History of Porter County, 1882County history published by F. A. Battey and Company . . . .
Source Citation:
Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882.
Counties of Lake and
Porter, Indiana: Historical and Biographical. Chicago, Illinois: F. A.
Battey and Company. 771 p.
HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY
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CHAPTER I.
EARLY HISTORY OF COUNTY
By HUBERT S. SKINNER.
GEOLOGY - EVIDENCES OF GLACIATION - THE DRIFT - TOPOGRAPHY
- WATER-COURSES - PRE-HISTORIC REMAINS - THE FRENCH AND INDIANS - THE BAILLY
FAMILY - SUMMARY VIEW OF COUNTY SETTLEMENT - THE FIRST COURT - PUBLIC BUILDINGS
- CAPITAL AND OTHER CRIMES - THE PLANK ROAD - RAILWAYS - COUNTY AUTHORSHIP -
STATISTICAL TABLES - PUBLIC OFFICERS.
THE geologist who delights to enrich his cabinet with fossils gathered from the
paleozoic rocks, will find nothing in Porter County to reward his search; but to
one who is interested in the study of glaciation and its effects, this region
presents a most interesting field for investigation. The floor of Porter County
was laid in the Devonian age, and below us lie myriads of fossilized organisms
of this "age of fishes." But these are hidden by the vast deposits of glacial
drift, and could be reached only by excavations of great depth. The strata of
drift are at least 170 feet in thickness, and there are no outcroppings of the
original rock-bed. Upon the surface we find occasional fragments of limestone,
crinoids and other traces of the Silurian age ; but they were brought hither
from regions far to the north. Upon the surface, and sometimes beneath it, we
find granitoid bowlders of various size scattered through the county; and in the
beds of all our streams are innumerable pebbles, worn smooth by the constant
action of the water. These, likewise, are not native, but were transported to
our borders from the distant northland.
So complete are the evidences which support the glacial theory, that it is
unnecessary here to present any arguments in its favor. It is sufficient to give
the conclusions at which scientists have arrived, upon the most careful study
and investigation of the subject.
Formerly the lake, which beats upon our northern shore, was a part of the great
ocean; and, even now, fragments of marine Crustacea are
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found by dredging deep into its bed. At the close of the Mammalian age, was
ushered in the glacial epoch. There was then an elevation of the crust in the
northern latitudes, which was followed by a period of intense cold. Immense
masses of ice were formed, and the procession of glaciers moved southward from
their mountain home. Over Porter County passed a sheet of ice which extended
hundreds of miles in width, which reared its head 400 feet above the surface,
and which extended in an unbroken mass a thousand miles in length. Firmly
clasped in its icy embrace were immense bowlders and masses of sand, clay and
gravel. Huge masses of rock were ground to powder by its action. The water,
which flowed beneath this river of ice, deposited its sediment in its course.
Far to the southward, the glacier wasted away, and, melting, formed the Ohio
River. As the glacial epoch waned, lesser glaciers passed down to the rock
barriers of the Wabash region, and, dying, gave birth to the stream. In the
glacial drift, we find the remains of animal and vegetable life. Some of the
bones of the mastodon were found a few years since upon our eastern border, near
Wanatah. Fossilized fragments of trees and of fruits have been discovered.
Geologists rarely estimate in years the duration of the geological periods.
However, it may be of interest to know that the lowest calculation places the
duration of the ice age at 50,000 years, and the time of its termination is
thought to have been 175,000 years ago. After the glacial epoch, came the
lacustrine period. The northern regions, which had been raised to such an
elevation, subsided, or were deeply eroded, and the lakes were formed. This
subsidence or erosion, extended to about the center of Porter County, where the
water-shed now extends in an irregular line. The water no longer flowed in from
the ocean, and the inland sea became changed into fresh water lakes.
The line of sand hills upon our northern shore has no counterpart in the known
world. Other lakes have ranges of sand hills, but none a range like ours. The
combined action of the winds and waves through untold ages, has reared these
beautiful ridges to a height of one hundred and fifty - sometimes two hundred -
feet. In color, they are a bluish white, and from afar they glisten in the sun
with an unearthly beauty, contrasting with the deep blue of the lake that dashes
upon the beach. On our southern border, the sluggish Kankakee pursues its
sinuous course, little changed in its appearance and natural surroundings
through a long lapse of ages. Porter County contains about a dozen small lakes.
The most considerable of these are Flint and Long Lakes, north of Valparaiso,
and Longinus, Mud and Fish Lakes, near the northern shore. The Calumet River
flows in a westerly direction through the northern part, its principal affluents
being Salt and Coffee Creeks. Sandy Hook and
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Crooked Creeks flow southward through the southern part of the county; the
former discharges into the Kankakee, while the latter is lost in the extensive
and low marsh adjoining the river.
While not remarkably rich in antiquities, Porter County contains many objects of
interest to the archaeologist. It was once occupied by that strange and
problematic people - the Mound-Builders - who have left numerous traces of their
occupation. The Mound-Builders are commonly supposed to have been a great
people, who occupied the Mississippi Valley, and who migrated to the southward.
The Spanish accounts of the Aztecs, Toltecs and Chichemecs, the ruined cities of
Mexico and Central America, and the inscriptions found in these have been
carefully studied for a solution of the mystery in which this race is involved.
But the mystery is yet unsolved. Numerous earth mounds are found in Porter
County; but there are no fortifications or other works of any great magnitude.
In the mounds have been found human bones, arrow heads and fragments of pottery.
Scores of stone ax-heads, and thousands of arrow-flints have been collected from
the prairies and from the banks of streams. There is a most interesting
earthwork to be found near Deep River, at the western border. Here is a mound of
earth, reared by human hands, and rising to the height of twenty feet. It is
shaped like a flat-iron, and regularly built, the principal sides measuring each
twenty feet in length from the apex. Near the latter, there is a well, which was
formerly of enormous depth. The excavation is circular, and has a diameter of
eight or nine feet. Into this well, the early settlers threw the debris of their
clearings, with the intention of filling it up; but the capacity has been so
great that it remains yet unfilled. Numerous small excavations in the adjacent
soil and rocks have led to the conclusion that this was once a "water-cure"
establishment, and resorted to in ancient times for its baths.
The First White Occupants. - It is not known when Porter County was first
visited by white men. The supposition is that French explorers and traders
occasionally passed through this region from about the middle of the seventeenth
century. The first Europeans whose visits were recorded were fathers Claude
Allouez and Claude Dablon. These famous missionaries landed upon the lake shore,
and traversed the country to the Kankakee River, inspecting the natural features
of the land, and becoming acquainted with the natives. In the summer of the
following year, 1673, Father Jacques Marquette returned from his Mississippi
expedition, and with his six followers paddled up the Kankakee to its source.
Here the party crossed the marsh, carrying their boats to the St. Joseph, and
continued their journey down the river and up the lake to Green Bay. In 1679, a
celebrated company passed down our winding river. The leader of the
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expedition was Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle; the lieutenant was the
Chevalier De Tonti. Father Hennepin and the Sieur de la Motte were among the
number. This band of about thirty men paddled in light canoes down the Kankakee
and Illinois. The next year, in the spring, La Salle passed through our
territory on foot, with three companions, on his march to Frontenac (now
Kingston). In the last days of 1681, he returned and passed westward over our
lake border with a considerable company of followers. In 1711, many of the
natives of this region came under the influence of the missionary Chardon, who
was stationed at a post upon the St. Joseph, and many were baptized in the
Christian faith. The next year, 1712, many of these natives repaired to Detroit
to assist the French against the Fox Indians. A friendly feeling between the
French and the natives was the result. Traders resorted to the post and carried
on an extensive traffic in furs and corn. A consequence of this traffic was a
demoralizing indulgence in "fire water," the baneful effects of which were noted
by the missionary Charlevoix. In 1759, our territory, together with that of all
Northern Indiana, passed into the hands of the British. English and French
traders, between whom existed a deadly hatred, now traversed the lake shore. The
French had the advantage of their rivals since they enjoyed the confidence of
the natives, and understood their language. The Pottawatomies of this region
assisted in the capture of the post on the St. Joseph in 1763. This was a part
of the general insurrection planned by Pontiac; and the success of this
expedition was rendered valueless by the failure of the attempts elsewhere. The
overthrow of Pontiac led to a long peace.
In 1781, our territory was invaded from an unexpected quarter. The Spanish
commander, Don Eugenio Pierre, came from St. Louis to seize the lake shore in
the name of the King of Spain. A force of sixty Indians from the West
accompanied the Spanish troops. The march was made very early in the year, amid
the storms of winter. Don Pierre probably followed the old Sac trail which led
from Twenty-mile Prairie through the site of Valparaiso to the eastward.
Over the soil of Porter County had now waved the flags of England, France and
Spain, and now a fourth power was to claim the territory. The treaty by which
England acknowledged the independence of the United States, at the termination
of the Revolutionary war, was signed in 1783. The British, however, continued to
occupy Detroit, and to claim this region until 1796, at which time the territory
of Porter County became in reality a part of the American republic. Among the
local Indian legends, the most noticeable is that of the Boundary war, waged by
the natives of this region, and a tribe adjoining upon the west. The former
possessed themselves of the ford of the Kankakee at Eton's Cross-
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ing, as a rendezvous. A battle was fought at the north end of Morgan Prairie;
and the invaded tribe, simulating terror, fled from the field. The second battle
was fought near the rendezvous. Those who had before appeared to fear the
intruders, now effected their complete rout. The victors pursued the foe to the
Chicago River, where the boundary was adjusted satisfactorily. Evidences that
some such struggle actually occurred have been found upon the prairie and at the
river; but no date can be assigned to it, and it must remain simply a subject of
legend and not of history. The troops of Col. John H. Whistler, of Detroit,
commissioned to erect a fort upon the lake shore, at the mouth of the Chicago
River, passed through our territory in 1803. Col. Whistler made the journey from
Detroit in a government vessel, the "Tracy," which was the first ship that ever
entered Chicago harbor. In the spring of 1804, the fort was completed, and named
in honor of Gen. Dearborn. An extensive trading post was here established; and
from the first, Fort Dearborn exercised an extensive influence over the region
of Porter County. Trails leading thither became roads of regular travel, and men
were to be seen at all times passing to and from the fort. Native trappers and
hunters resorted to the shores of the Calumet and the Kankakee, and gathered
large quantities of valuable furs; corn was raised in abundance upon the
prairies, and carried to the fort for sale. Transportation was conducted by
means of canoes upon the lake, and also by means of ponies with pack saddles of
bark.
