USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 17
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 17
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It is said that about this time there were nineteen places where liquor was kept for sale. The growth of the town had been very slow until within the last few years, during which a number of very substantial improvements have been made. The present population is about six hundred. The Northern Indiana Hotel was built in 1855 or 1856, by Leroy Brown, and kept by him for five or six years. After this it was kept by the widow and also by a son of Mr. Brown. After them, C. O. Seamons took charge of it, from whom it passed into the hands of the present landlord, Gus Johnson, who has been in possession about a year. The first house of entertainment was opened by the Thomas heirs soon after the town started. The Central House was moved by Mr. Hopkins from City West about thirty years ago. It has passed through many hands, but has this year (1882) had a brick front built to it, and a general refitting that gives it the appearance of having renewed its youth. Here Landlord Shanks and his hospitable lady pay the most kindly attention to guests, and spread before them the most palatable and substantial
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viands. The first brick building in town was built by Young & Wolf; who still own it. It was built in 1874, and has been occupied by Dr. H. Greene with a stock of drugs. Mr. Pinney and the Odd Fellows, in 1879, built a substantial brick, since occupied by them. P. A. John- son built his brick block in 1877. Abner Harper is now building next door cast of the Central House. The first saw-mill here was built by Brown & Morgan in 1834; it went into the hands of Benton, who sold to Wood, of Albany, who sold to Ogden, of Chicago, who sold to Enos, who sold to William and John Thomas. A saw-mill was built here about nine years ago by Thomas Johnson, who in about a year sold to Mr. In- graham, who in two years sold to Thomas Blackwell, having in the meantime added a grist-mill. Mr. Blackwell has still further enlarged the mill by adding a planing department. He values it now at $10,000, and expects soon to enhance its value by fitting it up to work by the "new process." The following is a list of the physicians who have located here, with the dates as near as attainable: Dr. H. Greene, 1852 to 1882; Dr. Kyle, 1855 to 1857; Dr. Bosley, 1856 to 1867; Dr. Saulsberry, 1865 to 1866; Rr. Raff, 1866 to 1872; Dr. Dakin, 1866 to 1867 ; Dr. Haskins, 1868 to 1872; Dr. Heaton, 1868 to 1869; Dr. Jones, 1869 to 1880 ; Dr. Goodwin, 1871 to 1872; Dr. Morrical, 1870 to 1879; Dr. Marr, 1875 to 1882; Dr. Richards, 1879 to 1880; Dr. Miller, 1881 to 1882, and Dr. Riley, 1882. The following are some of those who have located here for a time in the law : William Johnston, E. D. Crumpacker, William Pagan, F. W. Howell, John W. Rose and E. Wood, who has located here during the present year.
Industries, etc .- The central and southern parts of the township are well adapted to agriculture. The heavy forests that covered the region have been a fruitful source of wealth. Numerous portable saw-mills have been located temporarily in different places. Brick-making is now the leading manufacturing interest. This industry is located chiefly in Hage- man. Mr. Owen started what was known as the Kellogg brick yards in 1872, and soon bought an interest in a yard which was then owned by Moulding. Soon afterward the firm became Harland & Owen. They bought land and started steam works with a capacity of 30,000 per day. Later, Hinchcliff bought out Harland, and the firm now is Hinchcliff & Owen. They have two yards at Hageman, in which they can make 65,- 000 per day. They employ about one hundred hands. Y. Moulding has two yards. He began in 1871 in partnership with Edward Harlan, with whom he continued until 1878, since which time, he has been alone. He started a second yard in 1880. The present capacity of both yards is 65,000 per day. They make both common and pressed brick. From eighty to ninety hands are employed in both yards. The Chicago and
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HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.
Philadelphia Press Brick Company was one of the first yards to start. They have a capacity of 30,000 per day of press and common brick. They are now using one of Caldwell's drying apparatus. It is their in- tention to start another yard next year. There is an almost inexhausti- ble supply of first-class clay, and Hageman has here a resource which is as good as a gold mine. The Hillstrom Organ Factory of Chesterton, established in 1880 by C. O. Hillstrom, is an important establishmant. They now employ thirty men and turn out about eighteen organs a week. They aim to keep up with the best makes in the market.
