USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana > Part 40
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On June 3, 1856, in the matter of determining the boundary line, between Union township and Scipio township, the Board of Com- missioners passed the following order:
" Ordered by the Board that the township line between Union township and Scipio township be, and the same hereby is, changed so that the east half of sections 26 and 35, township 36 north, range 3 west, be attached to Scipio township for all purposes."
DEWEY TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED,-1860.
On June 8, 1860, in the matter of the petition of Patrick Hun- cheon et al. for the erection of Dewey township, the Board of Com- missioners made the following order:
" And now comes Patrick Huncheon and files a petition for him- self and others, citizens of this county and residents of Congressional township 33 north, range 4 west, praying that so much of Cass
444
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
township in said county as lies south of the north line of said Congressional township be set off from said Cass township, and erected and organized into a separate township for civil purposes; and it appearing to this Board of Commissioners that the conven- ience of the inhabitants residing in said part of said township, requires that the same be so set apart, and erected into a township for civil purposes, do hereby set the same off and detach it from the said township of Cass, and do hereby erect and organize the same into a township for civil purposes by the name and style of Dewey township of La Porte county, with the following boundaries, to-wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of said Congressional township, number 33 north, and running thence westward along the north line of said township, to the west line of La Porte county; thence southwardly along the west line of the county to the south line of the county; thence eastwardly along the south line of the county to the east line of said Congressional township; thence along the east line of said Congressional township to the place of beginning; that the same now is, and henceforth shall be, a body politic and corporate by the name and style aforesaid."
ANDERSON TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED,-1861.
At the March term of the Commissioners' Court, 1861, George Bosserman et al. petitioned the Board of Commissioners for a new township in the following petition, to wit:
"To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the county of La Porte, and State of Indiana, greeting:
" We, the citizens and freeholders of township 36 north, range 2 west, would represent to your honorable body that they have labored under great inconvenience in consequence of the present geographical condition of said township; we therefore ask you to make the following change, to-wit: To set off all that part of townships 35 and 36 north, range 1 west, that is now attached to township 36 north, range 2 west, and form a new township ont of the same; and also to set back all that part of township 36 north, range 2 west; and also that part of the same that is now attached to township 36 north, range 3 west, or Centre township, and we will ever pray."
In relation to this petition, on March 12, 1861, the Board of Commissioners passed the following order:
"The Board, after due consideration of the matter, grant the prayer of the petitioners, and order that J. B. Lewis be appointed Trustee of said new township, which township will be known by the name of Anderson township."
ANDERSON TOWNSHIP VACATED,-1861.
The action of the Board of Commissioners proved to be very unsatisfactory as to the erection of Anderson township, so much so
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445
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
that a special session of the Board was called to meet on the 23d of March, inst., to consider the matter still further. No less than nine petitions were presented which were largely signed, asking that the previous order be rescinded. These petitions were headed by R. Shaw, Isaac Butterworth, M. Moyer, Joshna Layman, George W. Woodburn, Asa Burdick, Isaac Livingood, John B. Travis, and Joseph Ewing. These petitions represented such an overwhelming sentiment against the former action of the Board in the erection of said Anderson township that it was deemed advisable to vacate the order. Accordingly, on March 23, 1861, only 11 days after the township was born, the Board of Commissioners made the follow- ing order:
"Now come Isaac Butterworth et al. and file their petition for the vacation of the order made at the last regular term of the Board creating a new township called Anderson, and changing the boundaries of Union, Pleasant and Centre townships; and, after hearing the evidence and due inspection of the petitions, the prayer thereof is granted, and said order in all things vacated."
HANNA TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED,-1861.
