USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 57
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Bricklayers', Masons' and Plasterers Union, . No. 39 .- Alfred Swift, president : Harry Lowder, secretary.
Odd Fellows' Mishawaka Encampment. No.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
98, I. O. O. F .- R. S. Selders, C. P .; Harry Knee, scribe.
Order, of Owls, Mishawaka Nest, No. 4 .- W. E. Zweigle, president; H. D. Roper, secre- tary.
Order of Patricians, Mishawaka Court, No. 104 .- J. E. Roper. sen. ; Enos E. Long, scribe.
The Pathfinders, St. Joseph Lodge, No. 59. -- J. A. Purviance, president; Margaret Avers, secretary.
The Protective Home Circle, Mishawaka Circle, No. 518 .- Guy S. Thompson, presi- dent ; Amelia Behny, secretary.
The Rathbone Sisters, Sunlight Temple, No. 286 .- Mrs. Clara Austin, com .; Mrs. Min- nie Huntsinger, record keeper.
Royal Neighbors of America, Spring Camp, No. 1992, R. N. A .- Mrs. Effie Pelton, orator ; Mrs. Clara Austin, recorder.
The St. Joseph Benevolent Society .- Charles Koeppen, president; A. G. Hoerst- mann, secretary.
Twentieth Century Club .- D. J. Campbell, president; R. P. Wines, secretary.
Council of Royal and Select Masters, Mish- awaka Council. No. 19, R. & S. M .- W. P. Robinson, II. P .; John W. Hutchinson, re- corder.
The Country Club of the St. Joseph Val- ley .- M. P. Reed, president and treasurer; H. T. Reynolds, secretary.
The Dodge Club-Melville W. Mix, presi- dent; A. J. Williams, secretary.
Sec. 12 .- SOLDIERS' MONUMENT ASSOCIA- TION .- On June 4, 1874, the Mishawaka Sol- diers' Monument association was formed, for the purpose of erecting a monument to commemorate the deceased soldiers and sail- ors who enlisted in the war for the Union from Mishawaka and Penn township. The incorporators of this patriotic society were :
Almon Stuart, Elizabeth Stuart, Martin Barnhart, Minerva Barnhart, James H. Loughman. Abbie A. Loughman, M. A. Cur- tis, William H. Judkins, Belle M. Judkins, Nelson Ferris, F. R. Eberhart, J. M. Man- wairing, James Aitken, S. M. Garom, B. Hol-
comb. B. R. O'Connor, F. J. O'Connor, Wil- liam B. Hoover, Elias Hoover and J. Q. Z. Vandenbosch.
As the people of Mishawaka and Penn township had supported their first schools by voluntary subscriptions and had built the first dam and erected the first bridge across the river, in the same public-spirited manner, so now they began to solicit from one another the means necessary to do honor forever, both to their patrotic dead, and also to the patriotic living who thus generously remem- bered the heroes who had gone out from their neighborhoods to battle for the Union, the constitution and the laws.
For ten years the work of contribution and preparation went bravely on, until, in Sep- tember, 1884, the people assembled in beauti- ful Battell park, to dedicate the noble memo- rial. The material selected was white bronze. The monument is surmounted by the figure of a soldier about to load his gun, and the whole structure is in harmonious proportion and with appropriate inscription. At the base, on the four sides, are read Shiloh, Vicks- burg, Chickamauga and Mobile. while higher up, on the north and south sides, are the names of no less than fifty-eight other famous fields on which Mishawaka and Penn town- ship boys did battle for their country.
Much praise is due those who had the good taste to cause the monument to be placed out in the heart of Battell park, not hiding it in among lofty buildings, nor crowding it out upon the street corners, but giving to it spacious grounds where its beauty may be seen and admired. This park, extending for a distance of three squares along the river front, and overlooking the whole city from the highlands between Joseph street and the water's edge, is. with its fine forest trees, one of the most attractive pleasure resorts in northern Indiana and forms a magnificent setting for the soldiers' monument.
