You've driven on Tom Fett Road west of Bluffton going north and south in Richland Township. The road was named after Mr. Fett, who had a farm on that road near today's interstate.
The late Herb Probst researched Tom Fett and we provide Herb's information about him here:
Thomas Fett was born on July 31, 1832, in Canada. His father was of German origin and his mother came from Ireland.
In 1836, when he was about 4 years old, the family came to this community. Thomas married Catherine Hilty in 1857. Catherine was the daughter of Christian and Anna C. (Sollberger) Hilty.
Thomas and Catherine has 12 children, each born in Richland Township. From the 1880 plat record, Thomas owned 187.4 acres in section 14. This was along old U.S. 25 and the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
Today, some of this land was taken for Interstate 75. Just east of the Fett farm lived Thomas Jefferson Bentley, and his land is along Bentley Road. See our story on the naming of Bentley Road by clicking here.
Thomas and his wife, Catherine, were active members in the Reformed Mennonite Church and are buried in Maple Grove Cemetery.
Of the Fett’s 12 children, their fifth child, John, was probably one of the best known in the Bluffton community.
In the mid-1890s he started in the hardware and implement business. Other activities included the Bluffton Slaw Cutter Co., and Bluffton Stone Co. John’s two sons, Clair and Gilbert, also became active in the hardware, with Gilbert taking over the business in 1915 and continued for 40 years.
Gilbert’s son, Maurice, then became the third generation to continue the hardware. Today, the Bluffton Senior Citizens Center is in that former hardware location. Maurice and his wife, Eula, were parents of Dave, Bob and Ed, each living in Bluffton today.
And, today, the origin of the naming of Tom Fett Road is part of forgotten Bluffton.
