USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana > Part 38
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
their places were filled with oiled paper; but this was afterward supplied with eight by ten glass. The furniture would be consid- ered as unique in these days. The seating was made of logs split and smoothed off with grub axes, raised to a suitable height upon four wooden pins set in holes bored in the under side, and promis- cuously arranged on the puncheon floor. The writing desks were of similar material, prepared in a similar way, and elevated to the proper height and given a suitable inclination by boring holes at an angle and at the desired height in the wall into which were driven strong pins. Upon these the desks were placed, and were prevented from sliding off by notched heads on the ends of the pins. Thus furnished the house was ready for occu- pancy.
The first morning of school was an important one. In those times there was not what is now called, " A Programme of Exer- cises," made out by the teacher and adhered to during the term; but the programme was made by the scholars themselves. The recitations, it was understood, would occur in the order in which the pupils arrived at the house; and sometimes there was a race who should recite first, this being the post of honor. None liked to be the last to recite. Sometimes the order of arrival on the morning of the first day determined this matter for the whole term; sometimes it was the arrival on Monday morning which determined it for the following week; and very often the arrival of each morn- ing made up the programme for the day. The branches studied were the celebrated triple R's, Readin,' 'Ritin' and 'Rithinetic. If the girls learned to read and write pretty well, they were considered finished scholars; and if the boys "ciphered" as far as to the " Rule of Three " in Pike's Arithmetic, they were ready for the business of the world. To attain this, they had books without pictures put into their hands, and they had to go over again and again the long column of meaningless letters until they could say, without hesitation, a, b, c, d, etc., forward, and z, y, x, w, etc., back- ward, down and up, up and down; forward and backward, and backward and forward. When this attainment was reached, then they advanced to the " ab, eb, ib, ob, ub," etc., until it was likewise learned. And when they had advanced so that they could take the column of unused and undefined words for spelling, they had made wonderful progress. What delight lit up the faces of the urchins as they, when learning their lessons, spelled with suppressed tone, but terribly lond breath, " Ba-ker, baker; sla-dy, shady; la-dy, lady; ho-ly, holy; bo-ny, bony; po-ny, pony; sli-my, slimy; ta-per, taper," etc. And how excessively comical it would be now to see the excited pupil, animated through this method of study, coming to a hard word, drop his index finger just beneath the knotty diffi- culty, rise upon his feet, stride across the room so, turn the book at an acute angle to the teacher, and himself turned half away, receive his help, and then with dragging step and slow proceed to
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
his seat, all the way winding np this unruly customer in a sup- pressed monotone to be laid away in the archives of memory for future use. And then add a dozen of these, and you will have a busy pioneer school. And when they had "spelled through " the spelling-book two or three times, they were ready for promotion, and they began to read. Very often the New Testament was among the first reading books placed in their hands. It is no wonder that the following reading exercise was of frequent occur- rence: "A-n-d, and s-e-e-i-n-g, and seeing, t-h-e, the, m-n-l-t-i- t-n-d-e, the multitude, h-e, he, w-e-n-t, went, he went, u-p, up, i-n-t-o, into, a, lı-i-g-h, high, into a high, up into a high, m-o-u-n- t-a-i-n, mountain, a-n-d, and, mountain and, w-h-e-n, when, h-e, he, when he, w-a-s, was, s-e-t, set, was set, h-i-s, his, was set his, d-i-s-c-i- p-l-e-s, dis-ci-dis-cip (Teacher. What is that word ? 'disciples'), dis- ciples, c-a-m-e, came, n-n-t-o, unto, came unto, h-i-m, him, came unto him." (Ugh!) And the reader was dismissed to learn another lesson. And when they had reached that grade when they were permitted to write, they wrote with a goose-quill pen (and one of the prerogatives of a good teacher was that he could make a good pen), with ink made from the ooze of walnut, or other bark boiled down to the proper consistency, on paper unruled and rough. And when they had reached the sublime height to be a "cipherer" they had it very much their own way. They stumbled along some- how until a knotty problem came up, they cried out, "Teacher, here's a sum I can't do." The teacher, in response, walked over to the studions pupil, "worked the sum," returned the slate, and the student passed to the next and on.
Our young readers may be saying, "How could they learn any- thing in such a school?" Well, we are not concerned just now as to the how, but we do know that they learned. Some of the great- est scholars of the age received their first training in schools of this kind with this kind of teaching. Put this school into contrast with the La Porte city schools, or the schools of Michigan City, of the present time, and what have our young readers to say of their advantages? Those who have worked ont these institutions of learning deserve the gratitude of all for that which they have done in the interest of progress.
PIONEER SOCIALTIES.
There is nothing, perhaps, which opens up the human heart and binds men and women together like common suffering, or common endurance of hardships. The soldier has a peculiar feeling for his companion, "who drank with him from the same canteen," and stood side by side with him in the terrific hours of danger and death. So of all suffering and endurance. It is much stronger to bind together than the common possession of joy and pleasure. Hence the strongest friends are those who have suffered most with and for each other.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
With thistas a principle of human nature, one would not be sur- prised to find the social natures of the pioneers in beautiful bloom, and every one ready to contribute to the enjoyment of the other. But this principle among the first settlers, as it was recognized and practiced, and retained by them, is more fully related and illus- trated in the chapter on the "Old Settlers' Association." . We are now more particularly to call attention to the manner and the means by which this principle manifested itself among them.
The doors of the cabins were fastened by a wooden latch on the inside. They were opened by means of a string hanging down on the outside, which passed through a hole in the door and was fastened to the latch within. A gentle pull on this string would lift the latch, and thus the door could be opened. During the night, or in times of suspected danger, this string was pulled in- side; but at all other times it was hanging on the outside, the evident token that hospitality and a hearty welcome were on the inside. From this arose the old maxim of hospitality, "The latch- string is out." The stranger who lifted the latch of the cabin door was sure of a hospitable welcome, and the home friends were received with cheerful greetings and an open heart.
In looking at pioneer life, the most unfavorable side is looked at. generally; and if we were to take these visions as the only criterion by which to judge, we certainly would come to the conclusion that pioneer life was one unmitigated round of hardship. But this is certainly not true; I would not leave this impression on the mind of my readers. While much of hardship is connected with it, and deprivation as well, there is mingled with these a vein of the en- joyable, which is more keenly relished because of this intermin- gling of the antipodes of human experience.
While the fathers and mothers were compelled to toil hard and long, they were not averse to a little relaxation now and then, and in one way and another contrived to have their seasons of enjoyment and fun; they would break the monotony of their daily life, and fur- nish themselves with a hearty laugh, even if it was for the time being at somebody's expense, and even if they knew that interest wonld be to pay in return. The ways and tricks of the jovial pioneer excelled in mirth-provoking properties
"The ways that are dark, And tricks that are vain"
of the heathen Chinee, as celebrated by Bret Harte; and they seldom failed to produce the result intended, and give the company, or the community, a full round of laugh, to be repeated when and as occasion demanded. Any community was blessed if it possessed two of these innocent jovialists, if they were rivals.
The following so fittingly describes the social amusements of the pioneer, and gives so faithfully the picture which every old pioneer will recognize, that we close this chapter on Pioneer Life by quot- ing it in full:
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
" Among the more general forms of amusements were the 'quilting-bee,' 'corn-husking,' and the 'apple-paring'; and, in timbered sections, 'log-rolling,' and 'house raising.' Our young readers will doubtless be interested in a description of these forms of amusement, when labor was made to afford fun and enjoyment to all participating. The 'quilting-bee,' as its name implies, was when the industrious qualities of the busy little insect that 'improves each shining hour' were exemplified in the manufacture of quilts for the household. In the afternoon ladies for miles around gathered at the appointed place, and while their tongues would not cease to play, their hands were as busily engaged in making the quilt; and desire was always manifested to get it out as soon as possible, for then the fun would begin. In the evening the gentlemen came, and then the hours would pass swiftly by in playing games or dancing. 'Corn-huskings' were when both sexes united in the work. They usually assembled in a large barn, which was arranged for the occasion; and when each gentleman had selected a lady partner the husking began. When a lady found a red ear she was entitled to a kiss from every gentleman present; when a gentleman found one he was allowed to kiss every lady present. After the corn was all husked a good supper was served; then the 'old folks' would leave, and the remainder of the evening was spent in the dance and in having a good time generally. The recreation afforded to the young people on the annual recurrence of these festive occasions was as highly enjoyed, and quite as innocent, as the amusements of the present boasted age of refinement and culture. 'The little brown jug' found a place in almost every home, and was often brought into use. No caller was permitted to leave the house withont an invitation to partake of its contents."- History of Knox County, Illinois.
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CHAPTER VII.
INDIAN INCIDENTS.
A history which did not give some of the incidents which connect the time of wholly Indian occupation with that of wholly European possession,-incidents in which the two races come together during the time which separates these two periods, would evidently be imperfect. While we do not want to wholly neglect this period, yet only a few of the incidents which might be given are here presented; and these are given that we more readily seize upon those influences which have been at work to produce the great changes which have been wrought in this country in the last half century, for it will be remembered that all of these changes have been the results of sufficient causes. These incidents, if rightly read, will point out some of these influences. He is wise who rightly reads.
At the time of the first settlement, there were a number of tribes which occupied the country,-that is, a number of individuals from various tribes were found in it. The principal part of the Indians which were then in the county were Pottawatomies, Menominees, Chippewas and Ottawas. The headquarters of the head chief, Topanebee, was on the St. Joseph river; and there the great por- tion of his people wintered; hence those that were found in this part of the country were detachments from the greater part or body of his people. About the time of the advent of the whites, this chief died, and his son succeeded to the rank of head chief, and also took the name of his father, Topanebee.
It was the Ottawas and the Pottawatomies which occupied that part of the country where the Benedicts settled. They were on quite friendly terms with their white neighbors, and were of use to them in the way already narrated in the chapter on " First Settle- ments." These tribes were not the acme of cleanliness, neither in their personal appearance nor in their methods of cooking. An old settler relates that a party of these had captured a turtle and a coon. He happened to pass their encampment at the time they were being prepared for a repast. The turtle was placed alive on a bed of coals and held down with sticks until it was dead, and then it was roasted in that way. Without very much ante-prepara- tion, the coon was placed in a camp kettle and cooked. When the cooking process was through, the Indians insisted that their white brother should share with them their meal; but the cookery employed gave him no appetite or relish for the feast.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
These Indians were not destitute of religious ideas, but they were very much colored by their superstitions. The Ottawas believed.in Michabou, the " great hare," a mythological personage who formed the earth and developed men from animals. In this superstition the reputed doctrine of Darwin finds confirmative proof as to the origin of men. They also believed fin Mirabichi, god of the waters; and also in Missabizi, " the great tiger." The Chip- pewas, or more properly the Ojibways, believed in the Kitche Manitou, the Great or Good Spirit, and the Matchi Maniton, the evil spirit. The Medas was a body acting as a kind of priesthood; but each one had his own manitou revealed to him in dreams. The great mythological personage among the Ojibways was Menabojou, who aided the Great Spirit in creating the world.
AN INDIAN LEGEND.
For the entertainment of my younger readers, I am constrained to give the tradition of the Chippewas as to the way in which Menabojou assisted in the creation of the world. I will leave them to say whether there is any tradition of the flood in it. Menabojou is represented as being in the world all alone; and, being without companionship, he became very lonesome. Search- ing for a companion, he finally came across a wolf to which he at last became very much attached, and which likewise became very much attached to him; and they called each other brothers. They were inseparable companions. In one of the lakes near by was the home of Matchi Manitou. While traveling together one day, (Menabojou and his brother) Matchi Manitou enticed the wolf, the brother of Menabojou, into the lake, and he was drowned. Mena- bojon became very disconsolate at his sad loss, for he was now all alone in the world again, and he determined to be revenged of Matchi Manitou. Passing along the lake one day in winter when it was frozen over, the day being sunshiny and warm, he found Matchi Manitou and his chief devils out on the ice sunning them- selves. He tried to approach them unobserved so that he could send an arrow into the hated Manitou, but they saw him. They did not know what to think of the strange object; they did not know whether it was an enemy or some harmless object. To settle that point Matchi Manitou sent one of his devils in the shape of a bear to see what it was. Menabojou, seeing the movement, as- sumed a position of perfect rigidity, and waited his coming. The devil came cautiously to the object of his search, snuffed the air about it and began to scratch it and bite it; and when Menabo- jou was just on the point of crying out for pain he quit. And he tried it again, and, when Menabojou thought he must cry out, he quit again, and then returned to Matchi Manitou and told him that it was only a stump. But he was not entirely satisfied with this report, so he sent out another devil in the shape of a large serpent, with orders to report what the strange object might be.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
So it came to Menabojon and coiled itself around him with many a fold, and then it began to tighten the folds and to squeeze him most fearfully. He was almost ready to cry out with pain when he suddenly relaxed his hold and gave him an opportunity to breathe. Again he drew the folds so tightly about him that he thought every bone in him surely would be broken, but just when he could stand it no longer the serpent uncoiled himself and re- turned to Matchi Manitou with the same report, that it was only a stump. Satisfied now, they all lay down in the bright sunshine and went to sleep. When Menabojou saw that his time had come, he crawled up toward them, and when in proper distance he shot several arrows into the midst of the sleeping devils, and then he hastened away that he might see what they would do when they awoke. When Matchi Manitou awoke and he found that a num- ber of his chief devils were dead, he looked around for the strange object and it was gone. He then exclaimed: "It was Menabojou! It was Menabojon!" So Matchi Manitou spewed out a flood of water from his mouth to follow after Menabojou and destroy him. Menabojou, seeing the flood coming, fled to the mountains. And the higher he ascended the higher the waters came. He went to the highest peak, and the waters followed him there. He climbed a tree, and still the waters did not abate. And when he could go no further the waters kept on ascending until they reached his waist, and they stood. For three days it was so, and Menabojou was about to give up in despair. On the morning of the third day he saw swimming in the water around him three animals, a beaver, an otter and a muskrat. He called to them and called them brothers. He said to them, " What shall we do?" and they could not answer him. Then he said to them: " I'll tell you what to do. Each of you dive to the bottom and bring up some earth." Then the beaver did so, but the water was so deep that he was drowned before he reached the bottom. Then the otter tried it, and he succeeded in reaching the bottom, but, before he succeeded in get- ting any earth, he drowned also. Then the muskrat tried it, and, just as he succeeded in getting a very little, he drowned too. Men- abojon succeeded in getting hold of the dead bodies of these ani- mals, and he examined the beaver, but he found nothing. Ile examined the otter, but with no better results. Almost in despair he examined the muskrat, and in one paw he found a little earth. This he carefully took and held it in his hand to dry in the sun. When it was thoroughly dry he pulverized it between his fingers, and then with a strong spurt of breath, he blew it all around him, and immediately the dry land appeared. And this is the way that Menabojou aided Kitchi Manitou in creating the world.
INDIAN ADVANCEMENTS IN KNOWLEDGE.
We are very apt to associate in our minds, in connection with the Indian, rude attainments, barbarity and cruelty, and stoic
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
indifference to the possession of that knowledge which civilizes and refines. We ought to tone down this conception a little. While the Indian, even the most civilized, is far from the sublime heights of complete enlightenment and civilization, yet some of the tribes have made commendable progress in the arts and practices of civilization, and notably the Ojibways, or Chippewas, a few of which tribe were dwellers in this county. The Jesnits had mis- sions established among them as early as 1642, Fathers Jogues and Raymbaut beginning a mission among them at Sanlt Ste. Marie at that time. These missions were continued right along, with a few intermissions, until their removal. Accordingly, we find the Catholics with a mission at Niles, Michigan; and a branch of it established at Hudson, or Du Chemin lake under the charge of Joseph W. Lykins, a Welshman, who had a school there among them. In 1830 this school was in the charge of Robert Simmer- well, an Indian, which will serve to show whether these made any advancement in the knowledge which these missionaries taught. It may be further remarked that many of these Indians became devont Catholics under this training.
There are at present numerous works printed in the Ojibway language, and a newspaper regularly issued. Of the works pub- lished, the "Traditional History of the Ojibway Nation," Boston, 1851, was written by George Copway, a native Ojibway. And another member of the nation, Peter Jones, wrote a "History of the Ojibway Indians," which was published in London, in 1861.
INCIDENT AT DOOR VILLAGE.
A little temperance crusade occurred at Door Village in 1830, participated in by a party of young Indians. A man named Welsh, and his son, a young man, took up their residence at this place. They erected a cabin and went into business. Their stock in trade was a supply of liquors. At first they did a good business, for the quality of their stock was such as to suit their customers, -" It made drunk come quick." But the " profits " were not such as to snit the Welshes; and copious supplies of water helped to add to these. As a result, the " quickness of the drunk " was dis- turbed, and while the Indian is not over-fastidious as to his home and food, yet his " fire-water" must be right. As they would try it, such as the Welsh's dealt out, they became disgusted at the length of time which it took " the drunk to come " to such an extent that their indignation was aroused. Under the impulse of that indig- nation, a party of young braves went to the cabin of the Welshes, and, knocking the heads of the barrels in, after rolling the barrels ont, they spilled their contents on the ground, and in that way took summary vengeance on them for tampering with their delectable " fire-water." Then the Welshes were taken with a sudden disgust, and went to Chicago.
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IIISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY. .
HENLY CLYBURN'S OX.
The Indians were very peaceably inclined, and behaved themselves very well. They committed but few depredations. One of these was the killing of an ox for Henly Clyburn; but for this Mr. Clyburn afterward received the pay by having it kept out of their annuities. The chief interest which clusters around this incident is, not the fact that the Indians killed it, but the inconvenience to which the settlers were put. On account of this, Mr. Clyburn was compelled to go all the way to Niles, Michigan, and solicit from the Cary mission there the loan of a yoke of oxen in order to make up a team for plowing. This occurred in the year 1830; and shows to what straits these pioneers might be placed, even by the loss of a single ox.
THE SAC INDIAN HORSE-THIEVES.
In 1831 a body of the Sac Indians went through along the trail which passed through Door Village. A squad, coming in advance of the main body, stole three horses from Arba Heald. He followed them a few miles on foot, but gave up the chase as hopeless. This theft was reported to the chiefs, when the main body came up a day or two afterward. The council to which it was submitted coneluded to give an order on the Indian Agent at Rock Island, Illinois,- Colonel Davenport. When Mr. Heald afterward went to the agency, his horses, very much demoralized, were returned to him. On the night before he expected to start back with his recovered property, the best one of his horses was again stolen from him, which he never recovered, nor any pay for it.
THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
Although the seat of the Black Hawk war was in Illinois, yet it had its influence on the settlements in this county, not because it really reached this part of the country, but because of anticipations that it would. It was thought that when the Indians under Black Hawk were brought to an action by the troops which were sent against them when they crossed the Mississippi river, if they were defeated, they would strive to make their way into Canada; and if they did that, they were most likely to follow the trail which ran through the county,-and this was cause for considerable excitement, and no little amusement at this day, among the settlers. But the result of the war showed that these fears were entirely groundless; for, instead of being driven in this direction, they were driven into Wis- consin, and the great Sae and Fox chief captured.
But this outcome of the war did not prevent the settlers making necessary preparations for the emergency, should it come. The natural desire for safety and protection, on the part of the settlers, was heightened when they knew that hostilities had broken ont, from the fact that the Ottawas and Pottawatomies had told the settlers,
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
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