USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana, and its townships, towns and cities > Part 10
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In the year 1837, a Baptist church was built on the grounds of George Belshaw. The eighth day of April had been fixed for that event. On the sixth day of May, next following, the trustees re- ported that they had gone as far as they could, and wanted money to procure boards for flooring and ceiling. On the first of July
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
after. they reported that a sufficient amount had been subscribed. The log chapel was torn down in 1843, and a new frame church built near it. Where the oldl church stood, there is now a school. house. Both are on the southeast quarter of section thirteen.
On the 12th day of May 1837, plats were filed with the county recorder for the village of Independence. The description of the first, on book E, page one, locates it in the northeast quarter of the south- east quarter of section twenty-eight, township thirty-seven, north of range one west. Of the second plat on page three, the description embraces that part south of Sac street and west of Main street. The acknowledgement was made by Asa Egbert, agent for his part and attorney for Wm. C. Pellett, and is further described as being in the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section twenty- eight. township thirty-seven. north of range one west.
Anterior to this time a survey had been made for a proposed canal through the town, and a railroad known as the Hardenburg line. had also been surveyed. The road was to cross the canal at this point. and the early settlers of Independence, in their dreams, saw visions of immense wealth. Real estate speculation was, there- fore. rife for a season.
In the year 1835. a man named Andrew Fuller, started a little store in the locality, selling dry goods, groceries, etc. He kept the establishment about a year. In the same year a cabinet shop was started by Elias Axe.
A man named Baker originally owned the town, and had it laid out. He was also a trader. In 1836. Wm. C. Pellett bought him out, goods and lots, and started a very respectable country store. After Pellett had made his record of the town in 1837, he sold out to John Vickory and Timothy Losey and they kept up the establish- ment about a year.
John Hampton built a blacksmith shop in 1836, and continued doing work in his line something over a year.
In 1837, Sparrow commenced the boot and shoe business. T. Chapman opened a wagon maker's shop, and Wm. Costello a tailor- ing establishment. During the same year, Benjamin Galbreath and John Galbreath; his son, built two mills in the vicinity of Independ- ence-the one a grist and the other a saw mill. They had come to
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WILLS TOWNSHIP.
the settlement during a very wet time, and imagined they had a fine water power. Both mills and dams were built at the same time. The grist mill was started first, with one run of stone. The son, John Galbreath, succeeded in grinding three sacks of corn, when the water power was gone forever, for it was the first and last time it was used. There is now no stream whatever where this enterprise was undertaken. The father succeeded in sawing three small logs. The next year both mills were torn down.
In the year 1845, Thomas Fisher and Jonathan Dudiley built a steam saw mill at Independence. It was kept running until the year 1841, when it was sold to Thomas Hooton, James Hooton, Theodore Boardman, and David Williams, and moved to Puddle- town.
There is now nothing to distinguish Independence from the sur- rounding country. Even its ruins have beeen gathered up for fuel. When it became evident that they were to have neither railroad nor canal to stimulate its growth, its enemies rejoiced, and gave it the name of Sac Town. Andrew Shaw, who resides at Boot Jack, claims the honor of so naming it. When the Northern Indiana road was projected and being built, all towns near, but off its line, were ruined, and Independence, or Sac Town, shared the fate of others.
Still another settlement in Wills township received a distinctive name with some prospect that it might become a village. This is Puddletown, the name of a little hamlet situated on Puddletown lake, on section nine. It contains a steam saw mill, a store, a shoe shop and a good school house. When the township was surveyed the lakes were meandered and several small fractions falling into the hands of different owners, neighbors were consequently nearer than in other localities. In 1851 the machinery of the steam saw mill which was formerly at Independence, was removed to this point. It has since passed through several hands. The firm of Boardman, Williams and the Hootons sold out to James Parnell and Wm. Houghton; they sold to Martin Uga and Aaron Miller; it was again sold to Edwin Picket, and he sold to James N. and Lorenzo Dow Davidson, in the fall of 1868. It remains in their hands at the present time.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
In 1856, Manford Waters and F. D. Dugan started a blacksmith shop, and continued to run it about three years.
In the year 1857, L. C. Van Dusen started a shoe shop, and in 1872, he added a grocery store and continues to do business in each to the present time.
