MAJOR DOWNTOWN FIRE
An
early morning fire Saturday, November 19, 2016, broke out at 216 E. Main Street.
Seven fire departments cooperated in containing the blaze that spread to 218 E.
Main Street and adjacent structures. The former BrewHouse building was
destroyed, and the legal, community foundation and accounting offices, along
with second-story apartments, to the east were heavily damaged. NMFD Chief Cam
Kissinger reported, “This is the worst one we’ve had downtown for many, many
years.” [NM News-Journal, November 22, 2016]
Historically, North Manchester’s downtown area has been impacted at different
times by major fires. In 1883 the American House at the northeast corner of Main
& Walnut was destroyed. Also in 1883 the Bee-Hive at the southwest corner of
Main & Mill burned. In 1885 the Opera House on the south side of Main Street &
buildings to the west were lost to fire. In 1890 Henney’s Corner (Main & Market,
northeast) burned to the ground, and rebuilding only took place years after the
fire. In 1897 Bert Bonewitz’s restaurant and the Wood sisters’ millinery store
were damaged by flames. In 1907 there was a fire at the Ulrey Block, Main &
Walnut, in which the second-story Rex Telephone Office burned. In 1909 fires
impacted the Hoosier Skirt factory and Peter Speed’s Shoe Shop. During the
following year in 1910 fires took place at the Stewart & Naftzger hardware store
on the alley and the Mort Grocery. The Young Hotel was lost to fire in 1943. In
1960 a fire badly damaged the Urschel Department Store at 208 East Main Street.
In
addition to those mentioned above, there have been several other fire losses. A
comprehensive listing is maintained at the NMHS website, along with links to
articles about the various fires:
www.nmanchesterhistory.org
[tabs] more >fires
Some parallels can be drawn between the recent fire and that which occurred in
January 1910, at 120 East Main Street. The heroism of our firefighters in both
instances should be noted and applauded. The fires apparently started in each
instance in buildings located on an alley, and then spread eastward to the
adjacent buildings. The following newspaper account describes in considerable
detail the fire that consumed the Naftzger hardware store, located where the
western section of the Center for History is now located. The Oppenheim store at
that time was operating in two
buldings to the east of the Naftzger hardware store.
Source: North Manchester Journal, January 20, 1910--
FIRE LOSS OF $40,000
Business Portion of Town Visited by Damaging Fire
The
most damaging fire in the business portion of North Manchester for many years
occurred early Friday morning when the Stewart & Naftzger hardware store was
completely destroyed, and the building and stock of B. Oppenheim & Co. seriously
damaged. The total loss will probably run above forty thousand dollars.
It
was just a few minutes before four o’clock that Nightwatchman Dee Welsh saw
smoke issuing from one of the windows of A.P. Smith’s office over the Naftzger
store. He turned in an alarm, and the fire company quickly responded. The fire
seemed to be located at the north end of the front room of the store, and the
contents of the chemical tank was used at the north window of that room. This
seemed to stop the fire for a moment, and it looked like it was out just as the
last of the chemical solution was used. But the next instant there was a burst
of flames and smoke from the window, and the hardest fight of the present fire
department was on.
There
was a complication of conditions that put the firemen at a disadvantage, chief
among them being a low water pressure which was still farther reduced by a leaky
hydrant. But the fight was waged bravely, and much more successfully than many
thought it would be when it was at its height. There was a time when men in the
block to the east would have parted with their holdings pretty cheap, and as one
man said he was on the verge of telephoning to his help not to come down that
morning to open his store.
As it
is, the loss is heavy. Stewart & Naftzger saved nothing of their stock except
the small portion that was stored in the rear of the Harter building. The
building was 176 feet long and they occupied the basement and both floors, with
the exception of the front room upstairs that was occupied by A.P. Smith. There
is nothing left of the store today but a pile of debris and broken brick. The
walls of the building were standing after the fire was out, but were in such a
condition that they were dangerous, and the firemen pulled them down. The
Naftzger stock was valued at from ten to twelve thousand dollars, with insurance
in the Hardware Mutual of $6,000. The building was owned by Mrs. John M. Curtner,
was valued at $7,500 and was insured for $4,000.
