Elkhart County, Indiana - Chapter 3: Pioneers' Association, 1881

Chapter 3: Pioneers' Association

My home ! the spirit of its love is breathing In every wind that plays across my track. From its -nirite walls the very tendrils wreathing, Seem with soft links to draw the wanderer back.

It has ever been considered a day of rejoicing when pioneers should meet, when old comrades should come together, to renew their memories and cheer up tlieir souls. In the dim past, when, after Babel, the migrations of the peoples took an extensive form, the idea of periodical reunion was made practicable. On the land where Athens now stands such another meeting is said to have taken place as that which did honor to tlie pioneers of Elkhart in IS'oD. Over two thousand years ago the spot on which is now built the city of Paris, the beautiful Lutetia of Julian, the early settlers united in their strength and sacrificed to the gods in honor of their meeting and in thanksgiving for the beautiful land they possessed. Three thousand years ago the Partholanians met at Howth and lighted the Pagan fires of joy for giving them a home in Ireland, so far away from the assaults of their brother Greeks; and still later the warlike Milesians assembled on the same shore to celebrate the anniversary of their conquest of the island, and to meet in merry circle before separating for their homes. Kevert to the olden times, to the history of every country, and the accounts of those happy reunions remind ns of their utility. If then our barbarous ancestors of dim antiquity observed the custom, how much more becoming is it for the people of to-day, who may be said to have reached the highest pinnacle of civilization to be attained by the race at present inhabiting this globe? The fact is accepted and acknowledged. Throughout the length and breadth of this great land, tlie large-souled pioneers who have made this country great have assembled periodically to celebrate their advent and their stay, and to give thanks to their God for His mercy in leading them to peaceful atid happy homes. The pleasure of such meetings is only known to pioneers. Their children can scarce conceive the feeling awakens. For them alone it lias an undying interest; and though the young may possibly share a little in the joy of the old, they never can summon up the same endearing memories as pertain to the latter, or entertain for the soil they tread that beautiful veneration which pertains to the heart of the old settler. He alone saw the virgin soil and married her. His industry tamed the beautiful wild land until it yielded returns a hundred fold; his hands decorated the farm with a modest and comfortable cottage, and now in his declining years he has that homestead to take pride in, and these happy meetings to yield him pleasure. Hap p}' settlers ! Good old settlers! Well deserved are the honors you have won, - well merited the peace and joy that waits upon your age!

At a very early period in the history of the county efforts were made to organize an association, in which all the pioneers would be embraced. For many reasons the progress made was very slow, so that so late as twenty-three years ago no regularly constituted organization had existence. Then the people, having emerged from the period of labor and careful guard, turned their attention to the good work, and without delay banded themselves together, and the union of the venerable citizens was complete.

The first annual meeting of this association was held at Goshen May 11, 1857. J. H. Barnes presided, and E. W. H. Ellis was secretary. The following officers were then elected: President, Matthew Rippey; Vice-Presidents, Col. John Jackson, Geo. Nicholson andWm. Waugh; Secretary, E. W. H. Ellis; Treasurer, Milton Mercer; Executive Committee, J. E. McCord, of Elkhart township; Robert A. Thomas, of Clinton; John D. Elsea, of Benton; Mark B. Thompson, of Jackson; John Peppinger, of Union; Daniel McCoy, of Locke; Noah Anderson, of Harrison; John Davenport, of Concord; James Beck, of Baugo; C. Terwilliger, of Olive; J. D. Carleton, of Cleveland; Nathaniel Newell, of Osolo; Owen CofBn, of Washington; Charles L. Murray, of .JeflFerson ; Lewis F. Case, of Middlebury, and A. B. Arnold, of York.

Those gentlemen performed the work of organization entrusted to them in a most satisfactory manner, so that for many succeeding years the reunion of old settlers was an event looked forward to with extraordinary interest, not only by themselves, but also by their children and modern residents in the county. The aggregate meeting of old settlers held at Goshen the subsequent year proved an evidence of the care devoted to it by the organizers. It was a thorough literary and social success, nor was the recent reunion of 1879 inferior to it. The " Pioneer's Song," by Dr. E. W. H. Ellis, written on the occasion of a similar reunion in 1S5S, was rendered in a very effective manner by Mrs. Frank Dennis, assisted by Mrs. Crary and D. W. Hattel. The last chorus is not so characteristic as the four preceding ones; but, as will be seen, was very appropriate to the occasion.

The author of that song had been both poet, writer and orator. He performed much also for his adopted county, and consequently took a very important part in the public events of the period, until he made for himself such an enviable reputation as to win even from the writer this brief notice, and a place for his simple yet glorious old song in history.

And broad Ohio's shore, The forests and the prairies Of Elkhart to explore. " Come along, gee along, now begin to go, Tow'rds the blooming prairies and the bright St. Jo - " Oh, the earth is very broad and her bosom rich and rare, Like the Goshen of old Egypt, it has milk and honey fair I

The richest ever found, And the seeds and sprouts they bro't along They run 'em in the ground! " Come along, gee along. Buck and Bright halloe! What you 'bout, you lazy dogs, pushing 'long so slow :" Oh, the land is full of riches as ever filled an urn. And a thousand sleeping furrows are waiting for their '-turn I"

They hunted near and far. And home they brought a noble buck, And now and then a ''ba'r !" "Come along, come along," rang the merrjr shout, ' ' Molly bake the hoe-cake, shove the table out. Bring the pewter dishes, set the gourds around," While the song and story and merry jokes resound.

