SERVIA (NEW MADISON) by Ron Woodward Servia was first known as New Madison. The name was changed when the Erie Railroad went through in 1883. Since there was already a Madison, Indiana they thought the name should be changed. Servia was platted by Peter Honius in 1856 with 30 lots in Section 22 Township 29 Range 7E. It was half way between Lagro and Liberty Mills on the Lagro and Manchester Road. Cross streets are Smith, Tanner, Sims and Bidwell. Before the creation of the town the area had the distinction of being the headquarters of the Witt gang that terrorized northern Indiana in the 1830s. Their headquarters were on Pony Creek east of Servia. The gang was made up of horse thieves, counterfeiters, murderers and petty thieves. Witt, the leader, was described as being about 30 years old, weighing over 200 pounds but very muscular and powerful. He liked playing cards and gambling. He was known for his dissolute habits and would occasionally get drunk and raise quite a commotion. Miami Indians complained that their valuable horses were stolen by his gang. His favorite methods of attracting horses was to place salt around and as they ate it creep up and rope them. He disappeared from the area by 1840. By 1875 there were seventeen buildings in town including a school house, post office (Christian Steller postmaster), grocery store and steam sawmill. The sawmill was begun by Storey & Bowser and supplied the lumber for the North Manchester to Lagro Plank Road. Other owners have been John Honius, Reed & West, David Wright, and Honius & Co. The lumber sawn from rough logs into pieces for wagon material which is shipped to the Studebaker Bros., South Bend. About 1900 the mill was moved to Jasper, Indiana. After the canal, the railroad gave Servia impetus to the growth of the town and for many years was its principle source of income. Servia at one time was an important shipping depot for milk produced in the area. The Erie became the Erie-Lackawanna railway and later part of the ConRail system. It also brought to the community several grocery stores, blacksmith shops, harness shop, millinery, several saloons, an opera house, and three hotels which took care of workers on the railroad and travelers. The last hotel was the Climax House which burned in the 1930s. In the early hours of July 1, 1907 a fire broke out which threatened to engulf the community. It began in a blacksmith shop on Tanner and Main and spread north to Main Street. The town had no fire equipment so the people of the community turned out with buckets to battle the blaze. At one point more than a dozen buildings were on fire. George Emrick and Douglas Winesburg climbed to the roof of a brick business building next to the post office and doused embers that landed. There efforts saved the post office and nearby hotel from destruction. However, many businesses destroyed were never rebuilt. In 1911 Servia played a small role in U.S. history which would be reenacted 75 years later. In that year a daredevil pilot named Cal Rodgers became the first man to fly an airplane across the United States. His airplane was the Vin Fiz Flyer and actually a biplane purchased from the Wright Brothers. He flew from Sheepshead Bay, New York to Pasadena, Ca. This flight set the first major American Aviation endurance and distance record as well as the first transcontinental flight. He landed 69 times and had 15 accidents. At Huntington he had wrecked his plane avoiding a crowd of people. After having it fixed he took off following the Erie Railroad tracks. On October 6, 1911 twenty one minutes after leaving he passed over Servia on to Laketon then Levings for a tower stop and on through Disko. In 1986 on the 75th anniversary of the flight Jim Lloyd of New York followed his flight path in a replica of the Vin Fiz Flyer. October 2nd he was grounded because of weather and landed at the Servia Airport. Many citizens of Servia turned out to see the historic plane and it was featured in local newspapers as well. The airport was a grass field on the north edge of Servia. In 1925 Servia began celebrating what were called Servia Big Days. This became an annual homecoming event with all kinds of events. One contest which attracted a large amount of attention was the Liars Contest. Contestants came from neighboring states as well as all over Indiana to participate. Many other contests called forth the talent of the residents of this small community. By the 1970s this became the Servia Kid's Days with a parade, pot luck, movie, contests, games and other entertainment. In 1953 Servia had the following businesses Bonnie's Grill and Barber Shop, Erie RR Passenger and Freight station, Mutual Grain Co. Servia Christian Church, Servia school, the Village Store run by R. & M. Barnhouse and G.H. Walters & Sons Poultry. There were forty-seven buildings in the town with a population of about 147. The Servia of 1959 had an elevator, a general store and egg and chicken market and a post office. The once active milk station closed in the 1950s and the building was used for storage. Stanley Jordan spent a half day at the depot. The general store closed around 1972. By 1976 Servia still had the elevator and fertilizer plant, monument business and also the post office. There were approximately 80 homes in the town. In 1979 the Servia Community Association began to make a park for the children of the community. Money was raised and park laid out where the original log cabin school used to be. Playground equipment was set up for the children to use. About 1866 a group of Disciples of Christ under Elder Bryant Fannin purchased a lot in Servia and built a substantial brick church. The original building had two entrances on the west side; the pulpit stood between them facing east. Families funding its building were Aughinbaugh, Foust, Hanley, Hevel, Hidy, Honius, Johnston, Kennedy, Krisher, Kuhle, Mowrer, Pauling, Shaubhut, Shock, Slusser, Steel, Steller, Voorhis, Walker, and Young. It was named the New Madison Christian Church and later changed to Servia Christian Church. In 1931 it became the Servia United Church of Christ (Congregational Christian) was an active church. In 1931-2 the building was extensively remodeled. The front was changed to make one entrance, the pulpit was moved to the east end of the room on a raised platform with a choir box. A new furnace, pews and floors were also added as well as a balcony over the entrance. Sunday school rooms and a kitchen were also added. In 1959-60 the present entrance, vestibule, classrooms and a fellowship hall were constructed. A parsonage was built to the south of the church in 1965. By 1975 the church had a membership of 200. The first school in the area was a log cabin school in 1857. It was located where the town park is today. In 1886 a two story brick building was built. By 1899 it had 9 grades with 100 students and teachers. This building was replaced in 1914 on the same site and used until 1957. The school was discontinued with the consolidation of the Chester- Manchester schools and later torn down.