USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 21
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 21
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The "Union Cheese Factory " was built in the spring of 1879, by the farmers of the neighborhood. The stock was divided into forty shares, and held by about twenty farmers. The cost of the structure was about $1,500. W. H. Jones was first President, and Charles Arnold first Secretary. Present officers are J. Burge, President ; P. Robinson, Secretary ; Farmers National Bank, Valparaiso, Treasurer ; W. Jones, W. C. Janes and Stephen Hodson, Directors. Charles Arnold, of Wheeler, was the first cheese maker, and was succeeded by W. J. Wagoner, of Canada, the present incumbent. The capacity is 12,000 pounds of milk per day. The average daily consumption is about 6,500 pounds and 600 pounds of cheese. The average consumption of milk in Cheese Factory No. 1 is nearly as much.
James Snow had the first store in the township. James Blachly and and his son Edgar had the second store, at Blachly's Corners. It was. there some five or six years before the Fort Wayne road was run through. Among the first merchants were Daniel and Samuel Sigler, and A. E. Woodhull, of Wheeler.
Wheeler was laid out in 1858 by T. A. E. Campbell, who owned, at that time, the entire tract upon which the town is located. Three busi- ness houses were built this year : First, the frame now standing back of Mr. Sigler's store, erected by Mr. Monfort, and first occupied, in the fall of 1859, by Sigler Brothers, who placed therein general merchandise-
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valued at $4,000, and increased in a year or two to about $10,000. Second, the Wheeler House, built by George Kimball, and conducted by him some five years, with Ichabod Hall successor, and abandoned about ten years ago. Third, a small saloon built by Carroll & Harner, and conducted about one year. Several saloons have been started since then, but in all cases have been short-lived. George Longshore was among the first residents, and was the first Postmaster. He was suc- ceeded by George Kimball, who was followed by Samuel Sigler, the present incumbent. The first blacksmith shop was built in 1862 by D. McHenry. Dr. Arnold is at present the only resident physician at Wheeler. There are at present two business establishments : Samuel Sigler, who carries a large stock of general merchandise, and D. B. Lott, who conducts a general store, owned by A. E. Woodhull, of Chicago.
CHAPTER X.
BY GEORGE A. GARARD.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP-CREATION AND EARLY SETTLEMENT-TOPOGRAPHY -ERECTION OF VILLAGES-INDUSTRIAL GROWTH-EDUCATION AND RELIGION-CEMETERIES-CATALOGUE OF EARLY SETTLERS-ELECTION OF AUGUST, 1836-THE BANNER FEDERAL TOWNSHIP.
THIS township was created at the time of the general division in 1836. It is stated in the county atlas that it was named for Lemuel Jackson, but old settlers, who ought to know, claim that it was named for Andrew Jackson. The first election was held Saturday, April 30, 1836, at the house of A. K. Paine. Samuel Olinger was Inspector.
Physical Characteristics .- In surface the township is quite broken or hilly. It is better adapted to fruit and stock than to grain, although fine crops of wheat, oats and corn are raised. It was all heavily timbered originally, but now there are not many "monarchs of the forest " left, although there is much fine young timber. Since a great city has grown up so near, the natives have ceased to deaden and fell and burn. Much cord wood is cut and shipped to Chicago. Clear Lake, on the east, is cut through the center by the county line. Part of its beach is sandy, and the rest is muck. On Section 16 there is a small but deep lake, covering, perhaps, five acres. There is another small one on Section 16, south of the Cady Marsh. Both of these furnish an abundance of good water for stock. The water-shed runs through the southern part of the township. This parts the waters of the two great gulfs. There is said to be on this water-shed a spring or spring marsh, the waters of which divide, one part flowing through the Sunny South to the Gulf of Mexico, while the other
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part goes through the great lakes and the St. Lawrence River to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. On this water-shed are found many bowlders which seem to indicate that during the period of glaciation this was for a time the southern limit of the glaciers. The soil of the township is very varied. Even in the same field many different kinds of soil may be found.
