USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana > Part 57
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The original proprietors, Wilson, Todd, Walker and Andrews, in laying out the town, donated every alternate lot to the county for the purpose of building a court-house, and other publie build- ings. Lots were sold on liberal terms, and during the years 1835-'6 settlers came in large numbers, and the population was largely increased.
In 1833 the Government had a land-office located here, for the purpose of disposing of the lands which now comprise the city of La Porte. Major Robb was Register, John M. Lemon, Receiver, and James Whittens, Clerk. Mr. Blake kept a hotel on Brown's corner, where Eliel's drug store now stands. Some years after- ward Gen. Brown himself kept a hotel there.
At the September term of the Commissioners' Court, held in 1833, a license was granted to J. F. & W. Allison, to vend mer- chandise and keep a tavern in La Porte. William Clement and Seneca Ball were granted license to vend merchandise, and a license to William Clement to vend liquors and groceries. At the term held in September of the same year, Amzi Clark and Absalom Walters were licensed to vend merchandise, and Noah Newell was licensed to keep tavern at the November term following, and A. & A. W. Harrison were licensed to vend merchandise. At the March term, 1835, W. Clement was licensed to keep tavern, and R. B. Hews and Hiram Wheeler to vend merchandise. In 1835-'6 further licenses were granted to MeCarty & Howell, John Brown and Thomas H. Philips, and to Daniel D. Rathbun, Oliver Shirleff, Grover & Williams, John A. Fleteher and Mordecai Cross, to keep tavern; James Gibson, Arthur McClure, Samuel Darlington, and Conrad Everhart were also licensed in 1836 to keep tavern.
In 1839 the Buffalo & Mississippi railroad was projected. The Board of County Commissoners, at the request of the citizens, sub- scribed for $100,000 of the stock, and considerable grading was done in the county; but the road was never built, and there remains only here and there an embankment or eut to tell the disappoint- ment of the people of La Porte county. The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana railroad was completed to La Porte in 1852, and extended to Chicago the following year. In 1856 the Indian- apolis, Peru & Chicago railroad, then known as the Cincinnati,
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Louisville & Chicago road, was built between La Porte and Ply- mouth, and a short time afterward from Plymouth to Rochester and Peru. The branch to Michigan City was completed in 1871, thus giving La Porte a direct line of railroads east, west and south, and the main line in Indiana from Lake Michigan to the south.
EDUCATIONAL.
The city of La Porte holds a position in regard to its educational interest far in advance of ordinary cities of its dimensions, and this feature of her enterprise has probably done as much as any other in attracting families here. The first school-house in the city was erected in 1833. It was constructed of logs and was a poor affair, but great improvements have been made on this humble beginning, and educational privileges have increased and multiplied, until the present system of graded schools is the pride and admiration of every citizen of La Porte.
The great free-school system was established in 1856, and a school building was erected in each ward in the city, each having a primary and a secondary department. Four of these buildings were made of briek, two stories in height. A short time after the establishment of these schools, a grammar department was opened in an old frame building, which stood near the present location of the high-school building. The first teachers in these schools were R. M. Johnson, A. T. Bliss, Jasper Packard, Miss O. M. Tibbits, Miss Emma Chandler, Miss M. A. Kent, and Mrs. Steele. Soon after the establishment of the grammar department, a high-school department was organized, which was first taught by Jasper Pack- ard. The following named gentlemen constituted the first Board of Trustees: Gilbert Hathaway, Amzi Clark, B. P. Walker, who were succeeded in office by John B. Niles, James Moore and Ferdinand Roberts, under whose administration the present high- school building was erected, and under whose wise and efficient management the school grew in strength and usefulness. The present high-school edifice was erected in 1863, and with its completion and the continued successful management of the schools, the educa- tional advantages of La Porte are of the highest order. The graded system of free schools has been so well managed that it is impos- sible for private or select schools to be maintained in the city. The graded school, from its inauguration to the present time, has been a continued success, and has been more prosperous during the past year than ever.
LA PORTE UNIVERSITY.
" In the winter or 1840-'41, a charter was obtained from the State Legislature through the exertions of John H. Bradley (who was the member from La Porte) for a school of high rank, to be called the La Porte University.
