NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH MANCHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
VOLUME IX, NUMBER 3 (August 1992)

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Then and Now, 1834 to 1992
North Manchester, Indiana to Stockdale, near Roann
By Lester H. Binnie

John Hendricks, Deputy Surveyor, working on contract for the Federal government, with his small crew, two axemen, two chain carriers and a hunter with a pack horse, set a post in the middle of East Street on the sixth day of March, 1834. The exact spot is in line with the south property line of the Heeter Performance Center. If you stood there today, you would see a small hole at your feet. Below this hole, perhaps six or eight inches deep, is an iron peg that replaced the post. This peg was uncovered, perhaps this year, likely establish the property line of someone living in the area. On that same day in 1834, John and his crew had established the section line from the north bank of Eel River to this point. There were no good witness trees nearby to mark the location of the post, but two white oak trees were marked by the axemen at some distance. One was 15 inches in diameter standing 21 feet southeast of the post and the other 56 feet northwest. John described the land along this section line as “Land Rolling and second rate, oak timber inclined to Barrens, some small Prairies.”[1] Barrens were open and park like and grass provided the ground cover. The grass was mostly Indian grass and tall bluestem, often as high as six or eight feet, and the chief forage for the bison. Believe it or not, tall bluestem can be found growing in North Manchester after 158 years. Look for it in late summer on the abandoned railway right-of-way on Wayne Street and south of the Manchester Clinic.

On that same day in 1834, John Hendricks surveyed the section line extending east from the post. At a distance of 1650 feet in a wet prairie his notes state, “About 10 chains (660 feet) South a cabin built by H.”[2] On the survey of the Meanders of Eel River, conducted on 27 August, 1834, the cabin built by H is identified as Helvey’s House.[3]

Richard Helvey (Helvie), a trader living in Lagro in 1832, moved to this location at the east end of Orchard Street during the winter of 1833-34.[4] There was an Indian village at this location. One reason for the village was apparently the large free-flowing spring near the river which has since disappeared because of a drainage project. [5] One may speculate that Hendricks and his crew took time off to visit Helvey, fill their canteens with fresh spring water and, perhaps, sample his fire water. Hendricks likely paced off the distance (10 chains) while going or returning to the section line. Helvey may also have considered the prospect that corn would be readily available to supply his small still.

On 28 May, 1828, David Hillis, Deputy Surveyor, stood on State Highway 114 E at the corner where the Chester Township Fire Department is now located. He reported, “At this corner there appears to have been an ancient Indian village of considerable extent. Timber remaining is mostly oak. There is perhaps 60 or 70 acres entirely clear, seems to have been cultivated, a small distance SW of this corner.”[6] On a modern soil survey map the soils where this field was found are nearly level. They are named Fox loam, Kosciusko sandy loam and Ormas sandy loam. All are productive, somewhat low in water holding capacity; but, now they are used extensively for the production of corn and soy beans.[7] This field was only about one and a half miles southeast of Helvey’s cabin. To reach it on foot and avoid the flood plain and swampy areas, the trail would most likely have extended south and a little west to a point near the covered bridge where the river could be crossed at a ford. From there the field was about one mile east and a little north.

Helvey’s cabin is said to have been a grand one for its day, being a double cabin, having two rooms. It was in use for many years by the Harvey Cook family.[8] Other records indicate that there were no other settlers closer than Anderson north of present Stockdale. In the fall of 1835, the families of Col. Helvey, James Abbott and Peter and John Ogan assembled in the cabin of Peter Ogan to participate in the religious exercises of the Christian Church led by the Elder Briant Fannin.[9] Helvey did not remain a trader for very long. In 1840-41 he moved to town where he was host at the American Hotel, a two-story frame building at the corner of Walnut and Main Street. Helvey is said to have moved to Logansport for a short time. Returning to a farm southwest of town, he died there in 1850 of lung fever. He, his wife and two children were buried in the extreme north end of Halderman Cemetery.[10]

Of the travel routes that led to Helvey’s cabin, the Eel River was perhaps the most important, but overland trails in the area had been in use by the Indians for many generations. These trails served as roads for the early pioneers when the land was opened for settlement. Cornelius Halderman, then age 21 and traveling on horseback, went through the woods from Helvey’s cabin to the cabin of Mr. Anderson in April, 1835. Anderson had established a residence about one an a half miles north of present Stockdale and about two miles southeast of the village of Chief Niconza (Squirrel in English). The village was in present Miami County.[11] Whether or not Cornelius was related to Allen Halderman who died in North Manchester on 2 March, 1845 has not been established.

