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HI.-TORY  OF  LA  l'OKTE  COUNTY 


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Before  purchasing  a  Piano  or  Organ  elsewhere, call  upon 

or  correspond  with  me  and  I  will  give  you  Prices 

that  no  other  Dealer  will  Duplicate. 


Fort  S*JUB—&*Y&mMtB  Iff  lJf&rg£,£-VM<Yr$. 


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ADVERTISEMENTS. 


S.  C.  WHITING,  M.  D., 


HOMEOPAT 


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urgeon 


LA  PORTE. 


OFFICE   AND   RESIDENCE 


No.  7  WEST  JEFFERSON   ST., 


•BETWEEN- 


[ 


DQPJL  /HP  MICHIGAHJIYEHUES. 


HISTORY  OF  LA  I'OBTE  COUNTY. 


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SAVINGS  BANK, 

Organised  August,  1871,  under  State  Authority. 


ALL  INVESTMENTS  MADE  AS  REQUIRED  BY  THE  STATE  LAW. 

Every  Depositor  a  Stockholder. 


Exclusively  a  Savings  Bank  for  the  People. 

Xo  Connection  with  other  Banks. 

All  net  earnings  divided  among  the  depositors. 

No.  60  Michigan  Ave.,  La  Porte,  Ind. 


TRUSTEES 


JOHN  SUTHERLAND,  DR.  T.  IIKiDAY, 

BEN  A.I  AH  STANTON.  T.  W.  BUTTERWORTH, 

FRED'K  BAUMGARTNER,  SAMUEL  DOWNING, 

SHEPHERD  CRUMPACKER. 

OFFICERS: 

JOHN  SUTHERLAND,  Prest. 

DR.T.  HIGDAY,  IvicePrests 

BENAJAH  STANTON,  J  v  ice  riesis- 

J.  II.  VINING,  Cashier. 

Open  daily  from  y  to  12  A.  A/,,  and  from  1  to  _/  P.  M.y 
and  from  6  to  8  P.  M.%  on  Set  tui'days. 

Dividends  Computed  from  the  1st  of  each  Month. 

.     .  i .  and  Ja\  ....  0]  each  Year. 


( )\  -..]■  $30,000.00  of  dividends  paid  depositors,  and  always  at  eight  per 
cent,  per  annum,  semi  annually  since  the  Bank  started  business,  ana  it 
now  has  an  interest  account  and  surplus  of  $12,000,  sufficient  to  pay 
three  moredividends  to  all  its  present  depositors  at  the  same  rate.  Assets 
personally  examined  by  Examining  Committee,  at  least  twice  a  year, 
and  by  Auditor  of  State  as  required  by  Law. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


ep.  KING3 


DEALER  IN 


DRY  GOODS 


■A.3STD  5=^-1 


CARPETING, 


Nos.  66  and  68  MICHIGAN  AVE., 


LA  PORTE  IND. 


The  largest  Dry  Goods  and  Carpeting  estaolishment  in  LaPorte  County; 

The  size  of  the  Double-Store  being  forty-six  feet 

front,  by  eighty  feet  deep. 

Polaski  King,  the  proprietor,  has  been  proprietor  in  this  establish- 
ment for  thirty-one  years.  In  addition  to  the  Dry  Goods  and  Carpeting, 
there  is  a  Merchant  Tailoring  department  connected  with  the  establish- 
ment.   Goods  are  sold  at  the  lowest  prices. 

TErilvIS   CASH. 


Ill -TORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


E-^cinecc  Ects/bllelied.  IE56. 


WASHINGTON    WILSON.  S.    P.   FRASER. 


WILSON  &  FRASER, 


:j?-i,zes  i^ 


-*HARD  AND  SOFT^- 


Wood  Lumber, 


>hinghs,  Xath  %  ^qn;tre  (limber, 


TS,  POSTS,  &C. 


C<C  OFFICE  AND  YARD.CO 


81  W.  MAIN  COR.  CHICAGO  ST., 


X_i_A_  POETE,  I3STID. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


•  R  B.  ALLEN, 

Gardener  and  Florist, 

GARDE^ON  THE  EAST  SIDE  OF  PINE  LAKE, 

LA  PORTE,        -        -       INDIANA. 


Has  for  sale  all  kinds  of  Vegetables  in  their  Season, 
AND  STRAWBERRIES, 

Raspberries,  Blackberries,  Grapes  and  other  Fruits 

in  great  abundance. 


He  is   Prepared  to  Supply  the  Home  Market,  and 
can  do  so  on  Short  Notice. 


His  Facilities  in  the  way  of 


GROUNDS,  HOTBEDS  AND  GREENHOUSES, 

are  Extensive,  and  under  the  Finest  Cultivation. 


All  in  want  of  pure,  fresh'  Vegetables,  Fruits  and  Floweis,  should 
give  him  a  call.  Bouquets,  Wreaths,  Crosses  and  Floral  designs  of  any 
description,  furnished  to  order  on  short  notice. 


$  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

OTHE  STATE  FIREO 

Insurance  Company, 


r-^r  OX- 


LA  PORTE,         -  -         INDIANA, 


Organized,  Oct.  1,1875. 


CAPITAL,        -         -       $150,000.00. 


HON.  JASPER  PACKARD,  Rrest. 
L.  A.  COLE,  Vice  Rrest. 

(BEN J.   W.  G00VHUE,  Secy. 

HON.  MORTIMER  NYE,   Treas. 

H.  C.  SHANNON,  Assistant  Sec'y. 


DIRECTORS 


HON.  JASPER  PACKARD,  HON.  MORTIMER  NYE. 

L.  A.  COLE,  H.  H.  13LODGETT. 

F.  W.  MEISSXER.  H.  ZAIIRT, 

s.  E.  TAYLOR. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


9 


J.   L.   BOYD, 


BUGGIES.  SLEIGHS,  &C. 

Shop,  Near  the  High  School  (Building, 

LA  PORTE,  INDIANA. 


.  T.  BLLw, 

^tiormij  dt  |W, 

Rooms  5  and  6  Alexander  Block, 

J^^^LA  PORTE,  INDIANA. 

DR.  GEO.    M.   DAKIN, 

Gives  Especial  Attention  to  the  Treatment  of  all 

Chronic  Diseases, 

c~^^  And  Diseases  of  ^^?~i 

WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN, 

Also  Proprietor  of  DR.   DAKIN'S  IMPROVED  CATARRH   REMEDY. 

Sen.5.  to  SCiaao.  for  Circular. 


10  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

A.  P.  Andrew,  Jk.  Abram  P.  Andrew. 

A.  P.  Andrew,  Jr.  &  Son, 

BANKERS, 

Opposite  the  Court  House,  La  Porte. 


We  do  a  General  Banking  Business. 

We  give  depositors  the  best  of  security,  namely 

— personal  liability  to  the  full  extent  of  all 

our  real  estate  and  personal  property. 


Of  all  those  who  regard  perfect  security  as  the  first  consideration, 


WE  PAY  INTEREST  BY  SPECIAL  AGREEMENT. 


I 


ADVERTISEMENTS.  11 

THE  LA  PORTE 

CWEEKLYO 

CHRONICLE! 

PUBLISHED  EVERY  TUESDAY 


ML 


I 


? 


La  Porte,  Indiana. 


It  Supports  the  Principles  of  the  Republican  Party,  but  never 
descends  to  personal  abuse  of  political  opponents. 

It  is  a  first-class  family  newspaper,  its  general  miscellaneous  articles 
being  interesting,  useful,  and  morally  pure. 

A  gentleman  distinguished  in  the  literary  world  says  of  the  Chroni- 
cle :  "  Papers,  like  people,  may  be  either  clowns  or  gentlemen,  and  the 
(Chronicle  belongs  to  the  latter  class. 


'oK 


Established  July  18th,  1874. 


TEEMS:  $1.50  Per  Year  in  Advance- 
CIRCULATION  f^OW  L/VRGE/lND  CONSTANTLY  INCREASING. 

As    an    Advertising    Medium    the    Chronicle   has 
not   its   equal   in   the   County. 


12 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

)STEAM,  BOOK/ND  JOBCVO 


No.  37  Michigan  Avenue. 


This  Establishment  is  supplied  with  a  number  of  Fast  Steam  Presses, 

and  the  most  complete  assortment  of  Xew  and  Beautiful  Type, 

Borders,  Cuts,  Rules,  and  all  conveniences  for  doing  all 

kinds  of  Plain  and  Ornamental  Printing,  to  be 

found  between  Toledo  and  Chicago. 

WOrjKDONEWELLAHD  LESS  THAN  CHICAGO  PRICES. 

WE  KEEP  ON  HAND  A  COMPLETE  STOCK  OF 

Card  Boards,   Ruled  Letter  <md   1,111  Head   Paper,   Fine    White 
and  Colored  Jobhi n< j  Papers^  Black  and  Colored  Inks,  j'c. 

Being;  Practical  Printers  of  long  Experience, 

We  feel  Justified  in  Warranting  Perfect  Satisfaction. 

BEMEMBEB  THE  PLACE, 

CKO.  37  MICHIGAN  AVENT7EO 


LA  PORTE. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


ZZs-ba.blish.ed   18S8- 


13 


D 


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R 


m 


U 


PAINLESS  CURE 


Recommended  by  the  Medical  Faculty, 


This  Antidote  enables  the  patient  to  discontinue  the  use  of  Opium  in 
any  form,  at  once,  without  pain  or  inconvenience,  and  without  any  inter- 
ruption of  ordinary  business.  It  rebuilds  the  broken  constitution,  and 
restores  the  nervous  system  to  a  healthy  condition. 

DISCOVERED  IN  THE  YE/R  1868. 

The  only  Painless  Cure  ever  Discovered. 

• 

DR.  COLLINS'  REFERENCES  l.\  LA  PORTE,  IND. 

S.  E.  Taylor,  Steam  Printer  and  Publisher. 

T.  A.  Holland,  Publisher  Holland's  Directories. 
Fred 'k  "West,  Druggist. 
Ed.  Rathbun,  Livery. 

Edward  Vail,  Jeweler. 

V.  W.  Axtell,  Prop'r  Teegarden  House. 
Judge  Niles,  Dr.  L.  C.  Rose, 

Wm.  M.  Scott,  Photographer. 

Major  Fraser,  GeiTl  Packard, 
R.  S.  Morrison,  Cash'r  1st  Nat.  Bnk. 


e^THERIAKI:^ 

A  magazine  of  one  hundred  pages,  containing  a  full  description  of  the 
Antidote,  and  many  other  articles  of  interest  to  Opium  Eaters,  is  issued 
quarterly,  and  will  be  sent  free  of  charge  to  all  interested. 

Address, 

DR.  SAMUEL  B.  COLLINS,  La  Porte,  lnd. 

SEE  OPPOSITE  PAGE.^7) 


14  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


-DEALERS    IX— 


CLOTHING*  DRY  GOODS 

Hats  and  Cans,  and  Furnishing  Goods. 

DOUBLE  STORE,  11  &  13  E.  MAIN  STREET. 

An  uninterrupted  business  experience  of  upwards  of  twenty  years,  besides  other  advantages,  enables 
us  to  offer  the  public  as  good  inducements  in  the  above  branches  as  any  other  house. 
We  keep  the  largest  stock   of  READY-MADE  CLOTHING  AND  PIECE  GOODS,  suitable 
for  men  and  boys  in  this  part  of  the  State.     By  manufacturing  largely  ourselves,  we  aim  to  suit  the 
exact  wants  of  the  people,  and  furnish  better  made  goods. 

In  Hats,  Caps,  Furnishing  Goods  and  Irunks,  v:e  keep  a  most  complete 

assortment. 

Our  DRV  GOODS  DEPARTMENT  is  amply  stocked  with  everything  desirable.     Dry  Goods 
have  not  been  so  cheap  before  in  fifteen  years.     We  are  guided  by  the  policy  of 

"  Quick  Sales  and  Small  Profits." 

J$£*\\'c  respectfully  solicit  a  share  of  your  patronage. 

DAVIDSOII  BROS. 
ELECTRO-THERAPEUTIC. 

Mr s.  Dr.  M .  JL.  Steverxs' 
ELECTROPATHIC  AND   HYGIENIC 

INSTITUTE. 


Mrs.  Dr.  Stevens  takes  pleasure  in  announcing  to  the  public  that 
she  has  established  the  above-named  Institute  at  La  Porte,  Ind.,  and  is 
prepared  to  treat  all  kinds  of  Acute,  Chronic,  Uterine  and  Xervous 
Diseases  on  scientific  principles  by  Electro-Thermal,  Vapor  and  Sulphur 
Baths. 

INSTITUTE  LOCATED  OX 

Corner  of  Indiana  Avenue  and  Harrison  Street. 

Consultation  free,  charges  moderate. 

Patients  received  in  the  Institute. 


ADVERTISEMENTS.  15 

GEO.  C.  DORLAND, 

t 

CONVEYANCER, 


REAL  ESTATE  A^D  ip^CE 


C\TS 


LJ 


m 


JlU 


AMracts  of  Title  to  all  Lands  in  LaPorte  County, 

Reliable    Insurance  at    Reasonable    Rates. 
OFFICE:  ROOM  NO.  1  STATE  BANK  BUILDING, 

LA  PORTE,  INDIANA. 


The  La  Porte  Wheel  Company, 

(ESTABLISHED    1870,) 


'rtcultural  Wheels, 


HUBS,  SPOKES,  PLOW  HANDLES, 

NECK-YOKES,  AX  HANDLES,&c. 

Also  Grain  Cradles 

of   THE 

GRAPE-VINE  AND  TURKEY-WING  PATTERNS. 

.A-Xi  so    rr  eze 

"LA  PORTE  CUPPER"  Corn  Plow  and  Cultivator. 


16 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


SCOTT 


IS   THE  — 


PHOTOGRAPH 


r\ 


KJ  A 


H 


NOR 


INDIANA. 


Opposi-be  -blie  Court  House, 

OC.  G-  DOWLIWGpC 

And  Dealer  in  Gents'  Furnishing  Goods, 
22  W.  Main  Street,  Opp.  Court  House,  La  Porte. 

Several  years  experience  in  the  Merchant  Tailoring  business  enables  me  to  offer  special  induce- 
ments to  those  requiring  first-class  Clothing.  Satisfaction  guaranteed,  and  competition  defied,  as  to 
Style,  Fit,  and  general  appearance  of  the  work  done  by  me.  I  claim  and  maintain  that  my  work  is 
superior  to  anything  in  my  line  in  Northern  Indiana. 

^^Give  me  a  trial  and  I  will  prove  it. 

C.  C.  DOWLINC. 

COL-  D.  BRAND.CO 

—  DEALER   IN  — 

DRY  GOODS  AND  GROCERIES, 

Boots,  Shoes,  Hats,  Caps, 

Clo-bh-ing,  and    Gerrbs'   Furm'flhirig   Goods, 
Crockery,  Qi2.eens-wa.re,  Hardware,  <5cc 

KINGSBURY,   IND. 

PHOTO-ARTIST, 

No.  17  East  Main  Street.  La  Porte. 


inconstantly  grows  in  popularity  with  the  people. 

iggMIis  work  £ives  tlie  best  of  satisfaction. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


17 


CORNER  MAIN  i  MONROE  STS. 


"THE  OLD  RELIABLE." 


Situated  in  the  Centre  of  the  Business  part  of  the  City. 


C.  A.  BARD, 


In  Basement  niter  S.  E.  Taylor  &  Co.'s  Printiig  Office, 


opt©,  1'ixd. 


Tfk  Jtai  *$  I01* 


0§, 


OOAND  ON  REASONABLE  TERMS.CO 


18 


HISTORY  \  POR  >UNTY 


^ 


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v_ 


n 


1 
Jl 


i 


n 


Manuf        T5  of  and  Dealers  in 


OOTS@  SHOES' 


ah  z;*:z:::"z  l::;z  :r 


SLIPPERS.  GA 


I  RUBBER  GOODS. 


Tneir  Goods  are  First-Class,  and  th.eir 
Prises  are  2R.easor5.able. 

All  are  InM  to  Call  a:d  Eiamiae  then  Ml 

Stock  is  always  flill  anfl  in  irreat  varieti-. 

OPPOSITE  COTJH.T   SOTJSS. 


jr*i   ^*^-«.-. 


3M*  zrvKiKif  , 


tSttJf* 


ISTC: 


-:  f- 


LA  PORTE  COUNTY, 


INDIANA. 


AND    ITS 


to\v::ships.  tct  :;d  cities. 


B  N 


JASPER  PACKARD 


S.  E.  Taylor  ic  Company.  Stkam  Printer?. 


20 


HISTORY  OF  LA  POKTh  COUNTY 


I 

165553 

astor.l:  nd 

TILL 


C$f%tfe  Wnitt  Warfts  Bitth&ttta* 


P^rected  in  the  Year  1870. 


DEDICATION 


To  thk  Pioneers  of. La  Porte  County  who  yet  remain  among 
us,  like  the  last  leaves  upon  the  trees  at  the  approach  of  winter, 
who  pitched  their  tents  here  when  the  prairies  and  groves  were  the 
home  only  of  the  savage  and  the  wild  beast,  and  who  planted  the 
first  seeds  of  civilization,  of  material  progress,  and  learning  and 
religion,  this  volume  is  respectfully  inscribed  by 

Thk  Author. 


History  of  La  Porte  County. 


PREFACE 


Local  histories  are  the  basis  of  general  history.  They  supply 
all  its  popular  elements.  The  great  mass  of  people  study  historical 
details  only  by  restricted  localities.  Few  read  the  immense  volumes 
of  the  history  of  past  ages,  and  almost  forgotten  lands,  but  all 
desire  to  know  something  of  the  history  of  their  own  country,  their 
St:ite  or  their  county.  With  a  view  to  supplying  such  local  infor- 
mation in  a  permanent  form  for  preservation,  so  far  as  it  relates  to 
La  Porte  county,  this  history  is  prepared.  The  facts  concerning 
the  early  settlement  of  the  county  are  fast  fading  from  the  memory 
of  men.  The  pioneers  are  disappearing  from  our  midst.  Death  is 
busy:  and  with  the  passage  of  a  few  more  year-,  none  will  be  left 
who  were  eye  witnesses  to  the  time  when  our  prairies  and  gro\ 
cxi<tp(l  in  their  virgin  loveliness  untouched  by  the  plow  or  the  ax. 
The  material  facts  for  such  a  history  a9  this  musl  come  largely 
from  the  men  who  made  it.  and  unless  written  now  or  very  soon,  it 
never  can  be  written.  Great  labor  is  involved  in  the  work  of  its 
preparation,  much  more  than  there  would  be.  if  its  basis  was  docu- 
mentary; but  it  has  been  undertaken,  notwithstanding  other  duties 
have  pressed  very  heavily,  in  order  to  supply  whal  seems  to  be  a 
public  need.  It  aims  simply  to  be  a  repository  *X  facts,  most  of 
which  would,  in  a  few  more  years  be  entirely  lost.  To  obtain  these 
facts  of  local,  historical  interest,  and  put  them  in  a  form  for  perma- 
nent preservation,  is  the  object  of  these  pag<  No  county  in  the 
State  is  more  worthy  of  having  its  history  preserved,  both  on 
account  of  the  men  who  settled  it.  and    tin-   rich    ami    fruitful  lands 


PREFACE.  28' 

which  became  theirs  to  occupy.  The  county  has  within  it  elements 
of  wealth  and  prosperity  which  are  yet  largely  undeveloped.  There 
.is  latent  wealth  hidden  away  in  every  part  of  it.  from  the  sand 
ridges  on  the  north,  across  the  prairie  belt  of  the  center,  to,  and 
including,  the  Kankakee  marshes  on  the  south,  which  will  yet 
prove  the  richest  and  most  productive  soil  of  our  county.  The 
avenues  of  an  extensive  commerce  are  at  our  doors.  Besides  the 
eight  railroads  which  cross  the  county  in  various  directions,  a  good 
harbor  is  opened  at  Michigan  City,  giving  access  to  the  great  lakes, 
and  bringing  into  our  midst  a  large  share  of  the  trade  which  floats 
on  this  broad  highway.  But  the  harbor  is  yet  in  its  infancy  ;  and 
as  it  is  extended  and  made  more  commodious,  the  commerce  of  the 
lakes  will  seek  it.  and  bring  the  products  of  the  Lake  Superior  iron 
mines,  and  the  pine  forests  of  Michigan  for  shipment  southward  and 
eastward  by  rail,  the  facilities  for  which  ace  ample  at  Michigan  City.. 
A  heavy  business  is  now  done  in  this  line,  but  it  may  be  increased, 
ten-fold,  until  the  entire  county  shall  feel  the  spur  of  enterprise  and 
rise  into  a  new  lii'e,  for  which  there  is  abundant  motive  and  oppor- 
tunity. 

The  county,  largely  agricultural,  ha--  by  no  means  developed  its 
full  powers  in  this  respect.  The  soil,  naturally  productive,  might 
be  made  to  produce  fir  more  than  it  now  does,  and  being  so  much 
nearer  the  eastern  markets,  with  abundant  means  of  transportation, 
our  farmers  possess  very  decided  advantages  over  those  of  Illinois, 
Iowa  and  Wisconsin.  Higher  farming  would  produce  larger  crops 
and  heavier  profits  to  the  acre.  The  man  who  cultivates  two  hun- 
dred acres,  taking  from  them  respectable  crops  of  wheat  and  corn, 
would  realize  far  larger  net  gains  if  he  took  the  same  amount  of 
products  fronTono  hundred  acres.      And  it  could  readily  be  -lone  by 

0 

improved  systems  of  cultivation  and  the  addition  of  fertilizing  mate- 
rial to  supply  the  exhaustion  annually  occasioned  by  the  growing 
crops.  With  a  more  vigorous  growth  of  crops,  stimulated  by  fertil- 
izers, and  better  cultivation,  there  would  he  less  damage  occasioned 


24  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

by  insects,  and  the  freezing  of  winter,  and  a  degree  of  certaintv 
might  be  given  to  the  farmer's  crops  which  they  do  not  now  possess. 
The  farmer  should  study  the  best  methods  of  fighting  his  enemies, 
and  beyond  doubt  one  of  them  is  to  secure  a  stronger  and  more 
rigorous  growth.  It  is  not  extravagant  to  say  that  the  rich  farming 
lands  of  this  county  might  readily  be  made  t  •  produce  double  their 
present  product. 

The  county  does  not  reach  half  way  up  to  its  real  power  of  pro- 
duction, and  the  future  will  teach  lessons  which  men  seem  slow  to 
learn.  Double  the  productive  capacity  of  this  county.  and  there 
will  be  prosperity  as  yet  undreamed  of.  Population  would  increase, 
enterprise  would  take  absolute  control,  and  every  interest  and  indus- 
try in  the  countv  would  flourish.  Farmers  should  not  depend 
Bolely  on  wheat  and  corn,  and  thus  be  brought  very  low  when  the 
winter's  cold  and  early  frost,  blast  and  destroy.  Larger  production 
and  greater  variety  of  products  will   leave  them  always  a  source  of 

O.I 

income. 

Agriculture  and  manufactures,  in  such  a  region  as  this,  ought  to 
be  made  to  work  together;  and  when  people  are  actulated  by  a 
proper  local  pride,  each  one  will  exert  himself  to  stimulate  business 
enterprise,  open  new  channels  of  industry,  and  advance  the  county 
in  all  its  material  interests,  bv  every  means  within  bis  reach.  It  is 
hoped  that  a  history  which  shall  recall  many  old  and  tender  associa- 
tions, which  shall  show  the  energy  and  spirit  of  enterprise  which 
characterized  the  men  who  went  before  us,  will  stimulate  to  emula- 
tion of  their  example,  ami  incite  us  to  make  a  wiser  and  better  im- 
provement of  the  privileges  we  enjoy  in  the  noble  heritage  which  we 
hold  in  this  favored  spot  of  earth. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  history,  accuracy  has  been  diligently 
sought  for:  yet  it  can  scarcely  he  expected  that  i:  will  be  wholly 
free  from  errors.  Men  differ  in  the  statement  of  the  same  fact. 
Thev  differ  as  to  dates  and  men,  and  it  has  been  found  that  in  some 
instances  no  two  men  could  be  found   to    agree;   and   sometimes  the 


PREFACE.  25 

•discrepancies  in  the  statements  have  been  very  embarrassing.  But 
in  most  instances  documentary  evidence  has  been  found  to  settle  the 
question.  Yet  an  occasional  error  may  remain,  and  if  so,  it  is 
believed  that  the  great  difficulty  of  obtaining  the  facts  amidst  a  mass 
of  conflicting  statements  will  be  duly  appreciated,  and  the  proper 
allowances  be  made  accordingly. 

When  the  preparation  of  this  History  was  first  begun,  it  was  not 
anticipated  that  the  book  would  extend  much,  if  any,  beyond  one 
hundred  page*,  but  it  has  grown  upon  the  hands  of  the  writer,  until 
it  has  reached  its  present  dimensions,  and  a  large  compilation  of 
material  remains  on  hand,  which  would  have  been  interesting,  but 
which  the  size  of  the  book  has  compelled  me  to  omit.  In  making 
my  researches,  I  have  found  everywhere  an  earnest  disposition  to 
aid  me,  by  furnishing  valuable  information.  Among  many  to 
whom  I  find  myself  indebted  for  favors  of  this  kind,  I  taking  pleas- 
ure in  naming  Simmon  Ritter,  Thompson  W.  Francis,  W.  D.  Wood- 
ward, Mrs.  W.  F.  Miller,  George  Ames,  W.  H.  Goodhue,  and  Hon. 
J.  H.  Winterbotham  for  the  history  of  Michigan  City  and  Michigan 
township,  the  harbor  and  the  penitentiary;  John  Beatty,  Dr.  J.  H. 
White,  Daniel  Low,  Gen.  .Joseph  Orr,  George  Seffens,  John  Provolt 
and  his  aged  mother,  since  deceased,  L.  C.  Van  Dusen,  George 
Bosserman,  A.  W.  Vail,  W.  H.  Winchell,  George  S.  Dennison, 
Joseph  McLellan,  Levi  J.  Benedict,  Ren.  Brand,  and  Esq.  Rey- 
nolds for  various  parts  of  the  county :  Fred'k  West,  P.  King,  Hon. 
Wm.  Andrew,  Capt.  A.  P.  Andrew,  Jr.,  and  others  for  the  county 
in  general,  and  La  Porte  in  particular ;  Rev.  John  Benny,  for  the 
history  of  the  Baptist  church ;  Rev.  Geo.  M.  Boyd,  for  the  history 
of  the  Methodist  church ;  Rev.  Dr.  John  F.  Kendall,  for  the  history 
of  the  Presbyterian  church ;  Dr.  George  M.  Dakin  for  the  history 
of  the  Christian  and  Unitarian  churches  ;  Dr.  W.  R.  Godfrey  for 
the  history  of  the  Episcopal  church  at  Michigan  City,  Maj.  W.  G. 
Peck  for  the  history  of  the,  congregational  church ;  Charles  Spaeth, 
county  clerk,  for  assistance   in   the   examination   of  records  in  his 


26  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

office;  Dr.  E.  J.  Church,  auditor,  and  Joseph  Jackson,  deputy 
auditor,  for  like  attentions  in  the  auditor's  office;  Thos.  Jernegan,  of 
Michigan  City  Enterprise  for  information  regarding  the  newspap* 
of  the  county;  George  W.  Brizee  for  valuable  assistance  in  gather- 
ing-information concerning  the  several  townships,  and  many  others, 
for  whose  cheerful  kindness,  I  am  sincerely  grateful. 

The  delay  in  bringing  out  the  work  has  been  occasioned  by  the 
increase  of  size  so  far  beyond  my  first  anticipations,  and  by  ;i  con- 
stant and  increasing  pressure  of  other  duties,  duties   which   did   not 

admit  of  intermission  or  neglect. 

The  book  now  goes  forth,  in  our  national  centennial  year,  to 
the  people,  for  whom  it  was  written,  in  the  earnest  hope  that  it  will 
not  be  unacceptable.  Jasper  Packard. 

La  Porte,  Tnd..  -May.  1876. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


27 


Established  in  i860. 


m 


V 


Importi  r  and  Jobber  of 


H 


n 


X       \J 


Jl 


KEI 


n 


J 


ILU 


H 


In  Original  Packages 


.Z^SSTID    O^ESST    STOCK. 


T^Till  duplicate  any 


chased  in.  Chicago. 


pur- 


Send  for  Price  List. 


28  HISTORY  OF   LA   PORTB  COUNTY. 

D.  C.  DECKER, 


DEALER    IN 


Enalish  Earthen  Ware 


Of  the  Best  Makes. 


Jfrench   (^Ifitut,  funded  mid   filuin,   ([able 

(falniswan  of  all  hinds. 

AND  THE  LARGEST  Al^D  FINEST  STOCK  OF 

AMPS  AND  CHANDELIERS  IN,  THE  CITY. 

ALSO  COMPLETE  STOCK  OF 

French  Glass  Shades,  Silver  Ware,  Cutlery,  Fine 

Bohemian    Goods,  <&c,   &c. 


Give  me  a  call  and  I  know  I  will  please  you. : 


CONTENTS: 


Preface 22 

CHAPTER   I. 

The  County  in  General 34 

CHAPTER   II. 

Kankakee  Township 44 

CHARTER   III. 

Scipio  Township 52 

CHARTER   IV. 

New  Durham  Township 68 

CHAPTER   V. 

Michigan  Township 82 

CHAPTER    VI. 

Centre  Township 98 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Pleasant  Township 118 

chapter  vm. 
Wills  Township 121 

CHAPTER   IX. 

Springfield  Township 127 

CHAPTER    X. 

Galena  Township 132 

CHAPTER   XI. 

Clinton  Township 138 

CHAPTER   XII. 

N  oble  Township 146 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Coolspring  Township 153 


:><l  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

Hudson  Township '. .' 158 

CHAPTER    xv. 

Tnion  Township 168 

CHAPFER   XVI. 

Cass  Township 176 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

Dewey  Township 182 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Hanna  Township 18-5 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

Lincoln  and  Johnson  Townships 189 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Count}*  Officers 196 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

Politics 200 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

Politics,  continued 235 

CHAPTER   XXIII,    (ERROR   XVIIl). 

First  Elections 271 

CHAPTER   XXIV,    (ERROR  XIX). 

Politics  of  the  City  of  La  Porte 279 

CHAPTER    XXV,    (ERROR    XX). 

Military  Record 289 

CHAPTER   XXVI,    (ERROR    XXI). 

Church  Record 400 

(HATTER   XXVn,    (ERROR   XX Vl). 

Inventions  and  Discoveries 436 

I   EAPTER    XXVIII,    (ERROR    XX VII). 

Professions  and  Business 444 

«   EAPTER    -XXIX.    (ERROR    XXVIIl). 

Newspapers  4.59 

CHAPTER    XXX,    (ERROR    XXIX). 

One  Hundred  years  ago  and  now 465 


ERRATA.  31 


ERRATA 


On  page  52,  sixth  line  from  top,  read  "Springfield  for  "Michi- 
gan." 

On  page  67,  last  word  on  the  page,  read  "life"  for  "fiel,"  and 
in  last  line  of  preceding  paragraph  for  "  C.  N.  Evans,"  read  I.  N. 
Evans. 

On  page  61,  thirteenth  line  from  bottom,  for  "1833'  read 
1836. 

On  page  154,  seventeenth  line  from  bottom,  for  "  1833  '  read 
1834. 

Oh  page  400,  for  subject  of  Chapter,  supply  the  words  "Church 
Record." 

For  correction  of  errors  in  numbering  chapters  see  table  of 
contents. 


32  BI8T0RY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

H.  W.  JOSEPH  &  CO., 


DEATirSS     12" 


Millinery    and    Fancy   Goods, 

And  Victor  Sewing  Machine, 

Main  Street,  off.   Court  House,      -      LATOfcTE,  INDIANA. 
Terms  Strictly  Cash,  and  Prices  Low. 

ADELBERT  L.  BROWN, 

Notary  Public  and  Gonveyangi? 

ABSTRACTS  OF  TITLE 

To  all  Real  Estate  in  La  Porte  County  furnished  at  reasonable  ratesT 

Notes  and  Accounts  promptly  collected,  Titles 

examined,  Deeds  and  Mortgages  prepared 

and  acknowledgments  taken. 

Old  and  Reliable  Insurance  Companies  Represented. 


$50,000  to  loan  on  5  yrs.  time  at  9  per  cent,  interest  secured  by  mortgage. 

Rooms  I  &.  2  over  New  York  Hat  Store. 

L.A  rOIVTE,  HT3DIA1TA.- 


rx        v  v    i,^-»  j[  , 


Hionecr  druggist  aqtl  %ooksellerf 

ESTABLISHED  it   - 

Wall   Paper  and  Curtains  a   Specialty. 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    COUNTY    IN    GENERAL. 

The  county  of  LaPorte,  comprises  all  that  region  of  country 
which  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Lake  Michigan  and  the  State  of 
Michigan ;  on  the  east  by  St.  Joseph  county ;  on  the  south  by 
Stark  county,  the  Kankakee  river  separating  the  two  counties,  ex- 
cept on  the  east  end  of  the  southern  boundary,  where  the  river  is 
wholly  within  LaPorte  county ;  and  on  the  west  by  Porter  county. 
It  possesses  a  great  variety  of  soil  and  external  characteristics. 
The  whole  north  side  of  the  county  is  well  timbered,  the  timber  belt 
extending  from  St.  Joseph  county  on  the  east  to  Porter  on  the 
west.  The  timber  consists  of  oak,  ash,  sugar  and  soft  maple,  elm, 
walnut  and  many  other  species,  the  whole  forming  a  source  of 
wealth,  of  which  far  too  little  account  is  taken,  and  great  wasteful- 
ness has  been  the  result.  Formerly  the  region  bordering  the  lake 
was  well  covered  with  beautiful  white  pine ;  but  this  valuable  tree 
has  almost  wholly  disappeared,  being  cut  off  for  lumber.  This  tim- 
ber country  is  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  in  width,  and  much  of  the 
soil,  especially  on  the  eastern  end,  is  deep  and  rich,  rivaling  the 
loam  of  the  prairie  in  fertility.  Approaching  the  lake,  sand  pre- 
dominates, and  the  country  becomes  more  broken  and  hilly,  consist- 
ing of  sandy  ridges,  which  on  the  lake  shore  are  in  many  places 
almost  wholly  destitute  of  vegetation.  The  sandy  soil  of  Spring- 
field, Michigan  and  Coolspring  townships,  though  not  so  rich  as 
that  of  the  heavier  timber  land  farther  to  the  east,  in  Galena  and 
Hudson,  is  yet  especially  adapted  to  certain  kinds  of  crops.  Potatoes 
raised  on  it  are  of  superior  quality,  and  all  kinds  of  fruit,  even 
peaches,  do  well,  the  crop  being  more  certain  to  endure  the  winter's 
cold  than  in  the  open  prairie.  The  soil  is  warm,  products  come 
forward  early  and  rapidly,  and  are  easily  cultivated.  Through  the 
centre  of  the  county  from  east  to  west,  the  prairie  belt  extends. 


34  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

This  prairie  is  dotted  with  beautiful  groves  of  valuable  timber,  some 
of  them  containing  hundreds,  even  thousands  of  acres.  The  soil  in 
prairie  and  grove  is  of  excellent  richness  and  fertility,  and  gives  to 
this  county  its  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  great  wheat  growing 
counties  of  the  State.  It  is  equally  as  well  adapted  to  corn  as  to 
wheat,  perhaps  better,  if  the  fact  is  considered  that  wheat  is  some- 
times injured  by  the  freezing  of  winter.  This  however  seldom  oc- 
curs, and  the  total  destruction  of  many  fields  in  the  last  rigorous 
winter,  is  almost  wholly  without  precedent.  Commencing  on  the 
northern  border  of  the  prairie,  several  notable  examples  lying  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  LaPorte,  there  are  many  small  lakes  scatter- 
ed throughout  the  prairie  belt,  some  of  them  of  charming  beauty. 
In  all  the  elements  of  beauty  and  utility,  this  region  is  unsurpassed 
in  the  "West.  The  soil  is  a  black  sandy  loam  resting  on  a  subsoil  of 
gravel  and  sand.  It  is  easily  cultivated,  and  has  the  capacity  to 
withstand  drouth  for  weeks.  No  more  attractive  region  for  the 
farmer  is  anywhere  to  be  found :  and  with  a  higher  cultivation  than 
they  now  receive,  these  lands  would  produce  crops  that  would  as- 
tonish those  who  have  lived  on  them  the  longest. 

Passing  southward  beyond  the  prairie  belt,  the  Kankakee  marsh- 
es are  reached.  In  the  early  times,  these  were  largely  covered  with 
water,  but  they  are  gradually  drying  out,  and  the  plow  is  each  year 
making  encroachments  on  these  valuable  lands,  and  the  area  of  cul- 
tivation approaches  the  river  more  and  more  nearly.  They  form 
an  extensive  grazing  field  for  cattle  during  the  summer,  and  thou- 
sands of  tons  of  hay  are  made  upon  them  every  season :  but  when 
through  natural  processes,  aided  perhaps  by  ditching,  they  have  all 
become  dry  enough  to  cultivate,  they  will  be  among  the  most  valua- 



ble  lands  in  the  State,  especially  for  the  raising  of  corn.  To  a  great 
depth  the  soil  is  composed  of  decayed  vegetable  matter,  and  is,  of 
course,  of  wonderful  richness.  Those  portions  of  them  which  have 
become  dry  enough  for  the  plow  now  produce  crops  of  corn  which 
the  higher  lands  of  the  prairie  seldom  equal.  Around  the  edges  of 
the  marshes  there  is  an  abundance  of  timber.  White  and  Red  oak, 
and  hickory  ;  and  occasionally  there  is  a  tamarack  swamp.  There 
are  indications  of  iron  in  many  places,  and  speaking  on  the  subject 
of  the  Kankakee  marshes,  the  State  geologist  Prof.  E.  T.  Cox,  says 


THE    COUNTY   IN    GENERAL.  35 

in  his  report  for  1873  :  "Bog  iron  ore  occurs  in  considerable  quan- 
tities in  the  marshes  along  the  Kankakee,  and  when  some  plan  has 
been  devised  for  converting  the  peat,  with  which  it  is  associated, 
into  fuel  adapted  to  use  in  a  blast  furnace,  each  may  add  to  the  val- 
ue of  the  other,  and  naturally  tend  to  bring  the  much  abused 
Kankakee  marsh  into  more  favorable  notice." 

The  highest  ridge  of  land  in  the  county  is  two  miles  north  of  the 
city  of  LaPorte.  The  summit  is,  by  barometric  measurement,  270  feet 
above  Lake  Michigan,  which  is  eleven  miles  distant.  This  ridge 
divides  the  waters  which  reach  the  Atlantic  ocean  by  way  of  the 
great  Lakes  and  the  St.  Lawrence  river,  from  those  which  flow  to 
the  gulf  of  Mexico  through  the  Kankakee,  Illinois  and  Mississippi 
rivers.  Northward  of  the  summit,  the  land  descends  gradually  to 
the  lake,  the  surface  being  marked  with  elevations  called  "lake 
ridges,"  which  are  nearly  parallel  to  the  present  lake  shore.  Ac- 
cording to  Prof.  Cox,  "these  ridges  of  sand  mark  the  ancient  shore 
lines  of  the  lake,  where  its  subsidence  was  arrested  for  a  greater  or 
less  period  of  time."  That  this  remark  is  true,  is  mads  clear  from 
the  evident  fact  that  the  same  process  is  going  on  at  Michigan  City, 
and  elsewhere  on  the  lake  shore.  The  waves  constantly  bring  up 
from  the  lake  bottom,  and  land  upon  the  beach,  the  countless  parti- 
cles of  sand.  The  water  recedes  and  the  sand  is  left  to  drv.  Then 
the  wind  takes  it  and  drives  it  like  drifting  snow  to  the  first  barrier 
of  trees  and  bushes,  where  it  is  checked,  and  begins  to  accumulate, 
forming  a  ridge.  The  vegetation,  well-rooted,  reproduces  itself, 
growing  to  the  top  as  the  sand  rises,  and  finally  a  range  of  hills  is 
the  result  of  the  combined  action  of  wave  and  wind  on  the  moving 
particles  of  sand.  Thus  the  "lake  ridges"  are  now  being  formed; 
and  so  were  fashioned,  ages  ago,  those  which  are  now  far  inland. 
Here  again  we  quote  from  Prof.  Cox,  who  says  : 

"The  first  ridge,  along  the  present  shore  line,  rises  above  the 
water  level  from  thirty  to  eighty-five  feet,  this  is  broken  at  irregu- 
lar intervals  by  valleys  at  oblique  angles,  and  occasionally  a  tall 
peak  rises  many  feet  above  its  fellows,  a  space  of  half  a  mile  suc- 
ceeds this  ridge,  having  an  elevation  of  fifteen  to  twenty  feet ;  on 
this  is  built  the  town  of  Michigan  City.  The  top  of  the  second 
beach  or  ridge  is  fifty  feet,  and  the  half  mile  of  valley  beyond  is 


I 
36  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


thirty-five  feet  above  the  water.  The  third  beach  is  forty-five  feet,, 
the  fourth  is  ninety-five  and  the  fifth  is  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  feet  above  the  lake.  It  may  be  remarked  that  the  fourth 
beach  line  contains  a  considerable  amount  of  gravel,  perhaps  indi- 
cating a  fixed  water  level  for  a    comparatively   long  period  of  time. 

The  shallow  portions  of  the  present  lake,  near  the  shore,  are  uni- 
formly floored  with  sand,  but  in  the  deep  central  areas  the  bottom 
is  composed  of  stiff,  tenacious  clay,  intercalating  partings  or  pockets 
of  sand,  from  whence,  probably,  comes  the  supply  which  is.  con- 
stantly, being  filled  up  and  drifted  about  the  shores  by  the  wind. 
It  may  be  inferred  that  the  ancient  lake  was  governed  by  a  like  law, 
as  the  railway  cuts  which  traverse  these  wide,  descending  shore 
lines,  frequently  discover  beds  of  clay,  (the  Erie  clay  of  Canadian 
Geologists)  and  wherever  this  clay  is  pierced  by  wells,  the  supply  of 
water  is  found  in  the  sand  partings. 

No  continuous  sand  ridges  are  found  bevond  the  fifth  from  the 
lake,  though  for  some  distance  further  inland  the  valleys  and  hol- 
lows are,  more  or  less,  floored  with  this  wave-washed  material.  The 
lakes  in  the  vicinity  of  LaPorte  are  south  of  the  water-shed  and  no 
evidences  are  traceable  of  their  having  been  a  part  of  ancient  lake 
Michigan  since  the  subsidence  of  the  glacial  sea."' 

Prior  to  the  year  1829  the  tract  of  country  which  is  now  the 
county  of  La  Porte,  was  without  a  white  inhabitant.  In  all  the 
"West,  prolific  in  beauty,  there  was  not  a  lovelier  region ;  but  it  was 
in  the  sole  possession  of  the  red  man,  who  roamed  at  will  over  the 
prairies,  and  encamped  in  the  groves,  living  on  the  game  and  fish, 
which  were  abundant  on  the  land  and  in  the  sparkling  lakes.  But 
in  the  year  1829,  intruders  began  to  arrive.  First  of  all,  came  the 
widow  Benedict  and  her  family,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Xew 
Durham  township,  not  far  from  the  present  town  of  Westville. 
Three  or  four  others  in  the  same  year  settled  near  the  same  locality; 
the  widow  Shirley  and  family  settled  in  the  present  Scipio  town- 
ship, and  Joseph  W.  Perkins,  a  trapper,  and  Asa  M.  Warren, 
settled  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  county,  in  what  is  now  Hud- 
son township.  A  more  particular  account  of  the  settlers  willjbe 
given  in  connection  with  the  history  of  the  townships  wherein  they 
founded  their  homes.     The  county  was  unorganized,  and  though  more 


THE    COUNTY    IN    GENERAL.  37 

settlers  came  in  1880,  and  1831 ;  and  at  the  beginning  of  1832, 
there  were  more  than  one  hundred  families  in  the  county,  yet  they 
were  substantially  a  law  unto  themselves,  for  they  were  still  without 
a  county  organization.  On  the  9th  day  of  January,  1832,  the 
State  Legislature  passed  an  act  in  which  it  was  provided,  "That 
from  and  after  the  first  day  of  April  next,  all  that  tract  of  country 
included  in  the  following  boundaries  shall  form  and  constitute  a  new 
county,  to  be  known  and  designated  by  the  name  and  style  of  La- 
Porte  county,  to-wit:  Beginning  at  the  State  line  which  divides  the 
State  of  Indiana  and  Michigan  territory,  and  at  the  Northwest  cor- 
ner of  township  No.  38,  North  of  Range  No.  4,  west  of  the  second 
principal  meridian,  thence  running  east  with  said  State  line  to  the 
centre  of  Range  No.  1,  west  of  said  meridian ;  thence  South  twenty- 
two  miles ;  thence  west  parallel  with  the  said  State  line  twenty-one 
miles;  thence  north  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

The  act  also  named  commissioners,  one  each  from  the  counties 
of  Allen,  Fountain,  Clinton,  Tippecanoe  and  Ripley,  to  fix  the  seat 
of  justice  for  the  new  county,  and  directed  that  they  should  meet  at 
the  house  of  David  Pagin  in  said  county,  and  "immediately  proceed 
to  the  discharge  of  the  duties  assigned  them  by  law." 

Their  duties  were  discharged  as  prescribed ;  and  a  writ  of  election 
having  been  issued  from  the  executive  department  of  the  State,  an 
election  was  held  and  a  Board  of  county  commissioners  elected  con- 
sisting  of  Chapel  W.  Brown,  Elijah  H.  Brown,  and  Isaac  Morgan. 
Thus  the  county  was  organized,  and  ready  to  take  its  place  among 
the  other  counties  of  the  State.  It  is  related  that  when  the  act  for 
the  incorporation  of  the  county  was  before  the  legislature,  a  repre- 
sentative from  one  of  the  older  counties,  arose  to  inquire  what  out- 
landish name  it  was  they  were  about  to  give  the  new  county,  and  he 
desired  to  know  what  it  meant.  He  was  told  that  the  word  was 
French  for  "Door"  or  "Gate,"  and  took  its  origin  from  a  natural 
opening  through  the  timber  of  a  grove  leading  from  one  part  of  the 
prairie  to  another.  "Well  then,"  said  he,  "why  not  call  it  Door 
county,  at  once,  and  let  these  high-flown,  aristocratic  French  names 
alone?'  But  his  advice  was  not  followed;  and  the  county,  as  sub- 
sequently the  city,  received  the  beautiful  name,  "LaPorte,"  instead 
of  being  forever  heralded  to  the  world  as  Door  county,  and  Doorburg. 


38  HISTORY   OF   LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

The  first  Board  of  commissioners  of  LaPorte  county  met  on  May 
28th,  1832,  at  the  house  of  Geo.  Thomas ;  and  Chapel  W.  Brown, 
Elijah  H.  Brown  and  Isaac  Morgan  presented  their  certificates  of 
election.  These  certificates  were  signed  by  the  sheriff  of  the  county, 
and  on  the  back  of  each  certificate  is  endorsed  the  oath  of  office,  the 
oath  being  administered  by  the  sheriff. 

Benjamin  McCarty  was  the  acting  sheriff,  and  there  being  no 
clerk,  the  Board  appointed  Geo.  Thomas  the  clerk  elect  of  the  cir- 
cuit court,  "clerk  of  the  Board  for  the  time  being." 

The  first  act  of  this  first  session  of  the  Board  of  commissioners, 
was  to  order  the  division  of  the  county  into  three  townships.  All 
that  part  of  the  county  lying  east  of  the  line  which  divides  ranges 
two  and  three  was  named  Kankakee  township,  and  was  designated 
as  Commissioner's    district  No.  1.     The  whole  of  rancre  three  was 

O 

constituted  another  township  and  named  Scipio,  and  was  designated 
as  Commissioner's  district  No  2 ;  and  range  four  was  constituted  a 
third  civil  township,  New  Durham,  and  was  designated  as  Commis- 
sioner's  district  No.  3. 

This  order  establishing  the  townships  was  followed  by  orders 
directing  that  elections  should  take  place  on  the  16th  of  June  fol- 
lowing, that  a  justice  of  the  peace  should  be  elected  in  and  for  each 
township,  and  that  elections  should  be  held  as  follows  :  In  Kankakee 
township  at  the  house  of  N.  B.  Nichols,  with  John  Wills  for  in- 
spector; in  Scipio  township  at  the  house  of  Capt.  A.  P.  Andrew, 
with  A.  P.  Andrew  for  inspector ;  and  in  New  Durham  township  at 
the  house  of  Elisha  Newhall,  with  Elisha  Newhall  for  inspector.  The 
Board  also  ordered  that  Benj.  McCarty  be  appointed  commissioner 
of  the  three  per  cent,  fund;  William  Clark,  county  surveyor ;  Jesse 
Morgan,  lister  of  taxable  property,  and  Aaron  Stanton  county 
treasurer. 

Thus  the  county  commenced  business,  forty-three  years  ago  from 
the  28th  day  of  the  month  of  May,  187."'.  The  settlers  were  yet 
few  in  number:  most  of  the  rich  lands  of  the  countv  were  untouched 
by  the  plow;  the  ax  had  scarcely  visited  the  beautiful  groves  that 
dotted  the  prairies;  and  though  the  pioneers  were  poor  in  purse, 
they  were  rich   in    energy,     and   were   surrounded  by  a  wonderful 


THE  COUNTY    IN    GENERAL.  39 

wealth   of  beauty   in   the  luxuriant  groves,  the  flower-clad  prairies, 
and  the  lakes  that  here  and  there  sparkled  in  the  landscape. 

The  Board  of  commissioners  met  again  on  the  2d  day  of  July  in 
their  second  regular  session.  At  this  session  Nathan  B.  Nichols 
was  appointed  "Collector  of  State  and  County  taxes  for  the  year 
1832;"  and  it  is  curious  to  note  this  order  among  the  acts  of  the 
Board  at  this  session :  "Ordered  that  all  springed  carriages  are 
deemed  by  this  Board  as  pleasure  carriages  and  taxable  under  the 
law  regulating  and  collecting  the  revenue."  Rates  of  taxation  were 
fixed  on  certain  kinds  of  property,  and  among  them  horses  were  to 
be  taxed  at  thirty-seven  and  a  half  cents  per  head,  work  cattle 
eighteen  and  three-fourths  cents,  gold  watches  fifty  cents,  silver 
and  composition  watches  twenty-five  cents,  pleasure,  or  "springed" 
carriages,  fifty  cents,  and  brass  clocks  fifty  cents.  At  this  session 
John  Barnet  was  appointed  constable  for  New  Durham  township, 
and  Joseph  P.  Osborn  for  Scipio  township ;  and  Andrew  Burnside 
was  appointed  county  treasurer.  It  is  worthy  of  note  also  that  at 
this  session  Jesse  Morgan  "was  allowed  the  sum  of  eleven  dollars 
for  assessing  the  county  of  LaPorte  for  the  year  1832." 

At  the  November  term  following,  Charles  Ives  was  appointed 
county  agent,  and  at  the  January  term  1833,  he  was  directed  to 
sell  at  public  or  private  sale,  the  lots  donated  for  the  use  of  public 
buildings ;  and  at  the  March  term  1833,  the  following  appears  among 
the  proceedings  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  :  "Ordered  that  the 
elections  of  Scipio  township  which  were  formerly  held  at  the  house 
of  A.  P.  Andrew,  shall  now  be  held  at  the  town  of  LaPorte,  where 
the  courts  of  said  county  are  usually  held." 

It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  Jesse  Morgan  was  allowed  eleven 
dollars  for  assessing  the  taxable  property  of  the  county  for  1832.  It 
is  an  indication  that  population  was  increasing,  that  an  allowance 
was  made  to  the  same  man  for  the  same  work,  of  twenty  dollars,  in 
1833.     A.  G.  Polke  was  at  this  time  Sheriff  of  the  county. 

At  this  session  of  the  Board,  on  the  Tth  day  of  May,  1833,  an 
order  was  made  directing  the  county  agent  to  advertise  the  letting 
of  the  court  house  contract. 

On  the  21st  of  August,  1833,  a  special  term  of  the  commissioners' 
court  was  held,  at  which  a  contract  was  made  between  the  Board  of 


40  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

commissioners,  consisting  of  Elijah  H.  Brown,  Daniel  Jessup  and 
Alexander  Blackburn,  of  the  first  part,  and  Simon  G.  Bunce  of  the 
second  part,  for  the  building  of  a  court  house.  The  building  was 
to  be  forty  feet  square,  of  brick,  to  be  located  in  the  centre  of  the 
public  square,  and  was  to  cost  $3,975.  It  was  to  be  crowned  with 
a  cupola  three  stories  in  height,  the  first  to  be  nine  feet  high,  twelve 
feet  square,  with  a  round  window  in  each  side  and  a  fancy  sash. 
The  second  story  of  the  cupola  was  to  be  an  octagon,  ten  feet  in 
height,  with  a  window  on  each  side,  closed  by  a  Venetian  blind,  and 
the  corners  ornamented  with  turned  columns,  and  a  "suitable  sized 
urn"  to  stand  over  each  corner  of  the  square  first  story.  The  third 
story  was  a  dome,  six  feet  six  inches  in  height,  to  be  covered  with 
tin,  and  on  this  was  to  be  a  shaft  six  feet  six  inches  high  above  the 
top  of  the  round  dome :  and  let  into  the  top  of  the  shaft,  was  to  be 
an  iron  bar  or  spire  holding  at  its  connection  with  the  shaft  a  cop- 
per ball,  two  feet  in  diameter,  "laid  with  gold  leaf:"  halfway  from 
there  to  the  top  another  copper  ball,  one  foot  in  diameter,  and  on 
top  of  the  spire  a  wooden  ball,  painted  black,  and  six  inches  in 
diameter. 

The  men  who  founded  the  countv  were  not  destitute  of  a  desire 

to  manifest  a  little  pardonable  pride  in  behalf  of  a  county  which 
they  could  then  very  well  understand  was  to  become  one  of  the 
wealthiest  in  the  State  :  they  determined  that  the  court  house  should 
be  something  more  than  four  plain  walls,  and  should  be  an  attract- 
ive building,  creditable  to  their  taste  as  well  as  to  the  nece.-sarv 
spirit  of  economy  that  prevailed  among  them. 

To  illustrate  the  manner  in  which  taxes  were  levied  and  revenue 
raised,  specific  taxes  on  various  kinds  of  property  have  already  been 
alluded  to.  There  were  also  license  taxes,  as  is  shown  bv  the 
record  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  at  the  September  term  1833. 
It  was  ordered  that  a  license  issue  to  Thomas  M.  Morrison  to  "vend 
merchandise  in  the  countv  of  LaPorte."  J.  F.  &  W.  Allison  were 
licensed  at  the  same  rate  to  "vend  merchandise  :"  and  also  to  "keep 
a  tavern  in  the  town  of  LaPorte."'  "Rates  fifteen  dollars."  Sen- 
eca Ball  was  licensed  to  "vend  merchandis  in  the  town  of  La- 
Porte: and  Elijah  Casteel  was  licensed  to  keep  a  grocery  in  Michi- 
gan City  at  a  rate  often  dollars.  Wm.  Clements  also,  was  lie 
to  ''vend  merchandise  in  the  town  of  LaPorte." 


THE    COUNTY    IN    GENERAL.  41 

At  this  session,  on  the  4th  day  of  September,  New  Durham  town- 
ship was  divided  so  that  "all  that  tract  of  country  lying  in  towns 
37  and  38"  should  constitute  a  new  township,  to  be  called  Michi- 
gan. Up  to  this  period  there  were  but  three  townships  in  the 
county,  each  extending  entirely  across  it  from  North  to  South. 
The  order  was  now  broken,  and  we  shall  see  as  we  proceed,  how 
other  townships  were  carved  out  of  the  original  three,  until  now 
there  are  nineteen. 

It  is  said  that  roads  are  evidences  of  civilization,  and  promoters  of 
it.  The  pioneers  of  this  county  early  saw  the  necessity  of  having 
easy  access  to  all  parts  of  the  county,  and  with  contiguous  counties. 
Anions;  the  first  acts  of  the  countv  commissioners  was  the  estab- 
lishment  of  county  roads,  at  the  request  of  the  inhabitants;  and  they 
did  not  hesitate  to  expend  money  on  the  Yellow  river  road,  leading 
from  Marshall  county  to  Michigan  City.  They  also  authorized 
Matthias  Redding  to  keep  a  ferry  across  the  Kankakee,  on  the  line 
of  this  road,  no  bridge  having  yet  been  built.  This  road  and  ferry 
did  much  to  advance  the  county  in  population,  as  it  made  Michigan 
City  the  market  for  all  the  country  as  far  south  as  Logansport. 

These  early  pioneers  were  subjected  to  many  hardships,  incon- 
veniences and  deprivations;  but  not  more  than  are  incident  to  all 
new  countries.  There  were  fewer  circumstances  of  this  nature  to 
complain  of  than  may  be  found  in  the  early  settlement  of  most  new 
countries,  for  the  rich  prairies,  covered  only  with  grass  and  flowers, 
which  seemed  smilingly  to  invite  the  plow  of  the  husbandman,  and 
the  groves  furnishing  abundance  of  timber  for  fencing,  insured  the 
cultivation  of  many  acres,  and  abundant  returns,  the  very  first  year 
of  settlement.  It  is  true  that  at  first  they  had  to  travel  to  Berrien, 
Mich.,  to  procure  the  grinding  of  their  Avheat  and  corn,  but  this 
state  of  things  soon  gave  place  to  grist  mills  and  saw  mills,  and 
other  conveniences  within  the  limits  of  the  county;  and  as  the 
region  became  better  known  it  settled  up  very  rapidly.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  no  other  county  in  the  State  received  accessions  to  its 
population  more  rapidly  in  its  first  five  years  than  did  LaPorte.  It 
was  a  veritable  "land  of  promise,"  which,  if  not  "flowing  with  milk 
and  honey,"  yet  possessed  a  soil  of  unsurpassed  richness,  and  when 
"  tickled  with  a  hoe  (or  plow)  would  laugh  with  a  harvest."     The 


42  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

settler  on  lands  exclusively  timber  must  undergo  years  of  wearisome 
toil,  before  he  has  subdued  nature  to  his  purposes.  He  who  settles 
on  the  immense  prairies  of  the  farther  west,  finds  himself  embar- 
rassed for  the  want  of  fencing  material,  but  here  the  open  prairie 
required  only  fencing  and  plowing  to  ensure  a  crop :  and  the  timber 
in  abundance  stood  close  at  hand.  Nature  had  brought  into  juxta- 
position the  two  elements  of  the  farmer's  need ;  and  it  was  to  him 
as  it  is  to  the  iron  manufacturer,  when  he  finds  the  ore  and  the  coal 
in  adjoining  veins.  The  consequence  was  that  settlers  poured  in 
with  great  rapidity;  and  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life  soon  gave 
place  to  the  facilities  of  agreeable  intercourse,  educational  privileges, 
and  all  the  advantages  of  an  intelligent  and  hospitable  society. 

But  with  the  advent  of  a  mixed  society,  it  could  not  be  expected 
that  all  would  render  such  strict  obedience  to  law  as  to  render  penal 
institutions  unnecessary ;  and  accordingly  at  a  special  term  of  the 
commissioners'  court  held  on  the  16th  day  of  November,  1833,  it 
was  ordered  that  Charles  Ives,  the  county  agent,  make  out  plans 
and  specifications :  that  he  file  the  same  in  the  clerk's  office,  and 
advertise  for  sealed  proposals  for  the  building  of  a  county  jail.  On 
the  20th  day  of  December  the  contract  for  building  a  jail  was  let  to 
Warner  Pierce  for  the  sum  of  §460.  Yet  there  are  facts  which 
would  indicate  that  there  could  have  been  but  little  immediate  use 
for  the  jail.  Mr.  Geo.  Thomas,  the  clerk  of  the  county,  certified  to 
the  Board  of  commissioners  that  "the  fines  assessed  by  the  circuit 
court  of  December,  1833,  amount  in  all  to  §7.00;  §5.00  against 
James  Lockhart  on  an  indictment  for  retailing  liquor  to  an  Indian 
§2.00  against  Calvin  Lilly  for  retailing  liquors  without  license; 
and  the  docket  of  Elisha  Newhall,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  shows  that 
the  only  fine  he  assessed  during  the  year  was  §1.00  against  Willis 
Hughes  for  profane  swearing;  and  Wm.  O.  Ross,  justice  of  the 
peace,  reports  a  fine  of  §1.00  assessed  against  George  Buell  for 
••profane  swearing."  It  is  hoped  that  this  was  all  the  "  profane 
swearing"  that  took  place  in  the  county;  but  it  is  scarcely probabl 
that  such  was  the  fact.  If  so,  it  would  perhaps  be  taken  as  evidenc 
that  there  has  been  progress  in  the  wrong  direction. 

In  the  Spring  of  1834  the  county  exhibited  marked  progress  am 
prosperity.     Roads   had  been  laid  out  in  all  parts  of  the  count 


THE    COUNTY    IN    GENERAL.  43 

schools  were  opened,  many  broad  acres  were  under  cultivation, 
courts  of  justice  were  established,  numerous  houses  were  erected  in 
LaPorte  and  Michigan  City,  modest  farm-houses  dotted  the  prairies 
in  every  direction,  and  the  tide  of  immigration  was  rolling  in  un- 
checked. The  comforts  of  life  were  fast  being  added  to  the  mere 
necessaries ;  and  contentment  and  happiness  took  up  their  abode  in 
the  dwelling  of  nearly  every  settler.  Everything  around  them 
indicated  a  prosperous  future,  and  they  rejoiced  that  they  had  found 
so  fair  a  region  for  the  building  up  of  homes  for  themselves  and  their 
children. 

At  the  May  term  of  the  commissioners'  court,  1834,  the  records 
show  a  document  which  seems  to  carry  back  the  thought  a  hundred 
years  beyond  the  time  of  its  date.  It  is  a  relic  of  the  ''black  laws" 
that  so  long  disgraced  the  statute  books  of  Indiana,  by  which  any 
person  of  color,  coming  into  any  county  of  the  State  was  required 
to  furnish  bonds  that  he  would  not  become  a  county  charge.  The 
disgraceful  act  has  become  a  part  of  the  history  of  Indiana,  and 
LaPorte  county  contains  at  least  one  illustration  of  it.  Here  is  the 
record : 

••Now  come  Alexander  Blackburn  and  Israel  Markham,  over- 
seers of  the  poor,  and  make  report :  We,  the  undersigned  overseers 
of  the  poor  for  Kankakee  township,  La  Porte  county,  respectfully 
report  that  we  have  taken  bond  and  security  of  Wm,  Greenwood 
alias  Randall,  a  free  black  man,  immigrated  into  this  county,  as 
required  by  law,  and  that  we  have  acted  on  no  other  business. 

[Signed,]  A.  Blackburn,       I  q  p 

Israel  Markham,  j 

LaPorte,  5th  May,  1834. 

Having  now  followed  the  progress  of  the  county  to  May  1834, 
and  seen  it  organized,  and  presenting  evidences  of  prosperity  on 
every  hand,  the  townships  separately,  and  the  cities  and  towns  will 
next  demand  attention. 


44  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  II. 

KANKAKEE  TOWNSHIP. 

The  present  Kankakee  township  lies  in  Congressional  township 
No.  37,  range  two  west,  and  is  located  chiefly  on  Rolling  Prairie. 
This  township  was  one  of  the  original  three  which  formed  the  entire 
county,  and  included  the  whole  of  range  two,  and  all  of  range  one 
that  lies  inside  of  La  Porte  county.  Other  townships  have  been 
carved  from  it.  until  now  it  is  reduced  to  the  precise  limits  of  the 
Congressional  township  No.  thirty-seven. 

The  first  settlers  came  to  the  township  in  1830. 

Aaron  Stanton,  Benajah  Stanton,  Philip  Fail  and  Richard  Harris 
came  in  company  from  Union  county  in  this  State,  and  arrived  in 
Centre  township  in  February  1830.  Aaron  Stanton  brought  two 
hired  men  with  him.  They  proceeded  at  once  to  put  up  a  cabin 
upon  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Moses  Stanton,  where  they  all 
lived  together.  In  the  spring  the  ground  was  broken  and  a  crop 
put  in.  After  harvest  Aaron  Stanton  returned  to  Union  county 
for  his  family,  which  he  brought  with  him  the  same  year,  and  Philip 
Fail,  who  had  his  wife  with  him  when  he  came,  took  up  a  claim 
and  built  a  cabin  on  section  18,  in  the  township  of  Kankakee,  which 
was  in  the  same  neighborhood  with  the  Stantons.  This  was  the 
first  cabin  built  in  that  township,  and  was  erected  in  the  fall  of 
1830.  In  the  month  of  October  of  that  year,  Benajah  S.  Fail. 
son  of  Philip  Fail  was  born.  He  is  said  to  be  the  first  male  white 
child  born  in  the  township  or  county. 

On  the  24th  day  of  May  1831,  Ezckiel  Provolt,  David  Stoner, 
Jesse  West,  Arthur  Irving  and  a  man  named  AVillets.  arrived  in 
the  township  with  their  families.  They  came  from  the  vicinity  of 
LaFayette,  and  were  on  the  road  eighteen  days — a  rather  tedious 
iourney.  On  one  occasion  when  the  party  had  finished  a  day's 
journey.  Mrs.  Provolt  rode  back  to  the  camping  ground  of  the 
previous  night  to  procure  a  fire  with  which  to  cook  the  evening  meal. 

The  first  night  after  the  arrival  of  the  party,  they  encamped  upon 


KANKAKEE    TOWNSHIP.  45 

the  land  now  occupied  by  A.  J.  Bowell,  about  one  half  mile  north 
of  the  depot.  The  next  day  the  party  moved  to  the  site  of  what  is 
now  the  village  of  Rolling  Prairie  or  Portland.  There  Ezekiel 
Provolt  put  up  a  log  cabin  and  his  family  moved  into  it.  Soon 
after,  Jesse  West  and  Arthur  Irving  built  cabins  near  that  of 
Provolt. 

In  the  same  year  Daniel  Murray,  Chapel  W.  Brown,  Emery 
Brown,  Jacob  Miller,  John  Garret  and  James  Hiley  moved  into  the 
township. 

In  the  spring  of  1832,  Alex.  Blackburn,  Solomon  Aldrich  and 
Charles  Ives  with  their  families  moved  into  the  township  and  com- 
menced making  improvements.  Myron  Ives  had  preceded  them, 
arriving  in  the  fall  of  1831.  In  the  month  of  May  of  that  year, 
the  Blackhawk  war  had  broken  out,  and  runners  came  from  Chica- 
go, spreading  stories  to  the  effect  that  Indians  were  advancing  upon 
the  settlers.  All  was  alarm  and  confusion,  and  they  fled  in  dismay 
to  Terre  Coupee  prairie  in  St.  Joseph  county,  where  a  large  number 
congregated  at  the  house  of  a  settler  by  the  name  of  Egbert.  A 
short  time  after,  another  panic  took  place  and  the  settlers  again  re- 
turned to  the  same  prairie,  and  part  of  them,  about  forty,  took  refuge 
in  a  school  house,  where  they  slept  over  night.  The  next  day  a 
company  of  soldiers  moved  westward  on  a  reconnoissance.  This 
reassured  them,  and  they  mostly  returned  homeward  in  the  rear  of 
the  command.  In  June  following  the  land  sale  took  place,  and 
while  most  of  the  men  were  gone  to  attend  it,  another  rumor  came 
of  advancing  Indians.  The  women  were  alone  and  unprotected, 
but  they  had  become  used  to  such  reports  and  but  few  left  their  homes. 

After  the  successful  termination  of  the  Blackhawk  war,  the  set- 
tlement of  the  township  became  so  rapid  that  the  old  settlers  could 
not  keep  pace  in  the  formation  of  acquaintances,  with  the  new 
comers.  Among  those  arriving  at  this  time  were  Leonard  Cutler, 
Nathan  B.  Nichols,  Joseph  Reynolds,  and  Ebenezer  Russell.  Pre- 
vious to  this  period,  neighbors  were  such  as  resided  five  or  even  ten 
miles  apart,  and  they  visited  each  other  at  such  distances  as  readily 
as  now  at  a  half  mile.  The  products  of  the  soil  and  the  contents  of 
the  larder  were  free.  Those  who  had  plenty  gave  to  their  less 
prosperous  neighbors  as  cheerfully  as  if  they  had  been  members  of 


46  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

their  own  family.  The  prairie  was  a  flower  garden,  the  woods 
were  filled  with  game,  wild  fruits  were  abundant  and  honey  could 
be  found  plentifully  in  the  forests.  There  was  much  enjoyment 
among  the  people.  They  were  bound  to  each  other  by  ties  which 
we  now  can  little  appreciate,  ties  of  mutual  dependence,  protection 
against  Indians,  and  the  common  deprivation  of  many  of  the  com- 
forts which  come  to  older  communities.  Mrs.  Ann  Eliza  Pro  volt, 
was  one  of  the  pioneers,  and  from  her  are  gathered  many  of  the  facts 
in  the  history  of  this  township.  She  is  enthusiastic  over  the  beauty 
of  the  country,  and  the  happiness  of  the  people  at  that  time. 

The  first  religious  services  of  which  we  have  any  account,  was  by 
the  Presbyterians  at  the  cabin  of  Alex.  Blackburn,  upon  the  place 
now  occupied  by  Miner  Nesbit.  This  took  place  sometime  in  the 
month  of  November,  1832.  Services  were  performed  by  Rev. 
James  Crawford,  of  the  Wabash  ceuntrv.  There  were  but  seven 
members.  The  next  summer  Mr.  Crawford  came  again,  and  com- 
pleted the  organization  of  the  church,  which  had  then  increased  to 
twenty  members.  James  Blair,  Wm.  0.  Ross,  David  Dinwiddie  and 
Myron  Ives,  were  chosen  and  installed  elders.  The  last  two  were 
ordained.  The  meetings  were  held  in  a  log  school  house  on  the  Xiles 
road.  Mr.  Crawford  died  in  Iowa  about  three  years  ago,  aged  eighty- 
six  years.  Among  the  settlers  of  1834,  were  William  Sharp, 
Asa  Pease,  J.  M.  Heckman,  Zenos  Preston,  Jacob  Wagner,  and  a 
family  named  Blood. 

During  1834  a  school  house  was  put  up  on  the  Michigan  road. 
It  was  constructed  of  logs,  opposite  the  place  now  occupied  by 
John  Provolt.  Difficulties  had  arisen  regarding  its  location.  From 
every  point  of  the  compass  there  were  settlers  who  wanted  it  near 
their  dwellings.  After  it  was  finished,  a  man  named  Emerson,  was 
employed  to  teach.  Before  his  term  was  completed,  the  school 
building  was  burned  in  the  night.  Another  was  soon  afterer  ected, 
and  the  same  spot  is  now  occupied  by  a  frame  school  house. 

In  1835,  a  large  number  of  Indians  encamped  for  a  time  on  the 
Kankakee  marsh,  probably  five  hundred  of  them ;  but  they  soon 
passed  on  to  the  westward.  From  that  time  on,  only  scattering 
parties  were  to  be  seen,  until  all   had  left   the  country.     The  first 


KANKAKEE    TOWNSHIP.  47 

death  occurred  this  year.     It  was  a  child  named Stoner,  aged 

three  weeks.     It  was  buried  on  A.  J.  Bowell's  farm. 

A  tragedy  occurred  in  this  township  in  1837,  resulting  in 
the  death  of  an  estimable  young  man,  who  was  murdered  for 
money.  There  were  two  young  men  in  the  township,  one  of  whom 
was  Joshua  M.  Coplin,  and  the  other  was  named  Scott.  Coplin  had  a 
sum  of  money  due  him  in  Virginia,  in  amount,  somewhere  between 
$500  and  §600,  and  they  started  eastward  together.  Scott  stopped 
at  the  house  of  his  mother  in  Lucas  county,  Ohio,  and  Coplin  went 
on  to  Virginia,  the  State  of  his  nativity,  and  having  procured  the 
money,  four  hundred  dollars  of  which  was  in  silver,  and  the  balance 
in  gold,  undertook  his  return.  Coplin  stopped  at  the  house  of 
Scott's  mother  on  his  way,  and  stayed  over  night,  and  the  next  day 
started  towards  home.  Scott  followed,  and  overtaking  Coplin,  rode 
with  him,  each  being  on  horse-back,  until  within  less  than  a  mile  of 
Coplin's  house,  when  he  shot  him  dead  and  took  possession  of  the 
money.  Scott  fled,  but  was  followed,  captured  and  placed  in  con- 
finement at  LaPorte.  The  murder  took  place  on  the  second  day  of 
February  1838,  between  a  quarter  and  half  mile  of  Jedediah  Aus- 
tin's, and  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  him,  about  eleven  o'clock  at 
night.  The  report  of  the  pistol  with  which  the  deed  was  accom- 
plished, was  heard  by  several.  The  body  was  found  the  next  morn- 
ing by  James  Andrew,  who  lived  in  the  vicinity.  Scott  was  soon 
after  tried,  found  guilty,  and  hung  near  LaPorte  on  the  fifteenth 
day  of  June  of  the  same  year.  Coplin's  age  when  murdered,  as 
inscribed  on  his  tombstone,  was  nineteen  years,  three  months  and 
twenty  days. 

From  this  period,  it  would  be  impracticable  to  trace  all  the  arrivals 
in  the  township.  Containing  a  splendid  body  of  land,  settlement 
was  rapid,  farms  were  opened  in  every  direction ;  and  the  number 
of  inhabitants  was  such  that  some  of  them  began  to  think  of  the  lo- 
cation  of  a  village.  The  town  of  Byron  was  accordingly  laid  out, 
and  a  plot  of  it  recorded  on  the  22d  day  of  May  1837.  Its  location 
as  designated  on  the  record,  was  the  south  part  of  the  east  half  of 
the  northeast  quarter  of  section  fifteen,  in  township  thirty-seven, 
north  of  range  two  west.  It  was  laid  out  upon  lands  of  Stephen  G. 
Hunt  and   Hiram  Oram.     An  addition  was  laid  out,  and  recorded 


4*  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

on   the  25th  day  of  August,   A.  D.,  1840,  by  Elias  Lowe,   on  the 
southeast  quarter  of  section  sixteen,  same  township  and  range. 

In  the  summer  of  1835,  there  was  but  one  cabin  on  the  site  of 
the  town  of  Byron,  and  that  was  owned  by  William  Hunt.  In  the 
fall  of  that  year  another  was  built,  on  the  south  side  of  the  road. 
The  first  frame  building  was  a  store  built  by  Amzi  Clark,  on  the 
south  side  of  Chicago  street,  in  the  fall  of  1835,  and  spring  of  1836. 
It  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  March  1873.  Clark  kept  store  in  this 
house  about  a  year,  when  he  sold  out  to  Oram  &  Phillips.  It  after- 
wards passed  into  the  hands  of  Stewart  &  Lillie,  and  they  sold  out 
to  Willis  Peck,  who  in  turn  sold  to  Fraser  c\:  Campbell. 

A  postoifice  was  established  in  this  locality  in  1835,  which  was 
moved  to  Rolling  Prairie  in  1853.  It  was  first  kept  in  a  log  cabin, 
on  Chicago  street,  near  Amzi  Clark's  store.  The  first  postmaster 
was  S.  G.  Hunt. 

W.  F.  Talbot  built  a  frame  house  in  the  village  in  1836,  which 
was  used  for  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  also  as  a  residence  for  his  family. 
In  1841  W.  G.  Hickman  erected  a  building  for  a  store,  where  he 
sold  goods  for  a  time,  and  then  sold  to  Lowe  &  Young. 

The  first  school  house  in  Byron  was  built  by  subscription.  It 
was  erected  in  1841,  and  the  first  school  was  taught  by  Joseph  M. 
Salisbury.  In  1847  a  man  named  Wilber,  commenced  building  a 
hotel  on  the  south  side  of  Chicago  street.  Before  it  was  finished, 
he  sold  it  to  Charles  Lebo,  wTho  moved  it  to  the  north  side  of  the 
street  and  completed  it.  Lebo  kept  it  three  years  and  sold  it  to  W. 
G.  Hickman.  I.  N.  Whitehead  bought  out  Hickman  in  1852  and 
kept  the  hotel  five  years. 

Stewart  &  Lillie  built  a  warehouse  at  Byron  in  the  year  1S47, 
which  was  situated  on  Chicago  street,  and  large  amounts  of  grain 
were  stored  in  it.  At  that  time  Byron  was  quite  a  large  wheat 
market,  considerable  business  being  done  in  its  purchase  and 
sale. 

Before  the  Northern  Indiana  railroad  was  built,  Byron  was  a 
town  of  much  importance.  Its  trade  was  large.  The  travel 
through  it  was  great,  the  merchants  prospered  and  there  was  un- 
usual activity  on  its  streets  for  a  town  of  its  size.  The  railroad 
killed  it.     Its  streets  are  deserted.     There  is  neither  store,  black- 


KANKAKEE    TOWNSHIP.  49 

smith  shop  or  tavern,  within  its  limits.     The  first  and  only  church 
in  the  place  which  was  built  by  the  Methodists  in  1849,  has  been 
pulled  down  and  moved  away.     It  contains  not  more  than  half  of 
its  former  population,   and  its  residences   are  occupied  mostly  by: 
farmers  who  work  on  the  neighboring  lands. 

Had  the  railroad  passed  through  the  place,  the  village  of  Byron.1 

would  have  lived  and  flourished  ;  but  when  it  passed  by  to  the  north 
of  it,  a  new  town,  and  the  death  of  the  old,  was  the  natural  result ; 
and  so  the  town  of  Rolling  Prairie  came  into  being.  This  is  de- 
scribed in  the  survey  as  being  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  township 
number  thirty-seven,  north  of  range  number  two  west. 

The  first  house  built  upon  the  town  site  of  Rolling  Prairie  was 
erected  by  Ezekiel  Provolt  in  the  spring  of  1831.  This  was  followed 
by  two  others,  put  up  by  West  and  Irving.  When  the  land  came  into 
market  in  1832,  and  was  sold  at  public  sale,  W.  J.  Walker  bid  in  the 
premises  upon  which  these  settlers  were  living,  and  allowed  them  to 
remain  there  for  a  time  in  consideration  of  the  improvements  they 
had  made.  Ezekiel  Provolt  did  not  therefore  remove  to  the  present 
home  of  the  family,  until  in  the  year  1834,  when  John  Reynolds 
moved  into  the  vacated  cabin.  The  Northern  Indiana  road  was 
built  to  where  the  town  now  stands  in  January  1852.  It  reached 
LaPorte  on  the  10th  day  of  that  month  and  year,  the  last  four  miles 
of  track  being  laid  on  that  day  and  the  cars  coming  into  the  city  in 
the  evening.  The  little  cluster  of  cabins  was  known  as  Nauvooy 
until  a  survey  was  made  and  recorded  on  the  26th  day  of  November 
1853.  Walker  gave  the  village  the  name  of  Portland,  which  is  to*- 
day  the  only  legal  name  as  recognized  under  the  laws  of  the  State, 
though  the  postoffice  is  called  Rolling  Prairie,  and  the  railroad  com- 
pany have  given  that  name  to  the  station. 

On  plat  book  No.  1,  page  108,  of  the  county  records,  can  be 
found  an  addition  without  date  or  description,  other  than  the  plat 
itself.  Twelve  lots  of  this  addition  are  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Walker  street,  on  the  east  by  Prairie  street,  on  the  south  by  Michi- 
gan street,  and  on  the  west  by  Maple  street.  The  main  part  of  the 
addition  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Michigan   street,  east  by  the 

boundary  line  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  eleven,  south  by 
the  Northern  Indiana  railroad,  and  west  by  the  county  road.  This, 
the  first  addition,  was  laid  out  by  W.  J.  Walker. 

4 


50  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

On  the  1st  day  of  September  1855,  B.  P.  Walker  filed  a  plat  for 
an  addition  to  Portland,  embracing  eight  blocks  in  section  eleven. 
On  the  6th  day  ot  December  1855,  hf;  .:.:..•  iiis  second  addition, 
embracing  seven  blocks,  and  on  the  23d  dav  of  January  1858,  he 
filed  a  third  and  a  fourth  addition. 

A  steam  saw  mill  was  built  in  Rolling  Prairie  in  1852.  It  wi 
erected  by  a  company  compos  jd  of  John  Drummond,  A.  J.  Bo  well 
and  J.  II.  Fail,  wlio  SjlJi  it  to  Johnson  <fc  Folant  in  the  Fall  of 
1855.  They  in  turn  sold  to  Jesse  H.  G.  Coplin  in  1857,  and  he  in 
1858  added  a  grist  mill  to  the  snw  mill.  An  explosion  occurred  in 
this  mill  in  1860,  which  killed  Thomas  Lewis,  and  caused  the  loss 
of  an  arm  to  Frederick  Knight.  Coplin  was  slightly  injured.  B. 
F.  Huntsman  bought  this  mill  in  1863,  and  in  1868  it  was  burned, 
but  rebuilt  the  same  year  by  Mr.  Huntsman. 

The  first  frame  house  in  Portland  was  built  by  W.  J.  AValker,  in 
the  year  1853,  and  was  rented  by  him  to  Ross  &  Organ.  It  was 
used  by  them  for  a  store,  and  John  H.  Kierstead  attended  to  the  bus- 
iness. Kierstead  afterwards  bought  the  firm  out,  and  run  the  store 
on  his  own  account.  It  has  since  been  moved  about  one  hundred 
feet  north  of  its  former  location,  and  is  still  used  as  a  store  and  kept 
by  E.  L.  Prince.  It  is  located  on  Depot  street.  About  the  time 
the  store  was  built,  Nathan  Smith  erected  a  frame  dwelling  on 
Michigan  street.  This  he  sold,  and  the  next  year  built  another  on 
Depot  street.  The  depot  was  built  in  1853.  In  1851,  the  Chris- 
tian denomination  erected  a  church,  which  was  the  first  built  in  the 
village.  In  1859,  Kierstead  built  a  store  which  burned  down  in 
February  1867.  He  sold  the  lot  to  David  Hoffman,  who  again  sold 
to  W.  B.  Stevens.  Stevens  rebuilt  in  1870.  The  Presbyterian 
church  was  built  in  1857,  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  in  1865. 
The  brick  store  now  occupied  by  J.  P.  Nesbit,  was  built  by  G.  W. 
Bolster,  in  1870,  and  the  store  of  Joseph  D.  Cassell,  was  erected  in 
1872. 

The  village  of  Rolling  Prairie  is  pleasantly  located,  and  com- 
mands a  fair  amount  of  business  for  a  place  of  its  size.  It  contains, 
at  the  present  time,  one  bakery,  two  blacksmith  shops,  two  boarding 
houses,  one  cooper,  two  carpenters,  two  clergymen,  three  dry  goods 
and  grocery  stores,  one  drug  and  grocery  store,  one  depot  agent,  one 


KANKAKEE    TOWNSHIP.  51 

dress  maker,  one  feed  store,  two  grain  merchants,  one  hardware 
store,  one  harness  maker,  one  lumber  dealer,  one  music  teacher,  one 
meat  market,  one  fruit  nursery,  two  painters  and  glaziers,  two  phy- 
sicians, two  shoe  shops,  one  steam  saw  mill,  two  telegraph  operators, 
two  wagon  makers,  and  many  very  pleasant  residences,  some  of 
which  display  considerable  architectural  beauty.  The  population 
is  about  four  hundred. 

Among  the  old  settlers  of  Kankakee  township  whom  we  have  not 
yet  named  were  John  Garrett  who  arrived  in  the  Spring  of  1830  ; 
Jacob  Miller,  who  came  probably  in  1832 ;  Daniel  Murray  and 
Emery  Brown,  1830 ;  Geo.  W.  Barnes,  Ludlow  Bell,  Dr.  Bowell, 
James  Drummond,  J.  Austin,  Benj.  DeWitt,  and  the  families  of 
Harvey,  Salisbury  and  Whitehead.  These  were  all  old  settlers,  some  of 
whom  are  still  living.  Many  more  cazin  at  an  early  day,  but  those 
are  not  named  as  "  Old  Settlers ''  who  came  to  the  township  later 
than  1832.  Among  those  who  have  lived  long  in  the  township,  and 
most  of  whom  still  reside  there,  are  Samuel  Downing;  J.  S.  Hollo- 
way;  David  Bush,  and  his  brothers,  Isaac,  now  dead,  and  Abram, 
whose  home  is  at  present  in  Chicago ;  Lewis  Griffith ;  J.  H.  Kier- 
stead,  now  in  LaPorte;  Benj.  Finley;  Miner  Nesbit;  Calita  and 
Enoch  L.  Preston ;  Jesse  Blake ;  A.  H.  Miller,  now  residing  in  La- 
Porte;  Moses  Burhans;  C.  L.  0.  Bell;  and  the  Hickmans,  Prouds, 
Wagners,  Irelands  and  Darlingtons.  These  are,  the  majority  of 
them,  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  for  this  employment 
there  can  scarcely  be  found  anywhere  a  more  favored  locality  than 
Kankakee  township.  The  soil  is  the  rich  prairie  loam  ;  and  timber 
and  water  are  abundant. 


52  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY 


CHAPTER  III. 

SCIPIO    TOWNSHIP. 

Scipio  township,  like  Kankakee  was  one  of  the  three  original 
townships  of  which  the  county  of  LaPorte  consisted  at  its  organiza- 
tion;  and  its  limits  were  range  three,  the  entire  length  of  the 
county  from  north  to  south.  Its  present  limits  are  Congressional 
township  thirty-six,  range  three.  The  rest  of  its  original  territory  is 
embraced  in  Centre  and  Michigan  on  the  north,  Noble  and  Hannah, 
and  a   small  part  of  Union  on  the  south. 

The  first  settlers  in  Scipio  township  were  Adam  Keith  and  fami- 
ly, and  Lewis  Shirley  and  his  mother,  who  arrived  on  the  sixth  day 
of  July,  1829.  The  Keith  family  were  originally  from  Pennsylva- 
nia ;  but  the  little  colony  named  came  from  Ohio  to  this  county. 
In  the  month  of  October  in  the  year  of  their  arrival,  Keith  Shirley 
was  born.  He  was  the  first  child  born  in  the  township,  and  is 
believed  to  be  the  third  born  in  the  county. 

In  the  year  1830,  a  man  named  Welsh  and  his  son,  a  youth  of 
eighteen  or  nineteen  years,  settled  at  Door  Village.  They  built 
a  cabin  and  procuring  some  liquors,  opened  a  trade  with  the 
Indians  and  did  a  very  fair  business.  At  first  the  liquor  was  of  a 
quality  to  please  the  noble  red  man.  It  would  "make  drunk  come 
quick."  Finally  the  elder  Welsh  became  dissatisfied  with  the 
amount  of  his  profits,  and  desiring  to  amass  a  fortune  in  the  Bmall- 

r  possible  length  of  time,  began  to  dilute  the  "firewater"  from  a 
spring.  Though  not  as  a  general  thing  very  fastidious  about  their 
edibles,  this  action  on  the  part  of  Welsh  in  relation  to  their  favorite 
beverage,  excited  their  indignation.  At  last  a  party  of  young 
braves  visited  his  cabin,  and  rolling  out  the  barrels  knocked  out  the 
heads  with  their  tomahawks,  and  spilled  the  precious  fluid  upon  the 
_  ound.  This  little  incident  so  worked  upon  the  feelings  of  the 
father  and  son  that  they  left  the  township  and  removed  to  Chicago. 
On  the  thirtieth  day  of  May  1830,  Elizabeth  Keith,  wife  of  Adam 
Keith,  died.  It  was  the  first  death  in  the  township.  Among  the 
settlers  of  this  year  were  Daniel  Jessup  and  Joseph  Osborn. 


SCIPIO    TOWNSHIP.  53 

In  1831  Arba  Heald,  Mr.  Phillips,  Mr.  Whittaker,  John  Gar- 
wood, Elijah  Brown,  Stephen  Bray  ton,  Hugh  McGivens,  Wm. 
Adams,  James  Anscum,  and  John  Gattis,  became  settlers.  Gen. 
Joseph  Orr  purchased  land  but  did  not  stay — he  returned  the  next 
year  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  Blackhawk  war. 

During  the  same  year  (1831)  a  body  of  Sac  Indians  passed 
through  the  township  on  their  way  to  Detroit.  A  number  who 
were  in  advance  of  the  main  body,  stole  three  horses  from  Arba 
Heald.  He  followed  them  a  few  miles,  but  as  he  was  on  foot  gave 
up  the  chase  as  useless.  When  the  main  body  came  up  a  day  or  two 
after,  they  were  stopped  and  the  larceny  reported  to  the  chiefs.  After 
a  council  had  been  held,  it  was  agreed  to  give  an  order  on  Col.  Dav- 
enport, Indian  Agent  at  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  for  the  value  of  the 
stock  taken.  Mr.  Heald  afterwards  went  to  the  agency  to  get  his 
money.  Instead  of  paying  it,  measures  were  taken  to  get  the  hor- 
ses. They  were  procured  and  driven  into  the  town.  They  had 
been  badly  used  in  hunting  buffalo,  their  ears  being  split  and  their 
tails  cut  off.  Having  received  his  horses,  Mr.  H.  proposed  to  re- 
turn on  the  following  morning,  but  during  the  intervening  night, 
the  best  one  of  them  was  again  stolen.  This  he  never  recovered 
nor  any  pay  for  it,  as  the  Blackhawk  war  put  an  end  to  the  Indian 
annuities — at  least  so  far  as  thev  were  payable  this  side  of  the 
Mississippi.  During  this  year  the  first  wedding  took  place — Adam 
Keith  married  Hannah  Harris,  daughter  of  Richard  Harris. 

In  the  year  1832,  Christopher  McClure,  Arthur  McClure,  Lewis 
Keith,  John  Broadhead,  Peter  White,  and  Thomas  W.  Sale  moved 
into  the  township.  During  the  spring  of  this  year,  there  were  but 
two  cabins  in  Door  Village,  one  of  which  was  occupied  by  Arba 
Heald,  and  the  other  was  vacant,  it  being  the  one  vacated  by  the 
Welshes,  after  the  exploit  of  the  Indian  crusaders.  The  McClures 
occupied  this  vacant  cabin,  while  they  were  building  residences  on 
their  land  one  mile  north  of  the  village.  The  day  after  it  was  com- 
pleted  the  Indian  scare  commenced. 

The  Sac  Indians  were  never  kindly  disposed  to  the  American 
people  or  government.  As  far  back  as  the  war  of  1812,  they  took 
up  arms  against  the  United  States,  and  favored  the  British.  In  rec- 
ompense for  this,  they  were  receiving  an  annuity  in  Canada.   Their 


54  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

place  of  crossing  was  at  Detroit,  and  the  trail  they  pursued  ran 
through  New  Durham  township,  and  Door  Village  in  Scipio.  It  is 
most  probable  that  their  intercourse  with  the  Canadians,  year  after 
year,  had  anything  but  a  good  effect  in  quieting  their  ancient  ani- 
mosity against  our  people. 

In  May  1832,  Mr.  Owen,  the  Indian  agent  at  Chicago,  sent 
word  to  Arba  Heald  that  the  Indians  had  commenced  hostilities  on 
Hickory  creek,  a  short  distance  from  that  city,  and  advised  the 
settlers  to  prepare  to  repel  any  invasion  that  they  might  make. 
Hostilities  had  commenced  in  other  parts  of  the  State  of  Illinois  on 
Rock  river  and  near  Dixon.  The  alarm  proved,  as  is  almost  inva- 
riably the  case,  to  have  been  greatly  exaggerated.  The  hostile  acts 
were  upon  Indian  creek,  and  a  family  by  the  name  of  Hall  were 
murdered,  with  the  exception  of  two  girls,  who  were  carried  into 
captivity. 

Heald  having  sent  word  over  the  prairie,  a  large  number  assem- 
bled at  Door  Village.  They  had  been  hurrying  in  during  the  night, 
and  in  the  morning  a  meeting  was  called  in  order  to  consult  upon 
taking  means  best  calculated  to  promote  their  mutual  defense,  when 
from  a  mistaken  idea  of  the  cause  of  the  confusion,  a  stampede  took 
place  and  about  half  the  company  started  their  teams  eastward; 
some  not  stopping  except  for  rest  and  their  meals,  until  they  had 
reached  Cincinnati.  Many  did  not  return  until  the  next  year. 
Fortv-two  men  remained  and  built  works  for  their  defense.  These 
consisted  of  a  ditch,  earthworks  and  a  palisade,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  feet  square.  Upon  two  of  the  angles,  there  were  block- 
houses, which  commanded  the  sides.  This  fort,  as  it  is  called,  *  - 
built  under  the  direction  of  Peter  White,  who  had  acquired  some 
previous  knowledge  in  the  building  of  such  works.  It  was  comple- 
ted in  three  days  from  the  time  of  its  commencement,  when  its 
occupants  felt  comparatively  safe.  It  was  located  abont  a  half-mile 
east  of  Door  Village,  on  the  lands  of  Lewis  Shirley,  near  the  road, 
and  its  site  is  plainly  discernible  at  this  time. 

Amid  all  the  turmoil  and  confusion,  there  was  one  woman  who 
preserved  her  courage  and  assumed  a  defiant  air,  which  gained  for 
her  the  character  of  a  heroine.  It  was  Mrs.  Arba  Heald.  With 
two  rifles,  two  axe-  and   two  pitchforks,  -lie   barricaded  herself  in 


SCIPIO    TOWNSHIP.  55 

the  cabin  on  her  husband's  farm,  and  neither  threats  nor  persuasion 
could  induce  her  to'go  into  the  fort.  She  declared  she  would  kill 
six  Indians  before  they  took  possession  of  her  home.  She  would 
have  doubtless  fought  them  alone  if  thev  had  disturbed  her. 

Soon  after  the  fort  was  finished,  a  block  house  was  built  very 
near  where  Albert  S.  Hall  now  resides  on  section  thirteen,  south- 
east of  Round  grove.  This  was  built  under  the  direction  of  Judge 
Lemon. 

On  the  second  night  after  the  fort  near  the  village  was  commen- 
ced, it  was  thought  best  to  send  out  a  scouting  party.  Three  men 
were  selected,  but  Christopher  McClure  was  the  only  man  who  per- 
formed the  duty.  He  hid  his  gun  behind  a  tree,  and  traveled  in 
the  direction  of  New  Durham.  Possessing  a  desire  to  create  an 
excitement,  he  returned  after  a  time  with  a  sensational  report,  which 
made  full  as  much  bustle  and  turmoil  as  he  expected. 

General  Joseph  Orr  purchased  lands  in  Scipio  township  in  1831. 
In  the  month  of  May  1832,  he  came  to  take  charge  of  and  improve 
his  possessions,  which  were  situated  on  the  line  of  Scipio  and  Center, 
being  partly  in  both.  He  had  previously,  in  1827,  been  commis- 
sioned a  Brigadier  General,  by  Gov.  Ray,  and  being  present  when 
the  fort  was  building  and  the  stampede  took  place,  wrote  to  the 
governor  giving  him  an  account  of  what  had  happened,  and  then 
repaired  to  Chicago  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  whether  any  real 
danger  threatened  the  inhabitants  of  this  vicinitv.  There  he  had 
an  interview  with  Major  Whistler,  who  commanded  Fort  Dearborn. 
After  conference  with  that  gentleman,  he  made  certain  recommend- 
ations and  forwarded  them  to  the  governor  of  this  State,  and  then 
started  for  the  headquarters  of  General  Atkinson,  who  was  in  com- 
mand of  a  force  sent  against  the  Indians.  After  interviewing  Gen- 
eral Atkinson,  General  Orr  returned  to  Chicago,  where  he  received 
the  following  order : 

Executive  Department,  Indianapolis,  26th  June,  '32. 

Sir: — You  will,  upon  the  reception  of  this  order,  organize  a 
company  of  volunteer  Mounted  Rangers,  to  be  employed  along  the 
western  line  of  our  frontier,  for  the  term  of  three  months — keeping 
up  an  intercourse  between  our  Wabash  settlements  and  Chicago,  by 
selecting  suitable  stations  near  the  immediate  settlements,  and  keep- 
ing out  parties  of  observation  with  daily  communication. 


56  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

This  corps  you  will  either  take  command  of  yourself,  or  commit 
it  to  an  officer  to  be  selected  by  the  company,  with  the  understand- 
ing that  your  official  services  will  be  expected  in  your  division,  in 
the  event  that  a  call  is  made  from  the  United  States  officer  in  the 
Northwest,  on  the  militia  of  the  State. 

Provisions,  forage,  etc.,  you  will  provide  until  funds  are  provided 
for  that  purpose.  N.  Noble. 

To  Major  General  Joseph  Orr. 

Upon  the  receipt  of  the  above  order.  Gen.  Orr  proceeded  to  raise 
a,  company  of  eighty-eight  men,  including  officers,  and  reported  by 
letter,  first  "  to  the  commandant  at  Fort  Dearborn,  or  Indian  agent. 
Chicago,"  from  Kankakee,  under  date  of  July  7th,  1832.  and  after- 
wards from  Hickorv  creek,  Julv  tenth,  to  General  Winfield  Scott. 
The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  from  General  Orr  to  Gen- 
eral Scott : 

"Sir: — I  herewith  enclose  a  copy  of  an  order  from  the  governor 
of  Indiana,  under  which  a  company  of  rangers  has  been  raised,  and 
placed  on  the  line  between  the  Wabash  and  Chicago. 

In  pursuance  of  that  order,  volunteers  were  called  for  to  rendez- 
vous at  Attica,  Indiana,  on  the  second  instant,  and  at  which  place 
a  company  was  organized  as  follows,  to-wit : 

Joseph  Orr,  commandant. 

Eliakim  Ashton.  first  lieutenant. 

Jesse  Davidson,  second    lieutenant. 

Henry  Slabens,  third  lieutanant.  and  eighty-four  non-commis- 
sioned officers  and  privates. 

VYe  marched  from  Attica  on  the  evening  of  the  third,  and  read 
the  Iroquois  (Hubbert's  trading  house)  on  the  fifth  instant.  I  left 
a  small  corps  of  observation,  fourteen  in  number,  under  command 
of  Lieutenant  Davidson.  With  the  balance  of  the  company.  I 
reached  this  place  on  yesterday.  To-day  I  Bent  a  detachment  to 
the  Door  Prairie,  from  which  they  will  return  by  the  way  of  Kan- 
kakee  and  Iroquois  rivers,  and  be  in  camp  in  five  or  six  da; 
Meantime  we  shall  traverse  the  country  in  different   directions    with 

■ 

other  detachments,  so  that  at  the  end  of  a  week.  I  hope  to  be  able 
to  render  a  satisfactory  account  of  things  along  the  line  committed 
to  our  charge. 


SCIPIO    TOWNSHIP.  57 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

Joseph  Orr, 

Commander  Corps  Ind.  Mounted  Volunteer  Rangers. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  General  Scott's  reply: 

Headquarters  Northwestern  Army,  ) 

Chicago,  July  2, 1832.  J 

*1*  *i*  *4»  ""i*  ^*  *£?  *JL? 

JjS  <(^  ^*  ^*  ^*  *T*  *T* 

I  rely  upon  your  zeal  and  patriotism  to  quiet  all  apprehensions 
among  your  men,  for  their  safety  against  cholera.  As  soon  as  I 
shall  be  able  to  separate  the  sick  from  the  healthy,  on  board  the 
several  steamers,  and  be  certain  that  there  will  be  no  danger  of  a 
further  spread  of  cholera,  I  shall  want  to  commence  operations,  and 
then  your  mounted  men  will  be  of  great  value  to  the  service. 

Let  me  hear  from  you  if  you  have  anything  interesting  to 
communicate. 

In  haste,  I  remain,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

,  Winfield  Scott. 

To  Gen.  Orr,  Commanding  Indiana  Volunteer  Rangers. 
Much  correspondence  passed  between  General  Scott,  and  Captain 
Orr,  and  the  following  is  given   as  showing    the   purpose    of  the 
commanding  general,  and  his  estimate  of  the  Indiana  company  of 
Mounted  Rangers. 

Headquarters  Northwestern  Army,  ~| 

Chicago,  July  20,  1832.  / 

Sir: — I  wrote  to  you  the  day  before  yesterday  by  Lieutenant  Tup- 
per  of  the  United  States  Marines,  who  happened  to  be  passing 
towards  your  camp. 

I  have  now  to  acknowledge  vour  communication  of  the  nine- 
teenth,  which  is  satisfactory.  I  have  no  doubt  that  your  fine 
company  will  do  honor  to  the  state  of  Indiana,  and  the  country 
generally,  if  it  should,  under  your  command,  come  in  contact  with 
the  enemy. 

I  still  think  of  marching  upon  the  immediate  theatre  of  opera- 
ations  about  the  twenty-sixth,  and  shall  wish  you  to  accompany  me 
with  your  command.  Having  no  hope  that  any  other  detachment 
of  regular  infantry  will  arrive,  I  shall  only  have  Maj.  Whistler's 
small  command  of  uninfected,  and  unsuspected  troops  to  accom- 
pany me. 

Gen.  Atkinson,  on  the  seventeenth,  was  preparing  to  march 
again  upon  the  enemy  with  some  hope  of  bringing  him  to  action 
about  the  twenty-first.     If  the  Black  Hawk  succeed  in  avoiding  a 


58  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

battle  he  may  retreat  from  Milwalky  along  the  lake  Michigan  in 
this  direction.  In  that  event  we  might  meet  him,  and  though  our 
force  would  be  small,  we  might,  nevertheless,  effect  something. 

I  have  only  four  tents  here.  Four  hundred  and  fifty  were  to 
have  followed  in  one  of  the  steam  boats  now  no  longer  expected, 
and  I  have  no  surgeon  for  the  field.  I  am  glad  to  learn  that  you 
have  a  few  tents  for  your  own  men,  and  a  good  physician  or  sur- 
geon. I  can  furnish  you  with  baggage  wagons,  and  shall  order  sub- 
sistence to  follow  us  from  this  place;  nevertheless  it  will  be  desirable 
that  you  take  from  your  camp,  rations  for  three  or  five  days.  We 
will  meet  on  the  route,  say  within  four  or  five  miles  of  this  place. 
But  I  shall  send  an  officer  down  to  you  to  arrange  all  those  points. 

About  the  twenty-sixth,  then,  I  wish  you  to  have  your  whole 
company  assembled  ready  to  march,  and  in  the  meantime  let  me 
hear  from  you.  I  only  wait  till  then  in  hope  that  tents  and  a  phy- 
sician may  arrive,  and  for  wagons  and  horses  which  I  know  will  be 
here. 

I  remain  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

Winfield  Scott. 

P.  S.  The  cholera  is  subsiding  fast  in  the  fort,  and  many  of  the 
sick  are  getting  well ;  but  on  account  of  your  volunteers,  and  those 
with  General  Atkinson,  I  shall  not  take  a  man  of  the  detachment 
that  has  had  the  disease.      We  all  here  believe  it  not  contagious. 

w.  s. 

Capt.  Jos.  Orr,  Commanding  Indiana  Mounted  Ranger-. 
Camp  Hickory  Creek. 
The  movement  of   Gen.    Scott   and  his   command   did  nut  take 
place    as    contemplated,    owing  probably   to   the   retreat   of  Black 
Hawk  to  the  Mississippi,  and  on  the  fourth   day   of  August   Gen. 
Orr  wrote  to  the  Commanding  officer  at  Fort  Dearborn  as  follow- : 

Camp  at  Hickory  Cheek,  August  4,  183:2. 

Sir: — I  wish  you  to  send  me  by  the  bearer.  Mr.  Edmuodson,  a 

sergeant  of  my  company,  for  the  use  of  the  company,  one  keg  of 
rifle  powder.  It  would  be  preferred  in  canisters  if  convenient.  We 
camp  to-night  on  the  lake  shore  some  six  miles  from  Chicago. 
Have  taken  this  trip  in  order  to  lessen  the  dulness  of  a  camp  and 
will  return  probably  to-morrow. 

Having  been  disappointed  in  even  a  prospect  of  seeing  the  enemy, 
we  have  no  desire  to  continue  in  service  for  the  mere  pay  of  sol- 
diers, and  therefore  would  be  pleased  witli  tin-  earliest  intimation 
that  our  services  could  be  dispensed  with.     I  have  written   to  Gov. 


SCIPIO    TOWNSHIP.  59 

Noble  to  that  effect  and  hope  the  step  will  receive  your  approbation 
and  that  of  the  commanding  general  in  the  Northwest,  as  well  as 
your  aid  in  effecting  it.  In  the  event  of  our  discharge  please  say 
what  disposition  you  would  have  us  make  of  the  public  property  in 
our  possession.         I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
Joseph  Orr,  Commanding 
Company  Indiana  Mounted  Volunteer  Rangers. 

The  company  was  soon  after  disbanded,  as  appears  from  the  fol- 
lowing letter  of  Gov.  Noble,  to  Gen.  Orr,  which  also  shows  the 
result  of  the  war. 

Indianapolis,  Ind.,  August  6, 1832. 

Dear  Sir  : — The  LaFayette  mail  of  Saturday,  brought  me  your 
letter  of  the  twenth-ninth,  and  that  of  the  eighteenth  instant  was 
handed  me  by  Mr.  Bryant. 

The  enemy  having  fled  beyond  the  Mississippi,  and  an  army 
under  a  skillful  general  being  in  possession  of  the  country  between, 
the  frontier  is  entirely  secure  from  an  approach  of  a  hostile  charac- 
ter ;  you  will  therefore  withdraw  the  company  under  your  command 
from  their  present  position,  and  upon  reaching  a  suitable  point,  dis- 
band it. 

I  regret  exceedingly  that  the  boys  have  not  had  an  opportunity 
to  achieve  more,  but  as  circumstances  forba'le  it,  you  must  all  return, 
content  with  the  reflection  that  you  were  ready  to  meet  danger, 
have  done  your  duty,  and  that  your  fellow  citizens  approve  your 
conduct,  so  far  as  you  have  been  permitted  to  act. 

I  am,  sir,  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

N.  Noble. 

This  alarm,  by  which  it  was  supposed  the  cruelties  of  Indian  war- 
fare would  be  visited  upon  the  infant  settlements  of  LaPorte 
county,  was  occasioned  by  the  supposition  that  the  Sac  Indians 
would  retreat  into  Canada  instead  of  going  beyond  the  Mississippi, 
and  as  their  trail  passed  through  the  county,  the  peril  appeared  to 
be  imminent. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  the  township  of  Scipio  settled  up  more 
rapidly  than  before,  and  during  the  fall  of  1832,  many  settlers 
moved  into  the  township.  Arthur  McClure  was  elected  justice  of 
the  peace  this  year.  During  these  early  times,  Rev.  James  Arm- 
strong preached  at  different  houses  in  the  township,  and,  either  this 
year  or  the  following,  his  example  was  followed  by  Revs.  Sherwood, 
St.  Clair  and  Holmes. 


60  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

A  man  lived  in  this  town  during  this  period  by  the  name  of 
Shadney  or  Chaudonia.  He  was  of  mixed  Pottawatomie  and 
French  blood,  and  had  come  here  from  Detroit.  When  the  Michi- 
gan road  was  proposed  from  Madison,  on  the  Ohio  river  to  Michi- 
gan City — two  hundred  and  seventy  miles — the  Indians  had  agreed 
to  relinquish  their  title  to  one  section  of  land  for  each  mile  that  was 
built  through  their  country.  The  State  construed  the  agreement  to 
mean  one  section  per  mile,  for  the  entire  length  of  the  road.  The 
Indians  hearing  that  such  would  be  the  interpretation,  became 
quite  indignant,  and  were  about  preventing  the  surveyors  from 
running  out  anv  more  land.  Shadnev's  influence  with  them  was 
very  great  and  his  services  were  brought  into  requisition.  He  pro- 
cured an  ox,  a  quantity  of  whisky  was  furnished,  a  barbecue  and  a 
drunken  spree  was  the  consequence,  in  which  a  large  number  of 
Indians  participated,  and  the  affair  passed  by  without  any  further 
trouble.  For  his  services  in  this  matter,  the  United  States  govern- 
ment gave  him  a  patent  of  section  twenty-eight.  It  may  well  be  a 
query  at  this  time  whether  the  authorities  of  the  general  govern- 
ment would  feel  warranted  in  rewarding  any  person  for  getting 
Indians  drunk,  no  matter    what  the  advantages    accruing  might  be. 

Gen.  Orr  sent  for  this  man  Shadnev,  and  consulted  him  when 
the  fort  was  built  at  Door  Village,  as  to  the  probabilities  of  the  Sac 
Indians  following  their  old  trail.  He  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that 
they  would  not,  and  future  events  justified  his  conclusion. 

Many  reports  not  creditable  to  the  reputation  of  Chaudonia  have 
been  circulated.  It  is  difficult  to  determine  at  this  day  just  how 
much  truth  there  may  be  in  them.  He  is  said  to  have  had  an  Indi- 
an wife,  having-  left  a  white  wife  at  Detroit,  and  that  after  the  death 
of  the  Indian  woman,  the  lawful  wife  came  on  from  Detroit.  He 
had  great  influence  with  the  Indians,  which  the  government  after- 
wards recognized.  In  1835  or  1836  he  removed  to  St.  Joseph 
county,  where  his  widow  and  some  of  his  descendants  still  reside. 
In  regard  to  the  charges  which  have  been  made  against  him,  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  a  distinguished  citizen  of  South  Bend,  who  has 
been  many  years  a  clerk  in  the  General  Land  Office  at  Washington, 
will  be  found  interesting. 

Washington,  D.  C,  May  20,  1875. 


I  no   TOWNSHIP.  61 

//  n.  Jasp<  r  Packard: 

Sir  :     I  have  been  much  pleased,  in  reading  from  time  to  time, 
your    very  Interesting   reminiscences  of  the  early  days   in  LaPorte 

mty,    as     published    in     your    valuable     paper,    the     LaPorte 
Chronicle. 

The  object  of  this  letter  however,  is  to  notice  an  item  in  your  re- 
miniscences of  Scipio  township,  in  LaPorte  county,  published  in 
your  issue  of  the  17th  of  November,  1874,  in  relation  to  a  Mr. 
"Shadney,"  who  "lived  on  section  twenty-eight."  Your  notice  of 
him  does  not  leave  a  very  favorable  impression  of  his  moral  char- 
acter. I  shall  not  undertake  to  speak  of  his  character  prior  to  my 
knowledge  of  him  in  L883,  the  year  1  moved  into  St.  Joseph  coun- 
tv.  but  more  particularly  of  his  history  as  a  soldier  and  eo-worker 
in  behalf  of  the  United  States,  in  the  early  Indian  and  British  wars 
in  the  northwest  territory. 

■ 

His   name    as  known  among    the   Indian-  was    Shaderny,  but   his 
proper  name  was  .John  B.  Chaudonia. 

The  section  of  land  number  twenty-eight,  referred  to,  was  allot- 
ted to  him  by  the  treaty  with  the  Pottawatomie  Indians,  held  on 
the  Tippecanoe  River  October  26th,  1832.  This  section  was  after- 
wards sold  by  him  to  George  W.  Allen  and  Reuben  Allen,  to  whom 
the  deed  was  approved  by  the  President  June  15,  1844.  After  the 
sale  of  the  land,  which  was  made  soon  after  the  treaty,  Mr.  Chau- 
donia settled  near  South  Bend,  in  St.  Joseph  county,  where  I  knewr 
him  in  1833  and  up  to  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1837.  At  the 
time  of  my  acquaintance  with  him  his  ••white"  wife  was  then  with 
him,  by  whom  he  had  two  children,  Charles  B.,  and  Mary  L.;  both 
are  now  dead.  Mary  married  a  Frenchman  bv  the  name  of  Breset, 
and  had  three  children,  one  of  whom.  Edward,  I  knew  well.  He 
served  faithfully  in  the  late  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  was  severely 
wounded.  Charles  B.,  is  also  dead:  he  also  left  children,  one  of 
whom,  Charles  T.,  was  also  in  the  late  war,  of  the  rebellion  and 
served  faithfully  to  the  end  of  the  war  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged. Both  of  these  grandchildren  now  live  in  South  Bend,  and 
with  the  latter,  his  grandmother,  the  widow  of  John  B.  Chaudonia, 
is  now  living  at  an  advanced  age,  highly  respected. 

After    the   death  of  John  B.  Chaudonia,    his  widow,    Mary  B. 


62  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Chaudonia,  petitioned  Congress  to  pass  an  act.  granting  her  and  two 
children  one  section  of  land  for  services  rendered  by  her  husband 
to  the  United  States  during  the  late  war,  the  war  of  1832.  After 
some  delay  a  report  was  finally  made  May  11.  1846,  in  her  favor. 
The  report  is  as  follows  : 

"  The  Committee  on  Public  Lands,  to  which  was  referred  the 
petition  of  Mary  L.  Chaudonia,  of  the  county  of  St.  Joseph.  Indi- 
ana, praying  Congress  to  pass  an  act  granting  to  her  and  her  two 
children  a  section  of  land,  for  services  rendered  by  her  husband  to 
the  United  States  prior  to  and  during  the  late  war,  have  had  the 
same  under  consideration,  and  now  report : 

That,  from  the  petition  and  papers  in  this  case,  it  appears  that, 
upon  the  petition  of  John  B.  Chaudonia,  a  half  breed  Pottawatomie 
Indian,  the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs  in  the  Senate,  in  1832. 
reported  a  bill  granting  a  section  of  land  to  the  petitioner,  in  con- 
sideration of  his  services  rendered  to  the  United  States  during  the 
late  war,  but  upon  which  no  further  action  iitia  heeii  La  I. 

Previous  to  the  late  war,  at  the  massacre  oi  the  '."Kites  by  the 
Indians  at  Chicago,  where  an  indiscriminate  butchery  oi  thcu:  i  •"•:: 
place,  without  regard  to  age  or  sex,  Chaudonia,  by  his  human  j  ex- 
ertions, saved  the  life  of  the  captain  in  command  at  this  post,  and 
the  life  of  the  captain's  lady  also.  He  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
United  States  at  the  commencement  of  our  difficulties  with  Great 
Britain,  and  continued  in  the  service  of  this  country  (with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  months  while  he  was  in  a  British  prison)  until  the 
close  of  the  war ;  and,  after  the  war  was  ended,  he  rendered  very 
important  services  to  the  United  States  on  different  occasions. 

Chaudonia,  at  the  commencement  of  the  late  war.  being  young, 
active,  enterprising,  and  daring — understanding  well  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  Indians — being  well  skilled  in  their  mode  of 
warfare,  admitted  into  their  secret  councils,  and  possessing  an  influ- 
ence over  them  that  tio  one  else,  who  favored  the  American  cause, 
did — all  these  circumstances  combined  gave  him  the  power  of  ren- 
dering: to  the  United  States  greater  services  than  anv  one  else  at 
that  time,  which  he  at  no  time  omitted  to  exercise  when  it  was 
necessarv  to  save  either  the  lives  of  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  or  their  property,  from  destruction.     During  the  existence 


SCIPIO   TOWNSHIP.  63 

of  the  war  his  life  was  devoted  to  our  cause,  and  his  property  freely 
sacrificed  for  the  safety  and  protection  of  our  citizens. 

Since  the  death  of  the  said  John  B.  Chaudonia,  which  occurred 
in  the  year  1837,  his  widow,  for  herself  and  children,  petitions 
Congress  to  pass  an  act  granting  to  them  a  section  of  land,  for  and 
in  consideration  of  the  services  rendered  by  her  late  husb&ucl  io  the 
United  States. 

The  committee  being  well  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  all  the  facts 
above  stated — regretting  that  so  just  a  claim  should  have  been  so 
long  neglected, .  thereby  permitting  the  widow  and  children  of  so 
meritorious  a  man  to  drag  out  life  in   penury  and  want — hereby 

report  a  bill  for  their  relief,  and  recommend  its  passage  without 
delay. 

The  above  report  was  accompanied  by  a  letter  from  the  late 
Gen.  Lewis  Cass,  addressed  to  the  Hon.  A.  S.  White,  then  our 
senator  in  Congress.     The  letter  will  speak  for  itself,  as  follows  : 

"Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  8,  1843. 

Sir  :  In  answer  to  your  letter,  I  beg  leave  to  state  that  I  know 
J.  B.  Chaudonia  well.  He  served  many  years  under  my  orders 
both  in  peace  and  war,  and  in  trying  circumstances  rendered  great 
services  to  the  United  States. 

Some  of  the  events  of  his  life  were  almost  romantic,  and  at  all 
times  he  was  firm  and  faithful,  Could  I  give  you  an  exact  narra- 
tion of  all  he  did,  there  would  be  a  unanimous  conviction  in  Con- 
gress that  something  should  be  done  for  his  family,  which  I  under- 
stand is  destitute ;  but  the  subject  has  passed,  in  a  great  degre  from 

my  memory,  and  I  must  content  myself  with  a  few  prominent 
facts. 

Chaudonia  was  a  half-breed  Pottawatomie.     His  uncle,  Topene- 

bee,  was  the  chief  of  the  tribe,  and  was  an  old  man  of  great  in- 
fluence. 

From  the  commencement  of  our  difficulties  with  Great  Britain, 
Chaudonia  espoused  our  cause,  notwithstanding  the  exertions  of  the 
British  agents  to  seduce  him  to  their  interest,  as  he  was  an  active, 
fearless  young  man,  with  connection  in  the  tribe;  they  were  ex- 
ceedingly desirous  to  gain  him,  but  their  efforts  were  useless. 
From  the  first  to  the  last  he  never  swerved  in  his  attachment.     He 


64  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

was  present  at  the  massacre  of  the  garrison  of  Chicago,  where  I 
have  always  understood  he  saved  the  life  of  Captain  Heald,  the 
commanding  officer,  and  the  lives  of  others  also. 

He  was  apprehended  by  the  British,  and  imprisoned  at  Maiden, 
whence  he  escaped — a  party  was  sent  in  pursuit  of  him  headed  by 
his  uncle,  a  Canadian.     He  killed  his  uncle  and  fled  into  the  Indian 
country. 

Here  he  exerted  his  influence  for  us,  and  induced  Topenebee  and 
other  Pottawatomie  chiefs  to  come  to  the  council  of  Greenville  in 
1834.  which  was  held  by  General  Harrison  and  myself,  and  where 
a  peace  was  made  which  detached  many  Indians  from  the  British 
interest. 

From  Greenville  he  accompanied  me  to  Detroit,  for  which  place 
I  marched  a  considerable  force  of  Indians  for  the  relief  of  that  fron- 
tier, which  was  then  suffering  from  the  invasion  of  hostile  Indians. 
I  had  no  white  troops  with  me,  and  my  position  was  therefore  dif- 
ficult and  dangerous. 

Chaudonia  conducted  himself  with  great  energy  and  propriety, 
and  rendered  me  the  most  essential  service. 

I  believe  he  was  in  the  various  engagements  on  the  northwestern 
frontier,  and,  I  think,  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames. 

He  attended  the  treaties  for  the  purchase  of  land,  and  always 
aided  the  commissioners  in  their  efforts,  and  I  can  say  from  person- 
al knowledge  that  General  Harrison  had  the  same  opinion  of  him 
that  I  had,  and  I  have  no  doubt,  were  he  alive,  he  would  with 
pleasure  bear  witness  to  the  good  conduct  and  fidelity  of  Chaudonia. 

With  great  respect,  I  am  Sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

Lewis  Cass. 

Hon.  A.  S.  White,  U.  S.  Senate." 

Accordingly  a  bill  was  passed  which  was  approved  March  3, 
1847,  granting  a  half  section  to  the  widow,  Mary  L.  Chaudonia, 
and  one  quarter  section  each  to  Charles  B.  Chaudonia  and  Mary 
L.  Breset,  children  of  said  Marv  L.  and  John  B.  Chaudonia. 

I  write  this  for  the  purpose  of  placing  an  old  and  respected  resi- 
dent of  LaPorte  county,  and  also  of  St.  Joseph  county,  properly 
before  the  public,  and  trust  it  may  find  a  place  in  your  valuable 
collection  of  reminiscences.  Truly  Yours, 

Charles  M.  Heaton. 


SCIPIO   TOWNSHIP.  6& 

The  first  school  in  tha  township  was  taught  by  Caroline  Holmes, 
in  the  year  1833.  It  was  in  a  log  school  house  on  the  southeast 
edge  of  Door  Village  grove,  on  the  lands  of  Arba  Heald,  and  now 
owned  by  Daniel  Kimball.  In  the  winter  following,  it  was  taught 
by  a  man  named  Good. 

In  1835,  Avery  Freeman,  Aaron  Kidder,  Levi  Black,  Alva 
Mason  and  T.  B.  Cole  came  from  Washington  county,  New  York,, 
and  settled  in  Scipio. 

In  1836,  Asaph  Webster,  who  resided  in  Noble,  on  section  six,  built 
a  saw  mill.  It  was  on  Mill  creek,  in  the  southwest  part  of  Scipio, 
and  within  about  five  rods  of  the  township  line.  This  is  the  only 
mill  of  which  there  is  any  account,  and  the  old  settlers  say  there 
has  been  no  other. 

The  only  town  in  Scipio  township  is 

DOOR  VILLAGE. 

It  seems  to  have  been  laid  out  in  1836.  It  is  located  on  the 
school  section  (sixteen),  and  the  sub-division  was  made  under  the 
direction  of  the  County  Commissioners.  It  is  pleasantly  located 
on  Door  Prairie,  in  the  midst  of  a  rich  farming  country ;  but  the 
business  of  the  place  is  now  less  than  it  was  many  years  ago,  its 
vicinity  to  LaPorte  causing  it  to  fall  behind  in  the  competition  for 
business  patronage.  The  following  exhibit  will  give  a  fair  idea  of 
the  business  of  the  place  from  the  beginning. 

The  first  cabin  built  in  Door  Village,  was  by  Welsh  and  his  son, 
who  sold  intoxicating  liquor  to  the  Indians  in  1830.  In  the  spring 
of  1832,  Arba  Heald  built  a  cabin  in  what  is  now  the  village.  The 
Methodist  church  was  built  in  1833.  It  was  a  frame  building,  and 
the  Rev.  James  Armstrong  was  the  first  man  who  preached  in  it. 
In  the  same  year,  Good  &  Homing  opened  a  store,  selling  dry 
goods  and  groceries.  They  continued  business  but  a  few  months. 
The  concern  successively  passed  through  the  hands  of  Morrison, 
Hoag,  Michael  O'Hara,  Willis  &  Robinson,  Closser,  and  Rose,  who 
discontinued  the  business  in  1862.  The  first  frame  house  was  built 
by  Mr.  Morrison,  in  1833.  Hiram  Parker  built  a  tavern.  It  has 
since  been  torn  down.  Theodore  Parker  commenced  wagon  mak- 
ing in  the  same  year.  WTm.  Harris  started  a  blacksmith  shop  in 
1834.     In  1835  a  man  by  the  name  of  Cobb,  carried  on  black- 

5 


Q6  HISTORY    OF,  LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

smithing.  Mr.  Branson  commenced  shoe  making  in  1836,  and 
continued  in  the  business  two  or  three  years.  Joseph  liar  wood  w 
a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  did  business  in  the  village.  In  1837. 
Dr.  Hall  moved  into  the  township.  He  bought  and  occupied  the 
property  now  owned  by  J.  B.  Higgins.  He  died  in  1838.  In 
this  year,  (1837)  John  and  William  Reed  started  a  blacksmith  shop. 
They  continued  business  a  your  or  a  little  more.  Hiram  Carter 
opened  a  grocery  store.  Nelson  Bennett  had  a  blacksmith  shop 
where  the  Methodist  parsonage  now  stands,  in  1838.  He  had  car- 
ried on  that  business  about  ten  years  in  the  village,  when  he  re- 
moved  to  Union  Mills.  George  Tower  started  the  business  of 
tailoring,  and  continued  from  1838  to  1840.  At  the  same  time 
Albert  Currier  who  was  brother  in-law  of  Tower,  was  engaged  in 
shoe  making.  During  this  year  (1838),  Orrin  Willis,  was  post- 
master, and  a  shoe  maker  named  Harmison,  commenced  business.  In 
1839  J.  B.  Higgins  commenced  shoe  making  and  continued  in  the 
business  fifteen  years.  The  same  year,  Dyer  Smith  started  a  black- 
smith and  wagon  shop,  as  did  also  Bigsbee  k  Co..  who  continued  it 
about  a  year.  Mr.  Higgins  was  afterwards  justice  of  the  peace, 
and  was  postmaster  several  years,  when  he  finally  resigned  and  Mrs. 
Cooley  was  appointed  in  1874. 

In  1840  Chester  Heald  carried  on  a  foundry  and  made  iron  cast- 
ings of  various  kinds.  He  also  manufactured  thrashing  machines. 
In  the  same  year  Joseph  Austin  had  a  spinning  wheel  manufactory, 
and  in  it  a  lathe  for  turning  wood,  which  he  run  by  means  of  two 
dogs.  He  sold  out  to  Samuel  Hall.  This  year  the  Baptist  church 
was  built,  and  Elder  Spaulding  was  the  first  pastor.  Greorge  and 
William  Parkinson  carried  the  mail  from  LaPorte  to  Valparaiso  for 
many  years.  1852  N.  P.  Huckins  put  up  an  establishment  and 
made  fanning  mills.  In  1847  Samuel  Hall  opened  a  tavern  on  the 
south  side  of  the  road.  In  1<S41>  Samuel  Cox  built  a  very  good 
tavern,  which  burned  down  the  next  year.  At  the  sanu-  time  John 
Parkinson  commenced  the  business  of  wagon  making  and  black- 
smithing.  Nathan  Thurber  commenced  shoe  making  and  continued 
in  the  business  four  or  five  years.  Leland  Lockwood  commenced 
blaeksmithing  and  wagon  making  in  lSoo.  and  J.  B.  Higgins  opened 
a    small  store,  the    same  year.     In   1855    Samuel  Hall    built  the 


SCIPIO   TOWNSHIP.  67 

tavern  now  occupied  by  Mathew  Riley.  In  1864  Mr.  Smith  com- 
menced making  bed  mattresses.  In  1869  Thomas  Doyle  com- 
menced blacksmithing.  In  1870  Claus  Peterson  opened  a  shoe 
shop  to  which  he  has  added  a  small  store. 

Others  who  settled  early  in  this  township  were  'Joseph  Osborn 
and  Wm.  Adams,  who  came  in  1830 ;  Elijah  Brown,  John  Broad- 
head,  Peter  White,  and  Mr.  Melville,  who  all  came  in  the  year 
1832,  or  prior  thereto ;  Elmore  Pattee  who  settled  in*1833 ;  N.  W. 
Closser,  and  Isaac  S.  Evans,  who  came  in  1834;  also  Irwin,  Mason 
and  McCray  in  the  same  year;  Aaron  Kidder  in  1835;  Lewis  A. 
Wilkinson  in  1836.  Jacob  R.  Hall,  whose  death  recently  occurred, 
settled  in  1833,  having  come  from  Cass  county. 

Some  of  the  leading  citizens  in  point  of  the  number  of  years  they 
have  lived  in  the  township,  are  James  Forrester,  and  Samuel 
Harvey,  who  have  been  members  of  the  State  Legislature,  as  was 
also  Jacob  R.  Hall,  in  1855;  Wm.  A.  Banks,  Joseph  McLellan, 
Alexander  and  Henry  P.  Crane,  Daniel  Kimball,  D.  P.  Shoemaker, 
John  W.  Andrew,  S.  K.  Pottinger,  W.  B.  Hammond,  Alexander 
Van  Pelt,  Chas.  Knott,  A.  C.  Hall,  C.  Simmons,  Andrew  McLel- 
lan, C.  N.  Evans,  and  A.  J.  Rogers. 

These  represent  but  a  few  of  the  present  population  which  com- 
prises an  intelligent  and  enterprising  people.  Occupying  as  they 
do  one  of  the  richest  portions  of  land  in  the  county,  the  whole  of  it 
convenient  to  a  market  at  LaPorte,  they  are  a  highly  favored  com- 
munity, and  will  no  doubt  continue  to  improve  in  wealth,  intelli- 
gence, enterprise,  and  all  the  comforts,  and  even  luxuries  of  civilized 
fiel. 


68  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP. 

New  Durham  township  is  one  of  the  original  three  which  formed 
the  county  when  organized,  and  it  then  embraced  all  of  range  four, 
within  the  limits  of  LaPorte  county.  Since  then  its  territory  has 
been  diminished  to  form  Coolspring  and  Michigan  on  the  north, 
and  Clinton,  Cass  and  Dewey  on  the  south.  It  now  occupies  con- 
gressional township  thirty-six,  the  civil  township  being  commensu- 
rate with  the  congressional,  that  is,  exactly  six  miles  square.  This 
township  was  named  by  Miriam  Benedict,  mother  of  Levi  J.  Bene- 
dict, who  chose  for  it  the  name  of  the  place  of  her  nativity.  Dur- 
ham, Greene  county,  New  York.  The  first  settlers  were  the  Bene- 
dict family ;  Henly  Clyburn,  who  had  married  Sarah  Benedict  in 
Illinois,  and  Thomas  Clyburn.  This  was  the  first  white  family  that 
settled  in  the  county.  It  is  possible  that  there  mav  have  been 
trappers,  hunters  or  traders  before  them,  but  they  were  not  settlers, 
and  removed  as  soon  as  game  became  scarce,  and  the  land  was  cleared 
up.  Xone  of  these  had  their  families  with  them,  or  if  so,  they  had 
Indian  wives,  and  were  more  nearly  identified  with  the  aborigines 
than  the  white-. 

Stepen  S.  Benedict,  together  with  Miriam  Benedict  his  wife,  and 
his  children,  Joseph  H.  Benedict,  Alpha  M.  Benedict,  Levi  J.  Ben- 
edict, John  K.  Benedict.  Holland  Benedict.  James  W.  Benedict 
and  Sarah  Benedict,  migrated  from  Durham,  Greene  county.  Xew 
York,  in  the  year  1827,  and  moved  to  Illinois.  They  stopped  a 
short  time  at  Chicago,  and  from  thence  moved  to  Ottowa.  where 
Stephen  S.  Benedict  died.  In  February  of  1>>^'.».  the  family  started 
for  Chicago.  They  remained  there  but  a  few  days,  when  they  re- 
sumed their  journey  in  an  easterly  direction,  and  arrived  in  Xew 
Durham  township  on  the  fifteenth  lay  of  March  1829,  accompanied 
bv  Henlv  Clyburn.  After  their  loner  and  tedious  journey  with  an 
ox  team,  the  snow  being  a  part  of  the  time  eighteen  inches  deep, 
they  encamped  about  sixty  rods  northerly  of  the  grounds  upon 
which  the  Westville  railroad  depot  now  stand-. 


NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP.  69 

Previous  to  their  arrival  at  this  point  the  little  company  had 
managed  to  send  i  ord  to  Pokagon  prairie,  in  Berrien  county,  Mich- 
igan, that  they  wanted  assistance  in  putting  up  a  log  cabin,  and  in 
accordance  with  such  request,  Samuel  Johnson  and  William  Eahart 
had  arrived  at  the  designated  point  a  day  before  the  party  encamp- 
ed. These  men  were  pleased  with  the  country,  and  after  assisting 
in  the  erection  of  a  couple  of  cabins,  went  back  to  Michigan  and 
returned  with  their  families  in  the  following  April,  bringing  Jacob 
Inglewright  with  them,  who  made  a  claim  of  the  farm  now  owned 
by  Hon.  C.  W.  Cathcart.  In  the  same  year  Charles  Whittaker 
and  James  Whittaker  settled  on  section  twenty-three.  Wm.  H. 
Shirley  came  the  same  year  with  his  family.  On  the  sixteenth  day 
of  July,  the  first  white  child  in  the  county  was  born.  It  was 
Elizabeth  Miriam  Clyburn,  daughter  of  Henly  and  Sarah  Clyburn. 

In  1830  Wm.  Garwood  entered  threu  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land  on  section  fourteen,  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Durham,  and 
moved  on  to  it  with  his  family.  A  large  number  of  Ottowa  and 
Pottawatomie  Indians  were  encamped  in  this  vicinity,  but  they  gave 
the  settlers  very  little  trouble.  They  bought  the  surplus  crops 
paying  for  them  in  furs,  etc.  These  were  converted  into  cash,  by 
sale  to  the  agents  of  the  American  Fur  Company.  With  this 
money  many  of  the  early  inhabitants  were  enabled  to  pay  the  gov- 
ernment for  their  lands,  when  thev  would  have  found  it  verv  diffi- 
cult  to  have  done  so  without  such  a  market.  Onlv  one  instance  is 
known  of  the  Indians  having  committed  any  depredations,  and  that 
was  the  killing  of  an  ox  belonging  to  Henly  Clyburn.  For  this  he 
eventually  received  the  cash,  by  having  it  stopped  out  of  their  annu- 
ities at  Chicago,  where  they  were  paid.  Some  idea  of  the  remoteness 
of  neighbors,  the  scarcity  of  stock,  and  the  consequent  inconvenience  of 
the  loss  of  the  ox  may  be  formed,  when  it  is  related  that  Clyburn  was 
obliged  to  solicit  the  loan  of  a  voke  of  oxen  from  the  Carev  mission, 
located  at  Niles,  Michigan,  in  order  to  make  up  a  breaking  team. 

Among  the  settlers  who  came  to  New  Durham  township  in  3  831 
was  Alden  Tucker,  who  settled  on  section  thirteen ;  but  this  was  a 
comparatively  dull  year  for  settlement  and  there  were  not  many 
arrivals.  The  vear  1832  witnessed  the  arrival  of  manv  more. 
Among  them  were  Josiah  Bryant  and  family,  Jeremiah   and  Jona- 


70  HISTORY    OF   LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

than  Sherwood,  Charles  Campbell,  and  Wilson  Malone.  In  this 
year,  Rev.  James  Armstrong,  the  pioneer  Methodist  preacher,  con- 
ducted the  first  religious  services  in  the  township.  It  was  in  this 
year  that  the  Black  Hawk  war  broke  out,  a  full  account  of  which, 
as  affecting  La  Porte  county  and  people,  is  given  in  connection  with 
the  history  of  Scipio  township. 

The  settlers  had  been  told  by  the  Ottawas  and  Pottawatomies 
that  "as  soon  as  the  leaves  on  the  trees  became  as  large  as  a  squir- 
rel's ear,"  it  was  the  intention  of  the  Sacs  to  invade  the  settlement 
and  murder  the  inhabitants.  During  the  month  of  May,  rumors 
came  from  Chicago  bringing  tidings  of  the  approach  of  their  ene- 
mies. The  settlers  left  their  homes  and  retreated  to  Door  Village, 
to  the  block  house,  where  they  stopped  until  all  appearance  of 
danger  was  passed.     They  then  returned  to  their  homes. 

During  this  year  the  land  sales  occurred  at  LaFayette.  There 
was  no  preemption  law,  and  settlers  had  much  difficulty  with  spec- 
ulators who  over-bid  them  when  the  land  was  exposed  at  public  sale. 
This  occurred  in  many  instances  where  the  settlers  had  expended 
all  their  means  in  making  improvements.  Much  of  the  land  thus 
situated  and  located  in  New  Durham,  went  as  high  as  five  or  six 
dollars  per  acre. 

On  the  first  day  of  January  1833,  Rachel  B.  Carter  opened  the 
first  school  ever  taught  in  the  township.  It  was  in  one  side  of  a 
double  log  cabin  on  the  farm  of  Wm.  Eahart,  on  section  twenty-two. 
She  had  eighteen  scholars.  Among  them  were  Levi  J.  Benedict, 
Wm.  Garwood,  and  several  by  the  names  of  Morgan  and  Eahart. 
In  November  1834,  she  married  a  man  named  Jacobus.  She  is  still 
living,  apparently  strong  and  healthy,  and  does  not  appear  so  old 
as  her  history  would  seem  to  indicate.  From  her  is  gathered  a  part 
of  the  facts  contained  in  this  narrative. 

When  Miss  Carter  was  teaching  this  school,  Indians  of  various 
ages  would  come  to  the  cabin,  wrapped  in  their  blankets,  and  stand 
for  hours  without  uttering  a  word  or  making  a  motion,  while  they 
gazed  curiously  at  the  proceedings.  Then  they  would  glide  away 
as  noiselessly  as  they  came.  L'pon  one  occasion,  an  Indian  woman 
called  "Twin  Squaw,"  informed  Rachel  that  the  Indians  intended 
to  kill  all  the  whites,  as  soon  as  the  corn   was  knee  high.     Rachel 


NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP.  71 

replied  that  the  white  people  were  well  aware  of  the  intentions  of 
the  Indians,  and  taking  up  a  handful  of  sand,  said  that  soldiers 
were  coming  from  the  East  as  numerous  as  its  grains  to  destroy 
the  Indians  before  the  corn  was  ankle  high.  The  next  morning 
there  were  no  Indians  to  be  found  in  the  vicinity,  and  it  was  several 
months  before  they  returned.  An  Indian  told  Rachel,  at  one  time, 
that  they  liked  a  few  whites  with  them  to  trade  with,  to  act  as 
interpreters,  and  that  they  learned  many  useful  things  of  them ; 
but  when  they  commenced  coming,  they  came  like  the  pigeons. 

The  aborigines  had  a  far  different  idea  of  propriety  from  that 
which  we  entertain.  They  had  a  burial  and  dancing  ground  north 
of  Petro's  grove,  upon  what  is  now  the  land  of  Lucas  Hixon.  As 
late  as  1835,  this  ground  was  made  use  of  for  the  purposes  named. 
During  this  year  a  specimen  of  Indian  justice  took  place,  which 
shows  that  they  had  a  very  clear  idea  of  what  attorneys  term 
"exemplary  damages."  An  Indian  had  chopped  a  tree  in  a  pigeon 
roost,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  "squabs,"  and  when  it  fell  it 
killed  a  pony  belonging  to  another  member  of  the  tribe.  A  coun- 
cil was  called,  and  after  a  great  deal  of  consultation,  and  all  the 
forms  relating  to  the  administration  of  justice  had  been  gone  through 
with,  a  decision  was  made  to  the  effect  that  the  carelessness  of  the 
offender  entitled  the  aggrieved  Indian  to  receive  two  ponies  in  the 
place  of  the  one  killed.  The  judgment  of  the  court  was  complied 
with.  There  were  no  writs  of  error,  no  supersedeas,  or  certiorari 
known  to  their  code,  and  the  same  court  had  both  original  and 
appellate  jurisdiction. 

The  Ottowas  and  Pottowatamies  were  anything  but  neat  and  clean 
in  their  habits,  and  in  their  culinary  department  they  exercised 
but  little  care.  James  M.  Ray,  an  old  settler,  relates  that  in  1836, 
there  were  some  five  hundred  of  them  camped  in  and  about  West- 
ville.  At  one  time  he  passed  a  party  of  them  who  had  captured  a 
turtle  and  a  coon.  The  former  wns  thrown  alive  upon  a  bed  of 
coals,  and  held  with  sticks  until  it  was  dead.  The  latter  was  put 
into  a  camp  kettle  ar.d  cooked  with  very  little  dressing.  The  In- 
dians insisted  that  Ray  should  partake  of  their  feast,  but  the  cook- 
ing excited  little  appetite  for  him. 

In  the  years  1834  and  1835  settlers  came  rapidly,  and  the  gov- 


72  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

<errimeut  land  was  nearly  or  quite  all  purchased.  In  1835,  Leonard 
Woods,  now  of  Michigan  City,  opened  a  store  at  Cathcart's  grove. 
He  sold  goods  on  credit  in  small  amounts,  to  supply  the  immediate 
wants  of  the  settlers ;  and  he  never  lost  a  dollar  from  having  trusted 
the  pioneers,  though  many  of  them  were  strangers  to  him. 

In  1836  an  inhabitant  of  New  Durham  named  Pelton,  started 
for  the  West  with  a  considerable  sum  of  money.  Soon  after  start- 
ing he  was  waylaid,  murdered  and  robbed.  A  man  named  Staves 
was  arrested  and  tried  for  the  crime,  and  being  found  guilty  he  was 
hung  at  Valparaiso,  the  murder  having  been  committed  in  Porter 
county. 

The  growth  of  the  township  was  not  confined  to  the  opening  of 
farms,  although  farming  was  the  leading  industry.  In  1839 
Israel  and  James  Jessup  built  a  saw  mill  which  was  the  first 
one  erected  in  the  township.  It  was  near  the  present  town  of  Otis. 
In  184-4  Henrv  Herrold  built  another  saw  mill  south  of  Otis.  It 
was  run  by  water,  and  the  site  is  now  owned  by  W.  F.  Cattron  k 
Co.  In  1815  Philander  Barnes  built  a  mill  about  a  mile  west  of 
Otis.  In  1852,  Capt.  Jo.  Davis  and  his  son,  Caleb  Davis,  built  a 
steam  saw  mill  in  New  Durham  township,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  north 
<of  the  village  of  New  Durham.  In  the  year  1854  or  1855.  ir  was 
sold  to  Wm.  S.  Medaris,  who  moved  it  to  a  point  near  the  railroad. 
It  now  belongs  to  the  Medaris'  heirs.  Other  industries  grew  up 
and  flourished;  but  they  existed  more  especially  in  the  villages,  and 
will  be  described  in  the  proper  place.  In  the  year  I860,  a  boy  * 
named  .^andon  was  drowned  in  a  pond  near  Medaris'  mill,  by  the 
sinking  of  a  canoe  in  which  he  and  another  boy  were  sailing.  The 
place  where  the  pond  was,  is  now  dry  land.  In  1867,  Patrick 
Daily  was  killed  by  Patrick  Dunn,  a  dispute  having  occurred 
between  them.  The  deed  was  performed  by  Dunn  having  struck 
Daily  with  a  wood  rack  stake.  Dunn  was  indicted  for  murder,  and 
tried  at  the  April  term  of  the  circuit  court  of  1868.  The  defense 
set  up  was  self-defense,  and  the  jury  rendered  a  verdict  of  "  Not 
guilty.'* 

Union  chapel,  the  first  place  for  religious  worship  in  the  township 
was  erected  in  1839,  on  section  thirty-four.  Prior  to  this  time 
public  religious  services  were  held  in   the  school  houses,  in  private 


NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP.  73 

houses,  and  sometimes  in  the  beautiful  groves  which  abound  in  the 
township.  In  the  month  of  May  1862,  a  most  remarkable  murder 
occurred  in  New  Durham  township,  about  a  mile  and  three-quarters 
north  of  Westville.  A  man  named  Fred.  Miller,  had  been  missing 
from  his  home  several  days,  and  his  dead  body  was  found  upon  the 
shores  of  Lake  Michigan.  He  had  evidently  been  murdered.  Mil- 
ler was  a  German,  and  some  of  his  countrymen  had  their  suspicions 
that  his  wife  was  a  party  to  the  deed,  and  they  hung  the  woman  a 
short  time,  for  the  purpose  of  extorting  a  confession.  She  told  them 
that  John  Poston  had  committed  the  murder  in  her  presence,  and 
had  promised  to  marry  her  if  she  would  not  denounce  him.  Poston 
was  arrested  and  brought  before  Alfred  Williams,  Esq.,  for  examin- 
ation on  the  thirty-first  day  of  May,  but  the  evidence  of  the  woman 
was  so  contradictory  and  unsatisfactorv  that  the  magistrate  felt 
constrained  to  acquit  him.     Poston  afterwards  joined  the  army. 

Near  New  Durham  there  are  two  mounds,  of  the  kind  con- 
structed by  the  former  inhabitants  of  this  continent.  They  were 
formerly,  within  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitants,  of  the  height 
of  six  feet,  but  from  being  cultivated  and  otherwise  disturbed,  are 
not  as  much  elevated  as  formerly,  though  plainly  .discernible. 

In  the  spring  of  18  [3,  Bugbee,  Luff  &  Palmer  commenced  build- 
ing a  paper  mill  on  Reynolds'  creek,  three  quarters  of  a  mile  west 
of  Otis,  on  the  L.  S.  &  M.  S.  railroad.  In  the  spring  of  1874, 
Mr.  Palmer  sold  out  his  interest  to  Daniel  Webster,  of  Illinois. 
During  the  last  summer,  Mr.  Bugbee  sold  out  to  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Owen.  H.  D.  Luff  purchased  Mr.  Webster's  interest  on  the  first 
of  September.  The  mill  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  Luff  and  Mrs.  Owen. 
It  is  doing  a  very  fine  business,  making  a  ton  of  straw  board  each 
■day.  A  little  village  is  springing  up  in  the  vicinity,  and  it  is  pos- 
sible that  the  local  historian  of  half  a  century  hence,  may  have  use 
for  this  item. 

Another  paper  mill  has  also  more  recently  been  built  near  Otis 
by  W.  F.  Cattron  and  others.  It  is  situated  on  a  branch  of  the 
Calumet,  on  the  L.  N.  A.  &  C.  railroad.  The  building  is  of  brick 
and  the  machinery  is  propelled  by  both  steam  and  watyr  power. 

In  this  township  there  are  four  villages,  Westville,  Otis,  Holmes- 
ville  and  New  Durham,  or  ''Pin  Hook,"  the  oldest  of  which  is 


74  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

NEW  DURHAM. 

As  early  as  the  year  1837,  this  place  had  grown  to  be  something 
of  a  village,  and  a  postoffice  was  established  with  Wm.  Taylor  as 
postmaster;  but  it  was  not  until  the  loth  day  of  April,  1847,  that 
a  plat  of  the  village  was  filed  in  the  office  of  the  county  recorder, 
by  Joseph  Davis. 

The  first  house  built  in  New  Durham  was  a  log  cabin  erected  for 
a  store,  by  Leonard  Woods  in  the  year  1834.  During  the  next 
year,  Hiram  Wheeler  and  Woods  were  in  partnership  in  the  mer- 
cantile business  in  that  place.  Woods  sold  out  to  William  Taylor, 
and  moved  to  Cathcart's  grove,  where  he  opened  another  store. 
Taylor  seld  out  to  Horner,  who  kept  it  ten  years.  Horner  s-ld  to 
Bill  Jennings.  In  the  year  1856,  A.  G.  Standiford  and  D.  C. 
Standiford  bought  the  concern.  This  partnership  continued  about 
one  year,  and  then  D.  C.  Standiford  continued  the  business  alone 
about  three  years,  after  which  he  sold  to  Asahel  Reynolds.  Rey- 
nolds sold  to  Henry  Cole,  who  continued  in  business  until  1863. 
The  store  was  then  discontinued. 

In  1837,  Henry  Harding  opened  and  kept  a  hotel  in  the  village, 
and  in  1838  Wm.  S.  Medaris  carried  on  a  wagon  manufactory,  and 
W.  B.  Webber  a  blacksmith  shop.  They  were  run  in  connection 
with  each  other,  and  were  upon  the  sites  now  occupied  by  Wm. 
Pathe  and  Michael  Burgher,  for  the  same  purpose.  In  the  fall  of 
1839,  James  Flood  and  Wm.  Johnson  opened  a  tailor  shop.  They 
succeeded  David  Christman. 

In  1843,  Richard  Smith  commenced  the  business  of  boot  and 
shoe  making  and  continued  it  until  1855.  In  1846  Dr.  A.  G. 
Standiford  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  in  the  town  and 
vicinity.  He  was  the  first  physician  who  resided  there.  In  1847 
a  church  was  built  in  New  Durham  by  the  Methodist  denomination, 
and  the  first  minister  was  Rev.  J.  J.  Cooper.  Rev.  Mr.  Parrott. 
previous  to  that  time,  had  conducted  religious  services  for  the 
Methodists. 

Archibald  McAllister  commenced  the  business  of  harness  making 
in  1846,  and  Capt.  Joseph  Davis  opened  a  store  in  1847,  but  going 
the  next  year  to  California,  the  store  was  closed  in  1849.  About 
this  time  Daniel  Pangborn  commenced  blacksmithing. 


NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP.  75 

Wm.  B.  Webber  bought  out  Wm.  S.  Medaris'  wagon  shop  in 
1850,  and  carried  it  on  four  years.  He  at  the  same  time  bought 
out  Amos  Perrin's  blacksmith  shop.  In  the  year  1852,  he  manu- 
factured one  hundred  and  fourteen  wagons  and  buggies,  and 
mounted  three  hundred  steel  plows. 

In  1854,  a  frame  school  house  was  built  in  New  Durham,  which 
has  since  been  replaced  by  a  substantial  building  of  brick.  In  this 
year  also  the  postoffice  was  removed  from  New  Durham  to  Beaver 
Dam,  and  Sylvester  Goff  was  appointed  postmaster.  This  was  an 
indication  of  the  decline  of  New  Durham,  and  the  railroad  having 
reached  Westville,  the  pioneer  town  of  the  township  ceased  to  be  a 
place  of  any  importance.  Many  of  its  buildings  have  been  moved 
away.  Some  of  them  have  gone  to  Westville.  and  some  are  used 
for  farm  houses.  Though  the  town  is  gone,  the  rich  lands  of  the 
prairie  remain,  a  constant  source  of  wealth. 

During  the  days  of  her  prosperity  New  Durham  had  a  rival.  At 
the  crossing  of  the  old  Chicago  road  and  plank  road,  at  the  head  of 
Flood's  grove,  little  more  than  a  half  mile  distant,  John  Arm- 
strong opened  a  very  good  dry  goods  and  grocery  store,  and  Henry 
Herrold  a  blacksmith  shop.  For  a  lon^  time  there  was  considerable 
jealousy  between  the  inhabitants  of  the  two  places.  The  citizens 
of  the  Flood's  grove  settlement  gave  New  Durham  the  cognomon  of 
"Pinhook,"  and  the  good  people  of  the  latter  place  retorted  by 
naming  the  settlement  of  their  neighbors.     '•  Squatham." 

Reckoning  from  the  time  when  the  first  house  was  built,  the  next 
oldest  town  in  New  Durham  township  is 

HOLMESVILLE. 

This  place  was  laid  out  upon  the  lands  of  of  Hiram  Holmes.  The 
plat  was  filed  for  record  on  the  second  day  of  October,  1855.  It  is 
described  as  being  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  southeast  quarter 
of  section  four,  township  thirty-six,  north  of  range  four  west. 

In  the  year  1833,  Jacob  Bryant  built  a  saw  mill  where  that  of 
Henry  Larry  now  stands.  He  also  built  the  first  dwelling  house, 
which  was  a  frame,  the  boards  being  sawed  out  at  the  mill.  The 
house  is  now  occupied  by  John  Moorman. 

After  this  no  other  building  was  erected  until  after  the  location 
of  the  railroad  in  1850.     In  that  year  Mr.  Prosser  built  a  part  of 


76  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

the  house  now  occupied  as  a  dwelling  and  store  by  Adolph  Schaffer. 
Prosser  sold  goods  in  the  building.  In  1852  an  addition  was  made, 
and  it  was  opened  as  a  public  house. 

In  the  year  1851,  John  H.  Armstrong  bought  the  saw  mill  and 
other  property  of  Jacob  Bryant.  Immediately  afterwards  he  sold 
to  Hiram  Holmes.  In  the  year  1860,  Samuel  S.  Davis  bought  out 
Mr.  Holmes. 

A  postoffice  was  established  at  Holmesville  in  1852.  kept  by 
Prosser,  but  was  discontinued  in  1856.  In  1853  a  warehouse  was 
built  by  the  Michigan  Southern  railway  company ;  and  the  house 
now  occupied  by  Samuel  S.  Davis  was  built  by  Hiram  Holmes. 
Wm.  Booth  also  built  a  house  here  in  1856.  and  Charles  Moorman 
built  another  in  1857.  Francis  Burkliardt  bought  the  hotel 
property  in  1856.  He  died  in  1869.  His  heirs  have  rented  to 
Adolph  Schaffer  who  carries  on  a  store  in  the  building. 

Holmesville  has  become  somewhat  noted  for  accidents  and  cas- 
ualties. Two  suicides  have  occurred  here,  one  of  a  German  who 
had  boarded  with  Burkhardt,  and  the  other  an  emigrant  woman, 
who  was  on  the  journey  to  the  west  with  her  family.  Four  men 
have  been  killed  here  on  the  railroad,  a  Mr.  Marshall,  a  Mr.  Eaton, 
a  deaf  and  dumb  n:an,  and  a  man  who  was  drunk  and  had  lain 
down  upon  the  track  in  the  night.  In  1862  there  was  a  collision 
at  Holmesville  between  a  freight  and  an  express  train,  which  did 
much  damage  to  the  trains,  but  killed  no  one,  and  in  1866  a  train 
was  thrown  from  the  track  by  a  cow.  By  this  accident  several  per- 
sons were  very  seriously  injured. 

OTIS. 

The  settlement  of  this  place  was  commenced  in  1851,  but  no 
plat  of  the  town  was  recorded  until  1870,  when  Solomon  Tucker, 
on  the  20th  day  of  April,  of  that  year,  acknowledged  and  filed  a 
plat  for  record.  The  description  says  that  LaCroix  "  is  laid  out  in  the 
south  part  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  five,  township  thirty- 
six,  north  of  range  four  west,  in  LaPorte  county,  Indiana." 

On  the  27th  day  of  June  1874,  Mr.  Tucker  also  filed  a  plat  for 
an  addition  laid  off  "in  the  south  part  of  the  northwest  quarter  of 
section  five,  township  thirty-six,  north  of  range  four  west,  in  La- 
Porte  countv.  Indiana." 


NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP.  77 

Otis  was  first  known  as  Salem  Crossing.  This  name  was  given  to 
it  by  the  Michigan  Southern  railroad,  and  when  the  postoffice  was 
established,  and  Matthias  Seberger  appointed  postmaster,  that  name 
was  adopted  by  the  department  at  Washington.  The  Louisville, 
New  Albany  &  Chicago  railroad,  however,  insisted  upon  calling  it 
LaCroix,  and  when  Solomon  Tucker  laid  out  and  platted  the  town 
upon  this  land,  he  availed  himself  of  the  proprietor's  right  to  give 
it  a  name,  and  upon  our  county  books  it  is  only  known  as  LaCroix. 
Having  two  names,  some  of  the  inhabitants  thought  it  best,  as  a  sort 
of  compromise,  to  give  it  a  third,  which  should  supplant  the  other 
two,  and  suggested  the  name  of  the  representative  in  congress  from 
this  district,  and  for  a  time  it  was  called  Packard.  Upon  the  rec- 
ommendation of  that  gentleman,  however,  in  1872,  the  name  of  the 
office  was  changed  to  Otis.  Matthias  Seberger  was  the  first  settler 
in  Otis,  arriving  there  in  1851.  In  the  year  1853,  the  Michigan 
Southern,  and  Louisville,  New  Albany  and  Chicago  railroads  were 
completed,  and  he  acted  as  agent  for  both  of  them.  In  1854 
Geo.  R.  Selkirk  opened  a  grocery  store,  and  in  the  same  year  B. 
Parker  and  Isaac  Weston  erected  a  hotel  which  was  kept  by  Parker. 
Henry  Wing  bought  it  in  1857,  and  kept  it  until  1865.  This 
covered  the  period  of  the  war  when  the  patronage  of  the  hotel  was  the 
greatest.  In  those  days,  soldiers  and  others  going  southward  from 
northeastern  Indiana  were  obliged  to  go  to  Salem  Crossing,  and 
thence  southward  over  the  L.  N.  A.  &  C.  line.  This  kept  the  hotel 
well  filled  most  of  the  time. 

Solomon  Colby  opened  a  blacksmith  shop  in  1858,  and  in  1859 
F.  Harriman  established  a  meat  market.  Matthias  Seberger  opened 
the  first  general  store  in  the  same  year. 

In  1861,  a  saloon  was  built  and  kept  by  Jasper  Fleming,  not, 
however  for  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors.  In  1867  Seberger  & 
Wing  engaged  in  the  business  of  merchandising  in  partnership.  A 
wagon  and  blacksmith  shop  was  established  in  1870 ;  and  Dr. 
Clark  R.  Warren  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine,  being  the 
first  resident  physician. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  had  the  first  regular  preaching 
in  1870,  and  in  1872  a  Roman  Catholic  church  was  built  by  the 
Polanders  who.  are  settled  in  the  neighborhood. 


78  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


The  business  of  the  village  of  Otis  consists  of  two  blacksmith  ; 
shops ;  one  carpenter ;  one  depot  agent ;  two  druggists ;  three  gen- 
eral  stores,   dry  goods,   groceries,   crockery,   etc.;    one  hotel;  one  l 
market ;    two   physicians ;    two   shoemakers ;  one  tailor ;    one  tele- 1 
graph  operator;  one  undertaker,  and  one  wagon  maker. 

WESTYILLE. 

Westville  is  the  most  important  town  in  New  Durham  township, 
being  a  place  of  considerable  business,  and  a  heavy  grain  market. 
The  original  town  of  Westville  was  located  on  the  northwest  quarter 
of  section  twenty-nine,  in  township  thirty-six,  range  four  west,  by 
W.  and  J.  A.  Cattron,  and  the  town  plat  was  recorded  on  the  first 
day  of  May,  1851.  Afterwards  an  amended  plat  was  filed  by  which 
seven  lots  were  added  to  the  original  plot.  On  the  eighth  day  of 
July,  1863,  Henly  Clyburn  filed  for  record  an  addition  embracing 
forty-five  lots.  James  Concannon  filed  a  plat  for  an  addition 
embracing  one  hundred  lots,  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  June,  1865. 
Smith's  addition  of  ten  lots,  was  made  on  the  fifth  day  of  June, 
1858,  and  Clyburn's  second  addition,  embracing  twenty-two  lots 
on  the  fifteenth  day  of  June,  1858.  Ray's  addition  consisting  of 
eleven  lots  was  recorded  February  10,  1868. 

"Westville  is  favorablv  located  on  the  Louisville,  New  Albany  and 
Chicago  railroad;  and  has  had  a  steady  growth  from  the  time  of 
the  completion  of  the  railroad. 

The  first  permanent  residence  on  the  present  site  of  V\  estville 
was  a  frame  house,  built  by  Henly  Clyburn  in  1836,  James  M. 
Ray  doing  the  carpenter  work:  and  the  first  store  was  one  kept  by 
John  and  William  Cattron.  at  a  part  <-f  the  town  known  as  the 
"Four  Corners."  It  was  opened  in  1*48;  and  in  184(.».  D.  M. 
Closser  opened  a  dry  goods  and  grocery  store.  In  1850  Jesse 
McCord  commenced  the  business  of  blacksmithing.  Bell  Jennings 
opened  a  general  store  in  1851.  In  this  year,  there  were  two  num- 
bers of  a  paper  called  the  Westville  Free  Press  issued.  L.  P. 
Williams  was  the  editor.  He  afterwards  went  to  Nashville,  where 
he  edited  an  agricultural  paper,  until  near  the  beginning  of  the  war, 
when  returning  to  the  North,  he  entered  the  Union  army,  and 
attained  the  rank  of  Major.  He  now  resides  in  Washington, 
D.  C. 


NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP.  79 

The  railroad  was  completed  in  1853,  and  a  depot  was  built,  which 
gave  the  first  business  impetus  to  the  place.  During  this  year  a 
steam  grist  mill  was  built  by  James  Haskell.  This  was  sold  and 
moved  away  about  the  year  1860. 

In  1853  a  Methodist  church  building  was  erected  which  is  now 
owned  by  the  Catholics.  The  Christian  church  was  built  in  1859, 
and  Elder  H.  Z.  Leonard  was  the  first  pastor.  The  Methodist 
church  was  built  in  1867-8  out  of  means  arising  from  a  generous 
bequest  made  by  a  large-hearted  christian  man  and  public-spirited 
citizen,  Daniel  West,  who  died  a  few  years  ago,  honored  and 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him-  He  also  made  a  handsome  bequest 
to  the  lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  with  it  a  good  hall  was  built  in 
1868. 

In  the  year  1855,  Jacob  J.  Mann  &  Co.,  built  a  reaper  and 
mower  establishment,  and  made  a  machine  patented  by  themselves. 
The  concern  did  a  good  business  up  to  the  time  of  the  death  of  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm. 

The  first  number  of  the  Westville  Herald  was  issued  on  the 
second  day  of  May  A.  D.  1856,  by  C.  G.  Townsend  and  Alfred 
Townsend.  The  partnership  continued  only  until  the  following- 
August,  when  the  office  was  sold  to  a  company  composed  of  Samuel 
Burns,  Henly  Clyburn  and  James  Concannon.  Townsend  con- 
ducted it  until  November,  when  Chas.  G.  Powell  took  charge  of  it, 
and  having  bought  out  the  proprietors,  removed  it  to  LaPorte  in 
the  month  of  August  1859. 

In  the  year  1858,  Tobias  Miller  built  a  steam  grist  mill.  After 
being  sold  several  times  it  was  owned  by  Mrs.  Sloan  Martin,  in 
1870,  when  it  was  burned. 

In  the  fall  of  1862  a  bedstead  factory  was  started  by  Reynolds, 
Weaver  and  Smith.  Weaver  continued  with  the  firm  until  1865. 
The  other  members  of  the  firm  continued  in  the  business  until  1869, 
when  they  sold  out  to  Charles  Ruggles,  who  changed  the  business 
to  that  of  manufacturing  wooden  bottom  chairs,  which  is  now  car- 
ried on  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  in  the  year  1864,  a  machine 
shop  was  put  in  operation  and  run  by  Charles  W.  Carter. 

On  the  14th  day  of  February  1864,  a  meeting  of  citizens  was 
held  at  the  new  school  house  to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety 


80  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

of  incorporating  Westville.     Azariah  Williams  acted  as  chairmanr 
an<l  W.  L.  Webster  as  secretary. 

Win.  B.  Webber  moved  that  preparatory  steps  toward  getting  the 
town  incorporated  be  taken,  and  the  chair  then  on  motion  appointed 
the  following  committee  to  carry  out  the  objects  of  the  convention  : 
Wm.  B.  Webber,  James  Concannon,  Wm.  C.  Martin,  D.  C.  Stand- 
iford  and  W.  L.  Webster. 

At  the  September  term  of  the  county  commissioner's  court,  held 
at  the  court  house  on  Friday,  the  ninth  day  of  September,  A.  D., 
1864,  it  was  ordered  by  the  board  that  in  the  matter  of  the  applica- 
tion of  the  legal  voters  of  Westville,  it  appeared  that  a  majority  of 
the  legal  voters  in  said  town  are  in  favor  of  its  incorporation  and 
that  the  law  has  been  fully  complied  with,  and  that  said  town  be 
and  is  hereby  incorporated. 

The  first  election  under  the  act  of  incorporation  took  place  on  the 
loth  day  of  September,  and  the  annual  charter  election  on  the  16th 
day  of  November  following. 

The  first  council  consisted  of  W.  L.  Webster,  D.  C.  Standiford, 
and  Wm.  C.  Martin,  Mr.  Webster  being  elected  president.  G.  L. 
Thompson  was  the  first  clerk. 

James  Dolman,  Sen.,  and  James  Dolman,  Jr.,  erected  a  grist 
mill  near  the  railroad  track,  in  1872,  and  the  next  year  sold  it  to- 
E.  and  N.  Dolman. 

Cattron's  hall  and  building  was  finished  in  1873.  It  is  a  hand- 
some building  and  the  hall  is  a  credit  to  the  town. 

Perhaps  the  one  institution  of  which  Westville  may  most  justly 
feel  proud  is  the  excellent  public  school  which  is  recognized  as  one 
of  the  best  not  only  in  the  county,  but  in  all  northern  Indiana. 
Several  years  ago,  it  was  brought  up  to  a  high  standard  by  Prof.  J. 
G.  Laird,  and  has  successfully  maintained  it  ever  since.  The  school 
has  been  bo  successfully  managed  that  many  persons  have  attended 
it, from  adjoining  counties.  It  is  an  honor  alike  to  those  who  have 
conducted  it,  and  the  people  who  have  given  it  a  cordial  support. 

It  is  not  within  the  province  of  this  history  to  give  all  the  busi- 
aess  changes  that  may  have  occurred.  It  aims  to  present  the 
county  as  it  has  been,  and  also  as  it  is  at  present:  and  the  follow- 
ing gratifying     exhibit    of    the  business  of    Westville    is    given. 


NEW    DURHAM    TOWNSHIP.  81 

Two  attorneys;  two  bakeries;  two  barber  shops;  two  blacksmith 
shops;  one  butcher  shop;  two  brick  masons;  sixteen  carpenters; 
one  chair  factory ;  two  dry  goods,  clothing  and  grocery  stores ;  one 
well  driver ;  one  express  agent ;  one  gunsmith ;  four  grocery  stores ; 
two  hotels ;  two  hardware  stores ;  six  harness  makers ;  two  insur- 
ance agents;  two  justices  of  the  peace;  one  jeweler  and  watch 
maker ;  one  livery  stable  ;  three  milliners ;  four  physicians ;  two 
painters;  four  plasterers;  one  pump  manufacturer;  two  restau- 
rants ;  one  saloon  ;  two  saw  mills  ;  one  stationery  store ;  three  shoe 
makers ;  Two  tailors ;  one  undertaker  and  two  wagon  manufactories. 
There  is  also  a  Hook  and  Ladder  company ;  a  lodge  each  of  the 
Masons  and  Odd  Fellows ;  four  churches,  Baptist,  Christian,  Meth- 
odist and  Catholic ;  and  an  efficient  corporation  government,  con- 
sisting of  a  council,  with  president,  treasurer  and  clerk,  assessor  and 
marshal. 

There  are  others  now  living  in  the  township  who  came  very  early  to 
the  county.  Hon.  Charles  W.  Cathcart  made  a  settlement  in  1831, 
and  has  long  been  a  distinguished  citizen,  honored  in  many  ways  by  his 
fellow-citizens.  He  twice  represented  the  district  in  congress,  and 
has  always  borne  a  prominent  and  leading  position  in  public  affairs. 
Evan  Henton  came  to  the  county  in  1832,  and  now  resides  in  West- 
ville.  A.  M.  Jessup  arrived  in  1832.  John  P.  Noble,  Eliza  Cole, 
Henry  N.  Cathcart,  W.  F.  Cattron,  John  Warnock  and  J.  R.  Reed 
reached  the  county  in  1833.  M.  S.  Wright,  M.  W.  Robertson, 
Ralph  Loomis,  C.  R.  Robertson,  Wm.  W.  and  W.  L.  Webster  and 
Shep.  Crumpacker  came  in  1834.  J.  M.  and  J.  G.  Warnock,  and 
James  M.  Ray  arrived  in  1835. 

It  is  impracticable  to  name  later  arrivals.  The  township  is 
thickly  populated,  and  except  Centre  and  Michigan  townships,  casts 
a  larger  vote  than  any  other  township  in  the  county. 

The  fertility  of  the  soil  in  this  township  is  unsurpassed  and  its 
farmers  are  prosperous.  Among  those  who  have  held  official  posi- 
tions is  Hon.  Geo.  Crawford,  a  leading  agriculturist  of  the  township. 
He  has  been  several  times  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature,  serv- 
ing in  both  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives ;  he  served 
also  two  years  as  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 
Though   now  at  an  advanced  age,  he  is  yet  an  influential,  active 

6 


82  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

and  useful  citizen.  Other  well-known  citizens  of  the  township  are 
Alfred  Williams,  John  P.  Cathcart,  Azariah  Williams.  Dr.  B.  B. 
Freeman,  Dr.  T.  Travel,  Isaiah  Thompson,  Mrs.JM.  M.  Duncan, 
H.  Van  Zandt,  Daniel  McKillips.  M.  W.  Ray,  I.  D.  Martin,  L.  R. 
Cole,  Wash.  Concannon.  Mr.  Armitage,  and  Dr.  C.  P.  Cathcart. 
John  P.  Cathcart  has  served  many  years  as  county  surveyor. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP. 

At  the  regular  term  of  the  commissioners'  court,  on  the  fourth 
day  of  September  1833,  the  following  order  was  parsed  by  the 
board  :  6i  Ordered  that  Xew  Durham  township  be  divided  by  the 
line  dividing  townships  thirty-six  and  thirty-seven,  and  that  all  that 
tract  of  country  lying  in  township  thirty-seven  and  thirty-eight  con- 
stitute a  new  township,  to  be  called  Michigan  township."  A  divis- 
ion was  afterwards  made  rf  this  territory  so  that  the  present  Michi- 
igan  township  consists  only  of  the  fractional  congressional  township 
thirty-eight,  which  is  so  far  diminished  bv  Lake  Michigan  on  the 
north  that  it  contains  but  fourteen  whole  sections  and  six  fractional 
sections,  leaving  it  the  smallest  township  in  territory £there  is  in  the 
county,  with  one  exception,  that  of  Hudson.  The  soil  of  the  town- 
ship consists  almost  wholly  of  sand  ridges.  These  were  at  one 
time  covered  with  a  fine  growth  of  White  pine  timber,  which  has 
entirely  disappeared,  having  been  cut  oif  for  lumber. 

One  of  the  earliest  settlements  in  Michigan  township,  outside  of 
Michigan  City,  was  at  Scott's  mills,  where  Mr.  James#M.  Scott  erected 
a  saw  and  grist  mill.  This  was  the  first  flouring  mill  that  was  built 
in  the  township.  It  was  located  on  Trail  creek  one  mile  and  a  half 
from  Michigan  City,  and  was  completed  in  1834.  It  was  a  large 
fine  mill,  and  supplied  a  great  extent  of  country  with  bread,  pur- 
chasers coming  all  the  way  from  Chicago,  Rockford,  Joliet  and 
Galena,  in  Illinois.  The  proprietor  was  able  to  purchase  wheat  at 
sixty  cents  per  bushel,  and  sell  his  flour  at  ten  dollars  per  barrel. 
The  first  saw  mill  in  the  township  was  built  by  John  Walker,  father 


MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP.  83 

of  Maj.  Benj.  P.  Walker  of  LaPorte.  John  Cheney  and  John  Rit- 
ter,  the  Shreves,  Sanfords  and  Yan  Winkles  were  all  old  settlers, 
having  reached  the  county  at  a  very  early  day. 

Owing  to  the  sparseness  of  the  population  of  Michigan  township 
outside  of  the  city,  its  history  is  chiefly  the  history  of 

MICHIGAN    CITY. 

The  land  on  which  Michigan  City,  is  now  located  was  purchased 
of  the  government  in  1831,  by  Isaac  C.  Elston,  of  Crawfordsville, 
Indiana,  and  he  laid  out  the  town  in  October,  1832.  The  town  site  was 
one  that  was  rather  forbidding,  much  of  it  being  low  and  swampy.  A 
growth  of  pine  trees  covered  most  of  the  spot,  and  there  were  some 
sugar  maple  trees.  Trail  creek  slowly  made  its  way  over  the 
sands  to  the  lake,  winding  around  by  the  very  foot  of  Hoosier  Slide, 
a  deep  sluggish  stream,  which  was  obstructed  by  a  bar  at  the 
mouth,  where  so  little  water  passed  over  that  a  person ^could  readily 
cross  it  on  foot.  Yet  it  was  believed  that  at  this  point  a  "harbor 
could  be  made.  Hence  the  purchase  made  by  Major  Elston,  and 
all  the  subsequent  operations  towards  building  up  a  city,  and  a  har- 
bor on  the  great  lakes,  for  Indiana.  The  line  between  Indiana  and 
the  territory  of  Michigan  was  formerly  some  distance  south  of  where 
it  was  afterwards  located,  shutting  Indiana  off  entirely  from  all  har- 
bor facilities,  and  depriving  her  as  a  State,  of  all  the  benefits  to  be 
derived  from  the  vast  commerce  of  the  great  northern  lakes.  This 
boundary  was  disputed,  and  it  was  finally  settled  by  adopting  a 
boundary  that  would  give  this  State  a  position  on  the  coast  of  lake 
Michigan;  and  the  counties  of  LaPorte,  Porter  and  Lake,  are 
bounded  on  the  north  by  its  waters. 

The  first  settlers  in  Michigan  City  arrived  in  1833,  and  it  may 
readily  be  presumed  that  they  found  few  attractions  to  welcome 
them.  To  their  view  there  was  presented  only  sand  hills  and 
swamps.  Hoosier  Slide  towered  up  many  feet  higher  than  now, 
while  below  it  and  around  about  there  was  only  glistening  sand,  and 
further  back,  across  the  creek  that  passed  through  the  woods,  and 
which  was  still  the  abode  of  wild  beasts,  a  low,  wet,  swampy  tract  of 
country  occupied  all  the  locality.  It  would  have  been  discouraging 
enough  only  for  the  prospect  that  a  city  would  one  day  arise  there 


84  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

in  spite  of  adverse  circumstances,  and  a  harbor  that  should  be  to 
Indiana  what  the  harbor  at  Chicago  is  now  to  Illinois.  Animated 
by  this  belief,  settlers  rapidly  arrived,  filled  with  the  spirit  of  enter- 
prise, and  commenced  the  work  of  improvement. 

From  the  best  information  obtainable,  it  seems  that  Jacob  Fur- 
man  and  B.  F.  Bryant  put  up  a  log  cabin  in  August,  1833,  on  the 
present  site  of  Peck's  corner,  which  was  probably  the  first  house 
erected  in  the  place.  Mrs.  W.  F.  Miller,  who  is  older  in  date  of 
arrival  than  any  other  person  now  living  in  Michigan  City,  states 
that  her  father,  Samuel  Flint,  arrived  there  with  his  family  in 
October,  1833.  when  she  was  five  years  of  age :  and  the  Flint  tarn- 
ily  was  the  third  to  arrive.  There  was  then  but  one  frame  building 
in  the  town,  erected,  it  is  said  by  Samuel  B.  Webster:  and  Mr. 
Flint  erected  the  second  one  for  a  dwelling  house.  The  presence 
of  Indians  was  no  unusual  event,  but  they  were  friendly,  and  Mrs. 
Miller  remembers  having  often  played  with  them  as  a  child.  The 
two  or  three  dwelling  houses  were  located  in  the  woods,  and  sugar 
was  made  from  the  maple  trees  surrounding  them.  There  wore  no 
streets  yet  opened,  and  only  foot  paths  led  from  house  to  house. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1833,  Thompson  AY.  Francis  arrived.  He 
did  not  remain,  but  went  to  LaPorte,  staving  there  until  the  month 
of  November,  when  he  journeyed  to  St.  Joseph,  Michigan,  and 
worked  at  his  trade  there  until  the  Spring  of  1834.  He  then  on  the 
10th  day  of  March  went  to  Michigan  City,  and  made  a  permanent 
settlement.  He  found  there  Joseph  C.  Orr,  and  Samuel  Miller.  Orr 
built  a  tannery  in  1834.  and  lived  first  in  a  log  house  which  stood  on 
the  present  site  of  Ames  &  Holliday's  drug  store,  which  he  used  as  a 
sort  of  hotel,  and  where  many  a  traveler  found  rest  and  refreshment, 
though  the  surroundings  were  somewhat  rude.  He  afterwards 
moved  to  New  Cincinnati,  on  the  Wisconsin  river,  where  he  is  still 
living.  Miller  was  a  forwarder,  and  occupied  a  log  building  on  the 
ground  where  the  old  brick  packing  house  now  stands.  Francis  was 
a  carpenter,  and  built,  or  assisted  in  building  many  of  the  older 
houses  now  in  the  city. 

About  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the   Flint  family   in    October, 

■ 

1833,  Geo.  W.  Selkirk  came.  He  has  been  many  years  engaged 
in  farming,  and  now  resides  in   Coolspring  township.     At  this  time 


MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP.  85 

onlv  an  old  Indian  trail  connected  Michigan  City  and  LaPorte,  but 
the  Michigan  road  had  been  laid  out,  and  the  laborers  were  then  at 
work  upon  it.  Until  this  was  completed  there  was  no  road  into  the 
city,  and  the  only  communication  with  the  world  was  out  over  the 
waters  of  the  lake,  by  means  of  the  occasional  arrival  and  departure 
of  a  vessel.  Vessels  of  ordinary  size  could  not  reach  the  wharf,  but 
were  obliged  to  anchor  out  in  the  lake  at  some  distance,  and  land 
merchandise  by  means  of  lighters.  This  continued  several  years, 
to  the  time  when  the  improvement  of  the  harbor  began  under  the 
BUpervision  of  the  United  States. 

George  Ames  and  Leonard  Woods  reached  the  place  in  1834; 
and  in  1835  came  M.  Romel,  a  native  of  Germany;  Simon  Ritter 
from  Seneca  county,  New  York:  Deacon  W.  Peck,  from  New 
York:  W.  W.  fliggins,  from  Connecticut.  Judge  "Woodward  a  jus- 
tice  of  the  peace,  and  first  postmaster;  Hiram  and  Richard  Inman; 
Jacob  Bigelow;  David  Burr:  Benjamin  James ;  W.Moody;  Allen 
James:  Robert  Stewart:  Quick,  Peak,  Western  and  many  others. 
In  the  winter  of  the  same  year  C.  B.  Blair  arrived. 

During  this  year  and  the  next,  settlers  came  rapidly,  and  the 
young  town  began  to  exhibit  considerable  stir  and  business  activity. 
Sprague  and  TealJ  were  in  the  place  in  1834.  Teall  was  engaged 
in  the  business  of  merchandising,  and  they  afterwards  became  stage 
proprietors  in  partnership,  having  purchased  the  line  from  Mich- 
igan City  to  Chicago.  Capt.  Eliakim  Ashton,  who  was  a  sol- 
dier under  Gen.  Orr,  came  very  early,  perhaps  in  1834;  and  also 
Asa  Harper,  who  now  lives  in  Coolspring  township.  He  came  to 
the  county  in  1833,  and  assisted  in  surveying  the  town  of  Michi- 
gan City,  the  plat  of  which  was  recorded  September  17,  1833. 

Two  hotels  were  built  in  1834.  The  first  one  was  put  up  by 
Lofland  and  Taylor,  and  was  situated  near  the  harbor;  the  other 
was  built  by  Samuel  Olinger,  Thompson  Francis  doing  the  carpen- 
ter work.  Soon  afterwards  Hiram  Inman  built  the  Stockton  house 
near  the  present  school  house  number  one,  on  Pine  street,  and 
before  the  close  of  1836,  there  were  still  other  hotels — the  Mansion 
house,  City  Hotel,  Exchange,  on  Sherman's  corner,  Farmers' 
Hotel,  Washington  House  and  Lake  House;  also  the  Western 
Hotel  which  stood  out  near  where  the  State   prison  is  at  present 


f 
$6  .    HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

located.  The  hotels  -were  all  full,  and  business  of  all  kinds,  in  1836, 
was  in  a  flourishing  condition.  W.  D.  Woodward,  who  came  to  the 
place  in  that  year,  states  that  there  were  nearly  three  thousand 
inhabitants.  This  probably  includes  the  hundreds  of  transient  peo- 
ple; but  it  is  certain  that  during  the  three  years  1834,  35  and  36, 
the  growth  of  the  town  was  rapid  beyond  what  seems  possible  now. 
The  prospect  of  building  the  leading  harbor  on  the  lakes  animated 
every  settler,  and  disseminated  a  spirit  of  enterprise  that  seemed 
likely  to  create  a  great  city  in  spite  of  every  obstacle.  They  who 
first  peopled  Michigan  City  were  pushing,  active,  intelligent  and 
enterprising  men.  Some  of  them  became  the  heaviest  business  men 
at  that  time  in  the  State.  Thev  were  chieflv  from  the  eastern 
States ;  and  with  them,  to  suggest  a  business  enterprise  was  to  see 
it  accomplished.  The  arrival  of  vessels  became  more  and  more  fre- 
quent, and  it  was  an  interesting  sight  that  at  such  times  always  occur- 
red, to  see  men,  women  and  children  flocking  to  the  wharf  to  witness 
the  coming  in  of  the  lighter,  which  was  the  link  of  communication 
between  all  large  vessels  and  the  shore,  some  actuated  by  mere 
curiosity,  and  others  to  renew  their  faith  in  the  great  commercial 
importance  of  the  place  in  the  not  distant  future. 

Samuel  Miller  commenced  merchandising  in  1833,  then  Teall  in 
1834,  and  in  the  same  year  James  Forrester  also.  These  men  built 
ware  houses  as  did  also  Wm.  S.  Clark,  who  first  clerked  for  Teall. 
In  1836,  James  Forrester  brought  a  cargo  of  salt  into  the  place  on 
the  schooner  "  Post  Boy,"  which  was  the  earliest  shipment  of  the 
kind.  The  first  warehouse  was  built  by  Miller,  and  the  second  one 
by  Hobart,  and  others  speedily  followed  built  by  Moore,  Burr, 
Sleight  &  Gould,  Jabez  R.  Wells,  and  C.  B.  Blair.  Blair's  stood  on 
the  pier,  which  he  also  built.  The  ware  houses  stocd  down  near  the 
present  harbor,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  business  was  in  the 
vicinity  of  where  the  depot  now  stands.  The  steamers  Ward, 
Champion,  Geo.  Dole  and  others  made  regular  trips,  and  the  com- 
mission and  forwarding  business  became  active  and  heavy.  The 
town  was  the  great  grain  depot  for  all  northern  Indiana,  and  wheat 
was  brought  in  from  even  as  far  south  as  Marion  county.  At  the 
end  of  1836,  besides  the  numerous  warehouses  and  commission 
and  forwarding  houses,  there  were  twelve  dry    roods  stores.     Jacob 


MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP.  87 

Haas  and  Daniel  Brown  were  merchants  in  1835,  and  Eliakim  and 
Gallatin  Ashton  in  1836.  The  son  of  the  latter  is  now  one  of  the 
leading  business  men  of  the  place.  Among  others  engaged  in  the 
business  of  merchandising  were  John  Barker,  Henry  Carter,  J.  G. 
Sleight,  Mr.  Wendover,  and  Shedd  &  Turner.  George  and  Fisher 
Ames  opened  a  hardware  store  in  1835.  There  are  only  two  persons 
now  living  in  Michigan  City  who  have  been  there  longer  than  Mr. 
Geo.  Ames.  These  are  Mrs.  W.  F.  Miller,  and  T.  W.  Francis. 
Chas.  W.  Henry,  the  father  of  the  late  Wm.  Henry,  who  lived  near 
Kingsbury,  was  a  merchant  in  1835;  also  D.  and  N.  W.  Lower  in 
the  same  year,  and  Sleight  &  Moon,  and  W.  Barbee.  R.  Coudon 
commenced  the  Stove,  Tin  and  Sheet  Irion  business,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Burke  &  Coudon  in  1837,  and  continued  the  business  on 
his  own  account  from  1838. 

The  first  school  house  in  the  city  was  erected  in  1834,  Thompson 
Francis  was  its  architect  and  builder.  It  was  used  as  a  church  also. 
At  that  time  there  were  no  regular  church  services ;  but  preachers 
frequently  stopped  over  Sunday  in  the  place,  not  desiring  to  travel 
on  the  Sabbath,  when  they  were  drafted  into  the  service  of  an 
extemporized  congregation.  The  first  teacher  was  probably  a  Mr. 
McCoy,  who  taught  in  the  building  alluded  to ;  and  from  the  begin- 
ning of  that  early  time,  the  school  system  of  the  city  has  grown, 
until  now  the  schools  of  the  place  are  flourishing  and  eminently 
useful ;  and  a  building  has  been  erected  which  is  one  of  the  finest  in 
the  State,  in  towns  which  are  no  larger  than  Michigan  City. 

The  first  building  exclusively  for  church  services  was  erected  by 
the  Protestant  Episcopals.  It  was  built  in  1835  or  36,  and  stood  on 
Pine  Street,  between  fourth  and  Market  streets.  Afterwards  a 
church  was  erected  by  the  Methodists,  on  Pine  between  second  and 
Michigan  streets,  which  was  removed  to  its  present  location  on 
Franklin  street  many  years  ago.  The  present  Episcopal  church 
edifice  was  erected  later ;  then  the  Catholics  built,  and  after  them 
the  Congregationalists,  and  last  of  all,  the  Presbyterians.  These 
all  now  receive  good  congregations  on  the  Sabbath.  A  Baptist 
church  was  built  in  1837. 

On  the  eighth  day  of  July,  1835,  the  first  number  of  the  Michi- 
gan City  Gazette  was  issued.     It  was  established  by   J.  S.  Castle. 


88  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

The  material  for  the  printing  of  the  paper  was  shipped  from  Buf- 
falo around  the  lakes  to  Michigan  City.  Mr.  Castle  and  family  go- 
ing by  boat  to  Detroit,  and  thence  by  team  to  Michigan  City,  where 
they  arrived  in  June.  1835.  They  were  accompanied  by  Polaski 
Kino-,  of  LaPorte.  who  was  "Printer's  Devil."  after  the  office  w 
opened.  This  was  the  first  paper  published  in  LaPorte  county.  It 
opened  as  a  Democratic  sheet,  but  afterwards,  passing  into  the 
hands  of  Samuel  Miller,  with  James  Stewart  as  editor,  it  became 
the  servant  of  the  Whig  party.  A  more  complete  history  of  this 
newspaper,  with  the  others  of  the  county,  will  be  given  in  another 
chapter. 

In  1838-40,  there  was  a  literary  institution  in  the  city,  which 
occupied  a  building  three  stories  in  height.  It  was  called  the 
Michigan  City  Institute,  and  its  Principal  was  Rev.  James  T  rwner. 
He  was  assisted  by  a  Miss  Ward,  now  Mrs.  Wyllis  Peck,  and  Miss 
Coit.  who  was  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Towner.  It  was  a  useful  institu- 
tion: but  not  sufficiently  successful  pecuniarily  to  ensure  a  long 
life  for  it.  It  was  soon  suspended,  and  the  building,  which  stood  on 
Franklin  street,  corner  of  Boston  was  removed  from  that  locality 
become  the  Lake  house,  which  was  burned  several  years  ago. 

In  the  year  1836,  on  the  fourth  dav  of  Jul  v.  a  vessel,  the  Sea 
Serpent,  was  brought  in  over  the  bar.  and  this  circumstance  was 
made  the  occasion  for  a  day  of  rejoicing.  The  vessel  was  pushed 
and  towed,  the  citizens  aiding,  some  considerable  distance  up  the  creek, 
and  the  enthusiasm  found  expression  in  a  way  that  was  more  appli- 
cable to  those  "good  old  times'9  than  to  the  present  evil  dav-.  A  bar- 
rel of  whisky  was  rolled  out  and  set  up  on  end.  Then  the  head  a.  - 
knocked  in.  a  nail  was  driven  partly  in  the  side,  and  a  tin  cup  v. 
hung  on  it,  when  every  man  helped  himself,  and  it  may  be  presumed 
that  no  one  failed  to  partake  of  his  full  share  of  the  Liquid.  It  was 
a  general  spree,  in  which  every  man  "lent  a  hand." 

It  was  in  this  year  L836),  that  the  work  of  improving  the  harbor 
began,  Congress  having  at  its  precedii  _  sess  made  an  appropri- 
ation of  $20,000  for  this  purpoa  The  wrork  was  begun  without 
much  delay,  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  Capt.  "V\  ard  B. 
Burnet,  of  the  engineer  bureau.  The  following  year  an  appropria- 
tion was  made  of  $30,000,  and  the  further  work  on  the  harbor  v. 


MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP.  89 

placed  in  charge  of  Capt.  Stockton.  These  two  appropriations 
were  made  while  Jackson  was  yet  President.  The  third  came  dur- 
ing the  administration  of  Martin  Van  Buren.  It  was  made  to  cover 
the  two  years  1838  and  1839,  and  the  amount  of  it  was  $60,733.- 
39.  Capt.  Stockton  continued  in  charge  ot  the  harbor  work,  until 
1841,  when  he  was  succeeded  in  this  duty  by  Maj.  J.  R.  Bowes,  of 
the  Engineers. 

The  next  appropriation  made  by  Congress  was  during  the  admin- 
istration of  President  Taylor,  probably  in  1849.  It  was  for  the 
sum  of  $25,000;  and  a  fifth  appropriation  of  a  like  amount  was 
made  in  1852.  With  the  first  three  appropriations  much  valuable 
improvement  was  made.  Materials  were  purchased,  such  as  timber, 
stone  and  iron,  piles  were  driven,  dredge  and  scows  built,  neces- 
sary buildings  erected,  and  all  preparations  made  for  pushing 
the  work  forward  with  the  utmost  expedition.  Piers  were  built  into 
the  lake  until  a  depth  of  eighteen  feet  of  water  was  reached,  and  the 
channel  was  partially  dredged  out,  so  as  to  admit  vessels  of  two 
hundred  tons  easily  and  safely  inside  the  harbor  between  the  piers. 
But  more  than  one-half  the  nronev  derived  from  the  first  three 
appropriations  was  expended  for  materials,  shops,  the  dredge,  horses, 
scows,  etc.,  including  more  than  $20,000  worth  of  hewn  oak  tim- 
ber. To  obtain  any  benefit  from  all  this,  it  was  necessary  that  the 
appropriations  should  have  been  continued  until  the  completion  of 
the  work.  But  several  years  were  allowed  to  intervene  between  the 
third  and  fourth  appropriaf.on^.  During  all  this  period  everything 
about  the  harbor  stood  still.  The  shops  were  closed  up ;  the  horses 
were  sold  for  a  small  part  of  the  original  cost;  the  dredge,  scows 
and  tenders,  tied  up  in  the  stream,  were  going  rapidly  to  decay ; 
the  splendid  lot  of  oak  timber,  which  cose  more  than  $20,000  either 
rotted  or  was  sold  to  individuals  at  less  than  one-fiith  of  its  cost  to 
the  government ;  the  unfinished  pier,  left  to  the  mercy  of  wind  and 
wave,  was  soon  seriously  damaged. 

At  last  the  fourth  appropriation  was  made,  and  was  all  expended 
in  patching  up  the  waste  and  destruction  of  the  previous  years ;  and 
then  the  work  ceased.  There  was  no  more  money,  and  that  which 
had  been  thus  expended  might  as  well  have  been  cast  into  the  lake, 
so  far  as  the  harbor  was  affected  by  it.    The  remains  of  the  material, 


90  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

the  tools  and  implements  were  all  sold  for  a  mere  trifle,  and  the 
buildings  were  carried  away,  or  fell  gradually  to  pieces.  The 
dredge,  its  engine  taken  out,  was  moved  into  the  stream,  where  it 
sunk.  It  was  afterwards  raised  and  sold  for  fifty  dollars,  its  original 
cost  being  $28,000.  The  scows  and  tenders,  more  fortunate  than 
the  dredge,  were  driven  by  a  flood  into  the  lake,  and  lost. 

Several  more  years  intervened,  when  a  fifth  appropriation  of 
$25,000  was  made,  which  seems  to  have  been  used  in  destroying 
what  little  was  yet  left  of  the  former  work.  A  new  outfit  of  tools 
and  some  material  were  purchased,  and  the  remainder  was  expended 
in  making  a  futile  experiment  with  a  new  kind  of  crib,  which  was 
sunk  without  the  support  of  piles.  It  proved  a  total  failure,  and 
was  dashed  to  pieces  by  the  storms  and  ice  of  the  succeeding  winter. 
To  build  the  new  crib,  the  stone  which  had  been  placed  in  the  old 
pier  were  removed  and  made  use  of;  and  they  too,  were  all  washed 
away  and  lost,  leaving  literally  not  one  stone  upon  another  to  tell 
the  story  of  the  many  thousands  of  dollars  that  had  been  sunk  in 
the  sand  and  water. 

From  this  date,  during  more  than  fourteen  years,  the  harbor  was 
abandoned  by  the  government ;  and  it  lay  a  useless  wreck,  stranded 
on  a  bar  worse  than  that  at  the  harbor's  moutli — the  foolish,  waste- 
ful policy  of  stopping  work  at  the  very  time  when  worK  was  neces- 
sary to  preserve  that  which  had  already  been  done.  The  cribs  so.«n 
washed  partially  away,  the  channel  filled  up  with  sand,  and  the 
fond  dream  of  a  good  harbor  at  Michigan  City,  was  only  a  dream,  to 
all  outward  appearance;  the  chances  of  anything  ever  being  accom- 
plished, seeming  far  less  than  when  in  1836,  the  Sea  Serpent  entered 
Trail  creek  amidst  the  enthusiastic  plaudits  of  the  people.  The 
facts  concerning  these  futile  efforts  to  make  a  harbor,  are  obtained 
from  the  notes  of  Mr.  Wm.  H.  Goodhue,  who  pertinently  says, 
"Hope,  for  a  season,"  bade  Michigan  City  farwell. 

But  the  despondency  was  not  to  last.  The  energetic  spirit  of 
enterprise  which  characterized  the  men  who  had  built  up  Michigan 
City,  still  animated  them  ;  and  they  determined  that  with  the  opening 
and  opportunity  for  a  harbor  at  their  doors,  they  would  not  sit 
quietly  down,  fold  their  arms,  and  close  their  eyes,  and  let  the 
sands   cover   them.     Thev   resolved   to  build   a  harbor   themselves. 


MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP.  91 

In  1865,  they  obtained  from  Congress  a  relinquishment  of  the 
remains  of  the  old  works,  and  the  right  to  build  where  they  had 
been.  Then  they  organized  the  "Michigan  City  Harbor  company," 
and  in  1866  and  1867,  having  procured  heavy  voluntary  subscrip- 
tions from  the  citizens,  they  proceeded  with  the  work,  expending  in 
a  most  judicious  and  economical  manner,  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  Two  piers  were  built  into  the  lake  one  thousand, 
and  one  thousand  two  hundred  feet  respectively,  which  were  strong 
and  well  secured,  supported  by  piles  driven  through  the  sand,  and 
into  the  tough  blue  clay,  which  forms  the  bottom  of  the  channel. 
The  entrance  was  two  hundred  feet  wide,  and  the  water  was  at  that 
point  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  deep.  Thus  they  proved  what  had 
been  doubted,  that  a  permanent  harbor  could  be  made,  and  then 
having  expended  all  their  available  means,  and  finding  it  impracti- 
cable to  obtain  further  subscriptions,  they  applied  to  Congress  to 
finish  the  work  which  they  had  so  well  begun,  and  that  body  in 
1867,  granted  them  §75,000.  With  this  assistance,  the  work  was 
pushed  forward  with  energy  and  success,  under  the  supervision  of  a 
government  officer,  Capt.  E.  Bennett;  and  the  next  year,  1868,. 
the  Secretary  of  war,  out  of  the  general  appropriation  for  rivers 
and  harbors,  allotted  §25,000  to  Michigan  City.  In  the  spring  of 
1839,  Congress  again  made  a  general  appropriation  for  rivers  and 
harbors  to  be  distributed  by  the  Secretary  of  war,  and  out  of  it  this 
harbor  received  §32.500.  This  amount,  with  the  unexpended  bal- 
ances of  the  former  appropriations,  enabled  Capt.  Bennett,  who  so 
managed  the  funds  entrusted  to  his  charge  that  not  a  dollar  was 
misapplied  or  wasted,  to  extend,  enlarge  and  ueepen  the  channel 
until  vessels  of  ordinary  draft  could  enter  it  with  ease  and  safety; 
and  a  large  trade  arose  in  lumber,  iron  ore,  lath,  lime,  plaster,  salt, 
and  other  heavy  commodities.  It  was  evident  that  with  further 
enlarged  facilities,  a  large  commercial  trade  would  center  at  this 
point. 

But  while  the  harbor  was  of  vast  importance  to  Michigan  City  as 
a  commercial  point,  it  was  clear  that  a  good  harbor  here  would  be 
of  equal  importance  to  the  general  commerce  of  the  lakes.  The 
chief  of  the  bureau  of  engineers  Gen.  A.  A.  Humphrey  became 
convinced  of  the  necessity  of  its  use  as  a  harbor  of  refuge  for  lake 


92  HISTORY    Or    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

shipping,  and  he  recommended  to  Congress  increased  appropria- 
tions for  this  purpos  The  work  was  not  neglected,  but  each  year 
in  succession  an  appropriation  has  been  obtained,  ranging  from 
515,000  to  $50,000,  the  latter  sum  being  allowed  first  with  a 
view  to  beginning  work  on  an  outside  harbor,  or  harbor  of  refuge ; 
and  this  has  been  the  regular  annual  appropriation  ever  since. 
The  commerce  invited  by  this  harbor,  has  been  steadily  growing, 
and  is  larger  the  present  year  than  at  any  other  time  since  the  first 
vessel  entered  it. 

Under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Manning,  an  officer  of  the  enginee  a, 
the  government  work  on  the  outside  harbor  is  being  vigorously 
pushed  forward  the  present  season,  and  the  inside  harbor  is  being 
enlarged  by  dredging  out  further  up  the  creek,  in  order  to  meet  the 
wants  of  a  rapidly  growing  trade.  The  latter  work  is  done  by  the 
corporation  of  Michigan  City;  and  the  early  dream  of  a  good  har- 
bor and  a  large  commmercial  port  bids  fair  at  last  to  be  realized. 

The  first  physician  who  settled  in  Michigan  City,  was  Lee  H.  T. 
Maxon,  who  came  in  1835.  Other  physicians  who  came  early  to 
the  place  were  Doctors  DeWitt,  Strong,  Chas.  Palmer,  and  S.  Pul- 
ford.  Among  the  first  lawyers  were  J.  Pi.  Wells:  A.  W.  Eno- : 
Hathaway  and  Chapman :  and  Thomas  Tyrrell,  who  disappeared. 
and  was  never  heard  of  afterward-.     Later  came  Thornton  <.v.  Orr. 

Besides  the  hotels  already  named,  there  was  the  Franklin,  and 
Genesee  House.  The  labor  on  the  latter  was  paid  for  in  <  ienesee, 
Michigan,  or  "  wild  cat"  money,  and  a  little  later  the  Jewell  Hon 
was  erected  by  Mr.  H.  Jewell,  who  still  resides  in  the  city.  The 
Franklin,  which  stood  on  Schoeneman  &  Ashton's  corner  was  kept 
by  Mr.  Jewell  during  the  Harrison  campaign.  The  Lake  House 
was  kept  awhile  by  Ainsworth  &  Jewell.  The  "  Ignited  States  ' 
also  was  kept  by  Mr.  Jewell  for  a  time.  About  the  same  time. 
Sweetland  &  Pulford  were  the  landlords  of  the  Exchange. 

From  1836  to  1841.  the  forwarding  and  commission  business  was 
carried  on  bv  Sleight  &  Gould,  whose  location  was  down  near  the 
harbor:  Samuel  Moore,  who  was  succeeded  by  J.  &  C.  Hitchcock,  at 
the  bend  of  the  harbor,  occupying  what  was  known  as  the  Moore 
warehouse;  E.  Folsom  &  Co.:  Wm.  S.  Clark:  C.  B.  &  L.  Blair: 
Goodhue  &  McAdoo.     The  principal  merchants  were,  for  the  same 


MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP.  93 

period,  Viele  &  Brother,  on  Ames'  corner;  A.  Chittenden,  who 
was  succeeded  by  C.  B.  &  L.  Blair;  Shedd  &  Turner;  Carter  & 
Barker;  McKnight  &  Co.;  James  McAdoo ;  Fisher  Ames  &  Co.; 
Harvey  Treusdell ;  Cole,  Peck  &  Co.,  in  sheet  iron  and  stoves;  and 
Ames  &  Holliday,  druggists. 

y^rom  1837  to  1844,  Michigan  City  was  the  principal  grain  mar- 
ket for  Northern  Indiana,  wheat  being  received  from  as  far  south  as 
the  central  portion  of  the  State.  Huge  caravans  of  ox  teams,  with 
two  and  three  yoke  of  oxen  to  a  wagon,  would  come  in,  sometimes 
thirty  or  forty  such  teams  together.  The  supplies  for  all  this  large 
extent  of  country  were  purchased  here.  The  same  teams  which 
conveyed  the  wheat  to  market,  would  return  laden  with  goods  for 
the  home  merchants.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  three  hundred 
teams  to  arrive  in  one  day.  The  trade  of  the  place  was  necessarily 
large  and  prosperous:  but  the  advent  of  railroads  at  points  further 
south  cut  off  much  of  the  business  of  Michigan  City,  by  furnishing 
a  grain  market  elsewhere ;  and  this,  together  with  the  suspension  of 
work  on  the  harbor,  as  before  related,  opened  a  somewhat  gloomy 
prospect,  which  was  considerably  relieved  by  the  arrival  of  the 
Michigan  Central,  and  Louisville,  New  Albany  and  Chicago  rail- 
roads ;  and  quite  dissipated  by  the  re-opening  of  the  harbor  from 
1867  to  1872.       / 

There  are  at  Michigan  City  five  railroads,  four  of  which  have  one 
terminus  each  at  this  point.  These  are  the  Michigan  Central, 
which  reached  here  in  1850,  and  the  next  year  erected  valuable 
machine  shops;  the  Louisville,  New  Albany  and  Chicago  which 
entered  the  city  in  1853,  and  put  up  a  fine  freight  depot  and  other 
buildings ;  the  Joliet  cut-off,  which  is  owned  and  run  by  the  Michi- 
gan Central,  but  has  a  separate  track ;  the  Michigan  Lake  Shore, 
which  runs  by  the  side  of  the  Michigan  Central  to  New  Buffalo, 
where  it  diverges  to  the  north;  and  the  Indianapolis,  Peru  and 
Chicago  road  which  was  completed  through  from  LaPorte  in  1871. 
These  railroads  make  the  city  quite  a  railroad  centre,  and  afford 
facilities  for  the  shipment  of  lumber  and  other  commodities  arriving 
by  vessel. 

The  Northern  State  prison  was  located  at  Michigan  City  in  the 
year  1857,  and  with  an  appropriation  of  $50,000  made  by  the  Leg- 


9-1  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

islature  of  that  year,  work  was  commenced  at  once.  The  contract 
for  constructing  the  cell  house,  and  some  of  the  other  buildings,  and 
the  outside  wall,  was  let  to  D.  J.  Silver;  and  a  part  of  the  labor  of 
construction  was  performed  by  convicts  from  the  Southern  peniten- 
tiary. The  land  occupied  by  the  prison  was  purchased  of  Chauncy 
B.  Blair,  who  sold  the  State  ninety  acres,  eight  and  one-half  acres 
of  which  are  enclosed  by  the  outside  wall.  This  wall  is  twenty-five 
feet  in  height,  three  and  one-half  feet  in  thickness  at  the  bottom, 
and  two  feet  at  the  top.  It  is  built  of  brick  and  covered  by  a  stone 
coping  four  feet  in  width.  At  each  corner  there  is  a  tower,  construct- 
ed of  stone.  These  towers  are  handsome  structures,  and  give  an 
air  of  tasteful  elegance  to  the  huge  wall.  Within  the  enclosure 
are  the  cell  house,  the  deputy  warden's  house,  a  building  con- 
taining the  dining  room,  wash  room,  kitchen,  chapel,  hospital,  and 
State  repair  room ;  five  shops,  two  of  which  are  one  hundred  feet 
each  in  length,  one  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  another,  one  hundred 
and  sixty  feet,  and  the  other,  two  hundred  feet  in  length ;  and  two 
engine  houses  and  a  blacksmith  shop.  On  the  outside  of  the  wall 
is  the  warden's  residence  house,  and  two  houses  for  the  dwellings  of 
guards.  The  Artesian  well  supplies  an  abundance  of  water  for  all 
fire  exigencies ;  but  it  is  so  impregnated  with  mineral  substances  as 
to  be  unfit  for  drinking  or  culinary  purposes. 

The  first  warden  was  Col.  Seelye,  then  Mr.  Iddings  of  Fort 
Wave,  next  Thomas  Wood,  who  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  W.  W. 
Higgins,  of  Michigan  City,  and  he  in  turn  by  the  present  warden, 
Mr.  Charles  Mayne.  It  was  under  the  administration  of  Mr.  Hig- 
gins that  the  prison  first  became  self-supporting. 

Hayward  &  DeWolfe  were  the  first  who  entered  into  a  contract 
for  prison  labor.  They  were  engaged  in  the  business  of  cooperage. 
Soon  after  Elisha  Murray  took  a  contract  for  prison  labor,  for  the 
manufacture  of  wagons  and  carriages.  He  was  succeeded  by  Finch 
&  Barker.  In  the  year  1867,  Hon.  J.  H.  Winterbotham  bought 
into  a  contract  with  Jones  and  Chapin,  and  in  1869  bought  them 
out.  The  firm  is  now  that  of  J.  H.  Winterbotham  &  Sons.  They 
work  one  hundred  and  fifty  convicts,  and  are  engaged  in  cooperage, 
and  the  manufature  of  carriage  and  buggy  bodies,  and  sleighs. 
Their  sales    are   very   heavy,   amounting  to   §150,000     annually. 


MICHIGAN    TOWNSHIP.  95 

Pord  &  Johnson  also  have  a  contract  for,  and  work  one  hundred 
and  fifty  convicts.  They  are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs, 
and  their  sales  amount  to  about  $125,000  annually.  Some  of  their 
products  have  been  shipped  to  Japan.  They  commenced  business 
in  1870.  There  is  also  a  cigar  manufacturer  who  now  has  a  con- 
tract, and  employs  some  convict  labor. 

The  prison  was  completed  in  1868,  but  the  number  of  convicts 
has  become  larger  than  was  intended  or  expected,  and  an  additional 
cell  room  is  now  very  much  needed.  There  are  three  hundred  and 
eighty  single  cells,  and  there  are  at  present  in  the  prison  four  hun- 
dred and  eighty-seven  convicts.  The  State  has  already  taken  steps 
to  secure  the  additional  cell  room,  an  appropriation  of  §40,000  for 
this  purpose  having  been  obtained  last  winter,  through  the  exertions 
chiefly  of  State  senator  J.  H.  Winterbotham. 

This  prison  has  fully  paid  all  its  own  expenses  since  the  begin- 
ning of  the  administration  of  Warden  Higgins ;  and  has  been  ex- 
ceedingly well  managed  both  in  its  business  conduct  as  affecting  the 
public,  and  in  its  interior  conduct  as  affecting  the  prisoners.  In 
the  matter  of  the  successful  and  economical  management  of  its 
business  affairs,  it  has  had  no  superior  in  the  United  States,  and 
perhaps  the  same  may  be  said  also,  of  its  course  of  prison  discipline, 
which  has  certainly  been  most  admirable. 

The  car  factory  was  originated  and  begun  by  Sherman,  Haskell 
&  Co.,  who  ^manufactured  freight  and  passenger  cars.  It  has  done 
a  large  business  most  of  the  time  since  its  erection.  The  firm  after- 
wards changed  to  Haskell,  Barker  &  Aldrich,  and  then  to  Haskell 
&  Barker.  It  is  now  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Haskell 
&  Barker  Car  company.  The  factory  made  cars  for  the  govern- 
ment during  the  war,  sometimes  emplying  four  hundred  men. 

The  fisheries  of  Michigan  City  have  been  quite  extensive,  and 
there  is  still  a  large  annual  catch  made.  Lyman  Blair  sometimes 
packed  as  high  as  $40,000  worth  of  White  fish  in  a  year.  The 
years  of  the  greatest  catch  of  White  fish  and  Trout  were  1856  and 
1857.  There  are  now  five  or  six  boats  engaged  in  the  fishing 
trade. 

The  packing  of  beef  and  pork  was  prosecuted  by  E.  Folsom  & 
Co.,  from  1841  to  1845,  also  by   C.  B.  &  L.  Blair,  and  James  Mc- 


96  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Adoo.  Since  the  opening  of  the  harbor,  the  lumbering  business  has 
become  the  leading  industry  of  the  place.  Several  heavy  firms  are 
engaged  in  it,  and  their  trade  is  larger  this  year  than  in  any  pre- 
vious year.  A  great  deal  of  iron  ore  is  also  received,  for  the  Law- 
ton  Iron  company,  located  near  New  Buffalo.  The  company  pur- 
chases from  Couden  &  Roberts. 

There  are  only  two  buildings  now  standing  on  the  spot  where 
they  stood  in  1835.  The  old  building  which  was  used  both  as  a 
school  house  and  church  stands  now  on  Franklin  street.  Wood- 
ward was  the  first  postmaster.  The  first  light  house  keeper  was  old 
Mr.  Harrison,  but  the  present  keeper,  Miss  Colfax,  has  had  charge 
of  it  longer,  and  has  discharged  her  duties  more  satisfactorily  to  the 
government,  than  any  of  her  predecessors. 

The  Elston  survey  of  Michigan  City  was  located  on  the  fractional 
section  twenty-nine.  Large  sales  were  made  by  the  original  propri- 
etor previous  to  1836  ;  and  in  that  year  he  sold  his  entire  remaining 
inderest  to  the  Michigan  City  Land  companay.  This  company  was 
represented  by  Wm.  H.  Goodhue,  and  Wra.  Teall,  as  trustees,  until 
1841,  when  it  was  dissolved.  The  plat  of  Michigan  City  was  filed 
for  record  in  October,  1833 ;  and  in  1836  it  adopted  a  city  organ- 
ization, and  elected  Willys  Peck  the  first  mayor.  He  ran  as  an 
anti-slavery  whig,  against  Wm.  Teall,  Democrat,  and  was  elected, 
the  "Whigs  being  then  as  they  were  for  many  years  afterwards,  in  a 
decided  majority.  Since  the  location  of  the  Elston  survey,  additions 
have  been  filed  to  Michigan  City  as  follows : 

An  additional  plat  was  filed  by  Major  Elston  soon  after  his  first 
survey  was  recorded. 

Burr's  addition  was  recorded  April  25,  1836. 

Orr's  addition  was  recorded  April  30,  1836. 

Waddell's  addition  stands  of  record  on  the  books  of  the  county 
recorder,  but  the  date  is  not  given. 

A\  est  addition  was  made  by  a  company  and  stands   recorded   in 

the  year  1836,  on  the  2i*th  day  of  some  month,  which  is  omitted. 

East  addition  was  made  by  a  company  probably  in  1836,  but  the 
date  of  recording  is  not  given. 

Miller's  addition  is  recorded.  No  date  given,  but  from  dates 
which  precede  and  follow  the  record  of  it,  it  must  have  been  made 
in  1<S37. 


MICHIGAN   TOWNSHIP.  97 

Duncan's  addition  was  made  at  an  early  period. 

Orr  &  Cobb  made  an  addition  which  was  recorded  January  16, 
1838. 

The  Michigan  City  Land  company's  addition  of  water  lots  was 
filed  for  record  October  1,  1841. 

Blair's  additton  was  recorded  February  28,  1856. 

Bigelow  and  Winship's  addition   was  recorded  October  4,  1858. 

South  addition  was  made  by  a  company  and  recorded  May  26, 
1866. 

Southwest  addition  was  made  by  a  company  and  recorded  May 
21,  1873. 

DeWolf's  South  addition  was  made  and  recorded  June  16,  1873^ 

Orr  and  DeWolf's  addition  was  recorded  September  3,  1873. 

The  last  addition  made  to  Michigan  City  is  that  of  Wm  B.  Mc- 
Cartney, and  consists  of  over  five  hundred  lots. 

The  population  of  Michigan  City  was  less  for  a  few  years  after 
1836,  than  it  was  during  that  year,  the  stringency  of  1837  and  the 
few  following  years,  having  affected  unfavorably  the  business  pros- 
pects here  as  well  as  elsewhere  over  the  country.  After  the  year 
1840  population  began  to  increase  again,  and  there  have  been  grad- 
ual accessions  ever  since.  There  is  a  larger  population  at  present 
than  ever  before,  the  inhabitants  now  numbering  between  five  and 
six  thousand. 

Michigan  City  has  been  subject  to  many  vicissitudes,  her  pros- 
pects at  times  seeming  to  be  very  bright,  at  other  times  gloomy  in  the 
extreme;  but  the  leading  business  men  of  the  place  have  never 
abated  one  jot  of  heart  or  hope.  When  a  bright  future  seemed  to 
offer,  they  have  energetically  set  themselves  to  meet  and  improve 
its  opportunities ;  when  the  prospect  was  forbidding,  they  resolutely 
met  the  emergency,  by  themselves  opening  new  avenues  to  prosper- 
ity.    And  they  are  beginning  to  have  their  reward. 


98  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CENTRE    TOWNSHIP. 

At  the  organization  of  the  county,  the  present  Centre  township 
was  wholly  included  in  the  limits  of  what  was  then  Scipio,  which 
extended  from  the  southern  to  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county, 
and  was  the  central  township  of  the  three  into  which  the  county  was 
divided.  But  a  division  of  it  was  made  at  an  early  period.  The 
Board  of  county  commissioners,  at  their  regular  meeting  on  the  fifth 
day  of  November,  1833,  passed  the  following  order: 

"  Ordered  that  the  township  at  present  known  by  the  name  of 
Scipio  be  divided  by  the  line  dividing  townships  thirty-six  and 
thirty-seven,  and  that  all  north  of  said  township  line  compose  a  new 
township  to  be  called  Centre  township  and  that  Aaron  Stanton  be 
appointed  inspector  of  elections,  and  John  Stanton  and  Win.  Bond 
be  appointed  overseers  of  the  poor  in  said  township  of  Centre." 

Changes  have  occurred  in  the  limits  of  Centre  township  as  thus 
designated,  until  at  the  present  time  it  occupies  sections  one  and 
two  of  township  thirty-six,  range  three,  and  all  of  township  thirty- 
seven  except  the  northern  tier  of  sections,  which  are  now  a  part  of 
Springfield  township. 

The  first  settlement  made  in  this  township  was  by  Aaron  Stanton 
on  the  twenty-eighth  day  of  March  1830.  He  settled  on  section 
twenty-four,  about  two  miles  north  of  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 
city  of  La  Porte.  Philip  Fail  came  at  the  Bame  time,  and  settled 
on  the  same  section  but  removed  in  the  Fall  to  Kankakee  town- 
ship. Wm.  and  Stephen  Clement  arrived  in  the  township  in  the 
fall  of  1831,  and  soon  afterwards  opened  a  store  within  the  limits 
of  the  present  city  of  La  Porte.  Benajah  Stanton  hauled  goods  for 
them  from  Niles,  Michigan.  Wm.  Clark  came  in  1830,  and  made  a 
settlement  on  section  twenty-three,  but  did  not  bring  his  family 
until  the  fall  of  1831.  Adam  Smith  arrived  in  the  fall  of  1830. 
The  Blakes,  Landon,  Wheeler,  the  Balls,  John  B.  and  Charles 
Fravel,    Wilson    Malone,    Wm.    Stanton    and    family,    and    Alfred 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  99 

Stanton,  all  arrived  very  early.  At  the  land  sales  at  Logansport, 
James  and  A.  P.  Andrew  Jr.,  bought  land  in  section  two,  township 
thirty-six.  They  also  bought  land  of  Jesse  Morgan,  Wm.  Thomas  and 
Richardson,  who  had  arrived  earlier.  In  the  year  1831,  William  and 
Jesse  Bond  settled  on  the  east  side  of  the  township.  John  Garwood 
reached  the  county  in  1831,  and  Brainard  Goff  in  1832. 

Settlers  now  began  to  arrive  in  great  numbers.  There  was  no 
part  of  the  county  more  attractive  than  much  of  that  which  is  now 
Centre  township.  The  north  part  of  it  was  well  timbered;  and  on 
the  south  and  west  were  broad  reaches  of  rich  prairie  land,  dotted 
with  beautiful  Burr  oak  groves.  In  prairie  and  woodland,  were 
many  sparkling  lakes,  the  loveliest  of  which  lay  near  the  site  chosen 
for  the  town  of  LaPorte. 

In  1831  Col.  W.  A.  Place  made  a  preliminary  visit  to  LaPorte 
•county,  and  being  well  pleased  with  the  country,  he  determined  to 
make  it  his  home.  He  brought  his  family  and  settled  in  Centre 
township  in  October,  1832.  He  was  here  early  enough  to  help 
build  the  first  log  cabin  put  up  in  LaPorte.  It  was  built  for  George 
Thomas,  and  stood  near  where  the  depot  of  the  Lake  Shore  railroad 
is  now  located. 

The  population  of  Centre  township  exclusive  of  the  city  of  La- 
Porte, is  about  1200,  consisting  of  intelligent  and  industrious  citi- 
zens, engaged  almost  wholly  in  agricultural  pursuits.  In  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  LaPorte,  there  are  several  small  fruit  farms,  and 
market  gardens,  which  supply  the  city  with  fruit  and  vegetables  dur- 
ing the  season,  and  from  which  many  products  are  shipped  to 
Chicago.  For  the  township  generally,  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  pota- 
toes are  the  staple  products.  Much  attention  has  been  given  to 
providing  means  for  the  education  of  the  children  of  the  township, 
and  in  every  school  district  there  is  a  good  school  house. 

About  two  miles  north  of  the  city  of  LaPorte,  in  Centre  township, 
on  the  heights  bordering  the  east  side  of  Pine  lake,  is  Pine  Lake 
cemetery.  It  contains  forty-seven  acres,  and  is  perhaps  the  most 
lovely  spot  in  the  county.  For  the  beauty  which  nature  has  given 
it,  there  can  scarcely  be  found  in  the  whole  country  a  more  charm- 
ing place.  It  is  controlled  by  an  association,  which  was  organized 
sunder  a  State  statute  in  the  year  1855.     Gilbert  Hathaway  was  the 


100  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

first  President  of  the  association  and  Don  J.  Woodward.  Secretary 
and  Treasurer.  Gen.  Joseph  Orr  was  President  of  the  association 
several  years,  resigning  the  position  only  a  few  months'ago ;  and  the 
valuable  and  tasteful  improvements  of  the  grounds  are**due  in  a 
great  measure  to  his  energy  and  public  spirit,  and  the  correct  taste 
which  he  brought  to  the  work  of  beautifying  this  resting 
place  of  the  dead.  Visitors  to  the  place  are  always  delightedVith 
its  diversified  scenery,  looking  out  upon  the  lake  in  front, 
and  resting  on  a  dark  green  back-ground  of  woods,  while  all  between 
presents  gentle  elevations,  quiet  vales,  and  winding  walks  and  car- 
riage drives.  Nature  furnished  here  a  happy  ground  work  of  beauty ; 
and  the  hand  of  art,  judiciously  and  tastefully  employed,  has  per- 
fected the  work,  rendering  this  sacred  city  of  the  dead,  a  place  of 
loveliness  and  solemn  delight,  as  well  as  of  sad  and  holv  memories. 
In  Centre  township  there  is  no  town  except  the  city  of 

LA  PORTE. 

LaPorte,  the  county  seat  of  LaPorte  county,*is  situated  on  the 
Lake  Shore  and  Michigan  Southern,  and  Indianapolis.  Peru  and 
Chicago  railroads..  It  is  fifty  nine  miles  east  of  Chicago,  and 
twelve  miles  from  the  lake  port  at  Michigan  City,  whith  which  it  is 
connected  by  rail.  For  beauty  of  situation  LaPorte  is  unsurpassed. 
East,  south  and  west  lie  spread  out,  the  rich  prairie  lands,  inter- 
spersed with  groves;  and  on  the  north,  coming  up  to  the  edge  of 
the  city  is  a  chain  of  small  lakes,  gem-like  in  their  beauty,  the  most 
noted  of  them  being  Clear  lake,  Stone  lake  and  Pine  lake.  It  is 
not  strange  that  those  who  first  came,  should  have  beheld  in  this 
spot  the  place  for  a  town  which  should  be  the  county  seat  of  the 
county.  It  may  readily  be  imagined  that  when  nature  only,  had 
visited  the  lakes  and  groves  and  prairies  of  this  locality,  the 
dullest  and  most  unsusceptible  of  minds  must  have  been  touched 
with  its  beauty. 

LaPorte  is  situated  on  what  was  known  as  the  "Michigan  Road 
Lands."  They  were  sold  at  the  land  sales  at  Logansport  in  the 
month  of  October,  1831 ;  and  Walter  Wilson,  Hiram  Todd,  John 
Walker.  James  Andrew  and  Abram  P.  Andrew  Jr.,  bought  four  hun- 
dred acres  of  them  with  a  view  to  laving  out  a  town  which  should 
be  the  capital  town  of  the  county.     The  town  was  laid  out  and  the 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  101 

original  survey  made  in  1833.  There  were  already  a  number  of 
settlers  in  the  place.  Joseph  Pagin  had  arrived  in  1831  and  built 
a  house  on  the  east  side  of  Clear  lake,  near  where  the  ice  house 
now  stands  which  replaced  the  burned  brewery.  Still  earlier,  in 
the  year  1830,  Richard  Harris  and  George  Thomas  came,  and  built 
cabins  within  the  present  city  limits.  The  cabin  of  Thomas  stood 
near  the  present  location  of  the  Michigan  Southern  depot,  and  it  isi 
said  that  his  neighbors  erected  it  for  him  on  a  Sunday.  Wilson 
Malone  who  now  lives  in  Porter  county  says  he  was  the  first  person1 
to  sleep  in  this  house,  before  it  was  occupied  by  the  family  of  Mr. 
Thomas.  In  the  winter  of  1832-3,  there  were  but  three  families  in 
LaPorte,  which  were  those  of  George  Thomas,  Richard  Harris  and 
Wilson  Malone.  Oak  groves  occupied  the  present  site  of  the  city, 
and  when  the  Spring  opened,  and  the  wild  flowers  covered  the  future 
streets,  and  the  trees  were  covered  with  foliage,  and  the  green 
sward  carpeted  the  earth,  approaching  to  the  very  edge  of  the  bright 
and  unvexed  waters  of  Clear  lake,  it  formed  a  picture  to  charm  the 
eye  and  captivate  the  heart  of  the  lover  of  Nature,  whether  savage 
or  civilized. 

The  intrusion  of  Geo.  Thomas  into  the  sylvan  beauty  of  the  spot  I 
was  the  signal  for  the  advent  of  still  more,  and  many  a  noble 
Burr  oak  fell,  and  manv  a  flower  was  crushed  under  the  feet  of 
the  sturdy  pioneers  who  came  to  make  homes  and  build  a  city. 
Thomas'  house  was  constructed  of  slabs  procured  from  a  steam  saw 
mill  which  Capt.  Andrew  had  erected  a  short  distance  west  of  the 
town.  It  was  in  this  house  that  the  first  session  of  the  board  of' 
county  commissioners  was  held.  The  first  cabin  soon  had  compan- 
ions; and  in  1834  there  were  fifteen  houses  on  the  ground  which 
was  to  be  occupied  by  the  future  town.  Business  was  opening.,' 
Mechanics,  merchants  and  professional  men  began  to  arrive. 
Charles  Fravel  came  in  1832.  The  Blakes,  and  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Lily  kept  the  first  hotels.  John  and  Wm.  Alison,  Hiram 
Wheeler,  John  B.  Fravel,  Dr.  Ball  and  Nelson  Landon,  were  mer^ 
chants  in  1832  and  1833.  Seth  Way  and  Charles  Ladd  were 
dwellers  in  tents  in  those  days  like  Abraham  of  old,  and  they  fol- 
lowed the  business  of  breaking  up  the  sod  of  the  prairie  for  the 
farmers  who  had  fixed  their  homes  at  various  points  between  La- 


102  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Porte  and  Westville,  and  elsewhere  in  the  county.  In  March, 
1833,  Thompson  W.  Francis,  now  of  Michigan  City,  came  to  La- 
Porte  to  work  as  a  builder  and  carpenter.  He  built  the  hotel  which 
was  kept  long  afterwards  by  Capt.  Levi  Ely. 

At  the  September  term  of  the  commissioners'  court,  1833,  a 
license  was  granted  to  J.  F.  &  W.  Allison  to  keep  a  tavern  in 
LaPorte,  and  also  to  vend  merchandise.  Licenses  were  granted  also 
to  Wm.  Clement  and  to  Seneca  Ball  to  vend  merchandise.  At  the 
March  term,  1834,  a  license  was  granted  to  H.  &  T.  Wheeler  to 
vend  merchandise,  and  a  license  to  Wm.  Clement  "to  vend  foreign 
and  domestic  liquors  and  groceries." 

At  the  September  term  of  the  same  year,  Amzi  Clark  was 
licensed  to  vend  merchandise,  also  Absalom  Walters;  and  Noah 
Newhall  "to  keep  a  tavern;"  and  at  the  November  term  following, 
A.  &  A.  W.  Harrison  were  licensed  to  vend  merchandise.  At  the 
March,  term,  1835,  Wm.  Clement  was  licensed  to  keep  a  tavern, 
and  R.  B.  Hews  and  Hiram  Wheeler  to  vend  merchandise. 

In  1835,  licenses  were  further  granted  to  McCarty  &  Howell, 
John  Brown  and  Thomas  H.  Phillips;  and  to  Daniel  D.  Rathbun, 
Oliver  ShirlefF,  Grover  &  Williams,  John  A.  Fletcher  and  Mordecai 
Cross,  to  keep  tavern.  A  license  was  also  granted  at  the  November 
term  in  this  year,  to  Sherwood  k,  Hixon,  "to  vend  wooden 
clocks." 

In  1836,  James  Gibson,  Arthur  McClure,  Samuel  Darlington 
and  Conrad^EverLart  were  licensed  to  keep  tavern ;  and  McCarty 
&  Howell  andfEli  Hays  to  vend  merchandise. 

A  hotel  which  was  kept  by  Mr.  Blake  stood  on  Brown's  corner, 
the  one  now  occupied  by  ]Eliel's  drug  store.  Afterwards  General 
Brown  himself  kept  a  hotel  there.  The  old  wooden  buildings  which 
were  the  predecessors  of  the  present  brick  structure,  and  which  were 
burned  a  few  years  ago,  were  built  by  Gen.  Brown. 

In  laying  out  the  town  the  original  proprietors,  Wilson,  Todd, 
Walker  and  the  Andrews,  donated  every  alternate  lot  to  the  county 
for  the  purpose  of  enabling  it  to  erect  a  court  house  and  other  pub- 
lic buildings.  The  lots  were  sold  on  easy  terms,  and  during  the 
years  1835  and  1836,  the  population  largely  increased.  The 
Michigan   City    Gazette  of  July  22,  1835,  in  speaking  of  LaPorte 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  103 

denominates  it  as  "this  flourishing  village."  A  land  office  was 
opened  here  in  1834  or  1835,  with  Major  Robb,  Register,  and  John 
M.  Lemon,  Receiver.  James  Whittem  was  a  clerk  in  the  land 
office. 

Among  lawyers  first  admitted  to  practice  in  LaPorte  were  Win. 
0.  Ross  June  10,  1833 ;  John  B.  Niles,  December  16,  1833;  John 
S.  Lacy,  December  16,  1833;  Win.  Hawkins,  December  16,  1833; 
Robert  Merrifield,  October  13,  1834;  B.  B.  Taylor,  October  17, 
1834;  Wm.  C.  Hannah,  October  18,  1834.  In  1835,  there  were 
Charles  McCleese,  and  John  H.  Bradley;  in  1836,  Myron  H. 
Orton,  Jabez  R.  Wells,  G.  A.  Everts,  Thomas  Tyrrell,  N.  W.  Sax- 
ton,  and  A.  W.  Enos;  and  in  1837,  Andrew  L.  Osborn,  Gilbert 
Hathaway,  J.  W.  Chapman,  and  E.  A.  Hannegan.  Some  of  these 
lived  in  Michigan  City. 

In  the  month  of  July,  1838,  the  first  newspaper  that  was  estab- 
lished in  LaPorte  was  sent  out  to  the  people  of  LaPorte  and  other 
counties.  It  was  published  by  J.  M.  Stuart,  and  S.  C.  Clisbe,  and 
was  called  the  •' LaPorte  County  Whig,  and  Porter,  Ln^e,  and 
Marshall  Counties  Advertiser."  Stuart  &  Clisbe  conducted  it  only 
about  a  year,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Capt.  A.  P.  Andrew, 
Jr.  It  was  a  staunch  Whig  paper,  hoisting  in  1840  the  names  of 
Harrison  and  Tyler,  for  the  election  o[  whom,  and  the  candidates  of 
the  Whig  ticket  throughout,  the  editor  of  the  Whig  labored  with 
zeal  and  energy  and  much  efficiency.  Stuart  went  to  Michigan 
City,  where  he  obtained  control  of  the  G-azette,  the  politics  of  which 
he  changed  from  an  earnest  advocacy  of  the  Democratic  party  to 
become  the  champion  of  the  Whigs. 

Prior  to  1840,  a  Democratic  paper  was  established  by  Joseph 
Lomax,  which  was  called  the  LaPorte  Herald.  The  campaign  of 
1840  was  warmly  contested,  and  not  less  so  here  than  elsewhere. 
The  town  and  county  of  LaPorte  participated  fully  in  the  political 
spirit  and  feeling  that  characterized  the  campaign.  The  Herald 
gave  an  enthusiastic  support  to  Van  Buren ;  the  Whig,  with  equal 
earnestness,  supported  Harrison.  Its  columns  were  ornamented 
with  a  log  cabin,  the  cut  of  which  was  made  by  a  gunsmith  of 
LaPorte. 

In   the  year  1833,  the  first  school  house  was  built.     It  was  a 


104  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

humble  beginning,  but  educational  privileges  have  gone  on  increas- 
and  improving  until  now  the  system  of  graded  free  schools  is  the 
pride  of  every  citizen.  The  graded  schools  were  established  in 
1856,  in  which  year  a  school  building  was  erected  in  each  ward,  each 
of  them  having  a  primary  and  secondary  department.  Four  of  these 
buildings  were  of  brick  two  stories  in  height.  After  the  first  term 
under  the  graded  system  a  grammar  department  was  opened  which 
was  taught  in  an  old  frame  building  belonging  to  W.  D.  Farnsworth, 
which  stood  not  far  from  the  present  location  of  the  High  School 
building.  The  teachers  in  the  various  schools  were  R.  M.  Johnson, 
A.  T.  Bliss,  Jasper  Packard,  Mrs.  J.  Packard,  Miss.  0.  M.  Tibbits, 
Miss  Emma  Chandler,  Miss  M.  A.  Kent,  and  Mrs.  Steele.  The 
schools  grew  in  strength  and  influence,  and  usefulness,  under  the 
wise  management  which  they  have  fortunately  always  received,  and 
a  High  School  department  was  soon  organized  which  was  first 
taught  by  Jasper  Packard.  The  first  board  of  trustees  were  Gilbert 
Hathaway,  Amzi  Clark  and  B.  P.  Walker,  who  were  succeeded  by 
John  B.  Niles,  James  Moore  and  Ferdinand  Roberts,  and  these  by 
Win.  C.  Hannah,  L.  Crane  and  Rev.  Geo.  C.  Noyes.  under  whose 
administration  the  present  High  School  building  was  erected. 

In  1863,  this  commodious  school  building  was  constructed,  and  with 
its  completion,  and  the  continued  successful  management  and  conduct 
of  the  schools,  the  educational  advantages  of  LaPorte  are  of  the 
highest  kind.  So  excellent  have  been  the  public  schools  that  from 
the  time  of  the  inauguration  of  the  graded  system,  it  has  been  im- 
possible for  private  or  select  schools  to  be  maintained  -tor  any 
great  length  of  time,  though  several  have  been  in  operation  at 
different  times  that  were  well  worthy  of  support.  Such  were  those 
especially  ot  Mrs.  Holmes  who  now  conducts  a  fine  school  for  young 
ladies  in  Springfield,  Illinois;  of  T.  L.  Adams,  just  prior  to  his 
acceptance  of  the  position  of  Superintendent  of  the  public  schools  ; 
and  the  Technic  and  Training  school  of  W.  P.  Plielon,  all  of  which 
had  to  Yield  before  the  steady  upward  march  of  the  admirably  con- 
ducted  free  school-.  These  have  never  been  more  successful  than 
during  the  present  year  under  the  superintendence*  of  Mr.  B.  L. 
Swift,  with  J.  R.  Goife,  and  Misses  Lyon  and  Crittenden  as  teachers  in 
the  High  School,  and  an  efficient  corps  of  teachers  in  all  the  other 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  105 

departments.     The  present  board  of  trustees  are  Messrs.    Donly 
Foster  and  Early. 

In  the  winter  of  1840-41,  a  charter  was  obtained  from  the  State 
Legislature,  through  the  exertions  of  John  H.  Bradley  who  was 
then  a  member  from  LaPorte,  for  a  school  of  high  rank  to  be  called 
the  LaPorte  University.  The  charter  was  drawn  by  Wm.  Andrew, 
and  provided  for  an  institution  that  should  have  a  literary,  a  medical 
and  a  law  department.  The  next  year  the  law  department  was 
organized  under  the  charge  of  Judge  Andrew,  who  received  quite  a 
large  class  of  students.  The  medical  department  was  organized  in 
1842.  The  building  in  which  classes  were  f  ~st  opened  stood  where 
Davidson's  marble-front  store  is  now  locate.!.  A  good  building  was 
afterwards  erected  on  the  square  immediately  south  of  the  present 
High  School  building,  and  here  the  school  progressed  with  a  fair 
degree  of  success.  The  medical  faculty  consisted  of  the  following 
gentlemen : 

Geo.  W.  Richards,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice  of 
Medicine.     John  B.  Niles,  A.  M.,  Professor  of  Chemistry. 

Daniel  Meeker,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  Anatomy  and  Physiology. 

A.  B.  Shipman,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  Surgery. 

Nicholas  Hard,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  Obstetrics  and  Diseases  of 
Women  and  Children. 

E.  Deming,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  Materia  Medica. 

Levi  F.  Torrey,  M.  D.,  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy. 

In  1848-9,  J.  Adams  Allen,  M.  D.,  became  Professor  of  Materia 
Medica;  George  W.  Lep,  M.  D.,  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy;  and 
Tompkins  Higday,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  Physiology  and  General 
Pathology. 

Dr.  G.  A.  Rose  was  the  President  of  the  board  of  trustees,  dur- 
ing a  large  portion  of  the  time  of  the  existence  of  the  school,  and 
among  the  trustees  were  Wm.  C.  Hannah,  Secretary,  John  B. 
Niles,  Treasurer,  Rev.  Wm.  Andrew,  Daniel  Meeker,  Rev.  F.  P. 
Cummins  and  Ezekiel  Morrison.  Tompkins  Higday  was  Registrar 
in  1848-9.  The  name  of  the  institution  was  changed  to  the  "Indi- 
ana Medical  College,"  and  there  were  in  1846-7,  one  hundred  and 
four  students,  in  1848-9,  one  hundred  and  one. 

The   names  of  manv  of  the   students  are   familiar  in    Northern 


106  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Indiana,  and  some  of  them   have  become   distinguished  throughout 
the  State,  and  in  other  States. 

In  the  year  1843,  the  literary  department  of  the  university  was 
organized.  There  was  then  at  LaPorte,  a  school  called  the  Lan- 
casterian  Academy  of  which  Rev.  F.  P.  Cummins  was  principal,  in 
which,  besides  a  thorough  English  course  including  Philosophy,  the 
Natural  Sciences,  and  the  higher  Mathematics,  there  were  taught 
Latin,  Greek,  German  and  French.  This  institution  had  but  a 
brief  existence.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  circulars  issued  for  the 
purpose  of  advertising  this  academy,  stated  that  board  could  be 
obtained  in  LaPorte  for  from  one  dollar  to  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents 
per  week.  When  it  was  determined  lo  organize  the  literary  depart- 
ment of  the  LaPorte  University,  application  was  made  to  Prof.  Cum- 
mins, to  merge  his  school  in  it,  as  such  a  move  would  be  likely  to 
make  it  successful  from  the  start.  To  this  proposition  he  assented 
and  in  connection  with  Rev.  Mr.  Marshall,  pastor  at  the  time,  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  he  opened  this  department  of  the  Univer- 
sity. But  it  seems  not  to  have  met  with  the  success  which  its 
friends  anticipated  and  hoped;  it  languished,  and  died. 

The  medical  school  continued  to  flourish  for  some  years;  but 
there  grew  up  other  schools  which  withdrew  support  from  it.  The 
medical  department  of  the  Michigan  University  was  opened,  the 
Rush  Medical  college  at  Chicago,  a  similar  institution  at  Indianapo- 
lis, and  one  at  LaFayette ;  and  finally  the  managers  of  the  LaPorte 
school  determined  to  suspend  the  lectures.  This  occurred  in  1851; 
and  the  suspension  proved  to  be  a  final  ?losing  up  of  the  school. 
The  building  was  afterwards  occupied  as  a  literary  academy,  which 
was  conducted  by  Prof.  Churchman,  a  blind  man,  and  an  excellent 
teacher.  It  was  a  school  for  girls  only,  and  it  was  a  flourishing 
institution  until  it  was  burned  in  the  winter  of  1855.  The  institu- 
tion was  never  re-opened,  and  the  graded  free  school  system  having 
been  adopted  in  1856,  and  proving  so  eminently  successful,  there 
has  been  less  need  for  private  schools  of  any  kind.  For  several 
years,  the  only  private  schools  of  importance,  besides  those  hereto- 
fore mentioned,  have  been  the  schools  of  the  German  Lutheran 
church,  and  the  Catholic  Sisters. 

There  has  never  been   a  time  in  the  history  of  LaPorte,   when 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  107 

education  failed  to  receive  a  large  share  of  the  attention  of  the  leading 
citizens.  Private  schools  have  been  at  times  well  supported,  and 
since  the  present  system  of  graded  schools  came  into  existence,  the 
whole  people  have  cheerfully  met  the  taxes  necessary  for  the  re- 
quired buildings,  which  are  expensive  and  valuable,  for  the  salaries  of 
first-class  teachers,  and  all  the  other  incidental  outlay. 

The  earliest  physicians  to  settle  in  LaPorte  were  Doctors  Dinwid- 
die,  Timothy  Everts,  Daniel  Meeker,  and  G.  A.  Rose,  who  arrived 
in,  or  prior  to,  1835.  They  were  followed  by  Abram  Teegarden, 
who  came  in  1837,  J.  P.  Andrew,  Geo.  L.  Andrew,  T.  Higday,  L. 
Brusie,  Thos.  D.  Lemon  L.  C.  Rose  and  others. 

The  first  ministers  of  the  Gospel  who  came  to  .LaPorte,  will  be 
mentioned  in  connection  with  the  history  of  the  various  church  denom- 
inations in  another  chapter. 

LaPorte  has  always  been  ably  represented  in  the  professions. 
The  pastors  of  the  churches  have  generally  been  men  of  culture, 
and  intellectual  power ;  and  many  of  her  practitioners  of  law  and 
medicine  have  occupied  high  rank  in  their  profession,  and  enjoy  a 
reputation  co-extensive  with,  and  even  beyond  the  State. 

In  the  year  1835,  A.  W.  Harrison  was  postmaster.  This  was 
during  the  presidency  of  Andrew  Jackson,  but  soon  after  the  inaug- 
uration of  the  new  administration  of  Martin  Van  Buren  in  March, 
1837,  a  change  was  made  in  the  postoffice  here,  Dr.  Thos.  D. 
Lemon,  being  appointed.  He  held  the  office  continuously  until  the 
beginning  of  the  administration  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  1861,  when 
Geo.  B.  Roberts  was  appointed  on  the  recommendation  of  Schuyler 
Colfax,  then  the  Representative  in  Congress  from  the  ninth  congres- 
sional district  of  Indiana.  He  held  the  office  until  after  the  assas- 
sination of  Mr.  Lincoln  made  Andrew  Johnson,  President. 

One  of  the  most  popular  and  useful  institutions  of  LaPorte  is  the 
Library  and  Natural  History  association,  which  has  been  in  exist- 
ence since  1863.  It  has  continued  to  strengthen  in  public  favor, 
until  the  present  time,  and  its  history  will  not  be  without  interest 
now,  and  in  the  future.  In  1868  the  author  of  this  work  was 
requested  by  the  association  to  prepare  a  sketch  which  should  em- 
body the  history  of  the  institution.  This  he  afterwards  read  to  the 
board,  and  it  was  placed  on  file  as  one  of  its  permanent  records.    The 


108  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

substance  of  that  report  is  herewith  presented;  and  is  as  follows: 
uOn  the  fifth  day  of  May,  1868,  Wm.  Niles,  Esq.,  offered  a  reso- 
lution before  the  board  of  directors  of  the  LaPorte  Library  and 
Natural  History  association,  which  was  unanimously  adopted,  re- 
questing me  to  prepare  a  historical  sketch  on  the  origin,  history, 
present  condition,  prospects  and  purposes  of  that  association. 

Various  controlling  events  have  prevented  an  earlier  compliance 
with  the  request  of  the  board,  but  now  at  this  late  day,  I  have  the 
honor  respectfully  to  submit  the  following  facts  and  thoughts  on  the 
important  subjects  named  in  this  resolution. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1863,  LaPorte  was  a  city  of  nearly 
eight  thousand  inhabitants.  As  a  people  we  claimed  to  be  civilized, 
enlightened,  refined  and  educated:  and  vet  there  was  not  among  us 
a  reading  room  of  any  sort,  and  no  library  except  the  McClure,  to 
which  but  few  had  access:  so  few  that  it  was  practically  without 
any  influence  on  the  community.  A  reading  room,  exhibiting  on 
its  tables  the  earnest  thoughts  and  activities  of  the  present  in  the 
current  periodicals  of  the  day,  and  a  library  containing  the  ripened 
wisdom  of  the  past  and  the  present  are  means  of  education,  espe- 
cially to  the  young,  whose  utility  cannot  be  estimated. 

Here  was  a  great  and  pressing  want  unfilled,  and  there  were  a 
few,  who,  seeing  and  feeling  the  need  of  an  institution  that  should, 
in  some  degree,  meet  the  wants  of  the  people,  determined  to  organ- 
ize a  Library   association,   that   would,  at   slight   expense,   furnish 

books  and  periodicals  to  ali  who  might  choose  to  avail  themselves  of 
its  privileges. 

It  was  believed  that  such  an   association  would  be  influential  in 

developing  a  literary  taste,  by  cultivating  a  habit  of  reading,  and 
that  it  would  become  a  powerful  educator  of  the  people,  positively, 
by  stimulating  the  growth  of  the  mind  and  promoting  learning  and 
scholarship,  and  negatively,  by  furnishing  a  pleasant  and  useful 
place  of  resort,  to  largely  counteract  the  evils  of  vicious  pleasures 
and  associations:  and  on  the  16th  day  of  March,  1863,  an  organi- 
zation was  effected  by  the  adoption  of  a  constitution,  and  the  elec- 
tion of  the  following  full  complement  of  officers : 

President,  Wm.  C.  Hannah;  Vice  President.  James  Moore;  Re- 
cording Secretary,  Wm.  Xiles;  Corresponding  Secretary.  Rev.  Geo. 
C.  Xoyes;  Treasurer,  Fred  West. 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  109 

Directors— Wm.  H.  H.  Whitehead,  Dr.  N.  S.  Darling,  Ezekiel 
Morrison,  Dr.,L.  C.  Rose,  Simon  Wile,  James  Lewis,  0.  Wilson 
and  Charles  Paine. 

The  association  thus  organized  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
the  "LaPorte  Reading  Room  and  Library  Association." 

Negotiations  were  entered  into  with  the  McClure  Working  Men's 
Institute,  which  finally  resulted  in  the  transfer  by  that  association  to 
this,  of  all  the  books  and  other  property  of  the  former.  The  terms 
of  the  contract  were  such  as  to  convey  to  the  new  association  all  the 
property  of  the  old,  to  be  held  and  used  by  it  forever,  or  during  its 
existence,  with  reversion  to  the  McClure  association  in  case  of  the 
dissolution  of  the  new  organization,  upon  the  payment  of  the  debts 
of  the  Institute  amounting  to  fifty-five  dollars,  and  the  grant  to  each 
of  its  members  of  a  membership  for  one  year  in  the  new  association. 
This  result  was  highly  gratifying,  as  it  at  once  gave  to  the  Library 
association  a  permanent  footing,  enabling  it  to  start  with  seven  hun- 
dred volumes,  many  of  them  standard  works  in  history  and  English 
literature.  With  this  handsome  nucleus  at  the  start,  around  which 
to  gather  other  works,  until  a  large  library  should  be  founded,  the 
attempt  to  build  up  a  noble  educational  power  in  our  midst,  ceased 
to  be  an  experiment,  and  became  an  assured  success. 

I  pause  here  in  the  course  of  this  sketch,  to  notice  an  event  that 
carried  sadness  to  the  heart,  not  only  of  the  members  of  the  associa- 
tion, but  of  all  our  people.  On  the  16th  day  of  March,  James 
Lewis  had  been}elected  as  one  of  the  board  of  directors,  and  on  the 
fourth  day  of  May,  when  the  board  held  their  regular  meeting  for 
the  month,  his  place  was  vacant ;  death  had  invaded  that  active  life, 
and  sadly  and  unanimously  the  board  passed  the  following  preamble 
and  resolutions: 

Whereas,  By  the  death  of  our  associate,  Mr.  James  Lewis,  this 
board  has  lost  a  valued  member,  whose  worth  we  would  commemor- 
ate in  the  records  of  this  association,  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  we  recognized  in  Mr.  Lewis  an  upright  and  gen- 
erous citizen,  ever  in  earnest  to  advance  the  welfare  of  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  lived,  whether  at  the  cost  of  mo  ney  or  of  personal 
exertion. 

Resolved,  Thatjve   tender  to   Mrs.  Lewis   and  the  family  of  the 


110  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

deceased  our  respectful  and  sincere  sympathy  in  their  bereavement. 

Mr.  Lewis  died  on  the  23d  day  of  April.  1863^  He  was  an 
upright  and  enterprising  citizen,  a  faithful  friend,  a  zealous  member 
of  this  association,  and  a  devoted  christian. 

On  the  11th  day  of  May,  the  board  of  directors  submitted  their 
first  report  to  the  association.  In  it  they  speak  very  encouragingly 
of  the  condition  and  prospects  of  the  work  before  them,  and  although 
they  find  some  difficulties  and  discouragements  in  the  way.  yet  they 
say,  and  very  truly,  that  "these  difficulties  ought  to  weigh  as  noth- 
ing in  comparison  with  the  great  need  and  importance  to  the  whole 
community  of  an  undertaking  like  the  one  upon  which  we  are  glad 
to  believe,  we  have  now  successfully  entered." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  association  on  the  11th  of  May,  it  was 
necessary  according  to  the  constitution,  to  elect  officers  for  the 
ensuing  year.     The  election  resulted  as  follows : 

President,  Win.  C.  Hannah;  Vice  President,  James  Moore; 
Recording  Secretary,  Wm.  Xiles;  Treasurer,  Fred  West;  Corres- 
ponding Secretary,  Rev.  G.  C.  Noyes. 

Directors. — Andrew  L.  Osborn,  Charles  Paine,  Ezekiel  Morrison 
Jacob  Zook,  W.  H.  H.  Whitehead,  0.  Wilson,  and  Landon  C. 
Rose. 

The  association  seemed  now  fairly  equipped  for  a  race  of  useful- 
ness; but  its  early  promise  was  doomed  to  undergo  a  blighting 
check.  The  meeting  of  the  11th  of  May  adjourned  with  a  prospect 
of  vigorous  growth  before  the  young  foundling.  The  members  must 
have  been  too  sanguine,  and  reposed  too  much  confidence  in  the 
powers  of  the  child,  for  they  left  it  to  run  alone  until  the  26th  of 
the  following  October,  and  then  holding  one  brief  meeting,  a  dark 
and  impenetrable  interregnum  occurs  of  more  than  a  year,  from  the 
26th  of  October,  1863,  to  the  6th  of  December,  1864.  This  seems 
to  have  been  the  "dark  age"  of  our  association's  history.  It  was 
even  darker  than  the  night  of  the  middle  ages,  for  then  the  monks 
in  their  gloomy  cells  did  not  permit  learning  quite  to  perish  from 
the  earth,  and  history  penetrates  the  gloom  of  that  cavernous  night; 
but  over  those  forgotten  months  of  our  society's  life,  whose  record  is 
forever  lost,  an  impenetrable  shadow  has  fallen,  and  nothing  but  the 
fiat  of  Omnipotent  Power  proclaiming  "Let  there  be  Light,"  could 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  Ill 

disperse  the  gloom.  It  must  have  seemed  to  the  friends  of  the  asso- 
ciation that  its  light  had  gone  out  forever.  But  the  usefulness  of 
such  an  institution  had  become  known ;  and  although  the  old  officers 
and  board  of  directors  would  seem  to  have  been  somewhat  discour- 
aged, they  determined  not  to  stand  in  the  way  of  any  others  who 
might  be  willing  to  try  to  give  new  vitality  to  the  association.  On 
the  6th  day  of  December,  1864,  the  officers  and  members  of  the 
board,  each  and  all  resigned,  and  others  were  elected  to  fill  the 
vacancies  so  created;  and  the  organization  commenced  its  new  exist- 
ence with  the  following  officers : 

President,  L.  Crane;  Vice  President,  C.  G.  Powell;  Treasurer, 
Wm.  M.  Scott;  Corresponding  Secretary,  Rev.  J.  P.  Ash;  Record- 
ing Secretary,  T.  L.  Adams. 

Directors.— Dr.  Geo.  M.  Dakin,  H.  B.  Weir,  Dr.  W.  L.  Mc- 
Kahan,  John  M.  Hood,  Rev.  J.  H.  Lee,  Mr.  Baker  and  A.  J. 
Redding. 

As  an  indication  of  the  vigorous  manner  in  which  the  new  board 
commenced  their  work  it  is  worthy  of  note  that  at  this  meeting  a 
committee  of  one  was  appointed  to  "prepare  the  Reading  Room  for 
occupancy  by  to-morrow."  The  work  was  done,  and  meetings  have 
been  held  regularly  at  the  Society's  rooms  from  that  time  to  the 
present. 

On  the  6th  day  of  November,  1865,  the  first  movement  was  made 
towards  renting  the  pleasant  rooms  now  occupied  by  us ;  and  on  the 
20th  of  the  same  month  they  were  occupied  and  have  given  the 
association  a  home,  and  our  people  a  useful  and  attractive  place  of 
resort  for  more  than  three  years.  At  the  meeting  of  November 
20th,  1865,  it  was,  with  characteristic  energy,  resolved  to  "pledge 
ourselves  as  individuals  te  see  the  work  carried  through."  This 
feeling  has  ever  since  actuated  the  directors,  and  the  consequence 
has  been  the  continued  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  association. 
Since  the  year  1864,  a  leading  feature  of  the  Society  has  been  a 
course  of  lectures  each  winter.  These  have  been  given  by  the  lead- 
ing men  of  the  country,  authors,  poets,  statesmen  and  divines.  The 
lectures  have  embraced  a  wide  variety  of  subjects,  travels,  history, 
national  affairs,  social  reforms,  the  woman  question,  in  fact  almost 
every  subject  that  engages  the   American  mind  at  the  present  day. 


112  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

These  lectures,  while  not  highly  remunerative  to   the  Society,  have 
been  an  agreeable  means  of  instruction  for  the  people,  most  of  them 
having  been  of  a  high   order  of  merit,   and  worthy    to  have  been 
'  heard  by  far  more  than  availed  themselves  of  the  privilege. 

The  growth  of  the  library  has  been  constant  if  not  rapid. 
Handsome  donations  of  books  have  been  received  from  Morgan  H. 
Weir,  Benj.  F.  Taylor,  L.  Crane,  and  others,  and  in  each  of  the 
last  four  years  there  have  been  additions  by  purchase,  of  from  two  to 
three  hundred  volumes. 

On  the  sixth  day  of  April,  1868,  a  movement  was  commenced  for 
the  collection  of  a  cabinet  under  the  superintendence  of  Dr.  T. 
Higday :  and  on  the  fifth  day  of  May  last  the  following  preamble 
and  resolution  presented  by  Wm.  Niles,  Esq.,  were  unanimously 
adopted : 

Whereas.  It  is  proposed  to  form  a  collection  of  specimens  in 
illustration  of  the  natural  sciences,  and  those  interested  in  the 
matter  desire  to  place  the  collection  in  the  rooms  of  the  association, 
if  the  donation  will  be  accepted, 

ResolvecL  that  the  association  will  accept  such  donations  if  made, 
and  will  preserve  the  collection,  and  increase  it  from  time  to  time 
so  far  as  can  be  done  consistently  with  its  leading  objects. 

For  their  cheerful  co-operation  in  this  feature  especially,  of  our 
association,  both  by  liberal  donations,  and  by  labor  in  arranging 
the  specimens  in  the  cases,  too  much  praise  cannot  be  awarded  to 
Drs.  T.  Higday,  Geo.  L.  Andrew,  Henry  Holloway.  H.  B.  Wilcox, 
and  Messrs.  Fred'k  West.  Samuel  J.  Fosdick  and  E.  Gr.  McCollum. 

Thus,  from  a  beginning  attended  by  doubts  and  fears,  and 
through  a  history  checkered  by  sunshine  and  cloud,  we  reached  the 
society's  present  condition.  At  no  previous  hour  has  the  prospect 
been  fairer  than  now.  Five  lectures  of  a  course  of  six  have  left  us 
nearlv  forty  dollars  ahead,  and  this  in  a  season  when  lectures  nearlv 
everywhere  have  failed  to  pay.  Our  cabinet,  in  illustration  of  the 
natural  sciences,  is  neatly  and  tastefully  fitted  up.  and  though  not 
large,  is  well  worthy  the  attention  of  the  curious  The  reading 
room,  furnished  with  all  the  leading  magazines  of  the  day.  draws 
to  the  rooms  daily  large  numbers  of  busy  readers,  and  every  night 
the  rooms  are  crowded  with  the  young  of  both  sexes,  quietly  and 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  113 

studiously  securing  information  that  will  be  a  practical  benefit 
during  their  lives.  The  library  numbers  probably  over  two  thous- 
and volumes,  consisting  of  many  of  the  choicest  works  of  the  English 
language;  history,  biography,  poetry,  travels,  science,  light  litera- 
ture, philosophy,  belles  lettres,  and  every  variety  of  reading  to 
please  every  variety  of  taste.  We  have  lived  down  the  stale 
calumny  that  we  are  a  political  institution,  and  all  classes  of  our 
people,  without  regard  to  party,  sect  or  creed,  have  a  warm  side  for 
the  LaPorte  Library  and  Natural  History  Association.  Our 
prospects  may  be  best  told  by  our  past  history  and  present  condi- 
tion. We  cannot  doubt  that  our  darkest  days  are  over.  The  out- 
look before  us  is  brighter  and  smoother  than  the  backward  look 
over  the  past.  I  look  down  the  future,  and  see  a  long  career  of 
usefulness.  I  see  our  library  expanding  until  these  rooms  grow 
narrow.  The  rich  burden  of  thought  here  collected  invites  all  our 
people  to  come  and  drink  at  the  Pierean  fount,  not  in  little  stinted 
sippings,  but  in  vigorous  draughts,  that  cheer  the  soul,  enlarge  the 
mind,  and  develope  manhood.  These  thoughts  are  not  fanciful,  they 
are  the  grand  possibilities  of  the  future,  and  will  be  the  gift  of  a 
generous  now  to  the  swift  approaching  then. 

The  purposes  of  this  association  may  be  summed  up  in  one  word 
— improvement.  The  improvement  and  development  of  man,  as  an 
individual,  and  as  a  member  of  the  community.  Our  purpose  is  to 
educate,  to  develop  thought,  to  enlarge  and  strengthen  the  mental 
powers,  to  purify  the  heart,  to  furnish  rational  and  wholesome 
amusement,  to  make  every  man  a  better  and  stronger  man,  and 
every  woman  a  better  and  more  cultivated  woman,  to  develop  in 
the  young  a  taste  for  reading,  and  make  them  acquainted  with  the 
great  thoughts  of  the  great  authors  who  have  honored  the  English 
tongue. 

One  of  the  most  striking  characteristics  of  our  civilization,  one 
which  has  worked  deepest,  and  is  destined  to  have  the  most  lasting- 
impression,  is  the  general  diffusion  of  knowledge.  We  are  pre-emi- 
nently a  reading  people,  and  the  privilege  is  not  confined  to  a  few. 
All  participate.  The  morning  paper  follows  the  man  of  business  to 
the  breakfast  table.  The  last  monthly  throngs  the  rail-car  and 
steamboat.     The  latest  novel  enters  the  parlor  of  the  opulent,  and 

8 


114  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

wrings  the  tears  from  eyes  that  never  wept  before ;  while  every 
avenue  of  life  is  penetrated  by  the  ubiquitous  newspaper.  News — 
north,  east,  west,  south,  the  tidings  are  borne.  Over  hill  and  valley 
speed  the  messengers  of  the  press.  The  palace  of  the  rich,  and  the 
log  hut  of  the  pioneer,  are  alike  objects  of  their  visitation.  Histor- 
ies are  multiplied.  The  dramatic  touches  of  Macaulay,  and  of 
Bancroft,  Prescott  and  Motley,  give  to  historic  composition  all  the 
charm  of  works  of  the  imagination.  All  must  read,  young  and  old, 
male  and  female,  man  of  leisure  and  man  of  business.  There  is  no 
escape;  the  world  is  busy;  it  moves,  so  must  man — every  man — or 
he  is  left  behind  in  a  moment.  It  is  our  purpose  to  supply,  as  far 
as  possible,  this  popular  demand. 

A  celebrated  English  divine  and  philosopher  lays  down  five 
eminent  means  whereby  the  mind  is  improved  in  the  knowledge  of 
things.  These  are  observation,  reading,  instruction  by  lectures, 
conversation  and  meditation. 

The  first  of  these  methods  of  improvement  our  association  furnish- 
es, to  a  limited  extent,  by  our  cabinet  of  specimens  illustrative  of 
the  natural  sciences.  Our  library  and  reading  room  supplies  the 
second,  and  the  third  is  reached  through  our  annual  course  of 
lectures. 

These  are  our  objects — to  supply  three  of  the  methods  of  enlarg- 
ing, informing  and  strengthening  the  mind.  With  some  degree  of 
pride  we  point  to  the  past;  and  we  look  forward  hopefully  to  en- 
larged usefulness  in  the  time  to  come." 

Since  the  date  of  the  above  sketch  which  wTas  written  in  February, 
1869,  the  Library  :<nd  Natural  History  association  has  continued 
to  prosper.  When  Dr.  Samuel  B.  Collins  completed  his  marble 
front  building  on  Michigan  avenue,  he  generously  offered  to  fit  up 
the  third  story  of  the  new  building,  and  donate  to  the  Library  asso- 
ciation the  free  use  of  it  for  five  years.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and 
soon  afterwards,  the  removal  was  effected,  and  these  fine  rooms,  are 
still  occupied,  the  five  years  lease  not  having  yet  expired. 

Early  in  1874,  a  movement  was  made  to  secure  a  permanent 
home  for  the  Library.  Gen.  Joseph  Orr,  proposed  to  the  Library 
board  and  citizens,  that  if  they  would  raise  the  sum  of  $6,000  he 
would  purchase  and  donate  to  the  association  the  building  known  a  - 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  115 

the  old  Presbyterian  church,  the  lot,  and  the  half-lot  adjoining  on 
the  north,  amounting  to  $4000.  Immediately  active  measures  were 
begun  for  the  raising  of  $6,000  by  voluntary  subscriptions,  and 
these  were  finally  successful.  The  money  was  subscribed,  one-half 
of  it  paid  in,  and  the  property  was  conveyed  to  the  association  when 
an  unfortunate  disagreement  occurring  between  Gen.  Orr,  and  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  Library  association,  in  regard  to  the  future 
arrangement  of  the  building,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  accumu- 
lated fund  should  be  expended,  the  movement  was  abandoned,  and 
the  property  was  re-conveyed  to  Gen.  Orr.  Most  of  the  money  that 
had  been  paid  in  was  suffered  to  remain  in  the  treasury  of  the 
Library  association,  and  many  re-subscribed  the  amount  still 
unpaid,  the  whole  forming  a  large  fund  which  is  held  by  the  board, 
and  is  now  at  interest,  ready  for  use  when  an  opportunity  offers  for 
the  purchase  of  property  that  shall  make  a  desirable  and  comforta- 
able  home  for  the  library.  It  is  much  to  the  credit  of  the  citizens  of 
LaPorte  that  an  institution  of  this  kind  has  received  such  constant 
and  liberal  support. 

In  the  year  1852,  the  Michigan  Southern  and  Northern  Indiana 
railroad  was  completed  to  LaPorte,  and  was  extended  rapidly  to 
Chicago.  Prior  to  this  in  1839,  the  Buffalo  and  Mississippi  rail- 
road was  projected,  much  grading  was  done  upon  it  through  the 
county,  and  the  board  of  county  commissioners,  in  obedience  to  the 
petition  of  citizens  subscribed  for  stock  to  the  amount  of  $100,000. 
Onlv  here  and  there  a  cut  or  an  embankment  remains  to  tell  of  the 
broken  hopes  of  the  people. 

In  1856,  the  Cincinnati,  Louisville  and  Chicago  railroad,  now 
the  Indianapolis,  Peru  and  Chicago,  was  built  between  LaPorte  and 
Plymouth.  The  gaps  between  Plymouth  and  Rochester,  and 
Rochester  and  Peru  were  afterwards  filled,  thus  giving  LaPorte 
direct  communication  southward,  as  she  already  had  to  the  east  and 
west.  In  1871,  that  part  of  the  road  between  LaPorte  and  Michi- 
gan City  was  completed,  and  thus  LaPorte  is  situated  on  the  lead- 
ing line  of  railroad  between  the  East  and  Chicago,  and  the  principal 
line  in  Indiana  from  the  lase  to  the  south. 

The  rich  farming  country  surrounding  LaPorte  has  been  the  chief 
cause  of  its  growth,  though  its  manufactures,  always  an  element  of 


116  HISTORY    OF    LAPORTE    COUNTY. 

prosperity,  have  been  by  no  means  insignificant.  The  machine 
shops  of  the  Michigan  Southern  railroad  were  located  here  immedi- 
ately upon  the  completion  of  the  road,  and  continued  here  until 
1870,  when  the  machinery  was  removed  to  Elkhart.  The  build- 
ings are  now  occupied  by  the  LaPorte  Car  factory.  There  have 
been  several  foundries,  and  establishments  for  the  manufacture  of 
machinery  and  agricultural  implements  of  various  kinds.  The  prin- 
cipal ones  are  now  those  of  the  Rumelys,  who  manufacture  separa- 
tors and  steam  engines;  James  N.  Brooks,  who  makes  grist  mill 
machinery  and  engines,  and  that  of  John  W.  Ridgway,  which  was 
burned  a  few  months  since  and  is  now  being  rebuilt.  There  have 
been  two  paper  mills  in  LaPorte,  one  of  which  failed  and  the  other 
was  burned  and  never  rebuilt.  The  building  of  the  former  is 
now  occupied  by  the  LaPorte  Wheel  factory,  which  is  prospering. 
The  bedstead  factory  of  Mr.  Fred.  Meissner  has  for  many  years 
been  successful,  and  the  chair  factory  under  the  management  of 
"Washington  Wilson  is  doing  a  prosperous  business.  There  arc  two 
woolen  factories,  each  of  them  doing  good  work,  three  flouri> 
mills  and  numerous  wagon  and  blacksmith  shops,  which  altogether 
give  employment  to  a  large  number  of  hands.  Within  a  few  years 
past,  a  heavy  trade  has  arisen  in  the  ice  that  is  taken  from  the 
lakes  in  the  winter.  The  houses  for  its  storage  dot  the  borders  of 
the  lakes  in  every  direction.  It  is  chiefly  taken  from  Stone.  Clear 
and  Fish  Trap  lakes.  There  is  a  Chicago  firm  engaged  in  the  b 
iness,  M.  Thompson  &  Co.;  a  Louisville  company;  John  Hilt  &  Co., 
of  LaPorte,  and  others  of  this  city.  Many  thousands  of  tons  a 
taken  oft' each  winter,  and  it  is  shipped  extensively  to  Chicago,  and 
the  South.  This  is  a  flourishing  business,  and  gives  employment  to 
many  laboring  people  in  winter  when  work  is  often  especially  need- 
ed, and  difficult  to  obtain. 

There  are  fifteen  church  edifices  in  LaPorte,  Methodist.  German 
Methodist,  Presbyterian.  Baptist,  Episcopalian,  three  Lutheran,  two 
German  and  one  Swedish,  Swedenborgian,  Christian,  two  Catholic, 
Friends1  meeting  house,  Jewish  Synagogue,  and  Colored.  T! 
church  first  built  in  LaPorte  was  bv  the  Methodists  in  1837.  The 
edifice  now  occupied  by  the  Disciples,  and  known  as  the  Christian 
church  was  built  by  the  Presbyterians  in  1*4:2.      The  Episcopalians 


CENTRE    TOWNSHIP.  117 

* 

•erected  their  house  of  worship  in  1845.  It  has  been  remodeled  and 
much  enlarged  since  that  time.  The  present  Baptist  church  edifice 
was  built  in  1859.  The  latest  church  building  erected  was  that  of 
the  Presbyterians  on  Michigan  avenue,  which  was  completed  in  1871. 

The  original  survey  of  LaPorte  has  received  many  additions,  the 
most  important  one,  and  the  largest,  being  that  of  Capt.  A.  P. 
Andrew,  Jr.,  on  the  south  side  of  the  city.  The  area  of  LaPorte 
contains  now  not  less  than  eight  hundred  acres,  and  a  population 
numbering  about  eight  thousand.  In  1835  there  were  but  fifteen 
houses  within  the  present  limits  of  the  corporation.  A  city  govern- 
ment was  adopted  in  1853,  and  William  J.  Walker  was  the  first 
mayor,  who  was  elected  to  the  office,  and  qualified  on  the  fifth  clay 
of  August  1853.  His  successors  to  1861,  were  William  Millikan, 
1855:  Fred'k  McCollum,  1857;  Wm.  H.  H.  Whitehead,  1859; 
Daniel  Noves,  1861.  Dr.  L.  C.  Rose  was  elected  in  1871,  and 
served  two  terms,  and  Mortimer  Nye  was  elected  in  1873,  and  again 
in  1875.  The  city  is  divided  into  five  wards,  each  represented  in  the 
city  government  by  two  councilmen.  There  are  in  the  city  more  than 
one  hundred  business  houses,  gas  works,  ,Holly  water  works,  a 
variety  of  manufacturing  establishments  as  already  mentioned, 
machine  shops  and  foundries,  tanneries,  six  hotels,  numerous  board- 
ing houses,  many  secret  and  benevolent  associations,  and  many 
elegant  residences,  with  well  kept  and  tasteful  grounds  surround- 
ing them.  Taken  altogether,  LaPorte  is  unquestionably  the  hand- 
somest city  in  Northern  Indiana,  if  not  in  the  State.  Its  wide  and 
well  shaded  streets,  its  long  rows  of  dark  green  maples,  its  groves 
and  lakes  and  charming  drives  present  attractions  which  are  seldom 
equaled. 

LaPorte  has  had  a  steady  but  not  rapid  growth ;  and  all  its  busi- 
ness has  been  on  a  stable  basis.  Panics  and  stringency  in  the 
money  market  affect  her  business  interests  comparatively  little. 
Her  banks,  of  which  there  are  five  including  the  Savings  bank,  are 
safely  conducted,  and  when  two  years  ago  the  great  financial  crash 
came  upon  the  country  no  merchant  or  banker  in  LaPorte  was 
touched.  All  weathered  the  storm  easily  and  safely.  Beautiful  for 
situation,  safe  in  her  business  interests,  and  enjoying  superior  edu- 
cational advantages,  LaPorte  is  a  most  desirable  place  for  a  residence, 
combining  the  health  of  the  country  with  the  privileges  of  the  city. 


118  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PLEASANT    TOWNSHIP. 

At  the  March  term,  1834,  of  the  commissioners'  court,  on  the 
third  day  of  March,  the  board  passed  the  following  order:  On  mo- 
tion of  Wm.  Holmes,  Kankakee  township  is  divided  by  the  line  run- 
ning east  and  west  between  townships  thirty-six  and  thirty-seven, 
all  that  part  south  of  said  line  in  said  count}-  to  constitute  and  form 
a  new  township  of  the  name  of  Pleasant,  that  the  house  of  Oliver 
Classon  shall  be  the  place  appointed  to  hold  elections  for  said  town- 
ship, and  that  James  Webster  be  appointed  inspector  of  elections 
until  the  April  annual  election,  or  until  his  successor  be  elected  and 
qualified."  These  limits  have  since  been  diminished  by  the  forma- 
tion of  Union,  Lincoln  and  Johnson  townships,  until  at  the  present 
time  Pleasant  township  contains  only  the  two  'northern  and  two 
central  tiers  of  sections  of  township  thirty-six.  range  two  west. 

Prior  to  the  opening  of  this  region  to  settlement,  Pleasant  town- 
ship was  one  of  the  most  attractive  parts  of  the  county.  Its  rich 
and  flower-clad  prairies,  its  groves  of  noble  forest  trees,  its  numerous 
small  lakes,  and  flowing  streams,  combined  to  form  a  spot  of  unsur- 
passed beauty.  After  the  settlement  of  the  county  began,  this  por- 
tion was  not  long  permitted  to  remain  in  its  pristine  condition.  In 
the  year  1831  or  32.  James  Webster  came  from  Virginia  and  set- 
tled on  section  one,  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  township.  His 
son-in-law,  James  Highley,  came  at  the  same  time.  The  next  year, 
Silas  Hale  and  Oliver  Classon  settled  on  section  twenty-tv  In 
1833,  John  Wilson  arrived  from  Ohio,  and  Andrew  Harvey  and 
Asa  Owen.  Valentine  Nicholson  came  early,  and  Benjamin  Butter- 
worth  was  present  and  bought  land  in  the  township  at  the  land 
sales,  but  settled  in  the  edge  of  Scipio  township.  Ralph  Loomis 
arrived  in  Pleasant  township,  April  19th  1834,  and  in  the  same 
year  came  George  S.  McCollum  and  Samuel  Stewart.  Stewart 
bought  land  in  sections  four  and  five,  and  his  home  was  only  two 
miles  from   LaPorte.     James    Van  Yalkenburgh   and  a   number  of 


PLEASANT    TOWNSHIP.  119s 

others  came  in^l835.  On  the  26th  day  of  May,  1836,  George  Bos- 
serman  arrived  on  a  prospecting  tour,  located  and  secured  three 
eighties  of  land,  some  of  the  best  in  the  county ;  then  returned  to  his 
former  home,  and  reached  the  township  again  on  the  1st  day  of 
December,  1836,  in  company  with  his  brother-in-law,  J.  G.  Mc- 
Caskey.  There  were  then  in  the  township,  besides  those  named, 
Griffin  Treadway,  John  I.  Crandall,  Geo.  C.  Havens,  W.  A.  Piace, 
Stephen  Norton  and  others.  The  following  may  also  be  named  as 
early  settlers  ;^W.  W.  Burhans,  Ziba  Bailey,  D.  E.  and  I.  B.  Cop- 
lin,  Wm.  Everhart,  John  V.  Rust,  G.  W.  Stewart,  J.  R.  Stewart, 
Charles  W.  Wing,  Seth  Way,  Curtis  and  John  B.  Travis,  and  other 
members  of  that  family,  and  the  Lomax  family. 

The  first  school  house  built  in  the  township  was  known  as  "Old 
Charity."  A  number  of  those  interested  were  opposed  to  having  it 
on  the  site  where  it  was  built,  and  they  put  it  on  wheels  or  rollers, 
and  moved  it  to  another  place  which  suited  them  better.  Then  the 
other  party  hitched  on  to  it  one  day  (or  night)  and  pulled  it  back  to 
its  former  location.  A  second  time  it  migrated;  and  thi^  time  it 
was  run  on  the  top^of  a  stump,  so  as  to  fasten  it;  but  it  wis  after- 
wards pried^or  cut  loose,  and  was  made  to  take  two  or  three  more 
journeys,  before  'the  dispute  was  settled  and  the  migratory  school 
house  was  permitted  to  have  a  permanent  abiding  place.  Since 
that  early  day,  great  advancement  has  been  made  in  educational 
facilities,  and  the  interest  shown  in  the  subject  of  education,  especially 
during  the  last  twenty-five  years  has  been  most  creditable.  In 
1850  there  was  not  a  good  school  house  in  the  township.  There 
were  schools,  but  the  houses  where  they  were  taught  were  inconve- 
nient, comfortless,  well-ni^h  worthless  structures.  Now  there  are 
five  school  houses,  all  of  them  good  ones. 

In  the  year  1835  or  36,  Mr.  Whitmer  built  a  saw  mill  on  the 
Little  Kankakee,  ^on  land  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Burson.  Root  & 
Graham  also  built  one  on  the  same  stream,  and  about  1850,  the 
Websters  put  up  another. 

The  first  church  in  the  township  was  Salem  Chapel,  built  by  the 
Methodists  in  1853.  The  earliest  preachers  in  the  township  were 
Elder  St.  Claire,  Campbellite ;  Elder  Spalding,  Baptist;  and  Rev. 
Geo.  M.  Boycl,  Methodist. 


120  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

On  the  9th  day  of  March,  1836,  an  order  was  made  by  the  Board 
of  commissioners  dividing  Pleasant  township,  so  that  all  that  part 
of  it  which  lies  east  of  a  line  drawn  from  the  northwest  corner  of 
section  one,  south  to  the  county  line,  should  be  known  as  Madison 
township.  This  does  not  seem  to  have  been  satisfactory  to  the  peo- 
ple, and  at  the  succeeding  term  of  the  commissioners'  court,  the 
order  was  rescinded. 

The  Little  Kankakee  river  runs  through  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  township,  crossing  sections  two,  one  and  twelve.  The  Indian- 
apolis, Peru  and  Chicago  railroad  crosses  the  township  diagonally 
from  southeast  to  northwest,  and  the  Chicago  and  Lake  Huron  rail- 
road crosses  the  southeast  corner.  The  former  road  has  located  a 
station  in  the  southeast  corner  of  section  fifteen,  called  Stillwell. 
In  1870,  a  postoffice  was  established  at  Stillwell,  kept  by  A.  J. 
Wair,  but  after  two  or  three  years  it  was  discontinued.  The  lands 
of  this  township  consist  mostly  of  fine  arable  prairie,  with  plenty  of 
timber  for  all  ordinary  purposes.  Immense  crops  of  corn,  wheat  and 
oats  are  easily  raised,  and  a  part  of  the  township  is  excellent  for  stock 
raising.  The  leading  industry,  almost  the  only  one,  is  agriculture, 
and  its  farmers  are  uniformly  prosperous. 


WILLS    TOWNSHIP  121 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

WILLS    TOWNSHIP. 

Wills  township  consists  of  twenty-four  sections  in  Range  one,  and 
the  eastern  tier  of  sections  of  Range  two,  township  thirty-seven.  A 
portion  of  the  congressional  township,  of  which  Wills  forms  a  part 
lies  in  St.  Joseph  county,  twelve  sections  on  the  east  and  northeast 
of  Wills  township  being  thus  cut  off  from  LaPorte  county.  As 
originally  constituted  it  included  all  of  the  present  Hudson  town- 
ship, and  six  sections  on  the  east  side  of  Galena,  extending  to 
the  Michigan  line.  Its  six  southeastern  sections  were  then  in  St. 
Joseph  county.  The  township  was  organized  and  its  boundaries 
designated  on  the  same  day  with  Pleasant  township,  both  being- 
carved  out  of  the  original  township  of  Kankakee.  On  the  third 
day  of  March,  1834,  at  the  regular  March  term  of  the  Board  of 
county  commissioners,  the  following  order  was  passed : 

"  On  motion  of  Henry  F.  Janes  for  a  division  of  Kankakee  town- 
ship and  to  form  the  township  of  Wills  in  the  northeast  corner  of 
said  county,  bounded  as  follows,  to-wit :  Beginning  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  section  thirty-three,  township  thirty-seven,  north  of  range 
one  west,  thence  north  with  the  county  line  to  the  northeast  corner 
of  LaPorte  county,  thence  we«t  with  the  county  line  to  the  section 
line  one  mile  west  of  the  range  line  dividing  one  and  two  west, 
thence  south  with  said  section  line  to  the  south  side  of  township 
thirty-seven,  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning,  and  that  the 
house  of  Wm.  West  shall  be  the  place  for  holding  elections  in  said 
township,  and  that  Henry  F.  Janes  be  appointed  inspector  of 
elections." 

The  first  settlers  of  Wills  township  were  John  Wills  and  his  sons, 
Charles,  Daniel  and  John  E.,  who  reached  the  township  in  the  year 
1830.  They  made  a  home  on  section  six  at  the  site  of  what  is  now 
called  "  Boot  Jack."  This  was  undoubtedlv  the  first  settlement  of 
a  family,  but  Asa  Warren  claims  to  have  been  the  first  man  in  the 
township,  having  come  in    1829.     Other  settlers    came  in    1830. 


122  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Among  them  were  Andrew  Shaw,  Joseph  Lykins,  John  Sissany, 
and  John  S.  Garroutte;  and  in  1831  there  came  James  Wills.  Mat- 
thias Dawson,  David  Stoner,  Dr.  Chapman  and  others.  In  the 
month  of  February  of  this  year  a  sad  accident  occurred,  which  was 
long  remembered  by  the  pioneers. 

Mary,  wife  of  John  S.  Garroutte.  had  been  to  the  house  of  a  man 
named  Garwood,  -,where  the  village  of  Hamilton  now  stand.-,  in  St. 
Joseph  county,  to  visit  his  wife,  who  was  sick.  The  day  was  clear 
and  cold,  and,  on  her  return,  she  stopped  at  the  house  of  John 
Wills.  After  resting  a  short  time,  she  continued  her  journey  home- 
ward. The  wind,  in  the  meantine,  had  arisen,  and  the  snow  drifted 
in  sheets.  She  dismounted  from  her  horse  and  sought  by  walking, 
it  is  thought,  to  promote  warmth.  She  was  overcome,  however,  by 
the  cold,  and  the  next  morning  her  body  was  found  in  the  timber, 
near  the  bend  of  Plumb  grove,  upon  the  farm  now  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  Geo.  W.  Zigler.  The  mail  carrier,  who  was  traveling  upon 
snow  shoes,  declared  that  when  he  discovered  the  body,  the  next 
morning,  a  wolf  was  traveling  directly  for  it.  and  that  he  scared  the 
animal  away.     Her  son,  is  now  a  merchant  at  Carlisle  Hill. 

John  Hefner  rarrived  in  the  township,  probably  in  1832.  and 
Joseph  Starrett  bought  an  "Indian  Float,"  and  settled  on  it  in 
1833.  Jacob  Gallion.  Jesse  Willett,  Nimrod  and  Jesse  West,  and 
J.  Clark,  all  came  very  early. 

In  the  month  of  March,  1834,  John  Bowell  came  from  Clark 
county,  in  this  State,  and  made  his  home  in  Wills  township.  He 
brought  with  him  his  wife  and  children,  consisting  of  the  widow< 
Drammond  and  Miller,  Dr.  B.  C.  Bowell.  A.  C  Bowell  and  A.  J. 
Bowell.  In  November  following,  James  Drammond,  son-in-law  of 
John  Bowell,  came  with  his  wife.  John  Bowell  died  on  the  10th 
of  April,  1866,  and  Elizabeth,  his  wit'.',  one  week  previously.  Both 
were  buried  on  the  same  spot,  as  near  as  it  could  be  ascertained, 
where  they  first  encamped  in  the  township.  During  this  year 
(1831)  Joseph  Lykins  put  up  the  first  frame  hou-  at  was  erected 
in  Wills.     It  was  built  in  the  northea>t  part  of  the  township. 

George  Hunt  with  a  family  of  six  s<»n<  arrived  in  1835  :  and  in  that 
year  a  trading  post  was  opened  by  an  Indian  named  Rice,  at  the 
little  settlement  on  section  six.      Rice  left  with  the  Indians  in  1836. 


WILLS    TOWNSHIP.  123 

The  little  settlement  became  known  as  Boot  Jack,  which  name  it 
Still  retains,  probably  from  the  manner  in  which  the  roads  converged 
into  the  hamlet.  Andrew  Shaw,  however,  gives  a  different  account 
of  the  naming  of  the  place.  He  says  that  upon  one  occasion  a 
drunken  tramp  came  to  town,  and  stopped  at  the  tavern.  He  was 
finally  turned  out  of  doors  and  refused  any  more  whisky,  whereupon 
he  turned  his  maudlin  eyes  upon  the  guide  board,  which  resembled 
that  very  necessary  accompaniment  of  a  gentleman's  lodging  apart 
ments,  and  exclaimed,   "I  christen  this  place  Boot  Jack." 

In  the  year  1851,  a  tavern  was  opened  by  a  man  named  Kellogg, 
who  also  kept  a  few  articles  of  merchandise  for  sale.  John  Parker 
afterwards  kept  a  tavern,  and  subsequently  sold  out  to  Tom  Nichols. 
There  is  now  no  hotel  or  store  in  the  place.  It  was  never  surveyed 
and  recorded  as  a  town. 

In  the  year  1835,  John  Wills,  James  Wills,  Asa  Warner,  John 
Sissany,  Andrew  Shaw,  David  Stoner,  Jesse  N.  West,  Howell 
Huntsman,  Mr.  Kitchen,  Dr.  Chapman,  Matthias  Dawson,  George 
Hunt,  John  Bowell,  Asher  White,  Edmund  Jackson,  Joseph 
Lykins,  John  Sutherland,  Joseph  Starrett,  Wm.  Ingraltam,  Scott 
West,  John  Hefner,  Jesse  Sissany,  Wm.- Nixon,  Wm.  West, Gabriel 
Drollinger,  Andrew  Fuller,  John  Vickory,  Nimrod  West,  Jacob 
Glygeau,  Jonathan  Stoner,  John  Clark,  Geo.  Beishaw,  Samuel  Van 
Dalsen,  Martin  Baker,  Jesse  Collum,  John  Galbreath,  Benj.  Gal- 
breath  and  Mr.  Gallion,  were  residents  of  this  township,  besides 
others  whose  names  it  is  not  now  easy  to  obtain. 

On  the  13th  day  of  June  1836,  Elder  T.  Price,  of  Edwardsburgh, 
Michigan,  and  Elder  T.  Spaulding,  of  LaPorte,  organized  a  Baptist 
church  at  the  house  of  James  Hunt,  and  the  names  of  the  following 
persons  were  enrolled  as  members :  James  Hunt,  John  Salisbury, 
Matthias  Dawson,  Nancy  Hunt,  Martha  Hunt,  Catharine  White- 
head, Sarah  Mason,  Phoebe  Hunt,  Clarrissa  Canada,  Sabrina  Salis- 
bury, Alsie  Dawson  and  Martha  Whitehead. 

In  the  year  1837,  a  Baptist  church  was  built  on  the  grounds  of 
George  Beishaw.  The  eighth  day  of  April  had  been  fixed  for  that 
event.  On  the  sixth  clay  of  May,  next  following,  the  trustees  re- 
ported that  they  had  gone  as  far  as  they  could,  and  wanted  money 
to   procure   boards  for  flooring  and   ceiling.     On  the  first  of  July 


124  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

after,  they  reported  that  a  .sufficient  amount  had  been  subscribed. 
The  log  chapel  -was  torn  down  in  1843,  and  a  new  frame  church 
built  near  it.  Where  the  old  church  stood,  there  is  now  a  school, 
house.     Both  are  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  thirteen. 

On  the  12th  day  of  May  1837,  plats  were  filed  with  the  county 
recorder  for  the  village  of  Independence.  The  description  of  the  first, 
on  book  E,  page  one,  locates  it  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  the  south- 
east quarter  of  section  twenty-eight,  township  thirty-seven,  north  of 
range  one  west.  Of  the  second  plat  on  page  three,  the  description 
embraces  that  part  south  of  Sac  street  and  west  of  Main  street. 
The  acknowledgement  was  made  by  Asa  Egbert,  agent  for  his  part 
and  attorney  for  Wm.  C.  Pellett,  and  is  further  described  as  being 
in  the  southeast  quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  twenty- 
eight,  township  thirty-seven,  north  of  range  one  west. 

Anterior  to  this  time  a  survey  had  been  made  for  a  proposed 
canal  through  the  town,  and  a  railroad  known  as  the  Hardenburg 
line,  had  also  been  surveyed.  The  road  was  to  cross  the  canal  at 
this  point,  and  the  early  settlers  of  Independence,  in  their  dreams. 
saw  visions  of  immense  wealth.  Real  estate  speculation  was.  there- 
fore, rife  for  a  season. 

In  the  year  1*3.3.  a  man  named  Andrew  Fuller,  started  a  little 
store  in  the  locality,  selling  dry  goods,  groceries,  etc.  He  kept  the 
establishment  about  a  year.  In  the  same  year  a  cabinet  shop  waa 
started  bv  Elias  Axe. 

A  man  named  Baker  oriirinallv  owned  the  town,  and  had  it  laid 
out.  He  was  also  a  trader.  In  1836.  Wm.  C.  Pellett  bought  him 
out,  goods  and  lots,  and  started  a  very  respectable  country  store. 
After  Pellett  had  made  his  record  of  the  town  in  1837,  he  sold  out 
to  John  Vickory  and  Timothy  Losey  and  they  kept  up  the  establish- 
ment about  a  year. 

John  Hampton  built  a  blacksmith  shop  in  1830.  and  continued 
doing  work  in  his  line  something  over  a  year. 

In  1<X37,  Sparrow  commenced  the  boot  and  shoe  business.  T. 
Chapman  opened  a  wagon  maker's  shop,  and  Wm.  Oostello  a  tailor- 
ing establishment.  During  the  same  year.  Benjamin  Galbreath  and 
John  Galbreath;  his  son,  built  two  mills  in  the  vicinity  of  Independ- 
ence— the  one  a  grist  and  the  other  a  saw  mill.     They  had  come  to 


WILLS    TOWNSHIP.  125 

the  settlement  during  a  very  wet  time,  and  imagined  they  had  a  fine 
water  power.  Both  mills  and  dams  were  built  at  the  same  time. 
The  grist  mill  was  started  first,  with  one  run  of  stone.  The  son, 
John  Galbreath,  succeeded  in  grinding  three  sacks  of  corn,  when  the 
water  power  was  gone  forever,  for  it  was  the  first  and  last  time  it 
was  used.  There  is  now  no  stream  whatever  where  this  enterprise 
was  undertaken.  The  father  succeeded  in  sawing  three  small  logs. 
The  next  year  both  mills  were  torn  down. 

In  the  year  1845,  Thomas  Fisher  and  Jonathan  Du  iley  built  a 
steam  saw  mill  at  Independence.  It  was  kept  running  until  the 
year  1841,  when  it  was  sold  to  Thomas  Hooton,  James  Hooton, 
Theodore  Boardman  and  David  Williams,  and  moved  to  Puddle- 
town. 

There  is  now  nothing  to  distinguish  Independence  from  the  sur- 
rounding country.  Even  its  ruins  have  beeen  gathered  up  for  fuel. 
When  it  became  evident  that  they  were  to  have  neither  railroad  nor 
canal  to  stimulate  its  growth,  its  enemies  rejoiced,  and  gave  it  the 
name  of  Sac  Town.  Andrew  Shaw,  who  resides  at  Boot  Jack, 
claims  the  honor  of  so  naming  it.  When  the  Northern  Indiana 
road  was  projected  and  being  built,  all  towns  near,  but  off  its  line, 
were  ruined,  and  Independence,  or  Sac  Town,  shared  the  fate  of' 
others. 

Still  another  settlement  in  Wills  township  received  a  distinctive 
name  with  some  prospect  that  it  might  become  a  village.  This  is 
Puddletown,  the  name  of  a  little  hamlet  situated  on  Puddletown 
lake,  on  section  nine.  It  contains  a  steam  saw  mill,  a  store,  a  shoe 
shop  and  a  good  school  house.  When  the  township  was  surveyed 
the  lakes  were  meandered  and  several  small  fractions  falling  into  the 
hands  of  different  owners,  neighbors  were  consequently  nearer  than 
in  other  localities.  In  1851  the  machinery  of  the  steam  saw  mill 
which  was  formerly  at  Independence,  was  removed  to  this  point. 
It  has  since  passed  through  several  hands.  The  firm  of  Boardman, 
Williams  and  the  Hootons  sold  out  to  James  Parnell  and  Wm. 
Houghton;  they  sold  to  Martin  Uga  and  Aaron  Miller;  it  was 
again  sold  to  Edwin  Picket,  and  he  sold  to  James  N.  and  Lorenzo 
Dow  Davidson,  in  the  fall  of  1868.  It  regains  in  their  hands  at 
the  present  time. 


126  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

In  1856,  Manford  Waters  and  F.  D.  Dugan  started  a  blacksmith 
shoo,  and  continued  to  run  it  about  three  years. 

In  the  year  1857,  L.  C.  Van  Dusen  started  a  shoe  shop,  and  in 
1872,  he  added  a  grocery  store  and  continues  to  do  business  in  each 
to  the  present  time. 

A  postoffice  was  established  here  in  1862,  with  J.  W.  Culp  as 
postmaster,  but  it  was  discontinued  after  two  years.  A  good  school 
house  was  built  in  the  place  in  1868  which  is  quite  creditable  to  the 
citizens  of  the  locality. 

An  accident  occurred  here  in  1871,  by  which  a  man  named  Mat- 
thew Feather  lost  his  life.  He  was  in  the  mill,  when  a  piece  of 
scantling  flying  from  the  saw  struck  him,  and  crushed  his  skull, 
penetrating  his  brain  and  killing  him  instantly. 

Puddletown  has  never  been  surveyed  and  laid  out,  and  there  is 
no  recorded  plat  of  it.  It  cannot  be  considered  even  a  village,  but 
it  furnishes  neighborhood  conveniences,  and  serves  to  add  to  the  bus- 
iness and  resources  of  the  township. 

Of  those  now  living  in  the  township,  B.  C.  Bowell  is  a  physician 
and  surgeon,  Henry  Brown  is  a  retired  farmer;  Jonathan  Drulinei 
is  a  farmer  and  auctioneer;  Philip  Haussauer  is  a  farmer  and  lum- 
berman; Joseph  Hostetler  is  a  farmer  and  stock  dealer:  Wm.  S. 
Hastings  is  a  farmer  and  Baptist  preacher ;  Isaac  Miller  is  a  farmer 
and  German  Baptist  preacher;  John  W.  Zigler  is  a  farmer  and 
stock  dealer,  and  the  trustee  of  the  township :  and  there  are  numer- 
ous successful  farmers,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned,  Wm. 
Alfont,  Horatio  Wilcox,  Jacob  Stoner,  Joseph  Reese,  A.  J.  Par- 
nell.  Elijah  McClellan,  R.  J.  Mills,  Harry  Bennett.  B.  F.  Brown, 
Peter  Bunton,  W.  H.  Carr,  E.  CosgriiF,  Gabriel  Drollinger,  Obadiah 
Dawson,  A.  D.  and  John  France,  David  Harris,  Wm.  II.  Hunt.  J. 
A.  Hastings  and  C.  H.  Harris. 

The  surface  of  Wills  township  is  generally  rolling,  and  is  splen- 
didly diversified  with  timber  and  prairie.  The  land  is  rich  and  pro- 
ductive, and  the  inhabitants  are  an  enterprising,  intelligent  and 
prosperous  people. 


SPRINGFIELD    TOWNSHIP.  127 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SPRINGFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 

Springfield  township  was  organized  on  the  sixth  day  of  January 
1835,  the  Board  of  county  commissioners  on  that  day  making  the 
following  order:  "  On  petition  of  Judah  Learning  and  others,  it  is 
ordered  by  the  Board  that  all  the  territory  in  range  three  west,  in 
the  county  of  LaPorte,  and  north  of  sections  number  thirteen,  four- 
teen, fifteen,  sixteen,  seventeen  and  eighteen,  in  township  thirty- 
seven,  in  said  range,  shall  compose  a  new  township  to  be  called  and 
known  by  the  name  of  Springfield  township,  and  it  is  further  order- 
ed that  an  election  he  held  at  the  house  of  Judah  Learning  in  said 
township,  on  the  last  Saturday  in  this  month  for  the  purpose  of 
electing  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  said  township ;  and  it  is  further 
ordered  that  Judah  Learning  be  and  he  is  hereby  appointed  inspect- 
or of  elections  in  the  township  of  Springfield  in  the  county  of 
LaPorte." 

Thus  as  originally  organized,  Springfield  township  occupied  all 
of  congressional  township  number  thirty-eight,  except  the  six  sec- 
tions and  the  six  half  sections  which  are  in  the  State  of  Michigan, 
and  the  first  twelve  sections  of  township  thirty-seven.  It  has  since 
been  diminished  to  the  extent  of  one  tier  of  sections  on  the  south 
side,  which  became  again  a  part  of  Centre  township,  and  the  bound- 
ary line  between  Centre  and  Springfield  is  the  north  side  of  sec- 
tions, seven,  eight,  nine,  ten,  eleven  and  twelve,  of  township  number 
thirty-seven,  range  number  three  west. 

The  first  white  settler  in  the  township  was  Judah  Learning.  He 
came  in  the  year  1831,  and  settled  where  the  village  of  Springville 
now  stands,  and  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace.  He  built  the 
first  cabin,  and  afterwards  the  first  frame  house  which  is  now  stand- 
ing, and  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  It  is  the  building  occupied 
by  Benjamin  Rhodes.  Abram  Cormack  and  Daniel  Griffin  were 
early  residents,  and  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  lived  in  the  town 
the  first  year  of  its  settlement. 


128  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

In  1832,  John  Brown,  Joseph  Pagin  and  his  sons,  Erastus  Quivey, 
John  Ilazleton  and  Charles  Vail,  became  settler-.  Mr.  Vail  erect- 
ed a  saw  mill  on  section  thirty-one.  During  this  year  the  first 
school  house  was  built  and  the  school  was  taught  by  Miss  Emily 
Learning;  it  was  situated  eighty  rods  west  of  the  village  of  Spring- 
ville.  The  Methodists  had  services  about  this  time,  when  Mr.  Rose 
and  Mr.  Griffith  took  the  lead  in  the  exercises.  There  were  a 
many  who  attended  the  meetings  of  the  Baptists,  Mr.  Marks  con- 
ducting the  services.  There  was  no  regular  place  of  worship  for 
either,  and  meetings  were  held  sometimes  in  school  houses,  at  other 
times  in  dwellings,  and  not  unfrequently  out  of  doors. 

In  1833,  the  town  of  Springville  was  surveyed  by  Daniel  M. 
Learning  upon  the  lands  of  Judah  Learning.  During  this  year 
Gilbert  Rose,  Hiram  Griffith,  John  Griffith  and  Erastus  Quivey  be- 
came settlers.  Quivey  built  the  mill  on  section  one,  now  known  as 
the  Ross  mill. 

In  1834,  Ingraham  Gould,  Michael  Fall,  Ezekiel  Blue,  Abner 
Ross,  Anron  Conklin,  John  Johnson,  Henry  S.  Allen,  John  White, 
Mr.  Ross,  A.  N.  Shipper,  Mr.  Lewis  and  Josiah  Redding  became 
settlers.  Joseph  Pagin  built' a  grist  mill,  which  was  run  until  it 
was  worn  out.  About  the  same  time  David  Pagin  built  another 
mill  on  the  same  stream  about  a  mile  and  a  half  below  the  old  one. 
During  this  year  Elder  Tucker,  the  first  male  teacher,  took  charge 
of  the  school  near  Springville. 

James  V.  Hopkins  came  to  the  township  in  1835,  but  settled 
afterwards  in  Michigan  City. 

During  the  year  1835,  the  school  house  near  Springville  was 
burned  :  the  first  wedding  took  place,  Abner  Ross  marrying  Esther 
Rose;  Jacob  Early  built  a  mill  upon  section  twenty-eight,  which 
has  been  worn  out  and  rebuilt  several  times,  the  last  time  bv  E.  S. 
Organ.  In  October  of  this  year  Charles  Vail  built  a  saw  mill, 
Erastus  Quivey  assisting  in  its  construction.  Hopkins  worked  at 
the  business  of  a  carpenter,  and  also  made  brick,  designing  to  build 
a  tavern,  but  sold  to  Ingraham  Gould.  Prior  to  1837.  many  more 
had  come  into  the  township,  among  them  being  Samuel  Lehr,  John 
Mason,  Lemuel  S.  Fitch.  Alfred  Stanton,  John  Blue  and  Michael 
Fall. 


SPRINGFIELD    TOWNSHIP.  129 

In  the  year  1839,  John  and  Joseph  Pagin  built  a  mill  between 
the  two  already  erected  by  the  Pagins,  and  a  distillery  was  put 
up  further  down  the  stream.  About  the  same  time  Lewis  Pagin 
erected  a  building,  and  introduced  machinery  for  the  carding  of 
wool.  AbramfFravel  ^built  a  mill  on  section  thirty-five,  in  1840, 
and  David  Hoover  put  up  a  dwelling  the  same. year.  In  1835  a 
church  was  built  at  Ross'  mill  by  the  Christian  denomination. 
This  was  afterwards  sold  to  the  Dunkards,  who  now  own  it.  Joseph 
Dauphine  erected  a  steam  saw  mill  in  1860.  There  are  two  villages 
in  this  township,  the  oldest  one  being  named 

SPRINGVILLE. 

This  village  takes  its  name  from  a  large  spring  of  pure,  cold 
water,  which  flows  out  in  great  abundance.  It  was  laid  out  by 
Daniel  M.  Learning  for  Judah  Learning,  who  was  the  original  pro- 
prietor of  the  soil,  and  the  plat  was  filed  for  record  on  August  19, 
1835. 

Prior  to  this,  in  1834,  Gilbert  Rose  had  started  a  store  in  the 
village,  Ingraham  Gould  a  tavern,  and  Abner  Ross  a  blacksmith 
shop.  A  postoffice  was  established  in  the  year  1835,  which  was 
kept  until  1863,  when  it  was  discontinued.  During  most  of  the 
time  of  its  existence,  it  was  kept  by  D.  K.  Brickett,  who  com- 
menced the  business  of  boot  and  shoe  making  in  1837,  and  con- 
tinued it  until  1853.  Aaron  Conklin  established  a  tannery  in 
1835,  and  after  conducting  it  four  years,  sold  out  to  Leslie  Rose. 
He  in  turn  sold  it  to  Ira  C.  Nye  who  conducted  the  business  sue-, 
cessfully  for  many  years. 

In  the  year  1838,  Gould  &  Alvord  opened  a  general  store,  sell- 
ing it  the  next  year  to  Russell  &  Torrey,  who  sold  in  1841  to  Rose 
&  Conklin.  In  1842,  Rose  purchased  Conklin's  interest,  and  con- 
ducted the  business  alone.  During  the  year  1838,  Alpheus  Thur- 
ber  commenced  shoe  making  and  continued  the  business  four  or  five 
years.  In  1845,  Ingraham  Gould  put  up  a  turning  lathe ;  and  for 
many  years  did  a  large  busines  in  the  manufacture  of  bedsteads  and 
other  articles  requiring  its  use. 

In  the  year  1848,  Gould  sold  his  tavern  to  Michael  Hargin,  who 
kept  it  eight  years  and  gave  up  the  business,  since  then  there  has 
been  no  hotel  in  Springville.     In  1850,  a  steam  saw  mill  was  built 

9 


130  HISTORY    OF   LA  PORTE   COUNTY. 

by  Martin  &  Hill,  who  after  running  it  about  a  year  sold  'it,  and  in 
1855,  it  was  removed  to  section  fifteen.  In  1874,  this  mill  was 
totally  destroyed  by  fire,  but  has  been  rebuilt  and  is  now  owned  by 
Peter  Hack. 

In  the  year  1850,  Gilbert  Rose  sold  his  store  to  Orrin  Rose,  but 
in  1860,  the  mercantile  busines  in  Springville  was  closed,  and  for 
several  years  there  was  no  store  in  that  place.  In  1868,  John 
Schoening  opened  a  shoemaker's  shop,  and  has  since  added  thereto 
a  small  store. 

Like  some  other  towns  in  the  county,  Springville  has  seen  the 
time  when  the  expectations  of  her  people  were  raised  to  the  highest 
point,  and  visions  of  future  greatness  flitted  across  the  minds  of  her 
citizens.  One  of  the  lines  of  the  Northern  Indiana  railroad,  now 
the  Lake  Shore  and  Michigan  Southern,  was  run  through  the  town, 
and  for  a  time  it  looked  very  probable  that  it  would  pass  through 
the  county  touching  that  point.  The  probability  of  Springville  be- 
coming the  county  seat  was  freely  discussed.  In  1850,  a  plank 
road  company  was  organized,  and  farmers  and  townsmen  subscribed 
liberally.  The  project  was  to  build  a  plank  road  east  to  South 
Bend,  and  west  to  Michigan  City.  It  was  commenced  but  never 
finished,  though  much  money  had  been  expended  upon  it,  and  a 
large  part  of  it  was  planked.  The  adoption  of  the  railroad  line 
running  through  LaPorte,  seemed  to  discourage  the  inhabitants  and 
no  eifort  to  promote  the  growth  of  the  town  has  since  been  made. 

The  other  village  in  Springfield  township  is 

-     CORYMBO. 

Corymbo  is  situated  in  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  norths 
quarter  of  section  eighteen,  township  thirty-eight,  north  of  range 
three  west.  The  plat  was  acknowledged  by  Craigie  Sharpe,  Jr.. 
and  filed  on  the  19th  dav  of  August,  1873.  Twelve  log  and  frame 
houses  have  been  erected,  only  three  of  which  were  occupied  in 
October  1874.  In  1861,  a  postoffice  was  established  and  Craigie 
Sharpe,  Jr.,  appointed  postmaster.  It  has  since  been  discontinued. 
Large  quantities  of  wood  have  been  cut  in  the  surrounding  groves, 
and  immense  quantities  of  it  are  to  be  seen  piled  up  along  the  rail- 
road track.  The  men  who  reside  in  this  village,  are  either  work- 
men engaged  on  the  Michigan  Central  railroad,  which  runs  through 


SPRINGFIELD    TOWNSHIP.  131 

the  town,  or  are  woodchoppers  who  gain  their  livelihood  in  the  sur- 
rounding timber.  There  was  a  steam  saw  mill  in  the  village 
last  year,  but  it  has  been  removed.  There  has  been  a  store,  but  it 
has  ceased  to  exist,  and  the  prospect  for  building  up  a  town  there 
is  not  very  nattering. 

For  several  years  between  1835  and  1844,  a  gang  of  counterfeiters 
infested  this  township.  The  leaders  were  two  men  known  as  Van 
Velser  and  Stroud.  There  was  a  cabin  surrounded  by  a  dense 
thicket  of  willows  and  other  shrubbery,  situated  on  a  dry  knoll  in  a 
marsh,  about  a  mile  northwest  of  the  town,  where  the  coinage  of 
bogus  money  was  carried  on.  From  this  point  it  was  scattered 
broadcast  over  the  country.  Van  Velser  was  finally  detected,  and 
and  sent  to  the  State  prison,  where  he  died,  and  Stroud  is  reported 
to  have  been  lynched  in  Illinois  for  horse  stealing. 

Two  railroads  touch  the  township,  the  Michigan  Central  crossing 
the  northwest  corner,  and  the  Indianapolis,  Peru  and  Chicago,  the 
southwest  corner.  The  soil  of  the  township  is  generally  sandy,  too 
much  so  to  be  equal  to  some  other  parts  of  the  county  in  the  pro- 
duction of  grain,  but  it  is  well  timbered,  and  its  warm,  sandy  soil  is 
highly  favorable  for  fruit  raising.  This  occupation  engages  much 
of  the  attention  of  the  inhabitants.  There  are  some  marshes  in  the 
township,  which  are  excellent  grazing  ground  for  cattle,  and  which 
with  proper  care,  could  be  made  to  produce  abundance  of  hay.  The 
resources  of  the  township  are  yet  undeveloped,  but  it  contains  ele- 
ments of  wealth  in  its  timber,  its  capacity  for  stock-raising,  the  pro- 
duction of  fruit  and  potatoes,  and  fair  returns  of  grain. 

Some  portions  of  the  township  are  quite  thickly  settled,  and  the 
inhabitants  have  shown  a  sufficient  interest  in  education,  to  cause 
the  erection  of  a  good  school  house  in  every  neighborhood.  Among 
those  who  now  live,  or  but  recently  lived  in  this  township,  and  who 
came  early  to  the  county,  are  Calvin  W.  Hayes,  who  is  a  farmer 
residing  near  Springville;  E.  S.  Organ,  who  is  a  farmer  and  saw 
mill  owner,  came  to  the  county  in  1836,  and  has  held  various  posi- 
tions of  official  trust ;  J.  S.  Vardeman,  a  miller,  who  came  in  1836 ; 
John  A.  White,  a  native  of  the  county,  born  in  1836;  Elihu 
Bishop,  a  farmer,  born  in  the  county  in  1835 ;  and  Edward  King, 
who  came  from  Ohio  to  this  county  in  1832. 


132  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  X. 

GALENA    TOWNSHIP. 

On  the  9th  of  March,  1836,  at  the  regular  March  term  of  the 
Board  of  county  commissioners,  the  following  order  was  made: 
"Ordered  that  Kankakee  township  be  divided,  and  that  part  of  said 
township  lying  in  township  thirty-eight,  in  range  two  west,  form  a 
judicial  township  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Galena,  and  that 
there  be  an  election  held  in  said  township,  on  the  first  Monday  of 
April  next,  tor  the  purpose  of  electing  two  justices  of  the  peace  for 
said  township,  and  that  Joshua  Jordan  be  appointed  inspector  of 
elections  for  said  township,  and  that  the  elections  be  held  at  the 
house  of  Geo.  W.  Barnes." 

This  township  consists  of  twenty-four  whole  sections,  and 
six  half  sections,  one  tier  and  a  half  of  sections  of  the  congressional 
township  thirty-eight  being  in  the  State  of  Michigan.  The  order 
of  the  Board  of  commissioners  would  indicate  that  the  whole  con- 
gressional township  is  included  in  Galena;  but  this  is  not  the  case, 
because  of  the  obstacle  of  the  boundary  of  Michigan  encroaching 
upon  it  to  the  extent  of  the  width  of  a  section  and  a  half. 

George  W.  Barnes  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  settler  in  Galena ; 
his  biography  is  obscure,  as  he  died  about  thirty  years  ago,  leaving 
no   descendants.     Tradition  says  that  he  was   a  native  of  the  State 

it 

of  Maine,  and  from  thence  migrated  to  Cleveland,  Ohio ;  that  he 
was  a  married  man,  but  never  brought  his  family  to  his  new  home. 
Whether  his  wife  refused  to  follow  him  into  the  depths  of  the  forests. 
or  if  they  parted  from  domestic  infelicity,  is  not  known.  He  was  a 
man  of  uncommon  nerve  and  force  of  character,  possessing  traits 
which  made  him  eminently  fit  for  a  pioneer  of  civilization ;  and  he 
came  to  Galena  township  in  the  year  1833,  and  at  once  went  to 
work  with  that  untiring  energy  for  which  he  was  always  distinguish- 
ed. In  the  same  year  came  Whitman  Goit,  Sliubal  Smith,  Richard 
Miller,  Sylvanus  James  and  John  Talbot.  These  men  all  selected 
claims  and  commenced  making  improvements  the  same  year. 


GALENA    TOWNSHIP.  133 

Daniel  Baldwin,  Aurea  and  Basil  S perry,  Wm.  Waldruff,  Sans 
H.  Austin,  Byron  Cadwalader,  John  Morrow,  Joshua  Jordan, 
Elijah  Bishop,  Micajah  Jones,  John  Cooper,  Ephraim  Cooper,  Jesse 
Jones,  Oliver  Porter,  James  Paddock,  Charles  Francis,  Joseph  Ful- 
ler, James  Jones  and  Abram  Purcell,  were  added  to  the  list  of  set- 
tlers in  1834.  Of  these  Wm.  Waldruff  was  one  of  the  earliest,  as 
his  widow  says  that  when  they  came,  there  were  but  five  white  men 
in  the  township.  In  the  same  year  came  also  John  and  Ephraim 
Cooper,  and  Joseph  Henderson.  Joseph  Wallace,  the  Martin  fam- 
ily, the  Weeds,  Mr.  Morrill,  and  Edwin  Jordan,  brother  of  Joshua, 
were  early  settlers. 

In  the  year  1834,  John  Talbot  built  a  saw  mill  in  the  northeast 
part  of  the  town.  Before  it  was  completed  he  took  Whitman  Ooit 
into  partnership  with  him.  This  was  the  first  mill  that  was  built.  In 
the  same  year  the  first  child,  a  son  to  William  Waldruff,  was  born. 

In  the  year  1835,  George  W.  Barnes  built  his  saw  mill.  It  was 
situated  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  township.  The  elections  were 
held  there.  During  this  year  Mathew  Mayes  had  a  blacksmith  shop 
at  Mayes'  Corners.  It  was  the  first  in  the  north  part  of  the  county. 
Shubal  Smith  wTas  carrying  on  a  wagon  shop  about  a  mile  west  of 
that  point.  A  man  named  Purcell  put  up  a  lathe  for  turning 
wooden  bowls  on  Mud  creek,  near  the  school  house  known  as  Mud 
creek  school  house.  He  was  a  Very  eccentric  man  and  his 
machinery  was  in  part  original.  The  attempt  was  a  failure.  Joseph 
Winch  afterwards  bought  the  concern  out,  and  made  split  bottomed 
chairs  and  spinning  wheels  at  the  shop.  The  number  of  settlers 
who  came  this  year  was  quite  large,  and  embraced  the  names  of 
Jacob  Heckman,  James  Catterlin,  Robert  Kennedy  Smith,  Lewis 
Weed,  Mathew  Mayes,  Hiram  Bement,  Samuel  Vance,  John  Rod- 
man, Jedediah  Austin,  James  Wilson  and  Hiram  Catterlin.  Martin 
Bates  came  this  year  and  bought  land,  but  went  away  and  did  not 
return  and  improve  it  until  1840. 

The  first  school  house  was  built  of  logs  on  the  land  of  Theodoric 
Heckman,  in  the  year  1836,  and  Amanda  Armitage  was  the 
teacher.  In  January,  Walter  Brown  and  Ezra  Brown  came  into 
the  township,  Kellogg  Shedd  on  the  5th  day  of  June,  John  Brewer 
and  Henry   Brewer  in   September.      During  the  year,   Abraham 


134  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Burcham.  Julius  Tappan,  Levi  Paddock  and  Elder  Caleb  B.  Davis, 
pastor  of  the  Christian  church  arrived.     Hiram  Russ  came  in  1837. 

Solomon  Palmer  built  a  saw  mill  in  1838,  and  in  the  year  1840, 
James  Winch  came  and  put  up  a  turning  establishment  on  Barnes' 
creek,  where  he  made  hubs,  bedposts  and  almost  all  kinds  of  wood 
work  which  required  turning.  He  also  made  spinning  wheels. 
He  was  a  Free  Will  Baptist  preacher,  and  died  in  1853.  The  prop- 
erty was  sold  to  W.  W.  Francis  and  brothers,  and  they  built  a  grist 
mill  on  the  site. 

Previous  to  1841,  religious  services  had  been  held  at  the  school 
houses,  and  private  houses.  Shubal  Smith  had  acted  as  an  exhor- 
ter  or  local  preacher  of  the  Methodist  denomination,  while  occasion- 
ally a  regular  clergyman,  Rev.  Mr.  Armstrong,  paid  the  township 
a  visit.  Previous  to  the  time  above  named  a  minister  named  Posey 
had  been  assigned  by  the  conference  to  administer  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  that  denominaiion  in  Galena.  He  directed  his  influence 
among  his  brethren  to  induce  them  to  build  a  chapel  for  a  place  of 
religious  worship,  and  a  day  was  assigned  for  all  to  turn  out  from  far 
and  near,  to  accomplish  this  object.  At  the  appointed  time  they  came 
from  distances  as  great  as  eight  or  ten  miles,  and  worked  steadily 
for  a  week,  when  a  very  comfortable  and  commodious  log  chapel 
was  completed.  It  was  built  upon  an  acre  of  ground  given  by 
Whitman  Goit  for  the  purpose,  and  named  Posey  chapel  in  honor 
of  the  founder.  It  has  since  been  torn  down  and  rebuilt,  a  frame 
structure  occupying  the  place  of  the  old  one.  The  Mount  Pleasant 
M.  E.  church  was  built  in  1844.  Lamb's  chapel,  so  named  after 
Mr.  Lamb,  who  appropriated  the  land,  is  situated  at  the  junction  of" 
the  town  line  and  LaPorte  road-.  It  is  a  frame  building  about  the 
size  of  an  ordinary  school  house  which  it  very  much  resemb;  It 

was  built  by  subscription  of  the  people  of  the  neighborhood  in  1854. 
The  Christian  denomination  is  largely  represented,  and  in  1865, 
they  completed  a  very  fair  church  edifice.  It  is  located  on  the 
southwest  quarter  of  section  twenty,  and  Rev.  Caleb  B.  Davis  is  the 
pastor. 

In  1841,  Willis  Wright  and  John  Wright  put  up  a  turning  lathe 
about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  west  of  Caleb  B.  Davis*.  They  ran  it 
four  or  five  years  and   sold  it  to   E.  S.  Dodds.  who   continued   the 


GALENA    TOWNSHIP.  135 

business  for  some  years,  until  the  machinery  became  worn  out  and 
worthless.  In  the  same  year  Loami  She:ld  started  a  small  wagon 
shop  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  east  of  where  Centre  school 
house  now  stands. 

In  the  year  1846,  Charles  Francis  &  Son  built  a  saw  mill  on 
Galena  creek,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  above  Barnes'  mill. 

In  1848,  Wm.  Waldruff  and  Hiram  Bement  built  a  saw  mill 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  below  Barnes'  mill,  on  the  Barnes 
branch  of  Galena  creek.  Waldruff  afterwards  sold  out  his  in- 
terest to  Ira  L.  Barnes.  Bement  and  Barnes  sold  to  Richard 
Etherington. 

John  B.  Smith  started  a  wagon  shop  in  1849,  on  the  farm  be- 
longing to  R.  K.  Smith,  on  the  road  from  LaPorte  to  New  Buffalo.  In 
the  summer  of  the  same  year,  Valentine  F.  Smith  built  a  small 
turning  shop  on  a  stream  emptying  into  the  Galena,  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  west  of  Winch's  shop.  Mr.  Smith  continued  the  busi- 
ness until  the  spring  of  1854. 

In  January,  1852,  Whitman  Goit,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  and  a 
good  and  enterprising  man,  who  had  filled  many  important  local 
positions  in  his  township,  was  accidently  killed  by  the  falling  of  a 
tree,  while  he  was  engaged  in  getting  out  railroad  ties.  On  the 
fifth  day  of  March  next  following,  Kellogg  Shedd  was  accidentally 
killed  by  the  tipping  over  of  his  wagon  loaded  with  saw  logs,  while 
on  his  way  to  Barnes'  mill.  This  accident  occurred  near  Centre 
school  house.  The  untimely  death  of  these  two  men  was  deeply 
regretted  by  the  early  settlers  and  their  friends,  of  whom  they  had 
many  in  the  county. 

In  the  year  1854,  R.  B.  Goit  and  Wia.  Ingersoll,  rebuilt  the  old 
Talbot  saw  mill  which  had  gone  to  decay;  In  1857,  Truman  Barnes 
built  a  wagon  shop  about  a  mile  north  of  the  Centre  school  house ; 
in  1858,  the  Francis  brothers  built  a  grist  mill  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  below  Waldruff  &  Bement's  mill.  It  is  known  as  the  Finley 
mill.  It  was  the  first  and  only  one  erected  in  the  township ;  in 
1859,  Nathaniel  Barmore  opened  a  general  store  near  Barnes'  mill. 
He  sold  out  to  Valentine  F.  Smith,  in  the  spring  of  1854.  Smith 
remained  about  eighteen  months  in  that  locality,  and  then  moved  to 
Mayes'  corners.     There  he  kept  the  store  for  a  time  when   he  sold 


136  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

out  to  Peter  H.  Hess.  Hess  kept  up  the  establishment  between 
two  and  three  years  and  then  abandoned  mercantile  pursuits.  This 
store,  opening  at  the  mill  and  closing  at  the  corners,  was  the  first, 
last,  and  only  attempt  at  merchandising  in  the  township. 

In  the  spring  of  1857,  Valentine  F.  Smith  built  a  steam  saw  mill 
about  forty  rods  west  of  Mayes'  Corners.  He  had  in  connection 
with  it  a  shingle  mill  and  barrel  heading  factory.  It  was  burned 
in  the  fall  of  1862.  This  was  the  first  steam  mill  put  up  in  the 
township. 

In  the  year  1869,  Dorf  &  Kenton  erected  a  steam  mill  in  the 
southeast  part  of  the  township,  a  little  west  of  Mount  Pleasant. 

A  steam  saw  mill  wras  moved  from  Rolling  Prairie  to  Galena  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1874  by  Shaw  &  Johnson.  It  stands  by  the 
roadside  about  one-half  mile  north  of  Lamb's  chapel. 

Some  thirty  years  ago  there  occurred  an  incident  near  the  pres- 
ent locality  of  the  last  named  mill,  which  has  been  almost  forgotten, 
as  there  are  none  left  of  kin  to  the  family  in  the  township.  There 
came  from  the  State  of  Missouri  a  large,  powerful  man,  bearing  the 
name  of  William  Mathews.  He  was  noted  for  his  quiet,  unobtru- 
sive manners,  and  was  industrious  and  devotedly  attached  to  his 
only  boy,  a  child  of  some  six  summers.  One  day  he  was  cutting 
timber  while  the  wind  was  blowing  a  perfect  gale.  He  had  chopped 
at  the  trunk  of  a  tree  as  much  as  he  thought  prudent,  and  step- 
ped back  a  few  yards  to  take  a  view  of  the  situation,  when  suddenly 
he  heard  a  crackling  noise,  and  saw  the  tree  falling.  His  child  was 
at  his  side.  Between  saving  himself  and  his  boy  he  hesitated  not  a 
moment.  He  grasped  him  and  with  one  effort  of  his  herculean  arm, 
cast  the  child  bevond  danger.  In  an  instant  more  that  brave 
father's  heart  had  cased  to  beat,  and  he  lay  upon  the  earth  a  crushed 
and  bleeding  corpse.  The  widow  sold  the  property  and  moved 
away:  where,  none  in  the  neighborhood  know. 

On  the  loth  day  of  August,  1874,  Galena  was  visited  by  a  fear- 
ful storm  of  hail  and  wind,  which  did  great  damage  to  the  standing 
crops.  Thousands  of  fruit  and  forest  trees  were  uprooted  or  broken, 
fences  were  blown  down,  barns  were  demolished  and  dwellings  un- 
roofed. The  thunder  kept  up  one  continuous  roar,  heard  above  the 
rushing  of  the  mighty  winds  and  the  crash  of  falling  timber.     The 


GALENA    TOWNSHIP.  137 

lightning  was  one  ceaseless  blaze.  Hail  as  large  as  pigeons'  eggs 
came  down  in  sheets,  and  cut  the  standing  corn  in  pieces.  It  occur- 
red at  about  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  never  since  the  first 
settlement  of  Galena,  had  such  a  storm,  effecting  such  immense  loss, 
visited  the  township. 

Among  those  now  living  in  the  township  or  recently  there,  who 
came  early  to  the  county,  are  Win.  C.  Cummins  and  E.  W.  Davis 
who  came  in  1833;  J.  H.  Francis,  Luke  Francis,  W.  W.  Francis, 
Scipha  Foster  and  Zachariah  Teeter,  who  came  in  1834 ;  H.  E. 
Smith,  Charles  Morrow,  W.  W.  Fuller  and  Hiram  Bement,  Jr., 
who  came  in  1835;  and  Benjamin  Brewer,  Win.  W.  Finley,  Mor- 
rison Paddock,  James  Padiock  and  Samuel  Wilson,  who  came  in 
1836.  The  township  is  now  well  settled,  and  among  the  well- 
known  citizens  are  Enos  Weed,  who  made  a  settlement  in  1837,  is  a 
farmer,  and  has  served  as  a  county  commissioner ;  McDonald 
Shead,  who  is  a  farmer,  and  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  forty-eighth 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion ;  Mar- 
tin Bates,  an  old  and  respected  citizen,  a  farmer  who  came  from 
Hampshire  county,  Mass.,  in  1840;  E.  S.  Cadwell,  a  farmer,  who 
has  been  justice  of  the  peace  and  trustee  of  the  township;  Oliver 
Marston  who  came  from  Erie  county,  New  York,  in  1843,  and  Alex- 
ander B.  Austin  who  enlisted  in  the  forty-eighth  Indiana  Volunteers, 
and  served  during  most  of  the  late  war,  attaining  the  rank  of  Captain. 

When  Galena  township  was  first  settled,  it  was  almost  entirely 
covered  with  timber.  Its  surface  is  rolling  and  in  some  places 
hilly.  The  soi)  is  loamy,  warm,  and  produces  well.  It  is  well 
adapted  to  the  raising  of  fruit;  and  peach  and  apple  orchards  are 
very  common.  Some  of  the  finest  timber  in  the  county  may  be 
found  in  this  township.  There  are  many  fine  farms  in  Galena,  but 
to  clear  the  land  and  make  it  available  for  cultivation  has  been  the 
work  of  years. 

There  are  great  difficulties  in  getting  at  the  facts  relating  to  the 
early  settlement  of  a  township  like  Galena,  which  do  not  present 
themselves  in  one  located  upon  a  prairie,  where  it  often  happens 
that  the  settler  can  stand  upon  the  top  of  his  cabin  and  at  a  glance 
take  in  its  entire  boundaries.  Citizens  from  its  extreme  parts  rarely 
met  except  at  general  elections.     No  attempt  has  been  made  to  lay 


138  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

out  a  village,  and  the  county  records  are  unincumbered  with  any 
survey  made  for  this  purpose.  There  has  been  no  common  point 
for  convivial  meetings  within  its  limits,  where  men  have  lounged 
away  their  hours  in  telling  for  the  hundredth  time  the  tale  of  their 
early  trials  and  privations.  It  is  the  boast  of  the  citizens  that 
intoxicating  liquors  have  never  been  sold  as  a  beverage  within  their 
township.  Crime  and  poverty  have  been  almost  entirely  unknown. 
The  inhabitants  have  nearly  all  been  tillers  of  the  soil,  generally 
religiously  inclined,  hardy  and  industrious,  frugal  and  honest. 

The  township  has  been  slower  of  developement  than  in  the  case 
of  those  townships  located  on  the  prairie;  but  when  once  man's 
labor  has  subdue,  i  the  obstacles  to  cultivation,  it  receives  a  rich 
reward.  Crops  are  more  certain  to  yield  a  return ;  and  the  result 
is  that  Galena  township  having  a  soil  naturally  of  great  depth  and 
richness,  is  becoming  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  prosperous  sec- 
tions of  the  county. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

CLINTON   TOWNSHIP. 

From  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  county  until  March  9th, 
1836,  Clinton  township  was  a  part  of  Xew  Durham  ;  but  on  that 
date,  at  their  March  term,  the  following  order  was  made  by  the 
Board  of  county  commissioners:  •"Ordered  that  New  Durham 
township  be  divided  by  the  line  dividing  congressional  townships 
thirty-five  and  thirty-six,  north  of  range  four  west,  and  that  all  that 
part  of  said  township  formerly  comprising  congressional  township 
thirty-five,  north  of  range  four  west  form  a  new  township  for  judi- 
cial purposes,  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Clinton  township,  and 
that  there  be  an  election  held  in  this  township  on  the  first  Monday 
of  April  next,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  two  justices  of  the  peace 
for  said  township,  until  the  next  annual  election  for  township 
officers,  and  that  the  election  for  said  township  be  held  at  Charles 
Eaton-  >hop." 

There  has  been  no  change  in  the  limits  of  the  township  since  that 
time.     The  south   side  of  Clinton   was  then   the  boundary  of  the 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP.  139 

county,  but  it  has  since  been  extended  to  the  Kankakee  river  by 
act  of  the  legislature,  and  two  more  townships  have  been  organized. 

In  its  physical  characteristics,  Clinton  township  shows  much  diver- 
sity. The  larger  portion  of  its  area  is  prairie,  but  there  are  groves 
of  timber,  and  on  the  south  and  east  are  sandy  "barrens "'  with  oak, 
as  the  principal  timber  growth.  Hog  creek  runs  across  the  town- 
ship from  north  to  south,  watering  a  large  part  of  it ;  and  most  of 
the  land  is  of  an  excellent  quality,  the  prairie  soil  being  similar  to 
that  in  other  parts  of  the  county,  and  the  "barrens''  producing 
fine  crops  of  grain.  Taken  altogether,  it  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  desirable  parts  of  the  county,  of  great  productive  capacity  and 
convenient  to  market,  three  railroads,  the  Lousiville,  New  Albany 
and  Chicago,  Chicago  and  Lake  Huron,  and  Baltimore  and  Ohio, 
passing  across  it,  the  first  from  north  to  south,  and  the  other  two 
from  east  to  west. 

Of  the  early  settlers  Isham  Campbell  is  said  to  have  been  the 
first.  He  made  his  home  on  the  west  side  of  Hog  creek  in  the  year 
1832,  and  in  the  Fall  of  the  same  year  Andrew  and  Edmund  Rich- 
ardson made  a  settlement,  taking  land  on  section  nine. 

In  1833,  Nathaniel  Steel,  R.  Prather,  Levi  Reynolds,  John 
Osborn,  Wm.  Niles,  Lemuel  Maulsby,  Richard  Williams,  Thomas 
Robinson,  and  Stephen  Jones,  a  Methodist  minister,  came  into  the 
township  and  became  residents.  John  Warnock  located  his  claim 
this  year  on  section  four,  but  did  not  move  on  it,  on  account  of 
sickness  in  his  family,  until  the  ensuing  spring. 

In  1834.  the  list  of  settlers  was  quite  large  and  embraced  John 
Reynolds,  T.  J.  S.  Hixon,  Simeon  Tuley,  John  Small,  Matilda 
Tuley,  James  Haskell,  Jonathan  Osborn,  John  Warnock,  Phineas 
Small,  John  and  Charles  Eaton,  Hezekiah  Robertson,  Daniel  Rob- 
ertson, Wm.  Eaton,  Jacob  Iseminger,  Wm.  Wilson,  John  Small, 
James  Reeves,  Samuel  Maulsby,  Walter  Livingston,  L.  Richardson, 
John  Clark,  John  Lewis,  Jesse  Marshall,  John  Wilman,  Orange 
Lemon  and  Benj.  J.  Bryant. 

William  Wilson  who  came  this  year,  located  Indian  floats  on  sec- 
tion nine  and  ten.  These  floats  were  in  the  nature  of  land  war- 
rants, save  that  they  contained  no  provision  for  the  protection  of 
actual  settlers.     They  were  issued  to  half-breed  Indians,  but  being 


140  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

made  assignable,  found  their  way  for  the  most  part,  into  the  hands 
of  speculators.  Mr.  Wilson  honorably  paid  the  settlers  on  the  two 
sections  for  all  the  improvements  they  had  made. 

For  the  year  1835,  we  have  the  following  record  of  settlers  to 
present:  Wm.  T.  Harding,  Joseph  "Wright.  Thomas  Patterson, 
Richard  Williams,  Perrin  Scarborough,  Jonathan  Williams,  Herbert 
Williams,  Horace  Pinney,  Sen.,  Horace  Pinney,  Jr.,  Wm.  Pinney, 
David  Pinney,  Abijah  Bigelow,  David  Congdon,  Benjamin  Maulsby, 
Luke  Ashley,  Mr.  Heaton,  Dr.  Philander  Loomis,  John  Bailey, 
Mr.  Heath  (deaf  and  and  dumb),  and  Dr.  Whitcoinb.  who  is  said  to 
have  been  the  first  resident  physician. 

Mr.  Doolittle  and  Mr.  Johnson  were  early  settlers,  coming  prob- 
ably in  1834  or  35. 

In  1837,  Christian  Richardson.  Lemuel  Brush,  Richard  Robert- 
son, Sen.,  John  Koontz,  Gideon  Long  and  Adam  Iseminger.  settled 
in  Clinton ;  Wm.  Snavely  came  in  1839,  and  in  1810  John  Robin- 
son, Isaac  Powell  and  Dr.  Bement  arrived.  The  year  1838  is 
somewhat  memorable  as  the  "sickly  season."  Bilious  complaints 
were  prevalent,  and  very  few  escaped.  There  were  not  enough 
remaining  well,  properly  to  care  for  the  sick.  E.  S.  Gardner  moved 
into  the  township  in  this  year. 

In  1843,  Nathaniel  Davis,  a  Congregationalist  minister,  and  well 
known  as  an  ardent  advocate  of  temperance,  and  an  original  Aboli- 
tionist, made  the  township  his  home.  Dr.  Cobb  also  arrived  the 
same  year. 

A  log  church  was  built  on  section  ten.  in  1844,  which  afterwards 
caught  fire  and  burned  down.  It  was  built  bv  the  Methodists  and 
was  called  Hickory  Chapel.  Wiley  B.  Mack  was  the  first  minister 
who  officiated  within  its  walls.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev  Mr.  Oakes. 
Rev.  R.  Hargrave  was  also  one  of  the  earliest  preachers  here.  This 
Hickory  log  chapel  was  succeeded  by  the  present  Clinton  chapel, 
which  was  built  in  1860. 

The  culture  of  mulberry  trees  and  the  raising  of  silk  worms  at  one 
time  engaged  considerable  attention  in  the  township.  The  follow- 
ing will  be  found  in  book  C,  of  the  proceedings  of  the  commissioner's 
court,  page  twenty-six : 

"  It  is  ordered  by  the  board  that  Potter  Doolittle  be  allowed  the 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP.  141 

sum  of  two  dollars  and  twenty-five  cents  as  a  bounty  on  fifteen 
pounds  of  silk  co-coons,  as  per  the  certificate  of  Wm.  Moorman,  a 
justice  of  the  peace  of  LaPorte  county."  Potter  Doolittle  was  a  res- 
ident of  Clinton,  and  the  foregoing  order  was  made  in  September, 
A.  D.  1846. 

HASKELL    STATION. 

In  the  year  1854,  A.  Culver  purchased  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land  in  section  twenty,  in  Clinton  township.  It  being 
favorably  located  on  the  Louisville,  New  Albany  and  Chicago  rail- 
road, he  conceived  the  idea  of  laying  out  a  town  in  case  a  sufficient 
number  of  persons  were  attracted  to  the  locality  to  warrant  it.  He 
did  not  commence  as  many  have  done  by  having  it  platted  and  filed 
in  the  recorder's  office  before  any  evidence  of  a  village  was  visible, 
and  afterwards  subject  himself  to  the  mortification  of  leaving  upon 
the  countv  records  an  enduring  monument  of  a  vanished  air  cas- 
tie.  From  its  location  it  seemed  to  be  a  good  point  for  a  store,  and 
he  gave  to  samuel  Brush  an  acre  upon  condition  that  he  would  open 
one.  This  Mr.  Brush  did  in  the  year  1855,  and  he  continued  in 
the  mercantile  business  at  that  place  until  1863,  when  he  died. 
John  Ferris  bought  out  the  estate,  both  real  and  personal,  of  the 
administrator,  continued  the  business  until  1867,  and  sold  to 
Wm.  D.  Crothers.  It  soon  after  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Sopris  and  from  him  to  Thomas  L.  Hoadley,  who  discontinued  the 
business  in  1870. 

In  the  year  1857,  a  postoffice  was  established  at  the  station,  and 
Samuel  Brush  was  apppointed  postmaster.  The  present  postmaster 
is  Thomas  L.  Hoadley. 

In  1858,  David  Carpenter  commenced  blacksmithing. 

In  1861,  a  warehouse  was  built  by  Samuel  Brush,  and  considera- 
ble grain  was  shipped  from  this  point,  but  the  construction  of  east 
and  west  roads  has  diverted  the  grain  trade  in  a  great  measure  from 
the  south.  In  1871  this  warehouse  was  struck  by  lightning  and 
burned.  Haskell  never  ranked  as  a  town.  No  plat  of  it  was  ever 
recorded.  It  is  only  a  hamlet — having  had  a  store,  blacksmith 
shop,  grain  depot,  postoffice,  and  being  a  railroad  station. 

BIGELOW. 

Abijah  Bigelow   moved  into  Clinton  township  in  the  year  1835, 


142  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

and  soon  after  proceded  to  put  up  a  grist  mill,  which  he  completed 
in  1837.  He  brought  a  small  colony  with  him  who  were  mostly 
Canadians. 

In  the  year  1836,  Wm.  T.  Harding  opened  the  first  store  in  that 
place.  After  he  had  fairly  commenced  he  took  as  a  partner,  a  man 
named  Bogart,  and  while  Harding  was  attending  to  his  farm  Bogart 
sold  the  concern  to  one  Bentley.  A  litigation  ensued  which  result- 
ed in  Bogart's  being  sent  to  jail  and  Bentley 's  getting  away  with  the 
goods. 

During  the  year  1837,   the  town   was  recorded   in   the   informal 

manner  so  common  in  those  times.  It  embraced  twenty-eight 
blocks,  described  as  being  in  township  thirty-five,  range  four  west. 
in  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  twenty-one. 

In  1837.  a  Frenchman  who  was  known  by  the  name  of  "Bushee," 
started  a  blacksmith  shop.  During  the  same  year  Arnold  Sapp 
had  a  cabinet  and  jobbing  shop,  and  in  1838,  a  postoffice  was 
established  and  Wm.  T.  Harding  had  the  contract  for  carrying  the 
mail. 

In  the  year  1848,  the  'people  became  tired  of  their  own  organiza- 
tion, and  among  the  records  of  the  September  term  of  the  county 
commissioners'  court  of  that  year,  we  find  the  following : 

"Now  comes  Hubert  Williams  and  motions  that  his  petition  here- 
tofore filed,  to-wit:  On  the  21st  day  of  July,  A.  D.,  1848,  for  the 
vacation  of  the  town  of  Bigelow's  Mills  be  now  taken  up.  Where- 
upon the  board,  upon  due  consideration,  being  satisfied  from  the 
affidavit  of  said  Hubert  Williams,  that  manuscript  notices  of  the 
pending  of  said  petition  had  been  set  up  in  three  of  the  most  public 
places  in  said  town,  thirty  days  previous  to  the  present  session  of 
this  board,  containing  a  description  of  the  property  to  be  vacated, 
do  order  the  said  town  to  be  vacated." 

John  Closser  started  a  store  at  Bigelow's  Mills  in  1848,  and 
afterwards  sold  out  to  Soper  &  Metcalf.  They  did  business  for  a 
time,  and  then  sold  to  Henry  Brush.  Samuel  Hammond  bought 
out  Brush  in  1861.  Perrin  Scarborough  started  a  wagon  shop  in 
this  year ;  in  1852,  Frank  Howell  started  a  blacksmith  shop  near 
where  Frank  Knight's  house  now  stands,  and  in  1854,  Mr.  Gordon 
had  a  gunsmith  shop  to  which  he  added  a  stock  of  goods  the  ensuing 
year* 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP.  143 

The  Bigelow  mill  having  been  sold  to  John  Closser,  and  by  him 
to  John  "Wright,  passed  into  the  hands  of  Henry  Harding  in  1854. 
He  built  a  store  also,  and  had  a  general  assortment  of  goods.  Mr. 
H.  continued  the  business  until  1874  when  he  died,  and  John  War- 
nock,  as  administrator  of  the  estate,  sold  the  property  to  Abram 
Sovereign,  who  disposed  of  it  to  Mr.  Boler. 

In  1864,  J.  Jacobson  carried  on  the  business  of  harness  making. 

The  postoffice  at  Bigelow  was  discontinued  in  the  year  1868. 

The  following  incident  occurred  in  the  year  1835.  Wm.  T. 
Harding  and  A.  G.  Webster  of  Noble  township,  were  brothers-in- 
law,  and  put  in  crops  together,  some  corn  on  Webster's  claim,  and 
buckwheat  on  that  of  Harding.  After  the  corn  came  up  the  ground 
squirrels  commenced  digging  it,  and  some  arsenic  was  obtained  to 
destroy  them.  A  part  of  it  was  used  and  the  remainder  was  laid 
away  in  Webster's  clock.  During  the  following  summer,  Harding 
procured  some  calomel  and  after  having  used  a  part  of  it,  put  the 
remainder  away  in  the  same  place  where  the  arsenic  had  been  stored. 
After  this,  Harding  returned  to  Ohio,  from  whence  he  had  migrat- 
ed, for  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife,  two  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, and  returned  with  them  in  the  latter  part  of  September.  The 
first  day  after  his  arrival,  he  went  to  Webster's  house,  who,  with  his 
wife,  were  absent  visiting  the  newly  arrived  family.  Harding's 
oldest  daughter  being  unwell,  he  went  to  the  same  clock  to  procure 
the  calomel  to  administer  it  to  her.  Going  to  his  own  home  with  it, 
he  related  to  Mrs.  Webster  what  he  had  done.  After  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Webster  had  returned,  the  former  went  to  the  clock  to  wind  it  as  he 
had  usually  done,  and  missing  the  arsenic,  and  being  informed  by 
his  wife  what  had  become  of  it,  ran  all  the  way  to  Harding's,  hoping 
to  arrive  before  any  of  it  had  been  taken.  He  was  too  late.  Fif- 
teen minutes  before  he  came,  the  oldest  daughter  had  taken  a  dose, 
and  Harding  had  also  done  the  same  a  moment  before  his  arrival. 
Lamp  oil,  being  the  only  article  at  hand  to  serve  as  an  emetic,  was 
administered.  The  father  was  saved,  but  the  daughter  died  before 
morning.     This  was  the  first  death  that  occurred  in  the  township. 

At  an  early  date  in  the  settlement  of  Clinton,  a  hog  dealer  pass- 
ed through  the  township,  and  in  doing  so,  lost  a  number  of  his 
drove.     They   ran   wild   and   multiplied.      There   were   very    few 


144  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

enclosures,  and  the  early  settlers  allowed  their  swine  to  run  at  large 
also,  each  preferring  to  have  his  own  private  mark  upon  his  stock, 
and  each  desiring  to  have  his  share  of  the  wild  ones  which  were  run- 
ning about  promiscuously.  An  old  settler  states  that  it  was  won- 
derful how  soon  a  porker  could  be  dressed  and  packed  away  by  the 
residents  on  the  creek  after  it  was  shot.  They  had  a  habit  of  first 
cutting  off  the  ears,  or  of  even  skinning  the  animal  when  dead  to 
avoid  identification,  and  the  crack  of  a  rifle  had  scarcely  ceased  to 
echo  over  the  prairie  before  this  was  all  accomplished.  Finally,  an 
immense  amount  of  litigation  was  the  consequence,  and  one  of  the 
settlers  expended  all  his  means,  involving  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  his  stock,  house  and  home,  in  lawsuits  growing  out  of 
the  uncertain  proprietorship  in  swine.  This  circumstance  probably 
gave  name  to  the  creek  which  flows  through  the  township. 

On  the  27  day  of  November,  1865,  James  Woods  shot  and  killed 
John  Lohm,  a  German  resident,  in  the  west  part  of  the  township  in 
the  Osborn  and  Small  neighborhood.  Woods  and  Wm.  Fulton  had 
been  drinking,  and  had  just  returned  from  Westville  in  a  state  bor- 
dering upon  intoxication.  When  in  the  neighborhood  we  have 
described,  they  encountered  a  party  of  Germans  who  had  been  husk- 
ing corn  and  were  returning  with  loaded  wagons.  Woods  ordered 
them  to  halt,  to  which  no  attention  was  paid.  Fulton  then  said  to 
him:  " Why  don't  you  shoot."  Woods  then  drew  a  revolver  and 
discharged  it,  the  ball  passing  by  those  who  were  on  the  first  wagon, 
and  took  effect  in  the  body  of  John  Lohm,  inflicting  a  mortal  wound 
from  the  effects  of  which  he  died  in  a  short  time.  The  men  were 
said  to  be  strangers  to  each  other,  and  had  had  no  previous  difficul- 
ty. Both  Woods  and  Fulton  were  indicted  at  the  April  term  of  the 
circuit  court,  1866,  and  were  tried  in  April,  1867.  Woods  was 
convicted  of  murder  in  the  second  degree  and  sentence!  to  the  pen- 
itentiary during  the  term  of  his  natural  life,  and  Fulton  of  man- 
slaughter, and  sentenced  for  thirteen  years. 

On  the  14th  day  of  March,  1869,  Nicholas  Aker,  a  boy  fourteen 
years  and  eight  months  old,  was  playing  witli  a  gun  with  two 
younger  brothers,  when  taking  it  up  to  blow  into  the  muzzle,  it  acci- 
dentally went  off,  killing  him  instantly.  On  the  7th  day  of  Nov. 
1874,  August  Kopelsi,  a  boy  fourteen  years  and  eight  months  old, 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP.  145 

who  resided  with  his  father,  Frank  Kopelsi,  a  resident  of  Bigelow., 
was  out  duck  hunting.  In  walking  along  he  held  the  muzzle  of  his 
gun  under  his  arm.  Striking  the  lock  accidentally,  the  cap  explod- 
ed and  the  contents  of  the  gun  nearly  tore  the  arm  from  his  body. 
He  died  in  less  than  an  hour  afterward. 

In  the  two  cases  abovu  narrated  of  death  from  the  use  of  fire 
arms,  both  boys  were  nearly  of  an  age  at  the  time  the  accidents  in  the 
cases  occurred,  the  difference  being  but  ono  day. 

On  the  6th  day  of  November,  1874,  Frank  Knight,  a  young  man 
who  resided  at  Bigelow,  met  with  an  accident  at  Mansfield,  Ohio, 
which  cost  him  his  life.  He  was  employed  on  the  Pittsburg  and  Ft. 
Wayne  railroad,  and  while  engaged  in  uncoupling  cars,  fell  between 
them.  One  car  passed  over  a  leg  cutting  it  off.  He  lived  only 
three  hours  and  and  a  half  after  the  accident  occurred.  He  was  a 
very  promising  young  man,  and  his  death  was  much  deplored  by  a 
large  circle  of  friends.  His  age  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  twenty 
years,  ten  months  and  twenty-seven  days. 

Among  those  who  have  recently  lived  in  Clinton  township  or 
who  now  live  there,  and  who  came  early  to  LaPorte  county,  are 
Wm.  Steele,  a  native  of  the  county,  born  in  1830 ;  Thomas  Gar- 
wood, born  in  the  county  in  1833 ;  Wm.  Snavely,  who  came  to  the 
county  in  1833,  emigrating  from  Virginia;  R.  R.  Richardson  who 
came  from  Washington  county,  Indiana,  in  1833;  Charles  G.  & 
Thomas  L.  Eaton,  Benjamin  V.  Fogle  and  Jacob  Iseminger,  who 
came  in  1834;  W.  C.  Allen  and  John  Iseminger,  in  1835; 
Wheeler  Bentley,  and  E.  C.  Reynolds  a  native  of  the  county,  in 
1846 ;  Wm.  Pinney  and  Amenzo  Mann  in  1837 ;  W.  H.  Beahm,  a 
native  of  the  county,  1839;  and  C.  R.  Burch,  born  in  the  county 
in  1840.  These  are,  nearly  all  of  them,  successful  farmers,  agricul- 
ture being  the  chief  industry  of  the  township.  The  township  is  well 
settled  with  an  industrious,  intelligent  and  thriving  people.  The 
interests  of  education  have  not  been  neglected ;  there  is  a  school 
house  for  each  neighborhood,  and  the  children  of  the  pioneers'  chil- 
dren enjoy  advantages  of  schools  and  churches,  and  social  and 
neighborhood  intercourse,  of  which  the  early  settlers  were  in  a  large 
measure  deprived ;  but  which  they  fully  appreciated,  and  took  meas- 
ures to  secure  for  those  who  should  come  after  them. 

IO 


14»'>  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

NOBLE    TOWNSHIP. 

Noble  was  a  part  of  Scipio  township  until  the  9th  day  of  March, 
1836,  when  at  the  March  term  of  the  commissioners'  court  of  that 
year  the  Board  made  the  following  order: 

"  Ordered,  that  Scipio  township  be  divided  by  the  line  dividing 
townships  thirty-five  and  thirty-six,  north  of  range  three  west,  and 
that  all  that  part  of  said  township  formerly  comprising  congressional 
township  number  thirty-five  north,  form  a  new  judicial  township, 
to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Noble  township,  and  that  there  be  an 
election  held  in  said  township  on  the  first  Monday  of  April  next, 
for  the  purpose  of  electing  justices  of  the  peace  for  said  township, 
and  that  Arthur  McClure  be  appointed  inspector  of  elections  for 
said  township,  until  the  next  annual  election  of  township  officers, 
and  that  the  election  for  said  township  be  held  at  the  house  of  John 
McLane." 

Since  that  time  the  east  boundary  of  the  township  has  been 
changed  so  that  sections  one  and  twelve,  three-fourths  of  section 
thirteen,  one-half  of  section  twenty-four,  and  nearly  one-half  of  sec- 
tion twenty-five,  are  now  a  part  of  Union  township,  a  singular 
departure  from  the  congressional  township  boundary,  for  which  there 
does  not  seem  to  be  any  good  reason.  The  first  settlers  in  Noble 
township  were  Horace  and  Lane  Markham.  who  came  into  the 
township  in  the  Fall  of  1831,  aud  claimed  laud  near  Union  Mills, 
Horace  a  short  distance  north  of  the  town,  and  Lane  a  little  to  the 
west — both  being  on  section  eight.  Little  is  known  in  regard  to 
either  of  these  families,  as  they  moved  away  many  years  ago.  Even 
the  name  of  the  creek,  which  was  formerly  called  Markham's  has 
been  changed  to  Mill  creek,  and  there  seems  to  be  nothing  left  to 
perpetuate  the  name  of  these  pioneers.  Bird  McLane  and  John 
McLane  purchased  their  land  during  the  year  1832.  Joseph  Whea- 
ton  became  a  resident  in  1832,  and  laid  out  the  town  of  Union 
Mill?, 


NOBLE    TOWNSHIP.  147 

In  the  year  1833,  the  McLanes  settled  in  the  township,  and  the 
same  year  came  William,  Samuel,  Michael  and  Edward  O'Hara, 
Admiral,  Peter  and  Ira  Burch,  Wright  and  Silas  Loving,  Isaac 
Johnson,  Warren  Burch,  Mr.  Fowler,  and  Jeremiah  Perkins.  In 
1834,  Joseph  Sterritt  settled  on  Dormain  prairie,  having  come  to 
the  county  and  stopped  at  Rolling  prairie  in  1833.  In  1834 
Richard  Worrall  and  Samuel  Mitchell  came  also.  A  settlement 
was  commenced  at  the  same  time  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town- 
ship. On  the  7th  day  of  November,  A.  G.  Webster  made  a  claim 
of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  six,  upon  the  banks  of  Spring 
creek  and  built  a  cabin.  John  Harding  claimed  the  northwest 
quarter  of  the  same  section,  and  A.  Logan  the  southeast.  Horace 
Wood  and  Elizabeth  McLane  were  married  this  year.  This  is 
said  to  have  been  the  first  wedding  that  took  place  in  the  township. 

In  1835,  Henderson  Nickell,  Dr.  Everts,  Timothy  Everts, 
Gustavus  Everts,  Sidney  S.  Sabin,  Theodore  M.  Wells,  John 
Barclay,  Israel  Underwood,  John  Goldsmith,  Richard  Goldsmith, 

■ Goldsmith,  Sen.,  and  Benj.  Shaw  became  settlers.     A.  G. 

Webster,  E.  S.  Harding  and  John  Wakefield  built  a  shool  house  on 
Webster's  farm  in  the  Fall  of  this  year,  and  Rachel  Carter  who 
taught  the  first  school  in  New  Durham  township,  filled  a  like  posi- 
tion here.  She  commenced  in  January  A.  D.,  1836.  This  school 
in  early  times,  was  very  jealous  of  its  reputation,  and  particularly 
in  relation  to  the  art  of  spelling  correctly,  and  many  were  the 
attempts  of  the  neighboring  districts  to  excel  in  this  respect.  It 
was  particularly  distinguished  for  the  number  of  teachers  who  fitted 
themselves  for  that  profession  in  the  little  log  structure.  The  fur- 
niture was  made  from  logs  split  and  planed  off  with  grub  hoes.  From 
such  material  the  seats  and  desks  were  manufactured.  The  fire 
place  and  doors  occupied  one  entire  side  of  the  house.  The  floor 
was  made  of  puncheons,  manufactured  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
seats  and  desks.  In  this  place  many  of  the  active  business  men  of 
our  county  received  the  rudiments  of  their  education. 

In  1836,  John  C.  Reed  settled  on  section  seven,  and  Asaph  Web- 
ster on  section  six.  The  latter  built  a  saw  mill,  which  the  division 
of  the  township  brought  a  few  rods  over  the  line  into  Scipio.  Dur- 
ing the  year  a  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  the  log  school  house 


148  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

in  the  "Webster  district."  It  was  known  by  the  name  of  "Spring 
creek  Old  School  Baptist  church."  Elder  A.  Neal  of  Porter  county 
perfected  the  organization.  The  following  were  the  names  of  the 
members:  Asaph  Webster,  E.  S.  Harding,  John  Harding,  A.  A. 
Cole,  Ariel  Wakefield,  Ameluna  Webster,  Mary  Harding  and  Polly 
Harding.  A.  A.  Cole  and  E.  S.  Harding  were  the  first  resident 
elders  of  the  church.  A.  G.  Webster  was  church  clerk  from  its 
organization  until  it  ceased  to  exist  in  1854.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
first  township  trustees,  and  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace 
two  successive  terms. 

Russell  Harvey  settled  on  section  ten  in  1837.  John  F.  Allison 
was  a  teacher  in  this  year,  and  afterwards  justice  of  the  peace. 

In  1837,  Dr.  Everts  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine.  He 
had  three  sons  who  followed  him  in  the  profession.  Their  names 
were  Eudorus,  Orpheus,  and  Carroll;  in  1838,  Allen  Cummings 
commenced  carpentering,  most  of  the  time  employing  from  eight  to 
twelve  hands;  in  1839,  a  saw  mill  was  built  by  John  Johnson  & 
Bro.,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  below  Union  Mills,  on  Mill 
creek ;  in  1840,  Jacob  Early  commenced  building  a  large  distillery 
on  Mill  creek.  It  was  finished  in  1842.  He  did  a  very  large  bus- 
iness. In  1852  it  caught  fire  and  was  burned;  in  1843,  Logan  A. 
Wakefield  erected  an  ashery  upon  the  farm  of  A.  G.  Webster,  and 
entered  into  the  business  of  manufacturing  pear]  and  potash.  It 
did  not  prove  a  successful  undertaking  and  was  abandoned  in  1846: 
in  1847,  a  new  school  house  was  built  bv  George  Hall,  on  Mill 
creek;  in  1873,  the  Free  Methodists  built  a  church  at  Indian 
Point.  In  the  same  year  the  Chicago  &  Lake  Huron  railroad  was 
finished  through  the  township;  and  in  the  year  1874,  the  Balti- 
more and  Ohio  railroad  was  built. 

It  was  at  one  time  proposed  to  build  a  village  about  a  mile  from 
the  site  of  Union  Mills,  and  ir  was  platted  accordingly  and  called 
Belmont.  The  following  record,  without  date,  is  found  in  book  C, 
page  one  hundred  and  fifteen,  of  the  county  records.  It  was  evi- 
dently filed  in  1836,  from  its  location  in  the  book: 

"Plat  of  the  town  of  Belmont.  LaPorte  county.  Indiana,  laid  off 
upon  the  northwest  corner  of  section  twenty-one,  and  the  southwest 


NOBLE    TOWNSHIP.  149 

corner  of  section  sixteen,  township  thirty-five,  north  of  range  three 
west,  by  Ward  Blake  and  Abram  Charles." 

In  1838,  a  blacksmith  shop  was  started  by  John  Decker  who 
continued  in  business  about  five  years. 

In  1840,  a  store  was  opened  by  Samuel  Smith  and Lover- 
man.  They  continued  to  do  busines  in  that  line  about  two  years, 
and  then  gave  it  up.  Belmont  never  made  any  very  great  strides 
towards  being  a  point  of  importance,  and  when  Union  Mills  began 
to  develope  in  its  growth,  it  went  out  of  existence  as  a  town. 

UNION    MILLS. 

Joseph  Wheaton  built  the  first  house  on  the  site  of  this  town  in 
1832.  The  plat  of  the  village  was  not  placed  on  record  until  1849, 
on  the  7th  day  of  December.     The  record  is  as  follows : 

"The  village  of  Union  Mills  represented  by  the  annexed  plat,  is 
situated  in  the  southeast  corner  of  section  eight,  and  the  southwest 
corner  of  section  nine,  in  township  thirty-five,  north  of  range  three 
west  of  the  second  meridian.     Surveyed  June  14,  1849. 

State  of  Indiana,  "I 
LaPorte  County,  j 

Be  it  Known  that  on  the  fifth  day  of  November,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  forty-nine,  personally  appeared  before  me  the 
undersigned,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  within  and  for  said  county,  by 
authority  of  law,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified,  Robert  Wierm, 
Geo.  Butt,  Chas.  Fessenden,  Lewis  Stevenson,  Allen  Cummings, 
Russell  N.  Bennett,  E.  W.  Fessenden,  Michael  O'Hara,  B.  Elliot, 
Eudorus  Everts,  Wm.  J.  Wheaton,  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Union 
Mills,  and  acknowledged  the  within  plat  to  be  their  act  and  deed  for 
the  purpose  of  having  the  same  recorded. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

Jeremiah  Perkins, 

Justice  of  the  Peace." 

The  grist  mill  at  LTnion  Mills  was  commenced  in  1837,  by  Dr. 
Sylvanus  Everts,  and  was  finished  in  1838.  He  continued  to  run 
it  'about  three  years,  and  then  sold  it  to  Bell  &  Gray.  It  after- 
wards reverted  to  Dr.  Everts  on  account  of  a  failure  to  make  pay- 
ment, and  he,  wishing  to  dispose  of  it,  got  up  a  stock  company  and 
sold  the  shares  at  fifty  dollars  each.      George  Butt  bought  up  all  the 


150  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

shares,  and  sold  again  in  1856.  In  1866  J.  P.  Teeple  bought  it. 
It  is  now  carried  on  by  Hamilton  &  Teeple. 

In  1838,  there  were  only  five  log  cabins  at  the  Mills.  They 
were  owned  by  Dr.  Everts,  Josiah  G rover,  Lewis  Stevenson,  Levi 
Smith  and  Joseph  Wheaton. 

Levi  Smith  put  up  a  block  house  and  used  it   as  a  .-tore  in  183 

In  1840,  William  Bills  put  up  a  frame  house  on  lot  number  five, 
and  had  a  store  in  it.  He  built  a  frame  house  for  a  residence  nn 
the  same  lot.  Lewis  Stevenson  erected  a  store,  and  put  in  it  a  gen- 
eral assortment  of  goods.  It  was  upon  the  lot  now  occupied  by  F. 
A.  Freeman  as  a  store.  During  this  year  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Clement  had  a  cooper  shop  in  the  village  and  did  a  fair  business. 
R.  M.  Bennett  commenced  blacksmithing. 

A  shoemaker  shop  was  started  by  Elisha  Thayer  in  1841 ;  also 
a  drug  store  by  Lewis  Stevenson ;  Mr.  Cowan  opened  a  wagon  shop 

in  1842.     In  1843,   William  Winters  and Rogers  carried  on 

the  business  of  tailoring.  They  were  in  business  four  or  five  years 
together.  Isaac  Johnson  worked  for  them  and  continued  in  the 
business. 

In  the  year  1844,  the  Presbyterian  church  was  built — it  having 
been  organized  by  Rev.  F.  P.  Cummins.  The  succeeding  ministers 
havebeen  Rev.  Mr.  Evans,  McCrea,  Fisher.  McKinney,  Elliott 
and  Smith.  In  this  year,  Stephen  and  William  Clement  built 
a  store  and  stocked  it,  James  Westervelt  acting  as  their  agent. 
Some  two  years  after.  Michael  OTIara  and  A.  Cummins  bought  it. 
After  continuing  in  the  businss  two  years,  Cummins  sold  out  to 
Ben  Elliott,  and  he  sold  to  O'Hara  at  a  later  date.  Thomas  Alli- 
son bought  a  general  stock  of  goods  and  entered  into  business, 
which  he  continued  from  ten  to  twelve  years.  Anson  Harvey  com- 
menced harness  making,  and  a  postoffice  was  established  with  Lewis 
Stevenson  for  postmaster.  At  that  time  but  one  mail  each  week 
from  LaPorte  was  afforded,  and  the  department  offered  only  seven 
dollars  per  quarter  for  its  transportation.  No  one  being  desirous 
of  securing  the  contract,  some  of  the  leading  citizens,  who  were 
anxious  to  have  mail  facilities,  drew  lots  as  to  who  should  perform 
the  duty.     The  unfortunate   person   upon  whom    the  lot  fell   w 


NOBLE    TOWNSHIP.  151 

Allen  Oummings.     A   frame  school  house  was   erected  during  this 
year. 

In  1848,  Ben  Elliott  built  a  store  and  put  in  a  general  stock  of 
goods.  In  1860,  Dr.  Egbert  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine. 
Peter  Kannable  started  a  wagon  shop,  and  Wheaton  a  blacksmith 
shop.  In  1852,  Dr.  Higley  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine. 
In  1854,  Morton  &  Booth  built  a  shop  and  commenced  the  boot  and 
shoe  business.  In  1857,  Wheaton  who  had  formerly  been  engaged 
in  the  same  business  at  Union  Mills,  but  had  migrated  to  Missouri, 
returned  and  opened  another  shop.  In  1858,  Dr.  Crumpacker 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Union.  The  Advent 
church  was  built  during  this  year.  Rev.  F.  M.  Berrick  was  the  first 
pastor.  Augustus  Block  started  a  wagon  shop  in  1860,  and  still 
continues  in  business.  In  1864,  Burdet  Turner  opened  a  meat 
market.  Mr.  Berridge  opened  a  gun  shop  in  1866.  In  1859,  W. 
F.  Williams  commenced  blacksmiths  ng.  Joseph  Bailey  bought  out 
Morton  &  Booth  and  started  in  the  boot  and  shoe  business,  which 
he  still  continues,  and  Miss  Samantha  Church  opened  a  drug  ! -tore.  In 
1872,  Dr.  Meredith  commenced  practice,  and  Mrs.  Almira  Turner 
opened  the  Turner  house  for  the  accommodation  of  the  public 
This  is  the  first  hotel  the  town  has  had. 

In  1872,  McClure  &  McClung  built  a  store  and  stocked  it  with  a 
general  assortment  of  goods.  Heron  &  Wilcox  opened  a  drug  store. 
H.  Smith  started  a  tin  shop  which  he  has  since  sold  to  N.  D. 
McCormack.  The  Chicago  and  Lake  Huron  railroad  was  finished 
to  the  town  in  this  year. 

In  1874,  Drs.  Heron  &  Wilcox  embarked  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine in  the  town.  Pope  C.  Weed  and  Henry  Booth  commenced 
harness  making.  Bennett  &  Moreland  opened  a  meat  market.  In 
this  year  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad  was  finished  close  to  the 
town,  the  crossing  being  but  a  few  rods  from  its  outside  limits. 

Since  the  completion  of  the  two  railroads,  Union  Mills  has  taken 
a  new  start  and  no  town  in  the  county  outside  of  the  cities,  has  to 
all  appearance,  a  more  encouraging  prospect  in  the  future. 

The  business  of  the  town  may  be  briefly  stated  as  follows :  One 
attorney;    one   banking   agent   for   Ernest,    Prussing    &    Co.,    of 


152  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 

Chicago;  one  barber;  three  blacksmith  shops;  two  meat  markets; 
two  brick  masons ;  seven  carpenters ;  one  cider  mill ;  three  dry 
goods,  grocery  and  clothing  stores ;  two  drug  stores ;  two  dress- 
makers ;  one  well  driver ;  one  express  agent ;  one  general  shipper 
and  dealer  in  butter,  eggs,  etc.;  one  grain  buyer  and  freight  agent; 
one  grist  mill ;  one  hotel ;  two  harness  shops ;  two  insurance  agents ; 
two  justices  of  the  peace;  one  livery  stable;  one  milliner;  one 
notary  public;  five  physicians;  two  painters;  two  plasterers;  one 
saw  mill ;  one  telegraph  operator ;  one  tin  shop ;  and  three  wagon 
shops.     There  are  also  two  churches,  Presbyterian  and  Advent. 

Stimulated  by  the  railroads  the  following  additions  have  been 
made  to  the  town :  Deets'  addition,  laid  off  on  the  east  side  of 
Union  Mills,  and  recorded  April  23,  1875;  and  the  addition  of 
Fredrickson,  Hamilton,  Way  and  Deets.  recorded  on  the  1 8th  day 
of  May,  1875. 

A  new  town  has  also  been  laid  off  at  the  junction  of  the  rail- 
roads, bv  Charles  F.  Wells,  and  Theodore  H.  Wells,  which  was 
recorded  on  the  eighth  day  of  April,  1875,  and  is  called  Wellsboro. 

Xoble  township  holds  one  of  the  finest  bodies  of  land  in  the 
county ;  chiefly  consisting  of  prairie,  with  a  soil  rich  and  exceed- 
ingly productive.  No  other  portion  of  the  county  has  been  more 
prosperous.  Advantageously  located  for  market  conveniences,  since 
the  completion  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio,  and  Chicago  and  Lake 
Huron  railroads  through  its  limits,  its  developement  and  prosperity 
must  be  greater  in  the  future  than  in  the  past.  It  is  watered  by 
Mill  creek,  which  passes  diagonally  across  the  township  from  the 
northwest  to  the  southeast,  by  a  smaller  creek  or  two,  and  by 
several  small  lakes.  To  the  advantages  of  the  soil  and  location, 
the  people  have  added  facilities  for  education,  and  have  erected  a 
sufficient  number  of  good  school  houses  to  supply  the  needs  of  their 
children. 


COOLSPRING   TOWNSHIP.  153 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

COOLSPRING   TOWNSHIP. 

The  territory  embraced  in  Coolspring  township,  was  a  part  of  the 
original  township  of  New  Durham.  By  the  subsequent  division  it 
became  a  part  of  Michigan  township,  remaining  thus  until  the  9th 
day  of  March,  1836,  when  the  following  order  was  made  by  the 
Board  of  county  commissioners  : 

"Ordered  that  Michigan  township  be  divided  by  the  line  between 
towns  thirty-seven  and  thirty-eight,  range  four  west,  and  that  part 
of  Michigan  township  comprising  town  thirty-seven,  range  four 
west,  form  a  judicial  township  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Cool- 
spring  township,  and  that  there  be  an  election  held  in  said  township 
on  the  first  Monday  of  April  next  for  the  purpose  of  electing  two 
justices  of  the  peace  for  said  township,  and  that  Nathan  Johnson 
is  appointed  inspector  of  elections  for  said  township,  and  that  the 
elections  for  said  township  be  held  at  the  house  of  Nathan  Johnson." 

It  has-been  very  difficult  to  ascertain  who  was  actually  the  first 
settler  of  Coolspring  township,  or  precisely  in  what  year  he  came. 
Those  who  have  been  consulted  differ  in  regard  to  the  matter. 
Some  state  that  Nathan  Johnson  was  the  first  settler,  others  that  it 
was  a  man  bv  the  name  c  f  John  or  Isaac  Luther,  while  still  others 
claim  Arba  Heald  as  the  first  settler.  It  is  probable  that  these  all 
settled  in  the  same  year,  which  must  have  been  the  year  1833,  and 
having  gone  into  different  sections  of  the  township,  the  parts  of 
which  were  not  readily  accessible  to  each  other  in  those  early  times, 
each  neighborhood  believes  its  own  first  settler  was  first  of  all. 
Arba  Heald  went  from  Scipio  township,  oi  which  he  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers,  into  the  southwest  part  of  Coolspring,  and  erected 
a  saw  mill  not  far  from  Beatty's  corners.  Nathan  Johnson  made 
his  improvements  at  Waterford,  which  it  is  said  ihat  he  laid  out  as 
a  village,  and  Luther  settled  nearer  the  central  part  of  the  town- 
ship. Mr.  Wm.  Forrester  states  that  he  has  often  seen  the  remains 
of  the  Luther  cabin  in  the  neighborhood  of  where  he  resides.     But 


154  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

whoever  may  have  been  foremost  in  making  a  settlement,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  there  were  very  few  inhabitants  in  the  township  prior  to 
1836.  In  that  year  there  were  in  the  township,  Maj.  Eliphalet 
Pattee,  Thomas  Forrester,  John  Jacobus,  Thomas  Sharp.  George 
Smith,  George  Bentley,  John  F,  Decker,  Abram  Langdon,  Nathan 
Johnson,  Arba  Heald,  John  Van  Meter.  John  Dysard.  John  Bcatty, 
Purdv  Smith,  the  Whitakers,  Daniel  Reed,  John  Glimeand  Ebenezer 
Palmer.  Palmer  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  township. 
Beatty  had  been  engaged  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  passed  through  the 
county  on  his  way  to  Chicago  in  1832,  and  made  his  settlement  in 
1833.  Arba  Heald  preceded  Beattv  in  the  timber  of  the  southwest 
part  of  the  township,  and,  in  connection  with  Daniel  Reed,  erected 
a  saw  mill,  the  first  in  that  locality,  probably  in  the  year  1833. 
John  Dysard  must  have  come  in  1835.  He  -till  lives  in  the  town- 
ship, and  is  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  also  a  successful  fruit  cultur- 
ist.  George  Bentley,  the  father  of  Ambrose  Bentley,  who  resides 
on  the  old  homestead,  and  of  Dr.  G.  J.  Bentley.  of  Michigan  City, 
ran  a  saw  mill  for  General  Joseph  Orr,  which  was  one  of  the  earliest 
erected  in  the  township.  Elisha  Mayhew  owned  an  interest  with 
Orr  in  this  mill,  and  afterwards  Orr  and  Standiford  owned  it  in 
company.  This  mill  was  built  in  1833,  but  Arba  Heald's  had  been 
erected  a  few  months  previously.  Orr  and  his  partner  put  up  a 
wool  carding  machine  also.  This  afterwards  passed  into  the  hands 
of  Samuel  Weston,  who  built  a  grist  mill  in  the  same  place,  which  is 
now  owned  and  run  by  James  Mason  and  his  father.  Nathan  John- 
son built  a  saw  mill  at  Waterford,  which  some  claim  to  have  been 
the  first  erected  in  the  township :  and  in  1836  he  built  another.  Gen. 
Orr  thinks  the  first  saw  mill  in  the  township  was  built  at  Waterford 
by  Walker  ,v  Johnson.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Bowen  bought  the 
Waterford  property,  and  put  up  a  distillery,  which  was  run  several 
re  very  successfully.  The  property  passed  through  several 
hands,  a  grist  mill  was  erected  and  run  in  connection  with  the  dis- 
tillery. This  was  finally  closed  and  the  grist  mill  continued  to  run 
until  about  187",  when  it  was  burned.  Then  Casper  Kuhn  bought 
the  site,  erected  another  mill,  and  has  run  it  successfully  ever 
since. 

Asa  Harper   made   improvements  in  the  township   in   1835,  but 


COOLSPRING    TOWNSHIP.  155 

was  then  living  at  Michigan  City  and  did  not  move  into  the  town- 
ship until  several  years  after.  John  F.  Decker  lived  at  or  near 
Waterford,  and  died  in  1844.  He  was  the  father  of  John  F. 
Decker  now  of  LaPorte. 

The  first  store  in  the  township  was  at  Waterford.  It  was  opened 
by  Mr.  Bowen,  and  in  about  six  weeks  thereafter  was  closed  by  his 
creditors.  This  was  probably  in  1836.  Since  that  time  there 
have  been  several  in  the  place,  which  have  all  been  successively 
closed  up.  A  postoffice  was  opened  at  "Waterford  in  1838,  and 
kept  by  a  man  named  Sears.  This  was  afterwards  moved  to  the 
hotel  about  a  mile  south  of  Waterford,  and  was  discontinued  in 
1865. 

The  great  amount  of  timber  in  Coolspring  township  early  invited 
the  erection  of  saw  mills ;  and  there  were  others  built  besides  those 
already  named.  John  Beatty  and  Purdy  Smith  -put  up  one  in 
1833  or  34,  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  township.  In  1836,  Aaron 
Stanton  built  a  flouring  mill  in  the  township  which  his  son  Alfred 
purchased  and  managed  from  1838  to  1842,  when  he  sold  it  and 
went  to  Oregon.  Orr's  mill  and  Stanton's  also,  were  on  Spring 
creek,  a  branch  of  Trail  creek.  The  mill  which  Nathan  Johnson 
built  later  now  belongs  to  the  Timm  brothers. 

Schools  were  opened  early,  probably  in  1835  or  36 ;  and  Eben- 
ezer  Palmer  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  first  teacher.  Rachel 
Jacobus  also  taught  very  early,  and  Wm.  Forrester  remembers  Maria 
Sharp  as  his  first  teacher.  In  1837  or  38,  Wm.  C.  Talcott  went 
into  the  township,  and  taught  a  school  near  Waterford.  He  was  a 
Universalist  preacher,  and  probably  the  first  to  preach  in  the  town- 
ship. There  have  been  services  by  other  denominations,  especially 
the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians,  usually  held  in  the  school  houses, 
until  about  1855,  when  a  church  was  built,  a  very  good  one,  near 
Waterford,  by  the  Presbyterians,  which  is  really  a  union  church, 
being  occupied  by  various  denominations  in  common.  This  is  the 
only  church  edifice  hi  the  township. 

The  villages  of  the  township  are  Waterford  and  Beatty's  Corners. 
But  little  business  has  ever  been  done  at  either  place,  the  most  im- 
portant business  enterprise  being  the  flouring  mill  at  Waterford. 
At  B  atty's  Corners  there  are  now  no  indications  of  a  town ;  and  the 


156  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

site  is  a  part  of  the  farm  of  George  R.  Selkirk.  The  place  was 
laid  off  as  a  town  in  1842  bv  James  Whittem.  who  divided  two 
acres  into  town  lots.  A  black  smith  shop  was  opened  by  a  man 
named  Collins,  and  one  Dr.  Bosley  worked  at  wagon  making.  A 
hotel  was  built,  and  kept  by  Enoch  Brewer  about  two  years-.  He 
afterwards  removed  to  Pulaski  county,  and  kept  a  hotel  at  Medary- 
ville.  A.  B.  Wolf  kept  the  hotel  at  Beatty's  Corners  for  a  time, 
but  it  has  long  been  closed.  Only  one  lot  was  ever  sold  in  the 
town,  and  finally  George  R.  Selkirk  bought  the  whole  plat,  an 
instance  not  very  common,  of  the  purchase  by  one  man,  of  an  entire 
town. 

Coolspring  is  well  watered  by  small  creeks  in  nearly  every  part 
of  it,  affording  many  excellent  mill  privileges ;  and  good  timber 
being  abundant,  these  opportunities  have  been  largely  improved; 
and  although  a  vast  amount  of  timber  has  been  cut  off,  yet  there  is 
still  large  quantities  remaining.  The  entire  township  is  timbered, 
no  prairie  land  being  within  its  limits.  The  timber  con>i-ts  of 
oak.  ash,  maple,  walnut,  poplar,  beech,  hickory  and  other  varieties. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  good  land  in  the  township,  and  some 
also  that  is  thin  and  poor,  consisting  of  the  sand  originally,  perhaps, 
thrown  up  from  the  lake.  But  most  of  the  soil  can  be  made  to  pro- 
duce very  good  crops  of  corn,  wheat  and  potatoes :  and  for  fruit  it 
cannot  be  surpassed  in  the  county.  Farmers  have  been  generally 
successful  and  are  quite  prosperous.  Educational  privileges  have 
not  been  neglected,  and  there  are  at  the  present  time  five  ■_  -chool 
houses  in  the  township. 

When  the  township  was  first  settled,  it  was  one  of  the  wildest 
parts  of  the  count  .     There  was  abundance  of  game,  2  of 

deer  and  turkeys,  and  even  wild  bears.  The  latter  sometimes  car- 
ried off  pigs  and  hogs  at  night.  The  Indians  were  still  in  the 
country,  and  came  freely  to  the  huts  of  the  settlers,  but  never 
molested  them   in  any  way,  either  in  person   or  proper  On  one 

occasion  Mr.  John  Beatty,   when  out  hunting  came  near  shooting 
an   Indian,  supposing  the   red-skin  to   be  a  deer.      The  Indian    n 
up  and  exhibited  himself  unmistakably,  just  in  time.     Had  the  acci- 
dent occurred  it  might  have  resulted  in  arousing  the  hostility  of  the 
savages,  and  placing  in  peril  the  lives  of  the  settlers. 


COOLSPRING    TOWNSHIP.  157 

In  die  year  1836,  a  sad  accident  occurred,  resulting  in  the  death 
of  Amos  Smith,  son  of  Purdy  Smith,  a  lad  about  ten  years  of  age. 
His  father,  with  others,  was  chopping  trees  in  the  forest,  and 
the  boy  was  engaged  in  carrying  water  to  the  men,  when  just  as  he 
came  to  where  the  laborers  were  engaged,  a  falling  tree  struck  a 
high  stub  or  body  of  another  tree,  which  sprang  back,  and  in  fall- 
ing, struck  down  the  lad,  and  killed  him  instantly. 

Among  those  who  now  live  in  the  township,  and  who  came  early 
to  the  county  are  Hiram  and  N.  W.  Blackman,  farmers,  and  the 
latter  a  cooper;  A.  L.  Booth,  a  farmer;  Richard  Cross  and  Amos 
Thorpe,  farmers  and  cider  makers;  Reuben  Chapin,  fruit  grower 
and  farmer;  John  Dysard,  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser;  Wm.  Fores- 
ter, farmer  ami  grain  buyer;  Elder  L.  Fogle,  Christian  preacher 
and  farmer;  Robert  Curran  and  C.  G.  Dalgren,  farmers;  Asa  Har- 
per, Augustus  C.  and  M.  J.  iiubner,  Wm.  Lumbard,  S.  C.  Perry, 
and  John  Zahrn,  farmers  and  stock  raisers;  Joseph  Eddy,  tailor 
and  farmer;  John  Ebert,  mason  and  contractor;  A.  B.  Hunt, 
farmer;  D.  L.  Jackson,  farmer  and  cooper;  Casper  Kuhn,  proprie- 
tor of  Waterford  flouring  mill;  Daniel  Low,  farmer  and  fruit 
grower,  and  for  many  years  trustee  of  the  township ;  F.  M.  Taylor, 
proprietor  of  flouring  mill ;  James  L.  Monahan,  farmer  and  dealer 
in  fruit  trees ;  Albert  Mudge,  a  farmer,  and  several  years  township 
assessor;  Z.  W.  Palmer,  farmer  and  speculator;  A.  B.  Wolf,  farmer 
and  carpenter;  Dennis  Purvis,  G.  R.  Selkirk,  G.  W.  Van  Dusen, 
Wm.  Sohn  and  John  Windland,  farmers;  B.  N.  Shreve,  township 
trustee  and  lumberman;  Eli  Smith,  fanner  and  cooper,  and  Jacob 
H.  White,  physician  and  surgeon,  residing  at  Waterford,  the  first 
and  only  resident  physician  in  the  township. 

The  township  has  quite  a  large  population.  It  is  even  more 
thickly  settled  than  some  portions  of  the  prairie,  for  the  farms  are 
not  so  large,  and  neighbors  are  brought  more  closely  together.  The 
New  Albany  and  Chicago  railroad  passes  across  the  west  side  of  the 
township,  the  Michigan  Central  cuts  the  northwest  corner,  and  the 
Indianapolis,  Peru  and  Chicago,  the  northeast  corner,  but  there  is 
no  railroad  station  within  the  limits  of  the  township.  Otis  furnishes 
the  market  for  the  southwest  part,  LaPorte  for  the  southeast,  and 
Michigan    City  for  all  the  north  side.     With   markets   all  around, 


158  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

with  a  soil  reasonably  productive,  excellent  for  fruit,  and  abund- 
ance of  choice  timber,  the  inhabitants  of  this  township  may  expect 
continued  prosperity. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

HUDSON    TOWNSHIP. 


The  township  of  Hudson  was  included  within  the  limits  of  the 
original  township  of  Kankakee,  and  on  the  organization  of  Wills 
was  a  part  of  that  township,  and  so  remained  until  the  11th  day  of 
May,  1836,  on  which  day  at  the  May  term  of  the  commissioner-' 
court  the  following  order  was  made: 

''Ordered  by  the  board,  that  all  that  tract  of  country  formerly 
belonging  to  Wills  township,  that  lies  in  township  thirty-eight, 
north  of  range  one  and  two  west,  in  LaPorte  county,  constitute  a 
township  for  judicial  purposes,  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Hud- 
son township — that  the  elections  for  said  township  be  held  at  the 
house  of  James  F.  Smith — that  John  L.  Ross  be,  and  is  hereby  ap- 
pointed inspector  of  elections,  and  that  John  Baker  be,  and  is  here- 
by appointed  constable  of  said  township,  until  the  next  annual  elec- 
tion of  township  officers." 

Hudson  is  the  smallest  township  in  the  county,  containing  only 
twelve  sections  and  three  half  sections.  Adjoining  Michigan  on 
the  north,  and  St.  Joseph  county  on  the  east,  the  six  northern  sec- 
tions of  congressional  township  thirty-eight,  range  one,  and  one-half 
the  next  tier  of  sections  are  in  the  State  of  Michigan;  and  the  eae  - 
ern  half  of  the  congressional  township  is  in  St.  Joseph  county. 
Thus  Hudson  township  contains  considerably  less  than  one-half  the 
congressional  town-hip  in  which  it  lies.  In  sections  twenty-eight, 
twenty-nine,  and  thirty,  is  Hudson  or  Du  Chemin  lake,  a  beautiful  little 
sheet  of  water,  not  far  from  two  miles  in  length,  and  averaging  half 
a  mile  in  width,  the  shores  of  white  sand,  its  borders  surrounded 
by  mighty  forests,  luxuriant  with  vegetation,  its  waters  pure  and 
clear,  and  filled  with  the  finest  fish.  The  western  side  of  Terre 
Coupee  prairie  extends  into  Hudson  township  on  the  east;  but  the 


HUDSON    TOWNSHIP.  159 

larger  part  ofNit  consists  of  land  formerly  well  timbered.  With  the 
progress  of  settlement  a  great  deal  of  the  finest  timber  has  been 
-cut  oft'. 

To  Joseph  W.  Lykins,  a  Welshman,  is  generally  accorded  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  white  settler,  though  there  is  some  doubt 
upon  this  point,  for  Joseph  Bay  was  found  to  be  a  resident  at  the 
same  time  with  Lykins,  by  the  first  white  inhabitants.  Lykins  was 
connected  with  the  "Cary  Mission,"  the  headquarters  of  which 
were  at  Niles,  Michigan.  He  came  from  that  place  when  the 
branch  was  established  on  Du  Chemin  lake.  The  first  heard  of  him 
however,  he  was  boarding  with  Joseph  Bay,  who  was  keeping 
house,  and  had  a  squaw  for  his  wife.  Bay  had  come  from  the 
Wabash  country  with  a  drove  of  cattle,  and  herded  them  in  the 
vicinity.  Lykins  would,  under  the  circumstances,  be  more  likely 
to  have  obtained  the  reputation  of  being  the  first  white  settler  than 
Bay,  even  were  it  the  fact  that  the  latter  came  first,  for  the  reason 
that  he  was  engaged  in  a  more  public  business,  and  had  no  alliance 
with  the  Indians,  with  whom  Bay  would  be  likely  to  be  classed. 

Asa  M.  Warren  states  that  he  found  the  parties  as  described,  in 
1829,  and  that  the  mission  house  had  already  been  erected  of  hewed 
logs,  and  was  situated  within  twenty  feet  of  where  Andrew  Avery's 
mill  now  stands,  and  close  to  the  lake.  There  is  some  doubt  as  to 
whether  Warren  is  not  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  date  of  his  coming, 
but  none  are  found*  to  dispute  it  with  any  tangible  evidence,  except 
an  old  gentleman  named  Barzilla  Druliner,  who  resides  on  the  road 
between  Hudson  and  Hamilton.  He  savs  that  Warren  came  from 
Warren  county,  Ohio,  in  the  Fall  of  1830,  and  he,  himself,  came 
from  the  same  place  in  the  Spring  of  the  same  year.  Upon  the 
other  hand,  Warren  does  not  claim  to  be  the  first  white  settler — an 
object  of  ambition  which  might  be  an  inducement  to  antedate  the 
time  of  his  arrival ;  and  furthermore,  he  kept  accounts  of  his  black- 
smithing  with  the  Indians,  for  whom  he  made  tomahawks  and  other 
implements.  The  dates  reach  as  far  back  as  1829.  There  is  a 
mistake  somewhere  between  these  old  gentlemen,  both  of  whom  are 
honest  and  intelligent. 

To  accept  the  statement  of  Asa  Warren,  during  the  Fall  of  1829 
there  were  as  residents  of  the  territory  now  known  as  Hudson  town- 


160  HISTORY.    OF    LA  PORTE    CQUKTY. 

ship,  Joseph  W.  Lykins,  Joseph  Bay,  Asa  M.  Warren  and  family, 
and  the  Indians,  one  of  whom,  "Jack  Jones,"  kept  a  small  trading 
establishment.  The  buildings  erected  consisted  of  the  branch  mis- 
sion house  and  Bay's  cabin,  both  of  which  were  upon  the  present 
site  of  the  village  of  Hudson. 

o 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  name  of  Asa  M.  Warren  is  con- 
nected with  the  early  settlement  of  Wills.  This  is  accounted  for  by 
the  fact  that  Hudson  was  originally  a  part  of  that  township,  and 
also  because  Warren's  farm  is  situated  in  both.  He  at  first  resided 
in  what  is  now  Hudson,  then  moved  to  the  bank  of  a  lake  on  the 
same  farm  in  what  is  now  Wills.  This  was  done  because  he  had 
struck  no  water  in  digging  for  a  weil  where  he  now  resides.  Upon 
this  lake  he  put  up  a  blacksmith'  shop,  and  was  known  by  the 
Indians  as  "Wishtean  Bish."  The  Blacksmith  bv  the  Lake.  When 
he  had  succeeded  in  getting  water  in  Hudson,  he  moved  back  to  his 
first   home.     It  is  thus  that  he  becomes  associated  with   the  early 

settlement  of  both  townships. 

j. 

In  1830,  Nathan  Haines  settled  in  the  township  not  far  from  the 
lake.  The  mission  school  was  taught  by  Robert  Simmerwell,  an 
Indian,  who  was  assisted  by  his  wife,  a  white  woman.  Indian  chil- 
dren and  whites  attended  together,  and  among  the  latter  were  some 
of  the  elder  children  of  Mr.  Haines. 

The  Indians  who  inhabited  the  country  abound  Hudson,  were 
composed  of  various  tribes.  They  were  principally  Pottawatoinies, 
Menoininees,  Chippewas,  and  Ottowas.  Topanebee,  the  head  chief, 
lived  on  the  ^t.  Joseph  river,  where  the  great  proportion  of  them 
wintered.  A  few  years  after  the  advent  of  the  whites,  this  chief 
died  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son.  who  bore  the  name  and  title 
of  his  father. 

The  Indians  had  many  petty  chiefs,  among  whom  were  Sogganee 

and  Micksobbee.  the  latter  of  whom  lived  in  the  w Is,  on  the  south 

side  of  the  lake.  When  the  Indians  were  removed.  S<'ir^;mee  went 
to  southern  Kansas  with  them,  but  soon  returned,  saying  that  he 
could  not  live  there — there  was  no  sugar  tree,  lie  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  making  maple  sugar.  He  was  a  strict  Roman  Catholic, 
and  when  given  anything  to  eat.  would  never  touch  it  until  he  had 
made  the  sign  of  the  cross.     In  his  latter  days,  he  was   taken  care 


HUDSON   TOWNSHIP.  161 

of  at  the  Catholic  institution  of  Notre  Dame,  near  South  Bend. 
There  the  old  chief  died  and  was  buried.  Sogganee  had  been  a 
great  brave  in  his  day.  He  was  at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  and 
upon  one  occasion  he  became  very  angry  at  Benjamin  Hicks,  Esq., 
for  alluding  to  the  Indian  defeat  upon  that  occasion.  The  Indians 
were  all  very  kind,  and  seemingly  well  disposed  toward  the  early 
settlers  of  Hudson. 

In  1831,  W.  W.  Cleghorn  visited  the  vicinity  of  the  lake.  He 
did  not  come  with  the  intention  of  settling,  but  buying  furs.  No 
change  had  taken  place,  and  he  describes  the  state  of  things  in  the 
township  just  as  related  above.  He  knew  only  the  settlers  named, 
and  pronounces  the  appearance  of  the  country  extremely  primitive. 

In  1832,  many  of  the  Indians  were  removed  to  the  Osage  river 
country,  in  southern  Kansas.  Cleghorn  accompanied  them,  having 
obtained  a  license  from  the  general  government  to  trade  with  them. 
He  did  not  return  to  this  country  with  the  intention  of  making  his 
permanent  home  until  1853,  though  he  owned  property  on  the 
banks  of  the  lake  where  he  now  resides. 

By  the  year  1833,  many  settlers  sought  homes  in  Hudson  town- 
ship, and  a  village,  known  at  the  time  as  Lakeport,  but  the  name  of 
which  was  afterwards  changed  to 

HUDSON, 

began  to  be  recognized  in  the  surrounding  country  as  a  place  of 
importance.  There  is  not  a  town  in  the  county  more  pleasantly 
located.  It  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  Hudson  lake,  sloping 
gently  towards  the  shore,  and  under  more  favorable  circumstances, 
might  have  become  a  town  of  considerable  importance.  This  place 
was  once  the  rival  of  LaPorte,  and  indeed,  a  formidable  one,  for  the 
trade  ot  the  north  part  of  the  county.  In  1833  its  growth  com- 
menced. In  that  year  the  first  school  house  after  the  mission,  was 
built  there.  The  school  was  taught  by  a  man  named  Edwards. 
Charles  Egbert  opened  a  very  respectable  store  in  the  same  year. 
John  D.  Ross  and  a  man  named  Jewett,  started  a  blacksmith  shop; 
Samuel  Elliott  carried  on  the  business  of  coopering,  and  James 
F.  Smith  commenced  keeping  a  tavern — the  first  one  in  the 
township. 

1 1 


162  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

In  1834,  Garret  Bias  built  the  first  steam  saw  mill  that  had  been 
put  in  operation  in  the  town,  and  James  F.  Smith  erected  the  first 
frame  house.  Bias  run  his  mill  until  1838,  when  he  traded  it  for 
seven  acres  of  land  inside  the  corporate  limits  of  Chicago,  which 
were  sold  for  taxes.  The  machinery  went  to  Rockford,  Illinois. 
During  this  time  a  postoffice  was  established,  and  A.  L.  Wheeler, 
who  had  become  a  merchant  in  the  place,  was  the  first   postmaster. 

In  1835,  the  town  was  in  the  full  tide  of  prosperity.  It  had  two 
taverns,  for  Garret  Bias  had  opened  one;  stages  were  arriving  and 
leaving  at  all  hours,  the  streets  were  filled  with  an  eager  and  busy 
throng,  farmers  came  to  buy  and  dispose  of  their  produce,  and  it 
seemed  as  though  no  town  in  the  vicinitv  of  Hudson  could  ever 
compete  with  it  in  its  steps  towards  commercial  prosperity  and 
growth. 

Among  those  who  were  settlers  in  the  township  at  the  time  were 
Benj.  Hicks,  Wm.  Conner,  Evan  Hobson,  James  Bailey,  Mr.  Shay, 
Mr.  Gould,  Elmore  Emmons  and  Asher  White. 

During  the  year  1836,  A.  L.  Wheeler  sold  his  store  to  Foster  & 
Reynolds.  Alexander  Cassiday  opened  his  blacksmith  shop ;  Dr. 
Jared  Chapman  established  himself  as  physician:  a  pottery  was 
built  by  Samuel  Rowe,  and  one  of  those  speculative  bubbles  which 
at  the  time,  crazed  the  heads  of  the  wisest  men  had  culminated.  It 
was  the  building  of  a  canal  from  the  city  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  to  New 
Buffalo  on  Lake  Michigan.  When  the  news  came  that  this  enter- 
prise had  been  chartered,  and  there  was  a  probability  of  its  success, 
Hudson  was  wild  with  excitement.  The  people  from  the  surround- 
ing country  assembled  in  the  town,  all  the  musical  instruments  of 
which  the  country  could  boast  were  brought  into  requisition,  tar  bar- 
rels were  burned  and  speeches  made.  But  alas  for  poor  Hudson. 
Even  if  such  a  canal  had  been  practicable,  the  financial  crash  of 
that  year  put  a  quietus  upon  all  their  hopes  and  expectations.  The 
excitement  produced  had  caused  property  owners  to  charge  the  most 
unreasonable  prices  for  their  lots,  and  those  who  would  otherwise 
have  been  earnest  and  industrous  workers  for  the  settlement,  were 
driven  to  other  parts  to  establish  themselves  in  business.  During 
this  year  the  postoifice  was  discontinued,  to  the  great  indignation  of 


HUDSON   TOWNSHIP.  163 

the  citizens,  who  laid  the  matter  to  the  trickery  of  their  neighbors 
in  the  village  of  New  Carlisle. 

In  the  year  1837.  Andrew  Avery  commenced  building  a  saw  mill. 
The  power  used  by  him  was  of  rather  a  novel  kind.  On  the  east 
bank  of  Du  Chemin  lake,  the  land  is  quite  high  for  some  sixty  rods, 
it  then  sinks  below  the  level  of  the  lake.  Through  this  mound  it 
was  proposed  to  dig  a  ditch.  A  large  force  of  men  were  employed, 
and  after  an  immense  amount  of  work,  a  canal  was  perfected  through 
which  the  water  ran  to  the  depth  of  four  feet.  With  this  power  he 
contrived  to  run 'a  wheel.  For  a  while  he  succeeded  very  well,  but 
like  all  the  lakes  in  the  country,  it  became  less  in  volume  as  the 
land  was  cleared  up,  the  timber  cut  off  and  the  sod  broken,  until 
two  years  after,  the  project  was  entirely  abandoned.  The  lake  is 
now  at  least  four  feet  below  its  former  level.  During  this  year 
Robert  Stanfield  opened  a  tailoring  establishment,  and  four  large 
stores  were  in  operation,  not  little  trading  posts,  but  they  were  well 
stocked  with  all  kinds  of  goods,  and  an  immense  trade  was  carried 
on.  The  monetary  crash  had  impeded  the  growth  of  the  town,  but 
the  people  were  not  disheartened.  They  still  believed  in  the  Michi- 
gan canal,  and  that  its  construction  was  only  a  matter  of  time,  and 
the  panic  of  temporary  duration. 

In  1838,  Andrew  Avery's  saw  mill  commenced  operations,  Wm. 
Sheridan  embarked  in  the  business  of  cabinet  making  arid  Richard 
Smith  had  a  shoe  shop.  Garret  Bias  'organized  a  full  independent 
military  company,  of  which  he  was  made  captain,  and  Andrew 
Avery  lieutenant.  They  carried  government  muskets  with  flint 
locks.  Dnring  the  same  season,  Dr.  Chapman  opened  a  general 
store. 

During  the  year  1839,  Hon.  John  Reynolds  went  to  Washington 
and  had  the  postoffice  re-established.  A  grist  mill  was  attached  to 
the  Avery  mill,  and  a  firm  formed,  consisting  of  Andrew  Avery, 
Salem  Huntington,  Richard  Hicks  and  James  F.  Smith.  Smith 
did  not  long  continue  connected  with  it,  but  retired,  and  the  busi- 
ness was  continued  under  the  firm  name  of  Huntington,  Avery  &  Co. 
It  was  during  this  year  that  the  water  running  from  the  lake  into 
the  canal  became  insufficient  for  propelling  the  machinery.  In  the 
same  year  a  distillery  was  started  by  John  Hobart. 


164  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

In  1840,  Andrew  Avery  bought  out  the  saw  and  grist  mill,  and 
moved  it  to  near  where  it  now  stands.  Ox  power  was  used  as  a 
motive  power.  Thos.  Wood  started  a  tailor  shop  and  continued  in 
business  the  next  four  years. 

In  December  of  the  same  year,  there  occurred  a  murder  at  this 
town,  which  for  a  time  created  a  great  deal  of  excitement,  not  only 
in  the  town  of  Hudson,  but  in  the  county.  Charles  Egbert  had 
formerlv  been  a  merchant  in  Hudson,  and  an  active  business  man. 
He  had  a  tavern  stand  at  one  time  on  the  road  which  runs  along 
the  south  part  of  the  township  line.  This  hotel  had  done  a  good 
business,  but  Smith  had  made  efforts  to  get  a  direct  road  through  to 
LaPorte,  cutting?off  all  travel  from  Egbert's  place,  and  was  successful. 
The  parties  had  disputes  at  different  times  thereafter.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  5th  of  December,  Egbert  went  into  Smith's  bar  room. 
He  had  on  the  same  day  purchased  a  dirk-knife  at  the  store  of  John 
Reynolds.  After  sitting  near  the  door  for  a  time,  he  arose  and 
turned  as  if  to  go  out,  but  really  to  open  the  knife,  and  then 
advanced  towards  Smith,  who  raised  a  chair  to  defend  himself. 
Andrew  Foster,  who  afterwards  said  he  did  not  see  the  knife,  caught 
Smith's  chair,  while  Egbert  inflicted  two  stabs,  one  in  the  left  arm, 
the  other  penetrating  Smith's  heart,  who  died  in  a  few  minutes. 

There  is  much  misunderstanding  in  relation  to  the  facts  of  this 
case,  especially  as  to  dates,  even  among  those  who  witnessed  the 
tragedy,  and  hence  there  is  copied  here,  the  following  record  from 
the  docket  of  the  justice  who  heard  the  case: 

STATE  OF  INDIANA,  ^ 

vs.  VOn  charge  of  Murder. 

Charles  E<;ijert.       J 

"On  the  5th  day  of  December,  1841,  Andrew  Foster  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace  of  LaPorte  county,  on  view  issued  a  State  warrant,  re- 
turnable before  said  Foster  or  any  other  justice  of  said  county,  and 
on  the  6th  day  of  December,  1841,  John  C.  Hale,  constable  of  said 
county,  returned  the  said  warrant  before  me,  R.  Munday.  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace  of  said  county,  and  also  the  body  of  said  Charles 
Egbert,  and  on  motion  of  Defendant's  counsel,  the  examination  is 
continued  until  the  7th  day  of  December,  1841,  at  one  o'clock  p.m. 
At  the  time  set  for  the  examination,  comes  the  plaintiff,  by  Wm.  C. 
Hannah,  M.  H.    Orton,  and   G.  Hathaway;  and  the  defendant   in 


HUDSON    TOWNSHIP.  165 

person,  and  bj  his  counsel,  J.  A.  Liston  and  G.  A.  Everts,  and 
after  hearing  two  of  the  witnesses  on  the  part  of  the  State,  the  ex- 
amination was  continued  until  the  8th  day  of  December,  1841,  at 
nine  o'clock  a.  m.  At  the  time  set  forth,  December  8th,  1841,  the 
defendant  is  brought  into  court  and  after  hearing  more  testimony  on 
the  part  of  the  State,  the  examination  is  continued  until  the  9th 
day  of  December,  1841,  at 'nine  o'clock  a.  m.  At  the  time  set  the 
defendant  is  again  brought  into  court,  and  after  hearing  the  balance 
of  the  testimony  on  the  part  of  the  defendant,  the  cause  is  continued 
until  December  10th,  1841,  at  nine  o'clock  a.  m.,  for  the  argument 
of  the  counsel.  At  the  time  set,  to-wit :  December  10th,  1841, 
the  defendant  is  brought  into  court,  and  after  hearing  all  the  testi- 
mony and  fully  examining  all  things  touching  this  case,  it  is  consid- 
ered that  the  defendant  give  bail  in  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars 
and  himself  in  the  like  sum,  for  his  appearance  on  the  first  day  of 
the  next  circuit  court,  or  in  default  thereof  to  be  sent  to  the  com- 
mon jail  of  said  county,  and  thereupon  the  defendant  gave  bail  in 
the  sum  required,  by  giving  Elisha  Egbert,  Paul  Egbert  and  Jacob 
Egbert.  Whereupon  the  defendant  was  discharged. 
Given  under  my  hand  and  seal. 

R.  MUNDAY,  J.  P. 

Egbert  never  appeared.  He  fled  to  Texas — then  not  a  part  of 
the  United  States — where  he  lived  until  after  the  close  of  the 
rebellion,  deeply  regretting  his  rash  act.  He  became  a  religious 
man  and  a  Methodist  class  leader.  In  September  1844,  a  scire 
facias  was  sued  out.  Finally  an  arrangement  was  made  with  the 
governor  of  the  State,  by  which  the  administrators  of  John  Egbert, 
who  had  died,  should  confess  judgment  in  the  sum  of  $1,000,  after 
which  the  bond  was  canceled.  The  confession  was  made,  and  a 
stay  of  execution  taken  for  one  hundred  and  eighty  days.  In  the 
meantime  an  appeal  was  taken  to  the  supreme  court.  The  case  was 
not  finally  disposed  of  until  1853,  when  the  judgment  was  set  aside. 
The  decision  may  be  found  in  the  fourth  Indiana  Reports. 

In  1842,  Andrew  Avery's  mill  was  burned.  He  went  to  work 
immediately  and  put  up  another,  using  ox  power,  often  as  many  as 
five  yoke  of  oxen.  From  this  time  the  course  of  Hudson  has  been 
downward. 

In  1845,  Wm.  Ferguson  opened  a  boot  and  shoe  store,  and  in 
1851,  Abel  Whitlock  bought  a  stock  of  goods  and  opened  a  very 


166  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

respectable  store,  and  in  1852,  Avery's  ox  mill  was  turned  into  a 
steam  mill.  The  railroad  came  through  Hudson  and  made  its  depot 
at  New  Carlisle  a  mile  and  half  distant,  a  town  which  Hudson  a  few 
years  before,  had  looked  upon  with  sovereign  contempt.  This  was 
the  last  blow  that  was  needed  to  destroy  this  once  thriving 
village. 

In  1854,  Early  k  Avery  built  a  steam  saw  and  grist  mill,  and 
also  opened  a  general  store.  Soon  afterwards  Early  sold  out  to 
Solomon  Stevens.  This  store  successively  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Perkins,  Cassiday,  Smith,  and  back  again  to  Avery,  who  failed  in 
1857.  It  was  during  this  year  that  the  postoffice  was  finally 
discontinued. 

In  1869,  Ed.  Perry  started  a  shoe  shop,  and  in  1870  Avery's 
steam  mill  was  burned.  Of  course  he  built  another  immediately, 
where  it  now  stands,  and  he  has  since  added  to  it  stones  for  a  grist 
mill.  In  June  1874,  the  school  house  at  Hudson  was  burned  b'y 
an  incendiary.  Peter  Harris  was  arrested  for  the  crime,  and 
after  being  tried  in  the  September  term  of  the  circuit  court  was 
acquitted.  A  new  brick  school  house  is  now  being  built.  Hudson 
never  had  a  church. 

There  is  nothing  more  to  tell  concerning  the  village  of  Hudson, 
which  can  now  scarcely  be  called  a  village.  Railroads  having 
destroyed  the  great  stage  routes,  that  town  which  is  not  on  a  rail- 
road is  abandoned  by  the  world,  and  necessarily  sinks  to  decay. 
Hudson  has  undergone  this  fate,  and  in  an  aggravated  form. 
Daily,  many  trains  thunder  past  the  "deserted  village,"  but  none 
stop,  and  the  few  inhabitants  who  are  left,  and  who  remember  the 
great  expectations  of  Hudson  can  only  sigh  over  what  ••might  have 
been." 

There  are  two  churches  in  Hudson  township,  both  built  in  1867. 
one  being  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  the  other  Methodist  Protestant. 
The  former  is  called  the  Maple  Grrove  chnrch. 

A  large  part  of  the  township  is  well  adapted  to  agricultural  uses, 
and  farming  is  the  leading  industry.  A  few  are  engaged  in  stock 
raising,  and  there  are  several  saw  mills  and  a  liouring  mill,  as 
already  mentioned.     Amon«_f   those  now  living  in  the  township  are 

•/  Cor 

Andrew  Avery  who  still  runs  the  flour  and  saw  mill ;  Fleming  Rey- 


HUDSON    TOWNSHIP.  167 

nolds,  who  came  from  Wayne  county  in  1833,  and  is  a  successful 
farmer;  Moses  Emery,  a  successful  farmer  who  came  in  1845; 
Wm.  Galbreath,  a  farmer  who  came  in  1838 ;  Jesse  Haines,  already 
named  as  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  now  a  farmer  and  stock 
raiser;  Alexander  Hicks  a  farmer  and  a  saw  mill  owner;  J.  M. 
Miller,  a  farmer  and  stock  dealer  ;  Esquire  Wm.  Thomas,  M.  D. 
Solloway,  Obadiah  Walker,  J.  A.  Davidson,  G.  W.  Druliner, 
Alexander  Cassiday,  Daniel  Cowgill,  W.  A.  Dickey,  Henry  Brown, 
and  several  families  of  Hickses. 

Lee  Solloway  came  from  England  and  settled  here  in  1850.  He 
died  August  12th,  1874.  One  of  the  county  papers  says  of  him: 
"It  is  with  sincere  regret  that  we  record  the  death,  on  Wednesday 
night  of  last  week,  of  Mr.  Lee  Solloway,  who  had  been  long  a  resi- 
dent of  Hudson  township  in  this  county.  His  death  was  wholly 
unexpected  by  his  friends,  up  to  within  a  few  hours  of  its  occurrence, 
though  he  had  been  sick  for  a  few  days  previously.  Mr.  Solloway 
was  fifty  years  of  age,  and  settled  in  this  county  twenty-four  years 
ago,  in  the  township  of  Hudson,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
was  a  good  and  useful  citizen,  and  his  death  will  long  leave  a  sense 
of  loss  in  the  community  where  he  was  best  known." 

Though  the  expectations  Hudson  village  once  had  of  becoming  a 
large  town,  have  been  disappointed,  yet  there  are  in  the  township 
elements  of  prosperity  which  will  still  remain.  Much  of  the  soil  is 
rich  and  productive,  and  there  is  still  a  great  deal  of  very  fine  tim- 
ber. The  people  are  generally  prosperous ;  a  high  degree  of  intelli- 
gence prevails,  and  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  future  has  in  store 
greater  rewards  for  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants  than  those  which 
have  been  yielded  them  in  the  past. 


168  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 


CHAPTER  XV. 

UNION    TOWNSHIP. 

The  township  of  Union  includes  the  whole  of  the  Congressional 
township  number  thirty-five,  range  two  west,  the  twelve  southern 
sections  of  township  thirty-six,  same  range,  sections  twenty-five 
and  thirty-six,  and  part  of  sections  twenty-six  and  thirty-five  of 
township  thirty-six,  range  three  west,  and  sections  one  and  twelve, 
and  part  of  sections  thirteen,  twenty-four  and  twenty-five  in  town- 
ship thirty-five,  range  three  west.  It  thus  contains  fifty-two  sec- 
tions find  five  parts  of  sections,  and  is  the  largest  township  in  the 
county.  At  the  organization  of  the  county  the  territory  embraced 
within  its  limits  was  in  the  township  of  Kankakee  as  then  consti- 
tuted, with  a  narrow  strip  in  Scipio.  When  Pleasant  township  was 
organized,  most  of  this  territory  became  a  part  of  that  township, 
and  so  remained  until  the  4th  day  of  March,  1840,  when  the  Board 
of  commissioners'  at  their  regular  March  session  made  the  following 
order  : 

"  On  petition  of  sundry    cititizens  of  the  townships  of  Pleasant. 
Scipio  and  Noble,  for  the  formation  of  a  new  township  : 

It  is  ordered  by  the  Board  that  a  new  township  be  formed  by 
taking  off  a  part  of  the  above  named  townships,  to  be  known 
by  the  name  of  Union  township,  and  to  be  bounded  as  follows,  to- 
wit:  Beginning  at  the  Centre  or  half  mile  stake  on  the  north  side 
of  section  twenty-six,  in  township  thirty-six,  north  of  range  three 
west,  on  a  road,  thence  south  along  said  road  on  the  open  line  of 
sections  twenty-six,  thirty-five,  two,  eleven,  fourteen,  twenty-three, 
wenty-six  and  thirty-five  to  the  south  line  of  township  thirty-five, 
thence  east  along  said  town  line  to  the  southeast  corner  of  township 
thirty-five,  range  two  west,  thence  north  on  range  line  to  the  north- 
east corner  of  section  twenty-five,  township  thirty-six,  range  two 
west,  thence  west  on  the  section  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Ordered  that  an  election  be  held  at  the  place  of  holding  elections 
in    Union   township  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one  justice  of  the 


UNION    TOWNSHIP.  169 

peace  of  said  township  on  the  first  Monday  of  April  next,  and  that 
Abraham  Reynolds  is  appointed  inspector  of  elections  for  said  town- 
ship of  Union  until  his  sucessor  is  elected  and  qualified,  and  that 
the  elections  for  said  township  be  held  for  the  present  at  the  house 
of  George  W.  Reynolds  in  said  township." 

Since  that  time  there  have  been  several  changes  of  boundaries 
effected,  until  now  it  occupies  the  territory  already  designated,  and 
includes  a  part  of  the  congressional  township  on  the  north  in  which 
Pleasant  township  is  located,  and  on  the  west  includes  a  part  of  the 
congressional  townships  naturally  occupied  by  Scipio  and  Noble 
townships. 

The  Kankakee  river  passes  diagonally  across  the  southeastern 
part  of  Union  township,  so  that  a  large  part  of  it  is  Kankakee 
marsh.  Two  other  smaller  streams  run  southward  across  the  west- 
erly part  of  the  township,  which  furnish  several  valuable  mill  sites. 
These  creeks  unite  about  two  miles  south  of  Kingsbury,  and  finally 
empty  into  the  Kankakee  in  the  northeast  corner  of  Hanna  town- 
ship. Three  railroads  traverse  Union  township.  The  Indianapo- 
lis, Peru  and  Chicago  railroad  barely  touches  it  in  the  northeast 
corner,  less  than  one  mile  of  the  road  being  in  the  township ;  the 
Chicago  and  Lake  Huron  road  passes  diagonally  across  seven 
sections  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  township,  and  has  a  station  at 
Kingsbury;  and  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  crosses  the  township  from 
east  to  west  near  its  centre,  crossing  the  Kankakee  river  within  its 
limits  and  near  its  eastern  border.  Door  prairie  extends  into  Union 
township  from  the  west,  and  Stillwell  prairie  from  the  north ;  and 
thus  some  prairie  land  of  as  excellent  a  quality  as  any  in  the  county 
lies  in  this  township. 

The  Kankakee  marsh  lands  will  eventually  become  far  more  val- 
uable than  they  are  now,  though  at  present  they  are  valuable,  for 
stock  raising  purposes.  There  is  considerable  timber  in  the  town- 
ship, chiefly  oak,  growing  in  sandy  soil,  strips  of  which  lie  along- 
side, and  extend  into,  the  marshes.  This  is  the  poorest  land  in  the 
township,  and  aside  from  the  timber  is  the  least  valuable.  These 
sandy  "barrens''  and  the  marshes,  occupy  about  three-fourths  of 
the  area  of  the  township. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1831,   or  the  early  part  of  1832,  the  first 


170  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

settler  came  to  the  township,  and  built  a  small  cabin  near  the  pres- 
ent residence  of  D.  H.  Norton.  This  was  Thomas  Stillwell,  from 
whom  the  prairie  takes  its  name.  He  was  a  "border  man,"  and  it 
is  said  that  he  loved  the  company  of  Indians  better  than  that  of  the 
whites.  He  was  some  time  without  white  neighbors  in  the  town- 
ship, for  it  was  not  until  1833  that  John  Winchell  came  with  his 
family,  and  the  township  really  began  to  be  settled.  John  and 
Henry  Vail  came  in  the  same  year.  Winchell  built  a  small  log 
grist  mill,  and  the  Vails  erected  one  also.  Several  other  settlers 
arrived  during  this  year.  Among  them  were  Henry  Mann,  whose 
children  still  live  in  the  township;  Henry  Davis,  the  father  of 
Handy  Davis  who  kept  the  first  store  in  Kingsbury  ;  Theodore 
Catlin,  some  of  whose  relatives  still  reside  in  the  county;  Daniel 
Finley;  Mr.  Kingsbury,  from   whom  the  village  derives  its   name; 

Curtis  and  Joshua  Travis;  and  probably  also  Daniel  Low,  who 
soon  afterwards  went  to  Michigan  City,  and  now  lives  in  Coolspring 
township. 

In  the  year  1834,  Charles  W.  and  M.  S.  Henry,  came  from 
Geneva,  New  York,  and  settled  in  the  township,  and  in  the  same 
year  came  Harrison  Winchell,  and  Norris  J.  Winchell.  Handy 
Davis  came  this  year  also,  and  some  of  the  Catlins,  Joseph  G.  and 
Mead  Catlin.  the  latter  of  whom  was  an  Advent  preacher.  David 
H.  Norton  arrived  the  same  year.  Norton  and  the  two  Wine-hells, 
Norris  J.  and  Harrison,  still  reside  in  the  township.  Lyman  Win- 
chell, a  son  of  John  Winchell,  and  David  Winchell  went  to  Califor- 
nia in  an  early  day,  and  died  there.  Nathaniel  Thurber  arrived 
this  year  also  and  Darius  Sayles.  A  Mr.  Skinner,  who  afterwards 
came  to  Union  township,  made  a  settlement  this  year  in  Noble,  on 
the  place  now  owned  by  Ira  Way.  Joseph  Callison,  long  a  resident 
of  the  township,  had  arrived  the  year  before,  but  made  his  settle- 
ment in  the   edge  of  Noble.     Jesse  Winchell   also,  was  one  of  the 

tiers  of  1834.  He  occupied  a  place  which  was  afterwards  owned 
by  Mr.  Travis;  but  he  left  the  township  and  now  lives  in  Wisconsin. 
There  were  still  other  settlers  in  this  year,  among  them,  Win.  Wal- 
bridge,  who  now  lives  in  Wisconsin ;  Col.  Josiah  Grover,  now  of 
Valparaiso:  Gustavus  Everts,  who  was  the  second  Judge  of  the 
Circuit  court :  Wesley  and  John  Diggins ;  and  two  brothers  named 
Page,  who  were  both  old  bachelors. 


UNION    TOWNSHIP.  171 

In  the  year  1835,  there  were  so  many  arrivals  that  it  would  be 
quite  impossible  to  note  them  all.  Among  them  were  Jacob  Early,  who 
lived  many  years  in  the  county  and  until  his  recent  death  in  the  city  of 
LaPorte;  and  Dr.  Sylvanus  Everts  who  was  the  first  physician  in 
the  township.  Timothy  Everts  arrived  in  the  same  year,  but  settled 
in  the  edge  of  Noble  township,  and  afterwards  removed  into  Union.  In 
this  year  a  man  by  the  name  of  Farmer  arrived  and  opened  a  black- 
smith shop  in  the  township.  He  died  in  1838,  during  the  u  sickly 
season."  His  was  the  first  blacksmith  shop  opened  in  the  township. 
Ephraim  Barney  also,  who  now  lives  in  the  "  South  Woods"  came 
in  1835,  and  George  W.  Reynolds  who  now  lives  in  Kingsbury, 
and  is  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  settled  in  Kingsbury  May  4, 
1835,  when  there  were  but  two  others  in  the  place,  Farmer,  the 
blacksmith,  and  Davis,  the  merchant.  Reynolds  worked  at  the 
carpenter  trade,  and  put  up  the  first  buildings  erected  in  Kings- 
bury. The  store  building  now  occupied  by  L.  D.  Brand,  was  built 
by  him  in  1836,  and  in  the  same  year  he  put  up  four  other  frame 
buildings. 

George  W.  Reynolds'  father,  Abram  A.  Reynolds,  came  to  Union 
township  in  1836,  arriving  in  the  month  of  June.  He  died  in 
March  1874.  In  the  same  year  there  came  among  others,  Jeremiah 
Hiser,  whose  widow  still  lives  in  the  township ;  Daniel  Shaw,  now 
in  Michigan  City;  Rensselaer  Shaw,  who  died  in  1873;  Jacob 
Fravel,  who  still  resides  in  the  township ;  Isaiah  Atkins,  still  living 
on  his  original  location ;  and  John  Evans,  whose  widow  and 
daughter  are  still  in  the  township. 

In  1834  or  1835,  David  Winchell  built  a  saw  mill,  which  was  the 
first  one  erected  in  the  township.  In  the  Spring  of  1835,  Jacob 
Early  bought  Winchell's  mill,  and  moved  to  the  township  in  July. 
Early  replaced  the  log  grist  mill  with  a  frame  structure,  which 
stood  about  thirty  years.  This  was  finally  pulled  down,  the  prop- 
erty having  been  sold  to  H.  P.  Lans,  who  built  the  present  mill. 
This  is  the  one  at  Kingsbury,  and  is  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Bodley,  of 
Cincinnati,  a  sister  of  the  Butterworth  brothers. 

As  already  mentioned  Henry  and  John  Vail  built  the  first  mill 
in  the  township.  This  was  in  1833.  It  was  a  log  structure  and 
in  1837,  they  replaced  it  with  a  frame.      Then  they  added  to  it  a 


172  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

fulling  mill  and  distillery,  and  in  1838  a  wool  carding  machine  also. 
John  Vail  died  of  apoplexy,  the  property  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Lot  and  Edward  Vail,  and  they  sold  it  to  Moses  Butterworth  about 
eight  years  ago.  He  still  owns  the  property,  but  the  carding 
machine,  fulling  mill  and  distillery  were  long  ago  discontinued. 
The  only  village  in  the  township  of  Union  is 

KINGSBURY. 

This  village  was  laid  out  in  1835.     The  following  is  the  rec 
as  shown  in  the  office  of  the  county  recorder : 

State  of  Indiana,  1 
LaPorte  County,  j 

"Personally  came  before  me,  the  undersigned,  recorder  of  deed-, 
within  and  for  the  county  aforesaid,  Henry  Davis,  the  proprietor  of 
the  town  of  Kingsbury,  and  acknowledged  the  filing  of  the  above 
plat  for  record,  February  6.  1838. 

B.  SpurlocKj  R.  L.  C." 

The  first  store  in  Kingsbury,  as  already  mentioned,  was  opened 
by  the  father  of  Handy  Davis.  Theodore  Catlin  clerked  for  him, 
and  managed  the  business  of  the  store.  After  the  death  of  Davis, 
Jacob  Early  opened  a  store  in  the  village,  and  a  man  named  Paul 
Clay  was  his  clerk.  Afterward,  Polaski  King  opened  a  general 
store.  Fred'k  West  of  LaPorte,  was  his  clerk,  and  managed  the 
business  for  him  at  Kingsbury. 

This  store  was  sold  to  Preserved  Wheeler,  then  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Hiram  Burlingame  who  sold  to  McClung  £  Reynolds. 
They  sold  to  John  Page,  and  he  sold  to  Albert  S.  McLane.  He 
died  in  1871,  and  Timothy  McLane  kept  a  store  awhile,  lie  after- 
wards removed  the  most  of  his  stock  to  Union  Mills,  and  sold  the 
remainder  to  L.  D.  Brand,  who  opened  his  store  January  1.  1871, 
and  has  kept  it  ever  since.  Another  general  store  was  opened  by 
Chapman  >S:  Craft  in  the  Spring  of  1874.  McLane  &  McClung  were 
also  engaged  a  short  time  in  selling  goods  in  partnership. 

Theodore  Catlin  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  George  W.  Rey- 
nolds carried  the  mail  to  and  from  LaPorte  twice  a  week,  at  a  dol- 
lar a  trip.  The  route  was  afterwards  extended  from  Kingsbury  to 
Union  Mills,  Bigelow's  Mills,  and  Tassinong  in  Porter  county,  and 
when   the  Bigelow    postoffice  was   discontinued,  the  mail   route  was 


UNION   TOWNSHIP.  173 

changed  from  Union  Mills  to  Hanna,  on  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort 
Wayne  and  Chicago  railroad.  The  entire  route  has  since  been  dis- 
continued, all  the  postoffices  located  upon  it,  now  being  supplied  by 
the  railroads.  Albert  S.  McLane  was  postmaster  at  Kingsbury 
during  the  time  he  sold  goods  there,  and  upon  his  death  in  1871, 
L.  D.  Brand  was  appointed  and  still  holds  the  office. 

Farmer  was  the  first  blacksmith  in  Kingsbury,  and  there  are  now 
two,  Robert  Mecum  and  Charles  H.  Ingram.  Besides  the  two 
blacksmiths  at  Kingsbury  there  are  three  others  in  the  township, 
one  at  Catlin's  corners,  one  at  Chatauqua  corners,  and  one  at 
Big  Island. 

John  W.  Dexter  kept  the  first  tavern,  in  the  same  building  now 
called  a  hotel.     It  has  always  been  known  as  the  Kingsbury  hotel. 

The  first  school  house  in  the  township  was  built  at  Kingsbury  in 
1834.  It  stood  where  the  Baptist  church  now  stands,  and  the  first 
church  was  built  just  across  the  street  where  the  school  house  is 
now  located,  they  having  since  changed  places. 

A  drug  store  was  established  in  the  place  January  1,  1875,  by 
W.  W.  Wilcox.  A  two  story  frame  building  was  erected  in  1860 
or  61,  by  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  second  story  of  which  is  occu- 
pied as  a  Masonic  Hall  and  Lodge  room.  In  1872,  a  two  story 
school  building  was  erected,  under  the  superintendence  of  Edward 
Hawkins,  who  was  then  township  trustee.  The  upper  story  of  this 
building  is  used  as  a  town  hall.  The  village  church  belongs  to  the 
Baptist  denomination  which  held  meetings  in  the  township  proba- 
bly earlier  than  any  other  church  organization.  Meetings  were 
held  at  school  and  private  houses  until  the  erection  of  the  church 
edifice  at  Kingsbury,  which  occurred  about  1852.  Besides  this  Bap- 
tist church,  there  is  a  Methodist  church  building  at  Mann's  corners 
which  was  built  about  1860,  and  the  Lutherans  (German),  have 
erected  a  church  edifice  during  the  present  year. 

What  has  now  been  mentioned,  including  the  two  grist  mills,  a 
repair  shop  for  guns,  clocks,  etc.,  several  carpenters,  and  the  ship- 
ping interest  at  the  railroad  station,  constitutes  the  present  business 
of  the  village.  The  people  of  the  vicinity  had  long  been  anxious  to 
secure  the  passage  of  a  railroad  through  Kingsbury ;  and  in 
1873,  their  wishes  were  gratified  by  the  completion  to  and  through 


174  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

the  town,  of  the  Peninsular  Railroad  of  Michigan,  now  called  the 
Chicago  and  Lake  Huron  railroad.  This  has  given  a  much 
brighter  outlook  to  the  business  prospects  of  Kingsbury,  as  it  has 
already  become  quite  a  shipping  point  for  grain  from  the  surround- 
ing farms. 

George  W.  Reynolds  was  the  carpenter  who  built  the  first  frame 
house  in  Kingsbury,  and  it  is  now  occupied  as  a  dwelling  by  his 
son-in-law,  Mr.  D.  P.  Grover.  Grover  succeeded  Edward  Hawkins 
as  trustee  of  the  township  in  1872,  and  in  1874,  H.  P.  Ellsworth 
was  elected  to  this  position.  There  are  five  school  houses  in  the 
townshio,  all  of  them  s;ood  and  comfortable  buildings.  One  of  the 
first  school  teachers  in  the  township  was  Joel  Butler  who  was  elect- 
ed County  Auditor  in  1843.  Rev.  Phineas  Culver  was  the  first 
Baptist  preacher,  and  Elder  Holmes  the  first  Christian  preacher. 
Rev.    James  Armstrong,  who   was  sent  as  a  missionarv  to  LaPorte 

o7  t/ 

county,  and  who  settled  on  a  farm  near  Door  Village,  preaching  in 
all  the  country  round  about,  was  probably  the  first  Methodist  to 
preach  in  the  township. 

Some  of  the  celebrated  "Indian  Mounds"  are  found  in  this  town- 
ship on  section  twenty-one.  Considerable  excavations  have  been 
made  in  them  through  the  efforts  chiefly  of  Dr.  T.  Higday  of  La- 
Porte:  and  a  number  of  interesting  relics  have  been  found  which 
are  on  exhibition  in  the  rooms  of  the  Natural  History  association. 
The  relics  obtained  must  be  of  a  very  remote  date,  as  on  some  of 
the  mounds  trees  were  found  growing,  nearly  two  feet  in  diameter. 
They  are  undoubtedly  of  Indian  origin,  but  when  they  were  made, 
by  what  tribes,  or  for  what  purpose,  are  problems  whose  solution  can- 
not readily  be  given. 

Agriculture  is  the  leading  industry  of  this  township,  which  to- 
gether with  that  of  stock  raising  constitutes  nearly  the  whole  em- 
ployment of  the  people,  the  township  being  well  adapted  to  these 
two  connected  branches  of  industry. 

Among  the  prominent  farmers  of  the  township,  most  of  whom 
have  lived  here  many  years,  are  Abel  Vail,  W.  W.  Travis,  W.  H. 
and  N.  J.  Winchell,  Isaiah  Atkins,  J.  A.,  G.  W.  and  E.  Travis, 
Win.  L.  McDonald,  Wm.  Reynolds,  Win.  P.  Page,  Joseph  Schoff, 
Moses  Vandermark.   H.  E.  and  S.  J.  Norton,  F.  B.  Miller,  Henry 


UNION    TOWNSHIP.  175 

.  W.  Miller,  Joseph  Hiser,  S.  S.  Hay,  Daniel  N.  Hay,  Thomas 
Hiser,  Hugh  Glasgow,  Wm.  H.  Geer,  James  Good,  Theodore 
Hupp,  A.  E.  Barney,  R.  D.  Craft,  0.  H.  Chapman,  Daniel  B. 
Collings,  Wm.  Crow,  Wm.  S.  Cox,  J.  Dudley,  W.  W.  Demyer,  D. 
P.  Closser,  E.  S.  Ellsworth,  W.  Ewing,  and  Franklin   S.  Grover. 

Among  those  who  are  farmers  and  stock  raisers  are  Hosea  Barnes, 
Wm.  Demyer,  Charles  Donicheck,  A.  P.  Lilly,  John  Moyer,  and 
others.  Noah  Travis  is  a  farmer  and  a  saw  mill  owner;  George 
W.  Reynolds  is  a  farmer  and  a  justice  of  the  peace;  Moses  Butter- 
worth  is  a  farmer,  miller  and  grain  buyer;  E.  J.  Dicks  is  a  farmer 
and  stock  dealer,  and  D.  P.  Grower  a  farmer  and  former  township 
trustee.  The  only  physician  in  the  township  is  Dr.  H.  N.  Ellsworth. 

Union  township  has  scarcely  begun  to  be  developed.  Its  product- 
ive capacity  might  be  increased  far  beyond  its  present  measure; 
and  when  the  marshes  are  drained  as  they  will  be  in  time,  they  will 
unfold  a  body  of  land  of  wonderful  productiveness.  With  a  con- 
venient market  for  grain  and  hay,  these  products  must  continue  to 
increase  from  year  to  year,  while  the  raising  of  stock  also  will  be- 
come a  more  and  more  important  and  profitable  pursuit.  With  a 
continuance'of  the  enterprise  already  exhibited  by  the  inhabitants, 
the  growth  of  the  township  in  wealth  and  influence  is  sure. 


176  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

CASS    TOWNSHIP. 

The  territory  embraced  in  the  present  townships  of  Cass,  Dewey 
and  Hanna,  was  originally  a  part  of  Stark  county :  but  the  inhabi- 
tants living  north  of  the  Kankakee  river,  were  put  to  great  incon- 
venience to  reach  their  county  seat,  being  obliged  to  go  around  by 
the  way  of  Lemon's  bridge  near  the  centre  of  the  east  side  of  the 
county.  To  remedy  the  difficulty  an  appeal  was  made  to  the  State 
legislature,  and  that  body  passed  the  following  act,  approved  Jan- 
uary 29,  1842,  "for  the  attachment  of  a  part  of  Stark  county  to  the 
countv  of  LaPorte." 

"  Sec.  1.  Be  it  enacted  bv  the  General  Assemblv  of  the  State  of 
Indiana,  That  all  that  .  part  of  Stark  county  which  lies  north  of 
the  Kankakee  river  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  attached  perma- 
nently to  the  county  of  LaPorte. 

Sec.  2.   This  act  to  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  passage." 

Thus  all  the  territory  named  was  made  a  part  of  LaPorte  county. 
While  it  formed  a  part  of  Stark  county  it  was  known  as  Van  Buren 
township;  and  this  name  was  retained  upon  the  whole  of  it  until 
the  organization  of  Cass,  which  took  place  on  the  12th  day  of  June, 
1848,  the  Board  of  county  commissioners  having  on  that  day  made 
the  following  order : 

"It  is  ordered  by  the  Board  upon  the  petition  of  sundry  inhabi- 
tants of  Van  Buren  township  that  said  township  be  divided  by  run- 
ning a  line  north  and  south  upon  the  range  line  dividing  ranges 
three  and  four,  and  that  the  part  west  of  said  line,  and  south  of  the 
township  line  dividing  townships  thirty-four  and  thirty-five,  and  in 
LaPorte  county,  be  called  Cass  township,  and  be  numbered  sixteen 
upon  the  tax  duplicate,  and 

It  is  ordered  by  the  Board  that  Alexander  Campbell,  be  and  he  is 
hereby  appointed  inspector  of  elections  in  Cass  township,  that  Clark 
Meeker  be  and  is  hereby  appointed  constable  of  said  township,  and 
that  Moody  Kimball  and  W.  McLane  be  and  are  hereby  appointed 


CASS   TOWNSHIP.  177 

fence  viewers  of  said  township  to  serve  until  the  next  annual 
election  for  township  officers  and  until  their  successors  are  duly- 
qualified." 

As  thus  organized,  the  township  embraced  also  the  present  town- 
ship of  Dewey ;  and  the  limits  of  VanBuren  township  were  reduced 
to  that  portion  lying  east  of  the  designated  line  between  ranges 
three  and  four.  This  part  of  VanBuren  contained  very  few  inhabi- 
tants, not  enough  to  make  it  advisable  to  hold  elections,  and  they 
applied  to  the  Board  of  commissioners  to  be  attached  to  and  made  a 
part  of  Noble  township,  and  accordingly  that  body  on  the  11th  day 
of  March,  1850,  made  the  following  order  : 

"Now  come  sundry  citizens  of  VanBuren  township  and  present 
their  petitition  to  be  attached  to  Noble  township.  It  is  therefore 
ordered  by  the  Board  that  said  VanBuren  be  so  attached  to  the  said 
Noble  township,  and  that  the  boundaries  of  the  said  Noble  township 
shall  be  as  follows,  to- wit:  Beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of 
section  number  six,  in  township  number  thirty-five,  north  of  ranges 
three  west,  and  running  south  on  the  range  line  to  the  Kankakee 
river,  thence  up  the  said  river  to  the  township  line  between  town- 
ship number  thirty-four  and  township  number  thirty-five,  thence 
west  on  said  last  mentioned  township  line  to  the  southeast  corner  of 
section  number  thirty -five  in  township  number  thirty-five,  north  of 
range  three  west,  thence  north  to  the  township  line  between  town- 
ships number  thirty-five  and  number  thirty-six,  thence  west  on  said 
township  line  to  the  place  of  beginning."  The  territory  thus  added 
to  the  township  of  Noble  afterwards  was  organized  as  Hanna  town- 
ship. VanBuren  township  ceased  to  exist  with  the  passage  of  the 
order  above  quoted. 

When  the  question  of  a  name  for  the  new  township  arose,  those 
of  the  inhabitants  who  were  of  the  Whig  faith  in  politics  desired  it 
should  be  called  Harrison,  while  the  Democrats  preferred  the  name 
of  Cass.  It  was  decided  to  draw  lots,  and  Walter  Livingston  and 
John  Wills  were  selected  for  the  drawing.  Wills,  who  was  a  Dem- 
ocrat, won,  and  Cass  became  the  name  of  the  township. 

The  very  wet  condition  of  Cass  township  at  an  early  period,  ren- 
dering a  large  portion  of  its  territory  little  less  than  a  marsh,  hin- 
dered   settlement,  and   it  was   not  until    1839  or  1840,    that   any 

12 


178  HISTOM'    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

settlers  made  their  homes  here.  Peter  Wooden,  and  Abraham 
Eahart  were  foremost  in  the  settlement  of  Cass,  coming  about  the 
time  named.  Jeremiah  Wilson  also  was  one  of  the  earliest,  but 
finally  made  his  home  in  the  edge  of  Clinton  township.  Ximrod 
West  was  an  early  settler  in  VanBuren  township,  but  by  the  divis- 
ion was  left  in  that  part  which  is  now  Hanna  township.  The  Con- 
cannons,  James  and  Thomas,  also  came  earl)'-,  and  Wm.  Smith. 
Wm.  Batterson,  John  Wills,  and  his  sons,  Charles,  John  and  David: 
Isham  Campbell,  Adam  Leeper,  Alexander  Campbell,  Bishop 
Brockway,  E.  Y.  Waters,  Dr.  John  F.  Tilden,  and  James  and 
Richard  Cannon.  Augustus  W.  Vail  settled  at  Morgan  Station  or 
Callao  in  1844,  and  Hon.  Edward  Evans,  the  present  representa- 
tive to  the  State  legislature  has  been  a  resident  of  the  township 
more  than  twenty -five  years.  Sixteen  years  ago,  John  Harris 
arrived,  and  population  has  gradually  increased  from  that  time  for- 
ward. A  large  German  population  has  settled  in  the  township, 
and  their  industry  has  ma  ie  them  a  very  useful  class  of  inhabitants. 
In  addition  to  those  already  named,  the  following  persons  are 
successful  farmers  in  the  township ;  Henry  Bowman,  who  is  a  native 
of  Prussia,  and  came  to  this  county  in  1853;  L.  M.  Shurte,  from 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  A.  J.  Shurte,  from  Cass  county,  Michi- 
gan, who  came  to  the  county  in  1846 ;  S.  B.  Rundlett,  a  native  of 
this  county;  and  J.  H.  Cannon,  who  came  from  Porter  county  in 
1843.  Mrs.  M.  M.  Beckley  is  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser;  J.  0. 
Burner  is   a  druggist  and  grocery  dealer,    and  J.  T.    Sanders  is  a 

railroad    agent,     telegraph    operator     and    dealer    in    Agricultural 
implements. 

There  have  been  three  villages  in  Cass  township ;  Callao,  Rozelle 
and  Wanatah. 

CALLAO. 

This  village  is  known  also  as  Morgan  Station.  It  is  situated  on 
the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago  railroad,  and  was  laid  oft' 
in  1859,  by  Wm.  Taylor. 

The  following  is  the  record:  "Field  notes  of  survey  of  the  town 
of  Morgan,  situated  in  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  southeast  quar- 
ter of  section  two,  township  thirty-four,  north  of  range  four  west, 
commencing  at  a  point  five  hundred  and  eighteen  feet  north  of  half 


CASS    TOWNSHIP.  179 

mile  stake  on  south  line  of  described  section,  thence  east  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  feet,  thence  north  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
one  feet,  thence  eighty-four  degrees  and  twenty  minutes,  west  eight 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  feet,  thence  south   three   hundred   and 

twenv-eight  feet  to  place  of  beginning.  Surveyed  and  platted  by 
W.A.Taylor,  May  29,  1859." 

The  first  merchants  in  this  village  were  Wm.  A.  Taylor  and  Wm. 
McLane;  they  also  put  up  warehouses  and  purchased  considerable 
grain.  An  attempt  was  made  to  build  a  steam  mill,  but  the  propri- 
etor dying,  his  work  was  never  completed.  Some  years  ago, 
August  Gruening  started  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  still  follows  that 
occupation.  Three  years  ago,  Charles  Scarborough  opened  a  store, 
and  continued  in  business  two  years.  Wm.  A.  Taylor  was  the  first 
postmaster  of  Callao.  In  1864.  A.  W.  Yail  was  appointed,  and 
resigned  in  1872.  He  was  succeeded  by  Charles  Scarborough  who 
still  holds  the  office.  In  1862  or  63,  Mrs.  Batterson  kept  a  hotel, 
and  Dr.  John  F.  Tilden  has  been  located  there  as  a  physician  since 
1846.  A  Methodist  church  was  erected  at  Callao  about  1858  or  59. 

R0ZELLE. 

This  village  was  laid  out  by  its  proprietor,  Joseph  Unruh,  and 
the  plat  was  recorded  in  1859.     The  following  is  the  record : 

"  State  of  Indiana,  \  ( 
LaPorte  County,  j 

Before  me  Daniel  W.  Long,  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  said 
county,  this  22d  day  of  January,  1859,  appeared  Joseph  Unruh, 
and  acknowledged  the  execution  of  the  within  plat  and  that  he  filed 
the  same  in  the  recorder's  office  for  record.  The  same  is  the  west 
half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  number  eight,  in   township 

thirty-four,  north  of  range  number  four  west. 

Daniel  W.  Long,  J.  P. 

Filed  January  24,  1859." 

The  village  was  located  about  a  mile  south  of  Wanatah,  on  the 
Louisville,  New  Albany  and  Cnicago  railroad.  There  never  was 
much  business  done  in  the  place,  nearly  all  of  it  by  Unruh,  who  was 
a  merchant  there,  and  grain  buyer ;  and  when  he  removed  his  stock 
and  buildings  to  Wanatah  the  rest  of  the  town  followed ;  and  there 
now  remains  only  a  railroad  water-house. 


180  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

WANATAH. 

The  town  of  "Wanatah  "was  laid  out  b}T  T.  A.  E.  Campbell.  Ruel 
Starr,  Joseph  Unruh  and  Wm,  Unruh;  the  survey  was  made  by  T. 
C.  Sweeney  and  the  town  plat  was  recorded  September  7.  1865. 
Its  growth  commenced  a  few  months  prior  to  the  time  when  the 
Pittsburgh,  Ft.  Wayne  and  Chicago  R.  R.  was  completed  which  was  in 
the  year  1857.  The  business  of  the  place  now  consists  of  one  hotel; 
one  flouring  mill ;  seven  dry  goods  and  grocery  stores  ;  one  drug 
and  grocery  store :  two  boot  and  shoe  shops;  five  blacksmith  and 
wagon  shops,  three  of  which  manufacture  new  wagons,  the  other 
two  being  repair  shops ;  one  tailor  shop ;  one  millinery  store ;  two 
harness  shops;  one  carpenter  shop  and  furniture  store;  one  lumber 
yard;  two  hay  presses,  one  of  which  pressed  in  1874.  one  thousand 
tons  of  hay;  one  agricultural,  and  agricultural  implement  store: 
two  saloons;  two  butcher  shops;  one  produce  shipper  and  general 
dealer;  one  grain  dealer;  three  physicians,  one  of  whom  is  a  lady: 

one  plasterer:  one  real  estate  and  insurance  agent:  three  telegraph 
operators,  and  two  railroad  stations. 

The  first  general  store  was  kept  by  Joseph  Unruh  who  moved 
from  Rozelle,  a  nrlle  south  of  Wanatah,  at  the  time  of  the  comple- 
tion of  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago  railroad.  Unruh's 
building  was  used  as  a  store  and  dwelling  house  also,  and  he  after- 
wards opened  it  as  a  hotel  which  he  kept  until  about  four  years  ago 
when  he  sold  out  to  Mitzner  k,  Conitz,  who  still  keep  the  store, 
and  removed  to  Chicago.  Unruh  also  built  a  flouring  mill  in  the 
year  1867.  It  was  erected  for  a  warehouse,  but  concluding  to 
make  of  it  a  mill,  he  put  in  three  run  of  stones,  and  it  is  now  one 
of  the  best  flouring  mills  in  the  count  Emil  L.  Keil,  the  present 
owner,  was  for  some  time  in  Unruh's  employment  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  mill,  and  purchased  it  in  187". 

The  first  house  in  Wanatah  was  erected  by  a  man  named  Hyde, 
for  a  dwelling  hou-  A  Mr.  Protsman  built  the  first  hotel,  some 
time  before  the  town  was  surveyed  and  platted.  This  building  is 
now  Gallert's  saloon.  A  hotel  was  also  kept  a  short  time  by  a  man 
named  Louderback.  Frank  McCurdy  built  the  McCurdy  house  in 
1865.  He  sold  it  in  1874  to  Robert  Whitlock,  and  on  the  0th  day 
of  January,  1875,  it  was  burned.     It  was  immediately  rebuilt  by 


CASS   TOWNSHIP.  181 

Whitlock,  and  was  opened  July  22,  1875,   under  the  name  of  the 
Wanatah  House. 

The  first  physician  in  the  village  was  Nelson  Ward.  After  hav- 
ing been  in  Wanatah  some  time  he  removed  to  LaFayette,  but  after- 
wards returned.  His  wife  has  since  studied  medicine  at  Ann  Arbor, 
Michigan,  and  now  practices  with  him.  Dr.  B.  F.  Janes  afterwards 
settled  in  the  place. 

The  German  Lutherans  have  built  a  very  good  church  edifice  in 
Wanatah,  but  other  denominations  have  held  services  of  late  years 
in  the  "Enterprise"  school  house,  which  was  built  by  a  company  of 
citizens  in  1870.  It  was  a  stock  company  and  most  of  the  shares 
are  now  owned  by  F.  McCurdy.  An  effort  is  at  this  time  being 
made  to  induce  its  purchase  by  the  township. 

Wanatah  is  situated  on  Hog  creek,  at  the  crossing  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh, Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago,  and  Louisville,  New  Albany  and 
Chicago  railroads.  It  is  in  the  open  prairie,  which  a  few  years 
ago,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  cross  on  horseback  or  with  a 
team  without  sticking  fast  in  the  mire.  Now  the  land  all  around  is 
dry,- much  of  it  is  under  cultivation,  and  is  very  productive.  As 
the  surrounding  country  becomes  more  developed,  the  trade  of 
Wanatah  must  increase,  furnishing  as  it  will,  the  market  place  for 
all  the  grain  and  hay  of  the  southwest  part  of  the  county.  Even 
now  its  business  is  considerable,  but  is  certain  to  advance  just  in 
proportion  to  the  growth  of  the  country  around  about. 

In  the  township  outside  of  Wanatah,  there  are  two  churches,  the 
German  Methodists  having  built  one  two  and  a  half  miles  south  of 
the  village.  The  Lutherans  also  have  erected  a  church  building  at 
the  same  place. 

There  are  seven  school  houses  in  the  township,  showing  a  good 
degree  of  interest  among  the  people  in  the  matter  of  education. 
When  Dewey  was  organized,  the  trustee  of  Cass  was  left  in  the  new 
township,  and  Augustus  W.  Vail  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy, 
and  at  the  succeeding  election,  Edward  Evans  was  elected  trustee. 
Richard  Cannon  has  been  trustee  of  the  township;  and  James  Can- 
non also  for  several  successive  years.  Emil  L.  Keil  is  the  present 
trustee.  Hog  creek  passes  through  the  township  across  the  western 
side  running  out  of  this  township  into  Porter  county.     The  land  is 


182  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 

generally  of  an  excellent  quality,  perhaps  two-thirds  of  the  town- 
ship consisting  of  rich,  deep  prairie  soil.  On  the  north  and  east, 
there  are  groves  of  timber,  chiefly  oak.  Some  portions  of  the  Kan- 
kakee marsh  lands  reach  up  into  the  township  from  the  south,  and 
southeast,  and  these  arms  of  the  prairie  are  intermingled  with 
sandy  ••barrens;  "  but  the  marsh  is  excellent  mowing  land,  and  is 
becoming  each  year  more  capable  of  cultivation.  The  sandy  por- 
tions take  readily  to  clover,  and  can  thus  be  made  rich  and  valua- 
ble  land-.  The  most  successful  grain  crop  is  corn,  though  wheat 
and  oats  do  well,  and  it  may  be  said  that  Cass  township  is  likely  t'» 
become  one  of  the  richest  agricultural  districts  of  the  countv.  The 
population  is  enterprising  and  industrious,  is  increasing  year  by 
year,  and  a  bright  future  for  the  towmship  is  promised. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


DEWEY    TOWNSHIP. 


The  territory  of  tin-  township  was  a  part  of  that  which  formerly 
belonged  to  Stark  county.  It  was  then  in  VanEuren  township,  and 
when  Cass  township  was  organized,  was  a  part  of  that  township. 
and  so  remained  until  June  8, 1860,  when  the  Board  of  county  com- 
missioners directed  its  organization  into  a  new  township.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  record,  made  at  the  June  term,  1860: 

"  In  the  matter  of  the  Erection  ] 
of  Dewey  Township.  j 

And  now  comes  Patrick  Huncheon.  and  files  the  petition  of  him- 
self  and  others,  citizens  of  this  county  and  residents  of  congressional 
township  thirty-three,  north  of  range  four  west,  praying  that  s 
much  of  Cass  township  in  said  county  as  lies  south  of  the  north  line 
of  said  congressional  township,  be  set  off  from  said  Casa  township, 
and  erected  and  organized  into  a  separate  township  for  civil  pur- 
poses, and  it  appearing  to  this  Board  of  commissioners  that  the  con- 
venience of  the  inhabitants  residing  in  said  part  of  said  township, 
requires  that  the  same  be  so  set  apart,  and  erected  into  a  township 
for  civil  purp<  -  -.   lo  hereby  set  the  same  off  and  detach  it  from  the 


DEWEY   TOWNSHIP.  183 

?aid  township  of  Cass,  and  do  hereby  erect  and  organize  the  same 
nto  a  township  for  civil  purposes  by  the  name  and  style  of  Dewey 
;ownship  of  LaPorte  county,  with  the  following  boundaries,  to-wit : 
Beginning  at  the  northeast  corner  of  said  congressional   township 
lumber  thirty-three,  and  running  thence  westward  along  the  north 
ine  of  said  township  to  the  west  line  of  LaPorte  county,   thence 
southwardly   along  the  west  line  of  the  county  to. the  south  line  of 
:he  county,  thence  eastwardly  along  the  south  line  of  the  county  to 
:he  east  line  of  said  congressional  township,  thence  along  the  east 
line  of  said  congressional  township  to  the  place  of  beginning,   and 
that  the  same  now  is  and  henceforth  shall  be  a  body  politic  and  cor- 
porate by  the  name  and  style  aforesaid,  and  all  elections  held  in  said 
township  shall  be  held  at  the  school  house  on  section  three  in  said 
township,  and  whereas  the  office  of  township  trustee  for  the  town- 
ship of  Dewey  in   this  county,  is  now  vacant,  it  is  hereby  ordered 
that  Patrick  Huncheon   be  and  is  hereby  appointed  trustee  for  said 
township,  to  hold  said  office  until  the  next  annual  township  election 
and  until  his  successor  shall  be  elected  and  qualified,  and  that  he  be 
required  to  give  bond  and  security  to  the  aceptance  of  the  auditor, 
pursuant  to  the  statute  in  such  case  n.ade  and  provided,  and  it  is 
also  further  ordered  that  upon  demand  after  the   execution  of  said 
bond,  the   trustee  of  Cass  township,  and  all  other  officers  who  now 
have  or  into  whose  hands  shall  come  any  funds  arising  or  accruing 
from   school  lands  in  said  township,   or  any  monies   arising  from 
assessments   for   road   purposes   upon   lands   in    said   township  of 
Dewey,  or  any  other  funds  properly  belonging  to  said  township,  for 
school,  road  or  other  township  purposes,  shall  pay  the  same  and  every 
part  thereof  to  the  said  trustee  of  Dewey  township." 

Thus  Dewey  township  embraces  all  of  township  thirty-three, 
range  four  west,  lying  north  of  the  Kankakee  river,  and  part  of 
three  sections  of  town  thirty-two,  in  the  same  range,  being  bounded 
on  the  south  by  the  river,  on  the  west  by  porter  county,  on  the 
north  by  Cass  township,  and  on  the  east  by  Hanna  township. 

Two  railroads  cross  the  township.  The  Louisville,  New  Albany 
and  Chicago  crosses  it  from  north  to  south,  and  the  Chicago  and 
Great  Eastern*  or  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis,  enters  the 
township  near  the  southeastern   corner  and  curves  through  it  so  as 


184  HISTORY   OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

to  (pass  out  not  far  from  the  centre  of  the  west  side.  The  railroads 
cross  each  other  in  the  northeast  corner  of  section  seventeen;  and 
here  there  is  a  station,  a  freight  depot,  telegraph  office,  etc.,  and  a 
few  business  houses. 

A  large  part  of  this  township  is  Kankakee  marsh,  and  was  form- 
erly, at  every  rise  in  the  river,  inundated  as  far  north  as  LaCrosse 
where  the  railroad  crossing  is ;  but  hundreds  of  acres  of  these  wet 
lands  have  been  redeemed  by  drainage,  and  each  year  from  natural 
as  well  as  artificial  causes,  the  reclamation  is  going  on,  and  once 
under  cultivation,  the  land  will  prove  exceedingly  fertile.  At  pres- 
ent there  are  thousands  of  acres  of  good  mowing  land,  which  alone 
renders  it  valuable,  owing  to  the  increasing  demand  for  hay. 

The  township  is  settled  chiefly  by  Germans.  George  P.  Schim- 
mel  is  probably  the  first  one  who  made  a  settlement.  He  arrived 
on  the  first  day  of  January,  1854,  though  Jacob  Schauer  came 
about  the  same  time,  and  possibly  was  foremost.  Lewis  and  Michael 
Besler  were  among  the  first  settlers  in  the  township.  Patrick  and 
Richard  Huncheon  have  been  in  the  township  eighteen  years,  and 
are  large  landholders,  farmers  and  stock  dealers.  James  Lougee 
has  been  in  the  township  seventeen  years  and  is  a  farmer  and  heavy 
stock  dealer.  Elias  Osborn,  also  an  early  settler,  is  a  farmer  and 
stock  dealer.  He  resides  about  half  a  mile  west  of  LaCrosse,  and 
has  been  postmaster  since  1868,  when  the  postoffiee  was  established. 
In  the  same  year  the  depot  was  removed  from  old  to  new  LaCrosse. 
The  Great  Eastern  railroad  was  finished  fifteen   vears  a2;o,  and  in 

%,  CD      ' 

1862,  a  German  Catholic  church  was  built.  Philip  Schimmcl 
opened  a  store  in  1874.  The  first  school  house  was  built  on  Hog 
island  eighteen  years  ago,  and  the  first  teacher  was  a  Miss  White. 
Patrick  Huncheon  was  the  first  trustee,  and  holds  that  office  at 
present.  James  Lougee  has  been  trustee  during  several  of  the 
intervening  years,  one  or  the  other  of  them  having  held  that  posi- 
tion ever  since  the  township  was  organized. 

A  large  part  of  the  land  in  Dewey  township  is  held  by  non-resi- 
dents, which  will  probably  result  in  retarding  settlement,  and  thus 
prove  an  injury  to  the  township.  With  the  reclamation  of  the 
marsh  lands  this  township  will  become  exceedingly  productive,  but 
its  full  capacity  will  be  developed  only  by  actual  settlers,  occupying 


HANNA   TOWNSHIP.  185 

small  tracts  of  land.  Among  the  large  holders  of  land  in  this  town- 
ship who  are  non-residents,  are  J.  W.  Glidden,  A.  Long,  S.  M. 
Lockwood,  and  J.  C.  Lattimer. 

The  principal  industry  of  the  township  is  farming  and  stockrais- 
ing  combined.  James  S.  Long  is  thus  engaged;  and  Orville 
Adams,  who  is  also  a  teacher.  Among  the  leading  German  inhab- 
itants are  the  Beslers,  J.  A.  and  "Wm.  Rosenbaum,  George  P. 
Schimmel,  C.  W.  Rudolph,  F.  W.  Kruger  and  C.  Wagner. 

The  present  population  has  exhibited  much  enterprise  in  the 
work  of  bringing  the  land  into  cultivation,  and  their  reward  has 
been  such  that  the  people  are  fast  becoming  prosperous. 


CHAPTER  XVIII.    • 

HANNA   TOWNSHIP. 

Hanna  township  comprises  all  that  part  of  townships  thirty-three 
and  thirty-four  that  lies  in  LaPorte  county,  and  with  the  single 
exception  of  Union,  is  the  largest  township  in  the  county.  It  is  a 
part  of  the  territory  which  was  detached  from  Stark  county,  as 
related  in  a  preceding  chapter.  It  then  formed  a  part  of  Yan- 
Buren  township,  and  upon  the  organization  of  Cass  township  out  of 
the  limits  of  VanBuren,  was  attached  to  and  made  a  part  of  Noble, 
which  was  its  condition  until  the  11th  day  of  March,  1861,  when, 
on  the  petition  of  the  citizens,  the  Board  of  county  commissioners 
made  the  following  order : 

"In  the  matter  of  Petition  1 
for  New  Township.         J 

And  now  come  sundry  free  holders,  residents  of  LaPorte  county, 
and  present  their  petition  in  these  words,  to-wit :  To  the  Honorable, 
the  Board  of  commissioners  of  LaPorte  county,  Indiana.  The 
undersigned  citizens  and  resident  free  holders  of  the  part  of  Noble 
township  comprised  within  the  boundaries  of  congressional  townships 
number  thirty-three  and  thirty-four,  north  of  range  number  three 
west,  would  respectfully  represent  to  your  honorable  body  that  it 
would  be  for  the  interest  and   convenience  of  the   citizens  of  said 


186  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

townships  to  have  the  following  described  district  of  country  formed 
into  a  new  and  distinct  civil  township,  to-wit:  Beginning  at  the 
northwest  [corner  of  congressional  township  thirty-four,  north  of 
range  number  three  west,  and  running  east  along  the  township  line 
between  towns  thirty-four  and  thirty-five,  of  ranges  number  three 
and  number  two,  till  said  line  strikes  or  intersects  the  Kankakee 
river,  thence  along  the  channel  of  said  Kankakee  river,  in  a  south- 
westerly direction  to  a  point  where  the  township  line  running  north 
and  south  between  towns  thirty-three  range  three,  and  thirty-three 
range  four  west,  strikes  or  intersects  said  river,  thence  north  along 
said  township  line  between  said  towns  thirty-three  and  thirty-four 
range  three,  and  towns  thirty-three  and  thirty-four  range  four  west. 
to  the  place  of  beginning.  Your  petitioners  would  also  further  ask, 
that  the  name  of  said  civil  township  be  "Hanna,"  and  your  peti- 
tioners will  ever  pray.     Sign 

Chandler  Palmer,  and  others. 

And  the  Board  after  due  consideration  of  the  matter,  grant  the 
prayer  of  the  petitioners,  and  order  that  the  above  district  of  country 
be  formed  into  a  new  township,  to  be  called  Planna.  and  the  Board 
appoint  Charles  H.  Rowley  as  trustee  of  said  township. 

The  earliest  settlers  on  the  territory  which  is  now  Hanna  town- 
ship were  Emanuel  Metz.  Nimrod  West.  Wm.  West,  Sen..  Amster- 
dam Stewart.  Andrew  J.  Chambers,  Wm.  Tyner,  Charles  Strong, 
Thomas  Hunsley ;  the  two  sons  of  Metz.  Isaac  and  Joseph ;  and  the 
three  sons  of  Chambers,  Preston.  Obadiah  and  Andrew  J.  These 
all  came  to  the  township  in,  or  prior  to  183(.'.  At  that  time  Hanna 
township  was  a  part  of  Stark  county,  and  formed  part  of  the  town- 
ship of  VanBuren.  When  these  men  settled  here,  the  prospect 
could  not  have  been  very  inviting,  although  they  made  their  homes 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  Kankakee  marshes.  They  were  on  the 
upland  across  which  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago  rail- 
road now  passes,  but  out  towards  the  river  it  was  one  continuous 
marsh,  subject  to  overflow  whenever  the  river  was  high,  and  which 
was  so  miry  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  cross  it  with  a  team  or 
on  horseback.  But  they  had  faitli  in  the  future  and  resolutely 
went  to  work  to  make  homes  for  themselves  and  their  children. 
The  locality  of  their  settlement  was  an  isolated   neighborhood,  and 


HANNA    TOWNSHIP.  187 

neighborly  ties  were  strong  among  them.  Even  tenderer  ties  arose 
and  Amsterdam  Stewart  and  Susan  Metz  were  married,  which  was 
the  first  marriage  that  occurred  in  the  township.  Settlement  has  not 
been  rapid  in  this  township,  but  there  has  been  a  gradual  increase 
of  population  until,  at  the  present  time,  the  inhabitants  number 
between  five  and  six  hundred.  Noah  S.  Rowley  and  his  sons, 
Charles  H.  and  Samuel  settled  in  the  township  twenty-two  years  ago. 
John  Lawrence  came  in  1843,  and  bought  out  Charles  Strong.  Hyatt 
and  Austin  settled  at  an  early  period  at  Chamber's  Landing.  More 
recently  the  brothers  Charles,  David  and  John  E.  Wills  moved  into 
the  township  from  Cass.  The  Lloyds  have  been  here  not  far  from 
twenty  years.  Geo.  Lawrence  came  probably  in  1843.  He  and  John 
Lawrence  both  came  from  England.  Other  leading;  citizens  of  the 
township  are  C.  J.  Bunnell,  present  township  trustee;  Thomas 
Mitchell,  George  Trimmingham,  Erasmus  Whitney,  James  Bell- 
more,  Wm.  Wilson  and  Hiram  X.  Wilson,  who  are  farmers,  that 
being  the  leading  industry  of  the  township,  in  connection  with 
stock  raising;.  William  Brown  is  a  farmer  and  stock  dealer:  Julius 
T.  Keil  is  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  and  also  has  a  store  in  the 
village  of  Hanna;  B.  F.  Moore,  John  Pratt,  Clark  R.  Richards 
and  E.  F.  Whitney  are  farmers  and  stock  raisers ;  Stephen  Frech- 
ette is  a  boot  and  shoe  maker ;  Charles  Frechette  is  a  manufacturer 
of  wagons,  sleighs  and  agricultural  implements ;  David  Wills  car- 
ried the  mail  from  1865  to  1871,  between  LaPorte  and  Hanna  Sta- 
tiomby  way  of  Kingsbury  and  Union  Mills,  and  is  now  a  dealer  in 
agricultural  implements;  W.  H.  West  is  a  farmer  and  carpenter; 
Charles  Wills  is  county  commissioner;  Z.  T.  Horine  and  E.  N. 
Spahr  are  physicians;  George  S.  Dennison,  and  Lucius  Avery 
are  merchants ;  Isaac  T.  Lloyd  is  express  and  freight  agent,  post- 
master and  telegraph  operator. 

The  only  village  in  the  township  is 

HANNA. 

It  is  situated  on  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago  rail- 
road, and  contains  a  population  of  about  two  hundred.  There 
are  three  merchants,  two  blacksmiths,  one  shoe  shop,  one  wagon 
factory,  one  cooper  shop,  two  hay  presses,  one  saloon,  two  ware- 
houses, and  depot  and  station  house  and  other  railroad  buildings. 


188  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

The  town  plat  of  Hanna  was  laid  off  and  surveyed  in  1858.  and 
contained  fortv-two  acres  and  eighty  one-hundredths,  in  section 
eight,  township  thirty-four,  north  of  range  three  west,  and  was  filed 
for  record  by  N.  and  J.  West.     The  following  is  the  record: 

"  State  of  Indiana.  ] 
LaPorte  County,  J  ' 

Before  me  the  recorder  in  and  for  said  county.  Nimrod  West,  one 
of  the  proprietors  of  the  within  named  town  acknowledged  that  he 
filed  this  plat  for  record  on  the  1  f  th  day  of  December,  1858. 

A.  Hupp.  R.  L.  C." 

In  1859,  Young's  addition  was  laid  off  in  the  west  half  of  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  eight,  town  thirty-four,  range  three 
west. 

Clark  R.  Richards  and  Charles  Fessenden   opened  the  first   store 
at  Hanna  in  1858,  directly  after  or  at  the  time  of  the  completion  of 
the  railroad  to  the  town.     Wm.  H.  Bowers  was  the  first  postmaster, 
but  did  not   hold   it    a   great    while,    when    Isaac    T.    Lloyd    v. 
appointed,  and  has  held  it  ever  since.      George  S.  Dennison  opened 
a  store  on  the  first  day  of  September.  1865,  and  is  still   engaged  in 
the  business  of  merchandising.    The  merchants  are  all  grain  buyei 
and  Hanna  is  quite  a  market  for  grain   in  the  southern  part  of  the 
county,   situated,   as  it  is.    on  one  of  the  main   trunk   lines   to  the 
east.     There  is  one   school  house   in  the  village,  and  here  all  relig- 
ious meetings   are  held,  there  beinLr   no  church  edifice   in  the  town- 
ship.     The  Methodists  and  Free  Methodist-  hold  frequent  servjc 
and  a  movement  is   at  present   on  foot  for  the   erection  of  a  church 
building. 

There  are  three  school  houses  in  the  township,  the  oldest  being 
the  one  at  the  town  of  Hanna.  The  first  trustee  was  Charles  H. 
Rowley,  by  appointment  of  the  commissioners  when  the  township 
was  organized.  The  first  one  elected  to  the  place  was  Noah  S. 
RowL  He  was  succeeded  by  Adam  Vinnedge,  who  has  since 
removed  to  Plymouth.  T.  W.  Allison  was  the  next  trustee,  and 
he  was  succeeded  by   C.  J.  Bunnell,  v.  ill  holds  the  office. 

Three-fourths  of  the  land  of  the  township  is  Kankakee  marsh, 
though  much  of  this  is  now  under  cultivation,  and  is  becoming  fine, 
rich  land.     The  drying  out  process  is  going  on  each  year,  aided  by 


LINCOLN   AND    JOHNSON-   TOWNSHIPS.  189 

some  ditching,  and  the  area  of  tillable  land  is  enlarging  year  by 
year;  while  that  portion  of  the  marsh  which  is  not  yet  dry  enough 
to  cultivate  is  mostly  excellent  mowing  land,  and  with  the  constant 
and  increasing  demand  for  hay,  is  becoming  valuable.  Hanna 
township  is  just  beginning  its  development,  and  the  outlook  is 
favorable  for  its  future  prosperity  and  wealth. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

LINCOLN    AND    JOHNSON    TOWNSHIPS. 

