USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 6
USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 6
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A. Bayliss, 1873-74 ; S. D. Crane, 1874-75 ; E. T. Cosper, 1875-76 ; S. D. Crane, 1876-81; E. G. Machan, 1881.
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES.
La Grange County has been represented in the State Legislature as follows, the dates attached showing the year of election :
In the Senate .- 1832, Samuel Hanna, of Allen County ; 1839, Ebenezer M. Chamberlain, Elkhart County; 1841-43, David B. Herriman, Noble County ; 1847, Delavin Martin, La Grange County ; 1850, Joseph H. Defrees, Elkhart County; 1852, Thomas G. Harris, Elkhart County ; 1856, John Thompson, La Grange County ; 1860, C. L. Murray, Elkhart County ; 1864, Robert Dykes, La Grange County ; 1866, Abner Lewis, La Grange County ; 1868, Abner S. Case, La Grange County; 1872, William Bunyan, Noble County ; 1876, Elijah W. Weir, La Grange County ; 1880, Henry Hostetter, Noble County.
In the House of Representatives .- 1833, David H. Colerick, Allen County; 1834, John B. Chapman, Kosciusko County ; 1837-38, D. B. Her- riman, Noble County ; 1840, John B. Howe, La Grange County ; 1841, John Thompson, La Grange County ; 1843, Joshua T. Hobbs, La Grange County ; 1844, William H. Nimmon, Noble County ; 1845, T. H. Wilson, Noble County ; 1846, John Y. Clark, La Grange County ; 1847, George W. Sheldon, Noble County; 1848, Elijah A. Webster, La Grange County ; 1849, Rufus D. Keeny, Noble County.
After this date the county itself has been entitled to a Representative as follows : 1850, John P. Jones; 1850-53, Francis Henry ; 1854, Will- iam Smith; 1856, Samuel P. Williams; 1858, John Thompson; 1860, Samuel Hudson ; 1862-64, Francis P. Griffith ; 1866, William Smith ; 1868, Timothy Field ; 1870, Williamson Rawles ; 1872, William Prentiss ; 1874-76, Samuel Harper ; 1878, O. B. Taylor; 1880, O. B. Taylor.
57
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
Joint Representatives for Elkhart and La Grange Counties .- 1860, Robert Parrett, of La Grange County ; 1862, Amos Davis of La Grange County.
In the Convention for Revision of Constitution of State, 1850 .- From the District of La Grange, J. B. Howe; for La Grange and Elkhart Counties, Joseph H. Mather, of Elkhart County.
The records fail to show who represented the County in the Senate from 1834 10 1839 ; also the Representative in the House in 1842. With these ex- ceptions, the above list is probably complete. Until the adoption of the new Constitution, the Senatorial term was two years, and the Representative term one year. Since then, the Senatorial term has been four years, and the Rep- resentative term two years.
CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION.
La Grange County, since its organization, has been represented in Congress as follows : 1831-36, by Jonathan McCarty, of Franklin County ; 1836-41, by James H. Rariden, of Fayette County ; 1841-46, by Andrew Kennedy, of Delaware County ; 1847-49, by William. Rockhill, of Allen County ; 1849-51, by Andrew J. Harlan, of Grant County ; 1851-53, by Samuel Bren- ton, of Allen County ; 1853-55, by Ebenezer M. Chamberlain, of Elkhart County ; 1855-57, by Samuel Brenton, of Allen County ; 1857-61, by Charles Case, of Allen County ; 1861-63, by William Mitchell, of Noble County ; 1863-65, by Joseph K. Edgerton, of Allen County ; 1865-67, by Joseph H. Defrees, of Elkhart County ; 1867-73, by William Williams, of Kosciusko County ; 1873-75, by Henry B. Saylor, of Huntington County ; 1875-81, by John H. Baker, of Elkhart County ; 1881 to present, by W. G. Colerick, of Allen County.
ANNUAL EXPENDITURES.
Total amount expended for county purposes for the year ending
November 1, 1837 ..
$ 1,357 33
November 1, 1838.
2,878 29
May
1, 1839.
1,686 08
May
1, 1840
2,773 46
May
1, 1841
3,639 73
May
31, 1842
2,933 61
May
31, 1843
no rep't.
May
31, 1844.
8,161 56
May
31, 1845
8,882 66
May
31, 1846
8,657 53
May
31, 1847
5,987 68
May
31, 1848.
9,145 07
May
31, 1849
7,231 96
May
31, 1850.
7,109 74
May
31, 1851
6,529 22
May
31, 1852.
6,231 47
May
31, 1853
4,790 67
May
31, 1854
7,877 37
May
31, 1855 ..
4,470 00
58
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
May
31, 1856.
7,087 56
May
31, 1857 ..
4,443 37
May 31, 1858 6,381 08
May
31, 1859
7,671 70
May
31,1860
8,923 24
May
31,1861
10,537 30
May
31, 1862.
11,710 58
May
31, 1863
21,648 21
May
31, 1864
14,461 27
May 31, 1865.
26,695 38
May 31, 1866
46,521 64
May
31, 1867
35,763 73
May
31, 1868
27,973 03
May
31,1869
14,343 69
May
31, 1870 ..
14,498 56
May
31, 1871
19,208 61
May
31, 1872
19,650 31
May
31, 1873
41,846 79
May
31,1874
16,481 22
May
31, 1875. 17,176 65
18,368 37
May
31. 1877
17,570 62
May
31, 1878
30,484 79
May 31,1879
68,654 11
May
31,1880
54,350 07
May
.31, 1881
30,466 45
From 1861 to 1868 covers the period of war expenses ; 1873, the building of a new jail, and 1878-81, the building and furnishing the new court house.
The expenditures of this county fund, raised for county expenses alone, were for the year ending May 31, 1881, as follows :
On account of assessment of revenue .. $1,379 00
On account of agriculture (show license).
10 00
On account of books, stationery and printing.
1,068 07
On account of court expenses 443 62
On account of county officers
4,233 49
On account of highways and bridges
3,261 52
On account of jurors' fees.
1,008 95
On account of poor.
3,981 94
On account of public buildings
7,617 95
On account of redemption of lands
64 19
On account of specific.
1,912 59
On account of State benevolent institutions and insane
1,023 47
On account of bounty for fox scalps.
27 00
On account of public ditches
1,205 91
On account of criminals
316 94
On account of estate of David Rogers
2,911 81
Total
$30,466 45
VALUATION AND TAXATION.
Below will be found the appraised value of the real and personal property of the county, the rate of taxation for county purposes, and the total average
May
31, 1876
Alanson Blackman CO. COMMISSIONER
61
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
rate of taxation for all purposes, State, county, township and town, for the years named :
YEAR.
Valuation of County.
County Tax Rate on $100 Valuation.
Average Tax Rate for all Purposes on $100 Valuation.
1844
$ 636,703
$1 00
$2 21
1845.
611,094
50
1 76
1846
866,073
70
2 00
1847
874,924
70
2 18
1848
911,424
65
2 16
1849
912,862
55
1 04
1850
947,346
50
1 21
1851.
1,832,439
50
1 08
1852
1,397,573
10
62
1853.
1,551,172
40
1 03
1854.
1,723,830
30
85
1855.
1,772,373
30
89
1856.
1,794,966
40
1 07
1857.
1,889,683
30
91
1858
1,893,542
50
1 08
1859.
3,001,395
40
1 13
1860
3,145,157
25
92
1861
3,304,181
25
93
1862
3,216,734
30
1 10
1863.
3,404,336
40
1 10
1864.
4,178,206
50
1 14
1865
4,721,620
1 20
1 98
1866.
4,639,106
40
1 33
1867
4,650,076
60
1 46
1868
4,934,879
25
1 18
1869
5,062,743
25
1 13
1870.
4,919,022
30
1 18
1871
4,938,034
70
1 46
1872
5,216,051
55
1 31
1873
7,997,074
20
93
1874.
