A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 55

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273

USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana > Part 55

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Ocean, conducted by Dr. Reeder, and the books which he has published, are having a wide edu- cational influence, and unquestionably are doing a great deal of good.

Many of the youth of both sexes who have been reared and who began their education in this county, have gone forth and become eminent as teachers, and some who have taught in the coun- ty have achieved a wide reputation, notably among whom are W. N. Hailman, Ph. D., the able advocate of the new education, and George A. Talbert, M. S., a former science teacher in the LaPorte high school, who, on account of his experiments in cerebral localization a few years ago, attained to some prominence in the scien- tific world.

There have been, and still are, other educa- tional influences in LaPorte county, such as libraries, literary and art associations, etc., but as these are in good part social in their nature, and as this chapter is already sufficiently long, we defer them to the next chapter.

The school enumeration of the county com- pleted in May, 1904, shows an increase of 976 in the county, of which 386 is in LaPorte and 615 in Michigan City. In the county outside of these two cities there was a loss. The total in- cludes 35 colored children in the county. The total number of male scholars is 7,442, of female scholars 7,251, making in all 14,728.

At this writing a telegram states that the ex- hibition from the rural schools of Indiana is attracting much attention from the educators at St. Louis, according to State Superintendent F. A. Cotton, who has been in St. Louis arrang- ing the display. The rural school exhibits, he

says, are more artistic and more nearly complete than are the like exhibits from other states. The arrangement of the Indiana exhibit was among the first to be put in place. The exhibits from the counties of LaPorte, Benton, Porter and Knox are regarded as among the most at- tractive features of the Indiana display. The department of public instruction paid particular attention to the exhibits from the rural schools, leaving the trained teachers in the city schools to do their own work. Mr. Cotton says that the exhibits from the Indiana cities are equal to those from the cities of other states. As one of the results of the address of County Superin- tendent Bunnell at St. Louis favoring the teach- ing of farming in the country schools with spell- ing, arithmetic, geography and other branches of study, children may next year receive instruc- tino in the handling of hoes and plows and har- rows, the harvesting of crops and the planting of seeds and occasionally listen to learned discus- sions on the elements of the soil. F. A. Cotton, superintendent of public instruction, suggests that an elementary course in agriculture be added to the regular curriculum of common schools located in farming districts of the state.

"Now, this course in agriculture which I have outlined, will be purely optional with the pupils and the teachers," says Mr. Cotton. "The course, as now decided upon, will consist of in- struction in the examination of seeds of all kinds, the planting of grains and plants and a study of their development, instruction on the elements of the soil and such work along other lines of agri- culture as may be practically carried on at the school house."

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CHAPTER XXXI.

SOCIETY.

"Hail, social life! into thy pleasing bounds Again I come to pay the common stock My share of service; and in glad return To taste thy comforts, thy protected joys." THOMSON'S Agamemnon.

Thomas Stillwell, the border man who settled near what is now the village of Stillwell, away from the homes of the early settlers because he hated the society of the white man, little realized the impossibility of complete isolation. His course was like a soldier trying to live by him- self in the Civil war. As there were ties which drew the soldiers together, ties which exist even to-day, so there were ties which drew the early settlers together. They had common interests, a common work to do, and were threatened by common dangers. Their very circumstances made it necessary that they stand together, min- ister to each other in sickness, and weep with those who wept : and this made them rejoice with those who rejoiced. There are bonds in the Grand Army of the Republic which do not exist in any other society of men. And so it is with the early settlers of this county. We see this when they get together. They have no grips nor secret words, and yet one who was not an early settler is as effectually debarred from entering into their experiences as though he were on the outside of lodge-room doors.

It is sometimes said that the social ties were stronger in pioneer days than now, that there was more real sympathy, more dependence of neigh- bor upon neighbor, more mutual assistance then than now. It is said that the division of society into classes and of religious people into sects, has interfered with free intercourse; fashionable afternoon calls have taken the place of family

visiting ; clubs and societies demand so much time, wealth and circumstances are so unequal among the different classes of people, there are so many circles into which some can never enter, that the whole community is thrown into dissatis- faction and unrest, and social ties are not as sym- pathetic, as close, as fraternal, nor as enduring. as formerly.

