USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana, and its townships, towns and cities > Part 4
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
This corps you will either take command of yourself, or commit it to an officer to be selected by the company, with the understand- ing that your official services will be expected in your division, in the event that a call is made from the United States officer in the Northwest, on the militia of the State.
Provisions, forage, etc., you will provide until funds are provided
N. NOBLE. for that purpose.
To Major General Joseph Orr.
Upon the receipt of the above order, Gen. Orr proceeded to raise a company of eighty-eight men, including officers, and reported by letter, first " to the commandant at Fort Dearborn, or Indian agent, Chicago," from Kankakee, under date of July 7th, 1832. and after- wards from Hickory creek, July tenth, to General Winfield Scott. The following is an extract from a letter from General Orr to Gen- eral Scott :
"Sir :- I herewith enclose a copy of an order from the governor of Indiana, under which a company of rangers has been raised. and placed on the line between the Wabash and Chicago.
In pursuance of that order, volunteers were called for to rendez- vous at Attica, Indiana, on the second instant. and at which place a company was organized as follows, to-wit:
Joseph Orr, commandant.
Eliakim Ashton, first lieutenant.
Jesse Davidson, second lieutenant.
Henry Slabens, third lieutanant, and eighty-four non-commis- sioned officers and privates.
We marched from Attica on the evening of the third, and reached the Iroquois (Hubbert's trading house) on the fifth instant. I left a small corps of observation, fourteen in number, under command of Lieutenant Davidson. With the balance of the company. I reached this place on yesterday. To-day I sent a detachment to the Door Prairie, from which they will return by the way of Kan- kakee and Iroquois rivers. and be in camp in five or six days. Meantime we shall traverse the country in different directions with other detachments, so that at the end of a week. I hope to be able to render a satisfactory account of things along the line committed to our charge.
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SCIPIO TOWNSHIP.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOSEPH ORR,
Commander Corps Ind. Mounted Volunteer Rangers. The following is an extract from General Scott's reply : HEADQUARTERS NORTHWESTERN ARMY,
* CHICAGO, July 2, 1832.
I rely upon your zeal and patriotism to quiet all apprehensions among your men, for their safety against cholera. As soon as I shall be able to separate the sick from the healthy, on board the several steamers, and be certain that there will be no danger of a further spread of cholera, I shall want to commence operations, and then your mounted men will be of great value to the service.
Let me hear from you if you have anything interesting to communicate.
In haste, I remain, with great respect, your obedient servant, WINFIELD SCOTT.
To Gen. Orr, Commanding Indiana Volunteer Rangers.
Much correspondence passed between General Scott, and Captain Orr, and the following is given as showing the purpose of the commanding general, and his estimate of the Indiana company of Mounted Rangers.
HEADQUARTERS NORTHWESTERN ARMY, } CHICAGO, July 20, 1832. 5
SIR :- I wrote to you the day before yesterday by Lieutenant Tup- per of the United States Marines, who happened to be passing towards your camp.
I have now to acknowledge your communication of the nine- teenth, which is satisfactory. I have no doubt that your fine company will do honor to the state of Indiana, and the country generally, if it should, under your command, come in contact with the enemy.
I still think of marching upon the immediate theatre of opera- ations about the twenty-sixth, and shall wish you to accompany me with your command. Having no hope that any other detachment of regular infantry will arrive, I shall only have Maj. Whistler's small command of uninfected, and unsuspected troops to accom- pany me.
Gen. Atkinson, on the seventeenth, was preparing to march again upon the enemy with some hope of bringing him to action about the twenty-first. If the Black Hawk succeed in avoiding a
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
battle he may retreat from Milwalky along the lake Michigan in this direction. In that event we might meet him, and though our force would be small, we might, nevertheless, effect something.
I have only four tents here. Four hundred and fifty were to have followed in one of the steam boats now no longer expected, and I have no surgeon for the field. I am glad to learn that you have a few tents for your own men, and a good physician or sur- geon. I can furnish you with baggage wagons, and shall order sub- sistence to follow us from this place; nevertheless it will be desirable that you take from your camp, rations for three or five days. We will meet on the route, say within four or five miles of this place. But I shall send an officer down to you to arrange all those points.
About the twenty-sixth, then, I wish you to have your whole company assembled ready to march, and in the meantime let me hear from you. I only wait till then in hope that tents and a phy- sician may arrive, and for wagons and horses which I know will be here.
I remain with great respect, your obedient servant, WINFIELD SCOTT.
P. S. The cholera is subsiding fast in the fort, and many of the sick are getting well ; but on account of your volunteers, and those with General Atkinson, I shall not take a man of the detachment that has had the disease. We all here believe it not contagious.
W. S.
Capt. Jos. Orr, Commanding Indiana Mounted Rangers. Camp Hickory Creek.
The movement of Gen. Scott and his command did not take place as contemplated, owing probably to the retreat of Black Hawk to the Mississippi, and on the fourth day of August Gen. Orr wrote to the Commanding officer at Fort Dearborn as follows:
CAMP AT HICKORY CREEK, August 4, 1832.
SIR :- I wish you to send me by the bearer, Mr. Edmundson, a sergeant of my company, for the use of the company, one keg of rifle powder. It would be preferred in canisters if convenient. We camp to-night on the lake shore some six miles from Chicago. Have taken this trip in order to lessen the dulness of a camp and will return probably to-morrow.
Having been disappointed in even a prospect of seeing the enemy, we have no desire to continue in service for the mere pay of sol- diers, and therefore would be pleased with the earliest intimation that our services could be dispensed with. I have written to Gov.
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SCIPIO TOWNSHIP.
Noble to that effect and hope the step will receive your approbation and that of the commanding general in the Northwest, as well as your aid in effecting it. In the event of our discharge please say what disposition you would have us make of the public property in our possession. I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant, JOSEPH ORR, Commanding
Company Indiana Mounted Volunteer Rangers. The company was soon after disbanded, as appears from the fol- lowing letter of Gov. Noble, to Gen. Orr, which also shows the result of the war.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., August 6, 1832.
DEAR SIR :- The LaFayette mail of Saturday, brought me your letter of the twenth-ninth, and that of the eighteenth instant was handed me by Mr. Bryant.
The enemy having fled beyond the Mississippi, and an army under a skillful general being in possession of the country between, the frontier is entirely secure from an approach of a hostile charac- ter; you will therefore withdraw the company under your command from their present position, and upon reaching a suitable point, dis- band it.
I regret exceedingly that the boys have not had an opportunity to achieve more, but as circumstances forbade it, you must all return, content with the reflection that you were ready to meet danger, have done your duty, and that your fellow citizens approve your conduct, so far as you have been permitted to act.
I am, sir, respectfully your obedient servant,
N. NOBLE.
This alarm, by which it was supposed the cruelties of Indian war- fare would be visited upon the infant settlements of LaPorte county, was occasioned by the supposition that the Sac Indians would retreat into Canada instead of going beyond the Mississippi, and as their trail passed through the county, the peril appeared to be imminent.
After the close of the war, the township of Scipio settled up more rapidly than before, and during the fall of 1832, many settlers moved into the township. Arthur McClure was elected justice of the peace this year. During these early times, Rev. James Arm- strong preached at different houses in the township, and, either this year or the following, his example was followed by Revs. Sherwood, St. Clair and Holmes.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
A man lived in this town during this period by the name of Shadney or Chaudonia. He was of mixed Pottawatomie and French blood, and had come here from Detroit. When the Michi- gan road was proposed from Madison, on the Ohio river to Michi- gan City-two hundred and seventy miles-the Indians had agreed to relinquish their title to one section of land for each mile that was built through their country. The State construed the agreement to mean one section per mile, for the entire length of the road. The Indians hearing that such would be the interpretation, became quite indignant. and were about preventing the surveyors from running out any more land. Shadney's influence with them was very great and his services were brought into requisition. He pro- cured an ox, a quantity of whisky was furnished, a barbecue and a drunken spree was the consequence, in which a large number of Indians participated, and the affair passed by without any further trouble. For his services in this matter, the United States govern- ment gave him a patent of section twenty-eight. It may well be a query at this time whether the authorities of the general govern- ment would feel warranted in rewarding any person for getting Indians drunk, no matter what the advantages accruing might be.
Gen. Orr sent for this man Shadney, and consulted him when the fort was built at Door Village, as to the probabilities of the Sac Indians following their old trail. He gave it as his opinion that they would not, and future events justified his conclusion.
Many reports not creditable to the reputation of Chaudonia have been circulated. It is difficult to determine at this day just how much truth there may be in them. He is said to have had an Indi- an wife, having left a white wife at Detroit. and that after the death of the Indian woman, the lawful wife came on from Detroit. He had great influence with the Indians, which the government after- wards recognized. In 1835 or 1836 he removed to St. Joseph county, where his widow and some of his descendants still reside. In regard to the charges which have been made against him, the fol- lowing letter from a distinguished citizen of South Bend, who has been many years a clerk in the General Land Office at Washington, will be found interesting.
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 20, 1875.
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SCIPIO TOWNSHIP.
Hon. Jasper Packard :
SIR : I have been much pleased, in reading from time to time, your very interesting reminiscences of the early days in LaPorte county, as published in your valuable paper, the LaPorte CHRONICLE.
The object of this letter however, is to notice an item in your re- miniscences of Scipio township, in LaPorte county, published in your issue of the 17th of November, 1874, in relation to a Mr. "Shadney," who "lived on section twenty-eight." Your notice of him does not leave a very favorable impression of his moral char- acter. I shall not undertake to speak of his character prior to my knowledge of him in 1833, the year I moved into St. Joseph coun- ty, but more particularly of his history as a soldier and co-worker in behalf of the United States, in the early Indian and British wars in the northwest territory.
His name as known among the Indians was Shaderny, but his proper name was John B. Chaudonia.
The section of land number twenty-eight, referred to, was allot- ted to him by the treaty with the Pottawatomie Indians, held on the Tippecanoe River October 26th, 1832. This section was after- wards sold by him to George W. Allen and Reuben Allen, to whom the deed was approved by the President June 15, 1844. After the
sale of the land, which was made soon after the treaty, Mr. Chau- donia settled near South Bend. in St. Joseph county, where I knew him in 1833 and up to his death, which occurred in 1837. At the time of my acquaintance with him his "white" wife was then with him, by whom he had two children, Charles B., and Mary L .; both are now dead. Mary married a Frenchman by the name of Breset, and had three children, one of whom, Edward, I knew well. He served faithfully in the late war of the rebellion, and was severely wounded. Charles B., is also dead ; he also left children, one of whom, Charles T., was also in the late war of the rebellion and served faithfully to the end of the war and was honorably dis- charged. Both of these grandchildren now live in South Bend, and with the latter, his grandmother, the widow of John B. Chaudonia, is now living at an advanced age, highly respected.
After the death of John B. Chaudonia, his widow, Mary B.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Chaudonia, petitioned Congress to pass an act, granting her and two children one section of land for services rendered by her husband to the United States during the late war, the war of 1832. After some delay a report was finally made May 11, 1846, in her favor. The report is as follows :
"The Committee on Public Lands, to which was referred the petition of Mary L. Chaudonia, of the county of St. Joseph, Indi- ana, praying Congress to pass an act granting to her and her two children a section of land, for services rendered by her husband to the United States prior to and during the late war, have had the same under consideration, and now report :
That, from the petition and papers in this case, it appears that, upon the petition of John B. Chaudonia, a half breed Pottawatomie Indian, the Committee on Indian Affairs in the Senate, in 1832, reported a bill granting a section of land to the petitioner, in con- sideration of his services rendered to the United States during the late war, but upon which no further action has been 1a 1.
Previous to the late war, at the massacre of the ;rhites by the Indians at Chicago, where an indiscriminate butchery of thets ! .:: place, without regard to age or sex, Chaudonia, by his humans ex- ertions, saved the life of the captain in command at this post, and the life of the captain's lady also. He espoused the cause of the United States at the commencement of our difficulties with Great Britain, and continued in the service of this country (with the ex- ception of a few months while he was in a British prison) until the close of the war ; and, after the war was ended, he rendered very important services to the United States on different occasions.
Chaudonia, at the commencement of the late war, being young, active, enterprising, and daring-understanding well the manners and customs of the Indians-being well skilled in their mode of warfare, admitted into their secret councils, and possessing an influ- ence over them that no one else, who favored the American cause, did-all these circumstances combined gave him the power of ren- dering to the United States greater services than any one else at that time, which he at no time omitted to exercise when it was necessary to save either the lives of the citizens of the United States, or their property, from destruction. During the existence
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SCIPIO TOWNSHIP.
1
of the war his life was devoted to our cause, and his property freely sacrificed for the safety and protection of our citizens.
Since the death of the said John B. Chaudonia, which occurred in the year 1837, his widow, for herself and children, petitions Congress to pass an act granting to them a section of land, for and in consideration of the services rendered by her late husband to the United States.
The committee being well satisfied of the truth of all the facts above stated-regretting that so just a claim should have been so long neglected, thereby permitting the widow and children of so meritorious a man to drag out life in penury and want-hereby report a bill for their relief, and recommend its passage without delay."
The above report was accompanied by a letter from the late Gen. Lewis Cass, addressed to the Hon. A. S. White, then our senator in Congress. The letter will speak for itself, as follows :
"WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 8, 1843.
SIR: In answer to your letter, I beg leave to state that I know J. B. Chaudonia well. He served many years under my orders both in peace and war, and in trying circumstances rendered great services to the United States.
Some of the events of his life were almost romantic, and at all times he was firm and faithful, Could I give you an exact narra- tion of all he did, there would be a unanimous conviction in Con- gress that something should be done for his family, which I under- stand is destitute ; but the subject has passed, in a great degre from my memory, and I must content myself with a few prominent facts.
Chaudonia was a half-breed Pottawatomie. His uncle, Topene- bee, was the chief of the tribe, and was an old man of great in- fluence.
From the commencement of our difficulties with Great Britain, Chaudonia espoused our cause, notwithstanding the exertions of the British agents to seduce him to their interest, as he was an active, fearless young man, with connection in the tribe; they were ex- ceedingly desirous to gain him, but their efforts were useless. From the first to the last he never swerved in his attachment. He
1
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
was present at the massacre of the garrison of Chicago, where I have always understood he saved the life of Captain Heald, the commanding officer, and the lives of others also.
He was apprehended by the British, and imprisoned at Malden, whence he escaped-a party was sent in pursuit of him headed by his uncle, a Canadian. He killed his uncle and fied into the Indian country.
Here he exerted his influence for us, and induced Topenebee and other Pottawatomie chiefs to come to the council of Greenville in 1834, which was held by General Harrison and myself, and where a peace was made which detached many Indians from the British interest.
From Greenville he accompanied me to Detroit, for which place I marched a considerable force of Indians for the relief of that fron- tier, which was then suffering from the invasion of hostile Indians. I had no white troops with me, and my position was therefore dif- ficult and dangerous.
Chaudonia conducted himself with great energy and propriety, and rendered me the most essential service.
I believe he was in the various engagements on the northwestern frontier, and, I think, at the battle of the Thames.
He attended the treaties for the purchase of land, and always aided the commissioners in their efforts, and I can say from person- al knowledge that General Harrison had the same opinion of him that I had, and I have no doubt, were he alive, he would with pleasure bear witness to the good conduct and fidelity of Chaudonia.
With great respect, I am Sir, your obedient servant,
LEWIS CASS.
HON. A. S. WHITE, U. S. Senate."
Accordingly a bill was passed which was approved March 3, 1847, granting a half section to the widow, Mary L. Chaudonia, and one quarter section each to Charles B. Chaudonia and Mary L. Breset, children of said Mary L. and John B. Chaudonia.
I write this for the purpose of placing an old and respected resi- dent of LaPorte county, and also of St. Joseph county, properly before the public, and trust it may find a place in your valuable collection of reminiscences. Truly Yours,
CHARLES M. HEATON.
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SCIPIO TOWNSHIP.
The first school in tha township was taught by Caroline Holmes, in the year 1833. It was in a log school house on the southeast edge of Door Village grove, on the lands of Arba Heald, and now owned by Daniel Kimball. In the winter following, it was taught by a man named Good.
In 1835, Avery Freeman, Aaron Kidder, Levi Black, Alva Mason and T. B. Cole came from Washington county, New York, and settled in Scipio.
In 1836, Asaph Webster, who resided in Noble, on section six, built. a saw mill. It was on Mill creek, in the southwest part of Scipio, and within about five rods of the township line. This is the only mill of which there is any account, and the old settlers say there: has been no other.
The only town in Scipio township is
DOOR VILLAGE.
It seems to have been laid out in 1836. It is located on the- school section (sixteen), and the sub-division was made under the direction of the County Commissioners. It is pleasantly located on Door Prairie, in the midst of a rich farming country ; but the business of the place is now less than it was many years ago, its vicinity to LaPorte causing it to fall behind in the competition for business patronage. The following exhibit will give a fair idea of the business of the place from the beginning.
The first cabin built in Door Village, was by Welsh and his son, who sold intoxicating liquor to the Indians in 1830. In the spring of 1832, Arba Heald built a cabin in what is now the village. The Methodist church was built in 1833. It was a frame building, and the Rev. James Armstrong was the first man who preached in it. In the same year, Good & Heming opened a store, selling dry goods and groceries. They continued business but a few months. The concern successively passed through the hands of Morrison, Hoag, Michael O'Hara, Willis & Robinson, Closser, and Rose, who discontinued the business in 1862. The first frame house was built by Mr. Morrison, in 1833. Hiram Parker built a tavern. It has since been torn down. Theodore Parker commenced wagon mak- ing in the same year. Wm. Harris started a blacksmith shop in 1834. In 1835 a man by the name of Cobb, carried on black-
5
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HISTORY OF, LA PORTE COUNTY.
smithing. Mr. Branson commenced shoe making in 1836, and continued in the business two or three years. Joseph Harwood was a carpenter and joiner, and did business in the village. In 1837, Dr. Hall moved into the township. He bought and occupied the property now owned by J. B. Higgins. He died in 1838. In this year, (1837) John and William Reed started a blacksmith shop. They continued business a year or a little more. Hiram Carter opened a grocery store. Nelson Bennett had a blacksmith shop where the Methodist parsonage now stands, in 1838. He had car- ried on that business about ten years in the village, when he re- moved to Union Mills. George Tower started the business of tailoring, and continued from 1838 to 1840. At the same time Albert Currier who was brother in-law of Tower, was engaged in shoe making. During this year (1838), Orrin Willis, was post- master, and a shoe maker named Harmison, commenced business. In 1839 J. B. Higgins commenced shoe making and continued in the business fifteen years. The same year, Dyer Smith started a black- smith and wagon shop, as did also Bigsbee & Co., who continued it about a year. Mr. Higgins was afterwards justice of the peace. and was postmaster several years, when he finally resigned and Mrs. Cooley was appointed in 1874.
In 1840 Chester Heald carried on a foundry and made iron cast- ings of various kinds. He also manufactured thrashing machines. In the same year Joseph Austin had a spinning wheel manufactory. and in it a lathe for turning wood, which he run by means of two dogs. He sold out to Samuel Hall. This year the Baptist church was built, and Elder Spaulding was the first pastor. George and William Parkinson carried the mail from LaPorte to Valparaiso for many years. 1852 N. P. Huckins put up an establishment and made fanning mills. In 1847 Samuel Hall opened a tavern on the south side of the road. In 1849 Samuel Cox built a very good tavern, which burned down the next year. At the same time John Parkinson commenced the business of wagon making and black- smithing. Nathan Thurber commenced shoe making and continued in the business four or five years. Leland Lockwood commenced blacksmithing and wagon making in 1855, and J. B. Higgins opened a small store. the same year. In 1855 Samuel Hall built the
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SCIPIO TOWNSHIP.
tavern now occupied by Mathew Riley. In 1864 Mr. Smith com- menced making bed mattresses. In 1869 Thomas Doyle com- menced blacksmithing. In 1870 Claus Peterson opened a shoe shop to which he has added a small store.
Others who settled early in this township were 'Joseph Osborn and Wm. Adams, who came in 1830; Elijah Brown, John Broad- head, Peter White, and Mr. Melville, who all came in the year 1832, or prior thereto ; Elmore Pattee who settled in 1833; N. W. Closser, and Isaac S. Evans, who came in 1834; also Irwin, Mason and McCray in the same year; Aaron Kidder in 1835; Lewis A. Wilkinson in 1836. Jacob R. Hall, whose death recently occurred, settled in 1833, having come from Cass county.
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