USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 54
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 54
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469
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
citizens who refused to subscribe, had their names published, gratis, in the Register. The drafted men were ordered to report at Michigan City November 2, 1864. Under the call of December 19, 1864, the county was slow in raising her men. The draft was fixed for the 15th of Febru- ary, but was postponed, and finally came off at Michigan City April 11, 1865. But, as was done the fall before, the townships raised very large bounties, and Centre, St. Johns and Hanover thus cleared themselves. The other townships were credited with drafted men as follows : North, 3; Ross, 5; West Creek, 4; Cedar Creek, 1; Eagle Creek, 1; Win- field, 1 ; Hobart, 4; total, 19. It thus appears that there were three drafts in Lake County, though the last is not recognized by the citizens, as the close of the war rendered it unnecessary. The enrolled militia of Lake in September, 1862, was 1,541; 650 had volunteered; 625 were in the service; 314 were exempted, and 1,227 were subject to draft. The quotas of the county under the calls of February, March and July, 1864, were, respectively, 212, 85 and 225; total, 522. The enrollment upon which they were based was 1,347. The county was credited with 384 recruits, 56 veterans and 48 drafted. This was after the draft of October, 1864. The county enrollment under the December, 1864, call was only 783. Under this call the county was credited with 66 recruits and 19 drafted. From this it will be seen that Lake furnished 650 vol- unteers by autumn of 1862; 384 recruits after that and by October, 1864, and after that 66 recruits ; total volunteers and recruits, 1,100. The drafted men who actually left the county and entered the service were 72, in 1862; 48, in 1864, and 19 in 1865; total drafted, 139. It was also found by actual count in 1864, that not less than 220 men had left the county to enlist, thus making the grand total of the county in the serv- ice the sum of 1,100, 139 and 220, or a total of 1,459 men. They were in the following known, regiment; Ninth, Twelfth, Twentieth, Seventy-second, Seventy-third, Eighty-seventh, Ninty-ninth, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth, One Hundred and Forty-second, One Hundred and Fifty-first and One Hun- dred and Fifty-fifth Infantry ; Fifth, Seventh and Twelfth Cavalry ; Fourth and Twenty-fourth Artillery.
In November or December, 1861, a Soldiers' Aid Society was organ- ized at Crown Point. What was accomplished is not remembered. In December, 1862, the editor of the Register pertinently asked:
" What has become of the Soldiers' Aid Society at Crown Point ?"
From this it would appear that the society was not very actively at work. Public meetings were held in all parts of the county late in 1863, in response to the proclamation of Gov. Morton calling for assistance for soldiers' families. What was done is included in the tabular statement
470
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
farther on. Mrs. S. Robinson and Mrs. E. Hodson, of Lake County, served the Christian Commission as nurses in the Union Hospitals at Memphis and elsewhere. Mrs. Julia Sprague left the county and entered the Nashville Hospitals in August, 1863, as a nurse. Revs. J. E. New- house and J. L. Lower did the same in June, 1864. A sort of fair was held at Crown Point December 4 and 5, 1863, on which occasion a considerable quantity of provisions was distributed to soldiers' families. Suppers given to the public in the evenings netted $175.50. This amount was placed in the hands of Alvan Sanford, to be distributed to such fam- ilies. No organized effort of relief was made until January 24, 1864, when, after a strong discourse in the Methodist Episcopal Church, which led to the collection of $40 for the Sanitary Commission, it was decided to re-organize the old aid society. Rev. R. B. Young was elected Presi- dent ; Revs. J. E. Newhouse, T. H. Ball and J. L. Lower, Vice Presi- dents ; W. G. McGlashon, Secretary, and E. M. Cramer, Treasurer. Do- nation Committee-Mrs. J. H. Luther, Mrs. E. M. Cramer, Mrs. S. J. Robinson, Mrs. J. G. Vandewalker, Miss Chase and Miss Beebe. Com- mittee to draft Constitution and By-Laws-Mrs. J. H. Luther, Mrs. Z. F. Summers and Mrs. J. D. Turner. The above arrangement seems to have been abandoned, for in March, 1864, the ladies perfected the follow- ing organization : President, Mrs. J. H. Luther ; Vice Presidents, Mrs. B. B. Cheshire and Mrs. J. E. Young ; Secretary, Mrs. A. M. Martin ; Treasurer, Mrs. T. H. Ball. This proved to be a working organization, $24 was raised for the ladies to begin with. Mite societies were also or- ganized about this time. An aid society was organized at Plum Grove ; President, Mrs. M. Pierce; Secretary, Miss A. J. Albert ; Treasurer, Miss M. J. Whaler. All these societies began active work. The Crown Point society at the close of the war made the following report : Cash raised, $561.71, all of which had been judiciously expended except $45 ; 1 barrel of pickles, 1 keg of horse radish, 1 firkin of butter (84 pounds), 2 bottles of wine, 101 shirts, 92 pairs of drawers, 29 sheets, 1 bed tick, 8 yards of mosquito-bar, 101 handkerchiefs, 71 towels, 175 pads, 44 pounds of bandages and compresses, 82 pillows, 69 pillow-cases, 18 pairs stockings, 114 pin-cushions, 9 coats, 39 pounds of dried fruit, 49 quilts, 5 vests, 2 pairs pants, 1 dressing-gown and three large boxes of stores valued at $150, sent to the Indiana State Fair. There were some six or eight other societies in the county which, it is said, did as well in proportion. Not less than $3,000 in money and stores were sent from the county for the benefit of the soldiers. Concerts, lectures, suppers, fairs, festivals, dona- tions, etc., etc., were employed in helping the soldiers.
471
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
EXHIBIT OF THE AMOUNTS PAID BY THE COUNTY FOR LOCAL BOUNTY, RELIEF FUND, ETC.
LOCALITY.
Bounty.
Relief.
Miscellaneous.
Lake County
$3,460
$7,315
$876.33
North.
692
....
Ross
3,300
......
St. Johns
18,700
Centre
9,300
1,200
West Creek.
8,922
300
.....
Cedar Creek ..
10,850
800
..
Eagle Creek
2,000
1,000
.....
Winfield
150
341
..
Hanover.
10,000
Total
$62,374
$10,956
$876.33
Grand Total
$74,206.33
Four full companies left Lake during the war, as follows: Com- pany B, Twentieth Regiment; Company A, Seventy-third Regiment ; Company A, Ninety-ninth Regiment, and Company G, Twelfth Cavalry. The following were the officers of these companies, from the time of entering the service until muster out, given in the order of their ap- pointments : Company B, of the Twentieth-Captains, John Wheeler and Charles A. Bell ; First Lieutenants, Charles A. Bell, Michael Shee- han and Christopher Fraunberg; Second Lieutenants, Michael Shee- han, William S. Babbitt, Joseph A. Clark and Amory K. Allen. Company A, of the Seventy-third-Captains, William Krimbill, Richard W. Price and Alfred Fry ; First Lieutenants, Richard W. Price, Philip Reed, Alfred Fry and J. R. Uptigrove ; Second Lieutenants, Philip Reed, Alfred Fry, J. R. Uptigrove, G. S. Clark and Oliver G. Wheeler. Company A, of the Ninety-ninth-Captains, David F. Sawyer, Kellogg M. Burnham, Rodman H. Wells and Alfred H. Heath. First Lieu- tenants, K. M. Burnham, R. H. Wells, A. H. Heath, D. T. Burnham and John P. Merrill ; Second Lieutenants, J. M. D. Craft, A. H. Heath and H. T. Wilton. Company G, of the Twelfth Cavalry-Captains, Almon Foster and John M. Foster ; First Lieutenants, John M. Foster and Maurice Sheehan ; Second Lieutenants, Maurice Sheehan, Charles Ball and Alexander McDonald.
The bounties paid by the Government during the rebellion were as follows: July 22, 1861, $100 for three years' men ; June 25, 1863, $400 to all veterans re-enlisting for three years or the war, to be paid until April 1, 1864; October 24, 1863, $300 to new recruits in old regiments, to be paid until April 1, 1864; July 19, 1864, $100 for recruits for one year, $200 for recruits for two years and $300 for recruits for three years ; November 28, 1864, $300 out of the draft or substitute fund, in addition to the bounty of July 19, 1864, for
.
472
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
men enlisting in the First Army Corps; an act of July 4, 1864, rescinded the payment of the $100 under the act of July 22, 1861, to drafted men and substitutes.
CALLS FOR TROOPS DURING THE REBELLION.
1. April 15, 1861, 75,000 men for three months.
2. May 3, 1861, 42,034 men for three years (regular army).
3. July 2, 1862, 300,000 men for nine months.
4. August 4, 1862, 300,000 men for nine months.
5. June 15, 1863, 100,000 men for six months.
6. October 17, 1863, 300,000 men for three years.
7. February 1, 1864, 200,000 men for three years.
8. March 14, 1864, 200,000 men for three years.
9. April 23, 1864, 85,000 for 100 days.
10. July 18, 1864, 500,000 men for one, two and three years.
11. December 19, 1864, 300,000 men for three years.
The Twentieth Regiment participated in the following engagements : Hatteras Bank, Newport News, Capture of Norfolk, Orchards (where it lost 144 men, killed, wounded and missing), Seven Days' Fight, Manas- sas Plains (where Col. Brown was killed), Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (second, third and fourth day's fight, losing 152 men killed, wounded and missing, including Col. John Wheeler, a resident of Lake County), Manassas Gap, Locust Grove, Pine Run, Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Po River, Spottsylvania, Tallopotanni, Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains, Petersburg (where many men were lost, including Lieut. Col. Meikel), Preble's House, Hatcher's Run, and all the battles until the surrender of Lee's army, besides others of less note.
The Seventy-third fought at Chaplin Hills, Wild Cat, Gallatin (where it captured nineteen men), various skirmishes, Stone River (where it lost twenty-two killed, forty-six wounded and thirty-six missing, was at the front and under fire six days, occupied the extreme right of the army, the extreme left and the center, lost every member of the color guard, killed or wounded, except the color bearer, and was complimented for gallantry by Gen. Rosecrans in person), Streight's Expedition, fighting at Day's Gap, Crooked Creek (lost twenty-three killed and wounded), Blount's Farm (where Col. Hathaway was mortally wounded), and the regiment was captured at Cedar Bluff, the men being soon exchanged, but not the officers, many skirmishes while guarding property in Tennessee and Kentucky, Athens, Ala., Decatur, frequent skirmishes near Larkinsville, and others of less importance.
The Ninety-ninth fought at the siege of Vicksburg, Big Black River,
.
473
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
siege of Jackson, Brownsville, Mission Ridge, pursuit of Bragg, Chatta- nooga, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Big Shanty, seven days' skirmishing near Kenesaw Mountain, Nickajack Creek, Decatur, in front of Atlanta, skirmished every day from the 3d to the 15th of August, Jonesboro, Lovejoy's Station, Little River ; on the march to the sea, it fought at Cannouchee River and Ogeechee River, charge upon Ft. Mc- Allister, Duck Creek, Edisto River, Bentonville and others.
The Twelfth Cavalry fought guerrillas in numerous skirmishes between Huntsville, Ala., and Point Rock (and lost many men, killed and wounded ), same while at Brownsboro and at Tullahoma, Wilkinson's Pike and Overall's Creek, skirmished before Murfreesboro and in the defense of Mobile, Grierson raid and numerous other places, besides doing a vast and constant amount of fatigue and guard duty.
LAKE COUNTY'S ROLL OF HONOR.
Ninth Infantry. - Thomas A. Bieber, died of disease, February, 1862; Lewis W. Crandle, died of disease, March, 1862; Alfred E. Fol- sam, killed at Shiloh, April, 1862; William B. Handle, died of disease, June, 1862; Benjamin F. Harris, died of disease, February, 1862 ; Asa A. Ketchum, died of wounds received at Stone River, January, 1863 ; Robert B. Lathrop, killed at Shiloh, April, 1862; Lewis E. Smith, killed at Greenbrier, Va., October, 1861; John D. Snure, died of disease, February, 1862. Total, 9.
Twentieth Infantry .- Col. John Wheeler, killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863; Samuel Bangleburn, died in Andersonville Prison, November, 1864; James A. Deyoe, died of wounds, August, 1864; Jeremiah W. Drake, died of wounds received at Petersburg; George W. Edgerton, killed at Gettysburg, July, 1863; Horace Fuller, killed in the Wilder- ness, Va., May, 1864; Lawrence Frantz, killed at Spottsylvania, May, 1864; Michael Hafey, died at Petersburg, Va .; Christian Hazworth, died of wounds received at Manassas Plains, May, 1863; William M. Johnson, killed at Petersburg, June, 1864; Albert Kale, died at Camp Hampton, Va., December, 1861; James D. Merrill, killed in the Wilder- ness, May, 1864; William Mutchler, died at Camp Smith, Va., April, 1862; Peter Mutchler, died of wounds received at Chickahominy, July, 1862 ; James Pattie, died in Belle Isle Prison, Va .; David Pinckerton, died of wounds received in the Wilderness ; Joshua Richmond, killed at Gettysburg, July, 1863; Harvey B. Sisson, died at Brandy Station, Va., February, 1864; John F. Tarr, died at Washington, November, 1862; Isaac Williams, died of wounds received at Gettysburg, July, 1863; Charles Winters, died of wounds received at Petersburg, June, 1864. Total, 21.
474
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
Seventy-third Infantry .- Lewis Atkins, died at Nashville, November, 1862; Eli Atwood, died at Nashville, November, 1862; John Childers, died at Nashville, December, 1862; John H. Early, killed at Stone River, December, 1862; Robert W. Fuller, died at Indianapolis, August, 1863; Jasper M. Fuller, died at Gallatin, Tenn., January, 1863; Will- iam Frazier, died at Nashville, December, 1862; Marion Graves, died at Nashville, December, 1862; Austin Lamphier, died at Nashville, Janu- ary, 1863; Thomas W. Loving, died at Nashville, September, 1863; John Maxwell, died at Scottsville, Ky., November, 1862; Isaac W. Moore, died at Gallatin, December, 1862; Leander Morris, died at Nash- ville, April, 1863 ; Albert Nichols, died at Nashville, December, 1862 ; James Rooney, died at Nashville, February. 1863; Cornelius Vanburg, died at Bowling Green, Ky., December, 1862; Edward Welch, killed at Stone River, December, 1862; Samuel White, killed at Blunt's Farm, Ala., May, 1863; Mial Woods, died in Gallatin, January, 1863; Ed- mund Woods, died at Nashville, November, 1862. Total, 20.
Ninety-ninth Infantry .- Orrin E. Atkin, killed at Nickajack Creek, July, 1864 ; Justiss Bartholomew, died at Andersonville Prison, August, 1864; D. T. Burnham, killed near Atlanta, August, 1864; James D. Clingham, died at Huntsville, Ala., July, 1864; R. T. Harris, died at La Grange, Tenn., March, 1863; H. H. Haskins, died in Andersonville Prison, October, 1864; James Horton, killed at Atlanta, July, 1864 ; John Lorey, died at Black River, Miss., September, 1863; Adam Mock, died at Black River, September, 1863; Nicholas Newman, drowned in Black River, August, 1863; Corydon Pierce, died at Wash- ington, N. C., April, 1865; Thomas C. Pinnell, died near La Grange, Tenn., February, 1863; Albert Robbins, died of wounds received at At- lanta, August, 1864; Jacob Schmidt, died July, 1863; John Stickle- man, died of wounds received at Atlanta, September, 1864 ; A. Vander- vert, died March, 1863; Michael Winand, died at home, December, 1864. Total, 17.
One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Infantry .- Christian Birch, died at Salisbury Prison, N. C., September, 1865; William G. Harris, died at Nashville, May, 1864; Gottlieb Santer, died at Burnt Hickory, Ga., June, 1864. Total, 3.
One Hundred and Fifty-first Infantry .- Elbridge Clark, died at. Louisville, Ky., August, 1865; Reuben Clark, died at home, March, 1865; Alexander McKnight, died at Nashville, June, 1865; Rice C. Thompson, died at Tullahoma, June, 1865. Total, 4.
Fifth Cavalry .- Mark P. Mushrush, died at Florence, S. C., Janu- ary, 1864. Total, 1.
Twelfth Cavalry .- Lieut. Charles Ball, died at home, September,.
475
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
1865; Henry Brockman, died at New Orleans, April, 1865 ; Sidney W. Chapman, died at New Orleans, April, 1865; Charles Crothers, died at Kendallville, Ind., March, 1864; Jacob Deeter, died at Vicksburg, Jan- uary, 1865; R. L. Fuller, died at home, October, 1864; Ephraim E. Goff, died at Starkville, August, 1865; William Harland, died at Nash- ville, January, 1865; Mathias Hoopendall, died at Huntsville, Ala., June, 1864; Frederick Kahle, died at Kendallville, Ind., April, 1864; M. F. McCarty, died at Nashville, May, 1864; Albert McMillan, died at Michigan City, February, 1864; F. S. Miller, died at home; Albert Moore, died at Kendallville, Ind., April, 1864; W. M. Pringle, died at Nashville, November, 1864; S. A. Robbins, died at Huntsville, July, 1864; William Stinkle, died at Nashville, February, 1865; William Stubby, died at home, May, 1864; Ezra Wedge, died at home, February, 1864. Total, 19. Grand total of men from the county known to have died in the rebellion, 94. It is reasonable to infer that enough more died in regiments enlisted wholly without the county to raise the roll of honor to 150 men.