One of the leading spirits of this region at that time was Alexander Robinson, a
remarkable man, in whose veins were mingled the blood of the English, the French
and the Indian. He was in the employ of John Jacob Astor, and was stationed at
the fort, but made numerous journeys to our territory, purchasing and
transporting corn and furs. Another prominent man of the time was Joseph Baies,
or Bailie, a Frenchman who was associated with Robinson in the fur agency.
Eventually, he became widely known as a pioneer of Northwestern Indiana, and was
the first white settler of Porter County.
Capt. Heald succeeded Col. Whistler in command of the fort. Lahwasika, the
"Prophet," and brother of Tecumseh, sent his emissaries to the tract lying north
of the Kankakee to secure aid in his intended war upon the whites. Aid was
promised and given. The battle of Tippecanoe was fought in 1811. At the time of
the conflict the shores of the Kankakee were thronged with women and children,
the aged and the helpless. Those who returned from that battle were enraged and
embittered against the white people of Indiana Territory, and were divided in
their feelings toward the garrison of Fort Dearborn. Many were disposed to be
friendly with their neighbors of the Northwest; but the influence of
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British emissaries and the thirst for blood aroused by their defeat foreboded
danger to the garrison and village on Chicago River. One morning in August,
1812, Winnemeg, an Indian messenger, was seen running nimbly along the beach and
over the sand hills of our northern shore. He came from Detroit, and bore the
fatal message to the commandant at Fort Dearborn. Capt. Heald called a council,
in which the natives of this region participated. About the same time, Capt.
Wells, of Fort Wayne, accompanied by fifteen Miamis, hastened over the trail in
the endeavor to protect from danger his sister, who was at the fort. The
massacre of Fort Dearborn occurred on August 15. Two noble-hearted Indians,
Winnemeg and Wabansee, endeavored to save their friend, Capt. Wells, but in
vain. He fell in the massacre, bravely fighting. For four years but few white
faces were seen in our territory. The fort lay in ruins; traders feared to
mingle with the perpetrators of the massacre. At length, in 1816, the fort was
rebuilt and garrisoned. Indiana was now admitted into the Union as a State. The
Government purchased from the natives a strip of land ten miles in width,
extending across the north end of the State.
In 1822, the first white settler made his home at the place now known as Bailly
Town, in Westchester Township. This was Joseph Bailly, or Bailie, of whom
mention has been made. Mr. Bailly established a store, and built up a very
considerable trade with the natives. He had married an Indian woman, and was
thoroughly acquainted with the habits, customs and language of her people.
Madame Bailly spoke French fluently, and adopted many of the customs and
refinements of civilized life, but always retained the dress of the aborigines.
The settlement at Bailly Town became widely known; travelers, traders,
adventurers, missionaries and Government officers made it their rendezvous. It
was the leading place of assembly for religious exercises; it was an important
center of trade; it was a place of safety in time of danger. Mr. Bailly
purchased a sloop in order to navigate the great lakes, and gave his daughters
the advantages of travel and Eastern education.
In 1831, a road was cleared from Detroit to Fort Dearborn. It passed through
what now constitutes Jackson, Westchester and Portage Townships. It was a wild,
rude pathway, fatiguing in its roughness, abounding in dangers, and often
uncertain in its course. Over this road a mail line was established between
Detroit and Fort Dearborn, the mail being carried in knapsacks upon the backs of
soldiers, two of whom were regularly detailed for this purpose.
In 1832, the entire Northwest was thrown into great consternation by the tidings
of outrage and massacre committed by Black Hawk in the regions near the
Mississippi. The territory of Porter County, with its
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single white inhabitant, had little to fear, but the natives were much excited
by the events. Government troops were immediately dispatched to the scene of
war, and passed over the Detroit and Fort Dearborn road. Alexander Robinson, of
whom mention has been made, was now chief of the Pottawatomies, having been
chosen to that office in 1825. He was known among the natives by the name of
Chechebingway. He convened a great council of the tribe at Fort Dearborn, and
successfully used his influence to establish a lasting peace with the whites.
Within this year, the Government purchased the Indian title to all the lands of
Porter County lying south of the old Indian boundary established in 1816.
The year 1833 was an important era in our history. A stage line was established,
and coaches ran from Chicago to Detroit, making three trips per week. The first
contractors of this line were Messrs. Converse & Reeves. At a season of high
water, the mail carriers lost a sack of coffee in a large, swollen stream, which
incident gave to Coffee Creek its name. With the establishment of this stage
line, commenced the actual settlement of Porter County by white families. The
Morgan brothers, Jesse, William and Isaac, natives of Monongalia County, Va.,
arrived early in this memorable year. Jesse settled in what is now Westchester
Township, on Section 6. The Chicago and Detroit road passed through his farm,
and invited him to assume the character of "mine host." He accordingly
christened his home the "Stage House," and had no lack of guests in his
hostelry. Isaac and William Morgan chose locations upon the fair and extensive
prairie which bears their name. Late in April, Henry S. Adams, of Jefferson
County, Ohio, arrived at the prairie, accompanied by his mother, his wife and
three daughters, and encamped for a time on what is now Section 9, Morgan
Township. In May, he erected a dwelling and otherwise improved his farm. George
Cline, of Union County, Ind.; Adam S. Campbell, of Chautauqua County, N. Y., and
Reason Bell, of Wayne County, Ohio, arrived in June and located upon the
prairie. Other settlers joined these pioneers, and soon a very considerable
settlement of hardy, sober, industrious pioneers grew up in what had been an
almost unknown wild.
In May, the site of Valparaiso was visited by Thomas A. E. Campbell, then a
young man of twenty-two years, who accompanied his uncle, Adam Campbell, in his
explorations previous to the settlement of the latter upon the prairie. On the
evening of the 21st, these gentlemen arrived at the new home of Isaac Morgan,
and on the next day they arrived at the banks of Tishkatawk, the stream now
known as Salt Creek. Thomas selected a site for his future home, and returned
subsequently to take possession. Jacob Fleming, the Colemans, Ruel Starr and
others removed hither within the same year. In the fall, an Indian trading
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post was established near the Stage House, and its proprietor, Peter Pravonzy,
was successful in money making. He disposed of eleven barrels of "fire water" in
a single winter. One of his customers was murdered in a drunken revel, and it is
a matter of surprise that there was no greater effusion of blood. As a rule, the
pleasantest relations subsisted between the early settlers and the natives, and
the pioneers, exempt from the horrors of border wars, lived without fear of
molestation.
Early in 1834 came J. P. Ballard, who erected the first house upon the site of
Valparaiso. It was in the valley of the stream which crosses Morgan street, and
in the grounds south of Judge Talcott's present residence that this first cabin
was constructed. A. K. Paine settled in what is now Jackson Township, and built
the first dwelling in that locality. Jesse Johnston took up his residence near
the old Indian town of Chiqua, near Valparaiso. Thomas and William Gosset
selected farms in the northern part of the county. Jacob and David Hurlburt
repaired to the borders of Twenty-mile Prairie, which then appeared like a lake
filled with islands. Theophilus Crumpacker, Jerry and Joseph Bartholomew and
Jacob Wolf, arrived within the year; also, William Frame and Abram Stoner.
On the 11th of January, the first white child was born within the present limits
of the county - Reason Bell, whose father. Reason Bell, Sr., resided on what is
now Section 15 of Washington Township. Hannah Morgan, daughter of Jesse Morgan,
the first native white daughter of this region, was born at the Stage House,
February 11. John Fleming, of Union Township, was born within the same year.
The Government surveyors, Messrs. Polk and Burnside, ran the lines and divided
the lands into sections. John J. Foster laid off a town to the east of the "
Stage House," and christened it " Waverly," but the enterprise did not prove a
success.
The number of immigrants was considerably increased in the following year. Among
the new-comers were Putnam Bobbins, David Hughart, E. P. Cole, Hazard Sheffield,
Allan B. James, Peter Ritter, G. W. Patton, the Baum brothers, George Z. Salyer
and David Oaks. The town of Porterville was laid out on the site of the old
Catholic cemetery, but did not prosper. In 1835 was the sale of public lands.
This sale was conducted at La Porte, then a town consisting of a few log cabins.
Our early settlers were present, almost to a man, and there were a number of
Eastern capitalists present who made large purchases. The Hoosier's Nest was a
settlement on the old Sac trail, and was established by Thomas Snow. It
contained a frame house, built of lumber hauled from La Porte County. It was
this place that was described in the once popular poem of John Finley, running:
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I'm
told, in riding somewhere West,
A stranger found a Hoosier's Nest;
In other words, a Buckeye cabin
Just big enough to hold Queen Mab in.
Its situation low, but airy,
Was on the borders of a prairie;
And fearing he might be benighted.
He hailed the house, and then alighted.
The Hoosier met him at the door;
Their salutations soon were o'er.
He took the stranger's horse aside,
And to a sturdy sapling tied;
Then, having stripped the saddle off,
He fed him in a sugar trough.
The stranger stooped to enter in,
The entrance closing with a pin;
And manifested a strong desire
To sit down by the log-heap fire,
Where half a dozen Hoosieroons,
With mush and milk, tin-cups and spoons,
White heads, bare feet, and dirty faces,
Seemed much inclined to keep their places;
But madam, anxious to display
Her rough but undisputed sway.
Her offspring to the ladder led
And cuffed the youngsters up to bed.
Invited shortly to partake
Of venison, milk and Johnny-cake,
The stranger made a hearty meal.
And glances round the room would steal.
One side was lined with divers garments,
The other spread with skins of varmints:
Dried pumpkins overhead were strung.
Where venison hams in plenty hung.
Two rifles hung above the door,
Three dogs lay stretched upon the floor --
In short, the domicile was rife
With specimens of Hoosier life.
The host, who centered his affections
On game, and range, and quarter sections.
Discoursed his weary guest for hours
'Till Somnus' all composing powers.
Of sublunary cares bereft 'em.
And then I came away and left 'em.
The following men were summoned to appear as jurors at the first term of the
Circuit Court of Porter County: Grand Jurors - William Thomas, Samuel Olinger,
William Gosset, Joseph Wright, Samuel Haviland, James Walton, Asahel Neal, James
Spurlock, John Bartholomew, Thomas Adams, Reason Bell, Peter Cline, Royal
Benton, William Clark,
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William Trinkle, Robert Wilkinson, J. Todhunter and W. Snavely. Petit Jurors -
William Downing, Elijah Casteel, Asahel K. Paine, Jesse Morgan, Henry S. Adams,
Lewis Comer, John Jones, Charles Allen, David Bryant, Solon Robinson, R.
Frazier, Joseph Willey, Richard Henthorne, William Brim, Theophilus Blake,
Wilson Malone, Isaac Morgan, Warner Winslow, Adam S. Campbell, Jesse Johnston,
William Frame, Abraham Stoner, James Ross and John McConnell.
The first session of the Circuit Court was held in October, 1836, at the house
of John Saylor, Judge Samuel C. Sample seated himself with great dignity behind
a deal table, on which were placed a few law books, and court was declared to be
in session. The first cause was called, and went by default, as the plaintiff
did not put in appearance. The Grand Jury strolled out of the small, close court
room, and held their deliberations under a large oak tree, on the site of the T.
G. Miller Block. The rain commenced to fall, but they were tolerably well
protected by their canopy of leaves. A fire was built, and imparted warmth and
cheer to the dismal session.
In 1837, a subscription paper was circulated to secure the funds necessary for
building a court house and jail. The subscription reached $1,250. A frame court
house was built west of the square in Valparaiso, and completed late in the
fall. Until this time, court was regularly held in the house of John Saylor, on
the site of the Empire Block, but was henceforth held in the large room above
the post office until the erection of the brick court house in 1853. The county
jail was built of logs, on Mechanic street, to the southeast of the square, in
1838.
The settlement of Bailly Town by the French trader Bailly, in 1822, has been
mentioned. This interesting locality and the remarkable family which possessed
it deserve more than a passing comment. For eleven years, Monsieur Bailly was
the only white inhabitant of the region of Porter County. His influence over the
natives was unbounded, and his traffic in furs yielded him an almost princely
revenue. His home would more properly have been termed a rendezvous than a town,
for it owed importance to the large gatherings of the natives for the
consideration of every important matter, and for the purposes of trade and of
religious worship rather than to any considerable resident population. This,
indeed, it never possessed; and, with the departure of the Indians to the new
reservations in the West, its importance departed forever. One of the most
interesting characters among us in the forties was the good Bishop of Vincennes,
Maurice de St. Palais. This untiring apostle was accustomed to travel on
horseback from Vincennes to Bourbonnais Grove, a French Catholic settlement near
Kankakee, Ill., and from that point to Bailly Town. On his arrival at Bailly's
settlement he was
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always greeted by a vast concourse of the Indians, in whose presence he
officiated at the solemn sacrifice of the mass. Thomas A. E. Campbell, traveling
once through the woods to Bailly Town upon a white horse, was seen by the
Indians at a distance and mistaken for the good Bishop. Instantly and eagerly
the word was passed along, "The Father is coming," and Mr. Campbell on arriving
at the trader's house met a large and disappointed company of natives. The home
of the trader presented an anomalous appearance in the forties. It was a
singular compound of the barbarous and the refined, the rudely simple and the
tastefully luxurious. The trader had one son, mention of whom is made elsewhere.
In education as well as in wealth his daughters were far more favored than those
of the most fortunate white families of the county. Capable of adorning any
circle of society, they yet preferred the seclusion of their home to association
with the families of the immigrants. Hortense, the youngest, won universal
admiration wherever she appeared. She was remarkably beautiful in feature and
graceful in form and movement. Mentally, she was bright and quick of perception.
She frequently rode to the county seat upon her favorite pony, a beautiful snow
white animal, in which she took great pride. She was always accompanied by her
dog, to which she seemed equally attached. Her dress was simple, but of a
richness of which other misses in the county would not have dreamed. A cloak of
rich velvet, a cap of silk, with a long, soft plume or a jaunty eagle feather, a
severely simple dress, made of some costly fabric brought from the East - this
was the garb of our Pocahontas. She transacted with the county officers the
business upon which she came, and amused herself by playing with her dog and
pony in the square until after the heat of the summer day had lessened, then,
alone and fearless, rode silently away to her solitary home.
In all the early history of Porter County, Michigan City was the great market
for produce and supplies. This city dates from 1831. Its young life was full of
promise. Vessels sought its harbor, and the farmers of the tributary region,
extending far to the east, the south and the west, gave it their almost
undivided patronage. People reckoned the distance of every point in our county
from "the city." Twenty-mile Prairie took its name from the measure of distance
which separated it from this port. The roads which led to the city were
generally very inferior, and sometimes almost impassable - entirely unequal to
the demands of transportation. Late in the decade, a grand project was
undertaken. It was the construction of a plank-road from Valparaiso to Michigan
City. The outlay necessary to the construction of such a road was immense,
considering the sparseness and comparative poverty of the population in that
day. But the people demanded that it should be
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built, and when the people are in earnest, they are apt to have their way. They
looked upon this road as something for the future - something that would endure
forever - and their vision could descry no time in future ages, however distant,
when the wheat and corn of Porter County would not be carried to market in
wagons over this plank-road. It was commenced in 1850, and partly finished in
three years. The expected cost was $128,000. A number of citizens of this county
were stockholders of the plank-road company. Money was scarce, and much of the
cost of construction was paid in orders. The use of these orders, in a measure,
illustrated the English idea that "a national debt is a national blessing." For
a number of years, the orders of the plank-road company were in circulation as
currency, and formed a large portion of the circulating medium in the hands of
the people.
While this road was in process of construction, a greater work claimed and
occupied the attention of the people. Railways were pushed through to "the city"
and to Chicago. Through Pine, Westchester and Portage Townships, and over the
border of Jackson, lay the course of the rails. The Lake Shore road and the
Michigan Central appeared at our borders almost simultaneously. They crossed
near Calumet, a village which had grown up north of the old "Stage House," and
which has since become the town of Chesterton. From this time, Porter County was
brought into direct connection with the outside world. From the county seat a
rapid drive in an easy coach over the smooth plank floor brought one to the
railway, where he might enjoy the luxury of travel in "steam cars." The first
goods received in Porter County by rail were sent on a construction train from
Michigan City in 1851, and landed upon the prairie at Old Porter. They were sent
to Hubbard Hunt, then a Valparaiso merchant. They came by way of the Michigan
Central. The Lake Shore road was then in process of construction, but the work
was not so far advanced as that of the Central. The mails were henceforth
carried far more rapidly than hitherto.
The public buildings of the public square at Valparaiso were commenced in 1850.
They consist of the court house and two other buildings for the county offices.
The court house was not completed until 1853. Its cost was about $13,000. It was
of a style similar to that of La Porte, and had north and south entrances. It
had a brick floor and the seats were ranged in tiers. At the time of its
construction, it was one of the best in the State. The delay in its construction
was due to alleged fraud in the use of unsuitable building materials by the
contractors. Part of the wall in which these materials had been used was torn
down and rebuilt before the work could be approved.
In 1856, the new court house was the scene of a very sensational trial.
23
A man named Lovering, by profession a school teacher and minister, was convicted
of theft, and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. Three years later, a
murderer was brought into court, but, owing to popular fury, was granted a
change of venue. It was John McIntosh, who murdered an old gentleman, Charles
Askam, in Pleasant Township. Other changes of venue were obtained, and the
murderer escaped conviction through a legal technicality, being set at liberty
at South Bend, two years later.
The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway was laid through Porter County in
1858. John N. Skinner and Ruel Starr were the principal contractors. The road
passed through Valparaiso, where a large grain depot was built, and brought a
great deal of trade to the county seat.
In 1869, Henry Andrews was murdered by Philip Schaffer, in a saloon, at
Valparaiso, and the murderer was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for his
crime.
Among the legislative acts in the sixties was that under which the Kankakee
Valley Draining Association was organized. The assessments made upon the lands
to be benefited by the draining of the Kankakee region were regarded as
excessive and unjust. Very bitter feeling was aroused against the company, and
vigorous denunciations and threats were uttered at numerous indignation
meetings. The scheme as contemplated was never carried out.
The new jail was built in 1871, opposite the southeast corner of the public
square in Valparaiso. It cost somewhat more than $26,500, and is a fine piece of
architecture. For some years the county had been without a jail, and the
prisoners had been taken to La Porte County for safe keeping. Notwithstanding
the apparent security of the new prison, there were several "jail deliveries"
which startled the community and perplexed the officers. The famous monte man
and desperado known as "Texas Jack" was confined here in 1876. His preliminary
trial was held before Mayor Skinner at the court house. Dense crowds thronged
the court room, and large numbers of people visited the prisoner at the jail. He
was held for trial. His pals and supporters in Chicago were determined to effect
his rescue if possible; and though a close watch and efficient guard appeared to
be maintained, he disappeared one night, having been aided by accomplices in his
escape.
A memorable sensation was caused in 1872 by the discovery of a murdered man, or
a suicide, hanging from a tree a short distance southwest of the county seat.
The circumstance is a mystery which has never been satisfactorily explained.
The Peninsular Railway reached Valparaiso in 1874. A station was established
near Prattville and named Malone. It is near the site of the old Indian village
called by the aborigines "Skeenwa's Town." The Balti-
24
more & Ohio Railway was completed at about the same time. In the fall, there was
a serious riot at Crisman Station, in Portage Township. The Baltimore road was
resisted by the Michigan Central in its attempt to cross the track of the
latter. Hundreds of men arrived at the scene. Firearms were obtained, and, for a
time, a fierce and bloody battle seemed imminent. Wiser counsels prevailed, the
difficulty was adjusted and the track was laid. The next year the town of
Sumanville was laid out as a station upon this line in Jackson Township. A
strong, substantial bridge was constructed over the Kankakee River near
Mayville, Capt. De Courcey being the engineer. The Chicago & Lake Huron Railway,
formerly the Peninsular, passed into the hands of the Grand Trunk, and
arrangements were made to extend the line to Chicago, which work was completed
the next year. In 1881, the line of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis was
extended through Porter County to Chicago. The Chicago & Atlantic Railway line
was also surveyed through our county, and the work of construction vigorously
pushed. The first of these lines passes through Valparaiso, and the last crosses
the Pan Handle line at Kout's Station.
Court continues to be held in the old court-house of 1853, which has been so
greatly changed since its construction as to be scarcely recognizable as the
same building. A new building is contemplated by the authorities, being greatly
needed at the present time. The only murder trials of late years were those of
Charles Stevens, in 1879, and Brainerd Taft, in 1881. The former was acquitted
of the crime alleged; the latter was found guilty of the murder of John Dutton,
and sentenced to the penitentiary for four years.
