Van Buren Township

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Business Center in Van Buren

The Township of Van Buren, Grant County, comprises all of town 25, range 9 east, and is bounded on the east by Wells County, on the north by Huntington County, on the west by Washington Township, and on the south by the township of Monroe.

This Township was originally covered with a heavy forest of most kinds of timber that grow in this part of the state of Indiana. The general surface of Van Buren is possessed of more inequalities than most other parts situated in this part of the county, which, in the state of nature, appeared to be quite level, but as time advanced and the forest disappeared, and ponds and "sloughs" were drained the eye of the observer is struck with inequalities which were not seen in years gone by, nor even thought of by the early settlers. The facilities for drainage are good and before this every pond has disappeared, and the passerby beholds instead fields of waving grain, gardens and orchards adorning the country once a howling wilderness where the prowling panther and sneaking wolf had undisputed away.

This part of the county of Grant originally had a full representation as regards animated nature. The black bear was once a denizen of the forest of this region and numerous are the stories told of the encounters of hunters with him wile engaged in the chase of this animal. The gray wolf, with a few of the black species, was quite numerous and destructive to lambs, pigs, calves, sheep, etc., in the first settling. Wild cats were plentiful; they were terrible when caught by a dog. Deer were plentiful and it was not uncommon for a hunter to kill four or five in a day.

The prairies in the township were not as large as in some other localities. that known as McCowen's Prairie is largest (it is sometimes called Sweetsar's). It had at first nearly two hundred acres of open prairie, covered with tall grass in summer, and in spring it was little else than a lake. Kirk's Prairie, just south of the Creviston farm, is the source of Little Black Creek. It has been drained and become good farm land. A small prairie east of the Abe Endsley farm was another small body of water in spring, and in summer it suited the rattlesnakes to lie around and frighten those that came to get berries, flags, etc. A small prairie on Tony Korporal's land has disappeared and become a part of his farm. A prairie known as Tippey's had all the general features of those already described.

The drainage of this township is through its creeks and branches into the Salamonia River, except in the southwestern part through the north branch of Lugar's Creek, and thence to the Mississinewa.

Big Black Creek enters the township at the half-mile corner, on the east side of section 36, and pursues a northwesterly, passing out of the township near the northeast corner of section 12, having ten and eight-tenths miles within the township, with about thirty-four feet of fall. This creek was at first very fine in its number of fish. Big Black has an extensive drainage, and has been cut and re-cut till it is greatly improved. The cutting and clearing out the upper part of this stream was one of the first undertakings of the kind in the county under a ditch law, having been surveyed in 1860, and was cut out during the war and surpassed the most sanguine expectations in the way of drainage. Little Black Creek rises in the prairie south of the Creviston place, and has an easterly and southeasterly course, of nearly seven miles by it meandering, with a fall of nearly forty feet; it enters "Big Black" on the Corey farm. Rood's run is nearly four and three-quarters miles long, with a fall of nearly forty-three feet. Baker's ditch, including Brushy run, is another important system of drainage and also Honey Creek and the outlet of McCowen's prairie. The Cory ditch, the outlet of the cover Pond, also Doyle's ditch and several others are the principal works of drainage, to say nothing of those of minor note. These give as complete a system of drainage as is to be found in any township.

A white oak stood on the land of Stephen Cory. It was one of the great trees of North America. It measure nine feet in diameter four feet from the ground, having a well-proportioned body and a regular and well balanced top, measuring forty-five feet to the first limb from the ground. It stood in the Indianapolis and Fort Wayne state road; the travel passed on each side, which probably caused its death in 1839. It was cut down on Christmas Day, 1850, in a "frolic" made for the occasion; it was perfectly sound.

The Godfrey trace entered this township near the William Kirkpatrick farm, now known as the William Sanderman farm, and passed nearly one-half mile south of Van Buren, and continued the same course, passing through the lands owned by Michael Doyle, Sr., now owned by his son, A.J., a little north of where his house now stands; thence passing on the ridge south of McCowen's prairie, and leaving the county. This was an Indian trace from the Godfrey reserve on the Salamonia to the Indians on the Mississinewa below Marion. The Lancaster trace went from where Jesse Lancaster settled in section 7 in 1833 to a point in Wells County, where he settled after leaving Grant County, passing nearly east and on the north side of McCowen's prairie. These traces and the Fort Wayne state road were the only traveled routes in the township in 1839.

The first entries of land are found to be by

Daniel L. Wescott, October 28, 1835, in section 1.
William McCoy, in section 1, November 21, 1836.
Solomon Fry in section 1, September 6, 1836.
James Kilgore, in section 2, October 3,1 1836.
Jacob Crist in section 3, November 11, 1836 (320 acres, and the money to make this entry was received from the proceeds of a lottery ticket held by him for which he received $17,000, after all expenses were paid, but he died almost insolvent).
John Thomas, in section 8, November 19, 1836.
Ed B. Thomas, in section 9, November 19, 1836.
Geo. Cailey, in section 10, October 8, 1836.
Stephen Corey, in section 11, September 6, 1836.
Michael Roush, in section 11, September 8, 1836.
Philip Shaffer, in section 11, September 8, 1836.
Calvin Rusell, in section 12, September 19, 1836.
John Matheny, in section 12, September 6, 1836.
Joseph Lindsey, in section 14, October 14, 1836.
John Bagg, in section 15, September 5, 1836.
John Thomas, in section 15, November 19, 1836.
William M. Kirkpatrick, in section 19, November 8, 1836.
William Dillon, in section 19, November 8, 1836.
James Bay, in section 20, September 5, 1836.
Joseph Lugar, in section 31, September 29, 1836.
John Hamilton, in section 31, September 16, 1836.
Basil Foster, in section 32, August 24, 1836.
Dennis Springer, in section 4, February 21, 1837.
Abe See, in section 8, March 23, 1837.

In 1833 Jesse Lancaster located on the northeast quarter of section 7, a little south of the Lee schoolhouse, on the south side of the outlet of the prairie, or Little Black Creek; he was the first white person that tried to live in the territory known as Van Buren Township. It was then an unbroken wilderness, with plenty of Indians camped round about for hunting deer and bear. On one occasion the wolves chased his dogs into his cabin, snapping at them in the door as they ran in and went under the bed. Lancaster did not remain here very long but moved over into Wells County, and entered land and settled on it. His son Nathan was the first white child born in Van Buren Township, October 25, 1836. He is now nearly seventy years of age and lives at Keystone, Wells County, Indiana. John Gilbert settled on the Walter Madden place in 1836. He was the first auditor elected in Grant County. Joseph Lindsey came in 1837 and settled on the Mills Whinnery farm, now owned by Elijah Creviston. Joseph Whinnery settled on the Saxon farm in 1837; he made himself noted by his verse-making; here is a specimen of his poetry:

Meditation.

Days of my childhood,

Where are they?

Thou brimful eye,

Withhold thy tear,

For on Time's wing

Ye have fled away

And left me a wanderer here.

Epitaph.

This stone attests

What few others can,

That beneath this stone

There lies an hones man.

