USA > Indiana > Lake County > Reports of the historical secretary of the Old settler and historical association of Lake County, Indiana, 1906 - 1910 > Part 4
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well family. Mrs. Cutler was born in 1805, and was asso- ciated in school and church and social life with Mrs. J. A. H. Ball, of Cedar Lake, who was born in 1804. They were in quite young womanhood in 1839.
One brought up a family of six and the other of seven children. In 1854 the Cutler family lived in Crown Point, occupying the house now the residence of Mrs. Abe Sher- man. They left this county not long after, made a home in Illinois, where, last year, in February, Mrs. Cutler died, having lived 101 years.
As a member of the large Church family, an active and very worthy and useful pioneer woman, although absent from us for fifty years, she surely deserved to have her name and venerable age preserved in our records.
Soumiles
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REPORT FOR 1908.
For the sake of variety, the report for this year is largely in diary form, and is, therefore, chronological.
August 29, 1907. . Some went from Crown Point to-day to the Phillips family reunion in Porter county. Said to be 400 persons present.
September 6. Some went to Hebron to-day to attend the Dinwiddie reunion.
Mr. James Brannon died on Sunday morning, September I, 1907, 75 years of age.
Sept. 8. The Presbyterian church building at Lowell was this day dedicated, making for Lowell four church buildings, the early Baptist church having disappeared.
The fall enrollment of pupils at East Chicago gives the following numbers: In public schools, 1,311; parochial, 535.
Died, on Wednesday night, September 18, Fred Herlitz, of pioneer descent, 70 years of age, himself a pioneer boy, and of excellent character. He was never married.
September 21. Allen family reunion at Thomas Dickin- son's. About 100 present.
October 17. On this day Mr. Joseph Patten, born in 1834, celebrated the 73d anniversary of his birth. He was born two weeks before the arrival in Lake county of Solon Robinson.
A record. In the middle of this October, 1907, eggs in Crown Point are now selling at 28 cents a dozen, and butter at 32 cents a pound.
October 14. A frost in Crown Point that killed consid- erable vegetation. Mercury the 14th and 15th, 34 degrees.
October 12. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry M. Kenney celebrated
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on this day their 59th marriage anniversary, one being 83 and the other 77 years of age.
October 19, Saturday. The Ragon Scholars' Association was this day organized at Lowell. Members of six schools were present, and 150 were reported as partaking of the abundant dinner. A full account of this interesting meeting will be preserved for reference, when the fireproof room is ready for use.
October 30, Wednesday. The Moon and Hale Co. com- menced running their cars on a little tram road from the Panhandle railroad to the Public Square, to convey the gravel for the construction of Main street. Four horses were required on the steepest part of the grade.
November 2. The cornerstone of the enlarged court house at Crown Point was laid.
November 9. Mrs. M. F. Pierce was killed by the cars this morning at Merrillville.
November 9, Saturday night. The Erie station at High- land was burned; also the M. E. church at Crown Point took fire, and considerable damage was done.
November 12. The first fall of snow. Wet.
November 17. The mercury has been down to 18 de- grees, and snow six or eight inches in depth has been on the ground, and yet a little dandelion showed its yellow petals from under the leaves to-day.
(November 20. After riding yesterday far down in West Creek township to attend a funeral, the Historical Secretary left Crown Point for Tennessee and returned to his home January 16.)
Thursday, January 16, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Pal- mer celebrated their 59th marriage anniversary at the home of their son, Jasper Palmer. Came to Indiana in childhood,
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married in 1849. Children 9, grandchildren living 22, great- grandchildren 13.
Reported by a friend for January 10, the death of Henry R. Kolb, whose wife was Polly F. Graves, youngest daugh- ter of Orrin W. Graves and Achsah Farley Graves. Mrs. Polly Kolb's four children and six grandchildren are, there- fore, of pioneer descent.
On Tuesday, January 14 of this year, Mrs. Susan G. Wood, widow of Hon. Martin Wood, was 80 years of age, and the event was duly celebrated at Hammond, her seven children all being present.
