06/08/2026
HISTORY of WEA TOWNSHIP
Prior to 1857, the territory now embraced by this township was a part of the townships of Fairfield, Randolph and Lauramie. Wea is bounded on the east by Sheffield, north by Fairfield, west by Union and south by Randolph and Lauramie. It consists, to a large degree, of very rich prairie land known as the "Wea Plains."
The first white men to locate within this township were LEVI THORNTON and SAMUEL BLACK, who came as early as the year 1822, and, until the following spring, were the only white inhabitants of this township. At that time they were joined by the families of JUDGE WILEY, JOHN I. DAVIDSON, JUDGE PROVAULT, WILLIAM BURKE, STEPHEN KENNEDY, SAMUEL GWINN, and WILLIAM JONES. In the following autumn came THORNTON PARKER, and JOSEPH and GEORGE BRODERICK with their widowed mother. Some of those who came in 1824 were BILLINGS BABCOCK, DR. MENDENHALL, DANIEL BUGHER, STEPHEN WAYMIRE, and JOHN HOOVER. In 1825 came Mr. SHORTRIDGE, JAMES COCHRAN, JACOB and ADAM DE HART, JOHN and SAMUEL HOLLIDAY, DANIEL CLARK and PHILIP HARTER. During the years 1826 and 1827 a number of families were added to the settlement: JOHN and PHILIP CROSE, G.H. RONDEBUSH, JOSEPH CONNAROE, JAMES FRANKLIN, MICHAEL BUSH, and JOHN MILLER. In 1827 JOHN MILLER opened a small distillery, which he conducted for several years, finally selling out and removing from the county. The first grist mill was erected by PHILIP HARTER in 1829.
The first surveys were made by JOHN L. DAVIDSON, who located farm lands prior to the appointment of L.B. STOCKTON as county surveyor. The first log houses were erected by LEVI THORNTON and SAMUEL BLACK in 1822. In 1827 GEORGE W. KIRKPATRICK purchased a tract of land located partly in Wea and partly in Sheffield Township. Upon that portion lying in Wea Township he erected a rough log house, in which he resided two years. He then built a hewed-log house in Sheffield Township, to which he moved his family, thus his name can be found in connection with the early settlement of both townships.
In 1825 a subscription school was opened and taught in a cabin on the farm of SAMUEL BLACK, and was known as the Black Schoolhouse. In 1827 JOSEPH TATMAN taught school on the banks of the little Wea Creek. Several years later a school was taught on the farm of STEPHEN KENNEDY and was known as the Yount Schoolhouse.
In 1824, occurred the first death in the township, that of a child of Mr. and Mrs. DANIEL BUGHER. Among the earliest marriages were those of WILLIAM TRIMMER to KESIAH TALBERT, and MORGAN SHORTRIDGE to CLARRISA BURKE, daughter of WILLIAM BURKE.
This township was hit hard by the cholera plague of 1852. It was reported that people died so quickly that coffins could not be built fast enough. At Fink Cemetery, the bodies were buried at night along the east side of the cemetery in unmarked graves.
It was just north of Crane Station that the fatal train wreck of 1864 occurred. A passenger express and a stock train met head-on, killing 30 men and injuring 35 others. Most of the dead were Union soldiers, home on furlough from the War. One of the injured was nursed back to health by RACHEL CLARK, a Wea Township resident. She declined pay for her effort, so later a monument was placed in Kenny Cemetery in her honor. Those soldiers whose bodies were not identified or claimed were buried in Greenbush Cemetery in Lafayette.
Sources: Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, 1888; Commemorative Book of Tippecanoe County 1826-1976.
