USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana > Part 64
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A postoffice was opened at Waterford in 1838 and kept by a Mr. Sears. This was afterward moved to the hotel about a mile south of Waterford; it was discontinued in 1865, and revived in 1878 or'9, kept by Mr. Kuhn in his store.
The great amount of timber in Cool Spring township early invited the erection of saw-mills; and there were others built besides those already named. John Beatty & Purdy Smith put up one in 1833 or '34, in the southwest part of the township. In 1836 Aaron Stanton built a flouring mill in the township, which his son Alfred purchased and managed from 1838 to 1842, when he sold it and went to Oregon. Orr's and Stanton's mills were on Spring creek, a branch of Trail creek. The site of the mill which Nathan Johnson built is now owned by Timin Bros.
Schools were opened early, probably in 1835 or '36, and Ebenezer Palmer is supposed to have been the first teacher; Rachel Jacobus
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also taught very early, and Wm. Forrester remembers Maria Sharp as his first teacher. In 1837 or '38 Win. C. Talcott went into the township and tanght a school near Waterford. He was a Univer- salist preacher, and probably the first to. preach in the township. There have been services by other denominations, especially the Methodists and Presbyterians, usually held in the school-houses, until abont 1855, when a church was built, a very good one, near Waterford, by the Presbyterians, but now owned by the Methodists.
The villages of the township are Waterford and Beatty's Corners, but little business has ever been done at either place, the most important business enterprise being the flouring mill at Waterford. At Beatty's Corners there are now indications of a town. The site is a part of the farm of George R. Selkirk. The place was laid off' as a town in 1842 by James Whittem, who divided two acres into town lots. A blacksmith shop was opened by a Mr. Collins, and one Dr. Bosley worked at wagon-making; a hotel was built and kept by Enoch Brewer about two years. He afterward moved to Pulaski county and kept a hotel at Medarysville. A. B. Wolf kept the hotel at Beatty's Corners for a time, but it has long been closed. Only one lot was ever sold in the town, and finally George R. Sel- kirk bought the whole plat-an instance not very common, of the purchase by one man of an entire town.
Cool Spring is well watered by small creeks in nearly every part of it, affording many excellent mill privileges; and good timber being abundant, these opportunities have been largely improved; and although a vast amount of timber has been ent off, yet there are still large quantities remaining. The entire township is tim- bered, no prairie land whatever being within its limits.
Educational interests have not been neglected. There are at the present time five good school-houses in the township. When the township was first settled it was one of the wildest parts of the county.
On one occasion Mr. John Beatty, when out hunting, came near shooting an Indian, supposing the red-skin to be a deer. The Indian rose up and exhibited himself unmistakably just in time. Had the accident occurred, it might have resulted in arousing the hostility of the savages and placing in peril the lives of the settlers.
In the year of 1836 a sad accident occurred, resulting in the death of Amos Smith, son of Purdy Smith, a lad about 10 years of age. His father, with others, was chopping trees in the forest, and the boy was engaged in carrying water to the men; just as he came to where the laborers were engaged, a falling tree struck a high stub or body of another tree, which sprang back and fell, striking down the lad and killing him instantly.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Brief personal sketches of the leading citizens of the township are an interesting portion of its history.
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IIISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Jeremiah W. Bevington, carriage and wagon maker, Waterford, was born in 1848 in Sandusky county, Ohio, son of Win. and Sarah Bevington, both natives of New York State, who emigrated to Ohio in an early day, where Mr. B. lived until his death. Mrs. B. came to this county in 1872, and is residing in Michigan City. Jeremiah, after growing to the age of maturity, learned the wagon- maker's trade, which he has followed. He is now located at Water- ford, doing a good business. He is also Constable. In 1879 he married Miss Orpha C., daughter of Dr. White, who was born in Will county, Ill., in 1854, and is a member of the M. E. Church.
Christian Bull was born in Germany, May 1, 1831, son of Christian and Sophia Bull, also natives of Germany. The subject of this notice came to America in 1854, settling in Wisconsin, where he resided until 1866, when he came to this county. He married Minnie Hease in 1856. Miss H. was born in Prussia, Aug. 2, 1837. Of their 14 children, 8 are living, to wit: Augusta, Birdie, Sophia, Anna, Rosa, Ida, George and Liddie. Mr. B. is a member of the St. Paul's Aid Society. His occupation is farming, and he owns 114 acres on sec. 18; P. O., Michigan City.
August Cloff was in born 1818, in Prussia, son of Mike and Louise (Gorr) Cloff, both natives of Prussia; the former died in 1837, and the latter came to America in 1863, and died in 1869. August emigrated from his native country in 1856, locating in this tp. the same year, where he has been engaged in agricultural pur- suits. By his mode of husbandry he has accumulated property, and now owns 172 acres of nice farming land, near Waterford, on sec. 11. He married Miss Henrietta Greenka in 1845, who was born in 1822, and they have had 6 children, 4 of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Lutheran Church. P. O., Michigan City.
C. Cook was born in 1830 in Germany, son of Charley and Ricka Cook, also natives of Germany. Mr. C. came to America in 1854 and located at Michigan City, where he worked on the railroad until 1867, when he came to this tp. and bought a farm, since which time he has cleared and put it under cultivation. It consists of 100 acres of good land, on sec. 3. He was married in 1856 to Miss Charlotte Westfall, a native of Germany, born in 1831, who came to America in 1855. They have 7 children. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Lutheran Church. P. O., Michigan City.
John Cook, farmer, sec. 4, was born in Germany in 1827, son of Charles and Ricka (Bahn) Cook, who came to America and settled in this county in 1854 or '5 at Michigan City, where he died some 20 years ago, and she died in 1873. John was reared in the old country, received a common education, came to America about the same time his parents did, and worked 17 years in the car shops at Michigan City; in 186S he bought a farm in this tp., where he has been engaged in farming, being in limited circumstances when he first located here. IIe has added to his farm until he has 160 acres of good farm land. He married Miss Mary Spackin in 1852. She
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was born in Germany in 1825. They have 8 children, 4 of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. C. is also a member of the St. John's Aid Society. P. O., Michigan City.
Paul J. Corbly was born in 1837 in Hamilton county, Ohio, and is the son of Justice and Mary Corbly, who came to Ohio in an early day. At the age of 17 years Paul J., having a good education, went Sonth and began teaching school near Savannah, Tenn., after which he taught in Corinth, Miss., and in White county, Arkansas, and 1862 finds him at West Point, from which he went into the Southern army as clerk in the Quartermaster's department, which position he held for one year, when he returned to his home in Ohio, having five brothers in the Union army. He himself volunteered in Co. A, 2d. U. S. Vol., as 2d Sergeant; his command went on the frontier, and he again was in the Qurtermaster's department, which position he held until he was discharged, Nov. 7, 1865, at Fort Leavenworth. After a short stay in Ohio he came to this State, in 1866, and stopped in St. Joseph county for some time, when he again followed his profession. In 1872 he came to this county and in 1878 he moved to this tp., where he has taught several schools. Mr. C. has held the office of Constable and Deputy Sheriff in St. Joseph, Ind. He was married Dec. 26, 1866, to Miss Ella Ayers, of La Porte, who was born in Wilcox county, Ala., and they have had 3 children, Jessie E, Alfred A, and Mary E. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the 1st Baptist Church at La Porte. Residence on sec. 14; P. O., Waterford.
Robert Curran, a native of Ireland, was born Jan. 10, 1822, a son of Joseph and Rebecca Curran, who came to America in 1832, first locating in New York, where they resided until 1836, when they came West and located in this county in 1844, where they resided until their death. Robert came to this county in 1840, and located at Michigan City, where he followed coopering some 10 years; then he went to California to try his luck in digging for gold. He made three trips to the gold region, and returned the last time in 1868, and has been engaged in farming. He owns 174 acres on sec. 8. Mr. C. married Mary Gardner in 1846, who was born in 1825 in New York .; 4 of their 6 children are living, to- wit: George, Mary F., Martha A. and William. Mr. C. married again in 1875, Miss Mary Dawson, who was born in 1834. Mr. C. is Master of the Masonie lodge. P. O., Michigan City.
William Forrester was born in 1842 in this county; son of Thomas and Bridget Forrester, natives of Ireland, who came to America about 1835, locating in Illinois, and came to this county in 1839. William was reared upon the farm, which occupation he has followed thus far through life, now owning 115 acres of good farm land on see. 23. Mr. F. was married in December, 1871, to Miss Julia V. Gibbons, who was born in this county in 1851, the daughter of Joseph and Caroline Gibbons. They have had 3 children, 2 of whom are living, Myrtle and Harry. P. O., Michi- gan City.
1
Daniel Low
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Asa Harper, farmer, sec. 14; P. O., Waterford; was born in 1812, in South Carolina ; son of Edward and Charity Harper, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Virginia, who moved from South Carolina to Fayette county, Ind., when Asa was four years old; lived two or three years in Rush county; when he was of age, in 1832, he settled in La Porte, whence he afterward moved to Michigan City, and then, in 1856, upon the present farm. In Michigan City he followed ship building, carpen- tering and cabinet-making for 20 years. In 1843 Mr. Harper mar- ried Margaret Dun, who was born in 1823 in New York, and 7 of their 9 children are living.
