10/09/2026
The Story Behind the Branch That Still Carries His Name
This week’s Friday’s Drainage Destination takes us to Williams Branch in North Bend Township, where researching one of our regulated drains led us to much more than an old drainage map.
It led us back more than a century to a local farmer whose efforts helped shape the drainage system and the surrounding community.
Today, Williams Branch is part of the House Watershed. Surveyor’s Office records also connect the branch with the former name Varnholz Lane.
So who was the man behind the name, and what can the historical records tell us about this branch and the people who lived along it?
A Farmer Who Helped Shape His Community
While researching the branch, we located a biography in the 1915 History of Starke County, preserved by the Starke County Public Library System.
The county history credits Walter F. Williams with petitioning for and securing a drainage improvement that crossed his farm and provided drainage for a substantial amount of surrounding land.
But his involvement in local improvements extended beyond drainage. He was also the chief petitioner for a gravel road near his home farm, helped secure the first schoolhouse in District No. 9, and served as a school director for nine years.
The biography even offers a glimpse of his farm, describing maple and buckeye trees he planted, along with an orchard he established himself.
These details give us a picture of a farmer who took an active interest in improvements that benefited not only his own property, but also the surrounding community.
What the Surveyor’s Office Records Tell Us
The historical records preserved in the Starke County Surveyor’s Office provide another piece of the story.
Surviving drainage assessment records identify Williams in connection with the drainage proceeding and reference Starke Circuit Court Order Book P, pages 13–16, 150 and 255.
The court appointed Sylvester Bertram to oversee construction and collect assessments according to law.
The assessment records also preserve the names of numerous North Bend Township property owners connected with the project, including members of the Williams, Varnholz, Himes, Geiselman, Turnbull, Hall, Rhodes, Ballard, Osborn, Wheeler, Wallace, Dodge, Gentry and other families.
Together, these records offer a glimpse into the farms, families and property ownership that made up this part of North Bend Township more than a century ago.
A Hand-Drawn Map More Than a Century Old
One of my favorite pieces in the Williams Branch file is the original hand-drawn drainage map preserved in the Surveyor’s Office.
The drainage route is drawn in red as it crosses the affected properties. Names including Williams, Varnholz, Himes, Geiselman, Wheeler, Wallace, Dodge and Osborn appear directly on the map.
At the southern end, the route appears to connect with a drain labeled Hampton Ditch.
Looking at this map today is almost like looking through a window into North Bend Township’s past. It allows us to see the drainage route in relation to the farms and landowners of that time.
From Historical Records to Modern Maintenance
Williams Branch is more than an interesting piece of Starke County history. It remains an active part of our regulated drainage system today.
In April 2024, approximately 9,880 feet of the branch underwent a debrushing and dredging project at a total cost of $18,569.
Removing brush and accumulated material helps maintain the channel and preserve the function of the drainage system. However, maintenance doesn't end when a project is completed. Vegetation returns, sediment accumulates, trees fall, and conditions along a regulated drain continue to change.
That’s why continued inspection and planning are important.
As part of our maintenance planning for the coming year, Williams Branch is being added to the regulated-drain spray list for 2027. This will allow us to manage unwanted vegetation and help protect the work and investment already made in the branch.
Bringing the Past and Present Together
This is exactly what we hoped to accomplish when we started Friday’s Drainage Destination.
Each week, we’re doing more than pulling an old file and sharing its history. Spotlighting a different regulated drain gives the Starke County Surveyor’s Office an opportunity to inspect the featured drain, take current photographs, document its condition, identify developing maintenance concerns, and plan for future needs.
If your family has a connection to the Williams, Varnholz or any of the other families appearing in these early records, we’d love to hear from you.
We’d also love to see old photographs, maps, deeds or farm records—or hear memories from anyone who knows more about Williams Branch or Varnholz Lane.
Sometimes the next piece of Starke County history isn’t sitting in a government record at all. It may still be tucked away in an old family photo album, a deed box, a collection of farm records—or simply in someone’s memory.
Starke County Surveyor’s Office....Preserving the records of yesterday while maintaining the drainage systems of today.