While not famous as the home or resort of any large number of authors. Porter
County has numbered among her citizens several who have achieved some
distinction as writers. Doubtless the most gifted and polished author among
Porter County's sons is Col. Gilbert A. Pierce, formerly Secretary of the United
States Senate, and later editor of the Chicago Inter Ocean. His "Dickens'
Dictionary" is recognized as a standard work in Great Britain as well as in the
United States, and has received high commendation from the reviewers of both
nations. His novel, "Zachariah, the Congressman," is a charming story,
charmingly told, and having a well-arranged plot. Of Col. Peirce's lectures and
addresses, that entitled "To Laugh or To Cry," is very popular, and places him
in the front rank of American humorists.
Hon. Worthy Putnam, of Michigan, was formerly Professor of Elocution in the V.
M. & F. College, at Valparaiso, and published a large, admirable work under the
title of "Putnam's Elocution." The treatise, as well as the selections, showed
ability and taste in the authorship and com-
25
pilation. Prof. A. Y. Moore, an instructor in the V. C. Institute, wrote the
"Life of Schuyler Colfax," a well-prepared and interesting biography of the
Indiana Statesman. Rev. Dr. Sims, now Chancellor of Syracuse University, is the
author of the "Life of Dr. Eddy," an interesting biography in Dr. Sims' happiest
style. Miss Frances R. Howe, a granddaughter of the first white settler,
Monsieur Joseph Bailly, of Bailly Town, is the author of " A Visit to Bois
d'Haine," a charming narrative of European travel, in which she describes her
visit to Louise Lateau, the Belgian Stigmatica. Dr. E. W. Fish, a former
practitioner of this county, and sometime Professor of Chemistry at Pulte
College, Cincinnati, is the author of a large and carefully prepared text-book
on chemistry. Rev. J. Milton Kennedy, a Methodist pastor, formerly stationed at
Chesterton, is the author of a highly commended book of Poems. Mr. A. G.
Hardesty wrote and published a brief but most interesting history of Porter
County in 1876, in connection with his admirable atlas of the same. J. W.
Holcombe, of the Normal, is the author of a text-book entitled "The Latin
Sentence," published in 1876. It is a valuable work of a finished scholar and a
practical teacher. Mrs. Lizzie Newell, of Fargo, D. T., formerly of Valparaiso,
is the author of the "Silent Counselor," a beautiful and ingenious work of
Scriptural and poetical compilation. Prof. O. P. Kinsey, of the Normal, is the
author of an admirable little work entitled "The Normal Debater." Mrs. M. Elna
W. Haverfield, M. D., has written a work entitled "Enlightened Woman," on
subjects of special interest to her sex. Scientific and technical compositions
have been written by Harlowe S. Orton, President of the Law College of Wisconsin
State University; Orpheus Everts, M. D., Superintendent Indiana Asylum for the
Insane; Wooster Beman, Professor of Mathematics at Michigan University, and
other former residents of Porter County. Of musical composers and publishers, J.
William Suffene, J. W. Ruggles and Prof. Straub, of Chicago, have been connected
with institutions of musical instruction at Valparaiso. The Congressional
speeches of Congressmen Calkins and De Motte would form a large volume. These
gentlemen resided for many years at Valparaiso, and the last mentioned is now a
resident of that city.
County Commissioners. - Noah Fowts, 1836; Benjamin Spencer, 1836-37; John
Seffon, 1836-37; J. Y. Wright, 1837-38; James Walton (who is an 1812 pensioner
and lives in Michigan, where he went with his son in 1872), 1839; Jonathan
Griffin, 1838; John Jones, 1838; Joshua Hobart, 1839; John H. Whistler, 1839-40;
Reason Bell, 1840-43; Thomas J. Field, 1843 (appointed by Probate Court to fill
vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Col. Whistler); Jesse Morgan, 1841-42 ;
John Dinwiddie, 1841-43; Russel Dorr, 1843-44; Nathaniel Saw-
26
yer, 1843-45; Richard W. Jones, 1844-46; Samuel Olinger, 1845-46; Isaac Morgan,
1846-48; J. Dinwiddie, 1847-50; Walker McCool, 1848-51; Azariah Freeman,
1849-50; Ruel Starr, 1850-55; Asa Cobb, 1850-53; Alexander Chambers, 1851-53;
Ira Cornell, 1853-57; H. E. Woodruff, 1854-57; Asa Cobb, 1857-60; John Hardesty,
1855-67; William Williams, 1857-58; Eli B. Lansing, 1858-62; W. Stoddard,
1860-61; L. A. Cass, 1861-62; S. P. Robbins, 1862-65; A. B. Price, 1862-63;
William Stoddard, 1863-67; Edward C. Osborn, 1865-68; T. B. Cole, 1867; A. B.
Price, 1867; A. V. Bartholemew, 1868; S. P. Robbins, 1868; Andrew J. Harrison,
1874; L. P. Scott. 1876; Frederick Burstrom, 1880; Nicholas Pickrell, 1880.
Common Pleas Judges. - First, H. Lawson; second, William C. Talcott;
third, Hiram A. Gillette. Office abolished in 1872.
Judges Circuit Court. - First, Samuel Sample, of South Bend; second, E.
M. Chamberlin, of Goshen; third, Robert Lowry, of Goshen; fourth, Thomas
Stanfield, of South Bend; fifth, Andrew Osborn, of La Porte; sixth, Hiram A.
Gillett, of Valparaiso; seventh, Elisha C. Fields, of Crown Point.
Treasurers.- William Walker, 1836-39; T. A. E. Campbell, 1839; resigned;
G. W. Salisbury, appointed in his stead, 1839-40; John W. Wright, 1840-43; T. A.
E. Campbell, 1841-44; Elias Axe, 1844-47; E. Campbell, 1847-51; John Ball,
1851-53; William Wilson, 1853-55; O. I. Skinner, 1855-59; Warren Dunning,
1859-63; S. W. Smith, 1863-67; F. F. B. Coffin, 1871-75; J. W. Felton, 1875-79;
J. W. Crumpacker, 1879.
Auditors. - George W. Turner, 1841, appointed; Philander A. Paine,
1841-43, resigned; Ellis E. Campbell, 1843, appointed; Ruel Starr, 1843; S. W.
Smith, 1843-58; Reason Bell, 1858-66; Z. B. Field, 1866-70; Reason Bell,
1870-78; William E. Brown, 1878.
Sheriffs. - Benjamin Saylor, appointed by Governor 1836; George Cline,
1837; Charles G. Merrick, 1838-43; John W. Wright, appointed, 1843; Moses Trim,
Richard W. Jones, Vincent Thomas, 1850-52; Thomas G. Lytle, 1852-56; Thomas B.
Cole, Stephen L. Bartholemew, Henry Binamon, Robert Jones, 1872-76; James
Malone, 1876-80; Charles Dickover, 1880.
Judges, Probate Court. - 1st. Jesse Johnson - Seneca Ball and James
Blair, Associate Judges. 2d. George W. Turner - Enos Thomas and John Herr,
Associate Judges. 3d. Nathaniel Campbell - H. E. Woodruff and Benjamin N.
Spencer, Associate Judges. 4th. William Talcott. 5th. John Jones (appointed to
fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge Talcott, who remained on
the bench about six months, till the office was abolished in 1852).
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28
[BLANK PAGE]
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Clerks. - 1st. George W. Turner, 1836-43. 2d. John C. Ball, 1843-50. 3d.
William W. Jones, 1850-55. 4th. O. Dunham, 1855-59. 5th. E. J. Jones, 1859-67.
6th. S. W. Smith, 1867-71. 7th. R. P. Wells, 1871-79. 8th. John Felton, 1879-.
Recorders. - 1st. Cyrus Spurlock, 1836-39. 2d. George W. Salisbury,
1839-41 (appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the removal of Cyrus
Spurlock); Obediah Dunham, 1850-55; Edna L. Whitcomb, 1855-59; Thomas Jewel,
1859-67; Henry Stoddard, 1867-75; Thomas C. Shepard, 1875-79; William C. Wells,
1879-.
Senators. - In 1837, our Senatorial District was composed of the counties
of La Porte, Newton, White and Pulaski. Our State Senator was Charles W.
Cathcart, 1837-70; Sylvanus Everetts, 1840-43. In 1842, the district was changed
so as to contain only La Porte, Porter and Lake. Joseph W. Chapman, 1842-45;
Andrew L. Osborn, 1845-49; Abraham Teegarden, 1849-51 (no record for 1852);
Samuel I. Anthony, 1853-57; Morgan H. Wier, 1857-58. In 1859, Porter, Lake and
Jasper - Senator, David Turner, 1859-61. In 1863, Porter, Lake, Jasper and
Newton - Senator, Ezra Wright, 1863-65. In 1869, Porter, Lake and Newton -
Senator, Erwin Church, 1867-69. In 1871, Porter and Lake - Senator, Richard
Wadge, 1871-75; D. L. Skinner, 1875-79. Thomas Wood, 1879-.
Representatives. - In 1836, Porter and Newton Counties composed our
Representative District. Representatives: Benjamin McCarty, 1836; Jeremiah Hamil,
1837 (no report for 1838-39). In 1840, Porter and Lake, represented by Seneca
Ball, 1840-41; Lewis Warriner, 1841; Adam S. Campbell, 1842-43; Alexander
McDonald, 1843-44; Samuel I. Anthony, 1844-45; Alexander McDonald, 1845-46;
Harvey E. Woodruff, 1846-47; Alexander McDonald, 1847; Benjamin Spencer, 1848;
Lewis Warriner, 1849-50; William H. Harrison, 1850-51. In 1851, Porter County
was formed into one distinct district, and represented by Gideon Brecount,
1851-53; Artillus Bartholomew, 1853-55; Andrew B. Pierce, 1854-57 (no record for
1859); Robert A. Cameron, 1861; Levi A. Cass, 1863-65; Firmin Church, 1865; John
F. McCarty, 1865-67; Gilbert A. Pierce, 1867-69; William H. Calkins, 1869-73;
Theophilus Crumpacker, 1873-78; S. S. Skinner, 1878-.
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NAVIGATION OF
1882 HISTORY OF PORTER COUNTY
PREFACE
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. - EARLY HISTORY OF COUNTY
CHAPTER II. - EARLY HISTORY COUNTY (Continued)
CHAPTER III. - MILITARY HISTORY
CHAPTER IV. - VALPARAISO AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER V. - WESTCHESTER TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER VI. - BOONE TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER VII. - WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER VIII. - MORGAN TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER IX. - UNION TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER X. - JACKSON TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XI. - LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XII. - PORTAGE TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XIII. - PLEASANT TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XIV. - PORTER TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XV. - PINE TOWNSHIP
Transcribed by Steven R. Shook,February 2012