Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

Towns of Allen County, Indiana

Paper Towns and Ghost Towns of Allen County at the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indianaincludes:
Front Cover
Paper Towns and Ghost Towns of Allen County
Proposed, Abandoned and Existing Centers of Activity in Allen County, Indiana image shown below:

Standard atlas of Allen County, Indiana : including a plat book of the villages, cities and townships of the county ... patrons directory, reference business directory ... by Geo. A. Ogle & Co. cn, Publication date 1898 on Archive.org. The same map with zoomable individual pages, directories of names, and photos in the Illustrations tabas at Indiana Allen County 1898 Geo. A. Ogle, 1898 at Historic Map Works.

October 30, 2012 post by the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook:

June 20, 1919 The Fort Wayne News and Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

You can see Dixon and Sheldon on this image.

See our Railroads page.

Original information from Linda Churchward, with 2012 corrections from CW Martin posted below. Most of this information came from Allen County history books now online at Archive.org posted on other Allen INGenWeb pages. When time permits will include links to each town to the correct pages in those online books.

Town	Township	Section	Platted	Status	Features
Aboite	Lafayette		1891	village	Village founded on the Wabash Railroad seems to belong to Aboite Township, but is in Lafayette Township. Has a drain tile plant, a farmer exchange, a grocery and a church. Only a few houses remain today. The church building is still there, but has been vacant for a few years. Interesting discussion with links to early books June 9, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebookabout a blog Aboite, Indiana Named For Indian Massacre and French Word For "Slaughterhouse." by Fritz Zimmerman published September 11, 2013 on Blood on the Ohio Tales of Frontier Terror.
Academie	Washington		1874	ghost town	Academie was located on the Lake Shore Railroad, but never developed.
Adams Station	Adams	22		ghost town	Was at the junction of the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago and the Cincinnati, Richmond & Ft. Wayne railroads from Craig Berndt email September 2021.
Arcola	Lake		1866	town	Second saw mill in the township was erected near the future site of Arcola. Building of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, the mill provided the impulse for the town. Name Arcola was adopted for the post office in 1858. The town of Arcola was platted in 1866. The Peabody Mill became the largest in the county and employed many people. It furnished hard wood lumber to the Pennsylvania Railroad for car building, shipped lumber to the Pacific Coast and exported finer grades of lumber to Scotland. Other industries established there such as the Arcola Stove Co. and the Clay Products Co. Small town of Arcola still exists today. Best known for its volunteer fire department sponsored Arcola Tractor Pull occurring during the Fort Wayne Three Rivers Festival. December 18, 2009 oldest building burns
Ari	Eel River	4		community	Also known as Potter’s Station – Ari is located at the Noble County line. Was a station on the Detroit, Eel River & Illinois Railroad. Still a small community today.
Baldwin	Jackson	35	1890	ghost town	Platted by Timothy Baldwin on his land. The east line of plat was on Ohio-Indiana State line. Rise and decline of Baldwin occurred in little more than a quarter of a century. When the Findlay, Fort Wayne and Western Railroad was built from Findlay, OH westward, work stopped at Baldwin in the year 1889, and was not continued until following year. A “Y” track was built at Baldwin for turning locomotives. The first depot built at Baldwin was destroyed by fire and a story that the people of the community stole the station at Tillman on the same railroad, took it to Baldwin on flat cars and placed it on the Ohio side of the line. In its day, Baldwin was a very busy place. William Noble operated a large hoop mill. Besides hoops, he also manufactured hubs for buggy and wagon wheels. The Clifford Brothers operated two charcoal kilns, which were supplied from heavy timber in the vicinity. Nathan and Levy operated an elevator at Baldwin, and it was not an uncommon sight to see from fifty to a hundred wagons waiting to be served at the elevator. Three saloons operated in Baldwin in 1906. Noble hoop factory, for the benefit of their employees, operated a commissary. Two general stores in operation and a hardware store owned by the Sorgan Brothers. A schoolhouse and a church were also located there. With the abandonment of the Findlay railroad in 1915 and the depletion of the timber supply in the vicinity, Baldwin soon went out of existence. Nothing on site today to indicate that a thriving community once existed there.
Beech Grove Corners	Lafayette	18		ghost town	Small community grew up around the Beech Grove Disciples Church and the Beech School. Nothing remains today.
Bengal	Maumee	9	March 1836	ghost town	Maumee Township leads all townships in number of proposed towns platted within it borders. Among these was Bengal, platted by Joseph Sinclair and Thomas Tigar. The site was situated on both sides of the Wabash and Erie Canal about one-half mile south of the Maumee River and two miles northeast of the town of Woodburn. The plat contained 273 lots. The site never developed.
Besancon	Jefferson		1840	village	Before there were any roads in Jefferson Township, a colony of French immigrants formed a settlement known as “New France”. When the St. Louis Catholic Church was founded in 1851, a little village grew up around the church called Besancon.
Boston	Madison			ghost town	Located four miles east of Hoagland on the Hoagland Road. Nothing remains of this community.
Bull Rapids	Maumee	7 & 8		changed name	See Indiana City
Carroll’s Crossing	Perry			ghost town	Nothing known
Cedarville	Cedar Creek	28	1838	town	First town established in township, situated in forks of St. Joseph River and Cedar Creek, in Section 28. It’s founders had provided a square in the center of the plat for the erection of the Allen County Court House with dreams of its becoming a city. After the platting of Leo, Hamilton as it was called in 1849, Cedarville’s attraction waned. Leo - Cedarville are new considered as one community. Episode 175: Leo and Grabill by Granite Ridge Builders interesting video includes some history and current events for Leo-Cedarville and Grabill.
Centerville	Madison	NW 4	1852	ghost town	Uriah Mitten owned 100 acres of land. The Ohio and Indiana Railroad was built through his tract in 1852. Seeing the possibilities of developing a trading center here, he entered a plat in January 1852, and offered the railroad a sizable piece of ground if they would build a spur track on his plat. The railroad failed to take advantage of his offer and his dream of a town at this place never materialized.
Chillicothe	Wayne		1788–1792	Indian village	Chillicothe was a Shawnee Indian village around 1788–1792 on the Maumee River east of the Miami Indian village Kekionga. There were 58 houses on one side of the river and 16 houses on the other side from an 1812 map published in 1933 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. The village was ordered destroyed by General Harma during his campaign against Kekionga in October of 1790. From a discussion May 23, 2019 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
Chamberlain	Milan		1856	ghost town	A post office was located here.
Clabbertown	Lafayette	SW 9	1874	ghost town	Existed about a quarter of a century at the intersection of the Lower Huntington and Winters Roads. Dick McGinnia operated a blacksmith shop there about 1874. John Mills owned the general store and saloon. Some years before, a sawmill was built there, but the proprietor’s name is not known. John Mills died in 1897, and the grocery and saloon were closed. McGinnis closed his shop and moved from the area about 1900. The sawmill had ceased operation before this time, so Clabbertown soon vanished. No trace of the settlement exists today.
Collingwood	Perry	1		ghost town	Many years ago, the hollow that became the site of the church, school and Eli Garman’s general store on the Auburn Road. Today the Garman store is gone. The Dutch Ridge country acquired its name from the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers who came in when Indiana was opened for settlement in 1832. In early days, the community of Dutch Ridge revolved around the church, school, mill and post office.
Cuba	Springfield	SW 32	June 1855	ghost town	The Ridge Road, later known as the Hicksville Road, has always been a busy highway with the result that several towns have been platted along its course. Post offices were established and taverns and tollhouses sprang up along its route. This road is now designated as S. R. 37. Cuba was situated on the Ridge Road about one mile southwest of Harlan. The plat was surveyed and entered by Andrew Metzger. Considerable activity developed at Cuba. A saw mill was located here, also a school, a church, a store, and a tollhouse. First post office in Springfield Township was established here in 1849 before Cuba was platted. Office was moved to Harlan in 1854. A tollhouse and post office building was built in 1849. Tollhouse continued in operation until 1888 or 1890. Last toll collector was Eli Dial. Cuba declined with the development of Harlan and all trace of the village has disappeared.
Dawkins	Jefferson	12		ghost town	On the Nickel Place Railroad, was located about a mile west of S. R. 101. Had an elevator and general store.
Dixon	Monroe			village	On the state line, was once an active collection and shipping point for lumber and lumber products. Most of the residences in Dixon are on the Ohio side of the main street, which is directly on the line. An elevator and a few stores are on the Indiana side.
Dunfee	Aboite	6	1883	town	Shipping point on Nickel Plate Railroad, straddles Whitley Allen County line
Dutch Ridge	Perry			changed name	Dutch Ridge Remembered--1900, Cedar Creek, Allen County, Indiana at The Genealogy Center. See Collingwood
East Liberty	Monroe	29 32	1848	village	Was on the way to becoming a sizeable town, about two miles south of Monroeville on S. R. 101. The town had expected the Pennsylvania Railroad would pass through their town. There had a tannery, three churches, a school and one of the largest general stores in the county. Remaining today are a church and several homes.
Edgerton	Jackson		1889	town	First town developed in Jackson Township. Established on the Nickel Plate Road, now S. R. 14 at the Ohio line. With its elevator, the town became a shipping center and a distribution depot on the Nickel Plate Railroad.