CHAPTER IV.
BY WESTON A. GOODSPEED.
CROWN POINT AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP-FIRST WHITE FAMILY IN THE TOWNSHIP-DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLE- MENT-PRIVATIONS ENDURED BY THE SQUATTERS-CATALOGUE OF EARLY SETTLERS-LAKE COURT HOUSE-ITS ORIGIN AND GROWTH- ROBINSON'S HISTORICAL LECTURE OF 1847-MERCHANTS AND MECHANICS -PROFESSIONAL MEN-THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS-PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISES - SECRET SOCIETIES-INCORPORATION-TOWN OFFICERS AND THEIR ENACTMENTS-SUMMARY OF PRESENT BUSINESS INTERESTS.
SO far as known, the first white persons in Centre Township, or upon the present site of Crown Point, were a family of the name of Far- well, consisting of some five or six individuals who had come from the Green Mountain State for a home in the West, and were endeavoring to find their way over the rather obscure Sac trail, which passed across the present site of Crown Point to the Hickory Creek settlement in Illinois. The members of the family were inexperienced in the mysteries of prairie or wood craft, and, for some miles back, had been troubled to follow the trail, though to the practiced eye of an Indian or a white hunter all obstacles vanished. The travelers finally missed the trail, and, not wish- ing to wander into unknown and unexplored tracts of prairie or wood- land, took shelter from the burning rays of the sun in a beautiful grove which seemed to beckon them with its grateful shade. A young man of the family was dispatched on horseback along the route over which they
476
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
had come to find some guide who could and would direct the family on their way toward their destination. While the messenger was gone, the remainder of the family passed the Fourth of July, 1833, where now re- poses the prosperous town of Crown Point. If the male members of the Farwell family were not the first of their sex upon the town site, it can certainly be said, though at a venture, that Mrs. Farwell was the first white woman. There are, however, two or more possible doubts even to this. There is scarcely a doubt that white pioneers bound for the numer- ous settlements springing up like mushrooms on the fertile prairie of Illinois, passed over the Sac trail previous to the national holiday above mentioned, and, of course, women were among the number. There is the further possibility, if not probability, of there having been in former years white women (captives or wives) among the Indians, who, at cer- tain periods, made the town site a resort for detachments of their band. While, of course, in 1833, it was very new in the vicinity of Lake County, it is certainly true that all this country for many leagues around had been traversed by hardy home-seekers and adventurers, and there was not a foot of land that had not been swept by the bold and speculative eyes of numerous pioneers. Long before Lake was thought of as a human habita- tion, well-populated settlements had flourished on the Illinois River, and, no doubt, the prairies of Lake had been traversed by white men seeking these distant outposts. But this is speculation, and to Mrs. Farwell must be accorded the known honors, such as there are. The son at last re- turned with a guide, and the family continued on the journey, following the trail down through the woods to Cedar Lake, thence southwesterly across the northern part of West Creek Township. Their future move- ments are unknown to the writer, until they, a few years later, 1836, re- turned to the rich land on West Creek, where they made their home, and were for many years prominent and respected citizens.
The first known attempts at white settlement within the borders of Centre Township were made before the autumn of 1834, but the details of these events are very meager and somewhat enveloped in speculation. When Solon Robinson appeared in the fall of 1834, he found upon the present site of the county scat evidences of attempts by white persons to pre-empt the soil, not only there, but at one or more other places in Cen- tre Township. It was either then or afterward ascertained that William Butler had previously been upon the ground, and had founded claims for himself, for his brother, E. P. Butler, and possibly for George and Theo- dore Wells. One small log cabin, and perhaps more, was erected, and the claims were marked with stakes to prevent others from interfering with the rights of the squatters. Some time during the summer or early autumn of 1834, a man of the name of John Huntley had located a
479
CROWN POINT AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
claim on the south half of Section 8, and had constructed two rude log cabins. It is possible that he may have lived in one a short time. It is also quite certain that claims (number unknown) were also established in the central and southern portions of the township, as Solon Robinson speaks of seeing, after his arrival, the cabins which had been built. None of these claims, however, were permanent.
Permanent Settlement .- In October, 1834, near the close of the month, Thomas Childers and family located in the edge of School Grove, on the southeast quarter of Section 17, which section was a Pottawatomie "float " owned by Nis-sink-que-quah, a half-chief of his tribe. He erected a small log cabin, in which were domiciled his wife and a few chil- dren, and began to prepare for winter. On the last day of October, 1834, Solon Robinson arrived, and the following is his own narrative of that event: " It was the last day of October, 1834, when I first entered this 'arm of the Grand Prairie.' It was about noon, of a clear, delightful day, when we emerged from the woods, and, for miles around, stretched forth one broad expanse of clear, open land. At that time, the whole of this county scarcely showed a sign that the white man had yet been there, except those of my own household. I stood alone, wrapt up in that peculiar sen- sation that man only feels when beholding a prairie for the first time-it is an indescribable, delightful feeling. Oh, what a rich mine of wealth lay outstretched before me. Some ten miles away to the southwest, the tops of a grove were visible. Toward that onward rolled the wagons with nothing to impede them. * * * Just before sundown, we reached the grove and pitched our tent by the side of a spring. What could exceed the beauty of this spot ! Why should we seek farther ? Here is everything to indicate a healthy location which should always in- fluence the new settler. * * * After enjoying such a night of rest as can only be enjoyed after such a day, the morning helped to con- firm us that here should be our resting-place. In a few hours the grove resounded with the blows of the ax, and in four days we moved into our 'new house.'"
Solon Robinson was thus the first settler upon the site of Crown Point, having located his claim upon the northwest quarter of Section 8. Three days after Robinson's arrival, Henry Wells and Luman A. Fowler came on foot from Twenty-Mile Prairie (Porter County), where they had left their horses. They were prospecting, and went down to Cedar Lake, where they slept overnight in a tree top, and feasted on roasted raccoon. Upon their return to Robinson's the next day, they were so tired and sick of the country that, as Robinson afterward aptly expressed it, they would have "sold the whole country, Esau-like, for a mess of pottage." However, they bought the claim and two log cabin
480
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
bodies built by Mr. Huntley, who had located on the south half of Sec- tion 8, as above stated, prior to the arrival of Childers or Robinson, for $50 cash. Wells went back to his family, near Detroit, but Fowler, a single man, passed the winter with the family of Robinson. In the spring of 1835, Fowler went to Detroit, where he was married, and, in in the following fall, returned with his young wife and Wells' wife and child and settled upon his claim, and in a short time afterward Wells joined his family and friends in the new home. In December, 1834, William Clark arrived and located a claim on the northeast quarter of Section 8, where he built a cabin, and where, a month and a half or two months later, he brought his wife and family. Immediately after Clark, there came Warner and William Holton, the latter arriving about the middle of February, 1835, and the former a few days later. These families came from the Wabash region, as did Robinson. J. W. Holton soon arrived. The experiences of the family of William Clark, coming in wagons from the Wabash in the month of February, 1835, are worth recording at this juncture. As stated above, Mr. Clark had come out in December, 1834, and located a claim and built a house thereon, and had then returned for his family. The weather of the winter up to this period had been open and quite pleasant; but, in February, the severest cold weather set in after a heavy fall of snow, and the greatest distress was experienced by the settlers. The Clark family were caught in this storm while down below the Kankakee, and with the greatest difficulty and suffering pushed their way onward. The vast marshes south of the Kankakee were "covered with ice, upon which night overtook them while endeavoring to force their way across. There was no house, and they were unprepared for camping out, and one of the most severe cold nights was about closing in upon them, surrounded by a wide field of ice, upon which the already frightened and tired oxen refused to go farther, and not a tree or stick of firewood was near them. These families upon this night might have perished had they not providentially discovered a set of logs which some one had hauled out upon a little knoll near by to build a cabin with, and with which they were enabled to build a fire to warm a tent made out of the covering of their wagons, and which enabled them to shelter themselves from the blast that swept drearily over the wide prairie. The next day, by diverging ten miles out of their course, they reached a little, miserable hut of an old Frenchman named Shobar, who lived with his half-Indian family on the Kankakee. Here they stayed two nights. Such was the severity of the weather that they dared not leave their uncomfortable quarters, and, when they did so, they had to make a road for the oxen across the river by spreading hay upon the ice and freezing it down by pouring on water." They had
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