On March 11, 1861, the following petition was presented to the Board of Commissioners by Chandler Palmer et al. :
"To the Honorable, the Board of Commissioners of La Porte ยท county, Indiana:
" The undersigned citizens and resident freeholders of the part of Noble township comprised within the boundaries of Congressional townships number 33 and 34 north, range 3 west, would respect- fully represent to your honorable body that it would be for the interest and convenience of the citizens of said townships to have the following described district of country formed into a new and distinct civil township, to-wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Congressional township 34 north, range 3 west, and running east along the township line between townships 34 and 35 north, of ranges number 3 and 2 west, till said line strikes or intersects the Kankakee river; thence along the channel of said Kankakee river, in a southwesterly direction, to a point where the township line running north and south between townships 33 north, range 3 west, and 33 north, range 4 west, strikes or intersects said river; thence north along said township line between said townships 33 and 34 north, range 3 west, and townships 33 and 34 north, range 4 west, to the place of beginning. Your petitioners would also further ask that the name of the civil township be 'Hanna,' and your peti- tioners will ever pray."
In relation to the things prayed for in the above petition, on March 11, 1861, the Board of Commissioners passed the following order, organizing the township of Hanna:
" And the Board, after due consideration of the matter, grants the prayer of the petitioners, and order that the above district of country be formed into a new township, to be called Hanna."
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446
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
ADDITIONS TO PLEASANT TOWNSHIP,-1862-'4.
In relation to the petition of George Bosserman et al. on June 5, 1862, the Board of Commissioners made the following order:
" The Board ordered that section 6, township 36 north, range 2 west, be attached to Pleasant township."
On June 20, 1864, the Board of Commissioners, in further arrang- ing the territory of Pleasant township, made the following order:
" It was ordered by the Board that sections 25 and 36, township 36 north, range 2 west, be attached to Pleasant township, and that it be so placed on the Duplicate."
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED,-1866.
On March 13, 1866, at the regular term, in relation to the erection of a new township, the Board of Commissioners made the following order:
"It was ordered by the Board that township 36 north, range 1 west, be and hereby is, set apart for a civil township, and shall be entitled to all the privileges as such, and the same is hereby called Lincoln township."
JOHNSON TOWNSHIP ORGANIZED,-1866.
On March 13, 1866, the same day on which Lincoln township was - organized, in the matter of Johnson township, the Board of Com- missioners passed the following order:
" It was ordered by the Board that township 35 north, range 1 west, be, and hereby is, set apart for a civil township, and shall be entitled to all the privileges as such, and the same is hereby called Johnson township."
ADDITIONS TO CENTRE TOWNSHIP,-1866.
In the matter of changing territory from Springfield township to Centre township, on March 13, 1866, the Board of Commissioners caused the following order to become a matter of record :
" It was ordered by the Board that the following change be made in the formation of the present civil township of Springfield, to-wit: That all of sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, townships 37 north, range 3 west, be, and are hereby, transferred from said township and added to Centre township."
ADDITIONS TO PLEASANT TOWNSHIP,-1866.
On March 13. 1866, in connection with an order changing the relations of Scipio and Centre townships, the Board of Cominission- ers made the following order, changing the territory of Centre and Pleasant townships:
447
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
" It was ordered by the Board that sections 7, 18 and 19, in township 36 north, range 2 west, be transferred from Centre town- ship and be attached to Pleasant township for all civil purposes."
And also on the same day, March 13, 1866, in relation to the change of territory between Union township and Pleasant township, and the formation of the new townships of Lincoln and Johnson, the Board of Commissioners ordered as follows:
" It was ordered by the Board that the following change in the formation of the present civil township of Pleasant be made, to-wit: That all of sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, in township 36 north, range 2 west, be transferred from Union town- ship and be attached to Pleasant township; that township 36 north, range 1 west, be transferred from Pleasant township and formed into a new township to be ealled Lincoln township; and that town- ship 35 north, range 1 west, be transferred from Pleasant township and formed into a new township to be ealled Johnson township."
ADDITIONS TO NOBLE TOWNSHIP,-1866.
The March term of the Commissioners' Court seems to have been pretty well employed in overhauling the townships, and changing their boundaries. In the matter of changing the terri- tory of Union and Noble townships, on March 13, 1866, the Board of Commissioners made the following order:
" It was ordered by the Board that the following change be made in the formation of the present civil township of Noble, to-wit: That sections 1, 12, 13, 24, and 25, in township 35 north, range 3 west, be transferred from Union township and attached to Noble township."
ADDITIONS TO SCIPIO TOWNSHIP,-1866.