Early Events, Mills, etc .- In early times Jackson Township was a fine hunting ground. Its heavy forests made a fine retreat for all ani- mals native to the region. A bear was killed by Alfred Williams about twenty-five years ago. He was out squirrel hunting and came unexpect- edly upon this monarch of the woods. The log-rollings and house-rais- ings that the primeval forests of Jackson have witnessed are numbered by the score, but they are of the past, and most of the brawny arms that felled the trees and hewed their trunks are folded in the sleep of peace that knows no waking. The good cheer and hospitality of the pioneer have given place to our modern, enterprising, but selfish civilization. The first, last and only tavern in the township was kept by a man named Page, south of the Page Marsh, as early as 1836. The marsh took its name from this man. The tavern was built of logs, and there was a log stable also. The road was changed, which change caused the tavern to go down and Page to move away. There was at one time a pigeon roost south of Page Marsh that covered a hundred acres or more. Here they made their nests and hatched their young. They used the beach trees princi- pally, and there would be as many as a hundred nests upon one tree. When the squabs were almost large enough to fly, the people would cut the trees so as to get them. L. Jackson built the first saw-mill on Coffee Creek in 1834-35. Olinger had a saw-mill on Coffee Creek as early as 1838. Abe Hall and Dilley built one about the same time. Jackson had one burnt soon afterward. Casteel had a saw and grist mill farther down the stream. These have all been gone for many years. In 1846, Beech and Baum built one on Fish Creek. This is now the property of the heirs of Loren Hall. It is not running at present. George B. Smith and Becker now have the only grist-mill in the township that is running. It is situated on Coffee Creek, and was built in 1856. It has two run of buhrs for wheat and one for corn. A distillery was estab- lished by a Mr. Enox at Casteel Mill. In 1849, it burst its boiler and went down to rise no more.
Schools, Teachers, etc .- The first school taught in the township was held in a log cabin dwelling on Section 26. The site is now owned by J. P. Noble. The first schoolhouse was built in 1838, one and a half miles east of Jackson Centre. It was a log cabin about 16x18 feet, with a Yankee chimney and greased paper for windows. Jane Jones taught the
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first term and received a salary of $1 per week, from which she had to pay her board. In 1840, Chancey Moore, the first male teacher, was employed. The second schoolhouse was built at Carter's, in 1846, and made a good summer blacksmith shop after it was no longer used for school purposes. At first the civil township formed one school district ; now there are seven districts. The buildings are all frame, and not in very good repair. The following are some of the teachers of the township, with the dates of their work and the price per day paid them for their serv- ices : 1874, District No. 1, Lizzie R. Andrews, $1.75; 1875, No. 2, Liz- zie R. Andrews, $1.75 ; 1874, No. 3, William M. Cobbs, $1.75 ; No. 5, Ol- ive L. Wood, $1.75; No. 6, R. A. Harte, $1.75; 1875, No. 2, M. E. Alyea, $2.00; No. 7, Carrie E. Hall, $1.75; No. 3, Nettie Costler, $1.00; No. 7, Clara Jones, 85 cents; No. 7, Allie Robbins, $1.25; No. 1, W. M. Winters, $1.75; No. 4, Nettie Castle, $1.50 ; No. 5, Olive L. Wood, $1.50; No. 2, Louise S. Bliss, $1.25 ; No. 3, S. B. Shaw, $1.50 ; No. 4, Mary E. Alyea, $1.75 ; and A. M. Melville, $1.75. The teachers employed for the fall of 1882 are as follows : In District No. 1, Belle Henton, $1.25 ; No. 2, Orra Paine, $1.25 ; No. 3, Milton Winton, $1.50; No. 4, Clara Jones, $1.25; No. 5, Nora Paine, $1.25 ; No. 6, Belle Shinabarger, $1.25 ; No. 7, Martha Williams, $1.25. It is the policy of the present Trustees to employ home talent.
Villages .- The villages of Jackson are numerous, but small. They are Jackson Centre, Burdick, Sumanville and Steamburg. The latter place is now non est. At one time it was as large as five houses and a store. When the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was built, a station was established over the line in Washington Township, and Steamburg united with Coburg by moving over, and thus lost its name and identity. Suman- ville is a very small ville in the south western part of the township on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. A post office was established here about nine years ago, with Col. I. C. B. Suman as Postmaster. He held the office until about two years since, when Robert S. Greer took it, and still keeps it. A Mr. Jones established a store here when the railroad was built, but kept open only four or five months. Another store was started here in 1881, but was closed in about four months. Jackson Centre re- ceived its name from the township, and its central location therein. A post office was started here about 1856, with E. H. Johnson as Postmas- ter ; after him, S. H. Runnels had the office for a time. It then went down, and seven years passed before it was opened again. When started again, it was in the hands of James S. Sanders for two years, when it came into the hands of the present incumbent, William Hill, who has handled the mail for six years. The first store here was established in 1874, by J. S. Sanders, and sold to E. Hill in 1876. In 1881, he sold
L
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HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.