D. L. Jackson, farmer and fruit-raiser; P. O., Michigan City; was born in Albany county, N. Y., in 1811; his parents, James and Margaret Jackson, were also natives of New York, and of Irish descent. D. L. learned the cooper's trade, which he has followed some forty years of his life. He first emigrated to this county in 1837, locating near Michigan. City, where he worked at his trade until 1847 or '8, when he bought the farm he now occupies. Here he has been engaged in farming, carrying on coopering until some four years ago, since which time he has given his entire attention to farming and growing small fruit. He has one-half acre of straw- berries that netted him $81 this season (1880). Mr. J. married Miss Annie C. Miller in 1839, born in 1820, in Connecticut, and of their 12 children 6 are living. Mr. J., being an old settler, has seen vast improvements made in this county. Residence, sec. 11.
Calvin G. Jenks, blacksmith, Waterford, was born in 1855 in Michigan, and is a son of Stillman and Sophia Jenks, natives of New York State, who moved to Michigan in 1853. Calvin was reared in his native State, and received a common-school education; he learned the blacksmith trade and worked in Michigan until 1879, when he came to this place, where his business is steadily growing. Although young his prospect bids fair for success, as he is a master workman, and can do any and all kinds of buggy and carriage work.
Leo Kepper was born in Prussia in 1847, son of August and Eliza Kepper; at the age of 19 he enlisted in the Prussian army; becom- ing tired of a soldier's life after three years and 11 months' ser- vice, he left his command without leave and came to America, landing at New York; without making a halt he came to this tp., where he has been farming, with good success, now owning 130 acres of land, on sec. 11. He was married to Miss Eliza Gehrka in 1878, who was born in Hanover in 1845, and they have one child. Mr. and Mrs. Kepper are members of the Lutheran Church at Michigan City; P. O., Waterford.
John Kieffer, farmer, sec. 16; P. O., Michigan City; was born in Germany in 1827, son of Michael and Mary Kieffer, natives of Germany; came to America in 1854 and settled in this county in 1856, where he has succeeded, by hard labor, until he now owns 86 acres of well-improved land. He married Miss Mary Gesper, who was born in Germany in 1832, and they have had 8 children, 4 of
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. K. are members of the Catholic Church.
Gustavus F. Lell was born in Germany March 25, 1848, son of John and Christina Lell, who came to America in 1852, both now deceased. Gustavus learned the tanner's trade under Christian House, at La Porte. Later in life he was an engineer on the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis railroad. Afterward he engaged in the butcher business, and in 1877 he bought his present farm of SO acres, since which he has given his entire attention to farming. He married Miss Sophia Kahn Oet. 23, 1877, a native of Germany, and they have had one child, Frank. Mr. and Mrs. K. are. members of the Christian Church at Bloomington, Ill. Residence, sec. 8; P. O., Michigan City.
Daniel Low was born in Boxford, Essex county, Mass., May 28, 1806, and is the son of Joseph L. and Sally (Wood) Low, natives of the same county, and of English descent. Until 17 years of age he was on his father's farm, and received a common-school educa- tion, but, suffering a sunstroke at 14, he never attended school afterward. He went to learn the tanner and currier's trade in a morocco manufactory at Millbury, Mass., where he remained four years; he then went to work for the same company in their store at Providence, R. I., where they carried on a large wholesale shoe trade, mostly with the South. Mr. L. was in this business seven or eight years, spending a small portion of this time, however, in Boston. In May, 1835, he came West and settled in Michigan City, bringing with him a general stock of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, etc , and carried on a mercantile business and land agency three years. In this time, July 7, 1837, in his native county, he married Miss Mary Barker, who was born July 14, 1806, a daughter of Stephen and Asenath (Pearl) Barker, also of the same county and of English ancestry. In 1842 he rented 160 acres of land on sees. 13 and 18, Cool Spring tp., for five years, with the privilege of buying at the end of this term. He found no improvements upon the place, excepting the enclosure of 15 or 20 acres; this place he bought and has ever since made his home, putting upon it all the improvements which are now there. In 1858 he erected a large two-story brick residence, and he has also a fine barn, ont-buildings, ete. The homestead now consists of 240 acres, and Mr. L. has made quite a specialty of fruit-raising.
During his residence in this county Mr. Low has been extensively engaged in the land business; has bought and sold probably over 10,000 acres; he has also had charge of the settlement of several estates. For 15 years he was one of the three Township Trustees, and since the law was changed, he has been the sole Trustee for 11 years longer,-is now serving his third year since his last elec- tion, -in all making 26 years in this office. The first year of his Trusteeship, only $20 of public money was collected for school purposes; at the settlement in October, 1879, he had on hand a balance of over $1,700 tuition funds, and had expended $840 during
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the preceding six months; in September of the same year the cash receipts for tuition were $3,337.85, and expenses $1,620; such is the contrast in school matters between the present and one-quarter of a century ago. In politics, Mr. Low is a Republican.
Mr. and Mrs. Low have had a family of 3 children, only 2 of whom are living; the oldest, Augustus B., was born April 12, 1838, and died at abont the age of six years; Charles Otis was born March 26, 1840, enlisted at the age of 18 in the 4th Ind. Battery (1861), at the breaking out of the great war, served about two years, was wounded, taken prisoner and confined in Libby prison; he now resides at Holton, Kansas; and Mary E. was born Dec. 11, 1843; married Isaac R. Mndge and resides at home with her parents.
Mr. Low's portrait will be found on page 685 of this volume.
Z. W. Palmer was born in 1824 in Schoharie county, N. Y., son of Ebenezer and Fannie Palmer, father a native of New York, and mother of Massachusetts. He came with his parents in 1835, and located on the present farm. His parents died in 1845 on the home farm. He was married in 1848 to Philena Harding, who was born in 1833 in Ohio, and they have had 3 children. Mrs. P. died in 1863, and he was married in 1865 to Catharine Shreeve, born in 1840, in New York State. Of their 7 children 6 are living. Mr. P. has been School Trustee two terms, has been a Representative in the Democratic Convention twice. He has followed farming and buying and selling grain; he bought on the Board of Trade of Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. P. are members of the Methodist Church at Cool Spring. Residence, sec. 12; P. O., Michigan City.
Eli Smith, Sr., farmer, sec. 23; was born on the Atlantic ocean, in 1828, son of John and Jane Smith, who came across the waters and located themselves in Canada. where Eli grew to manhood; he came to this county in 1840, locating in Michigan City, where he was an engineer some nine years, after which he carried on the cooper- ing business eight years, and being reasonably successful he purchased a farm of 160 acres, where he now resides, for $1,100, the land being under such a low state of cultivation; but by Mr. S.'s husbandry he has increased the yield of wheat from 5 to 25 bushels per acre. Mr. S. has the imported Jersey stock of cattle, and the Clyde stock of horses; indeed he is stocking his farm with the best stock that can be obtained. He was married in 1851 to Miss Malinda Brown, who was born in Canada in 1827, and they have had 9 children. He served one year in Co. D, 138th Ind. Vol., and was among those that captured Gen. Morgan in Ohio; also he has held the office of Justice of the Peace and served two years in the police court. He and wife are members of the Congre- gational Church. P. O., Michigan City.
A. B. Wolfe, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 12; was born in 1817, in Ross county, Ohio, and is the son of George and Hannah Wolf, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio in 1805, where they resided until 1835, when they came to this State, locating in Elkhart county; here the subject of this notice became of age, and lived
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until 1855, when he came to this county, locating first at Beatty's Corners, then on the present farm in 1862, where he has opened a nice farin of 80 acres. He learned the cooper's trade when a young man and followed the business until 15 years ago, since which time he has been devoting his entire time to farming and stock- raising. He married Miss Lucy G. Rowley, in 1847, who was born in Yates county, N. Y., in 1826, and they have had 8 children, 6 of whom are living: Martha A., Walter, George, Frederick and Clarence. Mr. W. is well known and respected by all who know him. P. O., Michigan City.
Louis W. Zahrn was born in the State of New York in 1855, the son of John and Henrietta Zahrn, natives of Germany, who came to America in 1854, and settled in this county in 1856, where Lonis has ever since lived, except four years in Illinois. His edu- cation was that of the common school. He now owns 80 acres of good farm land, on sec. 28. In September, 1877, he married Miss Hattie (Butterfield) Mudge, an adopted daughter of A. Mudge; she was born at Waterford, this tp., in 1859; they have one child, Charley L. P. O., Otis.
DEWEY TOWNSHIP.
Dewey township embraces all of township 33 north, range + west, lying north of the Kankakee river, and part of three sections of town 32, in the same range, being bounded on the north by Cass, on the east by Hanna, on the south by the river, and on the west by Porter county. The first settler in this township was Geo. P. Schimmel, who arrived the early part of 1854. Jacob Schauer came about the same time. These settlers were soon followed by Lewis and Michael Besler; Elias Osborn also ranks as an early set- tler. The Huncheons, Patrick and Richard, came about 1858. They are very prominent land owners and stoek dealers. James Lowgee came about 1859. He is also a farmer and stoek dealer. The first school-house in Dewey was built on Hog island about 1858; a Miss White taught the first school. Patrick Huncheon was the first Township Trustee. Two railroads cross this town- ship. The Louisville, New Albany & Chicago cross it from north to south, and the Great Eastern, or Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis enters the township near the southeastern corner and runs diagonally and passes out not far from the center of the west side. The railroads cross each other on sec. 17 at La Crosse; here is a station, freight depot, telegraph office, boarding house, and post- office. The postoffice was established by Elias Osborn in 1868, who has since filled that office. In 1862 a German Catholic church was erected near the farm of Orville Adams. A large portion of the land in Dewey is owned by non-residents. Among the prominent land speculators in this township, who are non-residents, are: A. Long, S. M. Lockwood, J. C. Latimer. The principal industry of the township is agriculture and stock-raising. Among the leading farmers are Jas. S. Long and Orville Adams, who is also a school- teacher. The Germans form the principal part of the inhabitants, among whom are the Beslers, Rosenbaums, Geo. P. Schimmel, C. W. Rudolph and C. Wagner. A large portion of this township is Kankakee marsh, and not many years since, at every rise of the river, inundated as far north as La Crosse; but hundreds of acres of these lands have been redeemed by drainage, and the land is proving to be exceedingly fertile. The marshes yield thousands of tons of excellent marsh hay, which finds a ready sale. The marshes serve as first-class pasture land, and stock-raising is fast becoming the leading and most profitable industry. The present population has exhibited great enterprise in the work of bringing the land into cultivation, and their reward has been such that the people are fast becoming prosperous.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
Patrick Huncheon was born in Ireland, March 17, 1827. He was brought to this country by his parents, Walter and Mary Huncheon, in 1838. He was reared on a farm in New York. He received a high-school education at Rome, N. Y. In 1846 he went to St. Louis, and attended and graduated at the Commercial Col- lege at that city. He staid there till 1849, then returned to his former home in New York, where he staid till 1850, when he went to Adrian, Mich., and engaged in manufacturing and repairing cars for the Michigan Southern Railroad Company; he continued to work in that shop till the above named railroad was completed to La Porte city (this county), when he went to that city and followed the same trade till 1857. He then went to Bloomington, Ill., where he was for two years foreman in the car shops. In 1859 he came to Dewey tp., and he in connection with his brother have since purchased about 5,000 acres of land. They are the principal land- owners in that tp. He and his brother Richard have an interest in the valuable San Miguel gold mines of Colorado. This discovery was made in the summer of 1878, by a party of prospect- ors from Michigan.
GALENA TOWNSHIP.
This township was formerly a part of Kankakee. It now con- sists of 24 whole and 6 half sections, a tier and a half of the sections of the Congressional townships numbered 38 being in the State of Michigan.
Geo. W. Barnes is supposed to be the oldest settler in Galena. His biography is obscure, as he died about 35 years ago, leaving no descendants. Tradition says that he was a native of Maine, from which State he emigrated to Cleveland, Ohio, and that he was a married man, but never brought his family to his new home. Whether his wife refused to follow him into the depths of the for- est, or they parted on account of domestic infelicity, is not known. Mr. Barnes was a man of uncommon nerve and force of character, possessing traits which made him eminently fit for a pioneer of civilization, and he worked with that untiring energy for which he was always distinguished. He came to Galena in 1833; in the same year came John Talbot, Sylvanus James, Richard Miller, Shubal Smith and Whitman Goit. These men all selected claims and commenced making improvements the same year. James Paddock, Abram Purcell, Josephi Fuller, John Morrow, James Jones, Oliver Porter, Charles Francis, Micajali and Jesse Jones, Daniel Baldwin, Joshua Jordan, Wm. Waldruff, Aurea and Basil Sperry, Sans H. Austin, Byron Cadwallader, John and Ephraim Copper were added to the list of pioneer settlers in 1834. Of these Win. Waldruff was one of the earliest, as it has been stated his widow said that when they came here there were but five white men in the township. In the same year came also John and Ephraim Cooper. Joseph Hen- derson, Joseph Wallace, the Martin family, the Weeds, Mr. Morrill and Ewin Jordan, brother of Joshua, were early settlers.
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