Edwardsburg	Maumee	NW 18	January 1871	ghost town	One of the proposed canal towns of Maumee Township. Situated between the Wabash and Erie Canal and the Maumee River. Located on U.S. 24 at the intersection of the Bull Rapids Road about two miles northwest of Woodburn. E. D. Ashley entered the plat, containing 9.43 acres. Platted shortly before the abandonment of the canal, with result that it had no opportunity to develop. Little is known of the village except that a post office was established here and a general store operated for a short period of time.
Ellison Station	Aboite	26		ghost town	1898 map on the Wabash Railroad - called Prairie Switch on 1914 map
Ellisville	Aboite			Corner of U.S. 24 and Homestead Road	From a comment September 17, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. Listed on Roadside Thoughts with no real information.
Ewingtown	Wayne				All west of the old plat was called Ewingtown. From History of the Fort Wayne Fire Department : extracts from Fort Wayne, Indiana, newspapers by Weber, Donald Allen.
Fairport	Milan	24	May 1837	ghost town	Apparently the proprietors of the proposed town of Fairport had intended giving the small town of Fort Wayne some competition, as this was the largest plat recorded up to that time and one of the largest ever recorded in Allen County. It is thought that James Weldon and John Jamison were backed by eastern capital when they entered their plat. The year following, two additional plats to Fairport Were recorded, making a total of 675 lots in all. The original plat was located on both sides of the Wabash and Erie Canal, in the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 24, Milan Township, on the Maumee River and about half way between the Gronauer and Saylor locks of the old canal. Shortly after the plat was entered, George Foxtater opened a tavern for the convenience of travelers on the River Road and the canal. A post office was opened and John Irwin became the first postmaster. He also operated a tavern and a general store. An unsuccessful effort was made to create a thriving canal town here. The post office eventually removed to Chamberland on the Ridge Road to the north, now S. R. 37, and with the decline of the canal’s use, Fairport was soon forgotten. The Gronauer Lock was rediscovered during building of the I-469 bypass around Fort Wayne and was moved to the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis.
Fansler	Scipio			ghost town	Was located at the intersection of Allen and Worden Roads and had a post office and general store. Nothing remains of this community today.
Ferguson Station	Pleasant			ghost town	Located on the Fort Wayne,Muncie & Cincinnati Railroad from Craig Berndt email September 2021.
Fort Wayne	Wayne		1794	city	3 different forts were built in late 1790's-1800's, largest city in northeast Indiana. The county seat and second largest city in Indiana now covers most of Wayne, Washington, St. Joseph, Adams, and Aboite townships and part of neighboring Perry and Pleasant townships. The Wabash and Erie Canal and various railroads were built in the 1850's through Fort Wayne. Home to the Allen County Public Library, whose Genealogy Center, is the largest public genealogy library in the United States. Best known for the Fort Wayne Three Rivers Festival the second largest outdoor event in Indiana to the Indianapolis 500.
Frenchtown	Wayne		after 1846	Locality	Mentioned on page 11 in the St. Peter's Catholic Church, Diamond Jubilee, 1872-1947, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana at The Genealogy Center as the extreme southeast area of Fort Wayne in 1871. A more specific location is the Lafayette and Buchanan Streets area. Identified in the January 25, 1909 obituary of Mary Lenore Sallot Albert obituary. Born in 1842 France, Mary arrived with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James F. Sallot in Fort Wayne in 1846 by way of the port of New Orleans then the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and canals. When the Sallot's bought land at the corner of Lafayette and Buchanan Streets their home become the social center for local French residents who began to refer to the locality as Frenchtown as it was still known in 1909 when the obituary was published. Discussed April 17, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. According to literature available at the Historic Fort Wayne, in 1816 an area outside the fort was known as Frenchtown consisting of some French traders, Native Americans and a few women, down from the several thousand who populated the town in the 1790s. Copied from Old Fort celebrates state's Bicentennial by Jamie Duffy published June 12, 2016 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Found in the History of the Fort Wayne Fire Department : extracts from Fort Wayne, Indiana, newspapers by Weber, Donald Allen.
Gar Creek	Milan	34		village	Once a shipping point on the Wabash Railroad. A small community of 500 souls built up around the station. History of Gar Creek Mennonite Church, now extinct, is online. A 3 page article appeared in the March 2011 Allen County Lines quarterly newsletter.
Geneva	Maumee	14	November 1836	ghost town	Third of the paper towns of Maumee Township. Located about two miles northeast of Woodburn and one-half mile west of the Ohio-Indiana State line. C. C. Waterhouse entered the plat, but no headway was ever made toward settlement.
Georgetown	Springfield			changed name	See Hall's Corner
Gloyds	Perry	14		ghost town	Was possibly the area around Gloyd’s Grist Mill located where the Griffith Road intersects with the Auburn Road on Cedar Creek.
Goeglein	St. Joseph	26	1857	ghost town	Hardly large enough to be called a village, was the only trading spot in the township. Most know the area only by the popular Goeglein's Catering. Local resident Tim Goeglein was a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2008.
Gohrman	Marion			ghost town	Was a flag station on the Cincinnati, Richmond & Ft. Wayne Railroad from Craig Berndt email September 2021.
Gooseville	Wayne				Gooseville: Just South of the railroad tracks, Hoagland Street on the East, Fairfield Avenue on the West and Dawson Street (Williams) on the South. From the History of the Fort Wayne Fire Department : extracts from Fort Wayne, Indiana, newspapers by Weber, Donald Allen.
Grabill	Cedar Creek	S 24 N 25	1902	town	Came into being when Wabash Railroad was built from New Haven to Detroit. Located in southern part of Section 24 & northern part of Section 25. Llocally known for large Amish population which settled in early 1850's. Historic sign and a brief history on GeoCaching.com. Grabill Enjoy a Simpler Way of Life in Grabill, Indiana on Visit Fort Wayne blog. Episode 175: Leo and Grabill by Granite Ridge Builders interesting video includes some history and current events for Leo-Cedarville and Grabill.
Hadley	Aboite	1		ghost town	Shipping point on the Chicago & St. Louis Railroad
Hall’s Corners	Springfield	on line 13 14		ghost town	Village was never formally platted. A post office was established here in 1851 and named for Isaac Hall, the owner of a large tract of land at the village site. A general store was operated at Hall’s Corners for a number of years. A Methodist Church was built here and a number of dwellings erected. These have all vanished. Village was located on the old Ridge Road, now S. R. 37, about 3 ½ miles northwest of Harlan.
Hamilton	Cedar Creek			changed name	See Leo
Harlan	Springfield	28	December 1853	town	Harlan was platted by Mr. And Mrs. Lewis Reichelderfer. The unique incident of Springfield Township’s main town came in 1859 when a second town was platted immediately adjoining Harlan, only separated from it by a section line, and given the name of Maysville. These apparently rival towns grew up side by side. The post office was in Harlan, but for a time Maysville was the more popular name. Then the tide of public favor turned back to Harlan. Situated on S. R. 37, one of the main traffic routes, Harlan is not served by a railroad. Today the two towns are one and the official name is Harlan.
Heller’s Corners and Old Heller's Corner	Eel River	21 and 31	1830	ghost town	1898 map shows Heller's Corner in Section 21, with Old Heller's Corner in Section 31. Peter Heller settled in Section 31 about 1830 and shortly thereafter opened a general store and post office on the old Goshen Road near it’s crossing of the Eel River. A small village soon developed, became a very active center of trade, remained so until about 1870, when the Detroit, Eel River and Illinois Railroad was built through Churubusco a few miles to the north in Whitley County. Heller’s Corners soon passed out of existence. Heller's Corner article in the NEWSLETTER of the North Manchester Historical Society, Inc. VOLUME XIX, NUMBER 3 (AUGUST, 2002).
Hessen Cassel	Marion		June 6, 1863	unincorporated town	The St. Joseph Roman Catholic Parish was organized in 1841 and a church building was erected the same year on the old Piqua Road. The church property is located on the east side of the highway which is now U.S. 27. Opposite the church property was 33 platted lots. Two streets were included in the plat known as St. Joseph and George Streets. No improvements were ever made on the plat. Many of the early settlers in the vicinity migrated from Hesse-Kassel, Germany, for which the town was named.
Hoagland	Madison		1872	town	Stephen Emenhiser platted the village of Hoagland upon land belonging to himself, adjacent to the right of way of the Cincinnati, Richmond & Fort Wayne Railroad. Joseph Harrod at the same time gave to the railroad a plot of ground for the depot, stipulating that the new town should be called "Harrodsburg." The gift was accepted, but the agreement was not carried out, the name of Hoagland being substituted, in honor of Pliny Hoagland, of Fort Wayne, who was a director of the railroad. The post office in Hoagland was established on March 7, 1872 with James English appointed the first postmaster. From History of Hoagland from "The Hoagland Centennial, 1872-1972, Author - Hoagland Area Advancement Assoc. Inc. Five old school and building photos were posted December 10, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook. From page 628 of the 1917 Pictorial History of Fort Wayne by B. J. Griswold.
Huntertown	Perry		1869	town	On Lima Road and the only town in Perry Township, was a natural gathering place for settlers’ homes. Known as the “opening” it was the only spot for miles around that was not covered by forest. It was situated on a slight rise of ground with muck land both on the north and the south. At some earlier date these prairies had burned out, destroying the trees. A number of settlers lived in houses at “the opening” while making clearings for their farms. There had been a village there for some time before the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad crystallized the settlement into an organized town. As many as forty-five town lots were sold in one day after the plat was opened and Huntertown grew rapidly as a shopping center. Today Huntertown has a population of about 1350. See Huntertown Historical Society Family Files From the Huntertown Historical Society at The Genealogy Center.
Hurshtown	Cedar Creek			ghost town	Hurschtown – Urbana Mills was about three miles above Leo on the St. Joe River. A sawmill and gristmill were erected in 1871, a general store and school. A few homes were built in vicinity, but no town developed. The Hurschtown Bridge now spans the river at the site. Most know area only as the Hurshtown Reservoir built as an emergency water supply for the city of Fort Wayne, but has never been used.
Indiana City	Maumee	7 & 8	July 1836	ghost town	Second of the proposed towns of Maumee Township was Indiana City, platted by James Shirley. The site was located to the east of the present Bull Rapids Bridge, where the Bull Rapids Road crosses the Maumee River about one-quarter mile north of the Wabash and Erie Canal. Gregory Jackson opened a tavern and grog shop there in 1833, and a few homes were erected in the vicinity. The hardened crowd that frequented the Jackson barroom soon gained a bad reputation, his trade gradually fell sway, and the land was shortly afterward purchased by James Shirley, who platted a town there. The name of Indiana City could not disguise the former reputation of the locality, which has always been referred to as Bull Rapids. The source of the name Bull Rapids is shrouded in legend, the tradition being that an old hunter on reaching the Maumee rapids at this place encountered a bull buffalo browsing in the shallows of the river. The town never came into being, however in later years a Lutheran church was erected across the river from this site.
Irishtown	Wayne				Reference was made to Irishtown as being in the Sixth Ward near the corner of Duryea (Poplar) and Hoagland Streets. From the History of the Fort Wayne Fire Department : extracts from Fort Wayne, Indiana, newspapers by Weber, Donald Allen. Irishtown Neighborhood is on Facebook. Is mentioned with the death of a child Edward Conway on 28 September 1867 in the Peltier Mortuary Coffin Sales, 1862-1877, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Jericho	Marion	33	March 13, 1837	ghost town	Several proposed towns were platted in the south half of Marion Twp., the first one being Jericho, which was surveyed March 13, 1837, by David Hoover on the left bank of the St. Mary's River about one and one-half miles west of the old Piqua Road, new US 27, and three-quarters of a mile east of Williamsport (Poe). Jericho never developed beyond the plat.
Kraco	Eel River		1835	ghost town	A village called “Kraco” or Cracon was platted in 1835 by Asa Miller, on land on both sides of Eel River and Lake Township lines at intersection of Felger Road and U.S. 33. The main thoroughfare was 132 feet wide. Two and one-half acres were set aside for a public square to be known as Miller Park. Origin of name is uncertain, but was probably named to commemorate Krakow, the ancient capital of Poland. Town never materialized.
Leo	Cedar Creek	15 N 22	1849	town	Originally called Hamilton, about one mile father up the St. Joe River was more near the center of the township. Located in Section 15 and north quarter of Section 22. Today Leo - Cedarville is considered one town. Episode 175: Leo and Grabill by Granite Ridge Builders interesting video includes some history and current events for Leo-Cedarville and Grabill.
Lewisburg	Wayne		June 1837	ghost town	First township to be settled was of course Wayne. The first town platted in Wayne Township outside the city limits of Fort Wayne was Lewisburg. Waynedale was platted many years later. The Lewisburg plat was entered by Lewis Mason, and contained 48 lots. It was situated a little to the west of the center of Section 33. The Lewisburg Road, connecting the Lower Huntington Road and State Road 3, was named for this proposed town, which like many of these early plats, never materialized.
Little River P.O.	Pleasant			ghost town	No additional information available
Maples	Jefferson		1852	village	On the Pittsburgh-Fort Wayne Railroad, enjoyed activity that went with the lumber industry. Today it is quiet suburban village with its white church and a few homes.
Massilon	Madison	26	1851	ghost town	A small plat was entered by Adam Robinson in Sep 1851, which he designated as Massilon. Only nine lots included in the plat, located on the south section line of Section 26, about four miles southeast of the village of Hoagland. It was situated on what was then known as the Van Wert Road, and the only street included in the plat was named after the proprietor. There was a Lutheran Church there, but nothing remains today.
