Hunting Tales

Hunting Tales

by | Nov 25, 2025 | Bourbon, Pastimes, Plymouth

With the annual hunting season in full swing, it’s time to look at hunting tales from long ago from the archives at the Marshall County Historical Society. Documents tell us: “The tradition of the last bear that was shot in Marshall County, comes from the lips of John Thomas, who is as familiar with the unwritten history hereabouts for the last 40 years as a draft horse is with the four corners of his feed box.” said John Thomas.

“In the winter of 1865,” says Thomas, “a number of bears wandered down from the woods of Wisconsin and terrified cattle and farmers throughout Northern Indiana.  This particular bear was a huge black fellow and had been seen in various parts of the county before he met his doom.  I had just come home from town when the women folks ran to meet me and said they had seen the much-dreaded animal run across a field.  I rushed to the house but found the hired man had taken the gun before me and started in pursuit.  Going to the neighbors, I borrowed another gun, mounted my horse and galloped away on the trail.  When I came up to the Whaley place on the Wolf Creek Road, I found the two boys in a very excited mood.  They had just shot the bear.  They told me that their father had gone to town, and they had been left at home to feed the pigs.  Suddenly one of the yelled, ‘See that pig on the fence!’  The other one looked.  Sure enough there was a pig on the fence.  But a pig on the fence was absurd.  When they took a better look, they saw the supposed pig was a bear.  A gun was brought from the house and inside of two minutes the big brute lay dead upon the ground.  Many hunters arrived in time to help gloat over the victory.  The hide was sold to Jepeth Disher, who paid $8 for it.  It was afterward worked up into a fine robe.” Plymouth Democrat – July 31, 1902

“The latest diversion of Bourbon men of affairs is that of racoon hunting.  The town, that is the sporting part, is now in the throes of a revival of the art of hunting the animals, that in the early days was a favorite pastime.  Whether it is a case of heredity, just now cropping out of the fourth generation, we have no means of knowing, but there is one thing certain, the craze has hit the town hard.  As far as we have been able to learn Jonas Rettinger is the only one who has, in the years past, kept up the sport enough to not forget its requirements.  Later Samuel Lemlar, Phillip Steinman and Arch Myers formed a company (limited) and purchased a hound after they had sold the one Sam had owned to Rettinger.  Lemler then purchased another hound and his deep sonorous voice had been sending cold chills up and down Mr. Racoon’s spine with painful regularity.  When Harl Stewart got the fever, he purchased another dog, and the old days of gentlemen following the hounds is returning.  Lemler, Myers & Steinman gave a racoon feast at the Vernette & Fretz restaurant Wednesday evening, and the smacking of lips told the tale, as their friends passed in and out.  Harl Stewart and Otis Thacker went Friday night and so far, hold the palm of good catches.  They secured three large, fat young racoons and a skunk.  And the beauty of the whole thing is that the skunk wasn’t quick enough to use his defense.” Bourbon News-Mirror – November 28, 1907

The Town of Donaldson

The Town of Donaldson

by | Nov 20, 2025 | Donaldson, General History

This article was published on November 30, 1911, in the Weekly Republican newspaper. It’s interesting to get a look at the Town of Donaldson, back when it was a truly bustling community. Note that the location is described according to which railroad the town was adjacent to, as opposed to roads. I have edited very lightly for readability.

“One of the interesting centers of Marshall County is the town of Donaldson, eight miles west of Plymouth on the Pennsylvania railway. This is an energetic little town and a good business center. The two institutions which make the place of more than ordinary interest, and more than an ordinary trading point, is the presence of Schlosser Bros. creamery station and of the Heinz salting plant. These two industries bring a large amount of money into the community every year. Milk, pickles and onions are the special crops which make Donaldson a prosperous center. By far the most important of these is the creamery. Its steady stream of money in return for the steady stream of milk and cream furnishes the big part of the “life blood” of the business. Onion and pickle raising are good sources of income also, but their returns come in bunches in the fall.

This goodly community has two good general stores, a blacksmith shop, meat market, a post office with a rural route, a railway station, hotel and livery, telephone exchange, United Brethren church and multi-graded schools. Donaldson needs a good physician. A large amount of veal, chickens and turkeys are shipped annually from Donaldson to Chicago. It is no uncommon sight to see two trucks full ready for shipment. It is estimated that about 500 dressed veal are shipped from here annually.

From 12 to 14 carloads of onions are shipped from Donaldson each fall, and this industry is increasing, as there is much land in this vicinity adapted to that kind of crop. The largest onion growers here are Nils Pearson, Lewis Seibert and Victor Newburg.

The largest pickle growers are Victor Newburg, who from 2 1/2 acres this year received $523.34: John Lavine, who got $195.01 from 1 1/2 acres; Andrew Bergstedt, who got $173.81 from l 1/4 acre and John Anderson, who received $126.98 from one acre.

Donaldson may congratulate itself that it has a very fine blacksmith shop. Mr. C. T. Danielson erected last summer a new building, 24 feet X 50 feet, and it is well equipped for the trade. It has a cement and wood floor combined. He learned his trade thoroughly when he learned it many years ago, and one will get here only the best of work. He makes a specialty of horseshoeing and knows that work in all its details. He is also equipped for and does all kinds of wagon work. Owing to the excellent character of his work, he draws trade from far to the north, from the south and from miles into Starke County.

In 1905 Mr. J. D. Garrison erected a splendid and well-equipped storeroom about a block north of the railway and opened a first-class general store. Here in neat arrangement, one may find those wares in the line of groceries, dry goods, clothing, rubbers and shoes, hardware, tinware, flour, horse blankets and saddlery goods, school supplies, etc., etc., which are the necessities of a country community. On entering this store, one is impressed with its cleanliness and neatness, and with the unusually large stock of all goods carried for the benefit of the community. Mr. Garrison is a careful and accommodating businessman and has built up a large and lucrative business which is still growing at a rate pleasing to the owner.

  1. J. Burgener has conducted a general store at Donaldson for 23 years and there is no one within a radius of miles who does not know him and his store. This wide acquaintance, coupled with fair dealing with all customers, has made his a large and constant business. About two years ago Mr. Burgener decided to move to Chicago, and in order to continue the business in the same good way he associated with him Mr. Albert Baum, a well-known young man of the community who has since been in active charge of the store. Mr. Baum is also acting agent for the Adams Express Co. and looks after the large express business connected with this trade center.

Mr. Burgener is also president of the Donaldson telephone company and was with others instrumental in forming this valuable local system, which not only gives the community good local service but allows them to reach without extra charge all the patrons of the Winona Telephone company in Plymouth. Mr. Hayes Munn is secretary of the company, E. R. Day treasurer, and F. H. Bollinger a director.”

The MCHS archives contain microfilm of all of the county newspapers. If you need to research a place or an event, we have the information and the way to read it efficiently. Stop by between 10:00 and 4:00 from Tuesday through Saturday at 123 N. Michigan St. and let us help you research your favorite topic! Call us at 574-936-2306.

Introducing the Balcony Building

Introducing the Balcony Building

by | Nov 17, 2025 | Disasters, Plymouth

Some of the buildings in Marshall County’s cities and towns have quite an interesting history. They have changed ownership, of course, but some have even changed size and shape! A good example we have covered previously is the REES Theatre. It went from a three-story, three-bay Italianate structure to a two-story, two-bay Art Deco one.

The subject of this article is the “Balcony Building” at 113-115 N. Michigan Street, now the home of Aldridge Diagnostic Medicine and the Wild Rose Moon. Since it was built in 1866, it has undergone some pretty drastic transformations.

This Italianate building was built with three floors, two store front bays and an iron balcony between the second and third floors. Thus, it became known as the “Balcony Building.” Ironically, it lost its balcony sometime during its early lifetime but held on to the moniker for a good many years.

First Occupants of the Balcony Building

Apparently, the north store front bay was first occupied by Freese & Behrens, a dry goods and notions store, with a grocery on the south side. The second floor housed business offices, a millinery (hat-making) shop and perhaps even a living quarters. The third floor housed Balcony Hall, a performance venue with a stage. The building was constructed according to the latest city ordinances requiring brick fire walls and the most modern lighting and heating systems, enacted after a catastrophic downtown fire destroyed most of the remaining wooden frame buildings earlier that year.