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LA PORTE HIGH SCHOOL.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
" The charter was drawn by William Andrew, and provided for an institution that should have a literary, a medical, and a law depart- ment. The next year the law department was organized under the charge of Judge Andrew, who received quite a large class of stu- dents. The medical department was organized in 1842. The build- ing in which classes were first opened stood where Davidson's marble front store is now located. A good building was afterward erected on the square immediately south of the present high- school building, and liere the school progressed with a fair degree of success. The medical faculty consisted of the following gentle- men: George W. Richards, M. D., Professor of Theory and Practice of Medicine; John B. Niles, A. M., Professor of Chemistry; Daniel Meeker, M. D., Professor of Anatomy and Physiology; A. B. Shipman, M. D., Professor of Surgery; Nicholas Hard, M. D., Professor of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children; E. Deming, M. D., Professor of Materia Medica; Levi Torrey, M. D., Demonstrator of Anatomy. In 1848-'49 J. Adams Allen became Professor of Materia Medica; George Lee, M. D., Demonstrator of Anatomy; and Tompkins Higday, M. D., Professor of Physiology and General Pathology. Dr. G. A. Rose was the President of the Board of Trustees during a large portion of the time of the existence of the school, and among the Trustees were W. C. Hanna, Secre- tary; John B. Niles, Treasurer; Rev. William Andrew, Daniel Meeker, Rev. F. P. Cumins and Ezekiel Morrison. Tompkins Higday was Registrar in 1848-'49. The name of the institution was changed to the 'Indiana Medical College,' and there were in 1846-'47, 104 students; in 1848-'49, 101. The names of many of the students are familiar in Northern Indiana, and some of them have become distinguished throughout the State, and in other States.
" In 1843 the literary department of the university was organized. There was then at La Porte a school called the Lancasterian Acad- emy, of which the Rev. F. P. Cumins was principal, in which, besides, a thorough English course, including philosophy, the nat- ural sciences, and the higher mathematics, there was taught Latin, Greek, German and French. This institution had but a brief existence. It is worthy of note that the circulars issued for the purpose of advertising this academy stated that board could be obtained in La Porte for from $1 to $1.50 per week. When it was determined to organize the literary department of the La Porte University, application was made to Prof. Cumins to merge his school in it, as such a move would be likely to make it successful from the start. To this proposition he assented, and in connection with Rev. Mr. Marshall, pastor, at the time, of the Presbyterian Church, he opened this department of the University. Butit seems not to have met with the success its friends anticipated and hoped; it languished and died. The medical department continued to flourish for some years; but there grew up other schools which withdrew support from it. The medical department of the Michi- gan University was opened, the Rush Medical College at Chicago,
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
a similar institution at Indianapolis, and one at Lafayette; and finally the managers of the La Porte school determined to suspend lectures. This occurred in 1857, and the suspension proved to be a final closing up of the school. The building was afterward occu- pied as a literary academy, which was conducted by Prof. Church- man, a blind man. It was a school for girls only, and it was in a flourishing condition until the building was burned in the winter of 1865. The institution was never re-opened."
In the history of the city of La Porte there has never been a time when its citizens failed to give education proper attention or support. Taxes for school buildings and teachers' salaries and incidental expenses, have always been cheerfully paid, and every good measure adopted for the better development and improvement of the school system.
CHURCHES.
The citizens of La Porte have not been unmindful of the neces- sity of moral and religious training and teaching, and the Church has kept pace with the school in La Porte. There are at present 15 Church organizations in the city, and they are all in a prosperous, growing condition.
The Methodist Episcopal society was organized in the city of La Porte in 1831, and in the fall of 1832 the La Porte Mission was established and placed in charge of the Rev. James Armstrong, the " pioneer preacher," who was also Presiding Elder of what was then known as the " Missionary District." extending from near La- fayette on the Wabash to Kalamazoo, Mich., and from the Ohio line on the east to Illinois on the west. R. S. Robinson and G. M. Bostwick also supplied the La Porte Mission, as Mr. Arm- strong's ardnous duties gave him but little time to devote to mis- sionary work. In 1837 the society built a church in this city, on the corner lot now occupied by the residence of Dr. Teegarden. This was the first church built in the city of La Porte. Boyd Phelps and H. Van Order were sent by Conference as circuit preachers. In 1847 La Porte was made a station. and the Rev. H. C. Benson sent as pastor. Mr. Benson was returned to La Porte in 1848, and was the first instance of a preacher being returned the second year consecutively to any charge in the county.
The Rev. W. Graham was stationed here in 1849-'50. The present church edifice was erected in 1850, partly by the efforts of the pastor and Presiding Elder, but mainly by the contributions of the people. The Church has since continned in a prosperous condition, and has a large membership and congregation.
Baptist Church .- The first Baptist Church of the city of La Porte was organized in 1838. The Rev. Benjamin Sawin came to La Porte in 1838 and held prayer-meetings at his honse, resulting in great good, leading many to seek the consolations of " Christian faith." In 1839 the Church was received into the Northern Indiana
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Association, which met that year at Rolling Prairie. The member- ship of the Church at this time was 30. In 1838 Elder Charles Harding was chosen pastor, and was the first to occupy that position. He resigned his pastorate in 1840, and died in 1843. In 1840 Rev. Silas Tucker became pastor of this Church, and entered upon his duties in December of that year. About this time the society purchased a small building of the Disciples society, which stood on the northwest corner of Jackson and North Main streets, which they enlarged and used for a house of worship. Elder Tucker resigned his pastorate in 1845, and for a time the Church was with- out a pastor, but Father Sawin preached two Sabbaths in eachı month. In 1846 Rev. E. W. Hamlin was settled as pastor of the Church, but resigned at the end of the year, and the Church was again for a time without a pastor. Rev. Morgan Edwards, "the sailor preacher," united with this Church in 1849, and in June of that year became its pastor, but his labors as such ceased in October of the same year. Elder R. H. Cook was then called as pastor, but did not remain long; he resigned the pastorate July 12, 1851. The Church was temporarily supplied by different preachers until 1852, when Rev. Morgan Edwards was again called to the pastorate, but did not remain long, and in the same year Rev. S. C. Chandler became pastor, but was dismissed in 1853 bceause his views were not in accord with the orthodox faith as held by the Baptist denomi- nation. He was succeeded by Rev. Gibbon Williams.
The Church has since been regularly supplied, and has grown in strength and usefulness. They have a large membership. The church they now occupy was erected in 1858, and dedicated in the fall of that year, Rev. J. S. McCloud preaching the dedication sermon.
The Presbyterian Church in this city was first organized in 1832, and in 1834 a vote was taken to build a house of worship, but owing to some difficulty in raising the money, but little progress was made until 1837, when Rev. W. K. Marshall was called to the pastcrate of the Church, which he accepted and was duly installed. He pushed the building project. A meeting was held at the court-house, and a method was proposed for raising the funds, by E. Morrison, which was adopted. It was to create a joint-stock company, the sub- scribers to receive the amount of their stock in pews. The church was to cost $6,000. E. Morrison, Amzi Clark, A. Blackburn and some others were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions to the stock. S. Van Pelt was the first treasurer. Money was scarce, and it was found very difficult to collect the subscriptions, and before the building was enclosed, Morrison, Clark and Howell were obliged to make large advances from their private funds; and in 1841 the church was sold to satisfy a builder's lien. It was pur- chased by Amzi Clark, who held it in his own name until completed. It was finally dedicated in 1842, and deeded to Alex. Blackburn for the Old-School Presbyterian church, conditioned that if ever sold the New-School Presbyterians might purchase it in preference to
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
all other parties. It was purchased by the New-School, who used it as a house of worship until 1868, when it was again sold to the Reform Lutherans.
In 1862 the Old-School erected a church edifice on the corner of Indiana avenne and Harrison street, which was partially burned in 1867, but immediately re-opened for worship. It continued to be the place of worship of the First Church until the reunion of the First and Second Churches, which occurred Oct. 31, 1871.
It is now necessary to return and review the history of the New- School, or Second Church. This Church was organized Nov. 3, 1844. The organization was completed by the election and ordi- nation as Elders, of James M. Clark and Ellsworth B. Strong. The new organization had 30 members; at the close of the year the membership numbered 51. In 1846 the Rev. John W. Cunningham became the pastor of the Second Church, which position he held until 1858. In 1859 he was succeeded by Rev. George C. Noyes, who was duly installed pastor in May, 1860. It was near the close of his pastorate that the old church was sold and active steps taken for the erection of the present edifice on Michigan avenue. Oct. 31, 1871, these Churches were united under the name of "The Presbyterian Church of La Porte," and Dr. Kendall was invited to become the pastor of the Church. The call was accepted, and he was installed pastor on the fourth of June, 1872. On the 23d of November a new Board of Elders was elected for the united Church, and the society has grown in strength and numbers and in influence ever since.
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church of La Porte was organized July 25, 1839. Rev. D. V.EM. Johnson, Rector of Trinity Church, Michigan City, presided at the meeting held for organization, and Franklin Thwing acted as secretary. John Hobson and Franklin Thwing were elected wardens, and James Whittem, J. R. Traver, Samuel Stewart, Thomas H. Phillips, Hiram Wheeler, T. B. Bell, Jacob Early and H. T. Holbrook were chosen vestrymen. The rec- tor of Trinity Church, Michigan City, preached each alternate Sabbath for the new Church until 1840, when Rev. Solon W. Manney was settled as rector, since which time they have had reg- ular services. For a number of years they had no house of worship, but in 1845 the present edifice was erected on Michigan avenue.
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of this city was established in 1857. After an organization had been effected, Rev. T. Tram was called as their first pastor. Services were held for some time in a school-house. They then built a small house .on C street, but this becoming too small for their constantly increasing congregation, in 1863 they erected the brick edifice which they now occupy. The society supports its own schools, which number about 400 pupils. The Church and schools are in a very prosperous condition.
There are two other Lutheran Churches in the city, St. Paul's and the Swedish, both of which are well attended.
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HISTORY OF LA FORTE COUNTY.
Catholic .- There are two Catholic Churches in La Porte, St. Joseph's and St. Peter's. The latter is the older, and was organized at a very early day. Rev. Father Kilroy was for many years the officiating priest. This society is one of the largest in the city. Their house of worship is a frame structure and is located on Monroe street. There is a large school-house attached to the church. Rev. T. O. Sullivan is now the officiating priest. St. Joseph's Church was organized in 1858 by Rev. M. Scherer. In 1859-'60 they built the fine, substantial brick edifice which they now occupy. It is one of the best church edifices in the city. It is crowned with a steeple 135 feet in height, with two chime bells weighing 1,000 pounds each. The Church has a flourishing Sabbath- school which numbers about 300 children.
Christian Church .- This church was organized and established through the efforts of Judge William Andrew and Dr. Jacob P. Andrew, in 1837. This society occupied the building on Main street, which has been used by the Reformed Evangelical Luth- erans, for many years. In 1867 the Lutherans purchased the Second Presbyterian church building, and soon after exchanged with the Christian society, the latter desiring a larger edifice. Since that time the society has occupied the commodions house of worship on the corner of Prairie and Monroe streets.
Zion's Church,-This Church is composed of the Jewish citizens of this city, the services being the Hebrew ritual, and their rule of faith the scriptures of the Old Testament. They occupy a neat synagogue, on the corner of Indiana avenue and First street. Their services are held on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Swedenborgian .- The "New Church," or the " New Jerusalem," as it is called, was organized in La Porte in 1859, through the instrumentality of Judge Chamberlin, of Goshen, Ind. The society occupies a neat temple in the central part of town. It has a good membership, and a flourishing Sabbath-school.
Society of Friends .- This society has had an organization in La Porte for many years, some of the pioneers who settled here at an early day being members of the denomination. But no church edifice was erected until 1869, when a neat and substantial brick church was built by the Friends. About this time James H. Vining came to La Porte and became pastor of this Church.
LA PORTE LIBRARY AND NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION.
This institution is one of the most popular in La Porte. It was established in 1863, and has continued to grow in public favor up to the present time, and its history will not be without interest to the readers of this work. In 1868 the Association requested Gen. Packard to prepare a sketch of the history of this institution, which he afterward did, and it was placed on file as one of the permanent records of the Association. As the sketch is a complete history from the organization of the society to date, it is here given in full:
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
" At the beginning of the year 1863, La Porte was a city of nearly eight thousand inhabitants. As a people we claim to be civilized, enlightened, refined and educated; and yet there was not among us a reading-room of any sort, and no library except the McClure, to which but few had access; so few that it was practi- cally without influence on the community. A reading-room exhib- iting on its tables the earnest thoughts and activities of the present in the current periodicals of the day, and a library containing the ripened wisdom of the past and the present are means of education, especially to the young, whose utility cannot be estimated.
