Newsletterof the North Manchester Historical Society, Inc.

Volume XXV Number 3 Sept 2008

From Progressive Men and Women of Kosciusko County, Indiana B. F Bowen, Publisher -- Logansport 1902

There are many old and experienced farmers in Kosciusko county, Indiana, but there are few who excel in years or experience Joseph Ulrich, of Jackson township, who is the subject of this biography. He was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, December 26, 1813, and is a son of Stephen and Ann (Christian) Ulrich.

The great-grandparents of Mr. Ulrich came from Germany long prior to the American Revolution and settled in that part of Huntingdon county which has since been erected into the county of Blair in Pennsylvania. There the paternal grandfather of subject married Susan Urench, who bore him six children, namely: Joseph, Susan, Catherine, Mary, Stephen and Samuel.

Stephen Ulrich, father of Joseph, the subject of this sketch, removed from the Keystone state to the Buckeye state soon after his marriage and bought two hundred and eighty acres of land near the city of Dayton, in Montgomery county, but after farming there for some years sold out and came to Kosciusko county, Indiana. In October, 1835, there had been a land sale at Fort Wayne, at which Stephen entered a large tract in Jackson township, Kosciusko county. Joseph, the subject, and a brother, although they owned nine hundred and sixty acres, were desirous of securing six hundred and forty additional acres, and on Monday, January 3, 1836, started on foot from Dayton, Ohio, for Laporte, Indiana, bent on making further purchases.

Their route was by the way of Muncie, Indiana, and thence to Marion, where there were only three log houses at the time, and then to LaGro. At this point they were overtaken by darkness and could find no means by which they could cross the Wabash river and felt themselves to be in good luck when they found shelter in a shanty in the neighborhood for the night. The two brothers had on their persons seventeen hundred dollars and for a long time sat by the fire, but, eventually retired to bed, but not to sleep. The following morning the brothers crossed the river in a skiff and forged on to Laporte, via Manchester.

They entered three hundred and twenty acres of government land in Jackson township, Kosciusko county, and then went on to Logansport, Lafayette and Indianapolis, all at that time small towns. They walked all the way, a distance of five hundred miles, and were about five weeks on the trip, crossing swollen streams on logs and following Indian trails through the woods. Finally Stephen Ulrich returned to Ohio.

To Stephen and Anna (Christian) Ulrich were born six children, viz: Joseph, subject of this sketch; Samuel, who married Sarah Ulrich, but is now deceased; Soloman; Stephen, who first married a Miss Heeter and secondly Susan Overhultzer, a native of Wabash county, Indiana; Jacob, who also married a Miss Heeter and likewise resides in Wabash county, and Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Heeter, of the same county.

Joseph Ulrich learned the shoemaker's trade in his early days and followed that calling for thirty-five years. He had attended school about nine months, and had learned to read and write, but acquired some considerable knowledge when he was united in marriage, August 9, 1838, with Miss Elizabeth Swihart, who was born September 21, 1819, in Ohio. Six years after marriage he came to Kosciusko county, Indiana, and in 1844 settled in Jackson township on twenty-two acres of woodland, the farm on which he now lives, which land he cleared up and improved with a comfortable dwelling and other necessary structures. In the winter of 1846 he taught the first school in the township and received forty-five dollars for his sixty days service in this capacity.

Joseph and Elizabeth (Swihart) Ulrich have been blessed with five children, namely: Gabriel, born December 26, 1839, taught school several terms, married Mary A. Kreider, and lives in Jackson township; Stephen A., born July 22, 1842, married Rachel Bear and also resides in this township, Aaron, born April ll, 1844, married Mary J. Miller and died in 1875; Anna E., born September 2, 1847, is the wife of Levi Miller; Joseph, born July l, 1850, married Elizabeth Miller, and these two families likewise live in Jackson township.

In 1848 Mr. Ulrich built a saw-mill in which he sawed many thousand feet of lumber and also destroyed many thousand feet by fire, as he owned a half-section of forest land in one body and an eighty-acre tract besides.

Mr. and Mrs. Ulrich are devout members of the German Baptist church, of which they have been communicants since 1840, and which they have liberally aided in supporting financially. This body was organized in 1837, and it will be seen that the subject and wife were among its early members. Since 1860 Mr. Ulrich has been a deacon and for over thirty years was sexton; he witnessed the church's many struggles in the earlier days, but has lived to see it thrive and increase until the original Eel River District, as it was called, had been subdivided into several districts, a schism having occurred for some reason in the congregation in 1881.

Mr. Ulrich has never interfered with or taken any active part in politics, but his proclivities are with the Republicans. He and wife have journeyed over the path of life hand in hand for sixty-four years and are in all probability the oldest couple in Kosciusko county; certainly none are better known nor more highly respected for their many amiable personal characteristics. Mr. Ulrich has ever been a truly public-spirited citizen and has done as much, in a monetary sense and otherwise, for Jackson township as any man living within its boundaries, and in consequence stands as one of the foremost in public esteem.

Notes on the College library ---

In 1923 I (L. W. Shultz) was asked by President Winger to go to Northwestern University and take a course and come back and teach Christian Education. He did that and more. Following is a first person account from the writings of L.W. Schultz.

I hadn't been here a year until he asked me to also become half-time librarian of the College Library. I worked at that for seventeen years - half time librarian. I've always been interested in books so I had a great experience working with books in all fields and also working with teachers who wanted certain books. Like I am now, I became a collector of books for the library as well as for myself.

When I first came to Manchester, the library was one room in the northwest corner of the second floor of the old administration building. Later on it was increased into the next room. That's where it was when I became librarian. Ollie Miller was working at that time and she became the cataloguer. I worked with her for several years there and then we moved from there to what was then the science building which is now the communications building. We moved to the lower floor of that.

And the upstairs became the Academy Building where I taught my classes upstairs in that same building. Now we have the Funderburg Library. I never got to serve in it though. I did help to move the books over there.

And then I started publishing books. I've printed and reprinted and coauthored about twenty-five titles. The first ones I reprinted were the Winger History books. The Last of the Miamis, Frances Slocum Trail, The Pottawatamies, and The Lost Sister Among the Miamis. Those were ones he wrote. In two of them I combined several paperbacks. The best book I did, I think was the Mural history book about the murals at Camp Mack. It had a wonderful sale, and it's out of print now. We sold 6,000 copies and I wish I had another thousand.

Diary

In 1853, Jane Comstock was attending school in Lima, Ohio [sic--the school was actually in Lima, south of Rochester, NEW YORK]. Information about the school is not clear. In March of 1853 she began a journey home to North Manchester. Here is her description: ( No corrections were made to the original text.)

Thursday March 17, 1853

This morning William and I started for home about six. After we had been in the cars a little while Professor DePuy came in. I was very glad to see him. I had not seen him for some time previous to this he wanted to buy my canary birds.

Friday March 18, 1853

This evening about four we arrived in Goshen and started from there about five to go to Millford arrived at Millford about 10. They had a dance there the night that we were there we did not have to be in room that they were. We got in company with Mr. Mineer just from California. I was very glad to ( see?)anyone that lived near our house that I ever saw before that is all.

Saturday March 19, 1853

This morning we started from Millford to Warsaw got there a little after eleven got our dinner and changed trains and driver started for home got there about seven in the evening.

Sabbath March 20, 1853

This has been a very pleasant day. I went over to prayer meeting this afternoon. At eleven we had a very good meeting last night. I staid over at Rosses it seems very natural to be at home.

Monday March 21, 1853

I have enjoyed myself very well today. This forenoon I churned it took a good while for the butter to come but it came after awhile. I have been out in the garden looking around to see what everything looks like. All things appear to be very nearly the same.

Tuesday March 22, 1853

Last night at or this morning at one Father and Thomas came home. When Father came I got up made a bed by the fire in the kitchen and slept very comfortably. This morning Thomas came over to see us. This afternoon I went up to Anna's rode Jim found them all well. Emma Jane was very glad to see me she knew me I did not think she would William Henry also knew me as soon as he saw me. I intend to stay all night here.

Wednesday March 23, 1853

This has been quite a cold day. I came down from Anna's about twelve stopped at Sarah's awhile by that time Anna and John came along. I took John and brought him over. Anna staid here the afternoon. John came after her in the evening. Father went to Fort Wayne this morning. Brother Thomas was here to tea this evening. Elisabeth was here a little while yesterday. No more.

Thursday March 24, 1853

This has been quite a pleasant looking day. Mother and William have gone to Uncle Ichabods. We have no men working for us now but one. He is a Dutchman we call him Jake. He is high Dutch. Jimmy is halling wood here today. I went over to help Sister Sarah awhile this morning.

Friday March 25, 1853

The weather has been moderate today. Aunt Mother and William went up to Fishers today. Charles staid with me. I went over to Rosses this morning awhile. Doctor Thomas was there. It rained some little this evening about dark or little after. ather has been away and come home this evening. He is away a great deal on account of his business.

