From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.

Information for this retrospective series is courtesy of the Kosciusko County Historical Society. For more history of Kosciusko County in the news visit yesteryear.clunette.com.

April 5, 1974 — Shoveling debris from a Wednesday evening tornado that devastated Atwood, Talma and parts of Leesburg, Dewart Lake and Syracuse, residents’ hopes glowed today with the partial restoration of electrical power.

But Northern Indiana Public Service Co. and the Kosciusko County REMC warned that power usage would have to be minimal to keep the current flowing. There was fear the power could disappear at any moment.

April 4, 1974 — One person is dead and at least 44 others injured as a result of the tornado that swept across Kosciusko County Wednesday evening, according to State Police Lt. Edward Anweiler.

More than 200 National Guardsmen are assisting 52 state police units today with security, traffic and prohibiting looters, Anweiler said. The National Guard was called by the state police to help patrol the seven northeastern counties of Indiana, which the mad mass of wind ripped Wednesday.

According to state police, the tornado entered the southwest corner of the seven-county northeast district which includes Kosciusko, Steuben, Noble, Whitley, Elkhart, Lagrange and DeKalb counties.

The one person killed in this county was still unidentified late this morning, but it was known that he was a Mexican employed by Kralis Brothers. His skull was crushed when a mobile home in the southeast part of Atwood was reduced to shreds.

April 6, 1971 — Officers of the Kosciusko County Humane Commission revealed yesterday the loss of an estimated $20,000 worth of registered Guernsey cattle due to neglect and starvation.

Chief of Police Eugene Brumfield, who is president of the Humane Commission, and Humane Officer Wilson “Nate” Konkle, said approximately 54 cattle out of a herd of 95 on a farm owned by Dr. James Leffel, of Indianapolis, starved to death when a tenant on the farm apparently abandoned the cattle without feed.

In addition to the cattle, a number of hogs starved in a hog house. Approximately six survived by eating the remainder as they died.

April 4, 1961 — Mrs. Russell (Helen) Smith, of 1309 E. Market St., who yesterday was named Indiana Mother of the Year, tried to stay calm and collected today in the midst of happy confusion. There were 80 nominees.

Smith will go to New York early in May to take part in the national Mother of the Year competition.

April 10, 1836 — Milford was laid out by Judge Aaron M. Perine on April 10, 1836. James R. McCord was surveyor. Perine settled on the town site in 1834 and his family may properly be termed the first residents of Milford. Samuel Sackett opened a blacksmith shop in 1836.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels