USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A standard history of Elkhart County, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development, Volume I > Part 20
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Goshen, in the shape of a cradle made of cherry wood. The maker of this cradle was Henry Rector, who is annalled as the first cabinet- maker to appear at Goshen.
In Middlebury the first blacksmith shop was kept by a man named Hawkins, and the first wagon maker of that town was Daniel C. Bishop. Spinning wheels, which have been above indicated as forming a very necessary part of the pioneer household, were manu- factured by Frederick Harriman, who was the first settler at New Paris, and erected a shop there for his trade.
Trades and occupations seemingly diverse were often pursued by one man. For instance, David Ebi, one of the early settlers of York Township, was not only the first carpenter and joiner of that neighborhood, but also attended to the duties of undertaker. When the fever and ague were so prevalent in the autumns of 1837 and 1838 Mr. Ebi was once taxed with orders for three coffins in the same day.
The carpenter was naturally a very important personage in the industrial world of that day, even though houses were not built on very elaborate plans. Among the men whose skill and professions entitled them to the name of carpenter during the '3os was James Beck, of Goshen, concerning whom the following anecdote will be of interest: "James Beck, the second sheriff of the county, was a carpenter and secured the contract for building the first Methodist meeting house. The structure was a square frame affair and when it came to the roof Beck built it as steep as possible. This made some of the members of the church quite angry, as they claimed that the roof destroyed the architectural beauty, if it had any, of the building. Beck was a very liberal man and had placed his name on the subscription list for $25, a very large sum in those days. In the settlement the trustees decided to dock Beck $25 on his contract for disfiguring the roof. He good-naturedly consented to the reduction, but when it came to paying his subscription he stated that he would not let the trustees outdo him in liberality and would throw off his subscription."
BEFORE THE VILLAGE WAS
Eli M. Albright, of the Thomas-Albright Company, says that his father erected the first planing mill in Goshen in 1856, where sash and doors were manufactured. All of the frames and doors
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for the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches were made in this mill by Mr. Albright before he went to the war.
Daniel Cripe appeared in the settlement in 1829 as the first Dunkard preacher and Balser Hess presided over the destinies of a few Baptist families. For several years Mrs. J. H. Defrees was the only woman member of the Methodist denomination in the new town.
In the month of June, 1832, the first postoffice was established in Goshen. The first merchant, William Bissel, received the com- mission of postmaster. On national holidays the countryside was aroused and flocked to the county seat in much the same manner that they do today. At the celebration of the 4th of July, 1832, Joseph H. Defrees was the orator of the day.
In 1833 Goshen had a population of 200. There were forty log cabins on the town plat, three stores and a log hotel or tavern. Abner Stilson was the landlord, having been granted a license to keep a tavern in 1832 at the May term of the board of commission- ers.
At the head of Meyer's Rifle Company, Colonel Jackson and Major Violett marched in the famous procession that occurred on the 4th of July, 1837.
February 25, 1837, the first number of the Goshen Express was issued. C. L. Murray was the editor and Anthony Defrees the business manager. The capital was furnished by J. H. Defrees and James Barnes. Among the advertisers in the first issue were Barnes and Defrees, Thomas Thomas, Wm. H. Rector & Co., general merchandise ; Joseph L. Jernegan, attorney at law; Timothy Harris, druggist ; and Oliver Crane, brickmaker. Market quotations form an interesting news item in this first issue. Flour, per barrel, $7.00; wheat, $1.25; buckwheat flour, $3.00 ; corn meal, 621/2 cents ; corn, 50 cents; oats, 371/2 cents; potatoes, 371/2 cents ; chickens, picked 25 cents ; eggs, 8 cents ; beef, per pound 61/4 cents ; pork 181/2 cents ; lard, 121/2 cents ; tallow, 15 cents.
GOSHEN VILLAGE FOUNDED
Alive to the interests of the town the Express in its issue of August 10, 1837, contained the following editorial on the incor- poration of the village : "We have a beautiful town plat and as handsomely situated and well laid off as any other village in the Vol. · I-14
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country. Our streets and alleys are broad and convenient, but, before they can present that appearance originally designed by the particular arrangement, stumps must be pulled, holes filled and other obstructions removed."
