USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana > Part 55
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THE RAILROADS OF THE COUNTY.
The inception of railroad enterprises in the county was in the year 1839, when the Buffalo & Mississippi railroad was projected. The hope of the people was raised to a very high pitch over this enterprise. Petitions were circulated over the county for the sig- natures of the citizens, petitioning the Board of County Commis- sioners to take stock to the amount of $100,000 in the road. The Board, in compliance with these petitions, subscribed for that amount of stock. But the enterprise was finally abandoned, and only here and there a wasted embankment or an unsightly cut remain to tell of the deal of work which was done upon it, and of the blasted hopes of the people.
The first successful railroad enterprise was that of the Michigan Central, which was completed to Michigan City in the year 1850. This has been one of the successful roads, and has 10 miles of track in the county.
In 1852 the county was penetrated by another railroad, the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, which was then called the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana. This has become one of the grand trunk lines from the West to the East, and is one of the best of Western roads. It was not completed through the county until the year 1853. It has 25 miles of road in the county.
Almost simultaneous with the completion of this road through the county, was the building of the Louisville, New Albany &
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Chicago railroad, running north and south through the county. This connected with the Michigan Central at Michigan City, and intersected the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern road at what was then called Salem Crossing, but now known as Otis. This is the longest road in the county, having 31 miles of track.
The next road of successful projection was what was then called the Cincinnati, Louisville & Chicago railroad, which was com- pleted from La Porte to Plymouth in the year 1856. It was not until the year 1871, however, that this road was completed to Michigan City, and all of its connections secured. At this time it changed its name and took that of its present one, that of the Indianapolis, Pern & Chicago. It has 21 miles of track in the county.
Closely following the completion of the last named road from La Porte to Plymouth in 1856, another of those grand trunk lines from east to west, was built through the county, the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago road,-that is to say, in the year 1857. This has one of the finest road-beds and the best equipments of any of the roads of the country. It has 14 miles of track in the county.
In the year 1860, the Chicago & Great Eastern road was built through the southern part of the county, and intersected the Pitts- burg & Fort Wayne road at Valparaiso. However, in the year 1868, the company tore up its track from Valparaiso to section 15, township 33 north, range 4 west, and built the road upon its present line, entering Chicago on its own track. La Crosse is the only station which it has in the county. When it changed its line, it also changed its name to that of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis. It has 8 miles of track in the county.
The next road constructed through the county was that of the Chicago & Lake Huron road,-it has been sometimes called the Peninsular road,-which was built in the year 1873. The eastern terminus of this road was Port Huron, and the western was Valpa- raiso. It never succeeded in building up a very great deal of busi- ness until recently. In 1879 it passed into the hands of the Grand Trunk company, of Canada, which has since extended its line to Chicago; and the whole of this route has taken the name of the Chicago Grand Trunk. This will undoubtedly, in the course of time, make one of the first-class roads of the country. It has 28 miles of track in the county.
The last road built in the county was that of the Baltimore & Ohio. This was completed in the year 1874. This road takes an unvarying line through the county,-entering the county in section 21, township 35, range 1, and passing out in section 6, township 35, range 4. It has 22 miles of track within the county. It is another of the trunk lines to the East.
These roads are all now in complete running order, and are doing an excellent business. The whole line of road in the county is 159 miles; there are but few counties of its size that can boast a greater mileage of railroad, excepting those in which are great railroad
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centers. And these roads pass through the county so as to give it every advantage. Two of them pass to the north; two of them are main lines to the south, and the remainder are trunk lines from Chicago tò the cities of the East. These roads are sources of wealth which can hardly be over-estimated. We have already stated in this chapter that the agricultural productions of the county must always command a good price, and promised to assign the reason. It is needless to say anything further than to call the attention to its situation as touching the great West and the great East. Chicago is, and must remain to be, the great mart of the West. Here are gathered all the vast productions of the. West, and from here must be dispensed all its supplies. These productions will continue to find their market in the East, and these supplies will also continue to come from the same source from which they have in the past years. Now this county lies across the pathway from this store- house of the West to its overflow markets of the East, and must necessarily possess all the advantages which so abundant means of transportation can give. In other words, the county is in the line of the commerce of the nation. It must have the advantage which this situation can give; and it is of no mean consideration.
With the resources now pointed out, and the many others which have not been enumerated by name,-the enterprise of its inhab- itants, the natural fertility and richness of the soil, its admirable location for commerce both by rail and by water, its unsurpassed situation for manufactures, being on the great highways of the con- tinent, etc.,-it must be that wealth, prosperity and success await those of its citizens who labor for them.
CHAPTER XVII. RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES.
THIE RELIGIOUS ENDOWMENT AND ITS POWER. .
It makes no difference what the sentiment of a man may be as to the truthfulness of Christianity, or of its ultimate power to ameliorate the condition of, and to bless men, it is true beyond contradiction that men have an endowment that eagerly lays hold of the very things which are presented to them in its gospel, and that this endowment has a very great deal to do with the history of the race,-that it is one of the potential powers which drive the great machinery of society. Men will have a religion of some kind, and so tenacions are they for it that they will die for it. If it is not a religion which breathes "Glory to God on high, and peace on earth, good will to men," it will be a religion of selfishness,- the worship of ambition which brings glory to self, or the worship of gold which brings gratification to self, or some other God of equal selfish propensity.
The history of no people can ever be fully written with the religious element left out. It permeates and ramifies every ele- ment of the social fabric, setting in motion this and that element of activity, producing this and that end, and determining this and that condition of humanity. It has given the world the speechless mummies of Egypt, the dumb yet eloquent-tongued pyramids, the elegantly-carved monoliths, the hieroglyphie-covered cata- combs, the golden-ornamented temples, the heavenward-pointing- spired churches, the most elevated and attuned aspirations, the grandest poesy, the sweetest songs, the loftiest eloquence, and the broadest philanthropy. A power like this must have something to do in the history-making of any people.
Of all the religions of the earth there are none which have the power to stir the nobler aspirations, and to kindle a brighter flame of philanthrophy, than that of Christianity. It is the purest in its principles, the loftiest in its purposes, and the farthest reaching in its endeavors to bless men. It lifts the besotted from the gutter and fills him with a spirit of noble manhood; it conquers the untamed spirit of diabolism and produces the spirit of celes- tial blessedness in its stead; the degradation and wretchedness of barbarism, through its transforming power, is caused to transmute into the elevation and blessing of a nobler civilization; and the harsh and squeaky tones of savage song are transformed into the sublime rhapsodies of " The Messiah."
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La Porte county has not been an entire stranger to the influence of this powerful agency. She has had her ministers almost from the first who have labored assiduously to bring the people under its benign influence, and thus to lead them into greater and still greater blessing. Among the first who came to the new county, if not the very first, to proclaim the gospel was Rev. James Arm- strong, a Methodist minister who came with the soldiers who were enlisted for the Black Hawk war, in 1832. He was a man greatly beloved by his people, and died near the close of the year 1833, deeply lamented by all who knew him. If not simultaneous with the advent of Mr. Armstrong, then very shortly after it, Elder Samuel Holmes, a Christian preacher, reached the county; and he was shortly after joined by his brother in the faith, Dr. David St. Clair; and these, together with Jeremiah Sherwood, a Methodist min- ister, preached in the cabins of the settlers wherever they could get a number of them together. It was in the year 1832, also, that James Crawford, a Presbyterian preacher, pastor of the Presbyte- rian Church at Crawfordsville, preached in the county and organized a Church that finally became the Church of La Porte. This is the ministerial force, as far as we have been able to ascertain, which · the county had in 1832. In 1833 it was strengthened by the addition of Mr. Boyd Phelps, another Methodist minister, who had for an assistant Thomas P. McCool.
In 1834 there was quite a large number of additions to the min- istry of the county. Among this number may be mentioned the following, who either became permanent residents or hield meetings in the county: A Baptist church was organized on Stillwell Prairie this year, which was the result of the labor of Phineas Colver, which he had performed the year before. Elder Silas Tucker, also a Baptist, was in the county and taught school in Springfield town- ship. John Martindale, Corbly Martin, Reuben Wilson, Basil Bowell and Lewis Comer, all of the Christian Church, either became identified with the county as resident preachers, or held meetings in it. Stephen R. Ball and Gilbert Rose became identified with the Methodist ministry. Rev. John Morrill supplied the Presby- terian church which was organized last year with their preaching and pastoral labor.
