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ALLEN  COUNTY  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


3  1833  01704  6035 
Gc  977.2  C8235 


Counties  of  Porter  and  Lake, 
Indiana 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Allen  County  Public  Library  Genealogy  Center 


http://www.archive.org/details/countiesofporterOOgood 


nOTT^TTF.S 


M£- 


PORTER  ^*' LAKE 


INDIANA. 


Historical  and  Biographical 


IIa1aUSTRATB.D. 


Weston  A,  Goodspeed,  Charles  Blanchard, 


977. 3L0I 


Historical  Editor.  Biographical  Editor. 


J  F.  A.  BATTEY  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS. 


1882. 


1/;>  (r>  «r>  ^^  O  Q 

{^5  PREFACE. 


THIS  volume  goes  forth  to  our  patrons  the  result  of  months  of  arduous,  un- 
remitting and  conscientious  labor.  None  so  well  know  as  those  who  have 
been  associated  with  us  the  almost  insurmountable  difficulties  to  be  met  with 
in  the  preparation  of  a  work  of  this  character.  Since  the  inauguration  of  the 
enterprise,  a  large  force  has  been  emplo3'ed — both  local  and  others — in  gath- 
ering material.  During  this  time,  most  of  the  citizens  of  both  counties 
have  been  called  upon  to  contribute  from  their  recollections,  carefuU}'  pre- 
served letters,  scraps  of  manuscript,  printed  fragments,  memoranda,  etc. 
Public  records  and  semi-official  documents  have  been  searched,  the  news- 
paper files  of  the  counties  have  been  overhauled,  and  former  citizens,  now 
living  out  of  the  counties,  have  been  corresponded  with,  all  for  the  purpose 
of  making  the  record  as  complete  as  could  be,  and  for  the  verification  of  the 
information  b^^  a  conference  with  man^-.  In  gathering  from  these  numerous 
sources,  both  for  the  historical  and  biographical  departments,  the  conflicting 
statements,  the  discrepancies  and  the  fallible  and  incomplete  nature  of  pub- 
lic documents,  were  almost  appalling  to  our  historians  and  biographers,  who 
were  expected  to  weave  therefrom  with  any  degree  of  accurac}",  in  panoramic 
review,  a  record  of  events.  Members  of  the  same  families  disagree  as  to  the 
spelling  of  the  family  name,  contradict  each  other's  statements  as  to  dates  of 
birth,  of  settlement  in  the  counties,  nativity  and  other  matters  of  fact.  In 
this  entangled  condition,  we  have  given  preference  to  the  preponderance  of 
authorit}-,  and  while  we  acknowledge  the  existence  of  errors  and  our  inability 
to  furnish  a  perfect  history,  we  claim  to  have  come  up  to  the  standard  of  our 
promises,  and  given  as  complete  and  accurate  a  work  as  the  nature  of  the 
surroundings  would  permit.  Whatever  ma}-  be  the  verdict  of  those  who  do 
not  and  xmll  not  comprehend  the  difficulties  to  be  met  with,  we  feel  assured 
that  all  just  and  thoughtful  people  will  appreciate  our  efforts,  and  recognize 
the  importance  of  the  undertaking  and  the  great  public  benefit  that  has  been 
accomplished  in  preserving  the  valuable  historical  matter  of  the  counties  and 
biographies  of  many  of  their  citizens,  that  perhaps  would  otherwise  have  passed 
into  oblivion.  To  those  who  have  given  us  their  support  and  encourage- 
ment, and  they  are  man}',  we  acknowledge  our  gratitude,  and  can  assure 
tliem  that  as  years  go  by  the  book  will  grow  in  value  as  a  repository  not 
only  of  pleasing  reading  matter,  but  of  treasured  information  of  the  past 
that  becomes  a  monument  more  enduring  than  marble. 

December,  1882.  THE   PUBLISHERS. 


co:ntents. 


PART   I— HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUIJTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Antiquities 13 

Authors --1 

Bailly  Town 20 

Birth,  The  First 18 

Circuit  Court,  First  Session  of 20 

Coffee  Creek,  Origin  of  Name 17 

Court  House  and  Jail 20 

Geology 11 

Hoosier's  Nest,  Song,  Descriptive  of. 19 

Insurrections  and  Invasions 14 

Jurors,  The  First 19 

Kankakee  Valley  Drainage  Association 23 

Mail  Route,  The  First 16 

Markets,  The  Early /...  21 

Memorable  Sensation 23 

Murder  Case 23 

Murder  Trials,  Late 24 

Plank  Road 21 

Public  Buildings,  Early 22 

Public  Officers 25 

Railroads,  The  Early 22-23 

Sensational  Trial 22 

Settler,  The  First  White 16 

Settlers  of  1833 17 

Stage   Line 17 

Statistics 29 

White  Occupants 13 

CHAPTER  II. 

Action  of  First  Board  of  Commissioners 38 

Acts  of  Commissioners 49 

Agricultural   Society 60 

Alterations  in  Boundaries 54 

Anti-Horse  Thief  Societies 67 

County  Library  Association 48 

County  of  Linn 56 

County   Press 67 

County  Seminary 53 

Creation  of  County 31 

Elections,  The  First 31 

Election  of  1836 ,. 36 

Election   Statistics 72 

Fair,  The    First 62 

Jurors  for  1837 50 


PAGE. 

CHAPTER  U— Continued. 

Land  Entries 34 

Location  of  County  Seat 41 

Morgiin  Township,  First  Election  in 32 

Old  Settlers'   Association 65 

Organization  of  Present  County 35 

Poor  Farm,  The  First 59 

Politics  of  County 71 

Railroad  and  Telegraph 58 

Recapitulation  of  Taxes,  1880 77 

Roads 43 

Ross  Township,  First  Election  in 32 

School  Commissioners'  Report  for  1836 52 

Treasurers'  Report,  The  First 41 

Waverly  Township,  First  Election  in 31 

CHAPTER  III. 

Appeal  to  the  Germans 87 

Battery,  The   Fourth 93 

Battery,  The  Twentieth 93 

Cavalry,  The  Fifth 93 

Cavalry,  The  Seventh 93 

Cavalry,  The   Twelfth 93 

Feeling  During  the  War 97 

Gil  Pierce's  Song 86 

In  the  Field 85 

Infantry,  The   Ninth 90 

Infantry,  The  Fifteenth 91 

Infantry,  The  Twentieth 91 

Infantry,  The  Twenty-ninth 91 

Infantry,  The  Thirty-fourth 92 

Infantry,  The  Forty-eighth 92 

Infantry,  The   Sixty-third 92 

Infantry,  The  Seventy-third 92 

Infantry,  The  Eighty-sixth 92 

Infantry,  The  Ninety-ninth  92 

Infantry,  The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  92 

Infantry,  The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  93 

Infantry,  The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first....  93 

Military   Statistics 88 

Old  Soldiers 78 

Roll  of  Honor 94 

Sundry  Corps 94 

War  of  the  Rebellion 79 

War  Meetings  and  Enlistments 83 


TOWWSHIP    HISTORIES. 


PAGE. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Valpahaiso  and  Centre  Township 102 

Banks 127 

Centre  Township 104 

Churches..... 139 

City  Taverns  and  Hotels 130 

Collegiate  Institute 128 

Early  Tradesmen  of  Valparaiso 115 

Elections,  The  Firnt 107 

First  Buildings  in  Valparaiso 114 

First  White  Settlers   The 104 

Incorporation  of  Valparaiso 127 

Lakes,  Streams,  Etc 102 

Marriages  and  Deaths 108,139 

Mills  and  Industries,  The  Early 110 

Normal  School 134 

Physical  Description 102 

Professional  Men 126 

Population 112 

Portersville 113 

Retrospective 149 


PAGE. 

CHAPTER  lY.—iConlinued). 

Schools 132 

Secret  Societies 125 

Temperance  Crusade 129 

Trails  and  Roads 109 

Valparaiso 112 

Valparaiso  Mayors 129 

CHAPTER  V. 

Westchester  Township 150 

Ancient  Cemetery 155 

Bailly  Family,  The 150 

Birth,  The  First 155 

Churches 156 

Death,  The  First 195 

Early  Elections 166 

Early   Events 155 

Early  Settlers 155 

Homicide 161 

Industries 165 

Maniage,  The  First 155 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


TOWNi^HIP    HISTORIES— (Coutinnedj. 


PAGE. 

CHAPTER   1\.— (Continued). 

Schools 156 

Societies 156 

Stage  Line,  The  Old 156 

Villages 162 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Boone  Township 166 

Birth,  The  First 167 

Busiuess  Pursuits 1G9 

Churches 17:5 

Death,  The  First 167 

Election,  The  First 166 

"Free  Press,"  The 172 

Hebron  Village 171 

Indian  Adventures 168 

"Local  News,"  The 172 

Marriage,  The  First 168 

Permanent  Settlers,  The  First 167 

Schools 169 

Secret  Organization 177 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Washington  Township 177 

Churches 184 

Early  Homes 178 

Election,  The  First 179 

Enterprises,  Various 181 

Indians  179 

Indnstries,  Early 180 

Organization 179 

Prattville  Village 181 

Schools 183 

Taxation  181 

CHAPTER  Vin. 

Morgan  Township 185 

Burial,  The  First 191 

Cemeteries ,.  191 

Churches 189 

Early  Incidents 185 

Growth  of  Township 192 

Industries 188 

List  of  Early  Settlers 185 

Officers,  The  Early 187 

Origin  of  Township 185 

Schools 190 

Tassinong  Village 187 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Boone  Township 192 

Accidental,  Criminal,  Incidental,  etc 195 

Creation  of  Township 192 

Elections 194 

Facts  of  First  Settlement VXi 

Hoosier's  Neat 197 

Milling  and  Merchandizing 199 

Origin  of  Name 192 

Physical  Features 192 

Schools  and  Secret  Societies 199 

Wheeler  Village , 200 

CHAPTER  X. 

Jackson  Township 201 

Churches  and  Cemeteries 204 

Early  Events 202 

Elections.  The  Early 205 

Mills,  The  Early 202 

Origin  of  Name 201 

Physical  Characteristics 201 

Schools  and  Teachers 202 

Settlers,  The  First 204 

Villages 203 


page. 
CHAPTER  XI. 

Liberty  Township 20& 

Early  Settlements 207 

Elections,  Early 211 

Forest  Productions 207 

Indian  Incident 208 

Industries,  Early i09 

Land  Sales  of  1835 20& 

Pioneer  Exj)erienccs 208 

Post  Offices 211 

Roads,  Early 210 

Schools 212 

Secret  Society 213 

Stores 211 

Water  Supply 207 

Worship,  Places  of 212 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Portage  Township 213 

Churches 216 

Crisman  Village 217 

Early  Conditions 215 

First  Settlers  and  Elections 217 

Future  Prospects 218 

General  Description 214 

Mills,  etc 214 

Old  Stage  Line 215 

Ot-igin  of  Name 213 

Schools  and  Teachers 215 

Taverns 214 

Wild  Animals 214 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Pleasant  Township 218 

Churches 220 

Crime 221 

Early  Events 219 

Fatal  Caauality 221 

First  Klection  218 

Industries 221 

Kout's  Village 221 

Li.-<t  of  Early  Settlers 219 

Officers,  Present 221 

Origin  of  Name 218 

Schools 219 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Porter  Township 222 

Churches 226 

Early  Election 222 

Early  Events 224 

Formation 222 

Mound,  Pre-historic 224 

Origin  of  name 222 

Post  Offices  and  Stores  ...t 226 

Reminiscences 223 

Schools 224 

Settlers 223 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Pine  Township 227 

A  Mystery 230 

First  Settler,  The 230 

Fish  Lake 230 

FonnatioM 227 

Industries 228 

Origin  of  Name 227 

Roads 229 

Schools 228 

Settlement 227 

Stores 2.30 

Surface  Features 227 


BIOORAPIll€AIi    SKETCIIEK. 


Boone  Township 314 

Centre  Township 280 

Jackson  Township  _ 355 

Liberty  Township 363 

Morgan  Township  347 

Pine  Township .•<92 

Pleasant  Township 374 


Portage  Township 369 

Porter  Township 378 

Union  Township 339 

Valparaiso,  City  of 2;il 

Washington  Township 328 

Webtchester  Township 290 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


PORTRAITS. 

PAOH.    I  PAOB. 

Barnard,  Nelson  81       O'Reilly,  Michael 117 

Campbell,  T.  A.  E 27       Forbes,  J.  T 63 

Green,  H 99    | 

VIEWS. 

Residence  of  G.  W.  Merrill 45    I    Residence  of  Albert  Hankins 135 


PART  II— HISTORY   OP    LAKE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE. 

Boundaries 415 

Early  Occupants 405 

Land  Entries,  Table  of 411 

Landmarks 404 

Land  Sales  at  La  Porte 410 

Location  and  Dimensions 401 

Mai)  Routes  416 

Physical  Features 401 

Settlers 405 

"Squatters'  Union" 406 

Statistics 417 

Streams  and  Lakes 402 

Surface  and  Soil  403 

Swamp  Land  Speculation 412 

Wabash  Canal  Land  Entries 414 

CHAPTER  II. 

Agricultural  Society,  Organization  of 434 

Agricultural  Society,  Fairs  of  the 435 

County  Buildings 437 

County  Offices 428 

County  Officers  (1837  to  1880) 444 

County  Seat,  First  Location  of 426 

County  Seat,  Relocation  of. 427 

Early  Proceedings  of  Commissioners 420 

Erection  of  Township 418 

Formation  of  County 419 

Legislative  Acts 430 

Licenses,  Early  Tavern  and  Other 425 

Officers  before  Present  Formation 419 

Old  Settlers'  Association 444 

Political  Features 445 

Poor  Farm 431 

Press,  The  County 439 

Recapitulation  of  Taxes,  1881 450 

School  Fund,  Receipts  and  Expenditures  (first 

five  years) 424 

Tables  of  Election  Returns 447 

CHAPTER  III. 

Bounty  and  Relief  Fund 471 

Calls  for  Troops 472 

Companies,  First  Enrolled 457 

Death  of  Lincoln 467 

Draft  Officers 467 

Enrollment  Table  for  1862 463 

Fourth  of  July,  1862  •. 461 

Fourth  of  July,  1863 463 

Jubilation 466 

Mexican  War,  The 452 

Muster  Roll  of  Company  H,  Sixteenth  U.  S. 

Infantry 453 

Old  Militia  System 451 

Rebellion,  The 456 

Recruiting,  General 461 

Roll  of  Honor,  Lake  County's 473 

Roster  of  Officers  of  Lake's  Four  Companies...  471 

Soldiers' Aid  Society 469 

Volunteers,  Table  of 458 

War  Meeting,  The  First 457 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Cbown  Point  and  Centre  Township 475 

Acts  of  Crown  Point  Trustees 499 

Additions  to  Crown  Point 488 

Attempts  at  Settlement,  First 476 

Bank,  The  First  National 498 


CHAPTER    lY— {Continued).  pagb 

Churches 501 

Claim  Seekers  of  1834-35 482 

Crown  Point 479 

Death,  First  at  Crown  Point 485 

Educational  Enterprises,  Private. 492 

First  Election  of  Crown  Point  Officers 498 

Incorporation  of  Crown  Point 498 

Indubtries,  Etc : 486 

Land  Entries 484 

Marriage  Licenses,  Early 484 

Permanent  Settlement 479 

Pioneer  Experiences 480 

Population  of  Crown  Point 501 

Postmaster,  First 483 

Present  Business  of  Crown  Point 500 

Professions,  Etc 486 

Schools 489 

Secret  Societies 494 

Trades,  Etc 486 

White  Persons,  The  First 475 

CHAPTER  V. 

Cedar  Creek  Township 505 

Business  of  Lowell  in  1882 516 

Churches 519 

Creston  Village 518 

Early  Events 5o8 

Formation  and  Name 505 

Industries,  Etc 509 

Lowell  Village 512 

Outlet  Post  Office 517 

Pioneer  Life,  Incidents  of. 506 

Press  of  Lowell 517 

Railroad 518 

Schools  and  Teachers 510 

Secret  Orders 521 

Settlers,  Early 506 

Stores,  Etc 509 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Hob  ART  Township 522 

Baxter's  Addition  to  Chicago 531 

Churches 528 

Early  Settlers 532 

General  Description 523 

Growth  of  Township 53u 

Hobart  Village 525 

Industries 527 

Lake  Station ' 528 

Liverpool  Village 523 

Name  and  Boundaries 522 

Railroads 526 

Schools  and  Teachers ; 530 

Secret  Orders 529 

Settlement 523 

Shaw's  Subdivision 531 

CHAPTER  VIL 

North  Township 532 

Boundaries 532 

Churches 537 

Lakes  and  Streams 535 

List  of  Taxpayers  in  1839 533 

Physical  Features 534 

Progress  of  Education 536 

Tavern  and  Other  Licenses 533 

Tolleston  Club 542 

Towns  and  their  Industries 538 


CONTENTS. 


PA<iE. 

COAPTEK  Vm. 

Boss  Township ^■IS 

Civil  Officers 549 

Early  Events 544 

Merrill ville 546 

Miscollaneoue 550 

Organization 543 

Redsdiile 548 

Schools 548 

SettlemenU  and  Villages 545 

Settly^,  Early 544 

Soil,  Pr.iductions,  Etc 54;5 

Ro(.8  Village 547 

Water  Supply 543 

Wood's  Mill  547 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Hanovek  Townshu- 562 

Brunswick  Village 5CZ 

Erection  of  Township 557 

Hanover  Centre 5G1 

Klaasville  Village 563 

Pioneers,  The  Earliest 552 

Pottawatomie  Indians 556 

Privations  of  Pioneers 553 

Religious  Growth 564 

Residents  of  1837 554 

Schools 558 

Statistics  of  Township  Fund  in  1858 567 

Taxed  Settlers  of  1839 554 

Villages 561 

CHAPTER  X. 

St.  John's  Township 568 

Dyer,  Industries  of 569 

Dyer,  Town  of 568 

Incidents 575 

Industries  of  Township 574 

Large  Farm  575 

Organization 568 

Origin  of  Name 5G8 

Schererville,  Town  of 572 

Schools  and  Churches 572 

Settlers,  Early 575 

St.  John's,  Town  of 571 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Eaole  Cueek  Township 576 

Birth,  The  First 580 

Churches- 580 

Early  Items 580 

Formation  of  Township 676 

Game,  Indians,  Etc 577 

Industries 580 

Kankakee  Marsh,  Draining  of 579 

Marriage,  The  First 580 

Post  Oflice,  Early 580 

Schools 580 

Settlers,  First  and  Early 576 

Timber  Thieves 578 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Wkst  Crkkk  Township 582 

Anecdotes  and  Incidents,  Early 583 

Churches 585 

First  Events 584 

Formation  and  Name 582 

Industries 584 

Schools .586 

Settlers,  Early 582 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

WiNFIEI.IJ   TcJWNSHIP 589 

Cemeteries 59& 

Churches 595 

Creation  of  Township 590 

Death,  First 592 

Incidents  of  Early  Days 592 

Indian  Relics 691 

Leading  Products .■<89 

Mounds  590 

Occupations 593 

Pioneer  Hardships 591 

Pottawatomie  Indians 591 

Roads 596 

Sanitarv  Condition 595 

Schools". 594 

Settlement 690 

Surface  and  Soil  SSO- 

Town  Officers 594 

Valuation .")97 

Villages 593 


BIOGK)lPlII€AIi    SKET€1IKK. 


Cedar  Creak  Township 637 

Crown  Point  and  Centre  Township 599 

Eagle  Creek  Township 738 

Hanover  Township 719 

Hohart  Township 666 


North  Township 687 

Ross  Township 704 

St.  John's  Township 725 

West  Creek  Township 7.52 

Winfield  Township 761 


PORTKAI'I'S. 


Griffin,  Elihu 477 

Miller,  H.  F.  C 513 

Pettibone,  Harvey 531 


Wood,  John,  Sr 4.59 

Wood,  T.  J 495 


@^ 


PAKT  I. 


HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER    L 

BT     HUBERT     S.     SKINNER. 

Geology— Evidences  of  Glaciation— The  Drift— Topography— Water- 
Courses— Pre-Historic  Remains— The  French  and  Indians— The 
Bailly  Family- Summary  Yiew  of  County  Settlement— The  First 
Court— Public  Buildings— Capital  and  Other  Crimes— The  Plank 
Road— Railways— County  Authorship — Statistical  Tables— Pub- 
lic Officers. 

THE  geologist  who  delights  to  enrich  his  cabinet  with  fossils  gathered 
from  the  paleozoic  rocks,  will  find  nothing  in  Porter  County  to 
reward  his  search ;  but  to  one  who  is  interested  in  the  study  of  glaciation 
and  its  effects,  this  region  presents  a  most  interesting  field  for  investigation. 
The  floor  of  Porter  County  was  laid  in  the  Devonian  age,  and  below  us 
lie  myriads  of  fossilized  organisms  of  this  "  age  of  fishes."  But  these  are 
hidden  by  the  vast  deposits  of  glacial  drift,  and  could  be  reached  only  by 
excavations  of  great  depth.  The  strata  of  drift  are  at  least  170  feet  in 
thickness,  and  there  are  no  outcroppings  of  the  original  rock -bed.  Upon 
the  surface  we  find  occasional  fragments  of  limestone,  crinoids  and  other 
traces  of  the  Silurian  age ;  but  they  were  brought  hither  from  regions  far 
to  the  north.  Upon  the  surface,  and  sometimes  beneath  it,  we  find 
granitoid  bowlders  of  various  size  scattered  through  the  county ;  and  in 
the  beds  of  all  our  streams  are  innumerable  pebbles,  worn  smooth  by  the 
constant  action  of  the  water.  These,  likewise,  are  not  native,  but  were 
transported  to  our  borders  frora  the  distant  northland. 

So  complete  are  the  evidences  which  support  the  glacial  theory,  that 
it  is  unnecessary  here  to  present  any  arguments  in  its  favor.  It  is 
sufficient  to  give  the  conclusions  at  which  scientists  have  arrived,  upon 
the  most  careful  study  and  investigation  of  the  subject. 

Formerly  the  lake,  which  beats  upon  our  northern  shore,  was  a  part 
of  the  great  ocean ;  and,  even  now,  fragments  of  marine  Crustacea  are 

A 


12  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

found  by  dredging  deep  into  its  bed.  At  the  close  of  the  Mammalian  age, 
was  ushered  in  the  glacial  epoch.  There  was  then  an  elevation  of  the 
crust  in  the  northern  latitudes,  which  was  followed  by  a  period  of  intense 
cold.  Immense  masses  of  ice  were  formed,  and  the  procession  of  glaciers 
moved  southward  from  their  mountain  home.  Over  Porter  County  passed 
a  sheet  of  ice  which  extended  hundreds  of  miles  in  width,  which  reared 
its  head  400  feet  above  the  surface,  and  which  extended  in  an  unbroken 
mass  a  thousand  miles  in  length.  Firmly  clasped  in  its  icy  embrace 
were  immense  bowlders  and  masses  of  sand,  clay  and  gravel.  Huge 
masses  of  rock  were  ground  to  powder  by  its  action.  The  water,  which 
flowed  beneath  this  river  of  ice,  deposited  its  sediment  in  its  course.  Far 
to  the  southward,  the  glacier  wasted  away,  and,  melting,  formed  the  Ohio 
River.  As  the  glacial  epoch  waned,  lesser  glaciers  passed  down  to  the 
rock  barriers  of  the  Wabash  region,  and,  dying,  gave  birth  to  the  stream. 
In  the  glacial  drift,  we  find  the  remains  of  animal  and  vegetable  life. 
Some  of  the  bones  of  the  mastodon  were  found  a  few  years  since  upon  our 
eastern  border,  near  Wanatah.  Fossilized  fragments  of  trees  and  of 
fruits  have  been  discovered.  Geologists  rarely  estimate  in  years  the 
duration  of  the  geological  periods.  However,  it  may  be  of  interest  to 
know  that  the  lowest  calculation  places  the  duration  of  the  ice  age  at 
50.000  years,  and  the  time  of  its  termination  is  thought  to  have  been 
175,000  years  ago.  After  the  glacial  epoch,  came  the  lacustrine  period. 
The  northern  regions,  which  had  been  raised  to  such  an  elevation,  subsided, 
or  were  deeply  eroded,  and  the  lakes  were  formed.  This  subsidence 
or  erosion,  extended  to  about  the  center  of  Porter  County,  where  the 
water-shed  now  extends  in  an  irregular  line.  The  water  no  longer  flowed 
in  from  the  ocean,  and  the  inland  sea  became  changed  into  fresh  water 
lakes. 

The  line  of  sand  hills  upon  our  northern  shore  has  no  counterpart  in 
the  known  world.  Other  lakes  have  ranges  of  sand  hills,  but  none  a 
2ange  like  ours.  The  combined  action  of  the  winds  and  waves  through 
untold  ages,  has  reared  these  beautiful  ridges  to  a  height  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty — sometimes  two  hundred — feet.  In  color,  they  are  a  bluish 
white,  and  from  afar  they  glisten  in  the  sun  with  an  unearthly  beauty, 
contrasting  with  the  deep  blue  of  the  lake  that  dashes  upon  the  beach. 
On  our  southern  border,  the  sluggish  Kankakee  pursues  its  sinuous  course, 
little  changed  in  its  appearance  and  natural  surroundings  through  a  long 
lapse  of  ages.  Porter  County  contains  about  a  dozen  small  lakes.  The 
most  considerable  of  these  are  Flint  and  Long  Lakes,  north  of  Valparaiso, 
and  Longinus,  Mud  and  Fish  Lakes,  near  the  northern  shore.  The 
Calumet  River  flows  in  a  westerly  direction  through  the  northern  part, 
its  principal  afiluents  being  Salt  and  CoSee  Creeks.     Sandy  Hook  and 


HISTOKY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY.  13 

Crooked  Creeks  flow  southward  through  the  southern  part  of  the  county  ; 
the  former  discharges  into  the  Kankakee,  while  the  latter  is  lost  in  the 
extensive  and  low  marsh  adjoining  the  river. 

While  not  remarkably  rich  in  antiquities,  Porter  County  contains 
many  objects  of  interest  to  the  archaeologist.  It  was  once  occupied  by 
that  strange  and  problematic  people — the  Mound-Builders — who  have 
left  numerous  traces  of  their  occupation.  The  Mound-Builders  are  com- 
monly supposed  to  have  been  a  great  people,  who  occupied  the  Mississippi 
Valley,  and  who  migrated  to  the  southward.  The  Spanish  accounts  of 
the  Aztecs,  Toltecs  and  Chichemecs,  the  ruined  cities  of  Mexico  and 
Central  America,  and  the  inscriptions  found  in  these  have  been  carefully 
studied  for  a  solution  of  the  mystery  in  which  this  race  is  involved.  But 
the  mystery  is  yet  unsolved.  Numerous  earth  mounds  are  found  in  Porter 
County  ;  but  there  are  no  fortifications  or  other  works  of  any  great  mag- 
nitude. In  the  mounds  have  been  found  human  bones,  arrow  heads  and 
fragments  of  pottery.  Scores  of  stone  ax-heads,  and  thousands  of  arrow- 
flints  have  been  collected  from  the  prairies  and  from  the  banks  of  streams. 
There  is  a  most  interesting  earthwork  to  be  found  near  Deep  River,  at 
the  western  border.  Here  is  a  mound  of  earth,  reared  by  human  hands, 
and  rising  to  the  height  of  twenty  feet.  It  is  shaped  like  a  flat-iron,  and 
regularly  built,  the  principal  sides  measuring  each  twenty  feet  in  length 
from  the  apex.  Near  the  latter,  there  is  a  well,  which  was  formerly  of 
enormous  depth.  The  excavation  is  circular,  and  has  a  diameter  of  eight 
or  nine  feet.  Into  this  well,  the  early  settlers  threw  the  debris  of  their 
clearings,  with  the  intention  of  filling  it  up ;  but  the  capacity  has  been  so 
great  that  it  remains  yet  unfilled.  Numerous  small  excavations  in  the 
adjacent  soil  and  rocks  have  led  to  the  conclusion  that  this  was  once  a 
"  water-cure "  establishment,  and  resorted  to  in  ancient  times  for  its 
baths. 

The  First  White  Occupants. — It  is  not  known  when  Porter  County 
was  first  visited  by  white  men.  The  supposition  is  that  French  explorers 
and  traders  occasionally  passed  through  this  region  from  about  the  middle 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  first  Europeans  whose  visits  were  recorded 
were  fathers  Claude  Allouez  and  Claude  Dablon.  These  famous  missiona- 
ries landed  upon  the  lake  shore,  and  traversed  the  country  to  the  Kankakee 
River,  inspecting  the  natural  features  of  the  land,  and  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  natives.  In  the  summer  of  the  following  year,  1673,  Father 
Jacques  Marquette  returned  from  his  Mississippi  expedition,  and  with  his 
six  followers  paddled  up  the  Kankakee  to  its  source.  Here  the  party 
crossed  the  marsh,  carrying  their  boats  to  the  St.  Joseph,  and  continued 
their  journey  down  the  river  and  up  the  lake  to  Green  Bay.  In  1679, 
a  celebrated  company  passed  down  our  winding  river.     The  leader  of  the 


14  HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

expedition  was  Robert  Cavelier  Sieur  de  La  Salle  ;  the  lieutenant  was 
the  Chevalier  De  Tonti.  Father  Hennepin  and  the  Sieur  de  la  Motte 
were  among  the  number.  This  band  of  about  thirty  men  paddled  in 
light  canoes  down  the  Kankakee  and  Illinois.  The  next  year,  in  the 
spring,  La  Salle  passed  through  our  territory  on  foot,  with  three  compan- 
ions, on  his  march  to  Frontenac  (now  Kingston).  In  the  last  days  of 
1681,  he  returned  and  passed  westward  over  our  lake  border  with  a  con- 
siderable company  of  followers.  In  1711,  many  of  the  natives  of  this 
region  came  under  the  influence  of  the  missionary  Chardon,  who  was 
stationed  at  a  post  upon  the  St.  Joseph,  and  many  were  baptized  in  the  Chris- 
tian faith.  The  next  year,  1712,  many  of  these  natives  repaired  to  De- 
troit to  assist  the  French  against  the  Fox  Indians.  A  friendly  feeling 
between  the  French  and  the  natives  was  the  result.  Traders  resorted  to 
the  post  and  carried  on  an  extensive  traffic  in  furs  and  corn.  A  conse- 
quence of  this  traffic  was  a  demoralizing  indulgence  in  "  fire  water,"  the 
baneful  effects  of  which  were  noted  by  the  missionary  Charlevoix.  In 
1759,  our  territory,  together  with  that  of  all  Northern  Indiana,  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  British.  English  and  French  traders,  between  whom 
existed  a  deadly  hatred,  now  traversed  the  lake  shore.  The  French  had 
the  advantage  of  their  rivals  since  they  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  the 
natives,  and  understood  their  language.  The  Pottawatomies  of  this  re- 
gion assisted  in  the  capture  of  the  post  on  the  St.  Joseph  in  1763.  This 
was  a  part  of  the  general  insurrection  planned  by  Pontiac ;  and  the  suc- 
cess of  this  expedition  was  rendered  valueless  by  the  failure  of  the  at- 
tempts elsewhere.     The  overthrow  of  Pontiac  led  to  a  long  peace. 

In  1781,  our  territory  was  invaded  from  an  unexpected  quarter.  The 
Spanish  commander,  Don  Eugenio  Pierre,  came  from  St.  Louis  to  seize 
the  lake  shore  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  Spain.  A  force  of  sixty  In- 
dians from  the  West  accompanied  the  Spanish  troops.  The  march  was 
made  very  early  in  the  year,  amid  the  storms  of  winter.  Don  Pierre 
probably  followed  the  old  Sac  trail  which  led  from  Twenty-mile  Prairie 
through  the  site  of  Valparaiso  to  the  eastward. 

Over  the  soil  of  Porter  County  had  now  waved  the  flags  of  England, 
France  and  Spain,  and  now  a  fourth  power  was  to  claim  the  territory. 
The  treaty  by  which  England  acknowledged  the  independence  of  the 
United  States,  at  the  termination  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  was  signed 
in  1783.  The  British,  however,  continued  to  occupy  Detroit,  and  to 
claim  this  region  until  1796,  at  which  time  the  territory  of  Porter  County 
became  in  reality  a  part  of  the  American  republic.  Among  the  local 
Indian  legends,  the  most  noticeable  is  that  of  the  Boundary  war,  waged 
by  the  natives  of  this  region,  and  a  tribe  adjoining  upon  the  west.  The 
former  possessed  themselves  of  the  ford  of  the  Kankakee  at  Eton's  Cross- 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  15 

ing,  as  a  rendezvous.  A  battle  was  fought  at  the  north  end  of  Morgan 
Prairie  ;  and  the  invaded  tribe,  simulating  terror,  fled  from  the  field.  The 
second  battle  was  fought  near  the  rendezvous.  Those  who  had  before 
appeared  to  fear  the  intruders,  now  effected  their  complete  rout.  The 
victors  pursued  the  foe  to  the  Chicago  River,  where  the  boundary  was 
adjusted  satisfactorily.  Evidences  that  some  such  struggle  actually  oc- 
curred have  been  found  upon  the  prairie  and  at  the  river ;  but  no  date 
can  be  assigned  to  it,  and  it  must  remain  simply  a  subject  of  legend  and 
not  of  history.  The  troops  of  Col.  John  H.  Whistler,  of  Detroit,  com- 
missioned to  erect  a  fort  upon  the  lake  shore,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago 
River,  passed  through  our  territory  in  1803.  Col.  Whistler  made  the 
journey  from  Detroit  in  a  Government  vessel,  the  ''  Tracy,"  which  was 
the  first  ship  that  ever  entered  Chicago  harbor.  In  the  spring  of  1804, 
the  fort  was  completed,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  Dearborn.  An  ex- 
tensive trading  post  was  here  established ;  and  from  the  first,  Fort  Dear- 
born exercised  an  extensive  influence  over  the  region  of  Porter  County. 
Trails  leading  thither  became  roads  of  regular  travel,  and  men  were  to  be 
seen  at  all  times  passing  to  and  from  the  fort.  Native  trappers  and  hunt- 
ers resorted  to  the  shores  of  the  Calumet  and  the  Kankakee,  and  gath- 
ered large  quantities  of  valuable  furs  ;  corn  was  raised  in  abundance  upon 
the  prairies,  and  carried  to  the  fort  for  sale.  Transportation  was  con- 
ducted by  means  of  canoes  upon  the  lake,  and  also  by  means  of  ponies 
with  pack  saddles  of  bark. 

One  of  the  leading  spirits  of  this  region  at  that  time  was  Alexander 
Robinson,  a  remarkable  man,  in  whose  veins  were  mingled  the  blood  of 
the  English,  the  French  and  the  Indian.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  John 
Jacob  Astor,  and  was  stationed  at  the  fort,  but  made  numerous  journeys 
to  our  territory,  purchasing  and  transporting  corn  and  furs.  Another 
prominent  man  of  the  time  was  Joseph  Baies,  or  Bailie,  a  Frenchman 
who  was  associated  with  Robinson  in  the  fur  agency.  Eventually,  he 
became  widely  known  as  a  pioneer  of  Northwestern  Indiana,  and  was  the 
first  white  settler  of  Porter  County. 

Capt.  Heald  succeeded  Col.  Whistler  in  command  of  the  fort.  Lah- 
wasika,  the  "  Prophet,"  and  brother  of  Tecumseh,  sent  his  emissaries  to 
the  tract  lying  north  of  the  Kankakee  to  secure  aid  in  his  intended  war 
upon  the  whites.  Aid  was  promised  and  given.  The  battle  of  Tippe- 
canoe was  fought  in  1811.  At  the  time  of  the  conflict  the  shores  of  the 
Kankakee  were  thronged  with  women  and  children,  the  aged  and  the 
helpless.  Those  who  returned  from  that  battle  were  enraged  and  embit- 
tered against  the  white  people  of  Indiana  Territory,  and  were  divided  in 
their  feelings  toward  the  garrison  of  Fort  Dearborn.  Many  were  disposed 
to  be  friendly  with  their  neighbors  of  the  Northwest ;  but  the  influence  of 


16  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

British  emissaries  and  the  thirst  for  blood  aroused  by  their  defeat  fore- 
boded danger  to  the  garrison  and  village  on  Chicago  River.  One  morn- 
ing in  August,  1812,  Winnemeg,  an  Indian  messenger,  was  seen  running 
nimbly  along  the  beach  and  over  the  sand  hills  of  our  northern  shore. 
He  came  from  Detroit,  and  bore  the  fatal  message  to  the  commandant  at 
Fort  Dearborn.  Capt,  Heald  called  a  council,  in  which  the  natives  of 
this  reorion  participated.  About  the  same  time,  Capt.  Wells,  of  Fort 
Wayne,  accompanied  by  fifteen  Miamis,  hastened  over  the  trail  in  the  en- 
deavor to  protect  from  danger  his  sister,  who  was  at  the  fort.  The  mas- 
sacre of  Fort  Dearborn  occurred  on  August  15.  Two  noble-hearted  In- 
dians, Winnemeg  and  Wabansee,  endeavored  to  save  their  friend,  Capt. 
Wells,  but  in  vain.  He  fell  in  the  massacre,  bravely  fighting.  For 
four  years  but  few  white  faces  were  seen  in  our  territory.  The  fort  lay 
in  ruins  ;  traders  feared  to  mingle  with  the  perpetrators  of  the  massacre. 
At  length,  in  1816,  the  fort  was  rebuilt  and  garrisoned.  Indiana  was 
now  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  State.  The  Government  purchased  from 
the  natives  a  strip  of  land  ten  miles  in  width,  extending  across  the  north 
end  of  the  State. 

In  1822,  the  first  white  settler  made  his  home  at  the  place  now  known 
as  Bailly  Town,  in  Westchester  Township.  This  was  Joseph  Bailly,  or 
Bailie,  of  whom  mention  has  been  made.  Mr.  Bailly  established  a  store, 
and  built  up  a  very  considerable  trade  with  the  natives.  He  had  married 
an  Indian  woman,  and  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  habits,  cus- 
toms and  language  of  her  people.  Madame  Bailly  spoke  French  fluently, 
and  adopted  many  of  the  customs  and  refinements  of  civilized  life,  but 
always  retained  the  dress  of  the  aborigines.  The  settlement  at  Bailly 
Town  became  widely  known ;  travelers,  traders,  adventurers,  mission- 
aries and  Government  ofiicers  made  it  their  rendezvous.  It  was  the  lead- 
ing place  of  assembly  for  religious  exercises ;  it  was  an  important  center 
of  trade ;  it  was  a  place  of  safety  in  time  of  danger.  Mr.  Bailly  pur- 
chased a  sloop  in  order  to  navigate  the  great  lakes,  and  gave  his  daughters 
the  advantages  of  travel  and  Eastern  education. 

In  1831,  a  road  was  cleared  from  Detroit  to  Fort  Dearborn.  It 
passed  through  what  now  constitutes  Jackson,  Westchester  and  Portage 
Townships.  It  was  a  wild,  rude  pathway,  fatiguing  in  its  roughness, 
abounding  in  dangers,  and  often  uncertain  in  its  course.  Over  this  road 
a  mail  line  was  established  between  Detroit  and  Fort  Dearborn,  the  mail 
being  carried  in  knapsacks  upon  the  backs  of  soldiers,  two  of  whom  were 
regularly  detailed  for  this  purpose. 

In  1832,  the  entire  Northwest  was  thrown  into  great  consternation  by 
the  tidings  of  outrage  and  massacre  committed  by  Black  Hawk  in  the 
regions  near  the   Mississippi.     The  territory  of  Porter  County,  with  its 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  17 

single  white  inhabitant,  had  little  to  fear,  but  the  natives  were  much  ex- 
cited by  the  events.  Government  troops  were  immediately  dispatched  to 
the  scene  of  war,  and  passed  over  the  Detroit  and  Fort  Dearborn  road. 
Alexander  Robinson,  of  whom  mention  has  been  made,  was  now  chief  of 
the  Pottawatomies,  having  been  chosen  to  that  office  in  1825.  He  was 
known  among  the  natives  by  the  name  of  Chechebingvvay.  He  convened 
a  great  council  of  the  tribe  at  Fort  Dearborn,  and  successfully  used  his 
influence  to  establish  a  lasting  peace  with  the  whites.  Within  this  year, 
the  Government  purchased  the  Indian  title  to  all  the  lands  of  Porter 
County  lying  south  of  the  old  Indian  boundary  established  in  1816. 

The  year  1833  was  an  important  era  in  our  history.  A  stage  line 
was  established,  and  coaches  ran  from  Chicago  to  Detroit,  making  three 
trips  per  week.  The  first  contractors  of  this  line  were  Messrs.  Converse 
&  Reeves.  At  a  season  of  high  water,  the  mail  carriers  lost  a  sack  of 
cofiee  in  a  large,  swollen  stream,  which  incident  gave  to  Coffee  Creek  its 
name.  With  the  establishment  of  this  stage  line,  commenced  the  actual 
settlement  of  Porter  County  by  white  families.  The  Morgan  brothers. 
Jesse,  William  and  Isaac,  natives  of  Monongalia  County,  Va.,  arrived 
early  in  this  memorable  year.  Jesse  settled  in  what  is  now  Westchester 
Township,  on  Section  6.  The  Chicago  and  Detroit  road  passed  through 
his  farm,  and  invited  him  to  assume  the  character  of  "mine  host."  He 
accordingly  christened  his  home  the  "  Stage  House,"  and  had  no  lack  of 
guests  in  his  hostelry.  Isaac  and  William  Morgan  chose  locations  upon 
the  fair  and  extensive  prairie  which  bears  their  name.  Late  in  April, 
Henry  S.  Adams,  of  Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  arrived  at  the  prairie,  ac- 
companied by  his  mother,  his  wife  and  three  daughters,  and  encamped  for 
a  time  on  what  is  now  Section  9,  Morgan  Township.  In  May,  he  erected 
a  dwelling  and  otherwise  improved  his  farm.  George  Cline,  of  Union 
County,  Ind.  ;  Adam  S.  Campbell,  of  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y., 
and  Reason  Bell,  of  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  arrived  in  June  and  located 
upon  the  prairie.  Other  settlers  joined  these  pioneers,  and  soon  a  very 
considerable  settlement  of  hardy,  sober,  industrious  pioneers  grew  up  in 
what  had  been  an  almost  unknown  wild. 

In  May,  the  site  of  Valparaiso  was  visited  by  Thomas  A.  E.  Camp- 
bell, then  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years,  who  accompanied  his  uncle, 
Adam  Campbell,  in  his  explorations  previous  to  the  settlement  of  the 
latter  upon  the  prairie.  On  the  evening  of  the  21st,  these  gentlemen 
arrived  at  the  new  home  of  Isaac  Morgan,  and  on  the  next  day  they 
arrived  at  the  banks  of  Tishkatawk,  the  stream  now  known  as  Salt  Creek. 
Thomas  selected  a  site  for  his  future  home,  and  returned  subsequently  to 
take  possession.  Jacob  Fleming,  the  Colemans,  Ruel  Starr  and  others 
removed  hither  within  the  same  year.     In   the   fall,  an   Indian  trading 


18  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

post  was  established  near  the  Stage  House,  and  its  proprietor,  Peter 
Pravonzy,  was  successful  in  money  making.  He  disposed  of  eleven  bar- 
rels of  "  fire  water  "  in  a  single  winter.  One  of  his  customers  was  mur- 
dered in  a  drunken  revel,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  surprise  that  there  was  no 
greater  effusion  of  blood.  As  a  rule,  the  pleasantest  relations  subsisted 
between  the  early  settlers  and  the  natives,  and  the  pioneers,  exempt  from 
the  horrors  of  border  wars,  lived  without  fear  of  molestation. 

Early  in  1834  came  J.  P.  Ballard,  who  erected  the  first  house  upon 
the  site  of  Valparaiso.  It  was  in  the  valley  of  the  stream  which  crosses 
Morgan  street,  and  in  the  grounds  south  of  Judge  Talcott's  present  resi- 
dence that  this  first  cabin  was  constructed.  A.  K.  Paine  settled  in  what 
is  now  Jackson  Township,  and  built  the  first  dwelling  in  that  locality. 
Jesse  Johnston  took  up  his  residence  near  the  old  Indian  town  of  Chiqua, 
near  Valparaiso.  Thojnas  and  William  Gosset  selected  farms  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county.  Jacob  and  David  Hurlburt  repaired  to  the 
borders  of  Twenty-mile  Prairie,  which  then  appeared  like  a  lake  filled  with 
islands.  Theophilus  Crumpacker,  Jerry  and  Joseph  Bartholomew  and 
Jacob  Wolf,  arrived  within  the  year  ;  also,  William  Frame  and  Abram 
Stoner. 

On  the  11th  of  January,  the  first  white  child  was  born  within  the  pres- 
ent limits  of  the  county — Reason  Bell,  whose  father.  Reason  Bell,  Sr., 
resided  on  what  is  now  Section  15  of  Washington  Township.  Hannah 
Morgan,  daughter  of  Jesse  Morgan,  the  first  native  white  daughter  of 
this  region,  was  born  at  the  Stage  House,  February  11.  John  Fleming, 
of  Union  Township,  was  born  within  the  same  year. 

The  Government  surveyors,  Messrs.  Polk  and  Burnside,  ran  the  lines 
and  divided  the  lands  into  sections.  John  J.  Foster  laid  off  a  town  to 
the  east  of  the  "  Stage  House,"  and  christened  it  "  Waverly,"  but  the 
enterprise  did  not  prove  a  success. 

The  number  of  immigrants  was  considerably  increased  in  the  follow- 
ing year.  Among  the  new-comers  were  Putnam  Bobbins,  David  Hug- 
hart,  E.  P.  Cole,  Hazard  Sheffield,  Allan  B.  James,  Peter  Ritter,  G.  W. 
Patton,  the  Baum  brothers,  George  Z.  Salyer  and  David  Oaks.  The 
town  of  Porterville  was  laid  out  on  the  site  of  the  old  Catholic  cemetery, 
but  did  not  prosper.  In  1835  was  the  sale  of  public  lands.  This  sale 
was  conducted  at  La  Porte,  then  a  town  consisting  of  a  few  log  cabins. 
Our  early  settlers  were  present,  almost  to  a  man,  and  there  were  a  num- 
ber of  Eastern  capitalists  present  who  made  large  purchases.  The 
Hoosier's  Nest  was  a  settlement  on  the  old  Sac  trail,  and  was  established 
by  Thomas  Snow.  It  contained  a  frame  house,  built  of  lumber  hauled 
from  La  Porte  County.  It  was  this  place  that  was  described  in  the  once 
popular  poem  of  John  Finley,  running  : 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  19 

I'm  told,  in  riding  somewhere  West, 
A  stranger  found  a  Hoosier's  Nest ; 
In  other  words,  a  Buckeye  cabin 
Just  big  enough  to  hold  Queen  Mab  in. 
Its  situation  low,  but  airy, 
Was  on  the  borders  of  a  prairie  ; 
And  fearing  he  might  be  benighted. 
He  hailed  the  house,  and  then  alighted. 
The  Hoosier  met  him  at  the  door  ; 
Their  salutations  soon  were  o'er. 
He  took  the  stranger's  horse  aside, 
And  to  a  sturdy  sapling  tied  ; 
Then,  having  stripped  the  saddle  otF, 
He  fed  him  in  a  sugar  trough. 

The  stranger  stooped  to  enter  in, 

The  entrance  closing  with  a  pin  ; 

And  manifested  a  strong  desire 

To  sit  down  by  the  log-heap  fire, 

Where  half  a  dozen  Hoosieroons, 

With  mush  and  milk,  tin-cups  and  spoons, 

White  heads,  bare  feet,  and  dirty  faces, 

Seemed  much  inclined  to  keep  their  places  ; 

But  madam,  anxious  to  display 

Her  rough  but  undisputed  sway. 

Her  offspring  to  the  ladder  led 

And  cuflFed  the  youngsters  up  to  bed. 

Invited  shortly  to  partake 
Of  venison,  milk  and  Johnny-cake, 
The  stranger  made  a  hearty  meal. 
And  glances  round  the  room  would  steal. 
One  side  was  lined  with  divers  garments, 
The  other  spread  with  skins  of  varmints  : 
Dried  pumpkins  overhead  were  strung. 
Where  venison  hams  in  plenty  hung. 

Two  rifles  hung  above  the  door, 

Three  dogs  lay  stretched  upon  the  floor — 

In  short,  the  domicile  was  rife 

With  specimens  of  Hoosier  life. 

The  host,  who  centered  his  aff'ections 

On  game,  and  range,  and  quarter  sections. 

Discoursed  his  weary  guest  for  hours 

'Till  Somnus'  all  composing  powers. 

Of  sublunary  cares  bereft  'em. 

And  then  I  came  away  and  left  'em. 

The  following  men  were  summoned  to  appear  as  jurors  at  the  first 
term  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Porter  County  :  Grand  Jurors — William 
Thomas,  Samuel  Olinger,  William  Gosset,  Joseph  Wright,  Samuel  Havi- 
land,  James  Walton,  Asahel  Neal,  James  Spurlock,  John  Bartholomew, 
Thomas  Adams,  Reason  Bell,  Peter  Cline,  Royal  Benton,  William  Clark, 


20  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

William  Trinkle,  Robert  Wilkinson,  J.  Todhunter  and  W.  Snavelj. 
Petit  Jurors — William  Downing,  Elijah  Casteel,  Asahel  K.  Paine,  Jesse 
Morgan,  Henry  S.  Adams,  Lewis  Comer,  John  Jones,  Charles  Allen, 
David  Bryant,  Solon  Robinson,  R.  Frazier,  Joseph  Willey,  Richard 
Henthorne,  William  Brim,  Theophilus  Blake,  Wilson  Malone,  Isaac  Mor- 
gan, Warner  Winslow,  Adam  S.  Campbell,  Jesse  Johnston,  William 
Frame,  Abraham   Stoner,  James  Ross  and  John  McConnell. 

The  first  session  of  the  Circuit  Court  was  held  in  October,  1836,  at 
the  house  of  John  Saylor,  Judge  Samuel  C.  Sample  seated  himself  with 
great  dignity  behind  a  deal  table,  on  which  were  placed  a  few  law  books, 
and  court  was  declared  to  be  in  session.  The  first  cause  was  called,  and 
went  by  default,  as  the  plaintiff  did  not  put  in  appearance.  The  Grand 
Jury  strolled  out  of  the  small,  close  court  room,  and  held  their  delibera- 
tions under  a  large  oak  tree,  on  the  site  of  the  T.  G.  Miller  Block.  The 
rain  commenced  to  fall,  but  they  were  tolerably  well  protected  by  their 
canopy  of  leaves.  A  fire  was  built,  and  imparted  warmth  and  cheer  to 
the  dismal  session. 

In  1837,  a  subscription  paper  was  circulated  to  secure  the  funds 
necessary  for  building  a  court  house  and  jail.  The  subscription  reached 
^1,250.  A  frame  court  house  was  built  west  of  the  square  in  Valpa- 
raiso, and  completed  late  in  the  fall.  Until  this  time,  court  was  regu- 
larly held  in  the  house  of  John  Saylor,  on  the  site  of  the  Empire  Block, 
but  was  henceforth  held  in  the  large  room  above  the 'post  office  until  the 
erection  of  the  brick  court  house  in  1853.  The  county  jail  was  built  of 
logs,  on  Mechanic  street,  to  the  southeast  of  the  square,  in  1838. 

The  settlement  of  Bailly  Town  by  the  French  trader  Bailly,  in  1822, 
has  been  mentioned.  This  interesting  locality  and  the  remarkable  fam- 
ily which  possessed  it  deserve  more  than  a  passing  comment.  For 
eleven  years.  Monsieur  Bailly  was  the  only  white  inhabitant  of  the 
region  of  Porter  County.  His  influence  over  the  natives  was  unbounded, 
and  his  traffic  in  furs  yielded  him  an  almost  princely  revenue.  His 
home  would  more  properly  have  been  termed  a  rendezvous  than  a  town, 
for  it  owed  importance  to  the  large  gatherings  of  the  natives  for  the  con- 
sideration of  every  important  matter,  and  for  the  purposes  of  trade  and 
of  religious  worship  rather  than  to  any  considerable  resident  population. 
This,  indeed,  it  never  possessed ;  and,  with  the  departure  of  the  Indians 
to  the  new  reservations  in  the  West,  its  importance  departed  forever. 
One  of  the  most  interesting  characters  among  us  in  the  forties  was  the 
good  Bishop  of  Vincennes,  Maurice  de  St.  Palais.  This  untiring  apos- 
tle was  accustomed  to  travel  on  horseback  from  Vincennes  to  Bourbon- 
nais  Grove,  a  French  Catholic  settlement  near  Kankakee,  111.,  and  from 
that  point  to  Bailly  Town.     On  his  arrival  at  Bailly's  settlement  he  was 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  21 

always  greeted  by  a  vast  concourse  of  the  Indians,  in  whose  presence  he 
oflEiciated  at  the  solemn  sacrifice  of  the  mass.  Thomas  A.  E.  Campbell, 
traveling  once  through  the  woods  to  Bailly  Town  upon  a  white  horse, 
was  seen  by  the  Indians  at  a  distance  and  mistaken  for  the  good  Bishop. 
Instantly  and  eagerly  the  word  was  passed  along,  "  The  Father  is  com- 
ing," and  Mr.  Campbell  on  arriving  at  the  trader's  house  met  a  large 
and  disappointed  company  of  natives.  The  home  of  the  trader  pre- 
sented an  anomalous  appearance  in  the  forties.  It  was  a  singular 
compound  of  the  barbarous  and  the  refined,  the  rudely  simple  and  the 
tastefully  luxurious.  The  trader  had  one  son,  mention  of  whom  is  made 
elsewhere.  In  education  as  well  as  in  wealth  his  daughters  were  far 
more  favored  than  those  of  the  most  fortunate  white  families  of  the 
county.  Capable  of  adorning  any  circle  of  society,  they  yet  preferred 
the  seclusion  of  their  home  to  association  with  the  families  of  the  immi- 
grants. Hortense,  the  youngest,  won  universal  admiration  wherever  she 
appeared.  She  was  remarkably  beautiful  in  feature  and  graceful  in  form 
and  movement.  Mentally,  she  was  bright  and  quick  of  perception. 
She  frequently  rode  to  the  county  seat  upon  her  favorite  pony,  a  beauti- 
ful snow  white  animal,  in  which  she  took  great  pride.  She  was  always 
accompanied  by  her  dog,  to  which  she  seemed  equally  attached.  Her 
dress  was  simple,  but  of  a  richness  of  which  other  misses  in  the  county 
would  not  have  dreamed.  A  cloak  of  rich  velvet,  a  cap  of  silk,  with  a 
long,  soft  plume  or  a  jaunty  eagle  feather,  a  severely  simple  dress,  made 
of  some  costly  fabric  brought  from  the  East — this  was  the  garb  of  our 
Pocahontas.  She  transacted  with  the  county  officers  the  business  upon 
which  she  came,  and  amused  herself  by  playing  with  her  dog  and  pony 
in  the  square  until  after  the  heat  of  the  summer  day  had  lessened,  then, 
alone  and  fearless,  rode  silently  away  to  her  solitary  home. 

In  all  the  early  history  of  Porter  County,  Michigan  City  was  the 
great  market  for  produce  and  supplies.  This  city  dates  from  1831.  Its 
young  life  was  full  of  promise.  Vessels  sought  its  harbor,  and  the  farm- 
ers of  the  tributary  region,  extending  far  to  the  east,  the  south  and  the 
west,  gave  it  their  almost  undivided  patronage.  People  reckoned  the 
distance  of  every  point  in  our  county  from  "the  city."  Twenty-mile 
Prairie  took  its  name  from  the  measure  of  distance  which  separated  it 
from  this  port.  The  roads  which  led  to  the  city  were  generally  very 
inferior,  and  sometimes  almost  impassable — entirely  unequal  to  the  de- 
mands of  transportation.  Late  in  the  decade,  a  grand  project  was  under- 
taken. It  was  the  construction  of  a  plank-road  from  Valparaiso  to 
Michigan  City.  The  outlay  necessary  to  the  construction  of  such  a  road 
was  immense,  considering  the  sparseness  and  comparative  poverty  of  the 
population  in   that   day.     But   the   people   demanded  that  it  should  be 


22  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

built,  and  when  the  people  are  in  earnest,  they  are  apt  to  have  their 
way.  They  looked  upon  this  road  as  something  for  the  future — some- 
thing that  would  endure  forever — and  their  vision  could  descry  no  time  in 
future  ages,  however  distant,  when  the  wheat  and  corn  of  Porter  County 
would  not  be  carried  to  market  in  wagons  over  this  plank-road.  It  was 
commenced  in  1850,  and  partly  finished  in  three  years.  The  expected 
cost  was  $128,000.  A  number  of  citizens  of  this  county  were  stock- 
holders of  the  plank-road  company.  Money  was  scarce,  and  much  of 
the  cost  of  construction  was  paid  in  orders.  The  use  of  these  orders, 
in  a  measure,  illustrated  the  English  idea  that  "a  national  debt  is  a  na- 
tional blessing."  For  a  number  of  years,  the  orders  of  the  plank-road 
company  were  in  circulation  as  currency,  and  formed  a  large  portion  of 
the  circulating  medium  in  the  hands  of  the  people. 

While  this  road  was  in  process  of  construction,  a  greater  work  claimed 
and  occupied  the  attention  of  the  people.  Railways  were  pushed  through 
to  "the  city  "  and  to  Chicago.  Through  Pine,  Westchester  and  Portage 
Townships,  and  over  the  border  of  Jackson,  lay  the  course  of  the  rails. 
The  Lake  Shore  road  and  the  Michigan  Central  appeared  at  our  borders 
almost  simultaneously.  They  crossed  near  Calumet,  a  village  which  had 
grown  up  north  of  the  old  "Stage  House,"  and  which  has  since  become 
the  town  of  Chesterton.  From  this  time.  Porter  County  was  brought 
into  direct  connection  with  the  outside  world.  From  the  county  seat  a 
rapid  drive  in  an  easy  coach  over  the  smooth  plank  floor  brought  one  to 
the  railway,  where  he  might  enjoy  the  luxury  of  travel  in  "steam  cars." 
The  first  goods  received  in  Porter  County  by  rail  were  sent  on  a  con- 
struction train  from  Michigan  City  in  1851,  and  landed  upon  the  prairie 
at  Old  Porter.  They  were  sent  to  Hubbard  Hunt,  then  a  Valparaiso 
merchant.  They  came  by  way  of  the  Michigan  Central.  The  Lake 
Shore  road  was  then  in  process  of  construction,  but  the  Avork  was  not  so 
far  advanced  as  that  of  the  Central.  The  mails  were  henceforth  carried 
far  more  rapidly  than  hitherto. 

The  public  buildings  of  the  public  square  at  Valparaiso  were  com- 
menced in  1850.  They  consist  of  the  court  house  and  two  other  build- 
ings for  the  county  offices.  The  court  house  was  not  completed  until 
1853.  Its  cost  was  about  $13,000.  It  was  of  a  style  similar  to  that  of 
La  Porte,  and  had  north  and  south  entrances.  It  had  a  brick  floor  and 
the  seats  were  ranged  in  tiers.  At  the  time  of  its  construction,  it  was 
one  of  the  best  in  the  State.  The  delay  in  its  construction  was  due  to 
alleged  fraud  in  the  use  of  unsuitable  building  materials  by  the  contract- 
ors. Part  of  the  wall  in  which  these  materials  had  been  used  was  torn 
down  and  rebuilt  before  the  work  could  be  approved. 

In  1850,  the  new  court  house  was  the  scene  of  a  very  sensational  trial. 


HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY.  23 

A  man  named  Lovering,  b}'  profession  a  school  teacher  and  minister,  was 
convicted  of  theft,  and  sentenced  to  four  years'  imprisonment.  Three 
years  later,  a  murderer  was  brought  into  court,  but,  owing  to  popular  fury, 
was  granted  a  change  of  venue.  It  was  John  Mcintosh,  who  murdered 
an  old  gentleman,  Charles  Askam,  in  Pleasant  Township.  Other  changes 
of  venue  were  obtained,  and  the  murderer  escaped  conviction  through  a 
legal  technicality,  being  set  at  liberty  at  South  Bend,  two  years  later. 

The  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railway  was  laid  through 
Porter  County  in  1858.  John  N.  Skinner  and  Ruel  Starr  were  the  prin- 
cipal contractors.  The  road  passed  through  Valparaiso,  where  a  large 
grain  depot  was  built,  and  brought  a  great  deal  of  trade  to  the  county  seat. 

In  1869,  Henry  Andrews  was  murdered  by  Philip  Schaffer,  in  a 
saloon,  at  Valparaiso,  and  the  murderer  was  sentenced  to  two  years'  im- 
prisonment for  his  crime. 

Among  the  legislative  acts  in  the  sixties  was  that  under  which  the  Kan- 
kakee Valley  Draining  Association  was  organized.  The  assessments  made 
upon  the  lands  to  be  benefited  by  the  draining  of  the  Kankakee  region  were 
regarded  as  excessive  and  unjust.  Very  bitter  feeling  was  aroused  against 
the  company,  and  vigorous  denunciations  and  threats  were  uttered  at 
numerous  indignation  meetings.  The  scheme  as  contemplated  was  never 
carried  out. 

The  new  jail  was  built  in  1871,  opposite  the  southeast  corner  of  the 
public  square  in  Valparaiso.  It  cost  somewhat  more  than  ^26,500,  and 
is  a  fine  piece  of  architecture.  For  some  years  the  county  had  been  with- 
out a  jail,  and  the  prisoners  had  been  taken  to  La  Porte  County  for  safe 
keeping.  Notwithstanding  the  apparent  security  of  the  new  prison,  there 
were  several  "jail  deliveries"  which  startled  the  community  and  per- 
plexed the  oflScers.  The  famous  monte  man  and  desperado  known  as 
"Texas  Jack  "  was  confined  here  in  1876.  His  preliminary  trial  was 
held  before  Mayor  Skinner  at  the  court  house.  Dense  crowds  thronged 
the  court  room,  and  large  numbers  of  people  visited  the  prisoner  at  the 
jail.  He  was  held  for  trial.  His  pals  and  supporters  in  Chicago  were 
determined  to  effect  his  rescue  if  possible  ;  and  though  a  close  watch  and 
eflScient  guard  appeared  to  be  maintained,  he  disappeared  one  night,  hav- 
ing been  aided  by  accomplices  in  his  escape. 

A  memorable  sensation  was  caused  in  1872  by  the  discovery  of  a  mur- 
dered man,  or  a  suicide,  hanging  from  a  tree  a  short  distance  southwest 
of  the  county  seat.  The  circumstance  is  a  mystery  which  has  never  been 
satisfactorily  explained. 

The  Peninsular  Railway  reached  Valparaiso  in  1874.  A  station  was 
established  near  Prattville  and  named  Malone.  It  is  near  the  site  of  the  old 
Indian  village  called  by  the  aborigines  "  Skeenwa's  Town."     The  Balti- 


24  HISTORY  OF  PORTER   COUNTY. 

more  &  Ohio  Railway  was  completed  at  about  the  same  time.  In  the  fall, 
there  was  a  serious  riot  at  Crisman  Station,  in  Portage  Township.  The 
Baltimore  road  was  resisted  by  the  Michigan  Central  in  its  attempt  to  cross 
the  track  of  the  latter.  Hundreds  of  men  arrived  at  the  scene.  Fire- 
arms were  obtained,  and,  for  a  time,  a  fierce  and  bloody  battle  seemed 
imminent.  Wiser  counsels  prevailed,  the  diflficulty  was  adjusted  and  the 
track  was  laid.  The  next  year  the  town  of  Sumanville  was  laid  out  as  a 
station  upon  this  line  in  Jackson  Township.  A  strong,  substantial  bridge 
was  constructed  over  the  Kankakee  River  near  Mayville,  Capt.  De  Cour- 
cey  being  the  engineer.  The  Chicago  &  Lake  Huron  Railway,  formerly 
the  Peninsular,  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Grand  Trunk,  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  to  extend  the  line  to  Chicago,  which  work  was  com- 
pleted the  next  year.  In  1881,  the  line  of  the  New  York,  Chicago  & 
St.  Louis  was  extended  through  Porter  County  to  Chicago.  The  Chicago 
&  Atlantic  Railway  line  was  also  surveyed  through  our  county,  and  the 
work  of  construction  vigorously  pushed.  The  first  of  these  lines  passes 
through  Valparaiso,  and  the  last  crosses  the  Pan  Handle  line  at  Kout's 
Station. 

Court  continues  to  be  held  in  the  old  court-house  of  1853,  which  has 
been  so  greatly  changed  since  its  construction  as  to  be  scarcely  recogniz- 
able as  the  same  building.  A  new  building  is  contemplated  by  the  au- 
thorities, being  greatly  needed  at  the  present  time.  The  only  murder 
trials  of  late  years  were  those  of  Charles  Stevens,  in  1879,  and  Brainerd 
Taft,  in  1881.  The  former  was  acquitted  of  the  crime  alleged;  the 
latter  was  found  guilty  of  the  murder  of  John  Dutton,  and  sentenced  to 
the  penitentiary  for  four  years. 

While  not  famous  as  the  home  or  resort  of  any  large  number  of 
authors.  Porter  County  has  numbered  among  her  citizens  several  who 
have  achieved  some  distinction  as  writers.  Doubtless  the  most  gifted  and 
polished  author  among  Porter  County's  sons  is  Col.  Gilbert  A.  Pierce, 
formerly  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Senate,  and  later  editor  of  the 
Chicago  Inter  Ocean.  His  "  Dickens*  Dictionary  "  is  recognized  as  a 
standard  work  in  Great  Britain  as  well  as  in  the  United  States,  and  has 
received  high  commendation  from  the  reviewers  of  both  nations.  His 
novel,  "  Zachariah,  the  Congressman,"  is  a  charming  story,  charmingly 
told,  and  having  a  well-arranged  plot.  Of  Col.  Peirce's  lectures  and 
addresses,  that  entitled  "  To  Laugh  or  To  Cry,"  is  very  popular,  and 
places  him  in  the  front  rank  of  American  humorists. 

Hon.  Worthy  Putnam,  of  Michigan,  was  formerly  Professor  of  Elo- 
cution in  the  V.  M.  &  F.  College,  at  Valparaiso,  and  published  a  large, 
admirable  work  under  the  title  of  "Putnam's  Elocution."  The  treatise, 
as  well  as  the  selections,  showed  ability  and  taste  in  the  authorship  and  com- 


HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY.  25 

pilation.  Prof.  A.  Y.  Moore,  an  instructor  in  the  V.  C.  Institute,  wrote 
the  "Life  of  Schuyler  Colfax,"  a  well-prepared  and  interesting  biography 
of  the  Indiana  Statesman.  Rev.  Dr.  Sims,  now  Chancellor  of  Syracuse 
University,  is  the  author  of  the  "Life  of  Dr.  Eddy,"  an  interesting 
biography  in  Dr.  Sims'  happiest  style.  Miss  Frances  R.  Howe,  a  grand- 
daughter of  the  first  white  settler.  Monsieur  Joseph  Bailly,  of  Bailly 
Town,  is  the  author  of  "  A  Visit  to  Bois  d'Haine,"  a  charming  narrative 
of  European  travel,  in  which  she  describes  her  visit  to  Louise  Lateau,  the 
Belgian  Stigmatica.  Dr.  E.  W.  Fish,  a  former  practitioner  of  this 
county,  and  sometime  Professor  of  Cliemistry  at  Pulte  College,  Cincin- 
nati, is  the  author  of  a  large  and  carefully  prepared  text-book  on  chem- 
istry. Rev.  J.  Milton  Kennedy,  a  Methodist  pastor,  formerly  stationed 
at  Chesterton,  is  the  author  of  a  highly  commended  book  of  Poems. 
Mr.  A.  G.  Hardesty  wrote  and  published  a  brief  but  most  interesting  his- 
tory of  Porter  County  in  1876,  in  connection  with  his  admirable  atlas  of 
the  same.  J.  W.  Holcombe,  of  the  Normal,  is  the  author  of  a  text-book 
entitled  "  The  Latin  Sentence,"  published  in  1876.  It  is  a  valuable 
work  of  a  finished  scholar  and  a  practical  teacher.  Mrs.  Lizzie  Newell, 
of  Fargo,  D.  T.,  formerly  of  Valparaiso,  is  the  author  of  the  "  Silent 
Counselor,"  a  beautiful  and  ingenious  work  of  Scriptural  and  poetical 
compilation.  Prof.  0.  P.  Kinsey,  of  the  Normal,  is  the  author  of  an 
admirable  little  work  entitled  "  The  Normal  Debater."  Mrs.  M.  Elna 
W.  Haverfield,  M.  D.,  has  written  a  work  entitled  "  Enlightened 
Woman,"  on  subjects  of  special  interest  to  her  sex.  Scientific  and  tech- 
nical compositions  have  been  written  by  Harlowe  S.  Orton,  President  of 
the  Law  College  of  Wisconsin  State  University  ;  Orpheus  Everts,  M.  D., 
Superintendent  Indiana  Asylum  for  the  Insane ;  Wooster  Beman,  Pro- 
fessor of  Mathematics  at  Michigan  University,  and  other  former  residents 
of  Porter  County.  Of  musical  composers  and  publishers,  J.  William 
Sufi'ene,  J.  W.  Ruggles  and  Prof.  Straub,  of  Chicago,  have  been  connected 
with  institutions  of  musical  instruction  at  Valparaiso.  The  Congressional 
speeches  of  Congressmen  Calkins  and  De  Motte  would  form  a  large 
volume.  These  gentlemen  resided  for  many  years  at  Valparaiso,  and  the 
last  mentioned  is  now  a  resident  of  that  city. 

County  Commissioners. — Noah  Fowts,  1836 ;  Benjamin  Spencer, 
1836-37  ;  John  Seff'on,  1836-37  ;  J.  Y.  Wright,  1837-38  ;  James  Wal- 
ton (who  is  an  1812  pensioner  and  lives  in  Michigan,  where  he  went  with 
his  son  in  1872),  1839  ;  Jonathan  Griffin,  1838  ;  John  Jones,  1838  ; 
Joshua  Hobart,  1839;  John  H.  Whistler,  1839-40;  Reason  Bell,  1840- 
43  ;  Thomas  J.  Field,  1843  (appointed  by  Probate  Court  to  fill  vacancy 
occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Col.  Whistler) ;  Jesse  Morgan,  1841- 
42  ;  John  Dinwiddle,  1841-43  ;  Russel  Dorr,  1843-44 ;  Nathaniel  Saw- 


26  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

yer,  1843-45 ;  Richard  W.  Jones,  1844-46  ;  Samuel  Olinger,  1845-46  ; 
Isaac  Morgan,  1846-48;  J.  Dinwiddle,  1847-50;  Walker  McCool, 
1848-51 ;  Azariah  Freeman,  1849-50  ;  Ruel  Starr,  1850-55  ;  Asa  Cobb, 
1850-53  ;  Alexander  Chambers,  1851-53  :  Ira  Cornell,  1853-57  ;  H.  E. 
Woodruff,  1854-57;  Asa  Cobb,  1857-60;  John  Hardesty,  1855-67; 
William  Williams,  1857-58 ;  Eli  B.  Lansing,  18^8-62;  W.  Stoddard, 
1860-61;  L.  A.  Cass,  1861-62;  S.  P.  Robbins,  1862-65;  A.  B.Price, 
1862-63  ;  William  Stoddard,  1863-67  ;  Edward  C.  Osborn,  1865-68 ; 
T.  B.  Cole,  1867  ;  A.  B.  Price,  1867  ;  A.  V.  Bartholemew,  1868  ;  S.  P. 
Robbins,  1868;  Andrew  J.  Harrison,  1874;  L.  P.  Scott.  1876;  Fred- 
erick Burstrom,  1880 ;  Nicholas  Pickrell,  1880. 

Common  Pleas  Judges. — First,  H.  Lawson  ;  second,  William  C.  Tal- 
cott ;  third,  Hiram  A.  Gillette.     Office  abolished  in  1872. 

Judges  Circuit  Court. — First,  Samuel  Sample,  of  South  Bend  ;  sec- 
ond, E.  M.  Chamberlin,  of  Goshen  ;  third,  Robert  Lowry,  of  Goshen ; 
fourth,  Thomas  Stanfield,  of  South  Bend ;  fifth,  Andrew  Osborn,  of  La 
Porte ;  sixth,  Hiram  A.  Gillett,  of  Valparaiso ;  seventh,  Elisha  C. 
Fields,  of  Crown  Point. 

Treasurers.— W\\\\2im  Walker,  1836-39  ;  T.  A.  E.  Campbell,  1839  ; 
resigned  ;  G.  W.  Salisbury,  appointed  in  his  stead,  1839-40  ;  John  W. 
Wright,  1840-43 ;  T.  A.  E.  Campbell,  1841-44 ;  Elias  Axe,  1844-47  ; 
E.  Campbell,  1847-51 ;  John  Ball,  1851-53  ;  William  Wilson,  1853-55  ; 
0.  L  Skinner,  1855-59;  Warren  Dunning,  1859-63;  S.  W.  Smith, 
1863-67 ;  F.  F.  B.  Coffin,  1871-75 ;  J.  W.  Felton,  1875-79  ;  J.  W. 
Crumpacker,  1879. 

Auditors. — George  W.  Turner,  1841,  appointed  ;  Philander  A.  Paine, 
1841-43,  resigned ;  Ellis  E.  Campbell,  1843,  appointed;  Ruel  Starr, 
1843;  S.  W.  Smith,  1843-58;  Reason  Bell,  1858-66  ;  Z.  B.  Field, 
1866-70  ;  Reason  Bell,  1870-78  ;  William  E.  Brown,  1878. 

Sheriffs. — Benjamin  Saylor,  appointed  by  Governor  1836;  George 
Cline,  1837 ;  Charles  G.  Merrick,  1838-43  ;  John  W.  Wright,  appointed, 
1843 ;  Moses  Trim,  Richard  W.  Jones,  Vincent  Thomas.  1850-52 ; 
Thomas  G.  Lytle,  1852-56  ;  Thomas  B.  Cole,  Stephen  L.  Bartholemew, 
Henry  Binamon,  Robert  Jones,  1872-76;  James  Malone,  1876-80; 
Charles  Dickover,  1880. 

Judges.,  Probate  Court. — 1st.  Jesse  Johnson — Seneca  Ball  and  James 
Blair,  Associate  Judges.  2d.  George  W.  Turner — Enos  Thomas  and 
John  Herr,  Associate  Judges.  3d.  Nathaniel  Campbell — H.  E.  Wood- 
ruff and  Benjamin  N.  Spencer,  Associate  Judges.  4th.  William  Talcott. 
6th.  John  Jones  (appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resigna- 
tion of  Judge  Talcott,  who  remained  on  the  bench  about  six  months,  till 
the  office  was  abolished  in  1852). 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  29 

Clerks.-^l&i.  George  W.  Turner,  1836-43.  2d.  John  C.  Ball,  1843- 
50.  3d.  William  W.  Jones,  1850-55.  4th.  0.  Dunham,  1855-59.  5th.  E. 
J.  Jones,  1859-67.  6th.  S.  W.  Smith,  1867-71.  7th.  R.  P.  Wells, 
1871-79.     8th.  John  Felton,  1879—. 

Recorders.— Ut.  Cyrus  Spurlock,  1836-39.  2d.  George  W.  Salis- 
bury, 1839-41  (appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  removal 
of  Cyrus  Spurlock) ;  Obediah  Dunham,  1850-55  ;  Edna  L.  Whitcomb, 
1855-59 ;  Thomas  Jewel,  1859-67  ;  Henry  Stoddard,  1867-75  ;  Thomas 
C.  Shepard,  1875-79  ;  William  C.  Wells,  1879—. 

Senators. — In  1837,  our  Senatorial  District  was  composed  of  the 
counties  of  La  Porte,  Newton,  White  and  Pulaski.  Our  State  Senator 
was  Charles  W.  Cathcart,  1837-70  ;  Sylvanus  Everetts,  1840-43.  In 
1842,  the  district  was  changed  so  as  to  contain  only  La  Porte,  Porter  and 
Lake.  Joseph  W.  Chapman,  1842-45 ;  Andrew  L.  Osborn,  1845-49 ; 
Abraham  Teegarden,  1849-51  (no  record  for  1852) ;  Samuel  I.  Anthony, 
1853-57  ;  Morgan  H.  Wier,  1857-58.  In  1859,  Porter,  Lake  and  Jas- 
per— Senator,  David  Turner,  1859-61.  In  1863,  Porter,  Lake,  Jasper 
and  Newton — Senator,  Ezra  Wright,  1863-65.  In  1869,  Porter,  Lake 
and  Newton — Senator,  Erwin  Church,  1867-69.  In  1871,  Porter  and 
Lake— Senator,  Richard  Wadge,  1871-75;  D.  L.  Skinner,  1875-79. 
Thomas  Wood,  1879—. 

Representatives. — In  1836,  Porter  and  Newton  Counties  composed 
our  Representative  District.  Representatives:  Benjamin  McCarty, 
1836  ;  Jeremiah  Hamil,  1837  (no  report  for  1838-39).  In  1840,  Porter 
and  Lake,  represented  by  Seneca  Ball,  1840-41 ;  Lewis  Warriner,  1841 ; 
Adam  S.  Campbell,  1842-43  ;  Alexander  McDonald,  1843-44  ;  Samuel 
I.  Anthony,  1844-45 ;  Alexander  McDonald,  1845-46 ;  Harvey  E. 
Woodruff,  1846-47  ;  Alexander  McDonald,  1847  ;  Benjamin  Spencer, 
1848 ;  Lewis  Warriner,  1849-50  ;  William  H.  Harrison,  1850-51.  In 
1851,  Porter  County  was  formed  into  one  distinct  district,  and  repre- 
sented by  Gideon  Brecount,  1851-53  ;  Artillus  Bartholomew,  1853-55; 
Andrew  B.  Pierce,  1854-57  (no  record  for  1859) ;  Robert  A.  Cameron, 
1861 ;  Levi  A.  Cass,  1863-65;  Firmin  Church,  1865;  John  F.  McCar- 
ty, 1865-67  ;  Gilbert  A.  Pierce,  1867-69  ;  William  H.  Calkins,  1869- 
73;  Theophilus  Crumpacker,  1873-78;  S.  S.  Skinner,  1878—. 

MISCELLANEOUS    STATISTICS. 

Amount  of  money  in  County  Treasury  May,  1882 $53,895.97 

Amount  of  permanent  school  fund  of  county  May,  1882 $43,037.91 

School  enumeration  of  county  May,  1882 5,496 

Number  of  schoolhouses — 26  brick,  68  frame,  May,  1882 94 

Value  of  schoolhouses,  grounds,  seats,  etc.,  May,  1882 |124,280 

Value  of  school  apparatus  May,  1882 $3,817 

Number  volumes  in  township  libraries  May,  1882 460 

Population  of  County.— In  \%4.0,   2,155;   1850,5,229;   1860,   10,295;  1870,   13,903; 
1880,  17,229.  3 


30 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 
FARM    PRODUCTS. 


Meadow  and  Hat, 

1881. 

i 

Ibish   Potatoes, 
188]. 

Sweet  Potatoes, 
1881. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

=1 

< 

I' 

o 

a 
o 
H 

i 

< 

Is 

m 

% 

Si 

S 

00 

9 
U 

< 

2 

CD    U 

S3 

• 

•g 

s 
n 

955 

1239 

952 

713 

695 

813 

695 

669 

4632 

1434 

1321 

1 

2 

1 

\' 

1 
1 

1 

956  ' 
2478 
1190 

713 

892 
1626 

696 

659 
3474  ! 
1434 
1981  , 

66 
109 
326 
129 
160 
444 
150 

50 
185 
185 
305 

20  1320 
50  5450 
67  21842 
40  :  5160 
15  2400 
20  ■  8880 
25  3760 
50  2500 
30  5560 
25  ;  4625 
25     7625 

7 

25 

175 

Pine               

681 

li 

908  : 

107 

2217 
2487 

36     3745 

7 
35 

Total         

13689 
9994 

li 

17006 
15347 ' 

32  1  72847 
....1170890 

25 

175 

Total  last  year 

2625 

TOWNSHIPS. 


Centre 

Union 

Washington. 

Jackson  

Liberty- 

Portage 

Westchester. 

Pleasant 

Porter 

Boone 

Morgan 

Pine 


WHEAT   IX    1881. 


817 

1,351 
2,271 
2,715 
1,684 
1,136 
1,340 
1,542 
1,206 
698 
2,520 
1,103 


Total 18,382 

Total  last  year!  25,016 


6 
5 

10 
8 
6 

12 
5 
9 


4,0851 
10,808i 
20,439; 
21,720i 
10,104 

5,675! 
13,400 
12,336! 

7,236i 

8,376 
12,500! 

9,927! 


il36,606,, 

'377,77511 


CORN   IN   1881. 


23,453 
35,816 


Bush,  per 
Acre. 


20 
25 
27 
25 
20 
20 
5 
20 
15 
15 
25 
32 


2  c 


30 
35 


35 
30 
25 
30 


25 
30 
44 


29,480 
45,360 
72,333 
42,000 
26,295 
24,210 
6,210 
66,040 
39,915 
20,820 
98,815 
16,018 


475,496 
1,097,061 


OATS  IN  1881. 


8371  26 
802i  30 


12,498 
12,876 


1,174 

618 

284 

986 

4671  20 
1,205{  25 
2,074  26 

939  30 
2,730|  30 

382i  26 


20,925 
24,060 
30,524 
15,450 

7,100 
24,660 

9,340 
30,126 
51,860 
28,170 
81,900 

9,932 

334,026 
397,890 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  31 


CHAPTER  II. 

BY     WESTON     A.     GOODSPEED. 

Creation  of  Porter  County— Its  Existence  under  La  Porte  Jxjrisdic- 
TiON— Early  Subdivisions  and  Election  Eeturns— French  and  In- 
dian Land  Claims— Sale  of  Public  Lands— Organization  of  the 
County— Proceedings  of  the  Comjiissioners- The  County  Seat- 
Public  HiGHAVAYS— The  Library  Association— The  County  Semi- 
nary—The Bible  Society— Township  Boundary  Alteration— Linn 
County — Temperance  Organizations— The  Poor  Farm— The  Agri- 
cultural Society— Old  Settlers'  Association— The  County  Press 
—Politics— Statistics. 

THE  County  of  Porter  had  its  first  political  existence  in  the  month  of 
March,  1835,  at  which  time  the  County  Commissioners  of  La  Porte 
County,  then  having  jurisdiction  over  the  soil  now  comprising  the  counties 
of  Porter  and  Lake,  ordered  that  all  the  territory  west  of  the  La  Porte 
County  line  and  attached  to  that  county  should  be  laid  off  in  election 
districts  or  townships  as  follows  : 

The  township  of  Waverly  to  be  bounded  on  the  north  by  Lake  Mich- 
igan, east  by  the  La  Porte  County  line,  south  by  the  line  between  Town- 
ships 35  and  36  north,  and  west  by  the  line  through  the  center  of  Range 
6  west.  The  township  of  Morgan  to  be  bounded  on  the  north  by  the 
south  line  of  Waverly  Township,  east  by  the  La  Porte  County  line,  south 
by  the  Kankakee  River,  and  west  by  the  line  through  the  center  of  Range 
6  west.  The  township  of  Ross  to  include  all  the  attached  territory  west 
of  the  line  through  the  center  of  Range  6  west. 

At  the  time  of  the  creation  of  these  townships,  an  election  of  two  Jus- 
tices of  the  Peace  and  other  officers  was  ordered  held  at  the  house  of 
Isaac  Morgan  for  Morgan  Township,  at  the  town  of  Waverly  for  Waverly 
Township,  and  at  the  house  of  Cyrus  Spurlock  for  Ross  Township.  John 
J.  Foster  was  appointed  Inspector  of  the  election  in  Waverly  Township ; 
Isaac  Morgan,  of  the  election  in  Morgan  Township,  and  Benjamin  Mc- 
Carty,  of  the  election  in  Ross  Township.  The  following  is  the  result  of 
the  three  elections,  with  the  number  of  votes  polled  for  each  can- 
didate : 

Waverly  Toiunship. — Justice  of  the  Peace,  John  J.  Foster,  18  ;  Eli- 
jah Casteel,  11 ;  John  Sefford,  7.  Constable,  Owen  Crumpacker,  15 ; 
Jacob  Beck,  14.  Superintendent  of  Roads,  Eli  Hendricks,  16  ;  L.  G. 
Jackson,  5;  Abraham  Snodgrass,  11.  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Jesse  Mor- 
gan, 16  ;  William  Frame,  16.     Fence  Viewers,  Alexander  Crawford,  14; 


32  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Edmund  Tratebas,  14.  Inspector  of  Elections,  William  Gosset,  1 ;  John 
J.  Foster,  1.  Total  number  of  votes  polled,  32;  the  following  being  the 
only  names  which  appear  upon  the  records :  Jesse  Morgan,  J.  J.  Foster, 
William  Conant,  Lemuel  G.  Jackson,  S.  N.  Clark,  William  Gosset, 
Clark  Waldriss,  Owen  Crumpacker,  Elijah  Casteel,  Peter  Ritter,  Mere- 
deth  Braylock,  William  Downing,  Jacob  Beck,  Isaac  Mossey,  Pressley 
Warnick,  Abraham  Snodgrass,  Daniel  W.  Lyons,  William  Calhoun  and 
Thomas  J.  Wyatt. 

Morgan  Township. — Justice  of  the  Peace,  Adam  S.  Campbell,  26  ; 
George  Cline,  26.  Constable,  T.  A.  E.  Campbell,  25  ;  Jones  Frazee,  25 ; 
William  Morgan,  1.  Supervisor  of  Roads,  Henry  Rinker,  21 ;  R.  C. 
Brayton,  19.  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Reason  Bell,  Sr.,  25;  Jacob  Cole- 
man, 25.  Fence  Viewers,  Jacob  Coleman,  24  ;  Benjamin  Saylor,  24. 
Inspector  of  Elections,  Isaac  Morgan,  26.  Total  number  of  votes  polled, 
26,  by  the  following  persons  :  Henry  Rinker,  Benjamin  Saylor,  Henry 
H.  Williams,  White  B.  Smith,  James  Blair,  Jonathan  Moulton,  Jacob 
Fleming,  John  Coleman,  James  Frazee,  William  Morgan,  William  Bill- 
ings, James  Laughlin,  Jeremiah  Bartholomew,  Reason  Bell,  Adam  S. 
Campbell,  George  Cline,  Warner  Pierce,  Jacob  Coleman,  Edmund  Bill- 
ings, Peter  D.  Cline,  Russel  Brayton,  Stephen  Brayton,  Robert  Walters, 
Isaac  Morgan,  T.  A.  E.  Campbell  and  Reason  Reed. 

Ross  Township. — Justices  of  the  Peace,  James  Turner,  29,  William 
B.  Crooks,  28  ;  Constable,  George  W.  Turner,  27,  John  Huntley,  13, 
John  G.  Forbes,  14  ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Benjamin  McCarty,  5,  The- 
ophilus  Blake,  22,  John  G.  Forbes,  24  ;  Superintendent  of  Roads,  Daniel 
Turner,  13,  Richard  Clark,  7,  John  Huntley,  9  ;  Fence  Viewers,  Moses 
Wilson,  25,  James  Walton,  25  ;  Inspector  of  Elections,  Benjamin  Mc- 
Carty, 14,  Samuel  Haviland,  2.  Total  voters,  29,  as  follows  :  Richard 
Clark,  William  D.  Wolf,  Theopilus  Blake,  John  Lyons,  Michael  Young, 
Moses  Wilson,  David  Spurlock,  John  Spurlock,  Stephen  Spurlock,  Cyrus 
Spurlock,  George  Spurlock,  Barzilla  Bunnel,  Knighton  Parrott,  John  G. 
Forbes,  Benjamin  McCarty,  John  Huntley,  Samuel  Haviland,  Wright  P. 
Taylor,  George  W.  Turner,  Burton  Blake,  William  B.  Crooks,  Daniel 
Turner,  Noah  Fouts,  Pascal  Coghill,  Jesse  Pierce,  James  W.  Turner,  Ja- 
cob Hurlburt,  John  Wolf  and  Mason  Randle. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  the  above  men  were  the  only  ones  resid- 
ing in  their  respective  townships ;  for  it  will  be  observed  that  votes  were 
polled  for  men  Avho  were  absent,  or  the  names  of  all  present  were  not  re- 
turned upon  the  tally  sheets  by  the  officers  of  the  election.  The  follow- 
ing vote  polled  in  August  of  the  same  year  shows  a  population  but  little 
heavier^     The  returns  of  Waverly  Township  could  not  be  found : 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 


33 


Representa- 

State 

Represent- 

Associate 

County 

County  Com- 

CONQRESS. 

Senator. 

ative. 

Judge. 

Recordek. 

missioner. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

5 

c 

CS 

u 

§0 
u 

a 
S 

s 

i 

"o 

O 

bb 

c 

Id 

a 
I 

a 
£ 

a 

C 

o 

u 

5 

a 

8 

a 

s 

a 

2 

n 
a 

i 

o 

3 

1 

&< 

o 

E 

1 
Its 

a 
0 

% 

2. 
3 

s 

'■n 

a 
3 

&a 

sS 

o 

^ 

<J 

d 

r%  1  -; 

5 

n 

1   1  d 

0 

•-s 

d 

-< 

MorfiTiin  

61 

34 

3 

1 

3 

19 

4 
6 

45 

6 

48 
4 

2 

18 

6 
13 

45 
1 

5 

17 

9 

46 
1 

7 
5 

"2 

1 

7 

44 

i 

47 

Ross 

6 

Waverly 

Total 

85 

4 

22 

10 

51 

52 

20 

19 

4fi 

9,9. 

9 

47 

1^ 

9. 

8 

44 

1 

53 

As  the  three  townships — Morgan,  Ross  and  Waverly — had  no  exist- 
ence except  as  a  part  of  La  Porte  County,  the  returns  of  this  election 
were  counted  in  with  the  general  vote  of  that  county  ;  and  but  two  of  the 
candidates  voted  for,  so  far  as  known,  resided  within  the  limits  of  the  ter- 
ritory now  comprising  the  county  of  Porter.  These  men  were  John  J. 
Foster  and  Benjamin  Spurlock.  At  that  period  in  the  history  of  what 
afterward  became  Porter  County,  partisan  lines  were  not  strictly  drawn, 
and  political  ambition  was  scarcely  known.  The  empty  honor  of  oflBcial 
position  was  regarded  with  indifference,  as  no  profit  was  to  be  seen,  save 
the  stern  discipline  associated  with  the  self-denial  incident  to  a  life  lived 
within  the  salary  received.  As  such  profit  was  regarded  as  a  burden,  and 
as  it  was  abundantly  found,  the  early  settlers  were  not  anxious  that  it 
should  be  increased.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  accidentally  favored 
positions,  the  pay  of  office  was  merely  nominal,  and  possessed  no  attrac- 
tion to  those  who  were  fortunate  in  owning  a  goodly  share  of  this  world's 
goods.  The  few  county  offices  which  afforded  suitable  recompense  for 
time  and  labor,  were  as  seduously  sought  as  at  the  present  day.  Money 
in  this  new  country  was  so  extremely  scarce,  and  the  investments  to  be 
made  with  it  Avere  so  filled  with  promise,  that  men  of  every  degree  of  in- 
telligence and  responsibility  sought  eagerly  for  any  employment  which 
would  yield  financial  returns.  The  settlers  were  a  motley  collection  of  the 
representatives  of  every  State  in  the  East,  and  of  many  European  nations, 
with  habits  of  life  and  views  of  public  polity  diametrically  opposed ;  and, 
from  the  start,  the  clashing  of  settled  conviction,  and  the  unfavorable  in- 
fluence of  personal  prejudice  were  forcibly  felt  in  every  public  gathering 
until  the  waves  of  disunion  in  thought  were  hushed  to  silence  and  har- 
mony.  The  only  unison  in  views  was  upon  the  subject  of  the  accumula- 
tion of  property.  Speculators  appeared  with  prodigious  pocket  books,  and 
founded  their  fortunes.  The  impecunious  and  unscrupulous  sought  by 
art  and  intrigue  to  accomplish  what  their  conspicuous  lack  of  funds  pre- 
vented. The  billows  of  speculation  of  that  inflated  financial  period  swept 
over  the  county  ;  and  unbounded  faith  in  sudden  transitions  from  poverty 


84 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 


to  wealth  took  possession  of  every  breast.  Notwithstanding  the  lack  of 
money  in  this  new  country,  commercial  transactions  were  conducted  with 
reckless  prodigality.  Debts  were  contracted  under  the  insane  delusion 
that  their  ultimate  liquidation  would  be  the  careless  pleasure  of  some 
future  day.  Counterfeiters  overran  the  county,  offering  tempting  baits  to 
the  unwise  or  unwary.  Every  commercial  transaction  or  relation  became 
filled  with  the  wind  of  false  promise,  and  was  distended  out  of  all  propor- 
tion. Many  of  the  settlers  of  the  years  1834,  1835  and  1836  invested 
their  last  dollar  in  land  at  spots  which,  to  them,  seemed  the  most  likely 
to  become  important,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  borrow  money  on  the 
security  of  their  land  to  devote  to  the  same  insane  purpose.  Scores  of 
mortgages  were  given  under  the  fancied  security  that  the  lifting  of  the 
same  was  an  afterthought  of  no  moment  or  consequence.  The  result  is  a 
matter  of  history.  The  distressing  financial  crash  of  1837  produced  a 
chaos.  Money,  which  had  so  long  represented  inflated  values,  fell  pros- 
trate to  the  basis  of  actual  worth.  Men  who,  the  day  before,  had  counted 
their  ducats  by  the  thousands,  now  sorrowfully  counted  them  by  hun- 
dreds, or  even  by  dozens.  The  distress  was  universal,  is  well  known, 
and  need  not  be  detailed.  The  hard  times  were  gradually  overcome  ;  and 
the  lesson  that  prosperity  is  often  as  dangerous  as  adversity  was  taught  by 
wretched  experience,  and  will  not  be  forgotten. 

Land  Entries. — The  following  tracts  of  land  were  the  first  entered  in 
Porter  county,  and  all  that  were  entered  prior  to  January  1,  1834,  in- 
cluding the  Indian  and  the  French  reservations  that  were  made  at  the 
treaty  of  October  16,  1826,  when  that  portion  of  the  county  north  of  an 
east  and  west  line  through  the  southern  point  of  Lake  Michigan,  became 
the  property  of  the  Government  by  cession  from  the  Pottawatomies  and 
the  treaty  of  October  27,  1832,  when  all  the  county  south  of  such  line 
became  the  property  of  the  Government,  except,  of  course,  the  reserva- 
tions which  were  not  approved  by  the  President  until  1836 : 


PURCHASER. 


Section. 


William  Burnett 14 

Joseph  Bailly 27 

Old  Man  Macito 6 

Chop-i-tuck 23 

M.  A.  Briiner 9 

Kesis-sliadouah  5 

Lemis-shadonah 7 

Mis-sink-quo-quah  8 

Peter  Lauglois,  Jr H 

Mas-coh  17 

Layette  Allins  Vi 

Pa-peer-k.'ih 22 

Louis  Burnett 5 


Town. 


36 

37 
33 

33 
34 
35 
35 
35 
35 
35 
35 
35 
36 


Range.       Acres. 


Location. 


Date  of  Entry. 


:By  treaty  Oct.  16,  1826; 

j     approved  1837. 

S.  E.  \ iDecember  1,  1880. 

By  treaty  Oct.  27,1832 

'     approVed  1836. 

Same. 

N.  E.  \ Same. 

Same. 


5  640 

6  159.80 
5  661.41 

5  640 

5  160 

5  578.24 

5        320.33  I Same. 

5  640         Same. 

6  320        IE.  i Same. 

5  160        In.  W.  } Same. 

6  160        ,N.  E.  \ Same. 

7  640         Same. 

5        592.44  1 Same. 


1222728 

HISTORY   OF    PORTER   COUNTY. 


35 


PURCHASER. 


Nas-wau-bees 

Francis  De  Jeans 

Polly  Griffiths 

We-saw 

Mis-no-quis  

Ursule  Duquindres 

Che-apo-tuckey  

John  Brown  and  Isaac  Morgan. 

Joseph  Bailly 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

Same 

William  Gosset 

James  and  Ira  Morgan 

James  and  Joseph  Morgan 

John  Brown 

William  A.  Welsh 


Section. 

Town. 

Range. 

12 

36 

5 

18 

36 

5 

25 

36 

5 

31 

36 

5 

35 

36 

5 

17 

36 

6 

34 

36 

7 

36 

37 

6 

34 

37 

6 

27 

37 

6 

28 

37 

6 

28 

37 

6 

33 

37 

6 

3i 

37 

6 

25 

37 

6 

36 

37 

6 

25 

37 

6 

25 

37 

6 

30 

37 

5 

Acrea. 


640 

632.36 

140 

651.34 

640 

640 

640 

61.10 
112.65 

80 
160 

79.50 

138.61 

6.12 

80 

61.54 

80 
160 

80 


Location. 


IE.  ^,  N.  E.  \ 

S.  frac.  N.  E.  J., 

W.  ^  N.  E.  J 

S.  E.  \ 

E.  h  S.  W.  i 

N.  frac 

N.  frac.  N.  E.  ^. 
W.  J  S.  W.  J 

!w.  |n.  w.  j.... 
IE.  ;^s.  w.  1 

jS.  E.  \ 

Iw.  k  S.  W.  I 


Date  of  Entry. 


Same. 
Same. 
Same. 
Same. 
Same. 
Same. 
Same. 

Aug.  13,  1833. 
Aug.  15,  1833. 
Aug.  15,  1833. 
Aug.  14,  1833. 
Aug.  15,  1833. 
Oct.  21,  1833. 
Oct.  21,  1833. 
Nov.  7,  1833. 
Dec.  18,  1833. 
Dec.  18,  1833. 
Dec.  2G,  1833. 
Dec.  30,  1833. 


During  the  year  1834,  there  were  entered  in  the  county  fifty-nine 
tracts  of  land,  representing  an  aggregate  of  5080.75  acres,  all  of  which, 
without  exception,  was  in  Townships  36  and  37  north.  In  1835,  938 
tracts  were  entered  in  the  county,  as  this  was  the  year  that  the  land  south 
of  the  old  Indian  line  running  through  the  southern  point  of  Lake  Michi- 
gan was  thrown  into  market,  and  there  was  a  great  rush  into  the  new 
county  by  speculators  and  by  those  who  expected  to  become  residents. 
During  this  year,  1835,  nearly  90,000  acres  of  land  in  the  county  were 
entered  at  the  Government  price  of  ^1.25  per  acre.  Eight  thousand  and 
eighty  acres  of  Wabash  &  Erie  Canal  lands  were  located  in  Porter 
County,  the  first  sale  of  the  same  occurring  in  1843  and  the  last  in  1862. 
This  land  was  confined  to  Townships  34  and  36,  Range  7.  Three  thou- 
sand two  hundred  acres  of  Michigan  road  land  were  also  sold  in  1835. 
The  State  has  derived  no  little  income  from  the  sale  of  the  swamp  lands 
in  Porter  County,  that  were  donated  by  Congress.  The  splendid  systems 
of  drainage,  both  county  and  State,  have  reclaimed  large  tracts  of  land 
that  in  early  years  were  very  wet  or  covered  with  water.  There  has  been 
spent  in  the  county  for  open  and  underground  drainage  not  less  than 
$200,000.  The  first  great  ditches  began  to  be  built  between  1850  and 
1860,  and  since  then  many  others  have  been  added  at  high  expense. 
The  Kankakee  Drainage  Company  flourished  for  a  time  at  the  very 
zenith  of  pleasurable  anticipation,  but  the  citizens  were  too  wise  to  be 
caught  by  these  Shylocks,  and  therefore  did  not  have  to  pay  a  pound  of 
flesh  nearest  the  heart. 

Creation  and  Organization  of  Present  County. — No  other  changes 
were  made  in  the  civil  division  of  what,  in  1836,  became  Porter 
County,  than  those  made  by  the   Commissioners  of  La  Porte  County  as 


36  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

above  described,  until  the  winter  of  1835-36,  at  which  time  the  following 
enactment  was  passed  by  the  State  Legislature : 

Section  I. — Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Indiana,  That  from 
and  after  the  first  day  of  February  next,  all  that  tract  of  country  included  in  the  follow- 
ing boundary  lines  shall  form  and  constitute  the  county  of  Porter,  to  wit :  Commencing  at 
the  northwest  corner  of  La  Porte  County,  thence  running  south  to  the  Kankakee  River, 
thence  west  with  the  bed  of  said  river  to  the  center  of  Range  7,  thence  north  to  the  State 
line,  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning.  And  all  that  part  of  the  country  that  lies 
north  of  the  Kankakee  River  and  west  of  the  county  of  Porter  within  the  State  of  In- 
diana, shall  form  and  constitute  a  new  county,  to  be  known  and  designated  by  the  name 
of  Lake  County. 

Sec.  2.  That  the  county  of  Porter  shall,  from  and  after  the  first  day  of  Febru- 
ary next,  enjoy  and  possess  all  the  rights,  privileges,  benefits  and  jurisdictions,  which,  to 
separate  and  independent  counties  do,  or  may  properly  belong. 

Sec.  3.  That  Joel  Long,  of  Kosciusko,  Andrew  Wilson,  of  Fountain,  Mathias  Daw- 
son and  Judah  Leaming,  of  La  Porte,  and  William  L.  Earl,  of  St.  Joseph,  Counties  be,  and 
they  are  hereby  appointed  Commissioners  agreeably  to  the  act  entitled  "  An  Act  fixing 
the  seat  of  justice  in  all  new  counties  hereafter  to  be  laid  off."  The  Commissioners  afore- 
said shall  meet  on  the  first  Monday  in  June  next,  or  any  day  thereafter  they  may  agree 
upon,  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Butler,  in  the  said  county  of  Porter,  and  shall  proceed  im- 
mediately to  perform  the  duties  required  of  them  by  law,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
Sherifi"  of  the  county  of  St.  Joseph  to  notify  said  Commissioners,  either  in  person  or  by 
writing,  of  their  appointment,  and  for  such  services,  said  Sheriff  shall  receive  such  com- 
pensation as  the  board,  doing  county  business  of  Porter  County,  may  deem  reasonable. 

Sec.  4.  The  Circuit  Court  and  Board  of  County  Commissioners  shall  hold  their  ses- 
sions as  near  the  center  of  the  county  of  Porter  as  a  convenient  place  can  be  had  until 
the  public  buildings  shall  be  erected. 

Sec.  5.  The  county  of  Porter  shall  be  attached  to  the  Eighth  Judicial  Circuit  of  this 
State  for  judicial  purposes. 

Sec.  6.  The  board  doing  county  business  may,  as  soon  as  elected  and  qualified,  hold 
special  sessions  not  exceeding  three  days  during  the  first  year  after  the  organization  of 
said  county,  and  shall  make  all  necessary  appointments,  and  do  and  perform  all  other 
business  which  may  or  might  have  been  necessary  to  be  performed  at  any  other  regular 
session,  and  take  all  necessary  steps  to  collect  the  State  and  county  revenue,  any  law  or 
usage  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

Sec.  7.  This  act  to  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  passage. 

Caleb  B.  Smith, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
Approved,  28th  of    anuary,  1836. 

N.  Noble.  David  Wallace, 

President   of  the  Senate. 

During  the  same  session  of  the  Legislature  that  the  above  creating 
enactment  was  passed,  provision  was  made  for  the  organization  of  Porter 
County  by  the  appointment  of  Benjamin  Saylor,  Sheriff,  with  full  power 
to  order  an  election  of  two  Associate  Judges  of  the  Circuit  Court,  three 
Commissioners,  one  Clerk  of  the  Court,  and  one  Recorder,  and  to  trans- 
act other  necessary  business.  Accordingly,  an  election  of  such  officers 
was  ordered  held  on  the  23d  day  of  February,  1836,  and  resulted  as  fol- 
lows : 


HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY 


37 


ASSOCIATE  JUDGES. 


HOUSE  WHERE  HELD. 


TUBEE   COMMISSIONERS. 


RECORDER. 


Isaac  Morgan  ... 
John  Spurloek... 
Morris  Witham., 
L.  G.  Jackson... 
William  Gosset.. 


14 


45 


46  ]  18 
32  1  35 


Totals. 


•  i  90 


61 


63    123 


26 


12 


25     24 


137  1122   156 


10 


68 


44 


72 


102 


The  following  more  fully  explains  this  table :  At  an  election  held  at 
the  house  of  William  Gosset  February  23,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of 
electing  two  Associate  Judges  of  the  Circuit  Court,  three  County  Com- 
missioners, a  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court,  and  a  Recorder  for  the  county 
the  following  men  voted :  James  Turner,  Pressley  Warnick,  John  Saylor, 
Jesse  McCord,  Samuel  Haviland,  William  Nernon,  Beda  Cornell,  James 
Thomas,  Isaac  Sanford,  John  Hageman,  William  Gosset,  Jacob  Beck, 
William  Coleman,  John  Reed,  Jeremiah  Frame,  William  Thomas,  Enos 
Thomas,  Benjamin  Joslin,  William  McCoy,  William  Frame,  Jesse  Mor- 
gan, John  Casteel,  Eli  Hendricks,  Curtis  Parkes,  Samuel  Thomas,  Abra- 
ham Hall.     Total,  26. 

The  vote  for  the  same  candidates  on  the  same  day  at  the  house  of 
Isaac  Morgan,  in  Morgan  Township  was  polled  by  the  following  men  : 

John  Coleman,  Jacob  Coleman,  D.  S.  Holland,  John  Blair,  Jacob 
Fleming,  Isaac  Thomas,  Levi  Chamberlin,  James  M.  Buel,  William  Mor- 
gan, John  Herron,  P.  D.  Cline,  Reason  Bell,  Andrew  Ault,  Stephen 
Brayton,  Joseph  Hines,  Benjamin  Taylor,  Orrin  Lewis,  J.  S.  Heming, 
Peter  Hesser,  Reason  Reed,  Antony  Boggs,  Henry  Stoner,  Sanford 
Hammond,  W.  B.  Smith,  Simon  Drouillard,  George  Cain,  Edmund  Bil- 
lings, Asa  Hughes,  Benjamin  Bingham,  James  Blair,  William  Bingham, 
Benjamin  Reed,  G.  Z.  Salyer,  Henry  Rinker,  James  Laughlin,  G.  Hughes, 
John  Robinson,  John  R.  Sargent,  Robert  Wallace,  Nelson  H.  Smith, 
Benjamin  Carr,  William  MofFord,  Joshua  Goodrich,  John  Jones,  A.  G. 
Denison,  Isaac  Morgan,  Samuel  Stoner,  Peter  Wininger,  Isaac  Wininger, 
Sperry  Howard,  Henry  Barklow,  Enos  Neil,  Warner  Winslow,  Frederick 
Wininger,  John  B.  Taylor.     Total,  55. 

The  vote  for  the  same  candidates  on  the  same  day  at  the  house  of 
Morris  Witham  was  cast  by  the  following  persons  : 

Adam  S.  Campbell,  Wiley  James,  Morris  Witham,  Charles  Allen, 
Washington  Ault,  Martin  Reed,  John  Bartholomew,  Jesse  Johnson, 
Christopher  Barns,   Asahel   Neil,    Miller    Parker,    M.    Coghill,    George 


38  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Shoultz,  G.  W.  Coghill,  Benjamin  Spencer,  Jacob  Kinsey,  William  Bil- 
lings, John  Adams,  James  Ross,  James  Palmer,  Joseph  Bartholomew, 
Henry  S.  Adams,  G.  W.  Turner,  Enoch  Billings.      Total,  24. 

The  vote  for  the  same  candidates,  on  the  same  day,  at  the  house  of 
John  Spurlock,  in  Ross  Township,  was  cast  by  the  following  men : 
Washington  Williams,  John  F.  McGrew,  Preston  Blake,  Wright  Taylor, 
William  Brim,  Richard  Clark,  Joseph  Willey,  John  F.  Walton,  Eri 
Fouts,  John  Conway,  Henry  Herold,  Ezra  Crosby,  Sylvester  Forbes, 
Theophilus  Blake,  James  Walton,  David  Spurlock,  John  G.  Forbes, 
William  Wolf,  Edwin  Abbott,  H.  S.  Webster,  Stephen  Spurlock,  P.  A. 
Paine,  Russell  Darr,  James  Conant,  W.  A.  Nichols,  Lewis  Walton, 
Edmund  Wolf,  George  Spurlock,  Jacob  Wolf,  John  Spurlock,  Noah 
Fouts,  Moses  Wilson,  Cyrus  Spurlock,  Andrew  Wilson,  Joseph  Wilson  ; 
total,  35. 

The  vote  for  the  same  candidates,  on  the  same  day,  at  the  house  of 
L.  G.  Jackson,  was  polled  by  the  following  men  :  William  Eaton,  Sam- 
uel Olinger,  James  M.  Davis,  Alexander  Crawford,  Thomas  Crawford, 
L.  G.  Jackson,  Lewis  Todhunter,  Lewis  Casteel,  William  Calhoun,  Eli- 
jah Casteel,  Joel  Crumpacker,  Griffin  Holbert,  Abraham  Snodgrass,  D. 
W.  Lyons,  Jerry  Todhunter,  William  Downing,  Solomon  Hobaugh,  John 
Casteel,  Ruel  Starr,  James  Spurlock,  A.  K.  Paine,  Owen  Crumpacker, 
Thomas  J.  Wyatt,  John  Sefford,  H.  A.  K.  Paine,  John  P.  Noble,  G.  W. 
Faulkner,  William  Snavely,  Benjamin  McCarty,  Joel  Walker,  H.  E. 
Woodruff,  Levi  Massey,  Joseph  Wright,  William  Walker,  Nelson  Ellison, 
Alfred  Winter,  J.  S.  Wallace,  J.  R.  C.  Brown,  Mordecai  Massey,  Roby 
R.  Parrott ;  total,  40 ;  grand  total,  180. 

The  following  action  of  the  first  Board  of  Commissioners  is  taken 
from  the  record  of  the  Auditor  of  Porter  County  : 

At  a  special  session  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  in  and  for  the  county  of  Porter 
aforesaid,  begun  on  the  12th  of  April,  1836,  the  following  persons  came  forward  and  pro- 
duced their  certificates  of  election,  signed  by  the  Sheriff  of  said  county,  with  the  necessary 
oath  of  office  indorsed  thereon  :  John  Sefford,  Benjamin  N.  Spencer  and  Noah  Fouts.  Also 
present  George  W.  Turner,  Clerk  of  said  Commissioners'  Court,  and  Benjamin  Saylor, 
Sheriff  of  said  county. 

Ordered  by  the  Board,  That  for  the  purpose  of  electing  township  officers  for  the 
county  of  Porter,  the  following  district  of  said  county  shall  form  and  constitute  a  town- 
ship to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Lake:  Commencing  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Porter 
County,  thence  south  with  said  county  line  to  the  line  dividing  Townships  36  and  37, 
thence  west  on  said  line  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Section  31,  Township  37  north,  Range 
5  west,  thence  north  to  the  State  line,  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  by  the  name  of 
Jackson:  Commencing  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  1,  Township  36  north,  Range 
5  west,  thence  running  south  with  the  county  line  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Section  36, 
Township  36  north.  Range  5  west,  thence  west  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Section  32, 
Township  36,  Range  5,  thence  north  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Lake  Township,  thence 
east  to  the  place  of  beginning. 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  39 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Washington  : 
Commencing  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  1,  Township  35,  Range  5,  thence  south 
with  said  county  line  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Section  36  in  said  town,  thence  west  to 
the  southwest  corner  of  Section  32,  Township  35,  Range  5,  thence  north  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Jackson  Township,  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  by  the  name  of 
Pleasant:  Commencing  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Porter  County,  thence  north  to  the 
northeast  corner  of  Section  1,  Township  34,  Range  5,  thence  west  with  the  southern 
boundary  of  Washington  Township  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  same,  thence  south  to 
the  Kankakee  River,  thence  east  with  the  same  to  tlie  place  of  beginning. 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Boone  :  Com- 
mencing at  the  southwest  corner  of  Pleasant  Township,  thence  north  with  the  western 
boundary  of  Pleasant  to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  same,  thence  west  with  the  line 
dividing  Townships  34  and  35  to  the  county  line,  thence  south  to  the  southwest  corner  of 
Porter  County,  thence  east  with  the  Kankakee  River  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Centre  :  Com- 
mencing at  the  southwest  corner  of  AVashington  Township,  thence  north  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Jackson  Township,  thence  west  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Section  4,  Township 
35,  Range  6,  thence  south  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Section  33,  Township  35,  Range  6, 
thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Liberty: 
Commencing  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Washington  Township,  thence  north  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  Lake  Township,  thence  west  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Section  4,  Town- 
ship 86,  Range  6,  thence  south  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Section  33,  Township  36, 
Range  6,  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Waverly : 
Commencing  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Lake  Township,  thence  west  to  the  county  line, 
thence  north  with  said  line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  county,  thence  east  with  the 
northern  boundary  line  of  the  county  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Lake  Township,  thence 
south  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

That  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Portage : 
Commencing  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Liberty  Township,  thence  west  to  the  county 
line,  thence  south  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Section  34,  Township  36,  Range  7,  thence 
east  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Liberty  Township,  thence  north  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

And  that  the  following  territory  shall  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Union: 
Commencing  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Centre  Township,  thence  west  to  the  county  line, 
thence  south  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Boone  Township,  thence  east  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Centre  Township,  thence  north  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

The  Board  adjourned  to  meet  the  following  morning  at  9  o'clock  A. 
M.  At  this  session  it  was  ordered  that  an  election  of  one  Justice  of  the 
Peace  be  held  in  every  township  that  had  been  created  the  day  before, 
except  in  the  township  of  Washington,  which  was  to  have  two  such 
officers ;  and  the  election  for  Washington  Township  was  ordered  held  on 
the  30th  of  April,  1836,  at  the  residence  of  Isaac  Morgan,  who  was 
appointed  Inspector  of  Election.  At  the  same  session  an  election  was 
ordered  for  Jackson  Township,  to  be  held  on  the  same  day  (30thj,  at  the 
residence  of  Asahel  K.  Paine,  and  Samuel  Olinger  was  appointed  In- 
spector. The  election  for  Lake  Township  was  ordered  held,  same  time, 
at  the  residence  of  Edward  Harper,  who  was  appointed  Inspector.     The 


40  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

election  for  Waverly  Township  was  ordered  held,  same  time,  in  the  town 
of  Waverly,  and  William  Gosset  became  Inspector  by  appointment.  The 
election  for  Liberty  Township  was  ordered  held,  same  time,  at  the  house 
of  Daniel  Y.  Kesler,  and  Jerry  Todhunter  was  appointed  Inspector.  An 
election  for  the  same  date  was  ordered  for  Centre  Township,  to  be  held 
at  the  house  of  C  A.  Ballard,  and  G.  Z.  Salyer  became  Inspector.  An 
election  the  same  date  was  ordered  for  Pleasant  Township,  to  be  held  at 
the  house  of  Henry  Adams,  with  William  Billings,  Inspector.  An  elec- 
tion on  the  same  date  for  the  township  of  Boone  was  ordered  held  at  the 
house  of  Jesse  Johnson,  with  Asahel  Neil,  Inspector.  An  election  was 
ordered  for  the  township  of  Union,  on  the  same  day,  to  be  held  at  the 
house  of  George  W.  Turner,  with  James  Walton,  Inspector.  An  elec- 
tion on  the  same  day,  for  the  township  of  Portage,  was  ordered  held  at 
the  house  of  Jacob  Wolf,  Sr.,  with  James  Spurlock,  Inspector.  George 
Cline  was  appointed  Assessor  for  all  that  portion  of  the  county  lying 
south  of  the  line  dividing  Townships  35  and  36  ;  Peter  Ritter,  same,  for 
all  the  county  lying  north  of  such  line,  and  John  Adams,  same,  for  all 
the  attached  territory  on  the  west  (Lake  County). 

At  the  May  term  of  the  Board  (1836)  the  county  was  divided  into 
Commissioners'  Districts  as  follows  :  All  the  territory  lying  south  of  the 
line  dividing  Townships  34  and  35  to  be  District  No.  1  ;  all  the  territory 
lying  between  the  line  dividing  Townships  34  and  35,  and  the  line  divid- 
ing Townships  35  and  36  to  be  District  No.  2  ;  and  all  the  territory 
north  of  the  line  dividing  Townships  35  and  36  to  be  District  No.  3.  At 
the  May  term  of  the  board,  Benjamin  McCarty,  County  Treasurer,  re- 
ported that  no  moneys  had  been  received  by  him  yet  in  virtue  of  his 
official  position;  whereupon  Benjamin  Saylor  was  appointed  County  Col- 
lector. John  P.  Noble  was  appointed  Constable  of  Jackson  Township ; 
Thomas  Crawford,  Supervisor  of  Roads  ;  Joseph  Wright  and  Levi  Massey, 
Overseers  of  the  Poor  ;  James  M.  Davis  and  Luther  Jefferson,  Fence 
Viewers  ;  all  for  Jackson  Township.  For  Liberty  Township,  Daniel  W. 
Lyons  was  appointed  Constable  ;  Jesse  Morgan  and  Richard  Clark,  Over- 
seers of  the  Poor;  William  Downing  and  Edmund  Tratebas,  Fence  View- 
ers, and  Solomon  Habans,  Supervisor  of  Roads.  For  Pleasant  Township, 
Archibald  Demand  was  appointed  Constable  ;  Morris  Witham,  Supervisor 
of  Roads  ;  Thomas  Adams  and  Morris  Witham,  Overseers  of  the  Poor; 
John  Adams  and  John  Jones,  Fence  Viewers.  For  Union  Township,  E. 
W.  Fonts  was  appointed  Constable ;  Richard  Henthorn,  Supervisor  of 
Roads  ;  Daniel  Turner  and  David  Spurlock,  Overseers  of  the  Poor  ; 
Washington  Williams  and  B.  Bunnell,  Fence  Viewers.  For  Ross  Town- 
ship,  John  Young  was  appointed  Constable  ;  Royal  Benton,  Supervisor 
of  Roads ;  Daniel  Wallsworth  and  William  Thornburg,  Overseers  of  the 


history' OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  41 

Poor ;  W.  B.  Crooks  and  Jesse  Pierce,  Fence  Viewers.  For  Portage 
Township — James  Connett,  Constable;  William  Brim,  Supervisor  of 
Roads  ;  T.  Blake  and  Jacob  Wolf,  Overseers  of  the  Poor  ;  John  Wolf 
and  Stephen  Spurlock,  Fence  Viewers.  William  Billine;s  was  appointed 
Seminary  Trustee  of  Porter  County. 

The  following  is  the  three  months'  report  of  William  Walker,  County 
Treasurer,  rendered  November,  1836  : 

From  Benjamin  Walker,  former  Treasurer $4  87 

From  Ebenezer  Clark,   license 93 

From  Francis  Willey,  license 10  00 

From  Ebenezer  Clark,  license 10  00 

From  Samuel  Haviland,  license 56^ 

Total $26  36|^ 

By  order  to  G.  W.  Turner |       50 

By  order  to  G.  W.  Turner 87^ 

By  order  to  G.  W.  Turner 3  00 

By  order  to  G.  W.  Turner 10  00 

By  order  to  G.  A.  Ballard 2  50 

By  order  to 3  00 

Balance  on  hand 6  48| 

Total $26  36} 

The  following  is  the  report  of  the  Commissioners  selected  by  the  State 
Legislature,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  enactment  several  pages  back,  to  locate 
the  county  seat  of  Porter  County  : 

The  undersigned  Commissioners  to  locate  the  county  seat  of  Porter  County,  Ind., 
make  the  following  report :  That  they  met,  pursuant  to  agreement,  on  Tuesday,  the  7th 
inst.,  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Butler,  and  were  duly  sworn  to  discharge  the  duties  of  Com- 
missioners to  locate  the  county  seat  of  Porter  County,  Ind.;  that  they  proceeded  to  view 
all  the  sites  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  following,  and  inquired  upon  what  terms  the 
same  might  be  secured ;  that  after  duly  inspecting  the  different  sites  and  taking  into  con- 
sideration all  the  matters  to  which  the  law  called  their  particular  attention,  your  Com- 
missioners concluded  that  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  24,  Township  35  north.  Range 
6  west,  was  the  most  eligible  site  for  said  county  seat.  Your  Commissioners  accordingly 
gave  notice  that  they  were  ready  to  receive  proposals,  if  any  were  to  be  made,  of  this  or 
other  parts  for  such  county  seat.  The  Commissioners  received  from  the  proprietors  of 
said  town  (Portersville)  and  others  donations  of  each  alternate  lot — 192  lots  to  be  laid 
out  at  or  near  the  center  of  said  southwest  quarter  of  Section  24,  Township  35,  Range  6» 
and  a  donation  of  forty  acres  of  land — part  of  Section  20,  Township  35,  Range  6,  and 
donations  of  money,  for  a  more  particular  description  of  which  you  are  referred  to  the 
bonds  filed  herewith.  Your  Commissioners  then  proceeded  to  the  said  southwest  quarter 
of  Section  24,  and  located  the  county  seat  upon  said  quarter  section,  and  stuck  a  stake 
which  is  half-way  between  the  northwest  corner  and  the  northeast  corner  of  the  public 
square,  on  the  north  side  of  said  square,  and  which  by  a  line  run  with  a  compass  was 
found  to  be  south  53  degrees  east  29  chains  and  10  links  from  the  half-mile  post  on  the 
west  side  of  Section  24.  The  donations  made  for  said  point  were  upon  condition  that  said 
site  and  public  square  shall  be  located  as  they  are  above  described,  and  for  which  bonds 
are  filed  in  the  name  of  different  individuals  with   the  Commissioners  of  Porter  County. 


42  HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

And  the  county  seat  of  Porter  County,  as  hereby  established  by  the  undersigned  Locating 
Commissioners,  is  on  the  site  as  above  described ;  and  the  stake,  having  the  bearings 
above,  is  on  the  north  line  of  the  public  square,  and  the  alternate  lots  are  to  be  laid  oflf 
by  the  donors  on  said  site — the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  24,  Township  35  north. 
Range  6  west.  W.  L.  Earle, 

Mathias  Dawson, 
JuDAH  Leamino, 
June  9    1836.  Locating  Commissioners. 

The  amounts  of  the  bonds  that  were  given  for  the  payment  of  the 
money  that  was  donated  to  Porter  County  by  the  proprietors  of  the 
county  seat,  for  the  erection  of  county  buildings,  with  the  names  of  the 
obligors,  are  as  follows  :  Bond  No.  1,  ^500,  Benjamin  McCarty,  John 
Walker,  John  Saylor,  Enoch  McCarty,  L.  L.  Hillis  and  William  Walker; 
Bond  No.  2,  ^50,  James  Hutchins ;  Bond  No.  3,  ^100,  George  Cline ; 
Bond  No.  4,  $75,  A.  S.  Campbell ;  Bond  No.  5,  $100,  Isaac  Morgan ; 
Bond  No.  6,  $2.5,  Charles  G.  Minick  ;  Bond  No.  7,  $100,  Thomas  But- 
ler ;  Bond  No.  8,  $100,  G.  Z.  Salyer  ;  Bond  No.  9,  $50,  Isaac  Morgan  ; 
Bond  No.  10,  $100,  Ruel  Starr.  These  several  amounts  pledged  by 
the  proprietors  of  the  county  seat,  together  with  the  various  town  lots 
that  were  donated  to  the  county,  furnished,  for  many  years,  quite  an 
important  source  of  revenue.  From  time  to  time  the  anthorized  county 
agent,  to  whom  was  intrusted  the  disposal  of  the  lots,  sold  the  same  to 
citizens  or  new  settlers,  usually  taking  notes  for  the  consideration,  due 
with  interest  at  a  future  day.  As  the  pressure  for  means  for  the  first 
few  years  after  the  county  was  organized,  to  aid  in  the  construction  of 
bridges,  roads,  public  buildings,  and  in  the  payment  of  public  functiona- 
ries was  very  great,  the  town  lots  and  the  bonds  were  converted  into 
money  by  the  Commissioners  as  soon  as  possible ;  but  even  the  amounts 
thus  obtained  were  not  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  clamor  for  the  collection 
and  expenditure  of  sums  that  would  render  the  public  highways  servicea- 
ble, and  the  Commissioners,  under  the  stricture,  levied  heavier  assess- 
ments, and  thus,  like  Oliver  Twist,  were  guilty  of  the  unpardonable 
offense  of  asking  for  "  more  ;  "  but,  still  further,  like  Oliver,  were  pressed 
into  the  measure  by  others  as  hungry  as  themselves. 

At  the  May  term  of  the  board,  1836,  A.  S.  Campbell  and  George 
Cline,  Justices  of  the  Peace,  paid  to  the  County  Treasurer  $3  fines  which 
had  been  imposed  by  them  for  theft  and  assault.  An  election  of  an  addi- 
tional Justice  of  the  Peace  for  Centre  Township  was  ordered  held  at  the 
house  of  C.  A.  Ballard.  For  Centre  Township,  Charles  G.  Minick  was 
appointed  Constable  ;  Robert  Wallace,  Supervisor  of  Roads ;  J.  R.  C. 
Brown  and  P.  A.  Paine,  Overseers  of  the  Poor ;  Abraham  Stoner  and 
James  Buel,  Fence  Viewers.  For  Washington  Township,  Adam  S. 
Campbell  and  Reason  Bell  were  appointed  Overseers  of  the  Poor ;  Peter 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  43 

Cline,  Supervisor  of  Roads ;  George  Cline  and  John  Shinabarger, 
Fence  Viewers.  For  Boone  Township,  Isaac  Cornell  was  appointed 
Supervisor  of  Roads ;  William  Frame  and  John  Robinson,  Overseers  of 
the  Poor ;  A.  Neil  and  John  Downing,  Fence  Viewers.  For  Bryant 
Township,  Simeon  Bryant,  Constable ;  Payne  Bryant,  Supervisor  of 
Roads  ;  David  Bryant  and  Thomas  Childers,  Overseers  of  the  Poor ; 
David  Chandler  and  Lyman  Wells,  Fence  Viewers.  For  Clark  Town- 
ship, Richard  Fancher,  Constable  ;  William  Clark,  Supervisor  of  Roads  ; 
Solon  Robinson  and  Peter  Steinbrook,  Overseers  of  the  Poor  ;  C.  H. 
Paine  and  J.  W.  Holton,  Fence  Viewers.  C.  A.  Ballard  was  allowed 
$2.50  for  house  rent  for  the  County  Commissioners  for  five  days,  and 
Reason  Reed  was  allowed  75  cents  for  making  returns  of  the  election  in 
Washington  Township. 

Roads. — At  the  June  session  of  the  board,  the  first  petition  was 
received  for  a  county  road  extending  from  Portersville  (Valparaiso)  by 
"  the  best  and  nearest  route  to  the  new  crossway  between  Andrew  Tay- 
lor's and  James  Blair's,  thence  to  the  county  line,  intersecting  a  road 
leading  via  Cathcart's  Grove  to  La  Porte."  Wilson  Malone,  Morris 
Witham  and  James  W.  Turner  were  appointed  Viewers.  At  the  same 
time  a  road  was  ordered  viewed  from  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  24, 
Town  36  north.  Range  5  west,  thence  west  to  E.  Casteel's  mill  on  Coffee 
Creek,  thence  west  to  William  Gosset's  mill  on  Salt  Creek,  thence  west 
to  the  county  line ;  Peter  Ritter,  Samuel  dinger  and  William  Thomas, 
Viewers.  In  July,  1836,  a  county  road  was  established  from  the  quarter 
post  on  the  north  line  of  Section  30,  Town  35,  Range  5,  to  Sherwood's 
Ferry  on  the  Kankakee ;  Jesse  Johnson,  Joseph  Willey  and  Samuel  G. 
Jackson,  Viewers.  In  September,  1836,  a  county  road  was  established 
from  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  12,  Town  34,  Range  7,  to  Liver- 
pool, but  this  road  was  not  built.  At  the  same  date  as  last  a  road  was 
ordered  viewed  from  Portersville  (Joliet  road)  to  the  county  line  near  the 
mouth  of  Taylor's  Run  ;  Isaac  Morgan,  Reason  Bell  and  Andrew  Taylor, 
Viewers.  One  from  Portersville  to  Sherwood's  Ferry  was  viewed,  but 
reported  on  adversely.  In  September,  1836,  a  road  was  established  from 
the  northeast  corner  of  Section  22,  Town  33,  Range  7,  to  Portersville ; 
Isaac  Morgan,  Henry  Rinker  and  John  Shinabarger,  Viewers.  This 
road  was  soon  altered  somewhat.  Other  roads  established  in  1836  were 
as  follows :  From  Portersville  to  Thomas  Snow's  store  by  a  circuitous 
route;  from  Portersville  to  Elijah  Casteel's  mill;  from  Portersville  to 
Athens,  near  Gosset's  mill ;  from  Isaac  Morgan's  on  the  north  side  of 
Morgan's  Prairie  to  intersect  the  State  Road  from  Portersville  to  Michi- 
gan City,  but  this  was  not  built ;  from  the  new  bridge  on  Calumet  River 
at  the  mouth   of  Salt   Creek,  to   Deep   River,  at  crossing  of   Hickory 


44  HISTORY    OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

countv  road,  John  Walton,  Preston  Blake  and  John  Forbes,  Viewers ; 
from  the  southwest  corner  of  Section  12,  Town  34,  Range  7,  to  Liver- 
pool, same  Viewers  as  last ;  from  the  southeast  corner  of  Adam  Camp- 
bell's land  (Section  20,  Town  35,  Range  5),  to  intersect  Michigan  City 
and  Barleytown  road  (southeast  quarter  of  Section  18,  Town  37,  Range 
5),  Viewers,  Enos  Thomas,  John  Sefford,  A.  S.  Campbell,  White  B. 
Smith  and  Eli  Hendricks ;  from  Portersville  to  Michigan  City  (Septem- 
ber, 1836),  John  Taylor  and  Asahel  Neil,  Viewers  ;  from  Michigan  City 
(November,  1836),  west  through  Porter  and  Lake  Counties  to  the  State 
line,  Benjamin  McCarty,  Viewer.  The  following  is  from  an  act  entitled 
"An  Act  Relating  to  State  Roads."  approved  February  6,  1837 : 

Sec.  9.  That  Daniel  M.  Learning,  of  La  Porte  County,  William  Frakes,  of  Porter 
County,  and  William  Hatton,  of  Lake  County,  be  and  they  are  hereby  appointed  Com- 
mis8ioiier9  to  view,  mark  and  locate  a  State  road  from  the  town  of  La  Porte,  in  La  Porte 
County,  on  the  nearest  and  best  route  to  the  town  of  Valparaiso,  in  Porter  County, 
thence  west  by  the  way  of  the  seat  of  justice  of  Lake  County  to  the  Illinois  State  line, 
in  the  direction  of  Joliet,  in  the  State  of  Illinois;  Provided,  however,  That  if  the  seat  of 
justice  in  the  said  county  of  Lake  shall  not  be  located  at  the  time  of  the  location  of  the 
said  State  road,  the  Commissioners  aforesaid  will  proceed  to  locate  said  road  on  the 
nearest  and  best  route  from  the  town  of  Valparaiso  west  to  the  State  line  in  the  direction 
of  Joliet,  in  said  State  of  Illinois. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  February  18, 1839,  Philander 
A.  Paine  and  William  C.  Talcott  were  appointed  Commissioners  to  locate 
a  State  road  from  a  point  on  the  Valparaiso  and  Sherwood  Ferry  road, 
thence  by  Ruel  Starr's,  thence  to  a  county  road  running  north  on  a  line 
dividing  Sections  19  and  20,  in  Township  35,  Range  5,  to  extend  such 
road  to  City  West,  and  the  county  road  was  declared  a  State  road.  By 
enactment  also  William  C.  Talcott  and  A.  S.  Campbell  were  appointed 
to  lay  out  a  State  road  from  Portersville  west  to  intersect  a  State  road  at 
Preston  Blake's  or  James  Grafton's.  Also,  by  enactment,  William  C. 
Talcott  was  appointed  to  lay  out  a  State  road  from  Valparaiso  via  Enos 
Thomas'  mill  to  City  West.  Also,  by  enactment,  William  K.  Talbot  and 
Henry  Rinker  were  appointed  to  view  a  State  road  from,  at  or  near  Pa- 
gan's Mill,  in  La  Porte  County,  thence  to  the  center  of  Section  17, 
Township  37,  Range  5,  thence  to  City  West,  thence  to  Long  Lake,  so  as 
to  intersect  a  State  road  near  the  head  of  the  lake.  Various  State  roads 
were  laid  out  across  the  county,  while  the  same  remained  attached  to  La 
Porte  County.  By  suitable  enactments,  the  Legislature  provided  what 
was  called  the  "  3  per  cent  fund,"  apportioning  such  fund  to  the  several 
counties  throughout  the  State,  and  appointing  Commissioners  to  expend 
the  same  in  the  construction  of  roads.  This  relief  to  the  early  settlers 
was  fully  appreciated.  The  County  Commissioners  levied  as  heavy  a  tax, 
also,  as  the  settlers  could  bear,  to  carry  on  the  same  work.     From   that 


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HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY.  47 

time  onward,  through  the  years  1837,  1838,  1839  and  1840,  and  until 
the  present  time,  roads  were  laid  out  in  all  directions  through  the  county, 
at  enormous  cost  in  the  aggregate,  but  of  indispensable  use  to  the  citizens. 
At  a  special  session  of  the  board  on  the  16th  of  November,  1850, 
the  following  petition  was  considered  : 

To  the  Honorable  the  Board  of  Commissioneni  of  the  County  of  Porter:  Your  peti- 
tioners, the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Valparaiso  &  Michigan  City  Plank  Road  Company, 
would  humbly  represent  to  your  honorable  body  that  a  company  has  been  organized  for 
the  purpose  of  constructing  a  plank  road  from  Valparaiso  to  Michigan  City,  making  a 
point  on  the  Buffalo  &  Mississippi  Railroad  at  or  near  the  place  where  the  line  between 
Ranges  5  and  6  crosses  the  same.  That  the  nearest  and  best  route  for  the  construction  of 
said  road  would  probably  be  to  run  on  the  road  from  Valparaiso  to  Michigan  City 
between  Valparaiso  and  the  above-named  point  on  the  railroad,  and  thence  running  part 
or  all  the  way  to  Michigan  City  on  the  road  that  leads  from  the  above  point  to  Michigan 
City,  as  far  as  the  eastern  line  of  the  county  of  Porter,  near  Michigan  City. 

Your  petitioners,  therefore,  ask  your  honorable  board  to  grant  to  said  company  the 
right  of  way  on  said  road  or  roads  from  Valparaiso  to  the  eastern  line  of  the  county  of 
Porter,  near  Michigan  City  aforesaid,  or  to  so  much  or  such  part  of  said  i-oad  or  roads 
as  you  may  deem  expedient  and  right. 

W.  P.  AVard,   President  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 

Attest :   George  W.  Turner,  Secretary. 
November  16,  1850. 

Whereupon  the  Board  of  Commissioners 

Ordered,  That  the  right  of  way  be  granted  to  the  Valparaiso  &  Michigan  City  Plank 
Road  Company  to  construct  a  plank  road  from  Valparaiso  to  Michigan  City  on,  over, 
along  or  across  any  or  all  State  or  county  roads  which  they  may  desire. 

The  road  was  never  built  as  had  been  designed,  as  much  of  the  route 
over  which  the  plank  were  to  be  laid  was  a  compact  sandy  soil,  which, 
three-fourths  of  the  year,  furnished  almost  as  solid  a  foundation  as  the 
plank  would.  Some  two  or  three  miles  of  plank  w^ere  laid  just  south  of 
Chesterton,  and  about  the  same  just  north  of  Valparaiso,  but  between 
these  sections  of  road  none  were  laid,  though  toll  was  collected  both  at 
Chesterton  and  at  Valparaiso.  The  stock  of  the  company  was  largely 
owned  by  wealthy  men  in  Michigan  City,  who  were  the  founders  of  a 
private  bank  there,  and  the  issuers  of  a  paper  money,  which,  from  com- 
mencement to  end,  unlike  the  usual  wild-cat  bank  issues  of  that  day,  was 
always  at  par  with  coin,  and  redeemable  at  any  time  upon  demand.  It  is 
stated  that  a  man,  on  one  occasion,  becoming  greatly  scared  by  the  ap- 
palling depreciation  in  private  bank  issues,  and  having  in  his  possession 
some  $30,000  of  the  Plank  Road  Bank  bills,  presented  himself  in  Michi- 
gan City  and  demanded  the  redemption  of  the  paper  of  the  bank  in  his  pos- 
session. The  gold  was  paid  him,  whereupon,  becoming  satisfied  that  the 
bank  was  solid,  he  asked  to  have  his  gold  deposited  again,  but  was  posi- 
tively refused,  and,  as  that  was  the  only  bank  in  the  city,  he  w^as  obliged 
to  cart  his  coin  home  with  him.  Toll  was  collected  on  the  road  a  few 
years  and  then  the  company  collapsed. 


48  HISTORY   OF  PORTER   COUNTY. 

In  1851,  another  association  was  formed  to  construct  a  plank  road 
from  Valparaiso  to  La  Porte,  and  permission  was  granted  the  same  to  use 
the  roads  of  the  county  for  that  purpose.  About  seven  miles  of  plank 
were  laid,  partly  in  Porter  and  partly  in  La  Porte  Counties,  and  toll  was 
collected  over  this  route  for  a  few  years,  but  finally  the  whole  matter  was 
abandoned.  While  the  original  plan  was  to  extend  the  road  from  Valpa- 
raiso to  La  Porte,  this  design  was  changed,  and,  in  1852,  the  termini  of 
the  road  were  Henry  Clyburn's  in  La  Porte  County  and  Beeche's  Corners 
in  Porter  County. 

Library. — As  early  as  the  summer  of  1838,  in  pursuance  of  an  act  of 
the  State  Legislature,  approved  February  17,  1838,  subscriptions  to  the 
amount  of  some  sixty-odd  dollars  having  been  pledged,  a  meeting  of  the 
citizens  was  called  to  elect  Trustees  and  other  necessary  officers,  and  to  in- 
corporate the  Porter  County  Library  Association.  Books  were  purchased 
and  added  to  from  time  to  time,  as  subscriptions  were  paid,  until  at  last, 
in  about  1850,  some  500  volumes  were  owned  by  the  association.  In 
1855,  the  books  were  distributed  to  the  townships  as  follows  :  One  set  to 
Centre,  one  to  Jackson  and  Washington,  one  to  Westchester,  Pine  and 
Liberty,  one  to  Portage  and  Union,  one  to  Porter  and  Boone,  and  one  to 
Morgan,  Pleasant  and  Essex.  These  libraries  were  added  to  by  the  State 
for  several  years,  but  finally  they  were  not  replaced,  and  were  soon  de- 
stroyed or  lost.     It  was 

Ordered  by  the  Board  acting  as  Trustees  of  the  County  Library,  That  the  Librarian  be 
allowed  the  sum  of  $10  per  annum  for  his  services  as  such  Librarian  ;  that  said  Librarian 
be  required  to  procure  a  strong  book  case  for  the  use  of  said  library,  and  that  the  follow- 
ing by-laws  be  adopted : 

1.  That  none  but  subscribers  shall  be  allowed  to  read  the  books,  or  draw  any  of  them 
from  said  library. 

2.  That  any  volume  of  300  pages  or  under  may  be  drawn  for  one  month  by  any  sub- 
scriber. 

3.  That  any  volume  over  300  pages  and  under  500,  may  be  drawn  for  two  months  by 
any  subscriber. 

4.  That  any  volume  over  500  pages  may  be  drawn  for  three  months. 

5.  That  the  Librarian  shall  mark  each  book,  showing  the  length  of  time  said  book 
may  be  drawn. 

6.  That  any  person  keeping  a  book  over  the  time  marked  as  the  period  for  which  it 
may  be  drawn,  shall  forfeit  the  sum  of  5  cents  for  every  week  it  may  be  kept  over  said 
time,  and  that  any  fractional  part  of  a  week  shall  be  considered  as  a  week,  and  the  fine 
collected  accordingly. 

7.  That  no  person  shall  draw  more  than  one  volume  at  a  time,  and  after  a  subscriber 
shall  have  drawn  a  book,  he  shall  not  be  allowed  to  draw  any  more  until  he  shall  have 
duly  returned  said  book,  and  paid  all  fines  and  forfeitures  due  said  library  from  him. 

8.  That  the  Librarian  shall  examine  all  books  upon  their  return,  and  if  any  shall 
have  been  damaged  or  disfigured  more  than  reasonable  wear,  he  shall  assess  a  fine  upon 
said  subscriber  drawing  the  same,  and  said  subscriber  shall  never  after  be  allowed  to 
draw  any  book  until  he  shall  have  duly  paid  such  fine. 

9.  That  said  Librarian  shall  purchase  a  blank  book  at  the  expense  of  said  library,  in 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY.  49 

•which  he  shall  keep  a  full  list  of  all  subscribers,  the  time  subscribing,  the  date  each  shall 
draw  a  book  and  return  the  same,  and  the  amount  of  fines  assessed  to,  and  paid  by,  each 
subscriber,  and  of  all  other  matters  of  interest  to  said  library  a  complete  and  full  report 
he  shall  make  of  which  at  each  term  of  the  County  Commissioners'  Court. 

Miscellaneous  Acts  of  the  Commissioners. — In  June,  1836,  the 
board  appointed  Samuel  Olinger  County  Agent,  with  Peter  Ritter,  B. 
Saylor,  George  Cline  and  Wilson  Malone,  sureties.  They  deducted  »^60 
from  the  levy  made  by  John  Adams  and  George  Cline,  Assessors,  upon 
the  personal  property  of  those  families  which  had  been  assessed  for  "bed 
and  bedding."  It  was  ordered  that,  for  the  year  1836,  a  levy  of  two  and 
one-half  per  cent  be  made  on  all  personal  property  and  real  estate,  and  a 
poll  tax  of  75  cents  be  imposed,  for  county  purposes ;  but  in  July  this 
order  was  rescinded,  and  in  lieu  thereof  one  half  of  one  per  cent  was 
levied.  The  board  ordered  paid  to  Peter  Ritter  $20,  to  John  Adams 
$26.  and  to  George  Cline  $22,  for  services  as  County  Assessors.  A  road 
tax  of  one  per  cent  was  levied  in  July.  In  May,  1836,  a  tavern  license 
was  granted  Samuel  Haviland,  of  Westchester  Township,  for  one  year, 
at  $10.  A  license  was  granted  Andrew  Ault  to  vend  foreign  and  do- 
mestic groceries.  Same  with  merchandise  to  Ebenezer  Clark,  of  Porters- 
ville,  and  license  to  sell  liquor  to  Francis  Willey,  of  Bailly  Town.  Ex- 
penses of  catching  W.  C.  Maley,  a  horse-thief,  were  paid  by  the  board. 
Samuel  Haviland  was  granted  license  to  keep  a  ferry  across  Deep  River 
at  Liverpool,  and  to  keep  a  tavern  and  sell  liquor  there.  Saylor  &  Reed, 
a  license  to  sell  merchandise  in  Valparaiso ;  same  to  Solomon  Cheney. 
As  early  as  January  4,  1836,  a  license  was  granted  Hamell  &  Hening 
by  the  Commissioners  of  La  Porte  County,  to  vend  merchandise  in  Mor- 
gan Township.  This  was  at  Valparaiso,  or  Portersville,  which  was  then 
in  such  township.  John  B.  Turner  was  granted  a  license  to  sell  grocer- 
ies, 1837;  same,  merchandise,  to  George  Bishop;  Seneca  Ball,  same ; 
Jeremiah  HamelL  same;  Marshal  &  Bigelow,  a  tavern  at  City  West. 
David  Oaks,  of  Washington  Township,  was  granted  a  license  to  retail 
merchandise.  Leveret  Bradley,  licensed  to  keep  a  tavern  and  sell  liquor 
at  City  West.  Palmer  &  Andrews,  licensed  to  sell  merchandise  in  Boone 
Township,  April,  1838.  W.  P.  Ward,  licensed  to  keep  a  tavern  and  sell 
liquor  in  Westchester  Township  March,  1839.  In  1843,  W.  A.  Hins- 
dale and  Edmund  Woodman  were  licensed  to  keep  separate  taverns  in 
Westchester  Township.  In  1837,  a  premium  of  $1  was  ordered  paid  for 
scalps  of  prairie  wolves  over  six  months  old,  and  50  cents  for  those  of 
wolves  under  that  age.  Same  ordered  paid  for  the  scalps  of  gray  wolves. 
After  that,  from  time  to  time,  the  premium  on  wolf  scalps  was  gradually 
increased  until,  finally,  a  number  of  years  ago,  as  high  as  $15  was  paid 
for  a  single  scalp  of  the  gray  wolf.     At  present  the  premium  is  $10. 

At  the   September  term,  1836,  John  Saylor  was  appointed  Commis- 


50  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

sioner  of  the  3  per  cent  fund,  which  was  applied  in  the  construction  of 
public  highways.  Specifications  for  a  county  jail  were  drawn  up  in  de- 
tail, the  building  to  be  14x28  feet,  timbers  one  foot  square  of  oak,  build- 
ing to  be  completed  by  September,  1837  ;  payment  for  the  same  to  be  in 
installments,  one-third  when  the  timber  was  all  delivered  on  the  ground, 
one-third  when  the  house  was  raised  and  covered,  and  one-third  when  the 
work  was  completed.  Bids  from  contractors  were  called  for.  In  Novem- 
ber, Adam  S.  Campbell  became  County  Agent.  The  rates  of  ferriage 
across  Deep  River  at  Liverpool  were  fixed  as  follows :  Each  footman,  6 
cents  ;  man  and  horse,  12J  cents ;  horse  and  Dearborn  wagon,  25  cents ; 
two  horses  and  wagon,  Sl^  cents ;  for  each  yoke  of  oxen  or  span  of 
horses  over  and  above  one  yoke  or  span,  12J  cents.  No  person  was 
taxed  with  ferriage  who  was  crossing  with  his  team  and  who  paid  the 
above  rates  for  such  team.  The  ferry  across  the  Kankakee,  which  had 
been  formerly  known  as  Sherwood's  Ferry,  and  upon  which  no  license 
had  been  paid,  was  advertised  to  be  let  to  the  highest  bidder,  the  rates  to 
be  as  follows :  Each  footman,  6^  cents ;  man  and  horse,  12|-  cents  ;  horse 
and  Dearborn  wagon,  25  cents  ;  two  horses  and  wagon,  37|-  cents ;  one 
yoke  of  oxen  and  wagon,  37|-  cents ;  four  horses  and  wagon,  50  cents  ; 
two  yoke  of  oxen  and  wagon,  50  cents ;  any  higher  number  of  animals  to 
wagon,  50  cents ;  each  head  of  cattle,  6^  cents ;  each  sheep,  3  cents ; 
each  hog,  3  cents  ;  each  horse,  6^  cents  ;  asses  and  mules,  each  6J  cents ; 
and  when  the  water  was  high,  so  that  the  ferry  would  have  to  run  up  to 
the  head  of  the  canon,  three  times  the  above  rates  were  charged. 

In  January,  1837,  it  was  ordered  by  the  Board  that  the  following 
persons  should  serve  as  Grand  Jurors  at  the  April  term,  1837,  of  the  Por- 
ter County  Circuit  Court :  Wilford  Parrott,  Robert  Wallace,  John  Say- 
lor,  Eli  Hendricks,  George  Spurlock,  Joseph  Willey,  John  P.  Noble, 
Edmund  Billings,  White  B.  Smith,  David  Hughart,  Henry  Adams,  John 
Sefford,  G.  Z.  Salyer,  Abraham  A.  Hall,  John  Adams,  John  G.  Forbes, 
Sr.,  William  Walker  and  William  Bissell.  The  following  persons  were 
selected  to  serve  at  the  same  time  as  Petit  Jurors :  Thomas  L.  Hyatt, 
John  B.  Turner,  Enos  Thomas,  Jacob  Beech,  James  Laughlin,  A.  K. 
Paine,  Robert  Fleming,  William  Morgan,  Newton  Frame,  Henry  Rinker, 
George  Shigley,  Jefierson  Tenor,  Abraham  Cormack,  Benjamin  Saylor, 
Sr.,  Isaac  Cornell,  Lewis  Holton,  Barzilla  Bunnell,  William  Malone,  P. 
A.  Paine,  Henry  Herrold,  Luther  Jefferson,  Jaines  Baum,  William  Eaton 
and  Barrack  Dorr.  John  Saylor  reported  that  he  had  received  of  the 
Treasurer  of  State  $1,926.86  of  3  per  cent  fund  due  Porter  County. 
This  amount  came  to  the  county  in  good  time,  and  was  immediately  ap- 
plied toward  the  improvement  and  construction  of  public  roads.  In  Jan- 
uary, the  board  again  took  up  the  county  jail  question,  and  new  specifi- 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY.  51 

cations  were  prepared,  the  building  to  be  a  very  strong  frame  structure, 
17x33  feet,  with  two  rooms  below — one  for  debtors,  and  the  other  for 
criminals — and  two  above.  At  the  same  time,  specifications  for  a  court 
house  were  prepared,  the  building  to  be  a  frame  structure,  20x48  feet. 
In  March,  1837,  a  license  to  keep  the  old  Sherwood  Ferry  across  the 
Kankakee  was  granted  Joseph  Stearns  and  John  Ship,  the  license  being  $9. 
S.  Campbell  was  paid  $85  for  his  services  as  Assessor  of  Porter  County  in 

1837.  Cyrus  Spurlock  was  appointed  Seminary  Trustee  of  Porter  County. 
A  levy  of  1  per  cent  on  all  real  and  personal  taxable  property  was  levied 
for  the  year  1837.  At  this  time  (May,  1837),  the  project  of  building  the 
Erie  &  Michigan  Canal,  or  of  assisting  in  the  building,  began  to  receive 
attention  from  the  Commissioners,  who  made  preparations  to  turn  over 
the  3  per  cent  fund  on  hand  for  that  purpose. 

In  September,  1837,  the  Commissioners  met  at  the  house  of  Jeremiah 
Hammell.  From  this  period  on,  for  several  years  after,  the  board  con- 
tinued to  appoint  officers  for  the  various  townships.  At  this  term,  it  was 
"  ordered  that  Thomas  Randall  be  appointed  Commissioner  of  the  3 
per  cent  fund  for  Newton  County  (or  the  territory  attached  to  Porter 
County  called  Newton  County),  and  that  he  come  forward  and  qualify 
himself  accordingly."  It  was  also  "  ordered  that  all  the  territory  attached 
to  Porter  County  that  is  called  Newton  County,  shall  form  and  constitute 
a  township  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Marion,  and  that  there  shall  be 
an  election  held  at  the  house  of  John  Price,  on  October  25, 1837,  to  elect 
one  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  William  Donahue  is  appointed  Inspector." 
At  this  time  the  county  was  pushing,  in  the  construction  of  its  highways, 
to  its  utmost,  and  every  penny  was  faithfully  applied.  The  bonds  which 
had  been  given  as  a  guarantee  for  the  payment  of  the  money  which  had 
been  donated  by  the  proprietors  of  the  county  seat,  fell  due,  and  the  money 
was  collected  and  applied  upon  the  roads.  The  amount  of  county  revenue, 
for  1836,  was  $522.29.  In  November,  1837,  the  court  house  was  com- 
pleted by  the  contractors,  Solomon  Cheeney  and  others,  and  accepted  by 
the  board,  after  examination.     The  following  appears  upon  the  records  : 

To  the  Honorable  Board  of  Commissioners  of  Porter  County,  Ind.: — The  following 
ia  a  list  of  fines  imposed  by  me  on  account  of  Sabbath-breaking  :  Reuben  Meadows,  $1, 
and  Leonard  H.  Coghill,  $1.     Given  under  my  hand   and  seal  this  1st  day  of  January, 

1838.  (Signed)  John  Adams,  J.  P. 

Since  that  period,  Sabbath-breaking  has  multiplied,  and  fines  for  the 
same  have  divided.  The  following  fines  were  assessed  in  the  Circuit 
Court  for  1837  :  Michael  Ault,  assault,  $20 ;  G.  W.  Coghill,  assault, 
$10 ;  David  Cook,  retailing  without  license,  $2 ;  Ashbal  Goodrich, 
retailing  without  license,  $2  ;  Moses  Wilson,  assault,  1  cent ;  Aaron 
Lewis,  retailing  without  license,  $2 ;  J.  Bartholomew,  assault  and 
battery,    $2.     G.    Z.    Salyer's    report    as    Seminary    Trustee    was    as 


52  HISTORY   OF  PORTER   COUNTY. 

follows  :  Received  of  William  Billings,  $6.50  ;  of  G.  Z.  Salyer,  $4  ; 
of  G.  W.  Turner,  $38;  total,  $48.50,  which  had  been  loaned  at  10  per 
cent  per  annum.  The  County  Clerk  was  ordered  to  procure  a  set  of  law- 
ful weights  and  measures,  to  be  kept  in  his  office,  and  also  an  iron  seal 
with  the  letters  P.  C.  S.,  which  should  be  stamped  on  all  lawful  weights. 
A  pound  was  built  for  Valparaiso,  in  1838,  by  William  Eaton. 

SCHOOL    commissioner's    REPORT,    PORTER    COUNTY,    1836: 

Received  from  B.  Saylor,  Collector  of  State  revenue $     8  55 

Received  from  the  sale  of  Section   16,  Township  35,  Range  5 360  85 

Received  from  money  loaned 205  00 

Paid  Isaac  Morgan  interest 205  00 

Received  State  revenue 1  08 

Received  Surplus  revenue 27  77 

Loaned  interest  money 360  85 

Paid  for  notice  of  sale  in  Michigan  City  Gazette 2  60 

Received  surplus  revenue  from  Seneca  Ball,  Commissioner 224  40 

Received  from  the  sale  of  Section  16,  Township  35,  Range  6,  with 

interest 91  78 

Paid  for  books 11  50 

Money  loaned 50  99 

Paid  John  McConnell  interest 144  67 

Paid  John  McConnell  surplus  revenue 30  06 

Paid  John  McConnell  State  revenue 1   14 

Paid  Gazette  for  notice  of  sale 2  25 

Received  from  sale  of  Section  16,  Township  36,  Range  5,  with  interest     24  20 

Money  loaned 18  00 

Paid  Phineas  Hall  surplus  revenue 28  67 

Paid  Phineas  Hall  State  revenue 1  06 

Paid  Michigan  City  Gazette 2  25 

Received  from  Treasurer  of  State  amount  of  poll-tax  due  for  school 

purposes  for  the  year  1836 35  50 

[Signed.]  Ruel  Starr,  School  Commissioner. 

The  following  appears  upon  the  record : 

Notice. — A  copartnership  has  this  day  been  formed  at  Valparaiso,  Porter  County 
under  the  laws  of  the  State  regulating  limited  corporations,  for  tlie  purpose  of  dealing  in 
all  things  relating  to  trade  in  merchandise,  bonds,  notes,  exchanges,  etc.,  the  business  to 
be  conducted  by  E.  Brown  Bishop  as  general  partner,  who  is  auihorized  only  to  sign  for 
the  company;  and  the  name  and  style  of  the  company  will  be  E.  Brown  Bishop,  and  the 
following-named  persons  will  be  special  or  limited  partners  : 

Sylvanus  Evarts,  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  has  given  bonds  to  pay 

in  specie  or  good  Eastern  paper,  when  demanded $1,000  00 

John  Bishop,  Porter  County,  same 2,600  00 

Jesse  Johnson,  Porter  County,  same 300  00 

Henry  Dillingham,  Porter  County,  same 1,000  00 

Samuel  Shingley,  Porter  County,  same 300  00 

George  Axe,  Porter  County,  same 300  00 

Jonathan  Herold,  same 500  00 

Total §5,000  00 

The  copartnership  is  to  commence  the  1st  of  .June,  1888,  and  continue  for  one  year 
from  such  date,  and  to  be  renewed  from  year  to  year  by  advertising. 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  53 

What  became  of  this  corporation  or  what  was  done  cannot  be  learned 
with  certainty.     It  did  not  continue  long,  however.     In   the  autumn   of 

1838,  Newton  County  was  attached  to  Jasper   County,  and  the  Collector 
for  that  county  turned  over  his  funds  and  was  discharged.     In  October, 

1839,  William  Eaton  was  licensed  to  keep  the  ferry  over  the  Kankakee, 
where  John  Ship  and  Joseph  Stearns  had  formerly  been.    In  September, 

1840,  the  board  advertised  a  bounty  of  $1.50  on  each  scalp  of  full  grown 
prairie  wolves  and  $3  for  each  scalp  of  full  grown  gray  wolves. 

The  following  order  appears  upon  the  records : 

Ordered  by  the  Board,  That  from  and  after  the  Ist  day  of  April,  1841,  the  door  of  the 
court  house  shall  be  shut  against  preaching  by  any  denominations  of  Christians,  and  that 
the  SheriflF  of  Porter  County  is  required  to  procure  a  lock  for  the  door  at  the  foot  of  the 
stairs  in  the  hall,  and  place  said  lock  permanently  on  said  door,  and  keep  the  same  locked 
against  all  denominations  of  Christians  from  and  after  said  1st  of  April,  1841,  without 
respect  of  persons;  and  that  the  Sheriff  is  further  ordered  to  give  public  notice  of  the 
passage  of  this  order  immediately. 

For  a  time  during  1841,  the  county  paid  $5  and  $3  for  scalps  of  gray 
and  prairie  wolves  respectively.  In  February,  1842,  it  was  "  ordered  by 
the  Board,  that  the  Methodists,  Presbyterians,  Mormons,  Universalists, 
Baptists,  Campbellites, 'Associate  Reformers,  Infidels  and  all  other  de- 
nominations be  allowed  to  hold  meetings  in  the  court  house,  provided  they 
do  not  interfere  with  the  business  of  the  courts  of  the  county  and  political 
meetings."  In  June,  1842,  John  W.  Wright  reported  that  $106.87  had 
been  received  from  the  seminary  fund.  In  December,  1842,  it  was 
^'ordered,  that  John  Mcintosh  be  appointed  Inspector  of  flour,  beef  and 
pork  for  the  county  of  Porter  for  the  term  of  three  years." 

County  Seminary,  etc. — A  legislative  enactment  of  February,  1838, 
made  provision  for  the  maintenance  of  county  seminaries  throughout  the 
State  by  the  appropriation  of  certain  fines  and  penalties,  such  as  for  break- 
ing the  Sabbath,  for  assault  and  battery,  etc.,  etc.,  and  it  was  made  the 
duty  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  in  each  county  to  appoint  Trustees, 
who  were  to  constitute  a  body  politic  with  general  powers  and  liabilities 
in  the  founding,  controlling  and  maintaining  of  a  county  seminary  of 
learning.  Such  Trustees  were  appointed  in  Porter  County  as  early  as 
the  autumn  of  1838,  to  whom  were  paid  the  funds  designed  for  the  above 
purpose  until,  in  1849,  the  amount  collected  had  reached  over  $2,000, 
when  the  project  of  erecting  a  seminary  building  was  instituted,  but  not 
carried  into  effect,  for  some  reason  unknown,  until  the  year  1851,  when 
grounds  were  purchased  in  the  eastern  part  of  Valparaiso  and  a  building 
erected  thereon,  the  total  cost  of  house  and  lots  amounting  to  about  $2,- 
300.  The  two-storied  frame  building  was  furnished  with  three  rooms 
above  and  two  below,  and  was  not  fully  completed  in  the  autumn  of  1851, 
when  the  first  school  therein  was  taught  by  Ashley  M.  Pierce,  Principal, 


54  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

and  Miss  Eliza  J.  Forsyth,  now  Mrs.  William  Wilson,  Assistant.  The 
session  was  held  in  the  upper  story,  the  lower  not  having  been  finished 
nor  furnished.  About  120  students  were  in  attendance  during  the  win- 
ter, but  the  following  year,  when  the  new  school  law  came  into  existence, 
the  County  Commissioners,  in  pursuance  of  legal  requirements,  offered 
the  seminary  building  and  the  grounds  upon  which  it  stood  for  sale,  one- 
tenth  to  be  paid  down  and  the  balance  in  nine  equal  annual  installments, 
the  proceeds  of  the  sale  to  go  into  the  common  school  fund  of  the  county. 
The  sale  was  advertised  by  the  County  Auditor  in  June,  1852,  the  day 
of  sale  being  fixed  for  the  fourth  Monday  of  July,  1853,  on  which 
day  the  building  was  purchased  by  the  School  Trustees  of  Valparaiso  for 
$1,200,  and  transformed  into  the  "  Union  School  of  Valparaiso."  Thus 
ended  its  existence  as  a  county  institution,  three  terms  only  having  been 
taught  within  it  while  it  remained  as  such.  The  building  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  the  spring  of  1857. 

As  early  as  1850,  there  was  organized  the  "  Porter  County  Bible  So- 
ciety," a  corporate  body,  whose  mission  was  to  place  in  each  citizen's 
cabin  a  copy  of  the  "Book  of  books."  In  1853,  the  Treasurer  of  the 
society  reported  the  sale  of  $8,200  worth  of  Bibles.  At  this  time  D. 
Crawford  was  President,  and  J.  C.  Brown,  Secretary.  The  society  sur- 
vived some  five  or  six  years  and  then  disbanded,  as  its  mission  had  ended. 

Alterations  in  the  boundary  of  the  various  townships  have  been  fre- 
quent, and  some  townships  have  been  wholly  blotted  out  of  existence  and 
others  erected  in  their  place.  At  the  second  session  of  the  board,  the 
northern  boundary  line  of  Pleasant  Township  was  extended  west  to  the 
great  marsh,  thence  south  with  the  center  of  the  marsh  to  the  Kanka- 
kee.* At  the  same  time,  the  eastern  boundary  of  Boone  Township  was 
fixed  at  a  point  on  the  west  side  of  the  marsh.  In  1837,  the  western 
half  of  Section  29,  Washington  Township,  was  attached  to  Centre 
Township.  In  March,  1838,  Boone  Township  was  confined  to  its  terri- 
tory south  of  the  line  dividing  Townships  83  and  34,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  all  of  the  territory  of  Porter  County  west  of  the  marsh  dividing 
Horse  and  Morgan  Prairies,  and  between  the  line  dividing  Townships  33 
and  34,  and  the  line  dividing  Townships  34  and  35,  was  organized 
as  Fish  Lake  Township.  In  March,  1839,  the  west  halves  of  Sections  17 
and  20,  Washington  Township,  were  attached  to  Centre;  but,  in  May, 
1840,  they,  with  the  west  half  of  Section  29,  were  re-attached  to  Wash- 
ington Township.  Prior  to  this,  in  June,  1836,  the  citizens  of  Lake  and 
Waverly  Townships  petitioned  the  Board,  setting  forth  the  inconven- 
ience of  the  boundaries  of  their  townships,  and  praying  that  the  same 
might  be  united,  which  was  accordingly  so  ordered,  and   the  new   town- 

*ThiB  marsh  was  tho  one  diyiding  Horse  and  Morgan  Prairies. 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  55 

ship  was  named  Westchester.  In  March,  1841,  all  of  Township  37, 
Range  5,  and  fractional  Township  38,  Range  5,  were  stricken  from  West- 
chester and  created  into  a  new  township  to  be  called  Berry,  and 
an  election  of  township  officers  was  ordered  held  at  the  house  of  Orson 
Petty,  with  George  W.  Rice  Inspector.  In  June,  1841,  the  following 
petition  was  presented  to  the  County  Commissioners : 

To  the  Honorable  Board  of  County   Cjmmissioners  of  Porter  County,  Ind.  : 

We,  the  undersigned  petitioners  and  inhabitants  of  Westchester  Township,  most 
respectfully  represent  to  your  honorable  body,  that  the  division  heretofore  prayed  for  at 
your  March  term,  1841,  to  be  injudicious  and  uncalled  for,  and  is  inconvenient  for  the 
citizens  of  your  township  generally,  and  that  we  pray  your  honorable  body  to  set  aside 
all  divisions,  and  continue  the  said  township  of  Westchester  as  it  originally  was  before 
any  alteration  at  your  March  term  last,  and  the  place  of  holding  elections  as  before.  And 
in  duty  bound  your  petitioners  will  ever  pray. 

Enos  Thomas,  John  Millaed, 

W.  P.  Wakd,  William  Coleman, 

GUFFIN    HULBBRT,  DaVID    PkICE, 

William  Knapp,  William  P.  Jacobs, 

Brazilla  Millard,  Rufus  Pierce, 

Joseph  Clark,  Daniel  Hulbert, 

Henry  Hageman,  William  Thomas, 

John  Thomas,  James  Thomas, 

Thomas  Frazier,  Samuel  Wheeler, 

Edmund  Tratebas,  Vincent  Thomas. 

Allen  Blair, 
Ordered,  That  the  above  petition  be  granted,  and  that  the  oi-der  for  the  division  of  West- 
chester Township,  and  for  the  establishment  of  Berry  Township,  made  at  the  March  term 
of  this  board,  1841,  be  rescinded,  and  that  the  elections  hereafter  be  held  at  the  former 
place. 

In  June,  1841,  Fish  Lake  Township  became  Porter  Township,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  division  line  between  Pleasant  Township  and  Boone 
and  Porter  Townships  was  established  to  commence  at  the  northwest  cor- 
ner of  Section  2,  Township  34,  Range  6,  thence  south  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Section  14,  Township  33,  Range  6,  thence  west  one  mile  and 
thence  south  to  the  Kankakee  River.  In  August,  1843,  Pleasant  Town- 
ship was  divided,  and  Morgan  Township  was  erected  from  the  territory 
north  of  the  line  running  east  and  west  between  Sections  29  and  32, 
Township  34,  Range  5.  During  the  year  1836,  in  pursuance  of  a  peti- 
tion from  Solon  Robinson  and  William  Clark,  the  boundary  of  Clark 
Township  (Lake  County)  was  changed  as  follows  :  All  that  part  of  Town- 
ship 35  lying  south  of  the  center  of  the  same  in  Lake  County,  and  Sec- 
tions 1  and  2  in  Township  33,  Range  9,  were  added  to  Clark  Township. 
In  February,  1847,  Sections  1,  2,  3,  4,  5  and  6,  in  Township  36,  Range 
5,  all  of  Township  37,  Range  5,  and  all  of  Township  38,  Range  5,  were 
established  as  a  new  township  called  Calumet.  At  the  same  time  it  was 
ordered  that  Township  37,  Range  6,  and  the  east  half  of  Township  37, 


66  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Range  7,  in  such  township,  should  constitute  Westchester  Township. 
Jackson  Township  was  constituted  as  it  is  at  present,  except  Sections  3 
and  4,  which  then  belonged  to  Calumet.  In  June,  1847,  all  that  part  of 
Westchester  Township  lying  west  of  a  line  dividing  Ranges  6  and  7, 
and  Sections  29  and  32  in  Township  37,  Range  6,  were  attached  to  Por- 
tage. In  February,  1850,  Sections  29,  30,  31  and  32,  Township  37, 
Range  6,  and  Sections  25,  26,  27,  34,  35  and  36,  Township  37,  Range 
7,  were  attached  to  Portage.  In  February,  1847,  Liberty  was  constituted 
as  it  is  at  present,  except  Sections  1,  2,  3  and  4,  now  forming  the  south- 
ern part  of  Westchester,  which  then  belonged  to  Liberty.  In  February, 
1850,  Sections  1,  12,  13,  24,  25  and  36,  and  the  east  halves  of  Sections 
2,  11,  14,  23,  26  and  35,  Township  34,  Range  5,  forming  a  part  of  Mor- 
gan Township,  were  erected  into  a  new  township  called  Essex  ;  but  some- 
time afterward  (the  exact  date  could  not  be  found)  a  strip  the  same  width 
as  the  township  (one  mile  and  a  half)  was  severed  from  the  east  side  of 
Morgan  and  attached  to  Essex,  making  the  latter  six  miles  long  and  three 
miles  wide  ;  thus  the  Township  remained  until  1880,  when,  upon  the 
petition  of  sixty-seven  citizens  of  Essex  and  Morgan  Townships,  the 
former  was  merged  in,  or  united  with,  the  latter.  In  June,  1852, 
Westchester  Township  was  divided  by  a  line  commencing  at  the  south- 
west corner  of  Section  5,  Township  36,  Range  5,  thence  running  north 
on  the  section  line  to  Lake  Michigan,  and  all  the  territory  east  of  such 
line  was  constituted  Pine  Township,  that  west  of  the  line  remaining  West- 
chester Township.  Sections  2,  and  11,  Township  33,  Range  6,  were  at- 
tached to  Boone,  in  June,  1852.  In  December  of  the  same  year.  Sec- 
tions 1,  2,  3  and  4  were  severed  from  Liberty  and  made  a  part  of  West- 
chester. In  March,  1855,  Sections  14,  23,  26  and  35,  Township  34, 
Range  6,  were  attached  to  Porter.  In  March,  1864,  the  east  half  of  the 
east  half  of  Section  30,  Township  35,  Range  5,  was  taken  from  Centre 
and  attached  to  Washington ;  but  upon  petition  of  S.  A.  Campbell  and 
others,  it  was  re-attached  to  Centre  in  December,  1868.  In  September, 
1864,  Sections  3  and  4,  Township  36,  Range  5,  were  stricken  from  Pine 
and  added  to  Jackson.  In  August,  1848,  an  attempt  was  made  by  peti- 
tion to  create  a  new  township  from  portions  of  the  present  townships  of 
Jackson,  Liberty,  Westchester  and  Pine ;  but  there  was  too  much  oppo- 
sition to  the  measure,  and  the  board  refused  to  issue  the  order. 

In  December,  1859,  a  petition,  or  rather  a  series  of  petitions,  was 
presented  the  County  Commissioners,  praying  that  a  committee  of  three 
be  appointed,  empowered  to  confer  with  a  similar  committee  from  La 
Porte  County,  for  the  purpose  of  laying  off  and  establishing  a  new  county 
to  be  called  Linn,  from  territory  belonging  to  Porter  and  La  Porte  Coun- 
ties.    This  was  aa  attempt  made  by  the  citizens  of  Michigan  City,  to  ac- 


HISTORY   OF   rORTER   COUNTY.  57 

complish  a  result  for  which  that  municipality  had  vainly  struggled  for  a 
long  series  of  anxious  years — its  transformation  into  a  county  seat.  It 
had  long  before  given  up  the  oft-baffled  attempt  of  wresting  from  La  Porte 
the  coveted  boon,  and  by  a  dexterous,  and  perhaps  desperate,  policy,  sought 
to  effect,  by  new  and  novel  methods,  what  it  had  failed  to  effect  by  re- 
peated and  skillful  attempts  with  the  old.  Upon  the  petitions  were  the 
names  of  2,017  citizens  living  within  the  limits  of  the  territory  to  be 
erected  into  the  new  county,  and  this  long  array  of  names  called  for  sober 
consideration.  After  mature  deliberation,  the  Commissioners  refused  to 
appoint  the  committee,  or  to  give  their  approval  to  the  attempt,  for  the 
following  reasons : 

1.  The  spoliation  of  Porter  County,  specified  in  the  petitions,  would 
reduce  its  territory  below  the  Legislative  limit  of  400  square  miles. 

2.  The  County  Commissioners  have  no  power  to  create  new  counties, 
and  therefore  cannot  delegate  such  power  to  committees. 

3.  The  new  county  would  not  be  of  the  form  required  by  law. 

The  Commissioners  of  La  Porte  County  disposed  of  the  question  in  a 
similar  summary  manner,  and  the  plan  was  abandoned. 

Societies  and  Other  Matters. — The  following  is  taken  from  the  Com- 
missioners' records,  1859  : 

Whereas. — J.  N.  Thompson  and  others,  citizens  of  Centre,  Morgan  and  Washington 
Townships,  in  the  county  of  Porter,  have  formed  themselves  into  an  association  for  the 
apprehension  of  horse-thieves  and  other  felons,  to  be  known  as  the  Morgan  Prairie  Anti- 
Horee-Thief  Society,  and 

Whereas,  The  Secretary  of  said  society  has  notified  the  Board  of  Commissioners  of 
the  county  of  Porter  of  the  existence  of  said  society,  and  the  names  and  residences  of  the 
members,  and  has  furnished  them  with  a  copy  of  its  constitution,  by-laws,  or  articles  of 
association  ;  it  is  therefore, 

Ordered,  That  the  objects  for  which  such  association  is  formed,  and  the  laws  gov- 
erning the  same,  be  approved. 

At  the  September  term,  1861,  the  following  appears : 

In  the  matter  of  the  Lake  and  Porter  Counties  Anti-Horse-Thief  Society,  now  comes 
Isaac  Hardesty,  Secretary  of  said  society,  and  shows  to  the  board  the  articles  of  associa- 
tion, the  by-laws,  and  a  list  of  the  members  of  said  society,  and  on  its  behalf,  asks  that 
the  same  be  approved,  and  after  due  inspection  thereof,  the  same  are  in  all  things  by  the 
board  approved. 

In  1861,  an  attempt  was  made  by  sundry  petitions  to  change  the 
boundary  line  between  the  counties  of  Lake  and  Porter,  but  the  scheme, 
from  the  outset,  met  with  cold  reception,  and,  after  being  considered  by 
the  proper  authorities,  was  rejected. 

In  June,  1866,  a  committee  consisting  of  R.  A.  Cameron,  Joseph 
Peirce  and  A.  Gurney,  appointed  by  a  mass  meeting  of  the  citizens  of 
Valparaiso,  petitioned  the  board  to  aid  in  building  and  establishing  upon 
the  public  square  suitable  water  works  or  reservoirs   for  the   use   of  the 


68  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

citizens ;  whereupon  it  was  ordered  that,  when  such  works  were  completed 
in  a  fitting  manner,  ^1,316  should  be  paid  the  Treasurer  of  the  city  of 
Valparaiso.  This  amount  was  paid  in  March,  1867,  upon  the  comple- 
tion of  the  works. 

The  articles  of  association  of  another  Morgan  Prairie  Anti-Horse- 
Thief  Society  were  approved  by  the  Board  in  1869.  In  June,  1880,  the 
Board  was  petitioned  by  the  citizens  of  Valparaiso  and  vicinity  to  take 
$20,000  stock  in  the  Joliet  &  Valparaiso  Railway  Company ;  but  before 
definite  action  was  taken,  the  project  was  abandoned  or  postponed. 

In  July,  1852,  there  was  great  excitement  among  the  citizens  of  Val- 
paraiso, and  indeed  throughout  the  whole  county,  in  response  to  the 
report  that  the  *'  Ohio  and  Indiana  Railroad  Company  "  had  out  its  sur- 
veyors, and  the  line  of  the  projected  road  was  sure  to  pass  across  the 
county.  The  prospect  of  connection  by  telegraph  with  the  outer  world 
was  very  encouraging,  especially  to  the  editor  of  the  Observer^  who  en- 
deavored by  notices  in  his  paper  to  excite  the  citizens  to  the  pitch  of 
substantial  help  to  the  railway  and  telegraphic  enterprise.  When  the 
projection  of  the  road  through  Valparaiso  became  a  certainty,  that  little 
town  could  scarcely  contain  itself,  but  indulged  in  bonfires,  bell-ringing, 
drum-playing,  gun-shooting,  and  general  noisy,  public  rejoicing. 

Soon  after  1840,  the  citizens  of  the  county  became  deeply  interested 
in  the  temperance  movement,  which  was  sweeping  throughout  the  entire 
country  on  its  mission  of  mercy.  The  Observer  appeared  with  strong 
editorials,  declaring  for  total  abstinence,  and  drawing  artistic  pen-pictures 
of  the  numerous  sad  cases  of  the  work  of  alcohol,  which  came  under  its 
observation.  In  about  the  year  1850,  the  movements  of  temperance  co- 
workers in  Valparaiso  and  throughout  the  county  began  to  assume  for- 
midable proportions ;  and  the  determined  attacks  upon  what  in  former 
years  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  "  necessaries  of  life,"  grew  bitter  and 
protracted.  But  the  citadel  of  King  Alcohol  was  not  to  be  taken  so 
easily.  People  who  had  been  educated  to  its  use,  and  who  had  inherited 
an  appetite  for  it,  could  not,  or  would  not,  forego  what  they  regarded  as 
the  luxury  of  its  use.  The  result  was  a  protracted  siege,  longer  than 
that  of  old  Troy,  and  even  more  hopeless.  In  1846,  a  strong  temperance 
union  league  was  organized  at  Valparaiso,  with  branches  in  some  four  or 
five  other  places  in  the  county.  Dealers  were  besought  to  relinquish  the 
trafiic,  and  consumers  were  urged  and  prayed  to  quit  its  use.  The 
churches  took  up  the  matter,  and  lent  their  powerful  aid  to  the  move- 
ment. 

In  June,  1847,  in  pursuance  of  an  act  of  the  State  Legislature  passed 
during  the  session  of  1846-47,  it  was  submitted  to  the  citizens  of  the 
several  townships  throughout  the  county,  whether  a  license  to  sell  spirit- 


HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY.  59 

uous  liquors  should  be  granted,  each  township  being  called  upon  to  settle 
the  question  within  its  own  borders.  The  citizens  of  the  townships  of 
Centre,  Liberty,  Jackson,  Porter,  Morgan,  Washington  and  Portage  re- 
fused, some  of  the  townships  by  substantial  majorities,  to  grant  such 
licenses ;  while  in  the  townships  of  Union,  Boone,  Calumet,  Westchester 
and  Pleasant,  the  people  declared  for  license  by  small  majorities.  In 
1851,  the  board  established  the  liquor  license,  in  those  townships  which 
had  voted  it,  at  $100.  But  this  was  found  no  cure  for  the  evil,  as  liquor 
was  watered  and  weakened  in  indirect  ratio  to  the  increase  in  the  price 
of  the  license.  If  this  did  not  produce  satisfactory  results,  the  price  of 
liquor  was  increased,  or  the  measure  rendered  smaller,  in  any  case  the 
loss  falling  on  the  unfortunate  buyer  and  consumer ;  or,  was  it  his  gain  ? 
— as  the  poorer  and  weaker  the  infernal  liquid,  the  less  damage  it  did,  and 
the  sooner  the  money  of  the  debaucher  was  gone  without  bringing  the 
curse  of  inebriation. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  1855,  the  County  Commissioners  purchased  of 
William  C.  Pennock,  for  $3,000,  the  east  half  of  the  southwest  quarter 
of  Section  26,  Town  35,  Range  6,  and  the  northwest  quarter  of  the 
southwest  quarter  of  Section  27,  same  town  and  range,  and  Mr.  Pennock 
became,  by  appointment,  the  first  Superintendent  of  this,  the  first  poor  farm 
owned  by  the  county.  Upon  this  farm  was  a  respectable  dwelling,  which, 
for  a  short  time,  did  duty  as  a  home  for  the  county  poor. 

Prior  to  this,  the  care  of  the  county  paupers  had  been  intrusted  to  such 
responsible  persons  in  the  county  as  were  willing  to  assume  the  charge, 
at  from  $1  to  $2  per  week,  each  person.  There  was  not  a  township  that 
did  not  have,  in  its  time,  some  pauper  in  the  care  of  its  citizens.  Physi- 
cians contracted  to  furnish  all  county  paupers  with  suitable  and  necessary 
treatment,  at  so  much  by  the  year.  At  length  the  board  felt  able  to 
furnish  the  poor  and  helpless  with  that  home  and  care  not  obtained  when 
parceled  out  among  divers  widely  scattered  individuals.  Mr.  Pennock 
rented  the  Poor  Farm  of  the  Board,  conditioning  to  retain  two-thirds  of 
the  productions,  the  county  getting  the  remaining  third,  besides  which 
he  was  to  board  the  paupers  at  $1.50  each,  per  week,  exclusive  of  the 
expense  of  sickness.  The  care  of  the  poor  continued  in  about  this  shape 
until  1855,  when  a  contract  was  entered  into  with  George  C.  Buel,  to 
erect  a  frame  poor  house,  32x45  feet,  for  $2,482,  $500  to  be  paid  on  the 
Ist  of  the  January  following,  $1,000  on  the  1st  of  March,  1856,  and  the 
remainder  in  county  bonds,  to  be  issued  on  the  last  date,  payable  in  one 
year  with  6  per  cent  interest,  the  house  to  be  ready  for  occupancy  Sep- 
tember 1,  1856.  The  building  was  immediately  constructed,  and  is  yet 
in  use,  though  additions  and  improvements  have  been  added. 

In    March,   1866,  the  board   purchased   for    $3,200  the  west  half 


60  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

of  the  southeast  quarter  of  Section  26,  Township  35,  Range  6  west,  as 
an  addition  to  the  poor  farm.  In  September  of  this  year,  there  were 
fourteen  inmates.  On  the  16th  of  June,  1875,  the  Commissioners  pur- 
chased of  W.  C.  Hannah,  for  $1,200,  all  that  part  of  the  northeast  quar- 
ter of  Section  35,  Township  35,  Range  6,  which  lies  north  and  east  of 
Salt  Creek  and  south  of  a  line  drawn  parallel  with  the  north  line  of 
said  quarter,  and  distant  seventy  rods  and  thirteen  feet  south  therefrom ; 
subject  to  this  year's  (1875)  taxes ;  the  same  to  be  an  addition  to  the 
poor  farm.  On  the  9th  of  June,  1876,  the  Commissioners  purchased  for 
$1,200  the  southeast  quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  27, 
Township  35,  Range  6,  except  ten  acres  off  the  south  side,  and  this  was 
also  made  a  part  of  the  poor  farm. 

On  the  14th  of  June,  1851,  a  mass  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Porter 
County  assembled  at  the  court  house  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
an  agricultural  society.  Aaron  Lytle  was  made  Chairman,  and  George 
W.  Turner  appointed  Secretary,  and  a  committee,  consisting  of  the  fol- 
lowing citizens,  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and  by-laws : 
William  C.  Talcott,  David  Hughart,  W.  W.  Jones,  H.  E.  Woodruff  and 
Aaron  Lytle.  The  constitution  provided  that,  upon  the  payment  of  $1 
into  the  treasury  by  a  citizen  of  the  county,  such  person  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Porter  County  Agricultural  Society.  In  September,  the 
following  men  became  the  first  Board  of  Directors  :  W.  A.  Barnes,  W. 
C.  Talcott,  Azariah  Freeman,  H.  E.  Woodruff,  H.  A.  K.  Paine,  W.  W. 
Jones,  A.  B.  Price,  Walker  McCool  and  Ruel  Starr.  At  this  time, 
sixty-five  citizens  had  appended  their  names  to  the  constitution  and  paid 
their  dollars.  It  was  decided  to  hold  the  first  fair  on  Wednesday, 
the  29th  of  October,  1851 ;  to  offer  $80  in  premiums  ;  and  a  specifica- 
tion of  the  premiums  to  be  paid  was  made  out  and  published  in  the 
Practical  Observer,  a  Democratic  county  paper  edited  by  William  C. 
Talcott.  As,  of  course,  the  society  had  no  ground  of  its  own  at  that 
time,  the  fair  was  announced  to  be  held  at  the  court  house.  Premiums 
were  offered  for  horses,  cattle,  swine,  sheep,  fruit  and  vegetables,  dairy 
products  and  farming  implements.  The  19th  was  a  rainy,  disagreeable 
day ;  yet,  notwithstanding  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  about  four 
hundred  citizens  assembled  at  the  court  house.  Ruel  Starr,  H.  S. 
Adams,  H.  G.  HoUister,  Isaac  Miller,  Samuel  Burns  and  T.  A.  E. 
Campbell  took  premiums  for  draft  and  blooded  horses  ;  T.  Beach  and  J. 
J.  Caswell,  for  cattle ;  Ruel  Starr,  for  sheep  ;  A.  B.  White,  for  swine ; 
H.  E.  Woodruff  and  W.  Barnard  for  fruit  and  vegetables,  and  T.  Beach 
and  H.  E.  Woodruff  for  dairy  products.  The  fair,  though  on  a  small 
scale,  was  regarded  as  highly  successful  and  encouraging,  and  accord- 
ingly it   was   decided   to   hold    another    the    following   year.     No    man 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  61 

did  more  to  encourage  this  enterprise  than  William  C.  Talcott,  the  editor 
of  the  Observer.  Every  few  weeks,  articles  appeared  in  the  columns  of 
his  paper,  urging  the  citizens  to  become  interested  in  an  enterprise  such 
as  the  county  fair,  that  would  so  well  repay  them  for  the  trouble.  The 
citizens  mentioned  above  were  also  active.  In  November,  1851,  the  fol- 
lowing certificate  was  presented  the  County  Auditor  by  the  officers  of  the 
society : 

In  accordance  with  Section  1  of  an  act  of  our  Legislature,  approved  February  14, 
1851,  and  entitled  "  An  Act  for  the  Encouragement  of  Agriculture,"  this  is  to  certify  that 
there  has  been  paid  into  our  treasury  (as  fees)  the  sum  of  $61,  and  we  therefore  ask  for 
the  amount  in  our  County  Treasury  donated  our  society  by  said  act. 

William  A.  Barnes,  President. 

AzAKiAii  Freeman,  Treasurer. 

Section  1  of  the  act  referred  to  in  this  certificate  is  as  follows  : 

Be  it  enacted  hy  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Indiana,  That  whenever  thirty 
or  more  persons,  residents  of  any  county  or  district  embracing  two  counties  of  this  State, 
shall  organize  themselves  into  a  society  for  the  improvement  of  agriculture  within  said 
county  or  district,  and  shall  have  adopted  a  constitution  and  by-laws  agreeably  to  the 
rules  and  regulations  to  be  furnished  by  the  Indiana  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  and  shall 
have  appointed  the  usual  and  proper  officers,  and  v/hen  said  society  shall  have  raised  and 
paid  to  their  Treasurer,  by  voluntary  subscription,  or  by  fees  imposed  upon  its  members, 
any  sum  of  money  not  less  than  $50  ;  and  whenever  the  President  of  said  society  shall 
certify  to  the  respective  County  Auditors  the  amount  thus  paid,  attested  by  the  oath  or 
affirmation  of  the  Treasurer  before  a  Magistrate,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  County 
Auditors  embraced  within  the  district  in  which  society  shall  be  organized,  to  draw  an 
order  on  the  Treasurer  of  his  respective  county  in  favor  of  the  President  and  Treasurer 
of  said  society  for  whatever  amount  of  funds  there  shall  have  been  received  during  the 
previous  year  for  all  licenses  issued  to  persons  exhibiting  menageries,  circuses,  or  theat- 
rical performances,  or  other  shows ;  Provided,  said  order  shall  not  exceed  the  amount 
raised  and  paid  in  by  said  society  by  voluntary  subscriptions  or  fees,  and  it  shall  be  the 
duty  of  the  Treasurer  of  said  county  to  pay  the  same. 

Accordingly,  the  Auditor  paid  to  the  officers  of  the  society  $25,  which 
had  been  received  as  stated  in  the  section  above.  The  fair  of  October  14 
and  15,  1852,  was  even  more  successful  than  the  first;  $100  were  paid 
in  premiums.  Charles  R.  Luther,  of  Washington  Township,  was  paid 
$10  for  the  best  managed  and  cultivated  farm  in  the  county  ;  second  best, 
H.  E.  Woodruff,  $5  ;  third  best,  Azariah  Freeman,  $3.  Mr.  Woodruff 
took  first  premium  for  the  best  acre  of  wheat.  H.  Bates,  Ruel  Starr, 
James  Dye  and  Isaac  Miller  took  premiums  on  horses;  E.  West,  J.  C. 
Paine,  Lewis  Connor  and  T.  A.  E.  Campbell  on  cattle ;  H.  A.  K.  Paine, 
L.  A.  Cass  and  Ruel  Starr,  on  sheep  ;  Nelson  Malone,  A.  B.  White  and 
W.  Bartholomew,  on  swine ;  Mrs.  Phoebe  Starr  and  Mrs.  H.  E.  Wood- 
ruff, on  butter ;  Mrs.  Isabella  Farrington,  on  cheese  ;  H.  E.  Woodruff, 
Ruel  Starr  and  G.  W.  Finney,  on  fruit;  Mrs.  Eliza  Aicks,  on  bed-quilt, 
and  Mrs.  J.  J.  Fifield,  on  rag  carpet.  A  long,  excellent  address  was  de- 
livered by  President  Barnes.     The  report  of  the  general  awarding  com- 


62  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

mittee  was  long  and  interesting.  In  1853,  over  $300  were  paid  in  premi- 
ums, and  the  establishment  of  the  fair  was  permanent,  or  would  have  been 
under  all  ordinary  circumstances.  During  this  year,  President  Barnes 
was  authorized  to  invest  $50  belonging  to  the  society  in  an  agricultural 
library.  He  soon  reported  that  he  had  purchased  twenty-nine  volumes 
of  standard  works,  treating  of  farming,  gardening,  stock- rearing,  domestic 
economy,  horticulture,  floriculture,  etc.  From  this  time  onward  until  the 
year  1862,  inclusive,  the  society  continued  to  hold  fairs  annually,  and  to 
prosper,  growing  stronger  in  numbers  and  means,  and  offering  higher, 
better  and  more  numerous  premiums  and  other  inducements. 

The  fair  was  held  in  the  court  house  and  court  yard  until  October, 
1859,  and,  after  that  and  until  October,  18lJ2,  on  the  "old  grounds" 
west  of  the  present  woolen  factory.  Upon  what  terms  or  conditions  the 
society  used  the  "old  grounds,"  cannot  be  definitely  stated.  If  the 
property  was  purchased,  the  deed  was  not  recorded,  but  this  is  probably 
the  fact  in  the  case.  It  is  probable  that  the  society  purchased  the 
grounds,  deferring  payment  until  the  future  ;  and,  when  the  war  came  on, 
and  after  it  had  continued  two  and  a  half  years,  draining  the  financial 
resources  of  the  county,  and  filling  the  minds  of  the  citizens  with  almost 
everything  except  agricultural  interests,  it  was  found  impracticable,  if  not 
impossible,  to  hold  fairs  after  the  autumn  of  1862 ;  and  the  society  did 
not  even  make  the  attempt,  but  mutually  resolved  to  wait  until  the  dawn 
of  peace  before  renewing  their  interest  and  association  with  the  peaceful 
pursuit  of  agriculture.  After  the  war  had  closed,  and  peace  had  come, 
there  also  came  such  a  stringency  of  money  matters,  and  so  universal  a 
shrinkage  in  values,  that  the  fair  question,  which  required,  to  be  made  suc- 
cessful, a  considerable  outlay  of  money  and  no  little  sacrifice  of  time  and 
labor,  was  almost  wholly  overlooked.  At  last,  on  the  4th  of  October, 
1871,  thirty-two  citizens  met  at  the  Auditor's  office,  and  after  electing  A. 
V.  Bartholomew,  Chairman,  and  appointing  Reason  Bell,  Secretary, 
resolved  that  there  be  organized  the  "  Porter  County  Agricultural  So- 
ciety." A  committee,  consisting  of  Cyrus  Axe,  D.  F.  Jones  and  J.  C. 
Barnes,  was  appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  the  purpose  of  defraying 
the  expense  of  conducting  a  fair,  which  was  fixed  for  the  19th  and  20th 
of  October,  two  weeks  after  this  meeting.  Milan  Cornell  was  elected 
President  of  the  society ;  G.  W.  Bartholomew  and  Theodore  Crum- 
packer.  Vice  Presidents  ;  Reason  Bell,  Jr.,  Secretary,  and  M.  L.  Mc- 
Clellan,  Treasurer.  S.  S.  Skinner,  E.  Zimmerman  and  C.  W.  Dickover 
were  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and  by-laws.  Milan  Cornell,  A. 
C.  Stanton,  Isaac  Cross,  N.  A.  Kennedy  and  A.  C.  Coates  were 
appointed  to  prepare  a  list  of  premiums.  Upon  this  short  notice,  with 
but  two  weeks  before  them  to  prepare  everything,  the  members  were  so 


HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY.  65 

energetic  that  the  fair  was  eminently  successful.  About  $500  in  premi- 
ums were  offered  and  paid,  and  the  net  profits  were  $400.  Over  one  hun- 
dred horses  were  entered,  besides  almost  a  proportionate  number  of  cattle, 
swine,  sheep,  and  large  quantities  of  all  agricultural  products.  Without 
going  into  details,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  since  the  flill  of  1871,  no 
county  in  the  State  with  the  same  or  less  population  has  had  better  fairs, 
or  greater  interest  shown  therein  by  the  citizens.  Premiums  to  the  value 
of  about  $1,200  were  offered  for  the  fair  of  September  27,  28  and  29, 
1882,  The  present  officers  are  L.  A.  Cass,  President ;  J.  B.  Decrow, 
Vice  President ;  T.  Crumpacker,  Treasurer,  and  T.  Keene,  Secretary. 
Board  of  Directors — James  Fulton,  William  Hughart,  A.  St.  Clair, 
Isaiah  McGinley,  Isaac  Ilardesty,  Jacob  Peoples,  N.  Pickrell,  Christian 
Arndt,  M.  C.  Williams,  Frank  Campbell,  T.  S.  Bull,  II.  Loomis,  A.  J. 
Harrison,  S.  S.  Skinner,  George  Morgan,  Frank  Harris,  John  Morrison, 
William  Rigg,  E.  J.  Green,  C.  N.  Tanehill,  Jerome  Massey,  J.  B.  De- 
crow,  C.  L.  Dille,  Younger  Frame,  Charles  F.  Way  and  Reason  Bell. 

On  the  13th  of  July,  1872,  the  County  Commissioners  purchased  of 
N.  A.  Kennedy,  for  $2,500,  the  following  tract  of  land:  "Commencing 
three  chains  and  forty-one  and  one-half  links  east  of  the  quarter  stake  on 
the  south  line  of  Section  13,  Township  35,  Range  6,  thence  on  a  mag- 
netic course  north  twenty  degrees  and  twelve  minutes  east  twenty-two 
and  twenty-five  hundredths  chains  ;  thence  north  eighty-five  degrees  east 
nine  and  ninety-hundredths  chains ;  thence  south  twenty  degrees  and 
twelve  minutes  west  twenty-two  and  twenty-five  hundredths  chains ; 
thence  south  eighty-five  degrees  west  to  the  point  of  commencement ; 
containing  twenty  acres,  more  or  less."  A  high,  tight  board  fence  was 
immediately  built  around  this  land  and  suitable  buildings  and  stalls 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $1,800.  Thus  fitted  up,  the  grounds  were 
turned  over  to  the  Agricultural  Society,  Here  the  fair  has  been  held 
since  1872.  The  principal  fact  which  has  rendered  the  fair  so  success- 
ful since  1871  is  because  the  society  has  not  been  burdened  with  a  debt, 
as  most  societies  are,  for  its  fair  ground. 

Old  Settlers'  Association. — Quite  a  large  gathering  of  old  settlers 
met  at  the  house  of  George  C.  Buel,  on  the  26th  of  May,  1881,  to  cele- 
brate his  seventieth  birthday,  and  while  there,  it  was  suggested  that  the 
occasion  was  appropriate  for  the  organization  of  an  old  settlers'  associ- 
ation, whereupon  Joseph  Pierce  nominated  A.  V.  Bartholomew,  Chair- 
man, and  the  selection  was  made  unanimous  by  vote,  and  Firmin  Church 
was  chosen  Secretary  of  the  meeting.  It  was  then  decided  that  all  per- 
sons over  forty-five  years  of  age,  who  had  been  residents  of  Porter  County 
not  less  than  twenty-five  years,  should  be  considered  old  settlers,  and  a 
meeting  to  renew  old  times  and  perfect  the  prospective  organization  was 


6Q  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

fixed  for  the  15th  of  September,  1881,  and  a  committee  to  make  full 
arrangements  was  appointed  as  follows:  Azariah  Freeman,  S.  R.  Bryant, 
William  Stoddard,  Stuart  R.  Spencer,  John  Hansford,  Nelson  Barnard, 
T.  C.  Sweney,  Hazzard  Sheflfield,  Isaac  Hardesty,  Josephus  Wolf,  Henry 
Hageman,  Younger  Frame  and  William  Henry.  This  committee  met  on 
the  25th  of  June,  and  decided  to  hold  the  first  meeting  of  the  Old  Set- 
tlers' Association  in  the  Court  House  Square  on  the  17th  of  September, 
1881.     The  following  rules  of  government  were  adopted : 

1.  We,  the  early  settlers  of  Porter  County,  will  hold  social  meetings  at  such  times 
and  places  as  our  Executive  Committee  may  designate,  to  be  called  Old  Settlers'  Meet- 
ings. 

2.  Vhat  our  meetings  may  be  conducted  with  order  and  propriety,  we  will  annually 
elect  a  President,  Secretary,  Treasurer  and  one  Vice  President  from  each  township,  who 
shall  perform  the  duties  usually  required  of  such  officers  for  a  term  of  one  year,  or  until 
their  successors  are  elected. 

3.  The  President,  Secretary  and  Treasurer  shall  be  an  Executive  Committee,  with 
power  to  make  such  rules  and  regulations  as  they  may  deem  necessary  and  proper,  to 
call  meetings  and  attend  to  such  business  generally  as  will  promote  the  objects  of  the 
association. 

4.  Our  meetings,  except  when  otherwise  directed  by  the  Executive  Committee,  to  be 
of  the  picnic  order,  each  member  to  bring  such  refreshments  as  they  may  deem  suitable 
for  such  occasions. 

5.  All  persons  over  forty-five  years  of  age,  and  who  were  residents  of  Porter 
County  twenty-five  years  or  more  previous  to  the  1st  of  July,  1881,  and  now  citizens  of 
the  county,  shall,  by  signing  these  rules,  become  members  of  the  association  during  good 
behavior  and,  with  their  children,  enjoy  all  its  benefits. 

6.  Our  first  general  meeting  shall  be  held  on  the  public  square  at  Valparaiso  on 
Saturday,  the  17th  day  of  September,  1881,  at  10  o'clock  A.  M.,  at  which  time  our  first 
board  of  officers  shall  be  elected. 

On  the  17th  of  September,  a  large  number  of  old  settlers  met  in  the 
court  yard,  and  passed  the  time  until  1  o'clock  in  social  intercourse.  Din- 
ner was  then  served  to  over  five  hundred.  At  2  o'clock  P.  M.,  Azariah 
Freeman  called  the  assemblage  to  order,  and  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev. 
W.  J.  Forbes.  Hon.  J.  N.  Skinner  then  welcomed  the  old  men  and 
women  to  Valparaiso.  After  the  song,  "  The  World  is  Moving  On," 
Joseph  Peirce  read  all  the  records  of  the  association  up  to  that  time,  and 
was  then  followed  by  five-minute  speeches  from  Hon.  Mark  L.  De  Motte, 
Jesse  Johnson,  Rev.  G.  M.  Boyd,  William  McCool,  Russel  Cohoon,  George 
C.  Morgan,  S.  P.  Robbins,  David  Merriman,  E.  S.  Merrifield,  Firmin 
Church,  Nelson  Barnard,  H.  V.  Bartholomew,  James  M.  Buel,  Thomas 
G.  Lytic,  A.  Lytle  Jones,  William  Thatcher,  Simeon  Pierce  and  Rev.  W. 
J.  Forbes,  the  speeches  being  interspersed  with  old-fashioned  singing.  A. 
V.  Bartholomew  was  made  President  of  the  association  for  one  year,  and 
Reason  Bell,  Secretary,  but  the  latter  failed  to  serve,  and  Joseph  Peirce" 
was  appointed.  The  following  were  elected  Vice  Presidents :  Nelson 
Barnard,  of  Jackson  ;  T.  C.  Sweney,  of  Boone  ;  Ira  Corwell,  of  Porter  ; 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY.  67 

Isaac  Hardesty,  of  Union  ;  William  McCool,  of  Portage  ;  George  Mor- 
gan, of  Westchester  ;  Samuel  Hackett,  of  Pine  ;  Simeon  Witham,  of 
Pleasant ;  Charles  R.  Luther,  of  Washington ;  William  J.  Forbes,  of 
Centre ;  Elias  Cain,  of  Morgan ;  and  William  Henry,  Sr.,  of  Liberty. 
The  meeting  was  very  enjoyable,  and  it  was  fully  decided  to  continue  the 
meetings  annually. 

At  the  second  regular  meeting  in  September,  1882,  A.  V.  Bartholo- 
mew called  the  meeting  to  order,  and  Rev.  Robert  Beer  offered  prayer. 
The  address  of  welcome  was  delivered  by  T.  G.  Lytle,  Mayor.  Short 
speeches  were  delivered  by  Rev.  Boyd,  S.  P.  Bobbins,  John  Hansford, 
S.  W.  Smith,  R.  P.  Wells,  Hiram  Loomis,  Rev.  Forbes,  N.  S.  Fairchild 
and  others.  Hubbard  Hunt  read  a  list  of  old  settlers  of  the  county,  who 
had  died  within  his  recollection.  On  motion  of  T.  G.  Lytle,  all  oflScers 
of  the  association  were  re-elected  for  the  coming  year.  A  large  crowd 
was  present,  and  much  interest,  pleasure  and  enthusiasm  were  manifested. 

Gounty  Press. — In  1842,  James  Castle,  who  had  purchased  of  Solon 
Robinson,  of  Lake  County,  a  small  press  and  a  small  quantity  of  type, 
began  issuing  a  small  folio  sheet  entitled  the  Republican,  a  weekly  news- 
paper, 12x16  inches,  devoted  to  the  dissemination  of  independent  political 
views  and  the  diffusion  of  general  knowledge.  In  1844,  the  office  was 
purchased  by  William  M.  Harrison,  who  changed  the  name  to  the  West- 
ern Ranger,  and  the  politics  to  Democratic,  and  continued  the  paper  with 
moderate  success  until  the  24th  of  April,  1847,  when  William  C.  Talcott 
bought  an  interest,  and  under  the  joint  editorship  and  management  of  Har- 
rison &  Talcott,  a  new  series  of  the  Ranger  was  begun,  the  first  issue  being 
No.  39,  Vol.  III.  The  paper  was  a  small,  five-column  folio  ;  subscription 
price,  ^1  per  year  if  paid  in  advance,  and  if  not  paid  before  the  end  of 
six  months,  §1.50.  The  editors  differed  somewhat,  politically  and  other- 
wise, and,  owing  to  this  circumstance,  the  paper  presented  the  singular 
appearance  of  having  the  initials  of  each  editor  signed  to  the  articles  writ- 
ten by  himself.  On  the  16th  of  August,  1848,  the  venture  had  become 
so  prosperous  that  the  paper  was  enlarged  to  a  six-column  folio,  and  the 
pages  were  considerably  lengthened.  Mr.  Talcott  was  a  ''  Free-Soil  Dem- 
ocrat," while  his  partner  was  a  "Free-Soil  Whig,"  or,  in  other  words,  an 
Abolitionist.  The  editorial  relations  of  the  two  were  always  pleasant  and 
no  doubt  profitable,  as  they  prevented  that  extreme  partisan  bitterness 
which  too  often  engenders  permanent  estrangement.  In  June,  1849,  Mr. 
Talcott  purchased  his  partner's  interest,  and  on  the  20th  of  June  issued 
the  first  number  owned  and  edited  exclusively  by  himself.  On  the  25th 
of  July,  1849,  at  the  end  of  Vol.  V,  the  name  of  the  paper  was  changed, 
and  on  the  1st  of  August  appeared  the  first  number  of  the  Practical 
Observer,  a  Democratic  newspaper.     A  few  weeks  later,  the   page   was 


68  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

enlarged  to  a  seven-column  folio,  and  the  name  changed  to  the  Valpa- 
raiso Practical  Observer  ;  subscription,  $1,  if  paid  in  advance,  and  ^2  at 
the  end  of  the  year.  On  the  15th  of  March,  1852,  the  word  "Valpa- 
raiso "  was  dropped  from  the  name,  and  on  the  10th  of  January,  1853,  the 
entire  paper  was  changed,  so  that  a  tri-weekly  was  issued  on  Tuesdays, 
Thursdays  and  Saturdays,  and  the  usual  weekly  on  Thursday,  both  issues 
being  furnished  one  year  for  the  very  small  sum  of  $1.  At  this  time,  the 
paper  was  issued  as  a  five-column  folio.  On  the  3d  of  September,  1853, 
Mr.  Talcott  began  issuing  a  one-page  daily  after  the  following  fashion, 
still  continuing  the  tri-weekly  and  weekly  :  One  page  was  issued  Monday, 
and  the  same  page  and  another  on  Tuesday,  constituting  the  first  issue 
during  the  week  of  the  tri-weekly  ;  then  one  page  was  issued  for  Wednes- 
day, and  the  same  page  and  another  constituted  the  tri-weekly  of  Thurs- 
day, and  so  on  for  Friday  and  Saturday.  At  the  same  time,  the  weekly 
of  Thursday  was  issued  from  the  six  pages  of  daily  matter  which  had  been 
kept  in  type  for  that  purpose.  The  daily,  tri-weekly  and  weekly  were 
furnished  for  ^5  per  year.  The  paper  at  this  time  was  a  credit  to  the 
town  and  to  the  unwavering  enterprise  of  Mr.  Talcott.  The  pressure 
which  the  editor  brought  to  bear  upon  the  county  on  all  worthy  social 
and  political  problems  assisted  largely  in  creating  a  complete  transforma- 
tion of  public  opinion  on  the  question  of  the  extension  of  slave  territory. 
Mr.  Talcott  had  formerly  been  a  Democrat,  but  even  then  had  advocated 
the  limitation  of  slave  territory,  though  wishing  the  result  accomplished 
by  Democratic  agencies.  When  the  Free-Soil  movement  was  inaugu- 
rated, and  the  old  parties  began  to  yield  up  their  brightest  elements  to 
the  new,  which  was  slowly  forming,  Mr.  Talcott  entered  zealously  into  the 
work,  and  it  was  mainly  due  to  the  light  which  he  concentrated  upon  the 
popular  political  issues  of  the  day  that  the  county  took  an  early  and  de- 
cided Republican  stand. 

In  December,  1853,  the  prices  of  the  paper  became  ^5  per  year  for 
the  daily,  ^1.50  for  the  semi-weekly,  and  f  1.50  for  the  weekly.  In  May, 
1854,  Dr.  R.  A.  Cameron  became  associate  editor,  but  severed  his  con- 
nection with  the  paper  in  December  of  the  same  year.  Various  changes 
were  afterward  made  in  the  prices  and  forms  of  the  various  issues.  In 
January,  1855,  Mr.  Talcott,  who  had  long  felt  the  need  of  assistance,  took 
in  as  associate  editors  Lucius  Hawkins  and  W.  B.  Talcott,  but  neither 
remained  long.  In  April,  1857,  R.  A.  Cameron  bought  the  entire  oSice 
and  outfit,  and  issued  his  first  number  on  the  14th  of  that  month.  With 
Vol.  I,  Number  15,  of  this  series,  the  name  of  the  paper  was  changed 
to  the  Republican,  and  the  sheet  continued  an  earnest  exponent  of  the 
principles  of  the  new  party  from  which  it  derived  its  name.  J.  F.  Mc- 
Carthy became  associate  editor   September  19,  1857,  but  left  March  23, 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  69 

1858,  and  Thomas  McConnell  went  in  with  Cameron  as  joint  editor  and 
proprietor.  July  15,  1858,  Mr.  McConnell  became  simply  assistant  edi- 
tor, but  on  the  29tli  of  the  same  month  purchased  the  paper  conditionally, 
and  took  as  an  associate,  Henry  W.  Talcott.  On  the  14th  of  October, 
1858,  William  C.  Talcott,  the  veteran  editor,  went  in  with  McConnell 
and  H.  W.  Talcott,  as  joint  editor  and  proprietor.  On  the  3d  of  Janu- 
ary, 1859,  the  Republican^  under  this  able  management,  began  a  new 
series,  issuing  a  one-page  daily,  a  four-page  semi-weekly,  and  an  eight- 
page  weekly,  Henry  W.  Talcott  being  publisher  and  proprietor.  In 
March,  1859,  R.  A.  Cameron  again  became  owner  and  publisher,  with 
R.  A.  Cameron  and  J.  C.  Thompson  editors.  On  the  31st  of  March,  the 
weekly  was  enlarged,  the  daily  having  been  discontinued  some  time  be- 
fore. In  September,  the  last  two  letters  of  the  paper's  name  having  been 
lost  or  stolen  during  a  fire,  the  name  became  the  Repuhlic.  In  March, 
1860,  Mr.  Thompson  severed  his  connection  with  the  paper,  and  on  the 
25th  of  April,  1861,  with  Vol.  V,  Number  17  (of  the  Republican  and  the 
Republic)^  E.  R.  Beebe  went  in  as  editor  and  proprietor.  Mr.  Cameron 
having  sold  out  and  "gone  to  the  war,"  Thomas  McConnell  became 
publisher  with  Vol.  V,  No.  31,  and  on  the  1st  of  August,  1861,  the  edi- 
tors became  McConnell,  Cameron  &  Beebe.  Mr.  Cameron  was  corre- 
sponding editor,  and  sent  home  long,  spicy  letters  from  the  field  of  war. 
His  interest  in  the  paper  at  this  time  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Beebe  could  not  meet  the  payments  according  to  the  contract.  In  a  short 
time  McConnell  bought  the  entire  paper,  Mr.  Beebe  stepped  down  and 
out,  and  Mr.  Cameron,  who  probably  held  a  mortgage  on  the  ofiice,  re- 
mained corresponding  editor.  On  the  10th  of  April,  1862,  as  Mr.  Mc- 
Connell had  failed  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  contract  of  purchase, 
the  ownership  of  the  paper  reverted  to  Mr.  Cameron,  and  Mrs.  Jane  E. 
Cameron,  wife  of  the  owner,  assumed  control,  with  Mr.  Beebe  as  associate 
editor.  Mr.  Beebe  went  out  December  11,  1862,  and  the  paper  was  ad- 
vertised for  sale,  though  the  issues  appeared  regularly,  mainly  through 
the  efforts  of  Mrs.  Cameron.  June  18,  1863,  Aaron  Gurney  went  in  as 
joint  editor,  Cameron  &  Co.  publishers,  R.  A.  Cameron  corresponding 
editor,  but  in  December  of  the  same  year  the  issue  was  discontinued, 
Mr.  Gurney  having  withdrawn,  and  the  paper  having  no  one  to  properly 
manage  it. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1866,  Mr.  Cameron  having  returned  from  the 
war,  issued  No.  1,  Volume  X,  of  the  Valparaiso  Republic,  and  con- 
tinued this  until  May  24,  1866,  when  Thomas  McConnell  became  joint 
editor  and  publisher.  In  November,  1866,  G.  A.  Pierce  bought  the 
oflBce,  but  immediately  sold  the  same  to  Aaron  Gurney,  who  was  issuing 
the  Vidette,  and  the  two  papers  were  merged,  and  issued  under  the  title 


70  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

of  "  Vidette  and  Republic^'"  a  nine-column  folio  newspaper;  Aaron  Gur- 
ney,  general  editor;  B.  W.  Smith,  educational  editor,  and  Pomeroy,  Kim- 
ball &  Co.,  publishers.  The  first  number  of  the  Porter  County  Vidette 
had  been  issued  January  24,  1866,  Gurney  &  Pomeroy,  proprietors  ; 
Aaron  Gurney,  general  editor,  and  A.  D.  Cunningham,  editor  of  the  edu- 
cational department.  March  19,  1867,  J.  F,  Heaton  went  in  with  Gur- 
ney as  joint  editor,  and,  in  May,  Kimball  became  joint  proprietor  with 
Gurney.  August  27,  1867,  Mr.  Heaton  left,  Gurney  continued  sole 
editor,  and  the  paper  was  reduced  in  size,  and  thus  remained  until  July, 
1868. 

Mr.  Pierce,  after  buying  the  Republic  and  immediately  selling  it  to 
Mr.  Gurney,  issued  during  the  same  month,  November,  1866,  the  first 
number  of  the  Republican^  a  new  venture,  or  perhaps  a  continuation  of 
the  old  Republic,  with  J.  Harper,  associate  editor,  and  Orrin  E.  Harper 
&  Co.,  publishers.  April  4,  1867,  G.  A.  May  became  joint  editor,  but 
went  out  October  31,  1867,  as  also  did  J.  Harper.  About  this  time,  W. 
H.  Calkins  became  associate  editor,  but  on  the  5th  of  March,  1868,  left, 
and  in  July,  1868,  the  Rejniblican  was  consolidated  with  the  Vidette  and 
Republic  under  the  latter  name,  Gurney  &  Pierce,  editors  and  proprietors. 
Not  long  after  this,  Mr.  Pierce  sold  out  to  Mr.  Gurney,  who  continued  to 
issue  the  paper  until  June  4,  1874,  when  the  office  was  bought  by  Will- 
iam C.  Talcott,  who,  two  issues  later,  changed  the  name  to  Vidette,  and 
thus  it  has  remained  until  the  present.  December  1,  1874,  C.  R.  Tal- 
cott secured  a  half-interest,  and  the  paper  was  continued  thus  with  abun- 
dant success  until  November,  1879,  when  C.  R.  Talcott  bought  his  father's 
interest  and  assumed  exclusive  management,  but  December  16,  1880, 
William  C.  Talcott  repurchased  a  half  interest,  and  thus  the  paper  re- 
mains at  the  present  writing. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1856,  Mr.  Berry  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
Porter  Democrat,  and  after  continuing  the  same  with  moderate  success 
until  February  17,  1857,  sold  out  to  J.  T.  Rock  and  A.  Lytle  Jones, 
who  issued  No.  40,  Vol.  I,  February  24,  1857.  At  this  time  the 
paper  was  a  six-column  folio;  subscription,  $1.50  in  advance,  $2  at  the 
end  of  six  months,  and  i$2.50  at  the  end  of  the  year.  Seven  weeks  later, 
Mr.  Jones  went  out,  and  Mr.  Rock  continued  alone  until  No.  6,  Vol.  II, 
when  H.  P.  Lynch  became  publisher,  and  writer  of  poems  and  miscellany 
for  the  paper.  Lynch  left  Avith  No.  37,  Vol.  II,  and  in  December,  1858, 
B.  D.  Harper  became  publisher.  In  January,  1859,  S.  R.  Bryant  be- 
came associate  editor,  and  Harper  left  with  No.  44,  Vol.  III.  R.  C. 
Nash  became  assistant  publisher  with  No.  5,  Vol.  V,  and  three  numbers 
later  sole  publisher,  but  four  numbers  afterward  left  Rock  exclusive  pub- 
lisher.    The  last  number  of  the  Democrat  appeared  November  22,  1860, 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  71 

with  No.  16,  Vol.  V.  Rock  &  Bryant  then  issued  the  Porter  G-azette, 
but  after  continuing  the  same  a  short  time  with  some  changes,  abandoned 
the  venture. 

In  the  year  1871,  Engelbert  Zimmerman,  an  able  and  experienced 
newspaper  man,  issuied  at  Valparaiso  the  first  number  of  the  Messenger, 
a  spicy,  bright-faced  Democratic  journal.  The  ability,  enterprise  and 
skill  of  the  editor  soon  placed  the  paper  on  a  permanent  and  substantial 
footing,  and  its  circulation  and  influence  rapidly  increased.  The  paper 
continued  without  noteworthy  event  under  the  exclusive  ownership  and 
management  of  Mr.  Zimmerman  until  A.ugust,  1881,  when  H.  B. 
Brown,  Principal  of  the  Normal  School,  purchased  a  half-interest,  and 
thus  th    paper  remains  at  present. 

The  last  journalistic  venture  in  the  county  is  the  Valparaiso  Herald, 
an  independent  newspaper,  started  September  29,  1881,  by  P.  O'Sulli- 
van,  a  young  man  of  bright  intellect  and  promise.  It  is  newsy,  spicy, 
and  a  credit  to  the  mind  and  heart  of  its  editor  and  manager.  It  has 
met  with  satisfactory  patronage  from  the  citizens  of  the  county. 

The  Normal  Mirror,  a  literary  pamphlet,  was  conducted  by  the 
students  of  the  Normal  School  in  1875-76-77.  In  its  place  is  now  the 
No7'thern  hidiana  ScJiool  Journal,  edited  by  W.  J.  Bell. 

In  September,  1878,  H.  R.  Gregory  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
Hebron  Free  Press,  a  small  local  paper,  independent  in  politics.  He 
conducted  the  paper  with  moderate  success  until  October,  1879,  when 
the  office  was  sold  to  W.  H.  Mansfield,  who  changed  the  name  to  Hebron 
Local  News,  and  the  politics  to  neutral.  In  1880,  the  office  was 
removed  to  Lowell,  where  the  paper  is  at  present  issued. 

Qounty  Polities. — The  political  features  of  Porter  County  since  its 
organization  are  not  peculiarly  striking  or  noteworthy.  From  the  sub- 
joined exhibit  of  the  county  vote  for  Presidential  electors,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  Whigs  or  Republicans  carried  the  county  on  every  occasion,  ex- 
cept the  years  1848  and  1852 ;  but  this  does  not  fully  explain  the  poli- 
tical past  of  the  county.  From  1836  until  about  1845,  either  party  lines 
were  not  strictly  drawn,  or  else  the  Whig  and  Democratic  parties  were 
equally  matched  numerically  ;  for,  during  that  period,  sometimes  one 
party  triumphed  and  sometimes  the  other,  and  it  was  next  to  impossible 
for  the  friends  of  any  candidate  to  predict  with  any  degree  of  certainty 
the  future  result  of  an  election.  The  result  was  that,  during  the  period 
mentioned,  the  county  offices  were  filled  with  men  from  both  parties,  and 
even  from  mongrel  or  doubtful  political  organizations,  if  the  candidate 
was  of  unusual  prominence  and  worth.  It  is  found  upon  examination  of 
the  election  returns  that  during  the  first  three  years  of  the  county's  ex- 
istence, the  Whig  party  was  slightly  in  the  ascendency  where  test  votes 


72 


HISTORY    OF   PORTER   COUNTY 


were  given.  This  was  the  case  in  the  election  of  Congressmen  and  Rep- 
resentatives to  the  State  Legislature.  But  in  the  election  of  county  or 
township  officers,  the  elections  even  during  those  years  were  just  as  apt 
to  go  Democratic  as  Whig.  After  about  1840,  it  seems  that  the  Demo- 
crats became  stronger,  numerically,  than  the  Whigs,  though  still  for  a 
number  of  years  the  two  were  so  equally  matched  that  great  interest  was 
shown  in  the  elections,  owing,  perhaps,  to  the  doubtful  results.  After 
about  1846,  the  superior  strength  of  the  county  Democracy  became  so 
decided  that  usually  every  county  office  was  filled  with  representatives  of 
that  party.  The  Wester-n  Manger  and  its  successor,  the  Practical 
Observer,  were  Democratic  sheets,  and  the  growth  of  Democracy  at  the 
expense  of  all  other  political  ocracies  was  doubtless  owing  to  the  dissemi- 
nation by  these  papers  of  Democratic  principles.  The  Observer  advocated 
that  phase  of  Democracy  known  as  Free-Soilism,  and  prior  to  the  repeal 
of  the  Missouri  Compromise  steadfastly  maintained  this  position.  But, 
in  1854,  when  the  real  results  of  the  repeal  became  apparent  and  the  ex- 
tension of  slavery  into  all  the  Territories  and  even  into  the  Northern 
States  seemed  probable,  the  editor  of  the  Observer,  still  upholding  Free- 
Soilism,  found  himself,  almost  ere  he  was  aware,  an  earnest  worker  in  the 
new  party — Republican.  Through  the  influence  brought  to  bear  by  the 
Observer  upon  the  citizens,  the  new  party  immediately  went  to  the  front, 
and  has  since  had  control  of  the  official  patronage  of  the  county. 

The  following   table   shows   the   mixed    condition  of  politics   in  the 
county  in  August,  1836 : 


Senator 

Repre- 

BENTA- 
TIVE. 

Probate 
Jddoe. 

Sheriff. 

County 

CoMMIS- 

sioneb. 

School 

COMSIIS- 
8I0NEE. 

Coroner. 

TOWNSHIPS 

1 

< 

« 
■T 

B 
ee 
!► 

1 

■fl 

a" 
2 

B 

d 
M 

6 

o 

fl 

n 

a 

=8 
►-5 

a 
S 
•2. 

n 

Q 

<B 

U 

o 
a 
u 

a 
S 

s 

o 
o 

O 

c 
o 

1 

a 

O 

"3 
a, 
S 

6 

03 
< 

0 

n 

3 

0 

0 
0 

s 

.2 

s 

0 

•-5 

.2 

3 

■H 

3 
a 

1 

a 

1 

a 

ja 
0 

a 
0 

0 
1 

3 

1 

0 

a 

a 

a 

el 

B 

0 

m 

t 
■3 
0. 

1 

> 
■3 

9.S 

1 

9 
18 

3 
11 
18 
13 
26 
12 

6 

9 

125 

28 
9 

24 
1 
1 
8 

18 
...„. 

5 
14 

115 

1 

21 

5 

27 

1 

8 
10 

7 
11 
23 

2 
11 

8 
15 
13 

109 

29 

"28' 

1 

6 

8 

21 

■"5" 

6 

14 

118 

28 

22 

29 

9 

4 

7 

10 

3S 

7 
15 

7 
15 

27 

9 

6 

8 

11 

35 

"1 

9 

Union  

'I 

9 

7 
13 
33 

2 
35 

9 
26 

3 

138 

4 

21 
8 

14 
28 
1 
21 
6 
22 
14 

140 

22 

1 

'19" 

...„. 

2 

75 

"5" 

17 

"23" 

6 

14 

2 

67 

17 

1 

20 

■ 

33 

8 

3 

24 
8 

10 
4 

27 
8 

1.33 

16 

Morgan 

Westchester... 
Clark 

1 
19 

1 

10 
20 

3 

1 

42 
?,1 

24 

11 

26 

3 

126 

26 

6 

19 

1 

122 

26 
10 
29 
15 

150 

1 
2 

."fft 

Jackson^ 

2 
2 

8 
12 
15 

111 

16 

S3 

Liberty 

17 

Total 

49  i     1 

3 

42 

1 

260 

(D.),  Democrat;  rW.),  Whig. 


Bryant  and  Clark  Townships  were  of  Lake  County,  as  was  also  Ross 
Township,  the  records  of  which   could  not  be   found.     The   records   of 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 


73 


Washington  Township  were  also  missing,  the  remainder  of  the  county 
being  represented  in  the  table  under  a  different  arrangement  of  townships 
than  as  they  are  constituted  at  present.  The  following  table  illustrates 
the  decided  Democratic  tendency  of  the  county  in  August,  1847 : 


PARTIES  AND  CANDIDATES. 


For  Congress: 
Charles  W.  Cathcart  (D).. 

Daniel  W.  Pratt  (W) 

Robert  Stewart  (L) 

For   Representative  : 
Alexander  McDonald  (D). 

Harlo  S.  Orton  (W) 

For  Commissioner: 

John  Dinwiddle  (D) 

Samuel  Van  Dolson  (W)  .. 

Truman  Stoddard  (L) 

For  Associate  Judge: 

H.  E.  Woodruif  (D) 

Wilson  Malone  (W) 

Tainter  (L) 

William  Barnard  (L) 

Collector  and   Treasurer: 

E.  E.  Campbell  (D) 

William  Cheney  (W) 

W.  H.  Fifield  (L) 

For  Assessor: 

A.  Freeman  (D) 

T.  Freeman  (W) 

For   Coroner : 

J.  Morgan  (D) 

A.  D.  Cole  (W) 

Orrin  Service  (L) 


95 

72 

2 

77 
89 

91 

75 
2 

91 

74 

1 

2 

98 

66 

2 

92 

74 

95 

71 

2 


37  47 
14  30 
2  , 


33 

17 

37 
16 


37 
15 


38 
15 


37 
15 

37 
15 


41 

35 

44 

33 


41 
35 


50 

27 


43 
32 

47 
30 


12 

39 
10 

11 

43 

12 

39 

7 

12 
40 


11 

42 

4 

12 

39 

13 

39 

7 


12 
14 


12 
19 

12 
19 


13 

18 


12 
19 


12 
19 

12 
19 


21 
12 


19 
12 

20 
12 


20 
12 


21 
11 


16 
16 

19 
13 


20 
9 


19 
10 

24 
5 


20 
9 


21 


20 

9 

18 


26 
12 


24 
13 

4 
34 


16 
21 


23 
15 


24 

14 

24 
14 


56 

38 

1 

50 
45 

55 

38 


54 
41 


49 
44 


55 

39 

56 
38 


38 

31 

2 

31 
37 

41 

27 


44 

26 


37 
31 


39 
31 

39 
31 


(D),  Democrats;  (W),  Whigs  ;  (L),  Liberty  or  Abolitionist. 


21 
35 


16 
36 

10 

48 


28 
23 


18 
36 


21 

30 

14 
35 


415 

306 

17 

333 
356 

350 

346 

9 

376 

314 

1 

6 

378 

314 

6 

371 

318 

374 

318 

9 


The  following  returns  of  October,  1854,  show  the  superior  strength 
of  the  new  (Republican)  party  : 


PARTIES  AND  CANDIDATES. 


<D 

a 
<s 
O 

c 
'3 

e 

I 

.2 

a 
o 

o 

cS 

1 

0! 
be 

u 
o 

u 
.a 

a 

0^ 

u 
O 

6 

f 

o 
Pi 

a 

a 

o 

i 

< 

o 

248 

78 

59 

64 

30 

63 

21 

19 

74 

40 

9 

6 

52 

753 

149 

20211 

21 

26 

92 

39 

18 

56 

54 

19 

8 

20 

39 

604 

24378 

58 

64 

28 

50 

19 

19 

67 

40 

9 

6 

52 

733 

118 

204  11  [22 

25 

92 

43 

21 

56 

61 

19 

8 

20 

33 

615 

140i76;57 

64 

29 

49 

19 

19 

66 

40 

9 

6 

50 

604 

291  13'23 

25 

92 

43 

21 

56 

61:19 

8 

20 

41 

713 

109 

229  76'57 

64 

32 

55  20 

19 

69  39 

10 

6 

51 

727 

110 

21? 

10 

21 

24 

90 

37 

20 

57 

63 

18 

7 

20 

37 

617 

For  Congress: 

Schuyler  Colfax  (R) 

Norman  Eddy  (l)j 

Prosecuting  Attorney: 
M.  H.  Weir  (R) 

D.  J.  Woodward  (D) 

District  Attorney: 

Martin  Wood  (R) 

J.  A.  Thornton  (D) 

Representative: 
A,  V.  Bartholomew  (R) 

E.  E.  Campbell  (D) 


74 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 


PARTIES  AND  CANDIDATES. 


County  Commissioners: 

John  Hardesty  (R) 

Philip  Hall  (D) 

Collector  and  Treasurer: 

0.  J.  Skinner  (R) 

William  Wilson  (D) 

Sheriff: 

T.  G.  Lytle  (R) 

A.  W.  Rose  (D) 

Surveyor: 

John  Garis  (R) 

T.  G.  Sweney(D) 

Coroner: 

R.  W.  Burge    (R) 

Isaac  Hutchins  (D) 


239 
204 

268 
181 

250 
191 

241 
204 

237 
205 


59,64 
1925 

58;  63 
20I25 


27 
92 

29 
92 


2249 
99  42 


21 
100 


11  49 
11143 


1918 
20  57 

1917 
22I58 


1719 
24  55 


720 
626 


•5? 


94 


727 
632 

95 

705 
628 

77 

714 
641 

73 

707 
641 

66 

(R),  Republican;   (D),  Democrat. 

The  following  continuous  exhibit  illustrates  the  political  situation  in 
the  county  from  1836  until  the  present  time,  and  shows  the  electoral  vote 
at  each  Presidential  election  since  the  organization  of  the  county,  except 
where  the  same  was  unobtainable : 


NOVEMBEB,  1836. 

November,  1840. 

HOUSES  WHERE  HELD. 

WHIG.             DEMOCRAT. 

Harrison    \  Van  Buren 

and                and 
Granger.     |    Johnson. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

WHIG. 

Harrison 
and  Tyler. 

DEMOCRAT. 

Van  Burn 

and 
Johnson. 

William  Walker's  ... 

59 
14 

14 

45 

18 
6 

Centre  

149 
3 
11 
7 
11 
20 
19 

137 

Jacob  Wolf's 

Union 

19 

George  W.  Turner's 
William  Clark's  

Jackson 

9 

Liberty  

Pleasant  

6 

87 

69 

Total 

Westchester 

18 

Boone  

10 

Total  

220 

194 

NOTEMBER,   1844. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


Centre  

Union  , 

Washington 

Jackson 

Liberty  

Portage  

Westchester 
Pleasant  — 

Porter 

Boone  

Morgan 


US 


62 
30 
36 
18 
13 
22 
12 
11 
39 
43 
25 


Total '  311   305 


8*0(3 


57 
30 
38 
16 
10 
16 
14 
33 
40 
40 
11 


OS  >»E 

u  s.  c 


14 


November,  1848. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


Centre  

Union  

Washington 

Jackson 

Liberty  

Portage 

Westchester 
Pleasant  .... 

Porter 

Boone  

Morgan 

Total  ... 


(^ 

s> 

•  S2 

t^ 

SS| 

a  9 

^^ 

A  s 

0 

75 
29 
36 
28 

100 
33 
43 
16 

24 
19 
10 
17 

13 
16 
24 
33 

33 

55 

38 

39 

34 

29 

343 

401 

3 


Sc 


2 

9 

3 

22 


21 

10 

5 

"77" 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 
November,  1852. 


75 


TOWNSHIPS. 


Washington 
Jackson   ... 

Liberty  

Portage , 

Pleasant  ..., 


ejg 

f^  a 

.  a 

5.S 

O   OS   § 

^'i4 

M  — 
O  3 

S"^ 

01-, 

SI 

.2i 

c:  (S 

IX 

3 

33 

46 

30 

13 

30 

15 

17 

3 

21 

13 

13 

44 

TOWNSHIPS. 


Porter 

Boone  

Morgan  .. 

Total 


ti 

.  a 

«a 

52 

2^5 

s-s 

P  o£ 

§05 

"^O 

5| 

Ph 

46 

54 

32 

40 

46 

30 

236 

257 

fc-M 


10 
14 


60 


November,  1856. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


Centre  

Union 

Washington . 

Jackson  

Liberty 

Portage 

Westchester. 
Pleasant 


(5  ^ 

S  u  '^  ^ 


270 

121 

65 

91 


73 
69 
40 


m 


204 
23 
60 
16 


23 
123 

53 


■<   t"         o 

5  3  S  2 


TOWNSHIPS. 


Porter.. 
Boone  ., 
Morgan 
Pine.... 
Essex... 

Total. 


03  rj  5  ^ 

^  i.     .5 


110 
86 
86 
24 
19 


1054 


57 
71 
47 
18 
17 


712 


5  2     « 

2  a  a  o 


10 


November,  1860. 


TOWNSHIPS. 

REPUBLICAN. 

Lincoln 

and 
Hamlin. 

DEMOCRAT. 

Douglas 

and 
Johnson. 

DEMOCRAT. 

Breckenridge 

and 

Lane. 

UNION. 

Bell 

and 

Everett. 

Centre  

412 

160 

77 

125 

72 

84 

117 

54 

124 

127 

112 

39 

26 

313 
44 
36 
13 
44 
40 
92 
42 
93 
72 
56 
30 
14 

5 

1 

Union 

Washington 

Jackson 

2 

Liberty 

Portage 

2 

1 

Westchester 

15 
5 

1 

Pleasant        

Porter 

Boone 

Morgan 

Pine 

1 

Essex 

Total 

1529 

889 

28 

5 

November,  18G4. 


November,  li 


TOWNSHIPS. 

REPUBLICAN. 

Lincoln 

and 
Johnson. 

DEMOCRAT. 

McClellan 

and 
Pendleton. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

REPUBLICAN.       j          DEMOCRAT. 

Grant          j        Seymour 

and            !             and 
Colfax.         ;          Blair. 

424 

15-2 

65 

139 

80 

81 

110 

50 

106 

116 

107 

18 

21 

300 
30 

33 
63 
42 
40 
101 
54 
77 
91 
43 
45 
17 

Centre 

546                    406 

Union 

144 

77 

175 

109 

105 

201 

78 

133 

167 

92 

43 

22 

57 

Washington 

1  Washington 

Jackson  

49 
69 

Liberty 

Liherty  

Portage 

72 
48 

Westchester  ... 

1  Westchester  ... 
1  Pleasant 

106 

81 

'  Porter 

88 

Boone 

147 

Morgan 

44 

Pine 

Pine 

69 

Essex 

28 

Total 

Total 

1269 

936 

1892 

1264 

November,  18 

72. 

November,  1876 

TOWNSHIPS. 

REPUBLICAN. 

Grant 

and 

Wilson. 

Lin.     REPUBLICAN 
OB    DEMOCRAT. 

Groeley  and 
Brown. 

DEMOCRAT. 

OHIonnor 

and 
Adams. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

REPUBLICAN. 

Hayes 

and 

Wheeler. 

DEMOCRAT. 

Tildeu 

and 

Hendricks. 

npntrp 

436 

122 

55 

144 

105 

105 

257 

64 

117 

147 

97 

23 

13 

345           3 

44    

42    

54  :.. 

44    

30    

83    

53    

•57    

Centre  

582 

152 

105 

168 

107 

140 

233 

113 

131 

196 

97 

33 

25 

539 

Union                      .... 

Union 

53 

Washington 

Washington.  .  . 

Jackson 

72 

Jackson            .        . 

114 

Liberty  

Liberty 

Portage 

92 

Portage 

65 

Westchester 

133 

Pleasant 

95 

Porter 

93 

Ill    

Boone 

154 

Morgan        ...       

39    

59    

17    

Morgan 

45 

Pine 

Pine 

95 

Essex       

Essex 

37 

Total 

Total 

1685 

978  I         3 

2082 

1577 

November,  1880. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


Centre 

Union 

Washington 

Jackson 

Liberty 

Portage 

Westchester 

Pleasant 

Porter 

Boone 

Morgan 

Pine 

Total... 


REPUBLICAN. 

Garfield 

and 
Arthur. 


666 
173 
108 
180 
105 
136 
249 
112 
148 
202 
119 
45 


2243 


DEMOCRAT. 

Hancock 

and 
English. 


667 

70 
71 
84 
74 
59 

125 
94 
93 

169 
83 
89 


1578 


GREENBACK. 

Weaver 

and 

Chambers. 


0 
1 

3 
12 
21 

7 
64 


117 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY, 


77 


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78  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY, 


CHAPTER  III. 

BY    REV.    ROBERT    BEER. 

Military  History  or  the  County— Soldiers  or  the  Earlier  Wars- 
War  OF  the  Rebellion— Political  Situation  in  1860— Calls  for 
Troops— Fall  of  Sumter— War  Meetings— Newspaper  Comments- 
Volunteers— The  Boys  in  the  Field— Drafts— Facts  and  Figures 
—Muster  Roll— Public  Feeling  after  the  Close. 

THE  territory  comprised  in  this  county  has  been,  within  historic  times 
at  least,  the  scene  of  no  invasions,  sieges  or  battles.  Its  settlement 
having  been  begun  nearly  fifty  years  after  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  Rev- 
olution, not  many  of  the  survivors  of  that  war  could  be  expected  to  find 
homes  or  end  their  days  here.  So  far  as  known  to  the  writer,  the  only 
soldiers  of  the  war  of  Independence  who  have  ever  resided  in  the  county 
were  Henry  Battan  and  Joseph  Jones.  Of  the  personal  history  of  these 
but  little  is  now  known.  The  name  of  the  former  is  found  on  the  poll 
books  of  an  election  held  at  City  West  not  long  after  the  organization  of 
the  county,  from  which  it  is  inferred  that  he  was  a  resident  of  Westchester 
Township  at  the  time.  From  the  records  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Valparaiso,  it  appears  that  he  was  received  as  a  member  of  that  church 
at  its  organization,  on  the  3d  of  July,  1840,  and  upon  evidence  of  his 
good  standing  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  State  of  Virginia.  Sev- 
eral of  the  old  citizens  of  Valparaiso  remember  him  as  a  Revolutionary 
pensioner  residing  here  with  a  daughter,  but  have  no  recollection  of  what 
he  may  have  said  as  to  his  services.  From  the  records  of  the  same 
church,  it  appears  that  he  died  on  the  1st  of  February,  1845.  His  pas- 
tor, Rev.  Dr.  Brown,  in  an  anniversary  sermon  preached  in  November, 
1859,  speaks  of  him  as  "  Old  Father  Battan,  at  once  a  soldier  of  the 
country  and  of  the  cross.  At  ninety-four  he  gained  the  victory  and  the 
crown." 

Of  Joseph  Jones  only  these  things  are  known,  viz.,  that  before  com- 
ing to  this  county  he  had  resided  for  some  time  in  Holmes  County,  Ohio  ; 
that  he  was  married  to  the  grandmother  of  the  present  Mayor  of  Val- 
paraiso, the  Hon.  Thomas  G.  Lytle  ;  that  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1841, 
he  removed  to  this  county  and  settled  at  Boone  Grove  ;  that  after  a  few 
years  he  died  at  a  very  advanced  age  and  was  buried  in  the  Cornell  Grave- 
yard, where  his  place  of  repose  is  unmarked  by  any  monument. 

Mrs.  Susannah  Fifield,  the  widow  of  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  came  to 
this  county  from  Enfield,  N.  H.     The  writer  is  able  to  state  only  this, 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  79 

that  she  was  received  by  letter  into  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  this  place 
August  22,  1852,  and  that  her  pastor  says  of  her  in  1858:  "Out  of  her 
Revolutionary  pension,  she  annually  gave  me  ^10  for  Foreign  Missions. 
A  godly  woman,  at  an  advanced  age,  she  recently  crossed  over  Jordan." 

Isaac  Cornell  and  Robert  Folsom,  soldiers  of  the  war  of  1812,  were 
buried  in  the  Cornell  Graveyard.  John  Curtis,  who  went  from  the  State 
of  New  York  as  a  farrier  in  the  same  war,  came  to  this  county  in  1836, 
settled  near  Wheeler,  and  died  there  in  1865.  Eliphalet  D.  Curtis,  an- 
other soldier  of  that  war,  enlisted  in  New  York,  came  to  this  county  in 
1838,  settled  near  Porter  Cross  Roads,  and  died  in  the  spring  of  1865. 
Myron  Powell  enlisted  in  Vermont,  moved  subsequently  to  the  Western 
Reserve  in  Ohio,  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  died  here  in  1865. 
The  only  soldiers  of  the  Black  Hawk  war  who  ever  resided  in  this  county, 
as  far  as  learned,  were  Ruel  Starr  and  James  M.  Buel,  the  former  now 
deceased,  the  latter  is  a  resident  of  Chicago. 

No  company  was  organized  in  this  county  to  serve  in  the  Mexican 
war,  but  Joseph  P.  Smith,  of  Lake  County,  at  the  time  holding  a  county 
office,  resigned  and  enlisted  a  company  to  serve  in  1846.  After  the  ex- 
piration of  their  term  of  service,  they  re-enlisted  to  serve  from  1847  to 
1848.  About  thirty  persons  from  Porter  County  enlisted  in  that  com- 
pany, among  whom  were  William  Unruh,  Ezra  Wilcox,  Peter  Mussel- 
man,  two  men  named  Aley,  two  named  Patterson,  Mr.  Brown,  Mr. 
Risden,  Mr.  Preston,  Mr.  Hopkins  and  Mr.  Wells.  It  is  believed  that 
the  only  survivors  of  that  company,  now  in  the  county,  are  William 
Unruh,  of  Tassinong,  and  Jacob  Aley,  of  Hebron.  It  was  the  duty  of 
this  company,  while  in  Mexico,  to  guard  wagon  trains,  and  the  climate 
proved  to  be  very  deadly  in  its  influence  upon  them,  as  out  of  119  men 
who  went  out,  only  thirty-six  returned.  In  addition  to  these,  Samuel 
Meekam,  now  of  Valparaiso,  Clinton  Frazier,  a  man  named  Briggs,  an- 
other named  Hesser,  and  still  others  from  this  county,  were  soldiers  in 
that  war,  but  in  what  organization  they  went  out  is  not  known. 

TJie  War  of  the  Rebellion. — The  political  campaign  of  1860  waxed 
warm  in  this  county.  The  great  majority  of  the  Democrats  voted  for 
Mr.  Douglas,  though  there  were  some  votes  cast  for  Breckenridge. 
On  the  one  hand  it  was  charged  upon  the  Republicans  that  they  were 
responsible  for  all  the  dangers  that  threatened  the  country,  and  on  the 
other  that  the  Democrats  were  in  sympathy  with  Southern  secessionists. 
In  reality,  until  the  Southern  States  began  to  pass  their  ordinances  of 
secession,  none  really  believed  that  the  issues  betAveen  the  two  sections 
of  the  country  were  to  be  tried  upon  the  field  of  battle,  much  less  that  four 
years  of  blood  and  horror  were  soon  to  follow.  After  the  election  of  Lin- 
coln, when  the  alarm  had  become  general  at  the  threatened  insurrection 


80  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

in  the  South,  when  conservative  men  of  the  North  and  South  were  en- 
deavoring to  avert  the  calamities  of  war  by  timely  compromise,  the  gen- 
eral opinion  of  the  Republicans  in  this  part  of  the  country,  as  evinced  by 
the  press,  was  decidedly  against  any  compromise  which  might  bind  more 
closely  the  fetters  of  the  slave  or  recognize  the  institution  of  slavery  as 
National  in  its  character.  The  Republic  of  that  day,  then  published  in 
Valparaiso,  was  very  decided  in  opposition  to  the  Crittenden  and  all  other 
compromises,  the  tendency  of  which  would  be  to  surrender  any  vantage- 
ground  that  had  hitherto  been  gained  in  rescuing  territory  from  the 
domination  of  the  peculiar  institution.  All  who  are  old  enough  can 
remember  the  peculiar  feelings  which  prevailed  at  that  time.  There  was 
a  class  of  politicians  at  the  South  called  fire-eaters.  They  had  always 
been  given  to  bluster  and  hifalutin.  The  people  of  the  North  had  become 
accustomed  to  threats  of  the  dissolution  of  the  Union,  and  they  had  list- 
ened to  that  kind  of  talk  until  they  supposed  it  might  go  on  ad  infinitum, 
and  nothing  ever  come  of  it.  Yet  things  were  certainly  looking  more 
serious  than  ever  before.  South  Carolina  had  seceded.  Mississippi  had 
seceded.  It  looked  as  though  all  the  cotton  States  would  go  out.  They 
did  go  out,  one  after  another,  in  rapid  succession.  Men  who  had  been 
elected  to  the  legislatures  of  their  several  States  as  Union  men  were  either 
persuaded  or  terrified  into  voting  for  secession.  Twiggs  proved  a  traitor 
and  turned  over  his  forces  so  far  as  he  could  to  the  cause  of  disunion. 
Pensacola  and  Mobile,  with  their  fortifications,  fell  into  rebel  hands. 
But  still  the  feeling  was  strong  in  many  minds  that  all  this  had  been  done 
by  a  sort  of  collusion  with  the  administration  for  the  purpose  of  terrifying 
the  North  into  compromises  which  would  forever  perpetuate  the  slave 
power  in  the  Union,  and  set  it  in  unassailable  control.  It  was  believed 
there  were  too  many  friends  of  the  Union  in  the  South  ever  to  sufier  the 
fire-eaters  to  sunder  the  bonds  of  the  States.  The  old  Whigs,  who  had 
no  sympathy  with  that  sort  of  thing,  would  assert  themselves,  and  the 
sober  second  thought  of  the  people  would  be  for  bearing  their  present  ills 
rather  than  to  fly  to  others  which  they  knew  not  of.  And  then,  suppose 
they  did  rebel  ?  What  of  it  ?  The  North  is  stronger  than  the  South,  and 
whatever  may  come  we  will  not  submit  to  have  slavery  enthroned  over  the 
whole  land.  We  will  not  suffer  men  to  bring  their  slaves  into  the  free 
States  and  there  hold  them.  So  the  Republic,  voicing  the  feelings  of  one 
party,  said  emphatically,  "No  compromise."  The  opposition  paper,  on 
the  other  hand,  was  saying  in  effect  :  "  See  how  mad  you  have  made  the 
Southern  people  by  your  abolitionism.  We  always  told  you  this  was 
what  you  would  bring  the  country  to.  The  only  way  now  to  escape  dis- 
solution and  the  horrors  of  war  is  to  submit  to  what  the  slaveholders 
demand  for  their  security,  and  let  us  take  charge   of  affairs.     It   is   no 


/TVt/ 


(^CiJi^p^.£lA0C 


HISTORY  OF   PORTER  COUNTY.  83 

wonder  that  the  South  should  rebel  at  the  election  of  an  Abolitionist  for 
President."  But  when  the  memorable  day  came,  after  all  the  uncer- 
tainty and  suspense  about  the  Star  of  the  West,  and  about  what  would 
come  of  it  all,  that  the  flag  was  fired  upon  and  that  the  South  had 
invoked  the  arbitrament  of  war,  all  the  talk  of  compromise  ceased.  The 
great  majority  of  all  parties  said,  The  Union  must  be  preserved.  Over 
the  wires  came  the  proclamation  of  the  President  for  75,000  men  to  serve 
three  months.  In  the  South  it  was  received  with  derision.  There  it  was 
known  far  better  than  here  that  75,000  raw  volunteers  would  not  be  able 
to  put  an  end  to  a  conspiracy  so  vast.  With  the  Mississippi  River,  Gal- 
veston, New  Orleans,  Mobile,  Pensacola,  Savannah,  Charleston,  Wil- 
mington and  Richmond  in  their  possession,  and  with  sympathizers  in 
Kentucky  and  Maryland  and  Missouri,  it  was  childish  to  suppose  it  could 
all  be  ended  in  ninety  days  and  by  soldiers  the  majority  of  whom  had 
never  smelled  gunpowder  in  their  lives.  But  who  can  describe  the  thrill 
of  patriotism  with  which  that  message  was  received  in  the  North  ?  Sev- 
enty-five thousand  men  !  They  would  overawe  all  opposition.  When 
the  South  saw  that  the  North  ivould  fight  rather  than  surrender  all,  that 
would  end  the  matter.  Each  volunteer  then  felt  strong,  and  with  the 
almost  unanimous  current  of  feeling  it  was  thought  by  many  that  they 
would  have  a  kind  of  holiday,  would  play  at  war  for  awhile,  and  then 
return  home  when  the  Union  had  been  restored  to  receive  the  plaudits 
that  would  await  them.  It  was  an  era  of  hallucinations.  None  foresaw 
the  future,  none  in  the  North  and  none  in  the  South.  The  Southern  fire- 
eaters  had  utterly  miscalculated  the  spirit  of  the  North,  and  the  terrible 
earnestness  of  the  Southern  fire-eaters  was  not  understood  in  the  North. 
On  Sunday,  April  14,  the  telegraph  carried  the  news  of  the  firing  on 
Fort  Sumter.  On  Monday  afternoon,  the  15th,  the  following  call  was 
issued  for  a  meeting  at  the  court  house. 

Americans  !  Union  Men  !  Rally.  The  war  has  begun.  Fort  Sumter  has  fallen  !  Our 
flag  has  been  insulted,  fired  upon  and  struck  to  traitors !  A  Pelican  and  Piattlesnake 
banner  floats  in  its  stead  !  Let  it  be  torn  down  and  the  stars  and  stripes  float  in  its  place, 
or  let  us  perish  in  the  attempt.  Davis,  the  traitor,  says  that  next  the  Secession  flag  shall 
wave  over  the  Capitol  at  Washington !  Shall  it  be  so  ?  A  thousand  times  No  !  Then  to- 
night let  us  rally  at  the  court  house,  burying  all  party  names,  and  come  to  the  rescue  of 
the  Republic  against  its  mortal  enemies.  We  are  beaten  at  Sumter,  but  not  conquered, 
and  must  rally  to  preserve  the  inheritance  left  us  by  our  fathers.  Come  one,  come  all 
who  love  their  country!  To-night  let  us  pledge  our  lives,  our  fortunes  and  our  sacred 
honor  to  the  defense  of  the  proudest  flag  that  ever  waved  over  a  free  people ! 

War  Meetings  and  Enlistments. — The  court  house  was  crowded  early. 
The  following  are  the  official  proceedings  of  the  meeting.  "  On  motion 
of  R.  A.  Cameron,  M.  D.,  editor  of  the  Republic,  Dr.  E.  Jones  was 
called  to  the  chair,  Messrs.  E.  R.  Chapin  and  Alanson  Finney  chosen  as 
Vice  Presidents,  and  J.  F.  McCarthy,  Esq.,  and  J.  A.  Berry,  editor  of 

E 


84  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

the  Starke  Qounty  Press,  chosen  as  Secretaries.  The  object  of  the  meet- 
ino-  having  been  fully  stated,  on  motion  of  Dr.  Cameron,  a  committee  of 
five  (Messrs.  Cameron,  S.  S.  Skinner,  J.  N.  Skinner,  Jacob  Brewer  and 
M.  L.  De  Motte)  were  appointed  to  draft  resolutions  expressive  of  the  sense 
of  the  meeting.  The  Committee  retired,  and  after  a  short  absence  re- 
turned and  reported  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions,  which  were 
received  amid  deafening  applause.  (Here  follow  preamble  and  resolutions 
of  the  most  patriotic  character.) 

"  The  meeting  was  addressed  by  Messrs.  De  Motte,  Cameron,  Lytle, 
Jones,  Rock,  Pierce,  Putnam  and  others,  Democrats  and  Republicans, 
who,  heretofore  differing  widely  politically,  were  a  unit  on  sustaining 
the  Government,  protecting  the  honor  of  our  flag,  and  rebuking  the 
thieves,  murderers  and  traitors  of  the  South.  At  the  opening  of  the 
meeting,  two  American  flags,  emblems  of  our  nation's  glory,  were  brought 
in  and  suspended  over  the  stand  occupied  by  the  President  and  Vice 
Presidents,  which  were  hailed  with  long,  loud  and  enthusiastic  raptures  of 
delight  by  the  large  audience  present,  to  which  additional  excitement  was 
added  by  the  presence  of  the  Union  Band,  that  discoursed  a  number  of 
national  airs,  such  as  '  Hail  Columbia,'  '  Marseilles  Hymn,'  etc.  At 
the  close  of  the  meeting,  an  opportunity  was  given  those  who  desired  to 
register  their  names  as  volunteers,  when  a  number  of  gentlemen  came 
promptly  forward,  enrolled  their  names,  expressing  the  sentiment  that  it 
was  not  for  glory ^  hut  to  fight.'' 

The  same  number  of  the  Republic  contains  general  orders  numbered 
one  to  twelve  from  Lewis  Wallace,  Adjutant  General  in  regard  to  the 
orc^anization  of  military  companies,  a  proclamation  of  Gov.  Morton  call- 
ing for  the  organization  of  troops,  the  account  of  the  bombardment  of 
Sumter,  and  also  a  proclamation  from  Gov.  Morton  convening  the  Legis- 
lature in  special  session  on  the  24th  of  April. 

The  following  number  of  the  Republic  (April  25)  was  issued  with  the 
name  of  E.  R.  Beebe  as  associate  editor,  R.  A.  Cameron  having  gone 
to  Indianapolis  with  his  company,  and  the  first  editorial  correspondence, 
dated  at  that  place,  appears.  Henceforth,  correspondence  from  the  scene 
of  active  operations  made  up  a  large  part  of  each  issue.  Letters  poured 
in,  not  only  from  the  editor,  but  from  Gil  Pierce,  who  even  then  wielded 
the  pen  of  a  ready  writer,  De  Witt  C.  Hodsden,  J.  F.  McCarthy  and 
numerous  others.  On  Thursday,  April  18,  a  meeting  had  been  called  at 
the  court  house  (in  the  afternoon),  to  which  the  citizens  came  en  masse, 
without  distinction  of  party.  Joseph  Peirce  was  Chairman,  G.  Bloch, 
Secretary.  Speeches  were  made  by  Messrs.  Morrison,  Hodsden,  W. 
Bartholomew,  J.  N.  Skinner,  Rev.  Gurney,  M.  L.  De  Motte,  I.  C.  B. 
Suman,  Charles  Gurney  and  G.  Bloch.     Among  the  resolutions  adopted, 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY.  85 

was  this  :  "  That  if  it  is  found  that  there  are  Secessionists  in  our  midst, 
we  will  not  encourage  violence  and  bloodshed  at  home,  but  we  will  with- 
draw from  them  our  social  relations,  and  if  business  men,  we  will  not 
favor  them  with  our  patronage."  After  the  adjournment  of  the  regular 
meeting,  those  who  had  signified  their  willingness  to  volunteer  for  the 
defense  of  the  stars  and  stripes,  whenever  and  wherever  called,  remained 
to  organize  and  elect  officers.  The  following  were  elected  officers  :  R.  A. 
Cameron,  Captain  ;  Lieutenants — First,  I,  C.  B.  Suman  ;  Second,  G. 
A.  Pierce  ;  Third,  0.  H.  Ray ;  Ensign,  J.  F.  McCarthy,  etc. 

On  Friday,  the  excitement  was  still  unabated.  Numbers  enlisted, 
and  the  office  of  the  Republic^  where  the  lists  were  opened,  was  crowded 
most  of  the  day.  In  the  evening  another  meeting  was  called  at  the  court 
house,  presided  over  by  T.  G.  Lytle.  Some  200  blankets  were  donated 
by  the  citizens  for  the  use  of  the  soldiers,  and  $40  were  raised  for  the 
purchase  of  a  flag  for  the  company.  On  Saturday  afternoon,  the  Union 
Band  presented,  through  M.  L.  De  Motte,  their  beautiful  flag,  which  had 
a  short  time  before  been  presented  to  them  by  the  ladies.  Speeches  were 
made  in  behalf  of  the  company,  by  Cameron,  McCarthy  and  Rev.  S.  C. 
Logan.  On  the  Sabbath,  a  sermon  was  preached  to  the  company  by  Rev. 
A.  Gurney,  and  on  that  evening  the  company  took  the  train  for  Indian- 
apolis, many  of  the  citizens  accompanying  them  as  far  as  Wanatah. 

In  the  Field. — Arrived  at  Indianapolis,  the  company,  which  num- 
bered 130,  was  divided  and  the  overplus  joined  with  the  over- 
plus of  another  company  from  Ft.  Wayne,  formed  a  new  company 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  Comparet.  In  this  company,  J.  F. 
McCarthy  and  0.  H.  Ray  were  Lieutenants.  On  the  29th  of  May,  the 
Ninth  Regiment,  Col.  Milroy,  in  which  the  Valparaiso  boys  constituted 
Company  H,  left  Camp  Morton  for  Virginia.  The  first  trial  the  boys 
had  of  actual  conflict  with  the  rebels  was  at  Philippi,  on  the  3d  of  June, 
where  all  the  Indiana  regiments  were  engaged.  The  rebels  were  taken 
by  surprise,  and  a  large  amount  of  arms,  horses,  etc.,  was  captured. 

On  Saturday,  June  22,  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  the  county  was 
held  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  recruits.  Speeches  were  made  by 
James  M.  Lytle,  F.  Church,  S.  L.  Bartholomew  and  Mr.  Bartlet.  On 
Monday,  June  24,  the  volunteers  met  to  effect  their  organization.  The 
meeting  was  presided  over  by  E.  J.  Jones,  D.  L.  Skinner,  Secretary. 
The  oSicers  of  the  company  were  chosen  as  follows  ;  Captain,  James  M. 
Lytle;  Lieutenants,  Galbreath  and  Carr.  Capt.  Lytle  gave  his  life 
on  the  field  of  battle.  A  mass  meeting  was  held  on  the  Fourth  of  July, 
to  bid  farewell  to  the  company,  as  they  were  to  leave  on  the  evening  of 
that  day  for  Camp  Tippecanoe. 

In  the  Repuhlic  of  July   19th  appeared  this   song,  composed   by  a 


86  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

member   of  the  Ninth   Indiana   Regiment.      (It   was  forwarded  by   Gil 
Pierce,  and  doubtless  he  was  the  author) : 

•'  On  Sumter's  proud  ramparts  a  traitorous  hand, 

Has  torn  from  its  staff  the  bright  flag  of  our  glory  ; 
And  blessed  be  God,  who  inspires  our  bold  band, 

That  flag  we'll  replace  though  the  ramparts  be  gory. 
And  the  '  Bloody  Ninth's  '  name,  and  the  'Bloody  Ninth's'  fame 
Shall  shine  in  our  history  in  letters  of  flame. 
And  the  Star  Spangled  Banner,  once  more  it  shall  wave 
O'er  our  country  united,  the  home  of  the  brave. 

"  Shall  we  shrink  from  the  contest,  brave  comrades?    Oh,  no  ! 

Let  us  fight  while  one  stripe  of  that  banner  is  waving, 
Or  fall  with  each  f^ice  bravely  '  turned  to  the  foe  ' — 

To  the  traitors  who  fight  for  their  country's  enslaving; 
Contented  to  die,  if  that  flag  waves  on  high, 
But  never  before  the  base  rebels  to  fly ; 
For  we've  sworn  that  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  shall  wave 
O'er  the  Union  again,  or  the  '  Bloody  Ninth's'  grave. 

"  Let  them  come  with  their  Beauregard,  Davis  and  Wise, 
The  'Ninth'  will  be  there  with  their  Colonel  to  lead  'em, 
And  while  that  proud  banner  is  floating  the  sliies. 

With  him  they  will  fight  for  their  Union  and  freedom. 
The  foe  we'll  destroy,  and  the  name  of  Milroy 
Shall  sound  through  our  country  in  paeans  of  joy, 
While  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  in  triumph  shall  wave 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave." 

On  July  24,  the  "  Bloody  Ninth  "  reached  Indianapolis  from  the  seat 
of  war  to  be  re-organized  for  the  three  years'  service.  The  Twentieth 
Regiment,  Col.  W.  L.  Brown,  with  Capt.  James  M.  Ly tie's  company, 
from  Porter  County,  left  Indianapolis  for  Washington  on  the  31st  of 
July,  just  ten  days  after  the  Bull  Run  disaster. 

October  24,  1861,  this  delicate  compliment  is  paid  in  the  Republic  to 
Secretary  Cameron :  "  A  number  of  horses,  numbering  250,  were  sent  this 
regiment  (First  Regiment  Northwestern  Cavalry  in  which  was  Capt. 
Buell's  Company)  from  Pennsylvania,  Secretary  Cameron's  State,  and 
twenty-five  of  that  number  and  only  twent^'^-five  were  found  fit  for  service, 
227  being  rejected  as  unsound  and  deficient  in  almost  every  conceiv- 
able manner.  This  is  a  fair  specimen  of  Pennsylvania  swindling,  con- 
nived at  by  officials  high  in  power.  Let  the  West  furnish  her  men  with 
their  equipments  and  horses,  and  Pennsylvania  retain  her  old  broken- 
down  hacks  for  her  own  use,  if  the  Secretary  insists  upon  using  all  the 
ring-boned,  spavined,  windgalled,  blind,  stump-tailed,  lamed,  knock- 
kneed,  worn-out  broken-winded  scrubs  first."  In  Company  G,  of  that 
Cavalry  Regiment,  were  forty-seven  Porter  County  men,  of  whom  the 
Adjutant  General's  report  of  Indiana  takes  no  notice. 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  87 

The  capture  of  Fort  Donelson,  on  Sunday,  February  16,  1862,  was 
one  of  the  bright  spots  in  the  history  of  the  war,  and  gave  rise  to  great  re- 
joicing in  Valparaiso  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the  land.  On  Monday 
evening  the  court  house  was  packed  with  the  "  chivalry  and  beauty  "  of 
Valparaiso.  The  ladies  were  out  in  full  force,  although  it  drizzled  rain. 
Dr.  Newland  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  speeches  were  made  (after 
prayer)  by  Gurney,  Mattingly,  Church,  Bartholomew,  President  Sims 
and  A.  L.  Jones.  Of  course  a  resolution  was  adopted.  What  would  a 
meeting  in  the  United  States  of  America  be  without  at  least  one  resolu- 
tion ?  This  was  one  of  "  unbounded  confidence  in  the  wisdom  and  patri- 
otism of  our  military  leaders,"  etc.  Of  course,  with  15,000  rebel  prison- 
ers just  taken,  they  could  afford  to  have  a  little  confidence  in  the  men 
who  took  them. 

In  the  Republic  of  March  20,  1862,  is  a  detailed  account  of  the 
devastation  wrought  to  the  frigates  Cumberland  and  Congress,  by  the 
rebel  ram  Merrimac,  in  Hampton  Roads,  on  March  9,  written  by  Capt. 
Lytle,  whose  regiment,  the  Twentieth,  was  engaged  during  the  fight,  to- 
gether with  the  repulse  of  the  Merrimac  by  the  iron-clad  Monitor.  On 
the  15th  of  April,  seventeen  or  eighteen  men  of  the  Ninth  Regiment,  who 
had  been  wounded  in  the  engagement  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  were  re- 
ceived at  Valparaiso,  and  were  kindly  cared  for  by  the  citizens.  In  that 
engagement,  David  Thatcher,  James  Mitchell  and  David  Armitage,  be- 
longing to  Company  H,  were  killed,  and  twenty-nine  others  were  wounded. 
It  began  indeed  to  be  the  "Bloody  Ninth."  Sixty-two  ofiicers  and  men 
went  into  the  action  and  thirty  passed  through  it  unscathed. 

May  1,  1862,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  residence  of  Rev.  S.  C.  Lo- 
gan, to  devise  means  of  sending  relief  to  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the 
Indiana  recriments. 

A  sanitary  commission  was  appointed  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  court 
house  which  issued  an  address  to  the  people  of  Northwestern  Indiana. 
The  commission  consisted  of  S.  W.  Smith,  A.  J.  Buel,  Elias  iVxe, 
Joseph  Peirce,  M.  A.  Salisbury,  E.  J.  Jones  and  R.  Bell,  Jr.  On  the 
28th  of  April,  the  following  patriotic  appeal  was  made  to  the  Germans  of 
Porter  County  : 

An  die  Deutschen  von  Porter   County. 
Der  Unterzeichnete  ist  bereit  Beitrage  zum  Ankaufe  eines  Landgutes  fuer  Major 
General  Feanz  Sigel  anzunehmen.     Komme  yeder  und  gebe  sein  scherflein   zu  einein 
so  noblen  Uuternehmen.  Dr.  Met.  Max  Hoffman. 

The  cry  of  "  fight  mit  Sigel  "  was  taken  up  in  Porter  County. 

On  the  29th  of  May,  1862,  was  issued  a  call  for  a  non-partisan  con- 
vention to  send  delegates  to  the  Union  State  Convention,  which  was  to 
meet  in  Indianapolis  on  the  8th  of  June,  and  to  appoint  a  Union  County 
Central  Committee  to  act  for  the  year. 


88  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

July  10,  1862,  there  appeared  the  following  letter: 

Columbia  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C. 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Larned  :  This  moraing,  for  the  first  time,  I  am  able  to  write  you  a 
short  note.  I  was  shot  in  the  left  side  and  the  left  thigh,  and  the  right  wrist  (slightly 
the  latter).  Three  shots  pierced  my  coat,  so  you  see  I  was  very  fortunate  to  get  off  at 
all.  There  are  no  bones  broken,  and  I  am  improving  rapidly.  My  folks  at  B.  come 
over  to  see  me,  and  I  will  go  home  with  them  as  soon  as  I  am  able  to  ride.  I  think  it 
■will  be  from  four  to  six  weeks  before  I  could  think  of  venturing  West,  but  will  go  as  soon 
as  possible.  Of  my  own  brave  boys,  fifteen  are  gone  and  five  are  here  wounded.  They 
did  their  duty  to  a  man.     God  bless  them;  but  we  all  did  so.  Lytle. 

This  was  Capt.  James  M.  Lytle,  of  the  Twentieth.  He  was  wounded 
in  front  of  Richmond. 

July  17, 1862,  this  item  appears,  "  We  regret  to  learn  that  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Brown,  Chaplain  of  the  Forty-eighth  Regiment,  is  lying  critically  ill  at 
Paducah.  His  wife  was  telegraphed  for  on  Saturday  evening  last,  requiring 
her  to  repair  to  his  bedside  as  speedily  as  possible.  She  started  for  that 
place  on  the  first  train.  The  Presbyterian  Church  of  this  place,  of  which 
he  was  formerly  pastor,  appointed  A.  J.  Buel,  Esq.,  on  its  behalf  on  Sab- 
bath to  visit  him.  Mr.  Buel  left  with  his  lady  that  evening."  The 
Republic  of  the  following  week  published  the  obituary  of  Dr.  Brown, 
who  died  July  14,  and  the  gallant  Lytle  passed  away  after  long  suffer- 
ing, on  the  20th  of  August  following.  Thus  were  the  people  tasting  of 
the  horrors  of  the  war,  and  learning  at  what  a  price  the  Union  was  to  be 
restored. 

The  order  for  the  first  draft  for  300,000  men  to  serve  for  nine  months 
was  issued  August  4,  1862.  There  was  also  a  call  for  300,000  volunteers. 
Both  these  calls  were  met  with  thanks  on  the  part  of  the  people.  On 
Monday,  August  10,  a  mass-meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house,  which 
was  addressed  by  Hon.  C.  W.  Cathcart,  of  La  Porte  County.  Dr.  L.  A. 
Cass  was  chosen  as  President  of  the  meeting,  and  Thomas  Jewell,  Secre- 
tary. The  purpose  of  the  meeting  was  to  raise  $25  bounty  for  each  man 
enlisting  from  the  county.  By  the  14th  of  August,  two  full  companies 
had  gone  into  camp  at  South  Bend.  Not  less  than  three  hundred  and 
fifty  men  had  enlisted  under  the  call  for  600,000  men.  The  subscrip- 
tions were  liberal  and  numerous,  ranging  from  $1  to  $100.  But  it  would 
be  impossible  to  follow  up  that  eventful  history  to  its  close,  and  necessity 
compels  us  to  summarize  the  work  done  by  Porter  County  in  suppressing 
the  rebellion. 

Military  Statistics. — It  is  impossible  to  ascertain  just  how  many 
men  from  Porter  County  were  engaged  in  the  war.  The  reports  of  the 
Adjutant  General  are  very  imperfect,  omitting  the  names  of  some  persons 
who  served  in  Indiana  Regiments,  even  those  of  some  commissioned  offi- 
cers, and  of  those  ^ho  enlisted  in  the  regiments  of  other   States  he   has 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY.  89 

given  no  account.  We  have  seen  how  many  there  were  in  a  single  regi- 
ment of  cavalry  which  went  from  Illinois,  and  there  were  many  who 
enlisted  in  the  gunboat  or  naval  service,  or  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky 
regiments.  Many  also  were  wounded  or  killed  of  whom  these  records 
preserve  no  account.  The  names  of  Porter  County  soldiers  are  found 
upon  the  rolls  of  twenty-nine  regiments  of  infantry,  four  regiments  of  cav- 
alry and  two  batteries  of  artillery  which  went  from  this  State.  But  these 
names  are  chiefly  to  be  found  in  the  Ninth,  Twentieth,  Seventy-third, 
Ninety-ninth,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth,  One  Hundred  and 
Thirty-eighth  and  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Regiments  of  Infantry, 
and  in  the  Fifth,  Seventh  and  Twelfth  Cavalry  and  the  Fourth  Battery. 
Of  those  whose  names  are  found  in  the  Adjutant  General's  report,  156 
were  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  disabilities  from  wounds  or 
sickness,  or  for  other  reasons  not  given.  Five  hundred  and  thirty-nine 
were  mustered  out  at  the  expiration  of  their  term  of  service,  or  at  the 
close  of  the  war ;  twenty-five  were  promoted  from  the  ranks  to  be  com- 
missioned officers ;  sixty  were  wounded  in  battle,  of  whom  fourteen  died ; 
twenty-seven  were  killed  in  battle ;  fifty-eight  deserted  ;  in  some  cases 
the  same  person  deserted  twice ;  even  one  who  had  served  three  years 
and  had  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  deserted  before  the  close  of  the  war  ; 
106  died  of  sickness.  The  mere  reading  of  this  shows  how  imperfectly 
the  report  of  the  Adjutant  General  was  made  out,  when  we  remember 
what  befell  Company  H,  of  the  Ninth,  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  and  Capt. 
Lytle's  company  in  the  battles  before  Richmond.  It  must  strike  all 
readers  as  strange  that  there  should  have  been  fifty-eight  desertions  and 
only  twenty-seven  killed  in  battle.  The  terms  of  service  of  the  several 
Indiana  regiments  containing  Porter  County  men  were  as  follows :  The 
Ninth,  three  months ;  for  three  years.  Ninth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  Thir- 
teenth, Seventeenth,  Eighteenth,  Nineteenth,  Twentieth,  Twenty-second, 
Twenty-fifth,  Twenty-ninth,  Thirty-fifth,  Thirty-eighth,  Fifty-ninth, 
Sixty-third,  Seventy-third,  Ninety-ninth,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
eighth  ;  for  one  year,  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second  and  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fifty-first;  for  100  days,  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth. 

The  various  calls  for  troops  were  as  follows :  First  call  for  75,000 
men,  three  months,  April  15,  1861  ;  second  call  for  42,000  men,  for 
three  years,  May  30,  1861 ;  third  call  for  300,000  men  for  nine  months, 
August  4,  1862  ;  fourth  call  for  100,000  men  for  six  months,  June  15, 
1863 ;  fifth  call  for  300,000  men  for  three  years,  October  17,  1863  ; 
sixth  call  for  500,000  men  for  one,  two  and  three  years,  July  18,  1864  ; 
seventh  call  for  300,000  men  for  one,  two  and  three  years,  December 
10,  1864. 

Porter  County  paid  for  bounties  during  the  war  ^65.227. 50.     For 


90  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

relief,  that  is  for  sanitary  and  Christian  commissions,  and  for  the  families 
of  soldiers,  $54,606.33.  For  the  draft  of  October  6,  1862,  T.  G.  Lytle 
was  Draft  Commissioner,  W.  S.  Dunning  Marshal,  and  J.  H.  Newland, 
Surgeon.  Only  nineteen  men  were  drafted  at  that  time.  The  second 
draft  was  on  the  17th  of  October,  1863.  The  total  credits  by  enrollment 
and  draft  to  July  18,  1864,  were  686.  Total  to  be  furnished  by  second 
draft,  sixty-nine.  Under  the  draft  ordered  for  December  19,  1864,  there 
were  145  recruits  ;  drafted  men,  seventy ;  total,  215.  The  revised  en- 
rollment, according  to  the  Adjutant  General's  report,  showed  a  total  en- 
rollment of  1,136  from  Porter  County. 

It  would  be  impossible,  in  the  limits  assigned,  to  give  a  history  of  the 
encampments,  marches,  battles,  sieges,  imprisonments,  etc.,  of  all  the 
regiments  having  soldiers  from  this  county.  They  made  a  gallant  record, 
endured  great  hardships,  and  are  deserving  of  the  gratitude  of  their  coun- 
trymen. As  they  returned  home  they  were  welcomed  at  Indianapolis 
and  at  Valparaiso,  and  since  that  time  many  of  them  have  enjoyed  public 
honors,  and  many  have  been  entered  upon  the  pension  rolls  of  the  nation. 
These  things  are  worthy  of  mention  :  That  ninety-nine  re-enlisted  as 
veterans  after  serving  full  three  years.  Nine  are  reported  to  have  died  in 
prison ;  two  were  dishonorably  discharged.  Of  those  who  are  reported 
as  deserters,  the  writer,  after  a  residence  of  seventeen  years  in  the  county, 
can  say  that  he  does  not  know  one  of  them.  The  names  are  not  familiar, 
and  they  have  evidently  sought  other  scenes. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  officers  from  Porter  County  who  served  in 
the  war  of  the  rebellion  : 

Ninth  Infantry. — Robert  A.  Cameron,  Captain  of  Company  H, 
three  months,  commissioned  April  22,  1861;  mustered  out  at  expira- 
tion of  term  ;  re-entered  service  and  commissioned  Lieutenant  Colonel 
of  the  Nineteenth  Regiment,  July  29,  1861 ;  transferred  to  Thirty- 
fourth  Regiment  February  3,  1862;  promoted  Colonel,  June  15,  1862; 
appointed  Brigadier  General  United  States  Volunteers,  August  11, 
1863;  appointed  Major  General  by  brevet,  March  13,  1865;  resigned 
July  22,  1865.  I.  C.  B.  Suman,  First  Lieutenant  Company  H, 
April  22,  1861,  three  months ;  re-entered  as  Captain  Company 
H,  August  29,  1861 ;  promoted  Lieutenant  Colonel,  August  20, 
1862 ;  promoted  Colonel  April  17,  1863 ;  appointed  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral by  brevet  March  13,  1865.  G.  A.  Pierce,  Second  Lieutenant 
Company  H,  April  22,  1861,  three  months ;  appointed  Assistant 
Quartermaster  August  3,  1861.  W.  H.  Benny,  Second  Lieutenant 
Company  H,  August  29,  1861  ;  Adjutant  May  30,  1862  ;  resigned 
November  24,  1862.  Stephen  P.  Hodsden,  Second  Lieutenant  Company 
E,  September  1,  1861  ;  promoted  Adjutant  March  3,  1863  ;  promoted 


HISTORY   OF  PORTER   COUNTY.  91 

Captain  Company  H,  August  1,  1864.  La  Fayette  Burr,  Adjutant 
August  1,  1864;  Quartermaster  February  18,  1865  ;  promoted  Captain 
Company  G  ;  resigned  April  5,  1865.  Zaccheus  B.  Fifield,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant May  30,  1862;  promoted  Adjutant  March  31,  1865.  Harry 
Smith,  Chaplain,  November  17,  1863 ;  resigned  July  28,  1864.  John 
K.  Blackstone,  Captain  Company  E,  September  1,  1861 ;  promoted 
Assistant  Surgeon,  November  15,  1861 ;  resigned  March  11,  1862. 
Max  F.  A.  Hoftman,  Assistant  Surgeon,  September  25,  1868;  Surgeon 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth,  March  8,  1864.  George  W.  Bloom- 
field,  veteran.  First  Lieutenant,  February  4,  1865.  De  Witt  C.  Hods- 
den,  First  Lieutenant  Company  H,  August  29,  1861 ;  Captain,  August  20, 
1862 ;  died  July  27,  1864,  of  wounds  received  in  action.  Robert  F. 
Drulinger,  First  Lieutenant  Company  H,  September  29, 1862 ;  mustered 
out  January  24,  1865.  William  Turner,  First  Lieutenant  Company  H, 
March  16,  1865.  John  VV.  Brown,  Second  Lieutenant,  March  16,  1865. 
Fifteenth  {three  years)  Infantry. — John  F.  McCarthy,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant Company  C,  April  21,  1861 ;  promoted  First  Lieutenant  March 
25,  1862 ;  resigned  July  23,  1862 ;  appointed  Assistant  Surgeon, 
Twenty-ninth  Infantry  January  29,  1863  ;  Surgeon  December  9,  1863. 
Oliver  H.  Ray,  First  Lieutenant  Company  C,  April  21,  1861 ;  resigned 
March  23,  1862. 

Tiventieth  Infantry — Erasmus  C.  Galbreath,  First  Lieutenant  Com- 
pany I,  July  22,  1861  ;  promoted  Captain  August  20,  1862  ;  Major,  June 
6,  1863  ;  mustered  out  October  19,  1864  ;  appointed  First  Lieutenant  reg- 
ular army,  February  23,  1866;  now  (1882)  Captain.  James  M.  Lytle, 
Captain  Company  I,  July  22,  1861  ;  died  of  wounds  August  19,  1862. 
Lorenzo  D.  Corey,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  I,  August  20,  1862  ; 
First  Lieutenant,  March  25,  1863  ;  Captain,  June  6,  1863  ;  mustered 
out.  William  T.  Carr,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  I,  July  22,  1861 ; 
First  Lieutenant,  August  20,  1842 ;  dismissed  March  20,  1863.  Will- 
iam W.  Stearns,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  I,  March,  21,  1863 ;  First 
Lieutenant,  June  6,  1863  ;  mustered  out  October  10,  1864.  William  S. 
Babbitt,  Captain  Company  C,  September  16,  1862  ;  honorably  discharged 
July  22,  1863.  Anthony  W.  Smith,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  D 
(re-organized).  May  16,  1865  ;  mustered  out  as  First  Sergeant  with  regi- 
ment. Orpheus  Everts,  Surgeon,  July  23,1861;  transferred  to  Twen- 
tieth Regiment  at  re-organization  ;  mustered  out  with  regiment.  W.  E. 
Brown,  Commissary  Sergeant  at  re-organization  ;  Adjutant  One  Hundred 
and  Fifty-fifth,  1865  ;  Quartermaster,  April  18,  1865  ;  declined  July 
19,  1865. 

Tiventy-ninth  Infantry. — J.  F.  Heaton,  Assistant  Surgeon,  June  15, 
1865.    Samuel  E.  Wetzel,  First  Lieutenant   Company  F,  May  17,  1864; 


92  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Captain,  June  1,  1865.  Anson  Goodwin,  Second  Lieutenant  Company 
I,  September  10,  1861  ;  resigned  January  11,  1862  ;  Captain  Company  B, 
One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth,  February  20, 1865 ;  mustered  out  with  regiment. 

Thirty-fourth  Infantry. — Stephen  L.  Bartholomew,  Quartermaster, 
September  20,  1863  ;  resigned  December  4,  1863.  S.  C.  Logan,  Chap- 
lain, September  20,  1863. 

Forty-eight  Infantry. — James  C.  Brown,  Chaplain,  1862 ;  died  in 
hospital  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  of  sickness  contracted  in  the  service.  Theo- 
philus  Matott,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  D.  November  1,  1862  ; 
First  Lieutenant,  January  23,  1863;  resigned  September  18,  1863. 

Sixty-third  Infantry. — Henry  0.  Skinner,  First  Lieutenant  Com- 
pany B,  July  1,  1864  ;  Captain,  August  18,  1864 ;  mustered  out  May 
20,  1865. 

Seventy-third  Infantry.  — Robert  W.  Graham,  First  Lieutenant  Com- 
pany I,  August  5,  1862 ;  Captain,  October  20,  1862 ;  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  February  13,  1863  ;  resigned  March  9,  1863,  from  disability. 
Emanuel  M.  Williamson,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  I,  August  5, 
1862 ;  First   Lieutenant,    October  20,    1862 ;     Captain,    February    13, 

1863.  Rollin  M.  Pratt,  Captain  Company  I,  August  5,  1862  ;  re- 
signed October  19,  1862.  William  C.  Eaton,  Second  Lieutenant  Com- 
pany I,  October  20,  1862  ;  First  Lieutenant,  February  13,  1863  ;  Cap- 
tain, March  1,  1864  ;  mustered  out.  Adolphus  H.  Booher,  Second 
Lieutenant  Company  I,  February  13,  1863 ;  First  Lieutenant,  March  1, 
1864  ;  mustered  out  with  regiment  as  Second  Lieutenant.  Charles  S. 
Arnold,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  I,  March  1,  1864  ;  honorably  dis- 
charged June  10,  1865.  John  L.  Brown,  Company  E,  Sergeant ;  pro- 
moted First  Lieutenant. 

Eighty-sixth  Infantry. — Nicholas  E.  Manville,  Chaplain,  January  8, 
1862  ;  resigned  April  9,  1863. 

Ninety-ninth  Infantry. — Fred  W.  Drawans,  First  Lieutenant  Com- 
pany C,  March  2,  1862  ;  resigned  January  1,  1865.  William  Harmon, 
Second  Lieutenant   Company  C,  October  25,  1862  ;  resigned  March  1, 

1864.  Jacob  Brewer,  Captain  Company  C,  August  18,  1862  ;  resigned 
August  4,  1863.  Charles  R.  Loux,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  C, 
May  1,  1865;  mustered  out  with  regiment. 

One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  Infantry. — William  H.  Calkins, 
Quartermaster,  December  8,  1863 ;  promoted  Major  Twelfth  Cavalry, 
March  4,  1864  ;  mustered  out  with  regiment.  John  E.  Cass,  First  Lieu- 
tenant Company  E,  December  19,  1863  ;  resigned  March  25,  1865. 
John  Fitzwilliams,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  E,  June  1,  1865  ;  dis- 
charged as  First  Sergeant.  Benjamin  Sheffield,  Captain  Company  E, 
December  19,  1863 ;  honorably  discharged  December  10,  1864. 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTV.  93 

One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Infantry. — Thomas  G.  Ljtle, 
Captain  Company  D  (100  days),  May  13,  1864 ;  mustered  out. 
Homer  A.  Goodwin,  First  Lieutenant  Company  D,  May  13,  1864 ; 
mustered  out. 

One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Infantry. — John  B.  Marshall, 
Second  Lieutenant  Company  13,  February  20,  1865 ;  mustered  out. 
John  E.  Moon,  First  Lieutenant  Company  B,  February  20,  1865  ;  mus- 
tered out.  Aaron  W.  Lytle,  Captain  Company  E,  February  23,  1865; 
mustered  out.  Charles  E.  Youngs,  First  Lieutenant  Company  E,  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1865 ;  mustered  out.  Orlando  R.  Beebe,  Second  Lieutenant 
Company  E,  September  10,  1865  ;  mustered  out  with  regiment  as  First 
Sergeant. 

Fourth  Battery. — Henry  J.  Willetts,  Second  Lieutenant,  Light 
Artillery,  July  2,  1863  ;  mustered  out  October  6,  1863  (term  expired). 
Mark  L.  De  Motte,  First  Lieutenant,  September  15,  1861 ;  resigned 
March  8,  1862  ;  commissioned  Assistant  Quartermaster  by  the  President 
April  14,  1862  ;  resigned  January  12,  1864.  Augustus  A.  Starr,  Second 
Lieutenant,  September  15,  1861 ;  resigned  July  1,  1863. 

Ttventieth  Battery. — Warren  C.  Gilbreath,  Second  Lieutenant, 
March  16,  1865 ;  mustered  out  with  battery. 

Fifth  Cavalry. — Arthur  M.  Buell,  First  Lieutenant,  September  3, 
1862  ;  resigned  December  1,  1862. 

Seventh  Cavalry. — John  C.  Febles,  Captain  Company  A,  August 
15,  1863;  Major,  October  27,  1863;  resigned  February  28,  1865. 
Aaron  L.  Jones,  Quartermaster,  June  24,  1864  ;  transferred  to  Resid- 
uary Battalion  as  Quartermaster.  John  R.  Parmelee,  First  Lieutenant 
Company  A,  August  15,  1863  ;  Captain,  October  27,  1863 ;  mustered 
out  as  supernumerary.  Henry  S.  Stoddard,  Second  Lieutenant  Com- 
pany A,  September  1,  1863 ;  First  Lieutenant,  October  27,  1863 ; 
resigned  November  25,  1863,  as  Second  Lieutenant.  John  Douch, 
Second  Lieutenant  Company  A,  October  27,  1863  ;  First  Lieutenant, 
November  26,  1863  ;  transferred  to  Residuary  Battalion,  Company  C. 
John  C.  Harmon,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  A,  November  26,  1863  ; 
resigned  August  13,  1864.  Charles  H.  Gleason,  Second  Lieutenant 
Company  A,  August  14,  1864 ;  transferred  to  Company  C,  Residuary 
Battalion. 

Tivelfth  Cavalry. — James  H.  Claypool,  Chaplain,  April  22,  1864  ; 
resigned  January  5,  1865.  William  Bissell,  First  Lieutenant  Company 
M,  January  9,  1864;  mustered  out  with  regiment.  Lewis  Stoddard, 
Captain  Company  M,  January  9,  1864  ;  honorably  discharged  Novem- 
ber 4,  1864.  James  M.  Buell,  Second  Lieutenant,  January  9,  1864  ; 
mustered  out  with  regiment. 


94  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Sundry  Corps. — Alfred  H.  Laing,  First  Lieutenant  Company  E, 
Residuary  Battalion  Thirtieth  Regiment,  December  19,  1864.  Ambrose 
Y.  Moore,  Hospital  Chaplain,  August  6,  1862.  Henry  -Monroe  Buell, 
Captain  Illinois  Cavalry. 

PORTER  COUNTY  ROLL  OF  HONOR. 

Seventh  Infantry. — Jesse  Kindig,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Decem- 
ber 4,  1862. 

Eighth  Infantry. — Henry  Powers,  died  January  4,  1863,  of  wounds 
received  at  Stone  River. 

Ninth  Infantry. — David  Arvin,  died  near  Marietta,  Ga.,  January, 
1864 ;  John  Ablet,  died  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  April,  1862,  of  wounds 
received  atShiloh;  David  Armitage,  killed  at  Shiloh  April  7, 1862  ;  Elias 
J.  Axe,  died  September  24, 1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Missionary  Ridge  ; 
William  D.  Brown,  killed  at  Chickamauga,  September  19,  1863.  James 
Bullis,  killed  at  Chickamauga  ;  George  Beebe,  died  July  19,  1865 ;  Ham 
Gibbs,  died  January  24,  1863;  Charles  Gould,  died  July  5,  1864  ;  W. 
H.  H.  Howard,  died  July  25,  1864,  of  wounds  received  at  Kenesaw 
Mountain  ;  Benjamin  F.  Huntingden,  killed  at  Buffalo  Mountain,  De- 
cember 31,  1861 ;  Lewis  Keller,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Shiloh ; 
Thomas  R.  Mackey,  killed  at  Buffalo  Mountain  December  31,  1861 ; 
Henry  Pratt,  died  February  2,  1862  ;  Abner  Sanders,  died  at  Cheat 
Mountain  January  3,  1861 ;  Levi  0.  Spafford,  died  at  Evansville,  Ind., 
April  28,  1862  ;  Manford  Thatcher,  killed  at  Resaca  May  14,  1864  ; 
David  Thatcher,  killed  at  Shiloh  April  7,  1862  ;  Joseph  Turner,  killed 
at  Chickamauga  September  20,  1863. 

Seventeenth  Infantry. — Asahel  G.  Carmen,  killed  at  Selma,  Ala., 
April  2,  1865  ;  Thomas  W.  Maxwell,  killed  at  Selma  April  2,  1865. 

Eighteenth  Infantry. — Charles  Allen,  died  at  Bellaire,  Ohio,  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1862,  of  wounds. 

Twentieth  Infantry. — John  H.  Cook,  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Penn. ; 
Duane  Ellis,  died  at  Andersonville  Prison  September  5,  1864 ;  Anton 
Fuller,  killed  at  Chickahominy ;  John  Torpy,  killed  at  Gettysburg ; 
John  Shaffer,  died  at  Washington  December  2,  1862  ;  Thomas  Vanness, 
died  at  Washington  June  6,  1864. 

Tiventy-ninth  Infantry. — Warren  Babbitt,  died  at  Andersonville 
Prison  September  15,  1864  ;  Fred  Kocher,  died  at  Andersonville  Prison 
August  10,  1864;  John  Oliver,  killed  at  Corinth  May  9,  1862  ;  Charles 
F.  Skinner,  died  at  Nashville. 

Thirty-fifth  Infantry. — Charles  C.  Gaylord,  died  at  Bull's  Gap  ; 
Henry  Granger,  died  at  Nashville ;  George  Miller,  killed  at  Stone  River 
January  2,  1863  ;  Moses  Spangle,  died  at  Indianapolis. 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  95 

Sixty-third  Infantry. — Preston  Bauhm,  died  of  wounds  June  18, 
1864;  Jacob  Jones,  died  of  wounds  June  2,  1864. 

Seventy-third  Infantry. — Andrew  Black,  died  at  Gallatin,  Tex., 
February  9,  1863 ;  George  J.  Bradley,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Decem- 
ber 5,  1862 ;  N.  B.  Blachley,  died  at  Silver  Springs  November  16,  1863  ; 
Samuel  Conner,  died  at  Summersville,  Ky.,  March  11,  1863 ;  William 
Crisman,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn,,  December  9,  1863;  Curtis  Dorsey, 
died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  November  28,  1862  ;  Nelse  A.  Erickson,  died 
at  Scottsville,  Ky.,  November  11,  1862;  Josiah  B.  Fox,  died  at  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.,  February  27,  1863 ;  Robert  Fluellan,  killed  at  Decatur, 
Ala.,  October  27,  1864;  Asa  Glazor,  died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  December 
8,  1862;  George  N.  Gunter,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  March  28,  1864; 
Lester  Hitchcock,  died  at  Danville,  Ky.,  December  8,  1862 ;  John  Hine- 
line,  died  at  Scottsville,  Ky.,  November  17,  1862  ;  Theodore  R.  Hall, 
died  at  Camp  Chase,  Ohio,  June  8,  1863 ;  John  Hawkins,  died  at  Camp 
Lebanon,  Ky.,  October  29,  1862  ;  William  H.  Hendee,  killed  at  Stone 
River  December  31,  1862;  Robert  Jackson,  killed  at  Day's  Gap,  Ala., 
April  30,  1863  ;  Andrew  Johnson,  died  at  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  October 
23,  1863  ;  Daniel  Kouts,  died  of  wounds  January  18,  1863  ;  Charles 
Munson,  died  at  Silver  Springs,  Tenn.,  November  18,  1862  ;  David  G. 
Maine,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  November  30,  1862  ;  Harlow  Marsh, 
died  at  Danville,  Ky.,  May  15,  1865  ;  James  McNally,  killed  at  Stone 
River;  James  E.  Piper,  died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  March  17,  1863; 
Charles  S.  Spear,  died  at  Stevenson,  Ala..  December  7,  1864;  Thomas 
Shell,  killed  at  Stone  River ;  Alexander  Smith,  died  at  Murfreesboro 
July  23,  1863 ;  Charles  Stinchcomb,  killed  at  Stone  River ;  Edward  S. 
Squires,  died  at  Danville,  Ky.,  October  20,  1862  ;  John  A.  Tidball,  died 
at  Louisville,  Ky.,  November  9,  1862  ;  Stephen  Thornton,  died  in  hos- 
pital January  24,  1865 ;  William  H.  Underwood,  died  at  Nashville,  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1863  ;  Elias  Wheeler,  died  at  Gallatin  January  28,  1863  ; 
Wesley  Watson,  died  at  Danville,  Ky.,  October  19,  1862 ;  Hiram  W. 
Walton,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  February  19,  1863. 

Seventy  fourth  Infantry. — Chancy  R.  Coulson,  died  at  Jefferson  ville, 
Ind.,  February  1,  1865. 

Ninety-ninth  Infantry. — Justice  Bartholomew,  died  at  Anderson- 
ville,  Ga.,  August  22,  1864  ;  George  W.  Biggs,  died  at  La  Grange, 
Tenn.,  January  19,  1863;  Benjamin  Biggs,  died  at  La  Grange,  Tenn., 
March  16,  1863 ;  George  W.  Birch,  died  at  Scottsboro,  Ala.,  April  21, 
1864  ;  Hiram  A.  Case,  died  at  La  Grange,  Tenn.,  March  10,  1863  ; 
Wallace  L.  Depance,  died  at  Black  River,  Miss.,  August  27,  1863  ;  Ira 
Doolittle,  died  at  Snyder's  Bluff,  Miss.,  July  9,  1863  ;  James  Foster, 
killed  at  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  John  L.  Kesler,  died  at  La  Grange,  Tenn.,  Feb- 


96  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

ruary  25,  1863 ;  George  W.  Livingood,  died  at  La  Grange,  Tenn.,  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1863  ;  Charles  Sleeper,  died  at  La  Grange,  Tenn.,  March  7, 
1863  ;  John  W.  Taylor,  died  in  Kentucky,  November  17, 1862  ;  Harvey 
White,  died  at  La  Grange,  Tenn.,  March  11,  1863  ;  William  Wooster, 
died  at  Camp  Towler,  Tenn.,  February  4,  1863. 

One  Hundred  and  Twenty -eighth  Infantry. — Amos  Coleman,  died 
at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  April  1,  1864 ;  William  Coleman,  died  near  Mari- 
etta, Ga.,  August,  1864;  Giles  E.  Cole,  died  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  Mo., 
December  12,  1864 ;  Thomas  Dolan,  died  at  Michigan  City,  Ind., 
March  22,  1864  ;  Samuel  Furgeson,  died  at  New  Berne,  N.  C,  March  14, 
1865 ;  George  W.  Hunt,  wounded,  supposed  to  be  dead ;  Frederick 
Keene,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  April,  1864;  John  B.  Millard,  died  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  January  5,  1865;  William  Marshall,  died  of  wounda 
at  Calumet,  Ind.,  January,  1864 ;  Oliver  P.  Quinn,  died  at  Alexandria, 
Va.,  June  12,  1865;  Myron  S.  Robinson,  died  at  Cleveland,  Tenn., 
August  1,  1864 ;  Chris.  S.  Sholer,  died  near  Kenesaw,  Ga.,  June  23, 
1864. 

One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Infantry. — Edward  J.  Garwood, 
died  at  Tullahoma,  Tenn.,  September  16,  1864 ;  Frank  Johnson,  died  at 
Tullahoma,  Tenn.,  September  15,  1864. 

One  Hufidred  and  Fifty-first  Infantry. — Elbridge  Clark,  died  at 
Louisville,  Ky.,  August  11,  1865 ;  Reuben  Clark,  died  at  home  March 
5,  1865  ;  Edgar  Field,  died  at  Tullahoma,  Tenn.,  May  18,  1865  ;  John  P. 
Jones,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  June  30,  1865 ;  George  Lansing,  died  at 
Jeffersonville,  Ind.,  April  7,  1865  ;  Luther  Smith,  died  at  Deep  River, 
Ind.;  Ambrose  S.  White,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn,  July  19,  1865. 

Fifth  Cavalry. — John  R.  Alyea,  died  at  Florence,  S.  C;  John 
Billings,  died  at  Indianapolis ;  Daniel  C.  Bagley,  died  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  May  22,  1864;  Homer  0.  Cadwell,  died  in  rebel  prison,  Florence, 
S.  C,  in  January,  1865 ;  Isaac  L.  Downes,  died  in  Andersonville  Pris- 
on September  29,  1864 ;  Leander  Lightfoot,  killed  at  Marrowbone  May 
26,  1863  ;  Edwin  W.  Shumaker,  died  in  Andersonville  Prison   August 

12,  1864;  James  Southward,  died  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  October  13, 
1863,  of  wounds ;  William  Terrica,  died  at  Knoxville  September  23, 
1862  ;  Philip  Walters,  died  at  Kingston,  Tenn.;  Jacob  Walters,  died  at 
Andersonville  Prison  October  28,  1864;  Lewis  Walters,  killed  at  Re- 
saea  Ga.,  May  15,  1864. 

Seventh  Cavalry. — Stephen  Adams,  died  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  March 

13,  1864 ;  John  L.  Babcock,  died  May  24,  1864  ;  Edward  Carpenter, 
drowned  in  the  Mississippi  River ;  Samuel  P.  Dunn,  accidentally  shot 
January  3,  1864 ;  John  Johnson,  died  at  Andersonville  Prison  January 
28,  1864;  Henry  Miller,  died  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  May  4,  1864;  Isaac 


HISTORY  OF   PORTER  COUNTY.  97 

Margeston,  died  at  Andersonville  Prison  August  14,  1864  ;  John  Marsh, 
killed  at  Guntown,  Miss.,  June  10,  1864 ;  Cornelius  O'Neil,  died  at 
Cahawba,  Ala.,  March  16,  1864  ;  Clark  S.  Williams,  died  at  Indianapo- 
lis, December  31,  1863 ;  Alvin  Welsh,  died  on  hospital  steamer  August 
15,  1864. 

Twelfth  Cavalry. — Isaac  Beam,  died  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  July  3, 
1864;  John  H.  N.  Beck,  died  at  Edgefield  June  13,  1865;  W.  B.  Dor- 
rance,  died  at  New  York  Harbor  April  19,  1865 ;  Charles  Friend,  died 
at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  February  13,  1865 ;  Ira  Green,  died  at  Huntsville, 
Ala.,  July  24,  1864 ;  James  Garrison,  died  at  home  ;  John  S.  Gillman, 
died  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  July  22,  1864 ;  William  H.  Huntly,  died  at 
Indianapolis  August  5,  1864 ;  Erasmus  J.  Jones,  died  at  Vicksburg 
March  22,  1865 ;  Benjamin  0.  Jones,  died  at  New  Orleans  ;  Seth  P. 
Sherman,  died  at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  July  9,  1864  ;  Arza  B.  Spencer,  died 
at  Jeffersonville,  Ind.,  August  27,  1864 ;  Thomas  Welch,  died  at  Stark's 
Landing,  Ala.,  April  10,  1865. 

On  record^  hut  not  properly  assigned. — Thomas  Buchanan,  died 
June  13,  1862,  of  wounds  received  at  Shiloh. 

Popular  Feeling. — During  the  progress  of  the  war,  there  were  in 
Porter  County  as  in  every  other  part  of  the  country,  those  who  either 
were  froni  the  first,  or  who  afterward  became  disaffected.  There  were 
those  who  were  always  discouraged  and  engaged  in  discouraging  others, 
continually  predicting  disasters  and  the  ultimate  ruin  of  the  country. 
There  were  those  who  were  always  criticizing  the  conduct  of  the  war,  not 
making  allowances  for  the  fact  that  as  a  people,  we  were  unaccustomed 
to  warfare,  greatly  destitute  of  experienced  leaders,  and  that  the  work  to 
be  done  was  gigantic.  There  were  those  who  were  deeply  grieved  at  the 
proclamation  of  emancipation,  and  many  who  thought,  in  1863  and  1864, 
that  the  war  should  be  ended  and  peace  procured  at  any  price.  But  it  is 
to  be  said  to  the  credit  of  Porter  County,  that  her  citizens  never  thought 
of  making  resistance  to  the  power  of  the  Federal  Government ;  that  within 
her  borders  there  were  no  treasonable  organizations.  Nine-tenths  of  her 
citizens  would  at  any  time  have  joined  in  hearty  eff'orts  to  put  down  any 
treasonable  practices  or  attempts  in  their  own  midst.  Men,  indeed,  be- 
came bitter  in  their  feelings,  because  of  reckless  charges  made  against 
them  of  sympathy  with  secession,  charges  that  often  emanated  from  malice 
or  from  selfish  or  designing  purposes.  When  the  news  came  of  disaster, 
deep  was  the  feeling  of  sorrow  on  the  part  of  all.  If  there  were  any  who 
rejoiced,  and  it  has  been  charged  that  a  few  did  rejoice  at  the  tidings  of 
disaster,  it  was  in  secret.  The  power  of  party  prejudice  is  often  strongs 
and  whatever  may  have  been  seen  on  such  occasions  to  indicate  a  want 
of  sympathy   in  the  common  feeling  of  horror  at   the  defeats  of  which 


98  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

sometimes  there  was  news,  it  should  have  been  attributed  rather  to  gratifi- 
cation felt  that  their  own  predictions  and  forebodings  had  been  verified, 
rather  than  to  any  sentiments  of  disloyalty  to  their  country,  or  sympathy 
with  those  who  were  attempting  its  destruction.  It  was  the  feeling  that 
so  often  prompts  the  "  I  told  you  so,"  when  we  hear  of  calamities  of  any 
kind  which  we  have  predicted. 

When,  just  in  the  midst  of  the  intense  joy  that  was  felt  over  the  capt- 
ure of  Richmond  and  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Lee,  there  came  the  news  of 
the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln,  there  was  an  almost  universal  ex- 
pression of  horror.  An  incident  somewhat  remarkable  took  place  in 
Valparaiso  at  that  time.  F.  W.  Hunt  had  a  clerk  in  his  employ  who  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  voting  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  who  was  some- 
times accused  of  not  being  in  sympathy  with  the  prosecution  of  the  war. 
In  the  midst  of  the  excitement  caused  by  the  assassination,  and  when  the 
people  were  ripe  for  thoughtless  revenge,  the  assertion  was  made  by  some 
one,  that  he  had  heard  this  clerk  expressing  joy  at  the  death  of  Lincoln. 
Immediately,  without  any  inquiry  into  the  truth  of  the  charge,  the  report 
spread  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  for  a  time  the  life  of  the  young  man 
was  in  danger.  He  was  deeply  hurt,  soon  after  left  the  place,  and,  it  was 
said,  never  recovered  from  the  efiect  produced  upon  his  mind  by  the  afiair. 
Within  a  year  of  tt^e  time,  perhaps,  he  sank  disheartened  into  an  early 
grave,  having  returned  to  his  home  in  the  East.  In  the  mean  time,  his 
accuser  removed  to  the  far  West,  and  the  matter  had  almost  passed  from 
the  minds  of  men,  when  he,  being  upon  his  deathbed,  confessed,  with 
deep  repentance,  that  the  charge  which  had  cast  a  blight  upon  the  repu- 
tation of  another,  and  had  caused  his  life  to  wither,  had  been  an  inven- 
tion of  his  own,  not  planned  in  express  malice,  perhaps,  but  in  reckless- 
ness, and  in  the  desire  to  add  to  the  excitement,  and  to  bring  himself  into 
some  prominence  and  notoriety.  At  that  time,  public  meetings  were  held, 
the  usual  resolutions  were  adopted,  appropriate  sermons  were  preached  in 
the  various  churches,  and  the  appointed  fast  observed  with  due  solemnity. 
At  length  the  cruel  war  was  over,  and  Johnny  came  marching  home,  and 
nearly  every  Johnny  had  friends  to  give  him  a  glad  welcome.  Tlie  men 
who  had  been  over  Dixie  from  the  Island  No.  10  to  Galveston,  following 
Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea,  or  fighting  "mit  Sigel  "  on  the  Rappa- 
hannock, made  the  grateful  change  from  the  wild  trade  of  warfare  to  the 
tamer  pursuits  of  peace  in  agriculture  or  trade,  and  by  industry  and 
thrift,  have  helped  to  build  up  the  nation's  wealth  with  their  own.  The 
record  of  Porter  County  during  the  war,  whether  as  to  the  number  and 
the  valor  of  her  troops  in  the  field,  or  the  lo3^alty  and  liberality  of  her 
citizens  who  remained  at  home,  is  an  honorable  one.  To  the  women  of 
Porter  County  not   less   than  to   the  men,  praise  is   due  for  the  loyal 


HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY.  101 

spirit  that  prevailed  and  the  earnest  efforts  that  were  made  to  succor  the 
wounded,  and  minister  to  the  wants  of  the  suffering  heroes  of  the  county. 
Since  the  close  of  the  war,  there  have  been  occasional  re-unions  at  Val- 
paraiso which  have  called  forth  the  battle-scarred  veterans  to  recount  their 
adventures  in  camp  and  prison  and  conflict,  and  to  laugh  over  their  an- 
cient jests  retold.  On  these  occasions,  the  citizens  have  taken  pleasure 
in  furnishing  the  needed  refreshments,  not  only  for  the  soldiers,  but  for 
their  families.  For  Johnny  is  now  not  so  much  of  a  son  and  lover  as  he 
is  husband  and  father.  The  boys,  many  of  them,  are  turning  gray-beards, 
and  after  the  saving  of  the  nation,  are  now  helping  to  develop  and  con- 
trol it.  They  are  the  Road  Supervisors,  School  Directors  and  Town- 
ship Trustees.  Some  of  them  have  held  county  oflSces.  Some  are  in 
the  employ  of  the  General  Government  in  various  departments.  At 
least  two  of  them  write  M.  C.  after  their  names,  and  more  of  them  would 
be  willing  to.  Nor  has  the  national  custom  of  honoring  the  heroic 
dead  by  annual  visits  to  the  local  cemetery  been  forgotten.  Large 
numbers  of  the  people  assemble  for  these  rites,  and  leave  upon  the  graves 
of  deceased  soldiers  coronals  and  bouquets  of  evergreens  and  such  flowers  as 
this  northern  latitude  produces  on  the  30th  of  May.  No  effort,  however, 
has  been  made  to  perpetuate  or  develop  the  warlike  spirit  in  this  commu- 
nity by  military  organizations.  There  has  not  been,  since  the  war,  a 
military  company  or  battalion  or  squad  in  the  county,  and  hence  neither 
drill  nor  encampment,  nor  parades.  But  the  spirit  of  patriotism  that 
abides  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  is  strengthened  by  the  remembrance  of 
the  treasure  and  blood  which  our  country  and  her  institutions  have  cost. 
May  God  grant  us  perpetual  and  honorable  peace,  and  bring  in  the  day 
when  swords  shall  be  beaten  into  plow  shares  and  spears  into  pruning 
hooks,  and  the  nations  learn  war  no  more.     Amen. 


102  HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 


CHAPTEK  IV. 

BY    REV.    ROBERT    BEER. 

Physical    Description— Minerals— Early    Settlement     of    Centre 
Township— Indian    Incidents— Statistics— Industrial    Pursuits— 

FLINTVILLE- PORTERVILLE   AND   PORTERSVILLE— THE  LAND  COMPANY 

—Porter  County  Seat— The  Public  Square— First  and  Subse- 
quent Houses— Merchandising  and  Manufacturing— Professional 
AND  Business  Men— General  Growth  of  Valparaiso— Secret 
Organizations— Incorporation— The  Woman's  Temperance  Cru- 
sade—Public AND  Private  Educational  Enterprises— The  Nor- 
mal—Religious Record— Concluding  Anecdotes. 

THE  Main  Branch  of  the  stream  known  as  Crooked  Creek, 
which  empties  into  the  Kankakee,  and  is  one  of  the  few  consider- 
able streams  in  the  county,  has  its  origin  at  the  southeastern  part  of  Flint 
Lake,  running  in  a  southeast  direction  to  the  Washington  Township 
line.  Another  stream  rises  near  the  southwest  corner  of  Section  3,  runs 
in  a  northwest  direction  through  Section  4  to  the  extreme  northwest  cor- 
ner of  the  township,  and  presently  empties  into  Salt  Creek,  in  Portage 
Township.  Upon  this  creek  Henry's  Mill  is  located.  The  northern 
branch  of  Salt  Creek  also  rises  in  this  township,  having  its  origin  near  to 
Round  Lake  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Section  13,  runs  in  a  southeastern 
direction  through  Sections  24,  19  and  30,  when  it  barely  cuts  the  line  of 
Washington  Township,  on  the  Starr  farm,  whence  it  runs  in  a  south- 
westerly and  westerly  direction,  through  Section  30  to  Section  25,  whence, 
after  leaving  Sager's  Pond,  it  runs  in  a  northwesterly  direction  to  its 
junction  with  the  main  branch,  thus  making  at  least  two-thirds  the  circuit 
of  Valparaiso.  On  this  branch  is  Sager's  Mill,  having  one  of  the  best 
water-powers  in  the  county.  The  other  branch,  which  rises  in  the  south- 
western corner  of  Washington  Township,  and  makes  a  circuit  of  about 
three  miles  through  Morgan  Township,  enters  Centre  Township  at  the 
southwest  corner  of  Section  36,  runs  in  a  northwesterly  direction  through 
Sections  35  and  26  to  the  junction  near  the  southwestern  corner  of  Val- 
paraiso, whence  the  united  stream  runs  in  a  northwesterly  direction 
to  the  line  of  Union  Township.  On  this  main  stream,  at  a  distance  of 
three  miles  northwest  from  Valparaiso,  is  McConkey's  Mill. 

Round  Lake,  with  a  reef  of  pond  lilies  surrounding  its  deeper  parts, 
is  a  small  but  deep  and  clear  body  of  water,  as  nearly  circular  as  possible, 
from  which  feature  its  name  is  derived.  It  is  one  of  those  lakes  whose 
depth,  according  to  the  belief  of  all  the  small  boys  and  of  some  men,  has 


VALPARAISO    AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  103 

never  been  measured.  It  is  nearly  two  and  a  half  miles  northwest  of 
Valparaiso,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Chesterton  road.  Flint  Lake,  the 
most  considerable  body  of  water  in  the  township,  is  a  little  more  than 
three  miles  in  a  northeasterly  direction  from  Valparaiso ;  is  nearly  circu- 
lar in  shape ;  is  about  forty  feet  in  depth,  and  is  depended  upon  as  the 
future  source  of  water  supply  for  Valparaiso,  its  water  being  very  pure 
and  free  from  all  mineral  substances.  It  covers  an  area  of  nearly  200 
acres,  abounds  in  black  bass  of  the  large-mouthed  variety,  and  in  fine 
speckled  bass  and  perch,  and  is  a  great  resort  for  boating  and  fishing.  Long 
Lake,  so  named  from  its  shape,  extending  from  north  to  south,  is  north 
and  west  of  Flint  Lake,  into  which  it  empties  its  waters  by  a  connecting 
ditch.  It  covers  nearly  the  same  area  as  Flint  Lake,  but  is  of  less  depth. 
About  one-third  of  it  lies  in  Liberty  Township. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Salt  Creek  are  peat  bogs  of  considerable 
extent.  In  general,  the  water  which  percolates  through  these  bogs  is 
strongly  impregnated  with  iron,  and  underlying  them  in  many  places  are 
considerable  layers  of  bog  ore.  There  are  also  occasional  deposits  of 
pyrites  of  iron,  and  various  kinds  of  iron  ore  in  the  hills  about  Valparaiso, 
and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  find  clays  highly  colored  with  oxide  of 
iron.  These  are  the  only  minerals  of  importance  in  the  township  so  far 
as  known. 

An  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  at  boring  for  petroleum  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Valparaiso  about  the  year  1861:.  The  signs  of  iron  ore 
are  so  abundant  as  to  lead  to  the  conjecture  that  at  some  not  very  distant 
day  that  substance  may  be  found  in  such  quantities  as  to  warrant  the 
establishment  of  smelting  works  at  Valparaiso.  No  use  has  been  found 
for  the  peat,  as  it  is  not  of  such  quality  as  to  render  its  use  for  fuel 
economical.  There  are  also  deposits  of  marl  in  the  Salt  Creek  Valley, 
and  it  is  said  that  it  was  once  used  in  the  township  for  the  production  of 
lime.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Flint  Lake  are  cranberry  marshes,  but  not 
of  great  extent.  From  Valparaiso  to  the  northeast,  Morgan  Prairie,  a 
sandy  loam,  lies  south  of  the  La  Porte  road,  with  the  "  thick  timber  "  to 
the  north  of  it,  and  from  Valparaiso  to  the  southwest.  Horse  Prairie,  a 
rich  mold  with  subsoil  of  blue  clay,  extends  along  the  south  side  of  the 
Hebron  road,  while  on  the  north  of  it  are  clay  knobs  with  oak  timber. 
Originally,  about  three-fourths  of  the  township  was  covered  with  timber. 
Around  Valparaiso,  to  the  south  and  southwest,  and  to  the  northwest,  are 
hills  and  ravines.  From  the  high  grounds  to  the  north  of  the  city,  the 
valley  of  the  Salt  Creek  presents  a  prospect  of  rare  beauty,  while  from  a 
point  on  the  farm  of  James  Fulton,  about  four  and  one-half  miles  north- 
west from  Valparaiso,  may  be  seen,  on  a  clear  day,  the  sand  hills  which 
skirt  Lake  Michigan.     Going  west  from  Valparaiso  on  the  Joliet  road, 


104  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

the  soil  is  of  alternate  sand  and  clay,  while  to  the  north  of  Valparaiso, 
the  soil  is  largely  a  stiff  clay.  The  original  forests  were  chiefly  of  the 
different  varieties  of  oak,  white  predominating,  though  there  were  also  con- 
siderable quantities  of  hard  and  soft  maple,  beech,  black  walnut,  butternut, 
hickory,  basswood,  white  ash  and  several  varieties  of  the  elm.  Wild  flowers 
are  found  in  abundance  from  early  spring  till  after  the  heavy  frosts  of 
autumn.  In  the  lakes,  there  is  an  abundance  of  the  white  pond  lily,  and 
it  would  take  a  botanist  to  name  all  the  flowers  of  wood  and  marsh  and 
field,  from  the  modest  violet  of  the  springtime,  to  the  glorious  golden  rod 
of  September.  The  prairie  soils  of  the  township  are  well  adapted  both 
to  grains  and  grass,  while  the  clay  soils,  with  proper  drainage  and  culture, 
will  well  repay  the  husbandman,  either  for  dairy  purposes  or  crops.  The 
larger  fruits  have  proved  very  uncertain,  failing  more  frequently  than  they 
succeed.  Grapes  have  not  ripened  well  for  several  years  past.  Black- 
berries are  liable  to  suffer  from  severe  winters,  while  raspberries  more 
frequently  succeed.  The  strawberry  is  here  on  its  native  heath,  and  is 
not  only  productive  but  of  excellent  quality.  Several  attempts  have  been 
made  to  cultivate  the  cranberry  on  our  marshes,  but  without  success, 
while  the  native  marshes  yielding  that  fruit  have  been  more  profitable 
than  any  equal  quantity  of  farming  lands.  The  cultivation  of  the  potato 
and  other  esculent  roots  has  generally  been  profitable.  All  the  ordinary 
domestic  animals  and  poultry  of  the  Northern  States  do  well  here.  The 
black  and  fox  and  red  squirrels,  which  were  once  abundant,  have  almost 
disappeared.  Gophers  are  found  in  considerable,  but  not  in  annoying 
numbers.  Ground  hogs  are  still  sufficiently  numerous  to  foretell  the 
speedy  coming  or  delay  of  spring,  for  such  as  care  to  or  can  observe. 
From  the  earliest  settlement  of  the  township  until  within  two  or  three 
years,  wild  turkeys. have  annually  been  killed  in  its  northern  parts.  From 
the  sand  hills  of  Lake  Michigan  to  the  "  islands"  of  the  Kankakee  was 
the  original  paradise  of  the  wild  deer,  nor  had  they  entirely  disappeared 
from  the  northern  part  of  the  township  until  within  the  last  twenty  years. 
Centre  Township  is  six  miles  north  and  south  by  five  miles  east  and 
west,  being  four  miles  in  width  on  the  east  side  of  Town  35,  Range  6,  and 
one  mile  in  width  from  the  west  side  of  Town  35,  Range  5.  It  was  or- 
ganized by  the  first  Board  of  County  Commissioners  at  their  first  session, 
which  was  held  April  12  and  13,  1836,  and  was  so  named  from  its  geo- 
graphical position,  the  round  house  of  the  P.  Ft.  W.  &  C.  R.  R.,  at  Val- 
paraiso, which  is  about  a  half  mile  south  of  the  center  of  the  township, 
being  as  near  as  may  be  the  center  of  the  county.  The  first  white  set- 
tlers in  this  region  found,  on  the  west  side  of  the  southeast  quarter  of 
Section  19,  Range  5,  a  little  north  of  the  La  Porte  road,  a  small  Indian 
village  of  perhaps  a  dozen  lodges,  which  was  called   Chiqua's  town,  from 


VALPARAISO    AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  105 

an  Indian  who  had  been  a  chief  of  a  remnant  of  the  Pottawatomies,  the 
former  owners  of  the  soil,  but  who  had  been  degraded  from  his  chieftain- 
ship after  a  big  drunk  in  which  he  had  participated,  and  during  which 
his  cabin  had  taken  fire  and  his  wife  had  been  burned  to  death.  He  was, 
however,  still  regarded  as  a  man  of  some  importance  in  his  band.  These 
Indians  were  not  permanent  residents  of  the  village,  but  often  absented  them- 
selves to  spend  a  considerable  time  in  their  favorite  hunting  and  fishing 
grounds  on  the  Kankakee.  For  a  few  years  after  the  first  settlement  of 
the  township,  they  would  occasionally  return  to  that  spot  and  spend  the 
time  in  feasting  and  dancing,  dog  meat  being  their  favorite  dish.  G.  W. 
Bartholomew  once  told  the  writer  of  an  invitation  he  had  to  one  of  these 
feasts  on  fat  dog  at  some  place  not  far  from  the  Kankakee.  An  Indian 
named  Wap-muk  had  aimed  and  fired  off  his  gun  in  such  a  way  as  to  take 
ofi"  the  top  of  the  head  of  another  brave.  Of  course,  according  to  the  In- 
dian law,  the  life  of  the  slayer  was  forfeited,  but  the  matter  was  compro- 
mised by  his  paying  to  the  widow  the  estimated  value  of  the  dead  Indian. 
This  was  the  more  feasible,  from  the  fact  that  the  deceased  had  been  a 
drunken  and  worthless  fellow,  and  hence,  judged  to  be  worth  little  either 
to  his  family  or  the  band.  This  happy  ending  of  a  deplorable  affair  was 
celebrated  by  killing  the  fatted  dog  and  an  invitation  to  young  Barthol- 
omew to  participate. 

The  pioneers,  in  selecting  their  claims  previous  to  the  Government 
survey  and  the  land  sale,  took  their  course  from  Door  Prairie  westward 
along  the  line  which  divided  the  thick  timber  from  the  prairie,  so  as  to 
have  the  advantages  offered  by  each,  and  the  last  comer  built  his  cabin 
just  a  little  beyond  that  of  the  previous  one.  In  the  fall  of  1833,  this 
border  land  of  wood  and  prairie,  had  been  claimed  to  the  very  eastern 
edge  of  Centre  Township.  Adam  S.  Campbell,  with  his  family,  having 
come  from  the  State  of  New  York,  it  was  their  hap  to  light  upon  the  last 
piece  of  unoccupied  land  in  Washington  Township,  lying  upon  that  highly- 
favored  line  of  wood  and  prairie.  This  was  in  May,  1833.  His  son,  Samuel 
A.  Campbell,  now  resides  at  the  same  place.  There  were,  at  that  time, 
no  settlers  in  Centre  Township. 

Shortly  after  Mr.  Campbell  had  set  his  stakes,  there  came  a  man 
named  Seth  Hull,  who  passed  over  the  invisible  boundary  into  Centre 
Township,  made  his  claim  on  the  site  of  Chiqua's  Town,  where  is  now  the 
residence  of  the  venerable  Judge  Jesse  Johnson,  and  built  himself  a  cabin 
there.  He  did  not  remain  long,  however,  but  it  is  said  went  farther  West 
into  Illinois,  having  sold  his  claim,  to  Selah  Wallace,  who  became  the 
purchaser  of  the  tract  at  the  land  sale  in  1835.  He  was,  however,  the 
first  white  settler  of  the  township.  In  the  fjill  and  winter  of  1833,  Thomas 
A.  E.   Campbell,  a  young  man,  and  the  nephew  of  Adam  S.  Campbell, 


106  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

made  a  claim  and  built  a  house  between  Wallace's  and  A.  S.  Campbell's. 
He  never  perfected  this  claim,  but  went  back  soon  after  making  it  to 
Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  and  did  not  return  to  this  county  till  1885. 
From  that  time,  however,  until  his  death,  a  few  years  since,  he  resided 
continually  in  the  township  and  was  the  recipient  of  numerous  honors  at 
the  hands  of  the  citizens  of  the  county.  After  his  return,  he  soon  pur- 
chased of  Philander  A.  Paine  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  23,  where 
he  made  his  home  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  and  where  his  widow 
now  resides.  Selah  Wallace's  father  made  a  claim  on  what  is  now  the 
S.  S.  Skinner  farm  and  about  one  mile  east  of  Valparaiso,  and  came 
there  in  the  spring  of  1834  to  live.  He  was  the  fourth  resident  of 
the  township.  In  1834,  a  man  named  Nise  settled  on  the  northwest  quar- 
ter of  Section  24,  and  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  northeast  from  the 
public  square  in  Valparaiso,  but  either  sold  his  claim  or  abandoned  it. 
Theodore  Jones  made  a  claim,  and  occupied  it,  on  the  southwest  quarter  of 
Section  19,  just  west  of  the  elder  Wallace's  place.  This  was  in  1834. 
His  brother  Levi  kept  bachelor's  hall  w^ith  him.  They  stayed  about  a 
year.  Isaac  Morgan  made  the  first  improvement  on  that  land.  A  man 
named  Paine,  the  father  of  Philander  A.  Paine,  in  1834  or  1835,  located 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Joliet  bridge  over  Salt  Creek,  built  a  log  cabin  and 
commenced  building  a  saw-mill,  which  was  never  completed,  though  logs 
had  been  hauled  from  a  considerable  distance  to  be  sawed.  He  also  sold 
to  T.  A.  E.  Campbell.  Charles  Minnick  located  on  the  northeast  quar- 
ter of  Section  24,  after  its  abandonment  by  Nise.  He  obtained  the  east 
half  of  that  quarter  on  easy  terms.  At  the  sale  of  lands  in  1835,  he  had 
not  the  money  to  purchase  his  claim,  but  a  man  named  Walker,  who  was 
interested  in  the  location  of  the  county  seat,  in  consideration  of  the  sur- 
render of  the  west  half  of  his  claim,  gave  him  the  money  to  buy  the  east 
half.  This  Minnick  was  a  Dutchman,  and  was  subsequently  Sheriff  of 
the  county.  During  his  term,  the  Hon.  Gustavus  A.  Everts,  of  La  Porte, 
frequently  had  business  as  an  attorney  in  the  Porter  County  Courts. 
The  name  was  more  than  a  mouthful  for  the  Sheriff,  who  always,  at  the 
court  house  door,  called  for  him  as  G-ustavivus  A.  Everts !  Samuel 
Shigley,  in  1835  or  1836,  built  a  saw-mill  on  the  site  now  occupied  by 
William  Sager  as  a  flouring  mill ;  that  is  to  say,  on  Salt  Creek,  one  mile 
south  of  Valparaiso.  When  Adam  S.  Campbell  was  on  his  way  to  the 
West,  he  was  met  in  Elkhart  County  by  a  wandering  and  eccentric  char- 
acter, known  as  "  Bee  hunter  Clark,"  who  advised  him  to  locate  where  he 
did.  This  Bee-hunter  Clark  did  himself  locate  in  1834,  in  the  extreme 
northwest  part  of  the  township,  at  the  present  site  of  Henry's  Mills. 
Benjamin  McCarty  located  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  22,  on  the 
Joliet  road,  in  1834. 


VALPARAISO    AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  107 

Mr.  C.  A.  Ballard  built  a  house  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section 
25,  near  a  spring  and  stream,  on  grounds  now  belonging  to  W.  C.  Tal- 
cott.  This  was  not  earlier  than  1834  or  1835.  The  place  was  just 
south  of  the  land  afterward  laid  out  as  Portersville.  Ruel  Starr  settled 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  township  in  1834,  and  resided  in  or  near  the 
township  till  his  death  in  1875,  received  honors  from  the  people,  and 
acquired  a  considerable  estate.  Alanson  Finney  settled  west  of  Starr's 
place  in  1835.  Henry  Stoner,  Abraham  Stoner  and  a  man  named  Bil- 
lups  came  in   1835,  and  settled  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  township. 

The  first  election  held  in  the  township  was  in  February,  1836,  for 
county  oflScers.  The  next  election  was  held  at  the  residence  of  C.  A. 
Ballard,  April  3,  1836,  for  one  Justice  of  the  Peace.  At  this  election, 
thirteen  votes  were  cast,  and  Ruel  Starr,  G.  Z.  Salyer  and  John  McCon- 
nell  being  candidates,  the  first-named  received  nine  votes  and  was 
elected.  May  28  of  the  same  year  and  at  the  same  place,  G.  Z.  Salyer 
received  eight  votes  for  Justice  of  the  Peace  out  of  a  total  of  fifteen.  In 
August,  1836,  at  C.  A.  Ballard's,  thirty-three  votes  were  cast  for  State 
Senator.  On  the  7th  of  November,  1836,  at  the  Presidential  election, 
out  of  105  votes  polled,  Harrison  received  fifty-nine  and  Van  Buren 
forty-five.  That  was  held  at  the  house  of  William  Walker  in  Portersville. 
August  7,  1837,  at  the  State  election  which  was  held  in  the  court  house, 
David  Wallace  received  101  votes  for  Governor  out  of  a  total  of  126. 
April  2,  1838,  the  following  township  officers  were  elected:  Constables — 
J.  W.  Wright,  I.  Allen,  H.  G.  Hollister ;  Inspector,  G.  W.  Salisbury; 
Supervisor  of  Roads,  William  Eaton ;  Overseers  of  Poor,  Charles  G. 
Minnick,  Robert  Wallace ;  Fence  Viewers,  Thomas  Butler,  William 
Bingham.  At  the  State  election,  August  3,  1839,  Tighlman  A.  How- 
ard received  ninety-two  votes  out  of  a  total  of  166  for  member  of  Con- 
gress. August  3,  1840,  Samuel  Bigger  received  102  for  Governor 
against  100  for  Tighlman  A.  Howard.  Henry  S.  Lane  received  103  for 
Member  of  Congress,  while  for  State  Secretary,  Sylvanus  Everts  received 
100  against  101  for  Charles  W.  Cathcart.  August  22  of  the  same  year, 
at  an  election  for  Associate  Judge,  there  were  158  votes  cast,  and  the 
result  was  a  tie  between  John  Herr  and  Peter  D.  Cline.  November  2, 
1840,  out  of  287  votes  for  President,  Harrison  received  149 ;  Van  Buren, 
137.  November,  1844,  for  President,  Polk  and  Dallas,  fifty-seven ;  Clay 
and  Frelinghuysen,  sixty-two;  Birney  and  Morris  none,  though  a  few 
votes  were  cast  in  the  county  for  the  Abolition  candidates.  August  4, 
1845,  for  Member  of  Congress,  Samuel  C.  Sample,  sixty-four;  Charles  W. 
Cathcart,  seventy-one.  For  Representative,  Aaron  Lytle  received  sixty- 
six,  Alexander  McDonald,  seventy.  August,  1846,  for  Governor,  James 
Whitcomb,    seventy-seven ;    Joseph    G.    Marshall,     eighty-three.      State 


108  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

election,  1847  :  For  Member  of  Congress,   D.    D.  Pratt,  seventy-two  ; 
C.  W.  Cathcart,  ninety-five. 

From  the  first,  the  people  of  the  township  devoted  themselves  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  lived  in  a  very  plain  way,  as  they  still  do,  and  were 
fairly  prosperous  in  temporal  affairs.  The  monotony  of  farm  life  was 
varied  by  an  occasional  visit  to  the  county  seat,  especially  on  show  or 
election  days,  and  frequently  the  question  was  decided  as  to  which  of  two 
was  the  better  man  by  seeing  which  could  stand  the  most  punishment  with- 
out crying  "Enough."  The  wheat,  as  it  was  threshed,  was  hauled  to 
Michigan  City,  and  the  farmers  had  to  be  satisfied  to  receive  no  more 
than  50  cents  for  it  there.  Corn  was  generally  fed,  as  it  did  not  pay  to 
bring  it  to  market.  As  late  as  1860-61,  corn  sold  in  Valparaiso  for  15 
cents  a  bushel,  the  pay  being  in  currency,  worth  on  an  average  about  85 
cents  on  the  dollar.  Pork  sometimes  brought  no  more  than  ^1.50  per 
hundred. 

At  an  early  period,  wild  game  was  abundant,  such  as  deer,  wild  tur- 
keys, grouse,  quail,  squirrels,  and  the  salt  pork  of  the  settler  was  relieved 
by  frequent  feasts  procured  by  the  rifle  or  shot-gun  from  the  forest  or 
prairie.  At  a  certain  dancing  party  held  in  a  country  cabin,  an  immense 
dish  of  squirrels  was  the  chief  attraction  at  supper.  Frequent  reference 
to  a  bottle  of  corn-juice  had  rendered  host  and  guests  less  squeamish 
than  usual,  so  that  an  accident  by  which  the  dish  was  upset  on  the 
puncheon  floor  proved  to  be  only  a  momentary  interruption,  but  a  subse- 
quent deposit  in  it  of  guano  by  the  poultry  roosting  overhead  proved  to 
be  more  than  they  could  stand,  and  supper  was  forthwith  ended  in  dis- 
gust. Disorders,  however,  were  rare,  for  the  population  was  for  the  most 
part  moral  and  industrious  and  not  given  to  spreeing  or  riotous  proceed- 
ings of  any  kind.  The  inhabitants  were  at  the  first  generally  natives  of 
the  United  States,  being  from  more  southerly  portions  of  Indiana,  from 
Athens  and  Wayne  Counties  in  Ohio,  from  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and 
from  Virginia.  Until  mills  were  erected  in  the  township  or  county,  the 
people  resorted  to  Union  Mills,  La  Porte  County,  for  flour,  and  for 
some  time  received  their  groceries,  iron  and  merchandise  generally  from 
Michigan  City. 

The  first  birth  in  the  township  is  uncertain.  The  first  marriage  was 
that  of  Richard  Henthorne  and  Jane  Spurlock,  May  5,  1836,  by  Cyrus 
Spurlock,  who  was  a  Methodist  minister  and  also  Recorder  of  the  county. 
The  marriage  of  William  Eaton  to  Susannah  Ault,  by  Elijah  Casteel,  on 
June  4,  1836,  was  probably  in  Portersville,  this  township,  and  the  mar- 
riage of  Rev.  W.  K.  Talbott  to  Sinai  Ann  McConnell,  on  July  13,  1836, 
was  doubtless  in  Centre  Township.  Of  the  first  death  and  burial  within 
the  limits  of  the  township,   no   authentic  public  records  have  been  kept, 


VALPARAISO    AND    CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  109 

and  the  recollection  of  the  early  settlers  is  indistinct.  It  is  thought  that 
a  number  of  infants  or  very  young  children  had  passed  away  before  the 
death  of  any  adult.  The  first  woman  of  whose  death  we  have  any  cer- 
tain account  was  the  mother  of  John  N.  and  S.  S.  Skinner,  well  known 
in  the  political  and  business  history  of  the  county.  Her  death  occurred 
in  April,  1839.  She  was  buried  on  the  slope  just  above  the  Valparaiso 
Paper  Mill,  whence  her  remains  were  removed  some  years  since  to  the 
cemetery.  Solomon  Cheney,  who  came  to  Portersville  in  the  winter  of 
1836-37,  died  in  November,  1839.  His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by 
Elder  Comer,  and  his  remains  were  interred  on  the  west  side  of  the  hill 
in  the  old  cemetery,  the  original  ground  of  which  was  donated  by  the 
Cheney  family  for  a  burial  place.  His  sister,  the  wife  of  John  Herr, 
died  a  few  weeks  afterward  in  January^  1840.  Her  funeral  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  James  C.  Brown,  and  she  Avas  buried  near  her  brother. 

There  is  of  course  great  similarity  in  all  the  pioneer  history  of  the 
West  during  the  same  period.  There  were  the  same  log-rollings,  house- 
raisings  and  amusements  that  prevailed  in  the  other  new  settlements,  and 
diversified  with  occasional  indulgence  in  distilled  spirits  and  personal  ren- 
counters, resulting  in  disfigured  features,  though  the  residents  of  Centre 
Township  have  borne  a  reputation  for  peacefulness  even  in  those  days. 
No  serious  alarms  were  experienced  from  the  presence  of  the  Indians, 
though  they  were  not  very  agreeable  neighbors.  No  such  encounters 
with  bears  and  wolves  as  one  reads  of  in  the  lives  of  Boone  and  Crockett 
took  place  here,  though  the  old  hunters  of  that  day  could  entertain  you 
by  the  hour  with  their  tales  of  the  pursuit  of  deer.  The  barking  of  the 
prairie  wolf  was  a  familiar  sound,  but  carried  with  it  no  alarm,  save  for 
the  safety  of  the  pigs  and  calves. 

The  new-comers  had  followed  from  La  Porte  County  the  Indian  trail 
to  the  southwest,  which  skirted  the  border  land  before  spoken  of.  Where 
Door  Village  is  in  that  county,  there  is  an  opening  between  forests  on 
the  north  and  orroves  of  timber  to  the  south,  giving  it  some  resemblance 
to  a  door  or  gate  between  that  portion  of  the  prairie  on  the  east  and  that 
on  the  west  of  it.  Whatever  may  have  been  the  Indian  name  of  it,  the 
gap  received  the  French  appellation  of  La  Porte,  which  was  given  also 
to  the  prairie,  and  afterward  to  the  county.  The  names  of  village  and 
prairie  have  been  anglicized,  and  are  now  called  Door.  Through  that 
gap  poured  the  stream  of  emigration  following  the  path  before  marked  out 
by  the  red  men  to  where  Valparaiso  now  is.  At  this  point,  the  trail  con- 
tinued to  the  west  across  Salt  Creek  in  the  direction  of  Joliet,  while 
another  diverfred  to  the  northwest,  running  in  the  direction  of  Fort  Dear- 
born.  Along  the  high  lands  between  Crooked  Creek  and  Sandy  Hook, 
there  had  doubtless  been  from  immemorial  times  a  trail  from  Lake  Mich- 


110  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

igan  and  the  head-waters  of  the  Calumet  to  the  Kankakee.  This  ran 
either  through  or  just  east  of  the  site  of  Valparaiso.  It  is  said  that 
the  intrepid  La  Salle  200  years  ago  passed  northward  over  this  trail  when 
returning  weary  and  disheartened  from  his  expedition  down  the- Kanka- 
kee. These  oboriginal  engineers  were  wise  in  marking  out  the  paths  by 
which  their  white  successors  were  to  go,  but  the  wagon  roads  overlying 
these  paths  have  not  done  much  honor  to  the  present  possessors  of  the 
soil,  since  both  for  want  of  material  for  improving  the  highways  and  the 
desultory  and  reckless  employment  of  means  for  that  purpose,  their  con- 
dition has  been  such  as  to  reflect  no  credit  upon  the  people  of  the  town- 
ship. The  building  of  a  plank  road  from  Valparaiso  to  Michigan  City 
by  a  company  organized  for  that  purpose  (1850-53),  and  a  present 
attempt  to  improve  the  streets  of  Valparaiso  by  overlaying  them  with 
gravel,  being  the  only  efi'orts  at  bettering  the  public  highways  worthy  of 
mention,  since  the  organization  of  the  township.  There  being  no  rivers 
or  large  streams  in  the  township,  the  building  of  bridges  has  been  an  insig- 
nificant item  in  the  construction  of  roadways,  and  this  leads  to  the  re- 
mark that  the  2;reat  water-shed  between  the  Mississippi  system  and  that 
of  the  great  lakes,  passing,  as  it  does,  through  this  township  southward  to 
the  west  of  Long  Lake,  and  thence  southeasterly,  making  a  circuit  through 
Washington  and  Morgan  around  the  coarse  of  Salt  Creek,  and  re-entering 
Centre  Township  at  its  southwest  corner,  is  a  very  sure  protection  of  this 
region  against  any  serious  devastations  by  floods.  We  read  of  farms  and 
cities  and  whole  valleys  being  inundated,  and  of  bridges  and  houses 
and  crops  being  swept  away  by  swelling  floods,  but  here  the  people  can 
sit  in  quiet  security  while  torrents  descend  from  the  skies,  assured  that  the 
floods  cannot  overflow  them. 

The  writer  has  never  heard  of  any  country  taverns  kept  at  an  early 
day  along  the  lines  of  travel  for  the  shelter  and  refreshment  of  wayfarers. 
Doubtless,  the  latch-string  of  the  settler  was  "  out  "  for  the  hungry,  weary 
or  belated,  and  the  rude  cabin,  or  more  comfortable  home,  afibrded  the 
accommodation  which  there  was  no  wayside  inn  to  give.  The  only  public 
houses  of  the  township  have  been  in  Valparaiso,  and  will  be  spoken  of 
further  on. 