Maysville	Springfield			merged	See Harlan
Mechanicsburg	Wayne				Shown on a map of Fort Wayne in 1898. Bounded by Leith Street on the North, Calhoun Street on the West, Lafayette Street on the East, and Killea Street on the South. From the History of the Fort Wayne Fire Department : extracts from Fort Wayne, Indiana, newspapers by Weber, Donald Allen.
Middletown	Marion	NW 17	April 15, 1851	ghost town	The Piqua Road, now U.S. Highway 27, was one of the principal routes leading to Fort Wayne from the south. The road was planked in 1850, and several trading centers were built along this thoroughfare, the most important of which was Middletown, situated in the northwest quarter of Section 17 in Marion Township. The town became a very active community center, only to decline and eventually pass out of existence after the building of the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne Railroad through Hoagland, three miles to the east of Middletown.
Milan Center	Milan	15 & 16		Feed & Grain store	Was located at the intersection of the Milan Center Road and the Doty Road. In 1880 there was a general store at the intersection.
Monroeville	Monroe		1852	town	For the first ten years was a mail station on the railroad. Platted by Jacob and John Barnhart. After the civil war, three or four large stave plants established there. Manufacture of staves and heading for oil barrels, which were shipped to oil refineries in the Pennsylvania oil fields were the industries responsible for Monroeville’s growth. Flouring mill of Dague and Brothers flourished with an output of one hundred barrels of flour a day and large quantities were shipped to Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Town of Monroeville today has a population of about 1300. There are many Monroeville titles in the online catalog at the Allen County Public Libraryinlcuding A time to remember who we are ; a historical resume of the settlement of Monroeville in conjunction with the Indiana State Sesquicentennial by Trentadue, Helene Blauvelt at The Genealogy Center. Old Time Monroeville, Indiana on Facebook.
Mosier	Milan	NW 35	July 1854	ghost town	Joseph Mosier platted a village on his land, adjacent to the newly constructed Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis Railroad right-of-way. The site of the plat was about one-half mile northeast of the village of Gar Creek in the southeast portion of the township. The plat never developed.
Nail	Jefferson	NE 28		unknown	Seen on the 1898 map for Jefferson Township.
New Haven	Adams		1839	town	Shortly after Wabash and Erie Canal opened to traffic town came into being. Located at “Gundy’s Deadening”, eight miles east of Fort Wayne, hoped to profit from movement on canal. Town platted by Eben & Henry Burgess. Incorporated in 1866. Eban Burgess sold eight acres to son Henry in 1836 for $1,600, the younger Burgess platted the area and named the fledgling settlement New Haven after the family's hometown in Connecticut. See our New Haven page.
Nine Mile	Pleasant	7		village	Where the Winters Road, Indianapolis Road (S. R. 3) and Coverdale Road cross. This area at one time had three churches.
Nine-Mile House	Marion			changed name	See Root Post Office
Phelps Station	Maumee	20		changed name	See Woodburn
Pierson	Lake	16 & 17	1853	ghost town	Goshen Road, first road built through Township, was surveyed in 1830. Samson Pierson who migrated from Ohio to Lake Township, in 1835 erected the first mill. He settled a little to the west of the center of the township on the old plank road, known as the Leesburg Road. Later, he moved to Iowa, but during his stay in Lake Township proved to be a very active and progressive citizen. The Plank Road Company erected a steam mill near Pierson’s land in 1849. William Thorpe purchased the mill from the company in 1850 and operated it as a planning mill until sold by him to A. N. and O. D. Holt. About this time, a general store was operated near the mill. A plat of seven lots was entered by Samson Pierson in August 1853, and named after him. The plat was located in Sections 16 & 17 on the south section line near the old mill. The site of this plat is near the crossing of the Leesburg Road and U.S. 30 about two miles north of the town of Arcola. No activity took place here other than the mill.
Poe	Marion			name changed from Williamsport	See Williamsport. Also Stories about the history of Poe : Allen County, Indiana, on the letterhead of Fort Wayne chapter, Order of DeMolay
Potter's Station	Eel River	4		changed name	See Ari
Preusse Six Mile	Adams		1828	ghost town	First primitive gristmill built in the county
Randall P.O.	Lake			ghost town	Settlement details unknown
Root Post Office	Marion			changed name	Also known as Bubb's Nine Mile, At the intersection of U.S. 27 and the Flat Rock Road in Marion Twp. was formerly a tavern know as the Nine-Mile House. The Root Post Office was located there until removed to Middletown.
Royville					Sign at Coldwater and Union Chapel Roads says Royville. A family named Roy lived in the area. Discussed November 25, 2017 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook
Saylor’s Lock	Maumee		1841	tavern	Locks were built at intervals along the Wabash and Erie Canal. One of the best known in the area was the Saylor Lock. In 1841 Elrich Saylor, Sr. moved near the lock and cared for the lock. He kept a tavern for travelers.
