Wabash County (Indiana) Real Estate Purchases by John Aughinbaugh (Grantee), 1848-1875:
Compiled by John Knarr, July 2012.

July 18, 1848….Jacob Aughinbaugh bought from Henry Lantz (Grantor), Lots 142-143 Manchester OP
$325 Wty Deed, Recorded Sept 29, 1848 Book I, 429.

July 24, 1848…John Aughinbaugh signed 5-year lease of land NE of N. Manchester owned by Jane Halderman. Recorded July 29, 1850. Book L, 257-258.

Dec 21, 1848…John Aughinbaugh bought from Jacob Aughinbaugh, Lots 142-143 Manchester OP.
$325 Wty Deed, Recorded February 1849, Book K, 51.

Jun 9, 1849…John Aughinbaugh bought from Henry and Caroline Lantz for $100, fractional lots 68, 69, 74, 75, 80, 81; and lots 83, 88, 89, 98, 101, 104, 107 in Manchester O.P. Also Out-Lot No. 3. And 3.16 acres SE Sec 32, Twp 30, Range 7. Recorded February 1, 1850, Book K, 488.

Jan 19, 1850…John Aughinbaugh bought from Neri M. Mowrer, Lot 27 Manchester OP for $30. Wty Deed. Recorded Jan 30, 1850. Book K, 483.

April 1, 1850…John Aughinbaugh bought from Anthony Clever, 2 acres for $350. Pt W of SE + Pt E of SW Sect 5 Twp 30 Range 7. Recorded July 2, 1850. Book L, 232.

May 4, 1850…John Aughinbaugh bought from Henry Lantz, $180. Lots 82, 91, 92 Manchester OP. Recorded May 10, 1850. Book L, 181.

July 23, 1851…John Aughinbaugh bought from George W. Robbins, Lot 105 Manchester OP for $15. Recorded Sept 24, 1851. Book M, 350.

March 5, 1853…John Aughinbaugh bought from Joseph Barron (Cass County) for $225. E ½ Lot 1, Manchester OP. Recorded March 8, 1853. Book N, 563.

Sept 17, 1854…John Aughinbaugh bought from Jesse and Dimy Fannin for $600, 60 acres. Pt S ½ NW Section 15, Twp 29, Range 7. Recorded October 7, 1854. Book P, 523.

Nov 24, 1855…John Aughinbaugh bought from Samuel and Mary M. Warren 1 acre for $30. SW cor N hf. SW Sect 15 Twp 29 Range 7. Recorded Nov 24, 1858. Book T, 555.

Jan 24, 1857…John Aughinbaugh bought from John Kannard for $30. Lot 9 New Madison OP. Recorded Nov 24, 1858. Book T, 554.

Apr 2, 1858…John Aughinbaugh bought from John Kannard for $70. Pt Lot 10 New Madison OP. Recorded Nov 24, 1858. Book T, 554.

Nov 23, 1858…John Aughinbaugh bought 40 acres for $208.85. Auditor’s Deed, assigned by George Aughinbaugh to John Aughinbaugh. NW NE Sect 16 Twp 29 Range 7. Recorded Nov 23, 1858. Book T, 551.

Nov 4, 1862…John Aughinbaugh bought 83.19 acres for $415.95, Auditor’s Deed, assigned by Peter Vanarsdale. N ½ SE ¼ Sect 16 Twp 29 Range 7. Recorded Nov 6, 1862. Book X, 562.

Feb 13, 1863…John Aughinbaugh acquired Auditor’s Deed, assigned by Henry Aughinbaugh. $416.05. SE ¼ SE ¼ Sect 16, Twp 29, Range 7, 41.57 acres and SW ¼ SE ¼ Sect 16, Twp 29, Range 7, 41.64 acres. Recorded Feb 13, 1863. Book Y, 185.

Mar 3, 1864…John Aughinbaugh bought 20 acres for $600 from Samuel Warren. S ½ NE SW (S. side w ½ N ½ SW) Sect 15, Twp 29, Range 7. Recorded Feb 21, 1872. Book 13, 438.

Mar 3, 1864…John Aughinbaugh bought 20 acres from Aaron Swank for $300. W side SE Sect 15, Twp 29 Range 7. Recorded Feb 21, 1872. Book 13, 439.

June 25, 1870…John Aughinbaugh bought land for $700 from Leonard Nichols. Undiv ½ Pt SE NE Sect 21 Twp 29 Range 7. Recorded Aug 11, 1873. Book 17, 292.

Sept 25, 1871…John Aughinbaugh bought 40 acres from Jacob Henry for $1400. NE SE Sect 13, Twp 29, Range 6. Recorded Feb 21, 1872. Book 13, 440.

Nov 23, 1872…John Aughinbaugh bought from Jefferson Kennedy 20 acres for $625. E end N ½ SW Sec 16, Twp 29 Range 7. Recorded Feb 17, 1873. Book 15, 487.

July 6, 1875…John Aughinbaugh bought from John C. Gearhart et al. for $1775. W hf SW Sect 36 Twp 30 Range 5 80 acres, and E hf SE 35-30-5 80 acres. Recorded Sept 30, 1875. Book 21, 152.

Real Estate Sales by John Aughinbaugh (Grantor), 1849-1872:

Dec 8, 1849…John Aughinbaugh sold to George Richardson (Grantee) for $45 Lot 98, Manchester OP. Recorded Oct 30, 1850. Book L, 422.

July 4, 1851…John Aughinbaugh sold to William Thorne for $60 Lot 27, Manchester OP. Recorded January 4, 1853. Book N, 469.

May 6, 1853…John Aughinbaugh sold to James & Asenath Frame for $90 Lots 104 and 105, Manchester OP. Recorded Dec 13, 1853. Book O, 465.

Feb 15, 1854…John Aughinbaugh sold to David Harter 2 acres for $400. Pt W hf SE and Pt E hf SW Section 5, Twp 29, Range 7. Recorded July 21, 1854. Book P, 398.

Mar 6, 1854…John Aughinbaugh sold for $35 to Spear Calhoun Frl Lot 68 and Frl Lot 69 in Manchester OP. Recorded March 6, 1857. Book S, 132.

June 10, 1854…John Aughinbaugh sold to James Frame Lot 107 (Manchester OP) for $39. Recorded March 13, 1858. Book T, 92.

Nov 24, 1855…John Aughinbaugh sold to Samuel Warren for $30 Pt N hf SW 15-29-7. Recorded March 3, 1856. Book R, 238.

July 23, 1863…John Aughinbaugh sold to Theodore H. Purdy for $400 Lot 143 in Manchester OP. Recorded Dec 16, 1867. Book 8, 72.

Dec 21, 1863…John Aughinbaugh sold to Geo. W. Storer for $90 Lots 88, 89, 101, Frl 74, Frl 75 in Manchester OP. Recorded Sept 10, 1864. Book 2, 25.

Feb 11, 1864…John Aughinbaugh sold to Ephraiam Ball for $360 Out Lots 2-3 (SE ¼ 32-30-7 3.14 acres and SE ¼ 32-30-7 3.16 acres) and Frl Lots 80 and 81 and Lots 82 and 83 in Manchester OP. Recorded June 14, 1864. Book 1, 382.

July 24, 1865…John Aughinbaugh sold to John W. Williams for $500 E ¼ Lot 1 in Manchester OP. Recorded Aug 23, 1866. Book 5, 546.

June 20, 1866…John Aughinbaugh sold to Mary Andrews for $250 Lots 91 and 92 in Manchester OP. Recorded Nov 18, 1867. Book 6, 464.

Mar 9, 1867…John & Elnora Aughinbaugh sold to Asais (?) Blood & John C. Mayer for $500 W ½ E ½ Lot 1 in Manchester OP. Recorded March 6, 1872. Book 13, 459.

Jan 16, 1872…John & Ellen Aughinbaugh sold to John Honeus & David Wright for $700 Undiv ½ pt SE NE 21-29-7. Recorded Aug 11, 1873. Book 17, 294.

Jan 16, 1872…John and Ellenora Aughinbaugh sold to Henry Coble for $150 Lots 5, 6, 25, 26 in New Madison. Recorded Feb 28, 1877. Book 23, 395.

Sep 1, 1877…Ellenora Aughinbaugh, Franklin P. Aughinbaugh, Jennie Aughinbaugh his wife, Alice Vorhis, Irvin Vorhis her husband, Lucy M. Krisher, Henry Krisher her husband, Amanda Mae Ruppel and Edward Ruppel her husband sold to John H. Fodge (Q.C. Deed) for $900 W hf SW 36-30-5 (80 acres) and E hf SE 35-30-5 (80 acres). Recorded Nov 20, 1877. Book 25, 73.

PERSONAL SKETCH OF JOHN AUGHINBAUGH IN 1875 ILLUSTRATED HISTORICAL ATLAS OF WABASH COUNTY, INDIANA, p. 56—

The biography of the one whose name heads this sketch furnishes a notable example of what industry and good financial management may accomplish, even when unaided by the possession of average bodily health and strength. In the spring of 1844, John Aughinbaugh came to the then straggling village of North Manchester, in poor health, without money, and an entire stranger. Being a saddler by trade, he opened a small shop there—the first in the place—having managed to borrow money enough to make a start with. In the course of time he accumulated a sufficient amount to enable him to buy out Richard Helvey’s tavern stand, and in 1847 to start a drug store. A general grocery, dry goods, and hardware establishment was subsequently added, and in course of time he came to own more than one-half the town of Manchester.

A close calculator, though by no means a penurious man, he has been remarkably successful from the very first. On the ensuing spring after his arrival in the place a total stranger, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and afterwards appointed Postmaster, serving in the former capacity five years, and fulfilling the duties of the latter seven.

In April of 1855, Mr. Aughinbaugh, having at that time a large family and becoming tired of town life, sold out his interests in the village and bought a part of the large farm on which he at present resides.

At the time of his coming to the country, Mr. Aughinbaugh brought with him a pony which he had purchased of the Wyandotte Indians (with whom he had passed seven years of his younger life very happily), and the pony is at the present time, May, 1875, still living. Her age, according to the best information at hand, is thirty-six years.

Commentary by John Knarr, posted July 5, 2012

The above claim that John Aughinbaugh "came to own more than one-half the town of Manchester" appears to be a bit of nineteenth century hyperbole. On Manchester's Main Street, Aughinbaugh owned Lots 142 and 143 at the corner of Walnut and Main Streets. The other Main Street property under Aughinbaugh's ownership was the east half of Lot 1 in the Original Plat. John Aughinbaugh did buy and sell other lots elsewhere in town and a few out-lots outside the town limits. He also leased for a five-year period some of the Halderman land.  See the above listing of Aughinbaugh's real estate transactions.

1875 LITHOGRAPHIC VIEW OF THE JOHN AUGHINBAUGH FARM IN CHESTER TOWNSHIP, WABASH COUNTY
Source: 1875 Illustrated Historical Atlas of Wabash County, Indiana.