Sec. 13 .- THE PRESS .- The first newspaper published in Mishawaka seems to have been the Mishawaka Tocsin. established in 1841 by
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Wilbur F. Storey, afterwards famous as editor of the Chicago Times. Mr. Storey re- mained in charge of the Tocsin for but a short time and disposed of it to George Merri- field. In 1845 Thomas Jernegan purchased the paper and removed it to South Bend, changing the name to the Indiana Tocsin. The Tocsin was no better sustained in South Bend than in Mishawaka and was soon dis- continued.
In 1848 Dr. E. W. HI. Ellis established a paper called the Free Democrat. It sup- ported Martin Van Buren for the presidency against Lewis Cass. The paper did not sur- vive the campaign of 1848. The Mishawaka Bee, started in 1846 by S. P. Hart, was also of short duration, being discontinued after two years.
In 1853 the people seemed to be ready for a permanent newspaper. In that year D. C. Ireland began the publication of the Free Press. After two years Mr. Ireland sold out to L. A. Elliott, who changed the name of the paper to the Mishawaka Enterprise and soon after disposed of it to Archibald Beal. In 1865 Norman V. Brower became the owner of the paper. Finally, in 1872, the Enterprise was purchased by Edward A. Jernegan, since which time the name of Jernegan has become almost synonymous with that of the Enter- prise. The paper and its publisher suffered, in common with the rest of the city, in the calamity of September 5, 1872.ª Both, how- ever, rose nobly to the task before them and not only overcame that disaster, but, after that event, the Enterprise, more than ever, deserved its title. It is praise enough of the Mishawaka Enterprise to say that it has kept pace, step by step, with the progress of the good city of Mishawaka itself.
As for the enterprise of the city at this time, it may be noted. as stated by the press in the succeeding summer : "Outside the burnt district, more buildings have been put up this season than ever before. This can be set down as Mishawaka's most prosperous a. See Subd. 2, this chapter.
year." And that was written within less than a year after what seemed to be the com- plete destruction of the town. It was enter- prise, not to say "The Enterprise," that built up a new Mishawaka.
The plucky people had so far overcome their calamity that on the first anniversary they made up their minds to have a meeting to celebrate their victories of the year. This is what the South Bend Tribune said on the evening before the anniversary :
"One year ago tomorrow night Mishawaka was visited by the most destructive conflagra- tion that ever occurred in this part of the state. Over sixty buildings were burned, at a. loss of nearly two hundred thousand dol- lars, and many who were not animated with the pluck and enterprise of the citizens of Mishawaka believed that the town had re- ceived its death blow. We wish that all such could be at the anniversary celebration to- morrow night, in Phoenix hall, and then take a glance over the rebuilt town-its solid brick blocks-and see how far they were from reading our plucky neighbors aright."
The Mishawaka Enterprise did its full share in that eventful year's work.
On July 4. 1891, there seemed to a young man an opportunity for another paper in Mishawaka, and the Mishawaka Democrat was launched upon the sea of journalism by William P. O'Neill. That his anticipa- tions were well founded seems to have been justified by the event. The Democrat has con- tinned to hold its place and has thus shown that there was room for two newspapers in Mishawaka.
Sec. 14 .- MISHAWAKA SUMMARY .- Misha- waka is beautifully situated on the St. Joseph river, one of the most picturesque streams in the world, in the center of a fertile valley, 90 miles east of Chicago. It is one of the most healthful and most charming places of resi- dence. It has every modern convenience. While it is a manufacturing city with sev- eral of the largest plants of their kind in the world it has retained that simplicity which
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
makes life worth the living. The Hen Island dam across the St. Joseph river a few miles above the city creates a lake 30 feet deep, nearly a mile wide at points and 14 miles long. Piekerel. bass, croppies, perch and other fish abound. Mishawaka is advertised world wide.
