Early Settlers listed in 1882 History of Noble County
To Noble Co  Settlers

Information was copied as printed in the published works. (Later historians proved the statements regarding initial settlers in Allen, Swan and York Townships were probably incorrect; and it is possible other "firsts" may not be in agreement with official land records.)

City of Kendallville
In about 1835 George Ulmer located on what is known as Iddings Addition to Kendallville. William Mitchell, in the spring of 1836, built a double log cabin near where his son now resides. Thomas Ford came soon afterward. Ezra T. Isbell, Henry Iddings and Daniel Bixler appeared in about 1836, all locating within what is now Kendallville. John Finch located before 1840. In 1840 there were living on the present site of Kendallville the families of Ms. Dingman (or rather of Mr. Bearss), William Mitchell, John Gipe, John Finch, George Ulmer, Ezra T. Isbell, Henry Iddings, Daniel Bixler and possibly 2 or 3 others.

Allen Township
George T. Ulmer who settled in the township in 1834 was the first. With him came a young man named Alvord. The second settler was Samuel Weimer in 1836. The third settler was Alpheus Baker in the fall of 1836, while about a month later in October, Elihu Wadsworth. Dorus Swift came with him. Prior to 1844 there were, among others, Ryland Reed, Asa Brown, Edward Adams, John Geiser, Hiram Iddings, Francis Borck, Evan Jones (the first one in the southern part), M. P. Rickett, Alfred Rice, Orrin Rice, Alvin Rice, Alonzo D. Whitford, Harrison Whitford, Augustus H. Whitford, Matthias Woodruff, George Berry, Washington Bidwell, Clark Bidwell, Joel Berry, Andrew Bixler, William Broughton, Joel Carpenter, Daniel Hide, Charles Harding, N. I. Hill (the first settler at Avilla), S. P. Haynes, Hosea Hunter, Jackson Iddings, Lewis Iddings, Ezra T. Isbell, Philander Isbell, A. E. Littlefield, Burnet Laller, John McBarns, W. H. Potter, L. D. Payne, Reuben Ross, Edwin Randall, Hiram Roberts, Matthias Saylor, John Steele, Moses Tryon, Albert Wilson and James Roth. Other names are not remembered.

Elkhart Township
It is quite certain that Samuel Tibbot built his dwelling there as early as 1832 and it is equally certain that the Knights and a Mr. Austin and David P. Bourie were in about the same time. Isaac Tibbot did not reside permanently until 1834. Those who owned land in 1844: Isaac Arnold, William Albert, William Bradford, John F. Brothwell, Abraham Brown, James Boyd, Daniel P. Boner, Francis Brown, Moses Ball, John Bird, William Caldwell, Andrew Curry, George Domer, Moses Domer, Samuel Domer, Jacob Domer, Perry Dempsey, Jacob Gerber, David Gibson, W. K. Gibson, John Gibson, Hosea Gage, Fred Hartsock, W. H. Herriman, Luther Herriman, Jonathan Hoak, Jacob Holden, W. H. Holden, Jacob Hoff, Abraham Hoff, Nathaniel Hamilton, W. H. Hall, Thomas Inks, Ralph Hardenbrook, Daniel Lower, William Maywhorter, Lewis Mills, George Moore, David Ream, William Stienberger, John Smith, Fred Schlieff, D. M. Shoup, Joseph Stewart, James Scrivener, Isaac Tibbot, David Tuttle, James Thayer, William Waldron, Lewis Waldron, Hiram Waldron, Wesley Waldron, Wilson L. Wells, Henry Walker, David Woodward, Nathaniel Woodward, George Woodward, John Zimmerman and others.

Green Township
Among the earliest settler were Samuel Gray, George Benner, Benjamin Macemore, Jacob Eyman, William E. Bowen, David Gray, Jacob Lindsey, Oliver McWilliams, William McDaniel, Robert Gaff, David Boner, John Allen, Noah Blue, George Brown, Peter Coil, David Crimmins, John Carothers, Anson Herendeen, Thomas Kiger, John Lindsey, Hiram Lindsey, John Olinger, George Ott, John Ramer, John Richard, Daniel Ragan, Solomon Sanford, Lyman B. Whelan, Oliver Strong, William Widup, Thomas Weeks, David A. Kester, Mr. Krewson, Adam Dingman, William Caswell, Chancey Walkley and Christian Kinsey. A man named Krewson was the first settler, squatting in the southwestern part in 1833 or earlier.

Jefferson Township
The first white settler was David Herriman, who settled early in the year 1836. He lived there about a year and sold it to Samuel C. Spencer. In October 1836, Lewis Potts, Benjamin Potts, Jehu Foster, James Thompson and Manassa Thompson and James Skinner came with their families. Stephen Barhan came in 1837. In 1838 John Call entered and settled upon land now owned by John A. Singrey. Between 1836 and 1838 Alfred Martin, Martin Smith, John Grubb, Smith Ashley and Henry Carothers settled. Between 1838 and 1845, the following emigrated to this township: James Halferty, William Inscho, John Moorhouse, Benjamin Melvin, Amos Black, Joseph B. Riddle, William Skeels, John Barhan, Abram Carey, Jerome B. Sweet, Abel Barnum, Henry Brewer, Joseph Ogle, John Cromer, Adam Sheffer, Adam Shafer, Lewis Cravens, Leonard Myres, J. Follett, Samuel Rayner and Jacob Lamb.

Noble Township
A man named Joel Bristol was the first man to enter what is now Noble County for the purpose of permanent settlement. The others were Samuel, Isaac and William Tibbot. Next came Levi Perry, then John Knight, and John L. Powers; then Richard Stone, Isaiah, Samuel and James Dungan and Charles Murray, a son-in-law of Isaiah Dungan. Prior to 1836 the following men appeared: Joel Bristol, John G. Hall, John Skinner, John Shannon, Humphrey Nichols, Jacob Busz and his sons, John, Simon, Henry and Jesse, S. Sandford, Peter Becker, David, William and Washington Sandford, David Winebrenner and his sons, Peter, Jacob and David, S. W. Murphy, Mr. Benner and a large family, Newman Scarlett and his sons Horace and Almon, Barney Scarlett and his sons Henry, William, Chester and Albert, Jacob Marker, Samuel Jones, J. W. Elliott, Alexander Swaney, Thomas J. Pickens, Rolan Stewart, Ephraim Scarlett, John Skinner, Ephraim Skinner, Mr. Driver, Mr. Lonker, John Muncey, McIntire Seymour, Patrick C. Miller, Thomas Smith, Esquire Knowles, Thomas Shepard, Jacob Hanes, Dr. Elias Jones, Andrew Humphrey and many others. In 1844 the following owned land in the township: Otis D. Allen, Henry G. Allen, Cyrus Armstrong, Joel Bristol, Jacob Busz, Richard L. Britton, Robson L. Broome, T. K. Breckinridge, James Baird, Joel Benford, Samuel Butterbaugh, John Butterbaugh, T. H. Botts, Leonard Collier, James Carter, Julius Coleman, Henry Cooper, David Douglass, Jonathan Elliott, Jonah Evans, John Edgar, Robert E. Fleming, Joseph Foster, Benjamin Grabille, John G. Hall, Jacob Haynes, Arba Harda, John M. Herndon, Andrew Humphreys, Joseph Hacksman, John Horning, Mr. Henderson, F. A. Harris, Elias Jones, Thomas Mitchell, John Muncey, John Mayfield, Patrick Miller, Abel Millington, G. W. Moore, Humphrey Nichols, Lewis Nichols, John Olinger, Martin Overly, William Perry, John Rollins, Sylvester Ross, A. L. Rose, Madison Roice, Jesse Rider, A. L. Rider, William Rider, Jonathan Rollins, Matthew M. Rollins, Charles G. Swain, John Smith, John Skinner, Ephraim Skinner, Alexander Stangland, McIntire Seymour, Newman Scarlett, Barney Scarlett, Ephraim Scarlett, Thomas Smith, F. E. Starkey, John Ott, Abraham Ott, John Voris, Mrs. Elizabeth Sandford, Harrison Wood, Daniel Winebrenner, Anthony Wertz, John Warner, Joseph Whitridge, Jonah Wells, Harvey Westphal and John Young.

Orange Township
In the year 1844, the following persons owned land in Orange Township: Eri Allen, Jonathan Alexander, Samuel Alcott, Josiah Arnold, Oliver Atwood, Jeremiah Andrews, Leonard Appleman (Northport), John B. Bowie, Leonard Barber (Northport and Rome), David Bratton, Henry R. Burnam (Northport), Rufus Berry, Samuel Booth, John Beam, John Riley, Chester Baxter, David Bidlack, Alonzo Bashee, Asa Brown, John Barrett, William Barrett, David Bixler, Samuel Comstock, James Cummings, Hiram H. Chipman (Rome), Levi Cunningham, Stanfill Corbin, John Corbin, Joshua B. Cutshaw, Joseph Comparet, David H. Colerick, Joseph Caldwell, Constant Cook, William Callett, James Crofoot (Heirs), Chancey Carter, Francis Comparet (Northport and elsewhere), Joseph A. Crosby, Joseph Calkins, James Campbell, Joel Doolittle (Northport and Rome), Calkin Disbrue, John Dunbar, J. F. Dunbar, Arthur Dunbar, Lewis Dunbar, William M. Dales, Ichabod Dickerson, William Dickerson, William Denny, Lewis Druillard, William Dunlap, Mason Dunlap, Christian Eaton, Levi Eaton, William Engle, Alexis Edwards, David S. Fields, Joseph Freelove, Benjamin F. Fields, Christian Foster, David Fulton, F. N. Fellows, R. H. Fowler, Anson Greenman, David Gardner, David B. Herriman, Samuel Hitchcock, William Hitchcock, Hall Hubbard, John Hardy (Rome), Jacob Heater (Northport), Stephen Harris, Ira Hovey, N. G. Hale, Jacob Holdren, John Hofferman (Northport), Comfort Hiller, G. W. Hatch, John M. Herndon, Benjamin Jones, R. M. James, Alexander Johnson, Ebenezer Jessup, T. A. Johnson, Rufus Reeler, Thomas Koon (Rome), Homer King, Jonathan Law (Rome), John Lamm, William Latta (Rome), George Lymore, William Leverick, William Lady, William Long, peter Lampson, Henry Lotz, R. L. Longwell, H. P. Lampson, Charles Mitchell, D. A. Munger, James Madison (no land), John Myers, J. A. McQueen, Thomas McLeland, Don C. Mather, Abel Millington, William Matthews, William Morris, Ezra Morse, Archibald McVickers, Hiram Mucker (Rome), Robert Mucker (Rome), George McIlvain (Rome), Joseph B. Martin, George Nichols, William Nesbit, Oliver Osborn, Daniel Price, Benjamin Potts, Margaret Perkins, Ebenezer Pierce, Sanford Pierce, Betsey Parker (Rome), Lorenzo Payne (Rome), Isaac F. Rice, Charles W. Rockwell, Gideon Reynolds, Moses Rice, John Rup, Thoams H. Roberts, Daniel Rice, Finley Stephens (Northport), John Strous (Rome), Abraham Shears, Ezra Sanford, Joseph Steinbarger, William Taylor, Peter Thatcher, Richard Thomas, William Liff (Rome), Joseph Thompson, John Vancelder, German Warren, Samuel P. Williams, Ozias Wright, Timothy Watkins, Orlin Watkins, Phineas Williams (Rome), Levi Wildman (Rome), George Wolcott (Rome), Christian Wolf, H. W. Wood, Francis Woldbald and John Winton. Among the very earliest settlers in the township were Eri Allen, William Wright, David B. Herriman, David Bidlack, Samuel Smith, David Law, Charles Law, David S. Field, Luke Diggins, Timothy Gaby, T. M. Watkins, Joseph Doolittle, William Imes, Stephen Harris, John and S. Corbin, J. F. Brothwell, Abraham Shears, Orlin Watkins, J. A. Waldron, Archibald Crofoot, James Kelley, James Madison, William Latta, David P. Bowrie, Jacob Heater, Francis Comparet, William and Samuel Hitchcock and many others.

