History of La Porte County, Indiana, Part 37

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : C.C. Chapman
Number of Pages: 930

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THE BENEDICT "HOUSE-RAISING."

In these early times there were a great many " house-raisings " and " honse-warmings,"-for this became a necessity in order to supply the rapidly increasing population with homes. A descrip- tion of one is a description of all. When the Benedict family had concluded to leave Ottawa, Illinois, whither they had gone from Chicago, which they had made a stopping place when they migrated from Durham, Greene county, New York, in 1827, they managed some way to send word to some friends at Pokagon prairie in Ber- rien county, Michigan, designating the point at which they expected to settle, and requesting aid in putting up a little home,-a "log- cabin in the woods." Accordingly, when the widow (for Mr. Stephen S. Benedict, the husband and father, had died at Ottawa) and her family arrived at the spot designated they found their friends, Samuel Johnson and William Eahart, already on the

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ground. Of males, there were now present these whom we have named and the six sons of the family, viz., Joseph H. Benedict, Alpha M. Benedict, Levi J. Benedict, John K. Benedict, Holland Benedict, and James W. Benedict, and Henly Clyburn, the son-in- law. Of females, so far as we have been able to ascertain, there were but two: Mrs. Benedict, and Mrs. Clyburn, nee Saralı Bene- dict, the wife of Henly Clyburn.

This company were in the woods. The business just now on hand was the erection of a building which would serve as a home for the pioneer widow and her family. Accordingly, if we listen sharply enough, we may hear the clear ring of the axes, used by as many of the company as were able to wield an ax, as the trees of suitable size were being cut down and cut into suitable lengths. How those strokes do ring in the silent depths of the woods around. Now, some are using the wagon and team in hauling these logs to the place where the cabin is to be built; some are "riving " away at the " clapboards " which are to furnish the roof, and other some are splitting away at the " puncheons" which are to furnish the floor. A short time only sufficed to make these necessary prepara- tions. The foundation round is laid, the lower logs resting upon · four great stones as a foundation. Log by log it goes up, each one being "notched and saddled " to fit the log below and to receive the log above. Round by round this house was thus built until the proper height was reached. The remainder of the house was com- pleted by placing "ridge-poles " across, to receive the clapboard roof, upon the gradually shortened logs which were tapered at each end to correspond to the slope of the roof, and which formed the " gable ends " of the house, until the center was reached upon which a " comb ridge-pole " was placed. Upon these " ridge-poles" the clapboards were placed in courses one upon the other with about two feet exposed to the " weather," laid down loosely. These were held in their places by placing heavy poles upon them called " weight poles," reaching from one gable to the other, and which were kept on their respective courses of boards by pieces of timber of suitable length called " runs " being placed between them, one end of which rested upon the " weight pole " below and the other furnishing a support for the one above, and thus until all the courses were weighted. Now begun the internal and finishing work of the house. A door, window and "fire place" were respectively cut out and "cheeked up." A heavy door was hung on wooden hinges and fastened with a wooden latch to close up the doorway; a sash of "8 by 10" glass was roughly placed in the window; the chimney was made of wooden jams filled in with a wall and built ont to the top of the roof, and a little above, with rived sticks laid up like a cob house, the interstices were filled with clay mortar, and plastered inside and out with the same. Attention was now given to the cracks between the logs, and they were " chinked and daubed," a process which required annual atten- tion; and the puncheon floor being laid down, the house was ready

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for its " warming." We are not informed whether the traditional " house-warming " took place in this case or not at the completion of this cabin, but we have reasons to believe that there were hearts glad enough to have " danced and kept jubilee until the wee sma' hours " when these houseless pioneers had a place which they could call " home." The blue smoke curled out of the new-made chim- ney in the traditional and poetical way among the leafless limbs of the surrounding trees when the fire was kindled in the great fire- place within. The aroma of the first meal was wafted into the surrounding stillness as it was prepared " by the fire " in the old- time way, and there was a smile of satisfaction when the family and their friends drew up around "the festal board " for the first time, and they felt that that they were at home.

