USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 33
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 33
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EDWIN L. FURNESS was born May 9, 1832, in Portland, Me. He is the youngest of three children born to Benjamin C. and Mary J. (Roberts) Furness, both natives of Maine. The elder Furness was a sea captain. His maternal great-grandfather was in the Revolutionary war, and donated a vessel for the Government war service, but refused a pension he was entitled to. His paternal great-grandfather was a Revolutionary
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soldier and one of the founders of South Berwick (Me.) Academy, a col- lege well known in the East. Thomas Leigh, an uncle, was a Major in the war of 1812, and founded the town of Leigh's Mills. Nearly all of Mr. Furness' ancestors were sea-faring men. When our subject was about eight years old, the elder Furness was lost at sea, and his mother died a short time after. He then went to live with his grandmother at South Berwick. When thirteen, he was attacked by the prevalent "sea fever " among boys, and ran away to sea, on board the "California," to the Carolinas, to London, to Wales and back to New York. He was now persuaded to go to school, to the above-mentioned academy, where he took a classical course. He then began teaching and farming for two years, when he came West to Kane County, Ill., where he taught two years. In 1853, he went East, and was married to Louise M. Graves, of Thomaston, Me. He then went to Batavia, Ill., where he bought a store and stone quarry. In 1856, he came to Furnessville, and engaged in lumbering, in the firm of Morgan, Furness & Co., continuing until 1862, when the firm dissolved, and he has continued in the same business ever since, in connection with farming, and about three years in a stave factory, in which he lost considerable money. His attention is now de- voted principally to farming his possessions, of between two and three thousand acres in Westchester and Pine Townships. Through the efforts of Mr. Furness, the station and post office of Furnessville was established, of which he was the first agent and Postmaster, and near which his resi- dence is situated. He was a member of the Grange and Good Templar orders. He has always been a strong Republican, and was a candidate in 1874 for State Senator, but was in the then unpopular temperance movement and was defeated. He is the father of six children living- Clara N. Leigh, of St. Louis; Winnie F. Rose, of Valparaiso; Leigh, of St. Louis ; Martha, Dwight, Mary.
JOHN GONDRING was born April 15, 1831, in Treves, in Rhen- ish Prussia. He is one of six children born to Michael and Catharine (Pfiffer) Gondring, the former a native of Luxemburg, and the latter of Alsace. The elder Pfiffer was a subaltern officer in the French Army in 1812. The elder Gondring was a Prussian Government contractor. When Squire Gondring was thirteen years old, he left Loraine, in one of the French Catholic pilgrimage companies, to Treves, and went to Paris, and was employed in one of the large railroad car-spring manufacturing companies of Paris as errand boy for four years. He then made applica- tion to the French Government to go to Algeria to join a colony ; he was. successful, and went through Marseilles, across the Mediterranean, and was given charge of twenty Spanish jacks, to carry merchandise, etc .. and was often called out to fight the native tribes. After about nine- months, he went back to France and worked for his old company until the Revolution of 1848; he joined the Paris temporary guard until Napoleon was elected President, in 1849, when he went to Italy, intend- ing to go to Rome to join Garibaldi's army, but stopped in Piedmont. Here he joined the Italians, but after the defeat at Novara, they were given choice of passes to Hungary or Baden, where there were revolu- tions, and they went to Baden. He joined the German revolutionists. He was taken prisoner at Rastadt, and sentenced to over three years at.
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isolated labor at the spinning wheel. After his release, he was compelled to join the Huzzars, but in about three days he deserted and went to Antwerp, where he was engaged as hotel porter, on account of ability to speak French and German. until he made enough to take him to Ameri- ca, three months later. He soon went to work on the Sault Ste. Marie Canal at Lake Superior, then soon to Detroit, Chicago, then to different places, and on steamers on Lake Michigan. In 1854, he began work for Hiram Joy, the Chicago ice king, remaining nine years, when he bought land near Chesterton ; for a year was in Chicago, also at Lake Superior, where he made considerable money. For some time, he was Deputy Sheriff in Houghton, Mich., near Lake Superior. He is the originator of the present brick-yards at New Porter. Since 1875, he has farmed. For four years before, he kept store at New Porter. He has been a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F. Lodge. Since 1876, he has been Justice of the Peace. He was married November 15, 1855, to Elizabeth Foederath. a German. She died exactly ten years after her marriage. In 1868, he married Theresa Kuhn, also a German. He has five children living. He is Independent in politics, a public-spirited citizen and a live business man.
HIRAM GREEN, M. D. and druggist, was born July 19, 1829, in Oneida County, N. Y. He is the youngest of three brothers living, born to Tillinghast and Theodosia (Kellogg) Green, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New York. The elder Green was a minis- ter of the Baptist faith, and a regimental musician of the war of 1812. He died at the advanced age of ninety-one. The Doctor lived with his father until twelve years of age-six years in New York, and the follow- ing six in Ohio. In his twelfth year, he entered a normal school, hiring out for four months at $7 a month, at the end of which time his $28 was partly invested in clothes, books and tuition. He continued thus for two years, working for his board and tuition, and had 30 cents of the original $28 left at the end of the time ; he immediately began the study of medi- cine with his brother in New Lisbon, Ohio; he had peculiar advantages with his brother that enabled him to begin practicing at the end of six years ; he then went to Birmingham, opposite Pittsburgh, where the cholera was raging to the extent that half the town had died or left. He very fortunately received the practice of a well-established physician who was compelled to leave. Dr. Green soon went to Warren, Ohio, to take care of his brother's family, the brother having died. About one year later, he went to Somerset, Hillsdale Co., Mich., and after a residence of six months was attacked by the " California gold fever," a company offer- ing inducements if he would go and give medical aid. He started, but on arriving at Michigan City, he was taken sick, ill health following for two years. As soon as able, he came to Chesterton and took a school, but soon gave it up to practice, living at Gosset's Mill for about four years, when he came to Chesterton, the war having begun, and recruited a company, of which he was commissioned Lieutenant, and afterward Captain ; about three months later, he was re-commissioned Assistant Surgeon on the medical staff at Nashville, serving under trying difficulties. After a time, on account of ill health, he resigned and re- turned to Porter County, locating in Wheeler, where he remained about
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three years, and then came to Chesterton. For about fifteen years, he answered every call, but his wife's health compelled him to confine his practice, and he soon went into the drug business, though of late years he has done much riding. His drug store, one of the most tasteful in the county, is of his own design. Dr. Green is a member of the F. & A. M. Commandery, and of the I. O. O. F., and at present Township Trustee. He was formerly a Republican, but is now a Greenbacker. He was mar- ried, in the spring of 1854, to Elsie Corey, a native of Michigan City, and a niece of Jesse Harper, Chairman of the National Greenback Cen- tral Committee. They have had three children-Florence A. (deceased) Cora B. and Aylmer E.
HENRY HAGEMAN was born November 21, 1816, in Union County, Ind. (then Indiana Territory). He is the youngest of two chil- dren living born to John and Hannah (Batton) Hageman. the former a native of Germany and the latter of Virginia. Henry Batton, grand- father of our subject, was a Revolutionary soldier, and the father served in the war of 1812 as Major. Grandfather Batton lived to the advanced age of nearly one hundred years. Mr. Hageman, our subject, lived but a short time in Union County, Ind. ; went to Montgomery County ; then to Fountain County, where he received the most of his education, in the town of Robroy, laid out by a brother-in-law. When about twelve years old, he came to La Porte County, and after a year came to Porter County, and the family soon followed. Mr. Hageman has farmed almost contin- uously since, with the exception of two winters at Indian trading, in which he spoke two Indian languages. He lived two years in Rock Island County, Ill., where he owned land. Before Mr. Hageman divided any of his property among his children, he had about six hundred acres, all in Westchester and Portage Townships. In 1879, he laid out the town of Hageman, at the Michigan Central and L. S. & M. S. crossing. He has been a member of the M. E. Church for about forty years, and is now Recording Steward and District Steward. He has been Trustee and Assessor of the township and was a delegate to the Congressional Con- ventions in 1880 and 1882. He has been a Republican since about 1854. He is a man of great energy and enthusiasm, and is one of our most public-spirited citizens and among our leaders in public affairs. He was married, in 1836, to Hannah J. Gosset, a native of Indiana. They have six children living-Sarah J., John, Mariah, Rosa, Lilan and Han- nah F.
JOHN HALLBERG was born May 30, 1825, in Sweden. He is the youngest of three brothers born to John and Mary (Danielson) John- son, both natives of Sweden. John's name, Hallberg, was given him on account of his being a soldier ; otherwise, it would have been Johnson. When twenty-one years of age, he began working for himself at the trade he had learned under his father, viz., shoemaking. When thirty years old. he began farming and continued up to 1866, when he came to the United States, stopping in New Jersey six months, and Chicago six months, and finally settling on his present farm of forty-five acres of fine land, mostly improved, and his son's-Pehr Afred's twenty acres since added. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. He was a Republican in politics until 1876, when he adopted the Greenback faith. He is one of our first
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Swedish farmers, and among our best citizens. He was married, in 1846, to Eliza Maria Swanson, a native of Sweden. He has two children- John A. (who was given the naine "2000" in Sweden, but adopted his father's name on coming to America), and Pehr A.
MICHAEL C. HEFRON, telegraph operator, was born March 10, 1861, in Chesterton. He is the youngest of two brothers born to Morris and Elizabeth (Ryan) Hefron, both natives of Ireland. The elder Hefron was one of Chesterton's early merchants and Justice of the Peace. He came to the United States and settled in La Porte, and then came to Chesterton, where he was married, and lived until his death, which occurred in 1863. M. C. Hefron has always made his home in Chester- ton, and was connected with the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern grain house for several years. He learned telegraphy in Chesterton, and has become among our first-class operators, with a talent and business capaci- ties peculiarly adapted to his chosen profession. He was educated first at Chesterton, and afterward at the St. Paul Academy at Valparaiso, Ind., and, as a consequence, is well prepared for business life. He is a stu- dent, with a library of 150 volumes and periodicals. He takes an inter- est in political questions, is independent, partaking of the prevailing opposition to the old parties. He is a land-holder, and has already laid the foundation of a future fortune.
DAVID H. HOPKINS (deceased) was born July 29, 1820, in New York. He was the elder son of David and Susan Hopkins, both natives of New York. Our subject lived at home until 1844, when he was mar- ried to Cynthia C. Barney, a native of Ohio. They went to Chicago and lived for three months. He had learned his trade of cooper of his father and now began business extensively. They went to Michigan, but in a year went to Bailly Town and then to City West, Porter County. where he employed forty or fifty men. In about two years, he went to Chesterton, and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1870. Besides coopering he kept a general merchandise store. Mr. Hopkins was a member of the Odd Fellows order. He was a stanch Republican and took an active interest in politics, and an energetic, able business man and financier, and an enterprising public-spirited citizen. The Methodist Episcopal Church was built mainly through his efforts. He was one of Chesterton's earliest settlers, and built some of its first houses and owned much of its property. With the exception of two years in Valparaiso, the Widow Hopkins lived in Chesterton until the fall of 1881. when she went to Michigan City, where she resides at present in quiet retirement. She has four children living-Laura E. Pinney, Gurdon H., Albert E. and Maud.
GEORGE E. HOUSER, photographer, was born May 16, 1863, in Wells County, Ind. He was one of ten children born to William and Nancy (Mygrants) Houser, both natives of the Buckeye State. The elder Houser was among the early settlers of Wells County, and at pres- ent owns 160 acres in Huntington and Wells Counties, where he still lives, on the county line. When about seventeen, George began learning his trade in Westville, La Porte Co., Ind., and after an apprentice- ship of about four months he went to Michigan City, and there finished. In April, 1882, he came to Chesterton and established his present studio,
B
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where he is prepared to do anything in his line, such as photos, India- ink, enlarging, etc. He is a first-class workman of good taste and ability, and a promising young man of refined habits. In politics, he has been under Democratic influences, but considers himself independent. He has been a member of the Albright Church.
CHARLES HYLANDER, of the firm of Hylander Bros., was born May 2, 1849, in Sweden. He is the youngest of nine children born to J. M. and Anna S. (Malmberg) Hylander, both natives of Sweden. Charles lived with his father until sixteen years of age; he then entered a store in Helsingborg for three years, when he came to the United States and settled in Porter County; here he worked at different things until 1874; he then ran a restaurant for some years. In June, 1881, he, with his brother, bought their present building and established a dry goods, grocery, hat, cap and queensware store, and have built up one of the best trades in the city. He was elected Justice of the Peace, but did not qualify. He was a Republican until Grant's second administration, when he joined the Democratic ranks, but on the formation of the Green- back party he voted with that; he is now independent. The brothers are both excellent business men, and among our enterprising citizens. Charles was married in 1874, to Lina Swanson, a native of Sweden. They have three children-Ida M., Matilda M. and Charles O., Jr.
AUGUST HYLANDER, the other member of the firm of Hylander Brothers, was born August 21, 1838, in Sweden; he lived at home until thirteen years old, when he entered as clerk in a store in Helsing- borg, remaining for eighteen years. He then came to America and settled in Porter County and has been here ever since, with the exception of a short time in Chicago. In 1876, he began clerking for Jay Pinney, and continued until he, with his brother, established their present firm. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. The brothers are of similar belief in politics. August was married in 1881, to Matilda Swan- son, a native of Sweden; they have one boy-Ernst W. .
DANIEL P. INGRAHAM, lumberman, was born November 24, 1834, in Providence, New Brunswick. He is one of nine children born to Charles and Betsy (Courser) Ingraham, both natives of New Bruns- wick. The elder Ingraham was of English parentage and a member of the Christian Church. Young Ingraham lived in New Brunswick until about sixteen years of age, when the family came to Batavia, Ill., and engaged in farming and lumbering for about four years. The family there separated, and Daniel went to Marengo, Ill., where he engaged in railroading and farming for several years. After a journey to the West and back, lasting about a year, he engaged in lumbering for about a year in Michigan. In January, 1861, he came to Chesterton, where he has lived ever since, and has built up the most extensive lumbering trade in the northern part of the county, outside of Valparaiso. He buys, man- ufactures and ships lumber to the Chicago market. He has two portable saw-mills in Jackson and Westchester Townships. He has been a mem- ber of the Good Templars, Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, and also a member of the M. E. Church. He was Township Trustee for four years. He has always been a stanch Republican, and has been an Abo- litionist, and now favors the Prohibition movement. He is Superintend-
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ent of the M. E. Sunday school. He was married, in June, 1859, to Lois A. Bulard, a native of Marengo, Ill. They have five children- Minnie, Frank, Maud, Harriet and Charles.
CLAUS JOHNSON, one of Chesterton's business men, was born March 29, 1850, in Sweden. He is one of three children living born to John S. and Mary (Swanson) Johnson, both natives of Sweden. When about twenty years old, Mr. Johnson came to America, and settled in Bailly Town, Porter County. With the exception of two summers in Michigan and three summers in Elkhart, Ind., he has been in Porter County ever since, working on the railroad until January, 1878, when he began his present business, where he has rooms equal to any of the kind in the place. He has been a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church and was a Republican until 1878, when he became a Democrat, and still believes in that party. Mr. Johnson is one of Chesterton's property owners and a live business men. He was married, in 1879, to Sophia Linden, a native of Sweden. They have one child-Edgart T.
GUSTUS JOHNSON was born November 4, 1836, in Sweden. He is one of nine children born to John P. and Johannah Johnson. When Gustus was twenty years of age, he came to the United States and settled in Porter County, and after teaming for about two years in Westchester Township, he came to Chesterton. In 1862, he enlisted in the Seventy- third Indiana Volunteer Infantry as teamster, but in a short time, en- listed in the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Indiana, and served under Thomas, in the West ; then was sent to North Carolina, where he served for a year, after the close of the war, on garrison duty. After a short time in Chesterton, he went to Kansas, but after about one and a half years he came back, and has been here ever since, engaged in different things until June, 1881, when he bought the "Indiana House " (now Johnson Hotel). Having taken it when badly out of repair, he has made a thorough cleaning, papering, painting, etc., and built an addition 16x32 feet with two-stories, at an expense of probably $500. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. In politics, he has always been a Democrat, but voted a few times the Greenback ticket. He was married, in 1869, to Christina Swanson, a native of Sweden. They have three children living-Johannah C. E., Oscar W. L. and Ida C.
P. A. JOHNSON was born February 27, 1851, in Sweden. He is the youngest of nine children born to Johnnis and Johannah (Donnold- son) Johnson, both natives of Sweden. Young Johnson lived with his father in Sweden until his seventeenth year, when he emigrated to the the United States, locating for a time in Paxton, Ill .; thence went to Water Valley, Miss., for about five years, engaging in work in a sash and blind factory ; he then came to Chesterton, and, in March, 1881, bought the stock of dry goods and groceries kept in his building by a Mr. Did- die, and has built up a rapidly increasing trade ; he has probably one of the best-selected stocks in the place, with a trade second to none ; he is a moderate Republican ; he is an enterprising young man, of quiet habits and good taste.
