USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Indiana > Part 84
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"To effeet the removal of the county-seat from St. Joseph to South Bend, a donation of lots was made to the county by the proprietors of the latter place, to enable it to build county build- ings, but there was a reservation of ten per cent. of the proceeds arising from the sale of the lots to be appropriated for a county library. This fund with some other was collected together, and Mr. Chapin appointed to select and purchase the books. He ac- cepted the trust and faithfully executed it, and acted as librarian for many years without compensation. Many of those old books are now in the McClure Library. I had never seen a historieal book before, except Weem's Life of Washington, and Horry's Life of Gen. Marion. Rollins, Gibbon, Plutarch, Josephus, and such works opened a new world to me. Though Rollins, Plutarch and Josephus may be full of fabulous stories, still I think they are cap- ital good books for boys to read as well as men. After Mr. Chapin quit the mercantile business he was for a short time engaged in warehousing and buying produce. When the branch of the first State Bank was established here he was made its cashier, and con- tinned in that office until its charter expired. He was a peculiar and remarkable character, very intelligent and thoughtful, always trying to live a strictly Christian life; yet his temper was so quick, and when excited so stubborn and self-willed, that one might as
Firmothy E. Howard.
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well attempt to reason with a statne as with him under such cir- cumstances; but when undisturbed by conflict he was remarkably polite, kind and accommodating. He died a few years ago enjoy- ing the confidence and esteem of all who knew him.
" It was in this year that John D. Defrees and Dr. Jacob Hard- man came and settled among ns. The doctor soon commenced the practice of his profession. The country was remarkably healthy for the first few years, but as the Doctor was the only physician within a range of thirty or forty miles he found enough to do. He is still living and looking abont as young and frisky as ever, always ready to enjoy a good dinner, and takes a lively interest in the remi- niscences of the past.
" In the fall of 1831 John D. Defrees and his brother Joseph established the first weekly newspaper published in Northern In- diana, called the Northwestern Pioneer. I think it was before any paper was published in Chicago or anywhere in Sonthwestern Michi- gan. They were practical printers, did their own type-setting and wrote their own editorials. The paper was regarded as ably conducted and popular with the people, yet it was a premature venture. There were not people or business enough to support it. After a struggle of a year or so its publication was suspended, and we were without a newspaper until 1836, when the Free Press was started by William Milligan, from which the Register is a lineal descend- ant.
" After the suspension of the paper, John D. Defrees studied law, and in connection Thomas D. Baird got into quite a lucrative practice. But his strong inclination to mix in politics drew him from the Bar to the State Senate. After the expiration of his term he became editor of the Indiana Journal, and a noted politician throughout the State. Under the administration of President Lin- coln he was elected Government printer at Washington. After fill- ing that office with great credit to himself and advantage to the public service, he retired to private life.
" When it was found that the paper would not pay, Joseph H. Defrees struck out for Goshen, where the county seat of that county had just been located. Abont all his worldly estate was then invested in a printing press and a small quantity of type,-not a very flattering investment to raise money on, but ' Joe ' had a cap- ital within himself which he did not then comprehend, but Col. Taylor did. The Colonel proposed to furnish him with a small stock of goods to start as a merchant in the new town. He took them withont being able to pay a cent down, or to secure any part of it. With this small beginning, he soon became the leading mer- chant in that county, and has ever since been regarded as one of its best and most respectable business men. He has represented his county in both branches of the State Legislature, and his dis- trict in Congress, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his con- stituency. He is still living, enjoying a well-spent life, and surrounded by a prospering and highly respectable family.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
" The late Judge Elisha Egbert was another old settler of 1831, and was the first practicing lawyer who located in South Bend.