The  first  attempt  at  the  erection  of  a  saw-mill  has  been  spoken  of.  A 
little  later,  a  mill  was  put  up  and  run  for  several  years  for  carding  wool 
by  a  man  named  Kinsey,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Valparaiso, 
just  below  the  hill  that  skirts  the  valley  of  Salt  Creek.  The  water  flowed 
from  a  large  spring,  and  was  carried  through  a  hollow  beech  log  to  an 
overshot  wheel  of  great  diameter.  Attached  to  this  power,  was  also  a 
pair  of  bulirs,  said  to  have  been  about  the  size  of  a  half  bushel  measure, 
which  were  used  for  grinding  both  wheat  and  corn.     On  Salt  Creek,  half 


VALPARAISO    AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP,  111 

a  mile  above  Sager's  mill,  Jacob  Axe  a  little  later  erected  a  carding-mill, 
which  was  used  for  several  years.     In  1841,  William   Cheney  built  the 
flouring-mill  now  owned  by  William  Sager.     This  subsequently  came  into 
the  possession  of  M.  B.  Crosby.     Since  coming  into  Mr.  Sager's  possession, 
it  was,  in  1864,  greatly  enlarged  and  improved.     Subsequently,  there 
was  built   the   flouring-mill   owned  since  1866  by   William   McConkey, 
formerly  Eglin's  mill.     In  1852,  William  Cheney  and  Truman  Freeman 
built  a  small  flouring-mill  just  south  of  the  corporate  limits  of  Valparaiso. 
The  power  is  furnished  for  the  most  part  by  springs  flowing  from  beneath 
the  bench  of  land  that  skirts  the  southeastern  and  southern  sides  of  the 
city.     This  mill  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  present  owner  in  1861.     In 
1855,   Samuel  Haas  and  M.  B.   Crosby  built  a  steam  flouring  and  saw 
mill  within  the  limits  of  Valparaiso,  on  the  present  site  of  Kellogg  Broth- 
ers' machine  shops.     Its  cost  was  $15,000.     On  the  7th  of  June,  1861, 
S.  P.  Bobbins  and  a  Mr.   Cronin,  of  Chicago,  having  become  interested 
in  it,  it  was  burned  with  all  its  contents,  involving  the  owners  in  heavy 
loss.     The  timber  of  the  county  being  nearly  all  north  of  Valparaiso,  we 
must  look  in  that  direction  for  its  manufacture.     There  being  no  water- 
power  north  of  Valparaiso,  a  steam  saw-mill  was  put  up  at  Flint  Lake, 
at  a  date  now  uncertain,  by  a  man  named  Allen.     It  was  subsequently 
owned  by  Capt.   Hixon,  and  was  sold  by  him  to  Aaron  Lytle,  and  after- 
ward owned  by  the  latter  and  his  son  Bichard  W.     It  was  bought  by  T. 
A.  Hogan  about  1861.     It  had   two  twenty-eight-foot  boilers,  forty-four 
inches  in  diameter.     In  1863,  the  end  of  one  of  these  boilers  blew  out, 
and  the  boiler  was  lifted  up  bodily  and  carried  a  distance  of  twenty-five 
rods  into  the  marsh  at  the  lower  end  of  Flint  Lake.     In  1867,  the  mill 
was  sold  to  Bichard  W.  Lytle,  and  afterward  the  boiler  was  removed  to 
the  paper  mill  then  being  erected  in  Valparaiso.     The  date  of  the  erection 
of  Mr.  Henry's  mills,  in  the  extreme  northwest  corner  of  the  township,  is 
unknown  to  the  writer.     About  1878,  John  McQuiston  built  a  saw-mill 
at    Flintville^    which    was    burned    in    1881.     In    connection    with    the 
steam  saw-mill  at  Flint  Lake,  Daniel  Depew,  agent  for  certain  parties 
living  at  Sycamore,  111.,  carried  on  for  a  number  of  years  quite  an  exten- 
sive stave  factory.     All  the  timber  available  for  such  uses  having  been 
consumed,  the  work  was  abandoned  about  1867.     J.   G.   Updyke,  after 
the  completion  of  the  Peninsular  Bailroad,  built  a  saw-mill  near  the  depot 
of  that  road,  which,  after  being  operated  for  a  few  years,  was  removed  to 
Section  8,  in  Washington  Township.     The  first  tannery  in  the  township 
was  built  by  a  Mr.  Hatch  in  1843,  south  of  the  corporate  limits  of  Val- 
paraiso at  the  time.     Afterward,  a  small  tannery  was  carried  by  John 
Marks  south  of  the  present  line  of  the  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Bailroad, 
and  just  east  of  Franklin  street.     About  1860,  a  Mr.  -Gerber  built  a 


112  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Steam  tannery  on  grounds  south  of  the  Fort  Wayne  Railroad,  and  on  the 
east  side  of  Washington  street.  In  1865,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of 
George  Powell  and  John  Wark,  and,  in  1868,  into  the  hands  of  William 
Powell  and  John  Wark.  In  1871,  Wark  sold  to  Powell.  In  1874,  it 
was  burned  to  the  ground,  and  the  tanning  business  ceased  in  Centre 
Township  and  Valparaiso  to  this  day. 

The  population  of  the  township,  including  Valparaiso,  was,  in  1850, 
1,012;  in  1860,  it  was  2,745;  in  1870,  it  was  4,159;  in  1880,  it  was 
5,957.  The  population  of  the  township,  outside  of  Valparaiso,  was,  at 
these  several  decades,  492,  1,055,  1,394,  1,497.  The  foreign  born  popu- 
lation in  the  whole  township,  in  1870,  was  872.  Of  these,  272  resided 
outside  of  Valparaiso.  They  are  chiefly  from  Germany  (more  especially 
from  Schleswig-Holstein),  Ireland  and  Canada.  Among  the  latter,  are 
quite  a  number  of  Canadian  French.  The  census  reports  for  1880  not 
being  published  as  yet,  the  number  of  foreign  birth  cannot  be  given  here. 

Valparaiso. — It  is  seldom  that  a  county  having  its  resources  and 
population,  has  within  its  borders  so  few  villages  of  any  pretensions 
as  Porter  County,  Ind.  And  Centre  Township  has  from  the  first 
been  virtually  without  any  village  or  city  except  Valparaiso.  Flint- 
ville,  laid  out  in  1875  by  Wheeler  Goodman  et  al..,  near  Flint  Lake,  on 
the  west  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  Section  6,  Town  35,  Range  5 
west,  is  a  little  hamlet  having  a  few  residences,  a  blacksmith  and  wagon 
shop  and  a  small  saw  mill ;  while  Emmettsburg,  laid  out  by  S.  I.  Antho- 
ny and  T.  A.  E.  Campbell,  December  8,  1868,  is  merely  a  suburb  of  Val- 
paraiso. 

Some  towns  have  grown  up  where  they  are,  from  the  very  nature  of 
things.  A  water  power  or  a  crossing  of  roads  gives  rise  to  a  factory  or  a 
little  store,  and  by  gradual  accretion  there  comes  to  be  an  assemblage  of 
houses  and  an  increase  of  business  which,  at  length,  necessitates  the  lay- 
ing out  and  incorporation  of  a  village.  Other  towns  have  their  origin  in 
the  speculative  minds  of  men.  Thus  it  was  with  the  town  of  Portersville. 
In  the  early  settlement  of  this  State,  and  its  organization  into  counties, 
there  were  wide-awake  men  who  found  it  to  their  interest  to  be  on  hand 
at  these  organizations,  and  to  have  a  hand  in  the  location  of  the  county 
seats.  This  was  of  course  perfectly  legitimate,  if  pursued  without  cor- 
ruption. A  man  named  Benjamin  McCarty,  who  had  settled  on  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Hicks  place,  west  of  Valparaiso  on  the  Joliet  road, 
became  the  legal  owner  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  24,  in  Town 
85,  Range  6.  It  was  on  the  road  from  La  Porte  to  Fort  Dearborn  and 
Joliet,  and  at  the  point  where  that  road  forks,  in  order  to  reach  the  two 
places  named,  the  new  county  having  been  formed  with  the  territory  of 
Lake  attached,  but   with   the  understanding   that  that  was  soon  to  be  or- 


VALPARAISO    AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  113 

ganized  as  a  separate  county,  that  particular  quarter  section  belonging  to 
Mr.  McCarty  was  also  at  the  geographical  center  of  the  county,  as  it  was 
to  be.  It  appears  that  before  the  meeting  of  the  Commissioners  of  the 
new  county  in  June,  1836,  there  was  in  existence  the  Portersville  Land 
Company.  The  plat  of  the  town  of  Portersville  bears  date  July  7,  183fi, 
and  was  recorded  October  31,  1836.  It  consisted  of  forty-two  blocks, 
with  the  intervening  streets  and  intersecting  alleys,  bounded  on  the  south 
by  Water  street,  on  the  east  by  Morgan  street,  on  the  west  by  Outlets, 
15  to  20,  inclusive,  while  the  northern  limits  consist  of  Blocks  1  to  5, 
inclusive,  being  a  strip  of  four  rods  in  width  lying  north  of  Erie  street. 
How  the  Land  Company  had  its  origin  is  now  a  matter  of  conjecture.  Its 
members  were  J.  F.  D.  Lanier  (then  a  resident  of  Madison  in  this  State, 
but  afterward  a  distinguished  banker  and  financier  of  New  York  City, 
and  recently  deceased),  Benjamin  McCarty,  Enoch  McCarty,  John  Walk- 
er, William  Walker,  James  Laughlin,  John  Saylor  and  Abram  A.  Hall. 
Whether  the  other  members  of  the  company  bought  their  shares  from 
Benjamim  McCarty,  or  whether  they  were  a  gift  to  them  in  order  to 
secure  their  influence,  is  not  known.  There  were  three  other  sites  press- 
ing upon  the  Commissioners  their  several  advantages.  One  of  these  was 
at  Prattville ;  another  was  at  Flint  Lake,  in  which  the  Fletchers,  of  In- 
dianapolis, were  interested,  and  the  other  was  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest 
of  Valparaiso,  on  the  Chicago  road.  The  last  was  owned  by  W.  K.  Tal- 
bott,  with  others,  perhaps,  interested.  Mr.  Talbott  was  a  Presbyterian 
preacher,  a  school  teacher,  a  Freemason,  a  politician  and  something  of 
a  speculator.  There  was  not  a  house  in  the  town  of  Portersville,  and 
there  was,  therefore,  nothing  to  hinder  its  being  seen.  From  the  records 
of  the  Commissioners,  it  appears  that  their  dealings  were  with  the  Por- 
tersville Land  Company  and  not  with  the  legal  owner  of  the  land,  and 
that  company  was  able  to  show  a  fairly  handsome  site,  to  prove  that  their 
town  was  in  the  very  center  of  the  county,  and,  therefore,  most  conven- 
ient to  the  population  that  would  come  in  ;  and,  furthermore,  they  pro- 
posed to  give  to  the  county  Block  23,  and  ninety-six  lots  in  blocks  num- 
bered 11  to  35,  inclusive  ;  that  is,  half  the  lots  in  twenty- four  blocks. 
In  addition  to  this,  they  proposed  to  donate  to  the  county  $1,200  for  the 
erection  of  public  buildings.  There  is  no  evidence  that  they  paid,  or 
offered  to  pay,  anything  to  the  Commissioners,  personally,  or  even  that 
they  treated  them  to  brandy  or  cigars.  There  is  no  sign  of  corruption 
in  what  was  done,  but  everything  to  show  that  the  Commissioners  had  a 
single  eye  to  the  good  of  the  county.  It  is  evident  now  that  Portersville 
was  the  right  place  for  the  county  seat.  Only  this,  the  Land  Company 
was  fortunate  in  owning  the  right  piece  of  property.  This  munificent  offer 
having  been  accepted  by  the   Commissioners,  they  instructed  the  county 


114  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

agent,  Mr.  Samuel  Olinger,  to  receive  the  gift  in  behalf  of  the  county. 
The  whole  of  Block  23  (now  the  public  square),  was  given  to  the  seat  of 
justice  of  the  county.  As  it  is  expected  that  the  Commissioners  will  soon 
erect  a  new  court  house,  it  has  been  freely  suggested  that  it  would  be 
well  to  build  it  on  some  lot  facing  the  public  square,  and  that  that  should 
be  reserved  as  a  public  park.  In  view  of  this,  it  may  be  well  to  refer  here 
to  the  conditions  of  the  original  gift,  which  are  found  recorded  on  page 
101  in  Deed  Record  A,  in  the  Recorder's  ofSce  of  Porter  County,  and 
are  in  the  words  following,  viz.  : 

Therefore,  in  consideration  of  the  seat  of  justice  as  aforesaid  being  and  remaining 
permanently  fixed  as  located  by  said  Commissioners  at  or  near  the  southwest  quarter 
of  Section  24,  Township  35,  north  Range  6  west,  in  the  La  Porte  Land  District,  the  said 
Benjamin  McCarty  being  the  legal  owner  of  said  southwest  quarter  of  said  Section, 
have  by  virtue  of  said  location  and  in  consideration  of  the  county  seat  remaining  perma- 
nently fixed  upon  the  public  square,  as  laid  off  at  or  near  the  center  of  said  quarter 
section  and  the  public  buildings  erected  thereon,  have  granted,  donated  and  confirmed 
unto  the  said  Samuel  Olinger,  agent  appointed  agreeably  by  law  for  said  county,  and  to 
his  successors  in  oflBice,  block  or  square  No.  23,  in  the  town  of  Portersville,  county  and 
State  aforesaid,  as  the  public  square  and  seat  of  justice  for  said  county  of  Porter,  it  be- 
ing the  ground  chosen  by  the  said  Commissioners  for  the  county  seat  of  said  Porter 
County,  *  *  *  and  each  alternate  of  192  lots  laid  off  around  the  public  square,  and 
numbered,  etc. 

Who  was  the  first  to  obstruct  the  vision  of  the  beautiful  town  of  Por- 
tersville by  the  erection  of  a  house  ?  In  the  "  History  of  Valparaiso, 
by  a  Citizen,"  published  in  1876,  it  is  stated  that  as  soon  as  the  struggle 
between  the  rivals  for  the  county  seat  had  "  fairly  begun,  building  enter- 
prises began  in  the  east  town,  as  it  seemed  to  win  confidence  from  the 
the  start."  "In  the  spring" — evidently  meaning  the  spring  of  1836 — 
"  a  rough  board  structure  was  erected  by  Cyrus  Spurlock,  the  first  Re- 
corder of  the  county,  on  the  site  of  the  Academy  of  Music."  But  the 
testimony  of  the  old  settlers  seems  to  be  about  unanimous  that  at  the 
time  the  county  seat  was  located  there  was  not  a  building  of  any  kind 
within  the  limits  of  the  town  as  laid  off.  What's  the  odds  who  was  the 
very  first  to  set  a  stake  or  drive  a  nail  when  quite  a  number  began  to 
build  nearly  about  the  same  time?  that  is,  when  the  lots  had  been  offered 
for  sale  after  the  location  of  the  county  seat.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
summer  of  1886,  as  seems  most  probable,  the  work  of  building  began, 
and  went  forward,  not  as  it  now  does  in  an  oil  or  mining  town,  but  with 
considerable  enerory.  From  one  who  came  here  in  December,  1836,  and 
has  resided  here  ever  since,  the  writer  learns  that  he  saw  on  his  first 
arrival  these  buildings:  1.  A  one-story  frame  building  on  Lot  7,  Block 
28,  in  two  rooms,  built  by  William  Eaton,  who,  with  his  family,  occupied 
one  room,  while  the  other  was  taken  and  occupied  in  January,  1837,  by 
two  families,  aggregating   eleven   persons.     It  was   only  boarded  up   on 


VALPARAISO    AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  115 

the  outside.  2.  There  was  also  a  log  cabin  on  the  north  side  of  Main 
street,  on  Lot  7,  Block  20.  3.  On  Lot  3,  Block  27,  south  side  of  Me- 
chanic street,  was  a  log  house  occupied  by  Cyrus  Spurlock,  and  there, 
doubtless,  the  Recorder's  office  was  kept.  4.  There  was  also  a  frame 
building  on  the  site  of  the  Academy  of  Music,  where  two  sons  of  "  Bee- 
hunter  "  Clark  sold  notions  and  liquor.  5.  Dr.  Miller  Blachley  lived  on 
Main  street,  opposite  the  public  square,  on  the  west  side  of  Lot  No.  6, 
Block  18,  where  the  shoe  store  of  A.  J.  Pierce  &  Bro.  now  is.  6.  On 
(corner)  Lot  5,  same  block,  was  a  chair-maker,  a  single  man,  who  kept  a 
shop,  and  who  afterward  sold  to  a  man  named  Stotts.  7.  William  Wal- 
ker had  a  house  on  the  south  side  of  Monroe  street,  Block  31  (Talcott 
property),  in  which  Hatch,  the  tanner,  afterward  lived.  8.  John  Saylor 
had  a  house  where  Dillingham  Brothers'  store  now  is,  that  is,  on  Lot  7, 
Block  18,  opposite  the  court  house.  There  the  first  court  was  held  in 
October,  1836,  Judge  Samuel  C.  Sample  administering,  with  the  other 
officers  and  the  aid  of  a  grand  and  petit  jury,  such  justice  as  the  times 
called  for.  In  December  of  that  same  year,  the  courtly  Jeremiah  Hamell 
was  found  keeping  a  store  in  the  front  part  of  John  Saylor's  house  afore- 
said. Mr.  Saylor  lived  in  the  back  part  of  the  house,  and  sometimes 
entertained  travelers  there,  for  at  that  time  there  was  not  a  tavern  in  the 
place.  Mr.  Hamell  had  not  a  very  large  stock  of  goods  on  hand,  but  he 
could  not  have  been  more  affable  if  he  had  been  in  charge  of  Marshall 
Field  &  Co.'s  establishment.  A  lady  from  the  southern  part  of  the 
county,  then  young  and  fond  of  a  joke,  having  called  in  and  made  a 
purchase,  was  addressed  by  the  proprietor  with,  "  Madam,  is  there  any- 
thing more  I  can  show  you?"  "Mr.  Hamell,  I  think  I'll  just  take  the 
rest  of  your  stock  home  in  my  saddle-bags,  select  what  I  want  and  send 
the  balance  back."  No  man  was  a  more  important  figure  in  the  early 
history  of  the  county  than  Jeremiah  Hamell.  Energetic  in  business, 
pleasing  in  manners,  intelligent  in  public  affairs,  a  Whig  in  politics  and 
with  the  prospect  of  many  honors  before  nim,  respected,  honored,  beloved, 
he  passed  away  from  earth  in  early  manhood.  His  death  occurred  March 
14,  1846.  It  is  generally  believed  that  Mr.  Hamell  had  the  first  stock 
of  goods  in  the  place,  then  John  Bishop,  and  then  Dr.  Seneca  Ball, 
another  prominent  character  in  our  early  history.  He  came  from  La 
Porte,  put  up  the  frame  building  in  which  Mr.  Porter  now  lives  (south- 
west corner  Franklin  and  Jefferson),  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Main 
and  Franklin  streets.  In  the  front  part  of  that  he  kept  store  and  lived 
in  the  back  part  of  it.  The  goods  kept  by  these  merchants  and  those 
that  followed  them  for  a  good  many  years  were  varied  in  character — hats 
and  caps  for  men  and  boys,  ladies'  bonnets  and  ribbons,  calico,  broad- 
cloth, linsey-woolsey,  iron,  nails,  rakes,  hoes,  grain  cradles  and   sickles, 


116  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

tin  pans  and  iron  kettles,  blue  vitriol,  indigo,  madder,  saiFron,  annotto, 
logwood,  sulphur,  red  precipitate,  spices,  sugar,  coffee,  tea,  harness, 
buckles  and  black  strap.  When  their  goods  came  on  from  the  East, 
as  thej  did  twice  a  year,  they  had  a  "heap  of  nice  things  "  to  exhibit 
to  their  customers  and  tempt  them  to  extravagance.  The  list  of  store- 
keepers since  their  day  is  too  long  for  repetition.  Some  came  and  put 
out  their  flaring  show-bills  and  trumpeted  their  own  praises  for  a  little 
while  as  the  New  York  Store  or  the  Philadelphia  or  Boston  House, 
sold  their  goods  and  their  customers,  and  after  a  brief  season  of  noto- 
riety quietly  packed  up  their  goods  and  stole  away.  Others  came  to  stay, 
and  held  on  their  prosperous  way.  Abel  Isham  was  one  of  the  first  to 
engage  in  harness  and  saddlery  trade.  He  afterward  turned  his  attention 
to  books,  stationery,  etc.,  and  met  with  repeated  misfortunes,  his  stock 
and  building  burning  up,  without  insurance,  in  1866-67.  He  subse- 
quently built  the  brick  storeroom  now  occupied  by  Peirce's  shoe  store, 
and  in  his  old  age  is  shut  out  from  the  sight  of  day.  He  has  been  well 
known  and  honored.  After  him,  many  others  engaged  in  the  harness 
trade,  among  them  were  William  Mann,  the  Vanattas,  father  and  son, 
and  those  at  present  in  the  trade. 

About  1853,  John  Dunning  and  his  son  Warren  sold  stoves  and  tin- 
ware. Nearly  about  the  same  time,  Joseph  Whitmore  engaged  in  the 
same  biisiness,  and,  being  a  practical  tinner,  from  time  to  time  set  up  in 
the  trade  until,  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  his  family  became  scattered, 
and  he  departed  to  other  fields.  Joe  was  rather  a  peculiar  character ; 
goodhearted  and  industrious,  but  of  peculiar  notions,  and  somehow  fail- 
ing, like  many  a  worthy  man,  to  get  on  in  the  world.  Henry  Bickford 
was  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  about  1857  ;  was  succeeded  by 
Carpenter  &  Parke,  in  1859  ;  they  by  Carpenter  &  Febles,  in  1861 ; 
they  by  Hawkins  &  Freeman,  in  1862;  they  by  Hawkins  &  Cornell,  in 
1870 ;  Hawkins  &  Haste,  1871 ;  Hawkins,  Haste  &  Co.,  1874  ;  James 
B.  Hawkins,  1877.  Whitmore  &  Brewer,  in  the  same  business,  were 
succeeded  by  Hubbard  Hunt  in  November,  1859  ;  sold  to  Wilson  &  Fel- 
ton  in  1863 ;  afterward  William  Wilson.  G.  A.  Sayles  came  from  Ohio 
and  bought  into  a  small  stock  of  hardware  in  1855.  Being  a  prac- 
tical tinner,  has  had  as  partners  at  various  times  I.  D.  Marshall,  William 
Wilson,  Horace  Foot,  1858 ;  J.  C.  Pierce,  1866 ;  Robert  Jones,  1877 ; 
James  McFetrich,  1879. 

Of  dealers  in  drugs,  there  were  Joseph  Lomax,  about  1845-46  ; 
Lomax  &  Treat,  1848 ;  Lomax  sold  to  Treat  in  1849 ;  he  to  Porter, 
Porter  to  William  Harrison  ;  Bryant  &  Harrison,  spring  of  1851 ;  S. 
R.  Bryant  drew  out  in  the  fall  of  1851,  and  established  the  Old  Line 
Drug  Store,  and  continued  the  business  for  many  years.    Other  druggists 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  119 

have  been  Aaron  &  T.  G.  Lytic,  about  1853  or  1854;  Hiram  Loomis, 
about  1855  or  1856,  burned  out  a  second  time  January,  1866,  and 
retired  from  the  business.  Also  R.  A.  Cameron,  both  before  and  for  a 
short  time  after  the  war.  Others  have  been  Frank  Commerford,  Com- 
merford  k  Marshall,  W.  P.  Wilcox,  McCarthy  &  Dunham,  Rowley  & 
Son  and  Rowley  &  Letherman. 

Who  can  tell  who  was  the  first  shoemaker?  Let  him  rise  and  speak. 
The  first  shoe  store  was  kept  by  William  Wilson  ;  then  Wilson  &  Hawk- 
ins. There  have  been  many  others  since,  among  whom  were  C.  Bloch, 
E.  T.  Isbell,  Isbell  &  Kennedy,  Kennedy  &  Peirce,  George  Flake,  etc. 

The  manufacturers  and  dealers  in  fmrniture  have  been  N.  R.  Strong, 
in  1848  or  1849 ;  A.  Kellogj^;  &  Sons  eno-ajjed  in  the  manufacture  of 
cabinet  work  in  connection  with  their  foundry  and  machine  shops  about 
1857,  and  others  have  been  the  Le  Pells,  father  and  sons,  starting  about 
the  same  time  as  the  Kelloggs,  and  continuing  the  business  in  the  family 
to  this  day.  Samuel  Le  Baron,  furniture  and  agricultural  implements, 
1865  to  1867 ;  succeeded  by  J.  M.  McGill,  and  he  by  George  Babcock, 
agricultural  implements  only ;  C.  W.  Zorn,  furniture  and  repairing  and 
carriage  building  and  trimming. 

In  blacksmithing,  wagon-making  and  wooden  manufactures,  there 
have  been  the  following:  In  1889,  the  brothers  George  C,  A.  J,  and 
H.  M.  Buel,  commenced  blacksmithino;  and  waujon-makinor  on  Lot  2, 
Block  24.  James  M.  Buel  also  worked  in  the  wood  shop.  George  left 
the  business  after  a  few  years,  then  H.  M.  retired,  and  Andrew  Jackson 
Buel  continued. the  business  with  energy  and  success  till  his  lamentable 
sickness  and  death,  July  3,  1868.  He  was  a  most  estimable  citi- 
zen, and  for  many  years  an  earnest  Christian.  Jacob  Brewer  &  Bros, 
also  eniiaged  in  the  business  about  the  same  time  on  Main  street.  0th- 
ers  in  the  business  have  been  the  Barrys,  Thomas  and  Michael,  begin- 
ning work  with  Jackson  Buel,  but  going  into  it  for  themselves  in  1864, 
and  carrying  it  on  separately  since  1874.  They  have  carried  on  the 
trade  in  all  the  branches  of  blacksmithing,  horseshoeing,  making,  repair- 
ing wagons,  and  carriages,  etc.  Henry  Williams,  T.  B.  Lauderback, 
Thomas,  Lorenzo  Russell  and  Israel  Trahan,  Shrop,  Spry,  McGee,  have 
also  been  in  the  wagon-making;  business.  T.  A.  Hogan  has  at  various 
times  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wagon  stuffs,  bent  wagon  fel- 
loes, buggy  felloes,  shafts  and  poles,  plow  handles  and  beams,  sled 
timbers,  cheese  boxes,  etc. 

Daniel  White  and  one  of  the  Kellogg  boys  went  into  the  planing  busi- 
ness in  connection  with  the  old  foundry  about  1858.  Daniel  White  built 
shops  for  the  manufacture  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds  on  Main  and  Monroe 
streets  in  1864 ;  sold  to  Wasser  &  Vastbinder  in   1868,  who  have  been 

G 


120  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

succeeded  by  Alonzo  Smith,  A.  Freeman  and  John  D.  Wilson.  White, 
Hunt  &  Co.  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade  about  1866,  and  started  their 
planing  mill  in  1869  or  1870.  They  commenced  selling  hard  coal  in 
1870,  being  the  first  dealers  in  the  place.  Not  more  than  eight  or  ten 
car  loads  were  sold  the  first  year,  while  the  present  annual  trade  is  nearly 
4,000  tons.  W.  J.  Acker  &  Co.  established  a  lumber-yard  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  Mechanic  and  La  Fayette  streets,  now  on  the  southwest 
corner  of  Washington  and  Monroe,  and  the  firm.  Acker  &  Hoyt.  After 
the  building  of  the  Peninsular  railroad  (now  G.  T.)  a  man  named  Barrin- 
ger,  of  Michigan,  started  a  lumber  yard  at  that  depot ;  and  Messrs. 
White  &  Bell  are  keeping  one  at  the  same  place.  The  undertakers  have 
been  Strong,  Wilbraham,  the  Le  Pells  and  W.  Noel.  William  Quinn 
began  business  here  as  a  cooper  in  1856,  and  though  once  burned  out 
continues  in  the  trade,  and  is  alone  in  it,  though  numerous  other  establish- 
ments of  a  like  character  have  flourished  from  time  to  time,  chief  among 
them  having  been  the  Unruhs. 

The  first  brickyard  in  the  place  was  started  by  John  Saylor  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  Outlot  No.  1.  Others  have  been  carried  on  at  the 
present  site  of  the  paper  mill  at  Round  Lake,  south  of  Crosby's  Mill, 
and  on  either  side  of  the  road  leading  to  Sager's  Mill,  by  Moses  Frazier, 
Charles  Briggs,  A.  W.  Lytle,  Mr.  Bhymer,  Dickover  &  Weaver,  Char- 
tier  &  Dumas,  the  Durands  and  others.  The  present  production  is  about 
4,000,000.  A  brewery  was  started  about  twenty  years  ago,  now  owned 
by  Korn  &  Junker,  and  producing  over  2,000  barrels  per  annum.  An- 
other was  carried  on  for  some  time  on  the  present  site  of  the  gas  works, 
but  came  to  an  end  about  1865.  Cigars  have  been  manufactured  here 
for  many  years  by  Bernhard  Rothermel,  Urbahns  and  H.  C.  Kruyer. 
The  production  is  small.  Mr.  Rothermel  is  also  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture and  bottling  of  soda  water.  Market  gardening  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  small  fruits  have  been  carried  on  for  the  supply  of  the  local  demand 
and  for  the  Chicago  market.  N.  R.  Strong,  Nahum  Cross,  George  Por- 
ter, Wells,  Dodd,  Myers,  De  Hart,  Brown  and  numerous  others  have 
followed  it  with  more  or  less  success.  An  attempt  was  made  by  Mr.  N. 
R.  Strong  to  produce  grape  wines  during  the  war,  and  for  some  time 
thereafter.  Though  a  very  fair  wine  was  made,  the  enterprise  did  not 
result  favorably.  Mr.  Strong  went  to  California,  and  the  enterprise  has 
been  virtually  abandoned. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Holabird,  about  1871,  began  the  manufacture  of  shooting 
suits,  and  a  year  or  two  afterward  established  the  enterprise  here.  His 
suits  attained  a  wide  notoriety,  and  the  sales  became  large.  His  health 
required  him  to  engage  in  other  pursuits,  and  the  business  is  now  in  the 
hands  of  Upthegrove  &    McLellan,   who  employ  on  an  average  fifteen 


VALPARAISO,  AND    CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  121 

hands,  and  have  a  large  trade.  The  Valparaiso  Paper  Mill  was  built  in 
1867.  Capital,  $20,000.  Makes  straw  wrappers.  Consumes  1,000 
tons  of  straw  per  annum,  and  produces  700  to  800  tons  of  paper,  worth 
P0,000  to  $40,000.  Monthly  pay-roll,  $550.  Don  A.  Salyer,  pro- 
prietor. 

The  Valparaiso  Woolen  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized  in 
1866,  with  a  capital  of  $60,000.  A  good  building  was  erected  and  ex- 
cellent machinery  procured.  The  enterprise  started  the  following  year. 
Julia  A.  Powell,  George  and  William  Powell,  A.  V.  Bartholomew,  Hollis 
R.  Skinner  and  others  were  stockholders.  It  was  a  bad  time  to  begin. 
Building  and  machinery  were  very  expensive,  prices  were  from  that  time 
until  about  four  years  ago  on  the  down  grade,  the  water  at  the  mill 
was  not  suitable,  and  these  things,  with  other  causes,  combined  to  render 
the  enterprise  unprofitable.  The  Powells  subsequently  became  possessors 
of  all  the  stock  of  the  campany  at  a  low  figure.  The  goods  manufactured 
had  been  common  knitting  yarns,  jeans,  flannels  and  occasionally  blankets 
and  other  fabrics.  In  1872,  arrangements  were  made  with  three  brothers, 
Fontaine,  skillful  machinists  and  inventors,  for  the  establishment  of  the 
National  Pin  Factory,  in  place  of  the  woolen  works.  This  was  put  in 
operation  in  1872,  and  discontinued  in  1875,  the  Fontaines  having  made 
arrangements  for  the  formation  of  a  company  for  the  manufacture  of  pins 
in  Detroit.  In  the  meantime,  the  manufacture  of  yarns,  etc.,  had  been 
given  up  for  the  time,  and  the  manufacture  of  shoddy  was  introduced  in 
1873,  and  continued  till  1877,  under  the  management  of  H.  H.  Capa- 
magian,  a  native  of  Armenia,  in  Turkey,  and  a  man  of  energy  and  ca- 
pacity. In  the  year  last  named,  he  removed  to  Chicago,  and  had  just 
perfected  ingenious  machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  shoddy  when  be 
came  to  a  sudden,  untimely  end  by  being  caught  in  the  machinery  of  his 
mill.  The  present  machinery  was  put  in  the  woolen  mills  in  1876,  and 
the  works  started  anew,  under  the  efficient  superintendence  of  J.  D.  Par- 
tello.  Germantown  yarns  were  made  almost  exclusively,  until  1881, 
when  the  knitting  of  hosiery  was  added,  and  in  May,  1882,  a  branch  of 
the  knitting  department  was  started  at  Chicago,  where  employment  is 
given  to  100  hands.  The  present  firm  consists  George  W.  Powell  and 
William  Powell  ;  value  of  buildings  and  machinery,  $60,000  ;  annual 
products  $250,000  ;  500,000  pounds  of  wool  are  consumed  yearly  ;  250 
hands  employed  in  all ;  monthly  pay-roll,  $3,700.  The  principal  market 
for  the  manufactured  goods  is  Chicago. 

Since  1868,  A.  W.  Lytle  has  been  engaged  in  putting  up  ice  for  the 
local  trade  at  Flint  and  Round  Lakes.  Product,  1,200  tons  per  annum. 
Other  parties  put  up  ice  for  their  own  uses. 

Bakeries  have  been  carried  on  for  many  years  by  George  Franklin, 


122  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Mr.  Hutchinson,  Griswold  &  Frazier,  Alex  Greyson,  J.  S.  Lauderback, 
John  W.  Wood,  W.  G.  Wi.ndle,  C.  Fernekes,  Munger  &  Le  Claire  and  J.  R. 
Smith  &  Son.  The  production  is  large  for  the  population,  since  all  the 
boarding  houses  connected  with  the  Normal  College  use  baker's  bread. 

The  clock,  watch  and  jewelry  business  has  been  carried  on  by  H.  S. 
Isham,  now  of  Chicago  ;  Abellsham,  now  retired  and  infirm  ;  Aaron  Rog- 
ers, a  famous  hunter  of  snipe ;  W.  H.  Vail,  Lyman  Jones  (died  in  early 
manhood)  and  Messrs.  Budd  &  Bell.  As  to  the  dry  goods,  clothing  and 
grocery  trades  it  would  be  impossible  to  name  those  who  have  engaged  in 
them  from  time  to  time,  in  the  space  allotted.  The  fourth  store  kept  in 
the  place  was  probably  by  G.  Z.  Salyer  (deceased  since  1860),  and  the  fifth 
by  Mr.  C.  E.  De  Wolf,  who  used  to  live  where  Joseph  Gardner  now  resides, 
and  is  responsible  for  the  majestic  pines  that  surround  the  place.  He 
now  lives  in  Michigan  City.  He  is  a  wealthy  capitalist,  and  is  still  the 
owner  of  a  large  amount  of  land  in  this  county.  Other  dry  goods  mer- 
chants have  been  F.  W.  Hunt,  Bartholomew  &  McClelland,  H.  Dillenbeck, 
T.  T.  Maulsley,  Don  A.  Salyer,  Charles  Osgood,  Osgood  &  Berry, 
Quatermas?  Brothers,  Emerson  Quatermass  &  Company,  George  Quater- 
mass,  Joseph  Steinfield,  G.  Bloch,  G.  Silberberg,  Strauss  &  Joel,  L.  D. 
Bondey,  Max  Albe,  A.  V.  Bartholomew,  etc.  Tailoring  has  been  car- 
ried on  by  John  Herr,  0.  Dunham  and  many  others,  and  merchant  tail- 
oring by  Henry  Andrews,  Charles  McCloskey,  Robert  McNay,  David 
Maxfield,  the  Benham  Brothers  and  others,  as  well  as  by  leading  dry 
goods  firms. 

In  the  book  and  stationery  trade  have  been  Abel  Isham,  M.  A.  Salis- 
bury, E.  G.  Salisbury,  Cline  &  Sloane,  J.  N.  Sloane,  B.  F.  Perrine. 
Valparaiso  has  been  for  some  years  not  only  a  good  place  to  sell  books 
but  a  good  place  to  buy  them,  and  the  trade  has  been  very  heavy  for  the 
population.  A  prosperous  trade  has  also  been  carried  on  in  music  and 
musical  instruments  by  M.  A.  Salisbury,  W.  Huntington,  R.  A.  Heri- 
tage and  others.  When  the  first  band  was  started — who  knows  ?  But  in 
the  Porter  Democrat  of  October  14,  1858,  is  an  advertisement  of  the 
Valparaiso  Union  Band,  De  Motte  and  Salyer,  Conductors,  and  purpos- 
ing to  blow  music  out  of  $-500  worth  of  new  instruments,  for  conventions, 
political  meetings,  etc.  Surely  these  be  none  other  than  our  genial  Con- 
gressman and  our  substantial  manufacturer  of  paper. 

The  first  Postmaster  of  Portersville  was  Benjamin  McCarty,  and  for 
a  time  John  C.  Bull  was  his  Deputy.  There  was  some  dissatisfaction, 
growing  out  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  McCarty  did  not  reside  in  the  village, 
and  in  1839  T.  A.  E.  Campbell  was  appointed.  During  his  term,  the 
office  was  kept  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  court  house,  and  behind  that 
Mr.  Campbell  kept  bachelor's   hall.     He  was  at  the  same  time  Deputy 


VALrARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  123 

Clerk  of  the  Court  for  George  W.  Turner.  In  1841,  he  was  elected 
Treasurer  and  Collector  of  the  county,  and  G.  W.  Salisbury  was  appointed 
Postmaster,  and  held  the  oflfice  during  the  administrations  of  Harrison 
and  Tyler.  The  office  was  then  kept  in  his  house  on  the  south  side  of 
the  public  square.  From  1845  to  1849,  during  Polk's  administration, 
Joseph  Lomax  held  the  office,  and  it  was  kept  where  his  business  was, 
being  for  the  most  part  on  Main  street,  north  side,  and  west  of  Washing- 
ton. When  the  Whigs  again  came  into  power  in  1849,  G.  W.  Salisbury 
was  again  appointed,  and  held  the  office  for  a  time,  until  he  left  Valpa- 
raiso for  Oregon,  when  John  Dunning  was  appointed,  and  held  the  office 
till  the  accession  of  Franklin  Pierce  in  1853.  Then  S.  R.  Bryant  was 
appointed,  and  kept  the  office  through  the  administrations  of  both  Pierce 
and  Buchanan,  till  the  accession  of  Lincoln  in  1861.  M.  A.  Salisbury  was 
then  appointed,  and  held  the  office  till  the  fall  of  1866.  The  office  then 
"  Johnsonized,"  as  it  was  called,  and  J.  Beekman  Marshall,  now  of  Kan- 
sas, became  Postmaster  till  he  was  succeeded  by  C.  C.  S.  Keech,  on  the 
20th  of  April,  1867.  Mr.  Keech  held  the  office  for  a  very  short  time, 
but  was  a  most  efficient  officer,  giving  general  satisfaction.  He  had  not 
sufficient  influence  to  retain  the  position,  but  gracefully  yielded  it  on  the 
17th  of  June,  the  same  year,  to  Dr.  J.  F.  McCarthy.  On  the  24th  of 
April,  1882,  Dr.  McCarthy  yielded  the  place  to  Col.  I.  C.  B.  Suman, 
after  having  held  it  fourteen  years  and  eleven  months,  being  by  far  the 
longest  incumbency  since  the  establishment  of  the  office.  According  to 
the  tendency  in  the  postal  service,  many  improvements  took  place  during 
Dr.  McCarthy's  term.  In  the  increasing  duties  of  the  office,  he  was  ably 
assisted  by  Mrs.  McCarthy  and  by  J.  R.  Drapier.  Hon.  Jesse  Johnson 
received  the  first  letter  ever  delivered  at  the  Portersville  office.  The 
name  of  the  village  and  office  was  changed  in  the  winter  of  1837-38  to 
Valparaiso.  As  showing  how  the  business  has  increased  since  the  days 
when  Sl^  cents  postage  was  paid  on  a  single  letter  from  Madison,  Ind., 
to  this  place,  which  sum  was  prepaid  July  19,  1841,  by  Jesse  D.  Bright, 
on  a  letter  addressed  by  him  to  T.  A.  E.  Campbell,  concerning  the  com- 
pensation of  the  latter  for  taking  the  census  in  this  county  the  preceding 
year,  the  following  statistics  are  presented  :  The  amount  of  domestic 
and  foreign  money  orders  paid  at  the  Valparaiso  Post  Office  during  the 
year  ending  June  30,  1882,  was  §66,079.60;  number  of  money  orders 
issued  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1882,  domestic,  2,  379  ;  foreign,  92. 
During  the  same  year  the  receipts  for  the  sale  of  stamps,  stamped  enve- 
lopes, postal  cards,  etc.,  were  §10.308.18  ;  for  box  rent  for  same  period, 
§1,109  ;  registered  letters  sent,  1,102  ;  registered  letters  delivered,  2,573  ; 
registered  letters  in  transit,  64. 

Various  additions  of  territory  have  been  made  from  time  to  time  to 


124  HISTORY    OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

the  original  plat  of  the  village,  as  follows :  Original  town  laid  out  July  7, 
1836,  and  recorded  October  31  of  same  year.  1.  Haas's  Addition,  April  8, 
1854,  and  2,  Peirce's  Addition,  April  18,  1854,  the  former  consisting  of 
one  and  one-half  blocks  north  of  Outlot  20,  the  latter  the  same  amount  of 
land  north  of  Block  42,  original  survey.  3.  West  Valparaiso,  which  con- 
sists of  a  triangular  plat  of  ground,  bounded  on  the  east  by  Outlots  18  and 
19  (Mrs.  Hamell's),  on  the  north  by  Third  street,  and  on  the  south  by 
First  street  and  the  Joliet  road,  May  13,  1854.  4.  Woodhull's  Addi- 
tion, which  consists  of  thirty-six  blocks  of  land  lying  east  of  Outlots  1  to 

7,  original  survey,  x^pril  5,  1856.  5.  Smith's  iVddition,  bounded  on  the 
south  by  the  Fort  Wayne  Railroad,  west  by  the  old  cemetery,  north  by 
Woodhull's  Addition,  and  on  the  east  by  the  street  on  the  east  of  college 
grounds,  July  18, 1859.  6.  North  Valparaiso,  being  ten  blocks  bounded 
on  the  south  by  the  original  survey,  on  the  west  by  Calumet  street,  on 
the  north  by  Elm  street,  and  on  the  east  by  Valparaiso  street,  May  9, 
1859.  7.  Powell's  Addition,  bounded  on  the  north  by  lands  of  Skinner 
&  Beach,  east  by  Calumet  street,  south  by  original  survey  and  Haas's  & 
Peirce's  Addition,  and  on   the  west  by  Campbell's  farm,  July  28,  1860. 

8.  Institute  Addition,  three  blocks  north  of  Joliet  road,  and  west  of  Fort 
Wayne  Railroad,  March  30,  1864.  9.  Southwest  Valparaiso,  nine 
blocks,  and  six  lots  of  peat  marsh,  south  of  Fort  Wayne  depot  and  south- 
west of  woolen  factory,  November  2,  1864.  10.  First  addition  to  North 
Valparaiso,  twenty-eight  blocks  north  and  east  of  North  Valparaiso,  May 
10,  1869.  Other  additions  have  been  surveyed,  but  are  not  as  yet  included 
in  the  city  limits. 

The  report  of  population  in  1840  is  not  accessible  to  the  writer.  In 
1850,  it  was  520.  In  1860,  1,690.  In  1870,  2,760.  In  1880,  4,460, 
or  about  nine  times  what  it  was  in  1850.  If  the  increase  should  be  in  the 
same  ratio  in  the  future,  the  population  in  1910  would  be  over  35,000. 

The  small  number  of  stores  in  1836  to  1839  have  increased  to  a  mul- 
titude, and  stocks  of  goods  that  could  almost  be  loaded  on  a  good-sized 
wagon  have  grown  to  a  value  of  $12,000  to  $20,000,  and  the  annual 
sales,  which  could  hardly  have  exceeded  $10,000  for  all  the  establish- 
ments during  the  first  year,  have  now  mounted  up  to  $60,000,  $90,000 
and  $100,000  for  single  firms.  Valparaiso  has,  at  this  time,  the  follow- 
ing business  houses  :  Li((uor  saloons,  eighteen  ;  cigars  and  confectionery, 
six ;  restaurants,  four ;  railroad  eating-houses,  two ;  groceries,  fourteen  ; 
bakeries,  five  ;  dry  goods,  clothing,  etc.,  nine  ;  varieties  and  notions,  one  ; 
trimmings  and  fancy  goods,  one;  millinery  and  fancy  goods,  five;  hard- 
ware, etc.,  four;  agricultural  implements,  two ;  books,  stationery,  etc., 
four;  leather  and  findings,  one;  lumber  yards,  three;  planing-raills,  two; 
foundries  and  machine  shops,  one;  brick  yards,  three;   woolen  manufac- 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  125 

tory  and  knitting  works,  one;  paper-mill,  one;  feed  stores,  three;  lime, 
etc.,  two;  cigar  manufactories,  two;  National  banks,  two;  banking 
houses,  one;  furniture,  three ;  undertakers,  two;  gunsmiths,  one;  hotels, 
six;  drugs,  etc.,  four;  jewelry,  three ;  boots  and  shoes,  seven;  merchant 
tailoring,  three;  hats,  caps,  etc.,  two. 

As  an  instance  of  the  prosperity  attending  business  even  in  hard 
times,  M.  S.  Harrold  came  to  Valparaiso  in  1864,  with  a  few  hundred 
dollars,  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade,  and  he  has  since  then  secured 
a  comfortable  competency  in  the  carrying-on  of  a  legitimate  business, 
while  the  firm  in  which  he  is  the  principal  partner  sells  annually  more 
than  ^90,000  in  groceries  and  ships  250  car  loads  of  grain. 

The  first  Blue  Lodge  of  Freemasons  was  constituted  about  1840  or 
1841.  The  charter  members  were  Jonathan  Griffin,  James  Luther,  Ruel 
Starr,  John  E.  Harris,  John  Curtis,  John  Wood,  Arthur  Buel,  Adam  S. 

Campbell,  W.  K.  Talbott  and  Cone.    After  a  few  years,  this  lodge 

(No.  49)  went  down  for  want  of  money  and  a  room  to  meet  in.  About  1850, 
George  C.  Buel,  Isaac  Bowman,  0.  I.  Skinner,  John  Wolf,  N.  S.  Fair- 
childs,  John  Woods,  John  E.  Harris,  Andrew  Hopp,  George  Z.  Salyer, 
were  charter  members  in  the  organization  of  Porter  Lodge.  Of  the  first 
lodge  organized  John  E.  Harris  was  W.  M.,  and  George  C.  Buel  W.  M. 
of  Porter  Lodge.  Since  the  organization,  the  order  has  been  very 
flourishing,  and  has  kept  itself  very  pure.  A  number  of  years  since  a 
Chapter  was  formed,  and  still  later  an  Encampment  of  Knights  Templar. 
The  Chapter  house  and  Encampment  occupy  the  upper  story  in  the  fine 
building  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Main  and  La  Fayette  streets. 

Che-queuk  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  was  instituted  December  2,  1848, 
the  charter  members  being  Joseph  Lomax,  E.  Ellis  Campbell,  Robert  G. 
Flint,  John  Dunning  and  William  Harrison.  The  officers  of  the  lodge 
at  its  organization  were  Joseph  Lomax,  N.  G.;  E.  Ellis  Campbell,  V.  G.; 
John  Dunning,  Secretary;  William  Harrison,  I.  C;  Robert  G.  Flint, 
Treasurer,  and  were  installed  by  the  Grand  Officers,  Col.  Hathaway,  G. 
M.,  Luther  Mann,  G.  C,  and  other  officiating  officers  from  La  Porte,  also 
Dr.  Dunning,  of  La  Fayette,  and  some  other  notables.  The  lodge  in- 
creased from  that  time  weekly  from  the  best  citizens.  Difficulty  was  ex- 
perienced in  finding  sufficient  lodge-room  until  a  brick  store  was  erected, 
where  Dr.  Edmonds'  store  now  stands,  the  third  floor  of  which  was  ob- 
tained and  occupied  until  it  burned  August  13,  1859,  with  all  the  lodge 
furniture  and  costly  regalia.  In  two  weeks  from  that  time  they  opened 
up  again  in  Hughart's  Hall  (now  William  Wilson's).  Before  the  rebellion 
broke  out,  the  lodge  had  been  established  on  a  solid  basis.  Most  of  the 
members  who  enlisted  had  their  dues  remitted,  and  the  charitable  dona- 
tions were  continued.     As  the  lodge  prospered,  it  contributed  to  the  relief 


126  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

of  the  sufferers  by  the  great  Chicago  fire,  and  later  to  sufferers  by  the 
Michigan  fires.  Obligations  have  been  kept  to  pay  all  sick  benefits,  to 
to  visit  the  sick,  bury  the  dead,  provide  for  the  orphan  and  the  widow, 
and  all  like  Christian  obligations.  This  year  (1882),  the  lodge  has  erected 
a  fine  hall  for  their  accommodation,  which  will,  in  a  short  time,  be  com- 
pleted and  furnished  for  occupancy.  The  lodge  is  flourishing,  and  new 
members  are  being  added  weekly.  Since  1860,  an  average  of  §200  per 
annum  has  been  paid  by  the  lodge  for  the  education  and  support  of  or- 
phans, the  relief  of  widows,  funerals  and  sick  benefits. 

The  Thousand  and  One  order  has  also  flourished  at  times  in  Valpa- 
raiso, and  has  numbered  among  its  members  leading  men  in  business,  and 
the  legal  and  other  professions.  It  is  said  that  the  initiations  have  been 
of  thrilling  interest.  The  meetings  have  usually  been  held  in  the  Acade- 
my of  Music. 

The  first  physicians  who  located  in  Valparaiso  were  Miller  Blachley, 
Seneca  Ball,  G.  W.  Salisbury,  Dr.  Robbins  and  Dr.  Kersey.  They  rep- 
resented various  schools  of  practice.  Since  that  time,  the  number  has 
been  great,  many  staying  long  enough  to  make  an  unsatisfactory  trial, 
and  others — charlatans — staying  long  enough  to  bleed  numerous  victims 
and  then  going  oS"  to  fresher  fields  and  newer  pastures.  Of  regular  phy- 
sicians, there  are  now  residing  here  Drs.  J.  H.  and  A.  P.  Letherman,  J. 
H.  Newland,  J.  F.  McCarthy,  H.  V.  Herriott,  H.  M.  Beer ;  of  eclectics, 
J.  H.  Ryan,  H.  C.  Coates  and  W.  A.  Yohn  ;  of  homoeopaths,  M.  F. 
Sayles  and  W.  0.  Cattron. 

Among  the  earlier  dentists,  the  one  who  stayed  longest  and  attained  the 
greatest  success  was  Dr.  George  Porter,  who  died  of  consumption  previous 
to  1870,  and  whose  family  still  reside  here.  There  was  also  Dr.  B.  M. 
Thomas,  a  skillful  practitioner  and  honorable  gentleman,  now  of  Santa 
Fe,  N.  M.  Dr.  Boyd  succeeded  him  in  practice,  and  has  but  lately  re- 
tired with  a  competency,  on  account  of  ill  health.  The  resident  dentists  at 
present  are  J.  H.  and  Mrs.  M.  E.  Edmonds  and  H.  D.  Newton. 

The  first  member  of  the  legal  profession  who  came  to  this  place  was 
Josiah  S.  Masters,  said  to  have  been  of  a  good  family  in  the  State  of  New 
York.  He  did  a  very  little  business  in  his  profession,  and  taught  the  first 
school  in  Portersville  in  a  house  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Mechanic  and 
Morgan  streets.  Samuel  I.  xlnthony  came  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  October,  1839.  Harlowe  S.  Orton,  now  of  Madison,  Wis.,  came  a 
little  before  that  time.  George  W.  Turner,  who  had  served  one  term  as 
Clerk  of  Court,  began  the  practice  of  law  probably  about  1845  or  1846, 
and  left  in  a  peculiar  manner  in  1856.  M.  M.  Fassett  and  John  W. 
Murphy  came  afterward.  M.  L.  De  Motte  came  early  in  1855.  T.  J. 
Merrifield  came  July  5,  1855.     C.  I.  Thompson  was  here  from  1859  to 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  127 

1865.  From  the  organization  of  the  court  in  1837  to  1855,  the  business 
was  largely  done  by  attorneys  from  South  Bend  and  La  Porte,  notably  by 
Joseph  L.  Jernegan,  Joseph  W.  Chapman,  John  B.  Niles,  John  H.  Brad- 
ley, James  Bradley,  Roberts  Merri field,  W.  0.  Hanna  and  others.  Joseph 
L.  Jernegan  was  the  first  prosecutor.  The  resident  attorneys  at  this  time 
are  Thomas  J.  Merrifield,  J.  M.  Howard,  A.  D.  Bartholomew,  Edgar  D. 
Crumpacker,  William  Johnson,  Thomas  McLoughlin,  John  E.  Cass,  W. 
E.  Pinney,  Hiram  A.  and  John  H.  Gillett,  John  W.  Rose,  J.  Hanford 
Skinner,  A.  L.  Jones,  M.  L.  De  Motte,  Frank  P.  Jones  and  Nelson  J. 
Bozarth. 

The  city  hall  was  put  up,  in  1878,  on  the  south  side  of  the  public 
square,  and  is  not  of  any  particular  order  of  architecture,  unless  it  be  the 
Hoosier.  The  city  bridewell  was  put  up  in  1881,  just  to  the  rear  of  the 
city  hall. 

Valparaiso  was  incorporated  as  a  village  by  special  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature in  1850.  The  Town  Council  usually  met  in  the  office  of  the  County 
Recorder.  It  consisted  of  six  persons,  and  elections  for  Councilmen  were 
held  annually.  No  business  of  great  moment  was  transacted  by  them. 
They  voted  away  the  money  of  the  people  sparingly,  and  undertook  no 
great  public  improvements.  They  had  no  bonded  debt  resting  upon  the 
town  when  it  became  a  city.  This  was  in  1865.  The  Fourth  of  July  was 
habitually  celebrated,  and  the  older  inhabitants  will  not  forget  the  mar- 
shaling of  the  processions  on  those  days.  Valparaiso  boasted  a  citizen 
who  in  form  and  spirit  was  designed  to  wear  the  marshal's  sash  and  ride 
upon  a  charger.  He  has  since  become  the  most  noted  of  Valparaiso's 
military  heroes.  It  was  he  who  headed  the  preachers,  the  Sunday 
schools  and  citizens  as  they  filed  into  the  public  square  to  the  sound  of 
the  old  iron  cannon  to  eat  the  Fourth  of  July  dinner  and  listen  to  the 
reading  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  and  the  annual  oration.  In 
1880,  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  established  a  city  office 
in  addition  to  those  at  the  depots.  The  Bell  Telephone  Company  estab- 
lished an  office  and  commenced  business  here  in  1882.  F.  W.  &  H. 
Hunt,  after  carrying  on  the  dry  goods  business  from  the  fall  of  1846,  be- 
gan banking  in  1855.  They  dissolved  partnership  in  1856,  and  the 
business  has  since  been  carried  on  by  F.  W.  Hunt. 

The  articles  of  association  of  the  First  National  Bank  were  signed 
May  20,  1863,  with  twenty-one  stockholders.  Levi  A.  Cass,  Jr.,  A.  V. 
Bartholomew,  W.  C.  Talcott,  S.  W.  Smith,  B.  F.  Schenck,  Joseph 
Peirce  and  Thomas  S.  Stanfield  were  elected  Directors  July  15,  1863. 
Levi  A.  Cass,  President,  and  M.  L.  McClelland,  Cashier.  Capital,  $50,- 
000.  Issue,  §45,000.  First  did  business  on  ttie  east  side  of  Washington 
street,  where  express  office  now  is.     Surplus,  July  1,  1877,  §13,606.76, 


128  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

after  having  paid  10  per  cent  dividends  yearly.  The  first  loan  was  made 
December  12,  18G3,  and  first  certificate  of  deposit  issued  to  Mrs.  Mary 
E.  Brown  November  30,  1863.  B.  F.  Schenck,  President,  January  12, 
1864,  to  July  1,  1834;  then  L.  A.  Cass  to  January  12,  1869  ;  then  S. 
S.  Skinner  to  January  16,  1878,  when  D.  F.  L.  Skinner  was  elected. 
M.  L.  McClelland  was  Cashier  till  March,  1881.  In  1866,  C.  V.  Culver, 
of  New  York,  owner  of  100  shares,  and  with  whose  house  the  bank  kept 
its  Eastern  balances,  being  in  the  oil  speculation,  failed.  The  100  shares 
of  stock  were  purchased  of  the  Third  National  Bank  of  New  York  at  $80 
per  share,  and  sold  to  William  Powell  for  $120.50  per  share.  With  $4,000 
profit  on  this  transaction,  the  stockholders  had  no  reason  to  feel  bad 
over  the  failure.  The  bank  went  into  voluntary  liquidation  May  29, 
1882,  and  was  immediately  succeeded  by  the  new  First  National  Bank 
with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  Removed  to  present  building  on  the  south 
third  of  Lot  2,  Block  4,  in  the  fall  of  1874. 

The  Farmers'  National  Bank  of  Valparaiso  was  organized  in  Novem- 
ber, 1878,  to  succeed  the  private  bank  of  Joseph  Gardner,  and  com- 
menced business  February  1,  1879,  with  a  capital  of  $50,000.  The 
Board  of  Directors  first  elected  and  serving  at  present  are  Joseph 
Gardner,  A.  V.  Bartholomew,  W.  P.  Wilcox,  J.  M.  Felton  and  Joseph  R. 
Hill,  who  represent  nine-tenths  of  the  capital  stock  of  the  bank.  The 
deposits  of  the  bank  at  its  commencement  as  a  National  Bank  were  about 
$70,000.  Since  February  1,  1879,  they  have  gradually  increased  until 
at  the  present  date  they  are  $230,000.  The  average  deposits  of  the  bank 
are  $200,000.  It  has  paid  semi-annual  dividends  of  6  per  cent  since  its 
commencement,  and  has  accumulated  a  surplus  fund  at  present  of  $14,- 
300.  The  capital  was  increased  May,  1882,  to  $70,000.  The  bank  at 
present  has  a  capital  and  surplus  fund  of  about  $85,000.  Joseph  Gard- 
ner, President ;  G.  F.  Bartholomew,  Cashier. 

Under  a  general  act  of  the  Legislature  which  permitted  towns  of  2,000 
population  or  over  to  put  on  city  airs,  an  enumeration  was  had  in  the  fall 
of  that  year,  and  the  necessary  population  was  found,  or  declared  to  be. 
By  a  vote  of  the  citizens  Valparaiso  became  a  city,  and  learned  how 
much  it  costs  to  put  on  style.  In  1866,  water  works  (so-called),  were  put 
up  with  some  help  from  the  county,  supplying  several  cisterns  and  occa- 
sionally a  fountain  (so-called)  in  the  public  square.  While  it  is  ridiculous 
to  call  these  water  zvorks,  the  people  could  hardly  get  along  without 
them.  The  same  year  the  city  incurred  a  debt  of  $50,000,  bearing  10 
per  cent  interest,  to  bring  the  Peninsular  Railway  here.  Grounds  for  a 
new  cemetery  were  purchased  in  1868,  more  than  two  miles  southeast 
from  the  court  house.  In  1870,  the  city  purchased  for  $10,000  the  build- 
ing and  grounds  of  the  Valparaiso  Collegiate  Institute,  the  procee<is  of 


VALPARAISO,  AND    CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  129 

which  were  distributed  among  the  stockholders.  Bonds  were  issued  for 
the  erection  of  a  school  building,  which  was  put  up  and  occupied  the  fol- 
lowing year.  The  building  presents  a  sightly  appearance  on  the  outside, 
but  for  the  purpose  it  is  used  for  is  faulty  in  design  and  construction. 
Thus  the  city  had  a  bonded  debt  of  more  than  .^70,000  upon  it.  Thomas 
J.  Merrifield  was  Mayor  of  the  city  from  its  organization  till  May,  1868. 
Then  Thomas  G.  Lytle  till  May,  1872.  He  was  succeeded  by  John  N. 
Skinner,  a  man  of  such  remarkable  mold  that  he  continued  to  preside 
over  the  destinies  of  the  city  till  his  death,  this  present  year,  1882,  just 
before  the  city  election,  he  being  then  a  candidate  for  re-election  for  a 
sixth  term,  and  was  twice  a  candidate  for  Congress  during  the  same  period. 
During  the  latter  year  of  his  first  term,  in  the  winter  of  1873-74,  occurred 
the  temperance  crusade  carried  on  by  the  ladies,  with  watching,  prayer, 
singing,  producing  intense  excitement  and  feeling  throughout  the  com- 
munity, and  attracting  no  little  attention  from  abroad.  Valparaiso  then 
had  eight  saloons.  It  has  eighteen  now ;  but  the  population  has  well 
nigh  doubled.  While  the  interest  was  at  its  height,  the  Mayor  issued  the 
followino:  : 

PROCLAMATION  ! 

Whereas,  For  several  days  last  past,  large  numbers  of  persons  have  been  engaged 
in  assembling  on  and  about  the  premises  of  citizens  pursuing  a  lawful  business,  and  re- 
maining on  said  premises  against  the  will  of  the  owners  thereof,  and  for  the  avowed  pur- 
pose of  interfering  with  their  business  ;  and 

Whereas,  Many  of  said  persons  declare  their  intention  of  persisting  in  such  conduct. 
Now,  therefore,  all  such  persons  so  assembling  and  remaining,  are  hereby  notified  that 
such  conduct  is  unlawful  and  against  the  ordinances  of  the  city  of  Valparaiso,  and  they 
are  admonished  as  good  citizens  to  desist  from  the  same,  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
authorities  of  said  city  and  of  all  law-abiding  citizens  in  the  interest  of  public  peace  and 
order,  to  enforce  the  said  ordinances  and  disperse  such  assemblages. 

Valparaiso,  February  2o,  1874.  John  N.  Skinner,  Mayor  of  Valparaiso. 

In  a  few  hours  after  the  appearance  of  the  proclamation,  the  ladies 
responded  with  the  following  manifesto,  which  was  posted  up  and  freely  dis- 
tributed upon  the  streets.  Both  documents  are  historic,  and  in  some 
houses  they  are  to  be  seen  hanging  up  framed  side  by  side. 

Why  do  the  Heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing?  The  Kings  of  the  Earth  set  them- 
selves, and  the  Rulers  take  counsel  together  against  the  Lord,  and  against  His  Anointed,  saying — Let  us 
break  their  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  corda  from  us.  He  that  sitteth  in  the  Heavens  shall  laugh  > 
the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision. — Psalm  2,  1-4. 

And  they  called  them,  and  commanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all,  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  But 
Peter  and  John  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you 
more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye. — Acts,  4,  18-19. 

We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men. — Acts,  5,  29. 

To  THE  Public. — In  the  temperance  movement  we  have  undertaken,  we  have  had 
no  purpose  to  violate  the  laws  of  the  State,  or  interfere  with  the  rights  of  any  citizen. 
We  have  malice  in  our  hearts  toward  none,  but  charity  toward  all.  We  believe  we  have 
the  right  to  persuade  men  to  cease  Irom  strong  drink,  and  to  plead  with  the  liquor  seller 
to  cease  from  his  traiEc.  Believing,  too,  that  God  has  called  us  to  the  high  duty  of  sav- 
ing our  fellow-men,  we  will  not  cease  to  pray  and  labor  to  this  end.     It  is  our  solemn 


130  HISTORY    OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

purpose,  with  love  in  our  hearts  to  God  and  man,  to  go  right  forward  in  the  work  we 
have  undertaken,  and  if  the  hand  of  violence  be  laid  upon  us,  we  make  our  humble  and 
confident  appeal  to  the  God  whom  we  serve,  and  to  the  laws  of  the  State,  whose  faithful 
citizens  we  are.  Mrs.  A.  V.  Bartholomew, 

Mrs.  L.  C.  Buckles, 
Mrs.  E.  Skinner, 
Mrs.  a.  Gurnet, 
Mrs.  E.  Ball, 

Executive  Committee. 
In  behalf  of  the  ladies  engaged  in  the  temperance  movement. 

The  succeeding  city  election  was  hotly  contested,  but  Mayor  Skinner 
was  re-elected.  At  the  end  of  William  Fox's  term  of  office  as  City  Treas- 
urer, 1872-74,  he  was  found  to  be  a  defaulter  to  a  considerable  amount. 
In  1876,  the  fire  department  of  the  city  was  organized,  and  there  are  now 
three  small  hand-engines  with  hose  carts  and  ladders,  one  of  the  fire  com- 
panies being  composed  of  Normal  students.  The  present  Mayor  of  the 
city  is  the  Hon.  Thomas  G.  Lytle. 

A  word  should  be  said  about  the  early  taverns  and  later  hotels  of  the 
place.  In  the  fall  of  1836,  Jimmy  Laughlin  had  built  the  frame  of  the 
building  now  used  by  Hans  Bornholdt  as  a  meat  market.  It  then  stood 
on  the  alley  opposite  the  court  house,  east  side  of  public  square.  John 
Herr  and  Solomon  Cheney  bought  and  finished  it,  and  kept  tavern  there 
from  the  spring  of  1837  till  the  fall  of  1838.  This  was  the  first  tavern 
in  the  place.  The  American  Eagle  House  was  built  at  the  southeast  cor- 
ner of  Main  and  Franklin,  by  Abraham  Hall,  beginning  in  1838.  In 
1839,  he  opened  a  tavern  there.  Herr  &  Cheney  had  kept  a  bar,  and 
had  some  raspberry  brandy  which  had  been  well  tested  by  the  La  Porte 
lawyers,  always  good  judges  of  things  spirituous,  and  had  been  pro- 
nounced good.  Abe  Hall  thought  he  must  have  some  of  the  same  when 
he  opened  out.  When  he  and  another  returned  from  Michigan  City  with 
the  first  load  for  his  bar,  they  having  already  well  partaken,  the  barrel  of 
raspberry  brandy  was  taken  from  the  wagon,  a  hole  bored  into  it  and  a 
portion  of  the  contents  removed.  A  high  (or  low)  time  followed,  and  the 
barrel  was  forgotten.  .  There  were  hogs  in  that  back  yard,  sleeping  in 
piles  of  shavings.  They  smelled  the  raspberry  brandy,  tasted  it  and  pro- 
nounced it  good.  Their  opinion  coincided  with  that  of  the  legal  gentle- 
men aforesaid.  After  midnight,  Herr  &  Cheney,  then  living  in  the  house 
built  by  John  Saylor,  were  awakened  by  strange  noises  from  Hall's  back 
yard,  and,  arising,  they  beheld  a  stranger  sight.  The  hogs  were  cavort- 
ing, acting  for  all  the  world  like  any  drunken  hogs,  only  they  were  more 
amusing  than  the  other  kind.  In  the  morning,  out  they  came  from  the 
tavern  with  a  tin  pail  for  a  fresh  supply.  The  writ  was  returned  non  est 
inventus.  The  barrel  was  empty  and  the  hogs  were  helplessly  drunk  and 
sick,  and  had  nothing  to  taper  ofi"  on.     For  awhile,  the  air  was  blue.    In 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  131 

that  house  subsequently  David  Oaks  kept  hotel,  greatly  improving  the 
building.  Then  came  John  Dunning  and  others.  There  Austin  R. 
Gould  first  kept  public  house  in  Valparaiso.  In  1845,  Elizabeth  Har- 
rison (from  East  Tennessee)  built  a  tavern  where  the  Central  House  now 
stands,  the  property  now  belonging  to  her  descendants,  and  enlarged  it 
in  1849.  About  1855,  A.  R.  Gould  moved  into  it  from  the  American 
Eagle,  and  kept  it  continuously  till  his  death  a  few  years  ago,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  his  estimable  widow  until  the  building  was  taken  down 
in  1880.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gould  became  favorably  known  from  New  York 
to  San  Francisco.  What  a  history  is  connected  with  every  old  hotel,  and 
could  the  remains  of  that  old  house  give  up  their  secrets,  what  pathetic 
and  amusing  events  they  would  disclose  !  Here  is  one  of  the  latter  : 
Less  than  a  year  before  his  death,  the  late  Hon.  D.  D.  Pratt,  of  Logans- 
port,  United  States  Senator  and  afterward  Solicitor  of  Internal  Revenue, 
told  the  writer  the  following  : 

It  was  in  1860.  He  had  been  at  the  National  Republican  Conven- 
tion at  Chicago  which  nominated  Mr.  Lincoln  for  the  Presidency.  Mr. 
Pratt  was  a  man  of  gigantic  frame  and  stentorian  voice.  For  these  rea- 
sons he  was  chosen  Secretary  of  the  convention.  Wearied  with  the  labors 
of  that  convention,  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  where,  on  the  following  day, 
he  was  to  be  pitted  against  some  of  the  ablest  legal  talent  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  State  in  a  case  involving  an  Indian  title  to  a  large  quantity  of 
land.  When  the  usual  hour  arrived,  needing  rest,  he  retired  to  bed  and 
had  his  own  thoughts,  etc.,  for  company.  He  was  restless.  The  hour  of 
midnight  came  and  passed.  Just  opposite  the  hotel  was  a  warehouse  or 
grocery  and  a  great  pile  of  salt  barrels,  and  thither  at  that  hour  came  to- 
gether all  the  cows  of  Valparaiso.  There  were  white  and  black  and 
brindled  cows,  dun-colored  cows  and  spotted  cows ;  there  were  cows  with 
bells  and  cows  with  bellows,  and  they  were  having  a  regular  picnic  there. 
In  the  Gould  House  all  was  still.  Even  Mrs.  Gould  had  gone  to  bed  to 
get  her  accustomed  four  hours  of  rest.  The  music  made  by  the  cows  was 
a  sweet  lullaby  to  the  denizens  of  Valparaiso.  They  were  used  to  it,  and 
couldn't  get  along  without  it.  But  with  Mr.  Pratt  the  case  was  entirely 
different.  He  could  get  along  without  the  ding-donging  of  the  cow  bells 
or  their  plaintive  lowing.  He  couldn't  get  along  at  all  with  it ;  and  it 
wouldn't  stop.  He  got  out  of  bed.  He  tried  to  "  shoo"  the  cows  away 
from  his  window,  but  they  wouldn't  "shoo."  He  came  "down  and  out," 
sans  hat,  sans  coat,  sans  trousers,  and  stood  "in  flowing  robes  of  spotless 
white  "  on  the  sidewalk,  under  the  bright  moonlight,  and  tried  to  scare 
the  "critters"  away.  They  wouldn't  scare.  He  hunted  around  for 
something  to  throw  at  them,  but  they  stood  their  ground.  At  last  he  lost 
his  temper,  picked  up  a  board  and  made  a  charge  upon  the  enemy,  and  at 


132  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

last  they  went  in  dire  dismay  with  tails  erect  and  a  clamor  that  exceeded 
all  they  had  made  before,  and  then  the  dogs  awoke  to  a  sense  of  their 
duty,  and  from  Frank  Hunt's  to  Sam  Campbell's,  and  from  Sager's  to 
Artil  Bartholomew's,  there  was  a  simultaneous  baying  and  barking.  It 
was,  so  to  speak,  as  though  a  certain  place  had  broken  loose.  Mr.  Pratt 
thought  it  was  time  for  him  to  disappear  from  the  scene,  which  he  pre- 
cipitately did.  Hardly  had  he  got  into  bed,  when  a  cow  bell  was  heard 
out  at  the  salt  barrels,  and  in  a  little  time  the  cow  carnival  was  renewed. 
But  the  exercise  had  been  beneficial,  the  legal  gentleman's  nerves  were 
quieted,  and  he  was  soon  as  oblivious  to  the  noises  as  though  he  had  been 
born  and  brought  up  in  the  place.  He  awoke  in  the  morning  refreshed, 
and,  after  a  hot  contest  of  several  days,  won  his  case. 

The  Gould  House  has  passed  away,  and  the  Central  has  taken  its 
place.  The  Excelsior  Block,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Mechanic  and 
Washington,  was  built  in  1858 — originally  designed  for  a  hotel,  but  used 
for  years  for  private  families  and  a  place  where  rooms  were  to  let — and  at 
length  served  its  original  design  by  becoming  the  Winchell  House,  and 
now,  since  1875,  the  Merchants'  Hotel,  with  the  genial  T.  T.  Maulsby 
as  landlord. 

The  first  school  taught  in  the  township  was  on  Section  7,  by  Miss 
Mary  Hammond,  and  was  in  the  summer  of  1835  ;  therefore,  before  the 
county  or  township  organizations,  and  when  Valparaiso  was  yet  a  wilder- 
ness. The  first  school  taught  in  the  village  was,  as  we  have  seen,  by 
Masters,  and  in  1837.  The  first  lady  teacher  in  the  village  was  Miss 
Eldred,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Ruel  Starr.  The  schoolhouse  was  a  very  diminu- 
tive building,  which  Dr.  Ball  had  erected  on  the  rear  end  of  his  lot,  and 
which  was  subsequently  moved  to  Lot  1,  Block  18,  and  many  will  re- 
member having  seen  it  long  used  as  a  woodhouse  on  Dr.  Ball's  residence 
lot,  and  fronting  on  Jefferson  street.  The  public  records,  in  regard  to 
school  matters,  are  in  such  condition  that  it  is  impossible  by  them  to  trace 
the  history  of  the  organization  of  the  districts,  the  names  of  teachers,  the 
wages,  etc.,  and  tradition  in  regard  to  such  things  is  an  uncertain  quanti- 
ty. But  it  appears  in  the  proceedings  of  the  County  Commissioners  that 
on  the  10th  of  June,  1811,  they  sold  to  the  Trustees  of  School  District 
No.  1,  Lot  8  in  Block  14,  present  residence  of  David  Jones,  for  §5,  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  the  erection  of  a  permanent  school  building  in 
that  district.  The  order  was  rescinded  the  following  day,  and  another 
order  passed  to  sell  a  lot  equally  eligible  for  the  same  purpose  and  on  the 
same  terms.  Harvey  E.  Ball,  of  Lake  County,  and  Sylvester  W.  Smith, 
were  afterward  teachers  in  that  same  little  building  on  Dr.  Ball's  lot. 
Later,  the  Rev.  James  C.  Brown  opened  a  school  for  young  ladies  on  Lot 
3,  Block  19,  which  was  taught  by  himself,   by  Rev.    W.    M.   Blackburn, 


VALPARAISO,  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  133 

and  lastly  by  S.  L.  Bartholomew.  In  1849,  the  County  Seminary  was 
built  on  Jefferson  street  and  Monroe,  north  side,  Outlot  No.  1.  Ashley 
L.  Peirce  once  taught  school  there.  In  1857,  through  some  carelessness, 
it  was  burned  to  the  ground.  The  following  year,  Ashley  L.  Peirce 
opened  a  school  with  Rev.  Horace  Foot  as  Assistant,  nearly  opposite  the 
present  residence  of  A.  V.  Bartholomew.  In  1859,  the  Methodists  began 
the  erection  of  the  Valparaiso  Male  and  Female  College,  the  main  build- 
ing of  the  present  Normal  School.  The  first  term  of  the  college  was 
opened  September  21,  1859,  under  the  Presidency  of  Rev.  C.  N.  Sims, 
since  widely  known  as  an  eloquent  preacher  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  The  attendance  of  students  the  first  j^ear  was  157.  Other 
teachers  in  the  school  were  F.  D.  Carley,  Miss  Moore,  Mrs.  Loomis  and 
Mrs.  Hall.  The  school  was  continued  with  a  fine  patronage,  under  sev- 
eral presidents.  In  1867,  the  east  wing  of  the  building  was  erected. 
The  building,  however,  was  a  little  too  far  froai  the  center  of  population 
to  attract  all  the  local  patronage  which  it  might  otherwise  have  enjoyed, 
and  when  the  public  schools  were  opened  in  the  present  large  building,  it 
w^as  deemed  inexpedient  to  continue  the  V.  M.  &  F.  C,  but  it  had,  in  the 
twelve  years  of  its  active  existence,  done  a  good  work.  Shortly  after  the 
inception  of  this  enterprise,  the  Presbyterians  of  the  place  organized  the 
Valparaiso  Collegiate  Institute,  purchased  the  grounds  now  pertaining  to 
the  public  school  buildings,  and  on  the  16th  of  April,  1861,  opened  the 
school  with  Rev.  S.  C.  Logan,  Principal,  and  H.  A.  Newell,  Assistant. 
As  soon  as  the  institute  building  was  finished,  the  school  was  moved  into 
it,  and  continued  until  the  sale  of  the  buildings  and  grounds  to  the  city. 
In  the  year  1864,  Benjamin  Wilcox  became  connected  with  it  as  princi- 
pal. James  McFetrich  and  Miss  Sophie  B.  Loring  were  assistants.  These 
all  remained  in  the  school  while  it  continued.  After  the  sale  of  the  prop- 
erty to  the  city,  Mr.  Wilcox  went  to  South  Bend,  where  he  became 
Principal  of  the  High  School,  and  continued  in  that  relation  till  his  death, 
which  occurred  some  years  after.  He  was  a  teacher  of  long  experience, 
and  has  never  been  excelled  by  any  in  the  place.  The  necessity  for  the 
erection  of  the  present  public  school  buildings  was  manifest  and  pressing. 
The  only  buildings  in  the  place  for  that  purpose  were  four  small  school- 
houses,  capable  of  accommodating  in  the  aggregate  not  more  than  240 
pupils.  On  two  occasions,  it  became  almost  a  matter  of  necessity  on  the 
part  of  the  Trustees  to  avail  themselves  of  the  room  afforded  by  the  Ro- 
man Catholic,  Methodist  and  Presbyterian  school  buildings  by  hiring  the 
teachers  of  those  schools ;  so  that  while  they  went  on  without  any  change 
of  administration  or  influence,  they  were  supported  out  of  the  public 
school  fund.  Technically,  perhaps,  this  was  done  according  to  law,  but 
in  violation  of  its  spirit.     The  schools  under  the  present  graded   system 


134  HISTORY   OF  PORTER   COUNTY. 

were  organized  in  1871,  with  an  enrollment  of  about  400.  This  included 
a  number  of  German  children,  who  were  afterward  taken  out  and  sent  to 
the  Lutheran  school.  For  the  school  year  of  1878  and  1879,  the  total 
enrollment  was  720,  since  which  time  there  has  been  but  little  increase  in 
the  attendance.  In  1881  and  1882,  the  enrollment  reached  742,  but 
owing  to  the  prevalence  of  epidemics  the  attendance  maintained  was  only 
466.  Number  of  teachers  the  first  year,  10  ;  present  number,  15.  A 
curious  phenomenon  occurred  in  connection  with  this  graded  school, 
namely,  the  accumulation  of  a  surplus  tuition  fund,  which,  in  the  space 
of  three  years,  amounted  to  about  ^15,000,  and  that  without  the  levying 
of  any  special  tuition  tax.  Inquiry  into  the  cause  of  so  strange  an  accu- 
mulation of  funds  led  to  the  conclusion  that  the  enumerator  had  probably, 
by  some  oversight,  taken  the  names  of  the  children  from  abroad,  who 
were  attending  the  normal  school.  It  is  now  understood  that  such  mis- 
takes will  be  carefully  guarded  against  hereafter,  the  custody  of  so  much 
money  causing  no  little  perplexity  to  the  Board.  Rev.  M.  O'Reilly  has 
also  greatly  encouraged  the  education  of  the  Roman  Catholic  children, 
and  has  been  very  successful  in  building  up  schools  in  connection  with 
his  church.  St.  Paul's  Academy  and  the  school  under  the  care  of  the 
Sisters  of  Providence  are  each  attracting  an  annually  increasing  number 
of  students.  The  buildings  are  favorably  located  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Outlot  No.  20. 

The  German  Lutherans  have  also  given  attention  to  the  education  of 
their  children,  as  will  elsewhere  appear. 

The  Normal  School  deserves  a  more  extended  mention,  not  only  be- 
cause of  its  extent,  but  on  account  of  its  influence  upon  the  prosperity  of 
Valparaiso  and  the  surrounding  country.  It  was  established  by  Mr.  H. 
B.  Brown,  who  was  born  at  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio,  and  attended 
the  common  schools,  where  his  parents  resided,  until  he  was  fifteen  years 
of  age,  and  then  successively  more  advanced  schools  at  Fremont  and 
Delaware  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  the  winter  months  being 
spent  in  teaching.  He  afterward  spent  two  years  in  attendance  on  the 
school  at  Lebanon,  Ohio.  After  leaving  Lebanon,  he  spent  two  years  as 
a  teacher  in  the  North  Western  Normal  School  at  Republic,  Ohio.  In 
June,  1873,  having  heard  of  the  vacant  buildings  of  the  V.  M.  &  F.  C, 
at  Valparaiso,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  starting  a  school  of  his  own,  and 
having  made  arrangements  for  the  occupancy  of  the  buildings,  he  opened 
his  school  on  the  16th  of  September  of  that  year  with  thirty-five  students 
in  attendance,  thirteen  of  whom  had  come  with  him  from  Ohio.  Mr. 
Brown  alone  had  any  idea  of  the  vast  results  that  were  to  follow  his 
taking  that  step,  and  they  have  even  exceeded  his  own  great  expectations, 
but  in  his  mind  he  had  conceived  the  plan  upon  which  he  has  ever  since 


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VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  187 

carried  forward  his  undertaking.  When  as  yet  the  number  in  attendance 
was  no  more  than  200,  ho  informed  the  writer  of  his  expectation  that  in  a 
few  years  the  number  would  reach  1,000,  and  would  probably  not  go  be- 
yond that.  The  first  teachers  were  H.  B.  Brown,  Miss  Mantie  E. 
Baldwin,  M.  E.  Bogarte,  B.  F.  Perrine  and  Ida  Hutchison.  Mr.  Per- 
rine  had  charge  of  the  boarding  department.  The  plan  of  Mr.  Brown 
seems  to  have  comprehended  these  things  :  1.  By  reducing  expenses  of 
all  kinds — tuition,  board,  room  rent,  fuel,  books,  etc.,  to  the  lowest  pos- 
sible figure,  to  make  an  education  possible  to  thousands  who  otherwise 
would  be  practically  debarred  from  it  for  want  of  means.  2.  By  hard 
work  on  his  own  part  and  that  of  his  teachers  to  impart  to  the  instruc- 
tion given  that  quality  which  would  secure  for  the  school  a  good  reputa- 
tion, and  at  the  same  time  reduce  the  number  of  salaries.  There  have 
been  times  when  nearly  all  the  teachers  were  engaged  with  their  classes 
ten  hours  daily.  It  was  more  economical  to  pay  one  teacher  81,500  per 
annum  for  teaching  ten  hours,  than  it  would  have  been  to  pay  three 
teachers  $800  each  for  teaching  three  hours.  3.  By  the  free  investment 
of  money  in  advertising  to  let  everybody  who  would  be  likely  to  attend 
school  know  that  there  was  a  school  here  and  the  advantages  it  offered. 
His  plan  was  not  to  depend  upon  newspaper  advertising  alone,  but 
especially  upon  sending  circulars  direct  to  such  persons  as  were  engaged 
in  teaching  in  the  common  schools.  This  was  done  at  very  great  ex- 
pense, but  the  result  has  shown  that  the  money  was  wisely  invested.  4. 
By  requiring  hard  work  on  the  part  of  the  students  to  accomplish  the 
greatest  amount  in  the  shortest  time.  5.  To  afford  facilities  by  which 
young  men  and  women  could  receive  a  practical  training  for  various  de- 
partments of  business.  With  this  in  view,  special  attention  has  been 
given  to  the  classes  for  training  teachers,  to  the  commercial  department, 
and  to  instruction  in  telegraphy,  phonography  and  penmanship.  6.  To 
govern  the  school  by  making  it  a  working  school.  Students  have  no 
time  for  hazing  who  must  put  in  six  or  eight  hours  a  day  in  hard  study, 
besides  their  recitations,  or  fall  irretrievably  behind.  There  has  never 
been  a  rebellion  in  the  school,  though  Mr.  Brown  is  an  autocrat.  It 
should  also  be  mentioned  that  arrangements  are  such  that  students  can 
advantageously  enter  at  any  time  and  fall  right  to  work  like  the  hands  in 
a  factory,  and  it  is  also  understood  to  be  their  privilege  to  leave  at  any 
time  when  their  needs  may  require  it  to  engage  in  teaching  or  other  em- 
ployments. From  these  ideas,  energetically  carried  out,  there  has  grown 
up  a  school  which  has  not  only  attracted  students  from  the  most  distant 
parts  of  the  country,  but  has  set  other  educators  to  inquiring  into  the 
secret  of  its  remarkable  success.  The  number  of  students  went  up  by 
hundreds  every  year,  until  it  became  a  matter  of  the  utmost  diflSculty  to 

H 


138  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

find  room  for  them  in  the  town.  Many  of  the  most  wealthy  citizens  for 
a  time  incommoded  themselves  and  opened  their  homes  for  the  reception 
of  students  that  none  might  be  turned  away,  and  the  best  feeling  has 
always  prevailed  between  the  students  and  the  citizens.  The  facilities 
for  rooming  and  boarding  students  is  now  such  that  it  is  safe  to  say  that 
if  2,500  should  present  themselves  at  once,  it  would  be  much  easier 
to  provide  for  them  than  it  was  to  provide  for  800  a  few  years  ago. 
The  school  is  a  private  enterprise,  and  not  under  the  patronage  of  the 
State,  nor  of  any  denomination.  Until  1880,  it  was  the  sole  property  of 
Mr.  Brown,  since  which  time  Prof.  0.  P.  Kinsey  has  been  jointly  inter- 
ested with  him  in  it.  There  was  a  time  when  Mr.  Brown  suffered  severe 
financial  embarrassment.  The  increasing  attendance  made  necessary  a 
very  large  outlay  for  the  erection  of  buildings  and  the  purchase  of  appa- 
ratus, in  addition  to  the  constant,  heavy  drain  of  the  system  of  advertising 
adopted.  At  that  time,  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  State  law,  he 
received  aid  from  the  county  to  the  amount  of  $10,000,  and  the  city 
bought  from  him  the  college  buildings  for  $12,000,  giving  him  the  privi- 
lege of  redeeming  the  same  in  ten  years  without  interest.  Never  was 
money  more  profitably  invested  by  the  county  or  city.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  estimate  the  benefit  which  the  college  has  been  to  the  city 
and  surrounding  country  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view.  To  it  the  present 
prosperity  of  Valparaiso  is  largely  due.  The  erection  of  buildings  on 
college  hill  has  given  constant  employment  to  a  large  number  of  workmen, 
and  their  furnishing  has  afforded  a  large  trade  to  dealers  in  furniture, 
hardware,  carpets,  etc.  The  patronage  of  the  grocers,  bakers  and  meat 
markets  has  been  vastly  increased  by  the  boarding  houses  on  the  hill. 
The  average  number  of  students  has  been  800  per  term  since  the  beginning, 
and  they  spend  in  the  place  an  average  of  $50  per  term,  or  at  the  rate  of 
$200,000  per  annum,  which,  for  the  nine  years,  would  foot  up  a  grand 
total  of  $1,800,000.  It  is  estimated  that  not  less  than  200  buildings 
have  been  erected  in  consequence  of  the  location  of  the  college  here,  the 
aggregate  value  of  which  is  very  large.  Nor  has  the  college  been  less  a 
source  of  prosperity  to  the  surrounding  country.  The  demand  for  eggs, 
meats,  butter,  vegetables,  wood,  etc.,  has  been  such  that  much  of  the 
time  the  market  has  been  bare,  and  the  prices  have  always  kept  up  to  a 
rate  highly  advantageous  to  the  producers.  In  addition  to  the  teachers 
mentioned,  there  have  been  W.  A.  Yohn,  Lillian  Bogarte,  Annie  McAlilly, 
Lodema  E.  Ward,  C.  I.  Ingerson,  J.  W.  Holcombe,  G.  Bloch,  C.  K. 
Bitters,  C.  W.  Boucher,  Lizzie  Boucher,  H.  N.  Carver,  C.  L.  Gregory, 
A.  A.  Southworth,  Mrs.  A.  A.  Southworth,  R.  A.  Heritage,  0.  P.  Kin- 
sey, Sarah  Kinsey,  H.  A.  Gillett,  Mark  L.  De  Motte,  Will  F.  Strong, 
G.  A.  Dodge,  G.  L.  Durand,  M.  G.  Kimmel,  U.  J.  Hoffman,  W.  J. 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  139 

Bell,  E.  K.  Isaacs,  Frank  Nihart.  The  college  buildings  are  now  valued 
at  $75,000.  An  annual  sura  is  appropriated  from  the  profits  of  the  insti- 
tution for  a  library  and  reading  room  for  the  use  of  the  students.  Mr. 
Brown  has  no  wife  as  yet  except  the  college;  but  it  is  understood  that 
several  young  ladies  would  be  Avilling  to  accept  the  vacant  situation  if  an 
offer  were  made  them.  The  enrollment  for  the  spring  term  in  1880  was 
2,143  students. 

In  Centre  Township  there  are,  in  addition  to  the  schools  in  Valparaiso, 
nine  districts.  The  amount  paid  teachers  in  these  schools  in  the  year 
1860-61,  was  $546.84 ;  for  expenses  including  repairs,  $163.96  ;  for  the 
year  ending  September,  1881,  the  tuition  fund  was  $1,825  ;  special  school, 
$871.36.  In  each  of  these  districts,  school  is  kept  nine  months  in  the 
year ;  wages  to  teachers,  $25  per  month  for  the  spring  and  fall  terms, 
and  $85  for  winter. 

From  the  records  in  the  Clerk's  office,  it  appears  that  marriages  were 
solemnized  in  the  county  by  not  less  than  four  ministers  of  the  Gospel 
during  the  year  1836.  It  has  been  generally  said  that  the  Rev.  Alpheus 
French,  a  Baptist  minister,  preached  the  first  sermon  in  Valparaiso. 
But  the  writer  has  been  informed,  by  one  who  should  know,  that,  as  early 
as  1835  or  1836,  a  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  the  township  by  the 
Rev.  Asahel  Neal,  of  which  Benjamin  Saylor  and  wife  and  a  Mr.  Bill- 
ings and  wife  were  members ;  and  further,  that  this  organization,  and 
perhaps  another,  lapsed  before  the  present  organization  of  the  Baptist 
Church  was  effected.  It  is  claimed  for  Mr.  Neal  that  he  also  preached 
the  first  sermon  in  Valparaiso,  the  service  being  held  in  the  house  of 
William  Eaton.  Two  Methodist  ministers  were  in  the  county  in  1836, 
Rev.  Cyrus  Spurlock,  County  Recorder  and  a  resident  of  Portersville, 
and  Rev.  Stephen  Jones.  Rev.  W.  K.  Talbott,  a  Presbyterian,  was 
also  a  resident  of  Centre  Township.  The  Rev.  Alpheus  French  was 
well  advanced  in  years  when  he  came  to  this  county.  He  was  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Hatch,  and  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Orson  Starr,  of  this  place. 
He  was  born  in  1769  or  1770,  and  lived  to  be  more  than  ninety.  The 
stone  that  marks  his  grave  may  be  seen  on  the  east  side  of  the  carriage- 
way in  the  old  cemetery. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  was  organized  June  10,  1837.  Constituent 
members,  John  Bartholomew,  Drusilla  Bartholomew,  Edmond  Billings, 
James  Witham,  John  Robinson,  Rebecca  Witham,  Charity  Billings, 
Warner  Pierce,  Adelia  Pierce  and  three  others.  First  Deacons — John 
Robinson  and  John  Bartholomew.  First  Clerk — Jacob  C.  White. 
Trustees — Warren  Pierce  and  James  Witham.  The  name  was  changred 
to  First  Baptist  Church  of  Valparaiso,  February  8,  1840.  First  Pastor 
— Elder  French.     Served  five  years.     Second   Pastor — H.    S.    Orton. 


140  HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

Third  Pastor — W.  T.  Bly,  chosen  in  1844,  and  served  three  years.  Elder 
A,  Nicheron  succeeded  Elder  Bly,  and  served  the  church  five  years.  Dur- 
inor  his  ministry  the  former  church  was  built  at  a  cost  of  §2,200.  It  was 
dedicated  March  17,  1853.  Elder  Harry  Smith  became  Pastor  in  1854, 
and  continued  six  years.  Elder  G.  T.  Brayton  succeeded  Elder  Smith 
in  the  pastorate  from  March  11,  1860,  to  March  11,  1861.  Elder  J.  D. 
Coe  succeeded  Elder  Brayton  from  May  12,  1861,  to  May  12,  1862,  one 
year ;  Elder  I.  M.  Maxwell,  from  November  8,  1862,  to  July  17,  1864, 
one  year  and  eight  months ;  Elder  M.  T.  Lamb,  from  1864  to  1865,  about 
one  year;  Elder  R.  H.  Tozer,  December  9,  1865,  to  February  18,  1866, 
three  months  ;  M.  T.  Lamb,  from  1866,  to  July  13, 1867,  about  one  year  ; 
Elder  Otis  Saxton,  from  October  12,  1867,  to  October  1,  1868;  Elder 
Harper,  from  October  10,  1868,  to  about  May,  1860  ;  Elder  W.  A.  Cap- 
linger,  from  1870  to  August  10,  1872,  two  years  and  six  months  ;  Elder 
W.  A.  Clark,  from  April  1,  1872,  to  December  1,  1864,  one  year  and 
nine  months  ;  from  December  1,  1874,  to  October  1,  1875,  the  church 
was  without  a  pastor  ;  Elder  E.  S.  Riley  entered  upon  his  pastorate  Octo- 
ber 1,  1875,  and  is  still  the  pastor;  Elder  Harry  Smith's  pastorate  was 
very  prosperous.  Under  the  ministry  of  Elder  Maxwell,  the  church  was 
prosperous.  During  this  time  the  church  purchased  a  bell,  was  free  from 
debt,  and  increased  in  membership.  During  Elder  M.  T.  Lamb's  minis- 
try, fifty  were  added  to  the  membership.  During  W.  A.  Clark's  pasto- 
rate the  parsonage  was  built  at  an  expense,  with  the  chapel,  of 
^2,000. 

During  the  present  pastorate,  which  commenced  October  1,  1875,  193 
have  been  added  to  the  church,  and  the  present  membership  is  202.  Dur- 
ing this  time,  the  present  bell  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  ^175,  and  the 
present  house  has  been  built  at  a  cost  of  §7,000.  The  value  of  the 
present  church  property  is  about  §12,000.  At  this  time,  the  church's 
indebtedness  is  about  §1,000,  with  a  reliable  subscription,  which  is  now 
being  collected,  which  equals  this  amount.  By  the  5th  of  October,  at 
the  annual  meeting,  it  is  expected  to  have  the  larger  part  of  this  collected. 
The  church  has  enjoyed  great  harmony  in  its  work  during  the  entire 
time  of  the  present  pastorate,  and  closes  the  seventh  year  with  brighter 
prospects  than  at  any  former  period  of  its  history. 

From  1835  to  1844,  the  territory  of  Porter  and  Lake  Counties  was 
included  in  one  pastoral  charge,  called  first  Deep  River  Mission,  then 
Kankakee  Mission,  and  afterward  Valparaiso  Circuit.  It  was  served  by 
Revs.  Richard  Hargrave,  Aaron  Wood,  William  H,  Goode,  Charles  M. 
Holliday,  John  Daniel  and  John  L.  Smith,  Presiding  Elders ;  and  Ste- 
phen Jones,  Jacob  Colclazer,  Hawley  B.  Beers,  Samuel  K.  Young,  Will- 
iam J.  Forbes,  Isaac  M.  Stagg,  William   F.  Wheeler,  Wade  Posey  and 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  141 

Warren  Griffith  as  pastors.  In  the  fall  of  1844,  Lake  County  was  set 
off  into  a  new  charge,  and  Valparaiso  Circuit  was  confined  to  Porter 
County,  and  remained  so  until  the  fall  of  1852,  when  Valparaiso  was  set 
off  as  a  separate  pastoral  charge.  During  this  time  it  was  served  by  C. 
M.  Ilolliday,  J.  Daniel  and  J.  L.  Smith  as  Presiding  Elders,  and  J. 
Cozad,  T.  C.  Hackney,  S.  T.  Cooper,  William  Palmer,  W.  G.  Stonix, 
J.  G.  D.  Pettijohn,  L.  B.  Kent,  Franklin  Taylor,  David  Dunham,  Abram 
Cary  and  Samuel  Godfrey,  as  pastors. 

The  preaching  places  were  Valparaiso,  Salt  Creek  or  Gosset's  Chapel, 
Twenty-mile  Grove,  Indian  Town  (now  Hebron),  Melvin's,  Lee's,  White's 
and  Pennock's.  The  appointments  increased  until,  when  the  station  was 
set  off,  they  numbered  fourteen,  namely,  Valparaiso,  Morgan  Prairie, 
Kankakee,  Ohio,  Hanna's  Mill,  City  West,  Jackson  Centre,  Griffith's 
Chapel,  Horse  Prairie,  Hebron,  Union  Chapel,  Twenty-Mile  Grove,  Salt 
Creek  and  Louis  Pennocks'.  In  1852,  the  station  was  organized,  J.  L. 
Smith,  Presiding  Elder,  and  David  Crawford,  pastor,  who  continued  two 
years.  Since  the  organization  of  the  station,  the  following  Presiding 
Elders  have  served  the  district,  sometimes  called  La  Porte,  and  at  other 
times  Valparaiso  District :  J.  L.  Smith,  W.  Graham,  B.  Winans,  James 
Johnson,  S.  T.  Cooper,  W.  Pt.  Mikels,  R.  D.  Utter  and  F.  M.  Pavey. 
The  pastors  have  been  D.  Crawford,  two  years;  A.  Fellows,  one;  W. 
Hamilton,  one  ;  G.  W.  Stafford,  two ;  S.  T.  Cooper,  two  ;  A.  Gurney, 
one ;  B.  W.  Smith,  one ;  C.  A.  Brooke,  one  ;  T.  S.  Webb,  three  ;  N. 
Green,  two  ;  G.  M.  Boyd,  three  ;  L  C.  Buckels,  three ;  T.  Meredith, 
two  ;  W.  Graham,  two  ;  N.  L.  Brakeman,  three  (he  dying  in  the  middle 
of  his  third  year,  and  W.  B.  Stuts  filled  out  the  time) ;  and  G.  M.  Boyd, 
now  in  his  second  year.  The  first  class  in  the  city  was  organized  in  1840, 
by  W.  J.  Forbes,  now  a  superannuate,  and  living  here  respected  and  loved 
as  a  Christian  minister  by  all  his  neighbors.  The  only  remaining  mem- 
ber of  that  class  is  Mrs.  Xenia  Salyer,  now  advanced  in  years,  but  rich 
in  faith  and  zealous  in  good  works.  The  house  of  worship  was  commenced 
in  1848,  under  the  pastorate  of  W.  G.  Stonix,  and  finished  under  the 
labors  of  J.  G.  D.  Pettijohn,  in  1849. 

The  same  year  a  parsonage  was  purchased  for  §475,  on  the  corner  of 
Franklin  and  Monroe  streets,  but  was  after  four  years  sold,  and  a  new 
one  erected  in  the  rear  of  the  lot  on  which  the  church  now  stands,  at  a 
cost  of  §900.  Both  church  and  parsonage  have  been  enlarged  and  other- 
wise improved,  and  the  charge  is  now  one  of  the  most  desirable  ones  in 
the  conference.  From  the  commencement  the  members  and  congregation 
have  done  their  full  share  in  the  benevolent  work  of  the  church,  compared 
with  other  churches  of  e^^ual  strength  financially,  besides  meeting  their 
own  expenses,  which  may  be  safely  estimated  for  the  last  thirty   years 


142  HISTORY    OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

as  follows  :  Salaries,  ^21,000 ;  incidentals,  $4,000 ;  benevolent  claims, 
$4,000;  church  building,  §4,500;  parsonage  and  repairs,  $2,500; 
Sunday  school  expenses,  $2,500  ;  add  to  this  several  thousand  dollars 
donated  to  the  college  building  now  occupied  by  the  Normal  College. 
The  number  of  the  membership  is  now  245,  and  20  probationers. 

Previous  to  the  winter  of  1839-40,  there  had  probably  been  several 
sermons  by  Presbyterian  ministers  in  the  county,  and  possibly  in  this 
township.  But  on  the  4th  day  of  December,  1839,  Rev.  James  C. 
Brown,  then  a  young  man,  and  only  a  licentiate,  began  a  ministry  which 
lasted  continuously  for  more  than  twenty  years,  by  preaching  a  sermon 
in  the  second  story  of  the  court  house,  the  text  being  Luke,  x,  42.  It 
was  about  Martha  and  Mary.  Having  in  the  meantime  been  ordained  to 
the  ministry,  he  in  company  with  Rev.  W.  K.  Marshall,  of  La  Porte, 
organized  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Valparaiso,  July  3,  1840,  with 
ten  members,  viz.:  James  Blair,  Isabel  Blair  and  Elizabeth  Martin, 
their  daughter,  Nancy  Buel,  Elizabeth  Marshall,  Bathsheba  E.  Hamell, 
Abby  Salisbury,  Mary  E.  Brown,  Henry  Battan  and  M.  B.  Crosby. 
James  Blair  and  M.  B.  Crosby  were  elected  Elders.  Judge  Blair  has 
been  dead  many  years.  Mr.  Crosby  has  been  an  active  Elder  in  the 
church  since  the  day  of  its  organization,  now  more  than  forty  years. 
Jeremiah  Hamell  was  elected  Trustee.  In  the  fall  or  winter  following, 
the  Sabbath  school  was  organized  by  Mrs.  Brown,  and  a  brother  of  the 
pastor,  Hugh  A.  Brown.  It  was  a  union  school  of  eighteen  pupils,  and 
embraced  every  child  of  suitable  age  in  the  neighborhood.  The  services 
were  held  in  the  court  house  till  the  spring  of  1841.  Then  a  house  was 
hired  for  the  purpose  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Lot  3,  Block  19,  where 
the  church  worshiped  two  years.  In  1842,  they  purchased  Lot  7,  Block 
13,  but  the  Methodists  having  purchased  the  adjoining  lot  six  months 
later  and  declining  to  make  any  other  choice,  it  was  deemed  best  to  re- 
linquish that,  and  a  church  was  erected  on  the  lot  where  Prof.  Boucher's 
residence  now  is.  The  building  was  35x45,  and  cost  $750  in  money, 
and  a  large  amount  of  labor  by  pastor  and  people  thrown  in.  It 
was  not  till  1849  that  the  pews  and  bell  were  furnished,  though  it  was 
occupied  from  1844.  Numerous  revivals  attended  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Brown,  the  most  notable  occurring  in  1847  and  1854,  Mr.  Avery  an 
evangelist  assisting.  Dr.  Brown  was  a  man  of  such  piety,  zeal,  activity 
and  self-denial  as  to  make  an  impression  never  to  be  forgotten  by  those 
who  knew  him.  His  character  may  be  judged  from  the  fact  that  when 
the  church  was  to  be  built,  he  shouldered  his  ax  and  went  out  to  Barthol- 
omew's woods  with  the  rest  of  the  people  to  cut  and  hew  the  timbers,  and 
during  the  Avhole  of  his  ministry,  he  not  only  taught  in  the  Sabbath 
school  and  preached  in  Valparaiso  morning  and  evening,  but  preached  in 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  143 

the  afternoon  at  Tassinong,  Salem,  or  Twenty-Mile  Prairie.  In  1857, 
the  church  building  was  moved  to  its  present  location  on  Lot  3,  Block 
18,  the  lot  having  been  deeded  to  the  church  by  Dr.  Brown,  and  at  the 
same  time,  twenty-five  feet  were  added  to  its  length,  making  it  35x70. 
Additions  have  since  been  made  in  the  rear  of  a  lecture-room,  24x31 
feet,  and  of  an  infant-class  room,  18x24  feet.  At  present,  a  subscrip- 
tion is  in  circulation  for  the  building  of  a  new  church,  and  more  than 
$8,000  has  been  pledged  for  the  purpose.  In  1867,  the  Lot  1,  Block  4, 
with  the  dwelling  on  it  was  purchased  for  §2,500,  to  be  used  as  a  parson- 
age, and  has  since  been  improved.  Dr.  Brown  closed  his  pastoral  con- 
nection with  the  church  September  4,  1860.  In  1862,  he  was  appointed 
Chaplain  of  the  Forty-eighth  Regiment  Indiana  Volunteers,  and  on  the 
14th  of  July  of  that  year  died  in  the  hospital  at  Paducah,  Ky.  He 
had  received  during  his  twenty  years  ministry  here  and  at  Crown  Point, 
Salem,  Tassinong  and  Twenty-Mile  Prairie,  475  members.  He  w^as 
succeeded  as  pastor  by  Rev.  S.  C.  Logan,  now  of  Scranton,  Penn.,  Oc- 
tober 14,  1860.  His  pastorate  lasted  through  the  trying  scenes  of  the 
war.  In  July,  1865,  he  resigned.  He  was  an  able  minister  of  the 
Word.  He  was  succeeded  on  the  17th  of  December  of  that  year  by 
Robert  Beer,  the  present  pastor,  whose  ministry  has  lasted  continuously 
from  that  time.  During  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Logan,  there  were  134 
additions  to  the  church.  From  the  beginning,  much  attention  was  given 
to  Sunday  school  work.  This  department  of  labor  was  carried  on  most 
effectively  under  the  superintendency  of  Hon.  H.  A.  Gillett,  which 
lasted  from  1864  to  1877.  From  its  organization  to  April  1,  1882, 
there  have  been  received  into  the  church  a  total  membership  on  examina- 
tion and  by  letter  of  1,068.  Of  these,  459  have  been  received  during 
the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Beer.  Number  of  communicants  at  last  annual  report, 
236.  To  April  1,  1882,  the  total  amount  raised  for  congregational  pur- 
poses was  §53,459.  There  are  no  reports  of  amounts  paid  for  congrega- 
tional purposes  for  the  first  ten  years.  These  would  doubtless  increase  the 
total  to  more  than  §58,000.  The  benevolent  contributions  of  the  church 
have  been  as  follows  :  Home  Missions,  §1,916;  Foreign  Missions, §4,292  ; 
Education,  §6,311;  Publication,  §300  ;  Church  erection,  §688;  Ministerial 
relief,  §413  ;  Freedmen,  §329 ;  Miscellaneous,  §4,311.  Total  benevolent, 
$18,560.  Add  Congregational,  §58,000,  and  the  grand  total  is  §76,560. 
Missionary  societies  have  been  organized  as  follows :  Women's  Foreign 
Mission  Aid  Society,  1871 ;  Children's  Mission  Band,  1874 ;  Women's 
Home  Missionary  Society,  1878. 

Any  attempt  to  incorporate  even  a  brief  outline  of  the  history  of  the 
Catholic  Church  in  Porter,  in  a  general  history  of  the  county,  must  be 
largely  defective.     The  writer,  therefore,  confines  himself  to  Valparaiso 


144  HISTORY   OF   rORTER   COUNTY. 

and  those  places  at  any  time  depending  on  it  for  Catholic  services.  St. 
Paul's  Church,  Valparaiso,  received  its  name  through  Rev.  Father  Gillen, 
C.  S.  C,  in  honor  of  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles.  The  Holy  Sac- 
rifice of  mass  was  first  offered  in  or  about  Valparaiso,  according  to  the 
most  probable  statements,  very  close  to  the  center  of  the  northwest  quar- 
ter of  Section  15,  Township  35,  near  where  the  residence  of  Mr.  P.  T. 
Clifford  now  stands.  The  name  of  the  priest  is  not  remembered.  For 
several  years  after,  a  few  Catholics  were  found  to  be  in  Valparaiso.  They 
were  occasionally  attended  by  the  priests  of  the  society  of  the  Holy 
Cross,  Notre  Dame,  Ind.  Amongst  the  names  of  clergymen  still  re- 
membered by  older  residents,  are  those  of  Father  Curley,  C.  S.  C,  Father 
Cointet,  C.  S.  C,  Father  Kilroy,  C.  S.  C,  and  Father  Paul  Gillen,  C.  S.  C. 
Through  Father  Paul,  as  the  people  called  him,  St.  Paul's  Church  build- 
ing was  begun  and  partially  erected. 

The  "  groves  were  God's  first  temples,"  and  they,  too.  served  for  the 
first  Catholic  Church  near  Valparaiso.  The  first  class  of  children  pre- 
pared for  Holy  Communion  was  instructed  by  Father  Paul,  under  the 
large  oak  trees  then  standing  on  what  is  now  Emmettsburg.  Some  of  the 
members  of  that  class  still  reside  in  Valparaiso. 

When  the  State  of  Indiana  was  divided  by  cutting  off  the  diocese  of 
Fort  Wayne  from  that  of  Vincennes,  Valparaiso  naturally  fell  in  the 
diocese  of  Fort  Wayne. 

Immediately  the  newly  appointed  Bishop  of  Fort  Wayne,  Right  Rev. 
J.  H.  Luers,  D.  D.,  attempted  to  locate  a  resident  pastor  in  Valparaiso. 
We  are  told  that  the  first  resident  pastor  was  Rev.  Father  Clarke,  who 
remained  here  but  a  few  days.  After  him  came  Rev.  George  Hamilton, 
who  was  one  of  the  ablest  priests  ever  in  this  diocese.  He  remained  but 
a  short  time  ;  Valparaiso  was  then  unable  to  afford  board  and  lodging  to  a 
resident  pastor.  A  large  number  of  Catholics  in  and  about  the  place, 
about  this  time,  were  composed  of  that  thoughtless,  wild  class  of  persons 
who  follow  public  works.  Others,  more  prudent  and  wise,  remained,  pur- 
chased lands,  and  thus  became  the  founders  of  what  will  yet  be  one  of 
the  best  Catholic  conorres-ations  in  the  State. 

We  next  hear  of  Father  John  Force,  who  died  here.  He  was  a  man 
of  rare  literary  ability,  and  an  able  preacher,  but  did  not  live  long  enough 
to  organize  a  congregation  ;  after  him  came  Rev.  A.  Botti.  This  priest 
was  a  man  of  great  learning,  but  totally  unfit  to  be  a  pastor.  The  nat- 
ural consequences  were  troubles  upon  troubles.  Unfortunately  the  records 
of  the  Porter  County  Circuit  Court  show  more  of  the  history  of  the 
church  during  his  administration  than  the  records  of  the  church.  Father 
Botti  was  constantly  in  "hot  water  "  with  his  people,  and  at  length  with 
his  bishop.     We  are  glad  to  learn  that  in  time  he  saw  his  mistakes.      He 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  145 

secured  the  bishop's   pardon,  and   died,  we  hope  a  peaceful  death,  in  the 
Sisters'  Hospital  in  Fort  Wayne. 

After  Father  Botti,  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  M.  O'Reilly,  was  sent 
here  immediataly  from  college,  after  his  ordination  to  the  priesthood.  For 
twenty  years  he  has  presided  over  the  constantly  growing  congregation 
of  Saint  Paul's  ;  with  his  advent  here  the  organized  congregation  of 
Saint  Paul's  properly  begins.  When  Father  O'Reilly  came  to  Valparaiso, 
he  found  the  affliirs  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  the  worst  state  possible — 
the  church,  poor  as  it  was,  closed  under  an  injunction ;  law  suits  pend- 
ing on  every  hand  ;  debts  unlimited  to  be  paid ;  a  bitter  division  of 
sentiment  amongst  the  members  of  the  congregation ;  no  pastoral  resi- 
dence ;  no  school  for  the  youth.  In  a  word,  nothing  that  could  give  the 
least  encouragement  toward  the  important  work  of  organizing  a  congre- 
gation. 

However,  in  the  face  of  all  these  difficulties  he  went  to  work.  He 
walked  through  the  deep  snows  of  January,  1863,  from  house  to  house, 
and  told  the  people  as  far  as  he  could  find  them,  that  he  was  here  to  be 
their  resident  priest,  and  that  he  was  determined  to  stay.  He  rented 
"  Hughart's  Hall,"  now  the  upper  story  of  Wilson's  hardware  store,  for 
^2  per  Sunday.  Here  he  celebrated  mass  on  an  extemporized  altar, 
preached  and  taught  the  few  children  he  could  gather  together.  For 
mass  on  week  days  he  went  from  house  to  house,  as  people  who  knew  his 
wants  might  invite  him.  After  a  very  unpleasant  series  of  law-suits,  on 
Easter  Sunday,  1863,  he  first  secured  the  use  of  the  old  church. 

Before  this  building  was  ever  finished,  it  was  allowed  to  run  into 
partial  decay.  The  first  step  was  to  repair  it,  so  that  it  could  be  used. 
As  soon  as  the  church  was  rendered  habitable,  the  pastor  at  once  opened 
a  day  school  in  it.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  present  St.  Paul's 
Schools,  which  from  that  time  to  the  present  were  never  closed  one  single 
day  of  the  scholastic  year.  As  soon  as  Father  O'Reilly  saw  the  possi- 
bility of  establishing  a  congregation,  he  quietly  purchased  an  acre  of  land 
in  Outlot  No.  20,  where  he  determined  to  erect  all  future  buildings 
for  the  use  of  the  congregation.  In  due  time,  he  erected  St.  Paul's 
School  without  any  encouragement,  as  he  received  direct  donations  for 
that  purpose  only  the  small  sum  of  ^35.  The  building  cost  at  that  time 
about  $8,000,  as  it  was  built  during  the  time  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 
when  gold  carried  its  highest  premium.  The  school  was  immediately 
opened  with  three  teachers.  During  this  time,  Father  O'Reilly  lived  in 
difierent  rented  houses,  with  great  inconvenience,  often  quite  far  from  the 
church  and  schools.  Pie  now  determined  to  erect  a  pastoral  residence. 
This  was  done  with  much  labor  on  his  part,  but  with  far  more  assistance 
from  the  congregation.     To  continue  the  schools  with  secular  teachers, 


146  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

as  a  larger  number  were  required,  was  found  to  be  very  expensive,  so  he 
took  steps  to  secure  the  services  of  a  religious  order  of  teachers,  who  could 
not  only  serve  the  congregation  at  less  expense,  but  also  teach  music, 
drawing,  painting  and  all  styles  of  needlework.  To  this  end,  he  secured 
the  Sisters  of  Providence ;  but  first  he  was  obliged  to  provide  a  dwelling 
house  for  them.  This  was  done  with  very  liberal  assistance  on  the  part  of  the 
congregation.  The  Sisters  opened  school  on  the  first  Monday  of  September, 
1872.  As  the  schools  increased,  further  improvements  were  required.  A 
music  hall  was  soon  erected.  The  school  is  now  conducted  in.  four  depart- 
ments and  five  divisions,  requiring  the  services  of  six  teachers.  The  pupils 
number  about  250.  No  school  in  Porter  County  has  sent  out  a  larger 
number  of  good  teachers,  for  its  number  of  pupils  enrolled,  than  St.  Paul's. 
Besides  the  buildings  erected,  a  large  parish  bell  and  a  very  fine  pipe 
organ  have  been  secured.  During  the  time  of  Father  O'Reilly's  pastorate, 
he  has  baptized  about  1,700  persons  in  his  congregation.  The  total  num- 
ber of  communions  administered  in  St.  Paul's  Church  is  about  5,500  per 
annum.  The  regular  Easter  communions  are  about  700,  which  indicates 
that  the  Catholic  population  of  the  congregation  is  about  2,100  souls. 

The  congregation  is  composed  of  several  nationalities — Irish,  Amer- 
icans, German,  French,  English  and  Polanders.  All  live  in  harmony, 
and  their  children  are  educated  together  in  St.  Paul's  Schools.  Steps 
were  begun  in  1880  to  erect  a  new  church.  The  plans  already  approved 
show  that  the  church  Avill  be  Gothic,  153  feet  long,  ninety-five  feet  tran- 
sept and  sixty-five  feet  nave,  with  a  steeple  198  feet  high.  The  building 
to  be  of  hard  brick  trimmed  with  cut  stone.  In  a  few  years,  this  beauti- 
ful building  will  be  completed,  and  be  an  ornament  to  Valparaiso. 

St.  Paul's  cemetery,  purchased  from  the  city  of  Valparaiso  in  1872, 
and  consecrated  by  the  present  Bishop  of  Fort  Wayne,  Rt.  Rev.  J. 
Dwenger,  D.  D.,  in  the  same  year,  is  the  best  laid  out  and  handsomest 
cemetery  in  the  county.  The  following  places  received  the  services  of 
the  pastors  of  St.  Paul's,  chiefly  in  the  beginning  of  their  organization  as 
congregations,  i.  e.,  Plymouth,  Chesterton,  Hobart,  Pierceton,  La 
Crosse,  Lake  Station,  Walkerton,  Otis,  Bourbon  and  Hebron.  These 
places  have  now  churches.  Besides,  several  small  stations  have  been 
at  some  time  attended  from  here — such  as  Morgan,  Cassello,  Marshall 
Grove,  Wheeler,  ToUestone,  Clarke  Station  and  Horse  Prairie.  Regular 
services  have  been  discontinued  at  present  in  these  places.  At  present, 
the  following  places  are  attended  from  Valparaiso,  i.  e.,  Westville,  Kouts' 
Station,  Wanatah,  Wellsboro,  Hanna  Station,  Whiting,  Edgmore,  and 
such  other  places  wherein  one  or  more  Catholic  families  may  be  found. 

The  organized  societies  of  the  congregation  are  :  The  Altar  Ladies' 
Society,  eighty  members  ;  Young  Ladies'  Sodality,  125  members  ;  Young 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  147 

Men's  Sodality,  fifty  members ;  Holy  Angel's  Society,  sixty  members, 
and  Confirmation  Sodality,  160  members.  The  secular  societies  are  : 
The  Columbian  Society,  thirty  members,  and  St.  Paul's  Cornet  Band, 
fifteen  members. 

The  Christian  Church  was  permanently  organized  in  Valparaiso  in 
1847,  by  Peter  T.  Russell,  with  about  eight  members,  although  there 
was  preaching  before  by  Lewis  Comer  and  others,  but  no  organization. 
Since  that  time,  the  church  continued  to  meet  on  every  Lord's  Day,  with 
few  exceptions.  The  meetings,  for  a  time,  were  held  in  private  or  hired 
rooms,  sometimes  in  the  court  house,  and  several  years  in  the  first  brick 
schoolhouse  built  in  the  town,  purchased  by  one  of  the  brethren,  and 
used  for  that  purpose  till  it  became  unfit.  Then  the  church  rented  a 
house  built  by  the  Germans,  and  occupied  it  about  two  years,  and  in 
1874  built  the  brick  house  which  the  church  now  occupies.  The  house 
and  lot  cost  $3,200.  The  preachers  have  been  P.  T.  Russell,  Lewis 
Comer,  Charles  Blackman,  W.  W.  Jones,  W.  Selmser,  Lemuel  Shortridge, 
R,  C.  Johnston,  W.  R.  Lowe,  I.  H.  Edwards,  H.  B.  Davis  and  others. 
The  church  now  numbers  120  members. 

In  the  year  1852,  the  first  Germans  settled  at  Valparaiso.  Their 
number  increased  rapidly  to  1856,  until  in  about  1865  there  were  about 
fifty  families  of  Germans  in  and  around  Valparaiso,  the  most  of  whom 
were  Lutherans.  In  1862,  Mr.  W.  Jahn  came  from  Holstein,  and  was 
engaged  by  the  Germans  as  their  pastor.  A  division  occurred  in  the 
congregation,  a  number  going  to  the  Reformed  Church,  but  a  respectable 
congregation  remained  Lutheran,  and  employed  Rev.  J.  P.  Beyer  pastor 
to  fully  organize  the  church.  Beyer  came  on,  and  after  four  months  (dur- 
ing which  time  he  preached  here,  and  also,  several  times,  Rev.  Tramm, 
from  La  Porte) — the  Lutheran  cono-regration  sent  a  call  to  Rev.  C. 
Meyer,  in  Bainbridge,  Mich.  Having  accepted  the  call,  Rev.  Meyer 
arrived  in  November,  1864.  Until  1865,  the  services  were  held  in  a 
rented  schoolhouse.  Then  a  frame  building  was  erected  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  Pink  and  Academy  streets,  to  be  used  for  services  and 
school  also.  In  1872,  after  Rev.  Meyer  had  resigned.  Rev.  W.  J.  B. 
Lange,  at  that  time  in  Defiance,  Ohio,  received  a  call,  and  arrived  in 
August,  1872,  and  resides  with  the  congregation  up  to  the  present  time. 
It  is  customary  with  the  Synod  of  Missouri,  Ohio  and  other  States, 
to  which  both  the  before-named  ministers  belong,  to  pay  special  attention 
to  parochial  schools  in  every  congregation.  In  conformity  with  this. 
Rev.  C.  Meyer  started  a  school  soon  after  his  arrival,  of  which  he  was 
the  teacher  himself  for  three  years.  By  that  time,  Mr.  C.  Peters,  who 
had  finished  his  studies  in  the  Teachers'  Seminary,  at  Addison,  111.,  took 
charge  of  the  school,  which  numbers  at  present   130   scholars.     As  the 


148  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

number  of  members  increased  every  year,  and  the  school  enlarged  also, 
the  congregation  found  it  necessary  to  provide  themselves  with  more  room 
and  convenience  in  their  church,  so  they  intended  to  buy  a  lot  and  build 
a  new  church,  when  an  offer  was  made  to  them  to  buy  the  Unitarian 
Church,  which  was  to  be  sold  on  Sheriff's  sale.  This  was  done  in  1880, 
so  they  have  a  pleasantly  situated,  newly  refitted  church  for  services  only, 
while  the  former  frame  church  is  exclusively  used  for  a  schoolhouse. 
Last  year  the  congregation  also  bought  the  dwelling  house  of  Mrs.  Ur- 
bahns  for  their  minister,  which  is  on  the  same  lot  with  the  church.  At 
present  the  congregation  numbers  about  eighty  families  which  are  mem- 
bers, and  about  fifty  more  as  guests. 

At  the  present  time,  there  is  no  organization  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church  in  the  township  or  county,  but  on  the  2d  of  June,  1861, 
Bishop  Upfold  was  present  at  the  organization  of  a  church,  services 
having  been  held  every  other  Sabbath  for  some  time  previous.  The  name 
of  the  organization  was  the  "  Church  of  the  Holy  Communion."  The 
membership  was  small,  and  during  the  changes  caused  by  the  war  and 
the  visitations  of  death,  it  soon  became  extinct.  Messrs.  Febles  and 
Thompson,  lawyers,  with  their  wives,  were  among  the  members.  Subse- 
quently, as  appears  from  the  history  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  elsewhere 
given,  an  effort  was  made  to  organize  a  German  Episcopal  Church.  This 
effort  was  subsequently  continued  as  late  as  1865-66,  but  on  the  occasion 
of  a  visit  from  Assistant  Bishop  Talbott,  in  the  winter  of  1866-67,  for  the 
purpose  of  organizing  the  church,  he  deemed  it  not  advisable  to  do  so. 

For  a  short  time,  there  was  also  a  German  Reformed  Church,  whose 
services  were  held  in  the  building  now  owned  and  occupied  by  the  Lu- 
therans, but  they  discontinued  their  efforts  about  1871,  and  all  the  Ger- 
mans who  attend  church  are  now  connected  with  the  Lutheran  organiza- 
tion, except  such  as  are  found  in  the  German  Methodists,  an  organization 
which  has  existed  here  for  more  than  twenty  years,  and  which  has  a  com- 
modious church  building  and  a  good  parsonage. 

The  Unitarians  formed  an  organization  in  1872,  and  bought  the 
building  of  the  Reformed  Church.  They  have  been  ministered  to  by 
Revs.  Powell,  Carson  Parker  and  others ;  but  at  present  are  not  active, 
and  the  church  building  is  owned  by  the  Lutherans. 

There  is  also  a  Reformed  Mennonite  Church,  which  was  organized  in 
1850.  Ten  years  ago  or  more,  they  purchased  one  of  the  brick  school- 
houses  owned  by  the  city  and  located  in  Powell's  Addition,  where  services 
are  held  every  other  Sabbath,  and  the  Lord's  Supper  is  administered 
twice  a  year.  Their  present  membership  is  about  thirty.  They  have  no 
resident  pastor. 

Since  1878,  there  has  been  an  assembly  calling  themselves  Believers, 


VALPARAISO,  AND   CENTRE   TOWNSHIP.  149 

or  Brethren,  and  commonly  known  as  Plymouth  Brethren,  who  hold 
services  every  Sabbath  morning  and  evening,  their  meetings  being  held 
at  present  in  a  room  in  the  third  story  of  the  store  building  owned  by 
S.  S.  Skinner,  on  Main  street. 

It  is  forty-eight  years  since  the  history  of  the  township  under  its  white 
inhabitants  began.  Since  that  time  there  has  been  advance  all  over  the 
Christian  world.  It  would  be  impossible  to  note  these  as  they  have 
taken  place,  in  the  space  allotted.  The  majority  of  the  original  settlers 
are  now  in  their  graves,  and  the  remainder  are  hastening  on  to  that  end. 
Many  that  have  been  born  here  since  1835,  liave  grown  up  through  boy- 
hood and  maidenhood  to  be  the  staid  members  of  society.  These  joyous 
days  of  youth  were  passed  here  before  the  day  of  railroads  and  telephones. 
But  they  enjoyed  life  nevertheless.  Some  amusing  tales  are  told,  by 
those  who  participated  in  them,  of  merry  doings  that  were  transacted  by 
some  who  are  not  yet  too  grave  to  enjoy  a  good  laugh  at  the  practical 
jokes  then  played  upon  them.  Along  time  ago  Valparaiso  was  frequent- 
ly visited  by  an  apostle  of  phrenology,  a  very  worthy  man,  and,  like  all 
phrenologists,  he  was  of  imperturbable  good  nature  and  boundless  self- 
complacency.  On  one  occasion  he  said,  "Gentlemen,  there  have  been 
only  three  great  heads  in  America."  "  Whose  were  they  ?"  "  One  was 
Benjamin  Franklin,  and  the  second  was  Daniel  Webster."  "  And  whose 
was  the  third  ?"  "  Gentlemen  "  (with  a  bow)  "modesty  forbids  me  to 
say."  Once  the  boys  arranged  with  him  to  give  a  lecture  on  phrenology  in 
the  old  brick  schoolhouse  that  stood  just  east  of  Mrs.  Hamell's  residence. 
The  price  of  admittance  was  one  shilling.  Mexican  shillings,  well  worn, 
were  then  in  circulation.  A  tinner  was  kept  busy  coining  shillings  that 
afternoon.  In  the  evening  the  Professor  was  at  the  door,  hat  in  hand,  to  take 
in  the  money.  The  house  would  scarcely  hold  the  audience.  At  length 
the  Professor  came  to  the  desk,  turned  over  the  hat  and  took  a  look  at  his 
receipts.  He  picked  up  one  shilling  and  looked  at  it  and  felt  it,  and  then 
another  and  another.  He  surveyed  the  pile,  and  then  exclaimed,  "  Gen- 
tlemen, close  that  door  !  There's  been  a  fraud  committed  here  !"  In  a 
quarter  of  a  minute  the  Professor  was  alone  with  his  tin  shillings  to  sigh 
over  "  man's  inhumanity  to  man."  Another  time  he  was  to  lecture  at 
Malone's  Schoolhouse,  and  the  boys  were  in  force  with  a  supply  of  cigars. 
He  was  soon  almost  invisible  amid  the  cloud  of  smoke,  and  being  an  anti- 
tobacconist  he  broke  for  the  door,  for  once  almost  losing  his  urbanity. 
We  have  among  us  a  venerable  banker  and  capitalist,  who,  by  "  accom- 
modating "  his  friends  and  building  houses  to  rent,  has  made  a  kind  of 
local  Astor  of  himself.  He  came  here  thirty  years  ago,  "  from  the  East," 
you  know,  and  the  boys  took  especial  pains  to  show  him  round.  He  heard 
them  tell  wonderful  stories  about  catching  snipe,  and  was  interested.      He 


160  HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

wanted  to  catch  some.  They  took  him  out  about  two  miles  to  some  low 
grounds  through  which  ran  a  ditch.  There  were  not  less  than  a  score  in 
the  crowd.  As  they  approached  the  place  where  one  of  the  number  had 
seen  "  an  acre  and  a  half  of  snipe  "  that  morning,  they  all  provided  them- 
selves with  clubs  for  driving  snipe.  The  novice  was  unanimously  chosen 
to  hold  the  bag.  This  he  declined  to  do  on  account  of  his  not  being 
acquainted  with  the  kind  of  snipe  that  grew  in  this  country,  but  agreed 
to  hold  it  the  second  time.  Another  was  appointed  in  his  place  to  first 
hold  the  bag,  and  he,  being  urged  to  provide  himself  with  a  club  for  driv- 
ing snipe,  went  into  a  thicket  to  cut  one,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  hid  from 
view,  lit  out  for  town  leaving  them  to  finish  the  game.  He  arrived  in 
town  about  an  hour  before  the  rest,  and  occupied  a  good  position  from 
which  he  could  hear  their  comments  on  the  expedition.  The  same  banker 
once  started  an  oyster  saloon  which  was  largely  patronized  by  the 
'''■Jeunesse  doree"  of  Valparaiso,  and  their  patronage  resulted  largely  to 
his  profit.     If  you  wish  to  know  how,  ask   him,  for  he  enjoys  telling  it. 


CHAPTER   V. 

BY  G.  A.  GARARD. 


Westchester  Township— An  Interesting  First  Family— The  Pioneer 
Piano— First  Place  of  Worship— List  of  First  Settlers— Early 
Items— The  Stanes  Murder— Schools— Secret  Societies— Churches 
—Justice— Villages— Chesterton— Industries. 

"TTTESTCHESTER  TOWNSHIP  is  the  historic  ground  of  Porter 
V  V  County.  Here  the  first  settlement  was  made.  Here  civilized  and 
savage  joined  hands  and  trod  together  the  paths  of  peace.  Here  white 
and  red  were  blended  under  the  azure  sky  that  bends  its  dome  over  all 
races  and  nations. 

In  1822,  a  solitary  "pale  face"  was  seen  by  Indian  eyes  as  he 
wended  his  way  through  the  wilderness  round  about  Lake  Michigan.  He 
walked  without  fear,  for  the  red  men  knew  him  as  a  friend.  Safety  and  a 
warm  welcome  were  before,  while  weary  leagues  stretched  away  behind 
him  toward  his  white  friends.     In  his  pocket  was  the  following  : 

To  All  Officers  Acting  Under  the  United  States:  Detroit,  15  March,  1814. 

The  bearer  of  this  paper,  Mr.  .Joseph  Bailly  (B'a-y(§),  a  resident  on  the  border  of  Lake 
Michigan  near  St.  Josephs,  has  my  permission  to  pass  from  this  post  to  his  residence 
aforesaid.  Since  Mr.  Bailly  has  been  in  Detroit,  his  deportment  has  been  altogether  cor- 
rect, and  such  as  to  acquire  my  confidence  ;  all  officers,  civil  and  military,  acting  under 
the  authority  of  the  American  Government  will  therefore  respect  this  passport  which  I 
accord  to  Mr.  Bailly,  and  permit  him  not  only  to  pass  undisturbed,  but  if  necessary  yield 
to  him  their  protection  H.  Butler, 

Commandt.  M.  Territory  and  its  Dependencies,  and  the  Western  District  of  U.  Canada. 
To  all  Officers  of  the  A.  Government." 


WESTCHESTER  TOWNSHIP.  151 

During  the  war  of  1812,  the  person  to  whom  this  passport  was 
granted  was  taken  prisoner  by  both  the  United  States  and  the  British 
sohliers,  but  did  not  enlist  in  either  army.  In  his  wanderings,  he  sought 
safety  and  opportunity  to  trade  with  the  Indians.  As  the  Indians  slowly 
retired  before  the  "Star  of  Empire"  rapidly  rising  in  the  East,  Joseph 
Bailly,  the  French  Canadian  trader,  followed.  In  1822,  he  halted  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  Calumet,  in  what  is  now  Porter  County.  On  the 
southwest  quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  Section  27,  Township  37, 
Range  6  west,  upon  a  beautiful  bluff  he  constructed  of  unhewn  logs  the 
first  cabin  that  was  raised  in  the  county.  The  Calumet  here  is  clear  and 
ha3  high  banks.  It  is  here  very  unlike  itself  throughout  the  greater  part 
of  its  course;  for  little  more  than  a  mile  fiirther  down  begin  the  marshes 
and  morasses,  through  which  it  creeps  for  the  remainder  of  its  sluggish 
and  crooked  course.  Here  this  solitary  settler  drew  around  him  the 
natives  from  whom  he  purchased  furs  and  other  articles,  for  which  he 
paid  them  articles  of  use  and  ornament.  His  business  increased  and  his 
buildings  multiplied  until,  in  1833,  there  were  six  or  eight  log  cabins 
clustered  about  the  first  one  that  was  built.  The  place  is  spoken  of  in 
"A  Winter  in  the  West,"  by  a  New  Yorker,  published  in  1835. 

Monsieur  Bailly  had  wooed  and  won  an  Ottawa  maid  and  brought  his 
bride  to  reside  at  the  post  on  the  banks  of  the  Calumet.  Here  they 
reared  a  family  of  four  beautiful  and  accomplished  daughters.  Eleanor, 
the  eldest,  "took  the  veil"  and  was  for  a  number  of  years  Mother  Supe- 
rior of  St,  Mary's  in  Terre  Haute.  The  second  daughter  married  Col. 
Whistler,  a  resident  of  the  county ;  the  third  married  Mr.  Howe,  a  Chi- 
cago banker,  and  now,  a  widow,  resides  with  a  maiden  daughter  upon  the 
old  homestead.  Hortense,  the  youngest,  married  Joel  Wicker,  who  was 
the  first  merchant  at  Deep  River,  Lake  County.  They  had  besides  these 
four  daughters,  a  son,  who  was  born  in  1817,  and  died  in  1827.  The 
whole  family  were  devout  Catholics  and  maintained  their  worship  in  the 
wilderness.  For  ten  years,  Joseph  Bailly*  and  his  hired  Frenchmen 
were  the  only  white  persons  in  the  township.  The  trading  business  was 
a  species  of  barter,  for  the  only  money  of  the  frontier  was  the  skins  of 
fur-bearing  animals.  A  mink  skin  was  usually  §1,  and  raccoon,  muskrat 
and  other  skins  were  some  fractional  part  of  a  dollar.  The  values  were,  as 
they  everywhere  and  always  are,  relative,  and  the  various  kinds  of  skins 
fluctuated  in  value  as  paper  money  does.  The  furs  and  other  articles 
bartered  from  the  Indians  were  transported  to  the  lake  and  coasted  to 
Mackinac  in  what  were  called  Mackinac  boats.  These  were  row-boats, 
usually  about  thirty  feet  long.  In  "  Wau-bun,  or  The  Early  Day  in  the 
Northwest,"  by  Mrs.  J.  H.  Kinzie,  these  boats  are   described  as   having 

*  This  name  is  often  incorrectly  spelled  Bailie. 


152  "^  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

in  the  center  a  framework  of  slight  posts  supporting  a  cover  of  canvas, 
with  curtains  at  the  side  that  could  be  raised  or  lowered  after  the  fashion, 
perhaps,  of  those  of  a  modern  summer  car.  These  small  craft  were  run 
by  man  power  and  were  forced  to  follow  the  sinuous  shore  line.  A  day's 
travel  in  one  of  them  was  from  river  mouth  to  river  mouth,  whether  the 
distance  was  short  or  long. 

As  prosperity  followed  industry,  Mr.  Bailly  found  means  to  gratify  to 
some  extent  the  refined  tastes  that  had  so  long  feasted  upon  nature  un- 
aided by  art.  In  1830,  a  guitar  added  its  mellow  notes  to  the  orchestra 
of  nature,  and,  in  1836,  the  pioneer  piano  found  its  way  with  much  diffi- 
culty to  this  frontier  home.  This  instrument  is  still  in  existence.  Mr. 
Bailly  bought  a  large  amount  of  land  and  planned  to  found  a  city.  In 
1834,  the  first  lots  were  surveyed  and  some  of  them  sold  ;  but  the  death 
of  Mr.  Bailly  in  1835,  followed  by  the  panic  of  1837,  caused  the  plan  to 
be  abandoned  by  his  heirs.  Bailly  Town  is  now  known  only  in  history 
and  tradition.  The  old  homestead  is  preserved  with  great  care  by  Mrs. 
Howe  and  her  daughter,  Miss  Frances  R.,  who  live  a  life  of  refinement 
upon  the  sequestered  spot,  surrounded  by  the  antique  and  the  picturesque. 
Miss  Frances  R.  Howe,  and  her  sister  Rose,  who  died  some  years  since, 
have  devoted  their  lives  to  the  church,  and  their  religious  writings  are 
quite  widely  read  by  Catholics.  Here  the  family  chapel  that  was  built 
about  1826,  and  used  for  some  years  as  a  kitchen,  is  kept  as  a  sanctuary 
and  repaired  to  daily  by  mother  and  daughter  for  purposes  of  worship. 
The  bell  is  rung  as  if  a  congregation  were  to  convene  at  its  call ;  and 
here  the  "two  or  three  gather  together"  to  feel  the  presence  of  the 
Spirit.  This  chapel  is  of  logs,  and  by  its  excellent  state  of  preservation 
indicates  that  it  is  able  to  stand  the  storms  of  half  a  century  yet.  Here 
stands  the  old  home,  built  in  1831:  of  logs,  but  now  looking  younger  than 
it  did  years  ago  to  the  casual  glance,  because  of  the  mask  of  weather- 
boarding  that  it  wears,  and  with  which  the  "•  mistress  of  the  Manse " 
seeks  to  save  it  from  the  ravaojes  of  time.  Standinuj  near  are  other  build- 
ings  hoary  with  age,  among  which  is  a  log  hut  in  which  the  Indians  used 
to  store  their  property  for  safe  keeping  in  the  care  of  Mr.  Bailly.  Many 
heirlooms  are  here  carefully  preserved,  among  which  are  a  bread  pan  or 
bowl  made  of  the  knot  of  a  tree  which  has  already  seen  its  threescore 
and  ten,  and  still  seems  "just  as  good  as  new;"  a  number  of  carved 
wooden  ladles  showed  the  Indian  eye  to  beauty  as  well  as  use ;  a  hexagon 
patchwork  quilt  sixty  years  old  and  bright  enough  to  grace  a  "  spare 
bed,"  attested  alike  the  industry  and  frivolity  of  oar  grandams.  Half  a 
mile  north  of  the  house  is  the  family  cemetery  in  which  are  interred  the 
Catholic  members  of  the  family.  Here,  in  1827,  Mr.  Bailly  buried  his 
only  son,  a  lad  of  ten  years,  and  to  his  memory  "  he  erected  a  huge  cross 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  155 

of  oak  timber  some  thirty  feet  high,  and  which  towered  above  the  sur- 
rounding forest,  inasmuch  as  it  was  on  a  knoll  or  knob  of  land.  Trav- 
elers used  to  see  this  cross  in  the  wilderness,  and  often  it  was  the  first 
indication  to  them  of  the  vicinity  of  civilized  persons."  Beside  this 
cross,  he  built  a  small  log  cabin  which  he  called  "  the  chapel,"  to  which 
he  obliged  all  the  family  to  repair  on  Sundays  for  prayer,  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  in  them  the  habit  of  going  somewhere  out  of  the  home  for 
worship,  so  that  when  churches  came  to  be  established  they  would  not 
feel  like  staying  away  from  services.  The  above-mentioned  cross  bore 
this  inscription:  "To-day,  my  turn;  to-morrow,  yours;"  and  also 
"  Jesus  Christ  Crucified  ;  have  mercy  upon  us." 

For  almost  ten  years,  Joseph  Bailly  was  the  only  white  settler  in  what 
is  now  Westchester  Township.  In  1833,  Jesse  Morgan  and  his  family 
came.  In  1834,  came  William  Thomas,  Sr.,  and  family,  William  Gosset 
and  family,  Jacob  Beck  and  family,  John  Hageman  and  family,  John  I. 
Foster  and  family,  William  Frame  and  family,  Pressley  Warnick  and 
family,  Elhanan  Ranks,  Alfred  Marvin,  Mr.  McCoy,  William  Coleman, 
and  Mr.  Abbott.  In  1835,  a  mulatto  named  Landy  Gavin,  who  had  paid 
$600  for  his  freedom,  and  who  moved  later  to  Michigan  City,  came  and 
settled  here.  In  the  same  year,  Eli  Hendricks,  R.  Cornell  and  others 
came.  In  1833,  a  French  fur  trader  located  at  what  is  now  Sand  Creek, 
or  Morgan's  Schoolhouse.  His  currency  was  of  the  liquid  form  known 
among  the  Indians  as  "  fire-water."  Of  this,  it  is  said  that  he  bartered 
away  eleven  barrels  in  one  winter  ;  and  it  is  further  stated  that  only  one 
death  resulted  directly  from  this  large  quantity  of  liquid  fire.  This 
death  was  the  result  of  an  aff"ray. 

The  first  birth  of  the  township  was  in  the  Bailly  family.  The  first 
child  of  unmixed  Caucasian  blood  was  Hannah  Morgan,  who  was  born  in 
1834.  The  first  death  among  the  whites  was  that  of  the  son  of  Joseph 
Bailly,  in  1827.  The  second  death  was  probably  that  of  the  father,  who 
followed  the  son  ten  years  later.  The  first  place  of  worship  other  than 
the  fireside  and  the  groves,  was  that  already  spoken  of  as  being  erected 
in  1827  by  Mr.  Bailly  upon  the  death  of  his  son.  Mr.  Bailly  here  gave 
religious  instruction  every  evening  for  a  time  to  some  Christian  Indians, 
translating  to  them  from  the  French  a  history  of  the  Bible.  The  book 
that  he  used  is  still  in  existence.  The  first  marriage  was  probably  that 
of  Esther  Bailly  and  John  H.  Whistler,  which  occurred  in  1836.  They 
were  married  in  Chicago,  but  came  here  to  live.  The  second  was  Samuel 
Thomas  and  Lucille  Hale.  There  was  a  tradition  among  the  Indians  that 
at  a  remote  date,  Marquette,  Qr  some  other  of  the  early  French  explorers 
had  a  trading  post  near  the  mouth  of  Fort  Creek  or  Wau-caw-gi-ink,  as  they 

called  it.     Here,  in  1834.  could  be  seen  a  burying-ground,  and  the  indi- 

I 


156  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

cations  of  a  battle  that  may  have  been  fought  years  before.  Here  the 
old  stage  line  crossed,  and  it  is  said  that  a  stage  sunk  in  the  quicksand 
here,  in  1836,  and  never  was  taken  out.  Here,  in  1833,  Mr.  Joseph 
Morgan  witnessed  a  funeral  dance  and  feast  of  the  Indians.  It  was  upon 
the  occasion  of  the  death  of  the  wife  of  Ching-wah  (Lightning)  one  of 
the  principal  chiefs.  About  one  hundred  Indians  assembled  and  danced 
and  feasted  in  such  style  as,  according  to  their  ideas,  befitted  the  occa- 
sion. Up  to  1883,  Vfestern  travel  kept  to  the  beach  of  the  lake,  fording 
the  mouths  of  the  streams.  In  1831,  a  mail  route  was  established  from 
Detroit  to  Fort  Dearborn.  This  ran  through  Jackson,  Westchester  and 
Portage,  or  rather  through  what  now  constitutes  those  townships.  The 
mail  was  carried  in  knapsacks  upon  the  backs  of  two  soldiers  until  1833, 
when  stage  coaches  began  to  run  over  this  line  tri-weekly.  Converse  & 
Keeves  were  the  first  contractors  on  this  route.  Jesse  Morgan  settled  on 
this  route  on  Section  6,  and  kept  the  Porter  County  Stage  House.  In 
1832,  the  soldiers  going  to  and  from  the  Black  Hawk  war  passed  over 
this  route.  The  first  election  of  this  region,  then  a  part  of  Waverly 
Township,  was  held  on  Saturday,  April  30,  1836,  in  the  town  of  Waver- 
ly, with  William  Gossett  as  Inspector.  As  already  intimated,  this  region 
was  formerly  a  part  of  Waverly  Township. 

Schools,  Societies,  Churches. — The  first  school  was  a  private  one  held  in 
the  home  of  Jesse  Morgan,  in  the  winter  of  1833-31.  The  teacher  was 
some  one  who  was  traveling  through  and  wanted  to  stop  for  the  winter. 
The  first  school  held  in  a  separate  building  was  in  a  vacant  trading-post 
on  Section  5,  Township  36,  Range  5,  during  the  winter  of  1836.  In  this 
rude  log  cabin,  greased  paper  was  used  for  windows,  and  travelers  who 
wished  to  rest  for  awhile  were  employed  as  teachers.  Districts  were 
formed  as  the  population  increased.  The  first  ones  formed  built  log 
houses  ;  these  gradually  gave  way  to  frame  and  brick.  At  present  there 
are  nine  districts  and  nine  houses,  all  of  which  are  in  fair  condition. 
They  are  all  frame  except  the  one  at  Chesterton  and  the  one  at  Hage- 
man  ',  these  are  of  brick.  The  Chesterton  Schoolhouse  was  built  in  1879 
at  a  cost  of  $6,000.  It  is  a  two-story  brick,  more  noted  for  convenience 
than  comeliness.  The  following  is  an  incomplete  list  of  the  teachers  of 
the  township  for  some  years.  As  the  records  are  lost  or  destroyed,  a 
complete  list  cannot  be  given.  The  name,  year,  and  price  paid  per  week 
are  given.  In  District  No.  1 — 1866,  Bertha  Cronin,  $1.75  and  $2; 
1867,  S.  D.  Crane,  $2  ;  1868,  J.  M.  Yokey,  $1.75 ;  1869,  Andrew 
Case,  $2  ;  1870,  Sister  Eugene,  $1.83  ;  1877,  R.  A.  Murphy,  $1.50 ; 
1878,  R.  A.  Murphy,  $1.50.  In  District  No.  2—1866,  Alice  J.  Parke, 
$1.25,  Angie  Bay,  $1.25  ;  1867,  Angie  Bay,  $1.25  ;  1868,  J.  N.  Thomp- 
son, $1.75,  John  C.  Coulter,  $1.66  ;  1869,  C.  D.  Pelham,  $1.50  ;  1870, 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  157 

C.  D.  Pelham,  $1.89  and  $2  ;  1871,  Hattie  A.  Heaton  ,  $1.50,  C.  D. 
Pelham,  $2.30;  1873,  J.  N.  Thompson,  $2.12  and  $2;  1874,  J.N. 
Thompson,  $2,  C.  D.  Pelham,  $1.50  and  $1.75  ;  1875,  G.  D.  Pelham, 
$1.75;  1877,  M.  Furness,  $1.50,  F.  G.  Howell,  $2;  1878,  F.  G.  How- 
ell, $2.  In  District  No.  3—1867,  Mrs.  S.  E.  Realf,  $1.25  ;  1868,  Cora 
E.  Butler,  $1.50  ;  1869,  Cora  E.  Butler,  $1.50,  Ella  Morse,  $1.88  ; 
1870,  Ella  Morse,  $1.82,  John  C.  Coulter,  $2  ;  1871,  John  C.  Coulter, 
$2,  Kittie  L.  Peterson,  $1.66;  1872,  Lucy  Furness,  $1.66,  W.  L. 
Haight,  $2;  1873,  Angie  M.  Sawyer,  $1.58,  S.  D.  Hawthorne,  $1.66  ; 
1874,  S.  D.  Hawthorne,  $1.66,  W.  M.  Winters,  1.75  ;  1875,  Angie  Saw- 
yer, $1.75;  1876,  V.  E.  Frisbie,  $1.58;  1877,  C.  F.  Schell,  $2,  John 
W.  Rose,  $2.  In  District  No.  4—1867,  Caroline  Teed,  $1.25  ;  1868, 
Caroline  Teed,  $1.33,  Cora  E.  Butler,  $1.50  ;  1869,  Celia  Cary,  $1.25  ; 

1870,  Celia  Cary,  $1.25,  Laura  Harper,  $1.50  ;  1871,  Laura  Harper, 
$1.50,  Mary  Cary,  $1.25  ;  1872,  Cecelia  Cary,  $1.33;  1873,  Zerilda  J. 
Gosset,  $1.50;  1774,  E.  S.  Butler,  $1.75,  Cecelia  Cary,  $1.50;  1876, 
Lou  E.  Buck,  $1.50,  Celia  Cary,  $1.37  and  $1.53  ;  1877,  Celia  Cary, 
$1.57,  Mary  Cary,  $1.57.  In  District  No.  5—1866,  1868-69,  Caroline 
Teed,  $1.25;  1869,  Helen  M.  Pelham,  $1.25;  1871-72,  Hattie  A. 
Heaton,  $1.50  and  $1.66  ;  1873,  Lou  E.  Buck,  $1.25  and  $1.50  ;  1874, 
Martha  Case,  $1.75;  1876-78,  F.  G.  Howell,  $2.25  and  $1.50.  In 
District  No.  6—1866-67,  John  G.  Princell,  $1.25  and  $1.66  ;  1868,  J. 
Telleen,  $1.60,  John  C.  Coulter,  $1.60;  1869,  Celia  Johnston,  $1.50 
and  $1.66;  1870,  John  J.  Fredein,  $1.66,  Fred   F.   B.   Coffin,  $1.25; 

1871,  Emma  Dolson,  $1.66,  A.  Darling,  $2  ;  1872,  A.  Darling,  $2,  W. 
L.  Haight,  $1.87  ;  1873-74,  0.  A.  Swanson,  $1.75  ;  1874,  Lou  Fur- 
ness, $1.50  ;  1875,  Lou  Furness,  $1.75,  L.  E.  Buck,  $1.75,  C.  W. 
Hoffman,  $2;  1876,  Fred  F.  B.  Coffman,  $2.25;  1877,  C.  F.  Scheldt, 
$2.25.  In  District  No.  7—1866,  E.  Owens,  $1.75  ;  1867,  Mr.  Mc- 
Cormack,  $1.75 ;  1868,  Mary  Miller,  $1.50,  J.  N.  Thompson,  $1.75, 
Cecelia  Cary,  $1.50;  1869,  Cecelia  Cary,  $1.50;  1870,  Sister  Mary 
Angelia,  $1.50,  Helen  M.  Pelham,  $1.50;  1871,  Eliva  White,  $1.50, 
Helen  M.  Pelham,  $1.50;  1872,  L.  N.  Gosset,  $1.25;  ^873,  Samuel 
Rundquist,  $1.33;  1874,  C.  Gaylord,  $1.50 ;  1875,  C.  Gaylord,  $1.50 
and  $1.25  ;  1876,  Annie  Ericson,  $1.50  ;  1877,  Martha  Furness,  $1.50. 
In  District  No.  8—1874,  Angie  Sawyer,  $1.50  ;  1875,  Winnifred  Fur- 
ness, Dora  Morrical  and  Mary  Cary,  $1.50  ;  1876,  Mary  Cary,  $1.50 
and  $1.58,  Martha  Coffin,  $1.50  ;  1877,  Martha  Coffin,  $1.50.  In  Dis- 
trict No.  9—1876,  Martha  Furness,  $1.25  and  $1.58  ;  1877,  Martha 
Furness,  $1.58.  The  teachers  of  the  township  for  the  school  year  1880- 
81  were  :  John  Gonding,  of  Porter  Station  ;  John  Nickols,  at  Hageman  ; 
Monroe  Brown,  at  City  West ;  Annie  Ericson,  at  Morgan's  ;  Miss  Lou 


158  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Buck,  at  Baillj  Town ;  Miss  Alice  Castlemant,  at  Salt  Creek  ;  M.  L. 
Brummitt,  at  Furnessville  ;  and  M.  L.  Phares,  at  Chesterton.  In  1882, 
the  same  corps  is  employed  in  the  schools  of  the  township  except  two, 
and  in  their  places  are  Miss  Lettie  Bedell  and  August  Gunderino;.  The 
public  schools  of  Chesterton  begin  the  school  year  of  1882-83  with  the 
following  teachers :  M.  L.  Phares,  Principal  ;  Miss  Maria  Brummitt, 
intermediate ;  and  Miss  Rose  Murphy  as  primary  teacher.  This  is  an 
iacrease  of  one  teacher  over  past  years.  The  school,  with  an  enrollment 
of  125,  under  the  administration  of  Mr.  Phares,  is  prospering  finely. 

There  is  at  Chesterton  the  Che-gu-mink,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  No.  161.  The 
organization  was  effected  July,  19,  1855,  at  least  that  is  the  date  of  the 
charter.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  charter  members  :  J.  B.  Ander- 
son, M.  W.  G.  M.;  A.  H.  Mathews,  R.  W.  D.  G.  M.  ;  J.  H.  Staily,  R. 
W.  G.  W.;  James  E.  Blythe,  R.  W.  G.  K ;  J.  B.  McCheney,  R.  W. 
G.  L.;  George  B.  Jocelyn,  R.  W.  G.  C. ;  John  Caldwell,  R.  W.  G.  G. ; 
P.  A.  Hackman,  G.  R.  G.  L.  W.  S. ;  C.  Woolsey,  G.  R.  G.  L.  W.  S. ; 
Milton  Horndou,  P.  G.  M. ;  Enos  Hoover,  P.  G.  ;  Benjamin  Smith,  P. 
G. ;  James  DeRiggs,  D.  D.  G.  M.  ;  Daniel  Moss,  G.  R.  ;  I.  A.  Crane, 
P.  G.  ;  H.  G.  Bosker,  P.  G. ;  James  Hook,  P.  G.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  fourteen,  and  the  ofiicers  are  :  H.  H.  Tillotson,  N.  G.;  C.  D. 
Jackson,  V.  G.  ;  David  McHenry,  Secretary,  J.  F.  Taylor,  Treasurer;  J. 
P.  Morgan,  I.  G.,  and  H.  Greene,  R.  S.  toN.  G.  They  own  property  val- 
ued at  $1,500.  Calumet  Lodge,  No.  379,  of  Masons,  located  at  Chester- 
ton, bears  date  of  May  27,  1868.  They  commenced  working  under  a 
dispensation  March  9,  1868.  The  charter  members  were  :  George  Raw- 
son,  W.  M. ;  Benjamin  Little,  S.  W. ;  John  A.  Harris,  J.  W.  ;  L.  B. 
Osborn,  John  C.  Coulter,  F.  F.  B.  Coffer,  Abram  Fuller  and  John 
Thomas.  The  present  officers  are :  John  C.  Coulter,  W.  M.;  William 
Brummett,  S.  W.;  Herbert  Miles,  J.  W.  ;  F.  Michaels,  Treasurer;  Frank 
J.  Templeton,  Secretary ;  Delos  D.  Marr,  S.  D.  ;  N.  D.  Curtis,  J.  D.; 
David  McHenry,  Tiler;  Homer  Tillotson.  and  Benjamin  Little,  Stewards. 
The  property  of  the  lodge  is  valued  at  ^400.  The  present  membership 
is  forty-four.  There  has  been  so  far  as  known,  but  one  death  in  the  lodge, 
that  of  John  A.  Harris,  one  of  the  charter  members.  One  of  the  mem- 
bers, F.  Michael,  has  taken  the  highest  degree  of  the  order.  Besides 
these  societies,  there  have  been  organizations  of  the  Good  Templars,  Sons 
of  Temperance,  and  the  Grange  in  Chesterton. 

The  first  place  of  worship  has  already  been  spoken  of.  The  first  reg- 
ular church  was  erected  in  1857,  at  Chesterton,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
railroad  by  the  Catholics.  Rev.  Father  Kilroy  organized  the  church. 
Much  assistance  was  received  from  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern 
Railroad  when  the  church   was   started.     Father  Kilroy  was  succeeded 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  159 

by  Father  Fljnn  of  the  order  of  the  Holy  Cross  (C.  S.  C).  He  came  to 
minister  to  the  small  congregation  but  a  few  times  before  the  well-known 
Father  Paul  Gillen  (C.  S.  C),  took  charge  of  the  church.  Then  for 
some  years  Calumet  Church  had  no  priest  from  Notre  Dame.  It  was 
next  supplied  by  Rev.  Father  Lawler,  who  then  was  resident  Catholic 
clergyman  of  La  Porte,  and  came  once  a  month  to  this  church.  Thus 
the  church  struggled  along  without  any  resident  pastor  until  1867,  when 
they  requested  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Leurs  to  send  a  priest  into  their 
midst.  The  request  was  granted.  They  purchased  a  house  and  lot  on 
the  south  side  of  the  railroad,  where  the  present  property  stands.  In 
1868,  Rev.  John  Flynn  became  resident  priest,  and  labored  faithfully  and 
zealously  here  and  at  Westville,  until  August  1,  1870,  when  at  the  age 
of  twentv-eicjht  he  was  called  from  his  labors  to  his  reward.  He  was 
highly  esteemed  not  only  by  Catholics,  but  by  all  who  knew  him,  and 
those  who  knew  him  best  loved  him  most,  and  can  never  forget  his  words 
of  wisdom.  During  Father  Flynn's  ministry,  there  were  thirty  baptisms, 
twenty-nine  deaths,  two  marriages,  and  forty-three  received  confirmation. 
Father  W.  F.  M.  O'R-ourke,  who  had  come  during  Father  Flynn's  sick- 
ness, now  took  charge  of  the  work.  He  was  noted  for  his  eloquence  and 
learning,  and  many  came  to  St.  Patrick's  Church  from  a  distance  to  hear 
his  sermons.  Father  Timothy  0' Sullivan,  present  pastor  of  May  wood, 
111.,  and  brother  of  P.  O'Sullivan,  of  the  Valparaiso  Herald^  now  at- 
tended Saint  Patrick's  congregation  as  a  mission,  and  Calumet  was  again 
without  a  resident  pastor.  Father  P.  Koncz  was  the  next  priest,  and 
now  the  town  became  known  as  Chesterton.  By  this  time  the  little  frame 
church  was  too  small,  and  as  Father  Koncz  was  a  Polander  and  unable 
to  speak  English  or  German  fluently.  Rev.  M.  O'Reilly,  of  Valparaiso, 
came  to  Chesterton  on  several  occasions  to  assist  in  raising  money  with 
which  to  build  a  brick  church.  This  was  begun  by  the  congregation,  but 
finished  by  Rev.  John  F.  Lang,  present  Secretary  of  the  bishop  of  Fort 
Wayne.  In  the  words  of  Father  Kroll,  "  Father  Lang,  though  small  in 
stature,  was  nevertheless  a  man  of  great  ability,  and  soon  impressed  the 
Chestertonians  with  the  truth  of  the  old  adage  '  precious  articles  are  done 
up  in  small  paroles.'"  During  his  ministry,  there  were  fifty-two  bap- 
tisms, fifteen  deaths,  three  marriages  and  thirty-nine  confirmations.  His 
health  failing  him,  Father  Wardy,  a  Frenchman  by  birth,  and  then  at  the 
advanced  acje  of  sixtv-eight,  took  charo-e  of  the  church.  He  was  not 
long  able  to  discharge  the  arduous  duties  that  devolved  upon  him,  and  on 
the  21st  of  July,  1879,  Rev.  H.  F.  J.  Kroll  took  charge.  During  Father 
Wardy's  ministry  there  were  twenty-three  baptisms  and  sixteen  deaths ; 
during  Rev.  Kroll's  there  have  been  fifty-five  baptisms,  twenty-four 
deaths  and  eleven  marriages.     In  1870,  the  value  of  church  property  was 


160  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

§500 ;  in  1882,  it  is  §13,000.  A  fine  parsonage,  that  is  to  cost  about 
§3,000,  is  now  being  erected  under  the  supervision  of  the  present  efficient 
priest.  The  present  church  was  built  in  1876.  The  present  membership 
is  about  sixty. 

The  Swedish  Lutherans  organized  at  Bailly  Town  in  1857,  with  about 
thirty  communicants.  The  first  minister  was  A.  Audrain,  the  second 
Rev.  Sjoblom,  the  third  Rev.  Nyquist,  the  fourth  Rev.  Sodergrim.  None 
of  these  stayed  more  than  four  years.  Andrew  Challman,  the  present 
pastor,  has  been  in  charge  seven  years.  The  communicants  now  number 
250.  The  present  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1863,  at  a  cost  of 
§2,000.  They  own  a  nice  parsonage  valued  at  §1,000,  besides  school 
property  valued  at  §1,000.  The  church  at  Chesterton  was  organized  in 
1879  by  those  who  had  formerly  attended  at  Bailly  Town.  They  at  once 
built  a  fine  brick  church  at  a  cost  of  §5,000,  to  which  many  of  other 
denominations  and  those  not  members  of  any  church  contributed  very 
liberally.  This  church  is  not  yet  completed.  The  number  of  commu- 
nicants at  first  was  125,  while  now  they  number  227.  Rev.  Andrew  Chall- 
man has  had  charore  of  both  cono-recjations.  and  as  he  is  a  cranial  and 
scholarly  man,  as  well  as  a  zealous  minister,  his  efforts  are  well  received 
at  both  places. 

The  Swedish  Methodist  Church  of  Chesterton  was  organized  Janu- 
ary 26,  1879.  The  church  was  built  in  1880,  at  a  cost  of  §600.  The 
})resent  value  of  all  of  the  church  property  is  §1,000.  The  first  minister 
was  C.  J.  Hisson,  the  second  Martin  Hess,  the  third  H.  L.  Linquist,  the 
fourth  Andrew  Farrell,  who  is  the  present  pastor,  and  has  had  charge 
two  years.  The  Presiding  Elder,  John  Wigren,  organized  the  church. 
At  first,  there  were  twelve  members,  now  there  are  forty-five.  All  of 
these  are  Swedes,  except  Mrs.  John  B.  Lundburg.  The  following  is  a 
list  of  the  first  members  :  John  B.  Lundburg,  Swen,  Johan  Hjelm,  Maria 
Charlotte  Hjelm,  August  Victor  Peterson,  Anna  Christina  Peterson,  Os- 
car A.  Peterson,  John  Hylander,  Anna  Carolina  Hylander,  A.  F.  Gus- 
tafsen,  Charles  Jacobson,  Christian  Jacobson,  Charles  Hyden,  August 
Melin,  William  Lawrence  and  Paulina  Lawrence.  The  first  Trustees  of 
the  Church  were  John  B.  Lundburo;,  August  Melin  and  Au^rust  Peterson, 
and  these  gentlemen  are  Trustees  at  present. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Chesterton  was  started  about  the 
time  that  the  war  of  the  rebellion  broke  out.  The  structure  was  begun, 
but  was  allowed  to  stand  unfinished  for  about  two  years.  It  was  then 
completed  at  a  cost  of  about  §2,000.  The  following  persons  gave  liber- 
ally toward  its  erection  :  D,  N.  Hopkins,  Albert  E.  Letts,  William  Bar- 
ney, John  Whitman,  Gilbert  Morgan,  0.  Johnson,  H.  Hageman,  J.  W. 
Stewart  and  others.  The  present  membership  is  eighty-two  and  the  value 
of  the  church  property  is  §2,000. 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  161 

The  German  Lutheran  Church  of  Chesterton  was  begun  in  the  fall  of 
1880,  and  finished  in  April,  1881,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  The  following 
is  a  partial  list  of  those  who  contributed  to  the  building  fund :  William 
Slont,  Fred  Lendermann,  Charles  Warnhoff,  Henry  Dorman,  Mrs.  Fri- 
day and  Miss  Allbright,  $50  each  ;  Charles  Bankey,  $-40;  Fred  Lawrentz, 
§25,  and  others  gave  according  to  their  means.  The  membership  at  first 
was  twelve,  now  it  is  forty-five.  Mr.  Hammon  was  the  first,  as  he  is  the 
only  minister  who  has  had  charge.     The  pulpit  is  not  filled  at  present. 

There  is  at  Furnessville  a  Methodist  Society  that  holds  its  meetings 
in  the  schoolhouse.  At  the  same  place  there  is  a  Society  of  Christians 
or  Disciples  organized  by  Rev.  William  H.  Furness  in  1869.  They  also 
use  the  schoolhouse,  where,  at  stated  times,  there  assembles  quite  a  large 
congregation. 

Homicide. — In  1838,  occurred  the  "  Stanes  murder."  Francis 
Stanes  and  John  Pelton  were  working  at  a  saw-mill  near  Arba  Heald's,  in 
La  Porte  County,  and,  staying  at  a  place  of  bad  repute,  kept  by  a  man 
named  Palmer.  It  seems  that  Stanes  had  become  involved,  and  to  avoid 
his  creditors,  had  concluded  to  leave  the  locality.  So  he  started  West  with 
John  Pelton  as  a  guide.  Before  starting,  he  remarked  that  he  had  $101 
of  good  money,  besides  the  horse  he  was  to  ride.  Subsequently,  not  far 
from  Jesse  Morgan's  place,  an  Indian  boy  found  in  the  woods  a  bundle  of 
clothing  tied  in  a  handkerchief  The  boy's  father  came  up  to  the  spot 
and  thinking  that  something  must  be  wrong,  began  to  look  around,  and 
soon  saw  in  a  hollow  made  by  an  up-turned  tree,  a  boot  protruding  through 
some  brush.  Closer  inspection  revealed  a  dead  man  concealed  in  the 
cavity  by  means  of  brush  and  the  water  that  had  collected.  The  Indians 
in  alarm,  reported  the  discovery  to  the  Indian  camp,  from  which  the  news 
was  carried  to  the  whites.  An  inquest  was  held.  John  Pelton  was  one 
of  the  Coroner's  jury,  and  remarked,  during  the  inquest  that,  "  The  man 
who  did  that  ought  to  be  hung."  The  eye  of  suspicion  was  cast  upon 
him  ;  he  was  arrested  and  arraigned  for  trial.  He  had  been  tracked  from 
the  scene  of  the  murder,  at  least  the  tracks  corresponded  to  his  ;  a  split 
hoof  helped  in  following  the  horse ;  he  was  seen  at  the  "  Old  Maid's 
Tavern"  cleanino;  his  saddle,  and  soon  afterward  was  seen  with  a  new 
one ;  a  knife  found  in  his  pocket  showed  a  nick  corresponding  to  places 
upon  the  club  that  was  cut  for  the  purpose  of  finishing  the  foul  deed.  It 
seems  that  Stanes  was  shot  from  his  horse  by  a  ball  fired  from  behind; 
was  shot  once  after  falling,  and  then  beaten  over  the  head  with  a  club. 
Pelton,  when  asked  where  he  had  left  Stanes,  stated  a  place  far  beyond 
where  the  body  was  found,  and  the  tracks  showed  that  the  horse  which 
Stanes  had  been  riding,  had  not  gone  beyond  the  place  where  the  body 
was  found.     Such  a  strong  chain  of  circumstantial  evidence  was  forged 


162  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

about  Pelton  that  he  was  found  guilty,  sentenced  and  hung,  although  he 
protested  his  innocence  to  the  last.  This  is  the  only  instance  of  capital 
punishment  that  has  ever  occurred  in  the  county. 

Villages. — In  the  spring  of  1835,  the  town  of  Waverly  was  laid  out 
by  John  Foster,  Surveyor,  on  land  owned  by  William  Gosset.  This  was 
about  two  miles  northwest  of  the  site  of  Chesterton  and  not  far  from  the 
location  of  Baillytown.  As  the  original  Baillytown  was  no  more  than  a 
location,  Waverly  may  be  considered  the  first  town  in  the  township  and 
county.  It  is  said  that  as  much  as  $10,000  was  expended  in  improve- 
ments. In  1838,  the  town  was  swept  by  a  forest  fire  and  never  rebuilt. 
About  1836,  City  West  was  started  at  or  near  the  mouth  of  Fort  Creek. 
Then  travel  was  confined  to  the  beach,  but  as  the  route  was  changed  the 
town  went  down  to  start  up  farther  from  the  lake,  but  it  never  became  a 
place  of  any  importance.  Porter,  now  called  Old  Porter,  was  started  when 
the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  was  built  to  this  point.  The  first  house 
was  built  by  John  Richards  for  a  store ;  his  son  occupied  it  for  a  short 
time,  when  a  man  named  Charles  La  Hyne  bought  it  and  used  it  as  a 
dwelling.  After  this  it  changed  hands  a  number  of  times  before  it  was 
bought  by  Joseph  Swanson,  who  used  it  as  a  storeroom  until  1880,  when 
he  built  his  present  building,  which  he  now  occupies  with  a  general  stock 
of  goods.  The  second  house  was  built  by  Fred  Michael  for  a  store  and 
dwelling ;  it  still  stands,  and  is  used  as  a  dwelling.  The  third  house  was 
built  by  Fred  Michael  for  a  dwelling;  it  is  now  used  as  a  stable.  The 
large  frame  storeroom  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Michael  was  built  by  him  in 
1864.  In  this  country  store  he  keeps  a  general  stock  of  from  $6,000  to 
$7,000.  We  speak  of  this  as  a  country  store,  for  the  reason  that  the 
station  was  moved  to  New  Porter  or  Hageman  in  1872,  and  there  are  only 
a  few  families  living  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  A.  E.  Whilten  held  the 
post  ofiBce  from  the  time  that  it  was  established  up  to  1872,  the  time  of 
its  removal  to  Hageman.  From  that  time  for  about  a  year  Porter  was 
without  a  post  oflBce.  In  1873,  it  was  re-established  with  Fred  Michael 
as  Postmaster;  he  still  handles  the  mail.  This  is  often  called  Baillytown, 
but  not  properly  so  called. 

The  town  of  Hageman  was  started  by  Henry  Hageman  in  1872.  It 
was  regularly  laid  out  by  William  DeCourcey,  surveyor,  in  1880.  The 
post  office  was  established  in  1873  with  Mr.  Manhart  in  charge.  He 
held  the  office  for  two  years,  when  Henry  Dalbert  took  charge  of  it  and 
has  held  it  since.  The  town  has  at  present  two  stores  (one  kept  by 
Davert  and  the  other  by  Pillman  Brothers),  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  millinery 
store  kept  by  Mrs.  Howe,  and  a  boarding  house  kept  by  Mrs.  McDonald. 
The  population  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty,  most  of  whom  are  engaged 
directly  or  indirectly  in  carrying   on  the   extensive   brick-making  estab- 


WESTCHESTER   TOAVNSHIP.  163 

lishments  found  here.  Since  the  station  is  called  Porter  and  the  post 
office  Hageman,  with  Porter  Post  Office  but  little  over  a  mile  away,  much 
confusion  arises  in  mail  and  shipping.  It  is  earnestly  desired  by  the  cit- 
izens that  a  change  be  made  so  as  to  avoid  this  confusion.  A  post  office 
was  opened  at  what  is  now  known  as  Furnessville  July  9,  1861,  with 
Edwin  L.  Furness  as  Postmaster.  His  commission  was  signed  by  Mont- 
gomery Blair.  The  office  remained  in  his  hands  until  1874,  when  he 
resigned  in  favor  of  C.  S.  Bradley,  who  was  appointed  and  served  until 
July,  1878,  when  Miss  Winnie  Furness  was  appointed.  She  held  the 
office  until  the  fall  of  1881,  when  it  passed  to  Frank  Templeton,  who  is 
station  agent  and  Postmaster  at  present.  This  is  not  a  regularly  laid  out 
town.  At  first  the  place  was  called  Murray's  Side  Track,  and  after  that 
for  a  time  Morgan's  Side  Track.  The  first  frame  house  was  built  here  in 
1853  by  Morgan,  and  the  second,  in  1855,  by  E.  L.  Furness.  The  first 
store  was  started  by  E.  L.  Furness  in  the  basement  of  his  house  in  1856, 
and  run  by  him  until  1878,  when  he  closed  out  the  stock.  The  second 
store  was  started  by  H.  R.  McDonald  about  1870,  and  run  by  him  about 
two  years.  After  that  there  was  no  store  for  some  time.  At  present 
there  is  a  small  stock  of  goods  kept  by  William  Lewry,  who  lives  over  the 
line  in  Pine  Township.  He  has  also  a  blacksmith  and  wagon  shop  ;  an- 
other blacksmith  shop  is  run  by  August  Earnest.  The  first  school  here 
was  taught  in  a  12x16  foot  shanty  by  Miss  Sophia  Graves.  Afterward 
the  school  was  moved  to  another  board  shanty  one-fourth  of  a  mile  far- 
ther east,  and  from  that  to  the  upper  story  of  a  wagon  shop, 
which  is  now  used  as  a  blacksmith  shop.  Then,  in  1854,  a  school- 
house,  16x18  feet  in  size,  was  half-way  between  Furnessville  and  City 
West;  it  is  now  used  as  a  barn.  In  1867,  the  present  frame 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  $500.  There  has  been  no  liquor  sold  here 
since  1852.  The  lumber  and  wood  business  has  been  an  important  in- 
dustry. There  have  been  as  many  as  three  saw-mills  at  one  time — Mc- 
Donald, Morgan  and  Furness  were  the  owners.  The  "  Wide  Awakes  " 
organized  in  1878. 

What  is  now  Chesterton  has  been  known  successively  as  Coffee  Creek, 
Calumet  and  Chesterton.  It  took  its  first  name  from  the  creek  that  flows 
by  it  on  the  east.  The  creek  was  named  Coffee  Creek  from  the  fact  that 
at  an  early  day  a  teamster  lost  a  bag  of  coffee  when  crossing  it  at  a  time 
of  high  water.  Its  second  name  it  took  from  the  Calumet  River,  and  its 
third  from  the  name  of  the  township  by  derivation.  The  Coffee  Creek 
Post  Office  was  established  in  1833,  on  Section  6,  and  placed  in  the  hands 
of  Jesse  Morgan.  It  was  kept  by  Mr.  Morgan  most  of  the  time  until  1852, 
when  it  was  moved  to  the  present  site  of  Chesterton,  but  was  still  Coffee 
Creek  Post  Office,  although  the  place  was  called  Calumet.     In  1853,  the 


164  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

office  passed  to  D.  H.  Hopkins  from  Mr.  Morgan.  Mr.  Hopkins  held  it 
for  some  time,  when  William  Thomas  was  appointed.  From  him  the 
office  went  back  to  Mr.  Hopkins.  After  Mr.  Hopkins,  John  Taylor  held 
the  office  for  a  short  time.  J.  B.  Bostwick  took  charge  and  remained  in 
office  ten  years,  when  the  present  incumbent,  Dr.  D.  D.  Marr  was  placed 
in  charge.  He  has  now  held  it  about  two  and  a  half  years.  The  first 
house  in  Chesterton  proper  was  built  in  1852  by  Luther  French.  It 
w^as  known  as  the  Sieger  House.  It  was  moved,  but  is  still  standing,  and 
is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Ingraham.  The  second  was  built  by  a  Mr. 
Enoch.  The  L.  S.  &  M.  S.  R.  R.  was  completed  to  the  place  in  1852. 
At  the  close  of  the  year  1852,  there  were  perhaps  twenty  small  houses. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  the  place  was  not  known  as  Chesterton  at  the 
time  last  mentioned.  It  was  not  until  1853  or  1854,  that  the  name  of 
the  post  office  was  changed  from  Coffee  Creek  to  Calumet.  There  was  a 
post  office  at  "New"  City  "West,  about  a  mile  south  of  the  mouth  of 
Fort  Creek,  where  "  Old  "  City  "West  w^as  located,  and  at  the  time  above 
indicated,  this  office  was  consolidated  with  the  Coffee  Creek  office  and 
located  at  what  is  now  Chesterton,  under  the  name  of  Calumet.  The 
town  and  office  continued  to  be  called  Calumet  until  a  short  time  after 
the  railroad  was  completed  to  this  point,  when,  on  account  of  confusion 
arising  from  an  Illinois  town  named  Calumet,  it  was  changed  to  Chester- 
ton. When  the  railroad  was  pushed  through  to  this  point,  the  post  office 
was  a  mile  and  a  half  east,  at  Coffee  Creek,  but  it  was  moved  up  at  once, 
and  retained  its  name  until  the  time  already  indicated.  In  two  years 
after  the  completion  of  the  road,  the  town  had  a  population  of  300,  most 
of  whom  were  Irish. 

It  is  said  that  about  this  time  there  were  nineteen  places  where 
liquor  was  kept  for  sale.  The  growth  of  the  town  had  been  very  slow 
until  within  the  last  few  years,  during  which  a  number  of  very  substantial 
improvements  have  been  made.  The  present  population  is  about  six 
hundred.  The  Northern  Indiana  Hotel  was  built  in  1855  or  1856,  by 
Leroy  Brown,  and  kept  by  him  for  five  or  six  years.  After  this  it  was 
kept  by  the  widow  and  also  by  a  son  of  Mr.  Brown.  After  them,  C.  0. 
Seamons  took  charge  of  it,  from  whom  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
present  landlord,  Gus  Johnson,  who  has  been  in  possession  about  a  year- 
The  first  house  of  entertainment  was  opened  by  the  Thomas  heirs  soon 
after  the  town  started.  The  Central  House  was  moved  by  Mr.  Hopkins 
from  City  West  about  thirty  years  ago.  It  has  passed  through  many 
hands,  but  has  this  year  (1882)  had  a  brick  front  built  to  it,  and  a  general 
refitting  that  gives  it  the  appearance  of  having  renewed  its  youth.  Here 
Landlord  Shanks  and  his  hospitable  lady  pay  the  most  kindly  attention 
to  guests,  and  spread  before  them  the  most  palatable  and  substantial 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  165 

viands.  The  first  brick  building  in  town  was  built  by  Young  &  Wolf, 
who  still  own  it.  It  was  built  in  1874,  and  has  been  occupied  by  Dr.  H. 
Greene  with  a  stock  of  drugs.  Mr.  Pinncy  and  the  Odd  Fellows,  in 
1879,  built  a  substantial  brick,  since  occupied  by  them.  P.  A.  John- 
son built  his  brick  block  in  1877.  Abner  Harper  is  now  building  next 
door  east  of  the  Central  House.  The  first  saw-mill  here  Avas  built  by 
Brown  &  Morgan  in  183-1 ;  it  went  into  the  hands  of  Benton,  who  sold 
to  Wood,  of  Albany,  who  sold  to  Ogden,  of  Chicago,  who  sold  to  Enos, 
who  sold  to  William  and  John  Thomas.  A  saw-mill  was  built  here  about 
nine  years  ago  by  Thomas  Johnson,  who  in  about  a  year  sold  to  Mr.  In- 
graham,  who  in  two  years  sold  to  Thomas  Blackwell,  having  in  the 
meantime  added  a  grist-mill.  Mr.  Blackwell  has  still  further  enlarged 
the  mill  by  adding  a  planing  department.  He  values  it  now  at  §10,000, 
and  expects  soon  to  enhance  its  value  by  fitting  it  up  to  work  by  the 
''new  process."  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  physicians  who  have 
located  here,  with  the  dates  as  near  as  attainable :  Dr.  H.  Greene,  1852 
to  1882;  Dr.  Kyle,  1855  to  1857;  Dr.  Bosley,  1856  to  1867;  Dr. 
Saulsberry,  1865  to  1866 ;  Rr.  Raff,  1866  to  1872 ;  Dr.  Dakin,  1866  to 
1867  ;  Dr.  Haskins,  1868  to  1872  ;  Dr.  Heaton,  1868  to  1869 ;  Dr. 
Jones,  1869  to  1880  ;  Dr.  Goodwin,  1871  to  1872 ;  Dr.  Morrical,  1870 
to  1879;  Dr.  Marr,  1875  to  1882;  Dr.  Richards,  1879  to  1880;  Dr. 
Miller,  1881  to  1882,  and  Dr.  Riley,  1882.  The  following  are  some  of 
those  who  have  located  here  for  a  time  in  the  law  :  William  Johnston,  E. 
D.  Crurapacker,  William  Pagan,  F.  W.  Howell,  John  W.  Rose  and  E. 
Wood,  who  has  located  here  during  the  present  year. 

Industries^  etc. — The  central  and  southern  parts  of  the  township  are 
well  adapted  to  agriculture.  The  heavy  forests  that  covered  the  region 
have  been  a  fruitful  source  of  wealth.  Numerous  portable  saw-mills  have 
been  located  temporarily  in  different  places.  Brick-making  is  now  the 
leading  manufacturing  interest.  This  industry  is  located  chiefly  in  Hage- 
raan.  Mr.  Owen  started  what  was  known  as  the  Kellogg  brick  yards  in 
1872,  and  soon  bought  an  interest  in  a  yard  which  was  then  owned  by 
Moulding.  Soon  afterward  the  firm  became  Harland  k  Owen.  They 
bought  land  and  started  steam  works  with  a  capacity  of  30,000  per  day. 
Later,  Hinchclifi*  bought  out  Harland,  and  the  firm  now  is  Hinchcliff  & 
Owen.  They  have  two  yards  at  Hageman,  in  which  they  can  make  65,- 
000  per  day.  They  employ  about  one  hundred  hands.  Y.  Moulding 
has  two  yards.  He  began  in  1871  in  partnership  with  Edward  Harlan, 
with  whom  he  continued  until  1878,  since  which  time,  he  has  been  alone. 
He  started  a  second  yard  in  1880.  The  present  capacity  of  both  yards 
is  65,000  per  day.  They  make  both  common  and  pressed  brick.  From 
eighty  to   ninety  hands   are   employed  in  both  yards.     The  Chicago  and 


166  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

Philadelphia  Press  Brick  Company  was  one  of  the  first  yards  to  start. 
They  have  a  capacity  of  30,000  per  day  of  press  and  common  brick. 
They  are  now  using  one  of  Caldwell's  drying  apparatus.  It  is  their  in- 
tention to  start  another  yard  next  year.  There  is  an  almost  inexhausti- 
ble supply  of  first-class  clay,  and  Hageman  has  here  a  resource  which  is 
as  good  as  a  gold  mine.  The  Hillstrom  Organ  Factory  of  Chesterton, 
established  in  1880  by  C.  0.  Hillstrom,  is  an  important  establishmant. 
They  now  employ  thirty  men  and  turn  out  about  eighteen  organs  a  week. 
They  aim  to  keep  up  with  the  best  makes  in  the  market. 

Early  Elections. — At  the  August  election  in  Westchester  Township, 
1836,  the  following  men  voted :  Pressley  Warnick,  William  Calhoun, 
William  Thomas,  Milton  Smith,  Abraham  Ball,  William  Coleman,  Sam- 
uel Thomas,  William  Ball,  Jesse  Morgan,  David  Cook,  Eli  Hendricks, 
Lewis  Todhunter,  Rufus  Bundy,  James  Thomas,  Elijah  Casteel,  Abraham 
Holt,  Ashbel  Goodrich,  Enos  Thomas,  George  Phillips,  Samuel  Havi- 
land  and  William  M.  Coy  ;  total,  twenty-one.  The  election  was  held  at 
the  house  of  Samuel  Haviland,  with  Enos  Thomas,  Inspector,  and  Will- 
am  Thomas  and  Eli  Hendricks,  Judges.  The  above  is  taken  from  the 
records  on  file  in  the  Clerk's  office  at  Valparaiso.  It  is  proper  to  ob- 
serve here  that  either  many  of  the  early  settlers  lived  for  short  periods  in 
various  townships,  or  else  they  were  in  the  habit  of  not  only  voting  within 
their  precinct,  but  outside  of  it  also,  for  the  names  of  old  settlers  appear 
upon  the  original  official  election  returns  for  the  same  election  in  more 
than  one  township.  It  is  quite  probable  that  the  officers  of  elections 
were  not  very  careful  in  those  days  as  to  whether  those  voting  actually 
resided  within  their  own  townships  or  not.  A  residence  in  the  county 
was  probably  deemed  sufficient. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


BY    G.    A.    GAKAKD. 


Boone  Township— Early  Settlement— First  Events— Anecdotes  of 
tiieIndians— Industries— Schools— Hebron— Churches-Secret  So- 
cieties. 
AT  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Jesse  Johnson,  in  Boone  Town- 
ship, on  the  30th  day  of  April,  1836,  the  following  persons  voted 
for  one  Justice  of  the  Peace  :  John  Prin,  Thomas  Johnson,  Jennings 
Johnson,  Frederick  Wineinger,  George  Eisley,  William  Johnson  and  Jesse 
Johnson.     Following  is  the  return  : 


BOONE  TOWNSHIP.  167 

We  the  undersigned  Judges   and   Clerks,  do  certify  that  Jesse  Johnson  received  six 
votes  for  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  Aschel  Neal  received  one  vote  for  the  same  office. 

Jesse  Johnson, 

Frederick  Wineinger,  \  Judges. 
Jennings  Johkson, 


J.UIN    PrIN,  ,    ^^^^^^^ 


IN.  -I 

Thomas  Johnson,  J 


At  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Jesse  Johnson,  in  Boone  Town- 
ship, on  the  24th  day  of  September,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  the  following  vote  was  taken  :  Joseph  Laird,  Will- 
iam Bissell,  Jesse  Johnson,  A.  D.  McCord,  John  Moore,  Isaac  Cornell 
and  John  W.  Dinwiddie. 


We,  the  undersigned  Judges    and  Clerks  of  the  above  election,  do  certify  that  John 
W.  Dinwiddie  received  seven  votes  for  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Jesse  Johnson,  Inspector. 
J.  W.  Dinwiddie,  1  ^,_,_  Joseph  Laird, 

Isaac  Cornell, 


^^°^"'  \  Clerks.  J^.^^^^  L^^^^'        I  Judges 

ELL,     J  William  Bissell,/        "^ 


Judge  Jesse  Johnson,  who  settled  with  his  family  in  Boone  Township 
in  the  early  part  of  1835,  was  the  first  permanent  settler.  In  the  same 
year,  Isaac  Cornell  brought  a  large  family,  and  Simeon  Bryant,  with 
his  wife  and  son,  settled  at  Pleasant  Grove.  In  1836,  the  folloAving 
came  :  Thomas  Dinwiddie  and  family,  Absalom  Morris  and  family,  Orris 
Jewett  and  family,  Solomon  Dilley  and  family,  James  Dilley  and  family, 
and  John  and  Hugh  Dinwiddie.  Orris  Jewett  was  a  blacksmith,  the  first 
one  in  the  township,  and  the  only  one  for  years.  In  1835  or  1836,  John 
Prin,  Thomas  Johnson,  Jennino;s  Johnson,  Frederick  Wineinorer,  George 
Eisley,  William  Johnson,  Jesse  Johnson,  Joseph  Laird,  William  Bissell, 
A.  D.  McCord,  John  Moore,  Isaac  Cornell  and  John  W.  Dinwiddie 
came.  In  1836  or  1837,  Barkley  and  John  Oliver  and  families,  Absa- 
lom Morris  and  old  Mr.  Pricer  came.  In  1837,  Amos  Andrews,  E.  W. 
Palmer  and  T.  C.  Sweeney  came.  In  the  same  year,  David  Dinwiddie 
crme.  Mr.  Sweeney  did  not  make  a  permanent  settlement  until  Febru- 
ary, 1838.  In  the  spring  of  1838,  Mr.  Smith  and  a  family  of  boys  located 
three  miles  northeast  of  Hebron.  Dr.  Griffin  located  at  Walnut  Grove 
as  early  as  1838.  James  Hildreth  and  Cooper  Brooks  came  in  the 
spring  of  1838.  James  Dye,  Mr.  Fiske  and  Mr.  Johnson  came  in  1838. 
From  1840  to  1847,  many  came.  In  1863,  with  the  railroad,  came 
many  others.  The  immigration,  except  at  the  times  above  named,  has 
been  gradual. 

The  first  birth  of  the  township  was  that  of  Margaret  Bryant,  now 
Mrs.  Dr.  Blackstone,  who  was  born  April  16,  1837.  The  first  death 
was  that  of  Harriet  Dinwiddie,  in  1837.  She  was  the  youngest  of  a 
large  family,  and  the  funeral  was  one  of  unusual  sadness.  The  second 
death  was  that  of  the  wife  of  Orris  Jewett.  in   1838.     One  of  the  first 


168  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

marriages,  if  not  the  first  marriage,  was  that  of  James   Dilley  to  Sarah 
Richards. 

Mrs.  Bryant,  the  oldest  living  resident  settler  of  the  township,  tells 
of  a  perilous  experience  with  the  Indians  in  1836.  In  the  absence  of 
Mr.  Bryant,  the  old  chief  Shaw-ne-quoke  came  to  the  house,  took  a  piece 
of  chalk,  made  a  circle  with  it  on  the  floor,  and  said  in  the  Indian 
language,  five  miles  around  belongs  to  the  Indians,  and  ordered  her  tc> 
leave,  threatening  her  with  a  butcher-knife  to  "  kin-a-bode  "  (hill  her) 
if  she  did  not  leave  at  once.  He  approached  her  with  uplifted  knife  : 
she  screamed  and  sprang  to  the  other  side  of  the  room.  The  scream 
aroused  two  large  dogs  that  were,  contrary  to  orders,  sleeping  under  the 
bed;  they  attacked  the  Indian  savagely,  and  thus  defeated  his  murderous 
intention. 

At  another  time,  in  the  absence  of  the  family,  the  Indians  came,  and 
were  trying  Mr.  Bryant's  gun  and  inspecting  things  in  general.  Cath- 
erine Sadoris,  a  hired  girl,  came  home  while  they  were  there.  Just  as 
she  came  around  the  corner  of  the  house,  an  Indian  raised  a  gun  to  look 
through  the  sights.  The  girl  supposed  that  he  intended  to  shoot  her. 
and  ran  for  life.  They  tried  to  make  her  understand  that  they  did  not 
intend  to  harm  her,  but  she  ran  like  a  deer  and  disappeared  in  the  woods. 
The  Indians  told  the  family  of  the  incident  on  their  return,  and  they 
searched  for  her,  but  she  was  not  found  until  the  next  day,  when  she 
said  that  she  had  no  intention  of  returning,  as  she  supposed  that  the 
family  were  all  slain.  She  stated  that  in  the  night  seven  deer  came  up 
to  her,  but  she  felt  no  fear  except  of  the  Indians.  As  a  rule,  the 
Indians  were  very  civil  and  peaceable,  and  gave  but  little  trouble.  They 
would  only  annoy  you  by  coming  to  you  for  food  as  long  as  you  would 
furnish  them.  If  in  a  good  humor,  they  would  salute  you  with  "Bo  zu 
Nick,"  "  How  do  you  do,  friend?"  Dancing  was  a  favorite  amusement 
with  the  Indians.  With  a  drum  made  of  an  empty  keg,  having  a  raw- 
hide head,  and  gourds  containing  beans  or  pebbles,  they  made  music  ta 
soothe  the  savage  heart,  tickle  the  savage  ear,  and  move  the  savage  feet 
through  the  mazes  of  the  dance;  or  rather  to  shake  their  savage  bodies, 
for  in  dancing  the  Indians  seldom  move  the  feet,  but  shake  themselves  t<> 
the  time  of  the  barbarous  music.  It  amused  them  exceedingly  to  see  the 
whites  skip  around  over  the  floor  in  dancing.  This  seemed  to  them 
highly  improper  and  undignified.  The  Indian  mothers  mourned  over 
their  children  by  blacking  their  faces,  and  by  cooking  and  eating  food 
over  their  graves.  They  often  buried  the  papooses  in  hollows  in  logs. 
When  living,  the  babes  were  tied  upon  boards  to  make  them  straight. 
These  boards,  with  the  babies  on  them  the  squaws  would  stand  against 
the  fence  or  house  while  they  went  in  to  beg.     Once,  in  the  absence  of 


BOONE   TOWNSHIP.  169 

the  family,  the  Indians  painted  an  Indian  in  war  dress  on  a  board  and 
left  it  at  the  door  of  one  of  the  old  settlers.  This  was  a  threat  of  hos- 
tility, but  n(J  acts  of  violence  followed. 

As  this  township  is  nearly  all  good  farming  land,  the  attention  of  the 
people  has  been  confined  mostly  to  agricultural  pursuits.  Raising  grain 
and  rearing  stock  have  been  the  main  and  almost  the  sole  sources  of  rev- 
enue.  For  some  years,  hay  has  been  a  leading  crop.  No  manufactures 
of  great  importance  have  ever  been  established  within  the  borders  of  the 
township.  About  1845,  a  large  wind-mill  for  grinding  grain  was  built 
two  miles  north  of  Hebron.  It  was  built  by  Robert  Wilson,  who  sold  in 
two  years  to  his  brother  Charles,  who  ran  it  for  about  seven  years,  when 
it  went  down.  There  is  a  creamery  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
township,  which  was  started  by  Mr.  Woodhull,  who  sold  it  to  David 
Hurlburt  &  Son,  who  sold  it  to  Merrifield  &  Dye.  There  is  a  steam-mill 
at  Hebron,  owned  and  run  by  John  Wilson. 

The  township  was  at  first  a  beautiful  prairie,  interspersed  with  fine 
groves.  One  of  these  groves  covered  the  site  of  Hebron,  and  was  about 
two  and  a  half  miles  in  length  by  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  width.  About 
one-half  of  a  mile  south  of  Hebron  was  an  Indian  village. 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1837.  It  was  of  logs,  and  was 
used  five  or  six  years.  After  this,  school  was  held  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  after  that,  in  the  summer  of  1814,  school  was  held  in  a 
vacant  house  of  William  Bryant,  with  Ellen  Hemes  as  teacher.  Some 
of  the  teachers  in  the  first  house  were  Amos  Andrews,  James  Turner, 
Liza  Russell,  Sarah  Richards  and  Roda  Wallace.  The  second  school- 
house  was  a  log  one,  situated  a  mile  and  a  half  southwest  of  Hebron,  and 
was  built  in  1840.  It  was  about  18x20  feet  in  size  and  had  no  fire-place. 
There  was  a  hearth  and  jamb  of  mud,  and  the  chimney,  of  mud  and 
sticks,  was  built  on  projecting  timbers  at  a  man's  height.  To  this 
chimney,  through  the  intervening  air,  the  smoke  must  find  its  way  of 
exit,  but,  as  may  be  imagined,  it  often  failed  to  find  the  chimney,  and 
spread  through  the  room,  filling  it  and  the  eyes  of  the  pupils.  George 
Espy,  and  an  Englishman,  named  Alexander  Hamilton,  were  among  the 
early  teachers.  Hamilton  was  a  man  of  high  family  and  fine  education, 
and  subsequently  became  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  Chicago.  The 
third  schoolhouse  was  built  on  Siglar's  Corner,  which  is  in  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  Section  15.  This  was  built,  in  1842,  of  logs,  by  the 
neighbors,  and  used  for  school  purposes  two  years,  when  it  was  burned. 
Mary  Grossman  was  the  first  teacher.  The  fourth  house  was  built  a 
short  time  after  the  last  mentioned  two  miles  east  of  Hebron,  on  the 
southwest  corner  of  Section  7,  Town  33,  Range  6.  It  was  a  log  house. 
The  fifth  followed  in  a  short  time,  on  the  south  line  of  the  north  half  of 


170  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Section  6,  Town  33,  Range  6.  This  was  also  a  log  house.  Ths  sixth 
was  built  soon  after  the  fifth.  It  was  on  the  south  line,  near  the  quarter 
post  of  Section  5,  Town  33,  Range  6,  and  was  of  similar  construction 
and  size  to  its  predecessors.  The  first  frame  was  built  two  miles  east  of 
Hebron,  on  Section  7,  Town  33,  Range  6.  May  28,  1853,  "a  special 
meeting  was  held  by  the  board  and  voters  of  the  township  for  the  pur- 
pose of  determining  whether  a  special  tax  for  the  support  of  free  schools 
in  the  township  should  be  assessed,  at  which  meeting  four  votes  were 
given  in  favor  of  the  tax  and  ten  against  the  tax."  The  following  is  the 
apportionment  of  the  school  funds  made  November  8,  185-4 :  District  No. 
1,  $43  ;  No.  2,  ^9.10  ;  No.  3,  §19.08  ;  No.  4,  $39.10  ;  No.  5,  $12.62 ; 
No.  6,  $39.10.  In  1854,  a  tax  of  15  cents  on  the  $100  was  voted  for 
school  purposes.  At  present,  there  are  eight  schoolhouses  in  the  town- 
ship, three  of  which  are  brick  and  the  others  are  frame.  The  houses  in 
Districts  Nos.  5,  6  and  7  are  brick.  The  one  in  No.  5,  or  the  Hebron 
District,  is  a  handsome  brick,  erected  in  1872,  at  a  cost  of  $5,000.  The 
one  in  No.  6  cost  $1,100,  and  the  one  in  No.  7  cost  $1,000.  The  one  in 
No.  4  was  built  in  1880,  at  a  cost  of  $600 ;  the  one  in  No.  8  in  1878,  at 
a  cost  of  $500.  The  houses  in  Districts  1,  2  and  3  are  frame,  erected 
some  years  ago.  Nos.  2  and  3  cost  about  $600  each.  The  house  in 
District  No.  1  is  the  poorest  house  in  the  township,  as  it  is  the  oldest. 
It  cost  probably  about  $300,  and  was  moved  from  the  present  site  of  the 
house  in  District  No.  2.  The  house  in  District  No.  2  was  moved  to  its 
present  site  from  the  place  now  occupied  by  the  house  of  District  No.  1. 
The  following  facts  and  figures  are  taken  from  the  report  of  H.  J.  Nich- 
ols, trustee,  for  the  year  1882  :  White  pupils  admitted  to  the  schools  of 
the  township  during  the  year — males,  199 ;  females,  183  ;  colored,  fe- 
male, 1 ;  number  who  attended  on  the  average,  250.  Male  teachers,  5  ; 
female,  6;  average  compensation  of  males.  $1.37  per  day;  females,  the 
same;  in  town,  $1.78.  Estimated  value  of  school  property,  $8,000  ;  of 
apparatus,  $60.  Special  tax,  20  cents  on  the  $100.  Amount  paid  trust- 
ees for  services  rendered  the  schools,  $95.91.  The  following  is  a  list  of 
the  teachers  for  the  years  1881  and  1882  :  1881— In  District  No.  1, 
Anna  Kelly  and  Sarah  A.  Douglas;  in  No.  2,  R.  B.  D.  Simonson, 
Minnie  A.  Fuller  and  Charles  F.  Leeka ;  in  No.  3,  J.  N.  Buchanan,  Jr., 
and  Emeline  Massey ;  in  No.  4,  \¥.  N.  Buchanan  and  Ella  Denison ;  in 
No.  5,  W.  B.  Blackstone,  R.  C.  Mackey.  Mary  0.  Buchanan,  Ida  E. 
Fisher,  R.  B.  D.  Simonson,  R.  S.  Martin.  S.  F.  Southwick,  Mary 
Young  and  0.  J.  Andrews;  in  No.  6,  E.  E.  Flint  and  Carrie  Buchanan; 
in  No.  7,  0.  S.  Baird;  in  No.  8,  Richard  S.  Martin.  1882— In  No.  1, 
Sarah  Douglas,  Electa  Elson  and  Effie  Wilson  ;  in  No.  2,  Charles  F. 
Leeka  and  A.  A.  Doyle;  in  No.  3,  Emeline  Massey  and  0.  J.  Andrews; 


BOONE  TOWNSHIP.  171 

in  No.  4,  Ella  Dennison  and  Sarah  Douglas ;  in  No.  5,  Mary  Young,  S. 
F.  Southwick,  0.  J.  Andrews,  Alice  J.  Sanborn  and  0.  S.  Baird  ;  in 
No.  6,  E.  E.  Flint,  Sarah  A.  Douglas  and  Effie  Wilson;  in  No.  7,  Dor- 
cas Adams  and  Eugene  Skinkle ;  in  No.  8,  Emma  Buchanan,  Hattie 
Pararaore  and  R.  S.  Martin.  The  Hebron  Graded  Schools  are  now 
under  the  direction  of  W.  B.  Swearingen,  assisted  by  Mrs.  H.  B.  South- 
wick, Mrs.  Sanborn  and  0.  S.  Baird.  Mr.  Cathcart  was  the  first  Prin- 
cipal in  the  new  building  for  one  year.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Mc- 
Aflfee,  who  served  a  year,  when  Rev.  R.  M.  C.  Thompson  took  charge  in 
1874  and  served  a  year.  J.  C.  Carson  now  had  the  Principalship  for 
two  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Simonson,  who  taught  a  year,  and 
then  gave  place  to  Mr.  McAiFee  for  a  year,  when  Mr.  Simonson  took  the 
place  for  another  year,  when  0.  J.  Andrews  came  to  serve  a  year,  ami  gave 
place,  in  1882,  to  W.  B.  Swearingen,  the  present  Principal.  Before  the 
present  commodious  brick  was  built,  the  town  schools  occupied  a  small 
frame.  In  1871,  Mrs.  James  E.  Bryant  taught  in  a  log  house  located 
near  the  center  of  the  town,  that  was  built  for  a  blacksmith  shop.  After 
being  used  as  a  schoolhouse,  it  was  converted  into  a  stable.  Thus  the 
educational  interests  of  the  township  have  progressed  from  primitive 
poverty  to  present  prosperity. 

Village  of  Hebron. — Hebron  was  located  where  it  is  because  of  the 
fact  that  two  roads  cross  at  this  point.  The  first  house  was  built  by  Mr. 
Bagley,  about  1845.  This  was  a  log  structure,  and  is  now  owned  by  D. 
Wolf  and  occupied  by  John  Hoffman.  The  second  house  was  built  in 
1846,  by  Samuel  Alyea,  and  was  the  first  store.  Mr.  Alyea  put  in  a 
stock  of  goods  that  he  might  have  carried  on  his  back.  This  was  a  log 
house  about  forty  yards  from  the  "  Corners."  Mr.  Alyea,  after  awhile, 
took  in  E.  W.  Palmer,  and  they  moved  up  to  ''The  Corners."  Alyea 
soon  sold  to  Wesley  Doty,  and  in  a  short  time  Doty  traded  his  interest 
to  Samuel  McCune,  who  kept  the  store  until  1858,  when  he  sold  to 
Thomas  Davis,  who  closed  out  the  stock.  The  second  store  was  started 
by  William  Siglar,  who,  after  two  years,  sold  to  his  brother  Eli,  who  ran 
the  store  a  year,  when  he  took  his  brother,  D.  T.,  as  a  partner,  and  they 
have  run  the  business  in  the  same  building  ever  since.  This  building  stands 
on  the  corner  of  Siglar  and  Main  streets.  The  first  frame  building  was  built 
by  Mr.  McCune.  The  first  brick  was  built  by  Daniel  Siglar  for  a  dwelling, 
in  the  north  part  of  the  town,  in  1867.  The  second  brick  was  built  by 
Sweeney  &  Son  as  a  business  block,  in  1875.  It  contains  the  town  hall. 
The  name  Hebron  was  given  by  Rev.  Hannan,  an  Associate  Reformed 
preacher,  to  the  congregation  that  assembled  here  to  worship,  and  in 
1845,  Rev.  Blain  was  installed.  He  circulated  a  petition  for  a  post  office, 
and  succeeded  in  getting  one  within  the  year,  and  it  was  called  Hebron 


172  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Post  Oflfice.  Rev.  Blain  was  the  first  Postmaster,  and  served  for  two 
years,  when  Mr.  Morris  was  appointed,  and  served  for  the  same  length  of 
time.  John  Hoffman  took  the  office  next  and  kept  it  in  the  woods  half  a 
a  mile  west  of  where  the  town  stands,  for  five  or  six  years.  Amos  An- 
drews held  the  office  during  the  war.  J.  E.  Bryant  held  it  for  some  years, 
and  gave  place  to  Loren  Pomeroy,  who  had  it  for  four  years.  Charles 
Carmen  next  took  it  for  a  year,  ^vhen  he  resigned,  and  the  present  incum- 
bent, Oscar  Baird,  took  charge  about  six  months  since. 

The  first  lots  were  laid  out  in  1844,  by  John  Alyea,  who  laid  out 
three  one-acre  lots.  He  sold  one  to  Palmer,  one  to  McCune,  and  re- 
tained one  upon  which  he  built  a  blacksmith  shop.  In  1849,  Mr.  James 
had  a  tier  of  half-acre  lots  laid  out  on  Section  14,  on  a  street  south  and 
east  of  "  The  Corners."  The  mill  now  stands  on  one  of  these.  In  1852, 
the  Siglar  Brothers  laid  out  a  tier  west  of  "  The  Corners,"  on  the  south 
side  of  the  street  on  Section  15.  A  few  years  later  they  laid  out  another 
tier  south  of  this  one.  In  1864,  the  Siglar  Brothers  laid  out  quite  a 
large  plat  of  lots  on  Sections  10,  11  and  15.  In  1855,  Patrick's  Addi- 
tion on  the  southeast  quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  Section  10. 
The  growth  of  the  town  has  been  slow  and  gradual.  It  received  quite 
an  impulse  from  the  railroad  when  it  came.  In  the  last  eight  years 
there  have  been  three  unsuccessful  attempts  to  incorporate  the  town. 
The  last  one  was  made  during  the  summer  of  1882. 

The  Free  Press  was  issued  here  from  September,  1878,  until  October 
1,  1879.  H.  R.  Gregory  was  the  editor.  The  Local  News  was  printed 
here  from  October,  1879,  until  some  time  in  1880,  by  Mr.  Mansfield.  In 
1856,  George  Washington  Sampson  located  here,  and  remained  about 
thirteen  years.  About  the  same  time,  John  Quincy  Roberts  came  to  stay 
only  a  year  and  a  half.  John  K.  Blackstone  is  the  oldest  resident  physi- 
cian, having  been  here  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century,  but  he  is  not  now 
in  active  practice.  Dr.  S.  R.  Pratt  is  of  almost  as  long  standing.  Dr. 
Andrew  Jackson  Sparks  was  here  for  three  or  four  years.  Dr.  Sales 
came  in  1868,  and  stayed  three  or  four  years.  Dr.  Price  died  here 
in  1880.  Dr.  Woods  and  Dr.  Carson  are  among  those  who  have  come  in 
later,  and  are  still  practicing  here.  Dr.  Carson  came  in  1880.  Several 
attempts  have  been  made  by  parties  to  start  here  in  the  law,  but  none  of 
those  who  attempted  it  stayed  for  any  great  length  of  time.  The  first 
drug  store  was  started  in  1866  by  Ross  Bryant,  who,  after  two  or  three 
years,  sold  to  Dr.  Sales,  who  closed  out  the  stock.  The  second  was 
opened  by  W.  B.  Doddridge,  who  is  still  carrying  an  extensive  stock. 
George  Stemble  has  charge  of  the  corner  drug  store,  which  is  owned  by 
a  party  in  Valparaiso.  The  firms  that  carry  general  stocks  of  goods  are 
Bryant,  Doud  &  Co.,  E.  and  D.   T.   Siglar,  Wilson  Morrow  and  H.  J. 


BOONE   TOWNSHIP.  173 

Nichols.  J.  C.  Smith  and  Thomas  Clews  have  grocery  stores.  Conner, 
Doud  and  David  Fisher  compete  in  the  hardware  line.  Mr.  Beebe  was 
the  first  to  start  a  furniture  store.  The  business  changed  hands  a  num- 
ber of  times,  and  is  now  owned  by  S.  F.  Andrews.  John  Baker  and  Mr. 
Rolliston  have  shoe  shops,  while  Gus  Weggen,  William  White,  William 
Nelson  and  John  Paramore  do  the  blacksmithing.  The  first  hotel  was 
opened  in  1849  by  Samuel  McCune  in  the  frame  house  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  George  Mosier.  After  McCune,  Tazwell  Rice  kept  the  house.  He 
was  followed  by  Harvey  Allen,  and  he  by  John  Skelton,  who  kept  it  last. 
The  next  hotel  was  the  Pratt  House,  opened  by  Burrell  Pratt  in  1865, 
and  kept  by  him  two  years.  This  was  kept  next  by  a  Mr.  Pratt  not 
related  to  the  one  above  mentioned  ;  he  kept  it  about  two  years.  Then 
John  Brey  took  charge  for  a  year,  and  he  was  followed  by  John  Gordon 
for  the  same  time.  Harvey  Allen  then  became  landlord,  and  was  in 
charge  for  three  years.  Then  the  house  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Siglar  Brothers,  who  rented  it  for  four  or  five  years  to  a  nephew,  John 
Siglar,  who  was  succeeded  by  the  present  genial  and  gentlemanly  land- 
lord, who  took  charge  of  the  house  in  June,  1879.  Since  that  time  it 
has  been  known  as  the  Bates  House.  The  third  hotel  was  opened  in 
1866  by  Henry  Smith,  near  the  depot.  This  was  run  by  Mr.  Smith  for 
five  years,  and  then  by  Mr.  Winslow  for  four  years,  after  which  it  was 
bought  by  Mr.  Poole,  who  is  now  using  it  for  a  dwelling.  The  fourth 
and  last  hotel  built  was  the  Central  House,  erected  in  1878  by  John 
Skelton.  It  was  kept  by  Loren  Pomeroy  for  two  years  and  a  half,  since 
which  time  it  has  been  used  for  dwelling  purposes. 

Churches. — All  of  the  churches  of  the  township  are  located  at 
Hebron.  Bethlehem  Church  of  Associate  Reform  Presbyterians  was  or- 
ganized on  the  28th  of  July,  1838,  by  Rev.  Hannan.  At  that  time  there 
were  only  fifteen  members,  and  they  had  no  church  building.  The  first 
members  were  Samuel  Turner  and  wife,  Thomas  Dinwiddie  and  wife, 
Berkly  Oliver  and  wife,  Susanna  Dinwiddie,  Sr.,  Susanna  Dinwiddie, 
Jr.,  Margaret  Dinwiddie,  Mary  McCarnehan,  Susan  P.  West,  John  W. 
Dinwiddie,  David  T.  Dinwiddie,  Margaret  J.  Dinwiddie  and  Eliza  A. 
Dinwiddie.  Of  these  only  one,  Margaret  J.  Pierce,  nee  Dinwiddie,  re- 
mains. Messrs.  Samuel  Turner  and  Thomas  Dinwiddie  were  the  first 
Elders,  which  positions  they  occupied  until  death  removed  them  from 
ofiice.  Rev.  Hannan  remained  only  long  enough  to  organize  the  church. 
Rev.  Wilson  Blain  was  the  first  pastor.  He  was  ordained  and  installed 
in  1841  or  1842,  and  stayed  until  1847,  when  he  was  released.  Prior  to 
his  installation,  they  had  had  occasional  services  by  different  ministers. 
After  Rev.  Blain  left,  they  were  without  a  pastor  until  1851,  when,  dur- 
ing the  month  of  May,  Rev.  J.  N.  Buchanan  supplied  the  church.      He 


174  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

was  soon  called  to  the  work  and  on  November  29,  1851,  he  was  installed. 
Here  Rev.  Buchanan  preached  his  first  sermon  and  here  he  has  con- 
tinued to  preach  up  to  the  present  time,  a  period  of  thirty-one  years,  an 
unusually  protracted  pastorate  for  these  latter  days  of  restlessness  and 
change.  The  first  members  of  the  congregation  were  poor,  and  for  some 
time  they  assembled  in  "the  rude  residences  of  these  sturdy  Christians. 
The  first  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Dinwiddie.  In  warm 
weather,  the  groves  were  used  as  temples,  and  they  met  for  a  time  in  the 
schoolhouse  at  the  cemetery.  The  brethren  all  assisted  in  the  erection  of 
the  first  place  of  worship.  Trees  were  felled,  their  trunks  were  hewed 
and  the  house  was  raised  with  no  expenditure  of  money  except  for  nails, 
glass  and  flooring.  The  seats  were  made  of  small  logs  split  in  halves. 
This  house  was  located  about  a  mile  south  of  Hebron.  The  name  of  the 
congregation  was  changed  from  Bethlehem  to  Hebron,  during  the  pastor- 
ate of  Rev.  Blain.  The  congregation  occupied  this  building  until  1852, 
when  it  erected  a  frame  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  Hebron,  at  an 
expense  of  $1,200,  all  of  which  was  paid  up.  This  was  occupied  in  the 
fall  of  1852.  In  1864,  the  building  was  moved  to  Hebron,  where  it  was 
used  by  the  society  until  1879,  when  they  built  the  present  commodious 
frame,  at  a  cost  of  $2,500.  Of  the  amount  subscribed  to  build  this 
church,  every  dollar  was  paid.  The  society  has  had  a  steady  growth.  In 
1851,  there  were  forty  members ;  of  these,  only  six  now  remain.  The 
present  membership  is  eighty-three,  and  it  has  been  as  high  as  ninety-five. 
The  present  Elders  are  David  Turner,  Joseph  Wood,  John  Simpson, 
Hugh  Fickle  and  H.  P.  Wood.  This  is  the  only  organization  of  this 
denomination  in  Lake  and  Porter  Counties. 

The  Methodists  held  their  first  meetings  at  the  dwellings  of  Simeon 
Bryant  and  Absalom  Morris,  and  later  at  a  schoolhouse.  They  organized 
a  society  here  in  1837,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Jacob  Colclasier,  who 
was  the  first  minister.  Aaron  Wood  was  Presiding  Elder  of  the  confer- 
ence at  the  time.  Rev.  Young,  Rev.  Biers,  Rev.  William  J.  Forbes  and 
Rev.  Hyde  were  among  the  first  ministers.  Rev.  Lamb,  Rev.  Petty- 
johns, Rev.  Wayde,  Rev.  Posey,  Rev.  Crumpacker,  Rev.  Wheeler,  Rev. 
Griffith,  Rev.  Greene  and  Rev.  L.  B.  Kent  were  among  the  early  minis- 
ters, in  about  the  order  given.  Absalom  Morris,  James  Dilley,  Solomon 
Dilley  and  family,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Bryant,  Mr.  Gridley  and  wife  and  Gid- 
eon Alyea  and  wife  are  some  of  the  first  members.  In  1840,  a  protracted 
meeting  of  eight  weeks  was  held.  The  meetings  were  held  at  Hebron 
for  four  weeks,  and  then  the  place  of  meeting  was  changed  to  a  school- 
house  four  miles  east  of  Hebron.  This  was  a  great  revival.  The  first 
church  of  the  denomination  was  built  in  1844,  half  a  mile  south  of 
Hebron.     It  was  about  20x30  feet  in  size,  and  was  built  of  unhewn  logs. 


BOONE  TOWNSHIP.  175 

At  the  first  meetings,  the  sleepers  were  used  for  seats.  Rev.  Griffith  was 
the  first  minister  in  this  house.  This  house  gave  place  to  the  present 
frame,  built  about  1859,  at  an  expense  of  §1,000.  The  parsonage  was 
bought  in  1877,  of  Stillman  Andrews,  for  .^650.  The  Ladies'  Aid  So- 
ciety keep  the  church  in  repair,  and  during  the  present  summer  have  ex- 
pended over  $50  in  papering,  etc.  Rev.  Denhara  is  the  present  pastor. 
He  was  preceded  by  Rev.  C.  S.  Burgner,  who  was  preceded  by  Rev. 
Lasurd,  who  was  preceded  by  Rev.  Buckles,  who  was  preceded  by  Rev. 
Vaught,  who  was  preceded  by  Rev.  Cox,  who  was  preceded  by  Rev. 
Michaels,  who  was  preceded  by  Rev.  Kinsey. 

In  1877,  a  church,  styled  the  "'  Union  Mission  Church,"  was  organ- 
ized with  a  membership  of  eighty.  The  church  was  built  in  1878,  at  a 
cost  of  about  $2,000.  The  principal  contributors  were  James  King, 
William  Netherly  and  E.  and  D..  T.  Siglar.  The  trustees  of  the  first 
organization  were  Hiram  Marsh,  B.  Blanchard  and  William  Netherby. 
The  Deacons  were  William  Fry,  James  King  and  L.  Temple. 

On  the  26th  day  of  April,  1882,  a  Congregational  Church  was  organ- 
ized of  the  members  of  the  defunct  Union  Mission  Church,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  forty.  James  King,  B,  F.  Gossett,  James  Alyea,  J.  G.  Gib- 
son and  A.  Blanchard  were  elected  trustees.  William  M.  Watt  and 
William  Fry  were  elected  Deacons.  The  church  then  called  Rev.  L. 
Adams  Smith  to  her  pastorate,  who  has  since  officiated.  In  the  Ameri- 
can Church  Review,  of  Cincinnati,  bearing  date  of  January  25,  1870, 
we  find  the  following  notice :  "  We  have  just  closed  a  protracted  meet- 
ing at  Hebron,  Ind.,  on  the  Cincinnati  &  Chicago  Railroad,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  organization  of  a  church  of  twenty-six  members."  The 
following  are  some  of  the  first  members  :  Mrs.  Mary  E.  White,  who  was 
the  first  one  to  be  baptized,  Joseph  Dye,  who  was  the  first  Deacon,  and 
his  wife,  Sarah  Essex,  Sarah  A.  Johnson,  Mrs.  Viola  Robinson,  Ellis 
Huff  and  wife,  Mrs.  Sheldon,  Isaac  Margison,  Mrs.  Blood  and  Mr. 
Montgomery  and  wife.  The  church  was  built  in  1878,  at  a  cost  of 
$1,100.  The  present  value  of  the  property  of  the  church  is  $1,450. 
The  membership  is  130.  The  following  are  those  who  contributed  most 
liberally  to  the  building  of  the  church  with  the  amounts  given :  Joseph 
Cathcart,  George  Maxwell  and  James  Ross  each  gave  $100  ;  W.  W. 
White,  $60  ;  William  Sturgeon,  $50  ;  S.  Andrews,  George  Bruff,  Hugh 
Swaney,  William  Dye  and  Mary  Bryant  each  gave  $25 ;  Joseph  Dye, 
$15 ;  Enoch  Jones,  William  Sawyer  and  Dr.  Blackstone  each  gave  $10  ; 
"  Boone  Grove  Church  "  gave  about  $60  and  "  Morgan  Prairie  Congre- 
gation "  gave  $50.  Lemuel  Shortridge  was  the  first  minister,  and  served 
for  three  years.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  Methodist  Church 
and  in  the  schoolhouse.     William  Wheeler  was  the  second  minister  and 


176  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

stayed  for  two  years,  when  William  Lowe  came  for  a  short  stay,  after 
which  there  were  no  regular  services  for  a  time.  After  Rev.  Lowe  came 
Rev.  William  L.  Streeter,  Rev.  Cassel  and  Rev.  Carpenter,  each  of  whom 
stayed  but  a  short  time.  Rev.  A.  P.  Maston  came  next  for  a  stay  of 
three  years.  Rev.  Edwards,  Rev.  Rower,  Rev.  Chase,  Rev.  Franklin, 
Rev.  John  Ellis  and  Rev.  Barnett  came  in  order,  each  staying  but  a  short 
time.  For  the  next  two  years,  H.  B.  Davis  filled  the  pulpit,  after  whom 
came  the  present  genial  Christian  gentleman.  Rev.  Adolphus  C.  Carter, 
who  has  entered  upon  his  second  year. 

The  Presbyterians  proper,  or,  as  they  style  themselves  in  the  articles 
of  the  church,  "  The  Presbyterian  Church  (0.  S.),"  was  organized  in 
1860,  as  is  shown  by  the  following  extract  from  the  church  records  : 
"  Hebron,  Ind.,  October  29,  1860,  11  o'clock,  A.  M.  The  commission 
appointed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Lake  met  in  Hebron  Schoolhouse,  and, 
after  a  sermon  by  Rev.  S.  C.  Logan  from  Ephesians,  4,  1 — '  There  is 
one  body  and  one  Spirit,'  etc.,  the  committee  proceeded  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Church  of  Hebron."  The  articles  are  signed  by  J.  L. 
Lower  and  S.  C.  Logan,  Ministers,  and  Ezra  Reeve  and  Nathan  Strong, 
P.  Elders.  Those  who  subscribed  to  the  articles  as  members  are  Will- 
iam Mackey,  E.  Mackey,  Gideon  Brecount,  Jane  Brecount,  A.  A.  Bur- 
well,  Rebecca  I.  Burwell,  Nancy  Tanehill,  Mary  Hill,  T.  C.  Sweeney, 
Jane  Aylsworth,  Stella  McCollom,  Carrie  M.  Wilson,  Margaret  M.  Gill 
and  Mary  E.  Hill.  William  Mackey  and  Amos  A.  Burwell  were  elected 
Elders,  and  Gideon  Brecount,  Clark  L.  Tannehill  and  Thomas  C. 
Sweeney,  Trustees.  In  April,  1868,  there  were  twenty-six  members  ;  in 
1876,  there  were  thirty-five  members.  June  21,  1873,  the  society 
bought  the  old  schoolhouse  and  the  lot  upon  which  it  stood  of  the  Siglar 
Brothers  for  the  sum  of  ^350.  This  they  fitted  up  for  a  meeting-house. 
Rev.  J.  L.  Lower  was  the  first  regular  minister ;  A.  Y.  Moore  was  the 
next,  who  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Beer,  who  was  succeeded,  in  1868, 
by  Rev.  McKinney,  who  was  followed  by  Rev.  Flemming,  who  was  fol- 
lowed by  Rev.  Spencer  Baker.  Since  Rev.  Baker's  time,  the  congrega- 
tion has  been  supplied  by  students  from  the  Presbyterian  Theological 
Seminary  at  Chicago.  Rev.  Small  is  supplying  the  pulpit  occasionally. 
He  was  preceded  by  Rev.  Ferguson,  who  was  preceded  by  Rev.  Ely. 
Formerly,  the  congregation  was  connected  with  the  one  at  Crown  Point ; 
now  it  is  connected  with  the  Tassinong  Church.  The  present  member- 
ship of  the  church  is  twenty-five. 

Secret  Organizations. — The  Hebron  Lodge,  U.  D.,  of  Freemasons, 
commenced  operations  under  a  dispensation  dated  June  9,  1874.  The 
first  ofiicers  were  L.  C.  Dunn,  W.  M.;  J.  N.  More,  S.  W.,  Protem.;  L.  P. 
Scott,   J.   W.;    W.   M.   Nelson,  S.  D.;    John   Skelton,   Treasurer;    R. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP.  177 

Slieine,  Tiler,  Pro  tern.;  Samuel  Irvin,  Secretary,  Pro  tern.  The  charter 
members  were  L.  C.  Dunn,  John  Skelton,  W.  M.  Nelson,  S.  K.  Pratt,  Y. 
Welding,  Samuel  Irvin  and  L.  P.  Scott.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
others  who  have  belonged  to  the  lodge  up  to  the  present  time:  F. 
Mikles,  Thomas  V.  Rockwell,  B.  F.  Hathaway,  Aaron  Godwin,  Andrew 
Godwin,  Andrew  Runion,  G.  W.  Maxwell,  J.  L.  Baker,  C.  G.  Carman, 
Michael  Dorn,  William  McGinley,  J.  C.  Carson,  John  Wellinger,  J.  P. 
Brough,  N.  D.  Edmonds,  S.  C.  Mclntire,  Rufus  Rice,  Mott  T.  Perry, 
W.  C.  Shreve,  E.  S.  Irwin,  H.  B.  Davis,  Hamilton  B.  Southwick, 
Spencer  Baker,  G.  W.  Mosier,  W.  B.  Swearingen,  C.  H.  Carman  and 
John  Carson.     The  present  membership  is  twenty-three. 

There  was  at  one  time  a  lodge  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.,  but,  as  the  records 
are  not  accessible,  and  the  few  here  now  who  were  interested  can  furnish 
no  definite  information,  its  history  can  not  be  given. 


CHAPTER    VII. 


BY    DANIEL    J.    COY. 


Washington  Township— Its  Creation— First  Election  of  Officers— 
The  Early  Settlement— Old  Saw-mills,  Grist-mills,  etc.— Per- 
sonal Anecdotes— Rollings  and  Raisings— Mercantile  Pursuits— 
Prattville— Education  and  Religion. 

"TTTASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP  dates  its  birth  from  the  organization 
V  V  of  Porter  County  in  1836.  The  name  Washington  is  indicative  of 
the  sterling  worth  and  patriotic  principles  of  the  pioneer  settlers.  Will- 
iam Morgan,  from  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  is  said  to  be  the  first  white  man 
to  settle  in  what  is  now  Washington  Township.  He  settled  on  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  prairie  that  bears  his  name  early  in  the  spring  of  1833. 
The  other  first  settlers  besides  William  and  Isaac  Morgan,  with  their 
places  of  nativity,  were  George  B.  Cline,  Union  County,  Ind.;  Adam  S. 
Campbell,  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.;  Reason  Bell,  Wayne  County,  Ohio. 
During  the  same  year,  Rufus  Van  Pool  "pitched"  a  claim  on  what  is 
now  the  Oaks  farm.  In  the  fall,  the  house  of  this  man  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  he  was  compelled  to  move  his  family  back  to  La  Porte  County, 
but  returned  in  the  following  spring,  and  remained  until  the  land  sale  in 
1835 ;  after  purchasing  his  claim  at  the  Government  price,  he  sold  out  to 
David  Oaks.  In  1833  or  1834,  Jacob  Coleman  located  and  made  im- 
provements two  miles  southeast  of  Prattville.  In  1834,  James  Blair 
"pitched  "  his  claim  near  what  is  now  called  Coburg,  and  began  to  culti- 
vate the  soil,  and  to  make  improvements.  During  the  same  year,  Isaac 
Werninger   came  into  the  settlement,  and  located  on  what  is  now  known 


178  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTV. 

as  the  Crumpacker  form.  Ruel  Starr,  the  same  year,  occupied  the  Starr 
farm.  In  the  spring  of  1833,  Samuel  Flint  and  Seth  Hull  came  into  the 
township.  Flint  made  the  first  improvements  at  Prattville.  During  the 
fall,  Hull  sold  his  claim  to  J.  S.  Wallace  and  left  the  settlement.  Among 
these  early  settlers  were  found  John  Huntly,  a  Mr.  Banner  and  a  Mr. 
Johnson  ;  these  men  being  without  families,  did  not  locate  permanently. 
In  183-4,  James  Baun  came  into  the  township  and  purchased  a  farm, 
paying  §450  for  160  acres  of  land.  At  this  early  date  no  roads  were 
found  in  the  township  ;  these  pioneers  were  compelled  to  follow  the  old 
"  Sac  trail,"  which  passed  near  the  present  site  of  Valparaiso. 

Early  Homes. — The  "log  cabin"  of  the  early  settlers  was  built, 
owing  to  the  shortness  of  the  timber,  about  18x20  feet,  and  if  more  room 
was  desired,  two  of  these  were  built  side  by  side  with  a  door  between ; 
often  they  were  placed  some  distance  apart,  the  space  between  roofed 
over,  and  called  a  "  stoop."  The  chimney  was  built  of  flat  sticks,  covered 
with  what  was  known  as  "  cat-in-the-clay,"  this  being  composed  of  straw 
or  swamp  grass,  cut  fine  and  mixed  with  the  clay.  The  chimney  was 
built  upon  the  outside  of  the  cabin,  usually  at  the  end.  The  roof  was 
covered  with  "  shakes,"  with  "  weight-poles  "  to  hold  them  to  their  places. 
The  inside  of  the  cabin  compared  very  favorably  with  the  outside.  Wooden 
pegs  took  the  place  of  nails  or  hooks  ;  the  table  and  chairs,  as  well  as  the 
rest  of  the  household  furniture,  were  usually  of  home  manufacture,  and 
were  necessarily  of  the  rudest  pattern.  Whenever  a  house  of  this  kind 
was  to  be  built,  the  word  was  given  out,  and  the  settlers  flocked  into  what 
was  known  as  the  "  raising."  The  first  house  built  in  this  way  was  a 
double  log  house,  the  property  of  Isaac  Morgan.  The  house  was  built  in 
1884,  situated  on  the  outlet  of  Flint's  Lake,  in  Section  16,  and  it  is  said 
that  about  thirty  settlers  were  present,  this  number  including  nearly  all 
the  able-bodied  men  of  the  settlement. 

The  early  settlers  obtained  their  supplies  at  first  from  La  Porte 
County,  afterward  from  Michigan  City  ;  these  supplies  were  hauled  across 
the  county  with  oxen.  For  several  years  the  nearest  flouring-mill  was 
located  at  Kingsbury,  where  all  the  grinding  of  the  settlement  was  done. 
The  first  crop  planted  was  corn,  followed  by  the  other  cereals  now  raised 
in  the  township.  In  one  or  two  instances,  farmers  are  said  to  have  gone 
eighty  or  ninety  miles,  in  order  to  obtain  proper  seed  to  plant  in  the  soil  of 
their  new  farms.  At  this  early  date,  venison  was  one  of  the  principal 
sources  of  food,  the  settlers  depending  largely  upon  this  for  their  supply 
of  meat.  Hunting  was  one  of  the  leading  occupations,  it  being  no  extra- 
ordinary feat  for  one  man  to  kill  as  high  as  100  deer  in  one  winter. 

The  first  settlers  who  led  the  way  were  soon  followed  by  others,  and 
before  the  land  sale,  in  1835,  a  large  number  of  settlers'  cabins  could  be 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP.  179 

counted.  The  raw  prairie  and  wild  woodland  were  being  rapidly  con- 
verted into  beautiful  farms  and  happy  homes ;  better  times  were  coming 
to  the  pioneers,  who  endured  so  many  privations  in  order  to  secure  com- 
fortable residences.  They  were  soon  to  reap  the  results  of  braving  the 
Western  wilds  and  leaving  behind  them  the  benefits  and  advantages  of  a 
fully  developed  country. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  this  township  was  Reason  Bell,  son  of 
Reason  and  Sarah  Bell,  of  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  his  birth  occurring  Jan- 
uary 11,  1834. 

The  Indians. — A  village  of  about  one  hundred  or  more  Pottawatomie 
Indians  was  situated  near  the  present  site  of  Prattville.  Their  burying- 
ground  was  located  on  what  is  now  Harmond  Beach's  orchard.  These 
Indians  traded  with  the  early  settlers,  bartering  their  furs  for  arms  and 
ammunition;  they  also  obtained  the  well-known  "  fire-water"  that  has 
ever  degraded  the  poor  Indian  when  brought  in  contact  with  it,  and  its 
vender,  the  white  man.  These  Indians  were  of  considerable  annoyance, 
but  never  committed  any  depredations  of  a  serious  nature  upon  the  whites. 
A  story  is  related  by  the  settlers  how,  at  one  time,  two  of  the  Indians, 
Wak-muck  and  Cha-nin-a-win,  after  having  imbibed  a  suflBcient  quantity 
of  whisky  to  make  each  one  feel  that  he  was  the  "  big  Injin  "  of  the  vil- 
lage, began  quarreling,  and  finally  ended  in  a  fight  to  decide  which  should 
be  the  happy  owner  of  two  wives.  Wak-muck  came  off  victor.  A  short 
time  after  this,  Cha-nin-a-win,  while  lying  asleep  under  a  tree,  was  shot 
by  the  treacherous  Wak-muck.  At  first  the  white  men  of  the  settlement 
were  inclined  to  take  the  matter  into  their  own  hands,  but  finally  decided 
to  leave  to  Indian  justice  the  entire  matter,  which  was  to  give  to  the 
squaw  of  the  dead  Indian  several  ponies  and  a  considerable  amount  of 
furs,  their  law  being  that  if  such  a  crime  was  repeated  by  the  same  party, 
he  must  suffer  death  at  the  hands  of  his  nearest  relative. 

The  Indians  remained  here  until  1836,  when  they  moved  to  an  In- 
dian village  near  what  is  now  known  as  Hebron,  where  they  remained 
until  about  1842,  at  Avhich  date  they,  with  the  rest  of  their  red  brethren, 
moved  beyond  the  rolling  waters  of  the  Mississippi. 

Organization. — Up  to  the  time  of  the  land  sale  in  1835,  the  early 
settlers  held  what  is  known  as  a  "squatter's  claim."  The  majority 
bought  the  land  they  occupied,  while  some  of  them  sold  their  claims  to 
other  settlers.  After  the  township  survey,  many  of  them  found  their  land 
cut  up  by  township  lines  and  roads.  One  instance  is  given,  in  which 
John  Coleman,  Russell  Brayton  and  Stephen  Brayton  found  themselves 
occupying  the  same  eighty  acres  of  land. 

The  first  township  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  Isaac  Morgan, 
on  the  13th  of  April,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  two  Justices  of  the 


1^0  HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

Peace.  The  following-named  persons  voted  at  this  election :  Adam 
S.  Campbell,  David  S.  Holland,  Benjamin  Saylor,  Levi  Chamberton, 
John  Saylor,  Jacob  Jorden,  Seth  Winslow,  Warren  Pierce,  W.  B.  Smith, 
Andrew  Ault,  Reason  Bell,  George  B.  Cline,  Wilson  McLane,  Frederick 
Yeager,  Reason  Reed,  Joseph  Todd,  Michael  Ault,  Hiram  Webster,  Isaac 
Morgan,  John  Shinabarger,  Henry  Rinker,  Daniel  Drulinger,  John 
Robinson,  Warner  Winslow,  Isaac  Werninger,  Jacob  Fleming,  James 
Blair,  Nelson  Smith,  Peter  Cline,  William  Morgan,  Anthony  Boggs, 
Jesse  McCord,  John  R.  Sargent,  Robert  Fleming,  Joseph  Brewer  and 
Clark  Babcock.  Isaac  Morgan  was  appointed  Inspector  of  this  election  ; 
he  returned  the  following  report : 

"We,  the  undersigned  Inspector  and  Judges  of  an  election  held  at 
the  house  of  Isaac  Morgan,  on  the  13th  day  of  April,  1836,  do  certify 
that  for  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  Henry  Rinker  received  23 
votes.  White  B.  Smith  20  votes  and  Peter  Cline  17  votes." 

A  county  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  Isaac  Morgan  on  the  23d 
of  February,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one  Clerk,  one  Recorder, 
two  Associate  Judges  and  three  Commissioners. 

In  the  same  year,  it  was  ordered  by  the  Board  of  Commissioners,  that 
Adam  S.  Campbell  and  Reason  Bell  be  appointed  Overseers  of  the  Poor 
for  Washington  Township ;  Peter  Cline,  Supervisor  of  Roads ;  George 
B.  Cline  and  John  Shinabarger,  Fence  Viewers,  which  last  office  was 
finally  dispensed  with. 

Early  Industries. — In  1834,  David  Oaks  kept  a  tavern  near 
Prattville.  He  continued  in  the  business  for  several  years.  During  the 
years  1835  and  1836,  a  hotel  was  built  about  one  mile  north  of  Prattville. 
The  building  cost  about  §500  or  $600.  This  tavern  was  owned  and  con- 
ducted by  John  Shinnabarger.  The  hotel  was  a  two-story  building,  the 
other  dimensions  being  20x45  feet.  The  hall  in  the  upper  story  was 
used  as  a  ball  room,  where  the  young  people  of  the  neighborhood  could 
meet  and  shake  the  "  light  fantastic  toe  "  to  their  heart's  content.  The 
business  of  tavern-keeping  was  remunerative.  During  the  years  of  1834 
or  1835,  almost  every  day  wagon  trains  could  be  seen  wending  their  way 
over  the  rough  roads  toward  the  undeveloped  West,  where  they  expected 
to  find  room  to  build  up  homes  of  thrift  and  industry.  There  were  no 
roads  of  any  importance  in  the  township  up  to  this  time.  The  first  road 
was  one  that  followed  an  Indian   trail  which  passed  through  Prattville. 

In  1835,  Adam  S.  Campbell  opened  a  boot  and  shoe  shop  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  his  son.  He  brought  his  original  stock  from  York 
State.  In  this  shop,  the  boots  and  shoes  of  the  settlement  were  manu- 
factured. In  1835,  Russell  Brayton  opened  the  first  blacksmith  shop  in 
the  township.     It  was  located  near  Prattville.     During  the  year   1852, 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP.  181 

Edward  Brown  and  Mr.  Mills  built  a  steam  saw-mill  at  Prattville.  The 
engine  was  of  25-horse  power,  and  was  obtained  at  Coldwater,  Mich.,  at 
a  cost  of  $2,000.  It  required  a  considerable  amount  of  labor  to  bring  the 
engine  from  Michigan  City,  but  the  task  was  at  last  accomplished.  The 
frame  work  of  the  mill  cost  about  $1,000,  making  the  entire  cost  of  the 
mill  about  $3,000,  as  near  as  can  be  remembered.  The  saw  was  a  simple 
upright  sash  saw.  This  mill  was  purchased  in  1835  by  Daniel  S.  and 
Theron  White.  During  the  same  year,  the  new  owners  added  a  small 
run  of  buhrs,  one  for  grinding  corn,  the  other  for  wheat.  They  also  put 
in  three  bolts.  This  addition  to  the  saw-mill  cost  about  $1,000.  The 
machinery  was  run  by  the  same  engine  that  was  used  for  the  saw-mill. 
This  mill  was  completed  so  that  in  1836  a  fair  article  of  flour  was  turned 
out.  At  the  present  writing,  the  saw-mill  remains,  much  improved  in 
capacity  and  machinery,  but  the  flour-mill  has  long  since  been  discontin- 
ued. 

Prattville. — In  1841,  the  village  of  Prattville  was  laid  out  by  Thomas 
Pratt,  who  erected  a  blacksmith  shop,  also  moved  a  small  frame  house 
about  one  mile,  and  improved  it  by  additions,  until  it  answered  for  a  dwell- 
ing. The  original  owners  of  the  ground  on  which  Prattville  was  laid  out 
were  William  Morgan  and  Peter  and  George  Cline.  The  life  of  Prattville 
was  destined  to  be  short,  and  to-day  the  town  exists  only  in  name. 

Taxation. — During  the  year  1842,  the  entire  tax  paid  by  the  resi- 
dents of  Washington  Township  amounted  to  $262.61.  There  were 
13,824.86  acres  of  land,  valued,  together  with  the  improvements,  at 
$47,815.  The  total  amount  of  taxable  property  in  the  township  was 
$60,643.  The  total  amount  assessed  was  $705.79.  Not  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  this  amount  was  ever  paid  into  the  county  treasury. 

Various  Enterprises. — In  the  year  1843,  Reason  Bell  and  Mr.  King 
erected  a  tannery  one  and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  Prattville.  This 
firm  transacted  a  considerable  amount  of  business,  Mr.  Bell  furnishing 
the  capital.  Mr.  King,  being  a  tanner  by  trade,  had  charge  of  the  work 
done  in  the  tannery,  and  saw  that  the  stock  on  hand  was  properly  taken 
care  of.  This  firm  continued  operations  about  two  years.  A  considera- 
ble business  was  done  here,  and  leather  was  shipped  to  various  parts  of 
the  country.  In  1845,  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr.  King  continu- 
ing to  work  at  his  trade  in  Michigan  City.  Mr.  Bell  continued  in  the 
business  only  long  enough  to  sell  the  stock  on  hand.  In  connection  with 
the  tannery,  a  boot  and  shoe  factory  was  put  in  operation,  and  was  con- 
tinued for  some  time,  Moses  Turner  having  charge  of  the  factory.  Mr. 
Bundy  erected  a  saw-mill,  in  1844  or  1845,  on  the  outlet  of  Flint's  Lake. 
This  mill  was  situated  about  one  and  three-fourths  miles  east  of  Prattville. 
The  frame  for  the  mill  was  erected  at  a  considerable  expense,  after  which 


182  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Mr.  Bundy  began  to  dig  the  race.  The  work  was  carried  forward  across 
his  own  farm,  but  he  was  denied  the  right  to  dig  the  race  across  the 
adjoining  farm,  owned  by  Truman  Freeman,  and  a  law  suit  was  the  result. 
After  having  some  trouble  in  regard  to  the  matter,  the  enterprise  proved 
to  be  a  failure.  The  frame  work  to  the  mill  was  taken  down  and  used  for 
other  purposes,  while  Bundy's  mill  never  existed  in  reality,  but  was  only 
known  as  one  of  the  many  things  that  exist  only  in  name.  In  the  year 
1846  or  1847,  a  race  track  was  built  on  the  farm  of  Joseph  Brown. 
While  this  track  cannot  be  called  an  improvement  of  great  importance,  it 
was  the  means  of  bringing  some  good  stock  into  the  country,  and  eventu- 
ally had  something  to  do  toward  the  organization  of  an  agricultural 
society. 

The  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  was  located  on  the  farm  owned  by 
Adam  S.  Campbell,  he  being  one  of  the  two  Justices  whom  the  settlers 
felt  it  to  be  necessary  to  have,  in  order  that  justice  might  be  meted  out  to 
all.  This  was  after  the  first  election  in  1836.  A  grist-mill  was  built  by 
Ruel  Starr,  on  Crooked  Creek,  which  was  to  be  run  by  water-power,  the 
wheel  being  a  24-inch  turbine,  the  race  being  one  and  one-half  miles  in 
length.  The  mill  was  completed  and  ready  for  operation,  but  nothing 
more  than  a  few  bushels  of  corn  was  ever  ground.  The  enterprise  proved 
unsuccessful,  although  the  mill  cost  .^5,000.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Starr,  the  mill  was  converted  into  a  cheese  factory  by  Mr.  McGill.  A 
considerable  amount  of  cheese  was  manufactured  here  and  shipped  to  Chi- 
cago, La  Porte,  Michigan  City  and  South  Bend.  This  factory  was  in 
operation  for  two  years,  when  it  was  moved  into  Centre  Township,  where 
it  yet  remains- 

In  May  of  1836,  a  license  was  granted  to  Andrew  Ault  to  keep  a 
tavern  and  to  sell  foreign  and  domestic  groceries  ;  he  also  sold  liquor, 
paying  for  the  license  §10  per  annum.  This  store  was  kept  in  a  double 
log  house,  that  cost  about  $25.  As  near  as  can  be  remembered,  the  store 
was  opened  in  1836  or  1837.  The  first  stock  of  goods  was  obtained  from 
Michigan  City, .and  cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  §50.  This  store  was 
kept  open  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  situated  about  three-fourths  of 
a  mile  west  of  Prattville.  The  tavern  furnished  accommodations  to  the 
many  wagon  trains  passing  through  this  section,  and  was  no  unimportant 
item  in  the  remunerative  part  of  the  business.  In  1834  or  1835,  a  stock 
of  goods  was  kept  in  the  double  log  house  belonging  to  Isaac  Morgan. 
The  stock  was  light,  and  was  composed  of  such  things  as  would  best  meet 
the  wants  of  the  early  settlers.  The  store  was  conducted  by  Mr.  Hol- 
land, who  obtained  his  supplies  from  La  Porte,  and  served  as  a  mail  car- 
rier for  the  settlement.  Jeremiah  Hamell  and  Mr.  Henning  opened  a 
store  in  George  B.  Cline's  double  log  house  ;  this  was  in  1836  or  1837. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP.  183 

Their  stock  was  composed  of  dry  goods  and  groceries,  the  value  of  which 
did  not  exceed  ^?50.  They  traded  extensively  with  the  Indians,  exchang- 
ing arms,  ammunition  and  whisky  for  furs.  They  obtained  their  goods 
from  Michic^an  City  and  South  Bend.  In  1837,  Jeremiah  Hamell  (now 
deceased)  moved  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  is  said  to  have  been  one  of  the 
fir^t  merchants.  Stores  of  any  importance  must  necessarily  be  located  in 
villages  or  towns.  For  this  reason,  store-keeping  has  ceased  to  be  a  lucra- 
tive business  in  Washington  Township,  as  there  are  no  villages  or  towns 
of  any  note  in  the  township. 

Schools. — The  first  school  taught  in  the  township  was  conducted  by 
Mary  Hammond  in  a  log  house,  erected  by  A.  V.  Bartholomew,  the  teacher 
being  paid  by  subscription.  Four  families  were  represented.  The  school 
was  in  session  three  months,  during  the  winter  of  1835  or  1836.  The  next 
school,  as  near  as  can  be  remembered,  was  taught  by  Thomas  Campbell, 
in  a  log  house  on  a  farm  owned  by  Mr.  Kimmerer.  This  school  was  in 
session  one  term.  The  common  branches  were  taught  here,  including 
arithmetic,  reading,  spelling  and  writing.  These  schools  were  taught  in 
houses  originally  intended  for  dwellings.  They  were  small,  about  18x20 
feet  in  size.  The  houses  were  warmed  by  huge  fire-places,  in  which  logs 
of  considerable  dimensions  could  be  rolled  without  much  difficulty,  such 
being  the  advantages  of  the  young  seeker  after  knowledge  in  1835  and 
1836.  The  first  schoolhouse  built  in  Washington  Township  was  prob- 
ably the  Morgan  Schoolhouse,  several  old  settlers  to  the  contrary.  This 
schoolhouse  was  built  in  1836  or  1837  ;  the  Luther  Schoolhouse  was  built 
about  the  same  time;  it  is  not  known  positively  which  one  was  built  first. 
It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  among  the  first  teachers  are  to  be  found  the 
names  of  George  Partial,  Mr.  Wakeman,  Xancy  Trim,  Judge  Talcott, 
Mr.  Pepinger  (as  near  as  the  name  can  be  spelled),  Mr.  Van  Hozzen, 
Lowring  Hall  and  Dr.  Pagan.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  of  round 
logs  at  a  probable  cost  of  $25  ;  the  accommodations  throughout  were  of 
the  plainest  quality.  The  wages  paid  to  the  earliest  teachers  were  about 
$2  per  scholar,  or  §10  or  %12  per  month;  this  sum  was  considered  suffi- 
cient pay  to  the  teacher  who  was  required  to  wield  the  birch  with  suffi- 
cient force  to  overcome  the  unruly  young  man  of  twenty  summers.  It 
was  one  of  the  principal  parts  of  school  life  to  have  spellings,  and  to  bar 
out  the  teacher  at  Christmas ;  this  w^as  often  difficult  to  do,  as  the  roof 
was  usually  covered  with  shakes,  with  poles  laid  on  to  keep  them  down, 
so  that  it  did  not  require  a  very  great  effort  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  to 
find  an  ingress  at  almost  any  part  of  the  house.  In  1838,  George  Par- 
tial was  barred  out  in  this  manner ;  being  unable  to  effect  an  entrance 
for  three  or  four  days,  he  was  finally  compelled  to  treat.  The  treat  con- 
sisted of  "doughnuts"   and  such  things  as   the  kitchens  of  the  neigh- 


184  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

borhood  could  furnish.  The  treat  was  brought  to  the  schoolhouse  in  a 
two  bushel  sack,  and  was  made  up  of  contributions  from  the  parents  of 
the  children.  The  birch  was  used  pretty  freely  in  those  days,  as  a  gentle 
reminder  of  the  duties  and  responsibilities  resting  upon  the  young  aspi- 
rant. 

The  small  log  schoolhouse  of  1836  has  given  place  to  the  neat  and  com- 
modious house  of  to-day.  While  at  that  time  the  township  could  boast 
of  but  one  or  two,  now  we  find  seven  well-conducted  schools  in  the  town- 
ship. 

Churche^i. — No  churches  have  ever  been  built  in  the  township,  but 
the  people  used  the  schoolhouses  for  purposes  of  worship  at  an  early  date. 
As  early  as  1837,  Lewis  Comer  preached  in  the  Morgan  Schoolhouse.  It 
is  said  that  a  Baptist  minister  (name  not  remembered)  preached  in  George 
Cline's  double  log  house  as  early  as  1835.  The  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  held  regular  meetings  in  the  Morgan  Schoolhouse.  There 
were  about  thirty  or  forty  members  in  attendance,  but  no  regularly  or- 
ganized church.  Among  the  earliest  members  of  this  congregation  were 
Reason  Bell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rinker,  White  B.  Smith  and  others  whose 
names  could  not  be  obtained.  There  was  no  fixed  salary  for  the  minister, 
but  the  congregation  paid  him  whatever  they  could  give  that  would  be  of 
use  to  him  or  his  family.  It  was  customary  for  the  members  to  gather 
together  and  give  what  was  called  a  donation  surprise  party,  in  which  the 
Ininister  was  often  surprised  by  receiving  many  things  that  were  of  benefit 
to  him.  This  township  being  situated  near  Valparaiso,  the  church-going 
people  have  found  it  more  convenient  to  attend  church  in  town  than  ta 
build  and  maintain  a  church  of  their  own,  and  for  this  reason  no  churches 
have  ever  been  erected  in  Washington  Township.  The  first  Sabbath 
school  in  the  township,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  was  organized  by 
D.  C.  White  in  1856  ;  the  school  was  taught  in  the  Morgan  Schoolhouse. 
The  school  was  small,  and  the  Sabbath  school  library  was  limited  to  a 
few  books  such  as  would  meet  the  wants  of  the  children. 

Washington  Township  is  strictly  an  agricultural  township,  and  is  one 
of  the  richest  in  the  county.  It  is  difficult  to  realize  the  number  and 
value  of  the  improvements  that  have  been  made  w^ithin  forty  years.  The 
round-log  cabin  of  the  early  settler  has  given  place  to  the  comfortable 
home  and  beautiful  farms  of  to-day,  while  the  advantages  of  the  people- 
are  in  no  way  inferior  to  those  of  any  other  portion  of  the  State. 


MORGAN   TOWNSHIP.  185 


CHAPTER   VIII 


BY    G.    A.     GABARlJ. 


Morgan  Township— List  of  First  and  Early  Settlers— Game— Inci- 
dents AND  Anecdotes— A.  Tradition— Early  Elections— An  Old 
Town — Manufactures — Churches — Schools — Cemetery — First 
Burial— Resume. 

MORGAN  TOWNSHIP  derives  its  name  from  Morgan  Prairie, 
which  was  named  for  Isaac  Morgan,  who  was  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers upon  this  beautiful   plain,  in  what  is  now  Washington  Township. 

List  of  First  and  Early  Settlers. — The  following  is  a  list  of  the  first 
and  early  settlers  so  far  as  obtainable:  Joseph  Bartholomew,  1834 ; 
Henry  Adams  and  family,  183-4;  Benjamin  Spencer  and  family,  1834; 
John  Baum,  1835 ;  George  Shultz,  Jacob  Shultz  and  John  Shultz,  in 
1834 ;  N.  S.  Fairchild,  Archie  De  Munn  and  Charles  Allen,  in  1835 ; 
Josiah  Allen  and  Josiah  Allen's  wife,  in  1835.  Among  the  first  were 
Rinier  Blachley,  Charles  DeWolf,  Morris  Witham,  William  Billings,  Mr. 
Kinsey,  Thomas  Wilkins,  Mr.  Dillingham,  John  Berry,  and  William 
Minton,  an  Indian  trader.  Lewis  Comer  and  family  came  in  1835  ; 
Thomas  Adams  and  family  came  during  the  spring  of  1835.  Among 
those  who  came  early  are  Samuel  A^an  Dalsen,  iVbraham  Van  Dalsen, 
Lyman  Adkins,  Elisha  Adkins,  Mr.  Stoner,  Enoch  Billings,  Elias  Cain,  John 
E.  Harris,  Ezra  Wilcox,  Eason  Wilcox  and  Hank  Blanchard.  John  G. 
Keller  came  in  1837  ;  Enos  Arnold  in  1840  ;  William  Unrugh  in  1842,  and 
William  Benton  in  1838.  Henry  S.  Adams,  of  Jefferson  County,  Ohio, 
came  to  this  region  on  the  27th  of  April,  1833,  and  in  May  erected  a 
cabin  and  laid  a  claim  of  160  acres  on  Section  9,  Township  34,  Range 
5.  He  brought  with  him  his  wife,  mother  and  three  daughters.  His 
was  the  first  house  erected  in  the  township.  In  1835,  G.  W.  Patten,  of 
Ohio,  settled  here.  Miller  Parker  came  among  the  very  first,  but 
stopped  for  a  time  in  Pleasant  Township.  John  and  Stephen  Bartholo- 
mew came  in  1834,  but  settled  in  Pleasant,  where  they  lived  for  a  time 
before  they  moved  to  Morgan. 

Morgan  Township  originated  in  August,  1843,  when  it  was  set  apart 
from  Pleasant.  The  eastern  part  of  it  was  formerly  Essex  Township, 
which  was  formed  in  February,  1850,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  ship 
commanded  by  Commodore  Porter,  the  man  for  whom  the  county  was 
named.     The  two  were  consolidated  a  short  time  since. 

Early  Incidents. — An  old  settler  remarks :  "  When  I  came  to  Mor- 


186  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

gan  Prairie,  there  was  nothing  but  snakes,  wolves  and  Indians."  Game 
of  all  kinds  native  to  the  region  was  abundant.  H.  S.  Adams,  Rollston 
Adams,  Asa  Cobb  and  G.  W.  Patton,  in  1851,  during  a  hunt  of  five 
days,  hilled  sixteen  deer.  In  1843,  G.  W.  Patton  and  his  brother  shot 
two  from  a  herd.  Supposing  that  both  were  dead,  Mr.  Patton  went  up 
to  where  they  lay.  When  he  reached  the  place,  one  of  them  that  had 
been  more  stunned  than  wounded  started  to  rise,  but  Mr.  Patton  seized 
it  by  the  antlers  and  called  to  his  brother  to  come  and  cut  its  throat. 
Before  his  brother  came  up  and  succeeded  in  doing  so,  it  had  cut  G.  W.'s 
hands  and  struck  him  on  the  head  a  number  of  times  with  its  hind  feet. 
Bees  abounded,  and  barrels  of  honeyed  sweets  were  stored  away  in  the 
hollows  of  trees.  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  bees  seldom  go  far  from  the 
habitations  of  the  white  man.  As  the  buffalo  retreats,  the  bee  advances. 
Prairie  fires  were  a  terror  to  the  natives  at  an  early  day,  and  often 
swept  the  country  with  a  sea  of  flame  that  traveled  with  the  speed  of  the 
wind,  laying  in  ashes  and  raising  in  smoke  everything  before  it. 

A  certain  Assessor  of  Essex  Township  presented  a  bill  of  ^21  for 
assessing  twenty-one  families.  He  said  that  he  would  have  that  or 
nothing.  He  got  the  latter.  Old  Cuttanaw,  who  used  to  trade  in  this 
region  with  the  Indians,  once  told  them  that  the  needle-makers  were  all 
dead,  and  that  he  would  have  to  charge  them  §1  apiece  for  needles, 
which  he  did.  He  is  the  one  who  took  the  contract  for  moving  the 
Indians  to  their  new  home  in  the  West.  This  occurred  in  183T.  Once, 
at  Tassinong  Grove,  two  Indians  came  to  trade.  One  of  them  got 
drunk.  The  other,  upbraiding  him  for  so  doing  said,  "  Mo-a-net  Che- 
moke-man  "  (mean  as  a  white  man).  Although  all  the  Indians  seemed 
fond  of  good-ne-tos  (liquor),  one  of  the  party  always  stayed  sober  and 
could  not  be  induced  to  drink  enough  to  become  intoxicated.  It  seemed 
to  be  the  business  of  this  one  to  stand  guard  and  take  care  of  those  who 
were  too  drunk  to  care  for  themselves.  He  took  charge  of  the  guns  and 
other  weapons  to  keep  those  who  were  drinking  from  killing  each  other 
or  some  one  else.  The  squaws  did  not  drink,  the  reason  for  which  fact 
is  not  stated.  Enos  Arnold  speaks  of  having  driven  twelve  yoke  of 
oxen  to  a  breaking-plow  on  one  Fourth  of  July,  which  day  he  cele- 
brated by  turning  to  the  sun  three  acres  of  prairie  sod. 

There  was  a  tradition  among  the  Indians  found  here  that  in  the 
then  distant  past  the  Pottawatomies  had  a  dispute  with  a  tribe  west 
of  them  about  the  boundary  line  between  the  two  nations.  They 
agreed  to  decide  the  question  by  fighting  three  battles.  The  tribe 
that  was  victorious  in  two  or  three  of  these  battles  was  to  have  the 
boundary  placed  where  they  claimed  that  it  should  be.  It  is  supposed 
that  these  battles  occurred  somewhere  on  Morgan  Prairie,  but  just  where 


MORGAN   TOWNSHIP.  187 

cannot  now  be  determined.  It  is  possible  that  the  ohl  fort  on  the  Kan- 
kakee in  Pleasant  Township  was  erected  at  that  time  as  a  place  of  refuge 
in  case  of  defeat  in  the  field.  It  is  further  stated  that  the  Pottawatomies 
were  to  drive  this  Western  tribe  to  the  end  of  the  lake,  but  no  farther. 
This  point  thej  called  **Bish  Chi-ca-go  "  or  ''•water  all  gone."  This 
some  claim  to  be  the  origin  of  the  word  Chicago.  If  so,  it  is  probable 
that  the  name  was  applied  to  the  place  by  the  Indians  while  the  whites 
called  it  Fort  Dearborn,  and  that  the  Indian  name  was  in  some  way  re- 
stored. 

January  4,  1836,  a  license  was  granted  by  the  County  Commission- 
ers to  Hamell  &  Heming  for  one  year,  for  the  sum  of  ^10,  to  vend  mer- 
chandise. Morgan  Township  was  then  very  large  and  a  part  of  La  Porte 
County. 

The  principal  Indian  trail  that  crossed  the  township  entered  at  the 
northeastern  part  and  reached  the  Kankakee  near  the  southwestern  corner. 

Early  Officers. — At  an  election  of  Morgan  Township,  held  April  4, 
1853,  James  White,  Jesse  Spencer  and  Joseph  McConnell  were  elected 
Trustees,  David  W.  White,  Clerk,  and  John  Brumbaugh,  Treasurer. 
The  bond  of  the  Treasurer  was  $200.  May  7,  1853,  notice  was  given  of 
an  election  to  be  held  June  11,  1853,  for  the  purpose  of  voting  for  or 
against  levying  a  tax  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  sites  for  and  building 
schoolhouses.  The  election  was  held  at  the  time  appointed.  Francis 
Marshall,  James  White,  Jesse  Spencer,  Joseph  McConnell,  David  W. 
White,  Lewis  Comer,  H.  S.  Adams  and  Asa  Marine  voted  for  the  tax,  and 
no  votes  were  cast  against  it.  Accordingly,  a  tax  of  50  cents  on  §100 
was  levied.  In  1854,  the  total  receipts  for  road  purposes  were  $82.20, 
and  the  expenditures  §76.50.  The  charges  of  the  road  superintendents 
for  the  same  year  were,  in  Districts  Nos.  1,  2  and  3,  $2  each  ;  in  No.  4, 
§1.50;  No.  5,  §3;  No.  6,  75  cents.  In  1854,  the  Treasurer's  band  was 
raised  to  §1,000,  and  was  signed  by  John  Brumbaugh  and  William  Stod- 
dard. In  this  year,  John  W.  Wright  was  elected  Justice,  and  Franklin 
Adkins  and  Aaron  Stoner,  Constables.  Hiram  Diblee,  James  Bundy 
and  Enos  Arnold  were  elected  Trustees.  William  Stoddard  was  Clerk, 
John  Brumbaugh,  Treasurer.  The  following  were  the  Supervisors  for 
the  different  districts  :  In  No.  1,  John  Branson ;  No.  2,  Lorenzo  Mor- 
toe;  No.  3,  Joseph  Holies;  No.  4,  Elias  Cane;  No.  5,  John  McCurdy  ; 
No.  6,  John  Schultz. 

Tassinong. — The  town  of  Tassiuong,  or  Tassinnong  Grove,  as  it  was 
formerly  called,  is  indeed  an  ancient  place.  Its  origin  seems  to  be 
shrouded  in  obscurity.  The  whites  trace  the  locality  back  to  1830,  but 
the  Indians  spoke  of  it  as  an  old  place  even  then.  Not  that  there  was 
any  town,  but  simply  a  locality  bearing  the   name.     It  is  probable   that 


188  HISTORY  OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

there  was  a  French  trading  post  here  at  a  very  early  day.  Col.  Jesse 
Harpar,  the  noted  Greenback  orator,  started  the  first  store  here,  about 
the  year  1846.  He  continued  to  sell  goods  here  for  a  few  years,  and 
then  took  his  wares  and  left.  He  had  a  stock  worth,  perhaps,  §800. 
He  kept  his  goods  in  an  old  log  building  that  was  used  before  by  William 
Stoddard  as  a  barn.  The  second  store  was  started  by  William  Stoddard 
in  a  hewed-log  cabin,  about  1849.  Here  he  kept  goods  for  a  year  or  a 
year  and  a  half,  when  one  night  almost  the  entire  stock  was  stolen.  The 
third  store  was  started  in  1850  by  Joseph  Unrugh.  He  ran  it  about  a 
year  alone,  when  his  brother  William  bought  an  interest  in  the  stock. 
They  managed  the  business  for  two  or  three  years,  when  they  sold  out  to 
Eaton,  who  sold  to  Francis  McCurdy,  who  sold  to'Rinker  &  Wright,  who 
kept  the  store  about  two  years.  In  the  meantime,  about  1852,  Abraham 
Ahart  started  a  store,  ran  it  about  two  years  and  closed  out  the  stock. 
In  1852,  besides  two  stores,  there  were  two  blacksmith  shops,  one  kept 
by  Stephen  Ales  and  the  other  by  A.  J.  Zarn.  F.  McCurdy  had  a  car- 
penter shop,  John  McCurdy  a  tavern,  while  William  Maxwell  and  W. 
Hammond  kept  shoe  shops.  Calvin  Bowman  and  Adkins  started  a  store 
in  1854.  Sylvester  Pierce  bought  Adkins  out,  and  has  kept  store  here 
almost  ever  since.  He  has  been  out  of  business  for  a  short  period  at  two 
different  times.  J.  C.  Eahart  started  a  store,  and  sold  to  Frank  Adkins, 
who  sold  to  Spencer,  who  kept  alone  for  a  time,  and  then  went  in  with 
Mr.  Pierce.  Mr.  Pierce  is  now  alone.  Bowman  &  Son  run  the  other 
store  of  the  town.  H.  King  is  the  blacksmith.  Dr.  B.  A.  Welch  is  the 
medical  man.  Dr.  Gray  located  here  in  1881,  but  stayed  only  about  six 
months.  Before  him.  Dr.  Davis  was  in  town  from  1856  to  1861,  when 
he  went  to  the  war.  The  present  Postmaster  is  Sylvester  Pierce,  who 
has  held  the  office  for  over  twenty  years.  Mr.  Pierce  was  preceded  by 
William  Stoddard,  who  kept  the  office  for  four  or  five  years.  Before  him, 
Frank  Adkins  had  charge  for  a  short  time.  He  was  preceded  by  John 
W.  Wright,  who  was  preceded  by  William  C.  Eaton,  who  was  preceded 
by  John  Ahart,  who  was  preceded  by  John  Jones,  who  was  the  first  Post- 
master. The  office  was  established  in  1840.  For  some  years,  it  was 
two  miles  south  of  its  present  site,  and  called  Tassinong  Grove.  Tassi- 
nong  is  the  only  town  the  township  has  ever  had,  and  the  only  post  office 
has  been  located  here  since  it  was  established. 

Industries,  etc. — No  factories  of  great  importance  have  been  built 
within  the  limits  of  Morgan  Township.  A  cheese  factory  was  started 
about  1857  by  Charles  De  Wolf,  and  run  for  two  years  by  Edson,  when 
it  was  closed.  Another  was  started  by  John  Schultz  in  1879.  He  ran 
it  one  season,  when  he  sold  the  machinery  to  Mr.  Woodhull.  It  is  now 
run  by  Albert  Runnels  and   Henry  Stone.     They  use  about   a  ton  of 


MORGAN   TOWNSHIP.  189 

milk  a  day.  At  a  very  early  day,  there  was  a  small  grist-mill  in  the 
northwestern  part.  This  was  known  as  the  Kinsey  Mill.  It  had  only 
one  "run  of  buhrs,"  through  which  all  kinds  of  grain  were  run.  The 
water  was  brought  through  hollow  logs  to  an  overshot  wheel.  This  mill 
was  owned  and  run  by  Kinsey  until  1848. 

Churches. — The  first  religious  services  were  held  by  Stephen  Jones 
at  the  house  of  Thomas  Adams.  Rev.  Colklasier  was  the  second  one  to 
conduct  religious  services  in  the  township.  The  third  was  Rev.  Holly 
Baxter  Beers. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Tassinong  was  built  about  1855,  at  a 
cost  of  ^800.  It  was  built  by  the  community  for  all  denominations. 
Joseph  Bartholomew  and  George  Biggert  each  gave  ^150  toward  its 
erection.  Rev.  Brown  also  gave  liberally,  helped  to  organize  and 
oflBciated  for  a  time  as  minister.  Rev.  Moore  and  Rev.  Logan  each 
preached  here  for  a  year  ;  this  was  before  the  war.  Since  these  the  Rev. 
Kinney  and  Rev.  Robert  Williams  each  in  order  served  a  year.  Then 
came  Rev.  S.  R.  Baker,  who  stayed  four  years,  and  after  him  Rev. 
Henry  Cullom  stayed  two  years,  then  Rev.  Frank  Ferguson  served  a 
year,  after  whom  Rev.  Ely  came  for  a  short  stay  of  six  months.  The 
congregation  has  now  been  without  a  pastor  for  about  a  year.  The 
church  now  has  twenty-five  communicants.  The  Old  School  Baptists 
held  services  for  a  time  at  Morris  Witham's  house.  Elder  French 
officiated  for  a  time.  They  have  never  had  a  church  building  in  the 
township.  The  Methodists  have  a  church  and  society  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  township.  Among  the  first  members  were  "  Father  "  White 
and  wife,  William  White  and  wife,  David  White  and  wife,  Ezra  White 
and  wife  and  Mr.  Cornish  and  wife.  The  Christians  have  a  church  near 
the  center  of  the  township.  This  society  was  organized  in  June,  1840, 
being  the  first  society  of  the  Christians  in  the  county.  The  church, 
which  is  built  of  brick,  cost  about  $2,000.  The  principal  contributors 
to  the  building  fund  were  H.  S.  Adams,  Lewis  Comer,  Aaron  Stoner, 
Enoch  Baum,  G.  W.  Patton,  Elias  Cain.  Many  others  contributed  sums 
according  to  their  means.  Among  the  very  first  members  were,  Lewis 
Comer  and  wife,  H.  S.  Adams  and  wife,  Thomas  Adams  and  Mrs.  Baum. 
Among  the  other  early  members  were  George  W.  Turner  and  wife, 
Joseph  McConnel  and  wife,  Elias  Cain  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Stoner. 
Lewis  Comer  was  this  first  Elder,  and  H.  S.  Adams  the  first  Deacon. 
The  present  officers  are,  G.  W.  Patton,  N.  S.  Fairchild,  and  Jacob 
Stoner,  Elders ;  William  Cain  and  Russell  Stoner,  Deacons.  The  pres- 
ent membership  is  125.  Rev.  Lemuel  Shortage  now  preaches  occasion- 
ally. The  last  regular  minister  was  Rev.  M.  Goodycoonts ;  before  him 
was  Rev.  W.  Lowe,  who  stayed  two  years.     Rev.  L.  Shortage  commenced 


190  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

preaching  here  in  1849,  and  has  preached  here  more  or  less  ever  since. 
Rev.  Wheeler  preached  two  years,  Rev.  Robert  Johnson  two  years.  Part 
of  the  time  there  has  been  no  regular  minister,  but  diflferent  ones  preached 
occasionally. 

Schools. — There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  where  the  first  school 
of  the  township  was  taught,  but  the  evidence  indicates  that  it  was  on 
Morgan  Prairie,  near  where  Jesse  Baum  now  lives.  The  house  was,  of 
course,  a  log  one.  In  size,  it  was  about  12x14  feet.  The  first  teacher 
was  Miss  Orilla  Stoddard,  a  sister  of  William  Stoddard,  now  Mrs.  Jack- 
son Buel,  of  Valparaiso,  who  taught  here  for  a  number  of  terms.  The 
first  term  was  taught  in  or  near  the  year  1834.  This,  like  the  other  early 
schools,  was  supported  by  subscription.  The  following  are  some  of  the 
patrons  of  the  first  school  :  Morris  Witham,  William  Billings,  John  Kel- 
ler, Henry  Adams  and  R.  Blatsley.  The  location  of  this  school  was 
changed  after  a  few  years  to  the  Enoch  Baum  farm,  where  a  frame  build- 
ing was  erected.  This  was  used  for  some  years,  when  a  house  was  built 
on  the  present  site.  The  second  schoolhouse  was  built  about  two  miles 
south  of  the  north  line  of  the  township,  and  near  the  center  from  east 
to  west.  This  house  was  a  log  cabin,  built  in  1838  or  1839.  The  third 
house  was  built  on  the  old  Spencer  farm,  about  half  a  mile  north  of  Tas- 
sinong,  in  1834  or  1835.  This  was  a  log  house,  about  18x20  feet.  Among 
the  early  teachers  here  were  Orilla  Stoddard,  Mr.  Cannaday,  Eggleston 
Smith,  David  White,  Oliver  Stoddard,  Miss  Jones,  Miss  Hoadley,  Chris- 
topher Clines,  Mr.  Bloomfield  and  Miss  Webster.  The  fourth  schoolhouse 
was  built  in  the  White  settlement  about  thirty-five  years  ago.  This  was 
a  small  frame,  being  the  first  frame  schoolhouse  of  the  township.  The 
present  house  here  is  a  fine  brick,  built  in  1878,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000. 
District  No.  2  now  has  its  third  house,  a  brick,  built  about  fifteen  years 
ago,  at  a  cost  of  §1,200.  District  No.  3  has  its  second  house,  built  about 
ten  years  ago,  at  a  cost  of  $800.  No.  5  has  its  second  house,  a  brick, 
built  about  nine  years  ago,  at  a  cost  of  $800.  The  first  house  here  was 
a  frame.  District  No.  6  has  its  first  house  still  standing  ;  it  is  a  frame, 
probably  thirty  years  old,  and  has  been  repaired  many  times.  It  cost 
about  $500.  The  other  three  houses  are  frame.  The  Stoddard  or  Tas- 
sinong  Schoolhouse  was  built  in  1868.  Ida  Freer  taught  here  during  the 
winter  of  1881-82,  and  the  spring  of  1882.  Some  of  the  teachers  before 
Miss  Freer,  in  about  the  following  order,  are :  William  Harris,  Anna 
Bray,  Mr.  Hazelett,  the  Misses  Baum,  Miss  Gary,  Mr.  Elliot,  William  Stod- 
dard, Ruth  Marshall,  Belle  Stephens  and  William  Bartholomew.  In  the 
old  frame  house,  Emma  Hammond,  Alvin  Bartholomew,  Mr.  Hutchinson 
and  Mr.  Bloomfield  taught.  David  White  and  Eggleston  Smith  were 
among  the  first  who  taught  in  tlie  old  log  house.     The  second  house,  a 


MORGAN   TOWNSHIP.  191 

frame,  was  painted  red,  and  stood  about  one- fourth  of  a  mile  south  of  the 
present  site.  The  foUowing  is  a  list  of  the  teachers  for  the  years  indi- 
cated:  1880,  in  District  No  1 — Priscilla  Flake,  Mjra  Hunter  and 
Sylvester  Dill ;  No  2 — Irena  Baum  and  A.  Knott ;  No.  3 — Ida  Freer 
and  0.  C.  Tarpenning ;  No.  4 — Mary  Evans,  Viola  Williams  and  J.  H. 
Piatt ;  No.  5— W.  J.  Harris ;  No.  6— M.  F.  Bennett  and  Stuart  Mac- 
kibbin  ;  No.  7 — Carrie  A.  Ray  ;  No.  8 — Alice  Sanborn  ;  No.  9 — Ida 
Freer.  For  1881,  in  No.  1— C.  B.  Diltz,  R.  B.  Hubbard  and  Alice  J. 
Sanborn ;  No.  2 — Irena  Baum  ;  No.  3 — Irena  Baum,  Myra  Hunter  and 
Eva  Shepard ;  No.  4 — Ida  Freer  and  J.  W.  Smith  ;  No.  5 — Anna  L. 
Bray  and  Ida  Freer ;  No.  6 — Carrie  A.  Ray ;  No.  7 — Carrie  A.  Ray, 
Viola  "Williams  and  M.  M.  Strong ;  No.  8 — Carrie  Bond  and  Anna 
Bray;  No.  9 — Maud  Shackelford.  For  1882,  up  to  this  writing,  in 
No.  1— Mary  E.  McHugh  ;  No.  2— Sylvester  N.  Dill,  Carrie  Ray,  Mary 
L.  Nickelson  and  Anna  Bray  ;  No.  3 — Maud  Shackelford  and  Ida  Wins- 
low  ;  No.  5 — Ida  Freer  and  Joseph  M.  Williamson;  No.  6 — Carrie  Ray 
and  Dora  Rosecrans ;  No.  7 — Viola  Williams  and  Oreste  Sherman  ;  No. 
8 — Anna  Bray,  Oreste  Sherman  and  Viola  Williams  ;  No.  9 — Maud 
Shackelford. 

Cemeteries. — The  Adams  Cemetery  is  the  largest  in  the  township. 
Harriet  J.  Adams  was  the  first  one  buried  here.  First,  a  suiall  plat  of 
about  one-fourth  of  an  acre  was  set  apart  as  a  burying  ground.  In  1867, 
an  acre  was  added  to  the  ground.  This  was  purchased  with  money 
raised  by  subscription  among  the  people  of  the  country  around.  The 
ground  cost  about  §60.  This  ground  was  deeded  to  the  county.  Burial 
here  is  free  except  a  fee  of  $2.50  which  is  charged  upon  each  lot  of  8x19 
feet  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  grounds  in  repair.  The  neighbors 
turner!  out  in  force  and  fenced  the  ground.  There  is  a  private  or  family 
graveyard  at  White's  Meeting  House,  or  Salem  Church,  as  it  is  often 
called. 

The  first  burial  of  the  township  was  that  of  Mr.  Agnew,  who  was 
frozen  to  death  during  a  violent  snow  storm  late  in  the  fall  of  1835.  He 
had  sent  his  family  to  David  Bryant's  the  day  before,  and  was  following 
them  in  a  wagon  containing  their  household  goods.  A  blinding  snow 
began  to  fall,  and  he  was  unable  to  keep  the  ox-team  that  he  was  driving 
upon  the  Indian  trail  that  they  must  follow  in  order  to  reach  Pleasant 
Grove,  Lake  County,  where  Mr.  Bryant  lived,  and  where  the  anxious 
wife  was  awaiting  Mr.  Agnew's  arrival.  Becoming  bewildered,  he  loosed 
the  oxen  and  started  on  foot.  He  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  before 
he  began  traveling  in  a  circle  around  a  stick  driven  into  the  ground. 
Finally  overcome  by  fatigue  and  cold,  he  gave  way  to  the  drowsiness  of 
death.  In  the  morning  the  body  was  taken  up  tenderly  by  loving  hands 
and  borne  to  Morgan  Prairie,  where  it  was  placed  to  rest. 


192  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Growth  of  Township. — Morgan  Township  carries  the  banner  of  the 
county  for  an  agricultural  township.  As  is  usual  with  a  strictly  agri- 
cultural community,  its  growth  has  been  steady  and  gradual.  No  sud- 
den influx  of  settlers  has  occurred  since  the  Great  Land  Sale. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


BY  CHARLES  S.  HYDE. 


Union  Township  —  Physical  Features  —  Eakly  Settlement  —  First 
Election— Accidents  and  Incidents— The  Page  Murder—  "  The 
Hoosier's  Nest  "—Wheeler— Keligious  Interests— Schools — Se- 
cret Societies— Cheese  Factories— Miscellany. 

UN  [ON  TOWNSHIP  was  named  in  commemoration  of  the  Federal 
Union,  and  is  spoken  of  by  many  as  the  "Peaceful  Township." 
It  was  first  created  and  organized  in  1836.  It  is  five  miles  from  east 
to  west  and  six  miles  from  north  to  south.  There  is  nothing  peculiarly 
striking  in  its  physical  make-up,  though  it,  with  Jackson  Township,  is 
the  most  diversified,  with  rolling  lands  and  ridges,  of  any  in  the  county  ; 
yet,  no  part  of  the  land  is  rendered  unfit  for  easy  cultivation  from  this 
cause.  The  only  two  streams  of  importance  are  Salt  Creek  (Wum-tah- 
gi-uck — Indian  name  for  deer  lick),  which  took  its  name  from  the  numer- 
ous salt  springs  along  its  course,  and  Taylor  Creek  ;  the  former  has  its 
chief  source  in  Sager's  Pond,  just  south  of  the  city  of  Valparaiso,  and, 
after  bisecting  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  township  and  flowing  north,  it 
cuts  through  the  northern  boundary,  near  the  northeast  corner,  and 
empties  into  the  Calumet.  The  latter  takes  its  rise  in  Hollister's  Lake 
(formerly  Lake  Ann),  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township,  flows  north- 
east, and  empties  into  Deep  River.  The  only  Lake  of  importance  is 
Hollister's,  and  comprises  some  five  or  ten  acres.  At  one  time  there  was 
considerable  marsh  land  (for  which  Indiana  seems  to  be  peculiarly  re- 
markable), and  in  comparison  with  the  same  amount  of  territory  in  other 
States,  there  is  still  considerable ;  but  much  of  it  has  been  drained  and  is 
now  plowed,  and  of  those  marshes  that  remain,  two  or  three  yield  quite  an 
abundance  of  cranberries.  The  "  Twenty-Mile  Prairie  "  extends  into 
the  northern  part.  This  was  so  named  because,  as  an  old  settler  facetiously 
said,  it  was  "twenty  miles  from  anywhere  " — meaning,  of  course,  that  it 
was  twenty  miles  (or  some  multiple  of  twenty)  from  the  nearest  trading- 
post,  being  twenty  miles  from  Michigan  City  and  La  Porte,  and  forty 
miles  from  Chicago.  The  soil  in  the  middle  of  the  township  is  chiefly 
sandy.  There  is  also  some  loam,  and  so  much  hard  clay  all  over  the 
township,  that  little  corn  is  raised  ;  but  it  makes  a  good  grazing  country. 


UNION   TOWNSHIP.  193 

Wheat,  oats  and  rye  are  among  the  chief  products.  The  southeastern 
part  is  the  hilliest,  and  this,  as  well  as  the  entire  southern  part,  is  cut  up 
with  ravines.  To  one  passing  along  the  beautiful  roads  intersecting  the  broad 
stretches  of  prairie,  here  and  there,  the  song  of  the  reaper  and  mower, 
on  his  every  side,  can  suggest  naught  but  thrift.  In  early  times,  deer 
were  as  numerous  as  sheep  now,  from  five  to  ten  a  day  being  the  "sport 
and  prey"  of  the  hunter's  bullet.  Bears  were  few,  only  now  and  then 
one  straggling  across  the  sparsely  inhabited  tract.  There  were  a  few 
prairie  wolves,  but  many  gray  wolves  furnished  ample  music  for  the  youth- 
ful swain  as  he,  in  company  with  neighbors'  daughters,  went  jaunting 
through  the  "  dim,  unventured  wood."  The  lynx,  badger,  otter  and  wild- 
cat conspired  to  complete  the  medley  in  the  forest's  depths. 

Facts  of  First  Settlement. — Wm.  B.  Blachly,  Benjamin  McCarty, 
James  Walton,  Mr.  McAfee,  John  Brewer,  John  G.  Forbes,  B.  Bunnel, 
Sylvester  Forbes,  Andrew  Wilson,  E.  W.  Fonts,  Joseph  Wilson,  George 
W.  Turner,  Lewis  Walton,  Richard  Henthorn,  David  Spurlock,  John  E. 
West,  Joseph  Willey,  Wilford  Parrott  and  Noah  Fonts,  were  among  the 
first  settlers  of  Union  Township,  having  come  there,  some  of  them  in 
the  spring  of  1836,  and  some  earlier.  The  following  men  were  residents 
of  Union  Township  in  1842,  as  shown  by  the  enumeratian  of  polls : 
Ebenezer  Blachly,  Aaron  Blachly,  Cornelius  Blachly,  Boyd  Blachly, 
Jeremiah  Burge,  William  Brewer,  Thomas  Buel,  John  Brownson,  B.  B. 
Bunnel,  James  Burge,  Isaac  Brewer,  James  Congdon,  J.  M.  Curtis,  H. 
Cross,  D.  G.  Crogan,  John  Currier,  T.  H.  Fifield,  S.  Forbes,  F.  A. 
Forbes,  H.  G.  Hollister,  Stephen  Hodsden,  Benson  Harris,  Ira  G.  Har- 
ris, Levi  Melvin,  James  McAfee,  Lyman  Melvin,  Mr.  McGruder,  Wilford 
Parrott,  Otis  Robinson,  D.  P.  Strong,  0.  H.  Serviss,  Orson  Strong,  C.  Spaf- 
ford,  Harvey  Smith,  John  Sturdevant,  Philo  Shepard,  Nathan  Sawyer,  Ed- 
ward Saunders,  R.  P.  Saunders,  Abijah  Taylor,  G.  W.  Tabor,  Edmund  D. 
Wolf,  James  Walton,  Stephen  Welch,  Joseph  Willey,  Joseph  Wilson,  H.  B. 
Wells  and  John  E.West.  Total  forty-eight.  The  above  men,  for  the  year 
1842,  paid  a  total  tax  of  $109.41,  which  was  distributed  to  three  funds — 
State  tax,  county  tax  and  road  tax.  There  were  6,973.51  acres  of  land,  val- 
ued at  §15,217,  including  improvements.  Total  amount  of  taxables,  $24,- 
361.  Total  assessment  of  tax,  $302.26.  All  this  amount  was  not  received, 
however.  In  those  early  times,  the  experiences  of  the  hardy  pioneers 
were  indeed  weird  and  romantic.  Indiana  was  then  the  "  far  West,"  and 
where,  away  back  in  the  '30's,  the  mournful  howl  of  the  gray  wolf  made 
those  gloomy  forests  more  gloomy,  now  we  are  startled  with  the  shriek  of 
the  whistle  and  are  found  in  the  very  midst  of  the  din  and  bustle  of 
this  wonderful  age  of  traffic.  When  we  realize  the  incredible  change  in 
forty  or  fifty  years,  we  are  led  to  ask,  Is  there  a  limit  ?     Yet,  even  then, 


194  HISTORY   OF   POPtTER   COUNTY. 

they  had  their  amusements.  If  a  settler  wished  to  have  a  cabin  erected, 
he  invited  the  neighbors  and  they,  unburdened  with  modern  formalities, 
"hitched  up  their  shoes"  and  flocked  in  from  their  rustic  haunts.  The 
cabin  up,  they  whiled  away  their  time  in  drinking  beer,  playing  ball,  etc. 
Dancing  did  not  seem  to  be  much  in  vogue,  but  it  had  its  substitute  in  the 
"bussing-bee  "  which  term  may,  perchance,  carry  a  peculiar  twang  to  the 
ear  of  the  modern  youth.  They  did  their  principal  trading  in  Michigan 
City  ;  but  they  also  traded  in  La  Porte  and  Chicago.  Their  sleighs  were 
rude  aifairs,  as  might  be  expected,  the  runners  consisting  of  saplings 
curved  at  either  end,  making  them  like  cradle-rockers  ;  they  were  fast- 
ened together  with  the  roughest  cross-pieces,  and  the  whole  structure  was 
drawn  by  oxen.  They  used  the  old  "bull-tongue"  plow,  until  this  was 
replaced  with  the  "  Chicago  Clipper."  Their  drags  consisted  of  two 
pieces  of  rough  timber  crossed  and  fastened  with  wooden  pegs  for  teeth. 
They  dragged  about  twenty  acres  per  day.  All  their  farm  machinery, 
which  was  indeed  not  very  extensive,  was  of  this  rough  nature.  It  wa8 
customary  for  one  of  the  settlers  to  go  to  mill  with  the  grain  of  his  neigh- 
bors. The  mill  being  some  thirty  miles  away,  and  the  motive  power  be-, 
ing  several  yoke  of  oxen,  it  took  three  days  to  go  and  return,  and,  for 
this  manifestation  of  brotherly  love,  the  recompense  was  one-third  of  the 
grain  or  flour.  In  1838,  John  Curtis,  in  preference  to  going  to  mill, 
made  a  mortar  by  burning  out  the  top  of  a  stump,  and  pounded  his  corn 
with  a  pestle.  The  hams  of  deer  sold  at  two  and  one-half  cents  per 
pound,  but  the  shoulders  could  not  be  sold  ;  the  hides  were  cut  into 
"breaking-lashes."  Calico  was  from  twenty-five  to  forty  cents  per  yard. 
The  population  of  Union  Township  in  1860,  was  867 ;  1870,  1057  ; 
1880,  1054. 

Elections. — By  order  of  the  first  Board  of  Commissioners  a  local 
election  was  held,  for  the  first  time  in  this  county's  history,  on  April  30, 
1836,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  Justices  of  the  Peace.  We  give  a 
verbatim  copy  of  a  reference  to  those  who  voted  at  the  first  election  held 
here:  "  At  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  George  W.  Turner,  in  Union 
Township,  Porter  County,  and  State  of  Indiana,  on  the  30th  day  of 
April.  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one  Justice  of  the  Peace,  the 
following-named  persons  came  forward  and  voted  :  John  G.  Forbes,  B. 
Bunnel,  Sylvester  Forbes,  Andrew  Wilson,  E.  W.  Fouts,  James  Walton, 
Joseph  Wilson,  George  W.  Turner,  Lewis  Walton,  Richard  Henthom, 
David  Spurlock,  John  E.  West,  Joseph  Willey,  Wilford  Parrott,  Noah 
Fouts.  James  Walton,  inspector."  We  also  give  a  copy  of  the  "  Tally 
paper:"  "We,  the  undersigned  Inspector  and  Judge  at  an  Election? 
held  at  the  house  of  George  W.  Turner,  in  Union  Township,  Porter 
County,  and  State  of  Indiana,  the  oOth  day  of  April,   1836,   do   certify 


UNION  TOWNSHIP.  195 

that  for  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  Joseph  Willey  got  fifteen  votes, 

and for  the  same  office  got votes.     Testimony,    E.    \V.    Fouts, 

Joseph  Willey,  Clerks  ;  James  Walton,  Inspector  ;  George  W.  Turner, 
B.  Bunnel,  Judges."  It  is  seen  that  fifteen  voted  at  the  election  in  1836. 
At  the  election  of  township  officers,  in  the  spring  of  1882,  the  total 
number  of  votes  polled,  in  Union  Township,  is  195 ;  at  the  State  elec- 
tion, held  in  October,  1880,  the  total  number  is  232 ;  at  the  last  Presi- 
dential election,  held  in  November,  1880,  the  total  number  is  245.  The 
following  is  an  exact  copy  of  a  return  made  by  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  of 
Union  Township,  in  1836: 

State  of  Indiana,  )  tt  •       rn         ,  • 
-r,  .,  '  >  Union  Township. 

Porter  County,    j  '■ 

John  Burge,  James  Surge  and  Orson  Strong  was  brought  before  me,  Joseph   Willey, 

a  Justice  of  Peace,  for  trial  for  killen  sum  hogs,  on  or  about  the    first   day  of  December, 

IPSO,  and  I  proceeded  on  the  8th  day  aforesaid  to   hear  the  proofs  and  allegations,  and 

the  defendants  was  acquitted  for  the  above  offense.     Nicholas  Mount,   tried   for  profane 

swearing,  committed,  and  paid  his  fine. 

(Signed)  Joseph  Wili.ey,  J.  P. 

The  following  persons  voted  at  the  Presidential  election  in  Union 
Township,  November,  1836,  the  election  being  had  in  a  house  formerly 
occupied  by  George  W.  Turner:  William  Huntsman,  A.  L.  Ball,  M. 
Pierce,  Wm.  S.  Thornburg,  James  Walton,  Joseph  Willey,  Jesse  Pierce, 
John  B.  Turner,  Moses  Wilson,  Samuel  Wilson,  Preston  Blake,  Abra- 
ham Lute.  Lewis  Walton,  Miles  Mattox,  Moses  Maxwell,  James  Hurd, 
Joseph  Wilson  and  John  Burge.     Total,  18. 

Accidental,  Criminal,  Incidental,  etc. — In  November,  1872,  while 
Royal  White,  of  Lake  County,  and  his  brother-in-law,  McColby,  were  at 
the  Cascade  Mills,  Mr.  White  was  accidentally  killed.  While  waiting 
for  their  grist  to  be  ground,  they  passed  away  the  time  in  hunting  ducks 
on  the  mill-pond.  After  an  absence  of  an  hour  or  two,  they  returned  and 
deposited  their  guns  in  the  wagon,  after  which  they  hitched  the  team, 
and,  as  McColby  was  preparing  to  drive,  Mr.  White  reached  into  the 
wagon  box  and  took  the  gun  by  the  muzzle,  and,  in  pulling  it  toward 
him,  one  of  the  hammers  caught  on  a  sack,  and  the  barrel,  heavily  loaded 
with  buckshot,  was  discharged,  the  load  passing  through  the  wagon  box 
and  entering  his  right  breast.  McColby  ran  into  the  mill  and  notified 
A.  G.  Hardestv,  who  closed  the  mill  and  went  to  the  scene  of  the  acci- 
dent.  The  wounded  man  was  on  his  knees,  drenched  in  his  own  blood, 
with  both  hands  pressed  to  the  wound,  but  he  arose  and  walked  to  the 
house  of  David  Hardestv.  Dr.  Vincent,  of  Deep  River,  was  called, 
then  Dr.  Pratt,  of  Crown  Point,  but  he  was  beyond  the  reach  of  surgical 
skill.  Splinters  of  the  wagon  box,  two  inches  long,  and  portions  of  gun- 
wadding,  were  taken  from  his  lungs,  a  few  hours  before  death.  He  died 
in  about  three   weeks.     His   remains  were   placed  in  the  Crown  Point 


196  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Cemetery.  In  1840,  Gen.  Brady  passed  through  this  county  from 
Michigan  with  1,100  Indians.  They  camped  for  the  night  on  Section 
20  of  Union  Township,  and  Dr.  Cornelius  Blachly,  on  whose  prem- 
ises they  located,  says  that  when  morning  came,  the  chief,  who  became 
dissatisfied  from  some  cause,  stepped  to  the  door  of  his  tent,  and,  by  a 
signal  from  him,  every  warrior  sprang  to  his  feet,  with  a  gun,  ready  for 
action.  The  General  told  them  that,  although  they  had  the  mastery  now 
and  could  butcher  them  all,  yet  "  The  Great  Father  at  Washington 
would  be  avenged."  They  finally  quieted  down  and  marched  oS".  This 
year  was  also  known  as  the  year  of  the  great  wheat   blight. 

The  summer  of  1836  was  wet,  and  the  harvest  was  backward.  From 
1838  to  1842-43  there  was  snow  but  once,  and  that  was  in  1841,  when 
it  was  five  inches  deep  for  two  weeks.  The  winter  of  1842-43 
was  one  of  the  severest  in  the  history  of  this  county  ;  great  numbers 
starved  to  death,  and  many  froze ;  the  snow  was  twelve  inches  deep  in 
April.  In  1844-45,  New  Year's  Day  was  warm  ;  it  was  dusty  and  dry ; 
the  winter  was  unusually  mild.  In  1839,  nearly  every  able-bodied  man 
in  Union  Township  left  for  the  gold  fields  of  California.  In  1864,  New 
Year's  Day  was  remarkably  cold.  Twenty-Mile  Prairie  was  once  an  in- 
land lake,  with  occasional  islands.  Boyd  Blachly  was  the  first  white  man 
that  ever  ran  a  wagon  from  Valparaiso  to  Deep  River.  He,  with  his 
brothers  and  one  McCarty,  also  opened  the  road  from  Valparaiso  to  Deep 
River,  by  hitching  ten  yoke  of  oxen  to  a  tree  some  fourteen  or  fifteen 
inches  through  at  the  base,  and  dragging  it  through  the  long  grass.  Mr. 
Blachly  has  a  relic  that  few,  if  any,  in  this  county  possess.  It  is  a  rifle 
that  his  grandfather  used  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  barrel  is  five 
feet  or  more  in  length,  and  its  breech  is  graced  with  an  old-fashioned 
flint  lock.  It  was  loaded  with  an  ounce  ball  and  nine  buckshot.  *'  Tell 
them,"  said  he,  "  that  you  have  seen  a  gun  that  was  used  seven  years  in 
the  Revolution,  declaring  independence  to  you  as  well  as  me.  It  has 
killed  many  a  Tory." 

Josephus  Wolf  owns  more  land  than  any  one  man  in  the  county — be- 
tween 3,000  and  4,000  acres.  He  owns  part  of  three  sections  in  Union 
Township.  The  death  of  Mrs.  McGruder  was  probably  the  first  recorded 
in  the  township.  The  only  post  ofiice  is  at  Wheeler,  which  is  the  only 
village  of  any  importance  in  the  township.  Cornelius  Blachly  and  father 
were  the  first  physicians  that  settled  in  town. 

Chauncey  F.  Page  murdered  his  helpless  and  innocent  wife,  as  well 
as  his  wife's  mother.  He  murdered  her  through  jealousy.  He  also  at- 
tempted the  death  of  Miss  Fredericka  Ludolph.  Page  had  been  married 
about  two  years,  and,  being  a  watch-maker,  was  absent  a  good  deal.  His 
young  wife  was  one  of  more  than  ordinary  mental   qualities   and  beauty, 


UNION  TOWNSHIP.  197 

and  being  very  fond  of  society,  she  was  often  found  there.  He  would  not 
enjoy  life,  nor  would  he  allow  her  to  enjoy  it.  Troubles  arose  in  the 
family,  and  she  was  forced  to  return  to  her  mother's  house.  January  15, 
1867,  found  Father  Long  visiting  his  son,  Christopher,  on  Coifee  Creek. 
Mr.  Long's  house  stood  just  across  the  road  from  the  house  of  his  son-in- 
law,  Ephraim  Crisman,  at  Union  Mills.  Page  came  to  the  house  of  his 
mother-in-law  one  night  and  demanded  admittance.  Being  refused  by 
Mrs.  Long,  with  an  ax  he  shattered  the  door,  and  shot  down  Mrs.  Long, 
who  was  standing  in  the  hall.  He  then  murdered  his  wife,  who  was  in 
bed.  He  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  the  house,  when  he  discovered  Miss 
Ludolph's  feet  protruding  from  under  the  bed  clothes  ;  he  said  he  felt 
sorry,  but  she  must  die.  She  begged  piteously,  and  promised  never  to 
tell,  but  he  shot  her  through  the  head  ;  the  ball  passing  just  back  of  her 
eyes.  He  then  fired  another  shot  through  her  right  knee,  and  one  through 
her  right  arm.  After  this,  he  beat  her  over  the  head  with  a  chair,  but 
feeling  her  breathe,  he  pounded  her  once  more.  She  was  conscious,  but 
held  her  breath.  His  next  act  was  to  saturate  the  bed-quilt  with  lamp 
oil  and  set  it  on  fire.  The  burning  building  was  seen  by  Homer  Smith 
from  the  house  of  Mr.  Eglin,  a  short  distance  east,  where  he  was  attend- 
ing a  party.  He  at  once  gave  the  alarm.  Miss  Ludolph  was  found  stand- 
ing at  the  gate,  crimson  with  her  own  blood,  and  almost  unconscious. 
Mr.  Smith  wrapped  his  coat  around  her  and  took  her  to  her  father's  house. 
She  still  lives,  though  badly  scarred,  and  since  then,  has  visited  friends  in 
Germany.  The  murderer  took  a  change  of  venue  to  La  Porte  County, 
where  he  was  tried,  found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for 
life.  After  many  unsuccessful  attempts  at  suicide,  he  succeeded  in  taking 
his  life.  He  was  found  in  his  cell,  in  Michigan  City  Prison,  suspended 
by  the  neck. 

Hoosier  Nest. — As  one  glances  over  a  map  of  Union  Township,  and 
sees,  not  far  from  the  western  boundary,  so  suggestive  a  title  as  a  "  Hoosier 
Nest,"  he  cannot  help  but  feel  that  there  is  a  history  connected  with  the 
"  Nest"  that  is  decidedly  peculiar.  In  1835,  James  Snow  put  up  one  of  the 
first  frame  buildings  in  the  county,  getting  his  lumber  from  La  Porte.  In 
this,  it  is  said,  he  kept  the  first  store  in  the  township.  This  store  was  on 
the  old  Sac  trail.  In  1837,  it  was  purchased  by  Oliver  Shepard,  from 
Connecticut.  Being  a  "down-Easter,"  and  thinking  it  would  be  entirely 
appropriate,  he  stuck  out  the  sign  "Hoosier  Nest."  This  could  not  fail 
to  attract  the  eye  of  the  wayfarer,  and,  in  time,  the  Hoosier  Nest  came 
to  be  known,  it  is  maintained,  five  hundred  miles  away,  in  most  any  direc- 
tion. Mr.  Green  kept  this  romantic  inn  after  Shepard,  and  Green's  suc- 
cessor was  a  Mr.  Peters,  who,  with  two  wives  and  a  son-in-law,  lies 
slumbering  beneath  the  green   sod,   not   a  stone's  throw  from  the   old 


198  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

"Nest,"  which,  refitted  and  re-adorned,  stands  a  "silent  witness  of  the 
change."  Jeremiah  Burge  has  found  a  place  for  it  in  the  background, 
and  on  its  old  site  has  erected  a  fine  brick  structure,  which  he  still  occu- 
pies in  his  old  age.  and  seems  to  be  ever  ready  to  sit  down  and  tell  to  a 
curious  listener  the  many  reminiscences  that  hover  around  what  he  has 
since  transformed  into  a  horse  barn. 

Sunday  Schools  and  Churches. — Benson  Harris  and  Ira  G.  Harris, 
of  Union,  and  George  Bronson,  of  Portage  Township,  started  the  first 
Sunday  school  in  these  parts.  It  was  established  in  1838  or  1839.  Al- 
though the  place  for  meeting  was  just  across  the  line,  in  Portage  Town- 
ship, yet,  two  of  its  founders  residing  in  Union,  and,  in  fact,  the  school 
being  more  intimately  connected  with  Union  than  with  Portage,  it  is  un- 
doubtedly proper  to  blend  the  history  of  these  primitive  religious  efforts 
with  that  of  Union  Township.  Not  the  least  remarkable  thing  of  all  was 
their  decided  ignorance  of  the  necessary  equipments  of  a  Sunday  school, 
and  the  proper  manner  of  conducting  it.  For  instance,  they  were  at  a 
loss  to  know  whether  or  not  spelling  books  would  be  the  correct  things  to 
use;  and  they  preferred  to  have  a  suggestion  or  two  as  to  its  strict  pro- 
priety, before  they  allowed  the  boys  and  girls  to  sit  together;  furthermore, 
as  to  whether  they  should  take  their  dinner,  prepared  at  the  bountiful 
board  at  home,  or  feast  on  faith,  they  were  again  in  the  dark.  But  such 
preliminaries  were  of  little  moment,  when  those  sturdy  pioneers  were  so 
determined  to  heed  the  promptings  of  a  Christian  spirit.  It  was  not  long 
till  the  school  came  to  have  an  average  attendance  of  eighty.  In  times 
when  the  nearest  neighbor  was  far  away,  this  enrollment  was  truly  won- 
derful. They  came  from  all  over  Union  Township  and  townships  sur- 
rounding, and  even  from  Lake  County.  Sometimes  the  attendance  was 
more  than  one  hundred.  From  this  Sunday  school  some  ten  schools 
directly  grew.  We  little  know,  as  do  those  then  inexperienced,  though 
true-hearted  settlers  (the  few  that  still  live),  what  an  influence  they  ex- 
erted, and  what  harvests  are  being  now  reaped  from  seed  sown  by  them. 

In  the  spring  of  1836,  Elder  Alpheus  French,  a  Baptist  minister, 
preached  at  "Blachly's  Corners.'*  The  services  were  conducted  in  a 
grove,  and  there  were  about  twenty-five  in  attendance,  some  coming  a  dis- 
tance of  eight  or  nine  miles.  This  was  undoubtedly  the  first  Baptist 
class  in  Porter  County.  Hickory  Chapel,  on  the  Joliet  Road,  was  prob- 
ably the  second  church  in  the  township.  The  Methodist  Church,  the 
pioneer  of  church  organizations  in  this  county,  had  for  its  first  Presiding 
Elder  the  Rev.  Richard  Hargrave.  Jacob  Colclazier,  a  missionary,  held 
the  first  quarterly  meeting  in  this  county  in  a  private  residence  on  Twenty- 
Mile  Prairie,  at  the  Hoosier  Nest,  in  January,  1840.  Rev.  James  C. 
Brown  was  instrumental   in   building  up  and   organizing  the  church  at 


UNION  TOAVNSIIIP.  199 

Wheeler.  Union  Centre  Baptist  Cliurcb  was  started  by  letter  granted 
from  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of  Valparaiso,  bearing  date  April  10th, 
1858,  under  the  supervision  of  Deacons  Cornelius  Blachlj,  Orrin  Peck 
and  Captain  Wood;  they  have  a  fine  house  of  worship,  ic  having  been  re- 
modeled and  painted  through  the  energy  of  J.  W.  Peck  and  others.  It 
is  located  in  a  fine  grove  at  Union  Centre.  There  is  no  resident  pastor. 
During  the  fall  of  1875,  through  the  efforts  of  Elder  French,  this  society 
received  a  number  of  additions  to  its  membership.  In  1872,  the  United 
Brethren  formed  an  organization  at  Union  Centre.  The  upper  story  of 
the  church  building  was  fitted  for  church  purposes,  and  the  lower  story 
for  school  purposes.  Stephen  Jones  was  the  first  traveling  Methodist 
preacher  in  the  county.  The  salary  of  young  preachers  \yas  about  ^100 
per  year.  Older  preachers  were  paid  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  their 
family. 

Schools  and  Secret  Societies. — The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  township 
was  at  the  Hoosier  Nest,  in  Twenty-Mile  Grove.  It  was  a  log  affair 
18x20  feet,  with  a  clapboard  roof  and  puncheon  floor.  The  teacher's  desk 
consisted  of  a  board  resting  on  pins  driven  into  the  wall.  The  second 
school  was  at  Blachly's  Corners.  They  recited  grammar  in  concert 
Now  schools  are  scattered  throughout  the  township,  and  the  neat  appear- 
ance which  the  school  buildings  present,  suggests  the  good  judgment  of 
the  farmers,  and  foretells  their  future  educational  welfare. 

Evergreen  Lodge,  No.  -103,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  organized  at  Wheeler 
May  25,  1869,  with  the  following  first  officers  :  Andrew  J.  Harrison,  W. 
M.;  D.  S.  Curtis,  S.  W.;  Miller  Shinabarger,  J.  W.  In  1870,  the  pres- 
ent hall,  a  large  two-story  frame  building,  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of 
$650  ;  this  is  fully  paid  for.  The  present  membership  is  thirty-one,  and 
the  lodge  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Magenta  Lodge,  No.  288,  I.  0. 
0.  F.,  was  organized  at  Wheeler  November  20,  1867,  with  the  following 
charter  members :  Josephus  Wolf,  George  Sigler,  Thomas  J.  Stonax, 
Dr.  H.  Green  and  Daniel  Saunders.  They  own  a  good,  well-furnished 
hall,  worth  about  $300,  and  the  present  membership  is  thirteen. 

Milli7ig  and  Merchandising. — In  the  spring  of  1837,  Boyd,  Eben, 
Cornelius,  Aaron  and  Josephus  Blachly,  erected  the  first  saw-mill  in  the 
county,  on  a  branch  of  Salt  Creek.  With  their  sash-saw  and  flutter  wheel 
they  sawed  about  1,000  feet  of  lumber  daily.  Jacob  Axe  framed  the  mill. 
Benjamin  Long  had  the  second  saw-mill  in  the  township.  He  sawed 
about  2,000  feet  per  day.  Some  twelve  or  thirteen  years  ago,  there  was 
located,  on  the  head  waters  of  Little  Salt  Creek,  a  portable  steam  saw- 
mill. It  was  operated  about  two  years,  with  an  average  of  2,000  feet  per 
day.  Boyd  Blachly  had  the  first  carding  machine  in  the  county,  and  the 
only  one  in  the  township.     It  was  built  in  1843  or  1844.     He  averaged 


200  HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

about  150  pounds  of  wool  per  day.  He  also  fulled  and  dressed  the  cloth. 
It  has  since  been  owned  by  Staffer  Brothers,  Thomas  Ailesworth,  Wil- 
son &  Hardesty  and  A.  Wilson,  the  present  owner.  The  first  grist-mill 
in  the  township  was  conducted  by  the  Blachly  Brothers,  in  the  building 
with  their  saw-mill.  It  was  built  in  1846.  They  used  one  set  of  buhrs 
and  a  turbine  wheel,  and  ground  corn  only,  averaging  about  eight  bushels 
per  hour.  The  Cascade  Grist-Mills  were  built  by  David  Hardesty,  on 
Taylor  Creek.  They  were  built  about  fourteen  years  ago,  on  to  a  small 
brick  mill  which  was  constructed  by  him  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  ago. 
The  structure  is  some  18x40  feet,  and  two  stories  high.  He  put  in  two 
sets  of  buhrs,  and,  at  that  time,  had  the  only  overshot  wheel  in  the  county. 
David,  son  of  Benjamin  Long,  and  George  Pierce,  established,  in  B. 
Long's  old  saw-mill,  what  is  now  known  as  the  Union  Grist-Mill.  George 
operated  the  mill  awhile,  but  he  gave  way  to  his  nephew,  George  W. 
Pierce,  the  present  owner.  It  is  located  on  Salt  Creek.  John  Harris 
and  Charles  Arnold  were  prominent  in  the  establishment  of  the  first  cheese 
factory  in  the  township.  It  was  established  nine  or  ten  years  ago,  and 
named  ''  Cheese  Factory  No.  1  "  ("No.  2  "  being  in  Portage  Township). 
From  twelve  to  twenty  cheeses  per  day  were  made.  A.  E.  Woodhull 
bought  No.  1,  and  still  runs  it. 

The  "Union  Cheese  Factory ''  was  built  in  the  spring  of  1879,  by 
the  farmers  of  the  neighborhood.  The  stock  was  divided  into  forty 
shares,  and  held  by  about  twenty  farmers.  The  cost  of  the  structure  was 
about  $1,500.  W.  H.  Jones  was  first  President,  and  Charles  Arnold 
first  Secretary.  Present  officers  are  J.  Burge,  President;  P.Robinson, 
Secretary  ;  Farmers  National  Bank,  Valparaiso,  Treasurer ;  W.  Jones, 
W.  C.  Janes  and  Stephen  Hodson,  Directors.  Charles  Arnold,  of 
Wheeler,  was  the  first  cheese  maker,  and  was  succeeded  by  W.  J. 
Wagoner,  of  Canada,  the  present  incumbent.  The  capacity  is  12,000 
pounds  of  milk  per  day.  The  average  daily  consumption  is  about  6,500 
pounds  and  600  pounds  of  cheese.  The  average  consumption  of  milk  in 
Cheese  Factory  No.  1  is  nearly  as  much. 

James  Snow  had  the  first  store  in  the  township.  James  Blachly  and 
and  his  son  Edgar  had  the  second  store,  at  Blachly's  Corners.  It  was 
there  some  five  or  six  years  before  the  Fort  Wayne  road  was  run  through. 
Among  the  first  merchants  were  Daniel  and  Samuel  Sigler,  and  A.  E. 
Woodhull,  of  Wheeler. 

Wheeler  was  laid  out  in  1858  by  T.  A.  E.  Campbell,  who  owned,  at 
that  time,  the  entire  tract  upon  which  the  town  is  located.  Three  busi- 
ness houses  were  built  this  year  :  First,  the  frame  now  standing  back 
of  Mr.  Sigler's  store,  erected  by  Mr.  Monfort,  and  first  occupied,  in  the 
fall  of  1859,  by  Sigler  Brothers,  who  placed  therein  general  merchandise 


UNION  TOWNSHIP.  201 

valued  at  $4,000,  and  increased  in  a  year  or  two  to  about  $10,000.  Second, 
the  Wheeler  House,  built  by  George  Kimball,  and  conducted  by  him 
some  five  years,  with  Ichabod  Hall  successor,  and  abandoned  about  ten 
years  ago.  Third,  a  small  saloon  built  by  Carroll  &  Harner,  and 
conducted  about  one  year.  Several  saloons  have  been  started  since 
then,  but  in  all  cases  have  been  short-lived.  George  Longshore  was 
among  the  first  residents,  and  was  the  first  Postmaster.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  George  Kimball,  who  was  followed  by  Samuel  Sigler,  the 
present  incumbent.  The  first  blacksmith  shop  was  built  in  1862  by  D. 
McHenry.  Dr.  Arnold  is  at  present  the  only  resident  physician  at 
Wheeler.  There  are  at  present  two  business  establishments  :  Samuel 
Sigler,  who  carries  a  large  stock  of  general  merchandise,  and  D.  B. 
Lott,  who  conducts  a  general  store,  owned  by  A.  E.  Woodhull,  of 
Chicago. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BY     GEORGE     A.      GARARD. 

Jackson  Township— Creation  and  Early  Settlement— Topography 
—Erection  of  Villages— Industrial  Growth— Education  and 
Religion— Cemeteries— Catalogue  of  Early  Settlers— Election 
OF  August,  1836— The  Banner  Federal  Township. 

THIS  township  was  created  at  the  time  of  the  general  division  in  1836. 
It  is  stated  in  the  county  atlas  that  it  was  named  for  Lemuel  Jackson, 
but  old  settlers,  who  ought  to  know,  claim  that  it  was  named  for  Andrew 
Jackson.  The  first  election  was  held  Saturday,  April  30,  1836,  at  the 
house  of  A.  K.  Paine.     Samuel  Olinger  was  Inspector. 

Physical  Characteristics. — In  surface  the  township  is  quite  broken  or 
hilly.  It  is  better  adapted  to  fruit  and  stock  than  to  grain,  although  fine 
crops  of  wheat,  oats  and  corn  are  raised.  It  was  all  heavily  timbered 
originally,  but  now  there  are  not  many  '' monarchs  of  the  forest"  left, 
although  there  is  much  fine  young  timber.  Since  a  great  city  has  grown 
up  so  near,  the  natives  have  ceased  to  deaden  and  fell  and  burn.  Much 
cord  wood  is  cut  and  shipped  to  Chicago.  Clear  Lake,  on  the  east,  is  cut 
through  the  center  by  the  county  line.  Part  of  its  beach  is  sandy,  and 
the  rest  is  muck.  On  Section  16  there  is  a  small  but  deep  lake,  covering, 
perhaps,  five  acres.  There  is  another  small  one  on  Section  16,  south  of 
the  Cady  Marsh.  Both  of  these  furnish  an  abundance  of  good  water  for 
stock.  The  water-shed  runs  through  the  southern  part  of  the  township. 
This  parts  the  waters  of  the  two  great  gulfs.  There  is  said  to  be  on  this 
water-shed  a  spring  or  spring  marsh,  the  waters  of  which  divide,  one  part 
flowing  through  the  Sunny  South  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  while  the  other 


202  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

part  goes  through  the  great  lakes  and  the  St.  Lawrence  River  to  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence.  On  this  water-shed  are  found  many  bowlders  which 
seem  to  indicate  that  during  the  period  of  glaciation  this  was  for  a  time 
the  southern  limit  of  the  glaciers.  The  soil  of  the  township  is  very 
varied.  Even  in  the  same  field  many  different  kinds  of  soil  may  be 
found. 

Early  Events,  Mills,  etc. — In  early  times  Jackson  Township  was  a 
fine  hunting  ground.  Its  heavy  forests  made  a  fine  retreat  for  all  ani- 
mals native  to  the  region.  A  bear  was  killed  by  Alfred  Williams  about 
twenty-five  years  ago.  He  was  out  squirrel  hunting  and  came  unexpect- 
edly upon  this  monarch  of  the  woods.  The  log-rollings  and  house-rais- 
ings that  the  primeval  forests  of  Jackson  have  witnessed  are  numbered  by 
the  score,  but  they  are  of  the  past,  and  most  of  the  brawny  arms  that 
felled  the  trees  and  hewed  their  trunks  are  folded  in  the  sleep  of  peace 
that  knows  no  waking.  The  good  cheer  and  hospitality  of  the  pioneer 
have  given  place  to  our  modern,  enterprising,  but  selfish  civilization.  The 
first,  last  and  only  tavern  in  the  township  was  kept  by  a  man  named  Page, 
south  of  the  Page  Marsh,  as  early  as  1836.  The  marsh  took  its  name 
from  this  man.  The  tavern  was  built  of  logs,  and  there  was  a  log  stable 
also.  The  road  was  chan<2;ed,  which  chanore  caused  the  tavern  to  go  down 
and  Page  to  move  away.  There  was  at  one  time  a  pigeon  roost  south  of 
Page  Marsh  that  covered  a  hundred  acres  or  more.  Here  they  made 
their  nests  and  hatched  their  young.  They  used  the  beach  trees  princi- 
pally, and  there  would  be  as  many  as  a  hundred  nests  upon  one  tree. 
When  the  squabs  were  almost  large  enough  to  fly,  the  people  would  cut 
the  trees  so  as  to  get  them.  L.  Jackson  built  the  first  saw-mill  on  Coffee 
Creek  in  1834-35.  Olinger  had  a  saw-mill  on  Coffee  Creek  as  early  as 
1838.  Abe  Hall  and  Dilley  builc  one  about  the  same  time.  Jackson 
had  one  burnt*  soon  afterward.  Casteel  had  a  saw  and  grist  mill  farther 
down  the  stream.  These  have  all  been  gone  for  many  years.  In  1846, 
Beech  and  Baum  built  one  on  Fish  Creek.  This  is  now  the  property  of 
the  heirs  of  Loren  Hall.  It  is  not  running  at  present.  George  B. 
Smith  and  Becker  now  have  the  only  grist-mill  in  the  township  that  is 
running.  It  is  situated  on  Coffee  Creek,  and  was  built  in  1856.  It  has 
two  run  of  buhrs  for  wheat  and  one  for  corn.  A  distillery  was  estab- 
lished by  a  Mr.  Enox  at  Casteel  Mill.  In  1849,  it  burst  its  boiler  and 
went  down  to  rise  no  more. 

Schools,  Teachers,  etc. — The  first  school  taught  in  the  township  was 
held  in  a  log  cabin  dwelling  on  Section  26.  The  site  is  now  owned  by  J. 
P.  Noble.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1838,  one  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  Jackson  Centre.  It  was  a  log  cabin  about  16x18  feet,  with  a 
Yankee  chimney  and  greased  paper  for  windows.     Jane  Jones  taught  the 


JACKSON    TOWxXSHIP.  203 

first  term  and  received  a  salary  of  ^1  per  week,  from  which  she  had  to 
pay  her  board.  In  IS-tO,  Chancey  Moore,  the  first  male  teacher,  was 
employed.  The  second  schoolhouse  was  built  at  Carter's,  in  1846,  and 
made  a  good  summer  blacksmith  shop  after  it  was  no  longer  used  for 
school  purposes.  At  first  the  civil  township  formed  one  school  district ; 
now  there  are  seven  districts.  The  buildings  are  all  frame,  and  not  in 
very  good  repair.  The  following  are  some  of  the  teachers  of  the  township, 
with  the  dates  of  their  work  and  the  price  per  day  paid  them  for  their  serv- 
ices :  1874,  District  No.  1,  Lizzie  R.  Andrews,  $1.75;  1875,  No.  2,  Liz- 
zie R.  Andrews,  $1.75  ;  1874,  No.  3,  William  M.  Cobbs,  $1.75  ;  No.  5,  Ol- 
ive L.  Wood,  $1.75 ;  No.  6,  R.  A.  Harte,  $1.75 ;  1875,  No.  2,  M.  E.  Alyea, 
$2.00  ;  No.  7,  Carrie  E-.  Hall,  $1.75  ;  No.  3,  Nettie  Costler,  $1.00  ;  No.  7, 
Clara  Jones,  85  cents;  No.  7,  AUie  Robbins,  $1.25;  No.  1,  W.  M.  Winters, 
$1.75;  No.  4,  Nettie  Castle,  $1.50  ;  No.  5,  Olive  L.  Wood,  $1.50  ;  No.  2, 
Louise  S.  Bliss,  $1.25  ;  No.  3,  S.  B.  Shaw,  $1.50  ;  No.  4,  Mary  E.  Alyea, 
$1.75  ;  and  A.  M.  Melville,  $1.75.  The  teachers  employed  for  the  fall 
of  1882  are  as  follows:  In  District  No.  1,  Belle  Ilenton,  $1.25  ;  No.  2, 
Orra  Paine,  $1.25  ;  No.  3,  Milton  Winton,  $1.50 ;  No.  4,  Clara  Jones, 
$1.25;  No.  5,  Nora  Paine,  $1.25;  No.  6,  Belle  Shinabarger,  $1.25  ;  No. 
7,  Martha  Williams,  $1.25.  It  is  the  policy  of  the  present  Trustees  to 
employ  home  talent. 

Villages. — The  villages  of  Jackson  are  numerous,  but  small.  They 
are  Jackson  Centre,  Burdick,  Sumanville  and  Steamburg.  The  latter 
place  is  now  non  est.  At  one  time  it  was  as  large  as  five  houses  and  a 
store.  When  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  was  built,  a  station  was 
established  over  the  line  in  Washington  Township,  and  Steamburg  united 
with  Coburg  by  moving  over,  and  thus  lost  its  name  and  identity.  Suman- 
ville is  a  very  small  ville  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township  on  the 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad.  A  post  office  was  established  here  about 
nine  years  ago,  with  Col.  I.  C.  B.  Suman  as  Postmaster.  He  held  the 
office  until  about  two  years  since,  when  Robert  S.  Greer  took  it,  and  still 
keeps  it.  A  Mr.  Jones  established  a  store  here  when  the  railroad  was 
built,  but  kept  open  only  four  or  five  months.  Another  store  was  started 
here  in  1881,  but  was  closed  in  about  four  months.  Jackson  Centre  re- 
ceived its  name  from  the  township,  and  its  central  location  therein.  A 
post  office  was  started  here  about  1856,  with  E.  H.  Johnson  as  Postmas- 
ter; after  him,  S.  H.  Runnels  had  the  office  for  a  time.  It  then  went 
down,  and  seven  years  passed  before  it  was  opened  again.  When  started 
again,  it  was  in  the  hands  of  James  S.  Sanders  for  two  years,  when  it 
came  into  the  hands  of  the  present  incumbent,  William  Hill,  who  has 
handled  the  mail  for  six  years.  The  first  store  here  was  established  in 
1874,  by  J.  S.  Sanders,  and  sold  to  E.  Hill  in  1876.     In   1881,  he  sold 


204  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

to  John  Sackman,  who  now  keeps  a  small  stock  of  goods.  Burdick  is  a 
place  of  about  twelve  houses,  situated  on  the  railroad,  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  township.  It  was  named  from  A.  C.  Burdick,  of  Coldwater, 
Michigan,  a  lumber  dealer.  The  place  was  started  in  1870.  The  post 
office  was  established  in  1871,  with  J.  M.  Burdell  as  Postmaster.  From 
Mr.  Burdell  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  present  incumbent,  0.  J.  Sack- 
man,  who  has  held  it  for  five  years.  Peterson  Anderson,  a  Swede,  laid 
out  the  first  lots,  and  Simpson  Brothers  built  the  first  house.  The  town 
has  been  built  up  and  sustained  on  the  lumber  traffic.  Sackman  and 
Williams  began  business  here  in  1877,  and  now  handle  from  6,000  to  7,- 
000  cords  of  wood  per  year.  Lush  &  Co.,  of  Goshen,  Ind.,  have  cut 
about  1,000,000  feet  of  lumber  here  in  the  last  year.  0.  J.  Sackman 
has  a  good,  general  stock  of  goods,  and  does  a  large  business  for  the  size 
of  the  place.  Loveland  &  Co.,  of  Chicago,  have  here  two  kilns  for  burn- 
ing charcoal.  These  have  been  built  about  two  years,  and  cost  not  less 
than  ^500  each.     Both  of  these  will  burn  about  72,000  bushels  in  a  year. 

Churches,  Cemeteries,  etc. — The  Quakers  who  settled  in  this  town- 
ship at  an  early  day  erected  on  the  site  of  what  is  now  called  the  Quaker 
Schoolhouse,  a  double  hewed-log  church.  In  this  connection  it  may  be 
remarked  that  no  authentic  history  of  the  Quakers  can  be  collected  at 
this  late  day.  Before  the  war,  the  Methodists  bought  the  old  schoolhouse 
at  Jackson  Centre,  and  built  an  addition  to  it  so  as  to  use  it  for  church 
purposes.  They  still  use  it.  The  first  members  of  this  organization 
were:  Jefi'erson  Zenu,  Mr.  Massey,  Elijah  Hill,  Mr.  Hamilton,  Joseph 
Shumaker,  John  B.  Johnson,  Jacob  Carter,  Abraham  Ashey  and 
Chancey  Moore,  who  was  class  leader  for  a  number  of  years.  At  one 
time  there  was  a  large  class  here,  but  now  it  is  quite  small.  There  have 
been  services  at  Jackson  Centre  for  over  thirty  years. 

There  is  a  burying-ground  on  Section  27.  Here  an  infant  of 
Jacob  Carter's  was  buried  in  1845.  This  is  the  largest  in  the  town- 
ship. One  and  one-half  miles  east  of  Jackson  Centre  is  what  is  called 
the  Quaker  Burying- Ground.  It  is  just  beside  the  schoolhouse  of  Dis- 
trict No.  1.  Lansing's  Burying-Ground  is  one  mile  west  of  Jackson 
Centre.  It  is  not  now  used.  Noble's  Burying-Ground  is  eighty  rods 
east  of  Oliver  Stell's.  It  has  not  been  used  for  thirty-seven  years.  The 
last  one  buried  here  was  a  stranger  from  New  York. 

First  Settlers. — Asahel  K.  Paine,  who  settled  here  in  1834,  built  the 
first  house,  and  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  settler  in  Jackson  Town- 
ship. In  the  same  year  came  John  P.  Noble,  who  arrived  in  April  ;  H. 
E.  Woodruff,  in  June ;  Mr.  Hamilton,  Calvin  Crawford,  Samuel  dinger, 
Mr.  Massey,  L.  Jackson,  E.  Casteel,  F.  Oliver,  D.  Page,  Joseph  Wright  and 
Johnson  Crawford  ;  in   1835,  William  Barnard,  Benjamin    Malsby  and 


JACKSON  TOWNSHIP.  205 

many  others.  Jacob  Carter  came  in  1837,  and  Oliver  Stell  in  1844. 
Among  the  other  early  settlers,  are  Jesse  McCord,  who  came  in  1837 
and  erected  a  blacksmith  shop  on  Section  26  ;  Archer  Dumond,  James  P. 
Cain,  Eli  B.  Lanson,  Iliram  Dilley  and  Walter  and  William  Thompson. 
In  1836,  a  man  named  Shinabarger  lived  where  Steamburg  was  built 
later,  and  entertained  travelers,  but  did  not  keep  a  regular  tavern.  Even 
at  that  time  the  building  looked  old,  and  although,  as  stated  above,  so  far 
as  known,  Mr.  Paine  was  the  first  settler,  yet  this  would  indicate  that 
others  had  preceded  him. 

Elections. — The  first  election  in  the  township  was  held  at  the  resi- 
dence of  A.  K.  Paine,  in  1836.  Mr.  Paine's  place  was  at  that  elec- 
tion named  Paineville.  Mr.  J.  P.  Noble,  now  of  Westville,  La  Porte 
Co.,  carried  the  returns  to  Valparaiso.  H.  E.  Woodruff  was  elected  Jus- 
.  tice  of  the  Peace.  Adam  Hamilton  was  elected  to  the  same  ofiice  in 
1837. 

At  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  William  Eaton,  in  Jackson  Town- 
ship, December  24,  1836,  to  elect  an  Associate  Judge  in  the  place  of 
Lemuel  Jackson,  resigned,  the  following  vote  was  polled :  George  G. 
Salyer,  Solomon  Cheney,  William  Eaton,  Thomas  Clark,  J.  M.  Buel, 
Warner  Winslow,  George  Shegley,  William  Sheridan,  William  Walker, 
William  Frakes,  John  Bishop,  George  Cline,  George  Willey,  Washington 
Ault,  James  Blair,  Martin  Rees,  G.  W.  Coghill,  P.  H.  Coghill,  Edmund 
Billings,  Jacob  Fleming,  Robert  Fleming,  Benjamin  Saylor,  Michael 
Ault,  Isaac  Morgan,  White  B.  Smith,  George  W.  Smith,  Miller  Blachly, 
Nelson  H.  Smith,  Robert  William,  Allen  Baxter,  William  Bingham,  Ben- 
jamin Bingham,  P.  D.  Cline,  Jeremiah  Hamell,  Samuel  Eiler,  S.  L. 
Cannon,  Daniel  Droulinger,  Isaac  Werninger,  Warner  Pierce  and  Richard 
Clark.  At  this  election  Seneca  Ball  received  for  the  above  office  forty 
votes.  John  Bishop,  William  Sheridan  and  William  Frakes  were  Judges 
of  Election.  The  following  appeared  in  The  Western  Ranger,  August  11, 
1847  :  "  The  strong  Federal  township  in  this  county  is  called  Jackson. 
This  is  disgraceful.  A  township  in  which  three-fourths  of  the  people  are 
Federalists  and  Abolitionists  should  never  bear  the  name  of  the  illustrious 
Jackson  !  Some  of  our  friends  have  suggested  that  the  name  be  changed 
to  Tom  Corwin,  and  we  go  for  it  distinctly.  No  name  would  be  more 
luitable." 


206  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XI 


BY    W.    S.    WHEATLEY. 


Liberty  Township— Land  Sales  and  Claims— Early  Settlements- 
Incidents  or  Interest— Saw-Mills,  Grist-Mills,  Distilleries,  etc. 
—First  Election  of  Officers— Schools  and  Chltrches— Secret 
Societies. 

'T'TT'HAT  is  now  known  as  Liberty  Township,  with  an  additional  tier  of 
▼  V  sections  on  the  north,  consisting  of  thirty  square  miles  in  the 
northern  half  of  the  county,  was  formerly  attached  to  La  Porte  County, 
and  was  included  in  the  large  tract  of  Government  land  sold  at  auction 
at  La  Porte  in  1835,  from  which  were  formed  the  counties  of  Porter  and 
Lake.  At  this  sale,  the  land  speculators,  with  their  usual  shrewdness, 
offered  a  quarter-section  to  the  settlers  who  agreed  not  to  bid  against 
them,  and  thus  they  obtained -a  two-fold  benefit.  They  bought  their  land 
at  a  low  price,  and  secured  its  rise  in  value  by  the  improvements  made 
upon  the  part  given  away.  Liberty  Township  being  heavily  timbered 
was  especially  valuable  to  them,  and  the  greater  part  was  obtained,  and 
held  long  after  other  portions  of  the  county  were  quite  densely  populated. 
As  a  natural  result,  this  township  has  been  considerably  retarded  in  its 
development,  but  it  has  advantages  in  soil  and  location  which,  in  time, 
will  make  it  the  equal  of  any  spot  in  the  State.  In  another  way  the 
Government  favored  these  unscrupulous  speculators  to  the  disadvantage 
of  the  settlers.  Much  trouble  and  annoyance  were  occasioned  by  the 
settlers  locating  upon  land  which,  at  the  time  of  the  treaties  with  the 
Pottawatomies,  became  what  were  known  as  "  floats,"  or  reservations. 
These  "floats"  consisted  of  a  claim  upon  a  quarter,  a  half,  or  a  whole 
section  of  land,  or  sometimes  more  than  one  section.  The  claims  could 
be  bought  of  the  Indians  or  half-breeds,  who  were  unconscious  of  their 
value,  for  a  mere  song,  and  of  this  the  traders  and  speculators  took 
advantage.  The  settlers  became  much  incensed,  and  sent  several  peti- 
tions to  Washington,  praying  for  an  adjustment  of  the  system.  One  of 
these  claims  was  laid  upon  a  quarter-section  in  the  northeast  part  of  the 
township,  owned  by  William  Snavely,  and  which  he  had  bought  of 
William  Crawford.  This  led  to  what  is  commonly  called  the  "Snavely 
war."  Peter  White  became  the  owner  of  the  claim,  and  he  took  action 
to  remove  Snavely  from  his  land,  but  this  was  not  to  be  accomplished  so 
easily.  Sheriff  Charles  G.  Merrick,  with  a  posse  of  men,  was  sent  to 
remove  him  and  obtain  possession,  but  he,  like  the  yeomen  of  England, 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP.  207 

considered  his  house  his  castle,  and  resolved,  with  the  help  of  his  sons,  to 
defend  it.  The  Sheriff  and  his  men,  after  several  vain  attempts  to  gain 
admittance  at  the  doors  or  windows,  bethought  themselves  of  the  roof, 
which  they  immediately  ascended,  and  began  to  remove,  whereupon 
Snavely  climed  to  the  loft  and  fired  upon  them,  wounding  one  of  them 
severely.  Supposing  by  the  commotion  caused  that  he  had  killed  him, 
he  became  frightened  and  attempted  to  escape,  but  was  arrested  and 
taken  to  jail.  As  the  man  shot  soon  recovered,  he  was  discharged  upon 
the  payment  of  a  fine  and  the  relinquishment  of  his  land.  Since  his 
death,  his  heirs  have  obtained  a  partial  compensation. 

Forest  Productions  and  Water  Supply. — The  surface  of  this  town- 
ship is  generally  very  level,  and  in  the  western  and  northwestern  portions 
there  is  considerable  swamp  land.  The  soil  consists  of  a  dark  loam,  or 
clay,  and,  when  properly  drained,  will  become  as  good  land  as  there  is  in 
the  county.  This  soil  seems  especially  favorable  for  the  production  of 
timber.  The  most  valuable  is  oak,  of  which  the  forests  produced  the 
finest  quality.  The  other  varieties  are  maple,  hickory,  ash  and  elm,  with 
more  limited  quantities  of  black  walnut,  butternut  and  white  wood. 
Were  the  trees  standing  to-day  which  forty  years  ago  were  split  into  rails 
or  burned  up  in  the  log,  they  would  be  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  citi- 
zens. Two  creeks  of  considerable  size,  with  three  small  lakes  or  ponds, 
form  the  chief  water  supply.  Salt  Creek,  which  widens  to  form  one  of 
the  ponds,  passes  through  the  southwestern  part,  and  furnishes  considera- 
ble water-power.  Long  Lake,  in  the  southeastern  part,  the  largest  of  the 
three,  is  connected  by  a  narrow  channel  with  Flint  Lake  in  Centre  Town- 
ship. Coflfee  Creek  runs  through  the  northeastern  part,  and  furnishes 
power  for  several  mills  along  its  course.  It  widens  to  form  the  third 
pond. 

Early  Settlements  and  Improvements. — Probably  the  first  settler  of 
Liberty  Township,  or  at  least  one  of  the  very  first,  was  Owen  Crum- 
packer,  who  came  from  Union  County,  Ind.,  in  June,  1834.  He  settled 
on  the  place  now  owned  by  Mrs.  E.  P.  Cole.  During  the  same  year, 
William  Downing,  Jerry  Todhunter  and  Elijah  Casteel  came  also.  The 
next  year,  Peter  Ritter  settled  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Amanda  Mott. 
Thomas  Clark,  commonly  known  as  "  Bee-hunter"  Clark,  located  on  the 
place  owned  at  present  by  H.  Kimball.  During  the  next  two  years  their 
number  was  increased  by  the  arrival  of  John  Dillingham,  E.  P.  Cole, 
William  Gosset,  George  Hesing,  Asa  Zane,  Ira  Biggs,  David  Hughart, 
John  White,  Frederick  Wolf,  Samuel  dinger,  Daniel  Kesler,  John  Sef- 
ford,  M.  Blayloch,  Jerry  Todhunter,  Abram  Snodgrass,  Solomon  Habany, 
William  Calhoun  and  others  ;  also,  Joseph  and  Jesse  Morgan,  who  settled 
in  what  is  now  a  part  of  Westchester  Township.     At  this  time  the  people 


208  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTV. 

were  commonly  divided  into  three  settlements  known  as  the  Dillingham, 
in  the  eastern  part,  Zane,  in  the  central,  and  Salt  Creek  in  the  western. 
At  the  latter  place,  immediately  after  his  arrival  in  1836,  William  Gos- 
set  began  the  erection  of  his  saw  and  grist-mill,  and  thus  the  settlers  of 
this  part  of  the  county  were  spared  the  necessity  of  going  forty  or  fifty 
miles  for  their  lumber  and  flour.  William  Gosset  also  built  the  firr^t 
frame  building  in  Liberty  during  this  year.  This  was  one  story,  and 
about  twenty-four  feet  long  by  thirty-two  feet  wide.  It  is  still  in  existence, 
having  been  used  successively  for  a  church,  schoolhouse  and  kitchen. 

The  people  of  the  Dillingham  settlement  were  more  closely  connected 
with  those  in  Jackson  Township.  A  mill  and  distillery  having  been 
erected  on  Coifee  Creek  by  Casteel  and  Blayloch,  they  had  the  best  of 
facilities  for  supplying  themselves  with  aqua  vitce  and  the  "staif  of  life." 
Previous  to  the  erection  of  the  distillery,  John  Dillingham,  who  usually 
sheltered  the  "  wayfaring  "  men  that  reached  the  settlement,  dealt  out  the 
former  article  in  quantities  of  not  less  than  a  quart.  He,  of  course,  un- 
like the  "  moonshiners  "  of  the  Alleghanies,  paid  a  "  government  license." 

The  first  houses  in  the  Zane  settlement  were  built  by  Asa  Zane  and 
Ira  Biggs  in  the  early  part  of  1835.  During  this  year,  David  and  Will- 
iam Hughart  came  from  Greenbrier  County,  W.  Va.,  having  been  forty- 
five  days  in  making  the  journey.  They  built  a  house  sixteen  by  twenty 
feet,  in  which  both  families,  numbering  fifteen  persons,  lived  for  several 
months.  A  camp  of  Pottawatomie  Indians  was  situated  within  a  hun- 
dred yards  of  their  house,  and  in  the  spring  they  came  regularly  to  make 
sugar,  of  which  they  prepared  large  quantities.  This  they  exchanged 
with  the  traders  for  whisky.  The  Indians,  when  not  crazed  with  fire- 
water, lived  at  peace  with  the  whites,  and  scarcely  ever  "  offered  show  of 
violence." 

One  day,  in  the  fall  of  1835,  four  or  five  of  the  red  skins  who  were 
returning  from  Bailly's  trading-post,  having  become,  as  they  termed  it, 
"  cockazy,"  attempted  to  enter  the  house  of  David  and  William  Hughart. 
The  women,  who  were  alone,  were  badly  frightened,  barred  the  door,  and 
climbed  into  the  loft.  After  much  whooping  and  several  vain  attempts  to 
break  down  the  door  with  their  tomahawks,  the  Indians  departed  just  in 
time  to  escape  the  wrath  of  the  Hughart  brothers  who  were  returning 
home  from  a  hunt.  William  Hughart's  wife  was  so  badly  frightened  that 
she  died  soon  after  from  the  effects  of  the  shock,  and  his  mother  did  not 
long  survive  her.  These  were  the  first  deaths  that  occurred  within  the 
limits  of  this  township. 

Pioneer  Experiences. — Though  these  early  pioneers  were  not  com- 
pelled to  endure  the  dangers  incident  to  those  who  crossed  the  Alle- 
ghanies fifty  years  before,  they  lived  amid  their  cares  and  labors  with  no 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP.  209 

comforts,  no  conveniences,  no  roads.  They  were  forced  to  be  self-reliant 
and  dependent  on  their  own  resources.  Their  bread  was  often  made  from 
meal  mixed  with  water  and  salt,  and  baked  on  a  split  shingle  before  the 
open  fire.  Their  meat,  when  they  had  it,  was  usually  the  flesh  of  deer  or 
other  game  killed  in  the  woods.  For  such  necessaries  as  they  bought 
they  had  to  go,  at  first  to  South  Bend,  afterward  to  Michigan  City. 

They  knew  little  of  the  so-called  pleasures  of  to-day,  yet  unhampered 
by  conventionalities  they  had  enjoyments  none  the  less  rare.  The  raisings, 
log-rollings,  shuckings,  "bussing  bees,"  and,  occasionally,  a  wedding,  at 
which  "  the  cup  that  cheers  "  flowed  freely,  and  the  "  wee,  sma'  "  hours 
were  spent  in  tripping  it  on  the  "  light  fantastic  toe,"  furnished  recreation 
suited  to  their  life.  The  first  of  these  latter  occurrences  was  occasioned 
by  the  marriage  of  William  Hughart  to  Elizabeth  Zane  on  June  14, 
1836,  by  Elijah  Casteel,  Justice  of  the  Peace.  The  next  was  that  of 
Daniel  W.  Lyons  and  Anna  Dillingham  February  6,  1837.  On  April  6, 
of  the  same  year,  William  Calhoun  and  Sarah  Sefford  were  married  by 
J.  C.  Spurlock,  and  George  Humes  and  Sarah  Crawford  by  Thomas  J. 
Wyatt,  the  latter  couple  in  a  small  log  house  near  where  John  Johnson 
now  lives.  This  was  the  occasion  of  unusual  festivity,  and  was  the  first 
important  society  event  of  the  settlement.  Some  thirty  or  forty  invited 
guests,  young  and  old,  were  present,  and  as  the  house  contained  only  one 
room,  fourteen  by  sixteen  feet,  with  two  beds  in  it,  the  necessity  for 
economy  of  space  is  apparent.  The  Justice  and  the  father  of  the  bride 
having  indulged  rather  too  freely  in  something  stronger  than  cofi'ee, 
became  oblivious,  it  is  said,  to  the  surrounding  festivities.  The  younger 
portion  of  the  company,  wishing  "  to  thread  the  mazy,"  were  at  a  loss  to 
know  how  to  dispose  of  the  fallen  heroes,  as  both  beds  had  been  used  for 
wardrobes  and  hat-racks.  The  difiiculty,  however,  was  soon  solved  by 
rolling  the  worthy  pair  under  the  beds,  and  the  joy  of  the  dance  was  un- 
confined  until  "  night's  candles  were  burnt  out." 

Early  Industries  and  Roads. — The  first  saw-mill  in  the  township  was 
built  by  Samuel  dinger,  on  Damon  Run,  on  the  place  now  owned  by  J. 
Wilts,  in  1836.  It  was  run  by  T.  J.  Field  until  1838,  when  he  sold  it 
to  William  Johnson,  who,  after  seven  or  eight  years,  allowed  it  to  fall  into 
disuse.  A  little  later  in  the  same  year,  William  Gosset  began  the  erec- 
tion of  a  saw-mill  on  the  east  bank  of  Salt  Creek,  opposite  the  site  of  the 
present  mill.  Having  finished  it,  he  sawed  the  lumber  for  several  frame 
buildings  which  were  erected  the  next  year,  when  he  also  completed  a 
grist-mill,  which  he  ran  in  connection  with  the  saw-mill  until  about  1844. 
These  were  of  the  usual  capacity  and  arrangement  of  the  ordinary  grist 
and  saw-mills  of  those  days. 

In  1844,  the  mills  needing  repairs,  and  thinking  that  the  west  bank 


210  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

offered  better  facilities  for  them,  he  began  the  erection  of  the  present  mill, 
but  died  in  1845,  before  its  completion.  It  was  then  bought  and  finished 
by  David  Skinner,  one  of  his  heirs.  From  this  time  it  was  successively 
owned  by  Samuel  Skinner,  T.  J.  Fifield,  S.  P.  Robbins,  Abram  and 
Peter  Stafford,  Blachly  Brothers,  and  Blachly  &  Son,  who  control  it  at 
present.  When  first  built,  these  mills  had  a  large  custom.  People  came 
from  places  fifty  and  sixty  miles  distant,  and,  at  times,  so  great  was  the 
number  of  customers  that  they  were  compelled  to  wait  three  and  four 
days  for  their  grists.     At  present  only  a  moderate  business  is  done. 

Closely  connected  with  the  history  of  these  mills  is  that  of  a  some- 
what chimerical  enterprise — the  building  of  a  steamboat  for  the  purpose 
of  navigating  Salt  Creek,  and  its  trunk,  the  Calumet  River.  About 
1865-66,  Abram  and  Peter  Stafford,  and  Dr.  Stanton,  who  afterward 
associated  with  themselves  W.  D,  Cruthers,  began  the  construction  of  a 
steamboat  for  conveying  wood  and  timber  to  Chicago,  by  way  of  Salt 
Creek  and  Calumet  River.  It  was  about  twelve  feet  wide  and  thirty  feet 
long,  and  two  or  three  years  were  consumed  in  building,  xlfter  its  com- 
pletion, it  was  run  up  and  down  the  creek  once  or  twice,  and  was  finally 
sunk  in  the  Calumet  River. 

In  1842,  a  saw-mill  was  built  by  Cromwell  Axe,  on  property  now 
owned  by  William  Harvey.  It  is  still  in  existence.  In  1858,  a  steam 
mill  was  built  by  Hunt  &  Kellogg.  It  changed  hands  several  times,  and 
was  finally  moved  away.  About  1854-55,  Brown  &  Sellers  erected  a 
saw-mill  on  Coffee  Creek.  This  was  run  a  few  years,  but  finally  fell  into 
disuse.  In  1870,  David  Long  built  another  mill,  just  below  the  site  of 
the  old  one.  In  1875,  it  was  pulled  down,  and  a  grist-mill  erected  by 
Long  &  Wondes,  at  a  cost  of  $5,000  or  $6,000.  The  present  owner  is 
0.  W.  Wheeler,  who  does  a  large  business. 

During  1837-38,  a  chair  and  wheel  factory  was  operated  by  Abraham 
Snodgrass,  on  Spring  Creek.  He  soon  sold  out  and  went  West,  and  it 
was  used  no  more. 

In  1836,  after  the  county  was  organized,  the  first  regularly  laid  out 
road  was  constructed.  At  the  spring  term  of  the  Commissioner's  court, 
Peter  Ritter,  Samuel  Olinger  and  William  Thomas  were  appointed  to 
run  a  road  from  Casteel's  Mill,  on  Coffee  Creek,  to  William  Gosset's 
Mill,  through  to  the  county  line,  which  they  accordingly  did,  and  located 
the  road  where  it  now  is.  Previous  to  this  time,  Indian  trails  had  been 
the  only  roads,  save  those  that  had  been  built  before  the  county  was 
organized.  About  1851,  the  construction  of  a  plank  road  to  extend 
from  Valparaiso  to  Michigan  City  was  began.  It  passed  through  the 
eastern  part  of  the  township.  After  the  building  of  railroads  through 
these  places,  the  necessity  for  such  a  road  was  no  longer  felt,  and  it  wa» 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP.  211 

never  completed.  In  1874,  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  was  built. 
Much  trouble  and  some  litigation  were  occasioned  in  procuring  the  right 
of  way. 

Stores  and  Post  Offices. — The  first  store  was  opened  by  McPherson 
&  Meyers,  at  Salt  Creek,  in  1845.  Their  stock  was  small,  not  much 
larger  than  is  usually  carried  by  a  stout  peddler,  and  consisted  princi- 
pally of  those  articles  included  in  the  comprehensive  term,  "  Yankee 
notions."  After  three  or  four  years  of  such  extensive  business,  the  store 
was  closed,  and  the  people  of  Liberty  were  without  a  mercantile  enter- 
prise, until  about  1866,  when  W.  D.  Cruthers,  who  had  an  interest  in 
the  steamboat  enterprise  elsewhere  described,  opened  a  store  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  mill  then  owned  by  Abram  and  Peter  Stafford.  As  before, 
the  business  carried  on  was  not  large,  and  after  being  sold  to  Rob- 
bins  &  Miller,  was  closed  out  by  them.  A  few  years  ago,  the  present 
store  was  opened  by  George  Wheeler,  who  still  conducts  it,  keeping  the 
usual  stock,  and  doing  the  business  generally  done  by  a  small  country 
store. 

There  are  but  two  post  offices  within  the  limits  of  the  township,  one 
of  which  was  opened  at  Woodville,  a  station  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad,  a  few  months  since.  This  will  doubtless  form  the  nucleus  of  a 
thriving  village,  as  the  proprietor  has  already  erected  a  building  for 
the  storage  of  wheat,  to  accommodate  shippers.  The  other  office  was 
instituted  at  Salt  Creek  about  1858,  with  John  Beck  as  the  first  Post- 
master. It  has  since  been  held  successively  by  John  Miller,  Abram 
Stafford  and  George  Wheeler,  the  present  incumbent. 

Elections  and  Fopidation. — The  first  election  after  the  organization 
of  the  township  was  held  at  Daniel  Kesler's.  The  following  is  a  copy  of 
the  tally-sheet  and  list  of  voters  used  at  that  election : 

At  an  elction  held  at  the  house  of  Daniel  T.  Kesler,  in  Liberty  Township,  Porter  Co., 
Ind.,  on  the  30th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1886,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one  Justice  of  th« 
Peace  for  said  township,  the  following-named  persons  came  forward  and  voted,  to  wit : 
Peter  Ritter,  Thomas  J.  Wyatt,  William  Downey,  Daniel  W.  Lyons,  Joel  Crumpacker,  Joel 
Welker,  John  Sefford,  M.  Blayloch,  Frederick  Wolf,  Richard  Clark,  William  Calhoun,  Isaac 
Zane,  Owen  Crumpacker,  Hiram  Snodgrass,  Jerry  Todhunter  and  Solomon  Habanz.  We, 
the  undersigned  Inspectors  and  Judges  of  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Daniel  T.  Kesler, 
in  Liberty  Township,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  on  the  thirtieth  day  of  April,  1836,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  electing  one  Justice  of  the  Peace,  do  certify  that  for  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  Peter  Ritter  got  thirteen  votes,  and  Thomas  J.  Wyatt  got  three  votes.  Given  under 
our  hands  this  thirtieth  day  of  April,  1836.  Jerry  Todhunter,  Inspector  ;  John  Seflford, 
Joel  Crumpacker,  William    Suavely,  Solomon  Habanz,  Judges. 

At  the  spring  term  of  court,  1836,  Daniel  W.  Lyons  was  appointed 
first  Constable ;  Jesse  Morgan  and  Richard  Clark,  Overseers  of  the  Poor  ; 
E.  Tratebas  and  William  Downey,  Fence- Viewers  ;  Solomon  Habanz, 
Supervisor  of  Roads. 


21-2  HISTORY   OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

On  August  7,  of  the  same  year,  an  election  was  held  at  Kesler's 
house  for  State  officers,  at  which  time  twelve  votes  were  polled.  At  this 
election,  T.  J.  Wyatt  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Since  that  time 
nearly  all  the  offices,  then  held  in  the  township,  have  been  merged  into 
Trustee.  The  present  Trustee  is  Fritz  Lindermann.  The  population  of 
the  township  in  1880  was  901. 

Schools,  Churches,  etc. — The  first  school  in  the  township  was  prob- 
ably taught  in  a  log  house,  built  in  the  Zane  settlement  in  1836.  Mrs. 
Sophia  Dye  was  the  first  teacher.  She  had  about  fifteen  pupils,  and 
received  $2  per  week.  This,  like  all  others  at  that  time,  was  a  subscrip- 
tion school.  The  house  was  built  by  the  neighbors  in  common,  and  its 
furnishings  were  of  the  rudest  character.  Its  windows  were  formed  of 
oiled  paper,  and  its  seats  of  slabs ;  the  desks  were  made  by  driving  pins 
into  the  wall  and  laying  a  board  on  them.  The  present  frame  house  was 
built  by  Morris  Risdon  in  1854,  at  a  cost  of  about  ^300. 

A  school  was  taught  in  the  Dillingham  settlement  in  1837  by  Anna 
Lyons,  in  a  part  of  her  father's  (John  Dillingham's)  house.  She  had 
eight  or  nine  pupils.  The  following  year,  a  log  house  was  built  for  school 
purposes,  and  E.  P.  Cole  taught  the  first  two  or  three  terms.  About 
1856,  a  frame  house  was  built ;  this  was  used  until  1877,  when  the  pres- 
ent substantial  brick  building  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  about  3^00.  The 
present  teacher  is  Miss  Mary  Mead,  who  receives  $25  per  month. 

A  school  was  maintained  at  Salt  Creek  from  about  1837  until  1856, 
though  no  house  for  that  purpose  had  been  erected  until  the  present  one 
was  built  in  the  last  mentioned  year.  The  first  teacher  in  this  house  was 
Miss  Kate  Hoste,  who  received  $10  per  month.  The  present  teacher  is 
Mary  Love,  who  has  an  average  attendance  of  fourteen  pupils,  and 
receives  $25  per  month.  The  house  in  District  No.  5  was  built  in  1854, 
by  William  Babcock,  at  a  cost  of  $300.  In  District  No.  1  James 
Bradley  built  the  house  in  1858  or  1859  ;  in  No.  4  a  brick  was  built  in 
1869,  at  a  cost  of  $700.  The  house  in  No.  7  was  erected  in  1875.  In 
1882,  the  number  of  pupils  between  the  ages  of  six  and  twenty-one  years, 
enumerated  by  the  Trustee,  was  343.  The  present  schools  are  as  good  as 
any  county  schools,  and  fully  sustain  the  high  character  for  educational 
facilities  which  the  State  bears. 

Though  an  exceedingly  quiet  and  law-abiding  community,  the  people 
of  Liberty  have  never  possessed  a  church  organization.  A  somewhat 
singular,  and  it  might  be  said  suggestive,  coincidence  is,  that  no  saloon 
was  ever  established  within  the  same  limits.  Though  no  chapel  may  be 
seen  beckoning  us  with  white  spire,  no  den  of  iniquity  casts  its  withering 
curses  abroad  to  blight  the  happiness  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  first  minister  who  visited  this  township  was   Stephen  Jones,  a 


rORTAGE  TOWNSHIP.  213 

member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  came  at  the  invitation 
of  William  Gosset,  and  preached  at  his  house.  The  services  were  held 
at  2  P.  M.,  on  Friday,  the  congregation  having  been  called  together  by 
the  blasts  of  a  tin-horn  in  the  hands  of  Mrs.  Gosset.  There  were  about 
forty  persons  present.  A  great  interest  in  religious  matters  was  aroused, 
and  durincr  the  same  year  the  Rev.  Stephen  Jones  conducted  a  camp- 
meeting  on  Salt  Creek,  which  lasted  a  week.  People  came  from  far  and 
near,  and  many  converts  were  made.  During  the  next  year,  William 
Gosset  erected  a  small  church  building,  which  is  still  standing,  and  is 
used  by  Mrs.  Gosset  for  a  dwelling.  Salt  Creek  was  now  placed  upon  a 
circuit,  and  services  were  regularly  held  for  some  years.  Among  those 
who  encountered  the  hardships  and  sufferings  incident  to  the  itinerant 
pioneer  preacher  for  the  purpose  of  dispensing  the  Gospel  to  this  settle- 
ment, may  be  mentioned  the  Revs.  Beer,  Young,  Forbes,  Posey, 
Griflfith  and  Colclasier.  The  circuit-rider  as  he  once  existed  has  disap- 
peared, and  only  occasionally,  except  as  they  go  to  churches  at  a  distance, 
do  the  people  of  Liberty  have  the  privilege  of  meeting  together  for  relig- 
ious services. 

The  only  secret  society  ever  organized  here  was  that  of  the  Grangers. 
Three  Granges  were  organized  in  1875 — one  at  Salt  Creek,  another  in 
District  No.  5,  and  a  third  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township.  For  a 
time  these  societies  flourished  and  supplied  a  long-felt  social  want — some 
place  for  friends  and  neighbors  to  meet  and  spend  an  hour  or  two  together 
each  week;  but  from  a  pecuniary  standpoint,  they  were  not  a  success,  un- 
less in  the  returns  they  brought  the  farmers.  A  co-operative  store  was 
established  in  a  small  building  owned  by  George  Fisher,  and  he  was  placed 
in  charge  of  it.  Some  jealousies  in  regard  to  the  distribution  of  the  goods 
were  manifested.  After  about  six  months  of  not  very  profitable  business, 
the  store  was  closed,  and  soon  after  the  organization  was  abandoned,  hav- 
ing been  in  existence  about  two  years. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BT   O.    A.    OABABD. 

Portage  Township— Surface  and  Soil— Agricultural  and  Mechani- 
cal Development— The  Liquor  Question— Schools  and  Churches 
—Village  of  Crisman— List    of   First  Settlers— Reminiscences. 

THE  township  of  Portage  received  its  name  from  a  county  of  the  same 
name  in  the  State  of  Ohio.  It  was  organized  at  the  time  of  the  gen- 
eral division  of  the  territory  of  the  county  in  1836.  Some  changes  have 
been  made  in  its  metes  and  bounds  since  that  time,  and  an  effort  was 
made  by  sundry  parties  of  Lake  County  at  one  time  to  have  certain  terri- 


214  HISTORY   OF  PORTER   COUNTY. 

tory  belonging  to  the  above-named  county  set  apart  to  Porter  County. 
This  scheme  was  defeated,  and  the  western  boundary  of  the  township  and 
county  remains,  as  at  the  time  when  Lake  County  was  set  oflf,  a  straight 
line. 

G-eneral  Description. — In  surface  the  township  varies  from  a  level 
prairie  in  the  south  to  sand  hills  in  the  north.  These  sand  hills  are 
highest  near  the  lake,  and  shade  off  toward  the  center,  where  they  give 
place  to  a  sandy  plane  that  gradually  loses  its  "  grit  "  as  we  go  south. 
The  soil  of  the  northern  part  is  about  all  sand,  while  in  the  southern  part 
it  is  a  rich  and  productive  loam. 

Salt  Creek  cuts  the  southeast  corner  of  the  township,  and  passes  out 
near  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  32  to  enter  again  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  Section  20  ;  thence  it  flows  north  and  west,  entering  the  Calu- 
met in  Section  31,  about  one-quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the  east  line  of 
the  county.  This  is  a  fine  stream,  with  numerous  small  feeders  that 
afibrd  abundant  water  for  stock.  Salt  Creek  Mill  is  situated  on  this 
stream,  just  over  the  line  in  Liberty  Township.  Longinus  (Long)  Lake 
is  situated  partly  in  the  northwest  corner  of  this  township  and  partly  in 
Lake  County.  It  is  more  marsh  than  lake,  and  can  boast  of  no  beauty 
of  scenery  or  surroundings.  Much  sand  is  shipped  from  this  township  to 
Chicago,  and  it  may  be  that  in  time  this  will  be  a  fruitful  source  of 
wealth,  for  the  supply  is  almost  limitless.  That  found  south  of  the  Calu- 
met is  thought  to  be  of  the  best  quality.  A  peculiar  kind  of  clay  or 
"  loam  "  is  found  near  Crisman.  It  is  used  for  fine  molding,  for  calking 
boilers,  etc.  There  is  a  large  spring  on  the  Gaylord  place.  It  contains 
much  iron  and  some  sulphur.  The  water  is  thought  by  some  to  possess 
valuable  medicinal  qualities.  No  coal  has  yet  been  found.  Some  bog 
iron  ore  is  found,  but  not  in  paying  quantities.  The  southern  part  of  the 
township  is  strictly  agricultural  and  well  improved,  while  the  northern 
part  promises  to  become  the  seat  of  great  manufacturing  interests. 

Industries,  Taverns.,  Wild  Animals.,  etc. — There  was  a  saw-mill 
among  the  sand  hills,  built  in  1851  or  1852.  It  was  run  awhile  and 
then  abandoned.  There  is  a  cheese  factory  which  was  established  about 
six  years  ago.  It  has  been  doing  a  good  business  and  is  still  running. 
They  have  been  making  some  butter,  but  have  been  paying  more  atten- 
tion to  cheese.  Several  steam  saw-mills  have  been  set  up  in  differen 
parts  of  the  township,  but,  like  the  steam  thresher,  they  did  not  stay  long 
in  one  place. 

The  first  tavern  in  the  township  was  built  on  Willow  Creek,  among 
the  sand  hills,  in  1837.  An  Italian  by  the  name  of  Carley,  who  had 
previously  kept  a  stand  farther  north,  on  the  lake,  built  the  house  and 
kept  it  for  a  time.     Another  house  was  opened  at   the   same   place   soon 


PORTAGE  TOWNSHIP.  215 

after  by  two  women.  These  two  are  the  only  taverns  that  have  ever 
been  kept  in  the  township.  These  were  on  the  old  stage  line  between 
Detroit  and  Chicago.  This  formerly  ran  along  the  beach  of  the  lake, 
but  was  afterwards  moved  farther  south.  To  enable  the  stages  to  cross 
the  Calumet,  a  bridge  sixty-four  rods  long  was  built  in  1836  and  1837. 
This  was  made  of  poles  throughout.  Cribs  were  built  of  poles  for  piers  ; 
poles  were  used  for  stringers,  and  small  poles  and  split  timber  were  laid 
across  these  for  the  floor.  This  rude  bridge  was  situated  a  few  rods 
below  the  mouth  of  Salt  Creek. 

This  is  a  temperance  township.  No  regular  saloon  has  ever  opened 
its  doors  here  to  entice  the  youth.  An  attempt  was  made  at  one  time  to 
start  one  at  Crisman,  but  as  the  party  had  no  license,  it  was  closed  by 
the  people  in  a  summary  manner. 

In  1836,  a  bear  was  killed  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  In 
1888,  two  cubs  were  killed  by  a  man  named  Greene  in  the  south- 
eastern part.  Wolves  were  very  troublesome  until  the  railroads  were 
built.  The  whistle  of  the  locomotive  and  the  roar  of  the  trains  seemed 
to  scare  them  away. 

Early  Conditions. — The  first  settlers  endured  many  hardships  that, 
to  the  tender-footed  sons  of  these  hardy  sires,  would  seem  beyond  their 
powers  of  endurance.  These  sturdy  pioneers  sowed,  and  their  children 
and  their  children's  children  are  reaping  an  abundant  harvest.  The  first 
houses  were  built  of  logs  without  nails.  Windows  were  made  temporarily 
of  greased  paper,  and  doors  of  a  quilt  with  sticks  across.  At  the  time  of 
the  first  settlement  here,  there  were  no  envelopes  or  matches.  A  letter 
was  written  upon  one  side  of  the  paper,  and  then  it  was  folded  and 
fastened  with  a  red  wafer  or  two  in  such  shape  that  the  address  could  be 
placed  upon  the  other  side.  Postage  then  was  25  cents  per  letter,  pay- 
able upon  delivery.  Matches  made  their  appearance  a  short  time  later, 
in  small  boxes  holding  about  a  dozen  ;  these  sold  for  a  shilling  (12| 
cents)  a  box  Supplies  were  brought  from  Michigan  City,  a  distance  of 
twenty  miles.  The  first  birth  is  unknown.  The  first  death  was  prob- 
ably that  of  a  Mr.  Ashton,  who  died  in  1837.  In  1838,  Mrs.  James 
died.  This  was  a  very  sickly  year.  Probably  the  first  marriage  was  that 
of  Henry  Harold  to  Miss  Dorr.  An  Indian  trail  crossed  the  southern 
part  of  the  township.  On  Section  36,  Township  36,  Range  6,  was  what 
had  the  appearance  of  an  Indian  burying-ground.  Evidences  of  about 
twenty  graves  were  to  be  seen. 

Schools  and  Teachers. — This  township  is  well  supplied  with  schools, 
except,  perhaps,  in  one  locality,  where  another  school  is  badly  needed. 
There  are  seven  houses,  all  of  which  are  occupied.  Four  of  these  are 
brick,  and  all  are  good,  substantial  structures ;  in  fact,  Portage  is  noted 


216  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

for  its  good  schoolhouses.  The  largest,  and  by  many  considered  the  best 
school  in  the  township,  is  the  one  at  Crisman  Station.  It  has  been 
brought  up  to  its  present  degree  of  excellence  by  the  present  teacher,  N. 
E.  Yost,  who  has  had  the  place  for  four  years.  The  following  is  a  list  of 
the  teachers  in  the  township  for  the  school  year  of  1881-82  :  N.  E. 
Yost,  at  Crisman,  M.  L.  Ferris,  at  Blake's,  W.  E.  Hawthorne,  at 
Hawthorne's  schoolhouse.  Miss  Lottie  Hewitt,  at  Peak's,  Miss  Minnie 
Spencer,  at  Robbins',  Miss  Rose  Mitchell,  at  Addison  Crismau's,  Miss 
Pettit,  at  Sand  Knob  School.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1840 
on  Section  20,  Township  36,  Range  0.  One  was  built  in  the  southwest 
part  about  the  same  time.  Both  of  these  were  built  of  logs  and  were 
used  for  school  only  in  the  winter  time.  The  desks  were  arranged  around 
the  wall.  The  first  mentioned  is  still  standing,  and  serves  as  a  habitation 
for  Su8  scrofa.  Mr.  Robbins  was  the  architect,  and  all  the  material  and 
labor  was  contributed  by  the  people  who  resided  in  the  vicinity.  In  size 
it  was  18x20  feet.  Where  Crisman  now  stands,  in  1854  was  erected  a 
log  schoolhouse,  18x24  feet.  This  was  used  about  nine  years.  It  was 
built  entirely  by  voluntary  contribution.  The  first  term  here  was  taught 
by  Elder  Bartlett,  a  Baptist  minister.  He  taught  two  terms.  Cyrus 
Sales  taught  next,  and  after  him  in  order  came  Christina  Fry,  Emily 
Gerhart  and  Chancey  Gaylord,  who  was  a  cripple,  and  who  taught  two 
terms.  He  was  the  last  one  to  teach  in  the  old  log  house.  This  gave 
place  to  a  good-sized  frame  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  12.  The 
present  neat  and  commodious  brick  was  built  in  1879. 

The  Churches. — There  are  three  churches  in  the  township,  the  Pres- 
byterian, the  Methodist  and  the  Swedish.  The  first  church  built  was  the 
Presbyterian  in  1852,  at  a  cost  of  about  $800.  Mr.  S.  P.  Robbins  built  the 
church  and  furnished  all  the  requisite  materials  and  money  except  about 
$160.  One  hundred  dollars  was  furnished  by  the  missionary  fund  of  the 
church  and  about  sixty  dollars  was  raised  by  subscription.  After  it  was 
completed  Mr.  Robbins  deeded  it  to  the  Trustees.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  some  of  those  who  helped  to  organize  the  church :  S.  P.  Rob- 
bins and  wife,  Benjamin  Stodard  and  wife,  Francis  James,  Emily  James, 
Russell  Dorr  and  wife,  Daniel  Richardson,  Mr.  Leters  and  sister,  and 
others.  Rev.  James  C.  Brown  was  the  first  minister.  Rev.  Humphrey 
and  Rev.  Ogden  are  the  only  other  regular  ministers  that  the  church  has 
had.  Ministers  have  come  in  occasionally  from  other  points  and  preached 
here.  The  Methodists  have  had  the  use  of  the  church  for  some  time,  and 
the  Presbyterians  have  not  been  having  services.  The  Methodist  Church 
is  situated  about  one  and  a  quarter  miles  northwest  of  the  one  above-men- 
tioned. It  was  built  about  two  or  three  years  later  than  the  Presbyterian. 
It  is  not  now  used  by  them,  but  is  used  occasionally  by  the  German. 


PORTAGE    TOWNSHIP.  217 

Lutherans.  Mr.  McCool  was  the  principal  one  in  its  organization  and 
erection.  It  cost  about  $800,  and  is  somewhat  larger  than  the  Presby- 
terian. The  first  religious  services  were  held  at  Spurlock's  and  Herold's 
dwelling  houses.  Afterward  Robbins'  schoolhouse  was  used  for  the  pur- 
pose. The  first  society  to  organize  was  the  Methodist.  Two  organiza- 
tions were  afi"ected  about  the  same  time  —  one  at  Robbins'  schoolhouse, 
and  the  other  at  the  Grove  on  the  west  side.  These  date  1836  or  1837. 
Sabbath  schools  have  been  kept  up  for  a  part  of  the  time  at  the  above- 
mentioned  places,  and  also  at  some  of  the  schoolhouses.  The  Swedish 
Church  is  located  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township.  Here,  serv- 
ices are  sustained  and  good  congregations  assemble. 

Gruman  Village. — The  town  of  Crisman  was  laid  out  by  Mr.  B,  G. 
Crisman,  after  whom  it  was  named.  Mr.  Crisman  is  one  of  the  oldest 
settlers  in  all  this  region.  A  post  ofiice  was  established  here  in  1871, 
with  Isaac  Crisman  as  Postmaster.  Mr.  Crisman  was  followed  by 
Charles  Seydel.  S.  P.  Sargeant  took  charge  next,  and  handed  the  mail 
bag  to  Joseph  Bender,  who  passed  it  to  Joseph  White,  who  has  held  it 
four  years.  The  first  store  established  here  was  opened  shortly  after  the 
post  ofiice,  and  was  owned  by  Isaac  Crisman.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Charles  Seydel,  who  sold  to  Joseph  Bender,  and  he  to  Joseph  White,  who 
has  kept  it  for  four  years.  The  store  has,  with  a  single  exception,  fol- 
lowed the  post  office.     This  is  the  only  store  that  Portage  has  ever  had. 

First  Settlers  and  First  Elections. — In  the  spring  of  1834,  Jacob 
Wolf  and  family  located  in  the  solitudes  of  Portage  with  his  family.  His 
sons  John,  Jacob  and  E.  Wolf  were  grown  at  the  time.  One  of  the 
younger  sons,  Josephus,  still  lives  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township. 
He  owns  a  large  amount  of  land.  At  the  same  time  came  Berrett  Dorr 
and  family.  Two  of  the  boys,  Russell  and  Edmund,  were  of  age  at  the 
time.  Reuben  Hurlburt  and  family  came  the  same  spring.  There  was 
a  large  family  of  boys,  of  which  William,  Henry,  Jacob,  Griffith  and 
David  were  born  when  the  family  came.  The  two  Spurlock  brothers  and 
R.  and  Wilford  Parrott  finish  the  list  for  1834.  In  1835,  in  the  spring, 
S.  P.  Robbins,  Benjamin  James  and  his  son  Allen  came.  From  1836  to 
1840,  the  following  came :  Mr.  Blake  and  family,  Mr.  Peak  and  family. 
Palmer  Sumner,  Peter  Ritter,  Mr.  Harrison  and  family,  Mr.  Curtis  and 
family,  Mr.  Smith,  Mr.  x\rnold,  Walker  McCool  and  Thomas  J.  Field, 
who  came  in  1836. 

The  first  election  of  the  township  was  held  April  30th,  1836,  at  the 
house  of  Jacob  Wolf,  with  James  Spurlock  as  Inspector.  At  an  election 
held  at  the  house  of  Jacob  Wolf,  Portage  Township,  on  the  first  Monday 
in  x\ugust,  1836,  the  following  persons  polled  their  votes :  James  Con- 
net,  E.  D.  Wolf,  John  Lyons,  William  D.  Wolf,  Jacob  Wolf,  Sr.,  Milton 


218  HISTORY   OF  PORTER  COUNTY. 

Wolf,  Frederick  Wolf,  Russell  Dorr,  Henry  Herold,  William  Gosset, 
Griffin  Holbert,  B.  Dorr,  John  Hageman,  Jacob  Blake,  Henry  Batten, 
Daniel  Whitaker,  William  Frame,  George  Spurlock,  John  Wolf,  James 
Spurlock,  Reuben  Holbert,  Samuel  Herring,  Nelson  Elison,  Francis 
Spencer,  Benjamin  James,  George  Hume,  J.  G.  Herring,  S.  P.  Bobbins 
and  William  Holbert — total,  twenty-nine.  The  changes  in  the  boundary 
of  the  townships  will  be  found  in  a  county  chapter. 

Future  Prospects. — A  large  number  of  Swedes  have  settled  in  the 
northern  part,  of  later  years.  On  the  whole,  the  progress  of  the  town- 
ship has  been  slow  and  steady,  but  sure.  The  rapid  growth  of  Chicago, 
and  the  flattering  promise  of  South  Chicago,  together  with  the  tendency 
that  manufacturing  establishments  show  toward  this  section,  all  raise  high 
hopes  for  the  future.  Many  large  manufacturing  establishments  have 
started  already  in  the  wilderness  of  stunted  pine  among  the  sand  hills  and 
morasses  at  the  south  end  of  the  Great  Lake,  and  the  indications  are  that 
there  are  many  more  to  follow.  While  all  this  goes  on  at  the  north,  the 
fertile  farms  of  the  south  will  feed  the  mouths  that  nourish  the  hands  that 
run  the  factories. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


BY    O.    A.    GARARD. 


Pleasant  Township— Obigin  of  Name— First  Elections— First  Set- 
tlers—First Events— An  Old  French  Fort— Schools— Churches 
—Industries— Officers— Crime— Calamity— Kouts. 

THIS  township  was  formed  at  the  time  of  the  "general  division  "  in 
1836,  and  its  name  is  said  to  have  been  suggested  by  its  pleasant 
location. 

First  Election  and  First  Settlers. — The  following  is  a  record  of  the 
first  election  : 

"At  an  election  held  at  the  house  of  Henry  Adams,  Pleasant  Township,  on  the  3d  of 
April,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  said  township,  the 
following  votes  were  taken :  John  Bartholomew,  Joseph  Bartholomew,  George  Shultz, 
Henry  Adams,  William  Billings,  Martin  Reed,  Morris  Witham,  Enoch  Billings,  John 
Adams,  James  Witham  and  Charles  Allen.  Total,  11.  We,  the  undersigned,  Inspectors 
and  Judges  of  the  Election,  do  certify  that  Lewis  Comer  got  eleven  votes  for  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  William  Billings,  Inspector;  Enoch  Billings,  Morris  Witham, 
Judges." 

An  election  was  held  December  24,  1836,  in  Pleasant  Township  for 
one  Judge  and  one  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Seneca  Ball  received  nine  votes 
for  Judge,  and  John  Adams  nine  for  Justice  of  the  Peace.  The  follow- 
ing persons  voted  at  this  election :  Morris  Witham,  Charles  Allen,  Will- 
iam Trinkle,  William  Billings,  Jacob  Shultz,  Thomas  Adams,  Henry 
Adams,  R.  Blachly  and  John  Adams. 


PLEASANT    TOWNSHIP.  219 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  first  and  early  settlers  as  far  as  attaina- 
ble :  J.  Sherwood  and  family,  about  1834 ;  William  Trinkle  and  family, 
fall  of  1835  ;  John  Jones  and  family,  1835  ;  George  Eden  and  family, 
1837.  Among  the  other  early  settlers  were  Hisel  Coghill,  Isaiah  Mead- 
ows, Reuben  Meadows,  Oliver  Coles,  Luke  Asher,  Mr.  Chandler,  John 
Adams,  John  Bartholomew,  Joseph  Bartholomew,  George  Shultz,  Henry 
Adams,  William  Billings,  Enoch  Billings,  Martin  Reed,  Morris  Witham, 
James  Witham  and  Charles  Allen.  Nearly  all  of  these  were  here  as 
early  as  1836,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  lists  of  voters  above  given.  Mr . 
J.  Sherwood  and  family  located  near  the  Kankakee  River,  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  township.  Mrs.  Sherwood  remarked  to  Mrs.  William 
Trinkle,  in  1835,  that  she  was  the  only  white  woman  that  she  had  seen  for 
two  years,  with  the  exception  of  a  sister  of  Mrs.   S.,  who  lived  with  her. 

Early  Events. — The  first  birth  was  that  of  Henry  Trinkle,  born  to 
Gillie  Ann  and  William  Trinkle  on  December  2,  1835.  The  first  death 
was  that  of  Jeremiah,  a  son  of  J.  Sherwood.  He  was  buried  at  what  is 
now  the  Widow  Bonesteel's  farm,  where  there  are  only  a  few  graves.  The 
first  marriage  was  that  of  Alexander  Wright  to  Miss  S.  Jones,  which 
occurred  about  1839.  The  usual  hardships  incident  to  pioneer  life 
devolved  upon  the  settlers  of  Pleasant  Township.  For  some  years  the 
milling  was  done  at  Michigan  City,  and  much  of  the  trading  on  the 
Wabash.  Great  as  were  the  hardships  of  these  early  days,  there  was  a 
feeling  of  freedom  on  the  frontier,  and  a  spirit  of  fellowship  and  general 
good-will  that  made  life  here  endurable  to  all,  and  enjoyable  to  many. 
Mrs.  Trinkle,  the  oldest  living  settler  now  residing  in  the  township,  says  : 
*'  If  I  were  young  again  as  I  was  Avhen  I  came  here,  I  should  be  glad  to 
go  and  help  to  settle  a  new  country."  Mrs.  Trinkle  tells  many  interest- 
ing incidents  of  Indian  times.  The  Kankakee  Marsh  was  a  sort  of 
"Indian  Paradise."  Here  game  and  fur-bearing  animals  abounded. 
When  settlement  began,  the  outlines  of  an  abandoned  fort  near  the  Kan- 
kakee, southwest  of  where  Kouts  now  stands,  were  quite  distinct,  and 
traces  are  yet  to  be  seen.  It  was  at  a  point  where  two  Indian  trails 
crossed  the  river,  and  is  the  only  place  for  a  long  distance  where  the 
river  and  marsh  could  be  crossed  readily.  It  seems  to  have  covered  foui- 
or  five  acres,  and,  in  1836,  bore  marks  of  long  disuse,  for  there  were 
young  trees  of  two  feet  in  diameter  growing  on  what  seemed  to  have  been 
embankments  of  the  fort.  The  Indians  were  peaceable  and  punctual  in 
the  fulfillment  of  promises.  When  they  came  to  borrow,  if  unable  to 
talk  English,  they  would  indicate  the  number  of  days  for  which  they 
wished  to  keep  the  article  by  holding  up  as  many  fingers  as  there  were 
days  to  elapse  before  they  expected  to  return  it. 

Schools. — The  pioneer  school  of  the  township  was  taught  in  a  small 

M 


220  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

loc  schoolhouse  about  the  year  1838.  This  house  stood  on  Section  13, 
Township  33,  Range  6,  and  was  built  by  the  voluntary  labor  of  the 
neighbors,  of  material,  the  most  of  which  was  found  near  at  hand.  The 
light  that  entered  this  primitive  schoolhouse  came  through  the  door,  and 
through  greased  paper  that  answered  for  window  glass.  There  was  one 
good  thing  about  these  paper  "  panes  ;"  the  grease  rendered  the  paper 
translucent,  but  not  transparent,  so  that  light  was  admitted,  but  the  chil- 
dren could  not  see  out.  It  was  used  for  school  purposes  for  three  or  four 
years,  when  it  was  burned.  The  schools  held  here  were  supported  by 
subscription. 

The  first  patrons  were  George  Eaton,  who  sent  two  sons,  John  Berrier, 
who  sent  two  children,  John  Jones,  who  sent  five,  and  William  Trinkle, 
who  sent  two,  Nancy  and  Henry.  The  second  schoolhouse  was  of  the 
same  kind  and  located  on  the  same  section,  but  larger  than  the  first.  This 
was  used  for  several  years.  The  third  schoolhouse  was  built  near  the  site 
of  the  first  one.  This  was  the  first  frame  schoolhouse  of  the  township. 
There  are  now  seven  houses,  all  of  which  are  frame.  The  average  cost 
of  all,  except  the  house  at  Kouts,  is  about  §500.  The  one  at  Kouts  con- 
tains two  rooms,  and  cost  §1,000.  It  was  built  in  1876.  There  are  eight 
school  districts  in  the  township.  District  No.  3  has  no  house  now.  It  had 
a  frame  house,  which  was  built  in  1860,  and  burned  in  1879.  The 
house  in  District  No.  8  was  built  in  1880,  at  a  cost  of  about  §500.  The 
houses  in  the  other  districts  were  built  prior  to  1860.  The  teachers  for 
1882,  are  as  follows  :  In  District  No.  1,  Alice  Sanborn ;  in  No.  2,  B.  A. 
Maugher  and  Sarah  Welch  ;  in  No.  4,  Flora  Wilcox ;  in  No.  5,  Mary  G. 
Noel ;  in  No.  6,  L.  Sanborn  ;  in  No.  7,  Sadie  Turner ;  in  No.  8,  Jennie 
Wyley. 

Churches,  etc. — The  first  religious  services  of  the  township  were  held 
at  the  house  of  John  Jones  in  1836.  Mr.  Jones,  although  not  a  regular 
minister,  often  preached  in  the  neighborhood,  and  occasionally  in  adjoin- 
ing communities.  These  informal  devotional  meetings  were  changed  from 
house  to  house  at  first,  and  at  a  later  day  from  schoolhouse  to  schoolhouse. 
The  only  regular  church  building  of  Pleasant  is  the  present  edifice  of  the 
German  Lutheran  Church  at  Kouts.  It  is  a  frame,  built  in  1880  at  a 
cost  of  §600.  The  present  minister  is  Rev.  Julius  Dunsing,  who  has 
served  the  church  one  year.  Before  him.  Rev.  Philip  Smith  was  pastor. 
He  was  the  first  minister  in  the  new  church,  and  conducted  the  dedicatory 
services.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  for  about  seven  years  before 
the  church  was  built,  and  services  were  held  for  a  time  in  private  houses. 
The  one  to  organize  the  society  was  Rev.  Philip  Smith,  now  of  Valparaiso. 
The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  seventeen.  The  only  regular 
cemetery  of  the  township  is  that  located  on  Section  12,  Township   33, 


PLEASANT   TOWNSHIP.  221 

Range  6.     The  first  one  interred  here  was  a  little  boy  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Milton  Wright,  in  the  last  part  of  the  year  1842. 

Industries. — The  township  has  been  strictly  agricultural  throughout 
its  history.  It  has  never  had  a  grist-raiil,  and  only  one  saw-mill  perma- 
nently located.  This  was  on  the  Kankakee  River,  near  where  the  bridge 
now  is.  It  was  built  by  Joseph  Hackman  and  run  by  him  for  some  time. 
He  sold  it  to  James  M.  Pugh,  who  converted  it  into  a  portable  one,  about 
two  years  ago.  There  have  been  several  portable  saw-mills  at  different 
times  and  places  within  the  limits  of  the  township.  A  cheese  factory  was 
established  about  five  years  ago  by  H.  A.  Wright.  It  ran  a  short  time 
and  was  closed. 

Officers. — The  present  oflScers  of  the  township  are,  William  Trinkle. 
Trustee;  James  H.  True  and  Simon  Witham,  Justices  of  the  Peace;  Stephen 
D.  Johnson,  Road  Superintendent,  and  S.  G.  Couch,  Assessor. 

Crime. — There  have  been  three  homicides  committed  within  the  limits 
of  Pleasant  Township.  In  1879,  W.  Swett  was  shot  by  Charles  Chase  ; 
the  same  year,  Charles  Askam  was  shot  by  Mcintosh,  and  in  1880,  Brain- 
erd  Taft  shot  John  Dutton. 

Fatal  Casualty. — A  very  sad  accident  occurred  to  a  Welsh  family 
named  Pugh,  in  1873.  They  lived  near  the  Kankakee.  Mr.  J.  M.  Pugh, 
the  father,  was  plowing  not  far  from  the  house  ;  some  marsh  grass  was 
rather  troublesome,  so  he  requested  his  daughter,  Sarah,  to  bring  some 
fire  from  the  house  and  burn  the  hay.  She  brought  the  fire  at  once,  and 
stood  watching  the  hay  burn  when  a  sudden  gust  of  wind  blew  the  flames 
toward  and  around  her ;  her  clothing  took  fire,  and  before  help  reached 
her  she  was  fatally  burned.  She  took  a  few  steps,  fell  and  was  carried 
home.  She  lived  in  intense  agony  until  4  o'clock  the  next  morning.  It 
was  about  2  P.  M.  when  the  accident  occurred. 

Village  of  Kouts. — The  only  town  that  the  township  has  ever  pro- 
duced is  the  town  of  Kouts,  situated  in  the  northwestern  part,  on  the 
Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati  &  St.  Louis  Railroad.  This  town  was  laid  out  by 
B.  Kouts  and  took  its  name  from  him.  He  built  the  first  business  block 
which  is  now  occupied  by  Dr.  L,  Atkins.  The  second  business  house  was 
built  by  Brown  and  Dilley  ;  the  third  was  built  by  K.  Williams.  The  post 
oiEce  was  established  here  in  1865,  with  H.  A.  Wright  as  Postmaster,  who 
held  the  ofiice  until  1881,  when  S.  E.  Douglas,  the  present  incumbent, 
took  charge  of  the  ofiice,  which  lie  has  held  up  to  the  present  time.  The 
Chicago  &  Atlantic  Railroad  has  reached  town  within  the  last  year,  and 
as  Kouts  promises  to  be  the  only  station  on  either  road  in  the  township, 
its  prospects  are  quite  flattering.  Counting  the  floating  population  brought 
in  by  the  building  of  the  new  railroad,  there  are  perhaps  300  people  in  tlie 
town.     It  has  two  general  stores  ;  one  kept  by  B.  Kouts,  and  the  other 


222  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

by  H.  Rosenbaum.  There  are  two  drug  stores ;  one  is  kept  by  S.  E. 
Douglas,  and  the  other  by  L.  Atkins.  A  grocery  is  kept  by  Mrs. 
Margaret  Williamson ;  E.  R.  Kosanke  keeps  furniture  ;  D.  A.  Stark 
furnishes  hardware ;  H.  A.  Wright  and  J.  H.  Hodkins  sell  implements  ; 
John  Shultz  and  Joshua  George  make  boots  and  shoes  ;  William  Kee  and 
William  Cinkaski  do  the  blacksmithing.  The  town  has  two  saloons  and 
one  church.  The  Hodjins  House  is  kept  by  J.  A.  Hodjins,  and  restaurant 
by  Albert  Spencer.  A  hay  barn,  belonging  to  a  Chicago  man,  is  oper- 
ated by  H.  A.  Wright.  Dr.  Sprague  and  Dr.  Kellogg  located  here,  but 
did  not  stay  long.  The  town  is  regularly  laid  out  and  platted.  Three 
additions  have  been  made  to  it  and  entered  of  record  by  Mr.  Kouts. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


BY  G.    A.    OARARD. 


Porter  Township— Origin  and  Change  of  jS'ame— Early  Election- 
List  OF  First  and  Early  Settlers— Reminiscences  of  Early 
Times— A  Mound— Early  Items— Schools— Churches— Stores— Post 
Offices. 

PORTER  TOWNSHIP  was  formed  in  1837,  at  the  time  when  Lake 
County  was  set  off.  At  first  it  was  known  as  Fish  Lake  Township, 
which  name  it  took  from  a  lake  then  known  as  Fish  Lake.  This  lake, 
situated  on  Section  1,  Township  37,  Range  7,  is  now  known  as  Lake 
Eliza.  The  citizens  did  not  like  the  name  of  Fish  Lake  Township  and 
proceeded  to  circulate  a  petition,  the  object  of  which  was  to  have  the 
name  changed.  This  petition  was  presented  to  the  Board  of  County 
Commissioners  at  their  meeting  in  June,  1841.  The  prayers  of  the  peti- 
tioners were  answered,  and  the  name  of  Porter  was  supplied  to  the  town- 
ship. This  name  it  took  from  the  county,  which  was  named  in  honor  of 
Commodore  Porter. 

Early  Election. — At  an  election  held  in  the  house  of  Alpheus 
French  in  Fish  Lake  Township  on  Monday,  December  3, 1838,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  electing  one  Representative,  the  following  persons  voted  : 
William  McCoy,  J.  C.  Hathaway,  Newton  Frame,  William  Frakes, 
Alpheus  French,  Henry  M.  Wilson,  William  Frame,  A.  M.  Bartel, 
Jonathan  Hough,  Samuel  Campbell,  E.  P.  Hough,  Edmund  Hatch, 
William  C.  Shreve,  David  Dinwiddle,  Mr.  Wellman,  Ora  B.  French, 
David  Hurlburt  and  Jacob  Hurlburt.  "  We,  the  undersigned  Judges  and 
Clerks  of  Election,  do  certify  that  Benjamin  McCarty  had  fifteen  votes 
for  Representative,  and  George  W.  Cline  three  votes  for  the  same  office. 
Jonathan  Hough,  H.  M.  Wilson,  Clerks ;  S.  Campbell,  Inspector ; 
William  Frakes,  Alpheus  French,  Judges." 


PORTER  TOWNSHIP.  223 

Settlers. — In  the  years  1834  and  1835,  the  following  named  persons 
came  to  settle  in  Porter  Township ;  Newton  Frame,  William  Frame, 
Samuel  Campbell,  Isaac  Campbell,  Isaac  Edwards,  Elder  French,  Ora 
B.  French,  Jacob  Wolf,  Mr.  Service  and  David  Hurlburt.  Among  others 
who  came  prior  to  1838  were:  P.  A.  Porter,  Edmund  Sheffield, 
Hazard  Sheffield,  Benjamin  Sheffield,  W.  Staunton,  William  McCoy, 
William  A.  Nichols,  Ezra  Reeves,  Morris  Carman  ;  Dr.  Levi  A.  Cass, 
who  came  in  18-40  ;  H.  Bates,  who  came  in  1839  ;  J.  C.  Hathaway, 
William  Frakes,  Alpheus  French,  Henry  M.  Wilson,  A.  M.  Bartel, 
Jonathan  Hough,  Edmund  Hatch,  William  C.  Shreve,  David  Dinwiddie, 
Mr.  Wellman,  David  Hurlburt  and  Jacob  Hurlburt.  Elder  French, 
a  Baptist  minister,  was  the  first  minister  in  the  township.  Besides  those 
above  mentioned,  the  following  were  early  :  William  Robinson,  Robert 
Fleming,  Moses  Gates,  Horatio  Gates,  William  Dye,  Richard  Jones, 
John  Robinson,  Mr.  Hathaway,  Asa  Cobb,  Aaron  Service  and  Calvin 
French,  who  was  killed  by  damp  in  a  well.  From  1840  to  1850  immi- 
gration was  slow  but  steady.  A  number  came  in  during  1850.  Since 
1850,  there  has  been  no  special  period  of  settlement.  A  large  portion  of 
the  present  population  are  descendents  of  the  first  settlers.  There  were 
fifty-six  votes  cast  at  the  election  of  President  Harrison.  There  are  now 
nine  in  the  township  who  voted  here  in  1842. 

Reminiscences. — The  experience  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  township 
with  the  Indians  is  about  the  same  as  that  of  the  surrounding  country. 
The  Indians  were  friendly  and  made  but  little  trouble.  The  township 
being  chiefly  prairie,  was  not  frequented  as  much  by  them  as  were  places 
where  there  was  more  woodland.  At  first,  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  to 
see  herds  of  deer  containing  from  thirty  to  fifty.  These  were  gradually 
thinned  out  as  the  settlement  thickened,  until  they  disappeared  entirely. 
About  1848,  a  great  wolf  hunt  took  place  here.  It  was  what  was  known 
as  a  "ring  hunt."  The  territory  swept  by  the  hunters  included  Boone 
and  Porter  Townships,  together  with  Winfield  and  Eagle  Creek  Town- 
ships, of  Lake  County.  Most  of  the  male  inhabitants  of  the  above-named 
townships,  and  some  from  surrounding  townships  engaged  in  the  hunt. 
An  immense  ring  was  formed  and  all  started,  at  the  firing  of  a  small  cannon, 
toward  a  point  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  east  of  where  Mr.  Bates  then 
lived,  at  which  point  had  been  erected  for  the  occasion  a  tall  pole,  from 
which  floated  the  American  flag.  Officers  were  placed  at  regular  inter- 
vals, and  it  was  arranged  that  all  should  start  at  the  firing  of  the  gun, 
and  stop  at  the  firing  of  the  gun  to  "dress  ranks,"  after  which  a  second 
shot  was  to  be  the  signal  for  a  second  start,  and  so  on  until  they  closed 
around  the  game  under  the  flag.  It  is  stated  that  there  were  at  least  as 
many  as  600  engaged  in  the  hunt.      As  was  usual  in  such  hunts,  they 


224  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY, 

"broke  ranks"  and  closed  in  in  the  most  perfect  disorder.  The  game, 
unable  to  keep  in  the  circle,  fell  back  in  good  order.  A  single  wolf  that 
had  perhaps  become  bewildered  in  the  general  disorder,  was  slain.  The 
600  came  in  by  squads,  and  all  indulged  in  a  grand  rally  around  the  flag. 
The  vanquished  wolf  was  thrown  across  the  shoulder  of  a  horseman,  who, 
putting  spurs  to  his  horse,  was  chased  by  other  hunters,  until  some  one 
succeeded  in  getting  the  wolf,  when  he  in  turn  was  pursued  by  excited 
men  upon  panting  chargers.  Finally,  a  man  from  Valparaiso  arrived 
with  a  barrel  of  "black  strap"  whisky,  and — 

"Those  now  drank  who  never  drank  before, 
And  those  who  drank,  now  only  drank  the  more." 

So  the  hunt  closed  in  a  "grand  spree."  Prairie  fires  once  swept  these 
broad  prairies,  spreading  terror  for  miles  in  every  direction.  Two  girls 
were  drowned  in  Lake  Eliza.  It  is  supposed  that  they  got  beyond  their 
depth  when  in  bathing. 

A  Mound. — There  is  a  mound  on  the  Wolf  Place,  that  some  years 
ago  was  as  much  as  twenty  feet  high,  and  from  100  to  150  feet  in  diame- 
ter. It  is  too  bad  that  these  monuments  of  an  ancient  and  now  extinct 
race  and  civilization  should  be  destroyed  without  a  thought.  In  years 
to  come,  these  will  not  only  be  objects  of  great  interest,  but  will  enhance 
the  value  of  the  land  upon  which  they  stand. 

Early  Etents. — It  seems  that  no  one  now  living  in  the  vicinity  can 
tell  with  certainty  about  the  first  death,  birth  and  marriage.  One  of  the 
first  deaths  was  that  of  a  son  of  John  Robinson,  who  died  from  a  cut  in 
the  thigh  with  an  ax.  About  twenty  years  ago,  a  steam  saw-mill  was 
erected  by  Mr.  Sheffield,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  oldest  record  book  of  the  town- 
ship now  in  existence:  "April  18,  1853.  Ordered  by  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Porter  Township,  at  the  house  of  R.  P.  Wells,  that  Charles 
J.  Blackraan  act  as  President  of  said  Board. — Charles  Riddle,  Clerk." 
R.  P.  Wells  and  David  Merriman,  were  the  other  members,  and  E.  W. 
Pennock,  was  Treasurer.  Dr.  Oass  began  the  practice  of  medicine  at  an 
early  day,  in  the  Frame  neighborhood.  After  a  time  he  moved  to  his 
present  location,  where  he  has  practiced  ever  since.  Dr.  Sampson  was 
located  for  a  time  at  Walnut  Grove. 

Schools. — The  first  school  that  was  patronized  by  the  residents  of 
this  township,  was  situated  just  over  the  line  in  Lake  County,  on  Eagle 
Creek.  This  was  a  log  house,  and  for  a  window  had  a  locr  taken  out  the 
full  length  of  the  building.  Over  the  opening  thus  made,  greased  paper 
was  placed  to  keep  out  the  cold  and  admit  the  light.  Probably  the 
second  school  was  taught  by  Mrs.  Humphrey,  in  her  house.  Among  the 
patrons  of  this  school  were  the  Porters,  the  Sheffields,  the  Stauntons  and 


PORTER   TOWNSHIP.  225 

Mr.  McCoy,  who  had  a  large  family  of  boys.  Another  early  school  was 
in  the  Frame  neighborhood.  This  was  a  rude  log  house,  and  stood  on 
land  now  owned  by  Mr.  Freeman.  The  educational  facilities  of  these 
early  times  Avere  of  a  crude  kind,  but  were,  doubtless,  more  highly  appre- 
ciated and  more  fully  utilized  than  the  fine  facilities  of  these  latter  days. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  teachers  of  the  several  districts  of  the  town- 
ship since  1879,  with  some  other  items  of  interest  connected  with  each 
school,  including  the  price  per  day  paid  to  each  teacher:  No.  1,  1880, 
Dora  Rosecrans,  $1.20,  $1.25,  $1.50;  1881,  Dora  Rosecrans,  $1.50; 
1882,  Sadie  Love,  $1.25.  The  house  is  a  brick,  built  in  1880,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $650.  No.  2,  1880,  Loe  Evans,  $1.25,  and  Bertha  B.  Cass, 
$1.50;  1881,  Nettie  Stone,  $1.25,  Mrs.  W.  S.  Phelps,  $1.25,  and  Manta 
Lucas,  $1.50;  1882,  Ollie  Philips,  $1.25.  The  house  is  a  good  brick, 
built  about  1869.  No.  3,  1880,  Lizzie  Beikle,  $1.25,  Mary  Evans, 
$1.25,  and  Amos  B.  Lantz,  $1.87;  1881,  Maude  Shackelford,  $1.25, 
Mantie  Lucas,  $1.25,  and  Albert  G.  Hofi"man,  $1.75;  1882,  Nettie 
Stone,  $1.25,  and  Sarah  Dick,  $1.25.  The  house  is  a  brick,  built  about 
1870,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000.  No.  4,  1880,  Alice  C.  Ball,  $1.25,  Loe 
Evans,  $1.25,  and  Dorcas  Adams,  $1.50;  1881,  Dorcas  Adams,  $1.25, 
Anna  Kelley,  $1.25  and  $1.30;  1882,  Fannie  Griffin,  $1.25.  The  house 
is  a  brick,  built  in  1880,  at  a  cost  of  $650.  No.  5,  1880,  Belle  Stevens, 
$1.25,  Charles  F.  Leeka,  $1.50,  and  America  F.  Merriman,  $1.87; 
1881,  Effie  Cornell,  $1.35  and  $1.27,  and  A.  F.  Merriman,  $2  ;  1882, 
Effie  Cornell,  $1.12.  The  house  is  a  substantial  brick.  No.  6,  1880, 
Lida  Herrick,  $1.25,  and  L.  M.  Herrington,  $1.66;  1881,  M.  J.  Har- 
ris, $1.25,  L.  M.  Herrington,  $1.50,  and  W.  B.  Waggoner,  $1.66;  1882, 
Ada  B.  Fuller,  $1.25.  The  building  is  a  frame,  just  repaired  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $100.  No.  7,  1880,  Carrie  Post,  $1.20,  Nettie  Stone,  $1.25, 
Lizzie  Beikle,  $1.65;  1881,   Olive  C.  Philips,  $1.25,  Anna  Patchen, 

$1.25,   Bernard  Mathis,  ,   0.   S.  Baird,  $1.75;  1882,   Ella   Axe, 

$1.37,  The  building  is  a  large  brick,  built  about  1872.  No.  8,  1880, 
Jennie  Sheffield,  $1.25,  Etta  M.  Pierce,  $1.50;  1881,  Mantie  Lucas, 
$1.25,  Nettie  Stone,  $1.25  and  $1.50;  1882,  M.  M.  Story,  $1.25.  The 
building  is  a  good  brick,  built  about  seven  years  since.  No.  9,  1880, 
Mary  E.  Davidson,  $1.25,  M.  H.  Maston,  $1.25;  1881,  Emma  Hicks, 
$1.50,  Flora  Wilcox,  $1.25,  William  Hicks,  $1.66;  1882,  William  Hicks, 
$1.37.  The  house  is  an  old  frame,  repaired  in  1881,  at  an  expense  of 
$75.  No.  10,  1880,  E.  E.  Flint,  $1.20,  Ira  B.  Blake,  $1.25,  W.  F. 
Russell,  $1.50;  1881,  Bertha  Cass,  $1.30,  Carrie  Fehrmar,  $1.25  and 
$1.50,  Hattie  Bryant,  $1.50;  1882,  Sadie  Hughs,  $1.25.  The  house  is 
at  present  the  poorest  in  the  township.  It  is  a  frame,  built  about  fifteen 
years  ago.     No.  11,  1881,  Isola  Buchles,  $1.25;  1882,  Hattie  Bryant, 


226  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

$1.25,  Nettie  Stone,  $1.25.  The  building  was  built  in  1881,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $750.  Miss  Buckles  had  the  honor  of  teaching  the  first  term  in 
this  district. 

Churches. — The  township  is  well  supplied  with  churches.  Salem 
Church  stands  near  the  center  of  Section  22,  Township  34,  Range  7  ;  an 
Old-School  Presbyterian  Church,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  north- 
east quarter  of  Section  15,  Township  34,  Range  7  ;  at  Boone  Grove 
is  a  Christian  Church,  and  about  half  a  mile  south  of  this  stands  an  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  The  Salem  congregation  had  their  meeting  for 
gome  time  in  the  houses  of  the  settlers.  The  house  has  been  used  by  the 
Methodists  and  Presbyterians  conjointly  for  some  years.  It  is  now  used 
principally  by  the  Methodists.  The  Presbyterians  have  occasional  serv- 
ices. Here,  just  east  of  the  church,  is  one  of  the  finest  graveyards  in 
the  county.  The  first  persons  buried  here  were  two  daughters  of  Ezra 
Reeves,  who  were  taken  up  from  the  Dunn  Farm,  where  it  was  at  first  in- 
tended to  locate  Salem  Church.  Rev.  Baker  preaches  at  Salem  Church  occa- 
sionally. Rev.  Brown  was  one  of  the  early  ministers  and  used  to  hold 
services  at  Mr.  Humphrey's  before  Salem  Church  was  erected.  The  grave- 
yard was  started  at  the  time  that  the  church  was  built.  The  church  has 
been  almost  blown  down  and  has  undergone  thorough  repairs  since  it  was 
built,  which  was  some  thirty  years  ago.  The  Old-School  Presbyterians, 
or  Scotch  Covenanters,  who  built  the  church  in  the  Frame  neighborhood, 
have  most  of  them  moved  away  or  died.  Services  have  not  been  main- 
tained here  regularly.  Joseph  and  Charles  McFarland,  and  David  Mc- 
Knight  were  prominent  among  those  who  organized  this  society  and  built 
the  church.  Rev.  Thompson  used  to  preach  here.  The  ground  for  the 
cemetery  at  Salem  Church  was  the  gift  of  Jonas  Cornish  and  Rebecca 
Cornish,  his  wife. 

Post  Offices  and  Stores. — About  1845,  a  post  office  was  established 
at  Hickory  Point,  with  Jeremy  Hickson  as  Postmaster.  He  carried  the 
mail  from  Crown  Point  for  the  proceeds  of  the  office.  A  few  years  later, 
Henry  Nichols  took  the  office  and  kept  it  three  years,  when  his  father, 
William  A.  Nichols,  took  it  into  his  care  for  two  or  three  years.  Up  to 
this  time,  the  office  was  kept  just  over  the  line  in  Winfield  Township,- 
Lake  Co.  Mr.  Porter  next  took  the  post  office  and  removed  it  across  the 
line  into  Porter  Township,  and  was  holding  it  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
after  which  the  office  was  discontinued.  There  was  a  post  office  as  early 
as  1844,  at  the  "Porter  Cross-Roads, "  known  as  the  Porter  Cross-Roads 
Post  Office.  This  was  closed  about  1865.  Ora  B.  French  and  E.  J. 
Green,  were  among  the  Postmasters.  There  is  a  post  office  at  Boone 
Grove,  kept  by  Enoch  Janes.  A  store  was  established  at  Boone  Grove 
about  twenty-five  years  ago  by  Joseph  Janes,  who  kept   it  for  five  or  six 


PINE   TOWNSHIP.  227 

years,  when  he  closed  out.  This  place  was  for  a  time  called  Baltimore. 
A  store  was  started  at  Hickory  Point,  in  Porter,  by  Alfred  Nichols.  He 
kept  here  for  a  number  of  years,  and  then  took  his  stock  to  Crown  Point. 
Another  was  started  after  he  left  by  Mr.  Wallace.  This  wae  run  for 
several  years.  About  the  time  that  this  one  closed  up,  Mr.  Carson  came 
from  Ohio  with  a  stook  of  goods  ;  some  years  later,  he  closed  out  his 
stock,  since  when  no  goods  have  been  sold  at  Hickory  Point. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


BY   GEORGE    A    QAIIARD. 


Pine  Township— Organization  and  Boundary  Alterations—Physical 
Features — Fish  Lake  —  Industries — Roads — Education — Election 
OF  August,  1836— Death's  Mystery. 

IN  the  year  1836,  the  Township  of  Lake  was  formed  and  received  its 
name  from  its  proximity  to  the  Great  Lake.  It  included  the  territory 
now  constituting  the  civil  township  of  Pine.  At  the  June  session  of  the 
same  year.  Lake  was  annexed  to  Waverly  Township  and  called  West- 
chester. In  1841,  this  region  became  a  separate  township,  known  as 
Berry.  In  June,  of  the  same  year,  a  remonstrance  was  submitted  to  the 
commissioners,  and  the  Township  of  Berry  was  set  back  to  Westchester. 
In  1850,  the  Township  of  Pine  was  created.  It  has  retained  its  original 
size  and  shape  except  that  two  sections  at  the  south  were  annexed  to 
Jackson  at  a  later  date.  The  first  election  in  which  the  people  of  this 
section  participated  was  held  on  Saturday,  April  30,  1836,  at  the  house 
of  Edward  Harper,  who  was  the  Inspector.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
at  this  time  they  were  a  part  of  Lake  Township.  The  civil  Township  of 
Pine  received  its  name  from  the  growth  of  pine  trees  that  covered  the 
northern  part. 

Surface  Features. — The  physical  features  of  Pine  vary  from  high 
barren  sand-hills  at  the  north  to  fertile  fields  at  the  south.  The  whole 
region  was  heavily  timbered  at  one  time,  but  now  most  of  the  good  timber 
is  cut  ofi".  In  the  north  the  timber  was  pine,  while  in  the  central  and 
southern  parts  oak,  hickory,  maple,  cherry  and  other  varieties  of  hard 
wood  abounded.  Much  of  the  timber  was  sold  for  building  cars  and 
canal  boats.  In  1852,  this  region  was  a  wilderness  ;  deer,  wild  turkeys 
and  other  game  were  abundant.  In  mid-winter,  1854,  the  Indians  killed 
a  cub  in  the  township.  The  tracks  of  the  old  bear  were  seen,  but  she 
eluded  the  hunters.  It  is  not  often  that  bears  leave  their  dens  in  the 
middle  of  the  winter  as  these  did. 

Settlement. — This   township   was   very   backward  in  settlement,  and 


228  HISTORY  OF   PORTER  COUNTY. 

many  of  those  who  early  settled  here  moved  away  in  a  short  time.  A 
large  colony  of  Polanders  has  recently  came  into  the  southern  part  of  the 
township.  They  are  industrious,  and  will  subdue  and  cultivate  a  country 
that  our  own  people  would  pass  by  for  many  years.  Their  small  farms 
and  log  houses  show  industry  and  a  determination  to  build  homes. 

Industries,  etc. — Owing  to  the  tardy  growth  of  the  township  its 
history  is  rather  meager.  There  has  never  been  a  church,  or  its  antag- 
onist, a  saloon.  The  lumber  and  wood  business  has  been  the  main 
dependence  of  the  people.  Saw  mills  have  been  established  at  various 
places,  but,  after  using  up  the  timber  in  the  vicinity,  have  moved  away. 
Charcoal  and  cheese  are  the  only  articles  of  importance  that  are  manu- 
factured. The  cheese  factory  is  in  the  southeastern  part.  It  was  estab- 
lished in  1881  by  Younger  Frame.  Its  capacity  is  1,200  gallons  per 
day,  but  it  has  not  yet  been  run  up  to  its  capacity,  for  the  reason  that 
milk  can  not  be  readily  obtained.  Samuel  Hackett  has  three  charcoal 
kilns  in  the  southwestern  part.  One  is  about  one  mile  west  of  the 
La  Porte  County  line,  and  the  other  two  are  about  two  miles  southwest  of 
this  one.  The  first  mentioned  holds  about  sixty-five  cords,  and  the  last 
two  about  eighty-five  cords  each.     A  good  quality  of  charcoal  is  made. 

Schools. — The  first  schoolhouse  used  by  the  citizens  of  this  township 
stood  just  across  the  line  in  La  Porte  County,  opposite  the  southeastern 
part  of  the  township.  It  was  a  small  log  house,  and  was  built  about 
forty-five  years  ago.  This  burned  down,  and  a  small  frame  was  erected 
and  used  for  some  time.  The  next  house  was  built  on  the  town  line  about 
thirty  years  ago.  It  was  an  eight-square  structure,  built  of  narrow,  thick 
boards  placed  upon  each  other  and  lapping  alternately  at  the  corners,  thus 
making  a  wall  about  as  thick  as  an  ordinary  brick  wall,  and  of  such  a 
substantial  nature  that  after  the  lapse  of  thirty  years  it  stands  apparently 
as  solid  as  ever.  It  has  been  weather-boarded,  and  presents  an  attractive 
appearance.  Isaac  Weston  sawed  the  lumber  for  this  house,  and  John 
Frame  and  Elias  Dresden  were  prominent  among  those  who  constructed 
the  building  and  organized  the  school.  In  1855,  the  number  of  children 
of  the  school  age  in  the  township  was  135,  of  which  District  No.  1  had 
forty-two.  No.  2,  sixty-four,  and  No.  3,  twenty-four.  At  this  time,  D.  S. 
Steves  was  clerk.  In  1858,  there  were  two  schools  in  which  the  average 
attendance  was  sixty-eight,  and  the  average  compensation  for  female 
teachers  was  $2.75  per  week.  The  amount  expended  for  instruction  was 
$102,  length  of  school  term,  six  months,  number  of  books  in  the  library, 
146,  and  the  amount  paid  Trustees  for  managing  schools,  §6.  In  1859, 
John  Reader  was  appointed  School  Director  for  District  No.  1,  and  Alfred 
Booth  for  No.  2.  John  Reader  was  re-appointed  for  No.  2  in  1860  and 
in  1861.     In  1865.  S.  C.  Hackett,  Trustee,  reports  149  children  between 


PINE   TOWNSHIP.  229 

the  ages  of  six  and  twenty-one  years.  In  1867,  John  Frame  reports  143; 
in  1868,  191;  in  1869,  156;  in  1870,  156.  In  1871,  William  Kem- 
per reports  189 ;  in  1875,  John  Hackett  reports  179 ;  in  1878,  John 
Frame  reports  169,  and  in  1880  he  reports  189,  while  for  1882,  accord- 
ing to  William  Lewry,  Trustee,  there  are  114  males  and  104  females  of 
the  school  age.  There  are  at  present  three  districts.  The  third  was 
formed  about  five  years  ago.  The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the 
teachers  of  the  township  for  the  years  indicated,  with  the  price  per  day 
paid  them:  District  No.  1,  1866,  E.  L.  Whetstone,  $1.16,  Jennie  M. 
Gallezio,  $1.66  ;  1867,  Annie  M.  King,  $1.25,  Lizzie  Godwin,  $1.50 ; 
1868,  A.  M.  King,  $1.50,  Lizzie  Godwin,  $1.50  ;  1869,  Israel  G.  Haw- 
kins, $1  and  board  ;  1870,  Israel  G.  Hawkins,  $1  and  board,  A.  M. 
King,  $1.50,  C.  N.  Furness,  $1.16,  A.  M.  King,  $1.66;  1871,  A.  M. 
King,  $1.50,  Lottie  Lucas,  $1.50  and  $1.66  ;  1872,  Estella  Van  Deuser, 
^1.66,  Lottie  Lucas,  $1.50;  1873,  Lydia  Beckner,  $1.75,  Esther  Har- 
bage,  $1.50;  1874,  E.  S.  Butler,  $1.66,  Cynthia  Stubbs,  $1.75;  1875, 
Esther  Harbage,  $1.50,  L.  G.  Sovereign,  $1.75 ;  1876,  Esther  Harbage, 
$1.65,  Lue  Furness,  $1.50,  1877,  Lue  Furness,  $1.75,  Mrs.  L.  E.  Mc- 
Mellen,$1.50;  1882,  Maria  Brummitt.  In  District  No.  2, 1866  and  1867, 
Eliza  L.  Whetstone,  $1.50  ;  1868,  Eliza  L.  Whetstone,  $1.50,  J.  F.  Tal- 
cott,  $1.50  ;  1869,  J.  F.  Talcott,  $1.50,  Louise  M.  King,  $1.45;  1870, 
Louise  M.  King,  $1.50,  D.  E.  Williams,  $1.50  and  $1.66;  1871,  Lucy 
Furness,  $1.57,  Cynthia  Stubbs,  $1.50  and  $1.66  ;  Cynthia  Stubbs, 
31.50;  1872,  Clara  A.  Furness,  $1.60,  Angie  Tyler,  $1.00;  1873, 
Lucy  Furness,  $1.66,  Cynthia  Stubbs,  $1.32;  1874,  Ida  Bentler, 
$1.50,  Cynthia  Stubbs,  $1.50  ;  1875,  Cynthia  Stubbs,  $1.50,  L.  M. 
King,  $1.75;  1876,  L.  M.  King,  $1.75,  Mary  A.  Charleton,  $1.50; 
1877,  Mary  E.  Charleton,  $1.75;  1882,  Emily  Brummitt,  $1.60.  Dis- 
trict No.  3  was  created  in  1876.  The  first  teacher  was  Caroline  Hall, 
who  received  $1.68.  The  second  in  the  same  year  was  Esther  Harbage 
who  received  $1.50.  The  third  was  Esther  Barnes,  who  received  $1.75. 
In  1877,  Esther  Barnes  taught  the  school  at  $1.75  and  $1.50.  The  last 
teacher  in  1882  was  Atta  Hackett,  who  received  $1.60  for  her  services. 

Roads. — May  25,  1858,  the  township  was  divided  into  two  road  dis- 
tricts, as  follows  :  Road  District  No.  1  begins  on  the  county  line  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Section  36  and  follows  the  section  line  to  the  town 
line,  thence  south  to  the  township  corner  of  Pine  and  Jackson,  thence  east 
to  the  county  line,  thence  north  to  the  place  of  beginning  and  contains 
twelve  sections.  District  No.  2  commences  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Section  24,  thence  west  to  the  township  line,  thence  north  to  the  lake 
shore,  thence  east  along  the  shore  to  the  county  line,  thence  south  to  the 
place  of  beginning.  There  are  now  four  road  districts.  The  roads  of  the 
township  are  not  in  good  condition. 


230  HISTORY   OF   PORTER   COUNTY. 

Fish  Lake,  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  township,  was  a  lake  of  some 
size  at  one  time.  Mr.  Chancey  Blair  has  drained  it  and  converted  it 
into  a  fine  cranberry  plantation. 

Stores,  etc. — There  is  a  small  store  just  east  of  Furnessville  kept  by 
William  Lowry.  This  is  the  first  and  only  store  that  the  township  has 
had,  and  this  has  been  established  but  a  short  time.  Mr.  Lowry  has  a 
blacksmith  and  wagon  shop,  and  has  a  reputation  for  doing  excellent  work. 

The  First  Settler  of  this  township  was  perhaps  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Switzer,  who  built  a  log  tavern  west  of  Michigan  City.  This  building 
was  about  30x40  feet,  and  belonged  at  one  time  to  William  P.  Ward. 

A  Mystery. — In  the  fall  of  1877,  a  severe  storm  occurred  upon  the  lake* 
After  this  storm,  a  Mr.  Crawford  was  gathering  wood  along  the  lake 
shore,  and  was  startled  to  see  upon  the  sands  a  dead  body  that  proved  to 
be  that  of  a  young  lady  of  from  eighteen  to  twenty-two  years  of  age.  She 
was  fair,  with  auburn  hair  and  pearly  teeth.  Her  form  was  fine,  but  the 
face  was  so  marred  as  to  destroy  its  beauty.  She  was  about  five  feet  in 
height  and  of  medium  weight.  There  was  a  gash  upon  the  head  and  an- 
other upon  the  neck  that  seemed  to  indicate  violence.  The  only  articles 
of  clothing  upon  the  body  were  the  shoes,  stockings  and  garters.  A 
Coroner's  jury  was  summoned,  an  inquest  held  and  a  verdict  rendered  of 
death  by  drowning.  The  fact  of  the  finding  of  the  body  was  advertised 
in  local  and  Chicago  papers,  but  no  one  has  ever  come  to  claim  the  re- 
mains, which  were  buried  upon  the  beach  near  the  place  where  found. 
The  shoes  are  still  in  the  possession  of  J.  B.  Lurdberg,  of  Chesterton. 
They  are  of  good  material,  neat  make,  and  of  a  style  then  much  worn. 
The  body  was  found  on  the  Saturday  preceding  November  10,  1877,  and 
was  buried  on  Sunday.  The  place  of  finding  is  near  the  line  of  West- 
chester and  Pine,  but  the  evidence  seems  to  show  quite  clearly  that  it  was 
in  Pine.  In  this  lonely  grave,  with  this  maiden,  lies  buried  a  mystery 
which  no  one  yet  has  solved. 

"  One  more  unfortunate, 

Weary  of  breath, 
Rashly  importunate. 

Gone  to  her  death. 
Take  her  up  tenderly, 

Lift  her  with  care, 
Fashioned  so  slenderly, 

Young  and  so  fair. 
***** 
"  Make  no  deep  scrutiny 
Into  her  mutiny, 
Rash  and  undutiful, 

Past  all  dishonor 

Death  has  left  on  her 
Only  the  beautiful."  — Hood. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO. 

JACOB  AXE  (deceased),  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  was 
a  native  of  Virginia,  and  in  1828,  his  mother,  Christina  (Kesecker)  Axe. 
widow  of  William  Axe,  moved  with  her  family  to  Wayne  Co.,  Ohio,  where 
she  died  in  March,  1836.     Jacob  Axe  there  married  Miss  Agnes  C.  Cor- 
nell, and   in    1836  they,  in  company   with    William    Dye  and    family, 
and  Elias  Axe,  a  younger  brother,  started  into  Indiana  with   teams  and 
wagons,  and  after  a  trip   of  eighteen  days  through  swamps,  with  no  road 
and  an  almost  incessant  rain-falling,  arrived  in  Porter  County.      The  first 
home  of  Jacob  Axe  was  on  College  Hill,  in  Valparaiso,  where  he  remained 
about  three  months,   afterward  moving  one   and  one-half  miles   east  of 
the    village     (which    then    comprised    about    six  houses),     into    a  log 
cabin  erected  by  some  squatter.     The  spring  of  1836,  he  returned  to  the 
village  and  engaged  in    work  at  his   trade — carpenter  and  joiner.     He 
then  bought  the  Sager  mill  property,  but  sold   it   at  the  end  of  about  a 
year,  and    engaged    in    farming  east  of  town   some   six  or  seven   years, 
succeeding    which    he    moved  to   the    farm    now    owned    by    his   son, 
Cyrus.     He  was  then  engaged  in  a  number  of  different  movements,  prin- 
cipally farming,  working  at  his   trade  and  merchandising  in  Valparaiso. 
He  was  an  active  and  energetic  citizen,  and   a  man  who  commanded  uni- 
versal  respect.     He  was  a  Democrat,  and   he  and  wife  were  members  of 
the    Christian   Church.     He    died     August    5,   1853,    and    his    widow 
married  James  Bundy,  who  died    some  few  months  after  their  marriage. 
Mrs.  Bundy  then  moved   to   Delaware  County,  Iowa,  where  she  married 
William  Cates,  and  where  both  are   still  living.    To  the  marriage  of  Jacob 
Axe  there  were  born  eight  children,  of  whom  six  are  still  living.     Cyrus, 
a  son  of  Jacob  and  Agnes  Axe,  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  June 
4,  1834,  and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Porter  County.     His  occupation 
has  been  stock  dealing,  and  for  the  past  few  years  he  has  been  operating 
a  meat  market  in  conjunction  with  his  other  business.    He  spent  the  sum- 
mer of  1861   in  Colorado,  where   he  went  in  pursuit  of  health  and  on  a 
mining  expedition.     In  1864,  he  was  in  Montana,  where   he  and  others 
were  engaged  in  freighting  goods  across  the  plains.   The  summers  of  1865 
and  1866,  he  fitted  out  wagons  and  sent  them  loaded  across  the  plains  in 
charge   of  his  younger  brother,   Nathaniel.     In  1870,  he  went   to   Salt 
Lake  Valley,  where  he  engaged   in  shipping  stock.     He  was  married  in 
1865,  to  Miss  Harriet  L.  Finney,  whose  parents  were  old  settlers  of  Por- 
ter County.     To  them  have  been  born  four  children — Addison  C,  Hattie 
B.,  Lida  M.  and  Pearl.     Mrs.  Axe  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church, 


232  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

and  Mr.  Axe  is  a  Democrat  and  an  Odd  Fellow.  He  owns  155  acres  of 
good  land  in  Centre  Township,  besides  valuable  town  property.  The 
spring  of  1880,  a  part  of  his  land  lying  between  the  college  grounds  and 
the  N.  Y.,  C  &  St.  L.  R.  R.  depot  was  annexed  to  the  corporate  city 
limits,  and  is  known  as  Axe's  Sub-Division. 

G.  W.  BABCOCK,  dealer  in  agricultural  implements,  was  born  in 
Sandusky  County,  Ohio,  September  1,  1829.  He  is  a  son  of  Clark  and 
Anna  (Lee)  Babcock,  who  were  natives  of  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  and 
Northumberland  County,  Penn.,  and  the  parents  of  seven  children,  three  of 
whom  are  yet  living,  viz.,  George  W.,  Margaret  J.  and  Anna.  Clark 
Babcock  was  a  farmer,  and  emigrated  to  Indiana  in  1832,  locating  first 
in  La  Porte  County,  but  that  same  fall  moved  to  what  is  now  Porter 
County  (then  La  Porte  County),  and  settled  in  Washington  Township. 
What  is  now  Porter  County  had  less  than  twenty  inhabitants,  and  was 
in  a  state  of  nature.  He  built  a  log  house  and  engaged  in  farming,  and 
made  that  his  home  till  his  death,  in  September,  1854,  followed  by  his 
widow  about  ten  years  later.  Both  are  buried  in  Luther  Cemetery,  in 
Washington  Township.  G.  W.  Babcock  was  reared  in  Porter  County  to 
manhood,  and  has  always  made  it  his  home.  He  received  a  common 
school  education,  and  was  married  February  22,  1855,  to  Elmira  Lewis, 
and  by  her  has  four  children — Agnes,  now  Mrs.  Kellogg  ;  Lizzie,  Law- 
rence R.  and  Luella.  The  mother  was  born  in  June,  1830,  in  Union 
County,  Ind.  Mr.  Babcock  is  a  Republican  ;  has  held  township  offices, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  fraternities.  Besides 
good  town  property,  he  owns  a  small  farm  in  Washington  Township — a 
part  of  the  old  homestead.  He  was  over  the  ground  where  the  city  of  Val- 
paraiso now  stands  long  before  it  was  laid  out,  and  has  seen  it  grow  from 
one  to  hundreds  of  houses. 

DR.  SENECA  BALL  (deceased)  was  born  in  Warren  County,  Ohio, 
August  18,  1798.  His  father,  Calvin  Ball,  was  born  in  Morris  County, 
New  Jersey,  and  was  the  son  of  Deacon  John  Ball,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
ninety-five.  Dr.  Ball's  mother  was  Christina,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Elizabeth  Eulass,  of  Rockingham  County,  Virginia.  Dr.  Ball  was  edu- 
cated, first,  in  the  old  log  schoolhouse  of  his  day,  then  attended  a  graded 
school  at  Waynesville,  Ohio,  then  studied  Latin  under  Judge  Wick,  at 
Lebanon,  and  then  became  his  own  preceptor.  He  read  medicine  under 
Dr.  William  Bunnell,  at  Washington,  Ind.,  and  then,  with  his  brother 
Cyrus,  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Lafayette,  Ind.,  February,  1828. 
In  August,  he  returned  to  Ohio  and  married  Miss  Eliza  Blackford,  came 
back  to  Lafayette,  continued  his  business,  and  practiced  until  November, 
1831;  removed  to  La  Porte,  Ind.,  remained  there  four  years  merchandis- 
ing, and  on  Christmas  Day,  1836,  came  to  Valparaiso,  being  thus  one  of 
its  earliest  settlers.  He  continued  in  trade  a  few  years  longer,  sold  his 
stock  and  resumed  practice,  which  he  followed  until,  in  his  judgment,  the 
infirmities  of  age  disqualified  him.  He  went  to  Kansas  in  1868,  and  re- 
turned in  18T4,  making  his  home  with  his  son  Erasmus  until  his  death, 
October  4,  1875.  He  Avas  the  father  of  three  children — Mrs.  Angeline 
Gregg,  of  Garnett,  Kans.;  Erasmus,  and  Cornelia,  who  died  the  wife  of 
Judge  Henry  W.  Talcott,  of  Kansas.  The  Doctor  had  served  his  fellow- 
citizens  as  Probate  Judge,  State  Representative  for  Porter  and  Lake 
Counties,  and  as  Justice  of  the  Peace. 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  233 

Erasmus  Ball  was  born  in  Warren  County,  Indiana,  February  16, 
1832;  he  married  Mary  Ann  Doty,  who  died  January  11,  1865,  leaving 
two  children — Ina  E.,  now  Mrs.  Andrews,  and  Alice  C.  February  12, 
1866,  he  married  Henrietta  B.  Clark,  who  has  borne  him  three  children 
— Charles  S.,  Lily  T.  and  Mary.  Mr.  Ball  was  araong  the  early  drug 
merchants  of  Valparaiso,  and  afterward  station  agent  on  the  P.,  Ft.  W. 
&  C.  R.  R.,  for  over  nineteen  years.  In  January,  1881,  he  was  elected 
Cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Valparaiso,  of  which  he  was  a 
stockholder,  and  yet  fills  that  position.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 

JOHN  C.  BALL  was  born  in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  July  2,  1815, 
the  son  of  Luther  and  Elizabeth  (Frye)  Ball,  natives,  respectively,  of 
New  Jersey  and  Maryland,  and  the  parents  of  four  children,  of  whom 
only  our  subject  and  one  sister  are  living.  John  C,  like  his  father,  was 
reared  a  farmer,  but  through  the  solicitation  of  a  cousin.  Dr.  Ball,  came  to 
La  Porte  County,  Indiana,  in  1835,  to  act  as  clerk.  On  the  laying  out 
of  Valparaiso,  in  1836,  Dr.  Ball  moved  his  stock  of  goods  to  the  place, 
then  containing  about  one  hundred  inhabitants,  John  C.  coming  with 
him.  Dr.  Ball  erected  a  frame  building  on  the  lot  where  Wood's  grocery 
store  now  stands,  and  here  John  C.  clerked  until  about  1811.  In  August, 
1842,  John  C.  Ball  was  elected  Clerk  of  the  Courts  of  Porter  County, 
took  his  office  in  the  March  following,  served  seven  years,  and  was  then 
elected  County  Treasurer  for  three  years,  and  the  following  fifteen  years 
engaged  in  improving  lands  near  the  village,  and  since  then  has  been 
employed  in  various  pursuits.  He  is  now  living  retired,  and  owns  valuable 
property  in  and  near  the  village.  He  was  married  in  Valparaiso,  in  1852, 
to  Susan  M.  Marshall,  who  has  borne  him  seven  children,  viz.:  Wade  D., 
who  married  Lizzie  Eason,  in  1878,  and  is  the  railroad  agent  at  Colum- 
bia City  ;  Ivan  M.;  Grace  H.;  Mary  D.,  now  Mrs.  G.  E.  Stanton;  Caryl 
C,  Lizzie  and  Harry  R.  The  mother  was  born  July  8,  1832,  in  Dutchess 
County,  New  York,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr. 
Ball  is  now  independent  in  his  political  views  and  does  not  confine  him- 
self to  any  creed  or  dogma,  but  votes  in  all  cases  for  the  competent  man, 
and  not  for  the  party. 

MICHAEL  BARRY,  blacksmith  and  carriage  and  wagon  manu- 
facturer, is  a  native  of  County  Cary,  Ireland,  his  birth  occurring  Decem- 
ber 12,  1843.  He  is  one  of  eleven  children,  eight  yet  living,  born  to 
James  and  Mary  (Fitzgerald)  Barry,  the  father  of  whom  is  dead,  but  the 
mother  is  yet  living  in  the  old  country.  Michael  Barry  received  only  a 
fair  education  in  the  old  country,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty,  in  October, 
1863,  came  to  New  York  City  and  was  there  fourteen  months,  working 
at  his  trade,  which  he  learned  of  his  father  in  Ireland.  Havins:  friends  in 
Indiana,  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  in  December,  1864,  and  began  with  his 
brother,  and  has  remained  a  citizen  of  Valparaiso  ever  since.  In  1875, 
he  and  brother  dissolved  partnership,  and  Michael  then  opened  a  black- 
smith and  a  wagon  and  carriage  shop  on  his  own  responsibility.  He  has 
three  buildings  where  he  carries  on  his  business  —  two  brick  rooms 
22x60.  He  gives  employment  to  eleven  men,  and  by  hard  work  and 
economy  he  has  made  a  comfortable  fortune  and  an  excellent  business. 
In  June,  1882,  he  received  a  patent  on  a  spring  wagon  of  entirely  new 


234  BIOGI^APHICAL   SKETCHES: 

design  in  reference  to  springs  and  reach,  which  for  neatnesss  and  durability 
is  unsurpassed,  and  is  rapidly  taking  a  front  rank  among  vehicles  of  its 
kind.  Mr.  Barry  was  married  in  New  York  City,  in  1863,  to  Miss  Mary 
Griffin,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  by  her  had  one  son,  since  deceased.  Mr. 
Barry  has  taken  an  interest  in  the  public  affairs  of  Valparaiso,  and  for 
six  years  represented  the  3d  Ward  in  its  Council.  He  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

A.  V.  BARTHOLOMEW,  merchant,  was  born  in  Licking  County, 
Ohio,  November  26,  1818  ;  one  of  six  children  of  Jeremiah  and  Rebecca 
(Skinner)  Bartholomew,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  of  English  descent. 
Jeremiah  Bartholomew  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  came  with  his  parents  to 
Licking  County  in  time  to  enlist  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  participated  in 
a  number  of  engagements,  notably  those  of  Fort  Meigs  and  of  the  cam- 
paign along  the  lake  shore.  On  his  return  he  married,  in  1817,  and  in 
August,  1828,  came  to  La  Fayette,  Ind..  entered  into  mercantile  pursuits, 
kept  hotel,  and  laid  off  the  northern  and  better  part  of  the  city.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1833,  he  moved  to  Michigan  City,  then  a  hamlet  of  seven  fami- 
lies, and  kept  public  house  until  December,  1834,  when  he  purchased  400 
or  500  acres  in  Washington  Township,  and  there  settled  and  began  farm- 
ing. About  a  year  after,  he  moved  to  Centre  Township,  which  was  his 
home  till  his  death  in  1841,  his  widow  following  in  1863.  A.  V.  Bar- 
tholomew, who  was  reared  to  the  stern  realities  of  farm  life,  was  married 
April  7,  1844,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Stephens,  and  continued  a  farmer's  life. 
Mrs.  Bartholomew  died  in  1862,  leaving  a  family  of  eight  children — 
William  M.  (deceased),  Mary  A.,  Finette  A.,  Rebecca  R.,  Martha  E., 
George  F.,  Walter  S.  (deceased)  and  Elizabeth  (deceased).  In  1862, 
Mr.  B.  moved  to  Valparaiso  and  engaged  in  merchandising  in  the  build- 
ing he  yet  occupies,  being  to-day  one  of  the  leading  merchants,  carrying 
a  stock  of  dry  goods,  hats,  caps,  ready-made  clothing,  etc.,  valued  at 
^22,000,  manufacturing  clothing  to  order,  and  doing  an  annual  trade  of 
$60,000  to  $70,000.  Mr.  B.  married  Mrs.  Emma  (Benney)  Marshall  in 
April,  1864,  both  being  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  B. 
helped  to  organize  the  Republican  party  of  Porter  in  1854,  was  elected  to 
the  Legislature,  and  served  in  the  session  of  1855  ;  in  1857,  he  was 
elected  County  Commissioner  to  fill  an  unexpired  term  ;  subsequently,  he 
filled  the  office  for  twelve  consecutive  years.  Besides  valuable  town  prop- 
erty, he  owns  640  acres  in  the  county,  the  greater  part  of  which  he  has 
earned  by  his  industry. 

A.  D.  BARTHOLOMEW,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Morgan 
Township,  Porter  County,  Ind.,  May  20,  1843  ;  one  of  a  family  of  te;; 
children,  six  of  whom  are  yet  living,  born  to  Joseph  and  Mary  Ann 
(Spencer)  Bartholomew,  natives  of  Greene  and  Somerset  Counties,  Penn. 
The  parents  were  born  April  3,  1801,  and  June  1,  1805.  When  six 
years  old,  Joseph  came  with  his  parents  to  Ohio,  Perry  County,  and  there, 
on  the  22d  of  February,  1827,  was  married.  He  came  to  Porter  County 
in  1834 ;  settled  in  Pleasant  Township,  but,  being  dissatisfied,  moved  to 
Morgan  Township,  where  he  entered  160  acres  of  land,  erected  a  log  cabin, 
and  began  breaking  up  the  prairie.  Indians  were  in  abundance  at  that 
time,  and,  when  crazed  by  liquor,  would  often  betiome  very  troublesome, 
and  sometimes  dangerous ;  in  addition  to  this,   wild  animals  would  carry 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  236 

away  young  stock,  although  housed.  Their  marketing  was  done  at  La 
Fayette,  afterward  Miclii,<;an  City.  Milling  and  marketing  were  gener- 
ally accomplished  by  three^or  tour  families  getting  together  and  making  up 
an  ox-team.  Many  other  trials  of  a  pioneer  life  fell  to  the  lot  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bartholomew,  but  they  gradually  prospered,  and  to  such  people  Porter 
County  can  attribute  her  present  prosperity.  Mr.  B.  died  April  19, 
1881  ;  his  widow  is  yet  living,  and  resides  with  her  son  in  Morgan  Town- 
ship on  a  part  of  the  old  homestead.  A.  D.  Bartholomew  was  reared  and 
educated  in  Porter  County.  He  attended  law  school  at  Chicago  Univer- 
sity, and  began  practicing  in  Valparaiso  in  1866.  His  first  partner  was 
Col.  Pierce  in  1867,  and  his  present  partner  is  E.  D.  Crumpacker,  He 
was  married,  November  18,  1869,  to  Miss  Mary  Eason,  who  was  born 
May  22,  1848.  To  their  union  were  born  three  children — Maggie, 
Joseph  and  John.  Mr.  Bartholomew  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  His  success  as  a  lawyer  has  been 
notable  and  lucrative. 

EZRA  S.  BEACH,  son  of  Truman  and  Catherine  (Burke)  Beach, 
was  born  April  18,  1837.  Truman  Beach  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut in  1805;  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  was  married  in  Canada 
in  1832.  In  1836,  the  Beach  family,  consisting  of  Ezra  and 
Polly  (Stoddard)  Beach  (grandparents  of  our  subject),  and  six  children, 
came  to  this  county,  where  the  children  still  reside.  They  all  settled  on 
adjoining  farms  in  Washington  Township.  Truman  Beach  and  wife 
there  resided  until  1856,  when  they  came  to  Valparaiso,  remained  one 
year,  and  then  purchased  a  farm  in  a  state  of  nature,  but  now  one  of  the 
best  improved  farms  near  Valparaiso.  For  many  years  Truman  con- 
ducted a  nursery,  but  of  late  has  retired  from  active  life,  and  the  farm  is 
managed  now  by  Ezra  S.  The  old  place  consists  of  fifty-six  acres,  but 
Ezra  S.  owns  the  old  homestead  of  160  acres  on  which  he  was  born  in 
Washington  Township,  and  180  acres  additional  in  the  same  township. 
Ezra  S.  was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  but  finished  iiis  education 
in  the  old  Male  and  Female  College  of  Valparaiso.  He  was  married, 
September  12,  1860,  to  Miss  Jennie  E.  Fifield,  who  has  borne  him  six 
children — Truman  A.,  who  died  when  seventeen  years  old  ;  Kittie, 
George,  Minnie,  INIark  and  Ray.  Mr.  Beach  is  independent  in  his  politi- 
cal views. 

H.  M.  BEER,  M.  D.,  son  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Beer,  was  born  in 
Ashland  County,  Ohio,  March  20,  1838,  and  was  reared  in  his  native 
county.  He  received  a  good  academical  education,  and  at  twenty-one 
years  of  age  began  the  study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  P.  H.  Clark,  with 
whom  he  remained  two  and  a  half  years ;  then  for  a  year  he  attended 
Cleveland  Medical  College,  then  enlisted  as  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the 
Twenty-third  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  remaining  as  such  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  He  then  located  in  Cumberland,  Md.,  practicing,  and  at 
intervals  attendino;  the  college  at  Cleveland,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1868.  In  that  year  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  and  has  here  been  actively 
engaged  in  practice  ever  since,  having  been  uncommonly  successful,  his 
patients  being  among  the  best  and  most  prominent  families  of  Porter 
County.  Dr.  Beer  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  he  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Cimrch. 


236  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

REASON  BELL,  Jr.,  the  first  white  child  born  in  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  is  the  son  of  Reason  and  Sarah  (Darnell)  Bell,  and  was  born  in 
Washington  Township,  this  county,  January  11,  1834.  Reason  Bell, 
Sr.,  now  deceased,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  and  was 
born  December  31,  1797,  in  Greene  County,  Va.  He  married,  August 
26,  1819,  Miss  Sarah  Darnell,  born  in  the  same  county  May  9,  1801. 
Shortly  afterward  they  moved  to  Ohio,  and  thence,  in  July,  1832,  to 
Indiana,  stopping  in  La  Porte  County  until  1833,  and  then  coming  to 
Washington  Township,  this  county,  then  unorganized.  They  are  said  to 
have  been  the  third  white  family  to  settle  in  what  is  now  Porter  County. 
They  located  in  the  unbroken  forest,  and  underwent  all  the  hardships  and 
privations  of  pioneer  life.  They  had  born  to  them  twelve  children,  nine 
of  whom  reached  maturity  ;  six  are  still  living.  Mr.  Bell  was  a  Whig 
and  afterward  a  Republican,  and  was  one  of  the  early  County  Commis- 
sioners ;  in  religion  he  was  a  Universalist  in  belief,  although  he  was  a 
member  of  no  church.  He  died  July  16,  1867,  his  widow  surviving  him 
until  July  12,  1881.  The  remains  of  both  lie  in  the  Lutheran  Burying- 
Ground,  Washington  Township.  Reason  Bell,  Jr.,  received  only  a  com- 
mon school  education,  and  December  23,  1857,  married  Miss  Delia  A. 
White.  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  began  acting  as  Deputy  County 
Auditor,  and  so  continued  until  1857,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  office 
by  the  Republicans,  and  re-elected,  serving  eight  years ;  in  1870,  he  was 
again  elected  and  re-elected,  and  served  eight  consecutive  years — in  all, 
sixteen.  At  present  he  is  leading  a  retired  life,  yet  gives  some  attention 
to  feal  estate.  He  is  the  father  of  six  children,  viz :  Theron  H., 
Marion  A.,  Herbert  R.,  Mary,  Mark  D.  and  Clarence  W.  Mr.  Bell  is 
a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.,  the  0.  F.  Encampment,  and  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  0.  F.,  and  has  passed  the  chairs  of  lodge  and  encampment. 
The  family  name  was  formerly  spelled  Beall,  and  the  first  one  knoAvn  is 
Joseph  Beall,  a  native  of  Scotland,  who  moved  to  England.  His  son, 
John  Beall,  emigrated  from  England  to  America  in  1730,  and  settled  in 
the  Jerseys.  He  was  the  father  of  three  sons  ;  one,  Onesimus,  was  born 
on  Long  Island  in  1738,  and  served  as  Captain  in  the  French  and  Indian 
wars,  and  twenty  years  later  as  Lieutenant  in  the  Revolution.  Another 
son,  Simeon  Bell,  was  the  grandfather  of  Reason  Bell,  Jr.  Simeon  mar- 
ried Mary  McLane,  a  lady  of  Irish  descent,  and  to  them  were  born  eleven 
children,  of  whom   Reason,  our  subject's  father,  was  the  fourth  child. 

HANS  BORNHOLT,  the  younger  of  two  children  born  to  Max  and 
Kate  (Hadenfeldt)  Bornholt,  is  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  was 
born  in  March,  1838.  The  mother  died  in  the  old  country,  when  the 
father  married  Anna  Hendricks,  who  became  the  mother  of  six  children, 
one  of  Avhom  lives  in  Valparaiso.  The  father  died  in  Germany  in  1868 ; 
the  widow  survives  and  still  resides  in  that  country.  In  the  spring  of 
1861:,  Hans  Bornholt  came  to  Valparaiso,  and  for  about  four  months 
worked  as  a  laborer  on  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railroad. 
In  January,  1865,  he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty- 
first  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  about  eight  months.  Return- 
ing, after  the  war,  he  learned  the  butcher's  trade,  which  he  has  followed 
ever  since,  Avith  the  exception  of  one  year  in  which  he  was  engaged  in 
farming.     He  was  married,  March  4,  1864,  to   Anna   Harbek,  who  has 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  237 

borne  him  five  children — Charley,  Gus,  Jule,  Leo  and  Ljdia.  Mr. 
Bornholdt  is  a  Republican  and  has  served  two  terms  as  Trustee.  He  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Gliurch,  and,  rising  from  comparative 
poverty,  Mr.  B.  has  secured  for  himself  and  family  a  good  property  and 
a  first-class  trade. 

WILLIAM  E.  BROWN,  County  Auditor.  James  Caldwell  Brown, 
D.  D.,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  one  of  the  pioneer  preachers 
of  Porter  County,  Ind.,  was  the  eldest  child  of  William  and  Eleanor 
(Lyons)  Brown,  and  was  born  at  St.  Clairsville,  Belmont  Co.,  Ohio,  in 
October,  1815.  He  attended  the  preparatory  department  of  Gambler 
College,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  entered  Jefferson  College  of 
Pennsylvania.  While  in  the  Freshman  class,  he  experienced  religion,  and 
united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  graduated  with  honors,  and 
passed  to  the  Western  Theological  Seminary  at  Allegheny,  Penn.,  re- 
mained two  vears,  and  then  spent  one  year  teaching  in  Florida  and 
Georgia.  He  then  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Columbia,  S.  C, 
graduating  a  year  later,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Harmony,  S.'C,  in  1838.  On  his  way  North,  he  married  Miss  Mary 
Emery,  and  in  1839  this  couple  came  to  the  then  village  of  Valparaiso, 
where  Mr.  Brown  entered  actively  upon  his  ministerial  labors.  He  was 
the  founder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Valparaiso,  and,  for  many  years, 
was  the  leading  representative  of  Christianity  in  Northern  Indiana.  Si- 
multaneously, in  1859,  he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from 
Jefferson  and  Hanover  Colleges.  In  1860,  he  became  the  agent  of  the 
Theological  Seminary  of  the  Northwest,  at  Chicago,  for  which  he  resigned 
his  pastorate.  After  a  few  months  of  fruitless  work,  on  account  of  the 
war,  he  resigned  and  went  to  St.  Louis,  to  fill  the  vacancy  of  Dr.  Mc- 
Pheeter's,  in  the  church  there,  after  which  he  was  elected  Chaplain  of  the 
Forty-eighth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  participated  in  the  diff"er- 
ent  movements  of  the  regiment  until  his  death  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  July  14, 
1862,  from  overwork,  llis  widow  yet  survives  him,  and  resides  in  Val- 
paraiso. They  had  born  to  them  three  children.  Of  the  two  yet  living, 
one  is  William  Emery  Brown,  the  present  Auditor  of  Porter  County. 
He  was  born  in  Valparaiso  March  14,  1842,  and  after  attending  the 
schools  here,  entered  Jefferson  College.  At  the  end  of  one  year,  he  re- 
turned and  enlisted,  in  December,  1861,  in  the  Twentieth  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  He  was  appointed  Commissary  Sergeant,  and  when  his 
term  of  service  was  out,  re-enlisted  in  the  same  regiment.  In  the  mean- 
time, he  was  commissioned  Captain  on  his  uncle's  (Col.  W.  L.  Brown's) 
staff".  He  never  served  as  Captain,  however,  for  Col.  Brown  was  killed 
at  Second  Bull  Run  the  same  day  he  received  his  commission  as  Briga- 
dier General.  William  E.  Brown  remained  with  his  regiment  as  Com 
missary,  and  part  of  the  time  as  Acting  Sergeant  Major  until  April,  1865, 
when  he  was  discharged.  Owing  to  the  irregularity  of  the  mails,  he  did 
not  receive  his  appointment  as  Quartermaster  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Fifty-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  until  his  retirement  from  the  serv- 
ice. For  a  number  of  years  after  the  war,  he  engaged  in  clerking. 
With  the  exception  of  six  years,  he  has  ever  since  resided  in  Valparaiso. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and,  in  1878,  was  elected  County  Au- 
ditor, with  a  majority  of  1,224    over  two  other  candidates.     He  was  re- 


238  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

nominated  by  acclamation  in  July,  1882.  Mr.  Brown  was  married,  in 
October,  1866,  to  Miss  Amanda  A.  Pershing,  of  Plymouth,  Ind.,  and  to 
them  have  been  born  six  children  ;  Fredrick  J.,  Harry  Van  N.,  Ella  L., 
Edith  J.,  Grace  M.  E.  and  Jessie  S.  Mr.  Brown  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraterity ;  has  been  Past  Master  of  Porter  Lodge,  No.  137  ; 
Past  High  Priest  of  Valparaiso  Chapter,  No.  79,  R.  A.  M,,  and  is  the 
present  Eminent  Commander  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28,  K.  T. 

H.  B.  BROWN,  Principal  of  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  School, 
was  born  in  Mount  Vernon,  Knox  Co.,  Ohio,  October  6,  1847.  He  is  a 
son  of  Thomas  and  Rachel  (Mills)  Brown,  of  German  and  Scotch  descent 
respectively  and  parents  of  seven  children,  of  whom  six  are  yet  living. 
When  H.  B.  Brown  was  about  two  years  of  age,  his  parents  moved  from 
Knox  to  Morrow  County  and  thence  to  Wood  County.  He  first  attended 
the  common  schools,  and,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  began  his  career  as  teacher, 
with  his  earnings  paying  for  his  tuition  in  the  higher  branches.  He  at- 
tended the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University  at  Delaware  and  Lebanon  schools, 
the  National  Normal  School,  and  at  Republic,  Ohio,  where  he  taught  two 
years  in  a  normal  school.  In  June,  1873,  he  came  to  Valparaiso  and 
built  up  his  present  school,  of  which  he  has  made  a  complete  success. 

T.  A.  E.  CAMPBELL  (deceased),  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Porter 
County,  was  a  native  of  Montgomery  County,  N.  Y.;  was  born  July  10, 
1810,  and  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Campbell,  also  natives  of  New 
York,  and  of  Scotch  ancestry.  In  1831,  he  came  to  what  is  now  Porter 
County  with  his  uncle.  Adam  S.  Campbell.  He  taught  school  for  a  time  ; 
was  the  first  Postmaster  of  Valparaiso,  and  served  as  Deputy  County 
Clerk,  at  which  he  was  engasced  in  1841,  when  he  was  elected  Countv 
Treasurer  and  Collector.  He  filled  this  office  with  satisfaction  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  and  was  afterward  engased  for  a  long  time  in  mercantile 
pursuits  ;  he  then  employed  himself  at  farming  until  his  death.  May  14, 
1878.  Mr.  Campbell  was  largely  identified  with  the  construction  of  the 
Pittsburgh,  Ft.  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railroad ;  he  was  a  charter  member  of 
the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Valparaiso,  and  always  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
temperance  cause.  He  was  married,  March  25,  1841,  to  Miss  Margaret 
Parkinson,  of  Lake  County,  Ind.  This  lady  was  born  in  Wayne  County, 
Penn.,  November  22,  1820,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Gibson  and  Mary 
(Rogers)  Parkinson,  who  were  of  English  descent,  and  came  to  Lake 
County  in  1836,  being  among  the  first  settlers.  To  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Campbell  there  were  born  nine  children — Mary  L.  (deceased), 
Eliza  J.  (Mrs.  A.  E.  Woodhull),  Emmett,  Robert  S.  (deceased),  Hugh 
A.,  Theresa  (Mrs.  C.  E.  Bacon),  Dora  (Mrs.  E.  S.  Jones),  Thomas  A. 
and  Maud  (deceased).  Mrs.  Campbell  is  still  residing  on  the  old  home- 
stead where  she  first  began  married  life,  together  with  her  son-in-law  and 
daughter  (Mrs.  Woodhull),  and  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

J.  F.  CARTER,  farmer  and  dealer  in  timber,  was  born  in  Jackson 
Township,  Porter  County,  Ind.,  July  4,  1842,  and  is  one  of  eight  chil- 
dren; five  yet  living,  born  to  Jacob  and  Chloe  (Doud)  Carter,  a  sketch  of 
■whom  will  be  found  in  Jackson  Township  biographical  sketches.  J.  F. 
Carter  was  reared  in  Jackson  Township  to  manhood,  receiving  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools.     August  27,  1861,  being  then  only  nineteen 


CITY  OF  VALPAUATSO.  239 

years  old,  he  was  mu?terod  into  service  for  the  defense  of  the  Union  in 
Company  H,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  immediately  went 
to  the  front.  He  participated  in  all  the  movements  of  his  company  and 
regiment  until  after  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  and  was  engaged  in  the  battles 
of  Green  Briar,  Buifalo  Mountain  and  Shiloli.  The  second  day  of  the 
fight  in  the  last-named  battle  ho  was  sitting  on  a  rail  pile  when  a  shell 
from  the  enemy,  striking  the  rails,  exploded,  and  threw  Mr.  Carter  some 
distance  very  forcibly.  He  experienced  no  particular  injury  at  the  time, 
but  that  night,  during  the  rain,  got  wet,  took  cold  which  settled  in  his 
back,  which  was  badly  strained  by  the  explosion,  and  in  consequence  was 
disabled  for  duty,  and  he  is  yet  a  sufferer  from  the  effects  of  this.  For  this 
reason  he  was  discharged  the  spring  of  1863.  As  soon  as  able,  he  en- 
gaged ill  farming  in  his  native  township,  and  there,  January  1,  1865, 
married  Mrs.  Nancy  A.  (Brierly)  Comer.  In  1870,  they  removed  to 
Iowa,  remaining  there  two  years,  afterward  returning  to  Porter  County 
and  locating  in  Valparaiso,  where  they  have  ever  since  resided.  They 
are  the  parents  of  two  children — Frank  J.  and  Charles  R.  Mr.  Carter 
is  a  Republican,  and  is  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  place.  Ho 
owns  a  farm  of  280  acres  in  Washington  and  Centre  Townships,  and  has 
taken  an  equal  part  in  the  support  of  all  laudable  enterprises  that  pertain 
to  his  town  or  county. 

H.  C.  COATES,  M.  D.,  is  a  native  of  Marlboro,  Stark  Co.,  Ohio, 
was  born  June  8,  1826,  and  is  the  fifth  in  a  family  of  twelve  children, 
seven  of  whom  are  yet  living,  born  to  Amos  and  Jane  B.  (Norris)  Coates, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Keystone  State  and  of  English  descent. 
Amos  Coates  was  a  farmer,  and  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Stark  County, 
Ohio,  and  one  of  the  chief  educators  of  his  day  in  Marlboro.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  began  the  study  of  medicine  when  quite  young,  at  home, 
under  the  advisement  of  his  cousin,  Dr.  J.  G.  Coates;  afterward  under 
Dr.  G.  W.  Bettis.  In  1855,  he  entered  the  American  Medical  College, 
Cincinnati,  and  in  1856  embarked  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  his 
native  town.  In  1861,  he  took  a  contract  as  Physician  and  Surgeon  under 
the  United  States  Government  at  Cleveland,  remaining  about  three  years. 
During  this  time  he  attended  the  medical  department  of  the  Western  Re- 
serve College  in  Cleveland,  and  graduated  the  winter  term  of  1863-61. 
After  the  war,  he  continued  his  studies  in  medicine  at  Cleveland,  and 
after  attending  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Wooster,  re- 
ceived a  special  diploma  dated  from  the  winter  term  of  1865-66.  He 
also  took  a  Practitioner's  course  in  the  Chicago  Medical  Department  of 
the  Northwestern  University.  The  summer  of  1866,  he  came  to  Valpa- 
raiso and  opened  an  office,  and  has  remained  here  ever  since,  actively  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  as  resident  Surgeon  for  the 
P.,  Ft.  W.  &  C.  R.  R.,  for  fourteen  years.  In  1882,  he  was  chosen  as 
County  Physician,  by  the  County  Commissioners  of  Porter  County,  and 
is  now  serving  in  that  capacity.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian*  Church.  He  married,  April  15,  1847, 
Miss  E.  S.  Ward,  of  Portage  County,  Ohio,  and  to  this  union  were  born 
four  children — Alfred  \V.,  Phebe  L.  (deceased),  Lura  E.,  now  Mrs.  S. 
Ramsey,  and  Maud  D. 

MILAN    CORNELL,  farmer,    was   born    December   13,     1827,  in 
Crawford  County,  Ohio,  and  is  one  of  eleven  children,  seven  yet  living, 


240  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

born  to  Isaac  ami  Priscilla  (Morgan)  Cornell,  a  sketch  of  whom  will  ap- 
pear in  the  biography  of  Ira  Cornell,  of  Porter  Township.  Up  to  1834, 
Milan  Cornell  lived  with  his  parents  in  his  native  county,  and  in  that 
year  emigrated  with  them  to  what  is  now  Porter  County,  Ind.,  locating 
in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  same,  and  becoming  the  first  white  settlers 
of  Boone  Township.  The  parents  ever  afterwards  made  Porter  County 
their  home,  and  died  esteemed  and  respected  citizens.  Milan  Cornell  re- 
ceived his  education  from  the  common  schools  of  that  early  day,  and  in 
1840,  he  and  three  others  received  an  attack  of  California  fever,  which 
induced  them  to  start  for  the  far-fixmed  gold  fields  of  the  West.  They 
went  by  the  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  on  their  arrival  at  San 
Francisco,  our  subject  had  only  one  dollar.  He  found  employment  for  a 
short  time  chopping  cord-wood,  at  the  rate  of  about  -$16  per  day,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  mining  near  Sonora,  and  the  most  part  of  his  stay  there 
was  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State.  He  participated  in  many  of  the 
hardships,  etc.,  of  a  miner's  life,  including  fights  with  Indians,  Mexi- 
cans and  cut-throats  of  various  kinds.  In  1853,  he  returned  to  Indiana, 
and  commenced  farming  and  dealino-  in  stock,  at  which  he  has  ever  since 
continued,  with  the  exception  of  about  three  years,  while  in  the  hardware 
trade  at  Valparaiso.  February  28,  1854,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Cordelia  Freeman,  who  was  born  in  Onandago  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1834,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Azariah  Freeman,  appropriate  men- 
tion of  whom  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  To  this  marriage  were 
born  two  children — Genevieve,  now  Mrs.  S.  C.  Williams,  and  Kate,  the 
wife  of  Marion  Baum.  Mr.  Cornell  is  a  Democrat,  a  member  of  the  I. 
0.  0.  F.,  and  the  0.  F.  Encampment.  He  and  wife  moved  to  Valparaiso 
the  spring  of  1882,  and  are  among  the  best  citizens  of  the  place.  They 
own,  besides  good  town  property,  a  valuable  farm  of  160  acres  in  Liberty 
Township. 

M.  B.  CROSBY,  native  of  Putnam  County,  N.  Y.,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 17,  1809,  and  is  one  of  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living, 
born  to  Zenas  and  Sally  (Chapman)  Crosby,  who  were  also  natives  of 
Putnam  County.  M.  B.  Crosby  was  reared  on  a  farm  ;  moved  to  Onta- 
rio County,  N.  Y.,  when  a  young  man,  and  married  Philura  Freeman,  in 
Connecticut,  in  October,  1834.  They  resided  in  Ontario  County,  N.  Y., 
farming  until  the  spring  of  1836,  when  they  moved  to  Michigan  City, 
and  the  next  summer,  went  to  Crown  Point,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he 
farmed  until  June,  1839  ;  thence  moved  to  Porter  County,  locating  in 
Washington  Township,  where  he  cleared  and  farmed  until  1846,  when 
he  traded  his  farm  for  what  was  known  as  the  Cheney  Flouring  Mill. 
He  ran  that  seven  years,  then  sold  out ;  moved  to  Valparaiso,  and  for  one 
year  was  in  the  dry  goods  trade  in  partnership  with  J.  N.  Skinner.  He 
ami  S.  G.  Hassthen  built  a  large  brick  steam  saw  and  flouring  mill,  which 
they  operated  five  years.  In  this  venture  Mr.  Crosby  lost  §5,000,  but 
nevertheless,  he  bought  the  mill  he  now  owns.  In  connection  with  the 
mill,  which  is  in  charge  of  his  son,  Mr.  Crosby  runs  a  flour  and  feed  store, 
and  throughout  his  diversified  business  career,  has  been  very  successful. 
He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  Mr.  Crosby 
was  one  of  two  male  members  who  helped  organize  that  church  in  Valparaiso. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  politics;  is  self-made,  and  he  and  wife  were  parents  of 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  241 

five  children  :  Harrietta,  Enoch,  Emma  J.,  now  wife  of  Hon.  S.  S.  Skin- 
ner, Freeman  and  Edwin  Van  S.  The  two  eldest  and  the  youngest  of 
these  are  dead. 

HON.  MARK  L.  De  MOTTE,  Representative  to  Congress  from  the 
Tenth  Congressional  District  of  Indiana,  was  born  December  28,  1832, 
at  Rockville,  Park  Co.,  Ind.  His  father,  Daniel  De  Motte,  was  of 
French  descent,  his  ancestors  coming  to  America  a  number  of  genera- 
tions back  and  settling  on  Long  Island.  His  mother,  Mary  (Brewer) 
De  Motte,  was  of  Dutch  descent,  her  father  being  a  native  of  Holland, 
but  passing  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Kentucky.  To  their  marriage 
were  born  eight  children,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  being  the  youn'^est. 
His  father  was  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  faith,  and  for  forty 
years  was  occupied  in  ministerial  labors  all  over  the  State.  Fifteen  years 
of  this  time  he  was  financial  agent  for  Asbury  University.  He  died  at 
Greencastle,  Ind.,  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years,  preceded 
by  his  wife  in  1866  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years.  Mark  L.  De  Motte 
was  reared  to  manhood  in  Indiana.  After  attending  public  schools,  he 
attended  a  seminary  for  one  year  at  Greencastle,  afterwards  entering 
Asbury  University,  at  that  place,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in 
1853.  receiving  the  degree  of  A.  B.  He  immediately  entered  upon  the 
study  of  law,  attending  the  law  school  of  Asbury  University,  and  gradu- 
ating in  1855  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  In  that  year  he  came  first  to 
Valparaiso,  Ind.,  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession.  On 
the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  in  1856,  he  was  elected  Prose- 
cuting Attorney  for  the  judicial  circuit,  comprising  the  counties  of  Porter, 
Lake,  La  Porte,  St.  Joseph,  Marshall  and  Stark.  The  month  of  Decem- 
ber, 1856,  at  Valparaiso,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Elizabeth 
Christy,  and  they  lived  happily  here  until  1861,  when  he  entered  the 
Government  service  as  Senior  First  Lieutenant  of  the  Fourth  Indiana 
Battery,  and  continued  with  his  command  till  April,  1862,  when  he 
resigned  ta  accept  the  Captaincy  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Milroy.  In  this 
capacity  he  participated  in  the  battles  of  Pope's  campaign  of  1863,  clos- 
ing with  the  engagement  of  Second  Bull  Run,  afterwards  going  with 
Gen.  Milroy  to  West  Virginia,  remaining  there  till  after  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg.  The  remainder  of  his  service  was  on  post  duty  at  Harris- 
burg,  Penn.  In  August,  1865,  he  removed  to  Lexington,  Mo.  In  1869, 
he  became  owner  and  editor  of  the  Lexington  Register^  a  Republican 
newspaper,  and  remained  in  active  journalistic  work  until  1877,  when  he 
removed  to  his  old  home  in  Valparaiso.  While  in  Missouri,  he  was  twice 
nominated  for  Congress  on  the  Republican  ticket,  but,  owing  to  a 
majority  of  10,000  or  upwards  of  opposition  in  his  district,  was  never 
elected.  After  his  return  to  Valparaiso,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law, 
which  he  continued  without  interruption  until  18S0,  when  he  received  the 
Republican  nomination  and  was  elected  to  Congress  from  the  Tenth  Dis- 
trict, over  a  fusion  candidate.  For  the  past  two  years  he  has  served  with 
signal  fidelity  and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents,  who,  on  the  17th  of 
August,  1882,  complimented  him  by  a  renomination.  Mr.  De  Motte, 
aside  from  being  a  prominent  public  man,  is  an  influential  and  esteemed 
private  citizen.  He  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Mary  and 
Louise.     Mr.   De  Motte,  in  1879,  was  prominent  and  influential  in   the 


242  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

organization  of  the  Law  Department  of  the  N.   I.  N.   S.,  of  which  he  is 
one  of  the  instructors. 

C.  W.  DICKOVER,  County  Sheriff,  was  born  in  Luzerne  County, 
Penn.,  February  17,  1832  ;  is  one  of  ten  children,  five  yet  living,  born 
to  George  and  Catharine  (Rymer)  Dickover,  natives  of  Lancaster  County, 
Penn.  George  Dickover  was  a  stone  mason  and  plasterer  by  trade.  His 
father,  Jacob  Dickover,  was  a  native  of  Switzerland,  and  came  to  America 
previous  to  the  Revolutionary  war.  George  Dickover  and  wife  lived  and 
died  in  Pennsylvania,  respectively  aged  seventy-seven  and  forty-five.  C. 
W.  Dickover,  next  youngest  of  his  parents'  family,  was  reared  in  his 
native  State  ;  fairly  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and  there  learned 
the  brick  mason's  trade.  In  1854,  he  came  to  Valparaiso ;  worked  as  a 
journeyman  several  years,  and  then  engaged  in  contracting.  He  has  re- 
sided in  Valparaiso  ever  since,  except  two  years  when  working  in  Du- 
buque, Iowa.  After  the  fire  at  Chicago,  he  went  there  and  assisted  in  re- 
building the  burnt  district  for  about  four  months.  In  December,  1857, 
Mr.  Dickover  returned  to  Luzerne  County,  Penn.,  where,  on  the  5th  of 
January,  1858,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Willits,  of  Wilkes  Barre.  Mr.  D. 
has  contracted  for  and  executed  a  great  deal  of  work  in  La  Porte,  Lake 
and  other  counties.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  the  parents  of  six  children  :  C.  Howard,  Mark  L.,  Daisy, 
living,  and  Jessie,  Ford  and  Maud,  deceased.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  has  ascended  to  the  Commandery,  being  a  Sir 
Knight  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28.  He  is  a  Republican,  and 
in  October,  1880,  was  elected  Sheriif  of  Porter  County,  and  at  the  Re- 
publican County  Convention,  in  July,  1882,  was  renominated  by  accla- 
mation. 

DANIEL  H.  DILLINGHAM,  grocer,  was  born  in  Liberty  Town- 
ship, this  county,  April  27,  1849,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  four  children 
of  Olcott  and  Hannah  (Hale)  Dillingham.  Olcott  Dillingham  was  born 
in  Huron  County,  Ohio,  in  1827,  and  is  the  youngest  of  three  living 
brothers  born  to  John  and  Hannah  (Hecox)  Dillingham,  natives  respect- 
ively of  Wales  and  Connecticut.  At  the  age  of  ten  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Porter  County,  then  a  part  of  La  Porte  County,  where  they 
purchased  600  acres  of  land.  Their  destination,  on  leaving  Ohio,  was 
south  of  Chicago,  but  a  gale  on  the  lake  forced  the  vessel,  on  board  of 
which  they  were  bound  for  Chicago,  to  put  into  Michigan  City,  and  this 
incident  led  to  their  making  their  home  in  this  county.  Mr.  Dillingham 
remained  with  his  father  until  he  reached  his  majority,  when,  in  June, 
1848,  he  married  Miss  Hannah  A.  Hale,  a  native  of  Maine.  The  Decem- 
ber following,  he  built  himself  a  house  on  some  land  belonging  to  his 
father's  estate,  in  which  he  lived  until  about  1858,  when  he  moved  to  the 
old  homestead,  his  present  farm,  which  he  managed  for  his  father  until 
the  latter's  death  in  1861.  He  is  now  the  largest  land-owner  in  the  town- 
ship, his  farm  comprising  627  acres,  well  improved  with  first-class  build- 
ings, wind-pump,  etc.,  and  thoroughly  cultivated.  Mr.  Dillingham  is 
strongly  Republican  in  politics,  and,  though  he  was  unfortunate  in  having 
no  early  educational  advantnges,  he  is  an  intelligent,  careful  manager, 
naturally  shrewd,  and  a  progressive  and  enterprising  citizen.  There  have 
been  born  to  him  four  children — Daniel  II.  ;  Carrie  E.,  now  Mrs.  L.  D. 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  243 

AVolf;  Isaac,  and  Luella.  now  Mrs.  Joseph  Meade.  His  aged  mother, 
Mrs.  Hannah  (Hecox)  Dillin<:liam,  died  at  the  homestead  in  18 — .  Dan- 
iel H.  Dillingham,  as  well  as  his  brother  and  sisters,  was  reared  in  this 
county,  and  his  education  was  acquired  in  the  common  schools.  He  was 
married,  March  28,  1870,  to  MissElma  Bartholomew,  daughter  of  Wash- 
ington Bartholomew  (deceased).  In  1881,  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  and 
January  1,  1882,  he  and  his  brother  Isaac  formed  a  copartnership  in  the 
grocery  trade,  and,  for  beginners,  are  doing  remarkably  well,  and  fully  as 
much  as  some  of  the  older  houses,  inasmuch  as  they  carry  a  full  line  of 
everything  belonging  to  the  trade  of  a  first-class  grocery  store,  and  are 
affable,  obliging  and  attentive  to  their  customers.  Mr.  D.,  besides  his  in- 
terest in  the  store,  owns  considerable  town  property  and  a  farm  of  360 
acres  in  Liberty  and  Centre  Townships.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  he  is  by  nature  a  man  of  energy  and  enterprise,  and  is  always  fore- 
most in  undertakings  of  a  laudable  character.  There  have  been  born  to 
his  marriage  two  children — Charles  H.  and  Minnie  E. 

OBADIAH  DUNHAM  was  born  in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  Septem- 
ber 26,  1809,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  living  children  of  eight  born  to 
Abner  and  Caridace  (Irons)  Dunham.  Mrs.  Candace  Dunham  died  in 
October,  1814,  and  Abner  Dunham  died  in  1822.  Obadiah  was  reared 
chiefly  in  Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  and  there  learned  the  tailor's  trade.  In 
1832,  he  removed  to  Ohio,  and  at  Cardington  was  married,  May  7,  1840, 
to  Miss  Sarah  W.  Winshop.  He  changed  his  residence  several  times ; 
came  to  A^alparaiso  in  the  latter  part  of  1844,  and  has  since  made  it  his 
home.  Here,  in  1848,  he  was  appointed  School  Commissioner.  He  worked 
at  his  trade  until  1850,  when  hs  was  elected  County  Recorder  by  the  Dem- 
ocrats. In  1855,  he  was  elected  Clerk  of  Courts,  and  served  four  years  ; 
he  then  engaged  largely  as  administrator  of  estates  and  as  deputy  in 
county  officials'  offices,  and  for  the  past  seventeen  years  has  held  the  posi- 
tion of  Deputy  County  Recorder.  Mr.  Dunham  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  a 
member  of  the  Encampment,  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  They  are  the  parents  of  four  children — Ann  E.  (de- 
ceased), Charles  N.,  George  (deceased),  and  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  E.  F. 
White,  of  Junction  City,  Kan.  Charles  N.  married  Sarah  Church,  in 
October,  1870 ;  is  a  resident  of  Valparaiso,  and  is  a  machinest  by  trade. 
Mr.  Dunham  came  to  Porter  County  a  poor  man,  but  has  realized  a  com- 
fortable fortune,  and  is  now  living  in  retirement. 

DR.  J.  H.  EDMONDS,  dentist,  was  born  in  Upper  Canada  De- 
cember 26,  1848,  and  is  one  of  the  four  children  born  to  R.  D.  and  Mar- 
garet (Ferguson)  Edmonds.  When  the  Doctor  was  about  fifteen  years  of 
age,  the  family  came  to  the  United  States,  first  settling  at  Detroit  and 
then  moving  to  Illinois,  where  the  mother  died  in  about  1870  ;  the  father 
now  resides  in  Dacotah.  The  Doctor  received  an  academical  education  in 
Canada,  but  the  literary  portion  was  finished  at  a  college  in  Detroit.  In 
1866,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  and  dentistry  at  Rock  Island,  under 
Dr.  Buzette,  and  graduated  from  the  Philadelphia  Dental  College  the 
term  of  1873-74 :  he  also  received  a  special  diploma  as  surgeon,  from 
Jefferson  Medical  College,  qualifying  him  fully  for  the  practice  of  dentis- 
try. He  was  married  July  28,  1870,  to  Miss  Marietta  Pierce,  who  was 
born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  November  22,  1853,  the  daughter  of  Levi  W. 


24-1  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES  : 

Pierce,  an  early  settler.  She  had  studied  dentistry  with  the  Doctor  and 
is  fully  qualified  in  all  its  branches,  making  "filling  "  a  speciality.  They 
came  to  Valparaiso  in  1872,  and  together  do  by  far  the  greater  part  of 
the  dental  business  of  the  town.  They  possess  all  the  latest  improve- 
ments, and  their  plate-work  and  filling  cannot  be  surpassed.  Dr.  Ed- 
monds is  the  only  dental  graduate  in  Valparaiso  or  Porter  County,  and 
he  ranks  among  the  leading  men  of  the  profession  in  Northern  Indiana. 
The  Doctor  is  a  Republican,  a  Mason  and  a  Sir  Knight  of  Valparaiso 
Commandery  No.  28.  His  grandfather,  Samuel  Edmonds,  was  a  native  of 
England,  and  was  for  nine  years  in  the  British  naval  service,  serving  for 
a  time  as  Commodore.  The  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Edmonds  are  the  parents 
of  two  children — Bruce  Eugene  (deceased)  and  Glenn. 

JOHN  M.  FELTON.  County  Clerk,  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
County,  Pennsylvania,  January  6,  1834.  His  father.  William  Felton, 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  a  railroad  engineer  by  occupation,  and 
married,  about  1825,  Margery  McCallister,  who  bore  him  two  sons,  both 
yet  alive.  The  mother  died  there  in  1829,  and  in  1831  Mr.  Felton 
married,  Miss  Margaret  Mourer,  and  to  this  marriage  were  born  eight 
children,  six  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Mr.  Felton  continued  the  life  of  a 
railroad  man  until  his  death  in  May,  1862.  His  widow  survived  him 
until  1871,  when  she,  too,  died.  Two  of  their  sons  served  their  country 
in  the  late  war — one,  Robert  K.,  being  killed  before  Petersburg.  John 
M.  Felton  was  reared  in  the  "  Keystone  State,"  receiving  a  common 
school  education.  He  learned  his  father's  business  of  Civil  Engineer, 
and  the  spring  of  1857  was  employed  by  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  & 
Chicago  Railroad,  on  a  new  survey  through  northern  Indiana.  Previous 
to  this  time,  he  had  been  employed  in  Pennsylvania,  and  in  Tennessee 
and  Mississippi,  as  a  railroad  engineer.  In  1860,  he  located  permanently 
in  Valparaiso — although  he  first  came  in  1857 — and  since  that  time  has 
always  made  Porter  County  his  home.  He  engaged  as  a  salesman  in  a 
hardware  store  here  until  August,  1875,  when  he  was  elected  on  the 
Democratic  ticket  to  the  office  of  County  Treasurer,  and,  two  years  later, 
was  re-elected,  serving  in  all  four  years.  In  1878,  he  was  elected  Clerk 
of  Circuit  Court  of  the  county,  and  took  his  office  November,  1879. 
Although  Porter  County  gives  a  Republican  majority  of  about  500,  Mr. 
Felton  has,  by  personal  popularity,  been  elected  every  time  he  has  re- 
ceived a  nomination.  He  was  married,  November  18,  1863,  to  Miss 
Mary  Jane  Marshall.  This  lady  died  April  24,  1873,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren— Robert  L.  and  Lizzie  M.  The  mother  was  born  April  15,  1841, 
in  Wells  County,  Ind.,  and  died  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

CHARLES  FERNEKES  was  born  in  Germany  February  10, 
1834,  the  son  of  Antoine  and  Catharine  (Schranck)  Fernekes,  who  came 
to  this  country  in  1856,  and  died  in  Milwaukee  in  1872.  Charles  Fer- 
nekes learned  to  be  a  baker  and  candy-maker  in  the  old  country,  and  at 
the  age  of  eishteen  came  to  America,  locatingr  at  Milwaukee,  where  for  two 
years  he  worked  at  his  trade;  he  then  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he  mar- 
ried Eve  Griebel,  September  19,  1855.  In  1859,  he  came  to  Valparaiso, 
opened  a  confectionery  and  restaurant,  and  has  secured  a  comfortable  fort- 
une. Besides  his  business  place,  he  owns  five  dwellings  and  the  business 
room  occupied  by  Munger  &  Le  Claire.     His  wife  died  April  13,  1880, 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  245 

leaving  five  children — Bertha,  now  Mrs.  H.  C.  Schranck;  George,  Peter, 
Rosa  and  Charley.  He  married  his  present  wife,  Mrs.  Kate  (Dauber) 
Schwitzer,  November  23,  1881,  and  by  her  has  one  son,  not  yet  named. 
Mr.  F.  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  in  politics, 
he  is  a  Democrat.  At  present  Mr.  F.  is  engaged  in  the  grocery  and  con- 
fectionery trade,  but  expects  shortly  to  return  to  the  confectionery  and 
restaurant  business,  for  which  his  large  experience  well  qualifies  him. 

JOHN  FITZ  WILLIAMS  was  born  in  Charing  Cross,  St.  Peters 
Port,  on  the  Island  of  Guernsey,  off  the  coast  of  France,  February  29, 
1828.  His  parents,  John  and  Mary  Fitz  Williams,  were  also  natives  of 
the  Island.  The  parents  came  to  New  York  in  1818,  and  were  there  natural- 
ized, that  the  father  might  do  business  for  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  in  the 
Northwestern  Territory,  and  was  located  in  and  near  the  State  of  Wis- 
consin. Mr.  Fitz  Williams  never  returned  to  his  native  country,  but  after 
quitting  the  employ  of  the  H.  B.  Company,  engaged  in  farming  in  Wis- 
consin, and  died  there  in  about  1839.  In  1827,  Mrs.  Fitz  Williams  went 
back  on  a  visit  to  her  native  land,  and  there,  in  1828,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born.  In  1829,  the  mother  and  son  came  to  America,  and 
the  mother  died  during  the  time  her  son — the  only  one — was  fighting  for 
the  preservation  of  his  adopted  country.  .John  Fitz  Williams,  subject  of 
this  memoir,  in  the  fall  of  1840,  was  bound  out  as  an  apprentice  on  board 
the  bark  "  Enterprise,"  of  St.  Peters  Port,  Guernsey.  After  serving 
four  and  a  half  years  he  ran  away,  and  found  employment  as  cook  on  the 
lakes.  In  1854.  he  came  first  to  Valparaiso,  but  remained  here  only  a 
short  time,  afterward  going  back  to  the  lakes,  where  he  remained  till 
1856,  when  he  again  came  to  Valparaiso  and  entered  the  employ  of  A. 
R.  Gould,  of  the  hotel  "American  Eagle."  In  April,  1861,  he  enlisted 
in  Company  H,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  with  this 
company  until  1862,  when  he  became  an  orderly  for  Gen.  Milroy,  in 
West  Virginia.  In  June,  1863,  he  re-enlisted  in  Company  E,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Twenty-eighth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  promoted  Or- 
derly Sergeant,  afterward  being  promoted  to  the  Second  Lieutenancy  of 
his  company.  Owing  to  an  accident  which  happened  to  him  while  on 
Hood's  campaign,  he  was  unable  to  act  in  the  capacity  of  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, and  accordingly  was  discharged.  Mr.  Fitz  Williams  was  in  a 
number  of  skirmishes,  and  engagements,  among  them  being  Second  Bull 
Run,  and  was  also  through  the  Atlanta  campaign  with  Gen.  Sherman. 
After  the  war,  he  started  a  restaurant  in  Valparaiso,  and  has  ever  since 
been  in  business  in  the  place.  As  a  business  man,  he  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful, and  to-day  is  worth  a  comfortable  fortune,  which  he  has  acquired 
by  his  own  efforts.  He  was  married,  in  December,  1863,  just  previous 
to  going  out  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth,  to  Margaret  Mc- 
Carthy, and  to  their  marriage  were  born  five  children — Annie,  Fanny, 
Eliza,  Fred  and  John.     The  parents  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

AZARIAH  FREEMAN,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Porter  County,  is 
a  native  of  Tolland  County,  Conn.,  and  was  born  May  23,  1809  ;  eldest 
of  six  children,  four  yet  living,  born  to  Enoch  and  Lury  (Huntington) 
Freeman,  and  has  made  farming  his  chief  occupation  through  life.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  went  to  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  to  look 
after  a  farm  his  father  owned,  and  remained  there  until  1838,  but  in  the 


246  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

mean  time  (1831)  returned  to  his  native  State,  and  married  Miss  Amanda 
Crane,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  L.  (Abbe)  Crane,  born  April  6, 
1809.  He  removed  West  in  1838,  and  purchased  land  in  Michigan  and 
Indiana,  locating  in  Elkhart  County,  this  State,  where  he  farmed  for  a 
few  years.  He  traded  his  property  there  for  160  acres  on  Morgan  Prai- 
rie, Washington  Township,  Porter  County,  to  which  he  removed  in  1842. 
In  1850,  he,  and  a  company  of  others,  emigrated  overland  to  California. 
Upon  his  return  to  Porter  County  the  next  year,  he  located  in  Valparaiso. 
He  has  been  especially  identified  in  the  educational  advancement  of  the 
county.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  old  Male  and  Female  College,  and 
gave  much  toward  its  prosperity.  After  its  discontinuance,  he  induced 
Mr.  Brown  to  come  here  and  start  what  is  now  known  as  the  Northern 
Indiana  Normal  School,  of  which  he  is  now  Vice  President.  He  has  been 
connected  with  many  other  enterprises  of  the  town  and  county.  For 
eighteen  successive  years,  he  was  Swamp  Land  Commissioner  of  Porter 
County,  also  County  Commissioner  for  a  time.  He  has  held  other  posi- 
tions of  local  honor  and  trust,  among  which  was  that  of  President  of  Town 
Council  for  a  number  of  years  before  Valparaiso  became  a  city.  Although 
an  old  man,  he  is  yet  one  of  the  county's  best  and  most  active  citizens. 
He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  the 
parents  of  four  children,  viz.,  Edwin  E.,  Cordelia.  George  and  Lura  0. 

JOSEPH  GARDNER,  banker,  was  born  in  Chautauqua  County,  N. 
Y.,  June  10,  1821,  and  is  the  seventh  son  of  a  family  of  nine  children, 
two  yet  living,  born  to  Robert  and  Martha  (Maine)  Gardner.  He  is  a 
grandson  of  Robert  Gardner,  who  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  afterwards  a 
resident  of  Ireland,  where  he  died.  The  father  of  Joseph  Gardner  was 
born  in  Ireland,  about  1784,  married  Martha  Maine,  at  Belfast,  and,  in 
1818,  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Chautauqua  County, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  June  5,  1855.  The 
widow  moved  to  Porter  County  in  1861,  and  died  on  the  farm  of  her  son 
Joseph  in  July,  1864.  Both  the  parents  were  of  the  Presbyterian  faith. 
Joseph  Gardner  remained  with  his  parents  in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y., 
until  his  sixteenth  year.  In  1836,  he  began  life's  battleon  his  own  responsi- 
bilitv,  and  for  three  summers  engao-ed  as  a  sailor  on  Lakes  Huron,  Erie  and 
Michigan.  He  then  entered  as  laborer  in  a  warehouse  at  Michigan  City,  Ind., 
remaining  there  principally  until  the  spring  of  1844,  when  he  went  to 
Mackinac,  where  he  engaged  in  fishing  and  coopering  for  five  years.  In 
company  with  five  others,  February  6,  1849,  he  left  the  straits,  bound  for 
California.  There  they  mined  on  Bear  Creek,  near  what  is  now  known 
as  Little  York,  their  individual  profits  per  day  being  about  ^16.  At 
the  end  of  about  two  months  they  went  to  Sacramento,  where  their  com- 
pany was  dissolved,  and  in  January,  1850,  Mr.  Gardner  went  to  Nevada 
City,  where  he  remained  about  two  years,  mining.  He  then  went  back 
to  Little  York,  and  engaged  in  mining  and  "  ditching."  Mr.  Gardner, 
in  the  last  named  business,  invested  ^100,000,  which  he  had  made  out  of 
the  mines.  The  ditch  he  operated  is  yet  in  fine  condition,  and  is  owned 
by  what  is  known  as  the  York  Mining  Company.  In  1868,  he  returned 
to  Indiana,  and  for  three  years  farmed  in  Essex  Township,  Porter 
County.  He  then  came  to  Valparaiso,  and  in  1874  established  the  Val- 
paraiso Savings  Bank,  which,  in   February,  1879,  was  merged  into   the 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  247 

Farmers'  National  Bank,  with  a  cash  capital  of  ^50,000.  Mr.  G.  is  n 
Republican,  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  in  Masonry,  and  his  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  was  married,  in  1858,  to  Sarah 
M.  Hill,  and  to  this  union  was  born  one  son — William  H.,  who  is  assist- 
ant cashier  of  the  bank. 

JEREMIAH  HAMELL,  deceased,  one  of  the  first  merchants  to  lo- 
cate in  Valparaiso,  came  to  the  place  about  the  year  1836,  and  by  his 
honor,  enterprise  and  pleasing  manners,  rapidly  won  the  confidence, 
friendship  and  patronage  of  the  villagers  and  the  surrounding  neighbor- 
hood. Rev.  Dr.  Beatty,  his  former  pastor,  at  Steubenville,  Ohio,  men- 
tioned him  as  a  young  man  of  marked  ability,  capable  of  high  career  in 
any  vocation  he  might  prefer.  He  chose  the  activity  of  mercantile  pur- 
suits, although  of  fine  literary  tastes  and  scholastic  habits,  delighting 
always  to  spend  leisure  hours  with  books  and  pen.  A  fine  orator,  he 
was  often  called  to  assist  in  the  temperance  work,  political  campaigns, 
and  on  all  other  occasions  requiring  intelligence  and  fine  address.  In 
the  year  1838,  he  represented  the  counties  of  Porter  and  Lake  in  the 
State  Legislature,  and  had  he  lived,  would  have  been  selected  for  the 
occupancy  of  still  higher  oSices  of  trust  and  importance.  A  few  years 
after  his  arrival,  he  married  Miss  B.  E.  Cowan,  an  estimable  and  attractive 
young  lady,  who,  some  time  previous,  had  removed  from  Romney,  Hamp- 
shire Co.,  Va.,  to  Southern  Indiana,  and  one  of  the  original  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Valparaiso.  With  her  he  enjoyed  happy 
years  of  home  life,  and  the  generous  and  pleasant  hospitalities  they  con- 
ferred upon  friends,  will  be  remembered  by  many  who  were  guests  at  their 
table  and  fireside.  When  death  called  the  noble  husband  and  father,  a 
universal  sympathy  and  grief  were  felt ;  the  loss  being  one  to  a  community 
as  well  as  to  the  shadowed  household.  And  now,  although  time  has 
planted  the  mosses  of  many  a  summer  upon  his  grave,  the  name  of  Mr. 
Hamell  is  one  often  recalled;  his  gifts  and  virtues  frequently  recounted 
and  absent,  he  is  still  unforgotten.  Rev.  J.  C.  Brown,  D.  D.,  the  be- 
loved and  lamented  first  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Valparaiso, 
was  his  warm  friend  and  admirer,  referring  to  him  ever  as  a  gentleman  of 
culture,  usefulness,  piety  and  public  spirit,  of  unnusually  fine  personal 
appearance,  and  remarkable  social  qualities.  It  is  said  that  as  a  brilliant 
conversationalist  he  was  unsurpassed,  being  able  to  discuss  topics  of  the 
day  at  his  storeroom  while  busily  engaged  in  posting  his  ledgers.  In 
sermons  preached  specially  to  young  men  of  the  town,  Mr.  Hamell  was 
suggested  for  their  imitation  as  a  type  of  what  one  could  accomplish  by 
his  own  unaided  effort  in  obtaining  position  in  society,  education,  success 
in  business,  and  what  is  above  all,  a  name  so  noble  as  to  become  a  cher- 
ished legacy.  Such  to  his  family  and  friends  is  that  of  Jeremiah  Hamell, 
and  this  little  tribute  is  placed  to  his  memory  with  the  tenderness  with 
which  loving  hands  garland  a  tomb. 

JOHN  W.  H AYDEN  was  born  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  May 
29,  1815,  and  is  one  of  nine  children  (only  two  of  whom,  our  subject 
and  a  brother,  Caleb  Hay  den,  of  Morgan  Prairie,  yet  survive),  born  to 
Caleb  and  Sarah  (Wolcott)  Hayden,  who  were  natives  of  Williamsburg, 
Mass.  The  year  after  their  marriage,  they  moved  to  New  Zork  State 
and  lived  there  farming  until  1817,  then  removed  to  Franklin   County, 


248  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Mass.,  and  in  1835  emigrated  overland  to  Indiana,  locating  in  La  Porte 
County,  where  Mr.  Hayden  died  in  about  1838.  Mrs.  Hayden  lived 
on  the  old  place  until  1855,  when  she  moved  to  Morgan  Township,  Porter 
County,  where  she  died  the  following  year.  John  W.  Hayden  was  reared 
in  York  State  and  Massachusetts  until  nineteen  years  old.  The  spring  of 
1834,  he  went  to  Chicago  and  was  there  a  short  time,  afterward  going  to 
Ottawa,  III.,  where  he  bought  a  claim  of  land  in  La  Salle  County.  He 
then  returned  to  Massachusetts,  and  through  his  persuasions  the  parents 
sold  what  little  property  they  possessed  and  emigrated  westward.  They 
were  unable  to  reach  La  Salle  County  before  the  land  sales  there,  con- 
sequently his  land  was  sold  and  he  was  out  of  a  farm.  On  account  of 
the  sickness  of  his  sister  they  were  obliged  to  stop  in  La  Porte  County, 
Ind.,  on  their  way  out,  where  they  remained  until  her  death.  On  the 
return  of  our  subject  from  looking  after  his  claim  in  Illinois,  they  con- 
cluded to  remain  in  La  Porte  County  and  make  it  their  home,  which 
they  did,  till  their  removal  to  Porter  County  in  1855.  John  W.  Hayden 
returned  to  Vermont  in  1845,  and  April  17,  of  that  year,  married  Abi- 
gail L.  Barber.  Returning  with  his  wife  to  Indiana,  he  engaged  in  clear- 
ing and  farming  and  taking  such  part  in  pioneer  pursuits  as  are  described 
in  the  township  history.  This  lady  bore  him  one  daughter,  Mary  A... 
now  the  wife  of  Henry  Stoner,  of  Morgan  Prairie,  and  died  February 
27,  1847,  and  lies  buried  in  La  Porte  County.  Mr.  Hayden  married  his 
present  wife,  Almira  Worster,  February  7,  1849,  in  La  Porte  County, 
and  to  his  last  marriage  there  were  born  five  children,  viz.:  One  that 
died  in  infancy  without  name,  Abigail  L.  (wife  of  Allen  W.  Reynolds), 
Anna  L.  (deceased),  Hittie  (deceased),  and  Louisa  (the  wife  of  Herbert 
Fish).  Mr.  Hayden  is  one  of  the  old  pioneers  of  Northwestern  Indiana, 
and  one  of  its  self-made  men.  His  life  has  been  passed  in  hard  work  at 
farming  and  pioneer  work  until  within  the  past  three  years,  since  when 
he  has  been  living  in  Valparaiso  retired.  Mr.  Hayden  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  a  Democrat ;  has  held  positions  of  trust  in 
the  county  and  is  one  of  the  present  Jury  Commissioners. 

PROF.  RICHARD  A.  HERITAGE,  Musical  Director  of  Northern 
Indiana  Normal  School,  was  born  October  28,  1853,  in  Williams  County,. 
Ohio.  He  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children  born  to  James  and  Susannah 
(De  Long)  Heritage,  the  former  of  England  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen,  he  left  home  to  attend  the  Normal  School  at  Bryan, 
Ohio.  Three  years  later,  he  was  installed  as  tutor  in  music  and  mathe- 
matics in  the  same  institution.  In  about  two  and  one-half  years,  he 
entered  the  Musical  Convention  work  with  W.  F.  Werschkul,  D.  Wertz 
and  S.  W.  Straub.  In  1877,  he  accepted  the  principalship  of  the  Edon 
(Ohio)  Graded  School,  working  about  one  year,  when,  in  the  midst  of  a 
term  of  school,  he  received  a  telegram  from  H.  B.  Brown  asking  him 
to  take  the  position  of  Musical  Director  of  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal 
School,  suddenly  vacated  by  W.  F.  Speer.  He  accepted,  and  has  held 
the  position- ever  since.  When  Prof.  H.  took  the  position  in  the  spring 
of  1878,  there  was  no  musical  department  except  the  vocal  classes  and 
three  pianos  for  private  instruction.  In  the  fall  of  1878,  the  musical  de- 
partment was  fully  organized,  with  a  course  of  study  embracing  two  years' 
work,  including  notation,  sight  reading,  thorough-bass,  harmony,  fugue, 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  249 

counter-point,  orchestration,  musical  literature,  voice  culture,  piano, 
organ,  violin  and  band  and  orchestral  instruments.  This  is  divided  into 
four  courses.  The  three  pianos,  previously  mentioned,  were  placed  in  the 
students'  rooms  ;  now,  the  department  has  a  room  40x42  feet,  with  twenty 
pianos,  seven  organs,  and  one  set  of  band  and  orchestral  instruments. 
The  building  is  arranged  with  twenty-two  private  practicing  rooms  and 
director's  family  rooms,  musical  store  and  reading  room,  and  an  excellent 
musical  and  miscellaneous  library  of  over  1,000  volumes,  with  twenty 
musical  journals  on  file.  It  is  also  connected  with  the  telephonic  ex- 
change. Prof.  H.  is  editor  and  publisher  of  a  musical  journal — The 
(Valparaiso)  Musical  Ideal.  This  has  all  been  done  through  the  untir- 
ing and  persistent  efforts  of  Prof.  Heritage,  who  is  a  genial,  affable 
gentleman  of  fine  musical  talent.  The  number  of  certificates  of  mem- 
bership was  about  150  in  1878  ;  last  year  the  number  reached  409.  Prof, 
n.  was  married,  March  22,  1877,  to  Mary  C.  Miller,  a  native  of  Ohio. 
They  have  one  child,  Harvey  H.  Of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  fraternity.  Prof. 
H.  is  a  member,  having  taken  twelve  degrees,  and  also  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  has  always  been  a  Republican. 

J.  D.  HOLLETT,  of  the  firm  of  Haste^&  Hollett,  hardware  dealers,  is 
a  native  of  Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  his  birth  occurring  May  11,  1848. 
He  is  next  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  one 
daughter  of  whom  is  dead,  born  to  Thomas  A.  and  Deborah  A.  (Benja- 
min) Hollett,  also  natives  of  the  State  of  New  York.  Thomas  A.  Hollett 
was  a  farmer ;  moved  to  Porter  Township,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  from  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.,  in  1851,  and  moved  to  Valparaiso  in  about  1864,  and  he 
and  wife  are  yet  living  here,  not  actively  engaged  in  any  pursuit.  J.  D. 
Hollett  was  reared  principally  in  Porter  County,  where  he  received  the 
common  school  education.  At  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  began  for  himself, 
and  up  until  nineteen  years  of  age  was  going  to  school  and  clerking  in 
Wood  Brothers'  grocery  store  in  Valparaiso.  In  1867,  he  was  employed 
as  fireman  of  an  engine  on  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Rail- 
road, and  after  firing  two  and  a  half  years,  entered  the  engine  and  ma- 
chine shops  in  Chicago,  remaining  there  about  a  year,  when,  by  reason  of 
his  habits  and  previous  satisfactory  work,  he  was  given  an  engine.  For 
four  years  he  was  employed  as  freight  and  passenger  engineer  on  the  Fort 
Wayne  road.  The  fall'of  1874,  he  became  the  "Co."  of  the  hardware 
firm  of  Hawkins,  Haste  &  Co.,  but  at  the  end  of  two  years  Mr.  Hawkins 
retired  from  the  partnership  and  the  firm  of  Haste  &  Hollett  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  with  success.  They  carry  everything  found  in  a 
first-class  hardware  and  farming  implement  store,  and  do  as  large  a  trade 
as  any  firm  of  the  kind  in  the  town.  Mr.  Hollett  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  is  a  Sir  Knight  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No. 
28.  He  was  married,  February  21,  1872,  to  Miss  Lura  Freeman,  daugh- 
ter of  Azariah  Freeman,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Valparaiso,  and  by  her 
has  two  children — Freeman  and  Ida  May.  The  parents  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

CONRAD  HORN,  butcher,  was  born  near  Frankfort-on-the-Main, 
Germany,  December  30,  1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Conrad  and  Anna  M. 
(Seifert)  Horn,  who  were  also  natives  of  Germany.  They  had  born  to 
them  five  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  yet  living,  a  daughter,  Mrs. 


250  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Anna  Stenger,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  In  1851, 
Conrad  Horn,  Jr.,  emigrated  to  the  United  States.  After  arriving  in 
New  York  City,  he  engaged  in  various  pursuits,  afterward  going  to  Penn- 
sylvania and  working  in  the  coal  mines.  In  1855,  he  emigrated  to  La 
Porte,  Ind.,  and  for  three  years  he  was  engaged  in  farming  near  that 
city  ;  thence,  in  1858,  came  to  Valparaiso  and  began  butchering,  at  which 
he  has  ever  since  continued.  Mr.  Horn  was  married  here,  the  spring  of 
1859,  to  Miss  Lena  Knepel,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  to  their  mar- 
riage have  been  born  seven  children — Peter,  Lewis,  Louisa,  Charles, 
Jacob,  Annie  and  Joseph,  all  living.  Mr.  H.  is  a  member  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  and  Mrs.  H.  is  a  Protestant.  Mr.  Horn  began  busi- 
ness here  in  but  limited  circumstances.  To-day  he  has  one  of  the  princi- 
pal butcher  shops  of  the  place ;  does  a  first-rate  business,  and  by  hard 
work  and  economy,  has  made  some  money  and  a  comfortable  home. 

JOHN  HOWE,  son  of  John  and  Ann  (Gallavan)  Howe,  was  born  in 
County  Tipperary,  Ireland,  October  12,  1822.  and  came  across  the  At- 
lantic in  1816,  landing  at  Quebec.  In  1819,  he  moved  to  New  Buffalo, 
Mich.,  where  he  married,  November  17,  1850,  Miss  Ann  Gallaghar,  a 
native  of  County^  Leitrim,  Ireland.  Shortly  after  this  he  moved  to 
Michigan  City,  Ind.,  where  for  a  time  he  was  employed  as  foreman  on  the 
M.  C.  R.  R.  In  August,  1853,  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  and  his  was  the 
first  Irish  family  to  settle  here.  He  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  met 
with  substantial  success,  and  w^ith  the  exception  of  two  years  on  a  farm  in 
Portage,  he  has  continued  his  residence  here.  Mrs.  Howe,  his  faithful 
and  loving  wife,  died  May  7,  1882,  having  borne  her  husband  six  chil- 
dren— Mary  Ann  (deceased),  three  that  died  in  infancy,  Thomas  F.  (who 
was  accidentally  killed  in  1877.  aged  twenty-three),  and  John  J.  Mr. 
Howe  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  in  politics  is  a  Democrat. 
He  is  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and  a  successful  railroad  contractor  and 
stock-dealer. 

MOSES  T.  HUNT  was  born  September  30,  1787,  in  New  England. 
He  was  a  carder  and  cloth-dresser  by  trade,  and  April  29,  1815,  was 
married  to  Martha  B.  Willard,  who  was  also  a  native  of  New  England, 
her  birth  occurring  June  17,  1798.  Shortly  after  their  marriage, 
they  settled  in  Coos  County,  N.  H.,  and  here  their  children  were 
all  born,  three  in  all,  viz.,  Franklin  W.,  Hamilton  P.  (deceased),  and  Hub- 
bard. Their  births  respectively  were  February  6,  1817  ;  September  2, 
1818,  died  January  27,  1824,  and  January  18,  1821.  The  parents  lived 
the  remainder  of  their  days  at  Lancaster,  Coos  Co.,  N.  H.,  the  father 
dying  August  29, 1825,  aged  thirty-seven  years  and  eleven  months,  and  the 
mother  September  15,  1822,  aged  twenty-four  years  and  three  month?. 
Hubbard  Hunt  was  reared  at  his  birthplace  at  Lancaster,  N.  H.,  receiv- 
ing a  good  common  school  and  academical  education;  learned  machinist 
and  steel  and  brass  finisher's  trade  in  Fairbank's  Scale  Works,  at  St. 
Johnsbury,  Vt.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  that  firm  seven  years,  but  in 
1846  came  to  Indiana  for  the  first  time,  to  look  at  the  country.  His 
brother,  Franklin  W.,  being  at  Valparaiso,  he  came  to  this  place  to  see 
him,  and  while  here  made  proposals  to  his  brother,  and  advanced  money 
to  him  to  embark  in  merchandising  at  this  place.  The  summer  of  1847, 
Hubbard   came   to  Valparaiso,  and  became  an  active  partner,   but  early 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  251 

in  1849,  his  health  failing,  he  went  to  California  to  seek  his  health,  and 
remained  there  until  November,  1850,  passing  through  all  the  scenes,  in- 
cidents and  privations  of  a  miner's  life.  He  arrived  home  in  March, 
1851,  much  improved  in  health.  On  his  return,  he  again  actively  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  with  his  brother,  their  partnership  never  having 
been  dissolved,  and  they  continued  until  185G,  when  their  interests  were 
divided,  and  shortly  after  the  dissolution  of  their  partnership  in  the  same 
year  Hubbard  engaged  in  stock  dealing  till  the  fall,  then  sold  his  cat- 
tle in  Iowa,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  trade  at  Valparaiso. 
He  continued  at  that  four  years;  then  engaged  in  a  general  man- 
ufacture of  native  lumber,  after  which,  in  about  18G6,  he  formed  the  part- 
nership of  White,  Hunt  &  Co.,  for  the  sale  of  pine  lumber,  which  con- 
tinued some  fourteen  years  with  harmony  and  success.  During  his  career 
in  lumber  trade,  Mr.  Hunt's  services  were  often  sought  and  engaged  as 
administrator  of  descedents  and  assignee  of  bankrupt  estates,  all  oi 
which  he  settled  with  satisfaction.  At  present  he  is  not  actively  engaged 
in  any  pursuit,  except  in  the  looking  after  his  personal  interests.  On 
his  retirement  from  the  firm  of  White,  Hunt  &  Co.,  in  January,  1882, 
he  retired  to  private  life,  and  is  living  as  such  in  the  full  enjoyment  that 
one  could  derive  after  over  forty  years  of  active,  hard  labor.  Mr.  Hunt  was 
married  May  9, 1851,  to  Miss  Finett  Dunning,  daughter  of  John  Dunning, 
an  old  settler  of  Valparaiso.  They  have  had  no  children  of  their  own,  but 
have  one  adopted  son,  Willard  James,  the  orphan  child  of  Mr.  Hunt's  niece, 
Ida  (Hunt)  AlcConkey.  Mrs.  Hunt  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  but  Mr.  H.  is  a  member  of  no  particular  church  or  party,  but  is 
liberal  and  tolerant  in  his  views  on  all  subjects.  Mrs.  Hunt  was  born  in 
Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  December  31,  1829,  and  came  with  her  parents 
to  Porter  County  in  about  1811.  She  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Lucy 
(Rose)  Dunning. 

WILLIAM  JOHNSTON,  attorney  at  law,  is  a  son  of  Judge  Jesse 
Johnston,  of  Centre  Township,  who  was  born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
June  10,  1808  ;  came  to  Indiana  in  September,  1829,  and  to  what  is 
now  Porter  County  in  1834.  He  is  a  son  of  Oeorge  and  Nancy  John- 
ston ;  was  reared  and  still  is  a  farmer,  and  November  30,  1830,  married 
Rebecca  Pickett,  who  has  borne  him  a  family  of  eleven  children,  six  of 
whom  are  yet  living.  He  is  prominently  identified  with  the  early  and 
subsequent  history  of  Porter  County.  In  politics,  was  first  a  Whig,  tinct- 
ured with  Free-Soilism.  and  afterward  a  Republican.  In  1836,  was 
elected  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  but  would  not  serve ;  was  Probate  Judgt^ 
from  1836  to  1840,  and  subsequently  served  in  various  other  positions  oi 
honor  and  trust.  In  1851,  he  became  a  Freemason  and  has  ascended  to 
the  Royal  Arch  degree.  In  1879,  he  became  a  member  of  the  State 
Pioneer  Association.  He  is  now  living  on  his  farm  of  240  acres  near 
Valparaiso.  William  Johnston  was  reared  in  Porter  County,  receiving 
his  education  at  the  common  schools,  afterward  attending  the  Valparaiso 
Male  and  Female  College  four  years,  and  finishing  his  literary  education 
in  1866  by  graduating  from  Asbury  University  at  Greencastle,  Ind. 
He  began  the  study  of  law  in  Valparaiso,  and  established  himself  first  in 
practice  at  Chesterton.  In  about  1868-69,  he  moved  back  to  Valparaiso, 
where  he  now  occupies  a  leading  position  at  the  bar  of  Porter  and  neigh- 


252  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

boring  counties.  He  has  been  twice  married,  first  in  December,  1866, 
to  Belle  Hopkins,  who  died  April  23,  1870,  leaving  two  children,  only 
one  of  whom,  Charles  H.,  is  yet  living.  He  married  his  present  wife, 
Almira  Hankinson,  in  October,  1878,  and  to  their  marriage  has  been 
born  one  daughter — Flora  A.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnston  are  among  the 
best  of  Valparaiso's  people.  The  former  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and 
the  latter  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

R.  W.  JONES  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Penn.,  July  16,  1816  ; 
is  one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Richard  and  Margaret  (Forsyth)  Jones, 
natives  of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  The  mother  died  in  about  1830, 
and  in  1853  the  father  came  to  this  county,  where  his  son,  R.  W.,  was 
living,  and  here  died  the  following  fall.  R.  W.  Jones,  when  six  years  of 
age,  was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  where  he  received 
a  common-school  education,  and  where  he  was  married,  April  19,  1840, 
to  Orilla  Aylsworth.  Shortly  after  this  event,  he  came  to  Boone  Town- 
ship, this  county,  farmed  for  seven  years,  and  then  came  to  Valparaiso, 
engaged  in  various  pursuits,  and  now  is  dealing  in  agricultural  imple- 
ments. He  is  a  Democrat,  but  was  formerly  a  Whig,  and  by  the  latter 
party,  in  1850,  was  elected  and  re-elected  Sheriff,  serving  four  years  ;  he 
has  also  served  two  terms  as  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  has  had  born  to 
him  six  children,  viz.,  Mary,  who  died  when  ten  years  old ;  Emeline, 
widow  of  Elias  Schenck ;  Ervin  D.,  who  married  Mary  Baum  ;  Saman- 
tha,  now  Mrs.  J.  B.  Luddington  ;  Florence,  who  died  when  about  twen- 
ty-four years  old;  and  Frank  H.,  who  married  Alice  Williams,  and  is  in 
partnership  with  his  brother,  Ervin  D.,  in  the  livery  business.  Mr.  Jones 
is  the  owner  of  some  good  town  property,  besides  over  two  hundred  acres 
in  Porter  County,  all  gained  by  his  business  tact  and  good  management. 
Mrs.  Jones  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

DAVID  F.  JONES,  son  of  Richard  and  Margaret  (Forsyth)  Jones, 
was  born  in  Fayette  County  July  12,  1821,  and,  when  two  years  old, 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  where  he  was  reared  to 
manhood.  He  obtained  his  education  from  the  common  schools,  and  be- 
came a  farmer.  He  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1846,  but  remained 
only  four  months.  He  then  went  back  to  his  old  home,  and  the  next 
season  returned  to  Porter  County,  clerking  that  summer  in  Valparaiso 
for  Joseph  Jones  and  J.  Barker.  He  again  went  back  the  following 
fall,  and  there,  February  11,  1848,  married  Eve  Critchfield,  and  the  suc- 
ceeding August  moved  to  Porter  County  for  good.  He  bought  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm  on  Horse  Prairie,  in  Porter  Township,  farming  summers 
and  teaching  school  winters,  until  December,  1852,  when  he  moved  to 
Valparaiso,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  He  embarked  in  mercan- 
tile pursuits,  at  which  he  was  actively  engaged  about  two  years,  after- 
ward dealing  in  live-stock  and  buying  and  selling  wool.  Mr.  Jones  is  a 
Republican,  formerly  a  Whig  ;  is  a  member  of  both  Masonic  and  Odd 
Fellow  fraternities,  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 
They  are  the  parents  of  no  children,  but  have  one  boy,  Andrew  J.  Zim- 
merman, whom  they  have  reared  from  three  years  old  to  fourteen.  Mr. 
Jones  and  wife  are  among  the  well-known  and  respected  families  of  Val- 
paraiso and  Porcer  County. 

ROBERT  P.  JONES  Avas  born  in  Greene  County,  Ohio,  October  3, 
1824,  the  fourth  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children,  twelve  of  whom  lived 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  253 

to  maturity,  born  to  Jonathan  S.  and  Lydia  W.  (Phares)  Jones,  who  were 
natives  of  Ohio.  Jonathan  S.  was  a  farmer,  and  in  the  spring  of  1841 
traded  his  land  in  Ohio  for  eighty  acres  in  Liberty  Township,  this  county. 
That  same  fall  the  family  located  on  this  place,  it  at  that  time  having 
about  fifteen  acres  cleared,  with  a  small  log  cabin  on  it.  Here  Mr.  Jones 
died  in  1855,  one  of  the  respected  early  settlers  of  Porter  County.  Ilis 
widow  survived  him  until  1880,  when  she,  too,  died.  Robert  P.  Jones  re- 
ceived only  the  common  school  advantages  in  youth,  and  at  the  ao^e  of 
sixteen,  preceded  his  parents  by  two  months  to  Porter  County.  He 
assisted  his  father  in  clearing  up  the  old  farm,  with  the  exception  of  the 
summer  of  1842,  when  he  carried  the  mail  between  La  Favette,  Ind., 
and  Joliet,  111.  The  next  summer,  he  worked  for  George  Z.  Salyer,  and 
from  that  time  until  his  marriage  assisted  his  father  chiefly,  but  also 
worked  around  at  odd  jobs.  May  14,  1845,  he  married  Miss  Clarissa 
Dillingham,  and  for  twenty-one  years  succeeding  was  engaged  in  farming. 
The  summer  of  1866,  he  came  to  Valparaiso  and  engaged  as  clerk  for 
ten  months  in  the  leather  store  of  Powell  Bros.  He  was  then  elected 
to  the  office  of  Town  Marshal,  serving  about  four  years,  after  which  he 
served  as  Deputy  Sheriflf  about  two  years.  In  1872,  he  was  elected 
County  Sheriff  by  the  Republican  party,  and  in  1874  was  re-elected, 
serving  in  all  four  years  ;  he  then  embarked  in  the  hardware  trade  in 
partnership  with  G.  A.  Sayles,  which  continued  until  November,  1879. 
Since  then  has  been  living  partially  retired  engaged  in  loaning  money,  etc. 
Mr.  Jones  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  three  children — Samantha  A.  (now 
Mrs.  James  H.  Patrick,  of  Valparaiso),  Lyman  L.  (who  died  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  years  six  months  and  sixteen  days),  and  Lydia  L.  (wHo  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty  years  six  months  and  sixteen  days).  Both  deceased  chil- 
dren lie  buried  in  Kimball  Cemetery  with  their  grandparents,  in  Centre 
Township.  Mrs.  Jones  was  born  in  Huron  County,  Ohio,  January  28, 
1826,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Amanda  (Page)  Dillingham,  who 
came  to  Centre  Township  in  June,  1836.  Hannah,  sister  of  the  mother 
of  Mrs.  Jones,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians  at  an  early  day  in  the 
history  of  Ohio,  and  was  kept  in  captivity  about  a  year,  afterward  being 
sold  to  a  doctor,  through  whom  she  regained  her  friends.  Four  brothers 
of  Mr.  Jones  lost  their  lives  in  the  late  war. 

A.  L.  JONES,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio, 
August  10,  1835  ;  the  son  of  William  W.  and  Belinda  (Jones)  Jones, 
natives  of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  and  parents  of  ten  children,  all 
yet  living.  In  about  1839,  the  family  moved  from  Wayne  to  Fulton 
County,  Ohio,  and  thence,  in  1847,  to  Horse  Prairie,  Boone  Township, 
this  county,  purchasing  a  tract  of  land.  In  1849,  William  W.  Jones  was 
elected  Clerk  of  Courts  of  Porter  County,  on  the  Whig  ticket,  and  in 
1850,  moved  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  performed  his  official  duties  until 
November,  1855 ;  April  5,  1856,  he  died,  mourned  by  a  host  of  friends. 
He  was  an  active  business  man,  a  fluent  speaker,  and  strictly  honest. 
Although  no  office-seeker,  he  was  placed  in  many  positions  of  honor  and 
trust.  He  had  been  ordained  a  minister  of  the  Christian  Church,  but 
never  steadily  pursued  ministerial  work.  His  widow  is  yet  living,  and 
resides  with  a  daughter  in  Kansas.  A.  L.  Jones,  after  attendincr  the 
county    and   city  schools,  entered   the  State  University  at  Bloomington, 


254  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

in  1852,  and  graduated  in  1855,  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Art-, 
having  also  taken  one  course  in  the  law  department,  and  studying  during 
the  interval  in  the  law  oflSce  of  Judge  S.  I.  Anthony.  In  the  winter  of 
1856,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Porter  County,  and  until  November, 
1859,  assisted  in  his  father's  office  as  Deputy.  He  then  opened  a  law 
office  and  began  practice,  which  he  has  ever  since  successfully  continued, 
except  when  he  was  in  the  army.  In  the  spring  of  1862,  he  entered  the 
Quartermaster's  Department  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  as  a  citizen 
clerk  ;  so  remained  until  May,  1863,  and  then  enlisted  in  the  Seventh 
Indiana  Cavalry.  He  was  made  Quartermaster  Sergeant,  and  the  March 
following  was  commissioned  Quartermaster  of  the  regiment,  being  mustered 
out  in  April,  1866.  He  at  present  is  the  senior  of  the  law  firm  of  Jones, 
De  Motte  &  Jones,  his  son,  Frank  P.,  being  the  junior  member,  and  Mr.  De 
Motte  being  the  present  Member  of  Congress  from  the  Tenth  District. 
October  6,  1858,  Mr.  Jones  married  Miss  Jennie  Baugh,  of  Bloomington, 
Ind.,  who  has  borne  him  four  children,  viz.,  Frank  P.,  Kate  (deceased), 
Mattie  (deceased)  and  Grace.  Mr.  Jones  is  a  Democrat ;  he  is  a  fluent 
speaker,  and  a  successful  lawyer  of  soundest  integrity.  Mrs.  Jones  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  the  family  are  among  the  first 
in  Valparaiso. 

0.  P.  KINSEY,  A.  B.,  Professor  of  English  Literature  and  History 
in  the  N.  I.  N".  S.,  was  born  near  Freeport,  Harrison  Co.,  Ohio,  De- 
cember 7,  1849,  and  is  one  of  four  children,  three  yet  living,  born  to 
Reese  and  Eliza  A.  (Ridgeway)  Kinsey.  The  father  is  dead,  but  his  widow 
is  yet  living  and  resides  in  Harrison  County,  Ohio.  0.  P.  Kinsey  was 
reared  principally  near  his  native  town,  and  after  attending  the  common 
schools  of  his  neighborhood,  entered  Harlem  Springs  Seminary,  in  Car- 
roll County,  Ohio,  in  1866,  where  he  began  fitting  himself  for  the  teach- 
er's profession.  After  a  time,  he  returned  to  his  native  county,  and.  after 
teaching  a  number  of  terms,  in  the  autumn  of  1868  entered  the  Normal 
School  at  Lebanon.  At  the  end  of  one  year,  he  was  given  the  position 
of  janitor,  which  aided  him  pecuniarily  until  his  last  year,  when  he  paid 
his  way  through  by  teaching  in  the  school.  In  this  way,  he  succeeded  in 
graduating  from  the  classical  department,  after  which  he  was  given  a  po- 
sition in  the  faculty  and  the  Professorship  of  English  Literature.  He 
retained  this  position  until  1881,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  a  half-inter- 
est in  the  N.  I.  N.  S.  of  Valparaiso.  Previous  to  his  location  here,  he 
took  an  extended  tour  through  the  Eastern  States,  Great  Britain  and 
Continent  of  Europe,  visiting  the  principal  educational  institutions  on  his 
journey,  with  special  reference  to  his  profession.  The  spring  of  1882,  he 
returned  to  Valparaiso,  took  charge  of  his  half-interest  in  the  Normal 
School,  and  the  tutorship  of  the  classes  in  English  Literature,  History 
and  other  irregular  classes.  While  a  student  at  Lebanon,  Prof.  Kinsey 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Sarah  J.  Porter,  also  a  student  of  the 
same  place.  Miss  Porter  afterward  became  a  teacher  in  the  school  as  did 
Mr.  Kinsey,  and  August  24,  1876,  they  were  united  in  marriage.  Mn. 
Kinsey  is  earnestly  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  Normal  School  here, 
and  has  charge  of  the  Ladies'  Department ;  also  is  the  teacher  of  Geog- 
raphy and  Natural  Historv. 

KELLOGG  BROTHERS.  Alfred  Kellogq  was  born  in  Wayne 
County,    Penn.,   January   30,    1823.      His    father,   Azor    Kellogg,  was 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  ^bb 

born  in  the  same  place  January  24,  1796,  and  was  a  farmer  and 
lumberman.  He  married  Nancy  Stevens  in  1820,  and  in  August,  1849, 
to  gratify  the  wishes  of  his  children,  came  West,  and  located  with  his 
wife  and  youngest  son  in  McHenry  County,  111.,  leaving  the  others  be- 
hind to  close  up  affairs.  In  1850,  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  pur- 
chased, in  connection  with  his  son  Dennis,  and  son-in-law,  Daniel  S. 
White,  the  old  foundry  on  Block  16,  Lot  5,  Main  street.  The  firm  name 
was  Kellogg  &  White  until  1851,  when  his  sons  in  Pennsylvania,  Alfred 
and  John,  came  out  and  added  to  the  business  a  cabinet  shop  and  a  ma- 
chine shop.  In  1860,  Mr.  White,  who  had  previously  withdrawn,  was 
again  taken  in,  and  a  planing  mill  was  added,  also  a  general  lumber  busi- 
ness by  Alfred  Kellogg,  who  was  the  first  general  lumber  merchant  in 
Valparaiso.  The  same  year,  the  business  was  removed  to  a  point  near 
the  P.,  Ft.  W.  &  C.  R.  R.  depot.  In  due  course  of  time,  the  father 
withdrew  from  the  firm,  and  is  now  living  retired.  His  wife  died  in  Jan- 
uary, 1879,  and  lies  buried  in  the  city  cemetery.  Mr.  White  again  with- 
drew in  1864.  The  three  brothers  now  have  a  two-story  brick  building, 
50x60  feet,  with  an  engine-room  attached,  12x24,  with  the  latest  and  best 
machinery,  driven  by  a  twelve-horse  power  steam  engine.  They  have  an 
average  force  of  twelve  men,  and  do  business  all  over  Porter  and  the  ad- 
joining  counties.  They  are  the  inventors  of  some  threshers,  mowers  and 
reapers  that  stand  in  the  front  rank,  especially  the  "Kellogg  Mower." 
Alfred  Kellogg  was  married  in  Pennsylvania,  in  September,  1845,  to 
Martha  Norton,  who  died  December  10  of  the  same  year.  In  May,  1848, 
he  married  Isadora  Chase.     By  her  he  has  one  child  living — Martha. 

John  W.  Kellogg,  of  this  firm,  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Penn., 
April  13,  1825  ;  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  in  1849  married 
Abigail  J.  Hull,  born  in  Wayne  July  28,  1824,  and  daughter  of  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Spangenberg)  Hull.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kellogg  came  to 
Valparaiso  with  Alfred  and  his  family.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church  and  parents  of  five  children — 
Silas  W.,  Fortunatus  G.,  Nettie,  Lizzie  N.  and  Abbie  Bell. 

Dennis  A.  Kellogg  was  born  May  20,  1880;  married,  July  14, 
1852,  to  Lucinda  Norton,  and  came  to  Valparaiso  with  his  parents. 
Besides  being  an  equal  partner  with  his  brothers  in  the  foundry,  he  con- 
jointly with  them  owns  an  eighty-acre  farm  in  Liberty  Township,  and 
twenty-four  acres  near  the  Porter  County  fair  grounds,  and  individually 
owns  his  private  residence.  He  is  a  Republican.  His  wife  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  they  have  had  two  children — Adelbert  and 
Mark,  the  latter  deceased. 

DR.  J.  H.  LETHERMAN  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Penn., 
March  4,  1819,  the  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Mercer)  Letherman, 
natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  parents  of  two  children,  of  whom  the 
Doctor  only  is  living.  Daniel  Letherman,  his  grandfather,  was  a  native 
of  Prussia,  came  to  America  when  a  child,  with  his  parents,  and  was  a 
preacher  of  the  Dunkard  Church.  Our  subject's  maternal  ancestors  were 
of  Irish-English  descent,  and  his  grandfather  Mercer  was  a  Presbyterian 
minister.  Dr.  J.  II.  Letherman  was  reared  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
received  a  good  common-school  education,  afterward  entering  Jefferson 
College,  where  he  remained  four  years.     Having  a  liking  for  the   study 


256  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

of  medicine,  and  his  father  being  a  physician,  as  were  a  number  of  other 
near  relatives,  he  began  the  study  of  that  profession  in  about  1843,  and 
attended  medical  school  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  also 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  graduating 
from  the  last  named  and  receiving  his  diploma  as  "M.  D."  He  began 
practicing  in  his  native  State,  but  in  18-15  removed  to  Des  Moines 
County,  Iowa,  remaining  there  until,  in  November,  1853,  he  came 
to  Valparaiso,  and  has  remained  here  ever  since,  engaged  in  active  prac- 
tice, and  in  this  time  he  has  booked  .$100,000  in  Porter  County.  In  1871, 
he  admitted  his  son.  Dr.  A.  P.  Letherman,  a  graduate  of  Louisville 
Medical  College  of  Kentucky,  as  a  partner.  Dr.  J.  H.  Letherman  was 
married  March  2, 1848,  to  Miss  Jane  Mary  Peirce,  of  Cumberland  County, 
Penn.,  and  to  this  union  was  born  ten  children — Joseph  H.,  an  attorney 
and  engaged  in  the  Internal  Revenue  Department  of  Texas ;  Andrew  P., 
now  his  father's  partner;  William  C.  druggist,  of  Valparaiso;  Rebecca, 
deceased;  Elizabeth,  deceased;  Lawrence  L.,  mail  agent  on  the  Mich- 
igan Central  Railroad;  John  and  Alice  A.,  twins,  the  former  deceased; 
Jane  B.  and  Carrie  M.  The  parents  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  Dr.  Letherman  is  a  Republican.  He  has  been  County  Cor- 
oner twelve  years,  and  has  served  at  different  times  in  city  official  posi- 
tions, and  is  one  of  the  present  Aldermen  of  Valparaiso. 

JOHN  S.  LOUDERBACK,  grocer  and  baker,  was  born  in  Cass 
County,  Ind.,  August  28,  1835.  His  father,  Andrew  Louderback,  was 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  his  grandfather  Louderback  was  a  native 
of  Germany,  coming  to  America  shortly  after  the  Revolutionary  war. 
Andrew  Louderback  came  with  his  parents  to  Brown  County,  Ohio, 
when  about  twelve  years  old,  and  Avas  there  reared  to  manhood.  He 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  followed  that  as  a  business  until  about 
1840,  when  he  worked  at  that  in  connection  with  farming.  He  was  mar- 
ried to  his  first  wife,  Nancy  Washburn  (who  was  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject), in  about  1823.  This  lady  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1802,  her 
father  being  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  of  Irish  descent.  They 
moved  to  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  in  1830;  in  1834,  removed  to  Logansport, 
Ind.,  and  in  1836  removed  to  Fulton  County,  Ind.,  where  Mrs.  Louder- 
back died  in  1858.  To  her  marriage  with  Mr.  L.  there  were  born  ten 
children,  nine  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Mr.  L.  married  for  his  second 
wife  Martha  Jones,  who  is  yet  living,  but  Mr.  L.  died  in  March,  1864. 
John  S.  Louderback  was  reared  on  a  farm  until  seventeen  years  old, 
when  he  becjan  learning  the  wagon  and  carriage  maker's  trade  with  Otis 
Whipple,  of  Delphi,  Carroll  Co.,  Ind.,  and  when  nineteen  years  old  began 
at  his  trade  on  his  own  responsibility  at  Fulton.  He  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany I,  Fifth  Indiana  Cavalry,  August  14,  1862,  and  in  October  of  the 
same  year,  was  made  Eighth  Sergeant.  He  was  promoted  to  Quarter- 
master Sergeant  in  March,  1863,  and  a  few  months  afterward  was  made 
Orderly  Sergeant,  retaining  that  position  until  July  1,  1864,  when  he 
was  promoted  to  a  First  Lieutenancy.  October  1,  1864.  he  was  made 
Captain  of  his  company,  but  owing  to  the  previous  Captain  being 
wounded,  Capt.  Louderback  had,  for  one  year  previous  to  being  commis- 
sioned, served  in  that  capacity.  He  was  made  Quartermaster  of  the  regi- 
ment on  its  being  mustered  out  of  service,  and  he  disposed   of  its  effects 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  267 

to  the  Government.  He  was  a  participant  in  the  campaign  in  Kentucky 
against  Morgan,  and  assisted  in  the  thirty  days'  raid  that  resulted  in 
Morgan's  capture.  They  joined  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  in  Ten- 
nessee in  1863,  and  participated  in  the  engagement  at  Knoxville  and  a 
number  of  its  surrounding  battles.  Their  horses  being  worn  out,  they 
were  dismounted,  and  going  to  Paris,  Ky.,  were  remounted,  after  which 
they  joined  Sherman's  array  at  Ringgold,  Ga.,  and  were  placci  under  Gen. 
Stoneman's  command.  For  seventy-one  days  they  were  in  active  fight- 
ing duty,  participating  in  battles  of  Resaca,  Lone  Mountain,  Kenesaw 
Mountain  and  various  others.  July  24,  1864,  under  Gen.  Stoneman, 
they  started  on  their  trip  South,  with  the  intention  of  releasing  the 
prisoners  at  Anderson ville,  Ga.,  and  passing  through  the  enemy's  line  at 
Stone  Mountain,  they  fought  an  engagement  at  Macon,  and  afterward 
learned  that  a  General  who  was  to  co-operate  with  Stoneman  had  been 
defeated.  They  fought  until  all  ammunition  was  used  up,  when  the  officers, 
holding  a  council,  deemed  it  wise  to  surrender,  which  they  did  July  28, 
1864.  Capt.  L.  was  taken  to  Andersonville  the  1st  of  August,  and 
instead  of  going  into  other  quarters  as  an  officer,  remained  with  his  men, 
and  remained  there  sulfering  all  the  agonies  of  that  place  until  October  1, 
1864,  when  they  were  removed  to  Charleston,  and  after  being  there 
twenty-six  days  they  were  removed  to  Florence  ;  here  he  received  his 
liberty,  and  was  sent  to  Annapolis.  Receiving  a  thirty  days'  furlough  he 
went  home,  then  rejoined  his  company,  remaining  with  them  until  the 
close  of  the  war,  receiving  his  discharge  June  27,  1865.  Succeeding  that 
he  was  at  Fulton  a  short  time,  and  in  August,  1865,  came  to  Valparaiso, 
buying  a  grocery  stock  and  engaging  in  that  trade  in  partnership,  con- 
tinuing as  such  for  six  years.  In  1869.  he  came  to  his  present  place  of 
business  and  embarked  in  the  grocery  and  bakery  business,  which  he  has 
ever  since  continued  with  success.  He  was  married  in  Fulton  County,  Ind., 
May  29,  1866,  to  Sarah  J.  Clevenger,  and  by  her  has  had  nine 
children — Andrew  J.,  Effie  F.,  Judson  D.,  Eddie,  Cora.  Mamie  and 
Gracie,  living  ;  and  Edgar  and  Alva,  deceased.  Capt.  Louderback  is  a 
Republican,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

THOMAS  G.  LYTLE,  Mayor  of  Valparaiso,  was  born  in  Wayne 
County,  Ohio,  December  3,  1824,  and  is  a  son  of  Aaron  and  Hannah 
(Jones)  Lytle,  who  were  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  respect- 
ively, and  the  parents  of  nine  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  yet  living. 
The  Lytles  are  of  Scotch  descent,  and  the  Joneses  are  of  English  descent. 
Aaron  Lytle  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  went  to  Pennsylvania  when 
a  young  man,  and  from  there  came  to  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  where  he 
married.  He  quit  blacksmithing  when  about  thirty-five  years  old,  and 
engaged  in  speculating,  buying  and  selling  land,  merchandising,  etc. 
During  the  financial  crisis  of  1837,  he  lost  the  greater  part  of  his  means. 
In  1840,  he  came  to  Porter  County,  purchasing  an  improved  farm  of  3  60 
acres  in  Boone  Township,  and  in  the  spring  of  1841  moved  his  family  out. 
In  1852,  he  sold  his  farm,  moved  to  Valparaiso,  and  bought  a  steam  saw- 
mill near  town,  which  he  operated  for  some  time.  He  speculated  in 
land,  and  engaged  in  other  business  enterprises  until  his  death,  in  the  fall 
of  1870.  His  widow  survived  him  until  1876,  when  she,  too,  died,  and 
both  are  buried  side  by  side  in  the  city  cemetery.     Mr.    Lytle  was  a 


258  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Whig,  afterward  a  Republican,  and  his  wife  was  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  Thomas  G.  Lytle  lived  with  his  parents  until  twenty-three 
years  old,  and  was  married,  in  1847,  to  Miss  Idilla  Allen  ;  farmed  until 
the  winter  of  1853,  when  he  moved  to  Valparaiso,  entered  into  the  drug 
trade,  and  has  remained  in  active  business  here  ever  since.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  in  1854,  when  that  party  was  first  organized,  was  elected 
County  Sheriff,  and  re-elected  in  1856.  He  was  elected  Mayor  of  Val- 
paraiso in  1868,  and  re-elected  in  1870,  serving  four  years.  In  1882, 
he  was  again  elected  to  that  office,  in  which  he  is  yet  serving.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  first  proprietors  of  the  paper  mill  of  Valparaiso.  His 
wife  died  in  June,  1861,  leaving  one  daughter,  now  Mrs.  R.  A.  Dunlap. 
He  afterward  married  Mrs.  Mary  E.  (Marginson)  Ketchum,  and  to  this 
union  have  been  born  six  children — Effie  M.,  Elma  M.,  Thomas  G.  (de- 
ceased), Elvan  A.,  one  that  died  in  infancy  without  name  and  Arthur  W. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lytle  are  of  the  Unitarian  faith.  Mr.  Lytle,  in  the 
spring  of  1864,  organized  Company  C,  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
eighth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  by  that  company  was  chosen 
Captain.  They  were  in  active  service,  but  principally  in  detailed  work. 
In  1864,  they  operated  in  Tennessee  and  Alabama,  and  in  November  of 
that  year  Mr.  Lytle  was  duly  discharged. 

Jx\]MES  R.  MALONE,  grain-dealer  and  farmer,  is  the  eldest  son  of 
of  Wilson  Malone,  deceased,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County.  His 
birth,  February  7,  1843,  occurred  in  this  county,  and  he  was  here  reared 
to  manhood.  When  twenty  years  old,  he  went  to  Montana  Territory, 
where  for  five  years  he  was  engaged  in  mining.  In  1867,  he  returned, 
and  January  1,  1868,  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Smith,  and  settled  down  to 
farming,  at  which  he  continued  until  1876.  In  that  year  he  was  the 
choice  of  the  Democratic  party  for  County  Sheriff,  and,  although  Porter 
County  usually  gives  a  Republican  majority  of  500,  he  was  elected,  and 
re-elected  with  increased  majority,  serving  in  all  four  years.  Since  that 
time  he  has  been  dealing  in  grain  and  looking  after  his  farm,  which  con- 
sists of  700  acres  in  Boone  Township.  To  his  union  with  Miss  Smith 
there  have  been  born  eight  children — Charley  (dead),  Kittie,  Bessie,  Wil- 
son, Henry,  Richard,  James  D.  and  Frank.  One  of  the  interesting 
epochs  in  his  life  occured  while  a  miner.  On  one  expedition,  while  the 
country  was  yet  excited  over  the  "Gallatin  massacre"  by  the  Indians,  he 
and  seven  others  were  followed  by  a  score  or  more  of  red-skins  for  over 
two  days,  but  by  the  vigilance  of  the  whites  they  were  not  able  to  make 
an  attack  with  any  degree  of  safety  to  themselves.  The  Indians  then 
gave  up  the  pursuit,  but  a  number  of  others  followed,  out  of  sight,  and  one 
night  succeeded  in  capturing  four  horses  belonging  to  the  whites.  They 
were  pursued,  and,  after  a  long  chase,  captured,  and  on  vote,  it  was  de- 
cided to  hang  the  thieves.  While  Mr.  Malone  was  pinioning  the  legs  of 
one,  the  Indian  managed  to  draw  a  concealed  knife,  which  he  plunged  in- 
to the  side  of  Mr.  Malone,  inflicting  a  dangerous  wound  from  which  he 
was  not  able  to  leave  his  cot  for  four  weeks.  The  red-skin  was  promptly 
shot,  and  the  others  were  soon  dangling  at  the  ends  of  ropes  from  con- 
venient trees. 

L.  H.  MANDEVILLE,  photographer,  is  a  native  of  Trumansburg, 
N.  Y.;  was  born  January  15,  1825,  and  is  one  of  four  children  of  Thomas 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  259 

C.  and  Mercy  (Gilbert)  Mandeville,  natives  of  that  State,  and  of  Norman 
descent.  Francis  Mandeville,  our  subject's  grandfather,  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolutionary  war,  and  Thomas  Mandeville,  our  subject's  father, 
was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812  and  the  Seminole  war.  Generations 
back,  the  family  were  among  the  nobility  of  Holland  and  England.  Un- 
til thirteen  years  of  age,  L.  H.  Mandeville  was  reared  in  his  native  town. 
In  1838,  he  came  to  Erie,  Perm.,  and  there  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  dry 
goods  store  of  that  place,  afterward  going  west  of  the  city  of  Erie  about 
six  miles,  where  he  took  charge  of  the  extension  of  the  Erie  Canal.  While 
there,  in  1850,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah  Jane  Brown,  and 
moved  to  Adrian,  Mich.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  Then  went  to 
Tecumseh,  Mich.,  where  he  kept  hotel  for  about  one  year ;  then.  May  5, 
1855,  came  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  He  here 
embarked  in  his  present  business.  He  is  naturally  of  a  mechanical  turn 
of  mind,  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  paid  considerable  attention  to 
mechanical  work.  He  has  invented  several  different  engines,  which  have 
proved  to  be  of  great  value  as  labor-saving  instruments.  The  best  and 
most  noted  of  his  inventions  is  an  automatic  telephone,  which  for  a  dis- 
tance under  three  miles  far  exceeds  any  ever  invented.  Mr.  Mandeville 
began  life's  battle  a  poor  boy,  but  by  industry  and  economy  has  placed 
himself  and  family  in  good  comfortable  circumstances.  He  is  a  Democrat ; 
is  the  present  Master  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  ascended  to  the  R.  A. 
degree.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Universalist  Church,  and  the 
parents  of  one  son — Cassius  E.,  who  married  Elma  Wells,  and  is  a  dry 
goods  merchant  of  Valparaiso. 

JAMES  McFETRICH  was  born  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  March 
4,  1840.  He  is  the  third  in  a  family  of  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are 
yet  living,  born  to  John  and  Martha  (Anderson)  McFetrich,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  the  County  Derry,  Ireland,  where  they  were  reared 
and  married.  In  1831,  soon  after  their  marriage,  they  emigrated  to 
America,  locating  first  in  New  York,  afterward  moving  to  Ohio,  in  both 
States  engaging  in  farming.  These  parents  are  yet  living,  and  reside  in 
Trumbull  County,  Ohio.  James  McFetrich  was  reared  in  Ohio,  on  a 
farm,  to  manhood,  in  youth  attending  the  district  school,  afterward 
attending  and  in  1861,  graduating  from  the  Western  Reserve  College  at 
West  Farmington.  He  then  began  the  study  of  law  at  Warren,  Ohio, 
with  Birchard  &  Moses,  and  for  one  year  attended  the  Law  Department 
of  the  Michigan  State  University  at  Ann  Arbor.  He  then  accepted  a 
situation  as  teacher,  at  Valparaiso,  in  the  Collegiate  Institute,  intending 
to  return  to  law  school  and  graduate,  with  his  earnings.  Instead  of  going 
back,  however,  he  continued  teaching  steadily  for  five  years.  He  then 
engaged  in  the  drug  trade  for  a  time,  and  in  1871  was  elected  teacher  of 
the  High  School,  continuing  as  such  eight  years.  During  this  time,  he 
was  elected  County  School  Superintendent  (1875),  and  served  two  years. 
In  1880,  he  became  interested  in  the  hardware  trade,  from  which,  in  1882, 
he  changed  to  the  lumber  trade,  at  which  he  is  yet  engaged,  under  the 
firm  name  of  White,  McFetrich  &  Co.  Mr.  McFetrich  was  married,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1871,  to  Miss  Martha  J.  White,  daughter  of  Daniel  S.  White, 
the  biography  of  whom  accompanies  this  work.  Mrs.  McFetrich  was 
born  in  Wayne  County,  Penn.,  December  17,  1346,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Valparaiso. 


260  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

JAMES  M.  McGILL  was  born  in  Erie,  Penn..  June  28,  1843,  one 
of  seven  children,  all  yet  living,  born  to  Robert  and  Susan  P.  (Alexander) 
McGill,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  grandfather  of  James  M.,  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  America  shortly  after  the  Revolutionary 
war.  From  Erie,  Penn.,  the  parents  and  family  moved  to  La  Porte, 
Ind.,  and  after  living  about  a  year  there,  moved  to  South  East  Grove, 
Eagle  Creek  Township,  Lake  County.  Shortly  after  the  war,  the  par- 
ents moved  to  Hebron,  Ind.,  where  they  lived  the  remainder  of  their 
days.  Mrs.  McGill  died  there  in  1873,  and  Mr.  McGill  in  1878,  and 
both  are  now  sleeping  in  the  village  cemetery.  James  McGill  lived  with 
his  parents  until  nineteen  years  old,  during  which  time  he  attended  the 
public  schools  of  his  neighborhood,  afterward  entering  and  for  three 
years  was  a  student  of  the  old  Male  and  Female  College  of  Valparaiso. 
August  19,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  private  in  Company  I,  Fifth  Indiana 
Cavalry.  He  was  promoted  Sergeant,  and  retained  that  position  until 
the  battle  of  Nashville,  when  he  was  advanced  to  the  First  Lieutenancy 
of  Company  G,  of  the  Tenth  Tennessee  Cavalry.  Shortly  after  this,  he  was 
promoted  Captain  of  his  company,  retaining  that  position  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  Capt.  McGill  and  his  company  were  in  active  service  during 
his  entire  army  career,  and  he  participated  in  a  number  of  engagements, 
notably  among  which  were  those  of  Knoxville,  Mission  Ridge,  Chatta- 
nooga, Franklin,  Nashville  and  others.  After  the  last-named  battle,  they 
chased  Hood  across  the  river,  then  went  to  New  Orleans,  and  from  there 
to  Natchez,  where  they  did  garrison  duty  for  a  number  of  months.  Capt. 
McGill  and  company  were  discharged  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  in  August, 
1865.  Succeeding  the  war,  he  came  back  home,  and  has  since  resided  in 
Porter  County,  engaged  in  various  pursuits,  chiefly  farming.  He  was 
married.  May  18,  1869,  to  Kittie  L.  Starr,  daughter  of  the  old  pioneer, 
Ruel  Starr  (deceased),  and  to  their  union  have  been  born  four  children — 
Pearl,  Phebe  E.,  Ruel  S.  and  Mary  Edna  (deceased).  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McGill  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Capt.  McGill  is  a  Re- 
publican, a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  is  a  Sir  Knight  of 
Valparaiso  Commandery,  No  28. 

JOHN  W.  MoLELLAN,  photographer,  is  a  native  of  La  Porte 
County,  Ind.,  his  birth  occurring  August  2,  1818.  He  is  the  youngest 
son  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  six  yet  living,  born  to  Joseph  and 
Fidelia  (Reed)  McLellan,  who  were  natives  of  Vermont  and  Michigan, 
and  of  Scotch  and  Pennsylvania  Dutch  descent  respectively.  Joseph 
McLellan  was  a  farmer,  and  came  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  in  1833, 
settling  in  Cool  Spring  Township,  but  afterward  moving  to  Scipio 
Township,  where  he  died  in  July,  1881,  preceded  by  his  wife,  both 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  John  W.  McLellan  was 
reared  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  he  acquired  a  good  common 
school  education,  afterward  attending  for  two  and  one-half  years  the  High 
School  of  Westville,  Ind.,  and  then  attendin-jr  and  graduating  from  the 
State  Normal  School  at  Oswego,  N.  Y.  He  learned  the  photographic  art 
in  La  Porte,  Ind.,  of  John  Bryant,  and  for  a  short  time  afterward  was 
engaged  in  the  business  at  Rockford,  111.  In  December,  1873,  he  came 
to  Valparaiso  anu  purchased  the  studio  of  W.  H.  Hayward.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  National  Photographic  Association   of  the  United  States, 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  261 

and  has  an  established  and  enviable  reputation  as  a  photographer.  He 
was  married  August  20,  1873,  to  Miss  Huldah  A.  Forbes,  daughter  of 
J.  T.  Forbes,  appropriate  mention  of  whom  is  made  in  the  biographical 
department  of  Washington  Township.  To  this  union  have  been  born 
two  children— Mattie  P.,  and  Frank  C,  deceased.  Mrs.  McLellan  was 
born  July  13,  1849,  in  Canada.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McLellan  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  Mr.  McLelland  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F. 

MARQUIS  L.   McClelland,  insurance  agent,  was   born  in   La 
Fayette,  Ind.,  February  26,  1830.      He  is  a  son  of  John  T.    and   Sarah 
(McCarl)  McClelland,  who  were  natives   of    Washington  County,  Penn. 
John  T.   McClelland  was  born  in  the  year   1800,  and  his  wife   in   1804. 
They   were  married  in  their  native  State,  and  from  there   moved   to    La 
Fayette,  Ind.,  in  1828.     In  1831,  Mr.  McC.  started  West  through  South 
Bend,  Niles  and  to  Chicago.     The  spring  of  1832,  he  removed  to  South 
Bend,  where  he  embarked  in  mercantile  pursuits.      He  was  one  of   the 
pioneers  and  was  identified  with  some  of  the  leading  manufactories  of  that 
place,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  June,  1840,  was  engaged  in  erect- 
ing extensive  works  for  the  manufacture  of  glass  ;  he  was   also   engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  pig-iron   at  Mishawaka.      He  was    a  very   active 
Democrat,  and  was  the   first   County   Treasurer  of  St.   Joseph   County. 
He  was  a  man  very  popular  with  all  classes,  especially  so  with  the  poor, 
and  commanded  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.     He  and 
wife  had  born  to  them  three  children,  two  of  whom  are  yet  living — Mrs. 
Mills,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  the   subject  of  this  sketch.     Mrs.   Mc- 
Clelland continued  to  reside  in  South  Bend,  and  there  married  William 
S.  Vail.     This  couple  moved  to  Valparaiso  in  1863,  where  they  are  both 
yet  living  at  advanced  ages.     To  their  union   were  born  two  children,  of 
whom  only  one,  William  H.,  a  jeweler  of  Valparaiso,  yet  lives.    Marquis 
L.  McClelland  was  but  ten  years  old  when  his  father  died.     He   learned 
the  tanner's  and  currier's  trade,  but  has  never  made  that   his  business. 
He  came  to  Valparaiso  in  1854,  was  employed  as  salesman   in  different 
mercantile  establishments,  and  the  fall  of  1861  was   appointed  Clerk  of 
the  Congressional  Committee  on  Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads,   of  which 
Hon.   Schuyler  Colfax  was  Chairman,   and  at  that  gentleman's  solicita- 
tion acted  as  his   Private  Secretary  in  the  Forty-second  Congress.     He 
returned  to  Valparaiso  in  1862  and  engaged  in  the   dry   goods   trade,  in 
partnership  with  A.  V.   Bartholomew.     He  continued  at  this  four  years, 
and  in  the  meantime  was  active  in  organizing  the   First  National   Bank. 
He  was  elected  its  first   cashier,  and   continued  as   such  about   eighteen 
years.     Since  that  time  he  has  been  engaged  in   a   general   life  and   fire 
insurance  business.    He  was  married,  October  3,  1853,  to  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Wilmington,  of  South  Bend,  and  to  them  have  been  born  two  children — 
Theodore  and  Flora.    Mr.  McClelland  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
order  for  twenty-five   years,   and   has  passed   through   the   Blue   Lodge, 
Chapter,  Council,  Commandery  and  Scottish    Rites,  and  is  a  Past   Emi- 
nent Commander  of  the  Commandery.    The  Blue  Lodge  at  Hobart,  Ind., 
is  named  in  his  honor.     He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  filled  the  positions 
of  Township   Treasurer   and     Clerk  of   Centre    Township.      He   is   the 
county's  present  nominee  for  the  State  Legislature,  and   has   served   two 


262  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

terms  in  the  City  Council.  He  and  two  others  were  active  in  building 
the  C.  &  G.  T.  R.  R.  from  Valparaiso  to  South  Bend,  and  he  has 
always  taken  active  part  in  all  the  public  aiFairs  of  the  county.  He  and 
Schuyler  Colfax  were  raised  as  boys  together,  and  have  always  been  on  the 
most  intimate  and  confidential  terms. 

THOMAS  J.  MERRTFIELD,  attorney  at  law,  is  a  native  of  Yates 
County,  N.  Y.  Was  born  January  11,  1833,  and  until  fifteen  years  of 
age,  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm.  He  then  entered  an  academy  at 
Starkey,  N.  Y.,  and  studied  law  for  four  years,  and  also  engaged  in 
teaching.  In  1853,  he  came  to  Mishawaka,  Ind.,  and  studied  under 
Mr.  Cowles  ;  at  the  end  of  six  months,  he  started  for  Minnesota  on  horse- 
back, with  a  view  of  locating,  but  returned  and  entered  the  law  office  of 
Judge  Robert  Lowrey,  and  afterward  that  of  the  Hon.  Thomas  Harris,  then 
State  Senator.  In  May,  1855,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Goshen, 
and  two  months  later  came  to  Valparaiso.  Here  he  was  associated  with 
Hon.  S.  I.  Anthony.  State  Senator,  as  partner  until  1863.  In  1858,  he 
was  elected  by  the  Democrats,  member  of  the  General  Assembly,  and 
served  in  the  regular  and  special  sessions  of  that  term,  and  was  the 
author  of  several  bills,  among  others  that  which  makes  persons  holding 
moneys  in  a  fiduciary  capacity  liable  for  embezzlement  if  such  moneys 
be  used  for  personal  ends.  From  October,  1866,  until  June,  1869,  he 
was  partner  with  Maj.  W.  H.  Calkins,  now  a  Member  of  Congress,  who 
had  studied  law  under  Mr.  Merrifield  for  a  year  or  more.  Subsequently, 
lie  was  associated  with  Col.  Pierce  until  that  gentleman  was  called  to 
Chicago  to  assume  editorial  control  of  the  Inter- Ocean.  Since  then,  Mr. 
M.  has  been  in  partnership  with  the  following  gentlemen  :  A.  D.  Bar- 
tholomew, William  Johnston,  E.  D.  Crumpacker  and  John  E.  Cass.  In 
December,  1865,  he  was  elected  the  first  Mayor  of  Valparaiso,  and  served 
two  consecutive  terms,  declining  a  third  election.  In  October,  1856,  he 
married  Miss  Paulina  Skinner,  who  has  borne  him  six  children,  viz., 
Kate,  now  Mrs.  M.  Johnson  ;  Harriet,  now  Mrs.  S.  Bernard  ;  Georgia 
Ann,  now  Mrs.  William  Dye;  John  A.,  Dora  Bell  and  George  William. 
Mr.  Merrifield  is  a  son  of  John  and  Catharine  (Schumacher)  Merrifield, 
natives  of  New  York,  and  of  English  and  German  descent.  His  paternal 
grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  and  his  great-grandfather  an 
English  naval  officer.  Mr.  M.  is  one  of  the  leading  attorneys  of  the 
county,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M. 

PETER  MORAN,  son  of  Thomas  and  Bridget  (Kelly)  Moran,  was 
born  in  County  Meath,  Ireland,  December  21,  1828,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  in  his  seventeenth  year.  After  working  awhile  on  Long 
Island,  he  came  to  Mishawaka,  this  State ;  he  went  thence  to  Notre 
Dame,  where  he  learned  the  boot  and  shoe  manufacturing  business ; 
worked  in  various  towns  at  the  trade,  and  at  La  Porte,  Ind.,  September 
5,  1858,  he  married  Miss  Catharine  Kaler.  In  March,  1859,  he  came 
to  Valparaiso,  and  is  now  the  oldest  shoe  manufacturer  in  the  city.  Be- 
side manufacturing,  he  retails,  and  has  secured  a  first-class  trade.  His 
children,  seven  in  number,  were  born  and  named  in  the  following  order : 
Dennis,  Mary,  Julia,  Thomas  F.,  John,  Catharine  and  one  that  died  in 
infancy.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Moran 
is  a  Democrat,  and  is  one  of  the  present  City  Commissioners.     Mr.  M. 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  263 

began  his  business  career  in  Valparaiso  in  somewhat  straitened  circum- 
stances, but  has  succeeded  in  securing  a  comfortable  home,  and  a  lucra- 
tive and  permanent  trade. 

JAMES  H.  NEWLAND,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Lawrence  County, 
Ind.,  December  9,  1820.  His  father,  John  Newland,  was  a  Virginian, 
and  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  When  a  young  man,  he  went  to  Burke 
County,  N.  C,  where  he  married  Miss  Agnes  Allen,  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  and  of  English  descent.  They  resided  in  North  Carolina  until 
1818,  when,  to  leave  slavery  behind,  they  came  to  Indiana,  locating  in 
Jackson  County  for  a  short  time,  removing  to  Lawrence  County,  where 
they  ever  afterward  made  their  home.  Mr.  Newland  was  a  farmer,  and 
a  very  active  politician  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  where  he  was 
quite  widely  known,  and  held  several  local  positions  of  honor  and  trust. 
He  and  wife  were  members  of  long  standing  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  their  deaths  occurred  respectively  in  1838  and  1868.  Dr. 
Newland  made  his  home  with  his  parents  until  his  seventeenth  year,  then 
engaged  in  school  teaching,  which  he  continued  for  five  years.  He  began 
the  study  of  medicine  in  1842,  in  Salem,  Ind.,  having  access  to  the  li- 
brary of  his  uncle.  Dr.  Elijah  Newland.  In  1852-53,  he  attended  Rush 
Medical  College  at  Chicago,  of  which  he  is  a  graduate.  He  began  prac- 
ticing in  Thorn  town,  Boone  County,  where  he  also  was  engaged  in  the 
drug  trade.  He  was  there  burned  out,  and  left  completely  in  debt.  He 
started  anew,  and  for  a  time  practiced  medicine  in  Pleasant  Hill,  Mont- 
gomery Co.,  Ind.,  moving  to  Valparaiso  in  1859.  Here  he  has  a  wide 
and  selected  practice.  He  was  married  in  1844,  to  Eliza  Davis,  who 
bore  him  nine  children,  of  whom  only  one,  William  H.,  is  yet  living. 
This  lady  died  in  1871,  and  in  1872  Dr.  Newland  married  his  present 
wife,  Mary  Ellen  Reves.  Dr.  N.  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

ALLEN  R.  NICKELL  was  born  in  Monroe  County,  Va.,  March  8, 
1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Andrew  Nickell,  a  native  of  Virginia,  a  farmer, 
and  of  Irish  descent,  who  married  Janette  Cornwall  in  Virginia  in  about 
1826,  and  in  1835  came  with  teams  overland  to  Elkhart  County,  Ind. 
After  living  there  one  year,  he  came  to  Porter  County,  and  entered  240 
acres  of  land  in  Washington  Township,  near  Morgan  Prairie.  Mr. 
Nickell  erected  a  cabin  and  lived  there  one  season  ;  then  moved  to  Scipio 
Township,  La  Porte  County.  His  wife  died  about  1846,  leaving  a  family 
of  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Mr.  Nickell  afterward 
married  Mary  Ann  Parker,  and  to  this  union  were  born  six  children. 
The  mother  is  yet  living,  but  the  father  died  in  1869.  Allen  R.  Nickell 
was  reared  in  La  Porte  County,  receiving  a  common  school  education. 
He  lived  at  home  until  December,  1849,  when  he  went  to  California,  and 
for  one  month  after  his  arrival  worked  on  a  farm  for  $150,  after  which  he 
engaged  in  mining.  In  1851,  he  returned  and  engaged  in  farming  in 
Washington  Township.  In  1870,  he  moved  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  is 
yet  living.  He  was  married,  in  1851,  to  Sarah  Shinabarger,  who  died 
in  1871.  They  were  the  parents  of  three  children — Paulina  J.  (deceased), 
Malinda  E.  and  Sarah  E.  April  23,  1876,  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Lillie 
(Carpenter)  Best,  and  by  her  has  one  son — Allen  Roy.  Mrs.  Nickell  is 
a  member  of  the  M.  E,   Church,  and   Mr.   Nickell  is  a  member   of  the 


264  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Masonic  fraternity,  being  a  Knight  Templar  of  Valparaiso  Commandery, 
No.  28.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  served  one  term  as  Trustee  of  Cen- 
tre Township. 

M.  J.  O'BRIEN,  general  dealer,  was  born  in  County  Tipperary, 
Ireland,  May  20,  1833,  and  is  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  seven 
children  born  to  James  and  Mary  (Fitz-Gerald)  O'Brien,  natives  of  the 
same  county.  James  O'Brien  was  a  cooper,  and  came  to  America  in 
1844,  and  for  two  years  worked  at  Albany,  N.  Y.  In  1846,  he  sent  for 
his  family,  and  they  resided  in  Albany  for  some  time,  afterward  moving 
to  Onondaga  County,  same  State,  where  our  subject  was  reared  in  the 
village  of  Jordan.  His  parents  moved  to  Erie  County,  Penn.,  in  about 
1874,  and  are  yet  living  there.  M.  J.  O'Brien  received  only  a  limited 
education  from  the  common  schools,  learned  the  cooper's  trade  of  his 
father,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  embarked  on  life's  voyage  on  his  own 
resources.  Up  to  1857,  he  worked  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  also 
during  the  interval.  May  5,  1855,  was  married  to  Miss  Ann  Maria  Sulli- 
van, a  native  of  Albany.  In  1857,  during  the  panic,  Mr.  O'Brien  and 
family  emigrated  West,  and  for  about  eight  months  worked  in  Peoria,  111., 
and  in  1858,  moved  to  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  where  his  family  has  ever  since 
resided,  except  two  years,  while  a  resident  of  Cass  County,  this  State. 
He  began  here  by  working  at  his  trade  in  partnership  with  William 
Quinn,  at  which  they  were  engaged  some  five  years.  They  then  em- 
barked in  the  grocery  trade,  which  was  continued  a  number  of  years. 
Mr.  O'Brien  afterward  purchased  Mr.  Quinn's  interest  and  continued 
the  business  for  a  time  alone.  In  1879,  he  received  a  Government  ap- 
pointment as  issue  clerk  to  the  Sioux  Indians,  at  Standing  Rock,  D.  T., 
under  the  supervision  of  Father  Stephens,  a  Catholic  Missionary  from 
Indiana.  In  1880,  he  came  back  to  his  family  in  Valparaiso,  and  the 
same  year  formed  a  partnership  with  Charles  Miller,  of  Chicago,  in  a 
general  store  at  Valparaiso,  and  Mr.  O'Brien  has  since  been  here  at  the 
head  of  the  establishment.  They  carry  everything  found  in  a  first-class 
general  store,  including  dry  goods,  clothing,  crockery,  tin  and  glass  ware. 
Mr.  O'Brien  by  his  first  wife  had  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are  yet 
living.  Their  names  are  Katie  C,  James  E.,  William  Smith,  Mary  M., 
Michael  P.,  John  J.  and  Ann,  living,  and  James,  Mary  and  Sophia, 
deceased.  The  mother  died  May  3,  1873.  Mr.  O'Brien  married  his 
present  wife.  Miss  Sophia  Sullivan,  in  the  fall  of  1874,  in  Chicago,  and 
by  her  has  three  children — Frank,  Bertha  and  Joseph.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
O'Brien  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  O'Brien  is 
a  Republican.  He  was  elected  Councilman  of  the  Third  Ward  of  Val- 
paraiso, and  served  for  two  years.  In  1872,  he  was  elected  Trustee  of 
Centre  Township,  and  served  six  consecutive  years.  He  is  one  of  the 
well-known  and  substantial  merchants  of  Valparaiso. 

MICHAEL  O'REILLY,  pastor  of  St.  Paul's  Roman  Catholic  Church 
of  Valparaiso,  is  a  native  of  Clonmellon,  Westmeath  Co.,  Ireland,  and 
was  born  January  29,  1834.  His  father,  John  O'Reilly,  a  steward  on 
Ross  Mead  for  Capt.  Robinson,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  was  married,  in 
1833,  to  Ann  Bennett,  and  to  this  union  were  born  one  son  and  three 
daughters,  of  whom  our  subject  and  two  sisters  only  are  living.  John 
O'Reilly  died  when  Michael  was  but  seven  years  of  age.     His  mother 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  2G5 

again  marrying,  Michael  began  life's  battle  on  his  own  responsibility,  and 
up  to  the  age  of  thirteen  made  his  home  with  an  uncle,  aiding  him  in  his 
duties  as  salesman  of  timber.  In  18-16,  he  joined  one  of  the  secret  rebel 
clubs  denounced  by  the  Government,  and  was,  in  consequence,  advised  to 
seek  a  refuge  in  America.  In  1848,  he  came  over  alone,  and  made  his 
way  to  the  home  of  an  uncle  in  Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
was  engaged  in  various  pursuits  in  Oneida  and  Genesee  Counties.  He 
saved  his  earnings,  sent  over  for  two  of  his  sisters,  and  at  sixteen  began 
going  to  school.  When  unable  to  attend,  his  strong  inclination  for  study 
led  him  to  read  all  books  of  value  that  came  in  his  way,  and  he  thus  ac- 
quired a  good  preparatory  education.  At  seventeen,  he  began  teaching 
in  the  winters,  and  with  the  money  thus  earned  entered  Oberlin  College, 
(Ohio),  where  he  remained  until  his  Junior  year.  He  then  entered  Notre 
Dame  University  at  South  Bend,  studied  mental  philosophy  and  other 
branches  pertaining  to  a  classical  course,  and  then  entered  St.  Mary's 
Seminary  at  Cincinnati,  went  through  a  thorough  theological  course  and 
was  admitted  to  the  priesthood.  He  was  assigned  to  Fort  Wayne  Diocese, 
and  a  short  time  after  came  to  Valparaiso  and  took  charge  of  its  Catholic 
congregation,  then  numbering  fifty  or  sixty  families,  with  a  debt  of  about 
$4,000,  and  with  neither  house  nor  school.  With  commendable  energy, 
Father  O'Reilly  went  to  work  to  remedy  this  unfortunate  condition  of 
affairs,  and  as  a  result  of  his  zeal  and  persistency  he  can  now  boast  of 
one  of  the  finest  congregations  in  the  city,  numbering  about  2,000  souls, 
freed  of  all  mortgages.  He  has  .also  established  churches  at  Hobart, 
Chesterton  and  Westville,  and  is  now  engaged  in  erecting  a  new  church 
edifice  at  Valparaiso.  He  is  untiring  in  his  labors,  is  one  of  Valparaiso's 
best  citizens,  and  is  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  her  people,  irrespective 
of  sectarian  differences. 

O'SULLIVAN  &  McAULIFFE.  Patrick  T.  O'Sullivan  is  a  native 
of  the  village  of  Shannonvale,  County  Cork,  Ireland,  and  was  born  April 
5,  1852.  He  is  one  of  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living,  born 
to  John  and  Hanora  (0' Donovan)  O'Sullivan.  He  was  educated  in  the 
Irish  national  and  select  schools,  and  in  November,  1872,  emigrated  to 
America,  landing  in  New  York  in  December.  He  came  to  La  Porte, 
Ind.,  and  in  January,  1873,  entered  Notre  Dame  University,  graduating 
in  June,  1874.  The  following  August,  he  came  to  Valparaiso  and  be- 
came a  teacher  in  St.  Paul's  Grammar  School,  where  he  remained  eight 
years.  In  September,  1881.  in  partnership  with  J.  F.  McAuliffe,  he  es- 
tablished the  Valparaiso  Herald,  issuing  the  first  number  on  the  29th  of 
that  month.  The  paper  is  a  six-column  quarto,  independent  in  politics, 
has  become  one  of  the  leading  journals  of  Porter  County,  and  ranks 
among  to  most  ably  edited  papers  of  Northern  Indiana. 

J.  F.  McAuliffe  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  December, 
1859,  and  is  one  of  the  five  living  children  of  a  family  of  nine  born  to 
John  and  Catharine  (Clifford)  McAuliffe,  natives  of  Ireland.  The  parents 
came  to  America  in  about  1849.  The  father  died  December  14,  1876; 
the  widow  still  survives  and  is  living  in  Centre  Township,  on  the  Joliet 
road,  west  of  Valparaiso.  J.  F.  McAuliffe  was  reared  in  this  county, 
and  received  a  good  practical  education,  which  was  finished  at  St.  Paul's 
Grammar  School,  Valparaiso.  He  was  married.  May  3,  1881,  to  Sophia 
Haberle,  and  is  the  father  of  one  daughter,  Catharine. 


266  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

AARON  PARKS  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Ohio,  June  17,  1833, 
and  is  a  son  of  E.  W.  Parks,  a  native  of  Vermont,  a  grandson  of  Aaron 
Parks,  and  his  great-grandfather  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to 
America  previous  to  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  He  served  in  this  war, 
as  did  also  the  grandfather,  the  former  dying  in  the  defense  of  his 
adopted  country.  The  grandfather,  Aaron  Parks,  lived  to  the  age  of 
one  hundred  and  two  years,  and  died  in  Vermont.  E.  W.  Parks, 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  but  also  farmed.  He  was  twice  married; 
first,  to  a  Miss  Olds,  who  died  leaving  him  a  family  of  four 
children,  three  of  whom  yet  live.  His  second  wife,  the  mother  of 
Aaron  Parks,  of  Valparaiso,  was  Mrs.  Mary  (Gilbreath)  Bear,  a  wid- 
owed lady  with  two  children,  only  one  yet  living.  To  her  union  with 
Mr.  Parks  there  were  born  five  children,  only  two,  Aaron  and  a  sister, 
yet  living.  The  mother  died  in  1844,  and  the  father  went  to  Lenawee 
County,  Mich.,  where  he  died  in  1848.  Aaron  Parks  lived  with  his  father 
until  his  death,  then  went  to  live  with  a  half-sister  in  Berrien  County. 
Mich.,  but  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  went  to  Niles,  Mich.,  to  learn  the  gun- 
smith trade  with  William  Van  Blear,  remaining  with  him  three  years. 
He  then  went  to  Michigan  City,  where  for  about  a  year  he  worked  at  his 
trade.  In  1852,  he  came  to  Indiana,  and  for  the  first  two  years  was  in 
La  Porte,  working  at  gunsmithing.  He  then  came  to  Valparaiso  with 
but  very  little  more  than  his  tools,  but  has  accumulated  some  property  and 
a  home.  He  was  married,  June  1, 1856,  to  Jane  Cook,  and  to  them  have 
been  born  five  children — Alice  E.,  Gili)ert  (dead),  Emery  (dead),  Samuel 
A.  and  Gordie  (dead).  Mr.  Parks  at  one  time  held  the  position  of  one 
of  the  "  City  Fathers  "  of  Valparaiso.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  is  the 
present  Township  Trustee  of  Centre  Township.  In  1864,  he  entered 
the  Government  service  for  seven  months,  and  was  on  detached  duty  as 
Orderly  at  Camp  Carrington.  He  is  at  present  working  at  his  trade,  and 
in  addition  does  a  general  repairing  business.  He  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

WILLIAM  E.  PINNEY,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  La  Porte 
County,  Ind.,  November  10,  1847,  and  is  the  fourth  of  the  eight  children 
of  William  and  Cynthia  (Long)  Pinney,  natives,  respectively,  of  Ohio  and 
Virginia,  and  of  English  descent.  The  paternal  progenitor  of  this  family 
came  to  America  in  1620,  and  his  descendants  are  now  scattered  through- 
out almost  all  the  States  of  the  Union.  In  1837,  William  Pinney  came 
from  Ohio  to  La  Porte  County  with  his  parents,  and  December  23,  1841. 
married  Miss  Cynthia  Long,  who  came  to  La  Porte  County  with  her 
parents  in  1836.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pinney  still  reside  in  La  Porte  County, 
in  Clinton  Township,  on  the  old  homestead.  William  E.  Pinney  was 
reared  in  La  Porte  County,  assisting  on  the  -home  farm,  and  attending 
the  district  schools.  Subsequently,  he  attended  the  old  Male  and  Female 
College  at  Valparaiso,  this  county,  and  then  began  the  study  of  law  in 
the  office  of  Weir  &  Biddle,  of  La  Porte,  remaining  with  them  some  time. 
In  1872,  he  entered  the  Law  Department  of  the  Indiana  University,  at 
Bloomington,  and  in  April,  1874,  came  to  Valparaiso,  and  opened  a  law, 
loan  and  abstract  office.  Here  Mr.  Pinney  has  the  only  complete  set  of 
abstract  titles  in  Porter  County,  and  ever  since  his  location  here  has  been 
actively  employed  in  his  profession  of  attorney  and  counselor  at  law,  and 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  267 

the  transaction  of  loan  and  title  abstract  business.  On  the  18th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1875,  Mr.  Pinney  married  Miss  Finette  Morrison,  a  native  of  La 
Porte  County,  born  July  7,  1850,  and  eldest  of  the  three  children  of 
John  and  Susan  (Blair)  Morrison,  both  families  being  early  settlers  in 
Northern  Indiana,  and  Judj2;e  Blair,  her  mother's  father,  one  of  the  old 
and  prominent  settlers  of  Porter  County,  and  also  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Valparaiso.  Mrs.  Pinney  is  a  lady  of  more 
than  ordinary  culture,  is  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  family,  and  to 
her  intelligence  and  industry  Mr.  Pinney  attributes  much  of  his  success. 
Their  little  daughter,  Myra  Finette,  now  two  years  of  age,  and  their 
only  child,  is  very  intelligent  and  far  advanced  for  one  of  her  age.  Mrs. 
Pinney  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  Mr.  Pinney, 
although  a  member  of  no  religious  society,  is  thoroughly  orthodox  in  his 
views  of  theology.  In  politics,  he  is  a  Democrat,  although  liberal  in  his 
opinions,  never  hesitating  to  condemn  that  which  he  considers  to  be  wrong 
in  his  party,  but  firmly  upholding  the  right.  His  grandfather,  Horace 
Pinney,  served  in  the  war  of  1812  as  a  Drum  Major,  and  others  of  his 
ancestors  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  one  as  Lieutenant  and  one  as 
Colonel.  The  characteristic  feature  of  the  family  is  an  unassuming,  quiet 
disposition,  but  a  number  of  them  have  become  quite  prominent  as  private 
citizens.  Mr.  Pinney's  father,  William  Pinney,  is  a  man  of  extraordinary 
natural  ability. 

HOMER  W.  PORTER,  County  School  Superintendent,  was  born 
in  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  March  9,  1813,  the  only  child  of  Hiram 
and  Lucy  (Ayres)  Porter,  natives  of  the  same  State  and  of  English 
descent.  Mr.  Hiram  Porter  died  when  Homer  W.  was  but  two  years  old, 
his  widow  afterward  marrying  Abner  Tillabaugh.  Homer  was  reared  by 
his  grandmother  Porter,  and  was  educated  chiefly  by  members  of  the 
family,  and  in  his  nineteenth  year  began  teaching  school  at  $8  per  month  ; 
the  next  year  he  received  $11.  In  the  spring  of  1863,  he  moved  to 
Somonauk,  111.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  drug  trade  with  an  uncle  for  six 
months,  taught  another  term  of  school,  and  in  the  spring  of  1861  came 
to  Valparaiso,  and  entered  the  Freshman  year  of  the  old  Male  and  Female 
College.  At  the  end  of  the  summer  he  again  taught  school  and  clerked 
until  the  fall  of  1868,  when  he  married  Miss  Caroline  Haste.  He  was 
next  employed  as  first  teacher  in  the  grammar  department  of  the  high 
school ;  then  farmed  for  some  time,  and  continued  farming  and  teaching 
until  the  spring  of  1881,  when  he  moved  to  Valparaiso,  and  was  elected 
County  School  Superintendent  in  December  of  the  same  year,  now  filling 
the  unexpired  term  of  Reason  Shinabarger,  resigned.  Mr.  Porter  is  a 
Republican,  and  he  and  wife  are  parents  of  two  children — Willie  H.  and 
Edith. 

GEORGE  QUATERMASS,  retired  farmer,  first  came  to  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  with  his  family  from  Canada  in  1860,  and  settled  where 
he  now  resides  and  engaged  in  farininaj.  He  was  a  native  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  and  was  born  February  19,  1813.  Moved  to  Canada  with 
his  parents  when  but  a  small  boy,  and  was  reared  there  to  manhood. 
Was  twice  married,  first  to  Emily  Harris,  who  died  in  Canada  in  1830. 
He  married  his  second  wife,  Sarah  Janes,  in  Porter  County,  and  he  and 
she  are  yet  living  at  Wheeler.     The   names  of  the  children  born  to  his 


268  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

first  marriage  were  Eliza,  Almira,  Reuben,  James  (deceased),  Martha, 
Emerson,  George  and  Martin  (deceased).  The  children  are  all  mar- 
ried. In  1871,  Reuben  came  to  Valparaiso  and  opened  a  general  store,  and 
this  led  to  the  business  that  is  now  carried  on  by  those  of  that  name.  At 
the  end  of  four  years,  Emerson  became  a  partner  of  Reuben,  and  the 
firm  then  became  Quatermass  Bros.  Previous  to  their  partnership  being 
formed,  the  building  now  occupied  by  E.  Quatermass  &  Co.  was  built, 
and  into  this  they  removed  their  stock  in  1874.  In  1878,  Reuben  Qua- 
termass retired  from  the  partnership,  and  in  March,  1882,  moved  to 
Moline,  Kan.,  where  he  yet  resides,  engaged  in  the  stock  business.  Em- 
erson then  formed  a  partnership  with  a  brother-in-law,  F.  W.  Schenck, 
under  the  firm  name  of  E.  Quatermass  &  Co.  Their  stock  comprises  on 
the  first  floor  dry  goods,  gents'  furnishing  goods,  house  furnishing  goods 
and  notions  of  every  description  ;  on  the  second  floor  is  clothing,  carpets 
and  merchant  tailoring.  They  carry  a  first-class  stock  of  all  kinds  of 
dry  goods,  silks,  and,  in  fact,  everything  that  can  be  found  in  a  city  of 
ten  times  the  size  of  Valparaiso.  Their  force  employed  in  this  establish- 
ment is  twenty-four  persons,  and  they  do  an  average  annual  business 
of  $100,000.  Emerson  Quatermass,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm, 
was  born  in  Canada  in  1850 ;  came  to  Porter  County  in  1872,  and  in 
November,  1878,  married  Miss  Grace  Schenck,  daughter  of  Benjamin 
Schenck,  deceased,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County.  Mr.  Q.  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  Mrs.  Q.  is  a  member  of 
the  Christian  Church. 

AARON  ROGERS,  son  of  Elisha  and  Zilpha  (Dean)  Rogers,  was 
born  in  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y.,  April  27,  1827.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  and  of  Irish  descent.  He  was  a  farmer, 
and  married  in  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.  He  and  wife  came  to  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  in  1851,  where  they  both  died.  Aaron  Rogers  passed  his 
early  years  on  his  parents'  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  began  life's 
battle  on  his  own  responsibility,  but  the  greater  part  of  the  proceeds  of 
his  labors  went  to  his  parents  until  he  attained  his  majority,  when  he 
opened  a  dry  goods,  general  notion  and  auction  house  in  Western  New 
York.  After  that,  he  engaged  in  traveling  and  selling  goods  until  1851, 
when  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  and  July  3,  of  that  year,  opened  a  jewelry 
store,  and  worked  at  manufacturing  and  mending  until  within  the  past 
few  years,  when  he  turned  his  attention  more  chiefly  to  banking  and  deal- 
ing in  real  estate.  Mr.  Rogers  was  married  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  April 
27,  1853,  to  Miss  Jane  Conner,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  four 
children — Eleanor  Arvilla,  now  Mrs.  C.  T.  Allen  ;  Chauncy  Jerome, 
Eugenia  and  Roscoe.  The  mother  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  and  Mr.  Rogers  is  a  Republican,  but  formerly  was  a  Whig. 

J.  A.  RYAN,  M.  D.,  was  born  near  South  Bend,  Ind.,  September 
23,  1852,  and  is  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  seven  children  born  to 
John  L.  and  Eliza  (Nixon)  Ryan,  who  were  natives  of  New  York  State. 
Dr.  Ryan's  grandfather,  Ryan,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to 
America,  where  he  died  very  shortly  after  the  birth  of  John  L.  Ryan.  Our 
subject's  mother  died  December  24,  1879  ;  his  fiither  is  yet  living  on  his 
fiirm  near  South  Bend,  where  he  has  resided  the  past  thirty-five  years. 
Dr.  Ryan  was  reared  in  St.  Joseph  County,  Ind.,  and  after  attending  the 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  269 

common  country  schools,  went  to  South  Bend,  graduating  from  the  high 
school  of  that  city.  He  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1875,  under 
Dr.  Sweetland.  He  taught  school  tiiree  terras  after  coming  out  of  high 
school,  and  the  winters  of  1876,  1877  and  1878  attended  and  graduated 
from  the  Bennett  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  Chicago.  The  spring  of 
1878,  he  took  a  special  course  in  the  Eye  and  Ear  College,  receiving  a 
special  diploma.  While  then  not  knowing  where  he  would  locate,  he 
passed  an  examination  before  the  State  Board  of  Health,  receiving  a  cer- 
tificate from  that  institution.  He  came  to  Valparaiso  in  October,  1878, 
and  in  partnership  with  Dr.  Vincent,  embarked  in  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. In  May,  1879,  he  purchased  Dr.  Vincent's  practice,  and  has  met 
with  excellent  success.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and 
is  a  Knight  Templar  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28.  He  was  mar- 
ried. May  20,  1879,  to  Miss  Carrie  Wood,  daughter  of  Agustus  Wood, 
one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Northwestern  Indiana,  and  now  a  merchant  of 
Hobart.  He  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  one  son — Claude  A.,  born  Au- 
gust 26,  1881.     The  mother  was  born  at  Michigan  City,  in  May,  1853. 

M.  A.  SALISBURY  was  born  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  April  22, 
1836,  one  of  five  children,  three  yet  living,  born  to  D.  J.  and  Mariette 
(Congdon)  Salisbury,  who  were  natives  of  Vermont  and  New  York 
respectively.  His  grandparents,  John  and  Sabrina  (Jones)  Salisbury, 
were  natives  of  New  England,  and  emigrated  to  La  Porte  County  in 
about  1833.  They  were  farmers,  and  lived  and  died  there.  The  parents 
of  our  subject  also  emigrated  to  La  Porte  County  in  about  1834,  and 
located  in  Kankakee  Township.  In  about  1853,  the  parents  went  to 
Clinton  County,  Iowa,  and  thence  came  to  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  in  1858, 
where  both  are  yet  living  retired.  M.  A.  Salisbury  was  reared  in  La 
Porte  County,  during  which  time  he  received  only  a  common  school  edu- 
cation. November  19,  1856,  he  was  married  in  Valparaiso  to  Martha 
Hicks,  and  has  made  his  home  here  ever  since.  He  first  came  to  Porter 
County  in  August,  1852,  and  entered  as  clerk  in  a  drug  store.  He  so 
continued  until  1861,  when  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  at  Valparaiso 
by  Abraham  Lincoln,  retaining  the  position  until  after  the  assassination 
of  Lincoln,  when  he  was  deposed  by  Andrew  Johnson.  He  then 
engaged  in  dealing  in  books,  stationery,  wall-paper,  musical  instruments, 
etc.  His  wife  died  December  24,  1861,  the  mother  of  one  daughter, 
Clara,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twelve  months.  May  26,  1863,  he  mar- 
ried Viola  (Mallory)  Salisbury,  who  has  borne  him  a  family  of  five  chil- 
dren— Jennie,  Mariette,  Charles  (deceased),  Alice  (deceased),  and  Marion. 

G.  Z.  SALYER  (deceased)  was  born  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.. 
April  16,  1809.  He  went  to  White  Pigeon,  Mich.,  in  about  1831, 
and  there.  May  9,  1833,  married  Xenia  Read,  who  was  born  in  Susque- 
hanna County,  Penn.,  November  14,  1814,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Belden  Read,  who  moved  to  White  Pigeon  in  1830.  Succeeding  their 
marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Salyer  moved  to  La  Porte,  Ind.,  when  Mr. 
Salyer  worked  at  his  trade  (carpenter  and  joiner)  until  the  land  sales  in 
Porter  County  in  1835,  when  they  removed  to  Centre  Township,  when 
Mr.  Salyer  purchased  eighty  acres  and  bought  out  a  grocery  store,  which 
he  carried  on  in  connection  with  his  trade.  He  assisted  in  the  erection 
of  some  of  the   first  buildings  of  Valparaiso,  and  made  this   his  home 


270  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

until  his  death,  September  20,  1865.  He  was  one  of  the  prominent  and 
influential  men  of  his  time,  and  for  many  years  acted  as  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  He  was  a  Republican,  formerly  a  Whig,  and  was  a  member  of 
long  standing  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  and  wife  began 
married  life  with  but  very  little  means,  and  they  worked  hard  and  econo- 
mized, until  at  the  time  of  Mr.  S.'s  death  they  had  considerable  prop- 
erty. Mrs.  Salyer  owns  valuable  city  property  adjoining  the  public 
square,  and  is  yet  a  resident  of  Valparaiso.  To  her  marriage  with  Mr. 
Salyer  there  were  born  seven  children — Don  A.,  Mary  E.  (now  Mrs. 
David  Hamilton),  Charlotte  (now  Mrs.  Elijah  Wood),  Leon  G.  (deceased), 
Orvin  (deceased),  Robert  E.,  married  to  Orpha  Dennison  and  residing  in 
Steuben  County,  Ind.,  and  Winfield  S.,  who  married  Edith  Patrick,  and 
resides  in  Valparaiso.  G.  Z.  Salyer  was  for  many  years  a  merchant  of 
the  place,  and  his  name  is  familiar  to  all  old  settlers  of  Porter  County. 
He  was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Masonic  order  of  Valparaiso, 
and  was  buried  with  Masonic  rites.  Don  A.  Salyer  was  born  in  La 
Porte,  Ind.,  September  22,  1834,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Val- 
paraiso in  1835,  and  has  always  made  this  his  home.  He  received  his 
education  from  the  town  schools,  and  was  married  in  the  fall  of  1856  to 
Miss  Amy  Armstrong,  daughter  of  Chauncy  and  Polly  (Griswold)  Arm- 
strong, of  Ogdensburg,  N.  Y.,  and  succeeding  his  marriage  Mr.  Salyer 
engaged  in  merchandising  in  Valparaiso,  which  he  continued  until  about 
1876,  when  he  purchased  the  paper  mill  he  yet  owns,  which  he  had  pre- 
viously erected  in  partnership  with  T.  G.  Lytle  in  1864.  He  has  oper- 
ated this  mill  ever  since.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  the  parents  of  t\^o  sons  and  one  daughter — 
Dorsey  C,  George  C.  and  Fidelia.  Mr.  Salyer  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  has  ascended  to  the  Commandery,  being  Sir 
Knight  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28.  He  is  a  Republican  and  a 
member  of  the  City  Council. 

G.  A.  SAYLES,  of  the  hardware  firm  of  Sayles  &  Conover,  was  born 
in  Warren,  Warren  Co.,  Penn.,  January  3,  1830,  one  of  a  family  of  seven 
children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living,  born  to  Scott  W.  and  Rhoda  (Bal- 
lard) Sayles.  who  were  natives  respectively  of  New  York  and  Vermont. 
Scott  W.  Sayles  was  a  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  hats,  caps,  furs,  etc., 
in  Warren,  and  after  his  removal  to  Cleveland,  in  1836,  continued  the 
same  until  he  was  burned  out.  He  was  then  elected  County  Treasurer 
of  Cuyahoga  County,  serving  in  that  capacity  eight  years.  After  this 
he  engaged  in  ship-building  for  three  years,  after  which  he  established 
steam  saw-mills  at  Cambridge  and  Erie,  Penn.  From  the  latter  place,  he 
removed  to  Cleveland,  and  from  there  to  Bay  City,  Mich.,  where  he  died 
February,  1865.  His  widow  survived  him  until  July  5,  1881,  when  she, 
too,  died.  They  were  members  of  the  Congregational  Church,  and  Mr. 
Sayles  was  a  Republican,  but  formerly  a  Whig,  tinctured  with  Free-Soil 
ism.  He  served  two  terms  as  County  Clerk  of  Bay  County,  Mich.  G. 
A.  Sayles  lived  with  his  parents  until  about  the  age  of  twenty-four,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  received  a  fair  education  from  the  common  schools. 
He  learned  the  tinner's  trade  at  and  near  Cleveland,  and  worked  for  one 
year  at  the  same  in  Anamosa,  Iowa.  In  August,  1855,  he  came  to  Val- 
paraiso ;  at  that  time  he  was  only  worth  about  $400,  all  of  which  he  had 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  271 

earned  by  his  own  labor.  He  in  company  with  Isaac  Marshall  engaged 
in  a  stove  and  tin  store,  but  after  Mr.  M.'s  death,  a  few  months  later, 
William  Wilson  was  admitted,  and  this  firm  added  hardware  to  their 
stock.  Mr.  Sayles  has  remained  in  the  hardware  trade  ever  since,  and 
has  been  very  successful.  He  formed  his  present  partnership  with  George 
Conover  in  August,  1881,  and  this  firm  now  carries  a  full  line  of  hard- 
ware, stoves  and  tinware.  Mr.  Sayles  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  They  were  married  in  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  the  winter  of  1854,  Mrs.  Sayles  at  that  time  being  Miss 
Sarah  Foote,  a  daughter  of  Caleb  Foot.  They  are  the  parents  of  five 
children — Anna,  Henry,  Kate  (now  Mrs.  George  Conover),  Emma  and 
Gilbert. 

DR.  M.  F.  SAYLES,  brother  of  G.  A.  Sayles,  was  born  in  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  March  8,  1836.  He  received  a  good  practical  education 
from  the  public  schools  of  Cleveland  and  high  school  at  Erie,  Penn.  In 
1858,  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  and  engaged  in  clerking  in  his  brother's 
hardware  store.  In  1864,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Ken- 
dall, of  Valparaiso,  and  in  1865  attended  the  Hahnemann  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Chicago.  After  leaving  there,  he  went  to  St.  Charles,  Minn., 
and  became  associated  in  the  practice  of  medicine  with  Dr.  T.  H.  Everts, 
formerly  of  Valparaiso.  He  remained  in  company  with  Dr.  Everts, 
profiting  by  his  experience,  for  one  year.  He  then  spent  one  winter  at 
Boonville,  Mo.,  and  then  returned  to  Porter  County,  and  opened  an  ofiice 
at  Hebron,  where  he  carried  on  a  successful  practice  until  1876,  when  he 
came  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  yet  remains  in  active  practice,  and  is  now 
one  of  the  well  known  physicians  of  the  place.  Dr.  Sayles  was  married 
in  1860,  to  Miss  Fanny  Jones,  daughter  of  Isaac  Jones,  of  Chicago. 

AARON  STANTON  Avas  born  December  7,  1832,  in  La  Porte,  Ind., 
and  is  the  eldest  of  seven  living  children  of  a  family  of  nine  born  to 
Thomas  E.  and  Sarah  (Pagin)  Stanton,  who  were  natives  of  Preble 
County,  Ohio,  and  of  English  and  German  descent  respectively.  The 
Stantons  were  Quakers,  and  the  maternal  great-grandfather  of  our  subject, 
Fisher,  was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  during  the  Revolutionary  war  was 
drafted  from  the  German  Empire  to  return  a  favor  to  England  that  Ger- 
many owed.  He  served  five  years  on  the  British  side,  but  after  the  war 
adopted  this  as  his  country.  The  parents  of  our  subject  were  married  in 
Union  County,  Ind.,  and  in  1829  moved  to  La  Porte,  Ind.,  where  they 
engaged  in  farming.  The  father,  in  1849,  crossed  the  plains  to  California, 
and  remained  in  that  country  two  years  engaged  in  mining.  In  1852, 
he  sold  out  at  La  Porte  and  removed  to  Winneshiek  County,  Iowa,  and 
from  there  moved  to  California  in  1856,  locating  in  Santa  Barbara,  where 
he  died  in  1874.  His  widoAv  and  the  remainder  of  the  family  are  still 
residents  of  California,  Mrs  Stanton  making  her  home  at  Los  Angeles. 
Aaron  Stanton  was  reared  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  during  which  time 
he  received  a  good  common  school  education.  He  learned  two  trades — 
blacksmith's  and  tinner's — but  his  chief  employment  has  been  farming. 
He  was  married  the  6th  of  March,  1853,  to  Miss  Caroline  S.  Malone, 
and  the  spring  of  1854  came  to  Valparaiso  and  established  the  first 
ready-made  clothing  store  in  the  place.  In  1856,  he  sold  out  and  moved 
to  Winneshiek,  Iowa,  where  for  two  years  he  was  in  the  hardware  trade, 


272  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

and  in  1861  moved  back  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  a  farm 
of  190  acres  in  Washington  Township,  and  engaged  in  farming.  In 
1881,  he  removed  from  that  county  to  Valparaiso,  and  is  now  engaged  in 
the  agricultural  implement  business  and  looking  after  his  farm.  He  is  a 
Sir  Knight  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28,  and  is  a  Republican. 
He  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  three  children — George  E.,  married  to 
Dell  Ball,  and  a  merchant  of  Valparaiso  ;   Sarah  B.  and  Mary  E. 

RUEL  STARR,  deceased,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  was 
born  in  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  December  22,  1804,  and  was  a  son  of 
Noah  and  Alfleda  (Fuller)  Starr,  the  former  being  a  soldier  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  in  command  of  a  company  at  Buffalo  that  crossed  the  Niagara 
River  from  Black  Rock,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Queenstown, 
October  13,  1812.  Ruel  Starr,  in  1830,  went  to  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  and 
in  Comstock,  of  that  State,  December  29,  1830,  married  Phebe  E., 
daughter  of  Caleb  and  Phebe  (Brownell)  Eldred,  who  was  born  in  Otsego 
County,  N.  Y.,  January  18,  1812.  This  couple,  in  May,  1834,  moved 
to  Washington  Township,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  where  they  built  a  cabin  and 
engaged  in  pioneer  pursuits.  They  partook  of  all  the  hardships  of  life 
in  a  new  country,  and  in  the  spring  of  1859  moved  to  Valparaiso,  where 
Mr.  Starr  died  April  19,  1875.  His  widow  yet  survives  him  and  resides 
in  Valparaiso  with  her  only  living  child,  Mrs.  Kittie  L.  McGill,  who  was 
born  May  3,  1849,  and  was  married  May  18,  1869,  to  James  McGill. 
There  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Starr  a  family  of  six  children  altogether, 
but  the  five  following-named  died:  Noah  VV.,  Octavius  E.,  Augustus  A., 
Caleb  E.  and  Phebe  E.  Of  the  death  of  Mr.  Starr,  the  following  is  a  sam- 
ple of  what  the  county  papers  said  of  him  :  "  He  was  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  prominent  citizens  of  Porter  County.  He  was  very  active  in 
evervthing  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his  country  and  he  did  much 
toward  building  up  the  county  to  its  present  proportions.  In  every  sense 
of  the  word  he  was  a  self-made  man,  coming  to  the  county  poor,  and  by 
industry  and  economy  accumulating  a  competence.  He  was  a  Democrat 
in  politics,  but  not  by  any  means  a  politician,  although  he  was  often  called 
upon  and  did  fill  both  township  and  county  oflSces.  His  death  was  sin- 
cerely mourned  and  regretted  by  a  large  concourse  of  friends  who  followed 
his  remains  to  their  last  resting-place — the  grave — but  by  none  more  than 
his  family.      He  was  interred  in  the  city  cemetery." 

COL.  I.  C.  B.  SUMAN,  Postmaster  at  Valparaiso,  is  a  native  of 
Frederick  County,  Md.,  and  was  born  January  4,  1831,  the  next  to  the 
youngest  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are  still  living,  born 
to  Albert  and  Mary  (Lantz)  Suman,  who  were  natives  of  the  South,  and 
of  English-German  descent.  Albert  Suman  was  born  August  17,  1763, 
and  served  several  years  in  the  Revolutionary  war  under  Gen.  Marion. 
He  was  a  tanner  by  trade,  and  made  that  his  occupation  until  his  death, 
March  16,  1842.  Mrs.  Mary  Suman  was  born  December  12,  1793,  and 
died  December  8,  1871.  Col.  I.  C.  B.  Suman  was  reared  in  Maryland, 
and  received  a  common-school  education.  In  May,  1846,  he  enlisted  in 
the  First  United  States  Artillery  for  the  Mexican  war  under  Maj.  Ring- 
gold, of  Maryland.  He  remained  in  the  artillery  service  about  two 
years,  and  was  tlien  transferred  to  the  Second  United  States  Dragoons, 
and  served  in  the  U^nited   States  Army  at  that  time  a  total   of  five  years. 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  273 

He  was  under  Gen.  Taylor,  and  participated  in  the  engagements  of  Palo 
Alto,  Monterey,  Buena  Vista,  and  all  the  movements  of  Taylor's  army 
after  crossing  the  river  at  Brownsville  until  the  capture  of  the  City  of 
Mexico.  At  close  of  the  war,  he  returned  to  Maryland.  His  father  had 
been  a  large  slave-owner,  but  after  his  failure  in  business  and  his  death, 
the  family  were  left  in  reduced  circumstances.  Our  subject,  being 
strongly  opposed  to  slavery,  and  thinking  to  make  a  better  livelihood  in  a 
free  country,  started  on  foot  for  the  Northwest  in  the  fall  of  1852,  his 
total  possessions  at  the  time  amounting  to  $8  in  cash.  At  Wooster,  Ohio, 
where  he  had  an  aunt  living,  he  engaged  at  carpentering  with  a  Mr. 
Daily,  formerly  of  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  and  with  him  remained  a  year.  He 
then  started  West,  and,  reaching  Valparaiso,  and  liking  the  place  and 
the  people,  concluded  to  make  it  his  home.  Here  he  resumed  his  trade, 
which  he  followed  until  the  breaking-out  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  The 
news  of  the  fall  of  Sumter  reached  him  while  ho  was  at  work  on  a 
frame  fence  for  T.  B.  Cole,  when  he  instantly  dropped  his  tools  and  went 
down  town  and  enlisted  for  the  war  as  a  private  in  Company  H,  Ninth 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  being  the  second  to  volunteer  from  Porter 
County.  On  the  election  for  officers,  Mr.  Suman  was  chosen  First  Lieu- 
tenant. The  day  before  going  to  the  front,  April  21,  1861,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Kate  M.  Goss,  and,  leaving  his  bride,  took 
part  in  the  three  months'  service,  participating  in  the  battles  of  Philippi, 
Laurel  Hill  and  Carrick's  Ford.  The  regiment  was  then  mustered  out, 
came  home,  and  re-organized  for  three  years,  Mr.  Suman  being  chosen 
as  Captain  of  his  Company — H.  He  received  his  commission  August 
29,  1861,  and  as  a  Captain  served  until  August  20,  1862,  when,  by 
reason  of  vacancy,  he  was  promoted  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  Ninth 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  As  such  he  served  until,  through  the  resig- 
nation of  Col.  Blake,  he  was  promoted  to  the  Colonelcy  of  his  regiment 
April  17,  1863,  and  with  this  rank  remained  in  active  service  throughout 
the  war.  March  13,  1865,  he  received  from  headquarters  a  document,  a 
portion  of  which  read  as  follows  :  "  You  are  hereby  informed  that  the 
President  of  the  United  States  has  appointed  you,  for  gallant  and  meri- 
torious services  during  the  war,  a  Brigadier  General  of  volunteers  by 
brevet."  The  war  being  virtually  over,  Col.  Suman  declined  this  pro- 
motion, as  he  did  not  enter  his  country's  service  for  the  sake  of  honors, 
but  in  her  defense.  Of  all  Indiana's  Colonels,  he  alone  preserved  and 
retained  the  field  books.  July  28,  1 865,  he  was  appointed  Second  Lieu- 
tenant in  the  Thirty-eighth  Infantry,  regular  army,  and  this  appointment 
he  also  declined.  On  being  mustered  out,  he  returned  to  his  wife,  and, 
purchasing  a  farm  in  Jackson  Township,  moved  thereon  and  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits  until  April,  1881,  when  he  moved  to  Valparaiso  and 
received  his  appointment  as  Postmaster  in  April,  1882.  On  his  farm, 
which  comprises  ov^r  400  acres,  the  B.  &  0.  R.  R.  Company  have 
erected  a  station,  which  is  named  in  his  honor.  Mr.  Suman  is  a  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  Mrs. 
Suman  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  To  them  have  been 
born  four  children — Ada  May  (now  Mrs.  Lawry,  of  Kansas),  Alice  Bell, 
Bessie  E.  and  Frank  T.  Besides  the  battles  already  spoken  of.  Col. 
Suman  took  part  in  the  following  :     Greenbrier,  Buffalo   Mountain,  Shi- 


274  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

loh,  Perryville,  Stone  River  (here  he  was  twice  wounded ;  one  wound, 
by  a  minie  ball  passing  through  his  body^  being  very  severe),  Chicka- 
mauga,  Lookout  Mountain  (where  he  was  slightly  wounded),  Missionary 
Ridge  (and  here  again  he  received  another  wound),  Ringgold,  Dalton, 
Resaca,  Gulp's  Farm,  Pine  Top  Mountain,  Rough's  Station,  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  siege  of  Atlanta,  Lovejoy's  Station,  Franklin,  Nashville  and  many 
other  engagements  and  skirmishes.  Col.  Suman  never  curried  favor 
with  his  superior  officers,  and  all  he  is,  and  has  been,  came  through  his 
own  self-reliance. 

WILLIAM  C.  TALCOTT,  son  of  Joseph  and  Rebecca  Talcott, 
was  born  in  Dalton,  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  December  25,  1815,  and 
during  the  first  year  of  his  age  his  parents  moved  their  family  to  Madi- 
son, Lake  Co.,  Ohio,  where  he  resided  with  them  till  the  age  often,  and 
then  with  others  until  nearly  twenty,  when  he  came  to  La  Porte  County, 
Ind.,  in  August,  1835  ;  in  the  spring  of  1837,  he  came  to  Porter  County, 
where  he  has  resided  ever  since,  except  perhaps  the  years  1843  and  1844, 
which  were  passed  at  Waterford,  La  Porte  County,  and  1845  and  184(3, 
near  South  Bend.  He  was  married,  May  1,  1838,  to  Miss  Maria  Luther, 
who  has  borne  him  six  children,  of  whom  two  sons  and  one  daughter  died 
young.  Of  the  three  surviving,  Henry  is  a  District  Judge  in  Kansas  ; 
Joseph,  is  a  postal  clerk  between  Crestline  and  Chicago ;  the  youngest, 
Charles,  is  his  father's  partner  in  the  publication  of  the  Porter  County 
Vidette  at  Valparaiso,  and  is  also  Treasurer  of  the  School  Board.  Will- 
iam C.  Talcott  became  religious  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  and  began  studying 
for  the  Presbyterian  ministry,  but  during  his  studies  his  faith  in  endless 
punishment  became  so  shaken  that  he  abandoned  the  intention.  Becom- 
ing pretty  well  established  in  the  belief  of  Universalism,  he  acted  as  a 
pioneer  preacher  of  that  creed  for  about  ten  years,  when  he  lost  his  faith 
in  spiritual  worlds  and  beings,  and  since  1845  his  creed  has  consisted  of 
"  doing  as  you  would  be  done  by;"  and  in  that  year  he  founded  a  com- 
munity on  this  basis  near  South  Bend,  which  failed  only  through  a  dis- 
agreement among  the  investors  in  the  land,  whereby  the  better  part  of  the 
promised  site  was  lost.  In  1840,  Mr.  Talcott  was  elected  Justice;  was 
appointed  Probate  Judge  in  1849,  and  was  elected  to  the  same  office  in 
1850;  he  resigned  in  1852,  to  accept  the  Democratic  nomination  for 
Assemblyman,  but  being  an  earnest  temperance  and  anti-slavery  advocate, 
was  defeated.  In  1856,  he  was  elected  Common  Pleas  Judge,  and  was 
twice  re-elected,  serving  twelve  years,  after  which  he  for  six  years  prac- 
ticed law.  His  experience  as  a  publisher  began  in  1846,  at  South  Bend, 
where  he  started  the  Spirit  of  Reform^  hoping  to  advance  a  reform  in 
spelling,  of  which  he  is  still  a  devoted  advocate.  In  1847,  he  bought  a 
half-interest  in  the  Western  Ranger,  published  at  Valparaiso,  and  was  part- 
ner in  it  nearly  two  years;  then  bought  the  other  half,  entitled  it  the  Pra(?^zmZ 
Observer,  made  it  a  temperance,  anti-slavery  and  otherwise  reformatory 
Democratic  paper  until  1854,  and  after  that  Republican  till  1857,  when  by 
reason  of  employment  on  the  bench  he  sold  out.  But  in  1874,  he  pur- 
chased the  Vidette,  as  the  successor,  by  another  name,  of  what  he  sold, 
and  after  a  few  months  his  son,  Charles  R.,  became  a  partner  with  him, 
and  since  then  the  firm  has  made  that  paper  what  it  is.  Mr.  Talcott 
has  had  some  experience  in  Porter  County  in  surveying,  teaching,  preach- 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  2T5 

ing,  farming,  publishing  and  practicing  and  administering  law,  and  his 
experience  in  these  things,  with  his  economic  tendency  of  mind,  have 
made  him  a  devoted  advocate  of  economical  reforms  as  advocated  for 
years  past  in  the  Vidette.  His  life  has  been  a  peaceful  one,  a  plain  and 
tolerably  temperate  and  healthy  one,  and  since  relieved  of  apprehension 
of  hell-fire  for  himself  or  others,  whom  he  cared  for  measurably  as  him- 
self, a  happy  one,  he  having  been  growing  happy  with  increasing  years 
despite  the  lack  of  hope  of  anything  beyond  this  life  but  sleep,  believing 
that  he  is  habitually  the  happiest  person  in  the  world. 

RUFUS  P.  WELLS,  coal  dealer,  a  native  of  Athens  County, 
Ohio,  was  born  December  5,  1817.  He  is  one  of  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren born  to  Varnum  G.  and  Sarah  (Davis)  Wells,  who  were  natives 
respectively  of  Rhode  Island  and  Maine,  and  of  Welsh  and  English 
descent.  Varnum  G.  Wells  was  a  millwright,  and  came  to  Marietta, 
Ohio,  in  about  1800,  and  there  married.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812, 
and  held  a  Captain's  commission.  At  the  close  of  the  war,  he  removed 
to  Athens  County,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  working  at 
his  trade  until  his  death  in  1835,  preceded  by  that  of  his  wife  in  1833. 
Rufus  P.  Wells  was  reared  in  Ohio  until  seventeen  years  old.  In  the  fall 
of  1837,  he  and  his  half-uncle  and  family  moved  to  Indiana,  and  that 
winter  our  subject  remainetl  in  Elkhart  County.  In  the  spring  of  1838, 
he  came  to  Porter  County,  and  worked  around  at  odd  jobs  for  four  years. 
He  then  engaged  in  teaching  winters  and  working  summers.  September 
30,  1849,  Mr.  Wells  married  Miss  Maria  Smith,  and  moved  upon  his 
farm  in  Porter  Township,  which  he  had  purchased  in  1844.  He  yet 
retains  the  old  farm,  which  now  consists  of  320  acres.  He  was  elected 
in  1870  to  the  office  of  Clerk  of  Courts  of  Porter  County,  by  the  Repub- 
lican party,  taking  his  seat  in  November,  1871 ;  afterward  was  re-elected, 
serving  in  all  eight  years.  Since  that  time,  he  has  been  dealing  in  coal 
and  looking  after  his  farm.  Mr.  Wells  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M., 
and  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church.  His  wife  died  in  1875,  leaving 
three  children — John  Q.,  Orrin  M.  and  Mary  E.,  now  Mrs.  C.  E.  Man- 
deville.  March  10,  1878,  Mr.  Wells  married  his  present  wife,  Mrs.  Ruth 
(Winspear)  Shenck,  a  native  of  England. 

W.  C.  WELLS,  County  Recorder,  was  born  in  Fulton  County, 
Ohio,  March  22,  1848.  His  father,  David  Wells,  was  born  in  Maryland 
in  1800,  married  Rebecca  Jones  in  Ohio,  and  by  her  had  twelve  children. 
He  had  come  to  Ohio  when  a  boy,  and  there  Mrs.  Wells  died.  About 
1845,  Mr.  Wells  married  Mrs.  Catherine  J.  (Crane)  Maxwell,  a  widow 
with  two  daughters.  In  March,  1854,  this  couple  came  to  Porter  County, 
where  they  had  relatives  living,  and  where  Mr.  Wells  had,  the  previous 
year,  purchased  160  acres  of  land  on  Section  33,  Centre  Township.  Into 
a  log  cabin  on  the  place,  Mr.  Wells  moved  his  family  and  household  goods 
and  began  clearing.  That  fall — 1854 — the  father  and  two  sons  died  of 
typhoid  fever.  The  mother,  with  her  remaining  children,  shortly  after 
moved  to  Union  Township,  where  she  married  J.  G.  Curry,  and  died  in 
October,  1864.  Mr.  W.  C.  Wells  was  reared  chiefly  in  Porter  County, 
and  when  but  little  over  fifteen  years  of  age  enlisted,  December  5,  1863, 
in  Company  E,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  Indiana  Volunteer  In- 
fantry.    He  was  chosen  Third  Sergeant,  and  the  spring  of  1864  went  to 


276  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

the  front  and  joined  Sherman's  array  at  Resaca,  Ga.  He  participated  in 
all  the  movements  of  that  army  until  the  capture  of  Atlanta,  when  his  corps 
— Twenty-third — came  back  to  Nashville  with  Gen.  Thomas,  engaging  on 
the  way  in  a  running  fight  with  Gen.  Hood's  command.  After  the  bat- 
tle of  Nashville,  the  were  sent  via  Washington  to  North  Carolina,  where 
they  remained  in  active  service  until  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  W.  re- 
ceiving his  discharge  October  20,  1865.  On  his  return  to  Porter  County, 
he  engaged  in  farming,  and  has  remained  here  ever  since,  except  one  year, 
when  he  resided  in  Minnesota.  He  was  married  in  1868,  to  Victoria 
Morrison,  of  Porter  County,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  five  chil- 
dren— Maud,  Mabel,  Guy,  Paul  and  Ray.  Mr.  Wells  is  a  member  of  the 
A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  in  1878  was  elected  County  Re- 
corder, with  a  majority  over  three  competitors  of  about  five  hundred.  In 
July,  1882,  he  was  re-elected.  He  was  also  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace 
and  Township  Assessor  in  Pleasant  Township,  from  which  he  moved  to 
Valparaiso,  when  elected  County  Recorder. 

THERON  C.  WHITE,  of  the  firm  of  White,  McFetrich  &  Co., 
lumber  dealers,  was  born  near  Goshen,  Mass.,  December  10,  1815,  son  of 
Frebun  and  Betsey  White,  who  were  parents  of  three  sons  and  one 
daughter,  the  last  now  deceased.  The  family  moved  to  Wayne  County, 
Penn.,  in  1819,  where  they  tilled  a  small  farm,  engaged  in  the  lumber 
trade,  operated  a  saw-mill,  conducted  a  mill-wrighting  business,  and  for  a 
few  years  manufactured  large  numbers  of  umbrella  handles.  There  the 
father  died,  August  9,  1844,  and  in  January,  1855,  Theron  C.  came  to 
Valparaiso,  to  which  place  his  brother  Daniel  had  preceded  him  in  1850, 
a  younger  brother,  Samuel,  and  his  mother  following  in  the  spring  of 
1855.  The  mother  died  here  in  June,  1856,  and  Samuel  returned  to 
Pennsylvania  the  same  year.  Theron  C.  was  married  in  Pennsylvania, 
to  Salina  A.  Horton,  December  15,  1837.  They  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  the  parents  of  four  children — Delia, 
wife  of  Reason  Bell;  Levi  T.;  Freelove,  now  Mrs.  John  W.  Elam,  and 
Calista,  the  wife  of  F.  M.  Frasier.  Mr.  White  is  a  Republican,  he  was 
County  Surveyor  for  two  years;  owns  ten  acres  adjoining  the  city  limits, 
and  a  good  house,  and  the  firm  of  which  he  is  a  member  is  doing  a  very 
large  trade.  His  grandfather,  Ebenezer  White,  was  a  direct  descendant 
from  Peregrine  White,  of  ''  Mayflower"  renown,  and  the  family  line  runs 
back  to  England  as  far  as  the  fifteenth  century. 

DANIEL  S.  WHITE  was  born  in  Hampshire  County,  Mass., 
November  18,  1817,  and  in  1819  was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Wayne 
County,  Penn.,  where  he  was  reared.  He  was  married,  in  1843,  to 
Louisa  Kellogg,  who  bore  him  two  children — Martha  J.,  now  Mrs.  James 
McFetrich,  and  Edwin  F.,  who  married  Emma  Dunning,  and  is  now  re- 
siding in  Kansas.  The  mother  died  in  April,  1868.  In  September, 
1869,  Mr.  White  married  Henrietta  Cunda,  who  died  July  25,  1870. 
His  third  wife  was  Mrs.  Mary  A.  (Pierce)  Wheeler,  widow  of  Daniel 
Wheeler.  In  March,  1850,  Mr.  White  came  to  Valparaiso  with  his 
father-in-law,  Azor  Kellogg,  and  was  his  partner  in  a  foundry  ;  he  after- 
ward built  the  first  steam  mill  in  the  city  for  Crosby  &  Hass  ;  was  en- 
gaged for  three  years  in  saw-milling  at  Prattville,  with  Theron  C.  White  ; 


CITV  OF  VALPARAISO.  277 

tlien  with  John  Kellogg  started  the  first  planing-mill  in  Valparaiso,  build- 
ing the  engine,  and  after  that  engaged  in  running  a  planing-mill  and 
dealing  in  lumber,  first  under  the  firm  name  of  White,  Hunt  &  Co.,  and 
now  under  that  of  White,  McFetrich  &  Co.  Mr.  White  is  a  Democrat. 
He  has  served  as  Township  Trustee,  and  is  one  of  the  most  substantial 
citizens  of  Valparaiso.  He  is  a  Presbyterian,  having  held  official  position 
in  that  church  for  upward  of  thirty  years. 

BENJAMIN  WILCOX,  deceased,  was  a  native  of  Middletown, 
Conn.,  was  born  May  18,  1816.  He  was  a  son  of  Benjamin  Wilcox,  who 
was  a  ship-builder  of  Middletown,  and  of  English  descent.  Benjamin, 
Jr.,  spent  his  early  years  in  his  native  town,  afterward  moving  with  his 
parents  to  LeRoy,  N.  Y.,  and  from  that  time  started  in  life  on  his  own 
responsibility.  He  taught  school  and  worked  his  own  way  through  col- 
lege, and  graduated  from  Williams  College  in  about  1840,  and  soon  af- 
ter this  took  the  Principalship  of  Yates  Academy,  in  Orleans  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  while  officiating  in  this  capacity  married  in  1843,  in  Durham, 
Conn.,  Miss  Harriet  M.  Parmalee,  who  was  born  in  December,  1824,  and 
was  a  daughter  of  Phineas  Parmalee,  of  Durham.  Succeeding  his  mar- 
riage, Mr.  Wilcox  remained  as  Principal  of  Yates  Academy  for  some 
time,  afterward  going  to  Wilson,  Niagara  County,  and  assuming  the 
Principalship  of  the  Wilson  Collegiate  Institute.  In  1856,  he  removed 
to  River  Falls,  Wis.,  and  took  the  Principalship  of  the  academy  at  that 
place,  and  also  engaged  in  a  drug  trade  and  farming,  and  remained  there 
until  1864,  when  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  and  took  charge  of  a 
school,  and  after  svard  was  elected  Principal  of  the  Public  Schools.  In 
1870,  he  went  to  South  Bend,  and  was  elected  Principal  of  the  Public 
Schools  there,  which  position  he  retained  until  his  death,  August  16, 1875. 
His  first  wife  died  in  1853,  and  to  their  marriage  were  born  three  children, 
all  yet  living.  His  second  wife  was  Caroline  E.  Parmelee,  sister  of  his 
first  wife,  and  this  lady  bore  him  three  children,  and  is  yet  living  in  South 
Bend.  Mr.  Wilcox  was  a  Republican,  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
and  was  an  Elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
W.  P.  Wilcox,  a  son  by  his  first  marriage,  was  born  in  Wilson,  N.  Y., 
June  23,  1848.  He  established  his  drug  store  in  Valparaiso  in  1870, 
but  previous  to  that  time  was  in  the  drug  trade  here,  in  partnership  with 
W.  A.  Bryant.  He  was  married,  December  31,  1872,  to  Ella  C.  De 
Groif,  of  Valparaiso,  and  to  them  has  been  born  one  son — Willis  D. 

J.  D.  WILSON,  carpenter  and  proprietor  of  planing-mill,  was  born 
in  Luzerne  County,  Penn.,  October  2,  1829.  He  is  one  of  six  living 
children  in  a  family  of  eight  born  to  William  and  Rachel  (Clark)  Wilson, 
who  were  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  of  German  descent.  William  Wil- 
son was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  followed  that  through  life.  He  died 
in  Pennsylvania  at  the  age  of  sixty-three,  in  1861 ;  his  widow  died  in 
1879,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three.  J.  D.  Wilson  was  reared  on  his  parents' 
farm,  received  a  common  school  education,  and  in  1853  came  to  Indiana. 
He  went  to  Lake  County  first,  remaining  there  about  a  year  ;  then  came 
to  Valparaiso  and  began  working  at  the  carpenter  trade,  at  which  busi- 
ness he  has  ever  since  been  employed.  For  fifteen  years,  he  was  in  the 
employ  of  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railway  Company, 
supervising  the  construction  of  bridges  and  wood  work   between  Valpa- 


278  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

raiso  and  Fort  Wayne.  Two  years  of  this  time  he  resided  at  Warsaw, 
Ind.,  and  with  the  exception  of  this  time  has  always  resided  in  Val- 
paraiso. In  1872,  he  purchased  his  present  planing-mill  on  East  Main 
street,  and  has  since  been  manufacturing  doors,  sash,  blinds,  moldings, 
etc.,  and  everything  pertaining  to  planing-mill  work.  He  has  all  the 
latest  improved  machinery,  keeps  employed  an  average  force  of  ten  men, 
and  transacts  an  average  annual  business  of  over  ^20,000.  Mr.  Wilson 
was  married  in  Lake  County  in  1855,  to  Miss  Nancy  P.  Brown,  and  to 
their  union  were  born  six  children — Ed.  L.,  Rachel,  Emma  J.,  and 
Hylin,  living,  and  William  and  Frank  S.,  deceased.  The  parents  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  Republican  and 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  being  a  Sir  Knight  of  Valparaiso 
Commandery.  No.  28. 

JOHN  W.  WOOD  was  born  in  Ross  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind., 
March  13,  1838,  one  of  a  family  of  eight  children  born  to  John  and 
Hannah  (Pattee)  Wood,  natives  of  Massachusetts  and  of  English  descent. 
The  father  was  born  in  1800,  learned  the  tanner's  trade,  was  married  in 
1825,  and  in  1835  came  to  Lake  County,  and  entered  160  acres  of  land 
as  a  mill  site  on  Deep  River,  Ross  Township,  built  a  cabin,  and  the  next 
spring  brought  out  his  wife  and  five  children.  John  W.  Wood  was 
reared  in  Lake  County,  received  a  good  education,  taught  two  terms 
of  public  school,  and  when  twenty-one  began  farming  on  his  own  account. 
August  14,  1861,  he  married  Miss  Maggie  A.  Hollett,  daughter  of 
Thomas  A.  and  Deborah  A.  (Coleman)  Hollett,  and  came  to  Valparaiso 
in  1862  and  cle;:ked  until  1865,  when  he  started  in  the  grocery  trade, 
which  he  has  ever  since  successfully  conducted.  Mr.  Wood  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  a  member  of  the  City  Council.  Mrs.  Wood  was  born  in  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.,  March  18,  1841,  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  the  mother  of  five  children,  viz.,  Mary,  Fred  A.,  New- 
ton A.,  Harry  G.  and  Glen  (deceased). 

W.  A.  YOHN,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  March  29, 
1850,  and  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  five  children,  four  yet  living,  born 
to  Frederick  and  Margaret  (Hewlings)  Yohn,  natives  of  Pennsylvania 
and  Ohio  respectively,  arid  paternally  of  German  descent,  and  maternally 
of  French  parentage.  These  parents  were  married  in  Champaign  County, 
Ohio,  in  1848,  and  the  same  year,  emigated  to  northern  Porter  County,  and 
about  four  years  after  this  returned  to  Champaign  County,  Ohio,  not 
being  able  to  undergo  the  malarial  fevers  of  this  section  at  that  time.  They 
remained  in  Ohio  until  March,  1882,  when  they  returned  to  Porter  Town- 
ship, and  are  yet  living  there,  engaged  in  farming.  Dr.  Yohn  made  his 
home  with  his  parents  until  he  reached  his  majority,  during  which  time 
he  received  his  early  education  from  the  common  schools  where  he  re- 
sided, afterward  attending  schools  of  higher  grade  and  graduating  from 
the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  School  at  Valparaiso  in  1874.  In  that 
year  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Hankinson,  since  deceased, 
afterward  reading  under  his  own  option,  having  access  to  the  library  of 
Dr.  Coates.  The  winter  of  1878-79,  he  attended  medical  lectures  at 
Columbus  Medical  College  in  Ohio,  and  the  winter  of  1879-80  attended 
and  graduated  from  the  Medical  College  of  Indiana,  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment  of  Butler  University.     The  following  year,  he  received   the    hon- 


CITY  OF  VALPARAISO.  279 

orary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine,  from  the  Kentucky  School  of  Medi 
cine,  and  the  spring  of  1880  he  located  in  Valparaiso.  Besides  attending 
to  his  work  as  a  physician,  Dr.  Yohn  occupies  the  Chair  of  Natural 
Sciences  in  the  Normal  School  of  Valparaiso,  and  in  July,  1881,  was 
elected  to  the  Chair  of  Chemistry  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons of  Chicago.  Dr.  Yohn  is  a  Republican,  a  member  of  the  Blue 
Lodge  in  Masonry,  and  was  married  in  January,  1875,  to  Miss  Mary 
E.  Dunham,  of  Sandusky  County,  Ohio. 

ENGELBEllT  ZIMMERMAN,  journalist,  was  born  in  Blumen- 
feld.  Grand  Duchy  of  Baden,  Germany,  December  10,  1839,  and  is  the 
eldest  of  three  children  born  to  Joseph  and  Walburg  Zimmerman,  also 
natives  of  Baden.  In  1846,  the  parents  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
and  settled  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  where  Engelbert  was  educated  in  a  pri- 
vate school.  On  the  8th  of  January,  1851,  he  entered  the  office  of  Thomas 
Figar,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Fort  Wayne  Sentinel^  and  served  an 
apprinticeship  of  six  years  at  the  printing  business.  On  the  17th  of 
February,  1860,  he  accepted  the  formanship  of  the  Columbia  City  News, 
then  published  by  I.  B.  McDonald,  which  position  he  held,  together  with 
that  of  local  editor,  until  the  14th  of  November  of  the  same  year,  when 
he  bought  the  office  from  Mr.  McDonald  for  $600,  and  infused  new  life 
into  the  establishment.  He  continued  the  publication  of  the  News  until 
sometime  in  the  spring  of  1864,  when  he  was  compelled  to  suspend  its 
publication  on  account  of  rapidly  failing  health.  He  remained  out  of 
business  for  several  months,  spending  most  of  the  time  on  the  Atlantic 
Coast.  In  June  of  the  same  year  (1864),  having  fully  recovered,  he 
started  the  Columbia  City  Pos^,  with  an  entirely  new  outfit  of  material  and 
continued  its  publication  without  interruption  until  December,  1865,  wheii 
he  sold  the  office  to  his  brother,  Frank  J.  Zimmerman,  who  had  learned  the 
"  art  preservative  "  under  him.  On  the  14th  of  January,  1866,  he  com- 
menced the  publication  of  the  Fort  W-djneDaili/  and  Weekly  Democrat,  and 
November  14,  1868,  he  sold  the  office.  He  then  purchased  the  Wyandot 
Democratic  Union,  at  Upper  Sandusky,  Ohio,  from  Col.  Robert  D. 
Durum,  which  he  published  for  nearly  two  years.  On  the  7th  of  March, 
1871,  he  issued  the  first  number  of  the  Valparaiso  Messenger,  and  at 
once  made  it  a  financial  success.  In  politics,  he  has  always  been  an  un- 
swerving Democrat,  but  never  a  party  "  hack  "  for  the  spoils.  In  1862, 
he  was  married  to  Lucinda  H.  Watson,  of  Lima,  Ohio,  at  Columbia  City, 
Ind.,  by  the  Rev.  Luke  Dorland,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  He 
had  seven  children  by  this  marriage,  namely,  Arthur  F.,  born  at  Colum- 
bia City,  Ind.,  October  11,  186-3  ;  Joseph  E.,  born  at  Columbia  City, 
December  20,  1865  ;  Clement  A.,  born  at  Fort  Wayne,  December  10, 
1866  ;  Andrew  J.,  born  at  Fort  Wayne,  October  9,  1868  ;  Walburg, 
born  at  Upper  Sandusky,  Ohio,  April  9,  1879  ;  Grace  L.,  born  in  Val- 
paraiso, June  9, 1871  ;  Horace  G.,  born  in  Valparaiso,  October  18,  1873  : 
Lucinda  H.,  born  in  Valparaiso,  May  3,  1878,  (Grace  L.  and  Lucinda 
H.  are  dead.)  On  the  3d  of  May,  1878,  his  wife,  with  whom  he  had 
lived  happily  and  prospered,  died,  and  he  remained  a  widower  for  two 
years.  On  the  14th  of  June,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Mc- 
Mahon,  a  native  of  Indiana,  by  Rev.  Robert  Beer,  pastor  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  this  city.     By  this  marriage,  he  had  one  child — Bertha 


280  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

F.  born  June  12,  1881.  As  a  journalist,  he  is  a  ready  and  forcible 
writer.  He  is  warm-hearted,  generous  to  a  fault,  and  never  goes  back  on 
a  man  who  has  ever  befriended  him.  On  the  1st  of  August,  1881,  he  sold 
a  one-half  interest  in  the  Messenger  to  Prof.  H.  B.  Brown,  of  the  North- 
ern Indiana  Normal  School.  Mr.  Zimmerman  was  the  first  man  in  Val- 
paraiso to  introduce  steam  presses.  The  Messenger  is  one  of  the  estab- 
lished fixtures  of  the  city,  and  wields  great  influence  in  the  county  and 
city. 


CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 

JOHN  B.  BRADLEY  was  born  in  Essex  County,  Mass.,  May  28, 
1831,  and  is  the  youngest  of  nine  children  of  Joseph  and  Charlotte  (Bar- 
ker) Bradley,  four  of  whom  are  still  living.  Mr.  Bradley  lived  in  Essex 
County  until  he  was  eighteen  years  old,  serving  a  three  years'  appren- 
ticeship to  a  machinist.  He  then  went  to  California  in  search  of  gold. 
and  returning  to  Essex  County,  worked  at  his  trade  about  one  year  ; 
thence  he  moved  to  Dunkirk,  N.  Y.,  where  he  worked  two  years,  and 
then  to  Sandusky,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  five  years.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1857,  in  Sandusky  City,  he  was  married  to  Mina  Smith,  by  whom 
he  has  had  eleven  children — the  names  of  those  living  being  Lottie, 
Joseph,  Herbert,  Annie,  Guy,  Bessie,  Hattie,  Daisy  and  John.  Mr. 
Bradley  came  to  Porter  County  in  1863,  and^  excepting  two  years'  ab- 
sence at  Fort  Wayne,  has  resided  here  ever  since.  Mr.  Bradley's  grand- 
father was  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  taking  part  at  Bunker  Hill ;  his 
father  was  an  ensign  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  resides  three  miles  north 
of  Valparaiso,  on  his  farm  of  eighty  acres,  and  is  a  generous-hearted  and 
respected  citizen. 

JOHN  CARVER  was  born  in  the  County  Cork,  Ireland,  March 
22,  1832,  and  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  Thomas  and  Honora  (Mc- 
Auliife)  Carver,  four  of  whom  are  living  in  Valparaiso.  At  the  age  of 
fifteen,  John  came  to  this  country  with  his  father,  landing  in  Boston. 
After  living  there  and  in  Vermont  a  short  time,  he  came  to  Ohio,  and  to 
Porter  County  in  1856,  which  he  has  since  made  his  home.  He  has 
done  some  farming,  but  has  given  more  attention  to  railroading,  acting  as 
foreman  and  contractor  ;  his  father  died  in  1849,  in  Ohio,  and  his  mother  in 
1872,  in  Valparaiso.  John  Carver  was  married  October  26, 1860,  to  Sarah 
Dwan,  in  Valparaiso.  Eight  children  have  been  born  to  them — 
Honora,  Margaret,  Catharine,  Mary,  Thomas,  Julia,  Honora  (second) 
and  Sarah  ;  three  of  these  are  deceased.  Mr.  Carver  lives  three-quarters 
of  a  mile  west  from  town,  on  his  farm  of  100  acres.  He  is  universally 
respected  as  a  worthy  man  and  a  valuable  citizen, 

PATRICK  T.  CLIFFORD  was  born  in  Kerry  County,  Ireland, 
March  17,  1823  ;  he  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  Timothy  and  Margaret 
(O'Reilly)  Cliiford,  five  of  whom  are  living,  and  three  in  Porter  County. 
Mr.  Clifford  came  to  this  country  in  1848,  landing  at  Quebec.  In  1854, 
he  came  to  Porter  County,  which  has  since  been  his  residence.  Shortly 
after  coming  to  America,  he  commenced  the  business  of  railroad  con- 
tractor, which  he  has  since  continued.     His  residence  is  two  and  one- half 


CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  281 

miles  northwest  of  Valparaiso,  on  his  farm  of  800  acres.  He  is  a  public- 
spirited  and  enterprising  citizen.  Mr.  Clifford  was  married  August  9, 
1843,  to  Mary  Bennett,  in  the  county  of  Cork,  Ireland,  from  which  union 
a  family  of  seven  have  descended — Timothy,  Thomas,  Margaret,  John, 
Michael,  Mary  and  Patrick,  of  whom    the  last  four  are  surviving. 

JOHN  B.  CLIFFORD  was  born  in  Richland  County,  Ohio,  Janu- 
ary 1-1,  1852,  being  one  of  a  fiimily  of  seven,  three  of  whom  are  dead. 
His  parents  were  natives  of  Ireland,  his  mother  being  a  relative  of  Cur- 
ran,  the  great  Irish  Barrister.  His  father  was  a  shoemaker,  and  re- 
mained in  Ireland,  following  his  business,  until  1848;  then  he  emigrated 
to  America,  landing  at  Quebec.  Afterward,  he  went  to  Buc^^rus,  Ohio, 
and  began  business  as  a  railroad  contractor,  which  he  also  established,  in 
about  1854,  in  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  which  he  has  since  continued.  John  B. 
Clifford  came  to  Valparaiso  with  his  father,  and  in  February,  1874,  was 
married  to  Margaret  La  Force.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clifford  have  a  family  of 
four — Minnie,  Joseph,  John  and  Margaret,  all  of  whom  live  at  home. 
For  a  time  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Clifford  followed  farming ;  afterward, 
he  began  w^orking  for  the  Government  at  Fort  Yates,  D.  T.,  which  he 
continued  about  eighteen  months  ;  then  returned  to  Valparaiso,  where  he 
now  superintends  the  work-train  on  the  Chicago  &  Grand  Trunk  Rail- 
road. 

MICHAEL  F.  CLIFFORD  was  born  September  10,  1852,  in  Tiffin, 
Ohio.  When  he  was  about  two  years  of  age,  his  father  removed  with  his 
family  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  they  have  since  resided.  Michael 
received  a  common  school,  and  afterward  an  academical,  education  at  St. 
Paul's  Academy  in  Valparaiso.  He  was  married,  January  4,  1876,  to 
Eliza  Carter,  in  the  city  of  Valparaiso.  To  this  union  there  have  been 
born  two  children — Edward  and  William.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Clif- 
ford lived  at  the  old  home,  three  miles  northwest  of  Valparaiso,  about 
three  years,  and  moved  to  his  present  home  in  November,  1881.  The 
business  of  his  life  has  been  that  of  railroad  contractor,  he  now  being  one 
of  the  partners  of  his  father,  Mr.  P.  T.  Clifford.  He  is  justly  esteemed 
as  a  liberal  and  public-spirited  citizen. 

SAMUEL  S.  COBBS  was  born  in  Bedford  County,  Va.,  February 
10,  1835,  and  is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Charles  and  Louisa  (Scott) 
Cobbs,  of  whom  three  are  living.  At  the  age  of  thirteen,  Samuel  came 
to  Valparaiso  with  his  parents,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  received 
his  education  at  the  common  schools  and  at  Valparaiso  Male  and  Female 
College,  which  he  attended  about  two  years.  On  coming  to  Valparaiso, 
his  father  engaged  in  mercantile  business,  while  Samuel  superintended 
the  farm.  His  father  afterward  removed  to  Morgan  Prairie,  and  re- 
mained eleven  years.  Mr.  Cobbs  was  married,  September  9,  1873,  to 
Elizabeth  Pinney,  in  Valparaiso.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  him 
— Leroy  and  Charles.  When  the  family  were  coming  from  Virginia,  and 
Samuel,  as  he  rode,  admiring  the  flower-adorned  prairies,  and  thinking 
how  great  an  improvement  they  were  over  the  mountains  of  his  late  home, 
his  horse  stepped  into  a  mud-hole  and  threw  him  over  its  head.  Then 
Samuel  reflected  how  "the  world  is  deceived  by  ornament."  Mr. 
Cobbs  resides  two  miles  northwest  of  Valparaiso,  on  his  farm  of  110 
acres,  which  he  took  possession  of  in  1874. 


282  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

HARRY  CROW  was  born  in  Hampden  County,  Mass.,  May  7, 
1802,  and  is  the  eldest  of  thirteen  children  born  to  William  and  Abigail 
(Avery)  Crow.  His  father  died  about  the  year  18-44.  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two.  Harry  Crow  was  married  about  the  year  1826,  to  Thank- 
ful Wheeler,  a  native  of  Hampden  County,  Mass.,  born  September  20, 
1807.  To  this  union  a  family  often  children  were  born — Henry,  David. 
Jane  Rurasey,  Eunice  Rumsey,  Almeron,  Emeret  Wheeler,  Thomas  and 
Elizabeth.  (Two  died  before  they  were  named.)  About  the  year  1832, 
Harry  Crow  moved  to  Medina  County,  Ohio,  where  he  resided  about 
seven  years ;  thence  to  Indiana,  living  in  Vigo  and  Parke  Counties  about 
four  and  a  half  years,  and  thence  to  Valparaiso,  Porter  County,  where 
he  has  since  lived.  He  has  always  been  a  farmer,  but  is  a  most  en- 
terprising citizen.  He  resides  on  forty  acres  about  one  mile  north 
of  Valparaiso.  He  also  owns  forty  acres  in  Jackson  Township.  Mrs. 
Crow  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  having  joined  that  body 
in  Montgomery,  Mass.,  about  the  year  1822. 

JOSEPH  DURAND,  French  Canadian,  was  born  near  Montreal, 
Canada,  July  20,  1846.  In  February,  1861,  he  moved  to  Pine  Town- 
ship, Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  from  Kankakee  County,  whither  he  had  gone  in 
1851,  working  on  a  farm  and  studying  under  the  instruction  of  Charles 
Chin(^qui,  the  priest  who  converted  so  many  Catholics  to  Protestantism. 
His  father,  Gilbert  Durand,  was  also  born  near  Montreal,  in  1817.  In 
1851,  he  went  to  California  and  mined  gold  for  two  years ;  he  is  still 
living.  Joseph's  parents  were  married  July  29, 1845.  On  February  29, 
1868,  Joseph  Durand  was  married  to  Mary  Tatro,  a  native  of  New  York, 
who  came  West  in  1852.  Mr.  Durand  made  his  home  in  Porter  County 
in  1871,  making  brick  in  summer  and  chopping  wood  in  winter;  he  had 
so  great  a  capacity  for  hard  work  that  he  was  called  "  the  little  iron  man." 
In  1871,  he  made  bricks  on  three-fourths  of  an  acre,  and  in  1880  bought 
a  yard — thirteen  and  a  half  acres — for  which  he  was  to  pay  $2,500.  In 
1881,  the  New  York  Central  &  St.  Louis  Railroad  cut  through  his  land, 
for  which  he  received  $3,750  ;  he  then  established  another  yard,  and  now 
has  the  largest  in  Valparaiso,  employing  twenty -five  hands  and  five  teams, 
and  turning  out  30,000  bricks  daily.  He  values  his  entire  property  at 
$5,000.  In  1882,  he  made  his  brother.  Nelson  Durand,  a  partner.  He 
has  been  worderfully  successful,  though  he  was  some  time  ago  ridiculed  for 
his  supposed  rashness  and  folly.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  also  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

NELSON  DURAND  was  born  near  Montreal,  Canada,  May  19, 
1851.  When  six  months  old,  his  parents  removed  to  St.  Anne,  111.,  rcr 
maining  ten  years,  and  thence  to  Furnessville,  Ind.,  remaining  eight 
years.  Nelson  acquired  some  learning  at  St.  Anne,  and  at  Furnessville 
did  various  kinds  of  work,  after  which  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  left  there 
just  before  the  fire  (1871),  going  to  Michigan  for  about  six  months.  He 
then  returned  to  St.  Anne,  and  worked  on  the  Chicago,  Danville  &  Vin- 
cennes  Railroad  about  two  years,  and  afterward  on  the  Chicago  & 
Pacific  Railroad.  On  February  22,  1876,  he  was  married  to  Lucy 
Faucher,  at  St.  Anne.  Her  parents  came  from  Quebec,  and  were  Cath- 
olics until  converted  by  Father  Chineque,  the  reformer.  After  his  mar- 
riage, he  followed  farming  at  St.  Anne  for  six  years.     In  December,  1881, 


CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  283 

he  became  a  partner  with  his  brother,  Joseph,  in  tlie  brick-making  busi- 
ness ;  they  now  have  the  largest  yard  in  Valparaiso.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Durand  have  four  children,  the  youngest  of  whom  is  dead.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

ALANSON  FINNEY  (deceased)  was  born  in  Madison  County,  N. 
Y  ,  in  1805.  In  183-4,  he  came  to  what  is  now  Porter  County,  his  ob- 
ject being,  as  with  the  most  of  those  who  emigrated  from  the  East  at  that 
period,  to  better  his  condition  in  life.  While  in  New  York,  he  was  em- 
ployed some  ten  or  twelve  years  in  a  distillery,  in  which  occupation  he 
accumulated  sufficient  means  to  give  him  a  start  in  the  West.  On  com- 
ing to  Indiana,  he  was  so  zealous  in  the  cause  of  religion  that  he  became 
instrumental  in  the  organization  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Valparaiso. 
In  the  spring  of  1836,  he  returned  to  New  York  for  the  purpose  of 
marrying  Miss  Laura  Allen,  after  which  he  came  back  to  Indiana.  To 
this  pioneer  pair  seven  children  were  born,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living, 
three  in  Porter  County,  one  in  Chicago  and  one  in  Central  Illinois.  He 
was  first  a  Whig,  and  afterward  a  Republican.  He  died  on  April  16, 
1867,  at  his  farm,  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Valparaiso. 

JOSEPH  GALBREATH  was  born  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  May 
12,  1812,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  (two  living)  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Aikman)  Galbreath,  who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Joseph's 
grandfather  was  a  Scotchman,  and  came  to  this  country  during  the  last 
century.  Joseph's  father  served  as  a  non-commissioned  officer  in  the  war 
of  1812,  and  his  nephew  was  killed  during  the  war  with  Mexico,  at  the 
battle  of  Monterey.  Our  subject  was  reared  a  farmer.  In  1833,  he 
married  Eliza  Bricker,  a  native  of  Virginia,  by  whom  he  had  ten  children 
— John  C,  Martin  V.,  Samuel,  La  Fayette  and  Byron,  living  ;  and  Char- 
lotte, Nancy,  Elizabeth  J.,  Benjamin  F.  and  William,  deceased.  Benja- 
min, while  in  the  West,  wa?j  accidentally  killed  by  a  self-inflicted  gunshot 
wound,  after  serving  in  the  late  war,  as  did  also  John  and  Martin.  In 
1838,  Mr.  Galbreath  and  family  removed  to  Kosciusko  County,  Ind., 
built  a  cabin  and  commenced  clearing  amid  the  usual  vicissitudes  of 
pioneers.  In  1866,  they  came  to  Porter  County,  where  Mrs.  Galbreath 
died  January  21,  1873.  In  August,  1873,  Mr.  Galbreath  married  his 
present  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  (Whitney)  Clover,  by  whom  he  has  had  two  chil- 
dren— Edgar  P.  and  Nellie  May.  Mr.  Galbreath  is  a  Republican  and 
an  influential,  energetic  citizen. 

JOHN  S.  HICKS,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Porter  County,  was 
born  on  Long  Island.  N.  Y.,  February,  16,  1813,  and  is  the  only  child 
of  Samuel  and  Ann  (Searing)  Hicks,  both  natives  of  Long  Island,  N.  Y.; 
their  ancestors  were  among  the  Plymouth  Pilgrims  of  1620.  His  father 
was  a  farmer,  a  soldier  of  1812  and  an  honest  man.  His  mother  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  but  died  when  John  was 
eighteen  months  old.  Shortly  after,  when  his  father  died,  he  was  taken 
charge  of  by  his  grandparents.  He  received  a  practical  education  and 
learned  the  trade  of  a  tailor  ;  he  was  afterward  employed  by  H.  D.  Brooks 
&  Co.,  with  whom  he  remained  fourteen  years.  He  then  purchased  land 
on  Long  Island  and  engaged  in  agriculture ;  this  he  relinquished,  and  en- 
gaged  with  F.  Kurby  &  Co.  of  New  Y^'ork,  for  four  years.  In  ISol,  he  ar- 
rived in  Indiana  and  came  to  Porter  County,  purchased  land,  brought  his 


284  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

family  and  commenced  farming  on  Morgan  Prairie  ;  this  he  likewise  sold, 
and  came  to  his  present  location.  He  once  had  two  hundred,  and  still  owns 
ninety  acres.  Mr.  Hicks  has  been  twice  married — once  in  1834,  to  Sarah 
Van  Nostrand,  who  died  soon  after  our  late  war,  by  whom  he  had  eight 
children — John  A.,  William  F.,  Mary  C.  and  Eugene,  living,  and  Alex- 
ander H.,  Elizabeth  A.,  Sarah  and  Ida,  deceased ;  of  these,  John  and 
William  served  through  the  war.  By  his  second  marriage,  to  Mrs.  Ellen 
(Birmingham)  Gilbert,  on  June  10,  1873,  there  were  two  children — Ida, 
living,  and  Caleb  N.,  deceased. 

WILLIAM  HOLLISTER  was  born  in  Tioga  County,  N.  Y., 
August  30,  1824,  and  is  the  youngest  of  nine  children  born  to  Gersham 
and  Ruth  (Scott)  Hollister :  of  these,  two  only  are  living,  and  both  in 
Porter  County.  His  parents  were  born  in  Connecticut,  but  married  in 
New  York.  His  father  died  in  1862,  and  his  mother  in  1856,  both  in 
Union  Township,  Porter  County.  William  Hollister  resided  in  Tioga 
County  until  fourteen  years  old,  when  he  came  to  Indiana  and  located  in 
Porter  County.  His  father  was  then  living  on  Government  land,  and 
this  when  it  came  into  the  market  the  sons  and  father  began  purchasing. 
William  lived  in  Union  Township  until  1877,  when  he  removed  to  Val- 
paraiso and  worked  at  carpentering.  On  October  1,  1851,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Henrietta  Hunt,  in  Union  Township.  They  have  had  five  chil- 
dren— Horace,  Mary  Caldwell,  James,  William  and  Elva ;  two  of  these, 
Horace  and  James,  are  deceased.  Mr.  Hollister  owns  128  acres  in  Union 
Township,  but  lives  in  Valparaiso,  where  he  is  recognized  as  a  generous 
and  enterprising  citizen,  and  greatly  esteemed. 

WILLIAM  A.  HUGHART  was  born  in  Greenbrier  County,  Va., 
June  23,  1830,  and  is  one  of  eight  children  of  David  and  Nancy  (Dozer) 
Hughart,  who  were  named  Mary  Keeler  (deceased),  Elizabeth  Campbell, 
William,  Arthur,  Henry.  David,  Nancy  Harding  and  Martha  Fulton. 
Our  subject's  father  was  born  May  20,  1806,  in  Virginia ;  was  a  farmer 
and  miller,  and  is  still  living  in  Centre  Township  ;  his  mother  was  also  a 
Virginian,  and  died  in  Valparaiso  about  1876.  The  family  moved  from 
Virginia  to  Liberty  Township,  Porter  County,  in  1835,  and  into  Centre 
Township  about  1850.  On  June  7,  1861,  William  A.  Hughart  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  Malony,  in  this  township.  By  this  union  they  had  four 
children — Alta,  Arthur,  Clarinette  and  Ruth.  Mr.  Hughart  is  one  of 
the  oldest  settlers  in  the  county,  and  a  most  enterprising  and  respected 
citizen.  He  resides  on  his  farm,  comprising  100  acres,  about  four  and  a 
half  miles  northwest  of  Valparaiso. 

DAVID  M.  HUGHART  was  born  in  Greenbrier  County,  Va.,  April 
3,  1835,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  David  and  Nancy  (Dozer) 
Hughart.  His  father  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  the  fall  of  1835, 
and  purchased  a  farm  in  Liberty  Township.  David  M.  Hughart  was 
married  in  Valparaiso,  in  1857,  to  Emily  Bull.  This  union  was  blessed 
with  six  children — Clinton,  Elnora  Parrott,  Albert,  Pertia,  Nellie  and 
Ella.  Of  these  Albert  alone  is  deceased,  and  Elnora  married.  In  1856, 
Mr.  Hughart  purchased  sixty  acres,  a  part  of  his  present  farm.  He 
entered  the  Thirty-third  Indiana  Regiment  during  the  war,  and  was 
stationed  in  the  South  about  eleven  months.  Mr.  Hughart  has  always 
been  a  Democrat  and  a  farmer,  as  well  as  a  worthy  and  conscientious 


CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  285 

citizen.  He  now  lives  on  his  place  of  120  acres,  about  five  and  one-half 
miles  northwest  of  Valparaiso;  he  owns  also  ten  acres  of  timber  land  in 
Liberty  Township. 

JOHN  JUNKER  was  born  in  Germany  June  28,  1853,  being  one 
of  seven  children  comprising  the  family  of  John  and  Sophia  Junker, 
two  of  whom  are  deceased.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, and  came  from  New  York  to  Chicago,  after  emigrating  from  the 
fatherland,  where  he  remained  about  one  year,  thence  moving  to  Lake 
County  with  his  family,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  farming  about  sev- 
enteen years.  In  1881,  John  Junker  came  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  half-interest  in  what  is  now  known  as  Korn  &  Junker's  brewery. 
In  regard  to  Mr.  Junker,  as  a  man  and  a  citizen,  he  has  always  been 
foremost  in  every  enterprise  affecting  the  interests  and  welfare  of  his 
fellows. 

IRA  B.  KEELER  was  born  January  14,  1826,  in  Seneca  County, 
Ohio,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children  of  Joseph  and  Olive  (Brite)  Keeler. 
His  parents  were  married  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1811.  His  father 
was  born  in  Fairfield  County,  Conn.,  December  29,  1787 ;  his  mother, 
in  New  Jersey,  July  20,  1790.  His  father  died  February  14,  1868,  in 
Marshall  County,  Iowa;  his  mother,  February  26,  1858,  in  Centre  Town- 
ship, Porter  Co.,  Ind,  They  came  to  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  in  1818. 
Ira  labored  for  his  father  until  they  all  moved  to  Porter  County,  in  1847. 
He  had  worked  some  time  at  shoemaking,  and  on  coming  to  Porter  Coun- 
ty continued  so  to  do  for  eight  years  in  Valparaiso.  On  October  1,  1848, 
he  married  Mary  Hughart,  born  September  17,  1828,  in  Centre  Town- 
ship, Porter  Co.,  Ind. ;  her  parents  were  Virginians.  In  1855,  Ira  B. 
Keeler  purchased  the  eighty  acres  on  which  he  resides  for  $1,400;  he 
also  owns  twenty  acres  of  timber  land  in  Liberty  Township.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Keeler  have  had  six  children — David,  Joseph,  Harriet,  Schuyler, 
Henry  and  Susan ;  David  alone  is  married.  Mr.  Keeler  has  been  a 
Freemason  since  1849. 

TIMOTHY  KEENE  was  born  in  Cortland  County,  N.  Y.,  March 
6,  1825,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Sprague  and  Chloe  (Higgins) 
Keene.  Sprague  Keene  was  by  trade  a  stone-mason,  but  mainly  followed 
farming.  In  1859,  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Porter  County,  Ind., 
where  he  died  in  1865,  his  wife  having  died  in  1863.  Timothy  Keene 
was  reared  a  farmer,  but  received  an  academic  education.  On  May  9, 
1849,  he  w^as  married  to  Miss  Susan  A.  Parks,  a  native  of  New  York 
City,  and  born  September  3,  1827,  a  daughter  of  Lee  and  Mary  (Gates) 
Parks.  In  1857,  he  came  hither  and  purchased  the  place  oh  which  he 
now  resides,  which  he  improved  and  farmed  ;  it  embraces  150  acres.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Keene  have  had  five  children — Andrew  B.,  Edna  (deceased), 
Brayton  L.,  Elmer  M.  and  Eddie  S.  Mr.  Keene  is  a  Republican,  and 
has  been  School  Commissioner  over  seven  years;  he  is  also  Secretary  of 
the  County  Agricultural  Society.  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Keene  are  active  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  Church.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Keene — Lee  Parks — is 
passing  his  last  years  with  them,  being  ninety-one  years  of  age  and  a 
pensioner  of  the  war  of  1812. 

WILLIAM    H.     KNAPP  was  born   in  Denmark,  Ashtabula   Co., 
Ohio,  July  2,  1824,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children  of  Elihu  and  Nancy 


286  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

(Huntley)  Knapp,  the  former  born  in  New  York,  the  latter  in  Washin;^- 
ton,  Mass.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  held  the  offices  of  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  Postmaster  of  Denmark.  He  started  to  the  war  of  1812, 
but  peace  was  proclaimed,  and  in  1833  moved  his  family  to  Ashtabula, 
where  he  purchased  a  farm,  and  there  lived  until  his  death.  William 
worked  for  his  father  until  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Hamilton,  N.  Y., 
for  eighteen  months,  then  returned  to  Ashtabula  and  purchased  twenty- 
five  acres.  In  1855,  he  came  to  Porter  County.  On  October  1,  1851, 
he  was  married,  in  Ashtabula,  to  Mary  Booth,  born  January  17,  1828, 
whose  father  was  a  sailor  and  lost  on  Lake  Erie.  To  this  union  were 
born  nine  children — Mary  Kieffer,  Maria  Herrick,  Herbert,  Frank, 
Lincoln  and  Merton,  living  ;  the  deceased  are  Emma,  Fred  and  Ella. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knapp  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  he  having 
been  an  officer  thereof  since  1857.  He  resides  on  his  farm  of  137  acres, 
all  of  which  he  cleared  and  improved ;  he  also  owns  eighty  acres  two 
miles  north  of  his  residence. 

W.  HERBERT  KNAPP,  Jr.,  was  born  February  5,  1856,  in 
Centre  Township,  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children 
of  William  H.  and  Emily  (Booth)  Knapp ;  the  family  was  named 
respectively — Mary  Kieffer,  Maria  Herrick,  Herbert,  Frank,  Lincoln, 
Emma,  Ella,  Merton  and  Fred.  Of  these  Emma,  Ella  and  Fred  are 
deceased.  Herbert  remained  with  his  father  until  he  was  twenty-two 
years  old,  when  he  purchased  sixty-five  acres  three  miles  north  of  Val- 
paraiso, where  he  remained  nearly  three  years.  He  was  married 
December  23,  1877,  in  Valparaiso,  to  Hannah  Pomeroy,  daughter  of 
George  Pomeroy,  of  Porter  County,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1864, 
a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  as  is  his  wife  also.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Knapp  have  had  two  children — Arthur  and  Etta ;  the  latter  died  February 
19,  1882.  Mr.  Knapp  joined  the  Baptist  Church  at  Valparaiso  in  1868, 
and  Mrs.  Knapp  the  Christian  Church  in  1876.  They  are  residents  of 
Valparaiso,  where  he  keeps  a  store  on  College  Hill. 

AARON  W.  LYTLE  was  born  in  Boone  Township,  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  July  12,  1841  ;  he  is  one  of  the  nine  children  born  to  Aaron  and 
Hannah  (Jones)  Lytle,  three  of  whom  are  living,  two  of  them  in  Porter 
County.  Mr.  Lytle  lived  in  Boone  Township  until  he  was  about  eleven 
or  twelve  years  old,  when  he  moved  with  the  family  to  Valparaiso.  In 
1853,  Aaron's  father  purchased  a  saw  mill  and  some  land  on  Flint  Lake, 
where  he  did  not  long  remain,  but  returned  to  Valparaiso.  Aaron 
received  most  of  his  education  at  the  Presbyterian  institute  at  this  place. 
In  1863,  he  entered  the  volunteer  army,  serving  eighteen  or  twenty 
months ;  for  nine  months  he  was  Captain.  On  February  21,  1866,  he 
was  married  to  Cordelia  Denison,  in  Wood  County,  Ohio  ;  she  was  a 
native  of  Richland  County,  Ohio.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lytle  have  had  five 
children — George,  Jesse,  Carrie,  Dick  and  James ;  the  first  is  dead,  tht* 
others  live  at  home.  In  1868,  Mr.  Lytle  connected  the  ice  business 
with  farming,  which  he  has  continued.  He  moved  to  where  he  no'.v 
lives,  three  miles  north  of  Valparaiso,  in  March,  1882. 

JOHN  McAULIFFE  was  born  in  the  county  of  Cork,  Ireland, 
and  came  to  the  United  States  in  the  year  1847.  He  resided  first  in 
Vermont,  then  in    Ohio,   and   came   to  Valparaiso   in   1857.     Since   he 


CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  287 

arrived  in  this  country,  he  has  been  engaged  for  the  most  part  as  a  fore- 
man over  the  employes  engaged  in  building  railroads ;  and  should  this 
sketch  come  to  the  notice  of  any  of  the  very  many  men  who  have  served 
under  the  good-natured  rule  of  "  Uncle  John,"  they  will  no  doubt  remem- 
ber the  old  man  with  kindness.  He  died  December  14,  1876.  He  was 
a  good  father,  an  upright  citizen,  and  an  honest  man,  and  was  one  of  those 
rare  men  who  never  sacrifice  their  honest  principles. 

WILLIAM  McCONKEY  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  March 
10,  1^24,  and  is  one  of  the  twelve  children  of  David  and  Margaret 
(Crawford)  McConkey,  of  whom  eight  are  living.  William  lived  on  his 
father's  farm  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  of  age.  He  was  married, 
January  6,  1848,  to  Sarah  Hague,  in  Holmes  County,  Ohio.  They  have 
had  six  children — James,  Nancy  Pennock,  Maggie  Sturgeon,  Alvin, 
Camby  and  Vita  ;  five  of  these  are  living,  and  four  reside  in  Porter 
County.  x\fter  his  marriage,  Mr.  McConkey  operated  a  mill  in  Holmes 
<]^ounty,  Ohio,  for  sixteen  years.  In  1863,  he  came  to  Porter  County, 
Ind.  ;  after  farming  three  years  in  Porter  Township,  he  came  to  Centre 
Township,  where  he  has  since  been  farming  and  milling.  His  mill  is  two 
miles  west  of  his  residence,  on  Salt  Creek,  and  has  a  capacity  of  three 
hundred  bushels  per  day  ;  this  grist-mill  is  valued  at  from  $10,000  to 
i$12,000.  He  now  lives  one  mile  southwest  of  Valparaiso,  on  thirty  acres  ; 
yet  he  owns  129  more  where  his  mill  is  located.  He  is  a  worthy  man,  and 
an  esteemed  citizen. 

GEORGE  W.  MERRILL  was  born  in  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio, 
December  16,  1833 ;  he  is  one  of  four  children  born  to  Nehemiah  and 
Luna  (Williams)  Merrill  ;  of  this  family,  but  two  are  living.  When 
George  was  two  and  one-half  years  old,  his  father  moved  to  Porter  County 
and  purchased  160  acres  of  land  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  east  of  Flint 
Lake,  where  the  family  lived  about  three  years ;  he  afterward  purchased 
land  on  the  south  shore  of  the  lake,  where  they  have  since  resided.  On 
July  2,  1862,  George  W.  Merrill  was  married  to  Ellen  Crow,  in  Valpa- 
raiso. Three  children  were  the  result  of  this  marriage — Rosa,  Jennie  and 
Lottie;  the  two  first  are  dead.  Mr.  Merrill  was  brought  up  amid  the 
primitive  wilds  and  romantic  scenery  of  this  beautiful  lake,  then  environed 
with  timber,  and  a  lurking  place  for  Indians,  deer,  bears  and  wild  cats. 
Mr.  Merrill  has  reduced  fishing  to  an  art ;  he  has  studied  the  nature  and 
habits  of  black  bass — the  most  valuable  contained  in  the  lake — to  such 
aa  extent  that  he  can  catch  them  when  no  one  else  can.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  on  all  occasions  an  upright 
citizen. 

WILLIAM  MEYER  was  born  in  the  Kingdom  of  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, March  18,  1828,  and  is  one  of  seven  sons  of  Christian  and  Marie 
(Cook)  Meyer,  only  two  of  whom  are  living.  His  father  was  born  in 
Hanover  in  1792  ;  he  was  by  trade  a  shoemaker,  and  served  under  Na- 
poleon in  his  campaigns  ;  he  was  at  the  siege  of  Moscow  and  at  Waterloo, 
and  was  unharmed  ;  he  died  in  Hanover  in  1876.  His  mother  was  also 
born  in  Hanover  in  1800,  and  died  in  1864.  William  learned  the  shoe- 
making  trade,  at  which  he  worked  while  in  Germany.  He  served  three  years 
in  the  German  army,  during  the  war  against  the  Danish  King.  On  June 
1,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Joanna  Seuram,  in  Dessau,  Hanover.   To  this 


288  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

union  two  chiMren  were  born — Christian  and  Heary.  On  October  6, 
1863,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meyer  landed  in  New  York,  with  but  five  francs  in 
hand;  here  he  remained  four  years,  working  at  shoeraaking,  then  moved 
to  Fort  Wayne,  then  to  Stark  County,  Ind.,  then  to  Valparaiso,  where  he 
purchased  land  in  about  1880  ;  his  wife  died  August  17,  1882.  They  both 
joined  the  Methodist  Church,  in  New  York,  in  1853.  Mr.  Meyer  now 
resides  two  miles  north  of  Valparaiso  ;  he  is  a  gardener,  and  owns  a  tim- 
ber tract  of  twelve  acres  in  Liberty  Township. 

WILLIAM  H.  SAGER  was  born  in  Hardy  County,  Va.,  January  6, 
1827,  and  is  one  of  fourteen  children,  eleven  of  whom  are  living.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Shenandoah  County,  Va.  ;  was  a  miller  and  farmer, 
and  died  in  Hardy  County  in  1828,  aged  fifty-two  ;  his  mother  (Elizabeth 
Haldeman)  was  also  a  native  of  Shenandoah  County,  Va.,  and  died  in 
1837,  aged  fifty-three  ;  they  were  both  of  German  descent.  William  H. 
Sager  moved  to  Miami  County,  Ind.,  in  July,  1817,  where  he  remained 
one  year,  thence  going  to  Cass  County,  where  he  remained  five  years,  and 
came  to  Valparaiso  May  5,  1854,  where  he  is  yet  located.  On  December 
28,  1857,  he  was  married,  in  Valparaiso,  to  Mary  Gifi'ord,  by  whom  he 
has  had  ten  children — George,  Ida  Norman,  Chancey,  Minnie,  Charles, 
Alberta,  Carrie,  William,  Arthur  and  Harry,  all  of  whom,  except  George, 
are  living.  Mr.  Sager  became  an  Odd  Fellow  in  1850,  but  withdrew  in 
1860,  In  1856,  he  became  a  partner  with  Mr.  John  Skinner,  in  the 
milling  business.  Since  1861,  Mr.  Sager  has  owned  a  mill  with  a  ca- 
pacity of  three  hundred  bushels  a  day.  He  is  an  enterprising,  liberal  and 
esteemed  citizen.  He  lives  in  Valparaiso,  but  manages  his  grist-mill 
about  one  mile  south  of  the  city. 

DANIEL  STONE R  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  June 
4,  1815.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  he  followed  in  his  track.  At 
that  period,  land  being  much  higher  in  Ohio  than  in  Indiana,  Mr.  Stoner 
came  hither  in  1840,  in  order  to  secure  a  farm  and  home  in  the  "  Hoosier  " 
State.  In  common  with  all  early  settlers,  he  had  an  experience  of  trials 
and  hardships.  On  June  15,  1835,  he  was  married,  in  Ohio,  to  Eliza- 
beth Ludy,  born  May  21,  1813,  from  which  union  there  descended  eight 
children,  two  of  whom  are  deceased.  Those  living  are  married  and  reside 
in  this  county.  Mrs.  Stoner  died  in  November,  1880.  Mr.  Stoner  now 
owns  255  acres  of  land,  and  lives  two  miles  southeast  of  Valparaiso.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Stoner  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Val- 
paraiso Presbyterian  Church  for  about  twelve  years. 

JERRY  SULLIVAN  was  born  in  the  County  of  Kerry,  Ireland, 
and  is  one  of  the  six  children  born  to  John  and  Ellen  (McCartey)  Sulli- 
van. Two  of  this  number  only  are  living.  Mr.  Sullivan  came  to  this 
country  in  1851,  landing  in  New  York  City,  In  1857,  he  came  to  Por- 
ter County,  Ind.,  and  has  since  resided  here.  In  the  year  1856,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  Bennett,  in  Northern  Ohio.  This  union  has  been  blessed 
by  four  children — Ellen,  Margaret,  Mary  and  Julia.  They  are  all  un- 
married and  live  in  Valparaiso.  Mr.  Sullivan  now  resides  two  miles 
northwest  from  Valparaiso,  on  his  own  land,  comprising  ninety-four  acres. 
He  is  a  most  generous  man  and  a  liberal  and  esteemed  citizen. 

A.  W.  TALBOT  was  born  in  Lewis  (now  Barbour)  County,  Va.,  in 
1821.     He  came  to  this  State,  and  where  he  now  lives,  in  1847,  but  this 


CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  289 

was  a  reconnoitering  trip,  and  his  determination  to  improve  his  condition 
is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  he  traveled  from  Virginia — a  distance  of 
600  miles — on  horseback,  and  returned  in  like  manner.  He  came  back 
and  settled,  however,  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  In  1842,  he  was 
married  to  Ruth  Baker,  who  died  in  1854.  His  second  marriao[e — to 
Hannah  Stoner — occurred  in  December,  1856.  She  also  died  in  October, 
1879.  Mr.  Talbot  was  left  with  eight  children,  five  by  his  first  and  three 
by  his  second  wife.  Those  living  (three  by  his  first  marriage  and  one  by 
his  second)  are  married  and  reside  in  Porter  County.  Mr.  Talbot  has 
always  been  a  Democrat,  his  first  vote  for  President  being  cast  in  1844. 
At  the  time  he  came  hither,  he  owned  a  mountain  farm  in  Virginia  of 
200  acres.  He  now  lives  about  two  miles  southeast  of  Valparaiso,  on  a 
homestead  of  sixty  acres.  He  belongs  to  the  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Mr. 
Talbot  owes  his  success  to  untiring  energy. 

JOHN  J.  TAFTE  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  December  17, 
1831,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of  George  B.  and  Anna  (Peter- 
son) Tafte.  His  father  was  born  in  Holstein  in  1804.  He  was  a  cabinet- 
maker and  contractor,  and  employed  twenty-five  men  continuously.  He 
died  when  thirty-five  years  old.  His  mother  was  born  in  Hamburg  in 
1806.  Her  father  was  a  ship-builder,  and  met  his  death  in  a  storm. 
She  now  resides  with  her  son  John.  After  his  father's  death,  John  was 
adopted  by  one  Glaus  Fasbinder,  in  Holstein,  with  whom  he  lived  eleven 
years  and  learned  masonry.  He  afterward  hired  out  for  forty-five  Prus- 
sian dollars  a  year,  and  later  he  was  employed  in  hauling  rock  to  rebuild 
what  the  Danish  gunners  had  demolished  in  the  war  against  Denmark  in 
1848-49.  In  May,  1852,  he  arrived  in  New  York,  aged  twenty-one 
years.  He  went  directly  to  New  Buffalo,  Mich.,  where  he  worked  on  a 
railroad,  then  "struck  through  the  country,"  coming  to  the  house  of  R. 
Starr,  Centre  Township,  Porter  County,  where  he  hired  for  $8  per  month. 
After  learning  some  English,  he  worked  at  his  trade,  and  in  1872  pur- 
chased his  present  place  for  $7,000.  He  was  married  September  26, 
1858,  to  Anna  Rathyeu,  at  Hebron,  Ind.  Six  children  were  born  to 
them,  three  boys  and  three  girls,  the  latter  being  deceased — Albert, 
George,  John,  Anna,  Emma  and  an  infant  unnamed.  Mr.  Tafte  is  a 
Freemason  and  a  Democrat.  He  lives  on  170  acres  two  miles  northeast 
from  Valparaiso.  He  also  has  108  acres  two  miles  north  and  160  in 
Minnesota. 

JEROME  B.  WHEELER  was  born  in  Hampden  County,  Mass., 
July  15,  1824,  and  is  one  of  ten  children  born  to  William  and  Hannah 
(Crow)  Wheeler,  nine  of  whom  are  living.  When  Jerome  was  about  seven 
years  old,  he  moved  with  his  father's  family  to  Medina  County,  Ohio, 
and  then  to  near  Terre  Haute,  where  his  father  died.  The  family  next 
moved  to  Clark  County,  Mo.,  after  which  .Jerome,  with  three  brothers, 
came  to  Porter  County  about  the  year  1844,  where  they  purchased  con- 
jointly 160  acres.  On  December  25,  1855,  Jerome  was  married  to  Eliza- 
beth Crow,  in  Centre  Township.  As  a  result  of  this  union,  six  children 
followed — Adelaide  Smith,  Octavia  Kelley,  Raymond,  Emma,  Minnie 
and  Ida;  excepting  the  second,  all  live  in  Porter  County.  Mr.  Wheeler 
now  resides  about  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Valparaiso,  on  his  farm 
of  eighty  acres,  comfortable,  and  greatly  esteemed  as  a  liberal-spirited 
and  enterprising  citizen. 


290  '  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

JONATHAN  WISE  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Penn.,  Sep- 
tember 22,  1819,  and  is  one  of  the  eleven  children  born  to  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  (Sheidler)  Wise,  of  whom  five  only  are  living — three  in  Porter 
County.  His  parents  were  also  born  in  Washington  County,  Penn.,  and 
1839,  moved  from  that  State  to  Knox  County,  Ohio ;  his  father  died  in 
Allen  County,  Ohio,  in  1850,  and  his  mother,  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  in 
1847.  Jonathan  remained  in  Knox  County  about  fifteen  years  before 
coming  to  Porter  County,  Ind.  In  1835,  he  began  the  blacksmithing 
trade,  at  which  he  worked  forty-two  consecutive  years  in  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio  and  Indiana.  On  February  2,  1850,  he  was  married  to  Margaret 
Clemmens,  in  Knox  County,  Ohio.  They  have  seven  children — Burney, 
Rob,  Daniel,  Janney  Brodey,  Kitty,  Margaret  and  Maude.  They  all 
live  in  Porter  County.  Mr.  Wise  lived  in  Valparaiso  five  years,  and  had 
a  shop  near  Flint  Lake  six  or  seven  years.  Afterward  he  purchased 
sixty-seven  acres,  on  which  he  now  lives,  for  $1,000.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  Church  and  an  active  worker  in  the  Sabbath  school,  having 
begun  that  good  work  twenty  years  ago;  he  has  been  blest  with  a  fine 
constitution,  as  proved  by  continued  hard  work  at  his  trade. 


WESTCHESTER    TOWNSHIP. 

WILLIAM  BEAM,  Superintendent  of  the  T.  Molding  Brick  Yards 
at  Porter  Station,  and  was  born  October  18,  1883,  in  Buflfalo,  N.  Y. 
He  is  the  youngest  of  four  children  born  to  Christian  and  Henriette 
(College)  Beam,  both  natives  of  Germany.  When  sixteen  years  of  age, 
Mr.  Beam  began  life  for  himself,  working  at  the  brick  business  from  that 
time  on  to  the  present,  first  in  Buff"alo,  till  his  twenty-first  year ;  Erie,  one 
year ;  Detroit,  four  years ;  Chatham,  Canada,  three  years ;  Chicago, 
three  years ;  Arkansas,  four  years ;  Chicago  again,  and  Otis  four  years, 
when  he  came  to  Porter  Station  and  took  his  present  position  as  Super- 
intendent of  the  brick  yards  above  mentioned.  Mr.  Beam  owns  forty 
acres  of  land  in  Salt  Creek,  with  fine  brick  houses,  and  town  lots  in 
Porter.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  While  in  Arkansas, 
he  was  pressed  into  the  rebel  service,  but  was  soon  discharged  on  account 
of  sickness.  In  political  belief,  Mr.  Beam  has  been  a  Democrat,  but  has 
voted  the  Greenback  ticket  and  Republican,  and  is  independent  in  local 
matters.  He  is  a  thorough  business  man,  and  one  of  our  influential 
citizens.  He  was  married  in  1863,  to  Catherine  Ackerman,  a  native  of 
Germany.  They  have  had  five  children — Bertha,  Ernest  (deceased), 
William,  Paul  and  Frank. 

FRANK  BERGSTROM  was  born  in  1836,  in  Sweden.  He  is  one 
of  three  children  born  to  Swan  and  Mary  E.  (Millson)  Bergstrom.  When 
sixteen  years  of  age,  Frank  began  his  trade,  and  in  four  years  began 
business  for  himself.  Two  years  later,  he  married  Louise  Johnson,  a  na- 
tive of  Sweden.  They  have  four  children  living — Fena,  Minnie,  Frank 
J.  and  Albert.  After  his  marriage,  he  came  to  America  and  settled  at 
Bailly  Town,  and  also  worked  at  his  trade  in  La  Porte  about  two  years. 
He  enlisted  in  the  Seventy-third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  291 

nearly  three  years  throucrh  all  the  operations  of  the  regiment.  He  then 
settled  at  Chesterton,  and  has  carried  on  his  present  business  of  harness 
and  shoe  making  here  ever  since.  He  has  a  fine  trade,  always  supplying 
everything  in  his  line  ;  his  is  the  only  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county.  Mr.  Bergstrom  is  a  member  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church.  He  has  always  been  a  Republican,  but  has  voted 
a  few  times  with  the  Greenbackers.  He  is  an  industrious,  thorough  busi- 
ness man  and  first-class  citizen.  His  first  wife  died  in  1874.  The  fol- 
lowing vear  he  married  Mrs.  Ann  E.  Johnson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  She 
has  three  children — Frank  J.,  Gust,  and  Tilda. 

THOMAS  BLACKWELL,  proprietor  of  the  Chesterton  Mills  (or 
Poplar  Tree  Mills),  was  born  in  1845,  in  Isham,  England.  He  is  one  of 
seven  children  born  to  George  and  Mary  (Brains)  Blackwell,  both  natives 
of  England.  The  elder  Blackwell  was  a  shepherd,  and  from  near  the 
home  of  Oliver  Cromwell.  The  ancestors  all  led  a  pastoral  life.  When 
ten  years  of  age,  Mr.  Blackwell  was  apprenticed  to  learn  his  trade,  and 
went  to  school  no  more,  on  account  of  a  distaste  for  an  overbearing  "mas- 
ter "  of  the  times.  His  indentures  provided  for  seven  years,  but  the  firm 
failed,  and  he  was  given  his  liberty  at  fifteen  years  of  age.  From  that 
time  until  his  twenty-first  year,  he  worked  as  journeyman  miller  in  En- 
gland, and  was  always  successful  and  determined  in  anything  he  essayed. 
He  was  now  in  poor  health,  on  account  of  hereditary  consumption,  so  he 
emigrated  to  America  and  spent  a  year  and  a  half  in  studying  American 
systems  of  milling,  and  with  health  improved  returned  to  England  ex- 
pecting to  stay.  He  married  Milicent  H.  Leeson,  a  native  of  England, 
and  a  lady  of  taste  and  refinement.  His  health  failing,  he  went  to  Can- 
ada, and  had  charge  of  two  mills,  one  "three-run  "  and  one  "  five-run," 
but  after  about  two  years  he  came  to  Illinois.  He  was  at  St.  Charles 
about  six  years  engaged  in  his  trade,  including  millwrighting,  as  all  ap- 
prentices of  that  time  had  to  learn.  In  December,  1875,  he  came  to 
Chesterton  and  bought  his  present  mills,  including  a  grist  of  "three-run," 
saw-mill,  planer,  matcher  and  machine  shop,  now  valued  at  over  $10,- 
000.  His  residence,  situated  near  the  mill,  is  a  fine  two-story  frame, 
valued  at  over  §2,000,  finely  situated.  In  politics,  he  has  always  been 
thoroughly  independent. 

JASPER  B.  BOSTWICK,  ex-Postmaster,  and  retired,  was  born 
March  27, 1810,  in  New  York.  He  is  tjie  youngest  of  four  children  born  to 
Joseph  M.  and  Loraine  (Wheaton)  Bostwick,  both  natives  of  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Bostwick,  our  subject,  lived  on  a  farm  in  New  York  with  his  parents 
until  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  built  a  tannery,  but  in  about  two 
years  it  burned,  and  he  soon  built  another  on  the  same  site,  but  in  one 
year  nearly  it  was  also  burned,  both  supposed  to  be  the  work  of  an  incen- 
diary. He  then  came  to  La  Porte  County,  settling  in  Michigan  City, 
when  in  about  two  years  he  went  to  Wisconsin  with  a  company  to  found  a 
town,  and  named  it  Washington.  In  about  a  year,  he  came  back  to  La 
Porte  County  and  farmed  for  about  three  years,  when  he  returned  to 
Michigan  City  ;  after  a  time  went  to  Ohio,  South  Toledo,  and  engaged 
in  merchandising  for  about  ten  years.  He  then  came  to  Chesterton,  and 
was  associated  with  Mr.  Hopkins  as  merchant  for  a  time ;  then  appointed 
us  Postmaster  of  Chesterton,   continuing  for  about   ten   vears.     He  has 


292  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

since  retired  from  business  on  account  of  his  deafness.  While  in  Wis- 
consin, Mr.  Bostwick  was  County  Sheriff.  He  has  always  been  a  stanch 
Republican,  but  now  favors  the  Greenback  faith.  He  was  married, 
January  19,  1834,  to  Elizabeth  Eldridge,  a  native  of  Connecticut.  She 
was  educated  at  an  academy  in  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  and  is  a  refined,  affable 
lady.  They  have  three  children,  all  married — Ellen  St.  Clair,  of  Kansas 
City ;  Joseph  W.,  of  Central  City,  Colo.,  engaged  in  mining,  and 
Samuel  E.,  in  Golden,  Colo.,  conductor  on  the  Colorado  Central  Railroad. 

JAMES  S.  BRADLY,  carpenter  and  retired  farmer,  was  born 
September  1,  1827,  in  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  near  Cincinnati.  He  is 
the  younger  of  two  children  living,  born  to  David  and  Currance  (Piatt) 
Bradly,  the  former  a  native  of  Vermont  and  the  latter  of  Connecticut. 
They  lived  in  Ohio  until  James  was  about  sixteen,  when  they  came  to 
Clinton  County,  Ind.  Two  years  later,  the  elder  Bradly  died.  James 
and  the  family  soon  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  remained  about  seven 
years,  engaged  in  carpentering.  He  then  came  to  Porter  County  and 
worked  at  his  trade  for  about  four  years  in  Chesterton  (then  Calumet), 
and  then  moved  on  his  farm  in  Liberty  Township.  He  farmed  there 
from  1856  to  the  fall  of  1*^81,  when  he  moved  to  Chesterton  and  again 
began  his  trade  with  his  son,  Charles  D.,  who  has  worked  at  the  trade  for 
two  years.  They  both  have  a  lively  run  of  business,  and  are  first-class 
workmen.  Mr.  Bradly  still  owns  his  Liberty  Township  farm.  In  1863, 
he  entered  service  in  the  Twelfth  Indiana  Cavalry  and  served  in  Ten- 
nessee, Alabama  and  Mississippi,  and  was  mustered  out  at  Vicksburg  at 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance, the  Grange,  etc.  He  has  been  Township  Trustee  for  two  years. 
He  was  a  Free-Soil  Democrat,  but  has  been  a  stanch  Republican  since 
the  formation  of  that  party.  He  was  married,  June  3,  1853,  to  Elizabeth 
M.  Jones,  a  native  of  Ohio.  They  have  three  children  living — Charles 
D.,  Martha  E.  and  Lavantia.  Charles  D.  Bradly  was  born  March  26, 
1858,  in  Liberty  Township.  He  was  married,  June  26,  1881,  to  Minnie 
D.  Dettman,  a  native  of  Chicago.  James  Bradly's  first  wife  died  in 
1877,  and  in  1878  he  married  Mrs.  Lavina  Parker,  a  widow,  and  a  native 
of  New  York. 

FRANCIS  BROWN  was  born  in  1832  in  Ireland.  He  is  one  of 
four  children,  living,  born  to  David  and  Mary  (McMahn)  Brown,  both 
natives  of  Ireland.  Francis  lived  with  his  father  until  eighteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in  Chicago,  engaging 
as  foreman  in  a  lumber  yard.  He  continued  in  this  position  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  when  he  came  to  Chesterton,  and  was  engaged  in  business 
for  twenty-four  years,  and  has,  as  his  present  standing  shows,  been  a  suc- 
cessful financier.  He  retired  from  active  life  in  the  spring  of  1881,  and 
has  since  occupied  his  leisure  in  superintending  his  three  farms.  He  has 
one  of  the  finest  residences  in  Chesterton,  richly  furnished.  He  held  the 
ofiice  of  Corporation  Treasurer  for  two  years.  Mr.  Brown  has  always 
been  a  Democrat,  but  of  late  years  has  concluded  that  men.  not  parties, 
should  be  the  object  of  a  citizen's  vote.  He  is  one  of  Chesterton's  most 
successful  financial  men,  and  is  of  very  active  habits.  He  was  married. 
May  14,  1857,  to  Catherine  Young,  a  native  of  Ireland.  They  are  both 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.     They  have  six  children  living — Sam- 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  293 

uel  H.,  John  W.,  Frank,  Thomas,  May  and  Lydia.     The  three  latter  are 
living  at  home. 

FREDERICK  BURSTROM  was  born  June  17,  1826,  in  Sweden, 
and  is  the  youngest  of  ten  children  born  to  Andrew  and  Caroline  (Lin- 
burg)  Burstrora.  The  elder  Burstrom  took  the  degree  of  M.  D.,  but 
never  practiced,  while  both  were  well  educated.  The  grandfather,  Bur- 
strom, was  a  government  ship-builder,  but  lost  everything  in  one  of  the 
Russo-Swedish  wars.  When  twenty-one  years  of  age,  Frederick  Bur- 
strom left  home.  He  had  received  a  collegiate  education,  but  on  account 
of  his  father's  old  age,  he  was  persuaded  to  superintend  his  father's  tan- 
nery for  about  four  years ;  he  then  came  to  the  United  States  and  settled 
in  Chicago,  engaged  at  his  trade,  but  he  soon  had  to  stop  the  work,  and 
came  to  Bailly  Town  and  lumbered  for  about  two  years.  He  bought 
about  100  acres  of  land  and  began  farming;  he  has  since  lived  on  this 
land,  with  the  exception  of  three  years  in  Illinois,  engaged  in  the  grocery 
business  with  a  brother-in-law.  In  1879,  he  spent  six  months  visiting  in 
Europe.  He  enlisted  in  the  Thirty-fifth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
served  in  ponton  service  and  guarding  in  almost  all  the  Southern  States 
for  eleven  months.  His  farm  is  all  improved  and  excellent  land,  and  has 
been  brought  from  its  primitive  state  by  himself.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  and  has  been  an  active  worker  in  temperance. 
He  was  Trustee  for  two  years,  and  is  now  County  Commissioner.  He 
has  always  been  a  Republican.  Mr.  Burstrom  was  among  Westchester's 
first  settlers.  He  was  married,  in  1818,  to  Catherine  Westrond,  a  native 
of  Sweden. 

REV.  ANDREW  CHALLMAN,  minister  of  the  Bailly  Town  and 
Chesterton  Swedish  Lutheran  Churches,  was  born  January  1,  1841,  in 
Gottenborg,  Sweden.  He  is  the  youngest  of  six  children  born  to  Andrew 
and  Christan  (Anderson)  Kjellman  (Swedish  spelling),  both  natives  of 
Sweden.  When  fifteen  years  of  age,  Rev.  Challman  began  for  himself, 
and  was  engaged  for  the  first  four  years  in  Gottenborg,  in  a  carriage 
factory,  and  then  entered  a  seminary,  in  the  same  place,  to  prepare  him- 
self for  a  teacher,  remaining  one  and  one-half  years.  He  then  entered  a 
more  advanced  institution  at  Ahlsborg,  and  studied  for  two  years.  He 
then  began  teaching  in  a  private  school  for  a  personage  corresponding  to 
an  English  earl — Adolph  Stackelberg — for  two  and  one-half  years,  when 
he  came  to  the  United  States  in  1868,  and  settled  in  Bailly  Town,  and 
taught  in  the  Swedish  congregation  one  and  one-half  years,  and  then 
went  to  Chicago,  intending  to  go  into  business,  but  he  was  induced  to 
teach  in  the  Immanuel  congregation  for  three  years.  He  then  entered  the 
college  at  Paxton,  111.  (now  Rock  Island),  to  prepare  himself  for  the 
ministry,  and  was  then  called  to  several  congregations — among  others, 
Hobart,  Ind. — until,  in  1875,  his  call  to  Bailly  Town  necessitated  his 
settling  here,  where  he  has  since  resided  in  his  fine  residence  in  close 
proximity  to  the  church.  Rev.  Challman  has  always  been  a  Republican, 
but  is  independent  in  local  affairs.  He  was  married,  in  1866,  to  Gustafa 
A.  Johnson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  They  have  seven  children — Samuel, 
Gust  A.,  David,  Anne  G.,  Mary,  Robert  and  Esther. 

WILLIAM  H.  COUCH,  ticket  and  freight  agent  on  Lake  Shore 
&  Michigan  Southern  Railroad  at  Chesterton,  was  born  August  30,  1817, 


294  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

in  New  York.  He  is  one  of  six  children  born  to  Roswell  and  Mehitable 
(Fox)  Couch,  both  natives  of  Massachusetts.  The  elder  Couch  was  a 
cooper  by  occupation.  When  William  was  eleven  years  old,  his  mother, 
who  had  been  a  widow  for  two  years,  went  to  Wellington,  Ohio.  He 
now  began  to  learn  the  trade  of  carpenter  and  joiner,  in  Elyria,  and 
Cleveland  and  Medina,  under  instruction,  for  about  seven  years.  He 
then  began  traveling,  and  working  at  Detroit,  Grand  Rapids,  Akron, 
Wellington  (Ohio),  and  other  smaller  places,  Delaware,  in  Canada,  Nor- 
walk,  etc.  At  Norwalk,  he  worked  for  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan 
Southern  Company  for  eight  years,  in  different  capacities;  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  went  to  Cleveland,  where  his  family  still  resides.  After 
two  years,  he  was  appointed  agent  at  Holmesville,  Ind.,  for  four  years, 
when  he  was  sent  to  Chesterton,  where  he  has  had  control  ever 
since.  There  are  five  by  the  name  of  Couch  on  the  road,  two 
cousins,  our  subject  and  his  two  sons.  In  Ohio,  he  was  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  County  Sheriff,  City  Marshal,  etc.  He  has  been  a  Mason  for 
over  thirty  years,  having  taken  all  the  degrees  in  Oriental  Masonry,  and 
was  Master  for  five  years  in  Lorain  County,  Ohio  He  was  a  Whig,  Free- 
Soiler,  Abolitionist,  and  is  now  a  Republican.  In  his  earlier  days,  he 
took  an  active  interest  in  politics.  He  was  married,  in  1838,  to  Catherine 
Patch,  a  native  of  Connecticut.  They  have  three  children — Edgar, 
Frank  L.  and  Mary  L.  Kirtland,  book-keeper  in  a  wholesale  furniture 
store  in  Cleveland. 

JOHN  C.  COULTER  was  born  June  28,  1824,  in  Berks  County, 
Penn.  He  is  the  only  child  of  Robert  and  Ann  (Cooper)  Coulter,  the 
former  a  native  of  Ireland  and  the  latter  of  Maryland.  The  elder 
Coulter  was  a  teacher  by  occupation,  and  a  self-made  man.  The  Coulters 
mentioned  in  the  early  history  of  Oregon  are  said  to  be  connected  with 
the  ancestors  of  our  subject.  Mr,  Coulter's  maternal  ancestors  were 
Quakers,  and  early  settlers  of  Maryland.  When  young  Coulter  was 
seven  years  of  age,  the  parents  moved  to  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  and 
bought  land;  young  Coulter,  in  1850,  came  to  Indiana,  his  parents 
having  died.  He  engaged  in  farming  in  Lake  County  for  about  one 
year,  when  he  came  to  Calumet  (now  Chesterton),  teaching  and  working 
at  other  things  until  the  war  began.  He  enlisted  in  1861  in  the  Forty- 
eighth  Indiana  Volunteers,  participating  in  the  battle  of  Corinth,  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg,  and  afterward  under  Sherman  on  his  famous  "  march 
to  the  sea,"  through  to  Washington,  then  on  to  Louisville,  where  he  was 
discharged.  On  his  return  to  Chesterton,  he  engaged  in  railroading  at 
the  station  for  three  years,  when  he  taught  three  terms.  He  now  began 
working  in  the  brick  yards,  burning  the  kiln.  On  the  day  the  great 
Chicago  fire  began,  he  was  installed  as  station  agent  at  Chesterton,  con- 
tinuing in  that  occupation  until  April,  1882,  when  he  resigned.  He 
still  holds  the  express  ofiice.  He  also  engaged  in  manufacturing  a  vege- 
table root  beer.  Mr.  Coulter  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 
He  has  held  the  ofiice  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  etc.,  and  is  at  present  a 
candidate  for  County  Recorder  on  the  National  ticket.  In  politics,  he  is  a 
strong  Greenbacker.  He  was  married,  February  1,  1843,  to  Sarah  Mc- 
Henry,  a  native  of  Ohio.  They  had  four  children,  all  living — William, 
Artelissa  J.,    Sarah   and  Lana.     His   wife   died  in  October,  1874,  and, 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  295 

about  two  years  later,  he  married  his  present  wife,  Mary  Cook,  a  native  of 
Columbiana  County,  Ohio.  His  parents  are  living  at  Helena,  near 
Toledo. 

HENRY  DABBERT,  merchant  and  Postmaster  at  Hageman,  was 
born  in  1841,  in  Mecklenberg  Schwerin,  Germany.  He  is  the  youngest  of 
three  children  living  born  to  Fred  and  Christina  Dabbert,  both  natives  of 
Germany.  The  elder  Dabbert  had  charge  of  the  Duke's  race-horses. 
When  fifteen  years  of  age,  Henry  worked  for  himself  at  different  things, 
until  he  came  to  the  United  States  in  1864.  He  settled  in  Chicago,  and 
was  engaged  for  eight  years  following  in  a  chair  factory.  He  then  went 
into  the  wholesale  grocery  business  in  Chicago.  At  the  end  of  five  years, 
he  came  to  Hageman,  and  bought  his  present  store.  He  keeps  a  full  line 
of  groceries,  dry  goods,  boots  and  shoes,  provisions,  hardware,  notions, 
etc.  His  stock  at  first  was  worth  about  $500.  He  has  built  the  only 
brick  store  in  the  place,  with  his  dwelling  in  the  second  story;  now,  his 
stock  is  increased  to  about  $3,000,  with  an  extensive  trade.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  German  Lutheran  Church.  In  1875,  he  was  made  Postmaster, 
and  has  held  the  office  ever  since.  In  political  belief,  he  is  a  Republican 
and  is  an  enterprising,  industrious  man  and  public-spirited  citizen.  He 
was  married,  in  1864,  to  Maria  Zulke,  a  native  of  Germany;  they  have 
six  children — Ida,  Henry,  Annie,  Emma,  Emilia,  Frank. 

NATHAN  DEMASS  was  born  August  4,  1840,  in  Akron,  Ohio. 
He  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  Nathan  and  Elizabeth  (Nye)  Demass, 
both  natives  of  New  York.  The  elder  Demass  was  in  the  battle  of  Sack- 
ett's  Harbor,  in  the  war  of  1812.  In  1853,  the  family  moved  to  Chicago 
and  Nathan  began  his  trade  of  carpenter,  working  at  it  until  1857,  when 
they  came  to  (Old  Porter),  now  Porter,  Porter  County,  and  bought  eighty 
acres  of  land ;  Nathan  stayed  on  the  farm  until  1862,  when  he  enlisted 
in  the  Seventy-third  Indiana;  he  was  with  his  regiment  during  all  its 
experience,  through  to  Lexington,  Nashville,  Alabama,  on  the  Col.  Straight 
raid,  captured,  exchanged,  kept  at  Belle  Isle,  City  Point,  guarding  pris- 
oners at  Indianapolis,  building  forts  at  Nashville,  about  a  year  on  a  Gov- 
ernment cotton  farm  in  Alabama,  being  mustered  out  1865.  He  now 
returned  to  Chesterton,  engaged  in  his  trade,  and  was  married  in  January 
24,  1866,  to  Marcia  Brush,  a  native  of  Vermillion,  Ohio,  and  daughter  of 
a  ship-builder.  He  began  carpentering,  increasing  his  business  con- 
stantly, hiring  two  men,  then  three  or  four,  and  so  on  until  he  has  under 
his  supervision  from  seventeen  to  twenty  men  constantly,  also  five  horses 
for  teaming;  he  contracts  for  anything  in  the  carpenter  line,  such  as 
bridge-building,  schoolhouses,  churches,  house-moving,  etc.  His  residence 
is  one  of  the  best  in  Chesterton,  and  finely  situated.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Odd  Fellows  fraternity.  Mr.  Demass  has  always  been  a  stanch 
Republican.  He  has  five  children — Charles,  Elmer,  Gracie,  Ray  and 
Bessie 

EDWIN  L.  FURNESS  was  born  May  9,  1832,  in  Portland,  Me. 
He  is  the  youngest  of  three  children  born  to  Benjamin  C.  and  Mary  J. 
(Roberts)  Furness,  both  natives  of  Maine.  The  elder  Furness  was  a  sea 
captain.  His  maternal  great-grandfather  was  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  donated  a  vessel  for  the  Government  war  service,  but  refused  a  pension 
he  was  entitled  to.     His  paternal  great-grandfather  was  a  Revolutionary 


296  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

soldier  and  one  of  the  founders  of  South  Berwick  (Me.)  Academy,  a  col- 
lege well  known  in  the  East.  Thomas  Leigh,  an  uncle,  was  a  Major  in 
the  war  of  1812,  and  founded  the  town  of  Leigh's  Mills.  Nearly  all  of 
Mr.  Furness'  ancestors  were  sea-faring  men.  When  our  subject  was 
about  eight  years  old,  the  elder  Furness  was  lost  at  sea,  and  his  mother 
died  a  short  time  after.  He  then  went  to  live  with  his  grandmother  at 
South  Berwick.  When  thirteen,  he  was  attacked  by  the  prevalent  "  sea 
fever"  among  boys,  and  ran  away  to  sea,  on  board  the  "California,"  to 
the  Carolinas,  to  London,  to  Wales  and  back  to  New  York.  He  was  now 
persuaded  to  go  to  school,  to  the  above-mentioned  acad.emy,  where  he 
took  a  classical  course.  He  then  began  teaching  and  farming  for  two 
years,  when  he  came  West  to  Kane  County,  111.,  where  he  taught  two 
years.  In  1853,  he  went  East,  and  was  married  to  Louise  M.  Graves, 
of  Thomaston,  Me.  He  then  went  to  Batavia,  111.,  where  he  bought  a 
store  and  stone  quarry.  In  1856,  he  came  to  Furnessville,  and  engaged 
in  lumbering,  in  the  firm  of  Morgan,  Furness  &  Co.,  continuing  until 
1862,  when  the  firm  dissolved,  and  he  has  continued  in  the  same  business 
ever  since,  in  connection  with  farming,  and  about  three  years  in  a  stave 
factory,  in  which  he  lost  considerable  money.  His  attention  is  now  de- 
voted principally  to  farming  his  possessions,  of  between  two  and  three 
thousand  acres  in  Westchester  and  Pine  Townships.  Through  the  efforts 
of  Mr.  Furness,  the  station  and  post  office  of  Furnessville  was  established, 
of  which  he  was  the  first  agent  and  Postmaster,  and  near  which  his  resi- 
dence is  situated.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Grange  and  Good  Templar 
orders.  He  has  always  been  a  strong  Republican,  and  was  a  candidate 
in  1874  for  State  Senator,  but  was  in  the  then  unpopular  temperance 
movement  and  was  defeated.  He  is  the  father  of  six  children  living — 
Clara  N.  Leigh,  of  St.  Louis ;  Winnie  F.  Rose,  of  Valparaiso ;  Leigh, 
of  St.  Louis ;   Martha,  Dwight,  Marv- 

JOHN  GONDRING  was  born  April  15,  1831,  in  Treves,  in  Rhen- 
ish Prussia.  He  is  one  of  six  children  born  to  Michael  and  Catharine 
(Pfiffer)  Gondring,  the  former  a  native  of  Luxemburg,  and  the  latter  of 
Alsace.  The  elder  Pfiffer  was  a  subaltern  officer  in  the  French  Army  in 
1812.  The  elder  Gondring  Avas  a  Prussian  Government  contractor. 
When  Squire  Gondring  was  thirteen  years  old,  he  left  Loraine,  in  one  of 
the  French  Catholic  pilgrimage  companies,  to  Treves,  and  went  to  Paris, 
and  was  employed  in  one  of  the  large  railroad  car-spring  manufacturing 
companies  of  Paris  as  errand  boy  for  four  years.  He  then  made  applica- 
tion to  the  French  Government  to  go  to  Algeria  to  join  a  colony ;  he  was 
successful,  and  went  through  Marseilles,  across  the  Mediterranean,  and 
was  given  charge  of  twenty  Spanish  jacks,  to  carry  merchandise,  etc.. 
and  was  often  ctilled  out  to  fight  the  native  tribes.  After  about  nine 
months,  he  went  back  to  France  and  worked  for  his  old  company  until 
the  Revolution  of  1848;  he  joined  the  Paris  temporary  guard  until 
Napoleon  was  elected  President,  in  1849,  when  he  went  to  Italy,  intend- 
ing to  go  to  Rome  to  join  Garibaldi's  army,  but  stopped  in  Piedmont. 
Here  he  joined  the  Italians,  but  aftgr  the  defeat  at  Novara,  they  were- 
given  choice  of  passes  to  Hungary  or  Baden,  where  there  were  revolu- 
tions, and  they  went  to  Baden.  He  joined  the  German  revolutionists. 
He  was  taken  prisoner  at  Rastadt,  and  sentenced  to  over   three  years  at 


WESTCHESTER  TOWNSHIP.  297 

isolated  labor  at  the  spinning  wheel.  After  his  release,  he  was  compelled 
to  join  the  Huzzars,  but  in  about  three  days  he  deserted  and  went  to 
Antwerp,  where  he  was  engaged  as  hotel  porter,  on  account  of  ability  to 
speak  French  and  German,  until  he  made  enough  to  take  him  to  Ameri- 
ca, three  months  later.  He  soon  went  to  work  on  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
Canal  at  Lake  Superior,  then  soon  to  Detroit,  Chicago,  then  to  different 
places,  and  on  steamers  on  Lake  Michigan.  In  1854,  he  began  work  for 
Hiram  Joy,  the  Chicago  ice  king,  remaining  nine  years,  when  he  bought 
land  near  Chesterton  ;  for  a  year  was  in  Chicago,  also  at  Lake  Superior, 
where  he  made  considerable  money.  For  some  time,  he  was  Deputy 
Sheriff  in  Houghton,  Mich.,  near  Lake  Superior.  He  is  the  originator 
of  the  present  brick-yards  at  New  Porter.  Since  1875,  he  has  farmed. 
For  four  years  before,  he  kept  store  at  New  Porter.  He  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  Lodge.  Since  1876,  he  has  been  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  He  was  married  November  15,  1855,  to  Elizabeth  Foederath,  a 
German.  She  died  exactly  ten  years  after  her  marriage.  In  1868,  he 
married  Theresa  Kuhn,  also  a  German.  He  has  five  children  living.  He 
is  Independent  in  politics,  a  public-spirited  citizen  and  a  live  business 
man. 

HIRAM  GREEN,  M.  D.  and  druggist,  was  born  July  19,  1829,  in 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.  He  is  the  youngest  of  three  brothers  living,  born 
to  Tillinghast  and  Theodosia  (Kellogg)  Green,  the  former  a  native  of 
Connecticut  and  the  latter  of  New  York.  The  elder  Green  was  a  minis- 
ter of  the  Baptist  faith,  and  a  regimental  musician  of  the  war  of  1812. 
He  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-one.  The  Doctor  lived  with  his 
father  until  twelve  years  of  age — six  years  in  New  York,  and  the  follow- 
ing six  in  Ohio.  In  his  twelfth  year,  he  entered  a  normal  school,  hiring 
out  for  four  months  at  $7  a  month,  at  the  end  of  which  time  his  ^28  was 
partly  invested  in  clothes,  books  and  tuition.  He  continued  thus  for  two 
years,  working  for  his  board  and  tuition,  and  had  30  cents  of  the  original 
$28  left  at  the  end  of  the  time  ;  he  immediately  began  the  study  of  medi- 
cine with  his  brother  in  New  Lisbon,  Ohio  ;  he  had  peculiar  advantages 
with  his  brother  that  enabled  him  to  begin  practicing  at  the  end  of  six 
years  ;  he  then  went  to  Birmingham,  opposite  Pittsburgh,  where  the  cholera 
was  raging  to  the  extent  that  half  the  town  had  died  or  left.  He  very 
fortunately  received  the  practice  of  a  well-established  physician  who  was 
compelled  to  leave.  Dr.  Green  soon  went  to  Warren,  Ohio,  to  take  care 
of  his  brother's  family,  the  brother  having  died.  About  one  year  later,  he 
went  to  Somerset,  Hillsdale  Co.,  Mich.,  and  after  a  residence  of  six 
months  was  attacked  by  the  "  California  gold  fever,"  a  company  offer- 
ing inducements  if  he  would  go  and  give  medical  aid.  He  started,  but 
on  arriving  at  Michigan  City,  he  was  taken  sick,  ill  health  following  for 
two  years.  As  soon  as  able,  he  came  to  Chesterton  and  took  a  school, 
but  soon  gave  it  up  to  practice,  living  at  Gosset's  Mill  for  about 
four  years,  when  he  came  to  Chesterton,  the  war  having  begun,  and 
recruited  a  company,  of  which  he  was  commissioned  Lieutenant,  and 
afterward  Captain  ;  about  three  months  later,  he  was  re-commissioned 
Assistant  Surgeon  on  the  medical  staff  at  Nashville,  serving  under  trying 
difficulties.  After  a  time,  on  account  of  ill  health,  he  resigned  and  re- 
turned to  Porter  County,  locating  in  Wheeler,  where  he  remained  about 


298  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

three  year3,  and  then  came  to  Chesterton.  For  about  fifteen  years,  he 
answered  every  call,  but  his  wife's  health  compelled  him  to  confine  his 
practice,  and  he  soon  went  into  the  drug  business,  though  of  late  years 
he  has  done  much  riding.  His  drug  store,  one  of  the  most  tasteful  in  the 
county,  is  of  his  own  design.  Dr.  Green  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M. 
Commandery,  and  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.,  and  at  present  Township  Trustee. 
He  was  formerly  a  Republican,  but  is  now  a  Greenbacker.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  the  spring  of  1854,  to  Elsie  Corey,  a  native  of  Michigan  City, 
and  a  niece  of  Jesse  Harper,  Chairman  of  the  National  Greenback  Cen- 
tral Committee.  They  have  had  three  children — Florence  A.  (deceased) 
Cora  B.  and  Aylmer  E. 

HENRY  HAGEMAN  was  born  November  21,  1816,  in  Union 
County,  Ind.  (then  Indiana  Territory).  He  is  the  youngest  of  two  chil- 
dren living  born  to  John  and  Hannah  (Batton)  Hageman.  the  former  a 
native  of  Germany  and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  Henry  Batton,  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and  the  father  served 
in  the  war  of  1812  as  Major.  Grandfather  Batton  lived  to  the  advanced 
age  of  nearly  one  hundred  years.  Mr.  Hageman,  our  subject,  lived  but 
a  short  time  in  Union  County,  Ind.  ;  went  to  Montgomery  County  ;  then 
to  Fountain  County,  where  he  received  the  most  of  his  education,  in  the 
town  of  Robroy,  laid  out  by  a  brother-in-law.  When  about  twelve  years 
old,  he  came  to  La  Porte  County,  and  after  a  year  came  to  Porter  County, 
and  the  family  soon  followed.  Mr.  Hageman  has  farmed  almost  contin- 
uously since,  with  the  exception  of  two  winters  at  Indian  trading,  in 
which  he  spoke  two  Indian  languages.  He  lived  two  years  in  Rock  Island 
County,  111.,  where  he  owned  land.  Before  Mr.  Hageman  divided  any 
of  his  property  among  his  children,  he  had  about  six  hundred  acres,  all 
in  Westchester  and  Portage  Townships.  In  1879,  he  laid  out  the  town 
of  Hageman,  at  the  Michigan  Central  and  L.  S.  &  M.  S.  crossing.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church  for  about  forty  years,  and  is  now 
Recording  Steward  and  District  Steward.  He  has  been  Trustee  and 
Assessor  of  the  township  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  Congressional  Con- 
ventions in  1880  and  1882.  He  has  been  a  Republican  since  about 
1854.  He  is  a  man  of  great  energy  and  enthusiasm,  and  is  one  of  our 
most  public-spirited  citizens  and  among  our  leaders  in  public  affairs.  He 
was  married,  in  1836,  to  Hannah  J.  Gosset,  a  native  of  Indiana.  They 
have  six  children  living — Sarah  J.,  John.  Mariah,  Rosa,  Lilan  and  Han- 
nah F. 

JOHN  HALLBERG  was  born  May  30,  1825,  in  Sweden.  He  is 
the  youngest  of  three  brothers  born  to  John  and  Mary  (Danielson)  John- 
son, both  natives  of  Sweden.  John's  name,  Hallberg,  was  given  him  on 
account  of  his  being  a  soldier  ;  otherwise,  it  would  have  been  Johnson. 
When  twenty-one  years  of  age,  he  began  working  for  himself  at  the  trade 
he  had  learned  under  his  father,  viz.,  shoemaking.  When  thirty  years  old, 
he  began  farming  and  continued  up  to  1866,  when  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  stopping  in  New  Jersey  six  months,  and  Chicago  six  months,  and 
finally  settling  on  his  present  farm  of  forty-five  acres  of  fine  land,  mostly 
improved,  and  his  son's — Pehr  Afred's  twenty  acres  since  added.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics 
until  1876,  when  he  adopted  the  Greenback  faith.      He  is  one  of  our  first 


WESTCHESTER  TOWNSHIP.  299 

Swedish  farmers,  and  among  our  best  citizens.  He  was  married,  in  1846, 
to  Eliza  Maria  Swanson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  He  has  two  children — 
John  A.  (who  was  given  the  name  "2000  "  in  Sweden,  but  adopted  his 
father's  name  on  coming  to  America),  and  Pehr  A. 

MICHAEL  C.  HEFRON,  telegraph  operator,  was  born  March  10, 
1861,  in  Chesterton.  He  is  the  youngest  of  two  brothers  born  to  Morris 
and  Elizabeth  (Ryan)  Hefron,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  The  elder  Hefron 
■was  one  of  Chesterton's  early  merchants  and  Justice  of  the  Peace.  He 
came  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in  La  Porte,  and  then  came  to 
Chesterton,  where  he  was  married,  and  lived  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1863.  M.  C.  Hefron  has  always  made  his  home  in  Chester- 
ton, and  was  connected  with  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern  grain 
house  for  several  years.  He  learned  telegraphy  in  Chesterton,  and  has 
become  among  our  first-class  operators,  with  a  talent  and  business  capaci- 
ties peculiarly  adapted  to  his  chosen  profession.  He  was  educated  first  at 
Chesterton,  and  afterward  at  the  St.  Paul  Academy  at  Valparaiso,  Ind., 
and,  as  a  consequence,  is  well  prepared  for  business  life.  He  is  a  stu- 
dent, with  a  library  of  150  volumes  and  periodicals.  He  takes  an  inter- 
est in  political  questions,  is  independent,  partaking  of  the  prevailing 
opposition  to  the  old  parties.  He  is  a  land-holder,  and  has  already  laid 
the  foundation  of  a  future  fortune. 

DAVID  H.  HOPKINS  (deceased)  was  born  July  29,  1820,  in  New 
York.  He  was  the  elder  son  of  David  and  Susan  Hopkins,  both  natives 
of  New  York.  Our  subject  lived  at  home  until  1844,  when  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Cynthia  C.  Barney,  a  native  of  Ohio.  They  went  to  Chicago  and 
lived  for  three  months.  He  had  learned  his  trade  of  cooper  of  his 
father  and  now  began  business  extensively.  They  went  to  Michigan, 
but  in  a  year  went  to  Bailly  Town  and  then  to  City  West,  Porter  County, 
where  he  employed  forty  or  fifty  men.  In  about  two  years,  he  went  to 
Chesterton,  and  lived  there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1870. 
Besides  coopering  he  kept  a  general  merchandise  store.  Mr.  Hopkins 
was  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order.  He  was  a  stanch  Republican 
and  took  an  active  interest  in  politics,  and  an  energetic,  able  business 
man  and  financier,  and  an  enterprising  public-spirited  citizen.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  built  mainly  through  his  efforts.  He 
was  one  of  Chesterton's  earliest  settlers,  and  built  some  of  its  first  houses 
and  owned  much  of  its  property.  With  the  exception  of  two  years  in 
Valparaiso,  the  Widow  Hopkins  lived  in  Chesterton  until  the  fall  of  1881. 
when  she  went  to  Michigan  City,  where  she  resides  at  present  in  quiet 
retirement.  She  has  four  children  living — Laura  E.  Pinney,  Gurdon 
H.,  Albert  E.  and  Maud. 

GEORGE  E.  HOUSER,  photographer,  was  born  May  16,  1863,  in 
Wells  County,  Ind.  He  was  one  of  ten  children  born  to  William  and 
Nancy  (Mygrants)  Houser,  both  natives  of  the  Buckeye  State.  The 
elder  Houser  was  among  the  early  settlers  of  Wells  County,  and  at  pres- 
ent owns  160  acres  in  Huntington  and  Wells  Counties,  where  he  still 
lives,  on  the  county  line.  When  about  seventeen,  George  began  learning 
his  trade  in  Westville,  La  Porte  Co.,  Ind.,  and  after  an  apprentice- 
ship of  about  four  months  he  went  to  Michigan  City,  and  there  finished. 
In  April,  1882,  he  came  to  Chesterton  and  established  his  present  studio, 


300  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

where  he  is  prepared  to  do  anything  in  his  line,  such  as  photos,  India- 
ink,  enlarging,  etc.  He  is  a  first-class  workman  of  good  taste  and  ability, 
and  a  promising  young  man  of  refined  habits.  In  politics,  he  has  been 
under  Democratic  influences,  but  considers  himself  independent.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Albright  Church. 

CHARLES  HYLANDER,  of  the  firm  of  Hylander  Bros.,  was  born 
May  2,  1849,  in  Sweden.  He  is  the  youngest  of  nine  children  born  to 
J.  M.  and  Anna  S.  (Malmberg)  Hylander,  both  natives  of  Sweden. 
Charles  lived  with  his  father  until  sixteen  years  of  age ;  he  then  entered 
a  store  in  Helsingborg  for  three  years,  when  he  came  to  the  United 
States  and  settled  in  Porter  County ;  here  he  worked  at  different  things 
until  1874;  he  then  ran  a  restaurant  for  some  years.  In  June,  1881,  he, 
with  his  brother,  bought  their  present  building  and  established  a  dry 
goods,  grocery,  hat,  cap  and  queensware  store,  and  have  built  up  one  of 
the  best  trades  in  the  city.  He  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  but  did 
not  qualify.  He  was  a  Republican  until  Grant's  second  administration, 
when  he  joined  the  Democratic  ranks,  but  on  the  formation  of  the  Green- 
back party  he  voted  with  that;  he  is  now  independent.  The  brothers 
are  both  excellent  business  men,  and  among  our  enterprising  citizens. 
Charles  was  married  in  1874,  to  Lina  Swanson,  a  native  of  Sweden. 
They  have  three  children — Ida  M.,  Matilda  M.  and  Charles  0.,  Jr. 

August  Hylander,  the  other  member  of  the  firm  of  Hylander 
Brothers,  was  born  August  21,  1838,  in  Sweden ;  he  lived  at  home 
until  thirteen  years  old,  when  he  entered  as  clerk  in  a  store  in  Helsing- 
borg, remaining  for  eighteen  years.  He  then  came  to  America  and 
settled  in  Porter  County  and  has  been  here  ever  since,  with  the  exception 
of  a  short  time  in  Chicago.  In  1876,  he  began  clerking  for  Jay  Pinney, 
and  continued  until  he,  with  his  brother,  established  their  present  firm. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church.  The  brothers  are  of 
similar  belief  in  politics.  August  was  married  in  1881,  to  Matilda  Swan- 
son,  a  native  of  Sweden;  they  have  one  boy — Ernst  W. 

DANIEL  P.  INGRAHAM,  lumberman,  was  born  November  24, 
1834,  in  Providence,  New  Brunswick.  He  is  one  of  nine  children  born 
to  Charles  and  Betsy  (Courser)  Ingraham,  both  natives  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. The  elder  Ingraham  was  of  English  parentage  and  a  member  of 
the  Christian  Church.  Young  Ingrraham  lived  in  New  Brunswick  until 
about  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  the  family  came  to  Batavia,  111.,  and 
engaged  in  farming  and  lumbering  for  about  four  years.  The  family 
there  separated,  and  Daniel  went  to  Marengo,  111.,  where  he  engaged  in 
railroading  and  farming  for  several  years.  After  a  journey  to  the  West 
and  back,  lasting  about  a  year,  he  engaged  in  lumbering  for  about  a  year 
in  Michigan.  In  January,  1861,  he  came  to  Chesterton,  where  he  has 
lived  ever  since,  and  has  l3uilt  up  the  most  extensive  lumbering  trade  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  county,  outside  of  Valparaiso.  He  buys,  man- 
ufactures and  ships  lumber  to  the  Chicago  market.  He  has  two  portable 
saw-mills  in  Jackson  and  Westchester  Townships.  He  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Good  Templars,  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  fraternities,  and 
also  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  Township  Trustee  for  four 
years.  He  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican,  and  has  been  an  Abo- 
litionist, and  now  favors  the  Prohibition  movement.     He  is  Superintend- 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  301 

ent  of  the  M.  E.  Sunday  school.  He  was  married,  in  June,  1859,  to 
Lois  A.  Bulard,  a  native  of  Marengo,  111.  They  have  five  children — 
Minnie,  Frank,  INIaud,  Harriet  and  Charles. 

CLAUS  JOHNSON,  one  of  Chesterton's  business  men,  was  born 
March  29,  1850,  in  Sweden.  He  is  one  of  three  children  living  born 
to  John  S.  and  Mary  (Swanson)  Johnson,  both  natives  of  Sweden.  When 
about  twenty  years  old,  Mr.  Johnson  came  to  America,  and  settled  in 
Bailly  Town,  Porter  County.  With  the  exception  of  two  summers  in 
Michigan  and  three  summers  in  Elkhart,  Ind.,  he  has  been  in  Porter 
County  ever  since,  working  on  the  railroad  until  January,  1878,  when 
he  began  his  present  business,  where  he  has  rooms  equal  to  any  of  the 
kind  in  the  place.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  and  was  a  Republican  until  1878,  when  he  became  a  Democrat, 
and  still  believes  in  that  party.  Mr.  Johnson  is  one  of  Chesterton's 
property  owners  and  a  live  business  men.  He  was  married,  in  1879,  to 
Sophia  Linden,  a  native  of  Sweden.     They  have  one  child — Edgart  T. 

GUSTUS  JOHNSON  was  born  November  4,  1836,  in  Sweden.  He 
is  one  of  nine  children  born  to  John  P.  and  Johannah  Johnson.  When 
Gustus  was  twenty  years  of  age,  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  settled 
in  Porter  County,  and  after  teaming  for  about  two  years  in  Westchester 
Township,  he  came  to  Chesterton.  In  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  Seventy- 
third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry  as  teamster,  but  in  a  short  time,  en- 
listed in  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  Indiana,  and  served  under 
Thomas,  in  the  West ;  then  was  sent  to  North  Carolina,  where  he  served 
for  a  year,  after  the  close  of  the  war,  on  garrison  duty.  After  a  short 
time  in  Chesterton,  he  went  to  Kansas,  but  after  about  one  and  a  half 
years  he  came  back,  and  has  been  here  ever  since,  engaged  in  different 
things  until  June,  1881,  when  he  bought  the  "Indiana  House"  (now 
Johnson  Hotel).  Having  taken  it  when  badly  out  of  repair,  he  has  made 
a  thorough  cleaning,  papering,  painting,  etc.,  and  built  an  addition  16x32 
feet  with  two-stories,  at  an  expense  of  probably  $500.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church.  In  politics,  he  has  always 
been  a  Democrat,  but  voted  a  few  times  the  Greenback  ticket.  He  was 
married,  in  186'.',  to  Christina  Swanson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  They  have 
three  children  living — Jobannah  C.  E.,  Oscar  W.  L.  and  Ida  C. 

P.  A.  JOHNSON  was  born  February  27,  1851,  in  Sweden.  He  is 
the  youngest  of  nine  children  born  to  Johnnis  and  Johannah  (Donnold- 
son)  Johnson,  both  natives  of  Sweden.  Young  Johnson  lived  with  his 
father  in  Sweden  until  his  seventeenth  year,  when  he  emigrated  to  the 
the  United  States,  locating  for  a  time  in  Paxton,  111.;  thence  went  to 
Water  Valley,  Miss.,  for  about  five  years,  engaging  in  work  in  a  sash  and 
blind  factory  ;  he  then  came  to  Chesterton,  and,  in  March,  1881,  bought 
the  stock  of  dry  goods  and  groceries  kept  in  his  building  by  a  Mr.  Did- 
die,  and  has  built  up  a  rapidly  increasing  trade ;  he  has  probably  one  of 
the  best-selected  stocks  in  the  place,  with  a  trade  second  to  none  ;  he  is  a 
moderate  Republican  ;  he  is  an  enterprising  young  man,  of  quiet  habits 
and  good  taste. 

DR.  ERASMUS  J.  JONES,  physician  at  New  Porter,  was  born,  in 
1814,  in  Ohio  ;  he  is  one  of  twelve  children  born  to  Erasmus  and  Mary 
(Sellarsj  Jones,  both   natives  of  Virginia.     The  elder  Jones  was  one  of 


302  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

the  first  settlers  of  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  in  1778.  Dr.  Jones'  mother  \v;is 
well  educated,  and,  as  there  were  few  or  no  educational  facilities  in  those 
days,  she  educated  her  son  to  nearly  all  he  received,  but,  as  the  Doctor  is 
a  self-made  man,  he  early  became  interested  in  the  study  of  medicine  be- 
fore he  had  the  least  idea  of  making  it  a  profession,  and  did  so  only  be- 
cause he  was  urged  to.  The  Doctor  lived,  married,  studied  and  practiced 
medicine  in  the  house  in  which  he  was  born  until  1846 ;  he  had 
studied  and  reported  progress  to  a  physician  near,  but  as  M.  D.'s 
were  "few  and  far  between,"  and  it  was  a  sickly  season,  he  was  pressed 
into  practice  when  sixteen  years  old.  In  1840,  he  went  to  Philadelphia  and 
attended  the  Jefferson  Medical  College.  In  1846,  he  went  in  partner- 
ship with  his  brother-in-law,  Dr.  J.  G.  Kyle,  an  excellent  physician  in 
Southwestern  Ohio,  but,  on  account  of  his  wife's  health,  he  concluded  to 
go  West  in  1851,  and  procured  a  "four-horse"  team  and  driver  and 
started,  intending  to  go  to  Iowa.  Upon  arriving  in  Porter  County,  his 
family  took  sick,  which  caused  him  to  stop,  and,  on  account  of  induce- 
ments offered  by  the  people  of  Gosset  settlement,  he  located  there,  intend- 
ing to  stay  but  a  short  time,  but  remained  until  1859,  when  he  was  elected 
County  Clerk,  and  lived  in  Valparaiso  for  two  terms.  He  then  removed 
to  Chesterton,  where  he  resumed  practice,  and  was  in  the  drug  business 
until  1881  ;  then  came  to  New  Porter,  where  he  still  resides  and  prac- 
tices. His  robust  constitution  enables  him  to  do  more  than  the  share  of 
one  physician.  He  has  been  a  member  of  both  F.  &  A.  M.  and  Odd  Fel- 
low fraternities.  He  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  before  he  was  twenty- 
one,  and  had  to  wait  till  of  age  for  his  commission.  Dr.  Jones  has  always 
been  a  strong  Abolitionist  and  a  Republican.  He  was  married,  in  1836,  to 
Susan  McCafferty,  a  native  of  Ohio.  She  died  in  1839.  In  1846,  he 
married  Elizabeth  Bullard,  a  native  of  Xenia,  Ohio.  The  Doctor  has  six 
children,  living — Laura  Terry,  Theo.  C,  Mary  J.  Sovereign,  Joseph  A., 
Schuyler  C.  and  Willie. 

REV.  H.  F.  J.  KROLL,  priest  of  the  Catholic  Church  at  Chester 
ton  and  its  surrounding  missions,  was  born  October  4,  1855,  in  Baltimore. 
Md.  He  is  the  elder  of  two  brothers  born  to  Henry  and  Theresa  (Frei- 
muth)  Kroll,  both  natives  of  Hesse-Cassel,  Germany.  The  elder  KroU 
still  lives  in  Baltimore,  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  Father  Kroll 
was  in  the  Baltimore  Parochial  Schools  until  thirteen  years  of  age;  then 
attended  a  priesthood  preparatory  college  in  the  same  city  for  two  years; 
he  then  entered  St.  Vincent  College,  in  Westmoreland,  Penn.,  conducted 
by  the  Benedictine  Fathers.  After  two  years,  he  went  to  Milwaukee  St. 
Francis  Seminary,  where  he  finished  his  preparation  for  the  priesthood 
in  five  years;  he  was  now  ordained  by  Bishop  Dwenger,  of  Fort  Wayne. 
Ind.,  June  31,  1879,  and  given  the  Chesterton  parish  and  its  missions. 
When  Rev.  Kroll  took  the  charge,  it  was  encumbered  by  a  debt  of  $1,560, 
the  church  poorly  furnished,  and  a  membership  of  thirty-five  families, 
etc.  The  debt  was  paid  over  a  year  ago,  the  church  well  furnished,  the 
number  of  families  increased  to  fifty-five,  the  cemetery  improved,  a  firie 
brick  parsonage,  24x44  feet,  erected  and  paid  for  ;  this  is  the  fruit  of  the 
untiring  and  persistent  energy  and  ability  of  its  pastor.  The  intention 
of  Rev.  Kroll  is  to  establish  a  Catholic  school  this  coming  winter.  These 
facts  show  the  church  to  be  in  excellent  conditon.      He  has  a  fine  library 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP.  303 

of  about  300  volumes.      He,  as  all  must  be  that  enter  his  profession,  has 
been  a  hard  student,  and  is  a  fine  scholar. 

ROBERT  B.  LANSING  was  born  January  10,  1810,  in  Vermont. 
He  is  one  four  children,  living,  born  to  Robert  and  Martha  (Bingham) 
Lansing,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York  City,  and  the  latter  of  Ver- 
mont. The  Van  Rensselaers,  of  New  York  fame,  and  the  Lansings  were 
related.  The  elder  Lansing  was  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  city  of  Lansing, 
Mich.,  derived  its  name,  it  is  said,  from  relatives  of  our  subject.  When  Rob- 
ert B.  was  quite  young,  his  parents  moved  to  Ohio.  Robert  followed  mill- 
wrighting  for  about  twenty-seven  years  in  Ohio,  Kentucky  and  Indiana. 
He  educated  himself  in  advanced  studies,  and  was  enabled  to  teach  for 
five  years.  In  1849,  he  came  to  Chesterton  and  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Liberty  Township,  where  he  farmed  until  1880,  when  he  sold  out 
and  has  since  lived  in  Chesterton.  He  was  Trustee  for  about  four  years, 
and  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  about  the  same  time.  He  has  been  a  strong 
Republican  and  an  Abolitionist.  In  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Thirty-fifth 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  three  years  under  Buell  and  others 
in  the  West,  and  was  injured  by  an  accidental  fall  while  charging  breast- 
works at  Green  River.  He  was  married,  in  1828,  to  Amy  A.  Burlin- 
game,  who  died  about  eight  years  later.  In  1841,  he  married  Sarah  A. 
Cox,  a  native  of  Tennessee.  Mr.  Lansing  has  three  children  living — 
Caroline  Dille,  Mary  J.  Young  and  Isaac. 

CHARLES  LAWSON,  farmer,  was  .born  in  1825  in  Sweden.  He 
is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Carl  and  Lora  M.  (Anderson)  Lawson, 
both  natives  of  Sweden.  The  elder  Lawson  was  a  soldier  of  the  Swedish 
regular  army  for  thirty  years.  When  ten  years  old,  Mr.  Lawson  left 
home  and  worked  out  at  farming  until  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he 
married  Hannah  Nelson,  of  Sweden.  She  died  four  years  later.  He 
had  160  acres  of  land  on  which  they  lived.  They  had  one  child. 
About  one  year  later,  he  married  Charlotte  Anderson,  of  Sweden.  He 
now  farmed  about  two  years,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States  and 
settled  in  La  Porte,  Ind.,  near  which  he  rented  160  acres  for  five  years. 
He  then  came  to  Porter  Post  Officesettlement,  and  bought  and  cleared  the 
farm  owned  at  present  by  Mr.  Engberg.  He  then  bought  his  present 
farm  of  about  190  acres  of  good  land.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  In  political  faith,  he  has  always  been  a  strong 
Republican.  He  is  one  of  our  most  enterprising  farmers  and  public- 
spirited  citizens.  He  has  three  children  living — Charles  W.,  Emma  C. 
and  Gust  A. 

DAVID  LONG,  one  of  Porter  Station's  business  men,  was  born  in 
1839,  in  Buff'alo,  N.  Y.  He  is  one  of  five  children  born  to  Benjamin 
and  Seba  (Stayle)  Long,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  When  David  was 
thirteen  years  of  age,  they  came  to  Porter  Station,  and  engaged  in  farming 
and  milling;  when  David  was  eighteen,  he  owned  the  present  Pierce  Mills,  of 
Union  Township,  until  about  twenty-four  years  old,  when  he  went  to 
Jackson  Township  and  engaged  in  saw-milling.  In  1869,  he  and  others 
built  the  Liberty  Mills,  at  present  owned  by  Mr.  Wheeler.  In  1877,  he 
went  to  Millersburg,  Ind.,  and  remained  about  two  years.  He  then  came 
to  Porter  Station  and  embarked  in  his  present  business.  He  has  the 
only  rooms  of  the  kind  in  town,  kept  in  an  orderly  manner.      In  politics 


304  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

he  has  always  been   independent,  and  votes  for  the   man   and  not   the 
party. 

JOHN  B.  LUNDBERG  was  born  January  13,  1840,  in  Sweden, 
and  is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Charles  and  Eva  C.  Lundberg. 
The  elder  Lundberg  was  a  tailor  and  afterward  farmer.  The  mother  of 
our  subject  having  died  at  his  birth,  the  father  married  again,  and  when 
Mr.  Lundberg  was  about  twelve  years  old  they  came  to  the  United 
States  and  settled  in  Chicago,  where  the  father  soon  died.  Mr.  L.  lived 
with  his  step-mother,  she  having  married  again,  until  1866,  when  he 
came  to  Chesterton.  He  had  learned  cabinet-making  in  Chicago,  and 
now  began  business  for  himself;  besides  the  furniture  business,  he  erected 
a  turning  factory,  by  which  he  expected  to  furnish  turned  work  for  the 
Chicago  market,  but,  after  about  four  years,  the  buildings  burned  ;  he 
rebuilt  them,  and  in  addition  to  that  went  into  the  broom-handle  busi- 
ness. He  also  bought  land,  cutting  and  shipping  the  timber.  In  1875, 
he  sold  his  other  interests,  and  has  since  confined  himself  to  undertaking 
and  dealing  in  furniture.  He  belonged  to  a  Chicago  Swedish  society 
for  the  promotion  of  education,  charity,  etc.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  having  taken  all  the  Blue  Lodge  degrees.  He  has 
been  Township  Trustee  for  six  years,  also  Township  Assessor  for  four 
years.  He  has  been  a  Republican,  but  is  now  a  member  of  the  National 
party.  He  was  married  in  the  spring  of  1871  to  Phebe  A.  Hammond,  a 
native  of  New  York.     He  has  one  child — Eva.  C. 

HENRY  R.  McDonald,  farmer  and  lumberman,  was  born  in 
Canada  in  1831.  He  is  one  of  nine  children,  living,  born  to  Walter  and 
Betsy  (Dean)  McDonald,  the  former  a  native  of  New  Brunswick  and  the 
latter  of  New  York.  The  elder  McDonald  was  drafted  into  the  British 
service  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  two  of  his  sons  were  in  the  Canadian 
rebellion.  The  McDonalds  came  from  Scotland  and  settled  in  New  York, 
but  at  the  Declaration  of  Independence  they  went  to  Canada ;  but  the 
last  generation  has  settled  under  Uncle  Sam's  protection.  Senator  Mc- 
Donald is  a  distant  relative,  and  the  name  is  well  known  in  Scottish  his- 
tory. When  Mr.  McDonald  was  thirteen  years  old,  his  father  died,  and 
three  years  later  he  went  to  New  York  and  farmed  for  five  or  six  years, 
with  the  exception  of  one  year  in  Michigan.  He  then  spent  about  a 
year  in  Wisconsin.  He  was  married,  in  1850,  to  Martha  Wilson,  born  in 
Dublin,  Ireland.  He  then  went  to  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  but  in  about  a  year 
he  came  to  his  present  settlement,  now  known  as  Furnessville,  and  is  the 
oldest  settler  now  living  there.  He  was  employed  about  five  years  at 
lumbering,  and  then  began  lumbering  for  himself,  and  is  now  one  of  our 
largest  land- owners,  and  is  the  largest  tax  payer  in  Westchester  ;  a 
member  of  both  the  F.  &  A.  M.  and  I.  0.  0.  F.  He  was,  up  to  the 
Garfield  campaign,  a  Democrat,  but  has  since  been  a  Republican.  He 
has  six  children  living — Charles,  Martha  Jones,  Fannie  Lynn,  Abbie, 
Henry  and  Mary. 

MRS.  MARTHA  McDonald,  hotel  proprietress  at  Hageman,  was 
born  in  New  York  City  in  1835.  She  is  the  youngest  of  thirteen  chil- 
dren born  to  William  and  Mary  (Dale)  Wilson,  both  natives  of  Dublin. 
When  Mrs.  McDonald  was  about  nine  years  old,  her  parents  moved  to 
Watertown,  Wis.     In  1851,  she  married  Mr.  McDonald,  and  went  to  St. 


WESTCHESTER   TOWNSHIP,  305 

Paul,  Minn.  They  then  went  to  Michigan,  then  to  Michigan  City,  then 
to  Furnessville,  where  they  remained  until  the  fall  of  1881,  when  they 
separated  and  she  went  to  Illinois,  but  soon  came  to  Hageman  and  estab- 
lished a  hotel,  the  only  one  in  the  place,  where  the  traveling  public  are 
cordially  welcomed  and  cared  for.  Mrs.  McDonald  is  a  lady  of  some 
wealth  and  taste.  She  has  six  children  living — Charles,  Martha,  Fannie, 
Abbie,  Henry  and  Mary. 

FREDERICK  MICHAELS,  merchant  and  Postmaster  at  Porter 
Post  Oflfice,  was  born  April  27,  1829,  in  Prussia,  Germany.  He  is  the 
only  child  living  of  Frederick  and  Wilhelmine  (Mix)  Michaels,  both 
natives  of  Germany.  The  elder  Michaels  had  a  trade,  not  cqjpamon  as  a 
trade  in  this  country,  viz.,  the  finishing  and  adjusting  ornaments,  crosses, 
etc.,  on  towers.  Mr.  Michael's  father  died  when  the  former  was  ten 
years  of  age  ;  and  four  years  later  our  subject  began  shoemaking  in 
Breslau,  and  traveled  in  Germany  until  1853,  when  he  came  to  the 
United  States  and  settled  in  La  Porte,  where  he  remained  until  1855,  en- 
gaged as  tailor,  shoemaker,  etc.  He  then  came  to  Porter  Post  Office  without 
money,  and  engaged  in  railroading  and  carpentering,  and  took  his  pres- 
^  ent  store,  then  very  limited.  He  has  been  engaged  as  merchant,  exclu- 
sively, for  about  twenty  years,  and  has  built  all  his  buildings  himself.  He 
has  two  dwellings,  store  and  dwelling,  green  house,  windmills,  etc.,  in 
"  Old  Porter,"  and  nearly  a  quarter  section  of  one  of  Westchester's  finest 
farms,  known  as  the  Frayd  farm,  what  is  known  as  the  "  depot  grounds," 
and  town  lots,  etc.  He  has  a  fine  family  vault  in  the  Bailly  Town  Ceme- 
tery, value  about  $1,000.  He  was  made  Postmaster  January  15,  1873, 
and  has  held  the  office  ever  since.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Valparaiso 
Commandery,  No.  28,  and  also  of  the  Consistory.  He  owns  a  business 
block  in  Chicago,  on  Ogden  and  Central  Park  avenues.  Since  the  birth 
of  the  Republican  party,  he  has  been  one  of  its  stanch  supporters.  He 
married,  after  he  came  to  Porter  County,  Mrs.  Henriette  Dedskind,  a 
native  of  Saxony,  now  deceased.  In  1876,  he  married  his  present  wife — 
Bertha  Fleming,  a  native  of  Saxony,  and  sister  of  his  late  wife.  He  has 
an  adopted  child — Paul  F.,  and  five  step-children — Hilmar,  Mrs.  Fran- 
ciska  Faust,  Mrs.  Emma  Lyon,  Martha  Fleming  and  Curt. 

ROBERT  E.  MILLER,  M.  D.,  was  born  May  26,  1846,  in  Nor- 
walk,  Ohio.  He  is  the  eldest  of  four  children  born  to  Robert  and  Har- 
riet (Wilkinson)  Miller,  the  former  of  Connecticut,  and  the  latter  of  Penn- 
sylvania. Dr.  Miller's  grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  The 
elder  Miller  soon  went  from  Norwalk  to  go  to  Illinois,  but  stopped  in 
Hobart,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  working  at  his  trade  of  blacksmith.  He 
entered  near  there  240  acres  of  land,  and  moved  onto  it,  living  there  and 
clearing  until  1852,  when,  as  one  of  the  victims  of  the  "gold  fever,"  he 
went  to  California.  He  left  his  family  on  the  farm,  the  mother  taking 
care  of  it,  and  struggling  to  educate  her  family — she  having  been  a 
teacher.  After  a  stay  of  six  years  in  California  and  one  year  in  British 
Columbia,  along  the  Frazer  River,  he  came  home,  and  died  March  21, 
1882,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years.  The  mother  is  still  living  on  the 
old  homestead.  Dr.  Miller  had  but  few  advantages  of  education  before 
of  age,  but  he  possessed  a  love  for  reading.  Five  months  before  he  was 
twenty-one,  his   father    reluctantly  consented   to  his  entreaties   to  attend 


306  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

school,  without  any  help  from  him.  He  went,  and  by  cutting  wood,  board- 
ing himself,  working  odd  hours,  etc.,  succeeded  in  paying  his  way.  He 
then  came  home  and  worked  for  his  father,  doing  this  a  part  of  the  sea- 
son, and  acting  as  agent  another  part,  for  about  two  years;  then  alternated 
teaching  and  farming  the  two  following  years.  He  then  began  the  study 
of  medicine  in  the  fall  of  1871,  with  Dr.  Morrical,  of  Chesterton,  for 
three  years,  when  he  entered  the  Rush  Medical  College  of  Chicago,  tak- 
ing one  term  of  lectures.  He  then  practiced  over  four  years  in  Hobart, 
his  old  home,  when  he  sold  his  practice,  and,  returning  to  Chicago,  grad- 
uated. He  remained  in  the  city  taking  post-graduate  studies,  experiment- 
ing and  studying  city  practice,  for  about  eighteen  months.  In  1881,  he 
returned  to  Chesterton,  his  preceptor  having  moved  away,  and  began 
building  up  a  practice,  and  has  succeeded  remarkably  for  a  young  physi- 
cian. He  is  a  member  of  both  F.  &  A.  M.  and  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraterni- 
ties, of  Hobart,  Ind.  He  has  held  all  the  different  oflBces  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows Lodge,  including  Grand  Representative.  He  is  a  moderate  Repub- 
lican ;  a  very  conscientious  man,  of  studious  habits  and  one  of  our  best 
citizens.  In  June,  1876,  Dr.  Miller  laid  out  the  village  plat  of  Crisman, 
at  the  junction  of  the  M.  C.  and  B.  &  0.  R.  R.'s.  It  comprises  thirty- 
six  acres. 

JOHN  G.  MORGAN  was  born  September  12,  1832,  near  Kings- 
bury, La  Porte  Co.,  Ind.  He  is  the  youngest  of  five  children,  living, 
born  to  Jesse  and  Jane  (Cisna)  Morgan,  the  former  of  Virginia,  and  the 
latter  born  near  Detroit,  Mich.  (For  account  of  the  settlement  of  the 
elder  Morgan,  see  the  general  history  of  Westchester  and  the  county). 
When  John  was  but  six  months  old,  they  moved  to  what  is  now  Porter 
County,  and  settled  in  the  present  Morgan  settlement,  and  bought  a 
quarter  section  of  the  finest  land  in  the  county,  and  pre-empted  another 
quarter.  Here  the  family  was  reared,  inured  to  the  hardships  of  pioneer 
life,  with  limited  means  of  education,  but  with  a  love  for  reading  that  sup- 
plies the  want.  Jesse  Morgan  died  when  John  G.  was  twenty-one  years 
old ;  the  latter  still  lived  with  the  family  up  to  1867.  In  1860,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  A.  Holland,  a  native  of  Canada.  Her  parents  came 
from  Ireland.  The  homestead  was  divided  in  1867,  and  our  subject  re- 
ceived 177  acres,  and  has  since  added  until  he  now  owns  about  381  acres, 
with  good  buildings  ;  he  has  a  fine  grove,  much  used  for  picnics,  etc.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  of  twenty-six  years'  standing.  He  has 
always  been  a  Democrat,  but  is  liberal  in  local  afiairs.  He  is  one  of  our 
most  intelligent  and  thoroughgoing  farmers,  and  among  our  first  citizens. 
He  has  three  children  living — Bently  J.,  Agnes  C.  and  Annie  H. 

JOHN  MURPHY,  cooper,  was  born  June  15,  1823,  in  Ireland.  He 
is  one  of  three  children  born  to  Martin  and  Mary  (Byrne)  Murphy,  both 
natives  of  Ireland.  When  nineteen  years  of  age,  Mr.  Murphy  came  to 
the  United  States  and  settled  in  South  Hero  Island,  Lake  Champlain,  for 
two  years,  when  he  went  to  Montezuma,  N.  Y.  After  about  two  years, 
he  went  to  a  town  near  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  and  stayed  until  he  came  to  City 
West  in  the  fall  of  1857.  After  a  four  years'  residence  here,  he  went  to 
Chicago  and  remained  a  year.  He  then  came  to  Chesterton  and  was 
engaged  as  foreman  in  Mr.  Hopkins'  shops  for  about  six  years,  when  he 
established  shops  of  his  own,  but  was   at   one   time  in  partnership  with 


WESTCHESTER  TOWNSHIP.  307 

Messrs.  Thomas  &  Hopkins.  He  is  an  excellent  workman  and  ships  a 
large  amount  of  stock  to  the  Chicago  market.  He  has  been  a  member  of 
the  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraternity,  and  has  been  trained  in  the  Catholic  Church. 
He  has  held  the  office  of  Township  Trustee  and  other  offices.  He  has 
always  been  a  Democrat,  with  the  exception  of  the  Whig  and  war  periods. 
He  is  a  thoroughly  conscientious  man,  of  broad  information  and  good 
judgment,  and  a  citizen  of  sterling  worth.  He  was  married,  June 
18,  1848,  to  Mary  Dooley,  a  native  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.  They  have 
seven  children  living — Mary  R.,  Edward,  James,  Frank,  Joseph,  Lucy 
and  Ella. 

W.  B.  OWEN,  Sr.,  of  the  firm  of  Hinchliff  &  Owen,  brick-yards, 
at  Porter,  was  born  June  5,  1834,  in  Crown  Point,  N.  Y.  He  is  the 
only  child  of  Hiram  and  Betsy  Owen,  both  natives  of  New  York.  The 
elder  Owen  was  a  stone-cutter ;  the  ancestors  were  purely  Yankee.  Mr. 
Owen's  father  and  mother  both  died  when  he  was  nine  years  old.  He 
was  thrown  on  his  own  resources  without  even  a  guardian,  and  worked  on 
farms  until  about  seventeen,  when  he  entered  the  machine  shops  at 
Springfield,  Mass.,  for  about  ten  years.  At  Boston,  he  worked  for  the 
next  five  years  at  the  same  trade.  At  the  end  of  this  time,  he  went  to 
Salt  Lake  City,  having  traveled  with  mules  1,700  miles  to  Virginia  City, 
where  he  worked  in  the  mines  one  summer.  In  the  fall  he  came  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  remained  about  five  years,  engaged  in  the  machine  shops 
about  two  years,  and  afterward  in  the  brick-yard  business.  On  December 
12,  1867,  he  married  Annie  Pride,  a  native  of  Glasgow,  Scotland.  He 
then  went  to  Champaign,  111.,  and  began  farming  640  acres  of  land,  one 
of  the  best  farms  of  the  county,  but  it  being  the  dry  year  of  the  great 
fire,  he  remained  but  twelve  months.  He  then  went  to  Porter  Station 
and  started  what  was  known  as  the  old  "  Kellogg  "  brick-yard.  He  soon 
bought  a  third  interest  in  one  of  his  present  yards,  owned  at  that  time 
by  Moulding  &  Harland  ;  after  being  partner  for  a  time,  he  sold  out  and 
was  their  foreman  for  about  seven  years.  He  then  bought  out  the  senior 
member,  and  fourteen  acres  of  brick-yard  land  of  a  Mr.  Tuttle.  The 
firm  then  bought  nineteen  acres  of  Mr.  Hageman,  on  which  they  estab- 
lished a  steam  yard,  with  the  capacity  of  30,000  brick  per  day.  The 
firm  then  bought  200  acres  woodland  of  George  Morgan,  and  also  the 
Waterbury  &  Mills  brick-yard,  at  Hobart,  Ind.,  where  they  put  in  steam 
appliances ;  capacity  40,000  per  day.  Harland  then  sold  his  interest  to 
Hinchliff,  of  Chicago,  with  whom  Mr.  Owen  is  at  present  partner.  The 
firm  put  in  a  2,200-foot  side  track  connecting  the  yards  with  the  L.  S.  & 
M.  S.  Ry.  The  firm  now  have  150  hands  employed  in  Porter  and 
Hobart  (100  in  Porter),  all  steam  yards,  with  a  capacity  of  65,000  per 
day  in  Porter,  and  105,000  per  day  in  Porter  and  Hobart.  Mrs.  Owen 
kept  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  boarders  in  Porter  for  about  seven  years, 
and  in  the  interim  built  a  residence  in  Chicago,  and  bought  110  acres  of 
woodland  near  Porter  Station,  the  latter  through  Mrs.  Owen's  personal 
efforts.  Mr.  0.  is  a  member  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.  order  and  a  stanch 
Republican.     He  has  three  children — Jesse  C,  Leonard  and   an   infant. 

OSCAR  S.  PETERSON,  retired  farmer,  was  born  in  1837  in  Swe- 
den. He  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  John  and  Anna  (Lindstadt) 
Peterson,   both   natives   of   Sweden.     When  sixteen   years   of  age,  Mr. 


308  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Peterson  left  home  and  came  to  the  United  States,  and  settled  in  Chicago, 
and  was  engaged  in  building  the  early  Chicago  "plank  streets."  In  a 
short  time,  he  went  to  Aurora,  111.,  and  learned  and  worked  at  upholster- 
ing for  about  three  years.  He  then  went  to  Lyons,  Iowa,  and  established 
his  business  there,  but  failed,  and  as  he  was  but  nineteen  years  of  age, 
and  lost  all,  he  shipped  on  a  steamboat  as  "roustabout"  to  St.  Louis, 
where  he  was  without  work  and  food  for  about  three  days,  but  soon  got 
work  near,  on  a  farm,  for  all  winter.  He  afterward  bought  a  team,  and 
began  farming  in  Madison  County,  111.  After  two  years,  he  moved  to 
Westchester  Township,  and  began  farming  in  Waverly,  remaining  there 
eleven  years,  when  he  bought  his  present  farm  of  209  acres  of  fine  land, 
near  Chesterton,  on  which  he  lives  in  a  beautifully  situated  brick,  nearly 
hidden  by  a  fine  grove.  He  has  altogether  about  three  hundred  and 
thirty  acres,  indicating  him  to  be  a  successful  farmer  and  financier.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church.  He  has  always 
been  a  Republican,  but  in  local  affairs  is  liberal.  He  was  married,  in 
1861,  to  Christina  S.  Carlson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  They  have  four 
children— Charles  A.,  Ida  B.,  Arthur  0.  and  Cora  M.  In  1863,  he 
went  to  Sweden  on  business,  and  on  the  way  there  and  back  he  visited 
and  traveled  through  Norway,  Germany,  France,  Denmark,  all  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  to  see  the  countries. 

MARTIN  PHARES,  Sr.,  farmer,  was  born  May  16,  1816,  in 
Greene  County,  Ohio.  He  is  the  youngest  of  ten  children  born  to  Rob- 
ert and  Mary  (Clevenger)  Phares,  both  natives  of  New  Jersey.  Martin 
lived  with  his  father  until  twenty-two  years  old,  and  received  the  usual 
early  educational  advantages.  He  married,  October  24,  1837,  Maria 
Shafer,  a  native  of  Luzerne  County,  Penn.  In  1841,  they  came  to  Por- 
ter County;  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  the  present  farm,  now  consisting 
of  124  acres  of  good  land,  well  improved,  and  farmed  by  their  son,  Fre- 
mont. Martin  Phares  taught  a  few  terms  of  school  here,  held  the  office 
of  Township  Trustee,  and  in  politics  was  a  Whig,  then  joined  the  Repub- 
lican ranks,  from  which  he  never  separated.  He  died  February  21,  1882, 
and  his  widow  is  living  on  the  old  farm  with  her  son.  She  is  an  intelli- 
gent elderly  lady,  respected  by  all  who  know  her.  They  have  eight 
children — Samuel  M.,  Emeline  Biggs,  Mary  A.  Wheeler,  Adam  P.,  Mar- 
tin L.,  Lydia  M.,  John  C.  F.  and  Amy  C. 

MARTIN  LUZERNE  PHARES  was  born  in  Liberty  Township, 
Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  March  28,  1854.  From  the  age  of  six  until  in  De- 
cember, 1872,  he  attended  the  district  school,  at  which  date  he  was 
engaged  to  teach  at  Salt  Creek,  four  miles  away.  Teaching  at  this  place 
three  terms,  he  went,  in  the  spring  of  1874,  in  company  with  a  friend, 
A.  P.  Bond  (the  winter  previous,  Mr.  Phares'  pupil)  to  the  "pineries" 
of  Oceana  County,  Mich.  Here  Mr.  Phares  taught  one  term,  then 
returned  and  took  charge  of  the  school  in  which  two  years  before  he  had 
been  a  pupil.  Here  he  was  engaged  four  or  five  terms;  also  again  at  Salt 
Creek,  and  in  other  schools  of  the  county,  until,  in  1881,  he  accepted  the 
Superintendency  of  Schools  at  Chesterton.  This  position  he  now  holds. 
Mr.  Phares'  higher  schooling  was  principally  at  the  Valparaiso  Normal, 
beginning  with  the  first  term  of  that  institution,  in  September,  1873,  and 
continuing,  alternately  with  teaching,  until  in  the  spring  of  1880.     His 


WESTCHESTER  TOAVNSHIP.  309 

attendance  here  amounted  to  about  three  years,  his  work  being  such  as  he 
believed  would  be  of  greatest  practical  utility.  Politically,  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Republican  party  tauglit  him  from  early  childhood,  to  which 
principles  and  their  triumphs  he  continues  warmly  attached,  he  became 
an  early  convert  to  the  National  party,  first  voting  with  it  in  1880.  At 
this  writing,  he  is  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  the  office  of  County  Clerk, 
and  was  made  a  candidate  a  few  years  ago  for  County 'Superintendent, 
making  a  remarkably  good  race,  but,  on  account  of  the  weakness  of  his 
party  only,  was  defeated.  Mr.  Phares  is  a  young  man  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary ability  and  promise;  being  a  hard,  thorough  student,  he  has  become 
one  of  the  best  teachers  in  the  county,  taking  an  active  interest  in,  and 
studying  political  questions  in  a  logical  manner.  As  a  writer  he  uses 
logical  reasoning,  and  accurate,  exact  expressions,  having  been  connected 
with  newspaper  work  for  some  time.  He  has  been  one  of  the  leaders  in 
the  County  Teachers'  Association,  standing  high  in  the  esteem  of  those 
who  know  him,  as  a  strictly  moral  and  conscientious  young  man. 

PILLMAN  BROTHERS.  August  Pillman,  junior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Pillman  Bros.,  in  Porter  Station,  was  born  July  23,  1854,  in 
Sweden.  He  is  one  of  four  children,  living,  born  to  Andrew  and  Mary 
(Peterson)  Pillman.  The  elder  Pillman  came  with  his  family  to  the 
United  States,  in  1864,  and  settled  in  Liberty  Township.  August  lived 
at  home  until  the  spring  of  1882,  engaged  in  farming.  He,  with  his 
brother,  then  bought  their  present  store,  furnished  with  a  stock  worth 
about  ^700.  Their  trade  has  grown  very  rapidly,  so  that  their  stock  is 
increased  to  about  $8,000,  and  includes  a  full  line  of  groceries,  provisions, 
dry  goods,  boots  and  shoes,  crockery,  hardware,  etc.,  and  they  are  in- 
creasing their  stock  daily,  and  do  a  very  extensive  trade.  Mr.  Pillman 
is  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  and  has  always  been  a 
Republican  in  political  faith. 

John  Pillman,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Pillman  Bros., 
at  Porter  Station,  merchants,  was  born  July  23,  1851,  in  Sweden.  He 
is  the  eldest  son  of  four  children  born  to  Andrew  and  Mary  (Peterson) 
Pillman,  both  natives  of  Sweden.  The  elder  Pillraan's  father  was  a 
Swedish  soldier  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century.  John  lived 
at  home  until  of  age.  In  1872,  he  married  Hannah  Johnson,  a  native  of 
Sweden,  and  began  farming  one  of  his  father's  farms.  At  the  end  of  three 
years,  he  began  railroading,  until  he  and  his  brother  formed  their  present 
firm.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  and  in  political 
faith  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and  is  interested 
in  promoting  temperance  and  other  public  benefits.  His  wife  died  in 
October,  1881.     They  had  two  children — both  dead. 

JAY  PINNEY,  merchant,  was  born  January  20,  1847,  in  La  Porte 
County,  Ind.  He  is  the  eldest  of  nine  children,  living,  born  to  Horace 
and  Angeline  (Haskill)  Pinney,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter 
of  Pennsylvania  ;  the  elder  Pinney  and  his  fiither-in-law  were  among  the 
first  settlers  of  La  Porte  County.  A  peculiar  fact  concerning  the  elder 
Pinney  and  wife  was  that  she  was  born  without  a  palate,  and  his  palate 
was  eaten  off  by  medicine.  Young  Pinney  lived  with  his  father  in  La 
Porte  County  until  about  twenty-three  years  of  age ;  he  was  an  unusually 
bright  child,  and  learned  very  fast.      He  has  had  the  advantages  of  High 


310  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

School  education ;  he  then  went  to  Kansas  for  health  and  business,  and 
after  a  residence  of  about  fourteen  months,  bought  two  car  loads  of  Texas 
cattle  and  brought  them  to  Chicago.  He  now  bought  a  half-interest  in  a 
store  in  Wanatah,  La  Porte  County.  After  about  fourteen  months,  he 
came  to  Chesterton  and  purchased  his  present  general  merchandise  store. 
Mr.  Pinney  has  built  up  one  of  the  finest  trades  in  the  township  ;  his 
sales,  the  first  pear,  amounted  to  $26,000.  He  carries  an  average  stock 
of  $6,000 ;  he  has  been  City  Treasurer,  and  has  been  a  Democrat,  but 
votes  for  the  man  and  principle  rather  than  party.  Mr.  Pinney  was 
married,  June  9,  1874,  to  Laura  E.  Hopkins,  a  native  of  Chesterton. 
They  have  one  child,  Clara  B.,  born  September  9,  1875.  Mrs.  Pinney 
is  daughter  of  Hamilton  Hopkins,  one  of  the  first  merchants  of  Chester- 
ton, and  one  of  the  old  settlers  ;  he  died  in  July,  1870.  Mr.  Pinney  is 
agent  for  the  Studebaker  Wagon   Company. 

GEORGE  H.  RILEY,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y., 
April  12,  1853.  He  is  one  of  nine  children,  living,  born  to  Nelson  and 
Hannah  (Wing)  Riley,  both  natives  of  Cherry  Valley.  The  elder  Riley 
is  a  retired  farmer,  living  in  La  Porte,  Ind.;  was  a  high  school  teacher 
for  fourteen  years  in  New  York,  and  has  taken  pains  to  educate  all  his 
children.  When  Dr.  Riley  was  about  seven  years  of  age,  the  parents 
moved  to  La  Porte  County,  living  on  the  farm  until  the  Doctor  was 
seventeen  ;  he  had  graduated  at  the  La  Porte  High  School,  and  now  be- 
^an  teaching  and  studying  medicine,  paying  his  own  way  through  college 
after  two  years  in  the  school  room.  He  graduated  at  the  Rush  Medical 
College,  of  Chicago,  in  the  spring  of  1875  ;  he  then  began  the  practice 
of  medicine  in  New  Buffalo,  Mich.  After  four  years  of  successful  prac- 
tice, he  found  a  better  place  in  New  Troy,  where  he  built  up  a  lucrative 
practice,  but,  having  lost  his  wife,  he  came  to  Indiana,  and  has  been  as- 
sociated with  Dr  Green  in  the  practice  of  medicine  and  the  drug  busi- 
ness. He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.,  and  has  taken  all  the  degrees. 
Dr.  Riley  held  the  office  of  School  Superintendent  in  Michigan  ;  he  is  a 
moderate  Republican,  but  favors  the  financial  theories  of  the  National  party. 
He  married  Mary  E.  Phillips,  a  native  of  Michigan,  and  an  educated 
lady,  having  been  a  teacher  for  several  years.  They  had  one  child, 
Carrie  E. 

SAMUEL  A.  SAMUELSON  was  born,  in  1839,  in  Sweden.  He 
is  the  youngest  of  seven  children  born  to  Samuel  Ericson  and  wife,  both 
natives  of  Sweden.  When  thirteen  years  old,  Samuel  and  parents  came 
to  the  United  States  and  stopped  a  year  in  Chicago,  then  settled  in  West- 
chester Township.  Our  subject  left  home  at  about  his  twenty-first  year, 
and  worked  out  until  the  war  began,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Seventy- 
third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  at  Stone  River,  Perryville, 
Murfreesboro,  etc.,  for  eight  months,  when  he  was  discharged  on  account 
of  a  wound  received.  He  was  disabled  for  over  three  years,  but  soon 
worked  his  own  farm  alone  up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage,  in  1871,  to 
Mary  Swanson,  a  native  of  Sweden.  She  died  in  1879.  They  had  five 
children — John  V.,  John  L.,  Alfrida,  Badea  and  Gustof.  He  has  219 
acres  of  land,  partly  improved.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  and  has  always  been  a  Republican  in  politics  ;  he  is  an  enter- 
prising farmer,  and  a  good  citizen. 


WESTCHESTER  TOWNSHIP.  811 

EDWARD  F.  SCHAPER  was  born  January  25,  1851,  in  Hanover. 
Germany.  He  is  the  eldest  of  four  children  living  born  to  Gottlieb  and 
Johannah  (Martens)  Schaper,  both  natives  of  Germany.  The  maternal 
grandfather  was  an  officer  and  served  in  the  Franco-Prussian  war,  and 
his  wife  was  of  French  birth.  Edward  lived  in  Germany  until  his  sev- 
enteenth year,  when  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in 
Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.  Here  he  began  learning  his  trade  of  jeweler,  and 
finished  in  Milwaukee.  He  then  went  to  New  Orleans,  and  worked  for 
about  eighteen  months,  when  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  Ind.,  where  he 
was  in  ill-health  for  nearly  a  year.  Hobart  was  his  next  home  for  three 
years.  In  February,  1876,  he  came  to  Chesterton,  and  established  his 
present  firm.  He  keeps  a  fine  stock  of  clocks,  watches,  jewelry,  plated 
ware,  musical  instruments,  etc. ;  also,  a  line  of  tobaccos  and  cigars.  He 
has  built  up  the  finest  trade  in  the  country  around  outside  of  Valparaiso 
or  Michigan  City.  He  began  an  apiary,  and  expects  to  enlarge  it  in  the 
future.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraternity,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Bee-Keeper's  Association  of  Chicago.  He  has  always 
been  an  Independent  in  politics,  having  voted  with  all  the  different  par- 
ties, and  is  an  intelligent  man  of  quiet  habits.  He  was  married.  May  6, 
1877,  to  Amalie  Koehne,  a  native  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.  They  have  two 
children — Clara  and  Matilda. 

CHARLES  0.  SEAMANS,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 15,  1841,  in  Wheaton,  111.  He  is  the  eldest  of  eight  children  born 
to  Alvin  and  Almira  (Munyan)  Seamans,  the  former  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, and  the  latter  of  Massachusetts.  The  paternal  ancestors  of  our 
subject  have  been  traced  back  to  the  Pilgrim  Fathers.  His  grandfather, 
Munyan,  was  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  great-grandfather  Munyan  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  The  gun  he  carried  in  that  war  is  in  pos 
session  of  our  subject.  Esquire  Seamans  lived  with  his  father  in  Wheaton 
until  about  twenty  years  of  age ;  he  attended  the  college  at  Wheaton,  and 
when  twenty  years  old  he  began  teaching.  After  a  year,  he  entered  the 
Chicago  School  of  Trade,  to  prepare  himself  for  a  book-keeper ;  after  his 
course  was  finished,  he  entered  a  retail  grocery  establishment  in  Chicago 
as  clerk,  and  in  six  months  had  worked  up  to  the  position  of  book-keeper, 
continuing  in  their  employ  for  about  five  years.  He  then  came  to  Ches- 
terton and  purchased  the  "  Railroad  House"  (now  Johnson's  Hotel),  and 
officiated  as  "mine  host"  for  five  years.  He  then  engaged  in  blacksmith- 
ing  for  three  years  nearly,  when  he  received  an  injury  in  horseshoeing, 
and  was  an  invalid  until  March,  1881 ;  he  again  took  charge  of  the  hotel 
for  about  three  months.  He  then  traded  the  hotel  for  his  present  farm, 
and  has  since  been  engaged  in  superintending  it.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Odd  Fellows  fraternity  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  the  spring  of  1880,  and  has 
served  with  ability ;  he  was  a  Republican,  but  has  adopted  the  Green- 
back faith  ;  he  was  married  in  October,  1864,  to  Jennett  Odell,  a  native 
of  New  York,  and  born  within  a  mile  of  Niagara  Falls. 

CALVIN  T.  D.  SHANKS  was  born  June  29,  1837,  in  Ontario, 
Ohio.  He  is  the  eldest  of  eight  children  born  to  Simon  P.  and  Elizabeth 
(Border)  Shanks,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  elder  Shanks  was 
both  carpenter  and   mason.     When   Calvin   was  fourteen  years  old,  his 


312  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

parents  moved  to  Noble  County,  Ind.;  then  to  Wolcottville,  La  Grange 
County,  where  our  subject  received  the  most  of  his  education  at  the  Greggs 
Seminary.  They  soon  went  to  the  well-known  watering  place,  Rome 
City,  about  three  miles  south  of  the  former  place,  remaining  there  about 
eight  years  ;  he,  now  of  age,  went  into  the  northern  part  of  Michigan, 
where  he  lumbered  for  about  two  years ;  he  then  returned  to  La  Grange 
County,  farming  for  about  two  years.  He  married,  September  20, 1861, 
Rachel  Lownsbury,  a  native  of  La  Grange  County.  They  began  keeping 
hotel  at  Newburg,  La  Grange  County,  remaining  about  eighteen  months, 
when  he  moved  to  Tecumseh,  Mich.,  where  he  farmed  and  lumbered  for 
a  few  years.  In  1866,  he  came  to  Chesterton,  farming  for  about  a  year, 
when  he  engaged  in  cabinet  work  in  Mishawaka  for  three  years ;  he  re- 
turned to  Chesterton  and  engaged  in  different  occupations  until  1875, 
when  he  founded  the  Central  House,  and,  through  his  energy  and  effi- 
ciency as  "mine  host,"  has  made  one  of  the  finest  hotels  of  its  size  in  the 
county.  In  the  summer  of  1882,  he  made  some  fine  improvements,  and 
the  public  may  always  expect  a  cordial  reception  and  an  excellent  culi- 
nary department  under  the  management  of  Mrs.  S.  He  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  Mrs.  S.  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Mr.  Shanks  was  a  Democrat  up  to  the  Garfield  campaign,  but 
is  now  a  Republican. 

JOSEPH  SWANSON,  merchant,  was  born  in  1826  in  Sweden.  He 
is  one  of  twelve  children  born  to  Eric  and  Mary  Swanson,  both  natives 
of  Sweden.  When  twenty-three  years  of  age,  Joseph  left  home,  where 
he  had  been  clerking  in  his  father's  store,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
and  settled  in  Boston,  where  he  remained  a  year  and  a  half,  engaged  in 
coopering  ;  he  then  went  to  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  and  after  a  year  he 
joined  a  whaling  vessel,  and  was  on  the  ocean  for  twelve  years,  mostly  in 
the  Pacific,  leaving  the  Arctic  Ocean  in  August  and  going  South  to  the 
Sandwich  Island,  New  Zealand,  Australia,  African  coast,  etc.  He  was  in 
the  Atlantic  the  first  two  years ;  he  made  two  Arctic  Ocean  trips,  and 
then  returned  to  New  Bedford,  and  went  to  Sweden,  on  a  three  weeks' 
visit  there  and  in  other  countries  bordering  on  the  Northern  waters ;  he 
then  came  back  to  New  Bedford  and  started  for  California,  remaining  in 
San  Francisco  for  about  fifteen  months,  when  he  came  to  Porter  P.  0. 
and  started  his  store  with  a  stock  of  pOO  or  $500.  In  1879,  he  built 
his  present  store  and  dwelling,  a  large,  fine  frame,  in  which  he  has  a 
stock  of  dry  goods,  groceries,  boots  and  shoes,  hardware,  etc.,  worth  about 
!$1,000,  with  a  good  trade.  He  has  always  been  a  Republican;  he  is  a 
man  of  extensive  experience  and  travel,  and  one  of  our  leading  business- 
men. He  was  married,  in  1865,  to  Johannah  Pillman,  a  native  of  Sweden. 
They  have  five  children — Gust,  Charley,  John,  Ida  and  Emily. 

JOHN  T.  TAYLOR,  merchant,  was  born  December  28,  1844,  in 
Philadelphia,  Penn.  He  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  William  and 
Ann  (Jenkins)  Taylor,  both  natives  of  Wales.  The  elder  Taylor  was  a 
machinist  by  occupation.  When  our  subject  was  about  seven  years  old, 
they  moved  from  Philadelphia  to  Cincinnati,  where  they  remained  three 
years.  In  1855,  they  removed  to  La  Porte,  Ind.,  and  the  following  year 
to  Michigan  City,  where  they  remained  until  they  came  to  Chesterton  in 
1860.     John  T.  had  the  advantages  of  the   city  schools  in  the  above- 


WESTCHESTER  TOWNSHIP.  313 

named  places.  At  Chesterton,  they  engaged  in  farming  until  February 
of  1861,  when  he  entered  his  present  store  as  clerk.  It  was  then  owned 
by  L.  B.  Osborn,  afterward  by  other  parties.  After  a  clerkship  of 
nearly  three  years,  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  soon  enlisted  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-seventh  Illinois ;  was  soon  promoted  to  the  office  of 
Second  Lieutenant,  and  was  mustered  out  February,  1866.  On  return- 
ing to  Chesterton,  he  entered  into  partnership  under  the  firm  name  of 
Taylor  &  Osborn,  which  existed  one  year;  then  Taylor  &  Quick,  which 
lasted  ten  years.  It  then  changed,  and  took  the  name  it  bears  at  present 
— Taylor  Brothers — consisting  of  our  subject  and  his  brother,  Richard  0. 
Taylor,  who  was  born  August  18,  1856,  in  Michigan  City.  He  clerked 
in  South  Chicago  for  a  time  before  this  firm  was  formed.  They  are  the 
only  grain  dealers  in  the  place,  carrying  a  stock  of  from  $10,000  to 
$20,000.  Mr.  Taylor  is  a  member  of  both  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow 
fraternities.  In  1866,  he  was  Postmaster.  Mr.  Taylor  has  been  a  Dem- 
ocrat, but  of  late  years  is  independent,  rather  favoring  the  National  prin- 
ciples. He  was  married  December  28,  1866,  to  Mary  E.  Segar,  a  native 
of  New  York.     They  have  two  children  living — William  A.  and  Mabel  C. 

JOHN  THOMAS,  ex-merchant,  and  retired,  was  born  in  1822  in 
Ohio.  He  was  one  of  eight  children  born  to  William  and  Ann  (Arm- 
strong) Thomas,  both  natives  of  Ohio.  They  came  from  Ohio  to  La  Porte 
(city)  when  John  was  quite  young  ;  here  they  bought  land,  but  after 
about  two  years  they  came  to  Westchester,  and,  with  the  Morgans, 
were  the  first  families  to  settle  in  the  township.  The  Thomases  owned 
considerable  land,  including  the  present  plat  of  Chesterton,  of  which 
they  gave  to  the  roailroad  company  its  present  grounds,  and  then  laid  out 
the  surrounding  land  in  lots,  which  have  grown  into  the  present  Chester- 
ton. The  town  has  grown  around  the  old  homestead,  in  which  Mr. 
Thomas'  sister  is  now  living,  John  lived  at  home  till  nearly  thirty-five 
years  of  age.  The  three  brothers — John,  William  and  Vincent — were 
partners  in  a  saw  mill,  and  as  merchants  in  the  building  at  present  occu- 
pied by  Taylor  Bros.,  and  had  the  leading  business  for  years.  The  three 
dissolved  ;  then  John  and  William  were  partners  until  the  death  of  the 
latter.  They  also  carried  on  a  coopering  business  for  a  number  of  years. 
John  carried  on  the  milling  and  farming  until  about  1877,  when,  on 
account  of  ill  health,  he  retired  from  business.  He  has  been  a  member 
of  both  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow  fraternities,  and  was  among  the  found- 
ers of  the  lodges  in  Chesterton.  In  religious  belief,  he  has  been  a  Uni- 
versalist.  In  politics,  he  has  been  a  firm  Democrat.  He  was  married, 
November  18,  1836,  to  Jane  Scott,  a  native  of  La  Grange  County,  Ind. 
She  lived  for  a  time  with  a  Mr.  Arnold's  family  in  Constantine,  Mich., 
a  member  of  the  noted  Constantine  Band ;  S.  D.  Crane,  ex-County 
Superintendent  of  La  Grange  County,  a  lawyer,  is  a  half-brother.  She 
is  in  religious  belief  a  Presbyterian.  They  have  two  children — Louis  and 
Rose  A. 

MARTIN  YOUNG  was  born  May  13,  1841,  in  Erie  County,  Ohio. 
He  is  one  of  ten  children  born  to  Ira  and  Sophia  (Crippin)  Young,  both 
natives  of  New  York.  The  elder  Younsr  was  a  fisherman  on  Lake  Erie 
for  thirty  years.  Maternally,  Mr.  Young  is  of  English  descent,  and 
paternally  from   Holland.     When   Martin  was   about   five   years  of  age,. 


314  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

they  came  to  Porter  County,  settling  on  "  Twenty-Mile  "  Prairie.  A 
sister  of  our  subject  was  about  the  first  school  teacher  of  that  settlement, 
and  Judge  Field  was  among  her  pupils.  When  about  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  Mr.  Young  enlisted  in  the  Seventy-third  Indiana,  serving  nearly 
three  years,  and  participating  in  the  famous  battles  of  Stone  River,  Nash- 
ville, and  on  Col.  Straight's  raid  through  Georgia.  After  he  was  discharged, 
returning  to  Chesterton,  he  engaged  in  the  meat  market  business  ;  he 
has  built  up  the  leading  trade  in  this  part  of  the  county.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraternity.  Mr.  Young  is  a  Republican,  but 
favors  the  financial  theories  of  the  National  party.  Mr.  Young  has  one 
of  the  finest  brick  residences  in  the  county,  richly  furnished,  and  with 
the  luxuries  of  piano,  organ,  etc.  He  was  married  in  1862  to  Mary  J. 
Lansing,  a  native  of  Porter  County.  She  is  well  educated,  having  been 
a  teacher.     They  have  one  adopted  child — Arthur. 


BOONE  TOWNSHIP. 

PORTER  AYLSWORTH  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  a  son  of  Giles 
and  Mary  Aylsworth,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York,  and  the  latter  of 
Pennsylvania.  His  parents  came  to  this  township  in  1842,  where  his 
father  taught  school  in  the  winters  of  1842  and  1843.  They  had  440 
acres  in  a  home  farm  and  102  acres  in  various  tracts.  His  father  died  in 
June,  1880,  and  his  mother  in  October,  1879.  Porter  Aylsworth  received 
but  a  spare  education.  He  was  married  in  1856  to  Miss  Catharine  Shina- 
barger,  a  native  of  Ohio.  To  this  union  there  were  six  children — Elva, 
Giles  C,  Thomas  M.,  Mary,  Corbin  and  John.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aylsworth 
commenced  housekeeping  on  his  present  place,  in  a  house  burned  three 
weeks  afterward.  He  now  has  a  fine  farm  of  106  acres,  with  good  build- 
ings and  improvements.  He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  seven  years  in 
Iowa,  where  he  lived  eleven  years,  and  held  the  same  office  about  two 
years  in  this  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aylsworth  are  members  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

JOHN  L.  UAKER  was  born  in  Kosciusko  County,  Ind.,  and  is  a 
son  of  Philip  and  Maria  Baker,  both  of  whom  died  in  Kosciusko  County. 
He  received  a  common  school  education  of  the  day,  and  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  learned  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker,  which  he  abandoned  soon, 
but  a^ain  returned  to,  and  has  since  followed  as  a  life-business.  In  1869. 
he  came  to  Hebron,  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  he  now  has  a  leading  shop, 
most  centrally  located,  and  which  does  as  large  a  business  as  any  other 
shop  in  the  town.  On  the  1st  of  October,  1874,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Florence  Thomas,  a  dauorhter  of  Euojene  Thomas,  a  farmer. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baker  have  a  family  of  two  children,  both  living — Irvin 
E.  and  Maud  F.  Mr.  Baker  is  a  member  of  the  order  of  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons.      He  is  a  good  and  worthy  citizen. 

HENRY  BERDINE  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York  June  20. 
1831,  and  was  a  son  of  Nicholas  Berdine,  who  was  also  a  farmer.  Henry 
Berdine  came  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  obtained  a  fair  education 
at  the  common  schools,  and  grew  to  manhood.     On   the  2d  of  October, 


BOONE   TOWNSHIP.  315 

1856,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Rachel  Sherwood,  a  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Jane  (McCullough)  Sherwood ;  her  parents  came  to  Porter 
County  about  the  year  1847.  This  union  was  blessed  with  eight  children 
— William  N.,  Willis,  Amos,  Harry,  Carrie  A.,  Ralph,  Clark  and  Leroy. 
After  marriage,  Mr.  Berdine  commenced  farming  on  100  acres,  to  which 
he  added  140  acres;  this  laud  he  improved  by  the  necessary  buildings 
and  appurtenances,  and  was  prepared  to  enjoy  life  when  removed  by 
death,  October  14,  1880,  since  which  event  Mrs.  Berdine,  aided  by  her 
children,  has  managed  the  business  successfully.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JOHN  K.  BLACKSTONE,  physician  and  surgeon,  is  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  the  second  of  the  eight  children  born  to  William  and  Julia  M. 
(Doddridge)  Blackstone ;  the  former  was  a  physician,  and  a  native  of 
Virginia ;  he  died  March  17,  1877,  aged  eighty-three  years  ;  the  latter  a 
Pennsylvania,  who  is  still  living,  aged  seventy-six  years.  John  K.  Black- 
stone  commenced  his  education  in  a  common  school  at  Waverly,  Ohio,  and 
afterward  attended  the  Ohio  University  for  five  years.  In  1846,  he  en- 
listed for  the  war  with  Mexico,  in  Company  E,  Second  Ohio  Regiment, 
and  became  Second  Lieutenant.  On  his  return,  he  read  medicine  with 
his  father,  also  attending  a  course  of  lectures  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  after- 
ward at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  he  graduated  in  1848.  He  commenced 
practice  in  Athens  County,  Ohio,  but  came  to  Hebron,  Ind.,  in  1856,  where 
he  is  now  the  oldest  living  practitioner,  and  has  limited  the  practice  among 
his  former  friends.  On  February  11,  1858,  he  married  Miss  Margaret  J. 
Bryan,  a  native  of  Boone  Township,  and  the  first  white  child  born  therein, 
a  daughter  of  Simeon  and  Elizabeth  Bryan.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blackstone 
have  four  children — William  B.,  John  K.,  Lilian  E.  and  Benjamin  E. 
Mrs.  Blackstone  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

GEORGE  BROUGH  was  born  in  Derbyshire,  England,  June  19, 
1817,  and  is  the  third  of  the  twelve  children  of  George  and  Ann  M. 
Brough.  The  school  privileges  of  our  subject  were  much  straitened,  he 
being  needed  to  labor  at  home.  On  coming  to  America,  he  hired  by  the 
month,  and  in  sixteen  years  was  enabled  to  purchase  eighty  acres  in 
Boone  Township,  in  the  year  1850 — a  portion  of  his  present  farm.  In 
October,  1849,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Oliver,  a  native  of  Ohio, 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Oliver.  To  this  union  succeeded  ten 
children — Peter,  William,  Charles,  Mary,  Abigail,  David,  Margery,  Sarah 
(deceased),  Eliza  (deceased)  and  George.  For  a  time,  Mr.  Brough  farmed 
on  rented  land,  until  he  could  improve  his  own,  to  which  he  has  added, 
and  now  he  numbers  207  acres,  well  developed  and  improved.  He  raises 
hogs,  cattle  and  horses,  as  well  as  the  staple  products,  likewise  making 
annually  about  one  hundred  tons  of  hay.  Mrs.  Brough  is  a  member 
of  the  Christian  Church. 

JOHN  B.  BROUGH  is  a  native  of  England,  and  a  son  of  George 
and  Ann  M.  Brough,  both  natives  of  the  same  country  ;  his  parents  came 
to  America  in  1881,  and  located  in  Susquehanna  County,  Penn.;  his 
father  came  to  Indiana  in  1844,  and  established  his  claim  to  the  present 
homestead,  and  broke  thirteen  acres,  but  did  not  live  to  occupy  it.  John 
B.  Brough  came  to  his  present  place  in  1845,  where  he  has  since  lived  ; 
he  began  the  business  of  milling  before  he  became  of  age,  in  Lake  County, 


316  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

which  was  the  first  effort  there  begun.  On  September  19,  1847,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Castleman,  a  native  of  Ohio,  by  whom  he  had 
thirteen  children — Ellis  (deceased),  Maria,  George  P.,  Elizabeth,  Ann  C, 
Emma,  Alice,  Rebecca,  James,  William,  U.  A.,  John  (deceased)  and 
Elizabeth  (deceased).  Mr.  Brough  owns  120  acres  in  his  present  farm 
and  fifty-two  in  Lake  County ;  he  has  a  good  frame  residence,  and  good 
water  privileges.  Mr.  Brough's  parents  endured  the  hardships  and  priva- 
tions of  the  pioneers,  who  broke  the  sod  and  cleared  the  land  in  the  early 
days. 

DAVIS  BRYANT  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  was  born  September  26, 
1824  ;  he  attended  a  subscription  school  some  little  time  in  Ohio,  being 
eleven  years  of  age  when  his  father  came  to  and  located  in  Lake  County, 
Ind.,  where  he  went  to  school  for  a  part  of  two  winters,  and  remained  on 
the  paternal  farm  until  manhood.  On  October  21,  1858,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  E.  McGill,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Susan  McGill.  Mr. 
Bryant  then  began  farming  on  his  own  land,  and,  together  with  his 
brother,  Robert,  purchased  480  acres  adjoining,  and  again  100  acres. 
At  present  he  gives  much  attention  to  raising  sheep,  of  which  he  has  280 
head,  and  handles  fifty  head  of  hogs  annually,  with  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  head  of  cattle.  Mr.  Bryant  has  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the  countj, 
with  a  fine  brick  house,  commodious  buildings,  and  many  needful  improve- 
ments, all  of  which  he  greatly  enjoys.  He  has  one  child  by  adoption, 
Nettie  M.  Bryant.  Mrs.  Bryant  is  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church. 

ROBERT  BRYANT  is  a  native  of  Richland  County,  Ohio,  born  De- 
cember 17,  1826,  and  is  a  son  of  Elias  and  Ann  (Vance)  Bryant.  His 
parents  moved  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  about  1835,  locating  on  the  farm 
on  which  they  died,  being  pioneers  in  the  county.  The  advantages  of 
schooling  enjoyed  by  Robert  were  sparse.  The  nearest  mill  was  150 
miles  distant,  and  many  things  were  to  be  obtained  only  at  Michigan  City. 
Robert  Bryant  remained  at  home  until  twenty-one  years  old,  after  which 
he  labored  for  two  years  by  the  month,  at  $12  and  $13.  On  September 
20,  1853,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  G.  Herriss,  by  whom  he  has  two 
children — Daniel  R.  and  Charles.  Our  subject  and  his  brother  had  pur- 
chased eighty  acres,  which  was  sold,  with  half-interest  in  father's  farm, 
when  he  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1854,  where,  with  his  brother, 
he  purchased  480,  and  later  100  acres  more.  This  remained  undivided 
until  about  1861  ;  since  then  he  has  bought  forty  acres  and  forty  more  of 
timber.  He  has  now,  where  he  lives,  310  acres  of  the  finest  land  in  the 
county,  one  and  a  half  miles  from  Hebron.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bryant  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JOSEPH  BRYANT,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  the  eldest  of 
six  children  born  to  Simeon  and  Elizabeth  Bryant.  His  parents  were 
pioneers  of  Boone  Township,  moving  hither  when  Joseph  was  a  year  old. 
His  education  consisted  of  what  the  time  and  locality  afforded,  the  sim- 
plest of  its  kind.  He  remained  with  his  parents  until  his  marriage,  De- 
cember 8,  1859.  in  Boone  Township,  to  Miss  Mary  Same,  daughter  of 
John  and  Cynthia  (Denny)  Same.  By  this  union  they  had  five  children 
— Harriet,  Simeon,  Adaline,  Schuyler  and  Maryette.  Mr.  Bryant  made 
farming  his  life  business,  and  continued  the  same  until   his   death,  which 


BOONE   TOWNSHIP.  317 

took  place  on  July  7,  1875,  at  which  time  he  owned  145  acres.  With 
the  aid  of  hired  help,  Mrs.  Bryant  has  maintained  the  business.  She  has 
a  good  residence  and  a  wind-mill  on  the  place,  also  from  twenty-five  to 
thirty  head  of  cattle,  about  100  sheep  and  four  horses.  Mr.  Bryant  was 
and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

ELIAS  BRYANT  is  a  native  of  Boone  Township,  Porter  Co.,  Ind,, 
and  is  a  son  of  Simeon  Bryant,  who  came  to  Porter  County  in  1835,  and 
located  on  the  land  now  owned  by  his  son.  At  that  period,  the  nearest 
white  neighbor  was  four  miles  distant,  and  his  sister,  Margaret,  was  the 
first  white  girl  born  in  the  county.  Simeon  Bryant  died  on  the  farm  ; 
his  widow  is  yet  living  and  active.  The  education  of  our  subject  was  but 
that  of  the  day,  and  poor.  On  November  20,  1867,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Fannie  Adams,  daughter  of  George  W.  Adams,  a  carpenter  and 
farmer.  Mr.  Bryant  continued  to  farm  on  the  old  homestead  ;  afterward 
he  received  thirty  acres  from  his  father;  he  then  purchased  fifteen  acres, 
and  later  forty  acres,  making  eighty-five  acres,  and  he  has  fifty  acres  of 
pasture  and  timber  land  one-half  mile  distant.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bryant 
have  four  children — Julia,  Emma,  Lorentine  and  E.  Edmond.  Mrs. 
Bryant  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal   Church. 

JAMES  E.  BRYANT,  stock,  hay  and  grain  dealer,  is  a  native  of 
Boone  Township,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of 
Simeon  and  Elizabeth  (McCauley)  Bryant,  the  former  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, the  latter  of  Ohio.  The  first  instruction  of  James  E.  Bryant 
was  in  a  log  house  in  this  township  ;  later,  he  attended  college  in  Valpa- 
raiso for  two  years,  and  finally  Blooraington  University  for  one  year.  In 
1862,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Fifth  Indiana  Cavalry,  in  which  he 
served  nearly  three  years,  during  which  he  was  a  prisoner  seven  months, 
having  been  captured  at  Sunshine  Church,  Ga.  He  was  discharged  June 
7,  1865,  at  Indianapolis.  On  April  27,  1871.  he  was  married  to  Miss 
S,  S.  Pratt,  daughter  of  C.  N.  and  Sophia  Pratt.  They  have  one  child, 
Nellie  M.  In  1869,  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  line  with  his  brother, 
D.  L.  Bryant,  of  whom  he  purchased  the  stock  and  continued  the  busi- 
ness until  1878,  when  he  adopted  his  present  one.  Mr.  Bryant  now 
owns  the  warehouse  and  half-interest  in  a  hay  barn  with  M.  J.  Stinch- 
field,  under  firm  name  of  J.  E.  Bryant  &  Co.  Mr.  Bryant  owns  320 
acres,  having  disposed  of  240  in  1881.  He  has  been  Township  Trustee 
two  years,  and  Postmaster  at  Hebron  for  twelve  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bryant  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JAMES  N.  BUCHANAN,  United  Presbyterian  minister,  was  born 
December  10,  1824,  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  is  the  fourth  child  of 
Thomas  and  Nancy  (Reed)  Buchanan,  both  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  The 
boyhood  of  James  N.  Buchanan  was  passed  partly  in  Licking  County, 
and  partly  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  where  he  entered  Muskingum 
College  at  New  Concord  at  fourteen  years  of  age,  where  he  remained 
nearly  ten  years.  In  the  interim  he  taught  a  school,  and  graduated  in 
1848.  He  then  entered  theTlieological  Seminary  at  Oxford  (now  Xenia), 
Ohio,  remaining  until  graduation  in  1851,  when  he  was  licensed  to  preach. 
He  removed  to  Hebron,  Porter  Co..  Ind.  In  1845,  while  in  college, 
he  was  married  to  Rosanna  S.  Alexander,  daughter  of  William  and  Eliz- 
abeth (Lorimer)  Alexander,  of  New   Concord;  she  died  in  1869,  leaving 


318  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

eight  children — William  T.,  Nancy,  Oscar  R.,  Mary  0.,Emma  A.,  Sam- 
uel A.,  Carrie  M.  and  James  H,  His  second  marriage,  to  Mrs.  Mary 
A.  McCracken,  took  place  in  1870.  By  the  second  marriage,  he  has  four 
living  children — Martha  A.,  Rosanna  M.,  Anna  G.  and  Jay  T.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan is  a  pioneer  of  Porter  County.  He  now  resides  on  a  farm  one 
mile  from  town,  in  which  he  is  assisted  by  his  sons. 

A.  A.  BURWELL  is  a  native  of  Richland  (now  Ashland)  County, 
Ohio.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Connecticut.  Our  subject  attended 
the  usual  schools,  and  afterward  three  terms  at  the  Loudonville  Academy 
in  Ohio.  He  remained  at  home  until  after  manhood,  working  on  the 
farm  in  summer  and  teaching  school  during  the  winter.  On  April  10, 
1851,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  J.  Oliver,  a  native  of  Ashland 
County,  Ohio.  In  May,  1851,  they  came  to  their  present  location,  and 
lived  in  a  log  house  during  the  summer,  but  afterward  built  on  land  be- 
longing to  his  father.  Subsequently  he  purchased  160  acres  of  farming 
land,  and  also  sixty  of  timber.  The  home  farm  now  comprises  240  acres, 
with  a  good  house  and  other  needed  improvements.  He  handles  hogs, 
cattle  and  has  several  head  of  horses.  Mr.  Burwell  has  been  Trustee  of 
Boone  Township  three  terms.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  having  joined  said  church  before  its  organization  at 
Hebron,  since  which  event  he  has  been  an  Elder. 

A.  G.  CARMAN  is  a  native  of  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  and  a  son 
of  Harris  and  Annie  Carman.  The  amount  of  learning  acquired  from 
the  schools  by  our  subject  was  very  meager,  in  consequence  of  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  father.  His  parents  emigrated  to  Lake  County  in 
1837,  where  neighbors  were  scarce,  but  deer,  prairie  chickens  and  wolves 
were  plentiful.  He  was  married,  at  Hebron,  to  Miss  Hannah  Young, 
who  died  October  2,  1848.  His  second  marriage  was  also  at  Hebron,  to 
Miss  Cornelia  A.  Hoffman.  To  this  union  there  succeeded  four  children 
— Jay,  Charles  H,,  Morris  and  Jason.  He  came  to  his  present  home  in 
May,  1848,  where  he  has  since  mostly  lived.  His  farm  is  productive, 
and  he  feeds  fifteen  to  twenty  hogs  each  year,  besides  horses  and  cattle. 
He  is  well  established  in  all  pertaining  to  the  demands  of  a  farm.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Carman  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

C.  G.  CARMAN  is  a  native  of  New  York,  and  son  of  Morris  and 
Ann  (Gregg)  Carman,  who  were  both  natives  of  New  York,  but  died  in 
this  township.  C.  G.  Carman  was  brought  to  Lake  County  by  his  parents 
in  1834,  when  four  years  of  age,  and  is  one  of  its  pioneers.  In  his  early 
youth,  he  attended  a  subscription  school,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years 
he  began  the  trade  of  a  carpenter,  serving  two  years,  and  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  the  war.  In  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Twentieth 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  three  years,  and  was  engaged  in  many 
important  battles  up  to  Gettysburg,  and  was  discharged  at  Wilmington, 
Del.,  in  1865.  He  was  twice  wounded  by  the  same  ball — in  the  hand 
and  left  side  of  upper  jaw,  which  caused  much  suffering.  On  returning, 
he  engaged  in  carpentering  for  several  years,  and  came  to  Hebron  in  its 
early  days.  On  January  23,  1867,  in  White  County,  Ind.,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  0.  Carson,  daughter  of  James  and  L.  A.  Carson. 
By  this  union  they  have  had  two  children — Mary  and  Loren.  Mrs. 
Carman  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


BOONE   TOWNSHIP.  319 

JOSEPH  C.  CARSON,  physician  and  surgeon,  was  born  at  Mal- 
vern, Ohio,  November  29,  1850,  and  is  a  son  of  Matthew  and  Margaret 
J.  (Knox)  Carson,  natives  of  Ireland;  the  former  died  in  Indiana  in 
18fi3,  whither  he  came  in  1861,  and  the  latter  is  yet  living  in  Porter 
Township,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.  Joseph  C.  Carson  first  attended  school  at 
Hickory  Point,  then  at  Hebron,  and  later  the  high  school  at  Valparaiso  ; 
he  then  commenced  teaching  and  attending  normal  school,  so  continuing 
until  1876,  when  he  graduated  in  the  scientific  course  and  became  Prin- 
cipal of  the  school  at  Hebron  for  two  years.  Durin^;  this  period,  he 
studied  medicine  and  the  branches  appertaining  thereto,  and  attended  a 
course  of  lectures  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1878-79.  He  graduated  in  the 
Medical  Department  of  Butler  University  at  Indianapolis  in  1880.  He 
then  returned  to  Hebron,  where  he  has  now  a  good  practice.  On  April 
22,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lizzie  Cain.  They  are  both  members 
of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

THOMAS  CLOWES  was  born  in  1840,  in  the  State  of  Michigan, 
and  is  a  son  of  Charles  L.  and  Edith  Clowes,  both  natives  of  Virginia ; 
both  died  in  Michigan,  where  the  boyhood  of  Thomas  was  passed,  and 
where  he  attended  school — in  Cassopolis — and  where  he  remained  until 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  At  fourteen  years  of  age  he  commenced  to 
learn  the  trade  of  a  painter.  In  1864,  he  came  to  visit  in  Lake  County, 
and  afterward  removed  to  Hebron,  where,  on  June  12,  1866,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mattie  E.  Johnson,  of  the  family  of  Eli  and  Sarah  Johnson. 
They  have  but  one  child — Edith.  Mr.  Clowes  now  made  farming  his 
principal  business  until  1882,  when  he  procured  a  stock  of  groceries  and 
provisions  ;  he  also  has  a  room  for  serving  ice  cream  and  lunches.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Clowes  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church  and  most  gener- 
ally respected. 

ROBERT  DOUGLAS  is  a  native  of  Burns,  Scotland,  and  is  a  son  of 
Samuel  and  Martha  (McNabney)  Douglas;  his  father  was  a  native  of 
Scotland,  where  his  mother  died.  In  company  with  three  sons,  his  father 
landed  in  America  at  New  York  in  1879.  Our  subject  had  preceded  him 
in  1872.  He  had  been  in  the  civil  service  in  England.  On  the  16th  of 
June,  1872,  he  reached  Porter  County,  Ind.,  with  but  ^5  as  his  capital; 
notwithstanding  this,  however,  by  economy,  perseverance  and  thrift,  he 
got  together  money  enough  to  purchase  his  present  property,  consisting 
of  eighty  acres,  and  also  the  necessary  amount  of  stock  found  upon  like- 
sized  farms.  On  the  6th  of  April,  1875,  in  Porter  County,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Alice  McNabney,  a  native  of  Porter  County,  whose  father 
was  a  farmer  and  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican  war.  This  union 
was  blessed  with  four  children — Andrew  M.,  Mary,  Roscoe  and  Ida. 

CONNER  DOWD  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  is  the  seventh  of  the  nine 
children  of  Conner  and  Hannah  (Graves)  Dowd  ;  his  father  was  a  native 
of  Ireland,  his  mother,  of  North  Carolina;  both  died  in  Ohio.  The  boy- 
hood of  our  subject  was  passed  in  Ohio,  where  he  received  the  learning  of 
the  common  schools.  In  1835,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Cynthia  Pratt, 
daughter  of  Rufus  and  Martha  (Merritt)  Pratt,  by  whom  he  has  two  chil- 
dren living — Lucretia  and  James  H.  Mr.  Dowd  began  farming  on  sixty 
acres,  to  which  he  afterward  added  forty  acres;  this  he  sold  and  emigrated 
to  Lake  County,  where  he  purchased   120  acres,  on  which  he  lived   and 


320  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

which  he  cultivated  for  twelve  years,  when  he  removed  to  400  acres  on 
Eagle  Creek.  He  came  to  Hebron  in  1873,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the 
hardware  trade,  and  has  a  stqck  of  $4,000  to  $5,000;  he  owns  his  store 
site,  as  well  as  a  house  and  lot.  Mr.  Dowd  was  Township  Trustee  sev- 
eral years  in  Vinton  County,  Ohio.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal   Church,  with  which  they  united  about  1832. 

HUGH  FICKLE  is  a  native  of  Perry  County,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Ann  Fickle.  His  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Germany; 
came  to  America  and  purchased  land,  for  which,  owing  to  previous  claims, 
he  had  to  pay  a  second  and  a  third  time.  Hugh  Fickle  received  but  a 
meager  education  in  Ohio,  among  the  hills ;  he  was  married  in  Perry 
County,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Isabella  Hazlett,  who  died  February  12,  1862, 
leaving  two  children — Sarah  J.  and  Martha  A.  (both  deceased).  Having 
received  320  acres  of  woodland  from  his  father,  he  built  a  house  and  be- 
gan clearing,  on  which  he  lived  until  1864.  Of  this  he  gave  160  acres 
to  each  of  his  daughters,  sold  the  balance,  and  removed  to  Porter  County. 
In  1864,  he  purchased  340  acres ;  then  went  to  Ohio,  where  he  purchased 
the  old  farm.  On  returning,  he  purchased  his  present  place;  he  has  con- 
siderable stock,  and  usually  ships  two  car-loads  of  hogs  every  year;  his 
second  marriage  was  to  Mrs.  Oliver,  to  which  union  there  have  been  born 
three  children — David  B.,  Charles  A.  and  John  H.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fickle 
are  members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  Mr.  Fickle 
has  been  a  Ruling  Elder  for  thirty  years. 

D.  A.  FISHER  is  a  native  of  the  State  of  Indiana,  where  he  was 
born  in  1855 ;  he  is  the  eldest  of  the  four  children  of  William  and  Nancy 
(Bryant)  Fisher,  both  living  in  Lake  County.  The  schooling  obtained 
by  D.  A.  Fisher  was  first  received  at  a  district  school,  and  afterward  at 
the  Normal  School  of  Valparaiso,  which  he  attended  five  terms ;  he  then 
engaged  in  farming.  On  June  7,  1876,  he  was  married  to  Miss  E.  L. 
Bliss,  daughter  of  W.  0.  Bliss,  native  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  a 
farmer.  Mr.  Fisher  continued  farming  until  1881,  at  which  time  he  en- 
gaged in  his  present  business  of  hardware  dealing  at  Hebron,  where  he 
has  a  fine  location  and  an  excellent  trade,  carrying  a  stock  worth  $1,500 
to  $2,000.  In  1879,  Mr.  Fisher  visited  Colorado  and  other  Western 
points,  being  absent  about  eight  months. 

WILLIAM  FRY,  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Penn.,  March  7, 
1833,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Hannah  (Meeker)  Fry.  His  parents 
moved  to  Porter  County  in  1846,  and  wintered  near  Valparaiso,  where 
his  father  died;  his  mother,  with  the  children,  soon  moved  to  Boone  Town- 
ship, where  she  died.  William  Fry's  opportunities  for  acquiring  educa- 
tion were  very  narrow;  he  remained  on  the  farm  until  twenty-four  years 
old,  when  he  went  into  the  lumber  business  in  the  pines  of  Indiana,  at 
which  he  continued  two  years.  While  there,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Sarah  J.  Wallace,  daughter  of  James  and  Sarah  A.  Wallace.  Mr.  Fry 
returned  and  sold  liis  heirship;  he  now  owns  200  acres  of  his  homestead, 
and  sixty-four  acres  in  another  tract ;  his  farm  is  well  improved  and 
stocked,  and  very  pro'luctive;  he  raises  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  hogs 
and  cattle  every  year,  with  five  or  six  horses  ;  likewise  a  full  line  of  staple 
crops.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fry  have  had  seven  children — Orville  M.,  Ira  V., 
Harriet  E.,  Ancil  C,  John  W.,  William  (deceased),  and  Florence  J. 
Both  himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church. 


O 


BOONE   TOWNSHIP.  321 

WILLIAM  GIBBS  was  born  in  Athens  County,  Ohio,  April  6, 
1829,  and  is  a  son  of  Hiram  and  Elizabeth  (Shanks)  Gibbs,  the  former  a 
native  of  Vermont,  the  latter  of  Virginia.  The  father  died  at  Hickory 
Point;  the  mother  is  yet  living  in  Lowell,  Lake  County.  William  Gibbs 
had  but  meager  opportunities  to  acquire  learning  from  the  schools.  He 
came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  with  his  parents,  in  1845,  and  located  on  a 
farm.  In  18-46,  he  came  to  Lake  County.  After  his  father's  death,  he 
was  commissioned  to  manage  the  farm,  which  he  did  until  he  was  twenty- 
eight  years  old,  at  which  time  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Gordon, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Ruth  Gordon,  by  which  marriage  he  had  one 
child — Laura.  After  this,  he  farmed  for  five  years,  then  peddled  dry 
goods  and  notions,  and  later,  in  1868,  settled  in  the  furniture  and  agri- 
cultural goods  business  at  Hebron ;  this  he  continued  until  1878,  when 
he  moved  West  to  improve  his  wife's  health  ;  this  failing,  he  returned  in 
187-9,  and  in  1880  she  passed  away.  He  was  made  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  1878,  and  in  1879  engaged  in  the  insurance  business,  in  which  he 
has  remained.  His  second  marriage  was  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Guinn,  daugh- 
ter of  John  D.  and  Eliza  Guinn,  by  which  union  there  was  one  child — 
Otto  W.  Mr.  Gibbs  is  a  correspondent  for  several  newspapers.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JOHN  GIDLEY  is  a  native  of  England,  and  a  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Maddock)  Gidley,  both  natives  of  England.  His  parents  came  to 
America  in  1833,  and  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1840,  locating 
one  mile  east  of  Hebron,  where  they  died.  Owing  to  the  early  appren- 
tice system  of  England,  our  subject  obtained  but  a  meager  education  be- 
fore his  tenth  year,  when  he  was  bound  to  a  farmer,  from  whom  his  un- 
expired term  of  six  years  was  purchased  when  he  came  away.  On  coming 
to  this  country,  he  engaged  in  boating  on  Lake  Erie,  and  afterward  drove 
stage  in  Michigan,  and  reached  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1838.  At  Shel- 
byville,  Shelby  Co.,  Ind.,  December  12,  1837,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  Davis,  daughter  of  Archibald  and  Sandal  Davis,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky. To  this  union  succeeded  eight  children — Mary  S.,  Elizabeth  A., 
(deceased),  Sarah  (deceased),  John  A.,  Louisa  P.,  Andrew  B.,  Henry  W. 
(deceased)  and  George  W.  Mr.  Gidley  first  farmed  on  rented  land, 
afterward  purchasing  twenty  acres,  and  adding  forty,  and  later,  eighty 
acres  thereto,  until  he  had  180,  on  which  he  lived  until  1879,  when  he 
retired  to  Hebron,  to  live  in  ease  and  comfort.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gidley 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  among  the  first  in 
Hebron  at  its  organization.  Mr.  Gidley  has  been  Steward  and  Trustee 
for  thirty  years. 

DAVID  HURLBURT  was  born  in  Athens  County,  Ohio,  March  4, 
1816,  and  is  the  eighth  of  the  nine  children  of  Reuben  and  Rachel  (John- 
son) Hurlburt,  the  former  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  the  latter  of 
Pennsylvania.  His  parents  moved  to  what  is  now  Porter  County  in 
1834  ;  both  died  in  Porter  Township.  David  Hurlburt  was  seventeen 
years  of  age  when  he  settled  in  the  wilderness,  and  his  opportunities  for 
schooling  were  the  very  worst.  In  1851,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Spafford,  a  native  of  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  and  daughter  of  Chester 
and  Margaret  SpafFord.  This  union  was  fruitful  by  three  children  — 
Chester,  Edith  A.  and  Ruth  S.   Mr.  Hurlburt  continued  farming  in  Porter 


322  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Township,  where  he  owned  160,  and  to  which  he  added  forty-five  acres ; 
this  he  sold  and  purchased  eighty  acres,  to  which  he  added,  by  degrees, 
until  it  embraces  320  acres.  He  came  to  his  present  farm  in  1872,  and 
before  giving  his  children  portions,  he  possessed  700  acres  ;  he  also  has 
thirty  head  of  cattle,  100  hogs  and  twenty-five  milch  cows,  and  will  aver- 
age 200  tons  of  hay  per  year.  Mrs.  Hurlburt  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church. 

SAMUEL  IRVIN  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  a  son  of  William  and 
Martha  (Brooks)  Irvin,  his  father  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  his 
mother  of  Virginia.  The  opportunities  for  education  by  the  schools  were 
very  few  to  S.  Irvin,  who  could  not  attend  after  his  tenth  year.  In  1845, 
he  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  locating  in  Porter  Township  and  farm- 
ing there,  where  he  lived  nine  years.  He  was  married  in  Montgomery 
County,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Ann  C.  Keller,  daughter  of  John  and  Magdalene 
Keller.  In  1854,  Mr.  Irvin  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in 
brewing  until  1857 ;  then  returned  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  erected  the 
first  brewery  in  the  county,  and  afterward  engaged  in  railroad  carpenter- 
ing on  the  railway  through  Hebron,  and  also  general  carpentering.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Irvin  have  had  four  children — William  G.,  Alpheus  A.,  Eddie 
S.  and  Annie  B.,  living  ;  and  Luman,  Alice  and  Sarah,  deceased.  Mr. 
Irvin  was  County  Assessor  three  years,  and  Assessor  of  Boone  Township 
fifteen  years.  Both  himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
Church. 

JOSEPH  KITHCART  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County,  Penn., 
in  1819,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  ten  children  of  Thomas  and  Deborah 
(Wright)  Kithcart,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania;  they  died  in  Ohio, 
having  been  pioneers  of  Richland,  now  Ashland,  County.  Joseph  received 
what  education  was  afforded  at  a  district  school,  and,  as  soon  as  he  became 
able,  took  charge  of  the  farm,  remaining  until  his  twenty-fifth  year.  On 
August  29,  1844,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  J.  White,  a  native  of 
Ohio.  Joseph  Kithcart  commenced  farming  on  the  forty  acres  given  to 
him  by  his  father,  and  which  he  improved.  This  he  sold  and  removed 
to  Auburn,  De  Kalb  Co.,  Ind.,  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  His 
wife  died  in  Ohio,  leaving  two  children — Thomas  W.  and  Martha.  His 
second  marriage  was  to  Phebe  A.  Barber,  a  native  of  Ohio  ;  this  wife 
died  in  Auburn,  leaving  two  children — Mary  J.  and  J.  C.  His  third 
marriage,  in  Ohio,  was  to  May  G.  Tannehill,  of  Ohio,  by  whom  he  has 
four  children— L.  Ella,  Charles  T.,  Clark  and  Goldie.  'in  1868,  Mr. 
Kithcart  came  to  Porter  County,  where  he  bought  257  acres  and  made 
improvements.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kithcart  are  members  of  the  Christian 
Church. 

G.  W.  MAXWELL  is  a  native  of  Franklin  County,  Ind.,  and  a  son 
of  James  and  Mary  (Thorn)  Maxwell,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, the  latter  of  Maryland.  The  education  of  G.  W.  Maxwell  was 
limited  to  what  could  be  acquired  in  pioneer  days,  his  father  dying  when 
he  was  two  years  old.  In  February,  1853,  he  was  married,  in  Decatur 
County,  Ind.,  to  Miss  Martha  A.  Belt,  a  native  of  Ohio  :  her  father  was 
a  farmer,  and  her  mother  a  nurse.  Mr.  Maxwell  moved  to  Lake  County 
in  1856,  and  engaged  in  farming,  purchasing  80  acres,  and  also  40  in 
Porter  County,  where  he  removed  in  1871,  and  located  one  mile  south  of 


BOONE  TOWNSHIP.  328 

town  on  120  acres,  on  which  he  lived  until  removing  to  Hebron,  one  year 
ago,  leaving  the  farm  to  the  care  of  his  son.  His  wife  died  July  9,  1853. 
His  second  marriage  was  to  Miss  Margaret  Downs,  a  native  of  Franklin 
County,  Ind.,  by  whom  he  had  five  children — William,  George  R.,  Albert 
F.,  Mary  E.  and  Bertha.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maxwell  are  members  of  the 
Christian  Church,  of  which  the  former  is  a  Deacon  and  likewise  Treasurer. 

J.  L.  McALPIN  is  a  native  of  Highland  County,  Ohio,  where  he 
lived  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  his  father  dying  when  he  was  one  year 
old.  The  advantages  being  poor,  he  got  but  a  scant  education,  being- 
necessitated  to  work  on  his  mother's  farm,  and  with  whom  he  came 
to  this  State  and  located  in  Boone  Township  in  1844.  In  1848,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  Dinwiddle,  daughter  of  Thomas  Dinwiddle, 
farmer.  By  this  union  there  were  born  nine  children — Mary  L., 
Augusta,  Eliza  J.,  Susie  I.,  Emma  (deceased),  Maggie,  John  S.  (de- 
ceased), James  P.  (deceased)  and  J.  D.  Mr.  McAlpin  commenced  on 
sixty  acres,  then  sold,  and  purchased  his  present  farm  of  sixty  acres,  on 
which  he  has  since  lived.  To  this  he  has  added  until  his  farm  now 
embraces  ninety  acres,  with  twenty  acres  of  timber  in  the  wet  lands. 
This  farm  is  one  mile  south  of  Hebron,  and  fine  soil.  In  1862,  Mrs. 
McAlpin  died,  and  he  was  married  to  his  second  wife,  Miss  Mary 
J.  Morrow,  by  whom  he  has  had  seven  children — Harry,  William,  Ber- 
nard, Carl,  Freddie,  Ina  and  Benjamin  (deceased).  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McAlpin  belong  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JOHN  McINTYIlE  is  a  native  of  Washington  County,  Penn.,  and 
moved  to  Ohio  with  his  parents,  where  he  resided  from  the  time  of  his 
tenth  year  until  manhood.  In  the  month  of  March,  1848,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Rebecca  Carson,  a  native  of  Ireland,  whose  parents  were 
farmers.  In  1852,  Mr.  Mclntyre  settled  on  his  present  farm  of  120 
acres,  which  he  had  recently  purchased.  He  has  a  good  place,  and  culti- 
vates corn,  oats  and  hay.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mclntyre  have  had  a  family  of 
six  children — Samuel,  who  is  in  Colorado  ;  Robert,  deceased  ;  James, 
deceased  ;  William  A.,  Robert  and  Rebecca  A.,  who  are  single  and  live 
at  home. 

WILSON  B.  MORROW  is  a  native  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  the 
second  of  the  six  children  of  William  and  Eliza  (McAlpin)  Morrow,  the 
former  a  native  of  Ohio,  the  latter  of  Virginia,  who  died  in  Boone 
Township  in  1872,  where  Mr.  William  Morrow  is  now  living.  Wilson 
B.  Morrow,  when  two  years  old,  came  with  his  parents  to  Boone  Town- 
ship, Porter  County,  Ind.  His  school  days  were  passed  in  a  log  struct- 
ure. He  remained  on  the  farm  until  1872,  when  he  came  to  Hebron 
and  engaged  in  the  stock,  hay  and  grain  business  with  Mr.  Bryant,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Bryant  &  Morrow,  which  was  continued  nearly  ten 
years.  In  1882,  he  purchased  the  entire  stock  of  general  merchandise 
of  William  E.  Sweney,  having  $5,000  worth  of  goods,  and  leading  in  his 
business.  On  January  8,  1863,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  G. 
Hildreth,  daughter  of  Gabriel  and  Betsey  J.  (Wilson)  Hildreth.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Morrow  have  five  living  children — Ninetta,  John,  Elsie,  Ernest 
and  Charles. 

G.  C.  MOSIER,  retired  farmer,  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
and  is  a  son  of   Frederick  and  Louisa  (Herborg)  Mosier.     The  former 


324  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

died  in  Germany.  In  1838,  G.  C.  Mosier  came  to  Indiana  and  located 
in  La  Porte  City,  where  he  learned  carriage  painting.  On  October  26, 
1856,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Christina  Fehrman,  daughter  of  George 
and  Christina  Fehrman,  by  whom  there  succeeded  five  children — George, 
Rose  (now  Mrs.  McKay),  Samuel,  Lucy  and  Alfred.  Mr.  Mosier  now 
commenced  farming  in  Union  Township,  Porter  County,  where  he  owned 
320  acres,  and  on  which  he  lived  seven  years.  This  he  sold  and  went  to 
Valparaiso  and  engaged  in  real  estate  business.  Seven  years  later,  he 
removed  to  Hebron,  Porter  County.  Here  he  deals  in  real  estate,  but 
engaged  in  merchandising  for  one  year.  Mr.  Mosier  owns  two  acres  in 
the  central  part  of  town  and  some  town  lots  on  the  west  side  of  Main 
street.  He  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Union  Township  for  four 
years,  and  six  years  in  Hebron,  also  seven  months  in  Valparaiso.  In 
the  spring  of  1882,  he  was  elected  to  the  same  position. 

WILLIAM  M.  NELSON  is  a  native  of  Bedford  County,  Penn. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  England  and  his  mother  of  Pennsylvania. 
William  received  the  usual  amount  of  education  at  the  common  schools, 
and,  before  manhood,  learned  the  trade  of  blacksraithing  from  his  father. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-two,  he  took  charge  of  his  father's  shop  in  Ander- 
sonville,  Franklin  Co.,  Ind.  On  October  1,  1864,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  E.  M.  Scott,  born  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  of  which  county 
her  parents  were  pioneers.  This  union  was  blessed  with  four  children — 
John  S.,  Leora  E.,  Alpha  A.  and  Jennie.  In  1867,  Mr.  Nelson  came  to 
Hebron,  where  he  has  since  lived,  and  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr. 
Paramore  in  the  blacksmithing  trade ;  this  continued  two  years,  when  he 
rented  and  afterward  purchased  a  shop  of  his  own,  and  which  is  one  of 
the  leading  ones  in  the  town.  He  is  a  much-respected  citizen.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Nelson  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 

HERSCHEL  J.  NICHOLS  was  born  in  Ohio  December  22,  1849, 
and  was  the  first  child  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Hite)  Nichols,  both  of  Ger- 
man descent;  his  father  lives  at  Creston,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.;  his  mother 
died  in  Lake  County  in  June,  1871.  The  boyhood  of  Herschel  J. 
Nichols  was  passed  on  a  farm ;  he  attended  the  district  schools,  and  also 
Ball's  school,  at  Crown  Point,  one  year  ;  then  engaged  as  a  clerk  at  Lowell 
for  five  years,  afterward  beginning  for  himself  as  a  merchant  at  Leroy, 
and  then  came  to  Hebron,  where  he  managed  a  store  for  Mr.  Sweney 
two  years,  after  which  he  purchased  the  present  entire  stock  of  Bryant, 
and  has  continued  the  business.  He  has  now  an  $8,000  stock  and  one 
of  the  principal  stores  in  the  place.  He  is  also  in  the  regular  shipping 
business,  shipping  hay  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  In  1872,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Maria  Lambert,  daughter  of  Cornelius  Lambert,  a  union  blessed 
with  three  children — Virgil,  Marshall  and  Floyd.  Mr.  Nichols  was 
elected  Township  Trustee  in  1882. 

H.  J.  RATHBUN  is  a  native  of  New  York,  and  a  son  of  Harry 
and  Mary  (Malatt)  Rathbun,  both  natives  of  New  York  :  his  parents 
became  residents  of  Ohio  when  our  subject  was  two  years  old,  where  they 
afterward  died.  H.  J.  Rathbun's  boyhood  was  passed  in  Ohio,  where 
he  obtained  some  education  from  the  common  schools,  remaining  with 
his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  old ;  he  moved  to  Lake 
County,  Ind.,  on  February  22,  1854 ;  he  was  married  June  5,    1860,   to 


BOONE  TOWNSHIP.  325 

Miss  Alice  Bates,  a  native  of  Michigan,  but  a  resident  of  Porter  County. 
Four  children  blessed  this  union — Harry  (deceased),  Grace,  Augusta 
(deceased)  and  Roy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rathbun  have  lived  in  Boone 
Township  since  their  marriage,  except  a  three  years'  absence  in  Porter 
township.  Mr.  Rathbun  has  a  charming  farm  of  383  acres,  all  in  the 
home  place  except  thirty-eight  acres ;  he  makes  seventy-five  tons  of  hay 
annually  ;  has  twelve  to  fifteen  horses,  and  has  raised  many  sheep.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.   Rathbun  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 

L.  P.  SCOTT,  station  agent  at  Hebron,  is  a  native  of  Cavendish, 
Windsor  Co.,  Vt.,  and  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Polly  (Eaton)  Scott — the 
former  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  the  latter  of  Connecticut,  both  of 
whom  died  in  Welshfield,  Ohio.  L.  P.  Scott  received  a  fair  education, 
having  attended,  in  addition  to  the  common  schools,  a  select  school  in  the 
winters  ;  he  afterward  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter.  On  September 
1,  1852,  at  Ravenna,  Ohio,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  M.  Pool,  a 
native  of  Eastern  New  York.  Mr.  Scott  engaged  in  stock  dealing  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  afterward  in  merchandising  at  Welshfield,  Ohio; 
he  moved  to  Hebron,  Porter  County,  in  the  spring  of  1869,  and  became 
station  agent,  which  office  he  now  holds ;  he  is  a  Mason  and  an  Odd 
Fellow,  and  likewise  a  member  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28,  of 
Indiana. 

H.  W.  SHAFER  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  October  17, 
1834,  and  is  the  eighth  of  the  twelve  children  of  Michael  and  Nancy 
(Ireland)  Shafer ;  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of 
Ohio  ;  both  died  in  Hancock  County,  Ohio.  The  early  education  of  H. 
W.  Shafer  was  begun  in  the  county  school  of  Hancock  County  ;  he 
remained  with  his  parents  until  his  eighteenth  year,  when  he  became  a 
clerk  at  Huntsville,  Logan  Co.,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  five  years, 
during  which  time  he  bought  considerable  stock,  and  thence  went  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  dealt  in  horses  and  cattle  for  four  or  five  years.  In 
1860,  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  and  engaged  in  stock 
dealing  and  shipping,  and  purchased  eighty  acres.  At  the  blast  of  war, 
he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Ninety-ninth  Regiment  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry,  but  before  being  mustered  in  was  commissioned  First  Lieuten- 
ant; he  served  nearly  three  years  and  was  wounded  at  Resaca,  Ga., 
captured  at  Sunshine  Church  and  imprisoned,  but  escaped  on  the  road  to 
Columbia,  S.  C;  he  was  retaken  after  seventeen  days,  and  returned  to  Co- 
lumbia Prison;  he  subsequently  escaped  and  was  re-captured  several  times, 
and  finally  got  away  from  rebeldom  and  was  discharged  at  Indianapolis  ; 
he  was  afterward  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Skelton,  who  died  in  1872, 
leaving  three  children — Owen,  Erwin  and  Robert;  his  second  marriage 
was  to  Miss  Nan  R.  Reicketts,  of  Hancock  County,  Ohio,  by  which 
union  he  had  three  children — Clara,  Ray  and  May.  Mr.  Shafer  now 
owns  200  acres,  all  under  cultivation. 

JOHN  SKELTON  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  a  son  of  Robert 
and  Susan  Skelton,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  The  early  education  of  John 
Skelton  consisted  only  of  what  he  learned  in  a  country  school.  When 
thirteen  years  of  age,  he  went  to  learn  blacksmithing  in  Philadelphia,  at 
which  he  served  four  years.      This  he  followed  for    eighteen  years,  when 


826  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

he  was  compelled  to  seek  a  less  laborious  vocation,  and  he  commenced  a 
general  store  in  Kewanna,  Fulton  Co.,  Ind.,  continuing  eight  years. 
In  1865,  he  removed  to  Hebron,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  sold 
hardware  and  groceries.  In  1877,  he  dropped  hardware,  and  three 
years  later  commenced  his  present  business,  where  he  is  always  on  hand 
for  trade.  On  March  4,  1845,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Emily  C.  Norris, 
daughter  of  Arthur  and  Catherine  Norris.  To  this  union  were  born 
four  children — John,  Leah  and  Charles  (all  married)  and  Louisa  (deceased). 
Mr.  Skelton  was  Township  Trustee  two  years  and  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  Fulton  County  four  years.  Both  himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 

J.  C.  SMITH  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  May  4,  1846,  and  is  one 
of  the  ten  children  of  William  and  Philista  Smith  ;  the  father  a  native  of 
New  York,  the  mother  of  Maine.  J.  C.  Smith  was  brought  by  his  par- 
ents to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  when  seven  years  of  age,  locating  in  Val- 
paraiso, where  he  attended  the  common  schools.  He  afterward  learned 
the  coopering  trade,  which  he  followed  for  ten  years  in  the  village  of 
Hebron.  He  then  engaged  in  the  restaurant  business  for  one  year,  and 
in  his  present  business  (grocery)  in  1879 — at  that  time  with  a  stock  of 
but  ilOO,  but  now  with  one  of  $2,000  ;  he  has  the  leading  trade  in  his  line 
in  the  town,  sales  for  the  year  reaching  $15,000.  On  February  22, 
1871,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Calista  Allen,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Clarissa  Allen.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  members  of  the  Christian 
Church.     Mr,  Allen  is  a  Republican,  and  a  strong  political  worker. 

THOMAS  C.  SWENEY,  farmer  and  surveyor,  was  born  August 
7,  1807,  at  Gettysburgh,  Penn.  His  parents  died  in  Ohio.  His  early 
education  was  begun  in  a  log  schoolhouse  in  Adams  County,  Penn.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen,  he  began  teaching,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  was 
appointed  Surveyor  of  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  which  position  he  filled 
for  ten  years.  In  1835,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret  Dinwid- 
dle. To  this  union  there  were  born  three  children — William  E.,  John 
M.  and  H.  D.  Mrs.  Sweney  died  in  1874.  In  1837,  he  emigrated  to 
Porter  County,  Ind.,  locating  near  Hebron,  on  Horse  Prairie.  Mr. 
Sweney  left  the  prairie  in  1875,  and  divided  his  property  with  his  chil- 
dren. In  the  beginning,  one  had  to  drive  forty  miles  to  a  mill,  and  to 
Michigan  City  and  Chicago  for  marketing  and  produce.  The  nearest 
post  office  was  at  La  Porte,  forty  miles  distant.  Mr.  :>weney  was  ap- 
pointed Surveyor  in  1839,  and  held  the  office  twelve  years,  during  which 
period  he  selected  the  swamp  lands  of  the  county.  Previous  to  dividing 
among  his  children,  he  owned  400  acres ;  he  now  owns  a  fine  brick 
business  room,  with  hall  above  and  basement.  Mr.  Sweney  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  was  also  his  wife. 

D.  L.  SWENEY  is  a  native  of  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  and  the 
youngest  of  the  three  sons  of  Isaac  and  Emily  (Farling)  Sweney.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania ;  his  mother  died  when  he  was  one 
year  and  a  half  old,  and  he  was  brought  up  by  a  step-mother.  His  father 
and  family  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  about  the  year  1839,  when 
our  subject  was  four  years  old,  where  he  attended  a  district  school ;  he 
also  received  instruction  for  two  winters  at  the  Valparaiso  Seminary. 
When  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  he   took  charge  of  and  managed 


BOONE  TOWNSHIP.  327 

his  father's  fann.  On  April  10,  1860,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Hannah 
J.  Fry,  daughter  of  John  and  Hannah  Fry.  Mrs.  Sweney  died  January 
23,  1879,  leaving  five  children — Emily,  John,  Ida,  Bertha  and  Ora.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  as  is  also  her  husband. 
After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Sweney  lived  on  his  father's  farm  twelve  years, 
when  he  moved  to  Hebron,  where  he  has  since  remained ;  he  now  has 
about  one  hundred  acres,  also  a  good  town  property. 

C.  L.  TANNEHILL  was  born  in  Richland  County  (now  Green 
Township,  Ashland  County),  Ohio,  September  26,  1825,  and  is  the  sixth 
of  the  twelve  children  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Oliver)  Tannehill,  the 
former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of  Maryland.  The  educa- 
tion of  our  subject  comprises  the  curriculum  of  the  common  schools ;  he 
learned  farming  and  the  trade  of  a  currier  before  manhood.  In  1850,  he 
went  to  California  and  engaged  in  mining,  at  which  he  saved  enough  to 
come  back  and  purchase  160  acres  of  his  present  farm.  On  September 
8,  1853,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Kancy  A.  Burwell,  a  native  of  Ohio. 
To  this  union  followed  eight  children — Mary  R.,  Eugene  (deceased), 
Eliza  E.,  Candas  L.,  Sarah  A.,  Ora  A.,  Charles  B.  and  Annie  J.  Mr. 
Tannehill  moved  to  his  present  home  in  1853,  comprising,  by  recent  ad- 
ditions, 428  acres ;  he  has  been  a  very  successful  farmer,  and  feeds 
fifty  head  of  hogs  and  thirty  of  cattle  ;  he  also  has  ten  horses,  and  pro- 
duces yearly  about  one  hundred  tons  of  hay.  Mrs.  Tannehill  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

N.  B.  WARD  is  a  native  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  the  fifth  of  the 
six  children  born  to  Alfred  and  Fannie  Ward,  both  of  whom  died  in  Ohio, 
when  our  subject  was  in  tender  years.  N.  B.  Ward  remained  at  home 
until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he  commenced  to  hire  out  by 
the  month.  In  Lake  County,  Ind.,  at  Hickory  Point,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  Nichols,  daughter  of  William  and  Parmelia 
Nichols,  whose  father  was  a  farmer,  and  whose  mother  died  at  Hickory 
Point.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ward  have  two  children — Schuyler  and  Harris. 
Mr.  Ward  now  began  farming  on  120  acres,  which  he  owned  in  Eagle 
Creek  Township,  Lake  County,  on  which  he  lived  five  years.  This  he 
sold  and  removed  to  Hickory  Point,  and  farmed  land  of  his  father-in-law  ; 
he  afterward  purchased  108  acres  of  his  present  farm,  which  now  com- 
prises 160,  within  half  a  mile  of  town,  and  very  productive  in  hay  ;  he 
also  has  considerable  stock.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ward  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

E.  WARD  was  born  in  the  State  of  Ohio  March  10,  1835,  and  is 
the  youngest  of  the  seven  children  of  Alfred  and  Fannie  (Loomis)  Ward  ; 
both  died  in  Ohio  when  our  subject  was  very  young.  E.  Ward,  not  hav- 
ing a  strong  love  for  school,  did  not  receive  a  very  high  education  in  his 
youth,  having  to  labor  on  the  farm.  When  sixteen  years  old,  he  came  to 
Lake  County,  Ind.,  and  when  twenty  years  old  began  business  for  him- 
self. He  owned  159  acres  in  Horse  Prairie,  of  which  he  has  since  sold 
ten  acres.  He  has  three  lots  in  Hebron,  on  one  of  which  he  has  a  resi- 
dence, business  room,  barn  and  outbuildings.  On  December  16,  1860, 
he  was  married,  at  Hickory  Point,  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Nichols,  daughter  of 
William  A.  and  Parmelia  Nichols.  To  this  union  followed  two  children 
— Alfred  G.  and  Addie  B.     Mr.  Ward  carries  a  fine  general  stock,  and 


328  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

has  a  large  trade.     He  owns  ten  acres  adjoining  Hebron.     Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ward  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

OLIVER  S.  WOOD,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  and 
istheyoungestof  the  eight  children  of  John  and  Hannah  E.  (Pettee)  Wood, 
both  of  English  descent  and  American  birth  ;  his  mother  died  in  Lake 
County,  where  his  father  is  yet  living.  Dr.  Wood's  earliest  lessons  were 
had  at  the  district  school ;  he  afterward,  at  the  age  of  twelve,  entered  an 
academy  at  Valparaiso,  where  he  continued  three  years,  thence  going  to 
Chicago  and  graduating  in  book-keeping  ;  he  afterward  returned  to  Val- 
paraiso, and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  four  years  ;  he  enlisted, 
in  1861,  in  the  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  he  was  band 
leader,  but  quit  the  service  after  nine  months,  on  account  of  defective 
hearing  ;  removed  to  Kansas,  where  he  conducted  a  stock-farm  for  four 
years.  In  1876,  at  Deep  River,  Lake  County,  he  commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine,  but  came  to  Hebron  in  1879,  where  he  has  since  been  in 
active  practice.  In  1864,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Charity  R.  Farnham, 
daughter  of  Charles  and  S.  A.  Farnham.  Their  union  was  blessed  with 
four  children — Lottie  B.,  Clayton,  Carlton  and  Leta.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wood  are  members  of  the  Unitarian  Church. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 

WILLIAM  J.  BARNES  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  Penn.,. 
September  10,  1829.  He  is  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  thirteen  born 
to  Asahel  and  Amy  (Watts)  Barnes  ;  twelve  of  this  family  are  yet  living, 
our  subject  and  a  sister  residing  in  this  county.  The  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject moved  from  Pennsylvania  to  Canada  when  he  was  very  young,  and 
there  resided  till  1860,  when  the  family  scattered.  His  mother  died  in 
1863,  his  father  being  alive  in  Michigan,  and  in  his  eighty-second  year. 
Our  subject  began  at  fourteen  years  of  age  to  Avork  by  the  month,  and  so 
continued  until  eighteen  years  old,  when  he  learned  the  carpenter  trade. 
In  1851  and  1852,  he  traveled  through  the  West,  trading  with  the  Indians, 
and  working  one  season  on  the  Mississippi  River.  He  came  to  Porter 
County  on  December  29,  1854,  settling  in  Prattville,  where  he  worked  as 
a  carpenter  five  years,  and  then  settled  on  his  present  farm  of  133  acres. 
He  was  married  November  25,  1855,  to  Margaret  J.  Babcock,  who  was 
born  in  Porter  County  November  7,  1836  ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  Clark 
Babcock,  an  early  settler.  To  this  union  five  children  were  born — Amy 
A.,  wife  of  William  Stoner,  of  Washington  Township  ;  Carrie  J.,  wife  of 
Lucian  Crumpacker,  of  Butler  County,  Neb.;  Martha  S.,  Ira  C.  and 
Dale  E.  Mr.  Barnes  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Temperance  Council  of 
Indiana,  and  one  of  the  Porter  County  committee  of  workers  for  temper- 
ance reform.     Politically,  he  is  a  Republican. 

JAMES  BAUM,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  was  born 
in  Crawford  County,  Penn.,  February  4,  1799,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and 
Catherine  (Randolph)  Baura.  His  mother  died  when  he  was  an  infant, 
and  he  was  reared  by  his  grandmother.  His  father  remarried,  and  he 
resided  with  him  until  his  majority  ;  his  father  had  been  an  Indian  spy 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP.  329 

during  the  war  of  1812.  Our  subject  also  served  as  a  wagoner  in  that 
war.  He  moved  with  his  parents  to  Stark  County,  Ohio  in  181-4,  and 
he  heard  the  roar  of  Perry's  battle  in  that  year  on  Lake  Erie.  His  father 
subsequently  removed  from  Stark  County,  Ohio,  to  St.  Joseph  County, 
Mich.,  where  he  died.  Our  subject  removed  from  Stark  County  to  Rich- 
land County  in  1823,  residing  there  until  1835,  when  he  came  to  Porter 
County.  His  land  was  purchased  at  the  land  sales  of  1835,  he  now  hav- 
ing 3l0  acres  of  excellent  soil.  He  was  married,  in  Stark  County,  to 
Rebecca  Miller,  of  Huntingdon  County,  Penn.,  a  daughter  of  Peter 
Miller.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baum  have  had  nine  children — John,  Jesse,  Peter 
M.,  Enoch  ;  Lavina,  deceased;  Lucinda,  wife  of  J.  Bushore,  of  Iowa; 
James  W.:  Rebecca  J.,  wife  of  William  Wickell,  of  Kansas;  and  Sarah 
J.,  deceased.  His  children  are  all  married,  his  eldest  son  having  been  in 
California  and  Oregon  for  thirty-five  years.  In  politics,  Mr.  Baum  is  a 
stanch  Democrat,  his  first  vote  having  been  cast  for  Gen.  Jacksoa  in 
1824.     Mrs.  Baum  is  a  member  of  the  Christian   Church. 

JAMES  W.  BAUM  is  a  son  of  James  and  Rebecca  (Miller)  Baum, 
and  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  September  21,  1837.  Mr.  Baum 
lived  with  his  parents  until  after  his  majority,  receiving  the  usual 
school  education  of  the  time.  His  business  has  been  farming,  and  that 
alone,  since  boyhood,  he  not  having  learned  any  trade.  On  September 
21,  1861,  he  was  married  to  Marian  Axe,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Agnes 
C.  (Cornell)  Axe.  She  was  born  November  16,  1842;  her  parents  were 
early  settlers,  taking  up  a  home  near  the  city  of  Valparaiso,  in  1836, 
where  they  resided  until  her  father's  death  ;  her  mother  is  now  living 
in  Delaware  County,  Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baum  have  had  a  family  of 
seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living — Fannie,  Allen,  Ross  and  Lol- 
lie.  Mr.  Baum  has  an  attractive  and  valuable  farm  comprising  forty 
acres  of  land.  He  is  a  Democrat,  but  liberal  in  his  political  views,  and 
generally  esteemed. 

HARMON  BEACH,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Porter  County,  was 
born  in  Litchfield  County,  Conn.,  May  8,  1812.  He  is  one  of  six  chil- 
dren born  to  Ezra  and  Polly  (Stoddard)  Beach,  all  of  whom  are  living  in 
this  county.  His  parents  were  born,  reared  and  married  in  Connecticut. 
They  moved  to  Canada  about  1818,  where  they  resided  until  1840,  when 
they  came  to  Porter  County,  remaining  until  their  death.  Our  subject 
came  to  Porter  County  in  1837;  he  received  a  fair  education,  and  learned 
the  occupation  of  carpenter  and  joiner,  at  which  he  worked  about  twelve 
years.  On  coming  here,  he  purchased  the  farm  he  still  occupies.  He 
now  owns  1,038  acres  of  land  in  this  county,  besides  120  acres  in  Mon- 
tana. He  was  married,  September  15,  1855,  to  Olive  Crane,  of  New 
York,  but  at  the  time  a  resident  of  Porter  County ;  she  is  a  daughter  of 
Jesse  and  Joanna  Crane,  and  was  born  in  1830.  They  have  had  a  family 
of  five  children — Mary,  Eugene  and  Clara  living,  and  Lester  and  Ella 
dead.  At  the  time  Mr.  Beach  came  to  this  county,  there  were  many 
Indians  in  the  neighborhood,  his  farm  being  one  of  their  hunting  grounds. 
The  prosperity  of  our  subject,  and  his  possessions,  are  to  be  attributed, 
mainly,  with  a  good  share  of  fortune,  to  his  industry  and  economy.  He 
is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  a  very  liberal  one. 

WILLARD  BEACH  is  the  son  of  Lyman  and  Leva  (Judd)  Beach, 
and  was  born  in  Canada  December  5,  1836.     His  parents  were  natives 


330  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

of  Connecticut,  moving  from  that  State  to  Canada  at  an  early  day,  thence 
raovincr  hither  and  settling  on  Morgan  Prairie  in  1838,  where  they  re- 
sided until  1867,  at  that  period  moving  to  Jackson  Township,  their  pres- 
ent residence.  Mr.  Willard  Beach  has  obtained  a  reasonably  fair  educa- 
cation,  and  has  followed  the  primitive  life  of  a  farmer  since  his  boyhood. 
He  came  to  the  place  on  which  he  lives,  and  which  he  owns,  in  1867  ;  it 
comprises  ninety  acres,  and  is  well  improved.  On  January  1,  1861,  he 
was  married  to  Hannah  Peoples,  who  died  June  8,  18  ('4,  leaving  a  family 
of  six  children — Leva,  Lyman,  Ella,  Wilden,  Walter  and  Ralph.  On 
December  23,  1874,  he  was  married  to  Rosanna  Adams,  a  native  of  this 
county,  and  born  in  1835 ;  she  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church.  By 
this  second  marriage  he  has  had  two  children  born  to  him — Mattie  and 
Stella  ;  both  of  whom,  however,  are  dead.  Mr.  Beach  is  a  Democrat,  but 
one  of  the  most  liberal  of  that  shade  of  political  opinion. 

JARED  BLAKE,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Porter  County,  was 
born  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  December  16,  1835  ;  he  is  one  of  a 
family  of  seven  children  born  to  Jacob  and  Eleanor  (Walton)  Blake,  four 
of  whom  are  living — three  in  this  county  and  one  in  Kansas.  His  par- 
ents were  born,  reared  and  married  in  what  is  now  West  Virginia,  whence 
they  emigrated  to  Jackson  County,  Ohio,  stopping  there  a  short  time 
before  going  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  and  thence  coming  to  Porter 
County  in  1836,  where  his  father  died  in  1844 ;  his  mother  died  in  this 
township  in  1870.  Jared  Blake  lived  at  home  until  he  was  of  age, 
having  always  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  and  being  now 
owner  of  130  acres  in  this  township,  100  of  which  are  improved.  He 
was  married  January  15,  1868,  to  Amelia  Beach,  of  this  county, 
born  May  29,  1848  ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  Sheldon  Beach.  To 
this  union  five  children  have  been  given — Frank  W.,  Alice  A.,  Otto  V., 
Harry  S.  and  Laura  P.  Mr.  Blake  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  against  the 
rebellion,  having  enlisted  in  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  1864,  under  Capt.  Sparks,  remaining  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  one  of  the  guards  at  the  obsequies  of  the 
lamented  President  Lincoln,  in  1865. 

ISAAC  V.  BOND,  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  is  one  of  seven 
born  to  Jesse  and  Mary  (Vore)  Bond,  three  of  whom  live  in  this  State 
and  one  in  California.  His  father  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  his 
mother  of  Pennsylvania  ;  they  came  to  Indiana  before  its  admission  as  a 
State,  remaining  until  1831,  when  they  removed  to  Kalamazoo  County, 
Mich.;  thence  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  they  resided  until  their 
decease,  his  mother  dying  in  1878,  and  his  father  in  1882.  Our  subject 
received  a  fair  education,  and  has  taught  several  terms.  When  about 
twenty-five  years  old,  he  visited  the  Southern  States,  and  in  1850,  the 
"  land  of  gold" — California.  In  this  adventure,  he  was  three  times  ship- 
wrecked and  three  times  paid  passage ;  he  engaged  in  mining,  and  after 
in  saw-milling,  remaining  two  years,  and  returning  by  way  of  Central 
America,  and  reaching  La  Porte  in  1853.  Here  he  was  married,  on  Sep- 
tember 10,  of  the  same  year,  to  Mary  E.  Rogers,  of  La  Porte  County, 
when  he  settled  to  farming,  but  after  eleven  years  made  an  overland  trip 
to  Idaho  in  1864.  He  has  visited  nineteen  States,  nine  Territories  and 
Central  and  South  America,  having  traveled  over   33,000  miles,  gaining 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP.  331 

much  information  and  many  curiosities.  He  came  to  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  in  December,  1864,  settling  on  the  land  he  now  has — ninety-one 
acres.  His  wife  died  October  10,  1875,  leavin^:  two  children — William 
A.  and  Frank  A.,  both  farmers.  His  second  marriage  was  to  Martha  H. 
Underwood  (O'Hara),  and  took  place  February  15,  1882  ;  she  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Mary  Underwood,  old  settlers  of  La  Porte  County. 
Mr.  Bond  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  has  been  Assessor  of  Washing- 
ton Township  ;  he  is  a  Quaker  in  religion,  and  a  Freemason.  Mrs. 
Bond  belongs  to  the  M.  E,  Church. 

A.  L.  BROWN,  son  of  Joseph  and  Susan  (Carter)  Brown,  was  born 
in  Spencer  County,  Ind.,  February  4,  1830 ;  the  youngest  of  thirteen 
children,  five  of  whom  are  living.  Our  subject  and  a  brother  in  Valpa- 
raiso represent  the  family  in  this  county  ;  his  father  was  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, his  mother  of  North  Carolina  ;  his  grandparents  came  from  Ken- 
tucky to  Spencer  County,  Ind.,  in  company  with  Abraham  Lincoln's 
parents,  in  1816,  living  as  neighbors  many  years.  Mr.  Brown's  father 
came  to  this  county  about  1885,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  August  3, 
1850  ;  he  was  a  farmer,  a  Democrat  and  an  admirer  of  fine  horses.  Our 
subject,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  left  Spencer  County  with  an  older  brother 
and  went  to  Missouri,  where  he  remained  seven  years,  returning  to  Por- 
ter County  in  1849,  and  here  he  has  since  resided.  In  his  youth,  he 
learned  the  tobacco  and  cigar  making  trade,  but  has,  by  preference,  fol- 
lowed farming;  he  has  now  two  farms,  comprising  360  acres,  about  250 
of  which  are  cultivated ;  he  has  also  good  buildings  and  various  improve- 
ments. On  October  4,  1853,  he  was  married  to  Catharine  Malone, 
daughter  of  Wilson  Malone ;  they  have  a  family  of  six  children — Ella 
(wife  of  Benjamin  Flood,  of  La  Porte  County),  Cassius  (married  and  liv- 
ing in  this  township),  Frederick,  William,  Walter  and  Aaron.  In  poli- 
tics, Mr.  Brown  is  a  Democrat,  but  an  extremely  liberal  one. 

WILLIAM  T.  BROWN  was  born  in  Mississippi  County,  Mo.,  Sep- 
tember 11,  1848,  and  is  the  son  of  Prester  and  Mahala  (Beckwith)  Brown, 
who  were  natives  of  this  State,  and  settled  in  this  county  in  1849,  on 
Morgan  Prairie.  His  occupation  since  boyhood  has  been  mainly  farming, 
although  he  has  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  has  at  the  present 
time  a  very  excellent  farm  of  190  acres,  the  greater  part  of  which  has 
been  cleared  and  improved  by  himself.  Not  having  the  best  opportuni- 
ties for  acquiring  knowledge  in  his  youth,  his  education  is  somewhat 
limited.  For  several  years  he  has  done  considerable  threshing,  being  the 
owner  of  a  good  steam  threshing  machine.  On  July  2,  1873,  he  was 
married  to  Indiana  Shinabarger,  a  native  of  this  county.  To  this  union 
a  family  of  two  children  have  resulted — Nattie  and  Myron.  Mr.  Brown 
is  a  Democrat,  but  one  of  the  liberal  stamp.  He  is  a  fair  business  man. 
and  in  the  affairs  of  life  has  been  reasonably  successful. 

JAMES  BUNDY  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Ind.,  May  5,  1826. 
and  is  a  son  of  James  and  Maria  (KofFman)  Bundy  ;  his  parents  were 
born  and  married  in  Northumberland  County,  Penn.,  and  came  to  Fay- 
ette County,  Ind.,  about  the  year  1820,  among  the  first  settlers.  In  1832, 
they  took  up  eighty  acres  in  Elkhart  County,  hewing  a  place  in  the  wood 
for  a  cabin  of  logs,  using  greased  paper  for  widow  panes.  They  came  to 
Porter  Countv  in  1841,  settling  on  what  is  now  the  "Wilson  farm;"  his 

T 


332  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

father  died  in  1858,  his  mother  in  1855.  James  Bundy  lived  at  home 
until  of  age,  receiving  a  common  school  education ;  he  is  a  farmer,  and 
has  worked  at  carpentering,  but  never  learned  the  trade.  On  December 
7,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Adaline  Philips,  daughter  of  John  and  Esther 
(Bachelor)  Philips,  born  June  27,  1881.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bundy  have  had 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — John  K.,  William,  George  W. 
(the  last  two  are  carpenters,  and  have  built  some  fine  buildings  in  this 
county),  Frank  and  Mary.  Mr.  Bundy  has  a  snug  farm  of  forty  acres,  on 
which  he  now  resides.  In  politics,  he,  together  with  his  sons,  is  a  Re- 
publican. 

S.  A.  CAMPBELL,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  was 
born  in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  February  8,  1821,  and  is  the  eldest 
of  three  sons  born  to  Adam  S.  and  Polly  (Adams)  Campbell,  and  the 
only  one  now  living.  His  parents  were  born,  brought  up  and  married  in 
the  State  of  New  York.  They  came  Westward  when  our  subject  was 
twelve  years  of  age,  and  settled  on  Morgan  Prairie,  in  Porter  County. 
Mr.  Campbell  was  Justice  of  the  Peace,  School  Commissioner,  and 
served  one  term  in  the  State  Legislature  as  a  Democrat ;  he  died  in 
August,  1850,  but  Mrs.  Campbell  is  still  living  with  her  son,  and  eighty- 
four  years  old.  Our  subject  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents 
in  1838,  and  remained  "with  them  until  of  age ;  he  attended  the  first 
school  taught  in  this  county,  on  Section  8  of  this  township,  in  1884  and 
1835.  On  March  18,  1847,  he  was  married  to  Harriet  Cornell  of 
Wayne  County,  Ohio,  but  then  residing  here ;  she  died  in  June,  1864, 
leaving  a  family  of  four  children — Myron  and  Marvin  (twins),  Otto  and 
Helen,  wife  of  D.  Eastburn,  of  Benton  County,  Ohio  ;  his  second  mar- 
riage, to  Elizabeth  (Bartholomew)  Finney,  took  place  September  21, 
1875 ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  Bartholomew,  and  was  born  March 
11,  1822,  her  parents  coming  to  the  county  in  1884.  In  politics,  Mr. 
Campbell  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  been  Township  Trustee  for  many 
years ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  and  Chapter  Lodges,  also  of  the  Com- 
mandery  of  Masons.  Mrs.  C.  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
The  Campbells  are  perhaps  the  second  oldest  family  in  Porter  County, 
the  oldest  being  the  Morgans,  of  Westchester  Township. 

RUSSEL  COHOON  is  a  native  of  Yates  County,  N.  Y.;  he  was 
born  August  2,  1808,  and  is  a  son  of  Stuart  and  Charity  (Culver) 
Cohoon  ;  he  is  the  eldest  of  his  family ;  his  father  was  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, his  mother  of  New  Jersey ;  his  father  was  a  Captain  in  the  war 
of  1812  ;  he  lived  in  the  State  of  New  York  until  1820,  when  he  moved 
to  Erie  County,  Penn.,  and  there  died  in  1836  ;  his  grandfather  served 
in  the  Revolution.  Our  subject  lived  at  home  until  of  age,  and  received 
a  fair  education  for  the  time,  having  taught  two  terms  of  school ;  he 
learned  the  trade  of  a  joiner,  at  which  he  worked  in  connection  with 
wagon-making  for  many  years,  and  nine  years  at  saw-milling;  he  came  to 
Porter  County  in  February,  1851,  settling  on  the  farm  which  he  now 
owns — a  splendid  one  of  eighty-five  acres,  besides  good  buildings.  He 
was  married  October  1,  1829,  to  Anna  Colver,  of  Yates  County,  N.  Y. 
by  this  union  he  had  five  children — Llewellyn  J.,  Avery  R.,  Elliott 
Ceylon  and  Molross  ;  his  wife  died  August  18,  1855;  his  second  mar 
riage   was   to   Mrs.   Nancy    C.  Hayner,  who  was   born   April   6,  1822 


WASHINGTON    TOWNSHIP.  333 

by  this  union  Mr.  Colioon  had  born  to  him  four  children — Charles,  Car- 
rie C.  (now  wife  of  N.  Dawson,  of  this  county),  Ellsworth  and  Grant ; 
the  boys  are  farmers ;  by  a  former  marriage  Mrs.  Cohoou  had  two  chil- 
dren. She  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr. 
Cohoon  is  a  Republican  and  a  member  of  the  Unitarian  Church;  he  has 
been  Justice  of  the  Peace  twenty-one  years. 

NATHAN  COOPER,  son  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Joseph)  Cooper, 
was  born  in  Putnam  County,  Ohio,  January  10,  1841.  Regarding  his 
parents,  Mr.  Cooper  knows  but  very  little,  inasmuch  as  they  died  when 
he  was  extremely  young ;  he  lived  with  his  grandparents  until  he  was 
about  nine  years  of  age,  afterward  with  a  man  named  William  Beard 
until  his  fifteenth  year,  when  he  began  the  battle  of  existence  for  him- 
self; he  came  here  in  the  autumn  of  1855,  in  company  with  his  uncle, 
M.  Joseph.  Mr.  Cooper,  despite  his  lack  of  opportunity  for  education, 
has  informed  himself  sufficiently  for  the  requirements  of  business ;  he 
moved  upon  the  place  he  now  holds  on  the  day  of  President  Lincoln's 
inauguration,  March  4,  1861.  He  was  married,  January  11,  1866,  to 
Lydia  A.  Stoner,  of  Porter  County,  born  July  7,  1844,  and  a  daughter 
of  Abraham  Stoner,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  coming  hither  in  1838. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cooper  have  had  two  children — Frankie,  born  July  18, 
1870,  and  Lulu  B.,  November  6,  1880.  Mr.  Cooper  has  followed  farm- 
ing from  boyhood,  and  has  425  acres  of  land,  as  fine  a  stock  farm  as  the 
county  contains.  In  politics,  he  is  independent  or  neutral,  supporting, 
as  he  believes,  the  best  man  among  all. 

THEOPHILUS  CRUMPACKER,  son  of  Owen  and  Hannah 
(Woodford)  Crumpacker,  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Va.,  Janu- 
ary 18,  1822 ;  he  is  one  of  a  family  of  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living;  his  parents  were  also  Virginians ;  his  ancestry  on  his  father's 
side  were  from  Germany,  and  on  his  mother's  from  England.  The 
subject  of  our  sketch  came  with  his  parents  from  Virginia  to  Union 
County,  Ind.,  in  1828,  and  in  1834  came  to  Porter  County  ;  his  father 
settled  upon  land  purchased  from  the  Government,  afterward  moving  to 
La  Porte  County,  where  he  died  July  28,  1848.  Mr.  Crumbacker  lived 
with  his  parents  until  he  became  of  age,  receiving  a  fair  school  educa- 
tion, and  remained  until  1863,  when  he  removed  to  Kankakee  County, 
111.,  but  returned  to  Porter  County  in  1865,  and  settled  upon  the  farm 
he  now  owns,  a  fine  one  of  245  acres.  Mr.  Crumpacker  has  been 
a  stanch  Republican  since  the  party  was  formed,  having  represented  his 
county  in  the  State  Legislature  three  terms,  from  1872  to  1878,  and 
being  the  only  man  of  his  county  who  has  served  that  number  of  terms. 
While  in  La  Porte  County,  he  was  four  years  Township  Trustee ;  he  has 
now  retired.  On  February  27,  1847,  he  was  married  to  Harriet  Em- 
mons, a  daughter  of  William  and  Elsie  (Kirk)  Emmons,  and  born 
November  17,  1823.  Eight  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living,  were 
born  to  them — John  W.,  Edgar,  Daniel,  Eliza  A.  (deceased),  Peter, 
Nettie,  Charlie  and  Grant.  The  eldest,  John  W.,  was  born  in  La  Porte 
County  March  19,  1849,  where  he  received  a  good  education  and  taught 
public  school  four  terms.  He  was  married,  January  3,  1877,  to  Anna 
J.  Smith,  daughter  of  Martin  Smith  ;  she  was  born  March  31,  1849,  in 
Huron    County,   Ohio.     In   1872,    John   W.   Crumpacker  entered   the 


334  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

County  Treasarer's  office  as  Deputy,  and,  in  1878,  was  elected  Treasurer 
by  the  Republicans  ;  he  is  now  serving  his  second  term  ;  he  belongs  t  j 
the  I.  0.  0.  F.,  also  the  0.  F.  Encampment;  his  wife  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

H.  W.  FORBES  is  the  eldest  son  of  J.  T.  and  Martha  (Pettit) 
Forbes,  parents  of  seven  children,  five  still  living;  he  was  born  near 
Hamilton,  Upper  Canada,  January  6,  1848,  and  came  with  his  parents 
to  Porter  County  in  1854 ;  he  attended  a  common  school  until  he  was 
nineteen  years  old,  when  he  attended  three  terms  at  the  Valparaiso  Col- 
lege ;  he  has  worked  mostly  at  farming,  but  at  present  owns  a  mill  near 
Coburg ;  he  has  also  dealt  in  grain  and  wood,  shipping  from  Coburg, 
where  he  was  the  first  agent  for  the  B.  &  0.  R.  R.;  he  was  also  appointed 
the  first  Postmaster,  which  position  he  now  holds,  it  being  largely  due  to 
his  influence  that  said  post  office  was  established  ;  he  has  195  acres  of 
land,  about  130  of  which  are  cultivated,  and  has  besides  buildings  and 
other  improvements.  In  politics,  Mr.  Forbes  is  a  liberal  Democrat.  He 
was  married,  January  26,  1868,  to  Helen  Shinabarger,  the  daughter  of 
Jacob  Shinabarger,  who  was  born  in  La  Porte  County  December  1, 
1845.  To  this  marriage  a  family  of  five  have  been  born,  only  two  ol 
whom  survive — Ross  C.  and  Ruby  J.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Forbes,  now 
eighty-one  years  of  age,  residing  with  our  subject.  The  first  school 
attended  by  Mr.  Forbes  was  a  missionary  school  for  the  Indians:  he  at- 
tended here  three  years. 

THADDEUS  H.  FORBES,  son  of  J.  T.  and  Martha  (Pettit) 
Forbes,  was  born  near  Coburg,  Upper  Canada,  August  20,  1851 ;  he 
came  with  his  parents  to  Porter  County  in  1854,  and  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  until  about  eighteen  years  old,  thereby  receiving  a  very  fair 
education;  he  remained  at  home  until  past  his  majority,  and  was  married, 
June  26,  1875,  to  Nora  Pinney,  of  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  daughter  of 
Horace  Pinney,  and  born  September  4,  1852,  her  parents  being  among 
the  oldest  settlers  of  that  county.  Since  his  marriage  he  has  been 
engaged  in  farming,  clearing  land  and  stock  raising ;  he  has  a  good  farm 
of  150  acres,  about  eighty  of  which  are  improved,  together  with  good, 
necessary  buildings;  he  was  for  four  years  Deputy  Postmaster  of  Coburg, 
and  also  kept  a  grocery  for  three  years,  but  is  now  employed  in  farming. 
Like  other  members  of  his  father's  family,  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  exceed- 
ingly liberal  in  his  political  views. 

JOHN  HANSFORD  was  born  in  Somerset,  England,  January  8. 
1813,  and  is  third  of  a  family  of  four  children  born  to  John  and  Sarah 
(Pickford)  Hansford;  Mr.  Hansford  thinks  he  is  the  only  one  of  his 
family  now  living;  his  parents  were  born  and  died  in  England.  Our 
subject  received  no  school  education,  but  is  wholly  self-instructed ;  he  left 
England  for  New  York  at  fifteen  years  of  age,  where  he  stopped  a  short 
time,  thence  moved  to  New  Jersey,  where  he  lived  until  1832,  thence  t^ 
New  Orleans,  Cuba,  and  finally  landed  in  Chicago  in  1836;  he  stayed 
in  Cook  County,  111.,  until  1842,  when  he  settled  in  Washington  Town- 
ship, Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  upon  the  place  of  his  present  residence;  he  has 
now  920  acres  of  land,  with  important  improvements.  In  November, 
1838,  he  was  married,  in  Cook  County,  III.,  to  Ann  Moran ;  she  died  in 
1840,  leaving  two  children,  one  now  living — Maria  (wife  of  S.  Lewis,  of 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP.  335 

Morgan  Township).  In  1843,  he  was  again  married,  this  time  to  Hannah 
Dillingham,  who  died  January  1,  1875 ;  by  this  union  he  had  thirteen 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — Eve  (now  in  Kansas),  Effie  (wife  of 
Otis  King,  of  La  Porte  County),  Ella  (wife  of  R.  Reed,  of  Washington 
Territory),  William,  Emma  (wife  of  J.  Sulman,  of  this  township),  Jay 
and  Jonah  (twins).  On  April  4,  1876,  he  was  married  a  third  time,  the 
bride  being  Mary  Grundy,  who  died  in  April,  1877  ;  on  June  21,  1877, 
he  married  his  present  wife — Lizzie  Street.  In  business,  Mr.  Hansford 
has  been  exceedingly  successful;  in  politics,  he  is  independent,  voting 
for  the  best  man.  For  two  years  he  has  had  a  position  on  the  G.  T.  R. 
R.,  which  he  yet  retains. 

JOSEPH  KIMERER  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  August  2, 
1824 ;  he  is  one  of  sixteen  children  born  to  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Korn) 
Kimerer,  only  six  of  whom  survive;  his  parents  were  born,  reared  and 
married  in  Cumberland  County,  Penn.,  removing  to  Wayne  County, 
Ohio,  in  1814,  and  being  among  the  pioneers  of  that  county,  where  his 
father  died  in  1837 ;  his  mother  removed  to  Holmes  County,  where  she 
resided  until  her  death  in  1859.  Joseph  Kimerer  lived  with  his  mother 
until  his  majority,  when  he  was  married,  November  10,  1846,  to  Jane  V. 
Silcott,  a  native  of  Fairfax  County,  Va.,  born  in  1828;  she  died  in  1862, 
leaving  a  family  of  five — Mary  A.  (wife  of  S.  Thatcher),  Marion,  Lewis 
N.,  William  A.  and  Jackson.  In  1864,  he  married  Nancy  Hanna,  who 
died  in  1865,  to  which  second  marriage  one  child  resulted — Nancy  J. 
On  March  20,  1866,  he  was  married  to  Mary  J.  Lisle,  of  Holmes  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  by  whom  he  has  a  family  of  three — James,  Helen  M.  and  Alice 
M.  Mr.  Kimerer  moved  from  Wayne  County  to  Holmes  County  in 
1846,  and  engaged  in  farming  until  1872,.  when  he  came  to  Porter  Coun- 
ty; he  has  a  fine  farm  of  246  acres.  In  politics,  Mr.  Kimerer  is  a  lib- 
eral Democrat,  and  was  County  Commissioner  of  Holmes  County,  from 
1860  to  1866;  also,  Trustee  for  three  years,  and  Township  Clerk  for  one 
year.  In  1852.  Mr.  Kimerer  traveled  to  California,  but  determining 
that  farming  was  safer  as  a  business  than  gold  mining,  he  returned  the 
same  year ;  he  was  a  Mason  many  years,  and  has  not  now  abandoned  the 
order.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kimerer  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 

T.  H.  LEWIS  was  born  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  November  25, 1838; 
he  is  one  of  a  family  of  eleven  children  born  to  Elmander  and  Mary  (Dodge) 
Lewis,  ten  of  whom  are  living  ;  his  parents  were  natives  of  Massachusetts, 
and  his  grandparents  came  to  Ohio  with  their  family  at  a  very  early  day. 
Our  subject  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents  in  1849,  and  settled  in 
Morgan  Township.  In  the  spring  of  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in 
Company  B,  Sixty-third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  took  part  in 
the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  ;  he  was  with  Gen.  Sherman  in  his  "  march 
to  the  sea,"  remaining  in  the  service  until  the  war  had  ended.  Since  that 
period,  his  occupation  has  been  farming,  having  200  acres  of  land ;  he 
was  married,  January  25,  1866,  to  Caroline  Austin,  a  native  of  Porter 
County,  and  daughter  of  Cain  and  Mary  (Bowker)  Austin  ;  her  parents 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  this  county.  To  this  union  there  have 
born  two  children — Eddie  and  Florence.  Mr.  Lewis  is  a  firm  Repub- 
lican, and  as  such  represents  his  party  as  Trustee  of  Washington  Town- 
ship, and  this  for  a  second  term  ;  he  is  a  man  of  much  executive  ability 
and  integrity,  and  has  been  quite  successful  in  his  affairs. 


336  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

CHARLES  R.  LUTHER,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Porter 
County,  was  born  in  New  York  August  26,  1828  ;  he  is  the  sixth  of  a 
family  of  nine  children  born  to  James  and  Irene  (Ransom)  Luther,  seven 
of  whom  are  living — our  subject  and  one  sister  in  this  county;  his  father 
was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire ;  he  died  in  1849,  and  his  mother  in 
1859.  C.  R.  Luther  came  here  with  his  parents  when  eight  years  old. 
After  receiving  a  fair  education,  and  being  engaged  as  teacher  for  several 
terms,  he  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  and  joiner,  at  which  he  worked 
for  five  years  ;  he  was  married,  December  22,  1853,  to  Esther  M,  Holton, 
a  daughter  of  Ira  Holton,  and  born  in  Upper  Canada  November  19,  1837. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Luther  have  been  born  four  children — Luna  L.  (de- 
ceased), Iredell,  Harry  R.  and  Lula  B.  ;  of  these,  Iredell  is  a  farmer,  and 
Harry  R.  a  school  teacher.  Mr.  Luther  was  one  of  the  Directors  of  the 
Northern  State  Prison  for  two  years,  and  Assessor  of  Washington  Town- 
ship for  five  years  ;  he  is  a  Republican,  having  belonged  to  that  party  ever 
since  its  organization. 

WILLIAM  L.  MALONE,  son  of  Wilson  and  Sarah  (Swank)  Ma- 
lone,  was  born  in  this  county  October  3,  1847  ;  he  received  his  educa- 
tion from  the  ordinary  schools  and  the  Valparaiso  High  School,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  farming.  On  December  2,  1875,  he  was  married 
to  Matilda  Forbes,  daughter  of  J.  T.  Forbes,  who  was  born  June  30, 
1853,  a  sketch  of  whose  parents  will  be  found  in  this  work.  To  this 
union  two  children  were  born — Lawrence  and  Leon.  In  politics,  Mr. 
Malone  is  a  Democrat,  and  represents  his  party  as  Assessor  of  Washing- 
ton Township ;  he  has  200  acres  of  land,  120  being  improved.  Wilson 
Malone,  father  of  our  subject,  came  to  La  Porte  County  in  1832,  and  was 
among  the  earliest  settlers  ;  his  only  possessions  were  a  few  household 
goods  and  50  cents.  He  contracted  for  the  building  of  one  mile  of 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Michigan  State  road,  and  invested  the  pro- 
ceeds in  Porter  County  land.  He  spent  his  first  winter  in  a  cabin  with- 
out floor  or  windows  ;  but  he  was  industrious,  and  at  his  death  owned 
over  1,100  acres  ;  he  died  December  22,  1876  ;  he  was  father  to  nine 
children — Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Dr.  Pagin),  Caroline  (Mrs.  A.  Stanton),  Cath- 
erine (Mrs.  A.  Brown).  Rebecca  (Mrs.  H.  Slover),  James  R.,  William  L., 
Martha  (Mrs.  E.  Powell)  and  Harriet  (Mrs.  C.  Talcott).  Wilson  Malone 
was  the  son  of  Lester  Malone ;  was  born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  June  18, 
1805 ;  he  lived  in  that  county  until  manhood ;  his  parents  died  when  he 
was  quite  young,  when  he  was  cast  upon  his  resources  for  a  livelihood  ;  he 
came  West  in  1826,  stopping  in  Fountain  and  Montgomery  Counties,* 
Ind.  On  February  22,  1832,  he  was  married  to  Sarah  Swank,  daughter 
of  Jacob  Swank,  an  early  settler  of  Montgomery  County  ;  she  was  born 
at  Springfield,  Ohio,  October  15,  1811. 

OVID  OAKS,  a  pioneer  of  Porter  County,  was  born  in  Allegany 
County.  N.  Y.,  February  9,  1821  ;  he  is  the  eldest  of  five  children  born 
to  David  and  Mary  (Howe)  Oaks  ;  all  are  living — four  in  this  county,  the 
other  in  California  ;  his  father  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  his  mother 
in  Massachusetts.  They  came  to  this  county  in  1835,  and  here  lived 
until  the  decease  of  both — in  1874.  Our  subject  came  to  this  county 
with  his  parents,  and  received  a  liberal  education  by  attending  the  com- 
mon schools,    and  afterward  the  State  University  about  four   years  ;   he 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP.  337 

kept  a  hotel  for  two  years,  and  taught  school  for  some  time  ;  he  then 
moved  to  Missouri,  where  he  bought  land,  and  followed  farming  and 
school  teaching  for  eight  years.  Returning  to  Valparaiso,  he  kept  a 
grocery  about  five  years,  and  returned  to  farming  in  1875,  having  now 
130  acres,  sixty  of  which  are  unimproved.  He  was  married.  May  31, 
1849,  to  Phebe  Rhorer,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  but  a  resident  of  Monroe 
County,  Ind.;  she  was  born  April  17,  1824.  Their  family  consists  of 
four  children — Omar  M.,  Emma  J.  (wife  of  M.  Kiraerer,  of  Valparaiso), 
Eva  (wife  of  H.  Taggart,  of  South  Bend),  and  Lucian  R.  Mr.  Oaks  is  a 
Republican  of  the  liberal  school.  Mrs,  Oaks  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church. 

JOSEPH  PEOPLES  was  born  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  June  27, 
1842,  and  is  one  of  fifteen  children  born  to  John  and  Mary  (Davis)  Peo- 
ples, nine  of  whom  are  surviving — three  in  this  county ;  his  parents  were 
natives  of  Pennsylvania  ;  they  came  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day,  where  they 
married  and  lived  until  1852,  when  they  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind., 
settling  in  Washington  Township.  Mr.  Peoples'  father  died  in  1874,  and 
his  mother  in  1852.  Our  subject  lived  at  home  until  of  age;  then  followed 
farming  until  the  present  time,  except  for  about  two  years,  during  which 
he  worked  at  carpentering  and  blacksmithing  ;  he  enlisted  in  the  Twen- 
tieth Indiana  Battery,  under  Capt.  Rose,  and  was  ac  Franklin,  Murfrees- 
boro,  Chattanooga,  Fort  Donelson  and  other  engagements  ;  he  was,  for  a 
time,  flag-bearer  for  his  battery,  and  was  present  at  Gen.  Lee's  surrender, 
soon  after  which  he  was  discharged.  On  February  14,  1868,  he  was 
married  to  Anna  Babcock,  born  August  28,  1852.  They  have  had  four 
children — Jannet  (deceased),  Clark  J.,  Frank  B.  and  Nina  M.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Peoples  are  members  of  the  Good  Templars  organization.  He  is  a 
Republican,  and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  from  1878  to  1880  ;  his  farm 
comprises  105  acres,  of  which  about  fifty-five  are  under  cultivation.  Mr. 
Peoples  is  a  total  abstainer  from  strong  drink  and  tobacco. 

NICHOLAS  PICKRELL,  son  of  Nicholas  and  Margaret  (McCoy) 
Pickrell,  was  born  in  Logan  County,  Ohio,  March  3,  1828,  and  is  the 
youngest  of  five  children,  two  of  whom  only  survive  ;  his  fiither  was  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  and  his  mother  of  Virginia  ;  his  mother  came 
to  Elkhart  County,  Ind.  (after  his  father's  death),  in  1835,  where  she 
remained  until  her  death,  in  1862.  Mr.  Pickrell,  our  subject,  came  to 
Porter  County  in  1849,  settling  in  Morgan  Township,  but  afterward 
came  to  Washington  Township,  where  he  still  resides.  He  has  310 
acres  of  land,  130  of  which  are  improved ;  he  is  a  man  of  fair  edu- 
cation, and  he  served  in  Company  G,  Thirty-third  Regiment  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry,  from  November,  1864,  until  the  close  of  the 
war  ;  he  was  in  the*^  battle  of  Nashville,  and  was  with  Gen.  Sherman  at 
the  surrender  of  Gen.  Johnston.  Since  his  discharge,  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  farming.  In  politics,  Mr.  Pickrell  is  a  firm  Republican,  having 
been  one  of  the  earliest  adherents  of  that  party.  In  1874,  he  was  Trustee 
of  Washington  Township,  which  office  he  held  for  six  years.  In 
1880,  he  was  elected  County  Commissioner,  an  office. he  now  holds.  He 
was  married,  in  February,  1856,  to  Sarah  Bell,  one  of  the  early  settlers, 
who  died  December  26,  1873,  leaving  a  family  of  six  children,  five  of 
whom  still  live — Lizzie  B.    (wife  of  F.    Concannon),  Carrie  E.,  Mary, 


338  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

Phebe  D.  and  John.     Mr.  Pickrell  has  been  fairly  successful  in  business 

ANDREW  B.  PIERCE  was  born  in  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  April 
9,  1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Warner  and  Adelia  (Beeman)  Pierce  ;  his  father 
was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  his  mother  of  Connecticut ;  they  were 
married  and  lived  in  New  York  until  coming  westward  in  1831 ;  they 
stopped  two  years  in  Michigan  and  one  year  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind., 
reaching  and  settling  in  Porter  County  in  1834  ;  his  father  followed 
farming  until  his  death,  on  May  6,  1811  ;  his  mother  is  still  living,  now 
in  her  eighty-fifth  year,  vivacious  and  healthy.  Our  subject  came  with 
his  parents  in  1834  ;  he  received  a  fair  education,  and  remained  with  his 
mother  after  his  father's  death,  until  twenty-eight  years  old,  when  he 
began  farming  for  himself;  he  has  now  420  acres  of  land.  He  was 
married  April  1,  1858,  to  Mary  E.  Johnston,  of  this  county,  daughter  of 
Jesse  and  Rebecca  (Pickett)  Johnston  ;  she  was  born  May  1,  1838,  and 
her  parents  were  among  the  first  to  settle  here,  her  father  being  the  first 
Judge  of  Porter  County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce  have  had  eight  children, 
four  of  whom  are  living — Morosco  L.,  William  F.,  Helena  E.  and  John 
G.  In  politics,  Mr.  Pierce  holds  with  the  Democracy,  but  is  not  an  ex- 
treme man.  Both  he  and  Mrs.  Pierce  are  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church  of  Valparaiso  ;  he  has  been  fairly  successful  in  business  ventures. 

S.  P.  SHINABARGER.  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  was 
born  in  Jackson  Township,  Wayne  Co.,  Ohio,  January  6,  1820  ;  he  is 
one  of  a  family  of  ten  born  to  Jacob  and  Hannah  (Heller)  Shinabarger ; 
six  of  these  are  living.  The  father  of  our  subject  came  to  Porter  County 
in  1833,  settling  on  Morgan  Prairie,  Washington  Township.  The  county 
at  that  time  was  an  unbroken  forest  and  prairie,  peopled  by  Indians ;  the 
city  of  Valparaiso  was  unthought  of;  his  father  lived  in  this  county  for 
many  years,  but  died  in  La  Porte  County.  Our  subject  was  fortunate  to 
secure  a  good  education,  notwithstanding  the  meager  advantages  of  that 
period  ;  he  lived  at  home  until  his  twenty-second  year,  and  has  since  been 
farming,  except  one  year,  when  he  was  in  mercantile  business  at  Buena 
Vista ;  he  was  married,  October  20,  1844,  to  Esther  Tabor,  of  Erie 
County,  Penn.,  who  died  April  17,  1849,  leaving  two  children,  one,  Bur- 
ton J.,  now  surviving;  his  second  marriage  was  to  Laura  Tabor,  June  1, 
1852;  bv  this  union,  he  has  had  nine  children — Martha  E.,  Alta  J., 
Ernest  F.,  Bell,  Nellie  L.,  Edward  S.,  Mary  C,  Walter  0.  and  Ruther 
M.  In  politics,  Mr.  Shinabarger  is  a  Liberal  Republican  ;  his  first  vote 
was  cast  for  Gen.  Harrison  in  1840  ;  he  has  represented  his  party  for 
over  twelve  years  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  still  holding  that  ofiice ;  his 
farm  consists  of  193  acres,  180  being  under  cultivation  ;  he  is  a  member 
of  Westville  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Shinabarger  (Mr. 
Tabor),  resides  with  our  subject;  he  settled  in  La  Porte  County  in  1835, 
and  is  now  past  eighty-five  years  of  age. 

HENRY  SLOVER,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Washington  Town- 
ship, was  born  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  April  24,  1828;  he  is  the 
youngest  of  twelve  children  born  to  Isaac  and  Polly  (Watts)  Slover;  of 
this  fiimily,  only  three  survive,  our  subject  being  the  only  representative 
in  this  county  ;  his  parents  were  both  natives  of  New  Jersey,  removing  to 
New  York,  thence  to  Erie  County,  Penn.,  and  thence  to  Porter  County, 


UNION  TOWNSHIP.  339 

Ind.,  in  1843,  settling  in  Washington  Township ;  his  father  died  while 
visiting  Pennsylvania  in  1852  and  his  mother  in  this  county  in  1849. 
Our  subject  came  here  with  his  parents  in  1843.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
four,  in  company  with  some  emigrants,  he  crossed  the  plains  for  Cali- 
fornia. Being  overtaken  by  sickness,  he  gave  up  mining,  and  worked 
by  the  month  ;  he  remained  in  California  until  1858,  when  he  returned 
to  this  township.  On  May  19,  1859,  he  was  married  to  Rebecca  J.  Ma- 
lone  ;  they  have  had  a  family  of  three  children — Carrie  B.  (deceased), 
Charles  W.  and  Hattie.  Mr.  Slover  has  been  fairly  successful  in  busi- 
ness affairs ;  he  has  a  farm  of  232  acres  of  good  land,  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  of  which  are  improved,  and  containing  excellent  buildings,  mak- 
ing a  most  desirable  property.  Mr.  Slover  is  a  Democrat,  but  exceed- 
ingly liberal. 


UNION   TOWNSHIP. 

DR.  GEORGE  W.  ARNOLD  was  born  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y., 
August  6,  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  Elisha  and  Phebe  (Sayles)  Arnold,  both 
natives  of  New  York.  When  George  W.  Arnold  was  eight  years  of  age, 
he  came  with  his  parents  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. During  his  youth,  he  worked  on  the  farm  and  acquired  a  fair 
common-school  education.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two,  he  began  to  study 
medicine  at  home,  and  in  1871  he  graduated  at  the  Bennett  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Chicago,  and  the  same  year  located  at  Wheeler,  where  he  has 
been  practicing,  with  the  exception  of  one  year  spent  in  South  Chicago. 
In  1864,  he  entered  Company  H,  Fifty-third  Regiment  Indiana  Volun- 
teers, and  served  until  the  war  was  closed.  Dr.  Arnold  is  a  member  of 
Lodge  No.  403,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  also  of  Valparaiso  Commandery. 
In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican. 

WILLIAM  0.  CADWELL,  farmer,  was  born  in  Onondaga  County, 
N.  Y.,  May  12,  1830,  and  was  the  fourth  of  eight  children  composing 
the  family  of  Chester  and  Phila  (Daniels)  Cadwell ;  five  of  these  are  liv- 
ing. In  1838,  the  family  settled  in  Union  Township,  where  the  father 
lived  until  his  death,  in  1867.  William  0.  Cadwell  remained  at  home 
until  he  became  of  age.  On  June  19,  1853,  he  married  Margaret 
Frame,  of  this  county.  She  died  in  1860,  leaving  one  child — Malphus 
F.,  a  farmer  of  Union  Township.  After  his  marriage,  he  located  on  his 
present  farm,  now  embracing  110  acres.  His  second  marriage  took  place 
October  15,  1861,  to  Mary  Gilbert,  a  native  of  Ohio.  To  this  union 
three  children  were  born — Ida  M.,  Homer  0.  and  Don  Alonzo.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cadwell  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Cadwell  is  Republican. 

THOMAS  CRISMAN,  farmer,  was  born  in  Huntingdon  County, 
Penn.,  August  13,  1805.  He  was  the  sixth  of  eight  children  composing 
the  family  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  E.  (Yingling)  Crisman,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Maryland.  In  1818,  the  family  removed  to  Carroll 
County,  Ohio,  where  Thomas  lived  until  1850,  when  he  settled  on  the 
farm  in  Union  Township,  on  which  he  has  since  resided.  On  November 
25,  1830,  he  was  married  to  Nancy  Ringle,  of  Westmoreland  County. 
Penn.     As  a  result  of  this  union   thirteen  children   were   born,  nine  of 


340  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

whom  survive — Mrs.  Lavina  Shearer,  of  Lake  County  ;  Mrs.  Hannah 
Gunder,  of  Porter  County ;  Mrs.  Eliza  Smith,  of  La  Porte  County  ; 
Mrs.  Mary  Matthews,  of  Hobart ;  Harrison,  John,  Thomas,  Mrs.  Louisa 
Scholl  and  Mrs.  Alice  Bentley.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crisman  are  members  of 
the  Lutheran  Church.  In  politics,  Mr.  Crisman  is  a  Republican.  He 
has  an  excellent  farm,  with  valuable  improvements.  He  is  a  fair-minded 
and  honored  citizen. 

EPHRAIM  CRISMAN  was  born  in  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  and 
is  one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Frederick  and  Eliza  (Hardesty)  Crisman. 
In  1848,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Union  Township,  where  his  father 
died  January  4,  1877.  The  Crisman  family  is  of  Dutch  descent.  Eph- 
raira  lived  at  home  until  he  was  married,  December  25,  1861,  to  Sarah 
Long,  of  Williamsville,  N.  Y.  To  this  union  there  have  been  seven  chil- 
dren— Benjamin  F.  (deceased),  Emma  (deceased),  Ella  D.,  George  (de- 
ceased), A.  B.,  A.  D.  and  Frederick.  Mr.  Crisman  came  to  this  town- 
ship, living  three  years,  and  after  removed  to  the  farm  on  which  he  now 
lives.  This  property  is  rich  and  well  improved,  containing  some  excel- 
lent buildings.  Mr.  Crisman  has  given  considerable  attention  to  raising 
blooded  horses,  and  has  one  of  the  finest  in  the  country.  In  politics,  Mr. 
Crisman  gives  his  support  to  the  Republican  party,  and  is  esteemed  as 
one  of  the  most  intelligent  and  enterprising  citizens. 

ELBERT  H.  EDDY  was  born  in  Bristol  County,  Conn.,  January 
4,  1848,  and  is  the  elder  of  the  two  children  of  Jeremiah  and  Abigail 
(Curtis)  Eddy.  The  family  is  of  English  descent ;  his  father  was  a  skilled 
machinist,  and  at  one  time  foreman  for  Reany,  Neafie  &  Co.,  of  Philadel- 
phia. Elbert  lost  his  father  when  twelve  years  old,  and  removed  with  his 
mother  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  he  was  educated  at  the  high  school. 
In  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Company  B.  Forty-fourth  Iowa  Volunteers,  and 
served  two  years  and  five  months.  At  Pittsburg  Landing,  he  was  taken 
prisoner,  and  held  four  months,  a  few  weeks  of  which  he  passed  at  An- 
dersonville.  After  his  return,  he  was  several  years  engaged  in  giving 
public  readings,  and,  as  a  professor  of  elocution  ;  he  acted  for  some  time 
as  a  comedian  in  the  Chicago  theaters,  and  was  widely  known  throughout 
the  West  and  South,  everywhere  receiving  the  highest  encomiums  from 
press  and  people  ;  he  is  the  author  of  an  elocutionary  Avork  entitled, 
"Art  of  Personation,"  which  is  one  of  much  merit.  On  June  3,  1866, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Maria  Currier,  of  Porter  County.  They  have 
one  son,  Albert  Bertram.  In  1871,  he  forsook  his  old  profession  for  the 
new  one  of  gardener,  for  which  he  had  no  less  a  taste,  and  settled  in 
Union  Township.  In  this  he  has  been  no  less  successful,  supplying  much 
of  the  country  around  him,  and  making  a  specialty  of  garden  plants  and 
celery.  Mr.  Eddy  is  a  courteous  gentleman,  good  business  man  and  en- 
terprising citizen ;  his  greenhouses  are  large  and  extensive.  In  politics, 
he  is  a  Republican. 

F.  J.  FIELD  was  born  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y..  January  10,  1830,  and 
is  one  of  the  six  children  of  Thomas  J.  and  Louisa  A.  (Chapman)  Field. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  Poughkeepsie,  and  his  mother  of  Onondaga 
County,  N.  Y.;  his  uncle  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  United  States  Navy, 
and  on  board  the  Macedonia  during  the  war  of  1812.  When  six  years 
of  age,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Michigan  City,  Ind.,  removing  to 


UNION  TOWNSHIP.  •  341 

Liberty  Township,  and  later  to  Portage  Township,  where  his  father  died 
in  1875,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  a  man  much  esteemed  by  all.  F.  J. 
Field,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  went  on  a  whaling  voyage,  through  Behring's 
Straits  to  72^°  north  latitude ;  he  has  laid  in  a  boat  three  days  without 
food  or  water.  Returning  home,  he  again  sought  the  sea  for  eight  years, 
and  was  wrecked  on  the  shore  of  Cuba.  In  1861,  he  began  sailing  on 
the  lakes,  and,  in  1864,  he  enlisted  in  Company  M,  Heavy  Artillery  of 
Illinois.  After  the  war,  in  1872,  he  bought  the  160  acres  on  which  he 
now  resides — a  rich  farm,  well  improved.  On  April  2,  1866,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  C.  B.  Selkirk,  of  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Field  is  a  Republican,  and  also  a  substantial  citizen.  Mrs.  Field  is 
a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

JOHN  FLEMING,  farmer,  was  probably  the  second  male  white  child 
born  in  Porter  County  ;  his  birth  took  place  in  Washington  Township 
March  1,  1833.  He  was  the  second  of  thirteen  children  of  Jacob  and 
Catharine  (Hesser)  Fleming,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  the  latter 
of  Ohio.  Mr.  Fleming  settled  in  Washington  Township  in  1832,  where 
he  lived  until  his  removal  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  died.  John  Fleming 
has  always  lived  in  this  county,  working  at  home  until  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  at  which  time  he  was  married,  on  November  2,  1856,  to  Joanna 
Maxwell,  of  Wayne  County,  Ohio.  Ten  children  followed  this  union — 
Edward,  Eliza,  David,  George  (deceased),  John  C,  Artemus,  Mary  C, 
Emma  R.,  Maud  (deceased)  and  Robert.  In  1858,  Mr.  Fleming  bought 
a  farm  in  Union  Township,  which  he  left,  going  to  Washington  Town- 
ship, where  he  lived  until  1870,  when  he  located  on  the  old  Cadwell 
place  in  Union  Township,  where  he  now  resides.  In  politics,  Mr.  Flem- 
ing is  a  Democrat. 

WILLIAM  L.  FREEMAN,  farmer,  was  born  in  St.  Thomas, 
Ontario,  April  10,  1824  ;  he  is  the  youngest  of  eight  children  born  to 
Leonard  and  Sarah  (Guy)  Freeman,  both  natives  of  Vermont ;  his  father 
was  a  farmer,  but  had  served  as  a  Lieutenant  in  the  British  Army  during 
the  war  of  1812.  William  L.  Freeman  passed  his  youth  in  Canada, 
and  at  the  acre  of  eleven  began  the  clothier  trade  with  his  brother,  at 
which  he  continued  until  of  age,  when  he  learned  carpentering.  In 
1847,  he  went  to  Michigan  City  where  he  worked  three  years.  In  1850, 
he  bought  the  farm  in  Union  Township  on  which  he  has  since  lived  ;  it 
is  a  desirable  property  of  105  acres,  containing  good  buildings.  On 
April  10,  1852,  he  married  Mary  J.  Haskin,  a  native  of  the  Empire 
State.  The  union  was  blessed  with  one  child — Charles  R.,  of  Lancaster 
County,  Neb.  Mrs.  Freeman  died  xlugust  7,  1853.  On  September  29, 
1854,  he  was  married  to  Electa  L.  Peck,  of  Erie  County,  Penn.;  she 
also  died,  February  8,  1855.  On  November  16,  1859,  he  was  united  to 
Mahala  Cheever,  of  New  York.  Three  children  were  the  fruit  of  this 
union — Mrs.  Mary  J.  Beem,  William  and  Oliver.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Free- 
man are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Freeman  is 
a  member  of  Valparaiso  Chapter  and  Commandery  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 
and  K.  T.  In  politics  he  leans  toward  the  Republicans,  and  is  an 
influential  and. worthy  citizen. 

SOLON  FRENCH  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  April  14, 
1838,  and  is  the  fourth  of  nine  children  composing  the  family  of  Ora  B. 


342  •  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

and  Abigail  (Dibble)  French  ;  his  parents  were  among  the  early  settlers 
of  Porter  County,  and  here  Solon  was  engaged  in  farming  until  the  age 
of  twenty-four  years,  when  he  afterward  settled  in  Union  Township.  In 
December,  1863,  he  was  married  to  Martha  E.  Atwell,  of  this  county. 
This  marriage  was  blessed  with  six  children,  of  whom  but  two  are  living. 
Bertha  and  Emma.  On  October  13,  1864,  he  enlisted  in  Company  D., 
Seventeenth  Indiana  Mounted  Volunteer  Infantry  ;  he  served  until  the 
end  of  the  war,  receiving  two  wounds  in  his  country's  service.  He  owns 
a  good  and  attractive  farm  numbering  140  acres,  and  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing farmers  of  his  section.  In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican  ;  he  has  been 
Township  Trustee,  and  also  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  four  years. 

ISAAC  HARDESTY  was  born  in  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  May 
22,  1822,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Louisa  (Knouf)  Hardesty.  His 
father  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Eastern  Ohio,  a  farmer,  miller  and  mer- 
chant, and  started  the  first  mill  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio.  He  was  of  Hu- 
guenot extraction,  his  grandfather  having  been  expelled  from  France  for 
his  religious  opinions.  After  the  death  of  his  father,  which  occurred 
when  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age,  Isaac  Hardesty  worked  seven  years 
on  the  Sandy  &  Beaver  Canal,  and  in  1853  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind., 
where  he  farmed  until  1860,  when  he  purchased  a  carding  and  saw  mill 
in  Union  Township.  Four  years  later,  he  resumed  the  plow,  and  is  now 
owner  of  307  acres  of  fine  land,  with  commodious  buildings  and  good 
improvements.  Mr.  Hardesty  was  married,  December  24, 1846,  to  Cath- 
erine Sholl,  of  Fayette  County,  Penn.  Four  children  have  graced  this 
union — Mrs.  Margaret  P.  Hodson,  Mrs.  Elva  A.  McElree,  Mrs.  Ophelia 
M.  Young  and  Louisa  C.  Mr.  Hardesty  is  a  man  of  original  and  inde- 
pendent thought,  as  well  as  extensive  reading.  He  is  a  Republican,  and 
has  frequently  addressed  his  community  on  important  questions  of  govern- 
ment. He  has  been  Township  Trustee  about  fifteen  years.  He  is  also  a 
Christian,  though  not  connected  with  any  church,  and  an  earnest  Sunday 
school  worker, 

JOSEPH  L.  HARRIS  was  born  in  Oxford  County,  Canada,  No- 
vember 3,  1835.  He  is  the  youngest  of  five  children  born  to  Gilbert  and 
Berenice  (Cook)  Harris.  His  father  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  his 
mother  of  Vermont.  His  great-grandfather  emigrated  from  Wales  to 
Nova  Scotia.  In  1839,  Gilbert  Harris  located  in  Porter  County,  on  the 
farm  on  which  our  subject  now  lives.  He  was  an  ordained  minister  of 
the  Baptist  Church,  and  the  first  who  preached  in  Union  Township ;  he 
died  in  September,  1847.  On  December  23,  1872,  Joseph  L.  Harris 
married  Mary  B.  Barker,  of  Oxford  County,  Canada,  by  whom  he  has 
had  seven  children — Virgil  V.,  Hattie  V.,  Milo  N.,  Bradford  E.,  Ole  J., 
Jesse  A.  and  Georgie  A.  Mr.  Harris  received  an  encellent  education, 
having  spent  three  years  at  Franklin  College,  in  this  State,  failing  health 
compelling  him  to  withdraw.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Phi  Delta  Theta 
Society.  He  is  an  intelligent  man  and  enterprising  citizen,  a  stanch  tem- 
perance champion,  and  an  earnest  Sunday  school  worker,  both  he  and 
Mrs.  Harris  being  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  In  politics,  he  is  a 
Republican.  The  first  house  erected  on  Twenty-Mile  Prairie  is  still 
standing  on  his  farm,  and  is  carefully  preserved  as  a  relic. 

CAPT.  S.  P.  HODSDEN  is  a'son  of  Stephen  and  Lenura  T.  (Pet- 
tibone)  Hodsden,  and  was  born  at  Mill  Creek,  Ohio,  January  29,  1838. 


UNION  TOWXSITIP.  343 

The  Pettibones  were  a  leading  family  of  New  England,  and  the  grand- 
father of  our  subject  served  thirty  years  in  the  General  Assembly  of 
Connecticut,  and  was  an  Orderly  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Ward  during  the 
Revolution.  Stephen  Hodsden  received  an  academic  education,  but 
was  a  farmer  most  of  his  life,  although  he  devoted  several  years  to  mercantile 
business.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  at  the  battle  of  Plattsburg 
was  complimented  for  his  bravery.  In  1841,  he  settled  in  Union  Town- 
ship, after  making  extensive  explorations  in  Indiana  and  Illinois.  lie 
purchased  240  acres  to  which  he  added  60,  and  on  which  he  lived  until 
his  death,  December  24,  1872.  He  was  a  Republican  and  an  Abolition- 
ist. Capt.  S.  P.  Hodsden  came  with  his  parents  to  Union  Township  in 
1841.  In  April,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Ninth  Indiana  Vol- 
unteers. During  his  three  months'  service,  he  was  in  several  skirmishes. 
He  re-enlisted  in  Company  E,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteers,  and  served 
until  the  war  was  ended.  He  was  appointed  Second  Lieutenant  on  enter- 
ing the  three  years'  service;  was  afterward  Adjutant,  and,  on  the  death 
of  his  brother,  July,  1864,  became  Captain  of  Company  H.  He  was 
wounded  five  times,  most  severely  at  Marietta,  while  in  charge  of  the 
skirmish  lines  and  in  charging  the  rifle-pits.  After  the  war,  he  returned 
to  husbandry,  locating  on  the  old  homestead,  and  having  a  good  farm  of 
400  acres.  "On  November  1,  1868,  he  was  married  to  Margaret  P.  Har- 
desty,  of  Porter  County.  They  have  had  six  children — DeWitt  C, 
Catherine  T.,  Lillie  M.  (deceased),  Isaac  H.,  Maggie  M.  and  Stephen  B. 
Capt.  Hodsden  is  liberal  in  religion,  and  a  Democrat  in  politics. 

DeWitt  C.  Hodsden,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  was  a  student  at 
law  in  the  University  of  Michigan,  and  during  vacation  was  studying 
with  Mr.  De  Motte,  now  Congressman.  He  had  been  quite  successful 
before  Justices'  Courts,  having  lost  but  two  out  of  one  hundred  cases 
When  the  President's  call  for  troops  was  announced,  he  immediately 
dropped  his  books,  and  was  chosen  Orderly  Sergeant  of  a  newly  formed 
company,  and  when  the  company  was  re-enlisteil  for  three  years  he  was 
chosen  First  Lieutenant  of  Company  H,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteers.  He 
was  present  at  Shiloh,  and  on  the  death  of  Adjt.  Patton  was  made  Acting 
Major,  and  took  command  of  the  company  during  the  battle.  Being 
ordered  by  Lieut.  Col.  Blake  to  take  a  dangerous  battery,  he  did  so,  with 
a  loss  of  thirty  out  of  fifty-six  men,  only  twenty  escaping  unwounded. 
He  afterward  became  Captain,  which  he  remained  until  his  death,  July 
24, 1864,  near  Marietta,  Ga.,  from  his  wounds.  After  the  battle  of  Stone 
River,  he  was  presented  with  a  sword  and  sash  by  his  men,  on  which  was 
mentioned  the  battles  in  which  he  had  commanded  them. 

LEVI  HUFFMAN  was  born  in  Hunterdon  County,  N.  J.,  Febru- 
ary 1,  1830,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children  of  Nathaniel  and  Mary 
Huffman,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  of  Dutch  de- 
scent. In  1840,  the  family  moved  to  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  and  later  to 
Henry  County,  Ohio,  where  Nathaniel  Huffman  died.  After  this,  Levi 
being  eighteen  years  of  age,  he,  with  his  mother,  moved  back  to  Wayne 
County,  where,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  he  began  the  milling  business.  In 
1853,  he  went  to  California,  by  way  of  the  Isthmus,  remaining  three 
years,  the  first  in  the  mines,  the  last  in  a  grist-mill  at  Sacramento.  In 
1856,  he  returned  to  Wayne  County  and  the  milling,  and  in  1859  worked 


344  .  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

in  the  Etna  mills  at  Valparaiso.  Soon  after,  he  returned  to  Wayne 
County,  and  in  1868  again  to  this  county.  On  December  4,  1868,  he 
married  E.  F.  Hammonds,  of  Valparaiso,  by  whom  he  had  two  children 
—  V.  Estelle  and  Levi  R.  In  1875,  he  purchased  the  farm  in  Union 
Township  on  which  he  now  resides,  giving  attention  to  farming  for  three 
years,  when  he  took  charge  of  the  Cascade  Mills,  which  he  purchased  in 
1882,  and  is  doing  a  prosperous  business.  Mrs.  Huffman  is  a  member  oi 
the  Christian  Church.  In  pt)litics,  Mr.  Huffman  is  a  Democrat,  and 
also  an  esteemed  and  worthy  citizen. 

W.  C.  JANES,  farmer,  was  the  eighth  of  nine  children  born  to  Eli- 
jah and  Mary  (Clark)  Janes.  His  father  was  of  English  descent,  but  a 
native  of  Grand  Isle,  Vt.,  born  in  1793.  His  mother  was  a  native  of 
New  York.  W.  C.  Janes  began  life  in  Oxford  County,  Ontario,  March 
20,  1833.  He  came  to  this  county  and  township  with  his  parents  in 
1844,  remaining  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Nor- 
folk County,  Canada,  where  he  farmed  for  ten  years ;  then  removed  to 
Iowa,  and  two  years  later  again  settled  on  the  old  homestead  in  Union 
Township,  where  he  now  resides,  and  where  his  father  died  in  1878. 
On  January  24,  1860,  he  was  married  to  Helen  McKay,  of  Norfolk 
County,  Ontario.  To  this  marriage  five  children  have  succeeded,  four  of 
whom  are  living — Charles  W.,  Robert  E.,  Mary  W.  and  Jeannette  H. 
Mr.  Janes  is  a  Republican,  a  leading  and  respected  citizen. 

S.  R.  JOHNSON  was  born  in  Otsego  County.  N.  Y.,  March  27, 
1826.  He  is  the  third  of  the  seven  children  of  Stanton  and  Ada  (Sweet) 
Johnson,  both  of  Otsego  County  and  of  English  descent.  S.  R.  John- 
son, at  the  age  of  seventeen,  came  with  his  parents  to  Kalamazoo,  Mich., 
and  in  1846  he  settled  in  Washington  Township,  Porter  County,  Ind., 
where  he  rented  a  farm  and  lived  eight  years.  Here,  on  September  27. 
1846,  he  was  married  to  Julia  A.  Bundy,  of  Elkhart  County,  Ind.  This 
union  was  blessed  with  four  children — Mrs.  Ada  M.  Stoner,  of  this 
county;  Mrs.  Alice  Wells,  of  Chicago;  Miran  R.,  deceased;  and  Mar- 
vin P.,  deceased.  In  1854,  he  moved  to  Morgan  Prairie,  where,  two 
years  later,  he  purchased  a  farm,  afterward  increased  to  200  acres.  In 
1863,  his  father  came  to  this  county,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  in 
1867.  Mrs.  Johnson  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Johnson 
is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  in  politics  a  Republican.  He  held  the  office  of 
Trustee  in  Morgan  Towmship  five  years,  and  has  also  been  Assessor. 

ISAIAH  McGINLEY  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  September 
28,  1828.  He  is  the  eldest  of  the  ten  children  of  Robert  and  Eve 
(Lindsey)  McGinley.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Westmoreland  County. 
Penn.,  and  his  mother  of  Tuscarawas  County,  Ohio.  The  McGinley 
family  is  of  Irish  descent;  on  his  mother's  side  our  subject  is  of  Dutch 
descent.  Isaiah  remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-six  years  old,  at 
which  period  he  was  married,  on  January  2,  1854,  to  Mary  Leedy,  of 
Richland  County,  Ohio.  To  this  union  there  have  been  five  children — 
Charles,  Alice  F.  (decessed),  Mrs.  F.  Adell  Rigg,  William  0.  and  Robert 
L.  After  his  marriage,  he  spent  thirteen  years  farming  in  Knox  County, 
Ohio,  and  in  1868  he  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  locating  in  Union 
Township,  on  his  farm  of  200  acres,  well  improved  with  fine  buildings. 
He  has  paid  much  attention  to  stock-raising,  particularly  of  fine  Merino 


UNION  TOWNSHIP.  345 

sheep,  having  a  large  stock  of  a  good  quality.  Mr.  McGinley  is  one  of 
the  foremost  men  of  the  township,  and  is  serving  his  second  term  as 
Trustee.  He  is  a  member  of  Porter  Lodge,  No.  37,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M. 
He  has   accumulated   a  fortune,  and  wholly  by  industry  and  economy. 

JOHN  C.  PEARCE  was  born  in  Lancaster  County,  Penn.,  March 
29,  1829.  He  is  the  second  of  the  family  of  five  children  born  to  Will- 
lam  and  Barbara  (Wagoner)  Pearce,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  that 
State.  His  father  worked  in  a  cotton  factory  most  of  his  life,  and  was  of 
English  descent.  John  C.  Pearce,  when  nine  years  of  age,  lost  his 
father,  and  when  fourteen  years  old  began  the  struggle  of  life  for  him- 
self, workiug  by  the  month.  On  January  17,  1851,  he  was  married  to 
Catherine  McElvee,  of  Lancaster  County,  Penn.  To  this  union  six  chil- 
dren were  born,  four  of  whom  are  living — Mrs.  Catherine  M.  Hardesty, 
Henry  W.,  John  J.  and  Rachel  A.  Wife  is  a  member  of  the  Mennonite 
Church.  Soon  after  marriage,  Mr.  Pearce  rented  a  farm  for  four  years, 
and  in  1854  moved  to  Jackson  Township,  Porter  County  ;  four  years 
later,  he  settled  in  Union  Township,  where  he  has  remained.  He  is  a 
good  man  and  much-respected  citizen. 

GEORGE  W.  PEARCE,  miller,  was  born  in  Baltimore  County, 
Md.,  on  the  31st  of  October,  1846.  He  is  one  of  the  family  of  Ephraim 
and  Mary  A.  (Jones)  Pearce,  consisting  of  seven  children.  In  1864, 
Mr.  Pearce,  our  subject,  came  to  Porter  County,  and  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness of  milling  at  the  Union  Flouring-Mills.  In  1874,  he  purchased  an 
interest  in  the  mill,  and  in  1879  became  the  sole  proprietor.  Besides  his 
mill  property  he  owns  a  farm  of  125  acres.  He  was  married,  on  January 
25,  1869,  to  Miss  Eliza  J.  Pearce,  of  Porter  County.  This  union  has 
been  blessed  by  three  children — Benjamin  F.,  Mary  A.  and  Luella  A. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Pearce  is  a  Republican,  and  withal  an  acknowledged  citi- 
zen of  intelligence  and  worth.  In  matters  of  business,  he  has  been 
exceedingly  successful. 

ORRIN  PECK,  farmer,  was  born  in  Fairfield  County,  Conn.,  July 
11,  1813,  and  is  the  second  of  the  six  children  of  Edmond  B.  and  Adria 
(Whitlock)  Peck,  both  natives  of  Connecticut,  and  of  English  descent. 
When  Orrin  was  a  child,  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Cortland  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  began  working  in  Fairfield  County, 
Conn.,  whither  he  had  returned.  Here  he  was  married  to  Almira  Bar- 
tram,  in  September,  1833.  To  this  union  there  have  followed  seven  chil- 
dren— Mrs.  Electa  L.  Freeman,  deceased;  Jonathan  B.,  Jalmon  E.. 
David  B..  Ruthven  0.,  Mrs.  Caroline  Peck,  Braton  E.,  deceased.  Mrs. 
Peck  died  December  23,  1873.  In  1838,  he  located  in  Erie  County, 
Penn.,  where  he  farmed  sixteen  years.  In  1854,  he  settled  on  Morgan 
Prairie,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  which  he  left  three  years  later  for  his  farm  in 
LTnion  Township.  By  his  industry  he  has  acquired  a  farm  of  240  acres, 
160  of  which  he  has  divided  among  his  children.  Mr.  Peck  is  politically 
a  Republican.  He  was  for  years  connected  with  the  Methodist  and 
Baptist  Churches,  but  now  worships  with  the  Believers.  He  is  an  upright 
man  and  a  good  citizen. 

DAVID  B.  PECK,  farmer,  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  on  the 
26th  of  October,  1840,  and  is  the  fourth  of  the  nine  children  comprising 
the  family  of  Orrin  and  Almira  (Bartram)   Peck  ;    he  came  to  Porter 


346  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

County,  Ind.,  with  his  parents  in  the  year  1854,  where  he  has  since 
lived.  In  the  spring  of  1864,  he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  One  Hundred 
and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Volunteers,  in  which  he  served  eight  months. 
On  November  26,  1866,  he  was  married  to  Nancy  Campbell,  of  this 
county.  Three  children  have  blessed  the  union — Almeron  C,  Orrin  S. 
and  Orlando  V.  In  1874,  he  located  on  the  farm  of  eighty  acres,  on 
which  he  still  resides.  In  politics,  he  votes  with  the  Republicans  ;  he  is 
now  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  in  which  capacity  he  has  served  six  years. 

SAMUEL  SIGLER,  merchant,  is  a  native  of  Fort  Cumberland, 
Md.,  and  was  born  February  13,  1816;  he  is  the  third  of  eight  children 
of  Samuel  and  Nancy  (Taylor)  Sigler  ;  his  father  was  a  merchant  and 
later  a  reed-maker,  of  Dutch  descent,  and  a  son  of  Adam  Sigler,  who,  for 
fifty  years,  filled  a  pulpit  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church ;  his 
mother  was  a  native  of  Alleghany  County,  Va.  At  the  age  of  six 
years,  Samuel  came  with  his  parents  to  Clarksville,  W.  Va.,  and,  in 
1834,  the  family  settled  in  Elkhart  County,  near  Goshen,  and,  in  1837, 
they  located  on  160  acres  in  Hobart  Township,  Lake  County.  On 
March  21,  1837,  Samuel  Sigler  was  married  to  Nancy  Stockdale,  a 
native  of  Washington  County,  Penn.,  by  whom  he  had  four  children — 
Mrs.  Margaret  A.  Arnold,  George,  Mrs.  Eliza  Willey  and  John  N.  In 
1859,  Mr.  Sigler  located  at  Wheeler,  where  he  is  engaged  in  mercantile 
business.  In  1866,  he  was  appointed  Postmaster,  being  preceded  by  his 
son  George.  Mr.  Sigler  has  been  successful  in  business.  He  is  a  firm 
Republican  and  temperance  advocate,  and  during  the  war  was  a  member 
of  the  Union  League.  Besides  his  town  property,  he  owns  sixty- five 
acres  near  Wheeler.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  with  which  he  has  been  identified  over  forty  years  ; 
his  industry  has  brought  him  independence,  and  his  character  respect 
and  honor.  Samuel  Sigler,  Sr.,  departed  this  life  in  1869;  he  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  Lake  County,  and,  with  others  of  the  family,  experi- 
enced the  trials  and  privations  of  that  period ;  his  life  was  quiet  and 
uneventful,  and  he  passed  away  greatly  esieemed  and  lamented. 

CHRISTIAN  SUMMERS  was  born  in  Lewis  County,  State  of  New 
York,  December  22,  1838  ;  he  is  one  of  the  nine  children  comprising  the 
family  of  Christian  and  Magdalena  (Naifziger)  Summers,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  France.  When  an  infant,  his  parents  moved  to  Canada, 
and  in  1852  they  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.  Here  Christian  re- 
sided on  the  farm  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  when  he  began 
railroading  on  the  Pan  Handle  route.  Reserved  ten  years  as  an  engineer. 
In  1874,  he  resumed  the  occupation  of  farming,  which  he  has  since  fol- 
lowed. On  September  12,  1861,  he  married  Barbara  Orther,  a  native  of 
Bavaria.  To  this  union  there  followed  five  children,  four  of  whom  sur- 
vive— Ida  E.,  Mary  M.,  Jeanette  E.  and  Clara  A.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sum- 
mers are  members  of  the  Reformed  Mennonite  Church.  Mr.  Summers 
has  a  good  farm  of  160  acres  in  this  tawnship,  which  he  has  occupied  five 
years.     He  is  much  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


MORGAN  TOWNSHIP.  347 


MORGAN   TOWNSHIP. 

ENNESS  ARNOLD  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Ind.,  June  10, 
1816,  and  was  the  eldest  of  the  eight  children  of  John  and  Coney  Ar- 
nold. In  October,  1814,  Mr.  Arnold  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and 
purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  is  now  located.  On  June  10,  1852,  he 
was  married,  in  this  county,  to  Nancy  Spencer,  a  native  of  Porter  County, 
having  been  born  there  August  14,  1834.  The  marriage  was  blessed 
with  six  children — John,  William,  Robert,  Irena,  Abraham  L.  and  Emma 
E.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Arnold  moved  on  his  farm,  which  he 
has  continued  to  improve  from  year  to  year.  It  is  now  a  desirable  prop- 
erty, and  numbers  350  acres.  Mr.  Arnold  is  an  estimable  citizen  and 
has  held  several  offices  of  trust  in  his  county.  He  is  now  in  comfortable 
circumstances,  though  he  began  life  poor  and  was  unaided. 

OLIVER  B.  BAILEY  was  born  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  Octo- 
ber 5,  1833,  and  is  the  second  of  five  children  born  to  Ziba  and  Sophro- 
nia  (Peck)  Bailey,  natives  of  the  same  State,  the  former  born  in  1808 
and  the  latter  in  1810,  and  of  Welsh  descent.  They  were  married  in 
Tompkins  County  in  1830,  and  in  1835  came  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind., 
where  the  father  is  still  living.  Oliver  B.  Bailey  was  married  in  La 
Porte,  February  18,  1855,  to  Sarah  Martin,  who  was  born  July  5,  1836, 
and  shortly  after  went  to  farming.  Three  years  later,  he  bought  a  saw- 
mill near  Michigan  City,  ran  it  till  1860,  sold  out  and  moved  to  Pleasant 
Township,  La  Porte  County,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  and  worked  it 
five  years.  He  then  bought  and  moved  on  his  present  farm,  of  370 
acres,  in  this  township.  He  has  four  children — Ziba  E.,  Stephen  D., 
Frank  L.  and  Arthur  P.  Mr.  Bailey  is  a  popular  man  in  his  community, 
and  has  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  twelve  years. 

WILLIAM  BARTHOLOMEW  was  born  April  13,  1839,  and  is 
a  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  A.  (Spencer)  Bartholomew;  the  former  a 
native  of  Somerset  County,  Penn.,  born  April  3,  1801.  The  grandfather 
of  William  came  to  Licking  County,  Ohio,  in  1806,  and  in  1834  moved 
to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  died  in  1856.  Joseph  Bartholomew  came 
with  his  parents  to  Porter  County  in  1834,  where  he  remained  until  his 
death,  April  15,  1881.  William  Bartholomew  was  married  on  the  24th 
of  December,  1879,  to  Sarah  Biggart,  who  was  born  November  8,  1849, 
a  daughter  of  George  and  Parmelia  Biggart.  To  this  union  a  family  of 
four  children  were  born — Jerome,  Gerald,  Calvin  (deceased)  and  Mabel. 
After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Bartholomew  moved  on  the  farm  on  which  he 
now  lives,  and  which  comprises  200  acres  of  good  land  on  Section  32. 

JESSE  BAUM  was  born  in  Richland  County,  Ohio,  and  is  one  of 
the  nine  children  of  James  and  Rebecca  Baum,  the  former  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  born  February  4,  1799,  and  the  latter  also  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  born  January  10,  1803.  They  both  came  to  Ohio  at  an 
early  day,  where  they  were  married  August  8,  1822 ;  they  first  settled  in 
Richland  County,  but  in   1834  removed  to   Porter   County,  where  they 


348  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Still  live.  Jesse  Baum  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  reached  man- 
hood. In  1850,  he  went  to  Calaveras  County,  Cal.,  where  he  engaged  in 
mining,  and  remained  five  years.  Returning  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  he 
was  married,  August  23,  1857,  to  Catherine  Bundy,  born  in  Elkhart 
County,  Ind.,  August  25,  1834,  by  whom  he  has  nine  children— Myron, 
Noella,'Lora,  James,  Villera,  Leroy,  Clarence,  Nettie  and  Walter.  Mrs. 
Baum  died  December  13,  1880.  Soon  after  his  marriage,  he  moved  on 
the  farm  on  which  he  still  lives,  in  Section  18 ;  he  is  the  owner  of  300 
acres  of  excellent  land. 

JOHN  BAUM  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Penn.,  January  20, 
1810 ;  he  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Stark  County,  Ohio,  and  thence 
to  St.'  Joseph  County,  Mich.,  where,  on  the  15th  of  August,  1835,  he 
was  married  to  Myrum  Gallgher,  a  native  of  Culpeper  County,  Va., 
where  she  was  born  January  1,  1814.  This  union  was  blessed  with  five 
children  —  Christopher  C.  (deceased),  Americus  (deceased),  Napoleon, 
Tennessee  M.  and  Niles  L.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  he  moved  to 
Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  settled  in  Morgan  Township,  Section  4,  on  the 
farm  on  which  he  now  lives;  he  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  county,  and 
has  made  many  improvements  since  coming  here,  having  built  the  first 
schoolhouse  erected  in  the  township ;  he  came  here  as  a  poor  boy,  but 
now  ownes  426  acres  of  land,  all  through  the  exercise  of  industry  and 
the  practice  of  economy. 

SILAS  BAUM  was  born  in  Stark  County,  Ohio,  April  18,  1814. 
In  St.  Joseph  County,  Mich.,  on  July  11,  1839,  he  was  married  to  Han- 
nah Williamson,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  May  5,  1821.  To  this 
union  a  family  of  five  children  succeeded — Mary  J..  Lucretia  E.,  Laura 
G.  (deceased),  Francis  M.  (deceased)  and  Genevia  M.  Shortly  after  his 
marriage  he  moved  to  Cass  County,  Mich.,  where,  having  purchased 
property,  he  remained  until  1857.  He  then  sold  out  and  moved  to  Por- 
ter County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Morgan 
Township,  Section  33,  where  he  remained  two  years  ;  this  he  sold,  and 
purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  comprising  180  acres  of  good 
land. 

C.  C.  COLE  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  March  9,  1849,  and 
is  a  son  of  E.  P.  and  Sally  Cole.  His  parents  moved  to  this  county  in 
the  year  1837.  C.  C.  Cole  was  married,  September  6,  1869,  to  Nancy 
J.  Brown,  a  native  of  Delaware  County,  Ohio,  born  February  7,  1853, 
daughter  of  S.  H.  and  Lucy  A.  Brown,  of  Porter  County,  Ind.  To  this 
union  six  children  were  born — Anna  B.  (deceased),  Hattie  L.,  Gertrude 
M.,  Edward  F.  (deceased),  James  P.  and  Zelda  V.  In  the  year  1872, 
Mr.  Cole  purchased  and  occupied  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides,  in 
Section  12 ;  this  farm  comprises  100  acres  of  superior  land,  and  with  con- 
siderable improvements  of  value.  Mr.  Cole  is  plessantly  situated,  and  is 
a  much-respected  citizen. 

J.  B.  DECROW  was  born  in  Licking  County,  Ohio,  October  21, 
1833,  and  was  the  eldest  of  three  sons  born  to  J.  P.  and  Delilah  Decrow, 
both  natives  of  Waldo  County,  Me.  His  father,  J.  P.  Decrow,  followed 
sailing  for  seven  years ;  then  went  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  learned  the 
carpenter  trade,  and  about  1832  went  to  Licking  County,  Ohio,  and 
moved  on  a  farm,  where  he  now   is.     J.  B.  Decrow,  after  attending  the 


MORGAN   TOWNSHIP.  •  349 

common  schools,  and  a  select  school,  engaged  in  teaching,  and  in  1856 
attended  a  commercial  course,  and  in  1859  went  to  Pittsburgh,  where  he 
attended  the  Iron  City  Commercial  College,  and  graduated  June  16, 
1859.  On  returning  to  Licking  County,  on  November  10,  1-859,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  A.  Ramey,  born  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  June  8,  1835. 
To  this  union  four  children  were  bequeathed — Delma  J.,  Arthur  B.  C, 
Eva  B.  and  Vonie  D.  In  1866,  he  moved  to  Porter  County,  where  he 
purchased  and  occupied  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides  ;  it  embraces 
200  acres.  His  wife  died  August  28,  1879.  Mr.  Decrow  has  been  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  for  nine  years,  also  Township  Trustee. 

REBECCA  (STEWARD)  CORNISH,  wife  of  Jonas  Cornish,  was 
born  in  Clinton  County,  N.  Y.,  August  29,  1811,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Ezra  and  Hannah  Steward  ;  the  former  a  native  of  Vermont,  the  latter 
of  New  York.  Mr.  Steward  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  In  1839, 
he  moved  to  Jasper  County,  Ind.,  and  thence  to  Kansas,  where  died  in 
1855.  Rebecca  Cornish  was  married  to  Jonas  Cornish,  April  15,  1840, 
in  Jasper  County,  Ind.  In  the  spring  of  1847,  they  moved  to  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  and  settled  in  Washington  Township,  where  they  remained 
until  1850,  and  purchased  the  farm  where  Mrs.  Cornish  now  resides. 
They  were  blessed  with  four  children — William,  Almira,  Solomon  and 
Sarah  E.  (deceased).  Jonas  Cornish  was  born  in  Delaware  County,  Ohio, 
September  8,  1815,  where  he  remained  until  1839,  when  he  removed  to 
Jasper  County,  Ind.  ;  he  died  April  19,  1881.  Mr.  Cornish  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  a  most  excellent  man,  es- 
teemed by  all  who  knew  him.  Mrs.  Cornish  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

HERBERT  J.  FISH  was  born  in  Connecticut  April  20,  1850 ;  he 
was  second  of  a  family  of  three  children,  born  to  W.  P.  and  Laura  M. 
Fish.  The  former  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  eleven  children  born  to 
Moses  and  Susan  Fish,  who  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  where  they  were 
married  and  remained  until  death.  W.  P.  Fish  was  born  in  Connecticut 
June  15,  1816  ;  also  was  married  there  October  18,  1842,  to  Laura  Fos- 
ter, also  born  in  Connecticut,  June  25,  1822.  In  1865,  W.  P.  Fish 
and  wife  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  has  remained  there  ever 
since,  our  subject  coming  with  them.  In  1873,  Herbert  J.  was  employed 
as  book-keeper  for  Asher  &  Co.,  Valparaiso  lumber  dealers,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  some  time;  he  was  married,  December  14,  1876,  to 
Louisa  Hayden,  who  was  born  in  Porter  County  June  16,  1859,  daugh- 
ter of  the  old  pioneer,  John  W.  Hayden,  of  A^alparaiso.  The  spring  fol- 
lowing his  marriage,  he  moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  ;  he  has 
two  children — Erie  and  Ella. 

ROBERT  M.  FRYAR  was  born  in  the  county  of  Down,  Ireland, 
June  17,  1833,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  William  and  Nancy 
Fryar.  His  father  was  of  Scotch  origin,  and  also  born  in  the  county  of 
Down,  in  1796,  where  he  was  married  in  1818,  and  Avhere  he  died  in 
1869;  his  mother  died  in  1878.  Robert  M.  Fryar  was  married  in  the 
county  of  Down,  November  6,  1853,  to  Sarah  Harris,  of  the  same  county, 
born  June  17,  1833,  he  and  his  wife  being  of  the  same  age.  In  1854, 
he  came  to  America,  and  to  Portage  County,  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
until  1856,  afterward  removing  to  Porter  County,  Ind.     In   1857,  he 


350  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

went  to  Marshall  County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchaser]  a  saw-mill  and  en- 
gaged in  that  business  until  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company  F, 
Seventy-third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  In  1867,  he  returned  to  Porter  County,  Ind,,  and  purchased 
and  moved  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fryar 
have  had  ten  children,  five  of  whom  remain — William  J.,  Robert  D., 
Nancy  J.,  Anna  and  Joseph  A. 

WILLIAM  GATES  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  March 
4,  1832,  and  is  one  of  the  three  children  of  Horatio  and  Amy  Gates ;  the 
former  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  born  February  23, 1797,  and  the  latter 
of  Vermont,  born  October  11,  1808.  They  were  married  in  St.  Law- 
rence County,  N.  Y.,  in  1828.  In  1837,  they  moved  to  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  where  they  lived  until  death ;  he  died  April  22,  1854,  and  she 
three  weeks  later.  William  Gates  remained  at  home  until  after  his 
father's  death.  On  October  18,  1860,  he  was  married  to  Rachel  Shults, 
born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  December  1,  1842,  a  daughter  of  John 
Shults,  of  Morgan  Township.  One  son  was  the  result  of  this  union — 
John  H.,  born  August  29,  1861.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Gates 
moved  on  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  his  father,  where  he  remained 
until  1867,  at  which  time  he  occupied  the  property  on  which  he  now  re- 
sides. 

SYLVESTER  A.  LEWIS  was  born  in  Hamilton  County,  Ohio, 
February  14,  1834,  and  is  a  son  of  L.  Mander  and  Mary  Lewis.  His 
grandfather  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and  fought  under  Col. 
Ethan  Allen  at  the  battle  of  Ticonderoga  ;  his  father  was  a  pioneer  of 
the  Western  States  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  an  assaciate  of  Gen.  Will- 
iam Henry  Harrison,  in  subduing  the  wilds  of  Ohio  ;  he  read  medicine 
in  Cincinnati,  and  came  to  Indiana  in  1836  and  engaged  in  practice  for 
nearly  half  a  century  ;  he  was  a  firm  believer  in  the  soul's  immortality 
and  rewards  and  punishments.  He  was  married  in  Hamilton  County, 
Ohio,  May  29,  1828.  In  1849,  he  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and 
resumed  his  practice ;  he  died  September  3,  1880.  The  mother  lives 
with  her  children.  S.  A.  Lewis  remained  with  his  parents  until  man- 
hood. He  was  married,  January  3,  1861,  to  Maria  Hansford,  a  native 
of  Cook  County,  111.  In  1880,  Mr.  Lewis  moved  on  the  farm,  where  he 
now  lives  and  owns  ;  it  comprises  320  acres  of  fine  land,  which  is  well 
improved.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewis  have  a  familv  of  four  children — M.  L., 
L.  S.,  M.  E.  and  D.  M.  Lewis. 

JASON  OSBORN  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  October 
26,  1829,  and  was  one  of  the  family  of  nine  children  of  Jonathan  and 
Rachel  Osborn.  He  was  married,  July  19,  1855,  in  La  Porte  County, 
Ind.,  to  Eliza  C.  Graham,  a  native  of  Monroe  County,  Ind.,  and  born 
May  8,  1840.  Previous  to  his  marriage,  Mr.  Osborn  had  purchased  the 
property  on  which  he  now  lives,  and  which  he  had  largely  improved ; 
here  he  began  housekeeping  and  has  since  resided.  The  farm  embraces 
800  acres  of  good  land.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Osborn  have  had  ten  children — 
Franklin  E.,  Colfax  J.  (deceased),  Charles  S.,  Mary  E.  (deceased), 
Clarence  E.,  Carlton  R.,  William  G.,  George  M.,  Sallie  (deceased)  and 
Fannie  L.  (deceased).  Mr.  Osborn  is  a  gentleman  greatly  esteemed 
among  his  neighbors.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church. 


MORGAN   TOWNSHir.  351 

G.  W.  PATTON,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  Patton  ; 
he  was  born  in  Licking  County,  Ohio,  January  28,  1825  ;  he  came  with 
his  mother  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1834,  and  has  since  remained 
here.  On  December  13,  1846,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Nancy  A, 
Adams,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  born  September  5,  1827.  To  this  union 
there  were  two  chihb-en  born — Ilattie  J.  and  John  N.  Shortly  after  his 
marriage  be  rented  a  farm,  on  which  he  moved  and  remained  two  years; 
he  afterward  purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  and  has 
improved;  the  land  is  excellent  and  the  buildings  are  very  desirable;  it 
embraces  240  acres.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patton  are  communicants  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

JAMES  PURDY  was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  March  1, 
1818  ;  he  was  one  of  a  family  of  seven  children  born  to  Thomas  and 
Elizabeth  Purdy,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Penn- 
sylvania. They  moved  to  Porter  County  in  the  year  1843,  remaining 
until  death.  Our  subject  came  the  year  previous  and  has  remained  since ; 
he  was  married,  August  2,  1846,  to  Elizabeth  Adams,  who  was  born  in 
Ohio  June  13,  1329  ;  his  occupation,  heretofore,  was  that  of  a  black- 
smith, which  he  pursued  until  1854.  Then  bought  and  moved  on  the 
farm  on  which  he  now  lives ;  he  owns  100  acres  of  land  and  has  a  family 
of  six  children — Catharine,  Mecilda  (deceased),  Lorinda  M.,  Ralston  W., 
Sarah  L.  (deceased)  and  John  M.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

A.  W.  REYNOLDS  was  born  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  Septem- 
ber 18,  1846  ;  he  is  a  son  of  A.  W.  and  Harriet  Reynolds,  who  were 
natives  of  New  York.  Our  subject  came  with  his  mother  to  Valparaiso, 
this  county,  in  1854,  where  he  attended  the  Valparaiso  Male  and  Female 
College.  At  the  age  of  fifteen,  he  began  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  baker 
with  his  step-father,  Mr.  Cross,  at  which  he  continued  until  May,  1864, 
when  he  enlisted  in  Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  until  September  2,  1864  ;  he 
afterward  enlisted  in  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Regi- 
ment Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  until  the  close  of  tlie  war. 
When  he  returned,  he  resumed  his  trade  of  baker,  working  for  Wood 
Bros.  On  February  1,  1871,  he  w^as  married  to  Avril  L.  Hayden,  a 
native  of  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons — Gordon 
L.,  Charlie  A.  and  Garland  J.  Soon  after  his  marriage,  he  moved  on 
the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides,  which  embraces  266  acres  of  superior 
land. 

JOSEPH  RINKEL  was  born  September  21,  1818,  and  is  the  eldest 
of  the  family  of  twelve  children  of  Henry  and  Dorothy  Rinkel,  both  of 
whom  were  born  in  1796,  and  natives  of  Virginia.  In  1824,  they 
moved  to  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  where  Mr.  Rickel  purchased  land 
and  engaged  in  farming.  In  1832,  he  moved  to  Carroll  County,  Ohio, 
and  after  one  year  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  and  remained  until  1834, 
when  he  moved  to  Porter  County.  In  1840,  he  moved  to  Rock  Island 
County,  111.,  and  in  1845  to  Grundy  County,  Mo.,  where  he  died  in 
1865,  followed  by  his  wife  in  1879.  Joseph  Rinkel  remained  with  his 
parents  until  they  reached  Rock  Island  County.  In  1842,  he  came  to 
Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  in  1848  purchased  a  farm   in   Pleasant   Town- 


352  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

ship,  near  what  is  now  Kout's  Station.  This  he  sold  after  two  years, 
and  went  to  California  to  engage  in  mining,  remaining  two  years. 
Returning  to  Porter  County,  he  purchased  his  present  home,  in  Section 
29.  On  October  29,  1853,  he  married  Mary  Jones,  of  South  Carolina. 
Soon  after,  he  moved  to  his  farm,  where  he  has  remained.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rinkel  have  had  five  children — ilnna,  Catherine,  Ada,  Joseph  (deceased), 
and  Martha  (deceased). 

STEPHEN  SELMAN  was  born  in  Germany  September  26,  1840, 
one  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  there  were  four  sons,  namely, 
Martin,  Stephen,  John  and  August.  His  parents'  names  were  John  and 
Louisa ;  they  were  natives  of  Germany,  where  they  were  married  and 
remained  until  after  the  mother's  death.  The  father  was  again  married, 
and  in  1855  moved  to  Michigan  City,  Ind.,  where  he  now  lives,  and  has 
his  fourth  wife.  In  1857,  our  subject  left  home,  and  came  to  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  and  July  26,  1861,  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Twentieth  Indi- 
ana Volunteer  Infantry,  serving  four  years  and  six  months,  and  during 
that  time  was  at  the  front  in  several  hard  battles.  He  came  home  on  a 
leave  of  absence,  and  was  married  March  29,  1864,  to  Tennessee  Baum, 
who  was  born  in  Porter  County,  August  6,  1840,  a  daughter  of  John 
Baum,  the  old  pioneer  of  Morgan  Township.  After  our  subject's  return 
from  the  war,  he  moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives.  He  owns  170 
acres,  and  is  the  father  of  one  son,  William  F. 

ELIAS  N.  SHERMAN  was  born  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  June 
8,  1828,  and  was  one  of  the  five  children  of  Knowles  and  Amanda  F. 
(Finney)  Sherman,  the  former  born  in  Columbia  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1794, 
and  the  latter  in  Madison  County,  same  State,  in  1799.  They  were 
married  in  Madison  County,  and  there  the  father  died  in  1834.  The 
mother  then  married  Samuel  Andrews,  and  in  1849  moved  to  Chenango 
County;  in  1856,  she  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  here  died  in 
1877.  Elias  N.  went  with  his  mother  to  Chenango  County,  there  pur- 
chased a  farm,  and  was  married,  July  3,  1851,  to  Preeta  Leonard,  who 
was  born  in  Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  May  29,  1834.  In  1860,  Mr. 
Sherman  came  to  Porter  County,  and  bought  a  farm  in  this  township  the 
year  following,  on  Section  27  ;  in  1866,  he  bought  his  present  farm  of 
365  acres.  He  is  the  father  of  six  children — Brigham  E.,  Alvoretta  E., 
Oresta  L.,  S.  Warren,  Florence  E.  and  Oliver  M.,  and  has  served  his 
fellow-citizens  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  several  years. 

JOHN  SHULTS  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Ind.,  September 
16,  1816.  He  came  with  his  mother  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1836, 
where  he  has  since  remained.  On  July  2,  1840,  in  this  county,  he  was 
married  to  Deborah  Heser,  and  shortly  after  moved  to  the  farm  which  is 
now  his  home,  and  which  he  had  bought  previously  ;  she  died  January  3, 
1867.  On  December  25,  1871,  he  was  married  to  Tillie  Brown,  born 
June  31,  1839.  He  has  a  family  of  eight  children — Augustus,  Rachel, 
Elizabeth  D.,  Mary  L.,  Virginia,  Deborah  H..  John  W.  (deceased),  and 
Cyrus  D.  Mr.  Shults  now  owns  1,300  acres  of  land,  after  giving  to  his 
children  about  500  acres.  He  began  life  as  a  poor  boy,  yet  with  energy, 
industry  and  economy,  he  can  consider  himself  worth  about  ^50,000,  an 
example  for  emulation.  He  is  a  most  excellent  man,  with  a  large  and 
happy  family. 


MORGAN   TOWNSHIP.  353 

HENRY  STONER  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  November  1, 
1838,  and  is  one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  Stoner. 
His  life  has  been  passed  in  this  county.  He  was  married  February  8, 
1866,  to  Mary  A.  Hayden,  a  native  of  La  Porte  County,  and  born  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1846  ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Abigail  Hayden,  of  Val- 
paraiso, Ind.  Shortly  after  Mr.  Stoner's  marriage,  he  moved  on  a  farm 
belonging  to  his  father-in-law,  where  he  remained  three  years,  he  then 
moved  on  the  farm  which  he  now  occupies,  in  Section  20,  comprising 
253  acres  of  land,  all  of  which  he  owns.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoner  have  had 
seven  children — John,  Nellie,  Abigail,  Gerald,  Frederick  and  two  infants, 
deceased.  Mr.  Stoner  is  a  much-esteeraed  gentlemen  ;  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  order,  and  holds  the  office  of  Township  Trustee. 

WILLIAM  B.  STONER  was  born  near  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  March 
11,  1859.  He  was  one  of  a  family  of  seven  children  born  to  Samuel  and 
Rachel  Stoner,  the  old  pioneers  of  Centre  Township,  this  county.  In 
1881,  our  subject  purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  and  was 
married  November  24,  1881,  to  Delta  Dille,  who  was  born  in  Porter  Coun- 
ty, also,  February  17,  1860 — a  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Mary  Dille,  now 
of  Porter  County,  Ind.  Mr.  Stoner  owns  eighty  acres  of  fine  land,  well 
improved. 

CHRISTIAN  SMITH  was  born  in  Germany  May  7,  1328.  He 
was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  three  children  born  to  Joseph  and  Chris- 
tina Smith,  who  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  in  that  country  died.  In 
the  year  1854,  our  subject  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  he  has 
remained  since.  He  was  married  in  the  fall  of  1855  to  Lena  Sticker,  who 
was  also  born  in  Germany  in  the  year  1823.  In'  1857,  he  bought  and 
moved  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives.  He  owns  eighty  acres  of 
land,  well  improved  by  himself.  He  has  a  family  of  four  children — Mary, 
Louisa,  Emma  and  Frank. 

FREDERICK  TULLEY  was  born  in  England  August  25,  1824, 
and  is  the  second  of  the  nine  children  of  Charles  and  Mary  TuUey,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  England,  the  former  born  in  1797,  and  the  lat- 
ter in  1807.  They  remained  in  England  until  their  deaths,  his  being  in 
1879  and  hers  in  1877.  Frederick  Tulley  remained  in  England  until  1854, 
when  he  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  where  he  was  married,  on  May 
15,  1856,  to  Eliza  A.  Hayden,  of  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  born  November 
19,  1836.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Caleb  and  Sarah  Hayden.  In  1868, 
Mr.  Tulley  purchased  the  property  on  which  he  now  lives,  and  the  fol- 
lowing spring  occupied  the  same.  The  farm  embraces  eighty-one  acres 
of  superior  land,  which  Mr.  Tulley  has  materially  improved.  Mr,  and 
Mrs.  Tulley  have  no  children. 

B.  A.  WELCH,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Delaware  County,  Ohio,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1807.  He  is  the  fourth  son  of  eight  childron  born  to  David 
and  Keziah  Welch.  Dr.  Welch  was  educated  in  Delaware  County,  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty-six  began  the  study  of  medicine,  his  father  being 
his  preceptor.  On  June  14,  1823,  he  was  married  to  Alecta  Adams,  by 
whom  he  had  nine  children.  In  1833,  he  moved  with  his  father  to  Union 
County,  Ohio,  when  he  purchased  his  father's  library  and  began  practice, 
which  he  followed  until  1838,  when  he  removed  to  Johnson  County,  Mo. 
In   1811,   he  returned   to   Delaware   Count v,  and   attended  lectures  at 


354  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

Worthington,  Ohio,  where  he  graduated,  and  resumed  practice,  which  he 
followed  until  1848.  He  also  practiced  in  Van  Wert,  Ohio.  After  this 
time  he  came  to  Porter  County,  where  he  has  since  practiced  successfully. 
His  wife  died  at  Van  Wert,  Ohio,  in  1870.  In  1872,  he  was  married  to 
Anna  E.  Slain,  by  whom  he  had  seven  children.  In  1862,  he  enlisted 
as  private  in  the  Forty-sixth  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  soon 
made  Hospital  Steward,  and  soon  after  Assistant  Surgeon,  until  his  dis- 
charge in  1863.  He  re-enlisted  in  the  Second  Ohio  Artillery,  and  served 
as  Assistant  Surgeon  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  a  highly  respected  citizen. 

FLETCHER  D.  WHITE  was  born  in  Morrow  County,  Ohio,  January 
5,  1842.  He  is  the  eldest  of  the  family  of  eleven  children  born  to  Will- 
iam H.  and  Adaline  White,  who  were  natives  of  Ohio,  but  came  to  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  in  1846,  where  William  H.  White  died  December  21,  1861. 
Mrs.  White  is  still  living  on  the  homestead.  Fletcher  D.  White  was  mar- 
ried December  31,  1864,  to  Viola  E.  Marine,  born  in  Porter  County  De- 
cember 17,  1845.  To  this  union  there  have  followed  three  children — 
William  A.,  Clara  L.  (deceased)  and  Lula  A.  In  the  autumn  of  1868, 
Mr.  White  bought  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  moved  thereon  the 
following  spring.  It  embraces  400  acres.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  are  mem- 
bers of  the  M.  E.  Church.     He  is  an  esteemed  and  worthy  citizen. 

F.  A.  WHITE  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  March  21, 1851 ; 
he  is  a  son  of  William  and  Adaline  White ;  he  was  married  in  Porter 
County,  September  25,  1874,  to  Alice  C.  Hall,  of  Porter  County,  born 
January  8,  1859  ;  she  was  a  daughter  of  Philip  and  Sarah  A.  Hall,  wha 
both  were  natives  of  Virginia ;  by  this  marriage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  White 
have  had  two  children — Charles  E.  and  Willis  A.  Soon  after  his  mar- 
riage, Mr.  White  moved  on  his  mother's  farm,  where  he  remained  a  short 
time,  and  afterward  purchased  and  occupied  the  farm  on  which  he  now 
resides;  this  is  a  valuable  property,  and  contains  200  acres.  Mr. 
White  is  a  respected  citizen  and  a  worthy  man.  Both  he  and  Mrs. 
White  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

DAVID  WILLIAMSON  was  born  in  Schuylkill  County,  Penn., 
November  29,  1810,  and  is  the  second  of  a  family  of  nine  children  born 
to  Alexander  and  Dean  Williamson.  When  a  boy,  he  learned  the  trade 
of  a  mason,  which  he  followed  many  years.  On  September  20,  1834, 
he  v,'as  married  to  Anna  Plattner,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  born  Aug- 
ust 18,  1813.  On  moving  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind,,  he  engaged  in 
farming ;  here  he  remained  until  1852,  when  he  removed  to  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  makes  his  home; 
this  farm  embraces  194  acres,  all  the  improvements  of  which  he  made 
himself.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williamson  have  had  a  family  of  seven  children 
— Henry  (deceased),  Emanuel  M.,  David,  Barnabas,  Jonas  (deceased), 
Samuel,  and  an  infant  son  deceased.  Mr.  Williamson  and  likewise  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

EMANUEL  M.  WILLIAMSON  was  born  Schuylkill  County,  Penn., 
August  30,  1837,  and  is  the  eldest  of  th«  four  children  of  David  and 
Anna  Williamson.  In  1849,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  La  Porte 
County,  Ind.,  and  in  1856,  to  Porter  County.  In  1861,  he  enlisted  in 
Company  H,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  three  months.     On 


JACKSON    TOWNSHIP.  355 

August  5,  ]  862,  he  re-enlisted  as  private  in  Company  I,  Seventy-third 
Indiana  Regiment,  and  was  promoted  to  Second  Lieutenant.  On  October 
20,  1862,  he  was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant,  and  on  February  14, 
18t)3,  he  was  made  Captain,  serving  as  such  until  April,  1864,  when  he 
was  discharged  at  Nashville;  he  took  part  in  many  severe  battles,  as 
Perryville  and  Stone  River,  and,  at  the  latter,  was  wounded  by  an  explod- 
ing shell,  December  31,  1862.  On  October  1,  1863,  while  on  furlough, 
he  was  married  to  Martha  N.  Spencer,  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  August  6, 
1842.  They  have  eight  children— Randolph  S.,  Mary  A.,  Fiette,  Nellie, 
M.,  Henry,  Katie,  Dora  and  Flora,  all  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  William- 
son purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  in  1875;  he  is  an  es- 
teemed citizen,  and  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

BARNABAS  WILLIAMSON  was  born  February  24,  1844,  and 
was  the  third  of  a  family  of  four  children  born  to  David  and  Anna  Will- 
iamson ;  he  came  with  his  parents  to  this  county,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home;  his  life  occupation  has  been  that  of  a  farmer.  On  the 
25th  of  May,  1873,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  Torpy,  a  native 
of  Porter  County,  and  born  October  28,  1845 ;  she  was  a  daughter  of  A. 
C.  and  Julia  A.  Torpy.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Williamson 
moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives;  this  farm  he  had  previously  pur- 
chased ;  it  numbers  160  acres  of  good  land.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williamson 
have  been  blessed  with  three  children — Edward  G.,  Cora  E.  and  an 
infant  who  has  not  yet  been  named. 


JACKSON  TOWNSHIP. 

J.  BARNARD  was  born  in  Surry  County,  N.  C,  March  2,  1806, 
and  is  a  son  of  Uriah  and  Elizabeth  (Massey)  Barnard.  Uriah's  parents 
were  born  on  the  Island  of  Nantucket,  and  went  with  their  parents  to 
North  Carolina  when  quite  young.  Our  subject's  parents  came  to 
Ohio  in  1811;  thence  to  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  in  1817,  where  they 
died,  parents  of  ten  children,  two  now  living.  J.  Barnard  lived  with 
his  parents  until  of  age,  and  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter.  He 
was  married  in  January,  1840,  to  Margaret  McGonigle,  of  Wayne 
County,  Ind.,  who  died  April  19,  1851,  leaving  a  family  of  four — Caro- 
line (now  Mrs.  S.  Williams,  of  Labette  County,  Kan.),  Sarah  E.  (now  de- 
ceased), Allen  and  Leroy.  Mr.  Barnard  came  to  Porter  County  in  1845, 
and  has  been  mainly  engaged  in  farming ;  he  is  now  somewhat  engrossed 
by  bee  culture,  having  now  thirty-seven  swarms,  after  a  loss  of  fifty 
swarms  during  the  winter  of  1880-81;  he  is  a  strong  Republican. 
Allen  J.  Barnard  was  born  in  this  county  August  27,  1847,  and 
is  a  carpenter  and  farmer.  On  August  12,  1871,  he  was  married  in 
La  Porte  County  to  Sarah  E.  Tatman,  a  native  of  Ohio.  They  have  two 
children — Cassius  H.  and  Ira  J. 

N.  BARNARD  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  October  6,  1829, 
and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Sallie  (Williams)  Barnard ;  his  father  was 
born  in  1803,  in  Surry  County,  N.  C,  whence,  in  1811,  he  removed 
with  his  parents  to  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  in  1817,  where  he  married ;  he 


356  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

came  to  Porter  County  in  1835,  and  bought  a  claim  of  160  acres  for 
350,  on  which  a  cabin  was  built  and  some  clearing  made.  In  1836,  he 
moved  to  Cass  County,  Mich,  returning  hither  in  1838,  and  did  a  great 
deal  toward  improving  Jackson  Township.  N.  Barnard  lived  with  his 
parents  until  manhood.  At  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  began  to  learn  car- 
pentering, at  which  he  labored  intermittently  for  twenty  years.  On 
February  2,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Mary  J.  Lumpkin,  of  Wayne 
County,  born  May  29,  1831 ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  James  and  Sarah 
(Thornburgh)  Lumpkin  ;  her  parents  removed  from  Tennessee  to  Wayne 
County  in  1819.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barnard  have  had  born  to  them  the  fol- 
lowing-named children  :  Orlando  and  Mary  B.,  living,  and  Sarah  L., 
John  R.,  Ordelle  and  William  E.,  deceased.  Mr.  Barnard  is  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Jackson  Township,  coming  hither  in  1835  ;  he  has  been 
engaged  in  farming  twenty-seven  years,  and  has  now  467|^  acres  of  good 
land,  350  of  which  are  improved.  Mr.  Barnard  has  been  and  still  is 
passionately  fond  of  hunting.     He  is  an  unwavering  Republican. 

MILLER  BAUM,  son  of  James  and  Rebecca  (Miller)  Baum,  was 
born  in  Richland  County,  Ohio,  November  12,  1827.  (A  sketch  of  his 
parents  appears  in  the  biographical  department  of  Washington  Town- 
ship.) Owing  to  the  limited  advantages  for  education  in  that  day,  he 
received  but  a  moderate  share  of  learning.  In  1835,  he  came  to  this 
county  with  his  parents,  who  settled  on  Morgan  Prairie,  and  remained 
with  them  until  he  was  past  his  majority.  On  June  29,  1852,  he  was 
married  to  Caroline  Billings,  born  in  Fayette  County,  Ind.,  February 
11,  1832,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Hammer)  Billings,  who 
came  to  Fayette  County,  Ind.,  at  an  early  day,  and  to  this  county 
in  1834 ;  her  father  died  in  1853,  but  her  mother  is  living  in  Carroll 
County,  Ind.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baum  have  six  children — Alice,  wife  of 
William  Wood ;  Marion,  Laura,  Josephine,  Melinda  and  John.  Mr. 
Baum  has  followed  farming  from  boyhood,  and  now  has  340  acres,  with 
good  improvements.  In  February,  1877,  his  house  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  which  he  replaced  by  a  brick — one  of  the  finest  in  the  township. 
In  politics,  he  is  a  liberal  Republican. 

W.  A.  BLISS  was  born  in  Guilford,  Windom  Co.,  Vt.,  March  2, 
1830,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  three  children  of  William  A.  and  Sopronia 
T.  (Stimpson)  Bliss,  two  of  whom  are  living.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  born  October  15,  1806,  but  moved  to  Massachusetts,  where 
he  lived  until  manhood  and  married.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  firm  be- 
lievers in  Christianity,  and  belonged  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
She  died,  October  15,  1863,  and  he  January  11,  1882.  W.  A.  Bliss 
lived  with  his  parents  until  his  manhood,  and  afterward  took  care  of  them. 
He  is  a  natural  engineer.  He  has  been  variously  engaged,  but  has  now 
183  acres,  140  of  which  are  improved.  On  October  29,  1856,  he  was 
married  in  St.  Joseph  County,  Mich.,  to  Hannah  Gray,  of  La  Grange 
County,  daughter  of  Abrara  and  Sarah  Gray.  To  this  union  five  chil- 
dren have  succeeded,  three  of  whom  survive — Louise,  wife  of  Monroe 
Hill;  Minnie;  William  J.,  deceased  ;  Cora  L.;and  Helen,  deceased.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bliss  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  They  have 
certain  relics  which  have  been  in  the  family  over  two  hundred  years.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Bliss  is  a  strong  Republican. 


JACKSON  TOWNSHIP.  357 

GEORGE  BROWN  was  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Enorland, 
December  28,  1828,  and  is  a  son  of  George  and  Jane  (Myers)  Brown. 
His  parents  were  born,  reared  and  married  in  England,  Avhere  they  both 
died.  George  Brown  came  to  America,  in  company  with  a  sister  and 
brother-in-law,  in  1852.  For  awhile  he  remained  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  from  where  he  came  first  to  La  Porte,  and  afterward  to  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  and  settled  where  he  now  resides,  and  where  he  is  one  of 
the  largest  land-owners,  possessing  about  nine  hundred  acres.  On  July 
17,  18o5,  he  was  married  to  Charity  A.  Carter.  The  family  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Brown  consists  of  ten  children — Mary  J.,  wife  of  J.  Brewer  ;  Josiah, 
John  F.,  Jerome,  George  M.,  James,  Elizabeth  C,  Charles  W..  Anna 
M.  and  Carrie.  Mr.  Brown  is  a  member  of  Chesterton  Lodge,  No.  379, 
A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  also  of  Westville  Lodge,  No.  176,  I.  0.  0.  F.  In  pol- 
itics, he  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  but  liberal  in  local  aftairs. 

JAMES  P.  CAIN,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  was  born 
in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  January  1,  1820,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and 
Miranda  (Carter)  Cain,  being  the  eldest  of  their  six  children,  four  of 
whom  are  living.  His  father  was  born  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  and  his 
mother  in  Orange  County,  N.  J.;  they  were  married  in  Cayuga  County. 
In  1820,  they  came  West  to  Huron  County,  Ohio.  His  father  died  in 
Ashland  County,  and  his  mother  at  the  home  of  our  subject.  May  14, 
1879.  James  P.  Cain  came  to  this  county  intending  to  settle  and  improve 
land,  but  worked  by  the  month  until  1842,  Avhen  he  purchased  land  in 
La  Porte  County,  which  he  improved  and  disposed  of,  and  engaged  in 
Haw-milling.  In  1851,  he  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  on  Section 
11,  on  which  he  now  resides,  containing  a  log  cabin  and  some  clearing ;  it 
is  now  nearly  all  under  cultivation.  In  November,  1842,  at  Michigan 
City,  La  Porte  County,  he  was  married  to  Rebecca  Sparks,  a  native  of 
this  State.  To  them  eight  children  were  born,  six  of  whom  are  living — 
William  D.,  John  M.,  Edwin  L.;  Jane,  wife  of  Charles  McCoy  ;  Viola 
and  Florence.  Mr.  Cain  is  a  Democrat  and  one  of  the  old  school  of 
Jefferson. 

JACOB  CARTER,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  was  born 
in  Mohawk  County,  N.  Y.,  March  6,  1806,  a  son  of  Robert  and  Eve 
(House)  Carter.  The  parents  were  natives  of  New  York.  During  the 
Revolutionary  war,  his  mother  was  taken  prisoner,  conveyed  to  Canada 
and  sold,  but  returned  to  the  States  on  reaching  womanhood.  His  father 
assisted  in  surveying  the  State  of  New  York,  was  for  three  months  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  narrowly  escaped  capture  by 
crawling  into  a  potato  hole  and  filling  it  over  him.  Jacob  Carter  resided 
with  his  parents  until  of  age,  but  received  no  education,  as  there  were  no 
schools  in  the  neighborhood.  On  June  18,  1826,  he  was  married  to 
Chloe  Doud,  of  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.  She  was  born  March  31,  1805, 
and  died  February  14,  1878 — a  faithful  wife  for  over  fifty  years.  Their 
issue  comprised  eleven  children,  five  of  whom  survive — Charles,  Philo, 
Eleanor,  Charity  and  Jerome  F.  Jacob  Carter  came  first  to  Horse 
Prairie,  this  county,  afterward  coming  to  this  township  and  purchasing 
some  wild  land  on  which  a  cabin  had  been  erected.  He  at  once  began 
clearing,  and  has  now  312  acres,  on  which  he  lives,  retired.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  more  than  forty  years. 
He  was  formerly  a  Whig,  but  is  now  a  stanch  Republican. 


358  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

PHILO  CARTER,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  is  a  son  of 
Jacob  and  Chloe  (Doud)  Carter  ;  he  was  born  in  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y., 
March  27,  1829.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  began  the  battle  of  life  for  him- 
self by  working  by  the  month,  and  afterward  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  but 
which  he  never  learned  in  the  usual  way,  as  he  was  a  natural  mechanic.  In 
August,  1849,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A,  Johnson,  of  this  county,  who 
died  in  November,  1860,  leaving  a  family  of  three — Henry  (now  in  Kansas), 
George  (now  in  Nebraska)  and  Chloe  C.  (wife  of  C.  Doud,  of  this  town- 
ship). His  second  marriage,  to  Elizabeth  A.  Spears,  took  place  October 
29,  1865  ;  she  is  a  native  of  Upper  Canada,  but  lived  here  at  the  time  of 
her  marriage.  By  this  union  there  have  been  six  children — Schuyler  C, 
Delilah  M.,  Riley  E.,  Hattie  L.,  Alminaand  Malvina  (twins).  In  1860, 
Mr.  Carter  crossed  the  plains  to  Colorado,  for  the  purpose  of  mining,  but 
soon  returned.  He  is  now  a  farmer,  and  has  200  acres.  Mr.  Carter  is 
a  Republican,  having  been  such  since  the  organization  of  the  party. 

RICHARD  H.  DODD  was  born  in  Amherst  County,  Va.,  February 
3,  1828,  and  is  the  fourth  of  a  family  of  twelve  born  to  Joseph  and  Eliza- 
beth (Hattan)  Dodd ;  eight  of  these  are  now  living,  he  being  the  only 
one  in  this  county.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Virginia,  where  they 
married,  and  where  eight  of  their  family  were  born.  In  1842,  they 
emigrated  to  Hamilton  County,  Ind.,  where  they  remained  until  their 
death — the  fether  dying  on  November  20,  1845,  and  the  mother,  April 
24,  1876.  Richard  Dodd  received  but  little  education  in  youth,  but  has 
acquired  his  limited  knowledge  since  arriving  at  manhood.  He  was  mar- 
ried to  Annie  M.  Bales,  March  21,  1850;  she  is  a  native  of  North  Caro- 
lina, whence  she  came  with  her  parents  to  Hamilton  County,  Ind.,  when 
four  years  old.  This  union  produced  eight  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living — Nathan  T.,  Alfred  A.,  Asa  A.,  Joseph  L.,  Walter  and  Laura  E. 
J.  Mr.  Dodd  moved  to  Porter  County  in  1858,  settling  on  the  land  he 
yet  owns — 160  acres,  135  of  which  are  improved.  He  is  a  member  of 
Westville  Lodge,  No.  136,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  and  his  wife  of  Silver  Star  Lodge, 
No.  183.     Mr.  Dodd  is  a  Republican. 

J.  T.  FORBES  was  born  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  December  14, 
1817,  and  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children  born  to  David  and  Martha 
(Sheridan)  Forbes,  all  of  whom  are  living;  his  father  is  a  farmer,  living 
in  Tama  County,  Iowa.  Born  in  poverty,  Mr.  Forbes  has  had  a  fierce 
struggle  Tvith  existence,  and  has  been  the  support  of  his  parents  for  many 
years,  still  assisting  his  father,  his  mother  being  dead.  In  youth,  he  re- 
ceived no  education,  never  having  passed  more  than  twelve  days  in  a 
schoolroom  ;  he  has  now,  however,  a  fair  education,  self-obtained.  In 
1832,  he  moved  from  New  York  to  Canada,  and  remained  until  1854, 
when  he  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  settled  on  the  land  he  now 
owns,  410  acres,  about  290  of  which  are  improved,  with  a  fine  brick 
house  and  good  buildings.  Mr.  Forbes  has  been  very  industrious  and 
very  successful.  He  was  married,  April  2,  1841,  to  Martha  Pettit, 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Abigail  (Wilson)  Pettit,  born  August  20,  1821. 
They  have  had  seven  children,  with  five  living — Hamilton  W.,  Thaddeus 
H.,  Hulda  A.,  Matilda  E.  and  Andrew  Jackson,  all  living  in  Porter 
County.     Mr.  Forbes  is  a  liberal  Democrat. 

R.  B.  HILL,  son  of  Samuel  and  Rhoda  (Evans)  Hill,  was  born  in 
Cicero,  Onondaga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  August  1,  1829  ;  his  parents  were  born  in 


JACKSON   TOWNSHIP.  359 

East  Hartford,  Conn.,  his  father  May  31,  1785,  and  his  mother  March 
23,  1787.  After  marriage  they  moved  to  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.; 
thence  to  Niagara  County,  and  thence  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1856, 
settling  in  this  township  and  living  here  until  they  died — the  father  in 
1867,  the  mother  in  1871.  R.  B.  Hill  received  an  ordinary  education, 
and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  began  work  on  the  Erie  Canal,  and  afterward 
worked  at  farming.  On  July  4,  1853,  he  was  married,  at  Niagara  Falls, 
to  Lydia  A.  Taylor,  daughter  of  Oliver  and  Samantha  Taylor.  She  was 
born  January  18,  1833  ;  her  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  her  mother 
of  Canada.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  have  had  seven  children,  six  of  whom 
survive — Harriet,  James  M.,  Emma,  Schuyler  C,  Edward  C.  and  Frank. 
Mr.  Hill  came  to  this  county  in  1857,  when,  as  he  says,  "  it  was  a  wild- 
looking  place."  His  prospects  were  discouraging,  and,  but  for  the  sup- 
port and  encouragement  of  J.  P.  Noble  and  others,  he  would  have  gone 
away  ;  his  first  crop,  from  cleared  ground,  was  eighty-two  bushels  of 
wheat,  and  favorable  ever  after;  he  now  has  a  fine  farm  of  107  acres, 
being  in  comfortable  circumstances.  In  the  beginning,  he  was  greatly 
assisted  by  his  wife,  who  drove  the  ox  (for  they  had  no  horse)  while  Mr. 
Hill  held  the  plow. 

J.  KIMBLE  was  born  in  Hocking  County,  Ohio,  February  19,  1828, 
and  is  one  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children  born  to  Jonathan  and  Hannah 
(Runnels)  Kimble.  Mr.  Kimble  had  no  opportunity  of  attending  school 
in  his  youth,  and,  as  a  consequence,  is  without  book  education.  In  1854, 
he  moved  to  Noble  County,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  about  five  years, 
when  he  removed  to  Missouri  and  remained  about  one  year,  at  which  time 
he  removed  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  and,  in  1864,  to  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  where  he  has  since  lived;  he  purchased  160  acres — the  farm  he 
now  owns — in  1872.  In  1849,  he  married  Amanda  Potter,  who  died  in 
Missouri  in  1859,  leaving  two  children  as  issue — Wesley  and  Frank.  In 
1861,  he  took  as  his  second  wife  Melinda  Wolf,  daughter  of  Levi  Wolf, 
of  La  Porte  County,  by  whom  he  has  five  children — Laura,  Gerry,  Alta, 
Corma  and  Myrtie.  In  politics,  Mr.  Kimble  is  a  stanch  Republican. 
One  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  his  farm  are  improved,  and  the  buildings 
are  excellent. 

JACOB  LINK  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  November  23, 
1823.  He  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  five  children  born  to  Jacob  and 
Mary  Link.  His  father  was  by  trade  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  came 
to  America  in  1832,  purposing  to  exempt  his  sons  from  military  duty, 
as  required  by  the  German  Government,  and  also  to  better  his  own  con- 
dition. He  had  been  a  soldier;  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Waterloo, 
and  assisted  in  the  downfall  of  France.  On  arriving  in  this  country,  he 
came  first  to  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  and  thence  to  Seneca  County, 
where  he  died  August  20,  1840.  Our  subject  learned  the  carpentering 
and  wheelwright  business.  He  also  worked  at  farming  and  clearing. 
After  working  at  his  trade  in  several  places,  he  came  to  Porter  County 
in  1853.  In  1856,  he  moved  his  family,  and  has  since  resided  here,  ex- 
cept for  a  short  time.  He  first  worked  at  saw-milling  and  then  at  farm- 
ing, now  owning  a  saw-mill,  besides  a  farm  of  382  acres.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Wisconsin  to  Catharine  Zimmerman,  of  Germany,  and  born  in 
1825.     They  have  nine   children — Ella  J.  (wife  of  L.   J.   Wolf,  of  La 


360  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Porte  County),  William  N.,  Michael,  Frank,  Mary,  Emma,  Charlie,  El- 
vin  and  Edward.  Mr.  Link  is  a  member  of  Westville  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F., 
and  is  a  strong  Republican. 

WILLIAM  McAllister,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Porter 
County,  was  born  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  August  18,  1817,  and  is 
the  eldest  of  ten  children  born  to  John  and  Mary  A.  (Graten)  McAllis- 
ter, and  the  only  one  of  his  family  in  this  county.  His  father  was  a  na- 
tive of  Scotland,  and  came  to  this  country  when  very  young,  and  resided 
in  Kentucky,  where  our  subject's  mother  was  born  and  reared.  They 
moved  from  Kentucky  to  Ohio  in  1817.  William  McAllister  moved  with 
his  parents  into  Union  County,  Ohio,  where  they  were  among  the  first 
settlers,  and  where  he  worked  at  farming  until  1848,  when  he  emigrated 
to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  settled  near  Valparaiso.  In  1858,  he  came 
to  Jackson  Township  and  purchased  eighty  acres,  on  which  he  now  lives, 
and  which  he  cleared.  He  was  married,  while  in  Union  County,  Ohio, 
to  Jane  Tunkes,  a  resident  of  that  county,  who  died  in  1843,  leaving  two 
children — Diantha  (deceased)  and  Mary.  In  1846,  he  married  Mary  A. 
Scott,  of  Ohio,  by  whom  he  has  five  children — Frank,  Melissa,  Isabel, 
Elizabeth  and  Gertrude.  Mr.  McAllister  is  a  stanch  Republican  ;  he 
served  as  a  private  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  in  Company  B,  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Infantry  ;  he  was  on  duty  in  Indianapolis 
during  his  term  of  service ;  was  taken  sick  there,  and  remained  there  un- 
til the  war  closed  ;  he  was  discharged  in  May,  1865. 

J.  P.  NOBLE  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  December 
7,  1807,  and  is  the  eldest  of  eight  children  born  to  William  and  Sallie 
(Pickett)  Noble.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Massachusetts,  his  mother 
a  descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest  families.  When  young,  his  father  re- 
moved to  Vermont,  where  he  graduated  in  medicine  about  1800;  thence 
he  went  to  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  practiced  medicine, 
and  afterward  engaged  in  farming  and  hotel-keeping.  They  moved  to 
Ashtabula  County,  Ohio.  His  mother  died  when  he  was  very  young, 
and  his  father  married  his  sister-in-law — Ruth  Pickett — and  died  in  1870. 
J.  P.  Noble  remained  with  his  father  until  twenty-six  years  old,  receiving 
a  common  school  education.  In  1838,  he  came  to  La  Porte  County,  and 
worked  for  $10  per  month.  In  1834,  he  came  to  Porter  County  and  en- 
gaged with  Mr.  Paine,  and  purchased  land  at  the  land  sale  of  1835.  He 
now  owns  200  acres  in  this  county,  besides  property  elsewhere.  On  June 
7,  1836,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Smith,  a  native  of  New  York,  born 
October  18, 1818.  They  have  had  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — 
Americus  V.,  Julia.  Celia,  Hettie  and  Lois.  In  politics,  Mr.  Noble  is  a 
liberal  Republican.  He  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Porter  County,  and 
has  ever  been  a  friend  to  the  new  settler. 

AMERICUS  V.  NOBLE  was  born  in  Porter  County  June  18, 
1837.  His  parents  are  J.  P.  and  Mary  A.  (Smith)  Noble.  Americus 
V.  Noble  resided  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  attended  a  common  school  of  the  period.  Then  he 
went  to  Canton.  N.  Y.,  entering  an  academy  there  and  remaining  two 
years.  Returning  home,  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  and  now 
owns  66|  acres,  besides  having  charge  of  200  belonging  to  his  father.  On 
October  5,  1864,  he  was  married  to  Hannah  Jones,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and. 


JACKSON  TOWNSHIP.  361 

daughter  of  John  and  Maria  (Duck)  Jones,  who  was  born  December  25, 
1842,  and  came  hither  with  her  parents  from  Stark  County,  Ohio,  when 
but  four  years  of  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Noble  have  had  five  children — 
Clara  E.,  born  September  15,  1865;  Colba  E.,  born  September  12,  1867; 
Louis  H.,  born  February  16,  1870;  Frank  L.,  born  May  15,  1872,  and 
John  v.,  born  September  10,  1878.  Mr.  Noble  is  a  Republican  of  the 
liberal  school. 

HAMILTON  A.  K.  PAINE  was  born  in  Painesville,  Lake  Co., 
Ohio,  October  22,  1813,  and  is  a  son  of  Asahel  K.  and  Frances  (Jones) 
Paine;  his  f\ither  was  born  in  1790,  in  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  being  the 
first  white  child  born  within  a  circuit  of  eighty  miles ;  his  mother  was  a 
native  of  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  born  April  7,  1791,  and  came  with 
her  parents  to  what  is  now  Lake  County,  Ohio,  when  but  sixteen  years 
old.  They  lived  there  until  1833;  then  came  to  Indiana,  locating  in  what  is 
now  Jackson  Township,  and  building  the  first  cabin  here,  which  still 
stands  as  a  relic  of  the  early  times.  Asahel  K.  Paine  devoted  his  life  to 
clearing  and  improving  the  land,  and  died  in  May,  1870  ;  his  wife  died 
September  30,  1872.  H.  A.  K.  Paine  after  receiving  a  common  school 
education,  became  a  farmer — an  occupation  he  has  since  followed,  having 
now  115  acres.  In  politics,  he  is  a  firm  Republican.  His  grandfathers, 
on  both  sides,  were  Revolutionary  soldiers;  he  is  a  pioneer  of  Porter 
County,  having  come  to  the  county  in  1831,  when  the  only  neighbors 
were  friendly  Indians. 

WHEELER  RICH  was  born  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  October  17, 
1830,  and  is  the  eldest  of  eleven  children  born  to  Davis  and  Margaret 
(Kolb)  Rich  ;  his  futher  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1811,  and  came  to 
Indiana  at  an  early  day;  his  mother  was  born  in  Georgia,  in  1807,  and 
also  came  to  Indiana  at  an  early  day  ;  they  were  married  in  1829  ;  his 
father  followed  farming  until  his  death,  January  9,  1865,  and  his  mother 
died  in  October,  1878.  Wheeler  Rich  enjoyed  a  home  with  his  parents 
nntil  he  reached  manhood,  and  received  in  the  meantime  a  fair  education. 
On  January  9,  1857,  he  was  married  to  Rebecca  Petro,  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Mary  (Sutton)  Petro,  born  in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  in  1825. 
In  1851,  Mr.  Rich  came  to  Porter  County,  and  settled  on  the  farm  he 
now  owns,  at  that  time  a  woodland.  By  hard  labor  he  has  improved  130 
of  the  171  acres,  besides  erecting  good  buildings  ;  he  has  as  fine  a  stock 
farm  as  can  be  found  in  the  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rich  are  members 
of  the  Christian  Church.     In  politics,  Mr.  Rich  is  a  liberal  Democrat. 

1  ^  OLIVER  STELL,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Porter  County,  was 
b6rn  in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  December  30,  1816,  and  is  the  eldest  of 
nine  children  born  to  Isaac  and  Sarah  (Fox)  Stell  ;  only  four  of  this 
family  are  living ;  his  father  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  his  mother  of 
Pennsylvania  ;  his  grandparents  came  to  the  State  of  Ohio  about  the  time 
of  its  admission  into  the  Union.^i^^is  parents  came  to  Fayette  County, 
Ind.,  in  1821,  and  were  among  the  first  settlers ;  his  father  served  in 
the  war  of  1812,  enlisting  from  Pennsylvania,  and  died  August  2, 
1871,  preceded' by  the  mother  in  December,  1849;  Oliver  Stell  lived 
with  his  parents  until  after  his  majority.  On  February  6,  1840, 
he  was  married  to  Iva  Petro,  of  Warren  County,  Ohio  born  July  20, 
1818,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Sutton)  Petro;  she  died  March 


3()2  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

26,  1870,  leaving  six  children — Albert,  Sarah  J.,  Marion,  Horace, 
Martha  and  Rebecca.  On  October  12,  1879,  he  married  Sarah  J. 
Asher,  of  Guernsey  County.  Ohio.  Mr.  Stell  has  followed  farming 
from  boyhood,  and  owns  23-4  acres ;  he  is  a  liberal  Democrat,  and  was 
elected  Trustee  of  the  township  in  1882  by  a  large  majority;  he  came  to 
Porter  County  in  October,  1844,  settling  where  he  now  resides.  Mrs. 
Stell  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

NICHOLAS  THOESEN,  farmer  and  wood  dealer  at  Burdick,  was 
born  in  Prussia  January  12,  1836,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  four  chil- 
dren of  Mathies  and  Anna  M.  (Jacobs)  Thoesen,  all  of  whom  are  in 
America;  his  parents  were  born  in  Prussia,  and  died,  his  father  in  1848, 
and  his  mother  in  1854.  Nicholas  Thoesen  came  to  the  United  States 
with  his  brothers  in  1857.  From  then  until  the  beginning  of  the  late 
war,  he  was  in  many  places  in  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Mississippi.  In 
May,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Battery  A,  Illinois  Light  Artillery,  seeing 
service  at  Pea  Ridge  and  Vicksburg,  thence  to  New  Orleans  and  to  Fort 
Morgan  and  Fort  Gaines.  While  on  the  Gulf,  he  was  sent  to  Spring- 
field for  discharge,  his  term  having  expired.  He  lived  in  La  Porte 
County  until  1869,  and  then  came  to  Porter  County.  Returning  to  La 
Porte  County,  he  lost  $1,200  in  trade,  when  he  came  again  to  Porter  to 
engage  in  farming  and  chopping  as  a  partner  of  A.  Philipson.  This 
season  they  will  handle  about  two  thousand  cords.  While  in  La  Porte 
County,  he  was  married  to  Verona  Janney,  November  25,  1872.  They 
are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Chesterton.  Mr.  Thoesen  has 
both  an  English  and  German  education.  He  formerly  voted  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket,  but  will  hereafter  support  the  Greenback  cause. 

FRANZ  WIESEMANN  was  born  in  Westphalia,  Prussia,  June  23, 
1828,  and  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  three  sons  born  to  Adrian  and 
Margaret  (Grossmann)  Wiesemann,  all  of  whom  are  living  in  this 
county.  His  parents  were  born,  reared,  married  and  died  in  Prussia,  his 
father  November  1,  1853,  and  his  mother  in  1846.  In  1852,  Franz 
Wiesemann  came  to  the  United  States  for  the  purposes  of  living  in 
a  free  country  and  procuring  for  himself  a  home ;  he  came  to  Indiana 
and  stopped  in  La  Porte  County  about  two  years,  and  later  near  West- 
ville  until  1869,  when  he  came  to  Porter  County  and  settled  where  he 
now  resides.  He  is  one  of  the  most  enterprising  farmers  in  this  county, 
owning  400  acres.  While  in  Prussia,  he  married  Regina  Herr.  To 
them  seven  children  have  been  born — August,  J.  Peter,  Franklin, 
Charles,  William,  Josephine  and  Dora.  He  and  his  family  are  Catho- 
lics. In  politics,  Mr.  Wiesemann  is  a  Democrat.  His  second  son,  J. 
Peter,  is  married,  and  a  farmer  in  this  township. 

V  LEWIS  WILLIAMS  was  born  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  May  4, 
1826,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of  Stephen  and  Betsey  (Medley) 
Williams  ;  his  parents  were  natives  of  New  England,  and  were  among 
the  first  who  emigrated  to  Trumbull  County,  where  his  father  died  and 
his  mother  is  still  residing.  Lewis  Williams  lived  with  his  parents  until 
of  age,  receiving  but  very  little  education.  In  the  autumn  of  1848,  he  was 
married  to  Keziah  Moore,  of  Trumbull  County,  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Keziah  (Springer)  Moore,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Williams 
came  to  Porter  County  in  1865,  and  settled  on  120  acres  of  land,  70  of 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP.  363 

which  are  improved.  He  served  during  the  rebellion  in  Company  C, 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth  Regiment  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry.  At 
the  battle  of  Dalton,  while  lying  behind  a  log  with  three  others,  firing  at 
the  enemy,  who  opened  a  cross  fire,  two  of  his  comrades  were  killed,  but 
he  escaped  with  only  a  slight  wound  in  the  wrist ;  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged when  the  war  was  ended,  since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged 
in  farming.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  have  had  ten  children — Charles 
(deceased),  Lovina,  Rogeltha,  Flora,  Roswell,  Celia,  Mary,  Olive,  Grant 
and  Belle.     Mr.  Williams  is  a  stanch  Republican. 

JOHN  M.  WILLIAMS,  son  of  William  and  Lucretia  (Starbuck) 
Williams,  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  December  13,  1838  ;  his 
parents  were  natives  of  Tennessee  and  North  Carolina,  and  came  to  Por- 
ter County,  Ind.,  in  1845,  where  his  father  has  since  lived,  his  mother 
being  dead ;  his  father  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Wayne  County,  and 
also  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  County  Commissioner  of  this  county.  J. 
M.  Williams  is  a  thorough  farmer ;  he  was  a  private  in  the  war  of  the 
rebellion,  in  Company  K,  Seventy-third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  as- 
signed to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland ;  he  was  at  the  battle  of  Stone 
River,  and  on  a  raid  through  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Alabama,  under 
Col.  Straight.  During  said  raid  the  brigade  was  captured  and  sent  to 
Richmond,  where  they  were  exchanged.  At  Indianapolis,  Mr.  Williams 
again  entered  the  army,  and  was  sent  in  pursuit  of  Gen.  Morgan  ;  he 
served  until  the  war  closed.  On  January  1,  1866,  he  was  married  to 
Mary  Morris,  of  Randolph  County,  In  J.,  daughter  of  David  P.  and  Maria 
(Mann)  Morris;  she  died  March  27,  1873,  leaving  two  children — Charles 
L.  and  Nona.  On  April  3,  1878,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Herald,  of 
Seneca  County,  Ohio.  Mr.  Williams  is  a  member  of  Westville  Lodge, 
No.  192,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  is  a  firm  Republican. 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP. 

MILLER  C.  BLACHLY,  miller,  was  born  May  8,  1853.  in  Porter 
County ;  he  is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Cornelius  and  Christina 
(Laughlin)  Blachly.  The  elder  Blachly  was  a  physician.  They  moved 
to  Salt  Creek  in  the  spring  of  1869.  Young  Blachly  received  the  usual 
early  educational  advantages,  and  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  began 
working  for  his  father,  then  owner  of  the  present  mill,  as  teamster  for  about 
three  years  ;  he  now  entered  the  mill,  working  there  until  the  spring  of 
1875,  when  he  bought  a  quarter  interest,  which  he  now  owns.  The  mill 
is  well  known,  and  is  probably  the  first  one  built  in  the  county,  and  has 
been  known  by  the  name  of  the  '''  Gosset  Mill,"  one  of  the  best  water- 
mills  in  the  county  ;  it  has  two  runs  of  buhrs,  and  does  an  extensive 
amount  of  custom  work.  The  dam  includes  about  160  acres,  and  fur- 
nishes excellent  water-power.  He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  Lodge, 
of  Wheeler,  Porter  County,  Ind.  In  December,  1875,  he  married  Frances 
Stafford,  a  native  of  Liberty  Township.  They  have  one  child,  Goldie  M. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Blachly  is  a  Republican. 


364  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

ABRAHAM  L.  BLACHLY,  miller,  was  born  July  2,  1860,  in 
Union  Centre,  Porter  County  ;  he  is  the  youngest  of  seven  children  liv- 
ing born  to  Cornelius  and  Christina  (Laughlin)  Blachly,  both  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  elder  Blachly  was  a  physician  of  the  regular  school. 
He  has  practiced  in  Porter  County  for  forty-four  years,  and  was  among 
the  first  settlers  in  Porter  County  ;  had  bought  the  old  Gosset  Mill  in 
1869.  Abraham  L.  received  a  common  school  education,  and  lived  with 
his  father  at  the  old  home  until  the  death  of  the  latter,  in  April,  1876. 
In  1879,  Abraham  married  Ida  Wheeler,  a  native  of  this  county.  They 
live  at  the  old  place  with  his  mother.  They  have  one  child,  Clara  E. 
Soon  after  his  father's  death,  he  bought  a  quarter  interest  in  the  mill,  he 
and  his  brother  Miller  owning  one-half.  They  are  both  first-class  millers  ; 
he  has  always  been  a  Republican,  and  is  an  intelligent  and  promising 
young  man.  The  other  half-interest  in  the  mill  is  owned  by  the  Widow 
Blachly,  and  the  whole  is  estimated  at  $10,000.  The  family  have  in 
their  possession  a  "coat  of  arms,"  descended  from  the  Blachly  side  from 
an  ancient  family  in  Holland.  Dr.  E.  Blachly,  an  uncle  of  the  elder  B., 
was  a  founder  of  Oberlin  College. 

THOMAS  N.  BENTLEY,  farmer,  was  born  August  25,  1807,  in 
Stephentown,  N.  Y.;  he  is  the  youngest  of  eight  children  born  to  Reuben 
and  Susan  (Northup)  Bentley,  both  natives  of  Rhode  Island.  Thomas' 
father  died  when  he  (Thomas)  was  about  three  years  old,  and  his  mother 
about  a  year  later.  Thomas  was  now  brought  up  by  his  brother-in-law, 
until  his  fourteenth  year  ;  Thomas  then  went  out  into  the  world  for  him- 
self. He  had  received  but  little  education.  Thomas,  with  three 
brothers,  received  150  acres  from  their  father's  estate.  Thomas  worked 
out  and  on  the  150  acres  until  twenty-five  years  of  age,  when  the  land  was 
sold,  and  Thomas  went  to  the  western  part  of  New  York,  where  he  re- 
mained about  thirty  years ;  here  he  bought  seventy-five  acres,  and  after 
his  marriage,  February  16,  1834,  he  lived  on  it  about  two  years.  He 
was  married  to  Martha  E.  Cook,  a  native  of  New  York  ;  he  worked  farms 
on  shares,  and  owned  100  acres  until  about  1861,  when  he  traveled  some, 
and  then  came  to  Porter  County,  and,  after  a  short  residence,  went  back 
to  New  York  and  bought  his  old  farm.  In  a  few  years,  he  came  back  to 
Porter  County  and  bought  his  present  farm — 160  acres  of  good  land, 
well-improved  with  good  buildings.  With  the  exception  of  two  visits  to 
New  York,  he  has  lived  here  ever  since.  He  was  a  member  of  the  I.  0. 
0.  F.  order  for  ten  years ;  his  wife  was  one  of  the  "  Daughters  of  Re- 
becca "  also;  he  voted  for  Jackson  and  Van  Buren.  but  of  late  years  he 
has  been  a  Republican,  but  votes  for  the  man  and  principle  rsther  than 
party.     He  has  four  children  living — Reuben,  Morris,  William  and  Mary. 

GEORGE  BROWN  was  born  November  7,  1829,  in  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many. He  is  the  eldest  of  two  children  born  to  Jacob  and  Mary  A. 
(Glaab)  Brown,  both  natives  of  Bavaria.  Young  Brown  lived  with  his 
father  until  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  began  learning  his  trade  of 
miller,  which  he  completed  in  four  years.  According  to  the  prevailing 
custom  there,  he  then  traveled  two  years.  He  now  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, settling  in  Chicago.  Here  he  worked  on  the  railroad  as  fireman 
for  three  years,  when  he  came  to  Valparaiso  and  farmed  for  a  short 
time,   and  then   obtained  a  position  in  Sager's  Mill,  where  he  was  en- 


LIBERTV  TOWNSHIP.  365 

gaged  for  four  years.  lie  now  bought  a  share  in  the  Prattville  Mills, 
continuing  there  seven  years.  After  this  he  engaged  in  milling 
more  or  less,  and  at  present  he  is  engaged  as  miller  in  the  Liberty  Mill, 
lie  owns  a  residence  in  Valparaiso,  where  his  family  lives.  He  has  been 
a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F  order.  He  has  always  been  a  strong  Demo- 
crat, and  is  a  well-known,  enterprising  citizen.  He  has  five  children 
living — Claudina,  Ryneor,  Elma,  William  and  George,  Jr. 

JOHN  C.  COLE  was  born  June  27,  1836,  in  Huron  County,  Ohio. 
He  is  the  third  of  nine  children  born  to  Edward  P.  and  Sally  (Dilling- 
ham) Cole,  natives  of  New  York  and  of  Ohio.  John  C.  lived  with  his 
father  in  Huron  County  until  his  second  year,  when  his  father  came  to 
this  county  and  bought  somewhere  near  a  half  section,  and  at  one  time 
nearly  a  section  and  a  half,  and  lived  here  until  his  death,  in  1877.  In 
his  twentieth  year,  John  C.  Cole  was  married  to  Mary  Osborn,  a  native 
of  Huron  County.  Mr.  Cole  now  settled  on  ninety  acres  from  his 
father's  estate  and  his  present  farm,  on  which  ho  has  resided  ever  since, 
with  the  exception  of  about  three  years'  service.  Ho  enlisted  in  the  Sev- 
enty-third Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  participated  in  the  battles  of 
Perryville,  Chapel  Hill  and  in  a  raid  to  Alabama,  where  they  were  capt- 
ured and  paroled  and  placed  on  guard  duty,  fort-building,  etc.  He  was 
mustered  out  of  service  at  Nashville  July  10,  1865.  Mr.  Cole's  farm 
consists  of  244  acres  of  well-improved  land,  with  good  buildings,  wind 
pump,  etc.,  most  of  it  under  cultivation.  He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A, 
M.  order,  Calumet  Lodge,  No.  379,  and  during  the  time  of  it  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grange.  He  has  been  Trustee  for  three  terms,  and  is  an  active 
Ptepublican.  It  was  through  his  influence  that  the  station  of  Woodville, 
an  extensive  grain  market,  store  and  post  office,  was  placed  in  the  town- 
ship, on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad.  He  built  and  owns  the  build- 
ings. He  has  five  children — Ada  A.  Freer,  Carthaette  S.  Griswold,  Dan- 
iel E.,  George  J.  and  Frederick  H. 

JEREMIAH  DALY  was  born  in  1851  in  Ireland.  He  is  one 
of  six  children  born  to  Daniel  and  Julia  (Singleton)  Daly,  both  natives 
of  Ireland.  They  emigrated  to  the  United  States  when  Jeremiah  was 
about  one  year  old.  After  a  short  stay  in  New  Jersey,  they  went  to  Ohio, 
where  they  remained  about  one  year.  The  father  was  a  contractor  on 
the  Pittsburgh,  Ft.  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railroad.  He  worked  along  the 
road  to  Valparaiso,  where  he  arrived  in  1857.  The  railroad  company  being 
at  that  time  in  embarrassed  circumstances,  the  elder  Daly  had  to  take  a 
quarter  section  of  land  as  back  pay,  part  of  the  present  farms  owned  by 
the  Daly  brothers.  The  farm  on  which  our  subject  and  his  unmarried 
brother.  Michael,  is  living,  is  the  old  homestead.  The  father  and  sons 
began  clearing  the  original  forests,  and  have  succeeded  in  making  a  set 
of  the  best  farms  in  the  township.  The  brothers,  altogether,  own  about 
520  acres.  Jerry,  as  he  is  called,  and  his  brother  Michael,  own  260 
acres  of  it,  with  good  buildings,  etc.  The  father  and  mother  lived  to  a 
ripe  old  age,  and  died  suddenly — the  former  in  1875,  and  the  latter  about 
one  and  one-half  years  before.  He  and  his  brother  Michael  are  both 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Michael  was  born  in  1855,  in  Ohio, 
and  is  the  youngest  member  of  the  family.  Jeremiah  is  at  present  Road 
Superintendent  of  the  township.     In  political  faith,  he  has  always  been 


366  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

a  Democrat,  and  takes  an  active  part  in  politics  ;  he  is  at  present  the 
representative  of  the  Democratic  Committee  in  this  township.  As  a  man, 
he  is  well  informed,  genial  and  enterprising ;  as  a  citizen,  public-spirited 
and  influential.  He  was  married  November  3,  1880,  to  Kate  Leahy,  a 
native  of  Valparaiso.  They  have  one  child — Cornelius.  Mr.  Daly  re- 
ceived a  common  school  education,  and  has  been  a  great  reader;  his  wife 
was  educated  at  the  St.  Paul  Catholic  School  of  Valparaiso. 

HENRY  FRIDAY  was  born  April  12,  1848,  in  Germany.  He  is 
the  eldest  of  five  children,  living,  born  to  James  and  Sophia  (Linder- 
mann),  Friday,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Young  Friday  lived  in  Ger- 
many, with  his  father,  until  he  was  six  years  old,  when  he  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  settling  in  Michigan  City,  Ind.,  and  afterward  living 
in  Otis,  La  Porte  County,  when,  in  1858,  he  came  to  Westchester  Town- 
ship and  bought  160  acres  of  land.  Henry  lived  with  his  father  up  to 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  receiving  the  usual  education.  In  April,  1873, 
he  married  Frederica  Mahus,  a  native  of  Germany.  He  then  bought 
forty  acres,  living  on  that  about  two  years.  At  the  death  of  his  father, 
he  went  to  live  on  the  old  homestead,  where  he  remained  five  years.  He 
now  bought  his  present  farm,  consisting  of  140  acres  of  fine  land,  well 
improved,  with  good  buildings,  etc.  He  has  begun  stock-raising  as  more 
of  a  specialty  than  heretofore.  Mr.  Friday  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A. 
M.  order,  and  has  taken  three  degrees.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
German  Lutheran  Church.  He  is  a  Greenbacker,  an  intelligent  man 
and  enterprising  citizen.  He  has  three  children  living — William,  Louis 
and  Charles. 

JOHN  JOHNSON,  Jr.,  was  born  April  8,  1825,  in  Virginia.  He 
is  the  eldest  of  five  children  born  to  John  and  Eleanor  (Louis)  Johnson, 
both  natives  of  Virginia.  The  elder  John  died  when  our  subject  was 
about  eight  years  old.  When  about  twelve  years  of  age,  he  went  to  work 
for  himself,  working  on  the  farm  until  about  twenty-four  years  of  age. 
This  was  in  Ohio,  where  the  family  had  come  a  few  years  before  the 
father's  death.  Our  subject  was  married,  October  15,  1849,  to  Mary  A. 
Fury,  a  native  of  Virginia.  He  had  bought  his  present  farm  of  eighty 
acres  of  good,  well-improved  land,  and  now  increased  to  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  He  has  forty  acres  also  in  Michigan.  His  farm  is  crossed 
by  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad,  one  mile  west  of  Woodville  Post  Office. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  ;  he  has  held  the  office 
of  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  twelve  years,  which  indicates  the  satisfaction 
he  has  given;  he  has  always  been  a  Democrat  in  political  belief;  is  a 
well-informed  man  and  enterprising,  influential  citizen.  His  first  wife 
died  in  November,  1864,  of  consumption.  He  married  for  his  second 
wife  Mrs.  Susan  Hubbard,  a  native  of  Ohio.  He  has  five  children  liv- 
ing— John  B.,  Amanda,  Mary  A.,  Andrew  and  Cora. 

FRITZ  LINDEMANN  was  born  July  25,  1836,  in  Mecklenburg, 
Germany.  He  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  Jasper  and  Mary  Linde- 
mann,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Fritz  lived  in  Germany  with  his  father 
until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  having  received  a  common  school  educa- 
tion, when  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  settled  in  Porter 
County,  working  around  for  about  four  years  ;  he  now  bought  land  in 
Jackson  Township.     He  had  been  married  to  Sophia  Fanter,  a  native  of 


LIBERTY  TOWNSHIP.  367 

Germany,  in  1859.  He  took  his  wife  to  his  new  farm,  where  they  resided 
for  fourteen  years  on  120  acres  of  good  Land.  In  the  fall  of  1877,  he 
bought  his  present  farm  of  319  acres  of  excellent  land.  It  is  now  in 
good  condition,  through  the  intelligent  care  of  Mr.  Lindemann,  with 
good  buildings  and  other  improvements,  and  he  has  fair  prospects  of 
becoming  one  of  the  best  farmers  in  Porter  County.  He  has  been  a 
Mason  for  the  last  four  years,  and  has  taken  seven  degrees.  He  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church.  In  the  spring  of 
1880,  he  was  elected  Township  Trustee,  and  has  served  witli  ability.  He 
is  a  Greenbacker  and  an  ex-Republican.  He  has  five  children — Henry, 
Frank,  Fritz,  David  and  Emma. 

SAMUEL  M.  PHARES  was  born  in  Porter  County  August  23, 
1843.  He  is  the  eldest  of  eight  children  born  to  Martin  and  Maria 
(Shafer)  Phares,  the  former  of  Greene  County,  Ohio,  and  the  latter  of 
Luzerne  County,  Penn.  Samuel  lived  with  his  father,  with  the  exception 
of  the  time  of  service  in  the  war,  until  about  twenty-seven  years  of  age. 
He  received  the  usual  early  educational  advantages.  He  enlisted  Decem- 
ber 8,  18G3,  in  the  Twelfth  Cavalry,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh 
Indiana  Volunteers,  and  was  in  service  in  the  South  and  West.  January 
1,  1871,  Mr.  Phares  married  Narcissa  C.  Beam,  a  native  of  this  county. 
He  had  already  bought  his  present  farm,  which  consists  of  seventy-six 
acres  of  good  land,  well-watered,  and  with  good  buildings.  He  has  held 
the  office  of  Township  Trustee  for  about  four  years,  and  is  at  present 
Assessor,  both  of  which  offices  he  has  filled  creditably.  He  has  always 
been  a  Republican,  and  a  public-spirited  citizen.  He  has  one  child — 
Charles  W. 

SYLVESTER  C.  SHEETS  was  born  December  29,  1840,  in  Seneca 
County,  Ohio;  he  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  Henry  and  Hannah 
Sheets,  both  probably  from  Maryland.  Young  Sheets  lived  with  his 
father  until  the  latter's  death  in  about  1854',  he  received  the  usual  early 
educational  advantages;  he  then  lived  with  his  mother  until  her  death, 
when  he  was  about  twenty-two  years  of  age ;  he  then  farmed  some  on 
Mr.  Bartholomew's  farm.  'On  October  27,  1864,  he  married  Louise  Sco- 
field,  a  native  of  Connecticut;  he  enlisted  in  February  of  1865,  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  On  account 
of  exposure,  he  was  confined  to  the  hospital  until  he  was  discharged ;  he 
bought  eighty  acres,  a  part  of  his  present  farm,  now  consisting  of  about 
203  acres  of  good  land,  well  watered.  By  hard  work  and  intelligent 
management  he  has  accumulated  all  he  now  owns.  Mrs.  S.  received,  be- 
sides common  school  benefits,  the  advantages  of  the  high  school  and  is  a 
woman  of  not  common  intelligence.  Mr.  S.  has  always  been  a  stanch 
Republican,  and  is  a  strong  temperance  man  ;  he  has  seven  children — 
Lillian  M.,  Arthur  E.,  Frederic  R.,  Adela  I.,  Augustus  C,  Garie  C.  and 
Clifton  B. 

TRUMAN  SKINNER  was  born  in  November,  1825,  in  Wayne 
County,  N.  Y. ;  he  is  one  of  twelve  children  born  to  Asa  and  Electa  J. 
(Mason)  Skinner,  both  natives  of  New  York.  Truman  lived  with  his 
parents  in  New  York  until  1834.  when  they  went  to  Canada,  remaining 
there  four  years,  and  then  came  to  Porter  County,  and  the  father  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land.      In  1839,  his  wife  died  and  he  went  back  to  New 


368  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

York.  Truman  was  bound  out  to  Henry  Dillingham,  who  reared  him 
up  to  about  his  eighteenth  year;  he  received  the  usual  educational  advant- 
ages, and  worked  out  for  about  three  years,  then  about  seven  years  at 
Gosset's  Mill.  He  now  bought  eighty  acres,  sold  it  and  bought  140  acres 
of  which  his  present  farm  is  a  part,  having  sold  forty  acres  leaving  100, 
his  present  possession.  With  the  exception  of  two  years  in  Nebraska, 
Missouri  and  Kansas,  he  has  lived  here  ever  since  he  first  came.  All  he 
has  he  obtained  by  his  own  eiforts  ;  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church,  and  during  its  life  was  a  member  of  the  Grange;  he 
was  at  one  time  a  Whig,  and  is  now  a  Douglas  Democrat,  though  he  votes 
for  the  man  rather  than  the  party  ;  he  has  eight  children  living — Ellen, 
Electa  J.,  Paulina,  Mary,  William,  Truman  H.,  Mahala  and  Melna. 

ABRAHAM  STAFFERwasborn  January  14, 1822,  in  Pennsylvania; 
he  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  Abraham  and  Rebecca  (Krider) 
Stafler,  of  Pennsylvania.  Young  Staffer  lived  with  his  father  until 
about  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  receiving  a  common  school  education  ; 
he  was  married  September,  1848,  to  Emily  Brumbaugh,  a  native  of 
Maryland  ;  he  now  began  running  a  threshing  machine,  and  soon  after, 
with  his  brother,  bou<^ht  a  carding  machine,  carding  wool  for  about  three 
years.  They  now  bought  the  Gosset  Mill,  owning  that  for  about  six 
years.  Since  that  Mr.  S.  has  built  and  run  threshing  machines.  In 
the  spring  of  1882,  he  bought  three  acres  of  land,  his  present  home;  he 
also  owns  a  saw-mill  in  the  Hughart  settlement ;  he  was  Township  Trustee 
and  Postmaster  for  some  time  ;  he  is  a  Greenback  Democrat  and  is  an 
intelligrent  man  and  good  citizen  ;  he  has  three  children — Laura  Gus- 
tafson,  Mary  E.  Harris  and  Francis  L.  Blachly.  Mr.  S.  has  consider- 
able inventive  talent,  and  great  taste  for  machinery,  and  has  had  three 
inventions  patented — a  saw  gummer,  the  concave,  and  the  cleaning 
apparatus  of  a  thresher  and  a  flour  coofer  ;  he  engaged  in  steamboating 
on  the  Galumet  River  with  three  barges  and  a  tug  boat,  but  on  account 
of  a  sand  bar  in  the  river  the  enterprise  proved  a  failure  ;  he  is  now  run- 
ning a  saw-mill  and  a  threshing  machine. 

NORMAN  B.  TANNER  was  born  May  28,  1829,  in  Munson, 
Geauga  County,  Ohio  ;  he  is  one  of  ten  children  born  to  David  and 
Ruth  (Cochron)  Tanner,  the  former  of  New  York  and  the  latter  of  Massa- 
chusetts. Young  Tanner  lived  with  his  father  in  Geauga  County  until 
1840,  when  he  moved  to  Union  County,  where  Norman  remained  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  having  received  a  common  school  education  ; 
he  then  married  Sarah  A.  Cratty,  a  native  of  Union  County,  August  10, 
1850.  In  1852,  his  wife  died.  After  renting  awhile,  in  1854,  he  went 
to  Chicago  and  engaged  as  boatman,  working  but  a  short  time,  when  he 
came  to  Porter  County  and  worked  in  a  saw  mill,  owned  by  Joel  Wicker, 
of  Chicago,  until  the  mill  burned  in  July  of  1854  ;  he  now  engaged  in 
a  saw  mill  on  the  old  plank  road  near  Chesterton,  where  he  served  about 
four  vears,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  rented  a  farm  of  Mr.  Dilling- 
ham.  Afcer  two  and  a  half  years  nearly,  he  bought  his  present  farm  of 
eighty  acres  of  good  land,  well  watered  with  spring-water  ;  he  had  been 
married  to  Sophronia  P.  Vanslyke,  a  native  of  New  York.  Mr.  T.  has 
been  engaged  more  or  less  in  lumbering,  wire  fence  foreman  and  saw- 
mill, etc.,  at  which  he  made  a  success  ;  he  engaged  in   these  because   of 


PORTAGE    TOWNSHIP.  360 

lameness,  which  prevented  his  farming.  In  1852,  he  joined  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  while  his  present  wife  was  a  Baptist.  Thej  both  after- 
ward joined  the  Christian  Church;  he  was  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F., 
and  at  present  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity ;  he  has  held 
the  office  of  Township  Assessor  for  five  years  successively  ;  he  is  a  strong 
Republican  and  used  to  be  a  "conductor"  on  the  "underground  rail- 
road." He  has  five  children — Sarah  A.,  Ida  M.,  George  D.,  John  L. 
and  Schuyler  S. 

HENRY  H.  TILLOTSON  was  born  December  18,  1826,  near 
Toronto,  Canada ;  he  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children  born  to  Ira  B.  and 
Mariette  (Tuttle)  Tillotson,  the  former  of  Canada,  the  latter  of  New 
York.  When  Henry  was  two  years  old,  his  parents  came  to  Erie 
County,  Penn.;  in  about  Henry's  eighth  year,  his  father  died,  and  he 
was  reared  by  a  man  named  Donaldson,  and,  when  twenty-two,  he  began 
for  himselr.  He  married  Matilda  Smith,  a  native  of  New  York,  about 
1848  ;  they  had  one  child,  deceased;  his  wife  died  about  1850.  Henry 
then  went  to  St.  Louis  and  engaged  in  railroading  as  contractor  about 
two  years ;  then  to  Chicago,  lumbering  for  a  time ;  he  then  came  to  Por- 
ter County  and  began  milling,  at  which  he  continued  for  nine  years. 
In  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
served  in  West  Virginia.  When  discharged,  he  came  home  and  helped 
recruit  the  Seventy-third  Indiana,  and  was  commissioned  Lieutenant, 
and  served  under  Buell  and  Rosecrans.  Then  he  went  on  a  raid  under 
Col.  Straight  to  follow  Bragg's  army,  on  which  he  was  captured  near 
Rome,  Ga.  He  lay  in  Libby  Prison  for  a  year,  then  was  taken  to 
Macon,  Ga.,  thence  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  where  the  prisoners  were 
placed  under  fire  of  their  own  men;  thence  to  Columbia,  S.  C,  and 
soon  after  exchanged.  They  were  held  at  one  time  as  hostages  for  Mor- 
gan— all  ofiicers.  In  1865,  he  bought  his  present  farm,  109  acres,  less 
the  mill-dam  of  about  20  acres.  He  was  married  before  he  went  into 
the  service  to  Helen  M.  Schelenger,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  His 
farm  is  good  land,  all  improved.  He  is  a  member  of  two  fraternities — 
Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows;  he  was  also  a  member  of  the  defunct 
Grange.  He  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  six  years,  and  was  elected 
again,  but  resigned ;  he  is  a  very  strong  Peter  Cooper  Greenbacker,  and 
is  an  intelligent,  well-informed  man  and  enterprising  citizen.  He  has 
six  children — Ira  B.,  Frank  J.,  John  S.,  Helena  R.,  Jennie,  Edwin. 


PORTAGE  TOWNSHIP. 

SAMUEL  ALYEA,  native  of  Butler  County,  Ohio,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 21,  1825,  the  fourth  of  the  twelve  children  of  Isaac  and  Keziah 
(Smith)  Alyea.  The  father  was  born  in  Essex  County,  N.  J.,  and  the 
mother  in  Tennessee,  and  both  were  of  German  descent.  The  paternal 
grandfather  and  great-grandfather  of  Mr.  Alyea  were  both  soldiers  in 
the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Mr.  Alyea  was  reared  by  his  grandparents, 
and,  in  1835,  came  with  them  to  La  Porte  County  ;  a  year  later  they 
moved   to   Boone   Township,   this   county,  and   the   year  following  were 


370  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

joined  by  Isaac  Alyea,  who  afterward  moved  to  La  Porte  County,  and 
there  died.  March  15,  1845,  Mr.  Alyea  married  Deborah  Alyea,  of 
Franklin  County,  this  State.  In  1851,  he  returned  to  La  Porte  County, 
where  he  resided,  with  the  exception  of  one  year  passed  in  Tazewell 
County,  111.,  until  1869,  when  he  came  back  to  this  township,  where  he 
has  resided  ever  since.  He  has  a  fine  farm  of  640  acres,  and  gives 
much  aetention  to  dairying  and  stock-raising.  Of  the  ten  children  born 
to  him  there  are  six  living,  viz.,  Orlando  E.,  Theodore,  Washington, 
Marion,  Mrs.  Melissa  J.  Gundy,  of  Union  Township,  and  Samuel  E. 
Mr.  Alyea  is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.,  is  a  Republican,  and  is  one 
of  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  township  now  living,  and  one  of  its  most 
substantial  citizens. 

B.  G.  CRISMAN  was  born  in  Huntingdon  County,  Penn.,  June  14, 
1814.  He  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Ying- 
ling)  Crisman,  and  the  youngest.  Both  parents  were  natives  of  Mary- 
land. When  B.  G.  Crisman  was  four  years  old  his  parents  settled  in 
Carroll  County,  Ohio,  where  he  was  reared,  and  where  he  lived  until 
1849,  at  which  time  he  removed  to  De  Kalb  County,  Ind.,  and  in  1850 
settled  in  Union  Township,  Porter  County,  after  which  he  moved  on  his 
farm  in  Portage  Township.  On  March  2,  1836,  he  was  married  to  Eliza- 
beth Baughman,  of  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  a  union  which  was  blessed  with 
twelve  children,  ten  of  whom  are  living — Addison,  Isaac,  Oliver  (of  Val- 
paraiso), Nancy,  Henry,  Milton,  Solomon  F.  (of  Moore  County,  Minn.), 
Mrs.  Eliza  J.  Cole  (of  Brainerd,  Minn.),  Mrs.  Clara  Bender  and  Wash- 
ington W.  Mr.  Crisman  owns  a  splendid  farm,  comprising  260  acres, 
with  good  improvements.     In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican. 

ADDISON  CRISMAN  was  born  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  October 
27,  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  B.  G.  and  Elizabeth  Crisman.  He  came  with 
his  parents  to  this  county  in  1850,  and  worked  at  home  until  he  attained 
his  majority,  when  he  began  working  for  farmers  in  the  neighborhood. 
In  August, 'l862,  he  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventy- third  Indiana  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  and  served  until  the  war  was  closed.  After  his  return 
from  the  field,  he  settled  in  Portage  Township,  where  he  has  since  farmed, 
excepting  a  little  more  than  a  year,  which  he  spent  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness at  Lake  Station.  On  June  17,  1863,  he  was  married  to  Jane  E. 
Holmes,  a  native  of  this  county,  and  daughter  of  William  and  Jane  A. 
Rugar,  who  settled  in  Porter  County  about  1838.  Four  children  were 
the  fruit  of  this  union— Addison  M.,  William  C,  Thomas  W.  and  Ben- 
jamin F.  In  1873,  Mr.  Crisman  made  his  home  on  his  present  farm  of 
253  acres.  He  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  1866,  and  served  six 
years.     He  is  a  Republican. 

ISAAC  CRISMAN,  farmer,  was  born  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  June 
3,  1839,  and  is  a  son  of  B.  G.  and  Elizabeth  (Baughman)  Crisman.  He 
was  brought  to  this  county  by  his  parents  in  1850,  where  he  has  remained 
excepting  the  time  spent  in  the  army.  When  he  had  reached  his  majority, 
he  began  to  work  among  the  farmers  of  his  neighborhood.  In  August, 
1862,  he  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventy-third  Indiana  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, and  was  discharged  for  disability  in  March,  1863 ;  he  re-enlisted 
however,  in  November,  1864,  in  Company  D,  Twenty-third  Indiana  Vol- 
unteers, and  served  until  the  end  of  the  war.    After  returning,  he  farmed 


PORTAGE  TOWNSHIP.  3T1 

on  the  homestead  until  his  marriage,  December  12,  1870,  to  Jane  White, 
a  native  of  Will  County,  111.  Four  children  were  the  result  of  this 
union — AVilbur  F.  (deceased),  Myrta  M.  (deceased),  B.  Allen  and  Fannie 
E.  (deceased).  After  his  marriage,  he  located  at  Crisman,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  business  and  served  three  years  as  Postmaster.  In 
1875,  he  moved  to  his  farm  in  Portage  Township,  where  he  now  lives  on 
seventy  acres ;  he  is  a  Republican,  and  is  serving  his  second  term  as 
Township  Trustee. 

MILTON  CniSMAN  was  born  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  March  12, 
18-47,  one  of  the  twelve  children  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Baughman) 
Crisman  ;  was  brought  to  this  towship  by  his  parents  in  1850,  and  was 
reared  to  manhood  on  a  farm.  In  1872  and  1873,  he  engaged  as  a  con 
tractor  on  the  Michigan  Central  and  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroads,  and 
in  the  latter  year,  June  5,  married  Miss  Sarah  E.  Fifield,  of  this  county  ; 
he  is  now  the  father  of  three  children — Raymond,  Ross  M.  and  Leonard. 
In  1874,  he  rented  a  farm  in  this  township,  and  a  year  later  bought  the 
one  on  w^hich  he  now  resides.  This  consists  of  145  acres  of  rich  land, 
improved,  with  a  good  brick  residence  and  other  buildings.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Crisman  is  a  Republican,  and  for  two  years  he  filled  the  office  of 
Township  Assessor  ;  he  received  a  good  common-school  education  in  his 
youth,  and  is  an  intelligent,  enterprising  and  prosperous  farmer  and  one 
of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  township. 

D.  S.  CURTIS  is  a  native  of  Macomb  County,  Mich.,  and  was  born 
March  1,  1836,  the  youngest  of  nine  children  born  to  John  and  Abigail 
(Huggins)  Curtis.  The  former  was  of  English  descent,  and  a  native  of 
Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.;  he  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812.  The  latter  was  a  native  of  the  same  county  and 
State  and  of  Scotch  extraction.  In  1838,  the  family  came  to  Portage 
Township  and  settled  on  the  farm  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared,  and  where  he  now  lives  :  here  his  father  died  November  12,  1865  ; 
he  was  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church;  in  politics,  was  a  Democrat,  and 
filled  many  ofiices  of  public  trust.  July  3,  1860,  Mr.  Curtis  married 
Miss  Ann  Libby,  a  native  of  Canada,  and  five  children  have  blessed  their 
union,  viz..  Permelia  A.,  George  A.,  Charles  E.,  Minerva  A.  and  Wealthy 
A.  Mrs.  Curtis  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church ;  Mr.  C.  is  a  Royal 
Arch  Mason,  and  is  now  filling  the  office  of  Superintendent  of  Roads; 
in  politics,  he  is  a  Democrat.  lie  has  a  well-improved  farm  of  108  acres, 
and  is  highly  esteemed  by  his  neighbors. 

BENJAMIN  FIFIELD  is  the  second  of  the  seven  children  of  Thomas 
H.  and  Elsie  (Carter)  Fifield,  and  was  born  in  Grafton  County  N.  H., 
November  27,  1827 ;  his  parents  are  natives  of  the  same  State,  and  his 
paternal  grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  family 
moved  to  Canada  when  Benjamin  was  about  five  years  of  age,  and  thence, 
in  1841,  came  to  Union  Township,  this  county;  here  our  subject  assisted 
on  the  home  farm  and  attended  school  until  1853,  when  he  settled  on  the 
farm  in  this  township,  on  which  he  still  resides.  March  9,  1854,  he  mar- 
ried Lany  Sphuler.  a  native  of  Germany,  who  has  borne  him  seven  chil- 
dren, viz.^  Walker,  of  Liberty  Township;  Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Crisman,  of 
this  township;  Thomas  IL,  deceased;  Mrs.  Myra  Holmes,  of  La  Porte 
County,  Ind. ;  Jaccheus  H.,  Jessie  A.  and  Clarence  E.     Mr.   Fifield's 


372  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

farm  comprises  250  acres  of  fertile  land,  well  furnished  with  excellent 
buildings;  he  gives  considerable  attention  to  stock-raising  and  dairying. 
In  1856,  his  father  removed  to  Valparaiso,  and  a  few  years  since  retired 
to  South  Bend,  to  enjoy  in  peace  the  fruits  of  his  early  industry.  Mr. 
Fifield  is  a  Republican,  and  is  one  of  the  substantial  men  of  Portage 
Township. 

ANDREW  J.  HARRISON  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  June 
9,  1843,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  Robert  and  Esther  (Garrett) 
Harrison,  both  natives  of  the  Isle  of  Man.  Robert  Harrison  was  a  black- 
smith, and  about  1826  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Lake  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  followed  his  trade  until  1836,  when  he  came  to  Porter 
County,  and  the  following  year  located  in  Portage  Township,  residing 
here  until  his  death,  in  1861;  he  was  a  licentiate  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  preached  frequently ;  he  was  also  Township  Trustee. 
Andrew  Harrison  has  always  lived  on  the  homestead,  and  now  has  a  good 
farm  of  160  acres.  On  October  21,  1869,  he  was  married  to  Martha 
Quatermass,  a  native  of  Ontario.  Seven  children  followed  the  union — 
Laura  M.,  Ettie,  George  R.,  Sarah  M  .,  Alvie  G.,  Thomas  A.  and  Martha. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Mr.  Harrison  is  a  member  of  the  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28.  In 
politics,  he  is  a  Republican ;  he  has  held  several  offices  of  public  trust, 
among  which  are  Township  Assessor,  in  18T0;  Township  Trustee,  and 
for  four  years,  1876-80,  County  Commissioner. 

G.  M.  HAXTON,  born  in  Livingston  County,  N.  Y.,  June  25. 
1820,  is  a  son  of  Marsena  and  Eliza  (Parmer)  Haxton,  and  the  second  of 
seven  children.  Marsena  Haxton  was  a  clothier,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  natives  of  New  York.  When  G. 
M.  Haxton  was  a  child,  his  parents  moved  to  Monroe  County,  N.  Y., 
where  he  lived  until  the  age  of  twenty,  when  he  began  working  in  a 
planing-mill  factory,  and  two  years  later  went  to  Lorain  County,  Ohio. 
Here  he  remained  twenty-five  years,  with  the  exception  of  four  years 
passed  in  Medina  County,  and,  in  1867,  settled  in  Portage  Township  on 
his  present  place ;  this  farm  covers  320  acres  ;  he  gives  his  main  atten- 
tion to  dairy  and  stock  business.  On  May  1,  1842,  he  was  married  to 
Lodema  Vosburgh,  of  Monroe  County,  N.  Y.,  who  died  in  1852,  leaving 
two  children — Mrs.  Eliza  M.  Waite,  of  Lorain  County,  Ohio,  and  Mar- 
sena (deceased).  His  second  marriage,  to  Wealthy  A.  Vosburgh,  on 
November  25,  1852,  was  blessed  with  four  children — Lodema,  Mrs.  Car- 
oline M.  Small,  Florence  and  George  E.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haxton  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  is  Independent  in 
politics. 

WEBSTER  MILLER  was  born  in  Berrien  County,  Mich.,  January 
22,  1851,  the  eldest  of  the  seven  children  of  Nicholas  and  Mary  J. 
(Platts)  Miller.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Lake  County.  Ind.,  and  by 
trade  a  plasterer.  Webster  Miller  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Berrien  Coun- 
ty until  twenty-three  years  of  age,  with  the  exception  of  six  years  of  his 
youth  passed  in  La  Porte  County,  this  State.  In  1876,  he  came  to  Por- 
ter County,  where  he  was  married  November  22,  1877,  to  Ina  A.  Gay- 
lord,  a  native  of  this  county,  and  the  third  of  four  children  born  to 
Charles  H.  and  Theodocia  (Sayles)   Gaylord,  both  natives  of  Onondaga 


rORTAGE  TOWNSHIP.  373 

County,  N.  Y.  They  settled  in  this  county  in  1852,  and  the  father,  who 
was  of  French  descent,  was  killed  in  the  late  war  ;  the  mother  died  May 
6,  1875.  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Miller  are  the  parents  of  one  child — Sylvia  T. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Miller  is  Republican  ;  he  is  progressive  in  his  views  and 
is  a  prosperous  farmer,  owning  120  acres  of  good  land,  improved  with 
excellent  buildings. 

JOSEPH  WPIITE  was  born  in  Clark  County,  Ohio,  June  18,  1818, 
and  is  the  eldest  of  seven  chihlren  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Foreman) 
White ;  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of  Kentucky. 
Joseph  White  worked  at  home  until  the  age  of  twenty-two,  when  he 
went  to  Champaign  County,  111.,  and  farmed  for  eight  years.  In  May, 
1845,  he  enlisted  in  the  Twelfth  Illinois  Regiment,  and  started  for  the 
halls  of  the  Montezumas,  serving  in  the  war  with  Mexico  fourteen 
months.  In  1851,  he  went  to  Will  County,  111.,  where  he  farmed  until 
1871,  having  been  Deputy  Sheriff  and  Justice  of  the  Peace  six  years, 
when  he  came  to  Portage  Township  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Crisman. 
In  January,  1879,  he  moved  to  town  and  entered  mercantile  life.  He  is 
now  Postmaster,  and  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  since  1878.  Besides 
his  property  at  Crisman,  he  owns  forty  acres  in  this  township.  On 
November  25,  1841,  he  was  married  to  Fannie  Spencer,  a  native  of  Clark 
County,  Ohio,  by  whom  he  had  six  children — Mrs.  Jane  Crisman,  John 
A.,  Mrs.  Abigail  Rose,  Benjamin  F.,  Isaac  P.  and  Joseph,  deceased. 
Mrs.  White  died  in  1857.  His  second  marriage,  to  Sarah  Chamberlin, 
of  Will  County,  111.,  took  place  on  July  25,  1857.  To  this  second  union 
there  followed  five  children — Martha,  Edmond,  Henry  C,  George  W. 
and  Albert.     Mr.  White  is  a  Republican. 

WILLIAM  A.  WISE  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  July  27. 
1844,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  two  children  of  Jonathan  and  Caroline 
(Price)  Wise,  who  came  to  Centre  Township,  this  county,  about  1856,  and 
still  resides  there.  William  assisted  on  the  farm  until  April  18,  1861, 
when  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Seventh  Indiana  Cavalry.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  his  three  months'  term,  he  re-enlisted  in  the  same  company, 
and  received  his  final  discharge  September  19,  1865.  He  took  part  in 
most  of  the  battles  of  the  Western  Department,  and  during  the  whole  of 
his  service  acted  as  Company  Quartermaster  Sergeant.  On  his  return, 
he  worked  on  the  old  farm  until  November  17,  1870,  when  he  married 
Miss  Mary  E.  James,  who  has  borne  him  four  children — Allen  B.,  Del- 
bert  J.,  Roxiana  M.  and  Dudley.  In  politics  Mr.  Wise  is  a  Republican, 
and  he  is  one  of  the  most  enterprising  men  in  the  township.  He  is  owner 
of  132  acres  of  fine  land  in  Portage  and  forty  in  Westchester  Township, 
and  is  a  thorough  agriculturist. 

JOSEPHUS  WOLF  was  the  youngest  of  the  seven  children  of  Jacob 
and  Lydia  (Dorr)  Wolf,  and  was  born  in  Athens  County,  Ohio,  June  22, 
1822.  His  father  and  mother  were  natives  respectively  of  Pennsylvania 
and  New  York,  and  in  1834  settled  on  Twenty-Mile  Prairie,  this  town- 
ship. Josephus  Wolf  was  here  reared  on  the  farm,  and  here  he  has  al- 
ways lived,  with  the  exception  of  the  years  1851  and  1852,  which  were 
spent  in  the  mines  of  California.  By  industry  and  good  management, 
Mr.  Wolf  has  become  the  owner  of  4,500  acres — the  largest  farm  in  the 
county,  and  well  improved  with  a  fine  residence,  erected  in  1876,  and  all 


374  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

other  requisite  buildings.  He  has  devoted  his  attention  mainly  to  stock- 
raising  and  dairying,  and  now  has  a  herd  of  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  cattle,  including  some  extra  fine  specimens  of  blooded  Holstein  and 
Hereford  Stock.  September  29,  1852,  he  married  Miss  Susan  M. 
Youngs,  of  Erie  County,  Ohio,  who  has  borne  him  eight  children,  of 
whom  three  only  are  living — Francis  M.,  Elmer  and  Martin.  In' poli- 
tics, he  is  a  Republican,  but  is  no  office-seeker.  He  was  among  the  first 
to  settle  on  the  Prairie,  and  much  of  its  growth  and  improvement  is  due 
to  his  enterprise. 


PLEASANT    TOWNSHIP. 

JOHN  ANDERSON  was  born  in  Ireland  November  5,  1834.  He 
was  the  eldest  of  two  sons  born  to  Robert  and  Margaret  Anderson.  The 
former  was  born  October  16,  1807  ;  was  married  to  Margaret  Adams, 
and  after  her  death,  in  1837,  moved  to  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  and  was 
again  married,  September,  1842,  to  Elizabeth  Biggart,  and  about  three 
years  afterward  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  purchased  and  moved  on 
the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives  in  Pleasant  Township.  Our  subject  was 
also  married,  in  Ireland,  February  12,  1856,  to  Eliza  Anderson,  born 
September  21,  1838,  and  daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary  Anderson,  but  no 
relation  of  our  subject.  He  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1868.  He 
purchased  the  farm  of  200  acres  on  which  he  now  lives.  There  was  born 
to  him  a  family  of  nine  children — Robert  (deceased),  William  J.,  George 
B.,  Mary  E.,  Margaret  A.,  Anna,  Robert  (deceased),  Newton  (deceased) 
and  Lillian. 

BEN.JAMIN  ASHER  was  born  in  Harrison  County,  Ohio,  June  1, 
1816.  He  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  eight  children  born  to  Luke 
and  Nancy  Asher.  He  was  married,  in  Guernsey  County,  Ohio,  July, 
1836,  to  Miss  Sarah  M.  Hinline,  and  shortly  afterward  moved  on  a  fiirm 
in  that  county,  remaining  until  1845.  He  then  moved  to  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  and  has  remained  here  since.  His  wife  died  October  28,  1866.  He 
was  next  married,  November  15,  1868,  to  Mahalah  Griffith,  born  in  Por- 
ter County,  Ind.,  June  2,  1846.  He  had  a  family  of  eleven  children — 
Reading,  Abraham  (deceased),  Edward,  John,  Paulina,  Benjamin,  Nancy, 
Caroline,  by  his  first  wife,  and  Lyman  G.,  Carrie,  Katie,  by  his  present 
wife.     He  owns  200  acres  of  land,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order. 

L.  ATKINS,  M.  D.,  Kout's  Station,  Ind.,  was  born  at  Westfield, 
Hampden  Co.,  Mass.,  August  26, 1819.  He  was  a  son  of  Elisha  Atkins, 
who  was  born  in  Connecticut  October  8,  1792.  His  grandfather's  name 
was  Luther  Atkins,  and  he  was  also  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  was  of 
English  descent.  In  an  early  day,  he  moved  to  Hampden  County,  Mass., 
where  he  remained  until  his  death.  He  served  all  through  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  died  in  his  eighty-fourth  year.  He  was  blessed  with  a 
family  of  six  children,  two  of  whom  were  sons,  namely.  Perry  and  Elisha, 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch.  Elisha  Atkins'  occupation  was 
that  of  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  which  trade  he  pursued  the  principal  part 
of  his  life.  He  married,  at  Westfield,  Mass.,  in  the  year  1816,  a  Miss 
Polly  Noble,  who  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  in   the   year   1796,  and  in 


PLEASANT   TOWNSHIP.  375 

the  year  1832  moved  to  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio,  and  in  1845  moved  to 
Porter  County,  Tnd.,  where  he  now  lives,  at  tlie  advanced  age  of  ninety 
years.  His  wife  died  in  1864.  They  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  of 
whom  our  subject  was  next  to  the  eldest.  He  received  his  education  in 
Ashtabula  County,  Ohio,  and  in  1844  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and 
the  following  winter  began  the  study  of  medicine,  being  his  own  pre- 
ceptor. He  studied  three  years,  and  then  began  practice.  February  27, 
1845,  he  married  Catharine  Vandalsen,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  County, 
Ind.,  May  18,  1822.  In  1865  and  1866,  he  attended  lectures  at  Phila- 
delphia, Penn.,  receiving  a  diploma.  In  the  fall  of  1880,  he  moved  to 
Kout's  Station,  and  opened  up  a  drug  store,  and  also  resumed  his  prac- 
tice. He  has  had  born  to  him  three  children — Alzina  (deceased).  Ade- 
laide and  Elzina  (deceased). 

JOSEPH  D.  BARNES  was  born  in  Claremont,  Sullivan  Co.,  N.  H., 
October  14,  1825 ;  he  was  next  to  eldest  of  a  family  of  five  children 
born  to  Ira  N.  and  Harriet  (Eastman)  Barnes.  The  former  was  born  in 
Sullivan  County,  N.  H.,  in  the  year  1800,  and  the  latter  in  Vermont  in 
1802.  They  were  married  in  the  former  county  and  State  about  the 
year  1822,  and  remained  until  his  death  in  the  year  1830,  after  which 
Mrs.  Barnes  was  married  to  a  Mr.  C.  B.  Maynard.  She  died  in  1863. 
Our  subject,  after  his  father's  death,  was  taken  by  his  grandfather  to 
rear,  and,  when  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  began  learning  the  tanner's 
trade,  his  uncle  being  his  preceptor ;  he  served  an  apprenticeship 
of  seven  years,  when  he  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  purchasing  land 
in  Boone  Township.  October  3,  1848,  was  married  to  Emily  M.  Price, 
who  was  born  in  Richland  County,  Ohio,  October  24,  1827,  and  shortly 
afterward  purchased  a  farm  in  Porter  Township,  on  which  he  moved,  and 
remained  until  1855,  then  bought  and  moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now 
lives ;  he  owns  330  acres  of  land.  He  had  born  to  him  one  daughter — 
Harriet  E.,  deceased.     Mr.  Barnes  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order. 

GEORGE  BIGGART  was  born  in  Ireland  May  21,  1816,  and  is  a 
son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret  Biggart,  also  natives  of  Ireland  ;  the  former 
born  in  1791,  the  latter  in  1795.  In  1835,  they  came  to  America  and 
went  to  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  thence  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and 
thence  to  California,  where  they  died.  George  Biggart  came,  with  his 
parents,  to  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  1837,  when 
he  came  to  Porter  County  ;  he  attended  the  land  sales  at  La  Porte,  and 
purchased  220  acres  of  land.  On  July  27,  1842.  he  was  married  in 
Jennings  County,  Ind.,  to  Parmelia  Edmister,  who  was  born  in  the  same 
county  October,  1819.  This  union  resulted  in  nine  children — Marion 
(deceased),  Jerome  (deceased),  Robert,  Alfred  (deceased),  Sarah,  Martha 
(deceased),  Mary,  Parmelia  and  Jane.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Biggart 
removed  to  Porter  County,  and  occupied  the  farm  he  had  previously  pur- 
chased, and  on  which  he  has  since  remained.  He  now  owns,  in  all,  640 
acres. 

ROBERT  E.  BIGGART  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  Janu- 
ary 2,  1848 ;  he  was  among  a  family  of  nine  children  born  to  George 
and  Parmelia  Biggart,  of  Pleasant  Township,  Porter  County,  Ind.  He 
was  married,  December  24,  1874,  to  Jennie  Birch,  who  was  born  in  Por- 
ter County  September  11,  1855,  the   daughter   of    William   and   Lizzie 


376     •  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Birch.  After  his  marriage,  he  moved  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives, 
and  has  remained  since ;  he  owns  210  acres  of  land,  well  improved.  He 
has  had  a  family  of  three  children — Molly  (deceased),  Burtie  and 
George.  Mr.  Biggart  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

MICHAEL  HANNON  was  born  in  Ireland  October,  1814;  he  was 
the  youngest  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children  born  to  Matthew  and  Mary 
Hannon.  Our  subject  was  married  in  Ireland,  in  the  spring  of  1842, 
to  Ella  Mulehon,  who  was  born  in  the  year  1812.  In  the  year  1843. 
Mr.  Hannon  moved  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  remaining  about  four 
years  ;  he  then  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and,  in  1850,  purchased 
the  farm  where  he  now  lives  ;  he  now  owns  489  acres  of  land.  Has  a 
family  of  five  children — Matthew,  Mary,  David,  John  and  Thomas. 
He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

JOHN  H.  HANNON  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  January  27, 
1852,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael  Hannon,  of  Pleasant  Township,  Porter 
County.  He  was  married,  at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  February  18,  1879,  to 
.Johanna,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Bridget  Hartnett;  she  was  born  at 
Valparaiso  July  11,  1857.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  he  moved  on  the 
farm  where  he  now  lives.  He  has  two  children — Mary  and  Jamea.  He 
and  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  (^hurch. 

S.  D.  JOHNSON  was  born  at  Perry,  N.  Y.,  May  13,  1829.  He 
was  fourth  of  a  family  of  six  children  born  to  Moses  and  Eunice  (Lyman) 
Johnson,  who  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  where  they  were  married,  and 
in  an  early  day  moved  to  Perry,  N.  Y.,  and  in  1837  moved  to  Oakland 
County,  Mich.,  where  they  remained  until  death.  S.  D.  Johnson  remained 
at  home  until  after  his  father's  death,  and  in  1849  went  to  California, 
engaging  in  mining  some  time,  returning  to  Michigan,  and  in  1852  went 
on  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  as  brakeman,  and  after  one  year  was 
promoted  to  baggage-master,  continuing  that  five  years  ;  he  then  was  pro- 
moted to  conductor,  which  position  he  filled  nineteen  years.  He  was 
married,  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  May  3,  1859,  to  Mary  M.  Cooper.  In  1850, 
Mr.  Johnson  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  and  moved 
on  the  farm  on  w^hich  he  now  lives.  He  is  one  of  the  most  energetic 
men  of  the  township,  and  is  respected  by  all  with  whom  he  is  acquainted. 
He  has  a  family  of  six  children — Jessie  E.,  Grace  C,  James  H.,  Myra 
K.,  Hattie  B.  and  Stephen  D. 

PRUDENCE  MORRISON,  widow  of  William  Morrison  (deceased). 
Mr.  Morrison  was  born  in  Irsland  July  5,  1800  ;  he  was  married  April  6, 
1832,  to  Prudence  Irvine,  who  wvas  also  born  in  Ireland  May  15,  1809. 
Shortly  afterward  they  moved  to  New  York  City,  remaining  until  1834, 
when  they  moved  to  Giles  County,  Va.,  where  he  purchased  property  and 
remained  until  1852;  then  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  he  died 
January  11,  1876.  Mrs.  Morrison  still  remains  on  the  old  homestead  on 
Section  24,  She  owns  400  acres  of  land  and  has  had  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren— Mary,  Rebecca,  Thomas  (deceased),  Lavinia,  Catharine  (deceased), 
Margaret.  Victora,  John  E.,  George  (deceased)  and  Sarah  E.  Mr.  Mor- 
rison held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  some  time ;  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  died  beloved  and  mourned  by  his  fellow- 
townsmen. 


PLEASANT   TOWNSHIP.  377 

HERMAN  ROSENBAUM,  merchant,  Kout's  Station,  Ind.,  was 
born  in  Germany  March  29,  183-4  ;  he  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of 
eight  chihlren,  born  to  Martin  and  Elizabeth  (Krenz)  Rosenbaiim,  also 
natives  of  Germany.  The  former  died  when  our  subject  was  about  six 
months  old,  succeeded  by  his  wife  about  six  months  afterward.  Our  sub- 
ject was  then  taken  care  of  by  his  brother,  whorn  he  remained  Avith  until 
he  was  about  fifteen  years  old  ;  he  then  went  to  Klotzmell,  Germany, 
and  began  the  miller's  trade,  with  a  Mr.  Lewis  Keil.  In  1854,  he 
started  for  America ;  after  a  ten  weeks'  voyage  he  landed  at  New  York 
City;  shortly  afterward  he  came  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  he  was 
married,  November  13,  1861,  to  Ernestine  Notezel,  born  in  Germany 
October  20,  1841,  and  the  following  year  purchased  a  farm  in  Cass  Town- 
ship, La  Porte  County,  on  which  he  remained  one  year.  In  1874,  he 
moved  to  where  he  now  lives,  and  opened  up  a  store  which  he  has  con- 
tinued since.  Mr.  Rosenbaum  has  had  a  family  of  eleven  children,  nine 
of  whom  they  reared  to  be  men  and  women,  namely,  Emma  L,  Mathilde 
C,  Ada  A.,  Frederick  H.,  Gustav  A.,  Albertine  A.,  Paul  W.,  Carl  H., 
Ferdinand  E.  M. 

S.  R.  SPENCER  was  born  in  Perry  County,  Ohio,  June  17,  1819; 
he  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  seven  children  born  to  Jesse  and  Sarah 
(Tait)  Spencer,  who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1841,  our  subject 
came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  land  in  Morgan  Township ; 
he  was  married  in  this  county,  October  25,  1847,  to  Elizabeth  Janes, 
born  in  Washington  County,  Ind.,  January  31,  1827,  daughter  of  Rev. 
John  Janes,  the  old  pioneer  preacher  of  Porter  County.  Shortly  after 
his  marriage,  he  moved  on  his  farm,  which  he  had  purchased  previously, 
remaining  until  the  spring  of  1848,  and  then  moved  to  Pleasant  Town- 
ship, where  he  has  remained  since ;  he  owns  160  acres  of  land  ;  he  has 
had  a  family  of  four  children — James  F.  (deceased),  infant  daughter  who 
died  when  young,  Erasmus  M.  (deceased)  and  John.  Mr.  Spencer  has 
held  the  office  of  Township  Assessor  four  years.  Township  Treasurer  two 
years,  and  Township  Trustee  for  eleven  years. 

GILLEANN  (JONES)  TRINKLE,  wife  of  William  Trinkle  (de- 
ceased)- Mr.  Trinkle  was  born  in  Tennessee  May  12,  1804,  and  was  a 
son  of  Henry  Trinkle,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and  moved 
to  Washington  County,  Ind.,  in  an  early  day,  where  he  remained  until 
death  ;  his  family  consisted  of  twelve  children,  among  them  being  five 
sons,  namely  :  William,  Stephen,  Henry,  Alfred  and  John.  William, 
the  eldest  son,  was  married  in  Washington  County,  Ind.,  July  25,  1832. 
Mrs.  Trinkle  was  born  in  Randolph  County,  N.  C.,  July  5,  1815.  In 
1835,  Mr.  Trinkle  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.;  settled  on  the  farm 
where  his  widow  now  lives,  remaining  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
October  13,  1867.  The  family  consisted  of  ten  children — Nancy  (dead), 
Henry,  Catharine,  John,  Lucinda,  Lambert  (deceased),  Leander,  Ran- 
dolph (deceased),  William  and  Ella.  Mrs.  Trinkle  owns  160  acres  of 
land,  and  she  and  husband  were  the  second  white  settlers  of  Pleasant 
Township. 

JOHN  WELSH  was  born  in  County  Meath,  Ireland,  December  23, 
1827  ;  he  was  one  of  a  family  of  eight  children  born  to  Michael  and 
Mary  (Shaw)  Welsh,  who  were  natives  of  Ireland,  where   they  remained 


378  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

until  death.  In  the  year  1850,  our  subject  came  to  Herkimer  County, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  was  married,  October  9,  1853,  to  Marojaret  Burns, 
who  was  born  in  County  Louth,  Ireland,  November  1,  1830.  Shortly 
afterward,  he  moved  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  he  engaged  in  cheese- 
making  four  years,  after  which  he  engaged  in  farming,  remaining  until 
1859,  when  he  moved  to  Porter  County,  where  he  has  remained  since. 
In  1863,  he  purchased  and  moved  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives;  he 
owns  385  acres  of  land  in  this  county,  and  240  in  Bourbon  County, 
Kan.;  he  has  a  family  of  four  children — John  W.,  Henry  C,  Sarah  A. 
and  Joseph  J.;  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

H.  A.  WRIGHT  was  born  at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  January  23,  1840  ; 
he  is  next  to  eldest  of  a  family  of  five  children  and  the  only  son  born  to 
John  W.  and  Elizabeth  Wright.  The  former  was  born  in  Fayette 
County,  Ky.,  July  4,  1812,  the  latter  in  Botetourt  County,  Va.,  April  7, 
1814.  They  were  married  in  Fountain  County,  Ind.,  October,  1834. 
In  the  year  1838,  they  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  settling  in  Val- 
paraiso. The  year  following,  John  W.  was  elected  Sheriff  of  the  county, 
and  served  two  terms  in  succession  ;  he  then  bought  a  farm  in  Pleasant 
Township,  moved  on  and  remained  five  years,  and  then,  having  learned 
the  miller's  trade  previous  to  his  marriage,  bought  what  is  known  as  the 
Bigelow  Mills  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.;  moved  there,  and  engaged  in 
the  same  for  twelve  years,  after  which  he  moved  to  Tassinong,  Porter 
County,  Ind.,  and  began  the  practice  of  law,  which  he  pursued  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  In  1866,  he  moved  to  Kout's  Station,  Ind.,  where 
he  died  August  20,  1867  ;  his  widow  is  still  living  at  Kout's  Station. 
Our  subject  attended  school  at  Valparaiso,  and  in  1861  completed  his 
education  at  what  was  then  known  as  the  Valparaiso  Male  and  Female 
College,  after  which  he  taught  school  for  some  time  ;  he  was  married. 
December  25,  1864,  to  Miss  Susie  Maxwell,  and  shortly  afterward  moved 
to  Kout's  Station,  and  in  partnership  with  Barnhart  Kouts  opened  a 
store,  which  they  conducted  until  1878.  Kouts  going  out,  he  conducted 
the  business  himself  until  1880 ;  he  then  sold  out  Jiis  store  and  is  now 
engaged  in  the  sale  of  agricultural  implements,  grain,  etc.;  he  also  owns 
200  acres  of  fine  land,  and  fine  property  in  the  village ;  he  has  a  family 
of  three  children,  namely  :  Shirley,  Edna  and  Musa.  Mr.  Wright  is 
one  of  the  most  enterprising,  energetic,  and  prominent  men  of  the 
township,  and  is  respected  by   all  who  know  him. 


PORTER    TOWNSHIP. 

THOMAS  S.  BOWKER,  the  fourth  child  of  Michael  and  Hester 
(Richardson)  Bowker,  was  born  in  New  Jersey  January  12,  1820. 
When  about  two  years  of  age,  his  parents  moved  to  Warren  County. 
Ohio,  where  he  attended  school  and  worked  on  the  farm  until  1836,  when 
the  family  moved  to  St.  Joseph  County,  Ind.,  and  bought  and  cleared  up 
a  farm.  In  1845,  Mr.  Bowker  came  to  this  county,  and  went  to  farming 
on  rented  land.  December  26,  1847,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Smith, 
daughter  of  John  H.  and  Maria  Smith,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1838, 


PORTER  TOWNSHIP.  379 

from  Richland  County,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Bowker  bore  her  husband  one  child, 
Sarah  L.,  born  February  7,  1849,  and  now  the  wife  of  William  L.  Saw- 
yer. In  1853,  Mr.  Bowker  purchased  forty  acres  of  unimproved  land, 
and  some  years  later  added  eighty  acres  more ;  he  died  April  7,  1880,  of 
cancer  of  the  eye,  from  which  he  suffered  greatly  for  seventeen  years;  he 
willed  his  farm  to  his  wife,  who  has  it  rented  out.  She  resides  with  her 
son-in-law,  William  L.,  son  of  James  S.  and  Polly  E.  (Ellsworth)  Saw- 
yer, and  born  in  this  township  July  17,  1842.  Mr.  Sawyer  bought  his 
land  in  1866,  with  money  saved  from  his  earnings  as  a  farm  hand,  and 
he  has  now  a  fine  farm,  with  a  good  two-story  frame  dwelling  and  every 
convenience  and  appliance  of  comfort  about  him ;  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  in  politics  is  a  Republican. 

SAMUEL  CAMPBELL  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  Tenn.,  No- 
vember 14,  1797,  the  eldest  of  eleven  children  of  John  and  Sarah  (Vance) 
Campbell,  natives  respectively  of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell attended  school  at  intervals  until  fourteen  years  old,  and  then  assisted 
on  the  home  farm  till  about  twenty-eight ;  the  family  then  moved  to 
Preble  County,  Ohio,  and  settled  on  a  piece  of  land  John  Campbell  had 
entered  in  1816.  September  25,  1823,  Samuel  Campbell  marrieil  Eliza- 
beth Frame,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Margarette  Frame,  and  to  this 
union  were  born  eight  children,  viz.:  Margarette  J.,  now  Mrs.  Silas  Grrigg  ; 
Amanda  M.  (Mrs.  Lacount  Lambert),  now  deceased;  Newton  J..  William 
F.,  John  F.  ;  Sarah  E.,  now  Mrs.  James  H.  Kenworthy.  and  Nancy  T., 
now  Mrs.  David  B.  Peck.  The  son  William  served  in  the  late  war,  and 
is  now  a  resident  of  Nebraska.  John  Campbell  died  in  1831,  when 
Samuel  brought  his  family  to  this  township,  entered  forty  acres  of  land, 
and  commenced  life  in  a  wilderness  filled  with  wild  but  friendly  Indians. 
Here  he  was  made  the  township's  first  Supervisor,  and  has  since  been 
frequently  elected  to  offices  of  trust  and  honor.  In  1862,  his  house  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  nearly  all  it  contained  was  lost,  but  he  soon  put 
up  a  comfortable  frame  in  which  he  and  wife  are  passing  their  declining 
days  in  retirement,  attended  by  their  daughter,  Mrs.  Kenworthy.  Mr. 
Campbell  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  stands  well  with  his  party. 

LEVI  A.  CASS,  M.  D.,  son  of  Levi  A.  and  Lucy  (Sanford)  Cass, 
was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  July  9,  1819  ;  his  father  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  in  1799,  and  his  mother  in  Vermont,  in  1802  ;  his  father 
was  a  physician,  and  in  1817  moved  to  Wayne  County,  Ohio.  Our  sub- 
ject entered  Oberlin  College  when  fourteen  years  of  age,  after  which 
course  he  read  medicine  with  his  father.  In  1840,  he  came  to  this  county 
and  engaged  in  practice ;  he  afterward  went  to  La  Porte  County  and 
read  with  Prof  Meaker.  In  1846,  after  his  graduation,  he  returned 
hither  and  resumed  practice,  which  he  succeeded  in  establishing  after  ten 
years  of  hard  labor.  On  December  28,  1856,  he  was  married  to  Louisa 
S.  Porter,  daughter  of  Philo  A.  Porter,  a  pioneer  of  this  county.  To 
this  union  there  were  born  four  children — Ida  Grace  (now  married  to 
Rev.  L.  S.  Buckles),  Albertha  B.,  Cassa  and  Irena  B.  In  1858,  Mr. 
Cass  purchased  eighty  acres  in  this  township,  built  a  log  house  and  began 
farming  and  stock-raising,  but  he  never  relinquished  practice.  In  1863, 
he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature,  and   was  appointed  by   Gov.   0.   P. 

Morton  to  collect  the  offiicial  vote  of  this  Congressional  district  at  the 

w 


380  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

time  of  Lincoln's  election ;  he  was  twice  appointed  Army  Surgeon,  but 
declined  on  account  of  legislative  duties  ;  he  was  also  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  First  National  Bank  at  Valparaiso,  and  for  a  time  its  President. 
On  March  1,  1879,  he  lost  his  wife;  she  was  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  a  model  Christian  ;  he  is  now  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  and  his  three  youngest  daughters  grace  his  home  ;  he 
is  an  attendant  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  a  stanch  Republican. 

WILLIAM  H.  CLITES,  son  of  Andrew  G.  and  Eliza  E.  (King) 
elites,  was  born  in  Bedford  County,  Penn.,  in  1844.  In  1851,  his  father 
came  to  this  county,  entered  forty  acres  and  bought  forty  acres  more  of 
land,  and  here  William  H.  lived  until  fourteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
went  to  work  on  his  own  account  until  1862.  In  August  of  this  year, 
he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Fifth  Indiana  Cavalry,  organized  at  Indian- 
apolis, and  was  with  Burnside's  command  in  the  Army  of  Ohio;  was  under 
Gen.  Judah  in  the  noted  John  Morgan  raid;  was  at  Knoxville  for  some 
time,  then  at  Mount  Sterling,  Ky.,  and  with  Sherman  on  his  march  to 
the  sea ;  on  his  return,  was  sent  as  guard  with  prisoners  to  Chicago  ; 
again,  on  the  same  errand,  to  Columbus,  Ohio ;  was  then  returned  to  the 
front  at  Pulaski,  Tenn.,  and  was  finally  mustered  out  at  Indianapolis. 
In  1865,  he  returned  home  and  married  Dell  Clifford,  daughter  of  Clark 
and  Lucinda  Clifford,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  ten  children — 
Cora,  Ida,  Ella,  Nora,  Spencer.  Lilly  (deceased),  Arthur  (deceased), 
John,  Hilda  (deceased)  and  Charley.  In  1862,  he  purchased  nineteen 
acres  of  land,  and  to  this  he  added  seventy-nine  in  1864 ;  his  mother-in- 
law,  Mrs.  Lucinda  Clifford,  is  residing  with  him.  She  was  born  at 
Crab  Orchard,  Ya.,  in  1812,  moved  with  her  parents  to  Gallatin,  Ky., 
thence  to  Shelbyville,  Ind.,  thence  to  La  Porte  County,  and  then  to 
Lake,  near  Hebron,  where  she  was  married,  and  where  her  husband  died. 
She  is  now  in  good  health  and  seventy  years  of  age. 

IRA  CORNELL  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  December  23, 
1823  ;  his  father,  Isaac,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  April  17,  1792,  and 
his  mother,  Priscilla  (Morgan),  in  Virginia  May  31,  1799.  They  were 
married  April  9,  1818.  In  the  spring  of  1835,  the  family  came  to  Boone 
Township,  this  county,  and  settled  on  a  400  acre  tract  of  land.  They 
were  the  first  white  people  to  locate  in  the  township ;  the  land  was  not 
put  on  the  market  until  1838,  when  the  father  bought  it  from  the  Gov- 
ernment at  §1.25  per  acre.  From  this  farm  he  shipped  some  of  die 
first  wheat  ever  sent  from  the  township.  Here  Ira  Cornell  entered  forty 
acres,  which,  in  due  course  of  time,  he  saved  money  enough  to  buy,  and 
soon  succeeded  in  buying  160  additional.  October  30,  1850,  he  married, 
in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  Miss  Emily  Kaufman,  who  was  born  in  Lan- 
caster County,  Penn.,  May  22,  1825.  They  have  had  born  to  them  six 
children — Alice,  September  3,  1851  ;  Elmina,  December  20,  1853  ; 
Isaac,  October  23,  1854  ;  Effie,  August  11,  1857  ;  Rose  K.,  May  28, 
1863,  and  Fannie  L.,  November  18,  1867.  Mrs.  Priscilia  Cornell  died 
November  25.  1859,  and  Isaac  Cornell  January  22,  1874.  Alice  Cornell 
was  married  to  John  McConkey,  and  Elmina  to  Leander  Jones.  Effie 
has  been  teaching  school  since  1874.  Ira  Cornell  has  now  a  fine  farm 
of  315  acres  or  Section  23,  with  a  new  two-story  frame  dwelling.  His 
present  corn  crop,  of  ten  weeks'  growth,  stands  at  twelve  feet  six  inches  ; 


PORTER   TOWNSHIP.  381 

he  has  some  very  fine  live  stock,  his  Norman  horse  being  the  finest  in  the 
county,  with  a  mane  forty-five  inches  in  length  ;  he  has  taken  numerous 
premiums  at  the  county  tair  for  this  animal  ami  for  many  others.  Mr. 
Cornell  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  is  a  liberal  Democrat  in  his 
political  views,  and  loyal  to  the  Government,  having  aided  it  by  all  means 
in  his  power  during  the  recent  rebellion. 

MERRITT  CORNELL  was  born  in  Boone  Township,  this  county. 
August  18,  1850,  and  is  the  son  of  Alvin  and  Lydia  i^Lightfoot)  CornelL 
who  were  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  in  1820  and  1822  respectively, 
and  were  there  married  January  29,  1843,  and  shortly  after  came  to  this 
county.  Merritt  Cornell,  on  attaining  school  age,  attended  regularly 
until  sixteen,  and  after  that  worked  on  the  home  farm  in  summer,  and 
attended  school  in  winter  for  several  terms.  December  25,  1873,  hr 
married  Miss  Serena  E.,  daughter  of  A.  R.  and  Sophia  House.  To  thi.- 
union  there  have  been  born  two  girls — Miriam,  March  1,  1875,  an<i 
Stella  Pearl,  February  22,  1877.  In  1873,  he  located  on  his  present 
farm  of  160  acres,  in  this  township  ;  his  place  is  in  first-class  condition, 
and  improved  with  a  good  two-story  frame  house  of  eight  rooms,  all  in 
good  order ;  his  mother  here  makes  her  home  with  him.  They  are  all 
members  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  in  politics  Mr.  Cornell  is  a  Demo- 
crat. The  new  Chicago  k  Atlantic  Railroad  passes  through  his  farm, 
greatly  enhancing  its  value. 

EZRA  ALBERT  DUNN  was  born  in  Rhode  Island  in  1808  ;  his 
parents  died  when  he  was  very  young,  and  he  worked  for  several  farm- 
ers, who  gave  him  some  schooling.  When  twenty-three  years  old,  hav- 
ing saved  some  money,  he  was  married,  August  22,  1831,  to  Lydia  A. 
Ball,  by  whom  he  had  seven  children — Infant  (deceased),  Lyman  C, 
Daniel  R.,  Mary  A.,  Samuel  P.  (deceased),  Electa  Ella  and  Ezra  A. 
In  1833,  he  moved  to  Athens  County,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  eighty- 
four  acres.  A  few  years  later,  he  was  seriously  injured  while  launching 
a  canal-boat,  and  was  compelled  to  sell  his  farm  to  maintain  his  family. 
In  1841,  he  came  to  this  township,  and,  after  a  four-years'  struggle, 
became  able  to  buy  forty  acres,  where  he  built  a  log  house,  and  lived  in 
it  until  1859,  when  he  built  a  good  frame  one.  He  died  the  death  of 
peace  August  24,  1879.  much  esteemed  and  lamented;  his  widow  lives 
on  the  homestead  with  her  son  E.  A.  Dunn  and  his  family  ;  her  son 
Charles  was  a  soldier  in  the  Seventh  Indiana  Cavalry,  and  was  killed 
while  asleep  January  23,  1864,  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  gun  ; 
he  was  buried  where  he  lay,  but  has  a  monument  here. 

WILLIAM  DYE,  son  of  James  and  Amy  (Jones)  Dye,  was  born 
in  Clinton  Township,  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  in  1825,  and  came  to  this 
county  in  1839.  His  boyhood  days  were  passed  in  Boone  Township, 
where  he  attended  the  district  school ;  he  assisted  also  on  the  home  farm, 
on  Section  No.  4.  In  the  year  1864,  he  married  Catherine  Lynch,  and 
these  are  now  the  parents  of  three  boys  and  three  girls,  born  and 
named  in  the  order  following:  Homer,  Walter  M.,  Albert  R.,  Elnora 
M.,  Ida  D.  and  Gatha  L.  At  the  age  of  thirty-nine,  Mr.  Dye  removed 
from  Boone  Township  to  Porter  Township,  and  located  on  his  present 
farm  on  Section  No.  28,  which  he  has  under  a  state  of  high  cultivation, 
and  has  improved  with  all  modern  conveniences.     In  politics,  Mr.  Dye 


382  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

is  a  Democrat,  and  takes  quite  an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  party  ; 
he  stands  well  with  his  neighbors,  and  is  regarded  as  an  enterprising 
farmer  and  useful  citizen. 

JOHN  J.  DYE,  son  of  William  and  Nancy  (Jones)  Dye,  was  born 
in  Porter  County  in  1840,  his  parents  having  come  hither  from  Wayne 
County  in  1836.  John  J.  Dye,  when  quite  young,  commenced  to  work 
on  his  father's  farm,  and  soon  saved,  by  hard  labor  and  close  living,  suf- 
ficient to  purchase  a  place  for  himself,  which  he  did  in  1869,  and,  the 
same  year,  he  was  married  to  Melvina  S.  Ritter,  by  whom  he  had  four 
children — Minnie  C,  John  P.,  Harry  C.  and  Gracie  S.  Mr.  Dye  took 
great  interest  in  stock,  which  he  raised  for  market.  -Unfortunately,  his 
lungs,  which  were  never  strong,  began  to  trouble  him,  and,  on  August  3, 
1874,  he  closed  his  life  in  peace,  leaving  his  property  to  his  wife  and 
children.  In  life,  he  attended  the  Christian  Church,  was  a  Liberal  Dem- 
ocrat, and  universally  respected.  His  widow  and  children  occupy  the 
farm,  which  is  superintended  by  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Dye.  Mrs.  Christian 
Ritter,  mother  of  Mrs.  Dye,  also  lives  with  her  daughter.  She  was  born 
in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  in  1799,  and  is  still  active  and  useful. 

JACOB  EDINGER  is  a  native  of  Germany,  and  was  born  in  1830; 
he  attended  school  a  short  time,  and  worked  on  his  father's  farm  in  the 
old  country  until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  then  came  to  this  coun- 
try, and  settled  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  where  he  worked  by  the  day. 
lived  close,  saved  his  money,  and  in  1859  came  to  this  township  and 
bought  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  land,  broke  ground,  and  built  a  house. 
June  11,  1861,  he  married  Elizabeth  Dunn,  who  has  borne  him  eight 
children — Adam,  Isaac,  Minnie,  Melinda,  Ella,  George,  Martin  and  Otto, 
all  living.  Minnie,  the  eldest  daughter,  is  now  the  wife  of  Robert  Hil- 
dreth.  Mr.  Edinger  joined  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  the  old 
country,  and  to-day  is  a  leading  member  of  that  organization;  in  politics, 
he  is  a  Democrat.  He  now  has  a  farm  of  170  acres  under  good  cultiva- 
tion, and  is  now  engaged  in  making  alterations  in  and  additions  to  his 
dwelling,  the  site  of  which  he  has  been  compelled  to  change  in  order  to 
make  way  for  the  passage  of  the  Chicago  &  Atlantic  Railway. 

ADAM  EDINGER  is  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  was  born 
December  25,  1839.  He  attended  school  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of 
age,  and  worked  on  the  farm  of  his  father  until  he  reached  twenty-two 
years,  when  he  came  to  America,  locating  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and 
labored  on  the  farm  of  Ira  Cornell  for  a  long  time.  In  1866,  he  was 
married  to  Lucretia  Cornell,  daughter  of  Isaac  Cornell,  the  first  settler 
in  Boone  Township,  and  in  1867  he  purchased  160  acres  in  Porter  Town- 
ship. Mr,  and  Mrs.  Edinger  have  two  children — Alvah  and  Ida.  Mr. 
Edinger  is  a  general  farmer,  yet  gives  some  attention  to  stock-raising, 
and  has  some  fine  Norman  horses.  His  farm  is  as  desirable  as  any  in 
the  township,  and  he  is  now  building  a  fine  two-story  frame  house,  con- 
taining ten  rooms,  and  with  all  the  necessary  outbuildings.  He  joined 
the  Lutheran  Church  in  Germany,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 

WILLIAM  FRAME  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  in  1812,  son 
of  William  and  Margarette  (Jerrette)  Frame,  natives  of  Virginia,  and  pio- 
neers of  Kenticky.  In  1822,  the  parents  moved  from  the  latter  State  to 
Preble  County,  Ohio,   and  there  our   subject  was   educated   in  the  com- 


PORTER  TOWNSHIP.  383 

mon  schools  and  reared  until  1834,  when  he  came  to  this  township, 
where  for  the  first  two  years  he  worked  in  William  Gosset's  saw  and  grist 
mills.  He  then  entered  eighty  acres  of  land,  and  bought  eighty  acres  ad- 
ditional, built  a  log  cabin,  and  in  1889  married  Miss  Jane  McCaryhan, 
daughter  of  Thomas  McCaryhan.  This  lady  bore  her  husband  twelve  chil- 
dren— Newton  (deceased),  Elizabeth,  Thomas  J.,  John  L.,  Sarah  Jane, 
James  (deceased),RosaA.,MaryM.,  William  A.,  Melinda,  Presley  and  New- 
ton. The  mother  of  this  family  died  January  21, 1877,  and  in  March,  1878, 
Mr.  Frame  married  Elizabeth  Frame,  daughter  of  Francis  Peak,  and  widow 
of  a  deceased  brother.  Two  sons — Thomas  and  John — enlisted  in  the  In- 
diana Volunteer  Infantry  during  the  late  war,  and  in  1865  John  died  of 
quick  consumption.  Thomas  passed  through  all  his  campaigning  un- 
scathed, and  is  now  residing  in  the  far  West.  Mr.  Frame  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  in  politics  is  a  Republican. 
He  is  still  in  robust  health,  and  is  able  to  perform  as  good  a  day's  work 
on  the  farm  as  that  of  any  of  his  younger  competitors.  He  is  a  leading 
citizen,  and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  neighbors. 

EDWIN  J.  GREEN  was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1820,  the  son  of 
Jabez  and  Mary  (Eastman)  Green,  natives  of  Mstssachusetts.  The  par- 
ents moved  to  New  York  when  Edwin ^was  but  two  years  old,  and  there 
he  attended  school  until  fourteen,  when  his  father  died.  Edwin  then 
took  charge  of  the  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  married  Olive  C. 
Aylesworth,  who  bore  her  husband  two  sons — Edwin  A.  and  Eugene  A., 
both  deceased.  The  mother  followed  her  children  on  September  14, 
1852,  and  in  1856  Mr.  Greene  married  Sarah  Janes,  a  native  of  Wales, 
and  to  this  union  there  were  born  ten  children,  viz.,  Eugene  G.,  Olive 
C,  Julia  E.,  Rosetta  C,  Dora  S.,  Mary  J.  (deceased),  Hiram  E.,  Charles 
J.  (deceased),  Edwin  J.,  Jr.,  and  Franklin  R.  (deceased).  Mr.  Green 
came  to  this  county  in  1853,  and  located  at  Valparaiso,  where  for  some 
years  he  was  engaged  in  house  and  sign  painting ;  he  then  handled  sev- 
eral patent  rights,  traveling  through  thirteen  States  to  effect  sales.  In 
1856,  he  bought  his  present  fine  farm  in  this  township,  on  Section  No.  13, 
where  he  is  now  largely  engaged  in  stock-raising  ;  he  was  the  first  to  in- 
troduce the  Norman  horse  and  other  fancy  stock  into  Northern  Indiana, 
and  it  is  said  by  his  neighbors  that  he  has  done  more  for  the  advancement 
of  stock  interests  and  improvements  in  breeding  than  any  other  man  in 
the  State.     In  politics,  he  is  strongly  Republican. 

ALBERT  HANKINS  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  February 
27,  1842,  and  is  the  son  of  William  H.  and  Margaret  (Judson)  Hankins, 
who  in  1837  came  from  New  York  to  the  county  named.  After  his 
school  days,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  Mr.  Hankins  learned  the  saddler's  trade, 
but  during  his  apprenticeship  made  a  trip  to  Pike's  Peak.  In  1862,  he 
went  to  Montana,  where  he  was  engaged  in  mining  ten  years.  On  his 
return,  he  engaged  in  horse-trading  in  Chicago.  Christmas  Day,  1872, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  A.  Thorpe,  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  who 
has  borne  him  two  children — Ella  J.  and  Cora  Bell.  In  the  spring  of 
1882,  he  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  this  township,  on  which  he  is 
erecting  one  of  the  finest  houses  in  this  county,  together  with  suitable 
barns  and  other  outbuildings.  Mr.  Hankins  greatly  prides  himself  upon 
his  fast  horses,  and   is  the  owner  of  the   celebrated  stallion  "  Aristides," 


384  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

who  took  the  gold  medal  at  the  Illinois  State  fair  held  in  Chicago  in  1881. 
In  speaking  of  a  daughter  of  "  Aristides,"  the  New  York  Spirit  of  the 
Times  of  June  10,  1882,  has  this  to  say:  "  After  the  race  for  the  Ju- 
venile Stakes  at  Jerome  Park  on  the  3d  ult.,  Mr.  James  R.  Keeno  offered 
^15,000  for  the  winner,  Henlopen,  which  Mr.  Reed  declined.  The  high- 
est price  ever  paid  for  a  two-year-old  in  this  country  was  §15,000  and  25 
per  cent  of  his  engagements,  which  Mr.  Keene  paid  for  Spendthrift  in 
Christmas  week,  1878.  It  is  understood  that  Mr.  Keene  was  desirous 
of  purchasing  with  a  view  to  exportation  to  England.  We  consider  Hen- 
lopen one  of  the  best  fillies  we  have  seen  in  years.  She  belongs  to  the 
class  of  which  her  relations,  Sensation,  Harold  and  Spinaway  were  the 
head,  and  has  the  development,  action  and  high  speed  which  distinguish 
the  family.  Last  week  we  took  occasion  to  notice  the  success  which  has 
attended  the  sons  of  Leamington  at  the  stud,  and  of  which  Aristides  is 
the  most  recent  example.  Aristides  or  '  The  Red  Horse  '  was,  in  our 
judgment,  one  of  the  loest  of  the  sons  of  the  old  hero  of  Erdenheim,  and 
as  a  stayer  he  ranked  second  to  none.  He  won  the  first  Kentucky  Derby 
and  the  Withers  at  Jerome  Park.  He  could  have  won  the  Belmont 
Stakes  also,  bnt  Mr.  McGrath  had  backed  Calvin  heavily  during  the  win- 
ter, ami  the  orders  were  imperative  It  was  the  English  Derby  of  1827 
over  again,  when  Lord  Jersej'  had  Glenartney's  head  almost  pulled  off  to 
let  Mameluke  win.  At  the  club-house.  Aristides  was  fighting  for  his  head, 
but  the  negro  boy,  Lewis,  held  him  like  a  vise  in  order  to  let  Swim  win 
with  Calvin,  amid  shouts  of  '  Let  go  that  horse's  head!'  resounding  on 
all  sides.  But  '  Linden  saw  another  sight '  when,  a  year  after,  Aristides 
beat  Ten  Broeck  to  a  standstill,  making  the  fastest  mile  and  a  furlong  on 
record — 3:45  J.  Mr.  McGrath's  mistaken  prejudice  in  favor  of  Tom  Bow- 
ling denied  Aristides  proper  opportunities  at  the  stud,  and  though  he  has 
been  ofi"  the  turf  for  four  years  or  more,  he  probably  has  not  a  dozen  foals 
in  list.  Aristides,  like  his  xVthenian  namesake,  who  was  surnamed  '  The 
Just,'  was  known  far  and  wide  as  '  The  Red  Horse,'  from  the  peculiar 
blood  red  color  of  his  coat.  This  he  has  transmitted  to  his  daughter 
Henlopen,  and  which,  with  his  own  peculiar  make,  he  has  transferred  to 
her,  which  refutes  the  assertion  which  we  suppose  will  now  be  in  order, 
that  all  the  merit  belongs  to  Susan  Ann,  as  is  the  case  whenever  a  son  of 
Leamington  succeeds,  just  as  it  was  when  Leamington  himself  was  alive." 
ALEXANDER  IlESSER,  son  of  Andrew  and  Betsey  (Edrain)  Hesser, 
was  born  in  Richland  County,  Ohio,  March  1,  1826.  His  mother  died 
when  he  was  seven  years  of  age,  and  he  went  to  live  with  a  farmer,  and 
when  he  was  ten  years  old  began  work  in  a  tannery,  where  he  continued 
two  years.  He  then  went  to  Jefferson  County  and  engaged  in  farming 
until  thirteen  years  old,  when  he  came  to  this  county,  working  for  seven 
years.  During  this  period,  he  saved  his  money,  attended  school  during 
the  winter,  and  made  good  use  of  time  until  he  was  twenty  years  old, 
when  on  July  5,  1846,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Hammond.  He  then 
removed  to  Jefferson  County,  Ohio,  but  after  four  years  he  returned  to 
this  county,  and  in  1851  purchased  eighty  acres  and  began  farming  for 
himself  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hesser  have  had  three  children — Joseph  A., 
Sarah  J.  and  Elwood  P..  all  of  whom  are  married.  Mr.  Hesser  is  now 
the  owner  of  500  acres,  and  as  fine  a  farm  as  the  county  affords  ;  some  of 


PORTER   TOWNSHIP.  385 

his  land  is  in  Iowa,  and  he  has  given  to  his  chihh*en  Land  and  money.  Mr. 
;i  »d  Mrs.  Hesser  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He 
uas  formerly  a  Democrat,  but  is  now  a  Republican,  and  was  a  strong 
supporter  of  the  hite  war. 

SHADRACH  HILAND  was  born  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  in 
1807,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Massie  (Downing)  Hiland,  natives  of 
Maryland.  Mrs.  Hiland  died  in  1813,  and  at  the  age  of  nine  Shadrach 
went  to  live  with  an  uncle  in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  where  he  attended 
school  in  winter  and  worked  on  the  farm  in  summer  until  sixteen,  after 
which  he  worked  out  on  his  own  account  until  twenty-seven,  when  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Fairchild,  and  moved  to  Hancock  County,  Ohio,  where 
he  resided  for  ten  years  ;  thence  he  moved  to  Fulton  County,  Ind.,  bought 
165  acres  of  laud,  built  a  cabin  and  cleared  up  about  seventy  acres.  At 
this  point,  January  1,  1854,  Mrs.  Hiland  died,  the  mother  of  three  chil- 
<lren — James  and  William  (deceased)  and  Sarah  A.,  now  Mrs.  Samuel  C. 
Ross.  In  the  latter  part  of  1854,  Mr.  Hiland  married  Sylvania  Kizer, 
v/'idow  of  Blake  Kizer  and  daughter  of  Nathan  Herendeen,  and  to  this 
union  one  child  was  born — Celida  S.,  in  1861.  In  1865,  Mr.  Hiland 
came  to  this  township  and  bought  80  acres  on  Section  No.  13,  where  he 
is  now  engaged  in  prosperous  ftirminij; ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  Church,  and  in  politics  was  formerly  a  Democrat,  having  cast 
his  first  vote  for  Andrew  Jackson  for  President,  but  since  the  formation 
of  the  Republican  party  he  has  given  it  his  affiliation  and  vote. 

A.  R.  HOUSE  was  born  in  Vermont  in  1815,  and  was  the  first  born 
of  the  nine  children  of  Zela  and  Eunice  (Belknap)  House,  natives  of  the 
same  State.  About  1819,  the  family  started  West;  went  down  the  Ohio 
River  as  far  as  Evansville,  Ind.,  where  they  tarried  six  years,  and  then 
returned  East,  and  for  about  seventeen  years  lived  in  the  town  of  York- 
shire, State  of  New  York.  Mr.  House,  during  these  changes,  had  but 
little  opportunity  for  schooling,  and  in  1837  left  his  home  for  the  West 
again,  and  came  to  St.  Joseph,  where  he  worked  in  a  foundry  until 
1843,  and  then  made  a  trip  of  800  miles  on  horseback  to  New  York  to 
see  his  parents.  He  returned  West  the  same  year,  bought  some  land  in 
Ohio,  and  married  Alvia  Smith,  who  died  ten  months  after.  A  year  and 
a  half  later,  he  married  Nancy  Hill,  sold  his  Ohio  farm  and  came  to  Por- 
ter, where,  four  years  later,  his  second  wife  died,  leaving  one  daughter — 
Janette,  now  married  to  Isaac  Eaton.  A  year  and  a  half  later,  he  mar- 
ried Sophia  Dye,  who,  also,  has  borne  him  one  daughter — Serena,  now 
the  wife  of  Merritt  Cornell.  Mr.  House  now  owns  a  farm  of  240  acres, 
in  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  well  improved  in  every  respect ;  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  is  a  Democrat,  and  occupies  a  high 
position  in  the  regard  of  the  community. 

ZELA  HOUSE,  fifth  child  of  Zela  an<l  Eunice  (Belknap)  House, 
natives  of  Vermont,  was  born  in  New  York  State  October  4,  1824.  '  Un- 
til sixteen  years  of  age,  Zela  attended  school  and  worked  on  the  home 
farm  alternately  winter  and  summer,  and  after  that  assisted  regularly  on 
the  farm  until  about  twenty-three  years  old.  when  he  was  induced  by  his 
brother,  A.  R.  House,  to  come  West,  which  he  did,  accompanied  by  his 
father  and  family.  They  located  in  Porter,  and  for  four  years  longer 
Zela  remained  with  his  fiither.     At  the  age  of  twenty-seven,  he   married 


386  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Jane  Spafford,  daughter  of  Chester  Spaiford.  In  1854,  he  bought  forty 
acres  of  land  and  a  log  house,  but  he  has  now  a  fine  farm  of  ninety  acres, 
improved  with  a  two-story  frame  dwelling  and  all  the  outbuildings  requi- 
site for  general  farming  purposes ;  he  raises  some  stock  and  has  some 
choice  imported  animals  from  England  and  Canada;  he  has  no  children, 
but  has  reared  and  educated  a  daughter  of  James  Price,  now  married  to 
W.  T.  Critchfield,  and  living  in  Nebraska.  In  politics,  Mr.  House  is  a 
Democrat. 

LEANDER  JONES,  son  of  Enoch  and  Catherine  (Kimerer)  Jones, 
was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  in  January,  1850.  About  the  year 
1852,  his  father  moved  to  this  county,  where  Leander  attended  school 
and  worked  on  the  home  farm  till  nineteen  years  of  age ;  he  then  at- 
tended high  school  at  Valparaiso  for  five  terms.  In  April,  1872,  he 
married  Elmira  Cornell,  daughter  of  Ira  and  Emily  Cornell,  and  to  this 
union  there  have  been  born  three  boys  and  one  girl — Edgar  V.,  Clayton 
£.,  Clarence  I.  and  an  infant  daughter,  yet  unnamed  ;  he  has  a  first- 
class  farm  of  106  acres,  a  comfortable  home  and  good  outbuildings,  and 
a  bright  prospect  before  him.  In  addition  to  the  usual  routine  of  agri- 
culture, he  takes  great  interest  in  live  stock  and  has  in  his  possession 
some  fine  blooded  animals. 

JAMES  H.  KENWORTHY  is  a  native  of  Albany  County,  N.  Y., 
and  was  born  in  18-45  ;  his  parents,  Jared  and  Mary  (Taytor)  Kenworthy, 
were  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1819  and  1820,  were  married  in 
1840,  and  came  to  America  in  1843.  In  1844,  his  father  opened  a 
village  blacksmith  shop  in  Albany  County,  and  there  died  in  1848  ;  his 
mother  then  married  Thomas  McDonough,  who  brought  the  family  to  La 
Porte  County,  this  State,  where  he  died  in  1880,  leaving  the  mother 
again  a  widow.  In  1870,  our  subject  came  to  this  township,  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Campbell,  and  they  are 
now  the  parents  of  three  boys — Archibald  C,  William  A.  and  James 
Allen.  Mr.  Kenworthy  is  now  the  owner  of  the  old  Campbell  home- 
stead, and  is  living  in  the  same  house  in  which  he  was  married,  with  his 
mother  and  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Kenworthy  ;  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  good  standing,  and  attends  divine  services  as 
often  as  circumstances  will  permit. 

DANIEL  R.  LUDINGTON,  the  third  son  of  Alvah  and  A^bigail 
(Welsh)  Ludington,  was  born  in  Oxford,  Upper  Canada,  September  9, 
1827.  The  father  died  when  Daniel  was  but  seven  years  of  age,  and  in 
consequence  the  latter  did  not  receive  a  great  deal  of  schooling ;  he  was 
obliged  to  work  for  a  livelihood,  and  began  at  12J  cents  per  day  and 
board;  but  saved  his  money;  then,  at  sixteen,  worked  in  a  confectionery 
and  bakery  at  ^4  per  month  and  board ;  at  nineteen,  he  hauled  lumber  at 
§9  per  month,  and  at  twenty  married  Alvia  Strong.  In  1848,  he  came 
to  this  county  and  worked  on  several  farms  until  1850,  when  he  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land,  improved  with  a  two-story  log  house,  and  is  now  as 
comfortably  situated  as  most  of  his  neighbors  ;  he  has  had  born  to  him 
nine  children,  viz.:  Alvia  F.,  Henry  (deceased),  Alice  (deceased), 
Joseph,  James,  Frances.  Mary  E.,  Abbie  and  Elias.  In  politics,  he  is  a 
Democrat,  and  is  active  in  support  of  the  interests  of  his  party. 

JOHN  McGINLEY,  son  of  Robert  and  Eve  (Lindsay)  McGinley, 
natives  of  Ireland,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  in  1831 ;  he  began 


PORTER  TOWNSHIP.  387 

attending  school  at  the  age  of  six,  and  so  continued  each  winter  through- 
out his  youth,  working  on  the  home  farm  each  summer  until  twenty-six 
years  old,  when,  February  26,  1857,  he  married  Miss  Lucinda,  daughter 
of  Simon  and  Rachel  Armentrout,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  came 
to  this  county  and  township  and  bought  forty  acres  of  land  on  Section 
No.  5,  which  he  farmed  four  years,  then  sold,  and  bought  forty  acres  on 
Section  No.  1,  to  which  he  has  since  added  until  he  now  owns  154  acres, 
all  under  good  cultivation,  and  improved  with  a  first-class  frame  dwelling 
and  frame  outbuildings.  In  addition  to  farming,  he  devotes  considerable 
attention  to  stock-raising,  and  sends  out  some  very  fine  animals.  Mr. 
McGinley  has  had  born  to  him  five  children — Sarah  E.,  Mary  C,  George 
W.  (deceased),  Clara  B.  and  Simon  P.;  he  has  also  reared  a  son  of  Mrs. 
Wilana,  of  Knox  County,  Ohio,  who  has  returned  to  his  mother,  and  is 
doing  well  as  a  scene  sketcher  and  engraver.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McGinley 
and  daughter  Clara  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  Miss  Clara  is  being  trained  for  school  teaching.  Mr.  McG. 
is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  rather  liberal  in  his  views,  and  has  held 
the  office  of  Road  Supervisor  for  about  twelve  years. 

EBEN  S.  I^IERRIFIELD,  son  of  George  C.  and  Mary  (Parks) 
Merrifield,  was  born  in  Yates  County,  N.  Y.,  July  25,  1836,  where  he 
attended  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  came  to  Valparaiso, 
this  county,  with  his  father  ;  here  he  resided  till  1861,  engaged  in  the 
study  and  practice  of  law,  when  he  was  appointed  to  the  position  of  Clerk 
to  the  House  Committee  on  Post  Offices  and  Post  Roads,  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  which  position  he  held  during  one  session  of  Congress,  and  was 
then  appointed  to  a  clerkship  in  the  Treasury  Department,  in  which  he 
faithfully  discharged  his  duties  until  1864,  when  he  returned  to  this 
county  and  located  in  this  township  on  Section  34.  He  was  married, 
in  1861,  to  Miriam  F.  Wolff,  daughter  of  John  and  Marcia  Wolfi",  and 
to  their  union  have  been  born  two  boys  and  two  girls — Ralph  C,  Maud 
(deceased),  Lydia  and  John  (deceased);  he  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and 
and  was  a  delegate  to  the  National  Convention,  held  at  Cincinnati,  in 
1876  ;  his  farm  product  chiefly  consists  of  hay,  as  he  gives  more  atten- 
tion to  stock-raising  than  to  agriculture.  In  his  specialty  he  has  made 
a  success,  and  he  now  probably  has  the  best  stock  farm  in  Porter  County; 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  good  standing,  and 
is  universally  regarded  as  a  worthy  and  useful  citizen. 

JAMES  MILLER  was  born  in  Alleghany  County,  Md.,  in  1831, 
the  third  child  of  Henry  and  Rachael  (Dye)  Miller,  of  German  parent- 
age, and  born  respectively  in  1801  and  1809.  James  Miller  attended 
school  at  intervals,  and  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  seventeen  years 
old,  and  until  twenty  worked  out  for  himself;  then  he  went  to  Wayne 
County,  Ohio,  and  in  1856,  married  Elizabeth  Hague,  who  bore  him  two 
children,  Elmer  H.  and  Alice  (now  Mrs.  Albert  Skinkle).  In  1862,  he 
came  to  Porter,  and  a  year  later  bought  a  farm  of  eighty-one  and  one- 
half  acres,  improved  with  a  log  house.  Since  his  residence  here,  there 
have  been  five  children  born  to  him — Isaiah,  Willie  C,  Estella,  Ida  and 
Jennie.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  are  members  in  good  standing  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  as  was  his  father  be- 
fore him ;  his  farm  now  comprises  302  acres,  and  is  well  cultivated  and 


388  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

improved  with  good  dwelling  and  outbuildings ;  he  devotes  the  greater 
part  of  his  attention  to  agriculture,  although  he  raises,  in  addition,  a 
great  many  horses  and  hogs  for  market. 

ANDERSON  POOR  is  the  eldest  of  ten  children  of  Edward  and 
Sarah  (Morris)  Poor,  of  whom  the  former  was  born  in  North  Carolina 
April  24,  1794,  and  the  latter  in  Tennessee  in  about  1801.  The  father 
was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  married  in  Tennessee  in  1816; 
he  then  engaged  in  farming  in  North  Carolina,  where  our  subject  was 
born  August  13,  1819.  In  1821,  the  father  brought  his  family  to  this 
State,  locating  in  Fountain  County,  moving  thence,  in  1831,  to  Illinois. 
In  1832,  when  but  twelve  years  of  age,  our  subject  enlisted  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  and  was  stationed  at  old  Fort  Dearborn,  in  Chicago.  After- 
ward, worked  on  the  farm  with  his  father  until  nineteen  years  old,  and 
then  began  for  himself.  January  5,  1843,  he  married  Charlotte  Dwight. 
who  has  borne  him  seven  children — Emily  L.,  born  May  18,  1844 ;  Mor- 
ris, September  10,  1846,  deceased;  Mary  A.,  January  4,  1848;  Fran- 
ces A.,  April  8,  1850,  deceased;  Lafayette  B.,  June  11,  1852;  Maryette 
E.,  June  26,  1857,  and  Edward  E.,  February  22,  1865.  In  1865,  he 
came  to  this  county  and  located  near  Valparaiso,  buying  a  farm  of  150 
acres;  this  he  sold  in  1877;  came  to  this  township  and  bought  the  farm 
of  240  acres  on  Section  23,  on  which  he  has  ever  since  resided,  sincerely 
respected  by  all  his  neighbors. 

WILLIAM  RIGrG,  the  eldest  of  the  six  children  of  Robert  and 
Mary  (Newell)  Rigg,  was  born  near  Wheeling,  Va.,  in  1818;  his  father 
was  a  stone-mason,  and  in  1829  moved  to  Pittsburgh,  Penn.,  and  thence, 
in  1832,  to  Lawrence  County,  same  State,  where  he  bought  a  farm.  On 
this  farm  William  Rigg  lived  and  worked  until  twenty-seven  years  of  age, 
when  he  married  Miss  Mary,  daughter  of  John  and  Rebecca  Wallace. 
In  1859,  he  came  to  this  township,  bought  a  partially  improved  farm  of 
160  acres,  began  working  it,  and,  in  1861,  brought  on  his  family,  who 
had  been  left  behind  on  account  of  illness ;  his  six  children  Avere  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  are  named  as  follows;  Robert  N.,  John  W.,  Sidney 
J.,  William  B.  and  Mary,  deceased,  Mr.  Rigg  was  a  member  of  the 
New  Castle  (Lawrence  County,  Penn.)  Light  Artillery  for  about  thirteen 
years,  and  was  under  drill  of  Col.  Scott,  brother  of  Lieut.  Gen.  Scott. 
In  this  township  he  has  served  for  six  years  as  Trustee :  his  farm  is  well 
improved,  with  a  fine  frame  dwelling  and  all  the  requisite  outbuildings, 
:ind  is  under  as  good  cultivation  as  any  in  the  township;  he  pays  consid- 
erable attention  to  stock-raising,  and  has  some  imported  Herefordshire 
cattle,  he  being  the  first  to  introduce  them  into  the  county.  In  politics, 
he  is  a  Republican,  and  was  formerly  an  Abolitionist,  and  a  large  stock- 
holder in  the  Underground  Railway. 

SAMUEL  C.  ROSS  is  the  tenth  child  of  Samuel  and  Ruth  (Craft) 
Ross,  who,  respectively,  were  born  in  Virginia  in  1792,  and  in  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1802.  x\fter  their  marriage,  they  settled  in  Pennsylvania, 
moving  thence  to  Knox  County,  Ohio,  and  thence  to  Licking  County, 
where  Samuel  C.  was  born  February  5,  1838.  After  attending  school 
and  working  on  his  father's  farm  until  1857,  our  subject  came  to  Fulton 
County,  this  State,  where  he  married,  October  10,  1861,  Miss  Sarah  A., 
daughter  of  Shadrach  and  Mary  (Fairchild)  Hiland,  and,  in  1865,  came 


PORTER   TOWNSHIP.  389 

to  this  township  and  bought  forty  acres  of  land  on  Section  13.  To  this 
marriage  have  been  born  five  children — Oslow  H.,  May  19,  1863;  Car- 
rie V.,  November  20,  1864  ;  Mary  E.,  December  30,  1869  ;  Alvah  C, 
June  12,  1873,  and  Charles  M.,  September  3,  1877.  Mr.  Ross  attends 
church  as  circumstances  permit,  and  in  politics  is  a  Republican. 

JAMES  S.  SAWYER,  son  of  Nathan  and  Sally  (Flint)  Sawyer, 
was  born  in  1806;  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  Wayne  County, 
Ohio,  and  for  some  time  followed  it  for  a  livelihood.  In  1832,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Alvina  Ellsworth,  who  has  borne  him  fourteen  children — seven 
boys  and  seven  girls — James  C.  (deceased),  Cornelius  D.,  Philip  L., 
Orville  J.,  Louisa,  Sylvia  R.,  William  L.,  Fremont  D.,  and  the  others 
died  in  infancy.  In  1850,  Mr.  Sawyer  came  to  Porter  Township,  and  set- 
tled on  land  purchased  for  his  wife  by  her  father,  put  up  a  cabin  and 
fences,  and  went  to  farming.  Becoming  discontented,  he  soon  made  a 
trip  to  California,  returning  in  about  eighteen  months,  a  loser  by  the 
venture.  A  year  later,  he  went  to  Idaho,  where  he  remained  three  years, 
then  returned  home  and  recommenced  farming;  he  has  now  a  good  farm 
of  eighty  acres,  a  good  two-story  frame  house,  and  all  things  about  him  in 
comfortable  shape ;  he  is  a  member  in  good  standing  in  the  Christian 
Church,  and  in  politics  is  a  Republican. 

CORNELIUS  D.  SAWYER,  son  of  James  S.  and  Mary  (Ells- 
worth) Sawyer,  was  born  in  Ohio  January  6,  1836.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  New  York,  his  mother  of  Ohio.  When  Cornelius  was  about 
five  years  old,  his  father  came  to  this  county  and  purchased  the  farm  on 
which  he  still  resides.  Cornelius  remained  at  home,  working  on  the 
farm,  which  he  managed  successfully  during  his  father's  absence  in  Cali- 
fornia. On  November  29,  1856,  he  was  married  to  Eunice  Shreves, 
widow  of  C.  Shreves,  and  daughter  of  David  Wells,  of  Porter  County. 
Five  children  blessed  the  union — Ella  M.,  Craig  (deceased),  Mary  May, 
James  Perry  and  Florence.  In  1872,  Mr.  Sawyer  bought  74  acres  on 
Section  30,  having  a  good  frame  house  thereon,  where  he  lived  with  his 
family.  On  June  2,  1878,  after  four  years'  illness,  Mrs.  Sawyer  died 
of  consumption;  she  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church  and  a  much 
esteemed  lady.  In  1882,  Mr.  Sawyer  exchanged  his  place  for  the  Wan- 
ders farm,  where  he  now  lives.  Soon  after  Mrs.  Sawyer's  decease,  his 
son  Craig  succumbed  to  the  same  malady.  On  April  29,  1882,  Mr. 
Sawyer  married  Mary  Rady.  of  Valparaiso,  who  also  died  on  June  29, 
from  typhoid  fever.  The  cares  of  the  fiimily  had  fallen  upon  his  eldest 
daughter,  Ella,  who  married  E.  Grreen,  of  Chicago;  Mary  May  succeeded 
her,  and  is  a  good  housekeeper.  Mr.  Sawyer  has  some  fine  imported 
sheep — the  Cotswold — from  Canada  ;    also  some  Norman  horses. 

JAMES  STEPHENS  was  born  in  the  State  of  Michigan  in  the 
year  1833,  and  when  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  came  to  this  county 
with  his  father.  Here  he  assisted  on  the  farm  until  twenty-five  years 
old,  when  he  entered  into  the  dry  goods  business  at  Valparaiso,  which  he 
followed  with  great  success  about  seven  years.  In  1858,  he  married  Miss 
Martha  Leonard,  and  as  the  fruit  of  this  union  there  were  five  children 
born — three  girls  and  two  boys — as  follows  :  Clara,  Eva,  Lewis.  Lizzie 
and  Willie.  Mrs.  Stephens  departed  this  life  in  1873.  In  1860,  Mr. 
Stephens  purchased  the  farm  of  185  acres  in  this   township,   on  which 


390  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

he  still  resides  and  whicli  he  has  improved  in  a  manner  creditable  to  him- 
self and  township.  Mrs.  Stephens  died  in  1873.  In  1876,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Kopp,  widow  of  Louis  Kopp,  and 
to  this  marriage  there  has  been  one  babe  born.  Mr.  Stephens  is  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  Republican  party,  and  by  it  has  been  twice  elected  to 
the  oflSce  of  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

WILLIAM  STEWART  was  born  in  Ireland  July  21,  1809,  and  is 
a  son  of  Charles  and  Jane  (Stewart)  Stewart.  His  father  was  a  farmer, 
with  whom  William  lived,  attending  school  until  fourteen  years  old,  and 
working  on  the  farm  until  1838.  At  this  time,  he  was  married  to  Nancy 
Wilson.  In  this  union  he  was  blessed  with  five  children — Charles,  Isa- 
bel, John,  an  infant  (deceased),  and  Jane,  all  the  living  being  married. 
In  1847,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stewart  came  to  America,  and  from  New  York 
they  went  to  Canada,  thence  to  Philadelphia,  and  thence  to  Caldwell 
County,  Ohio,  where  they  farmed  for  three  years.  In  1851,  they  came 
to  this  township,  entered  160  acres,  which  they  sold;  then  entered  eighty 
acres  in  Section  15  and  built  a  log  cabin,  soon  after  purchasing  forty 
acres  adjoining  ;  this  they  devoted  to  stock,  market  produce  and  some 
hay  and  corn.  After  a  lingering  illness,  Mr.  Stewart  died  April  16, 
1882,  leaving  his  estate  to  his  wife.  His  son  John  was  a  soldier  of  Com- 
pany I,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  assigned  to  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland.  .  After  the  war,  he  settled  to  farming,  and  in  1868 
married  Martha  M.  Young,  by  whom  he  bad  six  children — William  J., 
George  C,  Alice  J.,  Charles  F.,  Robert  R.,  and  an  infant  girl.  He 
purchased  the  homestead  and  gives  a  homestead  to  the  family.  William 
Stewart  was  a  member  of  the  U.  P.   Church,  also  a  Republican. 

CHARLES  STEWART,  son  of  William  and  Nancy  (Wilson) 
Stewart,  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1838,  and  came  with  his  parents,  when 
nine  years  old,  to  America.  After  living  three  years  in  Ohio,  his  father 
came  to  this  township,  where  Charles  worked  in  the  summer  and  attend- 
ed school  in  the  winter  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  when  he  quit  school; 
worked  on  the  farm  for  three  years;  he  then  had  three  terms  of  school  at 
Valparaiso,  after  which  he  served  as  teacher  in  his  township  one  year. 
At  this  time,  from  failing  health,  he  went  to  California,  where  he  farmed 
for  three  years;  he  then  returned  home,  but  went  again  to  California,  en- 
gaging in  the  lumber  business.  In  1870,  he  came  back  to  this  county 
and  was  married  to  Nancy  J.  Palmer,  who  died  in  1872.  On  June  6, 
1878,  he  was  married  to  Elmina  J.  Williams,  daughter  of  Miles  Will- 
iams, of  Lake  County.  This  union  was  blessed  with  three  children — in- 
fant girl  (deceased),  Nancy  E.  and  Charles  E.  In  1874,  Mr.  Stewart 
purchased  forty  acres  of  unimproved  land,  and  soon  after  another  forty 
acres,  with  good  log  house  and  outbuildings,  all  of  which  land  is  under 
cultivation.  Mr.  Stewart  is  a  Republican,  and  was  once  elected  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  but  declined  to  serve  for  want  of  time. 

JOHN  N.  SUMMER  was  born  in  New  York  State  December  28, 
1836,  the  eldest  of  seven  children  born  to  Christian  and  Magdalena 
(Noffsinger)  Summer,  natives  of  France,  who  came  to  America  in  1833, 
and  were  married  in  1834.  When  John  N.  was  two  years  of  age,  his 
father  moved  to  Canada.  Here  John  went  to  school  until  fourteen  years 
old  ;  his  father  then,  in  1850,  moved  to  this  township,  where  John  worked 


PORTER  TOWNSHIP.  391 

at  farming  until  twenty-three  years  of  age,  when  he  married  Miss  Sabina 
Ritter,  who  has  borne  him  four  children — Salvina,  born  April  6,  1860 : 
Hattie  A.,  July  18,  1863  ;  William  E.,  February  23,  1805  ;  and  Anna 
A.,  January  16,  1868.  During  the  earlier  years  of  his  married  life,  Mr. 
Summer  made  his  home  with  his  parents,  but  at  times  resided  with  his 
wife's  people.  He  is  now  living  on  a  half  section  of  land  belonging  to 
R.  P.  Wells,  and  is  prospering  as  a  farmer  and  carpenter.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Mennonite  Church,  and  is  well  thought  of  by  his  neighbors. 

ALEXANDER  L.  SWEET,  son  of  Richard  and  Catherine  (Beedle) 
Sweet,  was  born  in  New  York  July  8,  1800.  While  yet  a  child,  his 
mother  died,  his  father  being  at  sea  for  his  health.  On  the  return  of  the 
latter,  he  became  insane  on  hearing  of  the  death  of  his  wife.  Alexander's 
education  was  limited,  inasmuch  as  he  was  compelled  to  labor  at  a  tender 
age;  but,  by  hard  study,  at  the  a^e  of  twenty  lie  became  a  teacher  in  a 
public  school ;  he  also  learned  the  carpentering  trade,  and  could  manage 
a  farm.  When  he  became  twenty-one  years  old,  he  went  to  Canada, 
where  he  married  Azubah  Young,  daughter  of  John  Young,  by  whom  he 
had  seven  children — John  R.  (deceased),  Joseph  W.  (deceased),  Myron  J., 
Zilpha  A.,  Olynthus  (deceased).  Young  A.  and  Ann  A.  E.  In  1837,  he 
sold  his  effects  and  came  to  this  State,  locating  at  La  Grange,  Noble 
County,  where  he  farmed  two  years  before  coming  into  this  county,  and 
bargaining  for  thirty  acres,  but  died  before  he  could  pay  for  them.  The 
payment  was  afterward  made  by  his  widow,  who  resides  iipon  the  land. 
Mr.  Sweet  was  a  Deacon  in  the  Christian  Church,  a  Republican  and  a 
respected  gentleman.  Four  of  his  sons  were  soldiers  in  the  late  war,  one 
of  whom,  Joseph  W.,  died  from  disease  contracted  in  the  service ;  he  be- 
longed to  Company  E,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry  ;  Myron  J.  and 
Young  A.  were  in  Company  I,  Fifth  Indiana  Cavalry ;  and  John  R.  in 
Company  E,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Infantry. 

ALONZO  TUCKER  is  a  native  of  the  town  of  Dundee,  Kane  Co.. . 
111.,  and  was  born  in  1855.  His  early  pecuniary  circumstances  were 
somewhat  circumscribed,  but  he  possessed  energy  and  determination,  and 
he  labored  with  a  will  at  farming,  while  still  quite  young,  to  acquire 
money  to  provide  for  his  education,  neglecting  no  opportunity,  in  the 
meanwhile,  of  attending  school.  December  5,  1880,  he  married  Miss 
Geneva  Wirick,  and  to  this  union  one  child  (now  deceased)  was  born. 
Mr.  Tucker  is  now  living  on  a  rented  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  this  township,  belonging  to  Mr.  Joseph  Jones,  and,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  Mrs.  Tucker,  is  just  getting  a  good  start  in  the  world.  He 
is  prudent  and  economical,  and  with  these  qualities,  added  to  temperate 
habits,  he  has  success  apparently  placed  within  his  grasp. 

JOHN  L.  WEILER,  son  of  John  George  and  Joanna  (Kuemel) 
Weiler,  was  born  in  Wurteraberg,  Germany,  June  24,  1829  ;  his  father 
was  a  wagon-maker,  and  John  L.  worked  with  him  until  his  twenty- 
fourth  year,  when  he  came  to  America  and  followed  his  trade  for  four 
years.  Having  saved  some  money,  in  1857  he  came  to  this  State  and  pur- 
chased forty  acres  in  Section  24  of  this  township.  On  July  6,  1857,  he 
was  married  to  Christiana  Riecker,  by  whom  he  has  had  thirteen  chil- 
dren— George  E.,  Mary  C.  (deceased),  Maria  B.  (deceased), Franklin  W.. 
Louisa  J.,   Paulina  J..   John  L.   and  Christiana  (twins),  D.   (deceased). 


392  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

Adam  and  three  infants,  deceased.  By  his  own  diligence  and  his  wife'» 
assistance,  he  is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  220  acres,  with  a  good 
frame  residence.  In  addition  to  general  farming,  he  gives  attention  to 
stock-raising.  Mr.  Weileris  an  upright  man  and  a  highly  esteemed  citi- 
zen. 

DAVID  L.  YOUNG,  was  born  in  New  York  in  1824,  and  wa^^ 
the  youngest  of  four  children  born  to  Nathan  and  Laura  (Lane)  Young. 
The  father  had  learned  shoe-making,  but  gave  up  the  trade  and  bought  ;i 
farm  and  saw-mill,  in  which  David  was  employed,  when  not  at  school 
until  thirteen  years  of  age,  when  his  father  sold  all  his  effects  and  came 
to  La  Porte  County,  where  he  died  in  1838.  David  then  turned  hi- 
attention  to  anything  he  could  get  to  do,  and  aided  in  supporting  hi^ 
mother  until  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  when  he  married  Miss  Lovimi 
Guernsey,  daughter  of  H.  B.  Guernsey.  This  lady  died  July  10,  1865. 
the  mother  of  six  children — George  W.,  Jeremiah,  Eliza  (deceased). 
Charlotte  (deceased),  Francis  (deceased)  and  Emma  L.  August  12. 
1866,  Mr.  Young  married  Miss  Phoebe  A.  Thornton,  and  to  this  unioi! 
were  born  four  children — Milton  and  James  (deceased),  Malita  and 
David  L.  In  1864,  Mr.  Young  bought  240  acres  of  as  fine  land  as  there 
is  in  this  township  from  H.  B.  Guernsey,  although  he  pays  more  atten- 
tion to  stock-raising  than  to  farming.  Mr.  Young  formerly  kept  a  coun- 
try store,  and  was  for  a  long  time  Postmaster  at  Hobart,  where  he  also 
kept  the  Hobart  House  for  ten  years.  He  has  seen  as  many  as  500  In- 
dians in  camp  at  one  time  in  Deep  River  botton.  In  politics,  he  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  during  the  late  war  stood  the  draft  three  times,  but  was 
never  drawn. 


PINE  TOWNSHIP. 

CHARLES  BATTYE  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  January 
3,  1821,  and  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children  born  to  William  and  Grace 
(Hobson)  Battye  ;  his  parents  were  born,  reared  and  married  in  England  : 
his  father  was  a  weaver,  at  which  he  worked  many  years  (also  as  a  book- 
keeper) before  coming  to  this  country,  in  the  year  1854,  and  to  Porter 
County  in  1857,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  in  1872;  he  and  his 
wife  died  within  thirty  hours  of  each  other.  Both  are  buried  in  Michi 
gan  City.  Charles  Battye  came  to  the  United  States  in  1848,  and 
worked  in  a  carding  establishment  at  Lowell,  Mass..  until  1857,  when  ho 
came  to  Porter  County  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  woodland.  After 
building  a  cabin  and  clearing  for  a  year,  he  returned  to  Lowell  and  re- 
sumed carding,  continuing  until  1867,  when  he  again  came  to  Porter 
County  and  remained,  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  On  Octo- 
ber 9,  1842,  he  was  married  to  Eleanor  Harrison,  born  March  7,  1820, 
in  England,  and  died  December  13,  1879,  leaving  one  child — Uriah  H., 
now  in  Massachusetts.     In  politics,  Mr.  Battve  is  a  Democrat. 

HENRY  BRUMMITT,  eldest  son  of  Aaron  and  Ann  (Wilbey) 
Brummitt,  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  October  21,  1824,  and  lie 
and  his  brother  William  are  the  only  members  of  the  family  living  in 
Indiana.      Henry  Brummitt,  when  but  ten  years  old,  commenced  work  at 


PINE  TOWNSHIP.  393 

weaving,  and  continued  until  he  was  twenty-one ;  he  then  entered  the 
worsted-yarn  establishment,  leaving  for  the  United  States  with  the  best 
recommendations,  in  1857,  and  reaching  Michigan  City  April  20  of  that 
year,  engaging  in  lumbering  until  1861,  when  he  made  his  first  purchase 
of  land,  consisting  of  thirty-three  acres,  and  afterward  twelve  more ;  he 
now  owns  112  acres,  eighty  of  which  are  improved.  On  February  6. 
1848,  while  in  England,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Oxley,  daughter  ot 
John  and  Mary  A.  (Hampshire)  Oxley.  She  was  born  Marcli  10,  1826. 
They  have  a  family  of  six — George,  Anna  (now  Mrs.  A.  Mills),  Eliza- 
beth, Alfred  W.,  Alice  E.  and  John  H.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brummitt  arc 
members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Mr.  Brummitt  is  a  Republican,  and 
served  his  adopted  country  in  the  army  from  1864  until  the  late  war 
closed. 

WILLIAM  BRUMMITT,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Pine  Town- 
ship, was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  August  28,  1832,  being  one  of 
twelve  born  to  Aaron  and  Ann  (Wilbey)  Brummitt.  Seven  of  this  family 
are  living,  five  in  America,  and  two  of  these  in  this  county  ;  his  parents 
were  natives  of  Yorkshire  ;  his  father  was  born  in  1800,  his  mother  in  1802. 
The  elder  Brummitt  was  a  spinner  and  weaver,  at  which  he  worked  until 
advanced  age,  and  died  March  14,  1882.  aged  eighty-one  years  ;  his 
widow  is  living  in  England.  William  Brummitt  remained  with  his  par- 
ents until  manhood,  learning  the  trade  of  weaving,  at  which  he  worked 
until  1856  ;  his  education  is  limited.  In  1856,  growing  tired  of  his  trade, 
he  determined  to  come  to  America,  procure  land  and  become  a  farmer. 
In  that  year,  he  came  to  Porter  County,  and  in  1858  made  his  first  pur- 
chase of  three  acres.  This  he  cleared,  and  in  1860  purchased  forty  more 
adjacent,  and,  by  purchases  since,  now  owns  825  acres,  275  of  which  arc 
improved,  with  good  buildings.  In  1864,  he  entered  the  army,  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war ;  he  was  married  November  20,  1853. 
to  Mary  Lucas,  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  born  October  23,  1832. 
and  daughter  of  Mark  and  Grace  Lucas  ;  her  parents  lived  and  died  in 
England.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brummitt  have  six  children — Mark  L.  (bori^, 
January  24,  1858),  John  W.  (born  September  12,  1859),  Maria  (born 
November  6,  1860),  Jennie  (January  15,  1863,  now  Mrs.  W.  P.  Goody- 
koontz),  Emily  (born  June  4,  1865)  and  Arthur  (born  August  7,  1870. 
All  of  these  have  literary  tastes,  four  having  been  teachers.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Brummitt,  with  four  of  the  family,  are  members  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  he  and  his  son  Mark  of  Calumet  Lodge,  No.  379,  A.,  F.  c^ 
A.  M.  Mr.  Brummitt  is  a  Democrat,  and  now  serving  his  fourth  term 
as  Justice  of  the  Peace.     His  son  is  an  Assessor  of  the  township. 

YOUNGER  FRAME,  son  of  John  and  Ufa  (Peak)  Frame,  was  born 
in  Preble  County,  Ohio,  January  1,  1832  ;  his  father  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1804,  and  came  to  Preble  County  when  quite  young;  his 
mother  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1810,  and  lived  there  till  after  her  marriage. 
In  1885,  they  emigrated  to  Michigan  City,  La  Porte  County,  where  ISlv. 
Frame  followed  the  coopering  business.  In  1849,  they  came  to  Porter 
County,  settling  in  Pine  Township,  when  his  mother  died  December  2!>. 
1860,  and  his  father  February  29,  1872.  Younger  Frame  lived  with  liis 
parents  until  twenty-nine  years  old.  After  receiving  an  ordinary  scbool 
education,  he  learned  his  father's  trade,  but  has   worked  much  more  :it 


394  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

farming,  having  now  212  acres  in  this  and  La  Porte  Counties.  On  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1861,  he  was  married  to  Maria  L.  Weston,  a  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Louisa  (Randall)  Weston,  and  born  March  7,  1839  ;  her  parents 
were  early  settlers  of  La  Porte  County.  They  have  had  three  children — 
Hattie  E.,  Cary  J.  and  Chauncey  B.  During  1881-82,  Mr.  Frame  has 
built  a  cheese  factory,  the  only  one  in  the  township.  When  he  first  came 
hither,  his  farm  was  a  wilderness,  necessitating  clearing  and  the  building 
of  a  log  cabin  ;  he  has  now  good  improvements  and  seventy-five  acres 
under  cultivation.  Mr.  Frame  is  a  Democrat,  but  liberal  in  local  gov- 
ernment. 

DR.  J.  M.  GOODWIN,  one  of  the  oldest  practitioners  of  medicine 
in  Porter  County,  and  born  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  June  12,  1812. 
His  parents  were  Richard  and  Prudence  (HoUister)  Goodwin.  He  has 
a  noted  ancestry,  many  having  taken  part  in  the  struggle  for  indepen- 
dence, his  grandfather  having  served  as  commissary  in  Gen.  Washing- 
ton's army  for  seven  years.  His  father  was  a  Methodist  minister  for  fif- 
ty years,  and  his  mother  one  of  the  survivors  of  the  Wyoming  massacre 
in  1777,  being  saved  almost  providentially.  They  were  among  the  pio- 
neers of  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  and  built  the  first  grist-mill  in  the 
lake  region.  Dr.  Goodwin  lived  with  his  parents  until  his  manhood,  be- 
ing the  youngest  of  twelve  children.  His  living  brother  was  a  minister, 
and  for  one  term  State  Senator  in  New  York.  Dr.  Goodwin  began  the  study 
of  medicine  at  his  eighteenth  year,  and  graduated  from  Geneva  Medical 
College  in  1836 ;  he  then  managed  his  home  afiairs  until  1842,  when  he 
moved  to  Aurora,  111.,  where  he  practiced  four  years,  when  he  returned  to 
New  York  and  engaged  in  practice  until  1856 ;  thence  he  came  to  Por- 
ter County,  where  he  has  since  lived  and  practiced,  giving  his  services  to 
soldiers'  families  during  the  late  war.  He  was  married,  August  25,  1841, 
to  Sarah  Biggs,  a  daughter  of  Michael  and  Tobisa  (Semans)  Biggs,  who 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Goodwin  have  had  four  children — Louisa  (now  Mrs.  H.  Killmer),  Clay- 
ton S.  (of  La  Porte  County),  William  H.  and  Elizabeth  (now  Mrs.  M. 
Frame,  of  Chicago.  In  politics.  Dr.  Goodwin  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  rep- 
resented the  party  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  thirteen  years.  His  first 
vote  was  for  Van  Buren  in  1836.  His  son  Clayton  was  a  soldier  in  the 
late  war,  and  was  severely  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Stone  River. 

S.  C.  HACKETT  was  born  in  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  March  1. 
1829,  and  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  three  children  born  to  Henry  and 
Sarah  (Cotton)  Hackett,  the  former  having  been  born  in  Vermont,  and 
the  latter  in  New  York  February  28,  1809,  where  they  resided  until  their 
maturity,  when  they  removed  to  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  in  1825,  and  were 
married  the  following  year.  Henry  Hackett  died  when  our  subject  was 
five  years  of  age,  from  which  time  until  he  was  seventeen  he  lived  with 
his  mother  and  uncle.  At  this  age,  he  encountered  the  world,  and  went 
to  Lake  County,  111.,  where  he  worked  until  twenty-one  years  old,  when 
he  was  overtaken  by  the  ''  gold  fever,"  crossed  the  plains  to  California, 
and  engaged  in  mining,  with  varied  success,  for  two  years,  when,  from 
failing  health,  he  came  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  and  after  a  year  to 
Porter  County,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Here  he  gave  attention  to 
lumbering  and  furnishing  wood  for  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern 


PINE  TOWNSHIP.  395 

Railroad  and  the  Chicago  markets,  at  which  he  continued  until  1868, 
when  he  superintended  a  large  tract  of  land  for  Loveland  &  Co.,  of  Janes- 
ville.  Wis.,  thus  continuing  until  1879,  when  he  ])urchased  the  major 
part  of  the  company's  land,  and  began  manufacturing  charcoal,  as  well  as 
clearing  the  said  land.  He  believes  he  has  produced  more  charcoal  than 
any  man  in  Indiana.  In  1881,  he  began  farming.  He  was  married 
while  in  La  Porte  County,  January  1,  1855,  to  Ann  J.  Weston,  born  in 
La  Porte  County  September  12,  1836,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Louisa 
(Randall)  Weston.  They  have  had  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing— Emily,  Mina  and  William  C.  Mr.  Hackett  is  a  member  of  West- 
ville  Lodge,  No.  192,  of  Masons.  Previous  to  1872,  he  was  a  Repub- 
lican, but  has  since  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party,  to  which  he  still 
adheres.  He  has  held  all  the  township  offices,  and  is  prominent  in 
politics,  and  a  most  respected  citizen.  By  hard  work  and  good  manage- 
ment, he  has  obtained  over  1,100  acres  in  La  Porte  and  Porter  Counties. 
HENRY  HACKETT,  son  of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Cotton)  Hackett, 
was  born  in  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  January  22,  1832.  His  father  dying 
during  his  childhood,  he  went  to  live  with  an  uncle,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained until  he  was  nineteen  years  old,  when  he  went  to  Kent  County, 
Mich.,  and  engaged  in  farming ;  there  he  remained  until  1868,  when  he 
came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  settled  permanently.  He  enlisted  dur- 
ing the  war  of  the  rebellion,  at  an  early  call,  in  the  First  U.  S.  Sharp- 
shooters. The  regiment  was  composed  of  companies  from  eleven  States, 
accurate  markmanship  being  a  requisite  for  enrollment.  They  took  part 
in  the  Peninsula  campaign,  and  at  White  Oak  Swamp  Mr.  Hackett  was 
wounded  by  a  piece  of  shell,  incapacitating  him  for  six  months  ;  after 
this  he  had  charge  of  the  sanitary  warehouse  at  Point  Lookout,  Md., 
where  he  remained  until  the  end  of  his  term,  being  discharojed  August 
22,  1864,  since  which  date  he  has  been  engaged  in  farming.  On  August 
27,  1852,  in  Kent  County,  Mich.,  he  was  married  to  Matilda  Fitch, 
daughter  of  Amasa  and  Jane  (Tinkler)  Fitch,  and  a  native  of  Genesee 
County,  N.  Y.  They  have  but  one  child — Alta  A.,  now  a  young  lady 
and  a  teacher.  Previous  to  1876,  Mr.  Hackett  was  a  Republican ;  since 
that  period,  he  has  been  a  Greenbacker.  He  was  Trustee  of  Pine  Town- 
ship from  1874  to  1876. 

WILLIAM  KEMPER,  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Phol)  Kem- 
per, was  born  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  January  25,  1857.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  Prussia,  born  in  the  province  of  Westphalia  August  3, 
1825.  At  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  he  came  to  the  United  States,  and 
settled  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.;  he  was  a  stonemason  and  bricklayer, 
and  removed  to  Porter  County  in  1858;  here  he  lived  until  his  death, 
February  4,  1881.  His  mother  was  also  a  native  of  Westphalia,  and 
born  September  7,  1827;  she  came  to  America  in  1855,  and  was  mar- 
ried the  following  year,  she  now  lives  in  Michigan  City.  Our  subject 
was  one  of  six  children,  and  lived  at  home  until  manhood,  receiving  as  a 
boy  the  education  of  the  ordinary  schools,  and  afterward  working  as  a 
farmer  in  charge  of  the  homestead.  He  was  married,  October  10,  1881, 
to  Barbara  Kasmatkey,  a  native  of  Prussia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Michigan  City.  In  politics,  Mr. 
Kemper  is  a  Democrat,  but  exceedingly  liberal  in  all  home  aifairs. 


396  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES : 

WILLIAM  LEWRY,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  William  Lewry 
&  Son,  manufacturers  of  wagons,  buggies,  etc.,  at  Furnessville,  was  born 
in  the  county  of  Sussex,  England,  October  18,  1834.  He  is  the  eldest 
of  the  five  children  of  David  and  Mary  (Leopard)  Lewry,  and  the  only 
one  in  America  ;  his  parents  were  natives  of  England,  his  father  being  a 
manufacturing  blacksmith  and  wagon-maker  in  Brighton,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death,  in  1856.  William  Lewry  remained  with  his  parents  un- 
til manhood.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  he  began  to  learn  his  father's  trade, 
and  at  nineteen  he  was  master  thereof.  In  1855,  he  was  offered  a  posi- 
tion at  Niagara,  in  America ;  here  he  was  a  partner  in  the  shop  and 
worked  some  time,  afterward  opening  a  shop  at  Sweden  Center,  N.  Y. 
In  1858,  he  settled  in  Porter  County,  near  his  present  residence.  In 
1864,  he  entered  the  army,  in  Company  E,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  remained  until  discharged,  June  20,  1865 ;  he  now  opened 
a  blacksmith  and  repairing  shop,  and  later  a  manufacturing  establishment 
at  Furnessville ;  he  was  married  April  15,  1854,  in  England,  to  Sarah 
Lee.  They  have  seven  children — Elizabeth  (born  June  4,  1855),  Henry 
(born  January  29,  1858),  Eugene  (born  February  8,  1861),  William 
(born  September  8,  1862),  Carrie  (born  July  5,  1866),  Annie  M.  (born 
October  20,  1874)  and  Richard  D.  (born  January  27,  1879).  In  politics, 
Mr.  Lewry  is  a  Democrat,  and  represents  his  party  as  a  Township  Trustee. 

ALBION  L.  MILES  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  Va.,  May  1, 
1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  C.  and  Martha  (Rhoades)  Miles ;  his  par- 
ents were  born,  reared  and  married  in  Montgomery  County,  Md.  ;  his 
ancestry  were  true  patriots ;  both  his  grandfathers  served  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  his  father  in  that  of  1812 ;  his  parents  moved  to  Jeffer- 
son County,  Va.,  about  1823,  and  reared  a  family  of  nine  children.  They 
both  died  in  said  county.  At  the  age  of  fifteen,  Albion  L.  Miles  began 
the  struggle  of  life  by  learning  the  trade  of  a  mason,  and  finished  at  the 
age  of  twenty,  working  as  a  mason  at  various  times  since  then.  In  1853, 
he  went  to  La  Porte  County,  and  came  to  Porter  County  in  1865,  divid- 
ing the  time  between  masonry  and  farming.  On  December  24,  1851,  he 
was  married  to  Catharine  Lewis,  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Elizabeth 
(Hughes)  Lewis,  both  natives  of  Wales.  Mrs.  Miles  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1841.  They  have  had  five  children,  three  of  whom  remain — 
Harry  L.,  Thomas  L.  (both  in  New  Mexico)  and  Albion  P.  Politically, 
Mr.  Miles  is  a  Democrat ;  he  has  been  Assessor  of  the  township  five 
years,  and  is  now  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Of  his  children,  all  are,  or  have 
been,  telegraph  operators. 

GEORGE  PORTER,  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  Pine  Township, 
was  born  in  Northampton  County,  Mass.,  April  16,  1809.  His  parents, 
Elisha  and  Anna  (Baker)  Porter,  were  natives  of  Connecticut.  They 
were  of  English  descent.  Our  subject  has  always  followed  farming.  He 
came  West  to  Porter  County  in  1847,  and  has  since  lived  there.  He 
was  married,  in  January,  1833,  to  Harriet  Crandall,  a  native  of  New 
York,  who  departed  this  life  in  July,  1881.  In  politics,  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, but  alwavs  liberal  in  local  affairs. 

GEORGE  "^W.  SHANER  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  Va.,  June 
10,  1820,  and  was  the  second  of  a  family  of  four  children  born  to  John 
and  Cassanda  (Kidwell)  Shaner;  his  ancestry  on  his  father's   side  was 


PINE  TOWNSHIP.  397 

from  Germany ;  on  his  mother's,  from  England ;  his  grandfather  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  his  father  of  the  war  of  1812.  The  parents 
of  George  W.  Shaner  lived  in  Virginia  until  their  death,  and  with  them 
our  subject  remained  until  he  reached  manhood;  he  learned  the  trade  of 
carpentering,  at  which  he  worked  for  fifteen  years,  and,  never  having  an 
opportunity  to  attend  school,  is  wholly  self-educated.  On  coming  West, 
he  went  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  in  1849,  and  thence  to  Porter  County, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  On  January  19,  1851,  he  was  married  to 
Lucinda  Frame,  of  this  county,  but  a  native  of  Ohio.  She  died  July  15, 
1864,  leaving  four  children — Malinda  (now  Mrs.  A.  McCarty),  Priscilla 
(now  Mrs.  A.  Cotton),  Lyman  and  Younger.  On  June  13,  1867,  he  was 
married  to  Maria  Augustine,  of  La  Porte  County,  by  whom  he  has  three 
children — Laura  V.,  Ida  and  Butler.  Mrs.  Shaner  is  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  while  Mr.  Shaner  is  a  Methodist,  and  has  successfully 
organized  a  fine  Sabbath  school  in  his  home  district.  In  politics,  he  is  a 
Democrat,  but  liberal  in  local  government. 

D.  S.  STEVES,  only  survivor  of  the  four  organizers  of  Pine  Town- 
ship, was  born  in  Westmoreland  County,  N.  Y.,  August  28,  1809,  and  is 
the  eldest  of  a  family  of  nine  born  to  Isaac  and  Lovina  (Seeley)  Steves. 
His  father  was  of  German  descent,  but  born  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
as  was  also  his  mother.;  his  father  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and 
in  many  hard-fought  battles  on  the  Canadian  frontier.  D.  S.  Steves  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  of  age,  when  he  came  to  Detroit,  but  dis- 
liking the  place,  came  to  La  Porte  County,  (where  he  worked  some  time); 
and  thence  to  this  county  in  1835;  here  he  worked  in  a  saw-mill  two 
years,  and  in  1837  purchased  the  land  he  now  owns  ;  he  remembers  the 
"financial  crash"  of  that  year,  when  he  began  clearing,  farming  and 
stock-raising.  On  December  25,  1843,  he  was  married  to  Almira  Dut- 
ton,  of  Welsh  parentage,  but  born  in  New  Hampshire;  she  was  well 
educated,  and  a  teacher  before  her  marriage.  They  had  eight  children, 
six  of  whom  survive — Sarah  L.,  Isaac  L.,  Julia,  Daniel  S.,  Harriet  (now 
Mrs.  D.  Crandall)  and  Nellie  (now  Mrs.  R.  Stienke).  Mrs.  Dutton  died 
April  19,  1870.  Mr-  Steves,  with  three  others,  organized  this  township 
in  1854,  naming  it  after  the  pine  tree,  found  only  in  this  township  of  the 
county.  In  politics,  Mr.  Steves  is  a  stanch  Republican;  he  has  been 
Trustee  of  the  township  and  Election  Inspector  for  more  than  twenty 
years. 

JOHN  STORMS  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  born  March  23,  1820,  be- 
ing one  of  the  three  sons  of  Christian  and  Krate  (Michael)  Storms,  who 
were  born,  married,  and  who  died  in  Prussia.  John  Storms  lived  with 
his  parents  until  he  reached  his  majority,  and  afterward  worked  as  a 
laborer  until  he  came  to  the  United  States,  in  the  year  1857,  when  he 
came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  he  worked  some  time  as  a  laborer; 
he  purchased  his  first  land  in  1865,  and  now  has  155  acres.  On  October 
9,  1843,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Shutt,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  To 
this  union  there  have  been  born  six  children — August,  Christian.  Frank, 
Henry,  Minnie  (now  Mrs  Dr.  Warren,  of  Otis)  and  Emma.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Storms  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  Otis.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Storms  is  an  earnest  Democrat,  with  which  party  he  has  voted  ever 
since  he  became  a  citizen  of  America. 


398 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES; 


EDWIN  F.  WAY,  son  of  Hiram  and  Mary  A.  (Porter)  Way,  was 
born  in  Chemung  County,  N.  Y.,  October  8,  1842,  the  second  of  a  family 
of  five,  three  of  whom  are  in  this  county  ;  his  father  was  a  native  of  New 
York,  and  his  mother  of  Massachusetts ;  his  father  was  engaged  in  lum- 
bering before  coming  here ;  he  came  to  Porter  County  in  1855,  where  he 
resided  until  two  months  before  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Missouri, 
February,  1882.  Edwin  F.  Way  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  became 
of  age,  when  he  enlisted  as  private  in  the  Fourth  Indiana  Artillery,  at- 
tached to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  taking  part  in  the  battles  of 
Perryville  and  Stone  River,  after  which  he  was  discharged  on  account  of 
disability.  In  1865,  he  re-enlisted  in  the  Ninth  Illinois  Cavalry,  and 
served  until  the  end  of  the  war.  On  November  12,  1867,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Jemima  George,  daugliter  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Green) 
George,  and  born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  August  21,  1851.  To 
them  have  been  born  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  living — Clara  L., 
Henry  A.  and  Winfield  M.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Way  are  members  of  the  M. 
E.  Church.  Mr.  Way  is  a  stanch  Republican ;  he  is  a  farmer,  and  pos- 
sesses ninety-five  acres  of  land. 


PART  II. 


HISTORY  OF  LAKE  COUNTY, 


PART  II. 


HISTORY  OF  LAKE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BY     WESTON    A.      OOODSPEED. 


Location  and  Dimensions  of  the  County  of  Lake— Physical  Descrip- 
tion—The Soil— Indian  Cession  Treaties— Outline  of  the  First 
Settlement— Formation  of  the  Squatters'  Union— Pottawatomie 
Floats— Squatter  Sovereignty— Solon  Robinson,  the  "  Squatter 
King"— Sale  of  Public  Lands  at  La  Porte— The  Swamp  Land  Specu- 
lation—First Roads  and  Mail  Routes— Statistics— Railroads. 

LYING  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner  of  the  State  of  Indiana, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Lake  Michigan,  on  the  east  by  Porter  Coun- 
ty, on  the  south  by  that  capricious  stream,  the  Kankakee  River,  and  on  the 
west  by  the  Sucker  State,  and  comprising  (with  its  lake  territory)  more 
than  six  hundred  square  miles  of  low,  wet,  but  very  rich  country,  is  the 
County  of  Lake.  The  area  of  the  county  not  usually  covered  with  water 
will  not  vary  gre'atly  from  five  hundred  square  miles.  The  southern  part 
is  very  wet,  is  known  as  the  Kankakee  Marsh,  and  is  principally  noted 
for  hay,  rich  islands,  water-fowl,  batrachians,  mosquitoes  and  the  imprac- 
ticability of  pleasurable,  or  ever  successful  passage  across  its  spongy  sur- 
face. The  central  portion — a  rolling  prairie  country — is  as  fine  an  ex- 
panse of  territory  as  is  found  within  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  The 
northern  portion  is  crowned  with  hills  and  ridges  of  pure  sand  and 
gravel,  surmounted  with  beautiful  clusters  of  pine,  cedar  and  other  na- 
tive forestry.  Between  the  northern  and  central  portions  are  low,  flat, 
swampy  tracts  of  land,  usually  serving  as  the  valley  of  some  sluggish 
stream;  and,  indeed,  marshy  tracts  of  soil,  which,  some  day,  will  be  culti- 
vated, occur  with  great  frequency  throughout  the  entire  county. 

Physical  Features.* — Across  the  county  from  east  to  west  extends  the 
water-shed  which  separates  the  St.  Lawrence  Basin  from  the  Mississippi 
Valley. 

This  line  enters  the  county  from  the  west  in  St.  Johns  Township, 
in  Section  36,  passing  north  of  the  head-waters  of  West  Creek  in  this 
section;  it  runs   near  the   village  of'  St.  Johns,  and  passes  in   a  winding 

•Much  of  this  chapter  ia  taken  bodily  from  a  small  volume  on  the  history  of  Lake  County,  biography 
of  the  Ball  family,  etc.,  published  some  ten  years  ago  by  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball,  of  Crown  Point. 


402  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

southeasterly  direction  across  Hanover  Township  to  a  point  half  a  mile 
north  of  the  head  of  Cedar  Lake.  From  thence  it  winds  along  the  ridges 
of  that  strip  of  woodland  in  Centre  Township,  its  main  direction  eastward, 
passes  south  of  Fancher's  Lake,  between  that  and  the  Mill  Pond,  comes 
out  upon  the  prairie  about  one  mile  south  of  Crown  Point  and  enters 
School  Grove.  It  runs  along  a  ridge  in  the  grove  south  of  the  Sherman 
marsh,  and  passes  in  a  southerly  direction  across  the  prairie  to  a 
point  not  far  from  Cassville.  It  then  turns  northward  around  the  head 
of  that  arm  of  Deep  River,  and  bearing  a  little  toward  the  east  passes  on 
north  between  Deep  River  and  Eagle  Creek,  south  of  Deer  Creek,  and 
still  bearing  eastward  leaves  Lake  County  on  a  line  almost  due  east  from 
Crown  Point,  passing  north  of  that  little  lake  which  is  the  source  of 
Eagle  Creek. 

The  principal  streams  of  Lake  County  are  the  Calumet,  Deep  River 
and  Turkey  Creek,  flowing  into  Lake  Michigan;  and  West  Creek,  Cedar 
Creek  and  Eagle  Creek,  flowing  into  the  Kankakee.  The  main  direction 
of  the  first  three  streams  is  eastward  and  westward.  The  main  direction 
of  the  last  three  is  southward.  Turkey  Creek  is  a  small  stream  which, 
starting  northwest  of  Centreville,  empties  its  waters  into  Deep  River  a 
little  south  and  west  of  Hobart.  Deep  River  has  two  small  sources;  the 
one  near  Brown's  Point,  northwest  of  Crown  Point,  which  flows  eastward, 
and  the  other  commencing  in  the  marshy  ground  some  six  miles  south- 
east of  Crown  Point  which  flows  northward.  These  two  unite  east  of 
Crown  Point,  three  and  a  half  miles  and  north  about  twp  miles,  and  flow 
eastward,  cutting  the  edge  of  Porter  County.  The  river  then  flows 
northward  returning  into  Lake  County,  and  bears  northwest  to  the  mouth 
of  Turkey  Creek,  having  made  some  three  and  a  half  miles  westing.  It 
then  flows  northeasterly  to  Hobart;  and  passes  from  thence  northward 
into  the  Calumet.  The  Calumet  enters  the  county  from  Porter,  two 
miles  south  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  flows  westward  bearing  a  little  south 
along  a  marshy  valley  across  the  county.  It  continues  on  in  the  State  of 
Illinois,  running  northeasterly  till  it  reaches  the  Blue  Island  bluff",  hav- 
ing made  about  seven  and  a  half  miles  westing  from  the  Indiana  line. 
Meeting  this  bluff"  it  turns  back  and  flows  but  little  south  of  east,  in  a 
line  nearly  parallel  with  its  westward  flow,  until  it  has  again  almost 
crossed  the  county  of  Lake,  and  enters  Lake  Michigan  two  miles  west 
and  two  north  of  its  entrance  from  Porter  into  Lake. 

The  appearance  near  Dyer  is  as  though  the  water  of  Lake  Michigan, 
a  number  of  years  ago,  washed  this  ridge  and  dashed  its  waves  upon 
the  sand,  finding  here  its  southwestern  limit,  then  retiring  northward, 
ridge  by  ridge,  reached  its  present  bounds,  leaving  its  old  beach  to  show 
where  once  its  free  waves  dashed  their  spray.     The   eastward   continua- 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTV.  403 

tion  of  this   apparently   lake    beach   is   a   broad  prairie  ridge  between 
Turkey  Creek  and  Deep  River. 

South  of  Deep  River,  and  especially  south  of  the  water-shed,  the 
ridges  and  slopes  of  the  woodland  and  the  prairies  cause  the  streams  to 
flow  northward  or  southward.  West  Creek,  commencing  at  the  water- 
shed an  that  Section  36,  before  named,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  Illi- 
nois line,  flows  south,  bearing  a  little  east,  and  runs  into  the  Kankakee, 
passing  along  a  broad,  marshy  valley,  forming,  before  bridges  were  built, 
an  almost  impassable  barrier  near  the  western  border  of  the  county.  Its 
length,  in  a  straight  line,  is  nineteen  miles. 

Cedar  Creek  is  the  outlet  of  Cedar  Lake,  and  winds  along  a  narrow 
valley,  at  first  eastward  and  then  running  southward,  reaching  the  Kan- 
kakee at  a  distance,  on  a  straight  line,  of  about  thirteen  miles  from  its 
outflow  at  Cedar  Lake. 

Eagle  Creek  starts  in  Porter  County,  being  the  outlet  of  a  little  lake 
lying  due  east  of  the  north  part  of  Crown  Point,  but  soon  crossing  the 
line,  as  it  bears  westward  ;  it  reaches  the  Kankakee  about  thirteen  miles 
from  that  little  lake. 

One  of  the  main  tributaries  flows  from  a  marsh  at  the  south  end  of 
School  Grove. 

Besides  these  six  named,  there  are  still  smaller  water-courses,  as  Deer 
Creek,  Duck  Creek,  Plum  Creek  and  Willow  Creek.  Springs  will  be 
hereafter  mentioned  in  the  township  chapters. 

The  principal  lake  in  this  county  is  Cedar  Lake  or  Red  Cedar  Lake, 
five  miles  southwest  of  the  geographical  center.  Its  eastern  shore  is  in 
Centre  Township,  and  its  western  in  Hanover.  It  was  named  from  the 
red  cedar  trees  growing  on  its  bank.  In  length,  it  is  two  and  a  half  miles. 
Its  greatest  breadth  is  one  mile.  It  has  no  inlet ;  is  evidently  fed  by 
springs ;  its  waters  are  clear,  pure  and  soft ;  and,  when  first  seen  by  the 
white  settlers,  abounded  in  fish,  water-fowls,  muskrats  and  minks. 

The  surface  and  the  soil  in  this  region  are  quite  varied.  There  are 
beds  of  white  sand  as  clean  and  pure  as  sand  can  well  be.  There  are 
miles  of  yellowish  sand  where  corn  and  potatoes  will  grow  quite  success- 
fully. There  is  a  whitish  clay  soil,  producing  oats,  grass,  and  winter 
wheat,  and  rye.  There  is  the  rich  black  soil  of  the  prairie,  and  the  still 
deeper  and  richer  soil  of  the  high  and  dry  marsh.  The  large  Cady 
Marsh,  the  Calumet  and  Kankakee  Marshes,  and  other  smaller  ones, 
contain  many  thousands  of  acres  of  land  that  must  one  day  become  very 
valuable.  Some  of  it,  once  called  waste  land  and  "  swamp  land,"  already 
produces  large  crops  of  grass  and  oats. 

Over  Lake  County,  and  above  the  line  of  the  water  shed,  the  warm 
vapor  from  the  southern  valleys  and  the  slopes,   or  from   the  rivers  and 


404  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

waters  of  the  South  meets  with  the  cooler  vapor  of  Lake  Michigan, 
giving  to  this  region,  in  ordinary  seasons,  an  abundant  moisture,  and 
causing  the  atmosphere  to  be  very  seldom  perfectly  cloudless.  As,  how- 
ever, late  in  the  season  the  water  of  Lake  Michigan  becomes  quite  warm, 
and  continues  during  those  golden  days  of  October  and  sometimes 
through  November,  which  we  call  Indian  Summer,  the  north  wind  bring- 
ing that  vapor  and  warm  air  over  the  ridge  and  down  our  southern  slope 
to  the  Kankakee  keeps  oflf  the  early  autumnal  frosts,  and  this  county  is 
sometimes  protected  for  weeks  after  the  frost  appears  farther  west  and 
farther  south.  If  the  springs,  therefore,  are  wet  and  backward,  occa- 
sionally, the  autumns  are,  quite  usually,  warm,  late  and  delightful. 

This  county  contains,  as  laid  out  by  the  United  States  Surveyor,  two 
entire  ranges,  8  and  9,  three  rows  of  sections  in  Range  7  on  the  east,  and 
one  row  of  sections  in  Rano;e  10  on  the  west.  The  Congressional  Town- 
ships  are  from  32  to  37  in  each  range,  some  of  which,  on  the  north  and 
south,  are  not  full.  Ten  Congressional  Townships  are  almost  entire. 
The  prairie  region  covers,  probably,  about  two-thirds  of  the  county.  The 
first  prairie,  beginning  at  the  northeast  of  the  prairie  portion,  is  just  south 
of  the  town  of  Hobart,  is  level,  rather  low,  and  was  formerly  wet.  It  is 
now  sufficiently  dry  for  successful  cultivation.  It  is  small,  not  more  than 
two  miles  in  extent.  The  second,  lying  west  of  Deep  River,  which  is 
here  running  northward,  is  much  larger,  quite  level,  and  was  formerly 
wet.  As  it  spreads  southward  and  westward,  it  grows  higher  and  slopes 
upward  along  a  ridge,  that  broad  prairie  ridge  south  of  Turkey  Creek. 
This  ridge,  and  for  several  miles,  is  high  but  not  rolling  prairie.  South- 
ward slopes  the  broad  expanse,  spreading  also  out  for  miles  to  the  west- 
ward, of  what  was  called,  in  early  times,  Robinson's  Prairie.  Its  land- 
marks were  the  Hodgeman  place,  Wiggins'  Point,  Brown's  Point,  and 
Solon  Robinson's,  afterward  Lake  C.  H. — that  is,  Court  House — and 
finally,  Crown  Point.  The  large  extent  of  prairie  contained  some  that 
was  low  and  wet,  some  high  ridges,  but  very  little  that  could  be  called 
rolling.  South  of  the  center  of  the  county  the  prairie  spreads  out  over 
nearly  the  whole  width,  and  having  passed  the  water  shed  becomes,  in  the 
south  central  part,  truly  rolling.  It  is  not,  to  much  extent,  broken  and 
hilly,  but  contains  magnificent  slopes,  one  succeeding  another,  gradually 
descending  toward  the  Kankakee  meadow  lands,  and  between  these  slopes 
are  broad  but  not  deep  valleys.  The  landmarks  here  are  School  Grove, 
Southeast  Grove,  Plum  Grove,  Orchard  Grove,  Hickory  Point  and 
Pleasant  Grove.  Between  Southeast  Grove  and  Hickory  Point,  and  ex- 
tending southward,  there  is  some  low  and  level  prairie.  West  of  Pleasant 
Grove  and  of  Cedar  Lake,  and  extending  south  to  the  Belshaw  Grove 
and  west  to  the  West  Creek  timber,  lies  the  gem  of  the  prairie  region  of 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE  COUNTY.  405 

Indiana,  known  as  Lake  Prairie.  South  of  the  prairie  proper,  extending 
across  the  county,  lies  a  belt  of  marsh  or  meadow  land  five  or  six  miles 
in  breadth,  interspersed  with  islands  of  timber,  and  bordering  the  channel 
of  the  Kankakee  River.  A  part  is  dry,  a  part  is  wet  marsh.  This  marsh 
region  makes  that  river  remarkable.  A  river  is  known  to  be  there.  The 
blue  line  of  trees  marking  its  course  can  be  discerned  from  the  prairie 
heights;  but  only  occasionally,  in  midwinter  or  in  a  time  of  great  drought, 
can  one  come  near  its  water  channel.  So  far  as  any  ordinary  access  to  it 
from  this  county  is  concerned,  it  is  like  a  fabulous  river,  or  one  the  exist- 
ence of  which  we  take  on  trust.  The  fowlers,  the  trappers  and  the  wood- 
men have  looked  upon  its  sluggish  waters. 

By  the  treaty  of  the  United  States  with  the  Pottawatomies  in  1828,  a 
strip  of  land  ten  miles  in  width  was  acquired  along  the  northern  border 
of  Indiana,  which  extends  in  a  narrow  strip  to  the  extreme  southern 
limit  of  Lake  Michigan.  This  was  the  first  land  purchased  from  the  In- 
dians in  what  is  now  Lake  County.  By  the  treaty  of  1832,  the  remain- 
der of  this  county  was  acquired. 

Up  to  this  time,  there  were  no  whites  in  all  this  region,  except  fur- 
traders,  perchance  some  hunters  and  trappers,  and  the  soldiers  at  Fort 
Dearborn.  In  this  year  took  place  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  a  few 
white  settlers  came  into  what  is  now  La  Porte  County.  A  route  for 
travel  was  immediately  opened  along  the  beach  of  Lake  Michigan.  Three 
men.  Hart,  Steel  and  Sprague,  started  a  stage  line  from  Detroit  to  Fort 
Dearborn,  or  Chicago,  probably  in  1833,  and  four-horse  coaches  were 
placed  upon  the  road. 

During  the  summer  of  1834,  United  States  surveyors  laid  out  most 
of  the  land  in  Lake  County  into  sections,  the  range  or  township  lines  hav- 
ing been  previously  run.  This  party  of  surveyors  camped  for  a  week  in 
June  or  July  in  that  part  of  the  grove  now  owned  by  Dr.  Pettibone,  in 
the  town  of  Crown  Point.  One  who  accompanied  this  party,  J.  Hurl- 
burt,  an  old  settler  of  Porter,  remembers  no  cabin  and  no  settler  at  that 
time  in  any  of  our  central  groves.  As  yet  the  squatters  were  not  here. 
He  remembers  some  cabins  along  the  stage  road  on  the  lake  beach,  and 
thinks  that  Goodrich,  in  the  place  of  Bennett,  then  kept  the  tavern  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Calumet.  Burnsidehad  this  job  of  surveying  from  the 
Government,  but  the  work  here  was  done  by  St.  Clair. 

The  Settlers. — Many  settlers,  or  rather  squatters,  came  in  during  the 
years  1834,  1835  and  1836,  located  claims  on  the  best  lands  to  be  found, 
erected  rude  homes  and  commenced  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  Specu- 
lators also  appeared,  with  sharp  eyes,  to  be  prepared  to  purchase  the 
homes  of  the  squatters  as  soon  as  the  land  was  thrown  into  market.  The 
Government  price  was  .$1.25  per  acre,  and  after  a  fine  farm  had  been  im- 


406  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

proved  and  cultivated  for  three  or  four  years ;  after  houses  aud  barns  had 
been  built  and  the  cultivated  soil  had  been  surrounded  with  substantial 
fences,  the  opportunity  of  securing  this  prize,  ere  the  unfortunate  squatter 
who  had  endured  so  much  to  obtain  it  was  aware  of  the  danger,  was  one 
not  to  be  passed  lightly  aside  by  the  avaricious  and  unscrupulous  specu- 
lator. From  the  fact  that  the  land  of  the  county  was  tardy  in  coming 
into  market,  and  also  that  large  numbers  of  squatters  located  their  claims 
ere  such  sale  of  the  lands,  it  soon  became  apparent  that  much  difficulty 
would  be  experienced  by  those  who  had  secured  squatter  claims  to  homes 
in  Lake  County  to  preserve  the  same  from  the  clutches  of  the  speculators, 
except  by  offering  amounts  far  in  advance  of  the  Government  price,  as 
the  latter,  in  order  to  secure  the  farms,  many  of  which  were  extensively 
improved,  would  bid  up  sometimes  as  high  as  $4  and  ^5  per  acre, 
and  unless  the  squatters  would  overbid  them  the  farms  were  sold  by 
by  the  land  agent  to  the  speculators.  This  outlook  was  very  discouraging 
to  those  squatters  of  Lake  who  were  wise  enough  to  see  far  enough  into 
the  future  to  know  that,  unless  something  was  done  to  remedy  matters 
and  outwit  the  speculators,  many  would  be  cheated  out  of  their  homes 
from  their  inability  to  overbid  the  Government  price  at  the  land  sale. 
After  much  talk  and  deliberation  among  the  squatters  of  Lake  County, 
and  many  of  Porter  County,  decisive  action  was  taken,  as  the  following 
from  the  records  of  the  meeting  will  show  : 

The  '-''Squatters'  Union.'' — At  a  meeting  of  the  majority  of  the  citi- 
zens of  Lake  County,  held  at  the  house  of  Solon  Robinson  on  the  4th 
of  July,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  measures  and  forming  a  con- 
stitution for  the  better  security  of  the  settlers  upon  the  public  lands, 
William  Clark  was  unanimously  elected  to  preside  over  the  meeting,  and 
Solon  Robinson  appointed  Secretary.  After  hearing  the  object  stated  for 
which  the  meeting  was  called,  it  was  moved  that  a  committee  of  five  be 
appointed  to  report  a  constitution  and  rules  for  the  government  of  the 
members  of  this  Union.  Whereupon,  Henry  Wells,  David  Hornor,  Solon 
Robinson,  Thomas  Brown  and  Thomas  Wiles  were  elected.  After  due 
deliberation,  they  adopted  a  constitution,  elected  a  Register  and  a  board 
of  three  County  Arbitrators — Solon  Robinson  as  Register,  and  William 
Clark,  Henry  Wells  and  S.  P.  Stringham,  Arbitrators. 

The  record  says  this  meeting  was  held  "  at  the  house."  It  does  not  say 
"in,"  and  evidently  not  very  many  could  have  found  comfortable  standing 
room  inside  of  that  small  cabin.  It  is  told  by  an  eye-witness  that  the  meet- 
ing really  was  held  in  the  grove,  and  that  over  the  officers'  stand  a  knife 
and  a  tomahawk  were  suspended  as  the  emblems  of  squatter  sovereignty, 
the  significant  warning  of  what  speculators  might  expect.  The  following 
is  the  constitution  then  adopted  : 


HISTORY   OF    LAKE   COUNTY.  407 

CONSTITUTION  OF  THE   SQUATTEHS'   UNION,   IN  LAKE  COUNTY,  IND. 

Whereas,  The  settlers  upon  the  public  lands  in  this  county  not  having  any  certain 
prospect  of  having  their  rights  and  claims  secured  to  them  by  a  pre-emption  law  of  Con- 
gress, and  feeling  the  strong  present  necessity  of  their  becoming  united  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  guard  against  speculation  upon  their  rights,  have  met  and  united  together  to  main- 
tain and  support  each  other,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1836  ;  and  now  firmly  convinced  of  the 
justness  of  their  cause,  do  most  solemnly  pledge  themselves  to  each  other,  by  the  strong 
ties  of  interest  and  brotherly  feeling,  that  they  will  abide  by  the  several  resolutions 
hereto  attached,  and  to  which  they  sign  their  names,  in  the  most  faithful  manner. 

Article  1.  Resolved,  That  all  persons  w^ho  bear  the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  set- 
tling a  new  and  unimproved  country  are  justly  entitled  to  the  privilege  heretoforee  ex- 
tended to  settlers  by  Congress  to  purchase  their  lands  at  $1.25  per  acre. 

Art.  2.  That  if  Congress  should  neglect  or  refuse  to  pass  a  law  before  the  land  on 
which  we  live  is  oflFered  for  sale,  which  shall  secure  to  us  our  rights,  we  will  hereafter 
adopt  such  measures  asmay  be  necessary  effectually  to  secure  each  other  in  our  just  claims. 

Art.  3.  That  we  will  not  aid  any  person  to  purchase  his  claim  at  the  land  sale,  ac- 
cording to  this  constitution,  unless  he  is  at  the  time  an  actual  settler  upon  Government 
lands  and  has  complied  with  all  of  the  requisitions  of  this  constitution. 

Art.  4.  That  all  the  settlers  in  this  county,  and  also  in  the  adjoining  unsold  lands 
of  Porter  County  (if  they  are  disposed  to  join  us),  shall  be  considered  members  of  this 
Union,  as  soon  as  they  sign  this  constitution,  and  entitled  to  all  its  advantages,  whether 
present  at  this  meeting  or  not. 

Art.  6.  That  for  the  permanent  and  quiet  adjustment  of  all  differences  that  may 
arise  among  the  settlers  in  regard  to  their  claims,  that  there  shall  be  elected  by  this  meet- 
ing a  County  Board  of  three  Arbitrators,  and  also  a  Register  of  Claims,  who  also  shall  per- 
form the  duties  of  clerk  to  the  County  Board  of  Arbitrators  and  also  the  duties  of  a  gen- 
eral corresponding  secretary.  In  all  elections  the  person  having  the  highest  number  of 
votes  shall  be  elected. 

Art.  6.  That  the  person  who  maybe  elected  Register  (if  he  accept  the  office)  shall  take 
an  oath  or  affirmation  that  he  will  faithfully  perform  all  the  duties  enjoined  upon  him. 
He  shall  forthwith  provide  himself  with  a  map  of  the  county  (which  shall  be  subject  to 
the  inspection  of  every  person  desiring  it),  on  which  he  shall  mark  all  claims  registered, 
so  that  it  can  be  seen  what  land  is  claimed  and  what  is  not ;  and  also  a  book,  in  which 
he  shall  register  every  claimant's  name  and  the  number  of  the  land  which  he  claims, 
when  it  was  first  claimed  and  when  the  claimant  settled  upon  it,  and  the  date  when  reg- 
istered, where  the  occupant  was  from,  and  any  other  matter  deemed  necessary  for  public 
information  or  that  the  County  Board  may  order.  He  shall  give  persons  applying  all  infor- 
mation in  his  power  in  regard  to  claims  or  vacant  land  that  shall  be  calculated  to  promote 
thesettlement  of  the  county.  He  shall  also  reply  in  the  same  manner  to  letters  addressed 
him  on  the  subject,  provided  the  applicant  pays  his  own  postage.  He  shall  attend  all  the 
meetings  of  the  County  Board,  record  their  proceedings  and  perform  their  orders.  When 
required  by  a  member,  stating  the  object,  he  shall  issue  notice  to  the  County  or  District 
Board  when,  where  and  for  what  purpose  they  are  to  meet. 

Fees  :  For  every  claim  he  registers,  twenty-five  cents  ;  and  he  shall,  if  required, 
give  the  claimant  a  certificate  stating  the  number  of  the  land  and  when  registered.  For 
issuing  notices  to  Arbitrators  to  meet,  twelve  cents.  For  attending  their  meeting,  the 
same  fees  that  are  allowed  them.  For  duties  as  corresponding  secretary,  no  fees  shall  be 
required. 

Art.  7.  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  person,  when  he  signs  this  constitution, 
or  as  soon  thereafter  as  may  be,  to  apply  to  the  Register  to  have  the  land  he  claims  reg- 
istered (paying  the  Register  his  fees  at  the  same  time).  Where  the  claimant  now  resides 
upon  the  land  which  he  claims,  his  claim  shall  be  considered  and  held  good  as  soon  as  regis- 


408  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

tered.  Ever/sale  or  transfer  of  titles  shall  be  registered  the  same  as  new  claims.  Any 
person  desirous  of  claiming  any  land  now  unoccupied  shall  apply  to  have  the  same  reg- 
istered, and  if  he  is  a  resideut  of  the  county  at  the  time  he  applies,  residing  with  or  upon 
any  claim  belonging  to  any  other  person,  or  upon  any  land  that  has  been  floated  upon  by 
Indian  or  pre-emption  claims,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  hold  the  claim  he  registers,  while  he  re- 
mains a  citizen  of  the  county,  provided  he  shall,  within  thirty  days  after  registering  it,  make 
or  cause  to  be  made  some  prominent  improvement  upon  it,  and  continue  to  improve  the  same 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  County  or  District  Board  of  Arbitrators.  Any  non-resident 
who  may  hereafter  be  desirous  to  join  this  Union  shall  first  sign  the  constitution,  and 
after  registering  his  claim  shall  proceed,  within  thirty  days,  to  occupy  it  with  his  family 
or  else  make  a  durable  and  permanent  improvement,  either  by  building  a  good  cabin  for 
his  residence  or  by  plowing  at  least  four  acres,  and  then,  if  he  is  not  able  to  continue 
the  occupancy  of  his  claim,  either  personally  or  by  a  substitute,  he  shall  apply  to  the 
Arbitrators,  stating  his  reasons  for  necessary  absence,  whether  to  move  on  his  family  oi 
whether  for  other  purposes,  and  they  shall  certify  to  him  what  amount  of  labor  he  shall 
perform  or  cause  to  be  performed  within  a  given  length  of  time  to  entitle  him  to  hold  his 
claim  while  he  is  absent,  or  for  a  certain  time,  which,  when  done  and  proved  to  the  Reg- 
ister and  entered  on  record,  shall  as  fully  entitle  the  claimant  to  his  claim  as  though  he 
resided  on  it;  provided,  the  board  shall  never  grant  a  certificate  to  extend  his  absence 
one  year  from  the  date,  unless  the  claimant  has  performed  at  least  |100  worth  of  labor  on 
his  claim,  and  satisfied  the  board  fully  that  he  will  within  that  time  become  an  actual  set- 
tler upon  it.  Any  member  of  this  Union  may  also  register  and  improve  claims  for  his 
absent  friends,  as  above  provided,  if  he  can  and  will  satisfy  the  board  (of  the  county  or 
district)  that  the  identical  person  for  whom  he  makes  tlie  claim  will  actually  become  a 
settler  and  reside  upon  it  within  the  specified  time.  Any  person  found  guilty  by  the 
board  of  making  fraudulent  claims  for  speculating  purposes  shall,  if  a  member,  forfeit 
hie  membership  in  this  Union,  and  forfeit  all  right  and  title  to  hold  the  same,  and  it  shall 
be  declared  confiscated,  and  shall  be  sold,  as  provided  for  all  forfeited  claims  in  Article  9. 
Every  person  requiring  the  services  of  the  Arbitrators  shall,  if  required,  secure  to  them 
before  they  are  bound  to  act,  fJl.SOfor  each  day's  services,  of  each  and  all  other  necessary 
expense  of  magistrate,  witnesses.  Register  or  any  other  unavoidable  expense. 

Art.  8.  That  each  Congressional  township,  or  any  settlement  confined  in  two  or 
more  townships  containing  twenty  members,  may  unite  and  elect  a  Board  of  three  Arbi- 
trators, who  shall  possess  the  same  power  to  settle  disputes  (when  applied  to)  within 
their  district  that  the  County  Boai-d  have  ;  and  any  member  of  that  district  may  either 
submit  his  case  to  the  District  or  County  Board.  The  opposite  party  may  object  to  one 
or  two  of  the  District  Board,  and  call  one  or  two  of  the  County  Board,  or  some  disin- 
terested member,  to  sitjin  their  places,  provided  he  pays  the  extra  expense  so  occasioned. 
All  decisions  of  County  or  District  Board  shall  be  final.  Either  of  the  parties  or  the  District 
Board  may  require  the  Register  to  attend  their  meetings  and  record  their  proceedings; 
but  if  he  is  not  present  they  shall  certify  their  judgment  to  him  immediately,  and  he  shall 
register  it  as  any  other  claim.  Any  member  may  also  object  to  one  of  the  County  Board 
upon  the  same  terms,  and  require  one  of  a  District  Board,  or  some  disinterested  member, 
to  sit  in  his  place.  The  same  proceedings  shall  also  take  place  where  one  of  the  Board 
are  interested  in  the  dispute.  The  District  Board  may  order  district  meetings,  and  the 
County  Board  county  meetings. 

Art.  9.  That  the  Board  of  Arbitrators  shall,  as  soon  as  may  be,  take  an  oath  or  affir. 
mation  before  some  magistrate  faithfully  and  impartially  to  perform  all  the  duties  en- 
joined upon  them  not  inconsistent  with  law,  and  that  they  will  do  all  acts  in  their  power 
for  the  benefit  of  members  of  this  Union.  On  being  duly  notified,  they  shall  convene, 
and,  if  they  see  proper,  they  shall  make  their  acts  a  rule  of  court  before  some  Magistrate, 
according  to  the  statute  provided  for  arbitrated  cases.  They  may  require  the  parties  in  the 
case  to  be  tried  to  be  sworn  or  affirmed,  and  hear  arguments  of  parties  or  counsel,  and  finally 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  409 

decide  which  party  is  justly  entitled  to  hold  the  claim,  and  which  party  shall  pay  costs  or 
damages.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  County  or  District  Board,  where  the  claim  is  situ- 
ated, to  take  possession  of  any  claim  confiscated  under  the  provisions  of  Article  7,  or  any 
unoccupied  non-resident  claim,  the  claimant  of  which  has  neglected  to  occupy  or  improve 
the  same,  according  to  the  terms  and  within  the  time  specified  in  the  certificate,  and  sell 
the  same  to  some  other  person  who  will  become  a  settler  on  it,  keeping  the  money  ob- 
tained for  it  in  their  hands  (unless  hereafter  a  treasurer  shall  be  appointed)  for  a  fund  to 
defray  any  expense  that  may  be  deemed  necessary  to  maintain  our  just  rights  or  advance 
the  interest  of  the  Union  ;  and  if  a  fund  so  accumulated  shall  not  be  required  for  such 
purpose  the  Board  shall  use  it  toward  purchasing  land  for  any  needy  widows  or  orphan 
children  or  needy  members  of  this  Union;  provided,  that  the  Board  having  jurisdiction 
may  extend  the  time  to  any  claimant  holding  a  certificate  from  them,  or  application 
through  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  if  the  claimant  can  give  them  satisfactory  reasons 
therefor,  and  they  may  also,  when  they  have  sold  a  forfeited  claim,  if  they  deem  it  just 
and  reasonable  for  good  cause  thereon,  refund  to  the  certificate  claimant  the  amount  he 
had  actually  expended  upon  it,  and  retain  in  the  fund  only  the  overplus  that  the  same 
sold  for.  Any  officer  of  this  Union  or  any  member  shall  be  discarded  if  convicted  of 
gross  neglect  of  duty  or  immoral  conduct  tending  to  injure  the  character  of  the  Union. 

Art.  10.  That  every  white  person  capable  of  transacting  business,  and  making  or 
causing  to  be  made  an  improvement  on  a  claim,  with  the  evident  desiyn  of  becoming  a  settler 
thereon,  shall  be  entitled  to  be  protected  in  holding  a  claim  on  one  quarter  section,  and 
no  more,  except  where  persons  holding  claims  on  the  prairie  or  open  barrens,  where  the 
Board  may  decide  they  have  not  sufficient  timber  to  support  their  farm,  shall  be  allowed 
to  divide  one  quarter  section  of  timber  between  four  such  prairie  claims.  The  Board  of 
Arbitrators  may  require  any  person  making  a  claim  to  take  an  oath  or  affirmation  that  he 
intends  the  same  for  actual  settlement  or  (if  timber)  use  of  his  farm.  No  person  settling 
in  thick  timber  shall  be  allowed  to  hold  more  than  eighty  acres  of  timber,  but  shall  be 
protected  in  a  claim  of  eighty  acres  on  the  prairie. 

Art.  11.  That  before  land  is  offered  for  sale,  that  each  district  shall  select  a  bidder 
to  attend  and  bid  off  all  claims  in  the  claimant's  name,  and  that,  if  necessary,  every  set- 
tler will  constantly  attend  the  sale,  prepared  to  aid  each  other  to  the  full  extent  of  our 
ability  in  obtaining  every  claimant's  land  at  Government  price. 

Art.  12.  That  after  the  Board  of  Arbitrators  have  decided  that  any  individual  has 
obtruded  upon  another  claim,  and  he  refuses  to  give  the  legal  owner  peaceable  possession, 
that  we  will  not  deal  with  or  countenance  him  as  a  settler  until  he  makes  the  proper  res- 
titution. 

Art.  13.  That  we  will  each  use  our  endeavors  to  advance  the  rapid  settlement  of  the 
county  by  inviting  our  friends  and  acquaintances  to  join  us,  under  the  full  assurance  that 
we  shall  now  obtain  our  rights,  and  that  it  is  now  perfectly  as  safe  to  go  on  improving  flie 
public  land  as  though  we  already  had  our  titles  from  Government. 

Art.  14.  That  a  meeting  duly  called  by  the  County  Board  may  alter  and  amend  this 

constitution. 

Lake  County,  Ind.,  July  6,  1836. 

I  do  certify  that  the  foregoing  constitution,  as  here  recordeJ,  is  a  true  copy  from  the 
original  draft  reported  by  the  committee  and  adopted  by  the  meeting,  except  slight  gram- 
matical alterations  not  varying  the  true  sense  of  any  article. 

Attest :  Solon  Robi.vson,  Register. 

Attached  to  it  are  476  signatures.  A  few  cases  of  arbitration  oc- 
curred in  regard  to  disputed  claims.  To  enter  upon  land  which  another 
had  claimed  was  called  "jumping  "  it,  and  there  were,  it  seems,  a  few 
accidental  or  intentional  "jumpers."     The  following  extracts  from  the 


410  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

records   will  surely  be   of  interest  as  showing  the  customs  of  squatter 
rule  : 

"August  12. — Notified  County  Board  of  Arbitrators  to  meet  August  13,  at  G.  W. 
Turner's,  to  decide  disputed  claim  between  Samuel  Haviland  and  .John  Harrison,  on  Sec- 
tion 13,  southwest  half  Township  36,  Range  8.  August  13.  *  *  They  decided  that 
Haviland  hold  the  claim  on  paying  Harrison  $5  for  his  labor,  and  that  Harrison  pay  the 
costs,  amounting  to  $4.50."  Harrison,  it  is  to  be  supposed,  had  "jumped"  this  claim, 
and  so  was  the  aggressor. 

"1837,  March  16. — This  day  an  arbitration  was  held  between  Denton  and  Henry 
Miller  and  John  Reed,  who  had  gone  onto  Miller's  claim  and  built  a  cabin,  and  the  Ar- 
bitrators decided  that  Reed  shall  give  up  the  cabin  to  the  Millers  and  pay  the  costs  of 
this  arbitration,  but  that  the  Millers  shall  pay  Reed  $17  for  the  cabin  which  he  has  built." 
In  some  cases  the  costs  were  divided  equally  between  the  parties.  From  the  decisions  of 
the  arbitrators  there  seems  to  have  baen  no  appeal.  In  the  nature  of  the  case  there  could 
be  none,  and  with  the  decisions  the  parties  appear  to  have  been  satisfied.  Ten  cases  of 
arbitration  are  on  the  records. 

Land  Sales  at  La  Porte. — Thus  the  claim  to  lands  was  quite  exten- 
sively made  until  March,  1839,  at  which  time  the  sale  of  Lake  County,  to 
whoever  would  buy,  commenced  at  La  Porte.  This  was  two  years  after 
the  county  was  organized.  Between  these  dates,  it  was  impossible  to 
locate  the  county  seat  without  a  special  enactment  of  the  Legislature,  as 
the  law  regulating  the  organization  of  counties  forbade  such  location  until 
after  the  sale  of  the  public  lands.  But  the  county,  by  petition  through 
its  Commissioners  (as  will  be  seen  further  along),  endeavored  to  secure 
such  an  enactment  in  autumn,  1838,  and  would  probably  have  succeeded 
by  having  the  existing  law  concerning  the  location  of  county-seats 
amended  or  repealed,  had  not  the  Legislature  provided,  during  the  winter 
of  1838-39,  for  the  sale  of  the  county  lands,  and,  at  the  same  time,  for 
the  location  of  the  county  seat.  As  the  time  drew  near  for  the  entry  of 
the  lands,  the  keenest  interest  was  felt  in  the  result  by  the  squatters.  All 
realized  the  impending  peril  of  the  situation.  If  the  speculators  should 
conclude  to  bid,  they  could  easily  obtain  (not  without  a  bitter  struggle 
afterward,  however)  the  homes  of  the  squatters  in  a  majority  of  cases, 
as  scores  of  the  latter  had  saved  up  (and  that  often  by  the  utmost  self- 
denial  and  economy),  only  sufficient  means  to  purchase  their  homes  at  the 
Government  price  of  §1.25  per  acre.  Notwithstanding  the  existence  of 
the  "  Squatters  Union,"  and  the  effective  results  it  was  likely  to  secure, 
grave  and  universal  apprehension  was  felt  during  the  years  1837  and 
1838. 

This  led,  as  will  be  seen  below,  to  the  entry,  by  proof,  of  sixty-ono 
tracts  of  land  in  1838,- and  some  twenty  more  before  the  sale  in  March, 
1839.  The  following  were  the  only  tracts  of  land  entered  in  the  county 
prior  to  January  1,  1838,  including  the  Pottawatomie  "  Indian 
Floats :" 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTV. 


411 


PURCHASER. 


Quashmau 

Nuoataumant .... 

Aubenaube 

Reneinosau 

John  B.  Duckworth 

VVesaw 

Pokagoa 

Wesaw 

Benack  

Pokakanse  

Francis  Page,  Jr... 
Nisainkquequah  .... 

Misnoke 

Ashkum 

Shawkowahluck  ... 

Wesaw 

J.  B.  Chadana 

Meshawketoquah .. 

Besiah 

Arthur  McClure... 
Hiram  S.  Bennett.. 

Mark  Baubien 

Hiram  Pearsons  ... 

Simon  Kenton 

John  A.  Calvin 

Wm.  W.Washbourn 
Hiram  Pearsons  ... 

Jacob  Harlan 

John  Ewing 


21 

6 
17 
18 
19 
20 
29 
31 
32 
31 
32 
17 
1 
4 
13 
23 
24 
36 
36 
32 
32 
31 
32 
31 
31 
31 
33 
31 
31 


35 

36 
36 
36 
36 
36 
36 
36 
36 
37 
37 
34 
36 
36 
36 
36 
36 
36 
37 
37 
37 
37 
37 
37 
37 
37 
37 
37 
37 


Acres. 


10 


160 

298 

640 

4.t5.75 

473 

640 

640 

640 

640 
80.51 

310.50 

640 

569.34 

556.50 

174.62 

308 

603.60 

640 

371 
65.56 
45.81 
64.51 
81.40 
44.60 
54.80 
80 

105.72 
39.85 
25.40 


Date  of  Grant. 


Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  (Jet.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
'J'reaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1S32. 
Treaty,  Oct.  27,  1832. 
January  11,  1835..,.,. 

April  27,  1835 

December  3,  1835 

December  9,  1835 

June  3,  1836 

Juae  3,  1836 

June  4,  1836 

January  20,  1837 

April  20,  1837 

April  28,  1837 


Location. 


Northeast  quarter. 

South  half. 

All. 

All. 

All. 

All. 

AU. 

All. 

All. 

Lots  2  and  3. 

South  half. 

All. 

All. 

All. 

Southeast  quarter. 

East  half. 

All. 

All. 

S^  i\'.  WIS.  of  Indian  Bonnd'ry 
Lot  3,  .\,  of  Indian  Boundary. 
W.  Fract.  N.  of  Indian  Bound'ry. 
Lots  1  and  2,  .\.  of  Indian  Bound. 
Lot  5,  Soutb  of  Indian  Bound'ry. 
Lot  6,  South  of  Indian  Bound'ry. 
Sonth  Half  Southeast  Quarter. 
Lotsl  and  2,  N'.  of  Indian  Bound. 
Lot  4,  South  of  Indian  Bound'ry 
Lot  1,  South  of  Indian  Bound'ry 


During  the  year  1838,  sixty-one  tracts  of  land,  representing  a  total 
of  6,858.91  acres,  were  entered  in  the  county,  and,  in  1839,  261  tracts, 
representing  a  total  of  over  30,000  acres,  were  entered.  During  the 
succeeding  two  or  three  years,  the  sales  were  comparatively  small,  owing, 
doubtless,  to  the  great  quantity  of  swampy  or  sandy  land,  which  was  not 
wanted  by  the  pioneers.  More  land  was  entered  from  1850  to  1860 
than  from  1840  to  1850;  but  this  was  owing  to  the  sale  of  the  swamp 
lands,  which  came  into  market  in  the  fifties.  There  have  been  in  the 
county  the  following  kinds  of  land:  United  States  Land,  Swamp  Land. 
Wabash  Canal  Land,  Michigan  Road  Land  and  School  Land.  After  the 
first  influx  of  settlers  preceding,  and  immediately  succeeding,  the  land 
sale,  the  rush  was  over,  and  the  county  grew  only  as  Northwestern  Indi- 
ana and  Northeastern  Illinois  grew. 

In  March,  1839,  when  that  event  of  so  much  interest  to  the  earlv 
settlers — the  sale  of  United  States  lands  took  place  at  La  Porte,  the 
squatters  of  Lake  were  gathered  there  in  large  force.  The  hardy  pio- 
neers, accustomed  to  frontier  life  and  to  depend  on  their  strong  arms  and 
trusty  rifles  ;  the  New  Englanders  and  the  Yorkers,  almost  direct  from  those 
centers  of  culture,  and  possessing  their  share  of  the  intelligence  and  energy 


412  HISTORY  OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

of  those  regions  ;  and  the  firm,  sturdy,  solid  Germans,  who  had  just  left  the 
despotisms  of  the  Old  World  and  had  received  their  lessons  of  freedom  in  the 
New,  amid  the  wildest  of  untrodden  Western  prairies,  all  were  there,  de- 
termined that  no  speculator  should  bid  upon  their  lands.  Some  trouble 
had  been  anticipated.  The  principal  upon  which  the  squatters  insisted 
was  of  importance  to  them.  They  were  probably  prepared  ;  armed  men 
were  among  them  to  use  force,  if  it  should  be  necessary,  to  secure  the  right 
which  each  squatter  claimed  of  buying  his  own  quarter  section  at  §1.25 
an  acre.  They  knew  that  in  the  wilds  of  Lake,  in  the  retreats  of  the 
Kankakee  Marsh,  no  officers  of  justice  would  search  for  them  if  their 
mode  of  enforcing  their  claim  should  be  called  lawless.  But  there  arose 
no  necessity.  The  impression  was  strongly  made  that  it  would  not  be 
safe  for  a  speculator  to  overbid  a  squatter,  about  five  hundred  of  whom 
had  solemnly  pledged  themselves  to  each  other  to  abide,  in  the  most 
faithful  manner,  by  their  own  assertion  of  squatters'  rights.  The  moral 
force  employed  was  sufficient.  Solon  Robinson  was  bidder  for  one  town- 
ship, William  Kinnison  for  another,  and  A.  McDonald  for  the  third.  The 
sale  passed  off  quietly,  and  the  sons  of  Lake  returned  peacefully  to  their 
homes.  But  unfortunately  for  some  of  them,  they  had  expended  their 
silver  and  gold  in  making  improvements,  and  amid  the  sickness,  and  suf- 
fering, and  death  of  1838,  "the  wild-cat"  money  was  not  current  at 
the  land  office,  and  now  what  the  speculators  could  not  effect  in  one  way 
they  easily  accomplished  in  another.  They  offered  to  loan  these  men  money 
for  entering  their  claims,  on  the  security  of  their  lands,  and  charged 
them  20,  30,  or  more  per  cent.  And  thus,  after  all  their  care,  consider- 
able tracts  of  Lake  County  land  came  into  the  hands  of  non-residents. 

Swamp  Land  Speculation. — There  is  a  transaction  belonging  to  the 
history  of  this  county,  in  common  with  that  of  other  counties  in  Indiana, 
which  any  impartial  and  faithful  historian  can  hardly  pass  over  in  silence. 
It  may  be  called  the  Siuamp  Land  Speculation.  The  kind  of  notice  which 
justice  here  demands  has  been  a  matter  of  grave  consideration.  The  United 
States  donated  to  the  State  of  Indiana  certain  portions  of  Government 
lands  within  its  borders,  to  be  selected  in  a  certain  way,  which  took  the 
name  of  Swamp  Lands.  Tlie  Legislature  passed  an  act,  in  May,  1852, 
to  regulate  the  sales  of  these  lands  and  provide  for  draining  and  reclaim- 
ing them  according  to  the  condition  of  the  grant.  Quite  a  quantity  of 
land  remained  unentered  ten  years  after  the  land  sale  at  La  Porte.  This 
was  taken  out  of  market  in  the  different  counties  until  the  lands  had  been 
selected  which  were  to  be  drained,  reclaimed  and  sold.  There  were  se- 
lected in  this  county  as  such  swamp  land  some  180  sections.  This,  at 
tlie  minimum  price  of  $1.25  an  acre,  would  amount  to  $144,000.  Any 
portion  of  this  amount  not  used  in  the  necessary  expenses  connected  with 


HISTORY    OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  413 

draining  these  wet  lands  was  to  become  part  of  the  common  school  fund 
of  the  State.  The  County  Auditors  and  Treasurers  were  the  authorized 
agents  on  the  part  of  the  State  for  selling  these  lands.  A  Commissioner 
of  Swamp  Lands  for  each  county  was  appointed  by  the  Governor,  and  the 
Commissioner  appointed  and  employed  an  Engineer.  It  became  known 
to  the  Legislature  of  the  State  that  the  funds  arising  from  the  sale  of 
these  lands  were  supposed  to  be  improperly  used,  and  they  appointed  a 
Swamp  Land  Committee  of  Investigation.  From  the  printed  report  of 
this  committee,  made  to  the  Governor  of  Indiana,  two  thousand  copies  of 
which  were  ordered  to  be  printed,  the  following  statements  and  extracts 
are  taken.  Copies  of  this  report  are  scarce  in  this  county.  Those  sent 
here  disappeared.    This  committee,  after  making  several  statements,  say : 

"  The  different  laws  in  relation  to  the  expenditure  of  the  swamp  land 
fund  are  very  imperfect,  giving  many  opportunities  for  dishonest  men  to 
prey  upon  the  fund  with  impunity."  These  opportunities  seem  to 
have  been  well  improved.  After  stating  some  of  these  imperfections, 
they  continue :  "  It  seems  that  an  opportunity  to  speculate  thus 
opened  was  early  discovered  by  a  number  of  very  prominent  men,  and 
large  combinations  formed  to  effect  that  object,  and  when  a  Swamp  Land 
Commissioner  refused  to  be  used  as  an  instrument  in  their  hands  to  carry 
out  their  views,  they  were  potent  in  affecting  his  removal  and  in  securing 
the  appointment  of  one  who  would  act  in  accordance  with  their  wishes. 
By  this  process,  the  fund  in  many  of  the  counties  was  exhausted,  and  in 
some  cases  largely  overdrawn,  and  very  little  good  effected  by  ditching." 
The  committee  visited  several  counties  to  ascertain  facts.  In  reference 
to  one  county,  especially,  they  say  :  "  These  investigations  show  frauds 
to  an  extent  that  seems  to  preclude  the  idea  that  honesty  had  any  part  in 
these  transactions."  Under  "Lake  County,"  they  say:  ''The  opera- 
tions in  this  county  have  been  quite  extensive.  The  first  Commissioner 
appointed  was  J.  P.  Smith.  There  is  no  evidence  to  raise  a  doubt  as  to  the 
correctness  of  his  administration."  In  regard  to  the  Commissioner,  Henry 
Wells,  they  say  :  "  No  evidence  was  obtained  to  implicate  him  in  any 
improper  transaction."  In  regard  to  one  they  say:  ''Under  his  ad- 
ministration the  committee  think  extensive  frauds  were  perpetrated."  In 
regard  to  one  individual  they  say  :  "  These  two  sums  thus  obtained, 
amounting  to  $7,309.65,  can  undoubtedly  be  recovered  if  properly  prose- 
cuted. How  many  similar  transactions  were  had  with  other  parties  is 
not  known.  It  is  understood  that  all  the  money  received  for  swamp 
lands  was  retained  in  the  hands  of  the  County  Treasurer,  and  not  paid 
over  to  the  State  Treasurer." 

An  example  may  be  presented  of  the  class  of  transactions  referred  to 
above,  a  few  statements  being  given  to  make  its  features  intelligible. 


414  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

"  The  Commissioner  and  Engineer  were  required  to  locate  and  lav 
out  ditches,  to  make  contracts,  etc.  The  Engineer  was'  not  required  by 
law  to  keep  a  record  of  his  estimates  nor  to  make  certificates  of  estimates 
from  which  the  Commissioner  should  issue  ditching  certificates.  Hence 
there  was  no  check  kept  by  the  Engineer  upon  the  arrears  of  those  ditch- 
ing certificates  issued  by  the  Commissioner.  Nor  does  the  law  require 
the  Commissioner  to  keep  a  record  of  the  ditching  certificates  issued  by 
him,  and  the  committee  were  unable  to  find  in  any  case  a  record  of  those 
certificates." 

The  example  selected  presents  a  case  that  may  now  be  readily  under- 
stood. A  contractor  assigned  a  blank  ditching  certificate  to  another  per- 
son who  filled  it  up,  or  had  it  filled,  "in  the  sum  of  ^2,609.65,"  and 
obtained  and  retained  the  money,  other  certificates  being  issued  to  the 
contractor  for  all  the  work  he  had  done;  thus,  in  the  language  of  the 
committee,  "  fraudulently  taking  from  the  Swamp  Land  Fund  the  sum  of 
$2,609.65." 

The  committee  even  found  certificates  with  forged  signatures  on  which 
money  was  drawn.  Also  they  found  certificates  issued  and  money  paid 
when  no  work  had  been  done.  They  say  in  regard  to  two  individuals, 
whom  they  name,  that  they  believe  "from  the  written  testimony  and  tes- 
timony not  recorded,  *  *  *  ^  judgment  could  now  be  obtained  * 
*  *  *  for  a  sum  not  less  than  pO,000  *  *  *."  The  whole 
amount  of  money  taken  away  from  this  fund,  the  committee  had  no 
means  at  hand,  in  this  county,  for  summing  up.  The  difference  between 
the  amount  actually  paid  for  work  done  and  the  whole  amount  for  which 
these  lands  sold  would  probably  be  that  sum. 

Those  conversant  with  the  facts  will  slistain  the  assertion  that  quite 
probably  $100,000,  during  those  few  years  of  fraudulent  or  speculative 
management,  passed  into  the  pockets  of  a  few  of  our  public  men.  And 
the  amount  which  beyond  question  passed  into  the  hands  of  corrupt 
officials  in  high  position  at  Indianapolis  was  by  no  means  small.  How 
large  there  are  no  data  here  on  which  to  base  a  conjecture.  Let  it  be  re- 
peated that,  of  this  transaction,  the  lessons  are  obvious. 

The  entries  of  the  Wabash  Canal  land  seem  to  have  extended  from 
1843  to  1856,  the  certificate  of  "lands  sold  in  Lake  County  at  the  Canal 
Land  Office,"  at  Terre  Haute,  being  dated  February,  1857.  The  amount 
certified  to  as  having  been  thus  sold  is  some  sixty  sections.  It  thus  ajt- 
pears  that  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles  or  sections,  one-half 
the  area  of  the  county,  were  donated  by  the  United  States  GovernmeiiC 
for  the  purpose  of  internal  improvements  of  Indiana. 

In  the  Constitution  of  Indiana,  Article  XIV.  Boundaries,  it  is 
ordained  and  declared  that  the  State  of  Indiana  is   bounded  on  the  east 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  415 

by  the  western  meridian  line  of  Ohio ;  on  the  south  by  the  Ohio 
River  from  the- Great  Miami  to  the  Wabash;  on  the  west  by  the 
Wabash  River  till  leavingr  the  main  bank  on  a  line  due  north  from 
Vincennes,  "thence,  by  a  due  north  line,  until  the  same  shall  intersect  an 
east  and  west  line,  drawn  through  a  point  ten  miles  north  of  the  south- 
ern extreme  of  Lake  Michigan;  on  the  north,  by  said  east  and  west  line, 
until  the  same  shall  intersect  the  first-mentioned  meridian  line,  which 
forms  the  western  boundary  of  the  State  of  Ohio."  The  originators  of 
this  west  boundary  line  expected  that  the  northwest  corner  of  Indiana 
would  be  on  or  near  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  but  it  happens  to  be 
some  distance  out  in  the  lake.  The  line  drawn  from  the  extreme  south 
part  of  Lake  Michigan  to  the  west  line  of  the  State  is  therefore  an  "  In- 
diana Boundary  Line  "  and  a  Ten  Mile  Line,  being  the  bound  from 
which  we  are  to  measure  ten  miles  northward  into  Lake  Michigan  to  find 
our  true  northern  limit. 

In  1828  there  was  acquired  by  treaty  with  the  Pottawatomies  a  strip' 
of  land  ten  miles  in  width  along  the  northern  boundary  of  Indiana  ex- 
tending, in  a  narrow  strip,  to  the  extreme  south  limit  of  Lake  Michigan. 
The  northern  boundary  of  the  State  being  then  the  same  as  defined  by 
the  Constitution,  it  is  evident  that  the  line  bounding  the  southern  limit 
of  this  first  purchase  would  meet  that  other  line  at  the  south  limit  of 
Lake  Michigan,  and  so  both  would  form  a  continuous  straight  line.  The 
eastern  part  of  this  line  in  our  county  is  therefore  justly  called  "  South 
Boundary  of  Ten  Mile  Purchase." 

According  to  Colton's  Map  of  Indiana,  "compiled  from  United  States 
surveys,"  a  north  and  south  line  in  Indiana  has  quite  a  different  direc- 
tion from  a  north  and  south  line  in  Illinois.  If  our  west  line  had  the 
direction  from  the  Wabash  River  northward  of  an  Illinois  north  and 
south  line.  South  Chicago  would  be  included  in  Lake  County.  As  it 
now  is,  the  northern  boundary  of  our  county,  instead  of  being  the  beach 
line  of  Lake  Michigan,  is  a  line  due  east  and  west  on  the  surf\ice  of  that 
lake  ten  miles  north  of  our  noted  "Ten  Mile  Line."  All  the  fish  there- 
fore and  fisheries  connected  with  some  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
miles  of  Lake  Michigan  belong,  evidently,  to  the  inhabitants  of  Lake. 

An  Indian  "float"  was  something  like  a  soldiers'  land  warrant. 
When  this  region  was  purchased  from  the  Indians,  instead  of  their  re- 
serving certain  definite  tracts  or  parcels  of  land,  the  United  States 
issued  to  some  of  their  head  men  a  number  of  land  warrants  or  docu- 
ments called  "  floats,"  by  the  possession  of  which  the}'^  were  authorized 
to  select  and  own  so  much  land  within  the  purchase,  under  certain  re- 
strictions. It  is  said  that  Section  8,  on  which  Crown  Point  now 
stands,  was  selected  by  an   Indian  or  his  agent,  and  a  float  laid  upon  it; 


416  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

but  certain  influences  induced  the  Land  Office  Agent  at  La  Porte  to  slip 
the  float  over,  in  his  record,  onto  Section  17.  So  8  was  entered,  and 
17,  joining  it  on  the  south,  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  great  fur 
trader.  Floats  were  laid  on  only  some  ten  or  twelve  sections  of  land  in 
the  county,  and  most  of  these  were  near  the  Calumet. 

Mail  Routes,  etc. — In  July,  1836,  Congress  established  a  mail  route 
from  Toledo  via  Whitemansville,  Lima,  Bristol,  Carrollton,  Elkhart, 
Mishawaka,  South  Bend,  Terre  Coupee,  Kankakee,  La  Porte,  Morgan 
Prairie  (Porter  County)  and  across  Lake  County  to  Joliet,  111.  Un- 
doubtedly a  station  was  established  in  this  county.  At  the  same  session, 
a  route  was  extended  to  La  Porte,  via  Salt  Creek,  Adela,  Van  Ness,  on 
the  Vincennes  road,  the  head  of  Hickory  Creek,  and  down  such  creek  to 
Joliet,  111.  Salt  Creek  was  in  Porter  County,  and  Adela  was,  possibly, 
in  Lake,  but  this  is  uncertain.  At  this  time,  the  route  from  Indianapo- 
lis, via  Frankfort,  Delphi,  Monticello,  Jasper  and  Lake  Court  House,  in 
Porter  County  (Lake  was  attached  to  Porter  in  1836),  to  Michigan  City, 
was  established  ;  as  was  also  the  route  from  Michigan  City,  via  Bailey 
Town,  Deep  River,  Robinson's  Prairie  (Lake  County)  and  the  crossings 
of  the  Kankakee,  to  Peoria,  111.  In  July,  1838,  the  route  from  Logans- 
port,  via  Winamac,  Sherwood's  Ferry  and  Valparaiso,  to  City  West,  the 
last  three  points  being  in  Porter  County,  the  ferry  being  on  the  Kanka- 
kee, was  established.  The  only  post-route  extending  across  the  county, 
prior  to  1836,  was  the  Detroit  &  Fort  Dearborn  mail,  which  had  been 
located  many  years  before,  and  the  coaches  first  ran  along  Lake  Michigan 
beach,  but  later  through  Liverpool,  on  Deep  River,  and  finally,  on  the 
Bradley  route.  H.  S.  Pelton  was  the  carrier  on  the  route  from  La 
Porte  to  Joliet,  and  this,  for  many  years,  was  the  principal  mail  route 
for  the  central  and  southern  parts  of  the  county.  The  mail  from  Michi- 
gan City  to  Peoria  was  at  first  let  to  be  carried  in  four-horse  coaches, 
but  these  did  not  run,  and  only  over  a  portion  of  the  route — from  City 
West,  in  Porter  County,  to  West  Creek,  in  Lake  County — was  the  mail 
carried  at  all,  and  that  on  horseback.  The  Monticello  route  also  fur- 
nished the  county  with  mail,  the  same  being  carried,  a  portion  of  the 
time,  by  H.  S.  Pelton,  "but  [the  route]  was  afterward  found  to  be 
through  such  an  interminable  wilderness  that  it  was  discontinued."  Con- 
gress had  not,  at  that  time,  studied  the  geography  and  history  of  the 
Kankakee  Marsh,  and  of  the  counties  of  Iroquois,  Newton  and  Jasper. 
In  1847,  there  were  seven  post  offices  in  the  county.  A  mail,  carried 
twice  a  week  from  La  Porte  to  Joliet,  supplied  the  Crown  Point  Office. 
A  mail  was  carried  once  a  week  from  West  Creek  to  Valparaiso,  and  from 
West  Creek  to  City  West.  In  connection  with  the  mail  from  La  Porte 
to  Joliet  occurred  the  incident  of  Solon  Robinson's  killing  the  bear.    The 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  417 

mail  carrier  then  was  John  Church,  of  Prairie  West.  He  came  in  with 
the  mail  one  day  and  reported  that  a  black  bear  was  on  the  Sac  Trail  in 
advance  of  himself,  and  that  he  had,  with  his  horse,  actually  driven  him 
into  the  suburbs  of  the  village.  Solon  Robinson,  the  Postmaster,  in  the 
words  of  the  informant,  "hooted  at  it."  Like  the  Indian  on  first  hear- 
ing about  railroads  and  telegraphs,  he  "  poohed  "  it.  Nevertheless,  soon 
after — distributing  that  mail  was  not  a  lengthy  task — he  took  up  his  trusty 
rifle  and  went  out.  Sure  enough,  he  soon  encountered  bruin,  fired  away 
at  him,  and  soon  the  villagers  learned  of  the  death  of  their  new  visitant. 

Soon  after  this — -in  1850,  and  since — the  construction  of  railroads 
and  the  location  of  postal  stations  within  the  limits  of  the  county,  sup- 
plied the  citizens  with  daily  mail.  The  Michigan  Central  established 
a  station  at  "  Lake,"  in  1850,  and  a  daily  hack  was  started,  running 
from  that  place  to  Crown  Point.  Branches  were  afterward  extended, 
new  railroads  appeared,  and  erelong  the  postal  facilities  were  scarcely 
surpassed  in  the  United  States. 

Statistics. — The  census  of  1840,  taken  by  Lewis  Warriner,  of  Cedar 
Lake,  furnishes  the  following  information  of  Lake  County  :  Horses  and 
mules,  324  ;  neat  cattle,  2,085;  sheep,  453;  swine,  4,434;  estimated 
value  of  poultry,  $638;  bushels  of  wheat,  15,838;  barley,  495;  oats, 
29,176  ;  rye,  10  ;  buckwheat,  924  ;  corn,  27,675  ;  pounds  of  wool,  481 ; 
hops,  3;  beeswax,  77  ;  bushels  of  potatoes,  16,583;  tons  of  hay,  1,657  ; 
tons  of  hemp  and  flax,  ^  ;  pounds  of  tobacco,  2,020  ;  dairy  products,  $5,- 
222  ;  stock  of  two  stores,  $3,300  ;  value  of  skins,  $356  ;  value  of  tobacco 
manufactured,  $100,  one  person  being  employed ;  two  tanneries — sole 
leather,  425  sides  ;  upper  leather,  300  sides  ;  five  men  employed,  capital, 
$2,500 ;  nineteen  other  dealers  in  leather,  saddlery,  etc.;  one  printing  office, 
one  man  employed,  capital  $250  ;  one  grist-mill  ;  four  saw-mills,  value 
of  mill  manufactures,  $3,800,  twelve  men  employed,  capital,  $16,400  ; 
value  of  all  other  manufactures,  $1,720,  capital,  $320  ;  wooden  houses, 
53  ;  stone  or  brick  houses,  0  ;  male  persons  under  five  years,  146  ;  from 
five  to  ten,  113  ;  ten  to  fifteen,  118  ;  fifteen  to  twenty,  80  :  twenty  to 
thirty,  162  ;  thirty  to  forty,  107 ;  forty  to  fifty,  52  ;  fifty  to  sixty,  34  ; 
sixty  to  seventy,  13  ;  seventy  to  eighty,  3  ;  females  under  5,  130  ;  five  to 
ten,  99;  ten  to  fifteen,  73  ;  fifteen  to  twenty,  60  ;  twenty  to  thirty.  118; 
thirty  to  forty,  75  ;  forty  to  fifty,  38  ;  fifty  to  sixty,  35  ;  sixty  to  seventy, 
8 ;  seventy  to  eighty,  1  ;  eighty  to  ninety,  1 ;  510  engaged  in  agri- 
culture ;  one  in  commerce ;  seventeen  in  manufacturing  and  trading  ; 
five  in  learned  professions  or  in  engineering ;  one  deaf  and  dumb  ;  one 
colored  boy  ;  seven  primary  or  common  schools  ;  116  scholars  ;  five  per- 
sons over  twenty  years  unable  to  read  or  write.  Population  of  the  county  in 
1840,1,468;  1850,3,991;  1860,9,145;  1870,12,339;  1880,15,091 


418  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY 


CHAPTER    II. 

BY     WESTON     A.      GOODSPEED. 

Lake  County  Before  its  Organization— The  First  Election  Returns — 
Formation  of  the  County— Creation  of  Townships  and  Other  Po- 
litical Divisions— Miscellaneous  Proceedings  of  the  Board  of 
Commissioners— The  County  Seat  Contest— Public  Officials— The 
First  Court— The  Early  School  Fund— The  Library  and  the  Semi- 
nary Projects— The  Poor  Farm— The  Agricultural  Society- 
Jails  and  Court  Houses— Politics— County  Officers— Statistics. 

THE  county  of  Lake  had  its  first  political  existence  in  the  month  of 
March,  1835,  when  the  Commissioners  of  La  Porte  County,  to  which 
both  Lake  and  Porter  were  then  attached,  ordered  that  all  the  territory  of 
Lake  and  as  far  east  in  Porter  as  the  center  of  Range  6  west  should  con- 
stitute a  township,  to  be  known  as  Ross,  named  thus  for  an  old  settler, 
who,  at  that  time,  had  been  in  the  county  of  Lake  one  or  more  years,  and 
who  afterward,  in  1836,  was  killed  by  the  fall  of  a  tree.  The  results  of 
the  election  of  township  officers,  held  at  the  house  of  Cyrus  Spurlock  (in 
Porter  County),  with  Benjamin  McCarty,  Inspector,  are  fully  given  in 
the  second  chapter  of  the  Porter  County  history  accompanying  this 
volume,  and  need  not  be  repeated  here.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
names  of  several  old  settlers  of  Lake  appear  upon  the  election  returns  of 
this  first  election  of  any  character  held  in  what  is  now  Lake  County. 
This  was  before  Lake  had  an  existence,  even  in  name.  On  the  28th  of 
January,  1836,  the  Governor  approved  the  special  enactment  creating  the 
counties  of  Lake  and  Porter,  the  full  text  of  the  act  appearing  in  the 
chapter  referred  to  above.  An  organization  was  ordered  for  Porter,  to 
which  Lake  was  attached. 

At  the  first  session  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  of  Porter  County 
in  April,  1836,  it  was  ordered  of  the  territory  attached  to  Porter  County 
on  the  west  (Lake  County),  that  all  such  territory  lying  south  of  the  line 
dividing  Townships  33  and  34,  should  form  and  constitute  a  township  to 
be  known  as  Bryant,*  and  that  an  an  election  of  one  Justice  of  the  Peace 
should  be  held  at  the  house  of  Robert  Wilkinson,  in  that  township,  on 
the   30th   of  April,  1836,    Robert  Wilkinson,    Inspector.       It  was  also 

*Iti8  usually  understood  in  Lake  County,  and  bo  appears  in  varioug  published  accounts  of  the  early  organi- 
zation by  local  writers  and  others,  th^it  the  county  was  divided  in  1836  into  North,  Center  and  South  Town- 
ships, but  this  is  a  careless  mistake  Lake  County  and  a  strip  of  the  western  side  of  Porter  County  were 
creat"d  H8  Ross  Township  in  March,  1S35,  by  the  Commissioners  of  La  Porte  County.  In  April,  1836,  as 
stated  above,  tlie  Comavissinners  of  Porter  County  divided  Lake  into  Bryant,  Clark  and  Ro^s  Townships.  In 
April.  1837,  when  Lake  ''ounty  was  organized,  the  Commissioners  divided  the  county  Into  North,  Center  and 
South  Townships.  What  the  County  of  Lake  constituted  a  part  of,  prior  to  March,  1835,  could  not  be  certainly 
learned  by  the  wrili-r. 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  419 

ordered  that  all  territory  lying  west  of  Porter  County,  and  between  the 
line  dividing  Townships  33  and  34,  and  the  line  dividing  Townships  34 
and  35,  should  constitute  a  township  to  be  known  as  Clark  ;  and  an 
election  was  ordered  for  such  township  at  the  house  of  Charles  H.  Paine, 
on  the  30th  of  April,  1836,  with  William  Clark,  Inspector.  It  was 
further  ordered  that  all  the  attached  territory  west  of  Porter  County 
and  north  of  the  line  dividing  Townships  34  and  35,  should  constitute  a 
township  to  be  known  as  Ross,  and  an  election  of  necessary  oflBcers  was 
ordered  held  at  the  house  of  William  B.  Crook,  in  such  township,  on  the 
30th  of  April,  1836,  with  Rollin  T.  T.  Tozier,  Inspector. 

At  the  election  in  Bryant  Township,  the  following  persons  voted  for 
one  Justice  of  the  Peace :  Thomas  Nolan,  Simon  Wells,  Jesse  Bond, 
Solomon  Wilson,  Rhesa  Nolan,  David  Bryant,  E.  W.  Bryant,  Robert 
Wilkinson,  John  Keller,  Samuel  D.  Bryant,  Thomas  Wiles,  Samuel 
Holstead. 

Robert  Wilkinson  received  ten  votes,  and  E.  W.  Bryant  two   votes. 

John  Keller,  S.  D.  Bryant,  Robert  Wilkinson,  Clerks  of  Election ; 
Thomas  Wiles,  Lyman  Wells,  Thomas  Nolan,  Judges  of  Election. 

At  the  election  in  Clark  Township,  for  the  same  purpose,  the  follow- 
ing persons  polled  their  votes :  J.  W.  Holton,  Luman  Fowler,  William 
Clark,  William  Myrick,  Henry  Farmer,  Richard  Fancher,  W.  A.  W. 
Holton,  Elias  Myrick,  Thomas  Reed,  Henry  Myrick,  Solon  Robinson. 

Solon  Robinson  received  ten  votes,  and  J.  W.  Holton  one  vote. 

W.  A.  W.  Holton,  Henry  Myrick,  Clerks  of  Election ;  William 
Clark,  Henry  Farmer,  William  Myrick,  Judges  of  Election. 

On  the  same  day,  for  the  same  purpose,  in  Ross  Township,  the  follow- 
ing men  voted  :  R.  T.  Tozier,  Jesse  Pierce,  Henry  Biddle,  William  B. 
Crooks  and  William  S.   Thornburgh. 

A.  L.  Ball  received  five  votes. 

W.  S.  Thornburgh,  W.  B.  Crooks,  Clerks  of  Election;  R.  T. 
Tozier,  Inspector  ;  Jesse  Pierce,  Henry  Riddle,  Judges  of  Election. 

Formation  of  Oounty. — By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  on 
the  18th  day  of  January,  1837,  it  was  declared  that  Lake  should  be  an 
independent  county  after  the  15th  day  of  February,  1837,  and,  on  the 
8th  day  of  March,  1837,  Henry  Wells  was  commissioned  Sheriff  by  the 
Governor,  with  full  power  to  order  an  election  of  County  Commissioners 
and  other  necessary  oflficers  to  administer  the  affairs  of  the  new  county. 
A  Sheriff  who  had  been  previously  appointed  failed  to  act.  In  accord- 
ance with  the  legal  requirements,  the  Sheriff  announced  that  an  election 
of  three  County  Commissioners,  two  Associate  Judges,  one  County  Re- 
corder and  one  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court,  should  be  held  on  the  28th 
day  of  March,  1837,  at  the  house  of  Samuel  D.   Bryant,  with  E.   W. 


420  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Bryant  Inspector  ;  at  the  house  of  R.  Eddy  with  William  Clark  Inspec- 
tor, and  at  the  house  of  A.  L.  Ball  with  William  S.  Thornburgh,  Inspec- 
tor. This  election  was  duly  held  with  the  following  result :  Clerk  of 
the  Circuit  Court — Solon  Kobinson,  38 ;  D.  Y.  Bond,  21 ;  L.  A.  Fow- 
ler, 17.  County  Recorder — William  A.  W.  Holton,  50  ;  J.  V.  Johns, 
22.  Two  Associate  Judges — William  B.  Crooks,  51  ;  William  Clark, 
50  ;  Samuel  D.  Bryant,  28  ;  Horace  Taylor,  1.  Three  County  Com- 
missioners— Amsi  L.  Ball,  78  ;  S.  P.  Stringham,  59  ;  Thomas  Wiles, 
59.  The  Commissioners  cast  lots  for  the  long  or  short  terms  with  the 
following  result :  Mr.  Ball  three  years,  Mr.  Wiles  two  years,  and  Mr. 
Stringham  one  year. 

Miscellaneous  Proceedings  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners. — On  the 
5th  day  of  April,  1837,  the  Commissioners,  S.  P.  Stringham,  Amsi  L.  Ball 
and  Thomas  Wiles,  met  at  the  house  of  Solon  Robinson  for  the  trans- 
action of  business.  It  was  ordered  that  the  county  be  divided  into  Com- 
missioners' districts  as  follows  :  District  No.  1  to  consist  of  all  the  terri- 
tory lying  north  of  the  center  of  Congressional  Township  35  in  Ranges 
8,  9  and  10,  and  in  Range  7,  all  north  of  Township  31.  District  No.  2 
to  consist  of  all  the  territory  lying  south  of  the  center  of  Township  35, 
in  Ranges  8,  9  and  10,  and  in  Range  7  south,  of  Township  35,  and  all 
north  of  the  fifth  tier  of  sections  (counting  from  the  south  side)  in  Town- 
ship 33.  District  No.  3  to  consist  of  all  the  territory  lying  south  of  the 
north  tier  of  sections  in  Township  33.  At  the  same  time  it  was  ordered 
that  the  county  be  divided  into  three  townships,  having  the  same  limits 
and  bounds  as  the  three  Commissioners'  districts,  the  one  on  the  north  to 
be  known  as  North,  the  one  in  the  center  to  be  known  as  Centre,  and  the 
one  on  the  south  to  be  known  as  South.  An  election  of  one  Justice  of 
the  Peace  was  ordered  held  on  the  18th  of  April  for  Centre  Township, 
on  the  25th  of  April  for  North  Township,  and  on  the  25th  of  April  for 
South  Township,  the  election  in  North  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  A.  L. 
Ball,  with  John  Wood,  Inspector  ;  the  election  in  Centre  to  beheld  at  the 
house  of  Solon  Robinson,  with  Elias  Myrick,  Inspector,  and  the  election 
in  South  to  be  held  at  the  house  then  lately  occupied  by  Thomas  New- 
land,  with  E.  W.  Bryant,  Inspector.  Peyton  Russell,  of  Liverpool,  was 
elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  North  ;  Milo  Robinson  and  Horace  Tay- 
lor, of  Centre  ;  and  E.  W.  Bryant,  of  South.  The  following  officers 
were  appointed  :  North  Township — Constable,  John  Cole  ;  Fence  View- 
ers, D.Y.  Bond  and  J.  Wiggings;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  John  Wood 
and  George  Zuvers  ;  Road  Supervisors,  Rufus  Clough  and  Francis  Bar- 
ney. Centre  Township — Constable.  Thomas  Clark ;  Fence  Viewers, 
William  S.  Hunt  and  H.  N.  Brooks  ;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Henry 
Farmer  and   William   Payne ;   Road  Supervisors,   John   Toby  and  J.  W. 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  421 

Ilolton.  South  Township — Constable,  Jacob  Mendenhall ;  Fence  View- 
ers, Samuel  D.  Bryant  and  Jesse  Bond;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  John  P. 
Coleman  and  Elias  Bryant  ;  Road  Supervisors,  Robert  Wilkinson  and 
John  P.  Coleman.  On  the  second  day's  session,  the  following  action 
was  taken  : 

Ordered,  That  the  Clerk  call  on  the  Clerk  of  Porter  County  and  ascertain  what 
amount  of  revenue  has  been  collected  by  authority  of  Porter  County  from  citizens  of  this 
county  for  licenses  or  other  purposes,  for  any  time  since  the  15th  of  Februarj^  last.  And 
if  he  deem  the  amount  sufficient,  he  shall  make  a  respectful  demand  upon  the  Board  o^ 
Commissioners  of  that  county  to  refund  such  revenue  to  this  county.  He  shall  also 
ascertain  what  amount  of  money  may  have  been  collected  from  citizens  of  this  county 
during  the  last  year,  as  State  tax,  which  properly  belongs  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  several 
Congressional  Townships  as  school  money,  and  repoi-t  to  this  board  at  the  next  meeting. 

John  Russell  was  appointed  County  Assessor,  and  Milo  Robinson  3 
per  cent  Commissioner.  A  warrant  was  issued  for  the  arrest  of  trespass- 
ers on  pine  timber  in  North  Township.  George  W.  Edwards,  the  pine 
timber  trespasser,  was  brought  before  the  board  in  May,  1837.  His  bail 
was  fixed  at  $1,000,  William  W.  Payne  was  promised  $1,  payable 
April  1,  1839,  for  one  wolf  scalp.  Vincent  Mathews  was  granted  a  li- 
cense to  keep  a  ferry  across  the  Calumet  River  on  Section  13,  Township 
36,  Range  10,  upon  the  payment  of  §2;  also  a  license  to  keep  a  ferry  on 
Deep  River  at  the  town  of  Liverpool  was  granted  Henry  Frederickson, 
John  B.  Chapman  and  Nathaniel  Davis,  $10  ;  also  a  license  to  keep  tav- 
ern was  granted  A.  P.  Bucklin  and  Foster  Murdock,  of  Liverpool,  for  $10 
a  year.  Horace  Stevens,  John  Craig  and  Hannah  Berry  were  granted 
licenses  to  keep  tavern  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  S.  J.  Cady  and 
David  Gibson,  the  same  on  the  sand  ridge  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
county.  William  N.  Sykes  was  appointed  County  Surveyor,  and  Henry 
Wells  Collector  of  State  and  county  revenue.  The  citizens  of  North 
Township  did  not  elect  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  as  ordered,  and  the  16th  of 
May  was  fixed  for  an  election  for  that  purpose.  The  following  Trustees 
of  Congressional  Townships  were  appointed  :  Township  32  north,  Range 
9  west — Simon  Beedle,  John  McLain  and  Horace  Wood  ;  Township  33, 
Range  9 — Jacob  Mendenhall,  Thomas  Wiles  and  D.  M.  Dille ;  Township 
34,  Range  9 — P.  S.  Mason,  David  Hornor  and  Daniel  May ;  Township 
33,  Range  8 — E.  W.  Bryant,  Eph.  Hitchcock  and  Orrin  Smith  ;  Town- 
ship 34,  Range  8 — Joseph  P.  Smith,  J.  W.  Holton  and  Milo  Robin- 
son ;  Township  35,  Range  8 — Jonathan  Brown,  H.  D.  Palmer  and  Jerry 
Wiggins  ;  Township  34,  Range  7 — Jeremy  Hixon,  Thayer  and  Lindsay; 
Township  35,  Range  7 — John  Wood,  Robert  Wilkinson  and  William 
Hodson  ;  Township  36,  Range  9 — George  Whitmore,  S.  J.  Cady  and 
W.  N.  Sykes.  At  this  time  ten  county  roads  were  being  viewed.  Sealed 
proposals  were  called  for  to  build  bridges  over  Deep  River  on  Section  16, 


422  HISTORY   OF  LAKE   COUNTY. 

Township  35,  Range  7,  over  the  same  on  or  near  Section  33,  Township 
35,  Range  8,  over  Cedar  Creek  on  Section  1,  Township  33,  Range  9, 
and  over  Bull  Creek  on  Section  25,  Township  33,  Range  10. 

In  vacation  after  the  first  May  session,  the  following  books  were  re- 
ceived from  the  State.  Four  sets  of  twelve  volumes  Biackfont's  Reports, 
ten  copies  of  Revised  Code,  two  copies  each  of  1832,  1833,  1834,  and 
three  copies  of  1836,  General  Laws ;  forty-five  copies  of  General  Laws  of 
1837,  five  copies  Local  Laws  of  1837,  six  copies  School  Laws  of  1837, 
and  eight  copies  of  Journal  of  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives. 
A.  L.  Ball  was  given  the  contract  of  building  a  bridge  over  Deep  River, 
Section  16,  Township  35,  Range  7,  for  3100,  S.  P.  Stringham  and 
Thomas  Wiles,  Superintendents ;  Hiram  Nordyke,  Harbeson  Bones  and 
Jacob  Nordyke  were  given  the  contract  to  build  the  bridge  over  Deep 
River  on  Section  33,  Township  35,  Range  8,  Solon  Robinson,  Superin- 
tendent; contract  price  $500.  Robert  Wilkinson  was  given  the  contract 
to  construct  a  bridge  over  Cedar  Creek  for  $200.  N.  Hayden  was  given 
the  contract  to  build  the  bridge  over  Bull  Creek  for  $400.  The  follow- 
ing licenses  were  granted :  Stephen  Smith,  to  sell  groceries  in  Centre 
Township,  $5  ;  J.  L.  Dille,  same,  in  South  Township,  on  Bull  Creek.  $5  ; 
T.  M.  Dustin,  same,  in  North  Township,  on  Deep  River,  $5;  Robinson 
&  Co.,  same,  with  dry  goods,  in  Centre  Township,  $5  ;  Calvin  Lilly  to 
keep  a  tavern  near  Cedar  Lake  in  Centre  Township,  $15,  and  to  sell  gro- 
ceries and  dry  goods,  $5.  John  Russell  was  paid  $45  for  assessing  the 
county.  Two  hundred  dollars  of  the  3  per  cent  fund  was  appropriated 
to  build  a  bridge  across  Plum  Creek.  Tsvo  hundred  dollars  was  appro- 
priated to  improve  the  Michigan  City  State  road.  A  tax  of  1  cent  on 
the  dollar  for  county  purposes,  3  cents  on  the  hundred  dollars  for  road 
purposes,  and  a  poll  tax  of  75  cents  for  county  purposes,  was  levied  on 
the  30th  of  May.  A  higher  tax  is  usually  thought  to  have  been  lev- 
ied, but  the  Commissioners'  records  contradict  this  opinion.  S.  P.  String- 
ham  was  appointed  agent  to  receive  and  disburse  the  surplus  revenue. 

After  the  second  May  session,  in  vacation,  Benjamin  Stalleup  was 
granted  a  certificate  for  $1.50  for  three  wolf  scalps.  A  license  to  sell 
goods  and  keep  tavern  granted  to  Russell  &  Stilson,  of  Liverpool,  from 
July  to  September,  for  $3.50;  same  except  grocery  license,  to  Benjamin 
Rich,  Liverpool,  $2  ;  license  of  62  cents  to  Samuel  Miller  to  retail 
foreign  merchandise  on  Deep  River  until  September.  The  collector  of 
revenue  referred  to  above  refused  to  act,  and  the  Sheriff",  Luraan  A.  Fow- 
ler, elected  in  August,  was  appointed  Collector  in  his  place. 

In  September,  1837,  it  was  resolved  by  the  board,  "  that  all  Viewers 
fof  roads )  appointed  by  the  court  at  the  present  term,  perform  the  duty 
without  compensation   within  thirty  days,  or  give  notice  to  the   clerk  of 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  423 

their  refusal  to  serve."  During  this  session,  many  roads  were  projected 
in  the  county,  and  considerable  money  was  paid  out  for  their  construction. 
In  truth,  from  that  time  onward  until  the  present,  the  records  of  the  Com- 
missioners are  filled  with  orders  to  locate,  to  view  and  to  construct  roads  ; 
and  thousands  of  dollars  of  public  funds  have  been  expended  in  payment  for 
labor,  for  material  and  for  supervision.  In  September,  $68.25  were  or- 
dered and  paid  to  the  Grand  and  Petit  Jurors,  who  had  served  at  the  first 
term  of  the  Circuit  Court  in  October. 

In  November,  the  license  granted  to  Henry  Frederickson,  Nathaniel 
Davis  and  John  B.  Chapman,  proprietors  of  Liverpool,  to  keep  a  ferry 
across  Deep  River,  was  revoked,  as  they  had  neglected  to  procure  proper 
security  on  their  bond,  Abner  Stilson,  Jr.,  was  appointed  to  keep  the 
ferry,  provided  he  secured  a  good  and  sufficient  bond.  In  November,  a 
county  seat  was  adopted  ;  A.  L.  Ball,  who  had  been  one  of  the  County 
Commissioners,  but  who  had  resigned  the  position  to  run  for  Representa- 
tive, refused  to  deliver  over  to  the  authorities  the  books  and  papers  in  his 
possession  belonging  to  the  county,  whereupon  it  was  "  Ordered^  That  a 
summons  be  issued  to  him  to  make  return  of  the  same  forthwith,  or  ap- 
pear and  show  cause  why  he  refuses,  at  the  next  term."  The  following 
persons  served  as  Grand  Jurors  at  the  October  term,  1837,  of  the  Circuit 
Court:  John  Wood,  E.  J.  Robinson,  J.  P.  Smith,  Benj.  Albee,  Thomas 
Sawyer,  Elias  Bryant,  Horace  Taylor,  Henry  Wells,  W.  L.  Harrison. 
Henry  Torry,  Abner  Stilson,  Jr.,  W.  W.  Payne,  James  Westbrook,  Levi 
D.  Jones,  Calvin  Lilly  and  George  Earle.  At  the  same  time,  the  follow- 
ing men  served  as  Petit  Jurors  :  Milo  Robinson,  G.  L.  Zabriska,  Aaron 
Cox,  Orrin  Smith,  E.  W.  Bryant,  John  Reed,  Thomas  Hornor.  Levi 
Jones,  J.  Mendenhall,  Horace  Wood,  Hiram  Nordyke,  James  Prentice, 
Elias  Myrick,  G.  E.  Woodbridge,  Henry  Farmer,  Daniel  May,  N.  D. 
Hall,  Richard  Fousher  and  Allen  L.  Cord.  Amount  paid  Grand  Jurors, 
f  36  ;  amount  paid  Petit  Jurors,  $26.25  ;  amount  paid  Supernumeraries. 
$8.75.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1838,  Milo  Robinson,  3  per  cent  Com- 
missioner, presented  his  report  as  follows,  which  was  accepted  :  Receipts, 
$2,380;  expenditures,  $1,896.81;  balance  on  hand,  $183.19.  On  the 
same  day,  "  it  now  appearing  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  board  that  the 
Recorder's  office  of  the  county  has  become  vacant,  in  consequence  of  the 
absence  of  the  person  heretofore  elected  to  that  office,  for  more  than  two 
months  past,  to  the  injury  of  several  citizens  now  present  before  the 
Board,  it  is,  therefore,  'Ordered,  That  Solon  Robinson  be,  and  he  is  here- 
by, appointed  to  fill  the  said  office  of  Recorder  until  the  next  annual  elec 
tion,  and  that  he  enter  into  bond,  and  take  the  oath  of  office,  and  enter 
upon  the  duties  thereof  instanter.'  "  The  County  Treasurer  reported 
that,  from  the  organization  of  the  county  to  the  1st  of  January,  1838,  a 


424  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

total  of  ^411.14  had  been  paid  to  him  as  such  oflEicer,  and  that  a  total  of 
$392.25  had  been  expended  by  him,  leaving  a  balance  in  his  hands  of 
$18.89.  Of  this,  he  was  paid  $6.16,  leaving  in  the  Treasury  $12.73.  It 
was  also  reported  that  $506.45  in  county  orders  had  been  issued,  of  which 
$114.20  were  yet  in  circulation  and  unredeemed.  The  Assessors  for 
1838  were  J.  V.  Johns,  for  North  Township;  Daniel  May,  for  Centre 
Township,  and  Jacob  Mendenhall,  for  South  Township.  In  May,  1838, 
the  county  was  divided  into  sixteen  Road  Districts,  the  following  men 
in  order  being  the  Supervisors  :  S.  J.  Cady,  J.  V.  Johns,  Seth  Owens. 
Boyal  Benton,  Jonathan  Brown,  Leonard  Cutler,  Henry  Wells,  John 
Reed,  Edmund  Brown,  Hiram  Nordyke,  Robert  Wilkinson,  John  Smith. 
G.  L.  Zabriska,  Thomas  Sawyer,  Lewis  Warriner  and  Jabez  Rhoades. 
The  Assessors  were  paid :  J.  V.  Johns,  $32  ;  Daniel  May,  $25,  and 
Jacob  Mendenhall,  $18.  Luman  A.  Fowler  was  appointed  Collector  of 
Revenue  for  1838.  On  February  17,  1838,  the  Legislature  enacted  that 
the  building  wherein  the  courts  were  held  in  Lake  County  (a  log  building 
owned  by  Solon  Robinson)  should  be  declared  and  established  as  a  court 
house,  and  a  seat  of  justice  of  the  county,  until  such  time  as  the  county 
seat  shall  be  located,  and  public  buildings  erected,  provided  that  the 
Commissioners  of  Lake  County  should  agree  to  the  provisions  of  the  act. 
all  of  which  was  agreed  to  by  the  board,  except  that  the  erection  of  a 
jail,  and  other  buildings,  was  postponed.  This  log  building  was  erected 
in  the  summer  of  1837,  by  Solon  Robinson  and  his  brother  Milo,  and 
was  used  continuously  until  the  new  court  house  was  constructed  in  1848 
and  1850.  In  the  bond  which  Solon  Robinson  gave  the  County  Com- 
missioners, pledging  certain  property  to  the  county  in  consideration  foi- 
the  location  of  the  county  seat  at  Crown  Point,  was  a  provision  to  the 
eifect  that  the  old  log  building  might  be  used  as  a  court  house  until  the 
county  saw  proper  to  erect  new  buildings,  which  did  not  take  place  until 
1849,  after  which  time  the  old  house  was  no  longer  occupied  for  county 
purposes.  Mr.  Amos  Allman  has  a  section  of  one  of  the  logs  composing 
this  building,  which  he  prizes  next  to  the  historical  lecture  in  his  posses- 
sion, written  by  Solon  Robinson  in  181:7,  and  read  to  the  citizens  at  that 
early  day.  Many  of  the  items  contained  in  this  volume  were  obtained 
from  this  lecture,  which  Mr.  Allman  kindly  permitted  the  historian  to 
inspect. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  1838,  sundry  petitions  were  received  by  the 
board  from  different  portions  of  the  county,  asking  that  a  re-division  of 
the  county  into  townships  should  be  made,  but  action  on  the  same  was 
deferred  by  public  announcement  until  March  of  the  following  year. 

The  following  are  the  receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  county  school 
fund  for  the  first  five  years,  or  from  the  spring  of  1837  to  the  spring  of 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  425 

1842.  Under  the  head  of  expenditures,  the  amounts  paid  individuals, 
as  indicated,  were  paid  them  in  their  official  capacity  as  Treasurers  of 
their  respective  townships  : 

BECEIPTS. 

Interest  of  surplus  revenue  drawn  for  1837 ^  170  00 

Interest  of  surplus  revenue  drawn  for  1838 170  00 

Interest  of  surplus  revenue  drawn  for  1839 170  00 

Interest  of  surplus  revenue  drawn  for  1840 170  00 

Interest  of  surplus  revenue  drawn  for  1841 170  00 

Interest  on  the  above  amounts  of  1837  and  1838 16  26 

Loans  paid  School  Commissioner,  1838 170  00 

Sundry  loans  and  interest,  1839 306  90 

Sundry  loans  and  interest,  1840 446  26 

Sundry  loans  and  interest,  1841 406  76 

Total 12,195  18 

EXPENDITURES. 

Loans  to  sundry  individuals,  1837  and  1838 $  440  76 

Cash  paid  Township  34,  Range  8,  1838 46  87 

Cash  paid  Township  33,  Range  10,  1838 9  56 

Cash  paid  Township  33,  Range  8,  1838 25  50 

Cash  loaned  sundry  individuals,  1839 298  81 

Cash  paid  Joseph  Jackson,  Township  33,  Range  10,  1839 4  27 

Cash  paid  Horace  Taylor,  Township  34,  Range  9,  1839 32  33 

Cash  paid  W.  A.  W.  Holton,  Township  34,  Range  8,  1839 24  40 

Cash  paid  E.  Saxton,  Township  35,  Range  8,  1889 14  75 

Cash  paid  E.  W.  Bryant,  Township  33,  Range  8,  1839 21  46 

Loans,  1839 80  00 

Loans,  1840 183  gi 

Cash  paid  Solon  Robinson,  Township  34,  Range  8,  1840 20  40 

Cash  paid  T.  Sweney,  Township  33,  Range  7,  1840 9  00 

Cash  paid  James  Farwell,  Township  34,  Range  10,  1840 12  00 

Cash  paid  E.  W.  Bryant,  Township  33,  Range  8,  1840 17  00 

Cash  paid  W.  A.  Nichols,  Township  34,  Range  7,  1840 14  40 

Cash  paid  Horace  Taylor,  Township  34,  Range  9,  1840 24  40 

Cash  paid  Horace  Taylor,  Township  34,  Range  9,  1837  and  1838..  29  16 

Cash  paid  W.  A.  Nichols,  Township  34,  Range  7,  1841 48  64 

Cash  paid  Solon  Robinson,  Township  34,  Range  8,  1841 34  71 

Cash  paid  Horace  Taylor,  Township  34,  Range  9,  1841 61   16 

Cash  paid  B.  Barney,  Township  35,  Range  7,  1841 25  00 

Cash  paid  W.  N.  Sykes,  Township  35,  Range  8,  1841 33  13 

Cash  paid  G.  L.  Zabriska,  Township  33,  Range  8,  1841 30  76 

Cash  paid  T.  C.  Sweney,  Township  33,  Range  7,  1841 20  25 

Total $1,562  43 

Receipt  balance  held  in  the  form  of  notes 632  75 

In  May,  1838,  the  licenses  for  tavern  stands  and  liquor  sales  in  Liv- 
erpool were  fixed  at  $30  per  year ;  at  other  places  on  the  Sand  Ridge 
road  at  $25  per  year,  and  in  other  portions  of  the  county  at  $15.  An 
appeal  was  taken  to  the  Circuit  Court  by  Frederickson,  Davis  and  Chap- 
man from  the  order  of  the   board  granting  to  Abner  Stilson,  Jr.,  condi- 


426  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

tionally,  the  license  to  keep  the  ferry  over  Deep  River  at  Liverpool. 
The  security  of  the  bond  of  these  men  having  been  made  satisfactory, 
the  court  granted  tbem  the  right  of  keeping  the  ferry.  In  November, 
1838,  L.  A.  Fowler,  Sheriff,  fitted  up  the  lower  room  of  the  old  log 
court  house  for  a  prison,  at  a  cost  of  ^64. 

The  County  Seat. — On  the  2d  of  November,  1838,  the  following 
action  was  taken : 

Whereas,  The  law  organizing  the  county  of  Lake  prohibits  the  Board  of  Commission- 
ers from  calling  on  the  Commissioners  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to  locate  the  county 
seat  of  said  county,  until  after  the  general  sale  of  public  lands  in  said  county,  and 

Whereas,  The  county  suflFers  much  inconvenience  in  consequence  of  the  county  seat 
not  being  permanently  located,  and 

Whereas,  Only  a  part  of  such  public  lands  are  as  yet  offered  for  sale,  and 

Whereas,  Much  of  the  land  in  said  county  is  claimed  and  held  under  the  late  pre- 
emption law  of  Congress. 

We  would,  therefore,  respectfully  ask  the  Legislature  at  their  next  session  to  so 
amend  said  law  as  to  allow  the  County  Commissioners  to  call  on  the  Locating  Commis- 
sioners at  any  time  after  the  passage  of  the  said  law,  to  examine  said  county,  and  if  they 
find  a  suitable  point  upon  which  to  fix  such  location  that  is  held  by  pre-emption  title, 
that  they  may,  if  they  see  proper,  fix  the  location  upon  said  site. 

And  it  is  further  ordered  that  the  Clerk  of  this  Board  certify  this  order  to  the 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  request  him  to  lay  the  same  before  the 
House  for  their  action  thereon. 

In  response  to  this  entreaty  from  Lake  County,  the  State  Legislature. 

in  February,  1839,  appointed  five  Locating  Commissioners,  and  instructed 

them   by  special  enactment  to  proceed  to  Lake   County,  and  locate  the 

county  seat ;  whereupon,  in  obedience  to  the   order,  the  following  action 

was  taken  by  such  Commissioners  : 

We,  the  undersigned  Commissioners  appointed  to  locate  the  seat  of  justice  of  Lake 
County,  after  having  examined  the  local  situation  and  advantages  of  three  points,  to  wit.: 
Lake  Court  House,  Cedar  Lake  and  Liverpool,  a  majority  of  the  undersigned  have  agreed 
to  locate  said  county  seat  on  the  town  plat  of  Liverpool,  and  place  the  stake  for  the  court 
house  of  said  county  on  the  public  square  of  the  town  of  Liverpool,  in  case  the  pro- 
prietors and  donors  comply  with  their  proposals  by  securing  to  the  county  of  Lake  the 
amount  oflFered  by  them,  the  bonds  to  be  approved  by  us  before  we  set  the  stake  for  the 
court  house.  The  above  bonds  referred  to  have  been  signed  and  approved  by  us  this 
11th  of  May,  1839. 

(Signed)  John  M.  Lemon, 

Stephen  Jones, 
AsAHEL  K.  Payne, 
Jacob  Ellis, 
Samuel  Wittier, 

Locating  Commissioners. 

At  the  same  time,  the  Locating  Commissioners  turned  over  to  the 
County  Commissioners  seven  bonds  given  by  the  proprietors  of  Liverpool, 
whereby  certain  donations  of  property  were  secured  to  the  county.  They 
also  drew  their  pay,  a  total  of  §138,  and  were  discharged.  In  conformity 
with  the  legal  requirements,  George  Earle  was  appointed  County  Agent, 


HISTOKF  OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  427 

to  look  after  the  property  that  had  been  donated  the  county  as  a  consider- 
ation of  the  location  of  the  county  seat  at  Liverpool,  and  to  perform  other 
duties  required  by  the  act  establishing  the  seat  of  justice  in  new  counties. 
But  the  location  of  the  county  seat  at  Liverpool  was  not  at  all  satisfactory 
to  the  citizens  of  the  central  and  southern  portions  of  the  county.  So 
great  was  the  hostility  to  the  location  of  the  county  seat  at  Liverpool,  not 
merely  because  the  location  was  at  one  end  of  the  county,  but  because  the 
citizens  were  generally  satisfied  that  some  sort  of  sharp  work  had  induced 
the  Locating  Commissioners  to  select  Liverpool,  that  the  county  officers 
were  publicly  urged  not  to  go  to  that  town  until  the  State  Legislature 
had  been  petitioned  for  a  re-location.  Under  the  law,  the  county  officers 
were  not  compelled  to  remove  to  Liverpool  until  suitable  buildings  for 
their  occupancy  had  been  erected.  The  proprietors  of  Liverpool  began 
the  erection  of  a  frame  court  house,  but  the  building  was  never  quite 
finished.  It  remained  unoccupied  at  Liverpool  until  1846,  when  it  was 
floated  down  the  river  to  Blue  Island,  where  it  was  used  as  a  tavern  many 
years.  At  the  session  of  1839-40,  the  Legislature  received  information 
of  the  dissatisfaction  existing  in  Lake  over  the  county  seat  question, 
whereupon  a  re-location  was  ordered,  and  Commissioners  were  appointed 
to  carry  the  enactment  into  effect.  These  officers  met,  deliberated,  and 
finally  made  the  following  report : 

To  the  Board  of  Commissioners  of  the  County  of  Lake,  State  of  Indiana  : 

We,  the  undersigned  Commissioners  to  re-locate  the  seat  of  justice  of  siid  county 

appointed  by  an  act  passed  at  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature,  having  met  agreeable  to 

the  provisions  of  that  act  at  a  place  named  in  said  act  as  West  Point,  on  Monday,  the  8t)i 

day  of  June,  instant,  and  having  taken  the  oath  required  by  lavr,  have  proceeded  to  the 

fulfillment  of  our  duty,  and  after  having  thoroughly  examined  the  situation  of  the  county. 

as  to  the  quality  of  the  soil,  v?eight  of  the  present  population,  and  having  duly  examined 

and  considered    the  several  sites  offered,  together  vsrith  the  donations  offered  in  bonds. 

money  and  labor  upon  the  public  buildings,  and  duly  deliberated  upon  all  the  several 

matters  in  relation  thereto,  have  come  to  the  conclusion,  unanimously,  to  fix  the  said  seat 

of  justice  on  Section  8,  Town  34,  Range  8,  near  vehere  the  present  temporary  court  house 

is  situated ;  and  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  the  court  house  and  public  ofiices,  we  have 

selected  an  acre  of  ground  on  the  north  side  of  the  present  public  ground  or  square,  a 

more  particular  description  of  the  situation  of  which,  and  the  use  it  is  designed  for,  as 

well  as  a  full  description  of  all  the  land  donated  for  the  use  of  the  county,  will  be  found 

in  a  paper  marked  "  original  proposals,"  and  in  a  bond  taken  in  pursuance  of  that,  which 

papers  are  herewith  returned,  having  been  approved  and  accepted  by  us.     We  also  return 

to  you  sundry  obligations  of  individuals  for  donations  of  money,  materials  and  labor 

toward  your  public  buildings,  which  we  have  ordered  to  be  secured  to  your  satisfaction  ; 

and  having  discharged  all  the  duties  required  of  us  by  law,  we  most  respectfully  submit 

this,  our  report,  to  you,  and  ask  to  be  considered  discharged  from  our  duties  under 

said  law.  Edward  Moore, 

Jesse  Tomlinson, 

Henry  Barkley, 

Joshua  Lindsey, 

Daniel  Dale, 

Lake  Court  House,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  June  12,  1840.  Locating  Commissioners. 

z 


428  HISTORY  OF  LAKE  COUNTY. 

These  Commissioners,  having  performed  their  duty,  were  paid  $184.76, 
and  discharged.  George  Earle  was  continued  County  Agent,  with  orders 
to  have  the  notes  of  Henry  Myrick,  James  Wright,  J.  A.  Bothwell,  C. 
F.  Cooke,  Daniel  May  and  Jacob  Gilbert  executed  agreeably  to  their 
several  donations.  The  agent  was  also  ordered  to  prepare  a  plat  of  the 
town,  to  be  laid  off  in  accordance  with  the  obligations  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  county  seat,  and  to  assume  control  of  the  lands  and  other  property 
that  had  been  donated,  as  follows  :  William  Clark,  35  acres,  a  portion  of 
which,  owing  to  some  imperfections  in  the  transfer,  went  back  to  Mr. 
Clark ;  Solon  Robinson,  20  acres  on  the  west ;  Russel  Eddy,  10  acres, 
and  J.  W.  Holton,  15  acres,  besides  one-half  the  lots  of  the  county  seat, 
all  of  which  property  furnished  the  county  with  an  important  source  of 
revenue  in  after  years,  and  obviated  much  of  the  necessity  of  heavy  tax- 
ation. Mr.  Robinson  had  made  other  valuable  concessions  to  the  county, 
such  as  receiving  county  orders,  and  furnishing  a  court  house  for  the 
county. 

In  September,  1840,  the  building  belonging  to  Solon  Robinson  was 
enlarged,  by  raising  the  roof,  for  the  purpose  of  affording  more  room  for 
the  county  offices.  At  the  same  time,  the  county  agent  was  ordered  to 
sell  the  county  lots  in  Crown  Point,  on  a  credit  of  one,  two  and  three 
years,  taking  notes  for  the  same,  and  also  to  rent  the  land  donated  by 
William  Clark  and  J.  W.  Holton,  to  some  person  who  would  put  it 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  A  bounty  of  $2  was  ordered  paid  for 
wolf  scalps.  A  public  pound  was  built,  and  Henry  Wells  appointed 
keeper.  At  this  time,  the  board  gave  notice  that  $20  would  be  paid  for 
the  best  plan  for  a  county  court  house,  the  building  to  be  28x46  feet, 
with  court  room  below  and  offices  above,  the  plan  to  be  accompanied 
with  full  specifications,  with  estimated  amount  of  material,  cost,  etc.  No 
further  action  on  that  matter  seems  to  have  been  taken.  Arrangements 
to  construct  a  fire-proof  Auditor's  office  were  made  in  March,  1844.  It 
was  ordered  that  the  log  building  owned  by  Solon  Robinson,  and  situated 
at  the  west  end  of  the  court  house,  should  be  turned  over  to  Mr.  Robinson, 
in  March,  1844,  as  it  was  no  longer  needed  by  the  county  officers.  In  Sep- 
tember, Michael  M.  Mills  donated  §50,  in  labor,  toward  the  construction  of 
the  public  buildings.  The  county  agent  was  authorized  to  contract  for  stone 
for  the  foundation  of  the  new  court  house.  In  June,  1845,  it  was  ordered 
that  two  offices  should  be  built  of  brick,  each  18x24  feet,  both  to  be  com- 
pleted before  the  1st  of  November,  1845,  the  architecural  design  to  be 
under  the  direction  of  William  C.  Farrington,  H.  S.  Pelton  and  Joseph 
P.  Smith,  and  the  superintendency  to  be  under  Henry  Wells.  Michael 
M.  Mills  was  given  the  contract  of  constructing  the  county  offices,  the 
consideration  to  be  partly  cash   and  partly  on  time,  with  interest.     The 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  429 

notes  which  had  been  given  by  those  who  had  donated  money  to  the 
county,  or  had  purchased  town  lots,  had  not  yet  been  paid,  and  the  county 
agent  was  instructed  to  cash  the  same  as  soon  as  possible,  as  the  money 
was  needed  in  payment  for  building  the  offices.  In  March,  1846,  Solon 
Robinson  was  notified  to  remove  his  log  building  from  the  court  house 
square,  which  was  accordingly  done.  In  September,  the  county  offices 
were  ready  for  occupancy.  At  the  December  session,  1846,  Henry  Wells 
was  appointed  a  Commissioner  to  advertise  the  letting  of  a  contract  to 
furnish  250,000  bricks  for  the  building  of  a  court  house,  at  a  price  not 
exceeding  $3.25  per  thousand,  to  be  delivered  on  the  lot  north  of  thr 
public  square  in  Crown  Point  by  the  1st  of  January,  1848,  payable  as 
follows :  $150  in  labor  donations  and  the  balance  in  county  orders,  sub- 
ject to  the  direction  of  the  board.  The  design  of  this  order  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  realized  as    soon   as  was  expected,  as  in  December, 

1847,  the  county  agent  was  directed  to  procure  a  plan  and  specifications 
for  a  court  house,  36x56  feet,  with  a  porch  or  portico  in  front,  ten  feet 
wide,  with  columns  to  support  the  roof  and  proportioned  in  a  suitable 
manner  for  the  purposes  intended,  with  wings  on  each  side,  16x18  feet, 
and  to  report  his  doings  at  the  next  term  of  the  board.  In  March,  1^48, 
those  indebted  to  the  county  for  donations  toward  the  erection  of  the 
county  buildings  .were  notified  to  pay  up,  and  it  was  intimated  that  upon 
refusal,  suit  would  be  commenced.  This  had  the  effect  of  raising  the 
necessary  funds.     The  Sheriff  was  notified  to  repair  the  jail.     In  March, 

1848,  the  county  agent  was  directed  to  procure  a  plan  and  specifications 
for  a  court  house  without  wings,  as  was  ordered  some  time  before.  On 
the  5th  of  June,  1848,  the  Board  authorized  the  county  agent  to  adver- 
tise in  the  Western  Ranger,  of  Valparaiso,  the  letting  of  a  contract  to 
build  a  court  house  at  Crown  Point,  agreeable  to  plans  and  specifications 
in  the  hands  of  the  agent,  John  W.  Dinwiddle,  sealed  proposals  to  be 
received  until  the  first  Monday  of  September  next,  the  house  to  be  com- 
pleted within  two  years  from  the  time  of  letting  the  contract,  payments 
to  be  made  every  three  months,  as  the  work  progressed,  15  per  cent  of 
the  payments  to  be  retained  until  the  building  was  completed.  Thus, 
after  many  years  of  talking  and  maneuvering,  a  sensible  and  determined 
movement  was  made.  This  offer  had  the  right  ring  in  it,  something 
which  former  offers  did  not  possess,  and  soon  led  to  effective  results. 
Jeremy  Hixon's  proposal  was  received,  and  Luman  A.  Fowler  was  ap- 
pointed Superintendent  of  the  work.  Soon  after  this,  a  portion  of  the 
public  square  was  ordered  laid  off  into  lots  and  sold,  the  proceeds  to  go 
toward  the  erection  of  the  county  buildings.  Work  on  the  court  house 
was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1849,  and  constant,  slight  alterations,  in  both 
the  cost  and  the  plan  of  the  building,  were  made  by  the  Commissioners 


430  HISTORY   OF   LAKE  COUNTY. 

from  time  to  time,  until  the  house  was  completed  in  1850,  at  a  cost,  in 
round  numbers,  of  $10,000.  A  bell  for  the  new  court  house  was  tendered 
the  county,  by  John  Hack,  the  same  to  revert  to  him  or  his  heirs,  when 
no  longer  needed.  In  March,  1851,  the  contract  to  build  a  county  jail 
was  given  to  H.  M.  Nash,  for  $2,600.  This  building  was  completed,  and 
accepted  in  January,  1853. 

Legislative  Acts. — In  April,  1853,  the  herd  law  was  put  into  effect 
in  the  townships  of  the  county,  certain  animals  specified  being  permitted 
to  run  at  large.  In  June,  1855,  Harvey  Pettibone  was  appointed  agent, 
for  the  sale  of  spiritous  liquors,  in  pursuance  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature, 
approved  February  16,  1855.  His  compensation  was  fixed  at  $209  per 
year,  and  reports  were  required  quarterly.  On  the  18th  of  June,  1851, 
the  Treasurer's  office  at  Crown  Point  was  broken  open  and  robbed  of 
$2,636.71  belonging  to  the  different  funds  of  the  county  ;  $1,000  re- 
ward was  offered  for  the  apprehension  of  the  burglars,  but  the  culprits 
were  never  discovered.  In  July,  1865,  Lorenzo  D.  Holmes,  Michael 
Johnson,  Peter  Schiller,  John  Krost  and  W.  S.  Babbitt,  representing  the 
"  Lake  County  Drainage  Association,"  asked  the  Board  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  appraisers  to  assess  damages  to  the  lands  of  individuals  in  certain 
ditches,  designed  to  be  constructed.  Whereupon,  G.  C.  Dutton,  Henry 
Hayward  and  another  were  appointed  such  appraisers.  In  June,  1868, 
appraisers  were  appointed  for  the  "  Calumet  Valley  Drainage  Company." 
In  March,  1859,  John  E.  Trass  was  given  the  contract  of  the  wood  work 
and  J.  H.  Abrams  of  the  brick  work,  "  for  the  enlargement  and  rebuild- 
ing of  the  county  offices."  Many  alterations  and  modifications  were  made 
to  the  county  buildings,  from  time  to  time,  during  the  long  period  which 
elapsed  from  the  time  of  their  erection  until  the  new  court  house  was 
built. 

An  enactment  of  the  Legislature,  passed  in  1838,  provided  that  cer- 
tain fines  and  penalties  should  be  devoted  to  the  purchase  of  a  county 
library.  In  about  the  year  1841,  the  amount  had  reached  about  $100, 
which  was  invested  in  books.  A  Librarian  was  appointed  and  by-laws 
adopted,  and  the  citizens  began  to  enjoy  themselves  at  the  expense  of 
law-breakers.  In  1845,  Joseph  P.  Smith  became  Librarian  and  Treas- 
urer. In  1846,  arrangements  were  made  to  devote  a  portion  of  the 
proceeds  of  the  sale  of  town  lots  at  Crown  Point  to  the  purchase  of 
books ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  number  of  messages  of  the  President  of 
the  United  States  were  ordered  bound,  and  several  important  volumes  of 
law  and  miscellany  were  received  as  contributions.  New  books  for  thci 
library  were  in  great  demand,  so  much  so  that  they  were  often  kept 
out  much  longer  than  the  by-laws  allowed.  On  one  occasion,  the  County 
Commissioners   ordered  Edwin  B.  Warriner  to  replace  in  the  library  the 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  431 

second  volume  of  the  "  Phantom  Ship,"  probably  that  others  might  read 
it  before  it  was  all  absorbed.  Joseph  Jackson  succeeded  Mr.  Smith,  who 
went  out  to  fight  the  Mexicans,  and  remained  Librarian  and  Treasurer 
for  some  eight  or  ten  years.  Several  hundred  volumes  were  in  the 
library.  In  1854,  the  State  Board  of  Education  sent  six  school  libraries 
to  Lake  County  to  be  distributed  to  the  townships,  under  the  direction  of 
the  County  Commissioners.  The  following  disposition  was  made  of  the 
books :  One  set  for  North  and  Hobart  Townships,  one  for  Ross,  one  for 
Centre  and  Winfield,  one  for  St.  Johns  and  Hanover,  one  for  West  Creek 
and  one  for  Cedar  Creek  and  Eagle  Creek.  D.  K.  Pettibone  and  Daniel 
Turner  were  Distributing  Commissioners.  The  development  of  the  com- 
mon school  system  invaded  the  ground  that  had  formerly  been  covered 
by  the  county  library  and  the  county  seminary  projects,  and  early  in  the 
fifties  the  funds  of  both  were  turned  over  to  the  common  school  fund. 
Many  of  the  old  books  may  yet  be  seen  scattered  throughout  the  county. 
Quite  a  library  was  received  by  the  county  from  the  McClure  bequest. 
These  may  yet  be  seen  at  Crown  Point. 

An  enactment  of  the  Legislature,  in  1838,  provided  that  certain 
county  revenues  should  be  set  apart  to  be  used,  when  sufficient,  for  the 
erection  and  maintenance  of  a  County  Seminary.  In  April  of  the  same 
year,  Milo  Robinson  was  appointed  Seminary  Trustee.  On  the  8th  of 
May,  he  reported  $1  in  his  hands  as  such  officer.  He  was  required  to 
give  bond  for  $200,  and  was  continued  Trustee.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Henry  Wells,  who  continued  to  serve  for  several  years.  In  January,  he 
had  on  hand  $31.75.  He  reported  $102.22  in  his  hands  in  1843.  The 
funds  continued  to  increase  at  about  this  rate  until,  in  about  1848,  they 
amounted  to  about  $300,  and  were  at  this  time  held  as  notes,  the  money 
having  been  loaned  at  interest.  No  attempt  was  made  to  build  a  County 
Seminary  as  the  law  provided,  and  the  common  school  law  of  1852  did 
away  with  the  use  (so  it  was  thought)  of  such  institutions,  and  the  funds 
went  to  the  schools  of  the  county. 

The  Poor  Farm. — Prior  to  March,  1854,  the  poor  of  Lake  County 
were  taken  care  of  in  the  townships  where  they  resided,  and  when  neces- 
sary, county  funds  were  paid  for  their  maintenance.  The  keeping  and 
the  doctoring  of  paupers  were  let  to  the  lowest  bidders,  and  quite  often 
the  poor  fell  into  bad  hands  and  were  poorly  treated,  while  the  stipend 
which  was  received  for  their  benefit  was  largely  (if  that  is  the  proper 
word,  considering  the  diminutive  weekly,  or  Aveakly,  amount)  squandered 
in  other  ways. 

On  the  10th  of  September,  1853,  Alfred  D.  Foster  was  appointed  an 
agent  to  attend  the  sale  of  lands  at  Crown  Point,  on  the  15th  of  Septem- 
ber, and  to  purchase  "such  land  upon   Section  31,  Township  35,  Range 


432  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

8,  as  he  may,  in  his  discretion,  deem  to  be  best  adapted  to  the  purpose  of 
making  a  County  Poor  Farm,  and  the  Auditor  [is  authorized  to]  draw  an 
order  upon  the  Treasurer  for  the  amount  necessary  to  pay  for  such  lands 
as  the  said  agent  may  purchase."  In  pursuance  of  this  order,  the  fol- 
lowing land  was  purchased :  The  east  half  of  the  southeast  quarter,  the 
southwest  quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter,  the  west  half  of  the  southeast 
quarter,  all  of  Section  31,  Township  35  north.  Range  8  west.  For  some 
reason  which  the  writer  could  not  learn,  this  land  was  not  used  as  a  poor 
farm,  though  it  seems  to  have  been  purchased  by  the  Commissioners. 

In  March,  1854,  the  house  of  William  Sanders,  of  West  Creek  Town- 
ship, was  established  as  the  County  Asylum  for  the  poor  of  Lake  County, 
and  William  Sanders  was  appointed  Superintendent.  At  the  same  time, 
the  Trustees  of  each  township  were  directed  to  convey  all  permanent 
paupers  to  this  "asylum;  "  and  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  of  each  town- 
ship were  authorized  to  place  temporarily  therein,  all  persons  becoming, 
for  short  periods,  township  charges.  Arrangements  were  also  made  for 
taking  suitable  care  of  future  county  paupers.  Harvey  Pettibone,  M.  D., 
was  employed  at  ^1.75  each  visit  to  the  asylum,  to  administer  the  neces- 
sary medical  care  to  the  county  paupers. 

On  the  25th  of  March,  much  of  the  above  was  rescinded,  and  the 
Commissioners  purchased  of  James  H.  Luther  the  northeast  quarter  of 
Section  20,  Township  34,  Range  8,  for  ^3,000,  which  did  not  include  a 
mortgage  of  $1,000  on  the  farm,  held  by  Sarah  Brundage,  and  dated 
May  3,  1853.  Upon  this  farm  was  a  roomy  dwelling,  which  was  imme- 
diately occupied  by  the  county  paupers,  with  Jacob  Merton,  Superin- 
tendent. The  mortgage  was  redeemed  by  the  Commissioners  in  about 
the  year  1858.  Dr.  Harvey  Pettibone  was  employed  as  follows  to  ad- 
minister medical  care  to  the  poor:  One  dollar  for  each  visit  to  a  single 
patient,  and  twenty-five  cents  for  each  additional  patient.  In  March, 
1855,  the  Commissioners  noticed  with  some  alarm  that,  from  June  1, 
1854,  to  March  7,  1855,  no  less  than  $1,700  had  been  expended  in  the 
support  of  the  poor,  in  furnishing  the  poor  house  and  providing  the 
paupers  with  medical  attendance;  whereupon  the  Trustees  of  the  several 
townships  were  directed  to  investigate  carefully  the  case  of  each  claimant 
for  a  position  as  pauper  in  the  poor  house,  as  satisfactory  evidence  had 
been  "received  that  persons  have  been  quartered  there  and  supported  at 
the  expense  of  the  county  who  were  amply  able  to  take  care  of  them- 
selves." It  was  ordered  that  the  Treasurer  be  instructed  to  pay  upon  the 
direction  of  the  Auditor,  to  James  H.  Luther,  the  sum  of  $775,  when  the 
note  held  by  Mr.  Luther  against  the  county  for  the  poor  farm  become  due. 
The  Superintendency  of  the  farm  was,  for  a  number  of  years,  advertised 
by  public  notices  and  let  to  the  lowest  bidder.    C.  C.  Payne  was  given  the 


HISTORY   OF  LAKE  COUNTY.  433 

position  for  one  year,  beginning  March  8,  1856  ;  and  Harvey  Pettibone 
was  re-appointed  attending  physician,  and  both  were  continued  in  the 
same  positions  for  the  year  beginning  March,  1857.  Mr  Payne  con- 
tinued as  Superintendent  until  March  10,  1860,  when  Samuel  Cade, 
with  a  salary  of  ^350  per  year,  succeeded  him,  continuing  for  two  years. 
Alfred  H.  Heath  succeeded  him  in  March,  1862;  salary  $300;  and 
James  Hemenway  took  the  position  at  the  same  salary,  March,  1863. 
In  the  meantime.  Dr.  Harvey  Pettibone  remained  "County  Physician." 

The  following  men,  among  others,  have  since  been  Superintendents  : 
Levi  J.  Corbin,  1864;  Patrick  McGuire,  1864;  William  P.  Wedge, 
1865-67;  Gordon  McWilliams,  1867-81;  William  S.  Babbitt,  1881. 
During  the  greater  number  of  these  years.  Dr.  Pettibone  was  County 
Physician.  In  1861,  $2,000  indebtedness  against  the  poor  farm  was 
paid  by  the  issuance  of  that  amount  of  county  bonds.  This  debt  was 
what  remained  of  the  purchase  price  of  the  farm.  It  is  rarely  the  case  that 
any  county,  so  early  in  its  history,  with  its  resources  largely  undeveloped, 
and  its  revenues  yet  in  comparative  infancy,  undertakes,  on  so  large  a 
scale,  and  at  such  a  sacrifice  as  Lake  has  done,  the  care  of  its  indigent 
and  helpless.  Lake  is  a  rich  county,  and  yet  it  is  a  poor  county.  Its  miles 
of  low  land  cannot  now  be  cultivated,  and  yet  the  hay  which  is  harvested 
affords  an  unfailing  and  abundant  revenue.  Twenty  years  ago,  no  county 
in  the  State,  with  few  exceptions,  took  better  care  of  its  poor. 

Mr.  Cade,  Poor  Superintendent,  reported  for  the  year  ending  March, 
1862,  poor  house  expenses  amounting  to  $647.78,  and  the  purchase  of 
$67  worth  of  live  stock.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  there  were 
twenty-three  paupers,  fifteen  left  during  the  year,  one  died,  leaving  seven 
inmates  at  the  end  of  the  year.  At  no  time  during  the  history  of  the 
county  was  more  paid  out  for  the  maintenance  of  the  poor  farm  and  the 
wants  of  the  poor  than  from  1856  to  1861.  Some  years,  nearly  $2,500 
was  thus  expended. 

In  1865,  the  Commissioners  bought  of  Enos  M.  Cramer  for  $8,000  the 
following  property  :  The  west  half  of  Section  11,  the  west  half  of  the  north- 
east quarter  of  Section  11,  the  northeast  quarter  of  the  northeast  quarter 
of  Section  11,  the  east  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  14,  and 
the  northeast  quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  14 — all  in 
Township  34,  Range  8.  Also  the  west  half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of 
Section  21,  Township  35,  Range  8,  and  Lot  17,  in  the  Railroad  Addi- 
tion to  Crown  Point.  Mr.  Cramer  had  become  involved  in  an  ofiicial 
capacity,  and  this  property  was  turned  over  to  the  Commissioners  to 
satisfy  their  claims  against  him.  About  a  year  later,  the  most  of  the 
above  land  was  sold  to  Robert  Mitchell,  who  was  unable  to  meet  the  pay- 
ments, and  in  1868  the  Commissioners  recovered  in  court  a  judgment  of 


434  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

$2,130  and  costs  against  Mitchell,  who  turned  over  the  northwest  quar- 
ter of  Section  11,  Township  34,  Range  8,  to  meet  the  judgment,  or, 
rather,  this  land  was  sold  at  Sheriff's  sale  and  purchased  by  the  Com- 
missioners for  ^2,216.88,  which  amount  covered  the  judgment,  cost  and 
interest.  On  the  11th  of  December,  1869,  the  board  declared  that  here- 
after the  following  ground  should  be  the  poor  farm  ;  the  southwest 
quarter,  the  south  half  of  the  northwest  quarter,  and  the  south- 
west quarter  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  11,  Township  34, 
Range  8 — in  all  280  acres.  The  old  farm  on  Section  20,  Township 
34,  Range  8,  was  abandoned,  and  the  new  immediately  occupied. 
Here  the  farm  has  since  remained.  It  now  consists  of  300  acres, 
160  of  which  are  under  cultivation,  the  remainder  being  pasture  and 
woodland.  There  are  nineteen  inmates,  five  of  them  being  females.  The 
expense  of  conducting  the  farm  in  1881,  including  the  care  of  the  in- 
mates, over  and  above  the  receipts  of  the  products,  was  ^1,126.  For  the 
last  few  years  the  poor  farm  receipts  have  netted  on  the  average  about 
$500.  The  greatest  number  of  inmates  the  poor  house  has  ever  had,  wa& 
twenty-seven,  during  December  and  January,  1881-2. 

Agricultural  Society. — As  early  as  May,  1839,  the  Commissioners 
ordered  notice  to  be  given  that  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  would  be 
held  at  the  court  house,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  an  agricultural 
society,  if  such  action  was  deemed  expedient.  Some  twenty  of  the  citi- 
zens assembled  ^nd  made  the  effort,  and  at  first  the  enterprise  seemed 
likely  to  succeed,  but  a  subsequent  meeting  was  not  attended  by  more 
than  half  a  dozen,  and  the  matter  was  dropped.  Another  attempt  was 
made  a  few  years  later  to  have  one  organized  by  Centre  Township  alone, 
but  this,  likewise,  proved  abortive.  Solon  Robinson,  who  at  this 
time  was  a  distinguished  correspondent  of  the  Cultivator,  an  agricultural 
paper  published  in  the  East,  was  at  the  head  of  these  movements.  Her- 
vey  Ball  was  also  prominently  connected  with  the  enterprise. 

The  Lake  County  Agricultural  Society  was  organized  at  the  court 
house,  in  Crown  Point,  on  August  27,  1851,  on  which  occasion  William 
Clark  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Dr.  Harvey  Pettibone,  Secretary.  A 
committee,  consisting  of  Hervey  Ball,  John  Church  and  David  Turner, 
was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and  by-laws,  and  then  the  meeting 
adjourned  until  the  30th,  when  the  same  officers  presided,  and  the  con- 
stitution and  by-laws,  which  had  been  prepared,  was  adopted,  whereupon 
the  meeting  again  adjourned  until  the  following  Thursday,  on  which 
occasion  the  following  permanent  officers  of  the  society  were  elected : 
President,  Hervey  Ball ;  Vice  President,  William  Clark  ;  Secretary^ 
Joseph  P.  Smith ;  Treasurer,  John  W.  Dinwiddie ;  Directors,  Henry 
Wells,  of  Centre ,    A.   D.  Foster,  of  West  Creek ;    Michael  Pierce,  of 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  435 

Eagle  Creek ;  H.  Kielman.  of  St.  Johns ;  Augustine  Humphreys,  of 
Winfield,  and  William  N.  Sykes,  of  Ross.  Owing  to  a  lack  of  means, 
no  fair  was  held  in  autumn  of  1851.  A  meeting  of  the  members  of  the 
society  was  held  on  September  6,  1852,  at  which  time  David  Turner  had 
taken  the  place  of  Dr.  Pettibone,  as  Treasurer,  the  other  officers  remain- 
ing the  same.  The  Directors  at  this  time  were  Solomon  Martin,  of 
North  ;  D.  H.  Hale,  of  Ross ;  Henry  Kielman,  of  St.  Johns ;  J.  H. 
Luther,  of  Centre ;  A.  D.  Foster,  of  West  Creek  ;  J.  H.  Sanger,  of 
Cedar  Creek ;  Michael  Pierce,  of  Eagle  Creek ;  Augustine  Humphreys, 
of  Winfield,  and  George  Earle,  of  Hobart.  The  first  fair  was  held  at 
the  court  house  October  28,  1852.  Sixty-nine  entries  were  made,  and 
thirty  premiums  awarded,  which  amounted  to  $48.  The  same  President 
and  Secretary  were  re-elected  until  the  seventh  annual  fair.  The  fair 
was  a  success,  though,  of  course,  on  a  small  scale.  It  had  previously 
been  ordered  that  the  premiums  on  butter  should  be  awarded  and  paid 
on  only  twenty  pounds  or  more,  which  had  been  made  not  less  than  four 
months  before  the  fair  ;  $10  were  offered  for  the  best  ten  acres  of  corn, 
and  $5  for  the  second  best  same.  Raymond  Williams,  D.  H.  Hale,  W. 
A.  W.  Holton  and  William  Brown  took  premiums  on  horses ;  Raymond 
Williams,  Perry  Jones,  A.  H.  Merton,  Theodore  Bostwick  and  A.  D. 
Foster,  on  cattle ;  Raymond  Williams  and  Loren  Hixon,  on  sheep  ; 
Franklin  McCarty,  on  swine;  Mrs.  Thomas  Clark  and  Mrs.  Russel 
Eddy,  on  butter ;  Mrs.  J.  A.  H.  Ball  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Luther,  on  cheese ; 
Mrs.  William  Townley,  on  tomato  catsup;  Maj.  Allman,  on  apples  ;  W.  A. 
W.  Holton,  on  squashes  and  beets  ;  Albert  Kilburn,  on  turnips,  ruta- 
bagas and  radishes ;  John  Shehan,  on  pinkeye  potatoes ;  M.  V.  B. 
Smith,  on  best  six  radishes,  and  Henry  M.  Nash,  on  beets  and  radishes. 
The  reciepts  of  the  first  fair  were  $91,  expenditures  $58.25,  balance  in 
treasury,  $32.75.  This  was  a  very  creditable  showing,  and  was  en- 
couraging. 

The  second  fair  was  held  October  27  and  28,  1853,  the  premiums 
paid  amounting  to  $61.75.  Eighty-seven  entries  were  made,  and  sixty- 
two  premiums  awarded.  In  1856,  the  society  decided  to  purchase  a  fair 
ground  of  two  and  one-half  acres  ;  but  instead  of  doing  this,  five  acres  of 
land,  now  the  southern  part  of  Crown  Point,  were  leased  until  October, 
1865,  at  which  time  a  deed  for  the  same  was  to  be  made  by  the  owner, 
Henry  Wells,  to  the  society  upon  the  payment  of  $500.  This  land  was 
encumbered  with  a  mortgage,  and  after  passing  through  various  vicissi- 
tudes, it  became,  eventually,  the  property  of  the  society,  and  was  used 
for  many  years.  Fairs  were  held  annually  until  1859,  inclusive,  when 
the  excitement  of  war  came  on,  and  a  continuation  was  delayed  by 
mutual  consent. 


436  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

On  July  20,  1867,  the  citizens  of  the  county  met  at  the  court  house 
to  re-organize  the  society.  Hon.  Hiram  Wason  was  made  Chairman,  and 
A.  E.  Beattie,  Secretary.  On  motion,  the  old  constitution  was  adopted. 
The  following  officers  were  elected :  President,  Hiram  Wason  ;  Treas- 
urer, J.  C.  Sauerman ;  Secretary,  A.  E.  Beattie.  The  Trustees  of  the 
several  townships  were  appointed  a  Board  of  Directors.  The  following 
resolution  was  adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  the  present  condition  of  the  county  fair  ground  demands  immediate 
"  Reconstruction,"  and  that  to  enable  the  Lake  County  Agricultural  Society  to  succeed  in 
its  enterprise,  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners  be  requested  to  build  a  suitable  fence 
around  the  said  grounds. 

The  fair  was  held  on  the  2d,  3d  and  4th  of  October,  1867.  An  ex- 
cellent display  was  made,  and  $188.25  was  paid  in  premiums.  Other 
expenses,  $150;  receipts,  $506.60;  balance  on  hand,  $168.05.  The 
County  Commissioners  have  done  much  to  encourage  the  agricultural  so- 
ciety in  its  work.  In  September,  1856,  upon  the  application  of  several 
citizens,  they  appropriated  $100  out  of  the  county  funds  to  be  used  as  a 
contribution  to  the  society  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  in  defraying  the 
expense  of  purchasing  a  permanent  fair  ground.  As  no  ground  was 
then  purchased,  this  fund  was  not  used.  In  March.  1857,  $100  was 
appropriated,  to  be  used  in  fencing  the  grounds.  This  welcome  contri- 
bution was  used  the  following  year.  In  September  1858,  and  Decem- 
ber, of  the  same  year,  $200  was  contributed  for  the  construction  of  a 
floral  hall.  After  the  re-organization  of  the  society,  $50  was  contributed 
to  build  a  stand,  with  seats,  and  in  September,  1867,  $560,  more  or  less, 
was  given  to  inclose  the  ground  with  a  substantial  tight-board  fence. 
June  30,  1876,  L.  D.  Search  sold  to  the  Commissioners  the  southwest 
quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  17,  Township  34,  Range  8, 
containing  forty  acres,  for  $5,000.  the  land  being  incumbered  with  a 
mortgage  of  $1,000,  the  payment  of  which  the  Commissioners  assumed. 
This  ground  has  since  been  used  by  the  Agricultural  Society  for  a  fair 
ground.  The  rents  of  the  first  two  years  were  donated  to  the  society  to 
be  used  in  improving  the  grounds.  Without  doubt,  this  is  one  of  the 
finest  county  fair  grounds  of  the  State.  The  half-mile  track  forms  just 
the  circuit  of  a  small  and  beautiful  lake,  upon  which  the  occupants  of 
pleasure  boats  may  rest  while  viewing  the  races  and  the  crowds  upon  the 
land.  The  track  and  the  lake  are  surrounded  by  rolling  uplands, 
crowned  with  picturesque  groups  of  fine  native  forestry.  On  an  emi- 
nence, where  a  fine  view  of  the  track  and  lake  may  be  had,  is  the  com- 
modious and  tastefully  arranged  floral  hall,  erected  at  a  cost  of  about 
$1,500.  At  present,  the  grounds  are  rented  for  $100  annually,  and 
$100  is  realized  every  year  from  the  ice  obtained,  for  summer  use,  at  the 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE  COUNTY.  437 

lake.  The  present  officers  of  the  Agricultural  Society  are  H.  R.  Ward, 
President ;  Ross  Wilson,  Vice  President ;  J.  C.  Sauerman,  Treasurer  ; 
G.  I.  Maillet,  Secretary  ;  R.  H,  Wells,  General  Superintendent ;  Fred 
Jornecke,  Maj.  M.  B.  Atkins,  Peter  Portz,  George  Krimbill,  Thomas 
Wilmarth,  Abbot  Wason,  Elijah  S.  Clark,  John  Pierce,  A.  McFarland, 
Nathaniel  Banks,  John  Beckman,  C.  L.  Templeton,  Directors  ;  William 
Krimbill  and  P.  A.  Banks,  Finance  Committee.  The  fair  receipts  for 
1881,  were  §1,409.56,  of  which  $809.56  was  from  the  sale  of  tickets. 
After  the  re-organization  of  the  society  in  1867,  the  fairs  were  named  as 
if  no  interregnum  had  intervened.  The  present  one  (1882),  is  the 
twenty-fourth  annual  fair. 

County  Buildings. — The  old  court  house  of  1849  was  used  with  many 
improvements  and  additions  to  it,  and  to  the  county  offices,  until  the  ses- 
sion of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  on  the  9th  of  March,  1878,  when 
it  was  decided  that  "  public  convenience  and  necessity  demand  the  con- 
struction of  a  new  court  house,  and,  as  the  finances  of  the  county  are  in 
a  most  favorable  condition,  it  is  ordered  that  some  competent  architect 
be  employed  to  prepare  the  necessary  plans  and  specifications."  It  was 
also  decided  that  the  new  house  should  not  cost  more  than  $45,000.  For 
a  few  years,  the  construction  of  a  new  court  house  had  occupied  the  minds 
of  the  citizens,  some  favoring  it  and  many  opposing  it,  owing  to  the  prob- 
able heavy  taxation  following  in  its  wake.  Those  who  opposed  the 
measure  were,  for  a  time,  successful  in  securing  the  election  of  County 
Commissioners  who  opposed  the  construction,  but,  in  1878,  the  other  party 
triumphed,  and  the  Commissioners,  if  not  pledged  to  erect  the  building, 
went  on  determined,  of  their  own  accord,  before  their  term  of  office  ex- 
pired, to  have  a  new  house.  There  was  then  in  the  county  treasury 
about  $60,000.  J.  C.  Cochran,  of  Chicago,  an  experienced  architect, 
was  employed  to  prepare  specifications  of  the  new  building  for  the  con- 
sideration of  the  board,  and  after  the  plan  had  been  selected,  it  was  placed 
on  public  exhibition,  and  sealed  proposals  for  the  erection  of  the  build- 
ing were  solicited,  with  the  following  result,  the  proposals  being  received 
July  6,  1878  : 

P.  J.  Sexton  $53,110 

Thomas  &  Richter 59,924 

D.  H.  Hayes 44,875 

Leach  &  Burdick,  Amherst  stone 49.365 

Leach  &  Burdick,  Bedford  stone 48,921 

Leach  &  Burdick,  Joliet  or  Lemont  stone 48,729 

C.  W.  Dickover 64,990 

T.  L.  Kempster 53,618 

Jacob  Bremer 57,789 

J.  H.  Donlin 44,800 

John  Wilke  &  Sou 55,860 


438  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

John  Wilke  &  Son,  Bedford  stone $55,120 

<     John  Wilke  &  Son,  Joliet  stone 55,220 

G.  M.  Webster 58,919 

Thomas  &  Hugh  Colwell 47,990 

John  Cox 48,895 

James  Lille 51,300 

Barker  &  Begue 51,700 

John  Martin 55,000 

Daniel  A.  Walsh 55,555 

Diener  &  Robinson,  Lemont  stone 59,980 

Diener  &  Robinson,  Cleveland  stone 61,035 

Earnshaw  &  Goble 48,985 

D.  P.  Hopping  &  Co 43,673 

A.  Z.  Hageman,  Jr 47,725 

The  proposals  were  carefully  considered,  and  the  contract  was  finally 
awarded  to  the  Colwell  Brothers,  of  Ottawa,  111,,  for  $45,000,  but  this 
was  afterward  made  $46,300.  Work  was  begun  in  August,  and  finished 
in  1879,  the  total  cost,  including  everything,  footing  up,  in  round  num- 
bers, to  $52,000  ;  $5,000  was  left  in  the  county  treasury  after  the  house 
was  completed  and  paid  for.  It  is  said  that  this  condition  of  things  is 
true  of  no  other  county  in  the  State.  The  building  is  a  red  brick  struct- 
ure, in  the  form  of  a  cross,  with  stone  corners  and  window  trimmings  for 
the  lower  story,  and  stone  window  trimmings  for  the  upper  story  and 
dome,  and  is  a  credit  to  the  contractor,  the  architect  and  the  county. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the  10th  of  September,  1878,  with  im- 
posing ceremonies.  The  day  was  bright  and  pleasant,  and  about  8,000 
people  assembled  to  enjoy  the  occasion.  William  Krimbill  was  General 
Marshal  of  the  day,  and  D.  McDonald,  Past  Grand  Master  of  the  Masonic 
Lodge,  of  Indiana,  was  Master  of  Ceremonies.  There  were  present  dele- 
gations! in  organized  order  from  all  portions  of  the  county,  from  Porter 
County,  from  Chicago,  and  from  other  neighboring  places.  The  proces- 
sion marched  in  the  following  order :  Hobart  Band,  Toleston  Fire  Com- 
pany, Valparaiso  Band,  Crown  Point  Singverein,  Hobart  Lodge,  Valpa- 
raiso Commandery,  Merrillville  Lodge,  Logansport  Band,  Lowell  Lodge, 
Logansport  Commandery,  Crown  Point  Lodge,  citizens  in  carriages  and 
on  foot.  The  ceremonies  were  opened  by  the  singing  of  the  quartet  club 
of  the  Chicago  Apollo  Commandery  ;  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  T.  H. 
Ball,  after  which  the  copper  box  containing  the  following  articles  was 
placed  in  the  stone,  the   list  of  articles  being  read  by  W.  W.  Cheshire  : 

1.  A  copy  of  the  organization  of  the  county,  with  statement  of  taxes,  etc. 

2.  A  copy  of  the  tax  duplicate  of  Lake  County.  3.  A  copy  of  the  His- 
tory of  Lake  County,  T.  H.  Ball,  author.  4.  A  copy  of  Prairie  Voice, 
T.  H.  Ball.  5.  A  copy  of  the  Crown  Point  Register,  F.  S.  Bedell  and 
J.  J.  Wheeler,  editors.  6.  A  copy  of  the  Crown  Point  Cosmos,  by  John 
Milliken.     7.  A  copy  of  the  Crown  Point   Star.     8.  A   copy  of  the 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  439 

Crown  Point  Freie  Presse,  John  Lehmann,  editor.  9.  A  copy  of  the 
charter  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Crown  Point.  10.  A  copy  of  the  char- 
ter of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  of  Lowell,  No.  2-45.  11.  A  solid  can- 
non ball  used  in  the  war  of  18*31-65,  weighing  twelve  pounds.  12.  A 
copy  of  the  day's  program.  13.  A  copy  of  the  constitution  and  by-laws 
of  the  Crown  Point  Gesang-Verein.  14.  A  protograph  of  the  new 
court  house.  15.  A  copy  of  the  charter  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  of 
Crown  Point,  No.  195.  16.  One  cigar  by  Eder  Brothers.  17.  A  copy 
of  the  Castalian,  the  first  literary  paper  published  in  Lake  County.  18. 
A  copy  of  the  dispensation  of  Merrillville  Lodge.  19.  A  copy  of  Low- 
ell's Business  Directory.  20.  A  copy  of  the  charter  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
Lodge  of  Hobart.  21.  A  copy  of  the  charter  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of 
Hobart.  The  corner-stone  was  laid,  after  which  T.  J.  Wood,  Esq.,  de- 
livered the  oration  of  the  day.  A  sumptuous  dinner  was  partaken  of 
on  the  old  fair  ground,  and  the  ceremonies  ended.  The  Register  said  it 
was  "  the  most  enjoyable  day  ever  witnessed  in  Crown  Point." 

In  1882,  it  was  decided  that  the  county  should  have  a  new  jail  and 
Jailer's  residence.  The  old  buildins  was  insecure  for  criminals  of  the 
more  desperate  class,  and  the  portion  occupied  by  the  family  of  the  Jailer 
or  Sheriff  was  not  a  desirable  residence.  The  latter  consideration  might 
not  have  influenced  the  county  to  undertake  the  work,  had  it  alone  been 
the  prompter.  An  actual  want  was  felt  for  the  secure  confinement  of 
criminals.  Accordingly,  specifications  were  drawn  up,  and  sealed  pro- 
posals were  called  for,  with  the  following  result : 

Thomas  &  Hugh  Colwell  (the  building  without  steel  cells  and  iron 
works),  $12,850  ;  Gus  Wilke  &  Co.  (without  steel  cells  and  iron  works), 
$12,500  ;  P.  J.  Pauly  &  Bro.  (the  building,  including  steel  cells  and 
iron  works),  $23,850 ;  P.  J.  Pauly  &  Co:  (the  steel  cells  and  iron  works 
only),  $10,867. 

The  contract  of  erecting  the  building  was  awarded  Gus  Wilke  &  Co., 
of  Chicago,  at  $12,500,  and  the  contract  of  furnishing  the  steel  cells  and 
iron  works,  was  awarded  P.  J.  Pauly  &  Bro.,  of  St.  Louis,  at  $10,867  ; 
total  for  the  whole,  $23,367.  The  building,  a  large,  handsome  two-story 
brick  structure,  was  erected,  furnished  and  completed  in  the  fall  of  1882. 
It  is  one  of  the  best  county  jail  buildings  in  the  State,  and  has  six  steel 
cells  for  males  and  four  for  females,  with  strong  steel  corridors  and  bath- 
rooms. Both  it  and  the  court  house  are  a  credit  to  the  county.  H.  R. 
Ward,  County  Commissioner,  superintended  the  construction  of  the 
jail. 

County  Press. — The  first  attempt  made  in  Lake  County  to  publish  a 
newspaper,  or  anything  approaching  that  character,  was  some  time  prior 
to  1840,  the  exact  date  being  unobtainable.     Solon  Robinson  procured  a 


440  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY, 

small  press  and  a  small  amount  of  type,  and  began  printing  from  time  to 
time  handbills,  land  transfers,  extras  on  agriculture,  and  spicy  poems  on 
local  subjects  of  special  interest  to  the  citizens,  and  occasionally  would 
issue  quite  a  little  paper,  with  comments  on  public  affairs  of  the  day,  and 
notices  of  local  events  of  general  interest.  The  periodical  could  not 
properly  be  called  a  paper  at  all,  although  in  the  United  States  census  of 
1840  it  was  so  recorded.  Its  name,  if  it  had  a  permanent  one,  was  pos- 
sibly the  Western  Ranger,  though  this  is  wholly  speculative,  and  likely 
falsely  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  paper's  legitimate  successor,  which 
was  issued  a  few  years  later  from  the  same  press  and  type,  which  had  been 
transferred  to  Valparaiso,  was  called  by  that  name,  and  circulated  largely 
over  Lake  County,  if  such  a  thing  was  possible  in  view  of  the  limited 
number  of  settlers.  The  exact  time  of  the  discontinuance  of  this  occa- 
sional sheet  issued  at  Crown  Point  is  no  longer  remembered,  but  was  pre- 
vious to  1843. 

In  the  spring  or  early  summer  of  1857,  J.  S.  Holton,  John  Wheeler. 
Z.  F.  Summers  and  several  others,  advanced  $300  in  cash  for  the  pur- 
chase of  a  press  and  type,  and  guaranteed  a  circulation  equivalent  tO' 
$300,  if  Rodney  Dunning,  a  former  citizen  of  Valparaiso,  would  start 
and  continue  a  Republican  paper  at  Crown  Point.  Mr.  Dunning  ac- 
cepted the  proposal,  purchased  all  necessary  material  with  the  $300  ad 
vanced,  and  issued  the  first  number  of  the  Lake  County  Herald,  a  small 
six-column  folio  newspaper ;  subscription  price  $2  per  annum.  E.  M. 
Horam  became  connected  with  the  paper.  The  venture  started  mainly 
through  the  enterprise  of  Mr.  Holton,  who,  with  others,  was  desirous  of 
having  a  county  paper.  Prior  to  this  the  citizens  were  obliged  to  patron- 
ize as  their  nearest  local  paper,  the  Observer  at  Valparaiso,  which,  for  a 
number  of  years,  circulated  largely  in  Lake  County,  and  which  a  portion 
of  the  time  devoted  considerable  space  to  Lake  County  news.  The  citi- 
zens of  Crown  Point,  therefore,  hailed  the  new  venture  with  joy,  and 
gave  it  a  respectable  circulation  from  the  start :  but  Mr.  Dunning  was 
not  the  man  to  succeed  in  newspaper  work,  and  his  shiftless  unconcerT> 
soon  became  notorious,  the  tone  of  the  paper  was  weak  and  vascilating, 
the  circulation  fell  off.  Mr.  Dunning  threw  up  the  sponge  in  about  Sep- 
tember, 1857,  and  the  office  reverted  to  those  who  had  advanced  the  pur- 
chase price,  and  who  had  kept  a  lien  upon  the  property.  Mr.  Holton 
soon  became  the  owner  of  the  slight  interests  of  the  others,  but,  as  he- 
had  other  matters  requiring  his  time,  the  office  was  shut  up,  though  a 
standing  offer  of  sale  was  announced  to  any  responsible  person  who  would 
not  remove  the  office  from  Crown  Point.  Thus  affairs  remained  until 
February,  1858.  when  the  office  was  sold  to  John  Wheeler  and  Z.  F. 
Summers,  who  immediately  issued  the  first   number  of  the   Crown  Point 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  441 

Register^  a  Republican  sheet,  folio  in  form  ;  subscription  price  $1.50  per 
annum.  This  was  issued  with  some  alterations,  and  at  least  one  inter- 
mission until  the  spring  of  1862,  when,  after  an  interregnum  of  two 
months,  the  entire  outfit  was  sold  to  B.  D.  Harper  and  A.  B.  Beattie,  who, 
under  the  partnership  name  of  Harper  &  Beattie,  issued  the  paper  regu 
larly  until  November  8,  1866,  when  Samuel  E.  Ball  bought  Mr.  Har- 
per's interest,  but  turned  the  editorial  management  over  to  Mr.  Beattie 
for  a  month  or  two.  On  the  18th  of  July,  1867,  Mr.  Ball  rented  his 
interest  to  Mr.  Beattie  and  retired  from  active  office  work,  and  on  the 
20th  of  September  of  the  same  year,  sold  such  interest  to  Frank  S.  Be- 
dell, who  thus  became  associated  with  Mr.  Beattie  under  the  firm  name 
of  Bedell  &  Beattie.  No  further  change  took  place  until  the  death  of 
Mr.  Beattie  on  the  5th  of  October,  1869,  when  the  entire  ownership  and 
management  passed  to  Mr.  Bedell,  who  continued  issuing  it  alone,  except 
for  short  periods  when  it  was  conducted  by  W.  W.  Cheshire  and  others, 
though  still  owned  by  Mr.  Bedell.  The  paper  was  offered  for  sale  in 
1871,  the  offer  remaining  open  until  December,  1875,  at  which  time  C. 
W.  Ainsworth  purchased  an  interest.  Thus  the  paper  continued  until 
November  16,  1876,  when  J.  J.  Wheeler  purchased  Mr.  Ainsworth's  in- 
terest, but  in  September,  1880,  sold  his  share  to  John  Millikan.  Messrs. 
Bedell  &  Millikan  continued  until  April,  1882,  when  the  latter  assumed 
entire  ownership  and  control.  The  Register,  during  its  entire  career,  has 
been  Republican,  and  under  its  various  owners  and  managers  has  been 
self-supporting  and  quite  often  encouragingly  prosperous.  It  is  ably 
edited  at  present,  and  has  a  satisfactory  circulation. 

In  February,  1860,  appeared  at  Crown  Point  the  first  number  of  the 
Lake  County  Jeffersonian,  a  five-column  folio  newspaper  of  strong  Dem- 
cratic  tendency,  published  by  B.  D.  Harper,  and  ably  edited  by  Joseph 
P.  Smith.  A  young  man  named  Berry,  now  associated  with  the  Chicago 
Times,  wrote  quite  extensively  for  the  paper,  not  only  miscellaneous  arti- 
cles, but  lengthy  editorials.  The  paper  was  owned  by  a  party  of  resident 
Democrats,  and  the  material  had  been  paid  for  by  the  issuance  of  joint 
and  several  notes.  During  the  autumn  of  1860,  there  came  to  Crown 
Point  two  journeymen  printers,  one  of  whom  was  Charles  Alvord.  With- 
out any  means  whatever  save  their  promises,  they  purchased  the  Jeffer- 
sonian,  but  immediately  sold  the  same  for  a  comparative  pittance  in  cash, 
to  parties  residing  possibly  at  Crown  Point,  and  the  next  day  not  only 
was  the  entire  office  material,  including  type  and  press,  missing,  but  Alvorsl 
and  his  companion  had  likewise  mysteriously  disappeared.  The  parties 
who  had  purchased  of  Alvord  had  taken  the  material  to  Ohio,  and  the 
latter  and  his  companion  had  departed  laughing  in  their  sleeves,  with  a 
considerable  sum  of  money  in  their  pockets.     The  notes   which  Alvord 


442  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

and  his  comrade  had  given  for  the  office,  and  which  were  a  lien  upon  the 
outfit,  were  never  paid. 

During  the  summer  of  1872,  H.  M.  Ingrira  issued  the  first  copy  of 
the  Crown  Point  Herald,  a  sheet  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  political 
movement,  of  which  Horace  Greeley  was  the  head.  The  paper  was  a 
five-column  folio,  and  presented  a  bright  face.  In  about  October  of  the 
same  year,  Timothy  Cleveland  purchased  the  paper,  changed  its  politics, 
continued  it  until  about  November,  1873,  when  J.  J.  Wheeler  and  J.  F. 
Rowins  bought  out  Mr.  Cleveland,  but  a  week  later  the  office  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  though  not  an  issue  was  missed  in  consequence  thereof, 
for  a  new  outfit  was  immediately  purchased.  In  January,  1875,  Mr. 
Wheeler  purchased  his  partner's  interest ;  but  in  December  of  the  same 
year  sold  his  whole  interest  to  Bedell  &  Ainsworth,  and  the  Herald  was 
merged  into   the  Register. 

During  the  summer  of  1876,  J.  F.  Rowins  began  issuing  at  Crown 
Point  a  Democratic  paper  called  the  Lake  County  Herald^  but  after  con- 
tinuing it  through  the  fall  elections  the  venture  was  abandoned. 

In  June,  1877,  John  Millikan  issued  at  the  county  seat  the  first  num- 
ber of  the  Crown  Point  Cosmos,  a  Republican  newspaper,  six-column 
folio,  subscription  price  $1.50,  the  material  coming  mainly  from  La 
Porte.  At  the  end  of  three  and  one-third  successful  years,  the  paper 
was  discontinued  to  enable  Mr.  Millikan  to  begin  active  work  on  the  Regis- 
ter, with  which  he  had  become  connected.  His  work  on  the  Register  had 
really  begun  before  the  Cosmos  was  abandoned. 

For  about  five  months  during  1875,  J.  J.  Wheeler  issued  at  Crown 
Point  a  small,  neutral  paper,  in  size  8x12  inches,  subscription  price  50 
cents  per  year,  called  the  Young  Hoosier.  The  little  paper  was  bright 
and  filled  with  local  news,  and  reached  a  circulation  of  about  five  hun- 
dred, when  it  was  abandoned. 

In  November,  1867,  a  small  literary  journal  called  the  Pierian  was 
started  at  Crown  Point  by  a  society  in  the  Institute.  In  April,  1868, 
the  name  was  changed  to  Castalian.  The  journal  became  an  eight-page 
monthly,  was  printed  in  the  Register  office  at  first,  and  afterward  in  Chi- 
cago.     The  last  issue  appeared  in  March,  1870. 

In  June,  1872,  E.  R.  Beebe  began  issuing  a  Republican  newspaper 
at  Lowell.  It  was  a  five-column  quarto,  subscription  price  $1.50  pei- 
annum,  and,  after  being  ably  conducted  by  him  until  July,  1877,  Mi . 
Ainsworth  purchased  an  interest,  and  the  office  was  moved  to  the  county 
seat,  and  the  size  and  form  changed  to  a  seven-column  folio.  Soon  after 
this,  Mr.  Ainsworth  purchased  the  remaining  interest,  but  after  some  time 
went  to  Massachusetts,  leaving  his  paper  in  the  care  of  J.  B.  Peterson, 
who   discontinued   the   issue.     During  the   summer  of  1878,  John  Gris- 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  443 

wold  bought  the  office,  and  began  issuing  the  paper  as  a  Democratic 
organ,  but,  in  September  of  the  same  year,  sold  to  C.  F.  Jouvenalt  and 
Abraham  Clark,  who  conducted  the  sheet  with  the  same  politics  until  Oc- 
tober, 1880,  when  the  office  was  bought  by  J.  J.  Wheeler,  who  has  since 
published  the  paper  as  a  Republican  organ.  The  present  financial  status 
of  the  paper  is  satisfactory  and  flattering. 

The  Herald,  under  Mr.  Jouvenalt,  is  said  to  have  been  the  most  ably 
conducted  Democratic  journal  ever  published  in  the  county.  Its  edi- 
torials were  polished,  brilliant,  incisive,  and  the  strong  political  positions 
taken  by  the  editor  gave  increased  strength  to  the  party  for  which  he 
labored. 

In  July,  1874,  John  Lehmann,  John  H.  Meyers  and  J.  J.  Wheeler 
issued  the  first  number  of  the  Crown  Point  Freie  Presse,  a  Democratic 
German  newspaper,  the  first  two  furnishing  the  type,  and  the  last  the 
press.  After  a  short  time,  Mr.  Lehmann  bought  his  partners'  claims, 
and  has  since  conducted  the  paper  alone.  It  is  well  edited,  and  receives 
a  liberal  patronage  from  the  large  German  population  of  the  county,  many 
of  whom  cannot  read  or  speak  the  English  language. 

In  1868  and  1869,  Moses  Hull  issued  a  small  sheet  at  Hobart ;  it 
was  not  designed,  however,  to  be  permanent,  dealing  purely  with  local 
matters.  P.  J.  Kelley  started  the  Hobart  Journal  about  the  year  1877, 
and  after  conducting  it  with  very  imperfect  office  material  for  about  a  year 
and  a  half,  sold  out  to  C.  D.  Savage,  who,  after  continuing  a  short  time, 
sold  out  to  the  Hammond  Tribune.  In  March,  1882,  P.  B.  Towle  began 
issuing  the  Hobart  Transcript,  and  at  the  same  time  the  Hammond  Times, 
both  papers  being  really  one,  with  some  slight  changes  in  local  news. 
They  (or  it)  were  issued  thus  until  August  1,  1882,  when  they  were  con- 
solidated in  reality  under  the  name  of  the  Times  and  Transcript,  a  Re- 
publican sheet  ably  edited  by  P.  B.  Towle.  Thus  it  remains  at  present. 
In  December,  1880,  P.  B.  Towle  issued  at  Hammond  the  first  number  of 
the  Western  Indiana  Tribune,  a  bright,  Republican  newspaper,  but  after 
about  three  months  sold  to  M.  M.  Towle,  who  employed  A.  A.  Winslow 
to  edit  the  sheet.  After  about  six  months,  Mr.  Winslow  bought  the 
office,  and  has  since  issued  the  paper,  with  steadily  increasing  favor  and 
circulation.  Messrs.  Savage  and  Stanclifi"  were  associated  with  Mr. 
Winslow  on  the  paper  for  short  periods. 

The  Lowell  Enterprise  made  its  appearance  at  Lowell  in  December, 
1878,  owned  and  conducted  by  Ray  &  Hewgill.  It  continued  thus  until 
June,  1879,  when  Robert  Ray  became  sole  editor  and  proprietor.  The 
issue  was  discontinued  in  December,  1879.  The  Lowell  Local  News  was 
first  issued  in  January,  1880,  by  W.  H.  Mansfield,  editor  and  proprietor. 
The  paper  is  a  neat,  five-column  quarto,  is  spicy,  bright  and  strontjly  Re- 


444  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

publican,  and  deserves  to  succeed.  No  change  was  made  in  ownership  or 
management  until  September,  1880,  when  the  office  was  leased  to  R.  0. 
Willis.  The  Tocsin^  a  temperance  paper,  started  up  at  Lowell  during  the 
summer  of  1881,  but  after  three  semi-monthly  issues  was  discontinued. 

Old  Settlers'  Association. — The  Lake  County  Old  Settlers'  Associ- 
ation was  organized  September  25,  1875,  pursuant  to  a  notice  published 
in  the  papers  at  Crown  Point.  A  meeting  for  organization  had  been 
fixed  before,  but  bad  weather  had  prevented  a  satisfactory  attendance, 
and  the  meeting  was  postponed.  On  the  day  of  the  organization,  quite  a 
large  gathering  of  old  residents  and  others  assembled  on  the  fair  grounds, 
and  after  eating  heartily  of  the  sumptuous  dinner  which  had  been  spread 
in  the  floral  hall,  the  meeting  was  then  called  to  order  by  W.  A.  Clark, 
and  prayer  offered  by  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball.  After  a  few  opening  remarks  by 
the  Chairman,  and  an  old  song,  entitled  "  The  Indian  Captive,"  sung  by 
Dr.  Wood,  reminiscences  of  old  times  were  delivered  by  J.  Hurlburt,  R. 
Fancher,  H.  Wells,  W.  A.  W.  Holton,  Amos  Hornor,  J.  H.  Luther  and 
others.  Two  long  letters  were  read,  one  from  Solon  Robinson,  who  had 
gone  to  Tennessee  for  his  health,  and  the  other  from  Joseph  Jackson, 
Wapello,  Iowa.  Resolutions  were  passed  regretting  the  absence  of  the 
letter  writers.  It  was  decided  that  all  who  had  come  to  the  county  prior 
to  1840  should  be  entitled  to  the  distinction  of  being  pioneers,  while 
those  who  had  come  after  1840,  and  previous  to  twenty-five  years  ago, 
should  be  known  as  old  settlers.  The  objects  of  the  association  are  to 
renew  old  associations,  to  recover  old  events  and  to  enjoy  a  few  pleasant 
hours  together.  Meetings  are  held  annually,  subject  to  the  call  of  the 
President.  The  first  permanent  officers  were  W.  A.  Clark,  President; 
Oscar  Dinwiddle,  Secretary;  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball,  Historical  Secretary;  J. 
H.  Luther,  Treasurer. 

COUNTY    OFFICERS. 

The  following  list  of  county  officers,  though  obtained  from  numerous 
sources  after  much  labor,  doubtless  contains  some  errors  : 

Sheriffs. — Henry  Wells,  appointed  by  the  Governor,  March  8,  1837  ; 
Luman  A.  Fowler,  1837;  J.  V.  Johns,  1839;  Rollin  T.  Tozier,  1841; 
Henry  Wells,  1843 ;  Luman  A.  Fowler,  1847;  J.  S.  Holton,  1851;  S. 
B.  Strait,  1853;  Job  D.  Bonnel,  1855;  Jesse  E.  Pierce,  1857;  Lo.  A. 
Fowler,  1859;  Andrew  Krimbill,  1863;  H.  G.  Bliss,  1867;  John 
Donch,  1872;  John  H.  Prier,  1876;  Horace  Marble,  1880. 

Commissioners. — A.  L.  Ball,  S.  P.  Stringham  and  Thomas  Wiles, 
first  board,  elected  in  1837  ;  H.  D.  Palmer,  1838  ;  Beniah  Barney,  1838 ; 
Derastus  Torry,  1838  ;  Henry  Wells,  1839  ;  Russel  Eddy,  1839  ;  W. 
Rockwell,  1840;  Alexander  McDonald,  1840;  W.  Rockwell,  1842;  W. 
N.  Sykes,  1843;  Michael  Pearce,  1844;  S.  T.  Greene,  1846;  S.  Parish, 


HISTORY    OF   LAKE   COUx\TY.  445 

1847;  Augustine  Humphreys,  1847;  Robert  Wilkinson,  1848;  A.  D. 
Foster,  1851;  Bartlett  Ward,  1853;  A.  D.  Foster,  1854;  Augustine 
Humphreys,  1856;  William  Siglor,  1857;  G.  W.  Lawrence,  1857  ;  John 
Underwood,  1858;  Adam  Schraal,  1859;  G.  L.  Foster,  1861;  D.  F. 
Sawyer,  1861;  Adam  Schmal,  1862;  Aaron  Konkright,  1862;  G.  L. 
Foster,  1863;  A.  Konkright,  1864;  E.  P.  Farley,  1865;  William 
Brown,  1866;  Alvin  Green,  1867;  H.  C.  Beckman,  1867;  K.  M.  Burn- 
ham,  1870;  J.  Burge,  1870;  P.  H.  Saylor,  1874;  Frederick  Eggers, 
1876;  William  Fisher,  1876;  Henry  Ward,  1877;  William  Fisher, 
1880. 

Recorders.— \N .  A.  W.  Holton,  1837 ;  Solon  Robinson,  1838 ;  J.  P. 
Smith,  1838;  Major  Allman,  1845;  Sylvester  Greene,  1856;  Amos  All- 
man,  1856;  Sanford  D.  Clark,  1864;  John  Dwyer,  1872,  R.  W.  Price, 
1876. 

Clerks.— ^o\on  Robinson,  1837;  Joseph  P.  Smith,  1843;  D.  K.  Pet- 
tibone,  1847;  Z.  F.  Summers,  1859;  W.  W.  Cheshire,  1867;  John  G. 
Hoffman,  1876. 

Treasurers.—:^.  W.  Holton,  1837;  Milo  Robinson,  1838;  W.  W. 
Kinnison,  1839;  W.  A.  W.  Holton,  1840;  Thomas  Sawyer,  1840; 
Martin  Greenman,  1840;  Russel  Eddy,  1841;  A.  McDonald,  1841; 
W.  C.  Farrington,  1843;  Henry  Wells,  1848;  J.  S.  Holton,  1855;  E. 
M.  Kramer,  1859;  John  Knost,  1863;  Adam  Schmal,  1867;  John 
Brown,  1871;  J.  C.  Sauerman,  1876;   William  Krimbill,  1878. 

Associate  Judges. — W.  B.  Crooks,  W.  Clark,  H.  D.  Palmer,  Samuel 
Turner,  A.  F.  Brown,  W.  Rockwell,  Michael  Pearce. 

Probate  Judges. — Robert  Wilkinson,  Hervey  Ball,  David  Turner. 

Surveyors. — W.  N.  Sykes,  1837;   Chancellor  Graves,  1838;   Hervey 

Ball, ;  W.  N.  Sykes,  1852;  John  Wheeler,  1853;  Mathias  Schmit, 

1856;  John  Fisher,  1858;  Walter  DeCourcey,  1866;  A.  Van  Naillen, 
1868;  John  Wheeler,  1870;  John  Fisher,  18—. 

Auditors. — H.  S,  Pelton,  Solon  Robinson,  Joseph  Jackson,  1847; 
D.  Crumpacker,  1852;  James  H.  Luther,  1861;  John  Knost,  1869;  H. 
G.  Bliss,  1873;  John  Brown,  1876. 

Representatives. — J.  Hamell,  Lewis  Warriner,  Henry  Cline,  A.  S. 
Campbell,  Alexander  McDonald,  Lewis  Warriner,  D.  Turner,  1855;  A. 
McDonald,  1857;  Elihu  Griffin,  1859;  Bartlett  Ward,  1861;  D.  K. 
Pettibone,  1863;  Bartlett  Ward,  1865;  H.  Wason,  1867;  E.  C.  Field, 
1869;  Martin  Wood,  1871;  H.  Wason,  1873;  Samuel  Ames,  1875;  T. 
S.  Fancher,  1878. 

Political  Features. — The  political  features  of  the  county  may  be 
summed  up  in  few  words.  From  the  start,  the  county  was  quite  closely 
divided  by  party  lines.     The  settlers,  most  of  whom  came  from  older  and 


446  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

well-settled  localities,  had  been  taught  in  the  school  of  party  discipline, 
and  with  political  prejudices  already  formed  immediately  arranged  them- 
selves to  secure  the  official  power  and  patronage  of  the  county.  The 
Democrats  took  the  lead,  with  majorities  on  the  State  ticket  when  the  full 
vote  was  out,  ranging  from  about  thirty  to  eighty.  This  party  held  the 
reins  of  power  until  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  and  the  for- 
mation of  the  Republican  party  had  largely  obliterated  former  partisan 
lines  and  had  drawn  from  both  the  old  parties  their  younger,  better  and 
more  progressive  elements,  when  the  new  organization,  first  in  1854, 
grasped  the  helm  of  State  and  has  managed  it  since,  sometimes  with 
majorities  almost  half  as  large  as  the  entire  voting  strength  of  the  coun- 
ty. In  1864,  Schuyler  Colfax,  candidate  for  Congress,  out  of  a  total  of 
1,761  votes  polled  in  the  county,  received  1,282  and  his  opponent  479 ; 
the  former's  majority  being  803.  This  majority  was  afterward  slightly 
increased.  In  September,  1848,  the  first  Free-Soil  movement  was  made. 
A  meeting  was  called  at  the  old  log  court  house  of  all  those  of  either 
old  party  who  favored  the  measures  of  the  Wilmot  Proviso,  and,  in  re- 
sponse thereto,  quite  a  crowd  gathered.  Judge  Clark  was  made  Presi- 
dent and  VV.  A.  Clark  appointed  Secretary.  Alexander  McDonald,  a 
strong  Democrat,  and  one  of  the  principal  leaders  of  the  movement, 
spoke  warmly  in  favor  of  the  Proviso,  as  did  David  and  Dr.  Harvey 
Pettibone  and  other  Democrats,  and  the  President  and  Secretary  of  the 
meeting  and  Luman  A.  Fowler,  Alfred  Foster  and  other  Whigs.  Both 
old  parties  were  pretty  equally  represented,  and  the  utmost  good  will  and 
enthusiasm  prevailed.  Solon  Robinson,  though  a  strong  Whig,  and 
heartily  in  favor  of  the  limitation  of  slave  territory,  sat  on  the  stairs 
leading  to  the  court-room,  and  laughed  at  the  leaders  of  the  movement, 
ridiculing  their  pretensions  of  being  able  to  split  the  old  parties  and  form 
a  new  one  on  the  basis  of  the  Proviso.  Mr.  McDonald  and  others  of 
both  old  parties  began  stumping  the  county  in  the  interest  of  the  new  or- 
ganization, but  the  effort  was  soon  abandoned,  and  remained  dormant 
until  1852,  when  the  repeal  of  the  cherished  Missouri  Compromise 
kindled  public  sentiment  into  angry  and  indignant  flame.  The  "  Green- 
back "  movement  is  the  only  other  one  of  note.  This  party  owed  its 
origin  to  the  hard  times  growing  out  of  the  depreciation  of  values  from 
the  close  of  the  war  until  the  resumption  of  specie  payments  in  1879. 
The  total  party  vote  in  the  county  never  exceeded  about  eighty.  The 
following  was  the  vote  in  Lake  County  in  August,  1837,  the  first  full 
general  vote  polled  : 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE  COUNTY. 


447 


THE  VOTE  IN  LAKE  COUNTY  IN  AUGUST,  1837. 


Governor. 

Lieutenant 
Governor. 

Repreient've 

in 

Congress. 

State 
Senator. 

Represent- 
ative. 

Connty 
Commiss'ner, 
Ist  District. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

P 

a 
o 

S 
'> 

oi 

p 

o 

S 

s 

c 
X) 

o 

<-) 

ft 
.2" 

5 

5 

p 

a 

u 
3 

B 
-«3 

P 

O 

«D 

n 

ai 
525 

1 

« 

•-5 

P 

O 

s 

p 
I 
< 

IS 

bo 
u 

s 

P 

•a 

3 
o 

5 

North 

18 
41 
21 

16 

24 
43 
21 

*T2' 

15 
44 
21 

80 

40 
13 

13 

28 
8 

42 
31 
13 

4 

40 
21 

65 

61 
19 

18 
8 
4 

30 

37 

Centre 

15 

South 

Total 

80 

52 

88 

12 

63 

49 

86 

70 

62 

Maj  ority 

28 

76 

27 

37 

6 

97. 

County 

Commiss'ner, 

2d  District. 

School 
Commiss'ner. 

Sheriff. 

Associate 
Judge. 

Probate 
Judge. 

Coroner. 

1 

a 

T'WNBHIPS 

B 

OS 

-a 

a 

1 

P^ 

CO 

P 
1 

1-5 

a' 
2 
"3 
Ph 

CO 

M 

P 

(D 

a 

0) 

o 
< 

i4 

p 
"3 

a 

o 

W 

s 

(O 

o 

pj 

o 
P^ 

P 
a 

o 

S 

i 

PS 

1 

Ph' 

P 
a 

P 

i 

North 

Centre 

South 

11 

42 
20 

73 

41 
14 

19 
35 
19 

29 

16 

1 

10 
37 
18 

40 

16 

1 

57 

30 
14 

20 

15 

12 
35 
19 

2 
23 

25 

45 
14 

69 

2 

2 

12 

66 
69 
^1 

Total.... 

65 

73 

46 

65 

44 

35 

66 

16 

136 

Majority 

18 

27 

8 

44 

31 

18 

NoTi. — For  the  offices  of  Commissioner  of  the  First  District  and  for  Associate  Judge,  the  returning 
board  decided  the  votes  to  be  null,  there  being  no  vacancy  in  either  office  when  advertised  by  the  Sheriff, 
and  consequently  no  person  for  either  office  was  declared  elected.  Those  marked  D.  above  were  Democrats  ; 
those  W.,  Whigs. 


448 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 


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««5 

HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 
THE  FOLLOWING  IS  THE  VOTE  OF  AUGUST,  1846. 


449 


Governor. 

James  Whitcomb,  D 

J.  G.  Marshall,  W 

Lieutenant  Governor. 

P,  C.  Dunning,  D 

A.  C.  Stevenson,  W 

State  Senator. 

J.  M.  Lemon,  D 

A,  L.  Osborne,  W 

Representative. 

H.  E.  Woodruff,  D 

John  Coffmann,  W 

Michael  Steichelman,  D 

Commissioner. 

W.  N.  Sjkes,  D 

S.  T.  Green,  W 

Prosecuting  Attorney. 

James  Bradley,  D 

J.  H.  Mather,  W 

Coroner. 

Lyman  Wallace,  D 

Luman  A.  Fowler.  W 

James  Tillotson,  D 


Total  Vote  Polled 79  104 


46 
84 

46 

34 

41 
38 

47 


44 
31 

46 
32 

9 
40 
22 


69 
84 

70 
34 

60 
37 

71 
3 


50 
44 

81 
23 

67 

28 

1 


20 
11 

20 
11 

20 
11 

20 


19 

1 

20 
11 

19 


31 


16 
33 

17 
83 

17 
33 

24 

"\% 

4 

39 

17 
33 

41 


50 


23 

8 

23 
8 

28 

8 

23 


6 
20 

23 


81 


11 
12 

11 
12 

11 

12 

11 


22 

10 
12 


184 
182 

186 
132 

172 

139 

196 

3 

18 

123 
157 

197 
119 

140 

73 
23 


62 
64 
33 
75 

34 
78 

44 


23  1318 


460 


HISTORY  OF  LAKE  COUNTY. 


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HISTORY    OF    LAKE   COUNTV.  451 


CHAPTER  III. 

BY  WESTON  A.   OOOUSPBED. 

The  Old  Militia  System— Lake  County  in  the  Mexican  War— Muster 
Roll  of  Capt.  Smith's  Company— Opening  Scenes  of  the  Great 
Kebellion  — The  First  Call  to  Arms  — The  Enlistment  — Lake 
County  Loyalty— Recruiting— The  Draft— War  Meetings— Ex- 
tracts FROM  the  Register — Sanitary  Efforts— Bounty  and  Relief 
Fund- Statistics— The  Roll  of  Honor. 

DURING  the  early  history  of  the  State  prior  to  the  formation  of  Lake 
County,  the  old  militia  system,  which  had  done  such  excellent 
service  in  all  the  Indian  border  wars,  was  adopted  and  quite  rigidly  en- 
forced. From  the  Indian  tribes,  depleted  by  protracted  and  periodical 
contests,  but  little  danger  was  apprehended,  though  the  habits  induced  in 
the  whites  by  a  life  spent  amid  the  alarms  of  the  frontier,  forbade  the 
total  relinquishment  of  organized  bodies  of  militia,  or  the  obliteration  of 
that  grateful  sense  of  public  security  which  their  presence  afforded.  But 
the  wonderful  strides  of  the  State  in  population  and  prosperity,  and  the 
absence  of  encounters  with  predatory  Indian  bands,  soon  gave  satisfactory 
assurance  of  general  safety,  and,  in  1834,  the  old  serviceable  system  was 
permitted  to  die  out.  In  1852,  owing  to  the  unsettled  state  of  internal 
public  affairs,  the  system  was  revived  by  legislative  enactment,  and  each 
Congressional  district  was  required  to  thoroughly  organize  its  militia. 
This  law  met  with  general  public  favor  and  response.  Capt.  Joseph 
P.  Smith,  who  had  served  the  country  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  who, 
years  before,  had  been  the  Captain  of  one  of  the  best-drilled  companies 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  was  commissioned  Colonel  by  the  Governor, 
and  authorized  to  form  the  Third  Regiment,  Ninth  Brigade,  Indiana 
Militia.  This  was  begun  and  accomplished  during  the  summer  of  1853. 
J.  Wheeler  was  commissioned  Lieutenant  Colonel,  and  J.  Vornhultz, 
Major.  The  Second  Regiment  of  the  same  brigade  was  formed  in  Porter 
County,  with  L.  A.  Cass,  Colonel,  H.  E.  Woodruff,  Lieutenant  Colonel, 
and  Mr.  Freeman,  Major.  From  this  on  until  about  1859  or  1860,  more 
or  less  drilling  was  indulged  in,  though  but  little  military  discipline  could 
be  secured  by  the  energetic  officers.  About  half  of  the  townships  formed 
companies,  the  remainder,  through  indifference,  neglecting  to  do  so, 
though  their  militia  was  enrolled  and  officers  commissioned. 

Nothing  certain  can  be  stated  by  the  writer  concerning  the  Revolu- 
tionary ex-soldiers,  or  the  ex-soldiers  of  the  war  of  1812,  who  may  have 
settled  in  Lake  County.     It  is  quite  likely  that  members  of  both  wars 


462  HISTORY   OF    LAKE   COUNTY. 

« 

made  the  county  their  pioneer  homes,  and  some  of  their  names  and  services 
may  be  read  in  the  biographical  department  of  this  volume. 

The  Mexican  War. — In  1846,  when  the  war  with  Mexico  was  de- 
clared, there  was  only  one  man  in  the  county  who  knew  anything  of  mili- 
tary tactics,  and  this  was  Joseph  P.  Smith.  His  fame  in  this  respect  had 
spread  abroad,  and  he  received  a  Captain's  commission  from  the  Grovernor, 
though  in  what  way  it  was  secured  is  not  known.  He  was  ordered  to 
enlist  a  company  for  the  war,  and,  in  the  spring  of  1847,  he  opened  an 
enlistment  office  at  Crown  Point  and  called  for  volunteers.  This  was 
some  time  in  February  or  March,  1847.  The  Western  Ranger  of  April 
10th  (Valparaiso)  had  this  to  say : 

Lake  County  Rangers. 

This  patriotic  company  numbers  about  sixty-seven  men.  Those  of  them  who  have 
visited  this  place,  and  who  have  enlisted  here,  are  fine  martial-looking  men,  and  no 
doubt  will  give  a  good  account  of  themselves. 

The  Ranger  of  May  1,  contained  the  following : 

"  Heigh  0  !  the  soldiers  go 

Marching  away  to  Mexico." 
Captain  Smith's  Company,  having  assembled  in  camp  at  Crown  Point  during  the  first 
of  the  week,  commenced  their  march  on  Thursday,  and  passed  through  here  on  Friday 
on  their  way  to  Newport,  Ky.,  their  place  of  rendezvous. 

The  same  issue  of  the  Ranger  contained  the  following  notice : 

DESERTERS. 

The  following  men  have  deserted  from  the  United  States  recruiting  station  at  Crown 
Point :  John  Brewer,  Moses  Church,  Emery  Church  and  George  Wirly,  for  whose  arrest 
and  delivery  at  Newport,  Ky.,  the  headquarters  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  United  States 
Infantry,  such  an  amount  will  be  paid  as  is  provided  by  the  laws  of  United  States. 

Joseph  P.  Smith. 
Crown  Point,  Ind.,  April  29,  1847. 

In  the  issue  of  the  following  week  appeared  this  notice : 

Capt.  Smith  and  his  company  of  107  men  crossed  the  Tippecanoe  on  their  way  to 
Madison,  Ind.  (not  Newport,  Ky.),  last  Wednesday.  An  election  of  officers  resulted, 
Daniel  May,  First  Lieutenant ;  S.  N.  Whitcomb,  Second  Lieutenant,  John  C.  Howe, 
Third  Lieutenant. 

In  1846,  three  regiments  were  raised  in  Indiana  for  the  Mexican  war, 
and  in  1847  two  more,  though  Capt.  Smith's  company  was  in  neither. 
His  men  became  Company  H,  Sixteenth  United  States  Infantry.  The 
regimental  commander  was  Col.  John  W.  Tibbatts.  The  company  was 
mustered  into  the  service  in  May,  1847,  either  at  Madison  or  New  Or- 
leans, though,  while  yet  in  the  States,  eighteen  deserted  upon  learning 
that  they  were  to  receive  only  $7  per  month  instead  of  $10,  as  they  had 
been  led  to  understand.  By  the  close  of  the  first  week  in  June,  the 
company  was  in  Matamoras,  Mexico.  It  continued  to  serve  along  the 
Rio    Grande    River,    guarding    military    stores,    having    an    occasional 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 


453 


"brush"  with  guerrillas,  and  suffering  terribly  from  camp  diseases,  and 
from  the  hot  and  peculiar  climate  of  Mexico,  until  July,  1848,  when  they 
were  ordered  home.  On  the  31st  of  July,  they  were  mustered  out  and 
discharged.  Under  the  gigantic  shadow  of  the  last  great  war,  the  brave 
boys  who  went  to  Mexico  must  not  be  forgotten.  Some  of  them  sleep 
in  forgotton  graves  in  that  distant  land,  and  the  rugged  cactus  comes  and 
garlands  with  its  crimson  blossoms  the  lonely  spot  where  they  rest.  The 
rich  flowers  of  the  stately  magnolia  shed  their  fragrant  perfume  around ; 
the  long  festoons  of  silvery  moss  hang  pendant  from  the  dripping 
branches  above  the  silent  mounds,  apparently  weeping  for  the  bright 
young  lives  that  went  out  so  untimely,  and  over  all  the  strange  golden 
hued  birds  of  the  woods  chant  the  sad  sweet  requiem  of  triumphant 
death.     The  boys  are  dead,  but  their  deeds  live  on. 

The  following  information  was  obtained  by  the  writer  from  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  after  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  during  which  some  six  urgent 
letters  were  written,  one  aflSdavit  was  made  out,  and  the  magnetic  influ- 
ence of  a  Congressman  was  enlisted : 

Muster  Roll  of  Capt.  Joseph  P.  Smith's  Company  (H)  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  of 
Infantry  U.  S.  A.,  from  the  30th  of  April,  1848,  to  the  31st  of  July,  1848.* 


NAME. 


Joseph  P.  Smith 

William  U.  Slade 

Samuel  N.  Whitcomb... 

Wallace  Willcox 

Daniel  Roudabaugh 

Newell  Pulsifer 

Daniel  Brown 

Alfred  Fry 

William   M.  Cloud 

Schuyler  Bailey 

Francis  Benton 

Marco  Sandoval 

Jacob  Alyea 

M.  I.  Brown 

William  Biddle 

M.  M.  Boggs 

William  Barnett 

George  Burdick 

Millard  Church 

Ichabod  Clark 

Schuyler  Conant , 

I.  H.  CundiflF. 

Jason  Daniels , 

George  AV.  Dixon , 

(Cornelius  Dunn 

Joseph  S.  English 

Martin  Eller , 

James  Elliott , 

John  Fridmano 

Hudson  S.  Fai-well 

Ambrose   I.  Flanagan. 
ElishaFord 


Bank. 


Captain 

First  Lieut.... 
Second  Lieut. 
First  Sergt... 

Sergeant , 

■'ergeant 

Sergeant 

Corporal  

Corporal  

Corporal 

Corporal 

Fifer 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 


When  Enrolled. 


April  12..., 
March  25  . 

April  2 

April  1 

March  20.. 
March  22.. 
April  17...., 
March  30.. 
October  29. 

Aprils 

Aprill5 — 

April  9 

April  17.... 
August  21., 
March  17.. 
March  20.. 
April  6,.... 

April  9 

August  17. 
March  28.. 
April  17.... 

July  30 

April  30 

April  29.... 
August  24. 
June  10.... 

April  2 

Anrill9.... 
March  20.. 


Where  Enrolled. 


La  Porte 

Crown  Point. 
Valparaiso .. . 
Valparaiso  .. 
Crown  Point. 
Crown  Point. 

La  Porte 

Crown  Point. 
Monterey  .... 

La  Porte 

Crown  Point. 
La  Porte  .... 

La  Porte 

Galena 

Galena 

Crown  Point. 

La  Porte 

La  Porte 

Galena 

Crown  Point.. 

Plymouth 

Mineral  Point 

Plymouth 

Plymouth 

Galena 

Reynosa  

Valparaiso  ... 
Michigan  City 
Crown  Point 


By  Whom. 


Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Col.  Tibbatts. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Lieut.  Ramsey. 
Lieut.  Ramsey. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Lieut.  Ramsey. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Lieut.  Ramsey. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Lieut.  Ramsey. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 
Capt.  Smith. 


454 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 


NAME. 


Bank. 


When  Enrolled. 


Private I  August  24.. 

Private September 

Private April  6 , 

Private jJuly  30 


Edward  Gilford 

William  Gillar 

William  Hardin 

Jacob  Hurst 

Cornelius  D.  Hendren iPrivate jJuly  7 

George  W.  Hartley |Private.i August  18.... 

Alexander  P.  Hite Private [October  5 

Joseph  Hase jPrivate jAugust  7 

James  P.  Hickman.., jPrivate {September  16 

Clinton  Jackson Private April  2 

John  Jackson Private jSeptetnber  23. 

William  Kethley IPrivate iSeptember  8. 


Galena 

Jacksonville .. 
Crown  Point.. 
Bloomington.. 
Louisville,  Ky 


David  Lockwood Private. 

Jacob  Lockwood [Private. 

David  Mussulman ^Private. 

Frederick  McCarty '  Private. 

Private. 

Private. 

Private. 

Private. 


George  Miller. 
Nelson  McLaughlin. 
Cephas  McFarland.. 

Elijah  Martin 

John  V.  Moore 


George  W.  Morrison Private. 

John  McHver ! Private. 

Robert  Nicholson jPrivate. 

George  Ousterhout JPrivate. 

H.  H.  Pierce jPrivate. 

James  H.  Powers {Private. 

Simeon  P.  Patterson Private. 


April  19. 
April  10... 

April  1 

March  20., 
April  15.. 
April  20... 

May  1 

VI  arch  27. 
{Private August  20 


August  23. 
August  24. 
August  4... 
April  17  — 
March  27. 
March  20.. 

April  9 

May  1 

August  20. 

April  3 

April  20. 


Where  Enrolled. 


By  Whom. 


Lieut. 
Lieut. 
Capt. 
Lieut. 
Lieut. 


Louisville,  Ky  Lieut 


John  H.  Pitts Private, 

William  Peacock Private, 

Lewis  Russell Private 

Thomas  Rockhill Private 

Christian  Romer Private {March  25  — 

Ebenezer  Richardson iPrivate September  1 

John  Radmore JPrivate September  25 

James  L.  Reynolds Private 'August  20... 

Sidney  C  Smith 'Private |April27 

Peter  Schillhas {Private May  24 

Orrin  Salvage JPrivate | April  6 

Charles  Sumption {Private lApril  6 {South  Bend... 

Nathaniel  B.  Silence 'Private [May  3 Marshall  Co 


Louisville,  Ky  Lieut. 

Galena Lieut. 

Bloomington..  Lieut. 
Valparaiso  ...  Capt. 
Bloomington..  Lieut. 
Jacksonville..  Lieut. 

Plymouth Capt. 

Mishawaka ...  Capt. 
Valparaiso  ...Capt. 
Crown  Point. .[Capt. 
Crown  Point. .'Capt. 

Plymouth {Capt. 

La  Porte Capt. 

Centreville Capt. 

Galena Lieut. 

Galena Lieut. 

Galena iLieut. 

Galena Lieut. 

Plymouth {Capt. 

Centreville....  iCapt. 
Crown  Point..  Capt. 
Valparaiso  ...jCapt. 

Plymouth Capt. 

Galena Lieut. 

La  Porte Capt. 

Plymouth Capt. 

Crown  Point..  Capt. 
Jacksonville. 
Jacksonville . 

Galena , 

Crown  Point. 

Vicksburg 

South  Bend.. 


John  Sorrell , 

John  B.  Taylor 

Reuben  Tozier 

William  Unruh , 

Wilhelm  Ulrich , 

Anthony  Van  Slyke. 
James  S.  Van  Horn. 


Private September  24.  Jacksonville. 

Private 'April  28 jCrown  Point. 

Private 'April  6 La  Porte 

Private {May  3 Marshall  Co... 


Private August  19. 

Private March  21. 

Private May  5. 


Lieut 
Lieut 
Lieut 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Cnpt. 
Capt. 
Lieut 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 


Ramsey. 

Wilkinson. 
Smith. 

Hughes. 

Evans. 

Evans. 

Evans. 

Ramsey. 

Hughes. 
Smith. 

Hughes. 

Wilkinson. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 

Ramsey. 

Ramsey. 

Ramsey. 

Ramsey. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
,  Ramsey. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
,  Wilkinson. 
,  Wilkinson. 


Edson  Whittemore Private April  19 


April  21. 
April  29. 
\pril3. 


Gilbert  Wariner Private. .. 

William  A.  Williams Private... 

Henry  Welch ....iPrivate,.. 

George  Wibley {Private March  20 

Ezra  Willcox Private April  13 {Crown  Point.. iCapt. 

James  D.  Wing |Privaie {April  G  'Crown  Point..  Capt 

Heman    Webster .Private August  17 {Galena { Lieut 

Casper  Wild (Private (July  14 [Galena |Lieut 


Galena [Lieut 

Crown  Point..  Capt. 
Louisville,  Ky  Lieut 
Crown  Point..  Capt. 
Valparaiso  ...{Capt. 
Crown  Point..  Capt. 

La  Porte iCapt. 

Crown  Point. .ICapt. 


Smith, 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 

Wilkinson. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 

Ramsey. 
Smith. 
.  Evans. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 
Smith. 

Ramsey. 

Ramsey. 


NAME. 


Rank. 


When 
enrolled.' 


Where 
enrolled. 


By  Whom. 


Joseph  Cochran Private.. 

John  Cole Privatu  .. 

G.  H.  Patterson Private.. 

Daniel  Van  Camp Private  .. 

Adam  Harney Private.. 

Francis  McLaughlin  Private  .. 

William  Onion Private  .. 

Nathan  A.  Brown dergeant 

Bobort  Lamplough...  Private  .. 
John  LiviugatoD,  Jr..  Private  .. 

John  Smith Private .. 

Elias  I.  Alyea Private  .. 

Adoniram  Cornish...  Private  .. 

Oliver  Conklin Private  .. 

John  B.  Cornwall Private.. 

Nathan  Crossman Private.. 

Nathan  Gregory Private.. 

M.  Hopkins Private.. 

i 
William  Heninger...  Private .. 

Ellis  N.  Johnson Private  .. 

Oyrns  H.  Risden Private.. 

William  S.  Ramsey...  Private  .. 
Daniel  Rowley Private  .. 


John  Sparka. 


Private 

Ralph  Sanders Private 

Silas  Southworth Private  .. 

Isaac  N.Turner Private  .. 


William  Whitcraft... 
Joseph  Deck 


John  Eemplin. 


Private ., 
Private .. 


Private 


March  20  Crown  Point  Capt.  Smith  ... 
April  2tt  ('rown  Point  < 'apt.  Smith  ... 
April      T'Crown  Point  Capt.  Smith 


Remarks. 


April    24[ Plymouth.... 

Aug.     12;Gal^na 

April    16  Plymouth  ... 

April  20  Crown  Point 
.March  22  Crown  Point 
March  22  Crown  Point 
April      6  Crown  Point 

April    27:Crown  Point 

May       1  L*  Porte 

March  20, Crown  Point 
.\pril  6' Valparaiso... 
April  22  Plymouth  ... 
May  3; Plymouth  ... 
March  2o|(^rown  Point 
April      CValpariiiso... 


(^apt.  Smith  ... 
Lieut.  Ramsey 
Capt.  Smith  ... 

Capt.  Smith  ... 
Opt.  Smith  ... 
Capt.  Smith  ... 
Capt  Smith  ... 


Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 
Capt. 


April 
April 
April 
April 
April 


24iPlymouth  ... 
16  Plymouth  ... 
liValparaiso... 
17l  Plymouth  ... 
13;  La  Porte 


April     7  Valparaiso... 

March  26  Crown  Point 

April    17iLa  Porte 

May       4 1  Marshall  Co 


April    15! La  Porte. 
April    12  Michi'n  City 


April 


Edward  Littell Private  ..  March  23 

Isaac  Rector Private  ..April    20 

S.  Vosburg Private  ..April    14 

Conrad  Zeilholder jPrivate  ..March  23 


La  Porte.. 


Crown  Point 
La  Porte. 
Crewn  Point 
Crown  Point 


Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 


Capt.  Smith  .. 
Capt.  Smith  .. 
Capt.  Smith  .. 
Capt  Smith  .. 
Capt.  Smith  .. 

Capt.  Smith  .. 

Capt.  Smith  .. 
(^apt.  Smith  .. 
Capt.  Smith  .. 

Capt.  Smith  .. 
Capt.  Smith  .. 

Capt.  Smith  ... 

Capt.  Smith 
Capt.  Smith 
Capt.  Smitli 
Capt.  Smith 


niSCHAEQED. 

Daniel  May iPrivate  ..(March  20  Crown  Point  Capt.  Smith 


Collins  Parker 

Lewis  P.  Streeter.. 


Joseph  Reading.. 
Gabriel  AUaud... 


Charles  Estes 

Washington  Lambert 
James  M.  Manley. 
John  E.  Preston.. 
John  Wells 


Private .. 

Private .. 

Private .. 
Private  .. 

Private  .. 

Private  .. 

Private  .. 

Drum'er 

Private .. 


'April 

April 

April 
April 

j  March 

I  Aug. 

i  March 

I  May 

I  April 


La  Porte 

Valparaiso... 

Plymouth ... 
Michi'n  City 

Crown  Point 

Jacksonville 

Crown  Point 

Edinbnrg.... 


8  Crown  Point 


Capt.  Smith  ... 

Capt.  Smith  ... 

Capt.  Smith  ... 
Capt.  Smith  ... 

Capt.  Smith  ... 

Li't.  Wilkinson 

Capt.  Smith  ... 

Capt.  Smith  ... 

Capt.  Smith  ... 


Died  April  2.5,  1848,  at  Coralvo. 

Died  June  3,  1848,  at  Monterey. 

Died  Sept.  21,  1847,  at  Chico,  or  Mier. 

Died  July  17,  1848,  near  Vicksburg. 

Died  in  hospital  atCeralvo,  Feb. 22,  1848. 

Died  Oct.  21,  1847,  in  hospital  at  Chico 
or  Mier. 

Died  Doc.  20, 1847,  in  hospital  at  Ceralvo. 

Died  Sept.  3(),  1847,  in  hospital  at  Coralvo. 

Died  Sept.  27, 1847,  in  hospital  at  Ceralvo. 

Died  Aug.  28, 1847,  in  hospital  at  Chico. 
or  Mier. 

Died  Oct.  12, 1847,  in  hospital  at  Ceralvo. 

Died  July  17, 1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo 

Died  July  7, 1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo. 

Died  Aug.  24,1847,  at  hospital  at  Camargo 

Died  July  11,1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo 

Died  July  22, 1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo 

Died  July  5, 1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo. 

Died  July  2f),  1847,  in  hospital  near 
Chico  or  Mier. 

Died  July  2.  1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo. 

Died  Au^.  13, 1847,  in  hospical  at  Mier. 

Died  Aug.  G,  1847,  in  hospital  at  Mier. 

Died  July  23, 1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo 

Died  June  18,  1847,  in  hospital  at  Mata- 
nioriis. 

Died  June  21,  1847,  in  hospital  at  Mata- 
moras. 

Died  July  1, 1847,  in  camp  near  Camargo. 

Died  Aug.  12, 1847,  in  hospital  at  Cimargo 

Died  July  20,  1847,  in  hospital  near  Ca- 
margo . 

Died  Aug.  8, 1847,  in  hospital  at  Mier. 

Fell  overboard  into  canal  near  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  and  drowned  May  20,1847. 

Died  June  1.5,  1847,  in  hospital  near 
Reynosa,  Mex. 

Died  April  24, 1847,  at  Crown  Point. 

Died  May  29,  1847,  at  New  Orleans. 

Died  June  7,  1847,  at  Matamoras. 

Died  June  10, 1847,  in  hospital  at  Mata- 
moras. 


Discharged,  and  the  enlistment  torn  up 

on  the  recommendation  of  Col.  Tib- 
bat  ts. 
Claimed  by  hi.i  father  as  a  minor,  and 

discharged. 
Discharged  on  issue  of  a  writ  of  habeas 

corpus. 
Discharged  January  14, 1848. 
Discharged  June  14,  1848,  on  surgeon's 

certificate  order  of  disability. 
Discharged  July  3,  1848,  on  enlistment 

in  dragoons. 
Discharged  June  13,  1848,  on  surgeon's 

certificate  order  of  disability. 
Discharged  June  11,  1848,  on  surgeon's 

certificate  order  of  disability. 
Discharged  May  1,  1843,  on  surgeon's 

certificate  order  of  disability. 
Discharged  June  11,  1818,  on  surgeon's 

certificate  order  of  disability. 


Miles  Adams Private  ..i.\pril    12|La  Porte Capt.  Smith  .. 

John  Brewer Private  ..March  20  Crown  Point  Capt.  Smith  .. 

Michael  Brannon Private  ..;  April    20  Plymouth  ...  Capt.  Smith  .. 

Emery  Church Private  ..  March  20;Crown  Point  ('apt.  Smith  .. 

Moses  Church Private  ..March  20  Crown  Point  Capt.  Smith  .. 

Jerome  Carpenter IPrivate  ..  April    19  Michi'n  City  Capt.  Smith  .. 

John  W.  Case jPrivate  ..April    20|Michi'n  City  (Jaot.  Smith  .. 

Azariah  Dunn Private  ..  April    12iPlymouth  ...  Capt.  Smith  .. 

J.  G.  H.  Ferguson IPrivate  ...\pril    13  South    Bend  Capt  Smith.. 

Jesse  B.Kemp IPrivate  ..'April      7[Mi3hawaka..  Capt.  Smith  .. 

John  McLane j  Private  ..April    12' Michi'n  City  Capt.  Smith  .. 

Henry  Norton Private  ..April      3;La   Porte Capt.  Smith  .. 

Sheldon  Palmer 'Private  ..|  April    12  La  Porte Capt.  Smith  .. 

William  Rice Private  ..April    lOlLa  Porte Capt.  Smith  .. 

Calvin  R.  Stillson [Private  ..April    17iPlymouth  ....  Capt.  Smith  .. 

Elijah  Thornton 'Private  ..April      3'La   Porte Capt.  Smith  .. 

David  Walker Private  ..!  April      5  La  Porte Capt.  Smith  .. 

Homer  Willcox Private  ..| April      6|La   Porte Cnpt.  Smith  .. 

Pallo  Castillo Drum'er  iOc-t.      29  Monterey  ...  Col.  Tibbatts., 


Deserted  April  27,  1847. 

Deserted  April  25, 1847. 

Deserted  May  3,  1847. 

Deserted  April  20, 1847. 

Deserted  April  20, 1847. 

Deserted  April  25, 1847. 

Deserted  April  25,1847. 

Deserted  May  3,  1847. 

Deserted  April  14, 1847. 

Deserted  April  10,  1847. 

Deserted  April  20,  1847. 

Deserted  May  29,  1847. 

Deserted  May  20,  1847. 

Deserted  April  30, 1847. 

Deserted  April  25,  1847. 

Deserted  May  12,  1847. 

Deserted  Mav  29,  1847. 

Deserted  May  20,1847. 

Deserted  from  Metamoras  July  6,  1848. 


"The  year  of  enrollment  was  1847. 


456  HISTORY   OF  LAKE   COUNTY. 

It  may  be  added,  in  concluding  the  Mexican  war  record,  that  the 
muster  roll  of  this  company,  at  the  time  of  the  departure  for  the  field, 
could  not  be  obtained.  The  names  of  all  the  Lake  County  boys,  how- 
ever, will  be  found  somewhere  upon  the  above  record.  The  account  of 
deaths,  discharges,  desertions,  etc.,  dates  from  the  time  of  muster  in. 
The  commander  of  this  company  lost  his  life  in  Hall  County,  Neb.,  in 
1862.  He  had  gone  West,  and  had  located  on  the  Platte  River ;  and, 
one  day,  while  chopping  in  the  woods  with  several  companions,  includ- 
ing two  sons,  was  approached  by  hostile  savages,  and  killed  with  arrows. 
They  were  among  the  first  victims  in  the  terrible  Indian  massacre  of 
1862. 

The  Jlehellioji. — It  is  unnecessary  to  give  a  summary  of  the  causes 
which  led  to  the  last  great  war.  The  protracted  and  stupendous  charac- 
ter of  the  struggle  is  yet  green  in  the  memory  of  maimed  and  honored 
participants.  Continued  and  extensive  preparations  for  war  were  made 
in  the  South,  long  before  the  North  ceased  to  believe  that  the  diiference:* 
which  bitterly  divided  the  two  factions  of  the  Government  might  be 
amicably  adjusted.  Statesmen  in  the  North  viewed  with  reluctance,  or 
contempt,  the  steady  and  extensive  preparations  for  war  in  the  South, 
and  refused  to  believe  its  presence  until  the  first  blow  fell  like  a  thunder- 
bolt upon  Fort  Sumter,  and,  at  the  same  time,  upon  the  faithful  hearts 
of  loyal  peonle.  President  Lincoln,  with  that  grand  charity  which  ever 
distinguished  him,  wisely  hesitated  to  "  unslip  the  dogs  of  war,"  though 
repeatedly  urged  by  the  hot-blooded  Abolitionists  of  the  North  to  strangle 
the  hydra  of  secession  in  its  infancy.  It  was  currently  believed  in  the 
North  that  the  rebellion  would  be  quelled  in  ninety  days.  But,  as  time 
passed  on,  and  the  large  bodies  of  troops  failed  to  control  or  quell  the 
aggressive  and  daring  movements  of  the  Confederate  armies,  and  the  sul- 
len tide  of  steady  reverses  swept  over  almost  every  field  of  battle,  the 
hope  of  the  North  for  peace  died  out,  the  gloom  of  probable  national 
disaster  and  disunion  filled  every  heart,  and  for  many  desolate  months 
the  outlook  was  dark  and  forbidding. 

When  the  news  of  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter  swept  over  the  country  like 
aflame  of  fire,  the  most  intense  excitement  in  all  places  prevailed.  The 
suspense  in  Lake  County  was  sickening.  The  rural  districts  were  almost 
wholly  depopulated,  and  the  news  stations  were  thronged  with  scores  of 
angry  and  indignant  citizens.  Men  everywhere  forgot  their  daily  employ- 
ment, and  gathered  at  the  cross-roads  and  villages  to  discuss  the  political 
situation  and  encourage  one  another  with  hopeful  words.  The  thought  of  the 
universal  desolation  that  must  ensue,  the  partings  of  parents  and  chil- 
;.  dren,  of  husbands  and  wives,  of  brothers  and  sisters  and  of  lovers  with 
*   sweet  vows  of  eternal  fidelity,  blanched  many  a  cheek,  dimmed  many  an. 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  457 

eye,  and  hushed  the  swift  throbbings  of  many  a  heart.  But  the  sickening 
fear  soon  gave  place  to  dauntless  courage,  and  to  an  intense  determina- 
tion to  quell  the  rebellion  at  all  hazards  and  at  any  cost.  Democrats 
and  Republicans  forgot  their  ftiith,  and  joined  hands  and  hearts  in  saving 
the  Union.  The  prompt  call  of  the  President  for  75,000  volunteers  sent 
a  wave  of  relief  throughout  the  county,  and  kindled  an  immediate  re- 
sponse. A  public  meeting  was  called  at  the  court  house  in  Crown  Point, 
and  stirring  resolutions  were  adopted,  and  fiery  speeches  made,  to  uphold 
the  Constitution  and  support  the  administration  in  crushing  the  rebellion. 
Unfortunately,  the  details  of  this  meeting  cannot  be  given.  Soon  after 
this,  or  perhaps  before  the  meeting  was  called,  in  response  to  the  call  to 
arms,  not  less  than  some  thirty  men  left  the  county  for  the  three  months' 
service,  going  out  in  the  Ninth,  Twelfth,  and  other  Indiana  regiments, 
and  in  regiments  that  were  raised  in  Northeastern  Illinois.  In  fact,  the 
greater  number  of  these  estimated  thirty  men  went  from  the  northern 
part  of  the  county  and  joined  Chicago  Regiments.  Six  regiments  were 
called  for  from  Indiana,  but  five  times  the  number  required  volunteered, 
and  announced  their  readiness  to  take  the  field.  The  boys  who  left  the 
county  and  enlisted  in  three  months'  regiments,  were  credited  to  other 
counties  and  States. 

Within  two  weeks  after  the  fiill  of  Sumter,  the  organization  of  a  com- 
pany was  begun  at  Crown  Point,  with  sub-recruiting  stations  at  Lowell, 
Hobart,  and  perhaps  one  or  two  other  places  in  the  county,  and,  in  less 
than  a  week,  the  necessary  number  was  enrolled,  and  an  election  of  offi- 
cers resulted  as  follows  :  John  Wheeler,  Captain  ;  Charles  A.  Bell,  First 
Lieutenant ;  Michael  Sheehan,  Second  Lieutenant.  This  company  left 
the  county  June  24,  1861 ;  was  transferred  to  Lafayette,  and  became 
Company  B,  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  William  L.  Brown,  Colonel. 
It  was  mustered  into  the  service  on  the  22d  of  July.  The  Register  said 
ihe  company  was  really  entitled  to  become  "  A,"  but  waived  that  right 
in  favor  of  a  company  from  Miami  County. 

This  company  was  no  sooner  dispatched  to  the  field  than  the  forma- 
tion of  a  new  one  was  begun,  but  the  enlistment  was  not  hurried,  and 
was  finally  permitted  to  stop,  and  the  men  went  out  of  the  county  in 
order  to  get  into  the  service.  There  was  scarcely  a  regiment  raised  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  the  State  that  did  not  contain  men  from  Lake 
County.  The  fall  of  1861,  the  winter  of  1861-62,  and  the  spring  of 
1862,  passed  without  a  concerted  effort  to  raise  a  company,  though  sur- 
rounding counties,  and  especially  Illinois,  steadily  drained  Lake  of  her 
strength.  In  June,  1862,  the  enlistment  of  another  company  was  begun, 
recruiting  stations  being  opened  at  Crown  Point,  Lowell,  Hobart,  and 
perhaps  Dyer.     In  July,  the  company  was  full,  and  an  election  of  ofiBcers 


458 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 


resulted  as  follows  :  William  Krimbill,  Captain  ;  Richard  W.  Price,  First 
Lieutenant ;  Philip  Reed,  Second  Lieutenant.  The  company  was  so 
quickly  formed,  and  so  prompt  in  reaching  South  Bend,  the  place  of  ren- 
dezvous, that  it  became  Company  A,  of  the  Seventy-third  Regiment. 
The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service  August  16, 1862.  Company 
A  was  the  first  raised  in  the  Ninth  District,  or  the  "Bloody  Ninth,"  as 
it  was  called,  under  the  call  of  August  4,  1862,  for  300,000  men.  No 
bounty  was  oifered,  and  the  ranks  were  filled  without  efi'ort  or  urging, 
thus  showing  the  strength  of  the  county  in  case  of  an  emergency.  Dr. 
Teegarden,  of  La  Porte,  presented  the  company  $100,  his  ofi'ered  prize  for 
the  first  company  under  the  call.  No  sooner  had  this  company  departed 
than  another  was  commenced  to  free  the  county  quota,  and  so  rapid  was 
the  work  that,  by  the  21st  of  August,  the  ranks  were  full,  and  the  com- 
pany ready  for  muster  with  the  following  ofiicers :  Daniel  F.  Sawyer, 
Captain;  Kellogg  M.  Burnham,  First  Lieutenant;  James  M.  D.  Craft, 
Second  Lieutenant.  It  was  sent  to  South  Bend,  the  place  of  rendezvous, 
and  became  Company  A,  of  the  Ninety-ninth  Regiment.  In  the  issue  of 
the  Register^  August  21,  1862,  appeared  the  following  : 

All  townships  have  done  well  toward  volunteering  except  St.  Johns  and  Hanover, 
which  ought  to  have  famished  about  150  men,  but  have  furnished  only  a  few. 

It  was  also  stated  that  Winfield  Township,  with  a  voting  population 
of  eighty -four,  had  furnished  nearly  half  that  number  for  the  war.  In 
the  issue  of  August  28,  was  published  the  following  table  : 


TOWNSHIPS. 


North 

Hobart 

St.  Johns 

Ross , 

Centre 

Winfield 

Cedar  Creek. 
West  Creek.. 
Eagle  Creek.. 
Hanover 


Total. 


Militia. 

Volunteers. 

153 

36 

113 

48 

169 

24 

245 

120 

158 

99 

76 

39 

145 

92 

145 

98 

123 

66 

181 

15 

1.508 

637 

In  the  same  issue  the  Register  said : 

With  the  exception  of  three  townships,  St.  Johns,  Hanover  and  North,  Lake  County 
has  furnished  more  than  one-third  of  her  able-bodied  men  for  the  war.  She  has  raised 
three  full  companies  of  volunteers,  which  were  entitled  to  the  rank  of  Company  A,  but 
the  first  company  waived  this  title  in  favor  of  another,  consequently  it  ranks  as  Company 
B  in  the  regiment  We  challenge  another  county  iu  the  State,  with  the  same  number  of 
inhabitants,  to  show  a  more  honorable  record  than  this.  Had  the  three  recreant  town- 
ships mentioned  sent  as  many  volunteers  according  to  their  number  of  inhabitants  as 
their  sister  townships,  we  would  now  have  another  company  in  the  field  from  Lake,  which 
would  have  entitled  us  to  the  rank  of  "  banner  county." 


JOHN    WOOD.  SR. 

DEEP    RIVER. 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 


461 


By  the  4th  of  September,  1862,  the  enrolling   Commissioner,  Elihu 
GriflBn,  had  made  out  the  following  : 


TOWNSHIPS. 

Volunteers. 

Militia. 

E.xempts. 

North 

36 

121 

24 

15 

100 

93 

74 

40 

100 

48 

153 
246 
173 
184 
151 
151 
125 
78 
163 
118 

22 

Ross 

48 

St.  Johns 

27 

Hanover 

31 

West  Creek 

31 

Cedar  Creek 

43 

Eagle  Creek 

27 

Winfield 

23 

Centre 

24 

Hobart 

35 

Total 

651 

1,542 

311 

North  Township  was  not  really  behind  in  volunteering.  Her  men 
had  gone  to  Chicago,  to  Michigan  City,  and  other  places  easily  reached 
by  rail.  Ross  Township  suffered  in  the  same  way.  In  October,  1862, 
by  actual  count,  it  was  found  that  nearly  two  hundred  men  had  thus  left 
the  county  to  enlist. 

In  September,  1862,  Lieut.  William  S.  Babbitt  recruited  about  fifty 
men  for  the  Twentieth  Regiment.  At  the  same  time,  Lieut.  J.  M.  D. 
Craft  recruited  about  twenty  for  the  Ninety-ninth.  N.  Sherer,  of  Dyer, 
had  been  authorized  to  raise  a  company,  and  by  September  had  enrolled 
about  fifteen.  He  did  not  finish  the  work.  In  October,  Henry  W. 
Shafer  recruited,  or  rather  enlisted,  some  twenty-five  men  for  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Battery.  During  September,  the  Lake  boys  of  Company  B,  of 
the  Twentieth,  sent  home  to  their  families  about  $2,000.  Some  eight  or 
ten  men  of  Lake  County  entered  the  Eighty-seventh  Regiment.  About 
this  time  the  Register  boasted  that  Lake  County  had  fewer  copper- 
heads than  any  other  county  in  the  State,  and  suggested  that  the  names 
of  such  ought  to  be  recorded  for  future  reference.  The  enlistment  of 
men  was  usually  conducted  under  the  stimulus  of  a  bis;  war  meetins:, 
where  eloquent  speeches  were  made  to  kindle  the  spark  of  patriotism,  and 
beautiful  ladies,  with  bewitching  smiles,  passed  round  the  enlistment  roll. 
Many  a  boy  whose  bones  lie  buried  in  an  unknown  grave  in  "  Dixie  " 
owed  his  fate  to  his  inability  to  say  ''no  "  to  the  entreaty  of  handsome 
women.     That  is  why  we  honor  their  memory. 

A  very  large  and  patriotic  war  meeting  was  held  at  Crown  Point  on 
the  16th  of  July,  1862.  Speeches  were  made  by  Young,  Griffin,  Clay- 
pool  and  Wells.  Many  volunteers  were  secured  for  the  companies  that 
were  then  enrolling.  The  Fourth  of  July,  1862,  brought  together  a  large 
assemblage.  J.  D.  Turner  was  Marshal  of  the  day ;  R.  B.  Young 
orator  in  English  ;  Mr.   Kuntze  orator  in  German,   and   J.  M.   D.  Craft 

A  fine   dinner  was  eaten  ; 

BB 


reader  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 


462  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

toasts  were  read  and  responded  to  ;  patriotic  and  popular  airs  were  sung 
by  select  singers,  and  returned  soldiers  were  called  out  for  speeches  and 
cheered  to  the  echo.  But  little  attempt  was  made  to  enlist  men  after 
November,  1862,  and  prior  to  the  call  of  June  15,  1863,  for  100,000  three 
months'  men.  A  few  went  from  this  county  in  response  to  this  call,  but 
only  a  few.  The  call  of  October  17,  1863,  for  300,000  men,  stimu- 
lated anew  the  enlistment.  Previous  to  this,  but  little  organized  effort 
had  been  made,  but  now  a  county  central  committee  was  appointed,  as 
follows,  to  aid  in  securing  volunteers  :  R.  B.  Young,  J.  S.  Holton,  J.  D. 
Turner,  D.  K.  Pettibone  and  E.  M.  Cramer.  This  committee  met  and 
appointed  the  following  sub-committees  :  North  Township — Chancey 
Wilson,  Joseph  Hess  and  Frank  Benton.  Ross — Bartlett  Ward,  George 
Nicholson  and  Augustus  Wood.  St.  Johns — Peter  Portz,  Adam  Schmal 
and  Rev.  B.  Rachor.  Eagle  Creek— A.  T.  Mitchell,  Thomas  Fisher 
and  William  Brown.  Hobart — A.  Wheeler,  D.  B.  Collings  and  J.  B. 
Albee.  Centre — W.  B.  Rockwell,  C.  L.  Templeton  and  J.  L.  Lower. 
Hanover — Henry  Sasse,  Sr.,  H.  Westerman  and  James  Ball.  West 
Creek — Peter  Burhaus,  Z.  C.  Burnham  and  S.  M.  Baughman.  Cedar 
Creek — William  Sigler,  J.  N.  Sanger  and  J.  M.  Kenny.  Winfield — 
William  Young,  J.  S.  Sanders  and  J.  L.  Hipsley.  One  hundred  and 
three  men  were  required  from  Lake  under  the  call.  The  enlistment  was 
opened  on  the  18th  of  November,  1863,  by  Col.  Anderson,  Command- 
ant of  the  Ninth  District,  who  delivered  a  long  and  eloquent  speech  at 
the  county  seat.  Among  other  things,  he  said  that  Gov.  Morton 
had  said  that  the  Ninth  was  the  banner  district  in  Indiana.  Col.  Ander- 
son and  Mr.  McMullen  traversed  the  county,  holding  war  meetings 
at  Hobart,  Crown  Point,  Merrillville,  Wason's  Church,  West  Creek, 
Lowell  and  other  places.  By  the  4th  of  February,  1864,  over  one 
hundred  men  had  been  raised,  some  of  the  townships  being  far  in  excess 
of  their  quota.  The  calls  of  February,  March  and  April,  1864,  aggre- 
gating nearly  500,000  men,  gave  the  county  no  rest  from  the  good  work. 
At  this  time,  heavy  bounties  began  to  be  offered,  and  a  commutation  of 
$300  for  exempts  on  account  of  "conscientious  scruples"  came  into 
affect.  The  10th  of  March  was  fixed  for  the  draft  unless  the  quota  was 
filled,  but  the  enlistment  was  so  rapid  in  the  Ninth  District  that  the  day 
was  postponed,  and  by  the  1st  of  April,  the  quota  of  the  entire  district 
was  almost  filled.  Many  of  the  men  raised  during  these  months  were 
recruits  for  the  old  regiments.  In  addition  to  these.  Lake  County  raised 
over  a  company  for  the  Twelfth  Cavalry,  which  rendezvoused  at  Kendall- 
ville.  The  company  from  Lake  in  the  Twelfth  was  G,  commanded  by 
Almon  Foster,  Captain ;  J.  M.  Foster,  First  Lientenant ;  Maurice  Shee- 
han.   Second    Lieutenant.      Capt.    Foster  bought    quite    a  number    of 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 


463 


horses  in  the  county  for  his  company,  paying  an  average   price   of  ^130 
for  select  animals. 

In  May,  1863,  the  County  Commissioners  appropriated  ^1,000  out  of 
the  county  funds,  to  be  used  for  benevolent  purposes  growing  out  of  the 
war.  In  June,  a  portion  of  Company  A.  Seventy-third  Regiment,  which 
had  been  with  Col.  Streight  in  his  raid  through  Georgia,  and  had  been 
captured  and  confined  in  Southern  prisons,  returned  to  the  county,  and 
the  boys  were  welcomed  by  the  citizens  in  a  public  reception,  and  toasted 
and  feasted  to  their  heart's  content.  The  Register  of  July  had  the 
following : 

THE    FOURTH    IN    THIS    COUNTY. 

From  what  we  can  learn,  the  eighty-seventh  anniversary  of  our  independence  as  a 
nation  was  celebrated  in  this  county  at  five  different  places,  and  each  one,  so  far  as  we 
Iiave  learned,  was  well  attended.  The  oration  of  Hon.  AY.  C.  Talcott  was  a  good  one — it 
could  not  have  been  bettered.  The  speech  of  Bartlett  Ward,  delivered  in  the  afternoon, 
we  believe  pleased  everybody  who  heard  it.  In  the  evening,  there  was  a  splendid  dis- 
play of  fireworks.  Mr.  Aaron  Gurney,  of  Valparaiso,  delivered  the  oration  at  Lowell, 
and  we  understand  it  was  a  masterly  eflFort.  Rev.  R.  B.  Young,  of  this  place,  delivered 
the  oration  at  Hobart.  If  Mr.  Young  did  as  well  as  usual  on  such  occasions,  the  good 
people  of  Hobart  surely  had  a  rich  treat.  We  have  not  been  informed  who  were  the 
speakers  at  the  other  celebrations,  consequently  can't  tell  the  public. 

In  July,  1863,  the  following  enrollment  was  made  : 


TOWNSHIPS. 

Bachelors,  35 

to  40,  other 

Males  20  to  35. 

All  Persons 

between 
35  and  45. 

Total. 

North 

45 

58 

115 

95 
43 

82 
92 
91 

75 
69 

56 
89 

95 
66 
31 
34 
50 
51 
60 
68 

101 

Hobart 

97 

Ross 

210 

Centre 

161 

Winfield 

7*4 

Eagle  Creek 

116 

Cedar  Creek 

142 

West  Creek 

142 

Hanover 

135 

St.  Johns 

137 

Total 

765 

546 

1311 

In  June  and  July,  1863,  Thomas  Clark  and  R.  D.  Fowler  recruited 
quite  a  number  of  men  for  the  Seventh  Cavalry.  Calvin  Monahan,  at 
the  same  time,  bought  horses  for  the  same  cavalry.  At  the  big  war  meet- 
ing of  August  29,  1863,  there  was  over  a  mile  of  teams,  "  the  longest," 
said  the  Register,  "ever  seen  in  town."  As  stated  above,  the  quota 
under  the  October  (1863)  call  was  103,  distributed  as  follows  :  North,  8; 
Ross,  16  ;  St.  Johns,  11 ;  Centre,  13  ;  West  Creek,  11 ;  Cedar  Creek, 
11 ;  Eagle  Creek,  9  ;  Winfield,  6  ;  Hanover,  10  ;  Hobart,  8.  Charles 
A.  Bell  recruited  for  the  Twentieth  in  November,  1863.  At  a  big  war 
meeting  held  at  the  court  house  November  18,  resolutions  were  adopted 
asking  the  County  Commissioners  to  appropriate  §75  bounty  for  each 


464  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

volunteer,  in  order  to  clear  the  county  of  its  quota  of  103  men.  This 
was  not  done,  however.  The  Register  of  December  10,  1863,  contained 
the  following : 

Recruiting  has  beeu  quite  brisk  in  this  county  for  the  past  week.  We  learn  that 
Hanover,  St.  Johns  and  Cedar  Creek  Townships  have  filled  their  quotas  during  the  week. 
Besides,  others  have  been  recruited  in  other  portions  of  the  county.  St.  Johns  and  Cedar 
Creek  Townships,  each,  pay  their  volunteers  a  bounty  of  $100.  Altogether,  we  believe 
that  Capt.  Foster  has  over  sixty  men.  Lake  is  all  right,  though  her  Commissioners  do 
not  oflFer  large  bounties,  like  most  other  counties  have  done.  Some  of  the  townships  are 
considerably  behind,  but,  we  believe,  will  have  their  quotas  full  by  the  20th. 

The  issue  of  the  following  week  had  this  spirited  and  patriotic  notice  : 

Lake  County  is  doing  her  whole  duty  in  filling  her  quota.  She  has  now  in  camp  at 
Michigan  City  seventy-five  or  eighty  men.  [These  men  were  raised  for  the  Twelfth 
Cavalry. — Ed.]  Centre  was  the  first  Township  to  fill  her  quota,  it  being  full  about  four 
weeks  ago.  Centre  has  furnished  twenty-five  or  twenty-six  men  in  all,  four  or  five  being 
credited  to  other  townships.  Our  citizens  should  be  proud  of  Centre,  as  this  number 
has  been  enlisted  without  the  offer  of  a  single  dollar  of  bounty.  St.  Johns  sent  off  her 
complement  last  week,  but  we  understand  that  four  of  her  men  were  rejected  on  account 
of  old  age  and  physical  disability.  She  will  make  up  the  deficiency  in  a  day  or  two. 
Cedar  Creek  has  filled  her  quota,  we  believe.  Eagle  Creek  claims  to  have  furnished  her 
quota,  but  we  believe  she  lacks  four  or  five  yet.  West  Creek  at  last  accounts  was  behind 
only  four  or  five.  Winfield  has  furnished  three  men,  and,  as  they  offer  $25  bounty,  we 
presume  they  will  have  the  six  men  before  the  20th.  Ross  still  lacks  seven  or  eight  men, 
but  her  citizens  are  doing  nobly  in  the  way  of  money,  offering  SI, 600  for  sixteen  men. 
Her  quota  will  be  filled  by  the  20th.  Hanover  shows  a  clean  record,  her  ten  being 
already  in  camp.  Hobart  and  North  are  the  only  two  townships  behind.  We  have  not 
heard  that  either  has  furnished  any  men  for  this  last  call,  but  we  think  they  will  fill 
their  quota  in  time  to  escape  the  draft.  Thirty  men  left  here  last  Wednesday,  and  about 
twenty  more  on  Sunday.  The  company  will  organize  and  elect  their  officers  as  soon  as 
the  required  number  is  mustered.  Thus  has  Little  Lake  honored  all  of  Uncle  Sam's 
drafts.  We  feel  proud  of  the  county.  Certain  Democratic  members  of  the  last  Legis- 
lature said  that  Lake  County  was  a"d — d  Abolition  County,  and  always  saved  Colfax 
from  defeat."  Yes,  and  it  has  sent  one  thousaiid  Abolitionists  to  the  battle-field  to  help 
defeat  the  rebels  in  arms.     Bully  for  Lake  ! 

The  company,  raised  at  this  time,  and  sent  to  Michigan  City,  and 
afterward  to  Kendallville,  became  G,  of  the  Twelfth  Cavalry,  with  officers 
as  above  stated.  In  February,  1864,  J.  H.  Ball  and  D.  H.  Barney  were 
commissioned  to  recruit  a  company  for  the  regiment  forming  at  Camp 
Anderson,  Michigan  City.  Nicholas  Scherer  became  general  recruiting 
officer  of  the  county.  Many  of  the  boys  of  Company  B,  Twentieth  Regi- 
ment, returned  to  the  county  in  March,  1864,  and  were  given  a  public 
reception  by  the  citizens.  An  issue  of  the  Register  in  May  contained 
this  notice: 

About  thirty  recruits  have  enlisted  in  this  county  under  the  call  for  one  hundred 
days'  men.  A  war  meeting  was  held  on  Saturday  last,  and  was  addressed  by  Revs.  R.  B. 
Young,  Lower  and  others. 

The  Fourth  of  July,  1864,  was  fully  recognized   in  Lake  County  by 


HISTORY    OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  466 

well-attended  celebrations  at  Lowell,  Crown  Point,  Hobart,  and  perhaps 
elsewhere.  At  Lowell,  Judge  Hervey  Ball  was  President  of  the  Day;  Capt. 
Kellogg  Burnham,  Marshal;  and  Aaron  Gurney,  of  Valparaiso,  Orator. 
About  1,200  persons  were  present.  Thirty-four  young  ladies  dressed 
in  white  with  blue  sashes,  and  bedecked  with  garlands  of  bright  flowers, 
passed  through  the  streets.  Great  enthusiasm  prevailed.  The  following 
toasts  were  responded  to  :  "  The  President  of  the  United  States,"  T.  H. 
Ball;  '^Governor  Morton,"  T.  Cleveland;  "Speaker  Colfax,"  Mr.  Tarr; 
"The  Ladies  present  representing  the  States,"  Mr.  Eadus;  "The  Union 
Army  and  Navy,"  Mr.  Wells;  "The  Widows  and  Orphans  of  the  Re- 
public," T.  Cleveland.  The  day  was  greatly  enjoyed,  especially  the  fine 
oration  of  Mr.  Gurney.  At  Crown  Point,  J.  H.  Luther  was  President 
of  the  Day  ;  C.  L.  Temple,  Marshal ;  C.  J.  Thompson,  of  Valparaiso, 
Orator;  A.  E.  Beattie,  Reader  of  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  Rev. 
R.  B.  Young,  Chaplain.  A  pleasant  day  was  spent,  but  not  on  so  grand 
a  scale  as  at  Lowell. 

Under  the  call  of  July  18,  1864,  for  500,000  men,  the  quota  of  Lake 
County  was  225.  This  number  was  reduced  by  excess  under  former 
calls  to  172,  which  number  was  required  as  follows:  North,  11 ;  Ross, 
34;  St.  Johns,  20;  Centre,  8;  West  Creek,  18;  Cedar  Creek,  13; 
Eagle  Creek,  16 ;  Winfield,  13 ;  Hanover,  18 ;  Hobart,  21.  The  fol- 
lowing townships  were  thus  ahead  of  former  calls  :  North,  8  ;  Ross,  2  ; 
St.  Johns,  5;  Centre,  19;  West  Creek,  4;  Cedar  Creek,  11;  Eagle 
Creek,  2  ;  Hanover,  5.  Winfield  was  behind  on  former  calls,  1,  and 
Hobart,  2.     The  Register  of  August  4,  1864,  said  : 

Our  citizens  will  now  observe  the  disadvantage  they  will  be  obliged  to  labor  under 
by  men  going  out  of  the  county  to  enlist.  We  have  furnished  men  enough  from  this 
county,  aside  from  our  credits,  to  fill  our  quota  under  the  new  call.  Winlield  hai  a  defi- 
ciency of  one  ;  West  Creek  and  Eagle  Creek  are  nearly  as  bad  off  (!),  yet  these  town- 
ships have  all  furnished  as  many  or  more  men,  compared  to  ihe  population,  than  any 
other  townships  in  the  county.  AVinfield  and  Eagle  Creek  sent  their  men  to  Valparaiso, 
and  West  Creek  to  Illinois.  So  also  with  Hobart,  which  has  a  deficiency  of  two;  Chicago 
has  the  credit  of  her  men.  Ross  labors  under  the  same  difficulty,  and  now  has  thirty- 
four  men  to  furnish.  Lake  County  has  furnished  nearly  as  many  men  for  the  army,  and 
all  three  ye  irs'  men  at  that,  as  she  used  to  cast  votes  before  the  war,  which  we  think  is, 
at  least,  as  good  a  record  as  any  other  county  in  the  district  ca.n  show,  yet  her  quota  is 
now  nearly  as  large  as  other  counties  with  a  population  two  or  three  times  as  great. 
This  may  be  all  right,  but  we  do   not  see  it. 

The  issue  of  June  23,  1864,  said  : 

We  learn  that,  since  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion.  Lake  County  has  sent  over  1,100 
soldiers  to  the  field.  What  other  county  in  the  State,  with  a  voting  population  of  about 
1,600,  has  furnished  as  many  men  ? 

In  July,  1864,  Lieut.  W.  S.  Babbitt  recruited  men  for  the  Twentieth 
Regiment,   under  the  call  of  July  18,    1864,  for  500,000  men.     It  was 


466  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

during  the  summer  of  1864  that  militia  organizations  were  eflfected 
throughout  the  county.  The  object  of  this  was  to  get  the  full  strength 
of  each  township  out,  to  facilitate  future  enlistments.  It  was  ascertained 
in  September,  1864,  that  Ross  Township  had  furnished  for  the  war  120 
men,  thirty-four  of  whom  had  enlisted  in  Chicago.  Both  North  and  Ho- 
bart  were  in  much  the  same  condition.  The  fall  elections  were  very 
spirited.  Union  meetings  were  held  in  every  schoolhouse,  and  general 
hopeful  feeling  prevailed.  Out  of  a  total  of  1,761  votes  polled,  Lake 
County  gave  Colfax,  Candidate  for  Congress,  a  majority  of  803,  and,  at 
the  November  election.  West  Creek,  out  of  191  votes  cast,  gave  190  for 
the  Union  ticket.  The  Register  claimed  Lake  for  the  "  banner  Union 
county  in  the  State."  If  that  was  true,  West  Creek  was  certainly  the 
banner  township.  St.  Johns  was  the  only  Democratic  township  in  the 
county.  It  gave  Turpie,  Democratic  Candidate  for  Congress,  150  votes 
out  of  169  polled.  During  the  winter  of  1864-65,  a  literary  society  at 
Crown  Point,  after  discussing  with  her  ablest  talent,  for  two  nights,  the 
question,  "  Ought  the  colored  people  in  our  country  to  enjoy  the  rights 
of  citizenship  among  us  ?"  finally  decided  the  question  in  the  negative. 
The  "  nigger  "  was  still  offensive  to  some,  it  seems. 

Under  the  call  of  December  19,  1864,  for  300,000  men,  the  town- 
ships began  active  work  to  fill  their  quotas.  The  strength  for  the  county 
had  been  considerably  reduced  by  the  heavy  drains  upon  her,  but  she 
had  many  good  men  yet,  and  she  began  to  stir  them  up  and  out.  Alfred 
Vanslyke  began  to  recruit  men.  The  quotas  of  the  townships  under  this 
call  were  North,  7 ;  Ross,  20 ;  St.  Johns,  21 ;  Centre,  18 ;  West 
Creek,  12 ;  Cedar  Creek,  16 ;  Eagle  Creek,  5 ;  Winfield,  8 ;  Han- 
over, 20;  Hobart,  11;  total,  138.  The  Register  of  February  16, 
1865,  said  : 

Centre,  Cedar  Creek  and  West  Creek,  liave  filled  their  quotas.  Ross  commenced 
raising  money  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  volunteers,  and,  when  nearly  enough  was 
raised,  the  matter  fell  through.  She  is  now  making  no  effort,  and  her  men  are  volun- 
teering and  being  credited  to  other  townships.  St.  Johns  has  raised,  enough  to  pay  her 
Tolunteers.  Hanover  will  probably  fill  her  quota.  Eagle  Creek  has  filled  her  quota, 
having  paid  each  volunteer  $400.  North  and  Hobart  Avill  do  nothing  toward  procuring 
volunteers  by  pay,  as  their  citizens  are  generally  men  of  limited  means. 

This  was  about  the  condition  of  affairs  when  the  draft  came  on,  and 
soon  after  came  the  joyful  news  of  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Lee,  and  the 
order  to  cease  enlisting  or  drafting.  The  first  issue  of  the  Register^  after 
the  surrender  of  Gen.  Lee,  contained  the  following  : 

.JUBILATION. 

On  Siturdiy  morning  last  the  rumor  of  the  capture  of  Gen.  Lee's  army  reached  this 
place,  and  in  the  evening  a  rather  abortive  attempt  wis  made  to  get  up  a  jubilee.  A  bon- 
fire was  kindled,  the  cannon  brougtit  out  and  fired  repeatedly,  and  the  sky  was  illumined 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  *  467 

by  a  display  of  fireworks.  Quite  a  number  of  our  citizens  assembled  at  the  court  house, 
expecting  to  hear  some  speeches,  but  it  was  a  rather  "  Quakerish  "  aftair — the  spirit  not 
moving  any  one  to  speak.  On  Monday  morning  however,  when  the  authenticated  intelli- 
gence of  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Lee  and  his  entire  army  reached  here,  the  wildest  enthusiasm 
prevailed.  The  cannon  was  fired,  the  bells  were  rung,  and  every  one  made  melody  iu  his 
heart.  The  rejoiciag  was  kept  up  with  but  little  intermission  during  the  day,  and  in  the 
evening  the  court  house  was  packed  with  an  enthusiastic  assemblage,  which  was  regaled 
with  soul-stirring  speeches  by  llev.  R.  B.  Young  and  M.  E.  Griffin.  The  meeting  was 
continued  until  10  o'clock,  and  closed  by  the  singing  of  the  Doxology,  in  which  the  en- 
tire audience  joined. 

Immediately  after  this  came  the  painful  news  that  President  Lincoln 
had  been  assassinated.  The  revulsion  in  public  feeling  was  sickening. 
Many  a  man  and  woman  had  learned  to  love  the  name  of- Abraham  Lin- 
coln. He  had  led  them  through  four  long  years  of  darkness  and  death — 
had  been  the  cloud  by  day  and  pillar  of  fire  by  night  through  all  the 
starless  gloom  of  war;  and  now,  when  the  sunlight  of  victory  had 
lighted  the  national  heart  with  boundless  joy,  and  every  eye  was  dim, 
and  every  knee  bent  in  grateful  thanksgiving,  to  have  the  beloved  Lin- 
coln cut  down  so  untimely,  was  indeed  bitter  and  hard  to  bear.  Scores 
burst  into  tears,  as  if  they  had  lost  their  dearest  friend.  The  Register 
said : 

DKATH    OF    LINCOLN. 

Services  were  held  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  12  M.,  Monday,  April  If. 
A  large  congregation  was  present.  Dr.  H.  Pettibone  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Andrew 
Krimbill  made  Secretary.  James  D.  Turner,  Timothy  Cleveland  and  William  Krimbill, 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  resolutions.  Rev.  R.  B.  Young  opened  with  prayer 
Short  speeches  were  delived  by  David  Turner,  R.  B.  Young,  J.  D.  Turner  and  B.  H.  Brad 
bury.     A  long  series  of  resolutions  was  adopted,  one  of  them  being, 

Resolved,  That  we,  in  common  with  all  loyal  citizens  of  the  Republic,  receive  with  feel- 
ings of  profoundest  grief  the  overwhemingly  painful  announcement  of  the  death,  by  the 
hand  of  a  guilty  and  infamous  assassin,  of  the  great  honored,  and  universally  beloved  Chief 
Magistrate  of  the  nation,  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  honest,  the  tried,  the  true. 

Soon  after  this  came  the  news  that  Jeff  Davis  had  been  captured. 
This  somewhat  revived  the  public  heart.  The  old  cannon  at  Crown  Point 
was  again  brought  out  and  fired,  and  an  eifigy  of  "Jeff""  in  petticoats 
was  carried  through  the  streets,  astride  a  rail,  by  a  troop  of  boys,  and 
finally  hung  up  for  a  day  or  two,  when  it  was  taken  down  and  "  cremated  " 
amid  derisive  shouts. 

There  remain  to  be  noticed  a  few  other  topics.  In  the  fall  of  1862, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  some  localities  of  the  State  had  furnished  no  vol- 
unteers scarcely  for  the  war,  a  draft  was  ordered,  to  compel  the  recreant 
localities  to  come  to  time.  The  draft  was  not  because  the  counties  were 
behind  with  their  quotas,  but  because  some  townships  were  doing  about  all 
the  enlisting.  The  measure  was  to  equalize  the  enlistment.  The  draft 
officers  of  Lake  were  Elihu  Griffin,  Commissioner;  Daniel  Turner,  Pro- 
vost Marshall,  and   Harvey  Pettibone   Surgeon.     The   day  of  draft  was 


468  HISTORY  OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

fixed  for  September  15,  1862,  but  was  postponed  until  the  6th  of  October, 
when  it  took  place  with  the  following  result :  North,  18  ;  St.  Johns,  32; 
Hanover,  22  ;  total  72.  The  most  of  these  men  entered  the  service. 
The  draft  was  quiet,  and  but  little  opposition  was  manifested.  Mr.  Grif- 
fin's deputies  were :  North,  Chancey  Wilson  ;  Hobart,  Jesse  Albee  ;  Ross, 
J.  M.  Death  and  C.  Death  ;  Centre,  D.  K.  Pettibone ;  St.  Johns,  Adam 
Schmal  and  Nicholas  Scherer  ;  Winfield,  A.  Humphrey  ;  Eagle  Creek, 
John  Fisher ;  Cedar  Creek,  Timothy  Cleveland ;  West  Creek,  David 
Doner ;  Hanover,  John  G.  Hoffman.  In  August  preceding  the  draft, 
the  Hegister  said : 

Last  Tuesday  we  saw  the  most  heart-rend  ing  scene  we  ever  witnessed.  It  was  gen- 
erally understood  that  on  that  day  all  persons  exempt  from  military  duty  in  this  county 
were  to  have  their  claims  to  exemption  duly  recognized  by  the  enrolling  Commissioners. 
It  was  truly  pitable  to  behold  the  lame,  halt,  weak-spined,  etc.,  that  were  in  town  that 
day.  Some  individuals,  whom  we  always  supposed  to  be  able-bodied,  were  suffering  almost 
as  much  as  humanity  could  suffer.  Old  diseases  and  ailments  that  were  almost  forgot- 
ten were  suddenly  brought  to  mind  again,  and  a  person  whose  heart  was  not  composed 
of  adamant  could  not  have  witnessed  their  suffering  without  being  moved  to  tears. 

Several  of  the  drafted  men  "skedaddled,"  and  J.  D.  Bonnell,  a 
special  Deputy,  was  sent  to  arrest  them,  and  take  them  to  Indianapolis. 
This  he  succeeded  in  doing.  In  May,  1863,  the  County  Conscript 
Ofiicers  ceased  to  serve,  the  District  Conscript  Officers  taking  their  place. 
James  B.  Belford  became  District  Commissioner ;  W.  W.  Wallace, 
Provost  Marshal,  but  his  appointment  was  revoked  in  November,  and 
Kline  G.  Shryock  took  his  place ;  Daniel  Dayton,  Surgeon.  J.  S. 
Holton  became  Assistant  Enrolling  Officer  for  Lake  County,  and  the  fol- 
lowing township  assistants  were  appointed  :  North,  L.  Knothe  ;  Ross, 
John  Krost ;  Centre,  C.  E.  Allman ;  West  Creek,  M.  L.  Barber ; 
Eagle  Creek,  Ellis  Sargent ;  Winfield,  William  Young ;  Cedar  Creek, 
Amos  Edgerton  ;  Hanover,  Henry  Sasse,  Jr.;  Hobart,  J.  B.  Albee;  St. 
Johns,  Joseph  Vornhultz.  No  township  gave  the  enrolling  officer  any 
trouble,  except  St.  Johns.  Some  severe  threats  were  made,  but  the  officer 
escaped  with  six  young  apple  trees  girdled,  and  the  tails  of  five  horses 
shaved.  The  draft  again  came  off  in  October,  1864,  with  the  following 
result :  Hanover,  18  ;  Eagle  Creek,  4  ;  Ross,  27  ;  Hobart,  19  ;  North, 
10;  Winfield,  13;  St.  Johns,  20;  Centre,  8 ;  Cedar  Creek,  12 ;  West 
Creek,  13  ;  total,  144.  This  draft  was  conducted  at  Michigan  City,  but, 
even  while  it  was  in  progress,  several  of  the  townships  cleared  themselves 
by  offering  large  bounties,  and  others  considerably  reduced  the  number 
to  be  drafted.  The  following  was  the  final  number  obtained  by  this  draft : 
North,  4  ;  Ross,  15 ;  West  Creek,  3  ;  Cedar  Creek,  9  ;  Eagle  Creek,  1 ; 
Winfield,  7  ;  Hobart,  9 ;  total,  48.  Centre  paid  $300  bounty  to  clear 
herself,  the  money  being  raised  by  private  subscription.     A  number  of 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.     '  469 

citizens  who  refused  to  subscribe,  had  their  names  published,  gratis,  in 
the  Register.  The  drafted  men  were  ordered  to  report  at  Michigan  City 
November  2,  1864.  Under  the  call  of  December  19,  1864,  the  county 
was  slow  in  raising  her  men.  The  draft  was  fixed  for  the  15th  of  Febru- 
ary,  but  was  postponed,  and  finally  came  off  at  Michigan  City  April  11, 
1865.  But,  as  was  done  the  fall  before,  the  townships  raised  very  large 
bounties,  and  Centre,  St.  Johns  and  Hanover  thus  cleared  themselves. 
The  other  townships  were  credited  with  drafted  men  as  follows  :  North, 
3 ;  Ross,  5 ;  West  Creek,  4  ;  Cedar  Creek,  1 ;  Eagle  Creek,  1 ;  Win- 
field,  1  ;  Hobart,  4  ;  total.  19.  It  thus  appears  that  there  were  three 
drafts  in  Lake  County,  though  the  last  is  not  recognized  by  the  citizens, 
as  the  close  of  the  war  rendered  it  unnecessary.  The  enrolled  militia  of 
Lake  in  September,  1862,  was  1,541 ;  650  had  volunteered ;  625  were 
in  the  service ;  314  were  exempted,  and  1,227  were  subject  to  draft. 
The  quotas  of  the  county  under  the  calls  of  February,  March  and  July, 
1864,  were,  respectively,  212,  85  and  225 ;  total,  522.  The  enrollment 
upon  which  they  were  based  was  1,347.  The  county  was  credited  with 
384  recruits,  56  veterans  and  48  drafted.  This  was  after  the  draft  of 
October,  1864.  The  county  enrollment  under  the  December,  1864,  call 
was  only  783.  Under  this  call  the  county  was  credited  with  QQ  recruits 
and  19  drafted.  From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  Lake  furnished  650  vol- 
unteers by  autumn  of  1862  ;  384  recruits  after  that  and  by  October, 
1864,  and  after  that  QQ  recruits  ;  total  volunteers  and  recruits,  1,100.  The 
drafted  men  who  actually  left  the  county  and  entered  the  service  were 
72,  in  1862  ;  48,  in  1864,  and  19  in  1865  ;  total  drafted,  139.  It  was 
also  found  by  actual  count  in  1864,  that  not  less  than  220  men  had  left 
the  county  to  enlist,  thus  making  the  grand  total  of  the  county  in  the  serv- 
ice the  sum  of  1,100,  139  and  220,  or  a  total  of  1,459  men.  They 
were  in  the  following  known  regiment;  Ninth,  Twelfth,  Twentieth, 
Seventy-second,  Seventy-third,  Eighty-seventh,  Ninty-ninth,  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth,  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-second,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  and  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fifty-fifth  Infantry;  Fifth,  Seventh  and  Twelfth  Cavalry; 
Fourth  and  Twenty-fourth  Artillery. 

In  November  or  December,  1861,  a  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  was  organ- 
ized at  Crown  Point.  What  was  accomplished  is  not  remembered.  In 
December,  1862,  the  editor  of  the  Register  pertinently  asked: 
"  What  has  become  of  the  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  at  Crown  Point?" 
From  this  it  would  appear  that  the  society  was  not  very  actively  at 
work.  Public  meetings  were  held  in  all  parts  of  the  county  late  in  1863, 
in  response  to  the  proclamation  of  Gov.  Morton  calling  for  assistance  for 
soldiers'  families.     What  was  done  is  included  in  the   tabular  statement 


470  HISTORY   OF    LAKE   COUNTY. 

farther  on.  Mrs.  S.  Robinson  and  Mrs.  E.  Hodson,  of  Lake  County, 
served  the  Christian  Commission  as  nurses  in  the  Union  Hospitals  at 
Memphis  and  elsewhere.  Mrs.  Julia  Sprague  left  the  county  and  entered 
the  Nashville  Hospitals  in  August,  1863,  as  a  nurse.  Revs.  J.  E.  New- 
house  and  J.  L.  Lower  did  the  same  in  June,  1864.  A  sort  of  fair  was 
held  ac  Crown  Point  December  4  and  5,  1863,  on  which  occasion 
a  considerable  quantity  of  provisions  was  distributed  to  soldiers'  families. 
Suppers  given  to  the  public  in  the  evenings  netted  §175.50.  This  amount 
was  placed  in  the  hands  of  Alvan  Sanford,  to  be  distributed  to  such  fam- 
ilies. No  organized  effort  of  relief  was  made  until  January  24,  1864, 
when,  after  a  strong  discourse  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which 
led  to  the  collection  of  ^40  for  the  Sanitary  Commission,  it  was  decided 
to  re-organize  the  old  aid  society.  Rev.  R.  B.  Young  was  elected  Presi- 
dent ;  Revs.  J.  E.  Newhouse,  T.  H.  Ball  and  J.  L.  Lower,  Vice  Presi- 
dents; W.  G.  McGlashon,  Secretary,  and  E.  M.  Cramer,  Treasurer.  Do- 
nation Committee — Mrs.  J.  H.  Luther,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Cramer,  Mrs.  S.  J. 
Robinson,  Mrs.  J.  G.  Vandewalker,  Miss  Chase  and  Miss  Beebe.  Com- 
mittee to  draft  Constitution  and  By-Laws — Mrs.  J.  H.  Luther,  Mrs.  Z. 
F.  Summers  and  Mrs.  J.  D.  Turner.  The  above  arrangement  seems  to 
have  been  abandoned,  for  in  March,  1864,  the  ladies  perfected  the  follow- 
ing organization  :  President,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Luther  ;  Vice  Presidents,  Mrs. 
B.  B.  Cheshire  and  Mrs.  J.  E.  Young  ;  Secretary,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Martin  ; 
Treasurer,  Mrs.  T.  H.  Ball.  This  proved  to  be  a  working  organization, 
§24  was  raised  for  the  ladies  to  begin  with.  Mite  societies  were  also  or- 
ganized about  this  time.  An  aid  society  was  organized  at  Plum  Grove  : 
President,  Mrs.  M.  Pierce ;  Secretary,  Miss  A.  J.  Albert ;  Treasurer, 
Miss  M.  J.  Whaler.  All  these  societies  besran  active  work.  The  Crown 
Point  society  at  the  close  of  the  war  made  the  following  report :  Cash 
raised,  §561.71,  all  of  which  had  been  judiciously  expended  except  §45  ; 

1  barrel  of  pickles,  1  keg  of  horse  radish,  1  firkin  of  butter  (84  pounds), 

2  bottles  of  wine,  101  shirts,  92  pairs  of  drawers,  29  sheets,  1  bed  tick,  8 
yards  of  mosquito-bar,  101  handkerchiefs,  71  towels,  175  pads,  44  pounds 
of  bandages  and  compresses,  82  pillows,  69  pillow-cases,  18  pairs  stockings, 
114  pin-cushions,  9  coats,  39  pounds  of  dried  fruit,  49  quilts,  5  vests,  2 
pairs  pants,  1  dressing-gown  and  three  large  boxes  of  stores  valued  at 
§150,  sent  to  the  Indiana  State  Fair.  There  were  some  six  or  eight  other 
societies  in  the  county  which,  it  is  said,  did  as  well  in  proportion.  Not 
less  than  §3,000  in  money  and  stores  were  sent  from  the  county  for  the 
benefit  of  the  soldiers.  Concerts,  lectures,  suppers,  fairs,  festivals,  dona- 
tions, etc.,  etc.,  were  employed  in  helping  the  soldiers. 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  471 

EXHIBIT    OF    THE    AMOUNTS    PAID    BY    TUE    COUNTY    FOR    LOCAL    BOUNTY,  RELIEF    FUND,    ETC. 


LOCALITY. 


Lake  County. 

North 

Ross 

St.  Johns , 

Centre 

West  Creek... 
Cedar  Creek. 
Eagle  Creek.. 

Winfield 

Hanover 


Total 

Grand  Total 


Bounty. 


$3,460 
692 

8,300 
18,700 

9,300 

3,922 
10,850 

2,000 

150 

10,000 

$62,374 


Relief. 


$7,315 


1,200 
300 
800 

1,000 
341 


$10,956 


Miscellaneous. 


$876.33 


$876.33 


.$74,206.33 


Four  full  companies  left  Lake  during  the  war,  as  follows :  Com- 
pany B,  Twentieth  Regiment:  Company  A,  Seventy-third  Regiment; 
Company  A,  Ninety-ninth  Regiment,  and  Company  G,  Twelfth  Cavalry. 
The  following  were  the  officers  of  these  companies,  from  the  time  of 
entering  the  service  until  muster  out,  given  in  the  order  of  their  ap- 
pointments :  Company  B,  of  the  Twentieth — Captains,  John  Wheeler 
and  Charles  A.  Bell ;  First  Lieutenants,  Charles  A.  Bell,  Michael  Shee- 
han  and  Christopher  Fraunberg ;  Second  Lieutenants,  Michael  Shee- 
han,  William  S.  Babbitt,  Joseph  A.  Clark  and  Amory  K.  Allen. 
Company  A,  of  the  Seventy-third — Captains,  William  Krimbill,  Richard 
W.  Price  and  Alfred  Fry  ;  First  Lieutenants,  Richard  W.  Price,  Philip 
Reed,  Alfred  Fry  and  J.  R.  Uptigrove  ;  Second  Lieutenants,  Philip 
Reed,  Alfred  Fry,  J.  R.  Uptigrove,  G.  S.  Clark  and  Oliver  G.  Wheeler. 
Company  A,  of  the  Ninety-ninth — Captains,  David  F.  Sawyer,  Kellogg 
M.  Burnhara,  Rodman  H.  Wells  and  Alfred  H.  Heath.  First  Lieu- 
tenants, K.  M.  Burnham,  R.  H.  Wells,  A.  H.  Heath,  D.  T.  Burnham 
and  John  P.  Merrill ;  Second  Lieutenants,  J.  M.  D.  Craft,  A.  H.  Heath 
and  H.  T.  Wilton.  Company  G,  of  the  Twelfth  Cavalry — Captains, 
Almon  Foster  and  John  M.  Foster ;  First  Lieutenants,  John  M.  Foster 
and  Maurice  Sheehan  ;  Second  Lieutenants,  Maurice  Sheehan,  Charles 
Ball  and  Alexander  McDonald. 

The  bounties  paid  by  the  Government  during  the  rebellion  were 
as  follows:  July  22,  1861,  §100  for  three  years'  men;  June 
25,  1863,  $400  to  all  veterans  re-enlisting  for  three  years  or  the 
war,  to  be  paid  until  April  1,  1864;  October  24,  1863,  $300  to 
new  recruits  in  old  regiments,  to  be  paid  until  April  1,  1864 ;  July  19, 
1864,  $100  for  recruits  for  one  year,  $200  for  recruits  for  two  years  and 
$300  for  recruits  for  three  years  ;  November  28,  1864,  $300  out  of  the 
draft  or  substitute  fund,  in  addition  to  the  bounty  of  July  19,  1864,  for 


472  HISTORY   OF   LAKE  COUNTY. 

men  enlisting  in  the  First  Army  Corps ;  an  act  of  July  4,  1864,  rescinded 
the  payment  of  the  $100  under  the  act  of  July  22,  1861,  to  drafted  men 
and  substitutes. 

CALLS  FOR  TROOPS  DURING  THE  REBELLION. 

1.  April  15,  1861,  75,000  men  for  three  months. 

2.  May  3,  1861,  42,034  men  for  three  years  (regular  army). 

3.  July  2,  1862,  300,000  men  for  nine  months. 

4.  August  4,  1862,  300,000  men  for  nine  months. 

5.  June  15,  1863,  100,000  men  for  six  months. 

6.  October  17,  1863,  300,000  men  for  three  years. 

7.  February  1,  1864,  200,000  men  for  three  years. 

8.  March  14,  1864,  200,000  men  for  three  years. 

9.  April  23,  1864,  85,000  for  100  days. 

10.  July  18,  1864,  500,000  men  for  one,  two  and  three  years. 

11.  December  19,  1864,  300,000  men  for  three  years. 

The  Twentieth  Regiment  participated  in  the  following  engagements  : 
Hatteras  Bank,  Newport  News,  Capture  of  Norfolk,  Orchards  (where  it 
lost  144  men,  killed,  wounded  and  missing).  Seven  Days'  Fight,  Manas- 
sas Plains  (where  Col.  Brown  was  killed),  Chantilly,  Fredericksburg, 
Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg  (second,  third  and  fourth  day's  fight,  losing 
152  men  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  including  Col.  John  Wheeler,  a 
resident  of  Lake  County),  Manassas  Gap,  Locust  Grove,  Pine  Run, 
Wilderness,  Todd's  Tavern,  Po  River,  Spottsylvania,  Tallopotanni,  Cold 
Harbor,  Deep  Bottom,  Strawberry  Plains,  Petersburg  (where  many  men 
were  lost,  including  Lieut.  Col.  Meikel),  Preble's  House,  Hatcher's 
Run,  and  all  the  battles  until  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army,  besides  others 
of  less  note. 

The  Seventy-third  fought  at  Chaplin  Hills,  Wild  Cat,  Gallatin  (where 
it  captured  nineteen  men),  various  skirmishes,  Stone  River  (where  it  lost 
twenty-two  killed,  forty-six  wounded  and  thirty-six  missing,  was  at  the 
front  and  under  fire  six  days,  occupied  the  extreme  right  of  the  army,  the 
extreme  left  and  the  center,  lost  every  member  of  the  color  guard,  killed 
or  wounded,  except  the  color  bearer,  and  was  complimented  for  gallantry 
by  Gen.  Rosecrans  in  person),  Streight's  Expedition,  fighting  at  Day's 
Gap,  Crooked  Creek  (lost  twenty-three  killed  and  wounded),  Blount's 
Farm  (where  Col.  Hathaway  was  mortally  wounded),  and  the  regiment 
was  captured  at  Cedar  BIuiF,  the  men  being  soon  exchanged,  but  not 
the  officers,  many  skirmishes  while  guarding  property  in  Tennessee  and 
Kentucky,  Athens,  Ala.,  Decatur,  frequent  skirmishes  near  Larkinsville, 
and  others  of  less  importance. 

The  Ninety-ninth  fought  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  Big  Black  River, 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  473 

siege  of  Jackson,  Brownsville,  Mission  Ridge,  pursuit  of  Bragg,  Chatta- 
nooga, Rocky  Face  Ridge,  Resaca,  Dallas,  Big  Shanty,  seven  days' 
skirmishing  near  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Nickajack  Creek,  Decatur,  in  front 
of  Atlanta,  skirmished  every  day  from  the  3d  to  the  15th  of  August, 
Jonesboro,  Lovejoy's  Station,  Little  River;  on  the  march  to  the  sea,  it 
fought  at  Cannouchee  River  and  Ogeechee  River,  charge  upon  Ft.  Mc- 
Allister, Duck  Creek,  Edisto  River,  Bentonville  and  others. 

The  Twelfth  Cavalry  fought  guerrillas  in  numerous  skirmishes  between 
Huntsville,  Ala.,  and  Point  Rock  (and  lost  many  men,  killed  and  wounded), 
same  while  at  Brownsboro  and  at  TuUahoma,  Wilkinson's  Pike  and 
Overall's  Creek,  skirmished  before  Murfreesboro  and  in  the  defense  of 
Mobile,  Grierson  raid  and  numerous  other  places,  besides  doing  a  vast 
and  constant  amount  of  fatigue  and  guard  duty. 

LAKE    county's    ROLL    OF    HONOR. 

NiJith  Infantry.  —  Thomas  A.  Bieber,  died  of  disease,  February, 
1862  ;  Lewis  W.  Crandle,  died  of  disease,  March,  1862  ;  Alfred  E.  Fol- 
sam,  killed  at  Shiloh,  April,  1862  ;  William  B.  Handle,  died  of  disease, 
June,  1862 ;  Benjamin  F.  Harris,  died  of  disease,  February,  1862  ;  Asa 
A.  Ketchum,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Stone  River,  January,  1863  ; 
Robert  B.  Lathrop,  killed  at  Shiloh,  April,  1862 ;  Lewis  E.  Smith,  killed 
at  Greenbrier,  Va.,  October,  1861 ;  John  D.  Snure,  died  of  disease, 
February,  1862.     Total,  9. 

Twentieth  Infantry. — Col.  John  Wheeler,  killed  at  Gettysburg,  July 
2,  1863 ;  Samuel  Bangleburn,  died  in  Andersonville  Prison,  November, 
1864 ;  James  A.  Deyoe,  died  of  wounds,  August,  1864 ;  Jeremiah  W. 
Drake,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg ;  George  W.  Edgerton, 
killed  at  Gettysburg,  July,  1863  ;  Horace  Fuller,  killed  in  the  Wilder- 
ness, Va.,  May,  1864 ;  Lawrence  Frantz,  killed  at  Spottsylvania,  May, 
1864 ;  Michael  Hafey,  died  at  Petersburg,  Va.;  Christian  Haz worth, 
died  of  wounds  received  at  Manassas  Plains,  May,  1863  ;  William  M. 
Johnson,  killed  at  Petersburg,  June,  1864  ;  Albert  Kale,  died  at  Camp 
Hampton,  Va.,  December,  1861 ;  James  D.  Merrill,  killed  in  the  Wilder- 
ness, May,  1864 ;  William  Mutchler,  died  at  Camp  Smith,  Va.,  April, 
1862 ;  Peter  Mutchler,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Chickahominy,  July, 
1862;  James  Pattie,  died  in  Belle  Isle  Prison,  Va.;  David  Pinckerton, 
died  of  wounds  received  in  the  Wilderness  ;  Joshua  Richmond,  killed  at 
Gettysburg,  July,  1863 ;  Harvey  B.  Sisson,  died  at  Brandy  Station, 
Va.,  February,  1864 ;  John  F.  Tarr,  died  at  Washington,  November, 
1862 ;  Isaac  Williams,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  July, 
1863 ;  Charles  Winters,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg,  June, 
1864.     Total,  21. 


474  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Seventy -third  Infantry. — Lewis  Atkins,  died  at  Nashville,  November, 
1862 ;  Eli  Atwood,  died  at  Nashville,  November,  1862 ;  John  Childers, 
died  at  Nashville,  December,  1862 ;  John  H.  Early,  killed  at  Stone 
River,  December,  1862 ;  Robert  W.  Fuller,  died  at  Indianapolis,  August, 
1863 ;  Jasper  M.  Fuller,  died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn.,  January,  1863 ;  Will- 
iam Frazier,  died  at  Nashville,  December,  1862  ;  Marion  Graves,  died  at 
Nashville,  December,  1862 ;  Austin  Lamphier,  died  at  Nashville,  Janu- 
ary, 1863 ;  Thomas  W.  Loving,  died  at  Nashville,  September,  1863 ; 
John  Maxwell,  died  at  Scottsville,  Ky.,  November,  1862  ;  Isaac  W. 
Moore,  died  at  Gallatin,  December,  1862  ;  Leander  Morris,  died  at  Nash- 
ville, April,  1863 ;  Albert  Nichols,  died  at  Nashville,  December,  1862  ; 
James  Rooney,  died  at  Nashville,  February,  1863 ;  Cornelius  Vanburg, 
died  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  December,  1862 ;  Edward  Welch,  killed  at 
Stone  River,  December,  1862 ;  Samuel  White,  killed  at  Blunt's  Farm, 
Ala.,  May,  1863 ;  Mial  Woods,  died  in  Gallatin,  January,  1863 ;  Ed- 
mund Woods,  died  at  Nashville,  November,  1862.     Total,  20. 

Ninety-ninth  Infantry. — Orrin  E.  Atkin,  killed  at  Nickajack  Creek, 
July,  1864 ;  Justiss  Bartholomew,  died  at  Andersonville  Prison,  August, 
1864 ;  D.  T.  Burnham,  killed  near  Atlanta,  August,  1864 ;  James  D. 
Clingham,  died  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  July,  1864 ;  R.  T.  Harris,  died  at 
La  Grange,  Tenn.,  March,  1863 ;  H.  H.  Haskins,  died  in  Andersonville 
Prison,  October,  1864 ;  James  Horton,  killed  at  Atlanta,  July,  1864 ; 
.John  Lorey,  died  at  Black  River,  Miss.,  September,  1863 ;  Adam 
Mock,  died  at  Black  River,  September,  1863 ;  Nicholas  Newman, 
drowned  in  Black  River,  August,  1863;  Corydon  Pierce,  died  at  Wash- 
ington, N.  C,  April,  1865 ;  Thomas  C.  Pinnell,  died  near  La  Grange, 
Tenn.,  February,  1863  ;  Albert  Robbins,  died  of  wounds  received  at  At- 
lanta, August,  1864 ;  Jacob  Schmidt,  died  July,  1863 ;  John  Stickle- 
man,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Atlanta,  September,  1864  ;  A.  Vander- 
vert,  died  March,  1863 ;  Michael  Winand,  died  at  home,  December, 
1864.     Total,  17. 

One  Hundred  and  Tiventy- eighth  Infantry. — Christian  Birch,  died 
at  Salisbury  Prison,  N.  C,  September,  1865 ;  William  G.  Harris,  died 
at  Nashville,  May,  1864 ;  Gottlieb  Santer,  died  at  Burnt  Hickory,  Ga., 
June,  1864.     Total,  3. 

One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Infantry. —  Elbridge  Clark,  died  at 
Louisville,  Ky.,  August,  1865;  Reuben  Clark,  died  at  home,  March, 
1865;  Alexander  McKnight,  died  at  Nashville,  June,  1865;  Rice  C. 
Thompson,  died  at  TuUahoma,  June,  1865.     Total,  4. 

Fifth  Cavalry. — Mark  P.  Mushrush,  died  at  Florence,  S.  C,  Janu- 
ary, 1864.     Total,  1. 

Twelfth  Qavalry. — Lieut.    Charles  Ball,   died  at   home,  September,. 


HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY.  475 

1865;  Henry  Brockman,  died  at  New  Orleans,  April,  1865  ;  Sidney  W. 
Chapman,  died  at  New  Orleans,  April,  1865 ;  Charles  Crothers,  died  at 
Kendallville,  Ind.,  March,  1861: ;  Jacob  Deeter,  died  at  Vicksburg,  Jan- 
uary, 1865;  R.  L.  Fuller,  died  at  home,  October,  1864;  Ephraim  E. 
GofF,  died  at  Starkville,  August,  1865 ;  William  Harland,  died  at  Nash- 
ville, January,  1865;  Mathias  Hoopendall,  died  at  Huntsville,  Ala., 
June,  1864 ;  Frederick  Kahle,  died  at  Kendallville,  Ind.,  April,  1864 ; 
M.  F.  McCarty,  died  at  Nashville,  May,  1864 ;  Albert  McMillan,  died 
at  Michigan  City,  February,  1864 ;  F.  S.  Miller,  died  at  home ;  Albert 
Moore,  died  at  Kendallville,  Ind.,  April,  1864 ;  W.  M.  Pringle,  died  at 
Nashville,  November,  1864 ;  S.  A.  Robbins,  died  at  Huntsville,  July, 
1864;  William  Stinkle,  died  at  Nashville,  February,  1865;  William 
Stubby,  died  at  home,  May,  1864;  Ezra  Wedge,  died  at  home,  February, 
1864.  Total,  19.  Grand  total  of  men  from  the  county  known  to  have 
died  in  the  rebellion,  94.  It  is  reasonable  to  infer  that  enough  more 
died  in  regiments  enlisted  wholly  without  the  county  to  raise  the  roll  of 
honor  to  150  men. 


CHAPTER    lY. 

BY    WESTON   A.    GOODSPEED. 

Crown  Point  and  Centre  Township— First  White  Family  in  the 
Township— Detailed  Account  of  thp:  First  Permanent  Settle- 
ment—Privations Endured  by  the  Squatters— Catalogue  of 
Early  Settlers— Lake  Court  House— Its  Origin  and  Growth — 
Robinson's  Historical  Lecture  of  1847— Merchants  and  Mechanics 
—Professional  Men— The  Public  Schools— Private  Educational 
Enterprises  —  Secret  Societies— Incorporation— Town  Officers 
and  their  enactments — summary  of  present  business  interests. 

SO  far  as  known,  the  first  white  persons  in  Centre  Township,  or  upon 
the  present  site  of  Crown  Point,  were  a  family  of  the  name  of  Far- 
well,  consisting  of  some  five  or  six  individuals  who  had  come  from  the 
Green  Mountain  State  for  a  home  in  the  West,  and  were  endeavoring  to 
find  their  way  over  the  rather  obscure  Sac  trail,  which  passed  across  the 
present  site  of  Crown  Point  to  the  Hickory  Creek  settlement  in  Illinois. 
The  members  of  the  family  were  inexperienced  in  the  mysteries  of  prairie 
or  wood  craft,  and,  for  some  miles  back,  had  been  troubled  to  follow  the 
trail,  though  to  the  practiced  eye  of  an  Indian  or  a  white  hunter  all 
obstacles  vanished.  The  travelers  finally  missed  the  trail,  and,  not  wish- 
ing to  wander  into  unknown  and  unexplored  tracts  of  prairie  or  wood- 
land, took  shelter  from  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun  in  a  beautiful  grove 
which  seemed  to  beckon  them  with  its  grateful  shade.  A  young  man  of 
the  family  was  dispatched  on  horseback  along  the  route  over  which  they 


476  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

had  come  to  find  some  guide  who  could  and  would  direct  the  family  on 
their  way  toward  their  destination.  While  the  messenger  was  gone,  the 
remainder  of  the  family  passed  the  Fourth  of  July,  1833,  where  now  re- 
poses the  prosperous  town  of  Crown  Point.  If  the  male  members  of  the 
Farwell  family  were  not  the  first  of  their  sex  upon  the  town  site,  it  can 
certainly  be  said,  though  at  a  venture,  that  Mrs.  Farwell  was  the  first 
white  woman.  There  are,  however,  two  or  more  possible  doubts  even  to 
this.  There  is  scarcely  a  doubt  that  white  pioneers  bound  for  the  numer- 
ous settlements  springing  up  like  mushrooms  on  the  fertile  prairie  of 
Illinois,  passed  over  the  Sac  trail  previous  to  the  national  holiday  above 
mentioned,  and,  of  course,  women  were  among  the  number.  There  is  the 
further  possibility,  if  not  probability,  of  there  having  been  in  former 
years  white  women  (captives  or  wives)  among  the  Indians,  who,  at  cer- 
tain periods,  made  the  town  site  a  resort  for  detachments  of  their  band. 
While,  of  course,  in  1833,  it  was  very  new  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  County, 
it  is  certainly  true  that  all  this  country  for  many  leagues  around  had  been 
traversed  by  hardy  home -seekers  and  adventurers,  and  there  was  not  a 
foot  of  land  that  had  not  been  swept  by  the  bold  and  speculative  eyes  of 
numerous  pioneers.  Long  before  Lake  was  thought  of  as  a  human  habita- 
tion, well-populated  settlements  had  flourished  on  the  Illinois  River,  and, 
no  doubt,  the  prairies  of  Lake  had  been  traversed  by  white  men  seeking 
these  distant  outposts.  But  this  is  speculation,  and  to  Mrs.  Farwell  must 
be  accorded  the  known  honors,  such  as  there  are.  The  son  at  last  re- 
turned with  a  guide,  and  the  family  continued  on  the  journey,  following 
the  trail  down  through  the  woods  to  Cedar  Lake,  thence  southwesterly 
across  the  northern  part  of  West  Creek  Township.  Their  future  move- 
ments are  unknown  to  the  writer,  until  they,  a  few  years  later,  1836,  re- 
turned to  the  rich  land  on  West  Creek,  where  they  made  their  home,  and 
were  for  many  years  prominent  and  respected  citizens. 

The  first  known  attempts  at  white  settlement  within  the  borders  of 
Centre  Township  were  made  before  the  autumn  of  1834,  but  the  details 
of  these  events  are  very  meager  and  somewhat  enveloped  in  speculation. 
When  Solon  Robinson  appeared  in  the  fall  of  1834,  he  found  upon  the 
present  site  of  the  county  seat  evidences  of  attempts  by  white  persons  to 
pre-empt  the  soil,  not  only  there,  but  at  one  or  more  other  places  in  Cen- 
tre Township.  It  was  either  then  or  afterward  ascertained  that  William 
Butler  had  previously  been  upon  the  ground,  and  had  founded  claims  for 
himself,  for  his  brother,  E.  P.  Butler,  and  possibly  for  George  and  Theo- 
dore Wells.  One  small  log  cabin,  and  perhaps  more,  was  erected,  and 
the  claims  were  marked  with  stakes  to  prevent  others  from  interfering 
with  the  rights  of  the  squatters.  Some  time  during  the  summer  or  early 
autumn   of  1834,  a   man  of  the  name   of  John  Huntley   had  located  a 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  479 

claim  on  the  south  half  of  Section  8,  and  had  constructed  two  rude  loo- 
cabins.  It  is  possible  that  he  may  have  lived  in  one  a  short  time.  It  is 
also  quite  certain  that  claims  (number  unknown)  were  also  established  in 
the  central  and  southern  portions  of  the  township,  as  Solon  Robinson 
speaks  of  seeing,  after  his  arrival,  the  cabins  which  had  been  built.  None 
of  these  claims,  however,  were  permanent. 

Permanent  Settlement. — In  October,  1834,  near  the  close  of  the 
month,  Thomas  Childers  and  family  located  in  the  edge  of  School  Grove, 
on  the  southeast  quarter  of  Section  17,  which  section  was  a  Pottawatomie 
"float"  owned  by  Nis-sink-que-quah,  a  half-chief  of  his  tribe.  He  erected 
a  small  log  cabin,  in  which  were  domiciled  his  wife  and  a  few  chil- 
dren, and  began  to  prepare  for  winter.  On  the  last  day  of  October,  1834, 
Solon  Robinson  arrived,  and  the  following  is  his  own  narrative  of  that  event: 
"  It  was  the  last  day  of  October,  1834,  when  I  first  entered  this  '  arm  of 
the  Grand  Prairie.'  It  was  about  noon,  of  a  clear,  delightful  day,  when 
we  emerged  from  the  woods,  and,  for  miles  around,  stretched  forth  one 
broad  expanse  of  clear,  open  land.  At  that  time,  the  whole  of  this  county 
scarcely  showed  a  sign  that  the  white  man  had  yet  been  there,  except 
those  of  my  own  houeehold.  I  stood  alone,  wrapt  up  in  that  peculiar  sen- 
sation that  man  only  feels  when  beholding  a  prairie  for  the  first  time — it 
is  an  indescribable,  delightful  feeling.  Oh,  what  a  rich  mine  of  wealth 
lay  outstretched  before  me.  Some  ten  miles  away  to  the  southwest,  the 
tops  of  a  grove  were  visible.  Toward  that  onward  rolled  the  wagons 
with  nothing  to  impede  them.  *  *  *  *  jug<;  before  sundown,  we 
reached  the  grove  and  pitched  our  tent  by  the  side  of  a  spring.  What 
could  exceed  the  beauty  of  this  spot !  Why  should  we  seek  farther  ? 
Here  is  everything  to  indicate  a  healthy  location  which  should  always  in- 
fluence the  new  settler.  *  *  *  *  After  enjoying  such'  a  night  of 
rest  as  can  only  be  enjoyed  after  such  a  day,  the  morning  helped  to  con- 
firm us  that  here  should  be  our  resting-place.  In  a  few  hours  the  grove 
resounded  with  the  blows  of  the  ax,  and  in  four  days  we  moved  into  our 
'  new  house.' " 

Solon  Robinson  was  thus  the  first  settler  upon  the  site  of  Crown 
Point,  having  located  his  claim  upon  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section 
8.  Three  days  after  Robinson's  arrival,  Henry  Wells  and  Luraan  A. 
Fowler  came  on  foot  from  Twenty-Mile  Prairie  (Porter  County),  where 
they  had  left  their  horses.  They  were  prospecting,  and  went  down  to 
Cedar  Lake,  where  they  slept  overnight  in  a  tree  top,  and  feasted  on 
roasted  raccoon.  Upon  their  return  to  Robinson's  the  next  day,  they 
were  so  tired  and  sick  of  the  country  that,  as  Robinson  afterward  aptly 
expressed  it,  they  would  have  "sold  the  whole  country,  Esau-like,  for  a 
mess  of  pottage."     However,  they  bought  the  claim  and  two  log  cabin 


480  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

bodies  built  by  Mr.  Huntley,  who  had  located  on  the  south  half  of  Sec- 
tion 8,  as  above  stated,  prior  to  the  arrival  of  Childers  or  Robinson, 
for  $50  cash.  Wells  went  back  to  his  family,  near  Detroit,  but  Fowler, 
a  single  man,  passed  the  winter  with  the  family  of  Robinson.  In  the 
spring  of  1835,  Fowler  went  to  Detroit,  where  he  was  married,  and,  in 
in  the  following  fall,  returned  with  his  young  wife  and  Wells'  wife  and 
child  and  settled  upon  his  claim,  and  in  a  short  time  afterward  Wells 
joined  his  family  and  friends  in  the  new  home.  In  December,  1834, 
William  Clark  arrived  and  located  a  claim  on  the  northeast  quarter 
of  Section  8,  where  he  built  a  cabin,  and  where,  a  month  and  a  half  or 
two  months  later,  he  brought  his  wife  and  family.  Immediately  after 
Clark,  there  came  Warner  and  William  Holton,  the  latter  arriving  about 
the  middle  of  February,  1835,  and  the  former  a  few  days  later.  These 
families  came  from  the  Wabash  region,  as  did  Robinson.  J.  W.  Holton 
soon  arrived.  The  experiences  of  the  family  of  William  Clark,  coming 
in  wagons  from  the  Wabash  in  the  month  of  February,  1835,  are  worth 
recording  at  this  juncture.  As  stated  above,  Mr.  Clark  had  come  out  in 
December,  1834,  and  located  a  claim  and  built  a  house  thereon,  and  had 
then  returned  for  his  family.  The  weather  of  the  winter  up  to  this 
period  had  been  open  and  quite  pleasant ;  but,  in  February,  the  severest 
cold  weather  set  in  after  a  heavy  fall  of  snow,  and  the  greatest  distress 
was  experienced  by  the  settlers.  The  Clark  family  were  caught  in  this 
storm  while  down  below  the  Kankakee,  and  with  the  greatest  difficulty 
and  suffering  pushed  their  way  onward.  The  vast  marshes  south  of  the 
Kankakee  were  "  covered  with  ice,  upon  which  night  overtook  them 
while  endeavoring  to  force  their  way  across.  There  was  no  house,  and 
they  were  unprepared  for  camping  out,  and  one  of  the  most  severe  cold 
nights  was  about  closing  in  upon  them,  surrounded  by  a  wide  field  of  ice, 
upon  which  the  already  frightened  and  tired  oxen  refused  to  go  farther, 
and  not  a  tree  or  stick  of  firewood  was  near  them.  These  families  upon 
this  night  might  have  perished  had  they  not  providentially  discovered  a 
set  of  logs  which  some  one  had  hauled  out  upon  a  little  knoll  near  by  to 
build  a  cabin  with,  and  with  which  they  were  enabled  to  build  a  fire  to 
warm  a  tent  made  out  of  the  covering  of  their  wagons,  and  which 
enabled  them  to  shelter  themselves  from  the  blast  that  swept  drearily 
over  the  wide  prairie.  The  next  day,  by  diverging  ten  miles  out  of  their 
course,  they  reached  a  little,  miserable  hut  of  an  old  Frenchman  named 
Shobar,  who  lived  with  his  half-Indian  family  on  the  Kankakee.  Here 
they  stayed  two  nights.  Such  was  the  severity  of  the  weather  that  they 
dared  not  leave  their  uncomfortable  quarters,  and,  when  they  did  so, 
they  had  to  make  a  road  for  the  oxen  across  the  river  by  spreading  hay 
upon   the  ice  and  freezing  it  down  by  pouring  on  water."     They  had 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  481 

great  difficulty  during  the  remainder  of  the  transit,  the  oxen  at  one  time 
breaking  through  the  ice  at  West  Creek,  in  the  township  of  the  same 
name,  and  being  extricated  only  after  hard  labor.  Night  was  coming  on, 
and  the  way  was  very  uncertain.  At  length,  just  at  dark,  they  saw  a 
guide-board  with  the  following  welcome  information  :  "  To  Solon  Robin- 
son's five  miles  north."  The  oxen  were  hurried  forward  (if  the  poor, 
faithful  beasts  could  be),  and,  some  time  after  dark,  the  worn-out  and  half- 
frozen  travelers  reached  a  hearty  welcome  around  the  roaring  fire-place  in 
the  cabin  of  Solon  Robinson.  The  latter  part  of  the  winter  of  1834-35 
was  very  severe,  the  extreme  cold  weather  extending  far  into  the  spring. 
Oxen  and  cows  starved  to  death  or  perished  with  cold.  Mills  were  miles 
away,  and  families  were  unwillingly  reduced  to  Hobson's  choice.  The 
family  of  Luman  Wells  were  obliged  to  make  a  supper  of  a  huge  owl 
(ugh  !),  and  were  on  the  point  of  roasting  a  wolf,  when  a  supply  of  pro- 
visions arrived.  Mr.  Wells  went  to  mill,  and  on  his  return  at  night, 
drove  from  a  steep  bank  into  the  freezing  waters  and  floating  ice  of 
Deep  River.  He  clung  to  one  horse,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
shore.  His  loud  cries  brought  assistance  from  a  house  near  by,  or  he 
must  have  perished.  It  was  near  night  of  the  following  day  before  he 
recovered  the  other  horse  and  the  wagon.  Many  incidents  similar  to 
these  might  be  narrated.  Solon  Robinson's  description  of  the  "  first  trip 
to  mill,"  published  in  the  Albany  Cultivator  in  1841,  presents  a  remark- 
able degree  of  privation  endured  by  his  family  during  his  absence,  and  is 
a  faithful  account  of  what  transpired  in  each  pioneer  family.  He  had 
been  gone  nine  days,  four  or  five  longer  than  expected,  and  his  wife  had 
long  before  "  scraped  the  last  bone  for  breakfast.  Never  were  such  ap- 
petites seen  before  as  those  which  daily  diminished  the  fast-failing  stock 
of  provisions  of  our  little  family  in  the  wilderness."  No  lard,  no  butter, 
no  meat,  no  milk.  On  the  sixth  day,  a  small  bag  of  wheat  bran  was 
found.  "  Bran  cakes  and  cranberries  sweetened  with  honey  then  was 
sweet  diet.  Although  the  owner  of  a  gun  that  rarely  fiiiled  to  perform 
good  service,  it  seemed  that  every  living  thing  in  the  shape  of  game  had 
hid  up  in  winter  quarters."  Beacon  fires  were  kept  at  night  to  guide 
the  messenger  on  his  return  across  the  pathless  prairie.  The  days  and 
nights  wore  away,  until  at  last  the  midnight  of  the  ninth  day  after  the 
messenger's  departure  found  the  wife  worn  out  with  anxiety  and  watch- 
ing, prostrate  on  the  bed  to  rest  but  not  to  sleep.  Footsteps  sounded  on 
the  frozen  ground,  and  a  familiar  voice  was  heard.  "  What  joyful 
sounds  !  But  the  joy  was  soon  dampened,  as  it  became  manifest  that 
he  drove  a  team  without  a  wagon.  '  Where  is  that?  '  was  the  first  ques- 
tion. 'Fast  in  the  river,  a  few  miles  back  on  the  prairie.'  '  Do  you 
know  we  have  nothing  in  the  house  for  your  supper  ? '     'I  expected  so, 


482  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

and  so  I  brought  along  a  bagful;  here  are  both  flour  and  meat.'  "  Then 
the  hickory  logs  began  to  blaze,  and  soon  there  was  a  supper — and  »uch 
a  supper. 

Many  claim-seekers  appeared  during  the  winter  of  1834-35,  though 
but  few  settlers.  With  the  spring,  however,  other  permanent  settlers 
began  to  arrive.  In  March,  Richard  Fancher  appeared  with  a  load  of 
provisions  and  household  goods,  drawn  by  two  yoke  of  oxen.  He  left 
his  load  at  Solon  Robinson's,  and  returned  for  his  family,  which  he 
brought  out  in  April,  and  settled  on  his  claim  on  Section  17.  In  May, 
William  and  Elias  Myrick  came  with  their  families  and  founded  the 
*'  Myrick  Settlement  "  on  Sections  19  and  20.  Thomas  Reed  came  at 
the  same  time,  and  settled  on  Section  20.  All  these  settlers,  it  must 
be  remembered,  were  squatters.  Others  came,  and,  at  the  time  of  the 
assessment  in  1837,  the  following,  with  those  mentioned  above,  were 
actual  residents  of  the  township :  Asahel  Albee,  Section  13 ;  H.  N. 
Brooks,  Section  30 ;  Thomas  Clark,  8 ;  M.  B.  Crosby,  15 ;  Philo 
Enoe,  29 ;  Henry  Farmer,  27 ;  Martin  Greenman,  9 ;  William  Hunt, 
21 ;  Obadiah  Higbee,  10  ;  Henry  Myrick,  20 ;  Hiram  S.  Pelton,  7 
John  Peat,  31 ;  E.  J.  Robinson,  6  ;  Milo  Robinson,  8  ;  John  Reed,  19 
Joseph  P.  Smith,  15;  Charles  W.  Sloat,  31;  Stephen  Smith,  20 
Erastus  Sisco,  20 ;  Henry  Wells,  8  ;  G.  C.  Woodbridge,  20 ;  William 
R.  Williams,  18  ;  Zera  Woodford,  12.  The  following  is  quoted  from 
Ball's  history,  referring  to  the  settlement  at  Crown  Point : 

"  The  prairie  sod  was  not  favorable  for  an  early  garden,  but  an  old 
Indian  corn-field  furnished  a  garden  spot  which  the  four  families  divided 
out  and  cultivated,  and  on  which  they  raised  their  first  vegetables.  A 
breaking  plow  was  started  May  12,  and  the  first  furrow  turned  was 
across  the  quarter  section  where  now  Main  street  runs,  beginning  at  the 
present  line  of  North  street  and  ending  on  South  street,  or  at  the  Eddy 
place.  Twelve  acres  of  oats  were  raised,  and  some  corn  and  buckwheat. 
Some  of  this  buckwheat,  sent  to  mill  by  the  Clark  family,  was  probably 
the  first  grist  sent  from  Lake  County.  The  mill  was  forty  miles  distant. 
The  first  speculation  made  was  in  oats.  William  Clark  and  William  Hol- 
ton  had  bought  oats  in  the  spring  of  1835,  in  La  Porte  County,  intend- 
ing them  for  seed,  for  50  cents  a  bushel.  Thinking  it  too  late  to  sow 
when  they  reached  their  claims,  they  hauled  the  oats  back  and  sold  them 
for  ^1.50  per  bushel.  The  price  had  gone  immediately  up.  Oats, 
corn  and  wheat  then  all  sold  for  the  same  price.  Warner  Holton  dug 
a  well.  He  dug  four  feet  and  found  water  which  supplied  two  fami- 
lies. This  well  was  near  the  present  railroad  depot.  As  the  water 
receded,  the  well  was  made  deeper  until  in  after  years  it  reached 
the    depth    of    twelve    feet.     Not    forgetful    of    their    national    history 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  483 

in  their  isolation,  this  little  colony  celebrated  the  Fourth  of  July,  1835, 
by  going  to  Cedar  Lake  and  taking  a  boat  ride  on  its  crystal  waters.  In 
the  fall  these  settlers  saw  their  first  prairie  fire,- and  some  of  them  were 
(juite  alarmed  at  its  threatening  aspect." 

In  the  year  1836,  there  settled  on  the  east  side  of  Cedar  Lake,  Hor- 
ace Edgerton,  Adonijah  Taylor,  Horace  Taylor  and  Dr.  Calvin  Lilley. 
In  addition  to  these,  there  were  others  who  came  in,  and  whose  names 
cannot  be  given.  A  few  years  later,  West  Point  was  founded  on  the  east 
bank  of  Cedar  Lake.  This  paper  town  aspired  to  be  the  county  seat,  a 
full  account  of  which  is  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

As  before  stated,  Solon  Robinson  built  the  first  house  in  Crown 
Point  in  November,  1831.  When  H.  S.  Pelton  arrived  in  June,  1835, 
he  found  Robinson  fencing  the  garden  belonging  to  several  families, 
which  wasjoint  property.  Much  gardening  was  done  this  summer,  and,  in 
the  fall,  to  guard  against  a  possibly  long  and  protracted  winter,  a  much  larger 
quantity  of  hay  was  made  than  thought  necessary  ;  but  so  many  settlers 
arrived  during  the  fall  of  1835  and  the  succeeding  winter,  it  was  all 
exhausted  before  spring,  and  many  cattle  and  horses  literally  starved  to 
death.  According  to  Solon  Robinson,  the  site  of  Crown  Point  had  been 
a  favorite  Indian  resort  in  years  preceding  the  advent  of  the  whites  ;  and 
a  portion  of  the  garden  used  by  the  first  settlers  had  been  fenced  by  the 
Indians,  and  used,  possibly  for  many  years,  for  the  cultivation  of  corn 
and  vegetables.  He  further  says  that  he  was  informed  by  the  Indians 
that  Crown  Point  was  regarded  by  the  Indians  as  a  very  healthy  location, 
and  the  sick  were  taken  there  to  be  benefited  and  cured.  In  March, 
1836,  Solon  Robinson  was  commissioned  Postmaster  at  Lake  Court 
House,  but  before  this  the  squatters  were  obliged  to  go  to  Michigan  City 
for  their  mail.  During  the  first  year,  the  Postmaster  paid  the  expense  of 
conducting  the  office.  From  March  to  October  (1836),  the  receipts  were 
^15  ;  for  the  next  quarter  ^8.87  ;  for  the  next,  ^21.49  ;  for  quarter  end- 
ing June,  1837,  $26.92  ;  for  the  next,  ^3.50 ;  for  the  next,  $38.20 ;  for 
the  first  quarter  of  1838,  $51.33  ;,  for  next,  $51.39.  Dr.  Palmer  came 
to  the  county  in  1836,  before  which  the  sick  were  visited  by  physicians 
from  Michigan  City.  In  the  latter  part  of  1886,  Solon  and  Milo  Robin- 
son opened  a  store  in  a  small  log  cabin  which  adjoined  the  building  that 
was  afterward  used  as  a  court  house.  Here,  during  the  winter  of  1836- 
37,  they  sold  about  $3,000  worth  of  goods,  as  Solon  Robinson  noted, 
to  the  whites,  mostly  on  time,  which  was  indefinitely  extended  by  the 
purchasers,  and  to  the  Pottawatomies  for  cash,  furs,  cranberries,  etc. 
Solon  Robinson  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  while  Lake  remained  attached 
to  Porter  in  1836,  and  while  serving  thus  married  David  Bryant  and  Mar- 
garet Steinbrook,  December,  1836.    The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  license  : 


484  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

State  of  Indiana, 1^ 

Porter  County.    J 
To  any  person  duly  empowered  by  law  to  solemnize  marriages  in  the  county  aforesaid: 

You  are  hereby  authorized  to  join  together  as  husband  and  wife  David  Bryant  and 
Margaret  Steinbrook. 

Given  under  my  hand  on  the  19th  day  of  December,  A.  D.  1836. 

,-A_,  George  W.  Turner,  Clerk. 

\  SEAL   \ 

This  was  probably  the  first  marriage  in  Lake  County.  The  second 
was  that  of  Solomon  Russell  to  Rosina  Barnard,  solemnized  by  Solon 
Robinson,  March  9,  1837.     The  following  was  the  third  in  the  county, 

State  of  Indiana,  1 
Lake  County,    j 

I,  A.  L.  Ball,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  said  county,  do  certify  that  on  the  12th  day 
of  March,  1837,  I  married  Lorenzo  C.  Beebe  and  Betsey  Prentiss  as  husband  and  wife, 
and  order  that  the  clerk  of  said  county  record  the  same. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  27th  day  of   May,  1837. 

,— ^— >  A.  L.  Ball,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

\  seal  \ 

After  the  organization  of  the  county  in  1837,  Milo  Robinson  and 
Horace  Taylor  were  elected  Justices  of  the  Peace  of  Centre  Township. 
During  the  summer  of  1837,  Solon  and  Milo  Robinson  built  the  frame 
part  of  the  old  Pelton  House,  and  fitted  the  same  for  the  entertainment 
of  the  public,  with  Milo  as  "  mine  host."  About  the  same  time,  they 
built  the  building  that  was  used  so  long  for  a  court  house  and  place  of 
worship.  At  this  time,  oak  lumber  was  worth  $15  per  thousand,  and 
pine  lumber  $35  per  thousand.  Nails  were  15  cents  per  pound  ;  shingles, 
$3  per  thousand ;  flour,  $10  per  barrel ;  pork,  $25  per  barrel  ;  butter,  27 
cents  per  pound  ;  cows,  $25  to  $40  each.  During  the  year  1837,  several 
buildings  were  erected  at  Crown  Point  and  several  families  moved  in. 
During  the  winter  of  1837-38,  a  mail  route  was  eslablished  from  Monti- 
cello  to  Lake  Court  House,  with  H.  S.  Pelton  carrier.  At  this  time,  some 
eight  families  lived  at  Crown  Point,  or  near  there.  In  1844,  the  following 
men  and  their  families,  if  they  were  then  married,  lived  at  Crown  Point  or 
near  there:  Solon  Robinson,  Luman  A.  Fowler,  William  Allton,  Rus- 
sell Eddy,  Henry  Wells,  Richard  Fancher,  William  Clark,  William  C. 
Farrington,  William  A.  W.  Holton,  Warner  Holton,  M.  M.  Mills, 
John  Sheehan,  Major  Allman,  C.  V.  Holton,  H.  S.  Pelton,  David  K. 
Pettibone,  J.  V.  Johns  (the  last  two  single  men),  Thomas  Clark,  Daniel 
May,  Amos  Hornor,  Alexander  McDonald,  Joseph  P.  Smith,  Joseph 
Tozier,  H.  N.  Brooks,  Major  C.   Farwell. 

Land  Entries. — The  following  lands  in  Centre  Township  were  entered 
at  the  dates  stated,  by  the  purchaser   or  squatter's   proving   up   his  pre- 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  485 

emption  rights,  after  which  he  received  a  patent  for  his  land  :  Milo  and 
Solon  Robinson  received  patent,  November  17,  1838,  for  the  northwest 
quarter  of  Section  8 ;  William  Clark,  same  date,  for  the  northeast 
quarter  of  Section  8  ;  Russell  Eddy,  same  date,  for  the  north  half  of 
the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  8  ;  Neheraiah  Sherman,  same  date,  for 
the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  21  ;  Henry  Wells,  November  30, 
for  the  south  half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  8  ;  George  Parkin- 
son, same  date,  for  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  22.  These  men,  of 
course,  paid  the  Government  price  of  ^1.25  per  acre  for  their  land. 
They  had  adopted  the  precaution  of  perfecting  their  titles  before  the  land 
sale  in  the  spring  of  1839,  fearing  that  speculators  might  get  the  advan- 
tage of  them.  During  these  years  it  was  a  great  time  for  speculation. 
Wild-cat  money  of  depreciated  and  doubtful  value  circulated  quite  freely. 
The  crash  of  1887  soon  righted  values  which  for  so  long  had  been 
visionary. 

The  death  of  Milo  Robinson,  of  consumption,  January  1,  1839,  was 
the  first  at  Crown  Point.  Luman  A.  Fowler  became  the  tavern-keeper 
after  Milo's  death,  continuing  thus  until  the  fall  of  1839,  when  H.  S. 
Pelton  took  his  place  and  continued  until  1846.  About  this  time,  Dr. 
Lilley,  of  Cedar  Lake,  was  licensed  by  the  County  Commissioners  to  sell 
goods  and  to  keep  tavern.  This  was  the  time  when  the  citizens  of  Lake 
Court  House  were  startled  by  the  removal  of  the  county  seat  to  Liver- 
pool. Full  account  of  this  is  found  elsewhere.  Finally,  when  the  reloca- 
tion took  place,  Benjamin  McCarty,  who  had  become  established  at  Cedar 
Lake,  put  in  a  claim  for  the  location,  and  offered  valuable  tracts  of  land, 
sums  of  money,  etc.,  to  secure  it,  but  without  success.  Solon  Robinson 
afterward,  in  a  lecture,  in  referring  to  the  subject,  congratulated  his  hear- 
ers that  the  county  seat  had  not  been  established  at  West  Point  (Cedar 
Lake),  as  the  water  in  the  wells  there  was  quite  an  active  cathartic.  He 
seemed  to  think  the  county  had  thus  escaped  a  great  calamity.  After  June, 
1840,  when  the  relocation  took  place,  the  town  of  Crown  Point  was  laid 
out  into  seventy-five  lots,  each,  except  a  few,  containing  half  an  acre,  all  on 
forty  acres  owned  by  Solon  Robinson  and  twenty  acres  owned  by  William 
Clark.  Clark  donated  the  streets,  one-half  the  common,  one-half  the 
lots  laid  out  on  his  land,  and  thirty-five  acres  on  the  east,  and  Robin 
son  donated  the  streets,  one-half  the  lots  laid  out  on  his  land,  one-half  the 
common,  the  court  house  lot,  a  large  public  square  twenty  acres  on  the 
west,  and  the  old  school  lot.  On  the  19th  of  November,  1840,  George 
Earle,  County  Agent,  sold  at  auction  the  first  county  lots  (donated  by 
Clark  and  Robinson)  at  prices  ranging  from  $11  to  $127.50,  on  two, 
three  and  four  years'  time,  one  year  without  interest.  The  present  court 
house  lot  is  only  half  the  original  public  square ;  the  other  half  just  east 


486  HISTORY    OF   LAKE  COUNTY. 

was  afterward  laid  out  into  lots,  when  the  county  was  hard  up  for 
funds,  probably,  and  sold.  Up  to  this  time,  there  were  not  more  than 
eight  or  ten  dwellings  in  town.  The  name  Crown  Point  was  applied  under 
the  following  circumstances  :  "  I  have  a  name  to  propose,"  said  George 
Earle,  County  Agent.  "So  have  I,"  replied  Solon  Robinson.  "  What 
is  your  name?"     "  Crown  Point."     "  And  that  is  also  mine." 

Industries,  Trades,  Professions,  etc. — The  first  house  built  after  the 
laying-out  of  the  town  was  by  Solon  Robinson  for  Norman  Warriner,  the 
first  resident  minister  at  the  place.  Soon  afterward,  Maj.  C.  Farwell,  a 
member  of  the  family  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  built  a 
house,  moved  in  his  family,  and  then  erected  a  blacksmith  shop  and  began 
working  at  his  trade.  How  long  Solon  Robinson  continued  his  store 
cannot  be  told.  H.  Mount  opened  a  small  store  of  dry  goods  and  gro- 
ceries at  Crown  Point  in  May,  1838,  capital  to  be  not  over  ^1,000  ;  li- 
cense from  that  date  to  February,  1839,  $5. 

In  June,  1841,  Solon  Robinson,  Norman  Warriner  and  Hervey  Ball 
organized  the  first  temperance  society  of  Lake  County,  and,  on  the  4th  of 
July  of  that  year,  about  three  hundred  men,  women  and  children  cele- 
brated the  national  holiday  with  a  picnic  dinner  and  cold  water.  Mr.  Ma- 
son and  Dr.  Farrington  burned  brick  at  Crown  Point  in  1841.  Mr. 
Mills  erected  a  large  tavern  building  in  the  spring  of  1842,  opening  a 
store  in  one  end  and  a  saloon  in  the  other.  This  building  is  the  present 
Rockwell  House  ;  he  kept  store  before  that  about  two  miles  south.  In 
1843,  in  six  weeks,  eight  persons  died  of  scarlet  fever.  Somewhere  about 
this  time,  H.  S.  Pelton  and  Aliton  &  Bent  began  selling  merchandise.  In 
about  1847,  Mills  sold  his  store  to  John  W.  Dinwiddle,  and  a  year  later 
Dinwiddle  bought  out  Pelton's  stock.  Bent  died  at  a  Democratic  con- 
vention at  Winamac,  and  his  partner  sold  out  to  Mr.  Straight,  who  prob- 
ably sold  to  J.  P.  Smith.  Carter  <fe  Carter  began  late  in  the  40'8,  but 
soon  sold  to  Dinwiddle.  Other  merchants  from  this  time  on  until  the 
last  war  were  Turner  &  Cramer,  Henry  Sherman,  Farwell,  Aliton,  Hol- 
ton,  A.  &  W.  B.  Nichols,  Merton,  J.  P.  Smith,  E.  M.  Cramer,  Tripp, 
Clingan,  Luther,  Clark  &  Holton,  Farley,  John  G.  Hofi'man  ;  Joseph 
Young,  tinware;  Mrs.  S.  M.  Allman,  millinery;  J.  C.  Sauerman,  har- 
ness ;  Henry  Greisel,  furniture,  coflSns,  etc.;  M.  J.  Hack,  blacksmith  and 
wagon-maker ;  H.  S.  Topping,  artist :  Eddy  &  Pratt,  livery.  Many 
changes  were  made  in  the  ownership  of  the  various  branches  of  business, 
and  after  about  1857  they  became  so  numerous  that  to  follow  them  would 
be  more  arduous  than  the  twelve  labors  of  Hercules.  In  1847,  Solon 
Robinson  summed  up  the  business  of  Crown  Point  as  follows :  Two 
churches,  Presbyterian  and  Methodist;  two  stores,  by  H.  S.  Pelton  and 
William  Aliton ;  one  hotel,  by  Joseph  Jackson  ;  one  small  schoolhouse, 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  487 

two  convenient  public  oflSces,  four  physicians,  three  ministers,  two  law- 
yers, blacksmiths,  carpenters,  etc.  There  were  then  about  thirty  families, 
representing  a  population  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Z.  P.  Farley 
succeeded  Jackson  as  hotel-keeper,  and  in  1851  the  two  built  the 
Jackson  House,  now  the  Hack's  Exchange,  and  kept  it  for  about  five 
years.  In  1848,  William  Aliton  built  the  Meyers  brick,  and  in  1849 
Farley  &  Jackson  built  the  bakery  brick.  These  were  the  first  of  brick. 
In  1858,  the  Register  brick  was  built.  During  the  same  year,  dwellings 
of  brick  were  built  by  Z.  P.  Farley  and  J.  G.  Hofi'man.  The  completion 
of  the  railroad  to  Crown  Point  in  1865  greatly  multiplied  industries  and 
improvements  of  all  kinds. 

Mechanical  industries  have  not  been  as  numerous  nor  of  as  great  mag- 
nitude as  in  many  other  towns  of  no  greater  population.  No  enterprise 
of  this  character  large  enough  to  create  noteworthy  attention  outside  of 
Crown  Point  was  begun  until  in  about  1852,  when  Lewis  &  Dwyer 
erected  a  large,  two-storied  frame  grist-mill,  in  which  were  placed  two  sets 
of  excellent  French  buhrs  and  a  twenty-four-horse-power  engine.  Just 
before  this,  a  saw-mill  had  been  built  at  the  same  place,  and  the  two  build- 
ings, standing  close  together,  were  operated  by  the  one  engine.  Mr. 
Merton  soon  bought  both  mills,  and  some  time  afterward  transferred  them 
to  other  parties.  Men  named  Barton  and  Huber  were  connected  with 
them,  and  it  is  said  that  both  mills  ceased  running  on  their  hands. 
Neither  mill  received  proper  support,  or  rather  there  was  not  a  paying 
patronage  for  the  mills  at  Crown  Point.  For  a  time,  the  grist-mill  did 
well,  but  only  a  small  amount  of  merchant  work  was  done.  The  saw- 
mill at  no  time  had  what  might  be  called  a  paying  patronage. 

The  next  most  important  industry  was  the  wagon  and  carriage  factory 
founded  by  Joseph  Hack  in  1860.  Prior  to  this  M.  J.  Hack  had  carried 
on  a  well-patronized  blacksmith  shop,  and  had  made  a  few  wagons,  be- 
sides doing  considerable  general  repair  work.  Joseph  Hack  erected  suit- 
able buildings,  employed  nine  or  ten  men  in  the  departments  of  wood  and 
iron  work,  and  began  to  turn  out  from  thirty  to  sixty  vehicles  per  annum, 
the  greater  number  being  wagons  of  superior  construction.  Four  or  five 
blacksmiths  were  kept  constantly  busy  either  on  new  vehicles,  or  on  old 
ones  in  want  of  repair.  As  high  as  $6,000  worth  of  work  was  done  in 
one  year.  The  business  has  been  continued  until  the  present  time,  al- 
though the  class  of  work  has  changed  to  accord  with  the  times.  Mr. 
Hack  formerly  made  all  his  own  woodwork  ;  now  it  is  nearly  all  pur- 
chased ready  made.  Then  he  manufactured  four  or  five  times  as  many 
wagons  as  carriages;  now,  in  this  day  of  ease  and  luxury,  many  fine  car- 
riages are  prepared  for  the  -wealthy  and  petted  children  of  the  old  settlers. 
Perhaps  during  the   entire   period  an   average  of  between  forty  and  fifty 


488  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

vehicles  has  been  manufactured  annually.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
woodwork  is  largely  purchased  ready  made,  but  five  hands  are  now  em- 
ployed, though  the  business  has  not  fallen  off;  several  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  repair  work  is  done  yearly.  M.  J.  Hack  was  his  leading  black- 
smith for  a  number  of  years. 

Perhaps  the  next  important  manufacturing  enterprise  is  the  sash  and 
blind  factory,  started  by  Z.  F.  Summers  not  far  from  1867.  After  a 
few  years,  he  sold  to  the  Gosch  Brothers,  who  are  yet  conducting  the 
mill.  Planing  of  all  kinds  is  done,  and  a  general  business  of  several 
thousand  dollars'  worth  is  turned  out  annually.  Other  enterprises  of  a 
similar  character  have  been  talked  of,  and  some  have  been  started, 
though  on  a  small  scale.  R.  B.  Young  conducted  a  tannery  for  a  short 
time,  about  the  beginning  of  the  last  war.  Initiatory  steps  were  taken 
once  to  build  a  foundry,  but,  for  some  reason,  the  contemplated  enter- 
prise collapsed  while  yet  in  the  mind  only. 

The  Postmasters  at  Crown  Point,  so  far  as  remembered,  have  been  as 
follows,  and  in  about  the  order  given  :  Solon  Robinson,  1836  to  1843  ; 
Henry  D.  Palmer,  H.  S.  Pelton,  J.  P.  Smith  (2),  Daniel  K.  Pettibone, 
Maj.  Allman,  Charles  E.  Allman;  J.  H.  Luther,  from  August,  1853,  to  the 
spring  of  1855  ;  Joseph  Jackson,  Henry  Wells,  William  McGlashon, 
during  the  war ;  George  Willey,  Z.  P.  Farley  and  the  present  agent,  Har- 
vey J.  Shoulters. 

Among  the  physicians  have  been  :  H.  D.  Palmer,  W.  C.  Farrington, 
1840 ;  Andrew  Stone,  1846  ;  Dr.  Cunningham,  1846  ;  Harvey  Petti- 
bone, 1847  ;  William  E.  Vilmer,  1853  ;  A.  J.  Pratt,  1854  ;  Dr.  Finney, 
1755  ;  J.  W.  Higgins,  1859  ;  S-  R.  Pratt,  1860 ;  Charles  Groman, 
1861 ;  Dr.  Brownell ;  0.  Poppe,  1870 ;  Harvy  Pettibone,  M.  G.  Bliss 
(retired).  Dr.  Kester  and  Dr.  Rudolph,  1882.  Dentists — 0.  H.  Wil- 
cox, 1864  ;  D.  F.  Quackenbush,  1871  ;  G.  E.  Eastman,  1872. 

Additions  to  Crown  Point. — Crown  Point  has  had  numerous  addi- 
tions to  its  territory,  as  follows  :  The  original  plat  was  laid  out  on  land 
owned  by  Solon  Robinson,  William  Clark,  and  slightly  on  that  of  Rus- 
sell Eddy,  J.  W.  Holton  and  the  United  States.  All  except  the  last 
party  acknowledged  the  plat  from  October  3,  to  November  1,  1840.  It 
was  recorded  on  the  6th  of  November,  1840,  by  Joseph  P.  Smith, 
County  Recorder.  Commissioners'  Addition  was  made  in  March,  1848, 
consisting  of  eleven  lots  east  of  East  street  and  south  of  North  street. 
Central  Addition,  of  fourteen  lots,  laid  out  by  the  County  Agent  in  Janu- 
ary, 1849,  on  the  east  half  of  the  public  square,  between  Main  and  East 
streets  (where  the  bank  block  now  is).  J.  P.  Smith's  Addition  of  twenty 
lots  east  of  East  street  in  April,  1858.  J.  H,  Luther's  Subdivision  of 
Lots  13  and  14,  in  April,  1854.     Russell  Eddy's  Addition  of  ten  lots  west 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  489 

of  West  street,  650  feet  west  of  the  center  of  Section  8,  April,  1855.  J. 
P.  Smith's  Addition  of  sixteen  large  outlets,  October,  1855.  Joseph 
Jackson's  Division  of  the  Commissioners'  Addition,  south  of  North 
street,  twenty  lots,  October,  1855.  A.  Nichols',  April,  1856, 
some  fifteen  lots  north  of  Joliet  street.  Eddy's  Second  Addition, 
May,  1859,  thirty  lots  on  the  south  side  of  South  street.  John  G.  Hoff- 
man's Addition,  November,  1859,  fifty-one  lots  west  of  West  street 
and  north  of  Joliet  street.  John  W.  Hughes'  Addition  of  sixty-two 
lots  east  of  the  central  part  of  the  east  half  of  the  northeast  quarter 
of  Section  8.  Railroad  Addition,  by  Elihu  Griffin  and  Joseph  E.  Young, 
thirty-four  blocks  of  eight  lots  each  and  twenty -five  additional  lots,  March, 
1865.  Reuben  Fancher,  eighteen  lots  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  Sec- 
tion 8,  March,  1865.  Cottage  Grove  Addition,  by  S.  G.  Bedell,  eighty- 
eight  lots  west  of  West  street,  extending  from  North  to  South  streets, 
January,  1866.  J.  E.  Young's  Addition,  seventy-four  lots  south  of 
North  street  and  extending  across  the  C,  C.  &  I.  C.  R.  R.,  February, 
1869.  Young's  Second  Addition,  fifty-seven  lots,  February,  1869. 
Young's  Division  of  Hughes'  Addition,  February,  1869.  Young's  Addi- 
tion north  of  North  street,  sixteen  blocks  of  eight  lots  each,  February, 
1869.  Thomas  J.  Wood's  Addition  of  forty  lots,  November,  1869.  W. 
M.  Boyd,  forty-eight  lots,  November,  1870.  Mary  E.  Wood,  thirty- 
three  lots,  April,  1871.  Elihu  Griffin,  fifty-five  lots,  February,  1872. 
Elihu  Griffin,  thirty-six  lots,  March,  1872.  Ball  &  Griffin's  Subdivision 
of  lots.  May,  1872.  Pelton's  Addition  of  sixteen  blocks  of  twelve  lots 
each,  July,  1872.  Rolling  View  Addition,  by  Elihu  Griffin,  three  blocks 
with  thirty-six,  thirty-six  and  thirty-four  lots  each,  respectively,  August, 

1873.  Foster's  Addition  of  thirty-nine  lots,  November,  1873.  J.  H. 
Ball's  Addition  of  five  lots,  January,  1874.  Turner's  Addition  of  some 
sixteen  outlots,   March,  1874.     Burge's  Addition  of  thirteen  lots,  June, 

1874.  .John  Hughes'  Addition  of  eight  blocks  of  twenty-two  lots  each, 
November,  1874.  Pratt  &  Ruschli's  Addition  of  six  lots.  May,  1875. 
Hughes'  Addition  of  eighty-two  lots,  July,  1875.  Wolf's  Addition  of 
fifty-five  lots,  July,  1876. 

Schools. — The  first  school  in  Lake  County  was  taught  by  the  Widow 
Harriet  Holton  in  her  own  house  at  Crown  Point,  near  the  Pittsburgh, 
Cincinnati  &  St.  Louis  Railroad  depot,  during  the  winter  of  1835-36. 
Three  scholars  only  were  in  attendance.  Nothing  further  is  known  re- 
garding this  school.  It  is  quite  likely  that  this  lady  taught  similar  terms 
subsequently,  and  previous  to  the  erection  and  use  of  the  first  school- 
house,  though  this  is  wholly  a  matter  of  conjecture.  When  the  "  little  old 
black  log  cabin  "  first  came  into  use  as  a  school  building  cannot  be 
learned,  but  it  was  not  far  from  the  year   1838.     This   was   used  until 


490  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

1842,  when  a  small  frame  structure  was  erected,  and  was  referred  to  by 
Solon  Robinson  in  1847  as  the  "  first  respectable  one  in  the  county,  and 
I  fear  that  the  same  remark  is  still  too  true,  for  a  decent  provision  for 
schools  has  hardly  been  yet  made  in  any  district  in  the  county.  And  I 
don't  mean  to  be  understood  that  the  Crown  Point  Schoolhouse  is  at  all 
worthy  the  name  of  a  decent  one  for  the  place,  for  it  is  not.  Although 
it  is  better  than  the  little  old  black  log  cabin  which  was  in  use  previous 
to  the  building  of  this  one,  this  is  entirely  too  small  for  a  community  of 
such  good  Christians."  The  room  of  the  new  house  was  15x20  feet,  and, 
in  1846,  as  high  as  fifty  scholars  were  in  attendance  around  the  red-hot 
stove  in  this  small  room,  which  fact  was  publicly  deplored  by  Solon  Rob- 
inson in  his  lecture  in  1847.  This  small  house  was  used  more  or  less 
until  1859,  though  for  ten  years  preceding  that  date,  owing  to  the  diminu- 
tive size  and  inconveniences  of  the  house,  and  the  impossibility  of  accom- 
modating the  large  and  constantly  increasing  number  of  pupils,  various 
private  schools  sprang  into  existence  to  supplement  the  limited  public 
educational  advantages  of  the  place.  Many  parents  desired  to  give  their 
children  better  scholastic  learning  than  that  afibrded  at  the  overcrowded 
town  school,  and,  as  a  result  of  this  want,  private  enterprise  performed 
what  public  enterprise  had  failed  to  do.  As  a  necessary  consequence,  the 
small  frame  public  schoolhouse  was  largely  abandoned,  school  within  its 
walls  languished,  and,  for  several  years  just  previous  to  1859,  the  house 
was  almost,  and  sometimes  wholly,  deserted.  This  house  stood  just  north 
of  the  old  brick  of  1859.  At  the  latter  date,  the  citizens  of  the  county 
seat  concluded  to  build  a  new  public  schoolhouse.  This,  perhaps,  would 
not  have  been  done,  at  least  at  that  time,  had  not  the  Sons  of  Temperance 
offered  to  donate  toward  defraying  the  expense  of  constructing  and  erect- 
ing the  house  the  sum  of  ^1,000,  provided  the  house  was  built  imme- 
diately. This  very  liberal  and  unexpected  oS"er  spurred  the  "  city  dads  " 
into  instant  activity,  and  the  house,  a  commodious  and  excellent  brick 
building  (at  that  time),  was  straightway  built  at  an  estimated  cost  of  $2,- 
500.  The  Sons  gave  $1,000  of  this  amount,  and,  no  doubt,  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  remainder  was  donated  from  private  purses,  as  the 
township  at  that  time  would  scarcely  have  given  Crown  Point  $1,500,  or 
about  that,  when  other  schools  within  its  border  were  suffering  for  suitable 
or  convenient  houses,  or  were  struggling  along,  many  districts,  without 
buildings  of  any  kind.  This,  however,  is  merely  inference.  At  first, 
there  Avere  four  rooms  in  the  brick  of  1859,  two  above  and  two  below,  but 
afterward  the  partition  was  removed  above,  and  the  entire  story  thrown 
into  one  room.  This  house  served  the  purposes  of  education,  in  a  way, 
until  the  Institute  property  was  purchased. 

In  the  month  of  August,  1871,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Crown  Point, 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  491 

after  some  preliminary  consideration,  ordered  the  purchase  of  the  "  insti- 
tute property" — building  and  lands — and  the  issuance  of  bonds  of  the 
corporation  to  the  amount  of  $2,000,  the  purchase  price  of  the  property, 
the  bonds  to  be  in  denominations  of  $500,  one  of  them  being  due  on  each 
succeeding  1st  of  November,  beginning  with  1872,  until  the  four  had  been 
paid ;  but  at  the  next  meeting  this  order  was  rescinded,  as  it  was  found 
that  the  action  taken  by  the  School  Trustees  was  invalid,  owing  to  the 
fact  that  they  had  not  been  properly  qualified  as  such  officials.  On  the 
26th  of  September,  1871,  the  School  Trustees,  J.  S.  Holton,  J.  C.  Sauer- 
raan  and  Job  Barnard,  reported  to  the  Town  Trustees  that  they  had  pur- 
chased the  Institute  property,  Block  1,  of  the  Railroad  Addition,  and  the 
buildings  thereon,  and  asked  that  corporate  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $3,600 
might  be  issued  to  pay  for  the  same.  Accordingly,  thirty-six  bonds  of 
$100  each  were  issued,  though  the  payment  of  $400  of  the  purchase  price 
was  withheld  by  contract  until  satisfactory  proof  was  furnished  that  the 
property  was  free  from  incumbrance.  This  was  furnished  in  December, 
1875,  and,  accordingly,  four  bonds  of  $100  each  were  issued  in  the  name 
of  Charles  Marvin,  assignee  of  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball.  Owing  to  the  fact  that 
the  Institute  property  had  been  involved  in  some  manner,  or  the  owner, 
T.  H.  Ball,  had  become  liable,  E.  H.  Ball,  of  Holyoke,  Mass.,  had  secured 
the  greater  number  of  the  above  bonds.  In  August,  1877,  $1,500  of 
these  bonds  were  paid,  together  with  $70.83  interest  on  the  same  ;  $1,000 
of  this  amount  was  paid  by  the  School  Trustees,  out  of  special  school  fund 
on  hand  at  the  time,  but  this  sum  was  afterward  replaced  by  the  Town 
Trustees.  In  September,  1878,  the  remainder  of  the  above  bonds  (one 
to  eleven,  inclusive),  was  paid,  and  thus  the  purchase  of  the  Institute  was 
completed. 

During  the  summer  of  1879,  the  propriety  of  building  a  new  and 
comparatively  costly  schoolhouse  began  to  be  discussed  among  the  citizens, 
until  finally  in  December  of  the  same  year,  the  School  Trustees  filed  a 
petition  for  the  erection  of  such  a  structure  and  an  estimate  of  the  cost, 
with  the  Town  Trustees,  and  asked  the  consideration  of  the  latter,  but 
action  in  the  matter  was  deferred.  Up  to  this  time,  the  old  brick  of  1859 
and  the  Institute  building  were  used  for  school  purposes ;  but  there  was 
much  dissatisfaction  expressed,  owing  to  the  somewhat  chaotic  condition 
of  educational  facilities.  Early  in  1880,  the  School  Trustees,  Warren 
Cole,  John  Lehmann  and  S.  A.  Barr,  filed  their  petition  under  oath  with 
the  Town  Trustees,  showing  the  necessity  of  the  erection  of  a  new  school- 
house,  with  estimates  and  drawings  of  the  building  proposed.  They 
asked  that  $10,000  in  town  bonds  might  be  issued  and  sold  to  build  the 
house ;  and,  after  the  question  had  been  fully  considered,  and  the  citizens 
had  been  heard  from,  it  was  decided  to  erect  the  building  ;  and  the  School 


492  JIISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Trustees  were  empowered  to  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  same  on 
Block  1,  in  Railroad  Addition  to  Crown  Point,  the  structure,  when  com- 
pleted, not  to  cost  more  than  ^15,000,  and  to  have  a  seating  capacity  of 
not  less  than  600  pupils.  It  was  at  first  decided  to  issue  twenty  bonds 
of  ^500  each,  and  fifty  bonds  of  $100  each,  making  a  total  of  $15,000, 
but  this  was  afterward  changed,  and  the  bonds  were  really  issued  in 
denominations  to  suit  purchasers.  The  house  cost  somewhat  more  than 
was  expected,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  issue  bonds  to  the  amount  of 
$18,000,  thirty-one  of  $500  each,  and  twenty-five  of  $100  each.  The 
bonds  draw  6  per  cent  interest,  payable  semi-annually,  are  due  in  twenty 
years,  but  may  be  paid  after  ten  years,  and  to  each  are  attached  twenty 
coupons.  Henry  C.  Greisel  was  appointed  to  negotiate  the  sale  of  the 
first  $10,000  in  bonds  at  their  face  value.  The  bonds  were  sold  to 
Eastern  capitalists,  and  with  the  proceeds  the  house  was  immediately 
constructed.  In  May,  1881,  the  old  Institute  was  sold  to  J.  M.  Weis  for 
$151.  The  fine  brick  structure  is  a  credit  to  Crown  Point,  but  it  will 
cost  about  $35,000  before  it  is  fully  paid  for. 

There  remain  to  be  noticed  private  and  other  educational  enterprises. 
In  July,  1847,  Rev.  William  Townley,  A.  M.,  opened  a  high  school  in 
a  room  of  his  dwelling,  on  Court  street.  He  advertised  in  the  Observer 
at  Valparaiso  a  full  academic  course,  and  soon  had  a  small  but  flourish- 
ing school.  He  advertised  the  following  grades  of  study,  with  the  tui- 
tion mentioned,  the  term  to  last  twelve  weeks  :  First  Grade,  Orthog- 
raphy, Reading,  Writing  and  Arithmetic,  $2.50.  Second  Grade,  Geog- 
raphy, English  Grammar,  Natural  Philosophy  and  Chemistry,  $3.  Third 
Grade,  Algebra,  Geometry,  Surveying  and  Latin,  $3.50.  The  school 
was  conducted  with  increasing  numbers  and  usefulness  until  September, 
1855,  when  a  few  of  the  citizens  met  at  the  house  of  Harvey  Pettibone, 
M.  D.,  to  consider  the  expediency  of  adopting  additional  measures  for 
the  education  of  their  children,  and  of  realizing  in  the  fullest  manner  the 
benefits  of  Mr.  Townley's  services  as  an  instructor  of  youth.  David 
Turner  was  made  Chairman  of  the  meeting,  and  William  Townley,  Sec- 
retary, and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and  by-laws 
necessary  for  the  proposed  educational  association.  The  substance  of  the 
regulations  adopted  was  as  follows  :  The  funds  were  divided  into  shares 
of  $25  each,  one-half  to  be  paid  down  and  the  remainder  sixty  days  after 
October  1,  1855.  The  amount  to  be  raised  must  not  be  less  than  $500, 
and  this  must  be  used  in  the  building  of  a  comfortable  schoolhouse.  The 
usual  officers  were  to  be  chosen  annually,  and  the  President,  Secretary 
and  Treasurer  were  to  constitute  a  Board  of  Trustees.  The  number  of 
pupils  was  to  be  limited,  was  to  be  determined  by  vote  of  the  association, 
and  no  pupil  was  to  be  admitted  who   was  "  profane,   obscene,  turbulent 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  493 

or  unruly."  Proper  books  were  to  be  selected  by  the  association.  Those 
not  members  of  the  association,  sending  children  to  the  school,  were  to 
pay  tuition  and  a  rent  on  the  value  of  the  property.  The  membership 
could  be  increased  by  permission  and  upon  the  payment  of  $25,  and  the 
ownership  of  one  share  carried  the  right  to  cast  one  vote.  A  two-thirds 
vote  of  the  membership  could  amend  the  constitution.  The  following 
subscription  was  taken:  E.  M.  Cramer,  |50  ;  W.  A.  Clark,  $100; 
Frederick  Foster,  $50  ;  Harvey  Pettibone,  $100;  Thomas  Clark,  $100; 
R.  A.  Eddy,  $25 ;  C.  M.  Mason,  $50 ;  R.  M.  Pratt,  $25  ;  William 
Townley,  $100;  Henry  Wells,  $100  ;  David  Turner,  $100  ;  total  $800. 
A  good,  substantial  frame  building  was  erected,  and  became  known  as 
the  "Associate  Academy  of  Crown  Point."  An  excellent  and  extended 
course  of  instruction  was  advertised  in  the  Ohservp-r  of  Valparaiso,  by 
the  Principal,  Mr.  Townley,  and  the  institution  multiplied  its  capacity 
for  usefulness.  But  soon  after  the  house  was  built,  the  entire  enterprise 
collapsed,  and  the  building  was  sold  to  Luther  &  Holton,  who  transformed 
it  into  a  store-room.   It  is  now  used  as  a  cigar  store  south  of  the  court  house. 

A  select  and  academic  school  was  started  at  Crown  Point  in  1856, 
by  Miss  Mary  E.  Parsons,  a  graduate  of  Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary.  She 
did  not  meet  with  the  encouragement  she  expected,  but,  nevertheless, 
opened  school,  first  in  the  Townley  building,  and  later  in  a  building 
owned  by  J.  H.  Luther,  who  rented  her  the  hall,  or,  rather,  permitted 
her  to  use  it  free  of  charge.  She  taught  a  subscription  school,  and  con- 
tinued the  same,  except  one  term,  until  her  death,  in  November,  1860. 
She  was  a  worthy  Christian  lady,  and  an  accomplished  teacher  of  youth. 
Before  she  had  used  the  Luther  building,  Miss  Mary  Brown  had  occupied 
it,  having  been  employed  by  Mr.  Luther  by  the  week  to  teach  his  chil- 
dren.    A  few  other  children  were  allowed  to  attend. 

In  1865,  Misses  Kate  and  Martha  Knight,  two  well-educated  young 
ladies  from  Chicago,  opened  a  subscription  school  in  the  Luther  building. 
After  two  years  of  teaching,  they  erected  a  school  building  on  East  street, 
south  of  Joliet  street.  Here  they  taught  the  higher  grades  of  learning  for  a 
number  of  years,  until  they  finally  bought  a  two-acre  lot  on  East  street, 
south  of  South  street,  moved  their  schoolhouse  thereon,  and  also  built  a 
dwelling.  They  continued  to  teach  until  1881.  Their  names  will  not 
be  forgotten  by  the  citizens  of  Crown  Point. 

Another  important  select  school  was  the  one  taught  by  Mrs.  Sarah 
J.  Robinson,  at  her  room  on  Court  street,  north  of  the  Rockwell  House. 
She  taught  for  several  years,  but,  finally,  in  186-1,  went  into  the  Union 
hospitals  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 

In  1865,  the  Crown  Point  Institute  was  built  at  a  total  cost,  includ- 
ing house  and  furniture,  of   about  $5,300  ;    and  in   September,    1865, 


494  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

school  was  begun  by  the  proprietor  and  Principal,  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball.  It 
was  designed  to  graduate  young  ladies. 

The  hopes  of  the  founder  or  founders  of  the  Institute  were  not  fully 
realized,  as  its  life  was  comparatively  short,  its  termination  and  sale  oc- 
curring, as  stated  above,  in  1871,  six  years  after  the  building  was  erected. 
While  it  continued,  however,  in  active  work,  it  was  a  credit  to  the  genius, 
enterprise  and  learning  of  its  proprietor  and  founder.  It  educated  sev- 
eral hundred  young  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  sent  them  out  into  the 
world  well  fitted  to  battle  with  the  duties  of  life.  The  only  thing  to  be 
regretted  is  its  early  and  untimely  death,  which  was  caused  mainly  by 
financial  embarrassments.  The  Pierian  Society,  a  literary  organization 
conducted  by  the  students,  was  a  most  useful  adjunct  in  rounding  up  the 
full  measure  of  the  course  of  study.  The  monthly  literary  paper  is  re- 
ferred to  elsewhere. 

In  1866,  the  first  Teachers'  Institute  in  the  county  was  conducted  at 
Crown  Point,  by  W.  W.  Cheshire,  School  Examiner  The  year  before, 
there  had  been  organized  the  Lake  County  Sunday  School  Convention. 
Many  other  interesting  movements  of  less  importance  are  worthy  of 
notice. 

Secret  Societies. — Crown  Point  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  No.  195, 
was  organized  October  29,  1857,  with  the  following  charter  members  : 
Z.  F.  Summers,  Harvey  Pettibone,  W.  A.  Clark,  A.  S.  Flint  and  M.  C. 
Plinney.  It  was  organized  by  0.  Dunham,  D.  D.,  G.  M.  The  charter 
is  dated  November  18,  1857.  The  first  officers  were  :  Harvey  Pettibone, 
N.  G.;  M.  C.  Plinney,  V.  G.;  A.  S.  Flint,  Secretary ;  Z.  F.  Summers, 
Treasurer.  Meetings  were  held  in  various  rooms  about  town  until  1873, 
when  the  large  brick  wherein  their  hall  now  is  was  built,  the  Odd  Fellows 
paying  about  $1,800  for  the  room  with  its  furniture,  painting  and  fine 
frescoing.  The  lodge  has  a  present  membership  of  twenty-five,  and  is  on 
a  solid  financial  basis.  The  present  officers  are :  William  Krimbill,  N. 
G.;  Reuben  Fancher,  V.  G.;  John  M.  Foster,  Secretary;  S.  P.  Van- 
winkle,  Treasurer.  The  higher  degrees  were  first  conferred  February 
25,  1858.  The  Rebecca  degree  was  organized  March  15,  1858,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Plinney,  Mrs.  Eliza  Pettibone  and  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Clark  taking 
it  for  the  first.  An  Encampment  was  organized  in  1874.  The  Odd  Fel- 
lows Hall  is  a  beautiful  one. 

Lake  Lodge,  No.  157,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  organized  under  a  dis- 
pensation dated  October,  1853,  and  the  first  meeting  was  held  November 
11,  1853.  The  charter  members  were  Harvey  Ball,  John  Wood,  W.  A. 
Clark,  W.  G.  McGlashon,  H.  S.  Holton,  J.  H.  Luther,  M.  M.  Kel- 
logg and  C.  E.  Cole.  The  first  officers  were:  Harvey  Ball,  W.  M.; 
H.  S.  Holton,  S.  W.;  John  Wood,  J.  W.;  J.  H.  Luther,  Secretary; 


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CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  497 

W.  A.  Clark,  Treasurer.  The  present  officers  are :  T.  A.  Muzzall, 
W.  M.;  W.  C.  Rockwell,  S.  W.;  H.  H.  Meeker,  J.  W.;  S.  A.  Barr, 
Treasurer;  Z.  P.  Farley,  Seer  .arj.  Their  first  hall  was  the  third 
story  in  the  Register  building,  which  cost  them  about  ^500.  Their  pres- 
ent hall,  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  in  the  same  build- 
ing, cost  about  $1,800.  Lincoln  Chapter,  No.  53,  R.  A.  M.,  was 
established  in  1865.  Crown  Point  Council,  No.  44,  was  organized 
June,  1875.  Eastern  Star  Lodge  was  organized  in  1855,  but  continued 
working  only  two  or  three  years. 

The  temperance  society  organized  in  1841  was  mentioned  above.  It 
did  good  work  until  about  1848,  when  its  field  of  labor  was  usurped  by 
the  Sons  of  Temperance,  a  much  stronger  order,  which  did  a  vast  amount 
of  good.  Its  influence  was  felt  over  all  the  county,  and  kindred  organi- 
zations were  started.  Before  the  rise  of  the  Sons,  strenuous  efforts  were 
made  in  1846,  at  Crown  Point,  to  prevent  the  granting  of  licenses  for  the 
sale  of  spirituous  liquors.  The  following  remonstrance  was  presented  to 
the  County  Commissioners,  and  acted  upon  as  indicated  : 

The  undersigned,  who  are  a  majority  of  the  freeholders  in  the  town  of  Crown  Point, 
would  most  respectfully  but  earnestly  remonstrate  against  your  granting  a  license  to  any 
person  residing  within  said  town,  to  retail  spirituous  or  strong  liquors  within  said  town, 
for  a  term  of  three  years. 

Joseph  P.  Smith, 
Jonathan  W.  Holton, 
John  Reed, 
Moses  Church, 
Solon  Robinson, 
LuMAN  A.  Fowler, 
Elizabeth  Evans, 
Andrew  Stone,  for 
Andrew  C.  and  M.  D.  F.  Stone. 
Ceown  Point,  March  2,  1846. 

The  Board  being  satisfied  that  said  remonstrance  is  signed  by  a  majority  of  the  free, 
holders  in  the  town  of  Crown  Point,  direct  that  said  remonstrance  be  spread  upon  the 
records. 

The  Sons  had  a  very  strong  organization,  which  continued  its  work 
until  about  1860,  when  active,  organized  work  was  abandoned.  One  of 
their  last  acts  was  the  donation  of  $1,000  to  the  brick  schoolhouse,  and 
on  one  of  the  corner-stones  may  yet  be  seen  the  following  memorial :  "  In 
memory  of  Crown  Point  Division  No.  133,  Sons  of  Temperance,  who 
donated  $1,000  to  the  erection  of  this  building,  1859."  In  December, 
1855,  the  first  lodge  of  Good  Templars  in  the  county  was  organized  at 
Crown  Point.  It  worked  actively  for  a  few  years  and  then  went  down. 
For  many  years  past,  the  sale  and  consumption  of  liquor,  especially  lager 
beer,  at  Crown  Point,  has  been  large,  and  the  inevitable  results  are  seen. 
Several  German  societies  have  been  organized  at  the  county  seat. 


498  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Bank. — The  First  National  Bank  of  Crown  Point  was  organized 
September  11,  1874,  with  the  following  stockholders  :  W.  C.  Murphey, 
James  Burge,  David  Turner,  W.  W.  Cheshire,  George  Hazzard,  John 
Brown,  J.  H.  Luther,  A.  E.  Bundy,  M.  L.  Bundj  and  John  Underwood^ 
and  with  a  paid-up  capital  of  $50,000.  The  first  officers  were :  Jame» 
Burge,  President;  W.  C.  Murphy,  Vice  President;  A.  E.  Bundy, 
Cashier.  The  Directors  were  these  three  officers  and  M.  L.  Bundy  and 
George  Hazzard.  In  1876,  Mr.  Murphey  succeeded  Mr.  Bundy  as 
cashier.  The  present  officers  are  :  John  Brown,  President ;  J.  H.  Luther, 
Vice  President ;  W.  C.  Murphey,  Cashier.  The  capital  remains  the  same 
as  at  first,  and  the  bank  is  in  excellent  financial  condition,  and  has  the 
unlimited  confidence  of  the  community. 

Incorporation.,  etc. — The  County  Commissioners  at  the  June  session, 
1868,  passed  the  following  order  : 

Whereas,  The  Board  of  Inspectors  of  an  election  held  to  decide  as  to  the  incorpora- 
tion of  the  town  of  Crown  Point,  having  filed  a  statement  of  such  election  in  detail  as 
specified  by  law,  which  being  satisfactory  to  the  board,  it  is  hereby  declared  and 

Ordered,  That  said  territory,  as  described,  has  been  incorporated  by  the  name  of 
Crown  Point. 

The  election  of  the  first  town  officers  was  held  at  the  court  house 
June  29,  1868,  and  resulted  as  follows :  Trustees — Zerah  F.  Summers, 
John  H.  Meyers  and  John  C.  Sauerman  ;  Assessor,  Clerk,  Treasurer 
and  Marshal  combined — Job  Barnard.  Election  of  May  3,  1869  :  Trus- 
tees— George  D.  Foster,  Sylvester  Taylor  and  J.  H.  Hartupee  ;  Clerk 
and  Treasurer  combined — Job  Barnard  ;  Assessor  and  Marshal  com- 
bined— Leonard  Kogeler.  Election  of  May  2,  1870  :  Trustees — Henry 
Pratt,  Sylvester  Taylor  and  J.  H.  Hartupee ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — 
Thomas  J.  Wood  ;  Assessor  and  Marshal — Harvey  J.  Shoulters  (173 
votes  polled  in  1870).  Election  of  May,  1871  :  Trustees — Z.  F.  Sum- 
mers, John  H.  Meyers  and  Adam  Schmal ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — T.  J. 
Wood ;  Assessor  and  Marshal — H.  J.  Shoulters.  Election  of  May,  1872  : 
Trustees — J.  H.  Luther,  J.  H.  Meyers  and  Z.  F.  Summers  ;  Clerk  and 
Treasurer — W.  G.  McGlashon;  Assessor  and  Marshal — John  Lehmann. 
Election  of  May,  1873  :  Trustees — J.  H.  Luther,  J.  H.  Meyers  and  Z. 
F.  Summers  ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — W.  G.  McGlashon  ;  Assessor  and 
Marshal — John  Lehmann.  Election  of  May,  1874  :  Trustees — J.  H. 
Luther,  W.  B.  Rockwell  and  William  Aulwurm  ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — 
William  T.  Horine.  (Some  trouble  was  had  over  the  other  officers  about 
this  time.  George  Emerling  was  elected  Marshal,  but  refused  to  serve, 
and  then  Horine  was  appointed ;  but  this  action  was  soon  rescinded,  and 
what  finally  was  done  does  not  appear  upon  the  records.)  Election  of 
May,  1875 :  Trustees— E.  C.  Field,  H.  C.  Greisel  and  William  Aul- 
wurm ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — William  T.   Horine.      Election  of  May, 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CExNTRE  TOWNSHIP.  499 

1876  :  Trustees — W.  B.  Rockwell,  H.  C.  Greisel  and  William  Aulwurm  ; 
Treasurer — John  Krost ;  Clerk — W.  T.  Horine  ;  Marshal — William 
Baasch.  Election  of  May,  1877  :  Trustees — J.  11.  Luther,  H.  C.  Greisel 
and  William  Aulvvurrn  ;  Treasurer — John  Krost ;  Clerk — W.  T.  Horine  ; 
Marshal — William  Baasch.  Election  of  May,  1878  :  Trustees — J.  H. 
Luther,  H.  C.  Greisel  and  William  Aulwurm  ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — • 
George  Sanford  ;  Marshal — William  ICobaldt.  Election  of  May,  1879  : 
Trustees — Calvin  Manahan,  H.  C.  Greisel  ami  William  Aulwurm  ;  Clerk 
and  Treasurer — George  M.  Eder  ;  Marshal — William  Kobaldt.  Election 
of  May,  1880 :  Trustees— F.  G.  Russell,  H.  C.  Greisel  and  Thomas  A. 
Muzzall ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — G.  M.  Eder  ;  Marshal — William  Ko- 
baldt. Election  of  May,  1881:  Trustees — Joseph  Ilorst,  H.  C.  Greisel 
and  T.  A.  Muzzall ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — G.  M.  Eder  ;  Marshal— Will- 
iam Kobaldt.  Election  of  May,  1882  :  Trustees — Joseph  Horst,  T.  A. 
Muzzall,  and  W.  B.  Rockwell ;  Clerk  and  Treasurer — G.  M.  Eder  ;  Mar- 
shal—William Kobaldt. 

Among  the  miscellaneous  acts  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  have  been 
the  following  :  In  April,  1869,  all  physicians  of  the  town  were  appointed 
a  Board  of  Health  to  look  after  cases  of  small-pox  then  within  the  cor- 
porate limits.  At  the  same  time,  J.  C.  Sauerman  was  appointed  to  pro- 
cure hooks,  ladders,  etc.,  to  equip  a  fire  company.  W.  N.  Hartupee  was 
appointed  Fire  Warden  in  November,  1868.  Tax  for  1868  was  15  cents 
on  each  ^100,  and  25  cents  on  each  poll.  A  tax  of  .^800  ordered  levied 
for  1870.  Henry  Pratt  became  Fire  Warden  November,  1870.  Ten 
acres  for  a  cemetery  were  purchased  of  Henry  Frederick  in  the  fall  of 
1871  for  $1,100,  he  to  be  paid  from  the  sale  of  lots.  Same  fall,  Adam 
Schmal  was  appointed  to  purchase  a  fire  hand  engine,  and  in  February, 
1872,  a  hose  cart  was  ordered  built.  In  April,  1872,  $500  was  ordered 
paid  for  hose.  Neither  the  hose  nor  the  engine  was  paid  for  at  that  time, 
and  the  town  was  sued,  and  judgment  recovered  for  $1,100,  which  in- 
cluded the  cost  of  both,  with  costs  and  interest.  The  judgment  for  the 
hose  was  paid  to  the   Akron   Rubber   Company,  Akron,   Ohio,  in  July, 

1874,  and  the  judgment  for  the  engine  in  favor  of  the  city  of  La  Porte, 
was  paid  a  year  later.  A  fire  company  was  fully  organized  and  equipped, 
and  articles  of  association  were  adopted  in  February,  1873.  Attempts 
were  made  in  June,  1872,  to  sink  an  artesian  well,  to  be  used  in  case  of 
fires.  A  town  pound  was  leased  of  C.  Manahan,  and  afterward,  in  187-4, 
of  J.  H.  Luther,  on  Lot  14.  Goldsborough  Park  was  made  in  1874, 
with  J.  H.  Ball  Commissioner.  Two  hundred  feet  of  two-and-a-half 
inch   "  patent   carbolized   engine  hose "    were  purchased   in   December, 

1875,  for  $250,  which  amount  was  to  be  paid  May  1,  1877.    A  corporate 
seal  was  adopted  in  August,  1879.     In   December,  1879,  part  of  Lot  32 


500  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

was  bought  for  an  engine  house  for  $500.  The  tax  levied  for  1882  was 
as  follows  . 

Special  school  fund,  35  cents  on  each  $100  valuation;  tuition,  25 
cents  on  each  $100  valuation  ;  town  bond  interest,  25  cents  on  each  $100 
valuation;  town  fund,  20  cents  on  each  $100  valuation;  total,  $1.05  on 
each  $100  valuation  ;  liquor  license,  $35. 

Present  Business. — The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  present  busi- 
ness enterprises  of  Crown  Point : 

Dry  Goods — William  Krimbill,  Keller  Brothers,  John  Schlemmer, 
Christopher  Rich,  Otto  Schultz  and  Amos  Edgerton. 

Hardware — 0.  G.  Wheeler,  Rockwell  &  Hack,  Joseph  Horst  and  C. 
A.  Wise. 

Groceries — Hack  &  Rockwell,  Ed  Church,  H.  F.  Pinney,  Lewis 
Dresser,  D.  Longnecker  and  Amo3  Edgerton. 

Drugs— H.  P.  Swarts,  W.  A.  Scheddell. 

Clothing  Exclusively — W  J.  Young. 

Merchant  Tailors — Joseph  Horn  and  A.  Hildebrant  &  Son. 

Jewelry — Warren  Cole,  F.  Emerson. 

Agricultural  Implements — Fancher  &  Fessenden,  H.  S.  Holton, 
John  M.  Foster,  S.  P.  Vanwinkle  and  Henry  Sasse,  Jr. 

Restaurants — Theodore  Dill  and  F.  E.   Farley. 

Milliners — Mrs.  S.  M.  Allman,  ISIrs.  Jennie  McCummings  and  Mrs. 
Augusta  Fry. 

Barbers — Solomon  Allen  and  George  Volk. 

Cigar  Manufacturers — Eder  Brothers  and  Fred  Hagedorn. 

Meat  Markets — Fred  Simon,  Scoats  &   Coffin  (two). 

Hotels — Hack's  Exchange,  Rockwell  House,  Farmers'  Hotel,  Depot 
Hotel,  Crown  Point  Hotel. 

Real  Estate  Dealers — Amos  Allman,  W.  A.  Clark,  T.  Cleveland,  C. 
N.  Morton,  J.  S.  Holton,  John  W.  Hughes,  Charles  Jouvenat. 

Photographer — W.  H.  Hayward. 

Dentists — N.  D.  Edmonds,  D.  T.  Quackenbush. 

Newspapers — Register,  Star,Freie  Presse. 

Lumber  Yard — Thomas  W.  Wilmarth. 

Grain  Buyers — B.  F.  Jones,  Brown  Brothers. 

Carriage  and  Wagon  Manufactory — Joseph  Hack,  Charles  Schroeder 
and  Nicholas  Young. 

Brick — James  Clingan,  Henry  Wise,  J.   H.  Abrams. 

Boots  and  Shoes — Jacob  Houk  and  Fred  Gutschow. 

Livery — Wells  &  Judson  and  Paul  Rasch. 

Furniture,  etc. — Peter  Geisen,  H.  C.  Greisel  and  Joseph  Kramer. 

Harness  Manufacturers — Conrad  Hoereth,  Nicholas  Hoereth  and  L. 
F.  Edgerton. 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTEE  TOWNSHIP.  501 

Flour  and  Feed — John  Laws  &  Son  and  Paul  Rasch. 

Sash,  Door  and  Blind  Factory — Gosh  Brothers  &  Co. 

Live  Stock — Frank  Fuller  and  Conrad  Jourgens. 

Baled  Hay — B.  F.  Jones,  Schultz,  Brown  Brothers  and  L.  P.  Stark- 
weather. 

It  is  difficult  to  get  at  the  population  of  Crown  Point,  from  time  to 
time  during  the  past,  but  the  following  may  be  taken  as  a  pretty  careful 
estimate  :  In  1840,  there  were  some  eight  or  ten  families  with  a  total 
population  of  between  40  and  50  ;  in  1844,  about  twenty  families  and 
about  100  population;  in  1847,  thirty  families  and  150  population  ;  in 
1855,  about  sixty  families  and  300  population;  in  1860,  the  population 
was  not  less  than  500;  in  1865,  between  800  and  900  ;  in  1872,  about 
1,300,  and,  in  1882,  about  1,800.  The  most  rapid  growth  was  the  few 
years  succeeding  1865,  when  the  C,  C.  &  I.  C.  R.  R.  gave  the  town  its 
most  noteworthy  boom.  This  was  an  important  event  to  the  county  seat, 
and  was  fully  appreciated  by  the  citizens,  who  joyfully  hailed  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  the  locomotive.  Crown  Point  and  the  citizens  living  along 
the  route  of  the  road  subscribed  about  ^90,000  to  aid  in  its  construction. 
About  half  of  this  amount  was  actually  paid.  The  Chicago  &  Atlantic 
Railroad,  built  this  year  (1882),  is  another  great  advantage  to  the  town. 
But  little  help  has  been  given  the  company.  The  town  is  already  reap- 
ing the  benefits  in  new  buildings  and  business  enterprises. 

The  following  attorneys  have  practiced  at  Crown  Point :  Alexander 
McDonald,  1839 ;  Martin  Wood,  1848 ;  Elihu  Griffin,  1857  ;  C.  N. 
Morton,  1858  ;  J.  B.  Turner,  1861  ;  T.  Cleveland,  1863 ;  E.  C.  Field, 
1865  ;  Job  Barnard,  1867 ;  T.  J.  Wood,  1867 ;  W.  T.  Horine,  1870  ; 
Mr.  McCarthy,  1870  ;  T.  S.  Fancher,  1871 ;  J.  H.  Ball,  1871 ;  Milton 
Barnard,  1872  ;  J.  W.  Youche,  1872;  J.  B.  Peterson,  Donald  McDon- 
ald, Charles  Jouvenat,  John  Kopelke  and  others. 

Churches. — The  Methodist  Episcopals  and  the  Presbyterians  were 
the  pioneer  church  organizations  at  Crown  Point,  the  former  dating  back 
more  than  forty  years,  and  the  latter  but  a  few  years  later.  Rev.  Wade 
Posey,  preacher  in  charge  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Lake 
County,  called  a  meeting  at  Crown  Point  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  an 
organization  at  that  place.  This  meeting  was  held  July  11,  1843,  and  the 
following  officers  were  elected:  Trustees — Maj.  Allman,  Jacob  Menden- 
hall,  John  Reed,  E.  W.  Bryant  and  John  Kitchel.  Being  but  few  in 
numbers  at  first,  they  met  for  worship  in  the  old  log  court  house,  their 
ministers  being  Rev.  Mr.  Posey  and  others.  In  1845,  they  built  a  church 
of  their  own,  and  their  property  at  this  time  was  valued  as  about  §1,500  ; 
but,  in  1859,  the  old  building  was  removed,  and  on  its  site  was  erected 
their  present  church  edifice.     This  organization  has  been  very  prosperous 


502  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

from  the  first,  both  in  its  acquisition  of  members  and  in  a  financial  way. 
They  now  have  property  amounting  in  value  to  ^6,000,  a  membership  of 
ninety-three  and  a  Sabbath  school  membership  of  157.  The  present 
officers  of  the  church  are :  Rev.  Francis  Cox,  pastor  ;  Trustees,  George 
Krimbill,  Jacob  Houk,  J.  W.  Griggs,  W.  N.  Hartupee  and  S.  P.  Van 
Winkle ;  Stewards,  W.  T.  Horine,  S.  P.  Van  Winkle,  F.  Fessenden, 
George  Krimbill,  Lydia  Witherell,  Joseph  Patton  and  Elizabeth  Crowell. 
G.  B.  Handley  is  District  Steward,  and  W.  T.  Horine,  Recording  Stew- 
ard. The  Sabbath  school  officers  are :  Mrs.  Susan  G.  Wood,  Superintend- 
ent ;  W.  T.  Horine,  Assistant ;  Jacob  Houk,  Treasurer  ;  Lewis  Vilmer, 
Secretary ;  Thomas  Muzzall,  Chorister ;  Miss  Ada  Meeker,  Organist, 
and  Howard  Baker,  Librarian.  All  the  early  records  of  this  church  are 
burned,  and  it  is  regretted  that  no  further  statistics  can  be  given  of 
them. 

A  meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house  January  10,  1845,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  a  Presbyterian  society  at  Crown  Point.  At  this 
meeting  they  fully  organized,  and  Solon  Robinson,  Joseph  P.  Smith, 
Cyrus  M.  Mason,  Russel  Eddy  and  Henry  Wells  were  elected  Trustees  of 
the  organization.  In  1845,  they  raised  sufficient  means  and  began  the 
erection  of  a  church,  which  was  completed  in  1847,  the  grounds,  church, 
etc.,  costing  $3,000.  They  began  with  a  membership  of  about  twenty, 
which  is  now  increased  to  about  fifty.  They  formed  a  Sabbath  school  at 
an  early  day,  which  has  since  been  continued,  and  which  now  numbers 
about  fifty  pupils.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  William  Townley,  a  man  of 
excellent  capabilities,  and  this  gentleman  was  in  turn  succeeded  by  Revs. 
Shultz,  Lower,  Flemming,  Moore,  and,  lastly.  Young.  Owing  to  a  lack 
of  faithfulness  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  most  influential  members,  the 
organization  has  not  flourished  as  it  might  otherwise  have  done.  Since 
1878,  they  have  had  no  regularly  installed  pastor,  but  during  the  past 
year  the  pulpit  has  been  acceptably  filled  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eley,  a  theo- 
logical seminary  student  from  Chicago.  The  present  church  officers  are 
C.  M.  Mason,  Hugh  Boyd,  James  Clingan  and  Henry  Farmer,  Elders  ; 
and  Charles  Jouvenat,  Peter  Burhaus  and  Thomas  Fisher,  Trustees.  The 
Sunday  school  is  officered  as  follows :  Superintendent,  Charles  F. 
Griffin ;  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  Miss  Florence  Pratt. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Baptist  congregation  at  Cedar  Lake  in  Decem- 
ber, 185  Thomas  L.  Hunt  and  wife,  Julia :  John  Church  and  wife, 
Lydia  A. ;  Valona,  Sophia,  Martha  and  Judson  Cutler  and  Jennet 
Dinwiddle,  applied  for  letters  of  dismission  to  unite  in  a  church  at  Crown 
Point.  The  winter  of  1851,  a  Baptist  organization  was  completed  at 
Crown  Point,  and  Elder  Thomas  L.  Hunt  was  the  first  pastor.  He  re- 
mained as  such  until  November,  1852,  when  by  reason  of  ill-health  he  re- 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  503 

signed  his  pastorate,  and  in  July,  1853,  died.  This  man  was  the  chief 
organizer  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Crown  Point,  and  the  first  Trustees 
were  John  Church,  Henry  Doering  and  Charles  Fisher.  Previous  to  the 
erection  of  a  church  of  their  own,  they  met  for  worship  in  the  court  house, 
and  sometimes  in  the  Methodist  Meeting  House,  but  in  1856  a  frame 
church  was  erected,  the  property  amounting  in  value  to  ^800.  December 
30,  1855,  Timothy  H.  Ball,  a  graduate  of  Franklin  College,  was  ordained 
a  minister  and  took  the  pastorate,  and  to  his  zeal  and  untiring  efforts 
much  of  the  early  prosperity  of  the  church  organization  was  justly  due. 
He  resigned  in  April,  1857,  to  take  pastoral  charge  of  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Amboy,  111.,  and  Elder  John  Benney  was  his  successor.  From  July, 
1859,  to  April,  1860,  they  had  no  regular  preacher  at  Crown  Point  for 
this  denomination,  but  in  April,  1860,  Elder  E.  A.  Simons  took  the  pas- 
torship, and  for  the  three  years  he  was  their  pastor  large  additions  to  the 
membership  were  made.  Elder  Timothy  H.  Ball,  a  former  pastor,  then 
took  charge  of  the  congregation,  which  at  that  time  numbered  forty  mem- 
bers. In  1869,  it  numbered  sixty  members,  but  in  that  year  trouble  be- 
gan in  the  organization  which  took  a  personal  form,  and  which  led  to  a 
division  in  the  church  ;  Elder  Ball  left,  and  in  1871  built  a  church  from 
his  own  private  resources  with  the  aid  of  others,  which  was  called  the 
North  Street  Baptist  Church.  On  its  organization,  there  were  twelve 
names  enrolled  as  members,  and  Elder  Ball  was  chosen  pastor.  This 
church  is  not  recognized  by  the  Baptist  Assembly,  but  is  independent.  It 
still  exists,  but,  owing  to  the  repeated  absence  of  the  pastor.  Elder  Ball, 
who  is  engaged  in  literary  work  in  Alabama,  they  have  no  regular  meet- 
ings only  when  he  is  at  home.  Those  who  did  not  follow  the  leadership 
of  Mr.  Ball  still  kept  up  an  organization,  and  in  1880  they  erected  their 
present  beautiful  gothic  brick  structure,  one  block  south  of  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  public  square,  at  the  cost  of  about  ^1,000.  They  have  no 
regularly  installed  pastor  at  present,  but  the  year  of  1881  their  pulpit 
was  supplied  by  Elder  E.  H.  Brooks,  to  whom  they  paid  ^900  for  his 
services.  This  man,  owing  to  ill-health,  resigned,  but  yet  fills  the  pulpit 
semi-occasionally,  and  is  the  only  one  they  have  at  present.  Their  pres- 
ent membership  is  about  twenty-five,  and  their  Sabbath  school  numbers 
seventy-five.  The  church  officers  are  John  Abrams,  E.  Church  and  B. 
E.  Reading,  Trustees,  and  the  last  named,  Mr.  Reading,  is  Church  Clerk. 
The  Sabbath  school  officers  are  :  John  Abrams,  Superintendent ;  Miss  Ma- 
bel Northrop,  Secretary,  and  Mrs.  J.  P.  Orborn,  Treasurer. 

April  13,  1860,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Cedar  Lake  by  the  Evangel- 
ical Society  of  Lake  County,  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  an  organiza- 
tion. At  this  meeting,  Frank  C.  Myers,  Henry  Stilzel  and  Adolph  Swort 
were  elected   Trustees,  and   Andrew  Heilman   was  elected  Clerk.     They 


504  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

assumed  the  name  of  the  Cedar  Lake  Mission  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion of  North  America.  Shortly  after  this,  they  established  a  society  at 
Crown  Point,  and,  in  1874,  this  society  elected  Christian  Wise,  John 
Houk,  Matthias  Houk,  Christian  Klein  and  John  Stouffer,  as  Trustees. 
In  1874,  they  erected  a  church  in  Crown  Point  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,000 
and  for  their  first  pastor  they  employed  Rev.  Christian  Schuster.  Cedar 
Lake  Mission  was  changed  into  Crown  Point  Mission,  and  now  comprises 
three  places  of  worship,  viz.,  Crown  Point,  Cedar  Lake  and  Deerfield. 
Their  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  C.  J.  Frey,  and  under  his  pastorate  the 
charge  is  in  a  progressive  condition.  They  have  increased  in  value,  now 
owning  property  valued  at  §2,200,  including  the  parsonage,  and  the  Mis- 
sion pay  their  present  minister  |425  per  annum.  The  present  member- 
ship is  twenty-five,  and  the  church  oflBcers  are  Christian  Wise,  John  Houk, 
Matthias  Houk,  Christian  Klein  and  Henry  Stitzel,  Trustees.  Their 
Sabbath  school  numbers  about  thirty  pupils,  and  is  ofiicered  as  follows  : 
Christian  Wise,  Superintendent  and  Treasurer  ;  Theodore  Wise,  Librarian, 
and  Frank  Beosel,  Secretary. 

Among  the  most  wealthy  church  congregations  in  Crown  Point  is  the 
Catholic,  which  has  had  an  organized  society  since  1866,  when  they  pur- 
chased 2i^xnT  acres  of  land,  where  their  buildings  now  stand,  for  which  was 
paid  §2,200.  The  year  following,  they  erected  their  present  frame  church 
at  a  cost  of  §2,400,  giving  it  the  name  of  the  Church  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  Mary.  Under  the  wise  management  of  their  first  priest.  Father 
Worley,  the  congregation  increased  in  numbers  and  wealth,  so  that  in 
1870  they  erected  the  parsonage,  the  cost  of  which  was  §1,600.  Father 
Worley  was  succeeded  by  Father  Weiser,  and  he  in  turn  by  Fathers 
Meisner,  Zimbaldy,  Hennemann,  Amilian,  and  lastly,  in  1882,  by  the 
present  pastor.  Father  Mauricus.  In  1872,  a  school  building  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  §1,200,  and  this  is  in  charge  of  the  sisters  of  the  order  of 
Franzis  Caner,  who  give  an  excellent  course  of  instruction.  Like  all  of 
their  faith,  the  Catholic  members  at  Crown  Point  are  very  earnest  in 
their  belief,  and  zealous  in  their  work.  On  the  organization  of  the 
church,  it  numbered  some  ninety  families,  in  1874,  115  families,  and  the 
present  membership  in  families  is  about  135. 

Trinity  Church,  Lutheran,  was  erected  in  Crown  Point  in  the  spring 
of  1869,  at  a  cost  of  §3,300,  including  the  lot  on  which  it  stands,  etc. 
In  1861,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pollock,  a  minister  of  the  Lutheran  denomination, 
began  preaching  here  in  dwelling  houses,  and  that  led  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  church  eight  years  later.  Their  first  regular  preacher  was  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Huge,  but  he  was  here  only  about  a  year  and  a  half.  The  or- 
ganization increased  and  flourished  under  his  administration  and  con- 
tinued under  his  successor,  Rev.  George  Heintz,  who  is  the  present  pastor. 


CEDAR  CREEK   TOWNSHIP,  505 

The  organization  now  consists  of  forty  families,  and  is  in  a  prosperous 
condition.  The  first  officers  of  the  church  were  :  John  Mangold,  William 
Struebig  and  Leonhardt  Bierlen,  Trustees ;  John  C.  Sauerman  and 
Fredrick  Hildebrandt,  the  men  who  took  up  collections,  etc.  ;  Valentine 
Sauerman,  Clerk.  They  had  a  Sabbath  school  organization  before  the 
building  of  the  church.  It  now  numbers  about  forty-five  members.  Rev. 
Heintz  is  the  present  Sabbath  School  Superintendent. 

The  present  church  officers  are  John  Lottos,  President;  George  Gosch, 
Clerk,  and  John  Schlimmer,  Treasurer. 

First  members :  J.  C.  Sauerman,  Frederick  Hildebrandt,  William 
Struebig,  Nicholas  Sauerman,  John  Pleitner,  Sr.,  John  Mangold,  Con- 
rad Hoereth,  Adam  Popp,  Henry  Weber,  George  Gosch,  John  Luetjen- 
meier,  Jacob  Thonmen,  Leonhardt  Bierlen,  John  Lottos  and  Valentine 
Sauerman. 

Principal  members  were  Nioholas  Sauerman  and  subsequently  his 
children. 

Besides  a  church  and  Sunday  school,  they  have  a  daily  school  in  the 
church,  over  which  Rev.  Mr.  Heintz  presides.  This  school  is  carried  on 
for  the  purpose  of  instructing  children  between  the  ages  of  six  and 
fourteen  years  in  the  lower  branches  of  study  and  in  the  study  of  the 
catechism.  The  Lutherans  regard  this  as  their  nursery  to  religion,  and 
for  one  hour  each  day  they  are  thoroughly  drilled  in  the  elementary 
branches  of  the  Lutheran  faith. 


CHAPTER  V. 

BY    G.    A.    GAKAKD. 


Cedae,  Creek  TowNsnip  — Formation  and  Name  — List  of  First  and 
Early  Settlers— Incidents  and  Anecdotes  of  Early  Times— Early 
Enterprises— Later  Enterprises— Fine  Horses— Schools— Lowell 
— Creston — rACTORiES—KAiLROAD—CHrRCiiES— Secret  Societies  and 
Other  Organizations. 

MAY  9,  1839,  the  County  Commissioners  ordered  that  South  Town- 
ship be  divided  into  three  townships,  and  that  that  part  lying  east 
of  a  line  drawn  through  South  Township,  on  the  west  side  of  the  second 
tier  of  Sections  in  Range  9,  and  west  of  a  line  drawn  north  and  south 
through  the  center  of  Range  8,  be  known  as  Cedar  Creek  Township. 
The  township  took  its  name  from  Cedar  Creek,  which  runs  through  it 
from  north  to  south,  and  was  in  early  times  known  as  "  The  Outlet." 
June  8,  1853,  the  boundaries  of  Cedar  Creek  Township  were  changed,  so 
as  to  embrace  Sections  1  and  2,  Township  33,  Range  9,  and  Sections  4, 
5  and  6,  Township  33,  Range  8. 


506  HISTORY  OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Early  Settlers. — The  following  is  a  list  of  the  first  and  early  settlers 
of  Cedar  Creek  Township,  with  dates  as  far  as  attainable :  In  1835, 
Samuel  Halstead,  Peter  Surprise  and  family  ;  Thomas  Childers.  Mr. 
Nolen,  Mr.  Funk,  John  Dilley,  Samuel  Bryant,  Elias  Bryant,  Wayne 
Bryant,  Jesse  Cross  and  family,  John  Keller,  Joseph  Childers  and  John 
Driscoll ;  in  1836,  Jonathan  Mendenhall,  where  Mr.  Tuttle  now  lives, 
Abraham  Nichols,  William  A.  Purdy,  John  Smith  and  family,  John 
Greseal  and  family ;  in  the  fall,  William  Wells  and  family,  who  settled  in 
West  Creek  Township  in  1835,  and  moved  to  Cedar  Creek  in  1836 ; 
John  Distal,  Mrs.  Jane  Childers  and  her  son,  Harvey,  and  daughter 
Jane,  now  Mrs.  Jane  Sanger,  and  the  oldest  living  resident,  settled  three 
miles  south  of  where  Lowell  now  stands ;  John  Kile  and  family,  Reason 
Kile  and  family,  John  H.  Martin,  John  Kitchel  and  Nelson  Smith ;  in 
1837,  Jabez  Clark  and  family  in  the  fall  settled  half  a  mile  north  of  the 
site  of  Lowell ;  Mr.  Tenet  and  Abraham  Lafley,  in  June,  1837,  settled 
on  the  bank  of  a  little  lake  that  has  since  been  known  as  Lafley  Lake ; 
Ira  Babcock,  Ephraim  Cleveland,  Hosea  Catlin,  Philo  Eno,  Mr.  Wagner 
and  family,  James  H.  Sanger,  Buel  Dilley  (who  was  the  first  Constable  of 
the  township),  Hiram  Dilley,  Addison  Clarke  and  family,  George  L. 
Zebriske,  Joseph  A.  Clarke,  Mr.  Davis,  William  Philbrick  and  Alexander 
Hamilton ;  in  1838,  John  Ebbins,  John  C.  Kenyon  and  family,  Robert 
Hyde,  with  his  family,  he  being  the  first  settled  minister,  H.  C.  Sanger, 
Leander  Sanger,  Adin  Sanger,  John  N.  Sanger  and  Alexander  McDonaM 
and  family ;  in  1839,  John  Warley,  Isaiah  Peterson  and  a  number  of 
others  came.  The  following  came  early,  but  the  exact  dates  have  not 
been  obtained :  Jack  Watkins,  Shep  Stephens,  John  Nephis,  Cornelius 
Nephis  and  Thomas  Wells.  In  1837,  there  were  only  four  log  houses  in 
the  vicinity  where  Lowell  now  stands.  Of  course,  at  that  time,  there  was 
no  other  kind  of  house  in  all  the  region  roundabout. 

Pioneer  Life^  Incidents^  etc. — The  Cedar  Creek  pioneers  built  their 
log  huts  hastily,  and  were  content  to  live  for  awhile  on  the  "  ground 
floor,"  not  because  of  the  lack  of  second  stories,  although  this  would  have 
been  a  sufficient  reason,  but  because  the  ground  was  the  floor,  in  some 
cases  at  least.  A  more  aristocratic  form  of  floor  than  the  ground  floor 
was  the  puncheon,  made  of  split  timbers,  hewed  to  a  certain  degree  of 
smoothness.  If  made  with  care,  this  kind  would  do  for  a  "  dance  "  floor. 
The  finest  that  the  times  afibrded,  was  of  unplaned  boards  brought  from 
Michigan  City  for  the  purpose.  Floors  of  the  first  named  class,  were 
often  swept  with  a  brush  or  bundle  of  twigs  from  a  tree.  Because  of  the 
great  distance  to  market  and  mill,  the  larder  often  ran  low,  and  the  cup- 
board occasionally  got  into  the  condition  spoken  of  in  the  pathetic  story 
entitled  "  Mother  Hubbard."     At  such  times,  the  diet  became  monoto- 


CEDAR   CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  507 

nous,  being  reduced  often  to  corn  bread.  An  old  settler  speaks  of  going 
100  miles  to  the  Wabash  to  mill  with  four  yoke  of  oxen.  The  Indians 
ate  muskrats ;  but  few  of  the  whites  indulged  in  such  highly  seasoned 
food ;  however,  it  is  stated  by  those  who  partook  of  Indian  hospitality, 
that  broiled  muskrat  is  a  savory  and  toothsome  viand.  Fishing  and 
hunting  were  profitable  as  well  as  pleasant,  for  lake,  creek,  river  and 
marsh  abounded  with  fish  and  waterfowl,  while  deer  bounded  over  the 
prairie  or  sheltered  in  the  groves.  Several  of  the  oldest  settlers  speak  of 
seventy  or  eighty  deer  being  killed  in  one  day  in  the  Kankakee  swamp. 
It  seems  that  a  sudden  cold  spell  froze  ice  over  river  and  marsh  in  a 
single  night ;  many  deer  were  on  the  islands ;  the  ice  was  very  smooth, 
and  as  soon  as  they  "  broke  cover  "  they  would  fall  upon  the  ice.  Being 
unable  to  stand,  or,  rather,  to  run,  upon  the  ice,  they  were  at  the  mercy 
of  men  and  dogs,  and  were  sometimes  killed  with  clubs  and  axes.  Al- 
though unable  to  stand  upon  the  glaze  of  ice,  when  caught,  and  an  attempt 
was  made  to  kill  them  with  a  knife,  they  would  kick  with  such  rapidity, 
vigor  and  effect,  that  it  was  a  difi5cult  and  dangerous  task  for  one  man 
unaided  to  kill  one.  At  the  time  mentioned,  one  man  and  his  two  dogs 
caught  three  at  the  same  time  on  the  ice,  but  not  even  one  deer  was 
dispatched  until  help  came.  For  many  years,  bridges  were  few  and  poor. 
Dr.  Wood  speaks  of  swimming  with  his  horse  in  one  day  West  Creek, 
Cedar  Creek  and  Eagle  Creek,  while  on  his  way  to  see  the  sick  settlers. 
He  also  speaks  of  going  through  pole  bridges,  and  narrowly  escaping  with 
his  life. 

The  winter  of  1842-43,  was  an  unusually  early  and  severe  one.  On 
the  11th  day  of  November,  1842,  William  Wells  started  from  his  home 
two  miles  south  of  Lowell,  to  a  grist  and  woolen  mill  at  Wilmington,  111. 
As  he  was  returning  on  the  13th,  he  encountered  a  remarkably  hard 
snow-storm  for  the  season,  or,  in  fact,  for  any  season.  It  was  impossible 
to  see  any  considerable  distance  and  the  cold  became  intense.  Being 
blinded  by  the  storm,  he  lost  hi°  way  on  Grand  Prairie,  in  Illinois.  The 
first  that  was  known  of  his  fate  was  when  his  horses  came  home.  He  had 
cut  the  hame  strings  and  other  straps  and  allowed  them  to  seek  shelter 
for  themselves,  while  he,  it  is  thought,  tried  to  stay  all  night  in  the  wagon. 
Probably  finding  himself  unable  to  keep  from  freezing  in  the  wagon,  he 
left  it  and  started  out  into  the  driving  storm  without  any  definite  idea  of 
where  he  was  going.  He  must  have  wandered  about  in  this  aimless  way 
for  some  time,  for  his  frozen  body  was  found  over  four  miles  from  the 
deserted  wagon  and  was  brought  to  the  Lowell    Cemetery  for  interment. 

Quite  a  history  grew  out  of  this  sad  accident.  It  seems  that  some  medi- 
cal men  desired  a  subject  for  the  dissecting  room,  and  hearing  of  this 
burial  in  a  new  and  sparsely  settled  country,  they  determined  to  rob  the 


508  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

grave,  and  an  Irishman  was  employed  to  open  it.  The  escaping  gases 
ignited,  and  the  Irishman  fled  terror  stricken.  The  medical  men  who 
were  waiting  near  with  cutters,  supposing  that  they  were  discovered,  plied 
their  horses  with  whips  and  drove  as  if  an  avenging  spirit  were  after 
them.  The  facts  of  the  case  soon  became  known  to  the  fun-loving  mem- 
bers of  the  community.  They  notified  the  suspected  physicians  that 
swift  footed  justice  was  after  them.  The  doctors  were  thus  induced  to 
disguise  themselves  and  flee.  According  to  a  preconcerted  plan  they 
were  captured  and  brought  before  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  trial.  With 
much  solemnity  the  investigation  proceeded.  The  doctors  had  employed 
counsel  and  were  wrought  up  to  a  high  state  of  excitement.  The  law- 
yers objected,  excepted  and  quarreled  ;  finally,  when  the  trial  had  reached 
the  climax  of  interest  and  excitement,  the  attorney  for  the  prosecution 
became,  or  feigned  to  become,  "too  full  for  utterance,"  and  the  Justice 
dismissed  the  case  to  the  great  relief  of  the  alarmed  medical  men. 

Somewhere  about  1836,  some  flax  caught  fire  one  night  in  a  loft  of 
the  cabin  of  Peter  Surprise.  The  family  had  all  retired,  excepting  Mrs. 
Surprise,  who  gave  the  alarm.  The  flames  spread  rapidly,  and  the  family 
were  driven  out  into  a  deep  snow,  very  scantily  clad.  Martin  Driscoll, 
who  was  then  stopping  with  Mr.  Surprise,  escaped  with  only  one  pair  of 
pants.  After  the  adults  had  all  gotten  out,  it  was  discovered  that  one  of 
Mr.  Surprise's  children  had  been  left  behind,  when  Mr.  Driscoll  heroically 
rushed  through  the  flames  and  succeeded  in  rescuing  the  imperiled  infant. 

Early  Events. — So  far  as  can  be  learned,  the  first  birth  was  a  child  to 
Mrs.  Sarah  Childers,  wife  of  Thomas  Childers  in  1835.  The  first  death 
was  probably  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Childers  in  1835.  She  was  buried 
on  Cedar  Creek,  one  mile  south  of  the  site  of  Lowell.  The  second,  was 
a  child  of  Mr.  Wells,  that  died  in  the  same  year  and  was  buried  at  the 
same  place.  In  1838,  a  son  of  John  Smith  died,  and  was  buried  where 
the  Lowell  Cemetery  is.  In  the  same  year,  a  little  girl  of  Henry  Sanger's 
was  buried  at  the  same  place.  She  was  perhaps  the  first  one  buried  in 
this  cemetery.  It  cannot  be  ascertained  who  were  the  first  married  in 
the  township.  July  27,  1841,  Jane  Childers  and  Ira  Babcock  were 
married.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by  John  N.  Sansjer,  who  was 
then  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Mr.  Sanger  failed  to  have  the  certificate, 
which  is  still  in  existence,  duly  recorded.  After  many  years  of  married 
life,  Mr.  Babcock  died,  and  Mr.  Sanger,  to  make  amends  for  his  neglect 
in  not  having  the  record  completed,  proposed  to  the  widow  that  they  go 
together  to  complete  the  record.  They  have  gone  together  ever  since, 
and  the  record  is  completed  evidently  in  a  very  satisfactory  way.  In  the 
spring  of  1839,  Sibyl  Smith  and  Burnes  Peas  were  married,  as  were  also 
Anna  Lafler  and  Daniel  M.  Smith.     April  20,  1841,  a  double  wedding 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  509 

— William  Purdy  to  Elizabeth  Sanger,  and  Harvey  Sanger  to  Sarah  A. 
Bryant — took  place. 

Stores,  Industries,  etc. — The  first  store  was  opened  by  John  Dilley  in 
1837,  on  the  east  bank  of  "The  Outlet,"  two  and  a  half  miles  south  of 
Lowell,  but  did  not  run  a  year.  A  butcher  shop  was  opened  in  connec- 
tion with  the  store,  and  closed  when  the  store  closed.  The  first  mill  was 
built  on  the  same  side  of  the  same  stream,  about  the  same  year  that  the 
above-mentioned  store  was  started.  It  was  built  and  owned  by  Israel 
Taylor.  The  location  was  about  two  miles  south  of  the  site  of  Lowell- 
It  was  a  saw-mill  with  a  "run  of  corn-stones."  In  a  few  years  it  was 
washed  away.  About  1844,  it  was  re-built,  and  an  attachment  for  grind- 
ing wheat  was  added.  The  first  stones  used  in  the  first  mill  were  used 
before  in  a  hand-mill.  The  first  Independence  celebration  was  held  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1842,  at  the  place  of  John  S.  Evans,  where  Heman 
Hathaway  now  resides.  The  orator  of  the  day  was  L.  A.  Fowler,  who 
was  afterward  Sheriff  of  Lake  County.  There  were  probably  about  300 
present.  In  1854,  Mr.  Foaley  built  a  saw-mill  about  four  miles  north  of 
Lowell.  The  mill-pond  covered  about  700  acres.  At  that  time  the  peo- 
ple depended  upon  the  Kankakee  Marsh  for  timber.  Many  of  them 
were  on  the  marsh  or  on  the  road  to  or  from  it,  when  they  were  startled 
by  the  rush  and  roar  of  mighty  waters.  They  looked  to  the  north,  and 
the  whole  country  seemed  covered  with  a  flood  that  was  advancing  in 
solid  column  as  if  to  engulf  them.  The  dam  above-mentioned  had  burst, 
and  the  mill-pond  was  moving  over  the  marsh  to  the  river.  Some  of 
those  on  the  marsh  with  difficulty  saved  themselves,  and  with  still  greater 
difficulty  saved  their  teams.  The  dam  was  rebuilt,  but  after  some  litiga- 
tion was  declared  a  nuisance  and  ordered  removed.  This  mill  and  pond 
were  just  over  the  line  in  Centre  Township.  Deforest  Warner  started  a 
store  at  Orchard  Grove,  about  thirty  years  ago.  It  was  run  for  some 
years  by  himself  and  his  son,  when  Jeremiah  Kenney  bought  the 
stock,  and  has  kept  store  here  ever  since.  The  post  office  has  been 
kept  in  the  store  ever  since  it  was  established.  At  this  place  in 
1878,  was  built  by  Warren,  Carter  &  Co.,  of  Chicago,  a  cheese 
factory  with  a  capacity  of  8,000  pounds  of  milk  per  pay.  It  was  opened 
in  June  and  ran  until  October,  by  which  time  it  had  run  behind  about 
$2,000.  The  farmers  who  were  furnishing  the  milk  became  alarmed,  and 
attached  the  property  of  the  company.  It  seems  that  they  were  none  too 
hasty  in  their  action;  for  in  a  few  hours  after  the  writ  of  attachment  was 
issued,  steps  were  taken  by  the  company  to  put  the  property  out  of  their 
hands,  and  beyond  the  reach  of  their  creditors.  Soon  after  the  property 
was  attached,  the  Ames  Iron  Works,  of  New  York,  replevined  the  en- 
gine.    When  the  case  came  on  for  trial   in  the   Circuit   Court,  it  was 


510  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

decided  against  the  Ames  Iron  Works.  They  appealed  to  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  were  again  beaten.  The  creditors  of  Warren,  Carter  &  Co- 
offered  to  compromise  with  the  Ames  Iron  Works,  but  this  company  re- 
fased  all  such  offers,  and  demanded  dollar  for  dollar.  They  perhaps  got 
a  dollar  of  expense  for  every  dollar  of  their  claim.  While  this  action  was 
pending,  the  property  was  sold  under  an  order  of  the  court.  G.  W. 
Hanaley  and  J.  M.  Kenney  bought  the  factory,  and  have  run  it  since  for 
seven  or  eight  months  a  year. 

The  township  is  very  largely  agricultural,  and  there  have  been  but 
few  manufacturino;  establishments  within  its  limits.  Those  have  been 
started  in  Lowell,  and  will  be  spoken  of  farther  on  in  the  history  of  that 
place.  The  township  contains  a  large  proportion  of  excellent  farming 
and  good  grazing  land.  Much  attention  has  been  given  to  stock,  espe- 
cially to  horses,  and  there  are  few  towns  of  the  size  that  can  show  as  many 
good  horses  as  Low^ell,  when  they  are  gathered  in  on  busy  days.  Much 
pains  have  been  taken  in  breeding  the  best  strains.  One  of  the  most  en- 
terprising stock-breeders  in  this  part  of  the  State  is  C.  K.  Pratt,  who 
now  has  seven  fine  stallions,  six  of  which  are  Clydesdales,  and  the  other, 
a  Suffolk  Punch.  Many  heavy  horses  are  raised  for  the  Chicago  market, 
where  they  have  always  commanded  a  high  price. 

In  1839,  Benjamin  McCarty  built  a  saw-mill  on  Cedar  Creek,  about 
two  and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  Lowell.  This  was  first  run  by  Mr. 
Jackson.  After  a  time,  a  "run  of  corn-stones "  was  added.  About 
1860,  stones  for  grinding  wheat  were  added.  At  this  time,  the  mill  was 
a  small  one-story  structure,  with  a  large  under-shot  wheel.  On  the  4th 
of  July,  1873,  dam  and  mill  were  washed  away.  In  1874,  H.  A.  Car- 
son bought  the  site,  and  re-built  the  mill.  This  mill  is  very  similar  to 
the  one  above  described.  It  was  operated  by  Mr.  Carson  until  February, 
1882,  when  the  dam  was  torn  out  and  the  mill  abandoned. 

Schools  and  Teachers. — The  first  school  of  the  township  was  taught 
by  a  crippled  man  named  Richard  Canon,  in  a  small  hut  built  of  poles 
or  small  logs,  on  what  is  now  Thomas  Dickinson's  place,  southeast  of 
Lowell,  on  the  east  bank  of  Cedar  Creek.  The  house  was  built  for  a 
dwelling  by  Thomas  Ghilders.  But  one  term  was  taught  in  this  house. 
Among  the  patrons  of  this  school  were  Thomas  Childers,  William  Wells, 
Thomas  Wells,  and  Mr.  Cross.  Miss  P.  J.  Childers  and  Sarah  Beadle  were 
the  only  large  pupils  attending  the  school.  The  second  school  was  proba- 
bly about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  east  of  the  corporate  limits  of  Lowell  on 
what  is  now  Simeon  Sanger's  place.  It  was  held  in  a  small  log  dwell- 
ing of  Ephraim  Cleveland  in  1839.  John  Robinson  was  the  teacher. 
This  was  the  only  term  taught  in  the  building.  The  Bryants,  Sangers, 
Fullers,    Smiths   and   Laflers   and   perhaps  others  sent   to   this    school. 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  •  511 

The  First  District  School  was  kept  in  1842,  during  the  summer,  half  a 
mile  southeast  of  Lowell,  in  a  house  built  by  the  neighbors,  of  peeled 
hickory  logs.  Emily  Laflar  was  the  first  teacher  here,  Abraham  Nichols 
the  second,  Miss  Sabrina  Flint  the  third  and  Philander  Cross  was  the 
fourth  ;  then  followed  in  order  Calista  Cross,  Jabez  Clarke,  Miss  Ward 
(from  Crown  Point),  Mr.  Parsons,  Mrs.  William  Belshaw  (who  was  the 
first  lady  to  teach  a  winter  term).  Charity  Clark  (later  Mrs.  Church),  and 
John  Pashly,  who  taught  the  last  term  in  the  log  house.  Mr.  Pashly 
taught  the  next  term  during  the  winter  of  1850,  in  a  dwelling  of  Hora- 
tio Starr,  that  stood  near  where  Mr.  Halstead's  brick  house  now  stands. 
Next,  Mrs.  Anthony  Van  Slyke  taught  a  term  in  her  home.  After  this, 
Harvey  B.  Austin  taught  in  a  room  of  a  dwelling  at  the  "Corner's" 
west  of  Lowell,  in  1855.  The  building  in  this  district  was  a  brick  of  one 
room  that  stood  where  Mr.  Shure's  furniture  store  now  stands.  This 
was  first  occupied  in  the  winter  of  1855-56,  with  H.  B.  Austin  as 
teacher.  Austin  taught  for  a  year  or  two.  Hattie  Douglas  taught  here 
for  a  short  term.  William  Williams  and  his  daughter  Hattie  taught  the 
school  here  for  some  time.  During  the  winter  of  1859-60,  John  W. 
Dwyer  taught,  and  he  taught  again  in  1865  and  1866.  Mrs.  Hale  also 
taught  here.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  teachers  for  the  several  dis- 
tricts during  the  years  named,  so  far  as  shown  by  the  records  :  In  1875, 
District  No.  1,  John  Love  ;  No.  2,  George  Johnson  ;  No.  3,  Thomas  H. 
Albaugh ;  No.  4,  Robert  0.  Evans ;  No.  5,  W.  U.  Northrop ;  No.  6,. 
0.  H.  Spencer ;  No.  7,  P.  A.  Hopkins.  1876— No.  1,  John  E.  Love, 
(Mrs.  Nettie  Dickey);  No.  2,  R.  C.  Wood ;  No.  3,  Dora  DeWitt ;  No. 
4,  W.  U.  Northrop  and  E.  D.  Van  Vleck ;  No.  5,  Marilla  Allen  ;  No. 
6,  0.  H.  Spencer  and  wife,  and  Dora  DeWitt ;  No.  7,  Jennie  Hill  and 
L.  E.  Jones ;  No.  8,  H.  H.  Ragan.  1880— No.  1,  Henry  G.  Ross 
and  R.  C.  Wood  ;  No.  2,  Linda  Maxwell  and  Ellen  E.  Dunn  ;  No.  3, 
Martha  Haste;  No.  4,  R.  W.  Bacon;  No.  5,  Dora  DeWitt  and  C.  F. 
Templeton  ;  No.  6,  Ella  Ashton,  H.  H.  Ragan,  H.  C.  Gordon,  Dora 
DeWitt  and  F.  E.  Nelson ;  No.  7,  Libbie  Kenney  and  Jennie  Fuller  ; 
No.  8,  Jennie  Fuller  ;  No.  9,  Jennie  Talcott  and  Allie  DriscoU.  1881 — 
No.  1,  Bertha  Bryant  and  John  E.  Love  ;  No.  2,  Ella  Clay,  Emma  Du- 
mond  and  W.  U.  Northrop ;  No.  3,  Martha  Haste ;  No.  4,  Allie  DriscoU 
and  Jennie  Fuller ;  No.  5,  Adelia  Buckley  and  C.  F.  Templeton  ;  No. 
6,  Bertha  Bryant,  H.  C.  Gordon,  Mrs.  J.  L.  Hill,  Helen  A.  Wins- 
low,  William  C.  Belman  and  Dora  DeWitt ;  No.  7,  Ellen  E.  Daum  ;  No. 
8,  Milton  W.  Peterson;  No.  9,  Alltha  Dickinson.  1882— No.  1, 
Clara  A.  Bliss ;  No.  2,  Abbie  M.  Austin ;  No.  3,  Alltha  Dickinson ; 
No.  4,  ;  No.  5,  Lulu  Bryant ;  No.  6,  Bell  Livingstone,  Will- 
iam  C.  Belman,  Bertha  Bryant  and  Mrs.   J.   L.   Hill ;  No.   7,  Lois  H. 


512    .  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Foote  ;  No.  8,  Jennie  Dickinson.  The  old  frame  house  in  District  No. 
7  was  burned  in  February,  1881,  and  rebuilt  the  same  spring  at  a  cost 
of  $500.  The  new  building  is  a  frame.  The  house  in  District  No.  9, 
on  River  Ridge,  was  built  in  the  fall  of  1880,  at  a  cost  of  $300.  The 
house  in  District  No.  10,  at  Shelby  Station,  was  built  during  the  spring 
of  1882,  at  a  cost  of  $400.  This  is  a  new  district  and  the  last  one 
formed.  Shelby  is  a  station  on  the  Louisville  &  Albany  Railroad.  There 
are  no  brick  schoolhouses  in  the  district  except  the  one  in  the  district  of 
Lowell,  No.  6.  This  is  a  fine  two-story  building  that  was  for  years  the 
best  schoolhouse  in  the  county.  It  was  through  the  enterprise  and  pub- 
lic spirit  of  M.  A.  Halsted  that  the  town  took  the  lead  in  education 
when  it  did.  The  house  and  furniture  cost  about  $7,000.  M.  A. 
Halsted  was  Trustee  at  the  time  that  the  house  was  erected.  In  this 
building  a  large  and  excellent  graded  school  has  been  kept  up  all  of  the 
time.  A  large  amount  of  patronage  has  come  in  from  the  surrounding 
country,  so  that  it  has  been  a  great  benefit  not  only  to  the  town  but  to 
this  whole  region  of  country. 

Lowell. — The  Claim  Register  shows  that  one  John  P.  Hoff,  of  New 
York  City,  purchased  "  mill  seat  on  Cedar  Creek,"  on  Section  23, 
Range  9,  Township  33,  October  7,  1836.  This  claim  was  registered 
October  8.  On  the  same  day,  claims  for  four  other  New  York  men  were 
registered.  These  were  located  on  Sections  22,  23  and  24.  None  of 
these  parties  became  actual  settlers  here.  In  August,  1835,  a  claim  was 
made  by  Samuel  Halstead,  of  "  Timber  and  Mill-seat,"  on  Section  23, 
Township  33,  Range  9.  This  Mr.  Halstead  was  not,  so  far  as  known, 
related  to  M.  A.  Halsted,  the  founder  of  Lowell.  This  claim  was  regis- 
tered November  26,  1836.  Mr.  Halstead  cut  and  split  some  timber  for 
the  purpose  of  building  a  dam  and  mill  at  a  point  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
northeast  of  where  a  mill  was  finally  built,  and  where  the  present  large 
brick  mill  now  stands.  The  claim  above  mentioned  was  sold  to  J.  P. 
Hofi",  but  he  failed  to  comply  with  the  conditions  and  forfeited  the  claim. 
November  29,  1836,  this  claim  was  transferred  to  James  M.  Whitney  and 
Mark  Burroughs  for  $212.  The  "  mill-seat  "  remained  unimproved  until 
about  1850.  The  first  buildinoj  on  the  site  of  Lowell  was  the  cabin  of 
Samuel  Halstead,  and  the  second  was  the  dwelling  of  Jabez  Clarke.  In 
1848,  a  saw  mill  was  built  near  where  the  mill  now  stands.  This  mill 
began  running  in  January,  1849.  In  1849,  Mr.  Halstead  burned  400,- 
000  brick  and  began  building  his  dwelling,  which  was  finished  in  the 
spring  of  1850.  This  was  the  third  structure  in  Lowell  proper,  for  the 
place  where  Mr.  Clarke's  house  stood  was  not  considered  a  part  of  Lowell 
until  a  few  years  since.  M.  A.  Halsted,  in  1853,  laid  out  sixteen  lots 
and  gave  them  to  mechanics.     The  third  house  was  built  in  lot  five,  near 


.r;ir: 


"i^^^/^^ 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  515 

the  site  of  the  Baptist  Church,  by  a  young  blacksmith.  The  first  store 
in  Lowell  was  started  by  Jonah  Thorne  in  1852,  Mr.  Thorne  kept  a 
small  general  stock  for  four  years,  when  J.  W.  Viant  became  a 
partner.  They  continued  together  about  six  months,  when  Mr.  Thorne 
sold  to  Mr.  Merton.  Viant  &  Merton  owned  the  store  for  two  or 
three  years,  when  Merton  sold  his  interest  to  Viant,  who  managed  the 
business  alone  until  1881,  when  he  sold  out.  Mr.  Viant  is  now 
engaged  in  the  sale  of  wagons  and  buggies,  and  in  the  care  of  the  prop- 
erty accumulated  during  a  long  and  honorable  business  career.  The 
second  store  was  started  by  William  Sigler,  a  brother  to  E.  and  D.  T. 
Sigler,  of  Hebron,  in  1854,  at  the  Corners,  half  a  mile  east  of  Lowell, 
and  was  moved  down  to  town  the  next  year.  Mr.  Sigler  kept  here  most 
of  the  time  alone,  until  1879,  when  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  Crown 
Point,  where  he  kept  the  St.  James  Hotel  for  about  two  years.  He  is 
now  in  business  in  South  Chicago.  The  third  store  was  started  by  H. 
D.  Mudge  about  1855.  This  was  at  first  a  clothing  store,  but  was  soon 
turned  into  a  general  store.  Theodore  Burnham  was  the  first  black- 
smith ;  Mr.  Burnham  sold  to  Hugh  Gregg,  who  died  in  about  three 
years  after  starting  in  the  business.  The  first  tavern  was  kept  by  Jonah 
Thorne.  The  house  in  which  it  was  kept  stood  near  the  mill,  but  has 
since  been  moved,  and  is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Chapman,  with  a  jewelry 
and  confectionery  store.  The  first  regular  hotel  was  built  for  a  school 
house.  It  was  used  for  school  purposes  about  two  years,  since  which 
time  it  has  been  used  as  a  hotel.  In  the  spring  of  1861,  it  was  bought 
by  Jabez  Clarke  and  rented  to  David  Stringer,  who  kept  it  for  two 
years.  After  this,  it  was  rented  and  run  by  William  Nichols  for  a  time, 
and  then  by  George  Mee,  who  has  since  purchased  the  property,  and 
who  still  owns  and  keeps  the  house.  It  has  always  been  known  as  the 
"Union  House,"  which  name  it  received  when  it  started,  about  the  time 
the  civil  war  began.  The  originial  house  was  18x36  feet,  but  several 
additions  have  been  made  to  it.  The  next  hotel  was  built  about  1866, 
by  Mr.  Lloyd,  and  kept  by  him  for  a  time.  It  has  gone  by  the  name  of 
"  The  Exchange  "  and  is  now  kept  by  a  Mr.  Collins.  The  first  hardware 
store  and  tin-shop  was  kept  by  J.  W.  Viant,  in  connection  with  his 
store.  Mr.  Viant  sold  this  branch  of  the  business  to  Royal  A.  Haskins, 
who  was  the  first  to  start  a  separate  store  in  this  line.  J.  W.  Viant 
built  the  large  storeroom  that  stands  lengthwise  on  the  main  business 
street,  and  which  is  now  occupied  by  Keller,  Sherman  &  Co.,  in  1860-61. 
A  flour  mill  built  in  1853  was  moved  about  three  years  ago,  and  is  now 
used  as  a  barn.  The  machinery  that  this  old  frame  contained  was 
moved  into  the  large  brick  that  was  built  for  a  woolen  mill.  This  large 
brick  was  built   by   Halsted,  Lapin  &  Co.  in  1868.     The  intention  was 

EE 


516  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

to  make  it  one  of  the  most  extensive  woolen  mills  in  the  State,  but  vari- 
ous causes,  among  which  were  the  rise  of  wool  and  the  decline  in  woolen 
goods,  defeated  the  original  plan.  Some  machinery  for  carding  and 
working  with  wool  on  a  small  scale  was  put  into  the  building,  but  not 
much  business  was  done.  In  1873,  the  "Home  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany" took  charge  of  the  building  and  occupied  it  as  a  factory  for  farm 
implements.  This  was  a  joint-stock  company.  For  a  time  wagons, 
plows,  cultivators,  harrows,  etc.,  were  made,  but  the  business  did  not  pay 
and  the  company  became  involved,  and  the  property  was  distributed  to 
pay  debts.  During  this  time,  the  building  was  still  owned  by  the  mill 
company  ;  it  was  finally  sold  on  mortgage.  Lapin  &  Westman  became 
full  owners  in  1869,  and  lost  it  on  mortgage  in  four  or  five  years.  It 
then  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  County  Commissioners.  The  Commis- 
sioners took  it  in  1875,  and  in  a  short  time  sold  it  to  Mr.  Morgan,  who 
owned  it  about  two  years  and  sold  it  to  Mr.  Specker,  who  is  the  present 
owner.  It  has  a  sixty-horse-power  engine,  but  can  be  run  by  water- 
power  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  The  cost  of  the  building  was 
$8,000.     It  is  80x50  feet  and  three  stories  high. 

The  following  is  a  statement  concerning  the  town,  found  in  "  Ball's 
History  of  Lake  County,"  and  refers  to  the  year  1873  :  "  Number  of 
families,  106  ;  dry  goods  stores,  4  ;  drug  stores,  2  ;  hardware  stores,  2 ;  mil- 
linery establishments,  2;  dress-makers,  2;  jeweler,  1;  shoe-maker  shops, 

2  ;  barber  shops,  2 ;  harness  shop,  1 ;  blacksmith  shops,  5  ;  wagon  shops, 

3  ;  cooper  shop,  1  ;  meat  market,  1 ;  bakery,  1 ;  cabinet  shop,  1  ;  agri- 
cultural store,  1 ;  saloons,  2  ;  photograph  gallery,  1 ;  livery  stable,  1 ; 
hotels,  2  ;  Notaries  Public,  2  ;  attorney,  1  ;  physicians,  4  ;  cigar  factory, 
1 ;  churches,  3." 

The  following  is  an  enumeration  of  the  business  houses  for  1882 : 
General  stores,  John  Lynch,  who  bought  R.  W.  Price  out,  and  Keller, 
Sherman  &  Co.,  who  bought  out  J.  W.  Yiant ;  groceries,  W.  A.  Kenney 
&  Co. ;  hardware,  George  Death  and  C.  C.  Sanger,  who  were  together 
for  a  time,  and  Jonah  Thorne  ;  drugs,  G.  W.  Waters  and  C.  P.  Post, 
who  keeps  clothing  and  notions  also ;  implements,  W.  W.  Ackerman, 
John  Myers,  while  J.  A.  De  Witt  keeps  carriages,  and  J.  W.  Viant  keeps 
wagons  and  carriages ;  shoe  shops,  Allen  Gregg  and  John  Shramm ; 
blacksmith  shops,  Frank  Fields,  Kline  Bros.,  who  make  wagons  and  car- 
riages, Vincent  Hepp,  Samuel  Nichols,  Enoch  Cox,  who  makes  wagons 
and  carriages,  and  John  Harrison,  who  also  makes  wagons  and  carriages ; 
bakery,  N.  A.  Schafi'er ;  harness  shop,  J.  E.  Hale ;  millinery,  S.  A. 
Kinney,  who  keeps  ladies*  furnishing  goods  also,  Mrs.  Barbary  Craft,  Mrs. 
Josephine  King  and  Mrs.  Jennie  Cox ;  meat  market,  A.  D.  Chapman, 
and  one  is  now  being  started  by  Mr.   Skillman  ;  restaurant,  Mrs.  A.  D. 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  517 

Chapman  ;  furniture,  Morgan  Craft  and  Martin  Sher ;  saloons,  Mathew 
Borrj,  Charles  Ruge  and  Edward  Mee ;  hotel,  Union  House,  George 
Mee  ;  lumber  yards,  Du  Breuil  &  Keilman,  and  T.  M.  Smith. 

The  following  is  a  sketch  of  the  medical  profession  of  Lowell :  James 
A.  Wood  is  the  oldest  living  medical  man  of  this  region.  He  came  in 
1837,  and  located  in  the  practice  one  mile  east  of  the  site  of  Lowell. 
He  has  practiced  here  continually  up  to  the  present  time,  except  during 
the  civil  war,  when  he  was  a  surgeon  in  the  Union  army.  The  Doctor 
has  enjoyed  an  extensive  practice  and  has  ridden  and  driven  over  the 
prairies  and  through  the  swamps  and  streams  of  Northern  Indiana  for 
well-nigh  half  a  century.  For  some  years,  he  has  sought  to  retire  from 
the  practice,  but  his  many  friends  will  not  permit  him  to  do  so.  Dr. 
John  Hunt  located  at  Lowell  in  1855,  where  he  remained  three  years. 
Dr.  Crane  came  in  1858,  for  a  stay  of  less  than  a  year.  Dr.  S.  B.  Yeo- 
man came  in  1855,  became  a  partner  of  Dr.  Wood,  and  continued  to 
practice  here  until  his  death,  which  occurred  during  the  war.  About  the 
same  time.  Dr.  Sampson  located  here,  and  remained  two  years.  Dr.  A. 
A.  Gerrish  located  in  Lowell  in  1865,  and  has  since  enjoyed  a  large  and 
lucrative  practice,  and  has  gathered  around  him  a  host  of  friends.  Dr. 
E.  R.  Bacon  came  in  1867,  and  is  still  here.  Dr.  J.  E.  Davis  came  in 
1868,  and  still  continues  the  practice  here.  Dr.  Charles  King  has  been 
here  but  a  few  months. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  by  different  ones  to  become  estab- 
lished here  in  the  practice  of  the  law,  but  so  far  the  peaceful  proclivities 
of  the  people  have  rendered  such  attempts  unsuccessful. 

About  1843,  Outlet  Post  Office  was  established  and  located  at  a  point 
about  one  mile  east  of  the  site  of  Lowell,  with  James  H.  Sanger,  Sr,,  as 
Postmaster.  He  kept  it  for  some  years,  when  it  was  moved  to  a  point 
half  a  mile  west,  and  kept  by  Leonard  Stringham.  Dr.  Hunt,  H.  D. 
Mudge,  Mr.  Foote  and  G.  VV.  Lawrence  each  held  the  office  for  a  time. 
J.  W.  Viant  took  the  office  in  1858,  and  held  it  until  during  Johnson's 
administration,  when  Sanford  Barlow  was  appointed.  He  held  it  until 
1870,  when  C.  P.  Post  received  the  appointment.  Mr.  Post  has  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  the  office  with  general  satisfaction  since. 

The  following  papers  have  been  published  at  Lowell,  for  an  account  of 
which  see  journalism  in  general  county  history  :  Lowell  Star,  Lowell 
Local  Neu'S,  Lowell  Enterprise  and  The  Tocsin,  a  temperance  paper. 

A  large  elevator,  planing  mill  and  molding  factory  was  erected  here 
during  the  summer  of  1881,  by  Du  Breuil  &  Keilman,  who  have  a  simi- 
lar establishment  at  Dyer.  It  is  32x60  feet  and  seventy-five  feet  high, 
and  cost,  with  machinery  and  connected  buildings,  about  ^13,000.  Its 
capacity  is  60,000   bushels.     The   firm   bought  some  grain   before   the 


618  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

elevator  was  built,  and  loaded  it  directly  into  the  cars.  The  firm  have 
a  lumber  yard  in  which  they  carry  a  stock  of  1,500,000  feet.  John  A. 
Kimmitt  has  charge  of  the  books  of  the  company.  H.  Dickinson 
has  recently  erected  a  factory  in  the  east  part  of  town,  where,  among 
other  useful  articles,  "The  Chicago  Water  Elevator  and  Purifier"  is 
made. 

A  Railroad. — After  many  trials,  tribulations  and  much  weary  waiting, 
Lowell  rejoices  in  a  railroad.  August  15,  1874,  a  tax  was  voted  for  a 
railroad.  This  tax  was  canceled  at  a  later  date.  It  was  voted  to  the  In- 
dianapolis, Delphi  &  Chicago  Railroad.  A  second  tax  was  voted  to  the 
"Air  Line,"  but  it  failed  to  complete  the  road,  and  the  Louisville,  Nefr 
Albany  &  Chicago  Company  got  control  and  put  the  road  through  to 
Lowell  in  1880.  Most  of  the  grading  was  done  in  1874.  They  did  some 
freight  and  passenger  business  in  1880,  but  regular  trains  did  not  begin 
to  run  until  January,  1881.  About  $80,000  was  expended  in  grading, 
which  laid  unused  for  five  years.  Three  companies  failed  in  the  course 
of  its  construction,  and  it  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  fourth  company  and 
is  doing  a  good  business  for  a  new  road.  Many  of  the  enterprising  citi- 
zens sufiered  financially  from  the  failures  of  the  companies  that  under- 
took the  construction  of  the  road.  M.  A.  Halsted  alone  suffered  a  loss 
of  $20,000,  which  seemed  doubly  hard,  as  it  was  through  his  enterprise 
and  public  spirit,  to  a  great  extent,  that  a  road  was  obtained. 

Creston. — About  forty  years  ago.  Cedar  Lake  Post  Oflfice  was  estab- 
lished half  a  mile  east  of  the  site  of  Creston.  Lewis  Warriner  was  the 
first  Postmaster,  and  his  successor  was  Alfred  Edgerton,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  M.  M.  Estey,  and  he  by  Amos  Edgerton,  who  resigned  and  A. 
D.  Palmer  was  appointed  as  his  successor.  Mr.  Palmer  is  the  present 
Postmaster.  The  post  office  retained  the  name  Cedar  Lake  until  July  1, 
1882,  when  it  became  Creston.  It  was  moved  to  the  site  of  Creston  in 
September,  1875.  It  was  kept  for  a  time  half  a  mile  farther  north,  but 
has  always  been  in  Cedar  Creek  Township.  The  first  store  started  in  this 
vicinity  was  opened  in  1863,  by  Amos  Edgerton,  half  a  mile  east  of 
where  Creston  now  stands.  He  sold  goods  here  for  three  or  four  years, 
when  A.  D.  Palmer  bought  him  out.  Mr.  Palmer  was  burned  out  Janu- 
ary 25,  1875  ;  there  was  no  insurance,  and  the  whole  investment  was 
swept  away.  Mr.  Palmer  started  at  once  to  Chicago  and  had  a  new  stock 
on  hand  the  next  day.  Creston  is  situated  a  mile  and  a  quarter  south  of 
Cedar  Lake.  The  depot  here  was  built  during  the  winter  of  1871-72. 
Taylor  &  Love  started  a  store  over  the  line  in  West  Creek  Township  in 
1877.  It  has  changed  hands  several  times,  and  is  now  owned  by  Cassius 
M.  Taylor.  Samuel  Love  &  Sons  built  a  hay  barn  here  in  1881,  at  an 
expense    of  $2,000.     A    blacksmith   shop  was   started    in    1881  by  the 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  519 

Shelow  Brothers.  Taylor  &  Palmer  are  running  a  lumber  yard.  The 
railroad  company  are  having  a  great  deal  of  trouble  on  the  marsh  north 
of  Creston.  Some  of  the  piling  have  been  driven  to  the  depth  of  150 
feet  without  striking  solid  ground. 

Churches,  etc. — In  the  summer  of  1837,  the  Methodists  organized  a 
class  in  the  vicinity  where  Lowell  now  stands.  Rev.  Colclasier,  a  young 
man,  was  the  minister  who  first  preached  to  this  small  band  of  brethren. 
Rev.  Baxter  Beers  was  probably  the  next  minister,  and  he  was  followed 
by  Rev.  Young,  and  he  by  Rev.  Forbes.  During  this  time  the  services 
were  held  during  the  week  and  at  the  houses  of  the  settlers.  Wayne 
Bryant  and  wife,  Robert  Hyde  and  wife,  John  Kitchel,  B.  Jennings,  Mrs. 
Henry  Sanger  and  Mrs.  John  Sanger  were  among  the  first  members. 
The  first  meeting  was  held  at  Mr.  Bryant's.  The  Clevelands  came  into 
the  church  in  1840.  The  church  was  a  mission  until  1841,  when  it  be- 
came a  circuit.  Regular  services  have  been  kept  up  ever  since.  The  so- 
ciety met  in  private  houses  and  in  schoolhouses  until  1849,  when  they 
built  a  frame  church  a  mile  and  three-quarters  east  of  Lowell.  H.  San- 
ger gave  the  land,  and  a  good-sized  building  was  erected  which  is  still 
standing,  but  has  been  used  for  a  number  of  years  as  a  barn.  The  society 
came  next  to  Lowell,  where  they  held  services  in  the  school  house  and  in 
the  Baptist  Church.  About  1858,  some  of  the  members  drew  off  to  at- 
tend services  at  Orchard  Grove.  In  1870,  they  completed  the  present 
brick  church,  at  a  cost  of  $4,000. 

The  Christian  Church  of  Lowell  was  organized  in  1841.  J.  L.  Wor- 
ley  is  the  only  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  church  now  living. 
Simeon  Beadle  and  Sarah  Beadle,  his  wife  ;  William  Wells  and  Sarah, 
his  wife  ;  Thomas  Childers  and  Sarah,  his  wife,  and  J.  L.  Worley  were 
the  first  members.  At  first  the  society  had  no  church  building,  but  met 
in  dwellings.  The  first  raeetincr  was  held  at  the  house  of  William  Wells 
where  the  society  was  organized.  Nathan  Coffinbury  now  at  Sherburn- 
ville.  111.,  organized  the  society.  Some  of  the  early  ministers  are  Rev. 
Lewis  Comer,  Rev.  John  Sargeant,  Rev.  Lemuel  Shortridge,  who  was 
the  first  to  preach  in  the  present  brick  church.  He  had,  however, 
preached  for  the  congregation  before  this  building  was  built.  The  pres- 
ent building  was  begun  in  1869,  and  the  first  meeting  was  held  in  Febru- 
ary, 1870.  The  cost  of  the  building  was  about  $4,000.  It  stands  on 
beautiful  lots  that  were  bought  about  the  time  that  the  war  began.  To 
this  building  Henry  Dickinson  gave  $1,200  ;  J.  L.  Worley,  Ira  Babcock 
and  Orrin  Beckwith  gave  liberally,  while  the  community  in  general  lent 
a  helping  hand.  The  first  officers  of  the  church  were  Simeon  Beadle, 
Overseer ;  and  J.  L.  Worley,  Deacon.  The  present  officers  are  :  Henry 
Dickinson  and  J.  L.  Worley,  Overseers  ;  and  Cyrus  Dickinson,  Deacon. 


520  HISTORY   OF  LAKE   COUNTV. 

At  the  time  when  the  church  was  built,  there  was  a  membership  of  fifty- 
five.  The  present  membership  is  forty.  The  society  has  probably  had  as 
many  as  twenty  different  ministers  since  the  church  was  built.  The  last 
regular  minister  was  Rev.  Halloway,  who  was  here  a  part  of  the  year  1881. 
Before  him  the  Rev.  William  Albertson  served  three  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  died.  Rev.  William  Wheeler  ministered  to  this  people  for 
two  years  before  the  time  of  Rev.  Albertson.  These  three  are  about  the 
only  regular  stationed  ministers  who  have  preached  here  except  Rev. 
Shortridge,  who  was  in  charge  at  that  time.  On  January  20,  1856,  the 
Baptist  Church  of  Lowell  was  organized.  The  following  entries  are 
from  the  church  book:  '*  January  19,  1856,  a  meeting  of  the  West  Creek 
Baptist  Church  being  called  for  this  day,  having  met  at  the  Lowell 
Schoolhouse,  it  was  resolved  that  the  clerk  give  letters  to  all  the  remain- 
ing members,  and  the  church  be  hereby  disbanded."  "  At  a  meeting  held 
at  Lowell  Schoolhouse  January  19,  1856,  present,  besides  the  brethren 
designing  to  organize  a  church,  J.  M.  Whitehead,  of  Door  Village  Church, 
and  T.  H.  Ball,  of  Crown  Point  Church,  it  was  resolved  to  organize  on 
the  morrow  a  Baptist  Church  to  be  known  at  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Lowell,  met  on  the  Sabbath  according  to  arrangement.  Members  go- 
ing into  the  organization  ;  by  letter  from  West  Creek  Church,  0.  W. 
Graves,  Achsah  Graves,  James  A.  Hunt,  Fanny  C.  Hunt,  Melvin  A. 
Halsted,  Martha  C.  Halsted,  Rosana  Barber ;  by  letter  from  Cedar  Lake 
Church,  Adeline  Dumond,  Mary  Ann  Blayney  ;  by  letter  from  Rolling 
Prairie  Church,  John  Hunt,  Lucy  Hunt ;  by  letter  from  Napoleon 
Church,  Michigan,  Munson  Church  ;  by  experience,  J.  Dumond.  The 
hand  of  fellowship  was  given  by  Elder  J.  M.  Whitehead  ;  charge  by  T. 
H.  Ball ;  Munson  Church,  was  chosen  Church  Clerk.  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball, 
by  vote  of  the  church,  became  the  first  pastor.  Meetings  were  held  in 
the  schoolhouse  during  the  year  1856.  During  tha  same  year,  that  gen- 
erous, public-spirited  gentleman,  M.  A.  Halsted,  built  and  deeded  to  the 
Baptists  a  brick  church,  which  still  stands  as  a  substantial  monument  to 
his  open-handed  generosity  and  practical  Christianity.  Mr,  Halsted  in- 
closed, but  did  not  finish  the  building.  When  finished,  it  cost  about 
$2,000.  The  Catholics  held  their  first  meeting  in  Lowell  during  the 
year  1865,  at  the  house  of  John  Hack.  The  second  services  were  held 
in  Sigier's  Hall  in  1868,  when  one  of  the  bishops  preached.  At  this 
time  a  church  was  organized,  and  held  its  meetings  in  the  brick  factory 
building  for  a  year  or  more.  In  1871,  the  present  frame  church  was 
built.  This  was  not  finished  until  within  the  present  year.  It  cost 
about  $1,000.  For  two  years  after  the  church  was  built,  services  were 
held  once  a  month  ;  then  for  three  years  they  had  no  services.  After 
this  the  church  was   re-organized,  and  supported   services   once   a  month 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  521 

until  January,  1882,  when  they  arranged  to  have  preaching  once  in  two 
weeks,  which  arrangement  is  still  continued.  Rev.  Ganzer  is  the  pres- 
ent priest.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Creston  was  built  in 
1876  at  a  cost  of  $1,000.  The  first  Trustees  were  A.  H.  Carstens,  0. 
G.  Taylor,  Amos  P.  Thompson,  Samuel  Love  and  Robert  Garrison.  At 
first  there  were  about  sixty  members,  among  whom  were  0.  G.  Tay- 
lor and  wife,  L.  G.  Cutler  and  wife,  Samuel  Love  and  wife,  0.  J. 
Thompson  and  wife,  Daniel  Lawrence  and  wife,  and  E.  Scritchfield  and 
wife.  Rev.  Baker  organized  the  church,  and  Rev.  Saunders,  Rev.  Henry 
Vincel  and  others  have  preached  here.  The  present  minister  is  the  Rev. 
Straight.  Cedar  Lake  Cemetery  joins  the  church  lot  on  the  east.  The 
first  one  buried  here  was  a  German  named  Schultz,  who  lived  near  the 
head  of  Cedar  Lake.  This  was  in  1846  or  1847.  There  are  about  100 
buried  here. 

Secret  and  other  Organizations. — Colfax  Lodge,  No.  378,  of  Masons, 
located  at  Lowell,  has  a  charter  bearing  date  of  May  27,  1868.  It 
had  run  for  two  years  prior  to  that  time  under  a  dispensation.  The  first 
oflScers  were:  Joseph  A.  Clark,  W.  M.;  James  N.  Moore,  S.  W.;  C.  M. 
Blachley,  J.  W.  These  were  charter  members  with  the  exception  of 
Blachley.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  other  charter  members : 
Peter  Burhans,  K.  N.  Burnham,  C.  L.  Templeton,  Elias  Ferguson,  Sam- 
uel Ames,  T.  V.  Frank,  J.  V.  Bates  and  M.  A.  Ilalsted.  The  present 
ofiicers  are:  J.  N.  Moore,  W.  M.;  J.  B.Wilkinson,  S.W.;  James  E.  Hale, 
J.  W.;  C.  L.  Templeton,  Treasurer ;  E.  T.  Hill,  Secretary ;  Charles  Ful- 
ler, S.  D.;  Thomas  Smith,  J.  D.;  and  W.  F.  Tuttle,  Tiler.  The  present 
membership  is  fifty-nine,  and  the  value  of  property  $800. 

I.  0.  0.  F.,  Lowell  Lodge,  No.  245,  was  organized  January  11,  1866. 
The  following  are  the  ones  who  applied  for  the  charter  :  Hiram  P.  Rob- 
bins,  Henry  Sanger,  George  M.  Death,  G.  F.  Sutton,  John  M.  Scott  and, 
John  M.  Death.  The  first  and  early  members  besides  those  named  were 
James  M.  Moore,  S.  B.  Taylor,  R.  W.  Price,  C.  M.  Blachley,  Sidney 
Sanger,  W.  M.  Halsted,  J.  H.  Irish,  William  Pulver,  James  Doran,  H.  N. 
Clement,  Geo.  W.  Waters,  L.  H.  Westerman,  Charles  Gr.oman,  Simeon 
Sanger,  Sanford  Sanger,  John  Mendenhall  and  others.  The  first  officers 
were  :  John  M.  Death,  N.  G.;  G.  F.  Sutton,  V.  G.;  John  M.  Scott,  Re- 
cording Secretary ;  James  H.  Sanger,  Sr.,  Treasurer,  and  G.  M.  Death, 
Permanent  Secretary.  The  appointed  officers  were  :  H.  P.  Robbins,  R. 
S.  N.  G.;  William  Halsted,  L.  S.  N.  G.;  R.  W.  Price,  Conductor;  James 
N.  Moore,  Warden;  Sidney  Sanger,  R.  S.  S.;  C.  M.  Blachley,  L.  S.  S.; 
S.  B.  Taylor, Guardian,  and  James  H.  Sanger,  Jr.,  R.  S.V.  G.  The  present 
officers  are  :  H.  N.  Clement.  N.  G.;  E.  R.  Bacon,  V.  G.;  George  W. 
Waters,  Recording  and  Permanent  Secretary;   Jonah  Thorne,  Treasurer; 


522  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

James  Fuller,  Warden ;  F.  W.  Wood,  Conductor ;  George  Fuller,  Guard- 
ian and  Samuel  Miller,  D.  G.  M.  There  has  been  at  one  time  as  many 
as  115  members,  and  not  over  a  dozen  deaths  have  occurred  since  its 
organization.  The  present  membership  is  twenty-six.  The  property  of 
the  lodge  is  valued  at  $1,000. 

Lowell  Grange  of  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  in  1873,  had  a  member- 
ship of  eighty.  It  is  now  non  est.  Various  temperance  organizations 
have  existed  here,  among  which  was  the  Independent  Order  of  Good  Tem- 
plars. The  Woman's  Temperance  Reading  Room  Society  was  organized 
February  29,  1882,  and  on  the  1st  of  March  took  possession  of  the  room 
that  they  now  occupy,  and  in  which  they  keep  a  good  supply  of  standard 
papers  and  periodicals  for  the  use  of  the  public  free  of  charge.  The  first 
and  present  President  of  the  society  is  Mrs.  Denney.  Mrs.  Mary  Post 
is  Vice  President.  They  started  with  an  investment  of  $100,  and  a 
membership  of  thirty-two.  The  old  Township  Library  is  kept  here,  and 
some  books  and  papers  have  been  donated  by  those  who  feel  an  interest 
in  the  enterprise.  The  object  of  the  association  is  to  furnish  healthful 
reading  in  a  pleasant  place,  where  the  surroundings  are  such  as  to  coun- 
teract, to  some  extent,  the  evil  influences  that  swarm  in  every  town  and 
city. 


CHAPTER  VL 

BY    GEORGE   A.    GARARD. 

HoBATiT  Township— Name  and  Boundaries— Liverpool  and  lake- 
Village  OF  HoBART— Its  Developaient— Manufacturing  Inter- 
ests—Secret Societies— Schools  and  Churches— Baxter's  Addition 
TO  Chicago— Shaw's  Subdivision. 

THE  township  of  Hobart  took  its  name  from  the  town  of  Hobart, 
which  was  named  by  George  Earle  for  a  brother  of  his.  The  town- 
ship was  created  by  an  order  of  the  County  Commissioners,  bearing  date 
of  September  5,  1849,  which  reads  as  follows  :  "  That  the  territory 
commencing  at  the  point  where  the  Calumet  River  crosses  the  line  be- 
tween the  counties  of  Lake  and  Porter,  thence  on  the  county  line  to  the 
southeast  corner  of  Township  36,  Range  7,  thence  west  on  the  line  divid- 
ing Townships  35  and  36,  Range  7,  and  Townships  35  and  36,  Range  8, 
to  the  northwest  corner  of  Township  35,  Range  8,  thence  north  on  the 
range  line  dividing  Township  36,  Range  8,  and  Township  36,  Range  9, 
to  the  center  of  the  Calumet  River,  thence  up  the  center  of  said  stream 
to  the  place  of  beginning,  should  constitute  a  new  township,  to  be  known 
as  Hobart."  On  December  6,  1853,  Sections  4,  5  and  6,  Township  35, 
Range  7,  were  transferred  from  Ross  Township  to  Hobart  Township,  and 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  523 

Sections  31,  32  and  33,  Township  36,  Range  8,  were  transferred  from 
Hobart  to  Ross,  thus  leaving  Hobart  Township  with  the  following  boun- 
daries :  Commencing  at  the  point  where  the  Calumet  River  crosses  the 
line  between  Lake  and  Porter  Counties,  thence  down  the  river  to  the 
point  where  the  line  between  Ranges  8  and  9  crosses  said  river,  thence 
south  along  said  line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Section  31,  Township  36, 
Range  8,  thence  east  along  the  north  line  of  said  Section  33,  thence  south 
along  the  east  line  of  said  section  to  the  line  between  Townships  35  and 
36,  Range  8,  thence  east  along  said  line  to  the  east  line  of  Range  8, 
thence  south  along  the  west  line  of  Section  6,  Township  35,  Range  7,  to 
the  southwest  corner  of  said  section,  thence  east  along  the  south  line  of 
Sections  4,  5  and  6,  Township  35,  Range  7,  to  the  line  between  the  coun- 
ties of  Lake  and  Porter,  thence  north  along  said  line  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning." 

Greneral  Description. — This  region  was  originally  covered  with  a 
heavy  growth  of  timber.  This  was  long  since  cut,  and  in  its  stead  has 
come,  where  allowed  to  grow,  a  thick  growth  of  thrifty  young  trees.  All 
of  the  northern  part  of  the  township  is  very  sandy,  and  indeed  in  the 
soil  of  the  southern  part  sand  largely  predominates.  Deep  River  enters 
the  township  three  miles  west  of  the  eastern  boundary,  and  flows  north- 
east, north,  west,  southwest,  west,  and  northwest,  entering  the  Calumet 
not  far  from  the  center  of  the  north  boundary  of  the  township.  There 
are  no  lakes  here,  unless  an  enlargement  of  Deep  River  near  the  site  of 
the  defunct  city  of  Liverpool  could  be  so  called. 

Settlement — Liverpool. — This  township  was  first  settled  at  what  was 
Liverpool,  but  is  now  a  defunct  metropolis.  Here  on  Deep  River  it  was 
intended  to  make  a  "plant"  that  should  grow  into  a  great  city.  The 
Calumet  and  Deep  Rivers  were  to  be  to  this  commercial  emporium  of  the 
future  what  the  Seine  is  to  Paris  or  the  Thames  to  London.  The  plot 
was  laid ;  the  plat  was  made  ;  the  lots  were  sold ;  but  first  let  us  turn  to 
the  authentic  history  of  this  great  rival  of  England's  maritime  metro- 
polis :     From  the  county  records  we  get  the  following  : 

Survey  of  the  town  of  Liverpool  situated  on  Section  24,  Town  36  north  of  Range  8 
west.  Beginning  at  a  stake  standing  north  66  degrees  west,  45  links  from  a  black  oak 
tree  two  feet  and  ten  inches  in  diameter,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river  at  the  ferry  place 
in  1835  and  18:^6,  thence  south  24  degrees  west  79  rods  and  12  links  to  a  stake  ;  bearing 
tree  60  degrees  and  30  seconds  east  3yj  links  ;  black  oak  twenty  inches  in  diameter,  62 
degrees  and  50  seconds  west  34  links  ;  white  oak  eighteen  inches  in  diameter ;  thence 
south  66  degrees  east  164  rods  to  a  stake.  Bearing  tree  49  degrees  and  30  seconds  east 
54J  links  ;  black  oak  eighteen  inches  in  diameter  ;  thence  north  26  degrees  east  154 
rods  to  a  stake.  Bearing  trees  south  46  degrees  and  55  seconds  west  96f  links  ;  black 
oak  twelve  inches  in  diameter,  north  39  degrees  and  40  seconds  east  14^  links  ;  black  oak 
eight  inches  in  diameter  ;  thence  south  24  degrees  west  59  rods  to  place  of  beginning,  be- 
ing subdivided  agreeably  to  annexed  plat.  Newton  K.  Smith,  Surveyor. 

January  30,  1836. 


524  HISTORY   OF   LAKE  COUNTY. 

The  plat  shows  455  lots,  191  of  which  were  on  the  north  side  of 
Deep  River  and  the  others  were  on  the  south  side.  The  streets  running 
east  and  west  beginning  at  the  south  were  Third,  Broadway,  Second, 
Peoria,  Lake  and  Calumet  (two  short  streets  on  same  line).  Canal  and 
Penn,  the  last  two  named  being  in  the  central  part,  near  the  river.  The 
streets  north  of  the  river  were,  in  order.  Dock,  Indiana  and  Michigan. 
The  north  and  south  streets  beginning  at  the  east  were  Juliet,  Spruce, 
Walnut,  Chestnut,  Market,  Mulberry,  Sassafras  and  Chicago.  The  cen- 
ter block  on  the  south  tier  is  marked  "  Public  Square."  There  are  two 
groups  of  two  lots  each  marked  "Market  Square"  and  two  marked 
'*  Church  Square."  This  place  was  laid  out  by  John  C.  Davis  and  Henry 
Fredrickson,  of  Philadelphia,  and  John  B.  Chapman,  a  Western  man. 
They  bought  an  Indian  "  float  "  and  proceeded  to  plan  a  city.  At  that 
time  the  Calumet  and  Deep  Rivers  were  navigable  for  vessels  of  good 
size  up  to  this  point.  Both  have  been  obstructed  since,  especially  the 
Calumet,  by  the  draining  of  the  Cady  Marsh,  which  has  caused  much 
sand  to  be  filled  into  its  channel.  This  was  also  at  that  time  on  an  im- 
portant road,  over  which  most  of  the  emigrants  for  the  Northwest  passed. 
It  is  stated  by  those  who  were  on  the  ground  at  the  time  that  the  excite- 
ment ran  high,  and  that  in  1836,  in  three  days,  lots  amounting  to  $16,000 
were  sold.  Two  men,  one  of  whom,  J.  Wood,  lived  at  Deep  River,  in- 
vested $2,000  in  lots.  This  has  proved  a  permanent  investment,  as  it 
has  now  been  forty-six  years  and  the  money  is  not  yet  out  of  it.  A  ferry- 
boat was  placed  on  the  Calumet  at  this  point  in  1834  and  1835  and  a 
hotel  opened  in  1835.  George  Earle,  of  Philadelphia,  came  in  1836 
and  bought  the  town  and  a  large  section  of  country  round  about.  Here 
he  lived  until  1847.  In  1840,  the  Pottawatomies,  under  the  conduct  of 
Gen.  Brady,  passed  through  this  place  on  their  way  to  the  then  far  West. 
In  1837,  a  stage  line  from  Michigan  City  to  Joliet  passed  through  the 
town.  In  the  same  year,  the  stage  line  from  Detroit  to  Chicago  passed 
through  here  as  well.  In  April,  1837,  at  the  first  session  of  the  Board 
of  Commissioners  of  the  newly  organized  county,  a  license  was  granted 
by  them  to  the  proprietors  of  Liverpool  to  "  keep  a  ferry  on  and  over  Deep 
River  in  said  town."  For  this  monopoly,  they  were  charged  the  sum  of 
$10,  and  had  the  rates  fixed  for  them.  In  1838-39,  a  charter  was 
granted  by  the  Legislature  for  a  toll  bridge.  In  1840,  the  first  store 
was  opened  by  a  man  named  Philips,  who  was  succeeded  by  one  Davis, 
and  he  by  Stilson,  who  sold  to  George  Zuvers.  George  Earle  kept  the 
last  stock  of  goods.  The  first  Postmaster  was  Abner  Stilson,  who  was 
succeeded  by  George  Earle,  who  kept  the  office  until  1847,  when  he 
moved  to  Hobart,  taking  the  office  with  him  to  that  place.  The  first  hotel 
was   kept  by  William    Heverland  ;  the   second  by  Murdock   &  Bucklin, 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  525 

who  rented  from  Davis,  the  builder.  Chapman  built  a  log  hotel,  which 
was  the  third.  He  rented  it  to  Stilson.  It  was  run  a  short  time  and 
sold  at  Sheriff's  sale.  George  Zuvers  bought  it  and  kept  it  as  a  hotel 
until  the  town  went  down.  In  1837,  the  lots  in  Liverpool  were  assessed 
at  $26,440,  upon  which  the  total  tax  was  $304.06.  Solon  Robinson  after- 
ward said  that  the  iiss333m3at  w;n  too  large  by  three  of  the  left-hand 
figures,  while  others  insisted  it  was  too  large  by  four.  The  county  seat 
of  Lake  County  was  located  at  Liverpool  in  1839,  Crown  Point,  of 
which  Solon  Robinson  was  the  chief  proprietor,  was  the  competitor  of 
Liverpool.  A  court  house  was  built,  but  as  it  was  not  located  on  the 
public  square  but  on  land  that  was  the  property  of  George  Earle,  the 
county  refused  to  pay  anything  ;  so  the  house  was  never  completed,  but 
was  taken  down,  floated  on  the  Calumet  to  Blue  Island  and  converted 
into  a  hotel.  Thus  departed  the  last  chance  for  the  growth  of  the  era- 
bryotic  city.  Much  difference  of  opinion  exists  as  to  the  number  of 
houses  and  people  that  were  in  this  place  during  its  greatest  boom.  One 
says  ten  houses  and  fifty  inhabitants ;  another  100  houses  and  500  in- 
habitants. It  is  probable  that  this  difference  of  opinion  arises  from  the 
fact  that  many  houses  were  commenced  and  never  completed,  as  was  the 
court  house,  and  many  people  were  on  the  ground  who  lived  in  tents, 
and  who,  when  the  bubble  burst,  moved  away,  feeling  as  poor  in  spirit 
as  they  were  in  purse.  Two  families  now  watch  over  the  remains  of  the 
dead  city  of  Liverpool. 

Hohart. — From  this  dead  town  we  turn  to  a  live  one.  Liverpool 
made  a  great  flourish  and  died.  Hobart  began  in  a  small  way  and  has 
gradually  grown  to  be  an  enterprising  and  thrifty  place.  George  Earle 
was  the  founder  of  this  town  and  built  the  first  house,  a  log  cabin  ;  his 
son,  John  G.  Earle,  has  been  its  fosterer.  Its  official  history,  with  all 
the  recorded  additions,  is  here  given :  On  the  plat  book  bearing  date 
of  May  8,  1849,  is  the  following  survey  of  the  town  of  Hobart,  situ- 
ate in  the  county  of  Lake,  State  of  Indiana,  on  Section  32,  Township 
36  north,  of  Range  7  west,  of  the  Second  Principal  Meridian : 

Begin    at    a    stake   at   the  comer    of  Lewis   Hammond's   tavern  house,  and  thence 

through   Main  street  south  :U   degrees  east  to   the  end  of  said  street,  and  from   thence 

on  the  line  of  lots  east  31  degrees  north  to  the  east  side  of  East  street,  and  from  thence 

north  31  degrees  west  to  the  end  of  said  street;  from  thence  west  31    degrees   south   to 

Center  street ;  from  theuce  north  31  degrees   west  to   the   end  of  said  Center  street — 

being  laid  out  in  town  lots  and  fractional  town  lots  and  numbered   with  their  respective 

dimensions  as  per  plat  hereunto  annexed.     In   witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my 

hand  and  seal  this  May  3,  1849. 

George  Earle.  [seal.] 

Acknowledged  before  Ebenezer    Dustin,  a  Justice  of   the  Peace,  the  7th  day  of  May 

1849. 

The  streets  shown  on  the  annexed   plat,  beginning  at   the  mill  yard 


526  HISTORY  OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

on  the  northwest,  are  :  Front,  Second  and  Third  ;  beginning  at  the  mill 
pond  on  the  southwest  the  streets  in  order  are  :  Main,  Center,  East  and 
New.  This  mill  pond,  on  a  map  bearing  date  of  1859,  is  marked  "  Lake 
George  "  and  as  containing  1,000  acres.  The  plat  shows  ninety-three 
lots.  The  following  additions  have  been  made  to  the  town  :  Earle  & 
Davis  Addition,  recorded  June  13,  1859,  which  shows  the  following 
streets:  Jane,  Franklin,  Union,  Georgiana,  Lillian,  Ella,  Devonshire, 
North,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Linda.  It  shows  also  the  Hobart 
Cemetery.  The  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railroad  Com- 
pany's Addition  bears  date  of  record  April  24,  1868.  It  shows  two 
streets  running  southeast  and  northwest,  one  on  the  south  side  of  the 
railroad  and  the  other  on  the  north ;  also  two  streets  opening  into  each 
of  these.  John  G.  Earle's  Addition  to  Hobart  was  entered  of  record 
September  3,  1873.  It  shows  ten  lots.  Rifenburg's  Addition,  recorded 
February  8,  1875,  shows  eleven  lots  on  Lake  avenue.  Wood's  Addition 
of  January  25,  1851,  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  29,  Town- 
ship 36,  Range  7  west,  shows  thirty  lots.  January  26,  1878,  by  George 
L.  Nichols — being  a  subdivision  of  the  east  half  of  the  northeast 
quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  1,  Township  35,  north, 
Range  8  west,  of  the  Second  Principal  Meridian.  Robert  Lymsbonroy 
was  the  Civil  Engineer. 

Although  it  is  stated  that  deer  were  killed  on  the  site  of  the  present 
town  in  the  winter  of  1843-44,  in  1845  it  was  quite  a  thriving  village. 

At  present  there  are  two  railroads,  the  Fort  Wayne  &  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  New  York,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis,  with  a  prospect  of  more.  This 
was  once  the  head  of  the  lumber  trade  to  Chicago  from  this  region ;  it 
was  floated  down  Deep  River  and  the  Calumet.  There  are  now  three 
drug  stores  kept  by  Vincent  Bros.,  P.  P.  Gordon  &  Bro.  and  Bassett. 
Of  saloons  there  are  seven.  Of  churches  there  are  seven.  Of  resident 
ministers  there  is  but  one,  a  German  Methodist.  The  churches  are 
German  Methodist,  German  Lutheran,  Swedish  Methodist,  Catholic, 
"  Tabernacle  "  or  Free  Methodists  and  Unitarian.  There  are  thirteen 
stores  kept  by  the  following  persons  or  firms :  J.  H.  Ostrander,  grocery 
and  bakery ;  J.  N.  Hall,  dry  goods  and  groceries ;  P.  P.  Gordon  & 
Bro.,  drugs  and  groceries  ;  John  Mander,  dry  goods,  hardware  and  gro- 
ceries ;  George  Stoker,  boots,  shoes,  dry  goods  and  groceries  ;  E.  Pas- 
saw,  general  store ;  Joseph  Black,  groceries  ;  A.  Wood  &  Son,  dry 
goods  and  groceries ;  A.  Arboe,  hardware ;  F.  Koch,  dry  goods,  gro- 
ceries and  clothing ;  William  Butler,  general  store.  Besides  these,  A.  D. 
Hunter  and  George  Gadsby  &  Son  have  furniture  stores  ;  A.  Ammerman 
and  Mr.  Croxford,  harness  shops.  There  are  two  millinery  establishments, 
two  shoe  shops,  two  butcher  shops — one  kept  by  James  Roper  &  Bro. 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  527 

and  the  other  by  William  D.  Elting.  There  is  a  good  mill  that  was 
built  by  George  Earle,  and  has  passed  through  a  great  many  hands,  now 
owned  and  run  by  Ballantyne,  previously  run  by  Smith  &  Henderson.  L. 
Wetengale  practices  law  here;  A.  K.  Garhart  runs  a  tailor  shop;  H. 
C.  Hanson  and  C.  J.  Wdliams  are  the  jewelers.  Mr.  Williams  has 
been  in  the  business  five  years,  and  Mr.  Hanson  started  about  three 
years  ago,  having  worked  for  Mr.  Williams  prior  to  that  time.  Before 
these,  Edward  Shaffer  kept  the  only  store  of  the  kind.  There  is  a  wagon 
and  carriage  factory,  owned  and  run  by  M.  W.  Jory,  that  is  doing  a  fine 
business  and  turning  out  excellent  work.  Mr.  Corvlin  and  Mr.  Wall 
run  carpenter  shops.  The  physicians  are  Dr.  Vincent,  who  moved  in  in 
1882  from  Deep  River,  where  he  had  lived  for  thirty-seven  years ;  Dr. 
Miller,  who  has  been  in  town  about  three  years  ;  Dr.  George  R.  Bas- 
sett,  who  has  been  here  for  some  four  years,  and  Dr.  P.  P.  Gordon, 
who  has  long  practiced  in  the  place.  The  post  office  is  now  in  the  hands 
of  C.  J.  Williams,  who  has  had  it  almost  a  year  and  a  half;  for  two 
years  before  the  present  administration,  A.  D.  Ray  kept  it ;  before  him, 
John  E.  Mander  had  it  for  about  seven  years  ;  William  H.  Rifenburg 
had  it  for  three  or  four  years  before  Ray,  and  Joseph  Black  for  a  long 
time,  perhaps  ten  years,  before  that.  George  Earle  was  the  first  Post- 
master. At  first  it  was  not  thought  that  the  town  would  attain  to  any 
great  importance.  John  G.  Earle  built  a  fine  residence  here  and  made 
it  his  home  for  years.  In  this  home  he  kept  a  large  collection  of  fine 
paintings  that  attracted  much  attention  and  many  visitors.  He  now 
resides  in  Chicago  and  comes  out  once  a  week  to  attend  to  his  large  real 
estate  interests  which  are  centered  here.  While  the  growth  of  the  town 
has  been  gradual,  at  the  same  time  it  has  been  substantial,  until  at  pres- 
ent, with  a  population  of  1.500,  it  has  the  air  of  a  city,  and  is  certainly 
one  of  the  most  promising  of  the  many  suburban  places  of  the  Metrop- 
olis of  the  Northwest. 

Inditstries  and  Manufactures. — The  chief  industries  of  the  town- 
ship are  stock-raising  and  dairying  in  the  north,  while  in  the  south  fine 
crops  are  raised.  About  two  miles  southwest  of  Hobart  is  a  cheese 
factory,  owned  by  Mr.  Clinton,  which  has  been  running  as  long  as  four 
years.  Excellent  cheese  is  made  here.  A  creamery  has  just  been  started 
about  half  a  mile  east  of  Lake  Station,  by  Mr.  Banky.  There  is  a  vine- 
yard near  Hobart  that  has  been  run  by  D.  B.  Lightner  for  several  years. 
He  has  been  selling  grapes  and  making  but  little  wine.  A  saw  mill  was 
established  at  Hobart  in  1845.  Hobart  owes  its  prosperity  more  to  its 
brick  yards  than  to  anything  else.  F.  A.  Smith  now  runs  one  yard, 
and  expects  to  make  in  a  year  about  800,000  brick,  besides  drain  tile. 
The  yard  belonged   to   ShoU,   who  got   it  from  Nash.     George  Stalker 


528  HISTORY    OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

began  operations  in  1879,  and  can  make  about  one  and  a  half  millions  a 
year.  He  makes  both  common  and  pressed  brick.  Waterbury  &  Mills 
owned  the  works  before  Stocker,  and  they  bought  of  Harland  &  Mould- 
ing, who  opened  up  in  1867.  By  far  the  largest  yard  is  owned  and 
operated  by  Hinchliff  &  Owens.  They  have  two  yards  at  Porter.  This 
yard  has  been  established  this  year,  1882,  and  has  a  capacity  of  40,000 
a  day.  They  employ  fifty  hands,  and  the  pay  roll  foots  up  over  $2,000 
a  month.  The  brick  are  made  with  a  Penfield  machine,  run  by  a  sixty- 
horse-power  engine.  By  digging  a  well  they  found  that  there  is  a 
thickness  of  eighty  feet  of  fine  blue  clay,  which  is  a  practically  inex- 
haustible supply.  There  are  now  on  the  yards  of  this  company  about 
three-fourths  of  a  million  brick,  burnt  and  unburnt.  There  is  near 
these  brick-yards  a  large  ice  house,  owned  by  the  Smith  Bros.,  the 
capacity  of  which  is  4,000  tons. 

Lake  Station  is  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  township,  near  the 
the  Calumet,  at  a  distance  of  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  county  seat. 
It  takes  its  date  from  the  building  of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  in 
1852,  and  its  name  from  the  county.  At  this  point  originates  the  Joliet 
Cut-Oflf.  The  railroad  company  has  here  preserved  two  fine  parks,  one 
on  each  side  of  the  road,  in  which  stand  many  fine,  large  trees  saved  from 
the  timber  vandals.  These  are  by  far  the  finest  depot  grounds  in  the 
county.  Here  the  railroad  has  a  small  engine  house  in  which  some  light 
repairs  are  made.  Most  of  the  people  are  connected  with  the  railroad. 
It  is  very  sandy  in  and  around  the  town,  but  the  location  is  fine  and  the 
scenery  quite  pretty.  There  are  two  churches,  a  Catholic  and  a  Meth- 
odist. The  Catholic  is  reputed  to  be  the  oldest  church  in  the  township. 
It  is  a  frame,  and  stands  on  a  sand-hill  and  has  a  small  burying  ground 
attached.  Just  across  the  way  stands  the  Methodist  Church,  which  is  the 
old  schoolhouse.  When  used  for  school  purposes,  it  was  also  used  by  the 
Methodists  and  Lutherans  for  divine  services.  Just  south  of  this  stands 
the  new  schoolhouse,  a  neat  brick,  with  a  belfry  and  a  bell.  Surrounded 
by  a  natural  grove  and  standing  upon  a  little  hill  above  the  town,  it  pre- 
sents a  fine  appearance.  All  three  of  these  houses  are  founded  upon  the 
sands.  The  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1878.  The  town  has  two  saloons, 
four  stores,  and  the  usual  number  of  ordinary  artisans  for  a  town  of  the 
size.  It  has  one  rather  fine-looking  hotel.  On  the  whole,  the  town  has 
not  improved  much  for  several  years. 

Churches^  etc. — Besides  the  churches  above-named,  there  is  one  about 
one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Lake  Station,  a  Swedish  Lutheran;  and  an- 
other northeast  of  Hobart,  with  a  graveyard  by  it.  This  was  built  about 
six  years  ago.  The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  Hobart,  built  in  1869, 
was  the  first  church  edifice  erected  in    town.     The  following  are  the 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  629 

names  of  those  who  gave  most  toward  its  erection  :  John  E.  Mander, 
A.  E.  Wall,  Andrew  Peterson,  Gustave  Johnson,  Andrew  Johnson, 
Charles  Neilson  and  Gustave  Isaacson,  who  each  gave  ^50.  Many  others 
gave  according  to  their  means,  $25,  $15  or  $10.  About  $800  was  raised; 
$150  was  obtained  from  the  Conference  and  a  debt  of  $300  was  assumed, 
which  has  since  been  paid.  They  now  have  the  finest  bell  in  the  town, 
put  up  in  1874,  at  a  cost  of  $475.  The  original  membership  was  about 
seventy ;  it  is  now  about  250.  The  present  minister  is  the  Rev.  Chall- 
man,  who  has  a  charge  at  Chesterton  and  another  at  Porter  Station. 

What  is  now  the  Catholic  Church  was  formerly  used  as  a  picture  gal- 
lery. It  was  bought  from  John  Earle  in  1874,  for  $1,200.  Humphrey 
Torphy  gave  $100,  a  number  gave  $50,  and  others  $25,  while  others 
gave  smaller  sums.  The  first  priest  was  Father  O'Reilly,  the  second, 
Father  Bomgardner,  the  third,  Father  Roth,  who  is  the  present  priest. 
At  first  there  were  but  sixteen  families ;  now  there  are  about  thirty  belong- 
ing to  the  congregation.  The  Unitarian  society  has  a  church  worth  $2,500, 
is  out  of  debt,  and  has  a  present  membership  of  about  seventy-five.  They 
have  no  regular  minister  at  present.  Mr.  Jennings,  of  Chicago,  who 
came  out  for  some  time  every  two  weeks,  was  the  last  regular  minister. 
Their  first  minister  was  Carson  Parker,  in  1876-77.  The  "  Christian 
Union  Church  "  or  "  Tabernacle  Society,"  at  Hobart,  was  organized  and 
a  church  built  in  1877.  There  were  about  100  members  at  first.  There 
is  now  no  church  organization,  but  the  Free  Methodists  hold  meet- 
ings in  the  church ;  twenty  or  thirty  support  the  services.  The  first 
minister  was  Thomas  Fluck;  the  second,  David  Andrews;  the  third, 
John  Kelsey,  and  the  fourth  and  present  minister,  H.  H.  Cannon.  The 
church  cost  about  $500.  The  German  Methodist  Church  at  Hobart  was 
organized  in  1875.  It  was  built  the  same  year  as  the  Unitarian,  at  an 
expense  of  $1,200.  The  German  Lutheran  was  built  some  six  or  seven 
years  ago.  It  is  a  neat  brick,  and  has  a  good  frame  parsonage  in  the 
same  inclosure  on  the  south  side  of  it.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the 
inscription  upon  the  plate  in  front  of  the  American  Methodist  Church  : 
"First  M.  E.  Church,  1871.  Trustees— J.  T.  Staff'ord,  William  Lyne, 
William  G.  Frank,  P.  P.  Gordon,  0.  H.  Spencer.  Building  Committee 
— W.  H.  Rifenburg,  M.  Cowlen.     Builder — John  Warner." 

Secret  Orders. — The  McLelland  Lodge,  857,  was  instituted  at 
Wheeler,  in  Porter  County,  some  time  prior  to  1866,  and  moved  to  and 
established  in  Hobart  in  the  year  1866.  The  charter  members  were  :  Will- 
iam Decoursey,  W.  M.  ;  Daniel  S.  Curtis,  S.  W. ;  P.  P.  Gordon,  J.  W. 
The  first  members  other  than  these  were  William  Cogswell,  George  W. 
Bond,  Sidney  S.  Reed,  Charles  DeFrance,  Jamoi  McAfFee,  Jr.,  John 
Mathews,    F.  Rentz,  Harley  H.  Curtis,   James  Adams,  James   Halsted, 


530  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Andrew  Walton,  J.  Black,  H.  J.  Ellis,  Andrew  Harrison,  D.  Sanders, 
I.  C.  Pinney,  W.  H.  Rifenburg,  N.  Wright,  S.  Cantwell,  D.  B.  CoUinga, 
J.  G.  Earle,  W.  W.  Pierce,  G.  W.  Arnold,  F.  D.  Bowen,  William  Devon- 
shire, Thomas  Harrison,  C.  H.  DeFrance,  N.  H.  Ferrin,  L.  Ames,  M. 
Bullock,  M.  Shinnebarger,  J.  E.  Bowers.  The  present  officers  are  :  P.  P. 
Gordon,  W.  M.  ;  J.  H.  Ostrander,  S.  W. ;  J.  Mathews,  J.  W. ;  G. 
Stocker,  Treasurer;  M.  W.  Jorj,  Secretary;  J.  E.  Mander,  S.  D.  ; 
William  Ensign,  J.  D.  ;  J.  Richardson,  Tiler.  The  present  membership 
is  sixty-five. 

Earle  Lodge,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  was  organized  July  29,  1869.  Its  lodge 
number  is  333.  The  charter  members  were  J.  S.  Meister,  P.  P.  Gordon, 
M.  M.  Robinson,  W.  Lyne,  John  G.  Earle,  N.  Hull,  T.  J.  Strong  and 
William  Devonshire.  The  present  officers  are:  William  H.  Rifenburg,  N. 
G. ;  J.  M.  Whitmore,  V.  G.  ;  M.  W.  Jory,  R.  and  P.  Secretary  ;  Will- 
iam Scholler,  Treasurer;  Z.  CoUman,  Ward.  ;  R.  Randham,  Conductor; 
F.  Kleeson,  I.  G. ;  J.  A.  Brown,  R.  S.  N.  G.  ;  E.  B.  Roper,  L.  S.  N. 
G. ;  A.  Ammerman,  R.  S.  V.  G. ;  S.  S.  Foster,  L.  S.  V.  G.  ;  H.  Ches- 
ter, L.  S.  S. ;  F.  Selfton,  R.  S.  S.  The  membership  at  present  is  forty- 
six. 

Schools  and  Teachers. — The  first  school  in  Hobart  Township  was  not 
taught  until  after  1845.  This  was  taught  at  Hobart  in  a  small  frame 
house  built  of  oak,  sawed  at  the  Hobart  Mill.  This  schoolhouse  is  still 
standing,  being  now  occupied  as  a  dwelling  by  the  Widow  Ramsey.  In 
1858,  there  were  only  four  schoolhouses  in  the  township — one  at  Lake 
Station  ;  one  at  Hobart,  one  two  and  one-half  miles  west  of  Hobart,  and  one 
two  miles  east  of  Hobart.  All  of  these  were  frame,  and  the  one  in  Ho- 
bart was  very  small  and  built  by  voluntary  labor.  Wages  at  that  time 
were  about  ^1  a  day,  and  the  teacher  was  expected  to  board  around  or 
else  pay  board  from  that  sum.  There  are  at  present  seven  buildings  in 
the  township,  three  of  which  are  brick.  The  new  brick  in  Hobart  was 
built  in  1877,  and  cost  about  ^10,000.  It  is  a  neat  square  structure  with 
stone  trimmings,  two  stories  high  with  a  basement.  There  is  a  good  grove 
on  the  east,  south  and  west,  and  a  neat  white  fence  in  front.  The  last 
Principal  in  District  No.  1  was  Henry  E.  Kern ;  Mattie  Gatsby  was 
his  Assistant.  In  District  No.  2,  C.  Whitfield  was  Principal  ;  W.  W. 
Truesdell  taught  the  intermediate  department,  and  Myrtie  Briggs  (now 
Mrs.  Spencer),  taught  the  primary  room.  In  District  No.  3,  Mary  Sul- 
livan taught  the  last  school  ;  in  No.  4,  Mary  A.  Wort ;  in  No.  5,  Charles 
Gadsby  ;  in  No.  6,  Mary  E.  Edwards,  and   in  No.  7,  Mary  Rifenburg. 

Growth. — From  1836  to  1840,  the  settlement  was  slow,  and  those 
who  came  found  great  difficulty  in  getting  along.  The  panic  of  1837, 
and  the   fever  and  ague,  united   with  many  other  things  to  obstruct  im- 


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HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  531 

provement.     In  1850,  a  large  number  of  settlers  came  in,  and   in  1852 
the  swamp  lands   were   sold,   and   they  were  taken  rapidly.     From  that 
time  on  the  settlement  has  been  quite  steady  and  rapid.     The  wonderful 
growth  and  extension  of  Chicago  has  enhanced  the  value  of  the  land  in 
the  northern  part,  until  the  poorest  land  in  the  township  is  the  highest  in 
price.     In  this  connection,  it  may  be  well  to  speak  of  a  swindling  scheme 
that  was  practiced  upon  the  unsophisticated.     It  is  or  was  known  as  Bax- 
ter's Addition   to  Chicago,  and   wouM,  if  it  had  worked,  have  extended 
the   radius  of  Chicago  some  thirty  miles.     This  "  addition,"  of  nothing 
to  nothing,  is  put  down  in  the  plat  book  as    "  Being  a  subdivision  of  the 
west  half  of  the   southeast  quarter   of  Section   14,  Township  3^3,   Range 
8  west,"   and  was  recorded  by   James   Baxter   June   25,    1873.       The 
land,  or  rather  the  mud  and  water,  was  subdivided    into  about  eight  hun- 
dred lots,  and  the  streets   (or  canals)  are   marked  Center,  Park,  Prairie 
and  Wabash    avenues,   and  Adams,  Washington,  Division   and   Monroe 
streets.     About  four  hundred  and  eighty-eight  lots  were  sold,  or  repre- 
sented as  being  sold ;  some  of  them  bringing,  or  represented  as  bringing, 
large   sums   of  money.     One  bona  fide  purchaser  came   out   to  see   his 
newly -acquired  city  property  ;  he  landed    at  Liverpool.      The    addition 
was  about  half  a  mile  west  of  the  mouth  of  Deep  River,  on  the  Calumet. 
He  was  asked    if   he  could  swim.     "No."     "Have  you   got   a  boat?" 
"  No."     "'  Then  you  had  best  not  venture  to  seek  your  land,  for  it   is 
mostly  under  water,  and   what  is  not  was   pre-empted   by  muskrats  and 
bullfrogs  long  years  before  the  enterprising  Baxter  thought  of  attaching 
it  to  Chicago."     But  the  man  was  bound  to  see  it;  so  he  boldly  waded  in 
and  found,  as   he  expressed  it,   "  That    he  had  one  of  the  softest  things 
that  a  man  ever  got  into."     He  returned  to  the  city  a  sadder,  wetter  and 
■wiser,  if  not  a  richer,  man.     It  is  said  that   he  found  many  houses   upon 
his  lots,  but  they  were  muskrat  houses. 

Of  a  like  nature  was  what  was  known  as  Shaw's  Subdivision.  Per- 
haps it  never  attracted  much  attention,  except  of  those  who  were 
swindled  by  the  land  sharks  who  concocted  the  scheme.  It  appears  of 
record  as  follows :  Shaw's  Subdivision  of  the  east  half  of  the  north 
quarter  of  the  west  half  of  the  west  half  of  the  southwest  of  Section 
16,  Township  36,  Range  7  west  of  Second  Principal  Meridian,  by  Charles 
A.  Shaw.  The  plat  shows  Deep  River  sweeping  in  majestic  curve  through 
a  city  of  metropolitan  appearance,  which  was  located  just  east  or  south- 
east of  Lake  Station,  or  in  the  air  around  there  somewhere,  or  perhaps 
just  on  paper.  The  plat  shows  River,  Shaw,  Center,  Grove,  Nichols  and 
Lake  streets,  with  Broadway  and  Earle  avenues.  Many  of  these  swin- 
dling schemes  have  been  planned  and  executed  by  Chicago  parties.  As  a 
rule  it  is  not  the  people  who  live  in  the  vicinity  where   the   plat   is  laid 

FF 


C 


• 


532  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

that  get  taken  in,  but  the  uninitiated  man  of  means  who  starts  out  to  get 
rich  by  speculating  in  town  or  city  lots. 

Dr.  Davis,  who  came  in  1835 ;  George  Earle  and  family,  in  1836 ; 
Mr.  Edwards,  in  1835 ;  William  Heverland,  in  1836  ;  Fredrickson, 
Davis  and  Chatman,  proprietors  of  Liverpool,  in  1835  ;  J.  V.  Johns, 
in  1836,  and  Samuel  Sigler  and  family,  are  among  the  first  settlers  of 
what  is  now  Hobart  Township. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

BY    O.    A     GARARD. 


North  Township— Its  Natural  Wealth— The  Crooked  Calumet- 
Lakes  OF  the  Township— An  Important  Future  Harbor— Rise  and 
Progress  of  Education  and  Religion— Toavns,  Alive  and  Dead- 
Extent  OF  Industries  —  Village  of  Hammond  —  The  Tolleston 
Club. 

THE  Township  of  North  is  peculiar  in  many  respects.  Lying  as  it  does 
at  the  south  end  of  Lake  Michigan  and  indented  as  it  is  by  this 
great  saltless  sea,  one  would  naturally  suppose  that  it  would  have  been 
thickly  settled  before  the  central  and  southern  parts  of  the  county  were 
settled  at  all.  In  ancient  times  civilization  sought  the  sea.  Settle- 
ments were  always  made  on  the  coast  before  people  thought  of  moving 
inland  ;  but,  since  the  iron  horse  began  to  speed  his  chariot  over  the  land, 
man's  dominion  has  not  stopped  at  the  shore  but  has  stretched  inland  to 
the  heart  of  the  continent.  With  about  twenty-five  miles  of  a  coast  line 
and  almost  fifty  miles  of  a  navigable  stream  ;  with  nine  railroads  and 
three  navigable  lakes,  why  should  North  Township  be  to-day,  to  a  great 
extent,  an  unimproved  and  sparsely  populated  region?  The  answer  comes 
from  its  numerous  marshes,  sand  hills  and  sterile  soil. 

Boundaries^  etc. — On  September  5,  1849,  the  boundaries  of  North 
Township  were  fixed  as  follows  :  Commencing  at  the  point  where  the 
Calumet  River  crosses  the  line  dividing  the  counties  of  Lake  and 
Porter ;  thence  down  the  center  of  said  river  to  the  point  where  it  crosses 
the  line  dividing  Ranges  8  and  9  west ;  thence  south  on  the  said  range 
line  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Section  36,  Township  36,  Range  9  west ; 
thence  west  on  the  north  line  of  the  township  of  St.  Johns  to  the  Illi- 
nois State  line;  thence  north  along  said  line  to  Lake  Michigan  ;  thence 
eastwardly  along  said  lake  shore  to  the  line  dividing  the  counties  of  Lake 
and  Porter ;  thence  south  on  said  line  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The 
elections  were  ordered  held  at  the  house  of  Albert  Spear,  he  being 
appointed  Inspector.  On  September  7,  1860,  George  Earle  presented  a 
petition  signed  by  himself  and  others  to  have  the  following   territory  set 


•  ^ 


NORTH  TOWNSHIP.  538 

off  to  Porter  County :  Commencing  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Section  4, 
Township  35,  Range  7  ;  thence  running  west  to  the  southeast  corner  of 
Section  3,  Township  36,  Range  8 ;  thence  west  to  the  line  between 
ranges  8  and  9  ;  thence  north  on  said  line  to  Lake  Michigan  ;  thence  east 
along  said  lake  to  the  line  dividing  Lake  and  Porter  Counties;  thence 
south  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  consideration  of  the  petition  was 
postponed  to  a  future  meeting  The  question  came  up  in  December,  but 
was  again  postponed.  After  due  consideration  in  March,  1861,  the 
petition  was  denied  and  dismissed. 

Tavern  and  Other  Licenses — In  1833,  a  family  named  Bennett  kept 
tavern  at  the  mouth  of  the  Calumet.  In  1834,  a  family  named  Berry 
kept  tavern  on  the  lake  beach,  and  the  widow,  Hannah  Berry,  kept  tav- 
ern there  for  a  year  or  two  after  the  county  was  organized.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1837,  an  election  of  North  Township  was  ordered  to  be  held  at  the 
house  of  Bucklin  and  Murdock,  and  in  January,  1838,  the  place  Avas 
changed  'to  Abner  Stilson's.  About  this  time  Vincent  Mathews  was 
granted  a  license  to  run  a  ferry  across  Deep  River.  In  1838,  Oscar  L. 
Robinson  was  granted  a  license  to  keep  a  tavern  on  Sand  Ridge  at  $15  a  year. 
In  May,  1838,  it  was  ordered  by  the  County  Commissions,  *'  That  the  ac- 
count and  report  of  Francis  Barney,  Supervisor  of  Road  District  No.  1 
of  North  Township,  by  which  it  appears  that  of  100  days'  work  due  in 
the  district  he  has  caused  sixty-eight  days  to  be  worked,  and  for  which  he 
charges  twenty-six  days'  extra  service,  be  not  allowed."  In  November, 
1838,  George  Earle  was  licensed  to  keep  tavern  ;  $15  a  year  was  the 
price  paid  for  the  privilege. 

Owing  to  the  facts  that  a  number  of  changes  were  early  made  in  the 
boundaries  of  the  township,  that  it  was  originally  very  much  larger  than 
at  present,  and  that  most  of  the  few  who  settled  first  in  what  in  now 
North,  have  died  or  moved  away,  no  satisfactory  list  of  old  settlers  can  be 
given.  The  settlers  in  this  region  have  been  largely  transients ; 
at  least,  to  a  much  greater  extent  than  in  the  other  townships  of  the 
county.  Instead  of  a  list  of  early  settlers,  we  append  a  list  of  the  tax- 
payers of  North,  as  shown  on  the  Lake  County  Tax  Roll  of  1839 — a 
book  that  is  now  crumbling  to  dust. 

The  non  residents  are  marked  N.  R.  as  on  the  book  :  Amzi  Ains- 
worth,  A.  P.  Andrews,  N.  R.;  Ay-be-naub-be,  Ash-kund,  James  Burnes, 
Don  C.  Berry,  Epaphrous  P.  Butler,  John  Ball,  Russel  Butler,  Beniah 
Barney,  Francis  Barney,  Blake  and  Turner,  N.  R.;  Preston  Blake, 
John  Benson,  Be-si-ah,  Ben-ack,  Ebenezer  Dustin,  Ebenezer  Dustin,  Jr., 
John  C.  Davis,  N.  R.;  Richard  Earle,  N.  R.;  George  Earle,  David 
Fowler,  John  Foster,  Henry  Frederickson,  David  Gibson,  E.  Haskins, 
Charles  Haywood,   Nathan   P.   Hopkins,   Hurst,   Stephen   Jones,   Theo- 


^ 


534  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

dore  D.  Jones,  Levi  D.  Jones,  Levi  Jones,  J.  V.  Johns,  Daniel  Jack- 
son, N.  R.;  Abraham  Muzzell,  Allen  Mulkins,  James  Mundell,  Henry 
Magee,  William  Merrill,  Dudley  Merrill,  Elijah  Martin,  John  Markins, 
Charles  D.  Mathews,  N.  R.;  John  Mandeville,  S.  Miller,  Joseph  Oak- 
man,  Seth  Owens,  E,  D.  Owens,  0-ca-chee,  Charles  S.  Reeves,  Jonas 
Rhodes,  Peyton  Russell,  Re-re-Now-Saw, —  Switzer,  N.  R.;  — Switzer,  N. 
R.;  Robert  Williams,  Charles  Walton,  Samuel  Walton,  Charles  Woods, 
James  C.  Wilcox,  Alman  Wilder,  John  Woods,  Benijah  Wilkinson, 
Ull-saw,  We-saw-et-Lueson,  James  Wilson,  N.  R.;  Wood  and  Sanders, 
George  Whitmore. 

TOTAL  ASSESSMENT. 

State.  County. 

270  Polls,  the  tax  upon  which   was $135  OOJ  $     135  00 

$33,322.92  Land 100  17|  333  67 

13,355.00  Liverpool  lots 40  16  133  72J 

39,910.50  personal  property 119  97J  1,002  02f 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  above  list  includes  a  number  of  names 
of  persons  who  never  lived  in  the  region  now  known  as  North  Town- 
ship. The  reader  will  notice  a  number  of  Indian  names  in  the  list 
which  are  readily  distinguished  by  their  peculiar  spelling  and  queer  com- 
binations of  letters  and  sounds. 

Physical  Features. — Almost  unquestionably  all  that  is  now  North 
Township  was  at  no  distant  date,  geologically  considered,  the  bed  of  Lake 
Michigan.  Large  as  the  Lake  is  at  present,  time  was  when  it  was  much 
larger.  This  land,  so  recently  reclaimed  from  the  waters,  has  not  yet 
that  admixture  of  vegetable  mold  that  is  necessary  to  fit  it  for  agricult- 
ural purposes.  Most  of  the  enriching  growth  that  has  taken  place  upon 
this  region  has  been  confined  principally  to  the  low,  wet  portions. 
However,  whatever  this  region  lacks  that  it  should  have,  or  has  that  it 
should  lack,  it  has  unquestionably  advantages  of  location  that  in  time 
will  produce  great  results.  Its  features  that  have  been  most  disadvantageous 
in  the  past  may  be  the  most  advantageous  in  the  future.  The  opening  of 
the  Calumet  to  navigation  has  long  been  talked  of,  and  moves  have 
already  been  made  in  that  direction  ;  and  Congress,  during  its  last  ses- 
sion, appropriated  ^35,000  for  the  improvement  of  that  river  in  Illinois. 
From  its  position.  North  has  a  great  many  railroads  crossing  it,  many 
of  the  great  trunk  lines  from  the  East  making  their  way  to  Chicago  cross 
its  territory.  It  has  many  more  miles  of  rail  than  any  other  township 
in  the  county,  and  probably  as  many  as  any  township  in  the  State,  and 
fewer  miles  of  wagon  roads. 

Although  for  raising  grain  and  stock  this  township  has  amounted 
to  but  little,  Ball  states,  in  his  history  of  Lake  County,  that  "  It  is  asserted 
by  good  authority  that  the  fruit  crop  of  North  amounts  to  more  in  a  sea- 
son than  the  whole  grain  crop  of  Centre  Township ;"  but  it  seems  difficult  to 


NORTH  TOWNSHIP.  535 

take  this  for  more  than  an  assertion.  Huckleberries,  cranberries,  winter- 
green  berries  and  aquatic  game  birds  abound. 

The  Calumet  is  the  only  stream  of  any  size  in  the  township.  It  rises 
in  the  northeast  part  of  Porter  County,  and  takes  a  southwesterly  and 
westerly  course  through  Lake  County  into  Illinois,  then  returns  and 
re-crosses  North  Township  and  empties  into  Lake  Michigan  near  the 
northeast  corner.  Old  settlers  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  town- 
ship were  told  by  the  Indians  that  in  early  days  no  water  flowed  through 
the  other  mouth  of  the  Calumet  at  South  Chicago.  The  lakes  now  called 
Calumet  and  Wolf,  according  to  their  account,  had  the  same  outlet  then 
as  now,  and  from  that  to  the  Calumet  River  was  a  sort  of  slough  or  marsh  ; 
through  this  the  hunters  and  trappers  got  to  dragging,  and  finally  to 
pushing  their  canoes,  thus  beating  down  the  grass  and  rushes.  This 
channel  was  much  used,  and,  as  it  widened  and  deepened,  the  waters  of  the 
Calumet  began  to  flow  through  ;  as  the  flow  of  water  decreased  at  its 
other  mouth,  the  saiid  collected,  until  ewt  the  present  time  it  is  entirely 
closed  and  all  the  water  flows  throuo;h  the  South  Chicago  channel. 

On  the  subject  of  lakes  in  North  Township,  much  confusion  seems  to 
have  arisen  and  to  still  exist.  Inaccuracies  have  crept  into  records  and 
historical  sketches.  What  follows  is  from  a  reliable  source.  It  is  accord- 
ing to  the  account  of  an  old  settler  who  has  lived  near  these  lakes  for 
many  years  and  who  may  be  said  to  be  familiar  with  every  foot  of  water 
on  the  lakes,  for  he  has  been  over  them  times  without  number.  These 
lakes  are  all  crowded  into  the  northwest  corner  of  the  township,  at  least 
all  of  any  importance  are.  There  are  many  marshes,  bogs  and  ponds 
scattered  over  the  township,  but  those  that  merit  the  name  of  lakes  are 
Wolf  Lake,  Lake  George  or  Mud  Lake  and  Berry  Lake.  Wolf  lake  is 
farthest  west  and  lies  on  the  line  between  Indiana  and  Illinois,  and  is  more 
than  half  in  the  former  State.  There  is  a  tongue  of  land  projecting  into 
this  lake  from  the  northeast  that  reaches  almost  to  its  center.  Its  out- 
let is  Wolf  River,  which  enters  the  Calumet  River  between  Wolf  Lake 
and  Calumet  Lake.  This  is  the  largest  of  the  three  bodies  of  water. 
Lake  George,  or,  as  it  is  more  commonly  called.  Mud  Lake,  lies  just  east 
of  Wolf  Lake.  It  has  a  tongue  of  land  entering  it  from  the  same  point, 
and  extending  in  the  same  direction  to  near  its  center,  as  that  described 
for  Wolf  Lake.  Just  east  of  Lake  George  lies  Berry  Lake,  which  is  not, 
as  some  have  stated,  an  imaginary  lake,  but  is,  on  the  contrary,  a  beauti- 
ful sheet  of  water  of  about  two-thirds  the  size  of  Lake  George.  It  is 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  long  and  one  mile  broad  at  its  broadest  place. 
It  also  has  a  point  of  land  projecting  from  the  northeast  to  about  its 
center.  It  does  not  empty  its  waters  through  the  same  channel  as  the 
other  two,  but  has  an  outlet  of  its  own  that  enters  Lake  Michigan  at  the 


536  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Baltimore  break-water,  east  of  Whiting.  All  of  these  lakes  seem  to  be 
connected  with  Lake  Michigan,  for  when  it  rises  they  rise.  However,  it 
is  not  to  be  supposed  that  there  are  really  any  underground  channels,  but 
that  the  soil  and  subsoil,  being  of  sand  and  gravel,  allow  the  water  to 
percolate  freely,  so  that,  as  the  waters  of  the  Great  Lake  ebb  and  flow, 
so  do  the  waters  rise  and  fall  in  these  small  lakes.  Some  years  ago,  there 
was  a  steamboat  on  Lakes  George  and  Wolf,  and  John  Kreuter  had  the 
honor  of  piloting  her  safely  on  her  first  round.  It  has  been  proposed  at 
different  times  to  make  of  Wolf  Lake  a  harbor  of  refuge  for  Lake  Michi- 
iian.  Before  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  while  Jeff  Davis  was  holding 
office  under  the  United  States,  he  was  appointed  to  explore  Lake  Michi- 
gan for  a  place  to  locate  a  naval  harbor.  In  his  report,  he  said  of  Wolf 
Lake:  "This  is  the  place,  and  the  only  place  on  Lake  Michigan  for  a 
naval  harbor."  The  people,  especially  the  property  holders  of  the 
vicinity,  are  willing  to  stand  by  Jeff  and  the  Government  at  Washington 
on  this  opinion.  Indeed,  it  seems  clear  that  a  channel  could  be  cut 
through  to  the  lake  at  no  great  expense,  and  in  imagination  it  is  not 
hard  to  see  hundreds  of  vessels  riding  in  safety  upon  the  waters  of  Wolf 
Lake. 

Progress  of  Education. — Owing  to  the  fact  that  permanent  settlement 
and  improvement  were  slow  in  what  is  now  North  Township,  schools  were 
few  and  far  between  in  early  days.  For  most  of  the  facts  on  schools  in 
this  township,  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  A.  A.  Winslow,  and  to  a  series  of 
articles  published  in  his  valuable  paper,  the  Tribune.,  written  by  D.  Mc- 
Kinney,  on  the  schools  of  North  Township.  Under  the  old  system  of 
three  Trustees,  Benjamin  Hopkins,  David  Gibson  and  Mr.  Johnson  or- 
ganized the  first  school  in  the  year  1852,  at  Stahlbaum's,  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  east  of  his  house.  This  house  is  a  frame,  14x16  feet,  and  is  still 
standing ;  it  cost  ^16,  and  was  sold  for  ^6.  Miss  Merrill,  from  the  East, 
was  the  first  teacher  ;  she  received  for  her  work  §10  a  month,  and  paid 
out  of  this  $1.50  a  week  for  board,  and  walked  three  miles  to  school. 
Thus  she  had  a  net  gain  of  '$1  a  month  upon  which  to  draw  for  books, 
clothes  and  incidentals.  Two  months  was  the  lens-th  of  the  term.  Before 
this,  a  private  school  had  been  taught  by  Chancey  Wilson  ;  also  one  by 
Mr.  Ferguson.  The  former  was  held  at  Mr.  Wilson's  house,  and  the  lat- 
ter near  where  Gibson's  Station  now  stands.  The  second  schoolhouse 
was  built  in  ISol,  on  the  ridge,  half  a  mile  west  on  Frank  Palmer's  farm. 
This  is  on  the  Ridge  roaii,  between  Hammond  aud  Ilessville.  It  was 
first  taught  by  Mr.  Ferguson,  at  .^13  a  month,  for  a  three  months'  terra. 
Mr.  Ferguson  at  that  time  was  quite  an  old  mm.  Frank  Hess,  and  many 
of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  old  settlers,  received  their  early  education 
here.     The  following  still  remember  the  Old  Ridge  School :     Miss  Ann 


NORTH   TOWNSHIP.  537 

Watts,  Mary  Watts,  Frank  Hess,  Frank  Gibson,  Frank  Planer  and  Miss 
Susan  Kelmage.  At  the  first  term,  the  enrollment  was  six  ;  the  average 
attendance  two,  and  one  every  stormy  day,  Frank  Hess,  was  the  sole  at- 
tendant. The  schools  of  the  township  made  but  little  progress  from  1852 
until  in  1859,  when  they  came  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Knoerozer,  Mr. 
Roberts  and  Mr.  Johnson,  Trustees.  At  this  time,  Joseph  Hess  was 
Supervisor  and  Treasurer.  At  the  election,  he  received  fifty  out  of  fifty- 
two  votes.  In  1859,  five  schools  were  organized,  and  there  were  $500  in 
the  treasury.  By  reason  of  two  new  railroads  coming  through,  this 
amount  increased  to  $-1,000  in  one  year.  In  1860,  there  were  ten  schools. 
From  1860  to  1865,  owing  to  the  all-absorbing  "civil  conflict,"  but  little 
attention  was  paid  to  schools  here.  In  1865,  Prof.  Van  Derwallia,  from 
France,  settled  near  Tolleston,  and  started  a  School  of  Engineering  and 
Polytechnics.  It  is  stated  that  he  had  twenty  pupils  from  twenty  States. 
This  school  ran  about  three  years,  when  it  was  broken  up  by  the  Profess- 
or's accepting  a  position  from  the  (jrovernraent.  This  was  the  third  pri- 
vate school  in  the  township,  and  stood  where  the  Tolleston  Club  House 
now  stands.  The  Tolleston  Schoolhouse  was  built  in  1865.  A  private 
school  for  the  common  branches  had  been  been  taught  here  before.  This 
school  was  graded  later,  and  German  was  taught.  Mr.  Trinkler,  from 
Germany,  had  charge  of  the  German  Department,  and  D.  McKinney  of 
the  English  branches.  This  Mr.  Trinkler  went  blind  and  was  supported 
by  the  county  for  a  time.  He  died  four  years  ago  at  Crown  Point,  of  old 
age.  Up  to  1878,  four  deaths  from  the  ranks  of  the  teachers  of  North 
Township  are  chronicled  ;  they  are  Lucirida  Sherwood,  Mr.  Wilson,  Mr. 
Trinkler  and  William  Pierce.  Since  the  close  of  the  war,  the  schools 
have  increased  in  number  and  improved  in  quality.  Under  the  new  two- 
term  law  of  1878,  M.  M.  Towle  was  elected  Trustee  ;  with  his  characteristic 
vigor  he  has  instilled  a  spirit  of  enterprise  into  the  schools.  The  enumer- 
ation of  1882  shows  the  school  population  of  the  township  to  be  1,011, 
while  that  of  the  town  of  Hammond  is  30J:.  During  the  whole  time  cov- 
ered by  this  sketch,  the  smallest  attendance  upon  any  one  day  was  one, 
and  the  largest  150 ;  the  smallest  school  fund,  $100,  and  the  largest 
$7,090 ;  the  shortest  term  taught  was  two  months,  and  the  longest,  nine 
months  ;  the  least  number  of  children  sent  to  school,  six ;  the  greatest 
number,  900  ;  the  smallest  salary  paid,  $10  a  month  ;  the  largest,  $50. 

Churches. — But  three  or  four  churches  have  been  built  in  this  town- 
ship. At  Hammond  there  is  a  Catholic  Church  :  it  is  a  frame,  and  cost 
about  $1,500.  Mrs.  Hohman  gave  the  lot  upon  which  it  is  located.  The 
first  Protestant  organization  of  Hammond  dates  from  February,  1882. 
It  is  a  Methodist  society,  and  Rev.  S.  E.  Vinal,  of  Evanston,  has  had 
the  work  of  organization.     The  present  members  of  this  young  organiza- 


538  HISTORY  OF  LAKE  COUNTY. 

tion  are:  S.  E.  Vinal,  Pastor;  A.  A.  Winslow,  Sarah  Winslow.  William 
Guthrie,  John  B.  Guthrie,  D.  Nason,  Sarah  Borsier,  A.  F.  Robinson, 
Elmira  Robinson,  Rebecca  Goodman  (recently  deceased),  Paulie  E,  New- 
man, J.  C.  Lewis,  Benjamin  Lewis,  Emily  Lewis,  M.  Louisa  Glazier,  M. 
V.  Swartwood,  Mrs.  H.  E.  Swartwood,  George  P.  C.  Newman  (who  is  a 
grandson  of  Peter  Cartwright),  Samuel  Tinsman,  Elizabeth  Tinsman, 
Benjamin  B.  Glazier,  Emma  J.  Vinal  and  Mrs.  D.  Nason,  besides  four- 
teen probationers.  M.  M.  Towle  has  presented  the  society  with  a  lot, 
and  they  expect  to  build  soon.  The  German  Lutheran  Church  is  a 
strong  organization,  and  began  building  some  time  since,  but  from  some 
dissatisfaction  as  to  location  the  building  was  discontinued.  There  is  a 
German  Lutheran  Church  at  Tolleston.  There  has,  for  many  years, 
been  a  German  Lutheran  society  at  Hessville.  A  Sabbath  school  has 
been  here  maintained  for  a  long  time.  There  are  several  Sabbath  schools 
held  in  schoolhouses  in  different  parts  of  the  township. 
,.  a  The  Towms  and  their  Industries. — Although  the  township  has  a  dozen 
railroads,  there  are  but  few  towns  of  any  note ;  in  fact,  only  three  that 
can  claim  the  name  town.  They  are  Hammond,  Tolleston  and  Clarke. 
There  are  several  crossings,  a  few  small  places,  such  as  Hessville,  and 
that  is  the  extent  of  the  collected  population.  The  remaining  population 
is  scattered  far  and  wide  over  a  broad  area.  Whitney  is  a  station  on  the 
Michigan  Southern  Railroad.  It  contains  about  a  dozen  families,  most 
of  whom  are  engaged  in  railroad  work.  Miller,  a  station  on  the  same 
road,  is  much  like  Whitney.  It  has  a  schoolhouse  and  has  had  a  small 
store.  Gibson's  Station  is  still  smaller.  There  are  only  about  half  a 
dozen  families  here.  Pine  Station  and  Whiting  Station  are  both  simply 
stations  and  nothing  more.  Hessville  is  of  more  importance.  Joseph 
Hess  was  the  founder  and  has  done  much  for  those  who  have  settled  in 
the  vicinity,  especially  for  those  who,  because  of  poverty,  most  needed  help. 
The  first  store  was  opened  in  1858.  Quite  a  large  school  and  Sabbath 
school  are  here  maintained.  This  has  the  name  of  a  peaceable,  prosper- 
ous village.  In  the  town  of  Clarke,  harvesting  ice  is  the  chief  industry. 
It  is  situated  about  a  mile  from  the  lake,  the  roar  of  which  is  audible  to 
the  inhabitants  almost  any  day.  There  are  two  large  ice-houses.  The 
Washington  Ice  Company  have  just  started  this  year.  There  are  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  houses  and  a  population  of  about  one  hundred  and  twenty. 
There  is  a  combined  store  and  saloon  kept  by  Charles  Kriewitz.  The 
Postmaster  at  present  is  J.  Rayder,  who  has  had  the  office  but  a  short 
time.  Before  him,  R.  J.  Roby  held  it  about  a  year.  Charles  Kriewitz 
had  it  for  a  short  time  before  him,  who  was  preceded  by  A.  Zuvers. 
Miss  Emma  Mott  taught  the  school  last  terra.  The  population  of  Tolles- 
ton is  about  300.     The   country  around  is   thickly  settled  with  railroad 


NORTH    TOWNSHIP.  539 

men,  so  that  it  is  diflficult  to  define  the  town.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
town  as  well  as  those  of  the  country  around  are  in  the  railroad  business. 
Most  of  these  people  own  small  pieces  of  land,  varying  in  size  from  less 
than  an  acre  to  forty  acres,  generally  being  from  five  to  ten  acres.  There 
are  two  hotels,  one  of  which,  the  Tolleston  House,  is  kept  by  Charles 
Hacker.  Nearly  all  the  people  in  and  around  the  town  are  German. 
Gibson  and  Norris  are  names  of  the  two  English  families  that  live  in 
town.  The  town  has  two  railroads,  the  Pittsburgh  &  Fort  Wayne  and  the 
Michigan  Central.  The  German  Lutherans  have  a  good  church.  There 
is  a  good,  substantial  schoolhouse  in  town. 

The  town  of  the  township  and  the  city  of  the  future  is  Hammond. 
Situated  at  the  head  of  navigation,  on  the  Calumet,  it  promises  to  become 
a  great  manufacturing  city  ;  indeed,  it  has  already  a  national  reputation. 
This  place  grew  but  little  until  in  1878,  when  a  large  lumberyard  was 
establisned  here.  It  is  now  growing  more  rapidly  than  ever  before.  Its 
population  has  almost  tripled  itself  in  the  last  year.  In  1872,  this  place 
did  not  even  receive  a  passing  notice  in  a  brief  history  of  the  county  by 
Rev.  J.  H.  Ball ;  now  it  is  a  booming  town  of  over  1,500  inhabitants, 
with  business  interests  that  reach  out  east,  west  and  over  the  Atlantic. 
These  business  interests  will  be  spoken  of  under  the  head  of  industries, 
farther  on.  M.  M.  Towle  seems  to  have  been  and  still  to  be  the  soul  of 
the  place  and  the  source  of  its  great  prosperity.  Not  that  others'  brains, 
brawn  and  capital  have  not  entered  into  the  growth  of  the  place,  but  he 
it  was  who  started  the  town,  and  he  it  is  who  has  stayed  with  and  kept  it 
stirring.  Five  brothers  of  the  Towles  are  here,  all  doing  a  driving  busi- 
ness. M,  M.  and  C.  N.  Towle  are  now  building  a  fine  brick  hotel  that 
is  to  cost  ^20,000.  It  will  soon  be  completed.  Last  winter  a  substantial 
school  building,  costing  ^4,000  was  built.  E.  E.  Towles  runs  a  meat- 
market.  A.  G.  Towle  is  foreman  in  the  packing  house.  P.  B.  Towle  is 
proprietor  of  a  publishing  house,  while  M.  M.  Towle  is  a  man  of  money 
and  of  business.  He  owns  some  2,000  acres  of  land,  which  he  bought 
at  $20*an  acre,  and  much  of  it  is  now  worth  from  $500  to  $1,000  an  acre. 

The  physicians  of  Hammond  are  Dr.  W.  W.  Merrill,  who  has  been 
here  about  two  and  a  half  years;  Dr.  Paul  Wiesire,  who  has  been  in  town 
about  a  year  ;  and  Dr.  .J.  L.  Miller,  about  three  months.  There  is  one 
drug  store  kept  by  Dr.  Merrill. 

The  history  of  Hammond  that  appears  of  record  at  the  county  seat 
is  as  follows  :  Town  of  Hammond,  laid  out  by  M.  M.  Towle,  and  located 
on  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  36,  Town  37,  Range  10  west.  Plat 
recorded  April  12,  1875.  It  shows  4  blocks  and  103  lots,  Indiana  and 
Michigan  avenues,  Plumer  and  Ives  streets,  and  Dalton  road,  and  Michi- 
gan Central  Railroad.     Cottage  Grove  Addition  bears  date  of  September 


540  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

2,  1879 ;  is  made  bj  M.  M.  Towle,  and  shows  60  lots,  Michigan  avenue, 
and  Chicago  and  Murray  streets.  Townsend  and  Godfrey's  Addition 
bears  date  of  October  9,  1879.  It  shows  125  lots  on  Michigan,  Indiana 
and  Sibley  streets  and  Oakley  avenue.  Hohman's  Addition  is  dated 
January  1,  1880,  and  shows  Russel,  Shinton,  Douglas,  Qgden,  State 
Line  and  Hohman  streets.  Latham's  Addition  was  recorded  May  12, 
1880,  and  shows  Fayette,  Hohman  and  Russel  streets.  Hohman's  Sec- 
ond Addition  is  dated  June  11,  1880,  and  shows  Michigan,  Indiana, 
Sibley  and  Russel  streets  and  92  lots.  Towle's  Second  Addition  was 
recorded  September  29,  1881,  and  shows  Lumber  and  River  streets  and 
5  lots.  Louis  E.  Hohman's  is  dated  February  16,  1882,  and  shows 
Michigan,  Indiana,  Sibley  and  Russel  streets.  Towle  &  Young's  Addi- 
tion is  dated  March  3,  1882,  and  shows  7  blocks.  Sohl  Estate  Addition, 
dated  March  18,  1882,  lies  on  either  side  and  between  the  Michigan  Cen- 
tral and  the  New  York  Central  &  St.  Louis  Railroads.  Wilcox  &  God- 
frey's is  the  last  that  appears  of  record,  and  is  dated  March  18,  1882. 
Turning  from  this  busy  place,  we  merely  mention  the  following  :  Roberts- 
dale,  in  the  northwest  corner  on  the  Fort  Wayne  Railroad  ;  Berry  Lake, 
four  miles  east  of  this,  on  the  same  road,  where  there  are  large  ice-houses 
and  nothing  more,  and  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad,  a  station  named 
Edgemoor,  which  were  omitted  in  speaking  of  stations.  The  site  of  the 
city  of  SheflSeld,  which  is  just  beside  Robertsdale,  is  marked  by  a  sub- 
stantial monument  in  the  shape  of  a  $15,000  hotel.  The  county  records 
show  Sheffield  Park  Subdivision  recorded  March  20,  1874,  the  south  half 
of  the  southwest  fractional  quarter  of  Section  24,  Town  37  north.  Range 
10  west,  of  Second  Principal  Meridian,  by  Edward  T.  Cushing.  It  shows 
eight  blocks  with  Park  avenue,  Park  place  and  Park  Hotel  at  their  cross- 
ing. Also  a  plat  of  South  Sheffield,  bearing  date  of  October  17,  1874, 
by  Thomas  C.  Lamb,  which  shows  Grand  Central  and  South  Chicago 
boulevards  crossing  at  right  angles,  and  the  Lake  and  Grand  Central 
avenues  crossing  obliquely  in  the  center  with  the  boulevards.  Another 
plat  of  South  Sheffield  was  recorded  September  10,  1875,  with  numerous 
avenues,  streets  and  boulevards.  This  town  was  transferred  once  for 
$1,000,000,  and  then  $3,000,000  of  bonds  were  issued.  The  fine  hotel 
was  erected,  and  all  that  was  needed  was  to  build  a  city  around  it.  The 
hotel  was  built  in  1875.  It  was  opened  and  run  by  Crosby  for  about  a 
year,  since  which  time  it  has  been  closed.  A  small  steamer  was  built 
upon  the  lake  at  the  same  time.  The  only  industry  of  importance  in  the 
vicinity  is  the  ice  business.  There  are  two  large  ice-houses  near,  one  of 
which,  belonging  to  E.  A.  Shedd  &  Co.,  has  a  storage  capacity  of  100,000 
tons. 

Another  paper  town  of  great  promise   and   small  performance  was 


NORTH    TOWNSHIP.  541 

Indiana  City,  at  the  former  mouth  of  the  Calumet.  The  plat  is  recorded 
January  4,  1838,  and  shows  78  lots,  and  declares  the  streets  to  bo  66  feet 
and  the  alleys  16  feet  in  width.  There  is  also  Norcott's  Addition,  by 
John  Norcott,  that  was  recorded  September  2,  1874.  It  shows  41  blocks, 
and  First,  Second,  Third,  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets,  beginning  at  the  lake  ; 
also  Fifth,  Sixth,  Seventh,  Eighth,  Ninth,  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth  and 
Thirteenth  avenues.  At  one  time  a  number  of  buildings  were  begun,  a 
large  saw- mill  was  built,  but  all  the  buildings  were  taken  down  before 
completion,  except  the  saw-mill,  which  was  abandoned  and  left  to  decay. 

In  the  line  of  industries,  Hammond  takes  the  lead,  and  the  J.  H. 
Hammond  &  Co.  mammoth  packing-house  overshadows  all  other  industries 
found  here.  J.  H.  Hammond  &  Co.,  with  M.  M.  Towle  as  resident 
manager,  began  operations  in  1869,  upon  the  moderate  basis  of  300  cat- 
tle per  week.  They  now  have  a  capacity  of  500  head  a  day,  and  expect 
soon  to  build  so  as  to  increase  their  capacity  tc  2,000  head  a  day.  It  is 
now  the  largest  beef-packing  house  in  the  United  States  upon  the  refrig- 
erator system,  and  perhaps  in  the  world.  Their  beef  is  shipped  to  the 
New  England  States  and  direct  to  the  markets  of  Europe.  This  com- 
pany originated  the  system  of  shipping  meats  in  refrigerator  cars.  They 
own  200  box  cars,  200  stock  cars,  300  refrigerator  cars,  and  24  ships  with 
patent  refrigerator  apparatus,  of  which  they  own  and  control  the  patents 
upon  the  refrigerating  apparatus.  Their  present  building  at  Hammond 
is  300x400  feet.  They  have  fifty  acres  of  land  here,  and  a  capital  stock 
of  $15,000,000. 

Here  at  Hammond  is  also  a  large  planing-mill,  with  sash,  door  and 
blind  factory  attached  ;  also  a  large  rendering  establishment ;  a  large 
lumber  yard,  which  from  April  1,  1881,  to  April  1, 1882,  sold  3,000,000 
feet.  There  is  a  large  syrup  factory  just  starting.  The  present  capacity 
is  300  bushels  of  corn  per  day.  They  are  experimenting,  and,  if  success- 
ful, expect  to  enlarge  to  2,000  bushels  per  day.  W.  H.  Gostlin  is  busi- 
ness manager  and  part  owner ;  the  rest  is  owned  by  Towle.  The  works 
of  the  -^tna  Powder  Company  are  situated  one  and  a  quarter  miles  west 
of  Miller's  Station,  on  the  south  side  of  the  railroad.  The  surroundings 
are  attractive,  and  the  company  seem  to  have  found  a  favored  spot  in 
this  desert  region.  Although  this  is  called  a  "  powder  works,"  no  com- 
mon powder  is  made  here.  It  is  all  "  high  explosive  powder,"  and  nitro- 
glycerine is  the  active  agent  in  the  compound.  Here  it  is  manufactured 
in  large  quantities,  and  absorbed  into  substances  for  shipment  and  use. 
It  is  only  fourteen  months  since  the  company  began  here  ;  now  they 
have  twenty-six  buildings,  employ  forty-five  men,  and  have  a  capacity  of 
60,000  pounds  of  powder  a  day.  They  are  at  present  building  another 
work  and  twenty  workmen's  cottages.     When  the  new  building  is  com- 


542  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

pleted,  the  capacity  will  be  100,000  pounds  a  day.  They  now  have  in 
one  building  185,000  pounds  of  high  explosive  powder  in  one  storeroom, 
and  60,000  pounds  in  another.  They  own  200  acres  of  land  and  are 
buying  more.  There  are  little  hills,  and  the  small  buildings  are  scattered 
among  them,  so  as  to  have  a  sand  bank  between  each  two  in  which  the 
deadly  substance  is  handled.  These  buildings  are  connected  by  walks 
that  wind  about  among  the  trees  and  hills,  affording  a  much  needed  pro- 
tection in  case  of  an   explosion. 

Tolleston  Club. — During  the  spring  of  1871,  some  of  the  sportsmen 
of  Chicago  formed  an  association  which  they  designated  the  "  Tolleston 
Club  of  Chicago,"  and  purchased  the  Vander  Naillen  farm  in  this  town- 
ship, contiguous  to  the  marshes  of  the  Little  Calumet  River.  Here 
they  erected  a  two-story  club  house,  containing  a  large  reception  room, 
ladies'  parlor  with  bedrooms  connecting,  large  dining-room,  kitchen, 
keeper's  family  room  and  some  forty  beds  for  the  use  of  the  members ;  also 
a  large  barn,  ice-house,  dog-kennels,  pigeon  cotes,  etc  The  club  also  had 
constructed  a  canal  from  the  river  to  a  boat  house,  near  the  club  house. 
In  1881,  they  purchased  and  fenced  in  2,000  acres  of  marsh,  twelve  miles 
in  circumference,  between  the  Pittsburgh  and  Fort  Wayne  and  the  New 
York,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis  Railroad  bridges.  This  they  hold  exclusive- 
ly for  their  own  shooting  purposes.  The  club  is  practically  free  from 
debt,  has  property  worth  over  $15,000,  and  is  composed  of  some  of  the 
best  business  and  professional  men  of  Chicago.  Following  is  a  list  of 
the  officers  for  1882 :  President,  F.  A.  Howe ;  Vice  President,  S.  B. 
Raymond  ;  Secretary,  Edward  Starr ;  Treasurer,  C.  D.  Peacock  ;  Execu- 
tive Committee,  George  E.  Adams,  J.  S.  Norton,  C.  C.  Moeller; 
Superintendent  of  club  house,  Benjamin  French. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

BY  G.    A.    GARARD. 


Ross  Township— Organization— Metes  and  Bounds— Peat  Beds— AVed- 
DiNG  Under  Difficulties— Anecdotes  of  Pioneer  Life — Schools 
and  Churches— Rise  of  Villages— Miscellaneous  Items  of  In- 
terest. 

ON  the  8th  of  June,  1848,  it  was  ordered  by  the  County  Commissioners 
of  the  County  of  Lake,  that  all  that  part  of  Congressional  Town- 
ship 35  north,  Range  7  west,  lying  in  the  county  of  Lake,  and  the 
whole  of  Congressional  Township  35,  Range  8  west,  be  set  apart  and 
constitute  a  separate  township,  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Ross.  De- 
cember 6,    1853,   it  was   ordered  by  them    that   Sections   4,    5  and  6, 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  543 

Township  35,  Range  7,  be  transferred  from  Ross  ToAvnship  to  Hobart 
Township,  and  Sections  31,  32  and  33,  Township  36,  Range  8,  be  trans- 
ferred from  Hobart  to  Ross.  This  township  was  named  for  an  early 
settler  named  Ross,  who  was  killed  by  a  falling  tree  in  1836.  September 
3,  1856,  Sections  31,  32  and  33,  Township  35,  Range  8,  were  stricken 
from  Ross  and  attached  to  Centre.  But  in  June,  1857,  these  three  Sec- 
tions were  set  back  to  Ross.  The  following  is  found  upon  records  under 
date  of  March,  1864  : 

Whereas.  Saairy  citizens  of  Ross    Tjwaship,  haviag  presented  a  petition  to  the 
board  praying  for  the  division  of  said  township,  and  sundry  citizens  of  the  same  township 
having  presented  a  remonstrance  to  said  division,  the  board,  without  expressing  an  opinion 
upon  the  propriety  of  the  division,  order  the  whole  matter  to  be  dismissed  on  the  grounds 
of  informality   of  the  petition. 

Since  the  above,  there  are  no  changes,  nor  attempted  changes,  of 
the  township  recorded. 

Water  Supply. — The  township  is  well  watered.  Turkey  Creek  rises 
a  little  north  of  the  center  of  the  western  boundary  line  and  takes  a 
northeasterly  course,  entering  Hobart  Township,  after  combining  with 
Deep  River,  near  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  1,  Township  35,  Range 
8  west.  Deep  River  enters  about  the  middle  of  the  southern  boundary, 
thence  flows  in  a  northeasterly  course,  striking  the  east  line  two  miles 
from  the  south  line,  winds  north  for  over  a  mile  along  the  line ;  thence, 
northwest  to  the  center  of  Section  1,  Township  35,  Range  8,  where  Tur- 
key Creek  enters  it  and  the  combined  streams  enter  Hobart  Township  at 
the  place  above  stated.  Spring  Run,  that  flows  by  Merrillville,  is  fed  by 
springs  and  never  goes  dry.  Numerous  smaller  streams  afford  water  for 
stock. 

Soil,  Productions,  etc. — Most  of  the  township  is  fine  farming  land. 
It  is  more  sandy  in  the  north  than  south,  but  with  the  exception  of  the 
northwest  corner  there  is  not  enough  sand  to  interfere  with  agriculture  ; 
and  even  here  fine  crop's  and  vegetables  are  raised.  As  an  instance  of 
the  latter,  Amos  Hornor  states  that  he  raised  one  cabbage  that  weighed, 
head,  stem  and  root,  forty -seven  pounds.  Along  Deep  River  was  former- 
ly a  fine  belt  of  heavy  timber  along  the  greater  part  of  its  course  in  the 
township.  This  varied  from  one  to  two  miles  in  width.  It  is  now  re- 
placed by  a  fine  growth  of  young  timber.  At  first  there  was  but  little 
underbrush,  but  tall  trees  with  fine  trunks  stood  thick  upon  the  ground. 
There  is  a  variety  of  soil,  but  most  of  it  is  excellent  quality.  It  is  cer- 
tainly, taken  as  a  whole,  second  to  no  other  township  for  farming.  Wild 
plums  were  abundant  along  the  streams  at  one  time,  but  now  but  few  are 
to  be  found. 

There  is  a  large  tract  of  peat  near  the  town  of  Ross,  a  part  of  which 
lies  on  Sections  31  and  32.    A  company  was  formed  in  1866,  with  a  paid- 


544  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

up  cash  capital  of  $40,000,  for  the  purpose  of  working  this  bed  of  sup- 
posed wealth.  It  operated  during  the  summer  of  1866,  used  up  its  cash, 
borrowed  $12,000,  and  finally  failed  in  one  short  season.  It  sold  its  land, 
machinery  and  all  for  $6,000,  making  a  clear  loss  of  $16,000.  Another 
company  was  formed  about  1873,  which  in  a  short  time  made  another 
entire  failure,  but  not  so  large  a  loss,  as  they  did  not  open  up  on  so  large 
a  scale.  It  seems  that  these  companies  were  both  badly  managed,  and 
owed  their  failure  only  in  part  to  natural  causes.  The  peat  was  found  to 
contain  a  large  amount  of  sand  and  other  sediment,  so  that  in  burning,  it 
left  a  very  heavy  ash,  which  rendered  it  unfit  for  many  purposes.  Both 
companies  prepared  large  cribs  of  it,  which  was  sold  out  at  low  rates  and 
is  now  being  used  by  some  who  live  in  the  vicinity. 

Early  Settlers. — The  following  is  a  list  of  the  first  settlers  of  the 
township,  with  the  dates,  as  far  as  they  could  be  obtained :  All  agree 
that  one  Wiggins,  who  settled  at  a  point  near  what  is  now  Merrill ville, 
then  called  Wiggins'  Point,  was  beyond  question  the  first  white  man  to 
pitch  his  tent  in  the  township.  Authorities  differ  as  to  the  date  of  his 
coming ;  some  say  1833,  some  1834  and  some  1835.  It  seems  probable 
that  1834  is  the  correct  date,  as  it  is  stated  on  the  best  of  authority 
that  there  were  not  over  half  a  dozen  white  men  in  what  is  now  Porter 
and  Lake  Counties  as  early  as  1833.  In  1835,  the  following  came  to 
the  township :  John  Woods,  whose  family  consisted  of  his  wife,  his  sons 
Augustus,  Nathan,  John,  Oliver,  and  his  daughter  Mary.  Some  of  these 
were  born  after  settlement  here.  In  1836  came  Dudley  Merrill,  Will- 
iam Merrill,  Jacob  Vanvalkinburg,  Abel  Vanvalkinburg,  Isaac  Vanval- 
kinburg,  Jonathan  Brown,  George  Zuvers  and  his  son  Solomon  in  June, 
John  Bothwell,  Jesse  Pierce,  Myiel  Pierce,  Henry  McGie  and  Truman 
Cluif.  In  1837  came  Ebenezer  Saxton,  Jonas  Rhodes,  Clarke  Beebee, 
Lorenzo  Beebee,  Mr.  Prentis,  Charles  Walton,  Royal  Benton,  Frank  Ben- 
ton. In  1838,  came  old  Mr.  Hayward  and  his  sons,  Henry  and  Alfred. 
Amos  Hornor  came  to  the  county  in  1834,  and  to  what  is  now  Ross 
Township  in  1854.  Mr.  Guernsey  and  his  sons,  Chester,  George  and 
Joseph,  James  Adams  and  many  others  came  early.  Oliver  Merrill  was 
born  here  in  1841,  and  John  P.  Merrill  in  1842. 

Early  Events. — Mr.  Wiggins,  the  first  settler,  was  the  first  white  per- 
son who  died  in  the  township.  He  died  in  1836.  The  first  wedding  that 
occurred  was  romantic  in  the  extreme.  The  loving  couple,  who  had 
vowed  to  be  paired  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  had  their  plans  un- 
expectedly obstructed  by  the  elements.  It  was  in  the  spring  of  1837, 
during  the  rainy  season,  and  a  swollen  and  impassable  stream  lay  between 
these  fond  hearts  and  the  Justice  of  the  Peace,  who  was  the  only  one  in 
the  township  authorized  to  make  the  twain  one.     Floods  could  not  part 


ROSS   TOWNSHIP.  545 

them.  Strong  lungs  summon  the  Justice  of  the  Peace  to  the  stream,  on 
the  other  side,  while  hand  in  hand  and  heart  to  heart  stood  Lorenzo  Bee- 
bee  and  Betsey  Prentis  across  the  angry  waters.  Thus  they  pronounced 
their  vows  in  bugle  tones,  while  A.  L.  Ball,  the  Justice,  sent  the  wel- 
come words  that  made  the  two  one,  across  the  rushing  waters. 

The  usual  liardships  endured  by  pioneers  fell  to  the  lot  of  those  of 
Ross  Township.  It  often  took  three  weeks  to  make  a  trip  for  supplies. 
Ox  teams  were  used  almost  entirely  ;  as  many  as  five  or  six  yoke  were 
often  hitched  to  one  wagon.  At  first,  trips  were  made  to'the  Wabash,  a 
distance  of  130  miles,  for  provisions.  One  old  settler  speaks  of  starting 
in  March,  1836  ;  the  object  was  to  make  the  round  trip  before  the  spring 
thaw,  but  the  spring  sun  was  too  early  to  allow  of  this,  and  the  ground 
thawed,  leaving  him  on  the  Wabash,  with  a  mother,  brother  and  four  small 
children  at  home  on  half-rations.  Everything  edible  was  eaten  when  he 
returned.  In  the  fall  of  1835,  the  same  party  had  to  supply  two  families 
with  provisions  or  see  them  starve.  At  first,  the  stock  brought  in  found 
it  hard  to  get  a  living  through  the  long,  hard  winters.  In  the  spring  of 
1836,  out  of  twelve  yoke  of  oxen,  only  one  breaking  team  able  to  do  any 
work  could  be  made  up. 

The  greatest  obstruction  to  travel  was  the  sloughs.  In  crossing  the 
worst  ones,  wagons  were  drawn  to  the  edge,  run  in  by  hand  as  far  as  they 
could  be,  and  then  dragged  through  by  double  or  triple  teams  on  the 
other  side,  by  means  of  long  chains,  ropes,  etc.,  attached  to  the  tongue. 
A  novel  method  of  getting  loaded  wagons  across  an  unbridged  stream 
so  as  to  keep  the  load  dry,  is  described  by  an  old  settler :  Two  small 
trees  are  felled  across  the  stream,  they  are  smoothly  trimmed  and  placed 
near  enough  together  so  that  the  wagon  will  go  astride  them.  The  wag- 
ons are  drawn  up,  pushed  on  and  made  to  slide  over  by  means  of  teams 
on  the  other  side  hitched  to  chains  attached  to  the  tongue.  The  occa- 
sional  diflSculty  of  getting  a  livelihood  is  shown  by  this :  In  1837,  Eben- 
ezer  Saxton  went  thirty-five  miles  to  split  rails  at  50  cents  a  hundred ; 
gave  ^1  a  bushel  for  corn,  and  gave  half  the  corn  to  have  it  taken  to  mill, 
and  the  meal  for  the  other  half  returned.  He  could  split  about  two  hun- 
dred rails  in  a  day.  Sugar,  tea,  coffee  and  such  articles  were  rare  luxu- 
ries, for  the  reason  that  they  could  not  be  had,  and  if  they  could  the  peo- 
ple had  no  money,  and  no  way  in  which  to  make  any  money. 

Settlements  and  Villages. — In  the  years  1849  and  1850,  a  Catholic 
community  was  formed  north  of  Merrillville,  by  the  settlement  of  about 
forty  families  from  Treves  and  Bavaria,  Germany.  All  of  these  were 
Catholics,  and  they  at  once  organized  into  a  congregation,  holding  serv- 
ices at  first  in  private  bouses.  In  1851,  they  erected  a  frame  church  on 
the  site  of  the  present  cemetery.     Each   family  contributed   as  much  as- 


546  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

their  meager  means  would  permit.  The  people  prospered  and  the  society 
grew  until  in  1863  they  completed  the  present  handsome  and  substantial 
stone  structure  of  the  gothic  style  of  architecture.  This  was  the  second 
Catholic  Church  built  in  the  county,  i.  e.,  the  first  one  built  here  was  the 
first  or  mother  church,  being  located  at  St.  Johns.  The  stone  church  cost 
about  $5,000.  The  following  are  the  priests  who  have  ofiSciated  here  : 
The  Rev.  Fathers  Fischer,  Carius,  Gietle,  Negmayr,  Wehrle,  Racho, 
Koening,  Meisner,  Frond,  F.  X.  Baumgartner,  and  H.  M.  Roth,  who  is 
the  present  incumbent.  Rev.  Roth  oflBciates  at  the  Hobart  Church,  and 
a  more  genial  Christian  gentleman  one  seldom  if  ever  meets. 

Merrillville  is  an  old  town.  It  was  first  called  Centreville,  but  since 
it  has  had  a  post  office  it  has  been  called  Merrillville.  The  post  office 
was  established  in  1848.  The  first  stock  of  goods  was  kept  by  Sam  Strait 
and  Dudley  Merrill  about  1843.  They  dissolved  in  two  years.  Mr. 
Hale  was  the  next  merchant.  After  him,  Hale  &  Kinney,  and  then  the 
store  went  back  to  the  Merrills,  who  have  kept  it  ever  since.  At  one 
time,  there  were  two  stores  ;  the  other  was  kept  by  Ike  Pierce.  The 
first  house  built  in  the  town  was  in  about  1843.  It  was  a  tavern,  and 
still  stands,  although^'4t"  has  been  added  to  at  different  times.  It  is  now 
called  the  Merrillville  Exchange,  and  is  kept  by  Thomas  Hoffman. 
They  had  a  temperance  organization  in  to\Ya  at  one  t\v^:  T.\ere  is  now 
a  township  library  kept  in  town  that  igt^VgftTiirty  years  old.  The  sec- 
ond house  built  in  town  is  still  standing,  and  i'^  occ  ^ied  oy  Solomon 
Zuvers.  It  is  a  log  structure,  and  is  now  weather-boa^  d.  This  Mr. 
Zuvers  is  an  eccentric  character.  According  to  his  own  account,  he 
grew  to  manhood  In  the  almost  exclusive  society  of  the  Indians. 
He  ate,  drank,  slept,  worked,  trapped,  traveled  and  traded  with  them. 
He  learned  Indian  as  Ke  did  English,  and  talked  it  as  flu'^ntly.  At  one 
time,  he  employed  eight  or  nine  Indians  to  trap  for  L.  '  found  them 

trusty  and  true — more  so  than  m'^='*-  of  the  white.-;.  M  .a/er^  has 
been  twice  across  the  continent,  ana  nis  "By  gol'v,  str-  ,t}r,"  and  his 
"By  George,  neighbor,"  doubtless  often  ring  in  the  lu^  .ory  of  many 
who  have  met  him,  as  it  does  in  ours.  A  wagon  factory  was  built  here 
about  twenty-five  years  ago,  and  't  has  been  runniug  to  some  extent  ever 
since.  At  one  time  there  was  a  tannery  in  town.  A  distillei'y  was  built 
in  1851.  This  was  turned  into  a  steam-mill  in  1853  or  1854.  It  ran 
as  a  mill  a  few  years,  but  has  been  closed  for  a  long  time.  Dr.  Parmer, 
from  New  York,  located  in  this  town.  He  was  followed  by  Dr.  Arno, 
and  he  by  Dr.  S.  I.  Brown,  who  left,  and  since  there  has  been  no  physi- 
cian here.  There  has  always  been  a  saloon  or  two  in  town.  One  is  now 
ke^t  in  the  hotel.  This  hotel  was  built  by  Miles  Pierce,  and  christened, 
with  a  bottle  of  whisky,  "  Centreville  Hotel."     At  Wiggins  Point,  near 


ROSS   TOWNSHIP.  547 

the  site  of  town,  was  an  Indian  village.  The  burial-ground  may  still  be 
traced  on  the  old  Saxton  place.  The  village  now  contains  about  two 
dozen  of  families.  The  best  houses  are  those  of  J.  P.  Merrill,  D.  Mer- 
rill, William  Hide,  Alvin  Green  and  John  Sponyer.  There  is  a  cheese 
factory  in  the  village,  which  has  been  running  for  six  or  seven  years. 
It  is  now  using  about  four  thousand  pounds  of  milk  a  day.  The  Indian 
name  of  this  village  was  McGwinn's  Village,  after  a  man  who  lived, 
died  and  was  buried  here.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  a  neat 
brick,  built  in  1879.  The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  township  was  built  at 
Centreville  in  1833.  It  was  of  logs,  unhewn,  about  12x14  in  size.  It 
was  chinked  with  sticks  and  "  daubed  "  with  mud.  This  was  followed 
by  a  frame,  and  that  by  the  present  handsome  brick,  that  cost  $2,700. 

Ross  is  a  town  about  twenty-five  years  old.  It  contains  about  a 
dozen  families.  The  railroad  started  the  town.  The  first  house  was 
built  by  Cornelius  Vanness,  and  used  as  a  hotel  at  first,  and  since  as  a 
store.  It  now  contains  the  only  store  in  the  town.  There  is  a  smithy 
in  town  and  a  grain  house  ;  also  a  small  factory  of  clothes  driers,  pat- 
ented and  manufactured  by  Amos  Hornor.  The  patent  is  dated  1869. 
A  large  grain  depot  was  built  in  1857,  and  burned  down  in  1868 
or  1869.  The  first  Postmaster  was  John  G.  Wheeler;  the  present  one 
is  L.  D.  Holmes.  There  is  now  a  sort  of  saloon  in  town.  Dr.  Arnold 
practiced  here  four  or  five  years.  Mr.  Rash  built  the  second  house,  and 
kept  the  first  stock  of  goods.  He  left  about  1873.  Bissell  followed 
him,  and  he  was  followed  by  L.  D.  Holmes,  and  he  by  T.  T.  Hayward, 
who  now  keeps  the  only  stock  of  goods  in  town.  There  is  one  church,  a 
brick,  built  in  1878,  costing  $2,500.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  the 
year  after  the  town  was  established.  It  was  a  small  frame,  and  gave 
place  in  1875  to  a  better  frame,  which  cost  $350,  and  is  now  in  use. 
About  the  third  house  built  in  town,  and  which  is  still  standing,  is 
of  peculiar  construction.  The  studding  are  all  framed  into  one  sill,  i.  e., 
the  earth  was  mortised  with  a  spade  and  the  studding  stuck  in  the  holes 
thus  made.  This  is  another  monument  to  Necessity,  who  is  said  to  have 
given  birth  to  a  child  that  was  christened  Invention. 

Huckleberries  and  cranberries  are  found  near.  The  town  stands 
near  the  edge  of  the  great  sand  bed  which  borders  the  lake.  It  was  in- 
tended that  this  town  should  cover  at  least  forty  acres  when  it  was  laid 
out,  but  most  of  the  lots  into  which  the  forty  acres  were  cut  up  are  as 
yet  unoccupied. 

"  Wood's  Mill,"  on  Deep  River,  is  an  old  village,  but  very  small  of 
its  age.  It  was  started  in  1838,  and  now  has  about  a  score  of  houses,  a 
good  grist-mill,  also  a  good  school.  In  June,  1881,  a  fine  two-story  frame 
storehouse,  22x85  feet,  was  completed.     In  November  of  the  same  year, 


548  HISTORY    OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

this  was  blown  down  by  a  tornado.  At  once  it  was  rebuilt,  but  only  one 
story  high.  It  is  now  one  of  the  nicest  country  stores  in  the  State.  It 
was  owned  first  by  Vincent  &  Wood ;  now  owned  by  George  Wood,  and 
run  as  a  general  store.  In  the  last  twelve  months,  Mr.  H.  T.  Smith 
built  a  large  house,  which  is  used  as  dwelling,  hotel  and  saloon.  A 
wagon  and  carriage  shop  was  built  about  three  years  ago,  and  is  doing  a 
good  business.  The  mill,  which  is  a  brick,  is  owned  and  run  by 
Nathan  Wood.  A  cheese  and  butter  factory  of  about  eight  years'  stand- 
ing is  thriving  still,  one  mile  out  of  town.  Wood's  Mill  is  a  desirable 
location  for  a  town,  and  the  mill  site  is  excellent.  The  saw-mill 
was  built  in  1837,  and  the  grist-mill  in  1838.  This  was  at  one  time  the 
only  mill  in  the  two  counties  of  Porter  and  Lake.'  The  quarter-section 
upon  which  the  town  is  situated  cost  $1,000.  It  was  an  Indian  reserva- 
tion, patented  to  Quashma  in  1832.  This  place  is  about  ten  miles  from 
Crown  Point. 

The  town  of  Redsdale  is  on  the  Chicago  &  Grand  Trunk  Railroad. 
The  post  office,  Lottaville.  There  is  nothing  but  a  station-house,  built  in 
1879,  a  hay  barn  built  in  the  fall  of  1881,  and  a  dwelling  house.  Ains- 
worth,  the  next  station  on  the  same  road  east,  has  a  station-house,  hay 
barn,  blacksmith  shop  and  several  houses.  These  make  five  villages,  or 
rather  three  villages  and  two  new  stations  in  the  township.  There  is  also 
a  store  where  the  wagon  road  crosses  the  railroad,  kept  by  Keilman  & 
Son,  built  in  spring  of  1882  ;  it  is  about  a  mile  northwest  of  Merrillville. 
There  are  four  railroads  in  the  township;  the  P.,  C.  &  St.  L.  cuts  the 
southwest  corner ;  the  Chicago  &  Atlantic  cuts  off  a  larger  slice  from  the 
same  corner;  the  Chicago  &  Grand  Trunk  cuts  through  east  and  west,  a 
little  north  of  the  center  ;  while  the  Joliet  Cut-Off",  cuts  a  small  piece  from 
the  northwest  corner. 

Schools,  etc. — There  are  sixteen  schoolhouses  in  the  township — fifteen 
frame  and  one  two-story  brick,  which  is  at  Merrillville.  Some  of  the 
prominent  teachers  in  the  township  are  Ada  Toothill,  Hilda  Hyde,  S. 
E.  Zuvers,  George  Bond,  Lina  Frazier,  Asa  Bullock,  Cyrus  Smith,  C.  J. 
Smith,  Nettie  Collins,  Frank  Merrill,  A.nnie  McWilliaras  and  Mere  Mer- 
ton.  The  following  is  an  exact  copy  of  an  entry  made  in  the  Trustee's 
Record  Book,  for  District  No.  6,  in  the  year  1852 : 

A  special  meeting  called.  P.  M.  Knoll  presided.  House  being  called  to  order,  when 
the  following  votes  were  passed:  1.  To  have  three  months'  winter  school,  to  commence 
first  of  December  next.  2.  To  pay  teacher  from  fifteen  to  twenty  dollars  per  month.  3. 
To  get  a  quarter  of  a  cord  of  wood  to  school,  and  to  have  each  person  get  his  wood  by  the 
first  of  December  next,  and,  in  case  of  failure,  the  Trustee  is  to  get  the  wood  and  be  paid 
at  the  rate  often  shillings  per  cord  by  the  district.     A  Adjournment. 

P.  M.  Knoll,  Trustee. 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  549 

One  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  of  the  schools  of  this  township  was 
taught  at  Deep  River  in  1844,  by  Mrs.  Richard  Vincent,  in  her  own 
home.  Dr.  A.  W.  Vincent,  now  of  Hobart,  received  his  first  schooling 
here.  At  the  same,  John  Andrew  and  Albertine  Grissel  attended.  Miss 
Rundel  was  probably  the  next  teacher.  When  Mrs.  Vincent  taught,  the 
attendance  was  seven.  Nine  or  ten  attended  Miss  Rundel's  school.  She 
taught  two  or  three  terms  in  succession.  School  was  taught  in  private 
families  for  perhaps  fifteen  years,  when  a  frame  house  was  built,  which 
was  burned  down  about  fifteen  years  ago.  The  present  house  is  a  frame, 
one  mile  west  of  town.  There  was  quite  a  contest  over  the  question  of 
moving  the  house,  or  rather  of  changing  the  location,  and  it  was  carried 
by  a  majority  of  one.  About  half  of  the  township  library  was  burned  at 
Deep  River  some  years  ago. 

Civil  Officers. — The  present  officers  of  the  township  are :  John  P. 
Merrill,  Trustee;  Alvin  Green,  Amos  Hornor  and  Gideon  Bullock,  Jus- 
tices of  the  Peace ;  Oliver  Merrill,  Road  Supervisor ;  Michael  Hartz, 
Thomas  Hoff'man  and  Joseph  Holladay,  Constables.  Both  John  P.  Mer- 
rill and  Squire  Green  have  been  in  office  for  many  years.  Squire  Hor- 
nor is  the  oldest  Justice  in  the  county.     The  following  is  a  copy  of  his 

first  commission  : 

AsHBKL  p.  WiLLAHc,  GovernoF  of  die  State  of  Indiana. 
To  all  who  shall  see  these  presents — Greeting  : 

Whereas  :  It  has  been  certified  to  rae  by  the  proper  authority,  that  Amos  Hornor 
is  elected  to  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  and  for  the  county  of  Lake,  in  the  State 
of  Indiana  ;  Therefore  know  ye  that  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  the  State  afore- 
said, I  do  hereby  commission  the  said  Amos  Horner  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  county 
aforesaid  for  the  term  of  four  years  from  to-day  ;  in  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set 
my  hand  and  caused  to  be  affixed  the  seal  of  the  State,  at  the  city  of  Indianapolis,  this 
26th  day  of  April,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Fifty-nine, 
tlie  Forty-third  of  the  State,  and  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  the  Eighty- 
third.  By  the  Govenor, 

[Seal]  Ashbel  P.  Willard. 

C.  L.  Dernham,  Secretary  of  State. 

Mr.  Hornor  has  another,  bearing  date  of  1863,  issued  by  Oliver  P. 
Morton;  one  of  1867,  by  Conrad  Baker;  one  of  1871,  by  Conrad  Baker; 
one  of  1875,  by  Thomas  A.  Hendricks;  one  of  1879,  by  James  D.  Will- 
iams, and  one  for  1882,  ready  for  next  term. 

A  certain  Justice  of  the  township,  in  days  long  gone  by,  had  for  trial 
a  case  of  assault  and  battery.  The  evidence  showed  that  the  defendant 
had  hit  plaintiff"  on  the  side  of  the  head  and  knocked  his  head  over  to  one 
side ;  here  the  evidence  closed,  and  the  case  was  left  with  the  dispenser  of 
justice.  After  looking  at  both  sides  of  the  case  and  suspending  the  scales 
of  justice,  he  proceeded  to  fine  the  defendant  twenty-five  cents  for  not 
hitting  the  plaintiff"  the  other  side,  so  as  to  straighten  his  head  up  again  ! 


550  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Squire  Hornor  is  responsible  for  the  following  as  to  the  origin  of  the 
name  Chicago :  In  the  fall  of  1833,  two  men  went  from  Cleveland  by 
land  to  Chicago,  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  whose  annuities  were  paid 
them  there  at  old  Fort  Dearborn.  They  had  also  just  sold  out  North- 
eastern Illinois,  and  were  to  get  their  money  for  it  at  Fort  Dearborn. 
The  men  were  delayed ;  when  they  got  there,  the  Indians  had  received 
their  pay  and  gone  away.  One  of  the  men  asked  of  an  Indian  in  the 
Pottawatomie  language  where  the  Indians  were,  "  Ten-a-pee  wish-na  ?  " 
The  Indian  replied,  "Nish-na-ba  Chi-ca-go  " — Indians  have  gone;  and 
that  according  to  this  account,  is  the  origin  of  the  word,  Chicago. 

Miscellaneous  Notes. — There  is  no  general  crop  failure  on  record. 
The  year  1851  had  a  much  later  season  than  this  of  1882.  Squire  Green 
states  that  roasting  ears  did  not  come  that  year  until  about  the  20th  of 
September.  In  1864,  there  were  a  number  of  cases  of  small-pox.  Nine 
in  the  family  of  Squire  Green  were  afflicted,  seven  with  varioloid  and  two 
with  small-pox.  Three  or  more  deaths  occurred  from  it  in  the  township. 
The  general  health,  however,  is  good.  The  township  has  had  a  steady 
and  substantial  growth.  There  are  many  fine  farmhouses  and  barns ; 
the  orchards  are  good,  and  most  of  them  seem  to  be  in  their  prime.  The 
largest  land-holders  are  Dabrill  and  Julius  Demins.  Dabrill  has  a  large 
wind-mill  for  pumping  and  grinding  feed.  The  population  is  largely 
American,  many  of  them  from  other  parts  of  Hoosierdom.  In  the  north 
and  east  there  are  many  Germans.  In  the  spring  of  1836,  there  was  no 
mill  nearer  than  forty-five  miles,  so  some  of  the  settlers  determined  to 
make  a  mill ;  they  cut  down  a  large  white  oak  tree,  making  as  square  a 
stump  as  they  could,  then  kindling  a  fire  in  the  center  of  the  stump  ; 
burned  a  hollow  place  in  it ;  arranged  a  pestle  with  a  spring  pole  over 
it,  and  it  was  surprising  to  see  how  fast  meal  could  be  made  with  this  rude 
mill,  while  buckwheat  was  readily  and  rapidly  made  into  flour  of  excellent 
quality. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  were  Yankees  from  Connecticut,  Vermont, 
Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  ;  people  from  New  York,  Ohio,  and 
Hoosiers  from  Indiana.  Once  a  Yankee,  telling  of  a  runaway  team, 
said  :  "  It  run  into  the  bush,  and  run  astride  astraddle,  and  broke  the 
neap,  reach  and  evener."  This  translated  into  Hoosier  is:  "  The  horses 
got  skeert  and  run  astraddle  of  a  saplin  and  broke  the  tongue,  double- 
tree and  coupling  pole."  Also  an  Englishman  who  had  lost  a  bob-tailed 
ox,  inquired  of  a  Hoosier:  "  Ave  you  seen  a  bob-tailed  hox,  with  a  ho 
on  the  ip  and  a  hen  on  the  orn  ?"  The  Hoosier  said,  "  How  ?"  and  the 
Englishman  repeated  the  question,  after  which  the  Yankee  said,  "  Which  ?" 
By  this  time  each  was  disgusted  with  the  outlandish  English  of  the  other, 
and  went  off  wondering  how  the  other  could  have  so  little  respect  for  the 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  551 

Queen's  English.  The  ox  was  branded  Avith  an  0  on  the  hip  and  an  N 
on  the  horn.  Another  time,  when  out  seining,  it  seemed  to  be  a  water 
haul  until,  when  the  seine  was  near  the  shore,  a  Hoosier  holloaed  out, 
"  I  swan,  there's  quite  a  snag  on  em."  Another  of  the  party  drawled  out, 
"  Well  raly,  there  is  a  right  smart  chance,  I  reckon."  All  these  dialects 
are  now  well  blended,  many  of  the  provincialisms  have  passed  out  of  use, 
while  others  are  used  by  all.  Instead  of  being  Buckeyes,  Hoosiers  and 
Yankees,  all  are  now  Westerners. 

The  following  is  a  description  of  the  costume  worn  by  a  beau  of  the 
backwoods :  Home-made  straw  hat,  tow  linen  shirt  and  breeches — home- 
spun, home-wove,  home-made — a  brass  button  worn  in  shirt  front ;  no 
coat,  no  vest,  no  shoes ;  pants  too  short  by  eight  inches,  and  held  down 
by  buckskin  straps  fastened  to  either  side  of  the  bottom  of  each  pant  leg, 
and  passing  under  the  hollow  of  an  enormous  dark  brown  foot  fastened 
to  a  "  spindle  shank,"  loose-jointed  to  a  long,  lank  body,  upon  which 
rested  a  fuzzy  face  and  a  shaggy  head   of  seventeen  summers. 

The  old  Sioux  trail  crossed  the  township  from  north  to  south,  where 
Crown  Point  stands.  In  1837  or  1838,  a  good  saw-mill  was  built  three 
miles  northeast  of  Merrillville  by  Charles  Walton,  and  he  sold  to  Louver- 
man,  who  ran  it  until  18-18.  There  is  a  camp-meeting  ground  about  half 
a  mile  southeast  of  Merrillville,  which  has  been  used  by  the  Free  Method- 
ists for  about  five  years.  One  is  now  (August  18,  1882)  in  progress,  in 
which  much  zeal  is  manifested,  and  a  great  rivival  is  not  only  prayed  for, 
but  worked  for  as  well.  In  the  winter  of  1839  or  1810  seventy-six  deer 
were  seen  in  a  drove.  Here  is  an  account  by  an  old  settler  which, 
though  not  narrating  anything  that  occurred  in  the  township,  yet  con- 
tains such  interesting  materials  that  no  apology  is  needed  for  its  inser- 
tion. It  is  of  a  trip  to  Fort  Dearborn  at  an  early  day  (Chicago  was  not 
yet  born,  nor  indeed  had  it  been  conceived),  with  a  load  of  thirty  bushels 
of  oats  and  twenty  bushels  of  shell  corn.  Three  yoke  of  oxen  were  the 
team.  The  trip  was  from  Tippecanoe  County,  a  distance  of  130  miles,  and 
for  110  miles  of  the  distance  there  were  no  made  roads  or  bridges  of  any 
kind  ;  neither  was  there  a  habitation  of  a  white  person  in  all  that  distance. 
All  that  there  was  of  Chicago,  or  rather  of  Fort  Dearborn,  was  a  trading 
point  for  soldiers  and  Indians.  Hubbard  and  Clark,  Indian  traders, 
were  putting  up  a  small  two-story  brick  house,  which  was  the  first  brick 
house  that  graced  the  ground  that  is  now  embellished  with  the  parks  and 
palaces  of  the  '•■  Queen  of  the  North  and  the  West."  The  ground,  now 
covered  with  brick  blocks  and  stone  fronts,  with  granite  and  marble  in- 
terspersed, was  then  an  unoccupied  swamp,  with  wolves  hiding  and  howl- 
ing in  its  dismal  solitudes.  There  was  nothing  but  an  old  scow  in  the 
Chicago  River,  where  now  vessels  crowd  its  narrow  mouth  and  choke  its 


552  HISTORY  OF  lake  county. 

meager  channel.  One  of  the  party  bought  a  half  barrel  of  fish,  at  least 
that  was  what  he  bargained  for ;  when  they  reached  home  and  all  were 
ready  for  a  fish  feast,  he  opened  the  barrel,  but  did  not  behold  a  single 
fish.  The  merchant  had  delivered  to  him  a  half  barrel  of  soft  soap  instead 
of  fish. 

There  is  a  large  mound  at  Deep  River,  supposed  to  Iiave  been  built  by 
Indians  or  Mound  Builders.  It  is  oblong  and  straight.  Its  length  is 
about  150  feet,  and  its  greatest  width  at  base  100  feet.  It  rises  from  a 
level  surface  in  a  bed  in  the  river  to  a  height  of  about  fifty  feet.  Thirty- 
seven  years  ago,  it  was  bare  ;  now  it  is  covered  with  young  trees,  some 
of  which  are  six  inches  in  diameter.  At  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
mound  is  a  hole  that  was  years  ago  as  much  as  eighty  feet  deep  ;  even 
now  it  is  perhaps  thirty  feet  deep.  In  the  vicinity,  many  arrow  heads, 
stone  hatchets,  etc.,  have  been  found.  Some  have  supposed  that  this 
mound  was  formed  by  the  river,  but  the  fact  that  it  seems  to  be  of  a 
different  soil,  seems  to  indicate  the  imposibility  of  this  supposition.  At 
a  point  that  is  now  at  or  near  the  bottom  of  the  present  mill-race  was  a 
medicine  stone.  This  was  a  large  stone  hollowed  out  so  as  to  hold  quite  a 
quantity  of  water.  This  water  was  heated  with  hot  rock  and  the  patient 
subjected  to  the  heat  and  steam ;  thus  they  seem  to  have  used  the 
hydrophatic  system  of  treatment,  at  least  in  some  cases.  This  informa- 
tion concerning  the  medicine  stone  was  imparted  to  the  first  settlers  by 
the  Musquakies.  These  Indians  are  to  be  found  now  in  Tama  County, 
Iowa,  on  a  small  reservation,  where  they  have  been  for  many  years. 
There  are  about  100  of  them  at  present.  They  farm  in  a  small  way, 
raise  ponies  and  live  at  peace  with  each  other  and  with  their  white 
neighbors. 


OHAPTEE  IX. 

BY   WESTON  A.    GOODSPEED. 

Hanover  Township— Appearance  o?^  the  Earliest  Pioneers— The 
"HoRNOR  Settlement  "  —  Catalogue  of  Early  Settlers  — The 
PoTTAAV atomies— Privations  of  the  Pioneers— The  Germans— The 
Schools  of  Hanover— Villages— Religious  Growth  and  Influ- 
ence— Statistics. 

DURING  the  month  of  September,  1835,  a  small  party  of  seven 
persons — Dr.  Thomas  Brown,  Jacob  L.  Brown,  David  Hornor 
and  his  sons,  Thomas,  George,  Amos  and  Levi — left  the  "  Wabash 
region  "  and  journeyed  northwestward,  in  search  of  homes  in  the  land 
which  was  being  rapidly  settled  and  improved  betAveen  Lake  Michigan 
and  the  Kankakee.     After  a  quick  and  uneventful  transit,   they   reached 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  553 

the  beautiful  country  on  the  west  shore  of  Cedar  Lake,  where,  well 
pleased,  they  encamped.  Here  they  remained  for  about  two  weeks, 
viewing  the  locality,  making  excursions  into  the  groves  and  prairies  of  an 
extensive  tract  of  fine  country,  of  which  Cedar  Lake  was  the  center, 
prospecting  and  estimating  the  comparative  values  of  land  due  to  location 
and  other  natural  advantages,  locating  two  or  three  or  more  claims  and 
erecting  thereon  several  rude  log  cabins,  making  a  small  amount  of  hay 
while  the  bright  September  sun  was  smiling  and  auspicious,  discovering  a 
very  large  bee  tree  which  they  cut  down,  taking  therefrom  about  500 
pounds  of  the  finest  wild  honey,  and  returning  to  the  "  Wabash  region  " 
to  prepare  for  coming  out  the  following  month  to  the  new  and  wild  homes 
they  had  founded.  So  far  as  can  be  learned,  this  was  the  first  attempt 
by  white  persons  to  form  a  permanent  settlement  in  what  is  now  Hanover 
Township.  On  the  return  to  their  Wabash  homes,  seeing  a  flock  of  seven 
wild  turkeys  on  an  extensive  prairie,  they  unhitched  the  four  horses 
from  the  wagon,  mounted  the  fleet  animals,  and  gave  chase  after  the 
winged  game.  Five  fine  ones  were  captured,  and  not  a  shot  was  fired. 
At  the  next  stopping-place,  two  of  the  birds  were  given  in  exchange  for 
a  substantial  repast  for  the  whole  party.  In  October,  the  party  returned 
with  their  families,  and  the  "  Hornor  settlement "  was  commenced. 
Jacob  L.  Brown's  claim  was  on  the  west  shore  of  the  lake,  on  Section 
27,  while  just  north  of  him,  on  Section  22,  was  that  of  Aaron  Cox. 
Thomas  Hornor  located  farther  west  on  Section  28,  and  David  Hornor 
with  his  large  family,  still  farther  west  on  West  Creek  woods,  on  Section 
29.  These  families  brought  with  them  considerable  personal  property, 
including  horses,  cattle,  swine,  a  few  sheep  (which  soon  died  or  were 
killed  by  wolves),  poultry,  together  with  those  indispensable  and  most 
domesticated  of  all  domestic  animals — cats  and  dogs.  An  abundance  of 
provisions  was  also  brought. 

Numerous  hardships  were  in  store  for  these  early  families.  The  pro- 
visions brought  by  the  family  of  David  Hornor  did  not  last  as  long  as 
expected,  and  the  sources  of  supply  were  meager  or  altogether  wanting. 
Late  in  the  winter,  it  was  found  necessary  to  dispatch  two  teams  to  the 
Wabash  for  flour  and  other  provisions ;  but  while  they  were  gone  the 
spring  thaw  came  on,  the  roads,  such  as  they  were,  broke  up,  and  it  was 
found  impossible  to  return  for  about  two  months,  during  which  time  the 
remainder  of  the  family  were  reduced  to  the  scantiest  rations.  So  short 
became  the  provisions  that  half  a  bushel  of  buckwheat,  that  had  been 
carefully  kept  for  seed,  was  ground  to  flour  in  the  coffee-mill,  baked  into 
cakes,  and  ravenously  devoured.  As  a  last  resort,  it  was  decided  to  kill 
the  only  cow,  but  before  this  strait  was  reached,  the  white  covers  of  the 
returning  wagons  were  seen  in  the  distance.    It  did  not  take  long  to  bake 


554  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

huge  loaves  of  white  bread,  nor  fry  generous  slices  of  fresh,  delicious  pork, 
and  it  took  a  much  less  time  to  place  the  same  where  it  would  do  the  most 
good.  During  this  winter,  some  six  hundred  Pottawatomie  Indians  were 
encamped  in  the  woods  within  half  a  mile  of  the  house.  They  were  per- 
fectly friendly,  and  furnished  the  white  families  with  venison  in  exchange 
for  pork,  flour,  etc.  Venison  could  be  obtained  when  other  meat  could 
not  be  had ;  but  venison  is  dry,  and  lacks  the  relish  and  sweetness  of 
pork,  and  the  Indians,  nothwithstanding  that  they  had  been  raised  on  the 
former,  were  always  willing,  and  even  anxious,  to  exchange  the  same  for 
the  latter.  They  would  give  a  nicely  dressed  carcass  of  a  deer  for  a  com- 
paratively small  amount  of  pork,  and  seem  to  think  that  the  whites  had 
the  worst  of  the  bargain,  and  the  latter  eventually  came  to  about  the  same 
opinion.  And  yet  the  Indians  could  live  for  long  periods  upon  nothing 
but  venison,  and  many  of  the  white  squatters  and  trappers,  by  force  of 
necessity,  were  enabled  by  practice  to  accomplish  the  same  result.  It 
was  marvelous  how  some  of  the  early  families  managed  to  live.  Their 
means  of  support  were  invisible  in  more  senses  than  one.  How  eagerly 
the  return  of  the  hunter  was  waited,  and  how  anxiously  the  mother  and 
children  watched  for  the  coming  of  the  husband  and  father  who  had  gone 
to  mill. 

In  the  spring,  of  1837,  there  were  living  in  the  township  the  following 
men  and  their  families,  some,  however,  being  yet  single:  Jacob  L.  Brown, 
Darling  Church,  Aaron  Cox,  James  Farwell,  David  Hornor,  Thomas 
Hornor,  Amos  Hornor,  Levi  Hornor,  Joseph  Kerr,  Charles  Marvin, 
Hiram  Nordyke,  Jacob  Nordyke,  Solomon  Russell  and  John  Van  Vran- 
ken.  They  were  located  on  the  following  sections  given  here  in  the  same 
order  as  the  names  appear  above :  27,  11,  22,  36,  Range  10,  29.  28, 
29,  29,  22, 19,  22,  22,  22  and  20.  They  paid  the  following  tax  in  the 
same  order:  $1.70,  $5.16,  $4.70,  $7.14,  $4.44,  $1.76f,  $1.25,  $1.25, 
$1.25,  $4,811,  $3.91,  $1.25,  $1.25  and  $2.40  ;  total,  $42.28i.  Besides 
the  above  men,  David  Campbell  had  located  a  claim  on  Section  25,  Range 
10,  but  had  abandoned  it  before  he  was  required  to  pay  his  tax. 
A  claim  on  Section  36,  Range  10,  was  assessed  to  John  D.  Carpenter, 
who  proved  to  be  a  minor. 

In  the  spring  of  1839,  the  following  settlers  were  taxed,  the  amount 
each  paid  being  given,  also  the  section  upon  which  he  resided  :  Charles 
C.  Batten,  Section  32,  $1  ;  Charles  R.  Ball,  Section  27,  $1 ;  Hervey 
Ball,  Section  27,  indefinite  ;  Solomon  Barns,  Section  30,  $1  ;  Edward 
Chase.,  Section  17,  $1  ;  Richard  Church,  Section  — ,  $3.34  ;  Darling 
Church,  Section  10,  $3.66^;  Leonard  Cutler,  Section — ,  §6,52^^;  James 
Farwell,  Section  36,  $6.60i  ;  Maj.  Farwell,  Section  36,  $1 ;  Able  Far- 
well,  Section  36,  $1 ;  Joseph  Green,  Section  10,  $2.56 ;  Edward  Green, 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  566 

Section  10,  $1  ;  Sylvester  Green,  Section  10,  ^3.27^;  Jonathan  Gray, 
Section  34,  $1 ;  Thomas  Hornor,  Section  28,  ^1  ;  Amos  Hornor,  Sec> 
tion  28,  $1 ;  Levi  Horner,  Section  33,  $1  ;  Isaac  Hitchcock,  Section  li», 
^2.30;  John  Hunt,  Section  18,  ^2.81;  George  Lehmd,  Section  27,  $1; 
John  Livingston,  Section  G,  !^1 ;  William  Morton,  Section  34,  ^1 ;  Ly- 
man Mann,  Section  27,  $1;  Charles  Marvin,  Section  19,  $5.77;  Jacob 
Nordyke,  Section  22,  $1;  Hiram  Nordyke,  Section  22,^1.30;  Hiram 
Nordyke,  Jr.,  Section  28,  $1;  Solomon  Russell,  Section  22,^1;  Henry 
Sasse,  Section  20,  $3.71|;  George  Willey,  Section  36,  $1;  total,  except 
Hervey  Ball,  §60.56|. 

Lyman  Mann  and  Jonathan  Gray  were  expert  fishermen.  They  had 
located  on  the  west  bank  of  Cedar  Lake,  had  built  small  cabins,  and  had 
devoted  almost  their  entire  attention  to  the  capture  of  myriads  of  large 
and  excellent  fish,  which  inhabited  the  clear  waters  of  the  lake.  After  a 
good  many  had  been  caught  and  barreled,  they  were  conveyed  to  localities 
further  south  and  sold.  Whenever  the  white  settlers  in  the  neighborhood 
wanted  fish,  it  was  no  trouble  to  go  down  to  the  lake  and  catch  as  many  in 
half  an  hour  as  were  wanted.  The  Indians  trapped  muskrats,  minks,  etc., 
on  the  lake  and  along  West  Creek  and  other  smaller  streams.  Gray  and 
Mann  would  bring  back  pork  from  the  Wabash  regions,  where  they  dis- 
posed of  their  fish  and  the  furs  they  had  traded  for  from  the  Indians. 
The  later  career  of  both  men  was  not  perhaps  the  best  to  be  pursued. 
They  were  both  quite  skillful  hunters,  and  managed  to  take  with  them 
south  a  considerable  quantity  of  deer  skins.  They  traded  for  hides  with 
those  settlers  who  were  sufficiently  expert  to  occasionally  bring  down  these 
animals.  Albert  Burns,  who  reached  the  township  a  little  later,  was 
perhaps  the  most  expert  deer  hunter  among  the  early  settlers  of  Hanover. 
During  one  winter,  about  1842,  he  killed  thirty-six  of  these  animals,  and 
had  at  one  time  their  frozen  carcasses  hanging  in  all  directions  in  the 
woods.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  conveying  the  meat  and  hides  to  the  Chi- 
cago market,  but  owing  to  bad  roads,  they  at  this  time  had  accumulated 
on  his  hands.  He  asked  Henry  Sasse  if  he  did  not  want  to  buy  venison, 
and  the  latter  inquired  what  was  to  pay.  '"  What  will  you  give?"  asked 
Mr.  Burns.  "I  will  give  you  this,"  replied  Mr.  Sasse,  taking  from  his 
pocket  a  five-franc  piece.  "  All  right,"  returned  Mr.  Burns  as  he  pock- 
eted the  coin,  "  the  venison  is  yours."  Many  of  the  earliest  settlers, 
though  they  could  see  herds  of  deer  almost  every  day,  never  attempted, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  very  attractive  pastime  of  deer-hunting.  When 
asked  why  they  did  not,  they  usually  reply,  "  Oh,  we  had  enough  to  do 
without  bothering  with  that."  That  reply  contains  a  long  and  interest- 
ing lesson  on  the  privation  and  self-denial  of  pioneer  life.     Too  busy  to 


556  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

engage  in   what  hunters  consider  one   of  the  most  attractive   sports  on 
earth  ! 

The  Pottaw atomies. — The  Pottawatomies  were  encamped  on  Section 
20.  They  visited  the  cabins  of  the  settlers  to  beg  and  to  exchange  com- 
modities. They  were  consummate  beggars,  rivaling  the  modern  tramp  in 
skill  and  expediency.  They  frequently  entered  cabins  when  the  men 
were  away,  and  by  their  threatening  aspect  so  frightened  the  women,  that 
their  wants  were  speedily  satisfied,  when  they  would  quietly  depart, 
probably  laughing  in  their  sleeve  (if  they  had  any),  at  the  success  of 
their  artifice.  One  morning,  eight  Indian  men  and  one  squaw  called  at 
the  house  of  Hervey  Ball  and  asked  for  breakfast.  When  the  meal  was 
ready,  all  took  their  seats  at  the  table  except  the  squaw,  who  seemed  to 
think  it  proper  to  wait  while  the  braves  were  eating.  But  Mr.  Ball  in- 
sisted upon  her  sitting  down  with  the  men,  which  act  on  his  part  caused 
no  little  merriment  among  the  Indian  men.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
meal,  each  Indian  presented  Mr.  Ball  with  two  muskrat  skins  in  payment 
for  his  breakfast.  Mr.  Ball  at  this  time  kept  a  small  store  where  the 
white  settlers  and  Indians  came  for  supplies  of  groceries,  dry  goods,  etc. 
After  the  Indians  had  eaten  their  breakfast  and  had  paid  for  the  same, 
they  entered  the  store  and  traded  out  quite  a  quantity  of  fur.  After  a 
few  hours  they  departed. 

Privations  of  the  Pioneers. — One  of  the  most  serious  things  to  be 
overcome  by  the  early  was  the  successful  journey  by  team  across  the  wet, 
swampy  country  to  mill  or  to  market.  Bridges  there  were  but  few,  and 
at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  it  was  absolutely  impossible  to  cross  the 
lower  tracts  of  land.  A  volume  might  be  filled  with  incidents  of  these 
journeys.  Chicago  was  the  market  where  the  greater  portion  of  the  prod- 
ucts of  Hanover  were  disposed.  Probably  Michigan  City  received  the 
greater  portion  of  the  remainder.  To  quote  from  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball  :  "  In 
the  winter  of  1838-39,  Hervey  Ball  was  returning  from  Michigan  City 
to  Cedar  Lake;  the  nightfall  found  him  on  the  open  area  of  Twenty-Mile 
Prairie  (in  Porter  County).  The  snow  clouds  obscured  the  sky,  the  wind 
blew,  the  horses  missed  the  track,  and  he  was  lost.  No  houses  were 
near.  It  was  to  him  a  night  of  suffering  and  danger.  Two  or  three  cir- 
cumstances combined  to  save  his  life.  A  star  shone  out  for  a  moment, 
and  kept  him  from  taking  a  direction  that  led  yet  further  away  from 
human  abodes.  Finding  it  useless  to  continue  wandering  around  on  the 
bleak  prairie,  having  with  him  fortunately  a  bolt  of  satinet,  and  having 
a  pair  of  large  and  powerful  horses,  one  of  which  was  remarkably  sagacious, 
he  wound  the  cloth  around  him,  and  stood  between  the  heads  of  the 
horses  to  seek  some  shelter  from  the  wind.  To  grow  weary  and  seek  rest, 
or  to  lie  down  in  the  sleigh  and  become  benumbed,  was  to  perish.     And  so 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  557 

he  remained  between  the  horses  amid  the  bitter  cold,  until  a  shrill  sound, 
the  distant  crowing  of  a  rooster  before  the  morning  dawned,  indicated  the 
direction  of  a  human  dwelling.     Proceeding  toward  that  cheering  sound, 
he  reached  the  house,  and  found  shelter,  warmth  and  rest.    It  was  a  night 
which  he  never  forgot — the  winter  night  spent  on  Twenty-Mile  Prairie." 
Henry  Sasse,  Sr.,  started  once  for  Chicago,  but  near  Dyer  stuck  fast 
in  the  mud.     After  hard  labor  in  the  mud  and  water,  he  managed  to  ex- 
tricate his  wagon,  but  by  that  time  night  had  set  in,  and  he  could  proceed 
no  further.     On  another  occasion,  he  went  to  Chicago  for  a  load  of  lum- 
ber.    The  roads  were  bad,  and   the  creeks   and   swamps   swollen.      He 
reached,  on  his  return,  a  rude  bridge  over  a   deep,  rushing   creek,   and 
seeing  that  others  had  preceded   him   in  safety,   he  attempted   to   cross. 
When  on  the  middle,  one  of  the  horses  broke  through  the  pucheons,  and 
the  opposite  end  flying  up  and  striking  the  other  horse  caused  it  to  plunge 
against  its  mate  and  crowd  it  from  the  bridgje,  and  both   horses  and   the 
heavily  loaded  wagon  went  crashing  into  the   creek  below.     Just   as  the 
wagon  plunged  over,  Mr.  Sasse,  fortunately  for  him,  had  leaped  on  the 
bridge.     He  hastened  below,  and  by  rapid  movements  in  cutting  and  un- 
buckling the  harness,  managed  to  get  both  animals  out  of  the   mud  and 
water  and  up  the  slippery  bank,  where  they  were  tied   to  trees   and  in- 
spected.    The  leg  of  one  of  the  horses  had  been   found  thrust  between 
the  spokes  of  the   hind  wheel.     The   linch-pin   was  taken   out,  and  the 
wheel  removed  before  the  animal  could  be  released.     Strange  as   it  may 
appear,  neither  horse  was  seriously  injured.     The  lumber  was  carried  up 
the  bank,  piece  by  piece,  and  the  wagon  ditto,  and  after  several  hours  the 
journey  home  was  resumed.     It  took  considerable  currying  of  the  horses, 
and  washing  of  the  man,  before  all  traces  of  the  accident  were  removed. 
Such  incidents  as  the  above  could  be  multiplied   without  limit.     Every 
family  had  a  constant  similar  experience. 

Erection  of  Township. — Prior  to  June  8,  1853,  Hanover  Township, 
as  it  now  is,  was  part  and  parcel  of  Centre  Township,  but  at  that  date 
the  County  Commissioners  ordered  that  all  of  Centre  commencing  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Section  3-4,  Township  34,  Range  9;  thence  north  on 
on  the  section  line  to  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  3,  Township  34, 
Range  9  ;  thence  west  on  the  line  between  townships  34  and  35  north, 
to  the  Illinois  State  line  ;  thence  south  along  the  State  line  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  Section  36,  Township  34,  Range  10  ;  thence  east  along 
the  line  between  Townships  33  and  34,  Range  9,  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, should  constitute  a  new  township  to  be  known  as  Hanover.  Her- 
man Doescher  was  appointed  Constable,  and  George  Willey,  H.  P.  Rob- 
bins  and  Henry  Van  HoUen,  Trustees.  The  Trustees  met  for  the  first 
at  the  house  of  George  Willey  on  the  10th  of  June,  1853  ;  George  Willey 


558  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

was  elected  President  of  the  Board,  Seth  0.  Gardner,  Clerk,  and  Her- 
man Doescher,  Treasurer.  The  township  was  divided  into  the  following 
road  districts :  No.  1 — Sections  1,  12,  13  in  Range  10,  and  Sections 
6,  7  and  18  in  Range  9.  No.  2— Sections  3,  4,  5,  8,  9  and  10  in 
Range  9.  No.  3 — Sections  15,  16,  IT,  20,  21  and  22,  and  parts  of 
18  and  19  in  Range  9.  No.  4— Sectrons  27,  28,  29,  32,  33,  34 
and  parts  of  30  and  31.  No.  5 — Sections  19  and  parts  of  30  and 
31  in  Range  9,  and  24,  25  and  36  in  Range  10.  Township  elections 
were  ordered  held  at  the  house  of  Mathias  Gusen. 

Schools,  etc. — In  1838,  quite  a  large  hewed-log  schoolhouse  was  erected 
at  Cedar  Lake  through  the  influence,  principally,  of  Hervej  Ball,  Aaron 
Cox  and  the  Nordykes.  Mr.  Ball  allowed  the  ground,  and  paid  the 
greater  portion  of  the  expense  of  erecting  the  house.  Who  first  taught 
in  this  building  is  not  certainly  known.  In  June,  1839,  Mrs.  J.  A.  H. 
Ball  opened  in  this  building  the  first  boarding  school  in  the  county.  In 
addition  to  the  common  branches  there  were  taught  elegant  penmanship, 
drawing  and  painting,  botany,  natural  philosophy,  ''polite  learning," 
surveying,  algebra,  Latin  and  Greek,  etc.  The  students  who  boarded 
and  went  to  Mrs.  Ball  were  Maria  Bradley  and  John  Selkirk,  of  La 
Porte  County  ;  Ann  Nickerson  and  Melissa  Gosset,  of  Porter  County, 
and  Augustus  Wood,  Abby  Wood  and  Sophia  Cutler,  of  Lake  County. 
There  were  some  twenty  or  twenty-five  scholars  in  attendance.  Here, 
until  1849,  was  taught  school,  some  winters  and  all  summers,  but  after 
that  date  summer  school  alone  was  taught  until  1855,  when  the  old  house 
was  disused  for  school  purposes.  Hervey  Ball  was  one  of  the  winter 
teachers.  The  existence  of  this  excellent  school  at  Cedar  Lake  was  the 
means  of  preventing  the  other  schools  of  the  township  from  starting  up 
as  soon  as  they  would  otherwise  have  done.  Small  children,  in  those 
days,  were  not  sent  to  school,  and  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  half- 
grown  boys  and  girls  going  to  Mrs.  Ball  from  on  the  west  side  of  Han- 
over Township,  or  from  its  extreme  north.  For  some  sixteen  years  the 
school  continued  under  the  management  of  Mrs.  Ball,  turning  out  many 
undergraduates,  and  creating  a  demand  for  universal  learning  that  is  felt 
throughout  all  that  locality  to  this  day.  The  existence  of  a  school  of  that 
character  in  the  wild  county  of  Lake,  its  maintenance  in  the  face  of  many 
diflBculties,  the  excellent  system  and  thoroughness  of  the  learning  furnished 
for  a  comparative  pittance,  speak  in  highest  terms  to  the  credit  of  Hervey 
Ball  and  Mrs.  J.  A.  H.  Ball,  to  whom  it  owed  its  commencement  and 
long  continuance.  It  sent  six  students  to  colleges  and  seminaries  by  the 
demand  it  created  for  a  higher  course  of  learning.  In  1846,  there  was 
organized  at  this  schoolhouse  the  "  Cedar  Lake  Lyceum,"  by  the  young 
people  of  Cedar  Lake,   Prairie  West  and   West  Creek.     This  proved  of 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  559 

the  greatest  literary  advantage  to  the  students  of  the  school,  and  was  con- 
tinued several  years.  The  following  year,  in  the  same  house,  was  organ- 
ized the  "  Cedar  Lake  Belles-lettres  Society."  Meetings  were  held  once 
a  month,  young  ladies  were  among  the  members,  and  the  exercises  were 
conducted  in  writing.  Solon  Robinson  delivered  a  memorable  address  to 
the  society,  paying  an  eloquent  complimentary  notice  to  the  educational 
interest  of  the  society  and  the  locality. 

So  far  as  can  be  learned,  no  other  schools  were  taught  in  Hanover 
Township  until  1844  or  1845,  at  which  time  Henry  Sasse,  Sr.,  who  had 
several  children  whom  he  wanted  educated  nearer  than  the  Cedar  Lake 
School,  having  occasion  to  go  to  Dunkard's  Grove,  111.,  met  the  young 
minister  there.  Rev.  Francis  A.  HoiFman,  and  induced  him  to  come  to 
Hanover  to  teach  school,  guaranteeing  him  his  board  and  reasonable 
wages.  A  log  house  owned  by  Mr.  Robbins,  and  situated  north  of  Bruns- 
wick about  half  a  mile,  was  fitted  up  with  rude  seats  and  desks,  and  here 
Mr.  Hoffman  began  teachinoj  in  German  the  few  families  of  children  re- 
siding  in  the  neighborhood.  Timothy  H.  Ball,  then  a  young  man,  stu- 
dent at  the  Cedar  Lake  School,  obtained  permission  upon  the  payment  of 
a  small  tuition  to  attend  the  school  and  prosecute  the  study  of  German. 
Mr.  Hoffman  was  a  man  of  unusual  natural  talent,  was  finely  educated, 
and  taught  a  very  prosperous  and  successful  school ;  he  taught  but  the 
one  term  ;  he  preached  several  times  in  German  to  the  citizens  of  the 
neighborhood.  He  was  a  Professor  of  the  German  Lutheran  views  ;  he 
eventually  removed  to  Chicago,  finally  became  Lieutenant  Governor  of 
Illinois,  and  attained,  by  the  force  of  his  talents,  a  high  political  and  so- 
cial position. 

Immediately  after  this,  quasi  private  schools  were  instituted  in  the  cen- 
tral part  of  the  township,  the  sessions  being  held  in  private  residences, 
but  the  teachers  being  employed  by  the  citizens  of  the  neighborhood. 
Scattering  schools  were  thus  held,  undergoing  frequent  removals,  tempo- 
rary suspensions,  and  uncertain  locations  in  improvised  schoolhouses, 
until  the  common  school  law  of  1852  came  into  effect,  when  the  schools  of 
the  township  underwent  a  pronounced  change.  In  the  summer  of  1853, 
Mary  Wood  was  employed  to  teach  in  District  No.  3  (where  4  now  is),  a 
term  of  three  months,  for  which  she  was  to  receive  ^10  cash  at  the  end  of 
the  term,  and  the  balance  (at  the  rate  of  .$1.50  per  week),  in  an  order  to 
be  paid  as  soon  as  the  funds  allowed.  During  the  same  summer,  Mary 
Portz  taught  at  Hanover  Centre,  or  where  the  Centre  now  is,  as  that  town 
had  not  yet  started  up.  She  was  paid  ^18  for  the  term  of  three  months. 
Twenty-one  scholars  were  enrolled,  and  the  average  attendance  was  fif- 
teen. The  branches  taught  were  :  Webster's  spelling,  Perkins'  reading, 
Davies'  arithmetic,  Mitchell's  geography,  and  writing.     Miss  Wood  had 


560  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

only  six  enrolled,  with  an  average  attendance  of  four.  Her  school  was 
discontinued  at  the  end  of  seven  weeks,  and  she  was  paid  $10.50  for  what 
she  had  done.  At  this  time,  Mary  D.  Tighe  taught  in  District  No.  2, 
where  Brunswick  now  is.  She  was  was  paid  $24  for  twelve  weeks. 
Twenty  scholars  were  enrolled ;  average  attendance,  sixteen.  History, 
grammar  and  mental  arithmetic,  in  addition  to  the  common  branches, 
were  taught.  In  September,  1852,  May  Babee  taught  at  Hanover  Cen- 
tre. Charles  Colvin  was  paid  $175  for  a  house  which  he  furnished  for 
school  purposes  in  District  2  (Brunswick),  and  which  had  been  used  for 
a  dwelling.  The  school  at  Hanover  Centre  was  not  directly  at  the  cen- 
ter ;  it  was  held  in  Henry  Van  Hollen's  house. 

During  the  winter  of  1853-54,  0.  W.  Graves  taught  at  what  is  now 
Brunswick,  or  near  there,  and  Henry  Sasse,  at  Van  Hollen's.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1854,  Calvin  Hunt,  Charles  Hunt  and  Carlos  Hunt,  who  had  been 
attending  the  school  taught  by  Mr.  Graves,  were  turned  out  of  school  by 
the  Trustees  for  bad  conduct.  The  boys  had  been  having  fun  at  the 
master's  expense.  School  was  taught  in  Mr.  Hoffman's  house  for  several 
years.  In  1854,  there  were  four  school  districts.  Francis  Hoffman  was 
Director  in  No.  1 ;  Joseph  Schmal,  in  No.  2 ;  Athanasius  Hepp,  in  No. 
3,  and  Peter  Sauerman,  in  No.  4.  Caroline  Cotes  taught  in  No.  1  ; 
Harriet  A.  Fowler,  in  No.  2 ;  Abby  C.  Sanger,  in  No.  3  for  $45,  and 
Henry  Sasse,  Jr.,  in  No.  4  for  $45.  Mrs.  Pettibone  taught  in  No.  3  in 
1855,  and  Maria  Fancher  in  No.  2,  same  time. 

The  first  schoolhouse  proper  in  the  township,  except  the  one  at 
Cedar  Lake,  was  erected  at  Hanover  Centre  in  1857  by  John  E.  Fraas, 
who  was  paid  by  the  Trustees,  $370.  Soon  after  its  construction  it  was 
inspected  and  found  to  be  "'  unfaithfully  and  unsubstantially  built," 
whereupon  Hervey  Ball  was  appointed  to  supervise  its  completion,  but  he 
was  unable  to  do  so,  and  Hermann  C.  Beckmann  took  his  place  and  was 
paid  $43.54  for  such  service.  The  first  teacher  in  this  house  was  Henry 
Sasse,  Jr.,  who  taught  three  months  for  $60.  Miss  Fancher  taught  at 
Brunswick  in  1857-58,  three  months,  for  $25  per  month,  the  highest 
wages  that  had  been  paid  in  the  common  schools  of  the  township  up  to 
that  time.  In  July,  1857,  the  following  citizens,  living  in  the  school  dis- 
trict north  of  Brunswick,  petitioned  for  a  schoolhouse  on  Section  12, 
Range  10,  the  building  to  be  20x24  feet :  Athanasius  Hepp,  Frederick 
Hue,  Christopher  Wassman,  Christopher  Piepho,  Henry  Seehausen, 
Conrad  Seegers,  Henry  Wassman,  William  Noehren,  Frederick  Ochler- 
king,  Conrad  Oldendorf,  Gottlieb  Burtle,  William  Bauermosser,  George 
Leseman,  Auton  Griss,  Fred  Batterman  and  Charles  Hitzeman.  A 
small  frame  house  was  built  in  response  to  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners, 
but  not  immediately.     The  first  schoolhouse  in  District  No.  5  was  built 


HANOVER   TOWNSHIP.  561 

by  Charles  Groman,  Trustee,  in  1862,  at  a  cost  of  $220.96.  The  house, 
a  small  frame  structure,  was  located  on  Section  32.  School  had  been 
previously  held  in  the  neighborhood  in  private  houses.  In  1864,  the 
liouse  in  District  No.  6  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  §244.77.  This  was  the 
first  in  that  district,  and  is  yet  in  use.  The  first  real  schoolhouse  in  Dis- 
trict No.  2  was  erected  in  October,  1864,  the  cost  amounting  to  §432.78. 
This  house  was  afterward  removed  to  Klassville,  where  it  is  yet  used  for 
school  purposes.  William  A.hles  erected  the  house  in  District  No.  3 
about  this  time,  the  cost  amounting  to  $463.72.  In  1869,  Charles  Gro- 
man, Trustee,  erected  the  present  two-storied  frame  schoolhouse  at  Bruns- 
wick at  a  cost  of  $1,279.53,  the  land  upon  which  it  was  located  costing 
an  additional  $25.  This  is  much  the  best  schoolhouse  in  the  townships, 
and  is  highly  complimentary  of  the  educational  interest  manifested  by  the 
citizens  of  the  small  village  of  Brunswick.  In  1858,  Miss  Ann  Schillo 
taught  sixty-five  days  in  District  No.  4  for  $60,  and  Miss  Henrietta  Ball 
taught  three  months  in  District  No.  1,  three  hours  a  day,  for  $30. 
Charles  Ball  taught  in  District  No.  1  the  winter  of  1858-59,  and  George 
F.  Gerlach  in  District  No.  4.  Charles  A.  Miller  taught  at  the  same 
time  in  District  No.  2.  Henry  Sasse  taught  in  1859-60  in  District  No. 
1,  and  E.  Sprague  at  the  same  date  in  District  No.  4.  At  the  same  time, 
Fred  Leutheusser  taught  in  District  No.  3.  Every  district  had  schools 
before  the  first  houses  were  built,  but  as  no  record  of  the  same  was  kept, 
and  recollection  refuses  to  reveal  the  facts,  but  little  authentic  can  be 
given.  An  additional  schoolhouse  was  erected  a  few  years  ago  in  the 
northeastern  corner  to  accommodate  the  families  living  there,  but  the 
house  is  now  owned  by  private  parties. 

Villages,  etc. — The  first  store  in  Hanover  Centre  was  opened  about 
fifteen  years  ago  by  Frank  Massoth,  who  has  remained  in  the  mercantile 
business  in  the  village  ever  since.  At  times  he  has  had  as  high  as  $4,000 
worth  of  a  general  assortment  of  goods  in  store.  His  trade  yields  him  a 
comfortable  profit.  A  few  years  after  he  began,  C.  C.  Becker  &  Co. 
opened  a  store  with  about  $1,500  worth  of  goods.  After  some  six  or 
seven  years,  this  company  closed  out  their  goods  at  auction,  and  went 
:o  Chicago.  Jacob  Weis,  the  first  blacksmith,  began  work  some  ten  or 
twelve  years  ago.  John  Schillo  took  his  place  a  few  years  later.  Frank 
Schultz  opened  a  blacksmith  shop  some  seven  years  ago.  Nicholas  Geisen 
began  manufacturing  sledge,  ax,  hammer,  and  other  handles,  on  a  small 
scale,  many  years  ago.  Last  year  an  engine  was  purchased,  since  which 
time  quite  a  heavy  business  in  handles  for  the  Chicago  workshops  is  done. 
Stephen  Meyers  opened  the  first  saloon  about  fifteen  years  since.  He  is 
yet  in  the  same  business,  and  also  keeps  hotel.  John  Winkler  opened 
the  second  saloon  about  eleven  years  ago.     He  was  succeeded  by  Mathias 


562  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Scherer,  and  the  latter  by  Nicholas  Lorscheider,  who  is  yet  in  the  same 
business.  The  present  schoolhouse  at  the  Centre  was  built  about  six 
years  since,  and  cost  between  $600  and  .$700.  Peter  Becker,  an  excel- 
lent sign  painter  and  grainer,  has  been  in  the  village  some  eighteen 
years.     Mr.  Massoth  was  appointed  Postmaster  about  two  years  ago. 

Abel  Farwell  probably,  built  the  first  house  in  Brunswick  nearly  forty 
years  ago.  Later  than  this  Hiram  P.  Bobbins  built  a  dwelling  in  the 
village,  which,  at  that  time,  was  not  thought  of  as  a  village.  Joseph 
Schmal  probably  built  the  third  house  in  about  1853.  In  about  1856,  he 
sold  a  lot  to  Henry  John,  who  erected  a  blacksmith  shop  and  began  work. 
The  next  year  John  H.  Heins  bought  a  lot  of  Abel  Farwell,  and  put  up 
a  large  building  which  is  yet  standing.  In  1856,  Heins  &  Lepin  had 
opened  a  store  north  of  town  about  eighty  rods,  with  some  $1,500  worth 
of  goods ;  but  early  in  1857  they  had  dissolved  partnership,  and  Lepin 
had  bought  of  Herman  Doescher  the  lot  where  Hermann  Beckmann  is 
now  located,  and  had  erected  thereon  a  large  frame  building,  into  which 
he  placed  the  goods  which  fell  to  him  from  his  business  engagement  with 
Heins.  In  June,  1859,  the  building  was  destroyed  accidentally  by  fire, 
though  the  greater  portion  of  the  goods  was  saved.  Charles  Dutton  had 
opened  the  first  store  in  Brunswick  in  the  autumn  of  1855,  having  moved 
from  Eagle  Lake.  His  stock  did  not  exceed  $150  worth.  After  about 
a  year  he  closed  out  his  stock.  As  soon  as  Heins  had  erected  his  large 
building  in  1857,  he  began  the  manufacture  of  vinegar,  and  also  began 
rectifying  spirits  on  quite  an  extensive  scale.  His  house  became  quite  a 
place  of  resort  for  a  party  of  "  swells  "  from  Chicago,  and  for  a  few 
young  men  of  the  neighborhood,  who  had,  with  commendable  skill,  imi- 
tated the  predominant  habits  of  the  plug-uglies  from  Chicago  in  the 
assumption  of  an  air  of  charming  coolness  in  the  adoption  of  an  easy  grace 
in  spending  money,  and  in  wearing  fine  clothes  that  had  not  been  paid 
for,  and  in  learnedly  interlarding  every  expression  with  a  grotesque  com- 
mingling of  quotations  thrown  in  promiscuously,  apparently  from  Vanity's 
pepper-box,  and  that,  too.  without  salt,  from  the  Latin,  Greek  and  other 
languages  that  were  dead  and  buried,  or  ought  to  have  been,  without  hope 
of  resurrection.  Silk  hats,  tight-fitting  gloves,  fashionable  and  costly 
clothes,  rectified  alcohol,  canes,  hunting  excursions,  pleasure  parties, 
Latin  and  Greek,  mountainous  bigotry  and  other  similar  characteristics 
made  up  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  group.  The  villagers  were  far  too 
humble  and  obscure  to  be  recognized.  This  made  them  rabid,  at  least 
they  became  so  incensed  that  they  began  to  retaliate  by  applying  signifi- 
cant and  euphonious  titles  to  the  "swells."  "Stovepipe  party,"  "Latin 
class,"  and  similar  designations  were  applied,  but  without  relief.  Among 
the  group  were  two  European  lordlings,  who  were  fondled  and  petted  as 


HANOVER   TOWNSHIP.  563 

only  such  effeminate  apes  could  endure  without  suicide.  The  villagers 
were  laughed  at  and  ridiculed  until,  finally,  so  hostile  became  the  prevail- 
ing sentiment  against  the  "swells,"  that  they  left  the  neighborhood  amid 
universal  rejoicing  and  thanksgiving. 

As  soon  as  Pepin's  store  was  burned  down,  he  immediately  erected 
another — the  Beckmann  building — and  placed  therein  a  respectable  stock 
of  goods,  but  sold  out  or  traded  out  about  three  years  later  to  Lewis  and 
William  Waterman.  In  1866,  Hermann  Beckmann,  an  excellent  man  of 
great  social  power,  purchased  the  store  of  the  Watermans,  and  has 
remained  in  business  since,  with  a  stock  varying  from  .f  2,000  to  ^3,500. 
Peter  Maack  sold  liquor  in  Brunswick  for  several  years.  Hein  sold  out 
and  went  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Henry  Brenker  began  the  manufacture 
of  wagons  as  early  as  1858.  He  employed  three  men,  and  made  as  high 
as  forty-four  vehicles  in  one  year.  Henry  Jahn  was  his  blacksmith  at 
first,  and  later  Mr.  Bencke.  Valentine  Einsele  began  the  wagon-making 
business  soon  after  Brenker,  and  employed  Jacob  Neis  to  do  his  ironing. 
August  Buchholz  manufactured  butter  tubs,  etc.,  during  the  war.  Messrs. 
Smith,  Lake  &  Mahler,  harness  makers,  were  present  during  the  war.  The 
citizens  of  the  village  wanted  the  post  office  called  Hanover,  but  as  there 
was  already  a  Hanover  in  Indiana,  this  was  refused.  They  then  sug- 
gested Schiller,  in  honor  of  the  great  German  poet,  but  this  was  thought 
cumbersome  by  the  authorities  at  Washington,  who  designated  the  place 
Brunswick,  a  name  it  yet  retains. 

The  physicians  of  Brunswick  have  been  :  Hoffman,  Charles  Gro- 
man,  Constantine  Schlemme,  Walmski  and  Volke.  Dr.  Groman,  the 
present  Township  Trustee,  an  excellent  citizen,  and  an  experienced  phy- 
sician, resides  in  the  village  and  has  all  he  cares  to  do  in  the  line  of  his 
profession. 

Klaasville  was  founded  bv  August  Klaas,  after  whom  it  was  named. 
He  opened  a  store  there  during  the  last  war,  and  continued  in  business 
for  several  years,  having  various  partners  and  a  good  country  trade. 
Among  those  associated  with  him  were  Fred  Lange,  John  Berg  and 
others.  Samuel  Loebstein  was  in  the  mercantile  business  about  a  year. 
Other  merchants  have  been  Boedeker  &  Co.,  Lewis  Berg  and  Lewis  Berg 
&  Co.,  at  present ;  Justis  Brothers  were  in  for  a  short  time.  Mr.  Klaas 
built  the  first  house  in  the  village.  William  and  John  Haas  were  black- 
smiths there. 

Reference  should  be  made  to  the  prominence  to  which  Cedar  Lake 
is  growing  as  a  pleasure  resort.  During  the  warmer  months  for  the  past 
few  years,  its  banks  have  been  covered  with  the  white  tents  of  pleasure 
seekers,  and  its  waters  filled  with  row-boats,  sail-boats  and  a  small 
steamer.     Much  of  the  land   on  the   western  shore  is  now  held   in  small 

II H 


564  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

parcels  by  those  who  expect  to  derive  a  profit  from  the  future  sale  of 
picnic  stores  and  wares.  Such  land  in  some  cases  has  sold  for  almost 
fabulous  amounts.  The  ice  interests  of  the  railroad  and  other  companies 
are  very  large,  hundreds  of  tons  being  packed  annually,  and,  when 
wanted,  shipped  to  Chicago  and  other  markets. 

Religious  Q-rowth^  etc. — In  1838,  a  Baptist  society  was  organized  in 
the  old  schoolhouse  at  Cedar  Lake.  The  first  members  were  Norman 
Warriner,  Marilla  Warriner,  Lewis  Warriner,  Sabra  Warriner,  Richard 
Church,  Sarah  Church,  Mrs.  Valona  Cutler,  Hervey  Ball  and  Jane  Ball. 
Elder  French,  of  Porter  County,  was  present.  At  this  time,  though  it 
was  agreed  to  assemble  for  the  worship  of  God,  no  regular  church  organi- 
zation was  effected.  Meetings  were  to  be  held  alternately  at  Centre 
Prairie,  Prairie  West  and  at  the  Cutlers'  or  Churches',  and  at  H.  Ball's. 
The  class  was  really  organized  in  March,  1839,  with  the  following  first 
members.  Richard  Church,  Anny  Church,  Leonard  Cutler,  Valona  Cut- 
ler, Norman  Warriner,  Marilla  Warriner,  Hervey  Ball,  Jane  Ball  and 
Elizabeth  Horton.  At  the  next  meeting,  Azuba  Leland  and  Sally 
Church  were  received  by  letter.  Still  later  the  following  joined  :  Lewis 
Warriner,  Hannah  Warriner,  Herman  Waggoner  and  Angeline  Wag- 
goner. Elder  French  continued  to  preach  for  the  class.  In  July,  1839, 
Norman  Warriner  was  licensed  to  preach,  his  ordination  being  the  first  in 
the  county,  July  27,  1840.  On  the  20th  of  July,  Albert  Taylor  was 
baptized  in  Cedar  Lake  on  the  west  side.  At  this  time,  the  church  num- 
bered fifteen  members.  W.  T.  Bly  became  pastor  in  1845.  He  also 
held  meetings  in  the  western  part  of  the  township  at  the  Farwells'. 
Elder  Sawin  preached  for  the  class ;  Elder  Kennedy,  from  Twenty-Mile 
Prairie,  also  visited  the  class.  Elder  A.  Hastings  became  the  regular  pas- 
tor in  1848.  In  1846,  there  were  thirty-six  members,  but  in  1849,  only 
twenty-one,  two  new  churches  having  been  formed  from  the  old.  Elder 
T.  L.  Hunt  became  the  fourth  pastor  in  1850.  Up  to  this  time  the 
class  had  met  in  the  Cedar  Lake  Schoolhouse,  at  the  house  of  H.  Ball, 
and  at  other  places,  but  now  it  was  removed  to  the  schoolhouse  on  the 
east  side  of  the  lake.  About  this  time  Hanover  Township  received  large 
colonies  of  Germans  from  the  old  country,  and  soon  all  the  township  was 
densely  populated  with  this  hardy,  industrious  and  humble  class  of  peo- 
ple. As  this  church  was  from  the  commencement  made  up  largely  of 
members  from  Centre  Township,  the  place  of  meeting  was  removed  in 
1850,  to  the  schoolhouse  on  the  east  side.  The  next  pastor  was  Uriah  Mc- 
Kay. The  class  continued  until  1856,  when,  as  other  localities  seemed 
more  favorable  for  the  maintenance  of  classes,  the  society  disbanded,  and 
its  members  joined  churches  in  other  portions  of  the  county.  This  was 
the    oldest    Baptist   society   in    the   county.     It  was  the  parent  of  one 


HANOVER   TOWNSHIP.  665 

in  the  West  Creek  Township,  one  in  Illinois,  and  the  one  at  Crown 
Point.  Notwithstanding  its  long  continuance  and  pronounced  success,  it 
had  no  church  building,  but  conducted  its  services  in  schoolhouses  and 
private  dwellings.  The  good  it  did  throughout  the  county,  cannot  be 
told  in  words.  Its  wide-spread  influence  for  good,  deeply  engraven  in 
the  hearts  of  all  connected  with  it,  is  its  own  imperishable  monument. 

There  have  been  two  church  structures  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
township,  one  succeeding  the  other,  and  both  constructed  by  the  same 
denomination  and  same  society — German  Lutheran.  A  few  years  prior 
to  1857  a  small  class  had  been  formed  in  the  neighborhood,  and  meet- 
ings were  had  at  private  dwellings,  and  at  schoolhouses  such  as  there 
then  were.  Rev.  Peter  Lehmann,  a  very  able  and  worthy  man,  a 
brother  of  John  Lehmann,  editor  of  the  Crow  Point  Freie  Presse, 
was  the  leading  spirit  of  the  class ;  and  it  was  through  his  influ- 
ence and  under  his  excellent  and  well-remembered  ministration  that  the 
society  was  organized  and  placed  on  a  permanent  foundation.  As  early 
as  1856  he  began  urging  the  necessity  of  having  a  permanent  building  in 
which  the  class  could  worship  without  molestation.  A  subscription  paper 
to  defray  the  expense  of  constructing  a  small  frame  church  was  circulated 
and  signed  by  the  following  twenty-two  men,  each  of  whom  agreed  to 
give  $25  :  Charles  Hitzeman,  Fred  Glade,  Christopher  Glade,  Henry 
Glade,  John  Elting,  Henry  Suhausen,  William  Nehrer,  Christopher 
Piepho,  Fritz  Batterman,  Henry  Batterman,  Conrad  Seegers,  Christo- 
pher Seegers,  William  Hothan,  William  Mussman,  George  Leseman, 
Otto  Buehre,  Henry  Schoenbeck,  H.  H.  Heisterberg,  Otto  Russell, 
Christopher  Russell,  Fritz  Ohlerking  and  Fritz  Hue.  A  few  others 
subscribed  small  amounts,  the  whole,  including  the  above,  footing  up  to 
about  $650.  The  house  was  constructed  in  1857,  and  used  constantly 
until  about  ten  years  ago,  when  the  class  having  became  quite  strong 
financially,  though  somewhat  weak  numerically,  built  a  new  frame  church 
at  a  total  cost  of  about  $3,000.  This  building  is  yet  in  use.  Rev.  Mr. 
Lehmann  remained  with  the  class  some  thirteen  years.  He  was  followed 
by  Rev.  Jacob  Furrer,  who  remained  four  years  ;  by  Rev.  Robert 
Ruegg,  who  remained  nearly  four  years ;  by  Rev.  August  Kitterer,  who 
served  nearly  four  years,  and  by  Rev.  Wm.  Wahl,  the  present  pastor,  a 
very  sincere  and  excellent  man.  The  members  of  the  first  were  mostly 
made  up  of  the  families  of  the  above-named  men,  there  being  a  total  of 
some  thirty-two  when  the  church  was  built  in  1857.  Perhaps  the  class 
has  not,  since  it  was  first  organized,  exceeded  forty  members  in  good 
standing.  The  present  membership  is  about  twenty-three.  Mr.  Leh- 
mann, the  founder  of  the  class,  organized  a  Sunday  school  soon  after 
1857.     At  first  the  class  was  large,  numbering  about  sixty,   though   the 


566  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

annual  sessions  were  held  daring  the  winter  months,  and  adjourned  when 
the  busy  time  of  spring  came.  Sometimes  there  has  been  an  interregnum 
of  several  years,  but  usually  the  class  convenes  at  the  approach  of  cold 
weather.  The  church  class  and  the  Sunday  school  class  are  at  present 
in  a  prosperous  condition. 

Saint  Martin's  Catholic  Church  at  Hanover  Centre  was  first  organized 
in  about  the  year  1857,  by  Rev.  Father  Nick,  and  the  class  consisted  of 
some  eighteen  or  twenty  families,  among  which  were  those  of  the  follow- 
ing men:  Mathias  Geisen,  John  Scherer,  John  Kretz,  Peter  Heiser, 
Peter  Klein,  Jacob  Leinen,  Mathias  Lauermann,  J.  J.  Klein,  Leonard 
Hoeltzle,  John  Eble,  John  Roethgen,  George  Emerling,  Michael  Schriver, 
Michael  Einsle,  John  Rhein,  Mr.  Russell,  Patrick  Buckley  and  John 
Drickzel.  The  class,  with  the  true  spirit  of  Catholicism,  grew  quite 
rapidly  in  numbers,  wealth  and  influence.  Meetings  were  at  first  held 
in  dwellings,  but  this  was  very  unsatisfactory  to  the  members  who  had 
been  taught  from  infancy  to  believe  that  the  temple  of  God  should  be  a 
separate,  imposing  and  sacred  structure,  and  dedicated  to  the  sole  use  of 
Christian  worship.  They,  therefore,  began  raising  funds  by  subscription 
for  the  erection  of  a  church,  but  the  construction  was  delayed,  though 
finally  begun  in  1858  and  finished  in  1859.  The  house  was  a  small 
frame  structure,  beautifully  and  tastefully  arranged  in  the  interior,  and 
cost  about  ^800.  The  successors  of  Father  Nick  have  been,  chronolog- 
ically, Fathers  Ranson,  Wehrle,  F.  Siegelack,  H.  Deimel,  1873 ;  William 
Berg,  1876,  and  Charles  Steurer,  a  young  and  promising  man,  the  pres- 
ent pastor.  The  old  church  was  used  until  1867,  when  it  was  destroyed 
by  fire.  How  this  happened  is  not  known,  but  it  was  supposed  that 
kindling  wood,  having  been  left  too  near  a  heated  stove,  caught  fire,  which 
was  communicated  to  the  floor.  The  families  belonging  numbered  at 
this  time  about  forty-five.  Funds  were  immediately  subscribed,  and  the 
present  fine  frame  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  §2,500.  The 
architectural  design  and  ornamentation  on  the  interior  will  compare 
favorably  with  other  country  Catholic  churches  throughout  the  county 
and  State.  About  sixty  families  belong  to  the  church  at  present.  A 
well-attended  Sunday  school  has  been  in  existence  since  soon  after  the 
first  church  was  built. 

St.  Anthony's  Catholic  Churoh  society  at  Klassville  was  first  organ- 
ized during  the  last  war  by  Bishop  John  Henry  Luess,  and  soon  afterward 
a  neat  frame  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $2,000,  August 
Klass  was  largely  instrumental  in  securing  the  construction  of  the  house. 
He  obtained  the  co-operation  not  only  of  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church  living  in  the  vicinity  in  Indiana,  but  also  of  many  residing  across 
the  line  in  Illinois.     It  is  thought  that  Rev.  Charles  Ganzer  was  the  first 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  567 

pastor  of  the  class,  though  this  is  not  certain.  Other  pastors  in  charge 
have  been  Fathers  Nick,  King,  Fuchs,  Reussen,  Michael,  Wehrle,  Bartoz 
and  Seigelock.  The  class  first  started  with  less  than  twenty  families,  but 
since  then  has  had  as  high  as  between  fifty  and  sixty.  The  society  is 
prosperous.  Sunday  school  was  started  at  the  time  the  house  was  built. 
Statistics. — In  1858,  the  condition  of  the  township  fund  was  as  fol- 
lows : 

ROAD    FUND. 

Balance  from  last  year ^     9  85 

From  County  Treasurer 8  35 

From  other  sources 2  00 

Total $  20  20 

Paid  out  on  orders 16  20 

Balance  on  hand $     4  00 

TOWNSHIP     FUND. 

Balance  from  last  year $     7  39 

Received  from  County  Treasurer 188  57 

Total 1190  96 

Paid  out  on  orders 45  25 

Balance  on  hand $145  71 

SPECIAL   SCHOOL    FUND. 

Balance  from  last  year $151  11 

From  County  Treasurer 178  37 

Total.. $.329  48 

Paid  on  orders 370  00 

Balance  due  Treasurer $  40  52 

STATE    REVENUE    SCHOOL    FUND. 

Balance  from  last  year $151  63 

From  County  Treasurer 148  98 

Total $300  51 

Paid  out  on  orders •  •  •  • 131  00 

Balance  on  hand $169  51 


568  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BT   G.    A.    GARARD. 

St.  Johns  Township— Organization  and  Official  History— Villages 
OF  Dyer,  St.  Johns  and  Sciiererville— Industrial  Pursuits  — 
Schools  and  Churches— The  Early  Settlement— Curious  and  In- 
teresting Incidents— A.  Large  Farm. 

THIS  township  took  its  name  from  the  town  of  St.  Johns,  which  was 
named  after  John  Hack,  and  not  for  the  church  of  St.  John  (the  Evan- 
gelist), as  has  been  stated  by  some  writers.  The  township  of  St,  Johns 
was  formed  from  Centre  Township  by  an  order  of  the  County  Commis- 
sioners, bearing  date  of  June  8,  1848.  It  was  then  ordered  that  Town- 
ship 35,  Range  9,  and  Township  25,  Range  10,  be  constituted  a  town- 
ship to  be  known  as  St.  Johns.  No  changes  in  the  size  or  boundaries  of 
the  township  have  yet  occurred.  In  March,  1865,  a  petition  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Board  by  sundry  citizens  of  St.  Johns  Township,  praying 
that  Sections  1,  12,  13,  24,  25  and  36,  Township  35,  Range  10,  might 
be  a  constituted  township  to  be  known  as  Dyer ;  but  the  prayer  of  the 
petitioners  was  not  answered.  June  8,  1848,  it  was  ordered,  "  That  the 
first  election  to  be  held  in  the  Township  of  St.  Johns,  shall  be  holden  on 
the  first  Monday  of  August  next,  at  the  now  dwelling-house  of  John 
Ennis,  in  said  township,  and  that  Daniel  Rosecrants  be  and  he  is  hereby 
appointed  Inspector  of  Elections  in  and  for  said  township."  On  the  same 
date,  it  was  ordered,  "  That  the  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Lake 
County,  be  authorized  and  directed  to  issue  a  writ  of  election  for  one  ad- 
ditional Justice  of  the  Peace,  in  and  for  the  Township  of  St.  Johns." 
At  the  same  time,  it  was  ordered,  "  That  Mathew  J.  Hack  be  and  is 
hereby  appointed  a  Constable,  in  and  for  the  Township  of  St.  Johns." 
His  certificate  was  issued  June  19,  1848.  It  was  also  ordered  at  the 
same  time,  ''  That  Benjamin  Stallcup  and  E.  D.  Owens  be  and  they  are 
hereby  appointed  Fence  Viewers,  in  and  for  the  Township  of  St.  Johns." 
There  is  on  record  a  certificate  of  John  Hack's  election  as  Township 
Trustee,  bearing  date  of  September  29,  1858,  signed  by  Joseph  Jackson, 
County  Auditor. 

Town  of  Dyer. — The  plat  of  the  Town  of  Dyer  bears  date  of  June 
1,  1855,  upon  the  plat  book.  A  note  on  the  page  says  :  "  No  doubt  an 
error  in  date  of  plat  of  record,"  but  does  not  give  the  correct  or  sup- 
posed date.  It  gives  the  location  of  the  town  as  upon  the  southwest 
quarter  of  Section  12,  Town  35  north.  Range  10  west.     The  plat  shows 


ST.  JOHNS  TOWNSHIP.  569 

Illinois,  Indiana,  Mattison,  Calumet,  Ross,  Lake,  East  and  West  streets, 
the  Joliet  and  Northern  Indiana  Railroad,  and  the  State  Line.  Non- 
dorf's  Addition  to  Dyer  is  stated  to  be  a  part  of  the  southwest  quarter  of 
the  southeast  quarter  of  Section  12,  Town  35,  Range  10  west.  The 
sizes  of  the  lots,  width  of  streets  and  alleys  are  marked  upon  the  plat. 
Given  under  the  hand  and  seal  of  B.  Nondorf,  March  22,  1858.  The 
following  is  the  surveyor's  certificate  with  the  above  mentioned  record  : 

State  of  Indiana,  "> 
Lake  County.      j 

Before  me  Mathias  Schmidt,  Surveyor  of  said  county,  came  the  above  named  B.  Non- 
dorf and  acknowledged  the  execution  of  the  above  plat  as  his  act  and  deed.  Witness  my 
hand  and  seal  this  March  22d,  1858. 

[Seal.]  Mathias  Schmidt,  Surveyor  of  Lake  County. 

This  plat  was  recorded  March  28,  1858,  and  shows  three  blocks, 
Mattison  street  and  sixteen  lots.  Hart's  Addition  to  the  Town  of  Dyer, 
on  Sections  12  and  13,  Township  35,  Range  10,  by  A.  N.  Hart.  Ac- 
knowledged before  Amos  Allman,  Recorder  of  Lake  County,  on  February 
11,  1859.  It  shows  Hart  and  Joliet  streets,  and  a  large  number  of  lots. 
This  place  has  been  for  years  a  great  grain  market.  Keilman  &  Lowen- 
berg  have  a  large  grain  elevator,  which  they  are  now  enlarging,  fitting 
up  with  steam  and  all  the  modern  improvements.  This  was  built  by  the 
Michigan  Central  Railroad  Company  and  owned  by  them  until  July, 
1882,  when  it  was  bought  by  the  above-named  firm.  It  has  been  run  by 
the  present  owners  for  about  eight  years.  J.  L.  Hurt  managed  it  for  a 
while  before  it  came  into  the  hands  of  the  present  owners.  Du  Brueil  k 
Keilman  ran  it  for  ten  years.  It  used  to  do  a  very  large  business,  and  it 
is  the  intention  of  the  present  owners  to  build  up  the  business  to  its 
former  proportions.  These  gentlemen  handle  lumber  and  agricultural 
implements  also.  The  first  business  house  in  town  was  built  by  John 
Streets  in  1856.  He  did  business  in  it  for  two  years,  since  which  time  a 
saloon  has  been  kept  in  the  house.  Mr.  Wolcott  built  the  second  store: 
he  sold  to  Chase,  who  sold  to  a  Jew  from  Chicago.  It  has  since  been 
used  as  a  saloon.  The  third  store  was  built  by  F.  L.  Keilman  and  Leon- 
ard Keilman  in  1858.  This  was  owned  by  Keilman  &  Austtuen  in  1866, 
and  is  now  kept  by  C.  Austtuen.  The  fourth  store  was  kept  by  D.  Low- 
enberg,  from  1866  to  1876,  when  he  sold  to  August  Klass,  who,  in  three 
years,  sold  to  Charles  Sauter  &  Co.,  who  are  running  the  business  at 
present.  In  1875,  there  was  a  general  store  kept  by  Christopher  Rich. 
In  two  years  he  sold  to  Nemping  &  Stummel,  who  manage  the  business 
now.  The  building  was  bought  in  1881,  of  Rich,  by  Lowenberg.  A 
hardware  store  was  established  in  1870,  by  Joseph  Peshel.  A  furniture 
store  was  started  in  1867.  The  Louisville  &  New  Albany  Railroad  was 
finished  to  the  town  during  the  summer  of  18  S2,  which  gave  the  town  two 


570  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

roads  and  a  new  impulse  in  business.  The  post  office  is  at  present  in 
the  hands  of  Charles  J.  Sauter,  who  has  held  it  for  two  years.  Julius 
Neifing  preceded  him  for  a  period  of  two  years,  and  his  predecessor  was 
was  Francis  Densberger,  who  was  in  charge  three  or  four  years.  In 
1876,  Claudius  Austgen  had  the  office.  Nick  Sherer  also  had  charge 
of  it  for  a  time.  The  last  teacher  of  the  town  schools  was  William  Es- 
wein,  who  has  taught  two  years  here.  Before  him,  John  Kimmat  taught 
two  years,  who  was  preceded  by  Thomas  Patz  for  one  year,  and  he  by 
Julius  Neifing,  who  gave  such  good  satisfaction  that  he  was  retained  for 
nine  years.  He  taught  the  school  for  eight  years  alone,  when  Mr.  Molle 
was  hired  as  assistant.  A.  Stren^  tausjht  the  school  before  Mr.  Neifing. 
The  present  schoolhouse  has  been  built  six  years.  Before  it  was  built  the 
school  was  held  in  a  building  belonging  to  the  Catholic  congregation,  and 
is  now  occupied  by  the  Sisters.  Before  that,  there  was  a  small,  frame 
schoolhouse  about  twenty  feet  square.  The  assistant  in  the  school  has 
usually  been  one  of  the  Sisters. 

There  are  five  saloons  that  furnish  "refreshments"  and  entertain- 
ment suited  to  man  or  beast.  Two  of  these  are  distinguished  by  the 
names,  "  State  Line  Hotel  "  and  "Dyer  Hotel."  The  first  landlord  at 
Dyer  was  a  man  named  Page,  who  was  also  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the 
township.  There  are  two  doctors — A.  Scidler,  a  German,  and  Dr.  J.  W. 
Johns,  an  American,  who  has  been  in  the  practice  here  for  fourteen  years. 
Dr.  Hoffman  was  formerly  a  practitioner  here.  John  Stech  established  a 
tannery  here  in  1864,  and  still  holds  forth  by  the  bridge.  A  blacksmith 
shop  is  run  by  Jacob  Shaifer.  Scheldt  &  Davis  own  and  run  a  large 
flour  and  feed  mill.  It  has  been  owned  by  them  since  1875.  The  mill 
was  built  about  twenty-five  years  ago.  A.  Du  Breuil  &  Co.  owned  it  for 
fifteen  years,  and  bought  it  a  short  time  after  it  was  built.  It  has  been 
added  to  until  its  present  value,  $15,000,  is  about  double  its  first  value. 
Its  capacity  is  100  barrels  in  twenty- four  hours.  The  present  owners  of 
the  mill  have  a  fine  herd  of  about  100  swine,  of  a  new  and  valuable 
breed  known  as  the  Victoria.  The  Victorias  are  attracting  a  great  deal 
of  attention  among  stock  men,  and  promise  to  take  the  lead  as  a  breed. 
They  have  already  gained  many  premiums  and  honors  at  fairs  and  live 
stock  shows.  The  breed  was  originated  by  crossing  the  best  breeds,  and 
then  breeding  "  in  and  in  "  from  selected  animals  until  it  became  a  per- 
manent breed,  with  the  good  points  of  all  the  varieties  used  in  the 
"crossing."  A  door  and  blind  factory  was  built  here  in  1870,  and  ran 
about  two  years  and  a  half,  when  it  was  burned.  A  distillery  was  built 
in  1863,  ran  about  a  year  and  a  half,  when  it  was  closed  by  the  Govern- 
ment. J.  H.  Kasper,  of  Dyer,  has  invented  an  incubator  that  will  beat 
a  setting  hen  so  badly  that  she  will  quit  the  business  and  go  to  laying 


ST.  JOHNS   TOWNSHIP.  571 

again.     It  is  not  yet  patented,  bat  certainly  ought  to  be.     The  present 
{)opulation  of  Dyer  is  not  far  from  400. 

Town  of  St.  Johns. — As  already  stated,  the  town  of  St.  Johns  was 
named  from  John  Hack.  The  locality  was  called  in  early  times  "  Western 
Prairie,"  or  "Prairie  West,"  but  when  a  post  office  was  secured  the  peo- 
ple called  a  meeting  for  the  purpose  of  deciding  upon  a  name.  The  mat- 
ter was  discussed,  and  finally  decided.  It  was  agreed  to  name  it  in  honor 
of  John  Hack,  the  first  German  to  settle  in  the  region.  It  was  decided 
that  "  St."  should  be  prefixed  to  John,  not  because  they  wanted  to  can- 
onize Mr.  Hack,  but  just  for  euphony.  An  "  s  "  was  added  to  John,  so 
that  Mr.  Hack  furnished  four  letters  and  the  people  three,  giving  him  a 
majority  of  one.  The  official  history  of  the  town  of  St.  Johns  is  as  fol- 
lows : 

The  town  of  St.  Johns  was  laid  out  by  Peter  Thielan  in  the  month  of  November, 
1881,  on  a  part  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  33,  Town  No.  35  north,  Range  9 
west,  of  the  Second  P.  M.  of  Lake  County,  Ind.  The  dimensions  of  the  lots,  streets  and 
alleys  are  marked  on  the  map  in  feet  and  decimals  of  a  foot.  Peter  Tuielan. 

Office  of  Covnty  Surveyor.        ") 
CaowN  Point,    December   10,    1881.  j 

1  do  hereby  certify  that  the  above  is  a  correct  map  of  the  town  of  St.  John.  Wit- 
ness my  hand  and  seal  this  10th  day  of  December,  1881. 

John  Fisher,   County  Surveyor.     [Seal.] 
State  of  Indiana,  ~l 
Lake  County,       J 
Before  me,  Richard  W.  Price,  Recorder  in  and  for  said  county  and  State,  personally 
came  Peter  Thielm  and  duly  acknowledged  the  execution  of  the  annexed  plat.     Witness 
my  hand  and  seal  this  17th  of  December,  1881.  Richard  W.  Price,   Recorder. 

The  plat  was  recorded  December  17,  1881.  It  shows  Schmal,  Orth, 
Hack  and  Thielan  streets  and  the  Louisville,  New  Albany  &  Chicago 
depot  grounds.  There  are  thirty-three  lots.  Lot  No.  1  contains  5y\j^ 
acres,  and.  Lot  No.  2,  Ij^^^  acres.  There  is  a  fine  brick  store  here.  It 
is  24x80  feet,  two  stories  and  a  basement,  owned  by  Keilman  &  Gerlach. 
This  firm  has  been  in  business  here  sixteen  years,  during  which  time 
they  have  kept  a  large  general  stock  and  have  done  an  extensive  busi- 
ness. It  is  now  one  of  the  best  stores  in  the  county.  H.  Keilman 
started  the  first  store  here  and  conducted  it  for  six  years ;  then  he  asso- 
ciated with  his  brother  Frank,  and  they  were  partners  for  ten  or  eleven 
years.  There  are  two  blacksmith-shops  in  town.  J.  M.  Thiel  and  Joseph 
G.  Schmal  are  the  proprietors.  Both  of  these  make  wagons.  There  are 
three  shoemakers  in  town,  but  no  regular  shoe-shop.  H.  Keilman  kept 
the  first  tavern.  There  is  now  a  combined  saloon  and  tavern  in  town 
where  accommodations  suited  to  man  or  beast  can  be  found.  The  town 
has  usually  had  two  saloons.  The  post  office  has  been  kept  by  F.  Keil- 
man for  twenty-seven  years.     Old  Mr.  Hack  kept  it  for  a  number   of 


572  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

years  at  first.  This  town,  the  oldest  in  the  township  and  one  of  the  old- 
est in  the  county,  has  always  had  and  still  has  the  name  of  being  a  very 
peaceable  place.  The  arrival  of  the  locomotive  has  recently  stirred  the 
quiet  old  village  and  given  it  a  new  impulse  on  the  road  to  prosperity. 
It  is  now  able  to  compete  with  its  neighboring  towns,  which  were  favored 
sooner  by  visits  from  the  modern  Mogul  of  commerce — the  steam  engine. 
A  short  distance  south  and  east  of  town,  upon  an  eminence,  is  the  Hack 
Cemetery,  a  private  burying-ground.  It  is  entered  by  passing  under  a 
fine  cut-stone  arch,  and  contains  a  beautiful  and  expensive  family  monu- 
ment. Several  physicians  have  located  in  town,  but  soon  finding  that  the 
people  were  too  healthy  to  require  their  services,  they  left  for  less  fav- 
ored localities.     It  seems  to  be  an  unhealthy  community — for  doctors. 

Town  of  Schereriille. — The  Town  of  Schererville  was  surveyed  by 
N.  D.  Wright,  and  is  situated  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  northwest 
quarter  of  Section  15,  Township  35,  Range  9  west,  and  on  the  northeast 
quarter  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  16,  Township  35,  Range  9 
west.  All  except  the  fractional  lots  in  town  plat  have  fifty  feet  front  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  back.  Nicholas  Scherer  and  N.  D.  Wright 
were  the  proprietors.  The  plat  shows  Anna,  Francisco,  Mary,  Margaret, 
Wilhelm  and  Joliet  streets  and  Nicholas  alley,  and  one  hundred  and 
eighty-four  lots.  It  shows  also  the  Chicago  &  Great  Eastern  Railway. 
The  soil  in  and  around  the  town  is  sandy,  and  wells  are  usually 
"driven."  There  are  here  the  usual  number  of  mechanics  and  artisans, 
The  place  has  a  population  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  does  a 
good  business  in  general  merchandise  and  stock.  A  good  schoolhouse  of 
one  room  stands  in  the  northern  part  of  town. 

Schools  and  Churches. — This  township  is  well  supplied  with  good 
schoolhouses.  There  are  eight  of  them,  all  of  which  are  substantial 
structures  ;  and  most  of  them  are  neat  and  well  kept.  Two  of  these 
have  two  rooms ;  the  one  at  St.  Johns  and  the  one  at  Dyer.  The  first 
school  of  the  township  was  taught  at  St.  Johns  by  a  Sister  named  Fran- 
ces, from  Notre  Dame.  The  second  school  was  taught  by  Brother  Bene- 
dict, at  the  same  place.  He  was  from  Notre  Dame  also.  The  Sisters 
and  Brothers  maintained  a  school  here  until  during  the  war,  when  George 
Gerla(^h  took  charge  of  it ;  after  him,  Edward  Meyer  taught  for  three 
years.  He  was  followed  by  August  Kerchter,  who  taught  three  years  ; 
then  A.  J.  Gerlach  took  charge  of  the  school  as  Principal,  with  Adeline 
Leible  as  assistant.  Both  English  and  German  are  taught  in  both  de- 
partments of  the  school.  The  first  schoolhouse  built  in  the  township  was 
a  small  frame  in  the  town  of  St.  Johns.  This,  was  used  as  a  Catholic 
Church.  It  was  built  in  1849.  The  present  house  is  a  neat  two-story 
frame,  nicely  painted.     The  second  schoolhouse  in  the  township  was  the 


ST.  JOHNS  TOWNSHIP.  573 

"  Line  Schoolhouse,"  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  St.  Johns.  It  was 
built  about  the  year  1854.  The  first  teacher  here  was  Joe  Vornhultz, 
Esq.,  the  second  was  Miss  Doyle  and  then  George  F.  Gerlach.  The 
*'  Herman  Schoolhouse,"  which  is  about  three  and  a  half  miles  west  of 
St.  Johns,  has  been  built  about  sixteen  years.  Anthony  Miller  was  its 
first  teacher,  and  Aloycious  Strong  the  second.  Streng  taught  the  school 
for  a  number  of  years.  John  Ofuloch  taught  the  school  for  a  time.  The 
last  teacher  in  this  district  was  Bernard  Boecker,  who  has  taught  here  a 
number  of  terms.  The  other  schools  of  the  district  are  similar  to  those 
described.  They  are  supplied  with  teachers  who  speak  both  German 
and  English.  The  people  of  the  township  are  equally  determined  that 
their  children  shall  learn  the  English  and  that  they  shall  not  forget  the 
German. 

There  are  three  churches  in  the  township.  These  are  all  Catholic. 
They  are  located  at  St.  Johns,  Dyer  and  Schererville.  No  other  denom- 
ination has  ever  organized  within  the  township.  The  township  is  almost 
unanimously  Catholic,  as  it  is  almost  entirely  German.  The  mother 
church  of  these  three  and,  in  fact,  of  Catholicism  in  Lake  County,  is  the 
Church  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  in  St.  Johns.  It  was,  for  a  number  of 
years,  simply  amission,  but  about  1842  they  built  a  small  frame  church,  about 
half  a  mile  southeast  of  the  site  of  the  present  church.  In  1846,  they  built  a 
large  log  church  to  accommodate  the  rapidly  increasing  congregation.  This 
was  torn  down  in  1857.  The  small  frame  which  they  built  at  first  was 
afterward  used  for  a  number  of  years  as  a  schoolhouse.  The  present  com- 
modious and  handsome  church  was  built  in  1855.  The  present  member- 
ship is  about  110  families.  The  present  priest  is  Father  Anthony  Heit- 
raenn,  who  has  been  in  charge  twelve  years.  Before  him.  Father  B. 
Rachor  was  in  charge  for  about  the  same  length  of  time.  Cost  of  house, 
$10,000;  present  value  of  church  property,  $13,000.  The  first  priest 
was  Father  Fisher,  who  organized  the  church.  At  the  southeast  corner 
of  the  church  stands  a  tall,  white,  emblematic  cross.  Just  south  of  the 
church  is  a  Catholic  graveyard,  and  just  southwest  of  the  church  stands  a 
neat,  comfortable  parsonage.  This  church  is  said  to  stand  on  the  highest 
land  in  the  county.  St.  Johns  stands  upon  the  water-shed.  For  many 
years,  the  church  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist  was  the  only  one  for  miles 
around,  and  to  it  the  Catholic  Christians  from  far  and  near  assembled  for 
worship.  Here  assembled  thelargest  congregations  that  have  ever  assem- 
bled at  any  church  in  the  county.  Finally,  in  the  year  1867,  some  of 
the  enterprising  brethren  in  the  vicinity  of  Dyer  resolved  to  leave  the 
parent  church  aud  build  them  a  home  of  their  own.  They  did  so,  and  in 
1867,  at  Dyer,  was  born  the  first  child  of  the  mother  church.  The  build- 
ing at  Dyer  cost  about  $5,000,  and  the  present  value  of  church  property 


574  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

is  about  ^7,000.  Rev.  Jacob  Schmitz  was  the  priest  who  organized  the 
church.  The  second  priest  was  Rev.  Theodore  Borge ;  the  third,  Rev. 
King ;  the  fourth,  Rev.  Frund ;  the  fifth.  Rev.  Charles  Steurer ;  the 
sixth,  Rev.  Joseph  Flach,  who  is  the  present  priest.  All  of  these  were 
born  in  Germany.  The  present  membership  is  eighty  families,  all  of 
whom  are  Germans.  The  following  is  a  list  of  those  who  gave  most 
toward  the  erection  of  the  church  in  1867.  This  is  the  original  list,  and 
it  is  very  likely  that  many  of  those  mentioned  gave  more  before  the  church 
was  finished  :  Leonard  Keilman  and  Anton  Scheldt,  $200  each  ;  Ber- 
nard Greiving  and  Claudius  Austgen,  $150  each;  Nicholas  Schultz, 
Peter  Deiser,  Franz  Greiving  and  Gerard  Specker,  $125  each ;  Jacob 
Schafer,  $100 ;  Mathew  and  Margaretha  Ambre,  $100;  John  Sauter, 
Moritz  Peters,  T.  Gill,  N.  Ambre,  T.  Mangold,  B.  Mandorf,  T.  L. 
Du  Brueil,  Peter  Klein,  Thomas  Steck  and  H.  Specker,  each  $50;  Adam 
Scholler,  $40 ;  H.  Kettver,  A.  Tager,  M.  Scherer  and  —  Austgen,  $25 
each;  and  about  four  times  as  many  more  contributed,  according  to  their 
means  or  liberality,  until  $3,489.95  was  raised.  The  church  was  repaired 
about  two  years  ago,  at  a  cost  of  $500,  and  the  work  seems  to  be  in  a 
very  prosperous  condition.  Another  of  the  promising  progeny  of  the 
mother  church  is  St.  Michael's,  at  Schererville.  This  child  was  born  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1874.  There  were  from  90  to  100  families  belong- 
ing soon  after  its  organization,  and  the  membership  at  present  is  about 
the  same.  The  church  stands  upon  a  pleasant  eminence  above  the 
town  and  the  railroad.  It  was  built  in  1874  at  a  cost  of  $5,000.  Just 
to  the  northeast  of  the  church  is  a  cozy  priest's  house,  with  well  kept 
lawn  in  front.  The  value  of  church  property  is  at  present  about  $8,000. 
The  priest  now  in  charge  is  Rev.  William  Berg,  a  genial  and  gentlemanly 
man  of  God.  He  has  labored  here  about  a  year  and  a  half.  His  prede- 
cessor was  Father  Deimel,  who  was  in  charge  for  four  years.  He  was 
preceded  by  Rev.  Bathe,  who  stayed  only  five  months,  and  before  him 
Rev.  King  was  in  charge  two  years.  Before  this  time,  no  one  supplied 
the  pulpit  for  a  time. 

