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Baron Johann DeKalb
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Named for American Revolutionary War hero Baron Johann de Kalb, a German Nobleman, who rose to the rank of General and died for the American Cause. He died devoted to American independence and was greatly honored by his contemporaries. Several towns and counties in the U.S. are named DeKalb after him.
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A Few Historical Facts About DeKalb County
- DeKalb County is divided into 15 Civil Townships as follows: Butler, Concord, Fairfield, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, Keyser, Newville, Richland, Smithfield, Spencer, Stafford, Troy, Union and Wilmington.
- DeKalb County was organized February 2, 1837 becoming effective May 1, 1837.
- Auburn became the County Seat May 1, 1837. First settled in 1836 by W. Park, by 1849 it contained fifty houses, all of wood, and 300 inhabitants; the public buildings consisted of a Courthouse along with offices for the Clerk, Recorder and Auditor.
- A disastrous fire occurred February 8, 1913, which destroyed part of the county records, among which were all the records of the County Clerk.
- According to the Society of Indiana Pioneers, an individual was a pioneer of our county if they resided here on or before December 31, 1840.
- Indiana automobile License Plates issued in DeKalb County start with the prefix 17 because it is the seventeenth county in alphabetical listing.
1849 DeKalb County Retrospect
Source: Indiana County History Historical Society
Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain
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.
1938 DeKalb County Retrospect
Source: Indiana County History Historical Society
Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature
DeKalb County is located in the northeastern part of the state, its eastern line being part of the Ohio boundary. Through the southeastern corner for a distance of about twelve miles runs the St. Joseph River. Cedar Creek, with its numerous branches, flows through the other parts of the county.
There are fifteen townships within DeKalb County's 370 square miles. The incorporated cities are: Auburn, 5,088, and Garrett, 4,428; towns: Butler, 1,643; Altona, 342; Corunna, 268; Saint Joe, 407, and Waterloo, 1,244. County populations: 1890, 24,307; 1900, 25,711; 1910, 25,054; 1920, 25,600; 1930, 24,911.
Auburn is situated twenty-three miles northeast of Fort Wayne and is served by two railroads. Two National and four State Highways criss-cross the county. The city's manufactured products include automobile tires, rubber soles, furniture, tool handles, cement blocks, rugs, harness, cigar lighters, cheese cutters, gasoline engines, furnaces, cigars, flour, and drugs. There is also a foundry, machine shop, and works for marble, vulcanizing, sheet metal, and bottling.
On the Courthouse ground in Auburn is a Soldiers' Monument, dedicated to the Spanish-American War veterans. The county has a number of other historical markers. In Spencerville a granite boulder with bronze tablet erected by the DeKalb County Historical Society marks the site of the first settlement in the county. There is a monument to the Civil War veterans in the cemetery at St. Joe. This memorial was erected in 1911 by the G. A. R. local post and the citizens of the vicinity. The post of the G. A. R. of Newville in 1893 placed a similar marker in their cemetery in memory of their Civil War veterans.
According to federal census figures of 1935, this county had twenty-four industries employing 842 wage earners, pay rolls for which totaled $841,717. The industrial produce value was $4,180,160.
The 2,360 farms in the county were valued at $10,624,228, the average size being 92 acres. A total of 65,090 head of livestock was reported.
The county's tax valuation for 1936 was $27,047,130.
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