USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 55
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 55
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great difficulty during the remainder of the transit, the oxen at one time breaking through the ice at West Creek, in the township of the same name, and being extricated only after hard labor. Night was coming on, and the way was very uncertain. At length, just at dark, they saw a guide-board with the following welcome information : " To Solon Robin- son's five miles north." The oxen were hurried forward (if the poor, faithful beasts could be), and, some time after dark, the worn-out and half- frozen travelers reached a hearty welcome around the roaring fire-place in the cabin of Solon Robinson. The latter part of the winter of 1834-35 was very severe, the extreme cold weather extending far into the spring. Oxen and cows starved to death or perished with cold. Mills were miles away, and families were unwillingly reduced to Hobson's choice. The family of Luman Wells were obliged to make a supper of a huge owl (ugh !), and were on the point of roasting a wolf, when a supply of pro- visions arrived. Mr. Wells went to mill, and on his return at night, drove from a steep bank into the freezing waters and floating ice of Deep River. He clung to one horse, and succeeded in reaching the shore. His loud cries brought assistance from a house near by, or he must have perished. It was near night of the following day before he recovered the other horse and the wagon. Many incidents similar to these might be narrated. Solon Robinson's description of the "first trip to mill," published in the Albany Cultivator in 1841, presents a remark- able degree of privation endured by his family during his absence, and is a faithful account of what transpired in each pioneer family. He had been gone nine days, four or five longer than expected, and his wife had long before "scraped the last bone for breakfast. Never were such ap- petites seen before as those which daily diminished the fast-failing stock of provisions of our little family in the wilderness." No lard, no butter, no meat, no milk. On the sixth day, a small bag of wheat bran was found. "Bran cakes and cranberries sweetened with honey then was sweet diet. Although the owner of a gun that rarely failed to perform good service, it seemed that every living thing in the shape of game had hid up in winter quarters." Beacon fires were kept at night to guide the messenger on his return across the pathless prairie. The days and nights wore away, until at last the midnight of the ninth day after the messenger's departure found the wife worn out with anxiety and watch- ing, prostrate on the bed to rest but not to sleep. Footsteps sounded on the frozen ground, and a familiar voice was heard. "What joyful sounds ! But the joy was soon dampened, as it became manifest that he drove a team without a wagon. ' Where is that ? ' was the first ques - tion. 'Fast in the river, a few miles back on the prairie.' 'Do you know we have nothing in the house for your supper ?' ' I expected so,
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
and so I brought along a bagful; here are both flour and meat.' " Then the hickory logs began to blaze, and soon there was a supper-and such a supper.
Many claim-seekers appeared during the winter of 1834-35, though but few settlers. With the spring, however, other permanent settlers began to arrive. In March, Richard Fancher appeared with a load of provisions and household goods, drawn by two yoke of oxen. He left his load at Solon Robinson's, and returned for his family, which he brought out in April, and settled on his claim on Section 17. In May, William and Elias Myrick came with their families and founded the " Myrick Settlement " on Sections 19 and 20. Thomas Reed came at the same time, and settled on Section 20. All these settlers, it must be remembered, were squatters. Others came, and, at the time of the assessment in 1837, the following, with those mentioned above, were actual residents of the township: Asahel Albee, Section 13; H. N. Brooks, Section 30; Thomas Clark, 8; M. B. Crosby, 15; Philo Enoe, 29; Henry Farmer, 27; Martin Greenman, 9; William Hunt, 21; Obadiah Higbee, 10; Henry Myrick, 20; Hiram S. Pelton, 7; John Peat, 31 ; E. J. Robinson, 6 ; Milo Robinson, 8; John Reed, 19; Joseph P. Smith, 15; Charles W. Sloat, 31; Stephen Smith, 20; Erastus Sisco, 20; Henry Wells, 8; G. C. Woodbridge, 20; William R. Williams, 18; Zera Woodford, 12. The following is quoted from Ball's history, referring to the settlement at Crown Point :
"The prairie sod was not favorable for an early garden, but an old Indian corn-field furnished a garden spot which the four families divided out and cultivated, and on which they raised their first vegetables. A breaking plow was started May 12, and the first furrow turned was across the quarter section where now Main street runs, beginning at the present line of North street and ending on South street, or at the Eddy place. Twelve acres of oats were raised, and some corn and buckwheat. Some of this buckwheat, sent to mill by the Clark family, was probably the first grist sent from Lake County. The mill was forty miles distant. The first speculation made was in oats. William Clark and William Hol- ton had bought oats in the spring of 1835, in La Porte County, intend- ing them for seed, for 50 cents a bushel. Thinking it too late to sow when they reached their claims, they hauled the oats back and sold them for $1.50 per bushel. The price had gone immediately up. Oats, corn and wheat then all sold for the same price. Warner Holton dug a well. He dug four feet and found water which supplied two fami- lies. This well was near the present railroad depot. As the water receded, the well was made deeper until in after years it reached the depth of twelve feet. Not forgetful of their national history
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in their isolation, this little colony celebrated the Fourth of July, 1835, by going to Cedar Lake and taking a boat ride on its crystal waters. In the fall these settlers saw their first prairie fire, and some of them were quite alarmed at its threatening aspect."
In the year 1836, there settled on the east side of Cedar Lake, Hor- ace Edgerton, Adonijah Taylor, Horace Taylor and Dr. Calvin Lilley. In addition to these, there were others who came in, and whose names cannot be given. A few years later, West Point was founded on the east bank of Cedar Lake. This paper town aspired to be the county seat, a full account of which is found elsewhere in this volume.
As before stated, Solon Robinson built the first house in Crown Point in November, 1834. When H. S. Pelton arrived in June, 1835, he found Robinson fencing the garden belonging to several families, which was joint property. Much gardening was done this summer, and, in the fall, to guard against a possibly long and protracted winter, a much larger quantity of hay was made than thought necessary ; but so many settlers arrived during the fall of 1835 and the succeeding winter, it was all exhausted before spring, and many cattle and horses literally starved to death. According to Solon Robinson, the site of Crown Point had been a favorite Indian resort in years preceding the advent of the whites ; and a portion of the garden used by the first settlers had been fenced by the Indians, and used, possibly for many years, for the cultivation of corn and vegetables. He further says that he was informed by the Indians that Crown Point was regarded by the Indians as a very healthy location, and the sick were taken there to be benefited and cured. In March, 1836, Solon Robinson was commissioned Postmaster at Lake Court House, but before this the squatters were obliged to go to Michigan City for their mail. During the first year, the Postmaster paid the expense of conducting the office. From March to October (1836), the receipts were $15 ; for the next quarter $8.87; for the next, $21.49; for quarter end- ing June, 1837, $26.92 ; for the next, $43.50; for the next, $38.20; for the first quarter of 1838, $51.33; for next, $51.39. Dr. Palmer came to the county in 1836, before which the sick were visited by physicians from Michigan City. In the latter part of 1836, Solon and Milo Robin- son opened a store in a small log cabin which adjoined the building that was afterward used as a court house. Here, during the winter of 1836- 37, they sold about $3,000 worth of goods, as Solon Robinson noted, to the whites, mostly on time, which was indefinitely extended by the purchasers, and to the Pottawatomies for cash, furs, cranberries, etc. Solon Robinson was Justice of the Peace while Lake remained attached to Porter in 1836, and while serving thus married David Bryant and Mar- garet Steinbrook, December, 1836. The following is a copy of the license :
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
STATE OF INDIANA, PORTER COUNTY. Ss.
To any person duly empowered by law to solemnize marriages in the county aforesaid :
You are hereby authorized to join together as husband and wife David Bryant and Margaret Steinbrook.
Given under my hand on the 19th day of December, A. D. 1836.
SEAL
GEORGE W. TURNER, Clerk.
This was probably the first marriage in Lake County. The second was that of Solomon Russell to Rosina Barnard, solemnized by Solon Robinson, March 9, 1837. The following was the third in the county, STATE OF INDIANA, ยท SS.
LAKE COUNTY.
I, A. L. Ball, a Justice of the Peace in said county, do certify that on the 12th day of March, 1837, I married Lorenzo C. Beebe and Betsey Prentiss as husband and wife, and order that the clerk of said county record the same.
Given under my hand and seal this 27th day of May, 1837.
SEAL
A. L. BALL, Justice of the Peace.
After the organization of the county in 1837, Milo Robinson and Horace Taylor were elected Justices of the Peace of Centre Township. During the summer of 1837, Solon and Milo Robinson built the frame part of the old Pelton House, and fitted the same for the entertainment of the public, with Milo as " mine host." About the same time, they built the building that was used so long for a court house and place of worship. At this time, oak lumber was worth $15 per thousand, and pine lumber $35 per thousand. Nails were 15 cents per pound ; shingles, $3 per thousand ; flour, $10 per barrel ; pork, $25 per barrel ; butter, 27 cents per pound ; cows, $25 to $40 each. During the year 1837, several buildings were erected at Crown Point and several families moved in. During the winter of 1837-38, a mail route was eslablished from Monti- cello to Lake Court House, with H. S. Pelton carrier. At this time, some eight families lived at Crown Point, or near there. In 1844, the following men and their families, if they were then married, lived at Crown Point or near there: Solon Robinson, Luman A. Fowler, William Allton, Rus- sell Eddy, Henry Wells, Richard Fancher, William Clark, William C. Farrington, William A. W. Holton, Warner Holton, M. M. Mills, John Sheehan, Major Allman, C. V. Holton, H. S. Pelton, David K. Pettibone, J. V. Johns (the last two single men), Thomas Clark, Daniel May, Amos Hornor, Alexander McDonald, Joseph P. Smith, Joseph Tozier, H. N. Brooks, Major C. Farwell.
Land Entries .- The following lands in Centre Township were entered at the dates stated, by the purchaser or squatter's proving up his pre-
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CROWN POINT AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
emption rights, after which he received a patent for his land : Milo and Solon Robinson received patent, November 17, 1838, for the northwest quarter of Section 8; William Clark, same date, for the northeast quarter of Section 8 ; Russell Eddy, same date, for the north half of the southwest quarter of Section 8; Nehemiah Sherman, same date, for the southwest quarter of Section 21; Henry Wells, November 30, for the south half of the southwest quarter of Section 8; George Parkin- son, same date, for the southwest quarter of Section 22. These men, of course, paid the Government price of $1.25 per acre for their land. They had adopted the precaution of perfecting their titles before the land sale in the spring of 1839, fearing that speculators might get the advan- tage of them. During these years it was a great time for speculation. Wild-cat money of depreciated and doubtful value circulated quite freely. The crash of 1837 soon righted values which for so long had been visionary.
The death of Milo Robinson, of consumption, January 1, 1839, was the first at Crown Point. Luman A. Fowler became the tavern-keeper after Milo's death, continuing thus until the fall of 1839, when H. S. Pelton took his place and continued until 1846. About this time, Dr. Lilley, of Cedar Lake, was licensed by the County Commissioners to sell goods and to keep tavern. This was the time when the citizens of Lake Court House were startled by the removal of the county seat to Liver- pool. Full account of this is found elsewhere. Finally, when the reloca- tion took place, Benjamin McCarty, who had become established at Cedar Lake, put in a claim for the location, and offered valuable tracts of land, sums of money, etc., to secure it, but without success. Solon Robinson afterward, in a lecture, in referring to the subject, congratulated his hear- ers that the county seat had not been established at West Point (Cedar Lake), as the water in the wells there was quite an active cathartic. He seemed to think the county had thus escaped a great calamity. After June, 1840, when the relocation took place, the town of Crown Point was laid out into seventy-five lots, each, except a few, containing half an acre, all on forty acres owned by Solon Robinson and twenty acres owned by William Clark. Clark donated the streets, one-half the common, one-half the lots laid out on his land, and thirty-five acres on the east, and Robin son donated the streets, one-half the lots laid out on his land, one-half the common, the court house lot, a large public square twenty acres on the west, and the old school lot. On the 19th of November, 1840, George Earle, County Agent, sold at auction the first county lots (donated by Clark and Robinson) at prices ranging from $11 to $127.50, on two, three and four years' time, one year without interest. The present court house lot is only half the original public square ; the other half just east
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
was afterward laid out into lots, when the county was hard up for funds, probably, and sold. Up to this time, there were not more than eight or ten dwellings in town. The name Crown Point was applied under the following circumstances : "I have a name to propose," said George Earle, County Agent. "So have I," replied Solon Robinson. " What is your name ?" "Crown Point." " And that is also mine."
Industries, Trades, Professions, etc .- The first house built after the laying-out of the town was by Solon Robinson for Norman Warriner, the first resident minister at the place. Soon afterward, Maj. C. Farwell, a member of the family referred to at the beginning of this chapter, built a house, moved in his family, and then erected a blacksmith shop and began working at his trade. How long Solon Robinson continued his store cannot be told. H. Mount opened a small store of dry goods and gro- ceries at Crown Point in May, 1838, capital to be not over $1,000; li- cense from that date to February, 1839, $5.
In June, 1841, Solon Robinson, Norman Warriner and Hervey Ball organized the first temperance society of Lake County, and, on the 4th of July of that year, about three hundred men, women and children cele- brated the national holiday with a picnic dinner and cold water. Mr. Ma- son and Dr. Farrington burned brick at Crown Point in 1841. Mr. Mills erected a large tavern building in the spring of 1842, opening a store in one end and a saloon in the other. This building is the present Rockwell House ; he kept store before that about two miles south. In 1843, in six weeks, eight persons died of scarlet fever. Somewhere about this time, H. S. Pelton and Allton & Bent began selling merchandise. In about 1847, Mills sold his store to John W. Dinwiddie, and a year later Dinwiddie bought out Pelton's stock. Bent died at a Democratic con- vention at Winamac, and his partner sold out to Mr. Straight, who prob- ably sold to J. P. Smith. Carter & Carter began late in the 40's, but soon sold to Dinwiddie. Other merchants from this time on until the last war were Turner & Cramer, Henry Sherman, Farwell, Allton, Hol- ton, A. & W. B. Nichols, Merton, J. P. Smith, E. M. Cramer, Tripp, Clingan, Luther, Clark & Holton, Farley, John G. Hoffman ; Joseph Young, tinware ; Mrs. S. M. Allman, millinery ; J. C. Sauerman, har- ness ; Henry Greisel, furniture, coffins, etc .; M. J. Hack, blacksmith and wagon-maker ; H. S. Topping, artist ; Eddy & Pratt, livery. Many changes were made in the ownership of the various branches of business, and after about 1857 they became so numerous that to follow them would be more arduous than the twelve labors of Hercules. In 1847, Solon . Robinson summed up the business of Crown Point as follows: Two churches, Presbyterian and Methodist ; two stores, by H. S. Pelton and William Allton ; one hotel, by Joseph Jackson ; one small schoolhouse,
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CROWN POINT AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
two convenient public offices, four physicians, three ministers, two law- yers, blacksmiths, carpenters, etc. There were then about thirty families, representing a population of about one hundred and fifty. Z. P. Farley succeeded Jackson as hotel-keeper, and in 1851 the two built the Jackson House, now the Hack's Exchange, and kept it for about five years. In 1848, William Allton built the Meyers brick, and in 1849 Farley & Jackson built the bakery brick. These were the first of brick. In 1858, the Register brick was built. During the same year, dwellings of brick were built by Z. P. Farley and J. G. Hoffman. The completion of the railroad to Crown Point in 1865 greatly multiplied industries and improvements of all kinds.
Mechanical industries have not been as numerous nor of as great mag- nitude as in many other towns of no greater population. No enterprise of this character large enough to create noteworthy attention outside of Crown Point was begun until in about 1852, when Lewis & Dwyer erected a large, two-storied frame grist-mill, in which were placed two sets of excellent French buhrs and a twenty-four-horse-power engine. Just before this, a saw-mill had been built at the same place, and the two build- ings, standing close together, were operated by the one engine. Mr. Merton soon bought both mills, and some time afterward transferred them . to other parties. Men named Barton and Huber were connected with them, and it is said that both mills ceased running on their hands. Neither mill received proper support, or rather there was not a paying patronage for the mills at Crown Point. For a time, the grist-mill did well, but only a small amount of merchant work was done. The saw- mill at no time had what might be called a paying patronage.
The next most important industry was the wagon and carriage factory founded by Joseph Hack in 1860. Prior to this M. J. Hack had carried on a well-patronized blacksmith shop, and had made a few wagons, be- sides doing considerable general repair work. Joseph Hack erected suit- able buildings, employed nine or ten men in the departments of wood and iron work, and began to turn out from thirty to sixty vehicles per annum, the greater number being wagons of superior construction. Four or five blacksmiths were kept constantly busy either on new vehicles, or on old ones in want of repair. As high as $6,000 worth of work was done in one year. The business has been continued until the present time, al- though the class of work has changed to accord with the times. Mr. Hack formerly made all his own woodwork ; now it is nearly all pur- chased ready made. Then he manufactured four or five times as many wagons as carriages ; now, in this day of ease and luxury, many fine car- riages are prepared for the wealthy and petted children of the old settlers. Perhaps during the entire period an average of between forty and fifty
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
vehicles has been manufactured annually. Owing to the fact that the woodwork is largely purchased ready made, but five hands are now em- ployed, though the business has not fallen off; several thousand dollars worth of repair work is done yearly. M. J. Hack was his leading black- smith for a number of years.
Perhaps the next important manufacturing enterprise is the sash and blind factory, started by Z. F. Summers not far from 1867. After a few years, he sold to the Gosch Brothers, who are yet conducting the mill. Planing of all kinds is done, and a general business of several thousand dollars' worth is turned out annually. Other enterprises of a similar character have been talked of, and some have been started, though on a small scale. R. B. Young conducted a tannery for a short time, about the beginning of the last war. Initiatory steps were taken once to build a foundry, but, for some reason, the contemplated enter- prise collapsed while yet in the mind only.
The Postmasters at Crown Point, so far as remembered, have been as follows, and in about the order given : Solon Robinson, 1836 to 1843; Henry D. Palmer, H. S. Pelton, J. P. Smith (2), Daniel K. Pettibone, Maj. Allman, Charles E. Allman; J. H. Luther, from August, 1853, to the spring of 1855; Joseph Jackson, Henry Wells, William McGlashon, during the war; George Willey, Z. P. Farley and the present agent, Har- vey J. Shoulters.
Among the physicians have been : H. D. Palmer, W. C. Farrington, 1840; Andrew Stone, 1846; Dr. Cunningham, 1846 ; Harvey Petti- bone, 1847 ; William E. Vilmer, 1853; A. J. Pratt, 1854; Dr. Finney, 1755; J. W. Higgins, 1859; S. R. Pratt, 1860; Charles Groman, 1861 ; Dr. Brownell ; O. Poppe, 1870; Harvy Pettibone, M. G. Bliss (retired), Dr. Kester and Dr. Rudolph, 1882. Dentists-O. H. Wil- cox, 1864 ; D. F. Quackenbush, 1871 ; G. E. Eastman, 1872.
Additions to Crown Point .- Crown Point has had numerous addi- tions to its territory, as follows : The original plat was laid out on land owned by Solon Robinson, William Clark, and slightly on that of Rus- sell Eddy, J. W. Holton and the United States. All except the last party acknowledged the plat from October .3, to November 1, 1840. It was recorded on the 6th of November, 1840, by Joseph P. Smith, County Recorder. Commissioners' Addition was made in March, 1848, consisting of eleven lots east of East street and south of North street. Central Addition, of fourteen lots, laid out by the County Agent in Janu- ary, 1849, on the east half of the public square, between Main and East streets (where the bank block now is). J. P. Smith's Addition of twenty lots east of East street in April, 1853. J. H. Luther's Subdivision of Lots 13 and 14, in April, 1854. Russell Eddy's Addition of ten lots west
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CROWN POINT AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
of West street, 650 feet west of the center of Section 8, April, 1855. J. P. Smith's Addition of sixteen large outlots, October, 1855. Joseph Jackson's Division of the Commissioners' Addition, south of North street, twenty lots, October, 1855. A. Nichols', April, 1856, some fifteen lots north of Joliet street. Eddy's Second Addition, May, 1859, thirty lots on the south side of South street. John G. Hoff- man's Addition, November, 1859, fifty-one lots west of West street and north of Joliet street. John W. Hughes' Addition of sixty-two lots east of the central part of the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 8. Railroad Addition, by Elihu Griffin and Joseph E. Young, thirty-four blocks of eight lots each and twenty-five additional lots, March, 1865. Reuben Fancher, eighteen lots on the northeast quarter of Sec- tion 8, March, 1865. Cottage Grove Addition, by S. G. Bedell, eighty- eight lots west of West street, extending from North to South streets, January, 1866. J. E. Young's Addition, seventy-four lots south of North street and extending across the C., C. & I. C. R. R., February, 1869. Young's Second Addition, fifty-seven lots, February, 1869. Young's Division of Hughes' Addition, February, 1869. Young's Addi- tion north of North street, sixteen blocks of eight lots each, February, 1869. Thomas J. Wood's Addition of forty lots, November, 1869. W. M. Boyd, forty-eight lots, November, 1870. Mary E. Wood, thirty- three lots, April, 1871. Elihu Griffin, fifty-five lots, February, 1372. Elihu Griffin, thirty-six lots, March, 1872. Ball & Griffin's Subdivision of lots, May, 1872. Pelton's Addition of sixteen blocks of twelve lots each, July, 1872. Rolling View Addition, by Elihu Griffin, three blocks with thirty-six, thirty-six and thirty-four lots each, respectively, August, 1873. Foster's Addition of thirty-nine lots, November, 1873. J. H. Ball's Addition of five lots, January, 1874. Turner's Addition of some sixteen outlots, March, 1874. Burge's Addition of thirteen lots, June, 1874. John Hughes' Addition of eight blocks of twenty-two lots each, November, 1874. Pratt & Ruschli's Addition of six lots, May, 1875. Hughes' Addition of eighty-two lots, July, 1875. Wolf's Addition of fifty-five lots, July, 1876.
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