The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 4, Page 18.
MEMBERS OF HERR FAMILY OLD SETTLERS
By MRS. J. E.
BURK
Among my earliest recollections of my family, Mr. and Mrs. David Herr, was their
trip to Porter County from Eugene, Vermillion County, of the State of Indiana,
when I was a baby with my older brother, Frank. That has been about eighty-three
years ago as I will reach the age of eighty-four years in September. We
travelled by train and I can remember a darkey lady rocking me and taking care
of me as she was also travelling. The reason for our locating here was that our
relatives, the John Dorrs, previously had settled here. Our first home was a log
cabin as that was the predominating type of home at that time, located near
Sager's lake near the old Stoner farm. It was all woods at that time and there
was an abundance of fish and very large turtles. Our neighbors were the Sam and
Dan Stoners. The school which I attended was located somewhere near the Dell
Kellogg home on LaPorte avenue. It was called the White School. My teachers name
was Celista White who later married a Mr. Elam but who is now dead. From here we
moved east of town, just east of Karicoff park. This was also a wooded section
and the timber was cut down to clear the land for farming and homes. A load of
chips taken to town could be sold for one dollar as they were used for fuel.
This was during the time of the Civil War and I remember many young men joining
the ranks as soldiers. I also can remember the tolling of a bell all day for
Abraham Lincoln's death. I can also recall an incident of my mother whilst out
hunting her cow with her dog, Romem, a wolf appeared but was frightened away by
the dog. This dog, by the way, when a pup, was given to us by our former
neighbors, the Stoners and was a very smart dog. Some of our neighbors in this
locality included the families of the Bennett's, Kinney's, Millards, Radys,
Jimmy Dillsiys, Irvin Talbots, Gid Martins and many others. There were lots of
peddlers then as there were no stores except for the very few in our loop. There
was also a school house in this locality and my teacher's name was Amanda Cuben,
whose married name was Wass, who is now dead.
I lived in this place until and after I was married and some of my family were
born and then moved in various places until I settled where is now my permanent
home.
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook