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ELKHART TOWNSHIP
It is not certainly known who was the earliest
settler in Elkhart Township. Samuel Tibbot erected a cabin there
in 1832, and the Knights, a Mr. Austin, and David P. Bourie were
there about the same time. The Austin cabin was near the bank
of Elkhart River, in the southwestern part, on land owned by
Mr. Bourie, who was a bachelor, and who gave Mr. Austin permission
to build and reside there on condition that he should receive
him as a boarder. In the immediate vicinity Mr. Bourie erected
a log storeroom, which he stocked with about $1,000 worth of
goods. He seems to have been successful as a merchant, as by
the end of three years he had a stock valued at $4,000. He narrowly
missed losing his land through his delay in entering it. His
suspicions being aroused by two men, who appeared in the neighborhood
soon after his store was opened, and who, after making a close
examination of his property, set off in the direction of Fort
Wayne, where the land office was located, he immediately assumed
the garb of an Indian, and started for Fort Wayne, himself on
a swift pony. His disguise was so perfect that several friends
whom he passed on the way failed to recognize him. He passed
the two men, reached Fort Wayne before them, entered his land,
and had the pleasure of witnessing their disappointment when
they arrived and discovered that they had been outwitted. Mr.
Bourie carried on a good trade, especially with the Indians,
who were lavish in their expenditures whenever they had anything
with which to buy, generally taking the finest goods, among which
the old records mention three silk hats for the chiefs. He was
a strong and hardy settler, well able to take care of himself,
even in a frontier community, and on one occasion punished an
Indian, who had snapped a gun at his favorite dog, thinking or
pretending that it was not loaded-though it went off and killed
a fowl-by butting the savage's head against a log until his face
and scalp were covered with blood and bruises. The dog in question
was a highly trained and useful animal, which, it is said, would
bring the cows home from the woods, go across the river and bring
back a canoe, and trace stolen property.
Isaac Tibbot was also a hearty pioneer,
a man of strong will power and a good hunter. According to records
preserved at Albion, the principal land owners in Elkhart Township
in 1844, were: Isaac Arnold, William Albert, William Bradford,
John P. Brothwell, Abraham Brown, James Boyd, Daniel P. Boner,
Francis Brown, Moses Ball, John Bird, William Caldwell, Andrew
Curry, George, Samuel and Jacob Domer, Perry Dempsey, Jacob Gerber,
David Gibson, W. K. Gibson, John Gibson, Hosea Gage, Fred Hartsock,
W. H. Herriman, Luther Herriman, Jonathan Hoak, Jacob Holden,
Jacob Hoff, Abraham Hoff, Nathaniel Hamilton. W. H. Hall, Thomas
Inks, Ralph Hardenbrook, Daniel Lower, William Mawhorter, Lewis
Mills, George Moore, David Ream, Ames Scrivener, William Steinberger,
Isaac Tibbot, David Tuttle, James Thayer, William, Lewis, Hiram
and Wesley Waldron, Wilson L. Wells, Henry Walker, David Woodward,
Nathaniel and George Woodward, and Jon Zimmerman, besides a few
others.
In June, 1837, John and William Knight
laid out a village on the east half of the northeast quarter,
of the east half of the southeast quarter of section 30, which
they called Pittsburg. Ninety-six lots were laid out in blocks
of eight lots each, several being donated for public purposes.
The lots failed to sell, however, and but one building was begun,
which was only partially completed.
Better luck, though destined to be transitory,
attended the Village of Springfield, laid out in the northern
part of section 22, probably by William Pierson, who built the
first dwelling there at an early day. A sawmill had been erected
there in 1838 by Joseph Steinberger, and at his death came into
the hands of his son William. The mill was kept busy for a number
of years until finally destroyed by fire. The first store in
Springfield was started by David Chapole, and later a better
one by Mr. Farver. Other early merchants were Mr. Smith, John
Knepper, and William Steinberger. In 1845 the village contained
fifteen or more families, besides two stores, a gristmill, a
sawmill, a church and a schoolhouse. A postoffice was also early
established. Soon after the year mentioned, however, a progressive
decline set in, and, in the words of a former historian, which
are applicable today, "new buildings failed to appear, old
ones became dingy and dilapidated, the streets became almost
deserted, and Springfield remained but the ghost of its former
frame, [sic] The ghost yet lingers, reluctant to leave the old
place, so fraught with dim but cheerful memories."
The coming of the railroads gave rise to
new towns in various places, and to the construction of the Lake
Shore, Wawaka owes its life and existence. Isaac Tibbot had built
the first house there in 1834, and in February, 1857, he seized
the opportunity of becoming proprietor of a successful village
by laying out eight lots, on each side of the railroad. Apparently
he had hitherto been the sole resident, as it is stated that
William Knepper built the second house early in 1857, while George
Steinberger, the miller, erected one "about the same time."
Mr. Tibbot continued his enterprising movements by putting up
the first store building, in which Mr. Miles started business
with a stock of dry goods and notions. The latter was succeeded
after a few years by David Hale, and Mr. Hale by Elias Strous,
of Ligonier. John Knepper opened the second store, selling dry
goods and groceries. A drug store was opened in the Strous building
by Doctor Goodson. Soon other business men and artisans appeared,
and the village took on a slow but steady growth, which was stimulated
about 1867, when Ellis & Mummert erected a large frame, three-storied
gristmill, with three run of stone. The structure cost $15,000,
and the mill drew trade from all the surrounding country, the
farmers who brought in their grain naturally buying their supplies
from the local merchants. As high as 100 barrels of flour were
manufactured daily, much of which was shipped East. When the
markets were low the owners bought considerable wheat at the
board of trade at Chicago, shipping it to Wawaka, where it was
made into flour, and then re-shipped to the Eastern market. They
were favored in this by the railroad company, which charged them
a through rate for freightage, as if it had not been unloaded
at Wawaka. But all good things come to an end some time. In 1874
the mill was destroyed by fire, together with a shingle factory
and sawmill, and, for some unexplained reason, was values, and
gave Wawaka something of a set-back. Immediately after the destruction
of the gristmill, Mr. Mummert erected a sawmill, installed with
a fifty-horse-power engine and a double circular saw, and for
a number of years was engaged in the manufacture of handles,
"shims," and other lumber products, doing a successful
business. Another successful sawmill was built by Mr. Dodge,
who later added to it a planing-mill, and manufactured handles,
shims, and staves. Solomon Mier, Strauss Brothers, Sheets &
Wertheimer and Welt, Beck & Co. engaged in the buying of
grain, and in 1880, 50,000 bushels of wheat were shipped from
the village. Other losses from fire occurred, but the buildings
destroyed were rebuilt, or others substituted, and the village
pursued the even tenor of its way. For a number of years the
population has been almost stationary, and is now about 400.
To some extent modern improvements have been introduced, but
there is as yet o bank, the people availing themselves of the
fine banking facilities of the neighboring City of Ligonier.
Telephone service is provided by the People's Mutual Telephone
Company. The postoffice has one rural route.
Robert M. Waddell, History
of northeast Indiana: LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties,
Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1920, Noble County, pgs. 429-431. |
