Hamilton township is in the center tier of townships, or what is known as district No. 2, the county being laid off into three districts, each comprising a tier of townships (4) running north and south, and each district represented by one county commissioner. Hamilton in dimensions is five by six sections, or miles. It is bounded on the north by Union township, on the east by Liberty, on the south by Center, and on the west by Harrison.Beginning at the northeast corner of Hamilton township we find that section No. 1 was all entered in the year 1836, by Jesse C. Dowden, John Gamble, John M. Thomas, William Free, Elizabet Martin, William Silvers, William Phagan, George Leard and George Baldridge. The present land owners of section 1 are. M. E. Studebaker, J. R. Simonton, D. Simonton, L. K. Burt, E. M. Powell, M. A. Flinn, H. Williams and A. Cates. A public road surrounds the section on each section line.
Section No. 2 was entered in 1836 and 1837, five eighty acres tracts having been entered in the former of these years and three in the latter. The purchasers were Joseph Hamer, Jackson Green, Isaac Shideler, John Richeson, Willam Martin, Rebecca Comer, William McCormick and William Silvers. Jackson Green entered the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of this section on January 24, 1837. The lands of section 2 are now owned by Wm. H. Bosman, R. R Gibson, J. Cates, W. H. Mitchell, D. W. Wingate and J. G. Leffler. The south portion of the village of Shideler is in this section and school house No. 9 is also located here. Section 2 has public roads on the north, east and south and the Muncie and Studebaker gravel pike on the west line.
Section 3 was entered in 1837, except the northwest quarter, which was entered in 1836 by Thomas Erell. Those entering the lands in '37 were John Richeson, Samuel P. Anthony, Howard Mitchell, Samuel W. Mitchell and Samuel Cromer. The present owners of section 3 are L. Beall, I. H. Shideler, J. M. Stafford, M. E. Pixley, S. Studebaker, J. R. Rench and S. Stafford. Section 3 has free gravel roads on the north and east, also a public road on the south and west.
Section 4 was entered, likewise, in 1836 and 1837, by four persons, each securing a quarter of a section. These persons were Thomas Erell, Alvin Sleeth, Joseph Hance and Howard Mitchell. Section 4 is now owned by A. J. Yohey, W. H. Yohey, A. White, J. Knox, J. F. Studebaker, H. Suber, H. and J. Gump and E. F. Lovett. Like most of the sections in Hamilton No 4 is surrounded by good roads.
Section 5 was all taken up in 1836 and, like No. 4, was entered by four parties. Those securing this section were James and Thos. Kennedy, Jos. Garrard and Thos. Stafford. Five is owned at present by J. Pierson, G. Snyder, William Love, J. Shoemaker, L. E. Spencer, Samuel Gerrard, W. L. Gerrard, L. Heffner and James McCormick. Section 5 has a road on each section line; also one east and west on the half section line.
Section 6 was entered in 1836 and 1837 by Joseph Gerrard, William Singler and William Arnold. This section is now owned by J. B. Reiber, J. F. Shoemaker, Otto Holaday, M. A. Brown, S. Gerrard, M. L. Gerrard et. al., Orlo Halady, W. L. Gerrard, J. N. Cox, J. R. Cox, T. A. House, M. Moody, H. Bowen and M. Crampton. No. 6 has roads on the east and north and east and west through the center. School No. 3 is in the southeast corner of this section.
The land in section 7 was entered by George Stafford, Barnard F. Hook and John Roop in 1836, and Richard Chandler in 1837. The present landlords are J. P. Baxla, F. E. Baxla, R. E. Baxla, N. J. Baxla, J. S. Baxla, L. A. Baxla, M. D. Baxla, M. Langsdon, L. A. Bunyan, E. J, Crist, C. C. Crampton and W. and E. Bell. Section 7 has public roads on the east and south. The Muncie and Wheeling free gravel pike crosses the southwest corner of the section, Kilbuck creek crosses the pike in this section, running almost due east at this point.
The land in section 8 was entered in 1836 and '37 by Charles F. Willard, Jonathan Mason, Ralph Stafford, Cyrus Pence and Noah Tracy. This section is now owned by Jane North, C. C. Foster, D. Craw, O. E. Sherry, G. and J. Meeks, J. and A. Baxla, J. Dragstrom and R. A. Johnson. The section is surrounded by a public road on each section line, and Mud creek crosses the northeast corner.
Section 9 was all taken up in 1836 except two eighty acre tracts which was entered in 1837. The parties securing these lands were James Stafford, Cyrus Pence, Jacob Fortney, Noah Tracy and Howard Mitchell. The present owners of land in this section are H. Heaton, J. Heaton, S. C. Mansfield, D. Heffner, S. C. Main, J. North, T. H. Snider, P. Mansfield, R. and A. Monroe, N. North, R. W. Stradling and J. A. Snider. This section, like No. 8, has a road on each section line and the south half is drained by Mud creek crossing it.
Section 10 was entered in 1835 and 1836 by four persons, each securing a quarter section (160 acres) they were Cyrus Pence, Henry Shafer, Stephen Davis and William Commons. The present owners of section 10 are A. McCormick, J. E. Pixley, D. Pixley, K. P. Shafer Rachael Mansfield, C. C. Mansfield, C. Mansfield and M. West. Mud creek drains the section by running through the central and southwest portions of it. Public roads run on the north, west and south, and the Studybaker pike on the east line. Eden church, belonging to the Christian (or New Light) denomination is situated in the northeast corner of the section.
Section 11 was also entered in the years of 1835 and '36 by James McCormick, Sr., William McCormick, Robins R. Wilson, Henry Sharer, Jonathan Johns and James McCormick, Jr. This section is owned by James McCormick (a portion of his farm is the tract entered by his father, Wm. McCormick on April 18, 1836.) J. M. Warfel, C. C. Mansfield, Mathew McCormick, C. and A. Mansfield, and D. Mansfield. This section is also drained by Mud creek passing through the south half, good roads surround the section with the Studybaker pike along the west line. The Muncie and Ft. Wayne R. R. crosses the west half. School No. 1 is located on the east side of the section just south of the half section line.
Section 12 lying east of 11, and adjoining Delaware township on the east, was entered in 1834-35 and '36 by J. Ashcraft, (for Catharine and Margret Chancy) Archibald Smith, Robert Kirkpatrick, Henry Sharer, Henry Huddleston, Barbara Huddleston, and James McCormick. The parties now holding the title to the lands in section 12 are R. S. Cultice, D. E. Brammer, O. A. Stafford, E. and R. Witt, C. C. Mansfield, W. M. Corbley, S. A. Stafford, L. Mansfield and N. P. and E. Martin. Section 12 is also surrounded by a public road on each section line and drained by Mud creek passing in almost a due west course through the south half of the section.
Section 13 was all entered by two men, they being John D. Albin who entered the east half of the section on April 18, 1836, and Waitsell W. Gary who entered the west half on Sept. 9, of the same year. {The northwest quarter of this section was know in early years as "Iowa" from the fact that William Thomas sold his home near Granville in Niles township with the avowed purpose of moving to the then new state of Iowa, but subsequently bought and located on this northwest quarter of section 13, and the neighbors gave it the name of "Iowa" by which the farm was generally known for miles around. J. Vint Abbott now owns and occupies this entire state of "Iowa."} The owners of section 13 are R. E. Baker, F. M. Pittenger, E. J. Pittenger, W. Campbell, J. V. Abbott and S. K. Thomas. The head waters of Kilbuck creek crosses the southwest portion of the section, and the section is surround with good public roads on each section line.
Section 14 was also entirely taken up of the government by two purchasers, Alexander Gilfllan entering the south half April 18, 1836, and Henry Shafer, the north half May 28, of the same year. The land in section 14 is now owned by J. Morgan, F. W. Heath. J. Miller, M. D. Baker, A. and M. Palmer, R. Hunt, D. Scott, Dick & Kirkwood and J. K. Reiff. The village of Royerton is located in the southwest corner of this section. Royerton is a railroad station on the Ft. Wayne branch of the L. E. & W. R. R. and a convenient trading point for a considerable scope of territory; 14 has public roads on the south, east and north, and the Studebaker pike on the west line.
