USA > Indiana > Lake County > Lake County, Indiana, from 1834 to 1872 > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
HON. LEWIS WARRINER.
Lewis Warriner was born in West Springfield, Massa- chuetts, in June, 1792. He settled on the east side of
287
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
Cedar Lake, November 9, 1837, having lived until that year in his native town, near the west bank of the Con- necticut.
His wife, an estimable woman, Mrs. Sabra Warriner, two sons and two daughters, composed the family. En- tering actively upon the occupations of a new country life, a pleasant and happy home seemed secure for this New England family ; but the "sickly season " of 1838 came upon them, sickness entered their home, death dark- ened their door, and the loved forms of the mother and youngest daughter were soon laid away to rest in that now neglected mound on the bank of the lake. The . others rose up from sickness, and with strong hearts en- tered anew upon the work of providing comforts for a home out of which so much light and joy had departed.
A mail route was opened this same year from Crown Point to West Creek, twelve miles, and Lewis Warriner was appointed post master, being the second or third one in the county. This office he held until 1849 when, in Gen. Taylor's administration, he was removed. When the administration changed, in 1852, he was again ap- pointed, and held the office until he left the county in 1856.
In the State of Massachusetts he had been sent four times as representative to Boston, and filled other posi- tions of honor and trust in his native State. In 1839 he was elected a member of the Indiana Legislature to rep- resent Lake and Porter Counties, his competitors being, it is believed, L. Bradley, of City West, and B. McCarty, of Valparaiso.
So far as I can ascertain, he was the first citizen of
288
LAKE COUNTY.
Lake County sent to the Legislature. In 1840 he took the first United States census in our bounds. He was again elected a member of the Legislature in 1848.
He was one of the constituent members of the Cedar Lake Baptist Church, organized in June, 1838, having been, with his wife, a member of the Agawam Baptist Church, in West Springfield, and remained true to his Christian profession until his death. He was an excel- lent neighbor, an exemplary church member, a useful, active citizen, and in public life, both in Massachusetts and in Indiana, discharged his official duties faithfully and to the satisfaction of his constituents.
His surviving children both having married and left the county, he, in 1856, went to reside with his son, Ed- win B. Warriner, at Kankakee, Illinois, and afterwards with his daughter, Mrs. James A. Hunt. He died at his son-in-law's residence at Prairie Grove, Fayette County, Arkansas, May 14, 1869, being almost 77 years of age.
I quote the following: "As a man he always com- manded the highest respect and confidence of his neigh- bors and acquaintances in all the walks of life, both public and private, and was always ready to give his in- fluence and support for every object tending to benefit or improve his fellow man.
"As a Christian he was active and sincere, both in his church duties and in his every day life and examples, the influences of which were felt and acknowledged by his neighbors and associates as being consistent and earnest and of a character that quietly leads into the ways of truth and life."
Of his five children, one only is now living, Edwin B Warriner, of Kankakee.
289
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
JUDGE HERVEY BALL, A. M.
Hervey Ball was born in West Springfield, Massachu- setts, October 16, 1794. His ancestors had lived in that region since 1640. He was educated for the bar, gradu- ated at Middlebury College, Vermont, in 1818, and stud- ied law for two years in that State. In 1820 he settled in Columbia County, Georgia, and was a member of the Augusta bar until 1834. Spending then a few years in New England, in 1837 he settled at Cedar Lake, being then forty-three years of age. He had been successful as a lawyer, was thoroughly educated and well read ; he brought with him to Cedar Lake quite a large law and general library ; but instead of devoting himself anew to his profession and becoming, as he easily might have be- come, a Circuit Judge, being then scarcely in the prime of life, he devoted himself to farming pursuits, except holding, for some years, the office of County Surveyor, and afterwards, for several years, that of Probate Judge, and in his later years administering justice among his neighbors as Justice of the Peace; giving his special attention to the training of his seven children and to general interests for the good of community. He was thor- oughly identified for thirty years with the religious inter- ests of the county, especially in forming and sustaining Sabbath Schools, and in originating and sustaining Bap- tist Churches. His interest extended outside of the county through the Northern Indiana Association, the meetings of which he usually attended, of which body he was sometimes Moderator; and he was also for a time Trustee of Franklin College. Ministers of any denomination were always hospitably welcomed and er .-
290
LAKE COUNTY.
tertained at his house; and there both the Baptist and Presbyterian pioneers preached their first sermons. The Cedar Lake School House, on his place, has been already mentioned in this volume, and the literary, intellectual, and religious influences referred to of which it was the home. (See the article on Schools in Chapter X).
During his professional life, and even in college life, he had mingled much in the gay, the busy, and the polite world, and was familiar with the leading men of his State in political and religious life. Among his fellow students in college were Stephen Olin, and Rev. Mr. Bingham, an early missionary to the Sandwich Islands ; he was famil- iar with Seymour and Governor Slade, of Vermont ; his partner in the law was a member of Congress; his ac- quaintances and associates were the wealthy and the cultivated. He had traveled considerably and thus gained a large experience. The benefit of these asso- ciations and this experience were of great advantage to his children and the youth connected with them in their secluded home.
During his retired farmer life his associations were in part continued with the political and religious world, as he took a number of periodicals, agricultural, literary, political, and religious, and read extensively until the last year of his life. He wrote considerably for some agri- cultural papers, especially on the subject of bees. In keeping these he was for several years very successful. He was identified with the temperance, social, and agri- cultural interests of the county. The various positions in these which he filled have been elsewhere mentioned. He died at Cedar Lake, October, 13, 1868, wanting only three days of having reached the age of 74 years.
29I
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
Thirty years of life thus spent, when a region is new, by one so active, so social, so thoroughly educated, fur- nished with so good a library, so solicitous for the moral and religious welfare of others, although producing no brilliant results in the great world, cannot have been spent in vain ; but will leave their impress on society to future generations, and will show results more precious than fame or wealth in the great hereafter. He who writes on mind writes on that which will not die.
The four who have thus far been noticed in this Chap- ter were more or less intimate with each other and were all on very friendly and sociable terms. Religiously they were different. The former two have lived, it may be, more for this world. They have gained more or less of wealth, and are still living to enjoy it. The latter two, both active and prominent members of the Cedar Lake Church, very sociable and pleasant in the common walks of life, not shunning public or official duties, and dis- charging these faithfully, lived more, it may be, for the Great Future. They amassed not much of what the world calls wealth. They enjoyed a competency. And they have both gone where they know the realities of the unseen.
I have placed these four first as being, perhaps, repre- sentative men.
JUDGE SAMUEL TURNER.
In the spring of 1838 Samuel Turner and family, hav- ing removed from Pennsylvania to La Porte County, settled in Eagle Creek Township near the bank of Eagle Creek. Other, of the early settlers there, were D. Sargent, John Moore, A. D. McCord, and Mrs. Mary
292
LAKE COUNTY.
Dilley, all of whom are now dead. Samuel Turner was one of the leading citizens of that part of the county, was soon elected Justice of the Peace, and about 1842 was elected Associate Judge, which office he held until his death.
For several years there was no cabinet shop nearer than Valparaiso, and, having learned to use carpenter tools, S. Turner was called on to make all the coffins used in the neighborhood, frequently taking lumber from the chamber floor of his cabin for that purpose, and always without any charge. Thus kind and obliging, respected and honored in the county, he died in 1847. His wife died in July, 1871, being 87 years of age ; and the aged mother and grandmother, who lived with her daughter, Mrs. Dilley, died about January, 1855, having attained the age of 97 years.
One son, Samuel Turner, Jr., marrying a daughter of W. G. McGlashon, of Crown Point, died of a lingering disease in 1864 ; and another son, James B. Turner, Esq., of Crown Point, died August 14, 1866. One daughter, Miss S. P. Turner, still lives at Eagle Creek. One son, T. J. Turner, has been a prominent politician and lawyer, since leaving this county, in Freeport, Illinois, and now in the City of Chicago. The third of the survivors of this family is Judge Turner, of Crown Point.
JUDGE DAVID TURNER.
David Turner came into Eagle Creek Township in his youth, as a member of his father's family. His school- boy days were spent in Pennsylvania. He entered while quite young into civil-official, and soon into political life, being elected Justice of the Peace in Eagle Creek when
293
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
his father became Associate Judge, and in 1849 he was elected Probate Judge. This office he held until it was abolished in 1851. In 1854 he was elected as represen- tative in the State Legislature, and in 1858 he was elected State Senator.
In 1862 he was appointed by President Lincoln United States Assessor, which office he still holds. In Novem- ber, 1866, he was removed from office by President John- son, but the Senate failing to confirm Johnson's appointee, in March, 1867, he was reinstated. Having had some experience in regard to financial difficulties, he is now acquiring affluence in the sunshine of popular favor and earthly prosperity.
A large and estimable family are gathered around him, and at his hospitable home the most distinguished visit- ors at Crown Point find a courteous welcome. He is an exemplary member of the United Presbyterian Church, a man of firm principle and undoubted piety. Such men in public life are ever blessings to community.
JUDGE H. D. PALMER, M. D.
Dr. Palmer, a graduate of Physicians' and Surgeons' College, at Fairfield, Herkimer County, State of New York, in 1834, entered Lake in the winter of 1836. He settled about two miles west of Centreville and com- menced practice. He has continued in practice, also carrying on a farm, ever since. His rides extend from Dyer to Hobart and Lake. Had the most practice be- tween 1850 and 1860. He built in 1841 the first frame house in that part of the county. He was elected Asso- ciate Judge to fill the vacancy occasioned by the removal of Judge Wm. B. Crooks, in 1838 ; having taken his seat in January of that year as County Commissioner.
294
LAKE COUNTY.
This office of Associate Judge, he held with Judge Clark, and afterward with Judge S. Turner, for about thirteen years. Twice during that time he held court in the absence of the presiding judge. He has lately erected quite a fine residence, and is enjoying the com- forts of a pleasant home.
J. W. DINWIDDIE.
The son of an early settler who made a claim near the edge of the county, J. W. Dinwiddie was a young man when our early settlements were made. He was born October 1, 1813. The family records date back for sev- eral generations. As early as 1835 or 1836, J. W. Din- widdie was with his father and sister at Indian Town. He commenced farming. Found it unprofitable. He sold his farm and went to Illinois to work upon the canal. August 19, 1844, he was married, and returned to Lake County and bought in the fall of that year two hundred acres of land. He lived on it till July, 1845, and then resumed work on the canal. He again returned to this county in 1847 and went into business at Crown Point. In 1852 he returned to his farm, bought more land, and commenced farming operations on an extensive scale. He built, while Township Trustee, the school houses at Plum Grove, Eagle Creek, and on the prairie, then prob- ably the three best in the county. He was County Com- missioner ; was recognized as one of the most energetic, and prudent, and thorough business men and farmers in the county, an excellent manager, firm in principle and successful in carrying out his plans ; and was rapidly ad- vancing in the accumulation of property, when sickness came unexpectedly upon him, and then death. He died
295
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
April 12, 1861, being 47 years of age. His death was deeply felt in the community. His wife, Mrs. M. J. Din- widdie, a woman of rare executive ability, took the management of the large estate, which now contains about 3,500 acres of land,-the five children were then young-and she has succeeded admirably in her man- agement. She has also carried on for some years a Sabbath School, is active in every good enterprise, and has exemplified how fully a true woman having wealth, position, intelligence, piety, and talent, can carry on business, do good, and be at the same time unobtrusive, retiring, refined, and womanly. Her children, three of them now grown up, have nobly aided her in her plans and efforts. In 1870 a new family residence was erected at a cost of some $2,500.
Among all the squatters. of the years before the land sale, no one succeeded in securing such a choice selec- tion of land, or of leaving for his family an estate so valuable as did the young sojourner at Indian Town, John W. Dinwiddie.
He has left three sons among us to bear his name, share the results of his efforts, and imitate his virtues.
DAVID BRYANT
Came to Pleasant Grove in 1835. His wife died in March, 1836, and was buried on Morgan Prairie, where also Agnew, who perished with cold, had been buried, no ground having then been set apart in that portion of the county for the repose of the dead. He married again December 2, 1837. This was the first marriage ceremony, so far as records show, in this county. The license was obtained in Valparaiso. The day was exces- sively cold.
296
LAKE COUNTY.
In the spring of 1838 he went to Bureau County, Illi- nois, and spent some years. He then went to Missouri and staid a few years. He returned to Illinois. Went back to Ohio and staid five years; and in 1853 returned to this county. He settled at the "Fisher place." In 1854 he brought in one thousand and sixty-three sheep. He went again to Illinois, and again returned here. Has since visited back and forth. He now resides at Eagle Creek with his son-in-law, Wm. Fisher. He is well-off ; a very sociable, friendly man, of religious principle; a church member; and is now 75 years of age. He is growing feeble, but retains the use of his mental faculties.
SIMEON BRYANT
Staid about a year in Pleasant Grove, then went to Indian Town. There he has ever since resided. The Indians had corn fields on his claim, or rather, he laid his claim on their fields. He however allowed them to plant corn on the land after he had fenced it. This gratified them. It had displeased them to have him settle on their fields, but he was so fearless, and kind, and obliging, that he gained their good will. (See Chapter III). He is now well advanced in life and quite feeble.
SAMUEL D. BRYANT
Settled first on what is now the Jones' place. He made his claim in the spring of 1835. He afterwards went to Ohio, from which State the Bryant families had emi- grated, and spent a few years. He returned here and bought where he now resides, south of South East Grove, in 1854. He is now 82 years of age, and worked this summer binding oats in the harvest field.
297
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
There are several descendants of these Bryant fami- lies in Lake and Porter Counties, and in the West. They are enterprising, intelligent, and prosperous.
M. PEARCE
Made a claim in about 1838. He married in 1840 Miss Margaret Dinwiddie. In 1841 they commenced house- keeping in a double log-cabin. The present family mansion was erected in 1853. The chief attention of the owner was given to farming. He held in his township the offices of Justice of the Peace and School Trustee. He died April 4, 1861, of typhoid pneumonia. J. W. Dinwiddie staid with him and took constant care for a week, and went home and was taken sick with the same disease and died. Thus these two active men, in the prime of life, were taken from one neighborhood, when our country was plunging into the fearful scenes of the civil war. No two men have been missed more from any of our neighborhoods than were these.
M. Pearce also left three sons. The oldest, JOHN PEARCE, is now engaged in quite extensive farming ope- rations, and is one of the very promising and enterprising young farmers of the county. In September, 1867, he married Miss Lizzie V. Foster, of Crown Point.
The other sons are yet young.
HON. B. WOODS.
May 25, 1836, Bartlett Woods left London, England. He landed at New York and came to Michigan City in August. In March, 1837, he made a claim in Lake County, on which he commenced improvements in the spring of 1838. He married a daughter of Samuel Sig- ler, also an early settler. With the exception of two
298
LAKE COUNTY.
years spent in Chicago, he has been a continuous resi- dent on his farm. He holds for it, as a claim, one of the very few claim-entry certificates now to be found. For a number of years, being intelligent, talented, and a ready speaker, he has been a prominent man in the com- munity. He held for two terms the office of County Commissioner. He was our representative at Indianapo- lis in the State Legislature in 1861 and again in 1865.
For the last three years he has been President of the Agricultural Society.
DR. J. A. WOOD
Has been already noticed as one of the earliest physi- cians practicing in this region. He went on horseback, according to the early custom when roads were scarcely known. He had a fine looking Indian or French pony, a thick set, heavy maned, sagacious, hardy animal, one to delight the eye of a boy; quite different in appearance from either of the two noted Indian ponies at Cedar Lake.
In one of his rides from Porter into Lake he was called into the vicinity of the Cady marsh. It lay in his route. The distance round was considerable. He was told white man had never crossed it. He thought if Indian could cross it on a pony he could. He ventured and succeeded ; but he bore away some of the black mud of the morass. It was a dangerous ride. His was a nice pony for chasing wolves.
For several years he resided on the east side of Cedar Lake, and his house was one of the places for holding religious meetings.
He was appointed with J. V. Johns, Amsi L. Ball, and
299
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
John Sykes, a committee to report on Michigan Central Road, when at its opening a free ride was given to our citizens from Lake to Michigan City.
Having been familiar with the diseases of this region for more than thirty years, he has an experience of much benefit in his present practice.
CHARLES HAYWARD
Settled, in 1837, a little east of the place where now stands the Stone Church. Another Hayward family also settled near, both from England ; and other English fami- lies, Jonas Rhodes, the brothers Bartlett and Charles Woods, the Muzzall families, and perhaps others fron that same European island, settled in that part of the county. Prosperous representatives of these families are now living in the county.
Quite a number of English families have at different times made this region their adopted home.
H. YOUNG
Settled on the Miller place at Deep River, succeeding A. Hopkins, who had bought Miller's store. Of Miller himself little seems to be now known. I am told that his wife was part Indian, that he had sold property at Michigan City for $80,000 in gold and silver, and that he started his store and mill probably in 1836. His mill sawed one-half of a log. At his store much whisky, as well as other articles, is said to have been sold. H. Young sold the mill irons to Dunstan, opened himself a gun shop, and kept the place several years. The road to Hobart now crosses by the site of this old mill and early store and shop, and here in the spring-time, in high water, the river appears like a Southern stream that has
300
LAKE COUNTY.
overflowed the timbered " bottoms." Families are living near, but none are now living upon this spot, and one might fancy that it had always been a wild.
SAMUEL SIGLER
Made a claim near Turkey Creek. His log cabin is still standing on the first sand hill north of the Sykes place. His date of settlement is 1837. He had four sons and three daughters. One of the daughters married Hon. B. Woods, another married Joseph Mundell, and the third one,-not third as to age-married - - Walton, on Twenty Mile Prairie. Of the sons, Samuel is a merchant at Wheeler, Eli and Daniel are merchants at Hebron, and Wm. Sigler is a merchant at Lowell. The father, Samuel Sigler, died a few years ago at Hebron. The sons have been for several years prominent business men. Some of the grand-children are now in manhood and womanhood, and are scattered abroad and entering for themselves into active life.
A. L. BALL
Was one of the more mature men who was active and prominent in laying the foundations of our political and social institutions. He came from the State of New York with his son, John Ball, in 1836. I have elsewhere given his date of settlement 1837, but it can be inferred safely that he came in 1836. In March, 1837, an election was held at his house, as also at the houses of Samuel D. Bryant and R. Eddy, which was the first county election, and Amsi L. Ball receiving seventy-eight votes was elected County Commissioner for three years. This office he in the summer resigned to run at the August election for Representative. He received the vote of
301
SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
Lake but not of Porter, and so failed to secure the posi- tion ..
He was rather tall in person, a fluent speaker, a demo- crat of those days, probably aspiring, and capable of holding positions.
Solon Robinson was at that time a strong Whig-no wonder he did not like " Tylerism " - and he and A. L. Ball were politically unfriendly. Each has the credit of defeating, to some extent, the other's political aspirations. A. L. Ball continued, nevertheless, to be an influential, prominent man, but he did not remain a permanent citi- zen. It is said that domestic difficulties drove him away from his New York home, and he afterward, like a wise man, returned, between 1840 and 1850, the year I have not been able to ascertain, to his wife and his New York home.
DUDLEY MERRILL,
Who came with his brother William in 1837, bought the first claim made by A. L. or by John Ball, which was sit- uated on the bank of Deep River' south of "Miller's mill." He afterwards obtained land near and in Centre- ville, and his brother William erected a large frame dwelling-house on the edge of the grove opposite the In- dian burial-ground. This brother died some years ago. Dudley Merrill is now living in the village of Centreville, or Merrillville, with three of his sons, and, with the excep- tion of the care of his hotel, has mostly retired from active business life. Two of his sons carry on the store, one of them, John P. Merrill, being the Township Trustee and discharging very satisfactorily its duties, in his rela- tions with the teachers very accommodating and pleasant.
23
302
LAKE COUNTY.
The cheese factory and farm, west of the village, are now carried on by L. Merrill. It seems pleasant for a father to be able thus to retire from pressing business cares and have his sons around him to take up the labo- rious duties of life.
WM. N. SYKES.
A descendant of an ancient English family, the members of which have been Quakers, if of any religious profess- ion, since the days of Fox, himself a native of New Jersey, as early as 1836, W. N. Sykes is found as a promi- nent name among the squatter records.
In person he was rather large, inclining to be portly, of fine appearance, neat in dress and person, gentlemanly in bearing, intelligent, and possessing a native refinement of mind.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.