8,140,867
15
92
1875.
7,641,350
30
1 14
1876
7,735,990
25
1 071
1877
7,389,990
53
1 37₺
1878
7,442,005
85
. 61
1879
7,263,930
41
1 19
1880.
6,316,585
40
1 251
1881.
6,777,370
40
1 265
The receipts from taxation during the year ending May 31, 1881, were as follows :
State tax.
$ 9,018 76
New State House tax
1,349 20
State school tax.
12,004 10
County tax
27,615 66
Road tax
8,325 53
Township tax.
2,487 10
Special school tax
11,294 78
Township tuition tax
8,936 80
School-bond tax (Town of La Grange).
2,533 22
Dog tax ..
1,209 73
Corporation tax (Town of La Grange).
830 06
Total
$85,304 94
..
.
CHAPTER III.
BY J. H. RERICK, M. D.
EARLY ROADS, STAGE LINES, MAIL ROUTES, ETC .- RAILWAYS-COUNTY STOCK- POST OFFICES-OUTLINE OF THE GROWTH OF RELIGION-SPIRITUALISM-FOURI- ERISM-THE SAINTS-OUTLINE OF THE GROWTH OF EDUCATION-SCHOOL STATISTICS-THE COUNTY PRESS-AUTHORSHIP-POLITICS-SECRET SOCIETIES -THE BLACKLEGS.
T' THE development of the roads in the county marks the changes of the last half-century, as clearly, almost, as anything else. There was first the Indian trail, allowing travel in single file only, by man or beast, then the common wagon road, then the stage line, the plank road, and finally the railroad. The principal Indian trails run from Mongoquinong Prairie to White Pigeon, and to Fort Wayne and along these trails the first wagon roads were opened. The road from Fort Wayne was the great thoroughfare for many years. The sur- plus grain was mostly carried over it to market at Fort Wayne, whence was brought most of the merchandise used in the county.
In the summer of 1836, a stage coach was put on the road from Lima to Constantine, Mich., to which point boats then ran on the St. Joseph River. This line was opened by William M. Cary, now of Carson City, Nev., and was run twice a week, bringing and carrying away many land buyers; but as soon as these decreased the line was discontinued.
La Grange County, though on the direct line for travel from New York to Chicago, and thus on the travel belt around the world, was unfortunately missed by the east and west thoroughfares first established, and is even yet. Detroit and Chicago being the first important posts in the northwest travel set in between them, followed by stage lines, striking the counties to the west, leav- ing this county untouched. Toledo was then a little village known as Vistula. An effort was early made to open a through highway from Vistula to Chicago, which, if it had been built, would in all probability have passed through the county, and have made its history in development and population greatly differ- ent from what it is. On the 20th of January, 1835, Hon. John B. Howe, of Lima, wrote to Gen. Cass, asking his influence and work in favor of an appro- priation by Congress for the survey of such a road, and through his influence and that of Gen. Tipton, then one of the Senators from this State, an appro- priation of $20,000 for the survey was made March 3, 1835. It is Mr. Howe's recollection that about $10,000 was expended in surveying and laying out the road, but this was the first and the last money expended on it. It was thought then too late to divert the travel from the Detroit line, and that there would
63
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
not be enough travel for two roads ! The heavily timbered land and stiff clay soil, for some distance west of Maumee Bay, had a material influence in retard- ing and discouraging the construction of the route.
In 1835, a road, long known as the Vistula road, was laid out from the Elkhart County line through Lima, and on through the county toward Vistula, and subsequently became the line of much of the through travel. But the principal emigration route was over the Defiance road, from Defiance, Ohio, which intersected the Vistula road two and a half miles east of Lima. This road was authorized by act of the Legislature, in 1832. In the same year, the Fort Wayne road was also authorized, and the report of the viewers filed in November, 1832. This road was the principal line of traffic, nearly all the surplus grain for market and merchandise for home use being carried over it, to and from Fort Wayne. This continued until the Michigan Southern Railroad was built. A road was laid out from Lima to Goshen, in 1834, and another known as the Baubaugo road, from the western line of the county, through La Grange, and directly east to Angola, in 1837. At the March term, 1837, the County Commissioners appropriated $150 to build a bridge across Turkey Creek, on the Perrysburg road; $300 on State road from Lima to Goshen ; $350 on La Grange and Baubaugo, and $1,000 on Vistula road west of Lima. A road from Northport (a vanished town on the north side of Sylvan Lake, Rome City,) to Union Mills (Mongo), was laid out in 1839; one from Lima to Huntington, Ind., January, 1840, and one from La Grange to Wolcottville, in March, 1842. The Huntington road is now known as the Ligonier road. These were the first and more important common roads opened in the county.
About 1850, an epidemic raged quite extensively in Northern Indiana for building plank roads. It was upon these that local travel was to be made a bliss and stockholders were to realize their best dividends. The people of this county were generous enough to share with those other counties in this delu- sion and joined in the construction of a plank road from Fort Wayne to Stur- gis. This road was constructed from Fort Wayne as far as Ontario, the line running from Kendallville to the Fourier Association grounds in Springfield Township, thence to Mongo, then called Union Mills, and from there to Onta- rio. Traveling upon it was splendid for two or three years, until the plank began to decay. Then it became execrable. Stockholders found that only loss could result in its maintenance and it was abandoned.
The first railroad talked of in the county was the projected Buffalo & Mississippi Railroad, for which John B. Chapman, Representative from Kos- ciusko County, obtained a charter at the General Assembly of the State at the session of 1836-37. This road, it was contemplated, would run through the northern tier of counties of the State. The County Commissioners, at their November term, 1838, authorized a subscription of $500 stock in the road, and at their May term, 1839, granted authority for the issue of two county bonds of $1,000 each for stock in the road. Books were opened for subscrip-
64
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
tions by citizens and a considerable amount was subscribed. But the project, like many others since, failed of accomplishment. Next came much talk and great expectations of the Michigan Southern Railroad, and it was once confi- dently thought that that company would have to avail themselves of the Buffalo & Mississippi charter in order to reach Chicago. The Chief Engineer of the com- pany came to Lima, in the fall of 1850, to see Mr. Howe and others in reference to the right of way, etc., for the company; but Mr. Howe was, at the time, at Indianapolis, a member of the State Constitutional Convention. But encour- aged by the demand and perseverance of the citizens of Southern Michigan, the railroad company found a way there further westward before entering In- diana. But the building of that line so far northward resulted, after a time, in the necessity of the air line route, built by the same company, from Toledo to Elkhart. The first line for this road was surveyed through the southern tier of the townships of the county and would, in all probability, have been constructed on that line but for extraordinary activity of some capitalists at Kendallville. The county was thus inclosed on the north and south by two great thoroughfares, but neither quite touching it. For about twenty years, all the surplus products of the county were carried to these roads, materially aiding in building up the towns on it and adjoining the county. Probably one-half and not less than one-third of the trade, development and prosperity of the towns of Sturgis and White Pigeon, on the north line, and Kendallville and Ligonier, on the south line, is owing to business drawn from La Grange County. But for this circumstance the towns of the county would now be much larger than they are and the pop- ulation at least one-half more.
It was not until the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad was built, that the county had a single home market. The agitation for this road commenced in 1855. Joseph Lomax, of Marion, Grant County, was the first and principal originator of the enterprise, and was so successful in arousing the people along the proposed line, that many put part, and some their whole, farms in subscrip- tion for stock ; farms being one of the commodities accepted for stock. Con- siderable work was done on the line in the county, when the enterprise com- menced to languish, and work was finally entirely suspended. But the com- pany managed to keep up a feeble existence, got the land grant in Michigan re- newed after the expiration of the time first fixed for the completion of the road, thus keeping the hopes of the people alive until 1869, when, under a new management, with Joseph K. Edgerton, of Fort Wayne, as President, and who, as Member of Congress in 1863-65, had got the land grant renewed, the com- pany was enabled to re-enlist the interest of the people to such an extent that about $100,000 was subscribed by individuals in the county, nearly all along the line of road. Under this stimulus and aid, the road was completed through the county. The first locomotive reached La Grange from Sturgis, April 11, 1870, welcomed by the roar of cannon, and music by the band. Flags were swung to the breeze, smiles brightened every face, men shook hands, then
.
65
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
thrust them down into their pockets, and provided means for a sumptuous din- ner at the hotels for all the track layers and railroad employes. That sea- son, the road was completed from Sturgis to Fort Wayne, and the next year from Sturgis to Grand Rapids, Mich. The stock taken by the people has been almost valueless until recently, when it has attained a value of 10 cents on the dollar. But the road has been of immense benefit to the county, and few, if any, who took stock complain of the investment. It has, to a consider- able extent, checked the outflow of trade, and furnished good markets within her own borders, where farmers can sell and invest at home. The county, though, will continue to be largely contributary to outside towns, near its bor- ders, until an east and west line is built through. There have been a number of east and west railroads projected, talked of, and advocated ; and in January, 1873, a county election was held on the proposition to appropriate $98,000 in aid of a projected line called the New York & Chicago Air Line Railroad. The proposition was defeated by a vote of 1,520 against, to 1,220 for. This line was surveyed to run centrally through the county, east and west. The financial crisis coming on soon after, nothing more has been heard of that enterprise. An extension of the Detroit, Hillsdale & Northwestern Railroad through the county and on west has been several times talked of, and in 1880 was strongly advocated, and quite a large sum of money was subscribed for it, in the north- castern part of the county. This project is liable to revive at any time. A narrow-gauge route from Lake Michigan through the county to Toledo was much talked of also, in 1880. A number of public meetings were held, and much running to and fro caused, but that was all. In the winter of 1880-81, the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Company had a preliminary survey made for another track from Toledo, through Angola and La Grange, to Goshen. At present, all these projects are little talked of, and much less ex- pected to culminate in any real construction. In 1872, a line for the Canada Southern Railroad was surveyed through the southern section of the county, subscriptions taken, right of way obtained, number of ties delivered, but the financial crisis laid that enterprise on the shelf also.
The first post office in the county was opened at a farm house on Mon- quinong Prairie, George Egnew, Postmaster, in 1832. The post office at La Grange was opened in 1843, with Charles B. Holmes as Postmaster. The dates of the opening of the other offices are not accessible. There are now sixteen offices in the county-La Grange, Lima; Scott, Van Buren Township; Ontario, Lima Township; Brighton and Greenfield Mills, Greenfield Township; Mongo and Brushy. Prairie, Springfield Township; South Milford, Milford Township; Wolcottville, Woodruff and Valentine, Johnson Township; Steno, Clearspring Township ; Emma, Eden Township; Pashan and Shore, Newbury Township. The La Grange Post Office attained to the third class (Presidential) in 1872, and is the only one of that class in the county. Until the railroads were built, the mails were brought from Fort Wayne by stage. After the completion of
66
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
the Michigan Southern routes, they were brought from Sturges and Kendall- ville in like manner. Since 1870, the mails have been forwarded by the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, and are distributed to the county from Kendallville, Noble County, La Grange and Lima. The present star line mail routes are from Lima to Ontario, Brighton, Mongo, Brushy Prairie and South Milford, to Kendallville, tri-weekly ; from La Grange to Steno, semi- weekly ; from La Grange to Emma, Shore and Pashan and Goshen, semi- weekly ; from White Pigeon to Scott, from Orland to Greenfield Mills, from Wolcottville to Woodruff.