to John Sackman, who now keeps a small stock of goods. Burdick is a place of about twelve houses, situated on the railroad, in the northwestern part of the township. It was named from A. C. Burdick, of Coldwater, Michigan, a lumber dealer. The place was started in 1870. The post office was established in 1871, with J. M. Burdell as Postmaster. From Mr. Burdell it passed into the hands of the present incumbent, O. J. Sack- man, who has held it for five years. Peterson Anderson, a Swede, laid out the first lots, and Simpson Brothers built the first house. The town has been built up and sustained on the lumber traffic. Sackman and Williams began business here in 1877, and now handle from 6,000 to 7,- 000 cords of wood per year. Lush & Co., of Goshen, Ind., have cut about 1,000,000 feet of lumber here in the last year. O. J. Sackman has a good, general stock of goods, and does a large business for the size of the place. Loveland & Co., of Chicago, have here two kilns for burn- ing charcoal. These have been built about two years, and cost not less than $500 each. Both of these will burn about 72,000 bushels in a year.
Churches, Cemeteries, etc .- The Quakers who settled in this town- ship at an early day erected on the site of what is now called the Quaker Schoolhouse, a double hewed-log church. In this connection it may be remarked that no authentic history of the Quakers can be collected at this late day. Before the war, the Methodists bought the old schoolhouse at Jackson Centre, and built an addition to it so as to use it for church purposes. They still use it. The first members of this organization were: Jefferson Zenu, Mr. Massey, Elijah Hill, Mr. Hamilton, Joseph Shumaker, John B. Johnson, Jacob Carter, Abraham Ashey and Chancey Moore, who was class leader for a number of years. At one time there was a large class here, but now it is quite small. There have been services at Jackson Centre for over thirty years.
There is a burying-ground on Section 27. Here an infant of Jacob Carter's was buried in 1845. This is the largest in the town- ship. One and one-half miles east of Jackson Centre is what is called the Quaker Burying-Ground. It is just beside the schoolhouse of Dis- trict No. 1. Lansing's Burying-Ground is one mile west of Jackson Centre. It is not now used. Noble's Burying-Ground is eighty rods east of Oliver Stell's. It has not been used for thirty-seven years. The last one buried here was a stranger from New York.
First Settlers .- Asahel K. Paine, who settled here in 1834, built the first house, and has the honor of being the first settler in Jackson Town- ship. In the same year came John P. Noble, who arrived in April ; H. E. Woodruff, in June ; Mr. Hamilton, Calvin Crawford, Samuel Olinger, Mr. Massey, L. Jackson, E. Casteel, F. Oliver, D. Page, Joseph Wright and Johnson Crawford ; in 1835, William Barnard, Benjamin Malsby and
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many others. Jacob Carter came in 1837, and Oliver Stell in 1844. Among the other early settlers, are Jesse McCord, who came in 1837 and erected a blacksmith shop on Section 26; Archer Dumond, James P. Cain, Eli B. Lanson, Hiram Dilley and Walter and William Thompson. In 1836, a man named Shinabarger lived where Steamburg was built later, and entertained travelers, but did not keep a regular tavern. Even at that time the building looked old, and although, as stated above, so far as known, Mr. Paine was the first settler, yet this would indicate that others had preceded him.
Elections .- The first election in the township was held at the resi- dence of A. K. Paine, in 1836. Mr. Paine's place was at that elec- tion named Paineville. Mr. J. P. Noble, now of Westville, La Porte Co., carried the returns to Valparaiso. H. E. Woodruff was elected Jus- tice of the Peace. Adam Hamilton was elected to the same office in 1837.
At an election held at the house of William Eaton, in Jackson Town- ship, December 24, 1836, to elect an Associate Judge in the place of Lemuel Jackson, resigned, the following vote was polled : George G. Salyer, Solomon Cheney, William Eaton, Thomas Clark, J. M. Buel, Warner Winslow, George Shegley, William Sheridan, William Walker, William Frakes, John Bishop, George Cline, George Willey, Washington Ault, James Blair, Martin Rees, G. W. Coghill, P. H. Coghill, Edmund Billings, Jacob Fleming, Robert Fleming, Benjamin Saylor, Michael Ault, Isaac Morgan, White B. Smith, George W. Smith, Miller Blachly, Nelson H. Smith, Robert William, Allen Baxter, William Bingham, Ben- jamin Bingham, P. D. Cline, Jeremiah Hamell, Samuel Eiler, S. L. Cannon, Daniel Droulinger, Isaac Werninger, Warner Pierce and Richard Clark. At this election Seneca Ball received for the above office forty votes. John Bishop, William Sheridan and William Frakes were Judges of Election. The following appeared in The Western Ranger, August 11, 1847 : "The strong Federal township in this county is called Jackson. This is disgraceful. A township in which three-fourths of the people are Federalists and Abolitionists should never bear the name of the illustrious Jackson ! Some of our friends have suggested that the name be changed to Tom Corwin, and we go for it distinctly. No name would be more suitable."
