Mike Kissinger, Kosciusko County surveyor, took this photo of the remnants of an old bur oak tree once used as a reference point for a section corner marker in Prairie Township.

CLUNETTE — Stop and think for a moment. Are you aware of anything still standing and dating to 1844?

With the possible exception of a tree or an old log cabin, not much else would likely come to mind.

Kosciusko County Surveyor Mike Kissinger recently discovered an old bur oak tree, used as a reference point for establishing a section corner marker in Prairie Township, had literally been standing in excess of 170 years. A few weeks ago the oak tree was cut down by a utility company installing a high-tension power line because the tree was in the right of way for the power line.

Kissinger noted in his 35 years of surveying if the tree had still been standing, it would have been the first time ever for him to see a “witness” tree, or one used as a reference point for surveying, that old still standing. “A bur oak is known for long life, but still it is rare for a tree to last that long,” he emphasized.

The surveyor’s office became aware of the situation when a nearby landowner said a section corner post had been removed. The county surveyor’s office establishes and maintains section corners, useful as surveying points.

This particular section corner is about one-half mile north of Clunette in Prairie Township in the center of section 10. According to a survey record document provided by Kissinger, William Palmer, the county surveyor at the time, was the first person to establish the section corner point April 2, 1852.

This area was a true prairie and trees were scarce. At that time, surveyors normally used trees to witness, or reference, locations of survey points. The document states the only tree near the section center point was a bur oak, at the time a smaller tree than normally would have been used as a reference point.

Based on its size as stated in the 1852 survey and also counting the number of rings, it was determined it likely first emerged from the ground in 1844. To put that into perspective, Kissinger said Abraham Lincoln was only 35 years old and it was 17 years before the beginning of the Civil War. “It was a pretty large tree in an area of no trees,” he said.

Tornados, storms, insects, diseases and time could not bring the tree down, but a power line did, Kissinger observed. All that remains of the bur oak is the stump and a part of the huge trunk. With a bit of sadness, Kissinger snapped a few photos of the remnants and wondered what stories could be told. History is of importance to surveyors because they often follow in the footsteps of surveyors preceding them.

The section corner will need to be reset, but Kissinger emphasized the utility company has been cooperative in working with the surveyor’s office.