Died, on January 18, in the night of Saturday, or more exactly, between 1 and 2 o'clock on Sunday morning, one of our oldest citizens, Mr. John Millikan. He was born July 16, 1814, and was, therefore, 93 years of age last July. He was for many years editor of the Crown Point Register, was a thorough, practical printer, came to South Bend in 1837, and in 1877 to Crown Point. He was the oldest Odd Fellow in the State of Indiana, and received an Odd Fellow burial on Tuesday afternoon, January 21, 1908. One of his great characteristics was meekness.
Died, on the next Saturday night, January 25, at about 9 o'clock, Mr. Janna S. Holton, born December 17, 1822, and was 85 years old last month. He died on the forty- eighth anniversary of his second marriage. He came to Crown Point in 1844, became a business man, a merchant, a county officer, a very prominent citizen, and for sixty years went every day, with few exceptions, from his home to his store or office. The burial services were held on Tuesday afternoon, January 28, in the Presbyterian church. The burial was Masonic. He was the last of Crown Point's earliest merchants, commencing with Solon and Milo Robin-
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son, and including among them H. S. Pelton, William Alton, Joseph P. Smith, J. W. Dinwiddie, David Turner, E. M. Cramer and John G. Hoffman. Other names may be found in our histories. Mr. Holton leaves three daughters, thirteen grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Thus, within one week, we have lost two of our aged and prominent and worthy citizens. The lately young men and boys are rapidly taking the places of the aged and well known, but they will be remembered by what they have done.
The first ten days of February, snowy and icy, the walks covered with ice, many people falling, and at length the sidewalks were largely abandoned, pedestrians taking the middle of the streets.
February 13. The snow has disappeared and the ice from the walks.
Tuesday morning, February II. Harold Woods, only son of Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Woods, died of typhoid pneu- monia at Columbus, Ohio, where he was attending school at the University.
On Tuesday evening of the same day, February II, the Carnegie Library Building was opened to the public. Ad- dresses were given by Judge McMahon, O. J. Bruce, Esq., T. H. Ball, Miss Curtis, Editor Bibler and Miss Scott, Pub- lic Library Commissioner of Indianapolis.
February 12, Wednesday morning. Mr. Frank Fuller was killed by the cars this morning at Cedar Lake. 1
It is reported in the Star that Dr. Hauk and Marshal Young crossed Cedar Lake to-day in an automobile, the first time, probably, that such a vehicle ever went over the ice on that lake.
Monday, February 17. The body of Janna F. Holton,
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a son of the pioneer, Volney Holton, was brought here for burial in the Crown Point cemetery.
February 18. A snow storm commenced in the morning and continued all day and the following night, 19th. All blocked up with snow drifted heavily. Traffic impeded. Trains stopped. February 20, storm over. The heaviest snow fall for several years. The weather not cold.
On Thursday, 20th, married in Crown Point, Miss Grace G. Bothwell, granddaughter of the pioneer, John Bothwell, and Frank Almon Carlson, of Merrillville.
DEATH OF TWO PIONEERS.
Mrs. Phoebe A. Brooks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nehemiah Hayden, born in Ohio May 15, 1827, coming, as a child ten years of age, into Lake county in 1837, with her father and mother, died February 21, 1908, nearly 81 years of age.
Ozias W. Clark, born in Naples, New York, December II, 1831, coming into Lake county a young child in 1837, died February 23, 1908, 76 years of age. He was never married. He was assessor of Cedar Creek township nearly twenty-five years.
Of the Hayden family, once numbering fourteen, there are now left, according to the Lowell Tribune, three of Mrs. Brooks' brothers, Jacob, Cyrus and William Hayden, and one sister.
February 28. The Swedish young people of East Chi- cago attended a district meeting in the Gustavus Adolphus church at Grand Crossing.
March 6. A Welsh society of East Chicago celebrated St. David's day.
March 8, Sunday. At about noon to-day there died in
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the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry Fry, Mr. Almon Wilkinson, born in Monroe county, New York, April 4, 1820, nearly 88 years of age.
.On the same day, March 8, 1908, died Dr. Groman of Brunswick, 84 years of age.
March 10, 1908. In the winter a Carpenters' Union was organized in Crown Point, and to-day occurred the first "strike." The carpenters at work on the court house were receiving 35 cents an hour, and they demanded 50 cents. They obtained it, and resumed work in the afternoon of to- day, March II.
March 13, 1908. Friday evening Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pearce had a surprise celebration of their 25th marriage an- niversary. Many guests were present and nice gifts were received.
March 20. Mrs. Carl died, aged 93 years, November
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April 1, 1908. A weather note. March has been a quite mild and pleasant spring month. The Calumet and Kanka- kee waters have been much higher than usual. High water in rivers.
April 3. Mr. Noah Bibler died, nearly 84 years of age. Had been married 62 years. A citizen of Lake county 55 years.
April 8. Wednesday, at 8 p. m., Mrs. Abel Farwell died at the home of her daughter in St. Joe, Mich. She was known in girlhood as Louisa Burns, and came to Hanover township in 1836. She was 82 years of age. She was born in the State of New York December 23, 1825. Burial at Lowell April 10.
Died April 12, at Creston, Mrs. Alfred Edgerton, widow of a pioneer of 1836. She was Jane H. Scritchfield, a mem-
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ber of one of Lake county's very large families. She leaves five brothers, five sisters, nine children, twenty-eight grand- children, and seven great-grandchildren. She was about 70 years of age.
Died at Hebron, on Wednesday, April 15, Mr. Isaac Bryant, long a resident at Plum Grove, or near it; about 68 years of age, a member of a pioneer family.
Also, on the same day, died at Crown Point, Mr. Frank Mann, 80 years of age.
April 16. Ice at Crown Point an eighth of an inch in thickness.
April 20. Dandelions in blossom.
April 22. Some peach blossoms open ; fruit trees loaded with buds.
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Mr. Moses M. Esty passed away from earth at the fam- ily home on Wednesday, April 22, nearly 78 years of age.
April 23. The Lowell Tribune contains a notice of the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Wood, former resi- dents near the Robinson Prairie school house, now of Buf- falo, Kansas, married in Massachusetts April 6, 1858, re- moved to Kansas in 1878.
May I. Many strawberries in blossom.
May 9. Sunshine after five wet days. May enumera- tion of school children of 1908. East Chicago, which in- cludes Indiana Harbor, 3,237, a gain of 351 ; Crown Point, 637, a loss of 41 ; Hammond, 5,713, a gain of 174; Whit- ing, 4,725; Gary, 1,497; Lowell, 343.
Died, May 19, Tuesday, at 10 p. m., Mrs. Joseph A. Clark, still in middle age. A great loss.
Wednesday, 20th, Miss Lucinda Van Valkenburg died, 90 years of age.
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May 21. Electric street cars commenced running in Gary.
May 29. Quite a severe storm passed over the county last night. This has been a wet month.
June 2. Some ripe strawberries.
High school graduates this June : Whiting, 6; Crown Point, 12; Lowell, 20; Hammond, 25; East Chicago, -; Hobart, -. (It is difficult to obtain some figures. His- torical Secretary.)
June 17. This morning Mrs. William Nicholson-Annie Brown-died suddenly. Cause, paralysis. Aged 61 years. A native of Lake county.
June 19. Mrs. J. L. Worley to-day passed over the line of four score years. The event was duly celebrated at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Y. C. Vosburg. She has re- sided in this county 65 years. She is quite active, visits her six children, and is said to be remarkably cheerful. It is said that "she has a wonderful memory." 1
June 20, Saturday evening. Two events were celebrated at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Festus P. Sutton; the nine- teenth anniversary of their marriage, and the 40th anni- versary of Mrs. Sutton's birthday. The items received are, "A bountiful supper," "valuable presents." Quite a num- ber present from Oklahoma and elsewhere.