The first preaching, that there is record of, in the county, was in the vicinity of Lima, in 1829, by Rev. Erastus Felton, sent out by the Ohio Meth- odist Conference as a missionary to the settlements in Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana. He was succeeded in 1831 by Rev. Leonard B. Geerly. In July, 1832, Rev. Christopher Corey, the Pastor of the Presbyterian Church at White Pigeon, Mich., came over to Lima, and, taking a stump for a pulpit, preached to the people. The next year he became a permanent resident, and is yet residing at Lima, a living witness of all the remarkable changes of half a century, and can trace, not only there, but throughout the county, the in- fluences of the good seed sown, at the beginning of the settlement, by himself and other Christian workers.
Rev. H. J. Hall, a Baptist minister, sent West by the Massachusetts Home Mission Society, came in 1833 and located a little north of the town of Lexington. His pastorate was brief, owing to ill health, requiring him to re- turn East. Though he was not able to organize any societies in the county, others soon followed, by whom they were organized, and, in 1837, a Baptist Church was organized at Wolcottville, and, in 1846, another at Lima, and since in several other localities in the county. The Methodist Mission was dropped in a few years, a regular circuit formed, and this was followed by division into other circuits. At present there are five distinct charges, and some twenty local societies. The Presbyterians have flourishing churches at La Grange and Lima, and membership in different parts of the county. The once distinguished Bishop Philander Chase, of Ohio, preached at Lima as early as in 1834; other Protestant Episcopal ministers followed him, with occasional services, until 1851, when a church was organized at Lima, and subsequently one at La Grange in 1872. These denominations were the earlier founders of religious societies in the county.
Individuals connected with other branches were as early here as any of these, but we have no record of organized societies by other churches until 1854, when three church societies were organized-a Congregational at Lima, German Baptist (Dunkers), in Newbury Township, and the Evangelical Lutheran at La Grange. Still other churches formed societies, but at what dates we have not been able to learn-the United Brethren in Christ, the Free-Will Baptist, the Christian or Disciple, the Albrights, Protestant Methodist and Wes-
67
HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
leyan Methodists. The La Grange County Bible Society was one of the earlier religious organizations. At a meeting of its Board of Managers in March, 1839, the following interesting report, prepared at the time by a com- mittee consisting of Revs. H. J. Hall and Christopher Cory, was presented and adopted :
" During the past year, this county has been supplied with the precious Word of Life. At a period almost coeval with the first settlement of this county, this good work was commenced under the auspices of the Bible society in St. Joseph County, Mich., after which it was carried forward through the instrumentality of a very few of our own citizens. In the spring of 1834, this society was formed, and further arrangements were made from time to time for the extension of this river of life, that it might freely flow to every human habitation, willing to receive it, within our bounds. Yet, notwithstanding this work was commenced at so early a period, we have never till the present been permitted to say it is finished. But, be it remembered, this work is finished only for the present time, and within our little bounds. Again and again must the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings be speeding their way through our villages, our prairies and forests, to the cottages of the poor and the destitute, until that glorious period shall come, when the earth shall be filled, like the overflowing sea, with the knowledge of our God, whose spirit, holy and divine, inspired this sacred volume."
The agent, Rev. H. J. Hall, employed by this society to explore this county and to supply the destitute with the Bible, has reported the following facts, to wit:
" This county contains 650 families, 3,657 inhabitants, and 450 professors of religion. Among those who made a public profession of their faith in Christ, 209 belong to the Methodist denomination, 152 to the Presbyterian, 72, Baptist ; 9, Episcopalian, and 6 to the Lutheran. One hundred and seventeen individuals professing to have passed from death unto life, most of whom made a profession of religion previous to their coming to this county, are now living outside of the inclosure of Christ's kingdom. In this county there are 1,035 children between the ages of five and fifteen years, of whom only 278 have attended school the past year three months, leaving 757 who have not attended any school, or have attended less than three months. One agent further reports that he found eighty families destitute of the Bible, most of whom received it gladly. May they find in it the hidden treasures of eter- nal life. Four families refused this precious book, thereby shutting out this light of heaven from their gloomy habitations. To conclude, let the friends of the Bible be encouraged to redouble their efforts, knowing that their labor in the Lord is not in vain, and that in due season, they shall reap if they faint not.
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