USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 67
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 67
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
carried to the Circuit Court, where it was decided that a United States post office could not be fenced up. A lack of harmony was evident among those who should have had an eye single to the growth of the town. Prior to the decision of the court, some collisions occurred in connection with the obstructing and opening of the road. Some blood was shed and some fence material wasted. By hearty co-operation, the town may hope for better things in the future. The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad runs through the town. Palmer Station, north of Leroy, on the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad, has just been established. It now has a store and two dwellings, with indefinite prospects for the future. Amos Edgerton was the first Postmaster at Leroy. The only secret so- ciety in the township is a Grange at Leroy, that is still running.
Town Officers .- At first, the township had three Trustees, while now there is but one. Jacob Wise and John Fisher were two of the first three. The present township officers are Silas Gregg, Trustee; George Nichols, Justice of the Peace, while a son of his is Constable.
Schools .- The first schoolhouse was built on Section 21, on Eagle Creek. It was constructed of unhewn logs and covered with clapboards. In size, it was 12x14 feet. It had two windows, one door, a puncheon floor, and seats made of split timbers, with legs of tough, strong sticks. The chimney was of sticks and mortar, while the fire-place was large enough to take cord wood, and such large back logs were used as to keep fire through the long intermission, from dismissal in the evening to school- call in the morning. This house was built about 1842, and taken down about 1850. Mr. Taylor taught the first term therein, or some say James Dilly did. Caroline Soul was among the first teachers of the township. The desks in the above-named house were ranged around the wall on pins placed in the logs at different elevations to suit size of pupils. As an instance of the expedients adopted to shield people from the cold in early times, this same house was ceiled after a few years, and above the rough board ceiling was filled in with sod, which, of course, made it warm overhead. This house, doubtless, held the largest schools ever taught in the township. It is stated that fifty or sixty pupils, ranging in age from five to thirty years, used to congregate here for instruction. One time, at recess, the pupils at play dislocated the elbow of one Chester Grout; as there was no doctor near, the teacher and Loren Hixon, one of the pupils, succeeded in setting it. The boy got along without further medical attendance. There was a pond near the house ; one day at noon the boys became so busily engaged at skating as not to hear the heavy ruler as it drummed on the door, nor the oft-repeated call of books ! books ! books ! as the master pounded harder and called louder. Finally, they came and were brought up in a row for punishment. The row was
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so long as to take the shape of a fish hook. The master took a heavy leg from a puncheon seat and began business at the head, and soon came to the point. To the first boy he gave a " smart" box ; to the second, who is now Gen. Cameron, he was going to give the bench leg, but the young General would not surrender, and, instead of laying down his arms, showed fight. The boys came to his rescue; the teacher hesitated, and the boys all marched out in single file under the leadership of young Cameron. The first teacher got $13 a month and boarded around. Since then, in a period of twenty years the wages have run, for winter schools, $16, $25, $28, $40, $45, $30, the last being the present pay. Summer schools used to run from $2.50 to $3 a week and board, while now the average is about $20 a month without board. The second school was taught two miles north and west of the above-named in a hewed log house. The third school was established in the Methodist Church at Hickory Point. There are now six houses and seven districts in the township. Five of these houses are frame and one is brick. Another brick is to be built this fall at Palmer.
Churches .- The first church was a log structure on Deer Creek, built about 1852. The present Methodist Church stands on or near the site of the old log chapel. It was built of round logs, and while it was build- ing a Mr. Cooper, who now lives at Crown Point, came along and asked what they were building a hog-pen in that place for ? The reply elicited the fact that instead of being intended for that low purpose, it was soon to be dedicated to the Most High.
The first religious meeting was held at the house of Mr. Young, by Rev. French, a Baptist minister. The Methodists were the first to organize, which they did at Hickory Point. Among the first members were William Nichols and wife, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Miller. As the Methodists were the first regularly organized church, so they are at present the only regularly organized society in the township.
The church at Deer Creek is the only church edifice and contains the only society in existence in the township. The house cost perhaps $300. There was one built in Hickery Point about 1842, which was the first frame church.
Sanitary Condition .- There has never been a saloon or drug store in the township, and the people have, as a rule, been sober and industrious. In point of health, since the ague times, there has been no cause of com- plaint. One Dr. Anderson attempted to establish himself in the practice of medicine in Cassville (now Leroy), but, the good health of the com- munity being too much for him, he left for less salubrious climes; 1847 was called the sickly season. Since then there has been some ague along Deep River Marsh, but not much.
JJ
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
Miscellaneous .- Some almost obliterated mounds are found on the place of Mr. Philips.
This township now stands second in land appraisement. The pro- ductiveness of the soil may be illustrated by this, that in 1880 Thomas McClaren raised three good crops on one piece of land ; and neither one was a crop of weeds. He put first early potatoes ; used them, and as he dug them hoed the rows of sweet corn that he had planted at the proper time between the rows of potatoes. When the corn was in roasting ear, it was pulled, the stalks cut for stock, and turnips sowed in season and gathered in due time. This example is certainly worthy of imitation, especially by those who have but little ground to till, and wish to make the most of it.
While it has been stated that no saloon has ever existed here, yet in early days whisky was found in almost every house and kept for sale in many of them ; but drunkenness was seldom known, probably owing to the fact that whisky then was whisky, and not a miserable, " measly " mixture of deadly drugs. Joseph McFarland, of Hickory Point, brought the first merino sheep to the township. At one time (in 1860), large numbers of sheep were brought in from Ohio, and almost every farmer had a supply ; but owing to the fact that many of them were diseased, the venture was not a success, and most farmers went out of the business. At present many farmers keep sheep and find them a paying investment.
There are two cemeteries in the township. Both are small. The oldest is at Hickory Point ; the other is near the Deer Creek Church.
The old State road, that formerly crossed the township, is now mostly closed up, and has given place to square corners, instead of the old straight-cut across the country from southeast to northwest. The first brick house was built by Mr. Wise. Reuben Hipsley and J. Q. Benjamin have the finest houses, perhaps. J. L. Hipsley built the first barn of any size. The first post office was Winfield, near the center of the township. It was closed in the spring of 1882. The Chicago & Atlan- tic Railroad, already referred to as now being built, has had much trouble with fills and bridges. In one marsh, which is about twenty-five rods across, and which is dry in a dry time, it seemed next to impossible to get a solid bed by filling. The filling kept sinking and the marsh bulg- ing up on either hand until it seemed as if the marsh would eat all the earth the company could get for it and still be hungry ; but finally it got full, and now the bed is firm and the engine goes over in safety. The bridge over Eagle Creek also was the source of much annoyance. No firm foundation could be had without using piles, and they gave so as to let the bridge sag about eighteen inches at one end. The township voted no tax to either road.
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In 1853, the valuation of the township was about $28,000. At first the people traveled and hauled on home-made sleds in summer as well as in winter ; and those who tried it say that sleds slide smoothly on the sod.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CROWN POINT AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
AMOS ALLMAN was born in Atwick, Yorkshire, England, Febru- ary 27, 1825. He is a son of Maj. Allman ; by trade a tailor ; a preacher of the Methodist Church for thirty-five years, and three times married ; his first wife was Margaret Haxby, born in England in 1790, and died there in 1826, leaving seven children, of whom Amos is the youngest; his third is Laura Brooks, who now resides in Chicago. Maj. Allman was born in England in 1791, and came to Lake County a pioneer in 1842, and purchased a part of what is now Crown Point. He was Recorder eleven years, and in 1856 removed to Sturgis, Mich., where he died De- cember 28, 1858, aged sixty-seven years. Amos Allman came to Amer- ica with his father in 1830, and lived in Toronto and Whitby, Canada, residing with his eldest sister. In 1842, he began to learn the trade of a tailor at Sturgis, Mich. In 1843, he came to Crown Point and worked at his trade, which he soon abandoned, owing to a partial failure of sight, and went back to Sturgis, where he remained until 1855, engaged in mer- cantile business. He again returned to Lake County to look after his father's business of Recorder, and has since remained. In 1856, he was elected Recorder, and held the position for eight years, since which time he has been actively engaged in the real estate business, having the only complete set of abstract books in Lake County. Mr. Allman has been twice married, once November 26, 1857, to Miss Olive Wilcox, who died June 1, 1859, without issue, and again to Miss Mary A. Duther, on March 22, 1860, by whom he had five children-Walter L., Irene, Jessie, Claude and Nellie. Mr. Allman owns the old Crown Point homestead, and is one of the solid men of Lake County, a most respected citizen. He was formerly a Whig, but is now a Republican, and for eighteen months, beginning in 1866, he was Deputy Revenue Collector of Lake County.
WILLIAM S. BABBITT, Superintendent of the county farm, was born in Orleans County, Vt., December 19, 1825, and is one of the four children of Joshua and Betsey (Scott) Babbitt. His father was a native of New Hampshire, and moved to Ohio in 1826; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and commanded a battery at the battle of Plattsburg; he was Sheriff of the county at the time of his death ; his mother was a native of Vermont, and died in 1832. William S. Babbitt lived with a
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man named Kimball until he was eleven years old, when he ran away and shipped on a Cape Cod fishing vessel, and afterward went on a whaling cruise, making three voyages. He has " doubled " Cape Horn five times, and crossed the Isthmus of Panama once. He has been twice shipwrecked, the crew being saved each time. In 1854, he quit seafaring, and settled to farming in Ross Township, this county. On December 25, 1854, he was married to Harriet Irish, a native of Vermont. To this union there followed five children, four living-John J., Aaron S., Lucia M. and Sabra H. Mr. Babbitt was a soldier in the late war in Company E, Twentieth Indiana Volunteers ; eight months later he was commissioned Second Lieutenant, and in 1862 promoted to a Captaincy, and transferred to Company C. At the battle of Chancellorsville, he was severely wounded and discharged July 2, 1863. He was afterward Deputy Provost Mar- shal and Government detective during the war. He then resumed farm- ing until made Superintendent of the Poor Farm in March, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Babbitt are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Babbitt is a member of Lodge, 551, of Freemasons ; he is also a Republi- can.
S. A. BARR, station agent Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Rail- road, was born in York County, Penn., May 5, 1842, and is one of six children born to Samuel and Sarah A. (Dunlap) Barr, both natives of the "Keystone State." Samuel Barr has been a life-long merchant, but is now living retired, with his wife, at Naperville, Ill. S. A. Barr was reared in Cumberland County, Penn., received an academic education, and commenced as a teacher when fifteen years of age. In 1862, he was married to Miss Emma C. Standish, at Naperville, and daughter of Hiram Standish, a lineal descendant of Miles Standish, of Plymouth Rock Colony fame. By this union they have had five children-Clar- ence W., Herbert S., Frederick A., Clara Leora and Harry, the last four natives of Crown Point. On August 6, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, One Hundredth and Fifth Illinois Volunteers, was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland ; his first engagement was Resaca, followed by the Atlanta campaign of eighty days' fighting. Mr. Barr was wounded at Peach Tree Creek by a minie ball, which he yet carries in his head -a memento of the time ; he was dischared with the command June, 1865, having risen to be Second Corporal. After this time he was em- ployed at Hinsdale, Ill., by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, also at Burlington, Iowa, as telegraph operator, and afterward by the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad, in charge of Crown Point Station, Ind. Mr. Barr is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities, having advanced very far in both ; his father-in-law, Hiram Standish, was born in 1807, and is one of the oldest railroad men in
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Illinois ; he learned telegraphy when fifty-six years old, and is in the service of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad at Mount Joy, Ill.
FRANK S. BEDELL, Post Office Inspector and ex-editor of the Crown Point Register, was born in Albion, Orleans Co., N. Y., May 19, 1836, and is one of the ten children of Norman and Amanda (Smiley) Bedell, both natives of New York ; his father was engaged in the hard- ware trade, and afterward as manufacturer, which he continued until his death in 1873 ; his mother is yet living in New York. Frank S. Bedell was sent to the public schools, and afterward to Genesee Wesleyan Col- lege at Lima, which he left after one year to work at the printing trade, which he began at fourteen years of age; he had charge of the printing of the Rome Sentinel and Orleans Republican, where he learned his trade. In 1850, he moved to Michigan, and was employed as book- keeper at Grand Rapids. In 1857, he came to Crown Point, and on August 4 was married to Miss Leila G. Robinson, daughter of Solon Robinson, one of the original proprietors of the town. Mr. Bedell was a compositor on the Crown Point Herald, now Register ; he afterward removed to Chautauqua, N. Y., and engaged in the livery business. In 1861, he was telegraph editor on the Dubuque Times ; he returned to Crown Point and purchased an interest in the Register, becoming sole proprietor on the death of his partner, A. E. Beattie, in 1869; he sold one half interest, in 1876, to C. W. Ainsworth. In politics, Mr. Bedell is a Republican, and in June, 1881, he received his commission as Post Office Inspector. Mrs. Bedell is a native of Crown Point. She studied medicine and had a three years' course at the Boston University School of Medicine, from which she graduated in 1878. She practices the Homeopathic principle, chiefly in Chicago. Mr. Bedell is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has advanced to the chapter.
CRIP BINYON, proprietor of the Cedar Lake House at Cedar Lake, was born in this county October 29, 1847, and is one of the seven chil- dren of John and Nancy (Hughes) Binyon. His father was one of the earliest settlers of this county, and now resides with his son Crip. Crip Binyon was a born farmer, and as such he is still partly engaged. The ground of this resort was owned by his father, who prepared it for the resort that it now is. With the opening of the C., N. A. & L. R. R., business began in earnest ; he has frequently fed 200 guests, and has this year added to his buildings, and will further add thereto, in order to ac- commodate his patrons ; he is building a new boat-house, and expects to have in use fifty new boats in 1883. In the winter it will be a skating resort ; he has not advertised his location, depending, rather, upon the testimony of his guests for his success. On May 19, 1871, he was mar- ried to Flora Pierce, a native of this county, born January 23, 1846.
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They have four children-Lewis, Emma, Claude and Hall. Mrs. Binyon has charge of the interior arrangements, for which she is every way com- petent. Mr. Binyon is a Republican.
M. G. BLISS, M. D., was born in Otego, Otsego County, N. Y., November 24, 1828, and is one of the eleven children of Simeon and Bet- sey (Knapp) Bliss, the former a native of Massachusetts, the latter of Rhode Island. Simeon Bliss was a life-long farmer, and moved from New York to Indiana in 1856, locating in White County, where he died in 1864, and his wife about one year afterward. The grandfather of our subject was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary war. Dr. Bliss resided with his parents until his seventeenth year, attending school, and after- ward assisting his brothers in the lumber trade, finishing his literary edu- cation at Wellsburg Academy, in Tioga County, Penn. In 1850, he went to California, via Isthmus of Panama, where he engaged in mining for three years. On arriving at Foster's Bar, Yuba River, he had but $1, which he invested in a dinner. In 1853, he returned to the States, and began the study of medicine with Dr. Eaton, of Cass County, Ind. After his first term of lectures, he began practice at Pulaski, and, in September, 1861, enlisted as private in Company E, Ninth Illinois Cav- alry, and, after three months, was promoted to Battalion Quartermaster, with rank of Second Lieutenant. During most of his term, he was on detached duty as Assistant Surgeon until his discharge, in 1863. He then recommenced practice in Pulaski, and, in 1865, came to Crown Point and began the drug business; this he continued until 1874, when he was burned out. During the winter of 1874-75, he attended lectures at and graduated from Bennett Eclectic Medical College, Chicago, since which he has been in practice at Crown Point, where he is a leading and successful physician. In November, 1860, he was married to Miss H. Amanda Herring, a native of Pittsburgh, Penn., and a resident of Lo- gansport, Ind. To this union succeeded one daughter-Lillie. Mrs. Bliss died in 1863. In 1865, Dr. Bliss married Miss Sarah E. Herring, sister of his former wife; she died in 1879, leaving three children- George M., Harry P. and Susan L. Dr. Bliss is a Mason, a Republican, and Secretary of the Board of Health of Lake County.
JOHN BROWN, Auditor of Lake County, was born in Eagle Creek Township, Lake County, Ind., September 7, 1840, and is one of the chil- dren of Alexander F. and Eliza A. (Barringer) Brown, both natives of New York. Alexander Brown was a farmer, and being connected in the construction of a railroad at Peoria, Ill., came West in 1836. Com- ing to Lake County, he decreed to make it his future home, and in 1837 his family settled there and engaged in agriculture. He became a leading farmer and citizen, and received a nomination for State legislator, but for
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which he was defeated. In October, 1849, he was thrown from a wagon and killed. His widow yet resides at Crown Point. John Brown was raised in Lake County, and has since made his home there. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the Fifth Indiana Cavalry ; was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland and participated in many battles, having assisted in the capture of Gen. Morgan. He was a prisoner for seven months, hav- ing been captured at Sunshine Church, near Macon, Ga., and was con- fined at Andersonville, Charleston and Florence, and was subjected to the privations and barbarity which befell our soldiers as prisoners of war ; he was discharged at Indianapolis in August, 1865. After the war, Mr. Brown engaged in farming and stock-raising until 1870, when he was elected by the Republicans Treasurer of Lake County ; he removed to Crown Point, served his term of two years, was re-elected for two years more, and in 1876, by the same party, elected County Auditor, and at the close of four years re-elected, and is now serving his second term. Mr. Brown and his brother, Barringer, own the Eagle Creek homestead, now numbering 600 acres. In July, 1871, he was married to Miss Almira L. Clark, a native of Lake County, Ind., by whom he has had three chil- dren-Neil, Earl A. (deceased), and Alice M. Mr. Brown is a member of the Masonic body and also of Valparaiso Commandery, No. 28.
W. B. BROWN, or Barringer Brown, as he is universally known in Lake County, a dealer in hay, grain and live-stock, is a son of Alexander F. and Eliza A. (Barringer) Brown, and was born in Eagle Creek Town- ship, Lake County, Ind., June 18, 1843, where his home has since been. He attended the schools of the day, and was reared a farmer. In Octo- ber, 1877, he was married to Miss Carrie Sigler, of Hebron, to which union there has been issue of two daughters-Mabel and Bessie. Shortly after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Brown removed to Crown Point, where they now reside. In addition to his present business, Mr. Brown has gen- eral charge of the old homestead of 600 acres, of which a stock farm has been made. The business of dealing in hay, grain and stock, carried on by Brown Bros., amounts to $60,000. Mrs. Brown's parents were among the oldest settlers of Lake and Porter Counties, and mention of this family is made in the history of Boone Township, Porter County.
JAMES BURGE, one of the early settlers of Lake County, was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., January 18, 1814; his father was a native of Vermont, three times married, and a farmer; by his first wife he had nine children, by his second eight, by his third, none. He came to Porter County, Ind., in 1838, where he died in 1877, aged ninety years. James Burge remained in New York until he was twenty-two years of age, receiving such education as was at that day attainable. On August 6, 1835, he was married to Adaline Griswold, a native of Oneida
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County, N. Y. In 1836, he emigrated to Porter County, Ind., where a brother was living, and located in Union Township, where he remained five years, and moved to Horse Prairie, there remaining seven years. In 1848, he purchased in Winfield Township, where he spent most of his life. Mrs. Burge was a member of the M. E. Church, and died June 13, 1861, a loving and faithful consort, leaving five children-Jane A. (de- ceased), Orrin P., Mary A., Hersey I., Jasper D., Gilbert L. (deceased), and Myron L. Mr. Burge married a second wife, Ann Underwood, by whom he had one daughter-Minnie M. (now Mrs. Frank Holmes) ; she died June 28, 1881. On September 21, 1881, Mr. Burge married his present wife, Mrs. Elizabeth (Welchhonce) McWilliams, and now lives in retirement at Crown Point. Mr. Burge is one of the few remaining old settlers who can recall the ordeals of his pioneer experience. In poli- tics, he is a Republican ; he was at one time a Methodist, but left the church on account of its tolerance of secret societies, of which he is a strong opponent.
EDWIN CHURCH was born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., Octo- ber 26, 1829, and is the eldest of nine children of Darling and Annis (Rockwell) Church, both natives of New York. Darling Church was a cooper, at which he labored for years in Elba, N. Y .; he was married in Monroe County, N. Y. In 1836, he moved with his family to Calhoun County, Mich., where he purchased a tract of unimproved land, built a cabin and began to improve. This he sold in 1837, and moved to West Creek Township, Lake County, Ind., where he entered eighty acres, building the first house on Western Prairie ; it consisted wholly of wood, with clapboard roof. In 1843, he sold and removed to La Porte County, Ind., thence to Michigan, where he remained until 1868. He lived in Decatur and Allegan, Mich., in which last place he died, February 18, 1872. He was prominent and a Deacon in the Baptist Church. Edwin Church received a fair share of schooling, and assisted his father until twenty-one years of age. In 1851, he went to California via Panama, where he engaged in the mining and lumber business until 1353, when he returned to Jackson County, Mich., where he purchased a farm and engaged in farming. In 1868, he began the grocery business at Decatur. In 1872, he removed to Allegan, Mich., where he engaged in the same business until 1874, when he moved to Crown Point and established the grocery trade; he carries a full stock and has a large business. On December 26, 1853, he was married to Abigail Burge, a native of Perry County, Ohio, and daughter of Seth and Lucy J. (Smith) Burge, the former a native of Massachusetts, the latter of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Church have had two children, one of whom survives-Corydon. Mr. and Mrs. Church are members of the Baptist Church ; he is an old settler and a leading business man.
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