LaPorte County, Indiana - Chapter 32: Library, Literary, and Other Associations, 1904

Chapter 32: Library, Literary, and Other Associations

As early as 1838 there was an organization called the LaPorte Lyceum for the purpose of literary improvement. In the forties great ac¬ count was made of the Garrick Literary Institute mid of the LaPorte Athenaeum. The Belles-Let¬ tres Club was organized in Michigan City in -1847. It met only once each month, and the chief attention of its members was given to writ¬ ing. Memorable addresses were delivered to this club, one by Solon Robinson, author of "The Will/" "The Last of the Buffaloes," and other -stories, in which address he paid a high compli¬ ment to the culture he found among the mem¬ bers, and told them he had met and consulted with the Indians where they themselves were now living. Later there were the LaPorte Lyceum, the LaPorte Reading and Gymnastic Military Club, the Mendelssohn Literary Associaton, and many others. In September, 1861, the literary students of the different schools were invited to attend a meeting in Allen's block for the purpose of organizing a literary and debating society which resulted in the formation of the Wide Awake Union with C. F. Kimball as president and A. C. Parsons as secretary. The exercises consisted in orations, declamations, debates, music, etc. The society met every Friday even¬ ing and the people of LaPorte and vicinity were invited to join. These and many other such asso¬ ciations, not only in LaPorte but in Michigan City and in other places, furnished a means of social intercourse and exchange of thought and the spending of many delightful hours.

In this connection is is proper to write of the libraries other than those sustained by the cities or the county. These have a literary and educatonal side, but they also have a social side. Not to mention the many private circulating libraries, of which perhaps that of George B. Roberts was one of the largest and best patron¬ ized, the most important one for LaPorte is that out of which came the present LaPorte city library.

William McClure, one of Robert Owen's co¬ adjutors in the community at New Harmony, conceived the idea of benefiting laboring men, by which term he meant those who worked with their hands, through the instrumentality of libraries. To this end he made provision in his will so that any club or society of laborers who established in any part of the United States a reading and lecture room with at least one hun¬ dred volumes, might receive $500 with which to purchase more books. Under this will one hun¬ dred and forty-four associations received dona¬ tions, in eighty-nine of the ninety-two counties of

Indiana. In many, perhaps most, of these cases the associations were hastily formed, a lot of old books were donated by the members and col¬ lected so as to comply with the conditions, the money was drawn, more books purchased, and after the novelty wore away the associaton lan¬ guished and died. Very few if any of them are alive at the present time. And yet who will say that Mr. McClure's plan was a failure? From the above figures we see that $72,000 of Mr. McClure's fortune was expended to buy books for the working men of Indiana. Those books had their influence even during the short exist¬ ence of the associations, and that influence can¬ not die. And many of those books are in exist¬ ence still, having passed into the possession of private individuals or other library associations.

In the summer of 1856 a gentleman whose name is not remembered came to LaPorte to ascertain whether a library had been established there, and if not to endeavor to establish one. After trying and failing to interest the citizens generally, he appealed to the men of the railroad shops, who called a meeting, and a number of them donated books and established the Work¬ men's Library, and authorized the visitor ,to draw the money left by Mr. McClure and pur¬ chase books for the library. Two hundred and seventy-six volumes were bought, costing S5 1 1.27, and placed in the library. A copy of that bill of books is still in the possession of Mr. J. Zook, of Elkhart. The railroad company pre¬ sented the workmen with a bookcase. After two or three years the library was moved to the Allen block and reorganized under the name of the McClure Workingmen's Institute. In a few years the institute lost the support of many of its members and had incurred some debt, and it was deemed best to transfer the property to the LaPorte Library and Natural History Associa¬ tion. The original of the agreement of transfer is now in the possession of Mr. Jacob Zook, of Elkhart. The names of the McClure association at the time of the transfer are as follows : -

According to the historical sketch of Mr. Will¬ iam Niles, the Rev. George C. Noyes, then pas¬ tor of the Presbyterian church, w*as the first mover towards establishing another library in LaPorte. He circulated a subscription paper and obtained $500. On March 16, 1863, a prelimi¬ nary meeting of the subscribers was held in the grammar school building on South Main street, of which W. H. H. Whitehead was chairman, and Dr. N. S. Darling secretary. A constitution was adopted and a permanent organization formed. William C. Hannah was elected presi¬ dent, James Moore vice president, Fred West treasurer, Rev. George C. Noyes corresponding secretary, William Niles recording secretary, and Dr. L. C. Rose, E. Morrison, S. Wile, James Lewis, W. H. H. Whitehead, O. Wilson, and Charles Paine directors. A committee was chosen to confer with the McClure Workingmen's In¬ stitute, and by May 11, 1863, the two bodies had united, the institute had turned over all its prop¬ erty, including about seven hundred volumes of generally well selected books, and the associa¬ tion was occupying the rooms in Allens' block previously occupied by the institute. On the same date Judge A. L. Osborne was elected a director in place of James Lewis deceased, and Jacob Zook in place of S. Wile resigned.

The association was now left to run itself. One brief meeting was held on the 26th of the following October, and then little was done for over a year. As in all such cases, the associa¬ tion languished and in the discouragement which ensued all the officers and directors resigned. This occured on December 6, 1864, when the fol¬ lowing were elected : L. Crane, president ; C. G. Powell, vice president ; William M. Scott, treas¬ urer ; Rev. J. P. Ash. corresponding secretary ; H. B. Weir, J. M. Hood, J. W. Baker, A. J. Redington, Dr G. M. Dakin, and Rev. J. H. Lee directors. New rooms were secured and the as¬ sociation took a new lease of life. On April 25, 1865, an amended constitution was adopted, and the association became a member of the Western Literary Association. On November 20, 1865, rooms for the association were engaged in the second story of the present postoffice building. May 1. 1865, Dr. G. M. Dakin was elected pres¬ ident of the association, and remained in that office continually .during the existence of the as- sociation, except two years when Dr. T. Higday was president, and three months when Gen¬ eral Orr was president, and two other years when the Young Men's Association had control. In January, 1868, a fire in the third story of the postoffice building, occupied by Ex¬ celsior Lodge of Masons, damaged the property of the association to the amount of $500. In this year the natural history collection, referred to in Chapter II, was begun by Dr. Higday, who also began the German section of the library. On August 4, 1868, the association adopted an amended constitution which on March 25, 1869, was recorded at the court house in Miscellaneous Records No. 1, page 250. In 1870 the associa¬ tion ijioved into the third story of the postoffice building. When Dr. S. B. Collins completed his marble front building on Michigan avenue, he generously offered to fit up the third story of the new building and donate to the library asso¬ ciation the free use of it for five years. The offer was accepted and in December, 1871, the association moved to that place. The thanks of the association were voted to Dr. Collins and he was made an honorary member. On January 1, 1872, a committee was appointed to report upon the subject of the erection of a building for the association. On June 2, 1872, a committee was appointed to confer with the Presbyterian church regarding the purchase of the church building on the corner of Indiana avenue and Harrison street. August 3, 1873, Dr. Collins gave notice that the rooms occupied by the as¬ sociation were needed by him in his business, and he offered to pay the association a rent of one hundred dollars a year if possession was sur¬ rendered to him. February 21, 1874, General Orr offered to buy the church building mentioned above, and the half lot north of it owned by W. C. Hannah, and present them to the association, provided they could be bought for $4,000, upon certain conditions. As there has been some mis¬ understanding about this matter, tfiose conditions are hereby given, as transcribed from the deed which General Orr subsequently made: -

That said building now situate upon the south half of said lot thirty six (36), be preserved substantially in its present condition, and appropriately used in promoting the objects of said association and organiza¬ tion, and that said association add thereto, as soon as the same can reasonably be done, a substantial and well fitted up brick addition for a library and specimen room proper, and of such style and dimentions as the present board of said association shall direct, which addition, together with the main building, shall be kept and used by said association exclusively for the good of the association ; not however for a fashionable eating, drinking or gambling room, but for the purposes of promoting temperance, good morals and general in¬ telligence among our people; and also upon the further conditions that the sum of six thousand dollars or more be raised by our citizens at large, and paid to the said association to aid in making the proposed im¬ provements and fitting up its grounds, increasing its library and specimens, and extending general useful¬ ness, but for no other purpose ; and further, that whole property of the association, real, personal, moneys and effects as well as its government, shall be cared for and managed by a board of managers elected from and by the "life members" of the association who shall have paid one hundred dollars or more thereto, and such other person? as shall have paid ten dollars or more, and that each and every member thus designated shall be entitled to one vote for every ten dollars paid, in which vote notes may be given by proxy or in per¬ son. But in all other matters the by-laws, rules and regulations must be applied alike to all, provided al¬ ways that no person shall be entitled to a vote or hold and office in the association, who is not a stock-holder to the value of ten dollars or more, or who refuses or neglects to keep up such assessments as the board of managers may find necessary to run the institution.

And also upon the further condition that any per¬ son subscribing to the constitution of said association, and paying into the treasury the sum of one hundred dollars or more, shall be a life member and be en¬ titled to a certificate of stock in perpetuity and assign¬ able on the books thereof to anyone else, subject to an annual assessment of not exceeding one dollar, and in all other things subject to the by-laws, rule? and regulations of the association. And also, further, that any person subscribing to the constitution of said asso¬ ciation, and paying into the treasury any sum from ten to one hundred dollar?, shall be a special member thereof and b$ entitled to a certificate to the amount paid in though not perpetual nor assignable but good for one share, as long as the subscriber wishes to use it and keep up the annual assessment, which shall not exceed one dollar; and the owner may at any time in¬ crease the amount paid in to one hundred dollar? and receive a life membership in due force. - Records of Deeds, LaPorte County, Book 33, pages 523-4 the deeds are on record. The extra $100 was afterwards paid back to him by the association. The committee chosen by the association to solicit the required $6,000 soon reported that they had raised $6,179, and the board of managers voted to accept General Orr's offer; he conveyed the property to the association and the deed was properly recorded. A vote of thanks was ordered to the General and Mrs. Orr. By June 16, 1874, $3,000 of the first installment of the subscriptions had been paid, which was invested by the as¬ sociation in three Plymouth bonds of one thou¬ sand dollars each, at ten per cent. A committee consisting of General Orr, L. Crane, and S. D. Fraser was chosen to take charge of the library and put it in repair. General Orr, then president of the association, was directed to reconstruct the basement of the church building at a cost of $196. A picture was made of the prospective library which appears on page 12 of the Historical Atlas of LaPorte county published in 1874. Great ex¬ pectations were raised, but on August 3, 1874, the committee on building reported that they had accomplished nothing on account of a dif¬ ference of opinion as to how the building should be repaired or altered. General Orr, however, re¬ ported progress in repairing the library building, but at the same time tendered his resignation as a member of the board, and as director and presi¬ dent of the association, which was accepted, and his communication placed on file. September 9, 1874, a committee of three was appointed to as¬ certain from the subscribers to the $6,000 fund how much of their subscriptions could be re¬ tained to be used in purchasing the Orr property, or in other words to buy General Orr out. Either from failure in this, or because that gentleman re¬ fused to sell out, that project fell through. At any rate the following preamble and resolution appears on the record of an adjourned meeting held November 9, 1874.

Whereas , heretofore, to-wit on the 15th day of June. 1874, Joseph Orr executed and delivered to the LaPorte Library and Natural History Association a deed conveying to said association the perpetual use of certain real estate therein described, which conveyance however was made subject to sundry conditions men¬ tioned and fully set forth in said deed which is now on record on page 523 and 4 of Book 33 of the Records of Deeds of LaPorte County Indiana, and

Whereas , it has now become evident that this asso¬ ciation cannot carry out and comply with all of said conditions, and that according to the terms of said conveyance said property is liable at any time to revert to said donor by reason of such failure, and

Resolved, that in order to avoid misunderstanding and liability to loss, the president of this association be and he is hereby instructed and fully authorized and em¬ powered, to reconvey the said property to the said Joseph Orr, and to execute and deliver to him a quit claim deed therefor.

This preamble and resolution were adopted, and so ended for the present the dream of the association owning its home. August 7, 1875, Mr. H. L. Weaver made the board an offer that if they could make arrangements with Osborne & Calkins to release twenty-five feet of ground he had sold them, he would add five feet to it and donate 50,000 brick, and Hall & Weaver would contribute $200, and Mr. Weaver would pledge to use his utmost exertions in canvassing for funds to erect a building on the northeast corner of Indiana and Jefferson avenues, the only con¬ dition being that the front on Indiana avenue be as good as on Jefferson, and have an entrance be¬ low and stairway to second story, the front on Indiana avenue to be as good as the business room then occupied by Polaski King. Messrs. Osborne & Calkins gave the required release, and the association, for $1,390, received a deed of the lot from Mr. Weaver, containing the con¬ dition that a Iwo-story building be erected, with a store room below and a library above. This would have been a good investment for the asso¬ ciation, as the rent of the store room and base¬ ment would have brought them an income. The board, however, decided not to begin building until it could be done without incurring a debt. A canvass failing to secure funds sufficient for this, the board desired to proceed and erect a onestory building such as their funds would warrant ; but failing to obtain from Mr. Weaver an uncon¬ ditional deed, or the desired modification of the condition specified, the lot was reconveyed to him at cost, and again the association was disap¬ pointed as to obtaining a home. On February 23, 1876, a new association called the City and County of LaPorte Library Association, pro¬ posed to unite with the old association and take the Orr church property, but the plan was not consummated. On May i, 1876, the board bought, of the heirs of Nelson T. Place, the lot on Maple avenue where the city library now stands. On June 12, 1876, a contract was made with Folant and Evory to erect a building for the as¬ sociation, 25x70 feet, one-story high, with six¬ teen foot ceiling ; and the building was completed that season.

On April 18, 1877, the Young Men's Associa¬ tion was formed, in George Dorland's office, LaPorte. The meeting was quite largely at¬ tended. C. H. Truesdell was elected president, S. I. Kessler, vice-president, William M. Coch¬ rane, secretary, and W. A. Martin, treasurer. The object was to arrange for a series of firstclass lectures during the following season, and to promote other literary uses. This object was accomplished ; for the Young Men's Association did bring to LaPorte several first-class lectur¬ ers, among whom were Wendell Phillips, and the Hon. William Parsons, the brilliant Irish lec¬ turer from Dublin. On May 1, 1877, less than a month after the Young Men's association was formed, the Library association received a propo¬ sition from them to transfer the management of the older institution to the young men. The li¬ brary building had cost $2,752.92, and the asso¬ ciation was in debt about $1,200. A lease of the Library association for ten years was proposed but not effected. On December 10, 1877, by mu¬ tual agreement between the two associations, all the officers and board of managers of the Library association resigned, and eleven members of the Young Men's association were elected to take their places. The Library association then num¬ bered eightv-five members. On January 2, 1878, the new board leased the library property to the Young Men's association for a term of ninetynine years, for the nominal rent of one dollar, the new association assuming the debt, then about $1,500, and promising to do all in their power to liquidate it.

For a period of about two years, or until December 29, 1879, there is no record; but in interim there is some unwritten history which here may only be touched upon. There was a judgment against the Library association in favor of Mrs. Nancy A. Treat, and at one time the property came very near being sold ; and if it had been it would probably have come into the possession of the Young Men's association. But a good friend of the Library association discov¬ ered this just in time to save the property. On December 27, 1879, eight individuals loaned $111.25 each, and four individuals loaned $55.62 each, without interest for five years, making a total of $1112.48, and the demand against the Library association was satisfied. On December 29, 1879, the president of the association was em¬ powered to give a note to each of the loaners, and execute a mortgage on the property of the association to them. This was done on the fol¬ lowing day, December 30, 1879, and all of these notes were paid July 3, 1882. At the same meeting in which the notes and mortgage were voted, the above mentioned lease was canceled by the parties to it. A year later in December, 1880, the library was placed in charge of Prof. John B. Holmes, he to receive all the membership fees and pay all expenses. He retained possession under this arrangement until his death, which occurred December 25, 1888; then a similar ar¬ rangement was made with Mrs. Holmes, and afterwards with other parties, until the library passed into the possession of the city.