These  two  townships  with  the  exception  of  the  strip  of  territory 
which  formerly  belonged  to  St.  Joseph  county,  formed  a  part  of  the 
original  township  of  Kankakee,  and  upon  the  organization  of  Pleas- 
ant township  were  included  within  its  limits.  During  this  time  and 
until  1850,  the  centre  of  range  one  formed  the  boundary  between 
LaPorte  and  St.  Joseph  counties ;  but  by  an  act  approved  January 
14, 1850,  a  strip  of  territory  described  as  follows :  "Beginning  at  the 
present  county  line,  at  the  northwest  corner  of  section  twenty-two, 
township  thirty-seven,  north  of  range  one  west,  thence  with  the 
north  line  of  said  section  and  that  of  section  twenty-three  to  the 
northeast  corner  of  said  section  twenty-three,  thence  south  with  the 
section  line,  until  it  shall  strike  the  Great  Kankakee  river,  thence 
with  said  river  to  the  present  county  line,"  was  taken  from 
St.  Joseph  and  attached  to  LaPorte  county.  Subsequently  at  the 
June  term  of  the  commissioners'  court  in  the  same  year,  by  an 
order  of  the  Board,  that  part  of  the  designated  territory,  which  lay 
east  of  the  township  of  Wills,  consisting  of  six  sections  was  attached 
to  that  township,  and  the  remainder  was  made  a  part  of  Pleasant 
township,  the  latter  being  a  part  of  the  present  township  of  Lincoln. 
The  territory  embraced  in  these  two  townships  extends  from  the 
north  line  of  township  thirty-six,  southward  to  the  southern  bound- 
ary of  the  county,  and  from  the  line  which  divides  ranges  one  and 
two,  to  St.  Joseph  county  on  the  east,  being  five  sections  in  width 
on  the  north,  four  sections  in  the  centre,  and  three  sections  in  width 
in  that  part  which  lies  south  of  the  Kankakee  river. 


190  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

This  territory  was  detached  from  Pleasant  township  in  1861,  the 
Board  of  commissioners  having  on  the  12th  dav  of  March  of  that 
year,  made  an  order  for  the  erection  of  Anderson  township,  as 
follow-  : 

"In  the  matter  of  Petition  of 
George  Bosserman  and  others 
for  a  Xew  Township. 

And  now  come  sundry  free  holders  residents  of  LaPorte  county 
and  present  their  petition  in  the  following  words,  to-wit:  To  the 
Honorable  Board  of  commissioners  of  the  county  of  LaPorte,  and 
State  of  Indiana,  Greeting :  We  the  citizens  and  free  holders  of 
town  thirty-six,  north  of  range  two  west,  would  represent  to  your 
honorable  body,  that  they  haye  labored  under  great  inconvenience 
in  consequence  of  the  present  geographical  condition  of  said  town- 
ship :  we  therefore  ask  you  to  make  the  following  change,  to-wit : 
To  set  off  all  that  part  of  towns  thirty-five  and  thirty-six,  range  one 
west,  that  is  now  attached  to  town  thirty-six,  range  two  west,  and 
form  a  new  township  out  of  the  same,  and  also  to  set  back  all  that 
part  of  town  thirty-six.  range  two  west,  that  is  now  attached  to 
town  thirty-five,  range  two  west,  and  also  that  part  of  the  same  that 
is  now  attached  to  town  thirty-six.  range  three,  or  Centre  township. 
and  we  will  ever  pray.     Signed. 

George  Bossermax,  and  others. 

The  Board  after  due  consideration  of  the  matter,  grant  the  prayer 
of  the  petitioners,  and  order  that  J.  B.  Lewis  be  appointed  trustee 
of  said  new  township  which  township  will  be  known  by  the  name  of 
Anderson  township,  and  their  elections  will  be  held  at  Maples1 
school  house." 

This  order  prove:!  unsatisfactory  to  many  of  the  people  affected 
by  it.  and  they  immediately  took  steps  to  haye  it  set  aside.  Much 
feeling  was  aroused  on  the  Bubject,  and  the  sentiment  against  the 
chancres  effected  would  seem  to  haye  been  well-nieli  universal.  A 
special  session  of  the  commissioners'  court  was  called  to  meet  on  the 
23d  day  of  March,  and  when  they  met,  petitions  poured  in  upon 
them  not  only  from  the  old  townships  whose  territory  was  dimin- 
ished, but  also  from  the  new  township,  asking  for  the  vacation  of 
the  obnoxious  order.  No  less  than  nine  petitions  were  received,  all 
of  them  largely  signed:  from  R.  Shaw,  and  others;  Isaac  Butter- 
worth,  and   others :   M.    Mover,    and  others :  Joshua   Layman,  and 


LINCOLN    AND    JOHNSON    TOWNSHIPS.  191 

others;  Geo.  W.  Woodburn,  and  others;  Ash  Burdick,  and  others; 
Isaac  Livengood,  and  others;  John  B  Travis,  and  others,  and 
Joseph  Ewing,  and  others.  With  such  an  overwhelming  expression 
against  the  former  action  of  the  Board,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to 
vacate  the  order,  and  accordingly  the  following  action  was  had  on 
the  23d  day  March,  1861  : 

"  In  the  matter  of  Vacation  of  I 

Order  creating  Anderson  township,  j 

Now  come  Isaac  Butterworth  and  others  and  file  their  petition 
for  the  vacation  of  the  order  made  at  the  last  regular  term  of  the 
Board  creating  a  new  township  called  Anderson,  and  changing  the 
boundaries  of  Union,  Pleasant  and  Centre  townships ;  and  after 
hearing  the  evidence  and  due  inspection  of  said  petitions,  the 
prayer  thereof  is  granted,  and  said  order  in  all  things  vacated." 

The  boundaries  of  the  townships  remained  as  thus  determined 
until  the  year  1866.  In  that  year,  on  the  13th  day  of  March  at 
the  regular  term  of  the  Board,  the  following  orders  were  passed: 

u  In  the  matter  of  the  forma-  ] 
tion  of  Lincoln  Township.    J 

It  was  ordered  by  the  Board,  that  township  thirty-six,  north  of 
range  one  west  is  hereby  set  apart  for  a  civil  township,  and  shall  be 
entitled  to  all  the  priviledgeS  as  such,  and  the  same  is  hereby  called 
Lincoln  township." 

"In  the  matter  of  the  forma-  ] 
tion  of  Johnson  Township.    J 

It  was  ordered  by  the  Board  that  township  thirty-five,  north  of 
range  one  west,  is  hereby  set  apart  as  a  civil  township  and  shall  be 
entitled  to  all  the  privileges  as  such,  and  the  same  is  hereby  called 
Johnson  township." 

The  Board  then  made  further  orders  directing  that  Joseph  B. 
Lewis  should  be  appointed  trustee  of  Lincoln  township,  and  Jared 
McDaniel  trustee  of  Johnson  township.  There  were  other  orders 
made  at  the  same  time,  affecting  the  boundaries  of  Union,  Scipio 
and  Pleasant  townships,  and  to  these  the  same  opposition  arose  that 
has  been  noted  in  the  case  of  the  formation  of  Anderson  township. 
These  latter  orders  were  finally  repealed ;  but  the  orders  directing 
"the  formation  of  Lincoln  and  Johnson  townships  have  remained  in 


192  HISTORY    OF   LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

force ;  and  as  the  people  are  well  satisfied  with  the  preseut  arrange- 
ment, no  further  change  is  likely  to  take  place. 

The  townships  of  Lincoln  and  Johnson  embrace  all  of  township 
thirty-six,  range  one,  (Lincoln),  and  township  thirty-five,  range  one, 
(Johnson),  that  lies  in  LaPorte  county.  The  Kankakee  river  forms 
part  of  the  eastern  and  southern  boundary  ol  Lincoln  and  runs 
diagonallv  across  the  northern  end  of  Johnson  from  northeast  to 
southwest.  Mud  lake,  which  is  really  but  a  spreading  out  of  the 
river  borders  both  the  townships  near  the  boundary  line  between 
them,  and  Fish  lake  lies  wholly  in  Lincoln  near  the  centre  of  the 
township ;  and  Little  Kankakee  river  passes  through  it,  and  empties 
into  the  Great  Kankakee  near  its  southern  boundary.  The  Chicago 
and  Lake  Huron  railroad  crosses  Lincoln  township  in  an  easterly 
and  westerly  direction ;  and  the  Indianapolis,  Peru  and  Chicago 
railroad  crosses  the  northeast  corner  of  Johnson,  and  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  runs  east  and  west  across  its  central  part.  Fish  lake, 
near  the  centre  of  Lincoln,  is  of  very  peculiar  shape.  It  is  divided 
into  four  parts  connected  by  narrow  passages  or  straits,  each  of 
which  have  received  distinctive  names.  The  extreme  upper  part  is 
called  Upper  Mud  lake,  and  is  nearly  circular  in  form  with  the  out- 
let towards  the  northwest  into  Upper  Fish  lake.  This  part  is  much 
larger,  and  curves  so  as  almost  to  double  back  upon  itself,  and  has 
its  outlet  towards  the  southwest  into  Fish  lake,  which  is  about  one 
mile  in  length,  and  is  connected  by  a  narrow  passage  with  Lower 
Mud  lake.  The  outlet  of  the  entire  body  is  into  the  Little  Kanka- 
kee. Upper  Mud  lake  is  on  the  south  side  of  section  sixteen: 
Upper  Fish  lake  is  in  sections  sixteen  and  seventeen;  Fish  lake  is 
mostly  in  section  twenty,  Lower  Mud  lake  is  in  sections  twenty 
and  twenty  nine.  There  are  several  other  smaller  lakes  in  Lincoln, 
isolated  and  having  no  outlet. 

The  first  settlement  made  in  Lincoln  township  seems  to  have 
been  by  a  man  named  Mutz,  and  Levi  Little  who  settled  on  the 
north  side  of  Fish  lake  about  1834,  but  John  Yickory  came  about 
the  same  time.  George  Sparrow  entered  land  in  the  township  in 
1835;  and  sold  out  in  1840  to  John  Lingard.  A  man  by  the 
name  of  Smith  had  come  in  early  and  sold  in  1838  to  a  Dr.  Losey. 
Carson   Siddles  was  an  early  settler,  and  Newlove  Laybourn   came 


LINCOLN    AND    JOHNSON    TOWNSHIPS.  193 

in  1835.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Saunders  also  came  this  year. 
E.  Arbergast  settled  in  1836;  John  Davis  and  John  Dare  in  1838; 
Samuel  Stevenson,  a  former  township  trustee,  Sharp,  Bronson, 
Maple,  Warren,  Canada  and  Wrightman  in  or  about  the  year  1841. 
George  W.  Woodburn  settled  on  section  eighteen  in  1847 ;  John, 
Andrew.  Peter  and  James  Harness  and  their  father,  came  to  the 
township  about  1840.  and  John  Divine  in  1841.  t  John  B.  McDon- 
ald came  in  J  836.  and  was  one  of  the  first  teachers  in  the  township. 
The  first  lady  teacher  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Vickory.  The  first  saw 
mill  was  built  on  Spring  run,  which  is  now  called  Mill  creek,  a 
small  stream  coming  down  from  the  northward  and  emptying  into 
Upper  Fish  lake.  A  postoffice  was  established  during  the  present 
year,  near  where  the  railroad  crosses  this  creek  :  it  is  called  Mill 
creek,  and  Wm.  H.  Collom  is  the  postmaster. 

There  is  in  this  township  considerable  swamp  and  Kankakee 
marsh  land  :  but  a  large  part  of  the  township  is  dry,  and  contains 
some  excellent  farms.  Among  the  farmers  of  Lincoln  township  are 
James  Waxham,  E.  Thompson,  Frederick  Steelo,  Jacob  Snyder,  F. 
M.  Rowell,  James  H.  Davis,  Jacob  S.  V.  Burton,  and  Robert  V. 
Armstrong.  Amstrong  came  to  the  county  of  LaPorte  in  1832. 
Davis  is  a  blacksmith  as  well  as  farmer,  and  came  to  the  county 
in  1834. 

One  of  the  first  settlcrs/in  Johnson  township  was  Major  John  M. 
Lemon.     He  rebuilt  the  bridge  over  the   Kankakee  river  about 
1846,  and   kept  it  as  a  toll  bridge  many  years.     The  first  bridge 
was  built  bv   John  Dunn   as  earlv  as  1831  or  32.     Samuel   Smith 
came  to  this  township,  and  settled  south  of  the  Kankakee  in  1842; 
Edward  Owens  made  improvements  on  the  school  section,  and  sold 
to    Samuel  Harmison  about  1843;  Martin  Smith  arrived  in  1843; 
Wm.   Mapes,   and  Charles  Palmer  settled  here  about  1846;  and 
Landon  Carlyle  came  in  1851.     He  has  been  trustee  of  the  town- 
ship.    The  first  school  house  in  Johnson  was  built  on   section  six- 
teen about  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  the  river;  and  a  church  was 
erected  in  1874,  on  what  is  called  the  "Island."     Among  the  farmers 
of  this  township  are  Geo.  W.  Corner,  Jr.,  P.  Flaherty,  Wm.  Robin- 
son,  Asa  Jackson,   Henry  George  and  B.  F.  and  Ira  F.   Place. 
They  own  the  old   Lemon  property  at  the  bridge,  and  a  great  deal 

\ 


194  HIST<  RV    OF    I         ■  :   i  NTT. 

of  surroundin  i  land,  some  of  which   they  have  brought  into 

cultivation,   and   of  the   rest   have    made  excellent  mowing  land. 
They  are  large  stock  raisers,  and  also  put  up,  press,  and  ship  la;  _ 
quantiti  B.  F.  Place  has  foi  sral  years  been  the  town- 

-  ee. 

•vn-liip  embraces  one-half  only  of  Congressional  town- 
ship thirty-five,  the  other  half  being  in  St.  Joseph  counl  It  lies 
almost  wholly  on  the  south  side  of  the  Kankakee.'  but  two  whole 
sections  and  three  parts  of  sections  being  on  the  north  side  of  that 
river.  As  in  the  case  of  Lincoln,  and  all  the  townships  border 
on  the  Kankakee,  much  of  the  land  is  marsh;  the  remainder  con- 

5ts  mostly  of  oak  ''barrens, "  and  is  too  sandy  for  the  highest  pi  - 
ducing  capacity.  The  marsh  land  will  eventually  be  the  b<  and 
every  year  the  arable  area  is  increased.     When  once  drie  .  and 

brought  into  cultivation   these  lands  will  have  no  superior  for  the 
production  of  corn  and  gras 

"With   this   survey  of  Lincoln   and  Johnson,   the   history  of  the 
townships,   separately   and  in  detail,  is  concluded.     What   foil 
will  be  applicable  to  the  county  as  a  whole. 


COUNTY    OFFICERS.  195 


CHAPTER  XX. 

#  COUNTY    OFFICERS. 

As  stated  in  a  former  chapter,  LaPorte  country  was  organized  in 
1843,  the  act  of  incorporation  for  the  county  having  passed  the 
State  legislature  and  been  approved  January  9th  of  that  year.  It 
is  as  follows: 

Section  1.  u  Be  it  enacted  by  the  G-eneral  Assembly  of  the  State 
Indiana,  That  from  and  after  the  first  day  of  April  next,  all 
that  tract  of  country  included  in  the  following  boundaries  shall 
form  and  constitute  a  new  county,  to  be  known  and  designated  bv 
the  name  and  style  of  LaPorte  county,  to-wit:  Beginning  at  the 
state  line  which  divides  the  State  of  Indiana  and  Michigan  territory, 
and  at  the  northwest  corner  of  township  number  thirty-eight,  north 
of  range  number  four,  west  of  the  principal  meridian ;  thence  run 
ning  east  with  said  State  line  to  the  centre  of  range  number  one, 
west  of  said  meridian:  thence  south  twenty-two  miles  ;  thence  west. 
parallel  with  the  said  state  line,  twenty-one  miles ;  thence  north  to 
the  place  of  beginning. 

Sec.  2  That  the  new-county  of  LaPorto  shall,  from  and  after 
the  said  first  day  of  April  next,  enjoy  all  the  rights  and  privileges, 
benefits  and  jurisdictions  which  to  separate  and  independent  counties 

or  may  properly  belong  or  appertain. 

Sec.  8.  That  Samuel  Lewis  of  the  county  of  Allen,  Isaac 
Coleman  of  the  county  of  Fountain,  Andrew  Ingraham  of  the 
county  of  Clinton,  Levi  Thornton  of  the  county  of  Tippecanoe,  and 
Merritt  S.  Craig  of  the  county  of  Ripley,  be,  and  they  are  hereby 
appointed  commissioners  agreeably  to  the  act  entitled  "  An  act  fixing 
the  seats  of  justice  in  all  new  counties  hereafter  to  be  laid  off." 
The  commissioners  aforesaid  shall  meet  on  the  second  Monday 
Mav  next,  at  the  house  of  David  Pagin,  in  said  countv  of  LaPorte. 
and  shall  immediately  proceed  to  the  discharge  of  the  duties  assigned 
them  by  law.  And  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Sheriff  of  Carroll 
county  to  notify  said  commissioners,  cither  in  person  or  by  w 


196  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

of  their  appointment,  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  April  next.  And 
for  such  services  he  shall  receive  such  compensation  as  the  board 
doing  county  business  in  said  county  of  LaPorte  may,  when 
organized,  deem  just  and  reasonable,  to  be  allowed  and  paid  as  other 
county  claims. 

Sec.  4.     The  Circuit  Court  and  the  board  doing  county  basin     - 
when  elected  under  the  writ  ot  election  from  the  executive  depart- 
ment, shall  hold  their   sessions   as  near  the  centre  of  the  county  as 
a  convenient  place  can  be  had  until  the  public  buildings  shall  have 
been  erected. 

Sec.  o.  The  agent  who  shall  be  appointed  to  superintend  the 
sale  of  lots  at  the  county  seat  of  the  county  of  LaPorte  shall  receive 
ten  per  centum  out  of  the  proceeds  thereof,  and  pay  the  same  over 
to  such  person  or  persons  as  may  be  appointed  by  law  to  receive  the 
same,  for  the  use  of  a  county  library. 

Sec.  6.  The  county  of  LaPorte  shall  be  attached  to  the  county 
of  St.  Joseph  for  representative  purposes. 

Sec.  7.  The  board  doing  county  business  may.  as  soon  as  elected 
and  qualified,  hold  special  sessions,  not  exceeding  three  during  the 
first  year  after  the  organization  of  said  count}",  and  shall  appoint  a 
lister,  make  all  necessary  appointments,  and  do  aid  perform  all 
other  business  which  might  have  been  necessary  to  be  performed  at 
any  other  regular  ---ion,  and  take  all  Unnecessary  steps  to  collect 
the  State  and  count v  revenue0,  any  law  or  usage  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding." 

Under  this  act  a  writ  of  election  was  issued,  and  Chapel  W. 
Brown,  Elijah  II  Brown  and  Jesse  Morgan  were  elected  commis- 
sioners, Benjamin  McCarty  sheriff,  and  <l  Thomas  clerk. 
The  commissioners  met  on  the  28th  day  of  May,  1832,  and  organ- 
ized  by  the  election  of  Chapel  W.  Brown  as  presjdenl  of  the  Board, 
and  Ge  Thomas  <-lerk.  They  also  appointed  John  Wills 
inspector  of  elections  for  Kankakee  township;  A.  I'.  Andrew,  Jr., 
inspector  for  Scipio,  and  Elijah  Newhall  inspector  for  New  Durham. 
Benjamin  McCarty,  the  sheriff,  was  appointed  commissioner  of  the 
three  per  cent,  fund:  Wm.  Clark,  county  surveyor;  Aaron  Stan- 
ton, county  treasurer,  and  Jesse  Morgan,  lister  of  the  taxable  prop- 
erty.    At  the  July  term  Nathan  B.  Nichols  was  appointed  collector 


COUNTY    OFFICERS.  197 

of  the  State  and  county  tax  for  the  year  1832.  At  this  term  the 
commissioners  selected  grand  and  petit  jurors  as  follows,  which  were 
the  first  selected  in  the  county.  Those  selected  for  grand  jurors 
were.  Andrew  Burnside,  Leonard  Cutler,  George  W.  Barnes,  Sam- 
uel Weston.  John  Melville,  Wm.  Phillips,  John  W.  Cole,  Joseph 
Orr.  Arthur  Irwin.  Nathaniel  Steele,  Arba  Healcl,  Robert  Simmer- 
well.  John  Whittaker,  Joseph  Osborn.  Richard  Harris,  Ira  Rich- 
ardson, David  Stoner,  Joseph  W.  Lykins. 

The  petit  jurors  were,  Wm.  Morgan,  Alfred  Stanton,  Charles 
Campbell,  Adam  G.  Polke,  Jeremiah  Sherwood,  Myron  Ives,  Lewis 
Shirly.  Wm.  Bond,  Sen.,  Jesse  Morgan.  Jacob  Coleman,  James 
Nixon,  Charles  West,  Samuel  Harbinson,  Stephen  .  Brayton, 
Arthur  McClure,  Daniel  Jessup,  Ezra  Tyler,  Asa  Warren,  Adam 
Keith,  Charles  Egbert,  Ilenlv  Clyburn,  Samuel  Smallwood,  Basil 
S perry.  John  Wills. 

The  jurors  thus  designated  were  not  called  on  to  serve.  The 
first  grand  jury  that  actually  served,  was  composed  of  the  following 
citizens:  Arthur  McClure,  John  Stanton,  Emery  A.  Brown. 
Noble  McKinstry,  Gaines  Munger,  John  Carter,  Jonathan  Sher- 
wood, Peter  White.  Josiah  Bryant.  Martin  Baker,  Elijah  Stanton, 
Aaron  Stanton.  Wm.  Thomas.  Wm.  Stanton,  James  Highly;  and 
the  first  petit  jury  that  served  was  composed  as  follows:  Philip 
Fail.  Ezekiel  Provolt,  Peter  Lowe.  Elisha  Newhall,  Henry  Carpen- 
ter. Roswell  Muncie,  Wm.  C.  Thrall,  John  Garrard,  Absalom 
Rambo,  Wm.  Garrard.  John  Garwood  and  Jonathan  Morgan. 

The  Clerks  of  the  county,  and  the  years  of  assuming  the  duties 
of  the  office  have  been  as  follows:  George  Thomas,  1832;  William 
Hawkins,  1835;  Thomas  P.  Armstrong,  1846:  Yolney  W.  Bailey, 
1853:  James  Moore,  1857,  re-elected,  1860 :  James  H.  Shannon, 
1865;    Charles  Spaeth,  1873. 

The  Sheriffs  have  been  Benjamin  McCarty,  1832;  Adam  G. 
Polke,  1834:  Sutton  VanPelt,  1836;  Wm.  Allen,  1840;  John  M. 
Clarkson,  1842;  Harrison  F.  Hinkley,  1844:  Joshua  S.  McDowell. 
1846:  Herman  Lawson.  1850:  Wm.  Allen,  1852;  Wm.  H.  H. 
Whitehead.  1854.  re-elected,  1856:  Joshua  S.  McDowell,  1858, 
re-elected  and  died  in  office;   Stephen  P.  Mead.  1861,  and  re-elected, 


198  HISTORY  01  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 

1863;     Ithamar    D.   Phelps.    1865.  re-elected,    1867;     Daniel    L. 
Brown,  1870,  re-elected,  1872 ;  Edward  Hawkins,  1874. 

The  collectors  down  to  the  year  1840,  were  Nathan  B.  Nicln  - 
1832;  Adam  G.  Polke,  1833;  Wm.  Hawkins.  1*34:  C.  \V. 
Brown,  1835;  Abram  Hupp.  1836;  N.  W.  Saxton,  1837:  Alfred 
Lomax,  1838:  Wm.  Allen,  1839.  and  Willys  Peck.  1840.  The 
Treasurers  for  the  same  period  were  Aaron  Stanton.  Is' 32:  and 
others. 

The  Treasurers  since  1840,  combining  both  Treasurer  and  C 
lector,  have  been  Willard  A.  Place,  1840:  John  M.  Lemon.  1847, 
and  re-elected,  1850:  Edmund  S.  Organ,  1*52.  and  re-elected: 
Abel  D.  Porter,  1857,  and  re-elected;  Reginald  H.  Rose.  1861, 
and  re-elected:  D.  C.  Alexander,  1805.  and  re-elected:  Mark 
Allen.  1869,  and  re-elected  ;  George  Mecum,  1873,  and  re-elected. 

The  Recorders  have  been  George  Thomas.  January,  lb32:  W  in. 
Hawkins,  1835;  Burwell  Spurlock,  1842,  and  re-elected:  Willard  A. 
Place,  January.  1856;  Anderson  Hupp.  April.  lv 56,  and  re-elected, 
1860;  Wm.  Copp,  1864:  Henry  C.  Brown,  1868,  and  re-elect 
1872.  John  H.  Organ  was  elected  Recorder  in  1874,  but  has  i 
taken  possession  of  the  office,  the  four  years  of  the  preceding  Recorder 
not  having  yet  expired. 

The  Auditors   have  been   John  D.   Colling-.  L841;   Joel  But!     . 
1843:     Andrew    J.    Wair.    1848,    and   re-elected.   1852;     Reuben 
Munday.  by   apppointment  of  commissioners,  1858;  John  Walton, 
1858.  and  re-elected.  1802:   Jasper  Packard.  1866.  resigned  V 
Harvey  R.  Harris,  appoint'  commissioners,    March.  •.  and 

elected  1870;  Edward  J.  Church,  1874. 

The  county  Surveyers  have  been  Wm.  Chirk, ;  James  Bradley, 

;  J.  H.  Wilson,  1847:   Elam  Clark.  1849;   John  P.  Cathcai  . 

1852;  Daniel  M.  Learning.  1854,  and  re-elected;  Elisha  L.  Bennett. 
1858:  E.  H.  Learning,  I860;  John  P.  Cathcart,  1866;  Daniel 
Kennedy,  elected.  1v72.  but  never  qualified;   Hiram  Burner,  1874. 

The  Coroners  have  been  John  G.  Newhouse,   1842;  Jesse  Wj 
son.  1840:  Andrew  J.  Wair.  1848;   Francis  A.   McDowell.   184': 
Edmund  S.  Organ,  1850;   Henry  W.  Fox.  1854;   Robert  G.  Jam-.-. 
1856;  Luther  Brusie,   1858;  Ludwig  Eliel,  1860.  and  re-elected. 
1862;  held  the  office  until  1874;  Darwin  T.  Brown,  1874. 


COUNTY    OFFCERS.    •  199 

The  Assessors  or  Appraisors  of  Real  Estate,  have  been  Wm.  K. 
Anderson,  184(3:  Joseph  B.  Lewis,  1848;  Abram  Hupp,  1851; 
Joseph  Orr,  1849:  Abram  Westervelt,  1863;  Edmund  S.  Gardner, 
1868;  Jaeob  Folant  elected  1872. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  those  who  have  been  Judges  of 
the  various  courts  held  in  this  county. 

Judges  of  the  Circuit  Couri :  Gustavus  A.  Everts,  Samuel  C. 
Sample.  John  B.  Xiles,  Ebenezer  M.  Chamberlain,  Robert  Lowry, 
Thomas  S.  Stanfield.  Albert  G.  Deavitt,  Andrew  L.  Osborn.  Thomas 
S.  Stanfield.  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas:  Herman 
Lawson,  Wm.  C.  Talcott,  Elisha  Egbert,  Edward  J.  Wood,  and 
Daniel  Noye-  Probate  Judges:  Chapel  W.  Brown,  Jabez  R~ 
Wells,  Gilbert  Hathaway  and  M.  K.  Farrand.  Associate  Judges:; 
Jacob  Miller,  Judah  Learning,  Charles  W.  Henry,  Clinton  Foster, 
Gustavus  A.  Rose,  Willard  A.  Place.  Abner  Bailey  and  William 
Andrew. 

The  Boards  of  county  commissioners  from  the  organization  of  the 
countv  in  1832,  have  been  constituted  as  follows:  Chapel  W. 
Brown,  E.  H.  Brown  and  Isaac  Morgan;  C.  W.  Brown,  E.  H. 
Brown  and  Daniel  Jessup ;  E.  H.  Brown,  Daniel  Jessup  and  Alex- 
ander Blackburn ;  Daniel  Jessup,  Alexander  Blackburn  and  Aaron 
Stanton;  Daniel  Jessup,  Aaron  Stanton  and  John  Clark;  Daniel 
Jessup,  Andrew  Burnside  and  Thomas  J.  Foster ;  Daniel  Jessup,. 
Thomas  J.  Foster  and  Willard  A.  Place;  Willard  A.  Place,  Elia- 
kim  Ashton  and  Stephen  G.  Hunt;  Aaron  Stanton,  Stephen  G." 
Hunt  and  Eliakim  Ashton;  Aaron  Stanton,  Stephen  G.  Hunt  and 
Henly  Clyburn;  Henly  Clyburn,  Benjamin  Beard  and  Phineas 
Hunt;  Benjamin  Beard,  Phineas  Hunt  and  James  McCord;  Ben- 
jamin Beard,  Abiel  Lathrop  and  Abijah  Bigelow;  Charles  Vail, 
Abiel  Lathrop  and  Hezekiah  Robertson;  Hezekiah  Robertson, 
Benjamin  Butterworth  and  Abiel  Lathrop;  West  Darling,  Christo- 
pher McClure  and  Abiel  Lathrop;  Abiel  Lathrop,  Christopher 
McClure  and  Alfred  Stephens;  Christopher  McClure,  Alfred 
Stephens  and  Samuel  Burson;  Christopher  McClure,  Samuel  Bur- 
son  and  Joel  Butler;  Chistopher  McClure,  Samuel  Burson  and 
John  F.  Allison;  Chistopher  McClure,  Samuel  Burson  and  Mark 
Allen;   Christopher  McClure,  Mark  Allen  and  George  C.  Havens: 


200  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Mark  Allen,  Jackson  Hosmer  and  James  Drummond ;  James 
Drummond,  Jacob  R.  Hall  and  Jackson  Hosmer;  Jackson  Hosmer. 
Aquilla  W.  Rogers  and  Orlando  F.  Piper:  Aquilla  W.  Rogers, 
Henry  J.  Rees  and  Asa  M.  Warren:  Asa  M.  Warren,  Elam  Clark 
and  Henry  J.  Rees;  Henry  J.  Rees,  Isaac  B.  Coplin  and  Sidney 
S.  Sabin;  S.  S.  Sabin,  Isaac  B.  Coplin  and  John  Warnock:  S.  S. 
Sabin,  Isaac  B.  Coplin  and  John  P.  Cathcart;  Isaac  B.  Coplin, 
Wm.  O'Hara  and  John  P.  Cathcart;  Isaac  B.  Coplin,  Wm.  O'Hara 
and  Reynolds  Couden;  Isaac  B.  Coplin,  Sidney  S.  Sabin  and  R. 
Couden ;  Enos  Weed,  John  Sutherland  and  Simon  P.  Kern ;  Enos 
Weed,  Simon  P.  Kern  and  Benajah  Stanton;  Enos  Weed,  Simon 
P.  Kern  and  Charles  Wills:  Charles  Wills,  B.  S.  Fail  and  Hazard 
M.  Hopkins:  Charles  Wills,  B.  S.  Fail  and  Wm.  Schoeneman.  Mr. 
Schoeneman  was  appointed  at  the  September  term  1875,  to  fill  the 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Hazard  M.  Hopkins. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

POLITIC-. 


Like  all  other  intelligent  communities  in  the  United  States,  the 
people  of  LaPorte  county  have  participated  with  earnestness  in  the 
various  political  contests  that  have  agitated  the  country  at  large. 
and  have  had  also  their  own  local  political  agitations.  The  county  was 
organized  in  the  same  year  in  which  Andrew  Jackson  was  a  candi- 
date for  a  second  term  of  the  Presidency,  but  the  population  was  so 
sparse  at  the  time  that  very  little  strife  was  engendered.  The  atten- 
tion of  the  pioneers  was  concentrated  on  a  more  pressing  necessity 
— that  of  obtaining  a  livelihood,  and  establishing  homes  for  them- 
selves and  families.  An  election  was  held  under  the  special  act  for 
the  incorporation  of  the  county,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  political 
questions  arose.  There  was  then  no  paper  published  in  the  county, 
and  no  political  leaders  had  arisen  to  effect  an  organization  of 
the  parties,  which  were  Democrat  and  Whig.  In  the  year  1835, 
the  Democrats  secured  an  organ  bv  the  establishment  of  the  Michi- 
gan  City   Gazette,  and  that  year  was  one  of  extraordinary  political 


POLITII  3.  201 

activity,  and  seems  to  have  been  the  first  during  which  there  was 
much  agitation  of  this  kind  in  LaPorte  county.  The  questions 
were  partly  local,  and  partly  State  and  national.  Some  of  the  set- 
tlers had  settled  on  and  improved  government  lands  in  1834,  but 
not  securing  a  pre-emption  right,  the  lands  were  about  to  be  bought 
at  the  approaching  sales,  by  those  who  would  bid  higher  than  the 
government  prices,  thus  >ecuring  the  lands  already  settled  upon, 
and  compelling  the  settlers  to  pay  more  than  the  sum  at  which  they 
were  held  by  the  government.  This  aroused  a  strong  feeling,  and 
public  meetings  were  held  by  the  citizens  in  different  parts  of  the 
county  to  take  such  action  as  seemed  to  them  expedient.  The  pro- 
ceedings of  one  of  these  meetings,  for  a  better  understanding  of  the 
subject,  is  here  presented  entire,  as  it  appeared  in  the  Michigan 
City  G       tte,  of  July  22,  1835: 

"Township  35,  N.  Range  4  West,  Julv  15, 1835. 

At  a  large  and  respectable  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  township 
number  thirty-five,  north  of  range  four  west,  convened  for  the  pur- 
pose of  devising  some  measures  for  the  purpose  (which  is  intended 
by  settlers),  of  protecting  what  they  consider  to  be  their  honest 
claims,  R.  J.  Moody  was  called  to  the  chair  and  Ephraim  Safford 
appointed  secretary. 

After  a  spirited  discussion  as  to  the  most  proper  manner  of  pro- 
ceding,  it  was  on  motion, 

'.  Tli at  a  committee  of  two  be  appointed  to  meet  the  con- 
vention of  the  whole  on  the  5th  of  September  next  at  LaPorte. 

Resolved.  That  James  Haskell  and  Marcena  Clark  be  said 
committee. 

Resolved^  That  a  committee  of  one  be  appointed  to  receive  the 
number  of  each  settler's  claim  and  make  them  known  at  the  day  of 
sale. 

Resolved.  That  Ephraim  Safford  be  the  committee  for  that 
purpose. 

Resolved^  That  no  man  is  justified  in  claiming  more  than  one 
quarter  section ;  that  being  the  quantity  given  by  the  pre-emption 
law,  and  that  the  committee  be  not  permitted  to  enter  more  than 
one  on  his  list. 

Resolved,  That  all  settlers  shall  make  known  their  claims  previ- 
to  the  first  Monday  in  August  next,  to  the  committee. 

\ 


202  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Resolved,  That  this  meeting  abide  the  decision  of  the  general 
convention  at  LaPorte,  on  the  5th  of  September  next. 

Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  published  in 
the  Michigan  City  Gazette." 

Ephraim  Safford,  Ransom  G.  Moody, 

Secretary.  Oh.  a  inn  an . ' ' 

The  same  paper  contained  this  editorial  commenl  : 
"The  settlers,  it  will  be  perceived,  who  improved  government 
lands  in  1834,  and  who  have  not  the  benefit  of  a  Pre-emption  Right, 
are  holding  meetings  in  their  different  townships  for  the  purpose  of 
appointing  two  delegates  therefrom,  to  meet  in  convention  at  La- 
Porte  on  the  5th  of  September,  previous  to  the  land  sales.  The 
object  of  which  is,  to  secure  to  them,  the  rights  which  their  neigh- 
bors  now  enjoy — their  lands  at  government  price." 

That  this  question  was  carried  into  the  county  politics  is  indicated 
by  the  following  from  the  Gazette  of  the  date  mentioned : 

*;We  were  somewhat  surprised,  not  long  since,  to  hear  a  gentle- 
man, in  a  public  meeting,  express  his  utter  abhori  and  conten  I 
that  the  people  should  take  it  upon  themselves  to  call,  and  organize 
primary  meetings  in  their  different  towns  and  counties,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  choosing  whom  it  should  be  to  take  the  management  of  their 
public  affairs.  As  for  ourseh/es,  we  can  see  no  impropriety  in  the 
matter  at  all — but  on  the  other  hand  we  think  them  to  be  of  essen- 
tial service.  We  see  notices  of  meetings  on  every  side  of  us,  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  to  individuals,  who  came  to  this  county 
when  it  was  a  mere  wilderness,  their  lands  at  government  price — 
and  which  we  think  is  all  right.  The  main  argument,  however, 
with  the  gentlemen,  why  they  should  not  be  held,  is,  because  it  has 
not  been  the  practice  heretofore ;  it  must  be  confessed  that  it  is  a 
powerful  one,  and  one  which  the  good  sense  of  this  community  will 
not  pay  much  regard  to,  however  injuriously  he  may  think  them 
to  be." 

Though  the  national  election  could  not  have  been  held  until  the 
next  year,  yet  the  Gazette  which  was  a  Democratic  paper,  displayed 
at  the  head  of  its  columns,  the  names  of  Martin  VanBuivn  for  Pre- 
ident,  and  Richard  M.  Johnson  for  Vice  President.  It  contains 
also  the  following   announcements  of  candidates  in  connection  with 


POLITICS.  203 

•    notice   that   the  election   would  be   held  on  the  first  Monday  in 
Augus 

"We  are  auth  say,  that  the  Hon.  E.  A.  Hannegan,  our 

present  and  worthy  member  in  congress,  is  again  before  the  people 
of  this  district,  composed  of  the  counties  of  Vermillion,  Parke, 
Montgomery,  Fountain,  Warren,  Tippecanoe,  Carroll,  Clinton, 
White.  Parker,  LaP  irte,  St.  Joseph  and  Elkhart  for  re-election." 

•*We  are  authorized  to  say  that  David  H.  Colerick  is  a  candidate 
the   State  senate  from  the  district  composed  of  the  counties    of 
Allen.  LaP  >eph.    Elkhart,   LaGrange,   Huntington  and 

Wabash." 

"We  are  requested  to  state  that  "William  G.  Ewing,  is  a  candidate 
for  the  Star.'  Sen  te  i'rom  the  counties  of  Allen,  LaPorte,  St.  Joseph, 
Elkhart.  LaGrange,  Huntington  and  Wabash." 

"  We  are  authorized  t<  that  Jonathan  A.  Liston  is  a  candidate 

for  member  of  assembly  from  this  and  St.  Joseph  counties." 

Besides  these,  there  were  announcements  for  county  offices; 
Hiram  Wheeler  and  Joel  Butler,  for  Register;  George  Swope, 
Joseph  F.  Reynolds  and  Burwell  Spurlock  for  Recorder;  James 
M.  Scott  for  Associate  Judge;  and  Eliakim  Ashton  for  Commis- 
sioner. On  the  18th  of  Jul}7,  Mr.  Samuel  Miller  of  Michigan  City 
was  nominated  for  representative  to  the  State  legislature,  by  a 
Democratic  convention  held  at  the  village  of  Lakeport,  or  Hudson, 
of  which  Charles  Egbert  was  chairman,  and  Benjamin  Woodward, 
secretary.  There  were  two  other  candidates,  who  came  up  before 
the  people  without  submitting  their  claims  to  a  convention.  On 
this  matter  the  Gazette  remarked: 

" Felloiv  Citizens:  You  have  now  before  vou,  three  candidates 
for  representative  in  the  next  legislature  of  this  state,  two  of  which 
are  what  is  called,  stump  or  self-nominations,  and  one  nominated  by 
the  people.  Samuel  Miller  was  nominated  by  ;.he  unanimous  vote 
of  a  respectable  meeting,  believing  him  to  be  the  most  efficient  man, 
and  best  qualified  to  represent  the  interest  of  this  community  in  the 
next  legislature,  which  nomination  was  again  submitted  to  a  conven- 
tion of  the  electors  of  the  two  counties,  convened  at  a  considerable 
distance  from   his   and  the   other   candidate's   residence,  where  he 


204  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

again  received  the  nomination  for  representative  in  the  next 
Assembly. 

In  selecting  Mr.  Miller  for  their  candidate,  thev  think  thev  have 
presented  to  the  public  a  person  worthy  of  their  votes — one  who 
has  lin  confidence  of  the  people — one  whom  the  people  know  and 
have  known  for  a  lono-  time  to  he  a  friend  to  his  country ,  constitu- 
tion  and  laws.  Mr.  Miller's  avocations  have  been  such,  that  prob- 
ably few  persons  have  the  practical  knowledge  of  the  situation,  loc  - 
tion,  and  wants  of  the  country  that  he  has.  while  his  business 
habits,  and  Republican  predilections,  render  him  worthy  the  suf- 
frages of  a  free  people." 

The  two  other  candidates  alluded  to  in  the  address  were  Jonathan 
A.  Listen  and  Charles  W.  Cathcart.  Mr.  Cathcart  issued  an 
address  to  the  people  of  LaPorte  and  St.  Joseph  counties,  and 
because  of  its  frank  statement  of  the  position  which  he  occupied  on 
public  questions,  and  the  lucid  exposition  given  of  the  sir  -  of 
political  discussion  at  the  time,  it  is  here  presented  entire,  as  it  was 
published  in  the  Michigan  City  Gazette: 

"to  the   voters  of  titk  district  composed  of  st.  joseph   a.nd 

la  port;-:  counties. 

Fellow  Citi  By  the  request  of  a  very  respectable  number 

of  my  friends,  I  was  induced  during  the  last  spring,  to  suffer  my  name 
to  be  used  as  a  candidate  to  represent  this  district  in  our  next  legis- 
lature, and  at  the  first  opportunity  which  occurred,  the  meeting  of 
the  circuit  court  in  LaPorte  county,  I.  in  conformity  with  the  cus- 
torn  of  the  country,  mounted  tin-  stump  and  informed  my  follow 
citizens  then  assembled,   that  thev  might  consider  my  services  at 

<  • 

their  disposal. 

Thus,  having  appeared  before  the  public,  it  is  my  duty  as  well 
a   pleasure,   to  express  my  views  upon  such  prominent  matt* 

may  be  subject  to  legislative  action,  claiming  for  them  only  that 
consideration,  which  the  honest  convictions  of  one  individual  may 
entitle  him  to — for  our  whole  scheme  of  gbvernment  bein^r  founded 
on  the  principle  that  all  power  is  inherent  in  the  people,  and  as  the 
representative  agency  is  made  use  of  merely  on  account  of  the  diffi- 
dulty,  indeed  even  the  impossibility  of  the  affairs  of  the  public  being 


POLITICS.  205 

acted  upon  deliberately,  by  the  people,  en  masse,  it  is  evident  that 
the  representative  should  suit  his  course  to  the  wishes  of  his  con- 
stituents, according  to  their  views  of  the  manner  in  which  they  may 
see  proper  to  have  their  interests  attended  to,  and  that  as  near  as  he 
does  this,  so  near  will  he  come  to  the  fulfillment  of  the  trust  reposed 
in  him. 

Having  thus,  fellow  citizens,  acknowledged  the  entire  dependence 
of  the  representative  upon  the  instructive  power  of  his  constituents, 
I  will  give  you  my  views  as  frankly  and  as  freely  as  possible. 

A  bill  commonly  called  the  'ad  valorem  bill,'  which  passed  dur- 
ing our  last  session,  is,  I  conceive  unjust,  and  partial  in  its  opera- 
tion, bearing  with  peculiar  hardship,  upon  this  part  of  the  State. 
and  is  but  a.  mocking  of  its  title,  which  is  made  use  of,  apparently, 
to  impose  a  disagreeable  potion  under  a  palatable  name ;  but  I  am 
convinced  that  a  system  of  taxation,  based  upon  the  principle  that 
every  man  must  pay  to  the  government  that  protects  him  and  his, 
in  proportion  to  the  value  of  his  estate,  is  one  which  is  entireh 
reasonable  and  just. 

Another  bill,  commonlv  called  the  'mammoth  bill,'  making  vast 
and  indeed  unlimited  appropriations  to  works  of  internal  improve- 
ment, only  failed  during  the  last  session,  after  a  warm  and  pro- 
tracted debate — -after  which  a  bill  'to  provide  for  the  further 
prosecution  of  the  Wabash  and  Erie  canal,'  and  for  other  purposes, 
and  an  act  supplemental,  passed  and  received  the  signature  of  the 
governor,  which  provides  for  the  survey  of  a  vast  scheme  of  canals, 
railroads,  etc.,  as  well  as  for  the  prosecution  of  the  Wabash  and 
Erie  canal,  to  the  navigable  part  of  the  Wabash  river. 

The  cost  of  those  works,  should  they  all  be  completed,  must 
overgo  $29,000,000,  and  of  this  sum,  not  one  cent  is  contemplated 
to  be  expended  on  this  side  of  the  Wabash  river;  and  though  it  is 
more  than  probable,  that  but  a  part  of  those  works,  may  be  expected 
to  be  completed,  still  it  must  be  evident,  that  many  of  the  routes 
which  were  ordered  to  be  surveyed,  are  of  comparative  insignifi- 
cance, when  compared  with  a  route  or  routes,  which  would  have 
connected  our  northern  waters,  with  a  southern  thoroughfare,  and 
that  the  neglect  of  the.  interest  of  the  north  part  of  this  State,  in  the 
provisions  of  that  bill,  was.  a  gross  instance  of  partial  legislation. 


206  HI-TORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

The  experience  of  other  States  has  dei  rated  the  advanta  \ 

to  be  derived  from  a  judiciously  disp  tem  of  internal  improi 

ments,  and  the  policy  that  would  dictate  the  abandonment  of  su 
a  scheme,    would  be   as   fallacious    as   the  late  act  is   partial 
extravagant. 

The  disposal  of  the  three  per  cent,  fund  will  continue  to  re 
the  utmost  attention,  on  the  part  of  the  members  from  the  n 
counts  It  is  no  doubt  known  to  all,  that  the  three  per  cent,  fund 
originates  from  an  agreement  with  the  general  government,  upon 
our  entering  the  Union,  as  a  free  and  sovereign  State,  that  the  pub- 
lic lands  shall  not  be  subject  to  taxation,  until  the  expiration  of 
five  years  after  they  have  been  sold  by  the  general  government,  in 
consideration  of  which  the  United  States  make  grants  .sundry  to  t. 

i  to.  among  which  are  five  per  cent  upon  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of 
the  public  lands  within  this  State,  which  is  to  be  applied  to  works  of 
internal  improvement,  three  per  cent,  being  subject  to  the  c< 
of  our  legislature.  Now,  this  being  the  case,  what  plan  of  distribu- 
tion among  the  different  counties,  so  j  st.  o  appropriate  to  each, 
the  amount  accruing  upon  the  sales  of  land  within  that  county': 

Thinking,  fellow  citizens,  that  we  should  all  know  at  least  e: 
of  the  law.  to  keep  clear  of  it,   I  am  in  hopes  of  seeing  our  coram 

well  a         ttute  law   put   into  such  a   form,  that  it   may  be  more 
commonly  diffused  and  known  among  us.  ich  »  3  been 

in   agitation   before    our  legislature,    and   believing  it  would   save 
half  the   litigation  -  hearti        wishes  for    ts 

3S. 

The  next   apportionment   will    a  a    matt  i 

de 

.  .  is  at 

with  an  incre  u  -  will  of  coursi 

in  a  more  commanding  p  of  the  nortr  « 

mite  with  ■  uth  in  all  judicious  3ch  ■    es  of  inl     ■  il  i' 

mem.   will  be   ra  it    such    gdari  , 

l'iaT 
partial  legislation,  <n  pre  1.  i 

In  .  or   rather  our  want  of  them..  ,.       i  '-. 

less  to  say  inn  g  go  man^         Luments  <»{*  our  ne  ]  i    .  .v, 

.  ana  as  the 

dit.on  m  thi  -         "^.v,f  the  diffi- 

legislative  interference.  p|lbIic  bejng 


POLITICS.  207 

There  are  many  other  subjects,  fellow  citizens,  which  are  no 
doubt  of  importance,  but  believing  I  have  touched,  though  slightly, 
those  subjects  most  generally  interesting  to  the  citizens  of  this  dis- 
trict,  I  shall  detain  you  no  longer  with  the  enumeration  of  matters 
of  less  general  interest. 

With  feelings  of  peculiar  delicacy,  I  must,  fellow  citizens,  here 
remark  that  as  regards  national  politics,  I  have  ever  been  the 
unwavering  friend  of  the  leading  principles  .of  the  present  adminis- 
tration :  I  look  npon  them  as  the  emanation  of  the  purest  patriotism, 
and  while  I  disdain  the  low  bickering  of  party  strife,  still  I  must 
exercise  the  right  of  every  freeman,  to  avow  his  sentiments.  This 
avowal,  fellow  citizens,  I  make,  not  with  a  view  of  enlisting  the 
partiality  of  a  single  voter;  I  do  it  merely  because  if  silent  on 
this  point,  I  may  probably  be  charged  with  want  of  frankness,  a 
charge  I  must  be  indulged  in  saying,  to  me.  peculiarly  painful. 

Fellow  citizens,  I  have  but  to  offer  to  your  acceptance  such  com- 
mon place  qualifications  as  a  life  of  much  vicissitude  has  engendered, 
and  an  assurance  that  the  good  0f  the  district,  the  whole  district, 
shall  be  my  aim,  should  I  be  so  fortunate  as  to  gain  your  preference. 
But  fellow  citizens,  if  in  your  better  judgment  you  should  prefer 
another,   I  must  take  this  opportunity  to  assure  you,  and  him,  that 

he  lias  my  warmest  wishes  for  his  success  in  the  furtherance  of  the 

i, 

welfare  of  this  district. 

Charles  W.  Cathcab  d. 
LaPorte,  July  20.  1835." 

The  campaign  was  wage.i  vigorously  throughout,  and  resulted  in 
■e  election  of  the  candidates  of  the  Whig  party,  in  this  county. 
rp;u  illustrating  the  newspaper  tone  of  the  time  and  t{n_>  terms 
oyero.0use  of  by  political  opponents  we  take  some  extracts  from  the 
to  be  elPers  tnen  published  in  LaPorte.  On  the  28th  day  of 
more  t\\'iev-  1839,  the  Whigs  held  a  convention,  and  the  next  issue 
to  be  ccja,l>or^e  Heraldy  published  by  Joseph  Lomax  and  edited  by 
which   wT10W  °f  *ne  Chicago  Times,  contained  the  following  comments 

cance,  wh 

,     -,  "  ARISTOCRATIC  CONVENTION, 

connected  t 

that  the  ne<>r^a.)7'   28  th   December,   the   Aristocrats  of  this  county. 
provisions  of  convention  in  this  place.     They  previously  made  many 


-  18  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

loud  calls,  both  through  their  papers,  and  also  through  the  medium 
of  hand  bills.  And  when  the  great  day  arrived,  it  turned  out.  as 
many  of  their  great  things  do — a  poor  shabby  convention. 

When  the  convention  was  organized.  Mr.  J.  Bigelow.  one  of  the 
leading  Abolition  fanatics  of  this  county,  was  appointed  one  of  the 
\  ice  Presidents  of  the  meeting.  This  is  a  fact  that  is  worth  being 
remembered  by  the  people.  It  shows  that  the  boasted  patriotism 
of  the  Aristocrats  of  LaPorte  county,  is  capable  of  courting  the 
Abolition  faction,  for  the  purpose  of  adding  some  little  to  their 
strength.  Was  the  ancient  republican  virtue,  and  the  law-abiding 
principles  of  the  American  people,  ever  more  grossly  outraged 
than  the  cherishing  of  such  inhuman  and  insurrectionary  principles, 
as  those  advocated  by  ihe  Abolitionists,  which  were  approved  and 
sustained,  in  a  measure,  by  this  Aristrocratic  convention,  in  the 
selection  of  one  of  its  officers?  This  shows  that  in  this  county, 
there  is  a  close  connection,  reciprocity  of  feeling,  and  identity  of 
sentiment.-,  between  the  opposition  party  and  the  Abolition  faction 
— if  not  an  entire  amalgamation  and  identity." 

There  is  much  more  of  the  article,  and  in  it  occurs  such  terms  as 
"black-hearted  falsifiers,"   "ignorant  brawh  "long-faced  hypo- 

crites," and  '•foul  mouthed  slanderers."  The  LaPorte  county 
Whig,  edited  by  A.  P.  Andrew,  Jr.,  replies,  and  says,  among  other' 
things:  "We  would  ask  in  all  candor,  if  it  is  looked  upon  as  a 
necessary  qualification  that  an  editor  of  a  party  newspaper  should 
indiscriminately  abuse  all  who  do  not  agree  with  him  or  his  party  in 
politic-:'  and  closes  with  the  pungent  query,  "Does  the  editor  of 
the  Herald  use  such  epithets  by  order  of  the  party,  or  does  he  do 
it  the  natural  way  ?  "  • . 

The  year,  L840,  was  a  warm  campaign  year.  Martin  VanBuren 
and  Richard  M.  Johnson  were  again  the  candidate-  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party  for  President  and  Vice  President.  The  Whig  party 
had  nominated  Gen.  Wm.  Henry  Harrison  and  John  Tyler. 
Tilghman  A.  Howard  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Govern*  . 
and  Samuel  Bigger  the  Whig  candidate.  Other  candidates  of  the 
Democratic  party,  as  their  names  appeared  in  the  LaPorte  Herald 
were  Edward  A.  Hannegan,  for  Congress;  Charles  W.  Cathcart, 
for  State  Senator:  Willard  A.  Place,  for  Representative;   Win.  M. 


POLITICS.  209 

Patterson,  for  Sheriff;  Abram  Fravel,  for  School  commissioner; 
Dr.  DeWitt  Strong,  for  County  commissioner.  At  the  head  of  the 
columns  of  the  LaPorte  county  Whig,  stood  the  names  of  the  Whig 
candidates  for  President,  Vice  President  and  Governor;  and  for 
Congress,  Henry  S.Lane;  for  State  Senator,  Sylvanus  Everts; 
for  Representative,  Daniel  Brown;  for  Sheriff,  Wm.  Allen;  for 
School  commissioner,  Abel  Lomax  ;  for  County  commissioner,  Henly 
Clyburn. 

While  in  this  campaign  most  of  the  voters  delighted  to  call  them- 
selves either  WThigs  or  Democrats,  or  rather  Democratic  Whigs,  and 
Democratic  Republicans,  there  were  a  few  who  boldly  took  upon 
themselves  the  then  odious  name  of  Abolitionist.  It  required  con- 
siderable moral  courage  to  do  so.  In  this  county  there  was  but  a 
mere  handful,  apparently  not  enough  to  induce  either  party  to 
court  their  favor.  Had  their  numbers  been  greater  it  is  probable 
there  would  have  been  efforts  made  by  one  party  or  the  other  to 
secure  their  votes.  It  is  amusing  to  see  how  shy  of  any  possible 
taint  on  this  score  both  parties  were.  An  Abolitionist  was  a  polit- 
ical leper,  whom  it  was  dangerous  to  touch.  In  this  general  feeling 
of  the  country  toward  them,  the  parties  as  they  existed  in  LaPorte 
county  shared.  One  week  in  March,  1840,  the  LaPorte  Herald 
has  a  thrust  at  the  W7hig  newspaper  in  these  words:  "The  LaPorte 
county  Whig  says  not  one  one  word  condemnatory  of  Abolition;' 
and  the  next  issue  of  the  Whig  replies  in  these  words:  "Nor  one 
commendatory  of  Abolition."  The  one  party  was  an  open  and 
avowed  enemy ;  the  other  refused  to  be  a  friend. 

Betwen  the  two  great  political  parties,  the  feeling  became  sharp 
and  stirring.  The  LaPorte  county  Whig  secured  a  "log  cabin' 
wood  cut,  and  from  that  time  on,  the  Whig  was  illustrated  with  a 
log  cabin.  Dr.  Fosdick's  ingenuity  was  called  into  requisition  to 
make  the  cut,  and  it  illustrated  not  only  the  newspaper,  but  the 
campaign  as  well.  Some  bitterness  also  arose  between  individual 
men  of  the  two  parties.  On  Saturday  previous  to  the  4th  of  July, 
1840,  Hon.  Henry  S.  Lane  spoke  in  LaPorte,  which  was  the 
occasion  of  some  remarks  in  the  Herald  of  a  personal  nature,  and 
which  were  declared  afterwards  by  the  Whig  to  be  a  reflection  on 
the  ladies  who  attended  the  speech.     On  the  morning  of  the  4th, 

H 


210  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

just  as  the  audience  were  leaving  the  court  house,  after  hearing  an 
oration,  Mr.  Joseph  Lomax,  one  of  the  editors,  and  the  publisher 
of  the  Herald,  was  attacked  by  a  prominent  member  of  the  Whig 
patty  with  a  cane  because  of  the  asserted  insult  published  in  the 
Herald  in  regard  to  the  ladies  who  attended  the  Lane  speech.  Mr. 
Lomax  drew  a  knife  and  stabbed  twice,  when  the  parties  were  separ- 
ated, without  any  serious  injury  to  either.  Doubtless  the  affair 
never  would  have  occurred  except  under  circumstances  of  high  party 
spirit  and  rancor.  In  the  Herald  of  the  11th  of  July,  Mr.  'Lomax 
published  a  long  statement  concerning  the  affair  over  his  own 
signature,  one  sentence  from  which  will  serve  to  show  the  political 
nature  of  the  quarrel.  After  recounting  several  reported  instances 
of  the  mobbing  of  Democratic  editors,  he  adds:  "In  this  place, 
LaPorte.  the  Federalists  are  the  most  abandonee^  reckless,  hyi  - 
critical,  murderous,  and  lost  to  every  noble,  honorable,  virtuous 
feeling,  of  any  other  community  with  which  I  am  acquainted;  and 
within  the  last  few  years  I  have  traveled  through  nine  States  of  the 
Union."      All  which  can  now  only  excite  a  quiet  smile,  but  then  no 

doubt  was  highly  commended  by  one  party,  while  it  embittered  the 
already  aroused  feeling  of  the  other. 

The  Senatorial  convention  which  nominated  Sylvanus  Eve 
was  held  at  Valparaiso  on  the  28th  day  of  March,  and  was  presided 
over  by  Solon  Robinson,  then  of  Lake  county,  with  James  Blair 
of  Porter  and  Alexander  Blackburn  of  LaPorte.  Vice  Presidents, 
H.  S.  Orton  and  Samuel  I.  Anthonv,  Secretaries.  Anions  other 
resolutions  the  following  was  adopted:  "That  we  have  our  politi- 
cal log  cabin  already  raised,  that  next  August  we  will  roof  it  in. 
that  next  November  we  will  chink  Locofocos  into  the  cracks,  a 
that  next  March  we  will  move  into  it."  This  resolution  was 
printed  in  the  117////  in  large  capitals.  On  the  11th  of  April  the 
Whig  county  convention  was  held,  and  as  matter  of  local  history, 
its  proceedings  are  here  given  in  full,  as  reported  in  the  Whig: 

"WHIG    COUNTY   CONVENTION. 

According  to  previou  notice  the  delegates  from  the  several  town- 
ships of  this  county,  met  in  convention  at  the  court  house,  in  La- 
Porte, on  Saturday  the  11th  inst.,  at  one  o'clock  P.  M. 

The  convention  was  called  to  order  bv  Oscar  A.  Barker,  when  on 


POLITICS.  211 

motion  of  Gen.  Joseph  Orr,  the  Hon.  Gustavus  A.  Rose,  was 
elected  President,  and  Abel  Lomax  Vice  President  of  the  conven- 
tion, and  Andrew  L.  Osborn  of  Michigan  City,  and  Elijah  Mayhew 
of  LaPorte,  were  appointed  Secretaries 

The  president  then  proceeded  to  the  calling  of  delegates  by  town- 
ships, when  the  following  gentlemen  appeared  and  produced  their 
credentials,  and  took  their  seats  as  members  of  the  convention, 
to-wit : 

From  Centre  Township. — John  C.  Reid,  Joseph  Orr,  Jehiel 
Wasson,  Stephen  Holloway,  John  Hobson,  Gustavus  A.  Rose,  Jacob 
P.  Andrew,  William  Clark,  Edmund  B.  Woodson  ,  George  Swope, 
Clinton  Foster  and  Elijah  Mayhew. 

From  Michigan  Township. — William  H.  Goodhue,  Jonas  Clark, 
Warren  Cole,  Samuel  Booth,  Samuel  Mower,  Oscar  A.  Barker, 
Horace  Burr,  Andrew  L.  Osborn,  Chauncey  C.  Blair  and  Eliakim 
Ashton. 

From  Neiv  Durham  Township. — James  McCord,  Henly  Clyburn, 
Holland  Benedict,  Lemuel  Robinson  and  James  M.  Ray. 

From  Scijrio  Township. — Daniel  Closser,  Lewis  C.  Andrew, 
Elnathan  Gregory,  Thomas  W.  Sale,  John  M.  Barclay  and  David 
G.  Rose. 

From  Noble  Township. — William  A.  Webster,  Horace  Pratt, 
Theodore  H.  Wells  and  Josiah  Grover. 

From  Pleasant  Township. — George  C.  Havens,  Jacob  M'Casky, 
Abel  Lomax  and  James  Webster. 

From  Springfield  Township. — Mr.  Atwater,  J.  F.  Jones,  Phineas 
Hunt  and  Jesse  Jones. 

From  Hudson  Township. — John  Reynolds  and  Andrew  Avery. 

From  Union  Township. — Patrick  S.  Weed,  N.  M.  Catlin, 
Charles  W.  Henry  and  Miles  S.  Henry. 

From  Kankakee  Township. — Jacob  Wagner,  Myron  Ives,  Ezekiel 
Provolt,  Michael  Brand,  Chapel  W.  Brown  and  Daniel  Murray. 

From  Wills  Township. — Jasper  S.  Hunt,  Henry  Williamson, 
Charles  Carmichael  and  William  H.  H.  Whitehead. 

From  Clinton  Township. — William  S.  Harding,  Abijah  Bigelow, 
T.  B.  Patterson  and  E.  Williams. 

From  Coolspring  Township. — Nathan  Johnson. 


212  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

No  delegates  appearing  from  Galena  township, 

On  motion  of  Chapel  W.  Brown,  it  was  resolved  that  Byron 
Cadwallader  and  James  Catterlin  represent  said  township  in  this 
convention. 

On  motion  of  Gen.  Joseph  Orr,  it  was  resolved,  that  in  all  cases 
where  townships  are  not  fully  represented  in  this  convention,  that 
the  delegates  present  from  such  townships,  be  authorized  to  fill  such 
vacancies  by  the  appointment  of  individuals  from  the  same  town- 
ships, or  that  they  may  be  authorized  to  give  the  whole  number  of 
votes  to  which  said  townships  are  entitled. 

On  motion  of  Gen.  Orr,  the  following  resolution  was  unanimously 
adopted. 

'  Resolved,  That  the  convention  now  proceed  to  nominate  by 
ballot,  a  suitable  person  to  run  for  Representative,  each  delegate 
voting  as  his  name  is  called.' 

Whereupon,  Daniel  Brown,  of  Scipio  township,  having  received 

on  the  first  balloting  a  majority  of  all  the  votes,  it  was  on  motion  of 
Gen.  Orr, 

'  Resolved,  (unanimously),  That  Daniel  Brown,  be  recommended 
to  the  Whigs  of  this  county,  as  a  suitable  person  to  represent  them 
in  the  next  legislature.' 

On  motion  of  William  Clark,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the    convention    now    proceed    to    nominate    by ' 
ballot  a  suitable  person  to  be  run  for  Sheriff,  at  the  ensuing  August 
election,   each  delegate  voting  when  called.     Whereupon.  William 
Allen  having  received  a  majority  of  all  the  votes,  it  was  on  motion 
of  Gen.  Orr, 

1  Resolved,  That  William  Allen  be  recommended  to  the  Whigs 
of  LaPorte  countv.  as  a  suitable  man  for  Sheriff  of  said  county*' 

The  convention  then  proceeded  to  nominate  a  suitable  person  to 
he  supported  for  County  commissioner,  Whereupon,  llenly  Clyburn, 

having  received  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  given,  it  was   on  motion 
of  James  Clark, 

•  Resolved,  (unanimously),  That  Henly  Clyburn  be  recommended 
to  the  Whigs  of  this  county,  as  a  suitable  candidate  for  the  office  of 
Countv  commissioner,  for  district  number  three.' 

The  convention  then  proceeded  to  nominate  a  suitable  person  to 
be  run  for  the  office  of  School  commissioner,  Whereupon,  Abel 
Lomax,  having  received  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  given,  it  was. 


POLITICS.  213 

'Resolved,  (unanimously),  That  Abel  Lomax  be  recommended  to 
the  Whigs  of  this  county,  as  a  suitable  candidate  for  the  office  of 
School  commissioner,  at  the  next  August  election.' 

The  nominations  having  all  been  made,  on  motion  of  Warren 

Cole,  the  following  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted,  to-wit: 

'Resolved,  That  all  the  Log  Cabin  boys  present  be  invited  to 
take  part  in  this  convention.' 

Edmund  B.  Woodson,  Es<|.,  offered  the  following  resolution,  which 

was  unanimously  adopted,  to-wit: 

'Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  six  citizens  of  LaPorte  county, 
he  appointed  to  address  an  invitation  to  Gen.  Harrison,  to  meet  the 
young  men  of  Indiana,  at  the  Tippecanoe  battle  ground,  on  the 
29th  of  May  next,  and  to  request  his  attendance  there,  if  he  can 
possibly  do  so,  consistently  with  his  public  and  private  duties,  and 
that  said  committee  report  the  result  of  their  correspondence,  by 
publication  in  the  Whig  papers  of  this  county,  as  soon  as  possible. 
Whereupon  the  following  gentlemen  were  appointed  said  committee, 
Abram  P.  Andrew,  Jr.,  Charles  W.  Henry,  Edmund  B.  Woodson, 
James  M.  Stuart,  Gen.  Joseph  Orr  and  John  Walker. 

The  convention  was  then  favored  with  a  short  but  spirited  and 
eloquent  speech  by  Charles  W.  Henry.  Esq.,  which  being  concluded, 
on  motion  it  was  resolved,  that  the  proceedings  of  this  convention 
be  published  in  all  the  Whig  papers  of  this  county. 

On  motion  the  convention  the):  adjourned. 

G.  A.  Rose,  President. 

A.  L.  Osborn,  I  o    >  Abel  Lomax,  Vice  President." 

77    ^  r  >  oec  vs. 

E.  Mayhbw,     j        J 

On  the  13th,  the  Monday  following,  the  Democratic  county  con- 
vention was  held,  and  its  proceedings  as  reported  in  the  Herald, 
were  as  follows: 

"LAPORTE  COUNTY  DEMOCRATIC  CONVENTION. 

On  Monday  the  13th  of  April,  1840,  the  Democrats  of  this  county 
met  pursuant  to  previous  notice. 

On  motion,  Col.  John  Moore  was  called  to  the  chair ;  Dr.  S. 
Pulford  and  Mr.  Samuel  Treat,  Vice  Presidents;  and  Joseph  Lomax 
Secretary. 

On  motion  of  Thomas  D.  Lemon,  the  convention  nominated  the 
following  committee,  to  choose  officers  for  the  convention : 


214  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 

Abner  Bailey,  of  Centre ;  John  Wills,  of  Wills ;  William  Wright, 
of  New  Durham ;  Jabez  R.  Wells,  of  Michigan ;  Isaac  Jessup,  of 
Kankakee;  Ephraim  Barney,  of  Union;  John  I.  Crandall,  of 
Pleasant;  A.  Foster,  of  Hudson;  Day  Jones,  of  Coolspring ;  Niles 
Gregory,  of  Scipio,  and  Gilbert  Rose,  of  Springfield. 

The  committee  retired,  consulted,  returned,  and  reported  the  fol- 
lowing officers: 

John  I.  Candall,  President;  Schuyler  Pulford.  Samuel  Treat, 
Alee  Presidents;  Joseph  Lomax,  Charles  H.  Averill,  Secretaries. 

The  convention  adopted  the  report,  and  the  officers  took  their 
seats. 

Mr.  Enos  stated  the  object  of  the  convention. 

On  motion  ot  Mr.  Enos  the  convention  appointed  the  following 
committee  to  draft  resolutions  expressive  of  the  sentiments  of  the 
delegates  of  this  county ;  viz  : 

Alonzo  W.  Enos,  Gilbert  Hathaway,  Robert  Stewart,  Wilber  F. 
Storey,  William  Wright,  John  Wills,  A.  A.  Reynolds.  Nathan  B. 
Nichols,  John  Moore,  and  Thomas  Norris. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Storey  the  convention  adjourned  for  one  hour. 

The  convention  met. 

On  motion  of  W.  F.  Storey,  all  Democrats  present,  were  invited 
to  participate  in  the  deliberations  of  the  convention. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Hathaway,  the  convention  resolved  to  nomi- 
nate candidates  for  this  county  at  this  convention. 

Mr.  Enos  commenced  reading  the  resolutions,  reported  by  the 
committee,  when,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Stewart,  it  was  resolved  that  a 
vote  of  the  convention  should  be  taken  upon  each  resolution,  as  it 
should  be  read.  The  following  resolutions  were  then  read  and 
adopted,  viz: 

Resolved,  That  the  Federal  party  of  1*4').  is  the  same  identically 
with  the  Federal  party  of  1798  and  1800.  To  prove  it  let  facts 
answer.  Alexander  Hamilton,  the  founder  and  head  of  the  Federal 
party,  openly  avowed  and  publicly  maintained,  that  the  people  were 
not  capable  of  self  government — that  the  people  were  "turbulent  and 
changing,  and  seldom  judged  or  determined  right,  and  that  nothing 
but  a  permanent  body  of  life  legislators  could  check  the  impudence 
of  Democrat  The  Federal  party  have  always  been  in  favor  of  a 

National   Bank — they   maintain  that   a  national  debt  is  a  national 


POLITICS.  215 

* 

blessing,  and  acting  upon  this  principle,  the  present  Federal  party 
openly  advocate  the  assumption  of  the  State  debts  by  the  general 
government,  thereby  creating  a  debt  of  two  hundred  millions  of 
dollars — they  are  in  favor  of  an  extensive  system  of  internal 
improvements  to  be  carried  on  by  the  general  government — they  are 
in  favor  of  a  h-igh  tariff,  and  monopolies  of  every  grade  and  charac- 
ter— they  support  the  old  Alien  and  Sedition  laws,  and  at  a  recent 
date  they  were  clamorous  for  the  odious  and  proscriptive  gag-law, 
introduced  into  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  by  a  Federal  cham- 
pion— they  are  opposed  to  the  safe  keeping  and  disbursements  of 
the  public  revenue  in  the  only  safe  and  constitutional  way,  to  guard 
the  people  against  great  loss,  and  the  government  from  irresponsi- 
ble depositories — in  short  the  Federal  party  oppose  every  measure 
of  relief,  proposed  by  a  Democratic  administration — but,  propose 
nothing  themselves  to  mitigate  the  evils  of  which  they  complain. 

Resolved,  That  the  Democratic  party  repudiate  all  of  these  Fed- 
eral doctrines  and  oppose  them  as  being  dangerous  to  constitutional 
freedom  and  the  existence  of  Republican  institutions.     . 

Resolved,  That  as  Democratic  Republicans  of  the  old  school,  we 
feel  deeply  impressed  with  the  great  importance  of  the  approaching 
elections;  conscious  of  the  zeal,  power,  and  untiring  efforts  of  the 
Federal  party,  their  combinations  of  individual  and  corporate 
wealth — their  lavish  expenditures  of  money,  and  reckless  course 
to  accomplish  their  object,  however  base,  their  dishonest  and  dis- 
honorable attempts  to  create  panics  and  circulate  falsehoods — their 
attempted  deceit  to  palm  themselves  off  as  'Democratic  Whigs.' 
while  they  support  all  of  the  old  Federal  doctrines — conscious  of 
their  immense  power  for  doing  evil,  we  have  become  alarmed  for 
the  safety  of  our  government  and  the  perpetuity  of  our  free  institu- 
tions, and  deem  it  our  highest  privilege  and  first  duty,  thus  early, 
to  assemble,  in  order  to  adopt  such  measures  as  will  be  most  likely 
to  produce  union,  concert  of  action,  and  a  vigorous  effort  for  the 
contest  of  1840. 

Resolved,  That  our  confidence  in  the  ability  and  integrity  of 
Martin  Van  Buren,  President  of  the  United  States,  remains  unim- 
paired. His  decided  stand  in  favor  of  true  Democratic  principles, 
his  open  and  frank  avowal  of  opinions,  upon  all  subjects  of  deep 
interest  to  the  people,  entitle  him  to  the  continued  confidence  and 
support  of  every  Democrat. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  in  favor  of  the  Independent  Treasury 
Bill,  recently  passed  by  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  and  recom- 
mend it  to  the  careful  perusal  and  candid  reflection  of  every  Repub- 


216  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

lican  in  this  county,  as  the  only  safe  and  constitutional   method  of 
collecting  and  disbursing  the  government  revenue. 

Resolved,  That  the  unfounded  assertions  and  miserable  party 
slang  of  the  Federalists,  that  'the  present  administration,  by  its 
wicked  and  ruinous  policy,  has  deranged  the  currency — destroyed 
the  commerce,  and  brought  distress  and  ruin  upon  the  country,'  is 
as  false  as  it  is  infamously  base;  such  idle  declamation  and  false 
clamor  is  designed  for  party  effect,  to  make  early  impression-, 
corrupt  the  public  mind,  and  gratify  depraved  party  feeling. 

Resolved,  That  the  cry  of  the  Federal  party  against  'office- 
holders,' can  have  no  effect  in  this  county  or  elsewhere,  and  illy 
becomes  the  self-styled  Whig  party  of  this  State.  For  eight  long 
years  or  more,  the  Federalists  have  been  in  power  in  this  State, 
and  during  the  whole  of  that  period,  they  have  most  faithfully  acted 
upon  the  principle,  that  to  the  'victor  belong  the  spoils.'  They 
have  clutched  every  office  within  their  reach,  and  fattened  upon  the 
spoils  thereof,  to  the  removal  and  exclusion  of  Democrats  who  were 
honest,  faithful  and  capable.  No  opportunity  has  been  permitted 
to  pass  unimproved,  to  hurry  from  office  the  most  capable  men  of 
the  Republican  party,  to  make  room  for  Federal  demagogues,  and 
the  cormorant  cravings  of  incompetent  brawling  partisans.  Still 
this  same  Federal  party,  is  constantly  crying  out  against  the 
'office  holders.' 

Resolved,  That  when  the  Federal  party  came  into  power  in  this 
State,  there  was  an  overflowing  treasury,  the  credit  of  the  State  was 
unlimited,  and  unimpaired,  taxes  were  light,  and  cheerfully  paid; 
industry  received  an  ample  reward,  and  our  young  and  rapidly 
growing  State  was  advancing  steadily,  and  prudently  onward,  to 
that  high  rank  among  her  Bister  States,  to  which  she  was  justly 
entitled.  But  in  an  evil  hour,  the  siren  song  of  Federalism  won 
its  way  to  the  heart,  and  grained  the  support  of  many  a  true  Repub- 
lican. The  reign  of  Federalism  commenced,  and  its  progress  for 
the  last  eight  years,  has  beeo  onward,  until  the  last  cent  is  drained 
from  the  treasury.  The  State  has  become  bankrupt,  and  her  credit 
wholly  destroyed;  a  wild  and  reckless  spirit  of  legislation  b 
involved  us  in  a  debt  of  millions,  increased  our  taxes  until  they  are 
exorbitantly  high,  and  plunged  the  State  in  debt  to  carry  out  a 
system  of  improvement.-,  thai  will  cripple  the  energies,  eat  up  the 
wealth,  and  destroy  the  prosperity  of  the  State  for  the  next  half 
century. 

Re8olv<  dj  That  the  people  are  too  intelligent,  not  to  perceive  the 
danger  into  which  Federal  misrule  has  led  them.     Now  is  emphati- 


POLITICS.  217 

cally  the  time  for  the  people  to  arise  in  their  might,  and  hurl  from 
office  those  who  have  basely  deceived  them — sacrificed  their  dearest 
interests,  and  sold  their  right  inheritance  for  a  miserable  mess  of 
pottage,  and  put  in  their  place,  men  of  long  experience  and  tried 
integrity,  men  who  are  imbued  with  Democratic  principles,  wise  in 
counsel,  energetic,  yet  prudent  in  action,  and  who  will  stay  the  tor- 
rent that  threatens  to  overwhelm  us  in  irretrievable  ruin. 

Resolved,  That  as  the  friends  of  free  government,  we  feel  it  to 
be  our  duty  to  oppose  the  election,  to  any  important  office,  of  every 
person  whose  notions  of  government  and  public  policy  are  not 
founded  in  the  fundamental  principles  of  Democracy,  and  that  in  the 
future,  in  the  exercise  of  the  rights  of  freemen,  we  will  be  more  par- 
ticular in  selecting  the  sentiments  of  all  inclividals  for  office,  as  to 
the  cardinal  doctrines  of  Republicanism. 

Resolved,  That  in  Tilghman  A.  Howard,  as  a  candidate  for  Gov- 
ernor of  this  State,  we  have  an  honest  man,  a  prudent  statesman, 
an  inflexible  and  consistent  Democrat,  and  one  who  is  well  qualified 
to  stand  at  the  helm  of  our  State  affairs,  at  a  time  so  peculiarly  dif- 
ficult, and  trying  as  the  present. 

If  we  wish  to  redeem  our  State  from  the  depths  of  degradation  to 
which  she  is  already  sunk,  let  us  make  one  bold  and  determined 
effort,  and  rallying  around  the  standard,  whereon  is  subscribed 
'Howard  and  Reform,'  march  boldly  on  to  victory  in  the  approach- 
ing contest. 

Resolved,  That  we  approve  of  the  convention  to  be  held  at  Delphi 
in  this  district,  on  the  18th  day  of  April  inst.,  for  the  purpose  of 
putting  in  nomination  a  suitable  person  to  fill  the  vacancy  soon  to 
occur  in  the  seventh  congressional  district,  by  the  resignation  of  the 
Hon.  T.  A.  Howard,  our  present  representative. 

Resolved.  That  although  we  are  willing  to  abide  by  the  nomina- 
tion that  will  be  made  at  the  congressional  convention,  to  be  holclen 
at  Delphi  on  the  18th  inst.,  and  to  cheerfully  cast  our  votes  for  the 
same,  yet  we  are  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  nomination  of  the  Hon.  E. 
A.  Hannegan,  and  earnestly  recommend  him  to  the  support  of  said 
convention,  believing  him  to  be  eminently  qualified  to  discharge 
the  high  duties  of  the  office  of  congressman. 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  imperious  duty  of  every  Democrat  to  see 
that  there  is  a  perfect  and  thorough  organization  in  every  township 
in  the  county.  We  well  know,  that  it  is  by  constant  and  untiring 
vigilance  only,  that  we  are  enabled  to  guard  our  liberties,  and  pro- 
tect our  civil  rights ;  why  then  slumber  at  our  posts,  and  remain 
inactive,  when  both  are  violently  assailed  by  Federalism,  and  danger 


218  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

threatens  us  on  every  side?  Democrats!  awake  to  a  sense  of  duty, 
organize  in  every  township,  and  take  a  bold  stand  for  reform  and 
constitutional  liberty  at  the  coming  election. 

Resolved,  That  we  consider  the  notion  that  'solvency  of  a  bank 
does  not  depend  upon  the  amount  of  specie  in  its  vaults '  and  that 
•the  banks  suspend  to  relieve  the  suiferings  of  community,'  as  great 
discoveries  in  political  economy,  well  worthy  the  consideration  of  the 
wise  and  good,  and  that  the  inventors  are  justly  entitled  to  the 
honor  of  knighthood. 

Resolved,  That  we  heartily  approve  the  nomination  of  our  worthy 
and  faithful  late  Senator,  the  Hon.  Charles  W.  Cathcart.  for  re-elec- 
tion, and  that  we  will  use  all  reasonable  endeavors  to  insure  his 
success. 

During  the  consideration  of  the  resolutions,  the  convention  was 
addressed  bv  Messrs.  Enos  and  Cathcart. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Stewart,  the  convention  then  proceeded  to  bal- 
lot for  a  candidate  for  Representative  from  this  county  to  the  State 
legislature.  On  the  first  ballot  it  appeared  that  Willard  A.  Place 
had  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  given.  So  he  was  declared  duly 
nominated  for  that  office.  The  convention  then  unanimously  chose 
William  M.  Patterson  for  Sheriff.  Abram  Fravel  for  School  com- 
missioner, and  Dewitt  Strong  for  County  commissioner. 

On  motion  of  W.  F.  Storey,  the  convention  proceeded  to  the 
appointment  of  delegates  to  the  congressional  convention.  The  fol- 
lowing were  appointed: 

Wilher  F.  Storey,  William  W.  Taylor,  Joseph  Lomax.  Nathan 
W.  Low,  Lawson  Hough.  John  M.  Lemon.  Thomas  D.  Lemon, 
Gilbert  Hathaway,  John  Cissne  and  Ithream  Taylor. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Stewart,  all  delegates  who  could  not  attend, 
were  authorized  to  fill  their  vacancies,  provided  they  should  do  it 
with  good  Democrats. 

Messrs.  Enos  and  Wells,  addressed  the  convention. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Enos, 

''.   That   Federal   principles   are  like   Harrison   victor: 
few  and  far  between — and  made  to  suit  party  customs;  and   that 
Harrison's  battles,  so  gloriously   won.  according  to  the  tactics  of 
the  Federal  party,  are  like  his  principles,  wholly  unknown  and  un- 
heard of. 


POLITICS.  219 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Storey,  the  following  Central  committee  for  this 
county,  was  appointed. 

Samuel  Treat,  Abner  Bailey,  Joseph  Lomax,  Daniel  Frye  and 
Lawson  Hough. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Enos. 

Besolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  convention,  be  tendered  to  the 
presiding  officers  thereof,  for  the  able  and  impartial  manner  in  which 
they  have  discharged  their  respective  duties. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Enos,  it  was  resolved  that  the  proceedings  of 
this  convention  shall  be  signed  by  the  officers,  and  published  in  the 
LaPorte  Herald. 

The  convention  adjourned. 

John  I.  Crandall,  President, 

Joseph  Lomax,  1  c       ,    .      Schuyler  Pulford,  1  ,r.     ^    ,   ,, 
n  v    a.tT,t,ttt    r  Secretaries.  0  m         '  V  Vice  Pre  s. 

(J.  K.  Averill,  j  Samuel  Treat,  j 

The  Herald  contained  the  following  comment  on  the  proceedings 
of  the  convention : 

•'LaPorte  county  Democratic  convention.  On  last  Monday  we 
had  the  largest  political  convention  that  probably  was  ever  held 
in  the  county.  The  Democrats  have  commenced  operations  in 
the  right  spirit.  We  have  great  hopes  of  overturning  the  oppres- 
sive bank  aristocracy  of  this  much  abused  county.  The  people  are 
tired  of  the  wretched  management  of  our  public  aifairs.  If  large 
conventions  are  indicative  of  the  strength  of  parties,  then  the  Dem- 
ocrats of  LaPorte  county  have  greit  reason  to  rejoice.  The  names 
of  the  nominees  may  be  found  at  the  head  of  this  column.  We  had 
a  numerous,  a  spirited,  a  well-conducted,  a  real,  genuine,  first-rate, 
glorious  convention.  And  what  is  still  better,  every  thing  passed 
off  in  the  most  harmonious  feeling,  that  could  have  been  wished. 
Without  further  comment,  it  is  enough  to  say  the  convention  was 
Democratic,  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  The  oppositionists  cannot, 
in  truth,  speak  thus  of  their  last  Saturday's  convention." 

On  the  16th  of  April  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  Whig  young 
men  of  Centre  township  held  at  the  court  house,  and  to  show  the 
enthusiasm  for  "American  liberty  burning  in  their  bosoms,"  the 
proceedings  of  the  meeting  are  here  given.  The  resolutions  were 
probably  drawn  by  Myron  H.  Orton. 


220  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

"The  meeting  of  the  Whig  young  men  of  Centre  township,  pursu- 
ant to  public  notice,  was  held  at  the  Court  House  on  the  16th  day  of 
April  and  notwithstanding  the  unfavorable  state  of  the  weather,  the 
assembly  was  large  and  respectable. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  M.  W.  Patton,  M.  II.  Orton,  was  called  to  the 
chair,  and  M.  A.  Allen  appointed  secretary. 

The  object  of  the  meeting  having  been  stated  by  the  chair,  on 
motion  of  M.  A.  Allen,  a  committee  of  six  was  appointed  to  draft 
resolutions  expressive  of  the  sease  of  this  meeting,  and  the  following 
gentlemen  were  appointed  said  committee :  Messrs.  Jesse  Wasson. 
Jeremiah  Early.  Jason  Holloway,  John  W.  Reid,  M.  W.  Patton, 
and  H.  Rodifer,  who  after  retiring  a  few  moments,  reported  the 
following  preamble  and  resolutions  : 

Whereas,  We,  the  Whig  Young  men  of  Centre  township,  do 
most  candidly  lament  the  present  depressed  state  of  the  times,  rendered 
doubly  lamentable  by  the  suddenness  of  the  transition  from  a  state 
of  prosperity,  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  nations,  to  the  verge  of 
bankruptcy;  a  state  of  prosperity  presenting  a  spectacle  of  wonder 
and  astonishment  to  the  old  world,  of  an  infant  colonv  shaking  off 
the  shackles  of  tyranny,  assuming  in  the  short  space  of  sixty- four 
years  a  standing  among  the  first  nations  of  the  old  world,  vieing 
with  them  in  the  cultivation  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  in  the  promo- 
tion of  manufactures,  and  the  extension  of  commerce;  far  surpassing 
them  in  mineral  and  agricultural  resources,  and  in  being  blessed 
with  a  government  better  adapted  (when  properly  administered),  to 
secure  the  happiness  of  the  people  than  any  other  that  has  >ver 
existed;  from  being  seated  upon  the  pinnacle  of  national  prosperity 
at  once  the  pride  and  envy  of  the  world,  we  have  been  hurled  head- 
long down  the  treacherous  cliffs  of  experiments,  and  are  now  grovel- 
ling in  the  valley  of  ruin  and  despondency  We  have  become 
objects  of  contempt  and  derision  to  foreigners,  and  the  slaves  and 
vassals  of  those  whose  legitimate  sphere  is  the  Bervice  of  the  people; 
and,  whereas,  in  this  great  revolution,  which  has  taken  place  in 
'  our  national  condition,  we  recognize  the  fruit  of  the  present  imbe- 
cile and  corrupt  administration:  and  whereas,  we  deprecate  the 
election  of  Martin  Van  Buren  to  the  Presidency  of  the  United 
State-,  as  the  finishing  stroke  of  a  political  scheme  that  will  sap  the 
citadel  of  libertv ;  and  whereas  in  the  Praetorian  band  of  office 
holders  which  infest  our  land,  the  sworn  vassal  of  the  lord  of  the 
manor,  we  recognize  a  system  of  bribery  and  corruption  calculated 


POLITICS.  221 

to  destroy  the  purity  of  the  elective  franchise,  and  to  render  the 
votes  of  freemen  a  merchantable  commodity ;  and,  whereas,  actua- 
ted by  sentiments  of  gratitude  to  the  immortal  achievers  of  our 
independence,  and  to  the  illustrious  framers  of  our  constitution,  we 
consider  ourselves  bound  by  the  mutual  ties  of  honor  and  consan- 
guinity to  transmit,  unimpaired,  this  glorious  inheritance  to  poster- 
ity ;  and  whereas  we  consider  the  course  of  the  present  administra- 
tion opposed  to  the  spirit  and  tenor  of  the  constitution,  and  pregnant 
with  consequences  disastrous  to  our  prosperity,  ruinous  and 
destructive  to  our  interest,  and  subversive  of  civil  liberty;  And 
whereas,  being  heartily  tired  of  experiments  and  experimenters,  we 
most  heartily  desire  to  return  to  the  old  and  tried  method  of  admin- 
istering the  government  upon  the  principles  laid  down  in  the  consti- 
tution, and  upon  which  the  administration  of  Washington  and 
Jefferson  were  modeled ;     Therefore, 

Resolved,  That  the  young  men  of  the  United  States  are  to  be  the 
future  props  of  the  American  Republic,  and  upon  their  intelligence 
and  patriotism  will  depend  the  security  of  the  ark  of  our  political 
liberty  and  the  dearest  interests  of  the  civilized  globe,  and  that  in 
order  to  give  our  minds  and  our  feelings  a  thorough  training  pre- 
paratory to  one  of  the  first  political  battles  we  shall  be  called  upon 
to  fight  next  August  and  November,  we  will  visit  and  participate  in 
the  object  of  the  thousands  who  will  meet  on  the  battle  field  of  Tip- 
pecanoe, on  the  29  of  May  next,  and  that  even  now  in  comtemplat- 
ing  the  scene  that  will  be  there  exhibited,  our  minds  expand,  and 
our  bosoms  dilate  with  emotions  of  pride  and  patriotism,  and  we 
congratulate  ourselves  upon  the  fact,  that  there  is  virtue  enough 
among  the  people  to  purge  the  Republic  of  swindlers,  robbers, 
spoilsmen  and  all  corruption. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  meeting,  the  present  is  a 
period  in  the  history  of  our  country  in  which  every  young  man  who 
feels  the  least  spark  of  American  liberty  burning  in  his  bosom, 
ought  to  come  manfully  forward  to  the  support  of  the  people's  log 
cabin  candidate  for  the  Presidency. 

Resolved,  That  we  place  implicit  confidence  in  the  Hero  of  Tip- 
pecanoe for  a  speedy  deliverance  from  the  present  embarrassments 
of  our  country,  and  a  just  compensation  for  the  produce  of  the 
farmer,  and  the  labor  of  the  mechanic. 

Resolved,  That  we,  the  young  men  of  LaPorte  county,  in  our 
humble  sphere,  will  use  all  honorable  means  within  our  power,  to 
elevate  to  the  Presidency  the  Cincinnatus  of  America,  trusting  that 
he  will  not,  in  the  evening  of  his  days,  obscure  the  splendor  of  his 


222  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

former  actions;  and  that  by  his  known  honesty,  integrity  and  patriot- 
riotism,  he  will  elevate  us  to  our  former  prosperity  and  enhance  our 
glory  among  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Resolved,  that  we  heartily  approve  of  the  plan  of  holding  a  con- 
vention on  the  Tippecanoe  1  tattle  ground  on  the  29th  of  May  next, 
and  also  recommend  a  general  turn  out  of  the  Young  Men  of  this 
county  on  said  occasion. 

Besolved,  That  on  the  29th  of  May  next,  the  Tippecanoe  Club 
of  LaPorte  will  proceed  to  the  battle  field  of  Tippecanoe;  that  we 
will  take  our  bread,  bacon,  hard  cider  and  our  tents,  and  all  the 
paraphernalia  of  the  camp  along  with  us,  together  with  a  large  ban- 
ner upon  which  shall  be  inscribed,  Retrenchment  and  Reform,  Log 
Cabin,  Hard  Cider,  and  No  Quarter. 

Resolved,  That  the  Tippecanoe  Club  will  meet  again  on  the  26th 
day  of  April,  at  the  Court  House,  and  that  a  general  attendance  of 
the  young  men  of  this  county  is  requested. 

Besolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  published  in 
the  LaPorte  county  Win';/. 

M.  H.  Ortox,  President, 
M.  A.  Allen,  Secretary." 

In  April,  a  charter  election  was  held  at  Michigan  City,  which 
resulted  in  a  Whig  victory;  and  the  Q-azette  of  the  15th,  gave  an 
account  of  the  rejoicings  on  the  occasion,  which  were  of  the  most 
enthusiastic  character,  the  Democrats  having  carried  the  previous 
election.  The  following  quotation  from  that  paper  is  given  as  illus- 
trative of  the  demonstrative  proceedings : 

"THE    BALL    IN    MOTION. 

Yesterday  was  a  proud  day  for  the  friends  of  Harrison  and 
Reform  in  tin's  city.  At  an  early  hour,  before  the  opening  of  the 
polls,  the  Brig  Constitution  passed  through  our  streets  appropriately 
decorated  with  banners  and  mot  iocs,  and  manned  bv  a  hardy  set  of 
brave  Whig  tars,  under  the  command  of  Mr.  James  P.  Pendill. 
From  the  foremast  streamed  the  broad  banner  of  *  \V.  11.  Harrison." 
and  from  the  mainmast  streamed  a  flag  bearing  the  motto  *  Harrison 
and  Tyler.'  At  the  stern  of  the  Brig  was  a  flag  bearing  the  words, 
'United  we  stand,  divided  we  fall.'  'Go  the  straight  ticket.'  The 
stars  and  stripes  waved  proudly  over  all,  and  as  the  Brig  passed 
through  our  streets,  the  citizens  sent  up  long  and  loud  huzzas, 
whilst  the  brass  band  enlivened  the  scene  by  the  various  tunes  which 


politics.  223 

they  played  on  board  the  Brig  in  the  true  Whig  spirit.  In  the 
rear  of  the  boat  followed  a  host  of  true  Harrison  voters;  and 
when  the  poll  was  opened,  proceeded  to  the  place  and  deposited 
their  votes  in  order,  which  made  our  opponents  look  rather  streaked. 
As  the  Brig  passed  along  we  noticed  a  brave  son  of  the  ocean 
heaving  the  lead,  and  singing  out  the  soundings ;  and  as  the  Brig 
approached  the  poll,  we  could  hear  him  singing  out  'Land  Ho.' 
To  the  tempest-tossed  mariner  this  is  always  a  welcome  shout,  and 
to  the  friends  of  the  constitution  it  was  doubly  so.  For  years  a 
proud  and  haughty  dynasty  has  lorded  it  over  the  rights  and 
interests  of  the  people,  and  we  have  never  been  cheered  by  the 
sight  of  a  safe  anchorage  until  the  gallant  Harrison  was  selected  as 
Pilot  with  the  prospect  of  promotion  to  Commander  of  the  next 
voyage.  Since  then  from  all  quarters  we  have  the  cheering  new-, 
'  Land  Ho.'     Let  us  push  forward  to  victory  and  success. 

The  entire  Whig  ticket  was  elected  by  handsome  majorties.  The 
following  is  the  ticket: 

Mayor,  John  Francis;  Recorder,  William  H.  Goodhue;  Alder- 
men, Chauncey  B.  Blair,  James  McAdoo,  George  R.  Selkirk 
Daniel  E.  Garnsey,  Reynolds  Couden;  Treasurer,  Fisher  Ames; 
Assessors,  Horace  Burr,  Wyllis  Peck,  Henry  0.  Carter;  Collector, 
Joshua  S.  McDowell ;   Constable,  Joshua  S.  McDowell. 

Let  us  'keep  the  ball  in  motion.'" 

It  will  be  observed  that  while  the  Democratic  convention  pre- 
sented fully  its  platform  of  principles,  the  Whig  party  did  not. 
The  reason  of  this  is  probably  found  in  the  fact  that  a  meeting  of 
the  Whigs  had  been  called  in  the  preceding  December,  at  which 
the  views  and  principles  on  which  they  entered  the  campaign  of 
1840  were  fully  set  forth.  The  proceedings  of  that  meeting  were 
published  in  the  Whig,  and  they  are  here  given  in  full,  that  the 
precise  position  of  each  party  may  be  seen,  as  in  this  county  they 
contended  for  supremacy  in  that  most  famous  of  all  our  political 
contests. 

"whig  meeting. 

Pursuant  to  a  call  of  the  Whig  Central  Committee,  a  meeting 
was  held  at  the   Court  House  in  LaPorte  on  Saturday  the   28th 


224  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

instant.     The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  the  appointment  of 

Mr.  John  C.  Reid,  as  President,  J.  M.  Barclay  and  J.  Bigelow  as 

Vice  Presidents,  and  J.  M.  Stuart,  Secretary. 

The   object  of  this  meeting  having  been  stated  by  Mr.  John  B. 

Niles,  it  was,  on  motion, 

Besolved,  That  a  committee  of  seven  be  appointed  to  report  res- 
olutions expressive  of  the  objects  of  this  meeting;  whereupon  the 
Chair  appointed  J.  H.  Bradley,  J.  M.  Stuart,  0.  A.  Barker.  Gar- 
land Rose,  A.  P.  Andrew,  Jr.,  D.  Closser  and  Charles  W.  Henry, 
said  committee ;  who,  after  having  retired  a  few  moments,  reported 
the  following  preamble  and  resolutions,  which  were  unanimously 
adopted : 

The  Whig  citizens  of  the  county  of  LaPorte,  now  assembled  in 
county  meeting,  in  pursuance  of  a  call  of  our  Central  committee, 
deem  it  proper  again  to  express  ourselves  in  relation  to  the  matters 
which  prompt  our  political  action ;  and  about  which,  as  freemen  of 
the  Republic,  we  are  soon  to  be  called  on  to  act.  We  have  seen, 
with  regret,  the  course  pursued  by  our  rulers  for  several  of  the  past 
years,  a  course  demonstrating,  as  it  developes  itself,  its  own  fatal 
effects  upon  the  prosperity  of  our  common  country.  The  wide  felt 
depression  of  all  the  energies  of  business,  the  prostration  of  trade, 
the  utter  worthlessness  of  the  products  of  agriculture,  and  the  conse- 
quent ruin  now  depending  above  the  head  of  almost  every  business 
man,  heretofore  by  us  so  often  warned  of  and  foretold,  as  sure  results 
of  the  late  conduct  of  our  general  administration,  are  now  unfortu- 
nately too  obvious,  to  even  the  most  unimjuiring  mind,  to  need  any 
remark  from  us. 

Experiments,  which  in  their  results,  prove  so  deleterious  to  a 
whole  community  should  never  be  tried.  They  cause  always  great 
confusion  and  much  distress  in  the  trial,  and  the  gain  from  them, 
when  successful,  scarcely  ever  compensates  for  the  loss  sustained  in 
producing  that  success.  But  a  few  years  ago,  within  the  memory 
of  almost  the  youngest  here,  the  path  of  the  business  man  was  even 
and  unobstructed.  The  currency  of  the  Union  firm,  stable,  and 
built  upon  a  foundation  not  easily  shaken  ;  fluctuated  only  under 
the  slight  influence  of  our  foreign  trade.  Our  labor  and  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  soil,  then  not  only   found  a  market,  but  their  price.. 


politics.  225 

when  realized  was  of  certain  and  definite  value.  Now  from  the 
general  derangement  ot  money  matters,  not  only  have  we  no  market, 
no  price  of  certain  availability,  but  even  in  the  uncertain  one,  some- 
times presented,  we  are  not  sure  that  we  shall  receive  any  equiva- 
lent for  what  we  sell.  That  which  is  money  and  valuable  at  one 
point  of  the  Union,  is  valueless,  or  nearly  so  at  another. 

What  has  produced  this  state  of  affairs  is  now  easily  answered. 
Who  has  brought  about  the  production  is  not  more  difficult  to 
designate. 

A  restless,  ruleless  disposition   not  to  be  content  with  enough  of 
good,  to   take  prosperity   in  its  common  even   disposition,  to   follow 
in  any  beaten  track,  plain  and  proven  safe  and  of  easy  passage,  and 
a  bold  adventurous   determination  in  the  executive  of  the  Union, 
unguided  by  reason  and   unrestrained  by  law,   are  the  causes   to 
which  all  these  evils  owe  their  origin.     When,  by  the  overwhelming 
force  of  public  opinion,  President  Jackson   became  the  executive  of 
the  Union,  that  public  opinion  owed  its  origin  to  a  deep  seated 
belief  that  a  reform  was  necessary  in  the  expenditures  of  the  country, 
and  that  proper  economy  had  been  lost  sight  of  by  former  rulers. 
How   far  this  great  desideratum  of  those  times  has  been  achieved, 
now  every  one  knows.     Instead  of  retrenchment  and  reform,   we 
have  been  compelled  to  witness  a  most  profligate  and  unwarrantable 
waste  of  the  public  money,  mad  schemes  of  finance  and  obstinate 
persistence  in   them  after  failure  has  been  evident,  a  loose  adminis- 
tration of  public  affairs  having  for  its  object,  more  to  reward  parti- 
sans than  to  protect  the  public,  and  a  consequent  loss  of  millions  to 
the  country  by  entrusting  it  in  the  hands  of  men  wholly  irresponsi- 
ble, and  in  many  cases,  notoriously  dishonest,  are  matters  that  have 
successively  developed  themselves  for  the  last  eight  years,  until  it  is 
feared  that  as   a  nation,  we  have  suffered   in  our  character  for  mor- 
ality   and    integrity,    much    more    under    the    present    dynasty, 
independently  of  any  other  loss  or  evil  than  under  all  former  admin- 
istrations.    We   have   seen   the   whole  fabric  of  political   principle 
upon  which  Andrew  Jackson  mounted  into  power,  entirely  swept 
away.     The  internal   improvement  of  the  Union,  an  object  first  in 
importance  in  all   other  countries   is  here,  by  his  fiat  an  abandoned 
and  forbidden  thing.     The  protection  of  the  industry,  the  produc- 

15 


226  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

tion  and  manufactures  of  our  own  citizens  has  followed  in  its  wake, 
and  so  far  as  the  last  measure  is  concerned,  our  people  and  their 
resources,  are  thrown  prostrate  before,  and  completely  subservient 
to,  the  production  of  foreign  and  servile  countries. 

The  destruction  of  the  tariff  allows  England  to  compete  with  us 
in  our  own  market,  and  with  the  labor  of  its  slaves  to  undersell  our 
citizens,  while  that  same  country  will  not  permit  us  to  land  an 
article  of  our  agricultural  products  (other  than  cotton  which  it  can- 
not produce),  upon  its  shores. 

Measures  like  these  marked  the  administration  of  Andrew 
Jackson,  and  their  effects  are  written  unfortunately,  too  legibly  in 
the  present  condition  of  a  groaning  people. 

Martin  Van  Buren,  his  chosen  and  appointed  successor,  came 
into  office  avowedly  to  follow  in  his  predecessor's  footsteps.  How 
well  he  has  done  so,  let  the  continued  derangement  of  the  currency, 
the  daily  appointments  of  purchased  partisans,  the  hundreds  of 
defaulters,  the  notorious  insolvencv  of  the  treasurv,  and  last  and 
orreatest,  the  utter  disregard  of  the  wants  and  interests  of  the 
people,  in  the  leading  measures  of  his  administration,  answer. 

When  we  see  an  unhallowed  distinction  made  in  the  payment  of 
equally  just  debts,  when  the  office-holding  partisan  demands  the 
gold  for  himself,  but  pays  to  his  laboring  man  what  he  calls  rags, 
we  are  led  to  ask  if  it  is  Republicanism  that  prompts  him? 

When  by  daily  annunciations,  dishonesty  and  crime  arc  charged 
upon  public  agents  and  public  men,  and  when  investigation  is 
feared.  we  see  the  administration  by  a  traitorous  and  destructive 
usurpation  of  power,  attempt,  aye.  almost  succeed,  to  disfranchise, 
to  trample  upon,  to  strike  from  the  Union  a  faithful  patriotic  state, 
whose  very  field  is  saturated  and  red  with  the  blood  of  the  revolution, 
whose  every  valley  teems  with  the  memory  of  victory  and  freedom; 
are  led  to  ask  if  it  is  in  the  hearts  of  freemen  longer  to  let  such 
things  be.  We  answer,  and  we  do  hope  and  believe  our  whole  country 
will  join  us  in  the  answer,  No.  We  think  we  see  in  the  flag  of  the 
opposition,  so  triumphantly  unfurled,  bearing  the  honored  names  of 
iiarrison  and  Tyler,  a  unanimous  and  unequivocal  answer.  No. 

Let  us  then  once  more  unite  ourselves  fur  an  effectual  and  radical 
change.    Let  us  show  by  the  unanimity  of  our  action,  that  we  have  at 


politics.  227 

i 

heart  the  common  good,  and  that  all  other  and  minor  considerations 
have  yielded  to  a  deep  determination  to  hurl  the  present  adminis- 
tration from  power,  and  that  object  and  that  only  we  will  unceas- 
ingly pursue. 

In  the  nomination  of  William  Henry  Harrison,  we  hail  a 
harbinger  of  better  times.  He  comes  before  us  for  our  suffrages 
fresh  from  the  ranks  of  the  people,  unpolluted  and  uncorrupted  by 
power,  untrammeled  by  any  pledges. 

He  is  now  as  he  has  always  been,  one  of  the  people — mingling 
with  them  in  their  common  affairs — estimating  by  personal  experi- 
ence, their  wants  and  their  enjoyments;  and/possessing  by  these 
means,  one  of  the  greatest  requisites  for  a  ruler.  For  more  than 
forty  years  he  has  been  subjected  to  the  ordeal  of  public  opinion, 
and  in  all  that  time,  in  whatever  station  he  was  placed,  whether  as 
governor  or  governed,  we  find  no  charge  of  corruption  or  dishonesty 
attached  to  him,  even  by  his  enemies. 

As  the  Governor  of  the  Northwestern  territory  he  has  conferred 
more  benefit  upon  the  West,  than  all  other  rulers  besides,  and  in  his 
whole  career  in  that  official  capacity  under  the  successive  appoint- 
ments of  Presidents  Jefferson  and  Madison,  his  whole  aim  was  to 
increase  the  power  and  prosperity  of  his  country,  to  render  it  a 
peaceable,  happy  and  profitable  home  to  its  people,  without  in  one 
solitary  instance,  looking  towards  his  own  personal  aggrandizement. 

Of  his  conduct  as  a  soldier  in  defence  of  his  country,  it  is  not 
necessary  for  us  here  to  speak.  We  live  upon  the  ground  where  his 
battles  were  fought,  and  if  any  shall  seek  information  of  him  there, 
we  refer  them  to  the  hundreds  around  us,  who  shared  those  battles 
with  him.  Go  ask  of  them,  and  if  there  can  be  found  one  solitary 
brave  man  who  bared  his  bosom  at  the  side  of  Harrison,  in  that 
strife,  whose  blood  at  a  charge  of  dishonor  against  his  general,  will 
not  boil,  and  his  spirit  leap  to  hurl  back  the  charge  in  the  teeth  of 
the  slanderer,  then  let  his  character  rest  upon  the  opinion  of  that 
single  man. 

The  battle  fields  of  Tippecanoe,  of  Fort  Meigs  and  of  the  Thames, 
present  to  the  world  unperishable  monuments  of  his  fame  as  a 
soldier,  and  upon  that  evidence  he  may  safely  rest. 

As  a  statesman,  he  stands  the  admitted  equal  of  those  with  whom 


228  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 

he  has   acted,    and   calumny  itself  has   never   dared   to  assail  him 
there. 

The  latter  part  of  his  life  has  been  occupied  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits— retired  from  the  world,  a  private  man,  seeking  no  place  or 
power,  he  has  devoted  himself  to  the  business  of  agriculture,  nnd  in 
that  position  he  is  found  when  now  called  upon  by  the  unanimous 
voice  of  the  largest  convention  ever  assembled  in  the  Union,  to 
assume  the  office  of  President  of  the  United  States.  With  the 
decision  of  that  convention  we  most  cordially  agree.  To  the  candi- 
dates then  presented  to  us,  we  pledge  our  undivided  Bupport: 
Therefore. 

Resolved,  That  as  citizens  of  Indiana,  we  know  no  man  to  whom 
we  are  under  greater  obligations  as  a  people  than  to  Wm.  Henry 
Harrison,  nor  any  one  whose  virtue  and  talents  more  entitle  him 
to  our  undivided  support  for  the  office  of  President  of  the  United 
States. 

Resolved,  That  we  hail  the  nomination, of  the  Hon  John  Tyler 
of  Virginia,  for  the  office  of  Vice  President  of  the  United  States.  as  a 
covenant  between  the  North  and  the  South,  and  we  shall  look  upon 
his  election  as  evidence  that  our  government  will  be  administered 
upon  the  principles  of  the  times  of  Washington  and  Jefferson,  when 
patriotism  held  the  place,  now  unsurped  by  party.  With  such  can- 
didates as  Harrison  and  Tvler  we  shall  not  onlv  achieve,  but  we 
shall  merit  success. 

Resolved,  That  the  letter  of  Senator  Foster  of  Tennessee,  in 
answer  to  the  instructions  of  a  party  legislature  of  his  State,  i-  just 
such  a  response  as  we  hope  every  Whig  would  make  to  such 
instructions.  "Tis  a  fit  answer  from  a  patriot  to  such  servile  pon- 
derers, for  their  official  master-. 

Resolved,  That  we  approve  of  the  plan  of  holding  a  State  conven- 
tion at  Indianapolis,  on  the  16th  of  January.  1n4<>.  for  nominating 
candidates  for  Grovernor  and  Lieutenant  Governor,  and  an  electoral 
ticket,  and  that  W.  W.  Higgins,  -I.  M.  Barclay.  Dr.  S.  Evert-.  S. 
Stewart,  M.  Osborn,  S.  Vanpelt,  <'.  W.  Henry.  Miles  J.  Henry.  -J. 
H.  Bradley,  William  ("lark.  J.  M.  Stuart  and  W.  J.  Walker,  be 
appointed  delegates  to  represent  the  county  of  LaPorte  in  said  Stat.' 
convention,  with  power  to  supply  any  vacancy  in  their  own  body. 

Resolved,  That  our  delegates  to  the  State  convention  be  instructed 
to  present  the  name  of  Abraham  P.  Andrew,  Jr.,  to  the  convention 
as  a  candidate  for  elector  of  President  and  Vice  President,  for 
northern  Indiana. 


politics.  229 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  the  holding  of  a  convention  of 
delegates  from  the  several  counties,  in  March  next,  at  Valparaiso,  in 
Porter  county,  to  nominate  a  Whig  candidate  to  be  supported  by 
us  for  Senator,  from  this  senatorial  district,  and  that  Josiah  Grover, 
of  Noble  township,  0.  A.  Barker  of  Michigan,  W.  H.  H.  White- 
head of  Wills,  John  Reynolds,  of  Hudson,  Gilbert  Rose,  of  Spring- 
field. A.  Blackburn,  of  Kankakee,  Dr.  Whitcomb,  of  Clinton,  D. 
G.  Rose,  of  Scipio,  James  M.  Ray,  of  New  Durham,  Samuel  Stewart, 
of  Pleasant,  Wm.  Allen,  of  Centre  and  David  Harmon  of  Galena, 
be  appointed  delegates  to  represent  LaPorte  county  in  said  convention. 

Resolved.  That  a  committee  of  three  residing  in  LaPorte  county 
be  appointed  to  correspond  with  other  counties  in  relation  to  hold- 
ing the  said  senatorial  convention,  with  authority  to  agree  upon  the 
exact  time  for  holding  the  convention;  whereupon,  the  chair 
appointed  Dr.  S.  Everts,  C.  W.  Henry  and  Reuben  Munday,  Esq., 
said  committee. 

On  motion,  Resolved.  That  Jacob  Early,  John  B.  Niles,  D. 
Closser,  Wm.  Andrew.  John  H.  Bradley,  Joseph  Orr,  Aaron 
Stanton,  M.  H.  Orton  and  Henry  Fredrickson,  be  appointed  a 
central  committee  for  this  county,  for  the  ensuing  year. 

On  motion,  Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be 
signed  by  the  President,  Vice  Presidents,  and  countersigned  by  the 
clerk,  and  published  in  the  LaPorte  County  Whig  and  Michigan 
City  Gazette. 

John  C.  Reid,  President. 

J.  BlGELOW,  |  ir       -p       .  , 

J.  M.Barclay,  }  Vice  Presidents. 

J.  M.  Stuart,  Secretary.'* 

The  feeling  towards  those  who  were  opposed  to  slavery,  and  were 
hence  called  "Abolitionists'1  has  already  been  alluded  to ;  and  it 
is  thought  advisable  to  present  here  further  evidence  of  the  feeling 
that  existed  towards  these  sincere  and  conscientious  men.  In  the 
LaPorte  Herald  of  March  7,  1840,  there  appeared  a  long  article 
entitled  "Abolitionism,"  written  by  Wilber  F.  Storey,  one  of  the 
editors,  and  now  the  editor-in-chief,  and  proprietor  of  the  Chicago 
Time*.     The  following  passages  are  copied  from  that  article: 

•'During  two  weeks  past  considerable  excitement  has  existed  in 
this  county  in  consequence  of  the  presence  of  two  emissaries  or 
missionaries  sent  from  some  hot-bed  of  Abolitionism  to  enlighten 
the    benighted  inhabitants    of  Indiana    on   this    nefarious    subject, 


230  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Pursuant  to  notice  previously  given  a  few  (there  are  but  few  in  the 
county),  of  these  "friends  of  the  poor  negro,"  met  at  the  Court 
House  in  this  place,  on  Monday  the  26th  inst. 

The  notice  of  this  meeting  we  are  sorry  to  say,  was  published  in 
this  paper.  When  we  published  the  Herald  we  did  not  admit  any 
of  their  notices  or  proceedings  into  our  columns,  for  die  reason  that 
we  believed  the  Abolitionists  to  be  no  better  than  traitors  to  their 
country.  Mr.  Lomax,  however,  admits  them  when  a  subscriber  to 
the  paper  requests  it.  For  our  own  part,  if  we  published  a  paper 
we  would  not  wish  to  have  a  single  abolition  subscriber:  and  we 
hope  the  Democratic  party  will  use  every  means  to  drive  them  out 
of  the  ranks,  if  there  be  any  in.  But  an  Abolitionist  cannot  con- 
sistently be  a  Democrat. 

We  have  heard  the  question  frequently  asked  why  such  a  swarm 
of  abolition  lecturers  are  overrunning  the  country,  and  how  they 
support  themselves  ?  We  think  we  can  satisfactorily  answer  the 
question.  There  is  a  society  in  existence  which  is  styled  the 
'American  Anti-Slavery  Society.'  By  some  means  this  society 
obtains  large  amounts  of  money.  Well,  for  money,  a  large  number 
of  loafers,  who  are  too  indolent  to  earn  their  bread  honestly,  can  be 
found  who  will  travel  about  the  country  and  lecture  on  abolitionism. 
Their  salary  is  usually  about  four  or  five  hundred  dollars  per  year, 
and  their  expenses  paid.  But  it  must  be  recollected  their  expenses 
are  very  trifling,  as  they  are  instructed  to  practice  a  system  of 
sponging  wherever  they  go.  Our  readers  will  therefore  observe 
that  it  is  from  no  honest  motive  that  they  lecture  on  abolition. 

We  hope  that  if  we  are  again  troubled  with  abolition  loafers,  the 
people  of  the  county  will  meet  in  convention,  pass  resolutions  on 
the  subject,  and  appoint  a  committee  to  request  them  to  leave  town. 
We  think  it  a  very  proper  course  to  pursue.  If  they  do  not  obey 
the  will  of  the  people,  coercive  measures  will  be  proper. 

W.  F.  S 

Thus  is  presented  as  fully  as  the  facts  can  be  obtained  from 
original  documents,  the  principles  and  attitude  of  parties  in  L;i- 
Porte  county  in  the  year  1840.  Party  feeling  was  up  to  fever 
heat.  The  Democrats  held  the  national  administration,  and  the 
prestige  of  official  power,  the  President,  Martin  Van  Buren,  being 


POLITICS. 


231 


a  candidate  for  re-election.  The  greater  degre  of  enthusiasm  was 
called  out  by  the  Whigs,  whose  candidates  "Tippecanoe  and  Tyler 
too'  were  the  theme  of  song  and  shout  and  many  a  log-cabin  dis- 
play. The  candidate  for  congress  in  each  party  was  a  man  of 
brilliant  parts.  E.  A.  Hannegan,  candidate  of  the  Democratic 
party,  was  a  captivating  speaker,  and  a  lawyer  who  at  the  bar  had 
few  superiors.  Henry  S.  Lane  the  Whig  candidate  was  then  in  the 
vigor  of  his  manhood  and  a  popular  speaker  of  great  eloquence, 
swaying  an  audience  almost  at  his  will.  These  two  candidates 
made  a  thorough  canvass  of  the  district,  speaking  at  all  available 
points.  Col.  Lane  spoke  at  various  points  in  LaPorte  county,  as 
did  also  his  Democratic  competitor,  evoking  the  highest  enthusiam 
of  their  respective  retainers.  Senatorial,  representative  and  county 
candidates  all  worked  with  a  vigor  and  earnestness  that  had  never 
before  been  equaled.  The  election  for  State  and  county  officers 
came  on  in  August,  and  the  Whigs  were  victorious. 

The  county  vote   in  detail  at  the  election  in  August  was  as   fol- 
lows for  each  candidate: 

Vote 

1004 

1009 

1015 

1013 


Democrat. 
Tilghman  A.  Howard. 
Benjamin  S.  Tuley, 
Edward  A.  Hannegan. 
Charles  W.  Cathcart, 
Willard  A.  Place, 
Wm.  M.  Patterson, 
DeWitt  Strong, 
Abram  Travel, 


Whig. 
Governor,  Samuel  Bigger, 
Lt.  Governor,  Samuel  Hall, 
Congress,  Henry  S.  Lane, 
State  Senator,  S.  Everts, 
Representative,  Daniel  Brown,    963 
Sheriff,  William  Allen,  941 

Commissioner,  Henly  Clyburn,  994 
School  Com.  Abel  Lomax,  577 

Independent,  John  B.  Fravel, 

At  the  Presidential  election  in  November,  the  Harrison  electors 
received  one  thousand  and  sixty-nine  votes,  and  the  Van  Buren 
electors  six  hundred  and  thirty-nine  votes. 

Having  now  presented  very  fully  the  position  of  parties  in  1840, 
and  shown  the  efforts  put  forth  by  each  to  win  success,  there  is 
here  exhibited  a  rapid  glance  at  the  state  of  parties  in  the  county 
from  the  date  of  the  first  election  for  President  ever  held  in  the 
county,  the  7th  day  of  November,  1832.  In  the  August  preceding, 
an  election  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  State  Senator,  a 


Vote. 
778 
770 
760 
765 
809 
832 
774 
481 
692 


232  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Representative  in  the  State  legislature,  one  Sheriff,  one  Coroner, 
one  Probate  Judge,  one  justice  of  the  peace  and  one  school  com- 
missioner. Seventy-seven  votes  were  cast  at  this  election,  and 
where  party  lines  were  drawn  on  any  candidates  it  resulted  in  a 
slight  majority  for  the  Whig,  Samuel  Hanna  having  received  a  few 
vote?  more  than  his  competitor,  Pleasant  Harris.  At  this  election 
Elisha  Egbert  and  George  Crawford  were  the  opposing  candidates 
for  Representative  to  the  State  legislature.  At  the  presidential 
election  in  November,  one  hundred  and  fifteen  votes  were  cast,  and 
the  following  are  the  names  of  the  persons  who  voted: 

George  Cline.  Wm.  C.  Thrall,  James  Holder.  John  Morgan,  Isaac 
Morgan,  John  Carter,  John  Barnet,  Wm.  Garwood,  Gaines  Munger. 
Win.  Morgan.  Jesse  Sherwood,  Wm.  White,  Josiah  Bryant,  Charles 
Campbell,  Samuel  Weston.  Charles  West,  Joseph  Orr.  Nathaniel 
Steele.  Levi  Garwood.  Alden  Tucker.  John  Davis.  Elisha  Newhall, 
Jonathan  Sherwood.  John  Broadhead,  James  Hutching,  Jeremiah 
Sherwood,  Ezekiel  Provolt,  Myron  Ives.  Daniel  Murray.  Asa  M. 
Warren.  Elias  Brown,  Michael  Brand.  Jacob  Miller.  James  Mc- 
Cormick.  Absalom  Holder.  John  Miller.  Win.  Miller.  Jesse  Willetts, 
Amos  Dyer.  Arthur  Irwin,  John  Wills,  Basil  Sperry,  Aurea  Speriy. 
Levi  Brown.  John  Ireland,  Joseph  Lykins.  Wm.  Ireland.  Alexan- 
der Blackburn.  Andrew  Shaw.  James  Nixon.  Emerv  A.  Brown. 
Philip  Fail,  Sanford  Utley,  Jesse  M.  West.  Henry  F.  Jones,  John 
Jones,  Nathan  B.  Nichols,  James  Highley,  Gamaliel  Druliner,  Wm. 
Thorp.  Edmund  Luther,  Barzilla  Druliner.  George  Thomas,  A.  P. 
Andrew.  Jr..  Benjamin  McCarty,  Adam  Thornton.  Jacob  Coleman. 
John  Sailor.  Richard  Harris,  Christopher  McClure.  Wm.  F.  Hor- 
ton.  Absalom  Rambo,  Orra  Morse.  Ira  Robinson.  Wm.  McCarty. 
Joseph  Osborn,  Wilson  Malone.  Elijah  EL  Brown.  Wm.  Phillips, 
James  Andrew.  John  Whitaker,  John  Stanton,  Arba  Heald,  Elijah 
Stanton,  Joseph  P.  Osborn.  Adam  G.  Polke.  Joshua  Wilson.  Adam 
Keith,  Charles  Morley,  Wm.  Thomas.  James  Thomas,  Samuel  Har- 
mison,  Samuel  Hoover,  Stephen  Bray  ton,  John  Coleman,  R.  S 
Morrison,  Lewis  Shirley.  In  Kankakee  township,  John  Wills  was 
inspector;  Ezekiel  Provolt  and  Myron  Ives  were  the  clerks,  and 
Nathan  B.  Nichols  and  Asa  M.  Warren  the  judges.  In  Scipio 
township,    the  inspector   was   A.  P.  Andrew.  Jr.:  the  judges   were 


politics.  233 

Charles  Morlev  and  Ira  Richardson,  and  the  clerks  were  Samuel 
Hoover  and  R.  S.  Morrison.  For  New  Durham  township,  the 
inspector  was  Elisha  Newhall ;  the  clerks  were  James  Hutchins  and 
Joseph  Orr,  and  the  judges  were  Wm.  Morgan  and  Wm.  Garwood. 

Of  the  votes  cast  fifty-nine  were  for  the  electors  for  Henry  Clay, 
and  fifty-six  were  for  the  electors  for  Andrew  Jackson. 

The  next  annual   election  was  held  on  the  5th   day  of  August, 

1833.    Edward  A.  Hannegan  and  Albert  S.  White  were  candidates 

for  congress,  and  White  received  a  small  majority   in  this  county. 

There  were  several  candidates  for  Representative  to  the  State  legis- 
lature, among  them  George  Crawford,  who  led  all  the  rest. 

The  tally  paper  for  the  election  held  in  LaPorte  county  on  the 
4th  dav  of  August.  1834,  shows  that  Noah  Noble  received  three 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  votes  for  the  office  of  Governor,  and  James 
G.  Reed  one  hundred  and  fifty,  which  probably  exhibits  the  rela- 
tive strength  of  the  two  parties  at  the  time.  The  largest  vote  cast 
for  any  candidate  was  for  the  candidate  for  Governor,  and  the  vote 
could  not  have  been  controlled  by  local  influences,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  countv  candidates,  the  result  on  whom  was  divided  between  the 
two  parties. 

At  the  annual  election  in   1835,  while  the  Whig  candidates  for 

county  offices  were  elected,  the  county  went  Democratic  on  candi- 
dates for  Congress,  State  Senator  and  Representative  to  the  State 
legislature.  For  Congress,  E.  A.  Hannegan  received  six  hundred 
and  twelve  votes,  and  James  Gregory  one  hundred  and  sixty-three : 
for  State  Senator  D.  H.  Colerick  received  two  hundred  and  ninety- 
three  votes,  and  Wm.  G.  Ewing  two  hundred  and  seventy-seven; 
for  Representative  in  the  State  legislature,  Charles  W.  Cathcart 
received  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  votes,  Samuel  Miller  two 
hundred  and  twelve,  and  J.  A.  Liston  one  hundred  and  thirty-four. 
The  annual  election  of  1836,  was  held  on  the  first  day  of  August, 
and  the  Whig  candidates  were  generally  successful  in  the  county, 
though  the  vote  was  very  close,  Gustavus  A.  Everts  receiving  four 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  votes  for  State  Senator,  and  David  Evans 
four  hundred  and  sixty-seven.  There  were  six  candidates  voted  for, 
for  Sheriff,  and  Sutton  VanPelt  received  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  votes  and  Dudley  Avery  three  hundred  and  one,  while  the  vote 
of  others  was  small. 


234  HISTORY    OF   LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Another  presidential  election  occurred  in  November  of  this  year. 
The  candidates  were  Martin  Van  Buren  and  Gen.  Harrison.  The 
VanBuren  electors  received  four  hundred  and  ninety  votes,  and  the 
Harrison  electors  four  hundred  and  fifty-two  votes.  A.  P.  Andrew, 
Jr.,  was  one  of  the  electors  on  the  Whig  ticket.  The  returning 
board  for  LaPorte  countv  at  this  election  consisted  of  Adam  G. 
Polke,  Ezra  Tyler,  O.  W.  Brown,  Jacob  Droiii,  Gale  Martin,  John 
Mather  and  Wm.  Ruby.  There  was  also  an  election  this  year  for 
associate  judge,  at  which  Elisha  Newhall  received  one  hundred  and 
sixty  two  votes  and  Gustavus  A.  Rose,  two  hundred  and  eight 
votes. 

At  the  August  election  of  1837.  the  Whigs  were  victorious. 
David  Wallace  received  seven  hundred  and  thirty  nine  votes  for 
Governor  against  two  hundred  and  two  for  John  Dumont.  For 
Congress  Albert  S.  White  received  seven  hundred  and  one  votes 
against  two  hundred  and  twenty  three  for  Nathan  Jackson.  For 
State  Senator  John  H.  Bradley  received  five  hundred  and  seven 
votes  against  four  hundred  and  sixty-seven  for  Charles  W.  Cathcart. 
For  county  offices,  the  Whigs,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  were 
elected. 

In  1838,  the  Whigs  were  again  successful,  and  in  1840,  the 
elections  all  resulted  in  their  favor,  as  already  shown  in  detail. 

The  contest  of  1840,  was  one  of  the  most  excited  campaign  years 
the  country  has  ever  witnessed.  This  county  was  aroused  in  full 
proportion  to  the  vehement  state  of  public  feeling  elsewhere:  and 
never  before  in  the  county,  had  there  been  so  active  a  political  con- 
flict. With  one  exception,  that  of  the  independent  candidate  for 
school  commissioner,  the  Whigs  elected  all  their  candidates,  and 
LaPorte  county  Avent.  bo  went  that  year,  the  State  and  the  Nation. 
If  there  was  any  rejoicing  over  the  result,  when  it  was  known  that 
there  was  victory  all  around  the  sky,  and  if  there  was  any  profuse 
drinking  of  hard  cider,  which  is  highly  probable,  the  fact  must  be 
left  to  rest  within  the  knowledge  of  those  who  participated. 


politics.  235 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


politics. — Continued. 


On  the  3d  day  of  May,  1841,  an  election  for  Representative  in 
Congress  was  held  in  the  District  of  which  LaPorte  was  a  part, 
then  the  seventh,  and  the  candidates  were  Henry  S.  Lane  and  John 
Brice,  the  former  the  Whig  candidate,  and  the  latter  the  Demo- 
cratic. LaPorte  gave  three  hundred  and  ten  majority  to  the  Whig 
candidate,  the  total  vote  being  seven  hundred  and  seventy-nine  for 
Lane,  and  four  hundred  and  sixty-nine  for  Brice.  Of  the  town- 
ships, Centre,  Michigan,  Scipio,  Noble,  Pleasant,  Wills,  Clinton. 
Union,  Galena  and  Kankakee  gave  Whig  majorities,  and  Spring- 
field, Hudson  and  New  Durham  Democratic  majorities.  At  the 
following  August  election  some  of  the  Democratic  candidates  were 
elected.  At  that  time  the  county  elected  two  Representatives  to 
the  State  legislature,  and  for  the  different  candidates  the  vote  was 
as  follows:  J.  W.  Chapman,  eight  hundred  and  fifty-one;  J.  H. 
Bradley,  six  hundred  and  ninety-eight;  A.  Blackburn,  five  hun- 
dred and  six;  G.  A.  Everts,  three  hundred  and  twenty-three.  For 
Probate  Judge  the  vote  stood,  for  J.  R.  Wells,  seven  hundred  and 
fifteen ;  S.  Stewart,  six  hundred  and  fifty-four.  For  County  Auditor. 
J.  D.  Collings  received  four  hundred  and  seventy  votes;  J.  M. 
Barclay,  four  hundred  and  forty-seven ;  S.  G.  Hunt,  two  hundred 
and  thirty-three;  and  Abram  Fravel,  two  hundred  and  fifteen. 
For  County  Treasurer,  W.  A.  Place  received  eight  hundred  and 
forty  votes,  and  Wyllis  Peck  five  hundred  and  seventy-seven.  For 
County  Commissioners  in  the  first  and  second  Districts.  P.  Hunt 
and  B.  Beard  were  elected  by  handsome  majorities.  P.  S.  Weed 
was  elected  Assessor  without  opposition,  J.  G.  Newhouse  was 
elected  Coroner  over  J.  Bigelow  by  six  majority,  and  S.  Treat,  J. 
C.  Reid  and  John  B.  Niles  were  elected  county  Seminary  Trustees* 


236  HISTORY    OF    LAPORTE    COUNTY. 

The  county  was  evidently  still  Whig   in  politics  as  was  manifest 
the  vote  on  the  candidates  for  Representatives. 

The  August  election  of  1842,  was  again  for  county  offices  only. 
and  the  vote  for  the  leading  candidates  was  as  follow-:  For  Rep- 
resentatives, J.  H.  Bradley,  eight  hundred  and  thirty-nine:  John 
Francis,  eight  hundred  and  fifty-four;  John  Chapman,  seven  hun- 
dred and  seventy;  A.  B.  Brown,  twenty-n.ne.  For  Sheriff.  J.  M. 
Clarkson.  seven  hundred  and  ninety-five:  Win.  Allen,  seven 
hundred  and  eighty.  For  Commissioner  first  District.  Phin<  - 
Hunt,  one  thousand  and  twenty-eight:  -Jacob  V.  Heckman.  two 
hundred  and  ten.  For  Recorder.  Burwell  Spurlock,  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  one:  J.  F.  Reynolds,  one  hundred  and  fifty-six; 
J.  W.  Teeple.  fifty-one. 

The  election  of  1843.  was  for  Governor,  Lieutenant  Governor, 
Congress,  State  Senator,  Representatives,  County  Auditor.  County 
commissioner.  School  commissioner.  Assessor,  Coroner,  and  Prose- 
cuting attorney.  The  parties  having  candidates  in  the  field  were 
Democrat,  Whig  and  Abolitionist.  The  Whig  candidate  for  Gov- 
ernor,  Samuel  Bigger,  received  eight  hundred  and  thirty-nine  vote- 
to  six  hundred  and  ninety-nine  for  James  Whitcomb,  and  fifty-four 
for  Elizur  Doming.  The  Abolitionist  candidates  throughout 
received  about  fifty  votes  each.  For  Lieutenant  Governor.  John 
H.  Bradlev,  received  seven  hundred  and  ninetv-two  votes  and  Jes 
D.  Bright  seven  hundred  and  sixteen  votes.  For  Congress.  Samuel  I 
Sample  received  eight  hundred  and  forty-one  vot£s  and  Ebenezer 
M.  Chamberlain  six  hundred  and  ninety-six  vote-.  For  State 
9  nator  Svlvanus  Everts  received  eiuht  hundred  and  twenty-one 
votes  and  J.  W.  Chapman  seven  hundred  and  seventeen  votes.  For 
Representatives  Wm.  Allen  received  eight  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  votes.  Ferdinand  Roberts  seven  hundred  and  ninety-seven 
votes.  Charles  W.  Cathcart  seven  hundred  and  thirty-six  votes  and 
James  l>radley  six  hundred  and  ninety-three  votes,  -lames  Mc- 
Cord  and  Hezekiah  Robertson  were  candidates  for  County  com- 
missioner, and  McCord  was  elected:  Joel  Butler  and  Joseph 
Lomax  were  candidates  for  County  Auditor,  and  Butler  was  electe<l : 
Thomas  B.  Cole  and  Samuel  Treat  were  candidates  for  Assessor, 
and  Treat  was   elected:  E.  B.  Woodson   and  D.  M.  Learning  were 


politics.  237 

candidates  for  School  commissioner,  and  Woodson  was  elected: 
Orrin  J.  Minor  and  John  Closser  were  candidates  for  Coroner,  and 
Minor  was  elected;  Reuben  L.  Farnsworth  and  Michael  C.  Dough- 
erty  were  candidates  for  Prosecuting  attorney,  and  Farnsworth 
received  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  majority.  With  few  excep- 
tions, the  Whig  candidates  were  elected,  the  average  majority  being 
one  hundred. 

The  abolitionist  candidates  were,  for  Governor,  Elizur  Deming: 
for  Lieutenant  Governor,  Stephen  S.  Harding;  for  Congress,  Jacob 
Bigelovv:  for  State  Senator,  Robert  Stewart:  for  Representatives. 
Theodore  Catlin  and  Herbert  Williams;  for  County  commissioners. 
Jonathan  Williams;  for  School  commissioner,  Elnathan  Gregorv : 
for  Assessor.  Mead  Catlin ;  for  Coroner,  Judson  Sawin :  for  Countv 
Auditor,  A.  *Bigelow. 

At  the  August  election  of  1844,  J.  M.  Barclay  and  A.  L.  Osborn 
were  elected   Representatives  to  the   State  legislature,   over  Samuel 
Treat   and   Thomas  P.    Armstrong  by  small  majorities.       W.    A. 
Place  was  elected  Countv   Treasurer  over  David  G.   Rose  by  two 
hundred  and  forty  majority.     Harrison  Hinkley  was  elected  Sheriff 
over   Wm.    Allen   by   twenty-eight  majority.      George   H.  Haven> 
was  elected   Assessor   over  Foster  by   forty -four   majority.     J.    S. 
McDowell  was  elected   Coroner  over   John  Closser   bv   thirty-four 
majority.       A.    Lathrop,    Charles    Yail    and    H.    Robertson    were 
elected  County  commissioners,  over   J.  V.  Hickman,   Mark   Allen 
and  A.  Bigelow.     The  Abolitionist  or  Libert v  candidates  were,  for 
Representatives,  Jesse  Jones  and  Wyllis  Peck:  for  Sheriff,  Joshua 
R.  Shedd  :   for  <  'ountv   Treasurer.    Ingraham  Gould :   for   Assessor. 
Theodore   Catlin;  for   Commissioners,   Joel   Lewis,    Judson   Sawin 
and  Herbert    Williams  :  for  Coroner,  Jonathan    Williams.     In  thi> 
year  political  strife  ran  high.     A  President  of  the  United  States  was 
to  be  elected  and  the  electoral  tickets  were  before  the  people   to  be 
voted  on  in  Xovember.     Besides  the  two  great  parties,  the  Aboli- 
tionists also  presented  an   electoral   ticket.     Among    the   elector> 
were   many  well   known   names.     Henry   S.  Lane   and  Joseph  G. 
Marshall  were  electors  at  large  on  the  Whig  ticket,  and  among  the 
District  electors  were  George  G.  Dunn,  Richard  W.  Thompson  and 
Horace  P.  Biddle.      The  Democratic  electors  at  large  were  Graham 


HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

N.  Fitch  and  James  G.  Read;  and  among  the  District  electors  were 
Samuel  E.  Perkins,  Paris  C.  Dunning,  Henry  W.  Ellsworth  and 
Charles  W.  Cathcart.  They  all  canvassed  actively,  making  numer- 
ous speeches  for  their  respective  chiefs,  Henry  Clay  and  James  K. 
Polk.  If  the  result  of  that  great  combat  had  depended  on  LaPorte 
county,  Henry  Clay  would  have  been  numbered  among  the  Pre>i- 
dents  of  the  United  States,  for  the  Whig  electors  received  in  this 
county  a  vote  of  one  thousand  and  nine,  to  eight  hundred  and  thirty- 
one  votes  for  the  Democratic  electors,  and  fifty-three  votes  for  the 
Abolitionist  electors,  whose  candidate  was  James  G.  Birney. 

At  the  August  election  of  1845,  LaPorte  county  went  Demo- 
cratic on  candidates  for  Congress,  Charles  W.  Cathcart  receiving  a 
majority  of  thirty-nine  over  Samuel  C.  Sample.  For  Representa- 
tives Andrew  L.  Osborn  and  J.  S.  Carter  were  elected  over  W.  W. 
Higgins  and  William  M.  Patterson.  For  Associate  Judges  William 
Andrew  and  Abner  Bailey  were  elected.  For  Clerk,  Thomas  P. 
Armstrong  was  elected  over  John  M.  Barclay.  For  Coroner, 
Jesse  Wasson  was  elected  over  A.  J.  Wair,  and  tor  County  commis- 
sioner, Abiel  Lathrop  was  elected  over  Whitman  Goit.  all  by  small 
majorities. 

At  the  August  election  of  1846,  Joseph  G.  Marshall  was  the 
Whig  candidate  for  Governor,  and  James  Whitcomb,  the  Demo- 
cratic, and  the  vote  of  LaPorte  county  was  nine  hundred  and 
forty-three  for  Marshall,  and  eight  hundred  and  sixty-seven  for 
Whitcomb.  For  Lieutenant  Governor,  Alexander  S.  Stevenson 
received  nine  hundred  and  fortv-three  votes,  and  Paris  C.  Dunning 
"i"-lit  hundred  and  sixty-one.  For  State  Senator.  Andrew  L. 
Osborn  received  nine  hundre  i  and  ninety-seven  votes  and  John  M. 
Lemon  seven  hundred  and  ninety-eight.  For  Prosecuting  attorney, 
.Iiuiics  Bradley  received  eight  hundred  and  ninety-four  votes,  and 
Joseph  H.  Mather,  nine  hundred  and  one  votes.  For  Representa- 
tives, Samuel  Stewart  and  F.  VV.  Hunt  were  elected  over  William 
Wright  and  Jacob  G.  Sleight,  by  less  than  one  hundred  majority 
each.  West  Darling  and  Christopher  McClure  were  elected  com- 
missioners over  John  Wills  and  Samuel  Treat;  Joshua  S.  Mc- 
Dowell was  elected  Sheriff  over  H.  F.  Hinkley  by  ninety-one 
majority,  and  W.  K.  Anderson  was   elected  over   Mark  Allen  for 


politics.  239 

Assessor  by  fifty-three  majority.  The  Liberty  party,  with  wonder- 
ful courage  kept  up  its  organization  and  had  a  full  ticket  in  the 
field,  and  polled  this  year  an  average  of  sixty-three  votes  in  the 
county,  the  largest  vote  yet  given.  The  candidates  of  that  party 
for  county  officers  were,  Representatives,  George  Sawin  and  T.  N. 
West;  for  County  commissioners,  Alva  Mason  and  Jonathan 
Williams;  for  Sheriff,  A.  H.  Mathews,  and  for  Assessor,  Jesse 
Jones.  The  Liberty  party  candidate  for  State  Senator  was  Robert 
Stewart. 

At  the  election  of  1847,  held  on  the  4th  day  of  August,  the 
count v  went  Democratic  on  candidates  for  Congress.  Daniel  D. 
Pratt,  was  the  Whig  candidate  and  received  in  this  county  nine 
hundred  and  thirteen  votes  to  nine  hundred  and  ninety-seven  for 
Charles  W.  Cathcart,  the  Democratic  candidate.  F.  W.  Hunt  and 
Myron  H.  Orton  were  elected  Representatives  to  the  State  legis- 
lature over  J.  G.  Sleight  and  William  Taylor  by  majorities  of  about 
one  hundred  each.  John  M.  Lemon  was  elected  Treasurer  at  this 
election,  receiving  nine  hundred  and  seventy-seven  votes,  to  nine 
Jiundred  an  1  sixty-one  for  Willard  A.  Place.  Alfred  Stephens  was 
elected  County  commissioner  by  a  small  majority  over  West  Dar- 
ling; and  A.  J.  Wair  was  elected  Coroner  over  John  F.  Decker,  by 
a  majority  of  eighty-seven. 

The  year  1848,  brought  with  it  a  lively  campaign.  It  was  the 
year  when  General  Taylor  was  the  candidate  of  the  Whig  party  for 
President,  and  General  Lewis  Cass  candidate  of  the  Democrats. 
Martin  Van  Buren  was  the  candidate  of  the  Free  Soil  party.  Of 
course  party  line?  were  more  closely  drawn  than  in  other  years  when 
national  interests  were  not  at  stake ;  but  in  LaPorte  county,  local 
considerations  affected  the  result  in  August  to  such  an  extent  that 
some  candidates  were  elected  from  each  of  the  two  leading  political 
parties,  the  Democrats  generally  leading.  Willard  A.  Place  and 
F.  W.  Hunt  were  elected  Representatives  over  A.  Ainsworth  and  A. 
H.  Robinson,  Place  receiving  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  forty- 
six  and  Hunt  a  majority  of  five.  Andrew  J.  Wair  was  elected 
Auditor  over  Joel  Butler  by  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
three.  J.  R.  Wells  was  elected  Probate  judge  over  William  C. 
Hannah.     James  Bradley   was   elected   Prosecuting  attorney  over 


240  HISTnRY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Myron  H.  Orton.     J.  IS.  McDowell  was  elected  Sheriff  over  W.  D. 

Shumway  by  four  hundred  and  eighty-nine  majority.  Samuel 
Burson  was  elected  County  commissioner  over  A.  Lathrop  and 
Joseph  B.  Lewis  was  eclected  Assessor  over  R.  Shaw  by  nineteen 
majority.  The  political  excitement  did  not  terminate  with  the 
local  election  in  August,  but  increased  until  the  Presidential  election 
in  November.  Perhaps  the  most  significant  circumstance  attending 
this  campaign  and  election  was  the  growth  of  the  Free  Soil  senti- 
ment, the  county  giving  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  vote-  for  the 
Van  Buren  and  Adams  electors,  the  candidates  of  that  party  for  the 
Presidency  and  Vice  Presidency.  The  Whig  electors  received  one 
thousand  and  twenty-seven  votes,  and  the  Democratic  eight  hun- 
dred and  eiffhtv-three  votes,  the  county  groins  for  Tavlor  and 
Fillmore  by  one  hundred  and  fortv-four  majority  over  Cass  and 
Butler.  On  the  electoral  ticket  of  each  party  these  were  men  who 
have  become  distinguished  in  the  history  of  the  State.  Among  the 
Democratic  electors  there  were  Robert  Dale  ( )wen.  Cyrus  L.  Dun- 
ham, Charles  H.  Test  and  Graham  N.  Fitch:  among  the  Whig 
electors  wdre  Joseph  G.  Marshall.  Godlove  S.  Orth.  Lovell  H. 
Rousseau  and  Daniel  D.  Pratt :  anion sc  the  Free  Soil  electors,  were 
H.  L.  Ellsworth,  James  II.  ('ravens.  Greorge  W.  Julian  and  John 
H.  Bradley.  The  canvassing  of  the  whole  State  was  constant, 
thorough  and  able.  Passions  were  deeply  stirred,  for  more  ;md 
more  were  questions  arising  out  of  the  institution  of  slavery  coming 
to  the  surface,  and  although  both  the  old  parties  endeavored  to 
ignore  such  questions,  yet,  like  the  ghost  of  murdered  Banquo, 
they  would  not  "down." 

At  the  August  election  in  L849,  the  county  went  Whig  by  an 
average  majority  of  one  hundred  and  fifty.  The  vote  on  candi- 
dates for  Governor  were,  for  John  A.  Matsoii.  Whig,  one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  two,  and  for  .Joseph  A.  Wright,  Democrat,  nine 
hundred  and  fifty-nine:  for  Lieutenant  Governor,  Thomas  S 
Stanfield,  WTiig,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  five,  and  James  H. 
Lane.  Democrat,  nine  hundred  and  fifty-four;  for  Representative* 
in  Congress,  Williamson  Wright,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
twenty-seven.  Graham  X.  Fitch,  nine  hundred  and  fifty-seven;  for 
State  Senator.  Abram  Teesrarden.  Whig,  one  thousand  one  hundred 


POLITICS.  241 

and  sixty-one,  and  William  W.  McCoy,  Democrat,  nine  hundred 
and  one ;  for  Representatives  in  the  State  legislature.  Alex.  H. 
Robinson  and  William  Millikan,  Whigs,  were  elected  over  W. 
A.  Place  and  Jacob  R.  Hall;  for  Probate  judge,  Mulford  K. 
Farrand,  Whig,  was  elected  over  Gilbert  Hathaway,  Democrat : 
for  County  commissioners,  John  F.  Allison  and  Christopher  Mc- 
Clure  were  elected  over  Win.  Fry  and  Alfred  Stephens;  for 
Recorder,  Burwell  Spurlock  was  the  only  candidate;  for  Coroner 
F.  A.  McDowell  was  elected  over  R.  K.  Crandall. 

The  election  of  August,  1850,  resulted  in  the  election  of  some  of 
the  candidates  of  each  of  the  two  parties.  For  delegates  to  the 
constitutional  convention,  John  B.  Xiles,  Alexander  Blackburn. 
Charles  W.  Cathcart  and  E.  1).  Taylor  were  the  candidates,  and 
they  received  votes  as  follows:  Niles,  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
three;  Taylor,  one  thousand  and  two:  Cathcart,  nine  hundred  and 
thirtv-one,  and  Blackburn,  eight  hundred  and  thirtv-nine.  For 
Representatives  in  the  State  legislature,  William  Millikan  and 
James  Bradley  were  elected  over  Alexander  H.  Robinson  and 
Jacob  R.  Hall;  for  Treasurer,  John  M.  Lemon  was  elected  over 
William  Taylor;  for  Sheriff,  H.  Lawson  was  elected  over  Jesse 
Mathis  by  twenty-nine  majority  only ;  for  County  commissioner 
Mark  Allen  was  elected  over  John  F.  Allison:  for  Coroner,  E.  S. 
Organ  was  elected  over  F.  MeCollum,  and  for  Assessor,  Joseph  B. 
Lewis  was  elected  over  John  S.  Jessup. 

At  the  regular  election  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  August, 
1851,  the  Whigs  carried  the  county  by  a  small  majority,  averaging 
less  than  one  hundred.  The  candidates  for  Congress,  were  Schuy- 
ler  Colfax  and  Graham  X.  Fitch,  and  the  former  received  of  the 
votes  of  LaPorte  county,  one  thousand  and  seventy-three,  the 
latter  one  thousand  and  sixty-six.  For  the  Legislature,  F.  W. 
Hunt  was  elected  over  James  Bradley;  for  Clerk,  Volney  Bailey 
was  elected  over  A.  W.  Henley :  for  County  conrmissioner,  George 
C.  Havens  was  elected  over  James  Drummond  by  ten  majority;  for 
Assessor,  John  S.  Jessup  was  the  only  candidate.  At  this  election 
the  new  constitution  was  voted  upon,  and  LaPorte  county  gave  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-nine  votes  for  its  adoption,  to 
one  hundred  and  thirty   two  votes  against  it.     That  section  of  this 

16 


242  HIS!   >RI     T    LAPORTE    COUNTY. 

-  itution   which    provide*]  for  the    exclusion   of    "n<  .       -  and 
mulatto*  m  the   Mate  was  submitted  t<       separate  i  ind 

although  il  is  net  pleasant  to  write  it.  yet  the  truth  must  be  told 
that  for  this  barbarous  measure  there  were  one  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  thi;  _ht  vote-,  and  only  six  hi;  ad  thirty-five 
it.  And  yet  perhaps  there  shoul  ing  of  gratifica- 
tion that  so  large  a  vote  was  -  against  it,  for  it  was  certainly 
much  larger  in  proportion  to  the  whole  vote  than  in  many  other 
of  the  State,  and.  indicated  that  the  _.  nd  idea  of  freedom  for 
all  men.  was  taking  root,  and  giving  prom:  a  golden  harvest. 
How  men  ha           own  since   that  day!  grown  in    the  kn  Ige  of 

aning  of  Liberty,  in  the  knowled  human 

and  of  a  genuine  political   manhood.  that  six 

hundred  and  thirty-five  v  I   s. 

■ 

This   was   the  year  when    Schuyler  C  a   candidate   for 

-   the  first  tim        The  convention  by  which   he  was  nomi- 

» 

nated.  was  he]       I  Plymouth  on  the  28th  day  of  Mav.     The  Demo- 
crate  of  the  District  had  met  a  few  days  previously*  on  the  22d  day 
of  May.  at  the  same  place,  and  nominated   Graham  N.  Filch    : 
re-election  gress.     To  show  the  position  of  par:         d  public 

questions    at    this    time   there    is   here   presented    the    resolutio 
adopted  by  the  two  conventions   held  at  Plymouth.     The   Demo- 
cratic convention  adopted  as  its  platform  of  principles,  the  following 
•lutioi 

••  A*.  *,.//•.  -/.    Hiat  the  cardinal  principles  of  the  Democratic  party 

are  to  be  found   in  th-  lutions  of  17'.,s.  drawn  by  Jef         o  ami 

Madison,  and  reaffirmed  by  the  National  conventions  of  1836.  1840, 
[4   and    Vs-.    .    that   \  _      1   them   as   the  touchs  :'  our 

politieal  faith :  that  we  will   be  governed   by  them  in  our  political 
action,  ami  that  we  place  our  nominee  fo  ;resa  upon  the  broad 

platform  thus  erect' 

Res        L   That  we  al  y    the  letter   ami  spirit  of  the  Consti- 

tution, ami  that  we  will  stand  by  each  and  all  of  its  c  mpron   3 
and  therefore   recognize    the  binding  force  of    every   clans  .     Tie 
delivery  of  fugitives  from  labor  included  .  and  w<  rd  any  action 

•  i 

quarter,  North  or  South,  that  tends  t"  weaken  or  estrange 
our  .  igh  allegiance  to  its  -  tlemn  provision-.  -  [ually  faithless  and 
treasonable." 


politics.  243 

The  Whig  convention  adopted  a  much  longer  platform  of  princi- 
ples.    Their  resolutions  were  as  follows  : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Whigs  of  the  ninth  Congressional  District,  in 
convention  assembled,  tender  to  each  other  their  pledge  of  fidelity 
to  the  cause,  and  devotion  to  the  principles  for  which  they  have  so 
long  labored. 

Resolved,  That  our  position  remains  unchanged;  no  interference 
with  the  domestic  policy  or  peculiar  institutions  of  sister  States ;  no 
extension  of  slave  territory;  no  diffusion  of  an  institution  which  it 
is  believed  tends  to  degrade  labor  and  blight  industry,  over  more  of 
National  soil  than  it  now  covers;  no  countenancing  of  disunion 
sentiments  whether  at  the  North  or  South ;  but  devotion,  unfalter- 
ing and  unconditional  devotion  to  our  glorious  Union,  in  any  event, 
under  all  circumstances,  despite  all  contingencies. 

Resolved,  That  although  we  may  not  agree  upon  each  and  every 
one  of  the  measures  passed  by  the  last  Congress,  known  as  the  com- 
promise measures,  yet  we  regard  them  as  designed  to  settle  the 
questions  specified  in  them,  and  that  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 
good  of  the  country  requires  that  the  settlement  should  remain 
undisturbed  until  time  and  experience  shall  show  that  a  change  or 
modification  of  them  is  necessary  to  avoid  evasion  or  abuse;  and 
that  we  hold,  in  the  language  of  Henry  Clay,  on  making  his  report 
from  the  committee  of  thirteen,  that  ''Congress  ought,  while  on  the 
one  hand  securing  to  the  owner  the  fair  restoration  of  his  property, 
effectually  to  guard  on  the  other  against  any  abuse  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  remedy,"  being  satisfied  that  it  is  not  unsafe  for  either 
individuals  or  nations  to  rectify  wrong  by  the  substitution  of  right, 
and  that  the  crowning  glory  of  law  is  its  protection  of  the  rights 
of  the  weak  as  well  as  its  enforcement  of  the  just  claims  of  the 
strong. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  nation  are  due  Millard  Fillmore 
and  his  Cabinet  for  the  promptness  and  efficiency  with  which  they 
have  maintained  the  public  faith,  and  for  their  determination  to 
execute  the  laws  at  every  hazard,  and  preserve  unsullied  the  honor 
and  integrity  of  the  Nation ;  and  that  this  administration  deserves 
the  confidence  and  support  of  the  Whig  party. 

Resolved,  That  so  far  from  the  prosperity  so  confidently  pre- 
dicted by  our  opponents  being  realized  by  the  working  of  the 
present  tariff,  we  see,  instead  of  the  high  prices  for  grain  that  were 
promised,  a  depression  in  rates  almost  unparalleled ;  instead  of  an 
increase  in  the  rewards  of  labor,  factories  and  mills  all  over  the  land 
stopping,   and  thus  operatives  ceasing  to  purchase  of  the  farmer. 


244  BISTORT    OF    LAPOETE    COUNTY 

compelled  to  resort  to  agriculture  themselves,  and  becoming  rivals 
in  producing  instead  of  being  consumers,  thereby  tending  still 
further  to  depress  prices  by  the  superabundance  thus  created:  and 
instead  of  the  wealth  of  the  world  pouring  in  as  was  prophesied,  a 
balance  of  trade  against  us  of  §50,000,000  in  a  single  year,  and  the 
shipment  of  over  $3,000,000  per  month  in  hard  coin  from  but  one 
port  to  Europe,  saying  nothing  of  the  millions  upon  millions  of 
bonds  and  loans  negotiated  abroad,  all  hereafter  to  be  paid 
for  in  cash  and  nothing  else,  attest  to  every  man  willing  to 
see.  that  all  the  avails  of  our  hardy  miners  in  California,  with  an 
amount  equally  large  in  addition  is  taken  from  us  for  the  benefit  of 
foreign  manufacturers,  who  rejoice  and  thrive  over  the  prostration 
of  our  industrial  enterprises. 

Resolved,  That  Congress  should,  in  arranging  the  detail-  oi 
tariff,  not  only  seek  to  raise  sufficient  revenue  for  the  support  of 
Government,  but  at  the  same  time  discriminate  so  judiciously  in 
the  duties  upon  foreign  imports,  as  to  promote  all  the  industrial 
interests  of  our  own  country:  that  all  legislation  which  tends  to  the 
developement  of  our  own  resources,  or  the  diversification  of  labor 
into  different  pursuits,  or  the  building  up  of  a  home  market  for 
agricultural  products  on  our  own  soil,  or  the  carrying  out  of  the 
emphatic  declaration  of  Jefferson  that  "to  be  independent  for  the 
comforts  of  life,  we  must  fabricate  them  ourselves;  we  must  place 
the  manufacturer  by  the  side  of  the  agriculturist,"'  is  eminently 
beneficial  in  its  character  and  conduces  to  the  prosperity,  the  prog- 
ress, the  wealth  and  the  real  independence  of  the  Nation:  and 
that  the  present  tariff  should  be  so  modified,  a-  recommended  by 
President  Fillmore  and  Secretary  Corwin,  as  to  make  it  conform 
to  the  above  principles,  and  render  it  what  the  tariff  of  the  I  nited 
States  should  b< — incidental  protection  to  our  own  labor. 

ResolvoK  That  it  is  the  duty  of  congress  to  make  liberal  appro- 
priations for  the  improvement  of  the  Rivers  and  I  [arbors  of  the  A\  est 
;i-  well  as  for  those  of  the  South  and  East;  that  our  internal  com- 
merce floating  on  fresh  water,  should  have  equal  benefits  and  equal 
protection  with  that  extended  so  liberally  to  the  external,  or  salt 
water  commerce  of  the  country,  and  that  no  false  excuses  about  ;i 
bill  including  works  of  ;(  local  character  will  be  any  justification 
with  the  people  of  the  West,  for  denying  them  that,  which,  though 
lono;  and  justly  claimed,  has  been  so  often  defeated  by  the  vetoes  of 

Ova  • 

Democratic  Administrations,  or  the  more  recent  wilful  factiousness 
of  Democratic  Senators.  That  this  District  has  peculiar  claims 
upon  the  National  Legislature  in  this  respect,  being  directly    inter- 


POLITICS.  245 

ested  in  the  Harbors  at  Michigan  City  and  St.  Joseph ;  and  that  it 
should  send  a  member  to  represent  their  claims  who  can  have  per- 
sonal influence  with  his  colleagues  sufficient  to  procure  for  them, 
the  vote  of  at  least  one  other  member  of  his  own  party  from  his 
own  State. 

Resolved,  That  we  deprecate  all  those  contrivances,  whether 
under  or  without  the  cover  of  law,  which  wink  at  the  pilfering  of 
the  Government  treasury  under  the  pretense  of  constructive  mileage, 
long  mileage,  Ritchie  claims  and  other  kindred  absorbents :  that 
constructive  mileage  should  be  abolished  totally  and  forever ;  the 
present  exorbitant  rate  of  mileage,  so  greatly  disproportioned  to 
the  expense  of  travel,  reduced  at  least  one-half,  and  computed,  not 
by  the  easiest  but  the  nearest  route;  and  public  contractors  com- 
pelled to  live  up  to  their  obligations  without  importunate  appeals  to 
be  allowed  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  in  addition. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  in  favor  of  reducing  letter  postage  to  a  low 
rate,  and  the  entire  abolition  of  the  franking  privilege,  leaving  the 
government  and  congressmen  to  pay  their  own  postage  the  same  as 
private  citizens. 

Resolved,  That  as  Whigs,  we  sympathize  with  the  struggles  of 
the  masses  now  going  forward  in  the  old  world,  to  throw  off  the 
shackles  which  have  so  long  bound  them ;  and  to  assert  that  equality 
and  independence  which  we  regard  as  man's  birthright. 

Resolved,  Unanimously,  that  we  recommend  to  the  voters  of 
this  Congressional  District,  Schuyler  Colfax,  the  candidate  this  day 
nominated,  with  the  assurance  to  all  that  he  is  honest,  and  would 
scorn  to  betray  them,  or  violate  pledges  which  lie  may  make, 
capable,  possessing  talents  and  a  zeal  in  their  exercise  which  must 
be  valuable  to  the  district,  and  creditable  to  the  councils  of  the 
Nation,  should  he  be  elected,  and  faithful  to  the  constitution  of  the 
country,  regarding  its  observance  as  the  bond  of  our  union,  the 
guarantee  of  our  national  welfare,  and  the  means  of  promoting 
internal  peace,  and  hushing  the  voice  of  faction  and  discord  amongst 
our  jarring  members." 

The  resolutions  of  the  two  parties  given  above,  exhibit  the  issues 
which  divided  them  this  vear  and  also  in  the  Presidential 
campaign  which  was  soon  to  follow.  The  Whig  convention  at 
Plymouth  was  presided  over  by  Andrew  L.  Osborn ;  Wm.  Millikan 
was  one  of  the  Secretaries.  Mr.  Treadway  was  on  the  committee 
to  report  permanent  officers  of  the  convention,  and  Mulford  K. 
Farrand  was   made   chairman  of  the   District   Central   committee. 


246  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

The  convention  seems  to  have  been  a  most  harmonious  one.  Mr. 
Colfax  was  nominated  unanimously,  and  the  resolutions  were  unan- 
imously adopted.  On  the  4th  day  of  June,  the  LaPorte  Whig 
contained  the  following  call  for  a  county  convention  : 

"RALLY    WHIGS !    COUNTY    CONVENTION!! 

In  consequence  of  there  being  but  few  in  attendance  at  the  con- 
vention on  Saturday  the  2oth,  the  nomination  of  candidates  for 
State  and  county  officers  for  this  county,  was  postponed.  The  cen- 
tral committee  have  therefore  appointed  Saturday,  the  14th  day  of 
June  next,  as  a  day  upon  which  to  hold  a  Mass  County  Conven- 
tion in  LaPorte,  to  nominate  a  candidate  to  represent  this  county 
in  the  next  legislature,  and  also  to  nominate  candidates  for  county 
officers.  Every  Whig  in  the  county  is  requested  to  attend.  Let 
the  townships  all  be  fully  and  fairly  represented. 

The  meeting  will  be  organized  at  11  o'clock.  A.  M. 

D.  G.  Rose,  J.  B.  Fravel, 

Edward  Vail,  Wm.  Millikan, 

Whig  Central  Committee. 
LaPorte,  May  27,  1851." 

The  result  of  the  election  which  followed  has  already  been  given. 

The  year  1852,  was  fraught  with  much  deeper  inter  litically. 

Franklin  Pierce  was  the  Democratic  candidate 
Winfield  Scott   the  Whig  candii  hn    i\  Hale   the   Free 

Soil  candidate.     The   candidates   for    I 

Wright,   Democratic,   and   Nicholas   McCarty  'id  the  full 

complement  of  State  officer-  was  roted  for.  Norman 

Eddy   was   the   Democratic   candidate,   and    Horace    P.  Biddle,  the 
Wl:         The  candidates  for  Judge  of  the  ninth  judicial  circuit, 
James  Bradley  and  Thomas  infield;  for  Jud^  art  of 

common  pleas,  Herman  Lawson  and  Mnlford  K.  Farrand  wer 
candidates;  for    Prosecutin  of  the   circuit   court.    IK  J. 

Woodward  and  John  M.  'Wilson   were  the  candidates;   tor  Proscut- 
ing  attorney  of  the  common  pleas,  the  candidates  were  Daniel  No} 
and   A.  Dickson;  for  Representative,  the  candidates    were  John  C. 
Walker  and  Franklin  W.  Hunt:   Samuel  Burson   and   Wm.  Allen 
were  candidates   for   Sheriff;   Ambrose   W.  Henly   and  Volney  W. 


politics.  247 

Bailey   were  candidates   for  Clerk;  Mark   Allen   and  Edmund  S. 
Organ  were  candidates  for   Treasurer;  Jackson  Hosmer  and   Win. 

CD  ' 

H.  Goodhue  were  candidates  for  Commissioner ;  John  P.  Cathcart 
and  Elam  Clark  were  candidates  for  Surveyor;  Henry  Fox  and  E. 
E.  Annis  were  candidates  for  Coroner.  The  new  constitution  was 
in  force  and  the  general  annual  election  was  for  the  first  time  held 
in  October.  At  this  election  the  Democrats  succeeded  in  revolution- 
izing the  county,  giving  a  majority  to  nearly  all  their  candidates. 
They  held  the  county  also  at  the  Presidential  election  in  November, 
giving  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  eleven  to  the  Democratic 
electors.  But  at  this  election  the  Free  Soil  party  cast  one  hundred 
and  thirty-six  votes  tor  the  Hale  and  Julian  electors.  Among  ihe 
Whig  electors  were  Schuyler  Colfax,  Richard  W.  Thompson,  John 
Coburn,  David  Kilgore,  Nathan  Kimball,  Pleasant  A.  Hackleman 
aid  Henrv  S.  Lane:  and  among  the  Democratic  electors,  Wm. 
Grose,  Ebenezer  Dumont,  James  H.  Lane  and  John  A.  Hendricks. 
There  were  a  few  exceptions  to  the  general  Democratic  victory  at 
the  October  election.  Thomas  S.  Stanfield  received  a  majority  of 
or.e  hundred  and  sixty-eight  over  James  Bradley;  Mulford  K.  Far- 
rand  received  a  majority  of  sixty  over  Merman  Lawson ;  William 
Aden  was  elected  Sheriff  over  Samuel  Burson  by  twenty-six 
majority:  Volney  W.  Bailey  was  elected  Clerk  over  A.  W.  Henly 
by  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  majority;  and  Edmund  S.  Organ 
wts  elected  Treasurer  over  Mark  Allen  by  one  hundred  and  eight 
one  majority.  All  the  rest  of  the  Democrats  received  majorities 
ranging  from  forty  to  one  hundred.  When  it  was  ascertained  that 
as  LaPorte  county  went,  so  went  the  State,  it  was  not  strange  that 
the  LaPorte  Commercial  Times,  edited  by  John  C.  Walker  and 
John  W.  Holcombe,  should  insert  at  the  head  of  its  columns,  the 
traditional  rooster.  The  rooster  occupied  his  place  but  looked 
though  he  was  waiting  for  the  result  of  the  November  election 
before  he  ventured  to  crow.  When  that  came  it  gave  him  the 
opportunity.  The  Times  expressed  itself  in  these  words  over  the 
result  in  October ; 

"nine  guns  for  pierce  and  king!  ! 
Sufficient   returns   have  come  in  from   the   elections  in   Indiana, 
Ohio  and  Pennsylvania,  to  indicate  the  greatest  victories  ever  won 


248  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

by  the  Democratic  party.  Each  of  the  States  has  rolled  up  over- 
whelming majorities,  ranging  from  twelve  to  twenty  thousand.  Let 
the  Whigs  shut  their  eyes  as  they  will,  and  ostrich-like,  thrust  their 
heads  in  such  twigs  of  comfort  as  they  can  find;  let  them  discover 
as  many  local  issues  as  the}7  choose,  and  contrast  the  present  major- 
ities with  past  votes  for  Governor;  let  them  reduce  the  figures  as 
low  as  they  will,  and  count  the  votes  on  steamboats  and  railroads 
the  great  fact  cannot  be  blinked,  that  the  prestige  of  victory  and  all 
the  omens  of  triumph  cluster  around  the  banner  of  Democracy.  X  i 
one  will  believe  the  miserable  subterfuge  that  the  Whig  parts- 
regarded  the  late  elections  as  of  no  importance,  and  made  no  effort- 
to  win  the  battle.  Were  it  so,  such  shameful  abandonment  of  the 
post  of  duty  would  most  surely  prove  them  unfit  to  be  trusted  with 
the  destinies  of  the  nation.  But  they  did  work,  with  all  the  frensy 
of  desperation,  and  their  labors  were  all  fruitless:  the  aspiration 
of  the  age  and  the  instincts  of  the  people  were  against  then. 
Maine  and  North  Carolina.  Iowa  and  Missouri.  Indiana,  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania,  Florida  and  South  Carolina  have  taken  their  po 
in  the  line  of  battle,  and  will  not  alter  in  November,  the  glorious 
war  cry,  which  they  have  so  proudly  Hung  on  the  breeze  in  Augist 
and  October. 

Indiana  is  the  banner  State.  Governor  Wright's  majority  is 
probably  near  twenty  thousand.  In  1849  it  was  less  than  ten 
thousand — clear  gain  of  ten  thousand.  Ten  Democrats  and  oi.lv 
one  Whig  elected  to  Congress.  In  the  Legislature  there  is  probably 
on  joint  ballot  a  Democratic  majority  of  fifty  members. 

Dr.  Norman  Eddy,  Representative  elect  in  our  own  District, 
received  a  majority  in  every  county. 

Herman  Laws  m.  our  present  Sheriff,  is  elected  Judge  of  the 
court  of  common  pi  i  this  District,  consisting  of  LaPorte,  Porter 

and  Lake  counties.  Majority  two.  One  hundred  and  fifty-three 
ballots  containing  the  name  of  James  K.  Farrand,  were  thrown  out 
as  informal. 

In  the  late  election,  LaPorte  county  polled  two  thousand  five 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  votes,  distributed  as  follows  among  the 
various  townships,  Michigan  ;  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight ;  Sprung- 
field,   seventy  four:   Galena,   seventy-three;   Hudson,    eighty;   Cool 


politics.  249 

Spring,  eighty-three ;  Centre,  seven  hundred  and  forty ;  Kankakee, 
one  hundred  and  forty-five ;  Wills,  one  hundred  and  twenty-one ; 
Pleasant,  four  hundred  and  twelve;  Scipio,  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
five:  New  Durham,  one  hundred  and  sixty -four;  Clinton,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-four;  Noble,  two  hundred  and  ten;  Union,  one 
hundred  and  sixty;  Cass,  twenty-nine." 

It  seems  quite  evident  that  in  1852,  there  was  a  Democratic  tidal 
wave  which  rolled  over  not  LaPorte  county  alone,  but  the  whole 
country.  The  result  sounded  the  knell  of  the  Whig  party.  It  was 
broken  up  and  never  again  rallied.  New  departures  were  taken, 
and  out  of  the  disorganized  material  of  which  the  Whig  party  was 
composed,  augmented  by  numerous  accessions  from  the  anti-slavery 
sentiment  of  the  Democracy,  the  Republican  party  was  at  length 
formed;  and  parties  became  divided  squarely  upon  issues  growing 
out  of  slavery. 

At  the  election  of  October,  1853,  only  a  few  more  than  one 
thousand  and  six  hundred  votes  were  polled  in  LaPorte  county. 
The  field  seems  to  have  been  yielded  to  the  Democrats  without  a 
struggle.  The  only  officers  to  be  elected  were  Reporter  of  the 
supreme  court,  County  Auditor  and  two  Commissioners.  The  vote 
stood  as  follows:  For  Reporter. supreme  court,  A.  G.  Porter,  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  votes  and  James  W.  Gordon  six  hundred 
and  thirty  votes ;  for  County  Auditor,  Andrew  J.  Wair,  one  thou- 
sand and  fifteen  votes,  John  S.  Allen  four  hundred  and  three,  and 
Abram  Fravel  two  hundred  and  twentv  votes :  for  Commissioners, 
James  Drummond,  nine  hundred  and  ninetv-six  votes,  Jacob  R. 
Hall,  one  thousand  and  seven  votes,  Phineas  Hunt,  six  hundred 
and  seventeen  votes  and  Joseph  Orr  six  hundred  votes. 

The  election  aroused  no  political  feeling;  and  very  little  was  said 
about  it  in  the  press.  The  following  mild  utterance  is  from  the 
LaPorte  Times,  and  is  about  all  that  was  said  concerning  the 
election  of  1-858 : 

"OCTOBER  ELECTION. 

For  some  weeks  we  have  had  the  name  of  Albert  G.  Porter  at 
the  head  of  our  columns  as  the  Democratic  nominee  for  Supreme 
Court  Reporter,  and  we  would  now  call  attention  to  the  importance 
of  that  office,  and  the  election  of  a  fit  and  competent  man  to   dis- 


250  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

charge  its  duties.  Mr.  Porter,  as  appointee  of  the  Governor,  has 
already  manifested  his  entire  capacity,  and  if  elected,  will  do  credit 
to  the  position.  There  is  but  one  fear  on  the  subject  of  the  October 
election,  and  that  is  that  the  Democracy  will  nor  think  this  matter 
of  electing  a  Reporter  of  sufficient  importance  to  induce  them  to 
the  poll-.  This  should  never  be!  Let  the  people  show  their  will 
on  every  occasion  of  this  kind,  for  if  they  do  not,  there  are 
opportunities  left  open  for  now  and  then  a  most  shameful  defeat. 
We  shall  notice  this  election  again." 

New  questions  now  arose,  growing  out  of  the  Know-Nothing 
excitement  and  the  agitation  which  attended  the  passage  of  the 
Nebraska  Bill,  and  repeal  of  the  Missouri  compromise,  and  at  the 
October  election  of  1854,  the  average  majority  against  the  Demo- 
cratic party  was  three  hundred.  The  election  was  for  State  offi  - 
except  Governor  and  Lieutenant  Governor,  Representative  in  Con- 
gress, Prosecuting  attorney  for  the  circuit  court,  and  also  for  the 
court  of  common  pleas.  Representative  to  the  State  legislature  and 
several  other   county   officers.      The   candidates   for  Cor:  .  were 

Schuyler  Colfax,  and  Norman  Eddy  1  Colfax  received  one  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  twenty-nine,  votes  to  one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  forEd>:         The  candidal  ut- 

y  attorney  in  the  circuit  court,  were  Morgan  II.  Weir  and  Don 
J.  Woodward,  and  Weir  received  tnree  hundred  and  nine  majority. 
James  A.  Thornton  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  common 
pleas  Prosecutor  against  Wm.  C.  Talcott.  and  Talcott  received  a 
majority  of  two  hund.  id   forty-five  votes.     Jacob    R.  Hall  \ 

elected   Representative   to   th<  re  legislature   against   John   I 

Walker;  Edmund  S.  Organ   was  elected  County  Treasurer  agaii 
Orpheus  Everl         Vm.  II.  II.   Whitehead   was  beriff  ov< 

H.  P.  Lans;  the  candidates  for   County  commissioner,   were  0.  F. 
Piper  and  James  Drummond,  and  Piper  was  elected:  the  candidal 
for  Com,  irveyor,  were  Daniel  M.  Learning  and  John  P.  Cat 

cart,  and    Learning   was   elected:   and    Henry  W.  Fox    was    elected 

roner  against  Wm.  Fry. 

Not  much  interest  was  manifested  by  the  people  of  the  county  in 
the  election  of  1  as  there  were  no  officers  to  be  elected  except  a 

Recorder  and  three  Commissioners.     Only  about  one  thousand  and 


POLITICS.  251 

nine  hundred  votes  were  cast,  although  there  were  probably  thirty- 
two  or  thirty-three  hundred  voters  in  the  county.  The  Democrats 
were  successful  and  elected  all  their  candidates  by  majorities  ranging 
from  ninety-one  to  two  hundred  and  fifty.  Anderson  Hupp  was  elected 
Recorder  against  Burwell  Spurlock,  and  Asa  M.  Warren,  Aquilla 
W.  Rodgers,  and  H.  J.  Reese  were  elected  Commissioners  against 
Samuel  Harvey,  Abram  Westervelt  and  George  Crawford. 

Prior  to  1856,  the  anti-slavery  sentiment  of  the  country  had 
become  consolidated.  It  took  the  form  of  opposition  to  the  exten- 
sion of  slavery  into  the  territories  of  the  United  States,  and  resulted 
in  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party.  The  larger  portion  of 
the  Whigs  found  themselves  naturally  in  the  new  party,  most  of 
the  Free  Soilers  united  with  it,  and  also  the  large  anti-slavery  ele- 
ment of  the  Democratic  party.  The  first  national  convention  of  the 
new  party  met  early  in  1856,  and  nominated  John  C.  Fremont  for 
President  and  Wm.  L.  Dayton  for  Vice  President.  The  candidates 
of  the  Democracy  were  James  Buchanan  and  John  C.  Breckenridge. 
Oliver  P.  Morton  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Governor  of 
Indiana,  and  Ashbel  P.  Willard,  the  Democratic  candidate.  W.  Z. 
Stewart  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Congress  and  Schuyler 
Colfax  had  been  nominated  by  the  Republicans  for  re-election.  M. 
H.  Weir  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  State  Senator,  and 
Herman  Lawson,  the  Democratic  candidate;  and  for  Judge  of  the 
court  of  common  pleas,  the  candidates  were  William  C.  Talcott, 
Republican,  and  Daniel  Noyes,  Democrat.  The  candidates  for 
county  officers  were  as  follows,  the  Democratic  candidate  for  each 
office  being  first  named :  For  Representative  to  the  State  legisla- 
ture, William  R.  Bowes  and  George  Crawford;  for  Clerk,  C.  W. 
Mead  and  James  Moore ;  for  Treasurer,  Seth  Eason  and  Abel  D. 
Porter;  for  Sheriff,  Nathan  Kell  and  Wm.  H.  H.  Whitehead;  for 
Surveyor,  John  P.  Cathcart  and  Daniel  M.  Learning;  for  Coroner, 
Wm.  Fry  and  R.  G.  James,  and  for  Commissioner,  A.  W.  Rogers 
and  El  am  Clark. 

The  Republicans  were  victorious.  The  vote  was  the  largest  that 
had  ever -been  cast  in  the  county,  the  total  number  being  four 
thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-three;  and  the  Republican  candi- 
dates  were  all  successful  by   majorities   ranging  from  fifty,  to  one 


252  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

hundred  and  forty-nine.  On  State  officers  the  average  majority 
was  one  hundred  and  five.  The  majority  of  Mr.  Colfax  was  one 
hundred  and  thirty.  Morgan  H.  Weir's  majority  was  one  hundred 
and  twenty-two.  Whitehead's  majority  was  one  hundred  and 
forty-nine. 

* 

The  canvass  for  the  Presidential  nominees  was  still  kept  up.  and 
in  November.  LaPorte  county  cast  a  still  larger  vote  than  in  October, 
the  whole  number  of  votes  being  four  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
nineteen.  Of  these  the  Republican  electors  received  two  thousand 
five  hundred  and  thirty-three  votes,  the  Democratic  electors  two 
thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine  votes,  and  there  were  forty- 
five  votes  cast  for  a  third  electoral  ticket.  Daniel  D.  Pratt  was  the 
Whig  elector  for  the  ninth  District,  and  Orpheus  Everts  the  Dem- 
ocratic elector.  The  whole  campaign  was  one  of  intense  interest 
and  excitement,  and  although  the  Republican  party  was  defeated 
in  its  first  national  contest,  and  in  most  of  the  States,  yet  the  large 
vote  it  cast,  and  its  many  local  victories,  served  to  consolidate  it  and 
prepare  it  for  future  success. 

The  election  of  1857  was  without  especial  incident.  It  included 
county  officers  and  Judge  of  the  circuit  court,  Andrew  L.  Osborn 
being  elected  to  the  latter  position  by  a  heavy  majority.  The  can- 
didates for  county  officers,  were  for  Clerk,  James  Moore  and  John 
B.  Fravel;  for  Sheriff,  Wm.  H.  H.  Whitehead  and  Nathan  Kell : 
for  Treasurer,  Abel  D.  Porter  and  Seth  Eason :  for  Auditor.  John 
G.  Laird  and  Thomas  Pryce:  for  Commissioner  first  District.  Isaac 
B.  Coplin  and  Wm.  W.  Grarrard;  for  Commissioner  second  District. 
S.  Sabin  and  Ilenrv  P.  Lans.  Moore.  Whitehead.  Porter, 
Laird.  Coplin  and  Sabin.  all  Republicans,  were  elected  by  major- 
ities iging  from  one  hundred  and  fiftv  to  over  four  hundred.  In 
the  case  of  Laird  and  Prvce  there  was  a  contest  on  the  ground  that 
Laird  had  been  elected  to  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  within 
four  years,  which  would  under  the  constitution  prevent  his  holding 
any  but  a  judicial  office  within  that  time.  It  was  finally  adjudged 
that  neither  party  was  entitled  to  the  office,  and  Reuben  Munday 
was  appointed  by  the  commissioners  lerve  until  the  next  general 
election. 

Political    excitement   became  warm  again  in   18-3 v.      The  ter 


politics.  253 

that  were  heard  most  in  the  party  language  of  the  day  were 
''Lecompton  Constitution.'"  "Kansas,"  "Border  Ruffianism," 
••Freedom  of  the  Territories.*'  "Non-Extension  of  Slavery."  "  Dred 
Scott  Decision."  All  the  State  officers  except  Governor  were  to 
be  elected,  a  member  of  Congress,  and  county  officers.  The  Repub- 
licans carried  the  county  on  State  officers  by  from  five  hundred 
and  twenty  to  five  hundred  and  sixty  majority  in  a  total  vote  of 
five  thousand  and  twenty-six.  Schuyler  Colfax  and  John  C. 
Walker  were  the  opposing  candidates  for  Congress,  and  the 
former's  majority  in  the  county  was  five  hundred  and  sixty-five. 
Win.  B.  Biddle  and  James  A.  Thornton  were  the  opposing  candi- 
dates for  Prosecuting  attorney  in  the  circuit  court,  and  Biddle 
received  a  majority  of  five  hundred  and  two.  John  Walton  and 
Theophilus  Fravel  woe  the  opposing  candidates  for  Auditor,  and 
Walton  was  elected.  Abel  D.  Porter  was  elected  Treasurer  over 
Truman  T.  Harris:  Joshua  S.  McDowell  was  elected  Sheriff  over 
Levi  Ely:  Elisha  L.  Bennett  was  elected  Surveyor  over  Munday 
Allen:  Luther  Brusie  was  elected  Coroner  over  Henry  Ellsworth: 
John  Warnock  was  elected  Commissioner  over  J.  W.  Butterfield. 
and  Win.  II.  Scott  and  M.  G.  Sherman  were  elected  Representa- 
tives over  James  Bradley  and  James  Orr.  The  officers  elect  were 
all  Republicans,  and  the  majorities  were  generally  over  five 
hundred. 

The  "off  vear"  of  1859  brought  out  a  very  light  vote,  the  whole 
number  cast  being  only  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-five. 
There  were  but  three  offices  to  be  filled:  Prosecuting  attorney 
common  pleas  court.  Recorder,  and  Commissioner  for  the  second 
District.  Joseph  At.  Dow  and  Daniel  Noyes  were  the  candidates 
for  Prosecuting  attorney  :  and  Dow,  Republican,  received  a  majority 
in  this  county  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-four.  Luther  Mann.  Jr.. 
was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Recorder  and  Anderson  Hupp  the 
Democratic  candidate  for  re-election.  Hupp  was  elected  by  sixty- 
six  maioritv.  Sidney  S.  Sabin  was  elected  Commissioner  against 
Harvey  Truesdell,  Democrat. 

The  country  was  now  becoming  deeply  moved  over  questions 
which  stirred  the  popular  heart  as  none  had  ever  done  before.  The 
storm   had  been  gathering   ever   since  the   repeal  of  the  Missouri 


2;">-t  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

compromise;  the  struggles  in  Kansas  had  deeply  intensified  the 
feeling  of  the  people  of  the  North',  and  John  Brown's  attempt  upon 
Harper's  Ferry  had  been  skillfully  managed  so  as  to  arouse  and 
heat  the  people  of  the  South.  That  the  territories  of  the  United 
States  should  be  forever  consecrate!   to  freedom   was   I  <lemn 

determination  of  a  large  majority  of  the  people  of  the  North  ;  and 
that   the  boundaries   of    the   institution   of  slavery   should    not   be 
further  enlarged.      The  South,  seeking  its  perpetuation  by  means  of 
enlarged  political  power,  determined  that  it  should  not  be  restricted, 
but   should  have   enlarged  privileges.     The  questions   dividing  par- 
ties were  thus  chiefly  sectional,  and  pointed  directly  to  war.    In  this 
state  of  the  public  mind,  the  Republican  party  met  in  national  con- 
vention in  Chicago,  and  nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President, 
and  Hannibal  Hamlin  for  Vice  President.     The  Democratic  party 
met  at  Charleston  in  South  Carolina,  and  the  ''fire-eating"  element 
of  the  South,  the  better  to  secure  their  object,  the  dissolution  of  the 
Union,  broke  up  the  convention.     The  party  afterwards  met  in  the 
city  of  Baltimore,  and  there  the  same  turbulent  element  divided  the 
convention,  and  the  result   was   the  nomination  of  two  Democratic- 
ticket.-.       Stephen    A.    Douglas    and    Herschel    V.    Johnson    for 
President  and  Vice  President   on  the  one  side,  and  John  C.  Breck- 
enridge  and   Joseph  Lane  on  the   other.     Henry  S.  Lane  stood  at 
the  head  of  the  Republican  State  ticket,  as  candidate  for  Governor 
and   Thomas  A.  Hendriek-,    at  the  head  of  the  Democratic   ticket. 
In   the  ninth   District  Schuyler  Colfax  was   again  the   Republican 
candidate  for   Congress  and  the  Democrats   pitted   against  him  the 
veteran    Charles  W.  Cathcart.     Daniel  Noyes   and  Elisha   Egbert 
were  the   opposing   candidates  for  Judge   of  the  court  of  common 
pleas.      The   candidates  for  county   offices  were   as   follow-  :     For 
Clerk,   James  Moore  and   C.  C.    Morrical:  for   Sheriff,   Joshua  S. 
McDowell  and   Richard   Huncheon ;    for  Treasurer,   Reginald    II. 
Rose   and   Truman   T.    Harris :    For  Coroner,   Ludwig  Eliel    and 
Robert  Friedel;  for  Surveyor,    Edward  H.  Learning  and  John  P. 
Cathcart:  for  Commissioner,  Isaac  B.  Coplin  and  Ephraim  Barney; 
for   Representatives  to   the   State  legislature,    Samuel  Harvey   and 
Mason  G.  Sherman.   Republicans,  and  Irwin  S.  Jessup  and  Henry 
P.   Lans,    Democrat-.     The    candidates  for    State    Senator,   were 
Abraham  Teegarden  and  Henrv  Higgins. 


politics.  255 


The  position  which  the  Republican  party  maintained  on  slavery 
questions  may  be  seen  in  the  following  resolutions  found  in  the 
State  Republican  platform  of  that  year : 

"Resolved^  That  we  are  opposed  to  the  new  and  dangerous  doc- 
trine advocated  by  the  Democratic  party,  that  the  Federal  consti- 
tution carries  slavery  into  the  public  territories,  and  that  we 
believe  slavery  cannot  exist  anywhere  in  this  government;  unless  by 
positive  local  law,  and  that  we  will  oppose  its  extension  into  the  ter- 
ritories of  the  Federal  Government  by  all  the  power  known  to  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  opposed  to  any  interference  with  slavery 
where  it  exists  under  the  sanction  of  State  law,  that  the  soil  of 
every  State  should  be  protected  from  lawless  invasions  from  every 
quarter,  and  that  the  citizens  of  every  State  should  be  secured  from 
illegal  arrests  and  search,  as  well  as  from  mob  violence." 

They  also  embodied  the  following  in  the  platform: 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  preservation  of  the  American 
Union  as  the  highest  object  and  duty  of  patriotism,  and  that  it 
must  and  shall  be  preserved,  and  that  all  who  advocate  disunion  are, 
and  deserve  the  fate  ot,  traitors." 

Other  questions  formed  issues  between  the  parties,  but  the  chief 
and  most  important  by  far,  the  overshadowing  ones,  were  those 
growing  out  of  the  institution  of  slavery  and  the  attitude  of  the 
South  with  respect  to  it,  and  also  towards  the  Union.  Threats  of 
secession  in  case  of  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  were  freely  made, 
and  the  leaders  in  the  violence  which  characterized  the  proceedings 
in  the  South,  were  more  deeply  in  earnest  than  the  people  of  the 
North  generally  supposed.  The  campaign  was  distinguished, 
besides  the  usual  processions  and  speeches,  by  a  Republican  organ- 
ization known  as  Wide  Awakes,  which  adopted  a  simple  uniform, 
and  were  provided  with  torch  lamps,  fixed  on  poles,  and  thus  added 
much  to  the  interest  of  night  meetings.  The  company  of  Wide 
Awakes  which  existed  in  LaPorte,  was  drilled  by  Gen.  Newell 
Gleason,  in  the  manner  of  handling  their  lamp  sticks  according  to 
the  manual  of  arms.  In  one  year  from  that  time  many  of  the  same 
persons  were  drilling  with  arms,  preparatory  to  fighting  the  battles 
of  the  nation  against  a  section  of  country  which  had  wantonly  risen 


256  HISTORY    OF    LA  POETE    COUNTY. 

in  rebellion.  The  political  pulse  beat  high  in  both  parties,  great 
political  gatherings  were  frequent,  and  processions  and  enthusiasm 
filled  up  the  days  and  the  nights.  At  length  the  day  of  the  October 
election  came,  and  the  Republicans  were  completely  successful. 
The  average  majority  which  the  county  gave  on  the  State  ticket  was 
nine  hundred  and  eighty-five.  Colfax's  majority  for  congress  was 
one  thousand  and  five.  Egbert's  majority  for  Judge  was  four  hun- 
dred and  seventy.  Teegarden's  majority  for  the  State  Senate  was 
one  thousand  and  three.  The  Republican  majority  on  county 
offices  was  from  seven  hundred  to  one  thousand  majority.  The 
whole  number  of  votes  cast  was  five  thousand  and  fifteen.  But  the 
great  event  was  still  to  occur — the  Presidential  election  in  November. 
At  this  election  there  were  four  electoral  tickets  in  the  field,  those 
headed  by  the  candidates  already  named,  and  the  Union  party 
ticket,  headed  by  John  Bell  and  Edward  Everett.  Each  of  them 
were  voted  for  in  this  county-  The  countv  filled  three  places  on 
electoral  tickets.  John  C.  Walker  was  on  the  Douglas  Democratic 
ticket  for  the  State  at  large,  James  Bradlev  was  on  the  Brecken- 
ridge  Democratic  ticket  for  the  ninth  District,  and  John  P.  Early 
on  the  Bell  and  Everett  electoral  ticket  for  the  ninth  District. 
The  Lincoln  electoral  ticket  received  two  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  sixty-seven;  the  Douglas  ticket,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and 
six;  the  Bell  and  Everett  ticket,  twenty-seven,  and  the  Brecken- 
ridge  ticket,  four  hundred  and  seventy-four,  the  number  of  votes 
cast  being  five  thousand  and  seventy-four.  The  Republican 
majority  over  all  was  eight  hundred  and  sixty;  and  over  the 
Douglas-Democratic  ticket,  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
one.  <  )n  the  next  day  after  the  election,  the  LaPorte  Union  had 
this  to  say: 

"LaPorte  county  is  entitled  to  the  Banner.  Lincoln's  majority 
in  this  county  is  probably  one  thousand  tour  hundred  over  Douglas. 
The  Breckenridge  vote  in  the  county  is  about  five  hundred. 

In  this  city  the  vote  was  as  follows  :  For  Lincoln  nine  hundred 
and  twenty-seven;  for  Douglas,  three  hundred  and  eighty-nine; 
Breckenridge,  ninety-five,  and  Bell,  seventeen. 

St.  Joseph  county  gives  Lincoln  nine  hundred  majority. 

The  result  is  better  than  we  had  hoped  for;   but  we  are  none  the 


politics.  ,  25T 

less  delighted  with  it.     We  are  anxious  to  spread  the  good  news  as 
soon  as  possible,  and  will  not  wait  for  further  details." 

The  night  of  the  election  day,  the  Republicans  of  the  city  of 
LaPorte  met  in  Huntsman  Hall,  to  receive  and  read  the  despatches, 
determining  not  to  go  to  their  homes  until  they  should  learn  the 
general  result.  About  eight  o'clock  the  news  began  to  arrive. 
Mishawaka  reported  Republican  gains,  and  Calumet  sent  word  that 
they  had  given  Lincoln  a  majority  of  nineteen.  Calumet,  now 
Chesterton,  had  always  before  gone  Democratic.  These  results 
started  the  cheers,  and  speeches  were  called  for ;  but  no  one  felt  like 
speaking  then;  as  one  expressed  it,  they  "were  too  full  for  utter- 
ance and  felt  too  good."  Some  news  came  from  other  portions  of 
this  State,  from  western  Ohio  and  from  Michigan,  all  bearing 
tidings  of  large  Republican  gains.  This  was  all  received  with  much 
glee;  but  the  State  which  all  were  anxious  to  hear  from  was  New 
York.  The  despatches  began  to  drop  in  from  small  towns,  and  as 
it  was  not  known  how  they  had  previously  stood,  there  was  no 
information  conveyed.  But  at  last  the  decisive  despatches  came 
showing  that  New  York  Avas  safe  for  Lincoln,  and  that  Pennsylva- 
nia's majority  for  him  would  be  seventy  thousand.  This  news 
created  an  enthusiasm  such  as  it  would  be  difficult  to  describe. 
Men  were  lifted  up  and  carried  around  the  hall  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  multitude,  there  were  shouting  and  singing,  and  a  perfect  shower 
of  flying  hats;  strong  men  wept  for  joy,  and  laughed  and  shouted 
alternate^.  The  news  from  New  England  and  other  States  that 
had  been  received  meantime,  settled  it  that  the  national  victory  was 
with  the  Republicans.  Then  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
they  departed  to  their  homes.  Men  do  not  indulge  in  these  enthusi- 
asms now,  and  the  men  of  1860  may  be  thought  to  have  been 
grotesquely  extravagant,  but  we  should  pardon  something  to  the 
spirit  of  liberty,  and  to  the  new-born  zeal  for  the  young  party  which 
was  enkindled  by  its  first  national  victory. 

The  vote  of  1861  was  light.  None  but  county  officers  were  to 
be  elected,  and  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  was  two  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  sixty -nine.  Of  these,  for  Sheriff,  S.  P.  Mead 
received  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirty-five,  and  Wm.  Ever- 
hart  one  thousand  three   hundred  and  eighty-eight;  For    County 

i7 


258  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

commissioner,  John  P.  Cathcart  received  two  thousand  five  hundred 
and  eight v-one  votes  and  John  Garwood,  Sen.,  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five;  for  Representative  to  the  State  legislature,  H.  H. 
Roberts  received  nine  hundred  and  thirty-eight  votes,  J.  P.  Dunn, 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-nine,  and  Wm.  B.  Webber,  five  hundred 
and  fifty.  The  attention  of  the  whole  people  was  concentrated  on 
the  war;  and  how  well  LaPorte  county  bore  her  part  will  be  shown 
in  a  succeeding  chapter. 

The  election  of  1862,  was  a  more  important  one.  The  Union 
arms  had  met  with  reverses,  and  a  somewhat  gloomy  feeling  per- 
vaded the  minds  of  the  people.  When  the  election  came  each  party 
stood  firmly  by  its  candidates,  for  the  campaign  had  aroused  party 
feeling  intensely.  County  and  State  officers,  except  Governor  and 
Lieutenant  Governor,  were  to  be  elected,  and  a  Representative  ia 
congress.  For  the  latter  office  Schuyler  Colfax  and  David  Turpie 
were  the  candidates.  They  were  both  fine  speakers,  as  the  people  of 
the  District  had  already  learned  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Colfax ;  and  it 
was  perhaps  the  ability  of  Mr.  Turpie  in  this  respect  that  led  the 
Democrats  to  nominate  him  as  their  candidate.  They  both  can- 
vassed the  District  very  thoroughly,  speaking  separately  as  well  ad 
in  joint  discussions,  and  the  result  was  a  close  drawing  of  party 
lines.  A  great  many  of  the  young  men  of  the  county  had  enlisted, 
and  were  now  absent,  and  Mr.  Colfax  had  mi.de  many  speeches  in 
the  District  urging  enlistments.  By  these  enlistments,  the  number 
of  votes  cast  was  considerablv  diminished,  the  total  vote  being;  but 
four  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-four.  On  candidates  for 
Secretary  of  State,  the  county  gave  the  Republican  candidate,  Wm. 
A.  Peele,  three  hundred  and  sixty-two  majority.  Colfax's  majority 
was  three  hundred  and  fifty-eight  in  the  county.  James  Bradley 
and  D.  T.  Phillips,  were  candidates  for  Prosecuting  attorney,  and 
Phillips  received  a  majority  in  this  county  of  three  hundred  and  one. 
John  Walton  received  a  majority  over  Andrew  J.  Wair  for  Auditor 
of  four  hundred  and  one.  The  other  Republican  county  candidates 
were  elected  by  majorities  of  from  three  hundred  and  fifty  to  four 
hundred.  L.  Eliel  was  elected  Coroner  over  A.  K.  Webster;  R. 
H.  Rose  was  elected  Treasurer  against  Thomas  Larkin ;  E.  H. 
Learning  was  elected  Surveyor  against  Mortimer  Nye:   S.  S.  Sabin 


politics.  259 

was  elected  Commissioner  against  R.  Shaw:  and  W.  W.  Higgins 
and  James  Forrester  were  elected  Representatives  against  J.  W. 
Butterfield  and  John  C.  Walker.  For  Prosecutor  in  common  pleas 
court,  William  Andrew  received  a  majority  of  three  hundred  and 
sixty-nine  over  R.  L.  Farnsworth. 

In  the  year  1863,  the  people  of  LaPorte  county,  gave  more 
thought  to  the  war  and  its  prosecution  than  to  any  other  subject. 
It  filled  all  hearts  and  minds,  and  political  questions  were  such  as 
grew  out  of  the  great  rebellion,  and  the  method  the  government  was 
pursuing  to  crush  it  out  and  restore  the  peace  and  unity  of  the 
nation.  A  county  convention  of  the  Republican  party  was  held  at 
the  Court  House  on  the  27th  day  of  June,  and  it  expressed  the 
popular  feeling  in  the  following  resolutions,  reported  from  the  com- 
mittee on  resolutions,  by  Hon.  Charles  W.  Cathcart: 

u  Resolved,  That  the  calamities  of  the  present  rebellion  have  been 
brought  upon  this  nation  by  the  infamous  doctrines  of  nullification 
and  secession,  promulgated  by  Calhoun  and  denounced  by  General 
Jackson  in  1832,  as  incompatible  with  the  unity  and  integrity, 
power  and  glory  of  the  American  Republic. 

Resolved,  That  the  war  must  go  on  with  the  utmost  vigor,  till 
the  authority  of  the  National  Government  is  re-established,  and  the 
old  flag  floats  again  securely  and  triumphantly  over  every  State  and 
Territory  of  the  Union. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  present  exigencies  of  the  Republic,  we  lay 
aside  personal  preferences  and  prejudices,  and  henceforth  till  the 
war  is  ended  will  draw  no  part}?-  line,  but  the  great  line  between 
those  who  sustain  the  government  and  those  who  oppose  it — between 
those  who  rejoice  in  the  triumph  of  our  arms  and  those  who  rejoice 
in  the  triumph  of  the  enemy. 

Resolved,  That  immortal  honor  and  gratitude  are  due  to  our 
brave  and  patriotic  soldiers  in  the  field,  and  everlasting  shame  and 
disgrace  to  any  citizen  or  party  who  withholds  it;  that,  sympathizing 
with  the  army  and  its  hardships,  and  proud  of  its  gallantry,  the 
lovers  of  the  Union  will  stand  by  it,  and  will  remember,  aid  and 
support  those  who  are  disabled,  and  the  families  of  those  who  fall 
fighting  for  their  country. 

Resolved,  That  confiding  in  the  honesty,  patriotism  and  good 
sense  of  the  President,  we  pledge  to  him  our  support  of  his  earnest 
efforts  to  put  down  the  rebellion. 


260  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 

Resolved,  That  the  present  Governor,  0.  P.  Morton,  is  an 
honest,  aide  public  servant,  and  that  his  official  conduct  deserves 
and  receives  the  approbation  of  all  loyal  people." 

The  convention  then  proceeded  to  the  nomination  of  candidates, 
which  resulted  in  the  selection  of  Stephen  P.  Mead,  as  the  candi- 
date for  Sheriff":  Wm.  Copp  for  Recorder;  Abram  J.  Westervelt 
for  Real  Estate  Appraiser,  and  Isaac  B.  Coplin  for  Commissioner. 
The  Democratic  candidates  were,  for  Sheriff,  Win.  Everhart:  for 
Recorder,  James  Overholtz;  for  Real  Estate  Appraiser.  Willard  A. 
Place,  and  for  Commissioner.  Jesse  Coleman.  Andrew  L.  Osborn 
was  candidate  for  Circuit  Judge,  but  had  no  opposition.  The 
election  resulted  in  the  success  of  the  Republican  candidates. 
Mead's  majority  was  <>ne  hundred  and  seventy:  Copp's  majority  was 
eighty-six  :  Westervelt's  majority  was  two  hundred  and  ninety-six;  . 
and  Coplin's  was  two  hundred  and  ninety-seven.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  votes  cast  was  four  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty. 
Judge  Osborn  receive!  the  entire  vote.  • 

The  campaign  of  1864,  was  one  of  much  earnestness  and  depth 
of  feeling.  Abraham  Lincoln  was  the  Republican  candidate  for 
re-election  to  the  presidency,  and  associated  with  him  as  candidate 
for  Vice  President  was  Andrew  Johnson,  the  distinguished  Union 
of  Tennessee.  Oliver  P.  Morton,  elected  by  the  Republicans  Lieut. 
Governor  in  1860,  bad  become  Governor  by  the  election  of  Henry 
S.  Lane  to  the  United  States  Senate:  and  was  now  the  Republican 
candidate  for  re-election.  Gen.  George  B.  McClellan  and  Geo.  H. 
Pendleton  were  the  Democratic  candidates  for  President  and  Vice 
President:  and  Joseph  E.  McDonald  for  Governor.  Colfax  and 
Turpie  were  again  the  candidate.-  of  their  respective  parties,  for 
congress,  and  there  was  also  full  State  and  county  tickets.  Edwin 
<i.  McCollum  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Prosecuting  attor- 
ney, circuit  court,  against  Aaron  Gurney  of  Porter.  Wm.  Andrew 
was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Common  Plea-  Pr  tor  ag; 

George  L.   Bitting  Mulford    K.    Farrand  and   John   B.  Niles 

were  candidates  for  State  Senator,  and  Lawrence  A.  Stimpson,  and 
E.  Morgan  Davis    were  Democratic    candidates  for    Representatr 
to  the  State  legislature  against  W.  W.  Higgins  and  John  II.  Willis. 
Jacob  S.  Martin  and  James  II.  Shannon  were  candidates  for  Clerk ; 


POLITICS.  261 

Ellis  Michael  and  Durand  C.  Alexander  for  Treasurer;  R.  0.  Cran- 
dall  and  Ludwig  Eliel  for  Coroner:  J.  W.  Learning  and  E.  H. 
Learning  for  Surveyor,  and  Jackson  Hosmer  and  John  P.  Cathcart 
for  Commissioner. 

The  Republican  candidates  at  the  October  election  were  all  suc- 
successful.  and  by  nearly  uniform  majorities,  showing  that  in 
those  war  times  there  was  very  little  scratching  of  tickets.  Mor- 
ton's majority  was  four  hundred  and  seventy-five,  Colfax's  majority 
was  four  hundred  and  fifty-eight,  and  the  majority  on  county  can- 
didates varied  no  more  than  from  four  hundred  and  fifty-nine  to 
four  hundred  and  seventy-three.  The  whole  number  of  votes  cast 
was  four  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty-nine,  showing  that  a 
large  number  of  voters  were  absent  from  the  county.  At  the  Presi- 
dential election  in  November  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast 
was  four  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eleven.  Of  these  the  Repub- 
lican electors  received  two  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty-six,  and 
the  Democratic  electors  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  forty-five. 
Jame  B.  Belford  was  the  Republican  elector  for  the  ninth  District. 
Many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  county  were  in  the  army,  and  the 
majority  of  the  families  of  the  county  had  one  or  more  representa- 
tives there  fighting  in  the  nation's  defense.  Under  such  circum- 
stances, war  questions  formed  the  politics  of  the  day,  and  the 
county  newspapers  were  filled  with  the  doings  of  the  army,  with 
discussions  on  the  manner  of  conducting  the  war,  on  the  policy  of 
emancipation,  and  whether  or  not  the  war  should  be  fought  out  to 
a  successful  termination,  until  the  last  rebel  in  arms  had  yielded, 
or  whether  peace  should  be  sought  through  negotiation,  and  cessation 
of  hostilities  on  the  part  of  the  government.  The  verdict  of  this 
county  was  unmistakably  in  favor  of  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the 
war,  until  victory,  complete  and  final,  should  rest  with  the  nation. 

The  election  of  1865  did  not  possess  much  public  or  political 
interest,  as  there  were  but  three  officers  to  be  elected,  all  of  them 
for  county  offices.  Ithamar  D.  Phelps  and  Amos  Johnson  were 
candidates  for  Sheriff,  and  Phelps,  Republican  was  elected  by  a 
majority  of  seven  hundred  and  twenty-eight.  Johnson  had  been  a 
Republican,  but  on  this  occasion  had  accepted  a  Democratic  nomi- 
nation. Newell  Gleason  and  Herman  P.  Lans,  were  candidates  for 
Representative   to  the   State  legislature,  and    Gleason.   Republican 


262  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

was  elected  by  a  majority  of  six  hundred  and  nineteen;  William 
O'Hara  and  George  i  I  all  were  candidates  for  County  commissioner, 
and  O'Hara,  Republican  was  elected  by  six  hundred  and  nineteen 
majority.  The  whole  number  of  votes  was  four  thousand  and 
forty-three. 

In  1866,  the  ^issues  which  divided  parties  arose  from  the 
work  of  reconstruction  of  the  States  lately  in  rebellion.  The  elec- 
tion was  an  important  one,  and  party  spirit  once  more  ran  high. 
State  officers  except  Governor  and  Judges  were  to  be  elected,  a 
member  of  congress,  and  county  officers.  Colfax  and  Turpie,  a 
third  time,  were  presented  against  each  other  by  their  respective 
parties  as  candidates  for  congress;  and  they  made  a  very  thorough 
canvass  of  the  District,  part  of  the  time  in  joint  discussion.  Wm. 
H.  Calkins,  then  of  Porter  county,  was  the  Republican  candidate 
for  Prosecuting  attorney,  circuit  court,  against  Edwin  G.  McCollum. 
Jasper  Packard  and  Seth  Eason  were  the  candidates  for  County 
Auditor;  Durand  C.  Alexander  and  John  Druliner  were  the  can- 
didates for  Treasurer;  Ludwig  Eliel  and  Richard  0.  Crandall  were 
candidates  for  Coroner;  John  P.  Cathcart  and  S.  A.  Van  Dusen 
were  candidates  for  Surveyor;  Isaac  B.  Coplin  and  James  Druin- 
mond  were  candidates  for  Commissioner;  James  B.  Belford  and 
Wm.  W.  Higcrins,  Henry  H.  Walker  and  A.  G.  Standiford  were 
candidates  for  Representatives;  Wm.  Andrew  and  George  S.  Sey- 
mour were  candidates  for  Prosecuting  attorney,  court  of  common 
pie;  The    Republican    candidates    for    county    offices    were    all 

elected  by  majorities  of  from  one  hundred  ami  seventy-one  to  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five,  in  a  total  vote  of  five  thousand  six  hundred 
and  thirty-five.  The  average  majority  of  oilier  candidates  wa& 
three  hundred  and  twenty. 

The  election  of  1867,  was  for  four  county  officers  ;done.  The 
candidates  were  as  follows:  For  Representative,  Orpheus  Everts 
and  Simon  Wile;  for  Sheriff,  Ithamar  D.  Phelps  and  John  M. 
Clarkson;  for  Recorder.  Henry  C.  Brown  and  Charles  S.  McClung: 
Commissioner,  Reynolds  Couden  and  .Jackson  Hosnier.  The 
Republican  candidates  were  all  successful.  Everts  by  a  majority 
of  five  hundred  and  eighty-six,  Phelps  by  a  majority  of  eight  hun- 
dred and  sixty-one,   Brown  by  a  majority  of  six  hundred  and  fifty- 


politics.  263 

three  and   Couden  by  a  majority  of  six  hundred   and  fifty-six,  in  a 
total  vote  of  three  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-five. 

The  year  1868  brought  with  it  another  presidential  campaign. 
The  Republican  national  convention  met  in  Chicago,  and  nomina- 
ted the  General  of  the  army,  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  associating 
with  him  on  the  ticket,  as  the  candidate  for  Vice  President, 
Schuyler  Colfax,  who  had  for  so  many  years  represented  the  ninth 
District  in  congress.  The  nomination  of  Colfax  rendered 
necessary  the  nomination  of  a  new  man  for  congress.  A  District 
nominating  convention  was  held  at  Westville,  and  the  choice  fell  on 
Jasper  Packard,  then  the  Auditor  of  LaPorte  county.  The  Demo- 
cratic national  convention  nominated  Horatio  Seymour  and  Francis 
P.  Blair,  Jr..  for  President  and  Vice  President;  and  the  District 
convention  of  that  party  met  at  Wanatah  and  nominated  Mulford 
K.  Farrand  as  the  candidate  for  congress.  Each  party  had  in  the 
field  a  full  State  ticket,  Conrad  Baker,  who  had  become  Governor 
by  the  election  of  Oliver  P.  Morton  to  the  United  States  Senate, 
was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Governor,  and  Thomas  A.  Hen- 
dricks was  the  Democratic  candidate.  The  campaign  was  one  of 
great  activity.  Each  party  was  well  organized,  and  both  had  great 
hopes  of  success.  The  Issues  between  the  parties  were  still  such  as 
arose  from  the  work  of  reconstruction,  especially  as  it  affected  the 
condition  of  the  colored  race  so  lately  manumitted;  and  others 
arising  out  of  the  proposed  taxation  of  -the  bonds  of  the  United 
States  and  their  cancellation  with  legal  tender  notes  instead 
of  gold.  Discussions  on  these  questions  took  a  wi(Je  range,  and 
involved  the  attitude  assumed  by  each  toward  the  rebellion,  during 
its  progress.  There  were  public  speeches  innumerable;  the  candi- 
dates for  Governor  canvassed  the  entire  State;  and  in  this  District 
the  candidates  for  congress  held  thirty-three  joint  discussions,  speak- 
ing much  oftener  than  that  singly.  When  the  election  came  on  in 
October,  it  was  found  that  the  Democrats  had  made  large  gains  in 
all  parts  of  the  State,  LaPorte  county,  in  like  manner  experienc- 
ing Republican  losses.  Yet  the  Board  of  canvassers  having 
thrown  out  the  vote  of  Dewey  and  Johnson  townships,  it  still  gave 
a  Republican  majority,  the  average  of  which  was  forty  eight  on  the 
State   ticket.     The  Republican  county  candidates  were  all  elected 


"2(U  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

with  two  exceptions,  and  they  received  majorities  ranging  from 
four  to  forty-five.  The  Republican  candidate  for  congress  received 
eleven  majority  in  the  county.  The  candidates,  besides  those 
already  named,  were  Daniel  Noyes  and  Elisha  Egbert,  for  Judge  of 
common  pleas;  Thomas  J.  Wood  and  Win.  H.  Calkins,  for  Prose- 
cuting attorney,  circuit  court;  for  State  Senator,  James  Bradley 
and  LaFayette  Crane:  for  Representative,  Simon  Wile  and  James 
L.  Moody ;  for  Clerk,  Charles  Spaeth  and  James  H  Shannon ;  for 
Real  Estate  appraiser,  Jacob  Folant  and  Edmund  S.  Gardner;  for 
Treasurer,  Truman  T.  Harris  and  Mark  Allen :  for  Coroner, 
Walter  R.  Godfrey  and  Louis  Eliel;  for  Surveyor,  James  E. 
Bradley  and  J.  P.  Cathcart;  for  commissioner,  George  Hall  and 
Wm.  O'Hara.  There  were  two  exceptions  to  the  general  Republi- 
can majorities;  Simon  Wile  was  elected  Representative  by  twenty 
majority,  and  Truman  T.  Harris  was  elected  Treasurer  by  four 
majority.  There  were  of  course,  doubts  as  to  the  propriety  of  reject- 
ing the  votes  of  Dewey  and  Johnson  townships.  Including  these 
votes,  the  county  gave  a  small  Democratic  majority:  but  there 
were  many  accusations  of  fraud,  and  notices  of  contest  were  filed  by 
Allen  against  Harris  for  the  Treasurership,  by  Thornton  against 
Wile,  by  Crane  against  Bradley,  by  Hall  against  O'Hara  and 
Shannon  against  Spaeth.  Some  of  these  cases  were  withdrawn 
before  final  decision,  one  was  settled  by  compromise.  Harris  died 
before  decision  wras  finally  rendered,  and  except  in  the  case  of  the 
Treasurer,  all  of  them  remained  as  at  first  returned  by  the  Board  of 
canvassers.  At  the  November  election  which  followed,  the  vote  of 
both  parties  was  increased,  the  Democratic  electors  receiving  two 
thousand  eight  hundred  ami  seventy-six  votes  and  the  Republican 
three  thousand  and  sixty-four,  making  a  total  vote  of  five  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  forty,  ami  giving:  the  countv  t<>  the  Republican- 
by  one  hundre  I  and  eighty-eight  majority. 

The  next  general  election  did  not  occur  until  October,  1870. 
when  a  full  State  ticket  except  Governor  and  Lieut.  Governor,  can- 
didates for  congress,  and  for  county  officers  were  to  be  voted  for. 
At  this  election  Andrew  L.  Osborn  was  one  of  the  candidates  for 
Judge  of  the  Supreme  court,  Jasper  Packard  was  candidate  for 
congress   against    Samuel    I.    Anthony.  Democrat,   of    Valparaiso : 


politics.  265 

J.  Bradley  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Circuit  Judge  against 
Thomas  S.  Stanfield;  Wm.  Schoeneman  and  Simon  Wile  were  the 
opposing  candidates  for  Representative  in  the  State  legislature,  and 
the  other  candidates  were,  for  Sheriff,  Daniel  L.  Brown  and 
Amenzo  Mann:  for  Auditor,  Harvey  R.  Harris  and  Charles 
Spaeth;  for  Treasurer,  Mark  Allen  and  Edmund  S.  Organ;  for 
Recorder,  Henry  C.  Brown  and  Francis  Hobart;  for  Commissioner 
first  district,  Enos  Weed  and  Eugene  W.  Davis ;  for  Commissioner 
second  district,  John  Sutherland  and  Andrew  J.  Rogers:  for  Com- 
missioner  third  district,  Simon  P.  Kern  and  John  M.  Clarkson; 
for  Coroner,  Louis  Eliel  and  Bowen  C.  Bowell;  for  Surveyor,  John 
P.  Catchcart  and  James  E.  Bradle}^.  The  total  vote  cast  was  five 
thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty-six,  and  every  Republican  can- 
didate received  a  majority.  The  average  Republican  majority  on 
the  State  ticket  was  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight;  the  Republi- 
can candidate  for  congress  received  two  hundred  and  fifty  majority, 
and  the  majority  on  county  candidates  was  Irom  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  to  four  hundred  and  eighty  four. 

The  next  general  election  was  held  on  the  8th  day  of  October, 
1872.  Candidates  for  all  the  State  offices  except  Judges  of  the 
Supreme  court,  for  Judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas,  for  Prose- 
cuting attorney  of  both  courts,  for  State  Senator,  for  two  Congress- 
men-at-large,  for  Representative  in  congress  for  the  eleventh 
District,  for  Representative  in  the  State  legislature  and  joint 
Representative,  and  for  all  the  county  offices  were  to  be  voted 
for.  The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  in  the  county  was  six 
thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy-two,  the  largest  ever 
polled,  and  the  Democrats  were  completely  successful,  the  aver- 
age Democratic  majority  being  one  hundred  and  fifty.  On 
the  candidates  for  Governor,  the  vote  was,  for  Thomas  M. 
Browne,  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninety-eight,  for  Thomas 
A.  Hendricks,  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy-three;  on 
the  candidates  for  Representative  in  congress  the  vote  was,  for 
Jasper  Packard,  three  thousand  and  five,  for  John  A.  Henricks, 
three  thousand  one  hundred  and  forty-five  ;  for  Judge  of  common 
pleas  court,  the  voce  was,  for  Edward  J.  Wood,  two  thousand  nine 
hundred   and   thirty-six,   and    Daniel  Noyes,   three   thousand   two 


266  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

hundred  and  forty-three:  for  State  Senator  the  vote  was,  Mason  G. 
Sherman,  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  and  John  H. 
Winterbotham,  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventv-nine ;  for 
Representative  in  the  State  legislature,  the  vote  was,  Sidney  S. 
Sabin,  three  thousand,  George  H.  Teeter,  three  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-six:  for  Clerk,  the  vote  was,  Henry  C.  Shannon, 
two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  seventy-eight,  and  Sharles  Spaeth, 
three  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty ;  for  Sheriff,  the  vote  was.  as 
reported,  Daniel  L.  Brown,  three  thousand  and  fifty-four,  and 
DeWitt  C.  McCollum,  three  thousand  and  sixty;  for  Treasurer, 
John  T.  Sanders  received  three  thousand  and  nine  votes  and 
George  W.  Mecum,  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-one:  for 
Real  Estate  appraiser,  Edmund  S.  Gardner  received  two  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  seventy-one  votes  and  Jacob  Folant  three  thou- 
sand one  hundred  and  seventy;  for  Coroner,  Ludwig  Eliel  received 
two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninetv  votes  and  Wm.  F.  Standi- 
ford  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-three;  for  Surveyor. 
John  P.  Cathcart  received  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  seventv- 
nine  votes  and  Daniel  Kennedv  three  thousand  one  hundred  and 
forty-five ;  for  Commissioner  first  District,  Enos  Weed  received  two 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninety-six  votes  and  Benajah  S.  Fail 
three  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninetv-one:  for  Commissioner 
second  District,  Aaron  Foster  received  two  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  twenty-five  votes  and  Charles  Wills  three  thousand  two  hundred 
and  thirty-six;  for  Commissioner  third  District,  Jacob  Thornburg 
received  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninety-six  votes  and 
Hazard  M.  Hopkins  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-three. 
Daniel  L.  Brown  contested  the  election  on  the  candidates  for  Sheriff 
and  upon  final  adjudication  was  declared  entitled  to  the  office,  a 
sufficient  number  of  errors  havirrj;  been  discovered  to  give  him  a 
majority  of  all  the  votes  cast. 

The  movement  known  as  the  Liberal  Republican  had  this  year  a 
large  influence  politically,  having  virtually  dictated  the  Democratic 
nomination  for  the  Presidency,  and  tne  platform  of  principles  on 
which  the  campaign  against  the  Republican  party  was  conducted. 
But  in  the  vote  the  power  of  the  Liberal  Republicans  was  felt 
chiefly   at   the   October   election.       At   the   November   election  the 


politics.  267 

defections  among  Democrats  were  so  numerous  as  to  more  than 
counterbalance  the  votes  of  the  Liberal  Republicans.  The  latter, 
in  May,  had  nominated  Horace  Greeley  and  B.  Gratz  Brown  as 
their  candidate  for  President  and  Vice  President ;  and  when,  later,  the 
Democracy  met  in  national  convention,  they  adopted  the  nomina- 
tions and  the  platform  of  the  Liberals.  The  Republicans  re-nomina- 
ted President  Grant,  and  associated  with  him  Henry  Wilson,  of 
Massachusetts  as  a  candidate  for  Vice  President.  It  is  the  exact 
truth  to  say  that  neither  the  ticket  nor  the  platform  furnished  to 
the  Democracy  by  the  Liberal  Republicans  was  at  all  such  a  ticket 
or  platform  as  that  party  would  have  chosen  for  itself,  had  it  pur- 
sued an  entirely  independent  course.  The  disaffection  was  so  great 
that  a  third  ticket  was  nominated,  at  the  head  of  which  was  Charles 
O'Connor,  the  distinguished  lawyer  of  New  York.  This  third 
ticket  had  very  little  strength  in  this  county,  or  in  the  State,  the 
disaffection  among  Democrats  taking  the  form  at  the  Presidential 
election  of  a  refusal  to  vote  at  all.  This  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
the  vote  in  LaPorte  county  for  the  Democratic  electors  in 
November,  was 'three  hundred  and  ninety  less  than  for  Hendricks 
in  October.  Wm.  W.  Higgins  of  this  county  was  the  elector  on 
the  Liberal  Democratic  ticket  for  the  eleventh  District.  This  ticket 
received  in  this  county  two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty- 
three  votes;  the  Republican  electors  received  two  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  three  votes  and  the  O'Connor  electors  seventeen  votes. 

A  special  election  was  held  in  October,  1873,  for  Prosecuting 
attorney  to  fill  a  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  reorganization  of  the  courts 
of  the  State.  The  candidates  were  James  A.  Crawley  and  William 
E.  Pinney  of  LaPorte,  and.  George  Ford  of  South  Bend.  Ford 
received  one  hundred  and  thirteen  votes,  Pinney  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five,  and  Crawley  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty. 

The  election  of  1874  was  for  State,  county  and  township  officers, 
and  Representative  in  congress.  There  were  three  tickets  in  the 
field,  Democratic,  Republican  and  Independent,  and  the  Democrats 
carried  everything  by  very  large  majorities,  except  F.  Nebelthau 
for  Trustee  of  Centre  township,  and  Julius  P.  Linard  for  Constable. 
At  the  head  of  the  State  ticket  were  Wm.  W.  Curry,  Republican, 
John  E.  Neff,  Democrat,  and  Isaac  C.  Stout,  Independent;  and  the 


268  HISTORY    OF    LA  l'ORTE    COUNTY. 

vote  stood,  for  Curry,  two  thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty-four, 
for  Neff.  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty -one  and  for  Stout 
two  hundred  and  thirty-four.  The  candidates  for  congress,  were 
William  H.  Calkins,  Republican,  and  Win.  S.  Raymond,  Democrat, 
no  Independent  running  for  Congress  in  this  District ;  and  the  vote 
of  this  county  was,  for  Haymond,  three  thousand  two  hundred  and 
nine,  and  for  Calkins  two  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy-five. 
Andrew  L.  Osborn  was  a  candidate  for  Judge  of  the  Supreme  court, 
and  received  two  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy  votes,  the 
largest  given  for  any  Republican  candidate  on  the  State  ticket. 
For  Prosecuting  attorney,  the  candidates  were  James  A  Crawley, 
Republican,  and  George  Ford,  Democrat,  no  Independent  candidate 
running.  The  vote  of  the  county  was  for  Crawley,  two  thousand 
three  hundred  and  thirty-eight,  and  for  Ford,  three  thousand  two 
hundred  and  thirty-one.  Each  party  had  its  candidate  for  Repre- 
sentative to  the  State  legislature.  They  were  Edward  Evan.-. 
Democrat.  Sidney  S.  Sabin  and  Amos  Thorp.  Evans  received 
rhree  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixteen  votes,  Sabin  two  thousand 
two  hundred  and  seventy-eight,  and  Thorp  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
three.  For  the  other  county  officers,  the  candidates  and  their  votes 
were  as  follow- : 

FOR  SHERIFF. 

Edward  Hawkins.  Democrat.      ......      2996 

Ithamar  D.  Phelps,  Republican,     .....         2347 

John  N.  Fail.  Independent.        ......        367 

FOR   AUDITOR. 

Edward  J.  Church.  Democrat.     ......       ill!'' 

John  D.  Stewart.  Republican.  .  .  .  .  .  _''-7s 

John  R.  Stewart.  Independent,  .         .         .         .         .24. 

FOB   TBE  L8T7BEB. 

George  W.  Mecum,  Democrat.  .....        328 

Charles  S.  Winship,  Republican.      .....  2059 

John  D.  Hoover,  Independent.  .....        339 

FOB    RECORDER. 

John  II.  Organ.  Democrat.         ......     3223 

Wm.  P.  Yarger.  Republican.  .....  2252 

Ambrose  P.  White,  Independent.       .....       284 


POLITICS. 


FOR  CORONER. 

Darwin  T.  Rrown,  Democrat,     ......     3242 

George  J.  Bentley,  Republican,      .         .  .  .  2320 

FOR   COUNTY  SURVEYOR. 

Hiram  Burner,  Democrat,  ......     3196 

John  P.  Cathcart,  Republican,        .....  2581 

FOR  COUNTY  ASSESSOR. 

Jacob  Folant,  Democrat,  ......     3276 

Joseph  H.  Francis,  Republican,      .....         2242 

Wm.  E.  Creighton,  Independent,       .....       327 

FOR    COMMISSIONER. 

Charles  Wills,  Democrat.  ......     3218 

Benajah  Stanton,  Republican,  .....         2068 

George  Mill,  Independent,  ......       243 

This  closes  the  review  of  the  political  history  of  LaPorte  county, 
except  to  supply  the  omission  of  the  year  1839,  in  which  year,  there 
was  cast  a  total  vote  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-six, 
and  the  Whigs  were  successful  by  an  average  majority  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty,  Great  pains  have  been  taken  to  make  the  record 
as  complete  as  possible,  and  it  closes  with  the  following  recapitula- 
tion of  the  total  number  of  votes  cast  at  each  election  since  the 
organization  of  the  county : 

1832  April         Election, 55  Votes. 


u 


.. 


1832  August 

1832  November 

1833  August 
1834 
1835 
1836 

1836  November 

1837  August 
1838 

1839 
1840 

1840  November 

1841  August 
1842 

1843 
1844 


77 
115 

478 

— —  - 

i  10 

935 
942 
941 
1094 
1246 
1782 
1709 
1248 
1693 
1592 
1730 


270 


HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 


1844 

184.-, 
1846 
1847 
1848 
1848 
1849 
1850 
1851 
1852 
1852 
1853 
1854 
1855 
1856 
1856 
1857 
1858 
1859 
1860 
1860 
1861 
1862 
1863 
1864 
1864 
1865 
1866 
1867 
1868 
1868 
1870 
1872 
187l! 
1873 
1874 


November  Election, 


August 

cc 
cc 

cc 

November 
August 

cc 
a 

October 

November 

October 

cc 
ti 

cc 

November 
October 

cc 
cc 

cc 

November 
October 

bC 

cc 
a 


cc 

cc 


cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 


cc 

November      " 
October  *' 


November 

October 

cc 

November 
October  Special 
Election 


cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 


1893 
1756 
1873 
1910 
2011 
2136 
2061 
1920 
2139 
2588 
2961 
1629 
3128 
1900 
4563 
4819 
2999 
5026 
2835 
5015 
5074 
286: » 
4564 
4450 
4969 
4811 
4043 
5635 
3685 
5760 
5940 
5326 
6172 
5703 
1548 
5789 


Votes. 


FIRST    ELECTIONS.  271 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

FIRST    ELECTIONS. 

It  will  not  be  uninteresting  to  preserve  here  the  record  com- 
plete, of  some  of  the  first  elections  ever  held  in  the  county ;  the 
names  of  those  who  voted  then  will  be  familiar  to  many  still  living, 
and  their  appearance  will  serve  to  revive  many  pleasant  recollec- 
tions of  the  days  gone  by. 

The  following  is  the  notice  issued  by  the  acting  Sheriff  of  the 
county,  calling  the  first  election  and  appointing  it  to  be  held  on  the 
second  Monday  in  April,  1832 : 

"Notice  is  hereby  given  to  the  qualified  voters  of  LaPorte 
county,  Indiana;  That  by  virtue  of  a  late  act  of  the  legislature, 
laying  off  said  county,  and  also  a  commission  to  me  directed  as 
Sheriff  pro  tern,  as  well  as  that  of  a  writ  of  election  from  his  excel- 
lencv,  N.  Noble,  Governor  of  the  State  of  Indiana,  commanding  me 
as  Sheriff  of  said  county,  to  hold  an  election  at  such  place  or  places, 
as  I  may  appoint  in  said  county,  on  the  second  Monday  in  April 
next,  giving  ten  days  notice  thereof.  Therefore  be  it  known  that 
an  election  will  be  held  at  the  house  of  Nathan  B.  Nichols,  and 
also  at  the  house  of  Arba  Heald  in  said  county  on  the  second  Mon- 
day in  April  next,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  two  Associate  Judges, 
one  Clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  a  Recorder  for  the  county  and  three 
County  commissioners.  Said  election  is  to  be  held  and  conducted 
as  general  elections  are,  and  the  return  of  said  election  will  be  made 
to  me  at  the  house  of  Jacob  Miller,  on  the  Wednesday  succeeding 
said  election. 

The  west  half  of  Range  one,  west  of  the  second  principal  meridian 
and  all  of  Range  two,  will  constitute  one  District,  and  the  election  is 
to  be  held  at  the  said  house  of  Nichols ;  and  Ranges  three  and  four 
west,  will  form  the  second  District,  and  the  election  will  be  held  at 
A.  Heald's  at  the  Door  prairie. 
Given  under  my  hand  this  29th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1832. 

Benjamin  McCarty. 

Appointed  Sheriff." 


272  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

Under  and  in  pursuance  of  this  notice,  elections  were  held  at  the 
two  designated  places  in  the  county,  the  records  of  which  are  as 
follow- : 

•At  an  election  begun  and  held  at  the  house  of  Arba  Heel 
[Arba  Heald  is  intended,]  in  the  county  of  LaPorte,  and  State  of 
Indiana,  on  the'  9th  day  of  April,  1832,  for  the  purpose  of  electing 
two  Associate  Judges,  a  Clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  a  Recorder  for 
said  county  and  three  County  commissioners,  being  one  of  the 
election  districts  appointed  by  the  Sheriff  of  said  county  by  virtue  of 
law.  at  which  time  and  place  the  following  number  and  named 
persons  voted: 

William  Morgan.  Jesse  Morgan,  Elisha  Newel,  Alden  Tucker, 
Adam  Keith,  John  Welsh,  Jonathan  Morgan,  Stephen  Bray  ton, 
Horace  Markham,  Wm.  Phillips,  Joseph  P.  Osborn,  John  White. 
William  Thrall,  Daniel  Jessup,  Isaac  Morgan,  Charles  West,  John 
Barnet,  John  Whitaker.  Judah  Learning,  Joseph  Osborn,  Elijah  H. 
Brown.  Wm.  Garwood,  Lewis  Shirley,  James  Huckins  and 
Henly  Clyburn." 

The  returns  are  signed  by  James  Hutchins  and  Judah  Leaniii 
clerk.-. 

"At  an  election  begun  and  held  at  the  house  of  Nathan  B.  Nichols 
in  the  county  of  LaPorte  and  State  of  Indiana,  on  the  9th  day  of 
April,  1832,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  two  Associate  Judges,  a 
Clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  a  Recorder  for  said  county  and  three 
County  commissioners,  being  one  of  the  election  Districts  appointed 
by  the  Sheriff  of  said  county  by  virtue  of  law.  at  which  time  and 
place  the  following  number  and  named  persons  vx>ted: 

Charles  Egbert,  Lyman  Robbins,  Joseph  Bay,  Wm.  H.  McCarty, 
Asa  M.  Warren,  Nathan  B.  Nichols,  Jesse  X.  West.  George  W. 
Barnes,  Arthur  Irwin.  Levi  Brown.  James  High  ley,  John  Wills, 
Peter  Low,  John  Garrard.  Ezekiel  Provolt,  Alfred  Stanton,  Wm. 
Clark,  Elijah  Stanton,  Philip  Fail.  Amos  Stanton,  John  Stanton, 
George  Thomas,  Joseph  Lykins.  Aaron  "Stanton,  Wm.  F.  Stanton, 
Michael  Billings,  Richard  Harris.  A  urea  Sperrv.  Jacob  Miller  and 
Chapel  W.  Brown.7" 

The  returns ^are  signed  by  Jacob  Miller,  Alfred  Stanton  and 
John  Wills,  clerks. 


POLITICS.  21S 

After  which  the  following  return  was  made : 

14  At  an  election  held  pursuant  to  a  writ  of  election  directed  to- 
me, as  Sheriff  of  La  Porte  County,  Indiana,  on  the  ninth  day  of 
April,  1832.  It  appears  from  the  returns  of  said  election  made  to* 
me  at  the  house  of  Jacob  Miller,  the  proper  place  as  appointed  by 
me,  and  on  the  day  recognized  by  law  and  within  the  proper  hours. 
Jacob  Miller  for  Associate  Judge,  received  forty-two  votes ;  Judah 
Learning,  twrenty-three  votes;  Daniel  Jessup,  twenty-three;  Elisha 
Newel,  eight;  Elijah  H.  Brown  for  County  Commissioner,  received 
forty-two  votes;  Chapel  W.  Brown,  twenty-nine;  Aaron  Stanton, 
twenty-nine ;  Isaac  Morgan,  thirty-five ;  John  Wills,  four ;  Joseph 
Lykins,  fifteen  votes.  For  Clerk  and  Recorder,  George  Thomas 
received  forty-one  votes ;  and  for  Clerk,  Jesse  Morgan  received 
twelve  votes,  and  for  Recorder  he  received  thirteen  votes : 
Judah  Learning  and  Daniel  Jessup  having  an  equal  number 
of  votes  for  Judge,  and  casting  lots  the  lot  went  in  favor  of  Learn- 
ing. Chapel  W.  Brown  and  Aaron  Stanton  having  an  equal  num- 
ber of  votes  for  County  Commissioner,  lots  being  cast  the  lot  went 
in  favor  of  Brown.  Such  appears  from  the  certificates  of  election 
as  returned.  Therefore  Jacob  Miller  and  Judah  Learning  are 
elected  associate  Judges  for  said  County  of  LaPorte.  Elijah  H. 
Brown,  Isaac  Morgan  and  C.  W.  Brown  are  elected  Commissioners 
for  said  County,  and  George  Thomas  is  elected  Clerk  and  Recorder." 

Other  elections  were  held  in  1832,  as  follows : 

SCIPIO    TOWNSHIP. 

On  the  sixteenth  day  of  June,  an  election  was  held  for  the  first 
Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Scipio  Township.  The  following  were  the 
votes  cast :  A.  P.  Andrew,  Judah  Learning,  Joseph  Osborn,  Ben- 
jamin McCarty,  Christopher  M.  McClure,  Ira  Richardson,  Elijah 
H.  Brown,  James  Hutchins,  Wm.  M.  Cort,  Benjamin  Dewitt, 
John  Mann,  Wm.  Powers,  I.  M.  Wilson,  Jacob  Coleman,  Arthur 
McClure,  Samuel  Hardiston,  Absalom  Rambo,  Stephen  Brayton, 
Richard  Harris,  John  Stanton,  Arba  Heald.  Arthur  McClure  re- 
ceived sixteen  votes  and  was  declared  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
Absalom  Rambo  received  three  votes.  The  returns  were  signed  by 
James  Hutchins,  Joseph  Osborn  and  Elijah  H.  Brown,  Judges, 
and  Judah  Learning  and  Wm.  Gibson,  Clerks. 

1 8 


274  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTK  COUNTY. 

NEW  DURHAM   TOWNSHIP. 

The  following  is  the  first  record  of  an  election  in  New  Durham 
township,  after  the  County  was  organized  : 

••Poll  book  of  an  election  begun  and  held  at  the  house  of  Elisha 
Newell,  on  the  sixteenth  day  of  June,  1832.  The  following  per- 
sons voted  in  the  following  order  for  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  New 
Durham  Township,  La  Porte  County,  Indiana:  Alden  Tucker, 
Peter  Lowe,  Chas.  West,  John  W.  Cole,  John  Barnett,  Wm.  Thrall, 
William  Garwood,  Isaac  Morgan,  Jonathan  Morgan,  Joseph  Orr, 
Nathaniel  Steel,  William  Morgan,  Daniel  Jessup,  Henly  Clyburn, 
Elisha  Newell. 

We  the  undersigned  judges  of  the   above  election  do  certify  the 

above  to  be  a  true  poll  book  of  the  above  election. 

Elisha  Newhall,  | 
Daniel  Jessup,       >  Judges. 
Henly  Clyburn,    ) 

I.  Barnett.       \  clerU 
John  W.  Cole,  /  LlerKS* 

Not  on  the  face,  but  as  filing  to  the  above  returns  there  is  the 
simple  announcement:  UE.  Newhall  elected,*'  signed  by  G.  Thom- 
as, C.  L.  C.  C  We  are  left  in  ignorance  as  to  whether  Mr. 
Newhall  had  a  competitor,  or  how  many  votes  he  received." 

KANKAKEE    TOWNSHIP. 

The  first  general  election  in  Kankakee  Township  of  which   there 
any  return  on  file  is  the  one  held  on   the   sixth    day   of  August, 
1832,  when  the  candidates  voted  for  were,  for  State   Senator,  Sam- 
uel Hanna,    Pleasant  Harris  and  Jeremiah    Smith:  for  Representa- 
tive, Elisha  Egbert,  George  Crawford,  and  Wm.  Bissell;  for  Sheriff, 
Nathan  B.  Nichols,  and  Adam  Gr.  Polke :  for   Coroner,  John   Gar- 
rard; for   School   Commissioner,    Wm.  Clark:  for  Probate   Judge. 
Benj.  McCarty  and  Jesse  Morgan  ;  for  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Ezekiel 
Provolt.     The  names  of  the  voters  at  this  election  arc  James  High- 
ley,  E.  A.  Brown,  Judah  Learning,    H.    F.    Janes.    John    Garrard, 
John  Wills,   Andrew   Shaw,   James   McCormick,    Charles   Egbert, 
Asa  M.  Warren,  Joseph  Lykins,  Joseph  Bay,  Jesse  Wlllets,  Lyman 
3,  Samuel  Webster.  George  W.  Barnes,  Jacob  Miller.  Alex- 
ler    Blackburn.    Aurea   Sperry,    Ezekiel    Provolt.   Levi    Brown, 


politics.  275 

Wm.  Clark,  Noble  McKinstry,  Ohapel  W.  Brown,  Jesse    N.  West, 
Martin   Baker,  N.  B.  Nichols,   Michael  Billings,   Amos   Stanton. 
At  this  election,  John  Wills  was   inspector,   Ezekiel   Provolt  and 
H.  F.  Janes  were  Clerks,  and  Lyman  Robbins  and   C.  W.  Brown, 
Judges. 

The  first  election  held  in  Michigan  Township  occurred  on  the 
twenty-eighth  day  of  September,  1833,  at  which  twenty  votes  were 
cast  for  Justice  of  the  Peace.  The  names  of  the  voters  are  as 
follows : 

'•Elijah  Casteel,  Willis  Hughes,  James  J^aughlin,  George  Olinger, 
seph  C.  Orr,  James  Knaggs,  I.  C.  Elston,  Wm.  Conant,  J.  Bar- 
tholomew, Amos  Dyer,  Squire  Clark,  Eliakim  Ashton,  Samuel 
Masterson,  Peter  Ritter,  Silas  Gregory,  B.  Sims,  James  Waddle, 
Gilbert  Baldwin,  Caleb  Nichols,  Samuel  Olinger.  Of  these  votes 
James  M.  Scott  received  eight,  and  Samuel  Olinger,  twelve.  The 
election  was  held  at  the  house  of  Joseph  C.  Orr,  who  was  the  In- 
spector; and  James  Laughlin  and  Willis  Hughes  were  Judges." 

SPRINGFIELD. 

■'At  an  election  held  on  Monday,  the  sixth  day  of  April,  1835, 
the  house  of  Judah  Learning  in  Springfield  township,  in  LaPorte 
County,  Indiana,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  one  Constable,  one  or  more  Supervisors  of  roads,  two  Over- 
seers of  the  poor,  two  fence  viewers,  and  one  inspectoivof  elections, 
where  the  legal  votes  given  stand  thus : 

Erastus  Quivy,  David  S.  Murray,  Robert  Wilkinson,  Levi 
Young.  Geo.  Sanford,  John  Griffith,  Judah  Learning,  Orrin  Lewis, 
Harvey  Learning,  John  Brown,  John  Wilbur,  Timothy  Fosdick,  Asa 
Pease,  Samuel  J.  Havens,  Alfred  Stanton,  William  Cormack,  Jo- 
seph W.  Foster. 

State  of  Indiana,  La  Porte,  Co., 

We  the  undersigned,  Inspectors  and  Judges  of  the  within  named 
election  do  certify  that  Joseph  W.  Foster,  received  fourteen  votes 
for  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  Harvey  Learning  received  twelve  votes 
for  Constable;  David  T.  Murray,  fourteen  votes  for  "Supervisor; 
Orrin  Lewis,  twelve ;  Hiram  Griffith,  eleven ;  Erastus  Quivy,  four ; 
Alfred  Stanton,  three;  and   John   Smith   one   vote  for  Supervisor. 


U76  HISTORY  01-    Li  POB 

For  Overseer  of  poor,  Judafa  Learning, eleven  votes;  John  Ed  • 
John  Griffith,  six;   Win.  Oormack,  two.     Fence  Viewers, Wm.  Cor- 
mack,  thirteen  votes;     Erastus  Quivy,  nine;    Hiram   Griffith,  I 
John  Enos.  one  vote.      For    [nspector,    Judah    Learning,    fourth 

votes;  Timothy  Fosdick,  five  votes  for  Constable. 

Given  under  our  hands  and  Beals  tl  •  th   day   of  April. 

Judah  Leaming,  In- 
John  Griffith, 

David  S.  Murray. 
Wm.  Earmark,  <  plprts„ 

Orrix  Lewis,    f     e    s 

• 

NOBLE. 

The  first  election  held  in  Noble  Township  took  place  on  tl 
day  of  April.  1836.     There  were  to  be  chosen  two  Justices  of 
Peace,  one  Inspector  of  elections,  two  Constables,  two  Fence 
ers,  two  Overseers  of  the  poor,  and  tour   Supervisors  of  highwa 
The  following  is  the  poll  list  in  the  order  in  which   the  votes    vere 
cast  : 

"John   Pool,    Arthur   McClure,  John   S.  Decker.   Ward   Bla 
Abraham   Charles.   Martin   Houseman.    Edward    Kennedy,   Call 
Worrell.   T.    H.   Wells,   Horace    Wood.   Wright    Loving.    Edw;; 

'  DO 

O'Hara,  Joseph  Sterrett,    Amos  G.   Webster,    Silas    Loving,  John 
McLane,    Samuel   O'Hara,   Timothv    C.    Everett.    Wm.    Callison, 
John  Harding,  Michael  O'Hara,  Samuel  Sample,  Ira   Birch,  Ri 
ard  Worrell.  Joseph  Wheaton,  Burton  Sweringen,  Niinrod  Philli   - 
David   Powers.    Thomas  Burch,    Calvin    Burch.    Admiral    Bur- 
Samuel  Higley.  John  Pratt,  John  F.  Allison.  John    Marford,  Johi 
Underwood." 

The  elections  resulted  in  the  selection  of  the   following  to* 
officers : 

Justices.  .John  F.  Allison,  Josiah  Grover,   [nspector  of  Elect 

Arthur  McClure ;  Constables,  John  Pratt.  Re/in  Everts:  Fence 
Viewers,  John  Pool,  Horace  Wood;  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  Ad- 
miral Burch.  Joseph  Wheaton;  Supervisors  of  Highways,  David 
Powers,  John    Underwood.  Joseph  Sterrett. 

CLINTON. 

'  The  first  election  held  in   Clinton   Township   was  on  the  rourth 


politic  277 

day  of  April  1836.  at  the  house  of  Charles  Eaton.  The  officers  to 
be  elected  were  two  Justices  of  the  Peace,  one  Inspector  of  elections, 
two  Constables,  two  Fence  Viewers,  two  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  and 
one  Supervisor  of  Highways.  Twenty-six  votes  were  cast  by  the 
following  named  persons  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  given: 
John  Warnock.  Daniel  Robertson,  Isham  Campbell,  John  Eaton, 
James  Tuley,  John  Bailey,  Jeremiah  Sherwood,  Wm.  0.  Vicory,  Jno. 
Harris.  Jonathan  Grlimps,  Jonathan  Sherwood,  Simpson  Ray, 
David  Ray.  Peter  Tuley,  Joseph  Morrison,  Thomas  Robinson, 
James  Haskell  Ira  Richardson,  John  Moorman,  Jacob  Iseminger, 
Archibald  Moorman,  Ransom  Maddy,  Francis  Morrison,  Joseph 
<  teborn,  Thomas  B.  Patterson,  Benjamin  T.  Bryant,  Hezekiah 
Robertson,  Worcester  B.  Heath,  Charles  Eaton,  Abram  Eahart, 
Lykins  Richardson,  Nathaniel  Steele,  Jonathan  Middleton,  Marsena 
Clark,  Jonathan  Osman,  arid  Aaron  Wills."  The  following  were 
the  successful  candidate.-  : 

"Justices,  Charles  Eaton,  John  Warnock:  Inspector,  Charles 
Eaton ;  Constables,  Joseph  Osborn,  James  Haskell ;  Fence  Viewers, 
Thomas  Robertson.  Hezekiah  Robertson;  Overseers  of  the  Poor, 
Jeremiah  Sherwood,  Wm.  Ray:  Supervisor  of  Highways,  Daniel 
Robertson." 

HUDSON. 

Hudson  township  was  organized  in  May,  1836,  and  an  election 
was  held  on  the  eighteenth  day  of  the  following  June.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  record: 

""At  an  election  held  on  the  eighteenth  day  of  June.  1836,  at 
the  house  of  J.  F.  Smith,  in  Hudson  Township,  La  Porte  County, 
and  State  of  Indiana,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  Hudson  Township,  where  the  legal  votes  stood  thus: 
Daniel  Cross,  David  Shay,  Nathaniel  Maynes,  Enos  Lewis,  Elijah 
Phye,  Jonathan  Edwards.  Royal  Cuthbert,  J.  D.  Ross,  Joseph  W. 
Lykins,  Robert  Davis,  Benjamin  Hicks,  Benjamin  H.  Howell, 
John  McCormick,  Nelson  Moody,  John  Caldwell,  John  McLaine, 
John  S.  Baker,  Samuel  N.  Vance,  Samuel  Turner,  Joseph  Bay, 
Gabrielle  Druilliner,  A.  L.  Wheeler,  Joseph  Sisney,  James  M. 
Hepner,  James  Hatfield." 

hi  the  next  page  is  the  following: 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


..  T. 


Tally  paper  for  an  election  held  on  the  eighteenth  day  of  June, 
1836,  at  the  house  of  J.  F.  Smith,  in  Hudson  Township.  LaPorte 
County,  Indiana,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
where  the  legal  votes  given  stand  thus :  J.  F.  Smith,  thirteen 
votes;   Charles  Egbert,  twelve  votes. 

State  of  Indiana,  La  Porte  County. 

We,  the  undersigned  judges  of  the  foregoing  election,  do   cert 
that  James   Smith  received   thirteen   votes   for   the   of  the  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  and  Chas.  Egbert  receive'!  twelve  votes  for  the   same 
office. 

'Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  the  eighteenth    of  June.    1  %• 


Walter  Livingston.  )  p1„_Vq  ,- 
J.  W.  Collins,  ^leiKs. 


John  D.  Ross,  Inspector. 
Benjamin  Hick-.     )  TllrW 
Joseph  W.  Lykins,  f  JnaS^ 


POLITICS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  LA  PORTE.  279 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

POLITICS  OF   THE  CITY  OF  LA  PORTE. 

The  incorporation  of  LaPorte  as  a  village  or  town  took  place  in 
the  year  1835,  and  the  following  are  the  records  appertaining 
thereto : 

On  the  fourth  day  of  November,  1835,  the  Board  of  County 
Commissioners  passed  the  following  order :  w*  Ordered  that  in  pur- 
suance of  the  statute,  and  the  petition  of  the  citizens  of  the  town  of 
LaPorte  for  the  incorporating  of  said  town,  this  day  legally  pre- 
sented, comprising  in  the  opinion  of  the  Board,  two-thirds  of  the 
whole  number  of  lesjal  voters  in  said  town,  an  election  be  held  at 
the  usual  place  of  holding  elections  in  said  town,  on  Saturday  tfye 
fourteenth  day  of  November,  inst.  for  the  purpose  of  electing  trustees 
of  said  incorporation." 

This  is  afterwards  followed  on  the  record  by  the  following  certifi- 
cate of  the  election  of  corporation  Trustees : 

"State  of  Indiana,  LaPorte  County. 

We  the  undersigned,  President  and  Clerk  of  an  election  held  at 
the  house  of  Robert  S.  Morrison  in  the  town  of  La  Porte,  in  the 
County  of  La  Porte,  and  State  of  Indiana,  for  the  purpose  of  elect- 
ing Trustees  for  the  several  wards  or  districts  ill  the  incorporation 
of  the  town  of  La  Porte,  do  certify  that,  (after  we  were  appointed 
President  and  Clerk  of  and  for  said  election,  agreeable  to  the  statute 
in  such  case  made  and  provided,)  Amzi  Clark  was  duly  elected 
Trustee  for  District  No.  1;  Jonathan  M.  Hacker  for  District  No. 
2 ;  William  Clement,  District  No.  3 ;  Hiram  Wheeler,  District  No. 
4 ;  and  Jacob  Haas,  District  No.  5 ;  in  the  town  of  La  Porte 
aforesaid: 

Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  this  fourteenth  day  of  Novem- 
ber, A.  D.,  1835. 

Wm.  Dinwiddie,  President,  ss. 
Wm.  Allen,  Clerk,  ss.'" 


>  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

The  incorporation  took  place  under  Whig  auspices,  and  the 
Board  of  Trustees  remained  of  this  party  during  most  of  the  years 
that  intervened  between  this  time  and  the  date  when  the  town 
became  a  city.  In  the  year  1852  a  city  charter  was  granted,  the 
place  having  then  a  population  of  about  5,000.  and  in  August  of 
that  year  a  charter  election  was  held  which  resulted  in  the  election 
of  Wm.  J.  Walker,  first  Mayor  of  La  Porte.  This  was  a  victory 
for  the  Whig  party,  and  that  party  or  its  successor,  controlled  the 
administration  of  the  city  until  1856,  Wm.  Millikan  being  elected 
Mayor  in  1855.  But  in  May,  1856,  the  Democrats  succeeded  at 
the  municipal  election,  and  Benjamin  Kress  was  elected.  The 
next  year  the  Democrats  were  again  successful,  electing  Frederic 
McCollum  Mayor,  and  Benjamin  Kress  the  City  Judge.  Prior 
to  this  time,  the  Republican  party  here,  as  elsewhere,  had 
acquired  great  strength.  Most  of  the  former  Whigs  and  many 
Democrats  now  gave  it  their  support,  and  at  the  city  election  in 
May,  1859,  Wm.  H.  IT.  Whitehead  was  elected  Mayor;  Asa  A 
Whitehead  Marshall,  and  the  candidates  for  the  other  city  officers 
were  successful.  A  majority  of  the  City  Council  was  also™  Repub- 
lican. The  next  election  occurred  in  May,  1861.  and  resulted  in 
the  general  success  of  the  Democratic  ticket.  Daniel  Noyes  being 
•elected  Mayor,  though  Asa  A.  Whitehead,  was  re-elected  Marshal, 
and  a  majority  of  the  City  Council  remained  Republican.  On 
taking  his  seat  Mayor  Noyes  made  the  following  address: 

"Gentlemen  of  the  Common  Council: 

In  entering  upon  the  duties  of  the  office  of  Mayor — although  it 
may  be  somewhat  of  an  innovation  upon  what  has  been  the  custom 
of  my  predecessors — I  deem  it  not  inappropriate  to  submit  to  you 
some  suggestions  in  writing,  forshadowing  at  lenst  mv  own  views  in 
regard  to  our  future  policy.  We  come  into  office  untrammeled  by 
party  ties — being  the  representatives  of  no  party  organization,  we 
have  no  partisan  friends  to  reward  or  political  foes  to  punish. 
Never  since  the  organization  of  our  City  Government  has  there 
been  a  more  favorable  opportunity  than  the  present  for  the  inaugu- 
ration of  that  policy  which  shall  redound  to  our  common  good,  and 
bring  about  us  those  blessings  which  are  the  result  of  united  and 
harmonious  action. 


POLITICS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  LA  PORTE.  281 

The  oaths  which  we  have  severally  taken,  require  of  us  as  our 
paramount  duty,  first:  That  we  support  and  preserve  inviolate  the 
Constitution  of  our  common  country— next  to  that  the  Constitution 
of  our  State,  and  that  last,  though  not  least,  we  faithfully  and 
honestly  discharge  the  duties  assigned  us  in  our  several  capacities. 
For  the  accomplishment  of  those  purposes  let  mutual  forbearance 
and  respect  be  mingled  with  all  our  deliberations — exercising  to- 
wards each  other  that  measure  of  kindness  and  good  will  which 
should  always  pervade  those  to  whom  are  confided  a  common  trust, 
and  who  are  seeking  the  perfection  of  a  common  cause. 

The  present  deplorable  and  distracted  condition  of  our  National 
and  State  affairs — the  unfavorable  progress  of  the  present  season — 
the  distress  in  financial  circles — the  universal  paralysis  of  all  busi- 
ness pursuits,  all  appeal  to  us  in  accents  which  we  cannot  disregard,, 
that  our  expenditures  should  be  attended  with  prudence  and  econo- 
my. By  this  it  is  not  intended  to  recommend  a  niggardly  parsi- 
mony unbecoming  an  enlightened  public  policy,  but  rather  that  we 
r-heck  that  reckless  spirit  of  extravagance  which  is  a  continued  drain 
upon  our  Treasury,  merely  that  it  may  appear  that  we  are  doing 
something. 

Our  streets,  wTith  a  few  exceptions,  are  in  very  fair  repair ;  and  it 
is  far  better  in  my  judgment  to  suffer  what  inconvenience  must  arise 
from  them,  in  the  situation  in  which  they  might  be  left  after  a  judi- 
cious expenditure  of  the  road  fund,  and  perhaps  a  small  outlay 
besides,  than  at  the  present  crisis  to  burden  our  citizens  with  a 
heavy  tax.  and  that,  too,  injudiciously  expended.  South  Main 
and  Monroe  streets,  undoubtedly  need  repairs,  and  possibly  many 
others  may;  but  I  cannot  dismiss  this  branch  of  the  subject  with- 
out enjoining  upon  the  Street  Committee  that  they  see  to  it  them- 
selves— that  the  right  thing  be  done  in  the  right  place,  and  that  it 
be  done  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  of  lasting  benefit  to  our  city. 
It  is  of  no  benefit  to  our  streets  that  a  large  force  may  be  concen- 
trated upon  them  merely  for  the  purpose  of  removing  the  earth 
from  one  locality  to  another,  rendering  them  impassable  for  a  time, 
or  working  them  day  after  day  without  system,  order  or  object;  but 
let  the  most  feasible  plan  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  necessary 
repairs  be  first  well  matured  by  the   committee  in  charge — let  them 


282  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  county. 

superintend  the  work  themselves — know  that  the  services  are  ren- 
dered, and  certify  to  the  bills  themselves.  If  it  be  objected  to  this 
suggestion  that  it  takes  too  much  of  the  time  of  the  committee,  and 
is  too  great  a  tax  upon  them,  I  answer  the  objection  by  recommend- 
ing that  they  be  reasonably  compensated  for  all  their  time  devoted 
to  such  service. 

It  is  highly  probable  also,  that  repairs  to  some  extent,  and  of  a 
substantial  nature,  will  be  required  upon  the  public  sewer.  The  im- 
portance of  preserving  this  in  substantial  repair,  and  successful 
operation,  must  be  evident  to  every  one ;  but  as  that  is  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Street  Committee  further  comment  upon  it 
this  time  is  unnecessary. 

I  recommend  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  the  Council  as 
complete  an  organization  and  continuance  of  the  Fire  Brigade  of 
the  City  as  the  circumstances  of  the  case  will  admit.  The  import- 
ance of  this  subject  must  also  be  so  apparent  to  every  reflecting 
mind  that  it  can  scarcely  need  more  to  engage  the  attention 
the  Council,  than  barely  to  be  brought  to  their  recollection. 

I  also  recommend  to  the  immediate  attention  of  the  Council  that 
some  disposition  of  the  property  formerly  purchased  as  a  pest  house 
site,  and  also  of  the  City  jail,  be  made  for  the  purpose  of  liquida- 
ting the  present  indebtedness  of  the  City,  or  that  the  proceeds  be 
devoted  to  the  repairs  of  the  sewer  or  some  other  purpose  which 
will  be  of  permanent  benefit  to  the  City.  The  City  has  a  contract 
with  the  county  of  La  Porte  by  which  she  has  the  use  of  t 
county  pest  house  guaranteed  to  her  free  of  charge,  and  I  am 
unable  to  see  any  good  or  sufficient  reason  why  the  lots  which  the 
City  long  ago  purchased  for  that  purpose,  and  are  now  of  no  use  or 
practical  utility  to  her,  should  not  be  disposed  of  and  the  proceeds 
be  devoted  to  some  useful  purpose.  I  also  recommend  tha  t  the 
Council  seriously  consider  the  propriety  of  selling  the  City  Jail 
building,  and  also  of  entering  into  a  contract,  if  necessary,  with 
the  County  Commissioners,  for  the  use  of  the  County  Jail  in  all 
such  cases  as  may  be  required  for  City  purposes. 

It  is  also  in  my  opinion  of  great  importance  to  the  interest  of 
the  City,  that  the  Council  require  that  all  the  books  and  papers  of 
the  City,  of  whatever  department,  be  kept  strictly  within  the  Coun- 


POLITICS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  LA  PORTE.  283 

cil  room,  and  not  be  removed  therefrom  for  any  purpose  like  the 
accommodation  of  the  officers  of  the  several  departments,  or  in  fact, 
unless  it  be  to  obey  some  order  of  court.  There  can  be  no  reason 
for  removing  any  of  the  books  or  papers,  unless  it  be  merely  to 
accommodate  the  officers,  and  the  Council  furnish  convenient  and 
suitable  places  for  the  transaction  of  all  business — a  receptacle  for 
the  preservation  of  their  papers — and  where  their  business  is  done 
is  the  proper  place  to  keep  the  conveniences  and  necessaries  for 
doing  it.  Any  other  system  will  certainly  entail  upon  us  the  loss 
of  important  papers,  furnish  an  excuse  for  the  non-performance  of 
duty,  by  the  simple  act  of  removing  the  books  and  papers  necessary 
to  the  discharge  of  such  duty,  and  in  all  probability  become  the 
source  of  great  and  irreparable  injury  to  the  interests  of  the  City. 
As  there  are  no  regulations  of  the  Council  at  present  touching  this 
matter  I  hope  it  will  engage  their  attention  without  delay. 

I  also  desire  to  remind  the  Council  of  the  necessity  of  requiring 
prompt  and  energetic  action  from  officers  and  committees,  that  un- 
finished business  may  not  accumulate  upon  our  hands. 

Other  matters  of  equal  importance  with  those  already  enumera- 
ted, but  which  time  is  not  given  me  now  to  mention,  will  be  here- 
after made  the  subject  of  further  communication. 

Daniel  Noyes,  Mayor. 
May  13,  1861." 

In  May,  1863,  the  Republicans  carried  the  city,  electing  all  the 
city  officers  and  a  majority  of  the  council.  The  officers  elected  were 
as  follows  :  Mayor,  Wm.  H.  H.  Whitehead ;  Treasurer,  Thomas  II. 
Phillips ;  Marshal,  John  Thompson,  Jr. ;  Clerk,  Richard  G.  Ran- 
dall. The  city  government  was  again  reversed  in  1865.  At  the 
city  election  in  May,  Daniel  Noyes  was  elected  Mayor:  Simon 
Wile,  Treasurer;  John  Hinsey,  Marshal;  Wm.  Whitman,  Clerk, 
and  J.  H.  Merrill,  Assessor,  by  a  majority  varying  from  seventy- 
six  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-six.  At  the  election  in  May,  1867, 
Daniel  Noyes  was  re-elected  Mayor,  and  the  city  government  con- 
tinued Democratic.  Simon  Wile  was  re-elected  as  Treasurer ; 
Thomas  S.  Cogley  was  elected  Clerk ;  Andrew  Saylor,  Marshal, 
and  Levi  Ely,  Assessor.  This  was  an  active  and  spirited  contest. 
Morgan  H.  Weir  was   the   Republican   candidate  for  Mayor,   and 


284  BISTORT  OF  LA  PORTK  COUNTY. 


# 


the  voters  on  both  sides  were  thoroughly  aroused.  The  victory  re- 
mained  with  the  Democrats,  their  candidates  receiving  majorit 
ranging  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  and  sixty.  The  council  in- 
cluding those  holding  over,  consisted  of  the  following  citizens. 
Holding  over — Charles  Fravel,  Geo.  W.  Mecum,  II.  Treusdell, 
Reuben  Munday,  and  Jacob  Wile.  Members  elect — Davidson 
Patton,  C.  Hausher.  Fred.  Steigley,  II.  Druliner,  H.  Hausher.  In 
the  third  and  fourth  wards,  H.  H.  Benton  and  Hart  L.  Weaver 
contested  the  seats  of  Steigley  and  Druliner.  having  received  an 
actual  majority  of  the  votes  cast,  but  they  never  obtained   the    - 

At  the  election  of  May,  1869,  a  portion  of  each  ticket  was  suc- 
cessful. For  City  Marshal,  Andrew  Savior,  Democrat,  was  re- 
elected by  seventy-four  majority  ;  Levi  Ely  for  Assessor,  by  thirteen 
majority:  Dr.  L.  C.  Rose  was  elected  Mayor:  Charles  Peglow, 
Treasurer,  and  Nathaniel  S.  Paul.  Clerk — all  Republicar  Ros 
majority  was  twenty-seven  ;  Peglow's  forty-three ;  Paul's  twenty- 
three.  The  Democrats  retained  their  majority  in  the  council,  electing 
their  candidates  as  follows:  from  second  ward.  George  W.  Mecum: 
from  fourth  ward.  Albert  Ribbe  and  H.  Peters:  from  fifth  ward. 
D.  Soutter.  The  Republicans  elected  Gavin  Campbell  in  the  fi] 
ward,  and  A.  H.  Robinson  in  the  third  ward,  which  together  with 
those  who  held  over,  caused  the  council  to  consist  of  seven  Demo- 
crats and  three  Republicans. 

At  the  city  election  in  May,  1871,  the  Democratic  candid;) 
were,  for  Mayor,  Simon  Wile;  for  Treasurer,  Herman  Hausheer; 
for  Clerk,  John  H.  Organ:  for  Marshal,  John  H.  Ball;  for  \- 
sor,  George  Cochrane;  and  the  Republican  candidates  were,  for 
Mayor,  Dr.  Landon  C.  Rose,  for  a  second  term :  for  Treasurer, 
Charles  Peglow;  for  Clerk.  X.  S.  Paul:  for  Marshal,  Oscar  Mott; 
for  Assessor,  James  Breen.  The  result  of  the  election  was  such 
that  neither  party  could  claim  a  victory,  a  portion  of  the  candidates 
on  each  ticket  being  elected.  The  contest  was  a  very  spirited  one, 
both  parties  laboring  for  success  with  the  greatest  energy.  The 
candidates  were  active,  and  the  voters  were  generally  aroused,  and 
at  the  polls  on  the  day  of  election :  and  though  party  spirit  wa,> 
•considerably  excited,  yet  it  was,  more  than  anything  else  the  personal 
strength  of  the  various  candidates  that-affected  the  result.      Rose  was 


POLITICS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  LA  PORTE.  285 

elected  Mayor  by  a  majority  of  18;  Jas.  Breen  was  elected  Assessor, 
by  a  majority  of  thirty-seven.  The  largest  Republican  majority 
was  given  for  N.  S.  Paul,  he  having  received  764  votes  to  five 
hundred  and  ninety-six,  for  the  opposing  candidate.  Of  the  candi- 
dates on  the  Democratic  ticket  John  H.  Ball  was  elected  Marshal, 
by  a  majority  of  fifty-six,  and  H.  Hausheerwas  elected  Treasurer  by 
four  majority.  Councilmen  were  elected  as  follows:  first  ward, 
D.  D.  Deffenbach,  Republican;  second  ward,  Washington  Wilson,. 
Republican;  third  ward,  Reuben  Munday,  Republican;  fourth 
ward,  Edwin  G.  McCollum,  Democrat;  fifth  ward,  C.  Cook,  Dem- 
ocrat. This  result  made  the  council  a  tie,  as  in  the  previous  year 
at  the  wrard  elections,  two  Republicans,  Samuel  B.  Collins  and 
Robert  S.  Morrison,  and  three  Democrats,  S.  S.  Baker,  Albert 
Ribbe  and  W.  W.  Finley,  were  elected  councilmen.  Thus  one  of 
the  most  hotly  contested  election  campaigns  in  which  La  Porte  ever 
engaged,  resulted  in  as  nearly  a  tie  all  around  as  was  possible, 
though  the  balance  was  somewhat  in  favor  of  the  Republicans. 

Passing  over,  as  heretofore,  the  intermediate  election,  which  was 
for  councilmen  alone,  the  city  voting  by  wards,  the  next  election  to 
engage  attention  is  that  of  1873,  when  a  full  city  ticket  was  again 
to  be  elected.  The  two  were  promptly  in  the  field  with  their  candi- 
dates, and  every  inch  of  ground  was  carefully  canvassed.  The 
candidates  were,  for  Mayor,  Mortimer  Nye,  and  Capt.  Abram  P. 
Andrew;  for  Marshal,  John  H.  Ball  and  Cyrus  Shreeve;  for  Clerk, 
John  H.  Bradley  and  George  M.  Miller;  for  Treasurer,  Herman 
Hausheer  and  Benj.  Ash;  for  Assessor,  Alexander  Hunt  and  Reu- 
ben Munday ;  councilmen  1st  ward,  D.  Thrush  and  Jno.  B.  Moulton  : 
second  ward,  Wash.  Wilson,  Ras  Fetzer,  S.A.Robinson  and  Chris. 
Hauser;  third  ward,  John  D.  Hoover  and  Jacob  Wile;  fourth 
ward,  E.  G.  McCollum,  William  Koppin  and  G.  W.  Abbott;  fifth 
ward,  Henry  Wales  and  Chas.  Kasbaum.  The  Democrats  were 
completely  successful,  electing  the  entire  city  ticket  and  three  out 
of  six  councilmen.  The  lowest  majority  was  that  of  Nye  against 
Andrewr  for  Mayor,  which  was  twenty-five,  the  highest  was  that  of 
Hunt  against  Munday,  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine  majority.  The 
Republicans  carried  the  second  and  third  wards  and  that  was  all. 
Dr.  S.  A.  Robinson  and  Washington  Wilson   were   elected  in  the 


286  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

ond  ward  by  thirty-two  majority,  and  John  D.  Hoover  in  the 
third  by  forty-four  majority.  The  general  result  was  to  give  the 
Democrats  full  control  of  the  city  government. 

The  next  general  city  election  was  held  in  May,  1875,  and  re- 
sulted in  a  partial  victory  for  the  Republicans.  The  Democrats 
having  held  the  city  government  for  some  years  past,  and  the  whole 
county  having  gone  heavily  Democratic  at  the  general  election  of 
1874,  that  party  was  very  confident  of  a  crushing  victory  and  the 
Republicans  correspondingly  lacked  confidence.  It  was  somewhat 
difficult  to  find  a  prominent  citizen  who  would  consent  to  make  the 
race  for  Mayor ;  but  after  much  persuasion  Polaski  King  accepted 
the  arduous  and  unpromising  place.  The  ticket  having  then  been 
completed,  the  Republicans  five  days  before  the  election,  went  to 
work  with  an  energy  rarely  equaled.  The  Democrats  had  nomina- 
ted the  city  officers  for  re-election  with  one  exception,  and  they 
came  to  the  work  with  an  assurance  begotten  of  former  victories, 
and  the  admitted  fact  that  on  a  straight  party  vote,  they  had  a 
majority  in  the  city.  The  result  of  the  election  was  that  while  the 
Democrats  elected  the  larger  portion  of  the  city  officers,  yet  their 
expectations  were  not  fully  realized,  the  majorities  being  much 
lower  than  they  anticipated,  and  their  candidates  for  Clerk  and 
Marshal  being  defeated.     On  the  other  hand  the  Republicans  were 

well  satisfied  with  their  work  that  it  was  an  easy  matter  to 
regard  it  as  a  victory.  The  following  schedule,  copied  from  the 
La  Porte  Chroxicle,  gives  in  detail  the  vote  cast  for  the  several 
candidates,  and  it  is  here  given  because  it  is  the  report  of  the  last 
•  icy  election,  and  presents  the  names  of  those  who  now  compose  the 
city  government. 

Mayor. — Total  number  of  votes  cast,  1,458.  First  ward — King, 
147;  Nye,  190;  Nye's  majority,  43.  Second  ward — King,  137; 
Nye,  131;  King's  majority,  6.  Third  ward — King  212;  Nye, 
123;  King's  majority.  89.  Fourth  ward — King,  88:  Nye,  163; 
Nye's  majority  75.  Fifth  ward — King.  71:  Nye,  196;  Nye 
majority  12-".     Total,  King.  655;   Nye,  803.      Nye's  majority  148. 

Clerk. — Total  number  of  votes  cast,  1.444.  First  ward — Dor- 
iand.  186  :  Becher  145:  Dorland's  majority,  41.  Second  ward — 
Dorland  158:   Becher.    107:   Dorland's  majority  51.     Third   ward 


POLITICS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  LA  PORTE.  287 

— Dorland,  241;  Becher,  90;  Dorland's  majority  151.  Fourth 
ward — Dorland,  87;  Becher  162;  Becher's  majority  75.  Fifth 
ward — Dorland,  80;  Becher,  182;  Becher's  majority  108.  Total, 
Dorland,  752 ;  Becher,  692.     Dorland's  majority,  60. 

Treasurer. — Total  number  of  votes  cast,  1,450.  First  ward — 
Cochrane,  191 ;  Hausheer,  144;  Cochrane's  majority,  47.  Second 
ward — Cochrane,  130;  Hausheer,  137;  Hausheer's  majority  7. 
Third  ward — Cochrane,  229 ;  Hausheer,  100 ;  Cochrane's  majority 
129.  Fourth  ward — Cochrane,  95;  Hausheer,  156;  Hausheer's 
majority  61.  Fifth  ward — Cochrane,  65;  Hausher,  203;  Haush- 
eer's majority  138.  Total,  Cochrane,  710;  Hausheer,  740. 
Hausheer's  majority,  30. 

Marshal. — Total  number  of  votes  cast,  1,457.  First  ward — 
Haverly,  192;  Ball,  149;  Haverly's  majority  43.  Second  ward — 
Haverly,  165;  Ball,  104;  Haverly's  majority  61.  Third  ward — 
Haverly,  232;  Ball,  100;  Haverly's  majority  132.  Fourth  ward 
—Haverly,  114;  Ball,  134;  Ball's  majority  20.  Fifth  ward— 
Haverly,  88;  Ball,  179;  Ball's  majority  91.  Total,  Haverly, 
791;  Ball,  6Q6.     Haverly's  majority  125. 

Assessor. — Total  number  of  votes  cast,  1,441.  First  ward — 
Xlockseiin,  148;  Hunt,  181;  Hunt's  majority  33.  Second  ward 
— Klockseim,  130;  Hunt,  137;  Hunt's  majority  7.  Third  ward 
Klockseim,  207:  Hunt,  125;  Klockseim's  majority  82.  Fourth 
ward — Klockseim,  101;  Hunt,  147;  Hunt's  majority  46.  Fifth 
ward— Klockseim  63;  Hunt  202;  Hunt's  majority  139.  Total, 
Klockseim,  649;  Hunt,  792.     Hunt's  majority  143. 

Oouncilmen first  ward. — Total,  number  of  votes  cast,  332.  John 
F.  Decker,  Rep.,  157;  David  Thrush,  Dem.,  175;  Thrush's  ma- 
jority 18. 

Second  ward. — Total  number  of  votes  cast,  261.  B.  B.  Arnold, 
Republican  and  Democrat,  214:  Wra.  Haferkamp,  Independent, 
47;  Arnold's  majority  167. 

Third  ward,  long  term. — Total  number  of  votes  cast,  259.  Ed. 
Rathbun,  Republican  and  Democrat,  259.  No  opposition — Rath- 
bun's  majority  259.  Short  term. — Total  number  of  votes  cast, 
327;  Fred  West,  Republican,  227:  Jacob  Wile,  Democrat,  100. 
West's  majority  127. 


288  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  I  OUNTY. 

Fourth   ward. — Total  number  of  vote*   cast.   244.     J.   Curran, 
Republican,    86:  A.  Ribbe.   Democrat,    158:   Ribbe's  majority  72. 

Fifth  ward. — Total   number  of  votes   cast,  265.      Chas.    Lumi- 
quist,    Republican.    69;    Ch>ts.    Bauer.   Democrat,    196:    Bauei 
majority.  127. 

This  closes  the  review  of  the  political  history  of  La  Porte.  The 
elections  of  each  alternate  year  have  been  omitted,  as  they  were 
ward  elections  only  and  did  not  change  the  political  complexion  of 
the  city  administration  proper.  While  yet  a  town,  the  Board  of 
Trustees  was  generally  Whig,  and  when  the  town  became  a  city,  it 
entered  upon  its  city  dignity  under  a  Whig  administration.  Since 
the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  the  two  existing  parties 
have  each  borne  a  share  in  the  administration  of  the  citv  govern- 
ment,  the  Democrats  being  in  power  the  larger  number  of  years. 
Various  public  enterprises  have  been  undertaken  and  completed 
during  this  time,  the  most  important  of  which  are  the  excellent 
public  school  buildings,  and  the  Holly  water  works,  the  latter 
having  been  inaugurated  and  completed  under  the  administration  of 
Mayor  Rose.  Under  all  administrations  the  effort  has  been 
keep  the  city  clean  and  healthy,  and  this  has  been  attended  with  a 
fair  degree  of  success.  It  is  not  the  province  of  this  Hi- 
make  political  criticisms,  and  its  author  is  glad  to  be  able  to  say 
that  under  every  administration  much  has  been  done  that  is  worthy 
of  commendation. 


and  sixty-one,  and  William  W.  McCoy,  Democrat,  nine  hundred 
and  one ;  for  Representatives  in  the  State  legislature,  Alex.  H. 
Robinson  and  William  Millikan,  Whigs,  were  elected  over  W. 
A.  Place  and  Jacob  R.  Hall;  for  Probate  judge,  Mulford  K. 
Farrand,  Whig,  was  elected  over  Gilbert  Hathaway,  Democrat; 
for  County  commissioners,  John  F.  Allison  and  Christopher  Mc- 
Clure  were  elected  over  Wm.  Fry  and  Alfred  Stephens;  for 
Recorder,  Burwell  Spurlock  was  the  only  candidate;  for  Coroner 
F.  A.  McDowell  was  elected  over  R.  K.  Crandall. 

The  election  of  August,  1850,  resulted  in  the  election  of  some  of 
the  candidates  of  each  of  the  two  parties.  For  delegates  to  the 
constitutional  convention,  John  B.  Niles,  Alexander  Blackburn, 
Charles  W.  Cathcart  and  E.  I).  Taylor  were  the  candidates,  and 
they  received  votes  as  follows ;  Niles,  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
three;  Taylor,  one  thousand  and  two;  Cathcart,  nine  hundred  and 
thirty-one,  and  Blackburn,  eight  hundred  and  thirty-nine.  For 
Representatives  in  the  State  legislature,  William  Millikan  and 
James  Bradley  were  elected  over  Alexander  H.  Robinson  and 
Jacob  R.  Hall;  for  Treasurer,  John  M.  Lemon  was  elected  over 
William  Taylor;  for  Sheriff,  H.  Lawson  was  elected  over  Jesse 
Mathis  by  twenty-nine  majority  only ;  for  County  commissioner 
Mark  Allen  was  elected  over  John  F.  Allison;  for  Coroner,  E.  S. 
Organ  was  elected  over  F.  McCollum,  and  for  Assessor,  Joseph  B. 
Lewis  was  elected  over  John  S.  Jessup. 

At  the  regular  election  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  August, 
1851,  the  Whigs  carried  the  county  by  a  small  majority,  averaging 
less  than  one  hundred.  The  candidates  for  Congress,  were  Schuy- 
ler Colfax  and  Graham  N.  Fitch,  and  the  former  received  of  the 
votes  of  LaPorte  county,  one  thousand  and  seventy-three,  the 
latter  one  thousand  and  sixty-six.  For  the  Legislature,  F.  W. 
Hunt  was  elected  over  James  Bradley;  for  Clerk,  Volney  Bailey 
was  elected  over  A.  W.  Henley;  for  County  commissioner,  George 
C.  Havens  was  elected  over  James  Drummond  by  ten  majority;  for 
Assessor,  John  S.  Jessup  was  the  only  candidate.  At  this  election 
the  new  constitution  was  voted  upon,  and  LaPorte  county  gave  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-nine  votes  for  its  adoption,  to 
one  hundred  and  thirty   two  votes  against  it.     That  section  of  this 

16 


242  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

constitution  which  provided  for  the  exclusion  of  "negroes  and 
mulattoes'     from  the   State   was  submitted  to  a  separate  vote,  and 

although  it  is  nor  pleasant  to  write  it.  yet  the  truth  must  be  told 
that  for  this  barbarous  measure  there  were  one  thousand  three  hun- 
dred ami  thirty-eight  votes,  and  only  six  hundred  and  thirty-five 
against  it.  And  yet  perhaps  there  should  be  a  feeling  of  gratifica- 
tion that  so  large  a  vote  was  cast  against  it.  for  it  was  certainly 
much  larger  in  proportion  to  the  whole  vote  than  in  many  other 
parts  of  the  State,  and  indicated  that  the  grand  idea  of  freedom  for 
all  men,  was  taking  root,  and  giving  promise  of  a  golden  harvest. 
How  men  have  grown  since  that  day!  grown  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  meaning  of  Liberty,  in  the  knowledge  of  human  brotherhood, 
and  of  a  genuine  political  manhood.  Let  us  be  glad  for  that  six 
hundred  and  thirty-five  votes.. 

This  was  the  year  when  Schuyler  Colfax  was  a  candidate  for 
Congress  the  first  time.  The  convention  by  which  he  was  nomi- 
nated, was  held  at  Plymouth  on  the  28th  day  of  May.  The  Demo- 
crats of  the  District  had  met  a  few  days  previously,  on  the  22d  day 
of  May,  at  the  same  place,  and  nominated  Graham  N.  Fitch  for 
re-election  to  Congress.  To  show  the  position  of  parties  on  public 
questions  at  this  time  there  is  here  presented  the  resolutions 
adopted  by  the  two  conventions  held  at  Plymouth.  The  Demo- 
cratic convention  adopted  as  its  platform  of  principles,  the  following 
resolutions : 

" Resolved,  That  the  cardinal  principles  of  the  Democratic  party 
are  to  be  found  in  the  resolutions  of  1798.  drawn  by  Jefferson  and 
Madison,  and  reaffirmed  by  the  National  conventions  of  1836,  1840. 
1844  and  1<V4.S:  that  we  regard  them  as  the  touchstone  of  our 
political  faith;  that  we  will  be  governed  by  them  in  our  political 
action,  and  that  we  place  our  nominee  for* Congress  upon  the  broad 
platform  thus  erected. 

Resolved,  That  we  abide  by  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  Consti- 
tution, and  that  we  will  stand  by  each  and  all  of  its  compromises, 
and  therefore  recognize  the  binding  force  of  every  clause,  (the 
delivery  of  fugitives  from  labor  included),  and  we  regard  any  action 
from  any  quarter,  North  or  South,  that  tends  to  weaken  or  estrange 
our  high  allegiance  to  its  solemn  provisions,  as  equally  faithless  and 
treasonable." 


politics.  243 

The  Whig  convention  adopted  a  much  longer  platform  of  princi- 
ples.    Their  resolutions  were  as  follows  : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Whigs  of  the  ninth  Congressional  District,  in 
convention  assembled,  tender  to  each  other  their  pledge  of  fidelity 
to  the  cause,  and  devotion  to  the  principles  for  which  they  have  so 
long  labored. 

Resolved,  That  our  position  remains  unchanged ;  no  interference 
with  the  domestic  policy  or  peculiar  institutions  of  sister  States ;  no 
extension  of  slave  territory;  no  diffusion  of  an  institution  which  it 
is  believed  tends  to  degrade  labor  and  blight  industry,  over  more  of 
National  soil  than  it  now  covers;  no  countenancing  of  disunion 
sentiments  whether  at  the  North  or  South;  but  devotion,  unfalter- 
ing and  unconditional  devotion  to  our  glorious  Union,  in  any  event, 
under  all  circumstances,  despite  all  contingencies. 

Resolved,  That  although  we  may  not  agree  upon  each  and  every 
one  of  the  measures  passed  by  the  last  Congress,  known  as  the  com- 
promise measures,  yet  we  regard  them  as  designed  to  settle  the 
questions  specified  in  them,  and  that  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 
good  of  the  country  requires  that  the  settlement  should  remain 
undisturbed  until  time  and  experience  shall  show  that  a  change  or 
modification  of  them  is  necessary  to  avoid  evasion  or  abuse;  and 
that  we  hold,  in  the  language  of  Henry  Clay,  on  making  his  report 
from  the  committee  of  thirteen,  that  "Congress  ought,  while  on  the 
one  hand  securing  to  the  owner  the  fair  restoration  of  his  property,' 
effectually  to  guard  on  the  other  against  any  abuse  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  remedy,"  being  satisfied  that  it  is  not  unsafe  for  either 
individuals  or  nations  to  rectify  wrong  by  the  substitution  of  right, 
and  that  the  crowning  glory  of  law  is  its  protection  of  the  rights 
of  the  weak  as  well  as  its  enforcement  of  the  just  claims  of  the 
strong. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  nation  are  due  Millard  Fillmore 
and  his  Cabinet  for  the  promptness  and  efficiency  with  which  they 
have  maintained  the  public  faith,  and  for  their  determination  to 
execute  the  laws  at  every  hazard,  and  preserve  unsullied  the  honor 
and  integrity  of  the  Nation ;  and  that  this  administration  deserves 
the  confidence  and  support  of  the  Whig  party. 

Resolved,  That  so  far  from  the  prosperity  so  confidently  pre- 
dicted by  our  opponents  being  realized  by  the  working  of  the 
present  tariff,  we  see,  instead  of  the  high  prices  for  grain  that  were 
promised,  a  depression  in  rates  almost  unparalleled :  instead  of  an 
increase  in  the  rewards  of  labor,  factories  and  mills  all  over  the  land 
stopping,   and  thus  operatives  ceasing  to  purchase  of  the   farmer, 


244  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 

compelled  to  resort  to  agriculture  themselves,  and  becoming  rivals 
in  producing  instead  of  being  consumers,  thereby  tending  still 
further  to  depress  prices  by  the  superabundance  thus  created :  and 
instead  of  the  wealth  of  the  world  pouring  in  as  was  prophesied,  a 
balance  of  trade  against  us  of  $50,000,000  in  a  single  year,  and  the 
shipment  of  over  $3,000,000  per  month  m  hard  coin  from  but  one 
port  to  Europe,  saying  nothing  of  the  millions  upon  millions  of 
bonds  and  loans  negotiated  abroad,  all  hereafter  to  be  paid 
for  in  cash  and  nothing  else,  attest  to  every  man  willing  to 
see,  that  all  the  avails  of  our  hardy  miners  in  California,  with  an 
amount  equally  large  in  addition  is  taken  from  us  for  the  benefit  of 
foreign  manufacturers,  who  rejoice  and  thrive  over  the  prostration 
of  our  industrial  enterprises. 

Resolved,  That  Congress  should,  in  arranging  the  detail-  of  a 
tariff,  not  only  seek  to  raise  sufficient  revenue  for  the  support  of 
Government,  but  at  the  same  time  discriminate  so  judiciously  in 
the  duties  upon  foreign  imports,  as  to  promote  all  the  industrial 
interests  of  our  own  country :  that  all  legislation  which  tends  to  the 
developement  of  our  own  resources,  or  the  diversification  of  labor 
into  different  pursuits,  or  the  building  up  of  a  home  market  for 
agricultural  products  on  our  own  soil,  or  the  carrying  out  of  the 
emphatic  declaration  of  Jefferson  that  ':to  be  independent  for  the 
comforts  of  life,  we  must  fabricate  them  ourselves :  we  must  place 
the  manufacturer  by  the  side  of  the  agriculturist,"  is  eminently 
beneficial  in  its  character  and  conduces  to  the  prosperity,  the  prog- 
ress, the  wealth  and  the  real  independence  of  the  Nation:  and 
that  the  present  tariff  should  be  so  modified,  as  recommended  bv 
President  Fillmore  and  Secretary  Corwin,  as  to  make  it  conform 
to  the  above  principles,  and  render  it  what  the  tariff  of  the  United 
States  should  be — incidental  protection  to  our  own  labor. 

ResolvoL  That  it  is  the  duty  of  congress  to  make  liberal  appro- 
priations for  the  improvement  of  the  Rivers  and  1 1  arbors  of  the  West 
as  well  as  for  those  of  the  South  and  Ea>t:  that  our  internal  com- 
merce floating  on  fresh  water,  should  have  equal  benefits  and  equal 
protection  with  that  extended  so  liberally  to  the  external,  or  salt 
water  commerce  of  the  country,  and  that  no  false  excuses  about  ;i 
bill  including  works  of  a  local  character  will  be  any  justification 
with  the  people  of  the  West,  for  denying  them  that,  which,  though 
long  and  justly  claimed,  has  been  so  often  defeated  bv  the  vetoes  of 
Democratic  Administrations,  or  the  more  recent  wilful  factiousness 
of  Democratic  Senators.  That  this  District  has  peculiar  claims 
upon  the  National  Legislature  in  this  respect,  being  directly    into]*- 


politics.  245 

ested  in  the  Harbors  at  Michigan  City  and  St.  Joseph;  and  that  it 
should  send  a  member  to  represent  their  claims  who  can  have  per- 
sonal influence  with  his  colleagues  sufficient  to  procure  for  them, 
the  vote  of  at  least  one  other  member  of  his  own  party  from  his 
own  State. 

Resolved,  That  we  deprecate  all  those  contrivances,  whether 
under  or  without  the  cover  of  law.  which  wink  at  the  pilfering  of 
the  Government  treasury  under  the  pretense  of  constructive  mileage, 
long  mileage,  Ritchie  claims  and  other  kindred  absorbents;  that 
constructive  mileage  should  be  abolished  totally  and  forever;  the 
present  exorbitant  rate  of  mileage,  so  greatly  disproportioned  to 
the  expense  of  travel,  reduced  at  least  one-half,  and  computed,  not 
by  the  easiest  but  the  nearest  route;  and  public  contractors  com- 
pelled to  live  up  to  their  obligations  without  importunate  appeals  to 
be  allowed  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  in  addition. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  in  favor  of  reducing  letter  postage  to  a  low 
rate,  and  the  entire  abolition  of  the  franking  privilege,  leaving  the 
government  and  congressmen  to  pay  their  own  postage  the  same  as 
private  citizens. 

Resolved,  That  as  Whigs,  we  sympathize  with  the  struggles  of 
the  masses  now  o-oino-  forward  in  the  old  world,  to  throw  off  the 
shackles  which  have  so  long  bound  them :  and  to  assert  that  equality 
and  independence  which  we  regard  as  man's  birthright. 

Resolved,  Unanimously,  that  we  recommend  to  the  voters  of 
this  Congressional  District,  Schuyler  Colfax,  the  candidate  this  day 
nominated,  with  the  assurance  to  all  that  he  is  honest,  and  would 

irn  to  betray  them,  or  violate  pledges  which  lie  may  make, 
capable,  possessing  talents  and  a  zeal  in  their  exercise  which  must 
be  valuable  to  the  district,  and  creditable  to  the  councils  of  the 
Nation,  should  he  be  elected,  and  faithful  to  the  constitution  of  the 

mtry,    regarding  its   observance  as  the  bond  of  our   union,  the$ 
guarantee   of   our   national  welfare,  and   the   means  of  promoting 
internal  peace,  and  hushing  the  voice  of  faction  and  discord,  amongst 
our  jarring  members. 

The  resolutions  of  the  two  parties  given  above,  exhibit  the  issues 
which  divided  them  this  year  and  also  in  the  Presidential 
campaign  which  was  soon  to  follow.  The  Whig  convention  at 
Plymouth  was  presided  over  by  Andrew  L.  Osborn;  Wm.  Millikan 
was  one  of  the  Secretaries.  Mr.  Treadway  was  on  the  committee 
to   report  permanent   officers  of  the  convention,    and  Mulford  K. 

rrand  was   made   chairman  of  the   District   Central   committee. 


I 


246  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

The  convention  seems   to  have  been   a  most  harmonious  one.     Mr. 
Colfax  was  nominated  unanimously,  and  the  resolutions  were  unan- 
imously adopted.     On   the  4th   day  of  June,   the  LaPorte  •  ^Y| 
contained  the  following  call  for  a  county  convention  : 

"RALLY   WHIGS !    COUNTY    CONVENTION!! 

It:  consequence  of  there  being  but  few  in  attendance  at  the  con- 
vention on  Saturday  the  25th,  the  nomination  of  candidates  for 
State  and  county  officers  for  this  county,  was  postponed.  The  cen- 
tral committee  have  therefore  appointed  Saturday,  the  14th  day  of 
June  next,  as  a  day  upon  which  to  hold  a  Mass  County  Conven- 
tion in  LaPorte,  to  nominate  a  candidate  to  represent  this  county 
in  the  next  legislature,  and  also  to  nominate  candidates  for  coun 
officers.  Every  Whig  in  the  county  is  requested  to  attend.  L< 
the  townships  all  be  fully  and  fairly  represented. 

The  meeting  will  be  organized  at  11  o'clock,  a.  m. 

D.  G.  Rose,  J.  B.  Fravel, 

Edward  Vail,  Wm.  Millikax: 

Whig  Central  Committee. 
LaPorte.  May  27.  1851." 

The  result  of  the  election  which  followed  has  already  been  given. 

The  year  1852,  was  fraught  with  much  deeper  interest  political 
Franklin  Pierce  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  President,  G< 
Winfield  Scott   the  Whig  candidate,  and   John   P.  Hale  the   Frt 
Soil  candidate.     The   candidates   for    Governor,   were  Joseph   A. 
Wright,    Democratic,   and    X!  M<  I  .    Whig,  and  the  full 

complement  of  State  officers  was  voted  for.      Fo  Norman 

Eddy   was   the  Democratic   candidate,   and   Horace   P.  Piddle,  the 
Whiff.     The  candidates  for  Judge  of  the  ninth  judicial  circuit,  w^ 
James  Bradley  and  Thomas  S.  Stanfield;  f<  :"  the  court  of 

common  pleas.  Merman  Lawson  and  Mulford  K.  Farrand  were  ti 
candidates:  for  Prosecuting  attorney  of  the  circuit  court,  D.  J. 
Woodward  and  John  M.  Wilson  were  the  candidate-:  for  Proscut- 
ing  attorney  of  the  common  pleas,  the  candidates  were  Daniel  Noyes 
and  A.  Dickson:  for  Representative,  the  candidates  were  John  < '. 
Walker  and  Franklin  W.  Hunt:  Samuel  Burson  and  Wm.  Allen 
were  candidates   for  Sheriff;   Ambrose   W.  Henly   and  A'olney  W. 


POLITICS.  247 

Bailey  were  candidates  for  Clerk :  Mark  Allen  and  Edmund  S. 
Organ  were  candidates  for  Treasurer;  Jackson  Hosmer  and  Wm. 
H.  Goodhue  were  candidates  for  Commissioner;  John  P.  Cathcart 
and  Elam  Clark  were  candidates  for  Surveyor;  Henry  Fox  and  E. 
E.  Annis  were  candidates  for  Coroner.  The  new  constitution  was 
in  force  and  the  general  annual  election  was  for  the  first  time  held 
in  October.  At  this  election  the  Democrats  succeeded  in  revolution- 
izing the  county,  giving  a  majority  to  nearly  all  their  candidates. 
They  held  the  county  also  at  the  Presidential  election  in  November, 
giving  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  eleven  to  the  Democratic- 
electors.  But  at  this  election  the  Free  Soil  party  cast  one  hundred 
and  thirty-six  votes  tor  the  Hale  and  Julian  electors.  Among  the 
Whig  electors  were  Schuyler  Colfax,  Richard  W.  Thompson,  John 
Coburn,  David  Kilgore,  Nathan  Kimball,  Pleasant  A.  Hackleman 
and  Henry  S.  Lane;  and  among  the  Democratic  electors,  Wm. 
Grose,  Ebenezer  Dumont,  James  H.  Lane  and  John  A.  Hendricks. 
There  were  a  few  exceptions  to  the  general  Democratic  victory  at 
the  October  election.  Thomas  S.  Stanfield  received  a  majority  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  over  James  Bradley ;  Mulford  K.  Far- 
rand  received  a  majority  of  sixty  over  1  i ierman  Lawson ;  William 
Allen  was  elected  Sheriff  over  Samuel  Burson  by  twenty-six 
majority;  Volney  W.  Bailey  was  elected  Clerk  over  A.  W.  Henly 
by  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  majority;  and  Edmund  S.  Organ 
was  elected  Treasurer  over  Mark  Allen  bv  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
one  majority.  All  the  rest  of  the  Democrats  received  majorities 
ranging  from  forty  to  one  hundred.  When  it  was  ascertained  that 
as  LaPorte  county  went,  so  went  the  State,  it  was  not  strange  that 
the  LaPorte  Commercial  Times,  edited  by  John  C.  Walker  and 
John  W.  Holcombe,  should  insert  at  the  head  of  its  columns,  the 
traditional  rooster.  The  rooster  occupied  his  place  but  looked  as 
though  he  was  waiting  for  the  result  of  the  November  election 
before  he   venturea  to  crow.     When   that  came  it  gave  him   the 

opportunity.  The  Times  expressed  itself  in  these  words  over  the 
result  in  October; 

"nine  guns  for  pierce  and  king!  ! 

Sufficient  returns   have  come  in  from   the   elections  in   Indiana. 
Ohio  and  Pennsylvania,  to  indicate  the  greatest  victories  ever  won 


248  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

by  the  Democratic  party.  Each  of  the  States  has  rolled  up  over- 
whelming majorities,  ranging  from  twelve  to  twenty  thousand.  Let 
the  Whigs  shut  their  eyes  as  they  will,  and  ostrich-like,  thrust  their 
heads  in  such  twigs  of  comfort  as  they  can  find;  let  them  discover 
as  many  local  issues  as  they  choose,  and  contrast  the  present  major- 
ities with  past  votes  for  Governor;  let  them  reduce  the  figures  as 
low  as  they  will,  and  count  the  votes  on  steamboats  and  railroad-, 
the  great  fact  cannot  be  blinked,  that  the  prestige  of  victory  and  all 
the  omens  of  triumph  cluster  around  the  banner  of  Democracy.  No 
one  will  believe  the  miserable  subterfuge  that  the  Whig  party 
regarded  the  late  elections  as  of  no  importance,  and  made  no  effort- 
to  win  the  battle.  Were  it  so,  such  shameful  abandonment  of  the 
post  of  duty  would  most  surely  prove  them  unfit  to  be  trusted  with 
the  destinies  of  the  nation.  But  they  did  work,  with  all  the  frenzv 
of  desperation,  and  their  labors  were  all  fruitless;  the  aspirations 
of  the  age  and  the  instincts  of  the  people  were  against  them. 
Maine  and  North  Carolina.  Iowa  and  Missouri,  Indiana,  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania.  Florida  and  South  Carolina  have  taken  their  posts 
in  the  line  of  battle,  and  will  not  alter  in  November,  the  glorious 
war  cry,  which  they  have  so  proudly  flung  on  the  breeze  in  August 
and  October. 

Indiana  is  the  banner  State.  Governor  Wright's  majority  is 
probably  near  twenty  thousand.  In  1849  it  was  less  than  ten 
thousand — clear  gain  of  ten  thousand.  Ten  Democrats  and  only 
one  Whiff  elected  to  Congress.  In  the  Legislature  there  is  probably 
on  joint  ballot  a  Democratic  majority  of  fifty  members. 

Dr.  Norman  Eddy,  Representative  elect  in  our  own  District, 
received  a  majority  in  every  county. 

Herman   Lawson,   our  present   Sheriff,   is  elected  Judge  of   the 
court  of  common  pleas  in  this  District,  consisting  of  LaPorte,  Porter 
and  Lake  counties.     Majority  two.     One  hundred  and  fifty-tin 
ballot-  <•  mtaining  the  name  of  James  K.  Farrand,  were  thrown  out 
as  informal. 

In  the  late  election,  LaPorte  county  polled  two  thousand  five 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  votes,  distributed  as  follows  among  the 
various  townships,  Michigan :  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight ;  Spring- 
field, seventy-four:  Galena,   seventy-three;   Hudson,   eighty;   Cool 


politics.  249 

Spring,  eighty-three :  Centre,  seven  hundred  and  forty ;  Kankakee, 
one  hundred  and  forty-five;  Wills,  one  hundred  and  twenty-one; 
Pleasant,  four  hundred  and  twelve;  Scipio,  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
five:  New  Durham,  one  hundred  and  sixty -four;  Clinton,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-four;  Noble,  two  hundred  and  ten;  Union,  one 
hundred  and  sixty;   Cass,  twenty-nine." 

It  seems  quite  evident  that  in  1852,  there  was  a  Democratic  tidal 
wave  which  rolled  over  not  LaPorte  county  alone,  but  the  whole 
country.  The  result  sounded  the  knell  of  the  Whig  party.  It  was 
broken  up  and  never  again  rallied.  New  departures  were  taken, 
and  out  of  the  disorganized  material  of  which  the  Whig  party  was 
composed,  augmented  by  numerous  accessions  from  the  anti-slavery 
sentiment  of  the  Democracy,  the  Republican  party  was  at  length 
formed;  and  parties  became  divided  squarely  upon  issues  growing 
out  of  slavery. 

At  the  election  of  October,  1853,  only  a  few  more'  than  one 
thousand  and  six  hundred  votes  were  polled  in  LaPorte  county. 
The  field  seems  to  have  been  yielded  to  the  Democrats  without  a 
struggle.  The  only  officers  to  be  elected  were  Reporter  of  the 
supreme  court,  County  Auditor  and  two  Commissioners.  The  vote 
stood  as  follows:  For  Reporter  supreme  court,  A.  G.  Porter,  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  votes  and  James  W.  Gordon  six  hundred 
and  thirty  votes  :  for  County  Auditor,  Andrew  J.  Wair,  one  thou- 
sand and  fifteen  votes,  John  S.  Allen  four  hundred  and  three,  and 
Abram  Fravel  two  hundred  and  twenty  votes ;  for  Commissioners, 
James  Drummond,  nine  hundred  and  ninetv-six  votes,  Jacob  R. 
Hall,  one  thousand  and  seven  votes,  Phineas  Hunt,  six  hundred 
and  seventeen  votes  and  Joseph  Orr  six  hundred  votes. 

The  election  aroused  no  political  feeling :  and  very  little  was  said 
about  it  in  the  press.  The  following  mild  utterance  is  from  the 
LaPorte  Times,  and  is  about  all  that  was  said  concerning  the 
election  of  1853 : 

"OCTOBER  ELECTION. 

For  some  weeks  we  have  had  the  name  of  Albert  G.  Porter  at 
the  head  of  our  columns  as  the  Democratic  nominee  for  Supreme 
Court  Reporter,  and  we  would  now  call  attention  to  the  importance 
of  that  office,  and  the  election  of  a  fit  and  competent  man  to   dis- 


250  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

charge  its  duties.  Mr.  Porter,  as  appointee  of  the  Governor,  has 
already  manifested  his  entire  capacity,  and  if  elected,  will  do  credit 
to  the  position.  There  is  but  one  fear  on  the  subject  of  the  October 
election,  and  that  is  that  the  Democracy  will  not  think  this  matter 
of  electing  a  Reporter  of  sufficient  importance  to  induce  them  to 
the  polls.  This  should  never  be!  Let  the  people  show  their  will 
on  every  occasion  of  this  kind,  for  if  they  do  not,  there  are 
opportunities  left  open  for  now  and  then  a  most  shameful  defeat. 
We  shall  notice  this  election  again." 

New  questions  now  arose,  growing  out  of  the  Know-Nothing 
excitement  and  the  agitation  which  attended  the  passage  of  the 
Nebraska  Bill,  and  repeal  of  the  Missouri  compromise,  and  at  the 
October  election  of  1854,  the  average  majority  against  the  Demo- 
cratic party  was  three  hundred.  The  election  was  for  State  officer- 
except  Governor  and  Lieutenant  Governor,  Representative  in  Con- 
gress, Prosecuting  attorney  for  the  circuit  court,  and  also  for  the 
court  of  common  pleas,  Representative  to  the  State  legislature  and 
several  other  county  officers.  The  candidates  for  Congress,  Avere 
Schuyler  Colfax,  and  Norman  Eddy,  and  Colfax  received  one  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  twenty-nine,  votes  to  one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  for  Eddy.  The  candidates  for  Prosecut- 
ing attorney  in  the  circuit  court,  were  Morgan  II.  Weir  and  Don 
J.  Woodward,  and  Weir  received  tiiree  hundred  and  nine  majority. 
James  A.  Thornton  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  common 
pleas  Prosecutor  against  Win.  C.  Talcott,  and  Talcott  received  a 
majority  of  two  hundred  and  forty-five  votes.  Jacob  R.  Hall  was 
elected  Representative  to  the  State  legislature  against  John  I 
Walker:  Edmund  S.  Organ  was  elected  County  Treasurer  agaii 
Orpheus  Everts:  Win.  H.  H.  Whitehead  was  elected  Sheriff  over 
H.  P.  Lans:  the  candidates  for  County  commissioner,  were  0.  F. 
Piper  and  James  Drummond,  and  Piper  was  elected;  the  Candida; 
for  County  Surveyor,  were  Daniel  M.  Learning  and  John  P.  Cath- 
cart.  and  Learning  was  elected:  and  Henry  W.  Fox  was  elected 
Coroner  against  Wm.  Frv. 

Not  much  interest  was  manifested  by  the  people  of  the  county  in 
the  election  of  1<V5.~>.  as  there  were  no  officer^  to  be  elected  except  a 
Recorder  and  three  Commissions         Only  about  one  thousand  and 


POLITICS.  251 

nine  hundred  votes  were  cast,  although  there  were  probably  thirty- 
two  or  thirty-three  hundred  voters  in  the  county.  The  Democrats 
were  successful  and  elected  all  their  candidates  by  majorities  ranging 
from  ninety-one  to  two  hundred  and  fifty.  Anderson  Hupp  was  elected 
Recorder  against  Burwell  Spurlock,  and  Asa  M.  Warren,  Aquilla 
W.  Rodgers,  and  H.  J.  Reese  were  elected  Commissioners  against 
Samuel  Harvey,  Abram  Westervelt  and  George  Crawford. 

Prior  to  1856,  the  anti-slavery  sentiment  of  the  country  had 
become  consolidated.  It  took  the  form  of  opposition  to  the  exten- 
sion of  slavery  into  the  territories  of  the  United  States,  and  resulted 
in  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party.  The  larger  portion  of 
the  Whigs  found  themselves  naturally  in  the  new  party,  most  of 
the  Free  Soilers  united  with  it,  and  also  the  large  anti-slavery  ele- 
ment of  the  Democratic  party.  The  first  national  convention  of  the 
new  party  met  early  in  1856,  and  nominated  John  C.  Fremont  for 
President  and  Wm.  L.  Dayton  for  Vice  President.  The  candidates 
of  the  Democracy  were  James  Buchanan  and  John  C.  Breckenridge. 
Oliver  P.  Morton  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Governor  of 
Indiana,  and  Ashbel  P.  Willard,  the  Democratic  candidate.  W.  Z. 
Stewart  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Congress  and  Schuyler 
Colfax  had  been  nominated  by  the  Republicans  for  re-election.  M. 
H.  Weir  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  State  Senator,  and 
Herman  Lawson,  the  Democratic  candidate;  and  for  Jud^e  of  the 
court  of  common  pleas,  the  candidates  were  William  C.  Talcott, 
Republican,  and  Daniel  Noyes,  Democrat.  The  candidates  for 
county  officers  were  as  follows,  the  Democratic  candidate  for  each 
office  being  first  named:  For  Representative  to  the  State  legisla- 
ture, William  R.  Bowes  and  George  Crawford;  for  Clerk,  C.  W. 
Mead  and  James  Moore;  for  Treasurer,  Seth  Eason  and  Abel  D. 
Porter;  for  Sheriff,  Nathan  Kell  and  Wm.  H.  H.  Whitehead;  for 
Surveyor,  John  P.  Cathcart  and  Daniel  M.  Learning;  for  Coroner, 
Wm.  Fry  and  R.  G.  Jame^,  and  for  Commissioner,  A.  W.  Rogers 
and  El  am  Clark. 

The  Republicans  were  victorious.  The  vote  was  the  largest  that 
had  ever  been  cast  in  the  county,  the  total  number  being  four 
thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-three;  and  the  Republican  candi- 
dates  were  all  successful  by   majorities   ranging  from  fifty,  to  one 


'2')'2  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

hundred  and  forty-nine.  On  State  officers  the  average  majority 
was  one  hundred  and  five.  The  majority  of  Mr.  Colfax  was  one 
hundred  and  thirty.  [Morgan  H.  Weir's  majority  was  one  hundred 
and  twenty-two.  Whitehead's  majority  was  one  hundred  and 
forty-nine. 

The  canvass  for  the  Presidential  nominees  was  still  kept  up,  and 
in  November,  LaPorte  county  cast  a  still  larger  vote  than  in  October, 
the  whole  number  of  votes  being  four  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
nineteen.  Of  these  the  Republican  electors  received  two  thousand 
five  hundred  and  thirtv-three  votes,  the  Democratic  electors  two 
thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine  votes,  and  there  were  forty- 
five  votes  cast  for  a  third  electoral  ticket.  Daniel  D.  Pratt  was  the 
Whig  elector  for  the  ninth  District,  and  Orpheus  Everts  the  Dem- 
ocratic elector.  The  whole  campaign  was  one  of  intense  interest 
and  excitement,  and  although  the  Republican  party  was  defeated 
in  its  first  national  contest,  and  in  most  of  the  States,  yet  the  large 
vote  it  cast,  and  its  many  local  victories,  served  to  consolidate  it  and 
prepare  it  for  future  success. 

The  election  of  1.857  was  without  especial  incident.  It  included 
county  officers  and  Judge  of  the  circuit  court,  Andrew  L.  Osborn 
being  elected  to  the  latter  position  by  a  heavy  majority.  The  can- 
didates for  county  officers,  were  for  Clerk,  James  Moore  and  John 
B.  Fravel:  for  Sheriff,  Wm.  H.  H.  Whitehead  and  Nathan  Kell ; 
for  Treasurer.  Abel  D.  Porter  and  Seth  Eason:  for  Auditor.  John 
<i.  Laird  and  Thomas  Pryce;  for  Commissioner  first  District.  Esaac 
B.  Coplin  and  Wm.  W.  Garrard:  for  Commissioner  second  District, 
Sidney  S.  Sabin  and  Henry  P.  Lans.  Moore.  Whitehead,  Porter, 
Laird,  Coplin  and  Sabin,  all  Republicans,  were  elected  by  major- 
ities ranging  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  over  four  hundred.  In 
the  case  of  Laird  and  Prvce  there  was  a  contest  on  the  ground  that 
Laird  had  been  elected  to  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  within 
four  years,  which  would  under  the  constitution  prevent  his  holding 
any  but  a  judicial"  office  within  that  time.  It  was  finallv  adjudged 
that  neither  party  was  entitled  to  the  office,  and  Reuben  Munday 
was  appointed  by  the  commissioners  to  ^Qvve  until  the  next  genei 
election. 

Political   excitement   became  warm  again  in    1858.     The  ter 


politics.  253 

that  were  heard  most  in  the  party  language  of  the  day  were 
"Lecompton  Constitution,"  "Kansas,"  "Border  Ruffianism," 
••Freedom  of  the  Territories,"  "Non-Extension  of  Slavery,"  "Dred 
Scott  Decision."  All  the  State  officers  except  Governor  were  to 
be  elected,  a  member  of  Congress,  and  county  officers.  The  Repub- 
licans carried  the  county  on  State  officers  by  from  five  hundred 
and  twenty  to  five  hundred  and  sixtv  majority  in  a  total  vote  of 
five  thousand  and  twenty-six.  Schuyler  Colfax  and  John  C. 
Walker  were  the  opposing  candidates  for  Congress,  and  the 
former's  majority  in  the  county  was  five  hundred  and  sixty-five. 
Wm.  B.  Biddle  and  James  A.  Thornton  were  the  opposing  candi- 
dates for  Prosecuting  attorney  in  the  circuit  court,  and  Biddle 
received  a  majority  of  live  hundred  and  two.  John  Walton  and 
Theophilus  Travel  were  the  opposing  candidates  for  Auditor,  and 
Walton  was  elected.  Abel  D.  Porter  was  elected  Treasurer  over 
Truman  T.  Harris:  Joshua  S.  McDowell  was  elected  Sheriff  over 
Levi  Ely;  Elisha  L.  Bennett  was  elected  Surveyor  over  Mundav 
Allen:  Luther  Brusie  was  elected  Coroner  over  Henry  Ellsworth: 
John  Warnock  was  elected  Commissioner  over  J.  W.  Butterfield. 
and  Wm.  H.  Scott  and  M.  G.  Sherman  were  elected  Representa- 
tives over  James  Bradley  and  James  Orr.  The  officers  elect  were 
all  Republicans,  and  the  majorities  were  generally  over  five 
hundred. 

The  "off  year"  of  1859  brought  out  a  very  light  vote,  the  whole 

%/  CD  e/  CD  ' 

number  cast  being  only  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-five. 
There  were  but  three  offices  to  be  filled:  Prosecuting  attorney 
common  pleas  court.  Recorder,  and  Commissioner  for  the  second 
District.  Joseph  M.  Dow  and  Daniel  Noyes  were  the  candidates 
for  Prosecuting  attorney  :  and  Dow,  Republican,  received  a  majority 
in  this  county  of  one  hundred  and  eighty -four.  Luther  Mann.  Jr.. 
was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Recorder  and  Anderson  Hupp  the 
Democratic  candidate  for  re-election.  Hupp  was  elected  by  sixty- 
six  maiority.  Sidney  S.  Sabin  was  elected  Commissioner  against 
Harvey  Truesdell,  Democrat. 

» 

The  country  was  now  becoming  deeply  moved  over  questions 
which  stirred  the  popular  heart  as  none  had  ever  done  before.  The 
storm   had   been  gathering  ever   since   the   repeal  of  the  Missouri 


254  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

compromise;  the  struggles   in   Kansas  had   deeply   intensified   the 
feeling  of  the  people  of  the  North,  and  John  Brown's  attempt  upon 
Harper's  Ferry   had  been   skillfully  managed  so  as  to   arouse   and 
heat  the   people  of  the  South.      That  the  territories  of  the  United 
State-  should   be  forever   consecrated   to  freedom   was   the   solemn 
determination  of  a  large  majority  of  the  people  of  the  North ;  and 
that  the  boundaries   of    the   institution  of  slavery  should   not  be 
further  enlarged.      The  South,  seeking  its  perpetuation  by  means  of 
enlarged  political  power,  determined  that  it  should  not  be  restricted, 
but   should  have   enlarged  privileges.      The  questions   dividing  par- 
ties were  thus  chiefly  sectional,  and  pointed  directly  to  war.    In  this 
state  of  the  public  mind,  the  Republican  party  met  in  national  con- 
vention in  Chicago,  and  nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President. 
and  Hannibal  Hamlin  for  Vice  President.     The  Democratic  party 
met  at  Charleston  in  South  Carolina,  and  the  "fire-eating"  element 
of  the  South,  the  better  to  secure  their  object,  the  dissolution  of  the 
Union,  broke  up  the  convention.     The  party  afterwards  met  in  the 
city  of  Baltimore,  and  there  the  same  turbulent  element  divided  the 
convention,  and  the  result   was   the  nomination  of  two  Democratic 
tickets,       Stephen    A.    Douglas    and    Herschel    V.    Johnson   for 
President  and  Vice  President   on  the  one  side,  and  John  C.  Breck- 
enridge  and   Joseph  Lane  on  the   other.      Henry  S.  Lane  stood  at 
the  head  of  the  Republican  State  ticket,  as  candidate  for  Governor 
and   Thomas  A.  Hendricks,   at  the  head  of  the  Democratic   ticket. 
In  the  ninth   District   Schuyler  Colfax  was   again  the   Republican 
candidate  for   Congress  and  the  Democrats   pitted   against  him  the 
veteran    Charles   W.  Cathenrt.      Daniel  Noyes   and  Elisha   Egbert 
were  the   opposing  candidates  for  Judge   of  the  court  of  common 
pleas.     The  candidates  for  county   offices  were  as  follows :     For 
Clerk,   James  Moore  and   C.  C.   Morrical;  for   Sheriff,   Joshua  S. 
McDowell  and   Richard   Huncheon :    for  Treasurer,   Reginald   H. 
Rose   and   Truman   T.    Harris :    For   Coroner,   Ludwig  Eliel    and 
Robert  Friedel;  for  Surveyor,   Edward  H.  Learning  and  John  P. 
Cathcart:  for  Commissioner,  Isaac  B.  Coplin  and  Ephraim  Barney; 
for   Representatives  to   the   State  legislature.    Samuet  Harvey   and 
Mason  G.  Sherman,  Republicans,  and  Irwin  S.  Jessup  and  Henry 
P.   Lans,    Democrats.     The    candidates  for    State    Senator,   were 
Abraham  Teejmrden  and  Henrv  Hisjo-ins. 


politics.  255 

The  position  which  the  Republican  party  maintained  on  slavery 
questions  may  be  seen  in  the  following  resolutions  found  in  the 
State  Republican  platform  of  that  year : 

"Resolved,  That  we  are  opposed  to  the  new  and  dangerous  doc- 
trine advocated  by  the  Democratic  party,  that  the  Federal  consti- 
tution carries  slavery  into  the  public  territories,  and  that  we 
believe  slavery  cannot  exist  anywhere  in  this  government,  unless  by 
positive  local  law,  and  that  we  will  oppose  its  extension  into  the  ter- 
ritories of  the  Federal  Government  by  all  the  power  known  to  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  opposed  to  any  interference  with  slavery 
where  it  exists  under  the  sanction  of  State  law.  that  the  soil  of 
every  State  should  be  protected  from  lawless  invasions  from  every 
quarter,  and  that  the  citizens  of  every  State  should  be  secured  from 
illegal  arrests  and  search,  as  well  as  from  mob  violence." 

They  also  embodied  the  following  in  the  platform: 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  preservation  of  the  American 
Union  as  the  highest  object  and  duty  of  patriotism,  and  that  it 
must  and  shall  be  preserved,  and  that  all  who  advocate  disunion  are, 
and  deserve  the  fate  ot,  traitors." 

Other  questions  formed  issues  between  the  parties,  but  the  chief 
and  most  important  by  far,  the  overshadowing  ones,  were  those 
growing  out  of  the  institution  of  slavery  and  the  attitude  of  the 
South  with  respect  to  it,  and  also  towards  the  Union.  Threats  of 
secession  in  case  of  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  were  freely  made, 
and  the  leaders  in  the  violence  which  characterized  the  proceedings 
in  the  South,  were  more  deeply  in  earnest  than  the  people  of  the 
North  generally  supposed.  The  campaign  was  distinguished, 
besides  the  usual  processions  and  speeches,  by  a  Republican  organ- 
ization known  as  Wide  Awakes,  which  adopted  a  simple  uniform, 
and  were  provided  with  torch  lamps,  fixed  on  poles,  and  thus  added 
much  to  the  interest  of  night  meetings.  The  company  of  Wide 
Awakes  which  existed  in  LaPorte,  was  drilled  by  Gen.  Newell 
Gleason,  in  the  manner  of  handling  their  lamp  sticks  according  to 
the  manual  of  arms.  In  one  year  from  that  time  many  of  the  same 
persons  were  drilling  with  arms,  preparatory  to  fighting  the  battles 
of  the  nation  against  a  section  of  country  which  had  wantonly  risen 


256  HISTORY    OF    LA  PORTE    COUNTY. 

in  rebellion.  The  political  pulse  beat  high  in  both  parties,  ^rreat 
political  gatherings  were  frequent,  and  processions  and  enthusiasm 
filled  up  the  days  and  the  night-.  At  length  the  day  of  the  October 
election  came,  and  the  Republicans  were  completely  successful. 
The  average  majority  which  the  county  gave  on  the  State  ticket  n 
nine  hundred  and  eighty-five.  Colfax's  majority  for  congres-  \ 
one  thousand  and  five.  Egbert's  majority  for  Judge  was  four  hun- 
dred and  seventy.  Teegarden's  majority  for  the  State  Senate  v. 
one  thousand  and  three.  The  Republican  majority  on  county 
offices  was  from  seven  hundred  to  one  thousand  majority.  The 
whole  number  of  votes  cast  was  five  thousand  and  fifteen.  But  the 
great  event  was  still  to  occur — the  Presidential  election  in  November. 
At  this  election  there  were  four  electoral  tickets  in  the  field,  those 
headed  by  the  candidates  already  named,  and  the  Union  party 
ticket,  headed  by  John  Bell  and  Edward  Everett.  Each  of  them 
were  voted  for  in  this  county.  The  county  filled  three  places  on 
electoral  tickets.  John  C.  Walker  was  on  the  Douglas  Democratic 
ticket  for  the  State  at  lar^e.  James  Bradlev  was  on  the  Brecken- 
ridge  Democratic  ticket  for  the  ninth  District,  and  John  P.  Early 
<»n  the  Bell  and  Everett  electoral  ticket  for  the  ninth  District. 
The  Lincoln  electoral  ticket  received  two  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  sixtv-seven:  the  Douglas  ticket,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and 
six:  the  Bell  and  Everett  ticket,  twenty-seven,  and  the  Brecken- 
ridge  ticket,  four  hundred  and  seventy-four,  the  number  of  votes 
cast  being  five  thousand  and  seventy-four.  The  Republican 
majority  over  all  was  eight  hundred  and  sixty;  and  over  the 
Douglas-Democratic  ticket,  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
one.  (  hi  the  next  day  after  the  election,  the  LaPorte  Union  had 
this  to  say  : 

•"LaPorte  county  is  entitled  to  the  Banner.  Lincoln's  majority 
in  this  county  is  probably  one  thousand  four  hundred  over  Douglas. 
The  Breckenridge  vote  in  the  county  is  about  five  hundred. 

In  this  citv  the  vote  was  as  follows:      For  Lincoln   nine  hundred 
and  twenty-seven;    for  Douglas,   three    hundred  and  eighty-nini 
Breckenridge,  ninety-five,  and  Bell,  seventeen. 

Sr.  Joseph  county  gives  Lincoln  nine  hundred  majority. 

The  result  is  better  than   we  had  hoped  for;   but  we  arc  none  the 


MILITARY    RECORD.  305 

5.  Regiments  will,  if  time  permits  it,  be  formed  of  companies 
from  the  same  Congressional  District.  If  time  will  not  allow,  com- 
panies will  be  assigned  to  regiments  according  to  the  date  of  tneir 
report,  as  above  designated. 

6.  Respect  for  the  five  regiments  sent  from  Indiana  to  the 
Mexican  war,  and  avoidance  of  historical  confusion  hereafter,  re- 
quire that  regiments  should  be  numbered  in  order  beginning  with 
the  sixth. 

7.  Companies  not  already  uniformed  will  take  no  step  about 
uniforming  until  they  know  the  regiment  they  are  attached  to. 

8.  Arms  will  be  distributed  to  accepted  companies  as  soon  as 
possible.  If  not  distributed  before  marching  to  the  place  of  ren- 
dezvous, patience  must  be  exercised. 

9.  If  practicable,  an  inspecting  officer  will  be  sent  to  such  com- 
panies, notice  being  given  of  the  time  of  his  coming. 

10.  Accepted  companies  must  not  wait  for  arms,  but  begin  their 
drill  immediately. 

11.  All  communications  touching  arms,  place  of  rendezvous,  and 
organization,  must  be  addressed  to  this  office. 

12.  Notice  of  time  and  place  of  general  rendezvous  will  be  given 

in  future  orders. 

Lewis  Wallace,  Adjutant  Gen.  Ind.  Militia. 

On  the  same  day,  President  Lincoln  issued  his  call  for  75,000 
men.  But  recruiting  had  already  begun  in  La  Porte ;  from  all  over 
the  county  they  came,  and  in  a  very  few  days,  two  companies  were 
ready  to  take  the  field.  From  the  Herald  we  take  the  following 
account  of  the  departure  of  the  first  Volunteer  company  from  La- 
Porte  : 

"Last  Monday  morning  was  the  time  set  for  Capt.  D.  J.  Wood- 
ward's company  of  volunteers  to  leave  La  Porte  for  Camp  Morton, 
at  Indianapolis,  and  at  an  early  hour  our  streets  became  thronged 
with  both  our  citizens  and  those  from  the  country,  to  witness  the 
interesting  spectacle.  The  various  fire  companies  and  the  German 
Rifle  company  were  out,  accompanied  by  Frisbee's  silver  band,  and 
added  much  to  the  occasion.  The  company  were  drawn  up  in  line 
in  front  of  the  Court  House,  and  answered  to  the  call  of  the  roll, 
and  received  the  warm   congratulations   of  many   sincere    friends, 

20 


►6  BISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

after  which  they  marched  to  the  depot  and  went  aboard  the  special 
train  Diovided  for  the  occasion  to  take  them  to  the  Crossing.  The 
crowd  at  the  depot  was  really  immense,  many  of  whom  manifested 
decided  sadness  and  grief  at  the  parting  of  near  and  dear  friends, 
perhaps  never  to  see  them  more.  We  saw  many  weeping  bitterly 
as  they  pressed  perhaps  for  the  last  time  the  hand  of  a  husband, 
brother  or  son,  and  bid  him  God  speed  in  his  noble  undertaking. 
Capt.  Woodward  was  particularly  affected,  as  well  as  many  of  his 
company.  At  about  half  after  nine  o'clock  the  train  started,  amid 
the  cheers  of  the  vast  multitude.  The  fire  companies  and  many 
citizens  went  aboard  the  cars  and  accompanied  the  volunteers  as 
far  as  the  Crossing.  Frisbee's  Silver  Band  continued  with  the 
company  to  Indianapolis,  where  they  intend  to  offer  their  servic 
to  their  country. 

This  company  is  finely  officered  and  contains  as  brave  and  trusty 
men  as  our  county  affords.  Capt.  Woodward  makes  a  splendid 
officer  and  commands  the  respect  of  the  whole  company.  Lieut-. 
Patton,  Carter  and  Richards,  are  also  of  the  right  stripe,  and  worthy 
of  the  positions  they  severally  occupy." 

This  company  united  with  the  celebrated  ninth  Indiana  Rc_  - 
ment  under  command  of  Col.  R.  H.  Milroy,  participated  in  the 
first  campaign  in  West  Virginia,  and  at  the  close  of  the  three 
months'  service  returned  to  La  Porte,  and  was  reorganized  for  the 
three  years'  service.  Before  taking  the  field  Capt.  Woodward  v. 
made  Major  of  the  Regiment;  Lieut.  Patton,  Captain,  and  Second 
Lieut.  Carter.  First  Lieutenant.  Michigan  City  was  also  on  fire 
with  patriotic  fervor,  and  organized  and  sent  forward  a  company 
under  command  of  Capt.  Win.  J  I.  Blake,  which  reached  the  ren- 
dezvous in  time  to  gain  admission  into  the  ninth  for  the  three 
month's  service.  The  complete  roster  of  these  two  companies  will 
be  given  elsewhere  in  this  history.  But  far  more  than  enough 
came  forward  to  fill  up  these  two  companies,  and  another  company 
was  speedily  organized,  and  called  the  La  Porte  Zouaves:  with  the 
intention  of  gaining  admission  into  Lew  Wallace's  Zouave  Regi- 
ment, the  eleventh  Indiana.  It  serves  to  show  how  thoroughly  the 
war  spirit  of  the  people  of  the  whole  State  was  aroused,  that  not- 
withstanding the  La  Porte  Zouaves  were  ready  on  the  fifteenth,  yet 


MILITARY    RECORD.  307 

they  could  not  obtain   acceptance.     On   Monday,   the  fifteenth  of 

April,  a  telegram  was  sent  to  Gen.  Wallace,  to  which  the  following 

reply  was  returned :     "Zouave  Regiment   and  requisition  all  full. 

Lew  Wallace." 

Another  despatch  was  sent,  and  the  reply  came: 

"  To  A.  Teegarden : — No  chance  to  get  in — no  more  companies 

can  be  received. 

Lew  Wallace." 

The  members  of  the  company  still  did  not  despair,  and  on  the 
same  night,  they  met  and  elected  officers:  James  H.  Shannon, 
Captain;  H.  M.  Brusie,  first  Lieutenant,  J.  E.  Sweet,  second 
Lieutenant;  A.  H.  Dustin,  third  Lieutenant;  B.  F.  Coleman, 
Ensign;  E.  S.  Abbey,  first  Sergeant;  David  Seeholtz,  second 
Sergeant;  Hiram  Stewart,  third  Sergeant;  Simon  P.  Montgomery, 
fourth  Sergeant;  S.  R.  Culp,  first  Corporal;  Charles  M.  Berrick, 
second  Corporal;  N.  M.  Kinsley,  third  Corporal;  Joseph  Sutton, 
fourth  Corporal. 

Much  to  their  regret,  they  were  unable  to  get  into  any  regiment 
at  the  time,  but  most  of  them  afterwards  joined  the  twentieth  regi- 
ment for  the  three  year's  service.  The  names  of  the  members  are 
here  given  in  full: 

"J.  H.  Shannon,  J.  E.  Sweet,  E.  S.  Abbey,  G.  W.  Fosdick,  C. 
Fradenburgh,  N.  McKinney,  L.  Woodworth,  H.  M.  Kendall,  B.  F. 
Coleman,  0.  M.  Harvey,  A.  B.  Hendricks,  W.  H.  Huntsman,  L. 
M.  B.  Jones,  Charles  M.  Berrick,  John  C.  Holton,  Mack  Graham, 
Daniel  S.  Garlick,  R.  W.  Comfort,  Geo.  R.  Abbott,  Harrison 
Stewart,  Lewis  Roberts,  Willis  Francis,  Wm.  Cannell,  S.  E.  Hard- 
ing, Win.  King,  W.  S.  Stinchcomb,  John  W.  Andrew,  John  C. 
Lloyd,  Orson  Howard,  Wm.  Hecker,  Henry  Hagenbuck,  James  D. 
Kent,  Charles  Clarkson,  Michael  Halsey,  A.  H.  Lamb,  Joseph 
Noll,  Henry  J.  Weckerlin,  Simon  P.  Montgomery,  Samuel  R. 
Culp,  Dennis  F.  Vandusen,  Clayton  Price,  J.  D.  Taylor,  J.  W. 
Carrier,  Alonzo  Sturges,  G.  J.  Emery,  John  B.  Catlin,  T.  C. 
Weed,  Stephen  K.  Grover,  Oscar  Harris,  Jesse  B.  Miller,  Philetus 
Downing,  Geo.  Rodefer,  Henry  Guise,  Thomas  Hntchins,  H. 
Austin,  J.  Biege,  Wm.  W.  Weber,  D.  F.  Beach,  G.  A.  Whittaker, 
Wm.  B.  Smith,  John  H.  Hendricks,  Kenyon  Hyatt,  H.  W.  Brusie, 


308  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Lew  J.  Bryant,  David  Wright,  Wm.  H.  Martin,  Asher  Proud, 
David  Shultz,  Timothy  Mulqueen,  Emulus  Travis,  John  Mont- 
gomery, John  T.  Gulp,  Cornelius  Vandusen,  Henry  Cramer,  Thomas 
Sloane,  Scott  Whitman,  Jno.  A.  Sloane,  Jno.  Miller,  Jasper  Rhodes, 
R.  P.  Miles,  Allen  C.  Austin,  H.  Burford,  Jesse  F.  Bagley,  Samuel 
Dustin,  Thomas  Cunningham,  Wm.  E.  Alsop,  John  Gaa,  P.  V. 
Husten,  N.  B.  Easton,  A.  B.  Austin,  Orrin  Moon,  Joseph  Sutton, 
Wm.  M.  Bennett,  Samuel  Huston,  Henry  Steffer,  Joseph  Lloyd, 
Oscar  Bear,  Samuel  Moser,  David  Pealer,  Jas.  N.  Marvin,  Ezra 
H.  Gould,  Thomas  E.  Chamberlain,  James  Halpin,  Theo.  Romans. 
Chas.  A.  Davidson,  J.  Fradenburg,  Hiram  Crawford,  Geo.  Storr-. 
Jas.  Andrew,  Alfred  Fradenburg,  Benj.  Matchett.  Henry  Miller, 
W.  C.  Hall,  Andrew  Savior,  Geo.  Drawley,  J.  X.  Cissna,  E.  J. 
Kelsey,  C.  D.  Vanwagnen,  Geo.  W.  Blackman,  Chas.  Barringer, 
Reuben  Mapes,  Wm.  Shelley,  Samuel  Locker,  John  Blank."' 

Meanwhile  the  citizens  were  actively  engaged  in  devising  ways 
and  means  for  the  care  of  soldiers'  families,  and  the  wants  and 
necessities  of  the  men  who  were  leaving  home  so  suddenlv.  without 
the  opportunity  to  make  proper  preparations  for  their  own  comfort 
or  that  of  their  families.  The  following  account  of  a  meeting:  of 
the  citizens  held  on  the  twenty -fourth  day  of  April  will  show  how 
promptly  and  effectively  they  came  into  the  great  relief  work,  which 
continued  during  the  entire  war: 

"  At  a  public  meeting  at  Huntsman  1  Tall  on  Wednesday  after- 
noon, twenty-fourth  instant,  to  consult  about  the  great  crisis  we  are 
now  involved  in  and  how  it  had  better  be  met,  on  motion  of  Gen. 
Orr,  Hon.  Chas.  W.  Cathcart  was  elected  President.  On  taking 
the  chair  Mr.  Cathcart  responded  to  repeated  calls  in  one  of  the 
most  eloquent  and  patriotic  speeches  ever  delivered  in  La  Port*1 
which  was  received  with  great  demonstrations  of  enthusiasm.  The 
following  named  gentlemen  were  selected  as  Vice  Presidents: 
James  Forrester.  Jas.  Bradley,  A.  L.  Osborn.  and  Amzi  Clark. 
John  Millikan,  C.  G.  Powell,  and  Wm.  II.  Scott  were  appointed 
Secretaries. 

Patriotic  and  eloquent  speeches  were  made  by  Judge  Osborn, 
Wm.  Frazier  of  Illinois,  and  Wm.  J.  Walker,  all  of  which  had  the 
true  ring  in  them.  The  foil* -wing  preamble  and  resolutions  wore 
offered  and  after  being  read  were  unanimously  adopted: 


MILITARY    RECORD.  309 

Whereas,  In  certain  States  in  this  Union,  an  armed  rebellion 
has  been  organized,  having  for  its  avowed  object  the  overthrow  of 
the  government  of  the  United  States;  and,  whereas,  the  authors 
and  leaders  of  this  rebellion  have,  by  violence,  seized  several  forts 
and  arsenals  belonging  to  the  United  States,  and  have  plundered 
the  government  of  large  sums  of  money,  arms  and  other  property ; 
and,  whereas,  Fort  Sumter,  belonging  to  the  United  States,  and 
over  which  the  government  had  exclusive  jurisdiction,  has  been 
besieged  by  a  large  army  of  rebels,  and  assaulted  by  a  destructive 
cannonade,  until  the  heroic  Maj.  Anderson,  and  his  little,  but  gal- 
lant band,  exhausted  by  hunger  and  fatigue,  were  compelled  to  haul 
down  the  national  flag  and  surrender  the  fortress  into  the  hands  of 
armed  traitors;  and,  whereas,  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
in  obedience  to  his  constitutional  obligations  has  called  upon  the 
loyal  States  to  aid  him  in  the  enforcement  of  the  laws,  in  the  recov- 
ery of  the  national  property  and  the  preservation  of  the  govern- 
ment; therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  the  citizens  of  La  Porte  County,  now  assem- 
bled, without  distinction  of  party,  will  to  the  utmost  of  our  ability 
aid  the  President  of  the  United  States,  with  men  and  means,  in 
crushing  this  rebellion,  in  the  recovery  of  the  national  property,  in 
the  preservation  of  our  government  and  in  the  enforcement  of  its 
laws. 

Resolved,  That  this  meeting,  in  view  of  the  unsettled  and  alarm- 
ing condition  of  our  national  affairs,  recommend  that  volunteer  com- 
panies may  be  organized  in  every  convenient  district  in  La  Porte 
County,  and  that  they  be  officered,  drilled  and  held  in  readiness  to 
meet  any  call  that  may  be  made  by  the  Governor  of  this  State  or 
the  President  of  the  United  States  for  volunteers. 

Resolved,  That  all  patriotic  citizens  who  are  willing  to  contribute 
to  the  support  of  the  families  of  our  volunteers  during  their  absence 
be  invited  to  call  on  Harvey  Truesdell,  Sutton  Vanpelt  and  Henry 
Lusk,  the  committee  on  the  volunteer  fund  and  subscribe  such  an 
amount  as  they  are  willing  to  give  for  such  object. 

Resolved,  That  all  who  are  willing  to  contribute  blankets,  and 
comforts  or  clothing  for  the  use  of  volunteers  be  requested  to  leave 
them  with  the  Mayor  of  the  city  of  La  Porte,  who  will  mark  them 
and  if  not  used  will  return  them  to  the  donors  of  said  articles. 

M.  H.  Weir  read  the  following  resolutions  which  were  adopted  by 
a  unanimous  vote : 

Resolved,  That  our  Senator  and  Representatives  in  the  State 
Legislature  from    this  county  be  requested  to   use   their   utmost 


310  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY, 

endeavors,  to  procure  the  passage  of  a  law.  at  the  present  extra 
session,  so  amending  the  act  of  1852  pertaining  to  the  duties  and 
powers  of  the  County  Commissioners  as  to  enable  the  Commission- 
ers of  the  different  counties  of  this  State,  in  their  discretion  to 
appropriate  money  from  the  County  Treasury,  to  aid  in  the  support 
of  the  families  of  such  of  the  Indiana  volunteers  of  1861,  and  during 
the  present  troubles,  as  shall  stand  in  need  of  such  aid. 

R>  /.   That  the  Secretary   of  this  meeting  be  instructed  to 

forward  a  copy  of  the  above  resolution  to  our  Senator  and  each  of 
our  Representatives  at  Indianapolis. 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  Gen.  Orr  stated  that  the  citizens 
here  had  authorized  those  volunteers  who  resided  in  the  country 
and  wished  to  remain  in  La  Porte  while  preparing  to  go  away,  to 
board  at  the  hotels  of  the  city,  and  that  in  so  doing  there  was  an 
accumulated  debt  due  to  said  hotel  keepers  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
dollars,  about  half  of  which  had  been  paid — the  balance  he  proposed 
should  be  made  up  at  once,  which  was  done  in  a  few  minutes.  This 
was  independent  of  the  relief  fund  for  the  families  of  the  volunteers. 
The  Union  Mills  band  was  present  and  discoursed  fine  music  at  times 
during  the  meeting."  At  a  previous  meeting,  the  following  proceed- 
ings were  had : 

"Mayob's  Office.  April  19th,  1861. 

The  subscribers  to  the  fund  for  the  support  of  the  families  of 
Volunteers  to  aid  in  the  suppression  of  the  Southern  rebellion,  met 
for  the  purpose  of  forming  an  organization  in  furtherance  of  the 
object  of  such  'subscription. 

The  Mavor  was  called  to  the  chair.  On  motion.  W.  C.  Hannah. 
H.  TruesdelLHenry  Lusk  and  S.  Van  Pelt  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  report  at  a  subsequent  meeting  a  plan  for  the  collection 
and  disbursement  of  the  funds  that  have  been,  and  may  be.  subscribed. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned  till  tomorrow  at  ten  o'clock  a.  m. 

April  20th: — The  meeting  was  called  to  order  pursuant  to  ad- 
journment. <  > i i  motion.  A.  L.  Osborn  was  electe-l  Chairman,  and 
AY.  B.  Biddle  was  chosen  Secretary. 

The  committee  heretofore  appointed  to  devise  a  plan  for  the 
collection  and  disbursement  of  funds,  as  a  report,  submitted  the 
following  propositions  :  That  each  volunteer  be  requested  to  report  to 
the   Mayor,  the  number,   names,  ages,  sexes  and  place  of  residence 


MILITARY    RECORD.  311 

of  his  family ;  and  in  case  they  shall  fail  to  furnish  the  same  the 
information  shall  be  obtained  from  other  reliable  sources. 

That  a  committee  of  three  citizens  be  appointed  by  this  meeting 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  collect  and  expend  the  money  which  has 
been,  or  shall  be,  subscribed  for  the  purpose  aforesaid. 

That  said  committee  shall  from  time  to  time  inquire  into,  and 
keep  themselves  advised  of  the  situation  and  wants  of  said  families, 
and  to  provide  for  and  supply  all  such  necessary  wants  during  the 
absence  of  such  volunteers. 

That  the  said  committee  be  authorized  to  make  assessments  pro 
rata  upon  the  subscriptions,  and  to  collect  the  same  as  often  as  may 
be  necessary  to  defray  the  expenses  of  providing  for  such  families  in 
the  manner  aforesaid. 

That  the  committee  shall   have  general  powers  and  discretion  in 
the  collection  and  management  of  said   fund,  and   in   the   disburse-, 
ment  of  it,  and  may  appoint  as  many  assistants  as  they   may   deem 


necessarv. 


S.  Vanpelt, 
H.  Lusk, 
9  H.  Truesdell, 

W.  C.  Hannah. 

On  motion,  the  report  was  concurred  in.  It  was  moved  and 
seconded  that  Harvey  Truesdell,  Sutton  Vanpelt  and  Henry  Lusk 
constitute  said  committee,  which  motion  prevailed. 

A  motion  to  empower  said  committee  to  fill  all  vacancies  which 
may  occur  therein,  was  carried. 

On  motion,  it  was  resolved  that  if  any  person  who  has  subscribed 
to  said  relief  fund  shall  enlist  as  a  soldier,  such  person  shall  be 
released  from  his  subscription. 

On  motion,  J.  A.  Caldwell,  C.  Fredrickson,  and  John  Suther- 
land, were  appointed  a  committee  to  collect  money  to  furnish  vol- 
unteers with  such  clothing  as  may  be  necessary  for  their  present 
use,  and  to  pay  other  incidental  expenses. 

W.  C.  Hannah  presented  the  following  resolutions: 

Resolved,  That  the  General  Assembly  of  this  State  be  requested 
to  enact  a  law  at  its  special  session  about  to  convene,  authorizing 
the  Boards  of  County  Commissioners  of  the  several  counties  of  this 
State  to  make  such   appropriations   of  money   from   time   to   time, 


312  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

to   be   paid    out  of  their    respective   county     treasuries,    as    they 
may  deem  necessary  and  proper  for  the  support  of  the   families  of 
such  citizens  of  their  respective  counties  as  shall   enroll  themselves 
as  volunteers,  and  be  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
to  aid  in  the  suppression  of  the  Southern  rebellion. 

Resolved,  That  copies  of  the  foregoing  resolution  be  forwarded 
by  the  Chairman  and  Secretary  of  this  meeting  to  the  President  of 
the  Senate  and  speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

On  motion  the  resolutions  were  adopted. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned. 

A.  L.  Osborn,  Chairman. 
"W.  B.  Biddle,  Secretary. 

Such  was  the  spirit  which  animated  the  people  of  La  Porte 
county,  when  the  first  notes  of  war  broke  upon  the  country.  The 
great  heart  of  the  people  was  enlisted.  The  young  and  middle-aged 
came  forward  by  hundreds,  and  stepped  promptly  into  the  ranks 
for  the  nation's  defense.  The  women  were  aroused,  and  all  over  the 
county  relief  societies  were  organized,  and  from  that  time  forward 
during  all  the  months  and  years  of  the  war,  their  solemn  vigils 
were  kept,  and  they  refused  to  know  relaxation  or  weariness  in 
their  noble  work  of  supplying  comforts  to*  diseased,  and  wounded, 
and  suffering  men.  Citizens  whose  age  or  circumstances  prevented 
them  from  bearing  a  part  in  the  heat  and  burdens,  and  dangers  of 
the  field,  freely  contributed  of  their  means,  to  aid  the  families  of 
those  who  went  out  and  might  never  return,  and  many  of  whom 
left  their  bodies  in  the  soil  of  the  South.  To  all  this,  there  were 
some  exceptions.  There  were  those,  not  many,  but  some,  who 
expressed  the  hope  that  the  soldiers  might  never  return,  who  knew 
for  them  no  better  name  than  "Lincoln  hirelings,"  and  who  refused 
to  aid  the  grand  cause  by  money,  or  work,  or  word.  Their  punish- 
ment has  long  since  come.  It  is  that  they  never  can  leel  the  pride 
which  swells  the  heart  of  him  or  her  who  helped  to  prevent  the 
nation's  overthrow.  They  must  always  hold  concealed  within  their 
breasts,  the  humiliating  knowledge  that  the  glorious  triumph  was 
achieved  without  their  assistance,  and  in  spite  of  their  sympathy 
with  a  rebellion  which  had  for  its  object  the  dismemberment  of 
the  nation. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  follow  each  man  who  went  from  La  Porte 
county  into  the  service  of  his  country.     It  would  involve  the  whole 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


313 


history  of  the  war,  of  every  campaign  East  and  West,  and  of  a  large 
proportion  of  the  battles  that  were  fought,  for  in  nearly  every  part 
of  the  great  field  of  operations,  the  soldiers  of  La  Porte  county  were 
to  be  found.  The  writer  has  thought  best  therefore,  after  detailing 
the  first  magnificent  uprising  of  our  people,  noi  to  indulge  in  many 
general  remarks,  but  to  give  a  list  complete  of  the  soldiers  who  en- 
listed from  this  county,  with  the  military  history  of  each,  as  far  as 
it  has  been  practicable  to  obtain  it,  together  with  a  brief  history  of 
each  regiment  that  was  organized  in  this  county,  or  contained  as 
much  as  one  full  Company  from  the  county.  This  will  include  the 
following  regiments  and  batteries,  the  Ninth,  Fifteenth,  Twenty- 
ninth,  Forty-eighth,  Seventy-third,  Seventy-fourth,  Eighty-seventh, 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth,  Twelfth  Cavalry ;  Fourth,  Fifth 
and  Twenty-first  batteries.  This  register  will  be  made  up  from  the 
report  of  the  Adjutant  General  of  the  State,  Gen.  Wm.  H.  H. 
Terrell,  to  which  work  we  are  also  largely  indebted  for  the  historical 
account  of  the  regiments  and  batteries  named.  The  residences  of 
the  men  of  the  Batteries  named  are  not  given  in  the  report,  and 
hence  it  is  possible  that  our  list  herein  will  not  be  as  complete  and 
accurate  as  is  desirable,  though  very  few,  if  any  of  the  names  will 
be  omitted.  It  will  be  a  surprise  to  many  to  see  the  long  roll  of 
names  which  indicate  better  than  anything  that  could  be  said,  how 
grandly  La  Porte  county  upheld  the  hands  of  the  government,  when 
bloody  treason  attacked  the  integrity  of  the  Union.  These  lists  of 
names  are  replete  with  eloquence  greater  than  language  can  com- 
mand, showing  the  power  of  a  tree  people,  and  that  La  Porte  coun- 
ty, in  the  nation's  great  crisis  furnished  no  mean  army  in  itself. 

NINTH  REGIMENT— THREE  MONTHS  SERVH7 


• 

COMPANY  " 

B." 

•' 

Niemer,  Gus.  April  25, 

61; 

1st  Serg't, 

mustered  out 

Jones,  Byron  C.         " 

Sergeant, 

a 

Copp,  Wm.                  " 

a 

a 

Fry,  Robert                 " 

u 

a 

James,  John               " 

Corporal, 

a 

Ward,  Wm.                 " 

u 

a 

Young,  Henry            " 

Musician, 

a 

Durham,  James  H.     " 

a 

a                   u 

314 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Allen,  Hiram  April  25,  61; 
Ashton,  Simon 
Baldwin,  James 

Bemiss  George 
Boothroyd,  Edward 
Brockway,  Asahel 
Brothers,  Elisha 
Butterfield,  John" 
Burns.  John 
Crainer,  John 
Felt,  Orson  B. 
Forbes,  George 
Fowler,  John  D. 
Fraser,  Wm.  W. 
Gline  Nelson 
Glnck,  Louis 
Gluck,  Frederick 
Hamilton,  Robert 
Hall,  William 
Harding,  Joseph 
Hainer,  Daniel 
Hieshler,  Adam 
Hildebrand,  Francis  " 
Jones,  Henry 
Lockwood  James, 
McCormick,  James 
McClurg,  Thomas 
Miller,  Talcott 
Noseworthy,  Wm. 
Ogden,  George 
^eabody,  Samuel 
to  aiu  Morris 
ment  hasnTiam 
which  swelChnT 
nation  s  oven 
breasts,  the  hlc 
achieved  without 
with   a  rebellio 
the  nation.  m 

It  is  quite  imp*, 
county  into  the  sen 


mustered  out  July  29,  '61. 


a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a  . 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 


a 
a 
a 
a 
a 
a 
a 
ll 
ii 
ll 
a 
it 
a 
u 
a 
a 
a 
a 
a 


a 


u 


Li 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

ii 

a 

Li 

a 

Li 

a 

Li 

a 

Li 

a 

Li 

a 

ii 

a 

Li 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

Li 

a 

ii 

a 

ii 

a 

Li 

a 

Li 

a 

it 

Li 

Li 

Li 

a 

C( 

a 

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a 

Li 

a 

L. 

a 

ii 

Li 

Li 

Li 

ii 

ii 

I. 

ii 

Li 

ii 

LL 

ii 

LL 

U 

MILITARY    RECORD.  315 

Smith,  Henry  April  25, '61;  mustered  out  July  29,  '61. 

Thompson,  Nelson  "  "  " 

Thornton  William  " 

Thornton  Samuel 

Vanostrand,  Jerome  "  "  " 

Vesper,  Augustus  "  "  " 

Wilcox,  Wm.  R.  "  "  " 

Wilson,  James  " 

Wood,  Henry  H. 

Young,  Charles 

COMPANY  "F." 

Stebbins,  Frank  Apr.  24,'61;  1st  Serg't,  mustered  out  July  29,  '61. 

Andrews,  John  W. 

Wing,  Seneca 

Wetherby,  Chas.  J. 

Brashaw,  Walter, 

Wilbraham,  Joseph 

Merritt,  Wm.  H. 

Miner,  David 

Collins,  James 

Stanton,  Alonzo  B. 

Anderson,  Charles 

Bailey,  Lorene  M. 

Barts,  John 

Barnes,  Jackson 

Barnes,  John 

Baker,  David 

Boyd,  George 

Brink,  John 

Brisack,  Judson  F. 

Brown,  Calvin  C. 

Butler,  Newton 

Conant,  Edwin  C. 

Conant,  Albert  S. 

Cox,  Samuel  T. 

Cubben,  Edward 

Finley,  James 

Fosdick,  Aaron 

Gast,  Peter 

Gates,  Columbus 

George,  Amos 


a 

Sergeant 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 
a 

Corporal 

a 
a 

a 
tt 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

Musician 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

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a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

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it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

Si 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

316 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


George,  William  Apr.  24, '61 ; 

Hallock,  Elias  B. 
Hauserman,  August 
Hendrickson,  Cam 
Hosier,  Harrison 
Holland,  Stephen  C. 
Holliday,  William 
Johnson,  Andrew 
Koon,  Henry 
Kreighbaum,  Edwin 
Lewis,  Charles 
Low,  Simon 
Lyman,  Henry 
Lynn,  Swen 
Maloon,  George  W. 
McCollum,  Benj.  F. 
Milliken,  Jared  L. 
Morenas,  Burr 
Morehead,  Samuel 
Munger,  Ira  A. 
Oaks,  Eli 
Peterson,  John  M. 
Phillips,  Lyman 
Pierce,  Smith  D. 
Reynolds,  David  B. 
Reynolds,  Stephen 
Rollins,  Stephen 
Rudd,  William 
Sampson,  Newland 
Soulter,  John  M. 
Shaw,  Wm.  H. 
Smith,  Charles  L. 
Snyder,  John 
Sales,  Charles  A. 
Stokes,  Clayton, 
Thornton,  Robinson 
Turner,  Perry 
Van  Alter,  William 
Van  Acker,  George 
Van  Ostrand,  Isaac 
Van  Wert,  William 
Walter,  Henry 
Warner,  Cyprian  G. 


a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

it 

tt 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


tt 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


mustered  out  July  24-,  '61. 

It  u 


it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

u 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

tt 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

u 

a 

u 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

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a 

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a 

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tt 

a 

a 

a 

tt 

a 

a 

MILITARY    RECORD.  317 

Sam'l  0.  Gregory, Served  but  was  never  mustered. 

Ed.  L.  Ephlin,    April  27;  Fife  Major,  mustered  out  July  29,  '61. 

Don.  J.  Woodward,  "     26;  Major,  mustered  out  with  Regiment. 

Daniel  Meeker,       "     30;  Surgeon,  mustered  out   with  Regiment. 

Mason  G.  Sherman, "     30;  Asst.   Surg.       "  " 

Wm.  H.  Blake,       "     25;  Capt.  B. 

Thos.  J.  Patton,         "  "     F.  " 

AsahelK.  Bush,         "         1st  Lieut.  B.      "  " 

George  H.  Carter,      "  "  F.       « 

Alson  Bailey,  "         2nd  Lieut.  B.      " 

Joseph  Richards,       "  "  F.      " 


NINTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "B." 

McCormick,  James  1st  Serg't,  promoted  2d  Lieut. 

Butterfield,  John  Sept.  5,  '61;  Ser't,  dischg'd  June  12,  '62 — wo'ds. 
Craner,  John  "  "       Promoted  2d  Lieut. 

Leonard,  Isaac  N.  "  "       Promoted  2d  Lieut. 

Young,  Charles  "  "       Killed,  Chiam'ga,  Sep.  19,  '63. 

Gluck,  Lewis  C.  "  Corporal;    Reduced  at  own  request; 

mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 
Vesper,  Augustus  Sept.  5, '61;  "       Vet.;  must,  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Bartlett,  Jonas  "  "       Wou'd  Shiloh;  dis.  July  1,  '62 

Dunham,  George  A.     "  "       Dis.  May  5,  '62 — disability. 

Roberts,  Lewis  "  "       Wou'd  Shiloh ;  died  May  8,  '62 

King,  Leverett  E.  "  "       App'd  Serg.;  Cap'd  Chicamau- 

ga;  must,  out  Aug.  27, '64. 
Franklin,  Benj.  Sept.  5,'  61;     "       App'd  1st  Serg.;  died  at  Mich. 

City,  Oct.  15,  '63;  wounds  received  at  Chicamauga. 
Mills,  Gordon,  Sept.  5,  '61;  Wagoner,  dis'd  Aug  5/62 — disability. 
Andrews,  Daniel  W.  Sep.  5,'61;  Ap'd  Ser.;  must,  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 
Barnes,  James  P.  Sept.  5,  '61 ;  Veteran,  must,  out  Sept.  28,  '65,  as 

absent  sick  at  Indianapolis. 
Bales,  Nathan  W.       "         Discharged  March  10,   '63 — disability. 
Beekman,  August      "         Mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 
Bingham,  Warren  C.  "         Wo'd  Chicamauga,  mus.  out  Aug.  27,  '64 
Blackman,  Geo.  W.   "         Wou'd  Shiloh;   Discharged  July  8,  '62. 
Bolton,  Robert  "         Killed  at  Shiloh,  April  7,  '62.  ' 

Butler,  Calvin  0.       "         Vet.;  deserted  New  Orleans,  July  12, '65. 
Clarkson,  Julius  L.    "         Wou'd  at  Shiloh  ;  Dis.  June  20,  '62. 
Disbrow,  Lemuel  S.   "         Vet.;  Killed  at  Kenesaw,  June  20,  '64. 


318 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Donnell,  Robert  Sept.  5,'61 :  Veteran ;  mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '< >•". 


Earle,  George 
Edwards,  Gus.  H. 
Ensign,  Richard  P. 
English,  Carlos 
Fvler,  Sheldon  H. 
Galloway.  Harry  H. 
Gordon,  James 
Gluck,  George  C. 
Guenther,  Henry 
Harrold,  David 
Holmes,  Peter  D. 
Hunt,  Otis 
Hall,  Thomas 
Jackson,  Andrew  B.  ' 
Lanphier,  DeWitt  C.  ' 
Lindley,  James  S. 
Lyon,  Amos  A. 
Mack.  James 
Mason,  Elmore  S. 
Malev,  Dennis 
McDonald,  Alex.  L. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


a 


.. 


.. 


.. 


a 


u 


.. 


a 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


it 


u 


Died.  Cheat  Mt.,  Va.,  Oct. 30, '61, disease 

Died  June  4,  '64;  Wou'd  rec'dat  Dallas. 

Vet.;  app'd  Corp.;  must,  out  Sep.  28/65. 

Discharged  July  8,  '62. 

Dis.  Oct.  17  '62— disability. 

Dis.  May  5,  '62 — disability. 

Vet.;  app'd  Corp.;  mus.  out  Sep.  28.  '65. 

Mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 

Discharged  Aug.  5,  '65. 

Discharged,  disability. 

Vet.;  mustered  out  Sept.  28,  65. 

Died  at  Huntsville,   Ala.,  Aug.  2,  '62. 

Discharged  Jul}T  8,  '62 — disability. 

Vet.;  mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '6o. 

Mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 

Deserted  at  Louisville,  Oct.  8,  '62. 

Cap.  at  Chicm'ga;  mus.  out  Oct.  15,  '64. 

Vet.;  died  July  4,  '64 ;  wo'd  re.  Kenesaw. 

Mustered  out  August  27,  '64. 

App'd  Sergt.;  mustered  out  July  6,  '60. 

Veteran;  "  "  " 

Vet.;  app'd  Serg.,  1st  Serg.,  Serg.  Maj. ; 


McGuigan  Thos.  F. 

must,  out  Sept.  '65. 
Miller,  George  Sept.  5,'61;  Discharged  May  27,  '62 — disability. 


Mitchell,  Isaac  F. 
Murswick,  Charles 
Pettis,  Morris  E. 
Phelps,  Eli  F. 
Pierce,  Allen  L. 
Pierce,  Chester  G. 
Pollard  Henrv  H. 
Replogle,  John 
Ring,  Joshua 
Rood,  Leonard 
San  ford,  Albert 
Shawn,  John  R. 
Sutton  Etsel  A. 
Sutton,  William  L. 
Sweet,  William 
Teeple,  Charles  B. 
Thompson,  Gus.  A. 


u 


a 


u 


u 


a 


a 


u 


u 


u 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


Mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 
Vet.:    killed  at  Atlanta,   Aug.  20,  '64. 
Woun'd  Shiloh;  discharged  June  2,  '62. 
Wou'd  Chica'ga;  must,  out  Aug.  27.  '64. 
Veteran:  must,  out  Sep.  28,  ^65. 
Wou'd  at  Shiloh:  dis.  June  27.  '62. 
Mustered  out  Aug.  27.  '64. 

C<  U  u 

Discharged  Nov.  28,  '61 — disability. 
Discharged  June  28,  '62 — disability. 
Died  Cheat  Mt.,  Dec.  20,'62— disease. 
Discharged,  October  28,  '61 — disability. 
Mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 

u  b<  a 

Transferred  to  V.  R.  C,  Oct.  29,  '63. 
Wou'd  Shiloh;  discharged  June  20,  '62. 
Veteran :  deserted  at  New  Orleans. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


319 


Tozier,  Reuben  Sept. 
Trigg,  James 
Trull,  Andrew  J. 
Van  Winkle,  Levi 
Vesper,  John 
Warnock,  Chas.  C. 
Webster,  Wm.  B. 
Wilcox,  Stephen  0. 
Williams,  Lewis 
Williams,  Evan 
Williams,  John 
Williams,  Wm.  T. 
Wilson,  Canning 


5,'61 ;  Transferred  V.  R.  C,  Feb.  19,  '63, 
"         Vt.;  ap'd  Hsp.  Ste'd;  mus.  o.  Sep.  28, '65. 
"  C'p  Chica'a ;  killed  Indi'lis,  by  pro  guard. 

"         App'd  Serg't;    must,  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 
"         Mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 

Discharged  Oct.  30,  '61 — disability. 
"         Dis.  May  26, '63 ;  wo'd  rec.  at  Sto.  River. 
6i         Wou'd  at  Greenbrier;    dis.  Jan.  21,  '62. 

Veteran;   mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
"         Wou'd  Shiloh;   discharged  July  8,  '62. 
"         Died,  Fetterman,  Va.,  Jan.  29, '62 — dis'e 
"         Discharged  June  3,  '62 — disability. 

Aug.  21,  '62— disability. 
Bartlett,  Jonas  H.  Jan.  15,'63:  Wou'd,  Chicm'ga;  dis.  July  25,  '64 
Collins,  Elijah  March  26,  '63;  Desert.  May  20,  '63,  ret.  Apr.  5,  '64, 

deserted  April  29,  '64. 
Donnell,  John  Feb.  20,  '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Garland,  Benjamin     "  "  "  as  absent  sick. 

Garland,  Peter  "  "  " 

Harrold,  Joseph  Dec.  20,'61;  Wou'd  Shiloh;  must,  out  Dec.  20,  '64. 
Harrold,  Thornton  F.  "         Killed,  Kenesaw,  June  20,  '64. 
Hart,  Lewis  A.  Feb.  20,  '64;    Wounded  Atlanta,  August  20,   '64; 

mustered  out  May  24,  '65. 
Herbert,  Clarence  Feb.  20,  '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Myers,  Nelson  E.  "  Ap'd  Corporal;  Sergeant;  mustered 

out  September  28,  '65. 

COMPANY  "0." 

Peasley,  Charles  Sept.  5,'61;  Veteran;  deserted  Nov.,  '64,  returned 

Feb.  '65,  mustered  out  September  28,  '65. 
Peasley,  David   Sept.  5, '61;  Des.  from  June  26  to  Aug.  29,  '62, 

and  Dec.  '64  to   March  '65;  veteran,  must,  out  Sept.  15,  '64. 

COMPANY  "D." 

Ottomeier,  Ferd.  Sept.  7, '61;  Wo'd  Kene'w;  must,  out  Sep.  6,  '64. 
Shannon,  Thomas  H.  "       Deserted  October  24,  '62. 


COMPANY  "E." 
Hamilton,  James  Sept.  5,  '61 ;   Capt'd  at  Chicamauga,  Sept.  19,  63. 


Harrel  John 


Deserted  June  28,  '62. 


320  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


DRAFTED. 

Lindley,  John  Oct.  7, '64;  Mustered  out  June  20,  '65. 
Pease,  John  F.  Nov.  29,  '64;     "         "     July  24,  '65. 

COMPANY  "G." 

McCreery,  Alvin  0.  Sept.  5, '61;  Vet.;  mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '6b. 
Robinson,  Christo'pr  "  Wou'd  and  Captured  at  Chicamauga. 
Rust,  Dennis  M.  "         Dis.  March  11,  '62— disability. 

RECRUITS. 

Dingeman,  Albert  Feb.  10,  '64;  Vet.;  must,  out  Sept.  28.  '6o. 
Paul,  Nathaniel  S.  Feb.  20,  '64;  Dis.  for  pro.  128th  Rg.  Nov.  19/64 

COMPANY  "H." 

Hill,  Elijah  B.    Sept.  5,  '61;  Woun'd  Buffalo  Mt.;  app'd  Wagoner, 

also  Corporal;  veteran;  mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Matott,  Fabian  Sept.  5,  '61;  Mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64. 
Sleight,  Matthew     "         Died  Jan.  4,'63;  wo'd  rec.  at  Stone  River. 
Sleight,  Henry  B.  "         Vet.;  app'd  Corpl.,  mus.  out  Sept.  28,  'Qo. 
Woods,  James         "         Mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64. 
Young,  Win.  H.  H.  "         Discharged  Nov.  6,  '61 — disability. 

RECRUITS. 

Bloom,  Henry  March  2,  '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 

Payne,  William  Feb.  20,  '64 ;  Discharged  Dec.  29,  '62— disability. 

COMPANY   "I." 

Ames,  Simon  Sept.  5, '61;  Vet.;  trans.  1st  U.  S.  Eng.  July.  15,'64 

Sherman  A.  G.  W.;      "         Mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64. 

Ephlin,  Edward  L.  Jan.  25,  '64;   Unassigned  Recruit. 

Storms,  Sylvanus  D.  Sept.  26,  '64:  Unassigned  Substitute. 

Stephens,  Silas  "  -w  " 

Blake,  William  H.  Sept.  27,  '62;   Major,   promoted  Lt.  Col.,  Col., 

and  resigned  April  16,  1863. 
Carter,  George  H.  Sept.  5,  '61 ;   Cap.  pro.  Maj.;  ms.  out  Jan  11, '65 
Patton,  Thomas  J.  "  '  Adj.;  killed  at  Shiloh.  April  7,  '62. 

Meeker,  Daniel  "  Sur.;  res'd  for  pro.;  com.  by  W.  D. 

Sherman,  Mason  G.         "  Ass't  Surgeon,  promoted  Surgeon. 

Gilmore,  Alexander  W.  March  28,  '62;  Ass't  Surg.;  died  at  Camp, 

Harker,  Tenn.,  March  13,  '65. 


MILITARY    RECORD.  321 

Edward  L.  Ephlin,  March  25,  '65;  2nd  Lieutenant. 

William  Copp,  Sept.  5,  '61;   Capt.  res.  Sep.  28,  '62,  w'drec.  Shiloh. 

Joseph  W.  Harding,     fi;         1st  Lieut.;  promoted  Captain;  resigned 

April  22,  '63 ;  re-entered  service   as   1st  Lieut,  in  155th  Reg. 
James  McCormick,  Sept.  29,  '62;  2nd  Lieut.,  promoted  1st  Lieut., 

and  Captain;  resigned  June  2,  '63. 
John  Craner,  March  4,  '63;  2d  Lt.,  promoted  1st  Lt.  and  Captain. 
Isaac  N.  Leonard,  May  24,  '63 ;  2d  Lieut.,  promoted  1st  Lieut. 
Lewis  S.  Nickston,  Dec.  12,  '61;  IstLt.;  killed,  Chi'gaSep.  19,'63 
Leonidas  A.  Cole,  Sept.  5,  '61 .   1st  Lieut.,  promoted  Captain. 
Wm.  H.  Merritt,  "  2nd  Lt.,  pro'd  1st  Lt.  and  Captain. 

Charles  S.  Morrow,       "  1st.  Lt.,  hono'bly  dis.  Aug.  21,  '62. 

Edward  Cribben,    Sept  1,  '62;  2nd  Lieut.,  promoted  1st  Lieut. 
Samuel  Dustin,   Dec.  17,  '63;  1st  Lieut.,  resigned  Jan.  25,  '65. 
Jacob  Snyder,  March  30,  '65.;  2nd  Lieut. 
Rev.  Henry  Smith,  Nov.  4,  63;   Chaplain;  Resigned,  July  28,  '64. 


COMPANY  "F."— NINTH  REGIMENT. 

Brown,  Moses  C.  Jr.  Sept.  5, '61 ;  1st  Serg.;  App'd  Sergeant  Maj.: 

dis.  April  8,  '62. 
Crebbin,  Edward  "         Ser.;  promoted  2nd  Lieutenant. 

Ball,  Thomas  L.  "  Wo'd  Gr.  Brier,  dis.  Nov.  22,'62 

Shepherd,  Leander  C.  "  Ap'd  1st  Serg't;  pro.  2d  Lieut. 

Hosier,  Harrison  "  Discharged  Jan.  15,  63.  ' 

CORPORALS. 

Dustin,    Samuel    Sept   5,  61;  Ap'd  Serg.;  1st  Ser.;  pro.  1st  Lieut. 

Strong,  William  C.  "  Ap'd  Corporal;  disch'd  Sept.  17,  '62. 

Barnes,  Charles  A.  "  Ap'd  Corp.;  red'd;  mus.  o.  June  6, '65 

Emery,  George  J.  "  Vet.;  app'd  Serg.,  red'd,  dis.;  wounds. 

Evans,  Joseph  "  Ap'd  Serg.;  wo'd  Chica'ga;   mus.  out 

Sept  6,  64. 

McDonald,  Alex  "  Died,  Nashville,  March  31,  '62. 

Snyder,  John  "  Died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Jan.  31,  '63. 

Hollister,  Walter  D.  "  Vet.;  captured;  must,  out  June  26, '65 

Price,  Alfred  "  Musician  ;  disch.  April  15,  '62 ;  dis'y. 

PRIVATES. 

Allsop,  William  E.  Sep.  5,'61;  Wo'd  Chic'ga;  mus.  out  Sept.  6,  '64* 
Bailey,  Loring  N.  "  Died  at  La  Porte,  Ind.,  March  3,  '63. 

Bell,  James  "  Died,  New  Albany,  Oct.  18,  '62. 

21 


322 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Beeson,  Benj.  F.  Sept.  5, 
Beeson,  Willis 
Berdine,  David  H. 
Billings,  John  D. 
Borberg,  Otto 
Burgher,  Nelson 
Burget.  John 
Bunnell,  Nathaniel  F. 
Carrier,  John  W. 
Carr,  William  H. 
Cotton,  William  S. 
Curtis,  William  L. 
Curtis,  Leander 
Culph,  John  T. 
Doremus,  James  A. 
Douglass,  George  D. 
Edinger,  Jacob 
Elliott,  Henrv  E. 
Fields,  Joseph 
Garinger,  Solomon 
Gonyer,  Ozias 
Graham,  William  H. 
Hammons,  Charles 
Harris,   Martin 
Harmon    William  L. 
Hausem  an,  August 
Herrold,  Henry 
Hentz,  Michael 
Hodges  Sephen 
Hulderman,  John  H. 
Jewitt,  David  N. 
Milroy,  Edwin  R. 
Miller,  John 
Miller,  William 
Myers,  John 

sunstroke. 
Niles,  Edwin  R. 
Nimerick,  John 
Nugent,  John 
Payne,  Ansell  F. 
Palmer,  Romaine  H. 
Pangborn,  Walter  H. 


.. 


u 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


a 


.. 


.. 


.. 


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a 


.. 


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'61;  Vet.;  app'd  Corp'l;  mustered  out. 
Vet.;  died,  Valparaiso,  Feb'y  24.  '64. 
Discharged  Nov.  14,  '61. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64. 
Ap'd  Corp.;  killed,  Chic,  Sep.  19, '63 
Mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64. 


u 


a 


a 


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u 


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. . 


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Died,  Tygarts  Valley,  Va., Nov.  3,'61 
Dropped  from  rolls  as  deserter. 
Vet.;  mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Died  at  Fetterman,  Va.,  Jan.  30,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  15,  '64. 
Died,  Fetterman,  Va.,  Jan.  25,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  15,  '64. 
Deserted,  Murfresboro,  Aug.  9,  '62. 
Dis.  April  15,'62;  dis'y.  [Sep.  24/63 
Died  Oct.  11. '63;  wo'dsrec.  Chatt'ga 
Mustered  out  Sept.  5,  '64.     [28,'65. 
Vet.;  ap'd  Corpl.,  Sei\;  mus.  out  Sep. 
Dese'd  Readvville,  Ten.,  May  29/63. 
Trs.  to  4th  IL  S.  Cavalry,  Dec.  1,  '62. 
Died,  Evansville,  Ind. 
Deserted,  Louisville,  Oct.  1,  '62. 
Discharged  June  21,  '62;  disability. 

"  [28, '65. 
Vet.;  ap'd  Corp.,  Serg.;  mus.  out  Sep. 
Mustered  out  Sep.  6,  '64.  [Sep.  6, '64 
Ap'd  Corp.;  wou'd  Chicm'a;  must,  out 
Captured,  Chicamauga. 
Vet.;  must,  out  Sept.  28.  '65. 
Vet.;  died  Blue  Springs,  April  13,  '64. 
Died  at  Naseville,  Feb.  26,  '63. 
Deserted  at  Louisville,  Oct.  1,  '62. 
Trs.  to  4th  U.  S.  Cavalry,  Dec.  1,  '62. 
Died,  Laurel  Hill,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  '61; 

Mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64. 
Discharged   June   1,  '63;    disability. 
Veteran;  must,  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Discharged  Sept.  10, '62;    disability. 
Mustered  out  Sep.  6,  '64. 
Killed.  Buffalo,  Mt.,  Dec.  13,  '61. 


MILITARY   RECORD. 


323 


Porter,  James  L.  Sep.  5, '61 
Prew,  Allick 
Pratt,  William  H. 
Reed,  John 
Reed,  Charles 
Reville,  Charles 
Rhear,  John 
Riker,  John 
Robey,  James  N. 
Roberts,  Jacob  F. 
Servis,  George  A. 
Snider,  Jacob 

pro'd  2d  Lieut. 
Stork,  John 
Statler,  Jacob 

Chicamauga. 
Strong,  Levi 
Surface,  Samuel  F.  T.  " 
Thompson,  Alonzo 
VanAuken,  George 
VanTassell,  John  D, 
Vail,  William  T. 

out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Warwell,  Dolphus 
Watterman,  Josiah  C. ' 
Wagner,  George 
Wharhob,  Henry  D. 
Whipple,  Abner  S. 


u 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

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it 

a 

a 

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it 

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it 

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a 
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a 

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;jDischarged  June  14,  '63;    disability 
Died,  Cheat  Mt.,  Nov.  17,  '61. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '64. 
Discharged  Nov.  13,  '61. 
Dis.  April  15;  '62;  disability. 
Dis.  Sept.  17,  '62 
Died,  Cheat  Mt.,  Nov.  21,  '61. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  15,  '64. 
Died,  Fetterman,  Va.,  Jan.  21,  '62. 
Mustered  out  May  8,  J6o. 
Died,  Fetterman,  Va.,  Feb.  2,  '62. 
Appointed  Corp'l,  Serg't,  1st  Serg't; 

Discharged  April  15,  '62;  disability. 
Disch'd  Jan.  27,  '64;  wounds  rec'd  at 

Captured  at  Chicamauga. 
Discharged  Nov.  4,  '61 ;  disability. 
Died,  Fetterman,  Va.,  Feb.  5,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  15,  '64. 
Veteran;  mustered  out  Oct  27,  '65. 
Vet'rn;  app'd  Corp'l,  Sergt.;  mustered 

Discharged  Jan.  9,  '63;  disability. 
Died,  Fetterman,  Va.,  Jan.  24,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  15,  '64. 
Died,  Fetterman,  Va.,  Jan.  18,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64. 

RECRUITS. 


Craft  Edward  March  23, '62;  Discharged  July  18, '62;  disability. 
Dolph,  Joseph  0.  April  30,  '62;  Died  Pittsburg  Land'g,  May  3,'62. 
Layton,  Charles  H.  Feb.  17,'64;  "  Nashville,  March  13,  '64. 
Lane,  Oliver  Feb.  25,'64;  Ap'd  Corp.;  des.  N.  Orleans,  July  11, '65. 
Louis,  William  H.  March  23,'62;  Des.,  Athens,  Ala.,  July  15,  '62. 
Madden,  Patrick  April  5,  '64;  Ap'd  Corp'l,  red'cd,  imps'nd;  must. 

out  March  14,  '66. 
Rice,  Vincent  Feb.  20,'64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Shaw,  Wm.  H.  March  23,  '62 ;  disability. 
Stokes,  Clayton     "       4,  '64 ;  Mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 
Turk,  Timothy  M.  Feb.  20,'64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '64. 
Vaughn,  William  C.        "  "         " 


a 


324 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


ELEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

COMPANY  "B.- 
White. Joseph  Oct.  3,  '64;  mustered  out  July  26,  '6r>. 

COMPANY  "II." 

Wright,  David  Aug.  31,  '61;  Vet.;  mustered  out  July  26. 
Smith,  John  Oct.  12,  '64.   Unassigned  Recruit. 
Thoma-.  Wm. 


u 


a 


THIRTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

McBride,  John  Jan.  3,  '65;  Recruit;  mustered  out  Sept.  5,  '65. 

COMPANY  "K." 

Sent,  Martin  March  17,  'Qd;  Mustered  out  Sept.  5,  '65. 
Whalen,  Edward  Feb.  17,  '65; 


FIFTEENTH  REGIMEENT. 

COMPANY  "G.- 
Foster, Joel  W.  June  14,  '61;  1st  Serg.,  promoted  2nd  Lieut. 
Smith.  John  H. 
Graham,  Thomas  N. 
Park,  Ervin  11. 
Cole,  William  L. 


.. 

c. 
.. 
t< 


Sergeant. 


a 


u 


mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 


CORPORA 


Blank,  John 
Burns,  John  L. 
Westphal,  Max 
Robinson,  John  L. 
McDonald,  Sam']  I). 

May  31,  '64. 
Baer,  Jacob      June  14.  til 
Thompson,  John  W, 
Zener.  I Jalvin  I». 
Brookwalter.  Wm. 
Shelley,  Jacob  M. 
McDonald,  Peter 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


App'd  Serg.;  must,  out  June  25,  '64 
Discharged  Oct.  10,  '61 — disability. 

Nov.  1(.'.   ■• 

Oct.  10,    ■■  A 

Appointed  Serg.;  vet.:  trans.  17  1 

charged  Oct.  22.  '61 — disabilit 
Mus.  out  • I une  25,  64  as  private. 
I  discharged,  1864. 
Musi'n    Des.  Louisville,  Oct.  1, 

"       Vet.:  trs.  17  R|.  May  31, 
Wag'n;  disch.  Oct.  22.  '61— di- 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


325 


PRIVATES. 


Anffier,  H.  N.    June  14,  '61 
Bennet,  Daniel  H.        lt 
Black,  John  S. 
Bryant,  Levi  J. 
Brookman,  Charles  C.  " 
Brown  George  H. 
Burns,  Edward  M, 
Burns,  Israel  F. 
Burns,  Henry  " 

Burford,  William  H.     " 
Burket  George  W.        " 
Casbier,  Elmer 
Carr,  Samuel 
Cox,  Peter 
Crawford,  John 
Douglas,  Robert 
Fagenbaum,  John 
Fisher,  Isaiah 
Frank ey,  August 
Garveston,  John  A.       " 
Gerdes,  Frederick         " 
Hammond,  Amos  " 

Harmon,  James  G. 
Henton,  George 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


.. 


a 


a 


Hedges,  John  C.- 
Hogle,  James  B. 
Isay,  Egidius  D. 
Jackson,  Marion 
Jamison,  Ninian 
Jones,  David 
Kelly,  William  D. 
Krug,  Robert 
Lamphire,  Silas 
Lastner,  William 
Lewis,  John 
Little,  Cleaveland  C.    " 
Lowry,  Henry  A. 
Lucas,  Calvin  R. 
Marklin,  Herman 
Matchet,  Benjamin 
Macher,  Nicholas 


u 


a 


u 


u 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


u 


u 


a 


'.. 


it 


u 


Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 

Ap'd  Q.  M.  Ser.;  dis.  Feb.  63— dis'y. 

Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 


a 


u 


u 


Died,  Nashville,  Feb.  14.  '64. . 
Killed,  Mission  Ridge,  Nov.  25,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
App'd  Corp'l  must,  out  June  25,  '64. 
Discharged  June  16,  '62 — disability. 
Deserted,  Nashville,  March  25,  '62. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
Discharged  Aug.  9,  '62— disability. 
Discharged  June  25,  '64. 
App'd  Serg.;  mus.  out  June  25,  '64. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
Killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31,  '62. 
Discharged  Dec.  24,  '62 — disability. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
Transferred  to  V.  R.  C.  Feb.  24,'64. 


a 


.. 


Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
App'd  Corporal;  dis.  Feb.  4,  '63. 
Des.  Ind'ls,  on  furlough  Apr.  29/64. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
Discharged ; — disability. 

tt  u  a 

Vet,;  trsfcl.  17th  Reg.,  May  21,  |64. 
Ap'd  Corp'l;  must,  out  June  25, ,'64. 

u  a  a  a 

Deserted  Sept.  17,  '61. 
Killed  in  action. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
Discharged  Aug.  14,  '61 — disability. 

Nov.  6,  '62 
Discharged  Dec.  12.  '62. 
"     24,  '62. 
Died,  Louisville,  July  18,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
Drowned,  Nov.  29,  '61. 
Discharged  July  24,  '61 — disability. 
Killed,  Mission  Ridge,  Nov.  25,  '63. 


26 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUKTT. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


.. 


Maxwell.  A.  F.  June  14.  '61  : 
McNess,  James  C. 

Miller.  Jacob  V. 
Moser.  Samuel 
Moon.  John  0. 
Madge,  '  >■■     _    P. 
Murphy,  John  H. 
Myers,  Jasper 
Nc  yes,  Charles 
Page.  Lewis  C 

Reel.  Madison 
Reynard.  William  P.    " 
Richards,   Samuel 
Row*.  G    rge  H. 
Rose,  John  " 

Ru:h.  Martin 
Saxon.  Anthony  M.     " 
Saxon.  Charles  W.       " 
5   yler,  Alexander 
Schane.  Char"  " 

n.  Herman 
She]       .  Lemuel 
S  .ehan.  Jam 
Smith,  Eugene  L. 
St  rie.  James  E. 
Stein,  Pet- 
Sutton.  II 
Taylor.  Charles  L. 
Thomas,  William 
T  :..-.  kins,  I  ►aniel  W.  •• 
Truax.  Charles  F. 
Walter-.  Benry  D. 

zner.  Beniamin  1 
Weidabnsh,  Henry      " 
Wheeler.  I  ►scar 

ilson,  Daniel  H. 
Wilkes,  Martin  K. 
William-.  •'   hn  W. 
"W  ilson,  Alexander 
W clever.  John 

0-1.  L  •.••■•■  - 


.. 
.. 

u 
it 

.. 
.. 


.  . 


Diseh.  Jan.  12.  '63 — disability. 
Ap'd  1st  Srg.;  mus.  out  June  25, 
Discharge    Sept.  17. 'oi — disability. 
Mustered  out  June  25,    ,;4. 
Tnmafer'd  V.  R.  C.,  April  10, 
Discharged  Sept.  11/62 — iisabilil 
Mnsi       I  out  June  25.  '04. 
Died  in  Hospital.  Corinth.  Miss., 
Deserted,  Nashville,  March.  25, 
Veteran;  trans' d  17th  R.  May  31.  64. 
Ap  I  Corj  .:  must,  out  June  2o.  '64. 
Discharged  Pel  :  —  lisal  ility. 

Died,  Murfi  \  - 

Diseh     a    I  Ami    11,     - —  lisal 
Mnsi       1  out  June  25,  '64. 
Discharged,  July  14/62 — lisabi] 
Nov.  19.  '61 


.. 


.. 


Dee  jrted,  L    is    He,  (    t.1,     2. 
Mustered  out  June  25,  '64. 
A]  /rporal:    disch.  July  1    . 

Discharge  1.  i^;4. 
Disch  rged  D  I —  lis  bility. 

Dee    I    L,  L    tisvill 
Discharged,  July  14.  '62 —    -       ity. 
June  12,      _. 
I  Corp.:  must,  out  June  -' 
Miss     _     •*         River.   Dec.  31, 
Discharged  Dec.  30,  '61 — ii-ability. 

I  discharged,  Feb.  4. 

Deserted,  Louisville,  I  I  -t.  1,  '   - 

Mnsi       1  out  June  25,  ,;4. 
Killed.  Missi  n  Ridge,  N 
Transferred  V.  K.  ''..  .\    2 
Discharged  Ang.  11,  '62 — Usability. 

-erted.  Chattanooga.  Apr.  29,  '64. 
Must-  it  June  25,     ;4. 


.. 


.. 


Discharged,  Nov.  19,  '61 — lisal 


u  u  u  a 

a  a 

u  a  it 


MILITARY    RECORD.  327 

RECRUITS. 

Green,  Andrew  J.  June  14,  '61 ;  Deserted. 

Mudge,  LeanderFeb.  17,  '62;  Died,  Evansville,  May  20,  '62. 

Maxwell,  Robert  Aug.  30,  '62;  Transfer'd  17th  Reg.,  May  31,  '64. 

Sheldon,  Jonathan  Oct.  31,  '62; 

Thurber,  Elmer  Feb.  19,  '62; 

Thurber,  Joseph  B.  Sept.  16,  '62; 

Vannote,  Jonathan  Feb.  8,  '62;  Dis.  Dec.  16,  '62 — disability- 

Vannote,  John  Feb.  8,  '62;  Trs.  17th  Regiment,  May  31,  '64. 

OFFICERS. 

William  M.  Webber,  May  2,  '62;  2nd  Lieut.;  promoted  Quarter- 
master; mustered  out  June  29,  '64. 

Rev.  John  M.  Whitehead,  July  15,  1862;  Chaplain;  mustered 
out  June  29,  '64;  term  expired. 

Gideon  Wonsetler,  Nov.  8,  '62;  Ass't  Surgeon;  must,  out  June  29, 
'64;  term  expired;  re-ent.  serv.  Sur.  3d  Reg.  Hancock's  Corps. 

Joel  W.  Foster,  Sept.  10,  '61 ;  2d  Lieut,;  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Capt.; 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  Dec.  31,  1862. 

John  H.  Smith,  Dec.  2,  '62;  2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Capt.; 
mustered  out  June  29,  '64 ;  term  expired. 

William  L.  Cole,  Dec.  25,  '62;  2d  Lieut.,  promoted  1st  Lieut. 

Thos.  N.  Graham,  March  9,'63 ;  2d  Lt.,  ms.  out  June  29,  '64 ;  trm.  ex. 

Reuben  S.  Weaver,  June  14,  '61;  1st  Lt.,  resigned  March  24,  '62. 

Samuel  Burns,  "  Captain,       "         Aug.  1,  '62. 


SEVENTEENTH   REGIMENT— THREE   YEARS   SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "C." 

Heiser,  Frederick  W.  June  12,  '61;  Vet.;  mus.  out  Aug.  8,  '65. 


Mackey,  William  H. 
Marvin,  James  N. 
McGraham,  McBrown 
McKinstry,  Nelson 
Milner,  Jesse  B. 
Weed,  Theodore  C. 


Discharged  Oct., '61;  disabil'y. 
Veteran;  must,  out  Aug.  8, '65. 
Vet.;  must,  out  Aug.  24,  '65. 
Mustered  out  June  20,  '64. 
Vet.;  must,  out  Aug.  8,  '65. 


COMPANY  "D.'; 


Martin,  Henry  J.  April  2,  '64;  Mustered  out  Aug.  8,  '64. 


128  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

COMPANY  "E." 

Simmons,  Enoch  Sept.  20,  '64;   Drafted,  mustered  out  July  8,  *65, 

COMPANY  "F." 
Paddock,  Homer  June  12,  ,61 ;  Transferred  to  Company  K. 

COMPANY  "I." 

Adler,  Matthias  Nov.  14,  '64 ;  Died,  April  4,  '65. 

Ashton.  Marion  Oct.  29,  '64;  Draf  d ;  must,  out  Aug.  8,  '65. 

Bramer,  John         "     14     "  "  " 

Biggs,  Austin         "     26     "  "  " 

Baugher,  Peter  Nov.  11,  '64;  Substitute;      "         May  30,  '65. 

Keneirar,  John  Sept.  20.  '64;    Drafted;  mustered   out  July  8,  :Ql>. 

Kasner,  William  March  12, "  "         "        Aug.  8,  '6 

Losier,  Alpheus  Oct.  24,    "      Substitute;  must'd  out 

Lair,  John  March  11," 

McLain.  Israel  D.  Oct  20,  " 

Mow,  John  A.  "    15,  " 

Peoples,  Robert       "    24,  "      Drafted;    must,  out  July  14,  'G~ 

Sever,  Alpheus        "    21,  "  "         "     Aug.  23.     " 

Naylor,  James         "    3,  '64. 

Drury,  John  T.  March  12,  '63;  1st  Liet.,  honorably  dis.  June  1,  '64. 


u 


TWENTIETH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "E." 

Abbey.  Edward  S.  July  22,  '61 ;  First  Sergeant. 

Crawford,  Hiram  "            Sergeant;    promoted  2nd  Lieut. 

Thompson,  Jolm  C.  " 

Muir,  William  R.  "                    "                    " 

Woodworth.  Leonard  " 

Lamb,  Alonzo  H.  "            Corporal;  Mort.  wou'd  Gettsburg. 

Bingaman,  David  N.  " 

Fonstel.  Charles  "                   " 

Hinstis,  George  F.  "                 " 
Martin.  William  H. 

Behan,  Samuel  E.  "                   " 

Cissna.  Isaac  N.  "            Must,  out  July  21.'.  '64  as  private. 

Easton.  Nathan  B.  "            Captured  Spottsylvania  ;  mustered 
out  May  3,  '65. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


329 


Smith,  Thomas  J.    July  22/61  ;  Musician;  Veteran. 
Bixby,  Warren  D.  " 

20th  Regiment,  re-org. 


transferred 


Powers,  John 


u 


Wagoner. 


PRIVATES. 


Aldrich,  Charles  July  22,  '61. 

Barkhurst,  Amos  "         Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 


u 
u 
a 
a 
a 
U 
a 
a 
a 
u 
u 


Cap.  Fredrk'bg;  mus.  out  July  29/64. 


Vet.;  trans.  20th  Reg.;  re-organized. 


Bartow,  John  D. 
Bingaman,  John  M. 
B,iser,  Daniel 
Briley,  Elias  F. 
Bruch,  Philip 
Burke,  Michael 
Burns,  Royal  S. 
Carney,  Matthew 
Carr,  Frazee 
Drake,  George 
Eberly,  Jacob 
Egan,  Michael 
Farnsworth,  Edward  M." 

'61;  of  wounds  received  in  action  before  Richmond. 
Fraunberg,  Chris.  July  22/61;  Promoted  2nd  Lieutenant. 
Fuller,  Warren 


u 


u 


.. 


Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 

a  a  a 

Died  in  hospital,  N.  Y.  Harbor  July  9, 


a 


Gallegan,  Michael 
Griffin,  Patrick 
Goodenough,  Francis  H." 
Goodsell,  Henry  M. 
Hackett,  David 
Hatfield,  William  C. 

20th  Reg.  re-org. 
Helmouth,  Henrv 
Hendricks,  John  H. 
Hickman,  Benjamin  F. 
Hollingsworth,  Reuben  " 
Johnson,  George  W. 
Jones,  Charles  E. 

out  May  22,  '62. 
Kennard,  David 
Kistler,  John  J. 
Legyard,  William  B. 
Lewalter,  John 


Vet.;  transf.  20th  Reg.,  re-organized. 
Killed,  Gettysburg. 


"         Vet.;  wou'd  North  Anna;  transferred 


a 

a 

a 


a 


Killed,  Gettysburg. 

Vet.;  transf.  20th  Reg.,  re-organized. 

Cap.  Mine  Run ;  mus.  out  Mar.  18/65. 

Capt'd  Chicomicomico  Island;  must'd 


Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 


330 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Logan,  William    July  22, 
Louder,  William  H. 
Lytle,  John  T. 
Magnesun,  Israel 
March,  John 
McAnany,  Peter 
McFey,  Bernard 
Morrow,  James 
Murphy,  Edward 
Orb,  Fernando  C. 
Paddock,  Harvey  S. 
Parker,  George  M. 

out  May  22,  '62. 
Peeler,  David 
Phillips,  Oscar 
Price,  Salathiel  C. 
Raber,  Samuel 
Reynolds,  Christopher 
Richards,  Benjamin  F, 
Richardson,  Arthur 
Riley,  Leonard 

out  May  22,  '62. 
Ruff,  Lawrence 

out  May  22,  '62. 
Sabin,  Orlando  W. 
Scanlan,  Dennis 
Shay,  Cornelius 
Smith,  Andrew  J. 
Smith,  Frederick 
Smith,  Stephen  R. 
Smith,  William 
Snyder,  Eli 

out  May  22,  '62. 
St.  Clair,  Nathan 
Swingle,  John  W. 
Tappan,  Noah  M. 
Taylor,  John  D. 
Travis,  Curtis 
Vandusen,  Cornelius 
Vandusen,  Dennis  F.  F." 
Vandusen,  Henry  H. 
Verrel  Stephen 


•61, 


a 
a 

it 

u 
a 
a 
a 
a 
a 
a 
it 

it 
a 
a 
a 
ti 
a 
a 
it 

it 

C< 
it 

a 

u 
a 

u 
a 

it 

a 
u 

a 
a 
a 


a 
a 


Vet.;  transf.  20th  Reg.,  re-organized. 


Vet.;  transf.  20th  Reg.,  re-organized. 
Mustered  out  July  21>,  '64. 


Veteran. 

Capt'd  Chicomicomico  Island;  must'd 

Veteran. 

Killed,  Gettysburg. 
Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 


a 


a 


a 


Capt'd  at  Chicomicomico  Island ;  mus. 


u 


a 


a 


a 


Vet.;  transf.  20th  Reg.,  re-organized. 


Capt'd  Chicomicomico  Island :    mus. 


Killed  at  Gettysburg. 
Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 

Vet.;  transf.  20th  Reg.,  re-organized. 

Veteran. 

Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 


a 
u 
a 
a 


MILITARY*  RECORD.  331 

Washburn,  G.  W.July  22,'61;  Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 

Watson,  Frank  " 

Weed,  Charles  F. 

Whiteraft,  Thomas 

Whitney,  Henry  M. 

Williams,  Frank 

Wilson,  Ellicott  "         Wo'd  Wilder's ;  mus.  out  July  29/64. 

Winch,  Marquis  R.         "         Mustered  out  July  29,  '64. 

Young,  William  " 

Zimmerman,  Thomas     " 

Zimmerman,  William     "         Vet.;  promoted  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  "Gr." 

»  RECRUITS. 

Andrews,  Abram  C.  Jan.  27,  '62. 
Hannah,  Andrew  J.  Dec.  2,  '63. 
Layton,  John  Jan.  27,  '62. 

COMPANY  "F." 

Travis,  Curtis    Feb.  20,  '64;  Veteran;    mustered  out  July  12,  '65. 
Bruch,  Phillip  Jan.  2, 

COMPANY  "H." 

Bixbey,  Warren  D.  Feb.  20,  '64;  Mus'n;  vet.;  mus.  o.  July  12,  '65. 

COMPANY  "K." 

Thorp,  Love  Jan.  7,  '64;  Vet.;  must'd  out  July  12,  '65;  disability. 
Warner,  William  Feb.  21,  '64  "  « 

Myre,  John,  L^nassigned  Recruit. 

OFFICERS. 

James  H.  Shannon,  July  22,  '61;  Captain,  prot'd  Maj.,  Lieut.  Col.; 

resigned  June  5,  '63;  re-entered  siervce  as  Col.  138th  Regt. 
Orpheus  Everts,  July  22,  '61;  Trs.  tore-org.  Rg.;  mus.  out  with  Rg. 
John  E.  Sweet,  "         2nd  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Capt.; 

mustered  out  Oct.  8,  '64,  term  expired. 
John  W.  Andrew,  July  22,  '61 .  1st  Lt.,  killed,  Richm.  June  20,'62. 
Hiram  Crawford,  July  1,  '62;  2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st.  Lt.,  mus.  out  Oct. 

8,  '64,  term  expired. 
Wm.  R.  Muir,  Nov.  21,  '62;  2d  Lieut.;  resigned  Jan.  17,  '63. 
Christoph  Fraunberg,  Jan.  18,  '63;   2d  Lieut.,  pro,  IstLt.;  must'd 

out  Oct.  10,  '64. 


32  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Wm.  Brown.  2d  Lieut.:    must,  out  on  consolidation  Oct.  2        14. 
Harvey  S.  Paddock,  Dec.  14.  '64:   2d  Lieut,   promoted   1st  Lieut., 
and  mustered  out  with  Rear. 


TWENTY-FIRST  REGIMENT. 

TX ASSIGNED  EECnUI'i 

Davis.   David  E.    Sept.  23.  '64. 


Golden.  William 

« . 

22 

'64. 

Goram.  John 

.. 

•  • 

Hashbacker.  Leonard" 

- 

L 

Hall.  Horace  T. 

.. 

23. 

Moran,  Thomas 

•  • 

23, 

'04. 

McGrath,  Thoma- 

*  • 

23. 

'64. 

Reed.  George 

.. 

24. 

'64. 

TWENTY-THIRD   REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "F." 
Mills,  Charles  Oct.  16,  '64;  Recruit. 


TWENTY-SEVENTH  REG.— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

McKahin,  John  July  5,  '62;   2d  Lieut.:   promoted   Capt.;   resigned 

March  14.  '63;  re-entered  service  .  of  138th  Res 


TWENTY-NINTH  REGIMENT— THREE    YEARS  SERVICE. 

Morey.  Ira  S.  Aug    ■  (ua'r-master ;  .  v. 

Tvmeson. Cornelius  "       '61 :   Commissary  Sergeant. 

Griffith.  John  C.    Sept.   13:    Hospital  Steward:   prot'd  Asst.  Sa 

COMPANY  "A." 

Berger.  Nelson  Jan.  3.  <;.",;  Recruit;  mus.  out  Dec.  2.        .  substitute. 
Van  Ankin.  Geo.  L.  •* 

COMPANY  "C." 

Coglev.  Thomas  S.  Aug.  30,  '61;   1st  Sere;.;  dis.  Dec.  30,  '62 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


333 


Nevins,   Walter  Aug.  27,  '61;  Serg.,  died  Nolin,  Ky.,  Nov.  14,  '61. 
Burch,  Leroy  S.              ••  ••     Murfreesboro,  May  14,  '63. 

Gates,  Columbus  Aug. 26, '61 ;  •■     mustered  out  Aug.  26,  '64. 

Van  Wert,  William       •■  •■     disch.  Dec.  30, '62,  disability. 

CORPORALS. 

Lock,  Samuel  L.  Aug.  30,  '61;  Deserted  April  30,  '62. 
Beach,  David  F.  Aug.  27,  '61;  Died  May  26,'62,  wo'd  rec.  Shiloh. 

Reduced,  disc.  Nov.  6,  '63. 
Des.  and  ret'r,  mus.  out  Sep.  2,  '64. 
Discharged  Feb.  26,  '63,  disability. 

Nov.  10,  '62 
Must.  out.  Aug.  26,  '64,  as  Serg't. 
Musician ;  discharged  July  23,  '62. 

16, 


Booth,  Henry  L. 
Shoemaker,  F.  A.  Sept.  3, 
Matchett,  Benjamin   ,l    4, 
Williams,  Davis  Aug.  27, 
Shoemaker,  Daniel     •• 
Brink,  James  W.        ••  30, 
Comfort,  Richard  W.  Sep.  9 
Chappell,  John  II. 


Wagoner,  transferred,  Co.  "I." 

PRIVATES. 

Backhaus,  William    Oct.  3,  '61;  Mustered  out  Oct.  2,  '64. 

Barnes,  Fernando  C.  Aug.  27,  "  "         ••     26     •• 

Batch,  Frank  Sept.  2,    •■    Vet.;  must,  out  Dec.  2,  '65,  Sergt. 

Batch,  John 

Boardman,  Sam'l  H.  Sept.  9, 

Bowen,  Isaac  W.       Aug.  27, 

Bookhout,  Chas.  H.  Sept.  16, 

Burdick,  John  Sept.  26, 

Burdick,  Lor  ay  M. 

Budd,  Henry  C.        Sept.  4, 

Burch,  Gilford  D.    Aug.  30, 

Bryant,  David  P.     Sept.  15, 

Brown,  Bergen  H.    Aug.  30, 

Corkins,    Charles     Sept.  4, 

Crane,  William  H.  Sept.  7, 

Crane,  Alexanders.  Sept.  19, 

Dorland,  George  C.Sept.  19, 

Fessenden,  Geo.  W.Sept.  10,  ■ 

Goodman,  Jeremiah  Oct.  15,  ■ 

Grover,  Peter  Aug.  27, 

Hendricks,  August. Sept.  21,  ■ 

Holtorf,  John  C.     Aug.  27, 

Holmes,  Harvey 

Huffman,  James  M. Sept.  18,  • 

Hull,  Adam  Sept.  19,  • 


Mustered  out  Sept.  8,  '64. 

Ap.  Ser.;  mis'g  in  action,  Chicm'a. 

^et.;  mus.  out  Dec.  2,  '65  as  Serg. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Discharged  June  11,  '64. 
Killed  at  Shiloh,  April  7,  '62. 
Veteran;  mustered  out  Dec.  7, 765. 

Cap.  Chi'm.;  mus.  out  Feb.  20, '65. 
Discharged  May  15, '62';  disability. 
Discharged  Dec.  30, '62; 
Discharged  July  2,  62; 
Mus.  out  with  Regt.  as  Q.  M.  Sergt. 
Discharged  July  12,'62;  disability. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64. 
Veteran;  mustered  out  Dec.  2,  }6b. 
Discharged  —  '62;  disability. 
Discharged  July  23,  '62    " 
Veteran;  deserted  Aug.  2,  '65. 
Veteran ;  mustered  out  Dec.  26,  '65. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64. 


334 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Johnson,  John  W.  Aug.  31, '61 ;  Vet.;  mus.  out  Dec.  2, '65,  as  Corpl. 
Jessup,  Benjamin  F.  Sept.  9,  ••    Discharged. 

Killed  at  Shiloh,  April  7,  '62. 


Kish,  Stephen         Sept.  3, 
Lawrence,  George 
McLane,  Alonzo     Sept.  22, 
McLane,  Richard   Sept.  21, 
Mandeville,  Jac.W.  Aug.  30, 
Mandeville,  R.  S.   Aug.  27, 
Marr,  Thomas 
Michael,  John  H. 
Miller,  Alonzo        Sept.  17, 
Nelson,  James  M.  Sept.  20, 
Preston,  James  H.Sept.     9, 
Romans,  Theo.  D.  Sept.  11, 
Shafer,  John  Sept.     5, 

Shoemaker,  J.  W.  Aug.  27, 
Sigrider,  Adam 
Taylor,  Wm.  W.  Sept-  3, 
Toyne,  William  Sept.  21, 
Troxel,  Jacob  A. 
Vanderwalker,  M.  Aug.  30, 
Wickharri,  C.  J.  Sept.  19, 
Winchell,  F.  M.  Aug.  27, 
Worden,  Clinton  F. 


Discharged ;  disability. 

Died  Sept.  21,  '62. 

Killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31,  '62. 

Discharged;  disability. 

wounds  rec.  at  Shiloh. 

Promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 

Vet.;  mus.  out  Dec.  2, '65,  1st  Serg. 

Discharged ;  disability. 

Veteran;  mustered  out  Dec.  2,  '6r>. 

Discharg.  July  12,  '62;  disability. 

Mustered  out  Feb.  16,  '65. 

Must,  out  Feb.  20, '65,  as  Sergeant. 

Pro.  Captain  7th  Cavalry. 

Killed  at  Stone  River  Dec.  31,  '62. 

Vet.:  mus.  out  Dec.  2,  '65  as  Corpl. 

Discharged  Dec.  12,  '62 ;  disability. 

Vet.;  mas.  out  Dec.  2,  '65,  as  Sergt. 
Discharged ;  disability. 
Veteran;   mustered  out  Dec.  2,  JQ5. 
,Died  at  Nolin,  Ky.,  Jan.  12,  '62. 


RECRUITS. 

Burch,  Philander  C.Jan. 13, '62;    Dis.  63;  wounds  rec,  Stone  River. 
English,  William  Feb.  13,  '64;  Mustered  out  Dec.  2,  '65. 
Love,  Albert  P.    Feb.  16,  '65; 

COMPANY  "G." 

Coffin,  Griffin  A.  Sept.  5,  '61;  1st  Serg.,  promoted  2d  Lieut. 
Sturges,  Alonzo    Feb.    21,    •■     Serg.;  dis.  June  24, '62;   disability 
Holland,  John  E.  •■  ••  ••     23,  •• 

CORPORALS. 

Bushnell,  Orsamus  Sept.  27,  61 ;  Died  Fb.  2,  "63;  wo'd  rec.  Sto.  Rh  . 
Beahm,  James  0.     Oct.     1,  ••    Veteran;  pro.  1st  Lieut.  (\  "41 

Reduced ;  must'd  out  Aug    57,  \-  "4  . 

Dischar'd  June  24.  '62;  » i2abi     v. 


Harris,  Oscar  Aug.  27, 

Martin,  Hiram  H. 
Weed,  Catlin  Sept.  12, 

Aug.  27, 


Steel,  Austin 


Musician. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


335 


PRIVATES. 


Blackwell  Chas.  H.  Aug.  29, '61;  Vet.;  mustered  out  Dec.  2,  '65. 


Aug.  27, 
Sept.  15, 
Sept.  17, 
Aug.  27, 
Oct.  1, 


Billfer,  John 
Bennett,  John  A 
Baxter,  Harrison 
Bishop,  Charles 
Clark,  David  C. 
Coilins,  George  A.  Sept.  12, 
Charlesworth,  H.  Sept.  12, 
Clymer,  Henry  Aug.  27, 
Davis,  Chris.  L.  Sept.  21, 
Dunn,  Henry  Aug.  27, 

Eggenburger,  Andrew    •• 
Evans,  Sherry 
Grice,  David  Sept.  17, 

Hunt,  Michael  Sept.  30, 
Huntly,  John  F.  Sept.  7, 
Hyde,  Kenyon  Aug.  30, 
Lehman,  John  '  Sept.  6, 
Lewis,  Charles  Aug.  30, 
Lightfoot  Simeon  Aug.  27, 
Love,  David  M.  Sept.  2, 
Love,  James 

McCormack, Aug.  29, 

McDonald, Sept.    7, 

Megraw,  James  C.  Oct.  1, 
Mackey,  Philander  Aug.  27, 
Maudlin,  Benj.  S.  Oct.  15, 
Morton,  Geo.  W.  Sept.  6, 
Norwood,  Edward  Oct.  15, 
Palmer,  Sylvanus  Oct.  15, 
Plummer,  John  W.  Oct.  1, 
Popp,  Conrad  Sept.  21, 

Roberts,  Hugh  Aug.  27, 
Rollins,  Stephen  A.Aug.  27, 
Rhodes,  David  Aug.  27, 
Saybould,  William  Sept.  13, 
Sharpe,  Benj.  F.  Aug.  29, 
Sent,  Martin  Sept.  20, 

Snyder,  Michael  Oct.  15, 
Trull,  Willard  Sept.  17, 
Tennis,  William      Sept.  28, 


Missing  Chicmga.  Sept.  19,  '63. 
Disch.  Dec.  9,  '62 :  disability. 
Disch.  March  13,  '63  ;    disability. 
Deserted  Oct.  9,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64. 
Vet.;  must,  out  Dec.  2, '65,  as  Serg. 
Mustered  out  June  26,  '65. 
Promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 
Discharged  May  20,'62 ;  disability. 
Vet.;  mus.  out  Dec.  2,  '65  as  Corpl. 

•  •  •  •  ■ « 

Vet.;  died  Augusta  Ga.,Oct.  24,'65. 
Discharged  Feb.  22,  '62  ;  disability. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64. 
Deserted  Aug.  1,  '63. 
Cap.  Chicm.;  mus.  out  Feb.  27,  '65. 
Trans,  to  V.  R.  C,  Dec.  19,  '63. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64. 
Dis. — ,  '64,  as  exchanged  nrisoner. 
Trans.  U.  S.  Navy  Sept.  1,  '63. 
Vet.;  must,  out  Dec.  2,  '65. 
Discharged  Dec.  12, '62;  disability. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Jan.  8,  '63. 
Mustered  out  Aug.  27,  '64. 
Discharged  April  27,62;  disability. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Sept.  18,  '62. 
Deserted  Oct.  19,  '61. 
Discharged  June  18, '62  ;  disability. 

•  •  •  •  J    /  ••  •• 

•  •  *•  "Ik  ••  •• 

Died  at  Chattanooga,  Nov.  30,  '63. 
Vet.;  must,  out  Dec.  2,  '65,  Serg't. 
Must,  out  Sept.  26,  '64,  as  Serg't. 
Vet.;  deserted  July  27,  '65. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64. 

Transferred  to  V.  R.  C. '63. 

Died  at  Nashville. 
Deserted  Oct.  9,  '62. 


336  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Towleton,  Henry    Oct.  24, "61 ;  Vet.;  must,  out  Dec.  2,  '•' 

Williams,  Geo.  W.  Aug.  27,  ■•  Discharged  March,  11, '63;  disab'y. 

Ward,  James  Aug.  27,  ••  Died,  And's'ville.  pris.  Oct.  1,  '64. 

Warnock,  Allen  W.  Oct.     1,  ••  Discharged  June  1,  '63;  disability. 
Watson,  John  C.     Oct.     7,"  .   •■  Dec.  1,  '62; 

Wheaton,  Joseph  W.  •■      9,  ••  Yet.;  mustered  out  Dec.  2,  '65. 

Woodard,  George       ■•    12,"  Discharged  Oct.  10, '62:   disability. 

RECRUITS. 

Black,   William   Feb.  17,  '64;  Died  at  Chattanooga  July  4,  '64. 

Baker.  John  D.  •■  Must,  out  Dec.  2,  '65,  as  Corporal. 

Batch,  Joseph    April    4,  '64; 

Closser,  Orren  L.  Feb.  17,   ■■ 

Costello,  James 

Culp,  Shelton  L.  Mar.  10,   •• 

Clarkson,  Wm.  T.  Jan.  3,  '65;  •■  ■■  ■•    drafted. 

Fogus,  Jasper      Feb.  17,  '64;  Died,  Dec.  9.  '64  at  Nashville. 

Finlev,  Albert  A.       •■  ••  Must,  out  Sept.  21,  '65,  as  Corpr'l. 

Firll,  Thos.  W.       ••     18,     »  ••         Dec.  2,  '65. 

Fields,  John  D.   April   4,  ••  •• 

Humble,  B.  Jan.    3,  '60;  ••  "      **         drafted. 

Harding..  H.  G.  Mar.  10,  '64; 

Kramer,  Andrew  Jan.  3,  '65',  "         July  18,  '65,  drafted. 

Moore,  John         Feb.  16, '64;  ■■         Dec.  2. 

Moore,  Thomas     Feb.  17,    •■  Deserted  Oct.  15,  '65. 

Moore.  William              ■•       ■•  Died,  Chattanooga,  July  10,  '64. 

Nome,  Artemas     ■•     18,    ■•  Must'd  out  Dec.  2.  '65,  as  Corporal. 

Wells,  Americus     ■•     17,    ■■  ■•              "              ••     Musician. 

York,  Robert  J.  June\20,  '63 ; 

COMPANY  "H." 

Brainard,  Gilbert  Sep.  12,'61;   Sergeant;    discharged  July  23.  '6 

PRIVATES. 

Barnes,    John        Nov.  7.  '61;  Discharged  May  2,  '62. 
Bowden,  E.  L.     Sept.  12,    ■•     Deserted  Oct.  9,  '61. 

Lehmer,  Isaac  ■■         ••     Discharged  April  19,  '63. 

Moore,  Andrew  J.   •■     25,    ■■     Captured,  Stone  River,  Dec.  31, '62. 

Noricks,  William  Aug.  27.    ••     Trs.  Co.  "L,"dis.  Sept.  13/62;  disy 


MILITARY    RECORD.  337 

Sulkman,  Wm.     Sept.  25/61 ;  Dropped  from  rolls  Aug.  18,  '62. 

Thompson,  Phil.  Aug.  27,    •■     Died  at  Camp  Nevin,  Ky. 

Wilber,  Seth        Sept.  25,    ••  ;•  ••  ••      Jan.  24/62. 

RECRUITS. 

Barlett,  Daniel    Dec.  31,  '61;  Discharged  May  15,  '62;  disability. 
Dixon,  Richard  H.    ■•     4,    ■•  •■  March  7,  '63. 

English,  William    Jan.  1, '62;  ••  June  1, '62. 

Haskins,  John  A.      ••     2,    •*     Transferred  to  aG." 
Liggett,  Joseph    Nov.  28,'61 ;  Discharged  March  7,  '63. 
Meeker,  Frank     Dec.  10,    ■•     Vet.;  must,  out  Dec.  2,  'Q5  as  Sergt. 
Robinson,  John  W.  *■  31,    ••     Discharged  Aug.  5,  '62;  disability. 
School,  Joseph  ■•     9,    ■■ 

COMPANY  "I." 

Flucard,  John  Aug.  29,'61;  1st  Serg.;  disch.  Dec — ,'61;  disability. 

PRIVATES. 

Conway,  Patrick  Aug.  27,'61 ;  Deserted  Sept.  28,  '62. 
Eavers,  John  ••  •■     Died  at  Shiloh,  April  26,  '62. 

Tucker,  Charles  F.  ••   30,  ■;     Promoted  1st  Lieut.  Co.  "A." 
Tennis,  John         Oct.  31,  ••     Recruit;  mustered  out  Nov.  6,  '64. 

COMPANY  "K." 

Parker,  Geo.  W.  Sep.  20/61;   Corporal;  discharged  Feb.  22,  '62. 

OFFICERS. 

S.  0.  Gregory,  Aug.  27,    •■     2d  Lieut.;  pro.  Capt.  Co.  ^F.,"  trans. 

to  Co.  "C,"  promoted  Lieut.  Col.  and  Colonel. 
James  L.  Angell,  Aug.  30,  '61;  Adjutant,   resigned,  Aug.  20,  '62. 
Griffin  A,  Coffin,  May  16,  '62;  2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Adju. 

honorably  dicharged  January  7/65. 
Samuel  A.  Bagley,  May  5/65;  Adju.;  must,  out  with   Regt.,  pro. 

from  Sergeant  5th  Cavalry. 
Asa  H.  Matthews,  Aug.  27/61;  Quartermaster,  died  April  '62. 
Lorenzo  S.  Keene,  Oct.  24,   ••     Asst.  Surgeon;  promoted  Surgeon; 

resigned  Jan.  7,  '63. 

Tompkins  Higday, ;   Surg.;    commissioned  Jan.  29,  '63. 

L.  C.  Rose, ;   Comis.  Apr.  26,  '62,  ad.  Ast/Surg. 

Theophilus  Fravel, ;   Commiss'ed  April  22,  '65,  as  Asst. 

Surgeon,  declined  May  12,  '65. 
Thomas  Marr,    March  27, '65;  2d  Lieutenant, 
Charles  F.  Tucker,  Jan.  17,  ••     1st 

22 


• 


338  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Patrick  Hays,     April  11.  "64;     1st  Lieutenant:  promoted  Cantain. 
Fred.  A.  Clark,  Aug.  27,  '61;   Capt.,  resigned  April  10.  '64. 

Silas  F.  Allen.  wo'd  Shiloh,  res.  Feb.  11/64. 

George  W.  Maloon.   ••  ••       2d  Lieut,  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Capt.; 

honorably  discharged  Nov.  16,  '64. 
John  W.  Vanderhoof,  Feb.  6,  '63;   2d  Lieut.,  resigned  1863. 
Christopher  L.  Davis,  May  2,  ••  ••  promoted  1st  Lieut.; 

resigned  Nov.  14,  '64. 
Frank  Stebbins.  Aug.  27,  '61;  1st  Lieut.,  promoted   Capt.:    killed 

at  Murfreesboro,  Dec.  31,  '62. 
John  S.  Fosdick,  Aug.  27.  c61;   Capt.,  resigned  May  16,   62. 
Oscar  B.  Rockwell,  March  27.   65:   Captain. 
John    Cutler.  May  17,  1862:   2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Capt.; 

killed  at  Chicamauga,  Sept.  19,  '63. 
Edwin  Henderson,  April  4/63 ;   2d  Lt..  pro.  1st  Lt.,  res.  Nov.  13,'64 
Lafayette  Keys,  Jan.  17.  '65;   1st  Lieutenant,  promoted  Captain. 


THIRTIETH   REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "C." 
Joseph  S.  Murray,  Jan.  12, '63;  Wagoner;  must,  out  Nov.  25,  'iy-i. 


THIRTY-SECOND  REGDIENT. 

OFFICERS. 

Jacob   Langacher,    May  1,  '64;  2d  Lieut.;  prom'd  Capt.;  honorably 

discharged  June  27,  '65. 
Anion  Sherman,  Aug.  24,  '64;   2d  Lieut.:  promoted  1st  Lieut. 
Edward  Hecker,  March 


THIRTY-THIRD   REGIMENT— THREE    YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "D." 

RECRUITS. 

Guthrie,  David  B.    Feb.  6,  '65;  Mustered  out  July  21.  '6 
Jacobus,  Francis     Oct.  13,  '64;  "  "  " 

Smith,  Lewis  •  "     15,    •• 


MIIflTARY    RECORD.  339 

COMPANY  "K." 

RECRUITS. 

Alexander,  Andrew  H.  Jan.  4,  '65;  Must,  out  July  21,  '65;  subst. 
Newburn,  William       March  3,  "  "  "  " 

Dowdell,  William  "      9,  "  "  "  « 

OFFICERS. 

James  H.  Durham,    Sept.  6,  '61;    Adjutant;    resigned  Oct.  17,62. 


THIRTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERYICE. 

COMPANY  "E." 
Montgomery,  Jasper  M.   Sept.  21,  '63;    Mustered  out  Feb.  3,  '66. 


THIRTY-FIFTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEAR8  SERYICE. 

COMPANY  "B." 

Sherkey,  John  Dec.  12,  '61;   Corporal;   mustered  out  Feb.  16,  '65. 

PRIVATES. 

Hays,  Andrew    Dec.  12,  '61;  Mustered  out  Nov.  6,  '64. 

Murphy,  James     "  "     Died  at  Andersonville,  Oct.  14,  '64. 

Murphy,  Francis  "  "          "  "                  '•'    31,     " 

O'Donnell,  Edward  "  Mustered  out  May  29,  '65. 

Parkinson,  Amasa  "  Killed  at  Stone  River,  Jan.  2,  '63. 

Snyder,  Adam  "  Mustered  out  Oct.  22,  '64. 

Sheppard,  John  "  Vet. ;  trans'd  to  U.  S.  Inf.  Nov. — '62. 

RECRUITS. 

Burgess,  James  April  30,  '62;  Musterd  out  March  1,  '65. 

Bell,  Edward  "  Deserted '62. 

Flinn,  James     Feb.  12,  '62;  "     June  63. 

Scott,  Timothy  Jan  11,  6F>;  "       -k  21,  6b;  Substitute. 

COMPANY  "C." 

Smith,   Thomas  Dec.   11,  '61 ;   Serg.;  Mustered  out  Oct.  16,  '64. 
Barton,  John  "  "       disc.  March  25,'63;  disabil'y. 

Smith,  Edward  H.  "  Corp.;  mustered  out  Oct.  16,  '64. 

Brown,  Thomas  M.  "  "       Disc.  April  19,  '63;  disabil'y. 

Williams,  Jacob  Dec.  11, '61;  Wagoner,  disc.  March  10,  '62;  dis'y. 


840 


HISTORY  OF   LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Allen,  William 
Bishop,  Joseph 
Briggs,  Luther 
Hart.  Bartholomew 
Mush,  Charles 
Morrison  James  L. 
McCollum,  Frederick 
Murphy,  Henry 
O'Brien,  Patrick 
Parker,  Jesse 
Phillips,  Albert 
Ryan,  Thomas 
Rickes,  Richard 
Riley,  Thomas 
Steuben.  Matthias 
Taber,  Wm.  D. 
Wagoner,  John 
Whiteman,  Charles 
Q.  M.  Sergeant. 


a 

.. 
a 
.. 
u 
ii. 
.. 
a 
a 
a 
a 
a 

.. 
.. 
a 
a 


PRIVATE-. 

Promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 
Mustered  out  Oct.  16,  '('4. 
Died  at  Louisville  Feb.  12.    »'»2. 
Dropped  from  rolls  Aug.  18,  '62. 
Killed  at  Stone  River  Jan.  '63. 
Discharged  Feb.  7,  63;  disability. 

Aug.  is.  62; 
Dishonorably  disc.  April  8,  '63. 
Discharged  April  21,  '64:  disability. 
Died  at  Nashville  May.    <>2. 
Yet.;  mustered  out  Sept.  7.  '65. 
Discharged  Sept.  63;  disability. 
Discharged  Feb.  22,63;  disability. 
Deserted  Nov.  <>1 . 
Discharged  Aug.  4,  63;  disability. 
Died  at  Louisville,  '62. 
Discharged  May.  '62. 
Yet.:  mustered  out  Sept.  30,  '65  as 


COMPANY  "1. 


Whiteman.  William  Dec.  20.  '61 
Taylor,  John  W. 
Lockard,  Samuel 
Long,  John 
Armstrong.  Aaron  G. 


.. 


a 


.. 


a 


1st  Serg.:  promoted  2nd  Lieut. 
Serg.;  discharged;  disability. 

"      \  et.;  promoted  1st  Lieut. 
Transferred  Y.  R.  C— .62. 
Deserted  July  6.  '62. 


COKPOKALS. 


1'ierce,  Dennison  S.  Dec.  2<).:61 
Scullv,  Andrew  J  " 

Timmons,  Robert 
Carter,  Charles 
Mackey,  William  M. 
Rerrold,  Wesley  L. 
Wolf,  Peter 
Whalen,  James  J. 
Lvman,  Porter 

* 

Stone  River,  Jan. 2, '63 
;i<  lmes,  Harvey 


u 

ii 

.. 
u 

.. 
.. 

I 


:  Discharged  Aug.  21,  <i4:  disab'y. 
Promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 
Died.  Louisville,  Ky.,  Dec.  29, '62. 
Mu>tered  out  .Ian.    1  2,  '65. 
Vet.;  trs.  1".  S.  Eng's  Aug.  27, '64. 
Discharged  — .'6)2:  disability. 
Vet.;  mustered   out  Sept.  30,  '65. 
Discharged  — .'62:  disability. 
Musician:    app'd  Sergt.;  killed  at 

Wagoner;    Dis. — ."»'»2:  disability. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


341 


PRIVATES. 


Anderson,  Thomas  Dec.  20, '61  ;   Died,  Mumfordsville,  Ky.,  — ,  '62. 


C ranee,  Jacob 
Clark,  John 
Davis,  Benjamin 
Fitzpatrick,  William 
Gurnee,  John 
Gauser,  Christian 
Graham  Henry 
Herrold,  Joseph  S. 
Havens,  Kelsey 
Hamilton,  Luther 
Higgins,  Joseph  McK 
Kelley.  William  H. 
King,  Lyman  A. 
Lyman,  Henry 
Lawrence,  Sidnev  R. 
Lemm,  George 
Lennon,  Daniel 
Moore,  Levick 
Mecum,  Samuel 
Owens,  John 
Parker.  Lewis 
Reed,  Frederick 
Ritenour,  David  C. 
Ritenour,  Solomon 
Riteman,  George 
Rose,  Christopher 
Romine,  Sampson  B. 
Rhodes,  Jasper 
Shoup,  Daniel  F. 
Sevfonor  Andrew 
Timmons,  Martin 
Wilbert.  Reuben 
Walker,  James 
Whiteman,  George 
Zimmerman,  Daniel 


a 

u 
u 
a 
a 
a 
a 

a 
a 
a 
a 
a 
u 
u 
a 
a 
a 

a 

u 

u 

4; 

a 

u 

a 

a 

a 

u 

a 

a 

a 

ic 

a 

a 


Discharged — ,  '62;  disability. 
Never  reported  to  company. 
Discharged  — ,  '61;  disability. 
Veteran;  deserted  Feb.  19,  '64. 
Died  at  Mumfordsville,  Ky. — ,'62. 
Mustered  out  Dec.  12,  '64. 
Deserted  Nov.  — ,  '61. 
Died  at  Mumfordsville,  Ky. — ,'62. 
Veteran;  mustered  out  Sept.  30,65. 
Vet.;  dis.  May  17,  'So:   disability. 
Deserted  from  hospital,  — ,  '62. 
Vet.;  pro.  2d  Lieutenant. 
Deserted  — ,  '62. 

Vet.;  mus.  out  Sep.  30, '65, 1st  Srg. 
Died  at  Bardstown,  Ky.,  — ,  '62. 
Discharged  — ,  '62;  disability. 


a 


a 


a 


Killed  at  Stone  River,  Jan.  2,  '63. 
Discharged  — ,  '62;  disability. 


u 


u 


Vet.;   mustered  out  Sept.  30,  '65. 
Vet.;  transferred  V.  R.  C. 
Vet.;    mustered  out  Sept.  30,  '65. 
6i    .  must,  out  Sept.  30,  'Q5,  Corp. 
Sent  to  Insane  Asylum,  Wash., '62. 
Mustered  out  Dec.  19,  '64. 
Discharged  — ,  '62. 
Vet.;  mus.  out  Sep.  30, '65  as  Serg. 
Died  Feb. — ,'63,  wo'd  Stone  River. 
Deserted  July  6,  '62. 
Discharged  — .  '62 ;  disability. 
Never  reported. 


u 


Discharged  — ,'63;  disability. 


RECRUITS. 


Brown,  Otto    Jan.   20,  '65;  Deserted  June  16, '65;  substitute. 
Custer,  John  P.  "  14,     "     Died  at  New  Orleans  July  8/65;  subst. 
Daily,  James  June  17,  '63 ;  Deserted  May  26,  '65. 


342  HISTORY  OF  LA  PROTE  COUNTY. 

Schneider,  Wm.  Jan.  17, '65;  Mustered  out  Sept.  30.  '65:  substitute. 

Tyrrell,  Gilbert  R.  "  26,'04;  Trs.  to  V.  R.  C.  Oct.  8,  '64;  wounds. 

Wixon,  Wm.  S.  July  15,  kt  Mustered  out  Sept.  30,  '65. 
Winsby,  Joseph   Jan.  28,  "  "  "  " 

OFFICERS. 

John  C.  Walker,    Dec.  11,  '6\ ;   Colonel. 

John  \V.  Cummins,  "  1st  Lieut.;   resig'd  March  23,  '63. 

William    Allen,    June   17.  '63;    2d      "     pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Capt. 

resigned  July  2,  '65. 
William  Hipwell,  Dec.  11,  '61;  Capt.;  resigned  Nov.  26,  '62. 

Solin  Scully,  ;  1st  Lieutenant. 

Charles  E.  Galezio,  Dec.  11,  '61;  2nd  Lieut.;  resigned  July  2&,'62. 

William  Whiteman,  April  5,  '63;  2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lt.  and  Capt. 

Samuel  Lockard,  Julv  19,  '64;   1st  Lieut.,  must,  out  with  Regiment. 

William  H.  Patton,  Dec.  11, '61;  2d     " 

William    Kelly,    May  1,  '65; 

Richard  W.  Cummins,  Jan.  2,  '62;      "     resigned  April  s.  '62. 

Thomas  Price,  Nov.  15,  '61;  Capt.:  dismissed  March  18,  '63. 


THIRTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "C." 
Selvage,  Wm.  II.  Oct.  17,  '(34:  Recruit;  mus.  out  June  26,' 65,  draf. 

COMPANY  "D." 
Huntly,  Nehemiah  Nov.  10,  '64;  Dis.  June9,'65;  disability;  draft. 

COMPANY    <E." 

Kenzie,  Isaac  Nov.  10,  '64;  Mustered  out  July  15,  '65;  drafted. 

Miles,  John  Oct.  27.  u      Never  reported  to  company. 

Michael,  Abraham  Nov.  10,  '64;   Mustered  out  Julv  15,'65;  drafted. 

Matthews,    John  Oct.     27.      "         "         "     June  26, 

COMPANY  "I." 

RECRUITS. 

Buel,  Edwin  P.  Sept.  2<S,  '64:  Mustered  out  July  1~>.  '65;  drafted. 

Kile,  Ransom  Nov.  10,  64: 

Russell,  Thomas  Sept.  2s.  '64; 

Trager,  Charles  Oct.  27,       "  Died  at  Washington,  June  8,  '65. 

Van  Loom,  Samuel  M.  Oct.  26,  '64;    Must.  July  15,  '65;    drafted. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


343 


FORT         ^OND    REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS   8ERYICE. 


COMPANY  "B." 

Cole,  Nelson  V.    Sept.  19,  '63;  Mustered  oat  July  21,  '65. 

COMPANY  "0." 

RECRUITS. 

Blocher,    John    H.     Sept.  19,  '63;  Mustered  out  July  21,  65. 
Denny,   Milton  J.    April  8,  '64;  "  "         drafted, 

Fletcher,  Jesse   Oct.  IT.  June  18,  '65 

Husselman,  John  Sept.  27, 
Hissong,  Jacob  " 

Kinneball,  Jonas  Oct.  9, 


a 
a 
n 

.4 


a 
a 
a 

u 


a 


a 


a 


a 


COMPANY  "D." 


Burdick,  Francis  M.    Nov.  24,  '64 
Grooms,    Benjamin    Oct.    18, 
Grooms,  James  "      28, 

Moler,   Andrew    Nov.   22 
Michler,  Joseph  Sept.  28, 
Newcomer,  Edward  Nov.  17, 
Newer,  John  W.  "     11, 

Neel,  Samuel  "     23, 

Peach,  Charles   Oct.  11, 
Reynolds,  John  B.  Nov.  22, 
Shaur,  John  B.  " 

Scroggs,  Daniel  C.    "  23, 
Stellman,  Solomon  Oct.  29, 
Shero,  Noah  W.  Sept.  24, 
Worthley,  Albert  H.  Nov.  16, 
Zimmeth,  John  Nov.  11, 


Must  out  July  15, '65;  substit. 
"     21 


u 


a 


a 


a 


u 


a 


a 


a 


a 


.. 


"  June  18,  '65;  drafted. 

substit. 


u 


a 


u 
u 

July  13, 
June  18, 

a 
a 

drafted. 

a 

it 

"     27, 

a 

a 

it 
a 

July  21, 

a 

a 

n 

u 

a 

tt 

a 

tt 

a 

a 

June  18, 

a 

a 

u 

July  21, 

a  "             a 

a 

substit. 
drafted. 

COMPANY  "E." 


RECRUITS. 


Ackley,  Jacob  Sept.  19,  '63;  Mustered  out  Julv  21,  '65. 
Bunnell,  George  B.  Nov.  24,  '64;  " 

Eberly,  Jacob  "  u  "         June  18    "  substitute. 

Wells,  Theodore  H.  Sept.  19,  '63;       "         July  21    " 


344 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PROTE  COUNTY. 


COMPANY  "F." 

Jones,  Allen  A.  Nov.  12,  '64;  Mustered  out  June  18,  '65;  drafted. 

Knight,  Joseph  Nov.  20, 

Kenneger,  Philip  Oct.  14, 

Kroh,  Michael   Oct.  29, 

Kettle,  Peleg  Nov.  1,4, 

Mingos,  Balsar     " 

Marion,  Orson  Nov.  23, 


a 

a 

a 
a 
a 

u 


ii 

a 
a 
a 
a 


ii 

a 
a 
a 


li 

a 
a 
a 
a 


a 
a 

a 
u 


substit. 


Deserted  June  25,  '65. 

COMPANY  "G." 

Burgett,   Philip   Dec.  25,  '63:    Recruit,  mustered  out  Julv  21,  '65. 
Brown,  William  Feb.  15,  '64; 
Jones,  Aaron  T.  Aug.  13,  '62; 


a 
a 


a 

a 


COMPANY  "H." 


a 

a 

a 


Big,    John    Dec.  30,  '63;  Mustered  out  Julv  21,  '65 

Bumstead,  Wm.  F.  "  " 

Brown,  Wm.  March  12,  '64;     " 

Brown,  Daniel  L.   "  23,  "         " 

Campbell,  Benjamin  F.  Dec.  30, '63 

Clark,  Erskine  C. 

Carpenter-  Daniel  March  12,  '64; 

Fessenden,  George  N.  Sep.  19,  '63: 

Grover,  Stephen  K.  Dec.  30, 

Harvey,  Anson  " 

Merrill,  Wallace  Oct.  14,  '64; 

Mishler,  Daniel       "    26, 


u 


a 


a 


u 


U 

a 

a 


Martin,  William  Sept.  20. 
Nichols,  John  Oct.  26, 
O'Hara,  Martin  Nov.  26, 
Price.  James  K.  Nov.  16, 
Purley.  William  Sep.  20, 
Ricker.  George  Nov.  11, 
Rayhouser,  Messiah  "  16, 
Stuntz,  John   Oct.  14, 
Snyder,    Philip   Nov.  16, 
Sneckenberger,  John  " 
Shell,  John 

Turner,  Francis  April  28, 
Titus,  Horace  W.  Dec.  30,'63; 
Teeple,  Charles  B.      " 


a 

a 
a 
a 
a 

a 
a 


.. 
a 
a 

a 

.. 

Li 

a 

a 
a 
a 


a 


drafted, 
substitute. 
June  18,  '6b;   drafted. 
"  "     substitute. 

Never  reported  to  company;  substir. 
Mustered  out  July  21,  '65;  drafted. 
June  18, 
July  21 . 


a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

u 


(C 

a 

a 
a 
a 

a 
a 
a 
a 
a 


a 
a 


a 
a 
a 
a 


it  it 

u  u 


a  a 


U  (..  Li 

a 


substitute, 
drafted. 

ll 


MILITRAY    RECORD.  345 

Tinkham  Lorenzo  Nov.  16,  '64;  Mustered  out  June  18, '65;  drafted. 

Wise,   Barnard   Dec.    30,  '63; 

Wilson,  Milton  H.  Mar.  12,  '64; 

Warden,  Charles  G.  Dec.  30/63;     " 

Wantzel,  John  Nov.  23,  '64; 

Whitmer,  Adam  Oct,  14,    " 

Winnegar,  George  "  27,    " 

Wolf,  Samuel  Nov.  16 

Wilson,  Isaac 

Ward,  Philip  J.      "  "  "  June  25,  '65;  ' 

COMPANY  "I." 

RECRUITS. 

Arbite  Henry   Feb.  19,'64;  Mustered  out  July  21, '65 ;  drafted. 
Coleman,  Benj.  F.  Jan.  9,  "  "  June  18,   "       as  Serg't. 

Cross,  Dallas  P.  Feb.  18,"  *  "         "     "  as  Corporal. 

Fradenburg,  Spencer  Feb.  27,'64;  "  July  21.  " 

Richards,  Clark  R.  Sept.   12  '63; "  "  " 

COMPANY  "K." 

Leslie,  John  H.  Dec.  16, '63.   Mustered  out  July  21,  '65. 
Pyle.  Abraham  C.  Aug.  20,  '63;     "  "  " 


FORTY-FOURTH   REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "A." 
Crow,  John  T.  Nov.  22,  '61;  Vet.;  mustered  out  Sept.  14,  f6^. 

COMPANY  "H." 
Elya,  Orson  Nov.  22, '61;  Discharged. 


THIRD  CAVALRY— (FORTY-FIFTH)  REGIMENT. 

Brusie,  Luther  Oct.  22, '61;  Ass't  Surg.;   resigned  Nov.    29,  '62. 


FORTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 

Collins,  Samuel  B.  March  16,  '64;  Recruit;  must,  out  June  14,'65. 
Gaddis,   John   W.    Jan.   3,  ••  ••  v     July  15,   •• 


346  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

COMPANY  "C' 

Brand,  Nelson  S.  Dec.  24,  '61:  1st  Sergeant;   promoted  2d  Lieut. 
Chambers.  George  N.     ••  Vet.;  must,  out  July  15,'65;  Serg. 

Richards,    Daniel   Oct.   8, '62;  Mustered  out  July  15. '65. 
Waxham,  Alfred  Dec.  24,  '61;  Died  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  APr-  27/62! 

COMPANY  "D." 

Falk,  Charles  Jan.  1,  '62;   1st  Serg.;  promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 
Smith,  Charles  L.   "  SergV.  died,  St.  Louis,  Mo..  July  15. '68 

Austin,  Alexander  B.   "  "       promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 

CORPORALS. 

Squier,  Edwin  V.  Jan.  1,  '62;  Vet.;  mus.  out  July  15,  '^<r>.  Sergeant 

Warner,  Willard 

Johnson.   Andrew 

Winch,  Flavius  J. 

Haradon,  Charles  W. 

Walker,  Frank 

York,  John 


Died  at  Evansville,  Aug.  8.  '62. 
Killed  at  Corinth.   Oct.  4, 
Musician;  deserted  Sept.  '63. 
Wagoner;  Vet.  mus.  out  July  15, 'I 


c 
PRIVATES. 


Brinkerhoff.  Herman  C.     Feb.  1,'62;  Died  May  17,63:  wou'd  rec. 

Champion's  Hill. 
Brown.  Elijah  B.  Feb.  11,  '62:  Died,  Memphis,  Aug.  7. '•)->.  woud's. 
Clark,    Lewis   Jan.   1,         »     Trans,  to  V.  R.  C.  Nov.  22.  'i^. 
Craig,  Abel  M.    ••  30,        »     Died,  Paducah,  Ky.,  March  1.  '62. 
Fogus,  Abram      ••     1,        ■■     Discharged  Feb.  23,  '63. 
Francis,  Nath'l     ••  27,        »     Trans,  to  V.  R.  C.  Nov.  22,  '63. 
Frame,  Noah    Feb.  10,        ••     Vet.;  mus.  out  July  15, '65.  as  Corp'L 
Hutchinson,  Jno.  R.  Jan.  1,  62:  Discharged. 

Loomis.  Chauncey  ■•  Vet.;  dis.  Aug.  21, '64;  disability. 

McCormick,  William  ■•  Discharged  March  18,  ?63* 

Merrill,  Alonzo  -  Trs.  to  V.  R.  C,  Nov.  22,  '&■). 

Nick,  Jacob  ••  Killed  at  Iuka,  Sept.  19,  '62. 

Robinson,  William  ••  Vet.;  must,  out  July  15, '65. 

Scott,  Zimri  ••  Died  at  home  Jan.  1,  '62. 

Skead,  McDonald  ••  Vet.;  mus.  out  July  15,  ^-'i. 

Shead,  George  W. 

Smith,  Charles  R.  Feb.  1,  '62;  Discharged  Aug.  8,  '62. 
Spang,    Joseph     Jan.    1,   '62;  Vet.;  must,  out  July  15,  'I 
Stock  dale,  William 
Tappan,  Julius  C.  ••  ■•     disch.  May  26, '65;  disability. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


347 


Taylor,    Henry    Jan    20,   '62;  Killed  at  Iuka,  Miss.,  Sept,  19, '62. 
Teeter,  Ren  wick  Jan.  27,     ••     Vet.;  must.  July  15,  '65,  as  Serg't. 


Teeter,  Philip  F.  Feb.  17, 
Teeter,  William  •■  19, 
Teeter,  Walter  Jan.  27, 
Warner,  Cyprian]G.  Jan.  1 
Warner,  James  Harvey  " 
Welch,  Josiah 
West,  Ebenezer  C.  Jan.  20. 


Killed  at  Iuka,  Miss.,  Sept.  19,  '62. 

Discharged  May  — ,  '63. 

Died,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  July  22/63. 

Trs.  to  V.  R.  C.  Sept.  —'63. 

Discharged  Jan.  25,  '63. 

Died  on  hospital  boat,  June  27,  '63. 

Discharged  Jan.  21,  '63. 

RECRUITS. 

Burgland,  Oiof  March  18,  '64;  Must,  out  July  15,  '65,  princ.  Musi. 
Brewer,  John  W.  Feb.  24,   ••  ■•  ■•  ••  Corporal, 

Hews,  William  H.  Oct.  6,  '62; 
Johnson,  Andrew  Mar.  IS. '64; 

OFFICERS. 

Tompkins  Higday,     :  Additional  Assistant  Surgeon. 

Daniel  Crumpacker,  Dec.  24,  '61;  Captain,  resigned  July  9,  '62. 
Orson    Wilson,  Jan.    1,  '62;   Captain,  resigned  Jan.  22,  '63. 
Derrick  Brinkerhoff,     ••  2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Cap.:  res.  ■ 

July  22,  '63. 
Jasper  Packard,  ••         1st      ••       Co.  D.,  prom.  Capt.  Co.  B., 

and  Lieutenant  Colonel  128th  Regiment. 
Peter  J.  Howe,  May  20,'65;  1st  Lieut.;    must,  out  with  Regiment. 
Alexander  B.  Austin,  May  1, '64;   ••         Co.  D.,  pro.  Capt.  Co.  C; 

mustered  out  with  Regiment. 
Alvah  H.  Palmer,  Dec.  17, '64;      •■         must'd  out  with  Regiment. 
Nelson  S.  Brand,  July  21,  '62;  2d  Lieut;    resigned  Dec.   10,  62. 
Charles  Falk,  ;  2d  Lieut.;  died  wounds,  received  at  Corinth, 


FIFTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERYICE. 

COMPANY  "D." 


RECURITS. 


Albert,  Martin  G.,  Oct.  21, '64;  Discharged  June  25,  '6^. 


Cramer,  Jonathan 
Chase,  John  H. 
Coleman,  Stephen 
Cusick,  David 
Freese,  William 


Mustered  out 


348 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


German.  John  W.  Oct.  21/64;     Discharged  July  25,  '65  :  drafted. 

Ht?gg,  Eli  ••  ••         June 

Helminger.  Philip  ••  ••         July 

Kreighbaum.  Andrew        ■•  June 

Miser.  John 

McDuffie,  Henson  •■  ••         July 

Me?ssersinith,  Ephraim 

Ryan,  Joseph  ••  June 

Roning.  Abraham 

Rilev,  iibsalom 

Rice,  Francis  A. 

Strohecker.  Ada:.i 

Tavlor,  Jerrod 

t. 

Warner,  William 

COMPANY  "F." 

Hindman.  James  Oct.  21,  '64:   Mustered  out  July  6,  '65. 

Steele.  Eli  ••  ••  ••       2~>,   •■ 


FIFTY-NINTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "G." 

RECRUITS. 

.  Bennett.  Samuel  Feb.  15,  '65;  Mustered  out  July  17.  '65;  drafted. 

Chambers,  Elias   Dec.  9,  '64: 
Dawson.  George 
Gallegan,  Joseph  H.Jan.  21.- • 
Rebstock,  Samuel 

COMPANY  "H." 

McLaughlin,  Andrew  April  30,  '<>-:    Vet.;  must,  out  July  IT.  '65, 

RECRUITS. 

Baker,  Warren.    March  lo,   64;   Mustered  out  July  IT.  '65. 
Davis,  Samuel  D.  April  28,  '62;  Mustered  out  July  1T.  '65. 
Heldrith.  Daniel  March  15, '64; 
Pease,  Charles  B.  ••  ••  ••  •■    Serg't. 

COMPANY   "K." 

RECRUIT^. 

Blessing.  Lewis  Jan.  6,  '65;  Mustered  out  July  17.  "6v>:  substitute. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


349 


Dawson,  George  Dec.  9,'64;   Mustered  out  July  17,  '65;  drafted. 

Lunday,  Frederick 

Mc  Gee,  Elisha  --'62: 

John  E.  Simpson,  April  27, '62;   Cap.:  pro.  Maj.:  raus.  out  with  Rg. 


SEVENRY-THIRD  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "A." 

Johann,  Peter  Aug.  16,  '62;   Mustered  out  July  1,  '$5. 

COMPANY  "B." 

Monday,  John  W.  Aug.  16/62;   1st  Serg.;  pro.  2d  Lieutenant. 
Penwell,  Lewis  T.  •■  Serg't;  mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

Boyee,  Lourine  S.  ••  ■•     dis.  Nov.  29, '92;  disability. 

Kierstead,  James  II.  •■  ■■     promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 

CORPORALS. 

Hoover,  George  Aug.  16,  '62;  Mus'erd  out  July  1,  '65,  as  private. 


Powell,  Walter 
Frazier,  Thomas 
Bentz,  Frank 
Graham,  Charles  E. 
Walker,  Obadiah 
Wells,  Americus 
Wells,  Hannibal 
Mix,  Elon 


Sergeant. 
Died,  Cincinnati,  0.,  Jan  — ,  '63. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 
Des'ted,  Columbia,  Ky.,  Oct.  25,'62. 
Mus.  out  July  1,'65,  as  1st  Sergeant. 
Mus'n ;  discharged  June  9,  '63. 

died,  Louisville,  Aug.  26, '62. 
Wag.;  died,  New  Albany,  Ind., — '62. 


PRIVATES. 


Ballou,  Ambrose  Aug.  16, '62;  Died,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  20, "63. 


Beuford,  William 
Berkstahler,  August 
Bogardus,  William  B. 
Bo  wen,  Alexander 
Bowen,  Benton 
Briggs,  Francis  W. 
Burlet,  Joseph  A. 
Cassaday,  William  L. 
Clark,  Horace 
Colman,  John 
Coll  or,  Henry 
Coll  or.  Luther 


Feb.  9,  '63. 
Discharged  March  27,  '63. 
Trans,  to  V.  R.  C.  Oct.  30,  '63. 
Must,  out  July  1,  '65,  as  Corporal. 
Discharged  March  27,  '63. 
Discharged  Jan.  2,  '63. 

April  22,  '63. 

Nov.  4,  '62. 
Must,  out  July  1,'65. 

as  Corporal. 
Died,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  11,  '62. 


350 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 


Cooper,  William  Aug.  16. 
Coppock,  Nathan  W. 
Cornelius,  Ephriam  C.    ■• 

Gro«s,  James 
Davidson,  Giles 
Drown,  John  W. 
Dolph,  David 
East  n,  William  P. 
Fields,  Lorenzo 
Frazier,  Milton  E. 
Freeze,  Christopher 
Harris,  Levitus 
Havnes,  Francis  D. 
Huntley,  Henry  E. 
Jeffreys,  John 
Jennison,  Charles 
Josling,  Henry 
Kanible,  Charles  F. 
Lamb,  Orrin  C. 
Lamb,  Jonathan  E. 
Lav,  Sebastian 
Lee,  William  S. 
Leanland,  Victor  W. 
Lenhart,  Elias 
Lucher,  Samuel 
Manderville,  Daniel  B.  •• 
Marble,  Miner  S. 
Moore,  Samuel 
Mott.  Alva 
McMellen.  Matthew 
0' Brian.  James 
Olin,  Clifford 
Oliver,  Albert 
Phillips,  Christian 
Perry,  Edward  I. 
Rodgers,  Willard  D.  S." 
Seymore,  Mortimer 
Shade,  William 
Sherman.  George 
Sherwood,  Albert 
Shultz,  Henry 
Stanton.  Judah  L. 


'62;  Discharged  Oct.  26,  '63. 
Discharged  Nov.  — ,  '62. 
Died,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Aug.  12,'63. 
Discharged  July  4,  '64. 
Died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn.,  Dec.  l4,'62. 
Des.  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  Feb.  10,  '68. 
Died,  Murfreesboro,  T.,  Apr.  15, '63. 
Died,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Apr.  14,  '68. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 
Discharged  Feb.  28.  '63. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 


Discharged  Dec.  26,  '68. 

Des.  at  La  Porte,  Ind.,  June  16,  '63. 

Trans,  to  Y.  R.  C,  June  30,  '63. 

Must,  out  July  1,'65,  as  Com.  Sersf  t. 


Mustered  out  July  1,  '*i">. 
Discharged  Nov.  19,  '62. 
Mustered  out  July  1.  '65. 
Died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn.,  Dec.  24.  '62. 
Des.  at  Lexington.  Ky.,  Sep.  1.  '62. 
Discharged  Jan.  13,  '63. 
Mustered  out  July  11.  '65. 

1,  ••  -  Corp'l. 
Des.  Oct.  25/62;  retur.  March  3,'64. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

Trans,  to  V.  R.  C.  Dec.  8,  '63. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '<>•"). 
Discharged  Jan.  21.  '64. 

Nov.  2D,  '62. 

Feb.  15,  '64. 

Died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn.,  Feb.  24,  '63. 

*  •  ••  ••  • • 

Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

mm  •  •  •  • 

Discharged  March  3,  '63. 


MILITARY    RECORD.  353 

Styles,  Hezekiah  Aug.  16. '62;  Died  at  Triana,  Ala.,  Oct.  IT,  '64. 

Stotts,  Mayze  ••  Died,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Feb.  16,  '63. 

Smith,  Alvin  H.  ■•  Discharged  July  22,  '63. 

Warner,  Croyden  ••  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

WaXwin,  Walter  A.  ■■  Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  7,  '62. 

Western,  Charles  B.  ■•  Must'd  out  July  1,  '65,  as  Sergeant. 

Westbrook,  Frederick  *■  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

White,  Benjamin  S. 

Williams,  Isaiah  ■•  •■  11,  •'• 

Winchell,  Ralph  ••  Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  8, '63. 

Zimmerman,  Jacob  "  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

Zell,  Frederick  J.  ••  Discharged. 

RECRUITS. 

Boyce,  Laurin  S.  Feb.  11,  '64;  Transf.  to  29th  Regt.,  July  1,  '65. 
Dixon,  Jacob  Oct.   7,  " 

Hawley,  Price  W.  Feb.  11,  •■ 
York,  Robert  J.  June  20,'63; 
Young,  Philip  L.  Mar.  18,'64 ; 

COMPANY  "C." 

Steele,  Austin  Aug.  16,  '62;  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

COMPANY  "K." 

Reynolds,  William  Aug.  16,'62;  1st  Sergt.,   promoted  1st  Lieut. 

SERGEANTS. 

Fairchild,  Ezra  Aug.  16,  '62;  Trans.  V.  R.  C,  Oct.  4,  '63. 
Harding,  Benjamin        •■  Discharged  May  20,  '63. 

Reynolds,  Silas  H.        ••  ••  ••    15,  '65. 

Denny,  Joseph  ••  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

CORPORALS. 

Halhday,  William  Aug.  16,'62;  Discharged  April  3,  '63. 

Weston,  Carey  I.  •■  Killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31, '62. 

Hammond,  John  E.  ••  Trs.  Miss.  Mar.  Brig.,  Mar.  25,'63. 

Beatty,  Sidney  ••  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

Kilburn,  Henry  ••  ■■  ••  ■•    as  Sergt. 

Clark,  Jonathan  D.  ••  Died  Huntsville,  Ala.,  Nov.  26, '64. 

Culver,  John  A.  ■•  Died  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  12,'62. 

Linza,  Andrew  J.  r  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

Swinney,  Charles  ••  Mus'n;  kil'd,  Perrysville  Oct.  8, '62 

Jernegan,  Edward  ■■  ••       discharged  March  19,  '63. 

Peck,  Miles  W.  r  Wagoner;  killed  at  Stone  River. 


350 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


PRIVATES. 


Allen,  Hiram  F.  Aug.  16, '62 

Augustine,  Christian 

Bales,  Thomas  C. 

Barnard,  Job 

Behan,  Robert 

Bennett.  Hiram  M. 

Bird,  Henry 

Boothe,  George 

Bowen,  James 

Cope,  James 

Carr,  Shannon 

Clement,  William  H. 

Corser,  True 

Corser,  Anthony  B. 

Deeds,  Leroy 

Doing,  James  R. 

Donaldson,  William 

Donnell,  William 

Donnell,  Joseph 

Ferris,  James  J. 

Gibson,  John  W. 

Goodwin,  Clayton  S. 

Gordon,  Galathia 

Halladav.  John  G. 

Hammond,  James  R. 

Harsfield,  James 

Hart,  Franklin  N. 

Hernngton,  Henry  B.    ■■ 

H  err  old,  John 

Houston,  Rufus 

Houston,  John 

Howard,  Thomas 

Jacobus,  John  G. 

Kettle,  James  J. 

Maulsby,  Clark  F. 

McAulife,  Michael 

McFadden.  August 

McNeil,  Joseph 

Myers,  Charles 

Myers,  Frederick 

Neville,  John 


i  Died  at  Silver  Springs,  Nov.  19, '62. 
Killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31,  '62. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 
Must,  out  Julv  1,  '65,  as  1st  Serge't, 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Discharged  March  2.  '63. 

Miss'g  Day's  Gap,  Ala.  Apr.  30, '63. 

Must'd  out  July  1,  '65,  as  Corporal. 

Discharged  June  5,  '65:  wounds. 

Discharged  March  2,  '63. 

Miss'g  Day's  Gap,  Ala..  Apr.  30,'63. 

Mustered  out  Julv  1,  '65. 

Died,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  14,  '62. 

Died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn.,  Jan.  8,  '63. 

Must,  out  July  1,  '65;  as  Corporal. 

Discharged  Oct,  29,  '63. 

Must,  out  July  1,  '65,  as  Corporal. 

Mustered  out  Julv  1,  '65. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Dec.  6,  '62. 
Dis.  Oct.  19, '63,  as  Corpr'l;  wounds. 
Discharged  Dec.  29,  '62. 
Discharged   Aug.   11,  '63;  wounds. 
Mustered  out  Julv  1,  '65. 
Discharged  Feb.  16,  '63. 

21,  •• 
Mustered  out  July  1,  f65. 

•  •  •  •  •  ■ 

Discharged  Dec  20,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Julv  1.  '65. 
Died  at  Danville.'  Ky.,  Oct.  24,  '62. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Discharged  Jan.  21.  '63. 
Discharged  Feb.  18,  '63. 
Died  at  Nashville.  Jan.  12,  "63. 
Mustered  out  July  1.  '65. 
Discharged  June  10.  '65. 
Discharged  Aug.  25.  '62. 
Mustered  out  July  1.  '^o. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65,  as  Serg't. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


853 


Perly,    George  Aug.  16,  '65;  Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 
Petro,  John  M. 


Petersdorf,  Julius 
Petersdorf.  Franklin 
Peterson,  William  H. 
Quinn,  Michael 
Quirk,  Thomas 
Reed,  James  V. 
Reynolds,  Thomas 
Reynolds,  John  A. 
Robinson,  Robert  L. 
Romine,  James  A. 
Root,  Hiram  S. 
Shanly,  John 
Shreve,  Franklin  M. 
Smith,  Andrew  J. 
Stephens,  Justice  F.  T. 
Thornton,  Samuel 
Tuttle,  Frederick  H. 
Warren,  Charles 
Webster,  William  Wr. 
Webster,  Amos  G. 
Welch,  James 
Williams,  Clinton 
Williams,  John 
Williams.  John  M. 
Williams,  Harrison  H. 
Williams,  Leander  P. 


Deserted  June  15,  '63. 

Nov.  4,  '62. 
Killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31,  '62. 
Discharged  Feb.  27,  '64. 
Mis'g  in  act'n  Lexington,  Sept.  1,:62. 
Discharged  Feb.  18,  '63. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Jan.  1,  '63. 
Must,  out  July  1,  '65,  as  Corporal, 
Discharged  March  26,  '63. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '6o. 
Died  near  Glasgow,  Kv.,  Nov.  5,  '62. 
Deserted  Feb.  20,  '63. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Dec.  9,  '62. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 
Killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31,  '62. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 
Died  near  Nashville,  Dec.  6,  '62. 
Died  a  tf  Nashville.  March  4,  '63. 
Discharged  April  20,  '63. 
Must'd  out  July  1,  '65,  as  Corporal. 
Transfrd.  to  V.  R.  C,  April  6,  '64. 
Mustered  out  July  1,  f65. 
Deserted  Dec.  1,  '62. 
Must'd  out  July  1,  '6b^  as  Sergeant. 
Must'd  out  July  1,  r65y  as  Corporal. 

••    Q.  M.  Serg't. 

RECRUITS. 


Birt,  John  M.   Oct.  27,  '62 ;   Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

Denham,  William  Mar.  5,  '64;   Trs.  to  29th  Regiment,  July  1,  '65. 

Finch,    Silas    Sept.  21,        -     Mustered  out  July  1,  '65. 

McCray,  James  S.  March  5,"     Trs.  to  29th  Regiment,  July  1,  '65. 

Thornburg,  Orlistus  W.  Mar.  5,'64; 


Williams,  Charles  N. 


OFFICERS. 


Gilbert  Hathaway,  Aug.  22,  '62;  Col.:  killed  in  action,  near  Rome, 

Ga.,  May  2,  '63. 
Ivin  N.  Walker,  ••     16,    ■•     Capt.,  pro.  Major  and  Lieut.  Col.; 

resigned  July  4,  '64,  for  disability. 

23 


354  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Joseph  llagenbuck.  Aug.  16, '62;  2nd  Lieut.,  prom'd  1st  Lieut,  and 

Adj.;  must,  out  with  Regiment. 
John  A.  Frazier,  Feb.  26/63;   Chaplain,  resigned  April  1,  '65. 
Wilson  Pottinger,  March  24/63;   Asst.  Surg.;  resigned  Dec.  24/63 
George  C.  Gladwyn,  Aug.  16/62;   Captain;    resigned  Feb.  5,  '63. 
Theodoric  F.  C.  Dodd,  ••  1st  Lieut.;  promoted  Captain, 

resigned  Nov.  14/63. 
John  W.  Munday,  March  6,  '63;  2d  Lieut,  pro.  1st  Lieut.;  resigned 

May  26,  '65:   cause,  business  affairs. 
James  H.  Kierstead,  May  12,  '64;  2nd  Lieut.,  promoted  1st  Lieut. 

mustered  out  with  Regiment. 
.Albert  A.  Carley,  Feb.  7,  '63;   Captain,   wounded   at   Day's   Gap, 

April  30,  '63;  supposed  to  be  dead. 
Ithamar  D.  Phelps.  Aug.  16. '62;  1st  Lt.  pro.  Cap.;  mus.  out  w.  Rg. 
William  Reynolds.  Feb.  18.  63:  ••     res.  Julv  23/64,  disability. 

John  Butterfield,  Aug.  16,  '62;  2*1     ■•        »  Jan.  9,  '63. 
Leander  P.  Williams,  March  1,  '63;   id  Lieut,  promoted  1st  Lieut.; 

Brevetted  Major;  mustered  out  -\-  ith  Regiment. 


SEVENTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY    ;G." 
Brown,  Horace  H.  Aug.  9,  '62;  Deserted  Sept.  11,  '62. 


FOURTH  CAVALRY  (SEVENTY -SEVENTH)  REGIMENT. 

COMPANY    <E." 
Hazelton,  Sidney  S-,  Jr.  Aug.  8,'62;  Co.  Q.  M.  Ser.;  died  Sep.  1,'63. 

SERGEANT-. 

Hays,  Thomas  W.  Aug.  6, '62;  Promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 
Smith,  George  F.        ••     5    ■■     Discharged  Jan.  15,  '62. 
Collier,  Charles  "     6    "      Mustered  out  June  29,  '6o. 

Dunham,  Edward  A. ••     9    ■■     Died  at  Scottsville,  Ky.,  Dec.  3,  '62. 
Woodley,  Mahlon  B.--     8    ■•     Must,  out  June  29, '65,  as  private. 

CORPORALS. 

Chamberlain,  Sylvester  Aug.  7, '62:   Discharged  Jan.  20,  '63. 
Kell,  Nathan  Aug.  6, '62;  Mustered  out  June  29,  '65,  as  Sergeant. 
Farley,  Henry  C."  8,    ■•         •■  ■•  "  ••private. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


355 


Ray.  James  A.    •• 
Wilson.  John  K." 
Clarkson,  Julius  •■ 
Rhodda,  William*  • 
McBride,  Win.  B- 
Spencer.  Baldon  G. 
Halpin,  William 
Lloyd.  Henry  T. 
Plan.  Eli 


9,  62;  Discharged  Feb.  8, '65. 


9. 
6, 

5, 
6. 


4 


Austin,  Jedediah    Aug. 
Allen,  Erasmus 
Beckman.  Lewis 
Burgwedel,  Herman   ■■ 
Butteriield,  Robert 
Bentz.  Joseph  W. 
Barker,  Levi  M. 
Belden.  Marshall 
Barnard.  Uriah  W.    •• 
Brown,  John  A. 
Coffey,  John 
Conant,  Edwin  R. 
Campbell,  Thomas 
Downing,  David 
Duninnoton.  W.  H.  •• 

err  * 

Delana,  Thomas 
Dunn,  Francis  M. 
Fradenburg,  J  as.  T.  •• 
Freese.  Henry 
Grice,  James  H. 
Harlow,  Theodore  M." 
Hubner,  August.  C.  ■• 
Hite,  Lewis 
Herlihe,  Daniel  F.     ■• 
Hagenbuck,  William  ■• 
Hanson,  Oloff 
Jenkins,  Samuel 
Johnson,  William 
Kull,  Jacob  F. 
Lyon,  Dennis 
Lee,  Elijah  T. 
Lamphier,  Edson  H.  •• 


6 


13 

8 
8 
9 
6 
9 
6 
6 
9 
6 
5 
7 
9 
6 
7 
6 
8 
9 
7 
6 

<-r 
i 

6 
4 
4 

8 


Died  at  Murfreesboro,  Term.,  Feb.  16, '63. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  March  19,'63. 
Bugler;   discharged  March  13,  '62. 

June  8,  '64. 
Farrier  and  blacksmith  ;  dis.  Nov.  12, '62. 

••    May  2,  '65. 
Saddler;  Mustered  out  June  29,  '65. 
Wagoner: 

PRIVATES. 

'62:  Discharged  Dec.  22, '62. 

Mustered  out  June  29,  f65. 

•  •  •  •  « • 

Discharged  Dec.  9,  '62. 
Discharged  Jan.  22,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  '65. 
Died  at  Knoxville,  April  25,  '64. 
Discharged  Feb.  10,  '63. 
Must'd  out  June  29,  '65,  as  Corp'l. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Died  at  Chicago,  111.,  Oct.  31,  '64. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  J6fy. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Killed  near  Knoville,  Aug.  14,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  '65. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Deserted  Oct.  29,  '62. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  '65. 


9. 

6, 
6, 
9 


••as  Corp'l. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Trans,  to  V.  R.  C,  Feb.  16,  '64. 
Killed,  Mt.  Wash'n,  Ky.  Oct.  2,'62. 
Died,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Feb.  27,  '65. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  '65^  as  Corp. 


"  blacksmith. 


HISTORY  OK   1,A  !»ok'n;  COUNTS. 


Muck,  Joseph      Aug.   8,  '62 
Marsden,  Wm.  H.  6,   " 

KcKinney,  Henry 
Ott,  Jacob 
Peabody,  Wm.  F. 
Reynolds,  Elisha  B. 
Riley.  Isaac 
Rice,  Augustus  A . 
Sawver,  Isaac 
Sawver.  Horace 
Sheldon,  Joshua  W. 
Seekamp,  Herman  H 
Shreves.  Cyrus  D. 
Tulev,  David 
Taggart,  Eugene  T. 
Vannote,  James  L. 
Witt,  Isaac 
Waggoner.  Milton 
Walton,  Albert  J. 
Wilson,  Weslev  W. 
Wilbraham,  Jo.  W. 
Willard,  Henry  H. 
Walkerton,  Chas.  G. 
Wilbraham,  Wm. 
Wood,  Edgar  J. 
Zenor,  Melville  C. 


8, 

9, 
10, 

9, 

•'• 
6, 


9, 
5, 

9, 

9, 

9, 

1, 
13, 

4, 

1, 


Must  out  June  -!'.  '65,  as  Sergeant. 
Discharged  Nov.  28,  '63. 
Transf'dto  V.  R.  C.  Sept.  20,  '63. 
Must'd  out  June  -(.».  '65,  as  Corp'l. 
Killed  at  Rutherford  Creek.  '63. 
Discharged  Nov.  14.  '62. 
Discharged  Nov.  28,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  li-1.  '65. 

as  i  torpT. 

Discharged  Nov.  1 1.  '62. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  '65. 

••as  Serg't. 


Died  Bowling  Green.  Kv.  Oc.  21,'62 
Transferred,  V.  R.  C.  Jan.  15,  '64. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  '65. 

Discharged  June  — .  '65. 

•  Killed,  Mt.  Washington.  Oct.  L,'62. 
Mustered  out  June  29,  '65. 

•  Transfd  to  V.  R.  C,  Sept.  21   '63. 

May   i.  '64. 

OFFICERS. 

Nathan  Earlywine  Aug.  12.'«)i):   Capt.,  pro.  Major,  res.  for  good  of 

-   rvice,  Mar.  26/63. 
Wm.  A.  Woodward.  ••  IstLt.,  pro.  Cap.;  res.  Apr.  29/63 

Gilbert  H.  Kneeland,  Sept.  5/62;  2d   ■;     ■•       ■■     mus.  out  with  Rg. 

Sidney  S.  Hazelton, "     "   died  Sept.   !.'  63. 

Thomas  W.  Hays,  May  1,  '04:     •■     •■  must'd  out  with    Regiment. 


9 


EIGHTY-THIRD  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERYICE. 

COMPANY   -K.-- 

Lynch,  Owen  Oct  7,  '64:   Trans.  48th  Re^.,  May  30,  '65;   drafted. 
Ludwig,  Charles     •• 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


357 


COMPANY  "F." 
McGrah,  John  Oct.  19,  '64;  Mustered  out  Aug.  14,'65;  substitute. 

COMPANY  "K." 

RECRUITS. 

Compton,  Gilbert  Oct.  20,  '64. 

Garner,  David  ■     •■ 

Graffis,  Abraham  Oct.  17,  Transf.  to  48th  Regt.,  June  1,  '65. 

"  V.  R.  C,  May  31,  '65. 

••  48th  Regt.,  June  1,  '65. 


Harrington,  Enos   " 

20. 

Pixter,  Peter 

20. 

Snyder.  William 

18, 

Snivel  \\  Daniel  V.  •■ 

20, 

Stiver,  Aaron 

20, 

Stiver,  John  J. 

20, 

Silence,  James 

18, 

Velilen,  Peter 

20, 

Yawky,  John 

20. 

Yarin,  John 

•     20, 

Died,  Jeffersonville,  Ind.  Jan.  14/65 
Transf  d  to  48th  Regt.,  June  1,  '65. 


EIGHTY-SEVENTH  REGIMENT  -THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "A." 

BIymer,  Wra.  S.  Sept.  19,  '63;   Transf  d  to  42d  Regt.  June  9,  '65. 

COMPANY  "B." 
Cole,  Nelson  V.  Sept.  19,'63;  Transf  d  to  42nd  Regt.  June  9,  '65. 

COMPANY  -'C." 
Bloker,  John  H.   Sept,  19,  '63;   Recruit ;  trs.  to  42d  Rg.  June  9,'65 

COMPANY  "D." 

Grooms,  Benjamin  Oct.  28, '64;  Recruit;  trs.  to42d  Rg.  June  9,'65. 
Grooms,  James 

COMPANY  "E." 

Ackley,  Jacob,  Sept,  19,  '63:  Transferred  to  42d  Reg.  June  9, '65. 
Wills,  Philip  H. 

COMPANY  "F." 

YanAnkin.  Charles  Sept,  19/63;  Transf.  to  42d  Regt.  June  9,  '65. 


358 


HISTORY  01    LA  PROTE  COUNTY. 


COMPANY  "G." 


Harding  Solomon  E.  Aug. 
Stockman,  Isaac  S. 
Dowd,  John  H. 
Harding,  Thomas  D. 

Dunham,  George  A.  Aug. 
Scholts,  David 
Dudley,  Henry  H. 
Miller,  Jacob  V. 
Sales,  Thomas  A. 
Burden,  James 
Hooten  Benjamin  F. 
Culp,  Johnson  W. 
Closser,  Jerome  B. 

Berget,  Charles  Aug.  31, 
Billman.  William 
Baker,  Henry 
Casgriff,  Arthur 
Croll,  August 
Cherry,  Joseph 
Cole,  Andrew 
Cannel,  John  F. 
Cloper,  Joseph  A. 
Chronister,  Joseph  A. 
Campbell,  Charles 
Cruzan,  William 
Cornell.  Charles 
Dunn.  Henry 
Day.  Alden  E. 
Dauphin.  Nicholas 
Dudlev.  Milton 
Davis.  Jamea  II. 
Fogle,  Jacob  R. 
Fisher.  Thomas 
Fessenden,  Major 
Gilfoyle,  Michael 
Garner,  John 
Graves,  William  H. 
Jacobus,  Andrew  J. 


31/62 ;  1st  Seg.;  kil'd.  Chicm.  Sep.  20. 

Serg't;    discharged  Nov.    3,  '63. 

must,  out  June  10,  '65. 

discharged  Nov.   L3,  '63. 

OOKPOBAIiS. 

31/62  :  Died,  Manchester,  Ten.  July  4,'63 
Died  at  LaPorte,  Ind.  Dec.  7,'63. 
Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 
Discharged  March  20.  '63. 
Discharged  April  29,  '6^. 
Hied,  Tunnel  Hill,  Ga.  Dec.  9,'62. 
Music.;  died,  Indi'lis,  July  15/63. 

discharged  July  30,  '63. 
Wagoner:         "  Jan.  29,  '63. 

PRIVATES. 

62;  Must,  out  June  10/05.  as  Corporal. 
Discharged. 

Killed  at   Chicamauga,  Sept.  19,  '63. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  Feb.  18,  '64. 
Discharged  March  IT.  '63. 
Died,  Richmond  prison,  Va.  Jan. — '64. 
Died,  Chattanooga,  Tenn.  Sep.  30/63. 
Must,  out  June  10,  '65,  as  1st  Serg't. 
Trs.  to  V.  li.  C;  must,  out  June  ;5(». 
Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  March  17,'63. 
Discharged  Feb.  2,  '63. 
Discharged  Feb.  28,  '63. 


Discharged  -Jan.  20,  '63. 

Died  ar  Stevenson,  Ala..  .Jan.  30,  '64. 

Must'd  out  June  10,  '65.  a<  Corporal. 

Discharged  Dec.  0.  '62. 

Mustered  out  June  10,  '05. 

Discharged  Nov.  24.    62. 

Discharged  Jan.  17.  '63. 

Killed,  Chattanooga,  Ten.,  Nov.  25,< 

Discharged  Feb.  1,  '63. 

Killed    at    Chicamauga.  Sept.  19,  '63. 

Discharged  duly  27.  '63. 


Discharged  Jan.  1\ 


'63. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


859 


Jones,  Adam  B.  Aug.  31, '62; 

Jones,  Aaron  S. 
Lightfoot,  Enoch 
Lightfoot,  Eli  H. 
Moore,  Robert 
McNeal,  Isaac  "  • 

Moore.  Thomas 
Montgomery,  Thomas  •• 
Moffit.  Ephraim 
McDonald,  Ebenezer  " 
Powers,  Lewis 
Prince,  Lyman 
Pointer.  William 
Pointer,   Thomas 
Rody,  John 
Rogers,  Amos 
Roach,  Michael 
Rice,  George 
Siddles,  John  A. 
Smootzer,  Charles 
Sharp,  Benjamin 
Stark.  John 
Urquhart,  George 
Vantassel,  Alonzo 
Van  tassel,  Andrew 
Warburton,  Peter 
Warmer,  Orv 
Young,  Martin 
Ames,  James  S. 
Burgett,  Philip 
Miller,  Jacob  V. 


Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

Mus.  out  June  10, '65 ;  absent,  no  leave. 

Died  at  Stevenson,  Ala.,  Oct.  10,  '63. 

Discharged  March  20,  '63. 

Mustered  out  June  16.  '65. 

Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Jan.  2,  '64. 

Discharged  Jan.  25,  '63. 

Mustered  out  June  10.  65. 

Died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn...  Jan.  25.  '63. 

Discharged  Feb.  20.  '63. 


Died  at  Chattanooga,  Nov.  lo!    6? 


;  •> 


&""> 


••     -     Gallatin,  Tenn.  Dec.  10,  '62. 
Killed  at   Chicamauga,   Sept.  20.  '63, 
Died  at  Chattanooga,  Ten.  Dec.  3, '63. 
Killed  at  Chicamauga,  Sept.  20,  '63. 
Trans,  to  Vet.  Engineer  Corps. 
Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

•  •  •  •  *  ■ 

Died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Nov.  20,  '64. 

Died  at  Chattanooga,  Sept.  25,  '63. 

Died  at  Louisville,  Kv.,  Dec.  7,  '62. 

Deserted  Oct.  6,  '62. 

Discharged  July  13,  '64. 

Must,  out  June  10,  '65,  as  Corporal.. 

Discharged  Dec.  IT,  '62. 

Killed  at   Chicamauga,  Sept.  29,  '63. 

Trs.  to  Marine  Brigade,  April  22,  '64. 

Mustered  out  June  10,  '(of). 

Recruit;  trs.  42d  Reg.  June  9,'65;  sub. 

Died,  Lookout  Mountain,  Aug.  28, '64.. 


COMPANY  "H." 

Selleck,  John  E.  Aug.  31'62;  1st  Sergeant,  pro.  2d  Lieutenant. 


Logan,  Albert  C. 
Loomis,  Henry  B. 
Martin,  Alexander  A. 
Weed,  Chancellor 
Brown,  Henry  C. 

10,  '65,  as  Serg. 
Way,  Ira 
Post;  n,  John  A. 


Sergeant,  pro.  1st  Lieutenant. 

discharged  Jan.  10,  '63. 
Corp.;  transferred  to  V.  R.  C. 

••  ••  ••  •• 

Arm  amputated:  mus.  out  June 

Must'd  out  June  6,  '65,  as  1st  Serg't. 
••     discharged  Dec.  20,  '62. 


360 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PROTE  COUNTY. 


Allen.    Silas    Aug. 
Ash.  James  G. 

Blackman.  Homer  0. 
Blodgett.  Henrv  H. 
Bryson,  Ephraim  M. 

Carpenter.  Leonard 

Carpenter.  Emory 
Outlines  John  B. 
Ewinoj.  William  A. 
Fierce.   Henry 
Fierce.  William  W. 
Finch,  Eddv  S. 
Fletcher.  Franklin 
Gee,  John  F. 
Hall.  Charles  H.  G. 
Hass,  William 
Harsen,  Sylvester  D. 
Jones,  John  M. 
Linard.  Daniel  J. 
Lynch.  Webster 
Mahanny,  Daniel 
Manderville,  Ab.  C. 
Miller.  Wm.  S. 
Neihardt,  William 
Nelson,  Isaac  X. 
O'Brien,  James 
Pierson,  James  W. 
Pitcher.  Alonzo 
Posten,  Elias  B. 
Pratt.  Eugene  A. 
Richards,  Orrin  M. 
Schermerhorn,  J.  C. 
Taylor.  John  S. 
Titus.  Xelson  J. 
Weed,  Pope  C. 
Wellman,  Wilson  R. 
Wilson,  Jonathan  H. 
Willis,  William  C. 
Woolev.  Samuel 
Young,  Andrew 


PRIVATE-. 

31,  "02:   Mustered  out  June  10.  '65,  as  Serg't. 
Discharged  Januarv  6,  '64. 
Transf.  to  Eng'r  Corps,  July  2'.',  '64. 
Died.  Nashville.  Term.,  March  31,'63 
Must'd  out  June  10,  '65,  as  Corporal. 
Discharged  Feh.  18,  '63. 
Discharged  Jan.  27.  '63. 
Promoted  Captain  Company  "I." 
Dropped  as  a  deserter. 
Trans.  V.  R.  C;  mus.  out  June  29/65. 
Discharged. 

Mustered  out  June  10.  '65. 
Discharged  Jan.  22,  '63. 
Discharged  Feb.  27.    •■ 
Died  at  Louisville.  Kv..  Oct.   2.  '63. 
Discharged  Feb.  22.  '63. 
Discharged. 

Mustered  out  June  13,  '65. 

••  15,  *• 

••  10.  ••  hosp.  stew'd 
Discharged  Feb.  17.  "6o. 
Discharged  March  29,  '65,  wounds. 
Died.  South  Tunnel,  Ten.  Nov.  19,'62. 
Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 
Transf.  to  Eng'r  Corps,  July  24.  '64. 
Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

as  Corporal. 
Died,  Chattanooga.  Ten.  (Jet.  11.  '63 
Mustered  out  June  1<>.  '65. 
Killed  at  Chicamauga.  Sept.  19,  '63. 
Discharged  Feb.  x.  '63. 
Dropped  as  a  deserter. 
Discharged  Feb.  19,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  10.  '<»•">. 
Trs.  to  V.  R.  C;  must,  out  July  7,  "• 
Discharged  Dec.  28,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

•  *  •  •  •  • 

Discharged  Feb.  15,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 


MILITKAY    RKCORI). 


B61 


64. 

65. 


RECRUITS. 

Big,  John  Dec.  30,  '63;   Transf.  to  42d  Regt.,  June  9,  '65. 

Brooks,  Jacob      ••  Died  ar  Chattanooga,  Tenn..  Feb.  IT, 

Burnstead,  Wm.  T.  Dee.  30/63;  Transf.  to  42d  Reg.,  June  9, 

Brown,  William    March  12,  '64: 

Brown,  Daniel  L. 

Campbell.  Benjamin  F.  Dec.  30,'63;  ■■• 

Clark,  Erskine  C. 

Carpenter.  Daniel    March  12/64: 

Dennison.  George  S.  Sept.  L9/63; 

Fessenden,  George  M.  Dec.  30/63;    ■■ 

Fessenden.  HarrisoD  C.  Sep.  19,  ■• 

Grover,  Stephen  K.    Dec.  30,      ■■■      ••  ■•  ••         10 

Green,  Thomas :    Mu  tered  out  Aug.  1,  '65. 

Harvey.  Anson  Dec.  30/63;   Transf.  to  42d  Regt,  June  9,  '65. 

McKilven.  William  Sept.  24.  "62:   Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

Morris.  Morton  P.  Sept.  12.    ■■ 

Teeple.  Charles  B.  Dec.  30,  '63;   Transf.  to  42d  Reg.,  July  9,  '65. 

Turner,  Francis 

Titus.  Horace  W.  April  8,  '04;   Trs.  to  42d  Reg.  June  9/65,  draft' d 

Wise,  Bernard  Dec.  30/63; 

Worden,  Charles  G.  Dec.  30/63;   Mustered  out  Aug.  18,  r65. 

Wilson.  Milden  H.  March  12/64;  Trsf.  to  42d  Reg't,  June  9,  '65. 

COMPANY  "I." 

Billings,  Elihu  M.  Sept.  12/62;  1st  Serg.;  died,  Danville,  Dc.  6/63 
McCollum.  Dewitt  C.        •■  Serg.:  pro.  1st  Lieut,  Co.  "A." 

McCasky.  Isaac  W.  ••  ■■     discharged,  wounds. 

Fox,  George  G.  P.  M.      •••  ••     mus.  out  June  10/65,  Is  Srg. 

Root,  Edward 

CORPORALS. 

Robinson,  Asa  S.  Sep.  12/62. 


discharged  Jan.  2,  '63. 


Lowe,  William  F. 
Sabin,  Orlando  W. 
Learn,  William 
Johnson,  Samuel  V. 
Allen,  William  C. 
Copelin,  James 
Bear,  Benjamin  E. 
Wilkinson,  Clinton  C. 
McNally,  Silas 
Christeon,  Abram 


Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

Died  at  Chattanooga,  Ten.  Nov.  2/63. 

Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

Discharged  Jan.  20,  '63.    . 

Must,  out  June  10,  '65,  as  Sergeant. 

Discharged  April  1,  '63. 

Trs.  V.  R.  C;  mus.  out  June  10/65. 

Music' n;  discharged  May  1,  '63. 

trsf.  to  V.  R.  C.  Aprtl  28/64. 
Wagoner;  must,  out  June  10,  '65. 


362 


HISTORY  "1-    J. A  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Armstrong,  J.  W.  Sep. 
Carr,  Sanford 
Carr,  Smith 
Caler,  Peter 
Craig,  Or rin 
Crawley.  James 
Crosby,  Lyman  B. 
Heald,  George  F. 
Homer,  Isaac 
Irwin,  James 
Johnson.  William 
Jones.   Calvin 
Jones,  Erwin  M. 
Kelly,  Thomas 
Lane,  Alonzo 
Lienen,  John 
Lowe.  Lewis  M. 
Long,  Wright 
Lyons,  Jerome 
Maple.  Benjamin 
Mason.  Asa  C. 
Matsol,  Jacob 
Martin,  Henry 
McClellan,  Hiram  M. 
Mead,  William  H. 
.Mills,  Daniel  S. 
Morris,  Morton  P. 
Mayer.  <  'harles  H. 
Pairot,  David  W. 
Penoyer,  Joseph 
Philip.  Henry 
Pike,  William 
Proutsman,  George  W. 
Robinson.  John  H. 
Shellevitle,  Joseph 
Shurte,  Andrew  J. 
Smith,  Wilson  P. 
Smith,  Samuel  P. 
Taylor,  John  II. 
Vail,  Augustus  W. 
Vandusen,  Enoch 


PRIVATES. 

]-.  62:  Must,  out  June  10,  '65.  as  Sergeant. 
Died,  Bowling  Green  Ky.  Dec.  31/62. 
Mustered  <>ut  June  10.  '65. 

Died  at  Nashville,  Nov.  5,  '63. 
Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 
Promoted  2d  Lieut.  Co.  "K." 
Mustered  out  June  I'K  '65,  as  Cop'l. 
Discharged  Jan.  14.  '63. 
Discharged  March  2,  '63. 
Trs.  V.  R.  C.  April  14.  '64. 
Deserted  Jan.  30,  '63. 

Discharged  March  30,  '63. 

Trs.  Pion.Cops;  died  Nash.  Nov.6,'63 

Discharged  Jan.  1,  '64. 

Miss'g,  action  at  Chicma.  Sep.  20.  "63. 

Discharged  Dec.  13,  '62. 

Died  at  Gallatin.  Tenn.,  Dec.  23/62. 

Discharged  March  14,  '63. 

Transf.  to  V.  R.  C,  Feb.  15,  '64. 

Must'd  out  June  10,  '65,  as  Corporal. 

Died  Oct.  6   '63;  wounds. 

Discharged  Jan.  1,  '63. 

Mustered  out  June  21,  '65. 

Discharged  Dec.  2,  '62.  % 

Trans,  to  Co.  "H." 

Deserted  June  12.  '6-i. 

Died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn..  Feb.  4,  '63. 

Died  at  Chattanooga,  Oct.  24,  '63. 

Deserted  Feb.  —  /63. 

Mustered  out  June  1<>,  '65. 

Transferred  to  V.  R.  C.  Feb.  17/64. 

Discharged  March  ]  1.  '63. 

Discharged  March  1.  '64. 

Transferred  to  V.  \l.  C.  Jan.  1<».  '64. 

Mustered  out  June  10,  '65. 

Discharged  Jan.  1,  '63. 

Died  at  Danville.,  Ky..  Jan.  22,  '63. 
Discharged  Jan.  31,  '63. 


MILITARY    RECORD.  36B 

Vert.  Nicholas  Sept.  12,  '62 ;  Died  at  Nashville.  April  1,  '63. 

Wilson,  William  H.        •■  Deserted  Feb.  — ,  '63. 

Wilson,  William  ••  Discharged  Dec.  27,  '62. 

Wilson,  Henry  M.  ••  Died  at  Nashville,  Feb.  24,  '63. 

Wilkinson,  Chauncey  C."  Discharged  Jan.  8,  '63. 

Wood,  George  W.  ••  Discharged  Feb.  3,  '63. 

Xander,  John  ■•  Died  at  Gallatin,  Tenn.  Jan.  2, '63. 

Yost,  Peter  II.  ■•  Discharged  Jan.  1,  '63. 

RECRUITS. 

Arheit,  Henry  Feb.  18,'64;  Mustered  out  Mav  30,  '65. 
Burnstead,  John  A.  Aug.  20,  '63;  Trsf.  to  42d  Regt.,  June  9,  'Q5. 
Coleman,  Benjamin  F.  Jan.  7, '64:  Trs.  42d  Reg.  June  9,'6f>.  Serg't. 
Cross.  Dallas  P.    Feb.  11,  '64;  •■  »  ••    '  Corp'L 

Fradenburgh.  Spencer   Feb.  27, '64; 
Powels,  Levi  W.  Sept.  12. '62:  Discharged  Jan.  29,  '63. 
Richards,  Clark  R.  Sept.  9,  '63;  Transf.  to  42d  Regt.  June  9,  '65. 
Woodburn,  Lewis  N.  Feb.  29, '64;  Died  at  Chattanooga,  Sep.  5, '64. 

COMPANY  "K." 

UlSTASSIGNED    RECRUITS. 

King,  John,    Aug.  22,  '64. 
Lynch,  Patrick,  •■ 
Salisbury,  Alfred  B.  Sept.  19,  '63. 
Wells,  Theodore  H. 

OFFICERS. 

Newell  Gleason,  Sept.  2,  '62;  Lieut.  Col.,  promt'd  Col.,  Brevetted 

Brig.  Gen.;  mustered  out  with  Regiment. 
Richard  C.  Sabin,  Aug.  31, '62;   Capt.,  prom.  Major,  Brevetted  Lt. 

Col.;  mustered  out  with  Regiment. 
Henry  Weller,  June  4,  '63;   Chaplain,  res.  July  21,  '64. 
Alanson  T.  Bliss,    Aug.  31,  '62;  Capt.;  resigned  Feb.  15,  '64. 
Theodore  Woodward,  ■■  ••     1st  Lieut.,  resigned  July  22,  '63. 

Isaac  S.  Stockman, ;  2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lt.,  res.  Apr.  6, '64. 

George  Urquhart,   Julv  14,  '64 ;  1st  Lieut.;  mustered  out  with  Reg. 
David  W.  Pratt,  Aug."31,'62;  2d         ••        resigned  April  15,  '63. 

John  F.  Cannell,  ;  2d  Lieut.:  mustered  out  with  Regiment. 

Wm.  B.  Biddle,  Sept  12,  '62;  IstLt.  Co.  ktI,"  pro.  Capt.  Co.  llH" 

Brev.  Major;  mus.  out  with  Reg. 
Sloan  D.  Martin,  Aug.  31, '62;  1st  Lieut.;  killed,  Chicm.  Sep.  19,'63. 
Albert  C.  Logan.  March  1,'64;  ■•  •■     mustered  out  with  Reg't. 

John  E.  Selleck,  Dec.  20.'62;  2d        -     pro.  Adj.,  res.  Sep.  8,  '64. 


364  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

[r;i  Way,  :   2d  Lieut.;   mustered  out  with  Regiment. 

James  A.  Crawley,  Sept.  12,  '62;   Capt.;  resigned  May  10,  "04. 
DeWitt  C.  McCollum,  April  S,'64;  1st  Lieut.:  must,  out  with  Keg. 
Abram  C.  Andrew,    Sept.  12. '62:  2d         ■■        killed  a1    battle  of 

Chicamauga,  Sept.  20.  '63. 
John  W.  Armstrong.  :  ■■  ••     mas.  out  with  Reg 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FIRST  REGIMENT. 

COMPANY  "F." 
White,  Crague  Aug.  16,  '62:    Killed  at  Chicamauga,  Sept.  19,  '63. 


FIFTH  CAY ALRY— NINETIETH  REGIMENT. 

COMPANY  "K." 
Bagley,  Samuel  A.  Aug.  16/62;   Corp.:  pro.  Adjut.  29th  hid.  Vol. 

PRIVATES. 

Boyd,  Isaac    Aug.  1~>.  '62;  Muste'd  out  June  21.  '65,  as  Corporal. 

Whorwell.  Geo.  W.    9,    ■•  ••  ■•      15,     ■■         Sergeant. 

Wright.  Milton  W.  •■       ■•      Died  at  Indianapolis.  March  22.  '65. 


NINETY-NINTH  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERYICE. 

COMPANY  "A." 

Sly.  Gilbert  Aug.  2'J,  ;62:   Mustered  out  June  5,  '65. 
Williams,  Alex.  ■■   12,    ••  •■  May  23,   ■• 

Vandervert,  August  Aug.  14.  '62;   Died  March  19,  '63. 

COMPANY  "K." 
Stone,  Henry  H. 

OFFICE};-. 

Richard  W.  Cummins,  Nov.  1/62;  Adjutant. 

James  L.  Cat-heart,    Sept.  16,     ■•     Quarterm'r,  mus.  out  with  R 


SEVENTH  <  AVALRY— 119  REGIMENT. 

OFFICERS. 

Wm.  H.  Crane,  Nov.  26,  '64:  2d  Lieutenant 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


365 


John  W.  Shoemaker,  Sept.  3,'63;   Capt.;   discharged  June  30,  '64. 
Thos.  S.  Goagley,  Aug.  26,  '64:   2d  Lieut.;  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  Cap. 


ELEVENTH  CAVALRY— 126  REGIMENT. 


Vosburg,  John,  Bugler. 


TWELFTH  CAVALRY— 127  REGIMENT. 

COMPANY  "A." 


Alyea,  Andrew  Dee.  15/63: 

Aker,  Jacob  B. 

Bradley,  Franklin 

Brown,  William 

Blackman.  George  W.   " 

Batterson,  John 

Bennett.  Sherman 

Black,  Isaac 

Bickford,  Thomas 

Gulp.  William  S. 

Coulter,  Marcus 

Castello,  Thomas 

Currie,  James  W. 

Chipman,  John  D. 

Coulter,  Asby  R. 

Dowd,  Isaac  F. 

Dyer,  George 

Doty,  Arthur  Jan.  12,  '64: 

Dyer,  Jones 

Dyer,  John 

Edmundson,Wm.  M.  Dec.  15, 

Eniigh,  Jacob  C. 

Fletcher,  Franklin 

Grey,  William 

Grey,  John 

Gie,  Frederick 

Geist,  James  S.  Ap.  28, '64 ; 

Hendricks,  A.  B.  Dec.  15/63 


PRIVATES. 

Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 

Died  at  Columbus,  Miss.,  June  4,  '65. 

Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 

Deserted  Dec.  26,  '63. 

Must,  out  Nov.  10,  '65,  as  1st  Serg't. 

•  •  •  ■  •  • 

Corporal. 

Bugler. 
Trs.  V.  R.  C;  disch.  Julv  1,  ^b. 
Died  at  Huntsville.  Ala.,  June  26/64* 
Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 
Killed  near  Murfreesboro,  Dec,  7/64. 
Died  at  La  Porte,  Ind.,  April  16,  '64. 
Discharged  July  6,  '65. 
Mustered  out  Slept.  2,  '65. 
Nov.  10,  •• 


Aug.  (.'. 

•■     Nov.  10, 

••     May  28, 

&d"  •'     Nov.  10, 

Nov.    6, 

■•     Nov.  10, 

Deserted  Dec.  20,  '63. 


Q.  M.  Sergt. 

as  Corporal. 
as  Bugler, 
as  Wagoner, 
as  Corporal. 


Discharged  June  18,  '64. 

Died  at  Tullahoma,  Tenn.,  Nov.  18/64. 

Died  at  Kendallville,  Ind,,  May  8,  '64. 


306 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Holmes,  Phila,  Dec.  15,  '63;  Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 


Hood,  William  M. 
Hendricks,  Calvin  N. 
Hensel,  John 
Hensel.  Adam 
Harrison,  Wm.  M. 
Hendricks,  James  J. 


-  Sep.  22/65,  Com.  Sergt. 
••  Nov.  10.   ••    as 


as  Farrier. 


Deserted  Dec.  19,  '63. 

Died,  Willet's  Point,  N.  Y.  May  20,  '6o 
Hobert.  Jas.  J.  Jan.  12,  '64;  Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65,  as  Saddler. 
Johnson,  Jno.  M.  Dec.  15,'63 
James.  John 
Kennedv.  Thomas 
Kennard,  Perry 
Larson,  Christopher 
Lyon,  William  Jan.  12,  '64; 
Morris,  William  P.  Dec.  15, '63; 
McDonald,  Wm.  S.  •■ 
McElrath,  Lafayette  B." 
Miller,  Elmer 

Discharged  Sept.  15,  '64. 

Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65,  as   Corp'l. 


Discharged  Oct  14,  '64. 

Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65,  as  Serge 't. 


Morgan,  George  B. 

Maze,  Alexander 

Mills,  George  B. 

Marr,  James 

Mitchell,  Wm.  M. 

Massey,  Lafayette  Jan.  12,  '64; 

Nelson,  Benjamin  Dec.  15,  '63 ; 

Nelson,  Nels  P. 

Newlen.  Emmet 

Price,  Franklin  E. 

Pratt,  John  S. 

Pinne}r,  John  H. 

Parkinson,  J.  D. 

Rambo,  Wm.  F. 

Reese,  Sam'l  McR. 

Revnolds,  John  Q.  A.  •• 

Shaw,  Joseph  H. 

Sinclair,  Wm.  W. 

Smith,  Charles  W. 

Tennis,  John 

Thirkell,  Francis  M.     •■ 

Tubbs,  George  M. 

Turney,  Harvey  B. 

Tuley,  Henry 


••  Aug.  22,  •• 
-  Sept.  23,  - 


••  Nov.  2. 

••  Julv  10,   •• 

••  Nov.  10,   *: 
Promoted  1st  Lieutenant. 
Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 
Died  at  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  May  7,  65. 
Discharged  Sept.  li>,  '64. 
Mustered  out  Nov.  10,'65. 

••   Saddler  Serg. 
Deserted  Jan.  2,  "64. 
Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 
Died  at  New  Albany,  Ind.,  May  26,'64. 
Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  ''dh,  as  Serge't. 

••  July  7, 

••  Nov.  10,    •• 


MILITARY    RECORD.  367 

Tulev.  David  Dec.  15/63;   Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 

Valentine.  Henry  M.Jan.  12/64;  Desert.  Feb.  10.    •• 

Webber,  Mark  A.  Dec.  15/63;  Must,  out  Nov.  10, '65,  as  Sergeant. 

Webber,  Frank  C.  "  "  "  '■'  Q.  M.   •• 

"Williams,  Davis  E.  •■  Promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 

Woodard,  George  -Ian.  12.04;  Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 

Zarr,    Hiram    Dec.    15,  '63: 

Zarr,  Charles  "  Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Jan.  23, '65. 

COMPANY  "E." 

PRIVATES. 

Griffin.  Charles  Jan.  12.  (U:   Must,  out  Nov.  10,  '66. 

Green,  Preston  W.        •■              ••              -                "as  Wagoner. 

Johnson,  John  L.  Dec.  12/63:  ••              ••                "  Corporal. 

Madden.  Wm.  H.  July  12/64 :••              ■■                ■■        ■•  Bugler. 

COMPANY  k<F." 

Glines,  Nelson  Dec.  15,  '63;  Must'd  out  Nov.  10,  '6b,  as  Corporal. 
Lowe,  Benjamin  F.  Jan.  12. '04:  Deserted  Jan.  12,  '64. 

COMPANY  "M." 

Barto,  Nathan  S.  Jan.  12,  '64;  Mustered  out  Nov.  10,  '65. 

Drick,  Christian  "  "  "    June     ■• 

Graham,  Henry  S.  ■■  '•  "    Nov.      ■• 

Hartford.  Spencer  -  Transf.  to  V.  R.  C.  April  21,  '6b. 

Myers,  Daniel  H.  ■•  Mustered  out  June  21,  '65. 

Rollins,  Charles  "  ••  "  Nov.  10,  ■■ 

Rollins.  George  F.  ~  "  

OFFICERS. 

Edward  Anderson,  Feb.  2,  '64;  Col.;  mustered  out  with  Regiment. 
Willys  G.  Peck.  Dec.  1,'63;  Capt,,  pro.  Maj.;  must,  out  with  Reg. 
Wm.'H.  Calkins,    March   26,  '64:  Major:  ' 

Seth  Loomis,  Dec.  1,  '63;  IstLt.,  pro.  Capt.,  andinus.  out  with  Rg. 
Davis  E.  Williams,  Aug.  1/64;  2d  Lieut.,  pro.  1st  Lt.,  and  must. 

out  with  Regiment. 
Theophilus  A.  Fravel,  Dec.  1.  '63:  2d  Lieut.;  resigned  July  19/64 
George  W.  Blackman ;  2d  Lieut.;  must,  out  with  Regt. 


128  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS  SERVICE. 

REGIMENTAL  NON-COMMISSIONED  STAFF. 

Frazier,  Dwight  Dec.  15/63;   Sergt.  Major;  prom.  1st  Lieutenant. 


368  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Morey.   Ira   S.   Dec.  1").  '63;   Com.  Sergt.;  discharged. 

Mead,  Frank  D.  ••  Hospital  Steward.  ••         June  2, '65. 

Collins,  James  II.        ••  Prin.  Music'n  ;  mus.  out  April  10/66 

COMPANY    -A. 

Sager.  Jacob  Dec.  15.  '63;   Discharged  dan.  22.  '65. 

COMPANY   •('. 


Outhwaite,  M.  C.  Dec.  1 
Richards.  B.  F. 
Monroe,  S. 
Phillips.  Perry 
Church.  Charles  D. 


5/63;   1st  Sergeant,  pro.  2d  Lieutenant. 
Sergeant;  must,  out  June  16,  '65. 

•  ■  •  ••  ■•  •• 

promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 

corporal  -. 

Freeman.  Milo  "  Discharged,  wounds.  May  8,  '65. 

McClellan,  George  W.  ■•         Musr'd  out  Apr.  10,  '66^  as  Sergeant. 

Tompkins,  Geo.  Jan.  12. '64:   Mortally  wounded  Aug.  16,  '64. 

Record,  George  W.        "         Discharged  April  11,  '65. 

McClurg,  Lewis  Dec.  15,'63;   Discharged  June  12.  '65. 

Wood,  Carson  ■■         Deserted  Nov.  12. '64. 

Foster.  Marcus  Jan.  12.'<>4:   Died  Aug.  15,  '64.  at  La  Porte. 

illins,  Jas.  II.  Dee.  15/64;   Musi.:  mus.  o.  Apr.  10. '66.  Prin.  Mus. 
Bennett.  Seth  S.  "         Mustered  out  May  26,  '65. 

purv  \n 

Burns,  Andrew  S.         ••  Mustd  out  Apr.  10,  '66,  a  poraL 

Brown,  Charles  "  Transferred  to  V.  R.  !'. 

Burt,  Abraham  ••  Mortaih  wounded  May  -v.  '64. 

Benhart,  Fred  ••  Mustered  out  June  s.  '65. 

Bishop.  John  W.  Jan.  12, "64:     ••  ••    Apr.  10,  '66. 

Baldwin,  James  Dec.  15, '63;  Deserted  Feh.  21.  '64. 

Barcum  Henry  Jan.  12/64;  Mustered  out  April  10,   " 

Carlin,  Lorenzo  D.  Dec.  L5/63;     •■         ■■  Sep.  2/65. 

Chamberlain,  Joseph     ■■  •■  •■    April  10,    •• 

I  arpenter,  Sam'l  E.      ■■  Transf.  to  V.  R.  C.  April  1,    ,;". 

Crane,  James  ••  Died,  July  25,  '64. 

Crouch,  John  ••  Mustered  out  April  10,  '^56. 

Carroll,  Eli  P. 

Cissne,  Robert 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


369 


Cassady,  George  F.  Jan.  12, '64;  Must,  out  April  10/66,  as  Corp'l. 

Cunningham,  Charles  ■•  ••       ••    June  8,  '65. 

Deforest,  William    Dec.  15,  '68;  Deserted  Dec.  27,  '63. 


Promoted  1st  Lieutenant. 
Mustered  out  April  10,    (JU. 
Died  Feb.  1,  'Qb. 
Mustered  out  June  5,  l65. 


m. 


63 


Mustered  out  with  Regiment. 
Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 


Corp'l. 
Sept.  20,  '65. 
April  10,  '66. 
July  2,  '65. 


Fraser,  D wight 
Farley,   Abraham 
Gardner,  James 
Gardner,  Absalom  .  ■• 

Griswald,    James    Jan.  12,  '64 ; 

1  lager,   John         Dec.    15,  '63;  Mustered  out  April  10, 
Haus,   John  Jan.  12,  '64;  Died  July  4,  '64. 

Hyde,  James  W.  "  Trs.  to  V.  R.  C;  ms.  o.  June  5^6b. 

llager,  David  ■•  Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 

Johns,  William  S.  Dec.  15, 
Jones,  Edward 
Kinney,  Albert 
Lampson,  Wilson 
Lampson,  James 
Lawrence,  George 
Lloyd,  Horatio       Jan.  12,  '64; 
Mandeville,  John  Dec.  15,  '63. 
Moon,  John  •■         Mustered  out  June  16,  '65. 

Morey,  Ira  S.  •■         Dis.  as  Commissary  Sergeant. 

McNett,  Lyman  •■         Died  May  10,  '65. 

Meade,  Frank  D.  ••         Dis.  June  2, '65,  as  Hospital  Steward. 

Nichols,  John     Jan.  12,  '64;  Must,  out  April  10,  '66,  as  Sergeant. 
Oates,  David  ••         Died,  Washington,  D..C.  June  22, '65. 

Proud,  Anthony  ••         Died  of  wounds,  Dec.  1,  '64. 

Plants,  Jacob  ••         Must,  out  April  10,  '66.  as  Sergeant. 

Parkinson,  Wm.  H.  Dec.  15/63    •• 
Potter,  James  II . 

Parker,  Lewis  ■•         Appointed  Sergeant,  Oct.  31,   64. 

Paddock,  Solomon  *•         Mustered  out  Jan.  5,  '66. 

Robinson,  Enoch  ••         Discharged  March  2,  '65. 

Robinson,  John  ••         Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 

Regan,  Patrick  ■■         Deserted  Nov.  9,  '64. 

Rodgers,  James  H.  ••         Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 

Reprogle,  George 

Redding,  Joseph  ••         Trans,  to  V.  R.  C.  April  1,  '65. 

Record,  Jasper   Jan.  12,  '64;  Deserted  July  30,  '64. 
Snyder,   Delos    Dec.  15,  '63;  Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 
Smith,  Anderson 

Sprague,  Seymour  B.      ••         Des'td  12th  111.  Cav.;  ret.  to  comm'd. 

24 


370 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Seymour,  Mortimer  Dec.  15, '63  Dest.  73d  Regim't  ret.  to  command. 

Sweet,  James  R.  ••         Must,  out  April  10,  '66. 

Smith,  Orrin       Jan.  12,  '64 ;  ■■  •■  ••    as  Sergeant. 

Soper,  David 

Suitor,  Henry 

Shaw.  Albert  ■•         Died  April  12,  '64. 

Slater,  John  H.  ••         Mustered  out  Oct,  20,  '65. 

Slater,  Delos       Dec.  15,  '63;       »  «    April  10,  '66. 

Thomas,  Emanuel 

Vader,  Jacob       Jan.  12,  '64;  Died  April  2,  '64. 

Valkenburg.  William       •■  ■■    June  12,  '64. 

Wilson,  Isaac  ••  ••    Juty  4, 

Whitney,  David  ••  Must,  out  April  10, '66,  as  Corporal. 

Weed,  Lewis  L. 

Waters,  William 

Waters,  Samuel  M.  ■•  ••       ■•    Dec.  18,  '60. 

Zigler,  William  •••  ••       ••    April  10,  '66. 

RECRUITS  AND  TRANSFERS. 

Allen,  George  W.  Aug.  30,'62;  Discharged  Nov.  10,  '62. 
Burns,  Theodore  Dec.  15,  '63;  Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 
Bright,  George  A.  Jan.  11, '64 ; 

Church,  Charles  D. Discharged  for  promotion. 

Dodge,  Tapley  S.  Nov.  13/64;  Discharged  Nov.  13,  '65. 

Garris,   John         Jan.  8,  '63;  Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 

Gail,  Virgil  Dec.  17,    •• 

Gadbury,  William  June  5,   •■ 

Hack.   Thomas      Jan.  7,  64; 

Harper,  James  L. 

Harvey,  Milton  Nov.  23,  '63 


Discharged  Oct.  21,  '6 

July  20, 
Mustered  out  April  10 


o. 


'6Q. 


Heistand,  Isaac    Oct.  26,  '62 

Hill.  Henrv         Jan.  15,  '63 

Inglesoll,  Joseph  Oct.  21,  '62 

Inglesoll,  Richard  Dec.  30,'63; 

Johnson,  William  Oct.  21, 

Kelly,  Migny  Oct.  22,  '62; 

Kinman,  Thomas  Nov.  11,  '63; 

Kohnsey,  John  Oct.  21,  '62; 

King,  William  Mav  11,      **       Discharged  March  12, 

Kelly,  Joseph  W.  Jan.  25/63;  •■  Oct.  9,  '65. 

Luff,  Samuel  Jan.  9,  63;  Mustered  out  April  10,   •• 

Montgomery,  Wm.  Nov.  25, '62;  Discharged  Nov.  29,  '65. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


371 


McCall.  Wm.  B.    Jan.  11,'64;  Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 

McBride,  Geo.  W.  Nov.  5,     •• 

Nail  William  Sept.  4,  '63; 

Nicely,  Wm.  R. 

Petty.  Madison  C.  Jan.  11,  '64; 

Richie,  William  Dec.  28,  '63; 

Sanders.  Thomas  Jan.  4,  '64; 

COMPANY  "E." 

Thomas,  John  M.  Jan.  12,  '64;    Serg't;  mustered  out  June  5,  '65. 
Asher,  Noah  ••  ■•      Cor'l;  must,  out  Apr.  10,'66,  Serg. 

Himlire,  Addis 
Lewis,  Joseph  S. 

COMPANY  "H." 

Sanders,  Philip  March  18,  '64;  Trans,  to  V.  R.  C.  Jan  15,  '65. 
Sullivan,  John         ••       7,    ••      Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 

COMPANY  "I." 

Unruh,  William  B.  March  7, '64;  1st  Sergt;  discharged  Oct.  2,'65, 

Commis'ed  2d  Lieut. 
Fraser,  Joshua  G.  ••  18,    ■•      Serg't;  promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 

Mecum,  Samuel  "     7,    "  *'         must,  out  June  3,  '65. 

Weed,  Everett  D.  ■•     7,    "     Corporal;  disc'd  May  24, 

Hyde,  Hiram  ••     7,    ••  ••         "         Apr.  10, '66,  Srg 

PRIVATES. 

Anderson,  Wm.  T.  March  7, '64;  Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 

Armstrong,  Samuel  H.  ■•         Died  March  21,  '64. 

Bachtel,  David  ••         Died,  Chattanooga,  Sept.  16,  '64. 

Campbell,  William  ••         Mustered  out  May  19,  '65. 

Davis,  James  G.  March  18,  '64;  Discharged  Oct.  20,  '65. 

Fisher,  Frederick 

Gallert,  Chas.  March  7, 

Gardner,  James 

Gillam,  George 


Mustered  out  April  10,  '66. 


Halladay,  Charles  W. 
Helms,  David 
Ivey,  Richard  J. 
McLane,  George  R. 
Mead,  Mention 


v- 


18,- 


Died,  Knoxville,  T.,  Sept.  11,'64. 

•  *  •  •  •  • 

Deserted  May  30,  '64. 
Must,  out  April  10,  '66,  as  Corp. 
Died,  Morgantown,N.C.  Fb.  17,66 
Mustered  out  April  10, '66,  Cop'l. 


372  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Nichols.  Henrv     March  7,  '64:     Deserted  June  16.  '64. 

Pottenger,  James  M.  18  Must,  out  April  10, '66.  Corporal. 
Reed,  Charles 
Record,  Decatur 

Rulo,  John  B.  ••  Discharged  June  3,  '65. 

Seymour,  Grant  •■  Must,  out  April  10/66,  as  Corp'l. 

Ship,  William  ••  Died,  Louisville.  Ky.  May  14,  04. 

Shall,  Frederick  ••  Mustered  out  April  10.  '6ti. 

Sigler,  Jacob  7 

Walsh,  Benjamin  ••  Discharged  Aug.  30,  '64. 

Wilson,  Robert  •■  Clustered  out  April  10,  'CS. 
Wojahn,  Charles 

OFFICERS. 

Jasper  Packard,  March  17, '64;  Lieut.  Col.  promt'd  Col.;  brevetted 

Brig.  General;   mustered  out  with  Regiment. 
Levi  Ely,  Dec.  15,  '63;   Captain;  discharged  Aug.  26,  '64. 
Wm.  Van  Wert,  ••  1st  Lieut.,  prom.  Capt..  res.  Sept.  27,  '65. 

Dwight  Fraser,  Nov.  13,  '64;  1st  Lieut.,  pro.  Capt.;  Brevetted  Maj. 
Wm.  C.  Weir,  Dec.  15, '63;  Lieut.;   mus.  out  with  Regiment. 
Milton  C.  Outhwaite,  Oct.  21, '65;  2d  Lieutenant,   ■■ 
Charles  D.  Church,  March  18, '64;     ■•  ••         prom.  1st  Lieut.: 

mustered  out  with  Regiment. 

Wm.  B.  Unruh, ;  2d  Lieutenant. 

Joshua  G.  Fraser,  Oct.  27/65:   2d  Lieut.;  mustered  out  with  Regt. 
N.  S.  Paul.  Nov.  18,  "64;  1st  Lieut,  and  Adj.;  must,  out  with  Ueg. 


12)th  REGIMENT— THREE  YEARS   SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "B." 

Young,  John  M.  March  6,  '64;   Mustered  out  Aug.  29,  '^y. 

COMPANY  "I." 

Wilson,  John  March  7.  '64;   Deserted  March  28,  "65. 


138th  REGIMENT  INFANTRY— 100  DAYS  SERVICE. 

COMPANY  "B." 

Arnold,  Garrett  May  27, '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  30/64. 
Austin,  C olden 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


373 


Beal.  Edward  May  21 
Barnes,  Philander 
Bridges,  Dexter  A. 

Burden,  Leonard 
Burk.  diaries  K. 
Baine.  Stephen 

<  laldwallader,  A.  A. 
( lase,  Decatur  M. 

<  !hase,  Henry  A. 

( Jonant,  Henry  (  . 
Croll,  Theodore 
< Sutler,  Austin 
Dakin,  Philip  R. 
i  ><  cker.  John 
1  >onnell,  James 
I  Oniii.  Albert 
Eliel,  Henry 
Eli  el,  Louis 
Ervin,  Charles  L. 
Fry.  Daniel 
Gaylord,  Henry 

<  rray,  Enslev  L. 

•  »■ 

Hagenbuck,  William 
Harvey,  Henry 

Haines.  Jacob  R. 
Hebard,  William 
Heller.  James  K. 
Hews,  Charles 
Hucket.  William 
Huntsman  Horace 
Hupp,  Frank  A. 
Keen.  John 
Leland.  Ira  S. 
Leonard.  Charles  H. 
Lewis,  Charles  P. 
Lonn,  Xiles  T. 
Ludlow.  Stephen  W. 
Mackey.  James 
Mann/ Geo.  C. 
Meade.  Carl  B. 
Milliken,  Jared  L. 
Millis,  William  J. 


64;  Mustered  out  Sept,  30,'64. 


as  Corp'l. 


as  Serg't. 


as  Corp'l. 


Musician. 


Musician. 


Hosp.Ste. 

as  Corp'l. 
as  Corp'l. 


as  Corp'L 


as  Corp' I. 


374  HISTORY  OF   LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Munday,  H.  M.  May  27, '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  30,'64. 
Nelson,  Emil  R. 
Niles,  Wm.  B. 

Nourse.  Henrv  P. 

t/ 

Oakes,  Reginald 

Osborn,  Clark 

Parkell,  James  E. 

Porter,  Henry  W. 

Pottenger,  Sam'l  K. 

Regan,  Francis  •■  Never  mustered. 

Register,  Robert  •■  Mustered  out  Sept.  30, '64. 

Reynolds,  Elisha  B. 

Reighard.  Alonzo 

Rude,  Stephen  B.  ■•  ••  ••  ■•         as  Corp'L 

Rudd,  William  ■•  ■•  ■■  "         as  Serg't. 

Sanford,  Roswell  A.     •■  •■  ••  •■  as  Serg't. 

Scully,  Simon 

Shaw,  William  H.         ■■  ••  •*  "         aslstSrg. 

Sheldon.  Arthur  H.     ••  ••  "  "  as  Corp'L 

Shultz,  Frank  A. 

Snyder,  George 

Stephens,  Thomas 

Taylor,  Henry  H. 

Thomas,  Joseph  A.  ■■  "  "'         as  Corp'L 

Thomas,  Henry  B. 

Thomason,  Andrew 

Vail,  Isaac  N. 

Vail,  Walter  S. 

Wells,  Daniel  M. 

Westervelt,  James  D.  •■ 

Whitehead,  Sumner  A." 

Winchell,  Herman 

Zenor,  Edward 

Zimmerman.  Joseph 

COMPANY  "0." 

Freeman,  Rufus  L.  May  27,  '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  30,  '64. 

COMPANY  "D.- 
Andrews, James  May  27/64:  Mustered  out  Sept.  30, '64. 
Andrews,  Frederick 
Ames,  William  F. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


07  - 


K 


«*e, 


Otis 


Klist,  Charles 
Leeds,  Walter  0. 
Morley,  John  B. 
McHenry,  James 
Maynard,  Henry 
Meachem,  David 


.< 


Akins,  Samuel  May  27,64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  30/64. 
Burnham,  Joseph  W.    •■ 
Boothroyd,  Joseph 

Bemmis,  Charles  E. 
Burbank,  Jerome 

Baily,  George  II. 
Bronson,  Warren  J. 
Best.  Martin 
Brewer.  Enoch  S. 
Cowden,  William  M.     "■ 
Cobb,  John  B. 
Crandall,  Clark  C. 
Cohen,  Samuel 
Conner,  Francis 
Collen,  Thomas 
Doran.  Edward  F. 
l>unn,  Francis  H. 
Didate,  Emil  G. 
Deming,  Samuel 
Earl,  Alfred 
Faulkner,  William  C.  •■ 
Glazier.  Charles  H. 
Hitchcock,  George  II.  ■• 
Hamilton,  Robert 
Hoffman.  Fred 
Hulse,  Warren 
Herrold,  William 
Holladay,  Frank 
Herpolsheimer,  W.  G.  " 
Higgins,  Wm.  G. 
Horner,  Cornelius  M.  •• 
Hickman,  Joseph  S. 
Johnson,  Samuel  C. 
Jacobs,  Francis  C. 
Jernegan,  Edward 


Com.  Sergt. 


as  ( Jorporal. 


as  sergeant. 


as  ( Jorporal. 


as  Sergeant. 


as  Wagoner, 


as  Sergeant. 


as  Musician. 


Never  mustered. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  30,'64. 


as  Corporal. 


376 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY 


al. 


as  Senreant. 


as  Musician. 


as  Corporal. 


Miller,  Joseph  May  27, '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  30,'64. 

Miller.  Charles  E.  ■*  ••  ••  ■■     as  Corpoi 

McLain,  Andrew  W. 

Meeeh,  Oliver  S. 

McColley,  Thomas  H. 

Owens,  James  Y. 

O'Neal,  Frank 

Orr.  John 

Poisel.  Francis  M. 

Pugh.  Zephaniah 

Richard-.  Jolm  F. 

Reeve.  William  W. 

Roberts,  Henry 

Stevens,  James  T. 

S  el  leek,  William  H. 

Smith.  Adojph 

Snyder,  Jules 

Tebottle,  Fred 

Thompson.  George  B. 

Tansch,  Joseph 

Vanderwalker,  Emmet 

Vanlin,  Nelson 

Whitner,  David  C. 

Woods,  Henry  H. 

Worthley,  Albert  H. 

Willev.  "Rilev  G.  J. 

Willard,  George  G. 

Walker.  George 

Williams,  David  L. 

Washburn,   David  E. 

Watson,  David  ••  Never  mustered. 

Zimmerman.  William    ••  Mustered  out  Sept.  30,  '64. 


as  1  st  S^rgt. 


OFFICERS. 

Jas.  H.  Shannon,  May  27, '64;  Colonel;  mustered  out  with  Regi't. 

Wm.  II.  Patton.  *•  1st  Lt.,  pro.  Cap.;  mus.  out  wth  Reg. 

Wm.  W.  Whitehead,        ••  2d    ■•       -  IstLt. 

Robert  M.  Carr,  ••  2d    •• 

John  D.  McKahin  "  Captain 

Philip  L.  Green,  "  1st  Lieutenant 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


377 


143d  REGIMENT  INFANTRY— ONE  YEAR  SERYICE. 

Fargher,  John  H.  Feb.  17,  'no:   Must'd  out  Oct.  17,  '6o,  as  Serg't. 


151si  REGIMENT  INFANTRY— ONE  YEAR  SERYICE. 

COMPANY  "A." 

SERGEANTS. 

La  Dour,  Louis  Feb.  7,'65;  Must,  out  Sept.  19,  '65,  as  1st  Serg't. 
Sturges,  Alonzo 

Vesper.  John  Feb.  10,   •■ 
Armstrong,  Jno.  II.  Feb.  28, '65  •■ 


Hull.  Adam        Feb.  7,  '( 

Travis.  Emulus      "  1<>. 

Mamleville.  J.  W.  "  10, 

Mackie,  Philander-  28, 

Anderson.  Joseph  •■  23, 

Williams,  George  ••  10, 

Johnson.  Laf.  L.    ••  10, 

Gay  lord,  Henry    ■■  7, 


CORPORALS. 

5;  Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '65,  Sergeant. 


Died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  May  26,  '65. 
Deserted  July  10,  '65. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '6b. 
Musician ;  mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 

PRIVATES. 


Allen.  Sam']  Feb.  7,'65;   Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 
Bemis,  Chas.  E.     13 

May  18, '65. 


Bunnel.  Carey  J.   10 
Burnham,  Jo.  TJ. 
Closser,  Sylvanus  M  ■• 
Cram.  Horace 
Couch  man.  D.  S. 
Cox.  Joseph  H. 
Cox.  Richard  P. 
Copeland.  Garland  ■■ 
Creel.  Theodore  Jan.  23,  '65 
Cherry,  George 
Deraming,  Charles  10, 
Dawson,  Geo.  A.     23,- 
Dawson,  John 
Darling,  Silas  R.     25, 
Eddy.  Joseph  Feb.  10, 
Emigh,  Frederick     •• 


Pro.  2d  Lieut. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 


••  Oct.  6,** 
Sept.  19,  '65. 


~  July  28,  • 

-  Aug.  28,  ■ 
••  Oct.  3,  • 
••  Sept.  12,- 

-  Sept.  19,- 


378 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Flack,  John  Feb.  10, '65;  Mustered  out  Sept.  19, '65. 

Hagerman,  Geo.  V.  7, 

Hall,  Simon 

Hiscon,  Alvin 

Harris,  Calvin  W.   •• 

Hicks.  Alvah  J.       ••         Discharged  July  24,  'Go. 

Hopkins,  Joel  ••         Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  March  30, 

Hartford,  T.  E.  Jan.  28,'65;  Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 

Hannon,  Matthew  ••  24    •• 

Hamilton,  Robert  Feb. 10" 

Jackson,  Theodore   " 

Jones,  Wm.  B. 

Lucas,  Charles         7 

McLean,  Robert 

McNeal,  Amos         10, 

Ocker,  Henrv 

Ocker,  Wm.  H.  Jan.  25. 

Parker,  N.  0.  Feb.  10, 

Pierce,  Daniel 

Pepple,  George  W.  •■ 

Reed,  William  H.    ■• 

Reynolds.  Steph.  G.13 

Stewart,  John  D.     5 

Salisbury,  John        10 

Sheldon,  Joseph  Jan.  30, 

Shunk,  F.  R.   Feb  10 

Sparrow,  F.  H. 

Stephens.  Francis 

Thurber,  Alonzo  B. 

Travis,  Brook 

Talton,  George 

Wilson,  William       9 

Wheeler,  John    Jan.  26, 

Weston,  Francis  Feb.  10. 

Webb,  David  M.      ■■ 

Wolfe.  Christ  -  9, 

Zoss,  Joi.u  1" 

COMPANY  "E." 

CORPORALS. 

Eggleston,  Daniel  Feb.  17,  '65:  Must,  out  Sept.  l!»,  "65.  as  Serg 
Robinson,  John  T.  18,  Died  at  Tullahoma.  May  15,  '65. 

Osborn.  Edward  C.         17,  Mustered  out  Oct.  18,  '65.  . 


Deserted  March  8,  '65. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '6~>. 

•  ■  •  •  •  • 

Died  at  Nashville,  April  1,  '<6i>. 
Musted.  out  Sept.  19,  y65^  as  Corporal. 
Died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  March  10,  '65. 
Died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  June  30,  '65. 
Mustered  out  May  17,  '6 
June  22,  ■• 

••  Sept.  6, 

••  Sept.  19, 
Discharged  May  29, 
Mustered  out   Sept.  19, 


•  May  17. 

•  Sept.  19, 


Discharged  June  2   . 
Deserted  May  23, 
Mustered  out  Sept.  li>. 
••  June  1'.*, 
••  Sept.  19, 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


879 


PRIVATES. 

Bowman,  Henry    Feb.  17,  '65 ;  Mustered  out  July  -2,  '65. 


Brewer,  Timothy  H. 

Colby,  Ira  18, 

Hill,  Leonard  17, 

McClure,  Joseph  10, 

Petro,  George  14, 

Smith,  Henry  10, 

Williams.  Milliken  C.  14, 

Wolird,  John  H.  21, 
Wilkinson,  Christopher  ■■ 


Deserted*  Aug.  11,  '65. 
Died.  Louisville,  Ky.,  April  14,'65. 
Mustered  out  Oct.    4,  '65. 
Sept.  19, 


Oct.  6, 
Sept.  19, 
Aug.  25, 


COMPANY  i4H." 

Hart,  Franklin  A.  Feb.  28,'65;  Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 
Plumley,  Amariah, 

COMPANY  "I." 

Harbor,  Oliver  H.  Feb.  14, '65;  Mustered  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 

COMPANY  "K." 

Chase,  Reuben  Feb.  10,  '65;   1st  Serg.,  pro.  2d  Lieutenant. 
Spaulding,  John         21,  Sergeant ;  Must,  out  Sept.  19,  '65.. 

Reynolds,  David  B.   19,  Corporal:  deserted  Aug.  18, 

PRIVATES. 

Anderson,  Henry  C.  Feb.  19,'65;  Mustered  out  Sept.  19, 


Barker,  William  20, 

Brooks,  Boon  17, 

Brown,  David  J.  17, 

Buck,  William  19, 

Burger,  Michael  17, 

Conant.  Henry  17, 

Campbell,  James  10, 

Crowl,  John  F.  17, 

George,  James  19, 

Jepson,  Christopher  17, 

Johnson,  John  17, 

Lambert,  Asa  J.  23, 

Nichols,  Christopher  17, 

Ott,  Joseph  17, 

Reynolds,  James  I.  19, 
Runion,  Charles 


Deserted  July  11, 
Mustered  out  Sept.  19, 


Died  at  Louisville,  March  10. 
Discharged  March  24, 
Mustered  out  Sept.  19, 


Oct.  5, 


■•  as  Corp 'I. 


380 


HISTORY  OF   LA  PORTK  COUNTY. 


Roberts.     Hugh      Feb. 
Simpson,  Enos  P. 
Smith,  Harrison 
Vesper.  John 
Whitnor,  David  C. 
Wvnn.  Jesse 


3, 

IT, 
19, 
10, 
21, 

26. 


John  E.  Sweet,  March  4,  '65 
Michael  Eagan.  Feb  20, 
Sylvanus  M.  Closser.  24,   •■ 
Louis  La  Dour. 
John  B.  Carr. 
John  Scully,   March  6, 
Reuben  H.  Chase,  June  1," 
John  Spaulding.  Feb.  21.  •■ 


'65;  Must,  out  Sept.  19,'65. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

6, 
Transferred  to  Company  "A." 
Must,  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 

OFFICERS. 

Lieut.  Col.,  must,  out  with  Reg't. 
Cap.  pro.  Maj.  ■• 
2d  Lt.  pro.  IstLt.  ■■ 
2d  Lieutenant 

1st  Lieut,  rejected  by  Med.  Examiner. 
2d  Lt.  pro.  1st  Lt.,  died  July  23,  '65. 
2d  Dr.  pro.  1st  Lt.,  mus  out  with  Rg. 
Sergeant;  musted.  out  Sept.  19,  '65. 


155th  REGIMENT  INFANTRY— ONE  YEAR  SERVICE. 

COMPANY   ^B.' 


Ash.  William  M.  Feb.  11. 


14, 

13, 
9, 

9, 
13, 


13. 


Alexander,  John 
Allen.  Nathan 
Betke,  August 
Burk.  David  A. 
Behuke,  August 
Brooks,  Solomon 
Brandt,  William 
Bradley,  Philander  J.  14, 
Brown,  William  14, 

Brown,  Andrew  P.  14, 
Bander,  George  W.  11. 
Burge,  Orrin  P.  11, 

Carr,  George  W.  14, 

Cramer,  Levi  14, 

Coppock.  Oliver  D.  13, 
Comstock.  James  A.  11, 
Chandler,  John  E.  11, 
Dougherty,  John  A.  14. 
Dillman.  Lemuel  G.    13, 


PRIVATES. 

'65:  Mustered  out  Sept.  4,  '65,  as  Serg't. 

••    Aug.  4. 

• •  ••  ••  •• 

••  ••  ••  •• 

Deserted  Feb.  26, 
Mustered  out  Aug.  4. 

••    June  24, 
••    Sept.  4 


Aug 


4, 


May  11, 

Aug.  4. 


as  Corpora!, 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


381 


1  tennler,  John  Feb. 

13, 

bo: 

Dille,  John 

19. 

• 

Ely,  Henry  C. 

■ 

i 

Fink.   Peter  C. 

9. 

Finch,  John  S. 

14. 

i 

Forrester,  William 

13, 

i 

Forrester,  James 

13. 

Fulmer,  Marion 

13 

> 

1  rommons,  Edwin 

13, 

Green,  John  H. 

14. 

i 

( rriggs,  Benoni  G. 

14, 

•  • 

<  raa,  ( Joon 

9, 

•  • 

( raa,  John 

9, 

.. 

Hersberger,  Moses 

14, 

Huffman,  Frederick  '. 

.. 

Hoover.  Henry 

13, 

.. 

Hunt,  Andrew  B. 

1 3, 

.. 

Hollenbeck,  Horace 

15, 

.. 

Harding,  Joseph  W. 

13, 

i< 

Hays,  Ezra 

3 

Horstock,  John 

21 

Jacoby.  Gideon 

14 

Kronkright,  Horace 

19 

Leroy.  Joim  S. 

14 

Lambert,  Isaiah  G. 

13 

Leroy.  Moses 

.. 

Leroy,  Augustus  II. 

u 

Libey,  John  J. 

il 

McGoggy,  Isaac  B. 

a 

McGoggy,  Daniel  H 

a 

Miller,  Philip 

u 

Miller,  George  W. 

a 

Miller,  John  A. 

23 

Marsh  Horace 

13 

McGregor.  William 

11 

Melcher,  Joseph 

9 

Mackey,  James  H. 

u 

Nevin$,  George  0. 

13 

Nash,  James  H. 

u 

Nichols,  Thomas  J. 

9 

Parker,  William  H. 

13 

Parker,  John 

9 

Mustered  out  Aug.  4,'65. 


Deserted  July  16, 
Mustered  out  Au^.  4, 


June  13, 
Aug.  4. 


.. 

.. 

.. 

.. 

.. 

.. 

a 

.. 

a 

June 

20, 

u 

ii 

(( 

Aug. 

4. 

a 

.. 

.. 

.  < 

a 

ii 

a 

a 

a 

ii  ii  ii  ii 

Promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 
Mustered  out  June  5,  '65. 


a 
a 

a 
a 

Aug.  4, 

a 

a 

.. 

a 

a 

a 

;. 

a 

ii 

u 

ii 

ii 

a 

a 
a 
a 

May  11, 

Aug.  4, 

a 

a 
a 

"  as  Sergeant. 

... 

a 

June  21, 

ii 

U 

a 

Aug.  4, 

"  as  1st  Serg. 

a 

a 

u 

"  as  Sergeant. 

a 

. . 

it 

a 

it 

u 

« . 

ii 
ii 

"  as  Corporal. 
a 

ii 
ii 

i. 

« . 
a 
a 

July  26, 
Aug.  4, 

a 

a 

u 

ii 

u 

a 

a 

ii 

a 

a 

a 

ii 

a 

a 

ti 

u 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

u  as  Sergeant. 

ii 

,i 

a 

tC 

.382 


HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


Pierce,    Watson  Feb. 
Pelton,  Andrew  J. 
Paul.  Lewis 
Pierce.  Francis  M. 
Bush,  George  L. 
Ramsby,  Allen 
Reillv."  William 
Reeves,  Charles  H. 
Reekel,  James  F. 
Reamer,  John  W. 
Reeve,  William  W. 
Rush,  Jacob  S. 
Reprogle,  William  A. 
Richards,  William  E. 
Steele,  John  W. 
Smith,  William  P. 
Stanley,  John 
Sager,  Martin 
Shaw,  Lemiah 
Stevens,  Solomon 
Strawhacker,  Samuel 
Smith,  James  K. 
Snell,  Jefferson  B. 
Thompson,  Rice  C. 
Thompson,  Charles  H. 
Teeple,  Thomas  H.  B. 
Teeple,  Wm.  H. 
Thorp,  Amos 
Timm.  Michael 
Underwood,  Daniel 
Vandusen,  William 
Wilson,  Channing 
WTilson,  James 
Wilson,  James  H. 
WToodward,  Horace 
Watson,  Cyrus  C. 
Wilson,  Orrison 
Wolfenbarger.  Philip 
Zimmerman,  Joseph 

COMPANY  "C." 

■Corn well,  Jesse  L.  March  30,'65;  Promoted  Captain. 


9,'65; 

Mustered  out  Aug. 

4/65. 

a 

u 

it 

a 

a 

13 

a 

a 

a 

a 

14 

a 

a 

ti 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a. 

a 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

ii- 

a 

a 

13 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

"  as  Corporal 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

u 

a 

it 

a 

a            a 

14 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

u 

11 

a 

ii 

a 

a 

a 

ii 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

ti 

a 

a 

9 

a 

a 

a 

a 

13 

a 

a 

a 

a            a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

9 

u 

13 

a 

a 

a 

a 

it 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

u             it 

21 

a 

a 

a 

a 

19 

a 

a 

it 

a 

13 

Mustered 

out 

May 

17,  " 

a 

Promoted 

2d  Lieutenant. 

1 

Mustered 

out 

Aug 

4,  '65. 

21 

a 

it 

(< 

a 

13 

a 

a 

May: 

n,  " 

14 

a 

a 

Aug. 

i,  " 

« 

Promoted 

2d  Lieutenant. 

u 

Mustered  out  Aug. 

4,  '65. 

13 

a 

a 

a 

MILITARY    RECORD.  383 

Fanny.  Frederick  March  14, '65;  Mustered  out  Aug.  4,  '65. 
Jennings,  Curtis         «       30,  "  "  "  " 

Roseberry,  Wm.  II.   "      11,  "  " 

Skinner,  James  "       11,   "  "  "  " 

West.  Dion  B.  "       30,  "  Deserted  April  2, 

COMPANY  "G." 

PRIVATES. 

Battye,  Uriah  H.  March  30,'65;  Must,  out  Aug.  4,  '65,  Musician. 

Didat,  Nicholas         "       25,  " 

Durand,  Edgar  H.    "       21,   "  "  " 

Haws,  George  "       18,   " 


44  a  a  u 


u 


as  Sergeant. 


Livings,  John  April  5, 

Porter,  John  March  18,  Discharged  May  18,  " 

Werner,  Ernst  March  23,        "      Deserted  April  12 

COMPANY  UH." 

Cmnpton,  George  March  2,  '65 ;  Must,  out  Aug.  4, '65. 

Kiseminski,  Casimir  "     21,  "  "  " 

Lee,  Frank                 "     14,  "'  "  " 

Onger,  August  Feb.  10,          "  "  " 

Schaw,  Leonard  Jan.  26,       4t  "  " 

Timm,  John  A.   March  16,  «  "  " 

Tebottle,  Fred  Jan  26,           "  " 

Westfall,  Frederick  H.  "     14  " 

COMPANY    "L" 

Chalfant,  Evan  A.  April  11,  '65;  Mustered  out  June  5,  '65. 

OFFICERS. 

John  D.  McRahin,  April  18, '65;  Cap.  pro.  Lt.  Col.;  mus.  o.  with  Rg. 
Elias  M.  Lowe,         "     34,    "     2d  Lt.  pro.  Q.  M.; 
Orrison  Wilson,  March  23,    "     Captain ; 
Joseph  W.  Harding,  April  3,u     1st  Lieutenant; 
Canning  Wilson,  March  23,   "     2d 


U  44 

44  44 

44  44 

«4  44 


U.  S.  COLORED  TROOPS. 


UNASSIGNED    RECRUITS. 


Anderson,  Ross  Sept.  26,  '64. 
Banks,  George      Oct.  15,   " 
Burden,  Thompson  Sept.     " 


384  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Bennett.   John    Sept.    13, '65; 

Caesar.  Julius  "    26,   " 

Caldwell.  Tillman     "    13,  " 

Evans,  John     Sept.  3,  '64 :   Mustered  out  May  29.  '65. 

George.  Wm.    Oct.  4.     " 

Johnson,  William     "    28,   " 

Kemp.  Henrv  "    13,   " 

Roberts.  William      "    22.   " 


THIRD  BATRERY. 

RECRUITS   ASSIGNED  BUT   NOT   BORXE   OX  THE  MUSTER   OUT  ROLL. 

James.  John  Aug.  24,  '61 :   Died  of  wounds  Oct.  7,  'Q'2. 


FOURTH  BATTERY. 

Asahel.  K.  Bush,  Sept.  30/61 :   Capt.:   discharged  to  enter  Invalid 

Corps.  Sept.  29,  '63. 
Henry  J.  Willits,    May  23, '62;  2d  Lieut.:  pro.  1st  Lieut,  and  mus. 

out  Oct.  6,  '64. 
Geo.  M.  Lamb,  Jan.  ^^Qo;  1st  Lieut.;  mustered  out  with  Battery. 
J.  W.  McCleary,  Sept.  30/61;  1st  Serg't,  promoted  2d  Lieutenant. 
Henry  H.  Woods,         ,%  Serg.;  discharged  July  10,  '65. 

Thomas  G.  Ormrod,      kl  "     Discharged  May  20,  '63. 

Harvey  Turner  "  "     Discharged  June  10,  '62. 

CORPORALS. 

Haddock,  Joseph  C. 

Lock  wood,  James 

Ward.  William  P. 

Macadoo,  John  u 

Richards,  Robert 

(Mark,  Samuel  J. 

Bouchard,  John  B.        "  Artificer;  discharged    Dee.  14,  '62. 

Pecore,  Joseph  "  "  "  Nov.  16,  '61. 

Potter.  Benjamin  C.      "  "  -v  July  2.  '62. 

Holland.  Ernest 

Dunn,  John  W.  ;"  Bugler;   pro.  2d  Lieut.  40th  Reg't. 

Barber,  Silas  "  Wag'r:  died,  Stevenson,  Nov.  2.  '63. 

PRIVATES. 

Albert,  Peter  "  Trs.  to  V.  R.  C,  Aug.  —,'63. 

Alexander,  John  "  Discharged  Sept.  2, 

Arnold.  Edwin  V.  " 


u 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


385 


Ash  ton,  Simon  R.  Sept.  30/61 

Blair,  Gorham  B. 

Brown.  Oscar  D. 

Brock  way.  Asahel 

Copp,  Eliphalet 

Cook,  Charles 

Corey,  Edmund  0. 

Cross,  Norman  B. 

Dewolfe,  Joseph  E. 

Doing,  Hiram 

Disard,  John 

Fasold,  Harmon 

Forbes,  George 

Forbes,  Wallace  W. 

Francis,  Willis  T. 

Gillespie,  Micajah  D. 

Glime,  Nelson 

Goodhue,  George  W. 

Hainer,  Robert  II. 

Hainer,  Daniel  W. 

Harrold,  James 

Hill,  Edmund  C. 

Hill,  James 

Horn,  Albert 

Huff,  Mathias 

Jacobs,  Edwin  S. 

Johnston,  George  W. 

Jones,  John 

Jones,  Edward 

Kasbaum,  Charles 

Lawrence,  George 

Long,  Gideon  P. 

Low,  Charles  0. 

Logan,  Edmond  J. 

Madaline,  Ames 

Maze,  Alexander 

Miller,  Henry 

McLain,  Andrew  W. 

McLellan,  Belding  R, 

Nugent,  Edmond  T. 

Nugent,  Thomas 

Olvaney,  John 


;  Discharged  March  21/63. 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


U 


.. 


.. 


u 


u 


a 


a 


a 


u 


u 


a 


u 


U 

a- 

a 
a 

a 
a 
a 

a 
a 
a 

Li 

a 

a 
a 
u 
a 
u 
u 
u 
u 
a 


a 


Dec.  14, '62,  as  Corporal. 


Died,  Camp  Wood,  Ky.,  Feb.  8,  '62. 
Discharged  Feb.  17,  '62. 


Discharged  April  4,  '64. 


Discharged  Jan.  27,  '63. 


Discharged  July  2,  '62. 
Mustered  out  Jan.  14,  '65. 
Discharged  March  28,  '63. 
Vet.;  mus.  out  Aug.  1,'65,  1st  Sergt. 
Discharged  April  11,  '63. 

Killed,  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  30,  '62. 


Discharged  April  22,  '63. 

Discharged  Oct.  8,  '62. 

Discharged  Dec.  8,  '63. 
Discharged  Aug.  26,  '63. 


Discharged  March  4,  '64. 

Discharged  April  4,  '62. 
Discharged  Oct.  8,  '62. 
Killed  at  Stone  River,  Dec.  31,  '62. 
Killed  at  Perryville,  Ky.  Oct.  8,'62, 


25 


386  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Peabody,  Samuel  Sept.  30,  '61. 

Perdoil,  William  " 

Reynolds,  Oscar  "  Discharged  Dec.  13, '62. 

Reynolds.  Isaac  " 

Richie.  Dyer  " 

Riley,  Edward  "  Discharged  Feb.  17.  '62. 

Roberts,  Henry  R.  "  Discharged:  date  unknown. 

Selzer,  Mathias  " 

Shreve,  Thomas  " 

Sisson,  John  B.  "  "  "  " 

Smith,  Edmond  "  Died  at  Murfreesboro,  Jan.  9,'63. 

Small,  James  F.  li 

Sperry,  David  V.  u 

Sonenberg,  Augustus  w" 

Tremain,  Russell  "  Discharged  Feb.  1,  '63. 

Vanauken,  John  "  Veteran. 

Wells.  Orrin  W. 

Youngs,  Henry  A.  "  Transferred  to  V.  R.  C. 

RECRUITS. 

Barringer,  John  R.  May  20,  '63;  Mustered  out  July  2<>.  '65. 
Blessing,  Michael  Oct.  19, '64;  "  "     Aug.  1,     " 

Chipman,  Frederick  A.  Nov.  14,'64;u  "     Nov.  14,  '65. 


FIFTH  BATTERY. 

Ellison,  Jacob  F.  Nov.  22,'61;  1st  Serg..  pro.  2d  Lieut,  and  Is  Lt. 

mils,  out  term  exp. 

Allen  Munday,    Nov.  22,  '61;  2.1  Lieut.:  res.  April  2<>.  '63. 

Allen.  Joseph  M.             ••  Serg.;  discharged  Nov.  10,'64. 

Donley,  David  R.  P.       "•  ••     accid't  killed,  Humsville,  Ala. 

June  25,  '62. 

Miles.  Richard  P.           "  Corp.:  discharged  Jan.  19,  '63. 


Kendall,  llenrv  M. 


. . 


•'• 


McCollum,  Benjamin  F."  "  must.  out.  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Miller,  ('laud  I  .  "  Bugler;  discharged. 


- 

PRIVATES. 


Akely,  L.  W.  Nov.  22/61;  Mustered  out  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Baumgartner,  Albert  " 

Beck  ner.  Joel  " 

Blenk,  Joseph  "  ••  " 

Beckler,  Henry  "  Discharged  Nov.  12,  '62. 


MILITARY    RECORD.  387 

Backhaus,  Cas.  Nov.  22, '61 ;  Died  at  Murfreesboro,  Tn.  July  12/63. 

Crance,  McAdoo        "  Vet.;  trans,  to  7th  Battery. 

Crance,  Michael         "  Mustered  out  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Donly,  Joseph  H.      "  "  "  "       as  Sergeant. 

Darlington,  Wils.  M."  Discharged:  date  unknown. 

Everhart,  John  "  Died  at  LaPorte,  Ind.,  June  1,  '62. 

Evans,  Thomas  "  Mustered  out  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Ehrich,  Frederick      "  Killed  at  Perryville,  Ky.,   Oct.  8,  '62. 

Egner,  John  "  Mustered  out  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Forry,  Abraham        "  Disch'd  Jan.  29, '63,  wounded,  lost  arm. 

Hupp,  Ormond  "  Mustered  out  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Hornebeck,  Peter  L."  " 

Henry,  William         "  Transf.  to  V.  R.  C.  March  15,  '64. 

Johnson,  Benj.  F.     "  Mustered  out  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Kelley,  Stephen         "  Veteran ;  transf.  to  7th  Battery. 

Klocksiem,  Charles   "  Mustered  out  Nov.  26,  '64. 

Miller,  Charles  W.     "  Must,  out  Nov.  26,  '64,  as  Corporal. 

Petit,  Andrew  "  u  "  " 

Weckerlin,  Henry  J.a  Vet.;  transferred  to  7th  Battery. 

Donly,  Wm.  H.Jan.  11, '62;  Recruit;  trans,  to  7th  Battery. 

Hughey,  Joseph  Nov.  23,'61  "  Mus.  out  Nov.  26,'64,  as  Q.  M.  Serg. 


THIRTEENTH  BATTERY. 

Culp,  Lewis  F.  April  1,'62;  Veteran;  mustered  out  July  10,  '6b. 
Sherman,  Aaron  "     14,  '64;  Recruit         "  "  " 

Slain,  Jacob  A.     "  "  '         "  "  "  " 

Selkirk,  John  Sept.  1,  '64;  2d  Lieut.;  promo.  1st  Lieut.;  mustered 
out  with  Battery. 


FOURTEENTH  BATTERY. 

Cox,  Samuel  T.  Feb.  11,  '64;  Mustered  out  Sept.  1,  '65. 
Lozer,  Albert         "     19,     "  "  "  " 


TWENTY-FIRST  BATTERY. 

Fravei,  Theophilus  A.  Sept.  9,'62;  1st  Serg.;  disch.  March  22,'63. 
Ridgeway,  Orville  M.  "  Sergt.;  must,  out  June  26,  '65. 

Gordon,  Charles  M.  "  Artificer;  disch.  March  10, '64. 


388  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

PRIVATES. 

Aldrich,  Isaac  M.  Sep.  9,'62;  Discharged  Feb.  10,  '64. 

Chapman,  Henry  0.  "  "  March  3,  '63. 

Chapman,  Francis  M.  "  "  Jan.  1,       •' 

Cunningham,  Thos.  W.  "  Mustered  out  June  26,  '65. 

Davis,  Reuben  "  Discharged  March  23,  '63. 

Elias,  Charles  F.  "  Mustered  out  June  26,  '65. 

Fredzon,  Charles  "  "  "  " 

Franee,  Christian  k'  "  "  " 

Franee,  George  B.  "  Discharged  Oct.  27.  '63. 

Hohner,  Jacob  "  Died,  Chicamauga,  Sep.  20, '63,  wods. 

Hulburt,  John  W.  "  Must,  out  June  26.  '65,  as  Corporal. 

Klinefeldt,  Carl 

Williams,  Benj.  F. 

Williams,  George  W. 

Wescott,  Charles  L.  Died  at  Murfreesboro,  Aug.  5,'63. 

RECRUITS. 

Gates,  Columbus  Nov.  23,  '64;     Mustered  out  June  26,  65. 
Reed,  Peter  R.  March  4,     "         "  May  11, 

Rodefer,  Chas.  E.  Nov.  23,"         "  June  26, 

OFFICERS. 

Win,  W.  Andrew,  Sept.  9,'62;   Capt.;  dis.  Sept.  16, '64.  disability. 
Abram  P.  Andrew,  "  2d  Lieut.;  promoted  1st  Lieut,  and 

Captain  :   mustered  out  with  Battery. 


a  u  .-  u 

u  ..  ..  i. 

u 


TWENTY-THIRD  BATTERY. 

McComber,  Thomas  Nov.  8,  '62;  Deserted  Jan.  12.  '63. 


ADDITIONAL    NAMES 

OMITTED  FROM  FOREGOING  LISTS,  OB  I    \.\<  <  OUNTED  FOR. 


Capt.  Wm.  II.  Merritt,  9th  Reg.;  mustered  out  Sept.  28,  '65. 

Charles  W.  White, 

Lemuel  Cox,  15th  Regiment. 

J.  R.  Williams,      " 

Edward  S.  Abbey,  20th  Reg:  died  in  Libbey  Prison,  July  20,  '62. 

Charles  Aldrich.  kt  disch.  Dec.  18,  '62,  wounds. 

Henry  M.  Goodsell,     "  "     Nov.  23,'61 

David  Hackett. 


MILITARY    RECORD.  389 

Henry  Holmouth,  20th  Reg.;  dich'd  May  2, '63,  disability. 

Alonzo  H.  Lamb,         "  died  July  21, '63,  wounds. 

Laurin  S.  Boyce,  29th  Reg.;  mus.  out  July  18, '65,  as  Hosp  Stew'd. 

Wm.  Dunham,  "         "         "     Dec.  20,  '65. 

Wm.  Z.  Hasten,  155  Reg.;  mustered  out  May  22,  '65. 

James  Six, 

Homer  0.  Blackman,  1st  U.  S.  Vet.  Vol.  Engineers,  Artificer. 

Simon  Ames,  "  "         "         "     mus.  o.  Sep.  26,65 

Wm.  Mackey,  "  "         "         "  Artificer. 

Isaas  N.  Nelson,  "  "         "         " 

The  foregoing  pages  exhibit  more  forcibly  than  any  words  of  the 
writer,  the  vast  service  which  La  Porte  county  rendered  in  the  war 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  Union.  Rightfully  can  the  boast  be 
made  that  few  counties  in  the  State  manifested  a  greater  devotion 
to  the  country.  These  long  lists  of  names  will  stand  in  all  coming 
time,  speaking  witnesses  for  the  loyalty  which  dominated  the  hearts 
of  the  people.  To  complete  th-j  noble  record,  there  is  here  given  a 
brief  outline  of  the  service  of  each  regiment  that  contained  any  very 
large  number  of  the  men  of  this  countv. 

The  Ninth  regiment  was  organized  and  mustered  for  the  three 
months  service,  at  Indianapolis,  on  the  25th  of  April,  1861.  Fore- 
most of  all,  it  left  Indianapolis  for  Western  Virginia,  on  the  29th 
day  of  May,  and  bore  a  part  in  all  the  first  campaign  in  that  region, 
participating  in  the  engagements  at  Philippi,  Laurel  Hill,  and  Car- 
rick's  Ford.  It  returned  home  in  the  latter  part  of  July,  was  re- 
organized at  La  Porte,  and  was  mustered  in  for  the  three  years 
service  on  the  5th  day  of  September.  Sent  again  to  Western  Vir- 
ginia, it  took  part  in  the  battles  of  Green  Brier,  and  Allegheny. 
In  July  1862,  it  was  transferred  to  Buell's  arcy  in  Tennessee,  was 
assigned  to  Nelson's  division,  and  arrived  on  the  battle-field  of 
Shiloh,  in  time  to  participate  in  the  second  day's  combat.  Here 
Adjutant  Patton  was  killed.  The  Ninth  was  active  in  all  the  work 
which  followed  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  in  the  long  marches 
after  Bragg,  in  the  engagements  at  Perryville,  Danville  and  Wild 
Cat  mountain,  in  the  three  days'  battle  of  Stone  river,  in  the  bloody 
two  days  at  Chicamauga,  where  Lieut.  Nickston  was  killed,  and  the 
battles  that  freed  Chattanooga  from  the  grasp  of  Bragg's  army,  on 
the  24th  and  25th  of  November,  186:5.     On  the  12th   of  December 


30"  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

1863,  it  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  organization,  and  the  men  received 
a  short  veteran  furlough.  When  this  waa  over  the  regiment  re- 
turned to  Tennessee,  and  "was  ready  to  enter  on  the  campaign 
against  Atlanta  in  the  Spring  and  Summer  of  1864.  It  bore  its 
full  share  of  the  work  in  all  that  hundred  days  of  fighting,  fought 
asiain  and  again  at  Columbia.  Franklin  and  Nashville,  and  assistedin 
the  pursuit  of  Hood's  shattered  army,  following  to  Iluntsville, 
Alabama.  Here  it  remained  from  the  6th  dav  of  January  to  the 
loth  of  March.  1865,  when  it  marched  into  East  Tennessee  and 
back  to  Nashville.  It  was  soon  afterwards  moved  to  the  vicinity  of 
New  Orleans,  La.,  and  the.x-e  to  Texas,  where  it  remained  until 
Sept.  1865,  when  ir  was  mustered  out  of  service,  and  the  men 
returned  to  their  homes  in  Indiana. 

The  Fifteenth  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States  for  three  years  at  LaFayette.  on  the  14th  day  of 
June,  1861,  and  its  first  campaign  was  in  West  Virginia,  taking 
part  in  the  operations  at  Rich  Mountain,  the  repulse  of  Lee  and  the 
battle  of  Green  Brier.  On  the  19th  of  November  it  was  sent  to 
Louisville,  joined  BuelFs  arm}',  and  marched  for  Shiloh  with  that 
command,  arriving  during  the  progress  of  the  battle,  in  which  it 
engaged  and  rendered  excellent  service.  It  participated  in  the  ad- 
vance on  Corinth,  was  engaged  in  the  pursuit  <>t  Bragg  towai 
Cumberland  Gap,  was  at  the  battle  of  Perryville  and  in  many  >kir- 
mishe>   and   engagements.     In  November,  1862,  it    w  tied   * 

the  reorganized  Army  of  the  Cumberland  under  Elosecrans.  It 
participated  in  the  great  battle  of  Stone  riverin  which  it  lost  heavily. 
Here.  Capt.  Joel  W.  Foster  was  killed.  It  was  a:  Tullahoma,  in 
the  advance  to  Chattanooga,  being  in  Wagner's  division  which  waa 
the  first  to  enter  the  city  after  ii-  evacuation  by  the  rebel  army. 
Here  it  remained  on  post  duty,  until  the  latter  part  <>{"  Novem- 
eer,  1863,  when  it  bore  a  noble  part  in  the  fight  at  Mission  Ridg 
losing  l!<>-  «.itt  of  334  men  engaged,  i;  then  marched  t<<  Easl  Ten- 
nessee to  the  relief  of  Gen.  Burns  •  ;ir  Knoxvill<  It  remained  in 
this  vicinity  until  February,  1864,  when  it  went  t<»  Chattanooga. 
and  did  garrison  dutv  until  the  16th  of  June,  when  it  left  for  Indi- 
anapolis  r>>  be  mustered  out  of  the  sen  rm   of  three  year- 


MILITARY    RECORD.  391 

having  expired.     A  portion  of  the   regiment  having  re-enlisted  as 
veterans,  these  were  transferred  to  the  Seventeenth  regiment. 

The   Twentieth  regiment  was  organized  at  La  Fayette   in   July, 
1861,  and  was  mustered  in  for  three  years,  at  Indianapolis,  on   the 
22nd  of  that  month.      On  the  2nd  day  of  August  it  started  for  the 
field,  and  its  first   duty   was   in   Maryland,  guarding   the   Northern 
Central   railroad.     In    September,  it   was   sent   to   Hatteras   Inlet, 
North  Carolina.     Ordered  to  Hatteras  Bank,  forty   miles   from  the 
fortifications,  it   was   attacked   by   an   overwhelming  force    of    the 
enemy;  and  being  destitute  of  artillery,  it  was  forced  to  fall  back  to 
the  fortifications.     On   the   9th   of  November,  it  went  to  Fortress 
Monroe,  where  it  remained  until  March,  1862,  when  it  was  sent  to 
Newport  News,  where  it  participated,  from  the  shore,  in  the  engage- 
ment between  the  rebel  iron-clad,  Merrimac,  and  the  United   States 
ships,  Cumberland  and  Congress.      On  the  10th   of  May   it   moved 
to  Norfolk,  assisted  in  its  capture,  and  then  joined  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  on  the  Peninsula.     In   all   the  battles  on   the   Peninsula, 
this  regiment  bore  a  gallant  part,  and  its  losses  were  heavy.     Lieut. 
John   W.    Andrew   of  La  Porte,    was   one   of  those   who  fell.       It 
was  engaged  also  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  where   its   Col- 
one]  was  killed,  and  in  the  battle  of  Chantilly.     The  losses   in  the 
division   to   which  it  belonged  had  been    so   heavy,    especially    in 
officers  that  it  did  not  participate  in  the  Maryland  campaign    Avhich 
followed.     But  it  was  engaged  at  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville, 
and  the  second  day  at   Gettysburg,  where   it  lost   another   Colonel, 
and  many  other  officers  and  men.     In  all  the  pursuit  of  Lee  it  bore 
a  prominent  part,  taking  part   in  several  sharp  engagements,  and 
was  afterwards  sent  to  New  York  to  assist  in  the  suppression  of  the 
threatened  riots  in  that  city ;  but  it  was  back  again  with   the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  in  time  to  participate  in  the  engagements  at  Locust 
Grove  and  Mine  river  in  November,  1863.     On  the  1st  of  January, 
1864,  at  Culpepper,  Virginia,  a  portion  of  the  regiment  re-enlisted 
as  veterans.     In  all  the  arduous  service,  and  tremendous  battles  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  after  Grant  became  Commander-in-Chief, 
the  Twentieth   participated,  from  the   time   of  the   crossing   of  the 
Rapidan  to   the   fall  of  Richmond,  and   the   surrender   of   Lee,  its 
last  engagement  being  at  Clover  Hill,  on   the   9th  of  April,  I860. 


392  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Then  it  marched  to  Washington,  was   moved   thence   to   Louisville, 
and  was  mustered  out  on  the  12th  day  of  July,  l<s,>-~>. 

The  Twenty-ninth  regiment  was  organized  at  La  Porte,  and  mus- 
tered for  the  three  years  service  on  the  27th  day  of  August,  1861. 
It  moved  for  the  field,  and  joined  Gen.  Rousseau  at  Camp  Nevin. 
Kentucky,  on  the  9th  of  October.  It  participated  iu  the  movement 
on  Bowling  Green  and  Nashville,  and  moved  from  the  latter  place 
to  the  Tennessee  river,  and  was  hotry  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
Shiloh,  being  under  fire  more  than  five  hours.  In  this  battle  it 
suffered  severely.  In  the  movement  against  Corinth,  it  sustained 
an  active  purr.  ;md  upon  rhe  evacuation  of  that  place  by  the  rebel-, 
it  moved  with  Buell's  army,  into  Kentucky,  participated  in  the 
long  pursuit  of  Bragg,  returning  to  Nashville  in  December.  Ls62. 
Marehino;  out  with  Rosecrans'  army  toward  Murfreesboro.  it  was 
engaged  in  the  long  three  days  battle  of  Stone  river,  losing  heavily 
in  officers  and  men.  Among  the  slain  on  the  first  day,  Dec.  31st, 
1862.  was  Capt.  Frank  Stebbins,  of  La  Porte.  It  was  engaged  in 
the  campaign  which  followed  against  Chattanooga,  participating  in 
the  skirmishes  at  Lavergne,  Triune  and  Liberty  Gap.  It  was 
engaged  both  days  in  the  great  battle  of  Chicamauga.  sustaining 
heavy  losses.  It  was  then  stationed  for  a  time  at  Bridgeport,  Ala- 
bama, where  on  the  1st  day  of  January.  1864,  it  re-enlisted  as 
a  veteran  organization,  and  was  sent  home  on  veteran  furlough. 
Returning  to  the  field,  it  was  stationed  for  a  time  at  Chattanooga, 
and  in  December.  1864,  went  to  Decatur,  Alabama,  wbere  on  the 
27th,  it  had  a  brisk  skirmish  with  the  enemy.  Returning  t<>  Chat- 
tanooga, it  remained  there  until  May.  1865,  when  it  moved  t<> 
Dalton,  Georgia,  thence  to  Marietta,  in  October,  and  was  booii 
after  mustered  out  of  service. 

The  Thirty-fifth  regimenl  was  organized  at  Indianapolis  and 
mustered  on  the  11th  of  December,  L861.  On  the  loth  it  left  for 
Kentucky,  going  to  Bardstown  where  it  remained  six  weeks  in  a 
camp  of  instruction,  and  then  moved  with  Buell's  army  r<>  Bowling 
Green  and  Nashville.  From  Nashville  the  regimenl  moved  to  Mc- 
Minnville,  and  thence  in  September.  L862,  with  Buell's  army  to 
Louisville,  and  afterwards  in  pursuit  of  Bra;^,  participating  in  the 
skirmishes  of  the  march,  and  the  battle  .»t"  Perryville.     On    the  9th 


MILITARY    RECORD.  393 

of  December,  1862,  it  had  a  severe  skirmish  with  the  enemy  at 
Dobbin's  Ford,  near  Lavergne,  while  on  a  foraging  expedition.  It 
was  in  the  battle  of  Stone  river  in  each  of  the  three  days,  sustaining 
a  loss  of  one-third  of  its  number.  It  participated  in  the  march 
upon  Chattanooga,  and  fought  again  at  Chicamauga,  sustaining 
heavy  losses.  On  the  16th  of  December,  1863,  it  re-enlisted  as  a 
veteran  organization,  and  received  the  usual  furlough.  It  returned 
to  Tennessee  in  February,  1864,  and  took  part  in  all  the  operations 
of  the  historical  Atlanta  campaign,  exhibiting  on  several  occasions 
determined  bravery  and  gallantry.  It  returned  from  Georgia  into 
Tennessee  to  participate  in  the  operations  against  Hood,  fought  at 
Franklin  and  Nashville,  and  followed  in  the  pursuit  of  Hood  as  far 
as  Duck  river,  when  it  was  assigned  to  the  charge  of  the  pontoon 
train.  It  was  now  for  a  time  at  Huntsville,  then  at  Knoxville,  and 
returned  to  Nashville  in  the  Spring  of  1865.  In  June  it  was 
transferred  with  the  4th  corps,  to  Texas,  and  in  September  was 
mustered  out  of  service  and  returned  home. 

The  Forty-eighth  regiment  was  organized  at  Goshen.  It  left 
for  Paducah,  Kentucky,  in  February,  1862,  and  remained  there 
until  May,  when  it  moved  up  the  Tennessee,  and  joining  the  left 
wing  of  the  army  under  Pope,  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Corinth. 
After  the  evacuation  of  that  strong-hold  it  followed  in  pursuit  of 
the  retreating  rebel  army  as  far  as  Boonville,  Miss.  On  the  19th 
of  September,  after  various  marches  and  counter  marches  during  the 
summer,  it  participated  in  the  battle  of  luka,  where  it  lost  one- 
fourth  of  the  number  engaged,  its  Colonel,  Norman  Eddy,  being 
among  the  number  of  the  severely  wounded.  It  fought  again  at 
Corinth  on  the  3d  and  4th  of  October,  and  then  took  part  in  the 
pursuit  of  Price.  It  afterwards  moved  with  Grant's  army  of  West 
Tennessee,  along  the  Mississippi  Central  R.  R.  as  far  as  Oxford, 
and  then  marched  to  Memphis.  Remaining  here  about  two  months, 
it  was  moved  down  the  Mississippi,  and  took  part  in  the  operations 
which  were  designed  to  reach  the  rear  of  Vicksburg,  engaging  in 
the  long,  circuitous,  and  toilsome  movement  through  the  Moon  lake 
passes,  the  Coldwater  and  Tallahatchie  rivers,  to  Fort  Pemberton 
on  the  Yazoo.  Returning  thence  it  passed  with  the  main  army 
below    Vicksburg,   crossed   the   river,    and   participated   in   all  the 


394  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

movements  for  the  reduction  of  that  place,  fighting  at  Raymond, 
Jackson  and  Champion  Hills,  on  the  13th,  14th,  and  16th  of  May. 
It  took  part  in  the  assault  on  the  rebel  works  at  Vicksburg  on  the 
'2'2d  of  May.  and  was  engaged  in  the  trenches  during  the  long  siege 
of  that  place,  which  ended  in  its  surrender  <>n  the  4th  day  of  July, 
1863.  The  regiment  was  afterwards  moved  up  the  river  to  Mem- 
phis, and  then  marched  across  the  country  to  Chattanooga,  reaching 
there  in  time  to  participate  in  the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge.  It  as- 
sisted in  the  pursuit  of  Bragg's  army:  and  in  January.  ls»)4,  it 
re-enlisted,  and  returned  home  on  veteran  furlough,  upon  the  expira- 
tion of  which  it  returned  to  the  field,  and  was  at  Huntsville.  Alabama, 
until  June,  when  it  was  moved  to  Cartersville,  Georgia,  and  kept 
on  duty  there  for  the  protection  of  Sherman's  railroad  communica- 
tions during  the  campaign  against  Atlanta.  Upon  the  beginning  of 
Hood's  invasion  of  Tennessee,  it  moved  with  Sherman's  grand  army 
through  Georgia  to  Savanah,  It  went  thence  to  Beaufort.  S.  C, 
and  then  engaged  in  the  campaign  through  the  Carolinas  to  Raleigh. 
After  the  surrender  of  Johnson's  army,  it  moved  to  Petersbug, 
Virginia,  and  thence  to  Washington,  where  after  the  grand  review, 
it  was  transferred  to  Louisville,  and  mustered  out  of  service  on  the 
15th  of  July,  1865. 

The  Seventy-third  regiment  was  organized  at  South  Bend,  and 
mustered  into  service  on  the  16th  dav  of  August,  1862,  with  Gil- 
bert  Hathaway,  of  La  Porte,  as  Colonel.  It  was  immediately  or- 
dered to  Lexington.  Kentucky,  from  whence  it  marched  to  Louis- 
ville.  was  united  to  Buell's  army,  and  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of 
Bragg,  was  at  the  fight  at  Chaplin  Hills,  and  on  the  7th  of  Novem- 
ber, surprised  and  drove  the  enemy  out  of  Gallatin,  Tenn.  It  then 
moved  to  Nashville,  where  it  joined  Rosecrans'  army,  and  bore  a 
distinguished  part  in  the  battle  of  Stone  river,  where  it  lost  one- 
third  of  its  number,  and  immediately  after  the  battle  was  compli- 
mented by  Gen.  Rosecrans  in  person.  On  the  10th  of  April.  1863, 
it  was  assigned  to  Col.  Streight's  "  [ndependenl  Provisional  Brig- 
ade." It  moved  down  the  Cumberland  and  up  the  Ten'  to 
Eastport,  Miss.  Here  it  was  mounted  by  impressments  from  the 
country,  and  moved  to  Tuscumbia,  Alabama,  and  left  that  place  on 
the  -'sth  of  April  on   its  hazardous   expedition.     The  brigade  was 


MILITARY    RECORD.  395 

only  1.500  strong,  and  on  the  30th  of  April,  it  was  attacked  at 
Day's  Gap,  by  4,000  rebel  cavalry  under  Forest  and  Roddy,  who, 
by  a  spirited  charge,  were  driven  from  the  field,  losing  their  artil- 
lery. The  rebels  again  attacked  at  Crooked  Creek,  on  the  same 
day,  and  were  again  repulsed.  The  provisional  brigade  was  again 
attacked  at  Blount's  Farm,  Alabama,  on  the  2d  of  May,  and  here 
Col.  Hathaway  was  killed  while  at  the  head  of  his  men,  cheering 
them  on.  Surrounded  by  superior  forces,  and  nearly  out  of  ammu- 
nition, Col.  Streight  was  compelled  to  surrender.  The  men  were 
soon  forwarded  north  and  exchanged,  but  the  officers  were  kept  in 
close  confinement  by  the  rebels  nearly  two  years.  For  several 
months  the  men  were  in  camp,  and  were  then  sent  to  Tennessee, 
where  on  the  28th  of  March,  1864,  Major,  afterwards  Col.  Wade, 
being  released  from  rebel  prison,  assumed  command  of  the  regiment. 
During  the  Summer  it  was  engaged  in  guarding  the  Nashville  and 
Chattanooga  railroad,  and  picketing  the  Tennessee  river,  rendering 
extremely  important  service.  It  defended  Prospect,  Tenn.,  during 
Wheeler's  raid,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  September  was  ordered  to 
Decatur,  Alabama,  and  from  there  to  Athens.  This  place  Col. 
Wade  was  ordered  to  hold,  and  at  once  he  put  it  in  a  condition  for 
defense.  The  rebels  attacked  on  the  1st  of  October,  4,000  strong, 
while  the  garrison  numbered  500.  A  demand  for  surrender  was 
refused,  and  the  next  day  the  rebels  retired.  The  regiment  was 
then  sent  to  Decatur,  to  assist  in  the  defense  of  that  place.  It  bore 
an  honorable  part  in  the  repulse  of  Hood.  In  January,  1865,  it 
was  moved  to  ITuntsville,  Ala.,  and  placed  on  duty  along  the  line 
of  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  railroad,  having  frequent  skirmishes 
with  the  enemy.  It  remained  on  this  duty  until  the  Summer  of 
1865,  when  on  the  1st  day  of  July,  at  Nashville,  it  was  mustered 
out  of  service. 

The  Eighty-seventh  regiment  was  organized  at  South  Bend  on 
the  28th  of  August,  1862.  It  was  mustered  in  at  Indianapolis,  and 
on  the  same  day  proceeded  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  immedi- 
ately entered  on  the  campaign  with  Buell's  army,  against  Bragg, 
engaging  in  the  battle  of  Perry ville.  After  the  close  of  this  cam- 
paign, it  was  engaged  in  various  marches  and  skirmishes,  and 
on  the  23d  of  June,  1863,  moved  with  the  army  of  the  Cumberland 


396  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

and  engaged  in   the  Summer  campaign  against  Tullahoma,  which 
j»lace  it  assisted  in  capturing,  and  them  moved  to  Winchester,  Tenn., 

and  soon  after,  over  the  mountain*  to  Battle  Creek  on  the  Tenn 
river.  It  participated  in  the  Fall  campaign  against  Chattanooga, 
and  bore  an  honorable  and  conspicuous  part  in  the  bloody  battle  >f 
Chicamauga,  on  the  19th  and  20th  of  September,  L863,  wh< 
among  its  numerous  losses,  Lieut.  Abram  C.  Andrew,  of  La  Porte, 
was  killed.  Col.  Newell  Gleason  was  now  in  command  of  the  regi- 
ment, Col.  Shryock,  its  first  Colonel,  having  resigned  on  the  -sth 
of  the  preceding  March.  On  the  25th  of  November  it  was  in  the 
front  line  of  the  brigade  in  the  storming  of  Mission  Ridge,  and 
afterwards  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  to  Ringold,  Ga. 
It  was  engaged  in  the  expedition  against  Dalton  in  February,  1s'i4. 
and  in  the  laborious  campaign  against  Atlanta,  it  bore  its  full  share 
of  arduous  duty,  of  march,  skirmish  and  battle.  It  assisted  in  the 
pursuit  of  Hood  after  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  as  far  northward  as  GayL 
ville,  Alabama.  It  then  returned  to  Atlanta,  and  marched  with 
Sherman  to  the  sea,  and  back  through  the  Carolinas  to  Goldsboro, 
N.  C.  Thence  it  went  to  Raleigh,  remained  there  until  after  the 
surrender  of  Johnson's  army,  when  it  marched  to  Richmond,  ^  ir- 
ginia.  and  thence  to  Washington,  participated  in  the  general  review, 
and  was  mustered  out  of  service  on  the  10th  day  of  June,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh  regiment  (Twelfth  Caval- 
ry,) was  organized  at  Kendallville.  on  the  1st  of  March.  1864,  with 
Rev.  Edward  Anderson  as  Colonel.  Earlv  in  May,  the  regiment 
proceeded  to  Indianapolis,  and  thence  to  Louisville  and  Nashville. 
It  remained  at  the  latter  place  three  weeks,  when  it  was  ordered  to 
Huntsville,  Ala.,  and  was  assigned  to  guard  railroad  defi  nses,  and 
watch  the  country  between  the  river  and  the  railroad,  which  wai 
infested  by  guerillas  and  bush  whacker-.  In  pursuance  of  this  duty. 
the  regiment  became  engaged  in  many  skirmishes,  losing  considera- 
ble in  killed  and  wounded.  On  the  15th  of  September,  L864,  it 
wa>  ordered  to  Tullahoma,  to  garrison  that  post.  Here  it  was  con- 
stantly  employed  in  watching  the  rebel  General  Forest,  who  was 
threatening  Tullahoma  with  a  large  force,  and  with  his  forces  it 
had  several  sharp  skirmishes.  Three  companies,  "C,"  ftD,"  and 
••II."  wore  at  Huntsville.  and   assisted   in  the  defense  of  that  place 


MILITARY    RECORD.  397 

against  an  attack  of  a  portion  of  Forest's  command   on   the   1st  of 

October.      It  had   other   engagements   with    Forest's   command   at 

©  © 

Murfreesboro  and  elsewhere,  and  proceeding  to  Nashville  late  in  the 
Fall,  it  went  into  winter  quarters.  On  Feby.  11, 1865,  it  embarked 
on  board  transport  steair.ers.  and  went  to  Vicksburg.  Miss.,  thence 
to  New  Orleans,  arriving  on  the  12th  of  March,  1865.  It  next  was 
sent  to  Mobile  bay  and  participated  in  the  operations  against  the 
defenses  of  Mobile.  After  the  fall  of  Mobile,  the  regiment  partici- 
pated in  an  extensive  cavalry  raid  into  Georgia,  thence  across 
Alabama,  and  to  Columbus,  Miss.,  where  it  arrived  on  the  20th 
day  of  May,  1865.  From  this  place  a  portion  of  the  regiment  was 
sent  to  Grenada,  Miss.,  and  a  parr  to  Austin,  on  the  Mississippi 
river,  while  the  remaining  companies  remained  at  Columbus.  All 
were  engaged  chiefly  in  protecting  government  cotton  and  other 
property  until  they  were  ordered  to  Vicksburg,  where  the  regiment 
was  mustered  out  on  the  10th  day  of  November,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  regiment  was  mustered 
into  service  on  the  18th  day  of  March,  1864,  at  Michigan  City. 
On  the  23d  it  left  Michigan  City  by  rail,  and  proceeded  to  Nashville, 
where  it  was  assigned  to  Gen.  Hovey's  division,  and  at  once  started 
on  the  march  to  Charleston,  East  Tennessee,  where  it  joined  the 
23d  corps  under  command  of  Gen.  Schofield,  and  on  the ,4th  of  May 
it  left  Charleston  to  enter  on  the  one  hundred  days  campaign 
against  Atlanta.  It  participated  in  the  movements  about  Dalton, 
Buzzard's  Roost,  and  Rocky  Face,  and  having  moved  with  Sher- 
man's army  through  Snake  Creek  Gap,  it  shared  in  the  battle  of 
Resaca;  and  in  all  the  subsequent  campaign,  in  marching,  flanking 
and  fighting,  it  bore  a  distinguished  part.     On  the  6th  dav  of  June, 

©  © ;  or  •  ' 

1865,  the  Colonel,  Richard  P.  De  Hart,  was  wounded,  and  the 
command  devolved  on  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  during  all   the  subse- 

o 

quent  service  of  the  regiment.  After  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  the  regi- 
ment went  to  Decatur,  Georgia,  and  on  the  4th  of  October,  it 
moved  with  its  corps  in  pursuit  of  Hood,  who  was  reported  march- 
ing northward.  Then  Sherman's  whole  army  moved  after  him, 
past  Alatoona,  Resaca,  Rome,  and  as  far  as  Gaylesville,  Alabama. 
From  this  place  the  regiment  marched  with  its  corps  to  Chattanoo- 
ga, and  thence  to  Nashville,  whence  it  was   pushed  out   hurriedly 


-308  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

toward  Hood's  new  front,  as  far  as  Pulaski,  Term.  So  soon  as  it 
was  ascertained  that  Hood  was  crossing  the  Tennessee  river,  a  new 
position  was  taken  at  Columbia.  Three'  days  heavy  skirmishing 
ensued,  when  the  army  under  Schofield  fell  back  to  Franklin,  where 
the  regiment  was  engaged  so  hotly  as  to  leave  thirty-seven  rebels 
dead  in  its  front,  though  its  own  losses  were  few  in  number.  I  >n 
the  15th  and  10th  of  December,  it  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Nashville,  and  assisted  in  the  pursuit  of  Hood,  driving  his  shattered 
and  demoralized  army  beyond  the  Tennessee  river.  It  moved  next 
to  Clifton  on  the  river,  where  it  embarked  on  steamers,  and  moved 
to  Cincinnati,  and  thence  by  rail  to  Washington,  and  soon  after  to 
Alexandria,  from  whence  on  the  20th  of  Februarv  it  embarked  on 
an  ocean  steamer,  and  landed  at  Morehead  City,  North  Carolina, 
moving  thence  by  rail  to  Newbern.  It  then  moved  up  the  railroad 
towards  Raleigh,  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Wise's  Forks  below 
Kinston,  on  the  10th  of  March,  where  it  lost  heavily,  and  after- 
wards marched  to  Goldsboro.  It  was  then  sent  to  LeXoir  Insti- 
tute, where  it  remained  until  the  9th  of  April,  when  it  moved  to 
Raleigh,  with  the  entire  army,  Sherman  having  come  from  the  sea. 
It  was  on  duty  in  the  city  of  Raleigh  when  the  news  came  ot  the 
assassination,  and  it  was  only  by  extra  vigilance  that  the  city  v 
saved  from  destruction.  It  was  sent  from  Raleigh  after  the  surren- 
der  of  Johnston's  army,  to  Charlotte,  and  two  months  afterwards  to 
Salisbury;  where  it  remained  in  charge  of  the  forty-three  counties 
of  Western  North  Carolina,  until  the  10th  day  of  April.  1866, 
when  it  proceeded  to  Indianapolis,  and  was  mustered  out  on  the 
18th  of  that  month,  being  the  last  in  service,  of  the  Indiana  tro< 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  regiment  was  organized  at 
Indianapolis.  March  3,  1865,  for  one  year's  service,  and  did  posl 
and  garrison  duty  at  Tullahoma  and  Nashville,  Term.,  until  the 
l'.Hh  of  September,  when  it  was  mustered  out  of  service. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fiftv-fifth  regiment  was  organized  at  In- 
dianapolis,  April  18,  18<>.~>,  and  moved  thence  to  Washington,  and 
Alexandria,  and  was  soon  afterwards  assigned  to  garrison  and  post 
duty,  in  Maryland  an  i  Delaware,  remaining  in  service  until  August 

CD 

4th,  1865,  when  it  was  mustered  out  at  Dover.  Delaware. 

The  Fourth  battery  of  light  artillery,  was  mustered  into  service  at 


MILITARY    RECORD.  399 

Indianapolis  on  the  30th  day  of  September,  1861.  It  bore  an 
eminent  part  in  the  campaigns  of  Buell  against  Bragg,  Rosen- 
crans',  including  the  bloody  battles  of  Stone  river  and  Chicamauga, 
and  Grant's  in  the  relief  of  Chattanooga,  always  rendering  most 
efficient  and  valuable  service.  It  was  reorganized  on  the  14th  day 
of  October,  1864,  and  participated  in  the  fight  with  Hood  at  Nash- 
ville. On  the  1st  day  of  August,  1865,  it  was  mustered  out  of 
service  at  Indianapolis. 

The  Fifth  battery  of  light  artillery  was  mustered  in  November 
22,  1861.  It  went  to  the  front  without  delay,  and  in  the  month 
of  March,  1862,  it  assisted  in  the  capture  of  Huntsville,  Ala.  It 
bore  an  active  and  gallant  part,  in  all  the  campaigns  and  operations 
of  the  armies  of  Buell,  Rosecrans,  Grant  and  Sherman,  in  the  years 
1862,  '63,  and  '64,  in  Tennessee  and  Georgia,  participated  in  all 
the  important  battles,  and  innumerable  smaller  engagements  and 
skirmishes.  At  Pine  mountain  Capt.  Simonson  was  killed,  and 
here  a  gun  from  this  artillery  killed  the  rebel  General  Bishop  Polk. 
It  was  mustered  out  on  the  26th  of  November,  '64,  at  Indianapolis. 

The  Twenty-first  battery  was  mustered  in  on  the  9th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1862,  and  immediately  left  for  Covington,  Ky.  It  engaged  in 
a  varied  round  of  duty,  in  marches  and  skirmishes,  in  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee.  It  was  engaged  at  Hoover's  Gap,  Chicamauga  and 
Mission  Ridge  in  1863.  It  was  also  in  the  fight  at  Nashville,  on 
the  15th  and  16th  of  December,  1864.  On  the  17th  of  September, 
1864,  Capt.  Wm.  W.  Andrew  was  discharged  by  reason  of  disabili- 
ty, caused  by  wounds,  and  Abram  P.  Andrew  became  Captain. 
On  the  21st  day  of  June,  1865,  it  was  mustered  out  at  Indianapolis. 


400  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

METHODIST  EPISCOI' A  L. 

The  history  of  the  churches  of  LaPorte  county,  must  for  a  portion 
of  our  people,  if  not  all  of  them,  posses  a  deep  interest.  The  author 
has  therefore  been  at  great  pains  to  make  this  record  as  complete  as 
possible,  In  the  search  for  facts  on  this  subject,  he  was  fortunate 
enough  to  enlist  the  interest  of  Rev.  <J.  M.  Boyd,  Presiding  Elder 
of  the  La  Porte  district,  who  kindly  furnished  him  the  following 
paper,  which  gives  a  very  full  history  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  in  this  county. 

We  write  partly  from  personal  observation,  having  been  on  the 
ground  as  early  as  the  fall  of  1830,  but  mainly  from  official  docu- 
ments, such  as  the  minutes  of  the  annual  conferences,  and  the 
journals  of  the  quarterly  conferences.  In  some  cases  we  have  not 
been  able  to  get  access  to  such  quarterly  conference  minutes,  as  was 
necessary  to  a  full  knowledge  of  the  facts  we  desired  to  bring  out  in 
our  historical  sketch. 

In   speaking  of  the   year,  the  reader  will  bear  in   mind  that  we 
refer  to  the  conference  veal*,  which   in    our   conference   has   alwa 
commenced  in  the  Fall  when   the  annual  session  was  held. 

Another  fact  to  be  mentioned  here.  is.  that  for  the  first  fe?i  yei 
the   county    was   ecclesiasticallv   connected   with    territory  in  other 
counties,  the  circuits  being  large.     This    will    account    for   the   fre- 
quent  mention  of  other  places  not  in  the  county. 

In  the  Fall  of  1832  the  first  session  of  the  Indiana  conference 
was  held,  and  the  State  was  divided  into  five  Presiding  Elder's 
districts,  the  most  northern  of  which  was  called  Missionary  District. 

To  this.  Rev.  James  Armstrong  was  appointed  a<  Presiding  El- 
der, or  as  he  is  called  that  year  in  the  minutes.  Superintendent.  It 
is  due  to  the  memory  of  that  eminent  minister  to  say  that  his  dis- 
trict was  a  laborious  one,  extending  from  near  Lafavette  on  the 
Wabash  to  Kalamazoo  in  the  State  of  Michigan;  and  from  the  Ohio 


CHURCH    RECORD.  401 

line  on  the  east  to  Illinois  on  the  west.  This  same  Fall  La  Porte 
Mission  was  organized,  and  he  received  also  the  appointment  of 
missonary  thereto.  By  his  arrangement  as  Presiding  Elder,  Boyd 
Phelps,  who  was  stationed  at  Fort  Wayne,  and  R.  S.  Robinson  and 
G.  M.  Bostwick  of  St.  Joseph  Mission,  supplied  also  La  Porte  Mis- 
sion, as  Mr.  Armstrong's  extensive  work  gave  him  but  little  time 
to  attend  to  the  duties  of  the  missionary-  The  number  of  members 
returned  at  the  close  of  the  year  for  the  mission  was  one  hundred 
and  forty.  Mr.  Armstrong  found  when  he  came  to  the  work,  that 
a  small  class  had  been  formed  at  a  Mr.  Aehart's  near  where  West- 
ville  now  stands,  by  Jeremiah  Sherwood,  a  local  preacher  who  had 
preceded  him  in  the  county.  This  was  the  first  class  of  Metho- 
dists formed  in  the  county,  if  not  the  first  Protestant  organization 
of  any  kind.  In  the  Fall  of  that  year,  Mr.  Armstrong  formed  a 
class  at  Door  Village,  or  on  a  log  in  the  grove  where  the  village  now 
stands.  This  place  like  the  land  of  Moruih,  became  consecrated 
ground.  Here,  during  the  next  Summer,  the  infant  church  built  a 
small  chapel  in  which  they  worshiped  for  several  years.  It  was 
erected  on  the  site  where  the  present  church  stands,  and  was  the 
first  house*of  worship,  built  north  of  the  Wabash  River.  Of  the 
men  who  united  with  that  class,  but  fewT  are  alive.  Lewis  Keith  and 
Thomas  W.  Sale  still  like  veterans,  linger  among  us.  In  1833  the 
district  was  called  North  Western  District,  and  Mr.  Armstrong  was 
Presiding  Elder,  and  the  mission  was  included  in  the  South  Bend 
circuit;  Boyd  Phelps  being  sent  as  the  preacher,  with  Thos.  P.  Mc 
Cool  as  his  assistant.  This  year  several  new  societies  or  classes 
were  organized  in  the  county,  La  Porte  I  think  was  one,  and  an- 
other at  Silas  Hale's  on  Stilwell  Prairie,  and  another  at  the  house  of 
Thomas  Robinson  in  the  south-west  part  of  the  county.  The  circuit 
was  large,  extending  from  South  Bend  to  Michigan  City,  and  from 
Niles,  Michigan,  to  the  west  end  of  Door  Prairie.  The  numbers 
returned  at  the  conference  were  five  hundred  and  eleven,  but  how 
many  were  in  the  county,  we  cannot  say.  At  the  close  of  this 
year,  Rev.  James  Armstrong  was  called  from  labor  to  reward.  He 
died  in  great  peace  at  his  home  near  Door  Village,  lamented  by  all 
who  knew   him,    and   his   remains   repose   in  the  cemeterv  at  that 

26 


402  EIISTOR?  OP  LA  PORTE  COUN  r .  . 

place.      Perhaps  no  man  das   ever  died   in    the   county    whose   loss 
was  so  universally  fell . 

In  the  Fall   of   L834,  the  district  was  called  La  Porte  District,— 
R.  Hanrrave,  Presiding  Elder,  and    S.  R.  Ball   and  T.  P.  Mc1 
preachers.     In  1  s:)~>.  the  work  was  called  La  Porte  Circuit,  and  R. 

.  Meek  was  senl  as  preacher,  with  Elijah  Barns  as  a  supply.  Tl 
•  camp-meeting  for  the  second  time  was  held  near  Springville. 
It  was  an  interesting  meeting.  In  1836.  G.  M.  Boyd  was  appoint 
to  the  circuit  with  Stephen  R.  Jones  as  an  assistant.  This  year  I 
formed  the  class  in  the  Galena  woods  at  the  house  of  Whitman  Goit. 
Our  preaching  places  were  La  Porte,  Door  Village,  Robinson's, 
Warnock's,  H.  Clyburn's,  near  where  Westville  now  stands:  Van- 
Meter's,  on  the  road  from  La  Porte  to  Michigan  City;  Michigan 
City,  Springville.  Goit's,  Wright's,  near  Rolling  Prairie  Station ; 
Griffin's  School  House,  Silas  Hale'-.  Kingsbury,  Admiral  Burch's, 
and  five  other  places  outside  of  the  county. 

This  vear  a  Sabbath  School  was  organized  in  La  Porte,  in  which 
A.  and  J.  B.  Fravel  took  a  deep  interest.  The  latter  gentleman 
in  the  absence  ot  a  barber,  cut  the  hair  of  the  gentlemen,  charging 
them  a  dime  each,  and  appropriated  the  funds  to  purchase  a  library 
for  the  use  of  the  school. 

The  reader  will  pardon  a  little  episode  here.  This  year  Daniel 
Webster,  the  eminent  statesman,  was  making  a  tour  through  the 
West.  It  was  on  the  fourth  of  Julv  when  he  visited  La  Porte,  and 
ihe  little  school  was  out  in  patriotic  procession.      Mr.   Webster   v- 

■aiding  in  his  carriage  addressing  the  citizen-,  when  the  procession 
filed  around  the  corner  of  the  public  square.  Hi<  eye  caught  the 
scene,  and  turning  to  the  crowd  he  exclaimed,  "  There:  fellow  citizens , 
,  the  hope  <>t'  our  country."  The  lips  that  uttered  these  words  are 
sealed  in  death,  but  the  truth  of  the  utterance  is  manifest  to  all  who 
observe  the  moral  influence  of  the  Sunday  School  on  society. 

This  vear  our  friends  erected  a  small  heat  brick  church  on  the 
corner  lot  now  occupied  in  connection  with  the  residence  of  Dr. 
Teegarden.  Here  they  worshiped  f or  several  years.  In  1837. 
Boyd  Phelps  ana  II.  Van  Order,  were  sent  as  circuit  preachers. 
In  1838,  Aaron  Wood  was  appointed  Presiding  Elder,  and  R.  Har- 
grave  and  J.  B.  Jenkins,  preachers.     This  year   Union   Chapel,  in 


CHURCH    RECORD.  403 

the  Robinson  neighborhood  was  erected,  and  the  Robinson  and 
Warnock  classes  united  there.  This  house  was  a  prominent  point 
for  Methodists  for  several  years  until  Westville  and  New  Durham 
became  central  points,  and  by  removal,  death,  and  other  reasons 
this  place  ceased  to  be  a  place  of  worship.  The  first  Methodist 
Church  at  Michigan  City  was  erected,  I  think,  this  year.  In  1839 
the  district  was  called  South  Bend  District, — A.  Wood,  Presiding 
Elder,  and  Rev.  Zachariah  Games  and  G.  W.  Baker  were  appointed 
to  the  circuit.  In  1840  the  preachers  were  Z.  Games  and  W.  F. 
Wheeler.  This  year  the  circuit  was  confined  to  the  limits  of  the 
county.  In  1841  Wade  Posey  and  G.  W.  Ames,  brother  of  Bishop 
Ames,  were  the  preachers  This  year  a  small  chapel  was  built  in 
Goit's  neighborhood,  and  was  called  in  honor  of  the  senior  preach- 
er. Posey  Chapel.  This  was,  in  a  few  years,  superceded  by  abetter 
house,  called  by  the  same  name.  It  still  is  a  preaching  place  with 
a  small  society  of  good  men  and  women.  It  stands  upon  an  eleva- 
tion commanding  an  extensive  view  of  the  country,  and  surrounded 
by  the  graves  of  some  of  the  best  and  purest  citizens,  who  have 
departed  this  life. 

In  the  Fall  of  1842,  W.  H.  Goode  was  appointed  Presiding  El- 
der, and  A.  Wood  and  L.  W.  Mimson,  were  the  preachers.  Mr. 
Goode  went  one  round  on  his  district  and  was  transferred  bv  the 
Bishop  to  Arkansas,  to  take  charge  of  missionary  work,  and  A. 
Wood  was  re-placed  on  the  district,  and  W.  Griffith  was  employed 
in  charge  of  the  circuit. 

In  the  Fall  of  1843,  C.  M.  liolliday  was  appointed  Presiding 
Elder,  and  W.  L.  Huffman  the  preacher.  At  this  conference,  Union 
circuit  was  formed,  including  the  west  end  or  half  of  the  county, 
and  0.  Y.  Lemon  and  B.  Winans  were  the  preachers.  Mr.  Huff- 
man was  left  in  charge  of  the  rest  of  the  territory  in  the  county 
except  Mount  Pleasant  and  Posey  Chapels.  I  am  not  able  to  give 
the  time  when  Mount  Pleasant  Chapel  was  built,  neither  that  of 
Lamb's  Chapel. 

As  the  church  increased,  the  interest  in  the  Sunday  School  cause  in- 
creased. The  returns  show  an  aggregate  of  three  hundred  and  five 
scholars  in  the  county.  From  the  Fall  of  1843  to  1856,  all  the 
^reaching  places  in  the  county  east  of  La  Porte,  except  Byron  and 


404  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

McCasky's,  were  included  in  Terre  Coupeo  and  other  circuits,  and 
served  by  the  preachers  appointed  thereto. 

In  1844,  J.  B.  DeMott  was  appointed  to  La  Porte  circuit.  J.  W 
Parrett  to  Michigan  City,  and  S.  Lamb  to   Union.     This   year  the 
erection  of  Donnain  church  was  commenced. but  finished  subsequently. 

In  1845,  G.  TV.  Bowers   wa     e  at  to   La  Porte.  Jacob   Cazad 
Michigan  City,  and  J.  W.  Parrett  to  Union. 

In  184<*».  J.  Daniel  was  appointed  Presiding  Elder.  T.  11.  Senix 
to  La  Porte.  J.  J.  Cooper  to  Union,  with  Michigan  (  ity  attached 
thereto. 

In  1847  La  Porte  was  made  a  station,  with  11.  C.  Benson,  pastor. 
Union  circuit  included  Michigan  City;  and  F.  Taylor  and  J.  Gr.  D. 
Pettijohn  were  sent  as  preachers;  and  New  Durham  meeting  house 
erected. 

In  1848  Mr.  Benson  was  returned    r<.    La  Porte.     Th  -  rhe 

first  instance  of  a  preacher  returnin  3ec  ad  year  cutively 

to  any  charge  in  the  county — such  was  the  practical  workings  ot 
the  itinerac-v.  F.  Taylor  was  also  returned  to  Union  circuit,  with 
E.  J.  Kirk  a^  junior  preacher. 

In  1849  the  appointments  for  the  county  were,  W.  Gra- 

ham;   Union,    Thos.    C.    Hackney.   R.    S.    Li  This    vear   the 

present  church  edifice  was  built  at  1 1         •         re. 

In  1850  J.  \j.  Smith  was  appointed  Presiding  Elder,  and  W. 
Graham  to  La  Porte  station.      This  ye  irch    no? 

in  the  city  was  erected,  partly  by  the  effo  or  and  Presiding 

Elder  as  ministers,  but  mainly  by  the  contribute  -  if  the  people, 
for  the  people  had  a  mind  to  work. 

Union  circuit  wj  ved  this  year  by  1>.  F.  S  and  E.  Hor- 
ner:   K;         iirv  mission  by  L.  Moore;  Micl  City  by . 

in  L851,  J.  Daniel  was  Pastor  at    La  Porte;    I  oion  and   K'n 
bury,  J.  G.  (/shorn.     IK'  remained  but  two  signed 

his  place,  and  T.  P.  Mathews  was  appointed  preacln  Mr.  Osborn 
was  a  physician  by  profession,  but  turned  his  attention  to  the  law, 
and  died  some  two  years  since,  an  honored  member  of  the  bar  at 
Plymouth. 

In  1852,  .!.  R.  Tansey  was  stationed  in  La  Porte,  but  being 
transferred  at  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  to   California,  J.  8.  Don- 


CHURCH    RECORD.  405 

alson  was  appointed  in  his  place.  W.  P.  Watkins  was  preacher  on 
Kingsbury  circuit.  This  year  the  church  on  the  Plymouth  road, 
known  as  Salem  chapel,  was  built.  For  the  next  three  years  this 
work  was  filled  by  Presiding  Elders  and  preachers  from  Rochester 
and  South  Bend  districts.  In  1853  S.  Taylor  was  sent  to 
La  Porte.  In  the  close  of  this  year  the  North- West  Indiana 
Conference,  held  its  session  in  the  city,  Bishop  Simpson  pre- 
siding. This  was  a  memorable  time  for  our  people  and  our 
friends,  as  they  mingled  with'  the  ministers  from  the  different 
parts  of  the  conference,  and  enjoyed  the  religious  services  of  the 
occasion,  especially  the  sermons  of  Bishop  Simpson,  and  Dr.  Peck, 
now  one  of  our  Bishops.  It  was  the  second  time  the  conference 
held  its  session  in  this  city :  Bishop  Morris  having  held  one  in  1846. 

In  1800.  Union  circuit  was  served  by  J.  L.  Donalson  and  Aaron 
Gurney:  1854,  W.  Hamilton  and  R,  Bury;  1855,  H.  B.  Ball  and  A. 
Fellows:   1856,  F.  Taylor,  H.  0.  Huffman. 

In  the  remainder  of  this  paper  we  will  notice  the  different  charges 
in  the  county  under  their  respective  heads. 

In  1 854,  W.  Graham  was  appointed  Presiding  Elder,  and  G.  W. 
Crawford  stationed  preacher  in  La  Porte.  Mr.  Crawford  was  a 
young  man  of  promise,  but  fell  a  victim  to  consumption  in  early 
life. 

In  1855,  S.  T.  Cooper  was  appointed  preacher,  and  served  the 
church  two  years  Under  his  labors  a  good  revival  of  religion 
occurred,  and  many  were  added  to  the  church,  and  a  new  parsonage 
was  built.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  in  1857,  by  J.  M.  Stal- 
lard:  1858,  B.  Winans  was  sent  as  Presiding  Elder,  and  P  Wiley, 
now  professor  in  Asbury  University,  as  preacher. 

In  1859,  A.  A.  Gee  was  stationed  in  the  city;  1860,  David 
Holmes,  D.  D.;  1861,  Nelson  Green;  1862,  C.  Skinner,  The 
church  and  parsonage  having  by  mismanagement  become  deeply 
involved  in  debt,  Mr.  Skinner  had  a  hard,  but  to  a  good  extent,  a 
successful  year.  The  church  paid  off  several  hundred  dollars  of  their 
indebtedness. 

In  1863,  S.  T.  Cooper,  Presiding  Elder:  G.  M.  Boyd,  Pastor. 
For  three  years  Ave  labored  together  with  pleasure  and  profit.  They 
were  years   of  toil    and   anxiety,  but   of  success.     Over  a  hundred 


40  WRY  OF   i..\  PORT]    i         '     Y. 

ils  were  converted  and  added  to  the  church,  and   th<  ice  of 

tlie  debt  on  the  church  and  parsonage,  whi<  e  al    hundred 

dollars,  was  paid  off;    and  the  audience  room    was   th         ^hly  and 
beautifully  refitted,  and  the  annual  conference  held  a  pi  ion 

therein,  Bishop  Ames  presiding. 

In  .  J.  Thrush  came  as   pastor,  but    Btayed    only   01         »r. 

Ih'  served  the  church    in    South    Bend   one   and  a  half  years,  and 
to  Pennsylvania  and  died.  a  fini    prea 

In  1867  J.  Johnson  was  Presiding   Elder,  and  remained   on  the 
district    four   years,   during  which   time.    L.  C.  Bu 
pastor  two  years;   T.  S.  Webb  one,  and  L.  Nebeker,  ob 

In  L871.  L.  Xebeker  was  Presiding  Elder,  and  remained  two 
first  of  which  .1.  J  ison  was  pastor.  1^72.  W.  M. 
Darwood  was  appointed  pastor.  187 :>.  (».  M.  Boyd,  Presiding 
Elder — same  pastor.  In  1874,  same  Presiding  Elder  and  pastor. 
Mr.  !  Garwood's  three  years  were  characterized  with  some  good  revi- 
vals an$  addi:  and  with  fine  and  tasteful  church  and  jonage 
improvements.  In  1875,  the  present  pastor,  J.  H.  Cissel,  v 
appointed,  with  the  same  Presiding  Elder. 

ROLLING   PRAIRIE  CIRCUIT. 

This  circuit  lay  in  the  north  and  east  parts  of  the  coun  nd 
when  organized  in  1856,  embraced  Pose;  apel,  Mount  Pleasant, 
near  where  Rolling  Prairie  Stati<  Laml  apel,  '        ait 

school  house,  Salem,  Bald   Hill,  Byron,  and  some  ot  It 

was  at  the  time  included  in  South   Bend  district,  with  I. 
Presiding  Elder,   and   W.    Reeder   and    L.    Moore,    preacher-.      In 
1857,  same    I  .    Elder,  W.  Reeder  and  C.  L.  Smith,  preach- 

[n  L858,  T.  S.  tf    bb,  I  og  Elder.   T.   C.    I 

i.  W.  Joyce,    preache]         At   the  fourth   quarterly  for 

this  year,  mea  taken  to  divid  circuit,  which    result) 

in  the  formation  of  La  Porte  circuit,  of  which   we   will  speak  here- 
after. 

In  1859  the  c    cuil    •  ■  ■■      tiled    Portland,  and         ■■'.  Barnes  v. 
appointe  1  preacher.  ;.  eai  Barnes  is  now  a 

leading   minister  in    Mi«      .   d    conference.      In  L86]   i!.  C.  Fraley 
was  sent  as        tcher.      In  lv  .  Leach,  who  remained  two  years. 

In  fche  circuit  was  agaii  I  Rolling  Prairie,  and  J.  E.  New- 


CHURCH    RECORD.  40"3 

house  was  appointed  pastor.  He  remained  two  years,  during  which 
time  the  church  at  Rolling  Prairie  was  built.  About  or  before  this 
time,  the  neat  little  chapel  was  built  at  Maple  Grove,  by  the  efforts 
of  W.  Thomas  and  others.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  churches  in 
the  country.  In  1867,  J.  H.  Glaypool  was  sent  as  pastor.  In 
1868,  C.  B.  Mock,  lie  filled  the  circuit  two  years,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1870  by  J.  L.  Boyd.  In  1871,  E.  W.  Lawhon  was  the 
pastor,  and  was  succeeded  the  next  two  years  by  B.  H.  Bradbury. 
In  1874,  F.  Cox  became  pastor,  and  was  followed  in  1875  by  the 
present  pastor,  G.  R.  Streeter. 

LA  PORTE  CIRCUIT   TUK  SECOND. 

This  circuit  embraces  Salem,  Bald  Hill,  Summit  and  Coolspring 
churches;  the  latter  however  belongs  to  our  Congregational  brethren 
though  occupied  by  us  as  a  place  of  worship. 

This  circuit  was  organized  in  the  Fall  of  1859,  John  Leach  as 
pastor.  A  good  revival  of  religion  attended  the  labors  of  Mr. 
Leach,  and  the  society  was  so  strengthened  at  Bald  Hill,  that  they 
erected  the  chapel  at  that  point.  It  is  one  of  our  best  coun 
churches,  though  the  membership  has  been  very  much  reduced  by 
deaths  and  removals.  Mr.  Leach  was  succeeded  in  1860,  by  B.  H. 
Bradbury,  who  remained  two  year^.  lie  was  succeeded  in  1862-Ji 
by  N.  Green;  1*64.  J.  H.  Holloway;  1865,  E.  Holdstock;. 
1866-7  and  8,  by  M.  Stolz.  During  his  pastorate  which  was 
very  successful,  the  church  at  Summit  was  built.  It  is  a  neat  little 
brick  house  tastefully  finished.  In  1869,  '70  and  '71,  J.  H.  Cissel 
was  pastor.  He  was  followed  in  1872-3  by  T.  C.  Hackney:  1874-5, 
A.  B.  Bruner,  the  present  pastor. 

DOOR   VILLAGE  CIRCUIT. 

In  the  absence  of  official  documents,  we  will  assume  that  Union 
circuit  was  divided  in  1856,  and  the  east  end  was  called  Dormain 
circuit:  W.  Graham,  presiding  elder;  J.  W.  Green,  preacher.  It 
contained  Stilwell,  Roselle,  Marshall  Grove,  Dormain,  and  South 
America  classes.  I  cannot  inform  the  reader  where  the  latter  class 
was  located,  but  I  presume  it  was  on  the  north  end  of  this  conti- 
nent, and  somewhere  in  La  Porte  county.  In  1857,  this  territory 
was  called  Door  Village  circuit,  and  W.  S.  Harker  was  sent  as  the 
preacher,  who  was  returned   the   next   year   with  B.  Winans,  presi- 


408  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

ding  elder.  In  1859,  the  circuit  was  placed  in  Plymouth  district, 
J.  Johnson,  presiding  elder;  F.  Cox,  preacher.  In  1860,  same 
preachers.  In  1861,  B.  Winans  was  again  presiding  elder;  J.  C. 
Mahin.  preacher.  In  1862.  same  presiding  elder;  B.  H.  Brad- 
bury, preacher.  In  1863.  S.  T.  Cooper,  presiding  elder:  B.  H. 
Bradbury,  preacher.  Mr.  Cooper  remained  on  the  district  four 
year-.  In  1864,  S.  J.  Kahler,  preacher.  In  1865,  W.  Hamilton, 
preacher.  In  1866,  J.  Johnson,  presiding  elder;  J.  H.  Cissel, 
pastor.  In  1867.  D.  A.  Grimes  was  appointed  to  the  circuit.  In 
1868,  Thos.  E.  Webb.  In  1869-70,  T.  C.  Hackney  was  pastor. 
In  1871-2,  L.  Nebekcr.  presiding  elder:  R.  H.  Sanders,  preacher, 
who  remained  on  the  circuit  three  years.  In  1873,  Gn  M.  Boyd, 
presiding  elder.  In  1874,  same  presiding  elder  and  preacher.  In 
L875,  same  elder,  with  F.  Mikels.  pastor.  During  the  adminis- 
tration of  Rev.  T.  C.  Hackney  the  church  was  refitted  and  beauti- 
fied  in  a  very  tasteful  manner.  During  the  second  year  of  R.  H. 
Sanders'  term  of  service,  the  church  at  New  Durham  was  also  verv 
nicely  improved  and  refitted. 

MICHIGAN   CITY. 

From  the  commencement  of  this   city,  the   Methodist   Episcopal 
church  held  service  there.     In  the  sale  of  lots,  Major  I.  C.  Elston, 
of  Crawfordsville,  the  proprietor,  reserved  and  donated  two   lots  for, 
the  use  of  the  church. 

In,  or  about  the  year  1838,  the  friends  under  the  lead  of  Mr. 
Porterficld  Harrison  and  others,  erected  a  small  frame  church  on 
the  site  donated.  This  served  the  society  for  several  years,  but  the 
encroachment  of  the  sand  which  threatened  to  bury  the  h  >use,  ren- 

« 

dered  it  an  unpropitious  place  for  a  church,  and  the  meuil  ers  aid 
by  their  friends,  purchased  the   lot  and   built   the   present   hous 
worship,    and   secured  a  pai         ge   ala   .      I    am    no  -  to  the 

year  this  was  done,  but  1  believe  Rev.  \Y.  I  ,  or  (  apt.  Copp, 
"the  fighting  parson,"  as  vas  called  during  the  rebellion,  was 
the  preacher  at  the  tin 

For  the  want   ^  necessary   mean-    >f  information,  1  cannot  tra 
the    appointments    at    Michigan    City   from    the   time    it    was   last 
disconnected  from  the  circuit;  but  in  1853,  as  per  conference  min- 
utes. B.  Winans  was  pastor.     In   1854-5,  J.  G.  Osborn  :    1856,  N. 


CHURCH    RECORD.  409 

L.  Brakeman;  1857,  J.  W.  Green;  1858,  H.  Smith;  1859-60,  W. 
Copp;  1861-2,  L.  C.  Buckles;  1863,  A.  0.  Cunningham;  1864-5, 
J.  L.  Boyd:  1866-7,  A.  Wood;  1868-9-70,  Thos.  Meredith; 
1871-2,    N.    L.    Brakeman;     1878,    R.  D.  Utter;    1874-5,  J.    II. 

Clay  pool. 

UNION    MILLS  CIRCUIT. 

This  circuit  as  such  was  formed  in  1878,  and  G.  R.  Streeter 
was  sent  as  preacher.  It  embraced  the  vicinity  of  Union  Mills, 
Hanna  Station  and  Clinton  chapel;  but  at  the  end  of  the  year  Union 
Mills  was  re-connected  with  Door  Village  circuit  and  Clinton  chapel, 
to  Westville.  In  1875,  the  brethren  having  erected  a  very  neat  little 
church  at  Union  Mills,  a  new  circuit  was  formed  and  the  present 
pastor,  J.  B.  Smith,  was  sent.  The  year  opened  very  pleasantly 
by  the  dedication  of  the  Church,  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Hall  of  Battle 
Ground.  This  circuit  now  embraces  Union  Mills,  Hanna  Station, 
Morgan  Station  and  Wanatali. 

WESTVILLE  CIRCUIT. 

In  1843,  the  first  house  of  worship  was  built  in  this  place  by  our 
people.  It  was  served  for  several  years  by  the  preachers  from  Union 
circuit,  but  in  1857  it  was  organized  as  a  circuit — F.  Taylor,  pas- 
tor. 1858,  J.  Johnson;  1859-60,  Thos.  Bartlett.  This  last  year 
Clinton  chapel  was  built.  1861,  S.  T.  Cooper;  1862,  J.  E.  New- 
house;  1863-4-5,  M.  L.  Green;  1866-7,  C.  B.  Mock;  1868,  itwas 
made  a  station,  and  J.  H.  Claypool  served  as  pastor  for  three  suc- 
cessive years.  1871,  R.  H. 'Sanders:  1872-3,  J.  Johnson;  1874-5. 
W.  P.  McKinsey. 

In  1860,  by  the  munificent  will  of  Mr.  West,  some  live  thousand 
dollars  were  bequeathed  to  the  church  in  Westville  for  the  erection 
of  a  new  church,  and  by  the  subscription  of  the  friends  in  addition 
to  this,  the  present  comfortable  church  was  erected,  and  a  good 
congregation  and  sabbath  school  meet  there  every  Sunday. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  operation  of  the  church  in  the 
county,  the  question  of  Sunday  schools  and  Sunday  school  inter- 
ests have  been  prominent  in  her  operations.  It  has  been  the  advice 
in  our  discipline,  and  to  a  great  extent  our  practice,  wherever  we 
could  collect  ten  children  together  in  a  neighborhood  there  to  organ- 
ize them  into  a  school.     In  many  places  we  have   not  been  able  to 


41"  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  <  •  DNTY. 

do  this,  bat  have  acted  in  conjunction   with   other  churches,   and 
members  of  no  church. 

There  are  now  in  the  county  fifteen  Methodist  schools,  with    two 
hundred  and  fourteen  officers  and  teachers,  and   one   thousand   four 
hundred  and  eighty-two  scholars.     The   ex]        es  for  these  schools 
74,  was  $497.74. 

We  have  1,018  members  in  the   county;   thirteen   churches    with 
probable  valn<  1,700;  six  parsonages,  valued  at  $9,750. 

The  local   preachers   in  the  county  .   Le  :.  Moore,  J.  G.   M 

Casky,  .James  Waxham  and  A.  Cowgill. 

In  connection  with   the   Methodist   church    in    La  Porte   com, 
there  should  be  mentioned   also,  the   German   Methodist  J:  pal 

church  at  La  Porte,  -whose  commodious  church  edifice  stands  on   the 
corner  of  Clay  and    Harrison   streets.      The   church  i  ain  and 

neat  frame  structure.      Over  the   entrance   door   are   the   words  in 
German,   "The  Lord  is  in  his  holy  Temple."      The  c  -oration  is 

German,  and  the  services   are   conducted   in    that   language.     Ever 
since  tin  bion  they  have  received    the   faithful  ministratio 

of  devoted   pi  .         frequen  I      in    accordance   with    the 

thodist  practice.      Rev.  Wm.  Keller  is  now  the  pastor. 

THE   BAPTIST   CHURCH. 

The  fir-'   Baptist  church  in  La  Porte  county  was  organized  in  tl 
year  1834,  an  i  was  the  fruit  of  the  labors  of  Rev.  Phineas  Oolver, 
of  Washington    county,    New  York.     It   was  located   on    Stillwell 
prairie.      Elder  Colver  had  come  to  this  com  relatives  in 

the  ye  >,  and  while  here   commenced   preaching   in  the  Deigh- 

borho    I,  and   gathered  together  a  considerable  cong    gation.      He 
left  the  e  .ear.  intending  to  return,  but   died  be  ed 

his      -      u  home.      This  was  known  at  the  time  and  few  yi 

afterwards  as  the  La  Porte  Baptist  church,  and  is  so  called  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Northern  Indiana  Baptist  As  tion.  Alter  the 
ization  of  the  church  at  the  village  of  La  Porte,  the  former 
became  known  as  Kingsbury  Baptist  church:  Rev.  T.  Spauldii 
was  the  firsl  pastor.  The  church  at  La  Porte  was  the  fourth  in  the 
order  of  organization,  being  preceded  by  the  church  at  Kingsbury,  one 
at  Rolling  Prairie,  organized  in  -  :  and  one  at  Michigan  Ci 
rganized  in  1837,  the  last  of  which  soon  ceased  to  exis 


CHURCH    RECORD.  411 

It  seems  that  the  early  church  records  of  the  La  Porte  organiza- 
tion were  destroyed  and  there  is  consequently  some  uncertainty 
attending  the  date  of  its  organization,  but  it  occurred  probably  in 
1838.  At  any  rate  it  was  prior  to  the  meeting  of  the  Association 
in  1839.  The  organization  took  place  in  the  bric&  church  edificer 
then  owned  bv  the  Methodists,  which  was  situated  on  the  lot  now 
occupied  by  the  residence  of  Dr.  Teegarden.  The  arrival  of  Elder 
Benjamin  Sawin  in  La  Porte  in  1838,  is  an  event  worthy  of  note  in 
the  history  of  this  church.  Soon  after  the  arrival  of  himself  and 
family,  he  opened  his  lion-''  for  prayer  meetings.  It  was  the  sickly 
year,  and  very  many  were  inclined  to  seek  the  consolations  of  the 
Christian  faith.  -'Good  Father  Sawin,'"  as  he  was  afterwards  for 
many  years  affectionately  called  began  to  preach  in  La  Porte  and 
the  surrounding  country *.  and  just  previous  to  the  organization  of 
the  church  at  La  Porte,  he  was  called  to  preside  over  the  mother 
church  at  Kingsbury.  The  new  organization  was  composed  largely 
of  those  who  were  dismissed  from  the  Kingsbury  society  for  the 
purpose;  and  for  a  time  it  had  no  regular  pastor.  Rev.  Mr.  Bowles 
of  Connecticut,  preached  for  a  time,  but  did  not  become  the  pastor 
in  consequence  of  his  wife's  desire  to  return  to  the  East.  Preaching- 
was,  however,  secured  with  considerable  regularity,  though  not 
always  by  preachers  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  Among  others 
who  preached  occasionally  for  this  new  society  was  the  Reverend, 
or  better  known  now,  as  Judge,  Wm.  Andrew. 

The  Northern  L  diana  Association  met  at  Rolling  Prairie  in 
June,  1839,  and  Eider  Sawin  was  chosen  moderator.  When  the 
invitation  was  given  tor  the  reception  of  churches,  several  were 
presented,  among  them  being  that  at  La  Porte.  The  delegates  were 
I.  II.  Evans,  G.  Sawin,  0.  Mix,  Samuel  Gregory,  and  Elnath- 
an  Gregory.  The  membership  of  the  church  was  thirty.  At  the 
close  of  this  associational  meeting,  two  ef  the  preachers  in  attend- 
ance, Rev.  Chas.  Harding,  formerly  of  Goshen,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Ford, 
of  Middlebury  began  preaching  in  La  Porte  and  the  country  around. 
Their  meetings  were  largely  attended,  and  resulted  in  a  general 
spiritual  revival.  In  a  supplemental  note  to  the  minutes  of  the 
issociation  for  the  year  are  the  following  words:  liA  glorious  revi- 
val has  commenced  at  LaPorte,  since  the  sitting  of  the  Association, 


Jr  1 12  HIsTORV  OF  LA  PORTI  COUNTY. 

which  is  spreading  into  all  the  country  around.  Over  a  hundred 
have  been  hopefully  converted  to  God.  The  revival  has  extended 
eastward  to  Rolling  Prairie."  The  reports  at  the  next  meeting  of 
the  association  showed  the  oiost  favorable  results  from  these  meet- 
ings. The  membership  of  Rolling  Prairie  church  was  increas 
from  twenty-one  to  fifty-five;  Kingsbury  from  forty  to  seven- 
La  Porte  from  thirty  to  ninety-one,  and  a  now  church  just  organized 
at  Door  Village  was  reported,  with  a  membership  of  one  hundn 
and  ten.  In  the  same  year  Elder  Chas.  Harding  was  selected  as 
the  pastor  of  the  LaPorte  church,  the  first  who  occupied  that  ]  «  m. 
For  the  purpose  of  laboring  as  home  missionary,  he  resigned  in  the 
.second  year  of  his  pastorate.  He  died  in  1843  and  the  association 
placed  on  record  the  following  resolution:  "That  we  have  heard 
with  deep  regret  of  the  death  of  our  much-esteemed  brother,  Elder 
Chas.  Harding,  once  a  missionary  of  this  association.  The  cause 
of  truth  has  in  him'  lost  an  earnest  advocate,  and  the  church  a  faith- 
ful minister.' 

Iiev.  Silas  Tucker  became  the  next  pastor  of  this  church  in   is4'>. 
and  entered  upon  his  duties  in  the   month   of  Decemb  had 

sisters  living  in  the  county,  and  while  visiting   them,  had    pre. 
here  with  so  much  acceptance    that   it   resulted  in  his 
the  second  stated  minister  of  the  church.      Soon  after   his  arrival,  a 
small  building  which  stood  on  the  north-west  corner  of  Jackson  and 

rth    Main    streets,    belonging  to  the   Disciple  -   pur- 

chased by  che  Baptists,  enlarged  to  double  its  former  siz<         1  was 
used  f<>r  many  pea  ■■  as  the  house  of  worship  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination     The  ministry  of   Elder  Tucker  extended  over  i 
about  four  and  a  half  years,   luring   which    time  <  ver  one  hundred 
were  received  into  the  church  by  imm  .  and  the  whole  Dumber 

of  members    was   increased    to   one   hundred  and  ninetv-fiv       The 

aignation  of  Elder  Tucker  being  attributed  to  the  action   of  30 
of  the    members,    considerable   dissatisfaction    was   produced,    and 
thirty-two  asked  for  letters  of  dismission  in  consequence. 

For  a  time,  the  church  was   destitute  of  a  pastor;    but   rhe   one 
man   to   whom    this   society   never  Looked  in  vain.    Father    Sawin, 
preached   two  Sabbaths  in  each  month.     Elder  Tucker  became  pas- 
tor of  'i  :ine     ''•   -■  >nsin,   and  at   his   request,    Rev. 


CHURCH    RECORD.  418 

E.  W.  Hamlin,  of  Chicago,  visited  La  Porte,  and  was  soon  after- 
wards, in  1846,  settled  as  pastor  of  the  church.  He  continued  his 
labors  here  through  the  year  1847,  and  then  resigned,  as  is  said 
for  the  same  reasons  which  induced  the  resignation  of  Elder  Tucker. 
Good  Father  Sawin  again  supplied  the  pulpit  temporarily. 

In  the  year  1849,  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards,  who  was  known  as 
"  the  sailor  preacher,"  united  by  letter  with  this  church.  The  church 
was  not  at  this  time  prosperous.  By  exclusions  and  dismissions,  the 
number  of  the  membership  had  been  reduced  from  two  hundred  and 
seven  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-four.  Elder  Edwards  became  pastor 
in  June,  and  his  labors  as  such  ceased  in  Oct.  of  the  same  year.  His 
religious  labors,  however,  continued  in  different  parts  of  the  country, 
in  Ohio,  Michigan.  &c,  his  home  and  family  remaining  in  LaPorte, 
Not  being  engaged  the  entire  }Tear  in  holding  "protracted  meet- 
ings," he  was  desirous  of  becoming  pastor  during  the  months  in 
which  he  was  not  so  engaged.  Rev.  R.  H.  Cook  had  been  called 
as  pastor,  had  accepted,  and  begun  his  work,  which  was  contrary  to 
the  private  wishes  of  Elder  Edwards,  and  he  brought  to  bear  such 
influences  that  Elder  Cook  was  induced  to  resign  the  pastorate,  and 
did  so  July  12th,  1851.  It  wrould  seem  that  in  the  matter  of  his 
course  in  the  church  here,  he  was  blameless.  He  died  very  sudden- 
ly in  the  Spring  of  1«74.  From  the  time  of  Elder  Cook's  resigna- 
tion until  February,  1852,  the  church  was  temporarily  supplied  by 
different  preachers,  chiefly  by  Father  Sawin,  Elder  Alexander 
Hastings,  and  Elder  John  Benny.  At  this  time  Elder  Morgan 
Edwards  was  again  called  to  the  pastorate.  His  ministry  was 
very  irregular;  and  on  the  eighth  day  of  May,  1862,  the  church 
book  contains  the  following  entry : 

-  Resolved  that  we  invite  Elder  Chandler  to  visit  us  with  a  viewT 
of  becoming  pastor  after  the  labors  of  Eld<T  Edwards  shall  cease." 

Mr.  Chandler's  connection  with  this  church  proved  to  be  an  event 
of  much  prominence;  and  from  a  statement  written  by  Rev.  John 
Benny,  we  take  the  following:  "The  rail  road  was  finished  from 
the  East  only  to  La  Porte  at  that  time,  and  passengers  halted  for 
the  night  on  their  way  east,  while  those  journying  west  stopped  at 
Michigan  City,  being  conveyed  there  from  La  Porte;  and  by  the 
return  of  the  same  carriages,  the   eastward  bound   passengers   were 


414  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COl  NIT. 

brought  here,  so  as  to  prosecute  their  further  journey  by  rail.  Our 
hotel  accommodations  were  at  times  unequal  to  the  demands  made 
upon  them.  Mr.  Chandler  arrived  from  the  west  at  this  time,  and 
doI  liking  the  crowded  condition  of  the  La  Porte  House,  inquired 
for  accommodations  at  a  private  house  for  the  night,  and  was  di- 
rected to  Mr.  Griffin  Treadway's  who  had  kept  the  largest  hotel  in 
the  place  on  the  corner  where  the  Merrill  House  now  stands.  Mr. 
Chandler  dressed  with  white  cravat,  and  had  the  appearance  of  an 
eastern  clergyman.  He  was  welcomed  by  Mr.  Treadway,  and 
asked  if  he  were  not  a  preacher,  and  further  if  he  belonged  to  I 
Baptists.  The  answer  was  in  the  affirmative.  Mr.  Treadway  then 
asked  if  he  could  stay  and  preach  a  few  weeks  for  the  church.  while- 
Elder  Edwards  went  off  to  hold  some  meetings.  Mr.  Chandler 
replied  that  he  could  do  so,  if  agreeable  to  Bro.  Edwards  and  the 
church.  And  thus,  without  knowing  anything  of  the  man,  of  his 
ministerial  standing  or  previous  history,  he  took  the  place  of  the 
pastor,  which  he  occupied  for  three  weeks.  This  was  in  the  early 
Fall  of  1851 .  Bro.  Treadway,  himself  a  Kentuckian,  took  much 
interest  in  the  man  whom  he  called  ;;the  Yankee  preacher,"  going 
to  the  stores,  and  inviting  people  to  hear  the  'smart  Yankee.'  The 
result  was  that  the  little  meeting  house  was  well  filled  during  the 
three  weeks  in  which  Mr.  C.  filled  the  pulpit.'7 

There  was  a  strong  disposition  manifested  to  call  Mr.  Chandler 
to  the  pastorate,  but  there  was  one  member  who  opposed  it  on  the 
ground  that  the  doctrinal  views  of  the  newr  preacher  were  not  th 
of  the  Baptist  denomination.  He  was  overruled,  and  Rev.  S.  ( '. 
Chandler  became  the  pastor  in  1*52.  He  began  his  regular  preach- 
ing in  November,  and  displayed  a  great  deal  of  ability ;  but  it 
became  generally  evident  that  his  views  of  Christian  doctrine  did 
not  accord  with  the  orthodox  faith  as  held  by  the  Baptist  denomin- 
ation. He  pushed  his  own  views  by  degrees,  which  appeared  to  be 
those  of  the  Adventists.  He  held  to  the  belief  in  the  sleep  of  all 
the  dead  until  the  resurrection,  including  the  whole  man  whose 
spirit  is  incapable  of  existence  apart  from  the  body.  He  denied 
the  existence  of  a  personal  Holy  Spirit,  ;tnd  of  a  personal  Satan, 
and  there  were  other  points  of  his  doctrines  that  to  the  orthodox 
were    extremely   heterodox.     As    was   to  be  expected,   his    course 


CHURCH    RECORD.  415 

aroused  strong  opposition  to  liis  being  allowed  to  preach  any  longer 
as  the  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  on  the  12th  day  of  Feby.. 
1853.  it  was  resolved  that  he  should  not  occupy  the  Baptist  pulpit, 
after  the  following  day.  for  which  his  appointments  had  been  pub- 
lished. But  his  views  were  assented  to  by  several  members  of  the 
church,  and  they  rented  for  him  a  hall  in  Allen's  block,  where  he 
continued  preaching  for  a  time,  when  on  the  last  Sabbath  in  the 
year  1853,  he  announced  in  the  hall  in  the  morning  that  he  would 
preach  in  the  church  that  afternoon.  A  boy  was  let  in  through  a 
window ;  he  unbolted  the  doors ;  the  bell  was  rung,  and  Mr.  Chand- 
ler preached,  advocating  the  doctrines  which  he  and  his  followers 
had  espoused.  The  next  regular  church  meeting  was  held  Janu- 
ary 7.  1854.  The  venerable  Elder  Alexander  Hastings  was  invited 
to  occupy  the  chair,  and  by  resolution  unanimously  adopted,  six  of 
the  most  prominent  of  those  who  had  embraced  Chandler's  views, 
were  excluded  from  the  fellowship  of  the  church.  Among  those 
thus  excluded  was  Elder  Leland,  who  had  been  pastor  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  at  Door  Village. 

In  May,  1854,  Rev.  Gibbon  Williams  visited  the  church  at  La- 
Porte,  and  accepted  a  call  tendered  him  to  become  pastor.  He  was 
a  man  of  large  experience,  had  been  many  years  pastor  of  churches 
in  the  States  of  Maine  and  New  York,  but  had  lately  been  in  the 
book  trade  at  Indianapolis.  He  established  a  book  store  here, 
ostensibly  for  his  son,  but  it  took  so  much  of  his  own  time  and 
attention,  that  inasmuch  as  the  church  needed  a  pastor  as  well  as  a 
preacher,  he  retired  at  the  expiration  of  six  months.  The  associa- 
tion met  in  1855  at  Valparaiso,  and  this  church  was  reported  with- 
out a  pastor  and  that  the  total  membership  had  declined  to  fifty-five. 
It  was  supplied  for  a  few  weeks  by  Elders  Snyder  and  Hastings. 
In  the  Fall  a  member  of  the  church,  W.  D.  Wright,  who  had  joined 
by  letter  from  New  York,  was  invited  to  occupy  the  pulpit,  although 
not  ordained  as  a  preacher.  A  council  was  called  for  his  ordina- 
tion, which  was  effected,  and  soon  afterwards  he  received  and  ac- 
cepted a  call  from  the  church  at  Rolling  Prairie.  During  this 
year  thirty-four  were  added  to  the  church,  and  the  prospects  of 
future  prosperity  and  usefulness  became  brighter. 


416  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  1857,  Rev.  J.  L.  McCloud  commenced  a 
successful  pastorate;  and  the  following  year  the  report  made  to  the 
association  showed  that  fifty -four  had  been  added  to  the  member- 
ship. At  this  time  the  late  venerable  Oliver  Wescott  was  the  clerk 
of  the  church.  During  1858,  the  church  was  occupied  in  building 
the  edifice  in  which  they  now  worship,  and  which  was  dedicated  in 
the  Fall  of  that  year.  Elder  McCloud  preaching  the  dedication  dis- 
course. He  resigned  the  charge  of  the  church  in  October,  1860, 
after  three  vears  and  a  half  of  devoted  and  able  service. 

a/ 

In  the  year  1859,  on  the  6th  day  of  April,  good  Father  Sawin, 
who  had  been  so  intimately  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  La- 
Porte  church  in  all  its  history,  was  called  from  his  labor  on  earth  to 
his  rest  in  Heaven.  Between  him  and  his  fellow-laborer,  Rev. 
Father  Hastings,  there  had  been  an  agreement  that  the  latest  survi- 
vor of  the  two  should  preach  the  funeral  discourse  of  the  one  who 
was  first  to  go.  Accordingly,  his  aged  brother  preached  the  sermon 
at  his  funeral  from  the  words  selected  by  the  departed;  :"  God  forbid 
that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Elder  Hastings  lived  after  this  something  more  than  three  years, 
when  he  too  passed  away. 

Early  in  1861,  Rev.  Henry  Smith,  who  had  been  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  church  at  Valparaiso,  and  then  at  Greensburg,  took  charge 
of  this  church  as  its  pastor,  and  the  next  report  to  the  association 
showed  a  still  further  increase  of  membership,  which  then  numbered 
one  hundred  and  seventy-seven.  Elder  Smith  resigned  in  August, 
1863,  having  been  invited  by  Col.  I.  C.  B.  Suman  to  become 
Chaplain  of  the  Ninth  regiment  of  Indiana  Volunteer-,  which  posi- 
tion be  accepted,  and  departed  at  once   for   his  new   field  of  labor. 

The  la>t  pastor  of  the  church,  and  the  present  one,  is  Rev.  J.  P. 
Ash.  He  entered  upon  his  work  here  in  the  month  of  April.  1864, 
having  now  nearly  completed  twelve  years  in  his  pastorate.  His 
has  been  a  ministry  of  eminent  success  and  usefulness.  Elder  Ash 
is  a  man  of  great  industry,  laboring  untiringly  in  the  Master's 
cause.  Besides  preaching  in  his  own  church,  morning  and  evening 
on  Sunday,  and  superintending  his  Sabbath  school,  which  is  always 
in  a  flourishing  condition,  he  preaches  every  Sabbath  to  the  church 
at  Door  Village. 


CHUKCH    RECORD.  417 

Concerning  the  Baptist  church  at  Kingsbury,  whose  organization 
has  been  noticed,  it  may  be  added  that  after  the  death  in  1837  of 
Elder  T.  Spaulding,  who  was  its  first  pastor,  Elder  Benj.  Sawin 
became  pastor,  dividing  his  labors  between  this  and  some  other 
churches.  Among  the  ministers  who  have  at  different  times  preach- 
ed to  this  church  have  been  Elders  Barns,  Whitehead,  Maxwell  and 
Mills.  In  1837,  it  had  a  membership  of  seventy.  Of  this  number 
some  were  dismissed  to  aid  in  the  formation  of  the  La  Porte  and 
Door  Village  churches;  some  withdrew  under  the  Second  Advent 
influence,  and  at  the  last  report  the  membership  mustered  but 
twenty-eight.  In  1874  Rev.  R.  P.  Stephenson  was  pastor  who 
has  been  succeeded  by  Rev.  I.  W.  Read. 

The  Rolling  Prairie  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  1836.  Elder 
Alexander  Hastings  was  the  first  pastor,  and  labored  for  the  church 
at  different  times  during  many  years.  Their  first  report  to  the 
association  showed  a  membership  of  twenty-three.  In  1862  they 
had  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine,  which  number  is  now  somewhat 
diminished.  Some  of  the  ministers  who  have  preached  to  this 
church  have  been  Elders  Sawin,  Edwards,  Whitehead,  P.  H.  Evans, 
and  a  son  of  the  first  pastor,  Rev.  W.  S.  Hastings,  who  is  now 
preaching  there. 

The  church  at  Door  Village  united  with  the  association  in  1840, 
reporting  a  membership  of  110,  the  number  being  now  much  less 
than  that.  Among  others  who  have  preached  here,  are  Elders 
Sawin,  Hastings,  Maxwell,  Brayton,  Post,  Fletcher  and  Ash. 

The  Baptist  church  at  Westville  was  gathered  and  organized 
chiefly  by  the  exertions  of  Elder  J.  M.  Whitehead,  who  afterwards 
was  appointed  Chaplain  of  the  Fifteenth  Indiana  Volunteers,  and 
resigned  the  pastorate.  Since  that  time  the  church  has  not  been 
prosperous.  In  1857,  the  number  of  the  membership  Avas  sixty-one, 
which  was  ra.pidly  increased,  reaching  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  in 
1861,  yet  although  a  good  house  of  worship  was  erected,  the  mem- 
bership in  1874  numbered  but  nine.  Since  then  Rev.  J.  C.  Read 
has  preached  there,    regular   services   are  held,  the  number   of  the 

members  has  increased,  and  the  prospect  is  more  encouraging  than 
it  has  been  for  several  years  past. 

The  African  Baptist  church  of  La  Porte  joined  the  association  in 

27 


418  HISTORY  OF   LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

loll.  They  have  a  membership  of  about  twenty,  and  own  and 
occupy,  holding  regular  Sabbath  services,  a  neat  frame  chapel, 
situated  in  the  west  end  of  the  city.  .The  pastor  is  Rev.  Henrv 
Gregory. 

The  Baptist  denomination  has  had  several  other  preaching  places 
in  the  county,  in  some  of  which  there  have  been  temporary  church 
organizations,  but  without  houses  of  worship.  The  work  of  the 
denomination  is  now  confined 'to  the  six  places  named. 

PRESBYTER  I  AX. 

Presbyterian  history  in  La  Porte  county  dates  back  to  the  year 
1831.  In  the  late  autumn  of  that  year,  Mr.  Myron  Ives  removed 
hither  from  Paris,  111.,  and  settled  upon  Rolling  Prairie  in  a  log 
cabin,  just  east  of  the  Little  Kankakee,  about  one  mile  and  a  half 
west  of  the  present  railroad  station  of  Rolling  Prairie.  He  was  the 
first  Presbyterian  in  the  county.  In  the  May  following,  Mrs. 
Rebecca  Ives,  mother  of  Myron  Ives,  and  his  sister  Mrs.  Sarah 
Aldrich,  came  with  their  families  and  settled  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood. About  this  time  Alexander  Blackburn,  from  the  Carlisle 
church  settled  on  a  farm  a  little  west  of  Rolling  Prairie  station.  In 
the  autumn  of  this  year,  Mr.  Ives  and  Mr.  Blackburn,  went  to 
Niles,  Mich.,  each  with  a  load  of  wheat.  In  the  night,  while  wait- 
ing for  the  grinding  of  their  grain,  under  the  shadow  of  the  forest, 
these  two  christian  men  held  the  first  prayer  meeting  in  the  interest 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  La  Porte  county.  Soon  after  this, 
they  instituted  a  Sabbath  praver  meeting,  which  met  alternately  at 
the  cabin  of  each.  There  was  yet  no  stated  preaching,  but  in  No- 
vember, 1832,  Rev.  James  Crawford  who  was  at  that  time  pastor  of 
a  church  in  Crawfordsville,  and  gave  half  his  time  to  missionary 
work,  visited  the  county.  He  heard  of  the  prayer  meeting,  sought 
it  out,  and  was  made  welcome  by  the  little  company.  In  the  cabin 
of  Alexander  Blackburn,  Mr.  Crawford  preached  the  first  sermon 
that  was  ever  delivered  by  a  Presbyterian  minister  in  this  county. 
In  the  following  week,  on  the  28th  day  of  November,  1832.  a 
meeting  was  held  in  Mr.  Blackburn's  house  to  take  steps  for  the 
organization  of  a  Presbyterian  church:  and  seven  persons,  Charles 
Mowlan,  Myron  Ives,  Sarah  Ives,  Rebecca  Ives,  Sarah  Aldrich, 
Alexander  Blackburn  and  James  S.  Heninz,  associated  themselves 


CHURCH    RECORD.  419 

together  as  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  La  Porte.  On  the  13th  day 
of  July,  1833,  the  Church  met  in  the  house  of  Wm.  P.  Ross  in  La- 
Porte,  at  which  time  Mr.  Ross  and  his  wife  Elizabeth,  David  and 
Marv  Dinwiddie,  and  James,  Elizabeth,  Catharine  and  Isabella 
Blair,  were  received  into  the  organization,  raising  the  membership 
to  fifteen.  Of  this  number  there  remain  at  this  time,  connected 
with  the  church,  Mr.  Ives  and  Mrs.  Dinwiddie  Wilson,  the  latter 
of  whom  has  been  a  member  continuously  from   that   day  to  this. 

On  the  20th  of  the  same  month,  July,  1833,  a'fmeeting  was  held 
at  the  Kankakee  school  house  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  elders, 
and  further  organizing  the  church.     James  Blair,  Myron  Ives,  and 
David  Dinwiddie  were  chosen  to  the  office.     Alexander  Blackburn 
was  appointed  clerk  of  the  session,  and  continued  to  fill   that  office 
many  years.     The  next  day,  Sunday,  July  21st \  the  first  Commun- 
ion service  was  observed,  and  the  ordinance  of  baptism   was  admin- 
istered bv  Rev.  James  Crawford,  Sarah  Ives  beino-  the  first  infant 
baptized  in  the  church.     The  name  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
La  Porte    was    adopted    as    the    title    of    the    new    organization, 
and  it  was  received  into  the  Crawfordsville   Presbytery.     The  first 
delegate  appointed  to  attend  the  Presbytery  and  the  Synod  of  Indiana 
was  Wm.  P.  Ross,  who  was  instructed  uto  invite  some  minister  to  visit 
us,  with  a  view  of  preaching  to  this  congregation."   This  secured  the 
services  of  Rev.  John  Morrill,  who  on  the  first  of  January,  1834,  began 
a  year's  labor  as  the  first  regular  supply  of  the  church.    He  was  paid 
three  hundred  dollars  for  his  year's  labors.     The  first  recorded  death 
occurred  this  year.     It  was   that   of  Mrs.    Sophia   Fletcher.      In 
1835,  the  church   numbered  a  membership  of  fifty-six,  and  on  the 
10th  of  May,  in  that  year,  it  was  visited   by   Rev.  Wm.  K.  Talbot, 
who  remained  about  six  months.     On  the  20th   of  March,  1836, 
Alexander  Blackburn  was  ordained  an  elder,  and  in   May  of  that 
year,    Rev.   A.    Carnahan   visited   the   church   by,' appointment  of 
Presbytery,    and  held  a  five  days   service.     His   labors   were    so 
acceptable  that  a  call  was  extended  to  him   to  become  pastor,  but 
which  he  declined. 

Up  to  this  period,  the  church  had  no  house  of  worship,  which 
had  subjected  them  to  much  inconvenience;  but  on  the  26th  day  of 
May,  1836,   "a  vote  was   taken   to  build  a  meeting  house,   and 


420  HISTORT  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Messrs.  Niles,  Howell,  Skinner,  Strong  and  Blackburn,  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  collect  funds,  choose  a  situation  and  i:;an- 
age  the  whole  affair."  This  led  to  the  building  on  the  corner  of 
Prairie  and  Monroe  streets,  now  occupied  by  the  Christian  church; 
but  it  was  not  until  late  in  1837  that  any  progress  was  made  towards 
the  building.  On  the  27th  of  May,  1837,  Rev.  Wm.  K.  Marshall 
received  a  call  to  become  pastor  of  the  church,  which  he  accepted 
and  was  duly  installed.  He  pushed  the  building  project.  A  meet- 
ing was  held  at  the  Court  house,  and  after  discussion  of  the  size 
and  kind  of  building  to  be  erected,  a  method  of  raising  the  funds 
proposed  by  E.  Morrison  was  adopted.  This  was.  to  create  ajoint 
stock  company,  the  subscribers  to  receive  the  amount  of  their  stock 
in  pews.  The  estimated  cost  of  the  building  was  36. 000.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed,  consisting  of  E.  Morrison,  Amzi  Clark.  A. 
Blackburn  andfone  or  two  others,  to  secure  subscriptions  to  the 
stock,  arid*S.*Van  Pelt  was  made  the  first  Treasurer.  These  were 
the  clavs  of  "Wild  Cat"  monev.  and  it  was  found  verv  difficult  to 
collect  the^subscriptions.  Before  the  building  was  enclosed  Morri- 
son, Clark  and  Howell  had  been  obliged  to  make  large  advances 
from  their  private  funds.  This  was  in  the  Fall  of  1840,  and  in 
1841  the  church  was  sold  to  satisfy  a  builder's  lien.  Tr  was  pur- 
chased by  Amzi  C'ark,  who  held  it  in  his  own  name,  until  it  v 
finished.  It  was  dedicated  in  1  *1'2  or  '43.  and  was  deeded  to  A. 
Blackburn  for  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  church,  with  a  condition 
in  the  deed,  that  if  ever  sold,  the  New  School  Presbyterians  might 
purchase  it  in  preference  to  all  other  parth  -.  There  was  a  debt  of 
!,000  on  the  building,  and  this  became  so  burdensome,  Mat  in 
th<    -     ing  of  1846,  the  trtis         decided  to  sell  the  property.     The 

ethodists  made  a  proposition  for  purchase,  but  the  terms  of  the 
deed  stood  in  the  way:  and  a  New  School  church  having  been 
organized  in  1844,  by  great  efforts  this  organization  raised  the 
required  sum  and  secured  the  church  edifi#e,  retaining  it  until  1868, 
when  it  Was  sold  to  the  Reformed  Lutherans  in  anticipation  of  the 
building  of  the  present  commodious  edifice  on  Michigan  avenue. 

The  Methodists  had  been  occupying  a  snndl  brick  building  on 
the  corner  of  Jefferson  and  Monroe  streets,  now  no  longer  standing; 
and  having  about  the  time  of  the  sale  of  the  Presbyterian   edifice  to 


CHURCH    RECORD.  421 

the  New  School  church,  or  a  little  later  erected  their  present  church 
building,  they  sold  their  former  structure  to  the  Old  School  or 
First  Presbyterian  church.  It  was  occupied  by  that  church  for  a 
period  of  about  ten  years.  In  1862,  they  erected  the  building  on 
the  corner  of  Indiana  avenue  :md  Harrison  street.  It  was  partially 
burned  in  Mav,  1869,  but  was  immediately  repaired  and  reopened 
for  worship  on  the  last  Sabbath  of  the  following  August,  and  con- 
tinued to  be  the  place  of  worship  of  the  first  church  until  the  reunion 
of  the  First  and  Second  churches,  Oct.  31,  18 II. 

The  pastorate  of  Rev.  Wm,  K.  Marshall  over  the  Old  School 
or  First  church,  began  about  the  first  of  June,  183T.  and  contin- 
ued until  the  first  Sabbath  in  October,  1844,  which  was  the  longest 
pastorate  ever  enjoyed  by  the  First  church.  It  was  attended  by  a 
good  measure  of  success.  During  the  time,  the  membership  of  the 
church  increased  from  ninety-six  to  one  hundred  and  fifty.  The 
first  Deacons  of  this  church  were  ordained  September  12th,  1840. 
Thev  were  Andrew  Nickell,  Jacob  Drum  and  Elijah  Mount.  After 
the  cessation  of  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Marshall,  Rev.  James  Greer, 
became  the  stated  supply  ot  the  congregation,  continuing  in  that 
relation  nearly  two  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John 
Steele.  In  October,  1849.  the  latter  received  a  call  to  become 
pastor;  but  it  Avas  not  accepted  until  the  following  April.  He  was 
installed  on  the  22d  of  September  of  the  same  year.  In  October, 
1851,  Mr.  Steele  asked  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation,  in 
order  that  he  might  remove  to  Rolling  Prairie,  to  organize  a  church 
there.  On  the  second  Sabbath  of  the  same  month.  Rev.  F.  P. 
Cummins,  at  the  request  of  the  church,  began  to  preach  for  them. 
His  services  proved  so  acceptable  that  he  soon  received  a  call  to 
become  pastor,  and  was  installed  on  the  14th  day  of  June,  1858, 
when  it  was  dissolved  at  Mr.  Cummins'  request. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1858,  Rev.  J.  W.  Hanna  became 
acting  pastor  of  the  church  and  continued  in  this  relation  until  the 
autumn  of  1860.  Late  in  the  same  vear,  Rev.  R.  S.  Goodman 
began  preaching  for  this  church,  and  continued  his  labors  about  five 
years,  during  which  time  the  new  church  was  built.  Mr.  Good- 
man's  labors  closed  in  October,  1865,  and  in  October,  1866,  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  L.  C.  Spofford  began.     He  was  installed  on  the 


422  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

24th  of  that  month.  He  died  on  the  12th  of  April,  1869,  dee] 
lamented  by  his  people,  and  by  the  entire  community.  About  a 
month  later,  the  church  building  wa«  burned,  yet  notwithstanding 
these  sad  events,  on  the  first  Sabbath  in  September  following,  the 
rebuilt  church  was  dedicated,  and  Rev.  L.  M.  Stevens  began  a 
pastorate  which  proved  to  be  the  last  for  that  church  as  a  separate 
organization.  He  was  installed  on  the  22d  day  of  November,  and 
continued  with  the  church  until  the  union  of  the  two  churches  was 
effected  on  the  31st  day  of  October,  1871. 

It  is  now  necessary  to  return  to  the  year  1844,  to  review  the 
history  of  the  Second  or  New  School  church.  This  church  was 
organized  on  the  3d  dav  of  November  in  that  vear.  in  a  school 
house  belonging  to  Rev.  F.  P.  Cummins.  Thirty  members  came 
into  the  new  organization,  twenty-six  of  whom  were  from  the  First 
church.  Rev.  S.  N.  Steele  organized  the  church,  and  acted  aa 
stated  supply  for  one  year.  The  organization  of  the  church  v>as 
completed  by  the  election  and  ordination  as  elders  of  James  M. 
Clark  and  Ellsworth  B.  Strong.  Eleven  months  after  the  organi- 
zation the  membership  mustered  fifty-one. 

In  the  Spring  of  1846,  Rev.  John  W.  Cunningham  began  a  long 
and  useful  course  of  labor  with  the  church.  On  the  30th  dav  of 
May,  ls-i-8,  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Joseph  received  Mr.  Cunningham 
from  the  union  Presbytery  of  Tennessee,  and  also  placed  the  Second 
church' of  La  Porte  upon  its  roll.  The  next  day,  the  new  pastor 
was  installed.  In  the  first  year  thereafter,  eighty-eight  were  added 
to  the  church,  sixty-four  of  whom  were  received  «^n  profession  of 
faith.  The  two  years  following  also  showed  large  additioi  -  -ind 
in  the  lust  year  of  Mr.  Cunningham's  pastorate  thirty-nine  were 
added  to  the  church  on  profession  of  faith.  His  pastoral  relation 
was  dissolved  in  June,  !>-~>s.  his  labors  having  extended  over  a 
period  of  more  than  twelve  years. 

In  January,  1859,  Rev.  George  0.  Novo-  >..-  invited  to  the 
vacant  field,  and  his  labors  began  on  the  13th  of  the  following 
March.     He  was    i    stalled  May  15,  18<  In   April   of  the  next 

year,  the  church  reported  a  membership  of  236.  In  1866  an  addi- 
tion of  fifty  was  made  on  profession  of  faith,  and  the*  membership  of 
the  Second  church  was  then  at  the   highest   point   it  ever  attained. 


CHURCH    RECORD.  423 

It  was  near  the  close  of  Mr.  Noyes'  pastorate  that  the  old  church 
building  was  sold,  and  the  initial  steps  taken  for  the  erection  of  the 
new  one.  The  pastorate  of  Mr.  Noyes  was  a  long  and  successful 
one,  continuing  until  the  2d  of  November,  1868,  when  it  was 
dissolved  at  the  pastor's  request,  and  on  the  15th  of  the  same 
month,  his  labors  closed. 

On  the  9th  of  May,  1869,  the  congregation  extended  a  call  to 
Rev.  Wm.  C.  Scofield,  which  was  accepted ;  but  lie  was  never 
installed.  On  the  9th  of  June,  1871,  Mr.  Scofield  signified  to  the 
session  his  determination  to  retire  from  his  labors  at  an  early  dayr 
alleging  the  ill  health  of  his  wife  as  the  cause,  and  he  preached  his 
last  sermon  on  the  Sabbath  following  the  dedication  of  th-j  new 
church  edifice,  July  23rd,  1871.  Rev.  John  F.  Kendall  preached 
to  the  congregation  on  the  following  Sabbath,  and  on  the  21st 
of  August,  a  call  was  extended  to  him  to  become  pastor  of  the 
church.  After  a  brief  delay  this  call  was  accepted,  and  his  labors 
with  the  church  began  on  the  second  Sabbath  in  October.  Nego- 
tiations  were  in  progress  at  the  time  for  the  union  of  the  two 
churches,  which  were  happily  terminated  on  the  31st  day  of  October 
by  the  consummation  of  the  union  under  the  name  of  "The  Presby- 
terian church  of  La  Porte."  This  vacated  the  former  call  to  Dr. 
Kendall,  and  on  the  12th  of  November,  a  meeting  of  the  con- 
gregation was  held,  and  he  was  unanimously  invited  to  become 
pastor  of  the  united  church.  The  call  was  immediately  accepted, 
and  the  installation  took  place  June  4th,  1872.  At  that  time  the 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Henry  Kendall,  D.  D.,  of  New  York, 
brother  of  the  pastor,  charge  to  the  pastor  by  Rev.  R.  Beer,  of 
Valparaiso,  and  charge  to  the  people  by  Rev.  J.  Q.  Hall,  of  Michi- 
gan City.  A  new  Board  of  Elders  were  elected  for  the  united 
church,  on  the  23d  day  of  November,  1871.  The  four  foilowing 
were  the  first  chosen,  and  they  were  requested  to  perform  such 
duties  only  as  might  consist  with  their  advanced  age,  Anson 
Gregg,  A.  P.  Andrew,  Sr.,  Amzi  Clark,  and  Myron  Ives.  Five 
others  were  then  elected  for  the  active  duties  of  the  eldership,  con- 
sisting of  Wm.  H.  Boyd,  Samuel  Harvey,  Julius  Barnes,  L.  N. 
Frary,  and  E.  D.  Barrows.  Only  a  few  days  afterwards  Amzi 
Clark  was  called  to  his  rest  and  reward.     Father  Andrew   followed 


424  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

in  a  few  months,  and  Anson  Gregg  shortly  thereafter.  T hev  were 
all  sincerely  mourned  by  the  church  which  held  sollarge  a  place  in 
their  sympathies,  their  love  and  their  prayers. 

The  pastorate  of  Rev.  John  F.  Kendall.  D.  D..  still  [continues, 
and  the  relations  between  pastor  and  people  are  of  the  most  cordial, 
harmonious,  and  affectionate  character.  The  union  of  the  two 
churches  has  been  most  happy.  The  elegant  church  building  is 
paid  for.  there  is  a  large  and  flourishing  Sabbath  school,  and  noth- 
ing seems  to  stand  in  the  way  of  a  higher  degree  of  usefulness  than 
at  any  former  period.  The  eldership  has  remained  unchanged  since 
the  death  of  the  three  venerable  fathers  named. 

An  incident  worth v  of  note  in  this  record  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  La  Porte  will  conclude  the  story  of  its  history.  In  the 
year  187-5,  on  June  22d,  a  special  effort  was  made  to  bring  together 
at  the  communion  service  of  the  church  all  the  oldest  members. 
When  the  appointed  hour  came  those  upwards  of  seventy  years  of 
age  were  requested  to  occupy  the  front  seats.  Thirteen  responded  to 
the  request,  and  two  others  would  have  done  so,  but  were  detained 
at  home  bv  ill  health.  Five  of  this  number.  Mrs.  King,  Mrs. 
Lemon.  Mrs.  Forsman.  Mrs.  Forrester,  and  Mr.  Harmon,  were 
over  eighty  years  of  age,  and  one  of  them,  Mrs.  King,  the  venera- 
ble mother  of  Polaski  King,  over  ninety.  The  scene,  especially  for 
this  new.  western  country,  was  a  rare  and  impressive  one. 

Bethel  Presbyterian  church  of  Union  Mills  is  the  second   in  age 

in  the  county.  It  was  organized  June  22,  1850,  by  Rev.  F.  P. 
Cummins,  in  the  school  house  about  two  miles  east  of  Union  Mills. 
Mr.  Cummins  preached  there  until  1856.  The  original  members 
numbered  ten,  of  whom  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  McPherson,  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bird  McLane  yet  remain.  It  may  here  be  stated  that  a  New 
School  Presbyterian  church  had  been  organized  near  Union  Mills 
in  1845,  but  at  the  time  when  the  present  church  was  organized,  it 
had  ceased  to  exist.  At  the  first  meeting  John  Billington  and 
John  Moon,  Jr..  were  elected  elders,  but  Mr.  Moon  declined  to 
serve.  In  1854,  David  Finley  was  elected  to  the  office.  In  1857, 
Mr.  Billington  died.  Mr.  Finley  removed  to  Illinois,  and  Wm.  Way 
was  chosen  and  ordained  to  the  office.  He  discharged  its  duties 
alone  until  1870,  when  the  session  was  enlarged  bv  the  election  of 
Job  H.  Northam.  Seth  Loomis  and  Amos  Brown. 


CHURCH    RECORD.  425 

The  church  edifice  was  erected  at  Union  Mills  in  1851,  Rev.  F. 
P.  Cummins  himself  hauling  from  Michigan  City  much  of  the  lum- 
ber used  in  its  construction. 

Early  in  1856  Rev.  John  Fisher  became  the  minister  of  the  con- 
gregation. He  was  succeeded  the  next  year  by  Rev.  J.  M.  McRae, 
who  supplied  also  at  the  same  time,  the  church  at  Rolling  Prairie. 
Upon  the  cessation  of  Mr.  Mc  Rae's  labors,  the  pulpit  was  vacant  seve- 
ral years,  when  in  July,  '61,  Rev.  R.  C.  McKinney  began  to  supply 
thefchurch.  He  was  succeeded  in  1863  by  Rev.  C.  E.  Evans,  and 
he  in  1867  by  Rev.  F.  M.  Elliott.  He  was  installed  in  May,  1868. 
being  the  first  regular  pastor  of  the  church.  His  labors  closed  in 
1871  ;*and  in  the  summer  of  1872,  Rev.  S.  E.  Smith  began  to  sup- 
ply the  vacant  pulpit,  and  still  remains  there,  although  not  an  in- 
stalled pastor.  Considerable  additions  were  made  to  this  church  in 
1869  and  1870.  Again  in  March,  1876,  there  was  a  decided 
awakening,  when  Mr.  Smith  was  assisted  in  his  labors  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Kendall  of  La  Porte.  The  church  has  been  useful  and  influential, 
and  its  prospects  for  future  usefulness  are  very  encouraging. 

The  Rolling  Prairie  church  stands  next  in  order  of  time.  The 
first  organization  of  a  Presbyterian  church  in  La  Porte  county  took 
place,  as  has  been  stated,  at  the  house  of  Alexander  Blackburn,  half 
a  mile  west  of  Rolling  Prairie,  but  this  organization  became  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  of  La  Porte,  and  must  not  be  confounded 
with  that  now  existing  at  Rolling  Prairie,  which  was  organized  in 
February,  1852,  Rev.  John  Steele  who  had  left  the  La  Porte  church 
for  the  purpose,  heading  the  enterprise.  Twenty-eight  members 
were  enrolled,  many  of  them  going  from  the  church  at  La  Porte. 
Alexander  Blackburn  and  B.  F.  Piper,  who  had  been  elders  in  the 
La  Porte  church,  and  John  S.  Hawkins  were  appointed  elders,  and 
James  Catterlin  and  Wm.  Wetherhold  deacons.  Mr.  Steele  re- 
mained with  the  church  a  little  over  three  vears.  During  this  time 
sixteen  of  the  original  members  had  withdrawn,  because  of  removals, 
among  them  Blackburn,  and  one  of  the  other  elders.  James  Cat- 
terlin was  ordained  elder,  June  24,  1855,  and  still  occupies  the 
office.  At  the  close  of  Mr.  Steele's  ministration  the  membership 
had  increased  to  fifty,  though  it  had  lost  some  of  the  best  and  most 
zealous  among  them.     June  27,  1856,  Dr.  T.  D.  Brown  and  Cor- 


426  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORT:"  I  OUNTY. 

nelius  Hermans  were  ordained  elders;  and  following  Mr.  Steele, 
Rev.  F.  P.  Cummins  preached  to  the  congregation  a  year  or  more, 
when  Rev.  J.  M.  McRae  commenced  in  April,  1857,  a  period  of 
labor  with  this  church,  extending  over  nearly  two  year-.  His  labors 
were  successful,  a  revival  was  enjoyed  and  twenty-nine  were  added 
to  the  churr-h.  During  parts  of  the  years  1860-1,  Rev.  F.  P. 
Cummins  again  acted  as  supply  for  the  church,  and  was  afterwards 
succeeded  in  this  duty  by  pastors  at  LaPoite.  Rev.  R.  S.  Good- 
man, and  Rev.  L.  C.  Spofford.  Rev.  Walter  Forsyrlir.  of  South 
Bend,  and  Rev.  J.  Lowry.  In  the  year  1869-70,  Rev.  J.  H. 
Nevius,  of  South  Bend,  supplied  the  church  regularly,  and  with 
much  acceptance  and  usefulness.  Daring  the  past  year  Rev.  Henry 
Johnson  a  theological  student  of  the  seminary  at  Chicago,  has 
preached  once  in  four  weeks. 

The  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1857.  and  the  membership  now 
numbers  about  forty. 

The  next  Prrsbyterian  church  organized  in  the  county  was  that 
at  Wanatah.  In  "l870,  Rev.  F.  M.  Elliott,  of  Union  Mills,  found 
a  few  Presbyterians  at  Wanatah  and  formed  them  into  a  church. 
He  preached  to  them  while  he  remained  at  Union  Mills,   and   has 

been  followed  in  his  labors  there  bv  Rev.  S.  E.  Smith.     Mr.  Frank 

«, 

McCurdy  and  Mi-.  Orville  Adams  are  the  elders.  They  have  no 
church  edifice,  and  the  number  of  the  membership  is  less  than 
twenty. 

T1  youngest  Presbyterian  church  in  the  county  is  that  at  Mich- 
gan  Uity.  Many  years  ago,  the  Congregational  church  at  Michi- 
gan City  was  Presbyterian  about  one  year,  and  there  has  alwa  - 
been  in  the  church  an  element  which  preferred  the  Presbyterian 
polity  and  system  of  church  government,  and  in  the  early  part  of 
1871,  a  portion  of  the  members  took  step-  for  the  formation  of  a 
Presbyterian  church.  A  meeting  was  held  in  March  for  genera) 
consultation,  the  result  of  which  was  <'i:;t  twenty-nine  person  ,  at  a 
subsequent  meeting,  held  March  27th,  asked  for  letters  of  dismis- 
s  n.  These  adjourned  to  the  house  of  C.  H.  Hall,  and  there  re- 
solved to  organize  a  Presbyterian  church  in  Michigan  City.  On 
the  Sunday  following.  April  2d,  services  were  held  for  the  fii 
time.      Rev.  (  .  J      iSantvoord  of  Chicago,    preached.     On  the  fol- 


CHURCH    RECORD.  427 

lowing  Sabbath,  Rev.  J.  Q.  Hall,  of  Minnesota,  preached  to  the 
new  organization,  and  was  called  to  the  pastorate  on  the  13th.  Au- 
thority having  been  obtained  from  the  Presbytery  of  Logansport, 
the  church  was  duly  organized  on  the  9th  day  of  May,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  thirty-nine;  and  J.  S.  Ford,  John  Orr,  J.  A.  Thornton,  and 
Henry  W.  Johnson  were  elected  elders.  John  Orr  died  on  the  16th 
day  of  May  1873,  and  B.  F.  Sammons  was  elected  to  the  vacant 
eldership.  Thus  this  church  began  its  existence.  There  were 
great  zeal  and  earnestness  among  the  members,  a  revival  came  in 
the  winter  following  the  organization,  and  the  number  of  the  mem- 
bership  was  increased  to  seventy-seven.  There  was  an  early  deter- 
mination to  erect  a  house  of  worship,  steps  were  taken  to  this  end 
in  the  summer  of  1ST-,  and  on  December  19th,  the  present  church 
edifice  was  dedicated,  a  sermon  being  preached  on  the  occasion  by 
Rev.  Arthur  Mitchell,  of  Chicago.  A  large  and  nourishing  Sab- 
bath school  is  connected  with  this  church.  Mr.  Hall  accepted  the 
call  which  he  had  received,  and  was  regularly  installed  pastor  on 
the  5th  day  of  June,  1S72.  His  pastorate  still  continues,  and  has 
been  attended  with  a  high  degree  of  success  and  usefulness. 

LUTHERAN. 

The  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  at  La  Porte,  was  established  in 
the  year  1857.  Several  families  of  this  faith  were  living  in  La- 
Porte,  and  they  invited  Rev.  H.  Wunder,  of  Chicago,  to  preach  for 
them.  This  he  did  for  a  time,  when  they  effected  a  church  organi- 
zation, and  called  as  their  first  pastor,  Rev.  T.  Tram.  He  was  a 
laborious  and  useful  minister,  and  under  his  charge,  the  congrega- 
tion grew  and  flourished.  They  had  no  house  of  worship,  and  for 
some  months,  their  services  were  held  in  a  school  heuse.  They 
then  built  a  small  frame  church  on  C.  street.  But  the  congrega- 
tion still  grew,  larger  accommodations  were  necessary,  and  in  1863, 
they  built  the  brick  edifice  which  they  now  own  and  occupy,  a 
handsome  and  substantial  building.  It  is  neatly  finished,  and  sup- 
plied with  all  conveniences  to  make  it  attractive  and  comfortable. 
Rev.  G.  Kuechle  was  pastor  for  several  years,  after  1863.  The 
present  pastor  is  I.  T.  Neithemmer.  There  are  one  hundred  and 
ninety  families  represented  in  the  congregation.     The  society  sup- 


428  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

ports  its  own  schools,   which   number   nearly   three  hundred  pupii-. 
This  church  is  known  as  St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran. 

There  has  been  for  manv  vears  a  Lutheran  church  organizat; 
it  Michigan  City,  having  a  good  house  of  worship,  and  a  large 
congregation.  Owing  to  some  disagreement  between  the  pastor  and 
a  portion  of  the  church,  which  occurred  in  1875.  a  division  was 
recently  effected,  and  a  part  of  the  membership  retired.  These 
will,  without  delay,  proceed  to  the  erection  of  a  new  house  of  wor- 
ship. 

There  are  many  Lutherans  also  in  other  parts  of  the  county. 
Attached  to  the  La  Porte  charge,  a  number  reside  in  the  vicinity  of 
Kingsbury,  and  have  preaching  three  miles  south  of  that  village 
often  as  once  a  month.  At  Westville  there  are  also  quite  a  num- 
ber. They  are  without  a  house  of  worship,  and  are  attached  to 
the  Lutheran  charge  at  Valparaiso.  In  addition  to  these  there  is 
church  edifice  not  far  from  Wanatah,  which  is  occupied  by  a  branch 
of  the  Lutheran  church.  The  membership  of  the  churches  in  this 
countv  is  attached  to  the  Synod  of  Missouri. 

The    St.    Paul's   Evangelical   Reformed   Lutherans  also   have 
church    organization   in   La  Porte,   and   a  church   edifice   on    M 
street,  which  was  formerly  occupied   by   the   Disciple   or    Christian 
congregation.      Rev.  Jacob  Linder  is  the  pastor. 

The  membership  of  the  foregoing  are  all  composed  of  persons  of 

German  nationality,  and  there  is,  in  addition  to  them,  in  La  Porte. 

i    Lutheran  church  organization   composed   of  persons  of  Swedish 

nationality.     They  own  a  church  edifice   on  D  street    in    Andrew- 

V  ft/ 

addition,  where  regular  services  are  held  every  Sabbath,  by  Rev.  Gr. 
Lundahl.  the  pastor. 

CATHOLK  . 

There  are  two  Catholic  church  organizations  and  buildings  in  the 
city  of  La  Porte.  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church,  (German.)  and  St. 
Peter's.  (Irish).  The  latter  is  the  older  organization,  its  existence 
1  icing  almost  coeval  with  that  of  the  city.  Rev.  Father  Kilroy, 
who  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  character,  and  influence  with  his 
people,  was  many  years  the  officiating  priest.  Rev.  Father  T.  0. 
Sullivan  now  ministers  to  this  congregation,  which  is  one  of  the 
argest  in  the  city.     Their  house  of  worship  is  a  neat  frame  struct- 


CHURCH    RECORD.  42(-' 

ure  which  has  been  much  enlarged  since  its  foundation.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  Monroe  street,  and  a  school  house  is  attached  to  the  church, 

St.  Joseph's  church  was  organized  into  a  Catholic  congregation 
in  1858  by  Rev.  M.  Scherer.  The  fine,  substantial  brick  edifice 
which  they  occupy  was  built  in  1859-60,  and  a  school  house  was 
added  soon  afterwards.  In  1865,  Father  Scherer  went  to  another 
field  of  labor,  and  was  succeeded  as  priest  by  Rev.  S.  Bartoz, 
of  Polish  descent.  His  health  failing,  he  resigned  in  1870,  when 
Rev.  John  Oechtering,  the  present  pastor,  succeeded.  Connected 
with  this  church  are  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  German  and  seve- 
ral Polish  families.  The  church  building  is  one  of  the  best  in  the 
city.  It  is  crowned  with  a  steeple  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  feet 
high,  with  two  chime  bells,  weighing  each  one  thousand  pounds. 
The  Sabbath  school  is  a  nourishing  one,  and  numbers  about  two 
hundred  children. 

At  Michigan  City  there  is  a  large  Catholic  church  and  congrega- 
tion,  which  was  organized  many  years  ago.  Their  house  of  worship 
is  one  of  the  best  in  the  city,  and  the  congregation  probably  the 
largest. 

At  Otis,  also,  there  is  a  Catholic  church,  with  a  small  but  neat 
church  building.     Most  of  the  members  are  Polanders. 

DISCIPLE  OR  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

Of  this  denomination  there  are  five  congregations  in  La  Porte 
county.  The  church  at  La  Porte  was  established  in  1837  by  means 
of  the  efforts  of  Judge  Wm.  Andrew  and  Dr.  Jacob  P.  Andrew. 
Their  labors  were  earnest,  unremitting  and  successful.  The  elders 
who  have  ministered  to  the  church  as  pastors  since  that  time  have 
been  John  Thompson,  Wm.  Lane,  M.  N.  Lord,  Dr.  C.  G.  Bartholo- 
mew, Ira  J.  Chase,  James  Haclsell,  A.  M.  Collins,  and  Oscar  F. 
Lane.  The  last  named  recently  resigned  the  pastoral  charge,  and 
at  this  writing,  (March,  1876, )  the  congregation  is  without  a  pastor. 
For  many  years  this  society  occupied  the  building  on  Main  street. 
which  is  now  occupied  by  the  Reformed  Evangelical  Lutherans. 
The  Lutherans  having,  in  1867,  purchased  the  Second  Presbyterian 
church  building,  they  soon  after  exchanged  with  the  Christian 
society,  the  latter  desiring  a  larger  edifice;  and  since  that  time  the 
congregation  of  the  Christian  church  has  occupied  the   commodious 


430  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

house  of  worship  on  the  corner  of  Prairie  and  Monroe  streets.  The 
congregation  numbers  about  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  the  deacons 
and  deaconesses  at  present  are  T.  J.  Foster,  A.  P.  Ireland,  J.  L. 
Bovd,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Calkins,  Mrs.  Angeline  C.  Wagner,  and  Mrs. 
"T.  J.  Foster.  S.  K.  Pottenger  and  Isaac  N.  Whitehead  are  the 
elders. 

The  society  next  in  order  of  organization  after  that  at  La  Porte, 
is  the  one  at  Westville,  which  was  established  in  1848  by  John 
Martindale.  The  congregation  numbers  about  one  hundred. 
Among  the  elders  whose  labors  they  have  enjoyed  are  Dr.  C.  G. 
Bartholomew,  and  Elder  Edmundson. 

About  the  year  1850,  a  society  of  this  church  was  established  in 
>Galena  township.  It  was  reorganized  in  187*2  by  Elder  Joseph 
Wickard.  It  has  had  the  benefit  of  the  labors  besides  others,  of 
elders  John  Martindale,  David  Miller,  Wm.  Roe,  Wm.  C.  Cum- 
mins, and  Caleb  B.  Davis,  who  is  the  present  pastor.  The  congre- 
gation numbers  fifty. 

In  1854,  a  church  society  of  this  denomination  was  established  at 
Rolling  Prairie  by  John  Martindale,  which  has  been  one  of  the 
most  flourishing  in  the  county.  In  1874,  it  numbered  one  hundred 
and  sixty.  Since  its  organization,  it  has  received  the  pastoral 
labors  of  Elders  Komer,  Sargent,  Sharpless,  Clendennin,  Win.  Roe, 
Jesse  Roe,  and  Joseph  Wickard.  Among  the  prominent  members 
of  this  church  are  Isaac  'N.  Whitehead,  Miner  Nesbitt,  and  Abs 
lorn  Bo  well. 

Besides  those  already  mentioned,  there  is  a  small  congregation  of 
Christians  at  Wanatah,  which  has  generally  received  the  ministra- 
tions of  the  pastors  of  the  church  at  Westville.  The  aggregate 
membership  of  the  Christians  in  the  county  is  probably  not  far 
from  five  hundred. 

ZION'S  CHURCH. 

The  congregation  of  this  church  is  composed  of  our  Jewish  citi- 
zens, the  services  being  the  Hebrew  ritual,  and  their  rule  of  faith 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament.  They  occupy  a  very  neat 
synagogue  or  church  on  the  corner  of  Indiana  ave.  and  First  street, 
where  services  are  held  .Fridav  evenings  and  Saturday  mornings. 


CHURCH    RECORD.  431 

SOCIETY   OF   FRIENDS. 

Some  of  the  pioneers  of  La  Porte  county  were  members  of  this 
denomination,  among  whom  are  the  well-known  families  of  the  Stan- 
tons  and  Vails,  who  settled  here  as  early  as  1833.  Some  of  them 
came  from  Ohio,  and  others  from  New  Jersey,  some  also  from 
Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  They  soon 
established  a  meeting  in  the  "  Quaker  neighborhood,"  north  of  the 
city  of  La  Porte.  Here  for  many  years  their  services  were  held, 
ceasing  about  1860,  owing  to  the  deaths  that  had  occurred,  and  the 
removal  of  others.  Not  long  afterwards,  about  1869,  a  neat  brick 
church  was  erected  in  La  Porte  by  the  Friends.  In  this  year, 
Jacob  H.  Vining  came  to  La  Porte  from  the  State,  of  Maine,  when 
the  scattered  families  of  Friends,  some  of  whom  belonged  to  the 
Orthodox  branch  of  the  society,  and  others  to  the  "Hieksite' 
branch,  joined  together  and  established  a  meeting  at  La  Porte  in 
the  new  church.  Jacob  H.  Vining  became  the  preacher,  and  servi- 
ces have  been  held  regularly  ever  since.  This  is  known  as  an 
Orthodox  meeting,  though  in  fact,  it  is  about  equally  divided  between 
the  two  branches  of  Friends. 

SWEDENBORGIAN . 

This  is  called  uThe  New  Church,"  or  the  Society  of  "The  New 
Jerusalem."  It  was  organized  in  La  Porte  on  the  14th  day  of 
June,  18o(J.  Nine  years  before,  the  doctrines  inculcated  by  Eman- 
uel Swedenborg  had  been  introduced  to  La  Porte,  chiefly  through 
the  instrumentality  of  Judge  Chamberlain  of  Goshen.  He  had 
'  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Andrew,  Mrs.  An- 
drew and  her  sister  who  was  visiting  her  at  the  time,  being  believers 
in  this  faith.  Mr.  Chamberlain  determined  to  secure  some  one  to 
give  lectures  on  this  belief,  and  not  long  after  this  decision,  in  the 
year  1850,  coming  from  Goshen,  he  brought  with  him  Rev.  Henry 
Weller.  He  was  a  man  of  far  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  his 
lectures  produced  a  profound  and  lasting  impression.  He  continued 
preaching  here,  though  not  with  regularity  and  when  the  society 
was  organized,  Mr.  Weller  was  chosen  pastor.  He  preached  regu- 
larly to  the  society  after  this,  except  during  the  time  when  he  was 
Chaplain  of  the  87th  Indiana  Volunteers,  up  to  the  date  of  his 
departure  to  the  world  of  spirits,  which  occurred  on  the  9th  day  of 


432  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

June,  1868.  His  death  was  greatly  mourned  by  his  congregation., 
who  had  for  him  a  sincere  and  heartfelt  esteem  and  affection.  Rev. 
Woodbury  M.  Fernald  was  pastor  from  June  1,  I860  to  May  lr 
1870,  when  his  labors  ceased,  and  in  1874,  he  too  passed  away 
from  earth.  On  the  1st  day  of  October,  1871,  Rev.  Cyru>  Scam- 
mon  was  appointed  pastor,  a  position  which  he  still  hold-.  The 
society  occupies  a  plain  but  very  neat  temple,  situated  in  the  cen- 
tral part  of  the  city.  It  has  a  membership  of  perhaps  fifty;  and 
its  Sabbath  school  shows  a  still  larger  number.  The  following  are 
stated  as  essential  doctrines  of  the  New  Church:  The  Divinity  of 
the -Lord;  the  Holiness  of  the  Word,  and  the  Life  of  Charity. 

PROTESTANT    EPISCOPAL. 

There  are  two  Episcopal  churches  in  La  Porte  county,  one  at 
La  Porte  and  one  at  Michigan  City,  the  latter  being  one  of  the 
oldest  church  organizations  in  the  county.  They  are  known  re- 
spectively as  St.  Paul's  church,  of  La  Porte,  and  Trinity  church  of 
Michigan  City.  St.  Paul's  was  organized  on  the  25th  day  of  July, 
1839.  At  the  meeting  for  the  organization,  Rev.  D.  V.  M.  John- 
son, Rector  of  Trinity  church  at  Michigan  City,  presided,  and 
Franklin  Thwing  acted  as  Secretary.  The  officers  elected  were, 
for  Wardens,  John  Hobson  and  Franklin  Thwing ;  for  Vestrymen, 
James  Whittem.  J.  R.  Traver,  Samuel  Stewart,  Thos.  H.  Phillips. 
Hiram  Wheeler.  T.  B.  Bell,  Jacob  Early  and  H.  T.  Holbrook. 
For  some  months  after  the  organization,  the  Rector  of  Trinity 
church  at  Michigan  City  preached  for  the  new  church  each  alternate 
Sabbath.  Early  in  1840,  Rev.  Solon  W.  Manney  waa  settled  as 
Rector,  and  his  successors  have  been  as  folio  v  Rev.  11.  W. 
Roberts.  1851;  Rev.  F.  R.  Half.  1852;  Rev.  W.  E.  Franklin. 
1854;  Rev.  A.  Qregory,  1856 ;  Rev.  A.,  E.  Bishop,  1862;  Rev. 
J.  H.  Lee.  1864;  Rev.  F.  M.  Gregg,  1866:  Rev.  G.  J.  Magill, 
1870';  Rev.  Chaa.  T.  Coer,  1875.  After  a.  few  months  of  very 
acceptable  labor.  Mr.  Coer  resigned:  and  the  church  is  now,  early 
in  1876,  destitute  of  a  Rector.  A  sorrowful  event  in  the  history 
of  this  church,  was  the  death  of  Rev.  W.  E.  Franklin,  who  in  life 
was  beloved,  and  in  death  was  lamented  by  his  parishioners.  For 
several  years,  this  church  had  no  house  of  worship;  but  in  1845, 
the  present  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Michigan  avenue  and   Harrison 


CHURCH    RECORD.  433 

street,  was  erected.  It  has  since  been  enlarged  and  much  improved. 
The  communicants  number  about  one  hundred  and  fifty;  and  the 
value  of  the  church  property  is  estimated  at  $10,500. 

Trinity  church  at  Michigan  City  was  established  in  1836,  and 
its  first  Rector  was  Rev.  D.  V.  M.  Johnson.  Some  of  those  who 
have  succeeded  him  are,  Rev.  G.  B.  Engle,  now  of  Indianapolis; 
Rev.  Henry  Safford,  now  of  Cold  Water,  Mich.;  Rev.  C.A.Bruce, 
Helena.  Ark.;  Rev.  Win.  H.  Stoy,  Logan,  Utah;  Rev.  E.  P. 
Wright,  Sussex,  Wis.;  Rev.  R.  L.  Ganter,  Akron,  Ohio;  Rev.  T. 
L.  Bellam,  Golden,  Col.;  Rev.  J.  F.  Winkley,  Westfield,  Mass.; 
Rev.  Dr.  Reeves,  now  of  Mich.;  Rev.  R.  Brass,  Pontiac,  Mich. 
Rev.  S.  S.  French,  is  the  present  rector.  The  number  of  communi- 
cants is  about  sixty.  The  church  property  consists  of  a  quarter 
block  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  and  Sixth  streets,  upon  which 
stands  the  church  edifice.  The  corner  stone  of  the  present^building 
was  laid  in  1858.  It  is  a  neat,  wooden  structure,  on  a  brick  and 
stone  foundation,  Its  style  is  u Rustic  Gothic."  The  rectory 
stands  on  the  same  lot.  The  total  value  of  the  property  is  about 
$15,000. 

The  Wardens  are  at  the  present  time,  U.  C.  Follet,  and  W.  R. 
Godfrey ;  and  the  Vestrymen  are  Charles  Tryon,  L.  B.  Ashton, 
Elijah  Behan,  A.  E.  Martin,  John  Dixey,  W.  R.  Bowes,  and  Wal- 
ter Vail. 

UNITARIAN. 

On  the  22nd  day  of  June,  1875,  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Collyer,  of 
Chicago,  upon  invitation  of  some  of  the  citizens,  and  with  a  view  to 
the  formation  of  a  church  of  that  denomination,  preached  in  La- 
Porte,  and  steps  were  at  once  taken  for  a  proper  organization,  which 
has  been  successfully  accomplished.  Rev.  Enoch  Powell  was  in- 
stalled pastor  on  the  7th  day  of  March,  1876,  and  the  following 
Board  of  Trustees  have  been  elected :  Dr.  George  M.  Dakin,  Presi- 
dent; Charles  G.  Powell,  Secretary;  Mrs.  N.  S.  Darling,  Treas- 
urer; and  L.  Crane,  Dr.  T.  Higday,  Mrs.  Kate  Owen  and  Mrs. 
Sarah  Fox.  Regular  services  are  now  held  at  the  Court  House, 
and  a  flourishing  Sabbath  school  has  been  organized.  The  follow- 
ing is  the  Bond  of  Union,  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  church 
organization. 

28 


434  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

'•We,  whose  names  are  hereto  subscribed,  associate  ourselves  to- 
gether as  a  Christian  church,  for  the  purpose  of  moral  and  spiritual 
improvement,  and  of  promoting  truth  and  righteousness  in  the 
world,  through  the  study,  practice  and  diffusion  of  pure  religion,  as 
taught  and  lived  by  Jesus  of  Nazareth, — "Love  to  God  and  Love  to 
Man." 

Recognizing  the  right  of  private  judgment,  and  the  sacredness  of 
individual  conviction,  we  require  no  assent  to  any  other  doctrinal 
statement  as  a  basis  of  Christian  fellowship,  but  we  welcome  all  who 
desire  to  co-operate  with  us  in  advancing  the  Kingdom  of  God." 

THE   CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH — MICHIGAN   CITY. 

In  the  year  1835,  Rev.  John  Morrill,  of  Massachusetts,  who  had 
been  a  short  time  at  La  Porte,  came  to  Michigan  City:  and  through 
his  efforts  a  Congregational  church  was  organized.  Among  other- 
who  were  present  at  the  organization,  there  were  Rev.  John  Mor- 
rill and  hid  wife,  Mrs.  Benjamin  James,  Jacob  and  Mrs.  Bigelow. 
Mrs.  Susan  Sprague,  Robert  Stewart,  and  Joel  Ferris.  After  the 
departure  of  Mr.  Morrill,  Reverends  South,  Chase  and  Townsend, 
preached  for  the  infant  society.  The  records  of  the  church  are 
very  imperfect,  but  it  seems  that  in  February,  1840,  a  majority  of 
the  members  preferred  a  Presbyterian  form  of  government.  A 
change  was  accordingly  made  from  Congregational  to  Presbyterian, 
and  the  denomination  was  attached  to  the  Logansport  Presbytery. 
But  the  Congregational  sentiment  was  still  strong,  and  in  October, 
1841,  the  former  action  was  reversed.  On  the  23rd  of  September, 
at  their  own  request,  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Michigan  City 
was  dropped  from  the  rolls  of  the  presbytery.  On  the  5th  of  Octo- 
ber, a  meeting  was  held  at  which  Willys  Peck  was  called  to  the 
chair  and  S.  H.  Turner  appointed  Secretary :  and  a  resolution  was 
adopted  changing  the  form  of  government  to  the  Congregational, 
and  re-adopting  the  name  by  which  the  organization  was  first 
known,  that  of  "First  Congregational  Church  of  Michigan  City." 
It  is  probable  that  Rev.  James  Towner  was  at  this  time  the  pastor, 
but  ceased  to  be,  either  at  the  change  of  name  or  shortly  after:  and 
Rev.  Elnathan  Davis  supplied  the  pulpit.  Mr.  Towner  died  on 
the  2d  day  of  March,  1844,  at  Michigan  City. 

In  1842,  Rev.  John  M.  Williams  preached   to   the  congregation 


CHURCH    RECORD.  435 

as  "stated  supply,"  and  continued  his  labors  with  them  until  some- 
time in  the  vear  1844.  A  call  was  then  extended  to  Rev.  Erastus 
Colton,  of  Peoria,  111.,  which  he  accepted,  and  was  installed  Novem- 
ber 20th.  At  this  time  Willys  Peck,  John  Bond  and  Joshua  R. 
Shedd,  were  deacons. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Colton,  in  September,  1847.  an  in- 
cident occurred  which  is  worthy  of  mention,  as  illustrating  the 
cautious  watchfulness  of  the  church  in  the  matter  of  domestic  mor- 
als. A  widow  lady,  Tabitha  Stone  was  a  member  of  the  church, 
and  in  course  of  time  married  a  Mr.  Swenck.  From  some  cause 
the  marriage  was  not  a  happy  one.  She  procured  a  divorce,  and 
not  long  afterwards  was  married  to  a  Mr.  Hughes.  A  charge  was 
promptly  brought  against  her  in  the  church,  that  she  had  violated 
Christian  duty.  It  was  brought  in  due  form  before  the  proper 
authority,  and  a  hearing  was  had,  when  it  was  decided  that  "  though 
she  (Mrs.  Hughes,)  pleads  civil  custom  and  the  practice  of  church 
members  in  self-justification,  and  asserts  her  ignorance  of  the  bind- 
ing force  of  the  divorce  law  given  by  our  Savior  in  the  Gospel  as 
recorded  by  Matthew,  and  deems  her  act  right,  after  reflection  and 
prayer,  yet  in  the  opinion  of  this  church,  she  erred  in  not  delaying 
her  acts  of  divorce  and  remarriage  until  she  could  inquire  and  come 
to  a  correct  judgement.  Her  fault,  however,  not  bearing  evidence 
of  wilfulness,  but,  it  would  seem,  being  a  sin  of  ignorance,  she  is 
hereby  admonished  to  sin  no  more,  in  a  like  act."'  It  is  plain  that 
the  church  did  not  wish  the  uxorious  sister  to  fall  into  a  habit  of 
divorce  and  remarriage,  or  that  the  example  she  had  given,  should 
be  followed  by  others. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  Congregational  church  is  one  of  the  old- 
est  in  the  county,  and  it  is  the  only  one  of  that  denomination.  It 
has  enjoyed  a  fair  degree  of  successful  work,  and  has  been  presided 
over  by  some  able  pastors.  Among  others  whose  ministrations  it 
has  shared  in  later  years,  are  Rev.  Edward  Anderson,  who  became 
Colonel  of  the  Twelfth  cavalry  in  1864;  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor,  and  the 
present  pastor  Rev.  Mr.  Kent. 

Some  other  church  organizations  have  existed  in  the  county; 
bit,  destitute  of  church  edifices,  their  church  services  have  not  been 
regular,  and  some  of  them  at  least  have  now  no  existence.     Among 


436  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

these  was  a  Weslevan  Methodist  society,  which  maintained  regular 
services  for  a  time,  and  also  the  United  Presbyterian  organization, 
which,  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  an  excellent  man.  Rev.  Mr. 
Clark,  enjoyed  a  period  of  prosperity.  The  organization  has  long 
ceased  to  have  regular  services. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

INVENTIONS  AND   DISCOVERIES. 

The  progress  of  thought  as  directed  toward  discovery  and  inven- 
tion has  had  its  full  share  of  developement  in  La  Porte  county. 
Some  of  its  most  important  achievements  will  be  noted  in  this 
chapter. 

In  1848,  Jacob  J.  Mann,  who  was  carrying  on  a  country  wagon 
and  blacksmith  shop  and  his  son,  Henry  F.  Mann,  who  had  learned 
the  wagon  maker's  trade  with  his  father, — invented  a  harvesting 
machine  which  cut  the  grain  with  a  scolloped  edge  sickle,  and  by  a, 
double  series  of  toothed  bands ;  one  series  running  on  a  level  with 
the  catting  apparatus  and  the  other  series  running  up  an  inclined 
plane,  carried  the  cut  grain  up  the  inclined  plane  and  deposited  it 
into  a  rotating  receptacle  where  the  sheaf  was  collected,  ami  thrown 
upon  the  ground  in  suitable  condition  for  binding.  Machines  were 
made  in  1848,  and  an  application  made  for  a  patent  which  was 
issued  to  Jacob  J.  Mann  and  Henry  F.  Mann,  June  19,  1849.  In 
1849,  ten  of  the  machines  were  made  and  put  into  operation  in  the 
harvest  of  that  year,  but  on  account  of  some  defects  it  was  found 
necessary  to  make  further  improvements  in  order  to  make  a  practi- 
cally successful  harvester.  This  occupied  the  minds  of  the  invent- 
ors until  1853,  when  they  made  another  machine  embracing  such 
improvements  by  filing  a  caveat  in  1853,  followed  by  an  application 
for  a  patent  in  1855,  and  the  issue  of  the  second  patent  to  J.  J.  & 
H.  F.  Mann,  June  3,  1856.  The  improved  machine  was  exhibited 
at  the  Indiana  State  Fair  held  at  La  Favette  in  1853,  and  was 
looked  upon  with  so  much  favor  by  the  farmers  and  examining  com- 
mittee that  it  was  awarded  the  first  premium  in  competition  wi'h 
the  popular  machines  of  that  day. 


Inventions  and  discoveries.  437 

As  is  usually  the  case  with  inventors  of  valuable  improvements 
there  were  many  difficulties  encountered  by  the  Manns,  inventors 
and  patentees,  but  notwithstanding,  they  succeeded  in  building  a 
considerable  number  of  their  machines  for  each  harvest,  and  also  in 
having  some  built  by  other  parties,  John  D.  Stewart,  of  La  Porte, 
having  built  some,  so  that  there  have  been  made  and  used  in  the 
harvest  field  from  1,500  to  2,000  of  the  "J.  J.  Mann  &  Sons" 
reapers.  This  machine  was  put  in  competition  with  others  at  Fairs 
on  many  a  hotly  contested  field  trial,  and  almost  universally 
came  off  with  the  highest  honors.  In  many  instances  farmers  have 
cut  from  sixteen  to  twenty  acres  of  wheat  in  a  day  with  one  of 
them. 

Jacob  J.  Mann  died  in  the  early  part  of  1868  at  Westville,  Ind. 
II.  F.  Mann  now  resides  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  as  he  has  not 
abandoned  his  idea  of  improving  agricultural  machinery,  is  now 
engaged  in  developing  a  combined  two  wheeled  mower  and  harvester, 
upon  which  the  binders  ride  and  bind. 

In  1861,  H.  F.  Mann,  then  living  in  La  Porte,  lnd.,  invented 
and  obtained  a  patent  for  improvement  in  breech  loading  cannon. 
He  then  proceeded  to  Washington  to  secure  the  adoption  of  his 
invention  by  the  government,  and  in  1862,  presented  to  the  consider- 
ation of  the  goverment  officers  a  8  in.  cast  steel  breech  loading  rifled 
field  piece,  which  was  tested  under  the  direction  of  the  late  Admiral 
Dahlgren  to  the  extent  of  five  hundred  rounds,  upon  the  result  of 
which  he  obtained  an  order  for  an  eight  inch  rifle  gun  which 
was  completed  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  in  September,  1863,  and  was  fired 
ten  proof  rounds  in  October  of  that  year.  It  was  then  removed  to 
Washington  and  thence  to  Fortress  Monroe,  when  it  was  fired 
twenty  rounds  in  1864,  and  in  1867  was  again  successfully  tested 
under  the  direction  of  the  late  Gen.  Rodman,  chief  ordnance  con- 
structor of  the  government.  In  the  early  part  of  1 874  at  the  ear- 
nest solicitation  of  Mr.  Mann,  the  gun  was  removed  from  Fortress 
Monroe  to  the  West  Point  foundry  where  it  was  bored  up  to  eight  and 
four-tenths  inches  and  rifled,  after  which  it  was  taken  to  the  govern- 
ment proving  grounds  at  Sandy  Hook,  N.  Y.  Harbor,  where  it  has 
been  tested  under  direction  of  a  board  of  Ordnance  officers  with  very 
satisfactory  result^  using  twenty-five  to  thirty*five  pounds  of  pow- 


IBS  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

der  and  one  hundred  and  seventy  pound  conical  projectiles.  The 
results  obtained  at  this  last  firing  compare  very  favorably  with 
results  obtained  in  this  country  and  in  Europe  with  government 
guns  of  the  best  standards.  Mr.  Mann  is  confident,  and  he  has 
reason  to  be,  that  this  gun  will  yet  stand  in  the  front  rank  in  the 
armament  of  the  fortifications  of  this  country. 

Brooks'  Turbine  water  wheel  was  invented  in  1854.  Improve- 
ments were  from  time  to  time  made  in  it  by  E.  B.  Brooks  and  his 
brothers,  and  in  1871,  M.  A.  Brooks  took  out  a  patent  for  an  im- 
proved water  wheel.  The  first  one  was  made  in  La  Porte  by  Brooks 
and  Husselman.  These  wheels  are  now  manufactured  at  the  ma- 
chine works  of  J.  N.  Brooks,  and  they  have  been  very  extensively 
used  in  the  West. 

In  the  year  1859,  George  W.  Miles,  of  Michigan  City,  invented 
a  Felloe  Bending  machine,  which  is  now  in  use  in  the  La  Porte 
wheel  factory,  has  been  improved  by  that  company,  and  proves  to 
be  a  machine  of  great  utility.  The  Wheel  Company  are  also  using 
a  machine  which  is  very  ingeniously  arranged  for  the  shaving  of 
spokes.  It  is  the  invention  of  W.  W.  Smith,  of  La  Porte,  and  was 
produced  by  him  in  the  year  1872. 

In  the  line  of  discoveries  rather  than  inventions,  there  is  to  be 
noted  especially  the  discovery  of  a  remedy  for  what  is  called  the 
opium  habit,  or  the  practice  of  eating  opium,  a  habit  which  entails 
untold  suffering  on  its  victims.  Until  the  year  1868,  there  seemed 
to  be  absolutely  no  remedy  for  this  dreadful  disease,  if  disease  it 
may  be  called,  and  when  the  habit  was  once  fixed,  there  was  no 
relief  but  in  the  grave,  which  in  most  cases  was  soon  reached.  In 
the  year  1868,  a  mechanic  in  La  Porte,  working  at  his  trade,  which 
was  that  of  a  brick-layer,  discovered  a  remedy  by  which  those  who 
had  fallen  victims  to  this  fearful  habit  might  be  able  to  save  them- 
selves from  a  fate  more  terrible  than  that  of  the  bound  Prometheus. 

It  had  been  frequently  declared  that  the  disease  of  opium  eating 
was  incurable.  High  medical  authority  had  said  so.  Dr.  Oppen- 
heim  pronounced  it  "a  fatal  fascination  never  to  be  broken  by  any 
wily  stratagem  or  open  force  whatsoever".  Dr.  Pidduck  had  said 
that  the  opium  eater  "can  no  more  break  away  from  the  habit  than 
the  paralytic  imbecile  can   throw  off  his  lethargy,"  Dr.  Elliotson 


INVENTIONS    AND    DISCOVERIES.  439 

"  could  not  find  the  first  instance  of  voluntary  renunciation,"  and 
Dr.  Palmer,  of  Ontario,  had  never  even  heard  "  of  the  first  instance 
of  permanent  reformation  after  the  habit  had  been  confirmed." 
There  seemed  absolutely  nothing  to  open  the  labyrinth  of  woes  in 
which  these  poor  victims  wandered,  not  one  ray  of  hope  to  cheer 
the  desponding  sufferer. 

But  the  time  had  come  when  this,  like  all  other  evils  to  which 
human  flesh  is  heir,  was  to  yield  to  a  remedial  agent  of  nature ;  and 
it  fell  upon  Dr.  Samuel  B.  Collins  to  pioneer  the  way  to  freedom 
and  happiness  for  this  wretched  portion  of  humanity.  Another 
hidden  secret  of  nature  was  given  up,  this  time  to  a  humble  mechan- 
ic; and  his  voice  was  like  a  star  in  Egyptian  darkness  to  those  who 
had  so  long  waited  without  hope. 

Dr.  Collins  has  been  practicing  medicine  since  about  1860,  and 
when  he  first  made  known  his  great  remedy,  it  was  received  as  most 
important  discoveries  have  ever  been,  with  incredulity  and  even 
ridicule.  But  there  was  a  man  in  La  Porte,  in  whom  all  had  confi- 
dence, one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  place,  a  large  property  holder, 
and  an  eminently  respectable  and  upright  citizen.  For  years  he 
had  been  afflicted  with  the  opium  habit,  and  was  rapidly  going  down 
to  the  grave.  He  tried  the  Collins  discovery,  and  was  cured;  and 
when  he  declared  on  oath  that  he  took  the  remedy  between  the  18th 
day  of  July,  and  13th  day  of  December,  1868,  when  he  found  him- 
self absolutely  and  totally  cured,  there  was  no  room  to  doubt  the 
efficacy  of  the  discovery.  Prejudice,  ridicule  and  incredulity  all 
gave  way  before  it,  and  the  fortunes  of  Dr.  Collins  were  made. 
Since  then  his  course  has  been  one  of  continued  triumph.  The 
fame  of  his  remedy  has  gone  all  abroad,  and  is  known  at  this  time 
almost  throughout  the  civilized  world.  As  at  the  beginning,  so 
still  it  continues  to  perform  its  work.  From  every  quarter  testimo- 
nials have  come  as  to  its  efficacy,  until  a  book  larger  than  this 
volume  might  be  filled  with  them.  Almost  from  the  home  of  Dr. 
Collins  comes  this: 

Union  Mills,  Ind.,  September  30th,  1872. 
Dr.  S.  B.  Collins,  La  Porte,  Ind., 

Dear  Sir: — After  taking  a  nostrum  prepared  by  a 

for    the    opium    habit,    and    being    made    very    sick  there- 


440  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

by  at  each  dose,  I  concluded  to  try  your  remedy,  having  learned 
that  you  are  the  sole  discoverer  of  a  painless  and  permanent  cure 
for  the  dreadful  habit  of  opium  eating. 

I  am  rejoiced  that  I  did  so,  for  after  taking  your  remedv  for 
about  twelve  months,  I  found  myself,  as  I  truly  believe,  entirely 
cured,  and  I  am  now  comfortable  without  any  medicine  whatever. 

Like  nearly  all  opium  eaters,  I  first  believed  your  remedy  resem- 
bled the  *  *  *  *  a  sort  of  humbug, — but  to  my  surprise  and 
great  joy  I  fouad  it  to  be  a  perfect  cure  for  the  accursed  habit. 

If  any  person  desires  to  know  more  of  this  wonderful  remedy  by 
corresponding  with  me  on  the  subject  of  my  cure,  I  will  cheerfully 
answer  every  question,  and  give  all  information  in  my  power  con- 
cerning the  action  of  the  remedy  in  my  own  case. 

I  have  lived  in  La  Porte  county  for  thirty-nine  years,  and  had 
used  morphine  for  about  eight,  at  the  time  I  commenced  taking 
your  remedy,  consuming  one  bottle  of  it  in  from  eight  to  nine  days; 
but  since  taking  the  first  dose  of  your  medicine  I  have  had  no  desire 
for  any  preparation  of  Opium  whatever,  and  I  now  pronounce  my- 
self entirely  cured.  I  am  confident  that  if  any  opium  eater  will 
write  to  Dr.  Collins,  giving  him  the  exact  amount  of  the  drug  used 
for  a  certain  length  of  time,  whether  morphine,  gum  opium  or  laud- 
anum, and  will  follow  the  directions  given  upon  the  label  of  the 
bottles,  he,  like  myself,  will  be  delivered  from  the  opium  hell  that 
no  man  can  describe. 

I  have  a  near  neighbor  who,  after  taking  a  few  bottles  of  vour 
remedy  was  entirely  freed  from  his  terrible  bondage,  but  like  many 
others  who  have  been  cured  by  you,  will  not  allow  his  name  to  be 
made  public. 

Thanking  you  for  the  many  favors  you  have  conferred  upon  me 
and  the  great  good  you  have  done,  and  wishing  you  and  your  inval- 
uable remedy  unbounded  success,  I  remain  very  respectfully. 

John  McLain. 

Amount  of  Opium  used  per  month,  1920  grains:  cured  since 
July,  1872. 

A  few  other  brief  testimonials  are   selected   and   presented  here: 

April  23,  1874. 

When  I  first  went  to  you  for  consultation  and  conference  with 
reference  to  my  case,  and  after  a  full  statement  of  facts,  you  did 
not  promise  to  cure  me  under  twelve  months,  and  with  tliat  infor- 
mation I  went  under  vour  treatment,  and  I  gave  vou  an  exact  and 
truthful  statement  of  my  case;  and  commenced  to  take  your  medi- 
cine as  directed.     The  result  was,  you  complete'!  a  permanent  cure 


INVENTIONS    AND    DISCOVERIES.  441 

in  a  little  over  eis;ht   months  time.     Almost  five  months    have  now 

CD  *• 

passed  since  I  left  off  taking  your  medicine,  and  I  am  a  well,  happy 
and  prosperous  man  once  again.  Joy  and  gladness  have  come  once 
more  to  our  family  circle,  and  driven  forever  away  that  sadness  and 
grief  and  deep  sorrow  that  had  settled  there  because  of  my  illness 
and  bondage  to  that  great  task  and  slave-master,  morphine.  For 
eight  long,  weary,  sorrowing  years,  it  led  me  day  by  day  for  all  that 
time,  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  habit  entailed  upon  me  by  the 
doctors  who  attended  me  during  my  long  illness  in  the  summer  and 
fall  of  1864. 

Since  the  first  Tuesday  in  October  last,  I  have  been  in  court 
every  day  here,  and  there,  with  but  one  or  two  exceptions,  and  I 
have  had  full  strength  of  mind  and  body  to  enable  me  to  conduct 
the  matters  and  business  there  demanded  of  me.  But  for  your  aid, 
your  skill,  and  your  medicine,  I  never  could  have  done  such  work. 
I  tell  you  doctor,  I  am  well  again,  I  am  what  I  have  written  you  / 
am.  You  have  done  for  me  all  and  more  than  I  have  ever  written 
you.  That  awfully  heavy  weight  or  load  of  profound  grief  and 
apprehensive  sorrow  that  had  for  so  long  a  time  settled  upon  the 
hearts  of  dearly  loved  ones  in  my  own  loved  home,  because  they 
saw  through  morphine  the  surely  and  swiftly  coming  of  the  sleep 
of  death  during  the  long  night  of  the  grave,  has  been  completely 
removed,  and  now  with  light  hearts  and  joyous,  happy  spirits,  they 
move  on  and  on  through  the  hours  of  this  life,  never  forgetting  my 
great  emancipation  from  the  long  and  terrible  bondage  of  that  cruel 
but  seductive  poison — morphine. 

Marcus  P.  Norton. 

P.  S. — When  your  treatment  commenced,  I  weighed  184  pounds, 

now  I  weigh  220  pounds,  in  all  36  pounds   of  square  and  healthy 

gain.  M.  P.  N. 

Amount  of  opium  used  per  month,  1200  grains;  cured  since 
January,  1874. 

Napoleon,  Ohio,  December  10,  1874. 
Dr.  S.  B.  Collins,  La  Porte,  Ind.: 

Dear  Sir: — It  is  now  more  than  a  year  since  I  ceased  to  use 
either  your  antidote  or  opium  in  any  form.  My  general  health  is 
greatly  improved  and  improving. 

At  a  former  time  you  published  a  statement  of  my  case  under  the 
title  of  "  Water  Cure  versus  Home."  I  was  certain  then  that  your 
antidote  would  accomplish  all  that  you  promised.  I  have  only  now 
to  say  that  this  has  been  done  in  my  case;  also  that  it   will  do  this 


442  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

in  every  case  when  it  is  taken  according  to  directions.  Sympathy 
and  duty  require  me  to  make,  and  authorize  you  to'  use  this  state- 
ment. Yours  Truly, 

Wm.  Sheffield,  Banker. 

Amount  of  opium  used  per  month,  7200  grains;  has  been  cured 
since  November,  1873. 

Franklin,  Ga.,  January  24,  187.r>. 
Dr.  S.  B.  Collins,  La  Porte,  Ind.: 

Dear  Sir: — It  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  say  to  you  that  you 
have  cured  me  of  eating  opium.  I  had  been  eating  it  about  three 
years.  I  used  your  Antidote  about  three  months.  I  have  used 
neither  the  Antidote  nor  any  morphine  in  about  three  months,  and 
now  have  no  desire  for  either.  ^ery  Respectfully, 

Mollie  E.  Duke. 
P.  S. — You  can  use  the  above  in  any  way  you  please. 

Amount  of  opium  used  per  month,  1200  grains;  cured  since 
October,  1874. 

Hundreds  of  such  testimonials  could  be  presented,  but  these  must 
suffice.  They  abundantly  show  that  Dr.  Collins'  discovery  for  the 
cure  of  the  opium  habit  is  no  quack  nostrum,  but  a  veritable  reme- 
dial agent,  which  does  the  work  it  professes  to  do,  and  which  lias 
already  brought  sweet  relief  to  many  a  one  who  had  fallen  into  the 
lowest  depths  of  horrid  despair. 

The  pecuniary  returns  of  Dr.  Collins  have  been  commensurate 
with  the  importance  of  his  discovery,  and  he  spends  his  means 
freely  nmong  the  people  where  he  toiled  as  a  laborer.  He  erected 
a  few  years  ago,  an  elegant  marble  front  building  in  La  Porte,  the 
third  story  of  which  he  generously  donated  for  five  years  to  the 
Library  association.  He  has  advertised  freely,  and  has  met  and 
still  continues  to  receive  his  just  reward. 


PROFESSIONS    AND    BUSINESS.  443 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

PROFESSIONS  AND  BUSINESS. 

In  the  preceding  chapters,  the  beginning,  growth  and  devel- 
opement  of  La  Porte  county  have  been  stated.  This  chapter  will 
present  a  general  view  of  the  business  of  the  county,  as  it  now 
exists.  The  number  of  those  engaged  in  the  various  trades  and 
professions  in  the  villages  throughout  the  county,  has  already  been 
shown  in  connection  with  the  history  of  the  townships  in  which 
they  are  severally  located.  It  has  been  found  impracticable  to 
obtain  even  an  approximate  estimate  of  the  amount  of  the  business 
transacted  throughout  the  county,  and  it  is  impossible  to  do  much 
more  than  state  the  number  of  business  houses  of  the  various  branches 
of  trade,  and  of  those  who  are  engaged  in  professional  employments. 

The  agricultural  products  of  the  county  may  be  stated  in  round 
numbers  at  about  the  following:  The  number  of  acres  of  land  in 
cultivation  is  87,000;  head  of  cattle,  19,000;  horses,  8,000 ;  mules, 
500;  sheep,  10,500;  hogs,  18,000;  bushels  of  wheat  raised,  485,- 
000;  bushels  of  corn,  920,000;  bushels  of  rye,  3,000;  bushels  of 
oats,  185,000;  tons  of  hay  cured,  5,000;  bushels  of  barley  raised, 
27,000;  bushels  of  potatoes,  64,000.  These  amounts  must  be 
taken  as  an  average  for  several  years  past,  excluding  the  year  1875, 
as  to  wheat;  for  in  that  year  there  was  perhaps  less  than  one-third 
of  a  fair  crop,  the  severity  of  the  preceding  winter  having  utterly 
destroyed  many  thousands  of  acres. 

THE  BUSINESS  OF  LA  PORTE. 

In  the  city  of  La  Porte,  there  are  three  firms  dealing  in  agricul- 
tural implements,  two  of  whom  sell  most  kinds  of  farm  machinery, 
and  do  a  large  business  in  this  line.  The  other  firm  manufactures 
and  sells  separators  which  are  extensively  used,  and  continue  to 
have  a  large  sale.  Besides  these  several  other  parties  manufacture 
various  articles  of  farm  machinery,  such  as  gang  plows,  cultivators, 
rollers,  &c. 


444  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

La  Porte  contains  two  book  and  stationery  stores,  and  books  are 
kept  also  in  connection  with  two  of  the  drug  stores.  Of  the  latter 
there  are  five. 

Frkd'k  West  keeps  the  drug  store  in  the  Alexander  block  on 
Indiana  avenue,  also  a  large  assortment  of  books,  stationery  and 
many  fancy  articles,  besides  wall  paper  and  curtains.  Mr.  West 
came  to  La  Porte  county  in  1851,  and  engaged  in  teaching  in  Gale- 
na and  Hudson  townships.  In  1852  he  came  to  La  Porte  and 
entered  the  store  of  P.  King,  then  on  Main  street.  In  1853  he 
conducted  Mr.  King's  branch  store  at  Kingsbury,  and  remained 
with  him  until  1857,  when  he  became  one  of  the  partners  in  the 
firm  of  L.  C.  Rose  &  Co.,  druggists,  whose  store  was  on  the  corner 
now  occupied  by  Vail's  jewelry  store,  where  he  continued  until  the 
destruction  of  the  building  by  fire  in  the  year  1870.  Mr.  West  is 
now  the  oldest  druggist  in  the  county.     (See  advertisement. ) 

John  H.  P>r<;<;iE  k  Company,  established  the  business  of  drug- 
gists in  December,  1875,  and  have  met  with  very  encouraging  suc- 
cess. Their  place  of  business  is  on  West  Main  street  in  Allen's 
block,  the  interior  of  Which  has  been  fitted  up  and  furnished  so  as 
to  present  a  very  neat  and  tasteful  appearance.  Mr.  Buggie  came 
to  La  Porte  in  1873,  but  did  not  <zo  at  once  into  a  business  of  his 
own.  His  experience  in  his  business  dates  back  ten  years,  covering 
nearly  the  whole  of  his  active  life;  and  his  experience  has  been  a 
thorough  and  valuable  one.  It  is  his  earnest  desire  to  build  up  an  hon- 
orable reputation,  and  already  his  personal  attention,  which  is  unre- 
mitting, and  his  fair  dealing,  have  borne  fruit  in  a  trade  that  has 
gone  quite  beyond  his  expectations,  giving  evidence  that  these  char- 
acteristics will  receive  their  due  reward.     (See  advt.) 

In  the  line  of  dry  goods  there  are  no  less  than  eight  large  and 
successful  establishments,  some  of  which  have  been  in  existence 
many  years. 

Julius  Barker  "Bbb  Hivb."     This  well  known  house  Fas 

established  in  1855,  by  .lames  Lewis,  who  was  succeeded  in  1<v-»i 
by  dames  Lewis  &  Company,  and  by  the  present  proprietor  in  L865, 
He  has  kept  the  u Bee  Hive'  ever  since,  always  having  a  large 
jtock  of'dry  goods  and  fancy  goods  at  the  lowest  prices. 

DBWlTT  0.  DfiCKE         The   linn   of  J.   JT.    Decker  &   jBon   com- 


PROFESSIONS    AND    BUSINESS.  445 

menced  business  in  La  Porte  in  the  Fall  of  1861.  The  Senior 
partner  was  connected  with  the  firm  nearly  ten  years,  when  he 
withdrew,  leaving  the  business  wholly  in  the  hands  of  his  son.  From 
the  beginning  the  business  has  been  attended  with  marked  prosper- 
ity. Mr.  Decker  has  fully  earned  the  reputation  which  he  enjoys 
of  being  one  of  La  Porte  s  most  reliable  and  successful  business  men. 
This  reputation  has  been  earned  by  personal  industry,  and  by  hon- 
est and  straight-forward  dealing.  His  stock  of  dry  goods  is  large, 
and  in  addition  to  this  he  keeps  an  extensive  stock  of  crockery  and 
glassware,  which  is  fully  up  to  the  times  in  all  its  requirements, 
from  that  which  is  cheap  to  that  which  is  most  elegant  in  style  and 
foremost  in  quality.  In  each  department  of  his  extensive  business 
he  is  always  able  to  accommodate  every  class  of  his  customers, 
whatever  their  tastes  or  the  quality  of  the  goods  they  wish  to  pur- 
chase.    (See  advertisement.) 

The  Pioneer  Store  of  P.  King.  This  is  one  of  the  oldest 
business  houses  in  La  Porte,  having  had  its  origin  in  1845,  through 
a  branch  at  La  Porte,  of  the  Michigan  City  firm  of  Holbrook  and 
King.  The  La  Porte  branch  was  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  A. 
D.  Porter.  The  firm  dealt  in  dry  goods,  groceries,  hats  and  caps, 
millinery,  &c,  and  they  had  a  branch  also  at  New  Buffalo.  In  the 
Spring  of  1849  this  was  sold,  and  Mr.  King  came  to  La  Porte  and 
took  charge  of  the  store  here,  while  Mr.  Holbrook  retained  the  one 
at  Michigan  City.  A  year  later,  Holbrook  sold  to  King,  and  re- 
tired from  the  mercantile  business.  Thus  Mr.  King's  career  as  a 
merchant  in  La  Porte  county  dates  from  1845,  making  him  the 
oldes^  merchant  now  in  the  countv.  He  came  to  Michigan  City  in 
the  year  1835,  when  but  twelve  years  of  age,  with  J.  S.  Castle, 
and  worked  in  the  office  of  the  Michigan  City  Gazette,  the  first 
paper  published  in  La  Porte  county.  From  1836  to  1838  he  at- 
tended school  and  clerked  in  the  store  of  Mr.  Chittenden  and  Mr. 
Field,  where  he  received  a  thorough  mercantile  education,  fitting 
him  for  his  life  work.  He  was  employed  in  the  house  of  C.  B.  k 
L.  Blair  during  parts  of  the  years  1838-39,  and  from  1841  to  1845, 
when  he  formed  the  partnership  with  H.  P.  Holbrook. 

Mr.  King  built  the  store  room  now  occupied  by  D.  C.  Decker, 
and  occupied  it  twelve  years,   when    having  built  the  large  double 


446  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

store  on  the  post  office  corner,  he  moved  his  place  of  business  to 
that  locality,  where  he  still  remains,  and  is  one  of  the  most  prosper- 
ous and  succeesful  merchants  in  the  State,  a  prosperity  which  1 
been  attained  by  steady  industry,  honest  dealing,  and  wise  manage- 
ment. He  has  now  associated  with  him  in  the  business,  his  two 
efficient  clerks,  S.  X.  Haines  and  C.  W.  Kaber.     (See  advt.) 

Four  stores  keep  crockery  and  glass-ware. 

Wm.  Crawford,  whose  store  is  on  Main  street  in  Allen's  block, 
commenced  business  in  April.  1858,  in  a  small  building  near  the 
Chronicle  office.  He  keeps  a  large  stock  of  every  variety  of 
crockery  and  glassware,  and  lamps  and  lamp  fixtures. 

DeWitt  C.  Decker.  This  gentleman  is  the  successor  of  J.  F. 
Decker  and  Son,  he  having  been  the  junior  partner  of  that  firm. 
He  deals  in  crockery  and  glassware,  and  dry  goods,  doing  a  large 
business  in  each.  His  business  is  noticed  elsewhere  at  greater  length 
and  more  in  detail.     (See  advt.) 

Grocery  stores  abound  in  La  Porte,  there  being  altogether  twentv- 
five,  many  of  them  having  a  large  trade. 

Wm.  H.  Seward,  who  was  engaged  in  this  trade  many  years,  in 
Allen's  block,  on  Main  street,  closed  out  his  stock  and  retired  from 
the  business  in  April.  1876. 

I.  M.  Millbr.  occupies  the  corner  store  room  in  Allen's  block, 
where  he  commenced  the  grocerv  business  in  Februarv.  1VT 
having  purchased  in  connection  with  Willard  P.  Allen  the  stock  of 
Henry  &  Orr,  who  preceded  him.  He  afterwards  bought  out 
Allen  and  is  now  sole  proprietor.  He  receives  a  large  share  of 
custom. 

In  the  boot  and  shoe  trade  there  are  seven  firms,  each  doing 
quite  an  extensive  business. 

Closser  &  Nelson.  The  firm  of  Heston  &  Closser  commenced 
business  at  the  present  locality  of  Closser  a:  Xeison,  the  28th  day  of 
October,  1868.  Heston  went  out  in  August.  1872.  and  Wm.  I 
^elson  became  a  partner  with  Mr.  Closser.  the  latter  having  exclu- 
sive control  of  the  business.  He  has  hail  a  large  share  of  success 
in  the  trade,  and  the  establishment  has  become  well  known,  for 
reliable,  fair  and  honorable  dealing.     (See  advt.) 


PROFESSIONS    AND    BUSINESS.  447 

There  are  four  clothing  merchants,  several  merchant  tailors, 
and  six  who  deal  largely  in  gents'  furnishing  goods.  These  three 
branches  of  trade  are  combined  in  the  large  store  of  J.  Hamburger 
&  Co.,  a  firm  which  was  established  in  April,  1875.  The  senior 
member  of  the  firm  began  business  in  La  Porte  twentv-two  rears 
ago.  He  continued  about  thirteen  years,  and  was  then  out  of 
business  until  his  formation  of  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Henoch,  and 
the  opening  of  their  present  store.  It  has  been  their  intention 
from  the  beginning  to  be  able  to  supply  this  city  and  county  with 
every  article  needed  for  gentlemen's  wear,  either  ready-made,  or 
made  to  order.  The  merchant  tailoring  department  is  in  charge  of 
a  cutter  who  has  no  superior  in  his  line.  The  firm  have  been  emi- 
nently successful  in  their  first  year  of  business,  and  the  prospect  for 
a  greater  amount  of  business  in  the  future  is  very  encouraging.  (See 
advt.) 

There  are  ten  stores  dealing  in  millinery  and  fancy  goods.  One 
of  the  most  successful  is  that  of  H.  W.  Joseph  &  Co.,  who  com- 
menced business  in  January,  1874,  and  directly  afterwards  moved 
into  their  present  store  on  Main  street,  opposite  the  court  house. 
The  principal  branch  of  their  business  is  that  of  millinery.  Even 
during  the  hard  times  of  the  last  year,  their  sales  have  been  large. 
They  have  lately  added  to  their  business  the  sale  of  the  Victor 
sewing  machine,  and  have  already  had  a  good  run  of  trade.  Doing 
a  strictly  cash  business  and  thus  being  enabled  to  sell  at  the  lowest 
possible  prices,  they  are  fast  receiving  from  the  public  the  favor 
which  they  merit.     (See  advt.) 

There  are  six  flour  and  feed  stores,  though  most  of  these  are 
connected  with  groceries,  only  one  being  devoted  exclusively  to 
this  trade ;  two  or  three  coal  dealers ;  six  furniture  dealers,  some  of 
whom  manufacture  largely  for  this  and  other  markets ;  four  bake- 
ries ;  ten  butcher  shops  and  meat  markets ;  four  hardware  merchants 
and  dealers  in  stoves ;  three  ice  dealers  ;  five  dealers  in  clocks, 
watches  and  jewelry;  twenty-six  dealers  in  tobacco  and  cigars, 
either  alone  or  in  connection  with  some  other  trade,  two  of 
whom  are  extensive  manufacturers  of  cigars;  four  dealers  in  pic- 
tures and  picture  frames,  two  large  dealers  in  leather  and  findings ; 
two  dealers  in  lime ;  four  sewing  machine   dealers ;    nine  milliners 


448  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

i 

and  dress  makers;  seven  restaurants;  one  eating  house  at  the 
depot;  nine  boarding  houses;  twenty-four  saloons;  three  under- 
takers; one  firm  of  whisky  rectifiers;  one  brewery;  six  billiard 
rooms;  six  barbers;  two  telegraph  offices;  two  ladies'  hairdressers; 
seven  livery  and  feed  stables;  one  express  office;  one  gas  and  steam 
fitter;  four  harness  makers;  two  coopers;  two  tanneries;  four 
planing  mills;  one  marble  cutter  and  dealer  in  tomb  stones;  one 
portrait  painter:  two  photographic  establishments;  three  sign 
painters ;  three  manufacturers  of  a  cure  for  the  opium  habit.  There 
are  four  dealers  in  lumber.  The  oldest  establishment  is  that  of 
WlLSON  &  Fraser.  The  business  was  commenced  by  W.  Wilson 
&  L.  Eliel  in  the  year  1859.  This  partnership  continued  until  the 
Fall  of '71,  when  Mr.  Eliel  withdrew  having  some  time  previously  gone 
into  business  in  Chicago.  Upon  the  dissolution  of  the  partnership, 
Mr.  Wilson  continued  the  business  alone,  until  February,  1873, 
when  having  become  associated  with  the  La  Porte  chair  company, 
he  was  elected  its  president;  and  this  position  requiring  a  consider- 
able portion  of  his  time,  Mr.  S.  P.  Fraser  became  associated  with 
him  in  the  lumber  business,  and  is  now  its  manager.  The  trade  of 
the  old  firm  was  always  successful,  and  under  the  present  arrange- 
ment it  has  assumed  still  larger  proportions.  It  is  a  fair  example 
of  what  industry  and  wise  business  methods,  such  as  constant  vigi- 
lance and  attention  and  fair  dealing,  will  accomplish.  In  the 
Spring  of  1874,  Mr.  Wilson  formed  a  copartnership  with  R.  S» 
Morrison  in  the  coal  trade,  thus  assuming  additional  responsibili- 
ties, all  of  which  are  fully  met  and  mastered.  Every  different 
enterprise  in  which  he  has  engaged  has  become  prosperous,  the 
three  different  interests  in  which  he  now  has  a  share  all  being  in  a 
flourishing  condition ;  and  each  of  them  is  worthy  of  high  commen- 
dation for  the  efficiency,  industry  and  integrity  of  all  who  are  con- 
nected with  them.     (Seeadvt.) 

There  are  four  hotels,  the  oldest  and  best  known  of  which  is 
The  Teegarden  House,  kept  by  Y.  W.  Axtell.  This  house  was 
built  by  Dr.  A.  Teegarden.  It  was  completed,  and  opened  in  the 
year  1852  by  Capt.  Levi  Ely,  who  remained  in  the  house  two  years. 
He  was  followed  by  James  Lougee,  and  he  in  turn  by  Lawson  & 
Phelp-.     They  were  in  it  a  short  time,  when  they   were  succeeded, 


PROFESSIONS  AND   BUSINESS.  449 

in  1856  by  the  present  proprietor,  who,  with  an  exception  of  a  single 
year,  has  kept  it  ever  since.  Under  his  administration  the  Teegar- 
en  has  reached  and  maintained  a  fine  reputation  as  a  first-class 
hotel,  not  second  to  any  in  the  country  in  cities  the  size  of  LaPorte. 
(See  advertisement.) 

Three  newspapers  are  published  in  LaPorte,  a  further  account  of 
which  is  given  in  another  place.  Of  these  The  Chronicle  is  the 
latest  established,  but  has  already  secured  a  large  circulation. 

There  are  three  book  and  job  printing  establishments.  Of  these 
the  latest  established  and  that  which  does  the  largest  business  is  the 
house  of 

S.  E.  Taylor  &  Co.,  which  was  established  in  February,  1874. 
This  firm  does  a  large  amount  of  book  printing  in  addition  to  the 
usual  job  printing.  They  keep  constantly  on  hand  a  full  line  of 
card  board,  ruled  letter  and  bill  head  papers,  and  colored  jobbing 
papers.  This  house  is  one  of  the  most  complete  in  the  State,  and 
their  facilities  for  doing  all  sorts  of  work  in  their  line  are  unsur- 
passed. The  work  done  by  them  is  always  first-class  in  every  res- 
pect.    (See  advt.) 

La  Porte  contains  two  establishments  which  deal  in  musical  in- 
struments, pianos,  organs,  &c. 

Robert  Scott  has  been  engaged  in  this  business  since  the  year 
1872,  and  has  succeeded,  by  his  energy  and  activity  in  building  up 
a  large  trade.  He  is  able  to  furnish  pianos  and  organs  of  all  styles 
and  prices,  and  of  any  manufacture,  to  order.  His  facilities  for 
purchasing  are  such  that  he  is  able  to  sell  on  the  most  reasonable 
terms.  Persons  accustomed  to  the  catalogue  prices  of  the  various 
houses  throughout  the  country  that  manufacture  musical  instru- 
ments, will,  if  they  consult  Mr.  Scott,  be  surprised  at  the  figures  he 
will  show  them,  and  the  exceedingly  liberal  terms  on  which  he  deals. 
They  will  learn  that  these  instruments  can  be  purchased  right  here 
at  home  at  a  discount  from  catalogue  prices  that  is  simply  aston- 
ishing.    (See  advt.) 

The  manufactures  of  La  Pcrte  are  considerable,  though  there  is 
room  for  more.  There  are  several  cabinet  makers:  eight  or  ten 
wagon  raid  carriage  makers,  some  of  whom  turn  out  a  great  deal  of 
work ;    an   establishment  for  the  manufacture   of  sash,    doors  and 

29 


150  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

blinds;  one  pump  manufacturer;  two  makers  of  farm  rollers;  one 
saw  mill :  three  flouring  mills;  one  broom  factory;  the  La  Porte  wheel 
company,  for  the  manufacture  of  agricultural  implement  wheels, 
and  other  work ;  an  extensive  bedstead  factory:  the  La  Porte  chair 
company,  for  the  manufacture  of  cane  seat  chairs;  one  car  manu- 
facturing company;  an  extensive  manufactory  of  separators,  steam 
engines  and  other  machinery;  an  establishment  for  the  manufacture 
of  castings  and  all  sorts  of  mill  machinery:  two  large  woolen  facto- 
ries; a  fanning  mill  factory;  a  maker  of  wire  fences;  gas  company 
and  works,  and  the  Holly  water  works.  All  the  different  mechan- 
ical employments  are  well  represented. 

By  the  census  of  1870,  La  Porte  county  employed  in  her  manu- 
factures 883  hands;  the  capital  invested  was  $653,340;  wages 
paid  §260,655;  the  value  of  materials  used  $699,841,  and  the  value 
of  productions  31,234,366.  These  have  considerably  increased 
since  that  time,  but  to  what  extent  it  has  been  impracticable  to 
ascertain. 

E.  Michael  &  Co.,  manufacture  the  Michael  Fanning  Mill. 
Mr.  Michael  commenced  the  manufacture  of  these  mills  in  March, 
1859,  and  in  1869  Mr.  G.  P.  Winn  became  associated  with  him 
under  the  firm  name  of  E.  Michael  &  Co. 

In  the  vear  18/4,  they  made  eight  hundred  of  their  mills,  in 
1875,  one  thousand,  and  will  probably  make  eleven  hundred  during 
the  year  1876.  Their  sales  for  the  year  1875  amounted  to  833,- 
O00,  and  the  present  year  will  no  doubt  exceed  that  figure. 

The  enterprise  of  Mr.  Michael  and  his  partner  is  a  most  com- 
mendable one,  and  has  deservedly  been  very  successful.  A  large 
part  ot  their  sales  are  made  out  side  of  La  Porte  county,  hence  it  is 
one  of  those  means  so  much  needed  for  bringing  money  from  abroad 
into  this  county.     Every  work  of  this  kind  adds  largely   and  con- 

atly  to  the  material  wealth  of  the  county.  It  is  only  the  simple 
truth  to  say  that  this  fanning  mill  lias  no  superior,  and  wherever 
known  it  finds  ready  sale.  The  firm  have  not  tried  to  extend  their 
sales  much  outside  of  the  State,  but  they  could  easily  do  so,  for  the 
merits  of  the  mill  are  such  that  a  vastly  increased  number  might  be 
placed  on  the  market.  It  will  be  a  source  of  gratification  to  all 
who  kn<»\v  them,  if  their  increase  of  products  in  the  future  shall 
exceed  that  of  the  past. 


PROFESSIONS    AND    BUSINESS.  451 

J.  L.  Boyd  commenced  the  business  of  making  light  wagons, 
carriages  and  buggies  in  1864,  and  has  continued  the  work  ever 
since.  Always  turning  out  work  of  the  best  quality,  his  orders 
have  been  equal  to  his  ability  to  fill  them.  No  one  is  ever  disap- 
pointed in  his  work,  as  he  uses  none  but  the  best  material,  and 
gives  every  piece  his  own  constant  care.  It  is  much  to  say,  that  a 
man's  customers  are  always  honestly  served,  but  it  is  perfectly  true 
of  Mr.  Boyd.     (See  advt.) 

The  La  Porte  Wheel  Company.  This  company  was  organized 
in  1870,  by  Gregory,  Turnbull  &  Griffin,  and  occupied  the  building 
where  it  is  now  located,  the  same  which  was  built  for  a  paper  mill 
nine  years  ago.  In  1872,  Mr.  Wm.  Niles,  having  taken  a  large 
interest  in  the  company,  was  elected  president,  and  has  given  the 
enterprise  a  degree  of  prosperity  that  is  very  satisfactory.  The 
products  of  the  'factory  are  about  $75, 000  annually,  and  they  con- 
sist of  agricultural  and  buggy  wheels,  wagon  and  buggy  spokes, 
woods  for  agricultural  implements ;  hammer,  sledge,  ax  and  plow 
handles;  neck-yokes;  single  and  double  trees;  Grape  Vine  and 
Turkey  Wing  cradles;  "Clipper"  combined  corn  plow,  walking 
corn  plow,  cultivator  and  double  shovel  plow;  files,  and  machine 
and  blacksmith  work,  <fcc.  The  factory  employs  about  seventy-five 
hands.     (See  advt.) 

In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  La  Porte  there  are  several  nursery- 
men, market  gardeners  and  florists,  whose  industry  has  met  with  a 
fair  reward. 

R.  B.  Allen,  whose  gardens  and  green-houses  are  handsomely 
located  on  the  bank  of  Pine  lake,  commenced  the  business  of  gar- 
dening ten  years  ago;  and  four  years  ago,  he  established  the  green 
houses.  With  every  year  of  his  labors,  he  has  added  to  his  grounds 
and  methods  of  cultivation,  until  now,  he  has  in  great  abundance 
all  kinds  of  small  fruits,  many  apples  and  pears,  a  large  and  pro- 
lific vineyard,  and  every  kind  of  early  and  late  vegetables  in  their 
season.  His  green  houses  are  crowded  with  plants  and  flowers,  in 
almost  endless  variety,  and  he  is  able  at  the  proper  seasons  to  sup- 
ply almost  any  product  that  anyone  is  likely  to  desire,  in  the  line  of 
vegetables,  fruits  or  flowers,  whether  bedding  plants,  or  cut  flowers, 
in  bouquets,  wreaths,  crosses  or  any  sort  of  floral  design.  (See  adv.) 


452  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORT!    I  OUNTY. 

There  are  five  banks  in  LaPorte,  each  one  of  which  is  a  sound 
institution. 

The  La  Porte  Savings  Bank.  This  institution  was  organized 
in  the  month  of  August,  1S71.  under  and  by  State  authority.  It 
is  regularly  inspected  by  the  auditor  of  State  as  required  by  law; 
and  all  investments  are  made  strictly  according  to  the  law  of  the 
State  for  the  regulation  of  Savings  banks.  Every  depositor  becomes 
a  stock  holder  to  the  extent  of  his  deposit;  and  all  net  earnings  are 
divide'l  among  the  depositors.  In  framing  the  law  on  the  subject, 
every  precaution  seems  to  have  been  taken  by  the  Legislature,  to 
render  the  Savings  bank  as  near  perfection  in  security  for  the 
deposit  of  money  as  'it  is  possible  for  any  institution  to  be  made. 
The  names  of  the  officers  and  trustees  of  this  bank  are  a  guarantee 
that  the  provisions  of  the  law  will  lie  strictly  observed.  These 
consist  of  the  following  well-known  citizens:  Trustees.  John  Suth- 
erland. Dr.  T.  Higday,  Benajah  Stanton,  T.  W.  Butterworth,  F. 
Baumgartner,  Samuel  Downing,  and  Shepherd  Crumpacker.  Offi- 
cers— President,  John  Sutherland:  A  ice  Presidents.  Dr.  T.  Hig- 
day and  Benajah  Stanton:  Cashier,  J.  H.  Vining.  Ft  is  ::'>t  easy 
to  compute  the  benefits  to  individuals  and  the  community  of  a  well- 
conducted  Savings  bank:  affording  as  it  does  a  convenient  deposito- 

rv  for  money:  and  a  method  for  safely  and  profitably   investing  it, 

«/  i  .1.0 

and  yet  retaining  it  in  a  taxable  and  available  condition.  It  is  not 
flattery,  but  the  simple  truth  to  say  that  this  bank  under  its  wise 
management,  has  fulfilled  all  the  conditions  for  the  convenient  and 
safe  investment  of  surplus  income.     (See  advt.) 

The  banking  bouse  of  A.  P.  Andrew,  Jr.  &  Son  was  organized 
in    the   month    of    December,   L869,    and    in    November.    lv7-~>,    the 
banking  office  was  established  in  its  present  location  on  Main  street, 
opposite  the  court  houj         A.  P.  Andrew.  Jr..  or  Capt.  Andrew, 
he       Tenerally  knwwn,  is  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  La  Porte,  being 
one  of  the  original  ^proprietors   of  the   site  of  the  city.      II<-   n 
editor   of  the   LaPorte    County    Tf */////   in    1839   and '40,  and  v. 
afterwards  engaged  in  the  banking  business  at  Michigan  City.      He 
has  always  been  successful  in   business.  hi<    ventures   being  marked 
by  wisdom  and  prudence.      Capt.  Andrew,  the  younger,  is  the  man- 
of  the  banking  business,  and  be  seems   to   have  inherited  the 


PROFESSION'S  AND  BUSINESS.  453 

prudent  carefulness  of  his  father.  Together,  they  have  made  the 
bank  an  eminently  safe  and  sound  financial  institution.  Thev 
transact  all' parts  of  a  gener.il  bulking  business,  and  have  the  confi- 
dence of  all  who  do  business  with   and.  through   them.     (See  advt.) 

The  professions  are  ably  represented  in  La'Porte,  in  theology, 
law  and  medicine.  The  number  of  those  in  the  clerical  profession 
and  the  success  of  their  labors  will  be  learned  from  the  chapter  on 
the  history  of  the  churches  of  the  county.  Those  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  the  law  number  not  less  than  twenty.  Four  of  these, 
Andrew  L.  Osborn,  John  B.  Niles,  James  Bradley  and  Mulford  K. 
Farrand  were  among  the  earliest,  as  well  as  the  ablest  practitioners 
at  the  bar  of  La  Porte. 

Wm.  E.  Higgins.  Attorney  at  Law.  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
at  La  Porte,  May  5,  1860.  He  practices  in  all  the  courts  of  the 
State,  and  gives  prompt  and  special  attention  to  collections  and 
probate  business,  also  deals  in  real  estate. 

Samuel  E.  Williams.  Attorney  at  Law.  He  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  La  Porte.  March  14,  1843.  He  transacts  business  in 
all  the  State  courts,  gives  prompt  attention  ;to  collections  in  this 
and  adjoining  counties  and  States,  and  settles  estates  and  guardian- 
ships. 

Dan.  Brown,  Attorney  at  Law.  Was  admitted  to  the  bar  of 
La  Porte  in  1874.  He  was  sheriff  of  La  Porte  county  Irom  1870  to 
1874,  having  been  twice  elected  to  that  office.  He  makes  the  col- 
lection of  doubtful  claims  a  specialty.  Money  to  loan  and  all  busi- 
ness of  the  profession  attended  to  with  promptness. 

A.  T.  Bliss,  Att'y  at  Law.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
April,  1859,  and  has  made  a  fine  reputation  for  industry  and  the 
honest  care  which  he  bestows  on  all  business  and  cases  entrusted  to 
him.  He  now  has  a  fine  practice,  which  he  has  secured  by  his  own 
personal  merits,  and  steady  devotion  to  his  profession.  Since  his 
admission  to  the  bar  he  has  been  steadily  engaged  in  his  profession, 
except  during  several  years  of  the  war,  when  he  was  in  the  service 
of  his  country,  where  he  held  the  rank  of  Captain.     (See  advt.) 

Irvin  Van  Wie,  Att'y  at  Law.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
of  La  Porte  in  April,  1872,  and  is  rapidly  building  up  a  fine  prac- 
tice. He  is  earnestly  devoted  to  his  profession,  which  he  pursues 
with  an   assiduity   that   is   sure   to  win   success.      All   persons  who 


454  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

entrust  business  to  him  will  have  it  attended  to  with  industry  and 
faithfulness,  and  with  careful  attention  to  the  interests  of  the  client. 
For  a  lawyer  who  has  so  lately  begun  the  practice,  and  where  there 
is  so  much  competition,  Mr.  Van  Wie  has  had  far  more  than  ordi- 
nary success.     (See  advt.) 

MORTIMER  Nye,  Att'y  at  Law.  Mr.  Nye  was  raised  in  La- 
Porte  countv,  of  which  he  is  a  native.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  the  year  lsij^,  and  has  acquitted  himself  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
build  up  a  good  practice.  He  was  elected  Mayor  of  the  city  on 
the  Democratic  ticket  in  1873,  and  again  in  1875,  holding  that 
office  at  the  present  time.  Besides  his  law  practice,  he  is  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  trade  and  deals  extensively  inlands,  having  always 
on  his  books  a  large  amount  of  city  and  country  real  estate  for  sale. 
Those  who  become  his  clients  in  the  law,  or  have  laud  transactions 
with  him  will  be  certain  to  secure  an  honest  and  faithful  attention 
to  their  business.     (See  advt.) 

There  has  recently  been  established  here  a 
Book  Bindery  by  Mr.  Chas.  Bard,  a  needed  enterprise,  and  one 
that  is  worthy  of  encouragement  and  liberal  patronage.  Air.  Bard 
lias  done  the  work  of  binding  this  history,  and  will  no  doubt  give 
full  satisfaction  to  those  who  give  him  work  of  this  kind  to  do.  He 
-  an  industrious  young  man  and  hopes  to  build  up  here  an  institu- 
tion that  shall  be  permanent.  This  will  be  a  benefit  and  conve- 
nience to  the  city,  and  it  would  be  well  for  those  who  have  binding  to 
do,  to  consult  their  best  interests  and  have  it  done  at  home  rather 
than  to  send  it  away.     (See  advt.) 

There  are  ten  or  twelve  insurance  agents  in   La  Porte,  represent- 

g  more  than  forty  fire  and  life  insurance  companies,  and  half  a 
dozen  or  more  who  furnish  abstracts  of  title  to  real  estate.  Some 
of  these  agencies  are  held  by  attorneys  at  law,  <  thers  follow  exclu- 

ely  the  business  of  insurance. 

The  State  Fire  [nsurance  Company.  This  Company  is  lo- 
cated at  LaPorte,  it  was  organized  in  October  1875,  and  its  charter 
rs  date,  January  26,  1876.  It  is  a  LaPorte  enterprise,  and  its 
officers  hope  to  build  up  here  a  company  that  shad  take  rank  with 
the  foremost  of  the  great  insurance  organizations  of  the  country. 
Their  su       -  rlm>  far  has  been  all  that  could  reasonably  be  expect- 


PROFESSIONS    AND    BUSINESS.  455 

ed.  The  business  has  been  increasing  rapidly,  the  most  rigid  econ- 
moy  prevails  in  the  management,  and  the  prospect  for  future 
vigorous  growth  is  clear  and  encouraging. 

George  C.  DoRLAND,  real  estate  and  insurance  agent,  and  con- 
veyancer. Mr.  Dorland  commenced  his  present  business  in  the 
the  Spring  of  1874.  His  previous  training  had  been  such  as  to 
qualify  him  for  it,  in  more  than  an  ordinary  degree,  he  having 
been  deputy  recorder  from  1866,  until  near  the  time  when  he  went 
into  business  for  himself.  Thus  he  has  been  educated  by  years  of 
training  to  the  work  in  which  he  is  now  engaged,  which  in- 
cludes the  making  of  deeds  and  mortgages,  and  furnishing  abstracts 
'of  titles.  He  will  soon  have  completed  a  set  of  abstract  books  for 
all  the  lands  in  La  Porte  county.  He  was  appointed  a  notary 
public,  February  23,  1874.  Those  who  entrust  business  to  him 
will  find  it  in  safe  hands. 

The  medical  profession  is  represented  in  La  Porte  by  some  accom- 
plished practitioners.  One  who  was  eminent  especially  as  a  surgeon, 
and  who  had  been  longer  in  La  Porte  than  any  other,  Dr.  Daniel 
Meeker,  has  recently  died.  There  are  now  here  about  twenty  phy- 
sicians, five  of  whom  are  Homoeopathic,  one  Eclectic,  and  the  others 
Regular.  There  is  also  one  lady  physician.  Three  dentists  should 
be  added  to  the  number. 

George  M.  Dakin,  M.  D.  Dr.  Dakin  received  his  medical 
education  at  the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  at  Cincinnati,  completing 
the  prescribed  course  of  study  in  the  year  1852.  For  several  years 
hi1  practiced  medicine  at  Princeton,  111.,  and  in  1862  came  to  La- 
Porte,  where  he  has  been  since  that  time,  enjoying  a  large,  labo- 
rious and  successful  practice.     (See  advt.) 

Mrs.  M.  A.  Stevens,  M.  D.     Mrs.  Stevens,  so   well  known  to 

the  people  of  La  Porte,  and  indeed  Northern  Indiana,  is  an  Eclectic 
physician  of  excellent  standing  and  large  and  increasing  practice. 
She  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  twenty  years  ago,  in  Elgin, 
Illinois,  from  which  place  she  went  to  Chicago,  and  in  April,  1865r 
came  to  La  Porte.  She  remained  here  a  comparatively  brief  period, 
when  she  went  to  Goshen,  but  in  1868  returned  to  La  Porte  and 
has  practiced  her  profession  here  ever  since.  In  her  treatment,  she 
makes  use  of  Electro-thermal,  Turkish,  Vapor  and  Sulphur  baths, 
and   has   been   remarkably   successful   in   the  treatment  of  persons 


456  HI -TORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

suffering  from  acute,  chronic  or  nervous  diseases.  She  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Trail's  Ilygeio-therapeutic  college,  New 
York  City.     I  See  advt. ) 

S.  C.  WHITING,  M.  D.,  Homeopathic  Physician  and  Surgeon. 
Dr.  Whiting  located  in  La  Porte,  April  22,  1876,  coming  from 
Vincennes,  Indiana,  where  he  had  for  many  years  enjoyed  an 
extensive  practice.  He  came  at  the  solicitation  of  Dr.  S.  A.  Rob- 
inson, who  proposing  to  make  a  journey  to  Europe,  chose  Dr. 
Whiting  to  take  charge  of  his  extensive  practice,  with  a  view  also 
to  a  future   partnership.     The  following  note  from   Dr.    Robinson 

will   more  fully  explain   the  arrangement,  and  the  merits  of  Dr. 

Whiting. 

I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  Dr.  Whiting  to  my  patrons,  as  the 
man  I  have  chosen  from  among  a  large  number  of  applicants  as 
best  fitted  for  the  place,  and  the  one  I  would  prefer  to  have  treat 
my  friends  and  family  during  my  absence.  In  the  prime  of  life,  a 
man  of  great  energy  and  vigor,  thoroughly  qualified  in,  and  wholly 
devoted  to,  his  profession,  he  comes  intending  to  make  La  Porte 
his  permanent  home,  ami  willing  to  work  for  you  as  I  have  done, 
day  and  night.  He  graduated  at  the  Western  Homeopathic  Col- 
lege, Cleveland,  0.,  in  1855,  after  which  he  entered  the  University 
of  New  York  and  took  a  thorough  Allopathic  and  Hospital  course. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Institute  of  Homeopathy,  and  the 
Indiana  State  Homeopathic  Society.  For  the  last  sixteen  years  he 
has  been  in  very  successful  and  active  practice  at  Vincennes.  Ind.. 
where  his  reputation  is  excellent,  both  as  a  physician  and  citizen. 
Dr.  Whiting  will  have  entire  charge  of  the  business  from  this  time 
until  my  return  from  Europe,  when  our  contract  provides  for  an 
equal  partnership.  S.  A.  RoBrNSON. 

La  Porte,  April.  1876. 

The  firm  of  Davidson  Brothers  was  organized  in  January, 
lvt>7.  and  occupy  the  large  marble  front  double  store  on  Main 
street.  The  members  of  the  firm,  Ralph  and  August  Davidson, 
have  been  in  business  in  La  Porte  nearly,  or  quite  twenty  year-, 
and  are  well  and  favorably  known  to  the  people  of  the  county. 
Ralph  Davidson  was  a  member  many  years  ago  of  the  old  firm  of 
Hamburger  &  Davidson,  which  will  be  remembered  as  a  heavy  cloth- 
ing establishment.  The  present  firm  has.  from  its  organization, 
done  a  heavy  business  in  its  various  lines  of  trade,  and  the  brotlc  ra 
have  shown  themselves  remarkably  successful  business  men.  placing 


PROFESSIONS    AND    BUSINESS.  457 

them  among  the  foremost  of  Northern  Indiana,  in  enterprise  and  in 
prudent  and  honorable  dealing.     For  further  information  see  advt. 

C.  G.  Dowling  has  been  in  'La  Porte  thirteen  years.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1863,  he  was  engaged  as  cutter  in  the  "Bee  Hive,"  where 
he  continued  six  years  and  a  half,  when  he  formed  a  partnership  in 
the  merchant  tailoring  business  with  J:>seph  Hagenbuck,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Dowling  and  Hagenbuck.  The  partnership  continued 
about  three  years  when  it  was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent,  and  the 
business  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Dowling  who  has  continued 
it  ever  since,  with  success.  He  is  well  known  as  a  superior  cutter; 
and  his  work  is  so  satisfactory  that  he  has  constantly  ajrown  in 
popular  favor.  He  is  courteous  to  customers,  honorable  in  his 
•dealings,  and  is  consequently  prosperous  in   business.     (See  advt.) 

The  photographic  artists  of  La  Porte,  turn  out  as  good  work  as 
can  be  obtained  anywhere. 

Wm.  M.  Scott,  is  the  La  Porte  pioneer  in  this  business.  His 
gallery  was  established  in  1853,  at  the  precise  location  opposite  the 
court  house,  where  it  is  now,  commencing  with  the  old  style  daguer- 
reotype. Mr.  Scott  has  kept  pace  with  all  improvements  in  the  art 
of  taking  sun  pictures;  and  his  enterprise  has  brought  him  corres- 
ponding success. 

J.  W.  Bryant  opened  in  the  business  of  taking  ferrotypes  in 
LaPorte,  Sept.  16,  1868,  in  rooms  in  the  balcony  block,  buying  out 
the  establishment  of  Charles  B.  Te'eple.  About  two  years  and  a 
half  thereafter,  he  moved  to  his  present  location,  on  the  south  side 
of  E.  Main  street,  and  has  pursued  successfully  the  business  of  a 
photographic  artist  in  its  various  branches,  keeping  fully  abreast 
with  every  improvement  made  in  the  art. 

The  business  of  Michigan  City  h  is  increased  remarkably  during 
the  last  five  years,  owing  in  large  part  to  the  impetus  given  to 
trade  by  the  harbor  improvements.  Within  that  time  a  very  ex- 
tensive lumber  trade  has  been  built  up,  and  at  the  present  time 
there  are  not  more  than  two  or  three  larger  entrepots  for  lumber  on 
the  lakes  than  Michigan  City.  Six  or  eight  heavy  firms  are  en- 
gaged in  this  trade.     Among  them 

George  Marsh  is  a  heavy  dealer,  and  has  been  in  the  trade  three 
or  four  years,  and  his  business  has  been  on   the   increase   from  tho 


458  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

beginning.     He  deals  in  pine  lumber,  and  ships  southward  on  both 
lines  of  railroad. 

W.  G.  Peck  is  also  one  of  the  heaviest  dealers  in  lumber  at 
Michigan  City. 

The  business  and  commercial  houses  of  Michigan  City  number 
more  than  fifty,  and  they  are  generally  prosperous.  A  number  of 
large  manufacturing  establishments  give  employment  to  numerous 
workmen.  All  the  different  mechanical,  commercial  and  manufac- 
turing employments  are  successfully  pursued  by  enterprising  busi- 
ness men. 

Schoenemann  lV  Ashton.  This  is  one  of  the  leading  grocery 
houses  of  Northern  Indiana.  They  commenced  business  in  1867, 
and  now  occupy  two  large  store  rooms  on  Franklin  street,  one  at 
the  corner  of  Second  street,  the  other  at  the  corner  of  Sixth. 

The  professions  are  well  represented  in  Michigan  City.  The 
churches  are  supplied  with  able  pastors,  there  are  six  attorneys  at 
law,  and  nine  physicians.  There  is  also  a  sound  banking  house, 
three  newspapers,  the  Enterprise,  News,  and  Prison  Reformer, 
and  hotels  sufficient  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  travelling  public. 

The  Jewell  House  now  kept  by  a  very  popular  landlord.  Har- 
vey R.  Harris,  was  erected  in  1853,  by  the  elder  Mr.  Leeds,  now 
deceased.  It  was  opened  by  Mr.  Pike,  of  Niles,  Mich.  At  differ- 
ent times  since  it  has  had  for  landlords.  Patterson,  Child:.  Layton, 
Crarv.  Murtagh  and  Harris,  the  latter  of  whom  took  it  when  his 
term  of  office  closed  as  auditor  of  the  county.  He  is  an  excellent 
hotel  keeper,  and  has  added  largely  to  the  popularity  of  the  house. 

The  following  notice  closes  the  business  review. 

-r  T 

lEN  Brand  of  Kingsbury,  opened  his  store  in  that  village.  Jan. 
1 .  1  871 .  and  his  business  house  may  be  said  to  be  the  lineal  successor 
of  several  other  stores  that  from  time  to  time  existed  in  Kingsbury. 
He  is  well  known  throughout  the  county,  and  his  business  is  proba- 
bly greater  than  that  of  any  other  merchant  outside  of  LaPorte  and 
Michigan  City.  The  coming  of  the  railroad  to  Kingsbury,  has 
_  en  new  impetus  to  the  village,  and  the  business  of  Mr.  Brand  has 
increased  accordingly.      See  Advt.) 

It  should  have  been  stated  in  the  chapter  on  inventions  and  dis- 
coveries, that  Mr.  Henry  Mills,  of  Noble  township,  in  the  year  1857, 
invented  the  binding  car  attachment  to  the  Mann  reaper,  for  riding 
and  binding,  a  contrivance  which  is  now  in  almost  universal  use  on 
reaping  machine  3. 


NEWSPAPERS.  459' 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

^  NEWSPAPERS. 

The  first  newspaper  issued  in  La  Porte  county  was  the  Michigan 
City  Gazette,  James  S.  Castle,  editor  and  proprietor.  The  first 
number  was  issued  in  June,  1835.  At  a  little  later  period  James 
M.  Stuart  become  connected  with  this  paper,  and  for  a  time  Sam- 
uel Miller  owned  it.  Polaski  King  of  La  Porte,  was  the  youngest 
boy  in  the  office  and  was  consequently   the   first  printer's  u  Devil' 

in  the  county.  The  Gazette,  after  a  somewhat  checkered  career, 
ceased  to  exist,  probably  in  1841. 

Following  the  newspapers  at  Michigan  City,  the  Herald  comes 
next  into  view.  It  was  established  by  Richard  Burley,  during  the 
existence  of  the  Gazette,  but  its  life  was  brief.  It  lived  but  little 
more  than  a  year.  In  politics  it  was  Democratic,  while  the  Gazette 
was  Whig,  and  as  at  that  time  the  city  was  strongly  of  the  latter  faith 
in  politics,  the  Gazette  had  the  fairest  opportunity  for  existence. 

For  a  time  Michigan  City  was  without  a  neAvspaper,  when  in 
April,  1846,  Thomas  Jernegan  established  the  Michigan  City  News, 
and  continued  its  publication  until  the  office  was  burned  in  Sep- 
tember, 1853.  Mr.  Jernegan  was  post-master  at  the  time,  and  did 
not  resume  the  publication.     In  politics  the  Neivs  was  Democratic. 

Following  the  News.,  came  the  Transcript,  a  Whig  newspaper 
which  was  established  in  the  Summer  of  1854  by  Richard  W.  Col- 
fax. He  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  Spring  of  1.855  to  Hickock 
and  O'Brien,  and  died  in  the  Spring  of  1856.  The  new  proprietors 
changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  the  Enterprise  but  did  not  con- 
tinue its  proprietors  longer  than  the  close  of  that  year.  They  were 
succeeded  by  L.  B.  Wright,  who  published  it  until  April,  1859, 
when  he  sold  to  Thomas  Jernegan,  the  present  editor  and  proprietor. 
He  has  published  it  continuously   since   that   time,  except  during  a 

part  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  when  it  was  suspended  from  May, 
1863,  to  November,  1865.  the  editor  having  been  appointed  to 
the  position  of  assistant  paymaster  in  the  navy.  The  Enterprise 
has  for  many  years  been  Republican  in  politics. 


460  II  [-TORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

In  1863,  during  the  suspension  of  the  Enterprise,  M.  &  J.  Cul- 
laton  established  the  Michigan  City  Review,  which  they  published 
one  year. 

The  Michigan  City  News  was  established  in  March.  1*7-")  by  J. 
F.  Rowins.  Soon  afterwards,  Mr.  X.  Conover  became  a  partner, 
and  then  buying  out  Rowins,  became  the  sole  proprietor.  In  poli- 
tics the  News  is  Democratic. 

The  latest  venture  at  Michigan  City  is  the  Prison  Reformer,  the 
first  number  of  which  was  issued  in  March,  1876.  It  is  edited  and 
published  by  Rev.  M.  S.  Ragsdale,  moral  instructor  in  the  prison. 
and  is  devoted  to  prison  reform  and  the  reformation  of  prisoners. 

The  first  paper  ever  published  in  La  Porte  was  "  The  La  Porte 
Count}/  Whig,  and  Porter,  Lake  and  Marshall  Counties  Adver- 
tiser." It  was  established  near  the  beginning  of  June,  1838,  by  J. 
M.  Stuart  ard  S.  C.  Clisbe,  the  first  named  being  the  conductor  of 
the  new  journal.  It  was  of  the  size  of  six  columns  to  the  page, 
which  seems  to  have  been  the  usual  size  of  western  papers  at  that 
day.  Stuart  continued  the  publication  of  the  paper  about  a  year. 
when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Capt.  A.  1*.  Andrew.  Jr..  who  became 
proprietor  and  editor,  continuing  as  such  until  his  removal  to 
Michigan  City. 

July  29th,  1840  the    Whig  published  the  following  notice: 

" Press  for  Sale. — The  La  Porte  Count)/  Whig  Press,  with 
all  the  furniture  and  fixtures,  is  for  sale.  Time  will  be  given,  bv 
being  well  secured.  A  great  bargain  will  be  given.  It  is  the  best 
furnished  press  in  Northern  Indiana,  and  cost  81 500  in  New  York, 
about  three  years  ago. 

A.  P.  Andrew.  Jr. 

N.  B. — It  would  be  an  object  for  a  practical  printer  to  continue  it 
at  this  place.  The  subscription  list  is  about  five  hundred — and 
might  be  easilv  increased  to  double  that  number.  The  only  cause 
of  the  present  proprietor  wishing  to  sell  is  his  having  removed  to 
Michigan  City.  Letters  addressed  to  James  Whittem.  Esij.,  La- 
Porte,  or  the  subscriber,  will  be  carefully  attended  to. 

Not  long  afterwards,  the  paper  passed  into  the  hands  of  T.  A. 
Stewart,  who  conducted  it  several  years,  part  of  the  time  editing  it 
himself,  and  at  other  times  employing  assistance  ■<>  do  this  work. 
Among  others,  there  appears  as  editor  in  1*4*2.  the  name  of  M.  H. 
Or  ton.     Stewart   still  controlled   the   paper   in    the   latter   part    of 


NEWSPAPERS.  461 

i 

1843.  Johnson  and  Stewart  appear  as  proprietors  in  1844.  The 
next  change  worthy  of  note  occurred  in  1845,  when  John  Millikan 
became  the  proprietor.  From  that  time  on  he  controlled  the  paper 
until  his  sale  to  M.  &  J.  Cullaton  in  18(35  having  associated 
with  him  a  part  of  the  time,  his  brother  Wm.  Millikan,  who  now 
publishes  the  Washington  (Ohio)  Herald,  and  Richard  Holmes,  who 
is  at  present  publishing  the  Cass  County  (Mich.)  Republican.  Mr. 
John  Millikan  himself  is  now  the  business  manager  and  local  editor 
of  the  Marshall  County  Republican.  In  the  year  1855  Mr.  Milli- 
kan changed  the  name  of  his  paper,  the  Whig  party  having  ceased  to 
exist  as  a  political  organization,  and  it  was  henceforth  the  LaPorte 
I 'nam,  until  purchased  from  the  Cullatons  by  Chas.  G.  Powell, 
when  it  was  merged  in  the  Herald,  then  published  by  him  in  La- 
Porte,,  and  ceased  to  exist.  This  paper  during  its  long  and  check- 
ered career,  participated  earnestly  in  all  the  Whig,  and  subsequently 
Republican  contests  of  the  times  through  which  it  passed.  It  fought 
gallantly  in  behalf  of  Harrison,  Clay,  Taylor,  Scott,  Fremont, 
Lincoln  in  two  campaigns,  and  Grant.  The  first  exciting  campaign 
in  which  it  engaged  was  that  of  1840,  when  it  was  conducted  by 
Capt.  Andrew,  who  showed  persistent  pluck,  spirit  and  ability.  It 
had  then  for  its  newspaper  and  political  antagonists  in  La  Porte,  the 
La  Porte  Herald,  a  paper  which  was  established  about  the  same 
time  with  the  Whig.  It  was  published  by  Joseph  Lomax,  and 
edited  bv  him  and  W.  F.  Storey,  now  of  the  Chicago  Times,  who 
was  then  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  LaPorte,  and  was  the 
heaviest  advertiser  among  the  business  men  of  the  place.  The  Her- 
ald continued  to  exist,  but  bv  a  rather   uncertain    tenure   at   times, 

until .     In    its    conduct   it  frequently    showed   croppings 

out  of  the  characteristics  which  now  distinguish  the  Chicago  Times, 
but  its  proprietor  evidently  found  it  difficult  to  make  his  enterprise 
a  paying  one.  In  1840  the  Herald  contained  a  kb  Loafer's  Depart- 
ment," of  which  the  following  is  a  mild  specimen. 

"On  the  8th  of  September  the  postmaster  at  Greensboro  inform- 
ed us  that  Abner  Dickering  refused  to  take  the  Herald  from  that 
office.  He  owes  us  $4.18.  We  have  not  heard  from  the  dishonest 
rascal  since."  For  weeks  each  issue  contained  two  or  three  similar 
notices.  The  two  LaPorte  papers,  the  Whig  and  the  Herald,  in 
1840  and  previously,  engaged  in  a  great  deal  of  personal  controver- 


462  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

sy.  They  Beem  to  have  been  accustomed  to  fire  at  each  other 
constantly,  and  the  small  shot  flew  thick  and  fast.  In  a  single 
issue  of  the  Whig*  that  of  June  17th.  1*40,  there  appear  the  follow- 
ing hits:  "The  editor  of  the  Herald  says  'he  is  not  afraid  of  us.' 
Gruess  he  has  not  seen  us  for  two  or  three  week-."  Capt.  Andrew 
had  just  then  recovered  from  a  three  weeks  prostration  with  bilious 
fever,  during  which  time  John  H.  Bradley  conducted  the  paper. 

"Do  the  patrons  of  the  Herald  approve  the  high-minded,  / 
able  course  pursued  by  its  editor  towards  political   opponents*: — or 
would  they   prefer   he   should   descend  to  low.  scurrilous  abus< 
some  do  ?  " 

"Our  neighbor  of  the  Herald  is  informed  that  we  cannot  consent 
to  sink  the  gentleman — any  illustrious  examples  or  precedents 
to  the  contrary  notwithstanding." 

And  the  following  from  a  correspondent  who  signs  himself  "  Quiz. 

"The  editor  of  the  Herald  thinks  he  could  not  gain  anything  by 
fighting  with  a  skunk  !  query,  would  he  lose  anything  ? ' 

"The  readers  of  the  Herald  lose  nothing  by  the  half-sheet  opera- 
tion— thev  have  the  essence,  and  therefore  less  will  do  for  a  dose ! 
Would  not  a  quarter  sheet  ignite  ? ' 

"The  editor  of  the  Herald  complains  that  out  of  720  subscribers 
only  b6  have  paid  up.  Does  the  editor  not  know  that  under  a 
statute  of  our  State,  debtors  can  avail  themselves  of  the  defense  of 
want  of  con sidera t io n.'' 

The  next  issue  of  the  Herald  contained  the  following:  "Our 
neighbor  of  the  Whig  is  informed  that  we  are  somewhat  puzzled  to 
conceive  of  the  possibility  of  his  sinking  the  gentleman  any  lower 
than  he  has  already  done." 

To  which  on  the  24th  of  June  the  Whig  responded:  "Well,  a 
very  natural  conclusion  for  Mr.  Low-mux  to  come  to,  none  having 
sounded  bottom  in  those  low  latitudes  more  frequently  than  he  has 
done,  and  not  being  able  to  drag  us  down  with  him,  his  conclusions 
are  very  rational  that  it  cannot  be  done.  It  is  believed  that  but 
for  his  crew,  he  would  have  foundered  and  gom  down  Long  ago, 
and  even  the  crew  are  dissatisfied,  and  threaten  mutiny.  We  are 
told  that  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  his  mates  at  the  city  said  on 
seeing  the  first  half-sheet  Herald,  'he,  (the  editor,)  ought  to  be  run 
tii r«»ugh  a  smut  mill.' 

The  replies  <»f  the  Herald  were  often  more  emphatic  than  polite 
and  in  many  cases  were  such  that  they  could  not  be  quoted  here 
with  propriety.  Such  a  course  made  a  political  campaign  spirited 
and  exciting,  and  was  perhaps  a  necessity  of  the  times.     It  may  be 


NEWSPAPERS.  463 

doubted  whether  there  has  since  been  much  improvement,  if  we 
take  into  consideration  the  treatment  too  generally  accorded  to  can- 
didates for  office. 

At  the  beginning  of  the 'year  1852,  E.  A.  Graves  established  the 
La  Porte  Commercial  Time*,  afterwards  called  the  Republican 
Times  and  then  the  Times,  simply.  This  paper  passed  through 
many  changes  of  management,  and  was  owned  probably  longer  by 
John  C.  Walker  than  by  any  other  owner  of  the  establishment. 
Before  the  year  1852  closed,  John  C.  Walker  and  John  W.  Hol- 
combe  were  announced  as  the  editors,  and  a  year  later,  the  paper 
was  published  by  Walker,  Holcombe  &  Everts.  Dr.  Orpheus 
Everts  continued  as  principal  editor  during  several  years,  and  in 
1857,  George  H.  Sweet  was  associated  with  him.  After  the  con- 
gressional campaign  of  1858,  in  which  Col.  Walker  was  a  candidate 
for  congress  against  Schuyler  Colfax,  he  took  personal  control  of 
his  paper  for  a  time.  A  little  later  it  was  edited  by  Flavius  J. 
Clark,  then  by  a  young  man  named  Palmer,  and  afterwards  by 
Henry  Higgins.  who  was  its  last  editor.  John  S.  Weller  also  was 
at  two  different  times  connected  with  it,  once  in  1852  or  53  as 
publisher,  and  for  a  time  in  1860,  as  local  editor.  In  the  issue 
for  November  10,  1860,  John  C.  Walker  offered  the  paper  and 
office  for  sale,  and  announced  that  with  that  number  the  paper 
would  be  "temporarily  suspended."  The  editor  printed  the  follow- 
ing as  his  "  valedictory. ' 

"By  notice  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  publication  of  the  Times 
will  be  suspended  until  the  proprietor,  Col.  Walker,  can  dispose  of 
the  office.  This,  of  course,  does  away  with  the  services  of  its  editor. 
Eor  one  year  and  a  half  we  have  held  converse  with  the  readers  of 
this  paper — and  it  is  with  some  regrets  that  we  leave  them  now. 
We  have  endeavored  to  do  something  for  the  cause  of  Democracy. 
What  little  we  have  done  has  been  done  with  earnestness,  and  with 
a  strict  adherence  to  principle.  Short  Good  Bye's  are  the  best,  so 
we  will  shake  hands  and  retire,  assuring  our  friends  that  we  will 
always  be  found  on  the  side  with  the  Democracy,  battling  for  Dem- 
ocratic principles.  To  our  brethren  of  the  Press  we  say  "farewell." 
We  part  in  peace  and  friendship.  Henry  Higgins." 

The  Times  was  a  straight  Democratic  paper  during  all  its  exist- 
ence, and  in  the  campaign  of  1860  supported  Stephen  A.  Douglas 
for  President  against  John  C.  Breckenridge,  the  southern  Demo- 
cratic candidate. 


464  HISTORY  OF  LA  PORTE  COUNTY. 

Not  long  after  the  suspension  of  the  Times  Piatt  McDonald,  now 
of  the  Plymouth  Democrat  established  the  La  Porte  Democrat. 
which   was   published   during   the   war.  and   down    to   about    1867, 

when  it  ceased  to  exist. 

In  the  year  1856  C.  Gr.  and  Alfred  Town-end  established  the 
Westville  Herald,  a  Republican  paper,  publishing  it  until  Augus 
when  they  sold  to  a  company,  who  afterwards  sold  our  to  ('lias.  G. 
Powell.  He  removed  the  paper  to  I, a  Porte.  Afterwards,  in  1>07, 
he  purchased  the  LaPorte  Union  of  M.  &  J.  Oullaton,  and  consoli- 
dated the  two  papers  under  the  name  of  the  former.  It  is  now 
owned  by  Charles  Gr.  Powell  and  Sims  Major,  and  published  under 
the  name  of  the  Herald  Company. 

The  La  Porte  Argus  was  established  April  15,  1869,  by  John 
P.  Stoll  and  Henry  E.  Wadsworth.  It  is  Democratic  in  polities, 
and  is  now  owned  by  Wadswortb  and  Kessler. 

The  Chromcll:,  owned  and  edited  by  Jasper  Packard  issued  its 
first  number  on  the  18th  day  of  July,  1874.  It  was  issued  twice  a 
Aveek  until  November  8th,  187").  when  owing  to  the  pecuniary 
stringency  of  the  times,  it  became  a  weekly  paper.  It  is  earnestly 
Republican  in  its  political  views,  and  unalterably  at  enmity  with 
the  coiuin.ro  custom  of  defaming  and  slandering  men  who  haw  been 

unfortunate  enough  to  be  entrusted   with   official   position   bv  their 
fellow-citizens  or  the  government. 

There  have  been  several  attempts  to  establish  daily  papers  in 
La  Porto  .  On  January  3rd,  1859,  B.  I>.  Root  and  Jasper  Packard 
issued  the  first  number  of  the  Daily  Union.  Three  months  after- 
wards,  Mr.  Packard  retired  from  it.  By  hard  work.  Mr.  Root  kept 
it  alive  perhaps  two  months  longer,  when  it  ceased  to  exist.  The 
Cullatons  made  a  similar  attempt  in  L866,  but  it  lasted  only  a 
week.     On   the  eighth   day   of  October,  1875,  the   present  propri- 

r  of  the  Chronicle  determined  to  make  another  experiment  of 
the  same  kind,  and  accordingly  issued  the  Daily  Evening  Chronicle. 
At  the  end  of  two  weeks,  ir  became  evident  that  the  receipts  could 
not  bo  made  to  equal  the  expenditures,  ami  the  new  venture  expired 
with  the  twelfth  number. 

Besides  those  named,  there  was  at  one  time  a  German  paper 
published  in  Pa  Porte;  and  John  S.  Weller  published  the  Crisis,  a 
Swedenborgian  paper,  which  was  a  long  time  ably  edited  bv  Uev. 
Henry  Weller. 


ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO  AND  NOW.  465 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO  AND  NOW. 

When  first  the  foot  of  man  pressed  the  soil  of  La  Porte  county, 
we  know  not,  but  it  was  more  than  one  hundred  years  ago  that  the 
upale  face"  first  stood  on  these  prairies  and  gazed  on  the  beautiful 
groves,  and  lakes  sparkling  in  the  sunshine.  It  lacks  but  three 
years  of  two  full  centuries,  since  the  first  white  man  touched  the 
limits  of  La  Porte  county.  It  is  possible,  even  probable  that  it  was 
still  earlier  than  that  when  such  an  event  occurred.  In  the  year 
1671,  the.  Governor  of  New  France  officially  sent  Nicholas  Parrot 
to  explore  the  lakes.  He  came  up  Lake  Michigan  along  the  eastern 
shore,  establishing  posts,  and  took  possession  of  the  North-west,  in 
the  name  of  the  ''Grand  Monarque,"  the  King  of  the  French.  It 
is  not  improbable  that  he  came  to  the  very  apex  of  the  lake,  which 
would  bring  him  to  where  Michigan  City  now  stands,  and  entering 
the  mouth  of  Trail  creek,  landed,  and  rested  on  the  sands  at  the 
foot  of  Hoosier  Slide,  perhaps  ascended  to  its  summit,  and  planted 
there  the  standard  of  the  cross,  by  which  he  took  possession  of  the 
whole  North-west  for  France.  But  there  is  no  evidence  to  support 
the  claim,  and  therefore  the  writer  does  not  make  it.  It  is  certain, 
however  that  this  territory,  included  now  within  the  limits  of  La- 
Porte  county,  became  then  a  part  of  the  kingdom  of  France.  It  is 
appropriate  that  the  name  of  our  county  should  be  French,  since  to 
that  nation  it  first  belonged,  after  the  red  man,  whose  title  was 
older  than  that  of  any  European  nation.  But  if  the  supposition  in 
regard  to  Parrot  is  not  correct,  it  is  certain  that  La  Salle  touched 
La  Porte  county  in  1GT9.  "  Coming  from  Niagara  around  the  lakes 
in  canoes,  La  Salle  and  his  companions  passed  up  the  St.  Joseph 
river,  to  the  portage  near  where  now  stands  the  city  of  South  Bend, 
and  taking  up  their  canoes  on  their  shoulders,  they  marched  two 
miles  to  the  head  of  the  Kankakee  river.  Committing  their  canoes 
to  the  waters  of  that  stream,  they  rowed  down  it  as  far  as  Cham- 
bers' landing,  where  they  tied  up  and  encamped  for  the  night.     No 


4GG  lllStORY  OF  LA  l'ORT'K  COUNTS. 

doubt  this  was  the  first  time  a  white  man  had  ever  slept  on  our  soil. 
La  Salle's  explorations  extended  far  to  the  southward,  and  on  his 
return,  he  reached  the  lake  somewhere  between  Trail  creek  and 
Chicago  river.  The  supplies  which  he  had  expected  did  not 
meet  him,  and  it  was  necessary  to  go  after  them.  He  chose  the 
lake  shore  for  a  part  of  his  journey,  but  diverged  from  it,  and  pass- 
ed across  the  county,  following  the  old  Indian  trail  through  the 
centre  of  the  locality  of  the  present  city  of  La  Porte.  To  make 
sure  of  all  this  great  western  country  for  his  august  master,  La- 
Salle  also,  as  Parrot  had  done,  took  formal  possession  of  it  in  the 
name  of  the  King  of  the  French,  "from  the  mouth  of  the  great 
river  St.  Louis,  on  the  eastern  side,  otherwise  called  the  Ohio,  * 
as  also  along  the  river  Colbert  or  Mississippi,  and  rivers  which 
discharge  themselves  therein,  from  its  source.  *  *  ."  Thus  La- 
Porte  county  belonged  to  France  until,  by  the  treaty  of  1763  the 
territory  of  which  it  was  a  part  was  ceded  to  Great  Britain ;  and 
thus  it  occurred  that  one  hundred  years  ago  La  Porte  county  was 
a  part  of  the  possessions  of  the  English  nation,  and  the  French  mili- 
tary posts  in  the  Northwestern  territory,  were  occupied  by  British 
soldiers.  But  soon  afterwards,  General  George  Rogers  Clarke, 
under  authority  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  captured  their  posts,  and 
this  whole  North-western  territory  was  transferred  to  the  proprie- 
torship of  Virginia  until  by  the  ordinance  of  1787,  it  became  a  part 
of  the  possessions  of  the  United  States.  But  in  these  changes  of 
ownership,  from  Indian  to  French,  from  French  to  British,  from 
British  to  Virginian,  and  from  Virginian  to  Yankee,  there  was  no 
change  here.  The  summer's  heat  and  winter's  cold  followed  each 
other  in  unvarying  succession,  and  there  was  nothing  to  break  the 
solemn  stillness  of  nature,  save  the  growl  of  the  wild  beast,  the 
fierce  shout  of  the  savage,  or  the  rush  and  roar  of  winds  and  storms 
:is  they  passed  over  the  prairie  and  woodland.  Two  hundred  years 
ago,  one  hundred,  even  fifty  years  ago,  the  soil  was  unvexed  by  the 
plow,  and  the  woodman's  axe  had  never  been  heard.  To  have 
arisen  over  the  county,  would  have  been  to  look  down  on  no  settlers 
cabin  or  faintest  trace  of  civilization;  but  instead,  boundless  emerald 
seas,  and  luxuriant  groves. 


ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO  AND  NOW.  4G7 

"  These  the  gardens  of  the  desert — these 
The  unshorn  fields,  boundless  and  beautiful, 
And  fresh  as  the  young  earth  ere  man  had  sinned. 

Lo  !  they  stretch 
In  airy,  undulations  far  away, 
As  if  the  ocean  in  the  gentlest  swell, 
Stood  still,  with  all  his  rounded  billows  fixed, 
And  motionless  forever." 

Thus  it  all  appeared  to  those  who  made  here  the  first  homes  that 
were  founded  in  these  green  gardens.  Thus  it  appeared  to  James 
Andrew  when  he  traversed  the  pathway  from  South  Bend  to  La- 
Porte.  Thus  it  looked  to  Wm.  H.  Winchell,  when  guided  by  a 
point  in  the  distance,  he  drove  his  oxen  from  La  Porte  to  the  vicinity 
of  Kingsbury.  Thus  Thompson  Francis  saw  it,  when  he  came  to 
La  Porte,  found  it  a  town  of  two  or  three  houses,  assisted  in  build- 
ing some  more,  then  went  to  Michigan  City  to  see  only  water  and 
sand,  went  on  to  Michigan,  and  returned  to  Michigan  City  in  the 
spring  of  the  next  year,  1834.  So  appeared  this  blooming  country  to 
all  the  pioneers,  while  yet  they  were  so  scattered  as  to  make  only 
here  and  there  a  rift  in  the  loveliness  of  nature  around  them. 

But  now!  Here  is  an  industrious  population  numbering  many 
thousands.  The  wild  grass  and  flowers  that  painted  the  prairies 
in  richest  hues  have  given  place  to  fields  of  golden  grain.  The  log 
cabins  have  been  exchanged  for  stately  mansions.  The  sickle  and 
scythe  and  cradle  and  single  shovel  plow  have  been  laid  aside,  and 
the  reaper  and  mower  and  cultivator  now  reign  in  our  fields.  All 
the  evidences  of  an  enlightened  civilization  are  everywhere  visible. 
The  school  house  stands  in  every  neighborhood,  and  churches 
abound  in  every  town  and  village.  Two  cities  and  eleven  villages, 
and  innumerable  farm  houses  give  evidence  of  the  growth  of  popu- 
lation. Eight  railroads,  numerous  vessels  laden  with  iron  and 
lumber  entering  our  lake  harbor,  large  commercial  houses,  great 
manufacturing  establishments,  many  thousands  of  acres  of  improved 
farms,  all  bear  witness  that  there  has  been  vigorous  growth  in  the 
past,  and  indicate  yet  greater  rewards  in  the  future  for  the  various 
industries  of  the  county.  The  early  settlers  who  yet  remain  must 
look  back  upon  the  work  which  they  begun  so  well  with  feelings  of 
pride ;  and  the  men  of  to-day  can  look  forward  with  confident  hope 
ot  yet  greater  results,  in  material  growth  and  in  intellectual  and 
moral  developement. 

THE  END. 


JAN  2  0   1939