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HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.
CHAPTER XI.
BY W. S. WHEATLEY.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP-LAND SALES AND CLAIMS-EARLY SETTLEMENTS -- INCIDENTS OF INTEREST-SAW-MILLS, GRIST-MILLS, DISTILLERIES, ETC. -FIRST ELECTION OF OFFICERS-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-SECRET SOCIETIES.
W HAT is now known as Liberty Township, with an additional tier of sections on the north, consisting of thirty square miles in the northern half of the county, was formerly attached to La Porte County, and was included in the large tract of Government land sold at auction at La Porte in 1835, from which were formed the counties of Porter and Lake. At this sale, the land speculators, with their usual shrewdness, offered a quarter-section to the settlers who agreed not to bid against them, and thus they obtained a two-fold benefit. They bought their land at a low price, and secured its rise in value by the improvements made upon the part given away. Liberty Township being heavily timbered was especially valuable to them, and the greater part was obtained, and held long after other portions of the county were quite densely populated. As a natural result, this township has been considerably retarded in its development, but it has advantages in soil and location which, in time, will make it the equal of any spot in the State. In another way the Government favored these unscrupulous speculators to the disadvantage of the settlers. Much trouble and annoyance were occasioned by the settlers locating upon land which, at the time of the treaties with the Pottawatomies, became what were known as "floats," or reservations. These " floats" consisted of a claim upon a quarter, a half, or a whole section of land, or sometimes more than one section. The claims could be bought of the Indians or half-breeds, who were unconscious of their value, for a mere song, and of this the traders and speculators took advantage. The settlers became much incensed, and sent several peti- tions to Washington, praying for an adjustment of the system. One of these claims was laid upon a quarter-section in the northeast part of the township, owned by William Snavely, and which he had bought of William Crawford. This led to what is commonly called the "Snavely war." Peter White became the owner of the claim, and he took action to remove Snavely from his land, but this was not to be accomplished so easily. Sheriff Charles G. Merrick, with a posse of men, was sent to remove him and obtain possession, but he, like the yeomen of England,
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considered his house his castle, and resolved, with the help of his sons, to defend it. The Sheriff and his men, after several vain attempts to gain admittance at the doors or windows, bethought themselves of the roof, which they immediately ascended, and began to remove, whereupon Snavely climed to the loft and fired upon them, wounding one of them severely. Supposing by the commotion caused that he had killed him, he became frightened and attempted to escape, but was arrested and taken to jail. As the man shot soon recovered, he was discharged upon the payment of a fine and the relinquishment of his land. Since his death, his heirs have obtained a partial compensation.
Forest Productions and Water Supply .- The surface of this town- ship is generally very level, and in the western and north western portions there is considerable swamp land. The soil consists of a dark loam, or clay, and, when properly drained, will become as good land as there is in the county. This soil seems especially favorable for the production of timber. The most valuable is oak, of which the forests produced the finest quality. The other varieties are maple, hickory, ash and elm, with more limited quantities of black walnut, butternut and white wood. Were the trees standing to-day which forty years ago were split into rails or burned up in the log, they would be of the greatest value to the citi- zens. Two creeks of considerable size, with three small lakes or ponds, form the chief water supply. Salt Creek, which widens to form one of the ponds, passes through the southwestern part, and furnishes considera- ble water-power. Long Lake, in the southeastern part, the largest of the three, is connected by a narrow channel with Flint Lake in Centre Town- ship. Coffee Creek runs through the northeastern part, and furnishes power for several mills along its course. It widens to form the third pond.