When Simon Becker, a subsequent long-term tenant, left for Argos in 1878 the building changed hands several more times, housing a “dry goods and fancy goods” store, a drug store, and a grocery store on the north side, and Bunnell & Son Furniture & Undertaking on the south.

Political Address Outside

Distinguished visitor William Jennings Bryant, known as the “American Commoner” and leader of the Democratic Party, spoke to a huge crowd in front of the Balcony Building in 1906. A platform was erected in the street and people from all over the county gathered to hear him speak for 40 minutes. According to reports, however, strong winds, crowd noise and no modern sound system made it hard for most people to even hear the speech.

William Jennings Bryan’s address, October 24, 1906.

Right around this time, the building became the property of Frank W. Bosworth and his wife Mabel. The couple’s two daughters, Esther and Muriel, eventually inherited the property, and that is how the building got passed down to its current owner, George Schricker. George is the great nephew of Esther and grandson of Muriel. You might have noticed the upper floor – now apartments – are named the William Jennings Bryan Suites.

Fire Devastates the Balcony Building

Then in 1927, Charles Glaub moved his ‘cash and carry’ grocery into the building. Before this innovation, grocery stores often operated a bit like warehouses – customers would choose items they wanted, employees would find and pack the items, and then the order would be delivered to the customer’s home or business with the bill being paid at the end of the month. A three-way partnership, consisting of Mrs. Anna Glaub & sons, Chuck & Walter, was formed in 1938 due to the death of Charles H. Glaub.

Interestingly, a few years after Mr. Bunnell moved across the street, the A&P Grocery & Meats moved into the south bay, creating side-by-side grocery stores in the same building. And that is the way it was at the time of the November 27, 1946 fire that engulfed the third floor of the building.

The Moose Lodge met on the third floor, G&G Grocery occupied the north bay, and A&P Grocery occupied the south. The Knights of Columbus also met upstairs. The theory about the fire was that a Moose left a cigar burning. (Now there is a word picture!) The third floor was a total loss and had to be removed. The demolition took with it the ornate Italianate cornice. It is a testimony to the brick structures that the neighboring buildings, and even the lower floors were not severely damaged. G&G remained in the building until they relocated in 1953. In 1954 Derf Jewelers moved into the north bay, and at about the same time Lord’s Dress Shop took over the south bay.

Moose Lodge fire ignites the balcony building, November 27, 1946.

Post-Fire

In subsequent years, several businesses moved in and out of the building, and it underwent significant renovation. Today it houses the Wild Rose Moon on the north side and Aldridge Diagnostic Medicine on the south side.

Are you curious about other buildings in the county? Let us know! We love doing research. If you are more interested in researching a topic of your own, the Marshall County Historical Society Research Library has LOTS of resources. Come in Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and our research specialists can get you pointed in the right direction.

Dredging the Yellow River

Dredging the Yellow River

by | Nov 12, 2025 | General History, Plymouth, Yellow River

In 1909, Supreme Court of Indiana had ruled in favor of the farmers and cleared the way for the Yellow river to be dredged. This article has been edited from the Plymouth Tribune, December 8, 1910.

Working Around the Clock

Progress on the work of dredging the Yellow river is being completed much faster than was anticipated, either by those who let the contract for the work, or by those who are executing the task. Slightly over one lineal mile of the river’s bed has already been completely dredged since the start of the work on November 9th. Approximately 41,300 cubic yards of earth have been taken from the bed of the river within this mile. An average excavation of seven feet in depth is made in the river’s bottom, extending to a width of fifty-five feet at the bottom. The dredge is located at a point slightly over seven miles east of Plymouth and at the rate of progress now being made, County Surveyor Percy J. Troyer estimates that the dredge will reach the city within eight months and will complete the entire route in fifteen months.

The fire under the boiler of the great dredge is never allowed to go out, and in order to cheat winter and the coming freeze of the river as much as possible, the large crane and bucket are never still. Day and night without pause the dredge and its gang is at work. The outfit has its own electrical plant that illuminates the surroundings sufficiently to carry on the work at night. A gang of twelve men is employed, six on each shift, working twelve hours each. The dredge is in charge of W. A. Schultz of Milwaukee, a member of the dredging firm that has the contract to widen, deepen and straighten the Yellow river for eleven miles of its course, from the point eight miles upstream to three miles below Plymouth. 

The Mill Dam in Plymouth prior to dredging the Yellow River and removing the dam, ca 1912

The Mechanism Behind Dredging a River

The first change in the course of the river will begin later part of this week. This cut is known as the Nunemaker Cut and will consist of diverting the course of the stream across the ends of a “U” shaped bend. Instead of flowing around the bend, the river will be made to cut across the ends. As a result, all of the land enclosed in the bend, besides the old bed of the river itself, will be reclaimed for farming proposes, as the old bed will be drained by the deeper bed in the new course. The Nunemaker Cut will consist of a lineal cut of 1200 feet, and will necessitate an enormous excavation of earth, as the new riverbed will be laid seven feet lower than the present bed, and as stated above, will be fifty-five feet wide at the bottom. It is estimated that this cut will require somewhat over two weeks. There are two or three more such cuts to be made in the course of the Yellow River dredge.

A wonderful sight might have been witnessed at the work site on Thanksgiving Day, when a feat of engineering skill was executed by the dredge. The sixty-five-foot steel bridge, weighing 12 tons, which spanned the river at that point, was lifted from its abutments, swung around, and deposited upon the bank of the river. The scene of the steel bridge in midair with several workmen standing on the structure to preserve its balance was a novel one, and served to show the power, size and effectiveness of the great dredge. The bridge was bound to the beam of the dredge by steel cables, men were stationed along the floor of the bridge and at the word, the beam was raised. The bridge had to be removed in order to let the dredge pass down the river. After the river had been widened to the required dimensions at this point, the dredge was found to be too short to span the river and the steel structure is still reposing on the bank of the river, seven miles east of town. This bridge is a familiar sight to the boys of the city, many of whom have boasted of skating up to the seven-mile bridge.

Missing Pieces

Of course, we now want to know when and how the bridge was replaced on its abutments, and did it have to be lengthened? Unfortunately, our records do not provide those answers, nor is there any further mention of the bridge sitting beside the river.

Fatal 1911 Accident at Tippecanoe

Fatal 1911 Accident at Tippecanoe

by | Nov 12, 2025 | Railroad, Tippecanoe

We have quoted verbatim from the Argos Reflector newspaper of November 9th, so please excuse the fact that reporters of that era did not miss the opportunity to create great drama when writing the news.

“Last Thursday evening the people of our neighboring community of Tippecanoe, seven miles east of here, were shocked to learn of a distressing accident that happened at the crossing of the Nickel Plate tracks near the depot. Daniel Fawley, a farmer living east of Tippecanoe, was struck by the westbound passenger train and his lifeless body was hurled against Agent Elliott with a violence that resulted in the latter’s death Sunday evening. It seems that Mr. Fawley, having alighted from the eastbound passenger train that arrives there about six o’clock, started to cross the main track to go uptown. Now, the fatal defect in the railroad company’s system of taking on and leaving off passengers at this place is that the eastbound train takes the siding which compels passengers to board from and alight upon the main track. This brazen disregard for the safety of human life is much emphasized by the fact that the westbound passenger train is due to pass here at the same time. When Mr. Fawley started across the tracks, unconscious of the approach of the train from the east, he heard a warning cry from W.C. Elliott, the veteran agent at this station. Just as he turned his head the locomotive struck him with the results above mentioned. The body of Mr. Fawley was badly mangled, being hurled 25 feet or more and death was practically instantaneous.

W.C. Elliott had been in the service of the Nickel Plate as agent for nearly 30 years, or since the completion of the road, and had come to be regarded as a landmark of the place and had won the respect and regard of all who knew him. His life hung in the balance of uncertainty til Sunday evening when the soul of this faithful servant left its earthly tenement. Mr. Fawley lived alone on his farm. He leaves one child, Mrs. Clyde Stockberger. Mr. Elliott was about 70, a soldier of the civil war and a Mason. His body was taken to Indianapolis for burial. In the unequal struggle between Duty and Dividends the latter has scored another point. But it shall not ever be thus. The awakening conscience of the people will assert itself and such death traps as this one will be relegated to the junk pile of oblivion.”

To learn more about trains in Marshall County, visit our museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. To see our model trains run, visit our train room from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays!