Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 7

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur 1852-1926. cn; Blanchard, Charles
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : F. A. Battey
Number of Pages: 788

USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 7
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 7

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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J.J. Forbes

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

energetic that the fair was eminently successful. About $500 in premi- ums were offered and paid, and the net profits were $400. Over one hun- dred horses were entered, besides almost a proportionate number of cattle, swine, sheep, and large quantities of all agricultural products. Without going into details, it is sufficient to say that since the fall of 1871, no county in the State with the same or less population has had better fairs, or greater interest shown therein by the citizens. Premiums to the value of about $1,200 were offered for the fair of September 27, 28 and 29, 1882. The present officers are L. A. Cass, President ; J. B. Decrow, Vice President ; T. Crumpacker, Treasurer, and T. Keene, Secretary. Board of Directors-James Fulton, William Hughart, A. St. Clair, Isaiah McGinley, Isaac Hardesty, Jacob Peoples, N. Pickrell, Christian Arndt, M. C. Williams, Frank Campbell, T. S. Bull, HI. Loomis, A. J. Harrison, S. S. Skinner, George Morgan, Frank Harris, John Morrison, William Rigg, E. J. Green, C. N. Tanehill, Jerome Massey, J. B. De- crow, C. L. Dille, Younger Frame, Charles F. Way and Reason Bell.

On the 13th of July, 1872, the County Commissioners purchased of N. A. Kennedy, for $2,500, the following tract of land: "Commencing three chains and forty-one and one-half links east of the quarter stake on the south line of Section 13, Township 35, Range 6, thence on a mag- netic course north twenty degrees and twelve minutes east twenty-two and twenty-five hundredths chains ; thence north eighty-five degrees east nine and ninety-hundredths chains; thence south twenty degrees and twelve minutes west twenty-two and twenty-five hundredths chains ; thence south eighty-five degrees west to the point of commencement ; containing twenty acres, more or less." A high, tight board fence was immediately built around this land and suitable buildings and stalls erected, at a cost of nearly $1,800. Thus fitted up, the grounds were turned over to the Agricultural Society. Here the fair has been held since 1872. The principal fact which has rendered the fair so success- ful since 1871 is because the society has not been burdened with a debt, as most societies are, for its fair ground.

Old Settlers' Association .- Quite a large gathering of old settlers met at the house of George C. Buel, on the 26th of May, 1881, to cele- brate his seventieth birthday, and while there, it was suggested that the occasion was appropriate for the organization of an old settlers' associ- ation, whereupon Joseph Pierce nominated A. V. Bartholomew, Chair- man, and the selection was made unanimous by vote, and Firmin Church was chosen Secretary of the meeting. It was then decided that all per- sons over forty-five years of age, who had been residents of Porter County not less than twenty-five years, should be considered old settlers, and a meeting to renew old times and perfect the prospective organization was

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

fixed for the 15th of September, 1881, and a committee to make full arrangements was appointed as follows: Azariah Freeman, S. R. Bryant, William Stoddard, Stuart R. Spencer, John Hansford, Nelson Barnard, T. C. Sweney, Hazzard Sheffield, Isaac Hardesty, Josephus Wolf, Henry Hageman, Younger Frame and William Henry. This committee met on the 25th of June, and decided to hold the first meeting of the Old Set- tlers' Association in the Court House Square on the 17th of September, 1881. The following rules of government were adopted :

1. We, the early settlers of Porter County, will hold social meetings at such times and places as our Executive Committee may designate, to be called Old Settlers' Meet- ings.

2. That our meetings may be conducted with order and propriety, we will annually elect a President, Secretary, Treasurer and one Vice President from each township, who shall perform the duties usually required of such officers for a term of one year, or until their successors are elected.

3. The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be an Executive Committee, with power to make such rules and regulations as they may deem necessary and proper, to call meetings and attend to such business generally as will promote the objects of the association.

4. Our meetings, except when otherwise directed by the Executive Committee, to be of the picnic order, each member to bring such refreshments as they may deem suitable for such occasions.

5. All persons over forty-five years of age, and who were residents of Porter County twenty-five years or more previous to the 1st of July, 1881, and now citizens of the county, shall, by signing these rules, become members of the association during good behavior and, with their children, enjoy all its benefits.

6. Our first general meeting shall be held on the public square at Valparaiso on Saturday, the 17th day of September, 1881, at 10 o'clock A. M., at which time our first board of officers shall be elected.

On the 17th of September, a large number of old settlers met in the court yard, and passed the time until 1 o'clock in social intercourse. Din- ner was then served to over five hundred. At 2 o'clock P. M., Azariah Freeman called the assemblage to order, and prayer was offered by Rev. W. J. Forbes. Hon. J. N. Skinner then welcomed the old men and women to Valparaiso. After the song, " The World is Moving On," Joseph Peirce read all the records of the association up to that time, and was then followed by five-minute speeches from Hon. Mark L. De Motte, Jesse Johnson, Rev. G. M. Boyd, William McCool, Russel Cohoon, George C. Morgan, S. P. Robbins, David Merriman, E. S. Merrifield, Firmin Church, Nelson Barnard, H. V. Bartholomew, James M. Buel, Thomas G. Lytle, A. Lytle Jones, William Thatcher, Simeon Pierce and Rev. W. J. Forbes, the speeches being interspersed with old-fashioned singing. A. V. Bartholomew was made President of the association for one year, and Reason Bell, Secretary, but the latter failed to serve, and Joseph Peirce was appointed. The following were elected Vice Presidents : Nelson Barnard, of Jackson ; T. C. Sweney, of Boone ; Ira Corwell, of Porter ;

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

Isaac Hardesty, of Union ; William McCool, of Portage ; George Mor- gan, of Westchester ; Samuel Hackett, of Pine; Simeon Witham, of Pleasant ; Charles R. Luther, of Washington; William J. Forbes, of Centre ; Elias Cain, of Morgan ; and William Henry, Sr., of Liberty. The meeting was very enjoyable, and it was fully decided to continue the meetings annually.

At the second regular meeting in September, 1882, A. V. Bartholo- mew called the meeting to order, and Rev. Robert Beer offered prayer. The address of welcome was delivered by T. G. Lytle, Mayor. Short speeches were delivered by Rev. Boyd, S. P. Robbins, John Hansford, S. W. Smith, R. P. Wells, Hiram Loomis, Rev. Forbes, N. S. Fairchild and others. Hubbard Hunt read a list of old settlers of the county, who had died within his recollection. On motion of T. G. Lytle, all officers of the association were re-elected for the coming year. A large crowd was present, and much interest, pleasure and enthusiasm were manifested.

County Press .- In 1842, James Castle, who had purchased of Solon Robinson, of Lake County, a small press and a small quantity of type, began issuing a small folio sheet entitled the Republican, a weekly news- paper, 12x16 inches, devoted to the dissemination of independent political views and the diffusion of general knowledge. In 1844, the office was purchased by William M. Harrison, who changed the name to the West- ern Ranger, and the politics to Democratic, and continued the paper with moderate success until the 24th of April, 1847, when William C. Talcott bought an interest, and under the joint editorship and management of Har- rison & Talcott, a new series of the Ranger was begun, the first issue being No. 39, Vol. III. The paper was a small, five-column folio ; subscription price, $1 per year if paid in advance, and if not paid before the end of six months, $1.50. The editors differed somewhat, politically and other- wise, and, owing to this circumstance, the paper presented the singular appearance of having the initials of each editor signed to the articles writ- ten by himself. On the 16th of August, 1848, the venture had become so prosperous that the paper was enlarged to a six-column folio, and the pages were considerably lengthened. Mr. Talcott was a " Free-Soil Dem- ocrat," while his partner was a "Free-Soil Whig," or, in other words, an Abolitionist. The editorial relations of the two were always pleasant and no doubt profitable, as they prevented that extreme partisan bitterness which too often engenders permanent estrangement. In June, 1849, Mr. Talcott purchased his partner's interest, and on the 20th of June issued the first number owned and edited exclusively by himself. On the 25th of July, 1849, at the end of Vol. V, the name of the paper was changed, and on the 1st of August appeared the first number of the Practical Observer, a Democratic newspaper. A few weeks later, the page was

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

enlarged to a seven-column folio, and the name changed to the Valpa- raiso Practical Observer ; subscription, $1, if paid in advance, and $2 at the end of the year. On the 15th of March, 1852, the word " Valpa- raiso " was dropped from the name, and on the 10th of January, 1853, the entire paper was changed, so that a tri-weekly was issued on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and the usual weekly on Thursday, both issues being furnished one year for the very small sum of $1. At this time, the paper was issued as a five-column folio. On the 3d of September, 1853, Mr. Talcott began issuing a one-page daily after the following fashion, still continuing the tri-weekly and weekly : One page was issued Monday, and the same page and another on Tuesday, constituting the first issue during the week of the tri-weekly ; then one page was issued for Wednes- day, and the same page and another constituted the tri-weekly of Thurs- day, and so on for Friday and Saturday. At the same time, the weekly of Thursday was issued from the six pages of daily matter which had been kept in type for that purpose. The daily, tri-weekly and weekly were furnished for $5 per year. The paper at this time was a credit to the town and to the unwavering enterprise of Mr. Talcott. The pressure which the editor brought to bear upon the county on all worthy social and political problems assisted largely in creating a complete transforma- tion of public opinion on the question of the extension of slave territory. Mr. Talcott had formerly been a Democrat, but even then had advocated the limitation of slave territory, though wishing the result accomplished by Democratic agencies. When the Free-Soil movement was inaugu- rated, and the old parties began to yield up their brightest elements to the new, which was slowly forming, Mr. Talcott entered zealously into the work, and it was mainly due to the light which he concentrated upon the popular political issues of the day that the county took an early and de- cided Republican stand.

In December, 1853, the prices of the paper became $5 per year for the daily, $1.50 for the semi-weekly, and $1.50 for the weekly. In May, 1854, Dr. R. A. Cameron became associate editor, but severed his con- nection with the paper in December of the same year. Various changes were afterward made in the prices and forms of the various issues. In January, 1855, Mr. Talcott, who had long felt the need of assistance, took in as associate editors Lucius Hawkins and W. B. Talcott, but neither remained long. In April, 1857, R. A. Cameron bought the entire office and outfit, and issued his first number on the 14th of that month. With Vol. I, Number 15, of this series, the name of the paper was changed to the Republican, and the sheet continued an earnest exponent of the principles of the new party from which it derived its name. J. F. Mc- Carthy became associate editor September 19, 1857, but left March 23,

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

1858, and Thomas McConnell went in with Cameron as joint editor and proprietor. July 15, 1858, Mr. McConnell became simply assistant edi- tor, but on the 29th of the same month purchased the paper conditionally, and took as an associate, Henry W. Talcott. On the 14th of October, 1858, William C. Talcott, the veteran editor, went in with McConnell and H. W. Talcott, as joint editor and proprietor. On the 3d of Janu- ary, 1859, the Republican, under this able management, began a new series, issuing a one-page daily, a four-page semi-weekly, and an eight- page weekly, Henry W. Talcott being publisher and proprietor. In March, 1859, R. A. Cameron again became owner and publisher, with R. A. Cameron and J. C. Thompson editors. On the 31st of March, the weekly was enlarged, the daily having been discontinued some time be- fore. In September, the last two letters of the paper's name having been lost or stolen during a fire, the name became the Republic. In March, 1860, Mr. Thompson severed his connection with the paper, and on the 25th of April, 1861, with Vol. V, Number 17 (of the Republican and the Republic), E. R. Beebe went in as editor and proprietor. Mr. Cameron having sold out and "gone to the war," Thomas McConnell became publisher with Vol. V, No. 31, and on the 1st of August, 1861, the edi- tors became McConnell, Cameron & Beebe. Mr. Cameron was corre- sponding editor, and sent home long, spicy letters from the field of war. His interest in the paper at this time was owing to the fact that Mr. Beebe could not meet the payments according to the contract. In a short time McConnell bought the entire paper, Mr. Beebe stepped down and out, and Mr. Cameron, who probably held a mortgage on the office, re- mained corresponding editor. On the 10th of April, 1862, as Mr. Mc- Connell had failed to meet the requirements of the contract of purchase, the ownership of the paper reverted to Mr. Cameron, and Mrs. Jane E. Cameron, wife of the owner, assumed control, with Mr. Beebe as associate editor. Mr. Beebe went out December 11, 1862, and the paper was ad- vertised for sale, though the issues appeared regularly, mainly through the efforts of Mrs. Cameron. June 18, 1863, Aaron Gurney went in as joint editor, Cameron & Co. publishers, R. A. Cameron corresponding editor, but in December of the same year the issue was discontinued, Mr. Gurney having withdrawn, and the paper having no one to properly manage it.

On the 4th of January, 1866, Mr. Cameron having returned from the war, issued No. 1, Volume X, of the Valparaiso Republic, and con- tinued this until May 24, 1866, when Thomas McConnell became joint editor and publisher. In November, 1866, G. A. Pierce bought the office, but immediately sold the same to Aaron Gurney, who was issuing the Vidette, and the two papers were merged, and issued under the title

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

of " Vidette and Republic," a nine-column folio newspaper; Aaron Gur- ney, general editor; B. W. Smith, educational editor, and Pomeroy, Kim- ball & Co., publishers. The first number of the Porter County Vidette had been issued January 24, 1866, Gurney & Pomeroy, proprietors ; Aaron Gurney, general editor, and A. D. Cunningham, editor of the edu- cational department. March 19, 1867, J. F. Heaton went in with Gur- ney as joint editor, and, in May, Kimball became joint proprietor with Gurney. August 27, 1867, Mr. Heaton left, Gurney continued sole editor, and the paper was reduced in size, and thus remained until July, 1868.

Mr. Pierce, after buying the Republic and immediately selling it to Mr. Gurney, issued during the same month, November, 1866, the first number of the Republican, a new venture, or perhaps a continuation of the old Republic, with J. Harper, associate editor, and Orrin E. Harper & Co., publishers. April 4, 1867, G. A. May became joint editor, but went out October 31, 1867, as also did J. Harper. About this time, W. H. Calkins became associate editor, but on the 5th of March, 1868, left, and in July, 1868, the Republican was consolidated with the Vidette and Republic under the latter name, Gurney & Pierce, editors and proprietors. Not long after this, Mr. Pierce sold out to Mr. Gurney, who continued to issue the paper until June 4, 1874, when the office was bought by Will- iam C. Talcott, who, two issues later, changed the name to Vidette, and thus it has remained until the present. December 1, 1874, C. R. Tal- cott secured a half-interest, and the paper was continued thus with abun- dant success until November, 1879, when C. R. Talcott bought his father's interest and assumed exclusive management, but December 16, 1880, William C. Talcott repurchased a half interest, and thus the paper re- mains at the present writing.

In the month of June, 1856, Mr. Berry issued the first number of the Porter Democrat, and after continuing the same with moderate success until February 17, 1857, sold out to J. T. Rock and A. Lytle Jones, who issued No. 40, Vol. I, February 24, 1857. At this time the paper was a six-column folio; subscription, $1.50 in advance, $2 at the end of six months, and $2.50 at the end of the year. Seven weeks later, Mr. Jones went out, and Mr. Rock continued alone until No. 6, Vol. II, when H. P. Lynch became publisher, and writer of poems and miscellany for the paper. Lynch left with No. 37, Vol. II, and in December, 1858, B. D. Harper became publisher. In January, 1859, S. R. Bryant be- came associate editor, and Harper left with No. 44, Vol. III. R. C. Nash became assistant publisher with No. 5, Vol. V, and three numbers later sole publisher, but four numbers afterward left Rock exclusive pub- lisher. The last number of the Democrat appeared November 22, 1860,

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

with No. 16, Vol. V. Rock & Bryant then issued the Porter Gazette, but after continuing the same a short time with some changes, abandoned the venture.

In the year 1871, Engelbert Zimmerman, an able and experienced newspaper man, issued at Valparaiso the first number of the Messenger, a spicy, bright-faced Democratic journal. The ability, enterprise and skill of the editor soon placed the paper on a permanent and substantial footing, and its circulation and influence rapidly increased. The paper continued without noteworthy event under the exclusive ownership and management of Mr. Zimmerman until August, 1881, when H. B. Brown, Principal of the Normal School, purchased a half-interest, and thus th paper remains at present.

The last journalistic venture in the county is the Valparaiso Herald, an independent newspaper, started September 29, 1881, by P. O'Sulli- van, a young man of bright intellect and promise. It is newsy, spicy, and a credit to the mind and heart of its editor and manager. It has met with satisfactory patronage from the citizens of the county.

The Normal Mirror, a literary pamphlet, was conducted by the students of the Normal School in 1875-76-77. In its place is now the Northern Indiana School Journal, edited by W. J. Bell.

In September, 1878, H. R. Gregory issued the first number of the Hebron Free Press, a small local paper, independent in politics. He conducted the paper with moderate success until October, 1879, when the office was sold to W. H. Mansfield, who changed the name to Hebron Local News, and the politics to neutral. In 1880, the office was removed to Lowell, where the paper is at present issued.

County Politics .- The political features of Porter County since its organization are not peculiarly striking or noteworthy. From the sub- joined exhibit of the county vote for Presidential electors, it will be seen that the Whigs or Republicans carried the county on every occasion, ex- cept the years 1848 and 1852; but this does not fully explain the poli- tical past of the county. From 1836 until about 1845, either party lines were not strictly drawn, or else the Whig and Democratic parties were equally matched numerically ; for, during that period, sometimes one party triumphed and sometimes the other, and it was next to impossible for the friends of any candidate to predict with any degree of certainty the future result of an election. The result was that, during the period mentioned, the county offices were filled with men from both parties, and even from mongrel or doubtful political organizations, if the candidate was of unusual prominence and worth. It is found upon examination of the election returns that during the first three years of the county's ex- istence, the Whig party was slightly in the ascendency where test votes

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

were given. This was the case in the election of Congressmen and Rep- resentatives to the State Legislature. But in the election of county or township officers, the elections even during those years were just as apt to go Democratic as Whig. After about 1840, it seems that the Demo- crats became stronger, numerically, than the Whigs, though still for a number of years the two were so equally matched that great interest was shown in the elections, owing, perhaps, to the doubtful results. After about 1846, the superior strength of the county Democracy became so decided that usually every county office was filled with representatives of that party. The Western Ranger and its successor, the Practical Observer, were Democratic sheets, and the growth of Democracy at the expense of all other political ocracies was doubtless owing to the dissemi- nation by these papers of Democratic principles. The Observer advocated that phase of Democracy known as Free-Soilism, and prior to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise steadfastly maintained this position. But, in 1854, when the real results of the repeal became apparent and the ex- tension of slavery into all the Territories and even into the Northern States seemed probable, the editor of the Observer, still upholding Free- Soilism, found himself, almost ere he was aware, an earnest worker in the new party-Republican. Through the influence brought to bear by the Observer upon the citizens, the new party immediately went to the front, and has since had control of the official patronage of the county.

The following table shows the mixed condition of politics in the county in August, 1836 :

SENATOR

REPRE- BENTA- TIVE.

PROBATE JUDGE.

SHERIFF.

COUNTY COMMIS- SIONER. SIONER.

CORONER.

TOWNSHIPS

G. A. Everetts, W.

Daniel Evans, D.

J. R. C. Brown, D.

Benjamin McCarty, W.

Benjamin James, W.

Warner Pierce, D.

Jesse Johnson, W.

John Walton, D.

A. S. Campbell, D.

George Cline, D.

William Gossett, W.

J. Y. Wright, D.

Ruel Starr, D.

John Sefford, W.

Hiram Webster, W.

John E. West.

Isaac Morgan, D.

J. M. Buel, W.

Benjamin McCarty, W.

Number of votes polled.

Portage

.....

......

Union

Boone

Pleasant.

1 35

Westchester ...

Jackson'

Centre

Liberty

Total

133

125

115

138

.140

109

J118 126

122

111

1 150

260

......

Bryant

.....

...

Clark

...

Morgan

...

(D.), Democrat ; (W.), Whig.

Bryant and Clark Townships were of Lake County, as was also Ross Township, the records of which could not be found. The records of

SCHOOL COMMIS-

...

HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY.

Washington Township were also missing, the remainder of the county being represented in the table under a different arrangement of townships than as they are constituted at present. The following table illustrates the decided Democratic tendency of the county in August, 1847 :

PARTIES AND CANDIDATES.

Centre.

Union.

Washington.

Jackson.

Liberty.

Portage.

Westchester.

Pleasant.

Porter.

Boone.

Morgan.

TOTAL.

For Congress:

Charles W. Cathcart (D)

26 12

56 38

38 31

415

Daniel W. Pratt (W).

For Representative :

Alexander McDonald (D) ....

333

Harlo S. Orton (W).

356

For Commissioner:

John Dinwiddie (D).

350

Samuel Van Dolson (W)

346

Truman Stoddard (L)

For Associate Judge :

H. E. Woodruff (D).

376

Wilson Malone (W) Tainter

314 1

William Barnard (L).

Collector and Treasurer:

William Cheney (W).

W. H. Fifield (L).

For Assessor :

371

T. Freeman (W).

318

For Coroner :

J. Morgan (D).

374

A. D. Cole (W).

313

Orrin Service (L).

(D), Democrats; (W), Whigs ; (L), Liberty or Abolitionist.

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Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 7

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur 1852-1926. cn; Blanchard, Charles Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : F. A. Battey Number of Pages: 788

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur 1852-1926. cn; Blanchard, Charles
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : F. A. Battey
Number of Pages: 788