Several times the Library association re¬ ceived financial aid which was much needed and highly appreciated. Qn October 7, 1872, Aurora Case, mentioned elsewhere, passed away, having willed to the association the Reynolds farm of 270 acres, near Otis. The bequest was subject to a life estate in hi$ son, Decatur E. Case, who died without issue in the spring of 1882. In the sum¬ mer of that year the farm was sold to S. C. Hackett for $5,500, with which the debts of the association, amounting to about $1,200, \were paid, and $4,300 was set aside as a permanent fund of which only the interest should be used. This fund, however, was invested in making addi¬ tions to the library building just before the prop¬ erty was turned over to the city.

On March 4, 1894, the association received seventy per cent, of a bequest of $1,000 from the estate of Mrs. Nancy A. Treat. The residue was paid August 9, 1895. This fund was expended in repairs to the building, making new bookcases, and purchasing books. Mrs. Treat also devised to the association the dwelling house on the cor¬ ner of Michigan and Maple avenues, adjoining

On June 3, 1896, the association voted to turn the library property over to the city, after the building had been remodeled and enlarged with the available funds of the association, and the proposition was accepted by the board of school trustees and the city council. The proposed changes were made, and the improvements com¬ pleted, at a cost of about $5,500. The result was an attractive and commodious building. At the time when the property was transferred to the city it was valued at $20,000, and it has enhanced in value since then. The formal transfer was made in a crowded public meeting in the west library hall, on the evening of April 25, 1897. The order of exercises was, Invocation, Rev. H. M. Middleton ; song, Miss Kate Vail ; "History of the Library," William Niles, Esq. ; trio, "Voice of the Western Wind," Misses Wier, Miller and Crawley; library echoes or five minute talks, Revs. R. H. Hartley, E. D. Daniels, and C. H. Wheeler, Judge William B. Biddle, Miss Mary E. Ahren, Editors Edward Molloy and Dudley Wadsworth ; song, W. W. Byers ; Six Cups of Chocolate, O. N. T. Club; music, "Life's Lul¬ laby," Miss Wier; presentation of the library, Dr. G. M. Dakin; acceptance of the library, Mayor F. R. Carson ; song, "America ;" bene¬ diction by Rev. E. B. Widger.

Since then the library has been much used and is of incalculable good; its reading rooms are well lighted, commodious and convenient, its reference departments constantly improving, its catalogue up-to-date and well kept, its librarians polite and obliging, and it has become one of the institutions of LaPorte of which the city would not be deprived.

Registration Of Borrowers

We have dwelt longer on this subject than we otherwise would, because from several influential persons there has been a demand for it ; they have felt that the history of the Library association has never been fully told, nor do we claim to have told it with absolute fulness here. We close with a copious quotation from the historical sketch delivered by Mr. William Niles at the time when the library was transferred to the city.

The library was always a favorite with the people of LaPorte until the disturbance and hard feelings occasioned by the offer of General Or r, and its outcome resulted in neglect and indiffer¬ ence. Since then the association has been in a semi-comatose condition, although the greater part of its property has been acquired during that time through the subscriptions to the build¬ ing fund and the wills of Mr. Case and Mrs.

Treat. Before the Orr invasion the association without any invested fund had a considerable in¬ come derived from membership fees, lectures and festivals, and entertainments of one sort and an¬ other given for its benefit. Its books and maga¬ zines were largely read and its lectures well at¬ tended. For nearly twenty-five years no lecture courses have been given, but before that time many famous lecturers appeared before the as¬ sociation audiences, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Lloyd Garrison, Charles Sumner, George Sumner, Wendell Phillips, Bay¬ ard Taylor, Benjamin F. Taylor, Horace Greeley (who was also here in 1853 making the trip from LaFayette to Otis on a handcar because of an accident on the New Albany road), Petroleum V. Nasby (his first lecture), W H. Milburn (the blind preacher, chaplain of the U. S. senate), J. G. Holland, John G. Saxe, George Thompson, M. P. (English Abollitionist), John B. Gough, James B. Belford ("the red-headed rooster of the Rockies"), Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Grace Greeenwood, Anna E. Dickinson, Mrs. Menden¬ hall, Clara Barton (her first lecture), Olive Logan, and Mrs. Scott Siddons.

This sketch has no severe, logical or artistic limitations, so it may be added that other famous people have been in LaPorte. In 1837 Daniel Webster was traveling through the country in his carriage, at a time when his son Fletcher Webster was living at Peru, Illinois, and de¬ livered a Fourth of July discourse, speaking from a drygoods box at the east side of the court house, and addressing his remarks chiefly to the children who were out in force. He was present also at the breaking ground in this county for the Buffalo and Mississippi Railroad, and bought a half inter¬ est in a lot at Michigan City.

In the spring or summer of 1844 Henry Ward Beecher conducted meetings here for two or three weeks, speaking every evening and three times on Sunday. The meetings were held in the brick Methodist church building on the north¬ west corner of Jefferson and Monroe streets, then the only church edifice in the place; although several church buildings were under construc¬ tion. One of the meetings was interrupted by an alarm of fire, occasioned by the burning of a kiln of lumber which James Whittem was seasoning for the Episcopal church building, the one which is soon to be replaced by a stone structure. Mr. Beecher, with his long hair spread over his face to protect it from the heat, worked enthusias¬ tically at saving lumber, and burned his hands so that during the remainder of his stay here he preached with sore hands. In the summer of 1879 General Neal Dow attended a temperance camp meeting held on the north side of Clear lake. The list of men eminent in political life who have addressed audiences in LaPorte is a long one, including two presidents and four vice presidents.

The "Home Library" is the property of the I adies' "Calliope" society of Westville, bv whom it was founded, and is now maintained. "Cal¬ liope" was organized February 6, 1875, by Miss Janie Garland Stewart - later Mrs. Janie Stew¬ art Boyesen, - with eleven charter members, and began as a literary organization for the purpose of social and intellectual improvement. Early in its career the necessity of reference books was so urgent that a series of entertainments was given for this purpose, and thus the first books were purchased. More were added from time to time, and later the project of establishing a well selected library in the town became its primary consid¬ eration ; until finally "The Library" demonstrated itself as the cementing central interest of the so¬ ciety. It soon became apparent that the theory of the organization was a good one ; and the library, notwithstanding its broad patronage, is probably the smallest public library in the world. In 1882, fearing its dissolution, and desiring to perpetuate "The Library," three members, Mrs. Mary L. Fravel, Mary Crumpacker and Janie S. Boyesen, took each a life membership. In 1885 "Calliope" had four hundred volumes ; catalogues were pub¬ lished ; tickets issued to the public ; and in the capacity of "literary organization," enjoyed or experienced a variable success. In 1889 the con¬ stitution was revised ; trustees for three-year terms elected; life memberships only issued; and re¬ organized under a new name - "The Ladies Home Library Association" of Westville, was es¬ tablished upon a strictly business basis. For fif¬ teen years the Library labored under the disad¬ vantage of depending upon the private homes of its members for bookcase space, as, also for meet¬ ing purposes. Through the courtesy of the I. O. O. F., the reception room in their building be¬ came the home of the organization for eight years. The present library building was formerly the office of Dr. Theophilus Fravel, one of the oldest residents of Westville, after whose death in 1900, the little building, being no longer re¬ quired as village practitioner's office, was pre¬ sented to the Library Association, Mrs. Boyesen, a step-daughter of Dr. Fravel, donating it for that purpose, as a monument to her parents' interest in the "Library."

For three years the Library has been located in quarters which comprise a reading-room, ref¬ erence library, periodical and fiction department, and is entirely dependent upon the sale of tickets, and the private personal pocket-books of the sixteeen women who are elected to life memberships in the association. Library headquarters are now the veritable "cosy comer" for the town, and its success as a distributing agency unques¬ tioned. The report of the librarian for past year gives number of volumes and classification as fol¬ lows : Fiction, 436 ; Juvenile, 217 ; Biography, 62 ; History, 38; Science, 34; Travels, 33; Poems and Art, 55; Miscellaneous, 106; Rerefence, 38; Paper covers, 70 ; making a total of 1089 vol¬ umes in the library, 895 volumes of which have been taken out during the year and read by ticketholders. Thus, after twenty-eight years of re¬ verses, the "Ladies Home Library Association," nec "Calliope," but more familiarly knpwn as L. H. L. A., has held to its central idea, - i. e., gained recognition as an influence for good, and presents an example of what can be accomplished by women in small towns, who will unite in work¬ ing for some tangible cause of general interest.

The Ladies Literary Society of LaPorte is an old and respectable organization, organized on March 25, 1878. Its emblem is the ivy leaf, and its motto, "Not what we give but what we share." Its object is expressed by its name ; that is, lit¬ erary improvement in all its branches. Its first president was the late Mrs. S. T. Hathaway, wife of the late Colonel Gilbert Hathaway. Its personnel has always been the best of the city. It is limited to twenty-five members, and gen¬ erally several candidates are waiting for vacan¬ cies. Of late years substitutes have been ad¬ mitted during the absence of members. The twenty-fifth anniversary was celebrated by a grand banquet at the Teegarden hotel on Wednes¬ day evening, March 25, 1903. Mrs. E. D. Daniels was president that year, at whose right, in the place of honor sat, Mrs. Samuel E. Will¬ iams, the only charter member now in the So¬ ciety. Toasts were given and responded to on "Our Society," "Our Charter Members," "Our Honorary Members," "The Sub," "The Women," "The Pastors' Club," "The Emerson Club," "The O .N. T. Club," and "The Press and Club." The occasion was presided over with tact, grace and ability, the menu was excellent and the president at the close congratulated Mrs. John A. Wood, wife of the superintendent of schools in LaPorte, in that her own anniversary occurred the day be¬ fore. Mrs. Wood is a former teacher in the high schools of Indiana, and has done university work in literature which has given her learned degrees ; every winter she teaches several classes in liter¬ ature, and when, a few years ago, the literary society made the new departure of having a teacher, they secured her services.