The town grew in importance and it became necessary to select a board of trustees to look after the interests of the town. Accord- ingly an election was held November 23, 1839, and John Cook, D. Parrott, A. Stilson, A. Galentine and J. S. Raymer were elected trustees.
PULASKI, PREDECESSOR OF ·ELKHART
Although Dr. Havilah Beardsley is given just credit for found- ing Elkhart, the portion of the city north of the St. Joseph River embraces the old Town of Pulaski, or rather the little settlement which centered in the postoffice by that name, and which lifted itself modestly above Elkhart Prairie two or three years before the doctor platted Elkhart. Reference has been made to Joseph Noffsinger, who squatted on the north shore at the mouth of the Christiana, as early as 1821, and to the coming of Rev. Isaac McCoy to that locality a few years afterward. In 1827 Jesse Rush and family settled there permanently and there it was, on May 16, 1828, that Mrs. Rush added the first natives to the population of the county by bringing forth twins, one of whom, Isaiah Rush, lived to be a vener- able citizen of Elkhart. Chester Sage also settled in that locality and, as we have seen, opened his house to the first sessions of the courts and the board of justices, after the county was organized. George Crawford, the surveyor, was also on the ground of what promised to be the real town of the county, county seat, industrial and trade center, etc. But this, it is now needless to say, it never was. In 1829 Mr. Crawford, with John Huntsman, built the first gristmill in the county where Christiana Creek empties into the St. Joseph. In the same year, the settlement induced the General Government to establish the postoffice of Pulaski within about eighty rods of the gristmill, Mr. Crawford in charge. Thus matters stood on the north side of the St. Joe when Doctor Beardsley set up his rival town of Elkhart on the south side of the stream. But Pulaski never was platted as a town, and from all available accounts consisted only of the postoffice, the gristmill and a few houses roundabout.
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DR. HAVILAH BEARDSLEY AND THE BEARDSLEY FAMILIES
The name Beardsley has been interwoven with the founding and progress of Elkhart from first to last. Dr. Havilah Beardsley was the pioneer and first white owner of the land on which the City of Elkhart is now located. A native of New Fairfield, Connecticut, and of Welsh ancestry, his birth occurred April 1, 1795, he being the fifth son of Elijah and Sally ( Hubbell) Beardsley. At a very early day he moved with his parents to Ohio, and as a boy was a volunteer in the War of 1812. When twenty-one years of age he began the study of medicine at Urbana, and subsequently entered the medical department of the Transylvania University, from which he gradu- ated in March, 1825. For several years he practiced in Ohio, but as such close professional labors proved not only detrimental to his health, but uncongenial, he determined to abandon it. For these reasons he emigrated westward and drifted into the well-advertised and developing St. Joseph Country. In 1830, as noted, he settled on the north bank of the St. Joseph River, near the head of what is now Main Street, Elkhart. Owing to the fact that no physicians were then in that region, it was impossible to turn a deaf ear to those suffering from physical ailments, and, in spite of his reluctance to resume active practice, his professional labors and reputation were soon spread over fifty miles of territory. Recognizing the great advantages of water power at the confluence of the St. Joseph and Elkhart rivers, Doctor Beardsley purchased a large tract of land from the Indian Chief Pierre Moran, his deed of sale running as fol- lows: "This indenture made this twenty-first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one between Pierre Moran, of the first part, and Havilah Beardsley, of the county of Elkhart and state of Indiana, of the second part. Witnesseth, that whereas by the third article of a treaty made and concluded between commissioners of the United States and the Ottawas, Chippewas and Pottawattamies, at Chicago, on the 29th day of August, 1821, one section of land to be located under the direction of the president of the United States was granted to the said Pierre Moran at the mouth of Elkhart river, which land was not to be sold or conveyed without the consent of the president, and by the direc- tion of the president Section No. 5 in township 37 north, of range 5 east of the second principal meridian of the state of Indiana, was selected for, and has this day been sold by Pierre Moran to the
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MRS. RACHEL C. BEARDSLEY
DR. HAVILAHI BEARDSLEY
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above named Havilah Beardsley, for the sum of fifteen hundred dollars lawful money of the United States, to him in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged.