Early Elections .- At the August election in Westchester Township, 1836, the following men voted : Pressley Warnick, William Calhoun, William Thomas, Milton Smith, Abraham Ball, William Coleman, Sam- uel Thomas, William Ball, Jesse Morgan, David Cook, Eli Hendricks, Lewis Todhunter, Rufus Bundy, James Thomas, Elijah Casteel, Abraham Holt, Ashbel Goodrich, Enos Thomas, George Phillips, Samuel Havi- land and William M. Coy ; total, twenty-one. The election was held at the house of Samuel Haviland, with Enos Thomas, Inspector, and Will- am Thomas and Eli Hendricks, Judges. The above is taken from the records on file in the Clerk's office at Valparaiso. It is proper to ob- serve here that either many of the early settlers lived for short periods in various townships, or else they were in the habit of not only voting within their precinct, but outside of it also, for the names of old settlers appear upon the original official election returns for the same election in more than one township. It is quite probable that the officers of elections were not very careful in those days as to whether those voting actually resided within their own townships or not. A residence in the county was probably deemed sufficient.
CHAPTER VI.
BY G. A. GARARD.
BOONE TOWNSHIP-EARLY SETTLEMENT-FIRST EVENTS-ANECDOTES OF TIIE INDIANS-INDUSTRIES-SCHOOLS-HEBRON-CHURCHES-SECRET SO- CIETIES.
A T an election held at the house of Jesse Johnson, in Boone Town- ship, on the 30th day of April, 1836, the following persons voted for one Justice of the Peace : John Prin, Thomas Johnson, Jennings Johnson, Frederick Wineinger, George Eisley, William Johnson and Jesse Johnson. Following is the return :
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We the undersigned Judges and Clerks, do certify that Jesse Johnson received six votes for Justice of the Peace, and Aschel Neal received one vote for the same office.
JESSE JOHNSON, FREDERICK WINEINGER, &Judges. JENNINGS JOHNSON,
JOHN PRIN,
THOMAS JOHNSON, Clerks.
At an election held at the house of Jesse Johnson, in Boone Town- ship, on the 24th day of September, 1836, for the purpose of electing one Justice of the Peace, the following vote was taken : Joseph Laird, Will- iam Bissell, Jesse Johnson, A. D. McCord, John Moore, Isaac Cornell and John W. Dinwiddie.
We, the undersigned Judges and Clerks of the above election, do certify that John W. Dinwiddie received seven votes for Justice of the Peace.
JESSE JOHNSON, Inspector. J. W. DINWIDDIE, ? Clerks. JOSEPH LAIRD, - ISAAC CORNELL,
WILLIAM BISSELL, S
Judges.
Judge Jesse Johnson, who settled with his family in Boone Township in the early part of 1835, was the first permanent settler. In the same year, Isaac Cornell brought a large family, and Simeon Bryant, with his wife and son, settled at Pleasant Grove. In 1836, the following came : Thomas Dinwiddie and family, Absalom Morris and family, Orris Jewett and family, Solomon Dilley and family, James Dilley and family, and John and Hugh Dinwiddie. Orris Jewett was a blacksmith, the first one in the township, and the only one for years. In 1835 or 1836, John Prin, Thomas Johnson, Jennings Johnson, Frederick Wineinger, George Eisley, William Johnson, Jesse Johnson, Joseph Laird, William Bissell, A. D. McCord, John Moore, Isaac Cornell and John W. Dinwiddie came. In 1836 or 1837, Barkley and John Oliver and families, Absa- lom Morris and old Mr. Pricer came. In 1837, Amos Andrews, E. W. Palmer and T. C. Sweeney came. In the same year, David Dinwiddie crme. Mr. Sweeney did not make a permanent settlement until Febru- ary, 1838. In the spring of 1838, Mr. Smith and a family of boys located three miles northeast of Hebron. Dr. Griffin located at Walnut Grove as early as 1838. James Hildreth and Cooper Brooks came in the spring of 1838. James Dye, Mr. Fiske and Mr. Johnson came in 1838. From 1840 to 1847, many came. In 1863, with the railroad, came many others. The immigration, except at the times above named, has been gradual.
The first birth of the township was that of Margaret Bryant, now Mrs. Dr. Blackstone, who was born April 16, 1837. The first death was that of Harriet Dinwiddie, in 1837. She was the youngest of a large family, and the funeral was one of unusual sadness. The second death was that of the wife of Orris Jewett, in 1838. One of the first
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HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.
marriages, if not the first marriage, was that of James Dilley to Sarah Richards.
Mrs. Bryant, the oldest living resident settler of the township, tells of a perilous experience with the Indians in 1836. In the absence of Mr. Bryant, the old chief Shaw-ne-quoke came to the house, took a piece of chalk, made a circle with it on the floor, and said in the Indian language, five miles around belongs to the Indians, and ordered her to leave, threatening her with a butcher-knife to "kin-a-bode " (hill her) if she did not leave at once. He approached her with uplifted knife ; she screamed and sprang to the other side of the room. The scream aroused two large dogs that were, contrary to orders, sleeping under the bed; they attacked the Indian savagely, and thus defeated his murderous intention.
At another time, in the absence of the family, the Indians came, and were trying Mr. Bryant's gun and inspecting things in general. Cath- erine Sadoris, a hired girl, came home while they were there. Just as she came around the corner of the house, an Indian raised a gun to look through the sights. The girl supposed that he intended to shoot her. and ran for life. They tried to make her understand that they did not intend to harm her, but she ran like a deer and disappeared in the woods. The Indians told the family of the incident on their return, and they searched for her, but she was not found until the next day, when she said that she had no intention of returning, as she supposed that the family were all slain. She stated that in the night seven d'eer came up to her, but she felt no fear except of the Indians. As a rule, the Indians were very civil and peaceable, and gave but little trouble. They would only annoy you by coming to you for food as long as you would furnish them. If in a good humor, they would salute you with " Bo zu Nick," " How do you do, friend ?" Dancing was a favorite amusement with the Indians. With a drum made of an empty keg, having a raw- hide head, and gourds containing beans or pebbles, they made music to soothe the savage heart, tickle the savage ear, and move the savage feet through the mazes of the dance; or rather to shake their savage bodies. for in dancing the Indians seldom move the feet, but shake themselves to the time of the barbarous music. It amused them exceedingly to see the whites skip around over the floor in dancing. This seemed to them highly improper and undignified. The Indian mothers mourned over their children by blacking their faces, and by cooking and eating food over their graves. They often buried the papooses in hollows in logs. When living, the babes were tied upon boards to make them straight. These boards, with the babies on them the squaws would stand against the fence or house while they went in to beg. Once, in the absence of
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the family, the Indians painted an Indian in war dress on a board and left it at the door of one of the old settlers. This was a threat of hos- tility, but no acts of violence followed.
As this township is nearly all good farming land, the attention of the people has been confined mostly to agricultural pursuits. Raising grain and rearing stock have been the main and almost the sole sources of rev- enue. For some years, hay has been a leading crop. No manufactures of great importance have ever been established within the borders of the township. About 1845, a large wind-mill for grinding grain was built two miles north of Hebron. It was built by Robert Wilson, who sold in two years to his brother Charles, who ran it for about seven years, when it went down. There is a creamery in the northeastern part of the township, which was started by Mr. Woodhull, who sold it to David Hurlburt & Son, who sold it to Merrifield & Dye. There is a steam-mill at Hebron, owned and run by John Wilson.
The township was at first a beautiful prairie, interspersed with fine groves. One of these groves covered the site of Hebron, and was about two and a half miles in length by three-fourths of a mile in width. About one-half of a mile south of Hebron was an Indian village.
The first schoolhouse was built in 1837. It was of logs, and was used five or six years. After this, school was held in the Presbyterian Church, and after that, in the summer of 1844, school was held in a vacant house of William Bryant, with Ellen Hemes as teacher. Some of the teachers in the first house were Amos Andrews, James Turner, Liza Russell, Sarah Richards and Roda Wallace. The second school- house was a log one, situated a mile and a half southwest of Hebron, and was built in 1840. It was about 18x20 feet in size and had no fire-place. There was a hearth and jamb of mud, and the chimney, of mud and sticks, was built on projecting timbers at a man's height. To this chimney, through the intervening air, the smoke must find its way of exit, but, as may be imagined, it often failed to find the chimney, and spread through the room, filling it and the eyes of the pupils. George Espy, and an Englishman, named Alexander Hamilton, were among the early teachers. Hamilton was a man of high family and fine education, and subsequently became one of the leading lawyers of Chicago. The third schoolhouse was built on Siglar's Corner, which is in the north- eastern corner of Section 15. This was built, in 1842, of logs, by the neighbors, and used for school purposes two years, when it was burned. Mary Crossman was the first teacher. The fourth house was built a short time after the last mentioned two miles east of Hebron, on the southwest corner of Section 7, Town 33, Range 6. It was a log house. The fifth followed in a short time, on the south line of the north half of
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HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.
