Industries in Washington Township

The industries of the township were limited in number . There were two or three saw mills located in the southern part of the township on the creeks. The principal industries toward the latter part of the 1800's were located in the northern part of the township in South Peru. Orlando and Heney Mosley, located in the southwesern part of the township, on Strawtown Pike, having created some industry. Orlando has a large machine shop to manufacture fence machines and do general repairing. Henry has for some time operated a large cider mill and jelly factory, and has recently constructed a large sorghum factory with the latest improved apparatus. The Maris wheel manufactory was started in South Peru in 1871. S. Tudor & Co.'s packing house was established about fifteen year ago. This house engages extensively in packing eggs, butter and poultry for a wholesale house in New York City.
Besides the above industries , there was John Miller's blacksmith shop and wagon works, Lewis' saw mill, for many years the largest in the county. Kuntz & Demuth's planing mill, and the Peru Brewery were also residents of South Peru.
note: Most of the industries mentioned are now part of history-however, Peru Brewery is going strong but is now called Cole Bros. water. Who would have ever thought we would be buying bottles of water instead of beer?

Indian Burials

In the early history of the county, Henry Howes, a pioneer, was probably more familiar with the Indians than many others. When a young man he often went to the Indian Village near Denver. Peashwah and Weasaw and many other Indians were converted by Catholic missionsaries before there were any settlers here. The priest was not with them often, but they always met on Sundays in an appointed place and observed the Catholic form of worship. Each converted Indian had his rosary, and no doubt, while brooding over the enroachments of the whites, performed his vigils.
It is interesting to know how the Indians buried their dead. They wound the body in a blanket and stood it upright on the ground. They drove pickets around the body and then wove bark between the pickets so as to make the grave perfectly closed and tight. If the Indian had smoked they would put a pipe and tobacco in the grave, and always what provisions they supposed would last him until he would reach his happy hunting ground. There were many graves like this near the Indian village in 1834. They began to bury as the whites soon after the settlers arrived.