"This indenture therefore witnesseth that in consideration of the payment aforesaid, and in conformity with the foregoing stipu- lations and approbation, the said Pierre Moran has given, granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents doth give, grant, bargain and sell unto the said Havilah Beardsley, party of the second part, the above described tract of land, to have and to hold the same with all his rights, privileges and immunities thereunto belonging, to the said Havilah Beardsley, his heirs and assigns forever." This is duly signed, and in the course of the following year the presidential approbation of the transaction, signed with the hand of Andrew Jackson, arrived at Elkhart.
Believing that he had a clear title to the land upon which he pro- posed to lay out a town, Doctor Beardsley employed George Craw- ford, a Government surveyor and a relative by marriage, to do the work for him. The survey and the plat were completed some time in 1832. Very soon after the doctor had obtained the Moran deed he set about improving the land. First he built a mill for grinding corn at the mouth of Christiana Creek. Its burrs were fashioned from native bowlders and the corn was ground without bolting. A sifter was soon added, much to the delight of the Indians and few white settlers. In the following year the father of Elkhart placed a rope ferry across the St. Joseph River just below the mouth of the Christiana, and near the cornmill built a sawmill. These were the first mills of the kind in the country. The next year he dammed the Elkhart, and erected a sawmill near Voicnet's flouring mill, then one on Yellow Creek and another on the Baugo at Jim Town. At these mills the best grades of ash, poplar and black walnut lumber were sold for $3 to $4 per 1,000 feet.
During the years '33-34 and '35 most of the public lands were sold to settlers; town lots were in demand, buildings were erected and population rapidly increased; all demanding an increase of manufactured products. So the doctor improved his cornmill by the addition of machinery to grind wheat and, at a point where the highway crosses the Christiana on Cassopolis Street, he built an oil- mill, a woolen factory and public carding machines and, at the foot of Main Street, established another rope ferry across the St. Joseph River.
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But in 1835 all the activities of the town were suddenly paralyzed by Godfrey, a Frenchman of Detroit, who claimed to be the rightful owner of section 5, by right of a deed dated earlier than the doctor's. Being wards of the Government, Indians could not themselves exe- cute titles, but must apply to the Indian Department at Washington. Godfrey's deed was issued by the department with Commissioner General Tipton's approval, but was not approved by the then Presi- dent Jackson as required by law. Moran had presented the facts of the transaction to the President, begging his non-approval of the sale on the charge of fraud, claiming that Godfrey had induced him to drink excessively and, while drunk, obtained consent to the trans- fer for the consideration of one old wornout horse and cart valued at $25. Although the doctor had paid a fair price and had a clear title, while Godfrey's defective one was obtained by fraud and repudiated by Moran as soon as he became sober, yet the case was contested in court by Godfrey for six or seven years so stubbornly that, in the interest of property holders as well as his own, the doctor effected a compromise by deeding to Godfrey all, or a part of all that part of section 5 lying south of the St. Joseph River and east of the Elkhart River. During the time of the litigation the town stood still, no lots were sold, a few demanded the purchase money returned to them, which was done, and all the titles were considered worthless, while many speculated anxiously upon the possibility of recovering damages from the doctor.
But the doctor's zeal never relaxed. He continued building mills and personally attended to the management of his extensive busi- ness. He opened up a farm in the heavy timber three miles south of Elkhart, he ministered to the sick, was active in urging the locating and opening of highways and buildings of needed bridges and in the interest of his suit for title made two trips to Washing- ton and several journeys on horseback to Indianapolis. His princi- pal attorneys were Jesse D. Bright, of central Indiana, and Judge Niles, of Laporte.
About the year 1840 Doctor Beardsley canalled the waters of the Christiana across to the bluff of the St. Joseph, obtaining a fall of twenty-six feet ; here he built a flouring mill which, until 1904. did a large and constant business, and about the year 1846 built a paper mill, using power drawn from the same canal. With the exception of one at Peru, Indiana, this was the first one built in the state. In 1850 he was active in securing the location of the Michigan Southern Railway Company, and, being a director in that company,
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his influence and liberal donation to the company of land secured for Elkhart the location of the company's machine shops, which have added largely in the development of the town. From the fact that he prospered in all his various enterprises it will be seen that he was a man of ability, energy and sagacity ; his energy was such that during the sickly seasons he rode day and night on horseback, sleeping as he rode, attending upon the sick, covering a distance of fifteen or more miles in each direction. His ability as a physician and surgeon was recognized as the best in the country; and yet with all these duties he served the county one term as associate judge and was talked of as a candidate for governor on the whig ticket. He was broad, liberal and conservative in opinion, benevo- lent in spirit, whig in politics, and Swedenborgian in religion, and as founder of the City of Elkhart is held in the highest respect by its citizens.
At Greenfield, Ohio, in 1823, Doctor Beardsley married Rachel E. Calhoun, first cousin to the statesman, John C. Calhoun, which proved a union of the most perfect harmony of mind and spirit. She sympathized with him in his enterprises and willingly shared in the hardships attending those who are in the van of civilization. Their son, J. R. Beardsley, gave Island Park to Elkhart; two sons, Charles and J. R. Beardsley, and a son-in-law, B. L. Davenport, served two sessions each as state senators, and Richard Beardsley, the youngest son, became distinguished in public life. He served in the United States army as paymaster on the gunboat Owasco dur- ing the Rebellion and participated in the capture of New Orleans and the siege of Vicksburg, and for bravery was recommended for promotion by Commodore Porter, was appointed by President Lin- coln United States Consul to Jerusalem and subsequently was pro- moted to consul general for the United States at Cairo, Egypt. Secretary Seward, in his book of travel around the world, says he found Mr. Beardsley one of the brightest diplomats in the service. He died at Cairo in January, 1876, and by request of the people of that city was buried there and in evidence of their esteem they erected a fine monument to his memory. Doctor Beardsley died in 1856 at Elkhart, his wife surviving him until 1890.
J. R. BEARDSLEY
J. R. Beardsley was nine years of age when Doctor Beardsley brought his family to Elkhart in the early '30s, and he resided there
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until his death. He assisted his father in his various indus- trial enterprises and was always largely interested in various large mills of the place. For a time he was president of the First National Bank and was a director in it at the time of his death. Mr. Beards- ley was also the city's second mayor in 1876-78 and represented Elkhart County in the State Senate during the two terms commenc- ing 1866 and 1870. Island Park, which he deeded to the city, was a portion of the original tract of land conveyed to Doctor Beards- ley by Moran.
ELIJAH H. BEARDSLEY
Elijah H. Beardsley, a younger brother of Havilah, accompanied his parents from New York to Ohio, being then a young boy. In 1837, then about thirty years of age, he settled at Dayton. He was a wagon maker by trade. In 1847 was born his son, Albert R. Beardsley. In 1853 the family moved to Beardsley Prairie, in northern St. Joseph's County, Indiana, and there Albert R. went to school. When seventeen years old he commenced his long busi- ness career as a clerk in an Elkhart store. Afterward he became a leader in many industrial and financial enterprises and a prominent republican. An indication of his prominence in public and political affairs is furnished by this simple statement of the positions which he filled: Elected city clerk of Elkhart, in 1872; city treasurer, in 1876; member of the city council, 1892-96; member of the House of Representatives for the Sixty-first General Assembly and of the Senate for the Sixty-fourth ; delegate to the State Republican Con- vention, 1896 and 1898; appointed colonel on the governor's staff, 1897.
How ELKHART WAS NAMED
Returning more definitely to the pioneer period of the county's history as applied to the region at the forks of the Elkhart and St. Joseph rivers, the writer cannot do better than to rely mainly upon the facts brought out in the historical edition of Truth for 1900. It explains how Elkhart was named, thus:
"Just how the name of Elkhart originated has been difficult to discover. But it is supposed that the origin of the name is due to the Indians, who camped at the mouth of the St. Joseph and Elkhart rivers in the early days. It was for years a favorite camping ground for the aborigines and the beautiful island that nestles at the
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confluence of these charming streams is said to resemble an elk's heart. Elkhart river and Elkhart Prairie were both named before any settlement had sprung up on the present site of the city. This was about the year 1828. To Dr. Havilah Beardsley the honor of naming the village, now city, of Elkhart falls. Dr. Beardsley can justly be called the 'Father of Elkhart,' as he owned the land upon which part of the city now stands, having purchased it from the Indians. He gave the name of Elkhart to the tract of land lying immediately south of the river and the name first came into general use in the year 1832.
"Elks must have abounded in this region in the early days, as the pioneers frequently found elk's horns in the vicinity of the river. The insignia of the city, a pair of elk's horns mounted on a red heart, had an amusing origin. Out on the Elkhart prairie in the early days Billy Wilkinson conducted a tavern known as the ‘Elk- hart Inn' or 'Hoosier's Rest.' Over the door swung and creaked a sign that was emblematic of the name. It was the picture of a fat and thrifty elk and beneath it was an illustration of a heart, evidently not an elk's heart as it too closely resembled the familiar design found on a deck of playing cards. The design, however, is used to this day to designate the City of the Forks."
ORIGINAL TOWN AND FIRST ADDITION
The original town of Elkhart included fifty-four lots and was bounded on the north by Washington Street, on the east by the Elkhart River, on the south by Pigeon Street, and on the west by the alley west of Second Street. Main and Washington streets were made 881/2 feet wide and the other streets, Jefferson, Jackson, Pigeon and Second, 66 feet wide. On January 3, 1835, an addition or continuation was made to the Town of Crawford and this map is on file with the city clerk, having been presented, for historical purposes to the city some years ago, by J. R. Beardsley, son of the founder of Elkhart. This extension was to High, Vistula and the St. Joseph River. Today the city covers over two miles square of territory.
FIRST RESIDENTS AND BUILDINGS
Upon this original plat of the town, Horace Root erected the first building, a dwelling, and the second one was built by Samuel P.
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Beebe, at the northwest corner of Main and Jackson streets. Across the street from the present site of the Hotel Bucklen, Mr. Beebe erected a store building, and within the old village limits, although a store had been opened prior to that time on the north bank of the St. Joseph by Renssalaer Harris. Familiar to the present generation are the names of the early merchants, as their descendants still live in our midst. Among them were Elijah Beardsley, N. F. Broderick, John Davenport, J. S. and A. Defrees and George Crawford. Later on Stephen Downing conducted a tavern on the Beebe site. The Beebe home was a very hospitable place and Mrs. Beebe was noted for miles around for being a great entertainer. It was she that made the first wedding garments and also the first funeral robe used in the little village. Dr. Havilah Beardsley was the first physician in the town, he having commenced practice when he moved out from Ohio in 1830. Dr. Kenyon followed in 1834. Dr. E. W. H. Ellis, a young physician followed shortly afterwards. He stated years ago that when he first came to Elkhart the country was in- fested with disease and that he had known eleven persons to be sick in one room fifteen feet square. All this is changed now, as no healthier spot can be found.
POSTOFFICE MOVED FROM PULASKI TO ELKHART
George Crawford was a prominent citizen in those pioneer days. In company with John Huntsman he built the first gristmill in 1829 at the confluence of the St. Joseph and Christiana Creek and was the first postmaster, the office being known as Pulaski and located within eighty rods of the old gristmill. When the office was moved from that site across the river and changed to Elkhart, Mr. Crawford was still in charge. His term of office was from 1829 to 1837. Mails were only received once a week and the duties were not very laborious. Capt. O. T. Chamberlain has an envel- ope bearing the ancient postmark of Pulaski in his collection of relics.
FIRST NATIVE TOWNSMAN
In October, 1835, John H. Broderick, eldest son of N. F. Broderick, was born in the village, and his advent created a furore in the little community, as he was the first white child to be born within the actual town limits.
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SETTLERS OF 1836
During 1836 the parents of Guy C. Johnson moved into Osolo Township and settled on a farm about 11/2 miles from the present northern limits; in fact, the City of Elkhart embraces part of Osolo and Concord townships. Several months before the family arrived Mr. Johnson's father, leaving the family in Toledo, came on to the new Eldorado and finding it to his liking, took his brother's ox-team and started for the family. Six children, the mother and all of the household goods were packed into one wagon and the western journey begun. Out of the forest trees a log cabin, without windows or chimney, and with only one door, was soon built and the frontier life began. Mr. Johnson lived on the old farm until fourteen years ago when he moved into the city. In 1853, with many of the gold seekers, he drove an ox-team to California. The pleasures of those pioneer days were few. It was the hardest kind of work clearing up the farms and there were no advantages. Mr. Johnson says that the event of the year was to take a trip to St. Joe, on one of the arks or keel boats.
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