DR. ERASMUS J. JONES, physician at New Porter, was born, in 1814, in Ohio ; he is one of twelve children born to Erasmus and Mary (Sellars) Jones, both natives of Virginia. The elder Jones was one of
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the first settlers of Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1778. Dr. Jones' mother was well educated, and, as there were few or no educational facilities in those days, she educated her son to nearly all he received, but, as the Doctor is a self-made man, he early became interested in the study of medicine be- fore he had the least idea of making it a profession, and did so only be- cause he was urged to. The Doctor lived, married, studied and practiced medicine in the house in which he was born until 1846; he had studied and reported progress to a physician near, but as M. D.'s were "few and far between," and it was a sickly season, he was pressed into practice when sixteen years old. In 1840, he went to Philadelphia and attended the Jefferson Medical College. In 1846, he went in partner- ship with his brother-in-law, Dr. J. G. Kyle, an excellent physician in Southwestern Ohio, but, on account of his wife's health, he concluded to go West in 1851, and procured a "four-horse " team and driver and started, intending to go to Iowa. Upon arriving in Porter County, his family took sick, which caused him to stop, and, on account of induce- ments offered by the people of Gosset settlement, he located there, intend- ing to stay but a short time, but remained until 1859, when he was elected County Clerk, and lived in Valparaiso for two terms. He then removed to Chesterton, where he resumed practice, and was in the drug business until 1881 ; then came to New Porter, where he still resides and prac- tices. His robust constitution enables him to do more than the share of one physician. He has been a member of both F. & A. M. and Odd Fel- low fraternities. He was elected Justice of the Peace before he was twenty- one, and had to wait till of age for his commission. Dr. Jones has always been a strong Abolitionist and a Republican. He was married, in 1836, to Susan McCafferty, a native of Ohio. She died in 1839. In 1846, he married Elizabeth Bullard, a native of Xenia, Ohio. The Doctor has six children, living-Laura Terry, Theo. C., Mary J. Sovereign, Joseph A., Schuyler C. and Willie.
REV. H. F. J. KROLL, priest of the Catholic Church at Chester- ton and its surrounding missions, was born October 4, 1855, in Baltimore. Md. He is the elder of two brothers born to Henry and Theresa (Frei- muth) Kroll, both natives of Hesse-Cassel, Germany. The elder Kroll still lives in Baltimore, engaged in the grocery business. Father Kroll was in the Baltimore Parochial Schools until thirteen years of age; then attended a priesthood preparatory college in the same city for two years ; he then entered St. Vincent College, in Westmoreland, Penn., conducted by the Benedictine Fathers. After two years, he went to Milwaukee St. Francis Seminary, where he finished his preparation for the priesthood in five years; he was now ordained by Bishop Dwenger, of Fort Wayne, Ind., June 31, 1879, and given the Chesterton parish and its missions. When Rev. Kroll took the charge, it was encumbered by a debt of $1,560, the church poorly furnished, and a membership of thirty-five families. etc. The debt was paid over a year ago, the church well furnished, the number of families increased to fifty-five, the cemetery improved, a fine brick parsonage, 24x44 feet, erected and paid for ; this is the fruit of the untiring and persistent energy and ability of its pastor. The intention of Rev. Kroll is to establish a Catholic school this coming winter. These facts show the church to be in excellent conditon. He has a fine library
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of about 300 volumes. He, as all must be that enter his profession, has been a hard student, and is a fine scholar.
ROBERT B. LANSING was born January 10, 1810, in Vermont. He is one four children, living, born to Robert and Martha (Bingham) Lansing, the former a native of New York City, and the latter of Ver- inont. The Van Rensselaers, of New York fame, and the Lansings were related. The elder Lansing was in the war of 1812. The city of Lansing, Mich., derived its name, it is said, from relatives of our subject. When Rob- ert B. was quite young, his parents moved to Ohio. Robert followed mill- wrighting for about twenty-seven years in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. He educated himself in advanced studies, and was enabled to teach for five years. In 1849, he came to Chesterton and bought eighty acres of land in Liberty Township, where he farmed until 1880, when he sold out and has since lived in Chesterton. He was Trustee for about four years, and Justice of the Peace for about the same time. He has been a strong Republican and an Abolitionist. In 1861, he enlisted in the Thirty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served three years under Buell and others in the West, and was injured by an accidental fall while charging breast- works at Green River. He was married, in 1828, to Amy A. Burlin- game, who died about eight years later. In 1841, he married Sarah A. Cox, a native of Tennessee. Mr. Lansing has three children living- Caroline Dille, Mary J. Young and Isaac.
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