Section 6, Town 33, Range 6. This was also a log house. Ths sixth was built soon after the fifth. It was on the south line. near the quarter post of Section 5, Town 33, Range 6, and was of similar construction and size to its predecessors. The first frame was built two miles east of Hebron, on Section 7, Town 33, Range 6. May 28, 1853, "a special meeting was held by the board and voters of the township for the pur- pose of determining whether a special tax for the support of free schools in the township should be assessed, at which meeting four votes were given in favor of the tax and ten against the tax." The following is the apportionment of the school funds made November 8, 1854 : District No. 1, 843 ; No. 2, $39.10; No. 3, $19.08; No. 4, $39.10; No. 5, $12.62; No. 6, $39.10. In 1854, a tax of 15 cents on the $100 was voted for school purposes. At present, there are eight schoolhouses in the town- ship, three of which are brick and the others are frame. The houses in Districts Nos. 5, 6 and 7 are brick. The one in No. 5, or the Hebron District, is a handsome brick, erected in 1872, at a cost of $5,000. The one in No. 6 cost $1,100, and the one in No. 7 cost $1,000. The one in No. 4 was built in 1880, at a cost of $600; the one in No. 8 in 1878, at a cost of $500. The houses in Districts 1, 2 and 3 are frame, erected some years ago. Nos. 2 and 3 cost about $600 each. The house in District No. 1 is the poorest house in the township, as it is the oldest. It cost probably about $300, and was moved from the present site of the house in District No. 2. The house in District No. 2 was moved to its present site from the place now occupied by the house of District No. 1. The following facts and figures are taken from the report of H. J. Nich- ols, trustee, for the year 1882 : White pupils admitted to the schools of the township during the year-males, 199; females, 183; colored, fe- male, 1; number who attended on the average, 250. Male teachers, 5; female, 6 ; average compensation of males. $1.37 per day ; females, the same ; in town, $1.78. Estimated value of school property, $8,000; of apparatus, $60. Special tax, 20 cents on the $100. Amount paid trust- ees for services rendered the schools, $95.91. The following is a list of the teachers for the years 1881 and 1882: 1881-In District No. 1, Anna Kelly and Sarah A. Douglas; in No. 2, R. B. D. Simonson, Minnie A. Fuller and Charles F. Leeka ; in No. 3, J. N. Buchanan, Jr., and Emeline Massey; in No. 4, W. N. Buchanan and Ella Denison; in No. 5, W. B. Blackstone, R. C. Mackey, Mary O. Buchanan, Ida E. Fisher, R. B. D. Simonson, R. S. Martin, S. F. Southwick, Mary Young and O. J. Andrews ; in No. 6, E. E. Flint and Carrie Buchanan; in No. 7, O. S. Baird; in No. 8, Richard S. Martin. 1882-In No. 1, Sarah Douglas, Electa Elson and Effie Wilson ; in No. 2, Charles F. Leeka and A. A. Doyle; in No. 3, Emeline Massey and O. J. Andrews ;
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in No. 4, Ella Dennison and Sarah Douglas ; in No. 5, Mary Young, S. F. Southwick, O. J. Andrews, Alice J. Sanborn and O. S. Baird; in No. 6, E. E. Flint, Sarah A. Douglas and Effie Wilson; in No. 7, Dor- cas Adams and Eugene Skinkle ; in No. 8, Emma Buchanan, Hattie Paramore and R. S. Martin. The Hebron Graded Schools are now under the direction of W. B. Swearingen, assisted by Mrs. H. B. South- wick, Mrs. Sanborn and O. S. Baird. Mr. Cathcart was the first Prin- cipal in the new building for one year. He was succeeded by Mr. Mc- Affee, who served a year, when Rev. R. M. C. Thompson took charge in 1874 and served a year. J. C. Carson now had the Principalship for two years, and was succeeded by Mr. Simonson, who taught a year, and then gave place to Mr. McAffee for a year, when Mr. Simonson took the place for another year, when O. J. Andrews came to serve a year, and gave place, in 1882, to W. B. Swearingen, the present Principal. Before the present commodious brick was built, the town schools occupied a small frame. In 1871, Mrs. James E. Bryant taught in a log house located near the center of the town, that was built for a blacksmith shop. After being used as a schoolhouse, it was converted into a stable. Thus the educational interests of the township have progressed from primitive poverty to present prosperity.
Village of Hebron .- Hebron was located where it is because of the fact that two roads cross at this point. The first house was built by Mr. Bagley, about 1845. This was a log structure, and is now owned by D. Wolf and occupied by John Hoffman. The second house was built in 1846, by Samuel Alyea, and was the first store. Mr. Alyea put in a stock of goods that he might have carried on his back. This was a log house about forty yards from the "Corners." Mr. Alyea, after awhile, took in E. W. Palmer, and they moved up to "The Corners." Alyea soon sold to Wesley Doty, and in a short time Doty traded his interest to Samuel McCune, who kept the store until 1858, when he sold to Thomas Davis, who closed out the stock. The second store was started by William Siglar, who, after two years, sold to his brother Eli, who ran the store a year, when he took his brother, D. T., as a partner, and they have run the business in the same building ever since. This building stands on the corner of Siglar and Main streets. The first frame building was built by Mr. McCune. The first brick was built by Daniel Siglar for a dwelling, in the north part of the town. in 1867. The second brick was built by Sweeney & Son as a business block, in 1875. It contains the town hall. The name Hebron was given by Rev. Hannan, an Associate Reformed preacher, to the congregation that assembled here to worship, and in 1845, Rev. Blain was installed. He circulated a petition for a post office, and succeeded in getting one within the year, and it was called Hebron
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HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.
