Adams County, Indiana

Date: 22 May 2016 to 4 Sep 2017
Location: Adams County, Indiana
Surnames/tags: Indiana us_history

• This project is a part of the Indiana Project.

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Welcome to the Adams County, Indiana Project!

The coordinator for this project is Shirley Davis.

Contents 1 Adams County, Indiana 2 Historical Attractions 3 Towns and Townships 3.1 Blue Creek Township 3.2 French Township 3.3 Hartford Township 3.4 Jefferson Township 3.5 Kirkland Township 3.6 Monroe Township 3.7 Preble Township 4 Root Township 4.1 St. Mary's Township 4.2 Union Township 4.3 Wabash Township 4.4 Washington Township 5 Online Records 6 Adams County Publications 7 Adams County Resources 8 Sources

Adams County, Indiana

1818 - A tract of land was granted and reserved to the children of Cho-a-pin-a-mois at the St. Mary's Ohio treaty on October 6, 1818.

1832 - Eleven hundred Indians were removed from the 1,600 acre Rivare Reservation (Sections 15, 16, 21 and 22 of Adams County) to what is now the state of Missouri and Kansas."^[1]

1835 - Adams County was created by statute on February 7th. It was named in honor of the sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams.^[2]

1836 - Adams County was organized on March 1. The first sheriff, David McKnight, was appointed by the state Governor Noah Noble. Mr. McKnight's first job was to conduct the first Adams County election in which Zachariah Smith became the first elected sheriff.^[3]

1837 - Jehu S. Rhea was authorized to procure and make the irons for a jail. Samuel Rugg was authorized to make a door and a good padlock. The jail was completed July 27th by McKnight and Lewis for $650.^[4]

1837 - By purchase and court action, the Indian title to the eastern part of Rivare Reservation is extinguished.^[5]

1843 - The Adams County Library was established.^[6]

1846 - Librarian, William A. Bugh, was authorized to spend $325 for books which included: 17 biographies, 10 essays, 26 histories, and several books on political economy, religion, travel, poetry, and Shakespeare. The first group of books purchased was known as the “Evangelical Family Library.”

1860 - The census returns of Adams County showed the total population of the County to be 9,252. There were 990 farms reported. The oldest persons in the county were Mrs. Hannah Head and Mr. Christian Keefer respectively 89 years.^[7]

1871 - The first train arrived in Berne, Indiana on Christmas day.^[8]

1879 - Fire destroyed the first jail whose double-hewed log structure had already been proven unsatisfactory for retaining prisoners.^[9]

1886 - The second jail, a brick structure at 313 S. First St, Decatur was completed for $25,000. It contained 14 cells, 2 day rooms and a living quarters for the sheriff and his family.^[10]

1906 - The Decatur Public Library opened in July with Annette Moses as the first librarian.^[11]

1919 - Dunbar Furniture, started by L.L. Dunbar and Homer Niederhauser, moved from Lynn Grove, Indiana to Berne, Indiana to take advantage of the railroad and the federal highway.

Historical Attractions

• Adams County Courthouse 112 S. 2nd Street, Decatur, IN
• Adams County Veterans Memorial 524 Berne Street, Berne IN, This memorial is dedicate to all the men and women of Adams County who served our nation.
• Back 40 Junction Visit this restaurant in Decatur in Decatur for a look at the area's largest collection of sculptures by John Rogers, dating from the mid-1800s, antique Barnum and Bailey Circus posters, copper brewing equipment from Fort Wayne's Centlivre Brewery, the hogshead, a Tiffany chandelier, restored railroad cars, and much more.
• Ben Colter Polygonal Barn Eastern side of State Road 101, 0.6 miles south of its junction with Piqua Rd. and north of Pleasant Mills, St. Marys Township, 40°47′53″N 84°50′27″W
• Ceylon Covered Bridge County Road 900S over the Wabash River in Limberlost County Park, northeast of Ceylon Wabash Township, 40°36′51″N 84°56′35″W
• Charles Dugan House 420 W. Monroe St., Decatur, 40°49′52″N 84°55′40″W
• Gene Stratton Porter Cabin 200 E. 6th St., Geneva, 40°35′13″N 84°57′36″W
• Geneva Downtown Commercial Historic District 144-455 E. Line St., Geneva, 40°35′33″N 84°57′33″W
• John S. Bowers House, 104 Marshall St, Decatur, 40°50′04″N 84°55′26″W
• Lenhart Farmhouse 6929 N. Piqua Rd., north of Decatur, Root Township, 40°50′47″N 84°55′12″W
• Peace Monument Located at the Adams County Courthouse, Decatur IN
• Swiss Heritage Village and Museum preserves the heritage of the Sweitzer Deutsche speaking immigrants from Canton Berne, Switzerland who first came to Adams County in the 1830s. The museum will be an asset to those working on family histories from this area.