Saturday April 9, 1853

We have had nothing particularly to do only house work. This evening I went over to Rosses. Mother went over to Johns this afternoon. Nancy Zimmerman was here afternoon.

Sabbath April 10, 1853

This has been quite a pleasant day. This evening I went over to Presbyterian meeting. This evening we had a very good meeting. Minister from Wabash he is hired to preach here every four weeks. The text was God is love I thought he handled his text very well. This is the first time I heard him preach. No more at present.

Monday April ll, 1853

We had visitors the two Mrs. Johnsons two sisters and their children. We had a very pleasant time. Elisabeth came home this morning from Manchester. W. Thorn brought her up in a buggy.

Tuesday April 12, 1853

This is a very cloudy looking day. Mother has been over to see the girls this morning. I have written a page with a fantastic gold pen. No more at present.

Wednesday April 13, 1853

This has been a rainy day and cloudy. I have enjoyed myself very well and feel about right. Mother has been away today. No more.

Thursday April 14, 1853

Yesterday it hailed and we had the largest hail I ever saw it broke the lights out of several windows. This evening I went over to Elisabeths a little while and Rosses a little while. I had quite a pleasant time. Thomas had not yet got home. Elisabeth and Adrena Thom came part of the way home with me.

Friday April 15, 1853

This day I have done up about as much thinking as I have in one day lately that I think is considerable. I took a walk down through the orchard today and I think we are going to have some fruit if the frost does not take it yet I hope we will. I did not get up very early this morning. Mother has made her apron today. I am now seated by the kitchen table writing in my journal.

Saturday April 16, 1853

This morning Mother started up to Mrs. Gambals. This has been a very pleasant day. I have enjoyed myself well. This evening Doctor Henly came over to spend the evening with us. I was very glad to see him as he has doctored me a great many times when I was sick. I am always glad to see anyone that has doctored me as one who has been my teacher. This morning I went over to the store and went into Mecreas got a little edging put a letter in the Office this morning for Henry. No more at present.

Sabbath April 17, 1853

I went over to meeting this morning at eleven. Brother Smith preached we had a very good sermon but I thought we had a better Class meeting the text was about Mary and Martha. Martha said unto Jesus why should I serve alone but Jesus said Martha thou are careful and troubled about many things but there is one thing needful and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. This evening therre was preaching by one of the Newallites (New lights) I did not go over. Father went and I kept house.

Monday April 18, 1853

Nothing more than common has passed today to my knowledge. Mother has come home. Thomas came over this evening and wanted me to go over and eat some I went and it was burned badly quite a game.

Tuesday April 19, 1853

This has been so far a rainy unpleasant looking day. We have some chickens in the house which keep up a perpetual singing and they sing such pretty tunes too. We received a letter today from Henry all well.

Brooks and Jefferson continued

Mill Street from South End Going North

209 South Mill St. - Bill Shively operated The Shively Dairy on the east side of the street in a building he constructed in 1942, In the 1930s the dairy had been in the west end of town at 201 First St. A January 29, 1942 ad announced Shively's move to this address. He remained here for the rest of our time period and beyond.

208 South Mill St. - The address here is our best guess for the location across the street from the Shively Dairy. There was a Phillips 66 filing station here, called Winebrenner's Service Station in 1932. Clarence Cleveland advertised his Phillips 66 station on April 8, 1937. He identified his location as "The south end of Mill Street" in the News Journal.

108 South Mill St. - Peter Ogan started a sawmill here in 1836. In our time period, the Ulrey Lumber Company and Sawmill operated here. In 1938 Clayton Ulrey purchased the business from Claud Frye and assumed active management. He was the first Ulrey to run it since S. S. Ulrey ran it in the early days of the firm. Mr. Ulrey sold the lumberyard to the Wabash County Farm Bureau effective Friday February 7, 1947 and it remained with them for the rest of our study.

106 North Mill St. - In the late 1920s Paul Hathaway's automobile repair shop and then L. S. Renicker's Implement Store first occupied this address. Ads first appeared June 5, 1930 for brothers Everett Wilcox and George K. Willcox operating Pyramid Oil Company at this address. They sold gasoline, provided garage service and home-delivered heating oil. The partnership was dissolved in 1943. Everett kept Pyramid Oil Company and George started Central Oil Co. at 205 East 2nd St.

105 North Mill St. - In 1919 Knull Motor Company of Pierceton and South Whitley, owned by brothers Karl Knull and Franz Knull, built a new two-story garage at this address. The garage had a ramp to the second floor and was the biggest garage in Wabash County, measuring 78 by 156 feet. The Knull brothers sold Chevrolet trucks and cars. Then Harry E. Leedy owned the business. He continued to operate a Chevrolet dealership and also sold Conoco gasoline. By September of 1942 automobiles were no longer being manufactured and the Bryan Manufacturing Company took over much of this building. The company operated a wire processing plant and made products for the war effort.

An October 28, 1943 ad indicated that Leedy Motor Company was closing on November l, 1943 but would still sell gasoline. In 1945 the Chicago Transformer Company, a division of Essex Wire out of Detroit, Michigan took over the entire building. Local operations were under the direction of Leon Bazzoni and Earl Lindholm. In the 1950 Manchester College Aurora, they advertised the Essex Wire division of the Detroit firm. The company was still going strong in the 1950s and even ran a night shift. Beyond our study period United Technologies occupied the building. Alas, the factory closed in the 1990s and the building was leveled. The building at this address was very wide and occupied 105 - 107 - 109 North Mill Street.

111 North Mill St. - In earlier years Henry Thrush and his son, Ed Thrush operated the Ed Thrush Blacksmith Shop at this address. There was a large room at the rear of the blacksmith shop where they performed woodworking repair on wagons and buggies. Ed's son Sewell became a partner in the business. In the 1930s then W. Alvion Bugby joined Sewell Thrush. Mr. Thrush lived in the house immediately north of the shop. A January 11, 1937 ad promoted W. A. Bugby and Son, so Sewell was no longer in the business. The Bugbys went out of business in the 1940s. Paul Hathaway purchased the building in 1946 and moved it to his farm to use as a slaughterhouse.

201 North Mill St.- Dr. Ladoska Z Bunker purchased the large brick home here (on the east side of the street) to use as a residence as well as an office. She moved into her new office on Saturday, March 18, 1933. Dr. Bunker had started her practice earlier, in December 1928 or early January 1929, in the east half of Miss Emma Harter's home at 201 West Main St. This earlier information was in an article in the News Journal on December 6, 1928.

Dr. Bunker, daughter of F. Percy Bunker, was born and raised in North Manchester. She lived almost to the century mark. North Manchester is fortunate that she was one of its citizens. In addition to serving the community for so many years as a medical doctor, she wrote many historical pieces about our town with information that might have been lost forever without her memories. It is interesting to note that Dr. Bunker had a hired chauffeur, Calvin Petiford, for many years. He was a Negro, as African Americans were called back then, and the only black resident of the entire town. He was a very friendly man and almost always had a smile on his face.

202 North Mill St. - Dr. J. L. Warvel, MD had his doctor's office in his home at this address (on the west side of the street) during our time frame. This Mill Street address was advertised, but the office was actually entered through a Second Street entrance. In the 1930s Dr. Warvel was one of the most prominent doctors in town.

206 North Mill St. - The Johnson hat shop moved to this location from Main Street, per an ad on July 7, 1936. This was a small house on the west side of Mill St. Flo Johnson owned the millinery shop where ladies hats were made and sold back when they were still quite in fashion and ladies always wore a hat when they were dressed up. The hats were displayed in a small bay window at the front of the house.

313 North Mill St. - Lewis P. Burgess started The Burgess Funeral Home on February 9, 1935 at this address. He first advertised here on February 4, 1935. Burgess then moved to the following address in 1937.

405 North Mill St. - Walter E. Wright and Edith E. Wright had a funeral home at this address in the 1920s and into the 1930s. The Wrights moved their funeral home to 203 East Main Street on April 5, 1934. Three years later, Lewis Burgess moved his funeral home here from the previous address. Burgess advertised his new address, at the corner of Fourth and Mill Streets, on August 23, 1937. He remained in business here until his death on March 26, 1964, This information we believe to be accurate based on advertisements and articles in the News Journal, but is not in agreement with other accounts.

715 North Mill St. - Robert Kimmel advertised Kimmel Radio Service in 1947.

Market Street Going North from Main Street

106 North Market St. - Nick's Restaurant advertised in the 1942 News Journal at this address that would have been next to the alley back then. We have found no one who remembers this restaurant but we felt it should be shown.