Sheldon	Pleasant		1869	name changed to Yoder	See Yoder. Shown on the map Maps of New Haven, Arcola, Sheldon, and Cedarville in Allen County, Indiana at We Do History digital collection by the Indiana Historical Society. Shown on the map Pleasant Township, Ninemile P.O., Ferguson Station, Sheldon at Historic Map Works. The church record book Sheldon Circuit, Methodist Episcopal Church, 1879-1891, Allen County, Indiana is at the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Sheldon Family Association files are at our local The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Shirley City	Maumee	20		changed name	See Woodburn
Smith Mills	Jackson	on line 33 34		ghost town	A mile west of Baldwin, became active after the Findlay, Fort Wayne and Western Railroad extended its line westward through Jackson Township to Fort Wayne. Surrounding country was heavily timbered, which combined with new transportation outlet, created ideal location for lumber fabricating plant. William and Charles Smith operated steam sawmill, hoop and heading factory for a number of years until timber supply vanished and railroad was abandoned. Mills employed forty to fifty men, with their families resided in the vicinity. Was located on line between Sections 33 and 34, one mile west of the Ohio-Indiana State line. All traces of the former settlement have vanished.
Soest	Marion		1861	ghost town	On Wayne Trace the village of Soest was a settlement of German Lutheran families. The Emanuel Lutheran Church and school are the center of activity there.
South Wayne	Wayne		1888	merged	The town no longer exists, yet it can hardly be classed as a ghost town, as it is now one of the beautiful residence sections of the city of Fort Wayne. The first effort to incorporate the community as a town was made in 1872, when a petition was signed and presented to the County Board of Commissioners by Judge R. S. Taylor, S. B. Bond, C. B. Bond, Judge John Morris, Dr. Isaac Knapp, G. E. Bursley, H. C. Hartman, Judge James A. Fay, Daniel Markey, Judge L. M. Ninde, and many others. However, many difficulties ensued and much litigation followed. Not until 1888 were efforts to incorporate successful. The town retained its corporate status until the year 1894, when it was annexed by the city of Fort Wayne. The town occupied that portion of Fort Wayne lying south of Creighton Ave. and west of Webster St. A Board of Town Trustees composed of William J. Vesey, Harry W. Ninde and Owen N. Heaton. Also discussed in South Wayne Places.
Stoners	Perry	4		ghost town	Was at the intersection of Shoaff Road, Kell Road and the Fort Wayne & Jackson Railroad, from Craig Berndt email September 2021.
Summerset	Milan	22	December 1834	ghost town	George Platter and Jacob Wendell platted the proposed town on the south bank of the Maumee River, near a point commonly referred to as Five Points, which is the intersection of the Webster Road and U.S. 24. Nothing every developed here.
Taw-Taw (Tah-Tah)	Lake	NE 29	1840's	ghost town	The first post office in the 1840’s township was established in John Crawford’s house, at a place known as Tah-Tah or Taw-Taw, in honor of an Indian.
Thurman	Milan	19		ghost town	On the Detroit branch of the Wabash Railroad.
Tillman	Jefferson		1898	unincorporated town	On the Findlay, Fort Wayne & Western Railroad, from Craig Berndt email September 2021. Only Tillman remains today to mark the route of the railroad.
Townley	Jackson	31	1890	unincorporated town	Came into prominence after construction of Findlay, Fort Wayne and Western Railroad. Village was never formally platted but developed into quite an active trade center. A general store, grain elevator and a church existed, and a number of residences. A severe tornado struck Townley March 28, 1920, completely wrecking the village, and killing four of its residents. No rebuilding was ever done, for in the meantime, the railroad had been abandoned and there was little incentive for further activity. Townley was located in the northeast quarter of Section 31 on the route of the present U.S. 30.
Urbana Mills	Cedar Creek			changed name	See Hurschtown
Vermilyea	Aboite	32		locality	First post office in township, located at the Vermilyea House, stop on the Wabash and Erie Canal
Wallen	Washington		1870	locality	Village of Wallen was platted after the construction of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. For several years some quite important industries flourished in the town. Most prominent being a large saw mill and tile yard. Today a church and Washington Center Elementary School stand as centers of activity. The considerable groupings of suburban homes in the area have been built along S. R. 3, the groceries and other businesses are now on the highway and what remains of the village stands little away from things, almost unnoticed.
Walnut Ridge	Springfield	14		ghost town	Was a community surrounding the Walnut Ridge Lutheran Church on S. R. 37.
Waynedale	Wayne		1922	merged	1958 annexed into Fort Wayne, but maintains separate name. Has own local newspaper the Waynedale News.