Section 15 was entered by Henry Shafer, Stephen Davis, Daniel Smith and Archibald Smith in the years of 1834 and 1836. Daniel Smith entered the south half of the southwest quarter, and Archibald Smith the south half of the southeast quarter of this section in 1834, but could not have owned it very long, as John Parker and William Wire owned and improved these two tracts in an early day. The present owners of this section are N. J. White, D. Scott, M. U. Johnson, H. S. Mansfield, R. W. Stradliug, L. F. Johnson, J. M. Johnsonbaugh, J. Labateaux, and Alexander Snider. Killbuck creek crosses the south half of the section, and public roads surround it, that on the east and also west being free graveled pikes.
Section 16, as in all other townships, was sold for school purposes. This sale occurred on January 19, 1838, and was made in 40-acre tracts. The purchasers were A. C. Custar, Robert Ismael, Jacob Hardesty, Samuel R. Collier, Jacob Holland, William Parker, and Alexander Hewitt, Mr. Parker getting seven of the tracts, Mr. Collier two, Mr. Ismael three, and each of the others one. The lowest any of this land sold for was $1.82¼ per acre, and the highest $4.06¼, the entire section aggregating the sum of $1,746.53. The section is now owned by J. M. Snider, J. D. and S. Collins, G. Turner, C. Frye, T. F. Kirby, N. S. Tauberger, A. Pardine, E. E. Phillips, T. Parker, S. Parker, M. J. Cummings, J. A. Snider, and J. M. Laboyteaux. Sixteen has a public road on each section line, also a road north and south 80 rods west of the east line. Killbuck runs west through the south half of the section.
Section 17 was all purchased of the government by William Daily entering the southeast quarter October 31, 1835, and Samuel Snyder the other three quarters on May 17, 1836, only two men being the original owners of 17. The section is still owned by but three persons, D. Connell and Jeremiah Quinlan owning the north half and Prof. John M. Bloss the south half of the section. Killbuck also drains the south half of this section. There are public roads on the north, east and south.
Section 18 was all entered in 1836, except 80 acres, which was entered by Elijah Casteel in December, 1832. The other entries were made by Jeremiah Gard, Jacob Holiday, Solomon Ismael, Joseph Turner, Samuel Snyder, William Harian, and Robert Ismael. The present owners of land in this section are L. L. Petre, F. G. Connell, John M. Bloss, G. R. Keller, J. Gassell, W. Sherry, and C. A. Moore. Eighteen has public roads on the north and south lines, and the Muncie and Wheeling pike angles through the section, and Killbuck crosses the northern part in a northwestern direction.
Section 19 in Hamilton township was entered in the years of 1836 and 1837, except the west half of the southwest quarter (67.16 acres) now owned by Geo. Luick, which, as shown by the records, was entered by Samuel P. Anthony as late as September 20, 1848. The entries in 1836 and 1837 were made by John Meeks, Thos. Pritchard, Benjamin Campbell, John Weidman and Thos. Adams. The present owners of section 19 are T. Sullivan, A. Hammond, O. J. Newcomb, M. Thomas, L. Morris, J. W. Thomas, W. H. Snider, A. A. Hammond, M. W. M. and C. Smith, and George Luick. Nineteen has public roads on the north, south and west, and the Muncie and Wheeling pike crosses the northeast corner.
Section 20 was all entered on the same day (May 17, 1836) by John Weidner, Garrett Williamson, Jacob Weidner and Jeremiah Miller, each securing a quarter section (160 acres). This section is now owned by W. Pittenger, H. Cooley, Eliza Pittenger, S. E. Hayden, W. A. McClellan, E. McClellan, S. F. Kiser, D. M. Snider, C. Jetmore, M. A. Smith and J. W. Thomas. The Muncie and Wheeling pike crosses tne southwest corner of the section and public roads are located on the east and north lines.
Section 21. On May 17, 1836, Samuel Wiedner entered the northeast quarter of this section, and on the same date John Snider entered the southeast quarter. Then on the fifth day of the following October, (1836) Mr. Snider entered the west half of the section, so this entire section originally belonged to two men. The owners of Section 21 at present are R. C. Rarrick, J. W. Rarrick, A. Snider, T. R. Buffington, L. Waters, F. and R. Reiser, F. M. Hurt and John F. Shafer. Center (or school No. 5) is located on the northeast corner of this section. Twenty-one has a public road on the north, east and west, also east and west through the center. The headwaters of Jakes creek drain the south part of the section.
Section 22 is one of the old sections of the township, the first entry of land in it being by Adam Shafer in 1830. The other parties who entered this section were Archibald Smith, Stephen Kennedy, James H. Fitzpatrick, Thomas Pritchard and Thomas Bruinfield. Section 23 was aIl entered in 1836, except the west half of the southwest quarter, which was entered by Adam Shafer in 1831. The parties entering these lands in 1836 were Samuel Martin, Jr., Elijah Reeves, George Leiber, Peter Williamson and Owen Russell. The land owners of 23 are now W. W. Spangler, S. W. Williamson, J. Morgan, James Williamson, J. M. Williamson, Mary Martin, G. F. Shafer, and J. Roach. Section 23 is surrounded by good roads, that on the west line being the Muncie and Studebaker pike.
Section 24 was one among the first to be settled, one-half of it being entered as early as 1831, and the last of the government land in the section was taken up in 1835. The first purchasers of the section were Owen Russell, Mordecai Massey, Stephen R. Martin, Thomas Reeves, Isaac Massey, James Massey, and Joel Russell. The present landlords of section 24 are E. Martin, T. B. McCulloch, John Cullen, M. Adams, W. W. Spangler, and W. H. Anderson. Section 24 joins Delaware township on the east, has public roads on the east, west and north, with the Muncie and Granville pike angling through the center.
The first land entered in section 25 was an eighty acre tract by Peter Willamson, and an eighty by his brother-in-law, Adam Shafer, both entries being on Oct. 2, 1829. The other entries were made by Alexander Crawford, Stephen R. Martin, Joel Russell and Archibald Hamilton in 1831-32-33 and '35. This section is now owned by C. M. Kauffman, G. Payton, Wm. Reed, L. O. Wilson, E. V. Palmer, J. M. Williamson, J. Keener and G. Green and E. G. Wilson. Twenty-five is the southeast section of the township. The Granville pike crosses the northwest corner of the section.
Section 26. The first land ever purchased of the government in the township, was the southeast quarter of this section. This purchase was made by Owen Russell on October 21, 1829, or nearly seventy years ago. The others who availed themselves of the government prices of land in this section were Morgan and William Conner, Joseph Williamson, Geo. Lieber, James D. Collier, Henry Slover and James Nottingham. These lands are owned by J. M. Williamson, J. Keener and G. Green, Milton Hamilton, M. F. Hamilton, F. J. Settle and C. and A. Bartlett. The Granville pike angles through the section and school No. 10 is located in the southwest quarter.
Section 27 was all entered in 1835 and '36 by Samuel R. Colier, Abraham Slover Jeremiah Miller, Wm. H. Brumfield, James P. Mathews, John Snider, Peter D. Green and James Bowman. The present owners of the land in the section are M. F. Hamilton, F. J. Settle, Joseph Sheets, W. A. and C. B. Price, M. S. Harris, E. M. Weir, Adam Williamson and M. Morris. The section has free gravel pikes on the east and west, a public road on the south and school No 7 in the west center.
Section 28 was entered and settled in 1836 and 1837 by Naomi Powers, William Harlan, George Leiber, Stephen Norris, Mary Butcher and Thomas Brumfield. The present owners of 28 are Carl Spilker, E. M. Weir, Adam Williamson, L. G. Cowing, A. Cowing, E. Wilson and John Williams. This section has public roads on the south and west and a free gravel pike on the east line.
Section 29 was settled in the years of 1834-35 and '37. The purchasers of the land were Samuel Snyder, John Nottingham, Stanley L. Lobertson, Isaac Branson, Joshua Turner, Robert Ismael and Josiah Williams. This section is owned at present by G. and A. Wissel, W. W. Scudder, E. Wilson, G. Cowing, L. Morris, L. C. Watson and Duncan Williams. The Wheeling pike (formerly the old state road) angles through the section and the head waters of Jakes creek furnishes drainage.
Section 30 is the southwest section of the township and was all entered in 1835 and '36 by Solomon Burris. Lewis Moore, William Moore, Samuel Moore, Isaac Freeman and Peter D. Green. This section is owned at present by William Ginn, L. Moore, F. and W. Minton, John Minton, A. Moore, W. R. Moore, F. F. Hartley, T. Freeman and J. Freeman. There is a public road on the north, also on the west, while another runs through the section at different angles. School No. 6 is situated on the northeast corner of the section.
(End of Hamilton Township-Click NEXT for Center Township)