June 25. The Lowell Tribune of this date reports that John Dies, from one acre and a half of vines, has picked and marketed this season some over 300 cases of strawber- ries.
June 27, Saturday. This day was celebrated by quite an unusual event at the fair grounds. The Indiana Society of Chicago, by invitation of Mr. Will J. Davis, of Willow- dale, who is very friendly towards Crown Point and Lake
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county interests, came out from Chicago in an automobile, and some on the cars, and held, at our fair grounds, their "annual basket picnic." Twenty-five large automobiles were counted on the grounds, and as they came in loaded with passengers, the sight was beautiful and suggestive, and well worth seeing. Some came from South Bend. One of these was the Studebaker car. Many citizens of Lake county were present by invitation, and some of these could remem- ber when persons came to Crown Point in wagons, with board seats across the tops of the wagon boxes, and some of the wagons drawn by the oxen of those days. The twenty-five automobiles would surely have frightened the oxen and horses and perhaps even the children. After the ample basket dinner some time was devoted to speech- making as well as to visiting. An address of welcome was given by J. B. Peterson, Esq., followed by addresses from Judge Landis, who gave the $29,000,000 decision at the fine against the Standard Oil Company, and who presented reminiscences of his life at Crown Point twenty-two years ago; also from Mr. Watson, candidate for governor, and from some others. After the speeches some part of the "Sport Program" was carried out. The weather was de- lightful.
Married, June 29, 1908, Miss Cora May Saxton, of the Merrillville pioneer Saxton family, and Mr. Fred C. Papha, of Tolleston; born in Lake county, but of European an- cestry.
The Lowell Tribune of July 9 states that Miss Edith Dinwiddie, our treasurer, having gone a few days before into the basement of their home, found herself surrounded by a little army of lizards, "over a hundred," the paper says.
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They are not specially dangerous, but, brave as she is, she called for help.
The same paper announces that on Friday night, July 3, their beautiful soldiers' monument was very shamefully treated by boys or young men, and the editor states that ever since the monument was erected it has been abused more or less. He adds, "Patience with such hoodlums should cease to be a virtue." One would be tempted to ask, Is there no patriotism or decency among the boys of Lowell? If boys do not want such a record, they should not commit such deeds.
About the first of July your secretary was shown, by the courtesy of Mr. W. C. Belman, through the many rooms of the First National Bank of Hammond. This bank struc- ture is truly a city building, and its rooms are finely fitted up. A. Murray Turner, once a Crown Point boy, is presi- dent.
On Monday evening, July 13, again young life went sud- denly out at Crown Point. Leo McColley was bringing the cow home from pasture with the rope by which he led her tied around his body. Arriving in town the cow, said to be usually very gentle and afraid of nothing, became fright- ened and began to run. The boy fell and was dragged to his death before help reached him. He was 9 years of age.
On Tuesday, July 14, in the forenoon, a prominent mer- chant of LeRoy, A. Z. Green, driving toward home from Crown Point, was killed by a freight train on the Houk crossing. It is said that an open car was in advance of the locomotive, and that this, probably, the driver did not notice until it was too late to stop.
July 23. Dr.'J. A. Dinwiddie, an enterprising dentist
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of Lowell, is now shipping from ten to fourteen dozen squabs a week, for which he gets $3 a dozen.
August 9. Married, at Crown Point, Mr. Roy W. Hal- sted and Miss Lula Maud Burge, both of early settler fami- lies.
August 13. The Lowell Tribune of this date contains an account of the Foresters' picnic, held at Lowell August 8, and some day these figures may be of interest to some am- bitious athlete : 100-yard dash, time, II seconds, made by Milford Anderson. Second 100-yard dash, time 12 seconds, made by Robert Palmer. Running broad jump, 18 feet and 8 inches, Ralph Trump. Standing broad jump, 8 feet, Ralph Trump. Running high jump, 5 feet 2 inches, Milford An- derson. Standing high jump, 4 feet 6 inches, Charles Lam- bert.
The season that has now passed was good for straw- berries and raspberries. Besides our large fruit raiser, Mr. Meeker, several families raise fruit for sale. One family, on South Main street, the Davis family, from a quite small patch, sold 1,016 boxes of strawberries and hundreds of boxes of raspberries. Cherries and peaches were few, but there are some apples.
The Lake County Agricultural Fair, which has just held its fiftieth annual fair, was organized in August, 1851. Its first officers were: Hervey Ball, president; William Clark, vice-president ; J. W. Dinwiddie, treasurer ; Joseph P. Smitt, secretary. The same president and secretary continued in office for six years. The directors were: Henry Wells, A. D. Foster, Michael Pearce, H. Keilman, Augustine Hum- phrey and William N. Sykes. Not one of the first officers or directors is now living. From 1859 until 1867 no fair seems to have been held. New officers were elected : Hiram
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Wason, president; Bartlett Woods, vice-president; J. C. Sauerman, treasurer, and A. E. Beattie, secretary, and not one of these is now living. The ninth annual fair was held in 1867. The fair of this year, 1908, August 18-21, bears no resemblance to the early fairs. The men of those days are gone, the times have changed, the county has vastly changed. "The old order changeth," said Tennyson. At this fair, sold of family tickets, $1.50 each, 126; of single tick- ets on Thursday, 3,022; on Friday, 4,043. Nearly $2,000 ($1,945) taken in for tickets alone. Yes, "the old order changeth.'
The following record, made at Lowell, for Tuesday, Au- gust II, shows to what extent those on the R. F. D. lines sometimes fail to stamp their letters and parcels: Route No. I, pieces gathered 41 ; of these not stamped, 22. Route No. 2, pieces gathered 37, not stamped 20. Route No. 3, pieces gathered 46, not stamped 12. Route No. 4, gathered 15, not stamped 8. Total, 139; 62, nearly half, not stamped. The following figures are from the Lake County Times in regard to Gary, in this summer of 1908: Gary has now reached a position enabling it to be called the-expected-to-be great steel city of the land. Inhabitants, "12,000 to 15,000."
Odd Fellows in Lake county. Date, August 14, 1908. Authority, the East Chicago Globe: Number of lodges, 8; members, 1,015. These lodges are located in Hammond, Whiting, East Chicago, Gary, Crown Point, Hobart, Lowell and Shelby. At each of these places, except Crown Point, are Rebekah lodges, with a membership of 709. Of the other orders of the county, and there are many, the mem- bership is not known.
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REPORT FOR 1909, COMMENCING SEPTEMBER I,
1908.
EVENTS AND REMARKS.
Some of us who meet here to-day, August 25, 1909, met here one year ago, and surely the remark and the full state- ment is appropriate, that we who meet here and are yet in health, owe for our continued life and health, new gratitude to God.
The first event for this record is the marriage, Septem- ber 2, 1908, of Guy Crisman and Gertie Fay Norton, both born in Crown Point; both members of old families.
On the same day Hiram Barton and wife celebrated their fiftieth marriage anniversary at Merrillville. Many persons present, and many presents.
On Saturday, September 5, the Dinwiddie clan held another reunion. Number present, 160. Among these was young Freeman Morgan, son of Rev. Freeman Morgan, and wife, who were missionaries for several years in India, and a grandson of Judge David Turner, now a tall and graceful and very promising young man, six feet and four inches in height. He is a nephew of A. Murray Turner, of Hammond, who was also present, the two representing well in stature their old Scottish ancestors.
On Tuesday or Wednesday, September 8 or 9, boy life again went out by accident in Lake county. Four boys of the Hammond Washington school were digging a cave in a sand bank, and were constructing the tunnel, when the sand roof suddenly came down upon them, covering two completely, and the other two up to their shoulders. Help soon came, but one boy was dead when taken out-Harry Ricketts, 15 years of age, a promising, kindly-hearted boy,
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son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Ricketts, of Hammond. The other boy, Louis Mott, also 15 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mott, was taken out unconscious, but recovered. It is said that the boys had been warned of the risk in mak- ing such excavations, but they always replied, "No danger."
Indian summer commenced September 13 and continued for some time, smoky, no wind, warm; September 20, mer- cury up to about 94 degrees.
September 26, Saturday. This day there was held at the Sigler House, on the west side of Cedar Lake, the first an- niversary of the organization founded last year at Lowell, composed of members of the different schools taught sev- eral years ago by H. H. Ragon. These schools were known by the names of Pleasant Grove, Orchard Grove, Robinson Prairie, Lowell, Bailey and Buckley. A large number at- tended, among them many invited guests. The weather was very favorable, and all evidently enjoyed the dinner, the ex- ercises, the music and the greetings. Mrs. Sigler certainly deserved hearty thanks for her great kindness in opening her rooms and furnishing the articles needed.
October 13. This evening, Tuesday, at about II oclock, our honored citizen, Thomas J. Wood, finished the battle of life. His friends trust that he could say, as did one long years ago, "I have fought a good fight." He was born in Ohio September 30, 1844, graduated at the law school of the University of Michigan in 1867, soon came as a young lawyer into Lake county, was married to Miss Mary E. Pelton in 1870, was elected State Senator in 1878, and mem- ber of Congress in 1882, having thus reached the third posi- tion in this land. He was a worthy member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.
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A WEATHER RECORD.
October quite a mild, pleasant month. O. Dinwiddie re- ported apple blossoms in his orchard October 17. October 18, 76 degrees at noon ; 21st, Indian summer ; 22d, a robin seen ; 31st, ice, 26 degrees.
Tuesday, November 3. Election day. A very red sun- rise. A good. day for voters to go out. November 4 the news comes that Wm. H. Taft has been elected president. Some are disappointed and some rejoice. The political gatherings in Lake county have been very large this year. The weather to-day very unpleasant.
Mrs. Sarah Manahan was this day 82 years of age, and Mrs. O. G. Wheeler gave, in her honor, a birthday dinner.
November 7. According to the election returns Lake county now has at least 9,500 Republican voters, 5,391 Dem- ocratic, 125 Prohibition, 303 Socialists, 8 People's Party, 28 Social Labor, and 78 Independent voters, making a total of 15,433.
Another marriage is now entitled to a place in this rec- ord. On Wednesday evening, November 18, Miss Rae I. Rockwell, daughter of Jules Rockwell, great grand-daughter of Pioneer Rockwell of 1836, was united in marriage with Victor Dyer of Hammond. Many guests.
Also another. Miss Ora Farley, our well known and esteemed postoffice clerk at Crown Point, great grand- daughter of General Joseph Jackson, pioneer of 1837, also of Benjamin Farley, pioneer, was married November 21 by Rev. E. R. Horton, to Mr. W. Ellwanger, of Chicago.
The weather. Some snow November 14. From 18th to 21st, Indian summer. A lone robin seen on the 18th. The
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day delightful. Doors open as in midsummer. About 50 degrees at sunset. A beautiful, strange bird seen on a lawn in Crown Point ; color nearly like a blackbird, but a smaller bird ; neck very glossy, same as a robin. Looked lonesome.
Died at Shelby, December 3, 1908, Miss Emily A. Fuller, a member of the large Fuller family, some of whom were early settlers of this county. She was born near the Robin- son Prairie school house, but lived in Shelby many years, where her mother died July 1, 1898, and her father Febru- ary 16, 1905. She was 42 years of age.
Died, Sunday night, December 27, Jacob Hayden. He was born March II, 1831, and came, when six years of age, in March, 1837, with several other children of Nehemiah Hayden, to Lake county. He was 77 years of age.
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