The O. N. T. club which during the first year of its existence was known as the "Hoosier Club," was organized in 1893. The object was the study of literature and the discussion of matters pertaining to literature, dramatics, art' and music as would prove of benefit and enter¬ tainment for the members. The charter mem¬ bers were Laura Wadsworth, Lulu Wadsworth, Sadie Swanson, Emma Lonn, Kittie Hews, Laura Butterworth, Mary Everhart, Lottie Closser, Sadie Whiting. Grace Holloway, Vode Ephlin, Lulu Moore, Lora Weir, Ruth Weir, Edith Buck, Jessie Buck, Mona Clark, Wynogene Fargher, Etta Replogle and Maggie Closser. For many years after the name had been changed to the O. N. T. club none but members of the club knew what these mystic letters meant, but in time it became understood that they were the initials of "Our Night Together." It is with considerable satisfaction that the members, especially those who were charter members, recall an expression used by one of the young men when he heard of the organization of the club - "It won't last 30 days." It is still one of the most flourishing so¬ cieties in the city. The club meets on Saturday evenings at the homes of the members. During the summer programs for the entire year are outlined and papers assigned for the various dates, thus giving each person ample opportunity to prepare. Occasionally a farce is presented or a feast is held, when the friends of the mem¬ bers are invited. At present nearly half the members are married but they retain their mem¬ bership nevertheless and take as much interest in the club as do those who are not married. But twice during its ten years' existence has the club been saddened by death in its ranks, when Miss Lora Weir passed away and when Mrs. H. C. Davidson, who was formerly Miss Katherine Moore, breathed her last. The club has a mono¬ gram, designed by Miss Mona Clark, which ap¬ pears on the cover of the annual programs. Miss Laura Wadsworth, now Mrs. B. C. Whitehead, served as president during the first four years of the club's life and since then those who have been honored by selection to this position are: Mrs. Lyle Hynes Pitner, Mrs. Rose Watson McGrew, Mrs. Ruth Weir Chipman, Miss Kittie Hews, Miss Fannie Scott and Miss Emma Ehrlich. The present president is Miss Grace Hood. The ac¬ tive members of the club are: Lavina Swanson Barnes, Cora Banks Barnum, Helen Buchtel, Grace Holloway Butterworth, Laura Butterworth, Ruth Weir Chipman, Marta Davidson Carr, Lottie Closser, Mary Everhart, Emma Ehrlich, Edith Fildes, Bertha Grisinger, Lottie Grisinger, Kittie Hews, Grace Hood, Ora Hood, Gertrude Jackson, Vode Ephlin Kreidler, Nettie Paxton Leliter, Mollie Lorig, Emma Lonn, Rose Watson McGrew, Lulu Moore Manny, Harriet Miller, Marie Meyer, Jane Paige, Lyle Hynes Pitner, May Marble Rench, Grace Ely Shafer, Sadie Swanson, Fanny Scott, Edith Buck Van Trease and Maud Weir. The club also has a large number of honorary members, persons who were members here but have removed from the city. This list includes Kathleen Hughston McBain, Sadie Whiting Hart, Jessie McBain, Cara Daniels Test, Helen Blythe, Jessie Buck Bartholomew, Mona Clark, Elsie

The Emerson is one of the oldest literary so¬ cieties in the county, composed of some of the best ladies in LaPorte and vicinity. It was or¬ ganized twenty years ago, and meets fortnightly on Monday. For some years this society has made an annual visit in June to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Johnson on the Cathcart farm near Westville. The nine mile ride to this hospitable home is always delightful. When in the wide fieius on either side, the white clover and the red vie with each other in sweetness, when the new green earth and the old blue. sky are in perfect accord, then do the Emersonians lift up their voices with the birds, and laugh as merrily as school girls, for some of them are fifty, sixty and seventy years young. A cordial welcome always awaits them, and a fine dinner. They throng joyously into the roomy farmhouse, and out again into the spacious grounds; for, although the house is full of interesting things - books, pic¬ tures and trophies of travel - nature peeps in at all the doors and windows with such a bright al¬ luring smile, that no one can withstand her charm. There are sunny spaces in the large and well kept grounds, for shrubs and lovely flow¬ ers, but dearer to the heart of the mistress than any flowers that grow are the venerable trees, that cast their shade and sheltering arms around the old homestead where she was born. To sit under them for an hour, is to receive a benedic¬ tion. There is a long and level view across the prairie toward the west, and the sun can not go down over the bay at Naples in more royal splen¬ dor than he often and often displays from here, for the delight of the eye, and the uplifting of the soul.

The other anniversary of the Emerson is held in June at Woody cottage, the home of Mrs. Matilda Wilson, on Waverly beach. There, amidst beautiful surroundings, the club enjoys its literary exercises and dainty repasts.

LaPorte county has its agricultural society. The meeting in 1903 was advertised as the fiftysecond annual fair, but there was an agricultural society in the county much longer than fifty- two years ago. At the May term of the county com¬ missioners' court, in 1836, the clerk was ordered to publish notice of a meeting to be held at the court house the last Saturday in May to organize a county agricultural society. Not much suc¬ cess, however, attended the society for several years. On Saturday, April 3, 1841, there was a regular meeting of the society at which General Joseph Orr was elected president, Daniel Brown vice president, William Hawkins secretary, and Thomas D. Lemon treasurer. Mr. John B. Niles delivered an address on the occasion, which he afterwards wrote out and published. In those days the society used to meet quarterly. At the meeting on Saturday, July 3, 1841, Alexander Blackburn was appointed president pro tern, and James M. Stuart secretary pro tern. On motion of Colonel W. A. Place it was resolved to ap¬ point committees to award premiums in accord¬ ance with the published list. The following com- - mittees were appointed: On horses, James Mc¬ Cord, John Brown, and Thomas Philips; on cattle, Samuel Treat, Aaron Stanton, and Josiah Bryant; on sheep, John B. Niles, John Hobson, and John Moore; on hogs, W. A. Place, Henly Gybum, Hiram Wheeler, Zebina Gould, and John T. Vail; on domestic manufactures, A. Blackburn, Joseph Lomax, Hiram Wheeler, Joseph Orr, and Stephen G. Hunt ; on farms of forty acres and upwards, Daniel Brown, Samuel Treat, and William Justice ; on com, James An¬ drew, John Steenbergen, and Daniel Closser ; on winter wheat, Preserved Wheeler, Benjamin Butterworth, and Abiel Lathrop ; on oats and barley, B. Newkirk, Daniel Overmyer, and Am¬ brose Rucker ; on peas and beans, James Millard, Henly Clybum, and Daniel Jessup; on potatoes and rutabagas, Philip Fail, S. Aldrich, and My¬ ron Ives; on baskets, Thomas Philips, J. M. Stuart, and Amzi Clark; on butter and cheese, Jacob Early, M. H. Orton, and J. Hobson; on best one hundred pounds tobacco, J. Early, J. B. Steenbergen, and Reuben Munday ; on thresh¬ ing machines, W. A. Place, Theodore H. Wells, L. C. Andrew, Henry L. Vail, and Zebina Gould ; on best one half acre of plowing, B. Butterworth, Aaron Stanton, and Benjamin Beard ; on fanning mills, E. Provolt, S. Pulford, and E. Morrison ; and on wolf scalps, W. Hawkins, John Brown, and Gilbert Hathaway. It was resolved that Thomas D. Lemon, J. C. Howell, Samuel Stew¬ art, Amzi Clark, and Clinton Foster, be a com¬ mittee to examine and award premiums on al) articles not enumerated above, together with such improvements in agricultural implements and the mechanic arts as may be deemed meritorious. It was resolved that all applicants for premiums on - farms be requested to apply to the committee prior to the first of September, and on grains, beans, peas, potatoes, etc., previous to the twelfth of October next. It was resolved that all mem¬ bers who had not paid their annual fee be re¬ quested to pay it over to the treasurer, W. Haw¬ kins. Many of these names will revive old mem-*, ories, and show how the affairs of the agricultural society were conducted in 1841. Legitimate im¬ provement was sought, and horse racing and betting were not made the main feature of the an¬ nual fair. Could General Orr know of some of our modern county fairs, it is a question whether he would not turn over in his grave. No one vis¬ ited county fairs more widely and was a more * earnest patron of them, nor was any one more pronounced against "intemperance, gambling and horse racing," as he. used to express it, in con¬ nection with them.

In 1848 the annual fair was held on the 8th and 9th of October. Every year more acres were brought under cultivation, and it was argued that the county possessed the necessary elements to place it in the front rank. The cry of the county press was "virtue follows the plow." Every one was glad of the society, and wished its prosperity. The horses drew sixteeen prem¬ iums amounting to $24.50, the cattle sixty-five amounting to $93.62, and the sheep four amount¬ ing to $7.50, a total of $125.62. The premiums were announced after a speech by M. K. Farrand, Esq. The. meeting was held in the Methodist Episcopal church building, and a vote of thanks was given to the church, and to M. K. Far¬ rand. On Saturday, April 1, 1848, the Agriculturalsociety held a meeting and chose a com¬ mittee consisting of William J. Walker, Isaac B. Copelin, Samuel Stewart, George C. Havens, and Ferdinand Dunham, to report a revised con¬ stitution and nominate officers for the ensuing year. The committee acted, a new constitution was adopted, and new officers chosen who were:

President, William J. Walker; vice presidents, Benjamin Beard and Alexander Blackburn ; sec¬ retary, Mulford K. Farrand ; treasurer, Thomas P. Armstrong ; directors, David G. Rose, Thomas D. Lemon, Fisher Ames, John Hefner, Curtis Travis, and William Parker. The society re¬ ceived a new impetus, and this probably was what made the fair in the fall so successful, as just described.

In 1856 politics were hot in the county; it "was the Fremont campaign. But notwithstand¬ ing that, the county fair, held on October 15 to 18 inclusive, was a great success. Everybody 'was pleased, the weather was good, the corn did credit to the bottom lands in the south part of the county ; pumpkins, squashes, melons, turnips, beets, potatoes, etc., were not to be excelled, and were piled up in stacks at almost every stand; there was needle work of every kind, there were flowers of wax and hair by the ladies, specimens of painting, daguerreotypes, etc. The display of machinery and agricultural implements was not large- The mowing machine just invented by Mr. Mann of Westville was on exhibition. The dis¬ play of stock would have done credit to any fair. There was an address by Dr. O. Everts. The sum of $700 was paid out in premiums, and $100 was left in the treasury.

In 1861 the society was not so fortunate. The officers worked it up thoroughly and advertised it repeatedly, and great expectations were raised ; but the weather was exceedingly bad, there was continuous rain, and the fair was not well at¬ tended. Still, the exhibition was creditable, and on the last day the firemen with their machines were present on the grounds. The rainy weather and poor attendance decreased the receipts, and the directors had a meeting in December at which '"matters of importance" were discussed. Quar¬ terly meetings were still held. In April of this year an attempt was made to burn the buildings of the society. The fair w^s held in 1863, and bas been held in subsequent years ; and although often discouraged, especially of late years, by stormy weather at the time of the fair, the of¬ ficers have persevered; and, according to the

The first grange in the county was organized in 1873, and soon there were sixteen, with a total membership of one thousand members. Granges were organized as follows : Clinton grange, P. Loomis, master; Noble grange, Will¬ iam Crichton, master ; Hopeful grange of Clinton township, E. Phillips, master; Kingsbury grange, J. H. Donly, master; Center grange, B. S. Fail, master; Wanatah grange, J. Osborn, master; Rolling Prairie grange, I. N. Whitehead, mas¬ ter; Scipio grange, Samuel Harvey, master; Wells grange, W. B. Young, master; Pleasant grange, Z. Bailey, master; Pine Lake grange of Center township, R. G. Learning, master; Lin¬ coln grange, Ed Bear, master; New Durham grange, J. Livingston, master ; Cool Spring grange, A. Thorpe, master; Galena grange, J. Francis, master; Kankakee grange, H. L. Vailmaster.

The county council of Patrons of Husbandry was organized February 24, 1874, officered as follows : W. A. Banks, master ; E. J. Dicks, over¬ seer ; George H. Teeter, lecturer ; B. H. Hollen¬ beck, steward; William Crichton, assistant stew¬ ard ; Z. Bailey, chaplain ; B. S. Fail, treasurer ; L N. Whitehead, recording secretary; J. Osborn, corresponding secretary ; D. Haskell, gatekeeper ; L. J. Fitch, Samuel Harvey, and H. S. Webster, trustees ; J. W. Zigler, R. G. Learning and Seth Loomis, executive committee.

At their regular meeting in January, 1904, the Patrons of Husbandry, No. 1044, installed officers for the ensuing year as follows : Worthy master, P. G. Hollenbeck ; worthy overseer, August Hagland ; worthy lecturer, Clara John¬ son ; worthy steward, Chas. Blank ; worthy as¬ sistant steward, L. S. Fitch; worthy chaplain, Carrie Swartzell ; treasurer, Otto Shultz ; secre¬ tary, Arthur Shultz ; gate keeper, William Swartzell ; Pomonia, Sophronia Blank ; Flora, Mary Fitch ; Ceres, Laura Shultz ; ladies' assis¬ tant steward, Emma Hollenbeck; trustee, Isaac Co win.

The object of the grange - the promotion and advancement of the essential conditions of good husbandry, is a good one; but the grange move¬ ment has subsided, or put on other forms, though from what cause we will not presume to say. There used to be a county store in La Porte kept by I. N. Whitehead. Twenty men went on the paper for $3,000, but in the end they had it to pay. There is being discussed the advisability of organizing a co-operative store in Michigan City by the car factory men of that place. It is proposed to form an association of a member¬ ship of 1,000 to name a board of directors as well as other officers to have general charge of the business. This is quite identical with the organ¬ ization of a similar association in LaPorte nearly forty years ago. The association was made up of railroad men employed in the shops of LaPorte. Their store was located just west of where the National Bank now stands. The association never purchased more than that one stock of goods. The affair soon "petered out."

Another association is the LaPorte County Farmers Institute. Under an act of the Legis¬ lature passed in 1884, authorizing the holding of Farmer's Institutes in each county of the state, Professor W. C. Lotta, professor of agriculture at the Purdue University, was appointed super¬ intendent for the state.

LaPorte county was one of the first to hold one of these meetings. William A. Banks was the first chairman, appointed by the state super¬ intendent, and continued to be chairman until 1901. The institutes are educational and de¬ signed to help the farmers in better methods of farming. Those who have assisted to keep the meetings alive and interesting are William T. Anderson, John P. Oaks, John Garwood, Will¬ iam Hall, J. T. Tury, Isaac N. Evans, and J. H. Fitzpatrick.

H. W. Henry was elected president or chair¬ man in 1901, and has been reelected each year. The institutes have been growing each year in interest and members. At the meeting of 1903 and 1904 a regular organization was made, of one hundred members; the following are the officials for the year 1904.

The general meeting is held in LaPorte, and is always addressed by the best talent obtainable. The institute sends out registration blanks for membership. When signed by a member of a family it makes the whole family members. The fee is fifty cents per year. The object of this organization is to make the work more effective and interesting. The meetings are free to the general public that all may get close together and have more and better meetings. The officers have arranged for six meetings to be held next winter besides the regular meeting at LaPorte. It is hoped to make the membership the largest of any organization in the county, and to make it useful in many ways. While its object is purely educational and social, yet there are many ways by which the members can help each other by a good society of this kind. The first social meet¬ ing of the society was held at the residence of H. W. Henry, president, on Saturday, June 25, 1904, at 1 p. m., and was well attended.

There might be mentioned and described, as having existed in this county, histrionic socie¬ ties, gymnasiums, the old engine companies, and the present engine and hose companies, with their festivals, and many other organizations. There are the different labor unions such as the bartenders', the carpenters', the cigar makers', the clerks', the moulders', and the painters' unions, the United Brotherhood of Leather Workers, etc. There also are the Masons, the

Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the Elks, the Maccabees, the Grand Army of the Republic, the Woodmen, the Foresters, the Court of Honor, the Ben Hurs, the Samaritans, the Daughters of the Revolution, the Woman's Relief Corps, the W. C. T. U., the Lady Maccabees, the Eastern Star, the Rebekahs, the Royal Arcanum, and many others. Any one can see that to give even a brief account of the origin and progress of each one of these would require many of these pages. LaPorte county, both in the two sister cities and in the smaller centers, and in some instances even in the country, is well represented by these socie¬ ties. They have contributed very largely to the fraternal and social affairs of the county, they have been active in relieving the sick and needy, and in other forms of benevolence, and have added largely to the property of the county. In 1877 the fraternal societies of Michigan City benefited that town to the amount of $30,000 in buildings, among which was Mozart Hall, at the dedication of which there was a great time.

The first Masonic lodge of LaPorte county was established by Captain Abner Bailey and seven others, among whom was Doctor T. D. Lemon. These eight gentlemen met one night under an old oak tree on the ground near where the Park school now stands, probably in Patton's grove, and organized the lodge. Captain Bailey, who was the first master, came to the state of In¬ diana in 1822 and settled first in Connersville. He and Judge William Andrew were associate county judges of the circuit court. Captain Bailey died in LaPorte at the age of eighty-two, and was buried at Pine Lake.

The fraternal societies have been welcomed by the county, they have been allowed and in¬ vited to take the initiative in the laying of cor¬ ner stones of public buildings, even the churches have been open to them, and there has been very little of that opposition against them which is so strong in other places. So far as the writer has been informed there never was an anti-secret society in the county.