Liberty Mills, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Liberty Mills is an unincorporated town in Chester Township
, Wabash County
, Indiana
, United States
located on the Eel River. Proprietor John Comstock (1802–1879) platted the town September 5, 1837. The name Liberty Mills comes from the number of mills the town once operated, including a saw mill, a carding mill, and a distillery, with one of the mills coming from the ‘Liberty’ brand. Its ZIP code
is 46946.
of 2000 for Zip Code Tabulation Area 46946, there were 139 people, 47 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 98.6% White, 0% African American, 0% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0% from other races
, and 0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0% of the population.
There were 47 households out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples
living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 19, 7.2% from 20 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.7 years.
Potawatomi
and Miami Indians
signed a peace treaty with the United States government to open lands north of the Wabash River to white settlers. These negotiations, led by Michigan Governor Lewis Cass
, resulted in the Paradise Springs Peace Treaty. The Potowatomi before that point were located on the Eel River, which they called the Kenapocomoco (KE-NA-PE-COM-A-QUA), in a series of villages named Pierrish’s Village, located at present day North Manchester
, three miles south of Liberty Mills.
The land that is now Liberty Mills was purchased by James Abbott, who was involved with the treaty negotiations, sold to a Mr. McBride who intended to build a grist mill, and eventually purchased by New York
state resident John Comstock. Comstock moved to the area in 1836, where he first built a saw mill, and later a grist mill, a distillery, store, carding mill, and flouring mill.
"John Comstock in his day was easily the biggest and most influential business man and farmer in Northern Wabash county. He was a member of the State Legislature and a probate judge and was progressive in many ways and as stubborn as an ox in others. When the canal was built through Lagro
he maintained a warehouse at Lagro and attracted business men to Liberty Mills faster than to North Manchester. However, he could not stand competition, and because of his buying power, could undersell those who dared compete with him. Some of the early business men came to North Manchester. In fact, it was not uncommon in telling the history of an early North Manchester business man to mention that he first located in Liberty Mills."
Comstock, often known as Judge Comstock because of his role as Probate Judge (elected in 1846), was also the Representative from this county in the Indiana State Legislature in 1858. His distillery, built in 1839, would send wagon loads of whiskey to areas as far as Mishawaka
and Warsaw, Indiana
. It brought distress to first his sons, who for religious convictions left the business, and later Comstock himself, who declared "I will let that distillery rot!" even after offers to purchase it.
Due to Comstock’s monopolizing business practices, most local business men left to establish themselves in neighboring North Manchester
. In time North Manchester flourished (The population was 6,260 at the 2000 census) while Liberty Mills remained unchanged in size. Comstock was instrumental however in bringing the Detroit, Eel River & Illinois Railroad through the community in 1871, which stretched from Logansport
to Butler, Indiana
. After a lengthly legal battle with the Wabash Railroad, this railline was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1901, and eventually came into the Pennsylvania's Vandalia holdings. Then known as the Vandalia Railroad
and Butler Branch Railroad
, the railroad's use declined over the years until its abandonment from 1954 to 1977.
’s Alvin W. Holmes Collection of Covered Bridges) This Covered Bridge in fact was listed in the Time magazine article “One-Day Railroaders” on Monday, Oct. 19, 1936, the town’s first and only note of national attention.
Liberty Mill’s largest structure is the school house, built in 1903. Children were first taught in a log cabin by Harriet Tullis. In 1841 a school building was built lasting until 1872. In 1872 on the Northeast corner of Mill and Forth Street a two story building was built to serve as a school and town hall. This building was dismantled in 1903 with a new building being built on the 1872 foundation. The school stopped operating in the 1950s and is today a refurbished private residence.
club ground, and a public access site.
's club grounds are located north of Liberty Mills. These grounds have fishing and shooting sports, including frequent turkey shoot tournaments.
. Kindy owns a farm one mile east of Liberty Mills, has traveled the world with CPT including Iraq
, where he is noted in the May 17, 2004 issue of New Yorker Magazine.
Chester Township, Wabash County, Indiana
Chester Township is one of seven townships in Wabash County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 8,044.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Chester Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Bolivar at * Liberty...
, Wabash County
Wabash County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,960 people, 13,215 households, and 9,395 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 14,034 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
located on the Eel River. Proprietor John Comstock (1802–1879) platted the town September 5, 1837. The name Liberty Mills comes from the number of mills the town once operated, including a saw mill, a carding mill, and a distillery, with one of the mills coming from the ‘Liberty’ brand. Its ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 46946.
Geography
Liberty Mills is located at 41°02′01"N 85°44′09"W (41.033611, -85.735833) at 778 feet above sea level.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000 for Zip Code Tabulation Area 46946, there were 139 people, 47 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 98.6% White, 0% African American, 0% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0% of the population.
There were 47 households out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 19, 7.2% from 20 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.7 years.
History
On October 23, 1826 in what is now Wabash, IndianaWabash, Indiana
Wabash is a city in Noble Township, Wabash County, Indiana, United States. The population was 10,666 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wabash County....
Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
and Miami Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
signed a peace treaty with the United States government to open lands north of the Wabash River to white settlers. These negotiations, led by Michigan Governor Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass was an American military officer and politician. During his long political career, Cass served as a governor of the Michigan Territory, an American ambassador, a U.S. Senator representing Michigan, and co-founder as well as first Masonic Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan...
, resulted in the Paradise Springs Peace Treaty. The Potowatomi before that point were located on the Eel River, which they called the Kenapocomoco (KE-NA-PE-COM-A-QUA), in a series of villages named Pierrish’s Village, located at present day North Manchester
North Manchester, Indiana
North Manchester is a town in Chester Township, Wabash County, Indiana, United States. Peter Ogan, acting as the town’s founder filed for recording the 'Original Plat of Manchester' on February 13, 1846...
, three miles south of Liberty Mills.
The land that is now Liberty Mills was purchased by James Abbott, who was involved with the treaty negotiations, sold to a Mr. McBride who intended to build a grist mill, and eventually purchased by New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state resident John Comstock. Comstock moved to the area in 1836, where he first built a saw mill, and later a grist mill, a distillery, store, carding mill, and flouring mill.
"John Comstock in his day was easily the biggest and most influential business man and farmer in Northern Wabash county. He was a member of the State Legislature and a probate judge and was progressive in many ways and as stubborn as an ox in others. When the canal was built through Lagro
Lagro, Indiana
Lagro is a town in Lagro Township, Wabash County, Indiana, United States. Lagro was established by a group of explorers looking for the treasure of Chief Le Gris of the great Miami tribe...
he maintained a warehouse at Lagro and attracted business men to Liberty Mills faster than to North Manchester. However, he could not stand competition, and because of his buying power, could undersell those who dared compete with him. Some of the early business men came to North Manchester. In fact, it was not uncommon in telling the history of an early North Manchester business man to mention that he first located in Liberty Mills."
Comstock, often known as Judge Comstock because of his role as Probate Judge (elected in 1846), was also the Representative from this county in the Indiana State Legislature in 1858. His distillery, built in 1839, would send wagon loads of whiskey to areas as far as Mishawaka
Mishawaka, Indiana
Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River and a Twin city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 48,252 as of the 2010 Census...
and Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw, Indiana
Warsaw is a city in and the county seat of Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. Cradled among Winona Lake, Pike Lake, Hidden Lake and Center Lake, Warsaw is nicknamed "Lake City," though other cities in the surrounding area are also referred to by that nickname...
. It brought distress to first his sons, who for religious convictions left the business, and later Comstock himself, who declared "I will let that distillery rot!" even after offers to purchase it.
Due to Comstock’s monopolizing business practices, most local business men left to establish themselves in neighboring North Manchester
North Manchester, Indiana
North Manchester is a town in Chester Township, Wabash County, Indiana, United States. Peter Ogan, acting as the town’s founder filed for recording the 'Original Plat of Manchester' on February 13, 1846...