Perry Township
Previous to the year 1844 there had resided in Perry Township the following men: Hugh Allison, William G. Allison, Edward Bouser, Daniel Bouser, Sebastian Bouser, Valentine Burris, John Billman, John Buzzard, Edward Bailey, Andrew Bailey, William Bailey, Jacob Baker, William Bouzer, Allen Beall, Hartwell Coleman, John L. Conrad, Adam S. Conrad, Jeremiah Carstetter, Levi Carstetter, Isaac Caven, James Christie, Jonathan Caldwell, James Crook, R. D. Coldren, Francis Danner, William Denny, David Dungan, Francis Dungan, George Engle, Henry Engle, John Engle, Andrew Engel, Felix Grimes, James Gordon, James Givens, Christian Heltzell, Henry Hostetter Jr., John Hostetter, Benjamin Hostetter, James Hamilton, John Hamilton, William Hamilton, William J. Hamilton, George Hamilton, Solomon Harper, James Hoak, William Hoak, Cyrus Hoak, Henry Kline, Michael King, Samuel Kirkpatrick, James Latta, Perry Lee, Thomas W. Morrow, James Marker, George W. Miller, Seymour Moses, John Morrell, Philip Miller, John Miller, Ambrose Miller, Solomon Miller, Henry Miller, Dickerson Miller, James McMann, James McKinney, Henry May, Linderman May, Perry McMann, Alexander McConnell, Andrew Newhouse, Jonathan Newhouse, Josephus Neff, North Neff, Hiram Parks, James Ramsby, Levi Reeves, Thomas Stone, Daniel H. Stukey, Jacob Stabe, Gideon Schlotterback, Elijah Shobe, Daniel Shobe, Silas Shobe, Henry Shobe, David Smalley, James Smalley, John Summers, Isaiah Thomas, George Teal, Joseph Teal, John Tomlinson, Jacob Wolf, Jeremiah Wolf, Jacob Vance, Harrison Wood, Hamilton Wilmeth, Joseph H. Woodell, Reuben Warner, James Wilmeth, George Welker and several member of the Harsh family. The first settlement was made in this township beginning in 1830 at which time Levi Perry, Isaiah Dungan and Richard Stone settled on Perry’s Prairie. In 1831 there came in Jacob Wolf, Henry Hostetter Sr. and his family of boys, Adam Engle and his family, Jacob Shobe and family, Joseph Smalley and family, Henry Miller and family, and a few others.

Sparta Township
So far as it is known the first man to located was John L. Powers sometime during 1832. John Dillon also appeared. Prior to the organization of the county in 1836 there came to the township the following settlers: John Conklin, Richard Bray, Richard Jeffries, James Mael, Robert McAfee, Mitchell McClintock, John Johns, Jacob Baker, Charles Murray, Obadiah Tilton, Hartwell Coleman, Daniel Ohlwine, Andrew C. Douglass, Henry Weade, John Davis and perhaps others. Immediately afterward there came Aaron Noe, Michael Beam, Daniel Beam, Charles White, Andrew B. Upston, Nathaniel Prentice, Richard Stone, William Weade, John Spear, John C. Johnson, Jacob Kiser, Daniel Stall, John Moore, G. W. Mitchell, James Marrow, Elisha Mayfield, Lawrence Miller, Samuel Dungan, Alexander Doud, John Earnhart, William Glayd, Andrew Humphreys, James Smalley, John Spencer, William H. Upson, Thomas H. Wilson, John Pollock, James Pollock, Samuel Mars, Henry Miller, Richard Noe, George Prentice, George Platter, Erastus Atkins and others.

Swan Township
During the early autumn of 1833 George Rickard appeared in what is now Swan Township. Conrad Cramer came up the Maumee River early in June 1834. The next settlers were probably James and Charles Shelner and Daniel Tousley, coming in 1834. Within the next two or three years came Jonas and John Strouss, Samuel Barkwell, Charles Salsbury, Mr. Flagg, Hiram King, Alexander Gifford, the Broughtons, Oliver and Stanberry Wright, Hiram Parker, three or four of the Fulks (who settled in the southwestern part), Oliver L. Perry and others. Afterward and prior to 1844 there came in among others Weston Ackley, J. L. Blowers, Hamilton Badger, John C. Billings, Conrad Bricker, Dexter Brooks, Russell Clapp, Samuel Carothers, Nicholas Cooper, M. P. Dickerson, F. Tilton, Samuel, Frances, William Gregg, Samuel Huff, Henry Haskins, William Erickson, Charles Law, John Latta, Joseph Richards, Henry Timmerman, Aaron, Alva and Josiah Wood, James, Luther, Lewis and Erastus Warner, Jared and John Weeks, Edward and Lewis Walburn and James Willetts.