That made their hearts rejoice. Anil the crop most certain, Was the crop of girls and boys. "Come along, come along, Tom, audNcU, and Joe, Jack, and Jim, and Peg, and Sal, don't you be so slow." Oh, the only way a man can do his duty to the nation Is to plow, and sow, and reap, and mow, and raise the population.

First laid the forests low. And elbowed round and made the room For "sprouts" likens to grow. So come along, come along, and this the toast shall be; "Honor to the pioneers and their posterity I" And when, like leaves in autumn, their time shall come to fall, May their virtues and their memories be cherished by us all.

The following list of septuagenarians is based upon inquiries addressed to a number of old settlers; it is as complete as it is now possible to render, it and contains the great majority of names of old settlers who have arrived at the age of 70:

In the pages of this work will doubtless be mentioned the names of old settlers not given hitherto, and thus a full roster of the pioneers will be retained.

A Retrospect

What a change has come over the land since they first saw it! A modern thinker has said that the ruetamorphosis from the sickle and the cradle to the modern harvester is not more wonderful than the changes which have been wrought in other branches of industry by the application of science; and he who brings up sad reminiscences of a hard day's work and a lumbago, caused by the swinging of his -cradle or scythe,smiles at that semi- barbarous period that could neither produce a harvester nor a mower. To-day he mounts into the seat of the harvester as he would into his phaeton, and with the assurance that no matter what the condition of the grain, whether tangled, lodged or leaning, he masters a quarter section of wheat field more thoroughly, more economically, more perfectly, than he could have managed a five-acre field a quarter century since. The change is material certainly. They realize it, but they look back to the neverto-be-forgotten past, when contentment waited on the work of the old cradle, plow and spade, and when the primitiveness of the implements of industry made all primitively happy. Then contentment reigned supreme, and continued so to do, until knowledge created ambitions, and these ambitions brought with them in their train their proverbial and numerous little troubles.

The change has been revolutionizing indeed. Then political meetings were called by messages passed from mouth to mouth, from neighbor to neighbor; now the columns of the newspapers, large posters, and a big drum with numerous shrill fifes call the electors to assemble. These bands are creatures of campaign excitement; they are called out during State and iSTational elections, and discourse a peculiarly discordant music from early morning until the close of the first part of night. " The Girl I Left Behind Me " with " Yankee Doodle," and " Auld Lang Syne " with Pandeen O'Eafi'erty summon up their musical repertoire, so tliat such tunes have become unmistakable evidences of the progress of election matters; and the moz-e boisterous their rude musicians, the higher is the interest taken in the proceedings. On very special occasions the services of the silver cornet band are requisitioned; sometimes a concert party accompanies the orator in his round of the townships of the county, and in such cases a political meeting is a thing of beauty; but let us hope that the time is approaching when political life will cease to require the aid of such terribly hideous noise as that which the precocious youth of our towns and villages render. Why, it does not come near the " tum-tum " of the red men in harmony, and it certainly exceeds that musical accompaniment of the "dog feast" irr the variety and earnestness of its deafening noise.

A Histoet In Brief

At a meeting of the old settlers of Elkhart county, held at Goshen on Wednesday, Feb. 2i, 1S5S, the Hon. Joseph H. Defrees addressed his assembled friends. Es-ery line of this great remembrancer of the past is so replete with intei-est and historical truths that its introduction in these pages cannot be otherwise than acceptable since it is at once the summary of Elkhart's history' related by one of Elkhart's patriotic and oldest living children. He said :

"The occasion which had called them together was a peculiar one, one calculated to excite the emotions and call up the reminiscences of the past, which have lain dormant in the mind for many years. It was one also that did not require a great effort ot oratory or any display of forensic power; but rather a sketch of the occurrences of the past, scenes with which most of his audience were familiar. He saw assembled that day, a few of those hardy pioneers, who, in the morning of their manhood, gathered up their all, and with tlieir axes on their shoulders, pushed out upon the uninhabited wilderness of the West, and took up their abode in this beautiful country of ours. The first settlement of the St. Joseph country, of which this is a part, was commenced about 1828, a less period than 30 years ago, in the vicinity of Niles and South Bend. Emigrants were attracted to these points from the fact that some years before this the Baptist denomination, I believe, had established a mission post on the Portage Prairie near these places for the purpose of civilizing and Christianiziag the Indians, who at that day inhabited all this region of country.

" \ et, the great flood of emigration did not commence its outpourings into the country until the years 1S30-'31. Perhaps no country filled up more rapidly with inhabitants than did this, considering the means of migration, there being at that time no railroad, with its liglitning speed, penetrating the far West from the Eastern or Middle States, the most common means used by the pioneer being that of the slow but faithful ox, to bear him and his family to the land of promise.

"In the winter of 1S29 and 1830 an act passed the Legislature organizing the counties of St. Joseph and Elkhart, to which was attached for county purposes all the territory that now comprises the counties of Lake, Porter, La Porte, Lagrange, Steuben and Kosciusko. In July, 1830, an election was held for the purpose of choosing a county clerk, sheriff, two associate judges, recorder and three justices of the peace. Thomas Thomas was elected Clerk; Eli Pen well. Sheriff; William Latta and Peter Diddy, Associate Judges; J. W. Violett, Kecorder; James Mather, John Jackson and Armenius Penwell, Justices of the Peace; as will appear by the following returns of the election:

Associate Judges

" It will be observed that the whole vote polled at this election in the entire county, including the territory attached, out of which several counties have since been formed, was the number of 75. And it is to be presumed that the entire legal vote was cast, there being a number of aspirants to places of honor and profit, wliose respective friends, no doubt, were active in their behalf. At that time the county business was transacted by the Board of Justices, instead of commissioners as is the law now. Tlie place fixed by the Legislature at which courts were to be held, as well as the county business transacted, was at the house of Chester Sage, on the south side of the St. Joseph river, near where the late Dr. Beardsley's residence now stands. On the 28th day of June, 1830, the above named justices met at the place appointed by law, and were sworn in office by the clerk, and proceeded to the transaction of business. The first official act was to divide the county into two municipal townships as follows: 'All that part of the county northwest of a line beginning at the western part of the county, between townships 36 and 3Y, and running thence east to the line between sections 6 and 7, thence nortli to the State line, to be called Concord township; and all tliat part of the county south and east of said lines above, to be called Elkhart township.' At the same session of the Board, James Friar was appointed County Treasurer, and James Beck, Constable for Elkhart township, and Azel Sparklin, Inspector of Elections. The Sheriff was appointed County Collector.

" Thus, the county having been fully organized, and all the necessary officers chosen to put the wheels of government in full operation, another question of importance, and one that occasioned considerable excitement, was still to be settled, - that of the

"The Legislature in 1S29 and 1S30 appointed the following persons as commissioners to locate and establish the seat of justice for Elkhart county, viz: - Hugh Hannah, John Bishop, Samuel Fleming, Joseph Bennett and W. G. Ewing. The commissioner proceeded to discharge the duties assigned to them, and on the 15th July, 1830, at a special session of the Board of Justices, they reported that they had selected the southwest quarter of section 2i, town 34 north, of range S east, upon which to locate the county seat. This location is five or si.x miles northwest of Goshen, on the north side of the Elkhart river, a short distance above where Mr. DeCamp's mill-dam was afterward constructed. At this time the most populous part of the county was in Concord township, the first settlement having been made on Pleasant and Two-Mile Plains, which fact, no doubt, influenced the commissioners in their selection. But in this instance, as in almost all cases of a similar character, the location did not give general satisfaction, as will be seen before we close this sketch.

" That some idea may be had ol the population and wealth ot the county in 1830, I will state that the whole amount of revenue collected was §198, and the whole disbursement was $183.43, leaving a balance in the treasury of $14.57- The Board of Justices paid for taking the census of the whole county the full sum ot $4.50. The county clerk's bill for postage and stationery, the first half year after the organization of the county, was .$1.87.

" It will be observed that even if the treasury was not plethoric, our county fathers so managed the finances that a surplus was left on hand at the end of the year. It may be a lesson might be learned from this exhibit by those who have now or may hereafter have control of the fiscal concerns of the county. In the fall of this year the first county court was held at the house of Mr. Sage, by the Associate Judges, Peter Diddy and William Latta. The action of the court was wholly confined to a few appeal cases from justice's dockets and recognizances to keep the peace. It was in this year also, that was commenced in this vicinity, if not in the county, by John Carpenter, Sr., on the south bank of Bock run, near where the present lower bridge crosses that stream; and notwithstanding that the burrs that were used in this mill were of native growth, thej^ cracked corn pretty lively, and ground wheat as fast as a boy could bolt the flour, by doing ' circular work ' at the end of a large wheel on the shaft of the bolt. This mill was of great convenience to the whole neighborhood and county, for prior to this time what few grists there were to be ground had to be carried to Mr. Lacy's mill, on the Dowagiac, a short distance below Niles. Most of the provisions, however, of that early day, both of flour and meat, were brought from Detroit by way of Lake Michigan and the St. Joseph river.

" In the winter of 1S30-'31 the Legislature passed an act authorizing a review for the location of the county seat of Elkhart county. According to said act, David Miller, Anthony E. Davis and L. G. Tiiompson proceeded, March 21, 1S31, to examine tlie dilierent sites proposed on which to locate the seat of justice, together with the point which the former commissioners appointed for that purpose had selected for its location. After due examination and reflection they vacated the former location and selected the ground upon which Goshen now stands as the most suitable point, taking into consideration its central position and the fact that the land yet belonged to the general Government. By an act of Congress in 1821, new counties had the privilege of p.e-empting 160 acres of land upon which to locate county towns, could such suitable land be found unoccupied. Accordingly on the 23d of March, 1831, these commissioners reported the action they had taken in the premises to the Board of Justices, who had called an extra session of court for this purpose.

'' At a special meetino- of the Soard of Justices held in June, 1S31, the land having been secured, they ordered Oliver Crane, whom they had previously appointed county agent, to proceed, as soon as convenient, to lay off said land into lots, and to advertise them for sale on the 20th of July, ensuing. Accordingly Mr. Geo. Crawford was employed as surveyor to do this work, and the sale was made on the day appointed.

" The Legislature at the session of 1S30-'31, changed the mode and law of doing county business from a Board of Justices to that of county commissioners. The county was divided into three districts, and Edward Downing, Geo. McCullom and John Jackson were elected the first County Commissioners and held their first session at the house of Thoir.as Thomas on Two-Mile Plain, in September. At this session the county agent made his report of the number of lots sold at the sale, together with such as had been subsequently disposed of. The wliole number sold was 44, which brought the aggregate sum of §2, 607.75, being an average of a fraction over $48 a piece. In this sale were included many of the best lots in the village.

" Soon after the sale of lots several log houses were erected in town, the first of which was built, I believe, by Mr. William Bissel upon the southeast corner of Sixth and Washington streets immediately south of the present residenceof Peter Tetters. William Waugh and his family were the first persons that settled on the town plat. John H. Violett was, I understand, the first child born in Elkhart township that is now living, - his age being 28 years and three months.

held in Goshen was held in the fall of 1S31, in a log house owned by Mr. Duzenbury, which stood on the lot now occupied by Mr. A. B. Grubb as a saddler shop. This building was about 12x15 feet, and when the court was in full session, the judges at one end of the building and the jury at the other, it is said that the members of the Bar while addressing the jury, if they desired to make a law point to the court, had to go out of the house in order to turn ' round and re-enter facing the judges, and vice versa.