A postoffice was established here in 1862, with J. W. Culp as postmaster, but it was discontinued after two years. A good school house was built in the place in 1868 which is quite creditable to the citizens of the locality.
An accident occurred here in 1871, by which a man named Mat- thew Feather lost his life. He was in the mill, when a piece of scantling flying from the saw struck him, and crushed his skull, penetrating his brain and killing him instantly.
Puddletown has never been surveyed and laid out, and there is no recorded plat of it. It cannot be considered even a village, but it furnishes neighborhood conveniences, and serves to add to the bus- iness and resources of the township.
Of those now living in the township, B. C. Bowell is a physician and surgeon, Henry Brown is a retired farmer; Jonathan Druliner is a farmer and auctioneer; Philip Haussauer is a farmer and lum- berman; Joseph Hostetler is a farmer and stock dealer; Wm. S. Hastings is a farmer and Baptist preacher; Isaac Miller is a farmer and German Baptist preacher; John W. Zigler is a farmer and stock dealer, and the trustee of the township; and there are numer- ous successful farmers, among whom may be mentioned, Wm. Alfont, Horatio Wilcox, Jacob Stoner, Joseph Reese, A. J. Par- nell, Elijah McClellan, R. J. Mills, Harry Bennett. B. F. Brown, Peter Bunton, W. H. Carr, E. Cosgriff, Gabriel Drollinger, Obadiah Dawson, A. D. and John France, David Harris, Wm. HI. Hunt, J. A. Hastings and C. H. Harris.
The surface of Wills township is generally rolling, and is splen- didly diversified with timber and prairie. The land is rich and pro- ductive, and the inhabitants are an enterprising, intelligent and prosperous people.
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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER IX.
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Springfield township was organized on the sixth day of January 1835, the Board of county commissioners on that day making the following order: "On petition of Judah Leaming and others, it is ordered by the Board that all the territory in range three west, in the county of LaPorte, and north of sections number thirteen, four- teen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen, in township thirty- seven, in said range, shall compose a new township to be called and known by the name of Springfield township, and it is further order- ed that an election he held at the house of Judah Leaming in said township, on the last Saturday in this month for the purpose of electing a justice of the peace for said township; and it is further ordered that Judah Leaming be and he is hereby appointed inspect- or of elections in the township of Springfield in the county of LaPorte."
Thus as originally organized, Springfield township occupied all of congressional township number thirty-eight, except the six sec- tions and the six half sections which are in the State of Michigan, and the first twelve sections of township thirty-seven. It has since been diminished to the extent of one tier of sections on the south side, which became again a part of Centre township, and the bound- arv line between Centre and Springfield is the north side of sec- tions, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven and twelve, of township number thirty-seven, range number three west.
The first white settler in the township was Judah Leaming. He came in the year 1831, and settled where the village of Springville now stands, and was the first justice of the peace. He built the first cabin, and afterwards the first frame house which is now stand- ing, and in a good state of preservation. It is the building occupied by Benjamin Rhodes. Abram Cormack and Daniel Griffin were early residents, and as near as can be ascertained, lived in the town the first year of its settlement.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
In 1832, John Brown, Joseph Pagin and his sons, Erastus Quivey, John Hazleton and Charles Vail, became settlers. Mr. Vail erect- ed a saw mill on section thirty-one. During this year the first school house was built and the school was taught by Miss Emily Leaming; it was situated eighty rods west of the village of Spring- ville. The Methodists had services about this time, wher. Mr. Rose and Mr. Griffith took the lead in the exercises. There were also many who attended the meetings of the Baptists, Mr. Marks con- ducting the services. There was no regular place of worship for either, and meetings were held sometimes in school houses, at other times in dwellings, and not unfrequently out of doors.
In 1833, the town of Springville was surveyed by Daniel M. Leaming upon the lands of Judah Leaming. During this year Gilbert Rose, Hiram Griffith, John Griffith and Erastus Quivey be- came settlers. Quivey built the mill on section one, now known as the Ross mill.
In 1834, Ingraham Gould, Michael Fall, Ezekiel Blue, Abner Ross, Aaron Conklin, John Johnson, Henry S. Allen, John White, Mr. Ross, A. N. Shippee, Mr. Lewis and Josiah Redding became settlers. Joseph Pagin built'a grist mill, which was run until it was worn out. About the same time David Pagin built another mill on the same stream about a mile and a half below the old one. During this year Elder Tucker, the first male teacher, took charge of the school near Springville.
James V. Hopkins came to the township in 1835, but settled afterwards in Michigan City.
During the year 1835, the school house near Springville was burned; the first wedding took place, Abner Ross marrying Esther Rose: Jacob Early built a mill upon section twenty-eight, which has been worn out and rebuilt several times, the last time by E. S. Organ. In October of this year Charles Vail built a saw mill, Erastus Quivey assisting in its construction. Hopkins worked at the business of a carpenter, and also made brick, designing to build a tavern, but sold to Ingraham Gould. Prior to 1837, many more had come into the township, among them being Samuel Lehr, John Mason, Lemuel S. Fitch. Alfred Stanton, John Blue and Michael Fall.
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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.
In the year 1839, John and Joseph Pagin built a mill between the two already erected by the Pagins, and a distillery was put up further down the stream. About the same time Lewis Pagin erected a building, and introduced machinery for the carding of wool. Abram"Fravel [built a mill on section thirty-five, in 1840, and David Hoover put up a dwelling the same year. In 1835 a church was built at Ross' mill by the Christian denomination. This was afterwards sold to the Dunkards, who now own it. Joseph Dauphine erected a steam saw mill in 1860. There are two villages in this township, the oldest one being named
SPRINGVILLE.
This village takes its name from a large spring of pure, cold water, which flows out in great abundance. It was laid out by Daniel M. Leaming for Judah Leaming, who was the original pro- prietor of the soil, and the plat was filed for record on August 19, 1835.
Prior to this, in 1834, Gilbert Rose had started a store in the village, Ingraham Gould a tavern, and Abner Ross a blacksmith shop. A postoffice was established in the year 1835, which was kept until 1863, when it was discontinued. During most of the time of its existence, it was kept by D. K. Brickett, who com- menced the business of boot and shoe making in 1837, and con- tinued it until 1853. Aaron Conklin established a tannery in 1835, and after conducting it four years, sold out to Leslie Rose. He in turn sold it to Ira C. Nye who conducted the business suc -. cessfully for many years.
In the year 1838, Gould & Alvord opened a general store, sell- ing it the next year to Russell & Torrey, who sold in 1841 to Rose & Conklin. In 1842, Rose purchased Conklin's interest, and con- ducted the business alone. During the year 1838, Alpheus Thur- ber commenced shoe making and continued the business four or five years. In 1845, Ingraham Gould put up a turning lathe ; and for many years did a large busines in the manufacture of bedsteads and other articles requiring its use.
In the year 1848, Gould sold his tavern to Michael Hargin, who kept it eight years and gave up the business, since then there has been no hotel in Springville. In 1850, a steam saw mill was built
9
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
by Martin & Hill, who after running it about a year sold it, and in 1855, it was removed to section fifteen. In 1874, this mill was totally destroyed by fire, but has been rebuilt and is now owned by Peter Hack.
In the year 1850, Gilbert Rose sold his store to Orrin Rose, but in 1860, the mercantile · busines in Springville was closed, and for several years there was no store in that place. In 1868, John Schoening opened a shoemaker's shop, and has since added thereto a small store.
Like some other towns in the county, Springville has seen the time when the expectations of her people were raised to the highest point, and visions of future greatness flitted across the minds of her citizens. One of the lines of the Northern Indiana railroad, now the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, was run through the town, and for a time it looked very probable that it would pass through the county touching that point. The probability of Springville be- coming the county seat was freely discussed. In 1850, a plank road company was organized, and farmers and townsmen subscribed liberally. The project was to build a plank road east to South Bend, and west to Michigan City. It was commenced but never finished, though much money had been expended upon it, and a large part of it was planked. The adoption of the railroad line running through LaPorte, seemed to discourage the inhabitants and no effort to promote the growth of the town has since been made.
The other village in Springfield township is
· CORYMBO.
Corymbo is situated in the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section eighteen, township thirty-eight, north of range three west. The plat was acknowledged by Craigie Sharpe, Jr., and filed on the 19th day of August, 1873. Twelve log and frame houses have been erected, only three of which were occupied in October 1874. In 1861, a postoffice was established and Craigie Sharpe, Jr., appointed postmaster. It has since been discontinued. Large quantities of wood have been cut in the surrounding groves, and immense quantities of it are to be seen piled up along the rail- road track. The men who reside in this village, are either work- men engaged on the Michigan Central railroad, which runs through
,
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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.
the town, or are woodchoppers who gain their livelihood in the sur- rounding timber. There was a steam saw mill in the village last year, but it has been removed. There has been a store, but it has ceased to exist, and the prospect for building up a town there is not very flattering.
For several years between 1835 and 1844, a gang of counterfeiters infested this township. The leaders were two men known as Van Velser and Stroud. There was a cabin surrounded by a dense thicket of willows and other shrubbery, situated on a dry knoll in a marsh, about a mile northwest of the town, where the coinage of bogus money was carried on. From this point it was scattered broadcast over the country. Van Velser was finally detected, and and sent to the State prison, where he died, and Stroud is reported to have been lynched in Illinois for horse stealing.
Two railroads touch the township, the Michigan Central crossing the northwest corner, and the Indianapolis, Peru and Chicago, the southwest corner. The soil of the township is generally sandy, too much so to be equal to some other parts of the county in the pro- duction of grain, but it is well timbered, and its warm, sandy soil is highly favorable for fruit raising. This occupation engages much of the attention of the inhabitants. There are some marshes in the township, which are excellent grazing ground for cattle, and which with proper care, could be made to produce abundance of hay. The resources of the township are yet undeveloped, but it contains ele- ments of wealth in its timber, its capacity for stock-raising, the pro- duction of fruit and potatoes, and fair returns of grain.
Some portions of the township are quite thickly settled, and the . inhabitants have shown a sufficient interest in education, to cause the erection of a good school house in every neighborhood. Among those who now live, or but recently lived in this township, and who came early to the county, are Calvin W. Hayes, who is a farmer residing near Springville; E. S. Organ, who is a farmer and saw mill owner, came to the county in 1836, and has held various posi- tions of official trust ; J. S. Vardeman, a miller, who came in 1836; John A. White, a native of the county, born in 1836; Elihu Bishop, a farmer, born in the county in 1835; and Edward King, who came from Ohio to this county in 1832.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
GALENA TOWNSHIP.
On the 9th of March, 1836, at the regular March term of the Board of county commissioners, the following order was made: "Ordered that Kankakee township be divided, and that part of said township lying in township thirty-eight. in range two west, form a judicial township to be known by the name of Galena, and that there be an election held in said township, on the first Monday of April next, for the purpose of electing two justices of the peace for said township, and that Joshua Jordan be appointed inspector of elections for said township, and that the elections be held at the house of Geo. W. Barnes."
This township consists of twenty-four whole sections, and six half sections, one tier and a half of sections of the congressional township thirty-eight being in the State of Michigan. The order of the Board of commissioners would indicate that the whole con- gressional township is included in Galena; but this is not the case, because of the obstacle of the boundary of Michigan encroaching upon it to the extent of the width of a section and a half.
George W. Barnes is supposed to be the oldest settler in Galena ; his biography is obscure, as he died about thirty years ago, leaving no descendants. Tradition says that he was a native of the State of Maine, and from thence migrated to Cleveland, Ohio; that he was a married man, but never brought his family to his new home. Whether his wife refused to follow him into the depths of the forests, or if they parted from domestic infelicity, is not known. He was a man of uncommon nerve and force of character, possessing traits which made him eminently fit for a pioneer of civilization; and he came to Galena township in the year 1833, and at once went to work with that untiring energy for which he was always distinguish- ed. In the same year came Whitman Goit, Shubal Smith, Richard Miller, Sylvanus James and John Talbot. These men all selected claims and commenced making improvements the same year.
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GALENA TOWNSHIP.
Daniel Baldwin, Aurea and Basil Sperry, Wm. Waldruff, Sans H. Austin, Byron Cadwalader, John Morrow, Joshua Jordan, Elijah Bishop, Micajah Jones, John Cooper, Ephraim Cooper, Jesse Jones, Oliver Porter, James Paddock, Charles Francis, Joseph Ful- ler, James Jones and Abram Purcell, were added to the list of set- tlers in 1834. Of these Wm. Waldruff was one of the earliest, as his widow says that when they came, there were but five white men in the township. In the same year came also John and Ephraim Cooper, and Joseph Henderson. Joseph Wallace, the Martin fam- ily, the Weeds, Mr. Morrill, and Edwin Jordan, brother of Joshua, were early settlers.
