Schools of Erie Twp., Miami County

There were five schools in Erie Twp. until 1917, at which time the consolidated school was built. Log schools were built, replaced with frame buildings, then brick buildings. The five schools were: Cattin, Marken, California, Long Island, and Pikes Peak.
There were four classrooms in the consolidated school at Erie. The school has a full basement divided into two restrooms, a domestic science room, and a manual training room.
The Cattin school was the first school house made of bricks. Ulysses Cattin donated one-half acre for the school. The first schoolhouse, built on the Cattin farm in 1850, was of hewn-logs. The next schoolhouse built of brick was one-half mile to the northwest of the log cabin schoolhouse. It was built somewhere between 1878 and 1887. The schoolroom was heated with a large round stove. They secured water from an old wooden pump. After many years of use it was broken- so the children had to carry water from a nearby house. The teachers of the first schools were only paid $25. a year. Some of that paid in coonskins and grain. They had to carry the wood, build fires, and do the sweeping. Much different from today wouldn't you say?

Osage Village

The most important village of this county was Osage, on the bank of the Mississinewa, one mile above its mouth, but two miles above Peru. This was doubtless, the largest Miami village belonging to the tribe. It took its name from that of Osage, its first chief. It was a beautiful sight for a village, but is now a vast cornfield. She-pa-can-nah, or Deaf Man, was a war chief of this village. He married Francis Slocum, the Indian captive, and established, what was called Deaf Man's Village, further up the river, on the edge of Wabash county. There were also other small villages at different points.

Pointers given to Painters

Olaf Hemdal, manager of the Peru Lumber Company entertained twenty painters at Smithy's Playhouse on North Wayne Street. The Jewell Paint and Varnish Co. of Chicago, cooperated with Mr. Hemdal in providing a representative who discussed salesmanship of painting and decorating. The painters were treated to a dutch lunch which was well received. It was predicted in the meeting that there will be much painting and decorating of homes in the spring of 1935. The prospects for a successful season are very good.

Hanging in Peru

1887--While Dr. E. B. North was the physician at the first Railroad Hospital, he heard a shot fired in a barn close by. Dr. North entered the barn to give the "victim" any aid he could and for his kindness he was fired on and fatally injured. James Christianson was immediately arrested and placed in jail under the old brick court house. The shooting of Dr. North, who was very popular in this community created an intenseley bitter feeling against Christianson and revenge was the result. A mob was formed on East 5th Street. The mob had sledge-hammers with which the door of Christianson's cell was broken. After placing a rope around the neck of the prisoner the men pulled him up stairs to the first floor and after getting out to Broadway the mob ran south toward the bridge over the Wabash River. He was dragged part of the way to the bridge. A rope was placed over a beam at the top. The victim begging for mercy was drawn upward. His hands were not tied so he held on. Then he was let down again, and after his hands were tied, he was pulled up. When he was declared dead his body was lowered. Dr. North died the next day and the man who fired the shot that killed him paid the penalty.