Early Settlements and Improvements .- Probably the first settler of Liberty Township, or at least one of the very first, was Owen Crum- packer, who came from Union County, Ind., in June, 1834. He settled on the place now owned by Mrs. E. P. Cole. During the same year, William Downing, Jerry Todhunter and Elijah Casteel came also. The next year, Peter Ritter settled on the place now owned by Amanda Mott. Thomas Clark, commonly known as " Bee-hunter " Clark, located on the place owned at present by H. Kimball. During the next two years their number was increased by the arrival of John Dillingham, E. P. Cole, William Gosset, George Hesing, Asa Zane, Ira Biggs, David Hughart, John White, Frederick Wolf, Samuel Olinger, Daniel Kesler, John Sef- ford, M. Blayloch, Jerry Todhunter, Abram Snodgrass, Solomon Habany, William Calhoun and others ; also, Joseph and Jesse Morgan, who settled in what is now a part of Westchester Township. At this time the people
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HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.
were commonly divided into three settlements known as the Dillingham, in the eastern part, Zane, in the central, and Salt Creek in the western. At the latter place, immediately after his arrival in 1836, William Gos- set began the erection of his saw and grist-mill. and thus the settlers of this part of the county were spared the necessity of going forty or fifty miles for their lumber and flour. William Gosset also built the first frame building in Liberty during this year. This was one story, and about twenty-four feet long by thirty-two feet wide. It is still in existence, having been used successively for a church, schoolhouse and kitchen.
The people of the Dillingham settlement were more closely connected with those in Jackson Township. A mill and distillery having been erected on Coffee Creek by Casteel and Blayloch, they had the best of facilities for supplying themselves with aqua vitæ and the "staff of life." Previous to the erection of the distillery, John Dillingham, who usually sheltered the " wayfaring" men that reached the settlement, dealt out the former article in quantities of not less than a quart. He, of course, un- like the " moonshiners " of the Alleghanies, paid a " government license."
The first houses in the Zane settlement were built by Asa Zane and Ira Biggs in the early part of 1835. During this year, David and Will- iam Hughart came from Greenbrier County, W. Va., having been forty- five days in making the journey. They built a house sixteen by twenty feet, in which both families, numbering fifteen persons, lived for several months. A camp of Pottawatomie Indians was situated within a hun- dred yards of their house, and in the spring they came regularly to make sugar, of which they prepared large quantities. This they exchanged with the traders for whisky. The Indians, when not crazed with fire- water, lived at peace with the whites, and scarcely ever " offered show of violence."
One day, in the fall of 1835, four or five of the red skins who were returning from Bailly's trading-post, having become, as they termed it, " cockazy," attempted to enter the house of David and William Hughart. The women, who were alone, were badly frightened, barred the door, and climbed into the loft. After much whooping and several vain attempts to break down the door with their tomahawks, the Indians departed just in time to escape the wrath of the Hughart brothers who were returning home from a hunt. William Hughart's wife was so badly frightened that she died soon after from the effects of the shock, and his mother did not long survive her. These were the first deaths that occurred within the limits of this township.
Pioneer Experiences .- Though these early pioneers were not com- pelled to endure the dangers incident to those who crossed the Alle- ghanies fifty years before, they lived amid their cares and labors with no
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comforts, no conveniences, no roads. They were forced to be self-reliant and dependent on their own resources. Their bread was often made from meal mixed with water and salt, and baked on a split shingle before the open fire. Their meat, when they had it, was usually the flesh of deer or other game killed in the woods. For such necessaries as they bought they had to go, at first to South Bend, afterward to Michigan City.
They knew little of the so-called pleasures of to-day, yet unhampered by conventionalities they had enjoyments none the less rare. The raisings, log-rollings, shuckings, " bussing bees," and, occasionally, a wedding, at which " the cup that cheers " flowed freely, and the " wee, sma'" hours were spent in tripping it on the " light fantastic toe," furnished recreation suited to their life. The first of these latter occurrences was occasioned by the marriage of William Hughart to Elizabeth Zane on June 14, 1836, by Elijah Casteel, Justice of the Peace. The next was that of Daniel W. Lyons and Anna Dillingham February 6, 1837. On April 6, of the same year, William Calhoun and Sarah Sefford were married by J. C. Spurlock, and George Humes and Sarah Crawford by Thomas J. Wyatt, the latter couple in a small log house near where John Johnson now lives. This was the occasion of unusual festivity, and was the first important society event of the settlement. Some thirty or forty invited guests, young and old, were present, and as the house contained only one room, fourteen by sixteen feet, with two beds in it, the necessity for economy of space is apparent. The Justice and the father of the bride having indulged rather too freely in something stronger than coffee, became oblivious, it is said, to the surrounding festivities. The younger portion of the company, wishing "to thread the mazy," were at a loss to know how to dispose of the fallen heroes, as both beds had been used for wardrobes and hat-racks. The difficulty, however, was soon solved by rolling the worthy pair under the beds, and the joy of the dance was un- confined until " night's candles were burnt out."
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