USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana > Part 80
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In 1831 Mr. Bailey married Hannah Sophronia Peck, daughter of Jason Peck, of New York, and their children are: Nancy, born Oct. 25, 1831; Oliver B., Oct. 5, 1833; Martin H., Sept. 23, 1835, died March 4, 1853; Lydia R., born Jan. 6, 1838, died Oct. S, fol- lowing; and Thisba A., born April 14, 1842, died Dec. 28 following. Mrs. Bailey died in 1842, and in 1844 Mr. B. married Elizabeth Roberts, of La Porte, who was born in North Carolina about 1822, daughter of Wm. Roberts, and their children are: Ziba, born Aug. 14, 1847, died Jan. 2, 1848; Lydia A., born June 5, 1849; George W., Dec. 25, 1852; James M., Jan. 1, 1854; Harriet A., Dec. 28, 1856; Eliza E., March 4, 1858; Ziba, Feb. 20, 1860; and Susan, April 1, 1862.
Mr. Bailey was formerly a Whig, and is a Republican. During the dark days of the Rebellion he took a strong stand on the side of the Union; was a member of the Union League, an organization for the support. of the war and protection of the Union men and prop- erty at home. At one time this order received notice of a large quantity of fire arms for use by the Knights of the Golden Circle, and kindred societies. At a meeting in La Porte they took measures to capture these arms, but the treacherous disclosure of a spy led to their removal to another place in the safe keeping of the Knights. Mr. B. was almost the only Union man in his neighborhood, and he had no sympathy whatever with the doctrines of secession so rife all around him. It required heroism to take the stand which he did during those trying times. He is now a Justice of the Peace, and has been for 12 years; was also Township Trustee in 1865. He has been a member of the Baptist Church 46 years, and his wife 29 years.
Where Mr. Bailey lived in New York State the citizens were men of their word, and paid their debts without having to give notes of hand; but on coming West he found the plan would not
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
work. He lost money by trusting people without taking a cast-iron note, with security, which plan he adopted. Mr. Bailey's portrait is given on page 827 of this volume.
Christ Bielefelt, son of Frederick and Fredrica Bielefelt, was born in Germany in 1827, and came to America in 1857, first set -. tling in La Porte, where he remained about two years and then came to Pleasant tp. He owns here 80 acres of good land, worth about $75 per acre. He was married in 1853 to Sophia Lempke, who is now 54 years of age and a native of Germany; she is the mother of 7 children, 5 living: Minnie, Sophia, Louisa, Ella and Christ. His educational advantages were very good. He is a Democrat and a hard-working farmer, who has earned all he has by industry and careful management. He and his wife are members of the German Lutheran Church.
George Bosserman, one of the old settlers and prominent farmers of Pleasant tp., was born in Perry county, Penn., in 1815, and is of German-English descent. His parents, Philip and Beulah (Wil- liams) Bosserman, both now deceased, were natives of Pennsylvania. Coming to Indiana in 1836, he first located in this tp .; he is now on sec. 10.9. In 1838 he was united by matrimonial ties to Miss Frances Toney, who died March 18, 1842; she was a native of Ohio, and the mother of 2 children, of which only one, Caroline, is now living; John W. is dead. Mr. B. was married the second time in 1843 to Minerva Walker; she is now living, 63 years of age, the mother of 10 children, of whom 7 are living: Oliver, Clarinda, Simeon, Harriet, Nettie, William and Ora; Jerome, Mary and Charles are dead. His wife is a native of Kentucky. Mr. B. has been Township Trustee; was a member of the Union League during the war; his facilties for acquiring a good education were rather inferior to those of the present day; had to attend subscription schools in log houses, there being no public schools when he was young. Politically, he is a Republican. He owns in this tp. 300 acres of good land, some little of which is timber and marsh, is well improved, and worth about $60 per acre. When he com- menced in life he had very little means, but has succeeded remarkably well in making accumulations; he is now a wealthy and highly respectable citizen of his community.
W. W. Burhans was born in New York in 1833; his parents were William and Jane (Depew) Burhans; came to Indiana in 1837, and located with his father in Kankakee tp., where his parents both died. He came to Pleasant tp. 24 years ago, and is now on see. 3; P. O. address, La Porte. He owns here 88 acres of land; also 123 acres of timber in the same tp. In 1855 he was married to Mary Canaday, now 45 years old and the mother of one child, Albert C. Mr. B. was elected Justice of the Peace, but did not qualify. He and wife are members of the M. E. Church, and he is a Republican.
David E. Coplin, a farmer on sec. 3, P. O., La Porte, is the son of Isaac B. and Lavina (Evans) Coplin, and was born in La Porte county in 1838; he is of Dutch descent. His father is a native of
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Virginia; is now living in Nebraska, and is 65 years old; his mother, who was a native of Pennsylvania, died in La Porte in 1874. Mr. C. has been a resident of this county all his life, except about three years, during which time he was in Iowa. He was married July 4, 1858, to Miss Martha Ocker, who is a native of Ohio, born in 1841, and is of Dutch descent; she is the daughter of Stephen and Rachel (Jones) Ocker. From this marriage she is the mother of 6 children, of whom all are living: Ellen, Anna, Alma, William, Josie and Johnny; the last two are twins. Ellen is the wife of John Shopp, a farmer in Kankakee tp .; Alma is the wife of John Dennie, a farmer of Union tp. Mr. C. owns 157 acres of well- improved land, which he values at abont $50 per acre. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church; politically, he is a Re- publican. His education was somewhat neglected when young, attending common schools only three months ont of the year; how- ever, he reads a good deal now. Mr. C. is an industrious farmer, and has earned all he has by " the sweat of his brow," having had no start in life. He also condnets a butcher shop in La Porte.
Nathan N. Crane, a farmer on sec. 23; P. O., Stillwell; was born in La Porte county, Ind., in 1853, and is of Dutch descent. IIis father and mother are both living in Centre tp. In 1875 he was united in marriage to Miss Cecelia R. Philips, who is now 27 years old and a native of Indiana. She is the mother of the 3 following children, all living: Bertha G., Jesse and an infant unnamed. He is now living on his father's farm, consisting of 285 acres. Politi- cally, Mr. C. is a Republican. His advantages for securing an edu- cation were inferior to those of to-day, but he reads a great deal when he has time, and is a hard-working man.
James O. Crowl was born in Pleasant tp., La Porte county, Ind., in 1846, and is of German descent on his father's side and Irish on his mother's side. His father, Benjamin, died in 1866; his mother, Martha (Finley) Crowl, is now 54 years old and a resident of Union tp. In 1872 Mr. C. was united in marriage to Miss Margaret J. Kissell, a native of Pennsylvania, who is now 26 years old and the mother of one child, Bertha E. He owns here 80 acres of land, worth about $45 per acre. He is a Republican; has been a farmer all his life, and has been going with a threshing machine for a number of years. He is now Justice of the Peace of Pleasant tp. His education was limited, but he reads considerably when he has time. He is a hard-working, industrious man.
Fred Dietrich, son of Joseph and Mary Dietrich, is a native of Germany, coming to America about 13 years ago; he first settled in this county, of which he has been a resident ever since; has been on the place on which he now lives for five years. In 1873 he was united in marriage to Riecke Dust, who is now 28 years old and the mother of + children, of whom 3 are living: Charles, Albert and Rose. Politically, he is a Democrat. He and his wife are both members of the German Lutheran Church.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
". William Forrey, a miller on sec. 1; P. O. address, La Porte; was born in Pennsylvania in 1830, and is of Scotch descent. His par- ents were Frederick and Elizabeth (Cooper) Forrey; his mother, a native of Scotland, is still living in Ohio; his father, a native of Pennsylvania, died there some years ago. Coming to this county in 1858, he first settled in Union tp., where he remained about ten years, and then came to this tp. He was married in 1852 to Sarah Lehman, who is now 53 years old and the mother of 3 children: John, Morris and Sarah E. Politically, Mr. F. is a Republican. His education was rather limited, but he reads a great deal. He is now proprietor and conductor of the flouring mill on the little Kankakee river, and is doing a good merchant and custom business.
Frederick Geer, farmer, sec. 31; P. O., Kingsbury; was born in Crawford county, Penn., Aug. 26, 1819. His parents were Joseph and Sarah Geer. He was reared on a farm and educated in a con- mon school. He came to this county in 1837 and first settled in Union tp., and afterward in Pleasant, where he has since resided, engaged in farming and stock-raising. Aug. 20, 1843, he was married to Miss Mary Bartlett, by whom he had 12 children; 9 of these are living, viz .: Mary M. (now Mrs. Hawkins), Nathan J., Martha L. (now Mrs. Boardman), Hannah D. (now Mrs. Pendleton), Judith A. (now Mrs. Woolworth), Sarah F. (now Mrs. Beers), Rosetta N., Alfred L. and Fred. R. Mr. G. owns a farm of 220 acres on sec. 19.
James M. Hannum, Jr., son of James and Louisa (Bartlett) Hannum, both of whom are living in Scipio tp., was born in La Porte in 1848, and is of English-Irish descent. Coming to this tp. 12 years ago, he has been a resident of it the greater part of the time ever since; he is now on sec. 19; P. O., La Porte. In 1877 he was married to Phebe Parker, who is a native of New Jersey and is now 34 years of age; she is the daughter of Willis and Phebe Willits. Mr. H. owns in Union tp. SO acres of good land, which he valnes at $70 per acre; he is now farming in Pleasant tp., on his mother's place, consisting of 236 acres. He and wife are both members of the Society of Friends. He is a Republican. His early education was somewhat neglected, but reads a good deal now.
Frank Mill, son of George and Elizabeth (Line) Mill, was born in Pennsylvania in 1847, and is of German descent. His father, also a native of Pennsylvania, is now living in Noble tp .; his mother, likewise a native of the same State, is also living. Mr. M. owns here 82 acres of land, which he estimates at about $40 per acre. He was married to Nellie Gates, who is a native of Canada, and of English descent; she is now 33 years old and the mother of 2 children ; only one living, namely, Ethel; Carlton died when quite young. Politically, Mr. M. is a Republican. His educational advantages were fair; reads a great deal, and has always been industrious.
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Oscar J. Parkell, son of David R. and Hannah (Frayer) Parkell, both of whom are now living in Jefferson, O., was born in New York in 1840, and is of Dutch descent; his father is now 67 and his mother 64 years old; both are natives of New York. Coming to La Porte county in 1871, he first settled in Pleasant tp., where he bought 130 acres of land, worth about $50 per acre, on which he now lives; he has a neat little frame house which he built last spring at a cost of about $1,000. In 1867 he was married to Ellen Brand, who is now 34 years old and a native also of New York; she is the daughter of Morrell and Sarah Brand, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. P. has been Supervisor and has held the office of Assessor in this tp. for two terms. His educational advantages were fair; reads a great deal, and has earned all he has by hard work and careful management. Both of his grandfathers were in the war of 1812, and lived to be over 90 years old. Politi- cally he is a Republican, but is independent in home political affairs. Mr. P.'s military record is quite interesting: April, 1861, he enlisted in the army for three months, in the 19th Ohio Regi- ment, under Capt. Crane; he afterward re-enlisted in the three years' service in August, 1862, in the 29th Ohio Infantry, under Capt. E. J. Hubbert. He participated in the battles of the Wil- derness, at Chancelorsville, Gettysburg, Rich Mountain, etc., and at New Hope, Ga., where he was wounded through the right hip; he was then discharged on a two-thirds pension and came home March 2, 1864.
John A. Reeve, son of Isaac and Anna F. (Arnold) Reeve, was born in New York in 1832. He came to Indiana in 1838 and first settled in Kankakee tp .; from there he went to La Porte, where he remained one year, his father being proprietor of a hotel; thence to this tp., where he has resided since April 12, 1839. His father died Dec. 23, 1863, and his mother Feb. 18, 1879; both were natives of New York. Mr. R. owns 120 acres of good land, which he values at about $65 per acre. His educational advantages were somewhat limited; first attended school at La Porte; has been a farmer all his life; has two brothers and one sister. Politically, he is a Democrat.
Helen M. Stewart was born in Indiana in 1838; her parents, both of whom are now deceased, were Daniel and Eliza (Ensign) Stewart. Miss Stewart, who is still unmarried, has been in this place all her life; she owns here 80 acres of good farming land, which she values at about $60 per acre. She has 2 sisters and one brother living. Her educational advantages were not very good when young, but she reads a good deal now. Miss S. is living upon her farm on sec. 4, and her P. O. address is La Porte.
William Tobin was born in Ireland in 1828; came to America in 1849, and first settled in New York, where he resided about 17 years, and then came to this tp. He has been on the place on which he now lives, sec. 22, for eight years. He was married in 1867 to Miss Nora Loughlin, who is now 29 years old, a native of New
.
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York, and the mother of 6 children, all living: Mary, Emmac Katie, Nellie, Anna and Nora. Mr. T. owns here 167 acres of excellent farming land, which he valnes at about $70 per acre. He was inspector of election and Constable in New York. He and wife are members of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. T. is an industrious man who had no start in life either financially or by way of an education.
John Whitmer, son of Abraham and Catharine (Bowman) Whit- mer, was born in Indiana in 1832, and is of Dutch descent; his father, who is now dead, was born in Pennsylvania; his mother, now living in St. Joseph county, Ind., is a native of Ohio. Mr. W. came to La Porte county in 1861 and settled in Kankakee tp., where he remained one year and then went to Centre tp .; after living there three years, he went to Pleasant tp. ; he is now on sec. 3, and has been on that place since 1865. He owns here 1472 acres of good land, worth about $60 per acre. He was married in 1860 to Miss Lydia Knott, who is now 44 years of age; she is the mother of 4 children, all of whom are living: Margaret E., Osborn A., Cozzie and Clarence. She is a native of Ohio. Her parents' names were David and Margaret (Broiley) Knott, both now deceased. Mr. W. is the third in a family of 11 children, 10 of whom are living. His education was somewhat limited, but he is now a man who reads a good deal. He is Township Trustee, elected by the Republican party.
John D. Wilson, a farmer, on sec. 24; P. O. address, Stillwell; was born in England in 1826. His parents, Peter and Sarah Wil- son, were also natives of England. Coming to Indiana in 1838, he first settled in Pleasant tp., where he has been ever since. In 1852 he was united in marriage to Jane Nation, who is now 54 years old and the mother of 4 children, all living: Alice D., Sarah O., Thos. L. and Hattie G. Mr. W. owns here 442 acres of land, of which about 200 are marsh; he rents a great deal of his land and does not farm very extensively. He is a Democrat. Mr. W. is a self-made man who has a limited education, and had very little when he com- menced in life; now he is one of the wealthy, respectable farmers of his community.
C. E. Young, M. D., a practicing physician at Stillwell, was born in Ohio in 1842, and is of Dutch descent; his parents, now dead, were Ira and Sophia (Crippen) Young; his father was a native of Pennsylvania, and mother of Maryland. Coming to Indiana in 1852, he first settled near Valparaiso, where he remained about eight years, as a farmer; he then went to Pennsylvania and remained nine years, after having first been in the army five years; he was 1st Lieutenant; has been in this tp. two years, and now is at Stillwell, a practicing physician. He was married in 1872 to Laura Seslar, now 29 years old and the mother of 5 children: Elizabeth, George, Eva, Addie and one unnamed. In 1875 he graduated at Jefferson (Philadelphia) Medical College, and has a good practice now.
1
SCIPIO TOWNSHIP.
Scipio township, like Kankakee, was one of the three original townships of which the county of La Porte consisted at its organi- zation; and its limits were range 3 the entire length of the county from north to south. Its present limits are, Congressional township 36 north, range 3 west. The rest of its original territory is embraced in Centre and Michigan on the north, Noble and Hanna, and a small part of Union, on the south.
The first settlers in the township were Adam Keith and family, and Lewis Shirley and his mother, who arrived July 6, 1829. The Keith family were originally from Pennsylvania, but this little colony came from Ohio to this county. In the following October the first white child was born in the township, namely, Keith Shirley. He was the third child born in the county. In the year 1830 a man named Welsh, and his son, a youth of 18 or 19 years, settled where Door Village now stands. They erected a cabin, purchased some liquors, and opened a trade with the Indians, doing a paying business. At first the liquor was of such quality to please Mr. Indian. It made " Big Injun heap drunk quick." By and by the elder Welsh became dissatisfied with his profits, and desiring to amass a fortune in the shortest possible length of time, began to dilute the "fire-water " from a spring. Though as a general thing not very fastidious about their edibles, this action upon the part of Mr. Welsh in relation to their favorite beverage excited their indignation. At last a party of young braves visited the cabin, rolled out the barrels, knocked the heads out with their tomahawks, and spilled the precious fluid on the ground. The old gentleman Weish and his son then left and went to Chicago.
May 13, 1830, the first death in the township occurred, which was that of Elizabeth Keith, wife of Adam Keith. Among the settlers who located in this township in 1830 were Joseph Osburn, Daniel Jessup, and John Broadhead. Arba Heald, John Garwood, Hugh McGivins and Stephen Adams camein 1831. Elijah Brown and Deacon Brayton also made a settlement about the same time. In 1832 came Lewis Keith, Peter White, Thomas Sale, Joseph Orr and a Mr. Melville. In 1833 Levi and Elmore Pattee made settlement; and in 1834 N. W. Closser, Isaac S. Evans, Alva Mason, Mr. Irwin and Mr. McCrary.
During the latter part of 1831 a party of Sac Indians passed through the township on their way to Detroit. A small party who were in advance of the main body stole three horses from Arba Heald. He followed them on foot a few miles, but gave it up as a fruitless undertaking, and returned. When the main body came
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
up a day or two after, they were stopped, and the larceny reported to the chiefs, who held a council and agreed to pay Mr. Heald for his horses. They accordingly gave him an order on Col. Davenport, Indian agent at Rock Island, Illinois, for the value of the horses. Mr. Heald afterward went to get his money, but instead of paying it the Indians returned his horses to him. He remained at Rock Island that night, and the cruel savages stole his best horse again, for which he never received any pay. The two remaining horses had been severely dealt with in hunting buffalo. Their ears were split and their tails were cut off.
Early in 1832 there were but two honses in Door Village; one was occupied by Arba Heald, and the other was the vacated cabin formerly occupied by the Welshes and abandoned by them after the exploit of Indian crusaders, which was the first temperance movement in the township. The McClures occupied this cabin while erecting houses on their land one mile north of the village.
THE INDIAN SCARE
then commenced. The Sac Indians were never friendly toward the American people or Government. As far back as the war of 1812 they took up arms against the United States, favoring the British, in recompense for which they were receiving an annuity from the British Government in Canada. Their place of crossing was at Detroit, and their trail passed through New Durham township and Scipio, at Door Village. Their intercourse with the Canadians year after year had anything but a quieting effect upon their ancient animosity against our people.
In May, 1832, Mr. Owen, the Indian Agent at Fort Dearborn (Chicago), sent word to Mr. Heald that the Indians had commenced hostilities on Hickory creek, near that place, and advised the set- tlers to prepare to repel any invasion that they might make upon the little colony on Door Prairie. Hostilities had commenced in other parts of Illinois, on Rock river, and near Dixon. The alarm proved, as was almost always the case in those days, to have been greatly exaggerated. The hostile acts were upon Indian creek, and a family by the name of Hall were murdered, except two girls, who were carried away captives. Heald sent word over the prairie, and a large number assembled at Door Village. They hurried in dur- ing the night, and in the morning a meeting was called in order to organize their little band and take some prompt action to defend themselves against the hostile red-skins, when, from a mistaken idea of the cause of the confusion, many of their number took fright, and a general stampede followed, and about half of the com- pany started their teams eastward, some not stopping except for rest and their meals, until they reached Cincinnati. Many did not return until the next year. Forty-two men remained and erected works for their defense. These consisted of a ditch. earth-works and a palisade, 125 feet square. Upon two of the angles there were
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block houses, which commanded the sides. This " fort," as it was called, was built under the direction of Peter White, who had acquired some knowledge previously in the erection of such works. It was completed in three days from the time ofits commencement, when its occupants felt comparatively safe. It was located about a half a mile east of Door Village, on the land of Lewis Shirley, near the road, and its site is plainly discernible to this day.
Amid all the turmoil and confusion, there was one woman who preserved her courage and assumed a defiant air, which gained for her the reputation of a heroine. It was Mrs. Arba Heald. With two rifles, two axes, and two pitchforks, she barricaded herself in the cabin on her husband's farm, and neither threats nor persuasion could induce her to go into the fort. She declared she would kill six Indians before they took possession of her home. She would have doubtless fought them alone if they had disturbed her.
Soon after the erection of the fort a block-house was built very near where Albert S. Hall now resides, on section 13, southeast of Round Grove. This was built under the direction of Judge Lemon. On the second night after the fort was commenced, it was decided to send out a scouting party. Three men were selected, but Chris- topher MeClure was the only man who performed theduty, if duty it might be called; for after hiding his gun behind a tree, and pro- ceeding in the direction of New Durham, he returned after a time with a sensational report, simply to raise an excitement within the fortification, in which he was very successful. General Joseph Orr, who had purchased lands in Scipio township in 1831, and in May, 1832, had come to take charge of and improve them, was called to the front. He had been commissioned a Brigadier-General in 1827 by Gov. Ray, and being present at the erection of the fort, and when the stampede took place, wrote the Governor, giving him an account of what had happened, and then went to Chicago to ascer- tain if possible, whether any real danger threatened the inhabitants of this vicinity. He there held an interview with Major Whistler, officer in command at Fort Dearborn. After conference with that gentleman, he made certain recommendations and forwarded them to the Governor of this State, who then ordered him to raise a com- pany of mounted rangers to operate along this frontier, to which call the General and the patriotic settlers promptly responded. He raised a company of SS men, including officers, and reported by letter, first to the commandant at Fort Dearborn, or the Indian agent at Chicago, from Kankakee, under date of July 7, 1832, and afterward from Hickory creek, July 10, to General Winfield Scott. The officers of this company were: Joseph Orr, Commandant; Elia- kim Ashton, 1st Lieutenant; Jesse Davidson, 2d Lieutenant, and Henry Slahens, 3d Lieutenant. The general and his small company traversed the country in different directions, but they found no trace of the enemy, who had retreated beyond the Mississippi river, and about August 10, 1832, this little company of Indiana Rangers was disbanded.
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