History of Porter County, 1876A brief county history published in the Porter County Vidette (May 18) . . . .
The following history of Porter County, Indiana,
was published in the May 18, 1876, issue of the Porter County Vidette
(Valparaiso) and closely follows that published earlier that year by A. G.
Hardesty. The editor of the newspaper notes that he has provided corrections to
Hardesty's history of the county.
Source Citation:
Porter County Vidette, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; May 18,
1876; Volume 20, Number 20, Page 3, Columns 3-5.
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-- We give this week a meagre sketch of early history of Porter county,
which is chiefly an abridgment of such history as found in Hardesty's new
atlas, with such slight corrections to us from memory. We think the sketch
is nearly accurate, though quite imperfect in omitting names and incidents
as prominent as those detailed. It is however all we had the time and turn
of mind to make it, and believing it will interest our readers, and
especially our oldest citizens, as much as such amount of other matter in
its space, we give it just for what it may seem worth, without pretense that
it is fuller and more perfect.
-- We have examined Hardesty's new atlas of this county, and although it has
some errors which we readily detect, and some others probably which we do
not, as well as imperfections possibly of which we could not judge, yet it
is quite as full, correct and satisfactory as we think ought to be expected
when the difficulty of the undertaking is considered; and, whatever its
defects may be, not many of its present owners would dispense with it for
$7. We regard the early history of Porter county in it as of interest enough
to justify abridging for our readers by the author's license, at the risk of
any errors we may fail to notice and correct.
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PORTER COUNTY
----
Sketch of its Early History, Chiefly
Taken and Abridged from
Hardesty's Atlas.
The history of Porter County properly begins
with 1822, when Joseph Bailly, otherwise called Baies, came and settled near
Lake Michigan at what is since called Baillytown. He was a Frenchman with an
Indian wife, and kept a store for Indian trade. They raised four daughters,
noted for their beauty and intelligence. The oldest took the veil and was
for years the Mother Superior of St. Mary's School at Terre Haute. The
second married Col. Whistler, who was once a member of the county board. The
third one married Mr. Howe, a banker of Chicago, at whose death she was left
rich. The youngest married Joel Wicker, Esq., the first store keeper at Deep
River. All were earnest Catholics.
In 1831 a mail route was established from Fort Dearborn, now Chicago, to
Detroit, along a track along the north end of the county, which was
subsequently made and called the Old Chicago Road. The mail was carried by
two soldiers detailed for the purpose, in their knapsacks.
In 1833 stage coaches ran three times a week upon this line, and had a
station at the residence of Jesse Morgan, who had that year settled in the
county. That same season Isaac Morgan and his brother Wm. settled on the
prairie which still bears their name. Henry Adams, Jacob Fleming, Wm.
Coleman, Reason Bell and Ruel Starr were some of those who settled here that
year. About that time a trading post was started on the Calumet, where
Chesterton now is, by one Pravonzy, where he sold the Indians and others 11
barrels of intoxicating liquor in one winter, causing among other
difficulties, one in which an Indian lost his life by stabbing with a cheese
knife.
In 1834 came Wm. Gossett, Wm. Thomas, Jesse Johnston, Abram Stoner, Jacob
Hurlburt, Jos. and Jerry Bartholomew, A. K. Paine, Jacob Wolfe and others.
During this year Reason Bell, our present auditor, was born, the first white
child, so far as known, born in the limits of the county. The first white
girl was Hannah, child of Jesse and Joanna Morgan, born the same year. A. K.
Paine's log cabin, built that year, was the first in Jackson township.
Gosset's grist mill built a little later, was the first one in the county.
In 1835 came G. W. Patton, S. P. Robbins, Allen B. James, Peter Ritter, E.