Wesley Chapel	Eel River	20		ghost town	New Heller’s Corners – Wesley Chapel was located at what is today the Wesley Chapel Road and Watterson Road. All that remains is the Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church.
Williamsport	Marion		1848	changed name	The town of Williamsport was established at Muldoon's Mill on the St. Mary's River in 1848 on land owned by William Essig from whom it derived its name. Click William Essig's link for more information. When the post office was established it was found that the name Williamsport was already on the map of Indiana so the post office was given the title of Poe. An addition was platted in 1874 and the town attained a population of about one hundred. Stories about the history of Poe : Allen County, Indiana, on the letterhead of Fort Wayne chapter, Order of DeMolay. When did the Williamsport name change to Poe? May 28, 2024 discussion on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook. Here are some representative newspaper articles that mention both names. There were a couple more similar articles found than shown here. 1884 - James Esig of Wiliamsport (Poe P.O.) newspaper clipping October 6, 1884 in The Daily Gazette Fort Wayne says James Esig, of Williamsport, (Poe P.O.) Ind. at Newspapers.com. 1898 - Postmaster La Follette at Williamsport - Peremptorily Removed - of Poe aka Williamsport says George W. LaFollette, M. D. of Poe, Allen county, better known as Williamsport, Ind. in January 28, 1898 in the Fort Wayne Daily News at Newspapers.com. 1901 - History of Poe Chapel - Sketch Devoted Congregation Pastors - laying cornerstone M. E. Church September 23, 1901 in The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette only mentions Williamsport as a church circuit at Newspapers.com. See Poe M. E. Church. 1908 - Nearly Killed in a Drunken Brawl - Jap Redding - Nearly Killed - Poe or Williamsport September 26, 1908 in the Fort Wayne Daily News says In a drunken brawl at Poe, or Williamsport, eight miles southeast of this city in Marion township at Newspapers.com. 1911 - Mrs. Lillie Sargent Wilhelm - Poe - Williamsport Cemetery obituary February 27, 1911 in the Fort Wayne Daily News mentions Poe, Poe M. E. Church, and Wiliamsport Cemetery at Newspapers.com. 1913 - Stone Roads - Petition for Seventeen Miles in Marion Township - through Williamsport December 10, 1913 says the stone road will go through Williamsport in the Fort Wayne Daily News at Newspapers.com.
Woodburn	Maumee	20	1865	city of 1,600+ in 2014, second smallest city in Indiana (passing Cannelton with 1,532 in 2014), web site: cityofwoodburn.org	In August 1855 the Wabash Railroad completed the construction of the section of railroad from the Indiana and Ohio state line to Fort Wayne. The town was known as Phelps Station, when it was nothing more than a station on the railroad. In 1865 Joseph K. Edgerton and Joseph Smith platted the town of Woodburn. In 1895 William Gernhardt platted an addition to the town and called it Shirley City, which was the name also used to incorporate the town. In February 1956 a special meeting was called, and the official name of Shirley City was changed to Woodburn. The town was slow to develop, probably because of the swampy condition of the land. When the railroad cut through this woodland, it opened the way for men like Joseph K. Edgerton, who at one time owned more than one half of the land in Maumee Township to found the town at this location were there was plenty of timber, fertile soil, the railroad and the river. The town has continued to grow and improve with the years. See Woodburn on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopediaand Woodburn, Indiana WikiVisually. Stucky Brothers appliance company was formed here in 1914. Local resident Lloy Ball was on the winning 2008 USA Men's Olympic Volleyball Team in Beijing, China. Woodburn Celebrating 150th Birthday video by Eric Olson uploaded May 5, 2015 on 21AliveNews.com
Yoder	Pleasant		1869	town	Sheldon came into being after the construction of the Fort Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati Railroad. Andrew J. Taylor made the original plat, arranged with the railroad for siding facilities for his carriage business. The village was named Sheldon in honor of the superintendent of the railroad. The railroad in later years changed the name of the station to Yoder. The carriage business flourished and built an enviable reputation for their wares. The carriages were sold by action at the plant and sale day often brought as many as a thousand buyers to the town. The Taylor buggy was the popular conveyance of the period. Other industries were drawn to the town. In its heyday Sheldon had a tile plant with three large kilns, two saw mills, a cooperage plant, two grain elevators, a bank, two hotels, the stores and shops that go with such a town and an outstanding and notorious reputation for murderous fights and brawls. See maps and photos on Sheldon/Yoder on diginit.com
Zanesville	Lafayette			town	Small town that straddles the Allen and Wells County line. Zanesville still exists today, the major part of the town being in Wells County.
Zulu	Jefferson	SW 24 NW 25	1864	village	Had a general store and steam saw mill, until recently Billy's Downtown Zulu which closed was about the only thing in Zulu