In July, 1835, a party of seven families including those of Jesse Myers (Moyers), Jacob Gill and Matthias Lukens, a lad of 18 years, followed an Indian trail from North Manchester to the Squirrel Village and to Anderson’s cabin about a mile above it and on Squirrel Creek.[12] Matthias Lukens has said that the party arrived in the North Manchester area from Lagro and there were 60 Miami and Pottowatomie Indians camped across the river from the present town.[13] Now the question arises, where was the trail leading to Anderson’s cabin? This problem is solved through the records of another surveyor.

Sylvester Libbey, Deputy Surveyor, on 26 February, 1834, began establishing section lines at present Stockdale, north of the River. His contract covered land extending north nine or more miles and east as far as present State Road 13 (Meridian Road). He was expected to follow the standards as required by the Federal Government which in addition to establishing the section corners required him to do the following:[14]

·         Find and mark the halfway points between corners.

·         Record the kind and size of trees on the section line.

·         Record the kind and size of the witness trees at corners and halfway points.

·         Record the size and quality and direction of streams crossing section lines.

·         Record the lakes on section lines or in view.

·         Record the distances where marshes, swamps and prairies were entered and left on section lines.

·         Make an appraisal of the quality of timber within the section or along the line.

·         Give his opinion of the quality of the land for agricultural purposes, i.e. first, second or third class.

At Stockdale, near Roann, Libbey became involved in details. Quoting from his notes at random: “ascend gently and enter an open oak woods, ascent a steep bank 10 feet high, descend a steep bank 20 feet high, a spring a few feet south of the line, an Indian trail NNE. The Indians have 10 to 12 acres enclosed and have raised corn, potatoes and vines. Several houses on the river bank, mostly deserted at this time.” He soon gave up most of these interesting details probably because they used up valuable time in completing the survey. However, one item he continued to report was the location and direction of most Indian trails where they crossed the section lines. Now it is possible to locate these points with accuracy. All that is required is the conversion of Libbey’s 66 ft. chains and 7.9 inch links into feet and measure the distance from the section corner. Furthermore, by recording this information on the, four inches to the mile, soil survey maps, the trails can be related to the soil. Having combined these two surveys, it is shown that the trails were on nearly level, high, well drained soils, usually at a distance of a half mile or more from the river. These soils were covered with timber; poorly drained soil, flood plains and swamps were avoided.

Hendricks did not record an Indian trail from Helvey’s cabin to present Indiana Highway 13, but the soil survey map provides information on the location of nearly level, well drained soils between those two points and for an additional mile. Using this material, the writer believes the trail to Anderson’s house was as follows:

                West on or near Orchard Street to East Street.
                Southwest through the college campus.
                South of the Manchester Clinic and west on or near College Avenue to Market Street.
                Southwest through the High School campus and across the northwest part of Oak Lawn Cemetery to Strauss Provimi Road and continuing southwest to a short distance north of the intersection of Indiana highway 114 and 13.

West, roughly parallel to highway 114, for a distance of about a half mile, then northwest and over Clear Creek and to high ground, then southwest on the west side of the little known Old Cripe Cemetery and to present road 114 at a distance of 924 feet east of Acme Hall. (The one-room schoolhouse at West Manchester Church.)

From this point the trail markings of Libbey come into use in identifying the trail to Anderson’s cabin. A short distance west of this point, he shows that the trail divided, one leading south, the other continuing southwest.[15] We will trace the one leading south first.

On the high ground, east [sic; correction: west] of Clear Creek, the trail extended south past the Grandstaff Rendering Plant and parallel to the Ogden Road, but usually about a fourth of a mile distant. After crossing Otter Creek it continued southwest on the high bank and the west edge of Laketon Bog. On the nearby section line, at a distance of 2635 feet north of the river, Libbey recorded “two unfinished mounds a short distance west of the section line.” The distances in links and direction were also given.[16] These mounds were apparently within the road right-of-way. The trail continued south through the former Laketon Nursery and joined the Ogden Road a short distance south of the Laketon School property.

At the south end of Main Street, the trail was on the high bank and overlooked the Indian fish weir just below. This structure, constructed of large glacial boulders, can be seen today. First cross the bridge and turn right into the Public Access Area, then follow the riverbank down stream about 200 feet. The high bank was likely the site of an Indian village at various times. Howard Rager lived at this spot during the period from about 1920 to 1950, and it was there that he manufactured reinforced concrete corner, end and line posts. Now between State Highways 114 at North Manchester on 13 and south to 16, there are more than 50 corner and end posts and many line posts reflecting his style. Look especially at the fences along the property of Charles Signs, south to the overhead bridge. While leveling the ground for his operations, Rager uncovered a complete Indian skeleton. Mary Ohmart believes it was given to a doctor in Laketon. The writer believes it may have been the skeleton he remembers seeing hanging in the office of Dr. John Wilson during the 1920s.