Towns and Townships

• Decatur, Indiana ~ Decatur is the county seat of Adams County. It was founded in 1836 by Samuel Rugg, a friend of Thomas Jefferson. The Victorian style court house was built in 1873. The Adams County Historical Museum occupies the former Charles Dugan mansion at 420 W. Monroe Street.
• Berne, Indiana ~ Berne was settled in 1852 by seventy devout Mennonite immigrants who came direct from Switzerland.^[12] The town was platted in 1871 and named after the capital of Switzerland. The architecture of Berne still preserves the look of its Swiss heritage. Swiss Heritage Village and Museum was established in 1985 to preserve the history of the city. It is northern Indiana's largest outdoor museum.^[13] Adams County is home to Indiana's second largest community of Amish. They preserve their Swiss Amish heritage which is different from the majority of the Amish of North America. The Swiss Amish travel only in open buggies.^[14] many Amish merchants are scattered throughout the county.^[15]
• Geneva, Indiana ~ Geneva is a town in Wabash Township. The population was 1,293 at the 2010 census. Geneva is the location of the Limberlost Cabin, the home of writer and naturalist Gene Stratton Porter.
• Magley, Indiana ~ Magley is an unincorporated town in Preble Township.
• Monmouth, Indiana

Blue Creek Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Blue Creek Amish Cemetery	The Amish Blue Creek Cemetery is located on the southeast corner of County Road 525 East and County Road 500 South in Blue Creek Township
Blue Creek Tricker Cemetery	Highway 124 to 500 East. Turn right continue to 200 South - located on curve just before 300 South on left.
Mt. Hope or Willard Cemetery	On the north side of County Road 500 South and a 1/2 mile east of Salem Road or about 1/4 mile east of County Road 475 East.

French Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Biberstein Cemetery	Located on the east side of County Road 400 West, 2 1/2 miles west of Berne, Indiana
Evangelical Cemetery	Located on the east side of County Road 450 West about 1/2 mile north of Country Road 600 South in French Township, Adams Co., IN
French ~ Reynolds Cemetery	Located on NW corner of CR 300 West and CR 600 South in French Township, Adams County, IN. (5095 SW State Road 116).
Huser Family Cemetery	Located on NW corner of CR 300 West and CR 600 South in French Township, Adams County, IN
Moser Cemetery	Located 3/12 miles west of Berne and about 1 mile north in French Township, Adams County, IN

Hartford Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Alberson Cemetery	Located on the northeast corner of County Road 900 South and Adams County Road 700 West in Hartford Township, Adams Co, IN. Cemetery is 1/2 mile east of the Wells County line.
Brown ~ Glendening ~ Glendenen Cemetery	Located on the west side of County Road 550 West (State Road 116) 1/2 mile north of Perryville in Hartford Township, Adams County, IN
Greenwood Cemetery	Located on the east side of County Road 550 West (State Road 116) about 4/10 mile south of County Road 700 South in Hartford Township, Adams County, Indiana, near Linn Grove
Hartford Cemetery	Located on State Road 116, 1/2 mile east of Perryville & 2 1/2 miles west of Geneva in Hartford Township, Adams Co, IN A Methodist church once stood here.

Jefferson Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Loofbourrow Cemetery	Located on the south side of County Road 1150, a short distance east of County Road 450 in Jefferson Township, Adams Co, IN
St. Mary Catholic ~ "Little Irish" Cemetery

Kirkland Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Zion Cemetery	Located one half mile north of Indiana 124 on the west side of County Road 500 West in Kirkland Township, Adams County, Indiana, the cemetery is enclosed on three sides by a chain link fence.
Pleasant Dale Cemetery	located on the north side of County Road 300 North, between roads 400 West and 500 West in Kirkland Township, Adams County, Indiana.

Monroe Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Amstutz Amish Cemetery	On the Victor Graber farm in Monroe Township, located three miles south of Coppess Corners or three miles north of Berne, Ind., on Road 27, then 1/2 mile east.
Spring Hill/Backesto Cemetery	Located north of Berne in Monroe Township, near Spring Hill Methodist Church.
Berne Mennonite ~ Muensterberg Cemetery	No longer in existence
Hilty Cemetery	The cemetery is on the Victor Graber farm in Monroe Township. It is located three miles south of Coppess Corners or three miles north of Berne, Indiana on Road 27, the 1/2 mile east
Mazelin Cemetery	Located 2 miles north of Berne, Indiana on US Highway 27, then 3/4 miles West in Monroe Township, Adams County, IN.
Moser Cemetery	Located 1/2 mile west, then 1/2 mile north of Berne, Indiana in Monroe Township, Adams County, IN on the west side of county road 150 West.
Ray Cemetery	1 1/2 miles west of Monroe, Indiana, Monroe Township.
Schwartz Cemetery	Near US-27 and West 300 S-1
Smith Cemetery	Located about 1.5 miles directly South of the town of Monroe, between roads 100S and 200S, on the West side of the road

Preble Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Fuhrman Cemetery	Abandoned cemetery in Preble Township, located 3 miles north of Preble, Adams County, IN, on the northeast corner of county roads 900 North and 400 West.

Root Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Alpha Cemetery	On Southeast corner of county roads 900 North and 100 East.
Monmouth cemetery	Located on County Road 850 North - just east of the former Monmouth School in Root Township

St. Mary's Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
New Mount Tabor Methodist Church Cemetery	Located about 4.5 miles SE of Decatur, on the Piqua Road in St Marys Township, Adams County, IN

Union Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Alpha - Bethel Cemetery	Located on east side of County Road 500 Easwt and about 1/3 mile north of the intersection with County Road 900 North.

Wabash Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
Bunker Hill Amish	Located across the road from Bunker Hill Cemetery in Wabash Township.

Washington Township

Cemetery Name	Cemetery Location
First City Cemetery in American Legion Memorial Park	Located in American Legion Memorial Park on the east side of Winchester Street just south of the former Erie Railroad, in Decatur

Online Records

• Adams County INGenWeb Home
• Adams County, Indiana Old Courthouse Records
• Adams County, Indiana Free Public Records Directory

Adams County Publications

• Berne Tri-Weekly News
• The Decatur Daily Democrat

Adams County Resources

• Adams County Biographies
• Adams County, Indiana - The Official Site
• Adams County, Indiana Biographies
• Adams County, Indiana Genealogy Trails

Sources

1. ↑ J. F. Snow, "Snow's history of Adams County, Indiana," 1907, B.F. Bowen, Indianapolis, Indiana.
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_County,_Indiana
3. ↑ Coolman, Thomas K. "The History of Adams County, Indiana Sheriffs" Decatur, Ind. : Office of Sheriff of Adams County, 1986.
4. ↑ Coolman
5. ↑ John W. Tyndall. "Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana," Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Co, 1918. Vol. I, p. 5.
6. ↑ http://www.apls.lib.in.us/about/apls-history/14
7. ↑ Dawson's Fort Wayne- Daily Times (Fort Wayne, Indiana) 1 October 1860, Monday, page 3.
8. ↑ http://www.cityofberne.com/about/history/
9. ↑ Coolman
10. ↑ Coolman
11. ↑ http://www.apls.lib.in.us/about/apls-history/14
12. ↑ http://www.firstmennonite.org/about-us/our-story
13. ↑ http://www.swissheritage.org/history.html
14. ↑ http://amishamerica.com/indiana-amish/#adams
15. ↑ http://berneclocktowerinn.com/community/amish-merchants-2/