" James P. and Daniel Antrim were among the settlers in the fall of 1831. They started the next dry-goods store after Mr. Chapin. James P. Antrim was the first Probate Judge of the county. He was commissioned in January, 1833, and held the office until it was conferred upon Judge Egbert in 1834. He was con- sidered a sensible, straightforward man. He was Justice of the Peace for several years afterward. To show how careful and faith- ful he was as a public officer, and as a lesson to justices of the peace at this day, I will mention that whenever a witness fee was paid in, he notified the witness of the fact or paid him the money as soon as he saw him. If it was not more than a quarter of a dollar he was sure to get it. It was not done for display, but it was his way of doing business. He moved away from here a great many years ago, and settled in Hamilton county, in this State, and was still living a few years ago. Daniel Antrim was quite a busi- ness man. He laid out the town of North Liberty, and built a saw- mill and grist-mill there, and by his energy gave his new town a brisk start in the world, but the hard times of 1838 struck him, spread out all his new enterprises, and before he could gather him- self up he fell into the bankrupt stream, and soon floated off and out of sight, in company with other wrecks.
"John S. McClelland settled here in the latter part of 1831. He shortly afterward opened a store. He was a quiet kind of a man; did not talk much, but was enterprising and regarded as a man of good practical sense. At one time he was part owner and princi- pal manager of what was called the new furnace at Mishawaka. In 1838, in connection with John Brownfield, he undertook to build glass works in South Bend. The buildings were erected out in the woods, about thirty or forty rods from where St. Patrick's church now stands. After the buildings were all ready for occupancy, the man who was to be their manufacturer of glass whimsically left them. The hard times and Mr. McClelland's death, soon afterward, put an end to the enterprise. It was said then, and I have no doubt it is true, that we have an abundance of the best quality of sand for making glass.
"The late Captain Anthony Defrees was also a settler of 1831. At that time there was quite a considerable stream of water start- ing out of the side of the bluff, a few rods up the river above the stand-pipe, and springs came out of the bank all along the bluff at about the same elevation to where the bluff runs into the river below. It was one continual spirt of water, in all forming a con- stant and quite considerable stream at the foot of the bluff. The Captain concluded there was water enough, under a head of 16 or 18 feet, to run a woolen factory, if it could be collected together in a race on the side-hill below, where the water issued from the bluff. He went to work at it in the spring of 1832, and cut his race and
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soon had the water flowing through a flume at the expected eleva- tion, but he soon discovered his race was filling up with sand. It was found impossible to keep the quick-sand back, and he was compelled to abandon the work at considerable loss. No one thought at that time of tackling the river and building a dam across it; so when the Captain's hydraulic project failed, the pros- pects of South Bend as a manufacturing center went down below zero.
The 22d of February, 1832, being Washington's centennial birth-day, the South-Benders held a meeting at the log school- house, and were gratified with a very fine address for the occasion from Captain Defrees. In the fall of that year he moved out on his farm near town, where he lived for many years as an industrious and successful farmer. Occasionally he amused himself writing for the newspapers. He was an intelligent and thinking man, positive and decided in his character, never catering to any set of men or party, or in any way seeking popular applause. If anybody wanted his opinion they could have it, and if they did not like it they could let it alone and no harm done. He worried the storms of life until after he was 80 years old, and then was gathered to his fathers, bearing with him the esteem of all his acquaintances.
" Peter Johnson was another permanent settler of 1831. As I have before stated, he built and owned the first keel-boat used on the St. Joseph river for general freighting, and also one of the earliest in the hotel business, which he continued for many years, and while engaged in this business he kept his boat running on the river and acted as one of the Justices of the Peace of the township, and during the same time was engaged as a carpenter, building the best houses that were being then built in the town. He built and owned the first steam saw-mill that was ever put up in the county. He was the architect who erected the old court-house, the walls of which were put up in 1832. He served one term of seven years as an Associate Judge of the Circuit Court. He was a good neighbor, a kind-hearted and peaceable man. After arriving at the age of nearly 80 years he departed this life, without leaving an enemy behind him.
" Samuel Studebaker onght not to be forgotten. He was no relation to the present family that I know of, but he had a good deal of their enterprise in him. He came here prior to 1831, and the first I knew of him he was residing on a farm now occupied by Mr. Wenger. He built one of the first saw-mills in the county. It was situated at the mouth of Bowman's creek, on the St. Joseph river. I think John Wedner got his mill at the mouth of Ullery creek before Studebaker. Along in 1835 or 1836 he got up a two- and-a-half story mill-house about a mile this side of Mishawaka, on the river bank, intending it for a grist-mill. He expected to get his power from the collection of the waters of the big marsh baek of Mishawaka into a race carrying it to his mill, but he died before he got anything more done to it, and the mill-house was allowed to rot down. He was among the first to build in South Bend. He
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
put up a house on the northwest corner of Michigan and Jefferson streets, before the county-seat was located here. He was a hard- working, plain and sensible man, and a very worthy citizen.