This process of log-cabin building was repeated twice before Johnson and Eahart returned to their Michigan home, and two similar "house-warmings" were had in the next month of April.

During the first years of settlement of the county, similar cabins were built in a similar way all over those parts which were devoted to settlement, from this Benedict settlement to that on Du Chemin or Hudson lake. There was one exception to this. George Thomas, because that he was going to occupy the site of the future city of La Porte, whether he did or did not know it does not now concern us, of course he must put on a little more style than his cabin-homed neighbors; and so he went to the saw-mili of Captain Andrew, a short distance west of the place, and procured " slabs" and built his house out of " sawed timber," while his neighbors had nothing but "scotched logs." We are not informed whether these slabs were put together with "notch and saddle," like the logs of the unpretending cabin, or whether they stood on end; but at any rate it was a honse of " sawed timber," and was therefore quite pałatial.

These first La Porte homes were not as plentifully supplied with furniture as are the more recent La Porte homes, nor of the same quality. There were no soft ingrain carpets on the floor, no beautiful oil-paintings on the walls, no brilliant coal-oil or gas jets to give light, no easy chairs in which to rest, and no soft, cushioned sofas on which to lounge. But they contained one, perhaps two, rough beds in the corner and a trundle-bed for the children, an unpainted table on which the daily meals were spread, a few stools, and if well fixed a few chairs, together with the cooking ntensils. Over the fire-place was usually a mantel-shelf which served to catch the " tallow-dip," that gave the light, and every odd and end which was about the house. And, leaning against the chimney jams, on one side was the fire-shovel, on the other the fire-tongs. The dark garret above served as the receptacle of every other thing which was not needed for present use, and sometimes this garret was a medley the most undistinguishable. And around, instead of the nicely planed, clean and painted picket fence which now character- izes the door-yard, if fenced at all, there was a kind of tumble-down

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rail fence; and instead of the level, laid-ont and flower-decked yards of to-day, the yard was full of stumps and growing up with the young shoots from the lately cut-off saplings. Instead of the well-paved walks, bordered with beds of elegant flowers, the way to this humble mansion in the woods was but the pathway which was kept worn down by the passing and re-passing of the members of the household. Sometimes an extra tasty house-wife would train a honeysuckle or morning-glory vine over the window and door- way. Around the wall, if the family was remarkably well-to-do, might be seen the extra wearing apparel of the family. I very much doubt if there is any more of solid comfort and contentment in the elegant homes of La Porte to-day than there was in these unpretending homes of half a century ago in the woods.

PIONEER' WORK.

If the home was in " the woods," when not engaged in preparing the ground for or cultivating their small crops, "daddy " and the " boys " were out in the woods making a " deadening " by girdling the trees, or were " clearing" a piece of ground without taking this preliminary step, or were grubbing the underbrush and cleaning up a "deadening " already made. Sometimes they would take a play- spell, when with the trusty rifle, which usually hung in the strong leather loops on the cabin wall, they would chase the nimble-footed deer through the woods, or call down the squirrel from his nutty height in the tree-tops. It might be that instead of taking the rifle, they would take the hook and line and steal by the side of some brook where the finny tribes were wont to stay and by their entice- ments induce them to take the tempting bait, and so land them at their feet that they might grace the festal board by and by.

Or if the homes were on " the prairie," then the mornings were hurly-burly that they might be away to the " timber " to make the rails which were necessary to fence their lands, or that they might haul them where they were needed. Sometimes they were looking after that little herd of cattle which was gathering around them and growing handsomely on the rich prairie grass. Sometimes they were building barns and stables and sheds for the protection of their farm products and their stock. Sometimes they were building new or renewing old fences; but ever busy, busy.

But " mamma " and the " gals " were no less busy. The allotment of hardships was not on the sterner sex only, but the softer bore them as well. Cookery was not an easy trade in those days, and this fell on the female portion of the family. They were not then supplied with "cook stoves " and " ranges " as they are now, but the cooking was done "over the fire." Up in the chimney was usually a strong pole placed across from side to side, and to this was fastened and suspended what were called trammels. Kettles were hung to these over a large fire when they wanted to boil water only, or they wished to cook their meats or porridges. A long-handled

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frying-pan was used in frying the meat when that method of cook- ery was preferred; it was also used in baking short-cake. Often turkeys, chickens, spare-ribs, etc., were cooked by being suspended on a string before the fire, under which was placed a dish to catch the drippings. The bread was baked on a " johnny-cake " board on the hearth before the fire, or in the common "Dutch oven," a flat- bottomed bake-kettle which was covered with a closely fitting cast-iron cover. Properly heated, with coals over and underneath it, bread and biscuits would quickly and nicely bake. Who does not sometimes long for the " corn-dodger " that used to be baked in the old "Dutch oven?" « Corn bread, butter, and milk-ugh! good enough! The manipulation of these utensils fell to the women. But this was not all. Even with this lapse of time, who does not some- times, " when the wind is fair," hear, coming down from "the isle of the long ago," the hum of the spinning-wheel and the clack of the rickety loom as these were manipulated in the interest of the cloth- ing department of the family? The young girls had no piano of mellow tones nor harp of " golden strings " upon which to play, bat they had a " spinning-wheel," a stringed instrument of spacious sound, and they were taught to use it well. The " product of the loom " at this time was linsey-woolsey, cloth of cotton warp and woolen woof; flannel, both warp and woof of wool, and jeans, which differed from the "linsey " by being woven with three or four " leafs" instead of only two. The linsey- woolsey and the flannel took the place of the more elegant alpaca and cashmere of these times in rendering " sweetness " to the " female form divine," and the jeans supplied the wants of the other sex in this direction. If the female taste demanded and exacted a " boughten " dress, or the male ideas of propriety impelled him to dress up in " store goods," then the community was sure to think something was going to hap- pen, and everybody began to look around for a minister,-Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Sherwood, or Dr. St. Claire.

PRAIRIE-PLOWING BY THE PIONEERS.

The prairies at this time were covered with a luxuriant growth of wild grass, the roots of which formed a tenacious sod. The teams by which this sod could be successfully broken must neces- sarily be very strong. Every settler could not have a team of his own of sufficient strength to do this work, nor would it have paid if he could, perhaps. This gave rise to the formation of " breaking teams," which went over the prairies from place to place and "broke " this prairie sod for the settlers for the first time. Like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, these were dwellers in tents, and like Lot's herdsmen, they looked after their cattle. The team consisted of six or eight yoke of oxen to which was trained, by means of a long chain or series of shorter chains fastened to the ring and staple of the yokes, a huge, unwieldy plow which would make a little ditch at every furrow. The " deck " of hands consisted of a

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plowman and a driver. Thus fitted out, they went on the land to be broken.

One of these companies which broke the prairie lands between La Porte and Westville and elsewhere consisted of Seth Way and Chas. Ladd .- the driver of these teams was very frequently a lad. It cannot be told now how much of it they broke, but in the landscape of the " long ago" they form quite a conspicuous figure. During the night their oxen were permitted to graze on the prairie near by, if they were not sharp enough to run away, and in the morning these sturdy sons of the plow, bright and early were out through grass and thicket, in dew and wet, on the hunt of their straggling team; and sometimes, no doubt, coming out on the calm morning air, their melodious voices might have been heard ringing clear, "Co bos, co bos, co bos," at the sound of which the most sensible of their team might have been seen to quietly enter a thicket of under-brush, instinctively secrete himself, and like a monse in its nest keep perfectly still, until the place of his retreat was penetrated by these anxious searchers. And then what a look of injured innocence rested on the face of that sensible ox as he was urged from the place of his secrecy with the most earnest solicitation of the " provoked " hunter. At last the team was yoked, and the plow was trained, and all ready to move.

While the plowman spits upon his hands, we'll take a look at the whip of the driver, a very important and indispensable part of the outfit. The stock of this whip was usually a hickory withe of suitable size and length, at the end of which was fastened a lash of wondrous length and ponderous "bulge," braided of leather firm and strong. This was tipped with a "cracker" which was meant to cut and burn. "All ready," says the plowman. A peal from the driver's whip, which could be heard for many furlongs, was the driver's reply. "Whoa! haw, Buck! gee, Dick!" was the team's notice to go. They bent themselves to their yokes, and the ponderous plow began to move, and whole sections of the prairie sod to turn upside down. Round after round they slowly went. Higher and higher the sun arose, and more and more these sturdy oxen were wont to pant and to loll ont their tongues. Slower and slower they trudged along, and sleepier and sleepier the plowman grew until with a lurch and swing of the great plow handles he is knocked to the right and the left; and, suddenly waking up, great vol- nines of-well, I'll not accuse these " good " pioneers of downright swearing, and so will pass that period. They get straightened up again and move along. Pant, pant, loll, loll, the oxen go. Some of them are taken with a sudden desire to go to the neighboring pond, and as suddenly lose their interest in the plowing business, and away they go. " Whoa," slap, slash, bang, goes the whip, and out pours another volume of -- well, I said that I would not accuse these of violating the third commandment, and I must not repeat what was said. But suffice it to say that these had greater peace of mind when they got to following less aggravating pursuits in the years

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afterward. Hundreds and thousands of acres of prairie sod were thus upturned during the first years of the settlement.

PIONEER HARVEST-TIME.

The labors of the pioneer husbandman were not entirely fruit- less; indeed, he got an ample return for his labor. The crops of corn which he planted filled his cribs, and his fields of wheat which he sowed made his heart glad when the time of the golden harvest came. The virgin soil, when the seasons were at all favorable, brought forth virgin crops. The time now is when the grain is awaiting the harvester. These farmers were not like the farmer in the celebrated fable of "The Lark and the Farmer " who waited for his neighbors and friends to do his work, but they gathered their " home " help and "hired " help and went into the field, sickle in hand ready for work. The " leader " starts his " through," and another follows quickly in, and another, and another, until the harvesters are all in, forming one side of the wild goose's line of flight. Click-click -- click-the sickles go, and pile after pile is slowly made along the " through " until it is done, and then " bind- ing back " they are ready for another; and thus and thus they proceed until the harvest is done.

It may be that the pioneer has outgrown his father's ways of doing things; and, sowing a broader breadth of wheat, he adopts the recent innovation and the speedier way of harvesting his crop, -he uses the cradle. He gathers his help as before, and they stand in the field which is "already white to the harvest." All hands wait a space ;- " clickity, click, clack, click," go the stones on the glittering scythe-blades. "Shwiesh, shwiash, shwiush," go the cradles as they pass through the grain, one after the other. The rakers and binders follow and the whole harvest force is mowing through the field; and " round " after "round " they go. At each return to the starting place a particular corner has a peculiar attraction for these gatherers of the harvest, -- they never fail to visit it. The sun rises higher and higher in the zenith. The " forenoon- piece " has come. Round after round the cradlers and their followers go. It is high noon, and the dinner call is made. Merry and glad, with repartce and jest, these surround the festal board which the good housewife has covered with an ample and tempting store. Back to the field. " Clickity, clack, click, clack," go the stones on the scythes again, and the leader gives his followers a peculiar nod, as if to say, " Somebody's jacket will yet be taken to-day." He strikes in his scythe, and "leans out;" he is closely followed,-shoulder to shoulder. Round after round is made; and every time that particular corner is visited. They are wrought up to first-class spirits. "Clickity, clickity, clickity, click, click, click," goes the leader's stone; " clackety, clackety, clackety, clack, clack, clack," go the followers' likewise, -- it is a banter for a race, given and accepted. "Swish, swash, swush," faster and faster the

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cradles go. The followers pull up along-side of the leader. Deeper and deeper he puts his blade into the grain, and farther and farther they do likewise. Rivers of perspiration flow down their bodies, and higher and higher they throw the grain behind. It is even at the end and nobody is beaten. "A shake," says the leader, and they lay the cradles down to grasp the extended hand. They must now necessarily go to that particular corner, and take some of that which men take in winter to keep them warm, and in summer to keep them cool, the inevitable companion of the harvest field. And now off they go to " shock " the day's work, a merry set of lads.

