land is marsh. The "Big Marsh" includes most of this territory. At the January session of the commissioners, in 1837, it was ordered that all the county north of Township 36, and west of the center line of Section 9, be set off as Van Buren Township, and John Olney appointed Inspector, and an election set for the first Monday in April for Justice of the Peace, at the house of Seldon Martin. This first election, at the site of the village of Van Buren, called out some thirty voters, but the records are not to be found, and it is only remembered that one Pierce was the first Justice. The next incumbent was Jesse Harding.

The first comers, as far as known, were Jesse Huntsman, who took possession of the only piece of prairie land in the township in 1829, before the land was on the market, and Nehemiah Coldren, who in the same year built the first log house, near the bridge over Crooked Creek. Coldren entered land later in Greenfield. But the first settlement was made east of the village, on land then well timbered, but remarkably clear from underbrush, owing to the fires started by the Indians. Here the grass grew luxuriantly, which was as near as could be had to milk in the absence of kine, and the trees were full of wild honey. The land was open to purchase in 1831, at the land office in Fort Wayne, and in this year Ami Lawrence, Obadiah Lawrence, Nathaniel Callahan and AsaOlney went from Lima to Fort Wayne on foot, following the Indian trail, to enter farms. Soon after, "Uncle" Asa Olney made the same trip alone, in a three days' journey. He remembers distinctly some incidents of this tramp through the forests. The prairie wolves were numerous then, and their noise, as they cracked the bones of their evening meal, made no agreeable serenade as he tried to sleep. One night, during his solitary journey, a party of Pottawatomies held a war dance and jubilee near the place at which he was resting, over the body of some enemy which they had given a quick pass to the happy hunting grounds. Asa Olney was called on to serve on a jury at Goshen before the seperation of LaGrange from Elkhart County. As an instance of the ways and the means of the pioneers: Mr. Olney, who entered at first but eighty acres, enlarged his farm considerably by the proceeds of a two-acre patch of turnips, and a half acre of melons. The new sandy land produced wonderful vines. Melons of thirty pounds were ordinary, and pumpkins frequently reached the comfortable weight of 100 pounds. The vegetables found a good market at White Pigeon and Constantine, Mich. This earliest party of settlers was composed of Nathaniel Callahan, with his family, one of whom, Ami, still lives in the township (other sons died, Almon, in 1846, and Mills, in May, 1881); Obadiah Lawrence, who died in 1852; his brother, Ami Lawrence (died 1839), whose daughter Annie was the wife of the elder Callahan; Asa Olney, brother-in-law of Nathaniel Callahan, who, with his wife, is still living in the township; and his brother John Olney, whose sons, Jackson and William are still on the homestead. They were all from Washington County, Ohio, and settled within two miles east of VanBuren, at what might be called the Crooked Creek Settlement. In the spring of 1831, John Cook, an Englishman, entered land in Section 17, where his son William still resides.Cook soon succumbed to pioneer hardship, and died in August 1831. His was the first death among the settlers. At the other portal of existence, the first events which the chronicler can discover were the births of a brother ofAmi Callahan, who died at the age of one year; of Sylvanus Olney, born February 20, 1832, who died here July 10, 1879, and Huldah Lawrence, December 25, 1832.

The pioneers, in the custom, since become quite popular and romantic, of a matrimonial journey to Michigan, were Hiram Harding, of Lima, and Miss Lola Callahan, who were married at White Pigeon. Then, however, that was the nearest place where the legal sanction could be found. Since then, a great many lovers, without the necessity, have made White Pigeon their Gretna Green. Another early wedding was that of Alfred Martin, of VanBuren, and Ellen Hubson, of White Pigeon. In 1833, the neighborhood was increased by the settlement ofTyler Fleming and John and David Cowan. Philip Munger, who died about 1842, and Kellogg Munger, who lived until the last decade, were the newcomers of the next year.

In June, 1835, Peter and Nicholas I. Sixby entered lands in Section 10 and 14. Solomon Whitney settled in the Crooked Creek neighborhood in 1836, and Robert Scott, who, however, died after a year's residence. These were families of this neighborhood for several years. Among later comers was, in 1843, Arby Crane, who afterward removed to Lima and LaGrange. His son, Samuel D. Crane, became County Superintendent. When the settlement began to increase after the "sickly season," it was in such a rapid manner as to defy the chronicler. The first burial-place of the neighborhood was on Callahan's land, in Section17, where members of the Callahan family, Philip Munger and Robert Scott were buried. The earliest public ground was in Section 20, on the White Pigeon road. On the lands of Berry and John Cook, in addition to these, there were private burial-places.

The first road to be surveyed was through this settlement- the Defiance & White Pigeon road- of which Judges Newton and Seeley were viewers, and John Kromer, surveyor. The first county road in the township was laid out in 1838, joining the Defiance road, between Sections 17 and 20 in the east. The second State road passed through the center of the township, and is called the Vistula road, as it was intended to connect "Vistula on the Maumee"- now Toledo- with South Bend. Thomas P. Bulla and John Kromer surveyed the road in 1835. There were settlements along the line of this road south of the river, before the survey. John Belote and his son Elmer were here in October 1834, and built a house on the present Belote farm next year. The father was from Western New York, where he had been a member of an independent company of horse in the war of 1812. He was one of the first Trustees, and held that place for several years. He died August 20, 1857, at the age of sixty-two. Elmer Belote, a steadfast bachelor, is still a well-known citizen, and has served the county for two terms as Coroner. His brother, James S. Belote, died in 1865. In the winter of 1834-35, theBelotes built a log bridge across the river on their land, which endured seven or eight years. Before that a canoe had been used as a makeshift for a ferry at this point, and travelers on the other side, with good voices, were promptly served. A substantial bridge now spans the stream at this point, and also the Sidener bridge at another old crossing, a mile below. William Tharp, in Section 30, and Jacob Butt, who died here, in 1868, aged seventy-two, came in at the same time as the Belotes. In 1835, Nicholas Sidener, of Clearfield County, Ohio, came to his present farm in Section 30, and with him, his brother, Samuel Sidener, who afterward removed.Samuel Berry lived in this vicinity. George Turnbull, who, with Ami Whitney, was chosen Constable in September, 1837, were in the neighborhood, and Edward Robbins and one Nobles. These were probably all the earliest settlers here, and of them only Nicholas Sidener and Elmer Belote are still residents at the writing of this history.

A burial-place in Section 30, on the Vistula road, known as Belote Graveyard was opened in 1836, and is the last resting-place of the following old settlers: Mrs. John Fowler died 1851, aged fifty-one; Sylvanus Olney;Peter Fox, died 1859, aged fifty; Jacob Butt, John Belote, James S. Belote and Elisha Tharp.

On Vistula road, upon the present farm of Richard L. Newman, a village was laid out in June, 1836, byFrancis Rhoads, Isaac Buckley and Eppah Robbins, who were then the owners of the land. The village was named Marion and a tavern was erected by the owner of the plat, and a store started by James Belote andBuckley. By the vigorous efforts of the projectors of Marion, quite a "huddle" was built up, but it soon became evident that it could never grow up to the paper, and the owners of the lots joined in a petition to have the village resolved into wheat fields, and thus Marion disappeared forever. John Fowler lived in the place for a short time. He was the owner of a distillery near Buck Creek. Best was another of the residents. A saw-mill was built by Harding & Johnson on Buck Creek in 1836 and run for several years.

The western portion of the township began to receive settlers about 1836. In November of this year, Peter L. Keightley, brother of John Keightley, of Newbury, a native of Lincolnshire, England, came into the township and occupied his land in Section 22. Mr. Keightley used to take liberties ordinary in the old country with the letter"h." Not far from his place there was a tree in the road with the letter L cut upon it, which was a well-known land-mark, and it is still told that Mr. Keightley's manner of directing travelers to "go to the heL," and so on, would frequently cause a misunderstanding. Mr. Keightley is still an honored resident of the neighborhood where he has spent so much of his life.

About 1837, there settled west of Van Buren, Jacob Moak, whose son Peter now lives near the State line. Other settlers, west of the river, up to 1840, were Robert and John Marshall, Englishmen, Bower, George W. Ferguson, Garel Osborne, John Sallier (who made the first clearing in the southwest, and died before 1840), and several on the Vistula road near the county line, including Widow Dodd, William Mack, whose sons are still upon the old farm; and at Stone Lake, William Davis, a friendly Quaker who is kindly remembered.

The first burial-ground in this vicinity was near the county line, in what was called the Mack settlement. The first interment was of Josiah Remington, at which the sermon was preached by a young minister, John P. Jones, since prominent in county and State history.

Charles Dwight, with his wife and child, came to the quarter section which he now resides upon, March 9, 1841. Mr Dwight in his early days was a boatman upon the Erie Canal in New York. He is a member of the seventh generation in America of this distinguished family. His later life has been saddened by the tragedy of which an account is given elsewhere, in which his youngest daughter was the victim. In 1843, Alonzo Clark settled near the county line, and Aaron Freeman, still a prominent citizen of the township, came upon his farm in the same year.

Crooked Creek curves down into Indiana, inclosing with a lake to the north a fertile territory called "The Island." This land was held by speculators at first, and one of the earliest actual settlements upon it was by John Dalton in 1840. Mr. Dalton had been with his brother James in White Pigeon since 1836, where he had come from Rochester, N.Y. In 1850, he bought the Van Buren Mills, and has since resided in the village, where he has a comfortable residence. Mr. Dalton, starting with little of this world's goods, has amassed a considerable fortune.

About 1850, a settlement was started in the southwest corner called New Pennsylvania. John L. Rhoads, Jacob Mehl and John Foster were the earliest settlers, but all have removed. They were all Pennsylvanians. The schoolhouse on this section now bears the name of the settlement. John Klingaman made the latest original entry of land, taking the southeast quarter of this section in May, 1848.

About the year 1840, the population began to increase rapidly, and as a consequence the prices of provisions began a considerable rise. This was possible, however, and the prices do not seem extravagant at this time. In 1834, wheat drawn to Constantine, Mich., brought only 35 cents, and corn 18 cents, but in 1836 the prices were doubled. Before the VanBuren Mills were built, about a week would be consumed in going to mill, and farmers often preferred to grind a small grist in a common coffee-mill. It was delicate work raising wheat then. About one-sixth of it was apt to be smutty, and the cereal had to be washed and spread out to dry upon the upper chamber floors. Farmers of the early day hardly dreamed of the wholesale methods of modern agriculture.

Volunteer transcription by Pati Blowers May. Material for transcription gathered by Barbara Henderson.