But is this true? May it not be that the loss of sympathy in society is only apparent? When there is progression in all other respects, is there deterioration here? Is not humanity more refined, civilization more complicated, and the community more highly organized now than in pioneer times? And if more highly organized must not the bonds which bind it together be stronger? Is it not better able to resist opposing forces? There is a stronger and more genuine sympathy to-day than formerly, only it lies deeper : there are not so many things to call it forth in a special manner. Let anything occur in the community to call forth sympathy such as a death, a fire, or some other severe misfortune, and there are not wanting ministrations of sympathy of the deep- est kind. That charities are now organized, that relief comes through life, accident and fire in- surance companies and through fraternal associa- tions, that incendiary or accidental flames are extinguished by the city fire department instead of by the bucket brigade as formerly-all this does not argue less human sympathy but more : for he who sustains all these institutions as he

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should, is ministering to his neighbor more ef- fectually than in the desultory way of pioneer times. What is needed is not a return to former days but to have men realize that he who does his duty to organized society is serving his neigh- bor, and that it is better to do this from principle, through the organized channels, than through impulse.

In early days there were out-of-door enjoy- ments. There was the bee hunt. The expert in this would watch the busy bee as it filled itself with sweets, and mark its direction as it took a bee line for home which would generally be in some hollow tree; and the tree, once discovered, was marked, and in due time a party would go and cut it down. Sometimes several gallons of honey would be obtained in this way and the hunt was an occasion of social enjoyment.

There was the wolf hunt. In an early day much damage was done to the farmers' flocks by wolves. The most effectual way of killing these animals, and the one most enjoyed, was the "drive" hunt. We will let Mr. T. H. Ball de- scribe one of these hunts, though it occurred in another county. He says :-

"A good example of these was one in White county in 1840, in Big Creek township. The boundaries of the hunting grounds were, on the north. Monon creek ; on the east, the Tippecanoe river : on the south, the Wabash; on the west, the county line. At eight o'clock in the morning the men and boys started along the outskirts of this large area, with no guns in their hands as they were only to scare up the game and send the deer and wolves from grove and prairie inward to the center. They were to meet at two o'clock at Reynold's grove. There scaffolds had been erected, and on those were the sharpshooters with rifles and ammunition. As that afternoon hour approached. from each direction the startled deer and frightened wolves began to appear, and soon the sharp reports of the rifles reached the ears of the distant boys and men. On every side of those elevated stands the deer fell, and when the riders and footmen reached this central place they collected fifty deer as the result of that day's chase. and found many dead wolves upon the ground. How many broke the ranks and escaped no one could accurately tell."-North- western Indiana, pages 94, 95. This is a good

type of the drive hunt, though stands were not always erected nor were the drivers always un- armed.

There was also skating. At one time it meant a great deal to be the possessor of a pair of skates, but as the years went by they became more plentiful. There was a time when it was not considered quite the proper thing for one of the gentler sex to skate, but that prejudice was finally broken down and then there were gay skating parties. Especially was this the case from 1860 to "62 or '63. At that time there was a furor for skating. Notwithstanding the fact that the nation was plunged into a sanguinary war, there were gay times on the frozen waters all over the country. Day and night the lakes of LaPorte county were thronged with busy skaters. Especially were the lakes near LaPorte scenes of gaiety; there bonfires were burned at night and hundreds of gleaming skates flashed back the light. Both sexes have skated since then, but the sport was never "in the air" as it was in the early sixties.

There too were picnics and outdoor meetings. Could Patton's grove exist again and speak it would give an account of many interesting gath- erings, Masonic and other kinds, and the same is true of other beautiful spots in the county. It may not be generally known that "Hoosier Slide" in Michigan City was once a favorite picnic resort, but such is the fact. That hill was much higher then than now. On the lake side where the sand had slid away it was nearly per- pendicular, but on the land side it was more thickly covered with trees and undergrowth than are the hills to-day on the east side of the har- bor where "Yankee Slide" is situated. So thickly was Hoosier Slide wooded that there was very little sand to be seen except the winding path made by the cows, which, path was very pic- turesque. This was a winding strip of white sand in and among the bright green of the pine and oak and smaller underbrush. In those days the cows ran at large and frequented Hoosier Slide as a pasture. This was also a favorite and romantic resort for strollers and pleasure seek- ers : the ascent of the hill was made easier by the cow-path. Here was held many a picnic. It was no easy task to carry up in one hand all the things necessary for the spread while the other

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hand must hold on to the bushes to help one's self up, but the task paid in the enjoyment re- ceived or it would not have been repeatedly done. The top of the slide was free from growth and for some distance was level. Here the picnick- ers made their fire, did their cooking, boiled their coffee, and prepared an inviting repast. Mrs. H. J. Willits, of Michigan City, says :-

One funny instance in connection comes to my mind. We were each laden with our special charges and the one carrying the cream received many warnings to be careful and not stumble nor slip. However, all the warnings did not save her nor the cream, for we left it spilled down the hill side. We were of course in great trouble as to how we could drink our coffee. Just then a cow was discovered browsing near by. A sug- gestion was made that if any one dared and knew how to milk our needs might be met. One young lady of the party had lived on a farm and had learned the art of milking. She assured us that if we would all keep at a proper distance so as not to frighten the good, patient looking cow, she would undertake the commission. I remember the cow wore a bell, and the look of surprise she gave as she turned to look at the fair milkmaid was very amusing, but she made no resistance, and our meal was complete after straining the milk through a napkin. I think we had no con- sciencious scruples about taking the milk or what the owner of the animal might think was the cause of the shrinkage when at night he came to take his rightful portion."

At that time the trailing arbutus grew in abundance on Hoosier Slide, almost at the bot- tom of the hill near where the shanties are now ; though from present appearance one would never suspect it.

There are other resorts in the county which have been alive with society. There is Weller's grove, on Stone lake, where the accommodations consist in cottages, tents, a few rooms in the main building, and of a pavilion where regularly on Friday evenings, and often on other evenings, during the summer there are entertainments, dances, etc. During the years when the New Church people held a summer school and Sunday morning worship at Weller's, crowds from La- Porte, and occasonally some even from Michi- gan City used to attend these Friday evening gatherings, and it was considered quite the popu-

lar thing to do. The Baptist Assembly grounds are situated on the northwest shore of Pine lake, in a commanding position overlooking Holmes and Fargher's islands. They contain about one hundred acres with many cottages, a pavilion where meetings are held, a beautiful grove, and a beach of sand at the foot of the bluff. These grounds are the resort of picnic and camping parties and clubs from both Michigan City and LaPorte. Recently the Chicago & South Shore Railroad Company has built a pavilion at Bluff- side beach, near the assembly grounds, and here there are evening entertainments, afternoon par- ties, and Sunday afternoon and evening concerts by the LaPorte band which are attended by great crowds, and these gatherings are said to be re- markably orderly. There also is Voeglerville, about midway between LaPorte and the assem- bly grounds, where there are a grove and a base- ball park which often draw their crowds, and that, too, even on a Sunday. Nearer Michigan City is Midway, which once bid fair to become a sporting resort but latterly Voeglerville has taken the precedence. North of LaPorte, across Lily lake, is Christman's grove, long a favorite resort for picnic. parties and entertainments, and to the east of it, on the shore of a small, nearly extinct lake, is City Park with its convenient pavilion for lunches and dances. At Michigan City the park and the peristyle are frequent re- sorts, and east of Rolling Prairie, on the Lake Shore Railroad, is Hudson lake, which is a con- venient and beautiful resort, especially for New Carlisle people. Besides all these there are other beautiful spots in different parts of the county, which have frequently been made the scenes of gay picnic parties, so that instead of being com- pelled to ride many miles to reach a suitable pic- nic grove, as is the case in many places, in La- Porte county beautiful groves and lakes are near at hand, and everything that is desirable for out-of-door festivities.

But among all the historic associations in the county, which cluster around these pleasant out- door spots, perhaps none are more important and better remembered than those connected with Patton's grove, which used to stand in the west part of LaPorte north of the present Park school. It was a beautiful grove of grand old oak trees, so near the city that it was very con-

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BLUFFSIDE BEACH. LOOKING TOWARDS THE WATER WORKS.

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venient for public gatherings. There the old set- tlers began their annual reunions, there the great outdoor political meetings used to be held. Schuyler Colfax has spoken there, David Turpie has spoken there, other celebrities have spoken there, to the crowds assembled to hear them, and many things might be related concerning the in- tense earnestness of these men which at times waxed very hot, but which occurrences had better . not be rehearsed here lest they be misunderstood, although these words will be sufficient to recall them and make them live again in all their vivid outlines in the minds of many. It is a pity that Patton's grove was not purchased and devoted to a city park. A few scattering remains of those grand old oaks may be seen in the trees still growing on the Park school grounds.

Society has a relation to reminiscence, and hence the Old Settlers' Association was organ- ized. A call was issued for an old settlers' meet- ing, in which it was suggested that the meetings be of the basket picnic order ; that they be proper- ly officered, and conducted in an orderly manner ; that the officers be the executive committee with power to make necessary rules, etc .; and that any person having lived in LaPorte county thirty- three years be eligible to membership. Pur- suant to this call, which was signed by fifty-five influential settlers and which was published in the county papers, one hundred and eight of the old settlers met at Huntsman's Hall, in LaPorte, on November 20, 1869, in the evening, and organ- ized a permanent Old Settlers' Association. The meeting was presided over by General Joseph Orr, who, on repeated calls, addressed the meet- ing, as did also John Sutherland and James For-

rester. Under the influence of the glow thus created the meeting voted to organize regularly. B. M. Newkirk, I. N. Whitehead, John P. Tee- ple, D. C. Mckellips, and D. P. Closser were ap- pointed a committee to nominate officers. The committee reported as follows: For president, Charles W. Cathcart; for secretary, A. D. Por- ter: for treasurer, General Joseph Orr; for vice presidents, W. A. Place, for Center township, Thomas Reynolds for Hudson township, James Catterlin for Galena township, Charles Vail for Springfield township, N. Couden for Michigan township, Daniel Low for Cool Spring township, I. N. Whitehead for Kankakee township, James

Drummond for Wills township, Shadrach Noys- den for Lincoln township, I. G. McCaskey for Pleasant township, William Callison for Union township, John S. Jessup for Scipio township, D. C. Mckellips for New Durham township, James Haskell, Sr., for Clinton township, Charles Wills for Cass township, J. N. West for Hanna township, and William O'Hara for Noble town- ship. This report of the committee was received and adopted. Judges Niles and Osborne ad- dressed the meeting, and after social greetings the people dispersed.

The first annual meeting was held in Patton's grove on June 22, 1870; it was called to order a little before 12 o'clock m. The stick which the president used on the occasion was from the roof tree of the Benedict house which was built in New Durham township in March, 1829. Mr :. Levi J. Benedict presented it to the association to be used as a gavel. At this meeting a chair manufactured by the Messrs. Fargher, of La- Porte, and given to the society for the purpose, was presented to Levi J. Benedict of Westville .. The dinner, speaking, etc., were greatly en- joyed, and before parting the old settlers gath- ered around the stand and sang "Auld Lang Syne," "Old Hundred," "When I Can Read my Title Clear," "Old Folks at Home," "The Yan- kee Nation," etc. About five hundred were pres- ent.

The second annual meeting was held at Pat- ton's grove, June 22, 1871. By this time the meetings had become popular; and although it was a very busy season, which doubtless kept many away, about seven hundred persons sat down to the well filled tables. The people were called together by three blasts on a conch-shell blown by Uncle Jacob Replogle, who said that the shell had been in the family two hundred years. At this meeting the death roll of the old settlers was read. It is remarkable that in the midst of a busy time seven hundred should come together, of those who had been in the county thirty-three years.

At the third annual meeting the attendance was not quite so large, but the meeting was very enjoyable; the same officers were re-elected, speeches were made by James Forrester and others, and the death roll showed that thirty-five old settlers had passed away, among them some

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of the most prominent names of the county. The fourth, fifth and sixth annual reunions of the old settlers took place in June each year at Patton's grove. At each meeting there were the usual plentiful and excellent dinner, speeches by promi- nent members, and the saddest feature of all, the reading of the names on the death roll. A nota- ble feature of the sixth reunion was a speech by Judge M. K. Farrand, which contained some really valuable historical data. Sometimes the settlers would set the tables and pool their eata- bles and all eat together, and on other years they would divide up into families and groups. Though Mr. Patton had tendered his grove to the pioneers for holding the reunion of the cen- tennial year, 1876, and had carefully prepared the grove for the meeting according to the order of the last adjournment, yet on the day of the meet- ing the earth was soaked with water, the sky was still threatening, and it was decided to change the place of meeting to Floral Hall on the fair grounds. Long tables were set in the hall, and about four hundred sat down to them, besides a few score who dined standing. In accordance with the joint resolution of Congress, historical sketches were the order of the day, a copy of Packard's history of the county just published was presented to the association by the author, speeches were made, and the death roll was read containing the names of prominent settlers, among whom were John B. Fravel and Dr. Daniel Meeker.

The eighth annual reunion was held again at Patton's grove on June 21, 1877, which like that of the year before was a lowering day. Major W. H. Calkins gave the address of the day. Hon. C. W. Cathcart and General Joseph Orr, who so long had been respectively president and treas- urer, declined re-election, and Sidney S. Sabin was elected president, and John Sutherland treas- urer, and A. D. Porter was re-elected secretary.

In 1878 the weather was so unpropitious that the annual reunion was not held on June 21st as usual, nor until the 28th of August, and then on the fair grounds. At this the ninth reunion the weather was pleasant, the attendance was large, there were the usual hand-shaking and re- newing of old acquaintance, and new officers were elected. The tenth reunion was held at the fair grounds, the eleventh at Collins Park, and

from that day to this these enjoyable and useful reunions have been held. The well kept records of the Old Settlers' Association are a valuable source of historical data, and the only wonder is that a bona fide historical society has not been formed and sustained in the county, having for its express purpose the collection and preserva- tion of historical data.

Somewhat similar to the Old Settlers' As- sociation is the LaPorte Colony in Chicago. formed for the purpose of coming together of the members in an annual picnic and reviving the old associations of LaPorte. Of this colony Mr. Julius P. Linard is president. The ninth annual picnic of this society was held in Wash- ington Park, Chicago, Saturday, June 27, 1903. Among those who were present and ate on the grass that day were Mr. and Mrs. George Clay- ton, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vail, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh McCaffrey, Addison Ballard, Dr. and Mrs. George L. Andrew, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Linard, Mr. and Mrs. N. Cochran, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Housman, Mr. and Mrs. William Meis- ner, Dr. Orin C. Lamb, Ansel Joiner, and Alder- man Butterworth. They told stories, they laughed and wept and told more. To the leading of Mrs. George Clayton they sang "The Last Rose of Summer," some of them remembering the time when together they went to hear Patti sing it. Mrs. Vail led in "Coming Through the Rye," the company went to see sights around them of which they had not dreamed in the long ago, a general good time was enjoyed, and they did not go home until the dew was falling.

The early society of Michigan City is set forth in a very interesting manner by Mrs. H. J. Willits, who says :-

The first really fine house built after my coming to Michigan City was what is now known as the Fair View Hotel, built by Mr. Lyman Blair, and occupied by him and his bride, formerly Miss Mary De Groff. The house and its fur- nishings were for a time quite overwhelming in their grandeur. Such carpets, crimson velvet, the same shade of satin draperies, and windows with soft lace over them, open grates which at that time were a specialty in our primitive town!

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A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 55

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1273

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273