P. Cole, David Hughart, Hazard Sheffield, G. Z. Salyer, Nelson Barnard, and
a host of others. In the fall occurrerd the general land sale at Laporte,
and nearly all the men of Porter county were on hand to guard their
interests as settlers. Up to this time lands were chiefly held by squatter
claims which were not recognized by law but were so protected by the public
sentiment that speculators hardly dared to overbid the settler. During this
year, Mr. Agnew, having sent his family to David Bryant's residence at
Pleasant Grove, Lake county, followed with an ox team and his goods, and
being overtaken by a blinding snow storm, lost his way and froze to death
upon the prairie, and his body was brought back and buried upon Morgan
Prairie, which is said to have been the first burial of a white man in the
county.
In 1836 the governor commissioned Benj. Saylor sheriff with authority to
call and fix the places for election for a clerk, recorder, sheriff,
treasurer and three commissioners to organize the county, which consisted as
it yet does, of the land in township ranges 5 and 6 and the east half of 7
between Lake Michigan and the Kankakee, containing 410 square miles.
The first commissioners, John Sefton, Benj. N. Spencer and Noah Fouts, met
at the house of C. A. Ballard, in Porterville, now Valparaiso, with Geo. W.
Turner as clerk, (the clerk then serving as auditor,) and Benj. Saylor,
sheriff. They divided the county into 10 civil townships, some of which have
since been subdivided making the 13 we now have.
The board appointed Wm. Thomas, Samuel Olinger, Wm. Gossett, Jos. Wright,
Saml. Haviland, Jas. Walton, A. Neal, Jas. Spurlock, John Bartholomew, Thos.
Adams, Reason Bell, Peter Cline, Royal Benton, Wm. Clark, Wm. Trinkle, Robt.
Wilkerson, J. Todhunter, and Wm. Snavely, as a list from which to draw a
petit jury, and Wm. Downing, Elijah Casteel, A. K. Paine, Jesse Morgan, H.
S. Adams, Lewis Comer, John Jones, Chas. Allen, David Bryant, Solon
Robinson, R. Frasier, Jos. Willey, Richard Henthorn, Wm. Brim, Theoph.
Blake, Wilson Malone, Isaac Morgan, Warner Winslow, Adam S. Campbell, Jesse
Johnston, Wm. Frame, Abram Stoner, Jas. Ross, and Jos. McConnell, as a list
from which to draw a grand jury. Lake county not yet being organized, was
joined to Porter for court business, and some jurymen were therefore taken
from that section.
The first tax levied was $2.50 on the $100, and 75 cents on each poll, which
was collected by the sheriff. Three trustees, were then appointed for each
township, as were also overseers of the poor and fence viewers. Since then
the statute has provided for but one trustee in a township, and that he
should act as overseer of the poor. The office of fence viewers has been
long abolished. This board licensed Francis Willey to retail intoxicating
drink at Bailly town, and Abram Hall to do the like at Valparaiso, on the
payment of $10 fee.
In June this board appointed W. L. Earl, Mathias Dawson and J. Leaming
commissioners to locate the county seat, and they selected Porterville, the
present site, which afterward received the name of Valparaiso. During this
year Jacob Blake, John Shultz, old Dr. Blachley, Thos. Field, and Ennis
Arnold settled here, and the Indians were for some time camped in sight of
Arnold's house. In March of this year Jacob Hurlburt got his license from
Laporte before we had a clerk here, and was married by Elijah Casteel,
justice, to Miss Susan Sheffield, which is said to have been the first
marriage in the county. The courts were held this year and part of the next
in the private house of John Saylor.
In 1837 B. McCarty, John Saylor, Enoch McCarty and L. E. Willis together
subscribed $500, James Hutchens $50, Geo. Cline $100, A. S. Campbell $75,
Isaac Morgan $100, C. G. Minich $25, Thomas Butler $100, G. Z. Salyer $100,
Morgan $30, and Ruel Starr $100 -- $1,200 in all, to build a court house,
and the house was built by Solomon Cheney where Hunt's store now stands, and
served us for a court house until 1852, about which time the present one
came into use. The old one was turned partly round, and now serves Mr. Boyer
as a beer saloon. Between the disuse of the old, and the adoption of the new
court house, the courts were held a term or two in the M. E. church as it
was before the north addition was built on.
The place called City West was built up hastily about this time, becoming
quite a lively looking village, but the failure to obtain appropriations for
its harbor and such other disappointments, caused its great discouragement,
and in a few months more abandonment, nice vacant stores and dwellings
standing there for years a prey to spoilers and exposed to fire, by which
together they were finally destroyed.
In 1838 one Pelton started west from Heald's mill, in Laporte county, and
employed one Staves as a conductor through the woods northeast of here.
Staves knew that Pelton had some money, and as afterward the case appeared,
killed Pelton for that money. Pelton's body was soon found, and Staves
pursued and taken. We had then no jail to keep him safely, but depended on
Laporte, where he was therefore sent. At court he was brought back here and
convicted, and during that same season hung, the place of execution being on
the low grounds in
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he northeast part of Valparaiso, as it was before the various additions were
laid out. Geo. Cline was sheriff and performed the work of hangman. Truman
Rumsey served as captain of a little military company to guard the peace,
and Rev. Wm. K. Talbot, Congregationalist, preached on the occasion from
words, "Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer." No other instance of death
penalty has yet occurred in Porter county, through several homicides or
murders have been since committed. In 1853 Chas. Chase killed Wm. Sweat by
stabbing, at John Berry's house in Pleasant township, and escaped arrest.
John McIntosh killed Charles Askam by shooting, and by change of venue and
continuance from term to term, his trial was postponed a long time, and at
last he got clear through some technicality. The page and schaffer murders
are but recent and need not be detailed.
A Baptist church was organized by Elder French in 1837, which has been kept
up since then and served by Elders H. S. Orton, A. Nicherson, Silas Tucker,
H. Smith, G. T. Brayton, J. D. Cole, J. M. Maxwell, M. T. Lamb, G. Saxton,
W. A. Caplinger, W. A. Clark, and E. S. Reily. John and Drusilla
Bartholomew, Edmund and charity Billings, James, Morris and Rebecca Withem,
Warner and Adelia Peirce, and Jacob C. White were the original members.
The Christian church was organized by Elder Lewis Comer at the house of
Henry Adams, in 1840; also at Boon Gove by Elder Wm. Jones in 1844.
The M. E. church organization was begun here by the Rev. Stephen Jones in
1835, and its branches ministers nd chapels probably outnumber those of any
other church in Porter county.
The Presbyterian church was organized in 1840 by the Rev. J. C. Brown, its
members numbering 24, among whom were James Blair and wife, Isabel Blair,
Elizabeth Martin, Mr. Barr, Mrs. Salisbury and Mr. and Mrs. Hamell. Mr.
Crosby, Mrs. M. E. Brown, Mrs. Nancy Buel and Mrs. Hamell are the only ones
remaining here. It numbers now 220. Its ministers since Mr. Brown have been
the Revs. S. C. Logan and Robert Beer.
The Catholic church has been presided over chiefly by Fathers Botti and
O'Reilly, and is evidently in a prosperous condition.
All these church have organizations in some other portions of the county,
and a number of other denominations have and have had churches organized,
with more or less succcess.
The county officers have succceeded each other as follows:
County commissioners -- Noah Fowts, Benjamin Spencer, John Seffon, Jos.
Wright, James Walton, J. Griffin, John Jones, J. Hobert, J. H. Whistler,
Reason Bell, T. J. Field, Jesse Morgan, John Dinwiddie, Russell Dorr, N.
Sawyer, R. P. Jones, S. Olinger, I. Morgan, J. Dinwiddie, Walker McCool,
Azariah Freeman, R. Starr, Asa Cobb, Alex. Chambers, Ira Cornell, H. E.
Woodruff, Asa Cobb, John Hardesty, Wm. Williams, Eli B. Lansing, Wm.
Stoddard, Edward C. Osborn, T. B. Cole, A. B. Price, A. V. Bartholomew, and
S. P. Robbins; three of course serving together.
Circuit court judges -- Samuel Sample, E. M. Chamberlain, Robert Lowry,
Thos. Stanfield, A. L. Osborn, H. Gillette.
Associate judges previous to 1853, two serving with the circuit judge --
Seneca Bll, James Blair, E. Thomas, John Herr, H. Woodruff and Benjamin
Spencer.
Probate judges to 1853 -- Jesse Johnston, G. W. Turner, N. Campbell, Wm. C.
Talcott and John Jones.
Common pleas judges -- H. Lawson, Wm. C. Talcott, H. A. Gillette.
Senators -- C. W. Cathcart, Sylvnus Everts, J. W. Chapman, A. L. Osborn,
Abram Teegarden, S. I. Anthony, M. H. Weir, David Turner, Ezra Wright,
Firman Church, Richard Wadge and D. F. Skinner.
Representatives -- Benj. McCarty, Jerry Hamel, Seneca Ball, Lewis Warriner,
A. S. Campbell, A. McDonald, H. E. Woodruff, A. McDonald, Benj. Spencer,
Lewis Warriner, Wm. M. Harrison, A. B. Price, G. Brecount, A. V.
Bartholomew, A. B. Price, T. J. Merrifield, R. A. Cameron, L. A. Cass, F.
Church, J. F. McCarthy, G. A. Pierce, Wm. H. Calkins, and T. Crumpacker.
Clerks -- G. W. Turner, J. C. Ball, Wm. W. Jones, O. Dunham, E. J. Jones, S.
W. Smith and R. P. Wells.
Recorders -- Cyrus Spurlock, G. W. Salisbury, O. Dunham, E. L. Whitcomb, T.
Jewell, H. Stoddard, and T. C. Shepard.
Treasurers -- Wm. Walker, T. A. E. Campbell, G. W. Salisbury, John W.
Wright, T. A. E. Campbell, Elias Axe, E. E. Campbell, John C. Ball, Wm.
Wilson, O. I. Skinner, Warren Dunning, S. W. Smith, F. F. B. Coffin and J.
M. Felton.
Auditors -- G. W. Turner, P. A. Paine, E. E. Campbell, R. Starr, S. W.
Smith, R. Bell, Z. B. Fifield and R. Bell.
Sheriffs -- Benj. Saylor, Geo. Cline, C. G. Minish, John W. Wright, V.
Thomas, T. G. Lytle, T. B. Cole, S. L. Bartholomew, Henry Binnamon and
Robert Jones.
The first newspaper in this county was entitled the Republican. It
was a neutral paper, printed on a small job press, by J. S. Castle. during
parts of 1843 and 1844, when the office passed to Wm. M. Harrison, who
swapped the job press for a Ramage and commenced the publication of a
strictly democratic paper called the Western Ranger. In the spring
of 1847 he sold one half to Wm. C. Talcott, who became a partner in the
business and some two years later bought the other half from Harrison and
changed the name to Practical Observer, which the paper bore till
sold to Dr. Cameron in 1857. He made its name Republican, and it
continued so while in the charge of Harper and Gil. Pierce, successive
owners after Cameron, till merged in the Vidette, which Aaron
Gurney, Esq., had meanwhile started. When in 1854 the democrats divided on
the slavery question, the Observer, always antislavery, found
itself upon the side which afterward was called republican, and the demand
here for a democratic organ gave existence to the Porter County Democrat.
in management successively of Miller, Rock, Berry, which continued but a few
years. Mr. Zimmerman in 1871 commenced the publication of the Messenger,
which more than fills the vacancy.
Valparaiso took its present name in 1836, when first surveyed out, platted
and recorded. It was incorporated as a town by special act not far from
1853, and afterward adopted for itself a general corporative act provided
for all towns. It took the city name and form Dec. 2, 1866. Its mayors have
been T. J. Merrifield, T. G. Lytle and J. N. Skinner. Its population last
year, counted by S. W. Smith, was 3,560. It is more celebrated for its
splendid school buildings and excellent schools than for anything else, the
Normal School excelling likely any other of the kind on earth.
Hebron, Wheeler, Chesterton and Kouts are chief among the railway station
towns of Porter county, being at from 8 to 16 miles in different directions
from the county seat.
Transcribed by Steven R. Shook, September 2020