USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana, and its townships, towns and cities > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
158
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
with a soil reasonably productive, excellent for fruit, and abund- ance of choice timber, the inhabitants of this township may expect continued prosperity.
CHAPTER XIV.
HUDSON TOWNSHIP.
The township of Hudson was included within the limits of the original township of Kankakee, and on the organization of Wills was a part of that township, and so remained until the 11th day of May, 1836, on which day at the May term of the commissioners' court the following order was made :
"Ordered by the board, that all that tract of country formerly belonging to Wills township, that lies in township thirty-eight, north of range one and two west, in LaPorte county, constitute a township for judicial purposes, to be known by the name of Hud- son township-that the elections for said township be held at the house of James F. Smith-that John L. Ross be, and is hereby ap- pointed inspector of elections, and that John Baker be, and is here- by appointed constable of said township, until the next annual elec- tion of township officers."
Hudson is the smallest township in the county, containing only twelve sections and three half sections. Adjoining Michigan on the north, and St. Joseph county on the east, the six northern sec- tions of congressional township thirty-eight, range one, and one-half the next tier of sections are in the State of Michigan; and the east- ern half of the congressional township is in St. Joseph county. Thus Hudson township contains considerably less than one-half the congressional township in which it lies. In sections twenty-eight. twenty-nine, and thirty, is Hudson or Du Chemin lake, a beautiful little sheet of water, not far from two miles in length, and averaging half a mile in width, the shores of white sand, its borders surrounded by mighty forests, luxuriant with vegetation, its waters pure and clear, and filled with the finest fish. The western side of Terre Coupee prairie extends into Hudson township on the east; but the
159
HUDSON TOWNSHIP.
larger part of it consists of land formerly well timbered. With the progress of settlement a great deal of the finest timber has been cut off.
To Joseph W. Lykins, a Welshman, is generally accorded the honor of being the first white settler, though there is some doubt upon this point, for Joseph Bay was found to be a resident at the same time with Lykins, by the first white inhabitants. Lykins was connected with the "Cary Mission," the headquarters of which were at Niles, Michigan. He came from that place when the branch was established on Du Chemin lake. The first heard of him however, he was boarding with Joseph Bay, who was keeping house, and had a squaw for his wife. Bay had come from the Wabash country with a drove of cattle, and herded them in the vicinity. Lykins would, under the circumstances, be more likely to have obtained the reputation of being the first white settler than Bay, even were it the fact that the latter came first, for the reason that he was engaged in a more public business, and had no alliance with the Indians, with whom Bay would be likely to be classed.
Asa M. Warren states that he found the parties as described, in 1829, and that the mission house had already been erected of hewed logs, and was situated within twenty feet of where Andrew Avery's mill now stands, and close to the lake. There is some doubt as to whether Warren is not mistaken in regard to the date of his coming, but none are found to dispute it with any tangible evidence, except an old gentleman named Barzilla Druliner, who resides on the road between Hudson and Hamilton. He says that Warren came from Warren county, Ohio, in the Fall of 1830, and he, himself, came from the same place in the Spring of the same year. Upon the other hand, Warren does not claim to be the first white settler-an object of ambition which might be an inducement to antedate the time of his arrival; and furthermore, he kept accounts of his black- smithing with the Indians, for whom he made tomahawks and other implements. The dates reach as far back as 1829. There is a mistake somewhere between these old gentlemen, both of whom are honest and intelligent.
To accept the statement of Asa Warren, during the Fall of 1829 there were as residents of the territory now known as Hudson town-
160
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
ship. Joseph W. Lykins, Joseph Bay, Asa M. Warren and family, and the Indians, one of whom, "Jack Jones," kept a small trading establishment. The buildings erected consisted of the branch mis- sion house and Bay's cabin, both of which were upon the present site of the village of Hudson.
It will be remembered that the name of Asa M. Warren is con- nected with the early settlement of Wills. This is accounted for by the fact that Hudson was originally a part of that township, and also because Warren's farm is situated in both. He at first resided in what is now Hudson, then moved to the bank of a lake on the same farm in what is now Wills. This was done because he had struck no water in digging for a weil where he now resides. Upon this lake he put up a blacksmith' shop, and was known by the Indians as "Wishtean Bish," The Blacksmith by the Lake. When he had succeeded in getting water in Hudson, he moved back to his first home. It is thus that he becomes associated with the early settlement of both townships.
In 1830, Nathan Haines settled in the township not far from the lake. The mission school was taught by Robert Simmerwell, an Indian, who was assisted by his wife, a white woman. Indian chil- dren and whites attended together, and among the latter were some of the elder children of Mr. Haines.
The Indians who inhabited the country around Hudson, were composed of various tribes. They were principally Pottawatomies, Menominees, Chippewas, and Ottowas. Topanebee, the head chief, lived on the St. Joseph river, where the great proportion of them wintered. A few years after the advent of the whites, this chief died and was succeeded by his son, who bore the name and title of his father.
The Indians had many petty chiefs. among whom were Sogganee and Micksobbee, the latter of whom lived in the woods, on the south side of the lake. When the Indians were removed. Sogganee went to southern Kansas with them, but soon returned, saying that he could not live there-there was no sugar tree. He had been in the habit of making maple sugar. He was a strict Roman Catholic, and when given anything to eat. would never touch it until he had made the sign of the cross. In his latter days, he was taken care
161
HUDSON TOWNSHIP.
of at the Catholic institution of Notre Dame, near South Bend. There the old chief died and was buried. Sogganee had been a great brave in his day. He was at the battle of Tippecanoe, and upon one occasion he became very angry at Benjamin Hicks, Esq., for alluding to the Indian defeat upon that occasion. The Indians were all very kind, and seemingly well disposed toward the early settlers of Hudson.
In 1831, W. W. Cleghorn visited the vicinity of the lake. He did not come with the intention of settling, but buying furs. No change had taken place, and he describes the state of things in the township just as related above. He knew only the settlers named, and pronounces the appearance of the country extremely primitive.
In 1832, many of the Indians were removed to the Osage river country, in southern Kansas. Cleghorn accompanied them, having obtained a license from the general government to trade with them. He did not return to this country with the intention of making his permanent home until 1853, though he owned property on the banks of the lake where he now resides.
By the year 1833, many settlers sought homes in Hudson town- ship, and a village, known at the time as Lakeport, but the name of which was afterwards changed to
HUDSON,
began to be recognized in the surrounding country as a place of importance. There is not a town in the county more pleasantly located. It is situated on the east side of Hudson lake, sloping gently towards the shore, and under more favorable circumstances, might have become a town of considerable importance. This place was once the rival of LaPorte, and indeed, a formidable one, for the trade of the north part of the county. In 1833 its growth com- menced. In that year the first school house after the mission, was built there. The school was taught by a man named Edwards. Charles Egbert opened a very respectable store in the same year. John D. Ross and a man named Jewett, started a blacksmith shop; Samuel Elliott carried on the business of coopering, and James F. Smith commenced keeping a tavern-the first one in the township.
D
II
162
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
In 1834, Garret Bias built the first steam saw mill that had been put in operation in the town, and James F. Smith erected the first frame house. Bias run his mill until 1838, when he traded it for seven acres of land inside the corporate limits of Chicago, which were sold for taxes. The machinery went to Rockford, Illinois. During this time a postoffice was established, and A. L. Wheeler, who had become a merchant in the place, was the first postmaster.
In 1835, the town was in the full tide of prosperity. It had two taverns, for Garret Bias had opened one; stages were arriving and leaving at all hours, the streets were filled with an eager and busy throng, farmers came to buy and dispose of their produce, and it seemed as though no town in the vicinity of Hudson could ever compete with it in its steps towards commercial prosperity and growth.
Among those who were settlers in the township at the time were Benj. Hicks, Wm. Conner, Evan Hobson, James Bailey, Mr. Shay, Mr. Gould, Elmore Emmons and Asher White.
During the year 1836, A. L. Wheeler sold his store to Foster & Reynolds. Alexander Cassiday opened his blacksmith shop; Dr. Jared Chapman established himself as physician: a pottery was built by Samuel Rowe, and one of those speculative bubbles which at the time, crazed the heads of the wisest men had culminated. It was the building of a canal from the city of Toledo, Ohio, to New Buffalo on Lake Michigan. When the news came that this enter- prise had been chartered, and there was a probability of its success. Hudson was wild with excitement. The people from the surround- ing country assembled in the town, all the musical instruments of which the country could boast were brought into requisition, tar bar- rels were burned and speeches made. But alas for poor Hudson. Even if such a canal had been practicable, the financial crash of that year put a quietus upon all their hopes and expectations. The excitement produced had caused property owners to charge the most unreasonable prices for their lots, and those who would otherwise have been earnest and industrous workers for the settlement, were driven to other parts to establish themselves in business. During this year the postoffice was discontinued, to the great indignation of
163
HUDSON TOWNSHIP.
the citizens, who laid the matter to the trickery of their neighbors in the village of New Carlisle.
In the year 1837. Andrew Avery commenced building a saw mill. The power used by him was of rather a novel kind. On the east bank of Du Chemin lake, the land is quite high for some sixty rods, it then sinks below the level of the lake. Through this mound it was proposed to dig a ditch. A large force of men were employed, and after an immense amount of work, a canal was perfected through which the water ran to the depth of four feet. With this power he contrived to run'a wheel. For a while he succeeded very well, but like all the lakes in the country, it became less in volume as the land was cleared up, the timber cut off and the sod broken, until two years after, the project was entirely abandoned. The lake is now at least four feet below its former level. During this year Robert Stanfield opened a tailoring establishment, and four large stores were in operation, not little trading posts, but they were well stocked with all kinds of goods, and an immense trade was carried on. The monetary crash had impeded the growth of the town, but the people were not disheartened. They still believed in the Michi- gan canal, and that its construction was only a matter of time, and the panic of temporary duration.
In 1838, Andrew Avery's saw mill commenced operations, Wm. Sheridan embarked in the business of cabinet making and Richard Smith had a shoe shop. Garret Bias 'organized a full independent military company, of which he was made captain, and Andrew Avery lieutenant. They carried government muskets with flint locks. During the same season, Dr. Chapman opened a general store.
During the year 1839, Hon. John Reynolds went to Washington and had the postoffice re-established. A grist mill was attached to the Avery mill, and a firm formed, consisting of Andrew Avery, Salem Huntington, Richard Hicks and James F. Smith. Smith did not long continue connected with it, but retired, and the busi- ness was continued under the firm name of Huntington, Avery & Co. It was during this year that the water running from the lake into the canal became insufficient for propelling the machinery. In the same year a distillery was started by John Hobart.
164
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
In 1840, Andrew Avery bought out the saw and grist mill, and moved it to near where it now stands. Ox power was used as a motive power. Thos. Wood started a tailor shop and continued in business the next four years.
In December of the same year, there occurred a murder at this town, which for a time created a great deal of excitement, not only in the town of Hudson, but in the county. Charles Egbert had formerly been a merchant in Hudson, and an active business man. He had a tavern stand at one time on the road which runs along the south part of the township line. This hotel had done a good business, but Smith had made efforts to get a direct road through to LaPorte, cutting off all travel from Egbert's place, and was successful. The parties had disputes at different times thereafter. On the even- ing of the 5th of December, Egbert went into Smith's bar room. He had on the same day purchased a dirk-knife at the store of John Reynolds. After sitting near the door for a time, he arose and turned as if to go out, but really to open the knife, and then advanced towards Smith, who raised a chair to defend himself. Andrew Foster, who afterwards said he did not see the knife, caught Smith's chair, while Egbert inflicted two stabs, one in the left arm, the other penetrating Smith's heart, who died in a few minutes.
There is much misunderstanding in relation to the facts of this case, especially as to dates, even among those who witnessed the tragedy, and hence there is copied here, the following record from the docket of the justice who heard the case:
STATE OF INDIANA,
vs. CHARLES EGBERT.
On charge of Murder.
"On the 5th day of December, 1841, Andrew Foster a Justice of the Peace of LaPorte county, on view issued a State warrant, re- turnable before said Foster or any other justice of said county. and on the 6th day of December, 1841, John C. Hale, constable of said county, returned the said warrant before me, R. Munday, a Justice of the Peace of said county, and also the body of said Charles Egbert, and on motion of Defendant's counsel, the examination is continued until the 7th day of December, 1841, at one o'clock p.m. At the time set for the examination, comes the plaintiff, by Wm. C. Hannah, M. H. Orton, and G. Hathaway; and the defendant in
-
165
HUDSON TOWNSHIP.
person, and by his counsel, J. A. Liston and G. A. Everts, and after hearing two of the witnesses on the part of the State. the ex- amination was continued until the 8th day of December, 1841, at nine o'clock a. m. At the time set forth, December 8th, 1841, the defendant is brought into court and after hearing more testimony on the part of the State, the examination is continued until the 9th day of December, 1841, at nine o'clock a. m. At the time set the defendant is again brought into court, and after hearing the balance of the testimony on the part of the defendant, the cause is continued until December 10th, 1841, at nine o'clock a. m., for the argument of the counsel. At the time set, to-wit: December 10th, 1841, the defendant is brought into court, and after hearing all the testi- mony and fully examining all things touching this case, it is consid- ered that the defendant give bail in the sum of five thousand dollars and himself in the like sum, for his appearance on the first day of the next circuit court, or in default thereof to be sent to the com- mon jail of said county, and thereupon the defendant gave bail in the sum required, by giving Elisha Egbert, Paul Egbert and Jacob Egbert. Whereupon the defendant was discharged.
Given under my hand and seal.
R. MUNDAY, J. P.
Egbert never appeared. He fled to Texas-then not a part of the United States-where he lived until after the close of the rebellion, deeply regretting his rash act. He became a religious man and a Methodist class leader. In September 1844, a scire facias was sued out. Finally an arrangement was made with the governor of the State, by which the administrators of John Egbert, who had died, should confess judgment in the sum of $1,000, after which the bond was canceled. The confession was made, and a stay of execution taken for one hundred and eighty days. In the meantime an appeal was taken to the supreme court. The case was not finally disposed of until 1853, when the judgment was set aside. The decision may be found in the fourth Indiana Reports.
In 1842, Andrew Avery's mill was burned. He went to work immediately and put up another, using ox power, often as many as five yoke of oxen. From this time the course of Hudson has been downward.
In 1845, Wm. Ferguson opened a boot and shoe store, and in 1851, Abel Whitlock bought a stock of goods and opened a very
166
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
respectable store, and in 1852, Avery's ox mill was turned into a steam mill. The railroad came through Hudson and made its depot at New Carlisle a mile and half distant, a town which Hudson a few years before, had looked upon with sovereign contempt. This was the last blow that was needed to destroy this once thriving village.
In 1854, Early & Avery built a steam saw and grist mill, and also opened a general store. Soon afterwards Early sold out to Solomon Stevens. This store successively passed into the hands of Perkins, Cassiday, Smith, and back again to Avery, who failed in 1857. It was during this year that the postoffice was finally discontinued.
In 1869, Ed. Perry started a shoe shop, and in 1870 Avery's steam mill was burned. Of course he built another immediately, where it now stands, and he has since added to it stones for a grist mill. In June 1874, the school house at Hudson was burned by an incendiary. Peter Harris was arrested for the crime, and after being tried in the September term of the circuit court was acquitted. A new brick school house is now being built. Hudson never had a church.
There is nothing more to tell concerning the village of Hudson, which can now scarcely be called a village. Railroads having destroyed the great stage routes, that town which is not on a rail- road is abandoned by the world, and necessarily sinks to decay. Hudson has undergone this fate, and in an aggravated form. Daily, many trains thunder past the "deserted village." but none stop, and the few inhabitants who are left, and who remember the great expectations of Hudson can only sigh over what "might have been."
There are two churches in Hudson township, both built in 1867, one being Methodist Episcopal, and the other Methodist Protestant. The former is called the Maple Grove church.
A large part of the township is well adapted to agricultural uses, and farming is the leading industry. A few are engaged in stock raising, and there are several saw mills and a flouring mill, as already mentioned. Among those now living in the township are Andrew Avery who still runs the flour and saw mill; Fleming Rey-
167
HUDSON TOWNSHIP.
nolds, who came from Wayne county in 1833, and is a successful farmer; Moses Emery, a successful farmer who came in 1845; Wm. Galbreath, a farmer who came in 1838; Jesse Haines, already named as one of the earliest settlers, now a farmer and stock raiser; Alexander Hicks a farmer and a saw mill owner; J. M. Miller, a farmer and stock dealer ; Esquire Wm. Thomas, M. D. Solloway, Obadiah Walker, J. A. Davidson, G. W. Druliner, Alexander Cassiday, Daniel Cowgill, W. A. Dickey, Henry Brown, and several families of Hickses.
Lee Solloway came from England and settled here in 1850. He died August 12th, 1874. One of the county papers says of him : "It is with sincere regret that we record the death, on Wednesday night of last week, of Mr. Lee Solloway, who had been long a resi- dent of Hudson township in this county. His death was wholly unexpected by his friends, up to within a few hours of its occurrence, though he had been sick for a few days previously. Mr. Solloway was fifty years of age, and settled in this county twenty-four years ago, in the township of Hudson, where he has since resided. He was a good and useful citizen, and his death will long leave a sense of loss in the community where he was best known."
Though the expectations Hudson village once had of becoming a large town, have been disappointed, yet there are in the township elements of prosperity which will still remain. Much of the soil is rich and productive, and there is still a great deal of very fine tim- ber. The people are generally prosperous; a high degree of intelli- gence prevails, and it cannot be doubted that the future has in store greater rewards for the industry of the inhabitants than those which have been yielded them in the past.
168
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY
CHAPTER XV.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
The township of Union includes the whole of the Congressional township number thirty-five, range two west, the twelve southern sections of township thirty-six, same range, sections twenty-five and thirty-six, and part of sections twenty-six and thirty-five of township thirty-six, range three west, and sections one and twelve, and part of sections thirteen, twenty-four and twenty-five in town- ship thirty-five, range three west. It thus contains fifty-two sec- tions and five parts of sections, and is the largest township in the county. At the organization of the county the territory embraced within its limits was in the township of Kankakee as then consti- tuted, with a narrow strip in Scipio. When Pleasant township was organized, most of this territory became a part of that township, and so remained until the 4th day of March, 1840, when the Board of commissioners' at their regular March session made the following order :
"On petition of sundry cititizens of the townships of Pleasant. Scipio and Noble, for the formation of a new township :
It is ordered by the Board that a new township be formed by taking off a part of the above named townships, to be known by the name of Union township, and to be bounded as follows, to- wit: Beginning at the Centre or half mile stake on the north side of section twenty-six, in township thirty-six, north of range three west, on a road, thence south along said road on the open line of sections twenty-six, thirty-five, two, eleven, fourteen, twenty-three, wenty-six and thirty-five to the south line of township thirty-five, thence east along said town line to the southeast corner of township thirty-five, range two west, thence north on range line to the north- east corner of section twenty-five, township thirty-six, range two west, thence west on the section line to the place of beginning.
Ordered that an election be held at the place of holding elections in Union township for the purpose of electing one justice of the
169
UNION TOWNSHIP.
peace of said township on the first Monday of April next, and that Abraham Reynolds is appointed inspector of elections for said town- ship of Union until his sucessor is elected and qualified, and that the elections for said township be held for the present at the house of George W. Reynolds in said township."
Since that time there have been several changes of boundaries effected, until now it occupies the territory already designated, and includes a part of the congressional township on the north in which Pleasant township is located, and on the west includes a part of the congressional townships naturally occupied by Scipio and Noble townships.
The Kankakee river passes diagonally across the southeastern part of Union township, so that a large part of it is Kankakee marsh. Two other smaller streams run southward across the west- erly part of the township, which furnish several valuable mill sites. These creeks unite about two miles south of Kingsbury, and finally empty into the Kankakee in the northeast corner of Hanna town- ship. Three railroads traverse Union township. The Indianapo- lis, Peru and Chicago railroad barely touches it in the northeast corner, less than one mile of the road being in the township; the Chicago and Lake Huron road passes diagonally across seven sections in the northwest part of the township, and has a station at Kingsbury; and the Baltimore and Ohio crosses the township from east to west near its centre, crossing the Kankakee river within its limits and near its eastern border. Door prairie extends into Union township from the west, and Stillwell prairie from the north ; and thus some prairie land of as excellent a quality as any in the county lies in this township.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.