On March 13, 1866, the day of extensive township changes, in the matter of changing the territory of Centre, Union, and Scipio townships, the Board of Commissioners made the following order: " It was ordered by the Board that the following change be made in the formation of the present civil township of Scipio, to-wit: That sections 11, 12, 13, and 24, in township 36 north, range 3 west, be transferred from Centre township and added to Scipio township; and that all of seetions 25 and 36, in township 36 north, range 3 west, and that part of sections 26 and 35, same township and range, now in Union township, be transferred from Union township and attached to Scipio township."
ADDITIONS TO JOHNSON TOWNSHIP,-186S.
On September 9, 1868, in the matter of changing the territory of Union township and Johnson township, the Board of Commis- sioners made the following order:
" It was ordered by the Board that all of that portion of town- ship 35 north, range 2 west, lying east of the Kankakee river, and
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
known as Union township, be attached to township 35 north, range 1 west, which is known as Johnson township."
ADDITIONS TO CENTRE TOWNSHIP, -- 1869.
On December 11, 1869, A. P. Andrews et al. petitioned the Board of Commissioners for a change in the territory of Scipio and Centre townships, whereupon the Board of Commissioners made the following order in relation thereto:
"It was ordered by the Board that a part of section 3, in town- ship 36 north, range 3 west, be transferred from Scipio township and be attached to Centre township.
RESCINDING ORDER,-1870.
On March 12, 1870, the citizens of Scipio township presented a remonstrance to the Board of Commissioners, remonstrating against the action of the Board in relation to the change of terri- tory of Scipio and Centre townships, taken at the December term of the Court; whereupon the Board of Commissioners took the following action:
" The Board, after due consideration, do hereby rescind said order and set back to said Scipio township the same that was trans- ferred to Centre township at the December term."
ADDITIONS TO UNION TOWNSHIP,-1870.
On June 10, 1870, William S. Cox petitioned the Board of Com- missioners that certain lands belonging to Hanna township be attached to Union township. In relation thereto the Board of Commissioners made the following order:
" It was ordered by the Board that the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 6, in township 34 north, range 2 west, be transferred from Hanna township and attached to Union township for all purposes."
ADDITIONS TO CENTRE TOWNSHIP,-1871.
On April 11, 1871, A. P. Andrew, Jr., et al. renewed their petition to the Board of Commissioners to have certain lands in Scipio township attached to Centre township, and in relation to which the Board made the following order:
"It was ordered by the Board that a part of section 3, in town- ship 36 north, range 3 west (only a part of that embraced in the rescinding order of March 12, 1870), be set off from Scipio township and attached to Centre township."
449
HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
ADDITIONS TO UNION TOWNSHIP,-1871.
On September 9, 1871, the citizens of Union, Pleasant, Noble, and Scipio townships petitioned the Board of Commissioners in relation to the change in the boundaries of Union township, where- npon the Board of Commissioners entered of record the following order :
"It is ordered by the Board that Union township be changed back to its original boundaries, except the west half of sections 24 and 25, and the southwest quarter of section 13, in township 35 north, range 3 west, now in Noble township, formerly in Union township."
This order gave rise to some misunderstanding; it was not definite enough to subserve the purpose intended by the Board of Commissioners. Hence the following
EXPLANATORY ORDER,-1872.
On March 5, 1872, the Board of Commissioners, having under consideration the boundaries of Union township, made the following explanatory order :
" It was ordered by the Board that, in order to more fully explain the order passed at the September term, 1871, changing the bound- ary of Union township, the following record be made, viz .: That the following change be made in the formation of the present civil township of Union, to-wit: That all of sections 25 and 36, and that part of sections 26 and '35 now attached to Scipio township, in township 36 north, range 3 west, be transferred from Scipio township and be attached to Union township; that sections 1, 12, 13 (except southwest quarter), and the east half of sections 24 and 25, in township 35 north, range 3 west, be transferred from Noble township and attached to Union township; and that sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, in township 36 north, range 2 west, be transferred from Pleasant township and attached to Union township."
FURTHER ADDITIONS TO UNION TOWNSHIP,-1872.
On March 5, 1872, the Board of Commissioners made further additions to Union township by the following order:
" It was ordered by the Board that the following change be made in the formation of the present civil township of Scipio, to-wit: That sections 25 and 36, in township 36 north, range 3 west, and that part of sections 26 and 35, same township and range, formerly in Union township, be transferred from Scipio township and attached to Union township."
Thus have proceeded the various changes in the civil organization of the county, from the first until the present. It is believed that from this record now given a perfect map of the county can be constructed, and that it will serve other valuable purposes in the business of the county.
CHAPTER IX.
OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
TENDENCY TO RETROSPECTION. a
There is a well-defined principle with men that the mind almost involuntarily lashes itself to the past with its most tenacious bonds. Especially is this true when it is connected with that part of life which is the " busy part" as was the case with the early pioneers of any country when they settled in the wilderness in order that they might make a home for themselves and their families. Those times of labor, privation, and of anxiety have indelibly imprinted them- selves upon the memories of those who have participated in them, and it is nothing out of reason that they should often revert to them in their own musings and in their associations with those who have been participants with them, and that these scenes should be ealled up from their dwelling places in the past and made to do service in giving entertainment and enjoyment by their rehersal, and by the comparison of the experience of one with the experi- ence of another.
Following the lead of this principle, it is not very hard to dis- cover that there is not an unreasonable tendency to retrospection with men, and this is especially marked in those who have spent a busy life and have passed beyond the period of constant activity ; the scenes of the past will come up in their memories, and they love to tell them to those who with attentive ear hang upon the " well-told tales."
It has not been very long, as all know, that the locality of which we write was a wilderness with no occupancy except by that of " wild vegetation, wild beasts and fowls, and of wild men." In the course of the "history of the ages," these things were to be con- quered, and the condition of " wildness" was to be changed for the more desirable condition of civilization. This demanded a race of hardy pioneers who were willing to suffer that they might conquer. There was more in this than that they should simply "stoop to conquer," for it implied a vast amount of heroic endurance, pa- tient toil, and persevering industry. This is no more true of the locality of which we especially write than of every like locality, but it is just as true of it as of any other; and hence in searching the records of the past as they are kept in the trenchant memories of
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
these heroic pioneers there is found an abundance of material that will serve as the basis of a retrospection in which all can unite and find equal entertainment, enjoyment and pleasure.
THIS TENDENCY TO RETROSPECTION CRYSTALLIZING IN MATERIAL FORM.
The memories of the past bring to the front those who have been engaged with us in the same enterprises; and where there has been a like endurance, a co-partnership of suffering and privation, the feelings of kinship and of fellowship spring up, and there is an inevitable drawing together. In nothing, perhaps, is this more dis- cernible than in that fellow-feeling which binds the early settlers of any country together, and which cannot be satisfied with any- thing short of an organic combination that will subserve the pur- pose of enabling them to " live the past over again" to the fullest possible extent, and to enjoy the associations often of the co-part-' ners of their past .enterprises. The old settlers of La Porte county are no exception to this laudable feeling, and after about forty years of settlement in the county we find this feeling crystal- lizing into material form. The first step in this direction was in the following
CALL FOR "OLD SETTLERS' MEETING."
"1. We, of the early settlers of La Porte county, will hold social meetings at such times and places as our Executive Com- mittee may designate, to be called ' Old Settlers' Meetings.'
" 2. That our meetings may be conducted with order and pro- priety, we will annually elect a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and one Vice-President for each township, who shall perform the duties usually required of such officers for a term of one year or till their successors are elected.
"3. The President, Secretary and Treasurer to form an Execu- tive Committee with power to make such rules and regulations as they may deem necessary and proper, to call meetings and. gener- ally to supervise the objects of the association.
"4. Our meetings, except when otherwise directed by the Executive Committee, to be of the picnic order-each member bringing such fixings as may seem good in his own sight, and deal them out as an old settler naturally would do.
" 5. Any person who has resided 33 years in La Porte county, who signs this paper shall, during good behavior, be a member and be entitled to all the privileges of the association.
"6. Our first general meeting to be held in Huntsman Hall (in La Porte city), on Saturday, the 20th day of November next, at 10 o'clock A. M., at which time our first board of officers will be elected, and our baskets of chicken fixings will be discussed."
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
To this call were appended the following names of "old set- tlers:"
A. Tucker,
A. H. Robinson,
John S. Jessup.
Samuel Harvey,
I. S. Jessup,
Landon C. Rose,
Michael Brand,
P. King,
James Forrester,
Martin Houseman,
Joseph Orr,
Carlita T. Poston,
Howell Huntsman,
A. L. Osborn,
B. F. Huntsman,
W. C. Hannah,
W. A. Place,
J. B. Coplin,
N. W. Place,
Joseph Stanton,
N. W. Closser,
John Sutherland,
I. N. Whitehead,
L. C. Andrew,
S. Crumpacker,
Hiram Druliner,
Albert Lucas,
Dr. E. A. Rogers,
R. B. Hews,
A. D. Porter,
R. Munday,
B. T. Butterworth,
Mark Allen,
S. Van Pelt,
John B. Niles,
I. N. Wilson,
Isaac T. Evans,
J. P. Teeple,
Volney W. Bailey,
James Fraser,
Charles Wills,
N. W. Fraser,
C. W. Cathcart,
West Darling,
George Crawford,
W. H. H. Whitehead,
D. M. Leaming,
H. P. Crane,
E. L. Preston,
Harrison Rodifer,
William Orr,
William Frow,
Alexander Van Pelt,
Samuel D. Hall,
Daniel Meeker.
ORGANIZING THE OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
Pursuant to the above call, which was published in the county papers, the pioneers of La Porte county to the number of 108 met in Huntsman Hall, city of La Porte, Ind., on November 20, 1869, for the purpose of organizing a permanent " Old Settlers' Associa- tion."
In detailing the history of this organization, very liberal extracts will be made from the excellent minutes that have been kept of its various meetings. Of the first meeting, the following appro- priations are made from its minutes :
" HUNTSMAN HALL, CITY OF LA PORTE, IND., November 20, 1869.
" At 11 o'clock A. M., the ' old settlers' meeting' was called to order by Mr. John Sutherland, upon whose motion Gen. Joseph Orr was made President, and Mr. A. D. Porter was chosen Secre- tary.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
" The General, on taking the chair, observed that the organization just effected was but temporary,-it rested in the will and pleasure of the 'old settlers' there in attendance to make it permanent if they deemed it best.
" In order to proceed in a regular manner, and to facilitate mat- ters, it had been suggested that a 'family record ' be made of the pioneers present; and in anticipation of this, the Secretary had prepared a book properly ruled, wherein to enter the names, dates and places of birth, date of settlement in the county, etc., and he was now ready to register those who desired to be placed on the list. (The first 108 names given in the list below are the names registered at this meeting.)
" Pending the enrollment, the Chair observed that it would not be out of place or unparliamentary to indulge in social chats; or, if any pioneer wished, he might give in his ' experience.' Thereupon there were loud calls for General Orr, and Messrs. John Sutherland and James Forrester, who each in turn spoke briefly, but happily, giving many interesting incidents in the early history of the county.
" Between 12: 30 and 1 o'clock p. M., dinner was announced, and soon thereafter the ' old settlers' repaired to the dining room, and ranged themselves along the two tables, faced inward, over as rich and bounteous a repast as ever gladdened the eyes of the hungry. Silence being restored, appropriate thanks were offered by Mr. Amzi Clark, after which the pioneers ' discussed,' with keenest appe- tite and miost joyous socialities, the ' fat of the land.'
" Dinner being dispatched, the crowd re-assembled in the main hall, where the President, resuming the chair and rapping the meeting to order, explained briefly the origin of the movement for an ' Old Settlers' Society ' in the county, and read the printed call published in the newspapers.
" The question was, Do those present wish to form a permanent association; and if so, does the printed call embrace all that is nec- essary therefor? Mr. Reuben Munday moved that the pioneers in attendance and registered proceed to organize regularly; which motion, after a few inquiries and a little discussion, was carried. Mr. J. P. Early then moved that the published call be adopted as the basis and constitution of the proposed society. Carried.
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