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.

Women worked hard in settling Warsaw.  While they were not allowed to vote or to hold office, they were very instrumental in keeping the family going. A good housewife sheared the few sheep that the family owned, carded the wool with her hands, and wove it into cloth, which when completed was ready to be “fulled” or shrunk.  Neighbors were invited in help in the final process of stretching the material to the correct size. The roll of cloth having been immersed in soapsuds was unrolled, and the guests and members of the family were seated on two benches facing each other.  A rope was passed around the outside and secured so it might keep the parties from kicking away from each other.  The cloth was slowly passed between the persons, who to some lively song kept time with their feet, kicking the cloth, as it was slowly unrolled until the requisite degree of “fullness” was obtained.  Then woman made the clothes for all the family members. Wives did all they could to help their husbands succeed. 

In the early days the man of the house would drive his wagon to the mill in Goshen, a trip that would take several days. The wife would stay at cabin with a cord of wood piled against the door to keep the Indians out. 

One man reported that he was in favor of women’s suffrage and always had been. He had heard his father say that he could not afford to send his girls to school, and if he could afford it, they could not learn figures. Well, that set the man to thinking and he concluded that the mothers of the neighborhood knew as much as the fathers did, and that if the fathers managed the business out-of-doors as well as the mothers did indoors, everyone would be much better off.

Soap making was handled by the women and required large kettles and many hours of working over a hot fire.  Soap was an unknown article in stores in those days and all soap was a home product made weekly. 

The fourth of July in 1837, was celebrated in Warsaw with people coming on foot, with ox teams, or in any kind of vehicle that could be secured.  Roast spring chicken, roast potatoes, corn bread, wild onions, and other items formed the basis of family dinners.  There was a speech by an old Revolutionary soldier and an oration delivered by the first attorney to locate in Warsaw. 

In 1847 the ladies of Warsaw organized a “sewing circle,” to manufacture articles to be sold at auction at a future fair.  The proceeds were to be used to build a respectable fence around the original burial ground of Warsaw.  The town was very small and it took two years to raise enough money to accomplish their goal.

The Kosciusko County Historical Society has two books published for our 50th anniversary, That’s Life and Schools of Kosciusko County, 1835-1975. That’s Life contains short stories of interesting people, places and events in the county and is available at the Old Jail Museum for $18.16. Schools of Kosciusko County, 1835-1975 will be available in August for $37.50 plus tax. Contact the society for more information, (574) 269-1078.