USA > Indiana > Lake County > Reports of the historical secretary of the Old settler and historical association of Lake County, Indiana from 1901 to 1905 > Part 3
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16. On Tuesday, May 19, 1903, died at Hammond, Leonard W. Thompson, a pioneer settler in Lake county in 1839, born July 14, 1814, a citizen of City West in Por- ter county in 1837, and a resident for many years in Crown Point. He was nearly 89 years of age. He was connect- ed with the Phillips and Muzzall families, all pioneers.
17. Mrs. Flint, Lydia F. Smith, born in Franklin coun- ty, New York, July 16, 1825, married to William Flint August 5, 1846, becoming an early settler here in 1859, having resided for the last thirty years with her sister, Mrs. C. N. Morton, died May 22, 1903, nearly 78 years of age.
18. Died at Lowell, July 17, 1903, Dr. A. A. Gerrish, a physician and money maker at Lowell for many years,
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his accumulations reported at some $250,000. Having no wife, no children, an unmarried man, his will gave the entire amount to a New Hampshire niece.
19. In the evening of July 16, was found dead in his orchard near Creston, the body of Clinton A. Taylor, who .was born December 26, 1854, and was not quite 49 years of age.
20. On Saturday, August 8, 1903, died at his home near Elliot station in Ross township. George T. Phillips, born in 1821, a resident of Lake county since 1836. Age 81 years, 7 months, 24 days. He left to represent him seven sons and fifteen grandchildren.
21. It seems appropriate to make some record here of the death of one who was not a resident of our county, . but whose life and labors extended over a portion of it, as well as over a part of his own county, Rev. J. N. Bu- chanan of Hebron. He was born December 12, 1824, in Ohio, of "Scotch-Irish parentage." He was ordained November 26, 1851, and soon became pastor at Hebron, his parish extending over the southeastern part of Lake county. Forty-six years he was "in the active work of the ministry," and died April 2, 1903, 78 years of age, having continued to be active in church work, "preaching, conducting funerals, and officiating at weddings," through the last six years of his life, (sec Hebron paper), making an "active period of ministry of fifty-two years."
22. And here is another record: On Friday, March 20, 1903. there was brought to Crown Point for burial the body of Sarah Josephine Rowins, a great-granddaughter of Solon Robinson, born at Crown Point, January 10, 1881.
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At noon the white hearse that bore the casket started from the Erie station for the cemetery, preceded by four carriages and followed by six containing Crown Point and Englewood relatives and friends. The services at the cemetery were conducted by the pastor of the Methodist church, Rev. Mr. Drake.
Not only do the pioneer settlers pass away, but their young descendants also are leaving year by year the shores of time. To these as well as to the aged the cour- tesies of life suggest that a due respect be shown by our Association. Certainly, names recorded here will not immediately pass into forgetfulness.
23. Died on Sunday morning, August 16th of this year, Thomas Craft, for many years a resident at the south part of Orchard Grove, but of late a citizen of Lowell. Age 77 years. A very kindly hearted man, a good friend. He was not a real pioneer but had lived in the county about fifty years and was interested in our historical works.
24. I close this division of my report with the name with which it commenced, the name of our departed friend, Hon. Bartlett Woods, for whom more especially, yet in- cluding all the others, this chair before us was draped. He died, full of years and honor, at the home of his son north of Crown Point, May 1, 1903, aged 84 years, 9 months, and 15 days.
Of the true pioneers, those who were men and women in 1840, and who are now 84 years of age, there are left Mr. W. A. Clark and Mrs. H. Van Hollen. What others there may be I do not know. There are others of
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that age but they were not here in 1840. Of pioneer children who are now from 63 to 83 years of age there are Nathan Wood and his brother Augustus Wood, John Wil- kinson, J. Kenney of Orchard Grove, William A. Taylor, Henry Surprise, T. H. Ball, and probably several others; also Mrs. Phillips of Elliot, so lately left a widow, Miss Van Valkenburg her sister, their father a settler in 1835 or 1836, Mrs. Josephine Strait, Mrs. Susan Clark, Mrs. Will- iam Fisher, Mrs. Thomas Fisher, Mrs. J. Fisher, Mrs. M. J. Cutler; also, perhaps the youngest of the pioneer chil- dren, Mr. John Brown. Of others, children and grand- children of pioneers, born after 1840 there are many. Of old or early settlers there are very many.
OUR CITIES. We have now three incorporated cities : Hammond, East Chicago, and Whiting.
Hammond is not specially growing. That which made it at first, when in 1873 it was known as the State Line Slaughter House, and which afterwards became the great G. H. Hammond packing house, has been removed or closed up as to business.
I think this record is reliable: Business closed at the Hammond Slaughter House May 12, 1903, the payment to the men on that day amounting to $20,000, a few hogs butchered on that day ending the work commenced there about 1869.
The other large interest at Hammond, the W. B. Conkey Printing and Publishing Establishment has not been going on smoothly on account of its nearness to Chicago, and the influence of the unions and strikes of that great city.
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Yet Hammond has one grand building which is likely long to remain, a hundred thousand dollar court house now nearly completed. To whatever use it may finally be put, this fine looking, massive structure shows the gen- erosity of the Commissioners of Lake county.
East Chicago, having in its northeastern quarter that suburb called Indiana Harbor, is this year the growing city of the county. If the "suburb" does not become a separate city, for its growth the past year is remarkable and cannot be given here in any detail, East Chicago is likely to become the city of the county.
In January of this year the founders of East Chicago met in their opera house in what they called an Old Set- tlers' meeting. In the course of the meeting their city attorney said that East Chicago would never be annexed to Hammond, but the day would come when East Chi- cago would annex Hammond. The mayor of Hammond made a strong effort to get a bill through the last State Legislature to unite East Chicago and Whiting with Hammond. He failed.
East Chicago has manifested much enterprise in im- proving the city public schools the past year. Superin- tendent Smith and his assistants deserve much commen- dation in promoting the department of "manual training work." in "construction, drawing, and color work." De- tails are omitted.
One record is placed here clipped from a county paper of North township: "Thirty-one boats of all classes were anchored in the harbor of Indiana Harbor last Saturday evening," June 6, 1903. How large any of these ships
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were the paper did not state. The harbor is not yet ready for ships of large dimensions.
The young city of Whiting is also having a steady and quite rapid growth. From a well written late editorial on "Whiting's Growth," I copy a few statements, giving the substance, not the exact words.
About fourteen years ago there were half a dozen small houses where the Standard Oil Company selected its loca- tion. About seven years ago the town was incorporated, and a remarkable and steady growth has continued. As one illustration, in Central Park addition, "opened up two years ago this spring," there have been built "fifty-one substantial residences and business blocks."
Leaving these cities, there has been growth also in the towns and villages. In Lowell, the agricultural center, quite an amount of building has been done, and a few improvements have been made in Crown Point. On East street two good dwelling houses have been erected, one by Frank Meeker, Esq., and the other by Michael Hen- derlong. The dwelling house of J. F. Rowins has been repaired and painted a bright green, a few other houses now wearing the same bright color, and W. H. Vansciver's home on East street is a brilliant red, perhaps the richest, brightest looking colored house now in the county. To be appreciated it should be seen amid the bright green hues of the summer on the shade trees around it.
The brick building erected this summer by J. J. Wheel- er for the STAR office, standing on a historic spot where in 1834 was built the first dwelling house in what became Crown Point, is a noteworthy addition to the town. It is
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sixty feet deep from east to west, and twenty-four and one-half wide. It contains, it is said, the most costly machinery in the county for a printing office; is well sup- plied with presses for its paper and job work, and in its general appearance is very clean and neat.
There are now in process of construction three large dwelling houses, one on East street by W. L. Allman, the . style of building what is called Dutch Colonial; one by Jay S. Crawford, and one by J. Meyer of Cedar Lake, and the names of the owners are a good guarantee that they will be well built and well furnished, taking rank among the best mansions in Crown Point.
SPECIAL EVENTS. Double Silver Wedding. The following is quoted from one of our journals. The day referred to was February 12, 1903. The record appears as an editorial:
"Last Thursday was the 25th anniversary of the wed- ding of Mr. and Mrs. Mat. Lauerman and Mr. and Mrs. Gard of Cedar Lake, and the event was celebrated by a double wedding at the Hanover Center Catholic church, · after which a sumptuous dinner was served. Four priests were in attendance, and over 250 guests assembled to congratulate the two married couples upon the occasion of their passing the 25th milestone of wedded life."
On the next day, February 13th, C. Scheidler, having started at Cedar Lake a bell foundry, made the first cast of a nine-inch bell, called "a fine piece of work," and he had then under way three large bells. He claims to be able to make superior bells.
On Sunday, July 12th, was laid the corner stone of the new church building at Dyer, the old one having been
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destroyed by fire. According to the published report as many as three thousand people were present, the Ro- man Catholic Bishop from Fort Wayne, "assisted by fif- teen priests, with appropriate ceremonies, laid the corner stone." The report as published also states that on the grounds were "all kinds of innocent amusements, ice cream and soft drinks," and that "a grand dinner was served in three rooms of the public school building." It was evidently a great day for the Roman Catholic popu- lation of the county. The word "Roman" distinguishes this church from Dr. Dowie's Christian Catholic church.
As another special event, also religious, the following is recorded here, condensed from the published account. The date is June 3, 1903: "The rite of circumcision was celebrated at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Friedman last Wednesday afternoon. The twin sons of Mr. and Mrs. Friedman were circumcised, the Rabbi Gordon of Chicago, performing the ceremony." One boy was named Max and the other Bernard. "About sixty-five relatives and friends of the family were present," some from Min- neapolis, some from Springfield, some from Chicago. Among the presents, were, a diamond ring for each boy, an enameled iron bed with brass trimmings, a chain and locket for each, and from Erie, Pennsylvania, two gold baby rings. Whatever may be our religious faith, it ought to be of interest to us all to know that the old rite of circumcision. given to that great man Abraham nearly four thousand years ago, is religiously observed in this county of Lake.
Among these special events have been some sad ones called accidents, Among these I place on this record
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the drowning of young Eugene Harrison. On a Thurs- day afternoon, not long ago, date not given, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, with their two sons, Eugene and George, went for a walk along the beach of Lake Michigan. The two boys, as boys would quite naturally be inclined to do, went out a little distance on what is called the Standard pier. One of them fell off into the water about twelve feet deep and it was nearly an hour before the body was taken from the water. It is said, "Eugene was a bright and ac- tive little fellow, and was eight years of age." He ven- tured into danger and lost his life.
Of events at Crown Point this summer, the saddest has been the death of Miss Mabel Dessmier, the elder daugh- ter of the pastor of the German Methodist church. She had passed from girlhood into young womanhood during her father's residence here, had attended the Crown Point High School, had become quite proficient in music, was teaching a large class of music pupils at Hammond, was very ambitious, talented, and brilliant, and passed out of life here amid circumstances of unusual sadness. She slipped out of the stream of active life so suddenly, so unexpectedly, as to almost startle us. One Saturday at the Fair Ground, among her young associates, and the next Saturday with disease rapidly doing its work upon a system not vigorous and past all human help. That very night she passed over the viewless river, May 30, 1903. Age, 18 years.
A Church wedding is the event to come next in this report. Sorrow and joy are near neighbors in this world. The East Chicago Globe says: "The first church wedding
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. to take place in any of the Protestant churches of East Chicago, was celebrated at the M. E. church last Wednes- day evening, [January 28, 1903,] at 8 o'clock. About four hundred guests had been invited, and every seat in the church rooms was occupied. It was a brilliant affair." The parties were, Mr. Henry Johnson, a railroad engineer, and Miss Anne Alyea.
In Commerciel Life. In December, 1902, there was authorized to do banking business by the Comptroller of the currency, The First National Bank of Whiting. Cap- ital, $50,000. Cashier, G. H. Wilson; President, Gallus J. Bader.
The following notice of the Dickinson Re-union is in- serted here from the Secretary, Mrs. Minnie Dickinson. .
The fifth annual re-union of the Dickinson families was held at the home of Mrs. S. A. Dummond, September 6, 1902. The weather was just such a day as all would wish for. They began to assemble at an early hour and spent a most enjoyable day. As the hour of twelve approached a long table was spread beneath the shade trees. From the well filled baskets it was loaded with all the good things one could ask for. Rev. Murphy gave thanks.
After Dinner H. Dummond took a sketch of the smil- ing faces, A. G. Slocumb showered the children with pea. nuts. The remainder of the day was spent eating ice cream and in social chat. The total number present was 59. Near 4:30 P. M., the President called the meeting to order. The minutes of last meeting were read, officers elected. Alonzo Dickinson was elected President; Mrs. Minnie Dickinson, Secretary. Rev. Murphy then gave a
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short talk, which was well received. S. E. Dickinson re- quested that the next meeting be held at his place. This request was favored by all. As the day was well spent and evening shadows were gathering, they adjourned to meet the first Saturday in September, 1903, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Dickinson.
MRS. MINNIE DICKINSON, Sect'y.
Visitors in 1902 and 1903. Several former residents have been in the county this year as visitors. The names of all have not come into my hands. Among them were Mrs. Lillian Campbell of Norris, Montana, a granddaugh- ter of Dr. James A. Wood of Lowell; Mr. Clinton Dutton from Nebraska, who had been absent from the county many years; also Mr. A. A. Winslow and wife from Bel- gium, where he had been U. S. consul for four years; and one other name has reached this record, Mrs. Sarah Willi- son of Lewiston, Idaho, who was known among us as Miss Sarah Kenney, a prominent teacher in this county in 1867. All these are representatives of early and prominent families.
Oldest Married Couple. I found this year at Lowell, as I'am quite sure, the oldest married people in the coun- ty, Mr. Leander Vostburg, born June 14, 1811, and his wife, who was Content Salisbury, and was born May II, 1811 .. They were married in 1840, and came to this coun- try in 1868, They were both well and active July 16th, 92 years of age.
School Population. The school enumeration for last May gave 13,490 children, an increase since last year of 615 children. Of this increase 507 or 518 are in East Chi- cago, leaving an increase for Hammond, Whiting, and the
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rest of the county of nearly 100. "Indiana Harbor and . Berry school census for 1903, is 390; East Chicago and Steiglitz Park 1310, making a total of 1700,"for the entire corporation limits of East Chicago. These figures show which is now the most rapidly growing of our cities.
Number of Graduates from our High Schools: From Crown Point, II young women and 5 young men, 16; from East Chicago, 2 young women and 4 young men, 6; from Whiting, 4 young women and I young man, 5; from Ham- mond, in all, 12; from Lowell, in all, 14; from Hobart, graduates, 2. Total, so far as reported, 55.
The schools are considered to be prosperous. The manual training work done at East Chicago has been else- where mentioned.
In the last few years a large interest has been taken in athletic exercises. The highest pole vaulter this summer was Harold Iddings of Merrillville. Heighth of bar nine feet nine inches. The fastest runner of the county this summer is Clay M. Foster of Crown Point. Speed, 220 yards, or 40 rods passed over in twenty-one and one- fourth seconds, which is at the rate of one mile in two minutes and fity seconds, equal to a speed of about twenty miles an hour.
The Historical Secretary ventures to add here that while in school life we are making good records in several particulars, yet we are not doing very great things in training young men for writers or orators. And it cer- tainly is not wise for the young people trained in our schools to be led to feel that they are in advance largely of the generation that went before them. Says a truly noted man of Europe,
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"Say not our age is wiser; if it be, It is the wisdom which the past has given That makes it so;"
and this feeling of humility is in accordance with the spir- it which a proper study of the past inculcates, as repre- sentative men in large assemblies say of their forefathers, "There were giants in those days."
I hazard little in saying that no one now in our county can easily excel in speech or writing the founder of Crown Point, Solon Robinson; or begin to compete in writing long poems with our pioneer farmer, John Underwood; and I know of no one who can fill the place so lately made vacant by our departed friend, Hon. Bartlett Woods. It is well for the young to know and to remember that many of our pioneer men and women were educated and capable, and that they will do well to strive to equal them in achievments.
A Few Other Items. The following weather record was made February 16th, Monday: "A snow fall com- menced here on Saturday evening, the 13th fall of snow for this winter, and has not ended yet. It was considered to be 18 inches deep this morning, and it is much deeper now."
The storms of this summer, disastrous in many parts of the country, have not been severe in Lake county. Each year we pray for protection, and, as yet no dread cyclone sweeps across our borders. The rains have been what we could gratefully call very seasonable, yet the lightning has set fire to some barns and caused quite a little loss to a few farmers. Vegetation was quite early. Dandelions in blossom by the middle of April; strawberry blossoms
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April 21st in Crown Point. May 22nd there was quite a heavy thunder storm. A heavy hay crop. A good sum- mer for potatoes, and unusually good for blackberries. Apples are abundant, small sweet apples were selling in Crown Point, August 19th, for ten cents a peck. Small fruit. except cherries, has been abundant. Several per- sons in Crown Point have had this year large beds of strawberries. At least one of these has realized ten and twelve cents a box for his berries by furnishing families. At the stores for a time the retail price was six and a fourth cents, but more generally ten cents a box, supposed to be a quart. Some plum trees in Crown Point in this month of August are loaded heavily with fruit, and they were not sprayed. A late frost injured pear blossoms. The nights have been generally cool this summer. In June the mercury in the morning marked 50 degrees, 54 and 60, and July 12th only 42 degrees. In July came some warm nights, and the last day of June was hot. July Ist, 76 degrees, 2nd 70, 3rd 76, at 6 o'clock 4th 80, 7th about 70, 10th 72, 11th 70, 13th down to 60, 26th about 70, and the hot nights ceased. Corn during these hot July nights and days , amid frequent showers, grew with great rapid- ity. The August nights have been cool. The following are the figures of the mercury in the mornings, beginning with August Ist: 58, 66, 68, 68, 66, 56, 60, 60, 58, this was the 10th and katydids commenced their summer music. 54, 58, 60, 62, 62, 64, 60, 66, 60, 60, 24th 74, 25th 76, 26th 64 degrees. On the whole the year has been a prosper- ous one for the farming community. Not much wasting sickness has been among us.
: The increase of material wealth is abundant. The fol-
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lowing statement is from the Lake County Star:
"Lake County Growing Rich. The total assessment of values in Lake county this spring foots up $20,003.755, real estate included, as against $16,624,967 in 1899 when real estate was also assessed. This is a gain of $3,378,788 in four years, and the raise is found to be on all classes of property. Town and city lots take the lead in valuation, the gain on them in the last four years amounting to a million, and that on acre property over a half million The balance of about a million and a half falls on per- sonal property."
Two Added Records. As the month of November, 1902, draws to a close, one of the old landmarks in Crown Point is disappearing from view. This is the old log house, built by Solon Robinson, which has been standing northwest of the northwest corner of the public square on Court street, back of a row of large locust trees, be- yond the memory of most of the present inhabitants of Crown Point. Having siding on the outside, perhaps some did not know it was built of logs. This house has a history such as belongs to no other in Crown Point, and now that men are taking down the building is a fitting time to commit to the "art preservative," as some one has called printing, some of this history. Here, as the rec- ord says, "At a meeting of a majority of the citizens of Lake county, held at the house of Solon Robinson on the fourth of July, 1836," was organized "The Squatters' Un- ion of Lake County."
In 1837 the house was opened by its hospitable owners several times for the preaching of the Gospel, until a more roomy place was provided by the erection of the
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"Log Court House." For many years it was the home of the Robinson family, the father and mother, two sons and two daughters, and often various guests, and there the youth and beauty of the early Crown Point sometimes met for dancing and for visits and other social entertain- ment. They dance in larger rooms now. But the varied forms of life which were in and about those log walls, for the first twelve years after the logs were formed into a dwelling house for man, cannot be expressed in a few printed words; nor can the life tor forty years afterward, for a part of which time the house was the home of Mrs. Calista Young, where her aged mother died in 1884, and in the same year her mother's sister's son, Mr. Clement Brown, after a residence of about five years, and where her son, Charles Young, grew up to manhood. Deserted as the old house has looked for the last few years. it was for many long years a bright home for Dr. L. G. Bedell of Chicago, and her sister and brothers, and besides these four, for childhood and youth and age. It was a living and inviting home when Solon Robinson, its first owner, made his last visit to Crown Point with his Florida wife, Mrs. Young then having charge of the home.
Only a part of the old building was removed in Novem- ber, and so the other record here, is: March 2, 1903, Mon- day. To-day the remaining part of the Robinson house was removed to make way for the printing office soon to be erected on this spot by J. J. Wheeler, whose wife is a granddaughter of the old house builder. And so the spot where was for many years the bright home of the Robin- · son family, where ministers of the Gospel have been wel- coned and have preached that Gospel, where births and
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deaths have been, and where the young and the aged have often met, is soon to be, and probably for many years to come, the home of journalism, the abode of printing presses, and the day home for those who do type-setting and press-work, and help to enrich with printed thought thousands of living homes.
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