"John Massey settled here in the fall of 1831. He, in company with his brother-in-law, Samuel Eaton, started the first regular blacksmith shop. They were both industrious men and got plenty to do at good prices. The shop was on St. Joseph street, near Cha- pin's store. In a few years, by hard work, they acquired consider- able property. Mr. Massey was afterward Tax Collector for the county, a duty which is now discharged by the County Treasurer. He was a quiet man, a good citizen, and above the average in busi- ness capacity.
" Nehemiah B. Griffith established the first licensed ferry across the St. Joseph river at this point. It was in 1831. He was a retired Methodist preacher, a man of a good deal of ability, and could preach a good sermon. Some people thought he was a little too sharp a business man for a good Methodist preacher.
" Simeon Mason was the first tanner. He built a tan-yard here as early as the spring of 1831, and I do not know but he commenced it in the fall of 1830. The water-works building is where his tan- nery stood. But tanning at that early day and in this county seemed to be an impossible business; at least he could not make it go very well. He quit the business and left a great many years ago.
"Edmond P. Taylor is one of our oldest residents. He came here prior to 1830, and assisted his brother, L. M. Taylor, in the management of his Indian store. After L. M. Taylor went out of the dry-goods business, Pitts continued the same on his own account for several years at the old stand. He then wound up the business and commenced packing pork. He was the pioneer pork-packer, and devoted himself exclusively to that business for several years; then he went down on the race in the lumber business.
"Christian Wolf was the first hatter. He commenced business in the spring of 1831. His shop was a log cabin on Michigan street, about where John Klingel's store now stands. He was a good- hearted but very peculiar kind of a man. Old Judge Wade used to say to him that he had seen many a wolf, but that was the first Christian Wolf he ever saw. We generally called him "Governor," after the then Gov. Wolf, of Pennsylvania. He was a most obsti- nate Democrat. The Washington Globe, then the leading Demo- cratic paper in the United States, was his political bible. The National Intelligencer occupied about the same position in the Whig party. The two papers were of the same size and form, with very much the same typographical appearance. For the purpose of testing the Governor's political candor, the heads of the two papers were cut off and that of the Globe nicely put upon the Intel- ligencer and handed ont of the postoffice to the Governor as his paper. He sat down and commenced to read it. A triad of friends were casting furtive glances at him without his knowing it. He read along a little while and would then look up to the head of the
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paper and assure himself that it was the Globe, and read again, but still look more confused and mystified than ever; then look up again at the head of the paper, and say to himself: 'Yes, it is the Globe; can it be that it, too, has turned traitor?' About that time there was a general explosion all around. The Governor rolled up the whites of his eyes, casting a glance around upon his spectators, and drawing his mouth up into a kind of doggish grin, squeaked out:' ' You think you are smart, don't you?' The Governor went to California many years ago, and was a few years since residing near Sacramento, in comfortable circumstances.
"Samuel Martin was another one of the earliest settlers. In 1831 he laid off the first addition to South Bend, known as Mar- tin's addition. He served as a Justice of the Peace for several years, and all the time that he lived here he was regarded by everybody as one of the best of men. He died some years since in California.
" William Stanfield was one of the settlers of 1831. He built himself a log cabin on Michigan street, on the lot now occupied by the Masonic Temple; also a log shop where he did general jobbing work, such as repairing wagons, stocking plows, and what . other work he could do to make a living. He was a kind-hearted man, liberal to a fanlt. His house was the home of all the itinerant Methodist preachers in the country, and everybody was welcome to his table whether there was much on it or not. He moved to California in 1851 and died there. I think if there are any two men in Heaven from that State it is he and Samuel Martin.
"I have been under the impression that Tyra W. Bray came here in 1832, but I am now satisfied it was in the year 1831. He was a native of North Carolina, and about as poor when he arrived here as a healthy, vigorous young man could be, with a wife and one child. He was stirring, energetic and public-spirited, and soon became well known throughout the county-always ready to take hold of and help every public enterprise without regard to any particular profit to himself. He was emphatically what people call "a whole-souled, generous man.' His generous and benevo- lent disposition frequently led him into embarrassing engagements from which he otten suffered pecuniary loss, but he was not the man to whine over it or complain about it, or to make it an excuse for abstaining from other enterprises looking to the public welfare. It would cure almost any croaker or grumbler to be in the company of Tyra W. Bray for one day. He was our first County Surveyor and held the office until 1837, when he was elected County Clerk over as good and well-known a man as Col. L. M. Taylor. In 1843 he was re-elected to the same office. In the fall of that year he and his wife started on a journey to North Carolina to make a visit to their friends-expecting to be absent three months- traveling all the way there and back in a two-horse carriage. Who
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
would think of taking such a trip now, for such a purpose? Rail- roads were then unknown in any of the country through which he had to travel. What a wonderful change in the facilities of travel has taken place since that time! He started off in the prime of life, healthy, hopeful and expecting a warm greeting from the friends of his youth; but on the third or fourth day of his journey he was seized with a violent attack of erysipelas, which ended his life in three or four days. He now lies buried at the little town of Burlington, on the Michigan road twenty miles south of Logans- port ..
" I find that I have made the same mistake in the date of the settlement of Robert Wade. He settled here in the year 1831 instead of the year 1832. I believe he was a native of Kentucky, but emigrated here from Wayne county, in this State, where he had for some years been a prominent citizen, holding the office of either Probate Judge or Associate Judge of the Circuit Court, and was therefore generally known as Judge Wade.
" It was understood when he came he had considerable money. The word " considerable" may be definitely understood by stating that we in those days considered one worth three or four thousand dollars and out of debt a rich man. At any rate he was regarded . as a valuable acquisition to the people of the town. He soon began to buy lots and build houses. One amongst the first fraine houses built in the town was put up by him on what is now known as the Odd Fellows' corner. He also put a row of one-story log houses on Michigan street along where Hanon's stores are now situated, which were used for a variety of shops. He built several other buildings in different parts of the town; and at one time, perhaps, owned as many houses and lots as any other man in the place; but while under the influence of an unfortunate habit a good deal of his property slipped away from him. He was a warm-hearted, generous man, kind and indulgent to every one, and universally recognized as an honest man. At an early period of the California excitement he emigrated to that country and I think he died there in 1852.
"Capt. Lot Day settled in this county in the fall of 1831 or spring of 1832. He also emigrated to this county from the south- ern part of this State, 'in yander on Whitewater.' His worldly possessions consisted principally in a large family of robust, healthy children, about equally divided as to gender. At first he engaged in farming. After a year or two he moved into town and went to brick-making and contracting for such job work as he could get to do. He was a man of more than an ordinary share of good com- mon sense, public-spirited and patriotic. The Whigs of that day thought him a little slippery in politics, but in every other relation he was always regarded as an honest and upright man, a kind and good neighbor, ever ready at any moment to respond to the call of charity. By his kindness and shrewdness he soon gained popular favor, and in 1833 he was elected one of the Board of County Com-
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missioners, and held the office by repeated elections until 1842, when he was elected Sheriff of the county. This office he held for two terms. In 1847 he was elected from this senatorial district, then composed of St. Joseph, Marshall, and Fulton counties, to the State Senate. He served out his term of three years, and shortly afterward moved to Oregon, where he lived for many years, follow- ing his old trade of brick-maker. Two or three years ago, after he had arrived at the age of eighty years, while on a visit to one of his sons in Nevada, he departed this life.
"There were other people living in South Bend in 1831 besides those I have mentioned. I can now remember only John D. Last- ley, William Creviston, James DeGrote, Hiram Dayton, Joseph Haney, Levi Antrim, Louis Sancomb, William Wood, John Becroft, Peter Neddo, John A. Caine, Mr. Algo, Mr. Bobein, Andrew Mack, Mr. Cushman, Oliver Bennett, Calvin Lilley, Mr. Roof, and Solo- mon Baredall."
ADDITIONS TO THE CITY.
