History of Marshall County

XVIII. PRELINIINARY ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.

Prior to the organization of Marshall county it was a part of the North- west Territory, which was ceded by Virginia to the united States as provided in the Ordinance of 1787. The government had it surveyed into congressional townships, six miles square, containing 640 acres. In the course of time these townships were divided by the government surveyors into sections, half sections and quarter sections. The lands in northern Indiana were surveyed under the direction of Jerry Smith, sent out by the government to survey the lands yet unsurveyed, and especially the lands secured from the Indians by the various treaties. All of Marshall county was surveyed by him and his assistants, as well as the Kankakee reservations in La Forte, Starke, Pulaski, Porter and Lake counties.

Jerry Smith was an educated man, well read in ancient literature and the classics, and besides had a large vein of humor running through his mental organization. Those who were familiar with the Kankakee swamps in the region of the mouth of the Yellow river will appreciate the following introduction by him to the report of his survey of this part of the lands ceded to the government by the Pottawattomie Indians. He said:

"The River Styx.-That the River Styx is a fabled stream and that it never existed except in the brain of ancient poets and priests is a proposition which I am now fully prepared to deny and disprove; that Charon ever existed, ever kept a boat and ferry landing; that the drear region of which

80 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

ancient poets speak and through which the souls of the unburied wandered for 100 years before his majesty of the frail bark would give them passage, and that the Elysian fields, where the souls of the just reveled in never-ending scenes of pleasure and delight, are imaginary regions, are equally false.

“The Kankakee, as it slops over Indiana and eastern Illinois, is the ancient Acheron and English lake is the Stygian pool, at the head of which, between ranges 3 and 4, still remains indisputable evidence of Charon’s existence, of the identical spot where he so often landed his boat and took on board the souls of the departed, and last, but most of all, as a precious relic of antiquity which would make even an ordinary antiquarian leap with ecstasy of joy: the very paddle of the old gentleman is in existence.

“The dreary regions from the mouth of Marcum’s creek to the head of English Lake, and particularly about the mouth of Yellow River, is where so many souls have wandered their 100 years; and, in fact, as the use of the magnetic needle was not then known, I am not surprised at it taking a poor man so long to get out of that place when he was once fairly sent into it without compass, chart, grog or tobacco.

“The ‘Door prairie,’ and the smaller ones about it, I take to be what remains of the Elysian fields! What has become of its ancient occupants and why the order of things has changed, both in the elysian fields and the Stygian pool, neither the present natives along Kankakee, nor the owners, preemtioners and occupants of ‘Door prairie’ could tell me. I leave this to be ferreted out by historical societies and future antiquarians, having myself done sufficient to render me immortal by finding the prototype of the long-lost Styx, Charon’s ferry landing, etc., without telling what has become of the old gentleman!

“To have a correct idea of the township, the ancient poets should be well studied. Everything said by them respecting the nether regions and the abode of the wicked should be applied to it, and the whole will make a correct, faithful and true description thereof. The very thought of it makes my blood run cold!”

The first meeting of the board of commissioners of Marshall County, after the organization of the county, was held at the house of Grove Pomeroy, on the second day of May 1836. Mr. Pomeoy was then a resident of Plymouth and resided in a log house situated on lot No. 42, corner LaPorte and Michigan streets, the same now being occupied by the Corbin brick building. Mr. Pomeroy was a man of robust build, 5 feet 8 in height, 180 pounds weight; was a man of good business qualifications as strong in his convictions in regard to matters of public or private import, and in politics held to views in opposition to the Democrats, although he never took a very active part in local politics.

At this meeting Robert Blair, Abraham Johnson and Charles Ousterhaute were the commissioners. Mr. Ousterhaute was perhaps the best known to the people at that time of any who participated in the preliminary organization of the county. He resided on a farm on the west side of the Michigan road, about one and one-half miles south of Plymouth. He was a robust, athletic man, a Canadian by birth, and had seen a great deal of the world in his time. He spoke fluently the language of the Pottawattomie and Miami tribes of Indians, also French and German. He was engaged in the war of 1812, serving his country as a spy. He was a sort of dare-devil

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY. 81

and was never satisfied unless he was, so to speak, "at the head of the procession." He figured extensively in the politics of his time, and was partially successful. He died early in his career in this county, of a disease known as gangrene of the foot, or "Pott's sore toe:" His leg was amputated twice, but his system had become so thoroughly inoculated with the disease that he lived but a short time after the last operation.

After appointing Jeremiah Muncy clerk during the term, the board adjourned to meet at the house of Charles Ousterhaute at I o'clock the same day. The first business transacted was:

Ordered by the board, That the seal of said commissioners shall be a wafer with a paper placed on it in the shape of a diamond, sealed with a seal in the shape of a heart.

The board then divided the county into three districts as follows : Beginning at the northwest corner of said county, and running a due south course with the county line seven miles to the corner of sections 19 and 30, in congressional township No.34 north; thence east with said line to the eastern boundary of said county. Said district to be known as District No.1.

Ordered, That district N 0. 2 begin on the western boundary line of said county at the corner of District No.1, and running with the said county line seven miles to the corner of sections 30 and 31 in congressional township N 0. 33 north; thence east on the line of said section 21 miles to the eastern boundary line of said county. Said district to be known as District N 0. 2.

Ordered, That District No.3 begin at the western boundary line of said county, commencing at the south corner of District N 0. 2, thence south with said county line seven miles to the southern boundary line of said county, thence east with the line of said county twenty-one miles to the eastern boundary line of said county. Said district to be known as District No.3.

It was also ordered that District No. I be known by the name of North township; District No.2 by the name of Center township, and District N 0. 3 by the name of Green township.

The elections were ordered to be held as follows : In North township at the house of Adam Vinnedge. In Center township at the house of Charles Ousterhaute. In Green township at the house of Sidney Williams.

It will be observed by reference to the county map that the territory embraced in North township was what is now German, North and Polk townships; Center township embraced what is now Bourbon, Center and West townships, and Green township embraced what is now Tippecanoe, Green, Walnut and Union.

The residence of Adam Vinnedge, the place designated for holding elections in North township, was on the Michigan road about six miles north of Plymouth. Mr. Vinnedge was the father of Adam Vinnedge, many years a resident of Plymouth, some time since deceased. He was a man of energy and ability, and took an active part in the preliminary organization of the county.

The residence of Charles Ousterhaute, as previously stated, was on the west side of the Michigan road about a mile and a half south of Plymouth it being more convenient for a majority of the voters of the township as then constituted to reach that place than Plymouth, it being composed then of only about three dwelling houses.

The election in Green township was held at the residence of Sidney

82 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

Williams, which was at or near where Argos now stands. Mr. Williams owned the land at that place, and laid out a village which he called Sidney, to perpetuate his won name, that being his given name. Mr. Williams sold his farm not many years afterwards and went overland to California during the gold excitement of ’49 and the early ‘50s. Not many years latter additions were made to the embryo village, on of which was called Fremont, in honor of John C. Fremont, who was about that time the first Republican candidate for President. Through some political manipulation the post office was removed from Sidney to Fremont. Through the efforts of Congressman Schuyler Colfax it was, however, not long afterwards removed back to Sidney, and the name of the post office changed from Sidney to Argos. With the defeat of Fremont for President, the town of Fremont went out of existence, and in course of time the legal name of Sidney was discontinued and that of Argos substituted. Once after he went to California Mr. Williams, returned to Marshall County, but he had gone blind and was unable to behold the marvelous changes that had taken place during his absence of more than a third of a century. He died in Illinois several years ago.

The first election after the organization of the county was held on the first day of August 1836, for the purpose of electing a Senator, Representative in the State Legislature, Sheriff, Probate Judge, County Commissioners, School Commissioner, Coroner and Justice of the Peace.

In North township there were thirty-seven votes cast. John Johnson, James Palmer and Adam Snyder were Judges of said election, and James Jones and Abraham Johnson clerks. Thomas Packard and Robert Johnson were elected Justices of the Peace of North Township.

In Center township there were eighty-three votes cast. Of these not one is living. Samuel D. Taber was inspector of the election, John Ray and William Bishop judges, Harrison Metcalf and John Blair clerks.

In Green township there were nineteen votes cast. Ewell Kendall was inspector, Fielding Bowles and Samuel B. Patterson judges, Jeremiah Muncy and John A. Boots clerks.

Act to Organize Marshall County.

The act passed by legislature for the organization of Marshall County was approved February 4, 1836. By whom it was introduced and the preliminaries connected with its passage, nothing is known.

At that time Marshall County was designated as “unorganized territory”, and of course it had no members of the legislature to look after its interests in the general assembly. St. Joseph and LaPorte counties had been organized six years previously, and it is probable the members of the legislature from those counties secured the passage of the act.

The act is as follows:

An Act to Organize the County of Marshall, approved February 4, 1836:

Section 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of the state of Indiana: That from and after the first day of April next, the County of Marshall shall enjoy all the rights and jurisdiction which belongs to separate and independent counties.

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Section 2. That Hiram Wheeler and Griffin Treadway, of LaPorte County, and Samuel C. Sample and Peter Johnson, of St. Joseph County, and John Rohrer, of Elkhart County, be and they are herby appointed commissioners for the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of Justice for the said county of Marshall agreeable to the provisions of “An act to establish the seats of justice in new counties,” approved January 14 1824. The commissioners above named, or a majority of them, shall convene at the house of Grove Pomeroy in said county on the second Monday of June next or as soon, thereafter as a majority of them agree upon.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the sheriff of .St. Joseph county to notify the commissioners above named, either by person or in writing, of their appointment and place appointed for them to convene; and the board doing county business shall allow sheriff reasonable]e compensation for services out of any money in the treasury in said county of Marshall.

Section 4. Circuit and other courts of said county shall be held at the house of Grove Pomeroy or at any other place in said county where said courts may adjourn to, until suitable accommodations can be furnished at the seat of justice thereof, after which the courts shall be holden at the county seat.

Section 5. The agent who shall be appointed to superintend the sale of lots at the county seat of said county of Marshall shall reserve 10 per cent out of all donations to said county, and shall pay the same over to such person or persons as shall be authorized to receive the same for the use of a library for said county.

Section 6. The board doing county business of said Marshall county, when elected and qualified, may hold special sessions not exceeding three days the first year after the organization of said county, and shall appoint a lister and make all other necessary appointments, and do and perform all other business which might have been necessary to be performed at any regular session, and take all necessary steps to collect the state and county revenue.

Section 7. The said county of Marshall shall be attached to the Eighth Judicial circuit of the state for judicial purposes.

Section 8. The northern boundary line of the county of Marshall shall be extended to an east and west line running through the center of township 35 north.

County Seat Located.

On the 20th day of July, 1836, the county seat was located at Plymouth by three of the commissioners named by the legislature for that purpose. This was done at a special session of the board of county commissioners. Their report was as follows:

"July special session, 1836, of commissioners' come Now come Peter Johnson, Griffin Treadway and Samuel C. Sample, three of the commissioners appointed by the act entitled' An Act to organize the county of Mar- shall, approved the 4th of February " and make the following report of their doings as locating commissioners of the permanent seat of justice of said

county to wit:

84 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

“To the Honorable the Board of Commissioners of the County of Marshall : The undersigned, three of the commissioners appointed by an act of the general assembly of the state of Indiana entitled' An act to organize the county of Marshall, approved February 4, 1836, , respectfully report to your honors that by an agreement entered into by a majority of the commissioners appointed by said act, the meeting of said commissioners was agreed to be held at the house of Grove Pomeroy in said county on Monday, the 18th day of July, A. D. 1836, to discharge the duties assigned to them by said act.

“Whereupon the undersigned, Peter Johnson, Griffin Treadway and Samuel C. Sample, three of said commissioners (Hiram Wheeler and John Rohrer, two of the commissioners, having failed to attend) , having met at the house of Grove Pomeroy on the said 18th day of July, 1836, for the purpose of permanently fixing the seat of Justice for the said county of Marshall, then personally examined all the sites proposed to them ill sa1d county for said seat of justice, and received propositions for donations for the same from the different proprietors of lands naming and proposing sites, and we after such examination, and seeing and inspecting said propositions, have concluded and determined to fix, and by these presents do permanently locate, fix, and establish the seat of Justice of said county of Marshall at Plymouth. The site for the public buildings for said county is designated on a plat of said town as made by James Blair, John Sering and William Polk, proprietors of said town, the names being recorded in the county of St. Joseph, Indiana, the said site for said public buildings being by said proprietors donated among other things to said county.

“And the undersigned do further report that the said Blair, Sering and Polk, in consideration of the location of said seat of justice at the place aforesaid, have donated to said county, money and lands as follows: One thousand dollars in cash, payable as follows: $350 down in hand paid to Peter Schroeder, county agent, in our presence ; $350 payable in one year from date, and $350 payable two years from date; for the payment of which the said proprietors have executed their notes bearing date herewith ; and the said proprietors have also donated to said county the following lots in said town, to-wit: Lots numbered 1, 6, 10, 13, 18, 22, 28, 33, 37, 45, 48, 52, 57, 60, 63, 65, 70, 74, 78, 81, 86, 90, 93, 96, 99, 102, 105, 108, 112, 117, 119, 123, 126, 129, 132, 134, 141, 144, 147, 153, 156, and 159, being corner lots and forty-two in number; and also lots numbered 5, 14, 20, 29, 38, 50, 56, 65, 69, 73, 82, 88, 101, 110, 116, 125, 134, 140, 146, 152 and 158, being twenty-one in number and middle lots, and making in all sixty-three

lots.

“And also the said proprietors have donated to said county one acre and four-fifths of an acre of land for a public burying ground, lying in the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 13 of Michigan road lands, the same lying west and south of Plum street in said town; also two acres more or less of land for a site for a county seminary, bounded as follows: Beginning at the Southwest corner of Adams and Plum streets in said town; thence southward with Plum street 264 feet to the northwest corner of Washington and Plum streets; thence west on a line on the south with Washington street, and on a line on the north with Adams street, to the west line of said section thirteen (13), the said seminary lot to maintain a width of 264 feet from east to west, and for which lots said proprietors have executed their deed to the county agent of said county, and for which lands for a burial ground and seminary they have executed their deed to your honors for the uses aforesaid.

84 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

"And the said proprietors have agreed to build a temporary courthouse, not less than thirty by twenty feet, one story high, on lot N 0. 32 in said town; the County of Marshall to have the use of the same for the term of four years from the completion thereof, the same to be ready for the use of the county by the spring term of the circuit court of 1837; and for the completion of which house and for the use thereof as aforesaid the proprietors have executed their bonds payable to the board of commissioners, in the penal sum of $1,000; and the said proprietors have also agreed to defray the expenses of the location of said site, being $45, and which sum they have paid to the undersigned. All of which deeds and bonds and notes the undersigned herewith produce to your honors. All of which is respectfully submitted the 20th of July, 1836.

“SAMUEL C. SAMPLE,

"PETER JOHNSON,

"GRIFFIN TREADWAY,

Commissioners. ' ,

The county having been organized, the board of commissioners, consisting of Robert Blair, Abraham Johnson and Charles Ousterhaute, ordered the clerk of the board, Jeremiah Muncy , to file among the papers of the court the deeds for the lands donated, and have the same recorded among the deed records of the county. Prior to the organization of Marshall county the territory embraced in it was designated "unorganized territory ," and St. Joseph county, having been organized in 1830, the territory of Marshall county was considered under the jurisdiction of St. Joseph county. From Judge Howard's "History of St. Joseph County" (I908, page 274) the following in regard to "Plymouth township, St. Joseph county," is taken as being of rare historical interest:

"On September I, 1834, the board of commissioners of St. Joseph county ordered that all the territory of the county lying south of the north line of congressional township 35 north, should form a new township to be called Plymouth. The township so formed included the south parts of the present townships of Madison, Union and Liberty, and all of Lincoln.

86 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

Charles Ousterhaute, John Brown, Grove 0. Pomeroy and Joseph Evans each worked one day. Twenty-one others paid $1 each cash."

What disposition was made of this $21 the records do not show. At that time April 1, 1836 Marshall county had not yet been organized, that important event in our history not occurring until July 20, 1836, nearly four months later.

A few white settlers began to locate here in 1830, and under an unorganized condition the inhabitants were under the protecting care of St. Joseph county, which was organized in 1830. At that time St. Joseph county was bounded on the north by Michigan territory; on the west by La Porte and the unorganized territory south of La Porte, on the south by the unorganized lands, and on the east by the unorganized lands and Elkhart county. Its extent was about thirty miles from north to south, and twenty-seven miles from east to west, including an area of about 740 square miles, or 473,600 acres. Its population in 1830 was 287 inhabitants; in June, 1832, it was estimated at 1,500, and so great had been the immigration it is said that in 1833 the population was estimated at two thousand.

The legal organization of Marshall county began in May, 1836, by the formation of North, Center and Green townships, as previously stated.

German township was organized May 1, 1838, from the northeast part of what was then Center, and the east part of North township. It took its name from the large number of German people who had settled in that part of the county, and naturally the township town was called Bremen.

Bourbon township was organized January 6, 1840, and was bounded as follows: Beginning in the southeast corner of the county and running to the German township line, thence west five miles, thence south to the county line, thence east to the place of beginning. This territory embraced what is now Bourbon and Tippecanoe townships. The petitioners for the organization of Bourbon township were :

James 0. Parks, Grayson H. Parks, John F. Parks, Edward R. Parks, Thomas H McKey, Peter Upsell, W. H. Rockhill, Israel Beeber, Wm. Taylor, John Greer, William Elder, Jolen Henry, A. H. Buckman, Lyman Foote, Samuel Taylor, John F. Dukes, John Fuller, James Taylor, William Taylor, Jr., George Taylor and Samuel Rockhill.

This township is said to have been named after Bourbon county, Kentucky, from which the Parkses and many of the signers of the petition emigrated. The town of Bourbon received its name in the same way for the same reason.

Union township was organized March 1, 1840. The petitioners were Vincent Brownlee, William Thompson, John A. Shirley, Lewis Thompson, John Dickson, William Hornaday, John M. Morris, James Houghton, Elihu Morris, D. C. Hults, Thomas McDonald, John Morris, John H. Voreis, Platt B. Dickson, Elias Dickson, John McDonald, Eleazer Thompson. The prayer of the petitioners asked that the township might be called "Union," and it was so ordered. The name was probably selected to perpetuate the name of "Union" county in southern Indiana, from which some of the residents of that county came.

Tippecanoe township was organized March 9, 1842, embracing seven miles square off of the south end of Bourbon township. The petitioners for the organization of the township were A. H.

HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY. 87

Buckman, Thomas Irwin, Joseph Evans William Wagoner , Israel Baker, William Sprout, William H. Rockhill, Samuel, Joseph, William and George Taylor, Samuel Rockhill, J. H. Cleaver, T. H. McKey, James Turner, Jacob Raber, G. H. and J. 0. Parks, William -Elder, Robert Meleny, H. Blakely, Solomon Linn, John Greer, 1836, nearly Moses Greer, Israel Reed and A. J. Cruzan. This township took its name from the Tippecanoe river which runs through it.

Polk township was organized March 4, 1845. It embraced all that part of North township that lies west of sections 23 and 24 in township 35 north, range 1 east, the same being the western portion of North Township. This township was named in honor of James K. Polk, who was on the date of its organization inaugurated President of the United.

George M. Dallas was the Vice-President elected on the Democratic twenty-seven ticket with James K. Polk, and, believing it to be in accordance with the political fitness of things, the board of commissioners was petitioned to change the name of North to Dallas, and it was so done. This change occurred shortly after the organization of Polk township, but June 3, 1845,

forty petitioners asked that the name be changed, and the township be known as North and it was decreed accordingly.

T stated. North township was one of the original townships. When it was northeast part first organized, it comprised, in addition to its present limits, the territory ship. It took now embraced in Polk and German townships. German township was settled in that taken off May 11, 1838, and Polk, March 4, 1845. When Polk was cut off from the west part of North, it was a time when political excitement as bounded as was the order of the day. Polk township having been named in honor of the newly-elected President, some of the Democratic voters conceived the idea that it would be just the thing to change the name of North and call it Dallas, in honor of the Vice-President. March 1, 1845, the following petition was presented to the board of commissioners: "To the Board of Commissioners: We, the undersigned petitioners of North township, ask for the name of said township to be altered from North to Dallas. Signed, S. N. Champlin, James Palmer, Adam Snider, James Sherland, Warren Burch, John Kligore, Charles A. Stilson, John Morris, N. Parmer , Hiram Baker, John Trowbridge, John P. Grover, John Irwin, George

Nitcher, Alex M. Vinnedge, George Vinnedge, John Snider, Seymour Stilson, John S. Baker, Abraham Baker, Joseph Trowbridge, Josiah White, A. Burch, Daniel Nitcher, Orrin Palmer, John Wildey, George W. Ferguson, Calvin Burch, J. E. Emerson, W. S. Braum, P. P. Robinson, Sol. Stevens, and H. R. Pershing." The board ordered the change to be made as indicated in the petition.

At the June term following, the following petition was presented, by Robert Johnson on behalf of himself and others :

"We, the undersigned citizens of now Dallas township, respectfully request your honorable body to change the name of Dallas township to of North township. Signed, Robert Schroeder, Jesse Schroeder, Robert Johnson, Sr., Seymour Stilson, G. W; Ferguson, C. A. Stilson, Warren Burch, Sol. Snyder, James Farmer, D. Cummins, George Murphy, D. Vinnedge, M. Hard, Daniel Nitcher, James Sherland, Sol. Snyder, Wash. Morris, George Vinnedge, A. M. Vinnedge, D. Conger, John Schroeder , Simon Snyder, M. Robert, B. Gerrard, J. C. Jones, A. Snyder, D. Murphy, Sr., R. Johnson, Jr., J. Snyder, W. S. Brown, H. M. Greer, James Murphy,

88 HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.

C. Sherland, J. Johnson, Thomas Packard, J. P. Grover, G. Nitcher, J. Wilder, J. Kilgore, D. Murphy, C. Burch, J. Lampheer, Pleasant Ferguson." The prayer of the petitioners was granted, and the distinguished honor accorded to the Vice-President was obliterated by one fell swoop of the magic pen of the board of commissioners.

Menominee Township. At the March term of the board of county commissioners, 1839, being March 5, 1839, the commissioners made the following order :

"Now comes into open court Isaac How and presents a petition of divers persons praying for a new township, etc.

"Whereupon it is Ordered, That all that territory lying west of the range line dividing range 1 and 2 east of the second principal meridian and north of Yellow river, including so much of Union township as is north of Yellow river and lying in said county not extending north of Center town- ship, to be known as Menominee township.

"Ordered, That all elections be held at the house of William Masons in said township.

"Ordered by said board, That James Nash be and he is hereby appointed inspector of elections in said township ( of Onondaga) until his successor is elected and qualified.

"Ordered by the board, That an election be held in said township on the first Monday in April next for the purpose of electing one justice of the peace in said township, and that the sheriff of said county give notice of the same according to law."

As appears by the record the township had first been named "Onon- daga" as appears above enclosed in parentheses, and that word in the first paragraph had been erased and the word "Menominee" written in its place. In the last paragraph of the record the clerk of the board had evidently forgotten to erase the name "Onondaga." ( See Commissioner's Record A, page 224. )

At the May term, 1839, Record A, page 250, the following order appears:

"Ordered by the board of commissioners of Marshall county, That the township in said county formerly known as Menominee township shall be known hereafter and designated as Lake township."

The naming the new township Menominee was undoubtedly in honor of the old Indian chief Menominee, who with his band of 859 Pottawattomie Indians had been driven away only about seven months before the township was organized. Several of the settlers about the Twin lakes, who had profited by the removal of Menominee and his band of over 800 Pottawattomies, undoubtedly did not wish to perpetuate the name of the good old Indian chief even by attaching his name to the township which embraced much of the reservation of the land of which he was robbed, and induced the board of commissioners to change the name from "Menominee" to "Lake"

The name "Onondaga," spoken of above was the name of what was generally known as "The Old Forge," described elsewhere, situated at the end of the lower Twin lake, now called "Sligo."

W est Township was organized March 8, 1854, comprising the territory embraced in the above

HISTORY OF MARSHALL CO'UNTY. 89

named townships and all that part of Center west of the range line dividing ranges I and 2' east, to be a civil township to be known as West township, and no change has since been made.

March 9 1853, Franklin township was organized by dividing to the south by the range line. dividing ranges 3 and 4" and embracing all that part of German township lying east of said range line. January 7, 1855, the name of Franklin township was changed and it was thereafter ordered to be designated on the county records as German Township.

This action was taken about the time of the inauguration of Franklin Pierce, and Franklin, the name of the township, was in honor of Franklin Pierce the newly elected President.

In 1853 a township was organized out of the west portion of Center and given the name of Pierce, in honor of President Pierce, just then elected President, but for some cause which does not appear the order was canceled, and nothing was done to perfect the organization.

Walnut township was organized June 9, 1859, out of a portion of Tippecanoe and Green townships. About one hundred and fifty inhabitants of the territory signed the petition asking for the organization of the township. The towns of Sidney and Fremont lay very near each other, and the post office of these two places being named Argos, it was ordered that Sidney and Fremont be discontinued and thereafter known as Argos.

These comprise all the townships now organized, and they are classified in the following order: Union, Center, Green, Tippecanoe, Bourbon, German, North, Polk, West and Walnut.

March 9, 1842, the board of commissioners ordered that all that part of Starke county lying south and east of the Kankakee river be attached as follows: All that part lying west of Union township be attached to and to constitute a part of Union township; all that part lying west of Center be attached to Center, and all that part lying west of North township be attached to North township. Previous to this the "'territory of Stark" had been partially organized into townships by the commissioners of Marshall county. September 7, 1849, Amzi L. Wheeler, on behalf of himself and others, filed petitions for the organization of a new township in Starke county, embracing all the territory west of the Kankakee river, and to be known as Van Buren township. The prayer of the petitioners was granted. Washington and California townships were organized by the commissioners of Marshall county before the act organizing Starke county was passed by the legislature.

The foregoing comprises all the proceedings had in relation to the organization of the county, and the changes that have been made up to the present time.

Civil Townships Boundaries.

The civil townships as now organized are bounded as follows :

Union. West by Starke county, south by Fulton county, east by Green township, north by West township.

Center. West by West township, south by Green township and Walnut township, east by Bourbon and German townships, north by German and North townships.