Porter County, Indiana - Bt Hubert O. Skinner, 1882 (part 2 of 2)

Alterations in the boundary of the various townships have been frequent, and some townships have been wholly blotted out of existence and others erected in their place. At the second session of the board, the northern boundary line of Pleasant Township was extended west to the great marsh, thence south with the center of the marsh to the Kankakee.* At the same time, the eastern boundary of Boone Township was fixed at a point on the west side of the marsh. In 1837, the western half of Section 29, Washington Township, was attached to Centre Township. In March, 1838, Boone Township was confined to its territory south of the line dividing Townships 33 and 34, and, at the same time, all of the territory of Porter County west of the marsh dividing Horse and Morgan Prairies, and between the line dividing Townships 33 and 34, and the line dividing Townships 34 and 35, was organized as Fish Lake Township. In March, 1839, the west halves of Sections 17 and 20, Washington Township, were attached to Centre; but, in May, 1840, they, with the west half of Section 29, were re-attached to Washington Township. Prior to this, in June, 1836, the citizens of Lake and Waverly Townships petitioned the Board, setting forth the inconvenience of the boundaries of their townships, and praying that the same might be united, which was accordingly so ordered, and the new town- ship was named Westchester. In March, 1841, all of Township 37, Range 5, and fractional Township 38, Range 5, were stricken from Westchester and created into a new township to be called Berry, and an election of township officers was ordered held at the house of Orson Petty, with George W. Rice Inspector. In June, 1841, the following petition was presented to the County Commissioners :

We, the undersigned petitioners and inhabitants of Westchester Township, most respectfully represent to your honorable body, that the division heretofore prayed for at your March term, 1841, to be injudicious and uncalled for, and is inconvenient for the citizens of your township generally, and that we pray your honorable body to set aside all divisions, and continue the said township of Westchester as it originally was before any alteration at your March term last, and the place of holding elections as before. And in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.

Allen Blaib, Ordered, That the above petition be granted, and that the order for the division of Westchester Township, and for the establishment of Berry Township, made at the March term of this board, 1841, be rescinded, and that the elections hereafter be held at the former place.

In June, 1841, Fish Lake Township became Porter Township, and at the same time the division line between Pleasant Township and Boone and Porter Townships was established to commence at the northwest corner of Section 2, Township 34, Range 6, thence south to the squthwest corner of Section 14, Township 33, Range 6, thence west one mile and thence south to the Kankakee River. In August, 1843, Pleasant Township was divided, and Morgan Township was erected from the territory north of the line running east and west between Sections 29 and 32, Township 34, Range 5. During the year 1836, in pursuance of a petition from Solon Robinson and William Clark, the boundary of Clark Township (Lake County) was changed as follows : All that part of Township 35 lying south of the center of the same in Lake County, and Sections 1 and 2 in Township 33, Range 9, were added to Clark Township. In February, 1847, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in Township 36, Range 5, all of Township 37, Range 5, and all of Township 38, Range 5, were established as a new township called Calumet. At the same time it was ordered that Township 37, Range 6, and the east half of Township 37,

Range 7, in such township, should constitute Westchester Township. Jackson Township was constituted as it is at present, except Sections 3 and 4, which then belonged to Calumet. In June, 1847, all that part of Westchester Township lying west of a line dividing Ranges 6 and 7, and Sections 29 and 32 in Township 37, Range 6, were attached to Portage. In February, 1850, Sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, Township 37, Range 6, and Sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36, Township 37, Range 7, were attached to Portage. In February, 1847, Liberty was constituted as it is at present, except Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4, now forming the southern part of Westchester, which then belonged to Liberty. In February, 1850, Sections 1, 12, 13, 24, 25 and 36, and the east halves of Sections 2, 11, 14, 23, 26 and 35, Township 34, Range 5, forming a part of Morgan Township, were erected into a new township called Essex ; but sometime afterward (the exact date could not be found) a strip the same width as the township (one mile and a half) was severed from the east side of Morgan and attached to Essex, making the latter six miles long and three miles wide ; thus the Township remained until 1880, when, upon the petition of sixty-seven citizens of Essex and Morgan , Townships, the former was merged in, or united with, the latter. In June, 1852, Westchester Township was divided by a line commencing at the souths west corner of Section 5, Township 36, Range 5, thence running north on the section line to Lake Michigan, and all the territory east of such line was constituted Pine Township, that west of the line remaining Westchester Township. Sections 2, and 11, Township 33, Range 6, were attached to Boone, in June, 1852. In December of the same year. Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 were severed from Liberty and made a part of Westchester. In March, 1855, Sections 14, 23, 26 and 35, Township 34, Range 6, were attached to Porter. In March, 1864, the east half of the east half of Section 30, Township 35, Range 5, was taken from Centre and attached to Washington ; but upon petition of S. A. Campbell and others, it was re-attached to Centre in December, 1868. In September, 1864, Sections 3 and 4, Township 36, Range 5, were stricken from Pine and added to Jackson. In August, 1848, an attempt was made by petition to create a new township from portions of the present townships of Jackson, Liberty, Westchester and Pine ; but there was too much opposition to the measure, and the board refused to issue the order.

In December, 1859, a petition, or rather a series of petitions, was presented the County Commissioners, praying that a committee of three be appointed, empowered to confer with a similar committee from La Porte County, for the purpose of laying ofiF and establishing a new county to be called Linn, from territory belonging to Porter and La Porte Counties. This was an attempt made by the citizens of Michigan City, to ac- complish a result for which that municipality had vainly struggled for a long series of anxious years - its transformation into a county seat. It had long before given up the oft-baffled attempt of wresting from La Porte the coveted boon, and by a dexterous, and perhaps desperate, policy, sought to effect, by new and novel methods, what it had failed to effect by repeated and skillful attempts with the old. Upon the petitions were the names of 2,017 citizens living within the limits of the territory to be erected into the new county, and this long array of names called for sober consideration. After mature deliberation, the Commissioners refused to appoint the committee, or to give their approval to the attempt, for the following reasons :

Whekeas. - J. N. Thompson and others, citizens of Centre, Morgan and Washington Townships, in the county of Porter, have formed themselves into an association for the apprehension of horse-thieves and other felons, to be known as the Morgan Prairie Anti- Horse-Thief Society, and

Wherras, The Secretary of said society has notified the Board of Commissioners of the county of Porter of the existence of said society, and the names and residences of the members, and has furnished them with a copy of its constitution, by-laws, or articles of association ; it is therefore.

In the matter of the Lake and Porter Counties Anti-Horse-Thief Society, now comes Isaac Hardesty, Secretary of said society, and shows to the board the articles of association, the by-laws, and a list of the members of said society, and on its behalf, asks that the same be approved, and after due inspection thereof, the same are in all things by the board approved.

In 1861, an attempt was made by sundry petitions to change the boundary line between the counties of Lake and Porter, but the scheme, from the outset, met with cold reception, and, after being considered by the proper authorities, was rejected.

In June, 1866, a committee consisting of R. A. Cameron, Joseph Peirce and A. Gurney, appointed by a mass meeting of the citizens of Valparaiso, petitioned the board to aid in building and establishing upon the public square suitable water works or reservoirs for the use of the citizens ; whereupon it was ordered that, when such works were completed in a fitting manner, $1,316 should be paid the Treasurer of the city of Valparaiso. This amount was paid in March, 1867, upon the completion of the works.

The articles of association of another Morgan Prairie Anti-Horse- Thief Society were approved by the Board in 1869. In June, 1880, the Board was petitioned by the citizens of Valparaiso and vicinity to take $20,000 stock in the Joliet & Valparaiso Railway Company ; but before definite action was taken, the project was abandoned or postponed.

In July, 1852, there was great excitement among the citizens of Valparaiso, and indeed throughout the whole county, in response to the report that the " Ohio and Indiana Railroad Company " had out its surveyors, and the line of the projected road was sure to pass across the county. The prospect of connection by telegraph with the outer world was very encouraging, especially to the editor of the Observer, who endeavored by notices in his paper to excite the citizens to the pitch of substantial help to the railway and telegraphic enterprise. When the projection of the road through Valparaiso became a certainty, that little town could scarcely contain itself, but indulged in bonfires, bell-ringing, drum-playing, gun-shooting, and general noisy, public rejoicing.

Soon after 1840, the citizens of the county became deeply interested in the temperance movement, which was sweeping throughout the entire country on its mission of mercy. The Observer appeared with strong editorials, declaring for total abstinence, and drawing artistic pen-pictures of the numerous sad cases of the work of alcohol, which came under its observation. In about the year 1850, the movements of temperance coworkers in Valparaiso and throughout the county began to assume formidable proportions ; and the determined attacks upon what in former years was regarded as one of the " necessaries of life," grew bitter and protracted. But the citadel of King Alcohol was not to be taken so easily. People who had been educated to its use, and who had inherited an appetite for it, could not, or would not, forego what they regarded as the luxury of its use. The result was a protracted siege, longer than that of old Troy, and even more hopeless. In 1846, a strong temperance union league was organized at Valparaiso, with branches in some four or five other places in the county. Dealers were besought to relinquish the traffic, and consumers were urged and prayed to quit its use. The churches took -up the matter, and lent their powerful aid to the movement.

In June, 1847, in pursuance of ap act of the State Legislature passed during the session of 1846-47, it was submitted to the citizens of the several townships throughout the county, whether a license to sell spirit- uous liquors should be granted, each township being called upon to settle the question within its own borders. The citizens of the townships of Centre, Liberty, Jackson, Porter, Morgan, Washington and Portage refused, some of the townships by substantial majorities, to grant such licenses ; while in the townships of Union, Boone, Calumet, Westchester and Pleasant, the people declared for license by small majorities. In 1851, the board established the liquor license, in those townships which had voted it, at $100. But this was found no cure for the evil, as liquor was watered and weakened in indirect ratio to the increase in the price of the license. If this did not produce satisfactory results, the price of liquor was increased, or the measure rendered smaller, in any case the loss falling on the unfortunate buyer and consumer ; or, was it his gain ? - as the poorer and weaker the infernal liquid, the less damage it did, and the sooner the money of the debaucher was gone without bringing the curse of inebriation.

On the 7th of June, 1855, the County Commissioners purchased of William C. Pennock, for |3,000, the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 26, Town 35, Range 6, and the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 27, same town and range, and Mr. Pennock became, by appointment, the first Superintendent of this, the first poor farm owned by the county. Upon this farm was a respectable dwelling, which, for a short time, did duty as a home for the county poor.

Prior to this, the care of the county paupers had been intrusted to such responsible persons in the county as were willing to assume the charge, at from $1 to $2 per week, each person. There was not a township that did not have, in its time, some pauper in the care of its citizens. Physicians contracted to furnish all county paupers with suitable and necessary treatment, at so much by the year. At length the board felt able to furnish the poor and helpless with that home and care not obtained when parceled out among divers widely scattered individuals. Mr. Pennock rented the Poor Farm of the Board, conditioning to retain two-thirds of the productions, the county getting the remaining third, besides which he was to board the paupers at $1.50 each, per week, exclusive of the expense of sickness. The care of the poor continued in about this shape until 1855, when a contract was entered into with George C. Buel, to erect a frame poor house, 32x45 feet, for $2,482, $500 to be paid on the 1st of the January following, $1,000 on the 1st of March, 1866, and the remainder in county bonds, to be issued on the last date, payable in one year with 6 per cent interest, the house to be ready for occupancy September 1, 1866. The building was immediately constructed, and is yet in use, though additions and improvements have been added.

of the southeast quarter of Section 26, Township 35, Range 6 west, as an addition to the poor farm. In September of this year, there were fourteen inmates. On the 16th of June, 1875, the Commissioners purchased of W. C. Hannah, for $1,200, all that part of the northeast quarter of Section 35, Township 35, Range 6, which lies north and east of Salt Creek and south of a line drawn parallel with the north line of said quarter, and distant seventy rods and thirteen feet south therefrom ; subject to this year's (1875) taxes ; the same to be an addition to the poor farm. On the 9th of June, 1876, the Commissioners purchased for $1,200 the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 27, Township 35, Range 6, except ten acres off the south side, and this was also made a part of the poor farm.

On the 14th of June, 1851, a mass meeting of the citizens of Porter County assembled at the court house for the purpose of organizing an agricultural society. Aaron Lytle was made Chairman, and George W. Turner appointed Secretary, and a committee, consisting of the following citizens, was appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws : "William C. Talcott, David Hughart, W. W. Jones, H. E. Woodruff and Aaron Lytle. The constitution provided that, upon the payment of $1 into the treasury by a citizen of the county, such person became a member of the Porter County Agricultural Society. In September, the following men became the first Board of Directors : W. A. Barnes, W. C. Talcott, Azariah Freeman, H. E. Woodruff, H. A. K. Paine, W. W. Jones, A. B. Price, Walker McCool and Ruel Starr. At this time, sixty-five citizens had appended their names to the constitution and paid their dollars. It was decided to hold the first fair on Wednesday, the 29th of October, 1851 ; to offer $80 in premiums ; and a specification of the premiums to be paid was made out and published in the Practical Observer, a Democratic county paper edited by William C. Talcott. As, of course, the society had no ground of its own at that time, the fair was announced to be held at the court house. Premiums were offered for horses, cattle, swine, sheep, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and farming implements. The 19th was a rainy, disagreeable day ; yet, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, about four hundred citizens assembled at the court house. Ruel Starr, H. S. Adams, H. G. Hollister, Isaac Miller, Samuel Burns and T. A. E. Campbell took premiums for draft and blooded horses ; T. Beach and J. J. Caswell, for cattle ; Ruel Starr, for sheep ; A. B. White, for swine ; H. E. Woodruff and W. Barnard for fruit and vegetables, and T. Beach and H. E. Woodruff for dairy products. The fair, though on a small scale, was regarded as highly successful and encouraging, and accordingly it was decided to hold another the following year. No man did more to encourage this enterprise than William C. Talcott, the editor of the Observer. Every few weeks, articles appeared in the columns of his paper, urging the citizens to become interested in an enterprise such as the county fair, that would so well repay them for the trouble. The citizens mentioned above were also active. In November, 1851, the following certificate was presented the County Auditor by the ofiScers of the society :

In accordance with Section 1 of an act of our Legislature, approved February 14, 1851, and entitled " An Act for the Encouragement of Agriculture," this is to certify that there has been paid into our treasury (as fees) the sum of $61, and we therefore ask for the amount in our County Treasury donated our society by said act.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That whenever thirty or more persons, residents of any county or district embracing two counties of this State, shall organize themselves into a society for the improvement of agriculture within said county or district, and shall have adopted a constitution and by-laws agreeably to the rules and regulations to be furnished by the Indiana State Board of Agriculture, and shall have appointed the usual and proper officers, and when said society shall have raised and paid to their Treasurer, by voluntary subscription, or by fees imposed upon its members, any sum of money not less than $50 ; and whenever the President of said society shall certify to the respective County Auditors the amount thus paid, attested by the oath or affirmation of the Treasurer before a Magistrate, it shall be the duty of said County Auditors embraced within the district in which society shall be organized, to draw an order on the Treasurer of his respective county in favor of the President and Treasurer of said society for whatever amount of funds there shall have been received during the previous year for all licenses issued to persons exhibiting menageries, circuses, or theatrical performances, or other shows ; Provided, said order shall not exceed the amount raised and paid in by said society by voluntary subscriptions or fees, and it shall be the duty of the Treasurer of said county to pay the same.

Accordingly, the Auditor paid to the officers of the society $25, which had been received as stated in the section above. The fair of October 14 and 15, 1852, was even more successful than the first; $100 were paid in premiums. Charles R. Luther, of Washington Township, was paid |10 for the best managed and cultivated farm in the county ; second best, H. B. Woodruff, |5 ; third best, Azariah Freeman, |3. Mr. Woodruff took first premium for the best acre of wheat. H. Bates, Ruel Starr, James Dye and Isaac Miller took premiums on horses; E. West, J. C. Paine, Lewis Connor and T. A. E. Campbell on cattle ; H. A. K. Paine, L. A. Cass and Ruel Starr, on sheep ; Nelson Malone, A. B. White and W. Bartholomew, on swine; Mrs. Phoebe Starr and Mrs. H. E. Woodruff, on butter ; Mrs. Isabella Farrington, on cheese ; H. E. Woodruff, Ruel Starr and G. W. Finney, on fruit; Mrs. Eliza Aicks, on bed-quilt, and Mrs. J. J. Fifield, on rag carpet. A long, excellent address was delivered by President Barnes. The report of the general awarding com- mittee was long and interesting. In 1853, over $300 were paid in premiums, and the establishment of the fair was permanent, or would have been under all ordinary circumstances. During this year, President Barnes was authorized to invest $50 belonging to the society in an agricultural library. He soon reported that he had purchased twenty-nine volumes of standard works, treating of farming, gardening, stock-rearing, domestic economy, horticulture, floriculture, etc. From this time onward until the year 1862, inclusive, the society continued to hold fairs annually, and to prosper, growing stronger in numbers and means, and offering higher, better and more numerous premiums and other inducements.

The fair was held in the court house and court yard until October, 1859, and, after that and until October, 1862, on the "old grounds" west of the present woolen factory. Upon what terms or conditions the society used the "old grounds," cannot be definitely stated. If the property was purchased, the deed was not recorded, but this is probably the fact in the case. It is probable that the society purchased the grounds, deferring payment until the future ; and, when the war came on, and after it had continued two and a half years, draining the financial resources of the county, and filling the minds of the citizens with almost everything except agricultural interests, it, was found impracticable, if not impossible, to hold fairs after the autumn of 1862 ; and the society did not even make the atteihp'tj but mutually resolved to wait until the dawn of peace before renewing their interest and association with the peaceful pursuit of agriculture. After the war had closed, and peace had come, there also came such a stringency' of money ^matters, and sb universal a shrinkage in values, that the fair question, which required, to be made successful, a considerable outlay of money ajid no little sacrifice of time and labor, was almost wholly overlpoked. At, last,, on the 4th of Oct^ober, 1871, thirty-two citizens met a,t, the. Auditor's office, and after electing A. V. Bartholomew, Chairman, ; and appointing .Reason Bell,. Secretary, resolved that there be organized the ." .Porter County Agricultural Society." A committee, consisting pf Gyrus Axe, D. F. Jones and J. C. Barnes, was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of defraying the expense of conducting a fair, which was fixed for the 19th and 20th of October, two weeks after this meeting. Milan Cornell was elected President of the society; G. W. Bartholomew and Theodore Crumpacker. Vice Presidents ; Reason Bell, Jr., Secretary, and M. L. Mc- Clellan, Treasurer. S. S. Skinner, E. Zimmerman and C. W. Dickover were appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws. Milan Cornell A. C. Stanton, Isaac Cross, N. A. Kennedy and A. C. Coates were appointed to prepare a list of premiums. Upon this short notice, with but two weeks before them to prepare everything, the members were so energetic that the fair was eminently successful. About $500 in premiums were offered and paid, and the net profits were $400. Over one hundred horses were entered, besides almost a proportionate number of cattle, swine, sheep, and large quantities of all agricultural products. Without going into details, it is sufficient to say that since the fall of 1871, no county in the State with the same or less population has had better fairs, or greater interest shown therein by the citizens. Premiums to the value of about $1,200 were offered for the fair of September 27, 28 and 29, 1882. The present officers are L. A. Cass, President ; J. B. Decrow, Vice President ; T. Crumpacker, Treasurer, and T. Keene, Secretary. Board of Directors - James Fulton, William Hughart, A. St. Clair, Isaiah McGinley, Isaac Hardesty, Jacob Peoples, N. Pickrell, Christian Arndt, M. C. Williams, Frank Campbell, T. S. Bull, H. Loomis, A. J. Harrison, S. S. Skinner, George Morgan, Frank Harris, John Morrison, William Rigg, E. J. Green, C. N. Tanehill, Jerome Massey, J. B. Decrow, C. L. Dille, Younger Frame, Charles F. Way and Reason Bell.

On the 13th of July, 1872, the County Commissioners purchased of N. A. Kennedy, for $2,500, the following tract of land : " Commencing three chains and forty-one and one-half links east of the quarter stake on the south line of Section 13, Township 35, Range 6, thence on a magnetic course north twenty degrees and twelve minutes east twenty-two and twenty-five hundredths chains ; thence north eighty-five degrees east nine and ninety-hundredths chains ; thence south twenty degrees and twelve minutes west twenty-two and twenty-five hundredths chains ; thence south eighty-five degrees west to the point of commencement ; containing twenty acres, more or less." A high, tight board fence was immediately built around this land and suitable buildings and stalls erected, at a cost of nearly $1,800. Thus fitted up, the grounds were turned over to the Agricultural Society. Here the fair has been held since 1872. The principal fact which has rendered the fair so successful since 1871 is because the society has not been burdened with a debt, as most societies are, for its fair ground.

Old Settlers' Association. - Quite a large gathering of old settlers met at the house of George C. Buel, on the 26th of May, 1881, to celebrate his seventieth birthday, and while there, it -was suggested that the occasion was appropriate for, the organization of an old settlers' association, whereupon Joseph Pierce nominated A. V. Bartholomew, Chairman, and the selection was made unanimous by vote, and Firmin Church was chosen Secretary of the meeting. It was then decided that all persons over forty-five years of age, who had been residents of Porter County not less than twenty-five years, should be considered old settlers, and a meeting to renew old times and perfect the prospective organization was fixed for the 15th of September, 1881, and a committee to make full arrangements was appointed as follows: Azariah Freeman, S. R- Bryant, William Stoddard, Stuart R. Spencer, John Hansford, Nelson Barnard, T. C. Sweney, Hazzard Sheffield, Isaac Hardesty, Josephus Wolf, Henry Hageman, Younger Frame and William Henry. This committee met on the 25th of June, and decided to hold the first meeting of the Old Settlers' Association in the Court House Square on the 17th of September, 1881. The following rules of government were adopted :

1. We, the early settlers of Porter County, will hold social meetings at such times and places as our Executive Committee may designate, to be called Old Settlers' Meetings.

2. Yhat our meetings may be conducted with order and propriety, we will annually elect a President, Secretary, Treasurer and one Vice President from each township, who shall perform the duties usually required of such officers for a term of one year, or until their successors are elected.

3. The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be an Executive Committee, with power to make such rules and regulations as they may deem necessary and proper, to call meetings and attend to such business generally as will promote the objects of the association.

4. Our meetings, except when otherwise directed by the Executive Committee, to be of the picnic order, each member to bring such refreshments as they may deem suitable for such occasions.

5. All persons over forty-five years of age, and who were residents of Porter County twenty-five years or more previous to the let of July, 1881, and now citizens of the county, shall, by signing these rules, become members of the association during good behavior and, with their children, enjoy all its benefits.

6. Our first general meeting shall be held on the public square at Valparaiso on Saturday, the 17th day of September, 1881, at 10 o'clock A. M., at which time our first board of officers shall be elected.

On the 17th of September, a large number of old settlers met in the court yard, and passed the time until 1 o'clock in social intercourse. Dinner was then served to over five hundred. At 2 o'clock P. M., Azariah Freeman called the assemblage to order, and prayer was ofiered by Rev. W. J. