USA > Indiana > Lake County > Reports And Papers Of Lake County Indiana (1958-1966) > Part 3
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The following commanders have served as District Com- manders in Lake County since 1920 :
1920
Floyd Murray
1921
Floyd Murray
1922
Cope J. Hanley
1923
Thos. C. McConnell
1924
Thos. C. McConnell
1925
Edgar W. Mills
1926
Harvey C. Varner
1927
John Wheeler
1928
E. F. Burton
1929
Dr. A. C. Arnett
1930
Donald Spurrier
1931
A. T. Schnaible
1932
Patrick Maloney
1933
George Huish
1934
Ralph Becktel
1935
Harry C. Clark
Harold E. Holloway 1936
1937
Willis Gullett
1938
David Grand
1939
John B. Moldovan
1940 George A. Hockbaum
1941
Charles S. Perel
1942
C. E. Riehl
1943
Harold E. Morris
1944
Byron E. Waggoner
1945
Mor N. Oppman
Raymond Pyatt 1946
George Mills 1947
Edw. Ohlschlager 1948
Alton W. Cochran 1949
1950
John G. Gray
1951
Chester Mysliwiec
1952
Harry Bowman
1953
George Puchowski
1954
Donald Hynes
Leo Mroz 1955
1956
Richard S. Kaplan
1957
Matt C. Sidor
1958
John Narvid
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FIVE YEAR PERIOD-1934-1939
1959 1960
Theodore Puchowski Charles Esola
Out of the Lake County Legion Posts three past District Commanders served as Department Commanders, namely, Harold E. Morris (from Glen Park Post No. 21-1947-48), Alton W. Cochran (from Crown Point Post No. 20-1955-56), and Donald Hynes (from Whiting Post No. 80-1959-60).
Between the years 1919 and 1959 inclusive, the American Legion in Lake County proved itself a bulwark of Democracy, a staunch enemy of Communism and all subversive activities, always protecting the rights of veterans, their widows and orphans, fighting evil and promoting a greater faith in God and Country.
In those years, the American Legion Posts in Lake Coun- ty, through their service officers, handled more than 20,000 applications for pensions, compensation, bonus plus many thousands of other important documents. More than $400,000 was spent on child welfare. American Legion funeral services were held in more than 2,000 cases of deceased veterans and more than One Million dollars was contributed to various local charitable drives.
Truly the hopes and dreams of the founders of the Amer- ican Legion have been fulfilled and Lake County and the State of Indiana have profited as a result of the services rendered by the American Legion in the First District, Department of Indiana.
19
CHAPTER II Five Year Period 1939-40; 1940-41; 1941-42; 1942-43; 1943-44
Frank Borman served two more terms. Fred Schmal of Lowell was elected for the 1941-42 term. Herbert E. Graham of Gary was president 1942-43. Frank Borman was again elected in 1943.
The first vice-presidents for the period were Mrs. Jennie Ward Wheeler of Crown Point, Fred Schmal of Lowell, Mrs. Bessie Gunder of Crown Point for two years, and Dr. William Weis of Munster.
The second vice-presidents who served were Fred Schmal of Lowell, Herbert E. Graham of Gary, Dr. F. A. Malmstone of Griffith for two terms, and Bessie Gunder for another term.
The recording and the historical secretaries and treas- urers were re-elected each year.
The sixty-fifth annual meeting, October 12, 1940, was held at the Fine Arts Building in the Lake County Fair- grounds. Registration and the fellowship hour, while the tra- ditional basket dinner was being enjoyed, was concluded about 1:30 P.M. A hearty thank-you was given to Mrs. Frank Bor- man who was in charge of the arrangements.
President Borman called upon Rev. Thomas H. Adkins, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Crown Point, for the invo- cation.
Treasurer Foster Bruce gave a pep talk in regard to the status of the museum project. He spoke of the vast number of relics that were on display in the store windows around the "Square" during Centennial Week in 1934. Association should recommend action in regard to the preservation of such a col- lection.
Mrs. Demmon, historical secretary, called for information concerning landholdings that are still in the possession of the descendants of the one who made the entry. A statewide sur- vey is being made from which an official file can be made.
Reminiscences about early days, incidents and experiences in Lake County, Indiana, and nearby Chicago were related in a most entertaining manner by the following "native" gentle- men: Robert Moore, Gary attorney; Oscar Ahlgren, Whit- ing; Dr. Herbert E. Graham, Gary; John Dorman, Hobart;
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FIVE YEAR PERIOD-1939-1944
Dr. William Weis, Munster; William J. McAleer, Hammond; Cyrus Hayden, West Creek and Crown Point; Jess Wilson, Hammond; a fair cross section of civilian development in the county.
An unexpected visitor arrived during the impromptu pro- gram. The Hon. Raymond Willis, United States senator rep- resenting Indiana, who was touring the county, was presented to the audience. His greetings were concluded by commenda- tion for the activity of the association and the interesting resume of early history.
The sixty-sixth annual meeting, September 27, 1941, at the Fine Arts Building was well attended. A cloud of sad- ness hovered. A memorial tribute was given by Fred W. Schmal, president, for Allison A. Bibler, incumbent president of the Association, who passed away shortly after the elec- tion. He was editor and publisher of the Crown Point Regis- ter, a weekly newspaper. Mr. Schmal, as the first vice-presi- dent, was the successor to office.
An address of welcome was given by Joseph E. Brown, response by Mr. Schmal. Invocation by Rev. J. J. Bailey, Methodist Church, Crown Point, was followed by the business session. Bessie B. Gunder, program chairman, presented Mr. Wm. D. Mathews, Gary, superintendent of the sanitation plant, who gave a comprehensive treatise on "Sanitation, Past and Present." Hon. E. Miles Norton told about early Gary as he knew it. Reminiscences were continued by Hon. Frank O'Rourke, Hammond; Herbert E. Graham, Gary; Dr. F. A. Malmstone, Griffith, and Mrs. Starr Brownell, Lowell.
Wilfred Weaver, Lowell, installed a public address sys- tem for a trial. The older people who have impaired hearing were delighted with the novel experiment.
Adverse weather conditions and an error in publicity caused the attendance at the sixty-seventh meeting, Saturday, September 17, 1942, to be far below the usual attendance. The interest was not lessened.
President Graham cordially welcomed the group and in- troduced Rev. Wm. J. Schepman, Trinity Lutheran Church, Crown Point, for the invocation. The usual group singing of "America" and the pledge of allegiance was directed by Chair- man Bessie Gunder.
The Crown Point Woman's Club Chorus rendered a de-
21
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY
lightful musical program. Walter Mybeck gave an impressive memorial tribute for Foster Bruce for his loyalty to civic and patriotic organizations and his church in which he held mem- bership.
"Early Days on the Kankakee," from personal experi- ences, was related by Leon Granger of Hammond.
September 4, 1943, the Fine Arts Building was again the scene for the bounteous basket dinner and program for the sixty-eighth annual meeting. At 2:00 P.M. President Borman introduced Rev. Paul Bloesch, pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, Crown Point, for the invocation. A delightful group of numbers was sung by the Crown Point High School a capella trio: Evelyn Bailey, Norma Jean Neth- ery and Patricia Ebert.
Miss Mabel Tinkham of the Gary Public Library talked on the importance of the preservation of historical records and rare books. Microfilming equipment has recently been in- stalled by their library staff at her recommendation.
"Old Settlers Whom I Have Known" was the theme of Judge Harold Strickland's talk. Mrs. James A. Patterson of East Gary area was most entertaining as she told about "Lake County in the Rough." Miss Bernice Bacon, Crown Point High School student, recited impressively "The Love of Coun- try."
Reminiscences were told by Dr. Wm. D. Weis, Munster; Frank Strickland, Lowell; Otto Knoerzer, Hammond; Schuy- ler Dwyer, Lowell; Jesse Wilson, Hammond; Edwin F. Knight, Crown Point.
As usual the awarding of prizes concluded the day. Again Sam B. Woods was the oldest man born in Lake County and Mrs. Edith Brown Crawford the oldest woman.
Registration, the basket dinner and visiting marked the sixty-ninth annual meeting, October 14, 1944, held in the as- sembly room in the basement of the Criminal Court Building on South Main Street, Crown Point. Dr. Wm. Weis presided. Rev. C. A. Baumgartel, St. John's Lutheran Church, Gary, gave the invocation. Mrs. Walter Mybeck of Crown Point led the singing, then came the program, election and the reports.
PROGRAM
"Old Landmarks," Edwin F. Knight, surveyor, lawyer.
22
FIVE YEAR PERIOD-1939-1944
"Pioneer Mail Service," Oscar Sauerman, long-time postmast- er.
"Schools of Early Days," Miss Mamie Spangler, assistant su- perintendent of county schools-report of survey re- search.
"McGuffey Readers"; Thomas K. Fisher has the set. He studied with them in his school days. He quoted and read from them to illustrate the educational value.
"With the U.S. Band," John C. Fisher, a musician, director, and specialist on the drums, was in John Phillip Sousa's Band.
"Old Age as It Seems to Be" was the original poem by John B. Turner, now in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
"The Bench and the Bar in Lake County" was presented by Daniel J. Moran of Hammond.
Prizes were awarded.
History of Letz Manufacturing Company of Crown Point, Indiana
By ADAH LETZ MUELLER (MRS. MELVIN)
Michael Holland-Letz of Steinbach, Hallenberg, Germany, was a manufacturer of farm machinery. His son Louis worked with him, but young Louis was not pleased with the oppor- tunities in Germany. After studying in a university, he brought his wife, Katharine Messerschmidlt Holland-Letz, and three small children to America, arriving in Chicago in 1879.
Chicago at this time was already a strong commercial center, both industrially and agriculturally, and was in the heart of a very productive area.
City life proved too hard on Louis's wife, so the young couple moved to a small town. On the train the conductor suggested Crown Point because it was a cleaner town, so there they made their home instead of Hammond. Here he rented a building across from the Pennsylvania Railroad Depot and set up a small plant with a machine shop and foundry. It was then called "CROWN POINT MANUFACTURING COMPANY." The first Letz mill was completed and sold in December of 1882. The first feed grinder was built on principles which repre- sented an entirely new type of farm feed mill. By 1888 a new feature was added.
23
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY
A new factory with a warehouse and office building was completed in 1891 and business progressed. This building was 40 feet wide and 200 feet long. The land on which these build- ings set was granted to the company by the city of Crown Point where the present buildings stand, just east of the Penn- sylvania railroad tracks on East North Street. In 1892 Louis Letz received a charter of incorporation.
Friends of Louis Letz urged him to enter his product in open competition. At the Worlds Fair he received a gold medal from the Paris fair in 1890, and another at the World's Col- umbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. At the World's Fair in St. Louis in 1904 he won another gold medal.
In 1894 the first corn husker and shredder was placed upon the market. Louis Letz had it patented. He sold his patent to International Harvester in West Pullman, a part of Chicago.
In the spring of 1901 Louis and his family moved to Chicago where he went to work for International Harvester perfecting his corn husker and shredder, but in 1907 he was back in Crown Point with his wife and 10 children, starting all over again at the factory.
Living conditions in the city had completely ruined Mrs. Letz's health and she passed away soon after the family re- turned to Crown Point. Ernest, their youngest son died of consumption the following year at the age of 17.
In December of 1908 Mr. Holland-Letz was suddenly taken ill and passed away. His sons George, John, and Otto, and daughters, Eva and Carol (now Mrs. C. Harry Newton), continued the business. Daughters Marie and Hannah were already married. George became president of the Company upon his father's death. Later Ludwig and William returned to Crown Point to join their brothers in the business.
In 1909 a new line of feed mill was especially designed for crushing corn in addition to grinding small grains so that farmers would easily and cheaply prepare ground feeds from home grown products.
In 1912, LETZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY's first roughage mill was made. This machine ground such roughage as corn fodder, alfalfa hay, sheaf grains, and clover hay. At the same time it would grind such grains as wheat, rye, oats, barley, shell corn, and corn on the cob.
24
FIVE YEAR PERIOD-1939-1944
This Machine was constantly improved and business grew, soon making it necessary to enlarge the facilities. In 1920 the buildings then standing were enlarged and a new foundary was completed. In 1929 the new warehouse was completed. These buildings still stand.
Son John became president of the company in 1936 after the death of his brother George.
Today the LETZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY is still a family business. Of the brothers, only John and Will, vice president, are left. They and George Jr. operate the business.
Perfection Musical String Company By MISS CATHERINE RHEIN
It has taken a lot of gut to string along with you music lovers.
You can credit George N. Einsele for this remark for he knew whereof he spoke.
George Einsele was a Manufacturer of musical strings such as violin, viola, cello, and bass.
The factory known as Perfection Musical String Company is an abandoned rural school house situated in a little resident- ial community of Brunswick, a few miles west of Cedar Lake, Indiana.
Some of your most beautiful music comes from the string instruments, like the cello, viola, bass fiddle, and of course the violin.
You have Mr. Einsele to thank for the tone perfection of many of these instruments because of the tone quality of strings manufactured by this small factory.
Right here you should learn that the life of a cat plays no part whatsoever in the making of a violin string, some screeching examples of the musical art to the contrary not- withstanding.
Sheep and hogs whose journey through life are culminated with one-way trips into the Chicago stockyards provide the intestines from which the strings are manufactured for use by this musical string company, and possibly no more than a half dozen other so-called string-winders throughout the
25
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY
United States.
George Einsele was born in Brunswick and in his youth was a locomotive engineer for some twenty odd years, work- ing for the C.&E. I Railroad, his run being from Danville to Chicago.
Brunswick, now 100 years old, has not grown appreciably like some of its neighboring Lake County communities. There isn't much to be seen. In fact, aside from the Musical String Company, there is only Ben Reichert's Tavern, Niemeyer Sales & Service, John Ericson Violin Maker, and about 30 homes.
Perfection Musical String Company is the only string manufacturing establishment in this part of the country; there are several "winders" on the east coast. Because the field of production is not overcrowded this little factory does a splendid annual business. It furnishes employment to 15 persons throughout the year. Production averages 3000 strings a day, or more than a million annually; and yet, the Perfection Musical String Company of Brunswick is known to only two customers.
Our customers are big jobbers, one in Chicago and one in Cleveland, Ohio. Yet our strings go all over the United States and possibly, to owners of stringed instruments in foreign countries. This method of distribution has proved very satis- factory. It has eliminated much detail work in our small factory, for we are concerned only with the production of first- class, high quality strings. We ship them in the bulk lots to jobbers, who in turn, package them under their own trade marks for sales to music stores and, ultimately, used by musicians.
Mr. Einsele died in 1940 and the factory was operated successfully by his sister Miss Ella M. Einsele until her death in March 1958. The Perfection Musical String Company is now owned and operated by Raymond J. Neiner who has been its manager for the past twelve years.
Mr. Neiner is surrounded by a group of employees whose loyalty to this little industry is best illustrated by the fact that all have been employees for ten years or more. The old- est employee, Michael Kulling, with forty five years service is still active in producing violin strings. Some employees with twenty to thirty years of service are Alma Russell, Ber- nice Batterman, Catherine Rhein, Erna Schreiber, and Elea- nore Tobias. Other employees are Alice Piopho, Margaret
26
FIVE YEAR PERIOD-1939-1944
Borger, LaVerne Schulte, Margaret Tolan, Edna Surchik, Luella Kettler, Richard Fetsch, and Marie Russell.
The Perfection Musical String Company formerly made violins and turned out exactly 1000 hand-made violins, then decided to quit and go into the string business exclusively.
How violin strings are made is not easily explained. The sheep and hog gut is obtained from a Chicago packing concern. The gut is furnished in the rough after having been properly treated at the stockyards. The gut is dried and treated at our factory before it is trued and reduced from its natural thickness that will produce a good tone quality string. Special winding operations are then involved on each of the D, G, E, and A strings. Silver or aluminum wire is wound around this gut depending on type of string being manufactured.
When complete, the strings have their respective tone qualities definitely associated with them to achieve the melod- ious effects so long identified with stringed instruments.
Ninety-five per cent of all stringed instruments in Sym- phony Orchestras throughout the United States use strings manufactured by this small industry.
D.U.V.
History of the Clara Barton Tent No. 6, Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, Inc., Department of Indiana
As a child the organizer of the Clara Barton Tent No. 6, accompanied her father, John Diedel, to several National En- campments of the Grand Army of the Republic. The other four organizations allied with the Grand Army of the Republic met in their annual national conventions at the same time. When she was fourteen years of age she met some of the officers of this patriotic order. She was interested but the time consuming years of high school, college and other demands occupied her time and it was not until January 20, 1919, that she, Matilda Diedel, organized a Tent of Daughters of the Union Veterans in Gary.
Fourteen names appear on the charter. Three of the
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY
charter members are living (October 1959) and active mem- bers in the Tent. They are: Matilda D. Roberts (Mrs. John J.), Bliss Sherman Brown (Mrs. W. P.), and Myrle Maxon Georges (Mrs. James).
The first corps of officers served two years: President, Mrs. Roberts; sr. vice-president, Mrs. Georges; treasurer, Mrs. Brown. The Tent was instituted by the national presi- dent, Mrs. Estella Moore, and Mrs. Lulu Carlin, a past national president, both from Chicago, Illinois. The Membership in- creased. At the outbreak of World War I, one-hundred and forty-seven members were enrolled. Our present list consists of twenty-nine names.
Eligibility is limited-only direct lineal descendents of an honorably discharged veteran of the Union Army, Navy or Marines, or those who made the supreme sacrifice during the war are admitted to our Order. We are organized in thirty-one states, including Alaska. The 1925 membership throughout the United States almost reached the 50,000 mark. Fifty-two cities and towns in Indiana have Tents.
Mrs. Roberts was elected Department (State) president in 1934 and was the first to be re-elected in 1935. She became very active in the National and served in various offices and on committees. In 1934 she was elected National President at the national convention held in Rochester, New York.
A national headquarters building was purchased in Wash- ington, D. C., in 1934. It was dedicated as a Living Memorial to our fathers, the Grand Army of The Republic. In the spring of 1955 a large room was dedicated and turned over to the national G. A.R. for their private use. This office and lounge was on the second floor. Miss Katharine R.A. Flood of Massachusetts, was the secretary in charge of the office.
We occupied this office for seventeen years, then it was sold and a National Headquarters building was purchased in the land of Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois. It is across from the Centenial Building on South Second Street. It is a fine building, fittingly furnished. There is a large room used as a museum for Civil War relics and records. Over 5,000 vol- umes of books, many now out of print, fill the bookcases. While located in Washington D. C. many students from Yale and Harvard did research in our library for Civil War data.
Mrs. Roberts retired in September of 1935, as national president. She was unanimously elected chairman of the
28
FIVE YEAR PERIOD-1939-1944
Board of Directors of the National Headquarters Building. This office she held for twenty years, until retirement in 1957 at the National Convention in Buffalo, New York.
Nationally we were organized May 30, 1885 at Massillon, Ohio; incorporated December 12, 1885 as National Alliance of Daughters of Veterans; endorsed by The Grand Army of The Republic at their 34th annual encampment held in Chicago, Illinois in 1900. The name changed to Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, at the 35th National Convention, Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1925. The name changed to Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, Inc. at the 54th National Convention, at Des Moines, Iowa in 1944.
The Department of Indiana was organized September 20, 1915 at Peru, Indiana, where the First Tent was instituted. The other two Tents forming the Department were Fort Wayne No. 2 and Elkhart No. 3. The present Department president is Mrs. Cecil Albery, of Gary, Ind. The present National president is Miss Bertha Robbins, of Detroit, Mich- igan. The present Clara Barton Tent president is Mrs. Alice Coffman, whose term expires in 1960.
A few of the objectives are to furnish recreational equip- ment for the Veterans' Hospitals; make knee robes for the men ; and we have furnished the apparatus for ceiling reading for basket cases in the hospital at Marion. National and De- partment channels, we give annual scholarships to college students who are direct lineal descendents of a Union Veteran of the Civil War, whether they are connected or not with our Order.
We contribute to local and civic drives such as X-ray, Red Cross, Lake County T.B. Society, Crippled Children, Heart and Cancer. We make pads for the Cancer Society. We pre- sent flags to the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts. Locally we have contributed to both the Methodist and the Mercy Mos- pitals. We are a non-profit, non-political, and non-sectarian Order.
Our national president has been asked to serve on the Civil War Centennial Committee.
Compiled by MRS. JOHN J. ROBERTS, PAST NATIONAL PRESIDENT, D.U.V.
29
HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY
Grand Army of the Republic
John Diedel, a Union Veteran of the Civil War, came to Tolleston, Lake County, Indiana, in May, 1885. He was the only Civil War veteran in that locality until the town of Gary was founded in 1908. Two or three veterans came to the new "Steel City." Willard Walker opened a music store on Broadway, then a sandy road. His wife, Lucy Clover Walker, was a piano teacher; she joined our "Tent."
Prior to 1885, David Combs and his son had lived in Tolleston. They were enlisted men who had served in the Union Army. Mrs. Henrietta Gibson, daughter of David Combs, was the wife of a pioneer, Mariah Gibson. David is buried in Waldheim Cemetery, 19th Avenue, between Pierce and Buchanan Streets, Gary. The son moved to Chicago.
Several veterans live in the Merrillville area and one lives on a small farm west of Ross, Indiana. My father, John Diedel, joined the G.A.R. Post at Hobart, Indiana. When it disbanded he joined the John Wheeler Post at Crown Point. A common meeting place for the veterans, whether living or just visiting a daughter or son, was the Walker Music Store. Most of the newcomers retained their membership in the G.A.R. Posts of their former home towns. A few joined the Wheeler Post at Crown Point. The enjoyable comradeship at the Walker Music Store led to the forming of the Civil War Veterans Association in Gary, late in 1908. In the mid twenties the commander of this association and another mem- ber were requested to resign. The commander destroyed all of the records up to that time, thus their activities are lost to posterity.
The thinning ranks so weakened the Veterans Associa- tion that the DUV members helped by filling the offices of chaplain and secretary. Their meetings were held in the homes of the Daughters and, after a few years, in the American Legion Hut, for which there was a rental fee. The Daughters planned and arranged the monthly luncheons and entertain- ment for the veterans. The peak of their membership was twenty-seven. Annual election was in January. There was a business session each month. Some of the best speakers and musical talent in Gary appeared on their programs- gratis. The last meeting was the Christmas party, 1936, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Decker. Comrade Joos Verplank was the only veteran present. Comrade Fadian, of East Gary, was too ill to attend. All other comrades had either
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