USA > Indiana > Lake County > History Of Lake County (1929) > Part 10
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LAKE STATION
name "Pullman," instead of Lake Station, proving in this case that opportunity knocks but once; thus with grief does Lake Station record its first real knock by Opportunity (Mr. Pullman).
On the building of other roads through Lake County the wheels of progress during the eighties were caused to slip a cog and check all possibilities of Lake Station becoming a place of substantial growth. Captain Patterson who, by the way, was the Godfather of the first passenger train, "The Dinkey," made his daily trip (except Sunday) from Lake Station to Joliet and return, as postal clerk on the old Lake Station and Joliet Railroad Post Office. For thirty years, up to the time of his death, he made this run. The Captain's successor was the beginning of the end of this famous R. P. 0. and train. The new clerk induced the postmasters along the line to have the run leave Joliet instead of Lake Station and make both trips in the forenoon, this was done, and lasted about a year before it was discovered. All mail connections had been overlooked and lost by this change and the outcome was Lake Station lost its R. P. O. and the railroad company no longer having Uncle Sam's schedule to make with the "Dinky" again, made a mixed train of it, which was very little better than no train at all, as far as passenger service was concerned, and thus Lake Station retrograded until it had no real passenger service from Lake Station to Joliet, and had only one merchandise store, one saloon, one hotel, one church, the Union Protestant. The old Catholic Church so rot- ted away that it was torn down and never rebuilt. A small depot with a waiting room of about eight by ten (8x10) feet was erected, but at the eleventh hour a new change for a better or worse occurred and the old name Lake Station passed to East Gary, and was so incorporated as a town June 1st, 1908. Its town limits comprise about fifteen square miles; within these limits is also included the old town site of Liverpool, once noted as the first county-seat of Lake County. A few words might be said here of the old town Liverpool, which was founded about 1832 by eastern capitalists. It being on the old Indian trail and an ancient fur trading post of the Indians made it look very promising; so much so that a com- pany was formed and a hotel built and managed by Friedrick- son and Nat Davis, who also kept the licensed ferry. A li- cense was given Bucklin and Murdock to keep a Tavern in
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY
the hotel. Old settlers state that the first ferry license given the hotel proprietor was revoked in 1837 or 1838, and a new license issued to a man by the name of Stillson to keep the ferry. Liverpool was the County Seat of Lake County in 1839 and 1840, and the moving of the County Seat to Crown Point in 1840 marked the end of Liverpool.
What became of the Old Court House has long been in dispute by "would be" old timers. Some state the Court House Building was taken down and shipped on boats via the navi- gable Deep and Calumet rivers to Blue Island, Illinois, and then put up for a tavern. Others claim it was the Old Tavern that was shipped and put up as a Tavern at Blue Island, Illi- nois. I will answer this question for you. The Old Tavern and its fixtures were taken down and shipped by boat to Blue Island and there put up as a Tavern such as it was at Liver- pool, and the Old Court House was left standing and rotted away on the very foundation upon which it was built. Myself and chums chased rabbits from under some of the old foun- dation timbers that were still there in the early 70's.
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History of Lake County Sanitarium
BY HERBERT E. GRAHAM
In 1913 the legislature of Indiana passed a law relating to sanitoria. That Law said County Commissioners could build.
During 1915, while Dr. Ira Miltimore of Gary was president of the Lake County Medical Association, the Lake County Medical Association, assisted by Mr. W. P. Gleason, Superin- tendent of U. S. Steel Mills in Gary, circulated and filed a petition with the county auditor as permitted by law. At that time the law said the commissioners could build.
Indiana had a state sanitorium at Rockville; there was a sanitorium started by an individual at Evansville, which has since become a county institution. There were also sanitoria in Marion County, Indianapolis, Allen County, Ft. Wayne, and St. Joseph County, South Bend; but no sanitoria were built as a result of the law of 1913, until, in 1917, the law was amended to specify that a petition containing 200 names of freeholders, also stating the amount of money required not exceeding $100,000 for the first or beginning; also stating the rate of taxes for maintenance was enacted. In March 1918, the secretary of the Lake County Tuberculosis Association, Herbert E. Graham, circulated a petition as required by the amended law, and that was followed by a referendum No- vember 8, 1918. More than 4000 people voted for it and a less number voted against it.
The auditor sold bonds about July 1919. Delay followed lat- er, 115 acres of land was purchased about two miles north of the county court house at Crown Point. Later, plans were made and rejected by the state board of health (the law re- quires their approval), also by the Lake County Medical So- ciety.
More delay.
Later the Lake County Commissioners requested an ad- visory committee from the Lake County Medical Society. The following committee was appointed.
Dr. John Iddings, of Lowell
Dr. Geo. H. Hoskins, of Whiting
Dr. Otis B. Nesbit, of Gary
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY
Dr. Hoskins died and was succeeded by Dr. E. E. Evans, of Gary.
Commissioners, Committee, Auditor, and Architect con- ferred and finally decided that they had insufficient informa- tion.
Dr. Nesbit knew that the National Tuberculosis Association at 307 Seventh Avenue, New York City, had an institutional secretary who was an expert in planning sanatoria. These men decided to send for him. He came and the Lake County Tuberculosis Association paid his expenses while here.
Thomas B. Kidner, Institutional Secretary for the National Tuberculosis Association, came here in the early part of 1920. He studied the local situation and finally wrote seven type- written pages for alterations in our drawings. These recom- mendations contained no extravagances, but they did include a request for $300,000 more money, in obedience to which Dr. Nesbit gave a petition heading to the secretary of the Lake County Tuberculosis Association, Herbert E. Graham, who circulated this petition just as he had done the one of March, 1918. The March, 1920 petition for $300,000 was filed, and May 4th, 1920, ten thousand people voted for it, a fewer num- ber voted against it. Later, bonds were sold for $300,000 more money ; making a total of $400,000 for the Lake County San- itorium. Another set of drawings was made to comply with recommendation of Secretary Kidner. Later, the drawings made by Architect J. N. Coleman of Chicago, Ill., in accord- ance with recommendation of Secretary Thomas B. Kidner, were also rejected. Architect Carl Norris of East Chicago, was employed to make another set of drawings. That resulted in two years delay. Contracts were let for an 80 bed sani- torium at a cost of about $320,000. It was ready for occupancy in September of 1925. During the latter part of 1924 the Commissioners appointed W. P. Gleason, H. A. Poppenhaussen, Dr. John Iddings, and Dr. Otis Nesbit, Trustees.
Later they appointed Dr. J. O. Paramore of Rochester, N. Y. Manager. The first clinic he held in Lake County was at Mercy Hospital in Gary, December 15, 1924 at which twelve people were examined, only one of whom seemed to be tuber- culous. Mrs. Elizabeth Hadley assisted.
W. P. Gleason declined to act as trustee, and Wm. Beatty of Hammond was appointed a trustee.
114
A Pioneer Doctor
By the Daughter of an Old Settler
HATTIE PALMER
My father Henry D. Palmer, a graduate of Fairfield Medi- cal College in Herkimer County, New York, came to Lake County in 1837. He was on his way from Fayetteville, New York, to Princeton, Illinois. Relatives had written him of the need for a doctor near them. As he journeyed through Lake County he came to a good spring at the foot of a hill. He stopped there to repair his wagon, soaking his wheels prob- ably among other things. Liking the place he settled on the hill, and lived there until he died forty years later.
If work was what he wanted he certainly chose his location wisely. Malaria and fierce fevers swept over the region near- ly every late summer and fall. His horseback rides over trails in the first place, and dirt roads later on, covered all the northern half of the county. He was the only medical man between Crown Point and Lake Michigan for many years. People generally came for him in the evening, and he did much of his riding at night. An original daylight saving scheme in Lake Co.
But while work was plentiful the pay question was not so good. Whole families all sick at once were kept in the land of the living chiefly by quinine. Quinine was very dear and at first had to come from Chicago or Michigan City and had to be paid for as bought. Rodney Castle, of near Hobart, said that one morning when he was a small boy he was sent seven miles on horse back for my father. Rodney's mother was very sick. He found my father and the hired men butchering hogs when he arrived. My father said he was out of medicine, but the next morning the hogs would be cool and he would take them to Chicago and get the medicine, and just as soon as he got back he would come right down and see her. It must have been about five days before he got there but when he did so he found his patient well.
He bought a half section of land; so he had the joys and
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sorrows of a farmer as well as a physician. He had many hardships as a doctor but as a farmer he twice was made very sick by rattlesnake bites. Fifty years ago he used to speak about how noisy the country was getting. He could no longer hear the roar of the lake after storms at his home ten miles inland as he used to do.
My half brother Asa Cady Palmer was about four years old when he and his mother joined my father in 1838. After his mother's death in 1841 he and his small sister were sent east and brought up there. When he was about eighty years of age I lived near him for a while and he spoke of several of his memories of life here. He remembered a call at the home of Jackson Cady for whom Cady Marsh was named. A half grown colored boy was carrying pails of water. Mr. Cady said "I traded a horse for him." I suppose he had a good master for the Cady's were all abolitionists. Once a wagon drove to the door in the early morning, while the man and my father talked Cady climbed to the wheel and lifted a covering from what he took to be dressed pork. He got quite a shock. It was several colored men. They were escaping slaves. My father hid them that day in a shed covered with wild hay that did duty as a barn and at night took them on to Michigan.
For a while after Asa's mother's death my father had him board with a Mrs. Pelton of Crown Point; so that he might go to school. His room-mate was a young lawyer named Mc- Donald who afterward was well known to all old settlers. The school was held in the old log court-house. On the happy oc- casions of its use as a court-room school adjourned. His teach- er who was a Baptist minister sat in the middle of the room with a long whip in his hand and touched up the boys as they seemed to need it.
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Hessville and Joseph Hess
BY ALYS HESS MARCUS
Joseph Hess, the first white resident and founder of the town Hessville, now annexed to Hammond, was a man of great vision. He always enjoyed talking about the future possibilities of this region at the southern end of Lake Mich- igan. He would say to his children, "You will see the day when this region will be one of the greatest in this country of ours. I will never live to see it, but mark my words, and re- member." His children today often refer to what their father predicted and realize they are only seeing the beginning of this great development.
He was born March 21, 1825 in Alsace-Lorraine of French parentage. When he was about twenty years old he came to this country and worked at his trade of baker in Syracuse, N. Y. About 1847 he moved to Chicago when he invested his savings in property which now is in the heart of Chicago. In 1850 when the Michigan Central Railroad had its western terminus at West Point, now called Gibson, some years before Hammond had its beginning, he came to West Point to open a restaurant. This was considered a good location because it was at a break in transportation, where passengers from the Michigan Central boarded stage coaches for Chicago. A settle- ment grew here and he became the first postmaster. A few years later he moved one mile south of West Point where he was in the cattle and stock business, operated a general store and the postoffice.
While living in Chicago, he married Mary Ann Sackley, a native of Canada. Several children were born, but only one lived beyond childhood. This was Frank Hess, born Nov. 17, 1853. Mrs. Hess died in Hessville in 1860, and as there was no cemetery, she was buried in a private burial ground, where two children were buried. Later, Joseph Hess married Eliza- beth Natke, who was the daughter of Christian and Marie, nee Warnock, Natke. Elizabeth Natke was born Sept. 5, 1839 in Janischwalde, Germany. She came to Chicago in 1857 with her parents and then later to Hessville.
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There were eleven children, six of whom are living: Ed- ward, deceased; Alice Hess Scheuneman, deceased; George, deceased; William, Hammond; Julius, Hammond; Gustave, deceased ; Albert, Hessville; Joseph Jr., deceased ; Emma Hess Bunde, Hammond; John and Lydia, Hessville.
Frank Hess, the oldest son, was the first white child born in North Township. His first wife was Emma Haselbach. Ten children were born to this union but all died when young. Mrs. Frank Hess died Feb. 12, 1894. On Oct. 10, 1895, he married Martha Karsten. Their only child, Emma Hess, (Mrs. Henry Anderson) resides in Hammond.
A niece, Lydia Hess, became adopted daughter and resides in Hammond, with her mother. Frank Hess was very prom- inent in public affairs in Hammond in the early days of North Township. He was assessor for 12 years. In 1890, he became councilman for the first Ward. During the same year, he was appointed swamp-land commissioner. He later became clerk then treasurer for the city of Hammond.
While conducting the general store, Joseph Hess made many friends with the Indians who lived in the vicinity. His store was a trading-post, as the Indians brought furs in ex- change for tobacco and groceries. The first settlers in Ham- mond had to go to Hessville to get their kerosene and other supplies. He drove a team of oxen to Chicago to get supplies for his store. He held the office of trustee of North Township for twenty-two years and was, also, postmaster of Hessville for nearly forty years, his wife having the place after his death. During the later years of her life, her daughter Lydia and son John had charge of the post-office until a few years before the annexation to Hammond.
He passed away August 3, 1895, age seventy years, and is buried in the Hessville cemetery beside his second wife, who passed away Jan. 26, 1917, aged seventy-seven years. A few months before her death she gave a plot of ground, 75 x 166 feet, to the Lutheran congregation which had just been organ- ized. On this plot was built the First Evangelical Lutheran Concordia Church of Hessville.
Joseph Hess deserves a place among the pioneers of the country. He was and should be recognized as one of the prom- inent citizens, who was identified with the progress and de- velopment of this northwestern part of Lake County.
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Gottlieb Muenich, Pioneer of Hammond
BY EMMA HUEHN
Gottlieb Muenich deserves to be numbered among the old settlers of the city of Hammond. Born in the province of Brandenburg, Germany, in 1825, he was the only surviving one of four children, one son and three daughters, born to Christian and Christiana (Hartneck) Muenich. (the former of whom was a German farmer and died in the fatherland about 1863, followed within a short time by his wife. He re- ceived his education in Germany and served in the royal armies for five years, later becoming an overseer of a large estate in Germany).
On August 8th, 1853 Mr. Muenich was married to Miss Anna Natke, a daughter of Christian and Maria Wannock Natke. (Both her paternal and maternal grandfathers died so long ago that no knowledge of their history is obtainable, but the name of the former's wife was Maria Rockhill Natke, and that of the latter's Katherina Wannock.) Mrs. Muenich's father was a farmer, and in 1857 he emigrated with his wife and family from Germany to America, and after a short resi- dence in Chicago he located in Hessville where he remained until his death in 1887, at the age of 81. His wife died in 1877, aged 74. They had three children, Anna, the wife of Mr. Muenich; Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Hess, and Martin Natke.
What great changes occur in a short space of time can be seen from the fact that while the Muenichs lived in Chicago their garden was situated where the busiest corner of the world is now located-Madison and State streets.
Landing in New York in the fall of 1856 and living in Chi- cago until 1858, the family moved to Hessville where they purchased a farm and devoted twenty-one years to agricultur- al pursuit. In 1879 again changing their abode to Hammond where Mr. Muenich built one of the first frame houses on Hohman Street where he owned a few acres which now com- prises one of the most valued sections of the city. He and his
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family lived on this spot until their death, which period cov- ers the time of the city's great growth and development.
Mr. and Mrs. Muenich were both Lutherans, and the first church meetings were held in the Muenich home four years prior to the organization of the present Lutheran congrega- tion. Mr. Muenich was one of sixteen charter members. He was also a Veteran of the Civil War in this country, having enlisted in Company I, Seventy-Second Ill. Infantry.
Mr. and Mrs. Gottlieb Muenich had four sons and one daughter namely: Carl Gustave, who married Miss Maria Belloff; Gustave Adolph, deceased; Rudolph, now deceased, married Alvina Jachau. Mary M., married Henry H. Huehn, now deceased; Edward, who married Alice Benedict.
Henry Huehn
BY EMMA HUEHN
One of the best known and highly respected citizens in the Calumet district in his day and public spirited to a marked degree, Henry Huehn accomplished probably more than his share in the upbuilding of Hammond. Born in Germany on July 30th, 1848, he was but a little over 48 years of age at the time of his death.
He was a soldier in the Franco-Prussian War. In 1873 he came to America, working at his trade, wagon-making, for a short time in Chicago. Mr. Huehn came to Hammond when a mere stripling yet in his teens and was employed for a num- ber of years by the old G. H. Hammond Company.
On June 12, 1880 he formed a partnership with his half brother Fritz Miller, severing his connection when elected to the office of city treasurer. He served two terms. By ju- dicious investment of his savings in city property and later speculations in realty he accumulated considerable wealth, but he was always accessible and never refused aid financial- ly or otherwise, to his friends and neighbors, and he was li- beral in his charities. Democratic in politics, he was a leader and one of the stanchest supporters of the party in Lake County.
In 1882 Mr. Huehn was wedded to Miss Mary Muenich and to this union were added five children, Emma, William, Henry, Myrtle and Arthur.
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Reminisciences Abstract of Paper Read at The Old Settlers Meeting of 1928
BY MRS. J. L. HILL
Our honored President of the Old Settlers Association, Schuyler Dwyer, has placed me on the program to tell of my early teaching in the schools of old Lake County.
My home was two miles west of Crown Point. Before I was 16 I dared to think I was armed to teach, because I had an 18 months license to show. With the same in my hand I walked to the little frame building on the east side of Cedar Lake, called the Binyon school.
The furnishing of that small room was very scant. The old box-stove had but 3 legs of its own, the other a brick caused it to rest on its side many times. The stove pipe was rotten and often smoked, so we could hardly see. Each pa- tron delivered a large load of wood sometime during the winter. The boys cut it into stove-lengths, and the girls would carry it into the school house.
The plank seats were without backs, and so high that only the older pupils could rest their feet on the floor. They were made of hewn logs, and held numerous slivers for the un- shod feet. We had a small black-board 3x4 made by the older boys.
Our greatest handicap was lack of books to study the les- sons. Some parents were too poor to buy the needed text books, and thought the teacher would manage until times were better.
Our water supply the first years was carried from the outlet of the lake and contained real live specimens of nature. The children would laugh and say, "Oh throw it out, we'll try again." In our second year a hole was dug below the hill and covered with logs, but it was never bricked in.
I had 36 pupils, aged from 5 years to 23 years. I boarded around one week for each child, starting on Monday night and
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remaining until Friday noon. My salary was $14 per month. The people were poor; there had been a crop failure. Several families from other states moved in to start new homes, but all were kind and hopeful. During my second year three families had pulled out by covered wagon route for Kansas, the land of promise. Later they sent letters home saying that grass- hoppers and drought had taken their crops. Cedar Lake friends sent them dried apples, corn and blackberries and all the clothing they could spare. Our school gave a little play; charged 10 cents admission; the house was crowded. Lawyer Fancher brought his school from Brunswick. Some came up from Lowell to help in the good cause; many had to stay out side, but the 10 cents was sent in. This money bought shoes for the Kansas children, so that they were able to attend school. I will only speak of this, my first school. Many of you will remember my 6 years in the Crown Point 8th grade work and the same number of years in Lowell school. I must mention three of the pupils in that first school :- Martha Binyon, a successful writer of short stories and two books; Will Haan who became a Major General in our army; Bar- bara Craft, who died last year at Monon. All business in that city was stopped during the funeral, to honor the woman who had done so much for the poor.
How different to the school life of children 63 years ago! Now a bus calls at the door; a ride to a beautiful building; a teacher for every subject. I wonder if they are thankful. Who would like to be placed even for one day in such a school of 63 years ago?
How would our teachers like to stay a week for each pupil, to board in so many homes? Three years ago I taught in Stroud, Okla., in 8A work, mathematics, history and English, for one month. I received $135, quite a difference from 14 dol- lars, my first pay check. Times are better. We don't want those old days back.
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John Wood
BY A. J. SMITH, HOBART, INDIANA
John Wood, the hero of this sketch and the personage whom we as members of the Lake County Old Settlers' and Historical Association have assembled here today to pay due respect to his memory and a tribute to his achievements, was one of the early pioneers of Lake County, Indiana, and prob- ably was the second white man to take up a claim in what is now known as Ross township and to further civilization in this part of the state of Indiana. The history of his coming to this particular uninhabited community, save by the Red man, is possibly not unlike or strikingly different from that of many other Easterners except as a difference measured in miles. The subject of this sketch was reared in a community rich in revolutionary history and learning and developed well in science, art and literature, yet he longed for the better. He desired to invade the "Unknown" and there develop and work out a broader plane of freedom and usefulness for him- self and his family, without fully realizing that by so doing he would be a most striking figure in years to come in the development and civilization of. the territory or common- wealth that only a few years prior to his coming had become the great state of Indiana. Had Horace Greeley's advice, "Go west, young man, and grow up with the country" been said at that time, Mr. Wood might have been inspired thereby, but his principal inclination was for freedom, that freedom which phantoms some to success and happiness, others to failure, degradation. With Mr. Wood the bechoning was with the purest motive and the truest ideal.
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