109 North Market St. - In 1933, Dr. Worth Walrod, an osteopathic doctor, moved his office from East Main Street to this red brick building. He first advertised the new address on December 25 - 28, 1933and was here for the rest of his career. The town of North Manchester has benefitted from his estate for many, many years as trees have continued to be provided along the entire frontage of streets allover town financed by funds left to the town for that purpose. Dr. Walrod's wife, Janice Walrod, deserves recognition for many years of community leadership, including her support of the North Manchester Symphony Orchestra.

111 North Market St. - Dr. O. G. Brubaker, MD moved to this address on the east side of the street, from Main St. He was here the rest of his career and beyond our study.

112 North Market St. - C. Eugene Cook, MD advertised on June 17, 1937 that he was moving his office from 111 West Main St. to this address, which was also his residence. This was on the corner where the bank is now and uses 106.

202 North Market St. - Dr. A. A. Williamson, Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat, had a office in this private residence as advertised on April 4, 1935.

203 North Market St. - The Christian Science Church was at this location our entire time period. The 1924 Sandborn map shows the church here.

204 North Market St. - George N. Bender lived at this address in the late 1920s and early 1930s, before he opened the first funeral parlor in the county in 1931 on Main Street. He kept funeral vehicles in a large garage at the rear of this address. We do not know if he embalmed bodies at this address or in the basement of the furniture store on Main Street, but we think the latter.

207 1/2 North Market St. - Dr. Roy Roth had a chiropractic office in his home at this address in the 1930s and mid 1940s.

208 North Market St. - In the 1940s, the Drudge sisters operated a beauty shop in a private residence on this southwest corner of North Market and Third Streets. Betty Drudge is listed for the Ideal Beauty Shop, so she may have been the owner, but her sister, Reva Drudge, was also listed in later years. They were very good at their trade, but are probably better remembered for being dwarfs. No disrespect is intended by the term.

400 Block of North Market St. - Behind the High School, where the library is now, stood a very high water tower, which was built in 1894. Unlike today's water towers, this one was cylindrical and stored water from the ground up to its very top. The tower was right next to the street of the east side of Market. It was alongside a short alley, which was in line with Fifth Street that ended a block to the east of the water tower. This water tower was torn down and replaced many years ago by a modern tower on Ninth Street.

409 North Market St. - This is the site of the relocated Thomas R. Marshall home. See information on this home in the 500 Block of North Market Street."

410 North Market St. - This address held a very large greenhouse, located between the houses on either side. Harry White owned it in the early days of our study. One of our authors, Don Jefferson, remembers visiting the greenhouse as a child because his maternal grandmother was married to Mr. White in a second marriage. Maynard Card bought the greenhouse in 1935 and advertised Card's Greenhouse in January of that year. He sold it in 1944.

Loren C. Wing, known as "Red" and his wife, Mary Wing, advertised on December 11, 1944, that they had purchased and were running the Card Greenhouse. The Wings closed the greenhouse and moved to a Main Street address in the late 1950s.

To help you picture the greenhouse's location, it was later replaced by a drug store at this address. The drugstore moved to a new location on Main Street.

500 Block of North Market St. - The Holderman graveyard occupied the east side of this block. The pioneers that founded North Manchester were buried here.

The graveyard was in a sad state of repair during our study period. Civic-minded people, in the more prosperous later half of the 20th century, improved the cemetery. They had the remains exhumed and reburied on the north end of the graveyard and erected a memorial. The memorial incorporated many of the old tomb stones and is also inscribed with the names of the deceased. It is now called Holderman Park. The relocated Thomas R. Marshall house is at the south end of the park, with an adopted address of 409 N. Market. Beyond our time frame by over a half century, a 2004 war memorial was erected in this park in memory of all war veterans from North Manchester.

700 and 800 Blocks of Market St. - On the west side of Market Street, between Seventh and Ninth Streets, is Warvel Park, named after Jonas W. Warvel. Thomas A. Peabody donated the park's land to the town to honor his long time friend. A May 15, 1944 News Journal article told of the donation and plans for the park. The park extends two blocks to the west of Market Street and is next to the old Peabody Mansion at 300 West Seventh St.

905 North Market St. - Dallas Guthrie operated a motor and refrigeration repair business out of his home at this address, starting in the mid-1940s.

About the 1000 Block of North Market St. - On the west side of Market Street, facing the city dump, was a junkyard owned by Roy Stucker. We have been told this was probably Virgil Stucker rather than Roy, but we have not been able to confirm.

material provided by A.F Baldwin edited by J.T.Streator photos by J.T.Streator