Northwestern Indiana from 1800 to 1900A regional history written by Timothy H. Ball . . . .
Source Citation:
Ball, Timothy H. 1900.
Northwestern
Indiana from 1800 to 1900 or A View of Our Region Through the Nineteenth Century.
Chicago, Illinois: Donohue and Henneberry. 570 p.
NORTHWESTERN INDIANA FROM 1800 TO 1900
392
CHAPTER XXV.
LIBRARIES.
Those to be mentioned in this chapter are of four
varieties: township libraries, school libraries, circulating libraries, and town
or public libraries.
1. A library coming under no one of these varieties will first be noticed.
In the summer of 1838 there was formed at Valparaiso The Porter County Library
Association. A library began to be collected which in 1850 contained about 500
books.
It was neither a public nor a circulating library, for the first by-law adopted
was that only members should read the books. In 1855 the books were distributed
to the different townships of the county, and, so far as appears, the
association was dissolved.
2. The McClure libraries, though coming into no one of the four classes named,
also need some mention. From a quite full notice
of these given by Mr. Niles in the account of the La Porte Public Library, are
taken the following statements: William McClure was "the first president of the
Philadelphia Academy of Science, a man of large means, had travelled widely, was
intimate with many scientific men, and had an extensive knowledge of science. He
became associated with Robert Owen" at New Harmony, a village "on the Wabash
River in Posey
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County." As Mr. Niles refers for his authority to a
"pamphlet prepared by J. P. Dunn of Indianapolis, formerly State Librarian," and
as Mr. Dunn says, "The name of William McClure is hardly known in
Indiana, outside of Posey
County;" and as he also says that "not only have these libraries almost
vanished, but even the memory of them is well nigh gone;" and as he adds that
"in many years of inquiry" no account of the McClure libraries had been found as
given to the public until his pamphlet was issued; it seems appropriate that
somewhere in Indiana
history some of these facts should be preserved, and therefore, considerable
space is here given to a somewhat lengthy extract
from a historical sketch "prepared by William
Niles."
Robert Owen came to this country in 1823, and he and McClure gathered around
them at New Harmony many men eminent in science, including Joseph Neef, the
disciple of Pestalozzi and Schoolcraft, the student of Indian life. Owen's
experiment ended in failure, and in 1827 Owen returned to England. Two of his
sons, however, remained here and were well known and influential citizens of
this State.
McClure, like many others at New Harmony, had a hobby, which in his case, was
the amelioration of the condition of the working classes, especially through the
agency of working men's institutes. The "New Harmony Working Men's Institute"
was established under his influence in 1838. He donated to it an order on a
London bookseller for 200 pounds. Its library was afterwards joined to another
which McClure had aided, and later the township library was added to this
combined library, which still exists and has 7,650 volumes with an annual
circulation of 24,000 -- which is considered very creditable for a village of
1,000 in the benighted pocket. McClure had a curiously assorted lot of
possessions, including some thirty
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buildings at New Harmony, and about 10,000 acres of land in the vicinity; also
castles in Spain -- or, what is better, over a million reals in Spanish
securities; a house in Alacante on the Mediterranean coast of Spain; the convent
of St. Gines and accompanying estate of 10,000 acres in Valencia; the estate of
Carman de Coix in the valley of Murada. He also held mortgages on property in
Virginia, England, France and Spain, and large and curious collections of books,
minerals, copper plates of engravings, etc., etc. The last codicil of his will
was executed in the City of Mexico in 1840. His will provided that his executors
should "donate the sum of $500 out of his other property in the United States of
America to any club or society of laborers who may establish, in any part of the
United States, a reading and lecture room with a library of at least 100
volumes." The "laborers" were defined in the will as "the working classes who
labor with their hands." Under this will 144 associations received donations in
89 of the 92 counties of this State. As a rule they were not long-lived. They
were almost always formed for the purpose of getting the donation. In each case
the recipients were required to show that they were "laborers" and that they had
complied with the provision for collecting a library of 100 volumes, but these
preliminary libraries were usually composed of old books of all sorts, hastily
gathered together and of little practical value. The Civil War soon took away
many of the members -- this being one of several causes that were fatal to the
entire plan. In most cases the books were finally divided and became the
individual property of the members. Only two or three of these libraries are now
in existence.
It seems from Mr. Niles' statement that 144 times
$500, or $72,000 went from Mr. McClure's large
estate into 89 of our Indiana counties, and surely
the northwestern corner of the State is entitled
to preserve the name and memory of one who gave so much
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for libraries, if in the end it all amounted to so
little. That was not the fault of the generous donor.
The Crown Point McClure Library Association commenced putting out books,
according to the librarian's record, in August, 1857, and the last record of
books taken out is dated March 2, 1885. To readers in Crown Point and the early
settlers in the county, the names of those taking out some of the first books
would be of interest, such as D. K. Pettibone, D. Crumbacker, E. Griffin, R. F.
Patrick, J. P. Smith. R. B. Young, John Wheeler, I. O. Dibble, Z. F. Summers, E.
M. Cramer, J. G. Hoffman, W. G. McGlashen, H. Pettibone, A. D. Foster, A. Allman,
Johnson Wheeler, Wm A. W. Holton. D. Turner, S. D. Clark, J. H. Luther, F. S.
Bedell, and many other once well known names of those who are seen here no more;
but a longer list of these names must be omitted.
There are many valuable books in this library; nearly all were books of solid
worth, and it is of interest to those who knew the men to notice the different
books which each man selected. The last book taken out, March 2, 1885, was taken
by Hon. Bartlett Woods, and no one acquainted with him would be surprised to see
that the 'book was Democracy in America, by M. De Tocqueville.
The last record in regard to this library, as found in the Librarian's book, is
dated June 1, 1885, and it states that W. A. Clark and G. L. Vorhees on that day
removed the McClure Library, then "comprising 148 volumes," to the library of
the Public School of Crown Point. The books were to be used as reference books
by the school and the library was to be "still open to the members as before."
This stipu-
396
lation has been found to be utterly impracticable. The
library is practically shut out or shut in from
the use of the members of the association. They
cannot well visit it in school hours, and it is locked up after school hours.
The following closes that memorandum: "I do hereby vouch for the receipt and
proper care and use of the same and shall hold it in charge under the orders of
the McClure Library Association."
(Signed.) "GEO L. VORHEES,
"Superintendent of Schools."
One of the boys of the high school put the stamp of the school library on the
books and seems to have undertaken to remove the McClure stamp. In the latter,
which was certainly not honorable, he did not succeed.
The last president of the McClure Association yet resides in Crown Point. If the
time should ever come for a town library in Crown Point the 148 McClure books
should go to that library.
3. Of the township libraries provided by the State for the benefit of the
children of the public schools and for the entire families connected with the
schools, but little mention need be made. Some very appropriate and useful books
were put into these libraries, and for a few years they served an excellent
purpose, furnishing some good reading matter which many of the families could
not then have well secured without some such provision by the State. But
finally, as changes came, the township library system was given up.
Then, as the cause of education was generally advancing in the State, and in
some parts rapidly, the more enterprising individual schools began to pro-
397
vide libraries for themselves. In different ways funds
were raised to procure books, and some of the township trustees, under a wise
provision of the law concerning reference books, would furnish some books for
these separate school libraries. In the more advanced counties and townships,
nearly every school at this date of 1900 has a library for general reading,
containing also some reference books. The selection of these books may not
always be most wisely made, some of the libraries containing quite an amount of
what some would call light fiction; but it seems to be quite a general principle
that those who secure funds have the right to say how the money raised shall be
appropriated. The State does not furnish the money to any great extent,
according to the proper working of our school laws, and the State authorities
have, therefore, no right to select the libraries. Quite generally the teachers
select. A good library in every school district, when properly used, is one
great help for self-improvement. While the school library system is not yet all
that it is capable of becoming, it is quite an advance on the opportunities for
reading that many of the children had in the pioneer days; when only a few had
access to any large libraries.
4. Circulating libraries, like all other libraries, depend, for the good they
do, upon the character of the books. But their existence and use mark a stage of
advancement. There are not many of these in our towns and cities.
For some years, after November 4, 1882, quite a large library of this variety
was kept in Crown Point by James H. Ball. This
furnished reading matter for many families, but it was finally consumed
398
by fire with the building in which it was kept, and efforts since made for such
a library have been unsuccessful. The book of record of the Crown Point
Circulating Library has just come to hand and contains fifty-nine pages of the
names of those reading the books, closing in May, 1886.
5. Town libraries sometimes come early and sometimes later in the growth of a
town and city.
From a quite lengthy sketch of the La Porte
Library and Natural History Association, prepared by William Niles, Esq., of La
Porte, son of Judge J. B. Niles, when the library was "formally transferred to
the City of La Porte, April 25, 1897, to become a free public library," the
following statements and extracts are taken:
Mr. Niles writes: "In the midst of the absorbing struggle for the Union, a
generation ago, Rev. C. Noyes, of the Presbyterian church, of La Porte, sought
to establish a library and reading room here." He soon secured for this abject
five hundred dollars, and an organization was perfected. It was soon proposed to
unite with the McClure Working Men's Institute, then possessing a library of
about seven hundred, "in the main, well selected books." This union was effected
before May 11, 1863. That Institute had been organized with about thirty
members, workmen in the railroad shops, August 16, 1865.
After various details in regard to the united library association, Mr. Niles
states that in 1868 "the natural history collection was begun" by Dr. Higday and
others. After many changes in regard to management and financial matters, in
1882, a farm, which by the will of Aurora Case, had come into the possession of
the association, was sold for fifty-five
399
hundred dollars. The association now owned a building and had fifty-three
hundred dollars laid aside for future use. Funds also came
from the estate of Mrs. Nancy A. Treat amounting
to one thousand dollars, and a dwelling house not then to be converted into
money, but valued at four thousand dollars, was also go to the library
association. It was proposed in June, 1896, to remodel and enlarge the library
building and turn the property over to the city. The historical sketch says:
"The proposed changes have now been completed and improvements made at a cost of
about $5,500. The result is an attractive and commodious building. The present
value of the property now transferred to the city may be estimated at $20,000.
With this beginning of a fine public library its permanence and great usefulness
can not be doubted."
Before closing Mr. Niles says:
For nearly twenty-five years no lecture courses have been given, but before that
time many famous lecturers appeared before the association audiences, including
Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Lloyd Garrison, Charles Sumner, George Sumner,
Wendell Phillips, Bayard Taylor, Benjamin F. Taylor, Horace Greely (who was also
here in 1853, making the trip from LaFayette to
Otis on a hand-car because of an accident on the New Albany road), Petroleum V.
Nasby, (his first lecture) W. H. Milburn, (the blind preacher, chaplain of the
U. S. Senate) J. G. Holland, John G. Saxe, Geo. Thompson, M. P., (English
Abolitionist) John B. Gough, James B. Belford (the
red-headed-rooster-of-the-Rockies) Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Grace Greenwood, Anna
E. Dickinson, Mrs.
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Mendenhall, Clara Barton, (her first lecture) Olive Logan and Mrs. Scott Siddons.
To these are added as noted persons who have spoken in La Porte, but not in
connection with the association: Daniel Webster, in 1837; Henry Ward Beecher, in
1844; General Neal Dow, in 1879, and two Presidents of the United States and
four Vice-Presidents.
MICHIGAN CITY LIBRARY.
Note: The following sketch of this library, through the kindness and courtesy of
Miss Daisy L. Brown, of Michigan City, has come directly
from the Librarian as prepared by her for this book.
To both these young ladies special thanks are returned. T. H. B.
The Michigan City public library had its origin in a legacy of $5,000 left by
Mr. George Ames, as a fund to be used for the purchase of books for a public
library, in case a library organization should exist within a stated time. In
1894 interest in the organization of a library association began to manifest
itself. Early in 1895 a literary society known as "the Fortnightly Club"
appointed a committee to look into the provisions of Mr. Ames' will, and to
report a plan of organization necessary to secure the benefits of the bequest.
Through this committee were submitted the names of fifteen men and women,
prominent residents of the town, who consented to form a board of incorporators,
and to take the necessary legal steps to organize a public library association.
The next development was the offer by Hon. J. H. Barker, of a contribution of
one-third the entire cost of a library building to be erected by the
subscriptions of the citizens. A soliciting committee was appointed, and so
great was the enthusiasm shown that $30,000 was secured. A beautiful building
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of Bedford stone, classic in architecture, and with
interior furnishings of marble and of quarter-sawed oak, was erected on a
centrally-located corner lot, opposite the city high school. The building was
fitted throughout with the best library furniture and appliances and most
conveniently arranged for the purposes of a modern library. It contains not only
the usual reading, reference, book and delivery rooms, but a finely lighted
children's room, a room for the use of students, and one for the use of literary
clubs. It is probably one of the best equipped libraries of northern
Indiana. Under the law of
the State, the library is supported by taxation, and has in addition a small
book-fund, endowed by private gifts.
In the summer of 1897, Miss Marilla W. Freeman, a graduate of the University of
Chicago, undertook the organization of the new library, and in October the
library was thrown open to the public with 3,000 volumes on its shelves. The
annual statement of the librarian for May 1st, 1900, reports 5,500 volumes in
the library, and a circulation for the year of nearly 40,000 volumes. The
library met with immediate popularity and success, and has become one of the
most important factors in the educational life of Michigan City. It is in close
touch with the work of the public schools, as well as with the literary clubs.
Through its collection of technical works, it has made special efforts to
attract and hold the interest of the employees of the various factories and
other industrial centers of the city. Its gifts have included not only books and
money, but a considerable number of fine pictures for the adornment of its
walls.
WINAMAC LIBRARY.
At Winamac was organized a few years ago the People's Library Association. The membership fee authorizing the use of the books of the library is one dollar a year. It is not, therefore, a free public library.
NAVIGATION OF
NORTHWESTERN INDIANA FROM 1800 TO 1900
FRONT MATTER AND DEDICATION
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
- GENERAL OUTLINES
CHAPTER 2
- THE INDIANS
CHAPTER 3
- THE EARLY SETTLERS
CHAPTER 4
- WHAT THE EARLY SETTLERS FOUND
CHAPTER 5
- PIONEER LIFE
CHAPTER 6
- COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS
CHAPTER 7
- OUR LAKES AND STREAMS
CHAPTER 8
- LAKE MICHIGAN WATER SHED
CHAPTER 9
- TOWNSHIP AND STATISTICS
CHAPTER
10 - RAILROAD LIFE
CHAPTER
11 - POLITICAL HISTORY
CHAPTER
12 - THE WAR RECORD
CHAPTER
13 - RELIGIOUS HISTORY
CHAPTER
14 - RELIGIOUS HISTORY
CHAPTER
15 - RELIGIOUS HISTORY
CHAPTER
16 - SUNDAY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER
17 - TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF NEWTON AND JASPER
CHAPTER
18 - TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF WHITE, PULASKI AND STARKE
CHAPTER
19 - VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES OF LAKE
CHAPTER
20 - VILLAGES AND TOWNS OF PORTER
CHAPTER
21 - VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES OF LA PORTE
CHAPTER
22 - EARLY TRAVELS
CHAPTER
23 - PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CHAPTER
24 - PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
CHAPTER
25 - LIBRARIES
CHAPTER
26 - OTHER INDUSTRIES
CHAPTER
27 - SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
CHAPTER
28 - THE KANKAKEE REGION
CHAPTER
29 - DRAINING MARSHES
CHAPTER
30 - ANIMALS AND PLANTS
CHAPTER
31 - MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
CHAPTER
32 - COURT HOUSES
CHAPTER
33 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS
CHAPTER
34 - BIRTH PLACES OF PIONEERS
CHAPTER
35 - McCARTY
CHAPTER
36 - ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE
CHAPTER
37 - ALTITUDES
CHAPTER
38 - MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
CHAPTER
39 - SOME STATISTICS
CHAPTER
40 - WEATHER RECORD
CONCLUSION
Transcribed by Steven R. Shook, April 2012