Washington Township
In about 1833 a man named Roop built a small log cabin in Washington Township. He did not remain long, About two years later others began to appear, including Joseph E. Adair and his sons, John, Samuel and George, Hugh Allison in the southern part, Joseph Galloway, Noah Myers, James McEchron, James Duncan, Isaac Stewart, Thomas Scott, John Prickett, David Wiley, Phillip Hite, Richard Neal, John Spear, Lindsey McKinson, Frederick Starkey, Elisha Moore and others. Still later came Andrew Rarick, Ross Rowan, John Spooner, Aaron Bouse, Smith Hunt, Charles Hunt, R. D. McKinney, Levi Keister, Roger McDonald, John Ogden, Jacob Graumlich, Peter Gordy, Abraham Goble, Jonathan Hartsock, Fred Harper, John Humphreys, John Blain, Joshua Benton, Paul Beezley, James Campbell, Michael Bouse, Allen Coons, William Daniels, John Dillon, Palmer W. Earl, Jacob Frederick, Daniel Foutz, Amos Wolf, Andrew Wilson, Thomas H. Wilson, Samuel Burrell and others.

Wayne Township
In 1844 the following men resided in the township on land of their own as shown by the tax duplicates at the county seat: Lewman Andrews, Joseph Axtell, Daniel Axtell, John Bullenbaugh, Jason Bosford, Daniel Bixler, Nicholas Bixler, George F. Bodenheifer, Ludwig Brown, John Cosper, Reuben Chamberlain, Elias Cosper, John A. Forker, S. W. Gallop, Joseph Graden, Henry Grubb, Erastus Harlow, Richard Horsely, George Kimmel, J. W. Leonard, William Mitchell, Samuel Lehman, Daniel Longfellow, Christian Long, D. L. Numan, H. G. Rossen, S. B. Sherman, Stephen Sawyer, Mrs. William Sawyer, Jacob Spurbeck, Isaac Swarthouse, William Selders, Samuel Trowbridge, D. D. Trowbridge, Ansel Tryon, Hester Taylor, Thomas B. Weston, John B. Woodruff, Albin Curtis, Henry Deam, Michael Deam and Charles Fike. Perhaps the very earliest among this catalogue were Nicholas and Daniel Bixler, Reuben Chamberlain, John Cosper, William and Stephen Sawyer, John A. Forker, Henry Grubb, John Brundage, George L. Kimmel and others. Prior to 1836 not more than 6 or 8 families were living or had lived in Wayne Township and some of these were as follows: David, Bundle, the first settler in the township; Mrs. Frances Dingman, widow of James Dingman and her family; Daniel and Nicholas Bixler; Thomas Ford; Truman Bearss; Luke Diggins, Mr. Martin and perhaps one or two others. Among those who came in 1836 were Samuel Comstock, John Brundage, Joseph Graden, Henry Iddings, John Sawyer.

York Township
The first settler was John Knight who located in Section 29 in 1829. He was a squatter and an adventurer and lived alone until the Henshaws came in about 1833. Other early settlers were James Gray, Stedman Gray, Robert Gray, J. and D. Bradford, David Anderson, John Williams, Joseph Bell, John Bowman, Joseph Beall, Dr. Halsey Lewis, Hiram Bassett, Elisha Blackman, William Crispell, Daniel Downs, William F. Engle, Nathan Frink, Benjamin Hardinburg, Isaiah Hardinburg, Jacob Cramer, Vincent Lane, John Middleton, John McCaskey, William E. McCaskey, Francis Murray, Adam Nimmon, George Powers, Joel B. L. Smith, Milo L. Street, Charles D. Shearer, John McMeans, John Smith, Joel Vanderford, Wesley White, Isaac Whitaker, J. B. White, Zenas Wright and his sons George and Charles, Samuel Webster, George F. Whitaker, Nathaniel Woodward, John Young and others.

Noble Notes: It's nice to be wanted - but not in 6 states.