The
double store of B. Oppenheim & Co., next to the Naftzger store, was badly
damaged, and the loss there will be very heavy. At one time it looked like it
would be impossible to save that building, for the fire got into it from under
the edge of the roof, and at one time was blazing fiercely, but by hard work it
was kept from spreading to other parts of the building. As it is, practically
everything in the store is damaged to some extent. In the room where the fire
was there was a lot of new rugs that had never been unpacked. The edges of every
one of these were burned, and they were saturated with dirty water. There were
large stacks of muslin that the edges were burned from. Hundreds of boxes of
thread were burned just enough to be ruined, and so on through all the stock
that was in that building. In the dry goods department down stairs the goods
were not touched by fire, but were damaged by smoke and water, the water at one
time being four or five inches deep on the floor. Nearly all of the clothing was
carried from the store, and stored in the Emmons pool room, but it was all more
or less damaged in the hasty handling that was necessary. This stock was insured
for $22,500 and the loss will probably run to nearly fifteen thousand. The
Oppenheims owned the west building where the most of the fire was, and it was
insured for $5,000, with damages amounting to at least half that much and
possibly more, for it is hard to tell how badly the walls are damaged. Harmon
Naber owned the east room of the Oppenheim store, but it was not damaged beyond
a few broken windows.
A.P.
Smith lost all of his office fixtures and furniture, and places his loss at
about five hundred dollars. He also had a very narrow escape himself, as he
slept in the back room of the office, and was not awakened until the room was so
full of smoke that he was nearly suffocated.
THE STORY OF THE FIRE
Lack of Water Hindered Effective Work of Firemen.
In
going to the fire Driver George Parmerlee took the route around past the Burdge
corner for two reasons. First, there is usually a truck or two in the alley by
the Byrer packing house, making it doubtful whether he could get through from
the Market street entrance, and second, because on account of the icy condition
of the approach at the Naftzger alley it would have been risky to have tried to
drive in from Main street. A line of hose was laid from the Burdge hydrant, and
brought into the Naftzger alley from the north. The wagon was stopped at the
north window of the main room, and the chemicals used from there. When it was
found that they were insufficient, he drove through the alley to the south,
laying a line of hose from the hydrant in front of the city hall, and then
another from the Burdge hydrant. Later another line was laid from the Burdge
hydrant, making four in all and one thousand feet of hose was in use. Still
later more hose was brought from the west side.
The
water pressure was weak, and continued weak for quite a time after the fire
started, but at no time was it quite as bad as some of the kickers like to say.
For an instant after the chemicals were used it seemed that the fire was under
control, but then came the burst of flames from the windows, and the whole store
room quickly filled. Some think that with sufficient water just at that time the
building could have been saved, but there are others who doubt it, for the fire
was right by the side of a lot of oil and gasoline tanks, and it is believed
that the fire had such a start in these that the chemicals could have but little
effect, and water poured on it was practically useless. It was only a minute or
two after this until the fire reached the front of the building.
Dynamite Lets Go.
As the fire swept to the front of the building it reached the stock of
ammunition, and the cracking of cartridges sounded like there was a battle in
progress. Then came an explosion that shook the building, and drove the
spectators back a few feet and all the time the fire was getting hotter.
Probably ten minutes after the first explosion came a second and much stronger
one, that blew a hole in the west wall of the building, that lifted the roof of
the Oppenheim building, and that wrecked the glass in many of the buildings on
the south side of the street, besides knocking down two firemen and several of
the spectators.
Oppenheim Room in Danger.
After the explosion was when the Oppenheim room was in the greatest danger. The
roof on it was lifted, allowing passage for the fire to get in past the fire
wall, and then came the hard fight to save it. That the fight was successful can
be credited to the fact that the firemen and their willing helpers worked with
tireless energy, and with the skill and endurance of professional fire fighters.
There was no show for anything spectacular. It was just a hard piece of the
hardest and most risky kind of work. At five o’clock it looked like the chances
were against the Oppenheim room, but a little later the prospect began to
brighten, and by six o’clock all danger was past, and the fire was thoroughly
under control.
Pulled Down Damaged Walls.
The walls of the Naftzger building did not fall in, but they were so badly
damaged that they were unsafe and they were torn down by the firemen. It was
nearly noon Friday when a rope was hitched to the lintel over the front door of
the store, and it only took a slight pull to bring it out, letting the front of
the building come tumbling into the street. The side walls of the main building
were then pulled in. Saturday it became evident that the rear walls, too, were
dangerous, and they were tipped into the ruins, furnishing attraction for a
large number of people who stood around in the cold watching the work.
Hurt By The Explosion.
George Ulrey was dragging a string of hose into the alley and had just entered
the south end of it when the big explosion came. It hurled him to the ground,
and he was badly stunned. He was helped to his feet, and given medical
attention, but it was found that his injuries were not serious, and he was soon
back at work fighting the fire again. His escape was little less than a miracle,
for he was within less than twenty feet of where the walls were blown out. Fred
Horne was standing near the middle of the street in front of the building, and
was struck by something that rolled him over and to the south side of the
street. Something struck J.B. Peabody on the head cutting a slight gash. J.A.
Browne was hit by some flying missile and a slight scratch made on his face.
Others had slight scratches, but none were serious, though it is a wonder
greater damage was not done.
Capt.
Hippensteel and Clyde Overholser, two of the firemen, were badly stunned by the
explosion, and cut and scratched, but were soon back fighting the fire. Tony
Stocker though not a member of the company, was hard at work and was stunned by
the explosion and had to be helped to his feet and away from the fire, but he,
too, was soon back at work.
Broken Glass.
The plate glass in front of the J.B. Williams drug store, Mrs. L.C. Townsend’s
millinery store, and J.A. Calvert’s grocery store were splinted, glass in the
front of A. B. Thomas’ office were broken, and one transom glass was knocked out
of the Journal office. In the second and third stories from the Williams drug
store east to the Grand Army hall nearly every glass was broken. Not a window in
the Grand Army hall was broken, but several east of there were shattered, and a
transom glass in Norris & Freeman’s music store was broken. The force of the
explosion seemed to cross the street and travel eastward, for no glass on the
north side were broken until the Helm, Snorf store was reached, and several
glass windows on the west side of it were knocked out. West of the fire the
windows in the Harter drug store, in Isenbarger & Fleming’s office, and the Mort
grocery were broken.
Three Pounds of Dynamite.
There were lots of stories about there being fifty pounds of dynamite in the
building, and many were afraid to go about the ruins, for it was said that it
had not all exploded. This story was exploded by the statement of J.K.
Lautzenhiser, chief clerk in store. His statement is that there was a
twenty-five pound powder can on the east side of the store, and that it was
about one third full. He thinks this was the first to explode. On the west side
of the store, and right south of where the hole was blown in the wall was
another can of about three or four pounds of gun powder. Right north of this
there was a box of 200 dynamite caps, of the kind used to explode dynamite, and
under the counter between these were three pounds of dynamite. He believes that
these all let go together. People for many miles about felt and heard the
explosion, it coming at an hour that many farmers were getting up, and it
attracted their attention to the fire.
Will Work Harder than Ever.
”There is nothing to do but to go again and work harder than ever,” said L.J.
Noftzger, manager of the store, who though over 75 years of age has more grit
than most men of thirty. The store belonged to Stewart & Naftzger, the Naftzger
being A.H. Naftzger, whose home is in California, but who is now in Europe,
probably France or Germany. It was managed by his brother, L.J. Noftzger, who
has been doing business here for more than forty years. This is the second time
that L.J. Noftzger has been burned out in North Manchester; the first time being
when his foundry was burned in the fire that wiped out the Dunbar factory, about
eighteen years ago. A peculiar fate too is that the water pressure was poor in
that fire. The building burned Friday was erected under the direction of Mr.
Noftzger, who made a creditable record in its construction. There was an old
frame building on the ground, and it was just moved away until the firm had
occupied the new building that was erected in its place.
Alarm Friday Night.
Harry
Wilson and C.E. Brady, who were watching in the Oppenheim store Friday night,
and having fire on the mind turned in another alarm. They discovered their
mistake in a minute, however, and notified the fire department before the wagon
left the city hall, but not until the alarm had been sounded. The reflection
came from fire that was blazing in the ruins, and the firemen thought this
looked dangerous enough that they went over to it and poured water on it for
awhile.
The Insurance.
The
Stewart & Naftzger stock was insured in the Hardware mutual for $6,000, being
carried in three states. The Maude Krisher agency carried all the insurance on
the Curtner building, there being $2,000 in the Liverpool and London and Globe
and a like amount in the American Central. This agency also had $10,500 on the
B. Oppenheim stock and building, divided as follows: American Central $3,000,
New York Underwriters agency $3,000, Liverpool and London and Globe $3,500,
Fireman’s Fund $1,000.
The
M.F. Adams agency had $8,500 on the Oppenheim stock and store divided as
follows: Hartford $1,000, Queen $2,500, Westchester Fire $1,500, Aetna $1,000,
Home $2,500.
The
Indiana State bank had $5,000 on the Oppenheim stock and building divided as
follows: Glens Falls $2,000, Prussian National $1,500, Rochester German $1,500.
The
H.B. Tilman agency had $2,500 on the Oppenheim stock as follows: Williamsburg
City $1,000, Concordia $1,500.
The
W.W. Barnhart agency had $1,000 in the National Union on the Oppenheim stock.
Gas Lifts Oppenheim Roof.
The theory seems to be pretty well established that it was gas that set fire to
the interior of the Oppenheim room. While the firemen were on the roof of that
building there suddenly came a sort of an explosion or puff, like when the gas
catches fire in a stove and blows off the doors. This tipped over a part of the
fire wall and lifted the roof with the men on, but it settled back to its place,
not however, without making their hair stand on end, for they did not know what
was under them. It is the belief that unburned gas from the fire had penetrated
the walls at the ends of the joists until the space between the ceiling and roof
was filled with it. Then it caught fire. Immediately the fight was on in the
Oppenheim room.
Start of the Fire.
The firemen think that the fire started in the basement. D.J. Speicher was with
Watchman Welsh when the smoke was seen coming from the Smith window. He went to
the rear window of the front room of the store and there saw flames creeping up
about the elevator shaft from the basement. Tip Taylor, one of the firemen,
lives directly across the street from the store, and was one of the first to
reach the street. As he came down the stairs from his rooms he heard the plate
glass in the front of the store cracking. The firemen think that the flames had
smoldered for some time some place in the basement, finding the only vent
through the elevator shaft, and that there was a lot of fire in the basement
when it was first noticed. What started the fire in the first place, is of
course a mystery. There was a furnace in the basement, but it was not being
used. There are various theories, and none are without some reason, but there is
no positive information on which to base a conclusion.
Will Start Business Again.
L.J.
Noftzger, of the firm of Stewart & Naftzger, is arranging to start in business
again at once. A room will be secured and a stock installed just as quickly as
possible. The building that was destroyed will be replaced by a new and modern
one as soon as it is possible to get work started.
S.A. Noftzger Loses Records.
S.A. Noftzger, manager of the Manchester Manufacturing company, had his office
in the building, and lost practically all of his books and papers, besides the
office furniture and a good typewriter. He also lost a lot of his papers in
reference to his poultry business, papers that would be of no value to any one
else, but which to him were of much importance. All of his printed supplies and
advertising matter were also burned.
Telephone Cable Destroyed.
About a hundred feet of the cable of the Eel River telephone company was melted
and fifty telephones in the north and west part of town were put out of
commission. The damage was repaired Sunday.
Adjusters Here Thursday.
The insurance adjusters are expected here Thursday. All of those who had damages
have gone over their losses and gotten them in the best possible condition so
that it should not take long to adjust the loss. The Oppenheim store had taken a
complete invoice only a week before the fire.
Firemen Work Bravely.
There is not a volunteer fire department in the country anywhere that has any
more courage or endurance than the one in North Manchester. Time and again this
has been shown, but never to better advantage than Friday morning. This company
is composed of eight men, John Jenkins, Clyde Overholtzer, Lewis Overholtzer,
George Ulrey, Silas Walters, Ed Enyeart, Clarence Hippensteel and Tip Taylor.
Besides there were a great many citizens who in this case lent helping hands,
and did much to assist the firemen. However, the brunt of the fight fell on
these eight men, and not a one of them gave up for a moment when able to go, but
stayed right with the fight from four o’clock in the morning until one o’clock
in the afternoon when the walls were pulled down and the danger was over. Too
much credit cannot be given these men. Their work was intelligent and effective,
and but for them the fire would certainly have spread much farther than the
building in which it started.
WATER SUPPLY WAS VERY BAD
Conditions at Pumping Station Greatly Handicapped Firemen.
While
there can be no real excuse for the scarcity of water at the fire Friday
morning, there are plenty of reasons for it, and calm, business like study of
those reasons should lead to conditions that will guard against a like
occurrence. It is pretty well known by people who have paid any attention to
conditions at the pumping station that things have not been as they should be
there. The lifting pump, used to lift water from the wells is out of order and
has been for several months. The first action of the new town council was to
order repairs for that pump. This was done at the meeting on the third of
January but the repairs have not reached here. No attention has been paid to the
supply pipe leading from the river, and Friday morning when the water was low in
the reservoir the engineer hated to attach to the river because he feared that
the supply pipe might choke with ice, or that it was already frozen shut. Then,
too, the hydrant most needed at the Friday morning fire was leaky, and had been
known to be leaky for a long time. At the fire under the Lawrence bank more than
a year ago this was discovered to be the case, but nothing was done to repair
it, for it was hard to get at on account of being surrounded by concrete walk
and brick pavement.
There
was no one on duty at the pumping station at night. Grant Walters has been
caring for the night alarms there, receiving as his pay the rent of the house by
the station that is owned by the town. He had moved his goods from the house
only a couple or three days before the fire. John Colclesser, who for years has
given the town the best of service as engineer, has for a long time been unable
to give much of his personal attention to the work though the town has kept him
the position, largely for the knowledge he has of the plant and because of the
faithful service he has given. John Fruit has been working days for some time in
the employment of Mr. Colclesser and under his direction. Fruit had done his
days work and gone home the night before, leaving his fires in good condition.
But he lives away in the north part of town, and it took him some time to get to
the station, and get his pumps going.
With
a full stand pipe this would have made but little difference, for there is
plenty of pressure in the stand pipe when it is full, but there was little if
any over forty feet of water in it at the time of the alarm. By the time the
pumps could be started and direct pressure applied, the fire had gained much
headway.
These
were conditions and not theories, and steps should be taken that they do not
exist again. Statements of the town council members to the Journal have been in
effect that nothing would be spared to make the pumping plant as perfect in the
appointment as is the uptown part of the fire department. A regular day and
night man will be supplied, and repairs made to everything needing them. The
pumps will be put into the best possible condition, just as soon as repairs can
be secured. The supply pipe from the river will receive attention.
Sunday afternoon when the fire in the ruins of the Naftzger building again broke
into a blaze it was demonstrated that with a full stand pipe and a sound hydrant
there is an abundance of pressure for fire protection. It was possible then to
stand on the walk in front of the building and throw a solid stream against he
rear partition wall. To assist in guaranteeing that the stand pipe be kept full,
the Journal would suggest that a pressure gauge be placed in the lower room of
the city hall in plain view from the street so that at any time any one desiring
can see exactly how much water there is in the stand pipe may do so. A better
system of turning from stand pipe to direct pressure is needed, as well as a
more complete set of signals.
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IN MEMORIAM
RALPH NARAGON (1936-2016)
Ralph
Naragon was a great friend to the North Manchester Historical Society.
He served as treasurer of the organization for many years, and provided
CPA services to us. As the
organization grew in complexity, the ability to manage several discrete fund
accounts became increasingly important, and Ralph’s financial expertise was
valued more and more.
After
his retirement, Ralph became the volunteer building manager of the Center for
History. He worked at the Center
almost daily, doing everything from removing and recycling outdated pipes and
wiring, to making daily measurements of heat and humidity to protect our
collections, to helping tear off our 1970’s façade.
He supervised the recent façade restoration project on behalf of the
Center, and anticipated the systems and maintenance needs of our 140-year-old
building.
A
natural leader, Ralph loved to work behind the scenes.
He was part of a group of community leaders who promoted the growth of
North Manchester starting in the 1970’s, and helped found or support many
community organizations and planning efforts.
Ralph was named Volunteer of the Year in 2011 in recognition for his many services to the Historical Society. Much of the success the Historical Society and the Center for History experienced the past fifteen years was due to Ralph’s direct or indirect involvement. -submitted by Mary Chrastil
IN MEMORIAM
FERNE BALDWIN ( 1919-2016)
(Alma) Ferne Strohm Baldwin, North Manchester, IN, died at Timbercrest Health
Care, in North Manchester, IN, on November 26, 2016. Ferne was born on September
29, 1919, in Bourbon County, KS, to John Alonzo and Mary Matilda (Derrick)
Strohm. Her rural roots left her a country girl, at heart, her whole life. She
graduated early from Uniontown High School, where she was known to beat the
teachers in geography bees. Ferne was too young to start teaching, so left home
at 16, and went to Chicago in 1936 to attend Bethany Bible School. She met Elmer
Rufus Baldwin there, and they were married on March 11, 1938.
After attending Nebraska Wesleyan University, the University of Wichita, and
Bethany Seminary, Ferne and Elmer felt called, in 1944, to serve on the Church
of the Brethren mission field in Nigeria, West Africa, arriving just weeks
before their first child was born. Ferne’s work included teaching in the
schools, language translation, producing books in the local language, keeping
the mission books, and other office and deputation work, for 18 years. All three
of her daughters were born there, in a land and among people loved by her
family.
While on a year-long furlough in the States, Ferne graduated from Manchester
College, in 1958, with a degree in philosophy. In 1962, the family returned to
the States to stay. Ferne worked as manager of the Manchester College print shop
until 1966; earned her Master’s and PhD. in social services from Ball State
University in 1973, majoring in history. She was a professor of sociology and
social work (becoming Chair of the department) at Manchester College from
1969...continuing to teach part time after becoming the Archivist...until 1999.
She moved to Timbercrest Senior Living Community in 2004.
Ferne was an active member of the Manchester Church of the Brethren since the
mid-1960s, serving a number of years as Moderator and Church Board Chair
(including when the church burned and the new one was re-built). She was on the
first Lafiya committee, was a long-time member of the church Historical
committee, and taught Sunday school from time to time.
Activities in the larger community included the town Historical Society, the
Manchester College Community Club, the Wabash County Genealogy Society, and bird
counts with the Audubon Society...having served as President for all of them.
Other interests included gardening, sewing, cooking, puzzles, and card games.
She also enjoyed her travels to 32 countries and to all but two of the U.S.
states (Hawaii and Connecticut). She was passionate about learning, treating the
earth and its inhabitants kindly - with justice for all - living simply, and
always trying to make a positive difference in this world.
(obituary excerpted from Manchester Church of the Brethren Newsletter)
VISITORS TO THE CENTER FOR HISTORY IN 2016
(through 11-10-16)
CAME TO US FROM THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITIES, STATES & COUNTRIES
Hoosiers
Akron
Albany
Argos
Auburn
Beaver Dam Lake
Bloomington
Carmel
Cedar Lake
Claypool
Columbia City
Converse
Culver
Forrest
Fort Wayne
Garrett
Gas City
Goshen
Greenfield
Greensburg
Greensburg
Howe
Huntington
Indianapolis
Jonesboro
Kewanna
Kokomo
Lafayette
LaFontaine
Laketon
LaPorte
Leesburg
Liberty Mills
Logansport
Madison
Marion
Mentone
Muncie
Peru
Pierceton
Plymouth
Roann
Roanoke
Rochester
Silver Lake
Somerset
South Whitley
Spencerville
Syracuse
Tipton
Urbana
Wabash
Warren
Warsaw
Wheatfield
Winona Lake
Yorktown
Out of State
Ann Arbor, MI
Ardmore, AL
Austin, TX
Beverly Hills, MT
Boston, MA
Bozeman, MT
Chapel Hill, NC
Cincinnati, OH
Elk Park, NC
Ely, NV
Fresno, CA
Garner, NC
Granby, CO
Grand Junction, CO
Greeley, CO
Henderson, NV
Jeromesville, OH
Kalamazoo, MI
Kansas City, KS
Knoxville, TN
Leirrett, MA
McLean, VA
Mt. Vernon, OH
Naperville, IL
Naples, FL
Oakland Park, FL
Oberlin, OH
Palm City, FL
Pleasant Valley, MO
Pompano, FL
Reno, NV
Scodia, NY
Sherman, TX
South Lyon, MI
Stringtown, OK
Van Buren, OH
Vicksburg, MI
Wilmington, OH
International
Dunedin, New Zealand
London, England
Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
ACCESSIONS IN 2016
Some items we accessioned for the year 2016 include, the Time Capsule and
contents from Maple Park School. Many items from the police department – radios,
Breathalyzer, helmets, uniforms, badges, light bar, 1930 bullet proof vest and
the bullet that shot Chief Presta Vickery, radar units, and much more from
there. Also a German Helmet from WW I, 38 spear points and arrowheads,
Weatherbird stamps from Wible’s Shoe Store, Books by local natives John Hackett
and Loren Finnell, hand-made quilt from 1908.
OGAN SURNAME Y-DNA PROJECT
Emily Aulicino administers the Ogan DNA Project at familytreedna.com. Aulicino
is the author of Genetic Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond, and she has
been an “Ogan blogger” and family researcher for many years. Recently, one of
our local Ogan descendants tested for 37 of the Y-DNA markers. The test results
for Kit 133598 confirm that our local Ogan resident is a direct descendant of
Elias Ogan, brother to Peter and John Ogan, founder/pioneers of North
Manchester. Their father was Samuel Ogan of Wayne County, Indiana, and their
grandfather was Peter Ogan who was buried in Clinton County, OH, near the old
Concord Meeting House (Methodist) one-half mile east of Port William. These Ogan
families had migrated from Pennsylvania to Hampshire County VA [now WV]; then to
Belmont County OH and later to Clinton and Greene counties OH, and finally to
Wayne and Randolph counties IN, before entering Wabash County IN. John and Peter
Ogan arrived here in 1835, while their brother Elias came later in 1853 to the
southern part of Wabash County.
Correction--In
the August issue of the Newsletter, it was mentioned that more than 100 Indians
had died as result of the Trail of Death. An alert reader called the editor’s
attention to the fact that probably
40 died, while others unaccounted for in the muster roll probably had run off or
returned to their former lands.