. In time North Manchester flourished (The population was 6,260 at the 2000 census) while Liberty Mills remained unchanged in size. Comstock was instrumental however in bringing the Detroit, Eel River & Illinois Railroad through the community in 1871, which stretched from Logansport
Logansport, Indiana
Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,396 at the 2010 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana, at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northeast of Lafayette.-History:...
to Butler, Indiana
Butler, Indiana
Butler is a city in DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,684 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Butler is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
. After a lengthly legal battle with the Wabash Railroad, this railline was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1901, and eventually came into the Pennsylvania's Vandalia holdings. Then known as the Vandalia Railroad
Vandalia Railroad (1905-1917)
The Vandalia Railroad was a railroad from Logansport, Indiana, to South Bend, Indiana. It quickly became a property of the Pennsylvania Railroad , which later became part of Penn Central and then Conrail. The railroad was mostly a freight-carrying route with a hub at Logansport Yard...
and Butler Branch Railroad
Butler Branch (Indiana)
The Butler Branch is a historic railroad line that operated in Indiana, USA. It ran between the city of Logansport on the Wabash River in north central Indiana and the namesake town of Butler near the Ohio border in northeastern Indiana....
, the railroad's use declined over the years until its abandonment from 1954 to 1977.
Covered bridge
Because of its location on a curvy tack of the Eel River, Liberty Mills has been home to numerous bridges, three standing today. At the location of the iron bridge today (on the north end of town on First Street) was home to the Covered Bridge. Three different covered bridges were built on this location from 1859 to the third being lost in 1953. The first was built in 1859 and lost in 1867. The second from 1867 to 1872, with a length of 192 feet with a 10 foot overhang at each end. The third, and most known, was built in 1872 by the Smith Bridge Company and lost in 1953. (See pictures of this bridge at Ball State UniversityBall State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
’s Alvin W. Holmes Collection of Covered Bridges) This Covered Bridge in fact was listed in the Time magazine article “One-Day Railroaders” on Monday, Oct. 19, 1936, the town’s first and only note of national attention.
School house
Nature preserves
Although of small size, Liberty Mills is home to several nature preserves controlled by the Tippecanoe Audubon Society, the local chapter of the national Audubon Society, an Izaak Walton LeagueIzaak Walton League
The Izaak Walton League is an American environmental organization founded in 1922 that promotes natural resource protection and outdoor recreation. The organization was founded in Chicago, Illinois by a group of sportsmen who wished to protect fishing opportunities for future generations...
club ground, and a public access site.
Taylor Preserve
The Herbert L. Taylor Audubon Preserve is located on the northeast edge of town stretching along the east side of the Eel River. The Taylor family owned this piece of land for over five generations, from George W. and Elizabeth Taylor in 1903 to Herbert “Herb” Taylor’s donation of the remaining property in 1991. Taylor built a unique structure known as the “Tee Pee”, a three-story house in the shape of an Indian teepee which overlooked the Eel River. Due to increased vandalism, the Tee Pee was destroyed on November 15, 2003.Flory-Gemmer Marsh and Woods Preserve
The Flory-Gemmer Marsh Preserve and Woods Preserve are two smaller preserves one mile east of Liberty Mills. They were donated to the Tippecanoe Audubon Society in the mid 1990s.Izaak Walton League Club Grounds
The North Manchester, Indiana chapter of the Izaak Walton LeagueIzaak Walton League
The Izaak Walton League is an American environmental organization founded in 1922 that promotes natural resource protection and outdoor recreation. The organization was founded in Chicago, Illinois by a group of sportsmen who wished to protect fishing opportunities for future generations...
's club grounds are located north of Liberty Mills. These grounds have fishing and shooting sports, including frequent turkey shoot tournaments.
Public access site
On the south end of town is a public access site onto the Eel River. The stretch of the Eel River running by Liberty Mills is known for its canoeing and listed in several canoeing recreational guides. A legend also follows the access site of a particular fatal car wreck which ejected several girls from a vehicle, whose screams can be supposedly still heard today.Notable residents
Cliff Kindy- Organic farmer and a member of the Christian Peacemaker TeamsChristian Peacemaker Teams
Christian Peacemaker Teams is an international organization set up to support teams of peace workers in conflict areas around the world. These teams believe that they can lower the levels of violence through nonviolent direct action, human rights documentation, and nonviolence training. CPT sums...
. Kindy owns a farm one mile east of Liberty Mills, has traveled the world with CPT including Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, where he is noted in the May 17, 2004 issue of New Yorker Magazine.