Industries,  etc. — The  industries  of  the  township  have  been  almost 
entirely  of  an  agricultural  nature,  or  of  a  nature  necessarily  incident  to 
rural  life.  It  is  a  community  of  peasant  proprietors,  many  of  whom,  by 
sturdy  German  industry  and  tenacity,  have  achieved  a  financial  success 
that  places  them  among  the  foremost  of  the  people  of  solid  wealth  and 
worth  of  the  county.  The  raising  of  grain  and  the  rearing  of  stock  have 
occupied  the  attention  of  the  farmers.  Within  the  last  few  years,  hay  has 
become  a  very  valuable  and  important  product.  The  township  is  well 
adapted  to  stock-raising.  In  or  about  the  year  1842,  John  Hack  erected 
at  St.  Johns  a  small  distillery,  where  he  made  peach  brandy  and  whisky 
for  several  years. 


ST.  JOHNS   TOWNSHIP.  575 

Incidents^  etc. — About  1867,  Henry  Hohman  had  a  strange  expe- 
rience with  a  Newfoundland  dog,  which  became  enamored  of  the  wolves, 
or  of  the  wild  life  that  they  live,  and  concluded  to  leave  civilization  with 
all  its  charms  for  the  freedom  of  the  prairie  and  woods.  In  short,  he 
went  not  "  to  the  dogs,"  but  with  the  wolves.  He  was  seen  many  times 
with  his  wild  "  pack,"  evidently  entering  into  their  sports  with  great 
zest.  Why  should  this  seem  so  strange  to  us  ?  if  a  white  man  mates  with 
a  red  woman,  why  should  not  a  black  dog  mate  with  a  red  wolf — if  the 
wolf  does  not  object  ? 

In  early  days  a  peculiar  "signal  service  "  was  used  across  this  town- 
ship as  in  many  other  parts  of  the  western  prairies.  Flags  were  placed 
upon  poles  along  the  line  of  the  mail  route  to  enable  the  mail  carrier  to 
keep  his  course. 

Early  Settlers. — It  is  not  possible  to  give  a  full  and  accurate  list  of 
first  settlers  in  this  township.  There  were  a  few  American  families  liv- 
ing in  the  region  when  the  Germans  came.  Among  these  were  Mr. 
Page  and  Mr.  Wilder,  and  at  a  later  date  John  Bothwell.  After  these 
and  a  few  others  came  the  Germans,  first  of  whom  was  John  Hack,  in 
September,  1837.  After  him  came  the  following  at  the  times  indicated 
by  the  dates  with  the  names :  Peter  Thielan,  1838  ;  Joseph  Schmal 
with  his  son,  John,  and  the  rest  of  the  family,  June,  1838  ;  Peter  Orth, 
1838  ;  John  Klasen,  1810  ;  Nicholas  Davis,  1840  ;  John  Hack,  Jr., 
1840 ;  Peter  Lowerman,  1840 ;  John  Teale,  1842 ;  Peter  Klein,  1843  ; 
Jacob  Hermann,  1843;  John  Sponger,  1843;  Jacob  Klein,  1815;  John 
Rohrmann,  1845.  Mr.  Austgen,  the  Keilmans  and  many  others  came 
early.  So  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  the  following  are  the  first  of  the 
kind  in  the  township :  John  Gering,  the  first  carpenter ;  Jacob  Her- 
mann, the  first  blacksmith  ;  the  first  death,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Reader, 
and  the  second  his  wife  ;  the  first  wedding,  John  Ryan  and  Margaret 
Schmal,  in  1839,  by  Squire  Ball,  and  the  first  birth  was  perhaps  a  child 
born  to  this  couple.  The  last  wild  cat  shot  in  the  township  was  shot  by 
John  Hack  at  Beaver's  Grove  about  1842. 

A  Large  Farm. — The  largest  farm  in  the  township  is  that  of  A.  N. 
Hart.  The  larger  part  of  this  vast  plantation  lies  in  the  northern  part 
of  this  township.  The  farm  contains  8,000  acres  in  one  body.  Mr.  Hart 
has  in  all  15,000  acres.  On  his  farm  are  five  railroads,  five  stations,  and 
about  fifteen  miles  of  track.  As  many  as  eight  or  nine  railroads  cross 
his  land,  giving  him  in  all  about  twenty-five  miles  of  track.  Most  of 
this  land  was  purchased  in  1856  at  $1.25  per  acre.  It  was  swamp  land, 
and  much  of  it  was  a  swamp  de  facto.  It  is  now  worth  from  $30  to  $300 
per  acre.  Much  money  has  been  expended  in  draining,  fencing  and  other 
improvements.     There  are  not  far  from   twenty-five  miles  of  fence,  and 


576  HISTORY   OF  LAKE  COUNTY. 

about  the  same  amount  of  ditches,  large  and  small,  upon  his  lands.  On 
this  large  estate  he  employs  about  forty  hands.  The  State  made  an  ap- 
propriation of  $5,000  to  assist  in  draining  a  region  in  which  some  of  this 
land  lies.  Although  at  first  this  ditch  was  only  twelve  feet  wide  and 
two  feet  deep,  it  is  now  from  forty  to  fifty  feet  wide,  and  from  ten  to 
twelve  feet  deep.  At  one  place,  where  it  was  cut  through  a  ridge,  it  is 
150  feet  wide  and  50  feet  deep.  It  is  three  and  a  half  miles  in  length. 
Ditching  is  Mr.  Hart's  hobby,  and  he  evidently  rides  it  most  successfully. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

BY   G.    A.    GARARD. 


Eagle  Creek  Township— Formation  and  First  Election— First  ani> 
Early  Settlers— Game— Treed  by  a  Deer— Anecdotes  and  Inci- 
dents OF  Indian  Times— Timber  Thieves— Draining  the  Kankakee 
Marsh— Early  Items— Religious  Services— Industries— Records 
—Schools. 

ON  Thursday,  the  9th  of  May,  1839,  the  County  Commissioners 
ordered  that  South  Township  be  divided  into  three  townships  as  fol- 
lows :  "A  line  drawn  through  the  present  township  north  and  south,  upon 
the  section  line  on  the  west  side  of  the  second  tier  of  sections  in  Range  9, 
and  that  part  lying  to  the  west  of  such  line  to  be  known  and  called  by 
the  name  of  West  Creek  Township.  That  a  second  line  be  drawn  north 
and  south  through  the  center  of  Range  8,  and  that  part  lying  west  of 
that  line  and  east  of  West  Creek  Township  to  be  known  and  called 
Cedar  Creek  Township.  And  that  part  lying  east  of  Cedar  Creek  Town- 
ship to  be  known  as  Eagle  Creek  Township."  It  was  also  ordered  at  the 
same  time  that  the  elections  in  Eagle  Creek  Township  be  held  at  the 
house  of  Ashbel  Goodrich,  with  Ashbel  Goodrich  as  Inspector.  In  1843, 
the  elections  were  ordered  to  be  held  at  a  schoolhouse  on  Township  33, 
Range  11.  This  township  derives  its  name  from  Eagle  Creek  that  flows 
through  it  from  northeast  to  southwest. 

First  and  Early  Settlers. — The  following  is  a  somewhat  incomplete 
list  of  the  first  and  early  settlers :  Sarah  J.  Stone,  who  came  to  the 
county  in  1835  ;  Orrin  Smith,  1836 ;  Joseph  Morris,  1836  ;  Mr.  Mof- 
fard,  1836  ;  Isaac  Bryant,  1838  ;  Alexander  F.  Brown,  who  came  in 
the  spring  of  1840,  and  was  soon  killed  by  a  run-away  team,  leaving  two 
young  sons  who  have  since  become  prominent  citizens ;  Michael  Pearce 
and  wife,  1840;  Thomas  Garvey  and  family,  Duncan  Garvey  and  family 
and  Richard  Garvey  and  family  came  some  time  before  1840  ;  Samuel 
Turner  and  family  came   in  1837;  Mrs.  M.  J.  Pearce,  in  1841;  John 


EAGLE   CREEK    TOWNSHIP.  577 

Pearce  and  Alexander  Nethery  came  in  1842 ;  George  Brown,  C.  A, 
McGill  and  William  Brown,  in  1843;  John  A.  Crawford  and  Mrs.  M. 
J.  Dinwiddle  came  in  1844  ;  Thaddeus  Williams  came  in  1845  ;  in  1847, 
Hugh  Boyd,  E.  Boyd,  L.  Boyd,  Oscar  Dinwiddle  and  James  McKnight 
came.  William  Dinwiddle,  who  was  the  first  physician  of  the  township, 
came  here  with  his  family  at  an  early  day.  Many  others,  not  here  men- 
tioned, came  early.  Most  of  these  are  spoken  of  in  the  bioojraphical  de- 
partment, in  their  own  lives,  or  the  lives  of  their  descendants. 

Game^  Indians^  etc. — When  the  pioneers  first  settled  in  Eagle  Creek, 
they  could  at  certain  seasons  kill  all  the  game  that  they  could  use,  from 
the  doors  of  their  cabins.  The  timid  deer,  through  curiosity,  often  came 
within  range  of  the  settler's  rifle  as  he  sat  on  his  door-step.  A  good  hun- 
ter in  the  season  often  killed  from  six  to  a  dozen  in  a  day,  and  occasion- 
ally as  many  as  eighteen.  They  were  so  numerous  at  times  that  it  was 
necessary  to  watch  them  out  of  the  corn-fields  to  keep  them  from  taking 
the  entire  crop.  Lorenzo  Brainard,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  once  shot  a 
deer,  "  creasing  "  it  across  the  back,  i.  e.,  the  ball  passed  near  enough  to 
the  spinal  column  to  stun  the  deer,  but  not  near  enough  to  kill  it. 
The  deer  fell  and  Mr.  Brainard  went  up  to  it  and,  taking  out  his 
knife,  was  about  to  bleed  it,  when  it  sprang  to  its  feet,  flourished  its  antlers 
and  started  toward  Mr.  Brainard.  There  was  a  small  tree  near  at  hand 
and  Mr.  Brainard  made  all  haste  to  that  tree  and  reached  it  just  in  time 
to  escape  the  sharp  prongs  of  the  ponderous  antlers.  The  deer  walked 
around  the  tree,  stamped,  struck  it  with  its  antlers  and  seemed  determined 
to  carry  on  a  regular  siege.  However,  the  siege  was  soon  raised  by  some 
one  with  a  gun  coming  near  enough  to  shoot  the  deer.  Although  the  In- 
dians were  very  fond  of  venison,  they  would  give  several  pounds  of  it  for 
one  pound  of  pork.  This  was  probably  owing  to  the  fact  that  they  had 
such  an  abundance  of  venison  and  but  very  little  pork.  Strange  as  it 
may  seem,  with  all  the  abundance  of  game,  a  few  of  the  old  settlers 
never  killed  a  deer.  Instead  of  hunting,  these  devoted  themselves  to 
raising  domestic  animals  and  with  these  they  could  buy  all  the  wild  meat 
that  they  wished  from  the  hunters  and  Indians.  The  wolves  were  the 
worst  enemies  of  the  pioneers.  They  were  so  numerous  and  bold  that 
they  would  come  in  spite  of  dogs  and  gun  into  the  very  door-yards  and 
carry  ofi"  pigs  and  poultry.  About  1850,  a  bear  crossed  the  eastern  part 
of  the  township.  The  Kankakee  with  its  islands  and  marsh  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  all  kinds  of  game  native  to  this  region.  When  the  white 
people  came,  it  was  alive  with  game.  The  Indians  were  greatly  attached 
to  this  region,  and  when  they  found 'that  they  must  go  and  leave  this 
happy  hunting  ground,  they  very  naturally  felt  disposed  to  make 
trouble. 


578  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Seeing  that  they  must  leave  this  hunter's  paradise  to  the  white  man, 
they  resolved  to  despoil  it  as  far  as  was  in  their  power  before  leaving. 
They  proceeded  to  destroy  all  kinds  of  game  as  fast  as  they  could.  The 
settlers,  seeing  the  destruction,  and  knowing  the  motive,  got  together  and 
went  to  the  marsh  where  the  work  of  destruction  was  proceeding.  When 
the  Indians  saw  the  determined  spirit  of  the  settlers,  they  desisted. 
Although  the  Indians  are  generally  supposed  to  be  of  a  stolid  and  taciturn 
disposition,  the  Pottawatomies,  at  least,  were  fond  of  fun,  and  sometimes 
indulged  in  practical  jokes.  An  example  of  their  fun-loving  spirit  may 
be  narrated  here  with  propriety,  although  it  occurred  over  the  line  in 
Porter  County.  Mrs.  Simeon  Bryant,  who  now  lives  at  Hebron,  tells 
of  the  Indians  playing  such  pranks  as  fastening  people  up  in  their  houses 
and  cellars.  Two  young  Indians,  sons  of  one  of  the  chiefs,  used  often  to 
come  to  Mr.  Bryant's.  They  took  great  pleasure  in  teasing  a  girl  of  about 
their  own  age,  who  was  working  at  Mr.  Bryant's.  They  would  watch 
her,  fasten  her  in  a  small  house  where  provisions  were  kept,  and  annoy 
her  in  many  ways.  One  day  one  of  them  placed  himself  with  out- 
stretched arms  in  the  doorway  through  which  she  wished  to  pass  with  a 
pan  of  buttermilk.  He  refused  to  stand  aside.  Finally,  losing  her 
patience,  she  dashed  the  pan  of  milk  in  his  face,  when  he  got  out  of  the 
way  in  a  hurry.  He  seemed  surprised  and  offended.  Some  time  after- 
ward, she  had  occasion  to  go  to  the  tent  of  the  father  of  the  boys.  They 
seemed  to  have  been  drinking,  for  when  they  saw  her  they  seized  their 
tomahawks  and  threatened  to  kill  her ;  she  laughed  at  them,  and  her 
undaunted  courage  shamed  them  so  that  they  allowed  her  to  depart 
unharmed.  The  Indians  used  to  camp  to  the  number  of  two  or  three 
hundred  on  Red  Oak  Island.  Here  many  of  them  were  buried.  The 
Indians  bury  their  dead  north  and  south,  while  civilized  people  the  world 
over  place  the  bodies  in  an  east  and  west  direction. 

Timber  Thieves. — Much  valuable  timber  has  been  stolen  from  the 
islands  of  the  marsh  and  rafted  down  the  Kankakee.  Momence,  in  Illi- 
nois, was  the  principal  rendezvous  of  these  thieves.  In  early  times,  this 
went  on  unmolested.  Even  as  late  as  1869,  the  stealing  continued.  The 
summer  of  1869  was  an  usually  wet  one,  and  the  river  was  very  high. 
This  made  it  especially  easy  for  the  thieves  to  cut  the  timber  and  float  it 
away  without  being  detected.  Red  Oak  Island  was  the  principle  point  at 
which  the  thieving  was  being  done  at  this  time.  The  land-owners  heard 
of  the  depredations  that  were  being  committed,  organized  a  party,  and 
proceeded  with  proper  precaution  toward  the  place  where  the  timber  was 
being  stolen.  They  approached  the  camp  at  night,  but  were  unable  to 
reach  it  until  after  daylight  the  next  morning.  Four  men  were  captured 
and  taken  to  Lowell  for  trial.     Nine  rafts  of  fine  timber,  from   fifty   to 


EAGLE   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  579 

one  hundred  feet  in  length,  were  found.  Several  had  already  gone  down 
the  river  to  Momence.  Rev.  T.  H.  Ball,  in  his  history  of  Lake  County, 
says  :  "  Another  division  of  this  party,  with  three  boats,  made  in  the 
day  about  thirty  miles  of  marsh  and  river  navigation.  They  met  with 
some  interesting  incidents  by  way  of  variety.  One  of  the  boatmen, 
*  pulling  '  his  boat  along,  lost  his  balance,  and  succeeded  in  regaining  it 
from  the  bottom  of  the  marsh,  into  which  he  of  course  plunged.  Others 
met  with  similar  mishaps.  When  about  to  leave  the  river,  one  young 
man,  who  had  succeeded  in  keeping  dry  all  day,  proposing  to  perform 
one  more  feat,  pushed  in  a  small  trapper  boat  to  try  a  shot  at  some  ducks. 
Drawing  sufficiently  near,  he  stood  up  and  fired.  The  re-action  of  the 
gun,  in  that  frail  bark,  sent  him  backward  into  the  water,  holding  on 
still,  as  he  disappeared,  to  the  destructive  weapon.  He  secured  a  duck 
and  also  a  ducking,  to  the  great  amusement  of  those  who  had  met  with  like 
accidents  during  the  day.  If  not  so  successful  as  they  hoped  to  be,  the 
party  put  some  stop  to  the  rafting  of  their  timber  down  to  Momence." 

Draining  the  Kankakee  Marsh. — The  draining  of  the  Kankakee 
Marsh  is  a  subject  that  has  received  much  attention  from  specuhitors. 
The  original  scheme  is  still  known  among  the  people  as  the  ''  Swamp 
Land  Speculation."  A  large  amount  of  swamp  land  was  given  by  the 
United  States  to  the  several  States  on  certain  conditions.  In  1852, 
Indiana  passed  a  law  to  regulate  the  sale  of  these  lands  and  provide 
for  their  draining.  One  hundred  and  eighty  sections  of  this  land 
were  located  in  this  county.  The  proceeds  of  this  land,  over  and  above 
the  cost  of  draining,  were  to  go  to  the  school  fund.  The  Governor 
appointed  a  swamp  land  commission  for  each  county.  After  these 
commissions  had  served  for  a  time,  committees  were  appointed  to  investi- 
gate their  proceedings;  large  "leaks"  and  much  regular  stealin;^  w.is  dis- 
covered in  Lake  County.  It  is  estimated  that  not  less  than  $100,000 
was  stolen,  while,  perhaps,  $40,000  or  $50,000  was  expended  on  the 
marsh.  The  sums  stolen  varied  in  amount  from  small  suras  up  to  $20,- 
000.  Although  the  school  fund  never  realized  anything  from  the  opera- 
tions in  this  county,  the  money  actually  expended  in  ditchinu;  did  u  good 
deal  of  good,  and  if  the  whole  amount  had  been  thus  expended,  thr  benefit 
would  have  been  very  great.  The  parties  who  took  the  contni'ts  for 
most  of  the  work  made  their  bids  so  low  that  no  one  who  really  iti tended 
to  do  the  work  could  afford  to  take  a  contract.  Most  of  those  who  took  the 
contracts  began  the  ditches  at  the  edges  of  the  marsh  of  the  prop'-  lopth, 
made  them  more  shallow  farther  in,  where  the  sod  or  mat  of  ro  >  s  was 
all  that  was  removed,  and  in  many  places  just  mowed  a  swath  the  r  inired 
width  through  the  marsh  grass.  It  is  stated  on  good  authority  li  r  pay 
was  drawn  for  many  ditches  that  were  never  so  much  as  staked  in 


580  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Early  Items. — The  first  settlers  here  had  to  go  to  La  Porte  or  Michi- 
gan City  to  mill,  and  to  buy  their  supplies.  They  were  often  obliged  to 
grate  corn,  and  to  grind  buckwheat  in  coffee  mills.  Before  the  Indians 
left,  there  were  two  trading  stores  on  Red  Oak  Island.  Bertrand  and 
La  Voire,  two  Frenchmen,  who  had  Indian  wives,  were  the  proprietors. 

The  first  birth  was  probably  that  of  John  Pearce,  who  was  born  in 
1841.  The  first  marriage  was  that  probably  of  Miss  Polly  Garvey  to 
Esidor  Prunicorn,  by  Squire  Turner,  of  Crown  Point.  A  post  office  was 
established  about  twenty-three  years  ago,  at  a  point  four  miles  west 
and  a  little  south  of  Hebron,  on  land  now  owned  by  Charles  Henderson. 
It  remained  here  a  short  time,  when  it  was  moved  a  short  distance  north- 
east to  William  Brown's.     It  is  not  now  in  existence. 

Churches. — The  first  religious  services  were  held  in  the  house  of 
Michael  Pearce,  about  1845,  by  the  United  Presbyterians.  The  first  ser- 
mon was  preached  by  Benjamin  Baldrich.  Services  were  held  for  a 
number  of  years  at  Centre  Schoolhouse,  and  at  Lower  Eagle  Creek  for  a 
number  of  years.  Rev.  Buchanan,  of  Hebron,  preached  at  these  places. 
There  was  a  Baptist  organization  at  Plum  Grove  for  several  years.  No 
church  has  been  built  within  the  limits  of  Eagle  Creek  Township.  Re- 
ligious services  and  Sabbath  schools  have  been  held  at  difierent  times  in 
the  various  schoolhouses. 

Industries. — There  have  never  been  any  manufacturing  establish- 
ments of  much  importance  in  the  township.  About  twenty-five  years 
ago,  a  water-mill  for  sawing  was  built  on  Eagle  Creek.  The  building  was 
a  very  light  frame,  and  was  not  well  constructed.  The  supply  of  water 
was  insufficient,  and  the  mill  did  but  very  little  work.  During  the  winter 
of  1866-67,  a  portable  saw-mill  was  set  up  on  Section  25.  This  stayed 
until  September,  of  the  same  year,  when  it  was  moved  to  Cedar  Creek 
Township.  No  grist-mill  has  ever  been  built  in  the  township.  A  cheese 
factory  was  built  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  old  Turner  farm,  by  a 
Chicago  firm  ;  they  ran  it  a  part  of  one  season,  when  it  sufi"ered  the  same 
fate  of  the  one  at  Orchard  Grove,  for  an  account  of  which  see  the  history 
of  Cedar  Township.  The  township  has  been  and  now  is  almost  exclu- 
sively agricultural.  Its  fine  farms,  commodious  and  even  elegant  farm- 
houses, are  suggestive  of  independence  and  solid  comfort. 

Schools,  etc. — The  Board  of  Trustees  met  at  the  house  of  Michael 
Pearce,  on  the  22d  of  April,  1853.  Present :  Michael  Pearce,  Samuel 
Turner  and  S.  0.  Servis.  William  Brown  was  clerk.  At  this  time,  A. 
J.  McCann  was  Treasurer,  and  his  bond  was  ^1,500.  John  W.  Dinwid- 
die  and  S.  Andrews,  were  sureties  on  the  bond.  It  was  ordered,  "  That 
the  Treasurer  pay  to  Caroline  Burdine  ^26  for  services  rendered  in  School 
District  No.  6,  Township  33,  Range  7  west,  for  the  winter  of  1852-53." 


EAGLE   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  581 

At  the  same  time,  Mary  McGill  was  allowed  the  sum  of  $10.10  for  teach- 
ing in  the  same  district.  Mr.  Huffman  was  allowed  the  sum  of  44 
cents  as  Treasurer  of  Township  33,  Range  7  west.  By  a  vote  taken  on 
May  23,  1853,  at  the  schoolhouse  in  District  No.  6,  Township  33,  Range  7, 
a  tax  of  25  cents  on  one  hundred  dollars  was  voted  for  school  purposes.  No- 
vember 18, 1853,  ^9.60  was  voted  to  Cynthia  Wallace  for  services  rendered 
in  District  No.  1.  The  first  school  of  the  township  was  taught  near  where 
Jerome  Dinwiddie  now  lives,  not  far  from  the  site  of  Plum  Grove  School- 
house.  This  was  during  the  winter  of  1846-47,  in  a  small  log  house  that 
was  built  by  Alfred  Bucklew  to  hold  a  claim.  The  first  teacher  here  and 
in  the  township  was  Mary  Ann  Thompson.  The  second  schoolhouse  was 
built  where  Isaac  Bryant  now  lives  ;  this  was  a  small  log  cabin  ;  it  stood 
until  a  few  years  ago,  but  was  used  during  a  part  of  the  time  for  a  black- 
smith shop.  The  first  teacher  in  this  house  was  Miss  McGill,  now  Mrs. 
David  Bryant.  The  second  teacher  was  Miss  Sherwood.  Miss  Cynthia 
Hogan  and  Miss  Jane  McGlashen,  who  married  Samuel  Turner,  were 
among  the  other  early  teachers  here.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  teach- 
ers for  the  last  three  years,  as  far  as  shown  by  the  records  :  1880,  Dis- 
trict No,  1,  Mary  Boad  and  Frank  Doak  ;  No.  2,  Lora  Henderson  ;  No. 
3,  Martha  J.  Brown  and  Edith  M.  Brown  ;  No.  4,  Ella  Talcott  and  Clara 
A.  Bliss ;  No.  5,  Mertie  B.  Johnson ;  No.  6,  Ella  Dennison  and  M.  J. 
Brown;  No.  7,  Cynthia  Wood.  1881,  No.  1,  Annie  R.  McWilliams  and 
Mera  Merton ;  No.  2,  Jennie  Talcott  and  M.  J.  Brown ;  No.  3,  Frank 
Doak  and  Carrie  Buchanan  ;  No.  4,  Ella  Talcott  and  Ida  E.  Fisher ;  No. 
5,  Mertie  B.  Johnson  and  Samuel  Turner  ;  No.  6,  Hattie  Bryant  and 
Mary  E.  Davidson  ;  No.  7,  Cynthia  Wood  and  Tillie  Beattie  ;  No.  8,  W. 
C.  Kelly.  1882,  No.  1,  Clara  Irish ;  No.  2,  Martha  Haste ;  No.  3, 
Mary  L.  Dunn ;  No.  4,  Ida  E.  Fisher  ;  No.  5,  Carrie  Buchanan  ;  No.  6, 
Anna  Kelly;  No.  7,  Jurilla  J.  King;  No.  8,  Sue  Hildreth.  Some  of 
the  other  early  teachers  were  George  Doak,  Mr.  Cutler,  Mr.  Curtiss,  Miss 
Fannie  Van  Houten  (now  Mrs.  John  Abrams,  of  Crown  Point),  Miss 
Lizzie  Foster  (now  Mrs.  JohnPearce),  and  Henrietta  Ball. 


582  HISTORY   OF   LAKE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BT  G.  A.  GABARD. 

West  Creek  Township— Formation  and  Name  — List  of  First  and 
Early  Settlers— Early  Incidents  and  Anecdotes— First  Things- 
Industries— Churches— Schools. 

ON  the  9th  of  May,  1839,  the  County  Commissioners  ordered  that 
South  Township  be  divided,  and  that  that  part  of  it  lying  west  of  a 
line  drawn  north  and  south  on  the  section  line  on  the  west  side  of  the 
second  tier  of  sections  in  Range  9  be  known  as  West  Creek  Township. 
The  boundaries  were  so  changed  June  8,  1853,  as  to  embrace  Section  1, 
Township  33,  Range  10,  and  Sections  3,  4,  5  and  6,  Township  33,  Range 
9.  The  township  took  its  name  from  West  Creek,  which  flows  through 
it  from  north  to  south.  The  creek  was  so  named  because  of  its  being 
farthest  west  of  the  three  creeks  that  flow  through  the  south  part  of 
the  county. 

Early  Settlers. — The  following  is  a  list  of  the  first  and  early  settlers 
of  the  township :  Robert  Wilkinson  and  family,  who  came  March  5, 
1835.  He  was  generally  known  as  Judge  Wilkinson,  as  he  was  Judge  of 
the  Probate  Court  at  an  early  day.  John  Kitchel  came  in  1836.  Nehe- 
miah  Hayden  and  family  in  1837.  Adian  Sanger  in  1838,  as  did  Nehe- 
miah  Spaulding,  who  was  a  blacksmith.  Peter  Hathaway  came  the  same 
year,  and  brought  a  large  family  of  boys  ;  one  of  them,  Abraham,  was 
married  when  became,  which  was  in  1839,  in  which  year  B.  Hathaway 
and  Silas  Hathaway  came.  November  23,  1841,  William  Sanders  and 
family  came.  In  this  year  there  were  only  fifteen  voters  in  the  township. 
Daniel  Pulver  and  Greorge  Belshaw  came  in  1812,  and  A.  D.  Palmer  in 
1845.  The  following  were  also  among  the  early  settlers  :  Simeon  Bea- 
dle and  family.  George  Ferguson  and  family,  John  J.  Michaels,  Joseph 
Jackson,  Alfred  Foster,  Lyman  Foster,  Calvin  Taylor,  Paul  Dodge,  Will- 
iam D.  Taber,  Johnson  Wheeler,  John  D.  Jones,  two  brothers  by  the 
name  of  French,  one  of  whom  was  married,  Hiriam  Dilley,  Reuben  Chap- 
man, the  Widow  Trullinger  and  her  son  and  daughter,  a  Mr.  Sprague, 
who  soon  joined  the  Mormons  and  went  to  Nauvoo,  Worthington  A.  Clark, 
Maj.  Torrey,  Henry  Torrey,  Thomas  Wiles,  Jabez  Rhodes  and  family, 
and  John  Green,  a  widower,  with  eight  children,  seven  daughters  and 
one  son.  This  son  was  killed  at  the  time  of  Harrison's  election,  while 
carrying  the  ballot  box  under  his  arm.  He  was  riding  a  spirited  horse, 
and  hurrahing  for  his  candidate,  when,  his  horse  becoming  frightened,  he 


WEST  CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  583 

was  thrown,  striking  upon  the  shoulder  of  the  arm  under  which  the  bal- 
lot box  was  carried.  His  ribs  were  broken,  and  he  received  internal  in- 
juries from  which  he  died  in  a  short  time. 

Incidents  and  Anecdotes. — Game  was  abundant  and  tame  here  at  an 
early  day.  Peter  Hathaway  went  to  his  stable  one  morning  and  found  a  deer 
on  a  hay  stack  near ;  he  took  his  gun  and  shot  it  where  it  lay.  Wolves 
were  so  numerous  and  bold  that  pigs  and  poultry  were  hard  to  keep.  They 
were  sometimes  so  bold  as  to  go  up  to  the  open  doors  of  the  settlers  and 
survey  the  inmates.  Robert  Wilkinson  once  killed  ten  deer  before  break- 
fast. The  Indians  often  killed  the  hogs  of  the  settlers  as  they  ran  wild 
in  the  woods ;  aside  from  this  and  begging  and  borrowing,  they  seldom 
gave  the  whites  any  trouble.  In  1837,  they  carried  off  Elizabeth,  the  in- 
fant daughter  of  David  and  Elizabeth  Pulver.  They  took  the  child  from 
a  cradle  in  the  house,  where  she  was  sleeping  beside  her  twin  brother 
John.  The  Indians  carried  the  infant  to  camp  two  or  three  miles  away, 
where  they  concealed  it  in  a  covered  wagon.  As  soon  as  the  child  was 
missed,  the  Indians  were  suspected  and  followed  to  camp.  When  they 
saw  the  whites  coming,  the  savages  knew  that  they  were  after  the  child,  and 
taking  it  from  the  wagon  passed  it  from  one  to  another  through  the  camp. 
They  petted,  kissed  and  fondled  the  child  as  if  very  loth  to  give  it  up  ; 
however,  they  gave  it  up  without  resistance,  and  Mrs.  Edward  Ashton 
lives  to  tell  the  story,  although  she  was  quite  young  at  that  time,  being 
then  in  her  sixth  month.  Two  sons  of  Myer  Spaulding,  when  quite  small, 
got  lost  upon  the  marsh.  They  were  out  all  night,  and  told  the  next 
day,  when  found,  that  the  dogs  came  and  "laughed"  at  them.  These 
"  dogs  "  were  doubtless  wolves,  and  the  little  fellows  knew  nothing  of 
the  danger  through  which  they  passed.  We  quote  the  following  from 
Ball's  History  of  Lake  County  :  "  The  first  settler  at  West  Creek,  R. 
Wilkinson,  first  Probate  Judge,  had  some  rather  provoking  experiences 
with  the  Indians.  He  was  raising  the  walls  of  his  log  cabin,  log  by  log, 
with  the  assistance  of  his  son,  Noah,  and  his  wife,  when  fifteen  or  twenty 
stout  Indians  gathered  round  and  looked  on.  As,  by  means  of  hand- 
spikes and  mechanical  contrivances,  the  three  succeeded  in  getting  the 
logs  in  place,  the  Indians  stood  around  and  laughed.  And  when  greater 
efforts  than  usual  were  needed  to  raise  some  heavy  stick,  and  it  seemed 
likely  to  slide  back  upon  the  tugging  toilers,  the  Indians  continued  to 
stand  around  and  laugh,  until  the  vexed  settler  felt  inclined  to  walk  in 
among  them  with  a  handspike.  *  *  *  The  same  settler  returning 
from  the  Wabash  region  with  a  wagon  load  of  provisions,  drawn  by  oxen, 
and  accompanied  by  one  of  his  sons,  having  been  absent  many  days  longer 
than  was  anticipated,  reached  the  bank  of  West  Creek  near  nightfall, 
and  found  the  water  so  hiuh  that  his  team  could  not  ford  the  steam.   Leav- 


\, 


584  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

ing  the  oxen  to  look  out  for  themselves,  and  his  son  to  sleep  in  the  wagon, 
with  some  corn  meal  in  a  sack  strapped  upon  his  head  he  swam  the  stream 
and  reached  his  home,  distant  some  half  mile  from  the  bank,  and  supplied 
the  most  pressing  home  want.  The  next  day,  trying  in  vain  to  borrow 
some  good  canoes  from  his  Indian  neighbors,  who,  although  not  trouble- 
some, do  not  seem  to  have  been  obliging,  he  brought  his  son  over  in  a 
little  '  dug-out,'  and  also  an  additional  supply  of  provisions,  and  left  the 
wason  for  some  two  weeks,  until  the  water  abated." 

First  Events. — The  first  birth  occurred  in  the  family  of  Robert  Wil- 
kinson. It  was  a  son,  and  was  named  William,  although  it  did  not  live 
any  length  of  time.  The  first  death  was  that  of  Edward  Hatton,  who 
was  killed  in  the  spring  of  1836  while  working  for  Robert  Wilkinson. 
He  was  felling  timber  and  splitting  rails,  and  had  cut  a  tree  which  lodged 
on  a  smaller  one.  The  small  tree  was  bent  over  by  the  large  one  resting 
upon  it ;  Hatton  stepped  up  to  the  small  tree  and  struck  his  ax  into  it ; 
the  tree  split  and  a  part  flew  back,  striking  him  down  instantly.  He  died 
in  a  short  time,  and  was  buried  on  land  now  owned  by  Mr.  Wason.  The 
grave  is  not  marked.  Statements  differ  as  to  what  marriage  occurred 
first.  The  first  and  only  post  office  that  West  Creek  has  had  was  estab- 
lished in  1839  or  1840,  with  Robert  Wilkinson  as  Postmaster.  It  was 
known  as  West  Creek  Post  Office,  and  was  kept  up  until  May  4,  1882, 
when  it  was  discontinued.  Mr.  Wilkinson  kept  the  office  until  1855. 
Maj.  Torry  and  E.  P.  Farley  each  held  the  office  several  years.  The 
office  being  kept  at  farmhouses,  was  moved  several  times.  Joshua  Spaul- 
ding  was  the  last  Postmaster.  The  first  store  in  the  township  was  kept 
by  Joseph  Jackson,  who  was  granted  a  license  by  the  County  Commis- 
sioners for  one  year  from  January  1,  1838,  to  sell  "  foreign  groceries." 
The  fee  charged  was  ^5.  The  first  election  was  held  at  the  house  of 
Robert  Wilkinson  in  1836.  Three  votes  were  cast  at  this  election  ;  these 
were  cast  by  Robert  Wilkinson,  Thomas  Wiles  and  Jesse  Bond.  R.  Wil- 
kinson received  two  votes  for  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  Thomas 
Wiles  received  one  vote  for  the  same  office.  Mr.  Wilkinson  was  declared 
elected  by  a  majority  of  one  vote.  It  was  a  very  small  majority,  although 
as  large  as  it  could  have  been   without  Mr.  Wilkinson  voting  for  himself. 

Industries,  etc. — In  early  times,  furs  were  an  important  source  of  reve- 
nue, but  soon  the  frontier  trapper  and  hunter  became  the  flourishing 
farmer  and  stock-raiser.  Even  at  the  present  time  thousands  of  water- 
fowl frequent  the  river  and  marsh  in  certain  seasons,  and  some  parties 
make  a  business  at  such  times  of  shooting  game  here  for  the  Chicago 
market.  But  raising  grain  and  rearing  stock  has  been  the  main  depend- 
ence of  the  inhabitants.  This  township  claims  the  banner  for  fine,  heavy 
horses,  and  it  seems  that  they  have  good  reason  for  feeling  proud  of  their 


WEST   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  585 

horseflesh.  It  also  claims  the  "blue  ribbon,"  or  temperance  banner. 
It  has  never  had  a  saloon  or  whisky  shop  of  any  kind.  About  1856, 
Aaron  Root  came  to  the  township,  bringing  with  him  100  head  of  Dur- 
ham cattle  and  settling  where  Joseph  Hayden  now  lives.  Before  the 
war,  he  built  a  steam  saw-mill,  which  he  ran  for  a  few  years,  when  it  was 
sold  and  he  moved  away.  Mr.  Root  was  a  very  enterprising  citizen.  There 
have  been  portable  saw-mills  in  the  township  at  times,  but  the  mill  above 
mentioned  is  the  only  stationary  mill  that  has  ever  been  built  here.  Wel- 
lington Clarke  had  a  cheese  factory  on  the  State  road,  within  half  a  mile 
of  the  State  line  for  a  time.  The  only  store  that  the  township  has  had 
besides  the  one  already  mentioned  under  the  head  of  "  First  Events,"  was 
established  just  over  the  line  from  Cedar  Creek  Post  OfBce  about  four 
years  ago  by  E.  M.  Taylor.  This  is  spoken  of  under  the  head  of  Cres- 
ton,  in  the  chapter  on  Cedar  Creek  Township. 

Churches. — The  Methodists  seem  to  have  been  the  pioneers  of  the 
township  in  establishing  religious  services.  As  early  as  1840,  services 
were  held  at  private  houses.  Rev.  Halstead,  from  an  Illinois  conference, 
was  the  first  minister.  The  first  services  were  held  at  the  house  of  John 
Kitchel,  on  the  place  where  J.  B.  Bailey  now  lives.  The  second  services 
were  held  at  the  West  Creek  Schoolhouse.  The  first  church  was  built  in 
1844.  It  was  a  frame,  and  stood  until  1869,  when  it  was  sold  and 
moved  away.  At  the  same  time  one  acre  was  deeded  to  the  Methodist 
Church  for  a  cemetery.  This  is  situated  forty  rods  north  of  the  point 
where  the  State  road  crosses  West  Creek.  Josiah  Bryant,  who  lived  at 
that  time  in  La  Porte  County,  gave  the  lumber  for  building  the  above- 
mentioned  church.  Among  the  first  members  of  the  Methodist  society 
here  were  John  and  Esther  Kitchel,  Silas  D.  Hathaway  and  Sarah  his 
wife,  Peter  D.  Hathaway  and  wife,  Paul  Hathaway  and  wife,  who  lived 
in  Illinois,  Mrs.  Sanger,  Harriet  Hayden  and  Nancy  Spaulding.  Later, 
the  following  were  added :  Bethuel  Hathaway,  Abraham  Hathaway  and 
wife,  George  L.  Foster  and  wife,  Lucinda  Hayden  (now  Mrs.  Bethuel 
Hathaway),  Sarah  E.  Foster,  Alfred  D.  Foster,  Temperance  R.  Hatha- 
way, Walter  Cleveland  and  Elizabeth  Hathaway.  Many  came  from  a 
distance  to  attend  services  here.  In  1869,  the  present  frame  church  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  ^1,100.  The  principal  contributors  to  the  building 
fund  were  Bethuel  Hathaway,  Jacob  Hayden,  Lewis  Hayden,  J.  B.  Baily, 
Hugh  Moore,  Hiram  Stoers,  Mary  Ann  Taylor,  Edward  Parley,  Emery 
Brooks,  Mr.  Plummer,  Edgar  Hayden,  Joseph  Hayden,  Reuben  Chap- 
man and  others.  At  present  there  are  only  about  twelve  members.  The 
present  minister  is  Rev.  Merritt  Strite.  The  present  officers  are  Hiram 
Stoers,  Jacob  Hayden,  Hugh  W.  Moor  and  Bethuel  Hathaway,  Trustees. 
In  1857,  Lake  Prairie  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized,  with  the  Rev. 


586  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

H.  Wason  for  pastor.  Rev.  Wason  occupied  the  pulpit  until  1864, 
when  Rev.  H.  Wells  took  charge  and  served  until  1868  ;  the  church  was 
then  without  a  pastor  for  a  time.  E.  H.  Post  became  pastor  in  1870, 
and  remained  until  1872.  Rev.  Homer  Sheerley,  of  Ohio,  was  pastor 
for  three  or  four  years.  At  present  there  is  no  settled  minister.  Rev. 
Harris,  from  Beecher,  111.,  has  been  preaching  here  every  Sabbath  after- 
noon since  August  of  this  year.  The  society  met  in  the  schoolhouse  until 
in  July,  1872,  when  the  present  church  was  dedicated.  The  building  is  a 
frame,  and  cost  about  $1,500.  The  present  membership  of  the  church  is 
about  forty.  This  church  is  located  in  what  is  called  the  "  Hampshire  "  or 
"  Yankee  "  settlement,  from  the  fact  that  a  large  colony  of  New  England 
people  settled  here  at  one  time.  A  considerable  portion  of  the  people  of 
this  neighborhood  are  Congregationalists,  and  they  assisted  in  the  b  uild- 
ing  of  the  church,  but  from  the  fact  that  the  Presbyterians  were  in  the 
majority,  it  has  always  been  known  as  a  Presbyterian  Church.  The  Ger- 
man Methodists  have  a  church  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  township, 
two  and  a  half  miles  northwest  of  the  site  of  Creston.  This  was  built  in 
1855,  at  an  expense  of  $1,500.  Here  there  has  since  been  a  strong 
society  and  regular  services  have  been  maintained.  Andrew  and  George 
C.  Krimbill  were  the  prime  movers  in  the  organization  of  the  society. 
Mr.  Beckley,  Lewis  Lockyer,  John  Mauntenaugh  and  Jacob  have  been 
among  its  strong  supporters.  James  Henry  Durenger  is  the  present 
minister. 

Schools. — The  first  school  in  the  township  was  taught  in  a  small  log 
schoolhouse  that  was  built  in  1838,  upon  the  east  bank  of  West  Creek,  on 
the  south  side  of  the  County  road,  at  a  point  near  where  Torry  Bridge  now 
stands.  The  house  was  built  of  unhewn  logs,  and  was  about  14x16  feet 
in  size.  The  seats  were  made  of  slabs,  and  a  rough  board  was  placed  on 
pegs  across  one  end  of  the  room  to  serve  as  a  writing-desk.  The  ma- 
terials and  labor  used  in  constructing  the  house  were  contributed  by  the 
people  who  lived  in  the  vicinity.  The  "  English  Reader  "  and  the  Testa- 
ment were  used  as  text  books.  Miss  Orsula  Jackson  taught  the  first  term 
here.  The  patrons  of  the  school  were  the  Spauldings,  Jacksons,  Farleys, 
Brooks,  Kitchels,  Spragues,  Greens  and  Wilkinsons.  Some  of  the  other 
teachers  in  this  house  were  0.  W.  Graves,  Miss  Jones,  now  Mrs.  Will- 
iam Belshaw,  and  Edward  P.  Farley.  The  house  stood  about  ten  years. 
After  this,  school  was  held  in  dwellings  for  a  time.  In  1854,  a  frame 
house  about  18x30  feet  was  built  on  the  present  site  of  the  Michael's 
Schoolhouse.  In  1839,  a  school  was  held  in  a  log  house  built  by  John 
Kyle,  for  a  dwelling.  This  house  stood  on  the  east  bank  of  West  Creek, 
near  the  State  road.  It  was  used  for  two  years  as  a  school  and  church. 
Elizabeth   Hurly  was   the  first  teacher  ;  after  her.  Miss    Hughes   taught 


WEST   CREEK    TOWNSHIP.  587 

here.     Among  the   patrons  of  this   school  were  the  Sangers,    Haydens, 
Kitchels,  Ilathaways  and  Pulvors.   Sometime  before  the  war,  a  house  was 
built  half  a  mile  east  of  West  Creek,  on  the  State  road  ;    this  was  a  small 
frame,  and   was  not  used    Ions.      Durinjj   the  summer  of  1842,  a  school 
was  taught  by   Julia  Sanders  on   Section  8,  in  a  log  house  built  by  John 
Lynch's  father.    This  was  the  first  school  taught  in  this  vicinity.  Pulver, 
Ferguson,  Wood,  Hathaway,   Sanders  and   Bea  lie   were    patrons  of  the 
school.     The  school  was  small,  and  only  one  term  was  taught  in  the  house 
above  mentioned.    Miss  Sanders  was  paid  the  extravagant  sum  of  ^1  a  week 
for  her  services  and  enjoyed  theinestimable  privilege  of  "  boarding  around.' 
The  first  schoolhouse  in  this  neighborhood  was  built  in  18-42.   William  San- 
ders  furnished  the  materials  and  bore  all  the  expense  of  its  erection,  with 
the  exception  of  $1.     The  neighbors   turned  out  and  helped  to    build  it. 
It  was  raised  and  then  the  logs  were  "  scored  "  and  hewed  on  the  interior 
of  the  house.     This  was  used  about  thirteen  years.     It  stood  just  south 
of  the  Sanders  Graveyard.     Some   of  the  teachers   here   were    Richard 
Parsons,  Ruth   Ann  Graves,  Jonathan  Wheeler  and   three  of  his  daugh- 
ters, Harriet  Jones,  Miss  Lamb  and  Mariah  Brundridge.     In  1844,  a  log 
schoolhouse  was  built   about   half  a  mile  from  West  Creek  on   the  State 
road,  on  land  owned    by  W.  A.  Clarke.     It  was   built  by  voluntary  con- 
tributions.    Libbie  Church,  Miss  M.  A.  Sigler,  Washington  Allen,  Wor- 
cester Cleaver  and  Mariah  Bryant  taught  in  this  house.  In  1857,  a  frame 
house  was  built  about  sixty  rods  west  of  West  Creek,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  State  road.     In  1877,  this  was  moved  a  mile  farther  south  and  used 
as  a  dwelling.     In   1855,  a  house  was  erected   on  the  site  of  the  old  log 
house  at   Sanders'  Graveyard,  but  before  it  was  under  cover   the  people 
concluded  to  change  its  location,  and  it  was  accordingly  moved  to  a  point 
half  a  mile  farther  north.     The  house  was  a  good-sized  frame,  and  about 
$200  was  raised  by  subscription  for  the   purpose  of  paying  for   it.     This 
house  was  used  for  school   purposes  about  twelve  years,  when  it  was  sold 
to  William  Belshaw,  and  is  now  occupied   as  a   dwelling  by  Edward  Bel- 
shaw.     Several  additions  have  since  been  made  to  it. 

The  following  are  the  teachers  in  the  several  districts  of  this  town- 
ship for  the  years  named :  In  1875 — No.  1,  H.  J.  Rickenbrode ;  No. 
2,  Vienna  Dodge ;  No.  3,  Jurilla  J.  Rickenbrode  and  William  Love ; 
No.  4,  Emma  Denney ;  No.  5,  Minnie  L.  Trevert  and  George  J.  Laux; 
No.  6,  Mary  Livingston  and  David  D.  Mee ;  No.  7,  Jennie  Belshaw 
and  Elmore  Devoe ;  No.  8,  Jennie  Maxwell  and  F.  E.  Nelson  ;  No.  9, 
James  Audubon  Burhans ;  No.  11,  Ella  Ashton  and  M.  M.  Langfeld  ; 
No.  12,  Nicholas  Daum  ;  No.  13,  N.  F.  Daum  ;  No.  14,  Maggie  J. 
Sutton.     The  following  taught  in  the  township  during  the  year,  but  the 


588  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

numbers  of  the  districts  are  not  given  :  Edith  J.  Burhans,  Marilla  Allen, 
E.  P.  Ames  and  R.  W.  Bacon. 

In  1876 — No.  1,  Sophia  Gromann ;  No.  2,  Vienna  Dodge  and  A. 
M.  Melville ;  No.  3,  Jane  Maxwell  and  Ella  Weatherman  ;  No.  4, 
Charls  A.  Burhans ;  No.  5,  Minnie  Trevert  and  H.  J.  Rickenbrode ; 
No.  6,  Sophia  Gromann  and  William  Love ;  No.  7,  Jurilla  J.  Ricken- 
brode and  W.  U.  Northrup  ;  No.  8,  F.  E.  Nelson  and  Charles  A.  Bur- 
hans ;  No.  9,  Emma  Denney  and  Edith  J.  Burhans  ;  No.  10,  Emma  Den- 
ney;  No.  11,  Maggie  J.  Sutton  and  A.  L.  Thompson;  No.  12,  Edith 
J.  Burhans  and  Maggie  J.  Sutton  ;  No.  13,  Clara  Weakly  and  G.  W. 
Lawrence  ;  To.  14,  Jane  Maxwell  and  Marilla  Allen  ;  no  numbers  given, 
Emma  Denney  and  Libbie  Kenney. 

In  1877— No.  1,  Sophie  Gromann  ;  No.  2,  Agnes  M.  Melville  and 
Maria  L.  Wason  ;  No.  3,  Alice  Hayden  and  Albert  L.  Thompson  ;  No. 
4,  Libbie  Kenney  and  M.  Morrison ;  No.  5,  Jessie  L.  Hill ;  No.  6, 
Victor  Geer,  Anna  Hoffman  and  R.  C.  Wood ;  No.  7,  Ada  Burhans 
and  R.  W.  Bacon ;  No.  8,  Jennie  Maxwell  and  H.  J.  Rickenbrode; 
No.  9,  Edith  J.  Burhans  and  Emma  Denney  ;  No.  11,  Addie  Storrs 
and  Marilla  Allen  ;  No.  13,  G.  W.  Lawrence,  Jr.,  and  Ida  Burhans; 
No.  14,  Alice  Hayden  and  C.  F.   Templeton. 

In  1878 — N.  1,  Sohia  Gromann  and  Gesira  Beckman ;  No.  2, 
Emma  Denney  and  Agnes  M.  Dyer ;  No.  3,  Jennie  Maxwell  and 
Charles  Strong;  No.  4,  William  F.  Kile  and  F.  J.  Taylor;  No.  5, 
Belle  Livingston  and  Jesse  L.  Hill ;  No.  6,  Helen  A.  Cleveland  ;  No. 
7,  Charles  Strong  and  Edwin  Michael ;  No.  8,  Almeda  Brannon  and 
Alice  Hayden;  No.  9,  Edith  J.  Burhans  and  Meda  Brannon;  No.  11, 
Thirza  Stone  and  Martha  Sigler  ;  No.  13,  Ida  Brannon  ;  No.  14,  C.  F. 
Templeton  and  Julia  C.  Lawrendfe. 

In  1879— No.  1,  Addie  Storrs;  No.  2,  Agnes  M.  Dyer;  No.  3, 
Jennie  Maxwell ;  No.  4,  Meda  Brannon  and  Helena  Wood  ;  No.  5,  Mrs. 
Jane  L.  Hill ;  No.  6,  Jessie  L.  Hill ;  No.  7,  Alice  M.  Bates  and  My- 
ron M.  Mee;  No.  8,  Lo  Evans  and  John  J.  Daum  ;  No.  9,  Ida  Bur- 
hans; No.  11,  Martha  Sigler  and  Charles  Strong;  No.  13,  Ida  Bran- 
non ;  No.   14,  Thirza  Storrs ;  no  number  given,  W.  0.  Shriner. 

In  1880— No.  1,  Albert  Maac ;  No.  2,  Agnes  M.  Dyer;  No.  3, 
Nellie  Hayden,  Ida  Brannon  and  Jennie  Maxwell ;  No.  4,  Meda  Bran- 
non and  H.  H.  Ragon ;  No.  5,  Mrs.  J.  L.  Hill  and  M.  A.  Palmer  ; 
No.  6,  Marcus  A.  Palmer  and  Mrs.  J.  L.  Hill ;  No.  7,  Jennie  Max- 
well and  W.  U.  Northrup ;  No.  8,  Bertha  Bryant  and  J.  J.  Daum ;  No. 
9,  Ida  Brannon  and  Emma  S.  Peach ;  No.  11,  Eliza  Livingston  and 
Linda  Maxwell  ;  No.   13,  Ida  Brannon  ;  No.   14,  Thirza  Storrs. 

In    1881 — No.   1,   Louise  Gromann;  No.    2,    Agnes   M.   Dyer  and 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  589 

Nellie  Green ;  No.  3,  Thirza  Storrs  and  Emma  Dumond  ;  No.  4,  Ida 
Brannon  and  Ida  B.  Hayden  ;  No.  5,  K.  Haan  and  Belle  Livingston  ; 
No.  6,  Fannie  Roman  and  Marcus  Palmer  ;  No.  7,  Jennie  Maxwell  and 
G.  W.  Taylor ;  No.  8,  J.  J.  Daura  and  Schuyler  J.  Robinson ;  No.  9, 
Emma  S.  Peach  ;  No.  11,  Lulu  Bryant  and  Charles  Strong ;  No.  13, 
Ella  Ashton  ;  No.   14,  Thirza  Storrs  ;  no  number,  Albert  Maac. 

In  1882 — No.  1,  Louise  Groraann  ;  No.  2,  Nellie  Green  ;  No.  3, 
Thirza  Storrs ;  No.  4,  Eunice  Daum  ;  No.  5,  Belle  Livingston ;  No.  7, 
M.  Ella  Ashton  ;  No.  8,  Jennie  Maxwell ;  No.  9,  Hattie  L.  Pattee  ; 
No.  11,  Ella  Rollins;  No.  13,  Hattie  Austin  ;  no  number  given,  Emma 
Dumond. 

There  are  now  twelve  houses  in  the  township,  all  of  which  are  frame. 
At  one  time  there  were  fourteen  districts  and  houses.  A  frame  house  is 
now  being  built  in  No.  7,  which  is  to  cost  $450. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

BY    G.    A.    GARARD. 

WiNFiELD  Township— Surface  and  Soil— List  of  Old  Settlers— Pio- 
neer Hardships— Curious  and  Interesting  Anecdotes— First 
School  and  House— Early  Religious  Meetings— Temperance— Mis- 
cellany. 

THIS  township  has  an  undulating  surface,  which  was  originally  cov- 
ered with  wild  grass  and  native  trees.  About  one-sixth  of  the  area 
was  prairie  and  the  remainder  woods.  The  timber  was  in  patches  with- 
out much  reference  to  tlie  streams.  The  amount  of  timber  at  present  is 
as  great,  if  not  greater,  than  at  an  early  day.  There  has  always  been  an 
abundance  for  fuel  and  much  material  for  fences  and  buildings  has  been 
cut  from  the  primeval  forests.  Most  of  the  first  growth  has  been  used, 
and  for  many  years  a  second  growth  has  been  furnishing  fuel  and  fencing. 
There  are  no  streams  of  great  size  in  the  township.  Eagle  Creek  crosses 
the  southeastern  part,  and  Deep  River  rises  just  northeast  of  Leroy,  and 
circles  to  the  northwest,  trending  in  and  out  of  the  township  in  diflferent 
places.  There  is  some  swamp  land  but  no  large  bodies.  What  there  is, 
is  being  drained  and  thus  made  the  most  valuable  hay  land.  Blackber- 
ries and  nuts  are  abundant.  The  soil  is  strong,  except  at  a  few  points, 
mostly  southern  exposures,  along  the  timber.  These  points  are  good  for 
wheat  and  grazing. 

Hay,  corn,  oats,   and  wheat  are  the  leading  products.      Hay  is  per- 
haps the  most  valuable  and  abundant  crop. 


590  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

Creation  of  Township. — The  township  was  formed,  in  1843,  from 
Centre.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  order:  "  That  all  that  part  of 
Centre  Township,  east  of  a  line  running  from  the  north  line  of  Town  34 
north,  Range  8  west,  to  the  south  line  of  Centre  Township,  due  south,  on 
a  line  running  between  Sections  2  and  3  of  Town  34  north,  of  Range  8 
west,  be  set  oflF  as  a  separate  township,  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Win- 
field  Township,  and  that  elections  in  said  township  be  held  at  the  house 
of  George  A.  Woodb ridge." 

In  1844,  the  west  tier  of  sections  was  cut  oflf  and  put  back  into  Centre. 
Later  still  the  three  southwest  corner  sections  were  put  into  Eagle  Creek. 
On  the  first  Monday  in  April,  1844,  an  election  of  two  Justices  of  the 
Peace  took  place  at  the  time  and  place  above  mentioned.  George  A. 
Woodbridge  was  appointed  Inspector  of  the  election.  In  March,  1844, 
it  was  ordered  "  That  Winfield  Township  be  and  is  hereby  divided  into 
two  road  districts,  by  an  east  and  west  line  drawn  through  the  centers  of 
Sections  19,  20  and  21,  of  Town  34  north,  Range  8  west.  All  that  part 
of  said  township  which  lies  north  of  said  line,  shall  be  known  and  desig- 
nated as  Road  District  No.  9,  and  all  that  part  lying  south  of  said  line 
to  be  known  as  Road  District  No.  24."  The  township  was  named  by 
Jeremy  Hixon  from  Gen.  Winfield  Scott.  Thefirst  permanent  settler  in 
the  township  was  Jeremy  Hixon.  He  located  a  claim  about  April  1, 
1835,  near  the  center  of  the  territory  that  is  now  included  in  Winfield, 
but  which  was  at  that  time  embraced  in  Centre  Township.  For  some 
time,  there  were  no  houses  nearer  than  five  miles  of  his.  He  and  family 
camped  in  a  wagon  while  building  a  log  hut  for  a  home.  Like  most  early 
settlers,  he  took  land  in  the  edge  of  the  timber,  so  as  to  be  sheltered  from 
the  piercing  winter  winds  and  convenient  to  fuel  and  building  material. 

The  Settlement. — According  to  the  best  living  authorities,  the  follow- 
ing are  the  earliest  settlers  of  this  territory :  the  very  first  are  Jeremy 
Hixon,  William  A.  Nichols,  William  Roe  and  Jesse  Roby.  The  latter 
was  a  pioneer  carpenter  and  hunter.  His  skill  in  log-house  building  was 
equaled  only  by  his  wonderful  accuracy  as  a  marksman.  His  eye  followed 
his  "  skuller  "  rifle  barrel  with  even  greater  ease  than  it  did  the  straight- 
edge. It  is  said  that  he  was  known  to  have  shot  as  many  as  twenty 
deer  before  he  stopped  to  skin  one.  A  little  later  than  the  above  came 
Maj.  Jack  Downing,  John  Lindsey,  James  Corbin  and  Miles  Mattox  ; 
these  were  followed  somewhat  later  by  William  Clark,  Morris  Carman, 
Joseph  Gordon,  Asahel  Gregg,  Josephus  Gregg,  Charles  Gregg,  Anson 
Gregg,  Silas  Gregg,  Washington  Gregg,  Simeon  Gordon,  John  Gillman, 
Augustine  Humphreys,  Benjamin  F.  Little,  James  D.  McNabb,  Alfred 
Nichols,  William  Welch,  Thomas  Watts,  Sr.,  William  Young,  James 
Young  and  John  Young.     Quite  a  large  number  of  settlers  came  in  soon 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  591 

after  these,  and  the  log  huts  grew  among  the  groves,  and  in  a  still  morn- 
ing the  smoke  from  many  stick  and  mortar  stacks  curled  up  from  among 
the  thinned-out  trees. 

Of  later  years,  the  growth  has  been  gradual  but  continuous,  until  it 
now  ranks  second,  perhaps,  to  no  township  in  the  county  as  an  agricult- 
ural region.  The  early  settlers  of  the  township  were  from  Ohio,  Penn- 
sylvania, New  York  and  several  other  States.  At  the  present  time,  many 
other  States  are  represented,  as  are  Canada  and  several  of  the  countries 
of  Europe,  as  for  instance  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  Germany  and 
France.  Ireland  is  most  fully  represented.  On  the  whole,  the  people 
are  about  as  much  mixed  as  they  could  well  be  incidentally.  At  the 
same  time,  a  more  peaceful  community  is  hard  to  find.  So  far  as  known 
there  is  now  nothing  but  Caucassian  blood  in  the  township,  no  negroes 
ever  having  lived  here,  so  far  as  we  can  learn. 

The  Pottawatomie  Indians  remained  here,  some  of  them,  for  several 
years  after  the  first  settlement,  and  Loren,  a  son  of  Jeremy  Hixon,  a  son 
of  Mr.  Nichols  of  Hickory  Point,  and  a  number  of  other  boys,  and,  it  is 
supposed,  girls,  too,  used  to  play  with  the  little  Pottawatomie  papooses, 
and  learn  the  Indian  lingo  from  the  lips  of  the  little  red-skins.  Mr.  Lo- 
ren Hixon,  who  has  passed  forty-seven  years  of  his  life  in  the  county,  and 
most  of  that  in  Winfield  Township,  is  still  quite  proficient  in  the  language 
of  the  people  who  have  gone  themselves,  but  left  their  language  behind 
them  in  the  minds  of  those  who  at  that  time  had  the  receptive  and  reten- 
tive minds  of  childhood  and  youth,  and  who  have  grown  old  and  gray, 
but  have  kept  this  knowledge  of  early  times  stowed  away,  to  be  preserved 
and  handed  down  to  generations  yet  unborn.  Years  before,  the  Sioux 
had  roamed  over  this  same  ground,  but  they  went  away  early,  leaving 
nothing  but  a  trail  from  northeast  to  southwest  through  the  center  of  the 
township  by  which  to  track  them. 

Indian  Relics. — In  1835,  near  the  house  of  Jeremy  Hixon,  w-as 
found  a  curious  mortar  in  which  the  Indians  used  to  grind  their  corn.  It 
consisted  of  the  stump  of  a  tree  of  good  size,  hollowed  out,  in  which  the 
corn  was  placed  and  pounded.  There  were  then  some  seven  mounds  on 
his  place,  but  the  plow,  aided  by  the  weather,  has  almost  obliterated 
them.  Although  it  is  true  that  a  sod-covered  mound  will  stand  the 
ravages  of  time  better  than  any  other  structure,  even  though  it  be  of 
the  hardest  stone,  yet  when  the  sod  is  broken  it  is  soon  washed  down. 
Numerous  arrow  heads,  stone  axes  and  other  Indian  implements  have 
been  found.  Also  some  trinkets  that  indicate  the  presence  of  pre-historic 
races. 

Pioneer  Hardships. — Michigan  City  was  the  nearest  trading  point  in 
1835,  and  for  some  years  thereafter.     The  nearest  mill  was   Scott's,  five 


592  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

miles  farther.  Trips  to  these  were  usually  made  by  ox  team,  and  it  was 
not  unusual  to  have  to  unload  several  times  in  a  trip — one  man  speaks  of 
having  unloaded  and  reloaded  five  times  in  a  trip.  Oxen  were  used  for 
almost  all  teaming  and  plowing.  One  man  usually  made  his  trip  to  mill 
or  trading  point  serve  all  his  neighbors.  Thus  they  took  it  turn  about 
for  fair  play.  The  general  health  was  not  so  good  in  those  days  as  now, 
for  the  reason  that  the  great  amount  of  breaking  caused  so  great  an 
amount  of  vegetable  matter  to  decay  as  to  poison  the  atmosphere  ;  then, 
too,  the  drainage  was  not  as  good  as  now,  and  as  there  were  no  wells,  the 
water  used  was  often  very  poor.  But  from  the  fact  that  only  one  doctor 
has  ever  attempted  to  start  in  the  township,  we  may  infer  that  it  is  a  very 
healthy  section.  It  used  to  be  quite  aguish,  but,  as  usual  with  drainage 
and  cultivation,  the  "  shakes  "  have  sought  the  new  ground. 

First  Death. — The  first  death  was  that  of  a  child  of  Mr.  Higby,  in 
1836  ;  it  was  buried  in  the  forks  of  a  fallen  tree  near  by. 

Incidents  of  Early  Days. — Only  one  bear  has  ever  been  seen  in 
the  township,  and  that  was  seen  by  a  boy.  It  was  followed  and  killed 
near  Crown  Point.  Wolves  were  so  numerous  that  sheep  could  not  be 
raised  until  after  the  country  was  well  filled  up.  One  man  heard  1,000 
wolves  barking  at  one  time  in  one  pack  ;  he  was  sure  that  there  were 
1,000  of  them ;  so  sure  was  he  that  he  took  the  pains  to  get  up  a  tree 
where  he  could  see  to  count  them  !  They  did  not  hold  out  by  count. 
There  were  six  of  them  !  This  is  a  true  story,  for  the  man  who  told  it 
is  still  living.  It  is  said  that  a  boy  named  Sam  Barder  caught  two 
enormous  gray  rats  that  died  the  easiest  of  anything  in  the  game  line  he 
had  ever  butchered,  but  when  he  came  to  skin  them  they  opened  their 
eyes,  looked  surprised  that  any  one  should  attempt  to  skin  them,  then 
opened  the  mouth  and  closed  it  suddenly  on  Sam's  pant  leg.  This  inno- 
cent animal  was  the  Didelphys  Virginiana,  more  commonly  known  as 
the  opossum,  or  plain  "  possum." 

Another  story  better  authenticated  in  detail  than  the  above  is,  that,  in 
1848,  which  was  a  very  hard  winter,  George  Wise  caught  a  deer  by  the  hind 
leg  and  held  it  until  his  brother  came  up  and  cut  its  throat ;  not  that  he 
could  run  as  fast  as  a  deer,  but  the  snow  was  deep  and  covered  with  a 
tough  crust,  through  which  the  small  feet  of  the  deer  would  cut,  and  throw 
them.  At  about  the  same  time,  John  McNabb  killed  one  with  his  boot. 
The  deer  would  often  jump  upon  the  ice  of  streams  and  ponds  when 
chased,  and  skate  across  them.  Again,  they  would  fall  on  the  side  acci- 
dentally or  intentionally,  and  slide  across  the  ice  in  that  way.  One 
otter  has  been  killed,  and  a  few  turkeys  as  late  as  1852.  Bee  trees  were 
found  in  larger  timber.  Prairie  chickens  and  squirrels  abounded,  and  game 
was  taken  to  market   to  exchange  for  groceries.     Sand-hill  cranes  were 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  593 

numerous,  and  very  troublesome,  often  taking  almost  entire  fields  of  wheat 
and  patches  of  corn.  These  long,  lean,  lank  two-footed  creatures  used  to 
flock  together  in  great  numbers.  Although  ungraceful,  and  apparently 
raised  on  stilts,  they  seemed  to  enjoy  themselves  greatly,  and  indulge  in  a 
great  deal  of  hilarity.  One  of  the  old  residents  has  described  for  us  a 
'•  crane  dance."  They  get  together  on  some  high  knoll  or  sand  bank  ; 
one  of  the  number  of  musical  proclivities  steps  aside  and  begins  to  pipe, 
while  the  others  begin  to  hop  and  circle  about,  in  and  out,  up  and  down, 
as  though  in  the  mazes  of  the  most  fascinating  dance.  They  seem  to 
move  with  order  and  precision,  under  the  direction  of  the  "  caller,"  and 
occasionally  all  join  in  the  chorus.  They  seem  to  have  caught  the  idea 
from  the  Indians,  for  the  performance  is  not  unlike  an  Indian  war  dance. 
Thousands  of  these  tall  creatures  used  often  to  alight  in  the  township, 
and  looked  at  from  a  distance  resembled  a  flock  of  sheep  walking  on 
stilts.  Log-rollings  and  house-raisings  were  among  the  merry  gatherings 
of  early  days. 

Occupations. — The  township  has  never  had  an  inn,  mill,  tannery, 
foundry,  distillery,  or  other  manufactory  of  any  kind.  It  has  always 
been  a  strictly  farming  community,  and  is  likely  to  so  continue,  but  there 
is  no  telling  what  the  future  may  have  in  store,  as  railroads  and  proximity 
to  a  great  city  may  bring  wonders. 

The  Villages. — There  are  only  two  villages  in  the  township,  and  they 
are  both  small.  Up  to  1875,  there  was  no  town  in  the  township.  The 
plat  of  the  town  of  Leroy  was  recorded  December  11,  1875.  It  was  laid 
out  by  Thomas  McClarn.  It  is  located  on  the  west  half  of  the  northeast 
quarter  of  the  northwest  quarter,  and  twenty  rods  ofi"  the  north  end  of 
the  west  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  northwest  quarter  of  Section  31, 
Town  34  north,  Range  7  west.  There  are  eighty-two  lots,  and  "lots" 
of  room  around  those  parts  for  more.  It  was  formerly  called  Cassville, 
after  Dr.  Levi  Cass,  who  then  owned  and  still  owns  land  near.  Amos 
Edgington,  now  of  Crown  Point,  built  the  first  store,  which  was,  in  fact, 
the  first  building,  except  the  grain  house,  in  which  he  and  family  lived  for 
some  six  weeks.  He  sold  to  H.  J.  Nichols,  who,  in  turn,  sold  to  A.  Z. 
Green,  who  now  occupies  the  old  stand  with  a  general  store.  Samuel 
Love  also  carries  a  general  stock  of  goods.  There  has  never  been  a  sa- 
loon or  drug  store  in  town.  There  are  now  thirteen  houses  and  three 
large  hay  barns  in  town.  Large  quantities  of  hay  are  baled  here  for  the 
Chicago  market.  For  some  cause  or  causes,  the  town  has  not  grown  as 
might  be  expected,  from  the  location  and  country.  It  is  said  that  the 
fact  that  the  post  office  was  fenced  in  and  access  was  refused  unless  dam- 
ages, that  some  thought  to  be  too  heavy,  were  paid  had  much  to  do  with 
retarding  the  growth  of  the  place.     Some  trouble  arose  ;   the  matter  was 


594  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   COUNTY. 

carried  to  the  Circuit  Court,  where  it  was  decided  that  a  United  States 
post  ofl5ce  could  not  be  fenced  up.  A  lack  of  harmony  was  evident  among 
those  who  should  have  had  an  eye  single  to  the  growth  of  the  town. 
Prior  to  the  decision  of  the  court,  some  collisions  occurred  in  connection 
with  the  obstructing  and  opening  of  the  road.  Some  blood  was  shed  and 
some  fence  material  wasted.  By  hearty  co-operation,  the  town  may  hope 
for  better  things  in  the  future.  The  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati  &  St.  Louis 
Railroad  runs  through  the  town.  Palmer  Station,  north  of  Leroy,  on 
the  Chicago  &  Atlantic  Railroad,  has  just  been  established.  It  now 
has  a  store  and  two  dwellings,  with  indefinite  prospects  for  the  future. 
Amos  Edgerton  was  the  first  Postmaster  at  Leroy.  The  only  secret  so- 
ciety in  the  township  is  a  Grange  at  Leroy,  that  is  still  running. 

Town  Officers. — At  first,  the  township  had  three  Trustees,  while  now 
there  is  but  one.  Jacob  Wise  and  John  Fisher  were  two  of  the  first 
three.  The  present  township  officers  are  Silas  Gregg,  Trustee ;  George 
Nichols,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  while  a  son  of  his  is  Constable. 

Schools. — The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  on  Section  21,  on  Eagle 
Creek,  It  was  constructed  of  unhewn  logs  and  covered  with  clapboards. 
In  size,  it  was  12x14  feet.  It  had  two  windows,  one  door,  a  puncheon 
floor,  and  seats  made  of  split  timbers,  with  legs  of  tough,  strong  sticks. 
The  chimney  was  of  sticks  and  mortar,  while  the  fire-place  was  large 
enough  to  take  cord  wood,  and  such  large  back  logs  were  used  as  to  keep 
fire  through  the  long  intermission,  from  dismissal  in  the  evening  to  school- 
call  in  the  morning.  This  house  was  built  about  1842,  and  taken  down 
about  1850.  Mr.  Taylor  taught  the  first  term  therein,  or  some  say 
James  Dilly  did.  Caroline  Soul  was  among  the  first  teachers  of  the 
township.  The  desks  in  the  above-named  house  were  ranged  around  the 
wall  on  pins  placed  in  the  logs  at  diff'erent  elevations  to  suit  size  of  pupils. 
As  an  instance  of  the  expedients  adopted  to  shield  people  from  the  cold 
in  early  times,  this  same  house  was  ceiled  after  a  few  years,  and  above 
the  rough  board  ceiling  was  filled  in  with  sod,  which,  of  course,  made  it 
warm  overhead.  This  house,  doubtless,  held  the  largest  schools  ever 
tauu^ht  in  the  township.  It  is  stated  that  fifty  or  sixty  pupils,  ranging  in 
age  from  five  to  thirty  years,  used  to  congregate  here  for  instruction.  One 
time,  at  recess,  the  pupils  at  play  dislocated  the  elbow  of  one  Chester 
Grout;  as  there  was  no  doctor  near,  the  teacher  and  Loren  Hixon,  one  of 
the  pupils,  succeeded  in  setting  it.  The  boy  got  along  without  further 
medical  attendance.  There  was  a  pond  near  the  house  ;  one  day  at  noon 
the  boys  became  so  busily  engaged  at  skating  as  not  to  hear  the  heavy 
ruler  as  it  drummed  on  the  door,  nor  the  oft-repeated  call  of  books  ! 
books  !  books  !  as  the  master  pounded  harder  and  called  louder.  Finally, 
they  came  and  were  brought  up  in  a  row  for  punishment.     The  row  was 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  595 

80  long  as  to  take  the  shape  of  a  fish  hook.  The  master  took  a  heavy  leg 
from  a  puncheon  seat  and  began  business  at  the  head,  and  soon  came  to 
the  point.  To  the  first  boy  he  gave  a  "  smart"  box  ;  to  the  second,  who 
is  now  Gen.  Cameron,  he  was  going  to  give  the  bench  leg,  but  the  young 
General  would  not  surrender,  and,  instead  of  laying  down  his  arms, 
showed  fight.  The  boys  came  to  his  rescue ;  the  teacher  hesitated,  and 
the  boys  all  marched  out  in  single  file  under  the  leadership  of  young 
Cameron.  The  first  teacher  got  $13  a  month  and  boarded  around.  Since 
then,  in  a  period  of  twenty  years  the  wages  have  run,  for  winter  schools, 
$16,  $25,  $28,  $40,  $45,  $30,  the  last  being  the  present  pay.  Summer 
schools  used  to  run  from  $2.50  to  $3  a  week  and  board,  while  now  the 
average  is  about  $20  a  month  without  board.  The  second  school  was 
taught  two  miles  north  and  west  of  the  above-named  in  a  hewed  loc' 
house.  The  third  school  was  established  in  the  Methodist  Church  at 
Hickory  Point.  There  are  now  six  houses  and  seven  districts  in  the 
township.  Five  of  these  houses  are  frame  and  one  is  brick.  Another 
brick  is  to  be  built  this  fall  at  Palmer. 

Churches.— T\ie  first  church  was  a  log  structure  on  Deer  Creek,  built 
about  1852.  The  present  Methodist  Church  stands  on  or  near  the  site 
of  the  old  log  chapel.  It  was  built  of  round  logs,  and  while  it  was  build- 
ing a  Mr.  Cooper,  who  now  lives  at  Crown  Point,  came  along  and  asked 
what  they  were  building  a  hog-pen  in  that  place  for  ?  The  reply  elicited 
the  fact  that  instead  of  being  intended  for  that  low  purpose,  it  was  soon 
to  be  dedicated  to  the  Most  High. 

The  first  religious  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Young,  by 
Rev.  French,  a  Baptist  minister.  The  Methodists  were  the  first  to 
organize,  which  they  did  at  Hickory  Point.  Among  the  first  members 
were  William  Nichols  and  wife,  Mrs.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Miller.  As  the 
Methodists  were  the  first  regularly  organized  church,  so  they  are  at 
present   the   only  regularly  organized  society  in  the  township. 

The  church  at  Deer  Creek  is  the  only  church  edifice  and  contains  the 
only  society  in  existence  in  the  township.  The  house  cost  perhaps  $S00. 
There  was  one  built  in  Hickery  Point  about  1842,  which  was  the  first 
frame  church. 

Sanitary  Condition. — There  has  never  been  a  saloon  or  drug  store  in 
the  township,  and  the  people  have,  as  a  rule,  been  sober  and  industrious. 
In  point  of  health,  since  the  ague  times,  there  has  been  no  cause  of  com- 
plaint. One  Dr.  Anderson  attempted  to  establish  himself  in  the  practice 
of  medicine  in  Cassville  (now  Leroy),  but,  the  good  health  of  the  com- 
munity being  too  much  for  him,  he  left  for  less  salubrious  climes;  1847 
was  called  the  sickly  season.     Since  then  there  has  been  some  ague  along 

Deep  River  Marsh,  but  not  much. 

jj 


596  HISTORY   OF   LAKE   C0UNT7. 

Miscellaneous. — Some  almost  obliterated  mounds  are  found  on  the 
place  of  Mr.  Philips. 

This  township  now  stands  second  in  land  appraisement.  The  pro- 
ductiveness of  the  soil  may  be  illustrated  by  this,  that  in  1880  Thomas 
McClaren  raised  three  good  crops  on  one  piece  of  land ;  and  neither  one 
was  a  crop  of  weeds.  He  put  first  early  potatoes  ;  used  them,  and  as  he 
dug  them  hoed  the  rows  of  sweet  corn  that  he  had  planted  at  the  proper 
time  between  the  rows  of  potatoes.  When  the  corn  was  in  roasting  ear, 
it  was  pulled,  the  stalks  cut  for  stock,  and  turnips  sowed  in  season  and 
{^■athered  in  due  time.  This  example  is  certainly  worthy  of  imitation, 
eapecially  by  those  who  have  but  little  ground  to  till,  and  wish  to  make 
the  most  of  it. 

While  it  has  been  stated  that  no  saloon  has  ever  existed  here,  yet  in 
early  days  whisky  was  found  in  almost  every  house  and  kept  for  sale  in 
many  of  them  ;  but  drunkenness  was  seldom  known,  probably  owing  to 
the  fact  that  whisky  then  was  whisky,  and  not  a  miserable,  "  measly  " 
mixture  of  deadly  drugs.  Joseph  McFarland,  of  Hickory  Point,  brought 
the  first  merino  sheep  to  the  township.  At  one  time  (in  1860),  large 
numbers  of  sheep  were  brought  in  from  Ohio,  and  almost  every  farmer 
had  a  supply  ;  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  many  of  them  were  diseased, 
the  venture  was  not  a  success,  and  most  farmers  went  out  of  the  business. 
At  present  many  farmers  keep  sheep  and  find  them  a  paying  investment. 

There  are  two  cemeteries  in  the  township.  Both  are  small.  The 
oldest  is  at  Hickory  Point ;  the  other  is  near  the  Deer  Creek  Church. 

The  old  State  road,  that  formerly  crossed  the  township,  is  now  mostly 
closed  up,  and  has  given  place  to  square  corners,  instead  of  the  old 
straight-cut  across  the  country  from  southeast  to  northwest.  The  first 
brick  house  was  built  by  Mr.  Wise.  Reuben  Hipsley  and  J.  Q.  Benjamin 
have  the  finest  houses,  perhaps.  J.  L.  Hipsley  built  the  first  barn  of 
any  size.  The  first  post  office  was  Winfield,  near  the  center  of  the 
township.  It  was  closed  in  the  spring  of  1882.  The  Chicago  &  Atlan- 
tic Railroad,  already  referred  to  as  now  being  built,  has  had  much  trouble 
with  fills  and  bridges.  In  one  marsh,  which  is  about  twenty-five  rods 
across,  and  which  is  dry  in  a  dry  time,  it  seemed  next  to  impossible  to 
get  a  solid  bed  by  filling.  The  filling  kept  sinking  and  the  marsh  bulg- 
ing up  on  either  hand  until  it  seemed  as  if  the  marsh  would  eat  all  the 
earth  the  company  could  get  for  it  and  still  be  hungry  ;  but  finally  it  got 
full,  and  now  the  bed  is  firm  and  the  engine  goes  over  in  safety.  The 
bridge  over  Eagle  Creek  also  was  the  source  of  much  annoyance.  No 
firm  foundation  could  be  had  without  using  piles,  and  they  gave  so  as  to 
let  the  bridge  sag  about  eighteen  inches  at  one  end.  The  township  voted 
no  tax  to  either  road. 


WINFIKLD  TOWNSHIP. 


597 


In  1853,  the  valuation  of  the  township  was  about  ^28,000.  At  first 
the  people  traveled  and  liauled  on  home-made  sleds  in  summer  as  well  as 
in  winter;  and  those  who  tried  it  say  that  sleds  slide  smoothly  on  the 
sod. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


CROWN  POINT   AND   CENTRE  TOWNSHIP. 

AMOS  ALLMAN  was  born  in  Atwick,  Yorkshire,  England,  Febru- 
ary 27,  1825.  He  is  a  son  ofMaj.  Allraan  ;  by  trade  a  tailor  ;  a  preacher 
of  the  Methodist  Church  for  thirty-five  years,  and  three  times  married  ; 
his  first  wife  was  Margaret  Haxby,  born  in  England  in  1790,  and  died  there 
in  1826,  leaving  seven  children,  of  whom  Amos  is  the  youngest ;  his 
third  is  Laura  Brooks,  who  now  resides  in  Chicago.  Maj.  Allman  was 
born  in  England  in  1791,  and  came  to  Lake  County  a  pioneer  in  1842, 
and  purchased  a  part  of  what  is  now  Crown  Point.  He  was  Recorder 
eleven  years,  and  in  1856  removed  to  Sturgis,  Mich.,  where  he  died  De- 
cember 28,  1858,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  Amos  Allman  came  to  Amer- 
ica with  his  father  in  1830,  and  lived  in  Toronto  and  Whitby,  Canada, 
residing  with  his  eldest  sister.  In  1842,  he  began  to  learn  the  trade  of 
a  tailor  at  Sturgis,  Mich.  In  1843,  he  came  to  Crown  Point  and  worked 
at  his  trade,  which  he  soon  abandoned,  owing  to  a  partial  failure  of  sight, 
and  went  back  to  Sturgis,  where  he  remained  until  1855,  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business.  He  again  returned  to  Lake  County  to  look  after  his 
father's  business  of  Recorder,  and  has  since  remained.  In  1856,  he  was 
elected  Recorder,  and  held  the  position  for  eight  years,  since  which  time 
he  has  been  actively  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  having  the  only 
complete  set  of  abstract  books  in  Lake  County.  Mr.  Allman  has  been 
twice  married,  once  November  26,  1857,  to  Miss  Olive  Wilcox,  who  died 
June  1,  1859,  without  issue,  and  again  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Duther,  on 
March  22,  1860,  by  whom  he  had  five  children — Walter  L.,  Irene,  Jessie, 
Claude  and  Nellie.  Mr.  Allman  owns  the  old  Crown  Point  homestead, 
and  is  one  of  the  solid  men  of  Lake  County,  a  most  respected  citizen. 
He  was  formerly  a  Whig,  but  is  now  a  Republican,  and  for  eighteen 
months,  beginning  in  1866,  he  was  Deputy  Revenue  Collector  of  Lake 
County. 

WILLIAM  S.  BABBITT,  Superintendent  of  the  county  farm,  was 
born  in  Orleans  County,  Vt..  December  19,  1825,  and  is  one  of  the 
four  children  of  Joshua  and  Betsey  (Scott)  Babbitt.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  moved  to  Ohio  in  1826  ;  he  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812,  and  commanded  a  battery  at  the  battle  of  Plattsburg; 
he  was  Sheriff  of  the  county  at  the  time  of  his  death  ;  his  mother  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  and  died  in  1832.     William   S.   Babbitt  lived  with  a 


600  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

man  named  Kimball  until  he  was  eleven  years  old,  when  he  ran  away  and 
shipped  on  a  Cape  Cod  fishing  vessel,  and  afterward  went  on  a  whaling 
cruise,  making  three  voyages.  He  has  "  doubled  "  Cape  Horn  five  times, 
and  crossed  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  once.  He  has  been  twice  shipwrecked, 
the  crew  being  saved  each  time.  In  1854,  he  quit  seafaring,  and  settled 
to  farming  in  Ross  Township,  this  county.  On  December  25,  1854,  he 
was  married  to  Harriet  Irish,  a  native  of  Vermont.  To  this  union  there 
followed  five  children,  four  living — John  J.,  Aaron  S.,  Lucia  M.  and 
Sabra  H.  Mr.  Babbitt  was  a  soldier  in  the  late  war  in  Company  E, 
Twentieth  Indiana  Volunteers  ;  eight  months  later  he  was  commissioned 
Second  Lieutenant,  and  in  1862  promoted  to  a  Captaincy,  and  transferred 
to  Company  C.  At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  he  was  severely  wounded 
and  discharged  July  2,  1863.  He  was  afterward  Deputy  Provost  Mar- 
shal and  Government  detective  during  the  war.  He  then  resumed  farm- 
ing until  made  Superintendent  of  the  Poor  Farm  in  March,  1881.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Babbitt  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr. 
Babbitt  is  a  member  of  Lodge,  551,  of  Freemasons  ;  he  is  also  a  Republi- 
can. 

S.  A.  BARR,  station  agent  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati  &  St.  Louis  Rail- 
road, was  born  in  York  County,  Penn.,  May  5,  1812,  and  is  one  of  six 
children  born  to  Samuel  and  Sarah  A.  (Dnnlap)  Barr,  both  natives  of 
the  "  Keystone  State."  Samuel  Barr  has  been  a  life-long  merchant,  but 
is  now  living  retired,  with  his  wife,  at  Naperville,  111.  S.  A.  Barr  was 
reared  in  Cumberland  County,  Penn.,  received  an  academic  education, 
and  commenced  as  a  teacher  when  fifteen  years  of  age.  In  1862,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Emma  C.  Standish,  at  Naperville,  and  daughter  of 
Hiram  Standish,  a  lineal  descendant  of  Miles  Standish,  of  Plymouth 
Rock  Colony  fame.  By  this  union  they  have  had  five  children — Clar- 
ence W.,  Herbert  S.,  Frederick  A.,  Clara  Leora  and  Harry,  the  last  four 
natives  of  Crown  Point.  On  August  6,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Company 
B,  One  Hundredth  and  Fifth  Illinois  Volunteers,  was  assigned  to  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland  ;  his  first  engagement  was  Resaca,  followed  by 
the  Atlanta  campaign  of  eighty  days'  fighting.  Mr.  Barr  was  wounded 
at  Peach  Tree  Creek  by  a  rainie  ball,  which  he  yet  carries  in  his  head 
— a  memento  of  the  time  ;  he  was  dischared  with  the  command  June, 
1865,  having  risen  to  be  Second  Corporal.  After  this  time  he  was  em- 
ployed at  Hinsdale,  III.,  by  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad, 
also  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  as  telegraph  operator,  and  afterward  by  the 
Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati  &  St.  Louis  Railroad,  in  charge  of  Crown  Point 
Station,  Ind.  Mr.  Barr  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow 
fraternities,  having  advanced  very  far  in  both  ;  his  father-in-law,  Hiram 
Standish,  was  born  in  1807,  and  is   one   of  the  oldest   railroad  men   in 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  601 

Illinois ;  he  learned  telegraphy   when   fifty-six  years   old,  and  is  in  the 
service  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad  at  Mount  Joy,  111. 

FRANK  S.  BEDELL,  Post  Oflfice  Inspector  and  ex-editor  of  the 
Crown  Point  Register^  was  born  in  Albion,  Orleans  Co.,  N.  Y.,  May  19, 
1836,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  Norman  and  Amanda  (Smiley) 
Bedell,  both  natives  of  New  York  ;  his  father  was  engaged  in  the  hard- 
ware trade,  and  afterward  as  manufacturer,  which  he  continued  until  his 
death  in  1873  ;  his  mother  is  yet  living  in  New  York.  Frank  S.  Bedell 
was  sent  to  the  public  schools,  and  afterward  to  Genesee  Wesleyan  Col- 
lege at  Lima,  which  he  left  after  one  year  to  work  at  the  printing  trade, 
which  he  began  at  fourteen  years  of  age ;  he  had  charge  of  the  printing 
of  the  Rome  Sentinel  and  Orleans  Repuhlioan^  where  he  learned  his 
trade.  In  1850,  he  moved  to  Michigan,  and  was  employed  as  book- 
keeper at  Grand  Rapids.  In  1857,  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  and  on 
August  4  was  married  to  Miss  Leila  G.  Robinson,  daughter  of  Solon 
Robinson,  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  the  town.  Mr.  Bedell  was 
a  compositor  on  the  Crown  Point  ITe7'ald,  novf  Register;  he  afterward 
removed  to  Chautauqua,  N.  Y.,  and  engaged  in  the  livery  business.  In 
1861,  he  was  telegraph  editor  on  the  Dubuque  Times  ;  he  returned  to 
Crown  Point  and  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Register,  becoming  sole 
proprietor  on  the  death  of  his  partner,  A.  E.  Beattie,  in  1869  ;  he  sold 
one  half  interest,  in  1876,  to  C.  W.  Ainsworth.  In  politics,  Mr.  Bedell 
is  a  Republican,  and  in  June,  1881,  he  received  his  commission  as  Post 
Oflfice  Inspector.  Mrs.  Bedell  is  a  native  of  Crown  Point.  She  studied 
medicine  and  had  a  three  years'  course  at  the  Boston  University  School 
of  Medicine,  from  which  she  graduated  in  1878.  She  practices  the 
Homoeopathic  principle,  chiefly  in  Chicago.  Mr.  Bedell  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  has  advanced  to  the  chapter. 

CRIP  BINYON,  proprietor  of  the  Cedar  Lake  House  at  Cedar  Lake, 
was  born  in  this  county  October  29,  1817,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  chil- 
dren of  John  and  Nancy  (Hughes)  Binyon.  His  father  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  this  county,  and  now  resides  with  his  son  Crip.  Crip 
Binyon  was  a  born  farmer,  and  as  such  he  is  still  partly  engaged.  The 
ground  of  this  resort  was  owned  by  his  father,  who  prepared  it  for  the 
resort  that  it  now  is.  With  the  opening  of  the  C,  N.  A.  &  L.  R.  R., 
business  began  in  earnest ;  he  has  frequently  fed  200  guests,  and  has  this 
year  added  to  his  buildings,  and  will  further  add  thereto,  in  order  to  ac- 
commodate his  patrons ;  he  is  building  a  new  boat-house,  and  expects  to 
have  in  use  fifty  new  boats  in  1883.  In  the  winter  it  will  be  a  skating 
resort ;  he  has  not  advertised  his  location,  depending,  rather,  upon  the 
testimony  of  his  guests  for  his  success.  On  May  19,  1871,  he  was  mar- 
ried  to   Flora  Pierce,  a  native  of  this  county,  born  January  23,  1846. 


602  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Thej  have  four  children — Lewis,  Emma,  Claude  and  Hall.  Mrs.  Binyon 
has  charge  of  the  interior  arrangements,  for  which  she  is  every  way  com- 
petent.    Mr.  Binyon  is  a  Republican. 

M.  G.  BLISS,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Otego,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y., 
November  24,  1828,  and  is  one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Simeon  and  Bet- 
sey (Knapp)  Bliss,  the  former  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  the  latter  of 
Rhode  Island.  Simeon  Bliss  was  a  life-long  farmer,  and  moved  from 
New  York  to  Indiana  in  1856,  locating  in  White  County,  where  he  died 
in  1864,  and  his  wife  about  one  year  afterward.  The  grandfather  of  our 
subject  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Dr.  Bliss  resided 
with  his  parents  until  his  seventeenth  year,  attending  school,  and  after- 
ward assisting  his  brothers  in  the  lumber  trade,  finishing  his  literary  edu- 
cation at  Wellsburg  Academy,  in  Tioga  County,  Penn.  In  1850,  he 
went  to  California,  via  Isthmus  of  Panama,  where  he  engaged  in  mining 
for  three  years.  On  arriving  at  Foster's  Bar,  Yuba  River,  he  had  but 
^1,  which  he  invested  in  a  dinner.  In  1853,  he  returned  to  the  States, 
and  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Eaton,  of  Cass  County,  Ind. 
After  his  first  term  of  lectures,  he  began  practice  at  Pulaski,  and,  in 
September,  1861,  enlisted  as  private  in  Company  E,  Ninth  Illinois  Cav- 
alry, and,  after  three  months,  was  promoted  to  Battalion  Quartermaster, 
with  rank  of  Second  Lieutenant.  During  most  of  his  term,  he  was  on 
detached  duty  as  Assistant  Surgeon  until  his  discharge,  in  1863.  He 
then  recommenced  practice  in  Pulaski,  and,  in  1865,  came  to  Crown 
Point  and  began  the  drug  business;  this  he  continued  until  1874,  when 
he  was  burned  out.  During  the  winter  of  1874-75,  he  attended  lectures 
at  and  graduated  from  Bennett  Eclectic  Medical  College,  Chicago,  since 
which  he  has  been  in  practice  at  Crown  Point,  where  he  is  a  leading  and 
successful  physician.  In  November,  1860,  he  was  married  to  Miss  H. 
Amanda  Herring,  a  native  of  Pittsburgh,  Penn.,  and  a  resident  of  Lo- 
gansport,  Ind.  To  this  union  succeeded  one  daughter — Lillie.  Mrs. 
Bliss  died  in  1863.  In  1865,  Dr.  Bliss  married  Miss  Sarah  E.  Herring, 
sister  of  his  former  wife  ;  she  died  in  1879,  leaving  three  children — 
George  M.,  Harry  P.  and  Susan  L.  Dr.  Bliss  is  a  Mason,  a  Republican, 
and  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Health  of  Lake  County. 

JOHN  BROWN,  Auditor  of  Lake  County,  was  born  in  Eagle  Creek 
Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  September  7,  1840,  and  is  one  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Alexander  F.  and  Eliza  A.  (Barringer)  Brown,  both  natives  of 
New  York.  Alexander  Brown  was  a  farmer,  and  being  connected  in 
the  construction  of  a  railroad  at  Peoria,  111.,  came  West  in  1836.  Com- 
ing to  Lake  County,  he  decreed  to  make  it  his  future  home,  and  in  1837 
his  family  settled  there  and  engaged  in  agriculture.  He  became  a  leading; 
farmer  and  citizen,  and  received  a  nomination  for  State  legislator,  but  for 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  603 

which  he  was  defeated.  In  October,  1849,  he  was  thrown  from  a  wagon 
and  killed.  His  widow  yet  resides  at  Crown  Point.  John  Brown  was 
raised  in  Lake  County,  and  has  since  made  his  home  there.  In  August, 
1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifth  Indiana  Cavalry  ;  was  assigned  to  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland  and  participated  in  many  battles,  having  assisted  in 
the  capture  of  Gen.  Morgan.  He  was  a  prisoner  for  seven  months,  hav- 
ing been  captured  at  Sunshine  Church,  near  Macon,  Ga.,  and  was  con- 
fined at  Andersonville,  Charleston  and  Florence,  and  was  subjected  to  the 
privations  and  barbarity  which  befell  our  soldiers  as  prisoners  of  war  ;  he 
was  discharged  at  Indianapolis  in  August,  1865.  After  the  war,  Mr. 
Brown  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising  until  1870,  when  he  was 
elected  by  the  Republicans  Treasurer  of  Lake  County  ;  he  removed  to 
Grown  Point,  served  his  term  of  two  years,  was  re-elected  for  two  years 
more,  and  in  1876,  by  the  same  party,  elected  County  Auditor,  and  at 
the  close  of  four  years  re-elected,  and  is  now  serving  his  second  term.  Mr. 
Brown  and  his  brother,  Barringer,  own  the  Eagle  Creek  homestead,  now 
numbering  600  acres.  In  July,  1871,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Almira  L. 
Clark,  a  native  of  Lake  County,  Ind.,  by  whom  he  has  had  three  chil- 
dren— Neil,  Earl  A.  (deceased),  and  Alice  M.  Mr.  Brown  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  body  and  also  of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28. 

W.  B.  BROWN,  or  Barringer  Brown,  as  he  is  universally  known  in 
Lake  County,  a  dealer  in  hay,  grain  and  live-stock,  is  a  son  of  Alexander 
F.  and  Eliza  A.  (Barringer)  Brown,  and  was  born  in  Eagle  Creek  Town- 
ship, Lake  County,  Ind.,  June  18,  1843,  where  his  home  has  since  been. 
He  attended  the  schools  of  the  day,  and  was  reared  a  farmer.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1877,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Carrie  Sigler,  of  Hebron,  to  which 
union  there  has  been  issue  of  two  daughters — Mabel  and  Bessie.  Shortly 
after  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  removed  to  Crown  Point,  where 
they  now  reside.  In  addition  to  his  present  business,  Mr.  Brown  has  gen- 
eral charge  of  the  old  homestead  of  600  acres,  of  which  a  stock  farm  has 
been  made.  The  business  of  dealing  in  hay,  grain  and  stock,  carried  on 
by  Brown  Bros.,  amounts  to  $60,000.  Mrs.  Brown's  parents  were  among 
the  oldest  settlers  of  Lake  and  Porter  Counties,  and  mention  of  this 
family  is  made  in  the  history  of  Boone  Township,  Porter  County. 

JAMES  BURGE,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Lake  County,  was 
born  in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  January  18,  1814;  his  father  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  three  times  married,  and  a  farmer ;  by  his  first  wife 
he  had  nine  children,  by  his  second  eight,  by  his  third,  none.  He  came 
to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1888,  where  he  died  in  1877,  aged  ninety 
years.  James  Burge  remained  in  New  York  until  he  was  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  receiving  such  education  as  was  at  that  day  attainable.  On 
August  6,  1835,  he  was  married  to  Adaline  Griswold,  a  native  of  Oneida 


604  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

County,  N.  Y.  In  1836,  he  emigrated  to  Porter  County,  Ind,,  where  a 
brother  was  living,  and  located  in  Union  Township,  where  he  remained 
five  years,  and  moved  to  Horse  Prairie,  there  remaining  seven  years.  In 
1848,  he  purchased  in  Winfield  Township,  where  he  spent  most  of  his 
life.  Mrs.  Burge  was  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  died  June  13) 
1861,  a  loving  and  faithful  consort,  leaving  five  children — Jane  A.  (de- 
ceased), Orrin  P.,  Mary  A.,  Hersey  I.,  Jasper  D.,  Gilbert  L.  (deceased), 
and  Myron  L.  Mr.  Burge  married  a  second  wife,  Ann  Underwood,  by 
whom  he  had  ona^iaughter — Minnie  M.  (now  Mrs.  Frank  Holmes) ;  she 
died  June  28,  18TL.  On  September  21,  1881,  Mr.  Burge  married  his 
present  wife,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Welchhonce)  Mc Williams,  and  now  lives  in 
retirement  at  Crown  Point.  Mr.  Burge  is  one  of  the  few  remaining  old 
settlers  who  can  recall  the  ordeals  of  his  pioneer  experience.  In  poli- 
tics, he  is  a  Republican;  he  was  at  one  time  a  Methodist,  but  left  the 
church  on  account  of  its  tolerance  of  secret  societies,  of  which  he  is  a 
strong  opponent. 

EDWIN  CHURCH  was  born  in  Cattaraugus  County,  N.  Y.,  Octo- 
ber 26,  1829,  and  is  the  eldest  of  nine  children  of  Darling  and  Annis 
(Rockwell)  Church,  both  natives  of  New  York.  Darling  Church  was  a 
cooper,  at  which  he  labored  for  years  in  Elba,  N.  Y.;  he  was  married  in 
Monroe  County,  N.  Y.  In  1836,  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Calhoun 
County,  Mich.,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  unimproved  land,  built  a 
cabin  and  began  to  improve.  This  he  sold  in  1837,  and  moved  to  West 
Creek  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  entered  eighty  acres, 
building  the  first  house  on  Western  Prairie  ;  it  consisted  wholly  of  wood, 
with  clapboard  roof.  In  1843,  he  sold  and  removed  to  La  Porte  County, 
Ind.,  thence  to  Michigan,  where  he  remained  until  1868.  He  lived  in 
Decatur  and  Allegan,  Mich.,  in  which  last  place  he  died,  February  18, 
1872.  He  was  prominent  and  a  Deacon  in  the  Baptist  Church.  Edwin 
Church  received  a  fair  share  of  schooling,  and  assisted  his  father  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  In  1851,  he  went  to  California  via  Panama, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  mining  and  lumber  business  until  1853,  when  he 
returned  to  Jackson  County,  Mich., where  he  purchased  a  farm  and  engaged 
in  farming.  In  1868,  he  began  the  grocery  business  at  Decatur.  In  1872, 
he  removed  to  Allegan,  Mich.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  same  business 
until  1874,  when  he  moved  to  Crown  Point  and  established  the  grocery 
trade ;  he  carries  a  full  stock  and  has  a  large  business.  On  December 
26,  1853,  he  was  married  to  Abigail  Burge,  a  native  of  Perry  County, 
Ohio,  and  daughter  of  Seth  and  Lucy  J.  (Smith)  Burge,  the  former  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  the  latter  of  Vermont.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Church 
have  had  two  children,  one  of  whom  survives — Corydon.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Church  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church  ;  he  is  an  old  settler  and  a 
leading  business  man. 


CROWN  rOINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  G05 

ALEXANDER  CLARK  (deceased)  was  the  third  of  six  children 
-of  Judge  William  and  Ann  (Campbell)  Clark,  and  born  in  Jennings 
County,  Ind.,  November  4,  1822.  His  parents  came  from  the  East,  and 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Lake  County  at  a  time  when  this  re- 
gion was  sparsely  inhabited,  and  Indians  and  all  wild  game  were  abund- 
ant. They  first  located  in  Jennings  County ;  afterward,  with  the  old 
pioneer,  Solon  Robinson,  became  in  part  owners  of  the  site  of  Crown 
Point.  William  Clark,  or  Judge  Clark,  as  he  was  more  commonly  known, 
was,  perhaps,  more  strongly  identified  with  Crown  Point  than  any  other 
single  person  ;  he  died  in  1869,  aged  eighty-one  years.  Alexander  Clark 
lived  with  and  assisted  his  parents  until  manhood,  receiving  a  fair  educa- 
tion for  the  times,  until  November  5,  18-18,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Susan  Wells ;  he  engaged  in  agriculture  an<I  made  Lake  County  his 
home,  becoming  an  influential  and  prominent  citizen  ;  he  died  February 
22,  1879,  leaving  a  widow  and  one  daughter  to  lament  his  loss.  Emma 
J.,  hi8  daughter,  was  born  in  Lake  County,  July  13,  1854,  and  married, 
December  28,  1875,  to  John  M.  Hack,  they  now  being  parents  of  two 
sons — Howard  C.  and  Freddie  A.  The  widow  of  Alexander  Clark  was 
born  near  Detroit,  Mich.,  September  18,  1828,  and  is  one  of  five  children 
of  Henry  and  Adalirie  (Withrell)  Wells,  who  came  from  Massachusetts  in 
1838,  and  were  among  the  pioneers  of  Lake  County,  Henry  Wells  be- 
ing an  esteemed  and  honorable  citizen,  having  been  County  Treasurer  and 
County  Sheriff  each  two  terms  ;  he  died  May  10,  1876,  and  is  buried 
with  his  wife  in  the  village  cemetery.  Both  the  Clark  and  Wells,  as  also 
the  Hack  families,  were  honored  and  worthy  pioneers,  as  their  descend- 
ants are  valued  and  esteemed  citizens. 

JAMES  DOAK  was  born  in  Beaver  County,  Penn.,  January  27, 
1827,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children  of  John  and  Mary  M.  (Anderson) 
Doak,  the  former  a  native  of  Beaver,  and  the  latter  of  Washington 
County,  Penn.  The  grandfather  of  James  Doak,  Robert  Doak,  emigrat- 
ed from  Ireland  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania  ;  he  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  drove  the  continental  pay  wagon.  John  Doak 
was  a  farmer,  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  helped  to  guard  the 
British  fleet  captured  by  Commodore  Perry.  In  1840,  he  removed  with 
his  family  to  what  was  Rishland  County,  Ohio,  and  settled  on  160  acres, 
built  a  frame  house  and  cleared  his  land,  where  he  died  April  15,  1874, 
in  his  eighty-first  year;  he  was  an  Elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
a  member  fifty  years.  James  Doak  received  some  instruction,  and  worked 
on  his  father's  farm  until  twenty-two  years  of  age.  In  1849,  he  entered 
160  acres  in  Eagle  Creek  Township,  which  he  improved  and  where  he 
long  resided.  In  1850,  he  went  to  Ohio,  where  he  taught  school  and 
married    Elizabeth   Stevens,   of    Ohio,    daughter  of    Hiram    and   Phebe 


606  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

(Sterns)  Stevens.  To  this  union  were  born  five  children,  only  one  of 
whom  survives — Francis  S.  Mrs.  Doak  died  April  9,  1867  ;  she  was 
a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  On  April  28,  1868,  Mr.  Doak 
was  married  to  Mrs.  Bessie  Talcott,  a  native  of  Albany  County,  N.  Y., 
and  daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  (Trumbullj  Martin,  of  Albany  County. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doak  have  one  child — Jessie  May.  Mr.  Doak  was  for 
several  years  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Eagle  Creek  Township.  He  is  a 
Republican  and  a  pioneer  of  Lake  County.  Mrs.  Doak  and  daughter 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

JOHN  DONCH  was  born  in  Mecklar,  Hesse-Cassel,  Germany,  July 
28,  1824,  and  is  the  only  survivor  of  three  children  born  to  John  and 
Barbara  Elizabeth  (Klump)  Donch,  also  natives  of  the  same  place.  His 
father  was  a  farmer ;  both  parents  died  in  Germany.  John  Donch,  our 
subject,  was  reared  on  a  farm,  attended  the  common  schools,  and  when 
twenty-one  years  old,  he  entered  the  German  Army  for  five  years,  by  rea- 
son of  which  he  obtained  better  educational  advantages.  In  1851,  he 
determined  to  come  to  America ;  accordingly,  he  shipped  on  a  Prussian 
vessel,  and  after  eight  weeks  reached  New  York.  He  moved  West  on 
an  exploring  expedition,  reaching  Chicago,  where  he  remained  four 
weeks,  thence  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  femaining  five  months,  and  thence, 
in  1852,  by  reason  of  the  "gold  fever,"  left  -vrt^h  a  party  to  California, 
by  land.  He  remained  in  the  gold  fields  eleven  months,  with  some  suc- 
cess, when  he  returned  via  Nicaragua  to  Lake  County,  after  an  absence 
of  eighteen  months.  He  purchased  land  in  West  Creek  Township,  near 
Lowell,  which  he  farmed  until  the  war.  On  September  25,  1861,  he  en- 
listed at  Chicago,  in  the  Thirteenth  Illinois  Cavalry  ;  he  was  in  active 
service  in  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  first  as  private,  and  afterward  as  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant,  which  he  resigned  June  10,  1863.  He  re-enlisted  as  a 
private  in  Company  A,  Seventh  Indiana  Cavalry,  and  fourteen  days 
later  was  mustered  in  as  Sergeant.  In  a  line  of  promotion  he  was  com- 
missioned Second  Lieutenant  November  1,  1863,  and  First  Lieutenant 
November  26,  1863.  Up  to  February,  1864,  Mr.  Donch  was  in  service 
in  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Mississippi.  At  the  battle  of  Okalona,  he 
was  wounded  by  a  minie  ball  through  the  wrist.  From  loss  of  blood  he 
became  unconscious  and  was  taken  prisoner,  and  remaining  for  ten 
months  in  captivity  and  suffering.  He  was  paroled,  made  a  visit  home, 
and  joined  his  regiment  in  April,  1865,  at  Memphis,  thence  going  to 
Louisiana  and  Texas,  being  finally  discharged  February  18,  1866,  after  a 
service  of  four  and  one-half  years.  Before  being  discharged.  Lieutenant 
Donch  was  made  Captain.  After  this  glory,  he  returned  to  Lake  Coun- 
ty and  engaged  in  farming  until  1872,  when  he  was  chosen  Sheriff,  to 
which  he  was  re-elected,  serving  in  all  four  years,  and  a  succeeding  four 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  607 

years  as  Deputy  Sheriff.  He  is  now  retired,  and  has  300  acres  in  West 
Creek  Township.  Capt.  Donch  is  a  Republican.  On  December  8, 1871, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Mader,  a  native  of  Chicago,  born  Febru- 
ary 16,  1856,  and  daughter  of  Charles  and  Dora  (Kern)  Mader,  who  had 
three  children.  Mr.  Mader  is  a  native  of  Saxony,  and  Mrs.  Mader,  of 
Wurtemberg  ;  they  reside  in  Chicago. 

JOHN  A.  DU  BOIS  was  born  in  Wadern-on-the-Rhine,  Germany, 
February  3,  1832,  and  is  one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Charles  and  Made- 
line (Thedard)  Du  Bois,  the  former  a  native  of  Paris,  the  latter  of  Parls- 
duke,  France.  Nicholas  Thedard,  grandfather  of  John,  was  an  officer  of 
Gen.  La  Fayette,  whom  he  accompanied  to  America.  He  was  wounded 
in  the  battle  before  Yorktown.  After  his  return  to  France,  he  became  a 
Colonel  under  Napoleon  I,  and  was  with  the  great  commander  in  his 
Egyptian  campaign ;  he  was  also  engaged  in  the  Italian,  Austrian  and 
memorable  Russian  campaigns.  During  the  latter,  he  was  taken  ill ;  re- 
turned to  France,  but  rejoined  the  army  before  the  battle  of  Leipsic, 
where  two  horses  were  shot  beneath  him.  Charles  Du  Bois  was  educated 
in  Paris,  and  held  office  under  the  French  Government,  viz..  Sheriff  of 
the  Province  of  Lorraine,  in  which  he  was  continued,  after  said  province 
became  part  of  Prussia,  until  his  death,  in  1857  ;  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity.  John  A.  Du  Bois  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  country,  and  assisted  in  his  father's  office  until  he  was 
twenty  years  old,  when  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in 
Wilkes  Barre,  Penn.,  where  he  learned  blacksmithing ;  he  worked  as  a 
journeyman  until  1855,  when  he  moved  to  Chicago,  and  later  to  Crown 
Point,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  worked  until  1858,  when  he  opened  a 
shop  for  himself,  which  he  has  continued  successfully.  On  January  20, 
1858,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Young,  a  native  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  and 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  (Margramm)  Young,  the  former  from  Lor- 
raine, the  latter  from  Alsace.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Du  Bois  have  six  children 
— Charles  G.,  Antoine,  Melissa,  Mary  E.,  Eleanora  and  Mary  Louisa. 
Mr.  Du  Bois  is  an  old  and  esteemed  citizen. 

EDER  BROTHERS,  cigar  manufacturers,  are  sons  of  John  B.  and 
Theresa  (Huber)  Eder,  natives  of  Bavaria.  John  B.  Eder  was  a  tanner, 
which  trade  he  followed  in  the  old  country :  he  was  also,  for  thirteen 
years,  a  soldier  in  the  Bavarian  Army.  In  1855,  he  emigrated  with  his 
family  to  Chicago,  where  he  resided  until  1864,  when  he  came  to  Crown 
Point,  at  which  place  he  remained  until  his  death,  February  3,  1877  ;  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Joseph  Eder,  senior  member  of 
the  firm,  was  born  at  Landau,  Bavaria,  September  21,  1849  ;  he  came  to 
America  with  his  parents,  and  received  a  fair  education  from  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Chicago.     When   thirteen  years  old,  he  began  to  learn 


608  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

cigar-making,  at  which  he  served  three  years.  He  worked  as  a  Journey- 
man in  Chicago  until  1870,  when  he  opened  a  shop  at  Van  Buren  and 
Fifth  avenue,  where  he  was  burned  out  in  1871 ;  he  afterward  recom- 
menced business  at  163  Mohawk  street,  North  Side.  In  1874,  he  came 
to  Crown  Point  and  opened  a  shop,  being  joined  in  1875  by  his  brother, 
George  M.,  as  a  partner,  since  which  they  have  done  an  excellent  busi- 
ness. They  carry  a  large  and  varied  stock  of  manufactured  tobacco, 
pipes,  snuff,  etc.  Joseph  Eder  was  married  December  19,  1879,  to  Bar- 
bara Ofenluch,  of  Germany,  by  whom  he  had  two  children.  Both  hfr 
and  she  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  George  M.  Eder,  junior 
member  of  the  firm,  was  born  at  Landau,  Bavaria,  February  23,  1855  ; 
he  had  equal  advantages  with  his  brother,  and  likewise  learned  cigar-mak- 
ing ;  he  was  married,  September  24,  1878,  to  Frances  M.  Scherer,  of 
Crown  Point.  They  have  had  three  sons.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eder  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Catholic  Church.  He  is  Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  the  town, 
and  is  now  serving  his  fourth  term.  The  Eder  brothers  are  among  the 
enterprising  young  men  of  the  county. 

REUBEN  FANCHER  was  born  in  Huron  County,  Ohio,  April  28, 
1834,  and  in  one  of  thirteen  children  born  to  T.  S.  and  Amy  (Chapman) 
Fancher,  both   natives  of  Connecticut.     T.   S.   Fancher  was  a  life-long 
farmer,  who,  with   his  wife,   is   yet  living   on   the   homestead  in  Huron 
County,  Ohio.     Reuben   Fancher  was   reared  a  farmer,  and  acquired  a 
limited  education   in  the   pioneer  days  of  Huron  County.      He  assisted 
his  father  until  1854,  when  he  determined  to  find  employment  and  home 
farther  westward.      He  removed    to   Michigan,   and    in   1855  to  Lake 
County,  Ind.     He  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Centre  Township  at  $7.50 
per  acre,  afterward  adding  eighty  more  at  $10.     When  the  war  began, 
Mr.  Fancher  disposed  of  this  and  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  at 
Crown  Point.     He  was  also  acting  Deputy  Sheriff.     Here  he  purchased 
twelve  and  a  half  acres,  where  he  now  resides,  and  his  present  business 
place,   in    a  partnership   with  Frederick  Fessenden.     Mr.  Fancher  was 
married  in   Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  to   Mary  E.  Hawkins,  daughter   of  William 
and  Angeline  (Goodyear)  Hawkins.     This  union  was   blessed  by  three 
children — William   S.,  Mary  and   Grace.     Mr.  and    Mrs.   Fancher  are 
members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.     Mr.  Fancher   is  a   Freemason   and  an 
Odd  Fellow,  in  the  latter  order  having  passed  through  the  encampment. 
In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican.     In  1865,  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Andrew  Krirabill  in  the  agricultural  implement  business,  in  which  he  has 
continued  ;  his  present  partner  is  Mr.  Fessenden,  with  whom  he  has  been 
associated  since  1881.     Mr.  Fancher   is  an   energetic  business  man,  and 
has  successfully  established  a  large  and  growing  trade. 

JOHN  FISHER,  Surveyor  of  Lake   County,  was  born  in  Schenec- 
tady County,  N.  Y.,  September  7,1832,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  609 

of  Alexander  and  Agnes  (Brown)  Fisher.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Ayer,  and  his  mother  of  Paisley,  in  Scotland.  His  father  was  a  ma- 
chinist, and  left  "Bonnie  Scotland"  in  1818,  sailing  to  Montreal,  Can- 
ada, whence,  after  a  year,  he  went  to  Schenectady  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  married  in  1819  ;  his  mother  died  in  1862 ;  his  father  in  1866.  Both 
were  Presbyterians.  John  Fisher  received  but  a  plain  education,  and 
was  bred  to  farming,  but  is  a  proficient  in  mathematics.  In  1855,  he 
heard  of  the  sale  of  lands  in  this  region,  and,  hoping  to  find  employment 
as  a  surveyor,  he  came  to  Lake  County  and  engaged  in  his  vocation  ;  he 
ran  the  first  lines  on  the  P.,  C.  &  St.  Louis  Railroad,  on  which  he  worked 
as  engineer ;  he  has  done  more  surveying  than  any  man  in  the  county. 
On  November  7,  1865,  he  was  married  to  Amelia  J.  Willey,  a  native  of 
this  county,  born  April  3,  1841.  She  is  a  daughter  of  George  Willey 
(a  sketch  of  whom  is  contained  in  this  work).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willey  have 
had  two  children,  one  of  whom  remains — George  W.  Mrs.  Fisher  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Fisher  is  a  Freemason,  of  Lodge 
No.  157.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  County  Surveyor  for  twenty- 
two  years,  supported  by  all  parties. 

LUMAN  A.  FOWLER,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Lake  County, 
was  born  in  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,  October  1,  1809,  and  is  a  son  of 
Josiah  and  Louisa  (Stewart)  Fowler.  His  parents  moved  to  Palmyra,  N. 
Y.,  where  his  mother  died,  his  father  afterward  moving  to  Washtenaw 
County,  Mich.,  where  he  died.  Luraan  A.  Fowler  had  a  fair  education, 
and  was  by  trade  a  carpenter  and  joiner.  At  Dearborn,  Mich.,  on  Octo- 
ber 18,  1835,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Cochran,  daughter  of  John 
and  Jane  (Kessler)  Cochran,  born  October  27,  1816,  in  Madison  Coun- 
ty, N.  Y.  This  union  was  blessed  with  nine  children — Harriet  A.  (de- 
ceased), Rollin  D.,  Josephine  (now  Mrs.  Williams),  Arnold,  Luman  A., 
William  S.,  Mary  J.  (now  Mrs.  Peterson),  Alta  E.  (now  Mrs.  Pinney) 
and  Mabel  E.  (now  Mrs.  Beidelman).  Mrs.  Fowler  is  yet  living  in 
Crown  Point.  After  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fowler  emigrated  to  what 
is  now  Lake  County,  locating  in  Centre  Township,  where  Mr.  Fowler 
farmed.  At  that  period  Indians  and  game  were  more  abundant  than  white 
subjects,  and  they  endured  the  hardships  of  most  early  settlers.  After- 
ward Mr.  Fowler  became  a  leading  citizen,  whose  judgment  on  public 
matters  was  often  invoked  by  friends  and  neighbors.  He  was  elected 
County  Sheriff  seven  times,  serving  fourteen  years — an  evidence  of  pub- 
lic confidence.  In  1850,  he  went  to  California,  where  he  spent  six  years 
in  mining,  and  returned  to  Crown  Point  where,  on  Apiil  12,  1870,  after 
eight  days'  illness  with  pneumonia,  he  departed.  He  was  an  honorable 
man,  and  very  greatly  lamented. 

JOHN  E.  FRAAS,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Lake  County,  was 
born  in  Staumbach,  Bavaria,  August  25,  1830,  and  was  the  only  son  of 


610  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

John  E.  and  Elizabeth  (Bower)  Fraas.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1854,  settling  in  Lake  County,  Ind.  After 
working  awhile  at  his  trade,  he  started  a  small  lumber  yard  at  Crown 
Point,  which  he  continued  until  his  death,  in  1871,  then  having  the 
largest  yard  in  the  county,  and  valued  at  $10,000.     On  February  21, 

1858,  he  was  married  to  Margaretha  Popp,  of  Bavaria,  born  April  26, 
1835,  by  whom  he  had  six  children,  three  now  living — -John  B.,  Elizabeth 
(Mrs.  J.  Naumann)  and  Paulina.     John  E.  Fraas,  Jr.,  was  born  June  2, 

1859,  in  this  county.  He  has  a  good  education,  and  has  clerked  for 
William  Krimbill  and  C.  W.  Wheeler.  At  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  began 
farming,  and  has  continued  the  same.  On  December  26,  1881,  he  was 
married  to  Frances  Meachek,  a  native  of  Germany,  born  March  28,  1864. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fraas  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Fraas  is  a  Republican. 

FRANKLIN  FULLER,  a  pioneer  of  Lake  County,  was  born  in 
Athens  (now  Vinton)  County,  Ohio,  January  28,  1827,  and  is  a  son  of 
James  and  Lydia  (Dodge)  Fuller.  His  parents  were  descendants  of  the 
oldest  families  of  Massachusetts,  who  settled  in  Ohio  during  the  war  of 
1812.  His  father  was  a  stone-mason,  but  became  a  farmer  after  coming 
to  Ohio.  The  family  came  to  this  county  in  1839.  Franklin  worked  at 
farming  during  the  summer  and  dealt  in  furs  during  the  winter.  During 
the  last  sixteen  years,  he  has  devoted  himself  to  live  stock,  and  has 
handled  more  than  any  one  man  in  this  part  of  the  county.  Prior  to 
1870,  he  was  alone,  but  afterward  he  formed  a  partnership  with  H.  J. 
Nichols,  under  the  firm  name  of  Fuller  &  Nichols.  In  1850,  he  married 
Hannah  Ferguson,  born  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  and  daughter  of  George 
and  Mary  Ferguson.  To  this  union  succeeded  nine  children — Oratio  0., 
Cynthia  A.  (now  Mrs.  W.  E.  Sherman),  Mary  R.  (now  Mrs.  M.  L.  Tut- 
hill),  Melissa  E.  (now  Mrs.  J.  J.  Kenney),  Melvina  E.  (now  Mrs.  Frank- 
lin Didie),  Frank  M.,  Minerva  A.  (now  Mrs.  George  Fisher),  Samantha 
E.  and  Lydia  E.  Mrs.  Fuller  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 
Mr.  Fuller  is  a  Democrat,  but  liberal  in  local  affairs. 

ELIHU  GRIFFIN  was  born  in  Henry  County,  Ind.,  March  23, 
1830,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  Samuel  and  Lydia  (Reynard) 
Griffin,  both  natives  of  Ohio.  Samuel  Griffin  was  a  farmer,  and  died 
January,  1880,  at  his  home  in  Henry  County,  where  his  widow  survives 
him.  Elihu  Griffin  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and  attended  a  select  Quaker 
school,  his  parents  being  of  that  sect,  and  afterward  learned  the  trade  of 
a  tanner.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  began  the  study  of  law  at  Centre- 
ville,  Wayne  County,  with  Jacob  and  George  W.  Julian,  and  August  30, 
1851,  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  located  in  Wayne  County,  thence 
moved  to  Henry  County,  and,  in  addition  to  practice,  engaged  in  mer- 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  611 

chandising.  In  January  5,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Melissa  Scott, 
born  in  Kentucky  in  1832.  In  1857,  Mr.  Gritfin  moved  to  Crown  Point, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  In  1858,  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature, 
and  was]  a  member  of  the  Judiciary  Committee.  In  1861,  he  was  ap- 
pointed, by  Gov.  Morton,  Draft  Commissioner  of  Lake  County,  and 
in  1862  went  out  as  Major  and  Paymaster  in  the  United  States  Army. 
He  was  in  active  service  at  Fort  Henry,  Stone  River,  Mission  Ridge,  and 
resigned  his  commission  on  account  of  injuries  received,  resulting  in  the 
loss  of  use  of  his  lower  limbs.  On  his  return  he  was  employed  as  attorney 
for  the  Chicago,  Danville  &  Vincennes  Railroad.  For  four  years  his  son, 
Charles  F.  Griffin,  has  been  associated  with  him  in  practice.  Mrs. 
Griffin  died  February  17,  1882,  leaving  a  family  of  four — Horace,  Emma 
(deceased),  Charles  F.  and  Cassius.  Maj.  Griffin  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church,  as  was  his  wife.     In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican. 

MATTHIAS  J.  HACK  (deceased)  was  born  July  27,  1816.  He, 
with  his  father,  John  Hack,  and  their  families, were  the  first  Germans  to  set- 
tle in  Lake  County;  they  were  all  natives  of  the  Province  of  the  Rhine, 
Prussia,  at  that  time  a  part  of  France.  Matthias  remained  in  Germany 
until  his  twenty-first  year,  and  obtained  a  good  practical  education.  His 
parents  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1837,  traveled  westward,  and 
located  in  St.  Johns  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  at  that  time  occupied 
only  by  "squatters,"  and  engaged  in  farming,  where  he  married  his  first 
wife,  Barbara  Teal,  who  bore  him  one  daughter,  since  deceased;  Mrs. 
Hack  is  also  dead.  On  December  15,  1844,  Mr.  Hack  married  Aiigeline 
Schmal,  a  native  of  Prussia,  born  June  2,  1825,  who  came  with  her  par- 
ents to  Lake  County  in  1838.  Five  children  were  born  to  this  union — 
Anna  (deceased),  Joseph  (deceased),  Joseph  L.,  John  M.  and  William. 
Mr.  Hack  is  by  trade  a  blacksmith,  at  which  he  worked  until  1850,  when 
he  removed  to  Crown  Point,  and  died  February  27,  1867.  He  was  one 
of  the  most  prominent  men  of  his  time  in  the  county,  and  foremost  in 
aiding  and  contributing  to  every  laudable  enterprise.  He  was  a  leader 
among  the  Germans,  and  an  upright,  conscientious  gentleman  ;  this  was 
by  all  conceded.  His  widow  survives  him,  and  live'?  at  Crown  Point, 
and  owns  what  is  known  as  Hack's  Exchange,  where  she  manages  a  first- 
class  hotel,  perhaps  the  best  in  the  place. 

JOSEPH  HACK  was  born  in  Neiderdoseim,  Germany,  March  18, 
1825,  and  is  one  of  the  eleven  children  born  to  John  and  Hannah  (Snyder) 
Hack,  both  natives  of  Germany.  John  Hack  was  a  farmer  by  profes- 
sion, and  was  Government  Real  Estate  Appraiser  in  the  fatherland.  In 
June,  1837,  he  emigrated  with  his  family  to  the  United  States,  and  set- 
tled in  St.  John  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  which  township  was  named 
after  him.      He  first  entered  160  acres,  on  which  he  built  a  cabin  and  a 

KK 


612  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

blacksmith  shop.  To  this  he  added  until  he  was  owner  of  300  acres  of 
well-improved  land.  In  1853,  he  left  the  farm  to  reside  with  his  son 
Joseph,  where  he  died  in  1855,  aged  sixty-nine  years.  His  family  was 
tlie  first  of  the  Germans  in  the  county.  Joseph  Hack,  after  coming  to 
this  country,  worked  for  his  father  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  old, 
when  he  went  to  La  Porte,  Ind.,  and  learned  the  carriage  and  wagon- 
making  trade,  at  which  he  served  three  years.  In  1851,  he  came  to 
Crown  Point,  opened  a  shop,  and  has  been  successful.  On  April  15, 
1852,  he  was  married  to  Catharine  Leinen,  a  native  of  Germany.  To 
this  union  there  have  been  born  six  children — George  G.,  Matilda,  Helen, 
Frank,  Carrie  and  Joseph  P.  Mrs.  Hack  died  August  17,  1882 ;  she 
was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Hack  is  one  of  the  oldest, 
most  enterprising  and  most  valued  citizens. 

WARREN  H.  HAYVVARD  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  June 
25,  1852,  and  is  the  eldest  of  six  children  of  Henry  and  Martha  D. 
(Kronkright)  Hayward ;  the  former  a  native  of  England,  the  latter  of 
Vermont.  Henry  Hayward 's  parents  moved  to  Canada  when  he  was 
eight  years  old,  and  thence  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  married  and 
entered  eighty  acres  in  Ross  Township,  on  which  he  built  a  log  house  and 
made  sundry  improvements.  To  this  farm  he  added  until  he  owned  320 
acres.  On  this  he  resided  until  1879,  when  he  came  to  Crown  Point 
and  now  lives  in  retirement;  he  was  a  Lake  County  pioneer.  Warren 
H.  Hayward,  after  attending  the  common  schools,  remained  two  years  at 
the  M.  E.  College,  at  Valparaiso,  from  which  he  graduated  in  the  com- 
mercial department.  In  1870,  he  went  to  Chicago  to  receive  a  course  of 
instruction  in  photography,  and  the  same  year  opened  a  photograph 
studio  in  Valparaiso,  in  company  with  his  uncle,  E.  J.  Hayward.  In 
1872,  he  purchased  said  uncle's  interest.  In  1873,  he  sold  the  business 
and  went  to  Chicago  as  operator.  In  one  year,  he  returned  to  Lake 
County,  and  in  1876  removed  to  Santa  Barbara,  Cal.,  where  he  had 
charge  of  a  studio.  In  1877,  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  opened 
a  studio  and  remained.  He  has  had  flattering  success,  and  does  the 
largest  business  in  the  county.  On  May  10,  1876,  he  was  married  to 
Jessie  Indiana  Bliss,  a  native  of  White  County,  Ind.  Three  children 
have  crowned  their  union.  Mr.  Hayward  is  an  old  and  enterprising 
citizen. 

LOREN  HIXON  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  April  1,  1826, 
and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Jeremy  and  Susan  (Snow)  Hixon,  both 
natives  of  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  the  former  born  in  1788,  the  latter  in 
1791.  Jeremy  Hixon  was  a  farmer  and  builder.  He  first  emigated  to 
Erie  County,  Penn.,  and  afterward  to  Michigan  City,  Ind.,  in  1834. 
Here  he  contracted  to  erect   the   Government  light-house.     In  1835,  he 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  613 

moved  to  Lake  County,  In*!.,  locating  in  Winfield  Township,  where  he 
pre-empted  land  and  farmed,  he  being  the  first  to  enter  land  in  said 
county.  Here  he  contracted  for  and  erected  the  old  court  house,  now 
Hoffmann's  Opera  House,  and  he  did  very  much  to  settle  the  county  in 
that  early  day  by  his  energy  and  influence.  He  was  originally  a  Whig, 
and  once  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature  on  that  ticket.  He  was  de- 
feated, but  got  a  majority  in  his  county.  He  became  afterward  a  Repub- 
lican. Like  most  of  those  "old  timers,"  only  their  works  and  memories 
remain.  Loren  Hixon,  in  addition  to  the  common  schools,  passed  a  year 
in  an  academy  at  Chicago.  In  1848,  he  became  a  sailor  on  the  lakes, 
which  he  continued  four  years,  rising  to  first  mute.  In  1S>2,  he  returned 
to  Lake  County;  engaged  in  traveling  on  the  road  north  and  east  of  the 
Mississippi  and  in  Canada;  he  resided  on  the  old  homestead  until  1877; 
he  was  married  to  his  first  wife,  Martha  Lawrence,  in  1860,  by  whom  he 
had  two  sons — Ernest  H.  and  Walter  L.  Mrs.  Hixon  died  in  1876,  and 
in  the  following  year  he  married  his  present  wife,  J.  Adelaide  Homes. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hixon  are  adherents  of  the  Swedenborgian  doctrine.  Mr. 
Hixon  is  a  Mason,  in  which  order  he  has  advanced  to  the  Council.  In 
politics,  he  is  a  Greenbacker. 

CAPT.  JEREMY  HIXON,  deceased,  brother  of  Loren  Hixon, 
was  a  gentleman  widely  known  in  Porter  and  Lake  Counties,  both  as  a 
descendant  from  early  settlers  and  a  man  more  than  ordinarily  gifted  in 
intelligence.  He  was  born  April  15,  1811,  at  Stoughton,  Mass.,  where  he 
was  educated;  he  emigrated  to  Indiana  in  1831,  and  in  1838  was  mar- 
ried to  Almira  Pratt,  who  yet  survives  him.  From  1838  to  1818,  he 
resided  in  Michigan,  and  subsequently  in  Chicago  for  nine  years,  remov- 
ing to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  in  1852.  He  was  a  man  of  energy  and 
courage,  and  his  life  was  one  of  many  and  singular  adventures ;  he 
became  early  a  cabin-boy  on  a  lake  vessel,  of  which,  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen, he  became  mate  and  subsequently  commander,  alternating  with 
being  Captain  of  his  own  vessel ,  he  was  a  pioneer  in  Western  lake 
navigation,  and  brought  the  first  cargo  of  wheat  landed  at  Michigan 
City ;  he  was  several  times  shipwrecked  and  had  many  hairbreadth 
escapes.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  he  volunteered  in  the  navy, 
and  was  commissioned  Acting  Master.  He  was,  in  the  fullness  of  the 
word,  a  man  and  greatly  esteemed ;  he  was  an  honored  member  of  the 
Masonic  order,  and  was  buried  with  the  impressive  ceremonies  and  peer- 
less glories  of  that  fraternity.     His  death  occurred  May  7,  1863. 

CONRAD  HOERETH  was  born  in  Starambach,  county  of  Munch- 
berg,  Bavaria,  February  16,  1840,  and  is  one  of  the  six  children  of  John 
and  Catherine  (Popp)  Hoereth,  both  natives  of  Stammbach,  Bavaria. 
John   Hoereth  was  a  tailor,  which  trade  he  followed  in  early  life,  and 


614  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

afterward  buying  oats  and  grain  for  the  military  posts,  of  Bavaria,  in 
which  he  is  still  engaged,  at  eighty-three  years  of  age  ;  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Conrad  Hoereth  received  a  fair  education  in 
the  schools  of  his  country.  In  1854,  when  but  fourteen  years  old,  he 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  located  at  Elgin,  111.,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  a  mineral  water  factory,  and  afterward  as  clerk  in  a  general  store. 
In  April,  1857,  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  Ind.,  where  he  learned  the  har- 
ness-making trade,  at  which  he  served  three  years  with  Mr.  J.  C.  Sauer- 
man,  with  whom  he  worked  as  journeyman  afterward  for  sixteen  years, 
and  then  bought  out,  which  business  he  has  since  managed  successfully ; 
he  was  obliged  to  borrow  money  to  pay  his  passage  to  America,  and  now, 
by  integrity,  industry  and  economy,  he  has  amassed  property  valued  at 
^8,000.  On  November  11,  1866,  he  was  married  to  Maria  Knapp,  of 
Bavaria,  a  daughter  of  Christian  and  Kunigunda  (Wirth)  Knapp,  natives 
of  Bavaria.  Mrs.  Hoereth  came  to  Crown  Point  in  1865.  They  have 
had  one  son,  John  Conrad  Otto  Booth,  aged  twelve  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hoereth  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

JOHN  G.  HOFFMAN,  Clerk  of  Lake  County,  was  born  in  Ba- 
varia, Germany,  September  6,  1827,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Kunigunda 
(Sauerman)  Hoffman ;  he  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  come  to  America, 
and  anxious  to  become  a  citizen  of  this  free  country  and  find  a  home 
here ;  he  arrived  in  New  York  in  1849,  and  went  direct  to  Chicago, 
where,  on  the  5th  of  November  of  the  same  year,  after  being  seven  days 
in  the  United  States,  he  declared  his  intentions  of  American  citizenship. 
Mr.  Hoffman  was  educated  for  the  professoin  ^of  teaching,  which,  how- 
ever, he  did  not  follow  here,  but  engaged  in  peddling  notions,  at  which 
he  was  employed  while  visiting  Lake  County.  In  1852,  he  removed  to 
Crown  Point,  where  he  has  since  resided.  After  this,  he  embarked  in 
merchandising  until  1864  ;  he  then  began  dealing  in  hay,  but  has  never 
given  up  farming.  Mr.  Hofi"man  was  an  Abolitionist,  then  a  Republican 
and  is  now  independent  in  politics.  During  the  war,  he  was  an  active 
supporter  of  the  Union  cause.  In  1874,  he  became  an  independent 
candidate  for  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court,  and  was  elected  by  329  votes' 
while  the  Republican  majority  was  664.  In  1878,  he  was  re-elected, 
with  an  increased  majority  of  905,  the  Republican  majority  being  885 ; 
his  term  expires  November  1,  1883.  On  September  6,  1852,  Mr.  Hoff- 
man was  married  to  Elizabeth  Dall,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children — 
Frank  E.  (deceased),  Flora  (deceased),  Maggie  C.  (deceased),  Joseph  G., 
Frederick  E.,  Henry  W.,  Schuyler  C.  and  Irving  L.  (deceased).  Mrs. 
Hoffman  died  July  2,  1869,  and  Mr.  Hoffman  married  his  second  wife, 
Babetta  M.  Simonis,  February  11,  1873.  By  this  union  there  are  four 
children — Mary,  Anna,  Maggie  and  May.     Mr.   Hoffman  expended  on 


CROWN  rOINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  fil5 

his  education  $100  more  than  he  received  from  his  parents ;  he  borrowed 
money  with  which  to  emigrate,  and  commenced  life  $156  in  debt ;  yet, 
by  hard  labor  and  prudent  management,  he  has  accumulated  property, 
and  is  to-day  a  substantial  citizen.  Besides  a  fine  property  in  Crown 
Point,  including  Hoffman's  Opera  House,  he  has  400  acres  in  Lake 
County;  he  can  recall  his  trying  experiences  as  a  peddler,  and  look  back 
upon  a  well-spent  life.  He  is  a  practical  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  as  well 
as  an  enthusiastic  horticulturist. 

J.  S.  HOLTON,  real  estate  dealer  and  farmer,  was  born  in  Norridge, 
Canada  West,  December  17,  1823,  and  is  a  son  of  Dr.  Ira  and  Rosalinda 
(Smith)  Holton,  both  natives  of  Vermont,  but  moved  to  Canada  about 
1820.  The  eldest  of  their  children — Charles  V. — who  died  in  Lake 
County  in  1881,  was  the  first  to  emigrate  to  Indiana  in  1838.  Dr.  D. 
S.  Holton,  a  younger  brother,  came  in  18-41,  but  now  resides  in  Oregon, 
In  1844,  Dr.  Ira  Holton  and  family  located  in  Michigan  City,  La  Porte 
County,  where  he  practiced  medicine;  but  J.  S.  Holton  came  to  Crown 
Point  and  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  which  he  continued,  with  in- 
terruptions, for  thirty  years.  Dr.  Ira  Holton  died  about  1851,  aged  sixty 
years ;  his  widow,  now  in  her  eighty-eighth  year,  resides  with  her  son, 
J.  S.  Holton.  Perhaps  there  is  no  man  in  Lake  County  so  intimately 
blended  with  the  history  of  Crown  Point  as  is  Mr.  J.  S.  Holton,  having 
resided  here  since  1844,  and  now  one  of  the  few  remaining  old  settlers 
of  the  county.  He  came  here  a  poor  boy,  but  now  owns  100  acres 
adjoining  the  original  town  site,  besides  other  property — all  the  result  of 
enterprise  and  labor.  Mr.  Holton  has  been  twice  married — first,  about 
1850,  to  Josephine  Robinson,  by  whom  he  had  two  children — Arabella 
(now  Mrs.  John  A.  Wheeler,  editor  of  the  Star),  and  Jennie  S.  (now 
Mrs.  J.  F.  Rowins,  of  Chicago).  To  his  present  wife — Catherine  J. 
Eddy — he  Avas  united  in  1860;  she  was  born  July  4,  1840,  near  Troy, 
N.  Y.  To  this  union  were  born  three  daughters — Olive  R.,  Mary  A. 
and  Mabel  G.  Mrs.  Holton  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
Mr.  Holton  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason ;  a  Republican,  in  politics,  but  lib- 
eral. He  was  Sheriff  of  Lake  County  four  years,  and  from  1856  to 
1860,  County  Treasurer.  Mr.  Holton  has  always  taken  great  interest  in 
the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  county,  and  is  one  of  its  most  enter- 
prising, honorable  and  esteemed  citizens. 

W.  T,  HORINE,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Carroll  County,  Ind., 
September  28,  1840,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  George  W.  and 
Belle  (Murphy)  Horine.  When  two  years  old,  his  parents  moved  to 
Pulaski  County,  Ind. ;  his  mother  died  in  1846  and  his  father  in  1850, 
In  1853,  he  went  to  Iowa,  with  Daniel  Tilman's  family,  and  engaged  in 
farming,  but  returned  to  Pulaski  County,  Ind.,  on  account  of  the  better 


616  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  : 

educational  facilities.  When  the  war  blast  soundeu,  he  enlisted  in  the 
first  call  for  75,000  troops,  but  was  not  mustered  in.  In  June,  1861, 
however,  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Twentieth  Indiana  Volunteers. 
During  the  three  years,  he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  after  the  ''seven  days'  battle"  was  made  Corporal  and 
Regiment  Color  Bearer,  having  borne  the  colors  during  that  engagement. 
He  was  in  all  the  battles  of  that  time,  and  while  engaged  at  Gettysburg, 
on  the  evening  of  July  2,  1863,  was  struck  in  the  right  ankle  by  a 
minie  ball,  which  necessitated  amputation  one  month  later.  He  remained 
in  the  hospital  until  July,  1864,  when  he  was  discharged,  on  crutches, 
with  the  regiment  at  Indianapolis.  Mr.  Horine  has  a  record  of  which 
any  American  might  be  justly  proud,  as  the  following,  from  Capt.  J.  C. 
Kirk,  will  aflBrm :  "  Glancing  over  papers,  and  seeing  your  name  as  a 
candidate  for  Clerk  of  Courts  of  Lake  County,  and  being  an  efficient 
member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  State  Prison,  it  occurred  to 
me  you  were  my  old  comrade  of  the  gallant  Twentieth  Indiana.  I  was 
by  you  on  the  memorable  day  on  which  you  lost  your  leg  at  Gettysburg, 
and  recall  your  remarks,  and  how  bravely  you  kept  the  dear  old  flag 
from  trailing  in  the  dust."  After  being  wounded,  Mr.  Horine  was  rec- 
ommended for  a  commission.  For  meritorious  conduct  at  Chancellorsville, 
he  was  presented  by  Gen.  Sickles,  his  corps  commander,  with  a  maltese 
cross,  and  previously  with  a  fine  sword  and  sash  by  the  Captain  of  his 
company,  which  he  wore  during  that  battle.  In  1868,  he  graduated  from 
the  old  Male  and  Female  College  of  Valparaiso,  and  afterward  entered 
the  law  ofiice  of  Judge  Ryan,  of  Winamac.  In  1869,  he  came  to  Lowell, 
Lake  County,  opened  an  office  and  began  the  practice  of  law.  In  187  0, 
he  removed  to  Crown  Point,  and  was  elected  Prosecuting  Attorney.  He 
is  in  politics  a  Republican,  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  has  served 
as  Clerk  of  Crown  Point  many  years.  In  1881,  he  was  elected  by  the 
Legislature  Northern  Prison  Director,  and  in  September,  1882,  nomi- 
nated for  Clerk  of  Courts.  While  at  Lowell,  he  was  Principal  of  Schools 
for  two  terms.  On  September  28,  1871,  he  was  married  to  Emma  J. 
Beattie,  by  whom  he  had  one  daughter,  Florence  Jessie.  Both  are  mem- 
bers of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

PETER  HORST  was  born  in  Chicago,  111.,  November  26, 1848,  and 
is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  Nicholas  and  Barbara  (Plaumeisser) 
Horst,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Nicholas  Horst  was  a  painter  and 
plasterer,  at  which  he  worked  in  Germany  until  1843,  when  he  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  with  his  family  and  settled  in  Chicago,  where  he 
followed  his  trade  until  the  advent  of  cholera  in  1849,  when  he  removed 
to  Port  Washington,  Wis.,  soon  after  reiurning  to  Chicago.  In  1851,  he 
came  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  land  known  as  the  Pierre 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  617 

farm,  where  he  died  September  1,  1871,  aged  sixty-four  years  ;  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Peter  Horst  received  a  school  educa- 
tion, and  worked  for  his  father  until  his  twentieth  year  ;  he  then  worked 
by  the  job  until  1874,  when  he  engaged  in  the  saloon  business  at  Crown 
Point,  continuing  the  same  until  1882,  when  he  sold  his  stock,  rented  his 
building,  moved  to  his  farm,  and  engaging  in  agricultural  pursuits.  On 
July  12,  1874,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Griesel,  a  native  of  Germany. 
One  child  was  born  to  them,  George.  Mr.  Horst  is  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  and  Mrs.  Horst  of  the  Lutheran.  Mr.  Horst  is  a  Demo- 
crat, and  an  old  settler. 

BENJAMIN  F.  JONES  was  born  in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y., 
February  27,  1841,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  three  children  of  William  H. 
and  Florilla  (Burge)  Jones,  both  natives  of  New  York.  His  grandfather, 
Benjamin  Jones,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.;  his 
father,  in  1868,  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  land  in 
Union  Township,  where  he  and  his  wife  are  now  living.  Benj.  F.  Jones 
was  reared  in  Chautauqua  County,  N.  Y.,  and  on  May  21, 1866,  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  Read,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mollie  (Chapman) 
Read,  a  native  of  England,  born  August  22,  1844.  Mr.  Jones  engaged 
in  agriculture  until  1869,  when  he  removed  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where 
he  dealt  in  hay  for  three  years.  In  1872,  he  moved  to  Crown  Point, 
purchased  a  barn  and  began  the  pressing  of  hay  ;  he  has  since  built  a 
warehouse,  where  he  buys  hay,  giving  labor  to  seven  or  nine  men ;  he  is 
also  engaged  in  buying  hay  at  Lowell  and  Chicago,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Jones  &  Stinchfield.  Mr.  Jones  is  a  self-made  man  and  substantial 
citizen,  and  has,  by  energy  and  fair  dealing,  established  a  fine  business. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  are  the  parents  of  two  sons — William  D.  and  Charles. 
Mr.  Jones  is  a  Republican.  Mrs.  Jones  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  Jones  &  Stinchfield  have  nine  hay  presses,  some  of  which  are 
portable  ;  their  business  is  large  and  growing. 

CHARLES  JOUVENAT,  ex-editor  of  the  Lake  County  Star,  was 
born  near  Geneva,  Switzerland,  July  30,  1843,  and  is  one  of  the  eight 
children  of  Francis  and  Emily  Jouvenat,  both  natives  of  Switzerland. 
Francis  Jouvenat  was  a  land-owner  in  his  native  country,  but  in  conse- 
quence of  religious  oppression  there,  he,  with  nine  other  families,  emi- 
grated to  America  in  1849  and  1850,  and  founded  a  colony  at  Knoxville, 
Tenn.,  where  they  worshiped  according  to  their  belief — the  Evangelical 
faith — in  peace.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jouvenat  died  at  their  home,  he  in  1878, 
and  she  in  1860.  Charles  Jouvenat  remained  in  Knoxville  until  sixteen 
years  old,  receiving  a  fair  school  education,  and,  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
became  a  messenger  for  Adams  Express  Company.  In  1862,  he  re- 
signed ;  remained  home  one  year,  then  moved  to  Indiana  and  engaged  in 


618  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

teaching  at  Rensselaer.  In  18G4,  he  went  to  Watseka,  111.,  where  he 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1865,  Mr.  Jouvenat  was  married,  in  Rensselaer,  Ind.,  to  Miss  Mellie 
C.  Walton,  and  to  them  have  succeeded  two  children — Jules  W.  and 
Grace  E.  In  1865,  1866  and  1867,  he  edited  the  Iroquois  County 
Herald^  during  which  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  by  President  John- 
son. In  1870,  he  removed  to  Remington,  Ind.,  where  he  practiced  law, 
and  for  fifteen  months  published  the  Remington  Times.  In  1879,  he  re- 
moved to  Crown  Point,  his  present  residence.  From  November.  1878, 
to  September,  1880,  he  was  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Lake  County 
Star,  a  Democratic  newspaper.  Since  his  retirement  therefrom,  he  has 
been  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business.  In  politics,  Mr.  Jouvenat  is  a 
Democrat.     Mrs.  Jouvenat  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

KELLER  BROTHERS  carry  a  large  and  well-selected  stock  of  dry 
goods,  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  hats  and  caps,  carpets,  fancy  goods  and 
notions.  Their  stock  is  the  best  in  the  town  or  county  ;  having  a  value 
of  ^20,000.  Their  trade  is  the  most  extensive,  and  is  constantly  increas- 
ing, having  a  branch  store  in  the  same  line  at  Lowell,  in  this  county  ;  at 
North  Judson,  Stark  County  ;  at  Winamac,  Pulaski  County  ;  and  at 
Rose  Lawn,  Newton  County,  Ind.;  they  have  also  a  commission  house  in 
Chicago.  The  house  at  North  Judson  was  established  in  1867  ;  that  at 
Winamac  in  1875 ;  that  at  Crown  Point  in  1879 ;  that  at  Lowell  in 
1880  ;  that  at  Rose  Lawn  in  1881,  and  the  Chicago  commission  house  in 
1880.  The  firm  comprises  three  brothers — Louis,  Jacob  and  George. 
The  old  house  at  North  Judson  was  opened  under  the  firm  of  L.  &  J. 
Keller,  since  changed  to  Keller,  Scott  &  Co.;  the  aggregate  stock  of  the 
five  branches  is  $105,000,  with  annual  sales  of  $250,000.  Louis  Keller, 
senior  member,  was  born  in  Lycoming  County,  Penn.,  in  1811.  He 
was  reared  on  a  farm,  acquired  but  a  meager  education,  and  when  twenty- 
seven  years  old  commenced  his  business  career  at  Winamac,  in  the  boot 
and  shoe  trade.  Jacob  Keller  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  in 
1844,  his  educational  advantages  being  equal  with  his  elder  brother,  and 
commenced  his  mercantile  career  as  a  clerk  in  Winamac.  George  Keller, 
junior  member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in  Abington,  Wayne  Co.,  Ind., 
September  2,  1857,  received  a  plain  education,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
commenced  as  clerk  at  North  Judson  in  the  store  of  his  brothers.  The 
business  career  of  Keller  Brothers  has  been  one  of  unusual  and  unvary- 
ing  success.  They  are  sons  of  Jacob  and  Caroline  (Kouch)  Keller,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  The  firm  of  Keller,  Craig  &  Co. 
have  a  mercantile  house  at  Rose  Lawn,  Newton  Co.,  Ind. 

JOSEPH  KRAMER  was  born  in  St.  John  Township,  Lake  County, 
Ind.,  October  30,  1854,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  eight  children  of  Mathias 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  619 

and  Susan  (Wachter)  Kramer,  both  natives  of  Germany,  near  Treves. 
About  the  year  1852,  Mathias  Kramer  and  family  emigrated  to  the 
United  States,  settling  in  St.  Johns  Township,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  of  shoemaker.  He  then  came  to  Crown  Point,  working  for 
Mathias  Miller  for  some  years,  and  afterward  opened  a  shoe  shop  for 
himself,  which  he  now  operates  ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
Joseph  Kramer  attended  the  schools  of  the  time,  and  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen commenced  as  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  Hobart,  in  this  county.  At  the 
age  of  seventeen  he  began  the  cabinet-making  trade  with  Peter  Geisen, 
at  Crown  Point,  serving  three  years,  after  which  he  opened  a  shop,  and 
has  since  continued  the  business.  On  May  4,  1880,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Enswiler,  a  native  of  Merrillville,  Lake  Co.,  Ind., 
by  whom  he  had  one  daughter — Caroline.  In  November,  1881,  he 
opened  a  general  and  variety  store  in  connection  with  his  former  business, 
at  which  he  has  done  a  good  trade.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kramer  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church.     He  is  an  enterprising  young  business  man. 

GEORGE  KRIMBILL  was  born  in  Colmer,  France,  September  29, 
1824,  and  is  the  eldest  of  five  children  born  to  Jacob  and  Catherine 
(Youcho)  Krimbill  His  father  served  in  the  regular  array  five  years. 
He  determined  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  "  new  world,"  and  left  France  in 
1833,  landing  in  New  York,  but  settling  in  Warren  County,  Penn., 
where  he  and  his  children  cleared  a  farm.  In  1848,  he  disposed  of  this 
property  and  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he  soon  after  died  of  heart 
disease,  his  wife  dying  two  years  later.  George  remained  with  his 
parents  and  one  Thomas  Struthers  until  manhood.  He  received  a  usual 
school  education,  and  in  1846  removed  to  Chicago,  and  clerked  for  Krim- 
bill &  Fuller  and  for  George  Hogan.  Shortly  afterward,  he  opened  a  pro- 
vision store,  which  he  continued  one  year.  In  1851,  he  came  to  Lake 
County  and  began  a  store  west  of  Cedar  Lake,  and  later  engaged  in 
stock  business  and  farming  for  four  years.  Subsequently,  he  went  in 
partnership,  at  Crown  Point,  with  Harding,  Smith  &  Co.,  but  retired  in 
1868.  On  June  24,  1849,  he  married  Anna  M.  Arnold,  born  in  Alsace, 
France,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — 
George,  Julia,  Daniel  W.,  Albert  (deceased),  Lena,  Oscar,  Sarah  and 
Lily  M.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Mr.  Krimbill  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Granger,  a  Republican  and  a 
Prohibitionist. 

WILLIAM  KRIMBILL,  County  Treasurer,  was  born  in  Warren 
County,  Penn.,  January  7,  1836,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  ten  children 
of  Jacob  and  Catherine  (French)  Krimbill,  both  natives  of  Alsace, 
France.  About  1833,  they  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  settled  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  engaged  in  farming  until  1838,  when  they  removed  to 


620  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Chicago,  where  Mr.  Krimbill  died  in  July,  1845,  followed  by  his  widow 
one  year  later.  William  Krimbill  lived  in  Pennsylvania  until  twelve 
years  old,  and  afterward  five  years  in  Chicago.  He  received  a  fair  edu- 
cation at  the  common  schools,  and  in  1853  visited  a  brother  in  Cedar 
Lake,  in  this  county,  and  while  here  obtained  a  position  as  clerk  at  Crown 
Point;  this  he  continued  seven  years,  and  with  the  proceeds  of  his 
labors  was  enabled  to  establish  himself  in  business  in  1860.  By  strict 
attention  to  his  own  and  the  interests  of  the  town,  he  has  founded  one  of 
the  best  mercantile  houses  of  Crown  Point.  In  1857,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Margaret  Wheeler,  a  native  of  Ohio,  but  a  resident  of  Crown 
Point.  To  this  union  have  been  born  four  children — Cora  A.  (died 
March,  1882,  aged  22),  EflSe,  Frank  B.  and  Florence.  Mr.  Krimbill  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  has  taken  an  active 
part.  He  was  Worshipful  Master  of  Lake  Lodge,  No.  157,  fifteen  years  ; 
High  Priest  of  Lincoln  Chapter,  No  53,  nine  years  ;  Illustrious  Master 
of  Crown  Point  Council,  No.  44,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  five  years  ; 
and  a  member  of  Valparaiso  Coramandery,  No.  28.  He  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Odd  Fellows,  in  which  he  has  taken  every  degree.  In  politics, 
he  has  been  a  constant  Republican.  For  fifteen  consecutive  years, 
beginning  in  1861,  he  was  Trustee  of  Centre  Township,  and  is  the  pres- 
ent Chairman  of  the  Republican  County  Committee.  In  1878,  he  was 
elected  County  Treasurer,  and  after  two  years  re-elected,  and  is  now 
serving  a  second  term,  making  four  years  of  service.  He  is  one  of  the 
prominent  men  of  Lake  County,  and  highly  esteemed  as  a  citizen. 

JOHN  LEHMAN,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Freie  Presse  (Ger- 
man), was  born  in  Berne,  Switzerland,  November  5,  1835,  and  is  the 
youngest  of  the  four  children  of  John  and  Madaline  (Gerber)  Lehman, 
both  of  whom  died  in  the  old  country.  John  Lehman,  our  subject,  was 
educated  in  Switzerland  in  a  practical  way.  In  1860,  he  emigrated  to 
the  United  States  with  a  view  of  bettering  his  financial  condition,  and 
came  direct  to  Lake  County,  Ind.;  remained  two  months,  and  changed  to 
Chicago,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  of  watch-maker  and  jeweler.  In 
1864,  he  returned  to  Crown  Point,  Lake  County,  and  opened  a  jewelry 
store,  at  which  he  continued  until  1865,  when,  in  partnership  with  J.  J. 
Wheeler  (present  editor  of  the  Crown  Point  Star),  and  John  H.  Mayer, 
he  established  the  Crown  Point  Freie  Presse.  At  the  end  of  six  months 
Mr.  Lehman  purchased  the  interests  of  Messrs.  Wheeler  and  Mayer,  thus 
obtaining  control  of  the  enterprise,  which  he  has  since  retained.  He  is 
doing  finely  ;  he  is  a  Freemason  and  a  Democrat.  In  1867,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Minnie  Heide,  by  whom  he  has  five  children — Minnie,  Matilda, 
Laura,  John  and  Hermann. 

JAMES  H.  LUTHER  was  born  in  Clinton  County,  N.  Y.,  Decem- 
ber 13,  1814,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children  of  James  and  Irena  (Ran- 


CROWN  rOINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  (321 

som)  Luther.  His  father  was  a  farmer  in  early  years,  but  afterward  en- 
gaged in  merchandising;  both  parents  died  in  Porter  County.  The  name 
of  Luther  was  brought  to  this  country  during  the  forepart  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  by  three  brothers  from  Ireland,  whom,  it  is  thought,  left 
Germany  and  wandered  into  Britain,  and  thence  to  the  United  States. 
In  1832,  James  Luther  removed  to  New  Hampshire,  and  one  year  later 
James  H.  Luther,  then  eighteen  years  old,  and  having  but  §15,  traveled 
westward  and  reached  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  in  1834,  and  soon  after- 
ward into  [Uinois,  among  the  Pottawatomie  Indians  ;  from  thence,  in  1835, 
he  went  to  Wisconsin,  and  thence  returned  in  1837  to  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  where,  on  January  2,  1840,  he  was  married  to  Phebe  Ann  Flint,  of 
Lake  County.  In  1848,  Mrs.  Luther  died,  leaving  four  sons — John  E., 
Amos  0.,  Albert  W.  and  Henry  E.  On  May  21,  1849,  Mr.  Luther 
married  Mrs.  Celista  (Sherman)  Mills,  and  the  same  year  sold  his  farm 
in  Washington  Township,  and  removed  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  Only  one  of  Mr.  Luther's  sons  survives,  the  others  having 
succumbed  to  the  effects  of  the  late  war,  in  which  all  were  engaged.  Mrs. 
Luther  died  November  29,  1881.  Mr.  Luther  is  one  of  the  rare  surviv- 
ing pioneers  of  Lake  County.  Until  the  repeal  of  the  Missiouri  Com- 
promise he  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  but  is  since  as  stanch  a  Republican. 
He  has  held  several  positions  of  trust,  and  in  1860  was  elected  Auditor 
of  Lake  County,  and  re-elected  in  1864.  In  religion  he  is  a  Spiritualist. 
HORACE  MARBLE,  Sheriff  of  Lake  County,  was  born  in  Ben- 
nington County,  Vt.,  June  10,  1838.  His  father,  Simeon  Marble,  was 
also  a  native  of  Vermont,  a  farmer,  and  four  times  married ;  first,  about 
1834,  to  the  mother  of  Sheriff  Marble,  Louisa  Imus,  by  which  union 
there  were  two  children ;  his  second  wife  was  Electa  Janes,  who  died 
without  issue ;  his  third  wife  was  Betsey  E.  Booth,  who  likewise  died 
without  issue  ;  his  fourth  wife  was  Mrs.  Niles,  of  Union  Township,  Por- 
ter County.  In  1848,  after  the  death  of  his  second  wife,  he  came  to 
Lake  County,  and  engaged  in  farming  in  Ross  Township,  of  which  he  is 
now  a  resident.  Horace  Marble  was  reared  a  farmer,  but  dealt  in  grain 
and  stock  for  three  or  four  years  at  Hobart.  In  September,  1861,  he 
enlisted  in  Company  E,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteers,  and  was  in  active  serv- 
ice until  the  war  closed;  he  was  in  the  battles  of  Shiloh,  Murfreesboro, 
Stone  River  and  Chickamauga  ;  he  was  made  First  Sergeant,  and  afterward 
commissioned  Second  Lieutenant  of  the  Thirteenth  Colored  Infantry,  and 
remained  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  Previous  to  his  discharge,  in 
1865,  he  was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant,  and  then  to  Captain,  by  bre- 
vet. In  February,  1865,  he  was  married  to  Mary  E.  Booth,  who  died, 
leaving  two  daughters — Kate  and  Berenice.  He  then  married  his  present 
wife,  Martha  Skinner,  by  which  union  there  have  been  born  two  children 


622  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

— Ruth  and  Henry  Ward.  Mr.  Marble  is  a  Freemason,  and  a  Sir  Knight 
of  Valparaiso  Commandery,  No.  28.  He  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Lake 
County  in  October,  1880,  and  re-nominated  in  1882;  his  family  moved 
to  Crown  Point  in  1881 ;  both  he  and  Mrs.  Marble  are  members  of  the 
Unitarian  Church. 

CYRUS  M.  MASON,  a  pioneer  of  this  county,  was  born  in  Orleans 
County,  N.  Y.,  January  27,  1811,  and  is  a  son  of  Josiah  and  Abigail 
(Storrs)  Mason.  His  father  was  a  native  of  the  "  Green  Mountain  "  State  ; 
his  mother  was  born  in  1777,  and  died  in  Michigan  in  1871.  Cyrus 
Mason,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  began  work  in  a  brick-yard  in  Dearborn, 
Mich.;  he  afterward  worked  on  a  farm  for  one  year,  then  returned  to  the 
brick-yard  as  foreman.  In  1839,  he  came  to  this  county,  since  which 
he  has  made  many  bricks,  having  been  the  first  successful  manufacturer 
here.  The  land  he  now  owns  was  a  squatter's  claim,  which  he  bought  low, 
and  later  purchased  the  same  from  the  Government.  On  November  15, 
1833,  he  married  Diana  Thomas,  who  died  March  27,  1843,  leaving  two 
children,  who  have  since  died.  On  July  25,  1843,  he  married  Mary 
Farmer,  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  August  4,  1817.  To  this  union  have 
been  born  seven  children,  three  of  whom  survive — Abigail  (now  Mrs.  John 
M.  Nash),  her  twin  sister,  Sarah  E.,  and  Mary.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mason  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he  is  also  an  Elder.  He 
is  a  Republican  and  Prohibitionist. 

JOHN  Mcknight  was  bom  near  Hickory  Point,  Lake  Co.,  Ind., 
April  15,  1852,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  nine  children  of  David  and 
Catherine  (Cascadden)  McKnight.  (A  sketch  of  his  parents  will  be  found 
in  the  biographical  department  of  Winfield  Township.)  John  McKnight 
received  but  a  common  school  education,  and  his  occupation  since  boy- 
hood has  been  that  of  a  farmer.  On  February  15,  1876,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  E.  Henry,  a  native  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  born  Septem- 
ber 12,  1852  ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Jane  (Richard)  Henry, 
natives  of  Ireland.  This  union  produced  two  children — Edward  A.  (born 
September  25,  1877),  and  Mabel  (born  September  24,  1879).  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McKnight  are  members  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church.  In 
politics,  Mr.  McKnight  is  a  Republican;  he  is  a  successful  man,  an  en- 
terprising farmer  and  a  worthy  citizen. 

JOHN  MILLIKAN,  editor  Crown  Point  Register,  was  born  in  Marl- 
boro Township,  Delaware  County,  Ohio,  July  16, 1814  (the  place  was 
then  a  military  post  known  as  Fort  Morrow).  His  father  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina,  of  Quaker  parentage,  and  died  in  Chillicothe,  Ohio, 
March,  1814,  where  he  was  guarding  British  prisoners  ;  he  was  a  Lieu- 
tenant, and  most  of  the  time  was  detailed  to  survey  military  roads  through 
the  wilderness  to  posts  in  the  Northwest.     John  Millikan  lived  after  with 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  623 

his  grandfather,  who  died  when  he  was  ten  years  old,  and  at  twelve  years 
of  age,  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  printing  business  with  Ezra  Griswold, 
publisher  of  the  Delaware  Patron.  In  1834,  the  office  was  sold,  and 
John  Millikan  moved  to  Marion,  Ohio,  where  his  brother  published  a 
newspaper.  Soon  after  he  went  to  his  brother  Jesse,  in  Washington, 
Fayette  Co.,  Ohio,  and  thence  to  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed as  salesman;  he  soon  after  visited  his  old  home,  an<l,  in  1837,  he 
went  to  South  Bend,  Ind.,  and  joined  his  brother  William  in  publishing 
the  Free-  Press.  There  he  remained  eight  years,  when  he  moved  to  La 
Porte  and  purchased  the  La  Porte  Whig  of  Thomas  A.  Steward,  in  18-45, 
where  he  remained  until  1867.  After  living  in  Chicago  five  years,  he 
bought  the  Plymouth  (Ind.)  Republican  in  1872,  which  he  continued 
until  1877,  in  June  of  which  year  he  began  the  Crown  Point  Cosmos., 
which  he  published  until  September,  1880,  when  he  bought  one-half  in- 
terest in  the  Crown  Point  Register.,  and,  in  1882,  came  into  possession  of 
Mr.  Bedell's  half,  thenceforward  publishing  the  paper  alone.  He  has 
been  Justice  of  the  Peace  four  consecutive  terms — sixteen  years — at  La 
Porte,  and,  in  1850,  took  the  census  of  La  Porte  County.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1839,  at  South  Bend,  to  Joanna  R.  Lewis,  and  to  them  have 
been  born  four  children — Ann  M.,  Carrie  (now  Mrs.  IngersoU),  Virginia 
E.  (now  Mrs.  Jaqua)  and  John  W.  Mr.  Millikan  is  a  Republican,  and 
he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

MATTHIAS  MULLER  was  born  in  Bavaria  March  27,  1822,  and 
is  the  third  of  four  children  born  to  Valentine  and  Margaret  Muller,  both 
natives  of  Bavaria.  Valentine  Muller  was  a  cabinet-maker,  which  occu- 
pation he  followed  until  his  death  ;  he  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church.  Matthias  Muller  received  an  ordinary  education  in  the  schools 
of  Germany.  At  the  age  of  fifteen,  he  began  to  learn  the  shoemaking 
trade,  serving  an  apprenticeship  of  three  years,  after  which  he  traveled 
as  a  journeyman  for  four  years.  In  1845,  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  settling  in  New  York  City,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  three 
years.  In  July,  1848,  he  changed  to  Chicago,  where  he  also  worked  as 
a  shoemaker.  Late  in  1851,  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  Ind.,  where  he 
opened  a  shoe-shop,  and  continued  the  same  three  years;  this  he  then 
sold  and  opened  a  dining-hall,  bar-room  and  restaurant,  and  this  has  been 
his  business  since.  In  October,  1853,  he  married  Barbara  Ruh,  a  native 
of  Germany,  and  a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Ann  M.  Ruh,  both  of  Ger- 
many. To  this  union  were  born  five  children,  four  of  whom  are  living — 
Edward,  Lena,  Emil  and  Emma.  In  politics,  Mr.  Muller  is  a  Democrat ; 
he  is  a  pioneer  of  the  town  and  county. 

WILLIAM  C.  MURPHEY  was  born  in  Henry  County,  Ind.,  Jan- 
uary 1,   1842,  and  is  the  sixth  of  eleven   children  born  to  Clement  and 


624  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Hulda  (Bundy)  Murphej,  the  former  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  the 
latter  of  Indiana.  Clement  Murphej  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Henry  County,  having  been  brought  there  when  four  years  of  age,  and 
where,  in  1827,  he  was  married.  In  1859,  he  removed  to  Newcastle, 
Ind.,  there  residing  until  his  death,  April  10, 1882;  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Christian  Church,  and  a  temperance  worker.  William  C.  Murphey 
worked  for  his  father  until  he  was  seventeen  years  old  ;  he  then  attended 
high  school  at  Newcastle  for  two  years,  after  which  he  was  employed  as  a 
clerk  for  three  years,  and  then  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  on  his 
own  account.  On  the  occurrence  of  the  war,  he  enlisted  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-ninth  Indiana  Volunteers,  thus  serving  until  dis- 
charged at  Indianapolis  October,  1864.  After  his  return,  he  began  the 
grocery  business  at  Newcastle,  where  he  remained  until  1871 ;  he  then 
engaged  in  private  banking  until  1873,  when  the  Citizens'  State  Bank  of 
Newcastle  was  organized,  and  he  was  elected  Cashier,  serving  one  year. 
In  1874,  he  came  lo  Crown  Point,  and  assisted  in  organizing  the  First 
National  Bank,  of  which  he  was  chosen  Vice  President,  serving  as  such 
until  1875,  when  he  retired.  In  1876,  he  was  elected  Cashier  of  said 
bank,  which  he  now  retains.  On  November  29,  1866,  Mr.  Murphey  was 
married  to  Miss  lona  A.  Holland,  of  Newcastle,  Ind.,  daughter  of  Joshua 
and  Nancy  (Ramsey)  Holland.  They  have  one  daughter — Anna  F. 
Mrs.  Murphey  died  in  Newcastle  December  22,  1869.  Mr.  Murphey  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic   order,  and  a  very  successful  business  man. 

THOMAS  A.  MUZZALL  was  born  in  Brighton,  England,  March 
25,  1834,  and  is  one  of  the  family  of  Thomas  W.  and  Mary  (Greenfield) 
Muzzall,  both  natives  of  England.  Thomas  W.  Muzzall  was  a  carpen- 
ter, and  followed  the  same  many  years  in  England.  In  1839,  he  came 
to  his  death  by  a  fall,  in  which  his  back  struck  the  ground,  and  from 
which  he  suffered  three  years ;  he  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
Thomas  A.  Muzzall  received  a  fair  education  in  England.  When  four- 
teen years  old,  he  was  apprenticed  for  seven  years  to  the  tailoring  trade, 
but  when  eighteen  ran  away,  shipped  as  second  porter  and  made  a  voy- 
age to  the  East  Indies ;  soon  after,  in  1853,  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  settling  in  Ross  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  and  was  a  clerk  in 
a  store  at  Merrillville  for  six  months  ;  he  also  taught  two  terms  of  school. 
In  1856,  he  went  to  Lawrence,  Kan.,  where  he  assisted  in  building  the 
first  house,  and  served  under  Gen.  Lane  in  the  border  war  ;  he  carried 
the  United  States  mail  from  Leavenworth  to  Salt  Lake  City,  from  1858 
to  1860,  and  was  wounded  during  an  encounter  with  Indians.  In  1861, 
he  enlisted  in  the  First  Missouri  Volunteer  Cavalry,  and  three  months 
thereafter,  was  made  Hospital  Steward,  so  continuing  until  January  1, 
1864,  when  he  was  discharged ;  he  re-enlisted,  in   the  regular   army,  as 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  625 

Hospital  Steward  of  the  first-class,  and  was  discharged  with  honors,  Octo- 
ber, 1867.  On  his  return  he  settled  at  Ross  Station,  Lake  County,  and 
engaged  in  farming.  On  April  26,  1863,  he  married  Ann  E.  Phillips, 
of  Westchester  County,  N.  Y.  Their  union  has  been  fruitful  in  four 
children.  In  1872,  Mr.  Muzzall  came  to  Crown  Point,  engaging  in  the 
express,  coal  and  wood  business  ;  he  is  President  of  the  Board  of  Town 
Trustees  ;  he  is  W.  M.  of  Lake  Lodge,  No.  157,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  also  a 
member  of  Lincoln  Chapter,  No.  54,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Crown  Point  Coun- 
cil, No.  44,  R.  &  S.  M.;  he  has  held  office  in  the  fire  company,  and  has 
been  Sunday  School  Secretary  and  choir  leader  in  the  M.  E.  Church  ;  he 
is  an  energetic  and  valued  citizen. 

HARVEY  PETTIBONE,  M.  D.,  the  oldest  practitioner  in  Crown 
Point,  and  next  to  the  oldest  in  Lake  County,  was  born  in  Naples,  On- 
tario Co.,  N.  Y.,  November  28,  1821.  His  father  was  a  physician  and 
surgeon,  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  in  1790;  he  was  twice  married — first 
to  Sarah  Kidder,  mother  of  our  subject,  about  1814,  and  afterward  to 
Abigail  Green ;  the  former  died  in  1838,  and  the  latter  in  New  York. 
In  1860,  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  resided  with  his  son,  and 
died  in  May,  1881,  aged  ninety  years.  Harvey  Pettibone  attended  school 
in  his  native  town,  but  finished  his  education  at  Hobart  College,  Geneva, 
N.  Y.  After  previous  reading  with  his  father,  he  began  the  study  of 
medicine  in  1839,  and,  in  1843,  graduated  from  the  Geneva  Medical  Col- 
lege, and  was  for  many  years  associated  with  his  father  in  practice.  Com- 
ing to  Crown  Point  to  visit  his  brother,  David  K.  Pettibone,  he  was 
induced  to  settle,  and,  in  1847,  opened  an  office  and  began  practice,  at- 
taining a  prominent  position  in  his  profession.  On  September  1,  1849, 
he  was  wedded  to  Mrs.  Eliza  (Hackley)  Pelton ;  she  had  one  daughter — 
wife  of  Thomas  J.  Wood.  To  this  union,  were  born  five  children — 
Henry  (physician),  Harvey  (deceased),  Ruth  A.  (Mrs.  M.  C.  Barnard), 
Alice  (Mrs.  W.  C.  Rockwell)  and  Willis  (deceased).  Apart  from  his  pro- 
fession. Dr.  Pettibone  is  an  active  public  man  and  an  esteemed  citizen. 
He  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  ;  was  a  Democrat,  but  is  a  Republican  ;  was 
Coroner  of  Lake  County  three  terras,  and,  in  the  fall  of  1882,  was  elected 
to  the  Lower  Branch  of  the  Legislature  by  the  Republicans  ;  he  has  also 
held  other  positions  of  trust  and  honor,  and  is  now  United  States  Ex- 
amining Pension  Surgeon. 

Henry  Pettibone,  M.  D.,  son  of  Dr.  Harvey  Pettibone,  of  Crown 
Point,  of  which  place  he  is  a  native,  was  born  May  31,  1850.  After  at- 
tending the  schools  of  Crown  Point,  he  entered  the  sophomore  class  of 
Hanover-  College  in  1869,  remaining  three  years,  and  graduating  in  the 
scientific  class  of  1872.  He  thereafter  began  the  study  of  medicine  with 
his  father,  during  which,  for  two  winters,  he  was   engaged  as  teacher. 


626  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

In  October,  1874,  he  entered  Rush  Medical  College,  at  Chicago,  where 
he  remained  two  terms,  and  graduated  among  the  first  of  his  class  in  1876. 
He  returned  to  Crown  Point,  and  commenced  practice  in  company  with 
his  father,  which  has  been  continued.  On  June  4,  1878,  he  married 
Margaret  T.  Sauerman,  and  to  them  have  been  born  two  children — 
Anna  P.  and  Edith  E.  Dr.  Pettibone  is  a  Republican,  and  was  elected 
County  Coroner  in  1876,  which  oflSce  he  still  holds. 

A.  J.  PRATT,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  Jan- 
uary 16,  1825,  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Betsey  (Wilcox)  Pratt.  His 
father  was  educated  for  the  Baptist  ministry,  but  had  followed  teaching 
and  farming.  Three  of  his  children  are  physicians.  A.  J.  Pratt  was 
raised  on  a  farm,  and  received  a  practical  education.  He  moved  to  Il- 
linois with  his  parents  in  1836,  and  in  1843  to  Elkhart  County,  Ind. 
Here  he  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Allen  eighteen  months,  and  afterward 
for  two  and  a  half  years  under  the  medical  faculty  of  the  University  of 
Michigan.  There  he  had  three  courses  of  lectures,  and  graduated  in 
1854  with  first  honors ;  that  is,  having  his  thesis  published  by  the  Board 
of  Regents.  He  then  located  at  Crown  Point,  where  he  has  been  success- 
ful, and  is  esteemed  as  one  of  the  best  physicians  in  Northern  Indiana, 
with  an  experience  of  twenty-eight  years.  Dr.  Pratt  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried ;  first,  in  1857,  to  Mrs.  Lydia  A.  Farrington,  widow  of  Dr.  William 
C.  Farrington,  the  first  physician  of  Crown  Point,  and  daughter  of  Will- 
iam Sherman;  she  died  in  November,  1858.  His  second  and  present 
wife  was  Miss  Eliza  M.  Pratt,  to  whom  he  was  united  March  26,  1861, 
and  by  whom  he  has  three  daughters — Florence,  Lizzie  and  Josie.  Mrs. 
Pratt  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  In  politics,  Dr.  Pratt  is 
a  Republican,  and  was  for  fourteen  years  Coroner  of  Lake  County,  and 
is  now  and  has  for  six  years  been  County  physician.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity  and  a  Royal  Arch  Mason. 

PAUL  E.  RAASCH  was  born  in  Prussia  July  20,  1848,  and  is  one 
of  the  five  children  of  William  and  Menia  (Carld)  Raasch,  both  of  Prussia. 
William  Raasch  was  foreman  of  a  sheep  farm  in  Germany.  In  1849,  he 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  the  United  States,  going  to  Milwaukee, 
Wis.,  and  afterward  to  Lake  Station,  in  this  county,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  hotel  business.  He  then  removed  to  Ross,  Lake  County,  where  he 
engaged  in  general  mercantile  business  for  two  years  ;  he  afterward  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Ross  Township,  on  which  he  lived  eight  years.  In  1862, 
he  sold  his  farm  and  came  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  was  Marshal  four 
years.  In  1882,  he  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he  is  foreman  in  a  sash  fac- 
tory ;  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  German  M.  E.  Church.  Paul  E. 
Raasch  received  a  fair  education,  and  worked  on  a  farm  until  his  nine- 
teenth year,  after  which  he  railroaded  two  years,  and  later  was  employed 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  627 

in  a  hotel  at  Crown  Point.  In  1870,  he  began  the  livery  business,  in 
which  he  is  still  engaged,  and  doing  well.  On  January  30,  1872,  he  was 
married  to  Laura  Rockwell,  a  native  of  Lake  County,  and  daughter  of 
T.  C.  Rockwell.  This  union  was  blessed  by  one  daughter — Luelle,  who 
died  March  8,  1877,  aged  four  years.  In  November,  1878,  he  opened  a 
flour  and  feed  store  in  connection  with  the  livery,  in  which  he  has  also  an 
extensive  trade.  Mr.  Raasch  is  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the  Believ- 
ers.    Mr.  Raasch  is  an  old  settler  and  an  enterprising  business  man. 

CHRISTOPHER  RICH  was  born  in  Chicago  March  13,  1844,  and 
is  one  of  the  six  children  of  Michael  and  Mary  A.  (Tilmon)  Rich,  both 
natives  of  Lorraine,  France.  Michael  Rich  was  for  several  years  a  sol- 
dier in  the  French  Army.  In  1839  or  18-40,  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  and  went  to  Chicago,  afterward  to  Saginaw,  Mich.,  where  he 
worked  in  a  saw-mill.  He  soon  returned  to  Chicago,  where  he  has  since 
been  engaged  in  gardening.  Two  years  after  coming  to  America,  he  sent 
for  his  family  ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Christopher 
Rich  received  the  usual  course  of  education  of  Chicago  schools,  ami  when 
thirteen  years  old  went  to  France  to  improve,  where  he  remained  two 
years.  After  returning,  he  assisted  his  father  in  gardening  until  twenty- 
two  years  of  age.  In  1866,  he  went  back  to  France,  and  remained  six 
months,  during  which  time  he  learned  the  photographic  art.  In  Chicago, 
he  opened  a  saloon.  In  1867,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Karber,  of 
Chicago,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  living — 
John  C,  Anna  Mary  and  Maggie.  Before  the  fire,  he  began  the  dry 
goods  trade,  but  that  calamity  destroyed  almost  his  entire  property ;  he 
soon  recovered,  however,  and  in  1875  he  moved  to  Dyer,  Lake  County, 
Ind.,  and  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business.  In  1877,  he  came  to 
Crown  Point,  where  he  carried  the  same  trade.  He  has  a  very  full  stock, 
also  boots  and  shoes,  hats  and  caps,  clothing,  carpets,  crockery  and 
notions,  aggregating  $5,000.  He  is  now  doing  well,  annual  sales  reach- 
ing ^14,000.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rich  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

WILLIAM  B.  ROCKWELL  was  born  in  Reading,  Fairfield  Co., 
Conn.,  September  8,  1814,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of  William  and 
Dorinda  (Conklin)  Rockwell,  both  natives  of  Connecticut.  Reuben  Rock- 
well, grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Oswego,  N.  Y.  William  B.  Rockwell  re- 
ceived a  spare,  frontier  education,  and,  when  eighteen  years  old,  learned 
the  trade  of  a  cooper,  which  he  followed  fourteen  years.  In  1838,  he 
first  came  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  but  soon  after  removed  with  his  brother 
to  Michigan  City,  Ind.,  where  they  worked  as  coopers.  In  1844,  Will- 
iam returned  to  Centre  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  entered  820  acres, 
built  a  cabin  and  made  other  improvements  ;  this  land  contained  a  cran- 

LL 


628  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

berry  marsh,  which  was  a  valuable  adjunct,  sometimes  yielding  $1,500  per 
annum  in  berries.  He  added  to  this  domain  until  he  owned  600  acres. 
In  1865,  he  was  married  to  Cynthia  M.  Spenser,  a  native  of  Oswego 
County,  by  which  union  they  had  one  son,  who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs. 
Rockwell  died  in  1866 ;  she  was  a  member  of  the  Free- Will  Baptist 
Church.  In  November,  1868,  Mr.  Rockwell  married  Mrs.  Sarah  E., 
widow  of  A.  D.  Foster,  and  daughter  of  Peter  D.  Hathaway.  Mrs. 
Sarah  E.  Rockwell  died  at  Crown  Point  in  February,  1876,  without 
issue.  Mr.  Rockwell  has  been  for  several  years  Trustee  of  Crown  Point. 
He  was  a  Democrat  until  the  Kansas-Nebraska  controversy,  since  which 
period  he  has  been  a  stanch  Republican.  He  is  a  pioneer  of  Jjake 
County. 

TIMOTHY  C.  ROCKWELL  was  born  in  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y., 
December  2,  1817,  and  is  the  sixth  of  the  seven  children  of  William  and 
Dorinda  (Conklin)  Rockwell,  both  natives  of  Connecticut.  The  grand- 
mother of  Timothy  was  one  of  the  sufferers  of  the  Deerfield  (Conn.) 
massacre,  she  escaping  only  with  her  life.  As  indemnity  for  their  losses, 
Congress  apportioned  lands  in  Ohio  to  the  survivors ;  this  land  was  in- 
herited by  William,  who  sold  the  same  without  having  seen  it.  William 
Rockwell  was  an  excellent  scholar,  and  commenced  teaching  when 
eighteen  years  old.  He  was  married  in  Connecticut ;  moved  to  Onon- 
daga County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  taught,  as  also  at  Parma,  Genessee  and 
Oswego,  at  which  place  he  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  several  years.  In 
1837,  he  came  to  Centre  Township,  in  this  county,  where  he  engaged  in 
teaching,  and  later  was  elected  a  Commissioner  of  Lake  County  ;  he 
died  in  January,  1855.  Timothy  C.  Rockwell  received  a  fair  school 
education,  and  in  1837  came  to  Centre  Township,  Lake  County,  on  foot, 
having  driven  a  herd  of  cows.  He  pre-empted  160  acres,  built  a  cabin 
and  cleared  a  farm.  In  1839,  he  learned  the  coopering  trade,  and  was 
for  many  years  the  only  cooper  in  the  county,  and  found  a  market  for 
his  work  in  Chicago.  On  June  16,  1845,  he  married  Malinda  Brown, 
of  Indiana,  with  a  result  of  seven  children,  five  of  whom  now  survive — 
Adelia,  Laura  (now  Mrs.  Paul  E.  Raasch),  William,  Arminius  B.  and 
Julius.  In  1866,  he  exchanged  his  farm  for  hotel  property  in  Crown 
Point,  and  managed  and  owned  the  Rockwell  House  until  1881,  when  he 
rented  the  same  and  retired.  Mr.  Rockwell  is  one  of  the  few  pioneers 
of  Lake  County. 

HENRY  SASSE,  Sr.,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Lake  County,  was 
born  at  Nesse,  near  Bremerhaven,  Province  of  Hanover,  Germany,  and 
is  the  only  living  child  of  Henry  and  Gesche  (Mueller)  Sasse.  Henry 
Sasse,  our  subject,  was  reared  a  farmer.  In  1827,  he  was  married  to 
Anne  Burger,  and  with  her  and  his  two  children,  emigrated  to  America, 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  6-29 

induced  by  the  desire  to  obtain  a  home  in  a  new  and  free  country  ;  this 
was  in  1834.  Tiiey  settled  first  near  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.  ;  purchased 
eighty  acres,  and  began  to  clear  the  same.  In  1838,  he  removed  to 
Lake  County,  Ind.,  then  but  sparsely  settled  by  "squatters."  Here  he 
settled  on  a  tract  of  280  acres  in  Hanover  Township,  where  his  wife 
died  in  1840,  leaving  three  children — Henrietta  G.  (deceased),  Henry 
and  William  E.  (deceased).  In  1841,  he  married  a  second  wife,  Johanna 
Burger,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  all  of 
whom  are  dead.  She  also  died  in  1866,  and  in  1870  Mr.  Sasse  married 
his  present  wife,  !Magdalena  Hedden,  by  whom  he  has  one  son — Herman 
Emil.  In  1877,  he  came  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  lives  retired.  Mr. 
Sasse  has  been  long  identified  with  public  improvements,  and  has  con- 
tributed largely  thereto.  He  was  formerly  a  Democrat,  but  is  now  a 
Republican.  He  was  Assessor  of  Hanover  Township  ten  years,  and  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  eight  years.  In  1867,  ho  was  commissioned  by  Gov. 
Baker,  emigrant  agent ;  has  visited  the  Fatherland  four  times,  and  in- 
duced many  to  come  hither  for  homes  and  happiness.  He  is  now  in  his 
eightieth  year,  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  German  citizens. 

J.  C.  SAUERMAN,  ex-County  Treasurer,  was  born  in  Bavaria, 
near  where  Saxony  and  Austria  join,  March  7,  1832,  and  is  the  oldest 
of  six  children  of  Nicholas  and  Kunigunda  (Schneider)  Sauerman.  His 
parents  came  to  Crown  Point  in  1854,  and  died  on  the  farm  in  Centre 
Township — the  father  in  1876,  the  mother  in  1870.  J.  C.  Sauerman 
came  from  Bremen  to  Philadelphia,  with  a  voyage  of  forty-two  days. 
He  went  direct  to  Chicago,  where  he  had  an  uncle,  and  the  day  of  his 
arrival  found  work  at  farming.  After  three  months,  he  returned  to  Chicago 
and  learned  harness-making.  In  1850,  he  went  back  to  Germany.  On 
his  return,  in  1851,  he  came  to  Crown  Point  and  began  as  harness- 
maker  for  himself  Crown  Point  was  then  but  a  place  of  200  or  300 
inhabitants.  Mr.  Sauerman  has  watched  its  growth,  and  contributed 
considerably  thereto.  He  followed  his  trade  until  1875,  when  he  was 
elected  Treasurer  of  Lake  County,  which  ofiice  he  has  filled  with  the  full- 
est satisfaction.  He  came  hither  poor,  and  now  represents  one  of  the 
wealthy  of  the  place — all  accumulated  by  labor  and  economy.  He  owns 
260  acres  in  Lake  County,  besides  town  property.  He  is  a  stock-owner 
and  Director  of  the  First  National  Bank.  He  is  a  Republican,  and 
gave  his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Fremont.  In  1852,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Pauline  Strochlein,  a  native  of  Bavaria,  but  a  resident  of  Crown  Point. 
To  this  union  there  were  born  four  children — Maggie,  now  Mrs.  Dr. 
Henry  Pettibone  ;  Andrew  A.,  Assistant  Cashier  of  First  National  Bank 
of  Crown  Point ;  Edward,  deceased,  and  Flora.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sauer- 
man  belong  to    the    Lutheran    Church,  of  which    Mr.    Sauerman    is  a 


630  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

founder  and  strong  supporter.  He  has  held  several  offices  of  trust  and 
honor,  and  was  Treasurer  of  the  County  Agricultural  Society  a  number 
of  years. 

ADAM  SCHMAL  was  born  in  the  Province  of  Rhine,  Germany, 
June  24,  1828.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Anna  C.  (Spidler)  Schmal, 
natives  of  the  same  locality.  His  father  was  a  carpenter,  which  trade 
he  followed  thirty-six  years  in  Germany.  He  intended  coming  to 
America  in  1837,  with  John  Hack,  deceased  (a  sketch  of  whom  will  be 
found  in  the  department  of  Crown  Point),  who,  however,  sent  a  glowing 
account  of  Lake  County,  which  started  him  to  the  new  world,  and  he 
arrived  in  New  York  after  a  thirty  days'  rough  passage,  whence  he  went 
to  Chicago,  and  thence  to  this  county  in  1838,  where  he  settled  to  farm- 
ing and  died  May  18,  1859,  his  wife  preceding  him  by  ten  days.  Adam 
has  an  English  and  German  education,  and,  like  his  father,  is  a  farmer, 
with  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  county,  with  all  improvements ;  it 
contains  400  acres.  On  April  29,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Margaret 
Rassier,  a  native  of  Germany,  whose  parents  came  to  Lake  County  in 
1842.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schmal  have  seven  children — Barbara  (now  Mrs. 
J.  Wachter),  Lily  (now  Mrs.  J.  G.  Bohling),  Peter,  George,  Margaret, 
Catherine  and  Frederick  William.  Mr.  Schmal  is  a  Republican,  and  was 
County  Treasurer  from  1867  to  1871-~a  most  satisfactory  official.  He 
has  also  been  County  Commissioner,  and  has  held  other  township  offices. 
He  came  to  his  present  farm  in  1875. 

H.  J.  SHOULTERS,  Postmaster  of  Crown  Point,  was  born  in  Mont- 
pelier,  Vt.,  May  19,  1842,  and  is  a  son  of  Solomon  and  Mary  G.  (Rey- 
nolds) Shoulters.  Solomon  Shoulters,  while  living  at  Montpelier,  was 
Superintendent  of  Railway  Construction ;  he  was  a  native  of  New 
England  and  his  wife  of  New  York  ;  both  are  dead,  and  buried  in  Gen- 
esee County,  N.  Y.  H.  J.  Shoulters  resided  in  Montpelier  until  1852, 
when  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.  He  re- 
ceived but  a  spare  education,  and  learned  the  trade  of  watch-maker  and 
jeweler  ;  this  he  followed  until  1862,  when  in  the  cause  of  his  country  he 
enlisted  in  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  New  York  Volun- 
teers, and  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  He  was  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  the  Wilderness,  in  which,  on  May 
5,  1864,  he  was  shot  through  the  knee  by  a  minie  ball,  and  after  lying 
on  the  field  two  days,  was  taken  to  the  hospital  at  Fredericksburg,  thence 
conveyed  to  Washington,  was  furloughed  and  subsequently  discharged. 
This  wound  caused  a  stiflfness  of  the  knee,  which  has  remained.  He  re- 
turned to  Valparaiso  after  the  war,  visited  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to 
Crown  Point  in  1874,  and  worked  at  his  trade.  On  February  7,  1871, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  L.  Marsh,  to  which  union  were  born  four 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  G31 

children — Mabel  E.,  Ada  M.,  Harvey  M.  (deceased)  and  James  M.  Mrs. 
Shoulters  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  daughter  of  Caleb  and 
Mary  (Latten)  Marsh,  and  a  sister  of  Prof.  0.  C.  Marsh,  of  Yale  College. 
In  1876,  Mr.  Shoulters  commenced  the  drug  business,  which  he  discon- 
tinued. In  1877,  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  of  Crown  Point,  and  in 
1882  was  re-appointed  by  President  Arthur.  In  politics,  Mr.  Shoulters 
is  a  stanch  Republican  ;  he  is  also  an  Odd  Fellow  and  in  the  Encamp- 
ment and  Grand  Lodge,  in  the  first  two  having  passed  all  the  chairs.  Dur- 
ing 1873,  Mr.  Shoulters  was  Deputy  County  Auditor. 

OTTO  SHULTZ  was  born  in  Posen,  Germany,  June  10,  1859,  and 
is  the  only  child  of  William  F.  and  Joanna  Schultz,  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many. William  F.  Schultz  was  a  miller  by  trade,  and  for  a  time  a 
soldier  in  the  German  Army.  Otto  Schultz  obtained  a  fair  education  in 
the  schools  of  his  native  country  and  in  America.  His  father  died  when 
he  was  four  years  old.  In  1865,  he  and  his  mother  emigrated  to  the 
United  States,  settling  at  Monee,  111.  In  1868,  his  mother  remarried  and 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Will  County,  111.,  where  he  worked  until  1870.  In 
1872,  he  commenced  business  at  Crown  Point,  Ind.,  with  a  peddling- 
wagon,  which  he  discontinued  after  two  months.  He  then  purchased  a 
small  stock  of  general  merchandise,  gradually  increasing  the  same,  until 
he  now  has  a  large  and  assorted  variety  of  dry  goods,  clothing,  boots  and 
shoes,  hats  and  caps,  carpets,  tinware,  crockery,  fancy  goods  and  notions, 
of  the  value  of  S9,000.  In  this  business  he  is  doing  excellently,  his  an- 
nual sales  reaching  $21,000.  Mr.  Schultz  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  one  of  the  enterprising  young  merchants  of  the  town. 

ZERAH  F.  SUMMERS  (deceased),  an  early  settler  of  Lake  County* 
was  born  in  Vermillion,  Erie  Co.,  Ohio,  July  16,  1829,  and  was  the 
eldest  of  the  four  children  of  Benjamin  and  Julia  (Burr)  Summers,  both 
natives  of  Connecticut.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  in  Ohio  more  gen- 
erally known  as  "Judge  "  Summers,  having  been  Probate  Judge  and  a 
Representative  in  the  State  Legislature.  Zerah  received  a  collegiate  edu- 
cation, giving  particular  attention  to  surveying  and  civil  engineering.  As 
a  surveyor,  he  located  at  Crown  Point  in  1854,  where  he  remained.  On 
August  2,  1860,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  M.  Thomas,  to  whom 
were  born  three  children — Benjamin  Wayland,  Jennie  and  Julia  B.  (de- 
ceased). Mrs.  Summers  was  born  in  Potter,  Yates  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Febru- 
ary 4, 1836,  a  daughter  of  Ambrose  S.  and  Jane  (McPherson)  Thomas,  both 
of  whom  are  deceased.  In  January,  1876,  Mr.  Summers  contracted  a  cold 
from  which  he  never  recovered,  dying  July  31,  1879,  just  nineteen  years 
from  the  day  of  his  marriage  and  the  ninth  anniversary  of  his  daughter  Jen- 
nie's birthda}'.  Mr.  Summers  was  a  leading  citizen  of  Crown  Point,  fore- 
most in  every  enterprise  for  the  good  and  progress  of  the  peace,  and  much 


632  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

endeared  by  his  consistent  honor  to  every  one  there  living.  From  1857 
to  1862,  he  was  editor  of  the  Crown  Point  Register,  its  success  being 
mainly  due  to  him.  He  held  many  oGSces  of  trust — from  1858  to  1861 
and  1865,  School  Examiner;  in  1859,  Real  Estate  Appraiser  ;  from  1859 
to  1867,  County  Clerk;  also  Town  Trustee  four  terms.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  in  politics  a  Republican. 

HENRY  P.  SWARTZ  was  born  in  Centre  County,  Penn.,  July  12, 
1841,  and  is  the  third  of  ten  children  born  to  Jucob  and  Catherine 
(Mosser)  Swartz,  both  natives  of  Centre  County,  Penn.  Jacob  Swartz 
was  a  stonemason,  which  trade  he  followed  until  1851,  when  he  engaged 
in  agriculture.  In  1853,  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Kane  County,  111., 
and  purchased  eighty  acres.  This  he  sold  in  1856,  and  moved  to  Stephen- 
son County,  111.,  where  he  purchased  100  acres  and  resided  until  his 
death  in  March,  1867  ;  he  was  in  his  fifty-ninth  year,  and  a  member  of 
the  German  Reformed  Church.  Henry  P.  Swartz  acquired  the  usual  ed- 
ucation of  the  time,  and  worked  for  his  father  until  his  nineteenth  year, 
and  one  year  by  the  month.  In  August,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company 
A,  Fifty-second  Illinois  Volunteers,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  when  he  was  discharged  as  Sergeant,  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  July  18, 
1865.  Soon  after  returning,  he  received  a  Captain's  commission,  and  di- 
rectly took  a  course  at  the  Chicago  College  of  Pharmacy,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  December  of  the  same  year.  He  was  afterward  employed 
as  a  drug  clerk  at  Freeport,  111.,  for  six  years.  In  1871,  he  came  to 
Crown  Point  and  opened  a  drug  store  with  success,  it  being  now  the  lead- 
ing one  of  the  county.  On  November  20, 1868,  he  was  married  to  Mary 
F.  Bell,  a  native  of  Freeport,  111.,  and  daughter  of  Addison  M.  and  Mary 
(Atkins)  Bell.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swartz  have  four  children — Carrie  B., 
Harry  D,,  Mamie  C.  and  Kitty  C.  Mr,  Swartz  is  Trustee  of  Centre 
Township  ;  he  is  a  member  of  Lake  Lodge,  No,  157,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M., 
Lincoln  Chapter,  No.  53,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Crown  Point  Council,  No.  44, 
R.  &  S.  M. 

JAMES  SWEENEY  was  born  in  County  Meath,  Ireland,  Septem- 
ber 17,  1825,  and  is  the  eldest  of  six  children  of  James  and  Ann  (Blake) 
Sweeney,  His  parents  were  also  natives  of  Ireland ;  his  father  came  to 
America  in  1825,  and  brought  his  family  in  1830,  stopping  one  year  in 
Canada  and  going  thence  to  Madison  County,  N.  Y.  In  1849,  he  came 
to  Lake  County,  remaining  until  his  death,  in  1870  ;  his  mother  died  in 
Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1846.  James  Sweeney,  our  subject,  has 
been  principally  a  farmer,  and  in  this  county,  since  1855,  he  has  followed 
the  same  occupation ;  he  now  owns  140  acres  of  good  land  in  this  town- 
ship. On  February  17,  1848,  he  was  married  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  to 
Elizabeth  Johnson,  also  a  native  of  County  Meath,  Ireland,  by  whom  he 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  638 

has  had  eleven  children,  five  now  living — Mary  J.  (now  Mrs.  M.  Mc- 
Manus),  Rosa  (now  Mrs.  C.  H.  Meeker),  Margaret,  John  J.,  and  Julia. 
Mr.  Sweeney  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  ;  previous 
to  1874,  Mr.  Sweeney  was  a  Republican,  but  is  now  a  Greenbacker,  and 
a  nominee  of  the  party.     Mrs.   Sweeney  came  to  America  in  1845. 

S.  P.  VAN  WINKLE  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y., 
November  9,  1819,  and  is  the  only  living  child  of  John  and  Phebe 
(Jenks)  Van  Winkle ;  his  father  was  a  saddler,  also  a  soldier  of  the  war 
of  1812,  and  died  in  1821 .  After  his  father's  death,  S.  P.  Van  Winkle  went 
to  Canada  to  his  grandparents,  and  when  twelve  years  old  returned  to 
New  York.  In  1834,  he  removed  to  Newark,  N.  J.,  where  he  learned 
tailoring.  In  1840,  he  was  married  to  Harriet  A.  Colt,  and  in 
1844,  removed  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  thence  again  to  Newark,  and 
thence  to  Bradford  County,  Penn.  In  1850,  he  moved  to  Chagrin  Falls, 
Ohio,  and  later  emigrated  to  Indiana,  locating  at  Walkerton,  and  engag- 
ing in  farming  until  1861,  when  he  came  to  Crown  Point.  On  De- 
cember 5,  1863,  he  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Twelfth  Indiana  Cavalry, 
being  finally  discharged  May  15,  1865  ;  he  was  engaged  in  the  battle 
of  Murfreesboro.  After  the  war,  he  was  elected  Constable,  and 
acted  also  as  Deputy  County  Sheriff;  he  held  the  former  office  until 
1882.  His  wife  died  August  5,  1880,  and  on  August  15,  1882,  he  mar- 
ried Mary  (Lattinj  Marsh,  widow  of  Caleb  Marsh ;  she  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  was  also  his  former  wife.  Mr.  Van  Winkle 
is  a  Republican,  having  been  formerly  a  Whig ;  he  is  likewise  an  Odd 
Fellow,  and  in  the  Encampment. 

COL.  JOHN  WHEELER,  deceased,  was  born  in  New  Milford,  Conn., 
February  6,  1825,  and  was  the  eldest  of  ten  children  of  Johnson  and 
Sally  (Burr)  Wheeler.  Col.  Wheeler  was  liberally  educated,  and  reared 
to  manhood  in  Ohio,  whither  his  parents  moved  when  he  was  six  months 
old.  In  1846,  he  married  Miss  Ann  C.  Jones,  daughter  of  John  D.  and 
Polly  Ann  (Calkins)  Jones.  In  1847,  the  Wheeler  and  Jones  families 
emigrated  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  their  home  thereafter,  and  located  in 
West  Creek  Township.  In  1853,  Col.  Wheeler  moved  to  Crown  Point, 
where  he  became  County  Surveyor.  In  1857,  he  purchased  the  Crown 
Point  Register^  publishing  the  same  until  1861,  when,  on  July  22,  he 
was  elected  Captain  of  Company  B,  Twentieth  Volunteers ;  on  Febru- 
ary 16,  1862,  he  was  promoted  to  Major  ;  on  August  13,  advanced  to  be 
Lieutenant  Colonel ;  on  February  11, 1863,  he  was  made  Colonel,  and  after 
the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  where  he  was  killed,  he  would  have  been  made 
a  Brigadier  General.  He  was  a  brave  and  efficient  officer,  and  univer- 
sally  applauded  and  lamented.  As  a  writer,  he  was  cultivated  and  power- 
ful ;  he  was  also  thoroughly  informed  on  public  affairs ;  he  was  a  Mason 


634  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

and  an  Odd  Fellow,  and  was  buried  with  the  peerless  rites  of  Freemason- 
ry. He  was  the  father  of  four  children  ;  the  eldest,  J.  J.  Wheeler,  is 
present  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Star.  He  was  born  in  Lake  Coun- 
ty January  11,  1848,  and  enlisted  May  27,  1864,  in  Company  C,  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-eighth  Indiana  Volunteers,  and  was  discharged  as 
Corporal  September  30,  1864.  He  re-enlisted  February  18,  1865,  as 
Sergeant  of  Company  E,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Volun- 
teers, serving  until  the  end  of  the  war.  On  October  27,  1870,  he 
married  Miss  Arabella,  daughter  of  James  Holton,  (a  sketch  of  whom 
accompanies  this  work)  and  grand-daughter  of  Solon  Robinson.  Three 
children  followed  their  union — Harold,  Fred  and  Jennie.  In  October, 
1880,  he  succeeded  Mr.  Jouvenat  as  editor  of  the  Star.  He  is  a  Royal 
Arch  Mason  and  a  strong  Republican. 

OLIVER  G.  WHEELER  was  born  in  Florence,  Erie  County,  Ohio, 
March  4,  1842,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  Johnson  and  Sallie 
(Burr)  Wheeler,  both  natives  of  Connecticut.  Johnson  Wheeler  was  a 
Civil  Engineer ;  was  married  in  Connecticut,  and  soon  after  moved  to 
Erie  County,  Ohio,  of  which  he  was  a  pioneer.  He  entered  160  acres, 
on  which  he  made  a  farm ;  he  was  also  employed  in  surveying  for  several 
years,  and  in  mercantile  business  and  saw-milling.  In  1847,  he  removed 
to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  bought  a  small  farm  and  entered  640 
acres  adjoining.  In  1849,  he  went  to  California  by  the  overland  route, 
and  engaged  in  contracting  and  mining  until  1851,  when  he  returned  to 
Lake  County  and  laid  out  the  State  ditches  in  said  county.  In  1856,  he 
came  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  died  in  1870,  aged  seventy-three  years. 
Oliver  G.  Wheeler  received  a  fair  education  and  remained  with  his  father 
as  clerk  until  July,  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Seventy-third 
Indiana  Volunteers  ;  he  rose  to  be  Second  Lieutenant,  as  which  he  was 
discharged.  He  served  through  the  war,  after  which  he  entered  a  dry 
goods  house  in  Crown  Point.  In  1868,  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  trade 
for  himself,  and  continued,  being  now  the  largest  dealer  in  the  county.  Mr. 
Wheeler  was  married  in  April,  1870,  to  Alice  Clark,  of  Crown  Point. 
Three  children  have  crowned  their  union.  Mr.  Wheeler  is  a  member  of 
Lake  Lodge,  No.  157,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  also  of  Lincoln  Chapter,  No. 
53,  R.  A.  M.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  enterprising  citizens  of 
the  place, 

GEORGE  WILLEYwas  born  in  New  London  County,  Conn.,  April 
3,  1814.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  this  county,  and  one  of 
the  eleven  children  of  Jeremiah  and  Hannah  (Staples)  Willey.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  the  "Nutmeg  State,"  and  descendant  of  a  line  of 
patriots  who  fought  against  the  "  mother  country  "  in  1776 ;  he  was  also 
a  blacksmith,  but  went  to  New  York,  where  he  farmed  until  his  death, 


CROWN  POINT  AND  CENTRE  TOWNSHIP.  635 

in  1867;  he  was  for  vears  a  Deacon  in  the  Presbvterian  Church.  His 
mother  was  an  educated  lady,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  a  daughter  of 
Elijah  and  Elizabeth  Staples.  George  Willey  remained  with  his  father 
until  he  reached  manhood,  and  enjoyed  an  academic  education.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1857,  but  he  has  not  practiced  law  as  a  business. 
In  1838,  he  came  to  Indiana,  and  settled  in  the  western  part  of  this 
county,  where  he  remained  many  years.  In  1868,  he  located  on  his 
present  farm  of  over  four  hundred  acres ;  he  has,  besides,  considerable 
other  property.  In  addition  to  his  flirm,  he  has  dealt  much  in  real  es- 
tate. On  April  2,  1835,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Clynthia,  daughter  of 
Capt.  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Fay)  Nash,  born  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y., 
September  24,  1816;  her  father  was  a  Captain  in  the  war  of  1812.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Willey  have  had  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living — Jo- 
hanna A.  (now  Mrs.  J.  Fisher),  George  A.,  Alice  A.  (now  Mrs.  C.  L. 
Granger)  and  Clynthia  A.  (now  Mrs.  H.  M.  Griffin).  Mr.  Willey  is  a 
stanch  Democrat,  and  has  served  as  Revenue  Collector  of  this  county  for 
three  years,  and  has  held  other  minor  offices. 

MARTIN  WOOD,  the  oldest  attorney  of  Crown  Point,  was  born  in 
Jeiferson  County,  Ohio,  October  26,  1821,  and  is  one  of  the  eleven  chil- 
dren of  Frederick  S.  and  Mary  (Burk)  Wood,  the  former  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  the  latter  of  Maryland.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  who  re- 
moved to  Ohio,  married  in  Columbiana  County,  but  died,  with  his  wife, 
in  Athens  County,  Ohio.  Martin  was  reared  on  a  farm,  where  he  ac- 
quired the  best  schooling  he  could,  afterward  completing  the  scientific 
course  at  Ohio  University ;  he  paid  his  way  through  college  by  teaching, 
which  he  pursued  for  ten  years.  In  1844,  he  began  the  study  of  law  at 
Athens  with  John  Welsh,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State  in  1847.  He  began  practice  at  Logan,  and  subse- 
quently came  to  Crown  Point,  Ind.,  where  he  located  permanently.  In 
1843,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lavina  Pilcher,  who  died  in  1845,  leaving 
one  son,  since  deceased.  In  1849,  he  married  Miss  Susan  G.  Taylor,  of 
Porter  County,  Ind.,  born  in  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  January  21,  1828, 
and  daughter  of  George  W.  and  Mary  (Hathaway)  Taylor,  who  came  to 
Indiana  in  1845,  and  in  1849  removed  to  Valparaiso,  where  Mr.  Taylor 
died.  Mr.  Wood  is  an  enterprising  and  valued  citizen,  having  done 
much  to  forward  the  interests  of  Crown  Point,  which  has  been  appre- 
ciated by  his  election  to  offices  of  trust  and  honor.  Among  them  are 
Prosecuting  Attorney  and  Legislator.  To  both  positions  he  was  re- 
elected. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wood  have  had  eleven  children,  seven  of  whom 
are  living — Owen,  Cordelia,  Helena,  Cynthia,  Benton,  Harvey  and 
Georsre  Frederick.  Mr.  Wood  is  a  member  of  the  Masons  and  Odd 
Fellows.     The  law  firm  of  which  he  is  a  member  is  the  oldest  in  Crown 


636  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

Point,  and  one  of  the  first  in  Northern  Indiana.     Mrs.  Wood  is  an  active 
worker  in  temperance,  Sabbath  school  and  missionary  causes. 

HON.  THOMAS  J.  WOOD,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Athens 
County,  Ohio,  September  30,  1844,  and  is  a  son  of  Darius  C.  and  Diana 
S.  (Carter)  Wood,  His  parents  removed  to  Indiana  when  he  was  nine 
years  old,  locating  in  Vigo  County,  where  his  father  is  yet  farming ;  he 
assisted  his  father  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  beginning  as  a 
teacher  at  nineteen.  He  attended  the  schools  of  the  neighborhood 
and  the  ward  schools  of  Terre  Haute,  after  which  he  taught  for  eight 
terms,  and  later  entered  t'he  law  office  of  William  Mack,  afterward 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  After  reading  one  year,  he 
entered  the  Law  Department  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1867  with  first  honors.  He  first  located  in  Lowell,  and 
then  removed  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Tim- 
othy Cleveland,  and  later  with  his  uncle,  Martin  Wood,  which  has  been 
continued  as  the  strongest  law  firm  in  Northern  Indiana.  Mr.  Thomas 
J.  Wood  is  a  radical  Democrat,  and  was  the  second  Town  Treasurer  of 
Crown  Point,  having  served  two  terms.  In  1872,  he  was  elected  Prose 
cuting  Attorney  of  the  Thirty-first  District,  and  re-elected  in  1874,  not- 
withstanding the  Republicanism  of  said  District.  In  1878,  he  was 
elected  State  Senator  from  Porter  and  Lake  Counties,  which  are  Repub- 
lican by  1,350  majority.  In  August,  1882,  he  was  nominated  for  Con- 
gress, and  was  elected  in  the  fall.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
order,  having  reached  the  Council.  On  May  10,  1870,  he  was  married 
to  Mary  E.  Pelton,  only  daughter  of  Hiram  S.  Pelton,  deceased,  and  to 
them  have  been  born  five  children — Charles  H.,  Flora  M.,  Alice,  Ora  E. 
and  Willis  P. 

WILLIAM  J.  YOUNG  was  born  at  Crown  Point,  Ind.,  January  21, 
1860,  and  is  the  third  of  the  four  children  of  Ruggles  B.  and  Eliza  (Jus- 
tus) Young,  the  former  a  native  of  Wilkes  Barre,  Penn.,  the  latter  of  Rich- 
mond, Ind.  Ruggles  B.  Young  was  an  active  itinerant  minister  of  the 
M.  E.  Church  in  Michigan.  In  1850,  he  withdrew  from  the  itineracy  ; 
came  to  Crown  Point  in  1852,  where  he  engaged  in  mercantile  business, 
and  afterward  in  the  tanning  business  until  1872  or  1873,  after  which  he 
lived  in  retirement  until  his  death,  April  26,  1879,  in  his  seventy-sixth 
year.  After  his  withdrawal  from  the  active  ministry,  he  continued  to 
labor  as  a  local  preacher.  William  J.  Young  received  an  ordinary  edu- 
cation, and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  commenced  as  school  teacher,  which 
he  pursued  for  four  years.  In  February,  1881,  he  engaged  in  the  cloth- 
ing trade  at  Crown  Point,  in  which  vocation  he  is  still  prosperously  en- 
gaged. He  carries  a  large,  well-selected  stock  of  goods,  and  has  a  grow- 
ing business. 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  G8T 

CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 

WILLIAM  W.  ACKERMAN  was  born  in  Oakland  County,  Mich., 
February  24,  1827,  and  is  one  of  three  children  of  John  H.  and  Anna 
(Wallace)  Ackerraan,  both  natives  of  New  York.  John  H.  Ackerman 
was  a  shoe-maker,  and  married  his  first  wife  in  Truxton,  N.  Y.  In  1826, 
he  emigrated  westward,  and  located  in  Oakland  County,  Mich.,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  ;  he  afterward  moved  to  Macomb  County,  "Mich., 
where  he  died  October  5,  1858;  Mrs.  Ackerman  died  March  25,  1829. 
Mr.  Ackerman's  second  wife  was  Mrs.  Aurelia  Nelson,  by  whom  he  had 
five  daughters  and  four  sons ;  she  is  yet  living  in  Macomb  County,  Mich. 
William  W.  Ackerman  lived  in  Michigan  until  he  was  thirteen  years  old, 
when  he  went  to  an  uncle  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  where  he  farmed.  Soon 
after  war  was  declared  with  Mexico,  he  enlisted  for  twelve  months  in 
Company  G,  Thirtieth  Ohio  Volunteers,  under  Gen.  Curtis,  May  21, 
1847;  he  remained  in  active  service  until  discharged  July  2,  1818,  at 
New  Orleans,  La.  In  October,  1848,  he  returned  to  Indiana,  intending 
'to  go  farther  West,  but  liking  the  country,  and  having  a  land  warrant  for 
services  in  the  war,  he  located  160  acres,  which  he  afterward  sold,  and 
purchased  the  farm  he  now  has  in  West  Creek  Township  ;  he  owns  in  all 
720  acres,  besides  his  town  property  in  Lowell.  On  April  20,  1850,  he 
was  married  to  Mary  Pulver,  who  died  July  23,  1867,  leaving  five  chil- 
dren— Theodore  L.,  William  H.,  Ida  M.,  Jasper  L.  and  Charles  D.  His 
second  marriage,  November  9,  1871,  was  to  Mrs.  Betsey  (Sanders) 
Graves.  To  this  union  were  born  three  children — Vessie  E.,  Zadie  and 
Zella  M.  Until  1882,  Mr.  Ackerman  was  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  when  he  rented  his  place  and  removed  to  Lowell,  where  he  is 
doing  a  large  business  in  agricultural  implements  ;  he  still  looks  after  his 
farm,  being  one  of  the  best  farmers  in  southern  Lake  County  ;  he  is  a 
Republican,  an  old  settler  and  honored  citizen.  Mrs.  Ackerman  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

E.  R.  BACON,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Orleans  County,  N.  Y.,  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1840,  and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Louisa  M.  (Dodd)  Bacon, 
both  natives  of  New  York.  Benjamin  Bacon  was  a  farmer,  and  was  twice 
married — first  to  Louisa  M.  Dodd  June  9,  1828,  by  whom  he  had  six 
children;  she  died  in  1843.  His  second  marriage,  October  21,  1844, 
was  to  Sarah  Curtis,  by  whom  he  had  two  children.  Mr.  Bacon  died  in 
New  York  in  1878,  aged  seventy-three  years  ;  his  widow  resides  in  Wis- 
consin. Dr.  Bacon  after  his  fifth  year  lived  among  strangers,  with  a  man 
named  B.  G.  Merrick,  who  reared  him  to  manhood.  After  the  usual 
school  education  in  1856,  he  went  to  Illinois,  and,  in  1858,  to  Michigan. 
In  about  1861,  he  began  the  st^|'  of  medicine,  and,  at  the  blast  of  war 
and  call  for  troops,  he  enlisted  imrCompany  E,    Second  Michigan  Volun- 


lilc 


638  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

teers.  After  his  term  of  service,  he  re-enlisted  in  the  One  Hundredth 
Illinois  Regiment,  and  was  made  Sergeant,  and  as  such  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  Perryville.  In  1862,  he  was  made  Hospital  Steward  at  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.,  and  was  afterward  sent  to  Hospital  No.  14,  at  Nashville,  re- 
maining until  1864,  and  continuing  on  hospital  duty  until  his  discharge 
in  1865.  After  the  war,  he  went  to  Lockport,  111.,  and,  in  1866,  came 
to  Lowell,  Ind.,  and  began  the  practice  of  medicine,  having  attended 
lectures  at  Nashville.  In  1872-73,  he  attended  the  Chicago  Medical 
College,  graduating  therefrom  March  13,  1873.  Dr.  Bacon  is  a  close 
student,  and  a  successful  practitioner,  and  has  a  lucrative  practice.  On 
June  3,  1868,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  B.  Sanger,  daughter  of 
James  H.  Sanger,  deceased.  To  this  union  were  born  two  children- - 
Sylvia  L.  and  Mattie  Grace.  Dr.  Bacon  is  both  a  Mason  and  an  Odd 
Fellow,  and,  in  politics,  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JACOB  BAUGHMAN  was  born  in  Tuscarawas  County,  Ohio,  Octo- 
ber 21,  1829,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Rit-  ^ 
ter)  Baughman,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  came  to  West  Creek 
Township  from  Valparaiso  in  1851,  where  both  are  buried.  Jacob  Baugh- 
man, the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  in  Ohio,  where  he  received  a 
common  school  education,  and  moved  with  his  parents  to  Valparaiso,  Ind., 
in  1849,  and  to  West  Creek  Township  in  1851,  where  they  built  a  house  and 
began  breaking  the  prairie ;  here  he  remained  until  1852,  when  he  took 
the  "gold  fever,"  and,  with  his  brother  and  two  others,  went  to  Califor- 
nia, via  New  York  and  Panama.  From  San  Francisco  he  went  to  Dry 
Creek,  and  thence  to  Sierra  County,  and  mined  on  Yuba  River  with 
good  success ;  he  then  mined  on  Lost  Hill  and  Bush  Creek  for  seven 
years,  and  in  1859  returned  much  better  off  than  he  left,  and  farmed  in 
Kankakee  County,  111.,  until  1862,  when  he  again  went  to  Idaho  by  the 
overland  route ;  they  took  the  "  Bridger  route,"  then  but  an  Indian  trail, 
traveled  for  sixty  days,  and,  after  much  suffering,  arrived  in  Virginia  City, 
and  began  mining  in  Alder  Gulch  Diggings.  After  two  months,  he  went 
to  his  old  haunts  in  Nevada  County,  Cal.  In  1864,  he  went  to  Salt 
Lake,  and  thence  to  Idaho,  where  he  prospected  and  found  good  diggings 
at  Black  Gulch  ;  later,  he  mined  at  Helena  City  and  Silver  Creek,  and 
returned  home  via  Fort  Benton  and  Missouri  River.  Mr.  Baughman 
has  a  mining  experience,  perhaps  not  equaled  by  any  man  in  Lake 
County  ;  he  has  toiled,  suffered,  and  been  rewarded.  Until  1870,  he 
farmed  in  West  Creek  Township,  when  he  moved  to  Lowell,  where  he 
now  resides.  Besides  town  property,  he  owns  forty  acres  in  Cedar  Creek 
Township,  200  in  West  Creek  Township,  and  160  in  Kankakee  County, 
111.     On   May  28,  1868,  he  married  W^  Emma   Dodge,  daughter  of 


r 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  639 

Henry  L.  and  Mary  L.  (Plummer)  Dodge,  born  November  18,  1846,  in 
Merrimack  County,  N.  H.  To  this  union  there  has  issued  one  son,  Henry 
Lancaster,  born  March  21,  1869.  Mr.  Baughman  is  one  of  the  self-made 
and  substantial  men  of  Lake  County,  and  a  Republican  in  politics. 

ZENAS  C.  BURNHAM  was  born  in  Berlin,  Erie  Co.,  Ohio,  De- 
cember 19,  1831,  and  is  a  son  of  Moses  K.  and  Susan  (Norton)  Burn- 
ham,  both  natives  of  Connecticut,  where  they  were  married  in  1819,  and 
soon  after  moved  to  Erie  County,  Ohio,  where  their  children  were  born. 
Mr.  Burnham  engaged  in  farming  until  1859,  when  they  came  to  Lake 
County,  Ind.,  where  Mr.  Burnham  died,  July  27,  1863;  Mrs.  Burnham 
died  August  21,  1872;  the  names  of  the  family  were  as  follows:  Ells- 
worth N.  (died  in  Kansas,  1882),  Mary  A.,  Kellogg  (a  Captain  in  the 
late  war),  Daniel  T.  (killed  in  battle  at  Atlanta),  Martha  J.  (wife  of  R. 
W.  Bacon,  of  Lowell)  and  Zenas  C,  who,  after  receiving  a  common  school 
education,  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter,  at  which,  and  ship-building, 
he  worked  in  Milan,  Erie  Co.,  Ohio,  until  1853,  when  he  came  with  his 
brother,  Kellogg,  to  Lake  County.  Zenas  went  to  work  at  house-build- 
ing in  West  Creek  Township,  but  making  his  permanent  home  in  Lake 
County.  On  July  3,  1857,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  F.  Wheeler, 
sister  of  his  brother  Kellogg's  wife,  and  sister  of  Ool.  John  Wheeler,  de- 
ceased (a  sketch  of  whom  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work).  By 
this  union  were  born  four  children — Herman  0.,  Kelley  W.  (deceased), 
Jessie  L.  and  Frederick  G.  Mrs.  Burnham  is  a  native  of  Erie  County, 
Ohio,  born  September  24,  1839,  and  daughter  of  Johnson  and  Sallie 
(Burr)  Wheeler.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Burnham  worked  at  his  trade 
and  farmed  in  West  Creek  Township  until  1874,  when  he  removed  to 
Lowell,  where  he  has  since  resided.     In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican. 

STANLEY  CASTLE  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Vt.,  May  25, 
1811,  and  is  the  third  of  ten  children  of  John  and  Clarissa  Castle.  John 
Castle  was  a  native  of  Harrington  County,  Conn.,  a  farmer,  and  was 
twice  married.  By  his  first  wife  he  had  born  to  him  two  children,  and 
to  his  second,  ten,  six  of  whom  are  living.  After  his  second  marriage,  he 
went  to  Canada,  where  he  remained  for  a  time  during  the  war  of  1812. 
Refusing  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  British  Government,  he  re- 
turned to  the  United  States  and  located  at  Fairfield,  Franklin  Co.,  Vt. 
The  war  continuing,  he  served  his  country  in  the  battle  of  Plattsburg. 
In  1844,  he  and  wife  removed  to  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio,  where  a  son 
and  daughter  resided,  and  there  they  died.  Stanley  Castle  was  reared  on 
a  farm  and  got  but  spare  education.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  he  began  the 
carpentering  and  joining  business,  at  which  he  continued  six  years.  On 
May  19,  1837,  he  was  married  to  Fanny  Woodruff.  To  this  union  were 
born  three  children — Helen  M.  (deceased),  Frederick  and  Charles ;  Fred- 


I 


640  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

erick  served  during  the  late  war  in  the  Twelfth  Indiana  Calvary,  and  be- 
came Orderly  Sergeant;  he  married  Rachel  Ellingsen,  and  resides  in 
Cedar  Creek  Township.  Charles  married  Hattie  Miller,  and  also  lives  in 
Cedar  Creek  Township.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Castle  lived 
eight  years  in  Vermont,  thence  moved  to  Connecticut,  and,  about  1846, 
moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  Mrs.  Castle  had  a  brother.  He 
visited  southern  Lake  County,  and  purchased  the  land  on  which  he  now 
lives,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming.  The  country  was  then 
new  and  sparsely  settled,  and  the  hardships  were  almost  insurmountable, 
but  Mr.  Castle  prospered,  having  owned  744|  acres,  of  which  he  yet  owns 
572  acres.  Mr.  Castle  is  one  of  the  representative  men  of  southern  Lake 
County.     In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican,  but  was  formerly  a  Whig. 

JABEZ  CLARK,  deceased,  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  southern 
Lake  County,  was  born  at  what  is  now  Groton,  Tompkins  Co.,  N,  Y., 
December  5,  1808,  and  was  one  of  the  five  children  of  Jabez  and  Deborah 
(Backus)  Clark,  the  former  of  Rhode  Island,  the  latter  of  Massachusetts. 
The  subject  of  this  memoir  was  reared  in  Indiana,  received  a  common 
school  education  and  chose  farming  as  a  vocation.  On  December  2, 
1832,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Marietta  E.  Barrows,  who  was  born  in 
Mansfield,  Conn.,  January  2,  1812,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Polly  (Cum- 
mings)  Barrows,  both  of  Connecticut.  In  1837,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clark 
started  for  Illinois  to  found  a  home,  and  on  the  way  were  induced  by  one 
Luman  Fowler  to  look  at  Lake  County,  and,  being  pleased  therewith, 
laid  claim  to  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Cedar  Creek  Township  ;  this 
they  sold,  and  pre-empted  land,  a  part  of  which  is  now  the  village  of 
Lowell.  This  Mr.  Clark  improved  and  farmed,  both  he  and  Mrs.  Clark 
undergoing  the  hardships  incident  to  those  days,  including  fever  and 
ague.  Mr.  Clark  was  a  man  of  sturdy  energy  and  private  worth,  and  in 
his  death,  which  occurred  July  8,  1876,  another  link  of  the  past  and 
present  generation  was  severed,  and  so  the  heroic  and  early  settlers  do 
pass  away ;  he  owned  265  acres  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  besides  valu- 
able property  in  Lowell  and  100  acres  in  Missouri,  Mrs.  Clark  resides 
in  Lowell.  They  were  parents  of  seven  children — Perry  D.,  Cornelia 
A.,  Jerome  C.  (deceased),  Milo  W.,  who  married  Alice  Northrop,  and 
by  her  had  one  son,  now  living — Philo  W.  (Milo  Clark  served  in 
the  late  war,  and  died  from  the  effects  thereof  about  two  years  later), 
Florence  C.  (deceased),  Ambrose  B.  (deceased)  and  Homer  Emerson  (de- 
ceased). Of  the  two  living — Perry  and  Cornelia — the  former  married 
Sarah  J.  Thorn,  and  resides  on  the  old  place  in  Lowell ;  they  have  had 
four  children — Harry  E.,  Franklin  (deceased),  Wilbur  F.  and  Marietta. 
Cornelia  is  the  wife  of  John  M.  Dwyer,  and  resides  in  Newcastle,  Ind.. 
and  is  the  mother  of  seven   children — Byron  (deceased),  Binie  E.  (de- 


f 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  641 

ceased),  Cassie,  Schuyler  C,  Sylvia  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  The 
Clark  family  are  among  the  oldest,  best  known  and  most  respected  of  any 
in  the  community. 

JOSEPH  A.  CLARK  was  born  March  27,  1828,  in  Ontario  County, 
N.  Y.,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  eleven  children  of  Joseph  A.  and  Harriet 
(Story)  Clark,  both  natives  of  Ontario  County.  Elijah  Clark,  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  a  pris- 
oner of  the  British  at  Queenstown  Heights,  but  afterward  exchanged. 
Joseph  A.  Clark  (deceased),  born  in  1803,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 
and  a  machinest  and  cabinet-maker  by  trade.  He  moved  with  his  family 
to  Branch  County,  Mich.,  in  1836,  having  previously  entered  a  quarter 
section  of  land.  In  1837,  they  came  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake 
County,  Ind.,  at  that  day  containing  but  six  or  eight  families,  where  they 
have  since  resided,  having  passed  through  the  struggles  and  privations  of 
those  early  times.  Mr.  Clark  was  the  first  Treasurer  or  "  Collector,"  as 
then  called,  of  Lake  County,  and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  at  the  date  of 
his  death,  in  May,  1854  ;  his  widow  died  about  1872.  They  had  nine 
children.  Three  served  in  the  late  was,  one — Alden  V. — dying  from 
disease  contracted  in  said  service.  Joseph  A.  Clark,  our  subject,  received 
a  limited  education,  and  was  reared  in  Lake  County.  When  the  late 
war  became  a  fact,  he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Twentieth  Indiana 
Volunteers ;  he  served  three  years  and  four  months,  and  was  in  the 
hard-fought  battles  of  his  regiment  in  the  Potomac  Division — thirty-seven 
pitched  battles.  He  was  five  times  slightly  wounded,  and  now  carries  a 
rebel  shot  in  his  ankle.  Mr.  Clark  rose  to  be  Second  Lieutenant  in  the 
regular  line  of  promotion,  and  had  command  of  his  company  two  years 
before  quitting  the  service.  By  reason  of  sickness,  he  resigned  his  com- 
mand October  26,  1864.  On  September  1,  1869,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Arabelle  Hull,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Emeline  (Castle)  Hull,  by 
whom  he  has  had  two  children — Joseph  A.  and  Beatrice.  Mr.  Clark  was 
formerly  a  Whig,  later  a  Republican,  and  now  a  Greenbacker;  he  is  also  a 
Royal  Arch  Mason.  Mr.  Clark  owns  seventy-seven  acres  where  he  re- 
sides, and  five  acres  of  timber  on  the  Kankakee  River,  in  Cedar  Creek 
Township.     Mrs.   Clark  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

JOHN  DAUM  was  born  in  Prussia  October  2,  1820,  and  is  the 
younger  of  the  two  sons  of  Henry  and  Catherine  (Ellenberger)  Daum, 
both  natives  of  Prussia.  Henry  Daum  was  a  farmer,  which  occupation 
he  followed  in  Germany  until  his  death  in  1827  or  1828.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  In  1848,  Mrs.  Daum  came  to 
the  United  States  with  her  eldest  son,  Reinhart,  locating  in  Clarion 
County,  Penn.,  with  whom  she  resided  until  her  death  ;  she,  also,  was  a 
member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.     John  Daum  received  the  edu- 


642  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

cation  of  the  common  schools  of  his  native  country.  At  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen he  began  to  serve  two  and  a  half  years  '  apprenticeship  to  the  trade 
of  a  carpenter.  When  twenty,  he  was  enrolled  in  the  Prussian  Army, 
serving  five  years,  but  in  actual  service  only  seventeen  months,  being  the 
rest  of  the  term  at  home  on  furlough  or  at  work  at  his  trade.  In  1847, 
he  emigrated  to  America,  and  settled  in  New  York  City,  where  he  worked 
ten  years.  He  then  removed  to  Clarion  County,  Penn.,  and  thence,  in 
1865,  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased 
152  acres,  and  on  which  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  agriculture.  On 
May  8,  1857,  he  was  married  to  Louisa  Ruather,  of  Prussia,  by  whom 
he  had  five  children,  four  of  whom  are  living.  Mrs.  Daum  died  Sep- 
tember 19,  1860  ;  she  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Mr. 
Daum's  second  marriage,  in  October,  1865,  was  to  Mrs.  Susanna  Ricken- 
brode,  of  Clarion  County,  Penn.  By  this  union  were  born  six  children, 
five  of  whom  are  living.  Mrs.  Daum  had  five  children  by  her  former 
marriage.  Mr.  Daum  is  known  as  an  enterprising  farmer ;  he  is  a 
stanch  Republican.  Mrs.  Daum  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  and  Mr.  Daum  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church. 

JOHN  E.  DAVIS,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Mercer  County,  Ky.,  May 
21,  1844,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children  of  Achilles  E.  and  Melinda 
(Moore)  Davis,  both  natives  of  Mercer  County,  Ky.  His  great-grand- 
parents came  to  America  before  the  Revolution,  on  his  father's  side  from 
England,  and  on  his  mother's  side  from  Wales.  Most  of  the  family  were 
farmers,  but  one  uncle  was  a  prominent  attorney  in  Kentucky,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Lexington.  Two  other  uncles, 
George  and  Harrison,  were  soldiers  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  also  in  the 
Mexican  war.  Another  uncle  was  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  Indiana  many  years.  Mr.  Davis'  parents  are  yet  living  on 
their  farm  near  Harrodsburg,  Ky.;  eight  of  their  children  are  also  living. 
One  son,  Harrison,  was  a  soldier  in  the  late  war,  and  is  now  located  at 
Harrodsburg,  Ky.,  in  the  furniture  business,  and  where  the  eldest  son  is 
a  practicing  physician.  Dr.  Davis  received  a  school  and  academic  educa- 
tion, and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  began  the  study  of  medicine  with 
his  brother.  Dr.  Henry  C.  Davis.  After  reading  with  him  for  sometime, 
he  entered  and  graduated  from,  in  1869,  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
University  of  Louisville.  The  same  summer,  he  came  to  Lowell,  Ind., 
and  engaged  in  practice.  For  one  year,  his  business  was  small,  but  after 
that  he  advanced  to  a  good  and  paying  practice,  and  he  has  now,  perhaps, 
the  largest  of  any  physician  in  the  town.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  having  been  advanced  to  the  Royal  Arch  degree.  On  Octo- 
ber 8,  1873,  he  married  Miss  Etta  Himebaugh,  daughter  of  Francis  and 
Mary  (Phelps)  Himebaugh,  early  settlers  of  Kane  County,  111.     To  that 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  643 

union  were  born  four  sons — Francis  A.,  John  J.,  WillarJ  B.  and  Ezra 
B.  Dr.  Davis  is  an  enterprising  and  esteemed  citizen.  Mrs.  Davis  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

GEORGE  M.  DEATH  was  born  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  January  17, 
1841,  and  is  one  of  nine  children  born  to  John  M.  and  Mary  C.  (Petro) 
Death,  both  natives  of  Ohio.  John  M.  Death,  in  his  early  days,  was  a 
merchant,  but  afterward  engaged  in  farming ;  he  died  March  27,  1879, 
near  Hastings,  Neb.  His  widow  resides  with  her  daughter  at  Hebron, 
Ind.  George  M.  Death  was  reared  mainly  in  Henry  County,  Ind.,  where 
he  received  a  fair  education,  and,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  began  to  learn 
the  trade  of  a  tinner  at  Ogden,  and,  in  1859,  came  to  Lake  County  and 
engaged  in  farming.  About  three  years  later,  he  became  clerk  in  a  dry 
goods  store  in  Lowell,  which  he  continued  three  years,  when  he  opened  a 
tinshop.  He  had  but  a  small  beginning,  increasing  his  stock  with  his 
means,  until,  with  the  growth  of  the  town,  he,  too,  has  grown,  and  now 
has  a  first-class  trade  in  tinware,  stoves  and  hardware,  of  which  he  has 
the  best  stock  in  the  market.  Mr.  Death  married  Miss  Mursraret  John- 
son,  a  native  of  Canada,  by  which  union  have  been  born  four  children — 
Minnie  (deceased).  May,  Winnie  and  Jessie.  Mr.  Death  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow  fraternities ;  in  the  latter  he  is  in  the  Encamp- 
ment ;  he  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  an  old  merchant  of  Lowell. 

CHARLES  DE  WITT  was  born  in  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  January 
26,  1822,  and  is  the  eldest  of  ten  children  born  to  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Sample)  De  Witt ;  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of 
Canada.  The  father  of  Joseph  De  Witt  was  a  soldier  and  pensioner  of 
the  Revolutionary  war.  Joseph  De  Witt  was  a  life-long  farmer,  reshlino' 
in  New  York  until  the  fall  of  1845,  when,  by  reason  of  Charles  De  Witt 
having  come  to  Indiana  and  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Cedar  Creek  Town- 
ship, the  family  removed  hither  and  made  a  home.  Mr.  De  Witt  died  in 
1857,  his  widow  in  1879.  Charles  De  Witt  was  reared  and  received 
some  education  in  New  York.  He  was  incited  to  move  West  in  order  to 
get  land  for  himself,  and  was  necessitated  to  work  early  and  late  to  ac- 
complish his  desire,  in  addition  to  the  toils  and  hardships  of  new  settlers. 
In  spite  of  these,  he  made  steady  progress,  and,  in  1849,  Mr.  De  Witt 
married  Miss  Marietta  Sanger,  daughter  of  John  Sanger,  one  of  the  old 
settlers,  by  whom  he  had  one  daughter — Sarah  (deceased) ;  her  mother 
also  died  about  1851.  In  1853,  Mr.  De  Witt  married  his  present  wife, 
Anna  Pratt,  a  native  of  Guernsey,  Ohio,  born  May  31,  1824,  who  came 
with  her  parents — Rufus  and  Martha  (Merritt)  Pratt — to  Lake  County  in 
1851.  Four  children  were  born  to  them — Homer  C.  (born  December  2, 
1854,  died  August  23,  1877),  Ladora  L.  (born  February  4,  1856),  La- 
vina  F.  (born  Januarv  23,   1858,   now  Mrs.  Fred  Viant  of  Lowell),  and 

Mil 


644  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Martha  A.  (born  December  6,  1861,  now  Mrs.  Charles  Hill  of  Lowell). 
Since  his  residence  here,  Mr.  De  Witt  has  steadily  followed  farming.  In 
1875,  he  moved  to  Lowell,  where  his  family  have  resided  ;  he  is  one  of 
the  few  remaining  old  settlers  who  began  poor,  but  has  now  a  competence, 
having  paid  his  only  ^100  for  his  first  eighty  acres.  Mr.  De  Witt  is  in 
politics  a  Republican  ;  he  and  wife  are  esteemed  residents,  and  adhere  to 
the  religious  faith  known  as  Brethren  of  Christ,  or  Soul  Sleepers. 

HENRY  DICKINSON  was  born  in  West  Riding,  Yorkshire,  En- 
gland, November  22,  1816,  and  is  the  second  of  the  ten  children  of 
Henry  and  Diana  (Wood)  Dickinson,  both  natives  of  Yorkshire.  Henry 
Dickinson  was  a  farmer,  as  were  many  of  his  family.  With  strong  pre- 
dilections for  the  free  institutions  of  America,  he  emigrated  hither,  in 
1830,  sailing  from  Liverpool  in  the  ship  "  Peru,"  and  after  seven  weeks 
arriving  in  Philadelphia.  They  located  there  and  remained  there  three 
years,  Mr.  Dickinson  dealing  in  horses.  In  1833,  they  removed  to  Car- 
roll County,  Ohio,  and  engaged  in  clearing  and  farming;  they  afterward 
moved  to  Morgan  County,  where  they  died.  Henry  Dickinson,  Jr., 
came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age, 
after  which  he  attended  school  two  months  only.  On  October  28,  1841, 
he  was  married,  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  to  Lydia,  eldest  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Sarah  (Richeson)  Denny,  born  in  Pennsylvania  May  3, 
1817.  In  1847,  they  removed  to  Indiana,  and  having  relatives  in  Lake 
County,  concluded  to  make  that  their  home.  Accordingly,  Mr.  Dick- 
inson purchased  eighty  acres  near  Orchard  Grove,  Cedar  Creek  Town- 
ship, to  which  he  subsequently  added  forty  acres  ;  this  was  in  the 
early  time  of  Lake  County.  On  February  25,  1875,  Mrs.  Dickinson 
died,  leaving  nine  children — Thomas  D.,  Henry  W.,  Sarah  A.,  Emma 
H.,  Cyrus  F.,  Lucinda  M.,  Alonzo,  Lydia  F.  and  one  deceased  in  in- 
fancy. Henry,  Emma  and  Lucinda,  also  one  unnamed,  deceased.  Mr. 
Dickinson's  second  marriage  was  on  March  22,  1876,  to  Mrs.  Eliza 
(Sherman)  Warner,  born  in  Newtown,  Conn.,  September  18,  1820,  and 
daughter  of  Carlos  and  Polly  (Plumb)  Sherman.  By  her  former  mar- 
riage she  had  two  sons — Carlos  S.  and  Lucius  C.  Mr.  Dickinson  is  one 
of  the  few  living  pioneers  of  Lake  County  ;  he  has  watched  its  growth 
and  prosperity.  In  1876,  he  removed  to  Lowell,  where  he  is  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  the  "  Chicago  water  elevator  and  purifier  " — a  pump 
of  high  value.  Mr.  Dickinson  is  a  public-spirited  and  enterprising  citi- 
zen, and  has  found  a  field  and  reward  for  his  eiForts.  Besides  town  prop- 
erty in  Lowell,  he  owns  the  old  homestead  of  290  acres  ;  he  was  at  one 
time  a  Whig,  but  is  now  a  Republican,  and  has  held  various  local  offices. 
Both  himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 


CEDAR   CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  645 

THOMAS  DICKINSON  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  Eng.,  December 
30,  1821,  and,  in  1828,  camo  to  the  United  States  with  his  parents.  His 
father,  Henry  Dickinson,  was  a  farmer.  After  coming  to  America,  he 
located  in  Phihidelphia,  where  he  remained  three  years.  In  1883,  lie 
moved  to  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  with  his  family,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising,  and  became  one  of  the  most  extensive  sheep- 
raisers  in  that  country.  About  1850,  Mr.  Dickinson  removed  to  Morgan 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  and  wife  died  and  are  buried.  Thomas  Dickin- 
son received  but  a  limited  education  ;  was  reared  on  the  farm  of  his  father, 
and  on  August  9,  1846,  was  married  to  Rachel  Miller,  a  native  of  Car- 
roll County,  Ohio,  after  which  he  followed  farming  and  threshing  until 
1851,  when  he  moved  to  Morgan  County,  following  grist  and  saw  milling 
for  nine  years.  In  1860,  he  emigrated  West ;  was  pleased  with  Indiana, 
and  located  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake  County,  which  has  since  been 
his  home.  He  purchased  170  acres  at  $14  per  acre,  but  has  added 
thereto  until  he  now  owns  380  acres,  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  county, 
of  which  he  is  one  of  the  most  progressive  and  enterprising  farmers  ;  he 
has  at  present  two  full-blooded  Clydesdale  colts.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickin- 
son are  parents  to  nine  children — Minerva  (now  Mrs.  E.  L.  Watson), 
Charles  (deceased),  Mary  C.  (deceased),  Frank  (deceased),  Susanna  (now 
Mrs.  Allen),  William  T.  (husband  of  Lida  Miller),  Edmund,  Byron  and 
Grant.  The  three  deceased  died  within  twenty  days  of  each  other,  from 
malignant  scarlet  fever.     In  politics  Mr.  Dickinson  is  a  Republican, 

MARTIN  DRISCOLL  was  born  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake 
County,  Ind.,  December  5,  1840,  and  is  the  oldest  of  the  six  children  of 
John  and  Betsey  (Murphy)  Driscoll,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  John 
Driscoll  came  to  the  United  States  when  but  sixteen  years  old,  and 
worked  as  a  farmer  in  Vermont,  New  York,  Michigan  zmd  Illinois  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  once  owned  forty  acres  on  the  site  now  occupied 
by  the  town  of  White  Pigeon,  Mich.  In  1834,  he  came  to  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  and  pre-empted  160  acres,  afterward  known  as  the  Bryant  farm. 
In  1835,  he  came  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  where  he  pre-empted  a  sec- 
ond quarter  section,  which  he  exchanged  for  a  like  number  with  Peter 
Surprise ;  here  he  resided  until  his  death,  October  7,  1862.  Martin 
Driscoll  received  a  fair  education,  and  worked  for  his  father  until  twenty- 
one  years  old,  when  his  father  gave  him  155  acres  in  West  Creek  Town- 
ship, where  he  followed  agriculture  until  1864,  when  he  sold  the  farm.  In 
February,  1865,  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Forty-third  Illinois  Volun- 
teers, and  served  until  mustered  out,  in  December  of  the  same  year. 
Thereafter,  he  purchased  100  acres  of  unimproved  land  in  West  Creek 
Township,  on  which  he  resided  until  1870.  He  then  sold  and  exchanged 
this  property  several  times,  yet  still  owning  a  livery  stable  and  farm  near 


646  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

the  village,  which  last  he  cultivated  for  three  years.  This  village  prop- 
•erty  he  exchanged  for  land  adjoining  his  farm,  and  on  which  he  at  this 
time  resides.  On  August  21,  1861,  he  was  married  to  Lizzie  Binyon,  of 
Walnut  Grove,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  B. 
(Hughes)  Binyon.  Mr.  Binyon  is  a  native  of  East  Tennessee,  and  one  of 
earliest  settlers  of  Porter  County.  To  this  union  have  succeeded  eight 
children,  of  whom  seven  are  living — three  boys  and  four  girls.  Mr. 
Driscoll  is  Superintendent  of  Roads  for  Cedar  Creek  Township.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Driscoll  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  (For  inci- 
dents, see  history  of  Cedar  Creek  Township.) 

JOHN  R.  DRISCOLL  was  born  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake 
Co.,  Ind.,  December  21,  1852,  and  is  one  of  six  children  born  to  John 
and  Betsey  (Murphy)  Driscoll,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  (A  sketch  of 
John  Driscoll  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.)  John  R.  Driscoll  re- 
ceived a  common  school  education  ;  his  father  died  when  he  was  ten 
years  of  age,  but  he  remained  on  the  home  farm  until  he  was  twenty-one, 
when  he  went  to  Lowell,  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  trade  and  resided 
until  1878,  when  he  moved  on  a  portion  of  the  old  homestead  be- 
queathed to  him  by  his  father.  This  has  since  been  his  home,  and  he  has 
now  a  well-improved  farm  of  140  acres  in  this  township.  On  September 
18,  1876,  he  was  married  to  Ida  Lynch,  a  native  of  Lowell,  Lake  Co., 
Ind.,  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  M.  (Sherard)  Lynch,  the  former  of 
Ireland,  the  latter  of  Ohio.  To  this  union  there  was  born  one  child — 
Don  Carl.  Mr.  Driscoll  is  a  member  of  Colfax  Lodge,  No.  373,  A.,  F. 
■k  A.  M.  In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  is  a  leading  farmer  of 
the  township  and  county. 

ALFRED  EDGERTON  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  May  23, 
1822,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Horace  and  Betsey  (Taylor) 
Edgerton,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut,  the  latter  of  New  York. 
Horace  Edgerton  was  a  carpenter,  which  calling  he  followed  almost  con- 
stantly until  his  death;  he  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  When 
young,  he  went  to  New  York,  where  he  was  married,  and  thence  removed 
to  Erie  County,  Penn.  In  1834,  he  moved  to  La  Porte,  La  Porte  Co., 
Ind.,  and  thence  to  Cedar  Lake,  where  he  pre-empted  160  acres,  which 
he  farmed,  and  also  worked  at  his  trade.  In  1843,  he  purchased  and 
improved  eighty  acres  in  Cedar  Creek  Township ;  he  died  in  Cook 
County,  111.  Mrs.  Edgerton  died  at  La  Porte  in  1836.  Alfred  Edger- 
ton attended  the  frontier  subscription  schools,  and  afterward  worked  for  his 
father  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  In  1848,  he  bought  eighty 
acres  of  State  land  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  built  a  cabin  and  improved 
the  same,  and  here  he  has  since  resided.  In  1852,  he  went  by  overland 
route  to  California,  and  engaged  in  mining  until  1853,  when  he  returned 
via  Panama.     On  May  9,  1854,  he  was  married  to  Jane  H.  Scritchfield, 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  6-lT 

of  Kentucky,  daughter  of  Hiram  II.  and  Esther  A.  (Ilighfield)  Scritch- 
field,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  To  this  union  liave  been  born  thirteen 
children,  ten  of  whom  survive — Flora  F.  (now  Mrs.  L.  G.  Cutler),  Susan 
A.  (now  Mrs.  C.  A.  Taylor),  Oscar  P.,  Norah  J.,  George  W.,  Bertha 
F.,  Millie  F.,  Homer  A.,  Alma  M.  and  Ruth  B.  JJoth  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Edgerton  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Mr,  Edgerton  is,  in 
politics,  a  Greenbacker,  and  also  an  old  settler  and  a  prominent   farmer. 

MOSES  M.  ESTY  was  born  in  Norfolk  County,  Mass.,  May  10, 
1831,  and  is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Moses  and  Julia  A.  (Good- 
ridge)  Esty.  both  natives  of  Massachusetts.  Moses  Esty  was  a  farmer  ; 
he  was  married  in  Massachusetts,  and  in  1835  moved  to  Lake  County^ 
111.,  where  he  entered  2,000  acres  of  prairie  land,  on  which  he  erected  a 
log  house,  an*!  which  he  improved  ;  that  house  was  replaced  by  a  frame 
one  in  1850  ;  he  also  owned  a  grist  and  saw  mill,  which  he  operate'l  in 
connection  with  his  farm.  In  1862,  he  sold  both  farm  and  mill,  and  re- 
moved to  Livingston  County,  111.,  where  he  purcliased  6-10  acres,  on 
which  he  resided  until  his  death,  in  1869.  Moses  M.  Esty  received  a 
fair  school  education,  and  was  thereafcer  employed  on  his  father's  farm 
and  in  the  mill  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old  ;  his  father  then  gave 
him  one-half  interest  in  the  mill  which  he  continued  to  operate  until 
1863,  in  the  spring  of  which  year  he  was  married  to  Martha  J.  Grant, 
a  native  of  Norfolk  County,  Mass.,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Harriet 
(Bond)  Grant.  By  this  union  they  had  one  child — Herbert  M.  In  1864, 
Mr.  Esty  moved  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Like  County,  Ind.,  where 
he  purchased  350  acres,  on  which  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock-raising,  in  the  latter  extensively,  having  some  of  the  best  cat- 
tle in  the  township.  In  politics,  Mr.  Estey  belongs  to  the  National 
Labor  party,  and  is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  the  township. 

JAMES  E.  HALE  was  born  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake  Co.,. 
Ind.,  August  9,  1843,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  Aaron  and  Han- 
nah A.  (Kenney)  Hale,  both  natives  of  Maine.  Aaron  Hale  was  by  oc- 
cupation a  farmer,  and  was  married  in  his  native  State.  In  1837,  he 
moved  westward,  most  of  the  journey  on  foot,  to  Porter  County,  Ind.; 
he  first  located  near  Hebron  with  his  brother,  where  he  raised  one  crop. 
In  1838  or  1839,  he  came  to  Eagle  Creek  Township,  in  this  county, 
where  he  preempted  160  acres,  built  a  cabin  and  lived  for  two  years  ;  liia 
family  joined  him  in  1838.  In  1841,  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  Cedar 
Creek  Township,  which  he  set  about  to  improve.  This  he  sold,  and  moved 
to  and  purchased  320  acres  in  La  Porte  County,  which  he  cleared.  He 
now  resides  with  his  daughter  in  Eagle  Creek  Township.  James  E.  Hale 
received  in  youth  an  ordinary  education.  On  his  nineteenth  birthday  he 
was    sworn    into    Company    A,    Seventy-third    Indiana   Volunteers,    in, 


648  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  : 

which  he  served  creditably  until  the  war  closed.  He  participated  at 
Perryville,  Stone  River,  Nashville,  and  was  discharged  at  Nashville  July, 
1865.  After  his  return,  he  visited  Kansas,  and  later  farmed  on  shares 
in  this  county  for  two  years.  On  February  22,  1866,  he  was  married  to 
Gertrude  McCann.  By  this  union  they  had  seven  children,  five  of  whom 
arc  living.  On  February  25,  1869,  he  came  to  Lowell,  in  this  county, 
and  began  the  harness-making  business.  This  he  sold  in  1871,  and  began 
the  hardware  business,  in  which  he  continued  until  1874,  when  he  sold 
and  became  Superintendent  of  the  Hame  Manufacturing  Company  for  one 
year,  after  which  he,  with  James  A.  Fuller,  purchased  said  business,  and 
operated  the  same  until  1875,  when  he  sold  to  Mr.  Fuller.  In  1876,  he 
engaged  in  merchandising  until  he  removed  to  Alvin,  111.,  where  he  bought 
grain.  In  1877,  he  went  to  Chicago  as  speculator,  and  in  1880  returned 
to  Lowell,  Ind.,  and  commenced  harness-making,  in  which  he  has  done  a 
fine  business.  Mr.  Hale  is  a  Republican  ;  has  been  Town  Trustee,  and 
was  a  prominent  candidate  for  County  Treasurer ;  he  is  a  member  of  Col- 
fax Lodge,  No.  378,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Lincoln  Chapter,  No.  53,  R. 
A.  M. 

MELVIN  A.  HALSTED  was  born  in  Rensselaer  County,  N.  Y., 
March  29,  1821,  and  the  only  living  of  the  three  children  of  William  and 
Patty  (Haskin)  Halsted,  both  natives  of  same  county.  His  grandparents 
on  his  father's  side  were  Joseph  and  Katie  (Agan)  Halsted,  and  on  his 
mother's  side,  Enoch  and  Lydia  (Ackly)  Haskin.  Throughout  the  Rev- 
olutionary war  the  family  was  bitterly  divided  in  political  views,  espe- 
cially Joseph  Halsted,  who  was  a  Major  and  active  officer  in  the  colonial 
cause,  while  his  wife's  people  were  strong  Tories,  having  two  brothers  en- 
gaged on  the  English  side  ;  Enoch  Haskin  was  also  a  soldier  for  Ameri- 
can independence.  William  Halsted  was  a  musician  of  the  war  of  1812. 
Melvin  A.  Halsted  lived  in  his  native  State,  where  he  received  a  fair  edu- 
cation in  schools  and  academies,  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  but  in  1835 
came  West  to  Ohio,  and  in  1842,  while  engaged  in  farming  in  Montgom- 
ery County,  he  married  Miss  Martha  C.  Foster,  and  in  1845  moved  to 
Lake  County,  Ind.,  locating  in  West  Creek  Township,  five  miles  west  of 
Lowell.  In  1848,  he  built  a  water-power  saw-mill  in  Lowell,  and  in  1849 
moved  thereto.  In  1850,  he  took  the  "gold  fever,"  and  went  to  Cali- 
fornia by  the  overland  route,  but  returned  to  Lowell  in  1851,  and  built  a 
flour  mill.  In  1853,  he  surveyed  and  laid  out  the  town  of  Lowell.  In 
1857,  he  sold  and  removed  to  Southern  Illinois,  and  engaged  in  milling 
in  Kinmundy.  In  1859,  he  again  went  to  California,  by  way  of  N«w 
York  and  Panama,  but  returned  to  the  States  in  1861.  In  the  same 
year,  he  went  back  to  the  mining  regions  of  the  far  West,  and  became 
interested  in  the  gold  and  silver   Comstock   mines  of  Nevada,  where  he 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  649 

made  a  fortune.  In  January,  1864,  he  came  back  and  purchased  the 
property  he  formerly  owned  in  Lowell,  as  well  as  other  real  estate.  In 
1869,  he  removed  his  family  to  California,  where  and  in  Utah  they  re- 
mained two  years.  In  1874,  they  came  to  Lowell,  where  Mr.  Halsted 
interested  himself  in  constructing  the  L.,  N.  A.  &  C.  R.  R.  through  this 
place.  Mr.  Halsted  has  done  more  for  Lowell  than  all  others  combined. 
He  is  an  energetic  citizen  and  a  public-spirited  gentleman  ;  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  he  and  wife  have  been  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church  for  forty  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Halsted  have  had  four 
children — William  N.,  Theron  H.,  Mary  and  an  infant  (both  deceased). 
Mrs.  Halsted  is  a  native  of  Troy,  Penn.,  born  September  12,  1824,  and  a 
daughter  of  Elijah  D.  and  Ruth  C.  (Nichols)  Foster;  they  came  to  Lake 
County  in  1863,  and  are  both  now  deceased. 

JAMES  HILL  was  born  in  Rockcastle  County,  Ky.,  May  29,  1810, 
and  is  the  eldest  of  the  four  children  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Jones) 
Hill,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  William  Hill  was  born,  reared  and  mar- 
ried in  Madison  County,  Ky.  When  young,  he  learned  the  carpenter 
trade,  which  he  followed  several  years.  About  1807,  he  went  to  Rock- 
castle County,  Ky.,  where  he  mined  saltpeter  until  1812,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Madison  County  and  purchased  113  acres ;  here  he  resided 
until  his  death  in  1822  ;  he  was  for  many  years  a  Captain  of  militia. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hill  died  at  the  same  place  ;  she  was  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church.  James  Hill  attended  the  ordinary  schools,  and  when 
thirteen  years  old  went  to  live  with  one  James  Loyd,  who  removed  to 
Decatur  County,  Ind.,  in  1827.  When  twenty-one  years  old,  he  bought 
120  acres  of  unimproved  land  in  Decatur  County.  On  November  18, 
1838,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Skinner,  of  Livingston  County,  N.  Y. 
By  this  union  there  were  born  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living — 
Lucinda,  Elizabeth  (now  Mrs.  Henry  Surprise),  William  J.  and  Jesse  L. 
William  J.  served  three  years  in  the  late  war,  and  now  resides  in  Oregon. 
In  1853,  Mr.  Hill  sold  his  farm,  and  came  with  his  family  to  Cedar 
Creek  Township,  where  he  purchased  320  acres,  and  has  since  resided. 
Mr.  Hill  is  an  old  settler  and  valued  citizen.  For  about  twenty  years,  he 
has  been  a  cripple,  from  partial  paralysis  of  the  lower  limbs,  caused  by 
being  thrown  from  a  wagon  near  Chicago.  Mrs.  Hill  is  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  Church. 

WILLIAM  HILL  was  born  in  Windom  County,  Conn.,  March  5, 
1820,  and  is  one  of  the  fourteen  children  of  Rufus  and  Polly  (Humes) 
Hill ;  the  former  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  the  latter  died  in 
1855.  Mr.  Hill  afterward  married  Mary  Hamilton,  who  bore  him  six 
children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  About  1824,  Mr.  Hill  and  family 
moved  to  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  and  after  six  years  to  Medina  County, 


650  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

then  to  Champaign  County,  Ohio,  and  in  1840  to  Indiana,  locating  in 
Lake  County,  which  has  since  been  their  home.  He  purchased  200  acres 
in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  which  he  improved  and  farmed.  Mr.  Hill 
and  family  passed  through  the  trials  and  privations  of  their  day  and 
circumstances,  and  he  died  on  the  old  homestead  in  1879,  aged  eighty- 
five  years.  He  was  many  years  Captain  of  militia  in  New  York.  Mrs. 
Hill  subsequently  married  a  Mr.  Taylor ;  she  now  resides  in  Stark 
County,  Ind.  William  Hill  resided  with  his  parents  until  manhood,  re- 
ceiving a  school  education.  He  became  a  farmer,  which  occupation  he 
followed  in  Lake  County,  and  where,  by  labor  and  perseverance,  he  owns 
250  acres  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  besides  twelve  acres  in  Lowell,  on 
which  he  lives.  On  January  16,  1845,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Wilkinson,  born  February  27,  1827,  daughter  of  Robert  Wilkinson,  who 
came  to  Indiana  in  1834.  To  their  union  there  were  born  four  chil- 
dren— Melissa  A.  (deceased  wife  of  Jacob  Miller),  Cordelia  (wife  of 
Daniel  Marman),  Ocena  (deceased  wife  of  Ellery  Nichols)  and  Charles 
R.  (residing  in  Lowell).  Mr.  Hill's  family  is  among  the  first  in  the 
place.  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Miller)  Wilkinson,  natives  of  North  Caro- 
lina and  Virginia,  were  born — the  former  in  1797,  the  latter  in  1805. 
They  were  married  in  Athens  County,  Ohio,  about  1820,  and  were 
blessed  with  nine  children,  of  whom  but  two — John  B.  and  Mrs.  Hill — 
are  living,  in  Lake  County.  They  came  to  what  is  now  Lake  County 
(then  La  Porte)  in  1835 ;  settled  in  West  Creek  Township  and  engaged 
in  farming.  After  twenty  years,  they  moved  to  Missouri,  lyhere  they 
died  in  1857.  They  were  among  the  earliest  settlers,  their  nearest 
neighbor  being  eight  miles  distant.  Their  son,  born  in  West  Creek 
Township,  was  probably  the  first  birth  there.  John  B.  is  the  only  one 
of  the  name  in  the  county.  He  is  married ;  has  a  family,  and  for  six- 
teen years  was  mail-carrier  between  Lowell  and  Crown  Point. 

LEONARD  KEILMAN  was  born  near  Worms,  Germany,  May  22, 
1833,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  seven  children  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth 
(Overal)  Keilman,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Henry  Keilman  was  a 
farmer,  and  for  a  time  teamster  in  the  army  of  Napoleon  I,  during  the 
Austrian  campaign.  In  1840,  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States  and 
settled  in  Summit  County,  Ohio,  where  he  purchased  a  small  farm  of 
twenty-seven  acres.  In  1845,  he  sold  this,  and  moved  to  St.  John's 
Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  bought  300  acres,  and  where  he  re- 
sided until  his  death,  June  24,  1878,  aged  eighty-four  years ;  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Leonard  Keilman,  except  for  a-  short 
term  of  schooling,  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  eighteen 
years  old,  and  then  by  the  month  for  his  brother,  at  from  $10  to  §15 
per  month.     Afterward,  he  bought  330  acres,  partially  improved,  in  St. 


CEDAR  CREEK   TOWNSHIP,  651 

Johns  Township,  to  which  he  has  added  until  he  now  owns  640  acres 
of  improved  land,  besides  valuable  town  property  in  Lowell  and  Dyer. 
In  October,  1854,  he  was  married  to  Magdalena  Austgen,  a  native  of 
Prussia,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children.  In  1856,  he  started  in  the 
lumber  trade  at  Dyer,  in  which  he  continued  four  yesirs,  and  afterward 
in  mercantile  business  until  1874,  when  he  again  engaged  in  the  lum- 
ber business,  as  well  as  dealing  in  grain  and  hay,  at  Dyer,  in  com- 
pany with  John  N.  Du  Breuil,  of  Crown  Point,  and  has  been  so  en- 
gaged since  that  time.  In  1864,  he  and  Mr.  Du  Breuil  built  a 
planing  mill  at  Dyer,  which  was  burned  in  1872,  and  rebuilt,  and  in 
1881  removed  to  Lowell,  where  it  now  is  in  operation,  together  with  a 
large  elevator  and  warehouse,  changed  to  an  elevator  in  1882.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Keilman  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

KELLER,  SHERMAN  &  CO.,  merchants,  carry  a  large  and  se- 
lected stock  of  dry  goods,  clothing,  hats  and  caps,  boots  and  shoes,  car- 
pets, groceries,  fancy  goods  and  notions,  amounting  in  value  to  $L'),000, 
as  a  minimum.  This  stock  is  the  largest  and  best  in  Lowell,  or  in  the 
southern  part  of  Lake  County.  Their  trade,  which  is  constantly  in- 
creasing, is  the  most  extensive  in  this  section,  the  annual  sales  amounting 
to  $50,000.  Adam  J.  Sherman,  second  member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in 
Marion  County,  Ohio,  November  13,1854;  he  received  a  fair  public 
school  education,  and  commenced  business  at  the  age  of  twenty  at  Knox, 
Starke  Co.,  Ind.,  in  a  general  store,  where  he  remained  a  year.  He  then 
attended  school  three  years,  after  which  he  went  to  North  Judson,  Ind., 
as  a  clerk  for  Jacob  Keller  one  year.  In  June,  1881,  he  commenced 
business  on  his  own  account  at  Lowell,  as  partner  with  his  former  em- 
ployer, Jacob  Keller,  and  having  entire  management  of  the  Lowell 
house.  Mr.  Sherman  is  a  son  of  John  W.  and  Catherine  (Fisher)  Sher- 
man, the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania;  both 
died  when  Adam  was  a  boy.  Mr.  Sherman  was  married,  April  1,  1880, 
to  Lydia  J.  Herrold,  a  native  of  La  Porte  County,  Ind.  Two  children 
grace  their  union — a  boy  and  a  girl. 

JERRY  M.  KENNEY.  was  born  in  Kennebec  County,  Me.,  No- 
vember 10,  1823,  and  is  one  of  the  five  children  of  Charles  and  Deborah 
(Rollins)  Kenney ;  the  former  also  a  native  of  Maine,  and  one  of  the 
early  citizens  of  Lake  County,  Ind.;  his  vocation  was  farming.  In  1814, 
he  was  married  to  Deborah  Rollins,  and  in  1816  moved  to  Muskingum 
County,  Ohio,  then  sparsely  settled,  and  engaged  in  saw-milling;  not 
liking  the  climate,  he  returned  to  his  native  State  after  five  years,  and 
enoraored  in  lumbering.  In  1837,  he  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and 
•wintered  near  Hebron.  In  1838,  he  came  to  Eagle  Creek  Township,  and 
took  a  160-acre  claim  of  prairie  and  forty  of  timber  land,  at  market  price  of 


652  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

^1.25  per  acre.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kenney  passed  the  ordeal  of  hardship  at- 
tendant on  pioneer  life  of  that  day.  They  had  five  children — Hannah 
N.,  Joseph  A.,  Charles  A.,  Jerry  M.  and  George  W.  (deceased).  Mr. 
Kenney  died  in  1856,  and  Mrs.  Kenney  in  1869.  Mr.  Kenney  was  a 
non-commissioned  officer  in  the  war  of  1812.  Both  of  Jerry's  grandfathers 
were  Revolutionary  war  soldiers.  Jerry  M.  Kenney  was  reared  in  Maine 
until  his  fourteenth  year,  receiving  a  common-school  education,  and  choos- 
ing farming  as  a  vocation.  In  1842,  he  was  married  to  Phebe  Wood- 
rufi",  sister  of  his  brother's  widow,  and  daughter  of  James  H.  and  Rachel 
(Denney)  Woodruff,  old  settlers  of  Lake  County.  Their  union  was 
blessed  with  six  children — George  W.,  Lucinda  R.,  J.  C,  Joseph  D., 
Schuyler  C.  and  Effie  L.;  all  are  married  except  Joseph  D.  and  Effie, 
who  reside  at  home.  Mr.  Kenney  followed  farming  until  1872,  when  he 
purchased  the  stock  of  groceries  and  dry  goods  at  Orchard  Grove,  which 
he  and  his  son  have  operated  together  with  farming  since  that  time.  His 
farm  now  embraces  513  acres  in  Cedar  Creek  and  Eagle  Creek  Town- 
ships. Mr.  Kenney  was  commissioned  Postmaster  in  1873,  and  is  yet 
serving  in  that  capacity.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  also  a  member 
of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

WILLIAM  A.  KENNEY,  was  born  in  Cedar  Creek  Township, 
Lake  County,  Ind.,  May  18,  1860,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  six  chil- 
dren born  to  Charles  A.  and  Hannah  (Woodruflf)  Kenney,  the  former  a 
native  of  Maine,  the  latter  of  Ohio.  Charles  A.  Kenney,  when  a  young 
man,  in  1837  came  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  in  this  county,  and  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  prairie  land,  on  which  he  erected  a  log  cabin,  and 
subsequently  improved  a  farm;  here  he  resided  until  his  death,  in  1873. 
William  A.  Kenney  obtained  a  good  education,  both  from  the  common 
schools,  and  also  the  Normal  College  at  V^alparaiso ;  beyond  this,  he  was 
employed  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  In 
September,  1881,  he  commenced  the  grocery  business  at  Lowell,  where 
he  is  now  doing  well ;  his  stock  of  goods  is  the  largest  in  the  town  or 
county,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the  rising  and  enterprising  young  merchants. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Lowell  Cornet  Band. 

JOHN  A.  KIMMET  was  born  in  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  April  25, 
1856,  and  is  one  of  twelve  children  born  to  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Shei- 
ber)  Kimmet,  the  former  a  native  of  Bavaria,  the  latter  of  Northern 
France.  The  parents  of  Jacob  Kimmet  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  locating  in  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  at  that 
time  a  wilderness,  their  nearest  market  and  mill  being  at  Sandusky  City, 
forty-five  miles  away.  Here  Jacob  Kimmet  was  married,  bought  forty 
acres,  built  a  cabin,  and  improved  his  land ;  in  this  cabin  our  subject  was 
born ;  at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  Mr.  Kimmet  had  but  ^16  with  which 


CEDAR   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  653 

to  begin  life's  journey ;  by  industry  and  economy,  however,  he  lias  ac- 
quired a  fine  farm  in  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  comprising  over  400  acres ; 
he  has  been  Township  Trustee  and  Assessor.  John  A.  Kimmet  obtained 
a  good  education  at  Heidelberg  College,  Ohio,  St.  Vincent  College,  West- 
moreland County,  Penn.,  and  St.  Francis  College,  near  Milwau- 
kee, Wis.  ;  he  was  for  four  years  a  teacher  in  Ohio.  In  1878,  he 
moved  to  Dyer,  St.  Johns  Township,  in  this  county,  and  took  charge  of 
the  high  school  there,  remaining  until  1881,  when  he  moved  to  Lowell 
and  engaged  as  book-keeper  at  the  elevator  and  planing-mill  of  Du  Breuil 
&  Keilman.  He  has  bought  a  handsome  property  in  Lowell.  On  June 
24,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Maggie  Keilman,  daughter  of  Leonard  and 
Helen  (Shoemaker)  Keilman.  By  this  union  were  born  two  children, 
one  of  whom  survives,  Adelia  M.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keilman  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Kimmet  is  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising young  business  men  of  the  town  or  county. 

JAMES  N.  MOORE  was  born  in  Binghamton,  Broome  Co.,  N.  Y., 
May  23,  1832,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of  Andrew  and  Irena 
(Hines)  Moore,  both  natives  of  Broome  County,  N.  Y.  Andrew  Moore 
was  a  farmer;  he  married  in  New  York,  and  in  1837  moved  with  his 
family  to  West  Creek  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  bought  a 
claim  of  one  John  Stein  for  160  acres,  on  which  he  built  a  cabin  and 
made  improvements.  The  first  school  in  the  south  part  of  that  township 
was  held  on  his  place.  In  1839,  he  removed  to  Will  County,  111.,  where 
he  purchased  land  and  resided  until  1845,  when  he  returned  to  West 
Creek  Township,  purchased  a  farm  and  resided  until  1865  ;  this  he  sold, 
came  to  Lowell,  engaged  in  mercantile  life  until  1872,  when  he  retired ; 
he  was  the  first  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  West  Creek  Township,  which  he 
continued  to  be  for  ten  years,  and  a  prominent  member  of  the  M.  E. 
Church.  James  N.  Moore  received  a  fair  education  in  the  log  school- 
houses  of  his  early  days.  At  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  began  to  learn 
carpentering  at  Joliet,  111. ;  he  soon  became  a  partner  of  Norman  Brown, 
a  contractor  and  builder  of  that  town.  On  April  20,  1856,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  Ault,  a  native  of  Porter  County,  Ind.,  by  whom  he  had  six 
children,  four  of  whom  are  living,  of  whom  Edwin  and  Edson  are  twins. 
Mr.  Moore  has  been  a  builder  and  contractor  in  Indiana  and  Illinois 
almost  ever  since  his  majority.  In  1863,  he  came  to  Lowell,  and  on 
October  3  of  that  year  he  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Twelfth  Indiana  Vol- 
unteers, and  was  discharged  in  July,  1865,  at  Indianapolis.  At  the 
organization  of  his  company,  Mr.  Moore  was  unanimously  chosen  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant,  but,  owing  to  some  act  of  treachery,  was  not  so  mustered. 
All  his  brothers  were  soldiers  in  the  late  war.  Three  were  killed  and 
one  severely  wounded   at   Franklin.     Mr.  Moore  is  the  Greenback  can- 


654  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

didate  for  Congress  in  the  Tenth  District ;  he  is  a  charter  member  of 
Colfax  Lodge,  No.  378,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  the  first  S.  W. ;  he  is  now 
serving  his  eighth  term  as  W.  M.,  and  is  one  of  the  bright  Masons  of 
Northwest  Indiana ;  he  is  also  a  member  of  Lincoln  Chapter,  No.  53, 
R.  A.  M. 

HORATIO  R.  NICHOLS  was  born  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y., 
January  26,  1818,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  born  to  William  and 
Nancy  (Randall)  Nichols,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut.  The 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  Samuel  Nichols,  was  also  a  native  of  the 
"Nutmeg  State"  and  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution;  he  was  wounded  by 
a  musket  ball,  and  carried  said  ball  in  his  leg  until  his  death ;  he  refused 
to  be  a  pensioner  of  the  Government.  William  Nichols  came  to  New 
York  when  a  boy ;  he  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaker,  tanner  and  currier  ; 
he  was  three  times  married — first,  to  Nancy  Randall,  who  died  March 
26,  1826;  second,  to  Huldah  Kelsey,  by  whom  he  had  three  children; 
third,  to  Catherine  Storms,  who  is  yet  living.  Mr.  Nichols  was  a  pioneer 
of  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  and  at  one  time  Captain  of  a  company  of 
riflemen,  and  known  as  "  Capt.  Bill ;  "  he  died  July  6,  1880.  Horatio  R. 
Nichols  was  reared  in  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  receiving  such  school 
facilities  as  were  then  attainable.  In  1886,  he  and  an  elder  brother — 
Abram  R. — started  West  to  seek  a  home.  They  came  to  Lake  County, 
and  purchased  a  claim  of  160  acres  in  what  is  now  Cedar  Creek  Town- 
ship, for  which  they  paid  $250.  The  same  year,  they  took  a  claim  of 
160  acres  adjoining,  when  they  went  to  Michigan  City  and  engaged  in 
lumbering  for  the  winter.  In  the  spring,  they  returned  to  Lake  County, 
and  began  to  improve  their  land ;  here  Mr.  H.  R.  Nichols  has  since 
resided.  On  January  23,  1845,  Mr.  Nichols  married  Miss  Eliza  Ken- 
yon.  To  this  union  were  born  six  children — William  C,  a  soldier  of  the 
late  war,  now  married  to  Mary  Gragg ;  Irving  L.,  deceased;  Hannah  L., 
now  Mrs.  Mortimer  Gragg;  Ella  M.,  wife  of  Cyrus  Dickinson;  Alma  E., 
now  Mrs.  Edson  Foster;  and  Charles  E.  Mrs.  Nichols  was  born  in 
Providence  County,  R.  I.,  January  3,  1826;  her  parents  came  to  Lake 
County  in  1838,  where  Mrs.  Kenyon  died.  Mr.  Kenyon  is  yet  living  on 
the  old  homestead  at  Pleasant  Grove.  Mr.  Nichols  is  one  of  the  few 
very  old  settlers;  he  has  endured  the  hardships  and  witnessed  the  lights 
and  shadows  dawning  and  setting  over  this  virgin  country,  and  now 
rejoices  in  its  prosperity;  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  since  the 
birth  of  the  party,  and  an  honored  and  valued  citizen.  Mrs.  Nichols  is 
a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

JACOB  NICHOLS  was  born  in  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  February 
20,  1824,  and  is  one  of  the  twelve  children  of  John  and  Mary  (Lantz) 
Nichols,  the  former  a  native  of  Maryland,  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania. 


CEDAR   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  655 

About  1804,  John  Nichols  went  to  Fairfield  County,  then  almost  a  wil- 
derness, where  he  afterward  married  and  engaged  in  farming;  he  died  in 
1872.  Jacob  Nichols  received  a  limited  education,  and  until  of  age 
worked  on  the  farm  of  his  father,  and  afterward  by  the  month  during 
summer  and  in  winter  attending  school,  for  two  years.  After  farming 
on  shares  for  two  years  more,  he  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Crawford 
County,  Ohio,  on  which  he  erected  a  house  and  began  clearing.  After 
one  year,  he  leased  the  place,  and  removed  to  Wyandot  County,  where 
he  bought  a  prairie  farm  of  fifty  acres.  This  he  sold  and  removed  to 
Marion  County,  where  he  farmed  on  shares.  On  March  20,  1849,  he 
was  married  to  Elizabeth  L.  Hight,  of  Marion  County,  Ohio,  daughter 
of  David  and  Elizabeth  Hight.  To  this  union  eight  children  were  born, 
five  of  whom  survive.  Mrs.  Nichols  died  August  12,  1853;  she  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  In  1856,  he  removed  to  Washington 
County,  Iowa,  but  soon  after  came  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  where  he 
purchased  120  acres;  here  he  has  resided  and  added  thereto,  until  he 
now  owns  240  acres,  well  improved.  On  September  12,  1872,  Mr. 
Nichols  was  married  to  Julia  A.  Henderson,  a  native  of  Huron  County, 
Ohio,  and  daughter  of  George  and  Bethia  B.  (Newton)  Henderson.  To 
this  union  have  been  born  four  children,  all  living.  Mr.  Nichols  is  an 
old  settler,  a  prominent  farmer  and  a  stanch  Republican. 

ADELBERT  D.  PALMER  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  May  3, 
1829,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  James  and  Almira  (Taylor)  Palmer, 
the  former  of  Connecticut,  the  latter  of  New  York.  James  Palmer  was 
a  farmer.  When  young,  he  removed  to  New  York,  where  he  married. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  a  participant  in  the  battle  of 
Lake  Erie.  In  1831,  he  emigrated  to  St.  Joseph  County,  Ind.,  locating 
at  South  Bend.  He  soon  moved  southward,  on  what  was  afterward  known 
as  Palmer's  Prairie — named  from  him  as  the  first  settler — where  he  en- 
tered 160  acres,  built  a  log  house  and  made  farm  improvements.  He 
sold  his  farm  in  St.  Joseph  County  and  moved  to  West  Creek  Township 
in  1846,  where  he  purchased  320  acres.  This  he  sold  in  1854,  and 
came  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  where,  after  purchasing  200  acres,  he 
resided  until  his  death,  August,  1863.  Adelbert  D.  Palmer  obtained  a 
fair  education,  and  worked  for  his  father  until  nearly  twenty-one  years 
old,  when  he  bought  eighty  acres,  partially  improved,  in  West  Creek 
Township.  In  1849,  he  was  married  to  Marietta  Burch,  of  New  York, 
by  whom  he  had  nine  children.  In  1852,  he  sought  his  fortune  in  Cali- 
fornia, going  by  the  overland  route,  and  engaged  in  mining,  the  real 
estate  and  lumber  business,  returning  in  August,  1854,  by  way  of  Nica- 
ragua and  New  York.  At  home  again,  he  engaged  in  agriculture  and 
stock-raising.     In  February,  1865,  he  enlisted  in  Company  E,  One  Hun- 


656  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

dred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Volunteers  ;  he  was  discharged  in  September 
of  the  same  year.  In  January,  1869,  he  commenced  a  general  store  at 
Tinkerville,  in  this  township,  in  conjunction  with  his  former  business. 
In  January,  1875,  he  lost  his  entire  stock  by  fire,  amounting  to  ^5,000. 
Having  some  goods  at  Crown  Point,  he  resumed  business  the  next  day  in 
the  kitchen  of  his  dwelling.  He  replenished  his  stock  at  Chicago,  and 
the  same  year  built  a  storeroom  and  house  at  Creston,  where  he  has  since 
done  a  paying  business.  Mr.  Palmer  was  Assessor  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  each  four  years,  in  this  township ;  also  Justice  of  the  Peace  four 
years  in  Cedar  Creek  Township.  In  1869,  he  was  Postmaster  at  Cedar 
Lake,  and  re-appointed  at  Creston  in  1882.  He  belongs  to  Lake  Lodge, 
No.  157,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  was  once  a  Whig,  but  now  a  Republican, 
and  is  an  enterprising  citizen. 

C.  P.  POST  was  born  in  Wyoming  County,  Penn.,  August  11, 1838, 
and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of  Hiram  and  Hannah  ( Joslin)  Post,  the 
former  a  native  of  New  York,  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject  was  a  resident  of  the  Wyoming  Valley  at  the  date  of 
the  Indian  massacre,  but  survived.  Hiram  Post  was  a  farmer,  and  in 
1850  emigrated  to  Indiana,  locating  at  Southeast  Grove,  in  Lake  County, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  He  and  wife  are  aged  respectively  eighty- 
six  and  eighty-two  years,  and  have  been  married  sixty-four  years.  C.  P. 
Post  came  to  Indiana  with  his  parents  when  twelve  years  old,  and  was 
reared  on  the  farm.  He  received  a  practical  education,  and  finished  at 
the  old  Male  and  Female  College  at  Valparaiso.  In  1861,  he  went  to  his 
old  home  in  Pennsylvania,  and  while  there,  on  November  4,  enlisted  in 
Company  A,  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  was  discharged, 
from  disability,  at  the  York  Hospital,  as  First  Sergeant,  December  22, 
1864.  The  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  1862, 
proceeding  to  Fortress  Monroe,  and  was  in  the  engagements  of  Williams- 
burg, Fair  Oaks,  and  the  battles  before  Richmond.  During  the  summer, 
his  command  lay  at  Harrison's  Landing ;  they  were  afterward  engaged 
at  Bull  Run  and  Chantilly,  where  their  General  was  lost — Gen.  Kearney; 
they  were  also  engaged  at  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville,  and  later 
at  Gettysburg,  thence  going  to  Sulphur  Springs,  where  they  remained 
until  October,  1863 ;  they  then  advanced,  captured  the  works  at  Kelly's 
Ford  and  at  Brandy  Station,  where  they  wintered,  but  later  fought  a  bat- 
tle at  Mine  Run.  During  the  winter,  Mr.  Post  was  discharged  as  a  vet- 
eran, but  at  once  re-enlisted  in  the  same  regiment.  On  May  2,  1864, 
they  engaged  in  the  Wilderness  campaign,  and  in  front  of  Spottsylvania 
Court  House,  Mr.  Post  was  shot  through  the  right  wrist  by  a  minie  ball 
May  10,  1864,  which  wound  has  much  disfigured  and  nearly  destroyed 
the  use  of  the  hand.     After  his  discharge,  he  returned  to  Lake  County, 


CEDAR   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  657 

where  he  attended  and  taught  school.  On  July  28,  1868,  he  married 
Miss  Mary  Davis,  by  whom  he  had  five  children — Merritt  0.,  Charles  A., 
Elwyn  H.,  Rutherford  B.  and  Bessie  L.  Mrs.  Post  was  born  June  4, 
1844,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Post  is  now  engaged 
in  the  drug  trade  at  Lowell ;  he  has  also  a  line  of  ready-made  clothing. 
In  1870,  he  was  commissioned  Postmaster  of  Lowell,  which  he  has  since 
retained.     Mr.  Post  is  a  Republican. 

C.  K.  &  R.  PRATT,  importers  and  breeders  of  thoroughbred  Clydes- 
dale and  Suffolk  Punch  horses,  have  done  more  for  the  advancement  of 
stock  interests  than  any  men  in  Lake  County,  or  in  this  section  of  coun- 
try. They  are  natives  of  Yates  County,  N.  Y.;  the  elder  was  born 
August  20,  1822,  and  the  latter  February  6,  1834.  Their  parents  were 
John  and  Hannah  (Knapp)  Pratt,  natives  of  New  York.  Both  are  de- 
ceased. C.  K.  Pratt,  when  nine  years  of  age,  went  to  reside  with  an 
uncle,  with  whom  he  remained  until  he  was  twenty-one.  In  1852,  he 
abandoned  farming,  and  since  then  has  dealt  exclusively  in  horses  in  New 
York,  Pennsylvania  and  Canada,  where  he  began  buying  heavy  horses 
and  importing  them  into  the  United  States.  In  1869,  by  reason  of  the 
reciprocity  treaty  ceasing  between  the  Governments,  and  the  high  tariff 
on  stock,  he  returned  to  the  States  and  resumed  business  with  his  partner, 
R.  Pratt.  In  1879,  he  came  to  Lowell,  where  his  brother  resided,  and 
commenced  importing  full-blooded  horses  and  breeding  them  in  Lake 
County.  He  has  imported  eight  Clydesdale  stallions  and  three  mares, 
with  one  Suffolk  Punch  stallion.  Such  laudable  enterprise  should  not  be 
unappreciated  in  the  stock  history  or  interests  of  Lake  County.  These 
brothers  have  no  equals  in  their  line  of  importance,  and  they  have  justly 
carried  off  first  honors  at  all  the  fairs.  C.  K.  Pratt  is  unmarried.  Ran- 
som Pratt  married  Elizabeth  McConnell,  and  they  have  two  sons — Fred 
and  Harry. 

HARVEY  C.  SANGER  was  born  in  Washington  County,  N.  Y., 
May  22,  1815,  and  is  the  youngest  of  nine  children  born  to  Adin  and 
Elizabeth  (Niles)  Sanger,  both  natives  of  Connecticut.  Adin  Sanger  was 
a  tinner  and  coppersmith,  which  trade  he  followed  in  Connecticut  several 
years,  and  where  he  was  married.  About  1800,  he  removed  to  Washing- 
ton County,  N.  Y.,  then  almost  a  wilderness,  and  followed  his  trade  about 
twenty-four  years.  In  1824,  he  moved  to  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  bought  a  farm  and  pursued  agriculture  until  his  death,  in  October, 
1829.  Harvey  C.  Sanger  acquired  a  limited  common  school  education, 
and  afterward  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  twenty-three 
years  old.  In  1838,  the  family  sold  the  homestead,  and  Harvey  and 
his  mother  and  two  brothers  moved  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake 
County,   Ind.,  where  each  entered   eighty  acres.     Harvey    built  a  log 


658  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

cabin  and  made  other  improvements,  on  a  portion  of  which  he  still 
resides,  but  has  added  thereto  until  the  same  embraces  ninety  acres. 
Mr.  Sanger  was  one  of  the  Nimrods  of  the  frontier;  his  rifle  was  his 
companion,  and  in  his  hands  was  certain  death  to  game.  For  several 
years  during  the  winter  he  hunted  with  the  Indians  on  the  Kankakee 
Marsh.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Sanger  lived  with  our  subject  until  her 
death.  May  28,  1855 ;  she  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  On  April  20,  1840,  he  was  married  to  Sarah  A.  Bryant,  a 
native  of  Wyandot  County,  Ohio,  and  daughter  of  Samuel  D.  and 
Mary  (Ross)  Bryant.  To  this  union  were  born  seven  children,  four  of 
whom  survive.  Mrs.  Sanger  died  May  29,  1855  ;  she  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Sanger's  second  marriage,  on 
June  26,  1856,  was  to  Mrs.  Nancy  Swaney,  a  native  of  Decatur  County, 
Ind.,  and  daughter  of  Cooper  and  Harriet  (Griffin)  Brooks.  By  this 
union  they  had  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  Mr.  Sanger  is  a 
member  of  the  Lowell  Lodge,  No.  245,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  a  Republican,  and 
an  old  settler  and  prominent  farmer. 

SIMEON  L.  SANGER  was  born  in  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1835,  and  is  the  second  of  eight  children  born  to  James  H.  and 
Martha  B.  (Cleveland)  Sanger,  both  natives  of  Ontario  County,  N.  Y. 
(A  sketch  of  James  H.  Sanger,  Sr.,  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  vol- 
ume.) Simeon  L.  Sanger  acquired  a  common  school  education  in  youth. 
When  one  or  two  years  old,  his  father  came  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  and 
Simeon  worked  for  him  on  his  farm  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
and  afterward  on  shares  for  three  or  four  years.  He  then  began  farm- 
ing on  116  acres  of  his  own  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  where  he  has 
since  remained.  To  this  land  he  has  added  until  he  now  has  190  acres, 
all  well  improved.  On  February  26,  1868,  he  was  married  to  Mary  E. 
Belshaw,  a  native  of  Lake  County,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Mary 
(Smith)  Belshaw,  the  former  of  England,  the  latter  of  Terre  Haute, 
Ind.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  living — 
Walter  Lee,  Henry  and  an  infant  unnamed.  Mr.  Sanger  is  a  member 
of  Lowell  Lodge,  No.  245, 1,  0.  0.  F.  In  politics,  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  also  a  prominent  farmer  of  the  township  and  county.  Mrs.  Sanger 
is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

C.  C.  SANGER  was  born  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  Lake  County, 
February,  1839,  and  is  a  son  of  James  H.  Sanger,  deceased  (a  sketch  of 
whom  appears  in  this  book).  Mr.  Sanger  was  reared  in  Lake  County, 
which  has  always  been  his  home.  He  received  a  good  common  school 
education  in  youth,  and  finished  at  the  old  Male  and  Female  College  at 
Valparaiso.  His  wife  was  Miss  Caroline  Childers,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  Childers.     Shortly  after  their  union,  Mr.  Sanger  engaged  in 


CEDAR   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  659 

farming  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  at  which  he  continued  until  1874, 
when  they  moved  to  Lowell,  and  rented  their  farm,  and  where  they  have 
since  resided.  In  the  same  year,  Mr.  Sanger  opened  a  hardware  store, 
and  has  carried  on  said  business  since  that  time  ;  he  carries  a  full  line  of 
hardware,  tinware,  stoves,  agricultural  implements  and  the  like,  in  which 
he  is  having  a  good  trade.  Besides  property  in  Lowell,  Mr.  Sanger  has 
a  farm  of  over  160  acres  in  Cedar  Creek  Township.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Freemasons,  and  a  Republican  in  politics.  Mrs.  Sanger  is  a  mem- 
ber of  tiie  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JAMES  H.  SANGER,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Cedar  Creek  Township, 
Lake  County,  Ind.,  April  14,  1844,  and  is  the  sixth  of  the  eight  children 
of  James  H.  and  Martha  B.  (Cleveland)  Sanger,  both  natives  of  Ontario 
County,  N.  Y.  James  H.  Sanger,  Sr.,  was  married  in  New  York  in 
1834,  where  he  owned  a  farm  and  was  engaged  in  agriculture.  At  an 
early  day,  he  bought  a  farm  in  Michigan,  sold  the  New  York  property,  and 
came  to  Cedar  Creek  Township  in  the  spring  of  1837,  where  he  entered 
eighty  acres,  on  which  he  constructed  a  cabin,  with  clapboard  roof  and 
puncheon  floor.  To  this  domain  he  continued  to  add  until  he  owned  1,000 
acres  of  excellent  land  ;  he  was  interested  largely,  also,  in  sheep  and 
cattle,  and  one  of  the  most  extensive  dealers  in  this  line  in  the  county. 
He  died  in  Lowell,  July  30,  1882,  in  his  seventy-fifth  year.  He  was  a 
member  of  Lowell  Lodge,  No.  245,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  of  Lowell  Grange,  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  one  of  the  old  settlers 
of  the  county.  In  an  early  day,  he  was  Postmaster,  and  afterward  held 
various  township  offices.  James  H.  Sanger,  Jr.,  received  a  school  and 
academic  education,  and  worked  with  his  father  until  he  was  twenty-one 
years  old.  On  December  31,.  1871,  he  married  Charlotte  Levering,  of 
Knox  County,  Ohio,  daughter  of  John  S.  and  Elizabeth  (Craft)  Lever- 
ing. Two  children  followed  their  union — Leora  Maud  and  Frederick 
J.  In  1873,  Mr.  Sanger  purchased  and  moved  to  a  farm  of  187  acres. 
Since  1881,  he  has  resided  on  the  home  farm  of  his  father.  Mr.  Sanger 
is  a  member  of  Lowell  Lodge,  No.  245,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  and  is  an  enter- 
prising farmer  and  citizen. 

JOSHUA  P.  SPALDING  was  born  in  Monroe  County,  Mich.,  No- 
vember 29,  1833,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  nine  children  born  to  Heman 
M.  and  Nancy  (Parker)  Spalding,  the  former  a  native  of  Oneida  County 
and  the  latter  of  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.  Heman  M.  Spalding  was  a 
blacksmith.  When  a  young  man  (about  1830  or  1831),  he  went  to  Chi- 
cago by  the  first  steamer  that  navigated  Lake  Michigan,  but  returned  by 
same  steamer  to  Canada,  where  he  was  employed  in  the  lumber  business 
one  winter.  He  then  went  to  Monroe  County,  Mich.,  where  he  entered 
eighty  acres,  built  a  cabin  and  followed  his  trade  in  connection  with  farm- 


660  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

ing.  In  this  county  he  was  married.  In  1837,  he  sold  his  farm  and 
came  to  West  Creek  Township,  entered  345  acres,  built  a  log  cabin  and 
subsequently  improved  a  farm.  Here  he  resided  until  his  death,  July  17, 
1857,  aged  forty-eight  years.  Joshua  P.  Spalding  received  such  educa- 
tion as  could  be  had  in  his  day  of  youth,  but  has  since  acquired  a  fair 
business  education,  and  is  a  man  of  extensive  reading  and  information. 
He  worked  for  his  father  until  his  majority,  and  afterward  farmed  on 
shares  for  one  year.  When  his  father  died,  he  took  charge  of  the  home 
farm.  On  October  22,  1856,  he  married  Cynthia  Dodge,  of  West  Creek 
Township,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Lucretia  (De  Gaugh)  Dodge,  who  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  West  Creek  Township,  in  1838.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Spalding  have  had  eight  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — Milo, 
Mary  (now  Mrs.  A.  L.  Thompson,  of  Chicago),  Levi,  Helen,  Isabel, 
Henry  and  Alice.  On  August  12,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Company  A, 
Ninety-ninth  Indiana  Volunteers,  with  which  he  served  to  the  end,  hav- 
ing been  at  Vicksburg,  Atlanta  and  in  the  "  march  to  the  sea  "  as  one 
of  Gen.  Sherman's  famous  "raiders."  He  was  discharged  with  the 
regiment  at  Washington,  D.  C,  June  5,  1865.  After  his  return,  he 
bought  a  portion  of  the  old  home,  where  he  remained  until  1869,  when 
he  sold  same  and  bought  ninety-four  acres,  known  as  the  "  Jackson 
farm,"  and  was  appointed  Postmaster  of  West  Creek  Post  Oflfice,  which 
he  held  thirteen  years.  He  remained  on  this  farm,  which  he  still  owns, 
until  March,  1882,  when  he  removed  to  Cedar  Creek  Township  and  pur- 
chased 240  acres,  on  which  he  now  lives.  Mr.  Spalding  is  a  strong  Re- 
publican, and  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  and  most  prominent  farmers  in 
Lake  County.  Mrs.  Spalding  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
HENRY  SURPRISE  was  born  in  Chesterfield,  N.  Y.,  December  1, 
1832,  and  is  one  of  ten  children  born  to  Peter  and  Rosanna  (Taylor) 
Surprise,  both  natives  of  Canada.  Peter  Surprise  was  married  in  Can- 
ada, and  soon  after  removed  to  New  York,  where  he  owned  a  farm,  and 
was  engaged  in  farming  and  burning  charcoal.  About  1830,  he  was 
burned  out,  and  in  1834  or  1835  he  moved  to  Cedar  Creek  Township, 
Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  pre-empted  160  acres,  on  which  he  built  a 
cabin,  and  afterward  exchanged  for  a  like  claim  of  John  Driscoll,  which 
he  improved.  For  several  years,  Mr.  Surprise  was  engaged  in  burning 
charcoal.  He  also  invested  in  boots  and  shoes  to  sell  the  settlers.  These 
were  stored  in  a  cabin  on  his  claim,  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  the 
contents  consumed.  He  is  now  living  with  his  son  Henry,  over  eighty 
years  old.  Henry  Surprise  is  without  educational  advantages,  but  is  a 
shrewd  business  man  and  well  informed  on  general  topics.  He  worked 
for  his  father  until  his  majority,  and  afterward  by  the  month  for  two 
years,  and   then   purchased   forty   acres   of  unimproved   land  in   Cedar 


CEDAR  CREKK  TOWNSHIP.  661 

Creek  Township,  which  he  cultivated  and  built  a  frame  house.  He  also 
had  a  breaking  team  for  three  years.  To  this  land  he  has  added  until  he 
now  owns  534  acres  in  Cedar  Creek  Township.  He  has  been  one  of  the 
most  extensive  and  successful  dealers  in  stock  in  this  county.  On  April 
15,  1860,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Hill,  a  native  of  Decatur  County, 
Ind.,  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  (Skinner)  Hill.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Surprise  have  been  born  four  children,  three  of  whom  survive — 
^Villiam  H.,  Albert  J.  and  Jasper  M.  In  politics,  Mr.  Surprise  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  he  is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  and  stock-raisers  in  the 
county  ;  he  has  also  been  engaged  extensively  in  the  broker  business  for 
several  years. 

C.  L.  TEMPLETON  was  born  in  Bucks  County,  Penn.,  December 
2,  1816,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  eight  children  of  Belshazzar  and  Mary 
M.  (Rosenberger)  Templeton,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Belshazzar 
Templeton  was  by  trade  a  stone-mason,  but  owned  a  farm.  C.  L.  Tem- 
pleton received  a  common  school  education,  and  began  life  for  himself  at 
nineteen  years  of  age.  In  1835,  in  Rhode  Island,  he  entered  the  serv- 
ice of  Williams,  Sprague,  Beckwith  &  Co.,  railroad  contractors,  as  su- 
perintendent of  construction,  remaining  four  years,  and  traveling  over 
New  England.  In  1839,  he  moved  to  Peoria,  where  he  was  employed 
under  a  firm  of  contractors,  the  senior  member  being  A.  F.  Brown,  with 
whom,  in  1840,  he  came  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  100  acres 
in  Centre  Township.  In  1857,  he  married  Julia  Rockwell,  sister  of  Will- 
iam B.  Rockwell  (a  sketch  of  whom  is  in  this  work).  To  this  union  were 
born  seven  children — Adelia  (deceased),  Frances  A.  (now  Mrs.  John  Lee), 
William  I.  (deceased),  Charles  F.,  James  (deceased),  Sarah  A.  (now  Mrs. 
Michael  Minninger)  and  Malinda.  Mr.  Templeton  engaged  in  farming 
until  1849,  when  he  sold  and  removed  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  his 
present  residence,  his  farm  embracing  200  acres.  Mr.  Templeton  is  one 
of  the  earliest  settlers.  He  assisted  to  organize  the  vigilance  committee 
during  lawless  times  many  years  ago,  and  was  two  years  Deputy  Sheriif 
of  the  county.  He  is  a  Director  and  Treasurer  of  the  Farmers'  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Lake  County,  and  its  present  agent  ;  also 
one  of  the  Directors  of  the  County  Agricultural  Society.  In  politics,  he 
was  a  Whig,  then  a  Republican  and  is  now  a  Greenbacker,  and  candidate 
of  that  party  for  the  State  Legislature.  He  also  organized  the  State 
Grange  of  Indiana,  and  was  Treasurer  three  years.  He  is  the  present 
Treasurer  of  Colfax  Lodge,  No.  378,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Lowell.  In 
1852,  he  went  to  California,  via  Panama,  engaged  in  mining  for  one 
year,  and  was  two  years  in  the  lumbering  business.  In  1861,  on  the  way 
home,  he  was  shipwrecked  oflP  California,  when  264  lives  were  lost.  He 
returned  in  1865. 


662  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

JOHN  W.  VIANT  was  born  in  Canada  West  September  18, 1835, 
and  is  a  son  of  Francis  and  Catharine  (Bridgman)  Viant,  the  former  a 
native  of  Paris,  France,  the  latter  of  Ireland.  Francis  Viant  emigrated 
to  Montreal  when  a  young  man,  and  engaged  in  lumbering.  The  mother 
of  our  subject  was  his  second  wife.  John  W.  Viant  is  the  only  living 
child,  his  brother  having  been  killed  while  building  a  bridge.  His  father 
died  in  1840,  and  his  mother  in  1875,  and  he  is  now  the  only  descendant 
bearing  the  family  name.  Mr.  Viant  received  but  a  spare  education  in 
his  native  country.  When  about  fifteen  he  began  as  a  clerk  at  Castle- 
ton,  Canada,  where  he  lived  until  he  was  twenty  years  old.  Realizing 
the  poor  opportunities  for  advancement  in  that  country,  he  came  to  the 
United  States.  Accordingly,  in  1856,  he  started  for  Minnesota,  but  on 
the  way  stopped  in  Indiana,  and  liking  the  territory,  remained  at  Crown 
Point  one  year.  In  the  spring  of  1857,  he  went  back  to  Canada,  and  on 
March  31  was  married  to  Miss  Ann  Jones,  a  native  of  Canada.  To 
this  union  were  born  five  children — Frederick  H.,  Cassius  M.  C,  Clif- 
ford, John  W.  and  Bessie  (deceased).  In  the  fall  of  1857,  Mr.  Viant 
came  to  Lowell,  and,  in  conjunction  witk  Jonah  Thorn,  purchased  a  stock 
of  dry  goods  and  groceries,  and  began  his  career  as  a  merchant.  Thorn 
sold  out  to  Mr.  Merton,  the  original  owner  of  the  goods,  in  about  one 
year,  and  two  years  later  Mr.  Viant  purchased  Mr.  Merton's  interest, 
continuing  until  1881,  when  he  sold  out  and  returned  to  farming.  In 
1882,  he  took  his  eldest  son,  Frederick  H.,  as  a  partner  in  his  present 
business,  and  this  has  been  successful.  Mr.  Viant  is  the  oldest  Lowell 
merchant  living.  When  he  came  hither,  the  population  numbered  about 
100,  and  he  has  been  identified  with  its  growth  and  prosperity;  he  has 
supported  churches,  schools  and  other  useful  enterprises.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Viant  is  a  firm  Republican  ;  he  is  an  original  member  of  Colfax 
Lodge,  No.  378,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.  Besides  owning  valuable  toAvn 
property  in  Lowell,  he  has  seventy  acres  of  good  land  adjoining.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  M.  E.   Church  for  thirty  years. 

Deforest  WARNER  deceased,  was  born  in  New  Haven  County, 
Conn.,  February  27,  1814,  and  was  one  of  the  four  children  born  to 
Augustus  and  Maria  (Candee)  Warner.  He  was  reared  to  manhood  on 
his  father's  farm,  receiving  only  a  common  school  education.  His  father 
having  died  when  he  was  a  boy,  he  was  his  mother's  principal  assistant  in 
caring  for  the  family.  On  February  25,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Lovicy  Curtis,  and  in  1841,  he,  with  his  wife  and  mother,  brother  and 
sisters,  moved  to  Otsego  County,  N.  Y.,  where  his  mother  died.  There 
Mr.  Warner  was  chiefly  engaged  in  farming  until  1850,  when  he  sold  out 
and  came  to  Indiana.  Being  charmed  with  the  richness  of  the  soil  in 
southern  Lake   County,  he  purchased  379   acres  near  what  is  known  as 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  66"d 

Orchard  Grove,  Cedar  Creek  Township.  Here  he  built  a  cabin  and  en- 
gaged in  farming,  peddling  and  retailing  dry  goods,  notions,  etc.  Mr. 
Warner  was  very  successful  through  life.  By  his  influence,  a  post  office 
was  established  at  Orchard  Grove,  of  which  he  was  the  first  Postmaster.  Tie 
was  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  for  many  years  was  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  his  township.  He  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and  moral  character, 
much  esteemed  by  the  community  and  lamented  by  his  widow  and  family. 
His  death  occurred  October  26,  1874.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warner  had  a 
family  of  four  children — Theron  (deceased),  Myron  (deceased),  Anson 
(married  and  residing  in  Lowell),  and  Thena  (wife  of  J.  C.  Kenney,  of 
Orchard  Grove).  Mrs.  Warner  was  born  in  Litchfield  County,  Conn., 
February  23,  1821,  and  only  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  A.  (Nettle- 
ton)  Curtis.  She  lives  on  the  homestead,  comprising  379  acres,  accumu- 
lated by  the  joint  labors  of  herself  and  deceased  husband. 

GEORGE  W.  WATERS  was  born  in  Orleans  County,  N.  Y.,  June 
21,  1842,  and  is  the  younger  of  the  two  children  of  Ira  and  Francelia 
S.  (Wilson)  Waters,  the  former  a  native  of  Whitehall,  N.  Y.,  the  latter 
of  Rochester,  N.  Y.  Ira  Waters  was  a  life-long  farmer,  and  in  1855 
located  in  St.  Joseph  County,  Mich.,  where  his  eldest  son  and  mother 
now  reside.  Mr.  Waters  was  killed  by  the  falling  of  a  tree  in  Decem- 
ber, 1881.  George  W.  Waters  remained  with  his  parents  until  manhood, 
receiving  a  fair  school  education.  On  August  7,  18G2,  he  enlisted  in 
Company  D,  Nineteenth  Michigan  Volunteers,  assigned  to  the  Twentieth 
Corps,  Western  Division,  under  Gen.  Hooker.  Mr.  Waters  was  in  ac- 
tive duty  at  Fort  Donelson  and  Franklin,  where  he  was  made  a  prisoner, 
and  in  March,  1868,  placed  in  Libby  Prison,  where  he  suffered  indescriba- 
bly for  three  months.  When  captured,  he  weighed  190  pounds,  and  on 
his  release,  about  125  pounds.  In  June,  1863,  he  was  paroled,  and  on 
account  of  wounds  received  in  the  service,  was  discharged.  On  returning 
to  Michigan,  he  engaged  in  farming  for  one  year,  when  he  came  to  Lake 
County  with  a  drove  of  sheep,  and,  liking  the  country,  resolved  to  make 
it  his  home.  In  1866,  he  taught  school  in  West  Creek  Township,  after 
which  he  came  to  Lowell  and  began  as  a  clerk  in  the  drug  store,  which 
he  now  owns.  A  year  later,  he  purchased  a  new  stock,  his  employer 
moved  further  down  town,  and  he  opened  for  trade,  carrying  a  full  line  of 
pure  drugs,  tobacco,  confectionery,  toilet  goods,  etc.,  in  which  he  is  doing 
a  good  business.  On  January  6,  1869,  he  married  Mary  Sautter,  an 
adopted  daughter  of  Hiram  P.  and  Louisa  (Burns)  Robbins.  She  was 
generally  known  as  Mary  Robbins.  To  this  union  were  born  two  daugh- 
ters— Eva  and  Flonnie.  Mrs.  Waters  was  born  in  Germany  June  5, 
1844,  and  as  a  child  was  brought  to  America  by  her  parents.  Mr. 
Waters  is  a  Mason,  and  has   taken  the  Royal  Arch  degree ;  he  is  also  an 


66-4  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

Odd  Fellow,  in  which  he  has  advanced  to  the  Encampment.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Waters  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  highly  regarded  in 
their  community. 

JAMES  A.  WOOD,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio, 
February  27,  1814,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Francis  and 
Rachel  (Dodd)  Wood,  both  natives  of  New  Jersey.  Francis  Wood  was  a 
farmer  and  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  About  1812,  he  moved  with 
his  family  to  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  then  a  wilderness.  After  the  war, 
in  1816,  he  changed  to  Richland  County,  where  he  entered  160  acres, 
erected  a  log  cabin  and  cleared  a  farm,  on  which  he  lived  until  his  death, 
in  1858  ;  he  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  James  A.  Wood 
attended  school  and  worked  on  the  farm  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Abram  Ecker, 
of  Wayne  County.  In  1834,  he  attended  Washington  Medical  College, 
at  Cannonsburg,  Penn.,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1836,  and,  on  June 
6  of  that  year,  he  married  Anna  Jacobs,  of  Saratoga,  N.  Y.  The  union 
was  blessed  by  eight  children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  In  1837,  he  came 
to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  settled  near  Valparaiso,  being  one  of  the 
first  physicians  in  Northwestern  Indiana.  lie  followed  the  Indian  trails 
on  a  hardy  Indian  pony,  his  practice  extending  from  the  Kankakee  to 
Lake  Michigan.  In  1840,  he  moved  to  West  Point,  in  1842,  to  Centre 
Prairie,  and,  in  1847,  to  Lowell,  Lake  County,  where  he  still  resides. 
From  1863  to  1865,  he  was  Assistant  Regimental  Surgeon  to  the  Twelfth 
Indiana  Regiment.  During  much  of  his  service,  he  w^as  stationed  in 
hospitals  and  above  his  nominal  rank.  In  1875,  from  being  thrown  from 
his  cutter,  he  sustained  severe  injury  of  the  hip,  from  which  he  has  not 
entirely  recovered.  Dr.  Wood  was  Notary  Public  one  year.  Township 
Trustee  two  years,  and  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  fourteen  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  Colfax  Lodge,  No.  378,  and  the  oldest  Mason  in  the 
county.  He  has  also  been  a  leading  physician  and  citizen  for  more  than 
forty  years. 

JOHN  L.  WORLEY  was  born  near  Union  City,  Ind.,  April  28, 
1820,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Wood)  Worley.  The  Worleys 
are  of  English  descent,  Caleb  and  Rebecca  Worley — the  first  of  the  name 
— coming  to  America  with  William  Penn  on  his  second  voyage,  in  1699. 
They  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  and  had  two  sons — Henry  and  Francis. 
Both  had  fiimilies,  and  John  L.  is  a  descendant  of  Francis.  Nathan 
Worley,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Virginia  January  7, 
1773  ;  he  married  Rebecca  Greer,  in  Kentucky,  and  they  moved  to  Mont- 
gomery County,  Ohio,  in  1S04,  where  they  lived  until  death.  Cincin- 
nati at  that  time  contained  three  houses  and  a  fort.  Nathan  was  for  more 
than  forty  years  an  old  Christian  or  New-Light  preacher.     John  Worley 


CEDAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  665 

was  born  in  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  June  1,  1794.  In  1818,  he  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Wood,  and  began  farming  in  Ohio  ;  they  had  two 
children,  only  one — John  L. — being,  now  alive.  Mr.  Worley  died  De- 
cember 31,  1819,  four  months  before  our  subject's  birth;  John  L.  Worley 
was  reared  until  his  sixteenth  year  by  his  mother's  relatives.  He  attended 
school  but  three  months  in  his  life,  in  a  log  house  of  the  time.  In  1839, 
he  came  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  whither  his  mother  had  preceded  him, 
and  purchased  a  claim  to  the  land  on  which  he  yet  resides,  his  capital 
being  §1 00  and  a  rifle.  On  November  20,  1840,  he  was  married  to  Sarah 
Beedle,  after  which  he  built  a  cabin  and  engaged  in  improving  his  land- 
Mrs.  Worley  died  August  16,  1841,  leaving  a  babe  a  few  hours  old;  this 
child  now  resides  in  Iowa,  the  wife  of  Henry  Latham.  Mr.  Worley's 
second  marriage  was  to  Naomi  Hathaway,  on  December  20,  1843,  to  which 
marriage  have  been  born  six  children — Nathan,  Willis  W.,  Perry,  Benjamin 
F.,  Maria  J.  and. Henry.  Two  of  these,  Nathan  and  Willis,  were  steadfast 
soldiers  in  the  war.  Mr.  Worley  is  a  Avorthy  and  substantial  citizen  ;  in 
politics  a  Republican,  and  a  self-made  man  and  a  pioneer.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Worley  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 

ALFRED  A.  GERRISH,  M.  D.,  is  a  descendant  of  an  old,  time- 
honored  New  England  family  of  farmers,  attorneys,  clergymen  and  the 
like  ;  but  Dr.  Gerrish  is  the  single  disciple  of  Esculapius.  He  was  born 
on  Independence  Day,  1829,  and  is  the  seventh  of  the  thirteen  children 
of  Joseph  and  Susan  (Hancock)  Gerrish,  both  natives  of  the  Granite 
State,  and  of  English  descent.  They  were  large  land-owners,  owning 
land  about  fifteen  miles  above  Concord,  on  the  Merrimac  River,  adjoining 
the  Daniel  Webster  Homestead.  On  this  site  Dr.  Gerrish  was  born,  and 
his  parents  lived  and  died.  Here  he  passed  his  youth  and  early  man- 
hood. After  attending  the  common  schools,  he  entered  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege, where  he  had  a  thorough  literary  course.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  he 
began  the  study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  Wight,  of  Gilraanton,  and  after- 
ward at  Concord,  under  Prof.  Parker.  In  1851,  he  became  a  private 
pupil  of  Prof.  Peaslee,  of  Dartmouth,  until  his  graduation  from  the  New 
York  Medical  College,  March  3,  1853.  He  has  enjoyed  the  instructions 
of  some  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  our  country  has  produced.  After 
graduation  Dr.  Gerrish  located  at  Mount  Vernon,  N.  H.,  where  he  soon 
acquired  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  In  1865,  by  reason  of  ill-health 
from  overwork,  he  was  compelled  to  seek  another  location,  and  he  came 
to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  had  relatives ;  he  stopped  at  Lowell  for 
a  time,  and,  improving  in  health,  resolved  to  make  it  his  home.  A  good 
physician  being  then  needed,  he  soon  had  a  good  practice,  being  esteemed 
the  first  physician  in  the  place,  which  he  has  maintained  until  the  pres- 
•ent.     Owing  to   an  accident  a  few  years  ago,  he  does  now  a  select  prac- 


666  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

tice  only.  He  has  become  influential  and  independent,  and  is  highly 
esteemed  by  his  fellow-laborers.  Aside  from  professional  prominence,  he 
is  a  public-spirited  citizen,  always  to  be  found  on  the  side  of  temperance 
and  education ;  he  is,  however,  the  only  Democrat  among  the  physicians 
of  Lowell. 


HOBART    TOWNSHIP. 

JOHN  AHERN  was  born  in  the  county  of  Limerick,  Ireland,  No- 
vember 10,  1828  ;  he  is  one  of  six  children  born  to  John  and  Mary 
(Dunn)  Ahern,  viz.:  Catharine,  John,  Patrick,  Margaret,  Michael  and 
Mary.  John  was  married,  February  10,  1849,  to  Mary  Glavvan,  in  Lim- 
erick County ;  his  wife  has  given  birth  to  five  children,  three  boys  and 
two  girls — John,  Patrick,  Michael,  Mary  and  Ellen.  Mary  is  the  only 
one  deceased.  At  about  the  age  of  twenty-one,  Mr.  Ahern  emigrated  to 
America,  landing  at  New  York.  In  1860,  he  came  to  Lake  County,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  three  years'  residence  in  Porter  County,  he  has  ever 
since  lived  on  his  present  place  of  107  acres,  one  and  a  half  miles  north- 
west of  Hobart. 

WILLIAM  H.  ALLEN  was  born  in  1842  in  Glasgow,  Scotland.  He  is 
the  only  child  of  George  and  Ann  (Armstrong)  Allen,  both  natives  of 
Ireland.  His  father  was  killed  a  short  time  before  the  birth  of  our  sub- 
ject, and  his  mother  died  soon  after.  He  was  reared  by  a  Mr.  Hammond 
up  to  ten  years  of  age,  when  he  was  thrown  on  his  own  resources,  and 
worked  in  a  Glasgow  brewery  for  four  years ;  then  he  engaged  in  John 
Thompson's  pottery  for  seven  years  ;  then  nearly  four  years  in  Messrs. 
Wilsons'  pottery.  He  was  then  omnibus  conductor  for  over  eight  years 
in  Glasgow.  About  1868,  he  came  to  America,  and  lived  in  Rye,  near 
New  York  City,  for  three  years  as  family  coachman  for  a  Mr.  Grosbeck. 
He  went  to  Glasgow,  and  remained  a  year  visiting,  and  returned  to  New 
York,  and  was  sexton  and  coachman  for  a  Rev.  Benjamin  two  years.  He 
then  came  to  Chicago,  and  was  engaged  as  coachman  for  a  Mr.  Cornell, 
of  the  watch  Victory,  for  four  years,  and  was  then  coachman  for 
H.  L.  Davis  for  over  four  years,  when  he  came  to  Hobart  and  engaged 
in  the  grocery  business.  He  keeps  a  general  confectionery,  notion  and 
tobacco  store.  He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  order,  and  a  Repub- 
lican. He  was  married,  in  1873,  to  Elizabeth  Brighton,  a  native  of 
Glasgow,  Scotland.  He  has  four  children  living — Harriet,  George,  James 
and  Ellen. 

ANTONY  ARBOE  was  born  in  1828  in  Christiania,  Norway.  He 
is  the  youngest  of  three  children  born  to  Peter  and  Anna  M.  (Prouchler) 
Arboe,  the  former  a  native  of  London,  England,  and  the  latter  of  Norway* 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  667 

John  Prouchler,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  is  noted  in  Englisli  history 
as  being  the  first  man  who  introduced  the  silk  worm  from  India.  The 
elder  Arboe  wa8  an  English  soldier  in  our  war  of  1812,  and  was  Captain 
on  a  merchantman  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  a  wreck  at  sea  when  our 
subject  was  less  than  a  year  old.  At  twenty-five  years  of  age,  Antony 
Arboe  came  to  the  United  States.  He  had  served  a  five  years'  appren- 
ticeship as  a  mason,  and  worked  in  New  York  City  and  Jersey  City  for 
about  a  year.  He  then  came  to  Chicago,  and  built  for  the  Chicago, 
Galena,  Union  Railroad  at  Sterling  for  nine  years.  He  then  went  to 
Decorah,  Iowa,  remaining  the  following  nine  years,  and  returned  to  Chi- 
cago and  was  engaged  in  contracting  for  about  six  years.  He  then  em- 
barked in  the  mercantile  business  for  two  years.  He  then  came  to  IIo- 
bart,  and  bought  the  stock  of  hardware  of  Mr.  Koch,  and  now  keeps  a 
full  line  of  hardware,  stoves,  etc.  He  has  a  tin-shop  in  connection  with 
it,  controlled  by  Mr.  George  Bissell,  who  is  considered  one  of  the  best 
workmen  in  the  county.  Mr.  Arboe  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
fraternity  and  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  He  has  always  been  a  Repub- 
lican, and  is  one  of  our  most  enterprising  citizens.  In  1859,  he  traveled 
through  the  Southern  States  and  Mexico  for  six  months,  also  in  the 
Northwest.  He  was  married,  October  4,  1850,  to  Frederica  Fredrick- 
son,  a  native  of  Norway.  They  have  one  child  living — Hulda  L.  Snipe. 
WILLIAM  BALLANTYNE  was  born  in  1828  in  Scotland.  He 
is  the  youngest  of  ten  children  born  to  Bertram  and  Margaret  (Williamson) 
Ballantyne.  The  Ballantynes  are  descendants  of  the  ancient  Picts,  as 
has  been  illustrated  or  proven  by  the  fact  that  that  people  were  noted  for 
the  length  of  their  arms,  as  has  been  a  characteristic  of  the  Ballantynes 
also.  The  elder  Ballantyne  was  a  Captain  in  the  volunteer  service  from 
1800  to  his  death,  during  the  Peninsular  wars.  The  ancestors  of  Mr. 
Ballantyne  were  especially  active  on  the  popular  side  against  landlordism 
and  the  priesthood.  Our  subject  lived  on  his  father's  estate  until  his 
twentieth  year  ;  he  had  been  educated  in  the  parochial  schools  at  home, 
and  afterward  in  the  University  of  Glasgow  ;  he  then  went  into  business 
in  Glasgow,  establishing  a  cotton,  linen  and  woolen  goods  manufactory, 
and  continued  nearly  twenty-five  years.  At  the  threatened  invasion  of 
the  French  in  1859,  he  raised  a  volunteer  company.  It  had  been  unsuc- 
cessfully attempted  by  one  of  the  nobility,  but  with  his  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness, he  was  successful,  and  was  promoted  from  Captain  to  Major,  and 
finally  to  Colonel,  and  underwent  an  examination  for  Major  General,  and 
passed,  but  he  now  bought  an  estate  near  Glasgow,  on  which  he  lived  ten 
years,  and  sold  it  on  coming  to  the  United  States.  Mr.  B.  was  an 
extensive  manufacturer,  but  having  four  sons,  and  with  Republican  ideas, 
he  came  to  America,  to  find  a  larger  field  for   them,  and  selected  milling 


668  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

for  them  as  an  "  occupation  which  was  nearest  both  to  the  consumer  and 
producer."  Thej  went  to  Kansas  first,  on  coming  to  this  country,  and, 
in  order  to  teach  his  sons  the  trade,  he  built  a  mill  at  an  expense  of  ^10,- 
000,  and  continued  five  years,  but  not  becoming  acclimated  they  went  to 
Iowa  for  three  years,  and  then  came  to  Hobart ;  here,  the  only  son  of 
age  bought  the  Hobart  Mills.  Mr.  Ballantyne  has,  since  his  arrival  in 
this  country,  retired  from  business  and  devotes  his  time  to  his  family  ;  he 
is  a  writer  of  fine  ability,  and,  at  the  present,  is  a  contributor  to  the 
Scottish- American  of  New  York,  and  has  been  editor  for  local  papers,  all 
as  a  past-time.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  and  also  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  ;  he  has  been  a  Sunday  school  worker  for  the  last 
forty  years  ;  he  was  married,  in  1854,  to  Mary  Miller,  of  Scotland,  a 
finely  educated  lady,  of  great  musical  talent.  They  have  six  children — 
William  B.,  Jane,  James,  Margaret,  John  and  Alexander. 

NATHANIEL  P.  BANKS  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ohio,  Sep- 
tember 25,  1845  ;  he  is  one  of  ten  children  born  to  Orin  and  Olive 
(Brown)  Banks,  viz.,  Betsey,  Charles,  Morgan,  Elisha,  Parley,  Cathe- 
rine, William,  George,  Nathaniel  and  Sarah ;  his  parents  were  born  in 
New  York  State,  and  moving  to  Lake  County,  Ohio,  they  lived  there 
some  fifteen  years  ;  shortly  after  the  birth  of  Nathaniel  the  family  moved 
to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  they  resided  about  six  years,  then  moved 
to  Ross  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  they  lived  three  years.  In 
1851,  Nathaniel  came  with  his  parents  to  Hobart  ToAvnship,  and  has  lived 
here  ever  since ;  his  father  died  at  Nathaniel's  present  home  in  1857; 
his  mother  still  lives  with  her  son.  In  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  First  Illi- 
nois Artillery,  remaining  three  years,  and  taking  part  in  the  battles  of 
Chickamauga  and  Missionary  Ridge,  and  accompanying  Sherman  in  his 
Atlanta  campaign.  He  was  married,  February  14,  1869,  to  Clara  Chand- 
ler, in  Ross  Township.  She  has  given  birth  to  four  children — Mary, 
Carrie,  Miriam  (deceased)  and  Mertie  ;  he  has  farmed  chiefly,  and  now 
owns  a  farm  of  160  acres,  two  miles  southwest  of  Hobart,  on  which  he 
has  a  fine  residence  and  commodious  barn  ;  he  pays  considerable  atten- 
tion to  dairying,  partly  supplying  a  neighboring  cheese  factory  with  milk. 

GEORGE  R.  BASSETT,  M.  D.,  was  born  August  8,  1839,  in  Dan- 
bury,  Conn.;  he  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children  born  to  Hial  and  Fanny 
(Degrushe)  Bassett,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the  latter  of 
France.  The  elder  Bassett  was  by  trade  a  comb-maker.  When  about 
eleven  years  old,  George  R.  Bassett  left  home  and  was  employed  in  New 
York  City  as  clerk  in  law  offices,  etc.  About  three  or  four  years  later,  he 
went  to  Buffalo,  and  clerked  in  a  land  office.  After  a  clerksliip  of  a  few 
months  in  Janesville,  Wis.,  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  engaged  in  painting 
for  a  few  years,  when  he  went  to  Woodstock,   111.     In  1862,  he  enlisted 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  669 

in  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  over  three  years 
as  Clerk  in  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  at  brigade  headquarters 
throughout  the  West.  In  1875,  he  entered  Bennett  Medical  College  of 
Chicago.  He  graduated  in  1877,  practicing  meanwhile  in  Chicago  for 
about  two  years,  when  (in  1877)  he  came  to  Hobart ;  he  immediately 
started  out  with  a  good  practice,  which  has  steadily  increased;  he  soon 
opened  his  drug  store,  in  which  he  keeps  everything  in  the  apothecary 
line  ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  fraternity  ;  he  was  appointed 
Justice  of  the  Peace  in  1881,  and  elected  in  the  spring  of  1882  by  all 
the  votes  in  the  township  except  thirteen  ;  he  is  also  agent  for  the 
Phoenix  and  Hartford  Insurance  Companies ;  he  is  a  strong  Republican, 
but  liberal  in  local  matters.  He  was  married,  in  1857,  to  Susan  A.  Mc- 
Meekan,  a  native  of  Buffalo,  but  a  resident  of  Chicago.  She  is  now 
about  to  graduate  at  Bennett  Medical  College,  and  is  also  practicing  in 
her  specialty.  They  have  two  children — George  II.  and  Jennie  S.  De- 
Coursy. 

DEXTER  BILLINGS  was  born  October  26,  1810,  in  Will  County, 
111.  He  is  one  of  eight  children — five  boys  and  three  girls — born  to 
MaynarJ  and  Anna  (Mellon)  Billings.  The  names  of  the  children  be- 
ginning with  the  eldest  are — Susan,  Thelismer,  Edward,  Edwin,  Dexter, 
Mary,  Lydia  and  Mather.  Edwin,  Edward  and  Mary  are  dead.  Dexter 
worked  at  farming  until  he  was  twenty-one,  when  he  went  into  the 
railroad  business,  working  on  the  Michigan  Central  for  seventeen 
years.  In  1873,  he  came  to  Lake  Station,  where  he  now  conducts  an 
eating  house  on  the  Michigan  Central.  He  was  married,  December  30, 
1869,  to  Carrie  E.  Utter,  at  Lake  Station.  She  has  given  birth  to  one 
child — Frances.  He  has  led  a  comparatively  quiet  life,  but  has  always 
endeavored  to  act  his  part  in  the  prosecution  of  any  public  improvement, 
and  is  a  good  citizen. 

JOHN  BLACKHALL  was  born  October  1,  1829,  in  Edinburgh, 
Scotland,  and  is  one  of  the  three  children  of  David  and  Isabella  (Goalin) 
Blackball,  both  natives  of  Scotland.  The  elder  Blackball  spent  some  of 
his  life,  while  quite  a  young  man,  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  When  our  sub- 
ject was  about  six  years  old,  his  father  died  ;  at  his  eighteenth  3'ear, 
his  mother  died.  John  Blackball  served  an  apprenticeship  of  seven  years 
as  comb-maker.  In  1852,  ho  established  a  comb  and  brush  store  in  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  and  continued  five  years.  He  was  ill  a  year,  and  sold 
out  and  went  to  Canada,  where  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  trade,  and 
in  making  pot  and  pearl  ashes,  for  about  four  years,  when  he  went  to  London 
and  learned  the  photographer's  art,  and  ran  a  branch  oSice  for  other  par- 
ties for  about  a  year  or  so.  He  also  attended  lectures  in  the  Edinburgh 
School  of  Arts,   in  philosophy,  chemistry  and  mathematics,  for  several 


670  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

years.  He  then  came  to  Chicago  and  worked  there  for  a  time,  then  to 
Morris,  111.,  then  to  Waterloo  and  Lyons,  Iowa,  and  finally  he  bought  a 
place  in  Clinton,  Iowa,  and  remained  eight  years.  He  then  came  pros- 
pecting to  Hobart,  and  has  since  remained  here,  with  the  exception  of 
about  a  year  passed  in  Marshall,  Mich.  He  also  does  a  fruit  and  garden- 
ing business,  raising  strawberries  in  particular,  also  grapes,  etc.  In 
Canada  he  was  a  member  of  the  Township  Council.  His  political  opinions 
were  Democratic  until  Lincoln's  Proclamation,  since  which  they  have 
been  Republican.  Mr.  Blackball  was  married,  in  1865,  to  Agnes 
Thompson,  a  native  of  the  Province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  and  an  estima- 
ble lady.     They  have  one  child — William  F. 

WILLIAM  L.  BO  WEN,  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Bowen  Bros., 
founders,  at  Hobart,  was  born  in  November,  1840,  in  Belgium,  within 
thirty  miles  of  the  Waterloo  battle-field.  He  is  the  youngest  of  four  chil- 
dren born  to  Thomas  and  Mary  (Griffis)  Bowen,  both  natives  of  Wales. 
The  elder  Bowen  was  led  to  go  to  Belgium  to  found  a  blast  furnace,  the 
second  one  in  that  country,  which  now  employs  an  immense  number  of 
men.  Mr.  Bowen  lived  with  his  father  in  Belgium  until  five  years  of  age, 
when  they  returned  to  Wales,  and  he  has  been  at  foundry  work  more  or 
less  since  his  seventh  year.  He  spent  about  six  years  as  journey rflan  in 
England,  after  his  nineteenth  year,  when  he  came  to  America,  and  set- 
tled in  Pottsville,  Penn.,  where  he  remained  until  1872.  He  then  spent 
about  six  months  in  Chicago,  and  then  moved  to  Hobart,  but  worked  in 
Chicago  for  about  three  years.  The  brothers  established  their  Hobart 
foundry  in  1874.  Mr.  Bowen  was  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  Odd  Fellows  in  England,  and  his  political  opinions  have  always  been 
Republican.  He  remains  unmarried,  and  his  parents  are  still  living  with 
him — seventy-six  and  seventy-eight  years  old  respectively. 

MAJ.  MICHAEL  J.  COOKE  was  born  in  1830  in  Ireland.  He 
is  one  of  nine  children  living  born  to  Henry  and  Winifred  (Hope)  Cooke, 
both  natives  of  Ireland.  Michael  J.  came  with  his  father  to  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  finally  settled  in  Philadelphia.  When  he  was  about  twenty- 
nine  years  old,  his  father  died.  He  married  and  left  home  in  1850, 
having  learned  in  a  four  years'  apprenticeship,  in  Philadelphia,  the  trade 
of  monument  and  tombstone  making.  He  worked  at  his  trade  in  Phila- 
delphia, New  York  and  Baltimore.  After  a  year  or  so  in  the  latter  two 
places,  he  continued  to  work  in  Philadelphia  until  the  war  began.  After 
considerable  revision  of  his  resiraent.  he  was  sent  out  as  First  Lieutenant 
in  the  Ninety-ninth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  in  1862.  He  was  with 
McClellan  on  part  of  the  seven  days'  battle,  and  among  those  who  re- 
ceived Lincoln  on  his  famous  visit  to  Harrison's  Landing.  He  was  on 
guard  duty  around   Washington,  was  at   Culpeper,  then   at  Bull   Run, 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  G71 

'Centreville,  Chantilly,  Fredericksburg.  He  was  discharged  on  account  of 
disability  contracted  while  in  service,  and  went  to  Philadelphia.  In  18G4, 
he  went  out  with  the  Two  Hundred  and  Third  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  as 
Captain,  to  City  Point  and  North  Carolina  under  Butler,  then  to  Fort 
Fisher,  where  he  was  promoted  to  Major,  and  received  a  notice  of  Brevet 
Commission  from  Congress  for  meritorious  conduct.  Next  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Goldsboro  and  Raleigh,  where  he  was  mustered  out,  and  returned 
to  Philadelphia.  In  July,  18G5,  he  came  to  Ilobart  and  bought  a  farm. 
After  about  two  years,  he  traded  the  place  for  his  present  property,  and 
embarked  in  the  hotel  business  for  about  eight  years.  He  began  the 
marble  business  in  1876,  and  has  continued  up  to  the  present.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows.  In  1872,  he  was  elected  Trustee  and  served  five  and  one-half 
years,  in  which  he  built  Hobart's  present  finely-arranged  and  commodious 
public  school  building.  He  was  re-elected  in  April,  1882,  and  is  the  in- 
cumbent at  present  writing.  He  was  a  Democrat  up  to  the  Garfield 
campaign,  since  which  he  has  been  a  Republican  on  tariff  principles. 
He  was  married  in  1850  to  Elizabeth  A.  Clark,  a  native  of  Philadelphia. 
They  have  eight  children  living. 

JOHN  G.  EARLE  was  born  February  6,  1833,  in  London,  England. 
He  is  the  only  child  of  George  and  Mary  (Devonshire)  Earle,  both  natives 
of  Falmouth,  England.  The  elder  Earle  was  an  architect  and  builder, 
having  learned  his  trade  in  Falmouth,  thence  going  to  London.  He 
next  came  to  Philadelphia  where  he  had  extensive  contracts,  and  then 
came  to  Lake  County,  founded  the  town  of  Liverpool  and  remained  there 
until  1845,  when  he  came  to  Ilobart.  He  also  founded  this  town  as  well 
Lake  Station.  He  founded  the  first  saw-mill,  by  which  timber  was  cut 
for  the  first  paved  street  in  Chicago.  He  was  engaged  in  the  milling 
business  and  buying  and  selling  real  estate  up  to  1854,  when  he  returned 
to  Philadelphia,  where  he  resided  until  1876.  Our  subject  was  about  two 
or  three  years  old  when  his  father  came  to  Philadelphia,  and  remained 
for  but  a  short  time  and  came  to  Lake  County.  He  was  educated  at 
Crown  Point  for  about  two  years,  and  then  was  sent  to  England  for  in- 
struction in  the  private  schools  of  that  day.  He  remained  there  for  about 
two  years,  and  returned  to  Hobart,  remaining  here  up  to  his  twenty-first 
year  with  his  father,  who  now  left  the  business  in  the  hands  of  his  son. 
For  about  fifteen  years,  Mr.  Earle  and  father  did  a  general  broker  busi- 
ness, lending  money  principally.  He  has  since  been  dealing  in  real  es- 
tate, and  has  owned  most  of  the  real  estate  in  and  around  Hobart,  and 
much  land  in  both  Porter  and  Lake  Counties,  and  of  late  considerable 
in  Illinois.  He  now  devotes  his  attention  to  the  Illinois  land,  and  build- 
ing dwelling  houses  on  lots  in  Chicago,  for  rent.     His  residence,  built  in 


672  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Hobart,  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  place,  but  he  now  lives  on  Thirty- 
seventh  street,  in  Chicago.  He  is  a  Consistory  and  Knight  Templar, 
member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  order,  and  an  Odd  Fellow.  In  politics,  he 
has  always  been  a  strong  Republican.  He  was  married,  in  1868,  to  Eva- 
line  J.  Hull,  a  native  of  Kosciusko  County,  Ind.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren— Mary  J.,  George  and  William.  His  father,  George  Earle,  in 
1868,  in  Falmouth,  England,  donated  a  Home  for  the  Aged  and  Poor, 
costing  $30,000.  He  has  painted  a  number  of  pictures;  in  1858  founded 
the  Hobart  Art  Gallery. 

ELIZABETH  H.  EVENSON  was  born  in  Clinton  County,  N.  Y., 
March  15,  1841:.  She  is  the  only  child  of  John  and  Josephite  (Du- 
rocher)  Hurley.  John  Hurley  was  born  in  Ireland ;  he  graduated  at 
Dublin  University,  and  spoke  and  wrote  the  Irish  language  with  ease. 
His  chief  business  during  life  was  testing  iron  ore  in  the  mines  of  En- 
gland, Wales  and  the  State  of  New  York.  He  died  in  New  York  in 
1856,  after  living  there  some  fifteen  years.  When  Elizabeth  was  four- 
teen years  of  age,  she  came  with  her  mother  to  Lake  Station,  and  after 
living  here  two  years,  lived  in  Valparaiso  about  two  years,  when  she  came 
back  to  Lake  Station,  and  has  lived  here  ever  since.  Her  mother  died 
at  Lake  Station  in  1873.  She  was  heiress  to  the  Jacques  Cartier  Sqfuare 
in  the  heart  of  Montreal,  Canada ;  the  matter  is  now  in  the  courts,  and, 
if  the  heirs  are  not  defeated  in  their  claims,  Mrs.  Evenson  is  one  of  six 
heirs  to  $250,000,  the  value  of  half  the  square.  Elizabeth  was  married 
November  24,  1860,  to  Olle  Evenson,  in  Valparaiso.  She  has  given 
birth  to  two  children — Etta  and  Martin,  both  dead.  Mr.  Evenson  at- 
tended the  Lutheran  Seminary  in  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  for  about  four 
years,  fitting  himself  for  the  ministry,  but  he  quit  before  he  was  or- 
dained. He  spent  his  life  chiefly  at  shoemaking.  He  died  January  27, 
1863,  at  Valparaiso.  Mrs.  Evenson  is  now  conducting  the  post  office  at 
Lake  Station,  in  which  she  has  been  for  twelve  years. 

VALENTINE  FABIAN  was  born  in  Prussia  February  22,  1842. 
He  is  one  of  five  children — two  boys  and  three  girls — born  to  Valentine 
and  Margaret  Fabian ;  the  names  of  the  children,  beginning  with  the 
eldest,  are  Christina,  Catherine,  Valentine,  Conrad  and  Mary.  Mary 
is  dead.  Mr.  Fabian  now  lives  at  Lake  Station,  and  is  freight  agent  on 
the  Michigan  Central  Railroad.  He  is  a  business  man  through  and 
through,  a  true  and  worthy  citizen,  and,  by  the  promptness  with  which 
he  discharges  all  his  duties,  has  won  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all. 

NATHAN  H.  FERRIN  was  born  in  1818  in  New  York.  He  is 
one  of  thirteen  children  living,  born  to  Ebenezer  and  Lydia  (Phelps) 
Ferrin,  both  natives  of  New  Hampshire.  Grandfather  Phelps  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution.     When  fifteen  years  old,  our  subject  began  life 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  673 

for  himself  by  working  out  and  going  to  school  up  to  his  eighteenth  year. 
He  then  began  an  apprenticeship  as  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  two  years 
later  began  business  for  himself.  After  about  six  years,  he  began  busi- 
ness as  millwright,  and  in  1865  came  to  Hobart  to  repair  the  mills.  As 
circumstances  had  it,  ho  leased  the  mills  for  a  time,  but  soon  sold  the 
lease.  He  then  began  bellows-making,  and  about  a  year  later  he  bought 
a  farm  near  town.  In  about  1874,  he  left  the  farm  and  was  engaired  at 
different  occupations  for  about  four  years,  when  he  embarked  in  his 
present  business.  He  sells  all  kinds  of  farm  implements,  including 
tiireshing  machines,  mowers,  reapers,  etc.,  all  kinds  of  sewing  machines, 
lime,  cement,  land  plaster,  etc.  Ho  has  one  sewing  machine  wagon  on 
the  road,  and  repairs  machines.  He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M. 
fraternity.  His  political  opinions  have  always  been  strongly  Republican. 
He  was  married,  in  1842,  to  Harriet  Thompson,  a  native  of  New  York. 
She  died  in  1846,  of  consumption.  In  1847,  he  married  a  sister  of  his 
first  wife.  She  died  in  1862.  He  enlisted,  in  1861,  in  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fifth  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  served  near  Wash- 
ington and  in  Virginia,  but,  on  being  taken  sick,  was  placed  in  the  hos- 
pital and  soon  discharged.  He  was  united,  in  1866,  to  Hattie  Loomis, 
born  iji  New  York.  Mr.  Ferrin  has  ten  children  living — Alamantha, 
Josiah  T.,  Harriet  A.,  Alice  A.,  Martin  A.,  Ella,  Flora  M.,  Adna, 
George  P.  and  Jesse  G. 

WILLIAM  FRANK  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  May  8, 
1818 ;  he  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children,  of  whom  five  are  still  living — 
William,  Hannah,  John,  Louisa  and  Christina.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
eight,  William  came  to  this  country,  landing  at  New  York,  going  straight 
to  Washtenaw  County,  Mich  ;  he  lived  there  some  seven  years,  when  he 
came  to  Lake  County,  and  has  lived  here  ever  since.  In  lS6-i,  he 
bought  his  present  place,  one-half  mile  south  of  Hobart,  but  he  lived  one- 
half  mile  east  of  it  until  about  1870,  when  he  moved  upon  it.  He  was 
married,  in  1851,  to  Selinda  Kern,  in  Washtenaw  County,  Mich.  She 
has  given  birth  to  six  children — Moses,  Peter,  John,  Frederick,  David 
and  Jacob.  The  oldest  and  youngest  are  dead.  Mr.  Frank  has  always 
been  a  good,  honest  farmer,  and  has  always  endeavored  to  act  the  part  of 
a  true  citizen.  He  now  lives  on  his  very  fine  farm,  one-half  mile  south 
of  Hobart. 

AARON  K.  GEARHART  was  born  October  4,  1822,  in  Hunter- 
don County,  N.  J.;  he  is  one  of  ten  children  born  to  David  and  Eliza- 
beth (Kline)  Gearhart,  the  former  probably  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  latter  of  New  Jersey.  When  Mr.  Gearhart  was  thirteen  years  old, 
they  went  to  Ohio,  where  he  served  nearly  six  years'  apprenticeship  at 
tailoring ;  he  then   started   business   for  himself,  after  a  short  time  at 


674  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

school,  at  Malvern,  Ohio ;  with  the  exception  of  about  one  year,  he  re- 
mained there  until  1853,  when  he  came  to  Porter  County ;  he  then  be- 
gan farming,  and  continued  up  to  1879,  when  he  was  urged  to  accept  a 
position  in  Valparaiso,  at  his  old  trade,  which  he  had  quit  on  account  of 
his  health ;  he  worked  for  some  time,  but  his  health  again  gave  way,  and 
he  came  to  Hobart  in  1880,  to  visit  his  daughter,  and  while  sewing  some 
for  himself,  he  was  importuned  by  several  to  do  work  for  them,  until  he 
finally  re-established  himself  in  trade  ;  he  is  a  fine  workman,  as  his  career 
will  testify.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church  for  the  past 
forty-four  years  ;  he  is  a  good  citizen,  and  an  earnest  Christian.  He  was 
married,  in  1842,  to  Drusilla  Hardesty,  a  native  of  Mai -/em,  Ohio.  They 
have  six  children — Mrs.  0.  iJ^.  Spencer,  William,  Mary,  Alice,  Jennie 
and  Hardesty  Q.  ^ 

PLINY  P.  GORDON,  M.  D.,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  P.  P. 
Gordon  &  Bro.,  druggists  and  grocers,  was  born  December  21,  1835,  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  Edwin  and  Lucy  (Power) 
Gordon,  the  former  of  New  York,  and  the  latter  of  Vermont.  Grand- 
father Gordon  was  in  the  war  of  1812.  Two  uncles  were  noted  physi- 
cians of  Detroit  and  Harrisburgh.  When  Pliny  P.  was  four  years  old, 
his  parents  came  to  Michigan ;  here  he  lived  at  home  until  about  1860. 
attending  school  at  the  Ontario  (Ind.)  Seminary ;  he  then  began  the 
study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  Warren  Byrns,  of  Bronson,  Mich.,  and 
studied  also  at  Ann  Arbor  and  Buffalo,  and  graduated  at  Buffalo  in  the 
spring  of  1865 ;  he  then  came  to  Hobart  and  located  ;  the  first  year  he 
had  a  $1,200  practice,  and  has  since  run  as  high  as  $3,500  ;  three  years 
later,  he  began  the  drug  business  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  and 
has  been  in  that  ever  since ;  the  firm  has  also  been  engaged  in  buying 
land,  and  at  present  the  brothers  have  two  farms ;  they  have  a  fifth  in- 
terest in  the  Deep  River  Ice  Company.  The  Doctor  is  the  oldest  prac- 
titioner in  Hobart,  and  has  a  leading  practice  in  this  part  of  the  county. 
He  is  a  Knight  Templar,  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  fraternity,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  lodge ;  he  was  County  Coroner  for  two 
years  ;  he  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  and  is  a  public-spirited  citizen. 
He  was  married,  in  December,  1869,  to  Hettie  Rifenburg,  a  native  of 
New  York.  They  have  one  child,  Howard  E.  Mrs.  Gordon  was  a 
teacher  for  a  number  of  years. 

JOHN  M.  GORDON,  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  P.  P.  Gordon 
&  Brother,  was  born  August  19,  1838,  in  Richmond,  Penn.  When 
John  M.  was  eighteen  years  old,  his  father  died.  Mr.  Gordon  bought  up 
the  homestead  soon  after  the  death  of  his  father,  and  in  1871  sold  out 
and  came  to  Hobart  and  went  into  partnership  with  his  brother,  P.  P. 
Gordon  ;  his  mother  lived  with  him  until  her  death,  in  the  spring  of  1882, 


HOBART   TOWxNSHIP.  675 

aged  eighty  years,  fifty-six  years  a  M.  E.  Church  member.  The  broth- 
ers keep  a  full  line  of  drugs,  paints,  oils,  varnishes,  brushes,  etc.,  and 
groceries,  provisions,  flour,  cigars  and  tobaccos,  etc.  Their  trade  has  in- 
creased, and  has  always  ranked  among  the  first  in  the  city.  Mr.  Gordon 
has  an  improved  farm  west  of  Hobart,  about  one  mile  ;  he  is  a  member 
of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  fraternity,  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but  is  liberal 
in  local  matters;  he  was  married,  January  20,  1869,  to  Anna  L.  Trura- 
per,  a  native  of  Canada.  They  had  three  children — Frederick  W.,  Mary 
J.  and  Edwin  W.  Mrs.  Gordon  was  a  teacher  for  four  years,  and  was 
educated  in  Canada. 

JOSIAH  W.  HALLADAY,  of  the  firm,  Vincent  &  Halladay,  drug- 
gists, was  born  December  2,  1855,  in  Porter  County,  Ind.;  he  is  one  of 
three  children  born  to  John  and  Jane  (Ilendee)  Halladay,  the  former  a 
native  of  Indiana,  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  The  elder  Halladay  was  a 
soldier  in  the  rebellion.  When  twelve  years  of  age,  our  subject  and 
parents  moved  from  the  farm  to  Valparaiso,  and  educated  himself  at  the 
high  school  and  Northern  Indiana  Normal  School,  and  then  began  clerk- 
ing for  C.  H.  Osgood,  merchant,  continuing  for  more  than  five  years. 
Then  for  one  year  he  clerked  for  L.  P.  Manville,  then  for  John  Wood 
two  years.  After  his  marriage,  he  farmed  for  about  two  years,  when  he 
came  to  Hobart  and  bought  a  half-interest  in  the  present  firm  of  Vin- 
cent &  Halladay.  The  firm  have  the  most  tastefully  arranged  and  ex- 
pensive drug  store  in  this  part  of  the  county,  of  Dr.  Vincent's  own  de- 
sign, also  one  of  the  most  finely  selected  stocks.  They  also  have  the 
finest  soda  fountain  in  the  county.  Mr.  Halladay  is  a  member  of  the  I. 
0.  G.  T.,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Valparaiso  Fire  Department,  and  has 
always  been  a  Republican  ;  he  was  married,  November  3,  1871,  to  Ruth 
Bullock,  a  native  of  La  Porte  County,  Ind.  She  was  educated  in  Crown 
Point  and  Valparaiso.     They  have  one  child — Charles. 

H.  C.  HANSON  was  born  April  21,  1855,  in  Denmark,  and  is  one  of 
eight  children  born  to  Christian  and  Maria  (Hanson)  Hanson.  When  Mr. 
Hanson  was  thirteen,  his  father  died;  he  had  begun  his  trade  of  jeweler 
under  his  father,  and  continued  his  father's  business  as  best  he  could  until 
fifteen  years  old;  he  then  came  to  America,  and  settled  at  Racine,  Wis., 
where  he  completed  his  trade  in  two  years.  In  the  spring  of  1872,  he 
went  to  Chicago,  and  started  in  business  for  himself,  continuing  about  one 
year ;  he  then  worked  for  a  Mr.  Williams  for  two  years  in  Chicago  and 
came  with  him  to  Hobart,  and  continued  with  him  the  three  years  follow- 
ing. In  1878,  he  established  his  present  business ;  he  keeps  a  well- 
selected  stock  of  clocks,  watches,  jewelry,  plated  ware,  spectacles,  etc.; 
his  sales  reached  nearly  $1,500  in  1881.  He  is  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Union  Church,  but  previously  was   of  the  Baptist   faith  ;  he   has 

00 


676  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

organized  three  Sabbath  schools,  and  is  at  present  Superintendent  of  the 
Union  Sabbath  School  at  Hobart ;  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Good 
Templars  ;  he  has  been  a  strong  Republican,  and  now  favors  the  Prohi- 
bition movement;  was  married,  in  1879,  to  Eva  C.  Smith,  a  native  of 
Michigan,  niece  of  Horace  Marble,  present  Sheriff  of  Lake  County. 
They  had  one  child — Leroy  H.  The  elder  Hanson  was  among  the  first 
advocates  of  the  Baptist  faith  in  Denmark,  and,  as  it  was  in  the  time  of 
religious  persecution,  he  was  repeatedly  arrested  for  advocating  doctrines 
against  the  Established  Church. 

MATTHEW  W.  JORY  was  born  July  18,  1836,  in  England,  and 
is  the  eldest  son  of  five  children  born  to  Thomas  and  Anna  E.  (Lane) 
Jory.  The  elder  Jory  was  a  queensware  merchant  in  Davenport,  En- 
gland. When  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  Matthew  W.  came  to  the 
United  States  and  remained  in  Philadelphia  about  one  year,  and  then 
went  to  Wilmington,  Del.,  to  learn  his  trade  of  carriage-body  making. 
When  about  twenty-one,  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  after  a  few 
months  went  to  St.  George,  Del.;  then  went  to  New  York.  He  then 
went  to  Port  Tobacco,  Md.,  and  was  sick  for  two  years  with  malarial  dis- 
eases. His  physician  ordered  him  to  Fredricksburg,  Va.,  where  his 
health  improved  rapidly,  and  he  went  into  business.  In  1862,  he  was 
among  those  driven  out  of  the  place  in  the  noted  battle.  He  lost  every- 
thing, except  his  tools,  which,  strangely  enough,  had  been  saved  in  a 
cellar,  and  he  found  them  after  the  war.  He  went  to  Richmond,  where 
an  attempt  was  made  to  press  him  into  service,  but,  on  account  of  phys- 
ical disability,  he  was  made  Hospital  Steward.  At  the  close  of  the  war, 
he  went  to  Mechanicsville,  and  began  business  again,  remaining  until  the 
latter  part  of  1870.  In  1870,  he  came  to  Valparaiso,  but  soon  settled  in 
Hobart,  engaging  in  carriage  and  wagon  making,  and  continuing  up  to 
March,  1882.  He  owns  a  half  interest  in  the  Hobart  Mills.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.  and  I.  0.  0.  F.  orders.  Past  Master  in 
the  former  and  Past  Grand  in  the  latter.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Uni- 
tarian Church.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  Secretary  of  the  S.  S., 
Masons  and  Odd  Fellows.  He  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but  is  now 
entirely  independent,  but  favors  the  Prohibition  movement.  He  was 
married,  August  14,  1861,  to  Ann  M.  Brown,  a  native  of  Virginia.  They 
have  four  children  living — Ida  L.,  Thomas  A.  J.,  Mary  E.  and  Eva   P. 

DANIEL  D.  LIGHTNER  was  born  May  21,  1810,  in  Virginia. 
He  is  the  youngest  living  of  six  children  born  to  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Reder)  Lightner,  the  former  a  native  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  the  latter  of 
Shenandoah  County,  Va.  They  are  of  German  descent.  Grandfather 
Lightner  was  in  the  Revolutionary  and  Grandfather  Reder  was  in  the 
Pennsylvania  Indian  wars.      When  Mr.  Lightner  was  seven  years  old,  the 


HOBART   TOWNSHIP.  677 

family  came  to  Ohio,  Fairfield  County,  and  were  among  its  first  settlers. 
When  he  was  nine  years  old,  his  father  died,  and  they  moved  to  Coshoc- 
ton County,  where  he  remained  until  reaching  manhood.  He  was  a  con- 
stant student,  and  for  over  ten  years  prepared  himself  for  teaching  by  his 
own  efforts,  studying  grammar  and  algebra.  He  taught  school  up  to 
about  his  thirtieth  year.  When  thirty-two  years  of  age,  he  came  to  In- 
diana, and  settled  in  Howard  County,  where  he  remained  twenty-five 
years.  He  farmed  for  a  few  years,  and  then  entered  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness for  about  six  years.  In  1860,  he  was  elected  Representative  to  the 
State  Legislature  from  Howard  County,  and  served  during  the  war  meas- 
ures of  Gov.  Morton,  and  earnestly  sustained  them  all.  Though  he  was 
born  among  slaves  in  Virginia,  he  has  always  been  an  Abolitionist  from 
earliest  childhood.  In  1868,  he  came  to  Hobart  and  bought  land,  and 
has  been  engaged  in  raising  grapes,  small  fruits,  vegetables,  etc.  He  has 
an  apiary,  also,  and  intends  soon  to  devote  his  whole  attention  to  bee 
culture.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  fraternity  for  many 
years.  He  was  first  of  the  Whig  persuasion  ;  in  1854,  when  the  Repub- 
lican party  was  born,  he  united  with  it,  but  votes  for  the  man  according 
to  his  choice.  He  favors  the  Prohibition  movement.  He  was  married, 
in  1835,  to  Polly  Seward,  a  native  of  Coshocton  County,  Ohio.  They 
have  four  children  living — Elvira  Hull,  Luann  Johnson,  Cora  Perkins 
and  Seward. 

H.  FOUNTAIN  C.  MILLER,  M.  D.,  was  born  September  15, 
1850,  in  Bedford,  N.  Y.,  and  is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Augustus 
and  Emily  (Baker)  Miller,  both  natives  of  New  York.  Capt.  David 
Miller  (great-grandfather)  was  in  the  Revolution  ;  a  brother  was  in  the 
rebellion.  When  twelve  years  old,  his  father  failed,  and  he  had  to  depend 
on  his  own  resources.  When  sixteen  years  old,  he  went  to  New  York 
City,  and  was  assistant  book-keeper  in  a  hardware  store,  and  afterward 
was  clerk  in  three  different  retail  jewelry,  chandelier,  statuary  establish- 
ments, among  the  first  in  the  city,  but,  very  strangely,  they  each  failed. 
After  about  six  years,  he  became  dissatisfied  with  clerking,  and  started 
for  California,  but,  on  stopping  in  Chicago  to  visit  a  relative,  he  concluded 
to  study  medicine,  and  began  under  Dr.  Morrical,  of  Chesterton,  and 
afterward  received  instruction  of  Drs.  Meeker  and  Higday,  of  La  Porte. 
He  then  went  to  Rush  Medical  College,  of  Chicago,  and  took  a  term  of 
lectures,  and  began  practicing  in  Otis.  A  year  later,  he  visited  New 
York  City,  and  attended  Bellevue  Medical  College,  visited  the  Centennial 
Exposition,  and  then  returned  to  Rush  College  and  graduated  in  the 
spring  of  1877  with  honors,  having  taken  a  thorough  course.  He  then 
practiced  at  Otis  two  years,  and  then  came  to  Hobart  and  bought  the 
practice  of  his  cousin,  Dr.  R.  E.  Miller,  and  has  since  been  thoroughly 


()78  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

successful.  He  is  a  member  of  the  La  Porte  Medical  Society,  and  is  also 
a  member  of  both  the  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.  and  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraternities.  He 
has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but  liberal  in  local  matters.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1874,  to  Deetta  Van  Horn,  a  native  of  Herkimer  County,  N.  Y. 
He  is  father  of  three  children — Spencer  A.,  Emily  E.  and  Jennie  D. 

STEPHEN  MUMMERY  was  born  in  the  county  of  Kent,  England, 
January  12,  1832.  He  is  one  of  eleven  children  born  to  Robert  and 
Frances  (Care)  Mummery — Elizabeth,  William,  Henry,  John,  Mary,  Rob- 
ert, Stephen,  William  (second),  Robert  (second),  Maria  and  Frances. 
Elizabeth,  Mary,  Stephen  and  Frances  are  the  only  ones  living.  When 
Stephen  was  quite  young,  his  father  emigrated  to  this  country,  and  in 
1849  they  moved  to  their  present  place.  In  February,  1865,  Stephen 
enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Regiment,  but  was 
discharged  in  September  of  the  same  year  on  account  of  illness.  Mr. 
Mummery  is  an  industrious  farmer,  and  owns  a  farm  of  240  acres.  He 
lives  two  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Hobart. 

JOSEPH  NASH  was  born  October  f!,  1828,  in  England.  He  is 
the  eldest  son  of  six  children  born  to  Spencer  and  Frances  (Hall)  Nash, 
both  natives  of  England.  One  of  his  ancestors  was  a  prominent  En- 
glish Government  oflScer.  When  Mr.  Nash  was  seven  years  old,  his  father 
died.  From  this  time  on,  he  was  engaged  in  brick-making,  more  or  less, 
as  journeyman  in  all  parts  of  England,  up  to  the  time  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica, at  the  age  of  twenty-four.  He  worked  a  short  time  in  Detroit, 
Mich.,  and  then  went  to  Chatham,  Canada,  and  remained  one  summer. 
After  a  short  time  in  Chicago,  he  went  to  Mcllenrytown,  111.  Then  he 
went  to  Kansas  in  about  1854,  and  after  about  two  years  he  came  to 
Chicago  for  about  a  year.  Mendota,  111.,  was  his  next  residence,  in  part- 
nership with  a  Mr.  Gooding.  After  one  summer  again  in  Chicago,  he 
went  to  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  one  winter;  then  to  Cincinnati  one  summer. 
After  a  short  time  in  Chicago,  he  went  to  Bloomington,  111. ;  then  to  Cairo, 
where  he  remained  three  or  four  year» ;  he  then  went  to  Paducah,  Ky., 
one  summer ;  then  came  to  Hobart,  and  has  been  here  ever  since ;  he  es- 
tablished the  first  brick-yard  for  the  Chicago  market  in  Hobart ;  his  pres- 
ent yard  has  been  in  operation  for  about  four  years  ;  he  has  made  in  1882 
300,000  excellent  brick ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and 
is  a  Republican. 

J.  H.  OSTRANDER  was  born  September  1,  1840,  in  New  York. 
He  is  the  youngest  of  two  children  born  to  James  and  Mary  (Baldin) 
Ostrander,  both  probably  born  in  New  York.  When  Mr.  Ostrander  was 
three  months  old,  his  mother  died,  and  scarcely  two  years  later  his  father 
received  fatal  injuries  at  a  raising.  Until  seven  years  of  age,  he  lived 
with  his  grandparents  in  New  York,  and  then  they  moved  to  Litchfield, 


IIOBART   TOWNSHIP.  079 

Mich.,  where  he  was  reared  up  to  1861,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Fourth 
Michigan  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  sent  to  Washington,  where  he  was 
taken  sick  and  was  discharged.  In  1863,  he  enlisted  in  Battery  C,  First 
Michigan  Artillery,  and  was  with  Sherman  in  every  engagement  from 
Chattanooga  to  Athmta,  Savannah,  etc.,  and  to  Wasliington  in  the  clos- 
ing review.  In  July,  1865,  he  returned,  and  soon  settled  in  Porter 
County  on  his  farm,  where  he  remained  until  1872;  he  then  came  to  IIo- 
bartand  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  four  years,  and  then  added  a 
bakery  and  restaurant,  in  which  he  has  continued  ever  since.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.  fraternity,  and  a  Republican  ;  he  was  mar- 
ried February  20,  1864,  to  Mary  Kent,  a  native  of  Bryan,  Ohio.  They 
have  four  children  living — Melvin  A.,  Charles  W.,  Willie  II.  and  Cora  M. 

ANSON  PATTERSON  was  born  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  April 
14,  1830  ;  he  is  one  of  eleven  children  born  to  Joseph  and  Phebe  Ann 
(Rumsey)  Patterson,  viz.,  Eunice,  Anson,  Joseph,  Ann  Maria,  Emma, 
Harrison,  Ellen,  Clarissa,  Ovid,  Albert  and  Alice.  Ann  Maria,  Ovid, 
Albert  and  Alice  are  dead.  When  Anson  was  four  years  old  his  fatiier 
moved  to  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  some  eleven  years, 
then  moved  to  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  living  there  about  one  and  a  half 
years.  From  there  he  moved  his  family  to  Joliet,  III.,  where  he  has  been 
living  ever  since.  After  acting  as  Postmaster  at  Joliet  some  two  years, 
in  1871,  Anson  was  appointed  mail  agent  on  the  Joliet  Cut-Off  (a  branch 
of  the  Michigan  Central),  which  position  he  still  holds,  and  has  scarcely 
missed  a  day  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  in  this  capacity.  He  was 
married,  March  20,  1851,  to  Helen  McClure,  at  Joliet ;  she  has  given 
birth  to  ten  children — William,  Albert,  Flora,  Harry,  Arthur,  Charles, 
Mary,  Nellie,  Emma  and  John.  Flora,  Emma  and  John  are  dead.  In 
1862,  Anson  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  E,  One  Hundredth  Illi- 
nois Regiment,  but  at  the  formation  of  the  company  he  was  elected  First 
Lieutenant ;  he  served  three  years,  taking  part  in  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  siege  of  Atlanta,  battles  of  Jonesboro,  Spring  Hill,  Franklin  and 
Nashville,  besides  several  minor  engagements ;  he  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Chickamauga,  and  after  this  battle  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
Captain  ;  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  his  sons — Albert  and  Arthur, 
are  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Lake  Station,  Hobart  Township. 

FREDERICK  RANDHAN  was  born  in  1821,  in  Prussia;  the 
youngest  of  six  children  born  to  Christian  and  Eliza  (Woodruff)  Rand- 
han.  The  elder  Randhan  was  a  large  land-owner  and  contractor  in  Ger- 
many. When  twenty-one  years  of  age,  Frederick  left  home ;  worked  at 
his  trade  of  rope-maker,  which  he  had  learned  at  a  three  years'  appren- 
ticeship, and  was  also  merchant.  In  1833,  he  came  to  America,  and  stayed 
in  Chicago  about  three  months,  and  bought  a  farm  near  the  city  in  Cook 


680  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

County.  After  he  had  lived  about  a  year  on  the  place,  he  came  to  Lake 
County,  and  bought  land  in  North  Township.  He  then  lived  in  Chicago 
for  nine  years  and  kept  hotel,  but  in  the  second  fire  he  wa3  burned  out, 
and  then  moved  to  his  farm  again.  In  December,  1874,  he  came  to  Ho- 
bart  and  bought  the  Hobart  House,  a  large  three-story  brick  building, 
with  a  large  public  hall  in  the  third  story.  He  still  runs  his  farm  in 
North  Township  ;  he  has  always  been  a  Republican  of  the  liberal  order. 
He  is  one  of  Lake's  earliest  settlers,  and  among  its  oldest  hotel-keepers  ; 
he  has  always  been  landlord  at  the  Hobart  House  since  187-i,  with  the 
exception  of  two  years  that  he  had  rented  it  out.  He  was  married  in 
1842,  to  Wilhelmina  Hadeke,  a  native  of  Germany.  They  have  eight 
children  living  —  Frank,  Johannah  Mclntire,  Ida  Harding,  Amanda 
Roper,  Albert,  Robert,  Lewis  and  Edward. 

CHARLES  RHODES  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  February  1, 
1848 ;  he  is  one  of  eleven  children  born  to  Jonas  and  Susan  (Stevenson) 
Rhodes,  viz.,  William,  Benjamin,  Thomas,  John,  Mary,  George,  Mar- 
garet, Charles,  Allen,  Louis  and  Florence.  Benjamin,  Thomas,  John 
and  George  are  dead.  Charles  was  born  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
where  he  now  lives,  having  come  to  his  present  place  in  1868  with  his 
father,  who  died  in  1879.  Charles  was  married,  February  23,  1881,  to 
Nellie  Pierce.  He  is  a  thrifty  farmer  and  a  good  citizen  ;  his  farm  com- 
prises 167  acres,  on  which  he  has  a  beautiful  brick  dwelling  and  commo- 
dious barn,  four  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Hobart. 

LOUIS  RHODES  was  born  January  2,  1854,  in  Lake  County,  Ind., 
and  is  one  of  the  eleven  children  of  Jonas  and  Susan  Rhodes.  The 
father  of  Louis  was  born  in  England  in  1806  ;  while  in  England  lie 
worked  at  his  trade  (masonry),  but  since  he  came  to  America  he  paid  his 
chief  attention  to  farming.  He  died  in  September,  1879,  on  his  farm  in 
Lake  County.  Louis  has  farmed  chiefly  all  his  life,  having  been  born 
not  more  than  eighty  rods  from  his  present  home.  He  pays  especial  at- 
tention to  stock-raising ;  he  has  a  fine  farm  of  200  acres  upon  which  he 
has  lately  erected  a  fine  dwelling  ;  he  lives  four  and  one-half  miles  west 
of  Hobart.  He  was  married  December  25,  1877,  to  Ruby  Halstead,  at 
Hobart ;  she  has  given  birth  to  two  children — Gracie  and  Jessie. 

WILLIAM  H.  RIFENBURG  was  born  October  22,  1834,  in  New 
York;  the  eldest  of  six  children  born  to  Aaron  and  Mary  (Banks)  Rif- 
enburg.  Two  great-grandfathers  were  in  the  Revolution.  When  about 
nineteen  years  old,  Mr.  Rifenburg  left  home,  and  went  to  Michigan  and 
engaged  in  lumbering  a  year,  then  went  to  Minnesota  for  two  years ; 
then  came  to  Lake  Station,  and  was  employed  as  clerk  in  a  store  for  three 
years  ;  then  came  to  Hobart  and  farmed  until  1861.  He  then  enlisted 
in  the  Ninth   Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  for  about  a  year  in 


HOBART   TOWNSHIP.  681 

Western  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  at  Forts  Donelson  and  Henry  and  at  Shi- 
loh ;  at  the  latter  place  he  was  wounded  and  discharged.  He  then  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  trade  until  1875  in  Hobart,  then  established  a  plan- 
ing-mill  and  sash,  door  and  blind  factory,  which  burned  after  about  three 
years,  Mr.  Rifenburg  losing  his  all.  In  this  mill,  Mr.  Rifenburg  lost  his 
arm  at  the  planer.  He  then  began  contracting  for  timber  railroad  sup- 
plies, at  which  he  has  continued  up  to  the  present.  He  is  a  member  of 
both  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow  fraternities,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Unitarian  Church.  The  Parish  Library,  of  which  he  is  Librarian,  was 
established  by  his  influence  and  effort.  He  is  President  of  the  Church 
Board  of  Trustees,  and  Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  school.  He  has 
held  all  the  township  oiSces  of  importance,  and  was  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  about  eight  years,  and  has  always  been  a  conservative  Republican. 
He  was  married  in  1858,  to  Rebecca  Stearns,  of  Indiana.  She  died  in 
1862.  In  1864,  he  married  Lillus  Howe,  of  England,  who  died  in  1866. 
In  1869,  he  married  Sabrina  Sawyer.  He  has  three  children — Mary, 
Grace  and  Maud. 

JAMES  ROPER,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  J.  Roper,  Jr.,  k 
Brother,  live  stock  and  produce  exchange  and  meat  market,  was  born  in 
1853,  at  Whitmore  Lake,  Mich.  He  is  one  of  seven  children  living  born 
to  James  and  Charlotte  E.  (Baker)  Roper,  both  natives  of  England.  Our 
subject  was  the  first  of  his  family  born  in  America.  When  Mr.  Roper 
was  about  three  years  old,  the  family  came  to  Hobart,  where  he  resided 
with  his  father  up  to  his  twentieth  year.  He  had  learned  the  meat  market 
business,  and  now,  in  connection  with  his  brother,  took  his  father's  estab- 
lishment. For  two  years,  they  gave  their  whole  attention  to  shipping  to 
the  Chicago  market.  The  brothers  have  given  a  considerable  impetus  to 
their  trade  since  it  has  been  in  their  hands.  Formerly  our  subject  was 
also  in  partnership  with  Horace  Marble,  of  Crown  Point,  for  about  four 
years,  in  buying  and  shipping  hogs.  Mr.  Roper  is  a  member  of  the  I. 
0.  0.  F.  fraternity.  He  is  at  present  Superintendent  of  Roads  for 
Hobart  Township.  His  political  opinions  have  always  been  Democratic, 
but  he  is  liberal  in  local  aifairs.  He  was  married,  in  1877,  to  Amanda 
Randhan,  a  native  of  Lake  County,  Ind.  They  have  one  child  living — 
Bliss  H.  Jarvis  H.  Roper,  junior  member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in  1858 
in  Hobart  Township. 

WILLIAM  SCHOLLER  was  born  in  1831  in  Germany.  He  is 
one  of  seven  children  born  to  Charles  and  Mary  Scholler,  both  natives  of 
Germany.  The  elder  Scholler  was  in  the  Franco-German  war  of  1815. 
At  twenty-five  years  of  age,  William  Scholler  came  to  the  United  States. 
He  had  served  an  apprenticeship  of  three  years  in  Germany  at  black- 
smithing,  and  worked  at  the  trade  three  years.    He  found  himself  without 


682  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

money  on  arriving  at  Dunkirk,  and  shipped  on  board  a  propeller  on  Lake 
Erie  for  a  short  time.  He  then  went  to  Chicago  and  worked  at  his  trade 
in  a  factory  for  about  two  years,  when  he  went  to  Crown  Point,  Ind.,  and 
after  about  six  months'  employment  came  to  Hobart  and  established  a 
shop  of  his  own,  and  has  remained  ever  since.  He  has  now  probably  the 
finest  blacksmith  shop  in  Lake  County,  24x60  feet,  of  brick.  He  does  a 
general  blacksmithing  business,  building  wagons,  buggies,  plows,  shoeing 
horses,  etc.  He  also  owns  a  farm  of  100  acres  near  Hobart,  with  first- 
class  buildings.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  fraternity.  His 
political  opinions  have  always  been  strongly  Republican.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1861,  to  Amanda  Shearer,  a  native  of  Indiana.  They  have  eight 
children  living — Alfred,  Harrison,  George  W.,  Daniel,  Carrie,  Robert  and 
Emanuel. 

JEROME  SHEARER  was  born  in  Stark  County,  Ohio,  March  31, 
1834.  He  is  one  of  fifteen  children,  ten  boys  and  five  girls,  the  first  four 
having  been  born  to  John  Shearer's  first  wife,  the  rest  to  his  second  wife. 
The  names  of  the  children,  beginning  with  the  eldest,  are  John,  Adam, 
Sarah,  Elizabeth,  Susan,  Daniel,  Rachel,  Polly,  James,  Samuel,  Wash- 
ington, Elijah,  Jerome,  George  and  Harrison.  Sarah,  Rachel,  Polly  and 
Harrison  are  dead.  Working  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  arrived  at  the 
age  of  twenty-two,  he  came  to  Twenty-Mile  Prairie,  Ind.  He  was  mar- 
ried, September  6,  1855,  to  Margaret  Waltz,  in  Stark  County.  She  has 
given  birth  to  eleven  children — six  boys  and  five  girls.  The  names  of 
the  living  children  are  John,  George,  Albert,  Calvin,  Frank,  Clara,  Wal- 
ter and  Ida.  After  farming  five  years  on  Twenty-Mile  Prairie,  Jerome 
came  to  his  present  place,  where  he  has  lived  ever  since.  In  1862,  he 
enlisted  in  the  Thirty-eighth  Indiana  Regiment,  and  was  on  active  duty 
in  and  around  Nashville.  His  father  went  all  through  the  war  of  1812. 
Jerome  is  a  thrifty  farmer,  paying  his  chief  attention  to  the  raising  of 
wheat,  but  also  pays  some  attention  to  stock-raising.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church,  and  lives  one  mile  a  little  southeast  of  Hobart,  on 
his  farm  of  165  acres. 

WM.  H.  SHOLL  was  born  in  1831  in  Pennsylvania.  He  is  one 
of  nine  children  born  to  Jacob  and  Christina  (Smith)  ShoU,  the  former  a 
native  of  Maryland  and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.  When  Mr.  Sholl  was 
about  four  years  old,  the  family  moved  to  Ohio,  where  William  H.  served 
an  apprenticeship  at  blacksmithing  for  about  two  years,  and  worked  at 
cabinet-making.  When  twenty  years  of  age,  he  came  to  La  Porte 
County,  and  was  employed  by  J.  J.  Mann  &  Son,  manufacturers  of  reap- 
ers and  mowers,  for  seven  years ;  he  then  moved  on  his  farm  in  Ross 
Township,  Lake  County.  In  1864,  he  enlisted  in  the  First  United 
States   Engineers,   and   served   in  the   shops   at     Chattanooga,    Decatur 


HOBAKT   TOWNSHIP.  683 

(Ala.),  Nashville  and  other  places  until  discharged.  In  about  187G,  he 
left  Ross  Township  and  came  to  Hobart.  Here  he  engaged  in  dealing  in 
and  pressing  hay,  and  also  railroad  contracting.  He  pressed  an  average 
of  800  tons  annually.  He  owned  the  old  Nash  Brickyard  for  about  two 
years,  in  which  he  experimented  with  a  tile  machine  of  his  own  invention. 
In  July,  1882,  he  established  his  present  livery,  feed  and  sale  stables, 
where  he  keeps  from  six  to  ten  first-class  horses  and  buggies,  and  also  a 
fine  hearse.  He  has  the  finest  Gothic  residence  in  the  place.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  also  of  the  Unitarian  Church.  He 
has  always  been  a  Republican,  but  liberal  in  local  affairs.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1852,  to  Jane  A.  Mann,  a  native  of  New  York.  She  died  in 
18G7.  They  had  seven  children — Francis  E.,  Ellen  E.  Lembke,  Jacob 
M.,  Florence  M.  Brown,  Thomas  C,  Betty  C.  and  Amenzo  G.  He 
was  again  married,  in  1870,  to  Josephine  Hodsden,  a  native  of  New 
York.      She  has  been  a  teacher  of  long  experience. 

GEORGE  STOCKER  was  born  in  1841,  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  and 
is  one  of  the  twelve  children  of  George  and  Theressa  (Hahn)  Stocker. 
The  elder  Stocker  was  in  the  Franco- German  war  of  1812  and  against 
Russia  with  Napoleon.  When  our  subject  was  twenty  years  of  age,  his 
father  died.  In  1866,  he  entered  the  Austro-Prussian  war,  and  served 
for  about  three  months,  near  the  close ;  he  then  came  to  America  and 
settled  in  Chicago.  After  about  two  months'  work  at  shoemaking,  which 
trade  he  had  learned  from  his  father,  he  came  to  Hobart,  and  after  being 
employed  about  ton  months  he  established  his  own  shoe  shop.  In  1874, 
he  went  to  Europe.  He  had  traveled  in  Hungary,  Turkey  (in  Asia  and 
Europe),  Italy,  Austria,  etc.,  before  he  came  to  America,  and  on  this 
visit  traveled  in  France,  Italy,  Switzerland,  Austria  and  Germany.  On 
his  return,  he  built  the  brick  business  room  on  Third  street,  and  started 
a  shoe  store.  After  about  one  year,  he  rented  this  building,  and  built 
what  is  known  as  Stocker's  Block,  consisting  of  three  business  rooms, 
two  of  which  are  occupied  by  him  and  the  third  by  Vincent  &  Halladay, 
druggists.  He  keeps  the  largest  stock  of  boots  and  shoes  in  the  place  in 
one  room,  and  in  the  other  an  extensive  and  finely  selected  stock  of  gen- 
eral merchandise.  In  1880,  he  rented  the  old  Holmes  Brickyard,  but 
soon  bought  one  of  his  own  ;  he  employs  on  an  average  twenty-five 
hands,  turning  out  about  14,000  brick  per  day;  he  has  dealt  considerably 
in  real  estate;  for  two  years,  just  after  the  great  fire,  he  bought  timber 
and  worked  it  up.  In  1868,  he  was  elected  Trustee,  and  served  four 
years;  he  belongs  to  the  F.  &  A.  M.  and  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraternities,  and  is 
at  present  Treasurer  in  the  former;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  to  the  Latin  language  of  which  he  attributes  his  success  while 
traveling  in  Asia;  he  has  always  been  a  Democrat  in  politics.     In  May, 


684  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

1880,  he  was  married  to  Carrie  Majbaum,  a  native  of  Germany;  he  has 
one  child — Theressa. 

J.  T.  STROUPE  was  born  March  16, 1852,  in  Madison  County,  Ohio. 
He  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  William  and  Caroline  (Rankin) 
Stroupe,  both  natives  of  Madison.  When  Mr.  Stroupe  was  seventeen 
years  of  age,  his  mother  died.  When  seventeen,  he  began  learning  teleg- 
raphy, and,  having  finished,  clerked  for  his  father.  When  twenty  years 
old,  he  went  to  Missouri,  and  was  engaged  at  herding  cattle  for  two 
years.  After  a  short  time  at  home  (Ada,  Ohio),  clerking,  he  worked  as 
extra  for  the  P.,  Ft.  W.  &  C.  R.  R.,  up  to  1876;  he  then  took  the  office 
at  Nevada,  Ohio,  as  operator  and  agent's  clerk  for  about  a  year;  he  then 
went  to  Ada,  and  remained  for  about  a  year;  was  next  an  extra  for 
about  four  months,  when  he  went  to  Lima,  Ohio,  then  to  Nevada  for  over 
a  year;  he  came  to  Hobart  in  1881,  and  is  agent  and  operator  for  the 
P.,  Ft.  W.  &  C.  R.  R.  Company  here.  He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A. 
M.  fraternity;  his  political  opinions  have  always  been  independent;  he 
was  married  in  1877,  February  7,  to  Meda  Slack,  a  native  of  Ohio. 
They  have  one  child  living — Neta. 

ALONZO  W.  VINCENT,  M.  D.,  member  of  the  firm  of  Vincent 
&  Halladay,  was  born  December  10,  1839,  in  Huron  County,  Ohio.  He 
is  the  eldest  of  seven  children  born  to  Martin  and  Mercy  (Pierce) 
Vincent,  both  natives  of  New  York.  Grandfather  Vincent  was  a  soldier 
in  both  the  Revolution  and  the  war  of  1812.  He  was  educated  for  the 
ministry.  In  1814,  Mr.  Vincent's  father  and  family  came  to  Ross  Town- 
ship, Lake  County,  and  pre-empted  160  acres  of  land  on  which  he  has 
since  lived  and  on  which  our  subject  was  reared  up  to  his  twenty-first 
year.  He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  partly  in  Crown  Point  and  partly 
in  the  country.  In  February,  1864,  he  enlisted,  in  Iowa,  but  on  account 
of  physical  disability  was  rejected.  He  returned  home  and  enlisted  in 
the  Seventy-third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  but  was  a  second  time  re- 
jected. He  then  went  into  the  mercantile  and  live-stock  business  at 
Hebron.  In  1867,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  Arnold, 
of  Merrillville  (now  of  South  Chicago).  After  three  years  under  Dr. 
Arnold,  he  went  to  Ann  Arbor,  and  after  his  first  term  of  lectures  went 
to  Deep  River  and  practiced  one  and  a  half  years.  He  then  went  to 
Bennett  Medical  College  of  Chicago,  and  graduated  in  1871.  He  next 
took  a  spring  course  in  the  Hahnemann  Homoeopathic  School  of  Chicago. 
He  returned  again  to  Deep  River  and  practiced  for  nine  years,  with  ex- 
cellent success.  He  then  attended  a  review  term  at  Bennett  again,  and 
then  was  three  months  at  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  of  New 
York.  In  1879,  he  located  in  Valparaiso  and  practiced  for  one  and  a 
quarter  years.     He  next,  in  company  with  his  brother-in-law,  established 


HOBART  TOWNSHIP.  686 

a  fine  brick  drug  and  grocery  store,  which  was  destroyed  by  a  hurricane, 
but  rebuilt.  With  what  stock  he  had  left  he  came  to  Hobart  and  estab- 
lished his  present  business.  He  is  a  Knight  Templar,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  order.  He  was  a  Notary  Public  for  about  four  years, 
and  Postmaster  of  Deep  River  for  about  the  same  time,  and  has  always 
been  a  Republican.  He  was  married,  January  1,  1869,  to  Mary  Wood, 
a  native  of  Deep  River,  and  only  daughter  of  John  Wood,  Sr.,  of  that 
place.  She  was  educated  at  Wabash  College,  Ind.,  and  is  the  mother  of 
one  child — Alice. 

ANDREW  J.  WALL  was  born  in  1827  in  Sweden,  and  is  the  eldest 
of  seven  children  born  to  John  and  Christina  Wall ;  his  father  was  in  the 
wars  between  Sweden  and  Russia,  also  Norway.  Mr.  Wall  lived  at  home 
until  twelve  years  of  age,  and  then  worked  out  until  nineteen  years  of 
age,  and  then  served  three  years'  apprenticeship  at  cabinet-making.  He 
conducted  business  for  himself  for  nine  years,  when  he  emigrated  to 
America  and  settled  in  Chicago,  and  worked  at  carpentering  for  four 
years;  he  took  to  carpentering  because  it  paid  better,  and  his  cabinet- 
work would  be  hindered  by  his  inability  to  speak  English.  He  came  to 
Hobart  in  1861,  and  bought  property,  and  has  lived  here  ever  since,  with 
the  exception  of  a  temporary  residence  of  three  years  in  Furnessville, 
Porter  County ;  his  trade  has  increased  greatly  in  the  last  fourteen  years ; 
he  has  been  in  partnership  with  Mr.  James  M.  Cowhlin  for  the  last  four- 
teen years,  and  they  have  the  leading  trade;  he  has  one  of  the  finest  resi- 
dences in  Hobart,  on  which  he  has  shown  his  talent  as  a  carpenter  ;  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  and  a  Republican ;  he  was 
married,  in  1847,  to  Lena  C.  Wall,  a  native  of  Sweden.  They  have  seven 
children — Christina  L.  Enborg,  of  Chicago,  John  0.,  Andrew  A.,  Henry, 
Gilbert,  Albert  and  Cora. 

JOSEPH  M.  WHITMORE  was  born  January  2,  1833,  in  Conners- 
ville,  Ind.  He  is  one  of  three  children  living  born  to  Julius  and  Eliza- 
beth (Stebbins)  Whitmore,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  the 
latter  of  Vermont.  The  elder  Whitmore  was  a  Colonel  in  the  war  of 
1812.  Many  of  the  relatives  are  physicians.  Grandfather  Whitmore, 
with  his  two  brothers,  came  from  England,  and  were  the  first  Whitmores 
to  come  to  America.  When  our  subject  was  four  years  of  age,  his  father 
moved  to  La  Porte  County,  where  he  was  educated  up  to  his  nineteenth 
year.  He  had  learned  his  trade  of  tinner,  and  went  to  Valparaiso  and 
established  a  hardware  store,  continuing  for  about  nine  years.  He  then 
went  to  Sheboygan,  built  a  vessel,  and  engaged  in  transporting  lumber  in 
partn'ership  with  a  lumberman,  between  Chicago  and  near  New  Buffalo, 
Mich.,  for  about  two  years.  He  then  went  to  Valparaiso  and  built  a 
business  room,  and  established  a  hardware  store  again.     After  about  four- 


686  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

teen  or  fifteen  years,  he  came  to  Hobart  and  began  manufacturing  an  oil 
stove  he  had  invented,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  work.  He  has 
a  very  extensive  trade,  selling  in  Chicago,  Fore  Wayne  and  other  mar- 
kets. He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.  fraternity,  and  has  always  been 
a  strong  Republican.  He  was  married,  in  1856,  to  Emma  L.  Alexander, 
a  native  of  Luzerne  County,  Penn.  She  died  in  1875,  leaving  three 
children — Lizzie  A.,  Louise  and  Jesse  M. 

AUGUSTUS  WOOD,  son  of  John  and  Hannah  E.  (Pattee)  Wood,  was 
born  in  Danvers,  Mass.,  in  1828,  and  in  1836  came  with  his  parents  to 
Lake  County.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  engaged  in  clerking  at 
Crown  Point  and  Michigan  City  ;  in  1855,  he  entered  in  business  at 
Wood's  Mill,  carrying  a  stock  of  general  merchandise  until  1880,  when 
he  moved  to  Hobart,  built  a  store,  and  resumed  his  trade  in  dry  goods, 
notions,  groceries,  crockery,  etc.  He  is  a  Knight  Templar  and  belongs 
to  the  Valparaiso  Commandery  ;  he  was  married  at  Michigan  City,  in  1852, 
to  Jessie  M.  Brown,  a  native  of  Cincinnati.  They  have  three  children 
living — Carrie  M.  Ryan,  of  Valparaiso  ;  Abbie  M.  Bullock,  of  Hobart, 
and  John  J.  Wood,  now  associated  in  business  with  his  father. 

JOHN  ZUVERS  was  born  in  Bartholomew  County,  Ind.,  October 
19,  1825.  He  is  one  of  nine  children,  boys,  born  to  George  and  Wini- 
fred (Branhan)  Zuvers,  viz.,  Solomon,  John,  Leander,  William,  Amos, 
Charlie,  Francis,  George  and  Jasper.  Solomon,  John,  Leander  and  Amos 
are  still  living.  The  father  of  John  was  a  cabinet-maker  and  carpenter 
by  trade  ;  was  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  died  in  1845.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  married  to  Mary  Warchus,  in  Lake  County  ;  he  lived  with 
his  father  in  Bartholomew  County  almost  continually  until  the  family  set- 
tled in  Lake  County  in  1836,  in  which  county  John  has  made  his  home 
ever  since.  The  Zuvers  family  found  this  country  in  all  its  primitive 
wildness,  there  being  very  few  settlers  here  at  that  time  ;  he  is  a  God- 
fearing man,  a  genuine  politician  and  a  strict  temperance  man,  and  says 
that  he  hopes  before  he  dies  to  see  intemperance  wiped  out  of  existence  ; 
he  now  lives  on  Deep  River,  hemmed  in  with  three  railroads,  two  and 
one-half  miles  northwest  of  Hobart. 


NORTH  TOWNSHIP.  68' 


NORTH  TOWNSHIP. 

MAGNUS  ANDERSON,  son  of  Anders  Johnson,  was  born  in 
Sweden  January  1,  1825.  When  sixteen  years  old,  he  commenced  to 
peddle  goods  through  the  country,  and  so  continued  until  1852,  when  he 
came  to  Boston  and  learned  safe-making,  and  was  there  married,  Novem- 
ber 5,  1853,  to  Anna  M.  Arnedson,  who  has  borne  her  husband  nine 
children,  five  boys  and  four  girls.  From  Boston,  Mr.  Anderson  moved  to 
Rhode  Island,  and  then  to  Chicago,  and  in  the  fall  of  1857  came  to  Lake 
Station,  this  township.  He  next  moved  to  Miller  Station  and  purchased 
eighty  acres  on  Section  31,  built  a  nice  frame  house,  farmed,  and  began 
gathering  moss  from  the  lowlands,  which  he  dries  and  presses  and  ships 
in  large  quantities  to  Chicago  to  be  used  in  wrapping  fruit  trees.  Mr. 
Anderson  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  their  chil- 
dren were  born  and  named  in  the  following  order  :  Victor  Edwin,  born 
in  Boston  and  now  deceased ;  Lodwick  A.,  born  in  Rhode  Island  ;  Jen- 
nie A.,  Susanna  N.,  Ida  M.,  Victor  G.,  Carl  F.,  Herrman  and  Huldah, 
all  born  in  this  township. 

JAMES  H.  ANSBRO  is  a  son  of  Michael  and  Anna  (Hughes)  Ans- 
bro,  of  Ireland,  where  our  subject  was  born  July  28,  1829.  When  but 
ten  months  old,  his  parents  left  him  with  his  grandmother,  and  they  came 
to  America,  his  grandmother  not  being  willing  for  taem  to  bring  so  young 
a  child  across  the  ocean.  When  about  six  years  of  age,  he  commenced 
school,  and  continued  till  about  seventeen,  reaching  a  course  in  the  high 
school,  after  which  he  taught  for  about  two  years,  and  on  July  10,  18-18, 
he  came  America  and  located  in  Wyandot  County,  Ohio  ;  went  to  work 
on  the  railroad  for  about  eight  months ;  then  to  Sandusky  City,  where  he 
taught  school  for  some  time  ;  from  there  he  went  to  work  on  the  Ken- 
tucky Central  Railroad  ;  from  there  to  the  New  Albany  &  Salem  road, 
as  foreman  ;  then  back  to  the  Kentucky  Central  some  two  years.  While 
there,  on  September  19,  1853,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Pender- 
gast,  daughter  of  Patrick  and  Bridget  (Mathewus)  Pendergast.  Nine 
children  have  been  born  to  them,  three  boys  and  six  girls — John,  born 
September  6,  1854,  died  December  10,  1854;  Anna  J.,  December  8, 
1855;  Catherine  B.,  July  1,  1857;  Margaret  A.,  August  24,  1858; 
Mary  A.,  July  15,  1860  ;  Jane  E.,  April  13,  1862  ;  James  F.,  Febru- 
ary 13,  1865;  Bridget  A.,  July  18,  1869,  and  John,  April  10,  1877.  In 
December,  of  1855,  he  came  to  Porter  County,  Ind. ;  worked  on  a  rail- 
road till  1863  ;  from  there  he  came  to  Miller's  Station,  bought  eighty 


688  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

acres  of  land  in  Section  No.  8,  and  fifteen  acres  in  Miller's  Station  ;  he 
then  went  to  railroading,  and  is  still  following  the  same.  Our  subject  and 
family  are  members  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  Church  at  Chesterton.  He 
is  liberal  in  politics. 

E.  J.  BEALL  is  a  native  of  Washington,  D.  C,  and  a  son  of 
Charles  and  Sarah  J.  Beall,  both  natives  of  Washington,  D.  C,  where 
his  mother  died,  and  where  his  father  still  resides.  Charles  Beall  was  a 
carpenter  by  occupation.  E.  J.  Beall  passed  his  early  days  in  Washing- 
ton, where  he  received  a  good  public-school  education.  During  his  boy- 
hood, he  learned  the  trade  of  a  plasterer,  which  he  has  since  made 
a  life-long  handicraft.  On  November  20,  1876,  in  Chicago,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Louisa  M.  Sohl,  daughter  of  William  and  Louisa  Sohl,  and 
a  native  of  London,  as  was  her  mother,  her  father  being  a  native  of  Ger- 
many. They  came  to  Lake  County  in  1854,  where  they  cleared  a  farm 
and  resided  until  their  deaths — Mr.  Sohl  in  February,  1877,  and  Mrs. 
Sohl  June  40,  1879.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beall  have  been  residents  of  Ham- 
mond since  1878.  They  have  been  blessed  with  two  children — William 
H.  and  Charles. 

CHARLES  F.  BLANK  is  a  son  of  Nils  August  and  Anna  Lena 
(Anderson)  Blank,  who  were  born  in  Sweden  in  1822  and  1818  respect- 
ively. Our  subject  was  born  in  Hygsby,  Sweden,  September  4,  1855. 
When  but  a  child,  July,  1863,  his  father  brought  his  family  to  America, 
and  located  at  Lake  Station,  where  our  subject  attended  school  till 
about  thirteen  years  of  age.  He  then  worked  in  a  general  store  for  a 
Mr.  Flint  about  one  year ;  was  then  confirmed  in  the  Lutheran  Church, 
which  event  took  about  three  months  ;  after  which,  in  1871,  he  went  to 
Chicago  to  learn  the  trade  of  watch-maker,  finished  same  and  returned  to 
Lake  Station,  back  in  the  old  store  as  clerk  for  Mrs.  Flint  (her  husband 
having  died  during  our  subject's  absence),  where  he  remained  for  four 
years ;  he  then,  in  1874,  came  to  Miller's  Station  where  he  started  a 
small  store,  doing  a  good  business,  and  on  April  25,  1875,  was  married  to 
Johanna  Erlandson.  To  them  six  children  were  born,  five  girls  and  one 
boy — Lillie  Georgiana,  born  March  9,  1876,  and  died  March  14,  1876, 
(an  infant  twin  sister  who  died  unnamed),  Nella  Charlotta,  born  June  24, 
1877,  died  February '10,  1879;  Charles  August,  May  24,  1879;  Lilly 
Augusta,  February  18,  1881,  and  Ester  Charlotta,  October  20,  1882. 
In  the  fall  of  1882,  he  finished  a  fine  two-story  house  and  store  30x40 
feet  on  lot  50x100,  fronting  on  L.  S.  &  M.  S.  R.  R.,  where  he  is  a 
dealer  in  general  merchandise,  staple  and  fancy  groceries,  dry  goods, 
notions,  drugs,  hard  and  tin  ware,  watches,  clocks,  jewelry,  musical 
instruments,  sewing  machines,  guns,  pistols,  revolvers,  etc.,  etc.  On  July 
4,  1882,  his  store  was  broken  into  and  robbed  of  quite  an  amount,  but 


NORTH   TOWNSHIP.  68D 

most  of  his  valuables  being  in  his  safe,  his  loss  was  not  so  great  as  it 
otherwise  might  have  been.  Our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Swedish  Mission  Church,  He  is  a  Republican,  and  withal  a  self-made 
man. 

ANDREAS  BORCHERT,  son  of  Charles  and  Elizabeth  (Boehl) 
Borchert,  was  born  in  Prussia  November  4,  1830.  He  attended  school 
till  fourteen  years  old,  then  worked  on  his  father's  farm  some  six  years, 
and  in  1850  joined  the  Prussian  Army,  in  which  he  remained  for  three 
years  ;  after  his  time  was  out  he  again  went  to  farming,  and  on  October 
5,  1856,  was  married  to  Dorathia  Grapenthis.  To  this  union,  while  in 
Prussia,  five  children  were  born — Augusta  (deceased),  Minnie,  Paulina, 
Mary  and  Caroline  (twins);  Caroline  (deceased).  In  1867,  he  came  to 
America,  located  in  Chicago,  worked  in  a  brick-yard  some  two  years, 
and  then,  in  1869,  came  to  Clark  Station,  bought  five  acres  of  land,  built 
two  frame  houses,  one  of  which  he  rents,  and  lives  in  the  other.  After 
coming  here  to  live,  three  children  were  born  to  him,  namely  :  William, 
Charles  (deceased)  and  Oscar.  Our  subject  is  keeping  a  garden  farm. 
He  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  German 
Lutheran  Church. 

CHRISTOPHER  BORMANN,  son  of  Christopher  aud  Conradina 
(Lessman)  Borraann,  was  born  February   25,  1830,   in   Brunswick,    Ger- 
many.    His  father  was  a  trader  in  cattle  and  butcher.     Christopher,  Jr., 
went  to  school  till  fourteen  and  then  to  learn  butchering ;   two  years  after 
that  he    commenced   to  study   music  with   Prof.  Frost,  after   which  he 
traveled  with  a   circus   band  to  England   and    Scotland  for  some   three 
years  ;  in  1851,  his  father  brought  his  family  to  America,  located  in  Ful- 
ton County,  N.  Y.,  and  Christopher  again  traveled  with   different  circus 
bands  for  some  eight  years.     His  father  came  to  this  township  in  1858, 
where  he  bought  a  small  farm,  and   our  subject  soon  after   came   home, 
and  on  April  26,  1863,  was  married  to  Mena  K.,  daughter  of  Frederick 
and  Johanna  Beekman.     They  have  had  born  to  them  nine   children  — 
Christopher  A.,  June  16,  1864  ;  Matilda  L.,  July  7,   1866  ;  Augusta 
(deceased),  March  3,   1868 ;  Albert  F.,   January   13,   1870  ;   Conradina 
(deceased),  October  12, 1872  ;  Frank,  January  7,  1875  ;  Otto  C,  March 
3,  1877  ;  Frederick  A.   Otto  (deceased),   April    28,  1879,   and  Emma 
(deceased)  March  22,  1882.     His  father  gave  him  twenty-eight  acres   of 
land  but  he  traveled  again  with  a  circus  band  some   two  years,   and   in 
1865,  gave  up  the  business  and  came  home  to  stay ;  he  worked   on  his 
farm  some  time,  and  in  1875  bought  a  lot  in  Tolleston,  built  a  house  and 
started  a  general  country  store.     In  1878,  he  was  appointed  Postmaster, 
and  held  that  position  some  two  years.     He  is  a  liberal  Democrat  and  he 
and  wife  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 


690  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

J.  M.  BRADFORD  was  born  in  Bradford  County,  Penn.,  July  6, 
1852,  and  is  a  son  of  William  T.  and  Sarah  (Gardner)  Bradford,  both 
natives  of  Massachusetts.  His  father  is  a  lumberman  and  millwright, 
but  is  at  present  in  a  hotel  at  Bellaire,  Ohio.  J.  M.  Bradford's  first 
school  days  were  at  Danby,  Tompkins  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  he  obtained  a 
fair  education.  When  fourteen  years  old,  he  began  to  learn  house-paint- 
ing, which  he  followed  steadily  since  until  within  a  short  time.  He  came 
to  Hammond  July  22,  1879.  Only  a  short  time  ago,  Mr.  Bradford 
opened  a  neat  hardware  store,  which  he  managed  in  connection  with  his 
trade,  where  he  has  a  fair  stock  and  has  done  a  good  businesss ;  he  car- 
ries, also,  a  large  variety  of  wall-paper,  from  which  any  one  may  make 
choice.  On  December  31,  1879,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  J. 
Watts,  daughter  of  James  and  Hannah  Watts,  and  a  native  of  Jefferson 
Township,  Cass  County,  Ind.  One  child  has  been  born  to  them — 
Annie  M. 

CHARLES  CHICK  is  the  son  of  George  and  Mary  (Palmer)  Chick, 
who  were  born  in  England,  the  father  on  January  12,  1805,  and  the 
mother  in  1809,  and  were  married  about  the  year  1833.  Charles  Chick 
was  born  in  Bristol,  Eng.,  January  21,  1840,  and  attended  school  until 
about  twelve  years  of  age  ;  his  father  being  a  blacksmith,  Charles  learned 
that  trade,  and  he  remained  with  his  father  till  his  marriage,  which  took 
place  in  February,  1858,  to  Elizabeth  Y.  Vickers,  daughter  of  Richard 
Vickers,  of  England.  Five  children  were  born  to  this  union — Harriet, 
George  (deceased),  and  Mary  Ann,  born  in  England,  and  William  George 
and  Emily  E.,  born  in  America.  In  1863,  our  subject  first  came  to 
America,  but  soon  returned  to  England  ;  he  was  not  satisfied  there,  and, 
after  crossing  the  ocean  some  seven  times,  brought  his  family  over  in  1866, 
and  came  here  to  live  ;  located  m  Chicago,  where  he  remained  till  1869, 
then  came  to  this  township,  bought  eleven  acres  of  improved  land,  and 
built  the  first  blacksmith-shop  in  the  township,  and  also  made  the  first 
wagon  ever  built  here.  Mr,  Chick  and  wife  are  members  of  the  church 
at  Ross,  and,  in  politics,  he  is  a  Republican. 

M.  CLEMENTS  is  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  born  July  28,  1855, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  Clements,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania ; 
both  died  in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Clements,  after  attending  the  ordi- 
nary schools,  attended  also  a  German  school,  an  advantage  he  prizes 
highly.  He  afterward  learned  the  trade  of  whip-making,  which  oc- 
cupation he  abandoned  in  1876,  when  he  came  West  and  worked  on  a 
farm  for  one  Mr.  Payne,  of  Chicago,  for  one  year.  Afterward  he  came 
to  Hammond,  Lake  County,  where  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  S. 
Harden  in  the  proprietorship  and  management  of  the  Hammond 
House. 


NORTH    TOWNSHIP.  691 

J.  H.  CLIFFORD  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  March  12,  1851,  and 
is  a  son  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Hart)  Clifford,  both  natives  of  Ireland. 
Charles  Hart  is  a  cabinet-maker  by  occupation,  and  has  been  a  citizen 
of  the  United  States  for  about  fifty  years.  The  early  school  days  of  J. 
II.  Clifford  were  spent  in  La  Salle  County,  111.,  where  he  received  an 
ordinary  education.  When  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  went  into  a  ma- 
chine shop,  where  he  labored  two  and  a  hair  or  three  years;  he  then 
commenced  as  clerk  for  S.  B.  Gridley,  in  Ottawa,  111.,  and  later,  in  the 
same  building  with  D.  C.  0.  Kane.  In  1875,  he  formed  a  partnership 
at  Earl  Park,  Ind.,  with  Mr.  Magher,  in  the  general  merchandise  busi- 
ness, which  was  continued  two  years,  after  which  he  clerked  for  Hartley 
Bros.,  in  the  same  place,  for  two  years.  On  October  21,  1875,  he  was 
married  in  Ottawa,  111.,  to  Miss  Teresa  L.  Magher,  a  native  of  New  York, 
daughter  of  Michael  and  Catherine  Magher,  both  natives  of  Ireland. 
To  this  union  were  born  three  children — Catherine,  Charles  and  Mary. 
After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Clifford  engaged  in  farming  for  three  years.  In 
1882,  he  came  to  Hammond,  where  he  began  the  grocer}^  (jueensware 
and  crockery  business,  and  has  now  a  good  trade.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clif- 
ford are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

W.  S.  COLE,  station  agent  at  Clarke,  on  Pittsburgh,  Ft.  Wayne  & 
Chicago  Railway,  was  born  near  Boydston's  Mills,  Kosciusko  County, 
Ind.,  August  5, 1851  ;  his  father,  Dr.  P.  L.  Cole,  was  a  native  of  Camden, 
N.  J.,  born  in  February,  1815,  died  in  Kosciusko  County,  Ind.,  October, 
1880;  his  mother's  maiden  name  was  Muirheid.  She  is  a  native  of  West 
Virginia,  born  near  Phillipi  July,  1830,  and  is  a  resident  of  Warsaw, 
Ind.  Mr.  Cole  was  early  thrown  on  his  own  resources,  and,  at  the  age 
of  seventeen,  was  a  printer's  devil,  learning  the  art  preservative.  After 
between  three  or  four  years'  service  in  different  oflBces,  he  learned  the  art 
of  telegraphy,  which  was  followed  for  three  years,  and  in  turn  abandoned 
for  farming,  which  occupation  was  followed  until  continued  ill-health 
compelled  a  resort  to  telegraphy  again  in  1881.  He  was  married  to  Mrs. 
Julia  Leach,  September  27,  1873,  in  Osceola  County,  Mich.,  who  was 
born  in  Lake  County,  Ohio,  April,  1833.  They  have  one  child — Lizzie, 
born  November  17,  1874.  Mr.  Cole  became  a  resident  of  this  county  in 
April,  1882. 

AUGUST  F.  CONRAD  is  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Johanna  (Schultz) 
Conrad,  who  were  born  in  Prussia  in  1804  ;  our  subject  was  born  in  the 
same  country  September  9,  1841 ;  he  went  to  school  till  about  fourteen, 
then  learned  the  trade  of  cabinet-making  with  his  father  ;  he  then  went 
to  Berlin,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  some  two  years;  then  served  as  a 
soldier  three  years  ;  after  that,  was  one  year  at  home,  then  came  to  Ameri- 
ca ;  located  in   Chicago;  worked   at  house-buiMing  some  years,  and  on 

pp 


692  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

March  8,  1874,  was  married  to  Hermina  Ratzlaw,  of  North  Township. 
To  them  were  born  five  children — Fred  (deceased),  Mita  (deceased).  Otto, 
Mina  and  an  infant  girl.  Soon  after  hi*  marriage,  he  moved  to  Clarke 
Station,  North  Township,  and,  in  1879,  came  to  Tolleston ;  leased  the 
house  known  as  the  Crossing  House,  located  at  the  crossing  of  the  M. 
C.  and  P.  Ft.  W.  &  C.  R.  R.;  he  is  keeping  the  only  first-class  saloon  and 
boarding  house  in  the  township.  He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lu- 
theran Church  and  a  Democrat. 

WILLIAM  G.  COOK  was  born  in  Ohio  September  27,  1843,  and  is 
the  son  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Hoffj  Cook.  The  father  was  born  in 
Ohio  December  12,  1816,  and  the  mother  in  England  October  6,  1824, 
and  were  married  at  Bowling  Green,  Ohio,  October  6,  1841.  The  father 
is  a  farDier,  and  has  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace.  In  1848,  he  brought 
his  family  to  Indiana,  where  William  G.  attended  school  until  1861,  when 
he  enlisted  in  the  Fortieth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  took  part  of 
the  battles  of  Perryville,  Shiloh,  Stone  River,  Chattanooga,  Mission 
Ridse  and  others.  At  Stone  River  he  was  wounded  bv  a  minie  ball,  and 
was  honorably  discharged  after  a  service  of  two  years.  On  his  return, 
he  taught  school  some  five  terms  ;  was  then  appointed  railroad  telegraph 
operator,  and,  a  year  later,  appointed  Agent  for  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michi- 
gan Southern  and  Baltimore  &  Ohio  roads,  at  Miller  Station,  which  po- 
sition he  still  holds,  as  well  as  that  of  Postmaster,  to  which  last  he  was 
appointed  in  1871.  He  was  married,  February  22, 1872,  to  Christina  Nel- 
son, of  Miller  Station ;  his  four  children  are  named  Carl  William,  Clarence 
R.,  Horace  A.  and  Francis  M.  Mrs.  Cook  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  in  politics  Mr.  Cook  is  a  Republican. 

HEINRICH  D.  EGGERS  is  the  son  of  Heinrich  and  Augusta  (HaL 
fast)  Eggers.  of  Hanover,  Germany,  where  our  subject  was  born  Decem- 
ber 1,  1817,  and  where  he  attended  school  until  fourteen  years  old  ;  he 
then  worked  several  years  with  his  f^ither,  cutting  timber,  and  then  served 
nine  years  in  the  army  under  the  King  of  Hanover.  In  1846,  the  family 
came  to  America,  locating  in  Chicago.  In  1S48,  our  subject  purchased 
163  acres  of  wild  land  on  Section  No.  8,  this  township,  which  he  put 
under  cultivation,  and  on  which  he  built  a  fine  frame  house.  In  the  fall 
of  1849,  he  married  Amelia  Vater,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  to  this  union 
were  born  four  children — Henry,  Frederick,  Augusta  and  Frederica. 
Although  a  general  farmer,  he  gave  some  attention  to  housing  ice,  and 
soon  formed  a  company,  who  erected  one  of  the  largest  ice  houses  in  the 
county,  its  capacity  being  18,000  tons.  Mr.  Eggers  is  a  Republican, 
and  has  been  four  times  elected  Constable  ;  he  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  German  Lutheran  Church,  and  are  highly  esteemed  in  the  community 
in  which  they  live. 


NORTH   TOWNSHIP.  693 

JAMES  EWEN,  son  of  Henry  ;iii(l  Mary  A.  (Dawson)  Ewon,  was 
born  in  England  July  12,  1821  ;  whon  but  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  went 
to  sea;  remained  away  about  three  years,  came  home,  and  learned  the 
trade  of  machinist,  and  in  1847  was  married  to  Ann  Holmes.  In  1849, 
he  came  to  America;  worked  in  different  railroad  shops  for  about  throe 
years ;  then  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  lived  some  two  years,  and  on  Mav 
1,  1854,  came  to  North  Township,  being  one  of  the  first  settlers ;  he 
bought  forty  acres  of  wild  land,  built  a  shanty,  farmed  and  hunted  for 
several  years  ;  worked  hard,  saved  his  money,  and  bought  out  the  claim 
of  the  celebrated  McConger  family  (they  being  murderers  and  thieves). 
Mr.  Ewen  lost  his  wife  August  9,  1872,  and  on  October  15,  1872,  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Ann  Watts,  daughter  of  Capt.  William  Watts,  of 
North  Township.  To  this  last  union  were  bora  five  children — Mary  A., 
born  December  24,  1873 ;  James  (deceased)  January  3,  1875 ;  William 
J.,  born  December  25,  1877  ;  Henry,  December  28,  1879,  and  Ellen, 
April  5,  1882.  In  1872,  he  built  a  large  house  of  sixteen  rooms,  es- 
pecially for  the  accommodation  of  hunters,  and  called  the  same  the 
Hunter's  Home.  He  now  has  eighty-one  acres  in  farm  land  in  Section 
13,  Town  36,  Range  9.  Mr.  Ewen  was  the  first  person  to  raise  wheat 
in  North  Township,  thirty-five  bushels  to  the  acre.  He  and  wife  are  church 
members,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Liberal  Republican. 

DUANE  RANDALL  HALL  is  a  son  of  Richard  Randall  and  Anna 
(Fletcher)  Hall,  who  were  born  in  York  State,  where  also  our  subject 
was  born  October  10,  1858.  He  went  to  school  till  twelve  years  of  age, 
when  the  family  moved  to  Canada,  where  our  subject  learned  the  trade  of 
nail-making,  and  on  January  25,  1850,  was  married  to  Agnes  Melville, 
daughter  of  William  T.  and  Grace  (Pattison)  Melville,  of  Scotland,  to 
whom  six  children  were  born — Annie  (deceased),  William  (deceased), 
Duane  Fletcher,  Agnes,  Norman  B.  and  James  King.  In  1865,  he 
moved  to  Chicago,  where  for  fifteen  years  was  in  the  cutlery  business  ; 
in  1870,  he  came  to  this  Township,  and  was  appointed  Superintendent  of 
the  Tolleston  Club  House,  which  position  he  held  some  four  years ;  was 
afterward  appointed  by  Mr.  Alexander  to  superintend  his  farm  adjoining 
the  house,  and  he  now  has  full  charge,  and  is  raising  some  fine  Jersey  cattle, 
imported  horses,  hogs,  etc.  Our  subject  has  had  an  eventful  life,  having 
been  twice  shipwrecked,  once  oflf  the  Irish  coast,  and  once  while  on  a 
voyage  to  New  York  from  San  Francisco.     Mr.  H.  is  a  Democrat. 

S.  HARDEN  was  born  in  Ohio  March  25,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of 
Samuel  and  Harriet  Harden,  both  natives  of  Ohio.  Samuel  Harden  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  emigrated  to  La  Salle  County,  111.,  where  he 
died.  Mrs.  Harriet  Harden  died  at  Sheldon.  S.  Harden,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,   after  receiving  a   common  school   education,  began  life  as  a 


694  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

farmer,  a  vocation  he  followed  most  of  the  time  while  in  the  State  of 
Illinois.  He  was  married  in  La  Salle  County,  111.,  to  Miss  Clara  A.  Uhl, 
a  native  of  West  Virginia,  and  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Martha  Uhl, 
both  of  German  descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harden  have  had  born  to  them 
five  children — Edward,  Albert,  Oliver,  Etta  and  James.  Mr.  Harden 
came  to  Hammond  March  1,  1882,  where,  in  partnership  with  M. 
Clements,  he  took  charge  of  the  present  hotel,  furnishing  a  pleasant 
home  for  the  traveling  public  as  well  as  many  residents.  They  have  a 
good  bar  connected  with  the  hotel ;  can  accommodate  fifty  guests,  and 
from  thirty  to  forty  regular  boarders. 

E.  D.  HARDEN  was  born  in  Ottawa,  111.,  and  is  a  son  of  S.  and 
Clara  (Uhl)  Harden,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio,  the  latter  of  Virginia. 
His  father's  occupation  was  farming,  but  later  in  life  he  became  a  mer- 
chant. E.  D.  Harden's  early  days  were  passed  in  Ottawa,  where  he 
attended  school,  and  afterward  at  Valparaiso,  Porter  Co.,  Ind.,  in 
1879,  where  he  graduated  in  the  year  of  1880.  He  then  went  to  Che- 
banse,  Avhere  his  father  was  in  the  hardware  trade,  and  whom  he  assisted 
until  1881,  when  his  father  sold  out  and  moved  to  Chicago  with  his 
family,  and  in  February,  1882,  they  moved  to  Hammond,  Lake  Co., 
Ind.,  where  E.  D.  Harden  became  time-keeper  for  Brown,  Howard  & 
Co.,  of  the  N.  Y.  C.  &.  St.  L.  Railroad.  This  he  resigned  after  two 
months  and  embarked  in  his  present  business  of  clothing,  gents'  furnish- 
ing goods  and  boots  and  shoes.  He  has  a  fine  location  and  keeps  a  good 
and  varied  assortment  of  goods,  which  he  is  pleased  to  exhibit  to 
patrons. 

JOHN  HESS  was  born  in  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Andrew 
and  Sarah  (Holman)  Hess,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  the  later  of 
Ross  County,  Ohio ;  his  parents  moved  to  Indiana  in  1856.  John  Hess 
went  to  school  in  a  log  house  near  Chillicothe  one  season,  and  after  com- 
ing to  Indiana,  in  Newton  County,  to  a  district  school,  later  he  attended 
one  term  at  Battle  Ground,  Ind.,  then  at  Bloomington,  111.  He  taught 
a  school  in  winter  to  assist  in  defraying  expenses  during  the  remainder 
of  the  year  while  attending  school.  John  Hess  entered  the  law  office  of 
Denny  &  Burns,  of  Indianapolis — the  former  is  now  City  Attorney,  and 
the  latter  Supreme  Judge.,  Here  he  remained  from  January,  1876, 
until  October,  1877,  and  afterward  began  the  practice  of  law  in  Kent- 
land,  Ind.,  in  January,  1878,  and  remained  until  October,  1880.  He 
then  practiced  in  Logansport,  Ind.,  until  1882,  when  he  located  at  Ham- 
mond, where  he  soon  obtained  a  good  business,  being  the  only  attorney 
in  the  place.  On  June  10,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rose  J.  Beck- 
ner,  daughter  of  Dr.  G.  F.  Beckner,  of  Kentland,  Ind. 


NORTH    TOWNSHIP.  695 

FRANK  HESS,  son  of  Joseph  ;in<l  Mary  Ann  (Sackley)  Hess,  was 
born  at  Gibson  (now  called  Gibson's  Station),  November  17,  L8-32,  and 
was  the  first  white  male  child  bjrn  in  North  Township  ;  he  attended 
school  nntil  abont  seventeen  jeirs  of  age,  and  then  went  as  clerk  in  his 
father's  store  at  Ilessville,  and  did  most  of  the  buying  f)r  the  store.  He 
was  married,  May  24,  1879,  to  E  nmi  Hassalbach,  daughter  of  August 
and  Maria  (Grabs)  Ilassalbach,  and  to  their  union  have  been  born  f>ur 
children — Alice  M.  (died  September  2,  1880),  twin  girl  and  boy  (died 
September  2,  1881),  and  infant  girl  (died  September  2,  1882).  It  is 
somewhat  remarkable  that  all  of  their  children  should  die  on  the  same 
day  of  the  month,  and  same  m^nth  (September  2),  but  in  different  years. 
Mr.  Hess  has  built  a  new  house  and  store  on  ttie  south  side  of  Ilessville, 
where  he  keeps  a  well-selected  stock  of  notions  or  varieties,  and  also  gives 
attention  to  his  farm.  Mr.  Hess  is  a  Republican,  and  stands  well  in  the 
community. 

E.  W.  HOHMx\N  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  where  he  was  finely  edu- 
cated ;  his  parents  were  likewise  natives  of  Prussia,  his  father  having 
been  killed  in  the  mines  when  our  subject  was  a  child.  On  July  9,  1849, 
he  was  married,  in  London,  England,  to  Miss  Caroline  Sibley,  a  native 
of  England.  In  September,  1819,  he  emigrited  to  the  United  States, 
and  located  in  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in  the  merchant  tailoring  busi- 
ness, and  which  he  continued  until  1851,  when  he  removed  to  North 
Township,  Lake  County,  Indiana,  then  sparsely  inhabited ;  he  first 
purchased  forty  acres,  where  his  residence  now  is,  to  which  he  subsequently 
added  until  he  owned  800  acres.  The  first  year  he  was  here  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad  was  surveyed.  This  land  he  sold  to  G.  II.  Hammond 
&  Company,  now  occupied  by  them  in  their  business.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hohman  were  blessed  with  six  children — Ottelia  (wife  of  Harry  John- 
son), Charles  G.  (husband  of  Ella  Carr),  Louis,  Agnes,  Emma  and  Lena. 
Mr.  Hohman  was  a  Democrat,  and  for  twelve  years  Justice  of  the  Peace 
of  North  Township ;  he  died  December  18,  1872.  Mrs.  Hohman  is  a 
Protestant. 

S.  E.  HOHMAN  was  born  October  17,  1859,  and  is  a  son  of  E.  \Y. 
and  Caroline  Hohman  ;  his  early  days  were  passed  in  Hammond,  where 
he  attended  school,  and  later,  in  1878,  he  went  to  Valparaiso  for  tuition, 
where  he  graduated  in  the  teacher's  course  ;  he  then  engaged  in  the  liv- 
ery business  in  Chicago  for  two  years.  At  this  time,  he  returned  to  Ham- 
mond, and  embarked  in  the  real  estate  business,  in  which  he  has  contin- 
ued, making  this  his  special  vocation,  and  in  which  he  is  a  reliable  dealer. 
He  has  an  office  on  the  corner  of  Hohman  and  Indiana  streets  ;  he  is  the 
local  agent  of  the  Commercial  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 
Mr.  S.  E.  Hohman  is  owner  of  about  150  lots  for  buildincr. 


t)96  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

WILLIAM  H.  GOSTLIN  \3  a  native  of  Canada,  and  is  a  son  of 
Tiiomas  and  Alice  Gostlin,  both  natives  of  England  ;  his  father  was  a 
manufacturer.  William  H.  Gostlin  obtained  an  ordinary  education,  and 
in  boyhood  learned  the  trade  of  distilling,  which  he  made  an  exclusive 
business  for  fifteen  years  in  Chicago.  In  June,  1882,  he  came  to  Ham- 
mond, Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  and  in  company  with  M.  M.  Towle  and  J.  J.  Wil- 
son, engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  sirup  from  corn,  and  in  making  vin- 
egar, of  which  company  he  became  raanager-in-chief.  They  have  capac- 
ity for  producing  thirty  barrels  of  vinegar  and  ten  barrels  of  sirup  per 
day,  and  feed  300  cattle.  While  in  Chicago,  Mr.  Gostlin  was  married  to 
Miss  Mary  Hyssop,  a  native  of  Scotland.  One  child  has  been  born  to 
them  —  William  H.  Mrs.  Gostlin  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

CHARLES  KRIEWITZ  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Frederica  (Lubki) 
Kriewitz,  of  Germany,  where  Charles  was  born  September  2,  184-4 ;  he 
attended  school  till  fourteen  years  of  age  ;  he  then  became  a  sailor  ;  visited 
France,  Spain,  England  and  other  parts,  and,  in  1864,  returned  to  Ger- 
many and  entered  the  German  Navy  ;  then  served  on  a  merchant  vessel 
till  1870,  wlien  he  again  entered  the  German  Navy  during  the  Franco- 
Prussian  war,  serving  till  the  close  of  the  same  ;  he  then  went  to  Ham- 
burg,  and  from  there  came  to  America  ;  located  in  Chicago  for  a  short 
time,  then  was  a  sailor  on  Lake  Michigan  till  1873  ;  he  then  came  to 
Clarke  Station,  this  township  ;  bought  half  an  acre  of  ground,  built  a 
house  and  store,  and  started  a  general  grocery  and  saloon.  On  January 
16,  1874,  he  was  married  to  Matilda  Ludwigs,  daughter  of  Henry  Lud- 
wigs,  of  Hanover,  Germany.  To  this  marriage  four  children  were  born, 
Charles,  in  1874 ;  Bernhardt,  in  187-5 ;  Frederica,  in  1876  (deceased), 
and  Clara,  in  1877.  Mr.  Kriewitz  is  a  Republican,  and  was  appointed 
Postmaster  in  1880 ;  has  been  School  Director  for  the  last  six  years. 
The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

CHARLES  G.  KUNERT  was  born  in  Prussia  December  17,  1829; 
attended  school  till  fourteen,  then  worked  in  a  grist-mill  for  some  ten 
years,  after  which  he  served  two  years  in  the  Prussian  Army ;  then  went 
back  to  the  mill,  where  he  remained  till  1857  ;  he  then  came  to  America 
and  located  in  Illinois ;  he  worked  on  a  farm  about  two  years,  and  thence 
he  came  to  Tolleston,  bought  some  land,  built  a  house  and  store,  and 
on  July  22,  1859,  was  married  to  Augusta  W.  Aurich,  daughter  of  Will- 
iam C.  and  Emily  B.  (Richter)  Aurich.  To  them  eleven  children  have 
been  born — Emily,  born  November  22,  1860;  Ernest  F.,  June  8,  1862; 
William  C,  Caroline  H.  (deceased),  February  3,  1866  ;   Maria  A.,  July 

28,  1867  ;   Charles  G.  (deceased),  July  30,  1869  ;   Henrietta  L.,  October 

29,  1871  ;   George   H.   (deceased),  January  12,   1873  ;  infant   boy   (de- 


NORTH   TOWNSHIP.  697 

ceased),  Louisa  C,  April  12,  187G,  and  Arthur  A.,  August  20,  1878. 
In  1872,  our  subject  was  appointed  Deputy  Postmaster,  which  position 
he  filled  with  credit,  and  on  February  10,  1881,  was  appointed  Postmas- 
ter, which  position  he  now  holds.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  a  member  of 
the  German  Lutheran  Church.  He  is  keeping  a  general  country  store 
— groceries,  hats,  caps,  boots  and  shoes,  etc.,  etc. 

FREDERICK  LEMKE,  son  of  John  and  Henrietta  (Schutz)  Lemke, 
was  born  in  Prussia  November  22,  183G.  He  was  schooled  until  four- 
teen years  old,  and  then  taught  shoe-making.  At  twenty,  he  entered 
the  Prussian  Army,  served  three  years,  and  then  for  two  years  worked  at 
his  trade.  In  1861,  he  married  Ottilge  Wetterer,  who  has  borne  him 
five  children — Hannah  and  Augusta,  in  the  old  country,  and  Hermann, 
Amelia  (deceased),  and  Emma,  in  this  country.  Mr.  Lemke  came  to 
Tolleston  in  1865,  bought  a  lot  and  built  a  house,  and  conducted  a  shoe 
shop  until  1875,  when  he  was  employed  as  foreman  for  the  Washington 
Ice  Company,  at  Clarke  Station,  where  he  and  family  now  reside.  They 
are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church,  at  Tolleston,  and  in  poli- 
tics, Mr.  Lemke  is  a  Republican. 

F.  A.  H.  LOHSE,  son  of  G.  and  Elizabeth  (Sellinger)  Lohse  was 
born  November  2,  1817,  in  Germany ;  he  attended  school  until  four- 
teen years  old,  then  learned  the  trade  of  baker  with  his  father,  and 
then  worked  as  journeymen  for  some  years;  he  was  married,  in  March, 
1840,  to  Johanna  Mencha,  who  has  borne  him  six  children — Will- 
iam (deceased),  Mariah,  Bernhardt,  Clara  A.,  Horace  and  Floyd  (de- 
ceased). In  1853,  he  came  to  America,  located  in  Chicago,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  for  some  three  years,  and  then,  on  September  15, 
1856,  came  to  North  Township,  settling  on  Section  31,  Township  37, 
Range  9,  all  wild  land,  which  he  afterward  purchased  from  the  Govern- 
ment. In  the  fall  of  1874,  his  wife  died,  and  in  1876  he  was  married  to 
Johanna  Bralow,  a  widow  with  six  children,  and  to  this  union  was  born 
one  child — Willie.  In  the  fall  of  1877,  the  second  Mrs.  Lohse  died,  and 
he  then  married,  November  29,  1881,  Johanna  Schaetgile,  widow  of 
Andrew  Schaetgile,  and  daughter  of  Charles  Fritzs.  Mr.  Lohse  has 
owned  at  times  as  much  as  424  acres  of  land,  but  has  given  most  of  it 
to  his  children  ;  he  now  has  but  two  acres  left ;  he  has  built  him  a  fine 
house  and  is  enjoying  life  in  his  old  age.  In  1876,  he  joined  the  Masons, 
having  taken  the  third  degree  ;  he  has  been  elected  Township  Assessor  for 
the  last  five  years,  and  is  a  Republican. 

DANIEL  McKINNEY  was  born  in  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.;  his  father,  Pat- 
rick McKinney,  was  born  in  Londonderry,  Ireland,  in  1815,  and  descended 
from  purely  Scotch  ancestry.  Patrick's  father  was  born  in  the  north  of 
Scotland,  and  at  an  early  age  crossed  the  Irish    Channel,  and   settled  in 


698  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Londonderry,  Ireland,  where,  with  Patrick  and  other  children  of  the 
family,  he  followed  agricultural  pursuits.  Patrick  McKinney  entered 
Maynooth  College  in  Dublin,  where  in  a  few  years  he  mastered  the 
classics,  and  was  about  to  be  ordained  a  minister  in  the  Catholic  Church, 
but  his  health  being  greatly  impaired  by  hard  study,  this  calling  was 
abandoned.  In  1835,  he  came  to  America,  where  he  became  acquainted 
with  Miss  Josephine  Pepe,  living  near  the  present  site  of  Fort  Wayne, 
Ind.,  with  whom  he  was  united  in  marriage.  The  result  of  this  mar- 
riage was  five  children — John,  Daniel,  James,  Frank  and  Mary.  Only 
two  children — Daniel  and  Frank,  and  his  wife,  Josephine,  survive  him. 
Contracting  a  severe  cold  in  1841,  which  resulted  in  his  death  by  con- 
sumption, he  was  buried  in  the  cathedral  which  now  stands  in  the  City 
of  Fort  Wayne.  Daniel  McKinney  was  sent  to  St.  Vincent  de  Paul's 
Academy  at  Vincennes,  where  he  received  the  rudiments  of  a  first-class 
grammar  school,  and  studied  the  classics,  ancient  and  modern  languages, 
including  first  book  of  Caesar,  French  grammar  and  the  German  language. 
In  1862,  he  entered  Company  H,  Twelfth  Kentucky  Cavalry,  under  Capt. 
George  W.  Bullit ;  was  promoted  from  private  to  Corporal,  from  Cor- 
poral to  First  Sergeant,  and  from  First  Sergeant  to  be  First  Lieutenant 
One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  United  States  Colored  Troops,  but  did  not 
accept;  he  served  a  little  over  three  years,  returning  in  1865,  being 
honorably  discharged ;  he  was  in  thirty-two  actual  engagements,  includ- 
ing the  battle  of  Stone  River,  siege  of  Knoxville,  siege  of  Atlanta,  Ga., 
Murfreesboro,  and  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Ga.  At  the  close  of  the  war 
he  resumed  his  literary  studies,  and  is  how  recognized  as  a  prominent 
teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Indiana  and  Illinois.  This  occupation 
he  has  followed  for  fourteen  long  years  ;  his  salary  has  risen  from  $35  to 
$60  per  month ;  h*e  is  known  to  have  been  Principal  of  schools  for  four 
years  in  succession  in  Indiana;  he  was  also  Principal  of  a  High  School  at 
or  near  Englewood,  111.;  his  time  has,  however,  been  principally  spent  in 
elevating  the  interests  of  schools  in  this  township,  where  he  has  labored 
assiduously  for  ten  years,  and  where  he  is  still  engaged  in  teaching. 

W.  W.  MERRILL,  M.  D.,  is  a  native  of  Merrillville,  Lake  Co., 
Ind.,  and  the  fifth  of  six  children  born  to  William  and  Caroline  (Camp- 
bell) Merrill,  old  settlers  of  Lake  County,  living  near  Crown  Point. 
William  Merrill  was  a  blacksmith  ;  he  died  in  1860  ;  his  widow  survives 
him,  and  lives  on  the  old  farm.  Dr.  Merrill's  early  education  was  begun 
in  a  village  school  at  Merrillville,  and  afterward  he  attended  the  Crown 
Point  High  School  ;  still  later,  he  took  a  scientific  course  at  Valparaiso, 
where  he  graduated ;  he  then  attended  a  lecture  course  at  Bennett  Medi- 
cal College,  Chicago,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1880,  and  began  the 
practice  of  medicine  at  Hammond  in  the  same  year ;  his  office  is  located 


NORTH   TOWNSHIP.  699 

in  Morton  House  Block,  where  he  is  to  be  found  ready  for  service.  On 
May  10,  1882,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lotta  A.  Woods,  daughter  of 
Bartlett  and  Charlotte  Woods,  of  Crown  Point.  Mr.  Woods  was  a 
farmer,  and  has  served  Lake  County  as  legislator.  Mrs.  Lotta  Woods  is 
a  native  of  Ross,  Lake  County. 

CHARLES  F.  NAGLE  was  born  December  1,  1831,  in  Prussia  ; 
he  attended  school  till  fourteen  years  of  age,  then  learned  the  trade  of 
shoemaking,  after  which  he  joined  the  Prussian  Array,  in  which  he  re- 
mained some  three  years,  then  joined  the  Second  Rifles,  German  Legion, 
and  fought  through  the  Crimean  war ;  he  then  went  back  to  Germany  in 
the  employ  of  the  Earl  of  Arnheim.  February  7,  185-4,  he  was  married 
to  Wilhelmina  (Beltzet)  Plath.  To  their  union,  one  child,  Augusta, 
was  born  March  20,  1855,  and  while  on  a  voyage  with  her  parents  to  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  she  died  October  16,  1858.  While  at  Cape  Town, 
our  subject  served  on  the  police  force  about  two  years,  then  kept  hotel  at 
Concor<lia ;  after  that,  he  went  back  to  Germany,  and  in  1863  came  to 
America;  located  at  Winona,  Minn.;  was  appointed  a  Lieutenant  in 
First  Minnesota  Regiment,  and  was  detached  on  recruiting  service.  In 
May,  1865,  he  was  interested  in  the  Winona  Banner,  a  German  paper ; 
after  some  time  he  came  to  Chicago,  where  he  opened  a  saloon,  corner  of 
Wells  and  Adams  streets ;  sold  out  the  above,  and  March,  1866,  was 
appointed  a  member  of  the  Chicago  police  force  where  he  remained  till 
1869.  In  1871,  his  home,  No.  125  Quincy  street,  was  burned  with  all  it 
contained,  in  the  jrreat  fire  of  that  year ;  he  then  came  to  Clarke  Station  ; 
then  went  back  to  Chicago,  engaojed  in  the  shoe  trade  a  short  time;  then, 
in  1872,  came  to  Tolleston,  this  township,  where  he  started  a  shoe  shop ; 
he  was  four  years  a  Justice  of  the  Peace.  In  1877,  he  was  appointed 
Postmaster ;  some  time  after  that,  he  rented  a  saloon  ;  soon  after,  sold 
and  went  to  Hammond,  bought  a  lot  and  built  the  Hammond  House.  la 
1882,  he  rented  the  house  and  bought  eight  acres  of  improved  land  near 
Tolleston.  Mr.  Nagle  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church,  a 
Master  Mason,  a  leading  Democrat,  and  President  of  Anti-Prohibition 
League  of  Lake  County. 

HENRY  REESE,  the  son  of  Conrad  and  Ellen  (Bleidister)  Reese, 
was  born  in  Germany  September  25,  1827 ;  he  attended  school  till  about 
fifteen  years  old,  then  learned  the  trade  of  weaver,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  joined  the  Hessian  Array,  in  which  he  remained  for  four  years  ; 
afterward  he  came  to  America,  and  located  in  Cook  County,  111.,  and  in 
June,  1852,  was  married  to  Mary  S.  E.  Meyer,  who  became  the  mother 
of  seven  boys  and  five  girls  ;  those  now  living  are  Ellen,  John,  Augusta 
and  Mary  (twins).  In  1854,  he  came  to  this  township,  bought  twenty 
acres  of  land,  built  a  house,  and  commenced  the  life  of  a  gardener.     In 


700  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

1864,  he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Thirty-eighth  Indiana  Veteran  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  was  attached  to  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  and  was 
at  the  battle  of  Nashville,  Tenn.  Soon  after  his  return  home,  his  wife 
was  taken  sick,  and  March  8,  1868,  she  died.  He  kept  his  children 
together  for  some  ten  years,  and  on  January  1,  1878,  he  was  married  to 
Jennett  Hurlbick,  widow  of  William  Hurlbick  ;  he  is  now  engaged  in  the 
honey  trade,  keeping  a  large  number  of  bees,  and  is  fast  making  money ; 
has  been  several  times  elected  a  School  Trustee;  is  a  Republican,  and 
attends  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

GEORGE  M.  ROBERTS,  son  of  Elisha  R.  and  Catherine 
(Muehler)  Roberts,  was  born  January  6,  1817,  in  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  attended  school  in  winter  and  worked  on  his  father's  farm  in  summer 
till  about  twenty-two  years  of  age;  he  then  went  to  Ne»v  York  as  super- 
intendent of  the  work  of  enlarging  the  canals ;  he  remained  for  about 
three  years,  and  then  went  to  Canada  and  worked  on  the  Wellington 
Canal  for  some  four  years ;  from  there  he  came  to  Illinois  and  worked  on 
canals  for  some  time;  he  then  went  to  the  Lake  Superior  Copper  Mines  ; 
from  there  he  came  to  North  Township  in  1847,  entered  320  acres  of 
land  and  commenced  to  herd  cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  and  raise  horses  for  the 
market ;  farmed  and  raised  fruit,  which  he  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the 
country.  He  became  one  of  the  best  hunters  in  the  county.  Our  sub- 
ject was  married,  July  20,  1875,  to  Agnes  Atchison,  of  Kankakee,  111., 
and  to  this  union  have  been  born  two  children — Mary  A.,  born  October 
21,  1876,  and  Amy  J.,  February  6,  1879.  Our  subject  is  a  Republican. 
Has  been  Township  Trustee,  and  is  now  a  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

FREDERICK  SCHEUNEMANN,  son  of  Louis  and  Wilhelmina 
(Ott)  Scheunemani),  was  born  August  11,  1855,  in  Germany.  He  went 
to  school  till  about  thirteen,  when  his  father  brought  his  family  to  America, 
locating  in  North  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  our  subject  again 
attended  school  for  some  time,  after  which  he  went  to  Chicago  and 
clerked  in  a  grocery  store  some  four  years,  saved  his  money,  came  back  to 
Tolleston  in  North  Township,  built  a  fine  store  and  dwelling,  and  started 
a  general  store,  keeping  on  hand  a  full  stock  of  groceries,  boots  and 
shoes,  hats,  caps,  and,  in  fact,  anything  called  for  by  the  people.  On 
March  27,  1881,  was  married  to  Alice  Lucinda,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Elizabeth  (Notke)  Hess,  of  Hessville.  Our  subject  is  a  Notary  Public  ; 
is  a  Liberal  Republican.  They  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran 
Church. 

HENRY  SCHRAGE  was  born  in  Germany  January  21,  1841,  and 
there  went  to  school  until  ten  years  of  age.  In  1854,  his  father,  Chris- 
toff  Sclirage,  brought  him  to  America,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  this 
township.      Here  Henry  attended  school  in  winter  and  assisted  his  father 


NORTH   TOWNSHIP.  701 

in  summer  until  1863,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Thirtieth  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  immediately  sent  to  Atlanta,  and  from 
that  point  with  Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea.  At  the  close  of  the 
war,  he  was  mustered  out  at  Sprin_:^field,  111.,  when  he  again  went  to 
farming.  June  0,  1868,  he  married  Caroline  Wistenfeld,  of  Germany, 
who  has  borne  him  eight  children — Henry  C,  Mary  C,  August  H.  (de- 
ceased), William  C,  Herman  C.  H.,  Charlie  H.  (deceased),  Carrie  S. 
and  Fred  H.  (deceased).  In  1868,  he  bought  thirty-six  acres  of  land  on 
Section  No.  8,  where  he  built  and  started  a  small  store  ;  a  few  years  later, 
he  built  a  large  two-storied  frame  store  and  dwelling,  where  he  now  lives 
and  keeps  a  general  assortment  of  groceries,  clothing,  hats,  caps,  etc. 
He  was  appointed  Postmaster  in  1871  at  Whiting  Station,  and  still  holds 
the  office.  In  1882,  he  was  elected  Township  Superintendent  of  Roads. 
He  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  German  Lu 
theran  Church. 

C.  C.  SMITH  is  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  a  son  of  John  C. 
and  Amanda  (Cox)  Smith,  both  natives  of  Now  Hampshire,  where  his 
mother  died  in  1869.  C.  C.  Smith  obtained  a  common  school  education, 
and  afterward  labored  on  a  farm  until  he  came  to  Hammond,  Lake 
County,  in  September,  1871.  In  1866,  having  learned  the  trade  of  a 
butcher  he  was  promoted  to  a  position  of  director  of  laborers,  or  foreman, 
and  since  that  time  has  been  exclusively  so  employed.  In  March,  1874, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  Dow,  in  Chicago.  To  this  union  were 
born  two  children — Birdie  and  Maud.  Mrs.  Smith  is  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  her  father  was  a  cabinet-maker.  Mr.  Smith  is  foreman 
of  the  slaughtering  department  in  G.  H.  Hammond  &  Co.'s  packing- 
hou>^e. 

H.  SULLIVAN  is  a  native  of  Boston,  Mass.,  and  a  son  of  A.  and 
C.  Sullivan,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  His  father  was  a  sailor  in  English 
waters  on  board  a  man-of-Avar ;  his  mother  died  in  Boston.  Mr.  H.  Sul- 
livan's school  days  were  passed  near  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where  he  acquired 
a  common  school  supply  of  learning,  and  afterwar<l,  in  boyhood,  learned 
the  trade  of  a  currier,  at  which  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  three 
years.  When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  began  the  butchering  business,  to 
which  he  likewise  served  three  years.  In  1871,  he  came  to  Hammond, 
Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  has  been  continuously  employed  in  G.  H. 
Hammond  &  Co.'s  packing-houses,  and  was  advanced  to  his  present  posi- 
tion of  foreman  in  1876.  On  ()ctobei'  17,  1877,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
M.  Hopkins,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Eliza  Hopkins,  and  a  native  of 
Lake  County,  as  are  also  her  parents. 

C.  N.  TOWLE  is  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  where  his  childhood 
was  spent.     When  eight  years  old,  he  was  taken  to  Massachusetts,  where 


702  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

he  passed  his  school  days,  and  where  he  acquired  a  fair  education  and 
afterward  served  an  apprenticeship  to  the  butchering  business.  This 
trade  he  followed  in  Hammond,  Ind.,  up  to  a  period  of  six  years  ago, 
during  which  length  of  time  he  was  foreman  of  a  slaughtering  establish- 
ment ;  he  was  married,  in  Massachusetts,  to  Miss  Ilattie  Duncan,  of  Ha- 
verhill, whose  parents  were  of  English  descent.  This  union  was  blessed 
by  one  child,   Charles   C. 

EDWARD  E.  TOWLE  is  a  native  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  where  he 
was  partly  educated  and  partly  also  in  Chicago  in  1879,  where  he  at- 
tended instruction  about  one  year,  and,  after  which  he  was  book-keeper 
in  a  lumber  yard  of  his  brother  at  Hammond  ;  he  then  embarked  in  the 
experiment  of  a  meat-market,  and  is  doing  a  good  trade  ;  he  also  handles 
vegetables  of  all  kinds,  which  he  dispenses  cheaply;  his  market  is  located 
in  the  Commercial  Block;  is  handsomely  fitted  up,  and  contains  a  fine 
office,  occupied  by  a  book-keeper,  who  is  also  cashier.  Mr.  Towle  has 
been  remarkably  successful  for  so  young  a  man,  and  has  proved  himself 
equal  to  the  enterprise  which  he  has  chosen. 

M.  M.  TOWLE,  of  the  firm  of  G.  H.  Hammond  &  Co.,  was  born  in 
New  Hampshire,  and  is  the  son  of  Amos  G.  and  Mary  P.  (Young)  Towle, 
the  former  a  native  of  New  Hampshire  and  the  latter  of  Maine.  The 
father  died  in  1861,  in  Massachusetts,  the  mother  is  still  a  resident  of 
that  State.  The  early  school  days  of  M.  M.  Towle  were  passed  in  Haver- 
hill, Mass.:  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  he  went  to  Boston,  and  there 
learned  to  be  a  butcher  ;  thence  he  went  to  Detroit,  where  he  followed 
the  trade  for  six  years,  and  where  he  married  Miss  Irene  Dow,  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire,  of  which  State  her  parents  were  also  natives.  i.\t 
the  time  of  his  marriage,  Mr.  Towle  was  hired  by  the  month  to  Samuel 
Plummer  ;  he  came  to  Hammond  in  1869,  and  here,  September  15,  in 
company  with  G.  H.  Hammond,  Caleb  Ives  and  George  W.  Plummer, 
started  a  small  slaughter  house,  with  a  joint  capital  of  $16,000.  The 
capacity,  in  the  beginning,  was  300  cattle  per  week  ;  it  is  now  3,000  per 
week  ;  they  have  storage  room  for  50,000  tons  of  ice.  The  main  office  is 
at  Detroit ;  the  company  is  organized  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Michi- 
gan ;  their  present  capital  is  $1,500,000.  Mr.  Towle  has  had  born  to 
him  three  children,  viz.,  Marcus  M.,  Ida  (deceased),  and  George  H.;  he 
is  a  Mason,  and  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  Township  Trustee. 
Mrs.  Towle  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

JOHN  H.  K.  VATER  was  born  in  Germany  October  27,  1824, 
and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Susanna  (Gastenberger)  Vater.  John 
attended  school  until  fourteen  years  old,  and  then  worked  in  a  distillery 
till  about  twenty-two.  In  1846,  he  came  to  America,  stopped  in  Mil- 
waukee a  short  time,  thence  moved  to   Chicaojo,  where   he  worked   in  a 


NORTH   TOWNSHIP.  703 

lumber  yard  some  four  years,  then  kept  grocery  for  a  long  time.  Janu- 
ary 9,  1852,  he  married  Goorgina  Eggers,  by  whom  he  became  the 
father  of  six  boy.s  an  1  six  girls — -John  E.  (deceased),  Frederick  (de- 
ceased), William,  Bertha  (deceased),  Augusta,  Clara,  Herman,  Freddie, 
Georgina,  Frederica,  Cliarlie  and  Elizabeth.  In  about  1867,  he  sold  his 
store  in  Chicago  and  came  to  Whiting  Station,  bought  forty-five  acres 
of  land  fronting  the  lake  and  adjoining  the  property  of  his  brother-in- 
law,  Ileinrioh  Eggers,  and  built  a  fine  residence  near  the  shore.  In 
1876,  he  joined  a  number  of  others  in  the  building  of  the  Berry  Lake 
Ice  House,  of  which  he  is  now  the  Superintendent.  He  is  a  Republican 
and  has  twice  been  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

W.  II.  VERRILL  is  a  native  of  Maine,  and  a  son  of  Charles  and 
Martha  (Lord)  Verrill,  also  natives  of  Maine,  where  both  reside.  His 
father  was  a  carpenter  by  occupation.  W.  H.  Verrill'a  school  days  were 
mostly  passed  in  his  native  State,  where  he  obtained  the  usual  common 
school  education.  Daring  early  ramhoo'l  he  learned  the  trade  of  a 
carpenter,  which  he  followed  steadfastly  for  five  years.  On  December 
15,  1872,  at  Earl  Park,  Benton  Co.,  Ind.,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Jennie  Stickler,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Benoe)  Stickler,  and  a 
native  of  Ohio ;  her  parents  were  of  German  descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Verrill  have  had  three  children  born  to  them — Fred,  Estella  and  Morrie. 
In  April,  1S82,  Mr.  Verrill  came  to  Hammond  and  opened  a  saloon, 
which  business  he  has  continued;  his  place  is  located  in  Commercial 
Block. 

WILLIAM  M.  WEBSTER  is  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Alice  (Whittier) 
Webster;  the  father  was  born  in  New  Hampshire  in  1776,  and  the 
mother  in  1779.  Our  subject  was  born  in  New  Hampshire  August  12, 
1811,  and  went  to  school  till  fourteen,  then  worked  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  on  September  8,  1844,  was  married  to  Fanny  Barber,  daughter  of 
Arnold  and  Mary  (Kingen)  Barber  ;  to  them  seven  children  were  born — 
Solon,  Frances,  Merrilda  (deceased),  Angelia,  Alice,  Willie  and  Isaac. 
In  1860,  he  came  to  this  township,  bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  fiirmed 
some,  and  hunted  for  some  six  years,  then  sold  out  and  returned  to 
New  Hirapshire,  where  he  lost  his  daughter  Merrilda  by  death,  after 
which  he  removed  to  Missouri,  where  he  remained  about  one  year ;  he 
then,  in  1868,  came  back  to  North  Township,  and  [settled  at  Gibson's 
Station.  He  having  studied  medicine  when  a  young  man,  he  now  com- 
menced to  practice  the  same.  He  is  a  strictly  temperance  man,  a  Repub- 
lican, attends  church  and  is  highly  respected. 

PAUL  WIESIKE  is  a  native  of  Brandenburg,  Germany,  and  is  a 
«on  of  Rudolph  and  Pauline  Wiesike  ;  his  mother  died  in  1871.  His 
education  was  begun  at  Brandenburg,  and  continued  during  a  period  of 


704  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

ejght  years  ;  be  then  went  to  Tubingin  two  years,  thence  to  Griefswable 
one  year,  Heidelberg  one  year  and  Gottingen  one  year,  where  he  gradu- 
ated. After  this  he  was  engaged  in  hospital  practice  in  Vienna  six 
months  or  more.  Emigrating  to  America,  be  landed  at  New  York  Feb- 
ruary 5,  1881.  From  New  York  be  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  remained 
three  months.  In  July,  1881,  he  came  to  Hammond  and  at  once  began 
the  practice  of  medicine,  where  be  has  remained  and  purposes  to  remain, 
making  a  permanent  home.  Dr.  Wiesike  has  already  acquired  a  good 
practice,  which  likewise  extends  to  other  fields,  viz.,  Tolleston  and  Hess- 
ville.  He  is  also  a  Notary  Public.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Church. 

JAMES  N.  YOUNG  is  a  native  of  Medina  County,  Ohio,  born  Oc- 
tober 4,  1847,  and  is  a  son  Nicholas  and  Ann  D.  (Buck)  Young ;  the 
former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of  Western  New  York.  His 
father's  occupation  was  blacksmitbing,  but  later  in  life  he  engaged  in 
farming  ;  he  is  now  living  at  Parma,  Jackson  Co.,  Mich.,  aged  seventy- 
eight  years.  James  N.  Young  passed  his  early  school  days  at  Bellevue, 
Ohio,  and  afterward  he  attended  Oberlin  College,  finally  graduating  in 
the  Law  Department  of  Ann  Arbor  University  of  Michigan ;  he  began 
the  practice  of  law  in  Chicago  in  the  spring  of  1873,  where  he  has  since 
been  located.  On  December  12,  1869,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  G. 
Hayes,  a  native  of  New  York,  daughter  of  David  and  Elizabeth  Hayes ; 
the  former  a  native  of  New  York,  the  latter  of  England.  By  this  union 
were  born  six  children — Willis  J.  (deceased),  John  H.,  Charles  W.,  David 
A.,  Mary  E.  (deceased)  and  Wilfred  S.  In  1869,  at  Gibson,  Lake  Co., 
Ind.,  Mr.  Young  officiated  as  agent  of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad, 
and  continued  until  1872.  In  October,  1879,  he  commenced  dealing  in 
lots  at  Hammond,  and  has  been  steadily  dealing  in  real  estate  since  that 
time,  making  the  same  a  special  business  in  1881-82.  Mrs.  Young  is  a 
member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Chicago,  111. 


ROSS   TOWNSHIP. 

MAJ.  B.  ATKIN  was  born  in  Ohio,  February  17, 1820,  and  is  a  son  of 
Joseph  and  Alanah  (Bartholomew)  Atkin  ;  the  former  was  born  in  England 
July  17, 1787,  and  the  latter  in  Ohio  February  5,  1793.  Joseph  Atkin  came 
to  America  and  was  raised  in  Ohio,  where  he  married.  Maj.  B.  Atkin  re- 
ceived but  little  schooling,  being  employed  mostly  on  the  farm  of  his 
father.  On  July  7,  1840,  he  was  married  to  Betsey  Banks,  daughter  of 
Orrin  and  Olive  (Brown)  Banks,  of  New  York,  both  deceased.  To  this 
union  were  born  eight   children — Mary  C,  April  7,  1841 ;  Orrin  E.  (de- 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  705 

ceased).  May  19,  1844  ;  Joseph  T.,  July  3,  1846  ;  Morgan  W.  (deceased), 
October  14,  1848  ;  Susan  A.,  January  5,  1852  ;  Mahlon  D.,  June  6, 
1854  ;  Wilton  L.  (deceased),  September  15,  1856,  and  Loren  G.,  Octo- 
ber 23,  1864.  Mr.  Atkin  farmed  in  Ohio  for  about  five  years,  and  in 
1845  sold  and  moved  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  he  rented  land  and 
lived  until  1852,  when  he  came  to  this  township  and  purchased  eighty 
acres,  some  of  which  he  broke,  and  on  which  he  built  a  small  frame  house, 
and  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising ;  he  has  now  160  acres  of  fine 
land,  on  which,  in  1878,  he  erected  a  two-story  brick  house  with  fourteen 
rooms ;  he  has  also  a  fine  barn  and  outbuildings  ;  he  has  superior  stock, 
embracing  Clydesdale  horses,  imported  by  himself,  and  some  Cotswold 
sheep,  which  took  the  premium  at  the  Valparaiso  Fair.  Mr.  Atkin  is  a 
liberal  Republican ;  he  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In 
September,  1862,  his  son,  Orrin  E.,  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Ninety- 
ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and,  after  action  in  several  battles,  waa 
killed  in  a  skirmish  July  6,  1864,  and  is  buried  where  he  fell. 

P.  A.  BANKS  was  born  in  New  York  April  3,  1832,  and  is  a  son 
of  Orrin  and  Olive  (Brown)  Banks.  When  a  child,  his  father  moved  to 
Ohio,  and  thence  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  P.  A.  Banks  alternately 
attended  school  and  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  about  seven- 
teen years  old,  after  which  he  w^orked  on  the  New  Albany  &  Salem  Rail- 
road, at  bridge-building  and  other  labor,  until  1854,  when  he  came  to  this 
township  and  engaged  as  a  farmer.  On  December  25,  1856,  he  married 
Laodocia  M.  Benton,  daughter  of  Royal  and  Betsey  (Barney)  Benton.  To 
this  union  were  born  three  children — Walter  S.,  George  M.  and  Olive  E. 
After  his  marriage  he  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Section  23,  Range  8,  and  af- 
terward 100  acres  more,  and  has  now  as  fine  a  farm  as  any  in  the  township. 
Mr.  Banks  is  a  specialist  in  stock-raising ;  his  Clydesdale  horses,  Short- 
Horn  cattle,  Cotswold,  Southdown  and  Spanish  Merino  sheep,  and  Po- 
land-China hogs  have  taken  premiums  at  the  Crown  Point  and  Valparaiso 
Fairs  for  a  number  of  years.  On  his  imported  horses  and  stallions,  he  has 
taken  first  premiums  ;  on  Cotswold  sheep,  first  and  second  ;  also  on  his 
Poland-China  hogs  first  premiums.  He  has  brought  his  stock  to  a  con- 
dition approaching  perfection,  and  they  take  the  "red  ribbon  "  wherever 
exhibited.  His  brother,  William  A.  Banks,  born  in  New  York  October 
28,  1836,  is  now  living  on  a  fine  farm  in  La  Porte  County,  and  interested 
with  him  in  stock-raising.  In  April,  1855,  P.  A.  Banks  was  married  to 
Mary  Ellis,  of  Lake  County,  and  to  them  were  born  one  child — Travis 
A.  (deceased).  Mrs.  Banks  died  in  the  spring  of  1858  ;  she  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  Church.  In  1860,  he  married  Miriam  Chandler,  of 
Deep  River,  to  which  union  was  born  one  child — Lura.  In  1861,  he 
purchased  a  farm  of  424  acres  in  La  Porte  County,  where  he  is  now  re- 


706  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

siding.  Mr.  Banks  is  a  Master  Mason  of  McClelland  Lodge,  at  Hobart ; 
also  a  Knight  Templar.  He  was  twice  elected  Township  Trustee ;  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  a  worthy  and  regarded  citizen. 

EDWIN  BRAGINTON  was  born  in  Kidderminster,  England,  De- 
cember 11,  1830,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Mary  A.  (Goedger)  Brag- 
inton.  When  Edwin  was  four  years  of  age,  his  father  emigrated  to 
America  and  settled  in  New  York.  Being  a  weaver  of  Brussels  carpet, 
he  could  get  no  work  there,  and  so  moved  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  ob- 
tained employment.  Edwin  Braginton  attended  school  about  six  years, 
when  his  father  moved  back  to  New  York,  and  soon  afterward  went  to 
Connecticut,  where  Edwin  began  work  in  a  carpet  factory  and  learned 
the  trade  of  carpet-weaving,  remaining  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of 
age.  After  this,  he  went  to  Greene  County,  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
about  two  years,  and  in  1853  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  pur- 
chased forty  acres,  which  he  soon  exchanged  for  seventy-five  acres  in  this 
township.  Having  purchased  land  afterward,  at  different  times,  he  now 
owns  a  fine  farm  of  510  acres,  with  a  new  frame  house,  barn,  corn-crib, 
etc.  On  February  26,  1860,  he  married  Susan  Hettler,  of  Ross  Town- 
ship, and  to  their  union  four  children  have  been  born — Oliver,  Fred, 
Addie  and  Lizzie.  Mr.  Braginton  has  some  fine  imported  stock  and 
Norman  and  Clydesdale  horses.  He  is  a  liberal  Republican,  and  a 
greatly  respected  citizen.  Both  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  church 
at  Ross. 

MOSES  BULLOCK  was  born  in  New  York  June  11,  1811  ;  he 
obtained  most  of  his  education  at  home,  having  to  commence  farm  work 
when  very  young ;  when  he  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  was  put 
to  the  trade  of  carpentering,  and  surveying  he  learned  also,  and  when 
twenty  years  old  came  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  he  worked  as 
carpenter  for  some  years,  and  also  surveyed  the  first  railroad  passing 
through  to  La  Porte  County.  On  June  19,  1849,  he  was  married  to 
Amanda  Ragen,  daughter  of  George  and  Jemima  (McFarland)  Ragen. 
Their  union  was  blessed  with  four  children — Simeon,  Gilbert,  Asa  and 
Ruth  H.  (now  married  to  William  Josiah  Halladay),  of  Valparaiso.  On 
March  18,  1860,  he  purchased  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Section  13  of  Ross 
Township,  on  which  he  resided  and  raised  all  kinds  of  stock  in  conjunc- 
tion with  farming.  After  a  short  illness,  on  October  25,  1873,  he  died, 
universally  esteemed  and  regretted,  leaving  a  widow  and  four  children ; 
his  widow  lives  on  the  homestead  with  her  daughter  and  son-in-law,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Halladay.  Mr.  Bullock  was  a  Freemason,  also  a  Jacksonian 
Democrat. 

GILBERT  BULLOCK  was  born  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  June 
14,  1852,  and  is  the  second  of  four  children  born  to  Moses  and  Amanda 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  707 

(Ragen)  Bullock,  the  former  born  in  New  York  in  1811,  the  latter  in 
Ohio  in  1830 ;  they  were  married  in  Indiana  in  1849.  Gilbert  Bullock 
was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  working  in  summer  and  attending  school 
in  winter,  until  nineteen  years  of  age.  On  Christmas  Day,  1876,  he  was 
married  to  Estella  Markham,  a  daughter  of  Armala  and  Emily  E.  (Thorn- 
ton) Markham,  of  Micliigan.  To  this  union  were  born  two  children — 
Hubert,  born  October  17,  1877,  and  Claude  E.,  September  7,  1879. 
Previous  to  his  marriage,  Mr.  Bullock  had  bouglit  forty  acres  of  im- 
proved land,  with  good  frame  house  and  outbuildings ;  to  this  land  he 
continued  to  make  additions  until  now  he  has  160  acres  of  good  soil ;  is 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  In  the  spring  of  1882,  he  was 
elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  four  years.  He  is  a  Liberal  Democrat, 
and  an  enterprising  and  valued  citizen. 

SYLVESTER  CASBON  is  a  native  of  England,  born  June  G,  1838, 
and  the  second  child  in  the  family  of  Thomas  and  Emma  (Seriby)  Cas- 
bon.  Thomas  Casbon  was  a  farmer  in  the  old  country,  and  in  1847 
came  to  America  and  located  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  farm.  Sylvester  Casbon  attended  school  in  the  old  country,  and 
a,lso  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  afterward  working  on  his  father's  farm 
until  his  majority.  In  1859,  he  came  to  Boone  Township,  Porter  Co., 
Ind.,  and  taught  school  in  what  was  then  the  Ellsworth  District.  In 
I860,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Ellsworth,  a  daughter  of  Giles  Ells- 
worth, of  Boone  Township.  Three  children  blessed  their  union — Cora  A., 
Bertha  (deceased),  and  Lawrence  L.  In  1862,  Mr.  Casbon  purchased 
110  acres  of  improved  land,  and  went  to  farming  and  stock-raising.  On 
March  5,  1868,  Mrs.  Casbon  died,  aged  twenty-six  years.  On  October 
9,  1869,  he  married  Harriet  Perry,  daughter  of  E.  Perry,  of  Porter 
County,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons — Thomas  S.,  Charles  P.  and  George 
W.  Mrs.  Casbon  died  November  14,  1874,  and  on  December  13,  1877, 
he  married  Mary  M.  Mereness,  daughter  of  John  I.  Mereness,  of  Ross 
Township.  Mr.  Casbon,  notwithstanding  many  ups  and  downs,  is  the 
owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  250  acres,  and  is  building  perhaps  the  finest  brick 
house  in  the  township.  He  is  liberal  in  politics ;  attends  church,  and 
is  much  esteemed  by  his  neighbors. 

THOMAS  DAILY  (deceased)  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1808.  He 
received  but  little  education,  and  when  but  a  child  came  to  America, 
and  was  located  in  Chicago,  where  he  worked  at  tanning  for  some  years. 
On  July  17,  1853,  he  was  married  to  Margaret  Furlong,  daughter  of 
John  Furlong,  of  Ireland.  In  1854,  he  sold  his  teams  and  moved  to 
Wisconsin,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  While  living  in  that  State, 
seven  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daily — John,  Daniel  W., 
Georgiana,  Martha  E.,  Thomas,  James  and  Franklin.     He  lived  on  his 

QQ 


708  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  : 

farm  about  twenty  years,  and  in  1874  sold  the  same  and  came  to  Ross 
Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  rented  a  fine  farm,  and  commenced 
farming  and  stock-raising.  Soon  after  removing  hither,  he  was  stricken 
ill,  and  after  much  suffering,  on  March  13,  1879,  passed  away.  He  was 
a  member  of  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church,  at  Crown  Point,  and  very 
greatly  esteemed  by  his  friends.  His  widow,  with  some  of  her  children, 
resides  on  the  farm,  and  manages  the  same. 

COLES  C.  ELY  was  born  in  New  York  June  18,  1829,  and  is  the 
second  child  of  Charles  and  Derinda  (Carpenter)  Ely,  the  former  born 
in  New  York  May  27,  1793,  the  latter  also  in  New  York  May  10,1804 ; 
they  were  married  August  26,  1826.  Worthington  Ely,  grandfather  of 
Coles,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States, 
was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  while  acting  as  Colonel ;  his 
son,  Charles,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  settled  in  New  York. 
Coles  C.  Ely  worked  for  his  father  on  the  farm  in  summer  and  went  to 
school  in  winter  until  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  and  afterward  engaged 
in  hunting  and  farming  until  he  was  about  twenty-five  years  of  age.  On 
September  26,  1854,  he  was  marrird  to  Clarissa  Bonesteel,  born  June  27, 
1833,  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Phebe  (Wilcox)  Bonesteel ;  Hiram  Bone- 
steel  was  born  in  New  York  March  4,  1809,  and  his  wife  in  Vermont, 
April  12,  1811 ;  they  were  married  in  August,  1832,  and  had  four  chil- 
dren ;  the  father  died  in  1874,  and  the  mother  in  1872.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ely  have  had  eight  children — Phebe  (deceased),  infant  girl  (deceased), 
Lorinda,  Elvina  A.,  Clarissa  M.,  Luzerne  C,  Eugene  and  Charles  H. 
In  October,  1854,  Mr.  Ely  came  to  this  township  and  purchased  forty 
acres,  some  of  which  he  improved.  This  he  sold  and  removed  to  Illi- 
nois, where  he  remained  four  years ;  he  then  returned  to  this  township 
and  purchased  eighty  acres  ;  this  he  sold,  also,  and  went  again  to  Illinois, 
and  remained  three  years ;  he  soon  returned  to  this  township,  this  time 
to  remain,  and  bought  eighty  acres,  with  some  improvements.  Mr.  Ely 
is  a  general  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  and  has  some  blooded  horses  ;  he  is 
a  liberal  Democrat,  and  a  church  member.  Mr.  Ely's  brothers  and  sis- 
ters are  Charles  H.  (born  May  20,  1832),  Sarah  A.  (born  April  21, 
1835),  Charlotte  C.  (born  November  11,  1842),  Jefferson  (born  June  8, 
1845),  and  Mary  E.  (born  September  23,  1848).  His  brother  Charles 
was  a  school  teacher  in  this  township  from  1855  to  1858,  afterward  prac- 
ticed law  with  Judge  Allen,  and  died  in  Lake  County  June  9,  1860. 

SYLVESTER  H.  GEHR  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Penn.,  Janu- 
ary 3,  1846,  and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Judali  Gehr.  Sylvester  H. 
Gehr  was  sent  to  school  until  he  was  about  sixteen  years  old,  and  then 
worked  for  his  father  on  the  farm  until  he  was  about  eighteen.  On  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1864,  he  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Pennsyl- 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  709 

vania  Veteran  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  witli  the  regiment  in  the  fol- 
lowing battles:  Dallas,  Resaca,  Pine  Knob,  Peach  Tree  Creek  and  siege 
of  xVtlanta  and  Savannah  for  nine  days.  After  these  he  was  sent  to 
Washington.  D.  C,  and  discharged  ;  he  then  visited  in  Lake  County, 
Ind.,  and  was  pleased  with  the  country,  and  while  here,  on  November  18,. 
1869,  was  married  to  Hersie  Berge,  daughter  of  James  Berge,  of  Win- 
field  Township;  he  then  went  back  to  Pennsylvania,  on  a  farm,  where 
were  born  to  them  two  children — George  B.  (October  3,  1871),  and 
James  R.  (April  26,  1877).  In  1879,  he  moved  to  Winfield  Township, 
and  purchased  eighty  acres,  with  some  improvements,  and  his  wife's 
father  gave  them  eighty  acres,  on  which  he  now  has  a  good  house  and 
barn,  and  is  enf^ao-ed  in  (general  farrainor  and  stock-raisinir.  Mr.  Gehr  is- 
a  liberal  Republican.  Both  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  church  at 
Ross. 

ALVIN  GREEN  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  January 
15,  1811,  and  is  the  only  child  of  Ichabod  and  Huldah  (Landon)  Green  ; 
his  father  was  born  in  New  York  about  1788,  and  his  mother  in  Vermont 
in  1792;  they  were  married  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1810  ; 
his  father  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  owing  to  which  event 
Alvin  obtained  but  little  schooling,  and  in  which  war  his  father  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  killed.  Alvin  Green  was  put  to  live  with  one  Mr. 
McCune,  where  he  remained  some  time,  and  afterward  went  sailing  on 
the  St.  Lawrence  River,  and  followed  the  occupation  of  sailor  for  some 
years.  On  April  17,  1834,  he  married  Lucinda  Hall,  of  Vermont,  to 
which  union  eight  children  were  born — Orlow  (March  16,  1835J,  Sarah 
E.  (March  2,  1837),  Orpha  (deceased),  October  3,  1839,  William  K.  P. 
(deceased),  September  4,  1841,  James  A.  (deceased),  March  31,  1844, 
Mary  Ann  (March  2,  1846),  Huldah  M.  (November  8, 1849),  and  Hiram 
A.  (December  24,  1853).  In  1838,  after  sailing  the  lakes,  he  removed 
to  Illinois  and  engaged  in  farming.  In  1845,  he  went  to  Texas,  there 
becoming  a  ranger  in  the  Government  service  three  years,  also  serving  in 
the  war  with  Mexico,  and  was  discharged  November  17,  1848,  while  in 
Mexico.  Soon  after,  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  remained  until  1849, 
when  he  came  to  Ross  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased 
about  400  acres,  and  commenced  the  life  of  a  farmer,  hunter  and  stock- 
raiser.  In  1851,  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  five  years,  and 
again  elected  for  four  years  ;  he  was  twice  Township  Trustee,  three  times 
County  Commissioner,  and  re-elected  Justice,  making  thirteen  years  of 
service  in  that  office.  He  now  owns  160  acres,  in  good  condition  of  cul- 
tivation. Mr.  Green  is  a  Republican,  and  a  well  regarded  citizen ;  his 
wife  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

JAMES  H.  GUERNSEY  was  born  in  Upper  Canada  May  9,  1836 ; 
his  father  was  a  farmer,  and  when  James  was  about  eight  years  old  came 


710  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

to  the  United  States,  and  located  in  Porter  Township,  Porter  Co.,  Ind., 
where  he  purchased  160  acres  of  Government  land,  for  which  he  paid 
^1.25  per  acre,  and  began  farming.  James  II.  Guernsey  worked  on  the 
land  of  his  father  during  the  summer,  and  during  the  winter  attended 
school,  so  continuing  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  On  February 
16,  1861,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Hurlburt,  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Susan  Perry  (Sheflfield)  Hurlburt,  to  which  union  were  born  eleven  chil- 
dren— Griffin,  John,  Hosea  B.  (deceased),  Almona,  Craig,  Buerton,  Su- 
san S.,  Ada  M.,  Emma  and  Ella  (twins),  and  Hazzard.  In  1863,  Mr. 
Guernsey  came  to  this  township  and  purchased  eighty  acres,  with  some 
improvements  and  a  log  house ;  he  now  has  288  acres,  with  good  frame 
house  and  outbuildings ;  he  is  a  general  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  and  has 
some  fine  imported  sheep ;  he  is  a  liberal  Democrat,  also  a  member  of  M. 
N.  McClelland  Lodge,  No.  357,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M. 

GEORGE  HAYWARD  was  born  in  Ross  Township,  Lake  County, 
Ind.,  January  12,  1845,  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Emily  (Hay ward) 
Hayward,  both  natives  of  England.  His  parents  came  to  this  country 
with  their  parents,  and  were  married  in  Ross  Township.  George  Hay- 
ward  was  reared  at  home,  attending  school  during  winter  and  working 
for  his  father  during  summer,  where  he  remained  until  he  was  twenty-two 
years  of  age ;  then  worked  by  the  month,  saved  his  money,  and  bought 
160  acres  in  Section  14,  Ross  Township.  On  May  1,  1872,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  A.  Sykes,  daughter  of  Charles  N.  and  Susanna  (Waldron) 
Sykes,  the  father  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  the  mother  of  Pennsylvania. 
They  came  to  Ross  Township  in  1854,  where  Mr.  Sykes  died  June  23, 
1876.  The  mother  is  living  on  the  old  homestead  in  her  sixty-third 
year.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hayward  have  had  born  to  them  three  children — 
Emily  S.  (August  3,  1873),  Lottie  (September  3,  1876)  and  Wyllet  S. 
deceased  (November  28,  1878).  Mr.  Hayward  and  family  are  living  on 
their  improved  farm,  with  good  two-story  brick  house  and  outbuildings ; 
he  has  also  very  fine  Durham  cattle.  Mr.  Hayward  is  a  liberal  Repub- 
lican ;  himself  and  wife  attend  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

THOMAS  HOFFMANN  was  born  in  Germany  June  13,  1832,  and 
is  a  son  of  George  and  Barbara  (Stericka)  Hoffmann,  also  natives  of  Ger- 
many, the  former  born  in  1798,  the  latter  in  1810 ;  they  were  married 
in  1829.  George  Hoffmann  was  a  policeman  in  the  old  country,  but  after 
his  marriage  learned  the  shoe-making  trade.  Thomas  attended  school 
until  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  when  his  father  came  to  America, 
locating  in  Chicago  for  a  short  time.  Afterward  he  came  to  this  town- 
ship, and  bought  a  farm  on  Section  4,  Range  8,  on  which  Thomas 
worked  for  a  time.  On  May  6,  1856,  he  married  Mary  A.  Bahr,  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  and  Mary  A.  (Miller)  Bahr,  of  St.  Johns   Township.     To 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  711 

this  union  were  born  fourteen  children — Barbara  M.,  born  February  18, 
1858;  John  P.,  September  2, 1859  ;  Annie  M.,  June  22,1860  ;  Thomas 
G.,  January  4,  1862  ;  Margaret  M.,  March  19, 1864 ;  Nicholas,  December 
12,  1866;  Christina  M.,  August  17,  1867  ;  Balthazzar,  August  30, 1869  ; 
Jacob  E.,  September  19,  1872;  Mary  A.,  May  28,  1873;  George,  March 
30,  1875  ;  Elizabeth  R.,  August  30,  1876 ;  Annie  Clara,  January  19, 
1878,  and  Edward,  March  24,  1879.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoffmann  are  very 
proud  of  their  family.  For  some  years,  Mr.  Hoffmann  lived  on  120  acres 
of  the  old  homestead,  which  he  rented,  and  afterward  he  became  heir  to  80 
acres  from  his  father's  estate,  on  which  he  built  a  log  house,  and  lived 
there  about  fourteen  years.  He  afterward  purchased  80  acres  in  St. 
Johns  Township,  where  he  lived  some  years  ;  he  sold  some  of  this,  and 
in  1874  bought  the  old  Merrillville  Exchange,  formerly  the  Centreville 
Tavern,  built  and  kept  by  Dudley  Merrill  a  long  time.  Mr.  Hoffmann  is 
now  keeping  this  house,  it  being  the  only  one  of  entertainment  in  the 
village.  Mr.  Hoffmann  now  owns  a  small  farm,  and  has  given  much 
attention  to  raising  horses,  hogs,  cattle,  etc.,  particularly  the  former. 
Mr.  Hoffmann  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  at  Turkey 
Creek  ;  he  is  a  liberal  Democrat. 

LORENZO  D.  HOLMES  was  born  January  16,  1815,  and  is  a  son 
of  Daniel  and  Hannah  (Kellogg)  Holmes,  the  former  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, born  October  15,  1781,  the  latter  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
born  October  10,  1787.  Daniel  Holmes  was  a  hotel-keeper  and  shoe 
dealer.  Lorenzo  D.  Holmes  attended  school  until  he  was  eighteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  went  to  Ohio  and  learned  the  trade  of  millwriglit  and 
ship  carpenter,  at  which  he  worked  until  1845.  In  that  year,  he  was 
married  to  Antoinette  Morton,  and  to  them  were  born  four  children — 
Louisa  (deceased),  Rosetta,  Lorenzo  L.  and  Wilbur  G.  In  1847,  Mr. 
Holmes  moved  to  North  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  wild  land,  built  a  house  of  loss  and  commenced  farm- 
ing  ;  he  was  soon  after  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  being  the  first  elected 
in  North  Township  ;  he  sold  his  farm  there  and  came  to  this  township, 
where  he  bought  lots  and  kept  store  at  Ross  for  eighteen  years ;  he  sold 
the  store  and  again  went  to  farming ;  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  by 
President  Buchanan  and,  excepting  three  years,  has  since  retained  the 
position ;  he  is  a  church  member  and  a  respected  citizen. 

HENRY  HURLBURT  was  born  in  Porter  County,  Ind.,  October 
24,  1847,  and  is  the  seventh  of  the  children  of  Jacob  and  Susan  Perry 
(Sheffield)  Hurlburt,  who  were  the  first  white  couple  married  in  La  Porte 
County  ;  they  afterward  moved  to  Porter  County.  When  Henry  Hurl- 
burt was  quite  young,  his  father  moved  to  this  township,  and  located  on 
a  farm,  on  which  Henry  worked  during  summer,  and  during  winter  at- 


712  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

tended  school,  until  he  was  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  afterward  he 
worked  regularly  on  the  farm  until  his  twenty-second  year,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Missouri.  On  September  18,  1872,  he  was  married  to  Rosaltha 
Brewer,  daughter  of  M.  W.  and  Sarah  (Staats)  Brewer,  of  Rensselaer 
County,  N.  Y.  To  this  union  were  born  three  children — William  H. 
(born  January  22,  1874),  John  B.  (born  June  8,  1878)  and  George  E. 
(born  July  14,  1879).  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Hurlburt  returned  to 
the  old  farm,  where  he  has  since  resided  ;  he  is  a  general  farmer  and 
stock-raiser ;  he  is  a  liberal  Republican,  and  has  been  twice  elected 
School  Director. 

MILON  HURLBURT  was  born  in  Porter  Township,  Porter  County, 
Itid.,  August  16,  1849,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Susan  Perry  (Sheffield) 
Hurlburt.  Milon  Hurlburt  attended  school  in  winter,  and  during  the 
summer  worked  with  his  father  on  the  farm  until  he  was  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  afterward  on  shares,  whereby  he  made  and  saved  some  money. 
On  January  25,  1873,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Ann  Guernsey,  daughter 
of  Chester  and  Elizabeth  (Dibble)  Guernsey.  Their  union  was  blessed 
with  three  children — Jacob  (born  January  1,  1874),  Jennie  (born  March 
S,  1877),  and  Chester  (born  August  8,  1880).  In  the  same  year  of  his 
marriage,  Mr.  Hurlburt  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Section  29,  Range  7, 
having  some  improvements,  and,  in  some  years  after,  eighty  acres  more. 
Mr.  Hurlburt  is  a  general  farmer,  but  raises  some  stock;  he  is  a  liberal 
Hepublican,  and  a  church  attendant. 

DAVID  JONES  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  February  25, 
1821,  and  is  a  son  of  Richard  W.  and  Ann  (Dye)  Jones,  the  former  born 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1798,  the  latter  in  Maryland  in  1800  ;  they  were 
married  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  about  1817.  David  Jones  attended 
school  in  Ohio  until  he  was  about  seventeen  years  of  age.  In  1837,  his 
father  moved  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  120  acres,  which  he 
improved  by  the  help  of  his  son  David,  who  worked  with  him  until  his 
twenty-fifth  year.  On  June  18,  1846,  he  was  married  to  Eliza  A. 
Olinger,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Hendricks)  Olinger,  of  Ohio, 
the  father  born  in  Virginia  in  1802,  the  mother  in  Pennsylvania  in  1806. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  are  parents  of  twelve  children — Samuel  E.,  Enoch 
E.,  John  F.  (deceased),  Edward  L.,  Mary  E.,  Anna  E.  (deceased).  Lemuel 
S.,  Alice  C,  Elma  J.,  Clara  E.,  Nettie  L.  and  Olive  E.  In  March, 
1867,  Mr.  Jones  moved  to  Ross  Township,  Lake  County,  and  bought 
200  acres,  with  some  improvements  ;  he  has  now  a  two-story  frame  house, 
is  a  general  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  and  has  a  dairy  ;  his  wife  yet  spins 
on  an  old-fashioned  wheel  the  yarn  used  by  the  family.  Mr.  Jones  is  a 
Democrat,  and  both  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 

CHARLES  A.  KNOLL  was  born  in  Bradford,  Upper  Canada,  July 
17,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  M.  and  Margaret  (Stockwell)  Knoll  ;  the 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  713 

former  born  in  New  Jersey  in  181-4,  the  latter  in  Upper  Canada  in  1818, 
and  were  married  at  Bradford,  Upper  Canada,  in  1835.  Charles  A. 
Knoll  spent  some  time  at  school,  and,  when  about  eleven  years  old,  his 
father  moved  to  Ross  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  went  to 
school  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  after  worked  at  farming 
until  the  year  1861,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Eleventh  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry  ;  he  was  soon  made  a  Sergeant,  and  at  Fort  Donel- 
son  was  shot  in  the  right  arm  and  left  leg,  where  the  ball  still  lies  ;  he 
rejoined  his  regiment  after  about  two  months,  and  was  at  Shiloh  and  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg,  after  which  he  was  discharged,  and  soon  re-enlisted 
as  a  veteran,  and  was  transferred  to  the  Eighth  Illinois  Regiment,  with 
which  he  served  till  the  close  of  the  war  ;  he  was  discharged  at  New  Or- 
leans in  1865.  On  his  return,  he  bought  a  one-half  interest  in  his 
father's  farm  ;  he  married  Mary  E.  Kernall,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Zeniah  (Frazer)  Kernall,  of  New  York.  To  this  union  was  born  one 
child,  Gracie  May  (born  November  15,  1868).  In  March,  187-1,  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  in  Section  26,  Range  8.  Mr.  Knoll  is  a  general 
farmer,  and  keeps  a  variety  of  stock  ;  he  is  a  liberal  Democrat. 

SIMEON  MARBLE  was  born  in  Sunderland,  Vt.,  August  30, 1813, 
and  is  the  fifth  child  of  Simeon  and  Rebecca  (Allen)  Marble ;  his  fithcr 
was  a  gunsmith  and  farmer.  Simeon  Marble  attended  a  village  school 
until  he  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  afterward  worked  on  his 
father's  farm  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age.  At  this  date,  he  mar- 
ried Louisa  Imus,  to  which  union  were  born  three  children — Horace,  Ann 
L.  (deceased),  and  Cyrus  (deceased).  Mrs.  Marble  died  in  18-45,  and  in 
1847,  Mr.  Marble  married  Electia  Warren,  by  whom  he  had  two  infants, 
both  deceased,  and  shortly  afterward  Mrs.  Marble  died.  In  1852,  he 
went  to  Bunker  Hill,  Mich.,  where  he  married  Betsey  Booth,  and  re- 
mained in  Michigan  until  the  war  broke  out ;  he  then  sold  his  place  and 
removed  to  Ross  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  a 
farm  in  Section  17,  Range  7,  which  he  is  now  cultivating  ;  he  also  gives 
attention  to  stock-raising.  In  1874,  his  third  wife  died  without  issue. 
On  October  7,  1877,  he  was  married  to  Amanda  M.  Niles,  widow  of 
W.  Niles,  of  New  York,  she  having  seven  children.  Mr.  Marble  is  a 
member  of  the  Free  Methodist  Church,  a  rigid  Republican  and  a  much- 
esteemed  citizen.  In  1880,  his  son,  Horace,  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Lake 
County,  and  has  been  renominated  by  the  Republicans  for  the  same  office. 

JOHN  P.  MERRILL  was  born  in  Ross  Township  October  13,  1842, 
and  is  the  second  of  five  children  born  to  Dudley  and  Julia  A.  (Peters) 
Merrill,  who  were  married  in  Ross  Township  January  1,  1840  ;  his  father 
was  a  farmer,  and  also  kept  a  country  store.  John  P.  Merrill  attended 
school  until  he  was  about  nineteen  years  old,  and  afterward  clerked  in  his 


714  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

father's  store  until  August,  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Ninety- 
ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry ;  he  served  as  Sergeant  until  October 
31,  1864,  when  he  was  appointed  First  Lieutenant,  a  position  he  held 
with  honor.  He  was  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  at  Jackson,  Mission 
Ridge,  Resaca,  and  went  through  to  Raleigh ;  he  returned  to  his  home  at 
Merrillville,  Ross  Township,  June  15,  1865 ;  he  relieved  his  sister  of  her 
place  in  his  father's  store,  taken  by  her  in  his  absence.  In  1867,  he 
and  his  brother  Oliver  were  given  the  store  by  their  father.  On  March 
26,  1867,  he  married  Martha  T.  Randolph,  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Alia 
(Mead)  Randolph,  and  to  this  union  four  children  were  born — Julia  A. 
(September  11,  1868),  Walter  J.  (October  18,  1871),  Ralph  D.,  deceased 
(August  17,  1875),  and  Alia  C.  (June  21,  1877).  In  1878,  he  bought 
his  brother  Oliver's  interest  in  the  store,  which  he  still  continues  ;  he  is 
also  President  and  Treasurer  of  the  Merrillville  Cheese  Factory.  In  1869, 
he  was  elected  Township  Trustee,  which  he  held  until  1874  ;  he  was  then 
put  in  nomination  by  the  Independent  and  Democratic  joint  conventions, 
held  at  Crown  Point,  for  the  office  of  Treasurer  of  Lake  County.  In 
1878,  he  was  again  elected  Township  Trustee,  holding  the  office  four 
years,  re-elected  in  1882  ;  his  many  friends  desire  to  see  him  Treasurer 
of  the  county,  for  which  office  he  has  been  indorsed  by  the  Greenback 
and  Democratic  Conventions,  and  it  is  thought  his  chances  for  election 
are  good ;  he  is  a  Master  Mason  and  esteemed  citizen. 

HENRY  CASS  MERRILL  was  born  in  Centreville  (now  Merrill- 
ville), Ross  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  February  29,  1852.  Until  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age,  he  divided  his  time  between  going  to  school  and  work- 
ing on  his  father's  farm.  In  1872,  he  went  to  California  and  worked  in 
the  mines  for  two  years,  where  he  accumulated  some  money.  Returning 
to  Merrillville,  he  commenced  farming.  In  1874,  he  was  married  to  Cyn- 
thia Saxton,  of  this  township,  by  which  union  were  born  three  children — 
Everett  C.  (born  January  30,  1879),  Archie  W.  (born  October  21,  1880), 
and  Guy  G.  (born  June  30,  1882).  Mr.  Merrill  is  a  general  farmer,  but 
gives  most  attention  to  the  breeding  of  stock,  particularly  hogs ;  he  is 
liberal  in  politics,  a  church  attendant,  and  a  widely  esteemed  citizen. 

ORRIN  PIERCE  was  born  in  New  York  September  7, 1813,  and  is 
the  fourth  of  thirteen  children  born  to  Rowland  and  Nancy  (Cottrell) 
Pierce.  Rowland  Pierce  was  a  farmer,  and  born  in  Vermont  November 
20,  1779,  and  Mrs.  Nancy  Pierce  in  New  York  City  April  2,  1788. 
They  were  married  November  21,  1801.  Orrin  Pierce  obtained  but  little 
schooling,  working  on  his  father's  farm  until  twenty-two  years  of  age. 
In  January,  1836,  he  married  Hester  Hammond,  to  which  union  were 
born  two  boys — Marshall  (deceased)  and  Edgar  (deceased).  He  then 
moved  to   Canada,  and  bought  up  a  farm  ;  after   one  year   he  sold  said 


ROSS   TOWNSHIP.  715 

farm  and  returned  to  New  York,  where  he  rented  land.  In  1840,  liis 
wife  died,  and  in  184:2  he  came  to  Ross  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  and 
purchased  a  small  farm  in  Section  16 ;  this  he  sold,  and  rented  IGO  acres 
in  the  same  township.  On  June  24,  1845,  he  married  Ruth  Vincent, 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Margaret  (Wilsie)  Vincent.  To  this  union  were 
born  five  children — Onsemas  (deceased),  twin  girls  (deceased),  Reuben  F. 
and  Esther  M.  Mr.  Price  became  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising. 
In  1856,  he  sold  his  farm,  and  purchased  230  acres  in  Section  18,  Range 
7,  with  improvements ;  he  now  has  a  fine  house  and  outbuilding'^,  the 
best  in  the  county,  and  raises  every  kind  of  stock.  During  the  war,  he 
bought  horses  for  the  Government.  In  1861,  he  became  a  Freemason  at 
Crown  Point,  and  took  part  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Doug- 
las monument  at  Chicago.  In  1880,  he  gave  his  son  Reuben  (now  mar- 
ried) full  charge  of  the  farm,  that  he  might  have  the  remainder  of  life 
easy.  He  and  son  are  Democrats  and  members  of  the  Unitarian  Church. 
Mr.  Pierce  is  in  his  seventieth  year,  but  in  active  health. 

JOSIAH  RANDOLPH  (deceased)  was  born  in  Warren  County,  N.  J., 
and  is  youngest  of  the  ten  children  of  Josiah  and  Esther  (Hegedorn)  Ran- 
dolph, both  natives  of  New  Jersey  ;  his  father  was  a  farmer.  Josiah  Ran- 
dolph, our  subject,  attended  school  until  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  went  to  James  Foote  to  learn  the  carpentering  trade.  In  1836,  his  par- 
ents moved  to  Michigan,  where  he  followed  his  trade  some  time.  On 
Debember  9,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Alia  Mead,  daughter  of  John  and 
Anna  (Tenbrook)  Mead,  formerly  of  New  York,  then  of  Michigan.  By 
this  union  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Randolph  are  parents  of  eight  children — John 
M.,  deceased  (born  September  25,  1839),  Esther,  deceased  (born  October 
31,  1842),  Anna  M.  (October  29,  1844),  Martha  T.  (April  21,  1847), 
Margaret  (October  12,  1849),  George  T.  (February  12,  1852),  Louis  M. 
(November  4,  1854),  and  William  J.  (September  16,  1857).  In  the  year 
of  his  marriage,  Mr.  Randolph  purchased  eighty  acres,  which  he  exchanged 
with  his  brother  for  a  like  number  near  by,  and  in  1856  he  exchanged 
his  farm  for  a  tavern  stand  in  Medina,  Mich.,  which  he  kept  for  two 
years  ;  this  he  likewise  sold,  and  bought  a  farm  in  St.  Joseph,  Mich., 
where  he  resided  about  six  years.  In  1865,  he  sold  this  farm  and  came 
to  Ross  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  in 
Section  16,  Range  8.  He  was  in  life  a  general  farmer,  a  Master  Mason, 
and  a  Democrat  and  valued  citizen.  He  died  January  27,  1877,  of  Bright's 
disease,  and  is  buried  at  Merrillville  ;  his  widow  resides  at  the  old  home 
with  her  son,  William  J.,  recently  married  to  Dora  Kilbourn,  of  Crown 
Point.  Another  son,  Louis  M.,  was  married  to  Ella  F.  Merrill ;  they 
have  one  child — Mable  A.  Louis  M.  was  started  in  the  saddlery  business 
by  his  father  ;  he  has  the  only  harness  store  in  the  village,  and  is  doing 
well. 


7 It)  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

REV.  HENRY  M.  ROTH  was  born  in  Philadelphia  September  18, 
1853,  and  is  the  fifth  of  eleven  children  born  to  Severin  and  Perpetua 
(Baker)  Roth  ;  his  father  was  born  at  Baden-Baden,  Germany,  in  1823 ; 
received  some  schooling  in  the  old  country,  and  in  1831  was  brought  to 
America  and  located  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  finished  learning  the  trade 
of  a  baker,  and  went  into  the  business  when  eighteen  years  old  ;  his 
mother  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1826,  where  she  was  married,  in 
1848,  to  Mr.  Roth.  Rev.  Henry  M.  Roth,  when  six  years  of  age,  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  become  a  priest,  which  was  opposed  by  his  father ;  he 
was  sent  to  school  until  he  was  eleven  years  old,  and  then  to  Crittenden 
Commercial  College,  according  to  his  father's  designs,  remaining  one 
year ;  he  still,  however,  had  a  predilection  for  the  priesthood ;  he  then 
had  private  tuition  at  home  in  Latin,  by  way  of  preparation  for  college, 
and  after  three  months  he  entered  the  Christian  Brothers'  College,  where 
he  remained  two  years,  wishing  to  become  a  Redemptorist,  which  his 
father  opposed,  thinking  him  not  strong  enough  for  a  life  of  privation. 
After  traveling  two  years  to  improve  his  health,  he  went  to  the  Redemp- 
torian  Preparatory  College  in  Maryland  for  one  year.  Owing  to  failing 
health,  he  returned  home ;  traveled  one  year,  and  entered  St.  Bonavont- 
ure's  College,  Allegany,  N.  Y.,  remaining  four  years,  and  finishing  in 
philosophy  and  theology.  He  was  ordered  by  the  Bishop  Owenger  to 
Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  for  ordination,  and,  on  May  22,  1880,  he  was  ordained 
for  the  diocese  of  Fort  Wayne.  On  May  30,  1880,  he  went  home  to  say 
his  first  mass  and  conciliate  his  father,  which  was  done.  He  was  then 
sent  to  take  temporary  charge  of  the  church  at  Warsaw,  Ind.,  the  priest 
being  ill,  and  on  October  15  took  charge  of  the  church  at  Avilla,  remain- 
ing until  December  18,  1880,  when  he  took  charge  as  pastor  of  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul's  Church  at  Turkey  Creek,  and  St.  Bridget's  at  Hobart,  re- 
lieving Rev.  Father  Baumgartner,  who  was  sent  to  Kirtland,  Newton 
County. 

WILLIAM  R.  STRIEBIG  was  born  near  Hanover,  Germany,  March 
13,  1827,  and  is  a  son  of  Phillip  and  Sophia  (Lehman)  Striebig,  both  of 
Germany.  William  went  to  school  and  helped  his  father,  who  was  a 
weaver,  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age  ;  he  then  learned  the  trade  of 
a  butcher,  and  also  that  of  a  weaver.  In  1851,  he  was  married  to  Sophia 
Schapar,  to  which  union,  in  1852,  was  born  one  child.  In  1851,  the}'' 
came  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Ross  Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind., 
where  three  children  were  born  to  them — Johanna,  William  and  Charles 
(deceased).  After  living  on  a  rented  farm  for  seven  years,  Mr.  Striebig 
purchased  forty  acres  of  wild  land,  built  a  frame  house,  broke  some  land 
and  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  In  February,  1865,  he  en- 
listed in   Company  K,  One   Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Volunteer 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP.  717 

Infantry,  organized  at  La  Porte,  ami  was  appointed  a  Corporal  ;  the  reg- 
iment went  to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  to  guard  the  railroad  ;  he  was  afterward 
discharged  at  Indianapolis  when  quite  ill.  On  his  recovery,  he  returned 
to  his  family.  lie  now  owns  290  acres,  with  new  frame  house  with  ten 
rooms,  outbuildings,  horses,  cattle  and  the  like.  He  is  a  Republican  ; 
can  read  and  write  English  well,  and  is  esteemed  generally.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Striebis:  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

PALMER  SUMNER  was  born  in  the  State  of  Vermont  March  15, 
1804,  and  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Delilah  (Reynolds)  Sumner,  both  na- 
tives of  Vermont.  Palmer  Sumner  attended  school  a  short  time  before 
he  was  twelve  years  old,  then  worked  for  his  father ;  then  attended 
school,  and  worked  again  for  his  father  until  his  twentieth  year.  In  No- 
vember, 1825,  he  was  married  to  Betsey  Russell,  to  which  union  one 
child,  an  infant  (deceased),  was  born.  Mrs.  Sumner  died  in  182(3.  On 
June  5,  1831,  he  was  married  to  Lucretia  Calvin,  and  to  them  thirteen 
children  were  born — Calvin,  Amos,  Sarah,  Elissie,  Palmer,  Harriet, 
Betsey  and  Maria,  the  others  dying  in  infancy.  In  1839,  Mr.  Sumner 
moved  to  Indiana,  locating  at  Ross  Station,  where  he  purchased  a  farm. 
He  has  been  twice  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  twice  a  Constable. 
Mr.  Sumner  is  a  Republican,  and  a  generally  esteemed  citizen. 

JOHN  WOOD  was  born  in  Massachusetts  October  28,  1800,  and  is 
a  son  of  Moses  and  Sarah  (Baker)  Wood ;  the  former  was  born  May  25, 
1748,  and  the  latter  July  14,  1756.  John  Wood's  father  died  when  he 
was  quite  young,  and  his  mother  placed  him  with  a  friend  of  the  family, 
where  he  remained  five  years,  after  which  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  tan- 
ner, in  which  vocation  he  began  business  for  himself.  On  November  16, 
1824,  he  married  Hannah  E.  Pattee,  to  which  union  there  were  born 
eight  children  —  Nathan,  born  August  24,  1825;  Augustus,  May  26, 
1828;  Abbie  M.,  June  24,  1830;  John  W.  (deceased),  born  December 
18,  1832 ;  George,  March  10,  1835  ;  John  W.,  March  13,  1838  ;  Mary, 
March  22,  1840;  and  Oliver  S.,  April  15,  1842.  In  1835,  Mr.  Wood 
came  to  this  township,  settled  on  a  quarter  section  of  land,  built  a  log 
house  and  went  for  his  family.  On  his  return,  an  Indian  had  claimed  his 
land,  and  he  was  compelled  to  pay  ,"$1,000  for  it.  He  built  the  first  saw- 
mill in  the  county,  and  in  1840  a  grist-mill  near  by,  at  the  same  time 
farming  and  raising  stock.  He  remained  in  the  milling  business  until 
1860,  when  he  sold  to  his  sons,  Nathan  and  George ;  the  saw-mill  has 
gone  to  pieces,  but  the  grist-mill  was  rebuilt,  and  is  being  run  by  Nathan 
Wood.  Moses  Wood  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  fought  at 
Bunker  Hill.  John  Wood,  who  is  a  Freemason,  was  present  at  the  cor- 
ner-stone laying  of  Bunker  Hill  Monument.  He  has  been  instrumental 
in  establishing  several  Masonic  Lodges — one  at  Valparaiso,  one  at  Crown 


718  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

Point,  and  was  the  first  to  aid  one  at  Wheeler.  He  is  a  Master  Mason 
in  good  standing,  and  a  greatly  respected  citizen.  His  wife  died  Septem- 
ber 27,  1873,  aged  seventy  years  eleven  months  and  fourteen  days.  His 
grand-daughter,  Miss  Abbie  Shedd,  is  his  housekeeper. 

NATHAN  WOOD  was  born  in  Peabody,  N.  H.,  August  24, 
1825,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Hannah  E.  (Pattee)  Wood,  the 
former  born  in  Massachusetts  October  28,  1800,  the  later  in  New  Salem, 
N.  H.,  in  1802,  where  they  were  married  November  16,  1822,  and 
settled  on  a  farm  near  the  town  of  Peabody.  Nathan  Wood  received 
some  schooling  in  his  native  town,  and  when  eleven  years  old  his  father 
moved  to  this  township,  locating  on  Section  21,  Range  7.  At  that  day 
there  were  no  schools,  and  Nathan  worked  for  his  father,  and  when  a 
school  was  built  attended  for  six  years.  Afterward  he  worked  in  his 
father's  grist  mill — the  first  built  in  the  county — until  1852,  and  on 
November  4,  of  that  year,  was  married  to  Rebecca  A.  Rundle,  daughter 
of  John  D.  and  Eliza  Rundle.  To  this  union  were  born  eight  children — 
Arthur  F.  (deceased),  Edward  E.,  Ella  A.,  Eva  M.,  Herbert,  Nathan  A. 
and  George  W.  Prior  to  his  marriage,  in  1844,  Mr.  Wood  was  appointed 
Postmaster  at  Deep  River,  in  this  township,  by  President  Polk,  which 
position  he  held  until  1881,  having  given  general  satisfaction.  He  had 
years  before  purchased  and  improved  his  father's  grist  mill,  and  he  owns 
to-day  one  of  the  finest  mills  in  the  county.  In  1849,  he  built  a  fine  two- 
story  brick  house  near  the  mill,  where  himself  and  family  reside  ;  he  is  a 
Republican,  and  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  Union  League.  Both 
himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Unitarian  Church,  and  greatly 
esteemed  by  the  community. 

GEORGE  WOOD,  the  fifth  child  of  John  and  Hannah  E.  (Pattee) 
Wood,  was  born  in  Peabody,  N.  H.,  March  10, 1834,  in  which  year  his  father 
came  to  Ross  Township,  Ind.  At  his  eleventh  year,  George  Wood  at- 
tended school  in  La  Porte  County,  and  while  there  lived  with  his  grand- 
father Pattee,  after  which  he  worked  on  the  farm  and  in  the  mills  of  his 
father  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  He  then  became  clerk  for 
Shedd  &  Wood,  in  a  country  store,  for  about  two  years  ;  then  he  and  his 
brother  Nathan  purchased  the  mills  from  their  father,  and  were  in  busi- 
ness together  about  four  years.  On  October  8,  1857,  he  married  Mary 
J.  Dizard,  daughter  of  James  Dizard,  of  old  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  to  which 
union  there  were  born  eight  children — Eugene  (born  December  16, 
1858),  infant  girl  (deceased),  Anna  E.  (born  September  1,  1862), 
William  H.  (deceased,  born  August  16,  1864),  William  H.  (born  July  2, 
1865),  Sarah  J.  (born  January  1,  1871),  Frankie  C.  (deceased,  born 
March  14,  1874)  and  an  infant  daughter  (deceased).  In  1860,  he  sold 
his  interest  in  the  mills  to  his  brother  Nathan   and   bought  eighty   acres 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  719 

in  Section  16,  Range  7.  This  he  sold  in  1865  and  enlisted  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Sixty-first  Regiment  Indiana  Volunteers  ;  after  serving 
some  time  under  Gens.  Dudley  and  Milroy,  he  was  discharged,  returned 
home,  and  began  a  store,  which  he  sold  to  his  brother  ;  he  then  repur- 
chased part  of  his  farm,  and  added  thereto  until  he  owned  230  acres, 
with  good  house  and  improvements.  In  1872,  he  built  the  second  cheese 
factory  in  the  county,  which  he  is  now  managing  successfully.  In  1881, 
his  store  was  razed  to  the  ground  by  a  cyclone,  his  son  Eugene  being  in 
the  building,  but  escaping.  He  immediately  rebuilt,  he  and  his  son 
Eugene  being  in  partnership  in  the  store,  Mr.  Wood  giving  his  atten- 
tion to  the  cheese  factory.  It  is  his  design  to  build  a  creamery  and 
butter  factory.  Mr.  Wood  is  a  Republican  and  an  esteemed  citizen. 
Both  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the   Unitarian   Church. 

SAMUEL  J.  WOODBRIDGE,  son  of  George  A.  and  Jane  M. 
(McConnell)  Woodbridge,  was  born  in  this  county  October  13,  1849. 
He  attended  school  at  Crown  Point  until  sixteen  years  of  age,  studied 
telegraphy,  was  then  employed  at  the  station  at  Ilobart,  and  then  at  the 
Ross  Station.  He  then  moved  to  Frankfort,  111.,  and  while  there  was 
married,  October  15,  1879,  to  Eliza  M.  Phillips.  After  remaining  in 
Frankfort  three  years,  he  returned  to  Ross  Station  as  general  station 
agent,  day  operator,  express  agent  and  deputy  Postmaster.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Woodbridge  is  free  from  party  trammels,  and  votes  for  the  man  beat 
suited  for  office. 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP. 

HERMAN  C.  BECKMANN  was  born  in  the  Province  of  Hanover, 
Germany,  in  1822,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  eight  children  of  John  B. 
and  G.  (Luehrs)  Beckmann,  both  natives  of  Germany.  John  B.  Beck- 
mann  was  a  tailor,  and  he  and  wife  lived  in  Langwedel,  Germany,  where 
the  former  died  in  1836,  the  latter  in  1832.  Hermann  C.  Beckmann  re- 
ceived a  good  education  in  his  native  village,  but,  owing  to  the  poverty  of 
his  parents,  had  many  obstacles.  At  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  commenced 
to  learn  the  wheelwright  trade,  at  which  he  served  three  years.  Having 
worked  as  a  journeyman  until  August,  1846,  and  with  ►^lOO  he  em- 
barked for  America,  and  located  at  Beavertown,  N.  J.,  where  he  followed 
his  trade  six  months  ;  he  had  but  ^50  on  reaching  New  York,  where  he 
now  went,  and  where  he  began  work  in  a  grocery  store  at  small  wages. 
After  remaining  two  years  and  saving  $800,  he  purchased  a  grocery 
stock,  was  successful,  and  the  first  six  months  cleared  $500,  but,  owing 
to  his  trust  business,  lost,  in   1853,  $1,500.     In  November,  1855,  he 


720  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

sailed  for  Germany,  but  returned  in  March,  and  on  June  11,  1856, 
located  in  this  township  with  a  capital  of  $1,200.  He  purchased  eleven 
acres,  partly  improved,  and  also  began,  in  a  small  way,  the  purchase  of 
butter,  eggs  and  produce  at  Chicago  ;  he  continued  his  farm  as  well 
until  1866,  when  he  sold  part  of  his  land.  In  October  of  that  year,  he 
moved  to  his  present  location,  purchasing  store,  building  and  lot  for 
$1,500.  Mr.  Beckmann  was  married,  in  1852,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Fink, 
born  in  Germany  in  18B5.  By  this  union  there  were  born  nine  children 
— John  A.,  Margaret  Z.  (deceased),  Gesina  N.,  Elizabeth,  Anna,  Her. 
mine,  Maggie  J.,  Harmon  C.  and  Frederick  B.  Mrs.  Beckmann  died 
July  8,  1876,  aged  forty-four  years.  Mr.  Beckmann  has  been  very  success- 
ful. He  has  now  232  acres  of  good  land,  besides  village  property  in  Crown 
Point  and  Brunswick,  aggregating  $25,000  or  more;  in  addition,  he  has 
ten  head  of  Jersey  cattle  and  a  good  Norman  horse.  He  has  been  Town- 
ship Trustee  five  terms,  County  Commissioner  two,  and  is  now  School 
Director.  In  1866,  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  at  Brunswick,  which 
position  he  now  holds ;  he  has  also  been  Notary  Public  for  eighteen 
years. 

VALENTINE  EINSELE  was  born  in  Germany  February  13,  1842, 
and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of  Michael  and  Barbara  Einsele,  both 
natives  of  Germany.  They  emigrated  to  America  in  1817,  and  located 
in  Hanover  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  they  bought  a  partly 
improved  farm,  on  which  they  reared  their  family.  Mrs.  Einsele  died  in 
1878,  aged  seventy-one  ;  but  Mr.  Einsele  survives,  aged  seventy-five,  and 
is  well  and  active.  Valentine  Einsele  received  a  limited  education  in 
English,  and  during  youth  was  taught  farming,  also  the  use  of  tools  and 
wagon-making,  consequently,  when  twenty-two  years  old,  he  began  a  shop 
in  Brunswick,  where  he  has  since  done  a  large  business,  having  no  com- 
petition. In  1867,  he  was  married  to  Catherine  Gard,  born  in  Lake 
County  in  1844,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Angeline  (Hack)  Gard,  both 
natives  of  Germany,  emigrating  to  America  in  1838,  being  the  fourth 
German  family  in  this  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Einsele  had  born  to  them 
two  children — George  N.  and  Elmer  E.  (deceased).  Mr.  Gard  died 
in  1881,  aged  seventy-five  years;  his  widow  survives,  aged  seventy -two 
years.  From  1868  to  1874,  he  had  a  blacksmith-shop  in  connection 
with  his  wagon-shop,  turning  out  nearly  $5,000  worth  of  work  per  year. 
He  has  been  successful  notwithstanding  many  losses.  He  has  a  good 
home  of  sixty-four  acres,  worth  $7,000.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Einsele  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

FREDERICK  GERBING  was  born  in  Germany  in  1825,  and  dur- 
ing youth  worked  on  a  farm,  and,  when  twenty  years  old,  was  drafted 
into  the  army,  in  which  he  served  five  years.      In  1854,  he  emigrated  to 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  721 

America,  locating  in  this  townsliip  and  county,  where  he  has  since  lived, 
and  has  good  property  in  Brunswick.  In  1802,  he  enlisted  in  Company 
B,  Twentieth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  through  the  war. 
He  was  in  every  battle  except  Chancellorsville,  being  disabled  by  sore 
feet;  he  received  a  flesli  wound  at  Gettysburg,  which  caused  him  to  lie 
in  the  hospital  nearly  two  months.  Soon  after  coming  to  America,  he 
be;;an  to  learn  the  mason's  trade,  which  he  has  since  followed  ;  he  has 
been  a  leading  citizen  of  his  township,  serving  six  years  as  Township 
Trustee  and  six  as  Township  Assessor;  he  is  an  active  Republican.  In 
18(30,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Schmal,  a  native  of  St.  Johns  Township, 
born  in  1843.  By  this  union,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gerbing  are  parents  to  eight 
children — Rosa,  Gustavus,  George,  Joseph,  Olive,  Alvina,  William  and 
Gesina. 

DR.  CHARLES  GROMANN  was  born  in  Germany  December  2, 
1823,  and  is  the  eldest  of  three  children  born  to  Philip  and  Dora  Gro- 
mann,  both  natives  of  Germany.  When  fourteen  years  of  age,  Dr.  Gro- 
mann  had  acquired  sufficient  education  to  enter  an  academy,  where  he 
attended  two  years;  then  assisted  his  father  in  a  brickyard  for  a  few 
years,  and  afterward  became  clerk  in  a  drug  store  for  two  years.  In  the 
spring  of  1819,  he  came  to  America,  and  after  reaching  Chicago,  on 
May  5,  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  W.  Kluckhohn,  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, born  September  8,  1829,  and  to  them  were  born  eleven  children, 
nine  of  whom  are  living — Minnie,  Henry,  August,  Sophia,  Caroline  (wife 
of  Rev.  Henry  Nierhein),  Charles,  Louisa,  Frederick  and  Annie.  Mrs. 
Groraann  died  November  IT,  1869.  On  February  8,  1870,  Dr.  Gro- 
raann  married  Miss  Sophia  Ortmeyer,  born  in  Germany  November  2, 
1842,  by  which  union  were  born  four  children,  two  of  whom  are  living  — 
Paulina  and  Julia.  Dr.  Gromann's  first  enterprise  in  America  was  the 
purchase  of  fifty-three  and  one-third  acres,  which,  after  four  years,  he 
sold  and  purchased  eighty  acres  in  this  township,  on  which  he  settled  and 
farmed  until  1858,  when  he  rented  his  farm  and  went  to  Chicago,  to 
study  medicine  with  Dr.  Ulrich,  homoeapathist,  for  one  year,  and  in  185'> 
commenced  practice  in  his  home  vicinity,  where  he  remained  until  1862, 
at  which  time  he  removed  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  had  an  extensive 
practice  for  two  years :  he  then  returned  to  Hanover  Centre  and  prac- 
ticed one  year.  In  186-"),  he  purchased  his  present  home  of  Dr.  Volke, 
where  he  has  since  resided  and  acquired  a  large  practice.  Dr.  Gromann 
has  been  a  successful  man  in  every  way,  having  a  home  of  forty-six  acres 
of  good  land,  and  has  bestowed  upon  each  of  his  children  a  good  educa- 
tion ;  he  has  served  as  Township  Trustee  six  terms.  Both  Dr.  Gromann 
and  wife  are  members  of  the  German  M.  E.  Church. 

CHRISTIAN  KLAAS  was  born  in  Germany  February  7,  1833, 
and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Klaas  ;    he  came  to  America  with 


722  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

his  parents  in  1850,  his  father  having  entered  the  land  he  now  owns  and 
redeemed  from  the  prairie  a  farm  and  a  home.  Henry  Klaas  died  in 
1881.  aged  eighty-two  years,  and  his  widow  survives  him,  aijed  sixty- 
seven  years.  In  1856,  Christian  Klaas  was  married  to  Miss  Wilhelmina 
Brancker,  born  in  Germany  in  1837,  daughter  of  Christian  and  Armenia 
Brancker,  natives  of  Germany,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1853,  locat- 
ing in  West  Creek  Township,  Lake  County,  Ind.  By  this  union,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Klaas  are  parents  of  eleven  children — Henry,  Louisa,  Anna, 
Armenia,  Caroline,  August,  Mary,  Christian,  Elizabeth,  Sophia  and 
Emma.  Mr.  Klaas  remained  with  his  father  until  he  was  twenty -five 
years  old,  when  he  began  farming  the  home  farm  on  shares,  which,  by 
diligence  and  economy,  he  has  been  enabled  to  purchase,  and  now  owns 
300  acres,  besides  giving  to  each  son  ninety  acres  and  assisting  two 
daughters  to  a  home ;  he  is  now  worth  ^15,000,  even  more,  and  is  raising 
thoroughbred  cattle  and  Poland- China  hogs,  being  the  leading  stock- 
grower  in  his  township,  as  he  is  also  one  of  its  leading  citizens.  He  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

FREDERICK  C.  MEYER  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1820,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Anna  (Matta)  Meyer,  both 
natives  of  Germany.  He  received  a  good  education,  and  when  fifteen 
years  of  age,  removed  to  Bremen,  where  he  remained  until  18-10,  when 
he  emigrated  to  America,  locating  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  where  he  acted 
as  grocer's  clerk  one  year ;  he  then  purchased  the  store  and  continued 
the  business  four  years.  He  visited  his  native  country,  purchased  five 
acres  and  farmed  until  1853.  In  1816,  he  was  married  to  Martha  G. 
Maygatta,  born  in  Germany  in  1815,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Rebecca 
(Frazer)  Maygatta,  natives  of  Germany.  By  their  union  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Meyer  are  parents  of  five  children — Frederick,  Annie,  Sophia,  Harry  and 
Lucy,  all  married.  In  1853,  Mr.  Meyer  returned  to  America,  came  West 
and  located  in  this  township,  where  he  purchased  120  acres,  little  im- 
proved. His  only  market  was  Chicago,  and  his  transport  an  ox  team. 
Mr.  Meyer  has  a  home  of  163  acres  with  improvements,  valued  at  ^15 
per  acre — the  reward  of  hard  labor.  He  experienced  the  many  vicissi- 
tudes of  a  pioneer,  and  recalls  how  abundant  game  once  was  in  this  same 
county,  of  which  he  had  his  share.  Mr.  Meyer  is  a  Republican,  and  was 
elected  Treasurer  of  this  township,  but  did  not  qualify  ;  his  first  vote  was 
given  for  James  K.  Polk ;  his  son,  Frederick,  enlisted  in  1861,  in  Com- 
pany F,  Ninth  Illinois  Volunteer  Cavalry,  and  in  186-4  re-enlisted  as  a 
veteran,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war,  and  receiving  but  a  flesh 
wound. 

JOHN  II.  MEYER  was  born  in  the  Province  of  Hanover,  Germany, 
March   22,  1837,  and  is  one  of  the  six  children  of  Herman  and  Maggie 


HANOVER  TOWNSHIP.  723 

Meyer,  both  natives  of  Germany.  John  II.  Meyer  came  to  America  with 
his  Uncle  Frederick  in  1853,  locating  in  New  York,  where  he  clerked  in 
a  grocery  for  two  years,  after  which  he  came  to  this  county,  where  he 
worked  on  a  farm  by  the  month  until  June,  18G1,  when  he  enlisted  in 
Company  B,  Second  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  three  years,  and 
was  honorably  discharged  in  1864,  after  having  fought  at  Gettysburg, 
where  he  received  a  slight  wound,  the  Wilderness  and  in  other  en- 
gagements. On  returning  home,  he  clerked  in  the  general  store  of  II. 
C.  Beckmann  for  tliree  year^j.  In  February,  1867,  he  married  Miss  Mag- 
gie Dittmer,  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  in  1845,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Sarah  Dittmer,  natives  of  Germany.  By  this  union  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meyer 
became  parents  of  four  children — Le  Grand,  Howard,  Horace  G.  and 
Jennie.  In  the  fall  of  1867,  Mr.  Meyer  purchased  a  stock  of  groceries 
and  crockery  in  company  with  Leonard  Berlen,  locating  at  Crown  Point, 
where  he  remained  eleven  years  and  did  an  extensive  business.  In  1878, 
he  sold  this,  and  purchased  a  half-interest  in  the  farm  of  eighty  acres  on 
which  he  now  resides,  his  wife  owning  the  other  half.  This  farm  is  one 
of  the  most  valuable  in  the  county.  While  living  at  Crown  Point  he  was 
Town  Trustee,  and  is  an  active  politician  of  the  Democratic  school.  Mr. 
Meyer  and  one  brother  are  the  only  ones  of  the  family  who  came  to 
America.  John  H.  Meyer,  in  company  with  John  Lehman,  of  Crown 
Point,  printed  the  first  issue  of  the  Free  Fress  in  1876  ;  the  partnership 
continued  eighteen  months,  when  Mr.  Meyer  retired ;  he  is  a  member  of 
Lodge  No.  57,  A.,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Crown  Point. 

JOHN  N.  SCHUBERT  was  born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  September 
9,  1819,  and  is  the  only  son  of  George  and  Anna  M.  Scliubert.  John  N. 
Schubert  attended  school  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  when  he  be- 
came an  apprentice  to  the  stone-mason  trade,  after  which  he  began  work 
for  himself  at  said  trade,  continuing  until  1846,  when  he  came  to  America. 
Here  he  abandoned  his  business  and  became  a  farmer.  On  reaching 
Chicago,  he  was  without  a  copper,  but  worked  on  a  farm  west  of  that  city 
for  a  few  months,  then  came  to  Crown  Point  and  hired  to  Henry  Wells, 
for  whom  he  worked  four  years,  during  which  he  saved  ^400 ;  he  there- 
with purchased  twenty  acres  of  his  present  farm,  in  1850  ;  to  this,  he  has 
since  added,  until  now  he  owns  203  acres  of  well-improved  land  worth 
$50  per  acre — the  outcome  of  industry  and  economy ;  he  has  built  large, 
commodious  buildings,  making  his  property  one  of  the  best  in  the  town- 
ship. In  1849,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rosanna  Fisher,  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, born  in  1823,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  eight  children — 
Elizabeth,  Hammond,  Hannah,  Louise,  Rosanna,  Mary,  Emma  and  John. 
Mrs.  Schubert  died  in  1873,  aged  fifty  years ;  she  was  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  sect,  as  is    also  Mr.  Schubert.     Mr.    Schubert  recollects  how 


724  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

abundant  were  Indians  and  game  in  this  section  in  pioneer  days  ;  but  he 
never  found  time  for  hunting.  His  first  market  was  Chicago,  all  prod- 
uce being  hauled  thither.  Oats  were  13  to  14  cents  per  bushel;  butter, 
4  to  5  cents  per  pound. 

JOSEPH  SCHMAL  was  born  in  the  Province  of  the  Rhine,  Ger- 
many, November  8,  1817.  and  is  one  of  the  seven  children  of  Joseph 
and  Catherine  Schmal,  both  natives  of  Germany.  In  1838,  they  emi- 
grated to  America,  came  via  New  York,  Buffalo  and  Chicago,  and  thence 
to  Lake  County  by  team.  They  located  in  St.  Johns  Township,  where 
Mr.  Schmal  pre-empted  land  and  built  a  log  cabin.  They  were  the  second 
German  family  in  the  county,  where  they  lived,  reared  a  family,  made  a 
good  home  and  died  in  1859,  aged  seventy-six  and  seventy-four  years, 
Joseph  Schmal,  our  subject,  received  a  fair  German  education.  When  he 
came,  he  engaged  to  work  on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal  at  $24  per 
month  for  two  and  one-half  years,  and  in  the  winter  chopped  wood  and 
did  carpentering.  On  May  8,  1841,  at  Joliet,  111,,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Barbara  Keiffer,  born  in  Germany,  June  10,  1819,  and  the  only 
living  of  the  six  children  of  John  J,  and  Eve  Keiffer,  natives  of  Ger- 
many, By  this  union  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Schmal  were  parents  of  thirteen 
children,  ten  now  living — Catherine  E.,  Mary,  Joseph  G.,  Barbara,  Adam, 
Jacob,  Frank,  Lewis,  Aurele  and  Alfred.  Soon  after  his  marriage,  Mr. 
Schmal  located  in  St.  Johns  Township,  where  he  purchased  forty  acres, 
which  afterward  was  made  120  acres,  where  he  lived  until  1853,  when  he 
sold  it  for  $1,600,  and  located  in  this  township.  Here  he  has  erected 
a  large  frame  house,  with  outbuildings  and  wind-engine  ;  he  has  now  132 
acres,  well  improved.  During  the  first  twelve  years  of  his  experience, 
Mr,  Schmal  hauled  his  products  to  Chicago  by  ox  team.  Hay  was  cut 
with  a  scythe,  and  wheat  and  oats  cradled.  Mr.  Schmal  well  remembers 
the  abundance  of  Indians  and  game,  having  sent  his  dog  to  chase  the  deer 
from  his  fields,  while  he  was  tilling  the  soil.  He  has  been  an  active  poli- 
tician of  the  Republican  school,  and  an  active  and  enterprising  farmer  and 
citizen,  taking  a  particular  interest  in  schools. 

VALENTINE  SHUTZ  was  born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany, 
in  1822,  and  is  a  son  of  Frank  and  Christina  Shiitz,  both  natives  of 
Germany.  Valentine  Shlltz  received  a  common  school  education,  and 
was  reared  a  farmer.  When  twenty-four  years  of  age,  he  began  to  work 
for  himself,  at  which  time  he  was  married  to  Miss  Barbara  Kettish,  This 
union  was  blessed  with  ten  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — Susan, 
Barbara,  John,  Frank  and  Valentine,  Mrs,  Shiitz  died  in  1866,  and 
Mr.  Shiitz's  second  marriage,  in  1868,  was  to  Lizzie  Leistmeyiser,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  born  in  1837.  To  this  union  were  born  five  children, 
four  of  whom  survive — Lizzie,   Mary,  Annie   and  Rosa.     In   1864,  Mr. 


ST.  JOHNS  TOWNSHIP.  725 

Shiitz  emii^rated  to  America,  and  located  in  this  township,  where  ho  pur- 
chased 200  acres,  having  a  round-log  cabin  and  being  covered  with  a  small 
growth  of  timber.  This  land  he  hag  long  since  improved,  now  having 
large  commodious  buildings.  His  farm  borders  on  the  lake,  and  is  one  of 
the  best  and  most  valuable  in  the  township. 

HENRY  V.  VON  HOLLEN,  deceased,  was  born  in  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, December  23,  1804.  In  1836,  he  emigrated  to  Americaand  locat- 
ed near  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  where  he  worked  two  years  as  a  farm  laborer. 
On  August  13,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Schubert,  a  native 
of  Saxony,  born  October  9,  1816.  To  this  union  were  born  two  chil- 
dren— Louisa  (deceased,  aged  twenty  years)  and  an  infant.  Mrs.  Von 
Hollen  came  to  America  with  some  friends  in  1836.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Von 
HoUen,  in  company  with  Mr.  Henry  Sasse,  removed  from  Michigan  ta 
this  township  in  September,  1838.  Not  having  means  to  purchase  land 
without  selling  his  team,  Mr.  Von  Hollen,  in  the  following  spring,  went 
to  Joliet  and  worked  on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal  for  two  years, 
and  in  1841,  returned  to  this  township,  and  purchased  eighty  acres, 
which  he  improved,  and  to  which  he  added  until  he  owned  374  acres. 
Mr.  Von  Hollen  was  one  of  the  first  Trustees  of  the  township,  and  one 
of  those  who  gave  it  its  name.  He  was  a  stanch  Republican,  and  one  of 
the  best  and  most  influential  citizens.  During  his  early  life,  he  had  been 
a  soldier  in  Germany,  and  his  age  alone  prevented  him  from  taking  ac- 
tive part  in  the  late  civil  war.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  as  is  likewise  Mrs.  Von  Hollen,  who  is  now  the  oldest  living  in- 
habitant of  Hanover  Township,  having  resided  herein  for  forty-one  years. 
She,  with  her  sister,  lives  on  the  homestead  farm,  from  which  she  has 
not  been  absent  more  than  two  weeks  during  her  long  residence. 


ST.  JOHNS  TOWNSHIP. 

.JOHN  AUSTGEN  was  born  in  Prussia  in  the  year  1841,  and  was 
brought  to  America  by  his  parents  in  1852  ;  they  located  in  this  town- 
ship, where  John  spent  his  youthful  days.  In  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany F,  Ninth  Illinois  Volunteer  Cavalry,  in  which  he  was  an  active 
soldier  and  bushwhacker.  After  his  discharge  in  1864,  he  re-enlisted  as  a 
veteran,  and  served  until  the  war  closed ;  he  had  many  escapes,  having 
had  two  horses  shot  beneath  him  while  riding ;  in  all  the  war  he  received 
but  a  flesh  wound  ;  he  was  honorably  discharged  in  1866,  at  Selma,  Ala., 
and  had  §350,  which  he  spent  in  pleasure,  after  which  he  worked  for  the 
P.,  C.  &  St.  L.  Railroad,  which  he  continued  until  September,  1867. 
In  that  year,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Spanier,  a  native  of  this 


726  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

township.  Mrs.  Austgen  died  in  1877,  leaving  four  small  children.  A 
few  months  later,  Mr.  Austgen  was  married  to  Mary  Shoemaker,  daughter 
of  Peter  and  Anna  M.  Reeder,  both  natives  of  Prussia,  by  which  union 
they  became  parents  of  two  children.  In  1867,  Mr.  Austgen  opened  a 
saloon  in  St.  Johns,  which  he  continued  until  May,  1870,  when  he  sold 
the  same  and  moved  to  Schererville,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
the  same  business;  he  was  for  six  years  Constable  of  the  township,  and 
has  also  been  School  Director.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Austgen  are  members  of 
the  Catholic  Church. 

HENRY  BATTERMAN  was  born  in  Will  County,  111.,  October  10, 
1855,  and  is  the  second  of  nine  children  born  to  Christian  and  Hannah 
(Desher)  Batterraan,  both  natives  of  Germany.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Batter- 
man  were  successful  in  making  a  good  home  for  their  family,  and  were 
esteemed  residentd  of  their  community.  Henry  Batterman  received  a 
good  common  school  education,  and  was  reared  a  farmer.  When  nineteen 
years  of  age,  he  began  to  learn  the  saddlery  and  harness  business  with 
Mr.  Charles  Mowler,  of  Crown  Point,  and  sixteen  months  later  worked 
for  Mr.  Shilling,  of  Dyer,  for  one  year.  After  working  in  another  shop 
a  short  time,  he  went  to  Chicago  and  worked  nine  months.  On  February 
17,  1880,  he  returned  and  purchased  from  F.  Gensberger  a  stock  of  goods 
and  tools,  and  has  since  then  turned  out  good  work  and  done  a  thriving 
business.  On  March  20,  1881,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Reichert, 
a  native  of  Cook  County,  111.,  born  in  1859,  who  died  on  the  following 
12th  day  of  December,  leaving  one  child — Joseph.  Mr.  Batterman's 
second  marriage  was  to  Lena  Young,  born  in  1858,  in  Cook  County,  111., 
daughter  of  Michael  and  Margaret  Young,  natives  of  Germany.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Batterman  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

JOHN  BEIRIGER  was  born  in  Prussia  November  7,  1839,  and  is 
a  son  of  Matthias  and  Mary  (Keifer)  Beiriger,  both  natives  of  Prussia, 
who  emigrated  to  America  in  1840,  and  located  in  this  township,  where 
they  laid  claim  to  land  and  began  farming,  enduring  the  many  hardships 
of  early  settlers,  and  hauling  their  produce  to  Chicago  without  roads  or 
bridges ;  notwithstanding  these  impediments,  they  acquired  a  home  of 
190  acres,  well  improved,  where  Matthias  Beiriger  died  in  1860,  aged 
sixty  years.  His  widow  afterward  removed  to  Dyer,  where  she  died  in  187-4, 
aged  sixty-two  years.  John  Beiriger  received  a  common  school  education 
and  was  reared  a  farmer  ;  he  remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-three 
years  of  age,  when  he  worked  on  the  farm  by  the  month  for  two  years.  In 
1865,  he  served  two  years  to  learn  cabinet-making,  after  which  he  became 
a  partner  with  his  brother  Jacob,  and  they  began  the  first  planing-mill  in 
Lake  County.  On  October  4, 1867,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Gusenberger, 
a  native  of  Prussia,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Susan  (Kerner)    Gusen- 


ST.  JOHNS   TOWNSHIP.  727 

berger.  By  this  union  were  born  eight  children,  six  of  whom  are  living. 
Mrs.  Beiriger  died  April  28,  1882.  In  1861),  the  furniture  store  of  the 
Messrs.  Beiriger  was  burned,  entailing  a  loss  of  $5,000 ;  they  soon  re- 
built, however,  and  one  year  later  dissolved  their  partnership,  John  Bei- 
riger   continuintj    the    business    in    connection  with  undertaking,  wliich 

on  O' 

amounted  to  $6,000  per  annum.  Mr.  Beiriger  has  been  fairly  success- 
ful, being  worth  about  $4,000. 

JOHN  BOOS,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Germany  in  1842,  and  is  the  son  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  Boos,  both  natives  of  Germany.  John  Boos,  Jr., 
was  brought  to  the  United  States  by  his  parents  in  1848,  who  located 
near  Dyer,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  our  subject  was  reared,  and  for  a  few 
years  attended  school  four  miles  distant.  Being  the  eldest  son,  he  was 
needed  at  home  to  assist  his  father  on  the  farm,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  when  he  began  life  for  himself,  work- 
ing on  the  farm  by  the  month  until  1861.  In  this  year,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Dubois,  born  in  Germany  in  1846.  To  this  union  wore 
born  six  children — John,  Anna,  Lizzie,  Mary,  Matilda  and  Matthias. 
Shortly  after  his  marriage,  he  was  drafted,  and  was  obliged  to  procure  a 
substitute  at  a  cost  of  $800.  In  1865.  he  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he 
worked  in  a  sugar  refinery  one  year,  after  wliich  he  returned  to  Lake 
County  and  farmed  on  rented  land  for  seven  years,  when  he  sold  iiis 
stock,  etc.,  and  removed  to  Dyer,  purchased  property  and  opened  a  farm- 
ers' hotel  and  saloon;  here  he  has  since  done  business  and  been  success- 
ful, having  acquired  a  good  property,  besides  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  and 
is  now  worth  probably  $9,000 — the  result  of  industry  and  economy.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Boos  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

GEORGE  F.  DAVIS  was  born  in  England  October  20,  1839,  and 
and  is  the  youngest  of  five  children  born  to  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Pea- 
cock) Davis,  both  natives  of  England.  Henry  Davis  was  a  minister  in 
early  life,  but  afterward  followed  farming.  George  F.  Davis  was  roared 
a  farmer.  When  fifteen  years  old,  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  miller  for  two 
years,  and  afterward  took  charge  of  his  father's  mill  for  three  years,  when 
he  became  a  partner  with  his  father  in  the  milling  branch  for  seven  years, 
during  which  period  he  gave  attention  to  breeding  Berkshire  swine  and 
Short-Horn  cattle.  In  1867,  he  emigrated  to  America,  locating  at  Chi- 
cago for  eighteen  months,  following  his  trade,  and  in  1869,  removed  to 
Dyer,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  and  took  charge  of  the  grist-mill  owned  by  Mr. 
Du  Breuil.  After  remaining  eighteen  months,  Mr.  Davis  bought  one- 
quarter  interest  in  the  rail!,  which  continued  until  Mr.  Du  Breuil's  death 
in  1876,  when  Mr.  Davis  purchased  another  quarter  interest,  the  balance 
being  sold  to  A.  Scheldt,  and  they  have  conducted  the  business  since  that 
time.     They  are  grinding  from  four  to  five  car-loads  of  wheat  per  month. 


728  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

besides  private  orders  and  a  feed-mill.  On  August  25,  1867,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Louisa  H.  Bright,  of  Devonshire,  England,  born  in  1858, 
and  daughter  of  James  and  Jane  (Peacock)  Bright.  To  their  union  were 
born  ten  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — Elizabeth  L.,  Henry,  George 
F.,  James  W.  and  Louise  J.  Mrs.  Davis  died  October  16,  1880  ;  she 
was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Mr.  Davis  is  an  enthu- 
siastic stock-raiser,  and  by  crossing  various  breeds  has  produced  a  new 
one  called  the  Victoria.  The  first  specimen  was  exhibited  at  the  Fat-Stock 
Show  at  Chicago  in  1878,  and  each  year  he  has  taken  the  first  premium 
wherever  exhibited,  having  won  more  sweepstake  prizes  than  any  other 
breed.  In  1881,  he  took  a  special  premium  of  ^125  for  the  best  five 
hogs  at  the  Chicago  Fat-Stock  Show.  Mr.  Davis  began  without  means, 
but  is  now  worth  $12,000  ;  he  is  a  successful  business  man  and  an  enter- 
prising citizen. 

REV.  JOSEPH  FLACH  was  born  in  Southern  Germany  June  9, 
1852,  and  is  one  of  three  children  of  Sebastin  and  Mary  (Kienzle)  Flach, 
both  natives  of  Germany.  Joseph  Flach,  after  attending  the  common 
schools  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  attended  the  high  school  at 
Freiburg  ten  years,  and  three  years  more  at  the  university,  in  prepara- 
tion for  the  priesthood.  In  1876,  he  visited  the  American  Centennial 
Exposition,  from  which  he  formed  a  favorable  opinion  of  America,  and 
located  at  Avilla,  Noble  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  was  Superior  of  the  Sisters, 
Order  S.  F.,  and  where  he  remained  until  the  spring  of  1878,  when 
he  was  sent  by  the  Bishop  to  Dyer,  to  take  charge  of  the  church  in  the 
village.  Father  Flach  is  an  erudite  and  congenial  man,  whereby  he  is 
enabled  to  enlist  his  parishoners  and  others  in  his  ministry  and  increase 
his  congregation ;  he  has  charge  of  St.  Joseph's,  having  a  membership 
of  175  families.  On  July  25,  1876,  he  was  ordained  at  St.  Peter's  by 
Luther  von  Kuebel,  D.  D. 

GEORGE  F.  GERLACH  (Keilmann  &  Gerlach)  was  born  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  in  1841  ;  he  came  to  America  with  his 
parents,  who  located  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,  whence  they  removed  in 
1858,  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  George  passed  the  remainder  of  his 
boyhood  ;  he  attended  the  common  schools  until  1856  or  1857,  and  after- 
ward an  academy  at  Pittsburgh,  Penn.,  and  thereby,  being  of  a  studious 
inclination,  obtained  a  liberal  education.  In  1858,  he  commenced  teach- 
ing, being  employed  five  years  in  a  district  school,  and  teaching  a  yearly 
school  in  St.  Johns  three  years  ;  having  saved  §1,000  during  this  time, 
he  used  the  money  in  forming  a  copartnership  in  February,  1868,  with 
F.  P.  Keilmann,  having  had  some  experience  of  mercantile  life  from  being 
a  clerk  in  his  store  during  vacations.  In  Februarv,  1867,  he  was  mar- 
ried  to  Margaret  Keilmann,  a  native  of  St.  Johns,  born  April  7,  1849, 


ST.  JOHNS  TOWNSHIP.  729 

and  a  daughter  of  Henry  Keilmann.  To  this  union  were  born  eight 
children,  of  whom  five  are  living — Catherine,  Frank,  Joseph,  Maggie  and 
Mary  E.  Mr.  Gerlach  is  a  most  enterprising  and  worthy  business  man, 
having  property  valued  at  $25,000.  Mr.  Gerlach  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church  ;  he  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  three  terms, 
and  for  six  years  a  Notary  Public. 

JOHN  AV.  JOHNS,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  in  1845, 
and  is  a  son  of  Joshua  V.  and  Caroline  M.  (Demmons)  Johns,  the  former 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of  Vermont.  Dr.  Johns  was  a  com- 
mon school  scholar  until  he  was  eight  years  of  age,  when  his  parents  died 
and  he  went  to  live  with  Dr.  Henry  D.  Palmer,  of  Merrillville,  by  whom 
he  was  reared  to  manhood ;  he  attended  school  at  Merrillville  until  he 
was  seventeen  years  old,  and  afterward  one  term  at  the  Crown  Point 
High  School.  After  teaching  district  school  two  years,  he  commenced 
reading  medicine  with  Dr.  Palmer,  and  one  year  later  went  to  the  Chica- 
go Medical  College,  which  he  attended  three  terms.  In  March,  1868, 
he  received  his  diploma,  and  soon  after  located  in  Dyer,  at  that  time 
being  the  only  physician  in  the  town.  In  a  short  time,  he  established  a 
large  practice,  having  a  ride  from  six  to  twelve  miles  every  way  from 
town.  In  1873,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  Young,  a  native  of 
Cook  County,  111.,  born  January  29,  1854,  daughter  of  Bernard  and 
Catherine  Young,  both  natives  of  France.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johns  are  par- 
ents of  one  daughter,  Kate.  Mrs.  Johns  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church.     Dr.  Johns  is  an  enterprising  and  industrious  citizen. 

HENRY  KEILMANN  was  born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany, 
September  13,  1821,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Keilmann, 
•both  natives  of  Germany.  They  emigrated  to  America  in  1840,  locating 
in  Portage  County,  Ohio,  and  in  the  same  year  Mrs.  Keilmann  died, 
leaving  seven  children.  Henry  Keilmann  attended  school  until  he  was 
fourteen  years  old,  when  he  engaged  in  farming,  but  soon  became  incap- 
able of  so  hard  work,  and  therefore  learned  the  trade  of  a  tailor,  serving 
three  years'  apprenticeship.  Coming  to  America  with  his  parents,  he 
was  called  to  support  the  family  by  farm  work,  as  he  could  find  no  other. 
Afterward  he  worked  at  carpentering  for  six  months,  then  going  to  Cleve- 
land, where  he  found  work  at  his  trade,  and  remained  one  year  at  $1  per 
day.  After  this,  he  opened  a  tailorshop  in  Randolph,  Ohio,  for  one  year, 
which  he  left  to  go  to  Chicago,  arriving  there  with  50  cents  ;  he  opened 
a  shop  with  a  credit  stock  of  $160,  and  by  January  1,  1844,  had  cleared 
$300  ;  he  then  started  for  home,  but  stopped  in  La  Porte,  Ind.,  and 
worked  one  month.  On  March  7,  1844,  he  was  married  to  Susanna 
Palm,  born  in  Prussia  in  1826,  and  came  to  America  in  1840  with  her 
parents,  John  and  Catherine  Palm.    Soon  after  his  marriage,  he  opened  a 


730  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

shop,  but  times  being  dull,  he  engaged  in  a  hat  and  cap  store,  to  cut  buf- 
falo overcoats.  After  working  ten  hours  at  this,  he  worked  for  himself 
overtime,  so  continuing  three  years,  when,  being  overworked,  removed  to 
St.  Johns,  his  present  location,  where,  in  a  log  cabin,  in  the  spring  of 
1847,  he  put  in  a  stock  of  goods,  being  the  first  merchant  tailor  in  the 
vicinity;  he  worked  on  his  farm  in  fair,  and  at  his  trade  in  foul  weather, 
leaving  the  store  to  his  wife's  father ;  he  soon  began  buying  and  pastur- 
ing young  cattle,  thereby  increasing  his  goods,  and,  during  the  last  of  his 
merchant  life,  did  a  business  of  $50,000  per  year,  and  owning  1,700  acres 
of  land ;  he  gave  to  three  of  his  children  160  acres  ;  he  had  property 
in  Chicago  worth  i$50,000,  and  $40,000  worth  in  this  county ;  he  lost  by 
the  Chicago  fire  of  1871,  $20,000  ;  he  was  Supervisor  of  Roads  seven  years, 
without  a  penny  fee;  his  first  wife  died,  leaving  six  young  children,  when 
he  married  Catherine  Smith,  who  died  in  1878  ;  he  was  a  third  time  mar- 
ried, in  February,  1879,  to  Mary  Loehmer,  of  Cook  County,  111.,  born 
1857,  to  which  union  were  born  two  children.  Mr.  Keilmann  and  family 
are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

FRANCIS  P.  KEILMANN  (Keilmann  &  Gerlach),  was  born  in 
Germany  November  25,  1831,  and  when  nine  years  old  came  to  America 
with  his  parents,  who  located  in  Portage  County,  Ohio,  where  he  lived 
until  1844,  when  he  went  to  Chicago  to  his  brother  Henry,  where  he  lived 
two  years ;  he  then  removed  with  his  father  to  what  is  now  known  as  St. 
Johns,  and  kept  house  for  and  assisted  him  in  a  small  store  for  two  years ; 
he  then  clerked  in  a  hat  and  cap  store  in  Chicago  for  two  years,  where  he 
attended  school  three  months  each  winter.  After  this,  he  returned  home, 
and  was  soon  at  school  in  South  Bend,  Ind.  The  spring  following,  he 
clerked  for  his  brother  at  St.  Johns,  so  continuing  until  1855,  when  he 
purchased  one-half  interest  from  his  brother,  the  firm  being  H.  &  F.  P. 
Keilmann.  In  1867,  the  firm  dissolved,  with  a  division  of  stock.  Mr. 
F.  P.  Keilmann  now  took  a  partner  named  George  Gerlach  ;  they  pur- 
chased a  stock  of  goods  from  Mr,  Leowenberg,  and,  in  July  following, 
bought  Henry  Keilmann's  stock,  and  since,  have  had  the  only  store  in 
town.  They  have  obtained  and  conducted  an  extensive  business  in  dry 
goods,  groceries,  hardware  and  furniture,  besides  a  large  grain-house  and 
lumber  yard.  Their  business  aggregates  upward  of  $75,000  per  year, 
Mr.  Keilmann  having  accumulated  a  personal  property  of  hearly  $50,000. 
In  1867.  he  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Schefer,  born  in  Germany  in 
1837,  by  which  union  they  have  had  born  to  them  nine  children — Susan,. 
Frances  P.,  John,  William,  Elizabeth,  Margaret,  George,  Lana  and  Peter. 
Mr.  Keilmann  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  ;  he  was 
appointed  Postmaster  at  St.  John's  in  1855,  a  position  he  still  holds. 

M.  KLEIN  was  born  in  Prussia  in  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  and 
Magdalena  Klein.     In  1843,  he  was  brought  to  the  United  States  by  his 


ST.  JOHNS   TOWNSHIP.  731 

parents,  who  located  in  St.  Johns  Township,  erected  a  home  on  the  prai- 
rie, and  reared  a  family  of  seven  children.  Mr.  Klein  was  brought  up 
a  farmer,  but  procured  an  ordinary  education  from  the  common  schools. 
In  1863,  he  commenced  for  himself  as  a  farmer,  and  continued  two  years, 
when  he  removed  to  Lansing,  111.,  where  he  engaged  in  keeping  a  farm- 
ers' hotel,  continuing  the  same  ten  years ;  his  means  were  limited  in  the 
beginning,  but  success  rewarded  him.  On  January  31,  1861,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Eva  Scholler,  a  native  of  France,  born  April  16,  1841, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Scholler,  both  natives  of  France,  who  came 
to  America  in  1849.  To  this  union  were  born  ten  children,  gix  of  whom 
are  living — John  J.,  Mary,  Louisa  M.,  Anna,  August  and  Josepli  J.  In 
1875,  he  returned  to  this  township  and  purchased  the  State  Line  House  of 
H.  Scheldt,  where  he  has  since  done  business.  By  industry  and  perse- 
verance, he  has  acquired  a  property  worth  $9,000.  In  1880,  his  house 
was  burned,  with  its  contents,  entailing  a  loss  of  $4,000.  He  soon  re- 
built, however,  the  new  house  costing  $3,000,  and  he  is  now  prepared  to 
entertain  the  traveling  public  in  a  first-class  manner.  Mr.  Klein  remem- 
bers how  abundant  game  was  in  this  country,  and  how  in  one  day  he 
caught  fifty  prairie  chickens. 

JOSEPH  NEUMANN  was  born  in  Prussia  July  27,  1826,  and  is  the 
eldest  of  the  four  children  of  Nicholas  and  Gertrude  Neumann,  both 
natives  of  Prussia,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1845,  locating  in  Ciii- 
cago  for  two  months,  whence  they  came  to  this  township  and  located  on 
Section  21,  laying  claim  to  forty  acres,  and  where  they  erected  a  cabin, 
12x14,  in  which  they  experienced  the  many  privations  of  a  new  country. 
With  the  assistance  of  their  eldest  son,  they  obtained  a  good  home  of  120 
acres.  This  was  sold  and  the  present  home  of  Joseph  Neumann  purchased, 
containing  360  acres,  well  improved.  Joseph  Neumann  lived  with  his 
parents  until  1846,  since  which  time  he  has  made  a  home  for  them.  His 
father  died  in  1868  ;  his  mother  is  still  living  with  her  eldest  son  (aged 
eighty-two).  Mr.  Neumann  received  a  good  education  in  German,  and  now 
speaks  English  fluently.  In  1853,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Glide,  a 
native  of  Prussia,  born  in  1830,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine 
Glide.  She  came  to  this  country  with  her  brother  in  1852.  By  this 
union  there  have  been  born  to  them  eleven  children,  eight  of  whom  are 
living — Margaret,  Mary,  Anna,  Gatherine,  Helen,  Elizabeth,  Anna  and 
Teresa.  Mr.  Neumann  cuts  every  year  from  150  to  200  tons  of  hay,  most 
of  which  is  sold.  In  1881,  Mr.  Neumann  rented  ten  acres  to  a  powder 
manufiicturing  company,  they  erecting  large  buildings  and  producing 
1,500  pounds  per  day.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neumann  are  members  of  the 
Catholic  Church.      He  is  a  liberal  and  enterprising  citizen. 

HENRY  NONDORF  was  born  in  St.  Johns  Township  June  1, 
1848,  and  was  the  younger  of  the  two  sons   of  Barnard   and   Margaret 


732  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

Nondorf,  both  natives  of  Germany.  In  1845,  they  emigrated  from  Ger- 
many, located  in  this  township,  and  made  a  home  of  nearly  300  acres  on 
the  virgin  prairie.  Mr.  Barnard  Nondorf  died  in  1874.  His  widow 
survives  and  is  now  living  with  her  son  Henry,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
Henry  Nondorf,  when  sixteen  years  of  age,  commenced  to  farm  the  home- 
stead in  company  with  his  brother,  which  continued  until  1870,  when  he 
purchased  185  acres  of  the  homestead  farm,  since  which  he  has  bought 
seventeen  acres  of  timber  in  Will  County,  111.,  and  is  now  worth  $12,000, 
and  is,  too,  one  of  the  most  humorous  farmers  in  the  vicinity.  In  1871, 
Mr.  Nondorf  was  married  to  Miss  Ellen  Ruh,  a  native  of  Germany,  born 
in  1846,  daughter  of  George  and  Mary  Ruh,  both  natives  of  Germany. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nondorf  have  had  born  to  them  five  children,  four  of  whom 
are  living — Catherine,  Joseph,  George  and  Adeline.  Mr.  Nondorf  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

PETER  F.  REEDER  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  January  20, 
1857,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  of  Peter  and  Anna  M.  Reeder,  both 
of  Germany,  who  emigrated  to  xlmerica  about  1842.  Peter  F.  Reeder 
was  reared  a  farmer,  and  received  a  common  school  education.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  he  began  life  for  himself  by  working  by  the  month,  which  he 
continued  three  years,  after  which  he  visited  some  of  the  Western  States, 
and  on  his  return  in  June,  1881,  entered  into  co-partnership  with  Mich- 
ael Grimmer,  and  purchased  a  new  stock  of  general  merchandise  ;  they 
carry  a  stock  of  $3,500,  and  have  a  good  trade.  Both  are  energetic  and 
enterprising  men.  On  November  7,  1881,  Mr.  Reeder  was  married  to 
Miss  Lena  Schaffer,  born  in  Lake  County  in  1862,  and  daughter  of  John 
and  Barbara  Schaffer,  both  natives  of  Prussia.  To  this  union  was  born 
one  daughter — Anna  Mary.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reeder  are  members  of  the 
Catholic  Church.  Michael  Grimmer  (Mr.  Reeder's  partner  in  business), 
was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  July  18,  1853,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael 
and  Susan  Grimmer,  both  natives  of  France,  whence  they  emigrated  to 
America  in  1848,  and  located  in  Chicago,  remaining  until  1853,  when 
they  removed  to  Ross  Township,  in  this  county.  Soon  after  Mr.  Grim- 
mer died,  leaving  four  children.  Mrs.  Grimmer  subsequently  married 
John  Reeder  of  this  township,  where  Michael  Grimmer  was  reared  as  a 
farmer.  He  received  some  education  at  the  common  schools,  and  after- 
ward attended  the  high  school  at  Crown  Point.  At  the  age  of  eighteen, 
he  began  teaching,  which  he  followed  twelve  years,  teaching  six  and 
ten  month  terms,  and  during  vacation  being  employed  by  the  church.  In 
1880,  he  married  Miss  Lena  Neumann,  born  in  this  township  August  22, 
1861,  and  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Neumann,  natives  of  Prussia. 
In  1881,  he  entered  into  copartnership  with  P.  F.  Reeder,  with  a  fine 
stock  of  merchandise  and  good  prospects,  fully  realized.     In  June,  1881, 


ST.  JOHNS  TOWNSHIP.  733 

he  received  the  appointment  of  Postmaster  at  Shererville.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Grimmer  have  one  child — Francis.  They  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church. 

CHARLES  J.  SAUTER  was  born  in  Bloom,  111.,  February  23, 
1849,  and  is  one  of  the  five  children  of  Charles  B.  and  Marie  E.  Sauter, 
the  former  a  native  of  Germany,  the  latter  of  France.  Charles  J.  Sau- 
ter received  a  common  school  education,  and  was  reared  a  farmer.  He 
remained  at  home  until  1874,  when  he  came  to  Dyer  to  learn  the  tele- 
graphing, where  he  remained  nine  months,  thence  going  to  Iloopeston, 
III.,  as  night  operator,  where,  after  nine  months,  he  was  made  station 
agent  and  operator.  Here  he  remained  until  August,  1878,  where  he 
purchased  a  stock  of  goods  of  August  Klaas,  and  property  for  .^6,000, 
since  which  time  he  has  done  a  business  of  from  §8,000  to  §10,000  per 
year.  la  December,  1880,  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  at  this  town. 
In  1873,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Barbara  Koch,  a  native  of  Germany  ; 
she  died  the  year  following,  leaving  one  child — Charles  Philip.  In  May, 
1877,  he  was  married  to  Anna  L.  Dolich,  a  native  of  Illinois,  by  which 
union  were  born  three  children — Albert,  Maria  H.  and  Elogeus.  Mrs. 
Sauter  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

MATHEUS  SCHAEFFER  was  born  in  Prussia  January  20,  1820, 
and  is  a  son  of  Paul  and  Margaret  SchaefFer,  natives  of  Prussia.  Ma- 
theus  Schaeffer  received  a  good  German  education,  and  when  sixteen  years 
old  began  to  learn  shoe-making,  paying  §14  and  serving  two  years  thereat, 
after  which  he  worked  as  a  journeyman  two  years.  Being  then  eli'^ible 
to  a  draft,  he  came  to  America,  locating  in  this  township  August  20, 
1840,  and  during  the  first  year  traveled  as  a  shoe-maker  from  house  to 
house,  taking  provisions  for  pay.  He  then  worked  on  the  Illinois  Canal, 
after  which  he  engaged  with  a  farmer  for  18  cents  per  day.  In  1846, 
he  laid  claim  to  eighty  acres,  on  which  he  built  a  one  and  a  half-story  hewed- 
log  cabin,  now  used  as  a  granary.  On  February  24,  1847,  he  married, 
Miss  Lizzie  Kieffer,  daughter  of  John  I.  Kieffer,  born  in  Prussia  in  1830. 
She  died  June,  1872,  leaving  nine  children — Barbara,  Ellen,  Susan, 
Mary,  Lizzie,  John,  Charles,  Michael  and  Catherine,  besides  three  de- 
ceased. After  marriage  Mr.  Schaeffer  lived  eight  years  in  his  cabin,  en- 
gaged in  shoe-making  and  ftirming.  Moving  to  Dyer,  in  this  county,  he 
followed  his  trade,  keeping  a  saloon  in  connection  therewith,  for  two 
years.  He  then  entered  mercantile  life  for  two  years,  afterward  keeping 
a  grocery  for  fourteen  months.  Becoming  weary  of  this,  he  worked 
two  years  for  Mr.  Biggs,  on  a  hay-press  patent,  at  §2  per  day ;  this 
being  completed,  he  continued  until  1869,  when  he,  with  Henry  and 
Leonard  Keilmann,  purchase<l  said  press,  which  they  ran  for  three  years. 
Henry  Keilmann  then  retired,  and  his  brother  and  Mr.  Schaeffer  contin- 


734  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

ued  the  business,  being  now  able  to  press  from  seven  and  a  half  to  eight 
tons  per  day.  Their  barn  and  press  were  burned  in  1872,  after  which 
they  erected  a  larger  barn  and  stronger  press.  Serving  one  year  as  road- 
boss,  Mr.  SchaefFer  has  since  declined  all  offices.  He  has  by  hard  work 
and  good  management  accumulated  $10,000  worth  of  property.  Mr. 
Schaeffer  can  recall  the  times  when  game  and  Indians  were  numerous  in 
this  vicinity.     Both  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

ANTHONY  SCHEIDT  was  born  in  Lorraine,  France,  April  27, 
1831,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Agatha  (Blattner)  Scheidt,  both  natives 
of  France.  Anthony  Scheidt  received  a  common  school  education,  and 
was  reared  a  farmer.  When  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  his  parents  came 
to  America  and  located  on  the  south  edge  of  Cook  County,  111.,  where 
Anthony  helped  to  farm  until  1852,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Schaller,  a  native  of  France,  born  in  1832,  and  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  (Hummel)  Schaller,  also  natives  of  France.  In  1853,  he  com- 
menced farming,  at  which  he  continued  seven  years,  afterward  moving  to 
Chicago,  where  he  kept  a  grocery  and  saloon  ;  this  he  sold  after  eighteen 
months,  and  opened  a  boarding-house  on  the  West  Side.  In  1864,  he  re- 
moved to  Dyer,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  and  became  landlord  of  the  State  Line 
Hotel,  which  he  continued  until  1875,  and  soon  after  purchased  one-half 
interest  in  the  Dyer  Mills,  to  which  he  now  gives  attention,  as  well  as 
superintending  the  farm  and  breeding  swine  with  George  F.  Davis.  Mr. 
Scheidt  is  an  enterprising  man,  and  has  124  acres,  twenty-four  acres  near 
Dyer,  besides  the  best  residence  in  the  town  and  property  in  Chicago,  ag- 
gregating perhaps  $25,000.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scheidt  are  parents  of  twelve 
children,  five  of  whom  are  living — Mary  (now  Mrs.  Philip  Keilmann), 
Anthony,  Barbara,  Edmund  and  Matilda.  Both  himself  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

BARNHARD  SCHEIDT  was  born  in  Alsace,  France,  March  4, 
1844,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  ten  children  of  John  and  Aggie  Scheidt, 
both  natives  of  France,  whence  they  emigrated  to  America  and  located  in 
Bloom,  Cook  Co.,  111.  In  1844,  John  Scheidt  purchased  a  farm  of  334 
acres,  for  which  he  paid  1,300  five-franc  pieces,  and  on  which  he  made  a 
home  and  reared  his  family.  He  was  a  successful  business  man  and  an 
enterprising  citizen  ;  he  died  July  14,  1858,  aged  sixty-six  years,  fol- 
lowed by  his  wife  July  13,  1872,  aged  seventy-two  years.  Barnhard 
Scheidt  received  a  fair  education,  and  was  reared  a  farmer ;  he  began  life 
on  the  homestead,  on  which  he  worked  for  two  years,  when  he  sold  his 
stock,  removed  to  Chicago  and  worked  in  a  round-house  as  a  laborer  for 
eighteen  months,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  fjirm.  In  January, 
1865,  he  married  Miss  Barbara  Kloss,  a  native  of  Prussia,  by  which 
union  were  born  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living — Barbara,  Louise, 


ST.  JOHNS   TOWNSHIP.  735 

Mary  and  John.  Mrs.  Scheldt  died  in  1874,  and  Mr.  Scheldt,  seven 
months  thereafter,  married  Mrs.  Teresa  (Justus)  Sasse,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Helena  Justus,  natives  of  Germany,  who  came  to  America  In  1858. 
To  this  second  union  were  born  two  children — Teresa  and  Frank  B.  By 
her  first  husband,  Mrs.  Scheidt  was  mother  of  one  child — John.  In 
1876,  Mr.  Scheidt  sold  his  farm  and  purchased  his  present  home  in  the 
village  of  St.  Johns,  where  he  keeps  a  farmers'  tavern  ;  he  has  besides 
perhaps  .^7,000  worth  of  property.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scheldt  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church. 

NICHOLAS  SCHERER  was  born  in  Prussia  in  1833,  and  is  one  of 
the  seven  children  of  John  and  Mary  Scherer,  both  natives  of  the  Province 
of  Rhine,  Prussia.  Nicholas  Scherer  attended  school  until  he  was 
fourteen  years  old,  when  his  parents  emigrated  to  the  United  States. 
They  located  in  St.  Johns,  where  they  began  the  combined  business  of 
hotel  and  saloon,  it  being  the  (irst  saloon  established  in  Lake  County.  In 
1853,  Nicholas  became  contractor  for  digging  State  ditches  in  this  county. 
In  1854,  he  removed  to  Dyer,  where  he  managed  a  saloon  and  hotel,  also 
havlns:  built  the  Jollet  Railroad  Cut-Off.  In  1868,  he  sold  his  interest 
in  Dyer,  and  located  at  what  is  now  Schererville;  he  had  purchased  seventy 
acres  in  Sections  15  and  16,  of  which  the  village  plat  is  a  part.  Soon 
after  locating  here,  he  took  a  contract  to  build  a  grade  thirty  miles  be- 
tween here  and  Chicago.  In  order  to  have  a  station  near  by,  he  donated 
^24,000  to  the  railroad  company;  this  done,  he  laid  out  the  town  and 
named  it  Schererville ;  the  plat  contains  nearly  four  hundred  lots,  and  has 
thirty  or  forty  houses.  After  completing  his  grading,  he  became  foreman 
of  the  railroad  construction  train  for  nine  years.  He  has  just  removed  a 
sand-bar  in  the  Calumet  River.  In  1862,  he  married  Miss  Frances 
Olenfrock,  a  native  of  Prussia,  born  in  1833,  by  which  union  have  been 
born  seven  children — xlnna,  Mary  (deceased),  Margaret,  Teresa,  Nicholas, 
John  and  Joseph.  In  1863  and  1864,  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Mor- 
ton Second  Lieutenant  for  enlisting  and  recruiting  service ;  he  was  in- 
strumental in  securing  140  recruits;  he  was  also  a  Major  of  the  State 
militia.  He  has  been  a  valuable  man  in  his  townstiip,  having  been  Con- 
stable, Swamp-Land  Commissioner,  and  is  Road  Superintendent.  Not- 
withstanding a  loss  of  $12,000  in  1877,  his  property  aggregates  $7,000. 
His  parents  resided  with  him  during  their  last  days,  and  died  at  the 
advanced  ages  of  one  hundred  and  three  and  ninety-nine  and  a  half 
years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scherer  are  Catholics,  to  which  church  Mr.  Scherer 
has  donated  four  and  a  half  acres  for  church-building  purposes. 

NICHOLAS  SCHUTZwas  born  in  Germany  in  1826,  and  is  the 
son  of  Matthias  and  Mary  Schiitz.  He  received  in  youth  a  good  Ger- 
man education,  and,  his  father  being  a   miller,  Nicholas  was  brought  up 


736  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

to  the  business,  and  assisted  his  father  until  1852,  when  he  came  to  the 
United  States  and  located  in  this  township,  where  he  worked  as  a  car- 
penter until  1864:,  when  he  commenced  his  present  business  of  keeping  a 
saloon.  In  1865,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Gertrude  Hilbrick,  a  native  of 
Germany,  born  in  1830.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children — Susan, 
Margaret,  Mary  and  Matthias  (deceased).  On  arriving  in  America,  Mr. 
Schiitz  was  almost  destitute  of  means,  but  by  providence,  industry  and 
economy,  he  has  succeeded  in  acquiring  a  good  property,  valued  at  -^4,- 
000.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schiitz  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

DR.  ANTHONY  SEIDLER  was  born  in  Germany  in  1826  ;  he  at- 
tended the  common  schools  until  his  fourteenth  year,  when  he  entered  a 
graded  school,  and  also  finished  his  medical  course,  except  one  term,  for 
which  he  received  a  certificate  instead  of  a  diploma,  this  being  occasioned 
by  the  outbreak  of  national  war,  in  which  Mr.  Seidler  enlisted  as  Ser- 
geant. Being  honorably  discharged,  he  soon  after  emigrated  to  America, 
landing  in  New  York  in  June,  1851  :  he  was  located  in  Berks  County, 
Penn.,  for  two  years,  having  a  good  practice;  thence  he  removed  to 
Ridgway,  Elk  Co.,  Penn.,  on  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  being  one  of  the 
first  settlers  and  the  first  physician  in  that  section.  He  had  a  ride  of 
forty  miles  in  circumference,  and  frequently,  when  overtaken  by  night, 
would  build  a  fire  and  rest  until  morning.  After  practicing  there  four 
years,  he  removed  to  Stark  County,  Ohio,  where  he  obtained  a  fair  prac- 
tice and  remained  two  years,  during  which  time  he  married  Miss  Frederica 
Schafer,  born  in  St.  Joseph  County,  Ind.,  in  1836.  Shortly  after.  Dr. 
Seidler  removed  to  Niles,  Mich.,  remaining  seven  years,  and  thence  to  New 
Buffalo,  Mich.,  for  two  years,  and  finally  Dyer,  Ind.,  where  he  has  an  ex- 
tensive practice  of  six  or  eight  miles  in  circuit.  Here  Mrs.  Seidler  died 
in  1870,  leaving  four  children.  His  second  marriage,  in  1872,  was  to 
Miss  D.  Schmit,  a  native  of  Prussia,  by  which  union  were  born  four 
children.  Dr.  Seidler  is  servinj;  a  third  term  as  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
He  is  a  thoroughgoing  man,  and  exemplary  citizen. 

AUGUST  STOMMEL  was  born  in  Illinois  March  27,  1855,  and  is 
one  of  the  seven  children  of  August  and  Alvina  (Korf)  Stommel,  both 
natives  of  Prussia.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Chicago  until  he  was 
twelve  years  old,  when  his  parents  removed  to  Homewood,  111.,  where 
he  lived  five  years.  He  received  a  fair  education  in  German  and  En- 
glish, and  in  1869  began  clerking  in  a  general  store,  where  he  remained 
two  years,  and  he  continued  clerking  until  1872,  when  he  came  to  Dyer, 
Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  as  a  clerk  to  C.  Rich.  In  1877,  he,  in  company  Avith 
Mr.  Neifing,  formed  a  copartnership  and  purchased  a  new  stock  of  gen- 
eral merchandise,  and  has  since  done  a  business  of  from  §18,000  to 
$20,000  per  year.     In  1880,  Mr.  Stommel  was  married  to  Miss    Cath- 


ST.  JOHNS   TOWNSiriP.  737 

erine  Young,  a  native  of  Cook  County,  111.,  born  in  185G,  a  daughter  of 
Bernard  and  Catherine  Young,  both  natives  of  Alsace,  France.  To  this 
union  was  born  one  child,  Charles  August.  Mrs.  Stommcl  is  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Mr.  Stommel  is  a  man  of  much  business  tact, 
energy  and  character;   he  would  do  well  anywhere. 

JAMES  TANNER  was  born  in  England  April  20,  1844.  He  had 
the  advantages  of  the  common  schools  until  ho  was  twelve  years  of  age, 
when  he  began  as  an  apprentice  at  the  tailoring  trade,  serving  four  years, 
after  which  he  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  one  year;  he  then  became 
trimmer  in  a  wholesale  mercantile  house,  and  two  and  one-half  years 
later  went  into  the  cutting  department  for  one  year.  In  1867,  he  came 
to  America,  and  located  at  Dyer,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.,  where  he  opened  a 
tailor  shop,  and  soon  attained  a  fair  trade.  On  August  4,  1867,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Mary  Robbins,  of  Bristol,  England,  born  January  6, 
1848,  by  which  union  were  born  five  children — James  D.,  William  J., 
Louise  M.,  John  and  Rose.  Mr.  Tanner  retired  from  his  trade,  and 
began  work  in  the  railroad  office  at  Dyer,  as  an  assistant,  October  1, 
1871,  where  he  remained  until  June,  1874,  when  he  secured  a  position 
as  agent  and  operator  at  Spencer,  111.,  and  in  September,  1875,  was 
given  charge  of  the  office  at  Dyer,  which  position  he  has  since  retained, 
except  for  nine  months  during  1880  and  1881 ;  he  has  been  doing  busi- 
ness for  the  New  Albany  &  Chicago  and  the  Michigan  Central.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Tanner  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

JOHN  TRINEN  was  born  in  Prussia  October,  1847,  and  is  a  son 
of  Peter  and  Susan  Trinen,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1852,  located 
in  this  township,  and  from  the  prairie  founded  a  home.  John  Trinen 
received  the  advantages  of  the  common  schools  and  was  reared  a  farmer. 
When  thirteen  years  of  age,  he  began  to  work  for  himself — the  first  few 
years  on  the  farm,  and  afterward  as  laborer  on  the  Danville  Railroad.  In 
1871,  he  commenced  as  fireman  on  a  construction  train,  remaining  six 
months.  In  June,  1875,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Seberger,  born  in 
Lake  County  in  1857,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine  Seberger, 
both  natives  of  Prussia.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children — Susie, 
John,  Lena  and  Joseph.  Mr.  Trinen  was  a  foreman  in  the  round-house, 
having  charge  of  seven  men,  for  two  vears,  after  which  he  was  engineer 
on  a  freight  train  for  three  years ;  he  was  with  the  same  company  five 
years,  not  having  had  an  accident ;  he  resigned  his  position,  then  paying 
him  ^85  per  month,  and  drew  from  the  company,  as  back  pay,  §939, 
with  which  he  came  hither,  purchased  a  lot  and  erected  a  large  hay  barn  ; 
he  pays  the  highest  price  for  hay  delivered  to  him  and  now  runs  two  hay- 
presses,  pressmg  ten  tons  per  day.  Mr.  Trinen  has  been  very  successful, 
and  is  now  worth  probably  §6,000;  himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Catholic  Church. 


738  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES; 


EAGLE  CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 

JOHN  BLA.OK  was  born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  July  24,  1832;  he 
was  left  a  half  orphan  when  five  years  old,  and  attended  school  until  he 
was  thirteen,  when  he  began  life  for  himself;  he  came  to  the  United 
States  in  185-1,  beinaj  $52  in  debt,  and  stopped  a  few  weeks  in  old 
Buffalo,  where  he  received  75  cents  per  day  ;  he  then  removed  to  Blue 
Island,  111.,  and  in  1855  came  to  Hebron,  Ind.,  where  he  worked  three 
months,  and  had  a  severe  attack  of  ague.  On  October  1,  following,  he 
hired  with  John  Dinwiddie  as  ditch  hand,  where  he  remained  two  years, 
for  the  first  year  receiving  $10  per  month  ;  he  saved  his  wages,  paid  his 
debts,  and  in  three  years  bought  ten  cows  and  a  span  of  colts  ;  nine  of 
the  cows  he  leased  for  $14  per  head  for  the  season,  and  afterward  pur- 
chased an  outfit  for  farming.  In  1858,  he  rented  a  farm  of  eighty  acres 
of  Mr.  Dinwiddie,  where  he  remained  three  years,  when  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm,  having  but  $200  with  some  cattle  and 
other  stock.  So  he  continued,  farming  and  raising  stock,  until  he  has 
become  a  leading  farmer  of  his  township ;  his  second  purchase  was  a 
quarter  section  for  $7.50  per  acre  ;  seven  years  after,  he  sold  this  for  $27.50 
per  acre,  and  purchased  120  nearer  home ;  he  now  owns  615  acres,  500 
of  which  are  well-improved,  with  a  wind-engine  on  each  farm,  worth 
$30,000.  In  June,  1857,  he  married  Miss  Caroline  Peters,  a  native  of 
Germany,  to  which  union  were  born  eight  children,  seven  of  whom  are 
living — Harry,  William,  Edward,  Annie,  Allie,  Hannah  and  John.  Mrs. 
Black  came  to  America  in  1855,  and  worked  for  Mr.  Dinwiddie.  She 
had  saved  $20,  which  she  gave  Mr.  Black  to  pay  the  difi"erence  between 
a  three-year-old  colt  and  a  balky  horse . 

HUGH  BO^D  was  born  in  the  North  of  Ireland  July  8,  1819,  and 
was  married  November  29,  1843,  to  Ann  Brown,  of  Londonderry,  born 
August  8,  1817,  by  which  union  three  children  were  born — Mary,  James 
Mc.  and  Sarah  A.  (now  Mrs.  William  Turner).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd 
came  to  America  in  1847,  stopping  in  Upper  Canada  the  first  year,  after 
which  they  moved  to  Morgan  County,  Ohio,  and  rented  land,  and  after 
seventeen  years  were  supplied  with  household  goods  and  $1,100  in 
money.  With  this  capital,  Mr.  Boyd  came  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  in 
1865,  and  purchased  land  near  Crown  Point.  In  1868,  he  became  a 
partner  with  D.  C.  Scofield,  of  Elgin,  111.,  in  the  dairy  business,  they 
averaging  fifty  milch  cows,  besides  the  young  stock  ;  this  continued  six 
years.  In  1874,  having  saved  some  $3,000,  he,  with  his  son,  purchased 
300  acres,  now  well  improved,  where  they  are  keeping  stock  and  milking 


EAGLE   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  739 

from  fifteen  to  twenty  cows  for  making  butter,  which  they  ship  to  Chi- 
cago, their  cows  yielding  ^35  a  head  per  year,  the  net  profits  being 
^1,500.  Mr.  Boyd's  son,  James  Mc.  Boyd,  was  married  February  3, 
1873,  to  Lucetta  F.  Devol,  of  Morgan  County,  Ohio.  To  this  union 
"were  born  four  children — Elbert  E.,  Loren  D.,  Effie  L.  and  an  infant. 
Mr.  Boyd  has  served  as  Township  Trustee  two  terms,  and  in  1882  was 
elected  Assessor.  Mr.  Boyd  was  at  one  time  a  Whig,  but  is  now  a 
Republican ;  he  is  also  a  stanch  temperance  advocate.  He  cast  his  first 
vote  for  Gen.  Scott.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd  are  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian  Church. 

ISAAC  BRYANT  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  March  11, 
1836,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  D.  and  Joanna  (Woodruff)  Bryant,  who 
removed  to  this  county  from  Richland  County,  Ohio,  in  1835,  stopping 
on  their  way  west  at  Wolf  Lake,  Noble  County,  Ind.,  for  the  summer. 
They  were  among  the  first  white  settlers  in  Eigle  Creek  Township, 
where  Mr.  Bryant  erected  a  log  cabin,  in  which  he  lived  some  years  and 
reared  a  family  of  three  children  by  his  first  and  six  by  his  second  mar- 
riage. Mr.  Bryant  was  a  man  of  great  endurance,  whose  word  was  as 
good  as  his  note.  Before  coming  hither,  he  assisted  in  clearing  three 
large  farms,  and  here  he  improved  120  acres.  In  1850,  he  went  back  to 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  a  few  years,  when  he  returned  hither  and  died 
in  1875,  aged  eighty-three  years.  Isaac  Bryant  was  left  a  half-orphan 
when  five  years  old,  and  lived  with  friends  till  1850,  when  he  went  to 
Ohio  and  attended  school.  When  eleven  years  old.  he  undertook  to  learn 
the  tailoring  trade,  which  he  soon  abandoned.  After  his  fourteenth  year, 
he  traveled  through  several  Western  States,  and  on  August  14,  1861, 
'enlisted  in  Company  H,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteers,  and  after  a  few 
skirmishes,  and  during  the  fight  at  Green  Brier,  Va.,  he  was  wounded 
in  the  left  arm,  which  so  disabled  him  as  to  cause  his  discharge  in  July, 
186^.  On  December  1,  1863,  he  married  Miss  Harriet  Pearce,  born  in 
this  township  March  27,  1843,  daughter  of  Michael  and  Margaret  Pearce. 
To  this  union  were  born  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living — S. 
Edwin,  Bertha  L.,  Jessie  M.  and  Blanche  E.  Soon  after  his  marriage, 
Mr.  Bryant  commenced  farming  on  his  land  in  this  township.  This  he 
sold  and  located  on  land  owned  by  his  wife,  this,  together  with  some 
since  purchased,  aggregating  150  acres.  He  is  a  stanch  Republican  and 
Prohibitionist. 

JOHN  BROWN  was  born  in  Danville,  N.  Y.,  April  3,  1812,  and  is 
a  son  of  John  and  Polly  (Ferguson)  Brown,  the  former  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, the  latter  of  New  York.  John  Brown  received  a  fair  education  in 
youth,  and  was  reared  a  farmer,  he  also  worked  as  a  canal  boy,  but  re- 
mained with  his  father  until  manhood.     In  1838,  he  removed  to  Illinois, 

ss 


740  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

where  he  acted  as  foreman  of  railroad  grading,  remaining  until  1840,  at 
which  time  he  came  to  this  township  and  purchased  160  acres  near  South- 
east Grove,  which  he  improved,  making  his  home  with  his  brother. 
He  now  has  220  acres,  well  improved.  Among  the  worst  of  his  priva- 
tions in  the  early  days  were  bad  roads  and  distant  markets,  carrying 
wheat  to  Chicago  for  28  cents  per  bushel,  and  pork  for  1  and  1|  cents  per 
pound.  On  one  occasion  of  going  to  the  mill,  he  was  twenty -four  hours 
without  food,  and,  in  conveying  wheat  to  Chicago,  would  by  compelled  to 
carry  the  same  over  sloughs.  Mr.  Brown  has  been  a  useful  man  in  his 
township,  having  served  two  terras  as  Township  Assessor ;  he  has  lived  a 
bachelor  ;  he  first  voted  for  Gen.  Harrison  in  1836,  and  is  now  a  Re- 
publican. Mr.  Brown  was  engaged  with  his  brother  and  William  Fisher 
in  broom-making  in  1841  and  1842,  and  afterward  for  himself  until 
1860. 

WILLIAM  BROWN  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York  Decem- 
ber 1,  1821,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  Brown,  the  former  a  native 
of  Scotland,  the  latter  of  New  York.  William  Brown  received  a  limited 
education  from  the  subscription  schools,  and  in  1843  traveled  West  in 
search  of  cheap  land  with  $140,  and  with  which  he  entered  land  in  this 
township  in  1844.  This  he  improved,  and  in  a  few  years  sold.  In  1851, 
he  rented  the  Lyman  Wallace  farm,  and  in  the  following  May  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mary  J.  Wallace,  born  in  New  York,  who  came  to  this  town- 
ship in  1843  with  her  parents — Lyman  and  Ruby  Wallace,  both  natives 
of  Vermont,  To  this  union  were  born  six  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living — Miriam,  Edith,  Matthew  J.,  William  and  Ruby  J.  Mr.  Brown 
continued  to  work  the  farm  until  1857,  when  he  removed  to  the  farm  he, 
purchased  three  years  before,  and  where  he  has  made  his  home.  Not- 
withstanding the  limited  means  with  which  Mr.  Brown  began,  he  has 
200  acres  of  farm  land  and  thirty-four  of  timber ;  his  farm  has  all  the 
modern  improvements,  very  different  to  the  hardships  of  his  early  ex- 
perience ;  he  has  been  Township  Clerk  and  Trustee,  also  County  Com- 
missioner ;  he  cast  his  first  vote  for  Henry  Clay,  but  is  now  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, likewise  and  eniment  temperance  worker,  and  a  useful  man  in 
his  township. 

WILLIAM  COCHRAN  was  born  December  1,  1845,  one  of  the  two 
children  of  John  and  Jane  (Fisher)  Cochran,  natives  of  Vermont  and 
England.  John  Cochran  and  Jane  Fisher  came  to  this  county  in  1837 
or  1838,  and  were  married  in  1840.  Mr.  Cochran  entered  a  claim  near 
Crown  Point  in  1838,  and  there  farmed  till  1847,  when  they  moved  to 
Southeast  Grove,  this  township,  experienced  all  the  privations  of  an  un- 
settled country,  and  here  died  in  1865  and  1873  respectively,  aged 
eighty- one  and  sixty-eight  years.     William  Cochran  was  reared   on  the 


EAGLE  CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  741 

farm  until  his  seventeenth  year,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company  T,  Fifth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Cavalry;  he  took  part  in  the  engagement  at  Knoxville, 
joined  Sherman  at  Dalton,  was  at  Atlanta,  and  at  Resaca  was  captured 
and  sent  prisoner  to  Andersonville,  where  ho  was  held  four  and  one-half 
months,  thence  transported  to  Cliarleston,  and  a  month  later  was  taken 
to  Florence,  S.  C.  Here  he  was  exchanged,  and  some  idea  of  his  suffer- 
ings may  be  had  when  it  is  stated  that  his  normal  weight  of  175  or  180 
pounds  was  reduced  to  ninety ;  he  was  honorably  discharged  at  Camp 
Chase,  and  on  his  return  began  farming  in  company  with  his  brother 
Henry.  They  now  own  180  acres  of  well  improved  land  and  are  ener- 
getic and  economical  young  farmers.  In  politics,  they  are  strong  Repub- 
licans. 

ELZY  COPLIN  was  born  in  West  Virginia  October  28,  1812,  and 
is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Lucine'  Coplin,  natives  of  West  Virginia  ;  his 
father  was  a  Revolutionary  hero,  and  threeof  his  brothers-in-law  soldiers  of 
1812.  Elzy  Coplin  received  a  limited  education  and  was  reared  a  farmer. 
In  1836,  he  married  Miss  Minerva  Brummage,  born  in  1817  in  West 
Virginia,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rebecca  Brummage,  also  natives  of 
West  Virginia.  To  this  union  were  born  ten  children — Jacob,  Cathan- 
drew,  Josephine,  A'ngeline,  Nelson,  Benjamin,  LaFayette  and  Rachel  ; 
James  B.  and  Elsie  (deceased).  Leaving  his  native  State  in  1837,  he 
arrived  in  La  Porte,  Ind.,  with  horses,  team  and  household  goods,  also 
700  pounds  of  butter,  as  that  article  was  high-priced  in  Indiana ;  he  ex- 
perienced much  difficulty  in  crossing  Black  Swamp.  In  1838,  he  entered 
80  acres  of  his  present  home,  which  made  him  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  this  township,  at  the  organization  of  which  he  was  present.  Indians, 
wild  game  and  wolves  were  abundant  at  this  time,  and  he  had  a  corn- 
field nearly  devoured  by  cranes;  he  hauled  his  products  to  Chicago  and 
Michigan  City  ;  he  had  many  reverses,  and  after  the  first  nine  years,  by 
long  sickness,  was  almost  ruined  financially  ;  he  has  been  successful  since, 
however,  and  now  owns  200  acres  of  fine  land,  having  improved  build- 
ings, besides  the  donation  to  each  of  his  sons  of  a  good  farm;  he 
cast  his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Jackson  in  1832  ;  he  was  once  called  to  help 
suppress  an  Indian  outbreak,  as  the  Indians  were  destroying  the  river 
timber. 

FREDERICK  R.  DONNAHA  was  born  in  New  York  State  Decem- 
ber 9,  1819,  and  is  the  eldest  living  of  the  five  children  born  to  James 
and  Nancy  (Reese)  Donnaha,  natives  respectively  of  Ireland  and  New 
York.  James  Donnaha  was  a  weaver  by  trade.  In  1812,  he  was 
pressed  into  the  British  Army,  during  the  war  between  England  and 
France.  He  was,  however,  sent  to  this  country,  and  in  the  conflict  at 
Stony  Creek  was  captured  by  the  Americans  and  marched  to  Vermont^ 


742  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

where  he  was  imprisoned,  but  in  a  short  time  paroled  to  work  for  a 
farmer.  Instead  of  waiting  to  be  exchanged,  he  went  to  Schenectady 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
Frederick  R.  Donnaha  was  reared  to  farming,  and  when  of  age  was  for  a 
number  of  years  overseer  of  several  gangs  of  men  engaged  in  raising 
broom-corn  and  manufacturing  brooms  both  in  York  State  and  Ohio. 
In  1842,  he  went  into  the  business  on  his  own  account,  and  succeeded 
until  1851,  when  brooms  fell  to  37^  cents  per  dozen,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  relinquish  the  business.  A  year  later,  he  came  to  this  county 
and  entered  eighty  acres  of  land,  but  was  called  back  to  New  York  on 
account  of  the  illness  of  his  wife.  In  1857,  he  returned  to  this  township 
and  has  here  resided  ever  since,  and  is  now  owner  of  223  acres  of  well- 
improved  land.  He  was  married,  in  1850,  to  Miss  Barbara  Spitzer,  a 
native  of  New  York,  and  born  in  1832.  To  this  union  nine  children 
■were  born,  of  whom  four  are  still  living — Edward,  Staley,  Esther  and 
Arthur. 

WILLIAM  FISHER  was  born  in  Schenectady  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1825, 
and  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Alexander  and  Agnes  (Brown)  Fisher, 
natives  of  Scotland,  who  came  to  America  in  1817.  William  Fisher  was 
taught  farming  and  the  use  of  tools,  and  received  a  common  school  educa- 
tion during  winter  terms.  He  remained  with  his  father  until  he  was 
twenty-six  years  of  age,  and  then  came  to  this  county,  with  small  means, 
and  engaged  in  raising  broom -corn  and  making  brooms  with  William  and 
John  Brown,  which  continued  until  1859,  after  which  he  and  his  brother 
purchased  a  farm  on  the  north  edge  of  this  township,  and  in  1865  he  sold 
that  and  purchased  his  present  farm  of  360  acres,  costing  over  ^9,000 — 
the  result  of  the  industry  and  investment  of  $87.50  in  1850 ;  he  now  owns 
595  acres  fairly  improved,  and  has  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  town- 
ship, and  this,  with  his  other  property,  is  worth  $25,000.  On  May  22, 
1854,  he  was  married  to  Nancy  Bryant,  born  in  Ohio  in  1825,  daughter  of 
David  and  Rachel  (Addams)  Bryant,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  To  this 
union  five  children  were  born,  three  of  whom  are  living — David  A.,  hard- 
ware merchant  of  Hebron ;  Arabella,  now  Mrs.  Charles  W.  Hay  ward,  and 
Ida  E.  Mr.  Fisher  is  the  heaviest  wheat-raiser  in  the  township,  and  is 
making  a  specialty  of  fine  stock.  He  is  a  Republican ;  has  been  Town- 
ship Trustee  three  terms,  and  in  1876  was  elected  County  Commis- 
sioner, and  re-elected  in  1878  and  1880.  During  his  administration,  the 
county  built  a  court  house  and  jail.  Mrs.  Fisher  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Church.  Mr.  Fisher  and  Brown  Brothers  dissolved  partner- 
ship in  1862,  continuing  till  1863  with  his  brother,  the  partnership  being 
formed  in  1850. 


EAGLE   CRKEK   TOWNSHIP.  74  J^ 

A.  E.  FLINT  was  born  in  Livingston  County,  N.  Y.,  March  9, 
1829,  and  is  one  of  twelve  cliildren  born  to  Edward  and  Jane  (Clute) 
Flint,  both  natives  of  New  York,  who  removed  to  Lucas  County,  Ohio,  in 
1832,  where  Mr.  Flint  worked  at  bhicksmithin*^  while  his  sons  improved 
the  farm.  After  four  years,  they  removed  to  Miciiigan,  remaining  four 
years,  and  then  came  to  this  county  by  ox  team.  On  reaching  Porter 
County,  they  found  the  roads  so  bad  they  were  obliged  to  annex  their 
cattle  to  their  wagon.  They  at  once  moved  into  a  log  cabin  built  by  0. 
V.  Servis  and  Hirvey  Flint,  who  ha«l  com;3  in  advance,  and  broke  seven 
acres  of  the  virgin  soil,  which  yielded  a  good  harvest  in  1810.  Mr. 
Flint  worked  at  his  trade  for  years,  being  the  only  blacksmith  between 
Valparaiso  and  Momence,  and  sharpened  plows  and  made  log  chains, 
also  the  first  bells  used  here,  from  old  wagon  tires  hammered  into  sheets. 
Mr.  Flint  continued  his  trade  fifteen  years;  afterward,  being  broken  down 
by  hard  work,  he  superintended  his  farm,  and  died  November,  1854, 
aged  seventy-seven  years.  A.  E.  Flint  was  nine  years  old  when  he  came 
into  this  county.  He  made  his  first  trip  to  mill  at  La  Porte  in  1839, 
which  took  him  seven  days,  having  to  unload  and  carry  the  grain  across 
sloughs  ten  times,  and  having  to  sleep  in  his  wagon  at  night,  while 
wolves  were  howling  around  him.  Mr.  Flint  remained  at  home  until  he 
was  twenty-five,  soon  after  which  he  married  Miss  Caroline  W.  Berdine, 
a  native  of  New  York,  daughter  of  Nicholas  and  Sarah  Berdine,  natives 
of  New  York,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1847.  To  this  union  was  born 
one  child — Nelson  B.  (deceased,  two  years  of  age).  Mr.  Flint  has 
acquired  333  acres,  most  of  which  is  well-improve  I,  one  of  his  farms 
containing  several  living  springs.  He  is  now  worth  upward  of  $15,000 
— the  result  of  good  management  and  hard  labor.  He  is  a  liberal  and 
enterprising  citizen  and  a  stanch  Republican.  One  of  Mr.  Flint's 
experiences  was  working  for  a  neighbor  for  a  small  pig,  which,  after  dress- 
ing, he  hauled  to  Chicago  at  a  cost  of  twelve  shillings,  where  he  received 
ten  shillings  for  the  same.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Flint  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

GEORGE  W.  HANDLEY  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1824,  and  is  one  of 
the  thirteen  children  of  James  and  Rachel  (McDermott)  Handley,  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  George  VV.  Handley  obtained  a  limited  education  in 
the  intervals  of  his  farm  work,  and  when  twenty-two  years  old  began 
farming  on  his  own  re>?ponsibility.  In  1845,  he  married  Miss  Sarah 
Gambrill,  born  in  Maryland  in  1827,  daughter  of  George  and  Julia  H- 
Garabrill.  To  this  union  were  born  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are 
living — Alverta  M.,  Eliza  A.,  Charles  A.,  Eleanora,  Carrie  M.,  Edward 
H.  and  William  L.  Leaving  Ohio  in  1853,  Mr.  Handley  arrived  in  this 
county  with  a  wagon  and  §1,000  cash,  locating  on  the  land  which  he  now 


744  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES: 

owns.  Finding  thirty  acres  broken  and  fenced,  without  an  owner,  he 
took  possession,  and  rented  a  house  near  by,  until  he  could  build  for  him- 
self, which  has  since  been  replaced  by  a  more  modern  structure.  He  was 
prosperous  fi'om  the  beginning,  and  soon  became  one  of  the  leading  farm- 
ers of  this  township.  He  remembers  well  the  abundance  of  game  in  this 
vicinity  at  that  time,  which  afforded  pleasure  and  profit  to  the  hunters. 
He  now  owns  320  acres,  most  of  which  is  under  cultivation,  and  of  late 
years  he  has  taken  to  raising  hay  and  stock  exclusively.  In  1878,  Mr. 
Handley  became  a  partner  with  J.  M.  Kinney  in  the  manufacture  of 
cheese,  which  business  now  consumes  4,000  pounds  of  milk  per  day.  Mr. 
Handley  has  about  twenty  cows,  whose  products  per  head,  in  1881, 
averaged  ^40  in  value.  In  winter,  he  manufactures  butter.  Early  in 
life,  he  left  the  Whig  and  joined  the  Republican  party,  of  which  he  is 
still  a  faithful  adherent.  He  is  also  a  stanch  temperance  advocate.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

ANDREW  HENDERSON  was  born  in  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  Dec. 
25,  1817,  and  was  reared  a  farmer.  In  February,  1837,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Steward,  a  native  of  Ireland,  by  which  union  five  children 
were  born — Charles,  Mary,  Anna,  Margaret  and  Robert  A.  Mr.  Hen- 
derson emigrated  to  America  with  his  family  in  1842,  and  located  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he  followed  laboring,  and  afterward  had  a  dairy  with 
from  fourteen  to  sixteen  cows,  the  milk  being  delivered  by  him  on  foot 
for  six  years.  In  1854,  having  ^1,200  capital,  he  came  to  this  township, 
the  first  year  renting  land  of  James  Luther,  and  the  following  year  pur- 
chasing 143^  acres  of  his  present  home.  He  tilled  and  improved  the 
new  soil,  and  now  has  a  good  home,  with  modern  furnishing  and  improve- 
ments, which  at  this  time  comprises  over  200  acres.  On  October  27, 
1864,  Mrs.  Henderson  died,  aged  forty-eight  years,  and  Mr.  Henderson, 
on  January  28,  1866,  married  Mrs.  Eliza  Livingston,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Jane  A.  Livingston,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  To  this  union  were 
born  three  children — Joseph  S.,  Moses  H.  and  William  J.  Mrs.  Hen- 
derson has  one  child  living  by  her  previous  marriage — Mary  J.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Livingston  came  to  this  county  in  1848,  where  they  resided 
until  their  deaths,  at  ninety-seven  and  eighty-four  years  respectively. 

THOMAS  HUGHES  was  born  in  Wyandot  County,  Ohio,  Au- 
gust 6,  1836,  and  is  a  son  of  Barnet  and  Sarah  (Walton)  Hughes,  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania.  His  mother  dying  when  he  was  two  years  old, 
he  was  sent  to  Greene  County,  Penn.,  where  he  lived  with  relatives  until 
his  tenth  year,  when  he  returned  to  his  native  home,  and  remained  until 
July,  1865,  when  he  removed  to  this  township,  and  located  where  he  now 
resides.     In  youth,  he  acquired  a  fair  education,  and  was  taught  farming. 


EAGLE   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  T-tS 

On  his  arrival  in  this  county,  he  began  to  raise  sheep,  having,  at  one 
time,  1.800  head,  which  he  herded  on  the  prairie,  but  had  to  pen  at  night 
to  protect  them  from  wolves.  He  lost  about  §5,000  by  footrot  among 
them,  and  abandoned  the  business.  Three  years  later,  he  began  the 
rearing  of  sheep  again,  and  has  now  800  head.  He  also  takes  pride  in 
other  stock — horses,  cattle  and  hogs.  On  January  9,  1860,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Rachel  Straw,  born  in  Wyandot  County,  Ohio,  in  1838,  daughter 
of  Joel  and  Mary  (Swazey)  Straw,  the  former  a  native  of  Vermont,  the 
latter  of  New  York.  To  this  union  were  born  ten  children,  seven  of 
whom  are  living — Mary  L.,  Sarah  A.,  Amanda,  Lillian,  Annetta,  Eliza- 
beth and  Joel  E.  Mr.  Hughes  is  an  energetic,  public-spirited  and  liberal 
citizen.  He  purchased  his  land  at  $25  per  acre,  and  it  is  now  valued  at 
^45  per  acre.  He  is  worth  probably  .^50,000.  He  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican. Mr.  Hughes  has  now  a  car  load  of  the  heaviest  sheep  ever  shipped 
from  this  county,  averaging  185  pounds.  He  is  now  the  leading  cattle- 
raiser  in  Northern  Indiana.  He  has  seventy-five  head  of  thoroughbred, 
Short-Horn  Durham  cattle,  and  is  raising  Clydesdale  horses. 

C.  A.  McGILL  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Penn.,  June  20,  1830, 
and  is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Robert  and  Susan  P.  McGill,  the 
former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of  New  York.  In  1844, 
Robert  McGill  removed  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  thence  to  Southeast 
Grove,  in  this  township,  where  he  rented  land  for  one  year,  and  in  1846 
removed  to  Indiantown,  and  purchased  120  acres  of  school  land.  In  1853, 
he  started  for  Oregon,  by  overland,  in  search  of  wealth,  where  he  spent 
five  years  in  mining  and  farming.  In  1858,  he  returned  and  assisted  in 
improving  his  home,  which,  in  1865,  he  sold  to  his  son,  C.  A.  McGill, 
and  removed  with  his  wife  to  Hebron,  where  they  resided  until  they  died 
— he  in  1877,  aged  seventy-five  years,  and  she  in  1871,  aged  sixty-nine 
years.  C.  A.  McGill  received  a  fair  education  at  the  log  schoolhouses, 
and  was  reared  a  farmer.  He  had  only  an  ox  team  for  many  years,  and 
assisted  his  father  until  his  departure  for  Oregon,  when  he  had  charge 
of  the  farm.  His  first  purchase  was  a  yoke  of  oxen,  with  which  he 
labored  until  he  had  seven  yoke,  and  broke  new  land  for  himself  and 
others.  With  small  beginnings  and  continued  industry,  Mr.  McGill  has 
acquired  236  acres  of  well-improved  land,  with  commodious  buildings  and 
other  improvements.  In  1863,  he  married  Miss  Mary  F.  Brownell,  born 
in  Schoharie  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1841,  daughter  of  Alvah  and  Margaret 
Brownell,  natives  of  New  York  and  England,  who  came  hither  in  1841, 
locating  at  Crown  Point,  the  father  dying  in  1871,  the  mother  in  1857. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  McGill  are  parents  of  three  children — Maggie,  James  H. 
and  Charles  A.  In  1878,  Mr.  McGill  began  the  dairy  business,  milking 
from  twenty  to  twenty-four  cows,  and  churning  by  steam.     He  later  gave 


746  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

his  attention  to  cheese,  but  is  now  making  butter,  averaging  100  pounds 
per  week.  Mr.  McGill  is  a  stanch  Republican.  He  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  U.  P.  Church. 

JAMES  Mcknight  was  bom  in  Philadelphia,  November  29, 1839, 
and  is  the  eldest  son  of  David  and  Catherine  McKnight.  When  seven 
years  old,  his  father  came  to  this  county,  where,  from  many  circum- 
stances, James  McKnight  received  a  very  limited  education ;  he  followed 
breaking  the  soil  when  a  young  man,  usually  accomplishing  from  three- 
to  four  acres  per  day,  and  has  broken  five,  with  a  28-inch  plow  and 
with  six  or  seven  yoke  of  oxen.  From  the  age  of  twenty  until  August, 
1862,  he  did  any  kind  of  farm  work,  at  which  time  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany E,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteers.  During  his  long  service,  he  partic- 
ipated in  many  battles  in  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee — Stone  River, 
Mission  Ridge,  Chickamauga,  and  at  Lookout  Mountain  he  fought  above 
the  clouds,  in  all,  about  sixty-eight  engagements.  While  on  a  scout  with 
nine  others,  they  took  six  times  their  number  prisoners.  After  an  honor- 
able discharge,  in  June,  1865,  he  returned,  purchased  eighty  acres  and 
engaged  in  farming,  living  in  a  cabin  of  round  logs  ;  he  has  added  to  hi& 
land  until  he  now  numbers  182  acres,  with  good  frame  building  and  many 
improvements,  and  has  from  fourteen  to  nineteen  cows,  averaging  ^1  per 
week  per  head,  while  his  farm  yields  him  ^1,000  to  ^1,200  per  year. 
On  October  31,  1865,  he  married  Isabella  Stewart,  of  Porter  County, 
Ind.,  born  in  Tyrone  County,  Ireland,  in  1840,  daughter  of  William  and 
Nancy  Stewart,  natives  of  Ireland,  who  came  to  America  in  1847,  and 
from  Ohio  to  Porter  County  in  1851,  where  Mr.  Stewart  died  April  16, 
1882,  aged  seventy-three  ;  his  widow  survives,  aged  sixty-six.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McKnight  are  parents  of  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — 
Sallie  B.,  Maggie  J.,  David  E.,  William  C,  Lizzie,  James  and  Nancy  M. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKnight  are  members  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church. 

ROBERT  Mcknight  was  bom  near  Philadelphia,  May  4,  1842, 
and  is  the  third  son  of  David  McKnight.  Robert  assisted  his  father  on 
the  farm  and,  with  two  brothers,  managed  two  prairie-breaking  teams  for 
a  number  of  years ;  he  remained  at  home  until  in  January,  1863,  when 
he  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Ninth  Regiment  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry; 
having  joined  an  old  company,  he  went  to  the  front,  and  for  the  first  few 
months  was  in  an  engagement  every  day — some  hard-fought  battles,  as 
Mission  Ridge,  Franklin,  Perryville  and  Atlanta  ;  he  was  honorably 
discharged  in  September,  1865.  On  returning,  he  engaged  in  farming 
on  the  old  farm  until  1871,  when  he  moved  to  Jackson  County,  Kan., 
where  he  purchased  160  acres,  but,  after  a  sojourn  of  two  years,  he  sold 
and  returned  to  this  township,  stopping  in   Missouri  on  the  way.     Once 


EAGLE  CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  747 

here,  he  purchased  160  acres  of  his  present  home,  which  is  now  well 
improved.  In  March,  1873,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Millie  Sciles,  a 
native  of  Kansas,  born  in  1850  and  daughter  of  Henry  and  Jane  Sciles, 
the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  of  Ireland.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McKnight  are  parents  of  five  children — Mattie  J.,  Maggie  M., 
David  H.,  Mary  C.  and  Robert  W.  Mr.  McKnight  cast  his  first  vote 
for  Gen.  Grant ;  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church. 

OS  HORN  M.  MORRIS  was  born  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  Octo- 
ber 23,  1828,  and  is  a  son  of  Absalom  and  Elizabeth  Morris,  the  former 
a  native  of  Virginia,  the  latter  of  New  Jersey.  They  were  married  in 
Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  and  had  six  children.  In  1834,  they  removed 
to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  where  they  entered  land  three  miles  south  of 
Hebron,  Mr.  Morris  being  the  second  white  settler  in  what  is  known  as 
Boone  Township ;  his  claim  was  covered  with  scattered  timber  and  his 
nearest  neighbor  was  one  mile;  here  he  toiled  and  improved  his  farm  of 
760  acres,  after  which  he  sold  said  land  and  moved  to  Black  Hawk 
County,  Iowa,  where  he  became  an  extensive  land  owner  and  died  in 
1880,  aged  eighty-two  years.  Osborn  M.  Morris  obtained  but  a  limited 
education  in  the  new  country,  and  was  reared  a  farmer,  his  youthful 
companions  having  been  mainly  Indians,  and  he  was  taught  industry  and 
economy,  by  which  he  has  profited.  When  twenty-four  years  old,  he 
began  life  for  himself,  his  first  venture  being  the  purchase  of  some  young 
cattle,  which  he  allowed  to  graze  on  the  prairie,  working  at  his  trade  of 
stone-mason  and  plasterer,  which,  together  with  farming,  he  followed  until 
1880.  After  a  sojourn  of  seven  months  in  Iowa,  he  returned  to  this 
township,  where  he  has  since  resided.  In  1875,  he  purchased  his  present 
farm  of  225  acres,  having  sold  his  former  purchase  in  this  township.  On 
this  land  is  a  good  frame  house,  a  wind-engine  and  other  improvements. 
In  1854,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lydia  Pratt.  To  this  union  were  born 
four  children — Alice,  Owen,  Martha  and  Bertie  (deceased).  Mrs.  Morris 
died  in  March,  1877,  and  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Lizzie  (Parr)  Curry, 
of  Cedar  County,  Iowa,  daughter  of  William  and  Ruhama  Parr,  both  of 
Ohio,  early  settlers  of  said  county.  Mr.  Morris  has  128  stands  of  bees, 
some  of  them  making  seventy-five  pounds  of  honey  in  a  season.  He  is 
an  active  Republican. 

JOHN  NETHERY  was  born  in  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  October 
18,  1840,  and  is  one  of  the  ten  children  born  to  Robert  and  Fannie 
(Hunter)  Nethery,  who  were  of  Scotch  extraction ;  he  was  reared  a 
farmer,  and  in  1862  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Turner,  also  a  native  of 
Tyrone  and  born  February  14,  1845.  To  this  union  have  been  born 
four  children — Fannie  (in  Ireland),  Thomas  E.,  Mary  J.  and  John   C. 


748  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

In  June,  1865,  Mr.  N.  brought  his  family  to  this  county,  and  the  March 
following  he  left  for  California,  leaving  his  family  here.  For  three  years, 
he  worked  in  the  silver  mines  of  Nevada,  at  §4.50  per  day,  and  in  1869 
sent  home  his  savings,  with  which  Mrs.  Nethery  purchased  the  present 
home  of  120  acres  for  $3,600  cash.  The  poorly  improved  farm  is  now 
well  fenced,  contains  commodious  frame  buildings,  wind  engine,  etc.,  and 
Mr.  N.  has  added  forty  acres  to  the  original  purchase  and  is  now  worth, 
$11,000,  clear  of  all  incumbrances.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nethery  are  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  at  Hebron.  Mrs.  Nethery  is 
the  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Jane  Turner,  who  are  natives  of  Ire- 
land, of  Scotch  extraction,  and  parents  of  eight  children.  Mr.  Turner 
died  in  1862,  and  in  1865  Mrs.  Turner  came  with  her  family  to  America 
and  here  died  in  1880,  aged  eighty-four  years.  One  son  is  now  in  Cali- 
fornia and  the  rest  of  the  family  reside  in  this  township. 

MICHAEL  PEARCE  (deceased)  was  born  in  Ohio  in  February, 
1808,  and  was  reared  a  farmer.  On  November  19, 1810,  he  was  married 
to  Margaret  J.  Dinwiddle,  while  living  in  Porter  County.  To  this  union 
were  born  eleven  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — John,  Harriet, 
Nancy  A.,  M.  Genet,  Susie,  Seth  L.  and  Thomas.  Mr.  Pearce  removed 
to  this  township  in  1839,  and  located  on  the  land  on  which  his  family  now 
lives ;  having  entered  his  land,  he  erected  a  log  cabin  and  raised  a  crop  of 
corn  ;  he  became  a  permanent  settler,  and  in  18-40  his  family  joined  him. 
Their  privations  were  many.  Their  products  were  hauled  to  Chicago  or 
Michigan  City,  and  their  grain  ground  at  La  Porte,  forty-four  miles  away. 
Mr.  Pearce  was  successful,  his  land  aggregating  660  acres,  the  greater 
portion  of  which  he  assisted  in  improving  ;  he  was  an  excellent  man  and 
valued  citizen,  having  served  as  Township  Trustee  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace  with  satisfaction ;  he  died  April  4,  1861,  aged  fifty-three.  Mrs. 
Pearce  is  yet  living  on  the  homestead  farm,  now  managed  by  the  youngest 
sons ;  she  is  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Pearce, 
at  an  early  day,  sowed  the  apple  seeds  from  which  many  of  the  first 
orchards  sprang.  He  remarked,  "  that  if  his  neighbors  were  too  poor  to 
buy  trees,  he  would  give  each  one  trees,  that  all  might  have  fruit." 

JOHN  PEARCE  was  born  in  Eagle  Creek  Township,  Lake  County, 
Ind.,  January  11,  1842,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael  and  Margaret  J.  Pearce. 
On  September  9,  1867,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  B.  Foster,  a  native 
of  Susquehanna  County,  Penn.,  born  August  29,  1839.  To  this  union 
were  born  two  children — Florence  and  Jay.  John  Pearce,  being  the 
eldest  son,  at  the  death  of  his  father  was  called  to  take  charge  of  the 
home  farm,  and  when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  received  a  renter's  share ; 
his  portion  as  an  heir,  was  sixty-two  acres,  which  he  has  improved  by 
fencing,  good,  commodious  buildings  and  the  like,  and  also  added  thereto 


EAGLE  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  749 

until  his  farm  embraces  145  acres.  His  main  productions  are  hogs  and 
corn,  and  recently  he  has  been  growing  thoroughbred  Poland  Cliina 
hogs,  and  has  been  the  means  of  greatly  improving  such  stock  in  his 
vicinity.  Mr.  Pearce  is  an  energetic  business  man,  and  one  of  the  rising 
farmers  of  his  locality ;  he  is  a  member  of  tlie  Masonic  J3rotlierhood,  and 
an  active  supporter  of  temperance.  Mrs.  Pearce  is  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church. 

HIRAM  POST,  retired  farmer,  was  born  in  Luzerne  County,  Penn., 
September  12,  1796,  and  was  married,  October  10, 1818,  io  Miss  Hannah 
Josslin,  who  was  born  in  the  same  county  November  8,  1800.  To  this 
union  were  born  ten  children,  of  whom  three  sons  and  one  daughter  are 
still  living.  Mr.  Post  lived  in  Pennsyluania  until  1850,  when  he  came 
to  this  township  and  entered  a  claim  of  forty  acres.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Post 
are  probably  the  oldest  couple  living  in  the  county,  and  although  he  came 
here  with  but  ^7  in  cash  and  a  small  amount  of  household  furniture,  he 
has,  by  hard  work  and  economy,  placed  himself  and  family  beyond  the 
reach  of  want. 

PETER  RICH  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1823,  and  is  one  of  the 
eight  children  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Rich,  natives  of  New  Jersey ;  his 
father  removed  to  Steuben  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  made  a  good  home 
and  remained  ten  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
sided a  number  of  years,  and  afterward  lived  with  his  son,  Peter,  until 
his  death,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  In  1847,  Peter  Rich  married 
Miss  Sarah  Baker,  of  New  York,  to  which  union  were  born  four  children 
— Mary  I.,  Caroline,  Corilla  D.  and  William  P.  Soon  after  his  mar- 
riage, he  moved  on  forty  acres  of  his  first  purchase  in  Illinois,  where  he 
remained  two  years.  In  October,  1849,  he  moved  to  this  township  and 
rented  land  for  four  years,  when  he  purchased  eighty  acres,  partly  im- 
proved, making  a  part  of  his  present  home,  which  placed  him  ^600  in 
debt.  After  many  privations  and  struggles,  he  now  has  a  good  home, 
comprising  187  acres,  besides  village  property  and  a  donation  to  his  son 
of  forty  acres,  and  is  worth  ^15,000,  all  gained  by  his  energy  and  perse- 
verance. He  is  a  Republican,  and  a  leader  in  all  home  advancements. 
Mrs.  Rich  died  November  16,  1880,  aged  fifty-two  years. 

TIMOTHY  SERJEANT  was  born  in  Warren  County,  Ohio,  in 
1828,  and  is  a  son  of  David  H.  and  Mary  Serjeant,  who  came  to  this 
county  in  December,  1837,  with  three  children — Ellis,  Sampson  and 
Timothy  ;  having  met  with  a  fiiilure  at  home,  they  were  without  means 
on  coming  hither.  They  located  at  La  Porte  in  1835,  where  Mr.  Ser- 
jeant worked  land  on  shares  two  years ;  he  then  pre-empted  a  quarter 
section  of  land  in  Section  28  of  this  township  ;  he  found  his  claim  covered 
with   timber,  of  which,  previous  to  moving  thereon,  he   had  cleared  two 


750  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

and  a  half  acres,  sowed  buckwheat  and  erected  a  log  cabin ;  this  wheat, 
was  hauled  to  Chicago — fifty-five  miles — for  3  shillings  per  bushel,  and 
dressed  pork  Ih  cents  per  pound,  one-half  of  which  was  store  pay.  Mr. 
Serjeant  was  present  at  the  organization  of  the  county  and  his  township, 
(Eagle  Creek).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Serjeant  acquired  a  comfortable  home 
and  died,  he  in  1843  and  she  in  1846.  Timothy  Serjeant  came  with  his 
parents  to  this  county,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  In  1867,  he 
was  married  to  Mrs.  Lucinda  V.  (Berdine)  Flint,  by  which  union  they 
had  four  children — Mary  C,  Ellis,  Cora  and  Ora  (twins).  Mrs.  Ser- 
jeant had  one  child  by  her  former  marriage,  Emmet  E.  Mr.  Serjeant 
was  early  taught  the  use  of  the  ax  and  grubber,  and  has  since  worked  on 
the  farm  he  now  owns,  it  being  one  of  the  pleasantest  locations  in  the 
township  ;  he  now  owns  240  acres  of  well-improved  land,  with  good,  com- 
modious buildings  ;  he  is  now  Township  Trustee,  and  has  been  Township 
Assessor  and  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Mr.  Serjeant  is  an  active  Repub- 
lican politician ;  he  well  remembers  many  a  romp  with  the  Indians,  as 
many  as  fifteen  staying  in  his  cabin  overnight.  Mr.  Serjeant  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grange,  and  Mrs.  Serjeant  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

ORLANDO  V.  SERVIS  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  September 
12,  1843,  and  is  the  son  of  Orlando  and  Elizabeth  Servis,  both  natives 
of  New  York.  Mr.  Servis  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  this  township, 
and  entered  land  on  which  was  an  abundance  of  timber,  where  he  labored 
and  improved  a  good  farm  of  160  acres  ;  he  was  the  leading  light  of  his 
church  circle  and  the  leading  man  in  all  measures  of  advancement ;  he 
was  at  the  organization  of  the  township  and  its  servant  as  Township 
Trustee  and  the  like.  In  1872,  he  removed  to  Hebron,  where  he  still 
lives,  aged  seventy-four  years.  Orlando  V.  Servis  attended  school  and 
assisted  his  father  until  1861,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Ninth 
Regiment  Indiana  Volunteers,  and  was  under  Gen.  Sherman  from  Pitts- 
burg Landing  to  Pine  Mountain,  Ga.,  where  he  was  wounded  in  the  left 
thigh;  he  was  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Nashville,  where  he  had  ery- 
sipelas, and  after  a  severe  time  joined  his  company  at  Pulaski,  Tenn., 
after  four  months'  absence.  In  1863,  he  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  in  1865,  after  many  chances  in  battle.  On  return- 
ing home,  he  resumed  farming  on  rented  land,  and  in  1867  or  1868  pur- 
chased 120  acres,  which  he  improved.  This  he  sold,  and  located  in  this 
township,  where  he  now  has  200  acres  well  improved.  In  1870,  he  mar- 
ried Nancy  A.  Pearce,  of  Lake  County,  Ind.,  by  which  union  was  born 
one  daughter — May  Bell.  Mr.  Servis  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  tem- 
perance supporter.  Mrs.  Servis  is  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church. 


EAGLE  CREEK  TOWNSHIP.  751 

CHARLES  SIMPSON  was  born  in  Tyrone  County,  Ireland,  in 
1837,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Jane  (Semple)  Simpson ;  he  came  to 
America  when  nineteen  years  old,  locating  near  Hickory  Point,  Winfield 
Township,  where  he  resided  until  he  removed  to  Section  33,  in  same 
township.  On  March  23,  180-4,  he  was  married  to  Maggie  McCracken, 
born  in  New  York  December  18,  1838,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary 
(Hawthorne)  McCracken,  natives  of  Ireland.  To  this  union  was  born 
one  son — Robert  Charles,  June  10,  1877.  Soon  after  his  marriage,  he 
left  the  home  farm,  owning  one  horse  and  sixty  acres,  whicli  he  sold  a 
few  years  later,  and  bought  100  acres  on  Section  18.  This  he  sold  in 
1871,  and  purchased  his  present  home  of  137  acres,  which  he  improved 
with  commodious  buildings  and  by  planting  numerous  fruit  trees ;  he 
well  remembers  the  abundance  of  game  and  many  privations,  being  once 
compelled  to  haul  his  products  to  Lake  Station.  Mr.  Simpson  is  one  of 
the  leading  farmers  of  his  section,  identifying  himself  with  all  home  ad- 
vancement ;  he  is  now  giving  attention  to  bee  culture,  owning  thirty-eight 
stands;  he  is  also  interested  in  raising  Poland-China  hogs  and  Pekin 
ducks ;  he  gave  his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln ;  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  also  a  stanch  temperance  advocate ;  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church. 

WILLIAM  SIMPSON  was  born  in  Tyrone  County,  Ireland,  March 
27,  1842,  and  when  thirteen  years  old  came  to  the  United  States  with 
his  parents,  who  located  in  Winfield  Township,  in  this  county,  where  he 
received  a  common  school  education  and  tilled  the  soil,  and  afterward 
drove  an*  ox  breaking  team  and  gave  attention  to  farming.  In  1865,  he 
was  married  to  Jennie  McCracken,  a  native  of  Cook  County,  III.,  born  in 
1844,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary  McCracken.  To  this  union  were 
born  five  children,  three  of  whom  are  living — Lizzie,  Maggie  and  Fred- 
erick W.  In  1867,  he  purchased  his  present  home  of  125  acres,  100  of 
which  are  under  the  best  cultivation,  and  improved  by  commodious  build- 
ings. Mr.  Simpson  is  a  devoted  sportsman,  finding  much  delight  in 
hunting  wild  duck  and  prairie  chickens.  By  industry  and  economy,  he 
has  become  well  situated  in  life,  and  is  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
farmers  of  the  township ;  he  is  a  Republican  home  politician,  also  a  tem- 
perance advocate.  Mrs.  Simpson  is  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyte- 
rian Church. 

THOMAS  J.  TEMPLE  was  born  in  Bennington  County,  Vt., 
March  30,  1804,  and  attended  a  subscription  school,  obtaining  a  fair  ed- 
ucation. He  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  in  1827  started  in  life  for  him- 
self, successively  working  on  a  canal,  coasting  vessel,  as  clerk,  in  a  turn- 
ing factory,  a  woolen  factory,  and  as  a  lumberman  on  the  Green  Mount- 
ains.    He  settled  in  New  York  in  1839,  and  the  following  year  married 


752  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

Harriet  Wallace,  born  in  Vermont  in  1824,  by  which  union  ten  children 
were  born,  eight  of  whom  are  living — William,  Palmer,  Lyman,  Thomas, 
Monroe,  Jerome,  Warren  and  Mary.  He  followed  carpentering  in  New 
York  until  1844,  when  he  removed  to  Southeast  Grove,  in  this  county, 
and  laid  claim  to  the  land  he  now  owns.  Previous  to  erecting  a  log  cabin, 
he  lived  in  a  llxl2-foot  shanty.  Coming  here  with  but  $62  cash,  Mr. 
Temple  experienced  the  need  of  market  and  milling  privileges,  as  well  as 
of  money  to  pay  his  taxes,  schooling,  etc.  He  once  sold  a  set  of  chairs 
to  buy  a  cow,  and  no  iron  was  used  in  the  construction  of  his  first  wagon ;  he 
raised  corn  for  iO  cents  per  bushel ;  oats,  10  and  12|  cents;  wheat,  deliv- 
ered in  Chicago,  50  cents,  and  hogs,  dressed,  $1.25  per  hundredweight. 
In  1848,  ho  was  compelled  to  unload  his  wheat  five  times  before  he  could 
reach  Chicago.  He  now  owns  357  acres,  most  of  which  is  well-improved, 
being  farmed  by  his  sons,  Monroe  and  William.  Mr.  Temple  had  early 
learned  the  use  of  the  gun,  by  which  he  succeeded  in  supplying  his  ta- 
ble with  game  for  food,  which  at  that  time  abounded  on  the  prairie. 
Though  now  in  his  seventy-ninth  year,  he  is  still  a  good  marksman.  When 
the  roads  were  impassable,  he  manufactured  flour  by  cracking  and  mash- 
ing corn  in  a  log  hollowed  out  by  fire.  Mr.  Temple  cast  his  first  vote 
for  James  Monroe  in  1825,  but  later  became  a  Whig,  and  is  now  a 
Republican. 


WEST  CREEK   TOWNSHIP. 

E.  P.  AMES  was  born  in  Merrimack  County,  N.  H.,  June  4,  1848, 
one  of  two  children  born  to  Samuel  and  Emily  J.  (Hubbard)  Ames  ;  the 
father  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  and  the  mother  in  New  York.  In 
1856,  Mr.  Ames  and  family  moved  to  Lake  County,  Ind.;  purchased  and 
moved  on  the  farm  where  our  subject  now  lives,  remaining  thereuntil 
July,  1882,  when  he  moved  to  Elkhart  County.  Mr.  Ames  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order  for  forty-five  years.  In  1874,  he  was 
elected  Representative,  serving  two  years,  and  was  re-elected  for  two 
years.  His  children  were  E.  P.  and  Lizzie  P.  E.  P.  Ames  was  mar- 
ried, December  4,  1875,  to  Nannie  R.  Wason,  who  was  born  June  9, 
1851,  daughter  of  Rev.  Hiram  and  Betsey  R.  Wason.  To  their  union 
three  children  have  been  born — Charles  W.,  Raymond  H.  and  Edward 
E.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  he  moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives. 
He  owns  150  acres  of  land,  well-improved  with  all  modern  conveniences. 

JAMES  BRANNON  was  born  in  Summit  County,  Ohio,  July  31, 
1819,  and  is  next  to  eldest  of  a  family  of  six  born  to  William  and  Lu- 
cinda  (Loveland)  Brannon,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
latter  of  Vermont.     They  were  married  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  and 


WEST   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  7  53 

shortly  afterward  moved  to  Summit  County,  where  tliey  lived  the  re- 
mainder of  their  days.  Their  family  were — Jemima,  James,  Amos,  Nan- 
cy, William  and  Emily.  In  the  fall  of  1843,  James  Brannon  came  to 
Lake  County,  Ind.,  and  purchased  land  in  Cedar  Creek  Township,  of 
which  he  improved  eighty  acres.  He  sold  this  and  purchased  a  quarter 
section  in  West  Creek,  a  part  of  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives.  lie 
was  married.  May  16, 1851,  to  Eleanor  Foster,  who  was  born  in  Bradford 
County,  Penn.,  March  25,  1832.  To  their  union  were  born  five  children 
— Lucinda  C,  Julia  (deceased),  William  P.,  George  D,,  Melvin  A.  Mr. 
Brannon  owns  570  acres  of  good  land,  well  improved  ;  he  held  the  office 
of  Township  Trustee  for  a  number  of  years ;  he  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

AMOS  BRANNON  was  born  in  Summit  County,  Ohio,  September  4, 
1821  ;  his  parents,  William  and  Lucinda  Brannon,  came  to  this  township 
in  1843,  Amos  coming  with  them,  and  here  he   married,   September  18, 

1845,  Miss  Sally  Taylor,  who  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  April  6, 
1827.  The  spring  following  his  marriage,  he  settled  on  a  farm  on  Sec- 
tion 3,  this  township,  but  remained  thereon  only  one  year  ;  he  then  moved 
to  Section  6,  and  the  year  following  he  purchased  and  moved  to  the  farm 
he  now  occupies,  and  which  consists  of  270  acres.  His  children,  ten  in 
number,  were  born  and  named  as  follows  :  Mary  A.,  William  (deceased) 
Charles  A.  (deceased),  Calvin  (deceased),  James  M.  (deceased),  Almeda, 
Ida,  Mimo,  James  W.  and  Lucinda  A.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brannon  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  stand  very  high  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  community  in  which  they  live. 

JOHN  BRUCE  was  born  in  Holland  February  28,  1824,  and  is  the 
eldest  son  of  John  and  Grada  H.  Bruce,  the  former  a  native  of  Scotland 
and  the  latter  of  Holland.  The  elder  Bruce,  when  young,  took  up  his 
residence  in  Holland,  and  was   there   married  ;    he   left   that  country  in 

1846,  and  came  to  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  and  thence  moved  to  Sheboygan 
County,  where  he  died;  he  had  fought  at  Waterloo,  and  was  the  father 
of  the  following-named  children :  John,  Garrett,  Delia,  William,  James, 
Berend  and  Henry.  John  Bruce  attended  Prof.  Buck's  Collegiate  Insti- 
tute at  Milwaukee  two  years,  and  subsequently  the  Rochester  (N.  Y.) 
University  four  years,  taking  a  theological  course,  and  was  ordained  a 
Baptist  minister  in  1854.  January  5,  1852,  he  married  Miss  Caroline 
Hart.  In  the  spring  of  1865,  he  came  to  Lake  County  and  began  farm- 
ing. In  1876,  ho  purchased  his  present  farm  of  165  acres.  October  2, 
1871,  Mrs.  Bruce  died,  and  June  22,  1872,  our  subject  married  Mrs. 
Charlotte  Himebaugh,  a  daughter  of  Elkanah  Phelps,  and  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania in  1829.  His  children  are  six  in  number — Charles,  William, 
Nellie,  Jennie,  Effie  and  Annie.  Mrs.  Bruce  is  the  mother  of  one  son — 
Charley — by  her  former  husband. 


754  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

C.  A.  BURHANS  was  born  in  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  December 
25,  1847,  and  is  the  eldest  of  the  seven  children  of  Peter  and  Martha 
H.  (Andrews)  Burhans,  of  Crown  Point.  The  father  was  born  in  Ulster 
County,  N.  Y.,  December  28,  1821,  and  the  mother  in  Wayne  County, 
Ind.,  December  31,  1824.  They  were  married  in  La  Porte  County  in 
March,  1847,  and  there  lived  until  1853,  when  they  came  to  this  town- 
ship and  bought  and  settled  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  our  subject. 
In  the  spring  of  1881,  they  retired  from  active  life,  and  took  up  their 
residence  at  Crown  Point.  Their  children  were  born  and  named  in  the 
following  order:  Charles  A.,  Alexander  B.,  James  A.  (an  infant  son 
deceased),  Millard  (deceased),  Edith  J.  and  Sarah  I.  Charles  A.  Bur- 
hans was  married  May  7,  1881,  to  Maria  L.  Wason,  who  was  born  in 
Switzerland  County,  Ind.,  December  18,  1853 ;  her  parents.  Rev.  Hiram 
and  Betsey  R.  Wason,  are  now  residents  of  this  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Burhans  are  parents  of  one  child,  Mary  C.  They  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  and  he  is  a  Mason. 

REUBEN  CHAPMAN  was  born  in  Middlesex  County,  Conn., 
July  24,  1810,  and  was  one  of  a  family  of  four  children  born  to  Oren 
and  Penelope  Chapman,  who  were  also  natives  of  Connecticut,  where 
they  were  married  aud  remained  until  their  death.  Their  family  were 
named  Reuben,  Julia,  Samuel  and  Robert,  our  subject  being  the  eldest. 
Reuben  remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-one,  and  the  following 
fall  went  to  Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio,  the  next  year  to  Cook  County,  111., 
and  thence  to  Kankakee  County,  near  the  town  now  called  Momence, 
where  he  assisted  in  building  the  first  mill.  In  1834,  he  came  to  Lake 
County,  Ind.,  where  he  has  remained  since  ;  he  was  married  in  June,  1837, 
to  Mrs.  Matilda  Bailey,  who  was  born  in  Virginia  September  25,  1812,  a 
daughter  of  Josiah  Brant.  They  have  one  son,  Oren.  Shortly  after  his 
marriage,  he  purchased  and  moved  on  a  farm  in  West  Creek  Township, 
Section  7,  and  after  about  two  years  he  sold  it  and  purchased  and  moved 
on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives,  in  Section  12. 

AMASA  EDGERTON  was  born  in  Erie  County,  Penn.,  August  16, 
1825,  and  is  one  of  a  family  of  eight  children  born  to  Horace  and  Betsey 
Edgerton,  who  were  natives  of  New  York,  where  they  were  married.  In 
an  early  day,  they  removed  to  Erie  County,  Penn.,  remaining  until  the 
year  1835,  then  removing  to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  where  Mrs.  Edger- 
ton died  shortly  afterward.  In  1836,  he  and  family  moved  to  Lake 
County,  settling  near  Cedar  Lake,  where  he  remained  until  his  death. 
Shortly  after  they  arrived  in  Lake  County,  Amasa  Edgerton  went  to  live 
with  a  man  named  Horace  Wood,  remaining  with  him  about  five  years; 
he  then  lived  with  his  father  until  his  marriage,  which  took  place  on 
October  3,  1852,  his  wife  being  Miss   Dorothy  M.,  daughter  of  James 


WEST   CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  755 

and  Almira  Palmer.     She  was  born  in  St.  Joseph  County,  Ind.,  March 

7,  1835.  In  1854,  Mr.  Edgerton  moved  to  the  farm  on  which  he  now 
lives,  which  he  had  purchased  previously,  and  has  since  remained;  he 
owns  100  acres  of  land.  They  have  had  three  children — an  infant  son 
(deceased),  William  A.  and  Palmer  C. 

VOLNEY  FOSTER  was  born  in  Lake  County,  Ind.,  and  on  the 
same  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  October  10,  1850  ;  he  is  a  son  of 
George  L.  and  Lucy  J.  (Hathaway)  Foster  ;  the  father  was  born  in  Brad- 
ford County,  Penn.,  April,  1820,  and  the  mother  in  Cayuga  County,  N. 
Y.,  April,  1828.  In  1836,  George  Foster  came  to  Lake  County,  Ind., 
and  at  the  land  sales  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  our  subject  now 
lives,  remaining  until  1870,  when  he  moved  to  Montgomery  County, 
Kan.,  where  they  remained  until  death  ;  he  died  May,  1877,  and  she 
November,  1876.  Mr.  Foster  was  a  very  fine  man  ;  he  held  the  office  of 
County  Commissioner  for  a  number  of  years  during  the  war ;  his  family, 
consisting  of  nine  children,  are  all  living  and  named  as  follows  :  Edwin, 
Yolney,  Edson,  Albert,  Eliza,  Emeline,  Martha,  Marilla  and  Julia.  In 
1874,  Volney  Foster  went  to  Colorado,  where  he  engaged  in  mining 
about  two  years,  and  after  being  in  Kansas  and  a  number  of  States,  he 
returned  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  and  was  married  September  11,  1879, 
to  Flonnie  Ilarress,  who  was  born  in  St.  Joseph   County,  Ind.,  January 

8,  1856.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  he  moved  on  the  old  homestead,  con- 
sisting of  sixty-eight  acres,  which  he  now  owns.  He  has  a  family  of  two 
children — Gertrude  and  Katie. 

ABIEL  F.  GERRISH  was  born  in  Merrimack  County,  N.  H.,  March 
7,  1806,  and  is  one  of  a  family  of  seven  children  born  to  Henry  and 
Mary  (Foster)  Gerrish,  who  were  also  natives  of  New  Hampshire,  the 
former  born  August  14,  1744,  and  the  latter  October  1,  1744.  They 
were  there  married  June  6,  1796,  and  there  spent  their  days,  he  dying 
September  11,  1862,  followed  by  his  wife  September  23,  1869.  They 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children — Susanna,  infant  daughter  (deceased), 
Jacob,  Lucy,  Abiel  F.,  Mary  and  Elizabeth.  Our  subject  is  the  only  one 
of  the  family  now  living.  He  was  married,  in  Merrimack  County,  N.  H., 
February  18,  1830,  to  Eliza  Dodge,  who  was  born  in  New  Hampshire 
January  12,  1806,  daughter  of  Paul  and  Jane  Dodge.  In  the  spring  of 
1856,  he  moved  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  settling  in  West  Creek  Township, 
on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives ;  he  owns  577  acres  of  land  ;  his  wife 
died  September  19,  1881.  They  had  a  family  of  six  children — Maria, 
Martha  (decased),  Mary,  James  L.,  Paul  P.  and  Ann  E.  Mr.  Gerrish 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  ;  he  has  held  the  office  of  Town- 
ship Trustee  for  a  number  of  years. 

TT 


756  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

BETHUEL  HATHAWAY  was  born  in  Seneca  County,  N.  Y., 
February  27,  1815,  and  is  one  of  a  family  of  twelve  children  born  to 
Peter  D,  and  Rebecca  Hathaway,  natives  of  New  Jersey,  and  born  March 
17,  1782,  and  May  23,  1788,  respectively.  They  were  married  in  New 
Jersey,  and  in  an  early  day  removed  to  New  York,  and  thence  in  1838 
to  La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  remaining  only  about  one  year.  They  then 
moved  to  Lake  County,  where  they  remained  until  death.     She  died  in 

1854,  and  he  in  1862.  Their  family  were  named  as  follows  :  James  P., 
Silas  D.,  Abram,  Bethuel,  Sarah  E.,  Temperance  R.,  Lewis  A.,  Peter, 
George  B.,  Elizabeth,  Harriet  and  Asher,  who  are  all  dead  except  Abram 
and  our  subject.  In  August,  1835,  Bethuel  Hathaway  started  out  in 
life  for  himself;  he  came  from  Ohio  to  Elkhart  County,  Ind.,  on  foot, 
and  on  arriving  there  had  five  shillings  left ;  he  hired  out  on  a  farm,  re- 
maining until  the  following  January  ;  he  then  went  to  La  Porte  County, 
where  he  remained  about  two  years,  and  from  thence  to  Lake  County, 
and  as  soon  as  the  land  was  in  market,  purchased  a  farm  joining  the  one 
where  he  now  lives.  Shortly  afterward,  he  went  to  what  is  now  Kanka- 
kee County,  111.,  purchased  land,  and  was  married,  December  31,  1855, 
to  Mrs.  Lucinda  Cleaver,  widow  of  Walter  Cleaver,  and  daughter  of 
Nehemiah  and  Harriet  Hay  den.  She  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  March 
13,  1825.  Shortly  after  his  marriage  he  removed  on  his  farm,  i;emain- 
ing  until  1864,  when  he  moved  to  Lake  County,  on  the  farm  which  he 
had  previously  purchased,  and  after  about  five  years  he  purchased  and 
moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives ;  he  at  present  owns  374  acres  of 
fine  land  well  improved ;  he  has  a  family  of  three  children — Mahlon, 
Henry  and  Jane.  Mrs.  Hathaway  also  has  a  family  of  three  sons  by 
Mr.  Cleaver — David,  Daniel  and  Walter.  Mr.  Hathaway  and  family 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  are  respected  by  all 
who  know  them. 

WILLIAM  N.  HAYDEN  was  born  in  West  Creek  Township,  Lake 
County,  Ind.,  May  24,  1855,  one  of  the  fourteen  children  born  to  Nehe- 
miah Hayden,  the  old  pioneer  of  Lake  County.  His  mother  died  when 
he  was  two  weeks  old,  succeeded  by  his  father  in  about  two  years  ;  he 
was  then  taken  by  his  brother,  Lewis,  with  whom  he  remained  until  he  was 
past  twenty-one  years  old  ;  he  was  married,  August  21,  1876,  to  Maria 
J.  Edmonds,  who  was   also  born   in   West  Creek   Township  March  13, 

1855,  a  daughter  of  Melvin  and  Sarah  Edmonds.  They  have  one  son — 
Jodie  N.  In  1878,  he  bought  and  moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now 
lives.     He  owns  eighty-five  acres  of  land. 

J.  A.  LITTLE  was  born  in  Merrimack  County,  N.  H.,  May  24.  1830, 
and  is  one  of  a  family  of  three  children  born  to  Thomas  and  Myra  A. 
(Ames)  Little,  who  were  also  natives  of  New   Hampshire.     The   former 


WEST  rilEKK    TOWNSUll'.  757 

was  a  son  of  Jes.^e  Little,  who  was  born  at  Harapstead,  N.  II.,  July  30, 
1767,  and  went  with  liis  parents  in  1774,  to  Boscawen  Township,  Mer- 
rimack Co.,  N.  H.,  where  he  remained  till  his  death;  his  family  Avere 
seven  in  number,  among  whom  were  five  sons — Jacob,  John,  Henry, 
Thomas  and  Leavitt  C  Tiiomas,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Boseawen  Township,  N.  H.,  January  2,  1802,  where  he  was  married 
June  2,  1829,  to  Myra  Ames,  who  was  born  January  4,  1804,  and  re- 
mained until  1855,  when  he  and  family  moved  to  Lake  County,  Ind., 
purchased  the  farm  where  our  subject  now  lives,  and  remained  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  August  10,  1877  ;  his  wife  died  June  17,  1809. 
Their  family  were  named  as  follows:  Joseph  A.,  Sarah  H.,  Lucy  J.  J. 
A.  Little  was  married,  November  1,  1859,  to  Mary  Gerrish,  born  in 
Merrimack  County,  N.  H.,  August  22,  1834,  daughter  of  Abiel  and  Eliza 
(Dodge)  Gerrish.  Shortly  after  his  marriage,  he  moved  to  Iroquois 
County,  111.,  where  he  purchased  land  and  remained  until  1862,  when  he 
returned  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  has  remained  since ;  he  owns 
680  acres  of  land.  They  have  had  seven  children — Lewis  G.,  infant 
daughter  (deceased),  James  H.,  Ellen,  Jesse,  Myra  A.  and  Mary  E. 

JOHN  J.  LUCADO  was  born  in  Campbell  County,  Va.,  March  31, 
1825,  one  of  a  family  of  eleven  children,  born  to  Edwin  and  Lucy  F. 
(Fretwell)  Lucado,  who  were  natives  of  Virginia.  The  former  was  born 
in  the  year  1789,  and  was  a  son  of  Isaac  Lucado,  who  was  a  native  of 
France,  and  crossed  the  ocean  on  the  same  boat  with  La  Fayette,  landing 
in  Virginia,  where  he  remained  until  his  death  ;  he  served  all  through 
the  Revolutionary  war  ;  he  was  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  Church  ;  the 
last  sermon  he  preached  was  a  funeral  sermon,  he  being  then  ninety-six 
years  of  age.  He  was  blessed  with  six  children,  five  of  whom  were  sons 
— Peter,  Noah,  Edwin,  William  and  Berry.  The  father  of  the  subject 
of  our  sketch  married  in  Campbell  County,  Va.,  in  the  year  1812,  a 
Miss  Lucy  Fretwell,  who  was  born  in  the  same  county  in  the  year  1796, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Fretwell,  who  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  moved 
to  Virginia  one  year  after  the  breaking-out  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  m 
which  he  served  until  the  close.  His  family  were  five  in  number.  Mr. 
Lucado  spent  his  entire  life  in  Virginia,  dying  in  1852,  his  wife  surviv- 
ing him  until  1866.  John  J.  Lucado  remained  with  his  parents  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  old,  when  he  was  employed  to  oversee  a  plantation 
by  a  man  named  George  Richerson,  with  whom  he  remained  one  year, 
then,  in  partnership  with  a  Mr.  William  Oliver,  rented  a  large  farm  in 
Halifax  County,  Va.,  and  engaged  in  farming  for  several  years.  He  was 
married,  May  12,  1855,  to  Elizabeth  Challer.  In  1856,  he  moved  to 
La  Porte  County,  Ind.,  and  from  thence  to  Kankakee  County,  111.,  and 
in  1871,  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased   and   moved   on  the 


758  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES: 

farm  where  he  now  lives ;  his  wife  died  September  20,  1881,  and  he  was 
attain  married,  September  30,  1882,  to  Miss  S.  Seno  Reno,  who  was  born 
May  12,  1866,  daughter  of  Lewis  Reno,  of  Kankakee  County,  III.  Mr. 
Lucado  has  no  family  ;  he  owns  210  acres  of  fine  land,  well  improved. 

J.  R.  MAXWELL  was  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Penn.,  May  30, 
1820,  and  was  one  of  the  eight  children  born  to  John  and  Maria  J.  Max- 
well, also  natives  of  Cumberland.  In  1883,  they  moved  to  Ashland 
County,  Ohio,  and  there  died,  the  parents  of  eight  children — Johnson 
R.,  John,  Matilda,  David,  Robert,  Ellen,  Mary  and  William.  Johnson 
R.  Maxwell  remained  in  Ashland  County  with  his  parents  until  1812, 
■when  he  went  to  Huron  County,  Ohio,  where  he  was  married,  Novem- 
ber 4,  1852,  to  Mary  Haskins,  who  was  born  in  Bristol  County,  Mass., 
March  10,  1825;  he  then  moved  on  a.  farm  he  had  previously  purchased, 
and  which  he  cultivated  until  1860,  when  he  came  to  this  county,  where 
he  now  owns  134  acres  of  well-improved  land,  gained  through  his  energy, 
economy  and  skill. 

EDWIN  MICHAEL  was  born  in  West  Creek  Township,  Lake  Co., 
Ind.,  September  17,  1840,  the  eldest  of  two  sons  born  to  John  J.  and 
Wealthy  A.  (Green)  Michael ;  his  father  was  born  in  Albany  County,  N. 
Y.,  March  22,  1811;  he  was  the  only  son  of  five  children  born  to  Jacob 
Michael,  who  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  moved  to  Albany 
County,  N.  Y.,  in  an  early  day  and  remained  there  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1823.  When  quite  young,  our  subject's  father  began  the 
carpenter's  trade,  which  he  pursued  in  New  York  until  the  year  1838, 
when  he  went  to  the  southern  part  of  Michigan,  resumed  his  trade  and 
was  married,  in  1839,  to  Wealthy  A.  Green.  In  the  spring  of  1849,  he 
came  to  Lake  County,  made  a  claim  and  settled  in  West  Creek  Town- 
ship. Mr.  Michael  is  now  living  with  his  third  wife ;  he  owns  property 
and  is  living  a  retired  life  at  Coldwater,  Mich.  His  sons  are  Edwin  and 
William  H.  In  August,  1862,  Edwin  Michael  enlisted  in  Company  A, 
Ninety-ninth  Indiana  Volunteers,  serving  three  years ;  he  returned 
home,  and  on  January  1,  1866,  was  married  to  Thirsa  H.  Dyer,  who  was 
born  at  Wheaton,  III.,  February  6,  1845.  Their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  five  children — Maggie  A.,  Earl  J.,  Ida  L.,  Julia  M.  and  Edna  R. 
In  1876,  Mr.  Michael  purchased  and  moved  on  the  farm  where  he  now 
lives.     He  owns  130  acres  of  fi;ood  land. 

WILLIAM  PULYER  was  born  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  October 
4,  1827  ;  one  of  the  seven  children  of  David  and  Mercy  (Tobias)  Pulver, 
who  were  natives  of  New  York,  and  who  came  to  this  county  in  January, 
1842.  They  were  born,  respectively,  May  26,  1795,  and  September  2, 
1805  ;  were  married  November  5,  1825,  and  died  December  27,  1843, 
and  October  25,  1881.     Their  children  were  named  William,   Henry, 


WEST  CREEK   TOWNSHIP.  75D 

Mary,  Eunice,  John,  Loderaa  A.  and  David.  After  his  father's  deatli, 
William  Pulver  took  charge  of  the  farm  and  remained  at  home  till  about 
twenty-five  years  old.  March  17,  1853,  he  married  Sarah  J.  Drake,  a 
native  of  Seneca  County,  N.  Y.,  and  born  in  1836.  He  then  moved  on 
his  present  farm  of  260  acres,  which  he  had  previously  purchased.  Mrs. 
Pulver  died  September  10,  1861,  and  September  1-t,  1865,  Mr.  Pulver 
married  Sarah  A.  Babcock,  who  was  born  in  this  county  May  13,  1843. 
The  children  born  to  Mr.  Pulver's  first  marriage  were  David  M.,  Denny 
(decea'^ed),  Elkanah  W.,  Rosetta  (deceased),  and  Stephen  E.  (deceased)  ; 
to  his  second  marriage  have  been  born  Maxon  I.  (deceased),  Jennie  M., 
Eunice  (deceased),  an  infant  daughter  (deceased),  Ella  M  ,  Mertie  E., 
Minnie  G.  and  an  infant  daughter  (deceased).  Mr.  Pulver  is  a  member 
of  Lowell  Lodge,  No.  245,  I.  0.  0.  F. 

WILLIAM  SANDERS,  born  in  Essex  County,  N.  Y.,  December 
25,  1801,  is  the  son  of  Theophilus  and  Tryphosa  (Call)  Sanders,  natives 
respectively  of  Massachusetts  and  Virginia.  About  1816,  they  moved 
from  Essex  to  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  and  then  came  to  Indiana,  where 
they  ended  their  days.  William  Sanders,  the  next  eldest  in  a  family  of 
eleven  children,  left  his  parents  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  about  the 
year  1818,  and  moved  to  Erie  County,  Ohio,  where  he  married,  January 
13,  1822,  Emma  Harris ;  purchased  land  and  farmed  until  November, 
1841,  when  he  came  to  this  township  and  settled  on  his  present  farm.  In 
1863,  Mr.  Sanders  was  owner  of  1,100  acres  of  land,  but  he  has  deeded 
the  greater  portion  of  it  to  his  children,  and  is  now  enjoying  in  retire- 
ment the  fruits  of  his  early  industry  and  economy.  November  11,  1881, 
the  beloved  companion  of  his  early  youth  and  later  manhood  was  stricken 
by  death.  July  13,  1882,  he  married  Mrs.  Abba  Slocum.  In  1870, 
Mr.  Sanders  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  still  holds  the  office. 
He  built  the  first  schoolhouse  in  the  township,  and  has  always  been  promi- 
nent in  public  afi'airs.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church,  and 
twelve  children  were  born  to  him — Ralph  T.  (deceased),  William  W.  (de- 
ceased), Irena  (deceased),  Tryphosa,  Henry,  Royal,  Nathan,  Horace 
(killed  in  the  late  war),  Martin  J.,  Betsey,  Forlorn  H.  (deceased)  an(l 
Sarah. 

S.  B.  SANGER  was  born  in  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  November  31, 
1833.  He  was  the  eldest  of  eight  children  born  to  James  H.  and  Mar- 
tha Sanger,  who  were  born  and  were  married  in  New  York  State.  In 
1836,  they  came  to  this  county  and  settled  in  Cedar  Creek  Township, 
where,  in  due  course  of  time,  they  departed  this  life.  S.  B.  Sanger  came 
here  with  his  parents,  with  whom  he  remained  until  past  thirty-two  years 
of  age,  when  he  came  to  this  township  and  settled  on  the  farm  on  which 
he  yet  lives.  He  has  ninety  acres  of  fine  land,  which  he  has  constantly 
improved  since  his  residence  upon  it.     Mr.  Sanger  remains  unmarried. 


760  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

D.  H.  SPINDLER  is  a  native  of  Washington  County,  Penn.,  was 
born  February  15,  1828,  and  was  the  eldest  of  the  five  children  of  John 
and  Jane  (Ewart)  Spindler.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  born 
in  1808,  and  moved  with  parents  to  Washington  County,  Penn.,  where  he 
married,  and,  in  1830,  moved  to  Knox  Co.,  Ohio,  and  thence  to  Delaware 
Co.,  where  his  wife  died  in  1840.  He  married  again  and  moved  to  Allen 
County,  Ind.,  and  there  he  died.  D.  H.  Spindler  was  married  in  Dela- 
ware County,  Ohio,  November  9,  1855,  to  Hannah  Denny,  who  was 
born  in  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  November  12,  1835.  In  the  fall  of  186-4, 
he  came  to  this  county,  and,  in  the  fall  of  1878,  moved  on  his  present 
farm,  which  comprises  262  acres.  The  children  born  to  Mr.  Spindler 
were  Idolia  S.  (deceased),  James  M.  (deceased);  John  H.,  Allie  (de- 
ceased), Clara  B.,  James  E.,  Lillie  (deceased)  and  Alva, 

HIRAM  STORES  was  born  in  Huron  County,  Ohio,  May  9,  1830, 
one  of  a  family  of  three  children  born  to  Libearse  and  Anna  Storrs,  the 
former  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  They  were 
married  in  Huron  County,  Ohio,  where  they  remained  until  their  deaths, 
his  occurring  in  1831.  Hiram,  our  subject,  being  the  youngest,  was 
taken  by  his  grandfather,  Mr.  Nathan  Harris,  of  Erie  County,  Ohio,  to 
rear.  He  came  with  him  to  Lake  County,  Ind.,  in  1845,  where  he  mar- 
ried, January  28,  1855,  Miss  Lydia  Taylor,  who  was  born  in  La  Porte 
County  January  25,  1837,  and  moved  on  her  father's  farm,  remaining 
until  1861,  then  went  to  Kankakee,  111.,  and  from  thence,  in  1867,  to 
Lake  County,  Ind.,  where  he  purchased  and  settled  on  the  farm  where  he 
now  lives.  He  owns  250  acres  of  land.  He  has  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren— Mary,  Calvin  (deceased),  Ada,  Thirza,  Elzina  (deceased),  Alice 
(deceased),  Charles  A.  and  Hiram  B. 

T.  A.  WASON  was  born  at  Vevay,  Switzerland  Co.,  Ind.,  Septem- 
ber 23,  1845 ;  he  is  one  of  three  children  born  to  Rev.  Hiram  and  Betsy 
R.  (Abbot)  Wason,  who  were  natives  of  New  Hampshire.  The  former 
was  born  at  New  Boston,  Hillsboro  Co.,  N.  H.,  December  18,  1814; 
he  graduated  in  1838,  at  Amherst  College,  and  was  married,  October  29, 
1844,  to  Betsy  R.,  daughter  of  Timothy  Abbot,  who  was  born  in  New 
Hampshire,  August  3,  1818.  In  1857,  Mr.  Wason  moved  to  West  Creek 
Township,  Lake  Co.,  Ind.;  purchased  and  settled  on  the  farm  on  which 
he  now  lives;  he  studied  theology,  and  began  preaching  about  1848;  his 
family  was  named  as  follows :  T.  A.,  Nannie  and  Maria.  T.  A.  Wason 
was  married,  December  24,  1873,  to  Julia  A.,  daughter  of  James  Bran- 
non.  She  died  July  17,  1876,  leaving  one  child — Julia  B.  He  was 
again  married,  April  29,  1882,  to  Emma  S.,  daughter  of  Henry  G.  and 
Betsy  Peach,  borr  January  12,  1853.  Mr.  Wason  owns  155  acres  of 
land. 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  761 


WINFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 

ORSON  BACON,  was  born  in  Vermont  in  1823.  When  but  eiirht 
years  old,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  St.  Joseph  County,  Mich.,  where 
he  remained  until  manhood;  here,  in  1847,  he  was  married,  to  Melissa 
Davis,  of  St.  Joseph  County,  by  whom  he  had  five  sons — Albert  A., 
Charles  C,  James  M.,  Arunah  and  Milo  J.  Owing  to  his  meager  means 
Mr.  Bacon  determined  to  change  his  location;  he  came  to  this  township 
and  purchased  forty  acres  of  his  present  home  for  ^400,  and  after  many 
privations,  by  energy  and  prudence,  he  has  now  108  acres  well  improved; 
he  has  been  active  in  erecting  the  Deer  Creek  Church,  having  contributed 
$100  thereto ;  he  has  been  similarly  of  benefit  in  assisting  other  worthy 
projects;  he  is  an  earnest  advocate  of  Republican  party  principles,  and 
of  temperance,  and  a  man  of  broad  charity ;  he  and  his  wife  are  active 
members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Last  autumn,  he  carried,  by  wagon,  prod- 
uce to  South  Chicago,  where  he  has  three  sons  in  the  grocery  business. 

J.  P.  BALDWIN  was  born  in  Essex  County,  N.  J.,  February  8, 
1835,  one  of  five  children  born  to  John  M.  and  Rhoda  Baldwin,  both 
natives  of  New  Jersey.  John  M.  was  a  farmer,  and,  in  1848,  he 
came  west  for  the  purpose  of  securing  land,  and  located  in  Crown  Point, 
where  he  taught  school  for  one  year,  and  then  purchased  eighty  acres  and 
laid  claim  to  160  in  Eagle  Creek  Township ;  he  moved  on  this  farm,  and 
he  and  family  experienced  many  of  the  hardships  and  privations  incident 
to  a  new  country,  drawing  their  produce  to  Chicago  to  market;  he  died 
in  1860,  aged  fifty  years;  his  wife  and  family  remained  on  the  farm  until 
1868,  when  it  was  sold  and  the  mother  and  three  sons  went  to  Carthage, 
Mo.  In  September,  1861,  J.  P.  and  his  youngest  brother  enlisted  in 
Company  E,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  Four  months  later,  he 
was  taken  sick  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  in  two  months  was  honorably  dis- 
charged on  account  of  disability;  he  then  took  charge  of  the  home  farm, 
as  his  brother  Adolphus  M.  had  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Fifth  Indiana 
Volunteer  Cavalry.  Our  subject  was  married,  December  19,  1867,  to 
Miss  Mary  McCay,  born  in  Tyrone  County,  Ireland,  July  31,  1841,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Eliza  McCay,  who  were  early  settlers  in  this  town- 
ship. To  this  union  two  children  were  born — Martha  J.  and  John  J. 
In  1868,  Mr.  Baldwin  purchased  ninety-seven  and  one-half  acres  of  land 
improved  with  a  log  cabin,  which  has  long  since  given  place  to  a  good 
frame  house,  making  his  farm  one  of  the  finest  in  the  township ;  he  is  now 
worth  about  $8,000,  which  has  been  made  by  hard  work;  he  is  an  active 


762  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

politician  in  the  Republican  ranks,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
U.  P.  Church. 

JOHN  BLAKEMAN  was  born  in  Warwickshire,  England,  in  1824, 
and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  came  to  America  and  located  in  Wyandot 
County,  Ohio,  in  1847.  Here  he  worked  on  a  farm  until  1850,  when  he 
was  married  to  Lucinda  Williams,  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in  1821 ; 
she  died  in  1862,  leaving  five  children — Caroline,  Olive,  Charles,  Mary 
and  Lincoln.  Soon  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Blakeman  came  to  this 
county,  and  partly  purchased  160  acres ;  this  he  was  unable  to  pay  for 
at  once,  and  had  to  borrow  money  from  time  to  time  at  great  disadvan- 
ta-^e;  but  being  a  man  of  truth,  he  redeemed  his  obligations,  and  is  now 
the  possessor  of  210  acres  of  well-improved  land.  In  1865,  he  enlisted 
in  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Regiment  Indiana  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  from  which  he  was  honorably  discharged.  In  1866,  Mr. 
Blakeman  was  married  to  his  second  wife,  Jane  Miller,  formerly  of  New 
York,  and  daughter  of  William  Miller,  who  early  located  here.  To  this 
union  three  children  were  given,  only  one — Amanda  W. — being  among  the 
living.  Mr.  Blakeman  was  once  a  Democrat,  afterward  a  Republican, 
and  is  now  an  earnest  Greenbacker. 

GEORGE  BOVARD  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1815,  where  he  lived 
until  1840,  when  he  came  to  America.  He  located  first  in  Philadelphia, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  of  weaver  for  seven  years,  when  he  started 
looms  of  his  own  ;  so  he  continued  until  1863.  In  1850,  he  married 
Jane  Finley,  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  1826.  By  this  union  they  had 
a  family  of  eleven  children,  of  whom  nine  survive — John,  William, 
George,  Eliza,  Anna,  Sarah,  Renwick,  Jennie  and  Thomas.  In  1863, 
Mr.  Bovard  removed  with  his  parents  to  this  township,  and  purchased 
160  acres  of  his  present  home ;  his  success  has  been  flattering,  since  he 
has  increased  his  land  possessions  to  300  acres,  valued  at  $30  per  acre. 
When  he  arrived  in  America  he  was  in  straitened  circumstances,  but 
industry  triumphed,  as  for  eleven  years  he  rarely  slept,  except  on  Satur- 
day and  Sunday,  more  than  four  hours  at  night.  Mr.  Bovard  has  been 
an  active,  and  is  yet  an  enterprising  man.  Both  he  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church. 

ANTHONY  DIDDIE  was  born  in  Dauphin  County,  Penn.,  in  1814, 
and  is  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  Diddie,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
When  thirteen  years  of  age  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Crawford 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  passed  to  manhood,  learned  the  trade  of  a  shoe- 
maker, and  was  married,  in  1838,  to  Elizabeth  Schroll,  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania in  1810,  and  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Mary  Schroll,  both  of 
Pennsylvania.  By  this  union  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Diddie  have  had  eight 
children — William   H.,   Mary  A.,    Amanda,  Francis,    Sarah   E.,  Maria^ 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  763 

Levi  W.  and  Jane  A.  Having  but  slender  means,  Mr.  Di<ldie  came 
here  in  184:9  to  locate  upon  his  own  hmd,  and  accordingly  entered  120 
acres  of  his  present  farm,  stopping  in  a  log  cabin  two  miles  southward 
until  he  could  erect  one  for  himself;  this  was  soon  completed,  and  he 
commenced  breaking  the  virgin  prairie  sod.  Industry  prospered  him, 
and  despite  his  loss  of  ten  horses,  he  increased  his  domain  to  130  acres, 
valued  at  ^10  per  acre.  Mr.  Diddie  cast  his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Harri- 
son in  1836,  but  he  is  now  a  Republican.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

JOHN  FISHER  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  May  12, 
1837,  a  son  of  John  G.  and  Elizabeth  Fisher,  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many. AVhen  in  his  twelfth  year,  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  this 
township,  in  18-19,  his  father  locating  on  the  farm  on  which  our  subject 
now  lives.  John  Fisher  received  but  a  sparse  education.  He  was  mar- 
ried, October  20,  1860,  to  Ellen  A.  Andrews,  born  in  Pennsylvania 
March  22,  1840,  and  daughter  of  Edwin  and  Catharine  Andrews.  To 
this  union  seven  children  succeeded,  four  of  whom  are  livinij — Theodore 
B.,  Alva  S.,  William  and  Jennie  L.  In  1860,  Mr.  Fisher  began  for 
himself  by  renting  land,  and  afterward  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Ross 
Township,  and  while  improving  the  same  enlisted  in  Company  I, 
Twelfth  Regiment  Michigan  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  one  year  ; 
he  worked  at  farming  until  1866,  when  he  went  to  Valparaiso  and 
worked  at  bridge  carpentering  for  two  years.  At  this  time,  he  purchased 
a  homestead  of  eighty  acres,  which  is  now  fairly  improved.  Mr.  Fisher 
was  Postmaster  at  Winfield — which  is  now  known  as  Palmer  Post  Office — 
for  eight  or  nine  years ;  he  is  foremost  in  every  home  enterprise  and  a 
radical  temperance  supporter. 

HARVEY  GIBBS,  was  born  in  Athens  County,  Ohio,  October 
14,  1842.  When  he  was  two  years  of  age,  his  parents  moved  to 
Chillicothe,  Ohio,  and  in  1846  to  this  county,  where  his  father  died. 
After  this  the  family  moved  to  Cedar  Creek  Township,  where  Harvey 
was  reared  as  a  farmer.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany H,  Ninth  Regiment  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  at  Valparaiso  ;  he 
was  engaged  at  Chickamauga,  Stone  River,  Nashville,  Mission  Ridge, 
Franklin,  and  was  a  faithful  soldier.  He  was  discharged  September  28, 
1865,  as  a  veteran.  On  returning  home  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  on 
November  5,  1868,  was  married  to  Hannah  Carson,  a  native  of  Ohio, 
born  in  1843,  and  a  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Margaret  J.  Carson,  both 
natives  of  Ireland.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gibbs  have  four  children — Addie  M., 
Alva  H.,  Maud  and  Mabel.  In  1870,  Mr.  Gibbs  purchased  his  present 
home  of  eighty- three  acres.  He  is  a  firm  Republican,  having  given  his 
first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  Mrs.  Gibbs  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church. 


764  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

A.  Z.  GREEN  was  born  near  McCarthy,  Benton  Co.,  Ohio,  Decem- 
ber 22,  1840,  and  is  one  of  the  six  children  of  Joshua  F.  and  Sarah 
(Fuller)  Green,  both  natives  of  New  York.  The  great-grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  driven  from  Ireland ;  came  to  America,  and  was  a  Gen- 
eral during  the  Revolution.  His  grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812.  His  father  also  exhibited  great  bravery  in  California,  in  1850, 
by  checking  an  Indian  outbreak.  A.  Z.  Green,  partaking  of  the  spirit 
of  his  ancestors,  enlisted,  in  1862,  in  Company  A,  Seventy-third  Regi- 
ment Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  Being  discharged  in  July,  1865,  he 
re-enlisted  as  a  veteran,  and  was  finally  discharged  December  9,  1865. 
He  was  in  eight  hard-fought  battles,  and  while  on  a  raid  in  Alabama  he 
was  thrown  from  his  mule,  receiving  injuries  which  have  permanently 
disabled  him.  On  returning,  he  resumed  farming,  but  in  1875  purchased 
a  stock  of  goods,  and  began  a  store,  in  which  he  has  done  a  brisk  busi- 
ness. He  came  hither  a  poor  boy,  but  perseverance  and  economy  have 
raised  him  to  independence.  Besides  his  store  of  goods,  he  has  now  200 
acres  of  land,  worth  $3,500.  In  1868,  he  was  married  to  Isabella  Alyea, 
of  Porter  County,  daughter  of  Elias  and  Nancy  (Smith)  Alyea,  both  from 
New  York.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Green  have  three  children — A.  B.,  Ada  and 
Are.  Mr.  Green  is  a  stanch  Republican,  having  first  voted  for  U.  S. 
Grant.     Both  he  and  his  wife  are  Methodists. 

SILAS  GREGG  was  born  in  Tompkins  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1817, 
being  the  youngest  son  of  Charles  and  Deborah  (Corwin)  Gregg,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  New  York.  Silas  was  reared  as  a  farmer  in  a  new 
country,  and  consequently  received  but  a  limited  education.  He  moved 
to  the  West  in  1837,  and  stopped  with  his  brothers  on  the  edge  of  this 
township,  where  he  spent  the  first  winter  hunting.  He  remained  two 
years,  assisting  in  breaking  the  wild  prairie,  and  conveying  the  products 
to  Chicago  and  Michigan  City.  He  had  to  go  from  sixteen  to  eighty-five 
miles  to  get  milling  done.  He  worked  some  time  in  Illinois  and  Wiscon- 
sin. On  January  1,  1846,  he  was  married  to  Matilda  Young,  born  April 
30,  1821.  Mr.  Gregg  purchased  160  acres,  which  constitutes  his  present 
home,  and  which  he  has  finely  improved,  being  one  of  the  finest  wheat 
farms  in  this  section.  He  gives  much  attention  to  the  raising  of  stock. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gregg  have  her  nine  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living 
— Aurilla  J.,  Emma  E.,  William  Y.,  Lydia  E.,  Alexander,  Hattie  R. 
and  S.  Delbert  and  Charles  G.  Mrs.  Gregg  died  October  25,  1868, 
aged  forty-seven.  On  December  1,  1870,  Mr.  Gregg  was  married  to 
Margaret  J.  Campbell.  Mr.  Gregg  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and 
is  now  Township  Trustee.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Gregg  cast  his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Harrison, 
in  1810,  and  is  now  a  strong  Republican. 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  765 

SAMUEL  LOVE  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1831,  and  is  one  of  the 
six  children  of  William  and  Alice  (Estler)  Love.  Samuel  was  reared  a 
weaver,  but  after  working  a  few  years  at  the  trade  went  to  sea,  and  was 
rapidly  promoted  to  a  command.  In  the  fall  of  1852,  in  company  with 
his  brother  James,  he  came  to  America,  locating  at  Detroit ;  was  engaged 
as  watchman  on  the  steamer  Cleveland,  and  was  soon  promoted  to  be  sec- 
ond mate.  In  1854,  he  removed  to  Door  County,  Wis.,  where  he  worked 
as  a  lumberman  for  seventeen  years  during  the  winters,  sailing  on  the 
lakes  during  the  summers  ;  he  then  came  to  this  county,  and  located  near 
Cedar  Lake  ;  bought  260  acres  of  good  land,  and  farmed  for  six  years, 
then  sold  out  and  came  to  Leroy,  where  he  is  now  conducting  a  general 
store  and  a  large  hay  barn,  besides  another  barn  at  Creston,  and  during 
1881  he  bought  and  shipped  25,000  tons  of  hay.  Mr.  Love  was  married 
in  1850,  to  Miss  Ellen  J.  Mundell,  born  in  1831  in  the  North  of  Ire- 
land, and  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Elizabeth  Mundell,  and  his  union 
has  been  blessed  with  eight  children — Elizabeth,  John,  William,  Samuel, 
Mary  A.,  James,  Peter  K.  and  Rosa.  Mr.  Love  is  an  active  Republican, 
and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  jNIethodist  Episcopal  Church. 

THOMAS  McCAY  was  born  in  Tyrone  County,  Ireland,  March  14, 
1845,  and  is  the  only  son  of  John  and  Eliza  McCay,  both  natives  of  Ire- 
land, who  emigrated  to  America  in  1850,  stopping  in  Philadelphia 
until  1855,  when  they  came  to  this  township.  Mr.  McCay  first  rented  a 
farm  of  Mr.  John  Ross  for  two  years,  and  then  purchased  forty  acres  of 
his  homestead,  soon  after  adding  forty  more;  still  later,  he  purchased  120 
acres,  a  part  of  which  was  well  improved.  He  died  in  1871,  aged  seven- 
ty-one years,  but  his  wife  still  lives  in  her  seventieth  year.  Thomas 
McCay  remained  at  home,  assisting  on  the  farm.  By  industry  and  fru- 
gality he  secured  enough  to  purchase  the  homestead,  as  well  as  other 
property,  so  that  he  now  owns  195  acres,  most  of  which  is  well-improved. 
His  principal  crops  are  hay,  corn  and  oats  ;  he  also  raises  horses,  cattle 
and  hogs.  On  October  3,  1877,  he  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Blakeraan, 
of  this  county,  born  March  15,  1858.  This  union  was  blessed  with  three 
children — J.  Delbert,  Charles  and  Edith  M.  Mr.  McCay  is  an  enterpris 
ing  man,  and  will  be  one  of  the  leading  farmers  in  his  section. 

DAVID  McKNIGHT,  retired  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  was  born  in 
the  North  of  Ireland  December  25,  1811.  In  1832,  he  emigrated  to 
America,  almost  destitute  of  means,  and  located  in  Philadelphia,  where, 
on  August  28,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Catherine  Ciscadden,  a  native  of 
Ireland,  born  July  12,  1812,  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1835. 
By  this  union  they  had  nine  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — James, 
Robert,  Margaret,  William  and  John.  Alexander  and  David — soldiers 
in  the  late  war,  Company  E,  Ninth  Regiment — are  buried  in  Tennessee. 


766  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

James  and  Robert  also  served  in  Company  E,  Ninth  Regiment,  and  were 
honorably  discharged.  In  1840,  Mr.  McKnight  removed  to  Westmore- 
land County,  Penn.,  and  remained  two  years.  On  coming  hither,  in  184:7, 
he  purchased  forty  acres,  with  small  improvements  ;  then  he  entered 
160  acres  of  canal  land,  and  later,  eighty  acres  more.  In  1858,  he  lost 
300  acres  by  a  swindling  patent  right,  having  given  his  notes  on  the  mort- 
gage of  the  said  land.  By  this  means  he  was  almost  reduced  to  his  first 
condition  ;  he  soon  after,  however,  purchased  160  acres,  on  which  he 
built  and  improved  on  borrowed  capital.  Since  then,  he  has  been  very 
fortunate,  and  he  is  now  the  owner  of  695  acres,  and  also  has  given 
to  each  of  his  children  eighty  acres ;  his  land  contains  one  of  the  best  or- 
chards in  the  township,  embracing  apples,  pears,  peaches  and  cherries  ; 
his  receipts  for  butter  average  from  ^700  to  $1,000  per  annum,  and  in 
the  various  products  .$3,000  annually  ;  he  is  an  active  temperance  worker, 
and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church. 

THOMAS  McLaren,  retired  farmer,  was  born  in  Allegheny 
County,  Penn.,  May  3,  1813,  and  is  one  of  the  nine  children  of  Hugh 
and  Jane  (Harper)  McLaren,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  In  1841,  he  moved 
to  Logan  County,  Ohio,  where  he  was  married  to  Rebecca  Wylie,  by 
which  union  they  had  nine  children — Jane,  Joseph  W.,  Elizabeth  A., 
Hugh  H.,  John  K.,  Mary  R.,  David  P.,  Ellen  M.,  William  R.  L.  (de- 
ceased), and  Thomas  B.  Mrs.  McLaren  died  in  1873,  aged  fifty-two 
years.  On  June  28,  1875,  Mr.  McLaren  was  married  to  Mrs.  Hannah 
(Wylie)  Quay,  born  1820,  in  Beaver  County,  Penn.  Mrs.  McLaren  had 
five  children  by  her  first  marriage.  Mr.  McLaren  has  thirty-seven  sons, 
sons-in-law,  daughters  and  daughters-in-law,  besides  step-children.  In 
1853,  he  located  at  Hickory  Point,  on  rented  land  ;  later,  he  moved  on 
the  land  he  had  located  in  1851,  paying  $160.  During  the  first  years, 
he  entered  853  acres,  in  addition  to  his  farm  of  200  acres  ;  in  1872,  this 
was  nearly  all  fenced,  some  of  the  lumber  having  been  drawn  twenty 
miles.  Mr.  McLaren  is  a  good  citizen,  the  founder  of  the  village  of  Le 
Roy,  and  a  strong  prohibitionist ;  he  now  owns  320  acres,  worth  $40  per 
acre,  and  has  given  to  each  of  his  nine  children  forty  acres. 

Gr.  A.  NICHOLS  was  born  in  Rhode  Island  in  1825,  and  is  the  son 
of  William  A.  and  Parmelia  (Thompson)  Nichols,  both  natives  of  Rhode 
Island.  When  he  was  five  years  of  age,  his  parents  removed  to  Athens 
County,  Ohio  ;  thence  to  Porter  County,  Ind.,  and  then  into  this  town- 
ship, where  they  pre-empted  160  acres,  on  which  G.  A.  Nichols  now  re- 
sides ;  they  were  the  first  white  settlers  in  Winfield  Township.  During 
his  youth,  our  subject  was  compelled  to  go  to  mill  by  ox  team,  a  distance 
of  forty  miles,  and,  when  the.  roads  were  impassable,  they  ground  their 
grain  in  a  cofi"ee-mill.   Their  nearest  post  office  was  Michigan  City.   They 


WINFIELD  TOWNSHIP.  767 

had  many  a  wrangle  with  the  Indians.  Mr.  Nichols  learned  the  trade  of 
a  carpenter,  at  which  he  worked  in  Valparaiso ;  afterward,  in  company 
with  his  brother,  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  In  1864,  he  en- 
listed in  Company  E,  Seventeenth  Regiment  Mounted  Infantry ;  he  was 
engaged  in  detailed  service;  he  was  in  the  trying  march  with  Gen.  Wil- 
son, in  Alabama.  When  discharged,  in  1865,  he  purchased  the  home- 
stead farm  of  111  acres  ;  he  ran  the  first  reaper  on  the  prairie.  Mr. 
Nichols  gave  his  first  vote  to  Gen.  Taylor,  but  has  since  voted  for  the 
Republicans  ;  he  has  served  his  township  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  six 
years.  Mr.  Nichols  was  married,  in  1852,  to  Sarah  Thompson,  of  Mar- 
quette County,  Wis.  By  this  union  they  had  four  children — Clara, 
William  C,  Cassius  W.  and  Elmer  E. 

DENNIS  PALMER  was  born  in  Lorain  County,  Ohio,  August  21, 
1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Dennis  and  Olive  J.  Palmer,  natives  of  Massachu- 
setts and  Connecticut.  He  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  attended  the  pio- 
neer school,  and  being  of  a  studious  disposition,  made  the  best  of  what 
was  offered  him,  and  in  185)  commenced  teaching.  In  1852,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  Wilson,  of  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  born  in  1832,  a 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Sarah  Wilson.  Bj  this  union  they  became  the 
parents  of  two  children — Richard  (a  stock-dealer  in  Iowa)  and  John.  In 
1854,  ho  located  in  Mason  County,  111.,  engaged  in  stock-raising  with 
David  Wilson,  but  remained  only  six  months,  then  removed  to  this  town- 
ship, where  he  purchased  ninety  acres  of  land  on  Section  7,  and  made 
his  home  here  for  a  few  years,  then  sold  and  owned  land  on  Section  20, 
but  in  1866  purchased  his  present  place,  and  has  remained  here  since. 
Mr.  Palmer  started  in  the  county  a  poor  man,  but  by  hard  work,  has  ac- 
quired a  farm  well  improved,  and  stocked  with  hogs  and  cattle.  lie 
turns  off  from  his  farm  over  100  fat  hogs  each  year,  besides  buying  and 
shipping  to  some  extent ;  he  was  the  founder  of  the  village  of  Palmer  in 
1881,  which  consists  of  twenty  lots  (quarter  acre  each).  In  the  fall  of 
1881,  he  built  a  commodious  store  building,  which  is  filled  with  a  good 
stock  of  general  merchandise,  owned  by  C.  W.  Wise.  Mr.  Palmer  was 
the  first  to  sign  the  right  of  way  contract  for  the  Chicago  &  Atlantic 
Railroad,  and  donated  to  them  the  right  of  way  for  over  three-quarters  of 
a  mile ;  he  has  been  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  twenty  years,  and  has  never 
had  a  judgment  reversed  by  the  higher  court ;  he  and  son  lost  about  $7,- 
000  during  the  winter  of  1880-81,  by  having  cattle  frozen.  Subject  is 
now  worth  about  330,000. 

MOSES  PHILLIPS  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  April  6, 
1835,  and  was  one  of  thirteen  children  of  Reuben  and  Elizabeth  (Hedge) 
Phillips,  both  natives  of  Maryland.  Reuben  Phillips  came  to  Eastern 
Ohio  when  a  young  man,  and  started  into  a  pioneer  life  where  he  now  re- 


768  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

sides  at  the  age  of  eightj-three  years;  his  wife  died  in  1877,  aged 
seventy-seven  years.  When  nineteen  years  of  age,  Moses  came  to  this 
township,  stopped  with  his  brother-in-law,  John  L.  Hipsley,  for  a  year,  then 
located  on  what  is  now  his  homestead,  the  land  having  been  entered  by 
his  father  in  1856.  On  December  30,  1855,  he  was  married  to  Phebe 
E.  Young  of  this  county,  but  born  in  Woodstock,  Canada,  November  6, 
1836  ;  she  died  June  8,  1882,  at  the  age  of  forty-five  years,  leaving  four 
children— Lovina  E.,  Alvah  M.,  Viola  E.  and  Rosa  D.  Mr.  Phillips 
has  a  fine  farm  with  great  improvements ;  it  embraces  240  acres  ;  he  has 
made  the  prairie  "to  blossom  as  the  rose,"  the  land  being  valued  at  from 
$45  to  $50  per  acre. 

JOHN  ROSS  was  born  in  the  North  of  Ireland  January  2,  1826  ; 
he  was  brought  up  on  a  farm  and  received  a  fair  education.  In  common 
with  many,  to  better  his  condition,  he  emigrated  to  America  in  1849,  lo- 
cating at  Philadelphia,  where  he  worked  six  years  in  making  packing- 
boxes,  whereupon,  with  $1,000,  he  removed  to  this  township,  where  he 
purchased  eighty  acres,  his  present  farm,  on  which  he  built  a  small  frame 
house.  In  1871,  this  was  burned  and  replaced ;  he  has  now  large  and 
commodious  barns,  and  a  wind  engine  for  furnishing  water  to  his  large 
herd  of  cattle.  In  1855,  he  was  married  to  Jane  Wilson,  a  native  of 
Ireland,  by  whom  he  had  five  children — Isabella  J.,  Robert,  Anna  E., 
John  and  Jacob  H.  (deceased).  Mr.  Ross  has  been  very  successful,  and 
has  amassed  a  fair  competence  for  his  approaching  age ;  his  farm  em- 
braces 487  acres,  all  of  which  has  been  acquired  through  industry  and 
economy ;  he  is  a  greatly  esteemed  citizen.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ross  are 
members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church. 

JOHN  SIMPSON  was  born  in  Ireland  March  11,  1830.  On  Octo- 
ber 6,  1870,  he  was  married  to  Jane  McClarn,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Rebecca  McClarn,  and  born  in  Logan  County,  Ohio,  in  1842.  By  this 
union  they  had  five  sons — William  J.,  Thomas  C,  George  W.,  Clarence 
A.  and  Roy  H.  Mr.  Simpson  commenced  life  empty-handed  ;  he  first 
farmed  on  rented  land  with  ox  teams ;  he  then  took  a  lease  on  sixty-five 
acres  for  five  years,  of  which  he  had  the  profits  for  breaking  and  fencing; 
during  this  time  he  purchased  a  portion  of  his  present  home ;  he  has 
been  very  successful  in  his  efforts,  having  now  270  acres  of  excellent 
land,  which  is  nearly  all  well  improved,  combining  a  commodious 
house  and  barn  and  a  wind  engine  ;  the  land  is  partially  fenced  by  a 
hedge.  Mr.  Simpson  gave  his  first  vote  to  U.  S.  Grant,  and  he  is  a 
stanch  Republican.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church. 

JAMES  SIMPSON  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1846,  and  is  theson  of 
William  and  Jane  Simpson,  both  natives  of  Ireland.     His   parents  emi- 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP.  7G1> 

grated  to  America  in  1845,  locating  in  this  township,  where  Wm.  Simpson 
purchased  eighty  acres,  without  buildings  ;  they  lived  in  a  log  house  a 
number  of  years.  Mr.  Simpson  was  successful,  and  soon  had  180  acres, 
which  were  well  improved  ;  he  died  in  1865,  aged  sixty-five  years.  Mrs. 
Simpson  is  still  living,  aged  seventy-five  years.  James  Simpson  was 
brought  up  a  farmer,  and  has  remained  at  home  until  now,  and  owns 
fifty-six  acres  of  the  homestead  land.  On  March  4,  1874,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Ellen  Gaston,  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  May  11,  1852,  and  came 
to  America  in  1872  ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  Gaston, 
both  natives  of  Ireland.  To  this  union  there  have  been  four  children — 
Maggie  J.,  Mary  E.,  James  H.  and  Charles  A.  Mrs.  Simpson  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian   Church. 

H.  B.  VVARD  was  born  in  Portage  County,  Ohio,  March  13,  1827, 
and  is  the  eldest  of  the  seven  children  of  Alfred  and  Fannie  Ward.  His 
parents  were  among  the  pioneers  of  Portage  County,  and  lived  in  a 
home  they  redeemed  from  the  forest,  where  they  died — he  in  1838  and 
she  in  1845.  After  this  event  H.  B.  Ward  took  charge  of  the  farm 
until  he  came  West  to  improve  his  fortune,  in  1850,  and  entered  the  land 
on  which  he  has  since  resided,  and  so  improved  as  to  make  him  inde- 
pendent. During  his  youth  Mr.  Ward  obtained  a  fair  education,  and 
had  followed  teaching  for  three  years  previous  to  coming  here.  He  has 
served  as  Township  Clerk,  Assessor,  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  County 
Commissioner  ;  at  the  building  of  the  township  jail,  he  was  chosen 
overseer.  In  1847,  he  was  married  to  Delia* Doolittle,  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, born  August  8,  1827,  a  daughter  of  Luther  and  Eunice  Doolit- 
tle. They  have  seven  children — Fannie  M.,  Lodema  E.,  Ida  A.,  Ella 
p.,  Nina  J.,  Jennie  and  Willie  (deceased).  Mr.  Ward  is  a  strict  tem- 
perance man,  and  Mrs.   Ward  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

ROSS  WILSON  was  born  in  Ireland  December  2^,  1830  ;  is  the 
son  of  Andrew  and  Isabel  Wilson,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  In  1849, 
he  emigrated  to  America,  first  locating  at  Philadelphia,  where  he  made 
packing  boxes  for  five  years  ;  and  there,  in  1854,  he  was  married  to 
Margaret  McCay,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  McCay ;  she  also  was 
born  in  Ireland  February  24,  1834,  coming  to  America  in  1850.  Mr. 
Wilson  came  to  this  county  in  1854  and  rented  a  farm  for  six  years, 
after  which  he  bought  forty  acres  of  his  present  homestead,  and  erected 
a  frame  house  and  began  to  break  the  soil.  He  now  has  most  com- 
modious buildings,  with  an  evergreen-planted  lawn,  making  it  one  of  the 
most  attractive  homes  in  the  township.  Mr.  Wilson  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful, now  possessing  440  acres,  nearly  all  of  which  is  improved,  mak- 
ing him  worth  $24,000.  All  this  he  owes  to  his  energy  and  enterprise, 
as  well  as  good  citizenship  ;  he  is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  his   sec- 


770  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES: 

tion.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  made  a  trip  to  Califoania  during  the  fall  of 
1880. 

JOSEPH  WILSON  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1835,  and  is  one  of  the 
nine  children  of  Joseph  and  Eliza  (Ross)  Wilson,  also  natives  of  Ireland. 
Our  subject  came  to  America  in  1852,  and  stopped  in  Philadelphia  for 
two  years,  working  at  his  trade  as  a  carpenter  ;  he  came  to  this  county 
in  1855,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade,  and  where  he  was  married, 
February  12,  1856,  to  Jane  McCay,  born  in  Ireland  April  19, 
1838.  By  this  union  they  had  twelve  children,  ten  of  whom  are 
living — David,  John,  Charles,  William  PL,  Eliza  M.,  Joseph  R., 
Annie  J.,  Maggie  B.,  Eddie  and  Odessa.  In  1862,  Mr.  Wilson 
purchased  forty  acres  of  wild  prairie,  which  he  sold  and  went  to 
California,  where  he  expected  to  remain,  but  soon  returned  and  purchased 
120  acres  of  his  present  home ;  he  first  lived  in  a  log  cabin,  and  after- 
ward in  a  frame  house  18x26  ;  he  has  now  a  fine  farmhouse  and  200 
acres  of  very  good  land.  In  1880,  he  purchased  a  hay  barn  at  Le 
Roy  Station,  of  great  capacity,  his  own  crop  of  hay  this  year  reaching 
200  tons ;  he  also  purchases  hay  in  bulk,  delivered  at  his  farm.  Mr. 
Wilson  has  been  exceedingly  successful,  being  worth  nearly  $20,000, 
besides  having  given  to  his  son  eighty  acres  of  fine  land,  valued  at 
$3,000.  Mr.  Wilson  has  much  pride  in  fine  horses,  and  a  large  stock  of 
hogs. 

JACOB  WISE  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  January  20,  1817,  and  is 
one  of  the  eight  children  of  George  and  Charlotte  (More)  Wise,  both  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania.  When  eighteen  years  of  age,  Jacob  moved  with 
his  parents  to  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  brick-making 
and  afterward  managed  a  yard  for  himself  previous  to  coming  to  this 
township  in  1849.  In  1848,  he  entered  160  acres  of  his  present  farm, 
and  in  1849  purchased  eighty  acres  more  in  Section  17  ;  he  lived  several 
years  in  a  log  cabin,  but  has  now  erected  a  large  commodious  brick,  and 
the  first  in  the  township  ;  his  farm  is  one  of  the  best  in  Winfield  Town- 
ship. On  July  4,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Sarah  Ditie,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  who  died  in  1843,  leaving  three  small  children — Henry 
W.,  Cornelius  W.  and  Maria  E.;  his  second  marriage  took  place  in  De- 
cember, 1843,  to  Maria  Ditie,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Elizabeth  Ditie.  By  this  union  they  had  six  children — James 
M.,  George  M.,  Laura  J.,  Amanda  F.,  Margaret  L.  and  Martha  E.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.   Wise  are  members  of  the  United  Brethran  Church. 

C.  W.  WISE  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  July  30,  1841. 
On  September  28,  1864,  he  was  married  to  Sarah  Wilson,  also  native 
of  Crawford  County,  born  September  18,  1842,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Sarah  Wilson.    C.  W.  Wise  was  reared  a  farmer;  when  seven  years  old  his 


WINFIELD   TOWNSHIP. 


771 


father  removert  to  this  township,  where  he  has  since  remained,  except  the 
period  absent  at  war  diirini;  the  hite  struggle  ;  he  enlisted  September  1, 
1861,  in  Company  E,  Ninth  Regiment  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry  ;  he 
was  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  and  the  second  day  was  wounded  in  the  right 
knee,  an  injury  which  crippled  hira  for  life.  The  ball  remained  in  the 
bone  for  six  years,  when  it  was  removed  by  Drs.  Higgins  and  Cass,  of 
this  section.  After  his  discharge,  in  1862,  he  took  charge  of  a  small 
farm,  and  afterward  engaged  in  mercantile  business,  now  having  a  first- 
class  farmers'  store  at  Palmer's  Station.  Mr.  Wise  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican, and  has  served  his  township  as  Assessor  for  six  years,  and  with 
much  satisfaction. 


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H.  J.  NICHOLS, 


The  Leading  Merchant  of  Hebron,  Porter  Co.,  Ind., 


Dealer  in 


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Boots  and  Shoes. 


Makes  a  Specialty  of  Handling  Live  Stock,  Hay  and  Grain. 


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Lowell,  Lake  Co.,  Ind  , 


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DKALERS IN 


General    Merchandise. 


A  Specialty  Made  of 


DTHING. 


A  Full  Line  of  Everything  usually  Found  in  a 

9 

FFRST-CLASS     GENERAL     STORE. 


3338