These bore the standard of the cross, and it may be the standards of their respective denominations at times, before the people of the county, and laid the initial foundations for that standing which the cause of " the lowly Nazarene " has maintained among the citizens of the county from that day until the present.
The additions to the ministry were not so great in the year 1835 as they were in the year before. The Methodists had Stephen C. Meek on the circuit in the regular work, with Elijah Barnes as a supply; and, also received as a local preacher Stephen Jones, who settled in Clinton township. The Presbyterians had the labors of William K. Talbot for about six months. Of those whom we have men- tioned before there still remained in the county, either as resident
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or visiting ministers laboring in "word and doctrine," the follow- ing as well as we have been able to determine:
Among the Methodists. Jeremiah Sherwood and Gilbert Rose. Among the Presbyterians was John Morrill. The Baptists were represented still by Silas Tucker; and the Christians by Samuel Holmes, David St. Clair, John Martindale, Basil Bowell and Lewis Comer.
This corps of " heralds of the cross " was largely increased in the following year, 1836. Among the Methodist ministers arriving this year and adding strength to their effective force were Elijah Barnes, George M. Boyd and Harvey Van Order. The Christians had either effective help from, or received as permanent residents, John Sergeant, Peter T. Russell and Caleb B. Davis, the latter set- tling in Galena township, where he continued to reside for many years. What are generally known as the Missionary Baptists were further strengthened by the coming of the Rev. T. Spaulding this year; and what are usually known as the Old School Regular Bap- tists, during this year established themselves by organizing a Church in Noble township. This was accomplished by Eld. A. Neal, of Porter county. This organization contained the following additional names of those who were either preachers now, or who became such shortly afterward, viz., E. S. Harding and Avery A. Cole. Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church at Michigan City was also organized this year with Rev. D. V.M. Johnson as Rector. The voices of all these earnest men were heard, and that, too, not in vain, pleading for right, righteousness and religion.
All of those mentioned above were a part of the effective working force for the next year. To them were added, during the year 1837, among others, the following: Jacob P. Andrew, Christian minister ; Alexander Hastings, a Baptist; W. K. Marshall, a Presbyterian ; J. Orne, a United Brethren; and William Todd and Boyd Phelps, Methodists.
.In the year 1838 the following additional ministers labored, together with many of those who have been already mentioned, in holding up the standard of the cross: Aaron Wood was the Presid- ing Elder of the Methodist Church. Richard Hargrave came on the circuit, with John B. Jenkins as assistant. Joel Crumpacker was also added to the list of Methodist workers. A rather noteworthy item in the history of the Baptist Church was the advent into their midst of Benjamin Sawin during this year. Elder Sawin won the affeetions of his people, who, together with many friends, were often wont to affectionately call him "Good Father Sawin." During this year the working force of the Christian Church was increased by Elder Correll.
The year 1839 witnessed another influx of new preachers. Among many others we mention the following: The Congregationalists were strengthened by the coming of James Towner; and likewise, the Baptists by the arrival of Charles Harding, Samuel W. Ford, and Augustus Bolles. William Andrew, better known afterward
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perhaps as Judge Andrew, gave increased strength to the Christian ministry. And the Methodists received into their midst as fellow- workers George W. Baker, Zechariah Games and Charles Harding.
The last year which we shall trace by giving the names of the ministers who settled in the county about that time will be the year 1840. This year the Congregationalists received the labors of Elnathan Davis; and the Methodists those of Austin Fuller, Orange V. Lemon and William T. Wheeler.
In the foregoing we have given only those whose affiliation we could determine. This list has been secured from those whose memories have been sufficiently retentive as to give with probable accuracy the ministry of the years as they are here given, and then it has been compared with the marriage record, which contains, in connection with the marriages of the county, the name of the officiating minister. This furnished a clue for the correction of any inaccuracy in the memories of those from whom the information was gleaned; and though we may have made some mistakes as to the exact time when each of these ministers appeared in the county, yet we are sure that they were in the county at the time which we have assigned them. Besides those whom we have mentioned above, the marriage record discloses the following names whose denominational connection we were unable to determine: In 1836 A. M. G. Comstock, Daniel McIntosh, W. Southwood, Alpheus Sweet. In 1837, James S. Harrison, Nathan Porter, Francis Standiford and E. G. Townsend. In 1839, Alfred Briant, Abner Dwelle, Alexander Nickerson and Elder Nathaniel Pullman. In 1840, Isaac N. Langhcad. It may be possible that some of this latter list came only to officiate at the marriage altar, but they are here given to complete the list of those who performed the duties of the minister of the gospel in the county, and this is one of their duties as prescribed by the law.
Now, of those who have already been named, the following con- stituted the ministry of 1840: Samuel Holmes, John Martindale, Basil Bowell. Lewis Comer, David St. Clair, Caleb B. Davis, Jacob P. Andrew, Elder Correll and William Andrew, of the Christian Church; Silas Tucker, E. S. Harding, Alexander Hastings, Benja- min Sawin, Augustus Bolles and Samuel W. Ford, of the Baptist Church; D. V. M. Johnson and Solon W. Manney, of the Protes- tant Episcopal Church; William K. Marshall and, probably, James Towner, who preached for what was at this time the Presbyterian, but before and afterward the Congregational, Church of Michigan City, of the Presbyterian Church; A. Wood, Joel Crumpacker, Richard Hargrave, George W. Baker, Zechariah Games, Charles Harding, Austin Fuller, Orange V. Lemon and William T. Wheeler, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. There was also at this time a Catholic Church organized in the county, St. Peter's Church, of La Porte.
We have now before us the representative men of the Churches up to the year 1840; and to these must be attributed whatever of
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advancement " the Cause of Christ" had made, in connection with those faithful men and women who stood by them as they repeated the apostolic call to " glory and virtue."
For the line of work in which the Churches have engaged, and for what they have accomplished, and their present status, the reader is referred to the history of the townships and cities as they are given in their separate capacity in another department of this volume, where he will find these matters more fully set forth.
Follow the line of work which the Church has performed through the years since it was established in the county, combine all of its agencies together into one, see what it has actually accomplished on the one hand, and what it has prevented on the other, and then say if there is any other single agency which is its equal in ameli- orating the condition of men. There is that about it which takes hold of the nobler parts of men and develops them into that which goes to make up the highest manhood. The leavening power of this heavenly agency has been felt all the way down through the years from the time when the voices of James Armstrong, Samuel Holmes, James Crawford and Phineas Colver were raised to plead the claims of the " Nazarene," whose character Renan, the renowned French writer, says, "has never been equaled, and will never be excelled," has been felt in its redeeming, saving and molding power.
The Churches of to-day are still being felt in the same efficacious way, and will continue to do so, and ought to.
The Church is a force which has much to do in giving direction to the attainments of any people, as well as the actual making of their history.
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.
CASS TOWNSHIP.
The territory embraced in the townships of Cass, Hanna and Dewey, were originally a part of Starke county; but the inhabi- tants living north of the Kankakee were put to great inconvenience in reaching their county seat. To remedy this difficulty, an appeal was made to the State Legislature, and that body passed an act Jan. 26, 1842, that all the land included in Starke county, lying north of the Kankakee, be attached to La Porte county. As thus organized, the township included all the present township of Dewey, and the lim- its of Van Buren were reduced to that portion lying east of the des- ignated line between ranges 3 and 4. This part of Van Buren contained very few inhabitants, not enough to make it advisable to hold elections, and they made an application to the Board of Com- missioners to be attached to and made a part of Noble township. When the question of a name for the new township arose, those of the Whig faith desired the name Harrison, while the Democrats preferred the name of Cass. They decided to draw lots, and Walter Livingston and John Wills were selected. Wills, who was the Dem- ocrat, won, and the township was given the name of Cass.
