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 DeKalb
County was organized in 1836, and was named in honor of the Baron DeKalb,
a German Nobleman, who joined the American Army during the Revolutionary
War, was made a General, and was killed in the Battle of Camden. It is bounded
north by Steuben, east by the State of Ohio, south by Allen and west by Noble
County. Its length from east to west is twenty and a half miles, from north
to south eighteen miles. The following are the civil townships, viz: Butler,
Jackson, Concord, Newville, Stafford, Wilmington, Union, Richland, Fairfield,
Smithfield, Franklin and Troy.
The population of DeKalb County in 1840 was 1,968; it is now [1849] about 6,000. The surface of the country is generally undulating, and with the exception of a few wet prairies, covered mostly with heavy timber. The St. Joseph River runs about twelve miles through the southeast corner of the county, and the other parts of it are well watered by Cedar Creek and its numerous branches. The timber and soil are generally of a very good quality, and the latter is well adapted to wheat, corn, oats, grass, etc. As yet there are no manufacturing establishments of any consequence, and though there are twelve sawmills, there is but one good gristmill. There are five stores, three lawyers, twelve physicians, six preachers, and the usual proportion of carpenters, shoemakers, blacksmiths, etc. The home market up to this time has consumed the products of the county, but the character of the soil is such that when it is improved, as it soon will be, there will be a large surplus of wheat, flour, pork, beef, and other articles for exportation. AT present, whatever surplus is exported is taken to Fort Wayne, Toledo, Ohio, or Hillsdale, in Michigan. The prevailing religious denominations are Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists and United Brethren, and there are several others, less, however, in number. The number of acres of taxable land in the county is 194,862, and about 30,000 acres still belong to the United States. |
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