The village that was mentioned in relation to the Indians was Bobo. Look on
the Old Mt. Tabor Cemetery Listing which has 6 Indians listed with the
family names which I added to the Adams Co, Web Site. In looking at the
listing the first burial was 1854. so Indians were still in the area. My
grandmother Niffie Blanche Cowan Steele was from Bobo and my grandfather's
farm was on highway 33 and it back up to the St. Marys River less than a
mile out of Pleasant Mills. Lynn Hilty Sewell
----- Original Message -----
From: <karinking1234(a)comcast.net>
To: <beekeeper(a)baybroadband.net>
Cc: <INADAMS(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 28, 2009 10:08 PM
Subject: [INADAMS] Fwd: Some History of Adams County
David, what an exciting treasure you have! It is so hard for some of us to
imagine life and land as our ancestors have seen, and I love reading
stories about it...especially true 'diaries'...thank you so much for
sharing it! The name that the Indians gave the St. Mary's was totally
unfamiliar to me. I think it would be great fun to look for Indian relics
in that area.
Tell me, is the farm still in the family today?
Karin King
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "David G Smith" <beekeeper(a)baybroadband.net>
To: "Adams Co. Roots Web" <INADAMS(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 28, 2009 8:23:51 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [INADAMS] Some History of Adams County
My grandmother was a Kunkel and quite a few years ago my dad gave me a
letter that he had in his family papers. I thought some of you might enjoy
reading the history:
The following letter, written by Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Kunkel in about
1948, conveys their family values and attachment to the area of Monmouth,
Adams County, Indiana:
"Our farm has been in the family for 103 years, and has been the center of
an interesting, happy, full life for each of the succeeding fine
generations who have, and are at present living on it. On the south west
side it is bounded by the St. Marys river, which was named Kekionga by the
Indians. On the other side State Highway 27 runs for three quarters of a
mile. In one corner of the farm is a 21-acre tract of classified forest
made up largely of maple trees from which syrup is made, also trees of
many other vanities. As it is left in its natural state continuously, it
abounds in wild life; flowers, berries, mushrooms and nuts. As trees reach
their prime, they are cut for fuel or lumber, in this way making room for
new growth. At one time when the river was the main means of travel and
transportation, the settlement which later became the village of Monmouth,
the oldest in the county, was situated on part of our farm. When roads
became more popular as the means of getting f!
rom one place to another, the village gradually moved over a short
distance to the Piqua road which was built entirely of white oak planks
laid on girders of white oak and extended from Piqua, Ohio, to Fort Wayne,
Indiana. It has been proved that around 1790 there was a large camp site
of the Miami Indians under Little Turtle just a few miles north of our
farm along the St. Marys river. They were at this site for several months
preparing to go up the river and attack Gen. St. Clair and his army at
Fort Recovery, Ohio. In a surprise attack, they killed around 1800 men of
his army. In our fields along the river have been found many arrow heads
and Indian relics which makes us believe that there was an Indian battle
there. We like to imagine how the country looked at that time and then
realize what changes have taken place in 160 years. Each generation living
on the farm has had love of nature, the love of growing things and
complete love of the land. We have practiced conserv!
ation of the land and conserved its natural resources as much as possi
ble. At present we have diversified farming, raising corn, oats, wheat,
soybeans and tomatoes to sell for canning. We also have guernsey cows from
which we sell milk. Each year we raise a flock of broad breasted bronze
turkeys and this month we are starting 2600 baby turkeys which we sell at
Thanksgiving time. Our youngest son has decided that he likes farming
better than anything else and is staying at home preparing to make it his
life's work. We believe that if it became necessary, any of the other
children who have married and gone away, would come back and take over
rather than have the farm leave the family. We feel that the farm is the
most pleasant place to live and that farm life is conducive to good health
and long life. After living so long in one place, we feel sure that no
other place could really be home."
Capt. David G. Smith, USN (Ret.)
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