History of the Community of Leo-Cedarville

Cedar Creek Township was uninhabited from the time the Indians left in 1817 until 1833 when Mr. Wood from New York built a cabin on the bank of Cedar Creek.  Mr. Wood left the wilderness home after one year and was followed to the Cedar Creek area by Jacob Notestine and John Manning, along with their families, who planted the first corn in the area in 1834. Later, in 1836, Mr. Notestine planted the first orchard with trees that he purchased from John Chapman, who was more popularly known as "Johny Appleseed."

In 1835 a state road called the Fort Wayne and St. Joseph was the first road surveyed in Cedar Creek Township. It was a continuation of an existing road that connected the area with Fort Wayne.

The first religious meeting was held in 1836 by Rev. Hickland, of the Methodist Protestant Church in Jacob Notestine's house.  The first store was opened in 1838 by Thomas Hamilton in the village of Hamilton, which was later referred to as the village of Leo.  The first post office was located in Hamilton in 1847.  It was called the Leo Post Office.