The first settlement made in this township was by Peter Woodin, in the year 1837. He was immediately followed by Abraham Eahart, then by Dr. J. F. Tilden, Alex. Campbell, Augustus Vail (dec.), John Wills, and others. In 1850 Hon. Edward Evans arrived. He was for several years a member of the Indiana Legislature. The population has constantly increased since his arrival. The majority of the inhabitants of this township are Germans. The leading
farmers of this township are Dr. J. F. Tilden, Alex. Campbell, A. J. Shurte, John H. Cannon, Wm. Smith, Robt. Gillham, Henry Bowman and C. Snyder. The land of this township, though origi- nally a marsh, is of an excellent quality. Some portions of the Kankakee marsh lands reach up into the interior of the township, and these arms of prairie are intermingled with sandy "plains;" but the marsh is splendid grass land, and is becoming every year more susceptible of cultivation. The most successful grain crop is corn, although wheat and oats do well. It may be remarked that Cass township is likely to become one of the leading agricultural dis- tricts of the county. The people are mostly enterprising and indus- trious, and a bright future for the township is anticipated.
There were three villages in this township, Callas or Morgan, Raselle and Wanatah. The first two have long since returned to their former state of desolation. Wanatah was laid out by T. A.
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Jeremiah Willow
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E. Campbell, Rivel Starr and Joseph and Wm. Nurwgh. The plats were made by T. C. Sweeney. It is situated at the Junction of the P., Ft. W. & C. and P., C. & St. L. railroads. Its growth com- menced a few months prior to the time when the first-named rail- road was completed, which was in 1857. The business of the place consists of a hotel, one flouring-mill, seven dry-goods and grocery- stores, one drug and grocery store, one boot and shoe shop, four blacksmith and wagon shops, one millinery store, one harness shop, one furniture and undertaker establishment, one lumber yard, two hay-presses on which were pressed in 1874, 800 tons of hay, one agricultural and agricultural implement store, one grain elevator, one butcher shop, one produce shipper and grain dealer, three physicians, one of whom is a lady, one plasterer, one real estate and insurance agent, three telegraph operators and two railroad stations.
The first general store in this place was opened by Joseph Nurwgh, who moved there from Rozelle (a small village one mile south of Wanatah), when the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad was com- pleted. Nurwgh also run a hotel there for some time. He sold ont to Mitzer & Conitz, who still keep the store, and removed to Chicago. Nurwgh also built a flouring mill at Wanatah about 1867. It was built for a warehouse, but he concluded afterward to make of it a mill. It has since been purchased by E. L. Kiel, who is still the proprietor.
The first dwelling in Wanatah was built by a Mr. Hyde. The first good hotel was built by Frank McCurdy in 1865. In 1874 he sold it to Robt. Whitlock, and Jan. 9, 1875, it was burned. It was immediately rebuilt by Whitlock, and was opened July 22, 1875, under the name of the " Wanatah House."
The first physician in the village was Nelson Ward. His wife has since studied medicine at Ann Arbor, Mich., and now practices with him.
In the township outside of Wanatah are two churches and sev- eral school-houses, showing a good amount of interest manifested in the matter of education.
PERSONAL SKETCHES.
In order to detail more fully the history of the town and town- ship, we will speak personally of the leading and representative citizens:
Henry Bowman, a very prominent (German) man in literature, was born October 2, 1819, in Germany. He came to this country in 184S and first settled near Otis, this county, and in 1854 went to Porter county, and in 1866 came to Cass township, this county. He was married October 16, 1852, to Marian Colby, and they have had 3 children; viz., Henry I., Marietta (now Mrs. Soman) and Ida M. Mr. Bowman was a soldier in the U. S. Army in 1866,
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and had been also in the German war. He owns 230 acres of land on sec. 2.
James O. Burner, dealer in drugs, medicines and agricultural implements, Wanatah, Ind. Mr. Burner is a native of this county, and was born June 23, 1843. . He was educated at the Methodist College in Porter county, this State. In 1867 he began the study of medicine, which he pursued with diligence two years; at the end of this period he purchased an interest in a drug store in West- ville, this county, and in 1872 he came to Wanatah, his present place of business. In 1868 he was united in matrimony with Miss Caroline Jessup, who died December 18, 1874; in 1875 Mr. Burner was again married, this time to Miss Clara B. Tatman. Mr. Burner is an intelligent, enterprising business man, a worthy citizen and a gentleman of wide acquaintance. His portrait is given in this volume.
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