USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 75
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 75
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for them as an " occupation which was nearest both to the consumer and producer." They went to Kansas first, on coming to this country, and, in order to teach his sons the trade, he built a mill at an expense of $10,- 000, and continued five years, but not becoming acclimated they went to Iowa for three years, and then came to Hobart ; here, the only son of age bought the Hobart Mills. Mr. Ballantyne has, since his arrival in this country, retired from business and devotes his time to his family ; he is a writer of fine ability, and, at the present, is a contributor to the Scottish- American of New York, and has been editor for local papers, all as a past-time. He is a member of the Masonic order, and also of the Presbyterian Church ; he has been a Sunday school worker for the last forty years ; he was married, in 1854, to Mary Miller, of Scotland, a finely educated lady, of great musical talent. They have six children- William B., Jane, James, Margaret, John and Alexander.
NATHANIEL P. BANKS was born in Lake County, Ohio, Sep- tember 25, 1845 ; he is one of ten children born to Orin and Olive (Brown) Banks, viz., Betsey, Charles, Morgan, Elisha, Parley, Cathe- rine, William, George, Nathaniel and Sarah; his parents were born in New York State, and moving to Lake County, Ohio, they lived there some fifteen years ; shortly after the birth of Nathaniel the family moved to La Porte County, Ind., where they resided about six years, then moved to Ross Township, Lake County, Ind., where they lived three years. In 1851, Nathaniel came with his parents to Hobart Township, and has lived here ever since; his father died at Nathaniel's present home in 1857 ; his mother still lives with her son. In 1862, he enlisted in the First Illi- nois Artillery, remaining three years, and taking part in the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge, and accompanying Sherman in his Atlanta campaign. He was married, February 14, 1869, to Clara Chand- ler, in Ross Township. She has given birth to four children-Mary, Carrie, Miriam (deceased) and Mertie ; he has farmed chiefly, and now owns a farm of 160 acres, two miles southwest of Hobart, on which he has a fine residence and commodious barn ; he pays considerable atten- tion to dairying, partly supplying a neighboring cheese factory with milk.
GEORGE R. BASSETT, M. D., was born August 8, 1839, in Dan- bury, Conn .; he is the eldest of seven children born to Hial and Fanny (Degrushe) Bassett, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of France. The elder Bassett was by trade a comb-maker. When about eleven years old, George R. Bassett left home and was employed in New York City as clerk in law offices, etc. About three or four years later, he went to Buffalo, and clerked in a land office. After a clerkship of a few months in Janesville, Wis., he went to Chicago, and engaged in painting for a few years, when he went to Woodstock, Ill. In 1862, he enlisted
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in the Ninety-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served over three years as Clerk in the Quartermaster's Department, at brigade headquarters throughout the West. In 1875, he entered Bennett Medical College of Chicago. He graduated in 1877, practicing meanwhile in Chicago for about two years, when (in 1877) he came to Hobart ; he immediately started out with a good practice, which has steadily increased ; he soon opened his drug store, in which he keeps everything in the apothecary line ; he is a member of the F. & A. M. fraternity ; he was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1881, and elected in the spring of 1882 by all the votes in the township except thirteen ; he is also agent for the Phoenix and Hartford Insurance Companies ; he is a strong Republican, but liberal in local matters. He was married, in 1857, to Susan A. Mc- Meekan, a native of Buffalo, but a resident of Chicago. She is now about to graduate at Bennett Medical College, and is also practicing in her specialty. They have two children-George H. and Jennie S. De- Coursy.
DEXTER BILLINGS was born October 26, 1840, in Will County, Ill. He is one of eight children-five boys and three girls-born to Maynard and Anna (Mellon) Billings. The names of the children be- ginning with the eldest are-Susan, Thelismer, Edward, Edwin, Dexter, Mary, Lydia and Mather. Edwin, Edward and Mary are dead. Dexter worked at farming until he was twenty-one, when he went into the railroad business, working on the Michigan Central for seventeen years. In 1873, he came to Lake Station, where he now conducts an eating house on the Michigan Central. He was married, December 30, 1869, to Carrie E. Utter, at Lake Station. She has given birth to one child-Frances. He has led a comparatively quiet life, but has always endeavored to act his part in the prosecution of any public improvement, and is a good citizen.
JOHN BLACKHALL was born October 1, 1829, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is one of the three children of David and Isabella (Goalin) Blackhall, both natives of Scotland. The elder Blackhall spent some of his life, while quite a young man, in Charleston, S. C. When our sub- ject was about six years old, his father died ; at his eighteenth year, his mother died. John Blackhall served an apprenticeship of seven years as comb-maker. In 1852, he established a comb and brush store in Glas- gow, Scotland, and continued five years. He was ill a year, and sold out and went to Canada, where he engaged in the mercantile trade, and in making pot and pearl ashes, for about four years, when he went to London and learned the photographer's art, and ran a branch office for other par- ties for about a year or so. He also attended lectures in the Edinburgh School of Arts, in philosophy, chemistry and inathematics, for several
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years. He then came to Chicago and worked there for a time, then to Morris, Ill., then to Waterloo and Lyons, Iowa, and finally he bought a place in Clinton, Iowa, and remained eight years. He then came pros- pecting to Hobart, and has since remained here, with the exception of about a year passed in Marshall, Mich. He also does a fruit and garden- ing business, raising strawberries in particular, also grapes, etc. In Canada he was a member of the Township Council. His political opinions were Democratic until Lincoln's Proclamation, since which they have been Republican. Mr. Blackhall was married, in 1865, to Agnes Thompson, a native of the Province of Quebec, Canada, and an estima- ble lady. They have one child-William F.
WILLIAM L. BOWEN, junior member of the firm of Bowen Bros., founders, at Hobart, was born in November, 1840, in Belgium, within thirty miles of the Waterloo battle-field. He is the youngest of four chil- dren born to Thomas and Mary (Griffis) Bowen, both natives of Wales. The elder Bowen was led to go to Belgium to found a blast furnace, the second one in that country, which now employs an immense number of men. Mr. Bowen lived with his father in Belgium until five years of age, when they returned to Wales, and he has been at foundry work more or less since his seventh year. He spent about six years as journeyman in England, after his nineteenth year, when he came to America, and set- tled in Pottsville, Penn., where he remained until 1872. He then spent about six months in Chicago, and then moved to Hobart, but worked in Chicago for about three years. The brothers established their Hobart foundry in 1874. Mr. Bowen was a member of the Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows in England, and his political opinions have always been Republican. He remains unmarried, and his parents are still living with him-seventy-six and seventy-eight years old respectively.
MAJ. MICHAEL J. COOKE was born in 1830 in Ireland. He is one of nine children living born to Henry and Winifred (Hope) Cooke, both natives of Ireland. Michael J. came with his father to Pennsylva- nia, and finally settled in Philadelphia. When he was about twenty- nine years old, his father died. He married and left home in 1850, having learned in a four years' apprenticeship, in Philadelphia, the trade of monument and tombstone making. He worked at his trade in Phila- delphia, New York and Baltimore. After a year or so in the latter two places, he continued to work in Philadelphia until the war began. After considerable revision of his regiment, he was sent out as First Lieutenant in the Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers in 1862. He was with McClellan on part of the seven days' battle, and among those who re- ceived Lincoln on his famous visit to Harrison's Landing. He was on guard duty around Washington, was at Culpeper, then at Bull Run,
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Centreville, Chantilly, Fredericksburg. He was discharged on account of disability contracted while in service, and went to Philadelphia. In 1864, he went out with the Two Hundred and Third Pennsylvania Volunteers as Captain, to City Point and North Carolina under Butler, then to Fort Fisher, where he was promoted to Major, and received a notice of Brevet Commission from Congress for meritorious conduct. Next he was trans- ferred to Goldsboro and Raleigh, where he was mustered out, and returned to Philadelphia. In July, 1865, he came to Hobart and bought a farm. After about two years, he traded the place for his present property, and embarked in the hotel business for about eight years. He began the marble business in 1876, and has continued up to the present. He is a member of the Catholic Church, and has been a member of the Odd Fellows. In 1872, he was elected Trustee and served five and one-half years, in which he built Hobart's present finely-arranged and commodious public school building. He was re-elected in April, 1882, and is the in- cumbent at present writing. He was a Democrat up to the Garfield campaign, since which he has been a Republican on tariff principles. He was married in 1850 to Elizabeth A. Clark, a native of Philadelphia. They have eight children living.
JOHN G. EARLE was born February 6, 1833, in London, England. He is the only child of George and Mary (Devonshire) Earle, both natives of Falmouth, England. The elder Earle was an architect and builder, having learned his trade in Falmouth, thence going to London. He next came to Philadelphia where he had extensive contracts, and then came to Lake County, founded the town of Liverpool and remained there until 1845, when he came to Hobart. He also founded this town as well Lake Station. He founded the first saw-mill, by which timber was cut for the first paved street in Chicago. He was engaged in the milling business and buying and selling real estate up to 1854, when he returned to Philadelphia, where he resided until 1876. Our subject was about two or three years old when his father came to Philadelphia, and remained for but a short time and came to Lake County. He was educated at Crown Point for about two years, and then was sent to England for in- struction in the private schools of that day. He remained there for about two years, and returned to Hobart, remaining here up to his twenty-first year with his father, who now left the business in the hands of his son. For about fifteen years, Mr. Earle and father did a general broker busi- ness, lending money principally. He has since been dealing in real es- tate, and has owned most of the real estate in and around Hobart, and much land in both Porter and Lake Counties, and of late considerable in Illinois. He now devotes his attention to the Illinois land, and build- ing dwelling houses on lots in Chicago, for rent. His residence, built in
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Hobart, is one of the finest in the place, but he now lives on Thirty- seventh street, in Chicago. He is a Consistory and Knight Templar, member of the F. & A. M. order, and an Odd Fellow. In politics, he has always been a strong Republican. He was married, in 1868, to Eva- line J. Hull, a native of Kosciusko County, Ind. They have three chil- dren-Mary J., George and William. His father, George Earle, in 1868, in Falmouth, England, donated a Home for the Aged and Poor, costing $30,000. He has painted a number of pictures; in 1858 founded the Hobart Art Gallery.
ELIZABETH H. EVENSON was born in Clinton County, N. Y., March 15, 1844. She is the only child of John and Josephite (Du- rocher) Hurley. John Hurley was born in Ireland; he graduated at Dublin University, and spoke and wrote the Irish language with ease. His chief business during life was testing iron ore in the mines of En- gland, Wales and the State of New York. He died in New York in 1856, after living there some fifteen years. When Elizabeth was four- teen years of age, she came with her mother to Lake Station, and after living here two years, lived in Valparaiso about two years, when she came back to Lake Station, and has lived here ever since. Her mother died at Lake Station in 1873. She was heiress to the Jacques Cartier Square in the heart of Montreal, Canada; the matter is now in the courts, and, if the heirs are not defeated in their claims, Mrs. Evenson is one of six heirs to $250,000, the value of half the square. Elizabeth was married November 24, 1860, to Olle Evenson, in Valparaiso. She has given birth to two children-Etta and Martin, both dead. Mr. Evenson at- tended the Lutheran Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind., for about four years, fitting himself for the ministry, but he quit before he was or- dained. He spent his life chiefly at shoemaking. He died January 27, 1863, at Valparaiso. Mrs. Evenson is now conducting the post office at Lake Station, in which she has been for twelve years.
VALENTINE FABIAN was born in Prussia February 22, 1842. He is one of five children-two boys and three girls-born to Valentine and Margaret Fabian ; the names of the children, beginning with the eldest, are Christina, Catherine, Valentine, Conrad and Mary. Mary is dead. Mr. Fabian now lives at Lake Station, and is freight agent on the Michigan Central Railroad. He is a business man through and through, a true and worthy citizen, and, by the promptness with which he discharges all his duties, has won the respect and confidence of all.
NATHAN H. FERRIN was born in 1818 in New York. He is one of thirteen children living, born to Ebenezer and Lydia (Phelps) Ferrin, both natives of New Hampshire. Grandfather Phelps was a soldier of the Revolution. When fifteen years old, our subject began life
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for himself by working out and going to school up to his eighteenth year. He then began an apprenticeship as carpenter and joiner, and two years later began business for himself. After about six years, he began busi- ness as millwright, and in 1865 came to Hobart to repair the mills. As circumstances had it, he leased the mills for a time, but soon sold the lease. He then began bellows-making, and about a year later he bought a farm near town. In about 1874, he left the farm and was engaged at different occupations for about four years, when he embarked in his present business. He sells all kinds of farm implements, including threshing machines, mowers, reapers, etc., all kinds of sewing machines, lime, cement, land plaster, etc. He has one sewing machine wagon on the road, and repairs machines. He is a member of the F. & A. M. fraternity. His political opinions have always been strongly Republican. He was married, in 1842, to Harriet Thompson, a native of New York. She died in 1846, of consumption. In 1847, he married a sister of his first wife. She died in 1862. He enlisted, in 1861, in the One Hun- dred and Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry. He served near Wash- ington and in Virginia, but, on being taken sick, was placed in the hos- pital and soon discharged. He was united, in 1866, to Hattie Loomis, born in New York. Mr. Ferrin has ten children living-Alamantha, Josiah T., Harriet A., Alice A., Martin A., Ella, Flora M., Adna, George P. and Jesse G.
WILLIAM FRANK was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, May 8, 1818; he is the eldest of seven children, of whom five are still living- William, Hannah, John, Louisa and Christina. At the age of twenty- eight, William came to this country, landing at New York, going straight to Washtenaw County, Mich ; he lived there some seven years, when he came to Lake County, and has lived here ever since. In 1863, he bought his present place, one-half mile south of Hobart, but he lived one- half mile east of it until about 1870, when he moved upon it. He was married, in 1851, to Selinda Kern, in Washtenaw County, Mich. She has given birth to six children-Moses, Peter, John, Frederick, David and Jacob. The oldest and youngest are dead. Mr. Frank has always been a good, honest farmer, and has always endeavored to act the part of a true citizen. He now lives on his very fine farm, one-half mile south of Hobart.
AARON K. GEARHART was born October 4, 1822, in Hunter- don County, N. J .; he is one of ten children born to David and Eliza- beth (Kline) Gearhart, the former probably a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of New Jersey. When Mr. Gearhart was thirteen years old, they went to Ohio, where he served nearly six years' apprenticeship at tailoring; he then started business for himself, after a short time at
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school, at Malvern, Ohio; with the exception of about one year, he re- mained there until 1853, when he came to Porter County ; he then be- gan farming, and continued up to 1879, when he was urged to accept a position in Valparaiso, at his old trade, which he had quit on account of his health; he worked for some time, but his health again gave way, and he came to Hobart in 1880, to visit his daughter, and while sewing some for himself, he was importuned by several to do work for them, until he finally re-established himself in trade ; he is a fine workman, as his career will testify. He has been a member of the M. E. Church for the past forty-four years ; he is a good citizen, and an earnest Christian. He was married, in 1842, to Drusilla Hardesty, a native of Malvern, Ohio. They have six children-Mrs. O. ₺. Spencer, William, Mary, Alice, Jennie and Hardesty Q. I
PLINY P. GORDON, M. D., senior member of the firm of P. P. Gordon & Bro., druggists and grocers, was born December 21, 1835, in Pennsylvania, and is one of eight children born to Edwin and Lucy (Power) Gordon, the former of New York, and the latter of Vermont. Grand- father Gordon was in the war of 1812. Two uncles were noted physi- cians of Detroit and Harrisburgh. When Pliny P. was four years old, his parents came to Michigan ; here he lived at home until about 1860, attending school at the Ontario (Ind.) Seminary ; he then began the study of medicine under Dr. Warren Byrns, of Bronson, Mich., and studied also at Ann Arbor and Buffalo, and graduated at Buffalo in the spring of 1865; he then came to Hobart and located ; the first year he had a $1,200 practice, and has since run as high as $3,500; three years later, he began the drug business in partnership with his brother, and has been in that ever since; the firm has also been engaged in buying land, and at present the brothers have two farms; they have a fifth in- terest in the Deep River Ice Company. The Doctor is the oldest prac- titioner in Hobart, and has a leading practice in this part of the county. He is a Knight Templar, member of the F. & A. M. fraternity, and has been a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge ; he was County Coroner for two years ; he has always been a Democrat, and is a public-spirited citizen. He was married, in December, 1869, to Hettie Rifenburg, a native of New York. They have one child, Howard E. Mrs. Gordon was a teacher for a number of years.
JOHN M. GORDON, junior member of the firm of P. P. Gordon & Brother, was born August 19, 1838, in Richmond, Penn. When John M. was eighteen years old, his father died. Mr. Gordon bought up the homestead soon after the death of his father, and in 1871 sold out and came to Hobart and went into partnership with his brother, P. P. Gordon ; his mother lived with him until her death, in the spring of 1882,
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aged eighty years, fifty-six years a M. E. Church member. The broth- ers keep a full line of drugs, paints, oils, varnishes, brushes, etc., and groceries, provisions, flour, cigars and tobaccos, etc. Their trade has in- creased, and has always ranked among the first in the city. Mr. Gordon has an improved farm west of Hobart, about one mile ; he is a member of the F. & A. M. fraternity, has always been a Democrat, but is liberal in local matters ; he was married, January 20, 1869, to Anna L. Trum- per, a native of Canada. They had three children-Frederick W., Mary J. and Edwin W. Mrs. Gordon was a teacher for four years, and was educated in Canada.