"The sixth judicial circuit, in which this county was placed, extended as far south as Wayne county. The Hon. Charles Test was the first president judge that held a court in this county. Charley, as he is familiarly called by his friends, has filled since that day many honorable positions, having served in the Congress of the United States and frequently represented his district in both branches of the Legislature. A few years ago he was Secretary of State, and in every position that he has been placed, has discharged his duty with marked ability. He is now president judge of the Lafayette Circuit Court.

" In looking over the names of those who composed the first grand and petit juries, I find but one man that is still among us, and that is our old friend Matthew Boyd, whose absence I regret very much to-day. The first indictment found and tried in court was against a person for selling one pound oi coffee without license, against the law in such cases made and provided. Members of the Bar at that time, as near as I can ascertain, were Henry Cooper, D. Colerick, Gustavus A. Everts, G. W. Ewing and JohnB. Newman. In the fall of 1S3] J. D. Defrees and your humble speaker , established a printing-press in the village of South Bend, a town that had been laid off but a few months previous by Messrs. Hahn and Taylor and A. Coquillard, in St. Joseph county. From this press we issued a sheet called the a name indicative of the fact that it was the first and only paper issued northwest of Piqua, Ohio, north of Indianapolis or west of Detroit. At this day an enterprise of this character would seem foolish; for the ' red man of the woods' outnumbered the 'palefaces' almost two to one. But being full of ardor, and having selected St. Joseph county for our future home, we labored assiduously to bring it into notoriety. - and you must pardon me for saying that I believe this one circumstance did moi'e to cause immigration to fiow in upon us than anything else save the beauty of the country.

"In this connection I must relate an anecdote. A short time after we got the press in operation, about midwinter, a young man, apparently about the age of 19 or 20 years, came into the oiEce and remarked that after a while he wanted to get a piece in the news, and woTild pay for it in maple sugar. Inquiry was made of him about the character of the article which he wished published. After considerable hesitancy and confusion, he said that he intended soon to get married, and wanted when it took place, to have it printed in the paper. Quizzing the young man awhile, and finding out that he and his intended blue-eyed companion lived on Elkhart Prairie, we told him we made no charge for publishing news of that character, - and in due time the notice was sent ns. That young man, notwithstanding that he seemed to be a little ' verdant ' in reference to the rules of printers, made one of the best citizens that lived on that beautiful prairie. He has gone to his long home; his widow is still among us.

" In the spring of 1S32 what is commonly called the ' Sac War ' took place. The inhabitants of the whole country were alarmed; in imagination the tomahawk and scalping knife gleamed before us, red with gore; scouting parties were sent out in every direction; people left their farms and homes; some went back to the 'settlements ' and others congregated at ^Riles, South Bend and Goshen, these being the principal villages in the country. Forts were erected. Fort Beane, as it was called, in honor of Captain Henry Beane, stood out prominent to view on Elkhart Prairie, on the land of Oliver Crane, for some time after the war. Colonel Jackson was dispatched to Indianapolis to solicit aid from the Government, and the citizens generally manifested a courage and bravery worthy of their sires. A few weeks, however, dissipated all of our fears; it was soon ascertained that no hostile Indians had been nearer than 100 miles west of the then village of Chicago. This whole circumstance that Black Hawk with a portion of his tribe and a few of the Fox Indians were in the habit annually of passing around the southern bend of Lake Michigan on their way to Maiden, in Canada, where presents were distributed to them by the British government; and upon their trip this spring they had some difficulty with a few pioneers in the territory that now comprises the State of Iowa, the Indians having made their reprisals on the provisions of the settlers. Their march north, however, was soon checked by a few volunteers sent out by the government of Illinois. jSTotwithstanding, \!a.Q North- Western Pioneer was sending out its weekly issue to the people in the counti-y, and advising them not to be alarmed, - and to those who contemplated removing here not to stay back or direct their steps elsewhere ; still the ' Sac "War ' retarded, to a great degree, the improvement of and immigration into the country that year. In this year (1S32) the authorities determined upon building a

"The making and laying of the brick were contracted to Henry Da\is, the carpenter work to Jacob Studebaker. This was the first court-house built in JSTorthern Indiana. The first court was held in the spring of 1833, Gustavus A. Everts, president judge. The house was not fully completed, however, until the fall of that year. In the fall of 1832 tlie first meeting-house (Methodist) was built in Goshen, on the lot now occupied by Peter Peter: ssize 40 feet square. You must not suppose from tiiis that the word of God was not dispensed among us at an earlier day; for it is a common saying that the first thing 3'ou discover on immigrating to a new country is a - Methodist pireacher and dog fennel;' why it is that they should be coupled together I know not, unless they are regarded as the first evidences of civilization. The Ohio Methodist Conferencelhad this country attached to her for religious purposes, and as early as 1829 and 1830 they sent out two men to labor in this part of the vineyard. In the fall of 1834 the Indiana Conference sent Mr. Grifiith to preach here every four weeks, and the first sermon was delivered in the bar-room of Mr. Geo. McCuUom's tavern, standing on the lot now occupied by Messrs. Marsh & Kindig. Dr. I. Latta's office, a small frame building, was frequently used as a place of worship. This meeting-house was also used as a school-house for many years.

"In 1831 the Legislature passed an act granting Jacob Studebaker the privilege of damming theElkhart river at or near Goshen, which was the first mill-dam thrown across the stream. The river having been declared navigable by the United States authorities, the Legislature required Mr. Stndebaker to construct a suitable lock in his dam for the purpose of passing and repassing boats. It was supposed at an early day that the river would be extensively used as a means of carrying off the productions of the country, and importing into it such necessaries as the wants of the people demanded. In the spring of this year, 1S31, I think it was, between Fort Wayne and Is' lies, the mail to be carried over it once in four weeks. In the fall of the same year, the Postoffice Department increased the speed from once in four weeks to that of once in two weeks; many of you, no doubt, well remember how elated j'on felt, when you heard the sound of the old tin horn, blown by ' Old Hall ' as he came wending his way through the grove east ot the village, witli his ' tantrum ' sorrels, himself astride of one, and the mail bags, containing news from the - settlements,' on the other, witli a ' string' fastened to the bits of the leader in order to guide him in the right path. That old horn, with its music, discoursed sweeter strains to its hearers than did ever Hall and Arnold's in their palmiest days.

" It may not be amiss to refer to some of the politicians who had the honor of representing this county in the Legislature of the State. The first election for Representatives took place in August, 1S31, and Samuel Hanna, of Fort "Wayne, - this county being attached to Allen for representative purposes, - was elected. In 1S33 the Kepresentative district was composed of Allen, Elkhart, St. Joseph, La Porte and Lagrange, and Geo. Crawford, of this county, was chosen its member. In 1S33 David H. Colerick was elected from the same district. In 1S34 John B. Chapman was elected. In 1835 E. M. Chamberlain, and in 1836 Elkhart county was entitled to a Representative alone, and Col. Jackson was honored with being her first Representative. The Senatorial district was represented by each of these individuals, except Messrs. Chapman and Jackson - beginning in 1832 with Judge Hanna, and ending in 1S39 with Judge Chamberlain. It is a singular fact that all those members of the Legislature are still living, and within the territory that formed the original district, enjoying the fruits of their labors, save one, J. B. Chapman, who is now a resident of Kansas.

" It was at the session of ISSi that the Bufialo & Mississippi raih'oad charter was granted, wliich is now used by the Northern Indiana road. Jolm B. Chapman has the honor of originating that charter, the object of which being to - connect the two hemispheres,' as he said in a speech while canvassing the next year for re-election, as it is said; bnt I do not vouch for its correctness. The measure, however, was an important one, and was looked upon at that early day as a means that wonld soon be in operation to carry off the surplus produce that was beginning to accumulate in tlie country. Instead of having to ' ai-k ' down the Elkhart and St. Joseph rivers, exposed to the dangers of sand-bar and mill-dam, the surplus productions of the country, and ' keeling' back the merchandise from the lake consiimed by the people, or hauling it from Michigan City, we anticipated a direct route east, saving the dangers of circuitous navigation, and speeding the time to market. Accordingly in 1836 a company was organized under the charter, and the work commenced, subscriptions having been liberally made along the line of the contemplated route; but in this instance, as in a great many others, we commenced at tlie ' wrong end,' and ruin was the result, after having digged down a few sand hills between Michigan City and La Porte.

" It was about this time also that the State of Indiana embarked in a mammoth scheme of internal improvements, which was to bring a canal or railroad almost to every man's door, and to make all her citizens prosperous. In that great scheme we were provided for in the shape of a northern canal, to be constructed from Fort Wayne to Lake Michigan. This enterprise was surveyed and located through our village, which raised the expectations of our people to anticipate that a few years of time would convert our quiet little village into a noisy and bustling city. Town lots situated along the line of the canal, which ran along the Eluif, Bank of Rock Run, became more valuable in the imagination of their owners than property in any other part of the town, and a number of citizens were induced to invest their means there, but were disappointed in the end. After having expended a considerable sum of money in work upon this canal, it proved a failure, as did the whole internal improvement system of the State.

" The elections in this county prior to 1S36 did not partake of a party character to any considerable extent, men being chosen to positions upon their personal merits. But with the increase of population a new order of things was incorporated into our elections, and candidates for office had to connect themselves with party organizations in order to be successful. The parties at this time were known generally as Jackson men and Adams men, they being the great leaders of the two classes of politicians into which the American people had divided. Accordingly, to advance their cause, the Adams men established at Goshen a weekly paper, called the edited by Charles L. Murray, being the first newspaper published in Elkhart county. A few months later the other party purchased a printing press and located it also in Goshen, from which was issued a sheet called the Goshen Demoorat, and edited by Thomas H. Basset. The editors of these respective sheets advocated their peculiar politics with energy and ability. Some years afterward the Express was removed to "Warsaw, and the Democrat has continued its labors here up to the present time.

" The whole number of votes polled in Elkhart county in 1832 for President of the United States was 189. The number polled for the same purpose in 1836 was 759, and in 1840, 1.236, an increase of nearly 1,700 per cent, since the first election held in July, 1830.

" I have no means of ascertaining the amount of products raised prior to the year 18-iO: consequently I can give no statistics earlier than that year. The following figures will give the amount of the principal productions for that year: wheat, 4i,.501: bushels; corn, 98,862 bushels; oats, 45,787 bushels; hay, 2,002 tons; maple sugar, 78,697 lbs. Considering that a large portion of our county is heavily timbered, and requires an immense amount of labor to bring the soil to a state of productiveness, the showing is a good one to be produced in ten years of its first settlement. But in order that we may have some idea of the improvement and industry in the county for the next ten years, I will give the showing of the same articles of production in the year 1850: wheat, 174,716 bushels; corn, 370,973 bushels; oats, 184,940 bushels; hay, 8,287 tons; maple sugar, 155,971 lbs.; making a net increase of nearly 400 per cent, over that of the year 1840. It is fair to suppose that the census of 1860 will show the same rates of increase, if not greater than that shown between the years 1840-'50, and if so, what an immense amount of money these articles alone, if sold at present prices, would produce, making in aggregate over one million dollars.

-' Thus, fellow citizens, I have very hastily sketched a few of the early incidents connected with the organization and settlement of this county; but it may not be out of place now to refer to our present condition, and anticipate somewhat of the future.

"Look around us and see what changes time has produced, not only in the physical appearances of the country, but in its social, educational and moral aspect. Instead of the foot path or Indian trail leading from one neighborhood to another, we have township and county roads crossing each other at almost every section corner; the forests have given way before the strong arm of the axman; the bosom of the prairie that was so luxuriantly covered with the wild flowers, has been made to blossom with the fruits that sustain life, and the red-oak openings made to jdeld profusely to reward the labors of the husbandman. Rivers have been spanned with bridges, towns have sprung up as if by magic, and the busy hum of industry is heard all around us. Instead of the old ' corncracker ' on !Rock run, elegantly finished grist-mills have been put in operation in almost every part of the county; instead of using 'puncheons' made with the broad ax, for flooring, the tall poplar and majestic oak is converted into such uses by saw-mills; in place of venison 'jerk' and 'corn-dodgers,' our tables are crowned with richest edibles, and our sons and daughters, instead of being smoked to ' sooty black' in the old log huts reared for school-houses, have neat white frame ones placed at almost every cross-road. The spire of the church meets the eye in every village and every neighborhood; the surplus produce crowds your barns instead of your stock yards, and our citizens look indeed like ' Man is the noblest work of God.' "We are no longer compelled to ' ark ' upon^the river, or draw by torce of auirnal power, the surplus products of the country; instead of theold 'tantrum' sorrels bi-inging the mail once in four weeks, it is now received dail v ; in place of the music of the tin horn, we hear the shrill whistle vf the locomotive as it comes dashing along with lightning speed on the iron-rail; tlie telegraph, with its wondrous power, puts us within speaking distance of the seaboard cities, and evidences of progress meet us on every hand. Elkhart county, from a population of 300 when organized, has advanced to that of 20,000; instead of 1S9 votes polled, as at the Presidential election of 183^, she gave at the last Presidential election, 1856, a vote of nearly 4,000; instead of one little village in the center of the county, there are seven thriving towns. She has become the most populous county north of the Wabash, save one; exports more grain and flour than any other county through which the ISTorthern Indiana railroad passes; has the best built county town of any county in the State of the same number of buildings; her citizens support three weekly newspapers established within her borders; her schoolhouses are thronged with happy children, and her churches are filled every Sabbath with an enlightened and grateful people, returning thanks to the God of the universe for the abundant mercies bestowed upon them.

" Such are a few of the advantages that we as a people can boast of, and what may we not anticipate in the future? If so great a change has been produced with so many disadvantages at the beginning, within a period of 25 years, what may we not reasonably expect with all the present facilities that now surround us, in the next quarter centui-y? Although many of us who are here to-day may not live to see that time, yet it requires no prophet's ken to predict the future. With a body of land unsurpassed in the valley of the St. Joseph, with less than one-eighth of our tillable land brought under cultivation, scarcely an eighty-acre lot not capable of sustaining a family of ten persons, the water-power of our beautiful streams but partially improved, the mechanical skill of our people not fully developed, is it too much to say that Elkhart county will not be surpassed in point of wealth, population and moral influence by any of her sister counties in the State of Indiana? But what has produced this mighty change, and what will it require in order to realize our anticipations? No supernatural or magnetic power has been called in to eff'ect this change; nature has not stepped aside from her ordinary course to bring it about; no fabled genii have been among as to aid in this work. What then has produced it? LABOR, iucessant, unwearied toil has crowned US with these blessings. For tliis, long days and sleepless nights have been spent; the sinews of the strong arm have well nigh been palsied for its accomplishment. Labor, that fiat of the Almighty to man, that by the sweat of his brow he shall live. Labor, that power that moves the Universe, and causes the planets to keep step with the spheres. Labor, dignified by God in the creation of the world. Labor, intelligent indefatigable, untiring labor will ever produce such great changes.

" Let us then teach our sons and daughters to labor. Let us impress upon them the fact that an idle person is always in league with the devil; that a lazy man is abhorred by the Almighty, and that He looks upon such as worse than infidel. Teach them that in order to be prosperous and happx^, some useful occupation must be pursued ; that to play their part in the great drama of life they must be virtuous, intelligent, educated and governed by the principles of justice and righteousness."

The existence of such a man as J. H. Defrees, who 21 years ago laid open the glorious little history which he and the strong minds and arms of his neighbors built up, cannot have proved otherwise than most beneficial. He was then a practical man in every sense; apart from his distinguished connection with the early journals of the country, he in later years made the work of the future historian light by his collection of legends and historical facts, and his happy memory. In this course even, he has taken a share in contributing to human happiness, and it must be a pleasure to all to see that man who came here, nearly half a century ago, with the clear head and honest heart of a young journalist, now one of the strongest pillars supporting the commerce of the country. There are others to whom special honors are due, - a hundred names that shine in the records of the time. It is only allowed us here to quote from their eloquent essays. In other pages their good works are noted, their political and business actions reviewed, and thus their names are transmitted in enduring history for the admiration of those who are to succeed them.

Dec. 13, 1S72, Mrs. J. H. Defrees entertained many of the old settlers who inhabited Goshen in 1835. Invitations were issued to a large number; but on account of illness, and many other causes only 2S were present on the festive occasion. Among the guests were Mrs. Mercer, 7i years of age; David B. Pippenger,

Happy 1Iem0Eie3

The old settlers' meeting of 1379 was replete in good results. Though many of those who participated in the pleasures of the first great meeting of 1S5S had passed away, quite a large number still remained to join together in admiration of the rewards which waited upon their toil and celebrate the forty-ninth anniversary of the establishment of their county. Many of the ancient people were called upon to relate the incidents of pioneer life, or review the history of the past, and as each utterance of those great old men must claim attention, an effort has been made to collect their addresses on that occasion.

"Wm. F. Martin said that he had been through this country as early as lS22-'3 and '21, before any houses had been erected in Goshen, and had camped on his several trips on the hill or spot where G. P. liowell's foundry now stands. He drove always a fourhorse team.

Geo. Nicholson stated that he settled in Washington township, August 31, 1829, four months after the first settlement had been made in that township, by Aaron Brown, and three others, on April 27, 1829. He has been a resident of Washington township ever since; was one of the voters in Concord township at the first election ever held in the county; had to go with his grist to Ford's mill on the Dowagiac, and in his route had to ford the St. Joseph's river with an ox team, and be careful to select, in the winter, a time when the ice was not running.

At the close of Mr. Nicholson's remarks a call was made for all persons present, who had voted at the first election in the county, to rise, whereupon John W. Yiolett, H. Staufter, John Jackson, William Carmein, E. Carpenter and Mark B. Thompson, in addition to Mr. Nicholson, rose up.

Col. John Jackson said that he had lived in the county 23 years; was a lieutenant in the army at the age of 22, in the war of 1812; was sent to assist Hull ; had reached Urbana, where his company lay two weeks, and heard while there that Hull had surrendered. Col. Meigs heard that Fort Wayne was besieged, and made a proposition for volunteers to go and relieve it. His company went, and found the fort in charge of Gen. Harrison, and the Indians all dispersed. Troops were sent after them, among them his company, and they followed them to this eonnty. They crossed Elkhart river at Benton, and made preparations to attack the Pottawatomie village situated where Mr. Thompson's farm now is; were divided into two detachments, one to approach the village through the woods, the other by the prairie. He belonged to the woods division. They found the village deserted. When he first entered on the prairie he thought it the most .beautiful country he had ever seen, and resolved when the war should close, in case the Government should purchase the land of the Indians, he should come and make it his home. He heard in 1827 that the Indians had sold their lands to the Government, and, with a neighbor, came here to select a home. When he arrived he conld hear nothing of the sale by the Indians, and went down to Beardsley's Prairie to see if he could find other country as beautiful as Elkhart Prairie, but was disappointed and came back. He had been told by one Rousseau, a Frenchman, that a treaty of purchase had been held at Carey mission with the Indians. He selected the spot where he now lives, and went to Ohio; he returned with his family, drove three yoke of oxen, crossed the Elkhart on the ice where the Benton now is, and found that Riggs was settled on his chosen land; he chose another place near by; Riggs concluded to sell to him, because he wanted a farur where he could have a sugar camp. He bought, and was to cook in the house and slee]) on the floor for awhile. In the spring they made a large field in the prairie, and drew a dividing line by agreement. He commenced plowing with three yoke of cattle; had a large and wide plow, and it would not do. Hackert had two yoke of cattle, and put them with his, and the}^ plowed finely. They turned their cattle out at nigiit to graze on the bluegrass wliich grew abundantly around the Indian village. They were plowing corn about the 12th or 15th of May, when, looking along to the sky, they discovered a storm coming up, heard thunder and expected to be delayed with rain; but they continued up their furrow until they met the storm, which proved to be fierce flakes of snow, and it fell to the depth of three inclies or more. He then bea^an to think that this was a poor country, but has since changed his mind. After awhile the air became filled with little horse-fiies which troubled tlie oxen so that they had to unhitch them. Mr. Hess went to Ft. Wayne, and heard there that many cattle had been killed by the flies. Finally a storm of rain came and killed all the flies, or, at least, they were gone after that. He went forty miles to mill, and the nearest blacksmith shop was at White

Pigeon. The}' used to have religious meetings at Kiggs' house. Some one asl^ed him to request of Riggs the use of liis house for this purpose, and he did so, and found Mrs. Eiggs very much rejoiced, she being a member of the Church, thoiigh he was not aware of it before. They had meetings there often - prayer-meetings - and he attended them. Once he had some work to be done, and he went to Wliite Pigeon, to the blacksmith shop, on Sunday, instead of attending the meeting.

Hon. E. M. Chambeelain. - Mr. Chamberlain came to Indiana in 1S32, and settled in Goshen in the fall of 1S33. He emigrated from Maine. Goshen was then an incorporated town, and the county seat of Elkhart connty. The main body of the court-house was erected but unfinished. There is now remaining but one frame building in the village, which was here then, and that is the main portion of the National Plotel, which was built by James Cook, in the fall of 1833 or the spring of lS3i. "When he came to Goshen there were no bridges across the Elkhart river. He crossed it as a foot passenger on a sycamore tree which had fallen across the stream near where the best bridge now stands. There was a ford for teams one mile and a half northwest of town, close to the then fixrm of Thos. Thomas, and now the property of Hon. Hobert Lowry. Since then many bridges have been built, and many had gone away. , Chicago at that time was hardly known to the history of the country. It was onlj' an old Indian trading post. Now it rivals the cities of both the new and old worlds. He had been told that Balser Hess had been 21 days in coming from a point in Ohio to Goshen, a time suflicient now to accomplish a journey to Liverpool and back. * * *

The meeting now adjourned for one hour tc discuss the elegant and abundant supper which the settlers had brought in their baskets. Though the occasion was one called to celebrate the primitive tastes and early habits of the pioneers, yet it must be asserted, that nothing was seen in this supper that approached anywhere near to these, except the quantity of food devoured by the partakers of its bountiful delicacies. - * *

T. G. Harris, ihe secretary, called for all persons who were entitled to membership to come forward and sign the constitution. During the signing, Hon. T. G. Harris was called for, and said he had been here 2.5 years. He saw Wm. "Waugh, Joseph D. Knox, Joseph H. Defrees, W. A. Thomas, Judge Chamberlain, Ed. Martin and Dr. Cornell, who was Assessor in 1836, the only persons present who were in Goshen when he came. He said that Elias Carpenter was Assessor in ISiO. Col John Jackson, who he had no doubt was a brave man, for when he had command of the militia in early times, had he been so required to do, would have fought valiantly, and himself, in 1S72, were candidates for the Legislature. The Colonel aad he electioneered through the county; they did a great deal of it. Once he approached one of the Cripes to ask him for his vote, but the old gentleman told him it was no use. " "Why," says he, " Col. Jackson laid the first worm fence on Elkhart Prairie, and I am going to vote for him." The Colonel was elected. He had heard Joseph H. Defrees say that he had been ten days in coming from Shobe's to Benton, that he went back at night for fire to the camp of the night before. This was different now. He taught school in 1836 or 1837 in a school-house which had neither a nail nor a light of glass iu it. They used greased papers for windows. This country had been very unhealthy in early times. He had known a family of ten persons sick with the same disease, to each of whom medicine had to be administered once in two liours during the night. He knew of other similar examples.

Dr. Coroell said he came to the county in June, 1834. Had been Assessor, as Mr. Harris stated, and presumed that why the people elected him to that office was that he had once seen a deer, took after it on horseback, and caught it after running six hours. Thev had confidence in his fleetness. His education was confined to that obtained in school-houses with greased papers for windows.

Mr. Elias Hess said that he supposed that he was at present the oldest settler on Elkhart Prairie, having settled there on April 5, 1829. He came from Ohio with an ox-team, and was 21 days making the trip. They had mostly to cut their own road. They were not four days free from rain during the entire trip. When he first entered upon Elkhart Prairie he thought it, in size, a large farm. As he pushed onward over it he found it larger. He settled where he now lives, and they had to pasture their cattle on the bottom, across the river from there. They tried to plow with one yoke, two and three yoke of cattle, but could not succeed. They had to go to Fort Wayne to have a nose put on the coulter of their plow, and a nigger's heel, and other repairs made. Then they attached seven yokes of cattle to the plow and it did very well. When they desired to find their cattle they had to rise early to hear the bell. They waded the river and launched_out into the woods with ears erect to catch its tinklings, and crowded on uutil the crackling brush would draw their attention to a deer, and then a tirrkey would gobble, and further on a wolf would howl, but no bell was to be heard. Thus days were consumed and much ground traveled over before their cattle would be found. He had traveled a good deal, over most of the United States, Cuba, New Grenada, Upper Canada and California. He was in the latter place for some time, and was making more than an average of five dollars per day, but lie tliought he would come back to Elkhart Prairie, where women and vegetables grew. He thought he would rather live here, and of all the country he had seen, none of it was equal to Northern Indiana, and Elkhart township was the best of it.

Dr. M. M. Latta said that he had lived in this county only since 1840, but his father had come to the Hawpatch 25 years ago. The first time he came to Goshen lie rode on a woman's saddle; there was no other kind in his neighborhood. He passed the other day a bridge that he had helped to build more than 20 years a^o, and now there was a railroad embankment covering it, a circumstance that he little expected at that early day, and which to him was an illustration of the progress that had been made in the country since then. The only thing that he ever drew in a lottery was some stumps in the public square.

Mr. John W. Irwin said that he came to this country the fifth day of May, 1832. He used to do the milling on horseback, carrying the grist to McConnell's mill, on the east side of town, on the land owned now by Henry Pierce. Father Pease, who was there near him, had built it. He usually carried two bushels of grain for a grist, and it was a whole day's grinding. Wolves were plenty in those days, and premiums were offered on their scalps. One man had a large trap made out of logs, and set with triggers to catch them in, and once when he went to examine it he found something wrong, stepped into it, sprung the triggers by accident and cauo-ht himself, where he must have perished had not some of his neighbors come to his relief. He had gone to school, also, where greased papers were the windows, and the whole side of the house was used as the chimney.

Dr. E. W. H. Ellis said that he was 23 years of age when he came to this country; he settled and practiced medicine in Elkhart; the country was infested with disease then; he had known 11 persons sick in one room 15 feet square, yet now there was no healthier country in the world. He came to Goshen in 1839, to take charge of the Goshen Democrat, which had been published there for over one year by Thomas H. Bassett, a man of talent and eccentric habits. In ISil he was a candidate for County Auditor against Charley Murray; it was called the pony race; he outwinded Charley and was elected. He had published the Democrat 11 years, and had associated with him M. B. Hascall. After he left the concern his brother, "W. K. Ellis, published it, and afterward Judge Lowry acquired a full interest in it.

The reminiscences of bygone times are made doubly interesting by being the living utterances of the pioneers. They are really historical, and the labor e.^ercised in a search for them has been veell rewarded in the quantity and quality of the matter brought to