USA > Indiana > Lake County > Encyclopedia of genealogy and biography of Lake County, Indiana, with a compendium of history 1834-1904 > Part 27
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In 1870, while living in Sheldon, Illinois, Judge Jones was united in . marriage to Miss Margaret Markley, and to them were born two sons and one daughter: Harry, who is an engineer for the Standard Oil Company; Guy, a switchman in the employ of the same company : and Annie, at home. The Judge and his family are well known in Whiting, where they occupy an enviable position in social circles and have many warm friends. He has taken a very active and helpful part in public affairs, and in his life record has dis- played many commendable characteristics. His benevolent spirit has prompted generous assistance to the borough, and he has the reputation of giving more liberally than any other man in Whiting according to his means. No one in need seeking his aid is turned away from his door empty-handed, and while he does not believe in the indiscriminate giving that fosters va- grancy and idleness, he does everything in his power to help those who are willing to help themselves. Judge Jones attended school for only about ten months, and his knowledge has all been acquired through practical experience and by reading and study at night. He has made the most of his oppor- tunities as the years have advanced, and to-day he is a well-informed man, widely and favorably known throughout the community, his abilities well fitting him for leadership in political, business and social life. The terms progress and patriotism may be considered the keynotes of his character, for throughout his career he has labored for the improvement of every line of business or public interest with which he has been associated and at all times has been actuated by a fidelity to his country and her welfare.
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
JUDGE W. C. McMAHAN.
Judge W. C. MeMahan, in 1902 elected to his present office of circuit judge, has been one of the leading members of the bar at Crown Point for the past twenty years, and his legal talent and learning, his wholesome and genial personality, and his loyalty to the publie welfare have been recognized in an extensive law practice and a large personal and party following who have honored him with various public offices. the last being the circuit judge- ship. Since taking his seat on the bench he has fully preserved the judicial dignity of the office and has made a most commendable record by his ex- peditions yet thorough handling of the mumcrous cases on his docket. His career has been typical of those of many successful lawyers, he having entered . upon the law after a period of experience in school teaching and having passed the usual novitiate of hard study and early trials in gaining recogni- tion from the people. His past record proves his success, and he has reached his present prominence at the bar and bench while in the prime of manhood, being a man of forty-six and with many years of useful work before him.
Judge McMahan was born in Carroll county, Indiana, August 2, 1858, being of Scotch-Irish lineage. His grandfather, Robert McMahan, was an Indian trader, and served as aide-de-camp to General Washington. He was later one of the first settlers in the old town of Chillicothe, Ohio, where he located during the Indian wars. During the pioneer epoch of Ohio history and throughout the remainder of his life he was actively identified with the development and upbuilding of that state and of Indiana.
Judge McMahan's father is Robert MeMahan, who was born in Darke county, Ohio, and when a small boy went with his parents to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, where he was reared to the occupation of farming, passing his youth among frontier seenes. He became a farmer of Carroll county, where he has devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits to the present time, although he is now seventy-nine years old and one of the honored patriarehs of his community. By his first wife he had one son. He was afterward married in Carroll county to Miss Martha White. who was born in Ohio and is still living. Her father, Zenas White, was a native of Ohio, and settled in Carroll county, Indiana, in 1832. Of this second union six children were born, four sons and two daughters.
Mr. C. Milnahan
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
Judge McMahan, the eldest of his brothers and sisters, was reared in Carroll county. Indiana, obtaining his early education in the country and village schools. He later attended the normal school at Ladoga, Indiana. and for four years engaged in teaching school. With his ambition set for the profession of law, he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and studied there one year. He spent another year in reading law with a firm in Logansport, and in 1883 was admitted to the bar at Delphi Carroll county. Indiana. In April of the following year he located in Crown Point and began the practice which he has continued with so much success during the last twenty years. He has almost continuously been in some office de- manding his professional services. He was town attorney for sixteen years. was prosecuting attorney of the county from 1890 to 1894, and in January. 1902. was appointed to the position of circuit judge and in the fall of the same year was elected to that office. He has for a number of years been one of the influential Republicans of this part of the state, and as far as his duties permit he takes an active part in politics. His only fraternal affiliations are with the Knights of Pythias.
In 1888 Jude McMahan married Miss Irene Allman, a daughter of Amos and Mary (Luther) Allman. She was born in Crown Point, and by her marriage became the mother of three children: Claudia, Mary and Maurine.
SETH L. PEARCE.
Seth L. Pearce, of section 19. Eagle Creek township, is a life-long resi- dent of this fertile portion of Lake county, and has been prominently identi- fied with its farming and stock-raising interests during nearly all his years since attaining manhood. Very little time has been spent away from the scene of his childhood joys, and his career has been worked out to a suc- cessful degree of fulness among the people and in the environments that he has known since he first became conscious of the great world about him. As the head of a happy home and as a factor in the social and business life of his community he has borne his share of responsibilities and become known everywhere in his township as a man of integrity and industrious habits.
Mr. Pearce was born in Eagle Creek township. Lake county, July 29, 1854. being the eighth child and the third son of Michael and Margaret J.
19
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
(Dinwiddie) Pearce. His father, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Lake county, was born in 1808 and died in 1861. and his mother was born in 1818 and died August 8, 1894. Besides Seth L., there are six children living : John, in whose biography on another page further details of family history will be found; Harriet, wife of Isaac Bryant, of Hebron, Indiana ; Nancy Ann, wife of O. V. Servis, also written of in this volume: Mary J .. wife of W. T. Buchanan, of Eagle Creek township: Susanna, wife of G. H. Stahl, of Eagle Creek township; and Thomas, on the old homestead.
11r. Seth L. Pearce was reared in his native township, and after attend- ing the local schools went to the Crown Point high school and then to the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso. He spent a year and a half in Oregon and California, but returned to his native township to take up the agricultural pursuits which have ever since formed his chief occupation and given him his livelihood. After his marriage he located on the farm where he still resides, consisting of one hundred and sixteen acres, well improved and under his capable management producing good general crops and stock. Mr. Pearce is a stanch Republican, and in church matters is a member of the United Presbyterian church at Hebron. taking a useful part in its work.
March 16, 1886. Mr. Pearee married Miss Sarah G. Patterson, a native of Koseiusko county, Indiana, where she was born July 16. 1859, the daugh- ter of John and Margaret ( Kirkpatrick) Patterson. Her father was born in Pennsylvania, September 15, 1799. and died April 7, 1864, and her mother in Ohio, August 21, 1819, and died December 12, 1900. She is the only child of their marriage. She was reared and educated in her native county. Father Patterson was reared as an agriculturist in Pennsylvania, and edu- cated in the log-eabin school of "ye olden days." In his early life he was a Whig, and at the birth of the Republican party took up its principles. He came to Ohio from Pennsylvania and afterwards to Koseiusko county, In- diana, in 1843, and there had purchased one hundred and twenty aeres of land in Plain township. He and wife were members of the United Pres- byterian church. Mother Patterson was born in Clarke county, Ohio, and was seventeen when she became a resident of Indiana. Mrs. Pearce was educated in the common schools, was also a student in the Warsaw high school three years. She is a lady of genial, eordial bearing, and her cosy,
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hospitable home is a haven for friend or stranger. Mr. and Mrs. Pearce have one daughter, Margaret E., born March 6, 1887, and who graduated from the Crown Point high school in 1904. She expects to enter a university of high rank, and take the classical course.
JAMES MONTGOMERY HALSTED.
James Montgomery Halsted, of section 11, Ross township, is a life- long resident of Lake county, and has found in agricultural pursuits the best employment for his energies and a means of gaining a comfortable livelihood and a substantial place in the world of material circumstances. He is a son of one of the very earliest pioneers to the county, so that the Halsted family has figured in the industrial and social life of Lake county from its earliest years to the present, and, furthermore, have always retained the esteem and high regard of their fellow citizens and business associates.
Mr. Halsted was born in Ross township, September 12. 1852. His father, James Halsted, was a native of Oneida county, New York, and about 1838 came out to Lake county, Indiana, locating in a very sparsely settled community and playing the part of the doughty pioneer in clearing the ground and making way for civilization. He was a farmer all his life. and lived to the advanced age of eighty-seven years. He was a member of and helped to build the Unitarian church at Hobart. In politics he was a Demo- crat from the time of casting his first vote to the last. His wife was Mary Woodhouse, who was born and reared in New York city. a daughter of Edwin Woodhouse. She is still living at the age of seventy-six, and has been the mother of six children, four sons and two daughters, all of whom grew up and married, and five are living at the present writing.
Mr. James M. Halsted is the eldest son and the second child. He was reared in Ross township, being educated in the public schools, and he remained at home and assisted his parents until his marriage, in 1877. In the same year he located on the farm where he has since made his home. This consists of one hundred and fifty-seven acres of well improved and highly cultivated land, and is devoted, under his skillful management, to general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Halsted is also interested in public affairs, and in 1904 was the Democratic candidate for the office of trustee of Ross township.
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
He married, in 1877, Miss Emma Brown, the daughter of James and Jane Brown. She was born in Michigan City, LaPorte county, Indiana. and was reared there. Mr. and Mrs. Halsted have five children : Albert. Ura. Roy, Mamie and Ethel.
CAPTAIN C. A. FRIEDRICH.
Captain Charles A. Friedrich is the proprietor of the Harbor Hotel at Indiana Harbor and is one of the upbuilders of the town, which has had an existence of but a very few years, but in this brief space of time has made rapid strides, enjoying a marvelous yet substantial growth. The hostelry of which Captain Friedrich is proprietor is the leading one of the town, and in addition to its conduct he is also engaged in real estate operations.
The Captain is descended from a distinguished family of Germany. prominent in public life there. His grandfather Friedrich was commander of and had supervision over all the fortifications in central Germany, and at his death was buried under the monument which he had erected at Coburg, Germany. He married a Miss Demuth, and among their children was Charles E. Friedrich, the father of Captain Friedrich. He, too, was a native of Germany, and was in the government service throughout his entire life. He lived for a time in Saerbricken. He became a prominent officer, and the emperor voluntarily placed a medal upon his breast-the medal of the order of the Red Eagle. He was twice married, his first union being with Miss Leopoltina Miller, also a native of Germany and whose father spent his entire life in that country, where he conducted a hotel. To Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Friedrich were born three children, who are still living : Charles A. ; Emelia, the wife of Ernst Gross, of Rheinholz. Germany ; and Julius, of New York. After the death of his first wife the father married Katharina Dawald, and they had four sons-Ernst. Robert. Rudolph and Carl, all in Germany. Charles E. Friedrich died in the year 1899, at the advanced age of seventy- nine years, while the mother of our subject died of cholera in 1866. Both were consistent members of the Lutheran church.
Captain Charles A. Friedrich was reared in the fatherland and acquired his education in that country. When he had completed the high school course he attended college and afterward entered a sailors' school at Ham- burg. Germany, known as the German Seamen's School. where he pursued a
Charles A Friedrich.
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
thorough course. Subsequently he entered the merchant marine service. which claimed his time and energies until 1901. His first trip to America was made in 1865. he landing at New York in April on the day that Presi- dent Lincoln was assassinated. He continued to follow the ocean until 1869, when he began sailing on the Great Lakes, and was captain of various ves- sels until 1901, when he determined to abandon the vocation which had so long occupied his attention, and came to Indiana Harbor.
Captain Friedrich was the first man who slept in his own bed in the town. He opened the Harbor Hotel, renting the building when it was but partially finished, and the first night he had sixty-six boarders. There was not a bedstead in the house at the time, although he had four thousand dollars' worth of furniture upon the way, it being almost impossible to get the furni- ture from the cars by wagon, because of the swampy and stumpy condition of the ground, almost making hauling impossible. As rapidly as possible. however, he provided for the comfort of his guests, and the Harbor Hotel has ever maintained the first place among the leading hostelries of the town. He has a good patronage and his success is assured because of the enter- prising methods he follows, and his earnest and untiring efforts to please his patrons. He is also interested in the real estate business and has handled considerable property here.
The condition of Indiana Harbor at the time of the opening of the hotel, contrasted with its present condition, indicates the rapid growth of the town, which now contains a population of three thousand and is still rapidly grow- ing. The wise system of industrial economics which has been brought to bear in the development of Indiana Harbor has challenged uniform admira- tion, for while there has been steady advancement in material lines there has been an entire absence of that inflation of values and that erratic "boom- ing" which have in the past proved the eventual death knell to many of the localities in the central west. where "mushroom towns" have one day smiled forth with "all modern improvements" and practically on the next have been shorn of their glories and of their possibilities of stable prosperity until the existing order of things shall have radically changed. In Indiana Harbor progress has been made continuously and in safe lines, and in the healthful growth and advancement of the town Mr. Friedrich has taken an active part.
On the 14th of May, 1898. Captain Friedrich was united in marriage
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to Miss Nellie T. Burke. a daughter of John and Theressa Burke. He belongs to several fraternal organizations, including the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men, and has attained the uniformed rank in the K. of P. He is a member of the Indiana Harbor, Columbia and Jackson Park Yacht clubs. Politically he is a Republican, but his attention has never been directed toward office-holding, as he prefers to perform his duties of citizenship in other ways. While on the water he had some thrilling experiences, and now he is living the more quiet life of a hotel proprietor, ably ministering to the wants of the traveling public and by his genial. oblig- ing manner making many friends.
SEYMORE PATTON.
Seymore Patton is one of the oldest citizens of Lake county, both in years of his age and in length of residence, and his honorable and active career as a farmer here for over forty-five years is one of the important items of the history of Center township. He came here in the strength and vigor of his young manhood and settled on the land which has ever since formed part of his homestead, and from the wild prairie and woodland he developed a farm whose continued cultivation has afforded him a most honor- able occupation and a means of livelihood, resulting in comfortable circum- stances for his old age and in grateful esteem and regard from all his fellow citizens and associates.
Mr. Patton was born in Trumbull county, Ohio. December IS. 1828, a son of John and Eliza Jane (Dixon) Patton. the former a native of Butler county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ireland, whence she came to America at the age of fourteen. His parents were married in Butler county. Penn- sylvania. where his father followed the occupation of farming, but spent his last years in Lake county, Indiana, where his death occurred at the age of sixty-four years. His mother died in this county at the age of sixty. There were sixteen children in the family, and all but one grew up and married and reared families.
Mr. Patton, the fifth child of the family. was reared in Trumbull county, Ohio. and was educated in that county's public schools. He was married there in 1852. and in the same year he came to Indiana. for the first two years being located in the south part of the state, in Morgan county. In 1855 he
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
came to Lake county, but two years later moved to LaPorte county, whence two years later he moved back to Lake county. He then bought the farm where he now lives, and has continued his home and habitation thereon during all the subsequent years. He found the place a raw prairie, but he has piaced and replaced many improvements since the day of his arrival. The present home place consists of eighty acres besides fifteen acres of tim- ber tract.
In 1852 Mr. Patton married Miss Sarah Ann Beber, who was born near Allentown, Pennsylvania, and died May 8, 1904. Five children were born of this union of over fifty years, and four are now living: Anna M., the wife of Freeland Price, of Norton county, Kansas; Sarah, unmarried; William H., at home and performing most of the active work of the farm; and Vina, at home. Anna was a successful teacher in Lake county and also in Kansas. Mr. Patton has long been one of the Democratic voters of the county, and has always given his influence to the work of progress and devel- opment of his community.
JAMES PATTON.
James Patton, retired farmer of Winfield township, is a representative citizen of Lake county, entirely deserving of the substantial place he has gained in the esteem and high regard of his fellow citizens. His life of more than threescore and ten years has been fruitful in many ways. From early years he devoted himself industriously to his duties as a farmer, and only within the last few years has he remitted the diligence and constant effort which gained him prosperity in material circumstances and influence in affairs of citizenship. He made his first acquaintance with Lake county over fifty-five years ago, and some fifteen years later returned to this fertile agricultural section of northern Indiana and made it the field of his endeavors for his subsequent active career. He is accordingly well informed as to the various epochs in Lake county's industrial and political history, and is one of the honored old-timers.
Mr. Patton was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, April 26, 1831, being a son of Jolin and Eliza Jane (Dixon) Patton, the former a native of Butler county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ireland, whence she came to America at the age of fourteen. His parents were married in Butler county, Penn- sylvania, where his father followed the occupation of farming, but spent
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his last years in Lake county, Indiana, where his death occurred at the age of sixty-five. There were sixteen children in the family, and all but one grew up and married and reared families.
Mr. James Patton, the eighth of this large family, was reared in Trum- bull county, and during his boyhood attended a log-cabin school for several years, drinking in such knowledge as this primitive fountain of learning afforded. In 1848, when aged seventeen, he started out in life for himself, coming to Lake county, Indiana, where he remained and gained a good acquaintance with the country for three years. He returned to Trumbull county, where he was married, and remained in his native county until 1864, when he went to Williams county, Ohio, and in 1868 came and took up his residence in Winfield township of Lake county, where he continued his suc- cessful farming operations until 1901, when he moved to his present resi- dence in the same township and resigned most of his former business cares.
Mr. Patton has always adhered to the Democracy in his political views. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married, in 1858, Miss Mary Earl, who was born and reared in Trumbull county. Ohio, and died in Lake county, April 9. 1894. There were eleven children born of this marriage, but six are deceased. Those living are: Euthema, the wife of David Booth, of Chicago; Kittie, wife of William Vansciver, of Crown Point: Orwillie, wife of Michael Hefron, of Chicago Heights. Illinois: Flora Unora, at home: and James, unmarried.
AMOS ALLMAN.
Amos Allman is numbered among the honored dead of Lake county, whose memory is yet enshrined in the hearts of many of those who enjoyed his friendship. His life was so straightforward, his conduct so manly and his actions so sincere and unaffected that he won the warm regard of all with whom he was associated and he left behind him an untarnished name.
Mr. Allman was born at Atwick, in Yorkshire. England. February 17. 1825. His parents were Major and Margaret ( Haxby ) AAllman, who were also natives of England. and there the mother spent her entire life. She passed away in 1826, leaving six children, of whom Amos was the youngest. Four years later, in 1830, the father bade adicu to friends and native country and with his children sailed for the new world. at first settling in Canada. In 1843 he became a resident of Crown Point.
amos allmano
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
Amos Allman accompanied his father on the emigration to the new world when but five years of age and lived in Toronto and Whitby, Canada. residing with his eldest sister. In 1842 when about seventeen years of age he entered upon an apprenticeship to the tailor's trade in Sturgis, Michigan, and the following year he removed to Crown Point, where he worked at his trade, but was soon obliged to abandon this vocation because of the partial failure of his eyesight. Several years later he returned to Sturgis, Michigan, and there embarked in merchandising, continuing in business at that place until 1855. In the latter year he once more came to Lake county to look after his father's business and with the exception of one year spent in Niles. Michigan. he remained continuously a resident of Crown Point from 1855 until his death. His father had served as county recorder up to the time of his death in 1856 and in that year Amos Allman was elected to the position. which he filled for eight consecutive years, having been re-elected. He was also for eighteen months, beginning in 1856, deputy revenue collector at this port. After his retirement from office Mr. Allman turned his attention to the abstract and real estate business, in which he continued for a long period. becoming widely known in that way. He handled much valuable property. negotiated many important real estate transfers and did a large abstract busi- ness. so that his clientage in both departments brought to him a good financial return and as he carefully husbanded his resources he was eventually enabled to retire from active business life and spend his remaining days in the enjoy- ment of a well-earned rest. He erected a number of buildings in Crown Point, including his own beautiful home, and thus he contributed in sub- stantial measure to the improvement of the city.
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