From the south end of Main Street, the trail extended west and very near the south edge of Round Lake,[17] and past the soon-to-be-built corn cracker mill of James Cox on Silver Creek.[18] It is said to have been the first mill in Pleasant Township. After passing the south end of Lukens Lake on high ground, the trail continued southwest to the village of Chief Niconza. The village was on Squirrel Creek south of present Niconza Church in Miami County. It appears that Anderson’s cabin was about a mile south and a mile east on Squirrel Creek. On the east side of Section 26, Twp. 29 N, Range 5 East, surveyor Libbey showed three Indian trails converging toward the place where the cabin may have been located. Judging by the direction of two of these trails, one led to Squirrel village on Eel River and the other to Chief Niconza’s village. It is said that Anderson built a mill at this location. The writer believes this was the trail followed by those who had visited Helvey in present North Manchester.

The first of these travelers, Richard [sic; correction: Cornelius] Halderman, purchased land near present Roann in 1835 but did not settle there until 1854. In 1884, he was reported as a principal citizen, part owner of a saw mill, responsible for two additions to Roann and owner of considerable land.[19] Matthias Moyer and his brother, John Sr., had been well acquainted with John Anderson in Ohio. On 30 November 1835, Mary, the wife of Matthias Moyer, died, age 31 years, 5 months and 22 days. Her stone can be found today in the Moyer Cemetery about two and a half miles south of the Niconza church.[20] John Anderson made a coffin for her internment by splitting puncheons from a white walnut log and hewing them down into boards. After Mary died, Matthias returned to Wayne County, Ohio, for another wife, Elizabeth Stauffer; and on his return in 1838, he brought with him 7,000 fruit trees with which to start a nursery in the new country.[21] Henry Heeter, who lived south of the covered bridge and across the road from Scott’s Landscape Service, in a letter to his son, Abraham in Ohio, 17 March 1852, wrote, “We want to go Down to Moyerses nursery next weak to get pair and plum trees. Steaven (Ulrey) is going too they have cherry of all coin.”[22] It is said by John Moyer, of Laketon, that trees were being sold for five cents each at about that time.

Libbey’s trail markings show how travelers could avoid the Laketon area by taking the right hand fork east of Acme Hall. This trail passed through or very near the entrance to Pleasant Hill Cemetery[23] and:

                Continued southwest through the cemetery,
                Turned west parallel to highway 114 for a half mile,
                Turned slightly south and crossed the section line at a point slightly more than a fourth mile south of State Road 114 on County Road 200W.[24]
                To reach this point one would turn south at the brick school house near the southeast corner of the farm of Dr. H.F. Terrill.
                Continued southwest, roughly parallel and 900 feet north of County Road 1150.
                This is the road on which Lee Brubaker now lives.

The trail continued west, crossed County Road 400W onto land formerly owned by George Willcox and his brother, and kept to the most level ground as it swung in a quarter circle to the south line of the section. There is no road on this section line. The trail crossed near the half mile post and continued southwest, and passed about 600 feet south of the long abandoned Nabor Cemetery, the first in Pleasant Twp. It then crossed County road 500 E at 1050 feet north of Center Schoolhouse.[25]

This old, brick schoolhouse is the last of three that stood at this crossroad and they were on three different corners, the first of logs, the second a frame building, and this one. A man named A.D. Seward came to this community in 1837 or 1838 and settled near and northeast of Center Schoolhouse. He is described as a man of fine character., well educated and an outstanding teacher.[26] The writer believes his house was built on or adjacent to the Indian trail, and on the east side of road 500W. The writer grew up on the farm where this trail crosses road 500W and recalls seeing pieces of crockery, buttons and other evidence of a dwelling having once occupied this site.

Continuing southwest, the trail joined to its intersection with State Road 15. This is the first road south of the former overpass of the abandoned Erie Railroad. A short distance west of the crossroad the trail appears to have turned south over Silver Creek and continued south on well drained land with slopes of two to six percent. Within about a mile it joined the trail to Lukens Lake and the village of Chief Niconza.[27]

Libbey’s notes show evidence of other minor trails running north and south in this area. Some of these trails were apparently used as roads and are shown on a map printed in 1861. More recent maps do not show these roads as they have been replaced by roads on section lines.[28] One can be assured that the early settlers found these trails useful as they searched out the land and traveled from place to place.