As originally laid out by Alexis Coquillard and Lathrop M. Tay- lor, South Bend comprised twenty-six whole and twenty fractional blocks. The plat was recorded on the 28th day of March, 1831. According to the plat the town was located on the west and south bank of the "Big St. Josef" river. Since that time a large num- ber of additions have been made, until it covers an extent of terri- tory several times as great as originally made. The most important addition made to the town was that of the village of Lowell, which was annexed in 1868.
INCREASE IN POPULATION.
The population of South Bend has ever been on the increase. In 1831 the population of the town was 128. This was increased in 1840 to 728; in 1850 it was 1,653; in 1860 it was further increased to 3,832; in 1870 it liad grown to 7,206; in 1880 it numbered 13,392.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.
The town was laid out and platted the 28th of March, 1831, but was not organized under town government until 1835, the first charter election being held October 3 of that year, at which time William P. Howe, Horatio Chapin, Peter Johnson, John Massey and James A. Mann were elected trustees. In 1837, E. P. Taylor was elected President of the Board and F. R. Tutt, Clerk. The organization was subsequently abandoned, and not revived until 1845. About a year previons a special charter was secured from the Legislature. The first meeting of the Board was held January 31, 1845, all the trustees being present. John Brownfield was chosen President, and William H. Patteson, Clerk.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
The first ordinance passed by the Board was to divide the town into five wards. The second appointed Drs. William A. Brown, Daniel Dayton, E. S. Sheffield, A. B. Merritt, Lonis Humphreys and Mr. A. M. Lapierre and B. F. Miller, a Board of Health. This Board was appointed in consequence of the town being afflicted with the small-pox to such an extent that unusual sanitary precan- tions and police regulations became imperative. Their term of office was to continue so long as 'the epidemic prevailed in the town. The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh ordinances were to empower the Board of Health to enforce all sanitary measures they deemed necessary to stay the epidemic.
John Hooper was appointed Marshal at this meeting, but only served four days, when Evan C. Johnson was appointed until the first Monday in March following.
The first annual election was held Monday, March 3, 1845, result- ing in the election of John Brownfield, B. F. Price, William H. Patteson, Ricketson Burroughs and Joseph Andre, as Trustees. At this election 108 votes were polled.
The following is a list of elected and appointed officers of the town from 1845 to 1865, inclusive, with the exception of the years 1852 to 1857, the records of which are either lost or destroyed:
1845 .- John Brownfield, President; Wm. H. Patteson, Ricket- son Burroughs, B. F. Price, Abraham Wilson, Trustees; Charles M. Heaton, Clerk; Schuyler Colfax, Assessor; Albert Monson, Treasurer; William Snavely, Marshal.
1846 .- John Brownfield, President; Lathrop M. Taylor, William H. Patteson, Harrison M. Crockett, Benjamin F. Miller, Trustees ; Charles M. Heaton, Clerk; Albert Monson, Treasurer; Jacob Grass- nical, Marshal; Jacob Hardman, Assessor.
1847 .- No election was held and officers held over.
1848 .- J. A. Henricks, President; John Hooper, A. M. Lapierre, Benjamin Wall, John Becroft, Trustees; Charles M. Heaton, Clerk; John Brownfield, Treasurer; Daniel Dayton, Assessor; Charles B. Chandonis, Marshal.
1849 .- No election.
1850 .- S. W. Palmer, President; John M. Veasey, D. P. Ger- berck, Abraham Wilson, Trustees. (No election in second ward.) J. M. Veasey, Clerk; John Brownfield, Treasurer; Daniel Dayton, Assessor; John Becroft, Marshal.
1851 .- Matthias Stover, President; David P. Gerberck, Charles A. Stover,* A. G. Deavitt, Jolin Becroft, Trustees; Daniel Mat- thews, Clerk; Jacob Hardman, Assessor; John Becroft, Marshal; John Brownfield, Treasurer.
1858 .- Henry Carleton, President; Jesse L. Walterhouse, Thomas S. Stanfield, E. Pitts Taylor, H. A. Finley, Trustees; Daniel Mat- thews, Clerk; C. Caldwell, Assessor; Charles Vinson, Marshal.
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