" It was believed that such an institution would be influential in developing a literary taste, by cultivating a habit of reading, and that it would become a powerful educator of the people, positively by stimulating the growth of the mind, and promoting learning and scholarship, and negatively by furnishing a pleasant and useful place of resort, to largely counteract the evils of vicious pleasures and associations; and on the 16th day of March, 1863, an organiza- tion was effected by the adoption of a constitution, and the election of the following full complement of officers:
" President, W. C. Hanna; Vice President, James Moore; Re- cording Secretary, William Niles; Corresponding Secretary, Rev. George C. Noyes; Treasurer, Fred West. Directors-W. H. H. Whitehead, Dr. U. S. Darling, Ezekiel-Morrison, Dr. L. C. Ross, Simon Wile, James Lewis, O. Wilson, and Charles Paine.
" The association thus organized was incorporated under the name of the 'La Porte Reading Room and Library Association.' Ne- gotiations were entered into with the McClure Working Men's In- stitute, which finally resulted in the transfer by that institution to this, of all the books and other property of the former. The terms of the contract were such as to convey to the new association all the property of the old, to be held and used by it forever, or during its existence, with reversion to the McClure association, in case of the dissolution of the new organization, upon the payment of the debts of the institute, amounting to fifty-five dollars, and a grant to each of its members of a membership for one year in the new association.
" This result was highly gratifying, as it at once gave to the library association a permanent footing, enabling it to start with seven hundred volumes, many of them standard works in history and English literature. With this handsome nucleus at the start, around which to gather other works until a large library should be founded, the attempt to build up a noble educational power in our midst ceased to be experiment, and became an assured success.
" On the 11th day of May the Board of Directors submitted their first report to the Association.
" At the meeting on the 11th of May, it was necessary, accord- ing to the constitution, to elect officers for the ensuing year. The election resulted as follows: President, W. C. Hanna; Vice Presi- dent, James Moore; Recording Secretary, William Niles; Treas- nrer, Fred West; Corresponding Secretary, Rev. G. C. Noyes
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Directors -- Andrew L. Osborn, Charles Paine, Ezekiel Morrison, Jacob Zook, W. H. H. Whitehead, O. Wilson, and Landon C. Rose.
" The association seemed now fairly equipped for'a race of useful- ness; but its early promise was doomed to undergo a blighting check. The meeting of the 11th of May adjourned with a prospect of vigorous growth before the young foundling. The members must have been too sanguine, and reposed too much confidence in the powers of the child, for they left it to run alone until the 26th of the following October, and then holding one brief meeting, a dark and impenetrable interregnum oceurs of more than a year, from the 26th of October, 1853, to the 6th of December, 1864.
"This seems to have been the dark age of our Association's history. It was even darker than the night of the middle ages, for the monks in their gloomy cells did not permit learning quite to perish from the earth, and history penetrates the gloom of that cavernous night; but over these forgotten months of our society's life, whose record is forever lost, an impenetrable shadow has fallen and nothing but the fiat of omnipotent power could disperse the gloom. But the usefulness of such an institution had become known; and although . the old officers and. Board of Directors would seem to be somewhat discouraged, they determined not to stand in the way of any others · who might be willing to try to give new vitality to the association.
"On the 6th day of December, 1864, the officers and members of the Board, each and all resigned, and others were elected to fill the vacancies so created; and the organization commenced its new exis- tence with the following officers: President, L. Crane; Vice-President, C. G. Powell; Treasurer, W. M. Scott; Corresponding Secre- tary, Rev. J. P. Ash; Recording Secretary, T. L. Adams. Direc- tors-Dr. Geo. M. Dakin, H. B. Wier, Dr. W. L. McKahan, John M. Hood, Rev. J. H. Lee, Mr. Baker and A. J. Redding. As an indication of the vigorous manner in which the new Board com- menced their work, it is worthy of note that at this meeting a com- mittee of one was appointed to 'prepare the reading-room for occupancy by to-morrow.' The work was done, and the meetings have been held regularly from that time to the present.
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