AMERICA By Ron Woodward The year was 1837. It wasn't the best of years. The nation, and the west in particular, was suffering from a severe depression. It was an unsure time to be starting a community. Yet, that is just what Jesse D. Scott and Elihu Garrison did. They laid out the town of America in Liberty township on Section 23, Township 26, Range 7E. The plat was recorded October 16, 1837. This was the first town to be laid out in Liberty township. The plat contained four blocks of eight lots each, the north and south street being the Lagro & Marion road. At the time this was the major road leading to the canal warehouses at Lagro. Today, it is simply known as the America Road. By 1850 the road was a toll road and in that year was laid with planks. It was the most direct route from the south to the Wabash and Erie Canal and drew farmers from as far south as Anderson and Muncie. The proprietors of the new town, both from the White Water Valley, advertised their offspring as situated in a "rich fertile section of the county, and it may be added that it is as healthy, perhaps, as any in the world." The history of this community was tied to the history of the Wabash and Erie Canal. It grew to importance during the heyday of the canal and died with the canal. What killed America, killed the canal – the railroad. Scott and Garrison began to sell lots in November of 1837. A post office was established in the town on February 18, 1837 and George K. Cooke was the first postmaster. He had served in the War of 1812 and was at the Battle of New Orleans. It was disconinued in 1867. Alpheus Blackman also served as postmaster. The first lots to be sold in the town were to James Hull (1,7,8). William Garrison (11,12,13,14), William Kent (30, 32), Edward S. Sutton (21, 22), William Spradling (17), and Jackson Wise (19, 20). William Garrison built the first house. The first store in the community was opened by Elihu Garrison. Peter Spencer was the first blacksmith. Ira C. McNeil had the first wagon shop. Dr. James Hull operated the first tavern which also served as a meeting place and a primitive hotel. Other hotels were run by Alpheus Blackman and in 1848 George Moore. Ed Busick also operated a tavern in the only brick house between Marion and Lagro. He also ran a grocery in America. The first Baptist Church in Wabash County was organized in the town of America, America Baptist Church, at the home of Jesse D. Scott. In June of 1855 it was consolidated with Antioch Baptist Church in LaFontaine. There was a school in the town and in the early days America figured quite often in the newspapers of the time as the most popular place for holding church, Sunday School and political meetings. Fourth of July celebrations attracted political officials of local, state and national importance. Scyhuler Colfax, later to become vice president, spoke at a political rally at America. In 1855 America formed a band of militiamen. They became quite expert at their training and entertained the citizens during their weekend training. On October 19th they attacked a general encampment of the Ashland Guards on Grant Creek. The forces from America were under the command of Gen. J.C. McNeil and Major Stephen Calaway. Unfortunately they were forced to retreat by the Ashland Guards. At one time America contained two general stores, two blacksmith shops, two cabinet shops, one attorney and two physicians. James Stoops who operated a general store, also bought pork and at times had half an acre of barrels stacked about waiting to be shipped to Lagro and on to New York. At its height in the 1850s, there were nearly 50 residences in America. With the completion of the C.W. & M. railroad through Ashland (now LaFontaine), in 1873, America began to disappear. By 1904, only one building was left standing. Today all that is left of this once prosperous community is the little cemetery of America where lie buried the remains of early pioneers who had such great hopes for the community of America.