Editor’s note: This is part of a historical series. The following is information from a 1986 article. The article is from the files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society. 

MILFORD — Indian settlement of our area was slow because of the many humid bogs, swamps and lakes, but in time the lure of abundant furs, fowl, deer, buffalo and fish brought about their arrival.

The first inhabitants of Milford and Van Buren Township, excluding possible pre-historic ones, were the Miami, who came about 1750, and the more numerous and warlike Potawatomi, who arrived a few years later.

By the time the first white men entered Van Buren Township, many Indian villages existed. The principal village in our township being that of Wawasee or Waubee, which was located off the southeast end of present day Waubee Lake, and contained about 75 tribesmen.

Wawasee was a minor Miami chief and the brother of the great Chief Papakeechie (Flat Belly). Wawasee, like his brother, was quite large and strong and wore a fish bone of silver through his nose. After the tribes were removed to Kansas, Wawasee escaped, returned to his ancestral home and finally disappeared into Michigan around 1839.

The first white man to make an impact on Van Buren Township was the French Canadian trader, Dominque Rouseau, who built his post between the present day sites of Milford and Leesburg. Dominique is believed to have married first, to a daughter of Chief Wawasee and second, Aggie Ervin. The Rouseau family eventually moved into Leesburg, where Dominique died in 1845.

In October of 1832, a treaty was signed near Rochester, Ind., and released for settlement land, which included Van Buren Township. March 1833 saw approximately 30 families congregated to settle on Little Turkey Prairie. According to history books, William Felkner arrived just a few days before the others, claimed land near what is now Waubee Lake, and built a home for his family. Although it is disputed by some, the first white child to be born in Kosciusko County is said to have been Rachel Felkner, born to William and his wife, Mary Ann, on May 15, 1833.

A family tradition tells that his baby girl was at one point adopted by the neighboring Indians, supposedly to fill the void left by the death of a little Indian princess.

Felkner, being a man of firsts; was the first county commissioner from Van Buren Township and had the first township school, a log structure, built in 1833, with John Woods as the teacher. 

Milford, which is reported to have been at one time called “Pucker Huddle,” was platted on April 10, 1836, by Judge Aaron M. Perrine, who named four streets for his children: Catherine, Emeline, Henry and James. Judge Perrine encouraged settlement of the town by opening his home as a hotel.

The name Milford, or “Mill on the Ford,” was delivered from the mill located near the ford across Turkey Creek on the south edge of the village. A number of sawmills have operated on the creek, including those of John Robinson, who built one of the first houses in Milford, and John Egbert, who also built a grist mill on the creek in 1839.

As more people settled in the township and town, the need for goods and services grew. A blacksmith shop was started in 1836 by Samuel Sacket and medical care was available by 1839 when Dr. Nathan Chamberlin, also a postmaster, began his practice.

During this period, Joseph Godwin erected the first “real” hotel, and merchants, Chipman and Dolittle, started their business. Before railroads came to the area, a string of hacks and a stage line operated every day except Sunday, and carried mail, passengers and freight. 

The years prior to the Civil War brought more settlement and increased activity. By the early 1850’s, the Methodists had organized congregations and other denominations were beginning to form, Dr. Edward Higbee even built his home, a large imposing home on South Main St. in Milford, with a hospital for the Civil War wounded in mind.

Following the war, the community grew at a rapid pace, The Cincinnati, Wabash and Michigan (later the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis or the Big Four) came in 1870, running north and south, and in 1874 the Baltimore and Ohio was built running east and west. At their junction just north of Milford, a small community sprang up and was known as Shakespeare, but later the name was changed to Milford Junction.

Newspapers, which are always an indispensable part of any community, first came into print in Milford in 1878 with the establishment of the Times. The editor was J. A. Werntz, a dedicated prohibitionist. The Milford Mail, which began in 1888, was the forerunner of today’s Mail Journal and was edited by W.E Groves, a Methodist lay minister.

Milford was incorporated in 1880, with the first officers being Isaac Hall, president; John Hoppengarner, clerk; David Becknell, treasurer; and James Hoffman, marshal.

Some of the businesses that were in operation by the turn of the century were: Two grain elevators, which were operated by Whethen and Hibgee and by Martin and Felkner; an ice house, located just west of the present Waubee bathing beach; a furniture store and undertaking parlor owned by Keltner and Brittsan (the first undertaker had been Henry Heightsmith); many gravel pits and a marl pit in Waubee Lake; a tannery; stockyards; implements; making of pottery and the manufacturing of hot water heating systems.

Since 1888, the first successful bank, Miles and Higbee, had been in operation.

Over the years, fires have played a part in the town. Milord’s first industry, the hub and spoke factory that had been built in 1876, was burned in 1880. Several times over the years, sawmills have been destroyed. And in 1902m the entire east side of the business district burned to the ground.

In circa 1906, the Winona Interurban was completed and ushered in a new era, making travel to other communities an everyday occurrence.

Agriculture and agriculture-related businesses have always been the mainstay of Milford and Van Buren Township. Not only have crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat been grown and livestock been raised; but onions, mints, pickles, (there was a processing plant in Milford), hemp and poultry have been profitable products over the years.

Education had been an important segment of the Van Buren-Milford area. Following the early subscription system, the township was divided into several districts with each having its own building, such as the Crowl and Frog Pond schools. These institutions rarely offered higher grades. In 1914, a new school was built in Milford at the corner of Road 15 and Emeline Street. It replaced the one built in 1878, which had been the first school in Milford proper. The new structure served the area until it became necessary to provide additional space. The old city park and croquet courts were purchased in 1955 to build a schoolhouse for grades one through five. The Lakeland Community School Corp. (now the Wawasee School Corp.) consolidated the villages of Syracuse, North Webster and Milford in 1968 and Wawasee High School was formed. In 1982, due to deteriorating conditions, the Milford Junior High School was demolished and the students were moved to a new facility adjacent to the grade school.

The Concord Church was the first church to be built in the township in 1847. The first church building in Milford was constructed in 1867 and housed the Methodist congregation. Today, the Milford area has many and diverse denominations. These include: Apostolic Christian, Bethel Church of the Brethren, First Brethren, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Milford Christian, Methodist, Church of the Brethren and The Spanish-speaking Assembly of God.

Social and service clubs have played an integral part in the lives of the residents over the years. Some of the earlier groups were The Grand Army of the Republic, Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, Children’s Loyal Temperance Union, Horse Thief Protective Association, Young Men’s Shooting Club and numerous musical organizations that performed at the opera house. Today, Milford has many such groups including Kiwanis, Lions, American Legion, Junior Chamber of Commerce, two reading circles, Masonic Lodge, Parent-Teacher Organization, senior citizens and many church related groups.

In 1986, Milford is a thriving town of about 1,200 people. The town and surrounding community have the best of all situations. The quiet and beauty of the lakes, woods and fertile fields and the convenience of large shopping areas not too distant. Milford Economic Development and Milford Area Development organizations have successfully promoted the building of new housing and attracted industry and new people. The community has a highly trained emergency service available and a well-equipped volunteer fire department. Two bank branches, a fine library, three doctors, a nursing home, a dentist, a lawyer and two veterinarian facilities are located in Milford to serve the area residents.

The town board members are: Jean Treesh, president; Dennis Wuthrick; Darrel Orn; Monica Bice, clerk/treasurer; and Bill Knowles, street commissioner. David Hobbs is the town marshal and Aaron Rovestine is the deputy. 

Van Buren Township and Milford have successfully combined traditions of hard work and recreation, agriculture and commerce and many ethnic groups, including a large Spanish-speaking community, a thriving Amish population and a growing Oriental group. Emphasis is placed on home, church, school and community.