By Sally Hogan

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY —In January of 1966 the Kosciusko County Historical Society was formed.  One hundred sixty-five persons attended the first meeting held at the courthouse.  From that beginning fifty years ago, the society has grown to nearly 500 members and has become the caretaker of the Old County Jail (now a museum), the Chinworth Bridge (Greenway Trailhead) and the Pound Store in Oswego (oldest commercial building in county).  But the society does not only preserve historical sites, they also are the caretakers of the official county records, and business, family and personal histories. 

Our county would be poor indeed if we did not know of the folks who settled these lands.  Men like John Tusing who died in 1869 at the age of 105.  He fought in the war of 1812, and voted for George Washington in 1789 when Washington was elected our first president, and he voted in every election after that.  His last vote was at age 104 when he was carried to the polling place to cast his ballot for General Grant.

Or we might not know of Dennis Pottenger who was a friend of Daniel Boone.  He was with Mad Anthony Wayne at the building of the blockhouse at Fort Wayne and was in the Indian fight near Fort Wayne on the Maumee River.  He was a runner between Ft. Wayne and Greenville, and it was said that he could out run any Indian brave in the six nations then inhabiting the northern parts of Indiana and Ohio.

Or we might not realize that William Williams at age 15 carried the chain to plat the town of Warsaw or that he was a lawyer and owned most of Warsaw in the early days.  He was elected to the United States congress in 1866, and in 1882 was appointed, under President Garfield, Charge d’ Affairs to Uruguay and Paraguay. On visits to his Warsaw home, he would bring many unusual items like: a monkey, an alligator, a parrot, a peacock, and unusual clothing and hats. He moved to Los Angeles to deal in real estate and returned to Warsaw shortly before his death.

Or we would not know that George R. Thralls was the first druggist of the town. And that he purchased large lots of the inner side of slippery-elm bark, which was shipped to the east, and came back to this part of the country in the powdered form! He also bought ginseng, Seneca snakeroot, both the perkuhns- yellow and red, Solomon’s seal and yellow root, all of which he sold as natural remedies for a variety of ailments.

The Historical Society’s 50th anniversary event, Passport to Kosciusko County, is a free activity for the whole family. Pick up your passport at the Old Jail Museum or any library in the county then go on an adventure of discovery as you navigate our county finding historic sites, enjoying festivals, and participating in events. After you have enjoyed at least 50 items (there are more than 90 in the passport) bring your passport into the Old Jail Museum to be entered into a drawing for prizes. Three winners will be awarded when the State torch is in Warsaw, Sept. 29.