Post Office. Rev. Blain was the first Postmaster, and served for two years, when Mr. Morris was appointed, and served for the same length of time. John Hoffman took the office next and kept it in the woods half a a mile west of where the town stands, for five or six years. Amos An- drews held the office during the war. J. E. Bryant held it for some years, and gave place to Loren Pomeroy, who had it for four years. Charles Carmen next took it for a year, when he resigned, and the present incum- bent, Oscar Baird, took charge about six months since.
The first lots were laid out in 1844, by John Alyea, who laid out three one-acre lots. He sold one to Palmer, one to McCune, and re- tained one upon which he built a blacksmith shop. In 1849, Mr. James had a tier of half-acre lots laid out on Section 14, on a street south and east of " The Corners." The mill now stands on one of these. In 1852, the Siglar Brothers laid out a tier west of " The Corners," on the south side of the street on Section 15. A few years later they laid out another tier south of this one. In 1864, the Siglar Brothers laid out quite a large plat of lots on Sections 10, 11 and 15. In 1855, Patrick's Addi- tion on the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 10. The growth of the town has been slow and gradual. It received quite an impulse from the railroad when it came. In the last eight years there have been three unsuccessful attempts to incorporate the town. The last one was made during the summer of 1882.
The Free Press was issued here from September, 1878, until October 1, 1879. H. R. Gregory was the editor. The Local News was printed here from October, 1879, until some time in 1880, by Mr. Mansfield. In 1856, George Washington Sampson located here, and remained about thirteen years. About the same time, John Quincy Roberts came to stay only a year and a half. John K. Blackstone is the oldest resident physi- cian, having been here almost a quarter of a century, but he is not now in active practice. Dr. S. R. Pratt is of almost as long standing. Dr. Andrew Jackson Sparks was here for three or four years. Dr. Sales came in 1868, and stayed three or four years. Dr. Price died here in 1880. Dr. Woods and Dr. Carson are among those who have come in later, and are still practicing here. Dr. Carson came in 1880. Several attempts have been made by parties to start here in the law, but none of those who attempted it stayed for any great length of time. The first drug store was started in 1866 by Ross Bryant, who, after two or three years, sold to Dr. Sales, who closed out the stock. The second was opened by W. B. Doddridge, who is still carrying an extensive stock. George Stemble has charge of the corner drug store, which is owned by a party in Valparaiso. The firms that carry general stocks of goods are Bryant, Doud & Co., E. and D. T. Siglar, Wilson Morrow and H. J.
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Nichols. J. C. Smith and Thomas Clews have grocery stores. Conner, Doud and David Fisher compete in the hardware line. Mr. Beebe was the first to start a furniture store. The business changed hands a num- ber of times, and is now owned by S. F. Andrews. John Baker and Mr. Rolliston have shoe shops, while Gus Weggen, William White, William Nelson and John Paramore do the blacksmithing. The first hotel was opened in 1849 by Samuel MeCune in the frame house now occupied by Mr. George Mosier. After McCune, Tazwell Rice kept the house. He was followed by Harvey Allen, and he by John Skelton, who kept it last. The next hotel was the Pratt House, opened by Burrell Pratt in 1865, and kept by him two years. This was kept next by a Mr. Pratt not related to the one above mentioned ; he kept it about two years. Then John Brey took charge for a year, and he was followed by John Gordon for the same time. Harvey Allen then became landlord, and was in charge for three years. Then the house passed into the hands of the Siglar Brothers, who rented it for four or five years to a nephew, John Siglar, who was succeeded by the present genial and gentlemanly land- lord, who took charge of the house in June, 1879. Since that time it has been known as the Bates House. The third hotel was opened in 1866 by Henry Smith, near the depot. This was run by Mr. Smith for five years, and then by Mr. Winslow for four years, after which it was bought by Mr. Poole, who is now using it for a dwelling. The fourth and last hotel built was the Central House, erected in 1878 by John Skelton. It was kept by Loren Pomeroy for two years and a half, since which time it has been used for dwelling purposes.
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