About Akron
In 1835, Dr. Joseph Sippy of Medina County Ohio explored
the wilderness of northern Indiana. He found this area suitable for homesteading
because of its dense forests, wild game and available land. On July 4, 1836,
he returned with 47 settlers to what was then the crossing of the Potawatomi
and Miami Indian trails. “This is the place!” he proclaimed. The pioneers
gave prayers of thanksgiving for their safe arrival and immediately set
about creating a village of crude cabins that they called Newark. In 1855,
the town’s name was changed to Akron.
The original settlers included Dr. Sippy, William Whittenberger, Asher Welton, Alfred T. Welton, Moses Worden, Henry Bristol, Uriel Bragg and their families and Nathaniel Cogswell, an unmarried man. All were relatives—Cogswell was a brother of Mrs. Sippy and Mrs. Bragg; Mrs. Whittenberger was a sister of Dr. Sippy; the Weltons were brothers; Mrs. Bristol and Mrs. Worden were sisters.