Liberty Mills, Indiana
Liberty Mills is an unincorporated community on the Eel River in Chester Township, Wabash County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Proprietor John Comstock platted the town June 24, 1837. The name Liberty Mills comes from the number of mills the town once operated, including a saw mill, a carding mill, and a distillery, with one of the mills coming from the ‘Liberty’ brand. Its ZIP code is 46946.
Demographics
The United States Census Bureau first delineated Liberty Mills as a census designated place in the 2022 American Community Survey.As of the census of 2010 for Zip Code Tabulation Area 46946, there were 136 people, 47 households, and 37 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 94.9% White, 0.7% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.
There were 47 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 42.6% had households with individuals under 18 years, and 29.8% had households with individuals 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the town the population was spread out, with 31% under the age of 19, 5.1% from 20 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.7 years.
History
On October 16, 1826, and October 23, 1826, in what is now Wabash, Indiana, the Potawatomi and Miami Indians respectively signed peace treaties with the United States government to open lands north of the Wabash River to white settlers.These negotiations, led by Michigan Governor Lewis Cass, resulted in the Paradise Springs Peace Treaty. The Potowatomi before that point were located on the Eel River, which they called the Kenapocomoco, in a series of villages named Pierrish's Village, located at present day North Manchester, three miles south of Liberty Mills.
The land that is now Liberty Mills was purchased by James Abbott, who was involved with the treaty negotiations, sold to a Mr. McBride who intended to build a grist mill, and eventually purchased by New York state resident John Comstock. Comstock moved to the area in 1836, where he first built a saw mill, and later a grist mill, a distillery, store, carding mill, and flouring mill.
"John Comstock in his day was easily the biggest and most influential business man and farmer in Northern Wabash county. He was a member of the State Legislature and a probate judge and was progressive in many ways and as stubborn as an ox in others. When the canal was built through Lagro he maintained a warehouse at Lagro and attracted business men to Liberty Mills faster than to North Manchester. However, he could not stand competition, and because of his buying power, could undersell those who dared compete with him. Some of the early business men came to North Manchester. In fact, it was not uncommon in telling the history of an early North Manchester business man to mention that he first located in Liberty Mills."
Comstock, often known as Judge Comstock because of his role as Probate Judge, was also the Representative from this county in the Indiana State Legislature in 1858. His distillery, built in 1839, would send wagon loads of whiskey to areas as far as Mishawaka and Warsaw, Indiana. It brought distress to first his sons, who for religious convictions left the business, and later Comstock himself, who declared "I will let that distillery rot!" even after offers to purchase it.
Due to Comstock's monopolizing business practices, most local business men left to establish themselves in neighboring North Manchester. In time North Manchester flourished while Liberty Mills remained unchanged in size. Comstock was instrumental however in bringing the Detroit, Eel River & Illinois Railroad through the community in 1871, which stretched from Logansport to Butler, Indiana. After a lengthy legal battle with the Wabash Railroad, this railline was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1901, and eventually came into the Pennsylvania's Vandalia holdings. Then known as the Vandalia Railroad and Butler Branch Railroad, the railroad's use declined over the years until its abandonment from 1954 to 1977.