PIONEER RELIGIOUS MEETINGS.

We have already noticed the simultaneous commencement of reli- gious meetings in the county at various places. This may have been on account of the simultaneous appearance of pioneer preachers in the county. While the very first settlers did not seem to develop very much talent in the public religious gathering, perhaps because not desiring to push themselves forward and no one called them ont, yet when the religious teachers and workers did come, they fell in with the work earnestly and zealously. They did not have finely decorated temples in which to assemble for the solemn wor- ship of God; but met each other in their homes, and in barns, and in groves, if the weather was fair. When the announcement was made that a minister would preach at a certain place, be it at a private house, or in the open air, or elsewhere, it was the signal for the gathering of the people. These meetings began thus in the year 1832, when Rev. James Armstrong came into the county, followed quickly by others. These were zealous and earnest men of God, who sought the welfare of their parishioners, and were willing to be deprived of their own comforts that they might do this. They preached long and well, and their hearers listened with long forbearance and patience. It sometimes happened that when a whole neighborhood was present there was not a very large congregation; but the preachers held not their peace on that account, but if possible labored all the more diligently. The kind of congregation which was wont to assemble at these times and the zeal of the minister and his deep anxiety for his people, may be illustrated by the following true story which occurred in the border of an adjoining county :

A party of four young men started out one Sunday morning to take a scout over the country to see what they could find, not knowing anything else to do. After traveling for a long time, they came up to a place where they found an ox team or two tied in front of a log cabin. They knew what that meant,-it was religious service; and being religiously disposed, and not willing to lose a single opportunity, opportunities so seldom afforded, although they knew they must be from an hour to an hour and a half late,

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they determined to go in and get the benefit of the closing exer- cises. So they tipped the latch and went in. The preacher, although he was nearly through his discourse, on seeing so large an increase to his audience, kindly took his text again and preached his sermon over for their benefit. The good man was determined that no suitable opportunity should pass for doing good without being improved, and these four young men never forgot the interest which this man of God took in their behalf. On the one hand, in contrast with the young men of the present time, these four young men sought the worship of God wherever they could find it, and improved by it; on the other, this preacher regarthy these four men as quite a large addition to his audience and worded of a special effort.

PIONEER SCHOOL-HOUSES AND SCHOOLS.

In the year 1832 the pioneers began to build school-honses, and to send their children to school. Indiana's present admirable school arrangements had not yet even embryonic form,-it was not for nearly 20 years that the discussion of the free-school system took definite shape in legislative enactments,-full 20 years before by constitutional adoption it became one of the permanent organic principles of the commonwealth. The school-houses, therefore, which were erected at this time were no part of a great system reaching all over a great State, but were the individual efforts of neighborhoods to secure to their children the privilege of tasting the sweet dranghts which flow from the Pierian spring, and the well of knowledge.

Among the first of such school-houses, if not the very first one built in the county, was the one bnilt at Springville. It is true that there was one at Hudson, but that was a " mission school-house " built for the Indians. It was not long, however, until this house at Springville had companions in every neighborhood.

These houses were in perfect keeping with the cabins of the settlers,-built in the same general way,-of logs "notched and saddled," and gabled up and covered like them, and with the same material.

We have had given to us a very graphic description of one of these houses, built in Noble township, which will serve as a description of them all. The body of the honse was put up in the usual way,-of logs, etc. The doorway was closed with a heavy shutter, hung on wooden hinges; and the creak of those hinges was terrible sometimes. The heating apparatus was a fire-place in one end, nearly its entire size, and being kept full of wood on cold days the little urchins would take turn about in gathering around it on the hearth and roast their little shins and toes. Many a grimace did these urchins make as one side was roasting hot and the other freezing cold, and round and round they were wont to turn. For windows a log on each side was cut ont and

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History of La Porte County, Indiana, Part 37

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : C.C. Chapman Number of Pages: 930

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : C.C. Chapman
Number of Pages: 930