Joseph Boxell came in June, 1837, and settled on the farm now owned by Martin Hanmore. He was a minister in the Methodist Protestant Church, and in the early days he gave the name to Van Buren Township. Adam Pully, Sr., came in 1837 and settled on the well known farm of Amos Keltner. William Boxell settled in 1838, on the farm near Van Buren schoolhouse. John Boxell, in 1838, settled on the farm now owned by William Bird, at the bend of Black Creek. Samuel Malcom came in 1839 and settled on the farm now owned by Joseph Lugar, in section 30; his house stood on the summit, between the waters of the Mississinewa and Salamonia. Solomon Fry settled where Henry Creviston now lives in 1838. John Duckwall settled on the farm where his two sons, Joseph and Burgoyne, now live, in 1838. Michael Roush came in 1837 and lived on the place entered by Philip Shaffer in section 11. Henry Douglass came in 1837; James Douglass, his father, came in 1838; they both lived on the farm known as the Douglass farm. John Huff and sons, Hiram and John, came in 1839. John Huff, Sr., settled just north of Daniel Tinkel's and the sons lived on farms well known to the public. Philip Wineburner settled the William Hays farm in 1839. William Wineburner settled on the Isaac Anderson farm in 1839. Andrew Chidister was the first settler on the Lease farm, in 1836; he built the first brick house in the township. Frederick Light settled on the north part of the Elijah Creviston place in 1841. John Dugan settled where his heirs now live, in 1839. William Long settled where George Cochran now lives, in 1840. Joseph Ludwick came in 1841 and settled on the Holmes farm. John Endsley came in 1840 and settled on the southwest quarter of section 8; Abe See entered and came as early as 1840 and settled on the east side of the prairie. William Kirkpatrick came in 1843 and Daniel Creviston came in 1843. George H.D. Rood came in 1843 and settled on the farm on which the depot is located at Van Buren. Lot Green came from Fayette County, Indiana, and settled on the farm now owned by W.K. Frazier in 1844. He was a minister in the Christian or Campbellite Church and has served as justice of the peace. Joseph Campbell settled the Long farm in 1839; he sold to William Long, and first settled the Steinebruner farm, in 1840. Deitrick Steinebruner came in 1846 and bought of Joseph Campbell. Hezekiah Zuck came in 1844 and settled on the farm well known as the Zuck place. Henry Shaneholser came in 1843. Stepehn Nicewanger settled in the fall of 1842 on the farm where his son William H. now lives. William Hays settled where his widow now lives, in 1849. Here at one time was located Greenbush post office. Jacob Stroup, in 1840, settled in the farm owned by the late Alfred Wilson. Stroup was a "mity" hunter of all kinds of game. He had treed a wild cat in a brush heap, and Joseph Whinnery, the poet, came along with a favorite dog that he said could kill the D---l and wished Stroup to let the dog at it. One dash at the east was enough; the "fur flew" and he was off like a shot with his "stub-tail" tucked under. Samuel Doyle came in 1840, and settled where his son Michael now lives; at one time he served as one of the county commissioners. Michael Doyle came in 1837, and settled where his son A.J. now lives. He was a distinguished hunter, and at the age of eighty-three his mind was quick at recollection of the olden day of deer, bear, coon, turkey and fish. He was kind and hospitable to all; he was a native of Guernsey County, Ohio. William Boller settled the farm where his heirs live in 1861. Jackson J. Pully settled where he now lives, in 1859. Frank Thompson settled the Compton farm in 1846. Stephen Corey came in 1839 and settled on the farm just north of where Corey's Cemetery is located; he was one of the first justices in the township.

John Duckwall and Samuel Malcom were soldiers of the War of 1812 and were at Detroit in Hull's surrender. Duckwall died in 1879, aged eighty-seven. Smith Jeffries came here in 1850; he was in the War of 1812, served in Virginia and died in 1881, aged eighty-eight.

R.D. Fornshell came to this township in 1844; he was regarded as a leader in the Democratic party; was for many years a school teacher, and for sixteen years he was elected justice of the peace, and then one vacancy occurred, when he was re-elected.

Old Indian camping grounds were situated where Godfrey's trace crossed Black Creek, near the southeast corner of T.B. Doyle's land; one on the outlet of McCowen's prairie, at the Big Beaver Dam below Henry Moler; a sugar camp on the land of Milton Camblin was a very noted camping ground. In some mounds on the land of David Heckard, bones, ashes, coal and burnt clay have been found. There are several mounds on the land of William Leverich and two on the land of Samuel Roush, on the south side of the creek. The first saw-mill was built on Black Creek, in 1848, by G.H.D. Rood; Michael Rosh owned it afterward.

A record of deaths from accident is: Mary B., wife of T.B. Runyan, was killed by lightning. A son of Joseph Lindsey was scalded to death by falling into a kettle of potash. John Frazier was killed by the fall of a coon tree in 1843. Jennie Knox hung herself at Conwell's barn and George W. Gardener met death in the same manner. Elias St. Clair was caught in machinery at a mill and was killed in 1877. William Barnes was killed by a runaway team in 1878. George Roush was killed by a saw-mill explosion in 1878. F. Ludwick was killed by being thrown on a circular saw in 1877. William Anderson was killed by the fall of a tree in 1845. John Matheny, in the year 1841, shot himself. John Dailey fell dead in 1866 in the streets of Van Buren.

For any one who did not pass through the pioneer period of Van Buren Township, it is hardly possible to conceive what mighty changes have been wrought, what sacrifices have been made, what joys and sorrows must have been experienced. The long years of ceaseless toil, the months and years of fevers and ills, incident to an undrained land intermingled with the hopes of better days. The devotion to and the faith for the present generation to go over, through or around her bounds happy in the thought that it is a heaven kissed place in our fair state.

Probably the three things that have contributed most tot he material development in the past twenty-five years are the drainage system, the improved roads, and the railroad. the main lines of drainage, as have been indicated above, were the outlets for certain parts only, and the dozens of ponds, swamps, marshes and other low places must be reached by smaller branches. Tiling came into use about twenty-five years ago and the farmer was not slow to see the value of drained land compared with the production afforded by the knobs or high points that were not water covered. For about fifteen years the spade and the shovel were bright from continuous use almost the year round and the miles and miles of tiling and cost of placing it under surface enforced upon the land owner a debt that very few, it seemed, were able to withstand. Mortgage after mortgage was filed and the money used thus enabled the farmer to bring his production to a paying basis, and that in conjunction with the revenue from the oil industry which sprang up about twelve years ago wiped out the mortgage, removed the log cabin, the log stable, the rail fence, the mud road, and gave in their stead a bank account, a frame or brick house, a huge barn, wire fence, and gravel road. It has been reported upon good authority that twelve years ago more than two-thirds of the farms were covered by mortgages and today such a condition is hardly found to exist anywhere in the township - in fact, all are living in comfort, and most of the pioneers living have much to call their own in their last days. In 1895 there are less than twelve miles of graveled road in the township and today there are less than ten miles of ungraveled within the boundary, while the township is bounded by gravel roads with the exception of four miles. The schools of our township have always taken a conspicuous rank among the other townships of the county, and it has been hinted that she may well claim first place in several things. 'Tis true during the days of development the schools did not have the necessary funds to equip them as they should have been on account of the low valuation of property, but for the past six years the valuation has increased to such proportions that, notwithstanding the rate of taxation is placed almost at the minimum rate, the schools could be conducted the year round. Nor is that all. At present they are all well equipped, and the rate of wages for the township is higher than is paid in any other township in Indiana.

The wealth of the township is found chiefly in its farm productions and the oil product. Corn, wheat, oats, rye and hay are raised extensively and profitably, as well as fruits of almost all varieties. The revenue from the oil operations has been generally distributed among all classes, and by so doing there have been few instances in recent years where poverty was found such as demanded the support of the public funds. Every community must of necessity have a center or head, and the township seat is Van Buren, as has been noted above. At present, the town has a population of from sixteen hundred to eighteen hundred people. It has passed the boom days of oil excitement and has settled down to a normal, steady growth which insures stability and desirable advancement for its citizens.

Two years ago, not one cent was paid out for pauper expense, not because we were selfish or stingy, but because not one application was made for support. Nine churches are within the bounds of the township and moral and spiritual development have kept pace with the sentiment of this section is as high as is to found anywhere.

Recently substantial improvements have been made in the erection of at least fifteen brick blocks, the two main thoroughfares paved with brick, and the town will soon be well lighted. Every line of merchandise incident to this section is carried on extensively and the stores found here would well serve a city and community of much more pretentious proportions.

The M.B. & E. traction line passes through the place and township parallel with the Clover Leaf Railroad and bids fair to do much to assist the town and township in their material advancem4ent. Landess is partly in Van Buren and partly in Washington Township, and serves well to help the community in the western part of the township. It is a thrifty village of five hundred and is well supported by a substantial community in both townships.

From many standpoints of view, Van Buren Township affords opportunities and advantages that are second to none in any locality. Her present generation is born of that pioneer product that is will in to look for better things, those who are willing to help in any honorable pursuit, or sympathize with any distressed or needy condition. The joys and sorrows of the past are as sunshine and shadow that chase each other over billowy fields of waving grain, yet the golden harvest of these years of toil are abundant compensation for the effort exercised.

And in years to come, among generations that take up the ceaseless task of doing good, there no doubt will come to them many inspirations from the pioneer spirit long gone by that will be an incentive to greater and nobler efforts in their stride for material and spiritual gain.

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