City hall. A theater. High school. Veneer plant. Plow factory. Cigar factories. Masonie temple. Healthful climate. Good newspapers. Population 10,000. A beautiful park. An orphans' home. One G. A. R. post. A famous brewery. Artificial ice plant. One national bank. Pipe organ factory. Rural mail routes. Reasonable taxation. Four public schools. Beautiful residences. Fine machine shops. An automobile plant. Odd Fellows' temple. Paid fire department. Four Catholic schools. Fifty miles of sewers. Free delivery of mail. Two telephone systems. Two express companies. Large furniture factory. Three parochial schools. Vegetable slicer company. Over 30 fraternal societies. Three medicine companies. Felt shoe and slipper plant. Three bridges across river. An aluminum last company. Gamewell fire alarm system. A folding carriage company.
Annual pay rolls of $2,000,000. Three miles of electrie service. Thirteen church organizations. Four square miles of territory. Largest pulley factory in world. Gas. electric and water service. A building and loan association. Twelve handsome church edifices. Twenty-five miles of water mains. Three trust and savings companies. Largest knit boot factory in world. The largest rubber factory in the west. The finest of manufacturing facilities. Macadam, asphalt and brick pavement. A malt cream and medicine company. Largest windmill factory in the world.
Power house generating 10,000 horse elec- trie power.
A large number of modern stores handling every commodity.
IV .- TOWN AND CITY GOVERNMENT.
From the election of the first board of trus- tees of the town of the St. Joseph Iron Works, January 31. 1835, and the aet of the legis- lature, approved February 17, 1838, re-incor- porating said town, together with adjoining towns and additions, under the name of the town of Mishawaka, as set out in the first subdivision of this chapter, the people con- tinned for over sixty years to be satisfied with their simple and inexpensive form of govern- ment. But as the town grew in population and as new and diversified interests mani- fested themselves with the years, it became apparent that a more efficient form of gov- ernment was needed : consequently, as the old century drew to a close the people prepared to take upon themselves the obligations and to secure the advantages of a city form of government.
On 'January 23, 1899. a petition, signed by five hundred and thirty-seven voters, being more than one-third of the voters of the town, was presented to the board of town trustees, asking for the incorporation of the town of Mishawaka as a city. The board fixed Febril-
349
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
ary 20, 1899, as the day of election, when the people should determine the question of in- corporation. The opposition to the change was quite prononneed: but, at the election, seven hundred and two voted for incorpo- ration, and only three hundred and thirty-six against it. On March 1, 1899, the board di- vided the new city into five wards and or- dered notice to be given for the election of city officers on the first Tuesday of May, being May 2, 1899. After the election the board of town trustees met for the last time, on May 8. 1899, to close up town affairs and turn over the government to the city officers. The accounts showed the receipts of the treas- ury for the last fiscal year to be $38,114.76, and the expenditures $27,368.01, leaving a balance for the new government to start out on of $10,746.75. Thereupon the board of trustees of the town of Mishawaka, after a government extending from January 31. 1835. to May 8, 1899, adjourned sine die, and Mishawaka entered upon its career as a city.
The last board of town trustees, who closed up the affairs of the old corporation and superintended the transfer of Mishawaka from a town to a city government, were: John C. Protsman, Charles E. Drapier, John J. Schindler, John W. Zigler and Peter W. Ipes.
The new city council proceeded at once to elect a city attorney and other officers to be chosen by the council. The first and third Mondays of each month were fixed upon for the regular meetings. At the next meeting. May 15, 1899, the mayor appointed the coun- cil committees, and the machinery of the city government was fairly started. The order adopting a seal for the city of Mishawaka was as follows :
"The seal of said city shall consist of a cir- enlar device, around the margin of which shall be inscribed the words, 'City of Misha- waka, Indiana,' and in the center thereof the American flag, across which shall be inseribed the word . Liberty.' "
The officers of the city of Mishawaka since its organization have been as follows :
May, 1899: Mayor. Mannel M. Fisher; clerk, Henry C. Eggleston ; treasurer, Wil- liam M. Clark: street commissioner, Charles Il. Doolittle: marshal, Grant Needham; at- torney, Archibald G. Graham: councilmen, First Ward, Lorenzo D. Partridge, John Z. Wilklow: Second Ward, William B. Hosford, Millard F. Kerr: Third Ward, Samuel G. Todd. Peter Tollens: Fourth Ward, Jesse H. Gaines, Alfred S. Iless: Fifth Ward, Milton MeKnight, William Lerner.
May, 1900: Mayor, Manuel M. Fisher; clerk, Henry C. Eggleston ; treasurer, Wil- liam M. Clark: marshal, Grant Needham ; street commissioner. Charles HI. Doolit- tle; attorney, Archibald G. Graham: coun. «ilmen, First Ward, Albert E. Kreutz, John Z. Wilklow; Second Ward, Millard F. Kerr. William B. Hosford: Third Ward, Samuel G. Todd. Peter Tollens; Fourth Ward, Jesse II. Gaines, Alfred S. Hess ; Fifth Ward, Milton MeKnight, William Lerner.
May, 1902: Mayor, Melville W. Mix ; clerk, Horace G. Eggleston ; treasurer, Wil- liam M. Clark; marshal. JJerome Rossman ; street commissioner, Charles H. Doolittle; at- torney. Edward A. Howard; conneihen, First Ward, Albert E. Kreutz, Angust H. Herzog: Second Ward, John A. Graham, Leander Delcamp: Third Ward. Peter Jan- sen. Henry De Groote; Fourth Ward, Alfred S. Hess, James HI. Nettleton : Fifth Ward, Otto Muinch, Alvin A. Keltner.
May, 1904: Mayor, Melville W. Mix: clerk, Francis X. Ganser; treasurer, William M. Clark: marshal, Frederick Stockberger: street commissioner, Charles II. Doolittle; at- torney. Archibald Graham ; councilmen, First Ward. August HI. Herzog, Lorenzo D. Part- ridge : Second Ward, Leander Delcamp, David II. Wilber: Third Ward, John J. Schindler, Peter Jansen : Fourth Ward, Jesse H. Gaines, James H. Nettleton: Fifth Ward, Albert T. Garner. Joseph Colbert, Edward II. Suther- land.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
November, 1905: Mayor, Charles Frank ; clerk, Walter Michael; treasurer, William M. Clark; marshal, Benjamin F. Jarrett; street commissioner, Charles H. Doolittle ; attorney, William P. O'Neill; board of health, Dr. James J. Bostwick, secretary, Dr. Christian A. Dresch, Alfred S. Hess : councilmen. First Ward, Lorenzo D. Partridge: Second Ward,
John D. Fulmer : Third Ward. August H. De Groote: Fourth Ward, William L. Minzey ; Fifth Ward, Burton Varney : at large, Frank McNabb, Frederick W. Kuss.
As shown by the United States census, the population of Mishawaka, in 1860, was 1,486; in 1880. 2,640; in 1890, 3,371; in 1900, 5,560.
CHAPTER XI.
THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND.
I .- BEGINNINGS OF THE TOWN.
Sec. 1 .- THE MICHIGAN ROAD .- "At this point is a beautiful site for a town." These words, written in 1828, are found entered on the field notes of the second survey of the Michigan road. The point referred to is where the survey of the road reached the south bend of the St. Joseph river-the site on which the town, now city, of South Bend was afterward founded, and where it has flourished in a far greater degree, no doubt, than the prophetie surveyor could then have anticipated. It is quite certain that the con- struction of the Michigan road to the south bend of the St. Joseph river, according to the second survey, instead of running it directly front Logansport to Michigan City, across the marshes, as contemplated in the first survey, had a decided influence in promoting the early growth of the town." Yet the place was an important trading point for several years before the coming of the road and even be- fore any survey was made.
Sec. 2 .- NAMES GIVEN TO THE TOWN .- AS we have already seen, Alexis Coquillard es- tablished an Indian trading post at this point in 1823. He was agent of the American Fur company and his trading post was called the Big St. Joseph's Station, to distinguish it from another trading post at Fort Wayne, on the little St. Joseph river, conducted for the same fur company by his father-in-law, Fran- cis Comparet.
a. See Chap. 5, Subd. 1, Sec. 3; also Chap. 7, Subd. 2. b. See Chap. 4, Subd. 4.
We have likewise seen that, in 1827, Lath- rop Minor Taylor, or Col. L. M. Taylor, to use the name by which he is generally known, established a trading post here, as agent for Samuel Hanna & Co., of Fort Wayne.ª The Northern Indiana Historical Society has come into possession of Col. Taylor's account books. The opening entry on these books is dated at "St. Joseph's, Indiana," October 29, 1827, and the name "St. Joseph's" is rc- tained throughout the books of the company. Indeed, it would seem that this was for some time the recognized name of each of the trad- ing posts. Years afterwards, when these trading posts had developed into a town, and the ambitious citizens became dissatisfied with the name of South Bend, which to them seemed plebeian and meaningless, public meetings were held to consider other names for the incipient Queen City of the St. Joseph Valley ; and among the names then suggested was this old one of St. Joseph's or St. Joseph. At that time, and even long aft- erwards, serious efforts were made for the re- vival of the original name given to the trad- ing posts of Coquillard and Taylor.
In 1829 a post office was established, and on June 6, 1829, Lathrop M. Taylor was com- missioned as first postmaster. In connection with the establishment of the post office is the mystery of still another name for the new town. In Mr. Taylor's commission he was appointed postmaster at "Southold, Al- len county, Indiana." The county of Allen
a. Chap. 4, Subd. 4.
351
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ILISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
then extended over this part of Indiana. but no one has ever given a satisfactory explana- tion of Southold as the name of the town. There is a town of this name in Suffolk coun- ty, New York, on the coast of Long Island sound, and, for want of a better explanation, the supposition has been entertained that an official connected with the post office depart- ment and having some charge of the appoint- ment of post masters, may have been familiar with this town of Southold, on Long Island, and so have designedly or by mistake sug- gested the name for the new town on the banks of the St. Joseph. This, however, is mere conjecture, and the origin of Sonthold as a former name of our city is yet to be dis- covered. The name was retained but a short time. and on October 18, 1830, the United States authorities directed the name of the post office to be changed to South Bend, which has since been retained. It has been said that the origin of this name is due to Alexis Coquillard, but it is plain that the name came naturally from the location of the town upon the river. Up to a recent time the place was often referred to, simply as "The Bend." and even yet one occasionally hears this irreverent appellation applied to the fair metropolis of northern Indiana. From the most remote time, the great south bend of the Big St. Joseph's was, to the red man. and to the white man, as it is to the geologist of our day, the most remarkable natural phenomenon of the region south of the great lakes. The portage of the St. Joseph was hardly more noted than the bend two miles up the river: and it was for a time uncertain at which of these historical points the coming town would be built, whether at the "Port- age" or at the "Bend.'
As a matter of fact, as we have already seen. two efforts were made to build a town at the portage. but Mr. Brookfield's old "St. Joseph" and JJudge Egbert's "Portage" are both among the towns that were."
It was natural enough that the town built a. See Chap. 9, Subd. 1.
at the bend should be referred to as "The Bend," even before it was formally given that name. It is an instance in which the name was given to the locality long before the existence of the town itself. The town was built at the bend, and hence called "The Bend." Some dignity was added to the woodsman's simple designation by prefixing to it the word "Sonth," suggested by the lo- cation of the bend, strengthened also, per- haps, by the accidental name of Sonthold first given to the post office. South Bend it is, and South Bend it will be, for the people have become attached to the simple and ex- pressive, even if homely, title that has come down to us from that geological catastrophe which turned the Kankakee from its ancient bed and swept it. in this noble bend from the south, until it found its way. as the St. Joseph. into the waters of Lake Michigan."