JOSIAH W. HALLADAY, of the firm, Vincent & Halladay, drug- gists, was born December 2, 1855, in Porter County, Ind .; he is one of three children born to John and Jane (Hendee) Halladay, the former a native of Indiana, and the latter of Ohio. The elder Halladay was a soldier in the rebellion. When twelve years of age, our subject and parents moved from the farm to Valparaiso, and educated himself at the high school and Northern Indiana Normal School, and then began clerk- ing for C. H. Osgood, merchant, continuing for more than five years. Then for one year he clerked for L. P. Manville, then for John Wood two years. After his marriage, he farmed for about two years, when he came to Hobart and bought a half-interest in the present firm of Vin- cent & Halladay. The firm have the most tastefully arranged and ex- pensive drug store in this part of the county, of Dr. Vincent's own de- sign, also one of the most finely selected stocks. They also have the finest soda fountain in the county. Mr. Halladay is a member of the I. O. G. T., and was a member of the Valparaiso Fire Department, and has always been a Republican ; he was married, November 3, 1871, to Ruth Bullock, a native of La Porte County, Ind. She was educated in Crown Point and Valparaiso. They have one child-Charles.
H. C. HANSON was born April 21, 1855, in Denmark, and is one of eight children born to Christian and Maria (Hanson) Hanson. When Mr. Hanson was thirteen, his father died; he had begun his trade of jeweler under his father, and continued his father's business as best he could until fifteen years old; he then came to America, and settled at Racine, Wis., where he completed his trade in two years. In the spring of 1872, he went to Chicago, and started in business for himself, continuing about one year ; he then worked for a Mr. Williams for two years in Chicago and came with him to Hobart, and continued with him the three years follow- ing. In 1878, he established his present business ; he keeps a well- selected stock of clocks, watches, jewelry, plated ware, spectacles, etc .; his sales reached nearly $1,500 in 1881. He is a prominent member of the Union Church, but previously was of the Baptist faith ; he has
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organized three Sabbath schools, and is at present Superintendent of the Union Sabbath School at Hobart ; he has been a member of the Good Templars ; he has been a strong Republican, and now favors the Prohi- bition movement ; was married, in 1879, to Eva C. Smith, a native of Michigan, niece of Horace Marble, present Sheriff of Lake County. They had one child-Leroy H. The elder Hanson was among the first advocates of the Baptist faith in Denmark, and, as it was in the time of religious persecution, he was repeatedly arrested for advocating doctrines against the Established Church.
MATTHEW W. JORY was born July 18, 1836, in England, and is the eldest son of five children born to Thomas and Anna E. (Lane) Jory. The elder Jory was a queensware merchant in Davenport, En- gland. When about seventeen years of age, Matthew W. came to the United States and remained in Philadelphia about one year, and then went to Wilmington, Del., to learn his trade of carriage-body making. When about twenty-one, he returned to Philadelphia, and after a few months went to St. George, Del .; then went to New York. He then went to Port Tobacco, Md., and was sick for two years with malarial dis- eases. His physician ordered him to Fredricksburg, Va., where his health improved rapidly, and he went into business. In 1862, he was among those driven out of the place in the noted battle. He lost every- thing, except his tools, which, strangely enough, had been saved in a cellar, and he found them after the war. He went to Richmond, where an attempt was made to press him into service, but, on account of phys- ical disability, he was made Hospital Steward. At the close of the war, he went to Mechanicsville, and began business again, remaining until the latter part of 1870. In 1870, he came to Valparaiso, but soon settled in Hobart, engaging in carriage and wagon making, and continuing up to March, 1882. He owns a half interest in the Hobart Mills. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F. orders, Past Master in the former and Past Grand in the latter. He is a member of the Uni- tarian Church. He has held the offices of Secretary of the S. S., Masons and Odd Fellows. He has always been a Democrat, but is now entirely independent, but favors the Prohibition movement. He was married, August 14, 1861, to Ann M. Brown, a native of Virginia. They have four children living-Ida L., Thomas A. J., Mary E. and Eva P.
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