Click on a town name on the Cass County map.
Near the center of Adams township sits the town of Twelve Mile. Its history dates from 1852 when a sawmill was built there by Mr. Brubaker. Soon after came local trade. The first merchant was Hammond Ludders and following him were Richard Ludders, John Walters, George Lowman, Frank Wait, J. L. Clouse, Noah Simons, Milton Enyart, Samuel Pence, James Wilson, J. S. Rannels and T. P. Swigert, each one operating various country stores. Isaac W. Eggman opened a general store about 1882 and operated it successfully right into the turn of the century, making his one of the longest running businesses in the town's history. Twelve Mile or "Hen Peck" as it was generally called had but a few residents, but it's location attracted much agricultural trade. Decker brothers ran a planing mill, John Smith ran a blacksmith and wagon shop, and Daniel Fetrow ran a saw mill. Jerome Jones owned land on the south side of the wagon road (Main Street) and Edith Skinner owned land on the north side and they once laid out the town into building lots with four streets. The town grew rapidly. Three general stores and a hardware store located there kept by Ira Slifer, Jerome Jones, George Brown and Becker & McMahin; furniture and undertaking by J. B. Grindle; butcher shop by Dudley Dalzelle and Sam Cover, and other various shops such as barber, blacksmith, livery stable, a pickle factory and stock yards. J. E. Black ran a restaurant. Dr. C. L. Miller looked after the health of the community. At one time there was an eight room brick school building in which all grades were taught, including high school. There was also a hotel. The Twelve Mile State Bank was organized in 1911 with a capital stock of $25,000, held by seventy-three stockholders, chiefly residents of Adams township. Bank officers were President, Dr. C. L. Miller; Vice Pres. Aaron Plank; cashier, O. R. Pickering and directors were the officers and M. W. Collet, William Murden, Abe Moss, Charles Kinneman, William Carson, George Kistler and George Raub. Back to map.
Royal Center was so named by Daniel Weyand, father of George Weyand, who lived in the area and became the first postmaster when the post office was established in 1841. E. Andrews laid out the original plat of 41 lots for the town in April, 1846. The first house in the new town was built by C. W. Anderson who opened a blacksmith shop in 1846 and soon after William Kreider came and entered into a partnership with Anderson. Other early residents were G. W. Strode and John Beckley who operated wood and carpentry shops. The first store was opened by G. B. Moore. The second merchant was Thomas Kendrick, who sold goods in an old school building. Dennis Brown ran a general store from 1856 to 1858. When the Logansport & Chicago Railroad was completed, around 1861, the town steadily grew. Some of the main early merchants included James Mehaffy 1860-1884; Mr. Wade, 1860-1872; C. W. Anderson, Jerry Falvey, J. J. Smith, Fred Shrader, James Wilson, and Sweet Brothers. Doctors D. Rea and James Thomas opened the first drug store. The first hotel was opened in 1855 by Nathaniel Minthorn, in the Kendrick building. The first industry of any importance to be established in Royal Center was the large cooper shop of Michael O'Brien, shortly after the completion of the Railroad in 1861. A sawmill was in operation. In the early days large quantities of walnut, poplar, oak and other timber was shipped, but by the 1900's the operation ran on a much smaller scale as there was but little timber to be found. In 1880 the town was incorporated under the laws of the state and the following are the names of the first trustees of the town board: Jacob H. Walters, William Hauselman and Lewis Washburn. By 1900 the town had a population of one thousand, with graded and improved streets, cement sidewalks, 35 to 40 businesses, a bank, five dry goods, clothing and general stores, four grocery and meat market stores, three hardware stores, two drug stores, two restaurants, one bakery, two milliner shops, two hotels, two livery stables and an automobile garage, two lumber and coal dealers, two elevators and stock yards and other shops such as barbers, blacksmith, repair shops and plumbing, etc. There was a dentist, B. A. Conrad, a lawyer, James F. Fry, an insurance agent, L. R. Day; and Oliver M. Hand was the editor of the Record, the weekly newspaper. Back to map.
"New Hamilton" and "Lick Skillet" were names for this area which never became a metropolis. It was laid out in 1853 by George Allen and situated on the Michigan Road. Six to eight houses were built and the town was called Metea after an Indian Chief. At one time there was a shoe shop, blacksmith and store, but railroads to the east, west and north and stone and gravel roads to the other towns reduced Metea's trade to a minimum. During the 1840's there was a hotel kept by the DeMosses. About 1848-50 Joseph Penrose ran the hotel. John Guy had a tavern and sold out to J. G. Cox. The name "Lick Skillet" originated from an anecdote about a dog , owned by Hiram Kingry, licking a skillet. "Uncle Hiram", as he was called, was known for the unusual way he ended his sentences with a grunt. Back to map.
Laid out in 1869 by Ambrose Surface. Several names have been connected to this place. Dow was the name of the post office when an office was first established. The mail was carried on horseback from Marion to Logansport and Dow was on the route. When the Onward post office at Pipe Creek was discontinued that name was applied to the post office at Dow. The town had a local nickname - "Plug", because Ambrose Surface, who laid out the original town, wore a peculiarly shaped plug hat. First merchants included D.K. Smith and his son, Mahlon Smith, a sawmill business was carried on by John Hall, Thomas Little and Vaughn & Rice, and John Wissinger. Later there were three general stores kept by James Dennison, William Morris and Edward H. Shank; two barber shops operated by Daniel Mullendore and a shop & restaurant by Lee Mullendore and a blacksmith by Peter Smith. A large elevator was operated by N.E. Walker & Co.. Back to map.
In the center of Harrison Township on the Vandalia Railroad sits a little town called Lucerne. In its hey day it was considered the capital of Harrison Township and was home to a population of 270. It was originally called "Altoner" in honor of Mr. Al Toner who was instrumental in building the railroad. The post office established was called "Nebo" and this caused confusion and about 1891 both the town and the post office were named Lucerne. The original plat was laid out by Edward Freshour in 1883. The first postmaster and merchant was Amos Swigert. He remained several years then moved to Pennsylvania. William Kirtland was the first blacksmith. The Lucerne Bank was opened for business in 1912 and at that time there were three general stores kept by Sher & Ordman, Mr. Helmmie and J. E. Todd; hardware and implements by Addis Freshour; a hotel and livery stable; and two restaurants by Hilkert & Sheets. E. E. Ely operated a large sawmill and shipped hardwood products of the mill all over the United States. There was a high school, three churches and two physicians. Back to map.
Harrison Township was and is a farming district and was never noted for its great cities, yet it had three village or crossroads stores. Probably the oldest name of the area was "Hell's Half Acre". This was only a local name and the village was more widely known as Fitch and later as Leases Corner. "Fitch" post office was established in 1850, but discontinued in 1865. George Lease located there about that time and kept a store for many years. He died in Missouri about 1893, but there had been a store kept in Leases Corner until the early 1900's. Willard Jones was another of the store owners. There was also a cooper shop and a blacksmith. Dr. Eckert lived there after he retired. A school house and Zion church just west of the corners and a half dozen houses made up the town. Back to map.
This is a paper town laid out by J. Troutman, Josiah Powell and Joseph Dunham in 1836 situated on both sides of the Michigan Road. The Michigan Road was the main street with three streets crossing it. Lyeurgus Powell kept a grocery in Mount Pleasant for a time about 1838. The Indians were his main customers and one of the main items purchased was what they called "fire water". The business did not grow, however with the removal of the Indians to the west in the Fall of 1838 and the town ceased to grow. But, James Troutman kept a tavern on the east side of Main Street known as the Seven Mile House until his death in 1847. Back to map.
Hoover is in the southern part of Adams Township at the crossing of the Vandalia and the C.C. and the L. Railroads, about 9 miles east of Logansport. A large steam sawmill was erected there around 1871 or 72 and a town developed around that. In 1874 Riley Hoover laid out the town, surveyed and platted 14 lots and a few houses to accommodate the mill workers were erected. The sawmill had been located there to saw the timber from the big woods known as "Seven Sections" belonging to the Taber heirs. The first postmaster and country store owner was J. L. Clouse. William Obenchain had a mercantile and Willard Place bought and shipped grain and stock. In the early 1900's there was a general store, an elevator and stock yards, blacksmith and repair shops. Grain, stock and lumber were the main articles shipped from the town on its two railroads, which maintained a depot at the crossing. Population at that time was about 100. Back to map.
In 1872 this town was laid out by G.E. Adams. The original plat had 63 lots and one park, but only a few of the lots sold and with the exception of a depot, schoolhouse and a storeroom, no improvements were made at the town site. There were a number of houses that were previously built around the milling industries on Eel River in the vicinity which was collectively called Adamsboro, a village of less than one hundred. The first Postmaster was J.S. Dubois, later it was J.M. Morgan who also had a well stocked country store. Other businessmen included J.M. Swigert, Samuel Gingrinch, C.D. Morgan, and Reese Morgan. J.F. Rhodes was a telegraph operator but the service didn't pay and was soon discontinued. Some years later the depot building was blown down in a heavy storm. Dr. Cyrus Pickett practiced in Adamsboro from 1879 to 1884, then moved to Twelve Mile, IN, also in Cass County. Back to map.
The area known as Kenneth is located west of Logansport, in Noble Township. The best description can be found in Powell's History of Cass County written in 1913 and the following excerpt is from that history: "During the activities of the old canal from 1840 to 1860 lime kilns were operated along the canal quite extensively and large stone quarries were opened, where scores of men were employed in quarrying and loading the stone on canal boats. Casparis Stone Company in 1892 purchased the Dr. Fitch farm, at what is now known as Kenneth and established the largest stone crushers in northern Indiana, employing several hundred men and ship thousands of car loads of crushed stone annually." The area once known as Kenneth is now France Park. The empty quarry filled with spring water over the years and became a favorite place for swimming, hiking and camping. Back to map.
The village of Georgetown, in Jefferson Township, was laid out in 1835 by Daniel Bell, a brother in-law of General John Tipton. It is situated on the north bank of the Wabash river, west of Logansport. It became a prominent shipping point on the Wabash & Erie Canal. The first tavern was built by William Atchison. The first merchant was John Meyers. First shoemaker was Joseph Day. The first carpenter was William Blackabee, the first tailor was James Thompson, who later moved to Logansport. The first doctor was Dr. James Gordon. When the canal was closed by the building of the railroads the town suffered and by 1913 all that remained were a few houses and a small store kept by Albert Kleping, a blacksmith shop kept by Charles Nethercutt, a small mill operated by Noah Frick and a district schoolhouse. Back to map.
Clymers is the only town in Clinton Township. In 1856 George Clymer started a sawmill about the time the Wabash Railroad was built through and around this the town grew. David H. Clymer laid out the town in 1869. In 1908 the interurban line was extended through Clymers to Lafayette, IN (Tippecanoe County) which gave the town unusual shipping facilities. First merchant was David Stoddard who opened a general store in the 1860's. John R. Rea was the first Postmaster. The sawmill was later run by Josephus Atkinson and was the main industry. The first blacksmith was John Saylor and H. F. Laudry was the main merchant. An elevator was erected in 1903 by the brothers Harry G. & Bruce Reed. At that time there were three general stores owned by Bruce Reed, W.H. Musselman and Holloway & Berry Co. Doctors in Clymers included Dr. H.D. Parish, 1878; Dr. Nicholas Barnesdale, Sr. Hillis 1875-1880; Dr. Reuben T. Griffen, and Dr. Andrew Blake both there in 1909. Population: in its heyday 150. Back to map.
Originally known as "Cuba" and later as "Herman City", the town of Anoka was laid out in 1853. The first storekeeper was Thomas P. McBane followed by Jabish Philips and Mr. Deyo, Eldridge Knight and Alexander Muntz. Jacob J. Ringer established a stave factory manufacturing flour barrels. Bert Turnpaugh was the village blacksmith. First doctors included Dr. James Chadwick, Dr. William B. Hunter, Dr. Vossburg & Dr. A.M. Chord. Back to map.
James Carter laid out this town in 1852. The first house was a hewn log structure built by George Bell. In this house he opened a general store, which was the first business in Galveston. The second merchant was Thomas Calhoun. Some other early merchants were B. O. Spencer, M.B. Knowlton, James Thornton, John Turley, William Floyd, George Davis, George Williams, Jerry Sutton, Martin Adams, David Culver, E.P. Myers, Felix Graham, Marshall Ellis and Dr. H. Z. Leonard. The first blacksmith was Michael Garrigan. The first hotel was owned by Dr. Baldwin and David Thomas. By 1913 the town had one drug store, two general stores, and two grocery stores. One grocery was owned by George McCoy, the other by Willard Burrows. There was also a hardware store, owned by S.P. Bevington, an implement store, owned by the Bell brothers, a stove and tinshop, a harness shop, two elevator companies, a furniture shop, a lumber yard, three livery stables, two restaurants, a jewelry store, a garage and automobile dealer, three blacksmiths, three barber shops, two millinery stores, one hotel and one weekly newspaper, the Galveston Leader, which was edited by S.E. Thurston. There was also five doctors, one dentist, two veterinarians and two banks. A high school building was erected in 1910. The population was 700 in 1913. Back to map.
This little town was named for Theodore Lincoln, who was the surveyor that laid out the town. Williamson Wright built a large sawmill soon after the town was laid out. The first store was built by Williamson Wright and was operated by Abner Flint. Early store keepers were John Ingram, James Baker, Howard Shanks, and Mahlon Bell. The first physician to locate in Lincoln was Dr. H. C. Lester. In the early 1900's the town consisted of two general stores, a hardware store, a grain elevator, one blacksmith shop, owned by James Cassingham, two barber shops and one doctor, Dr. D.C. Barnett. Back to map.
Walton is the largest town in Tipton township. It is situated on the Richmond division of the Panhandle Railroad and also on the Union Traction Company's interurban line. The town was laid out by Gilbert Wall in August 1852. It was laid out with the idea of making it a station on the New Castle & Richmond Railroad, then in process of construction. The first merchant in town was Oscar Herrell, who built a double-hewed log house in 1853 on lot No. 25, Wall and Booher's addition. In the front room of the cabin he kept a general store. His main customers were men of the railroad. The second building was also a log house built by John Booher. The first house on the original plat was built by Isaiah Noel in 1853 and in the same year Phineas Hathaway built the first frame residence. The first industry was a saw mill operated by Isaiah Noel and James A. Lewis. The second merchant was Abraham Kipp and he was also the first postmaster. During the year 1856 George W. Bishop opened a general store. The first drug store was opened by Charles Maris about 1865. The first hotel was kept by David Engler about 1870. Other early merchants included Cornelius Hurley, Adam Surface, Perry Kessling, John Bishop and Jesse Haas. The town was incorporated in 1873. The corporation erected a two-story brick high school building about 1903 on ground donated by Isaac Bumgarner. The high school was commissioned in 1907. At that time there were five general stores, two hardware stores, two restaurants, two bakeries. two butcher shops, a tin shop, a drug store owned by Dr. Charles Dutchess; one millinery store, two barbers, two livery stables, three blacksmith shops, one harness shop, one hotel and two automobile garages. Back to map.
Young America is located in the southwest corner of Deer Creek township, within a half mile of the Cass/ Howard county line and thirteen miles almost due south of Logansport. It had its beginning about 1855 when Thomas Henry came to the location, then a dense forest, cleared out a space of two acres on which to built a saw mill. With log wagons and ox teams he hauled, from Logansport, an engine and boiler, over mud and corduroy roads, and set up the first steam saw mill south of Deer Creek. It was a novelty to see a steam boiler in these dense woods and someone in the spirit of a joke, with a piece of chalk wrote on the boiler "Young America", indicating enterprise. So, Mr. Henry named the place, Young America. A plat of the town was first made in 1863 by Laben Thomas. Other additions were platted as follows: Lewis Hyman, 1873; Soloman Fouts, 1876; Theodore Brumbaugh, 1868; S. J. Beek, 1889 and John W. Cost in the 1890's. First businessman was S. R. Coin. James Ginn was the first to build a house on Main Street and J. H. Whitesides built on the corner. In 1870 Hiram Pickett built the first hotel, a substantial brick building. Thomas Roush built a two-story building on the corner of Main and Roush Streets and J. G. Johnson built the second two-story brick building on the opposite corner. Businesses in the town included general stores kept by Adis Wirick and David Staly, harness shop kept by Robert Hunter; a drug store kept by Jud Wernick, who was also the first postmaster; a hardware store kept by Shanklin Brothers and a hotel by C. Williams. Soren Jacobson kept a flour mill; Reid Thurman ran a restaurant; John Zook kept a meat market and there were barber shops, and a blacksmith and all of the necessary business interests of a city. Doctors Andrew Gray, William Lybrook and his son D. E. Lybrook were the town's physicians. Back to map.
Lewis Bowyer platted this town, laying out 24 lots in 1835, and it is from him that the town got its name. Lewisburg was an important trading point when the canal was completed in 1838. Pioneers for miles around brought their grain and other farm products here to exchange for goods shipped in on the canal from Toledo, Ohio. Alpheus Cole was the first merchant. W.W. Haney opened a general store, but later moved to Logansport. Later Peter Chidester and Daniel Miller owned stores. Byrd Chestnut was the first cooper in town. William Meeks was the first cabinet maker and Jonathan Pauley and John Wilson were the first blacksmiths. Dr. Sellers was the first physician, about 1840. There was a hotel kept by John Kelsey. Lewisburg flourished until the railroad came in and the canal declined. Back to map.
John A. Forgy laid out this little town in 1855. The original plat showed 71 lots on the north side of the railroad. Mr. Forgy erected the first building and opened the first store. Dr. C. R. Quick built the second residence and was the town's first physician in 1856. Mr. Forgy then built a large two-story building and operated a hotel. The first school in the town was held in the Forgy hotel in the winter of 1856 and was taught by Mr. McSherry. The building was completely destroyed by fire in 1867. In the early 1900's New Waverly's businesses included an elevator, a meat market, kept by A. L. Williams; barber shops, kept by W. Anderson, Alfred Nipple and Conrad Brothers and a blacksmith and repair shop, kept by Peter W. Castle and son. Hugh Pennel was the first postmaster. Back to map.