Sec. 3 .- THE ORIGINAL PLAT OF SOUTH BEND .- The town of South Bend was laid out by Alexis Coquillard and Lathrop M. Tay- lor on the 28th day of March, A. D. 1831. The dedication and description, as entered on the recorded plat, are in the following words : "Town of South Bend, by Alexis Coquil- lard and Lathrop M. Taylor.
"The aforesaid town is laid off on the northwest fractional quarter of section num- ber twelve and on the southern part of the southwest fractional quarter of section num- ber one, of township number thirty-seven north, and range number two east of the ser- ond principal meridian of the State of In- diana. Each lot is ten rods east and west and four rods north and south, containing one quarter of an acre. The fractional lots. ac- cording to the number of feet and rods marked on the sides of said lots. The alleys, running east and west, north and south. through the center of each square, are four- teen feet wide. Lots numbered two hundred and forty-seven, two hundred and forty-eight and two hundred and forty-nine are hereby donated for the purpose of building a court- a. Chap. 1, Subds. 2 and 7.
-
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THE SOUTH BEND OF THE ST. JOSEPH RIVER FROM WHICH THE CITY DERIVES ITS NAME.
23
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Astor I no . don
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
house and gaol on, whenever the county seat of said county may be established at the town aforesaid. And lots numbered sixty-seven and two hundred and eight are hereby do- nated to said town of South Bend for the use and purpose of erecting school houses there- on. And lot numbered three hundred and twenty-one is hereby donated to the Method- ist society, for the purpose of erecting a church thereon. And also lots numbered one hundred and seventeen and one hundred and eighteen are hereby donated to the Catholic church for the purpose of erecting suitable buildings for a church thereon.
"In testimony whereof, the said Alexis Coquillard and Lathrop M. Taylor, pro- prietors of said town of South Bend, have hereunto set their hands and seals this 28th day of March, in the year of our Lord one thonsand, eight hundred and thirty-one.
"Alexis Coquillard. "Lathrop M. Taylor." "State of Indiana, St. Joseph County, ss. : "On this 28th day of March. A. D. 1831. Alexis Coquillard and Lathrop M. Taylor, the proprietors named in the foregoing instru- ment and town plat of the town of South Bend, personally appeared before me, one of the associate judges of the St. Joseph circuit court in and for said county. and severally acknowledged the signing and sealing of the aforesaid instrument of writing, and the aforesaid plat, to be their own free act and deed for the purposes therein expressed.
"Given under my hand and seal the day and year first above written.
"William Brookfield. "Asst. J. C. C.
"The within town plat was recorded March 28th, 1831."
William Brookfield, who took the acknowl- edgment of the foregoing plat, as associate judge of the St. Joseph circuit court.ª was himself also the surveyor of the plat, as ap-
a. As to Mr. Brookfield's office of Associate Judge, see note to "Circuit Court," Chap. 6, Subd. 2, Sec. 4.
pears from the following additional entry found on the same record :
"The scale by which this town is laid off is ten rods to the inch.
"William Brookfield. Surveyor.
"March 28, 1831."
The river is marked on the plat as the "Big St. Josef river."
Sec. 4 .- SOUTH BEND THE COUNTY SEAT .- We have seen, in chapter fifth of this work, that the town of St. Joseph, as laid out by William Brookfield at the old portage, was the first county seat of St. Joseph county ; that, on petition of the people of the county, the legislature, by an act approved February 1, 1831, appointed commissioners to re-locate the county seat; and that on May 12, 1831, the commissioners so appointed, after having met at the house of Mr. Brookfield, and "after making all the examinations," re-located the county seat at South Bend.a
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