In the year 1834, John Talbot built a saw mill in the northeast part of the town. Before it was completed he took Whitman Goit into partnership with him. This was the first mill that was built. In the same year the first child, a son to William Waldruff, was born.
In the year 1835, George W. Barnes built his saw mill. It was situated in the southwest part of the township. The elections were held there. During this year Mathew Mayes had a blacksmith shop at Mayes' Corners. It was the first in the north part of the county. Shubal Smith was carrying on a wagon shop about a mile west of that point. A man named Purcell put up a lathe for turning wooden bowls on Mud creek, near the school house known as Mud
creek school hous .. He was a Very eccentric man and his machinery was in part original. The attempt was a failure. Joseph Winch afterwards bought the concern out, and made split bottomed chairs and spinning wheels at the shop. The number of settlers who came this year was quite large, and embraced the names of Jacob Heckman, James Catterlin, Robert Kennedy Smith, Lewis Weed, Mathew Mayes, Hiram Bement, Samuel Vance, John Rod- man, Jedediah Austin, James Wilson and Hiram Catterlin. Martin Bates came this year and bought land, but went away and did not return and improve it until 1840.
The first school house was built of logs on the land of Theodoric Heckman, in the year 1836, and Amanda Armitage was the teacher. In January, Walter Brown and Ezra Brown came into the township, Kellogg Shedd on the 5th day of June, John Brewer and Henry Brewer in September. During the year, Abraham
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Burcham, Julius Tappan, Levi Paddock and Elder Caleb B. Davis, pastor of the Christian church arrived. Hiram Russ came in 1837.
Solomon Palmer built a saw mill in 1838, and in the year 1840, James Winch came and put up a turning establishment on Barnes' creek, where he made hubs, bedposts and almost all kinds of wood work which required turning. He also made spinning wheels. He was a Free Will Baptist preacher, and died in 1853. The prop- erty was soll to W. W. Francis and brothers, and they built a grist mill on the site.
Previous to 1841, religious services had been held at the school houses, and private houses. Shubal Smith had acted as an exhor- ter or local preacher of the Methodist denomination, while occasion- ally a regular clergyman, Rev. Mr. Armstrong, paid the township a visit. Previous to the time above named a minister named Posey had been assigned by the conference to administer to the spiritual wants of that denomination in Galena. He directed his influence among his brethren to induce them to build a chapel for a place of religious worship, and a day was assigned for all to turn out from far and near, to accomplish this object. At the appointed time they came from distances as great as eight or 'ten miles, and worked steadily for a week, when a very comfortable and commodious log chapel was completed. It was built upon an acre of ground given by Whitman Goit for the purpose, and named Posey chapel in honor of the founder. It has since been torn down and rebuilt, a frame structure occupying the place of the old one. The Mount Pleasant M. E. church was built in 1844. Lamb's chapel, so named after Mr. Lamb, who appropriated the land, is situated at the junction of - the town line and LaPorte roads. It is a frame building about the size of an ordinary school house which it very much resembles. It was built by subscription of the people of the neighborhood in 1854. The Christian denomination is largely represented, and in 1865, they completed a very fair church edifice. It is located on the southwest quarter of section twenty, and Rev. Caleb B. Davis is the pastor.
In 1841, Willis Wright and John Wright put up a turning lathe about a mile and a quarter west of Caleb B. Davis'. They ran it four or five years and sold it to E. S. Dodds, who continued the
1
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GALENA TOWNSHIP.
business for some years, until the machinery became worn out and worthless. In the same year Loami She.ld started a small wagon shop about three quarters of a mile east of where Centre school house now stands.
In the year 1846, Charles Francis & Son built a saw mill on Galena creek, a mile and a quarter above Barnes' mill.
In 1848, Wm. Waldruff and Hiram Bement built a saw mill about three-fourths of a mile below Barnes' mill, on the Barnes branch of Galena creek. Waldruff afterwards sold out his in- terest to Ira L. Barnes. Bement and Barnes sold to Richard Etherington.
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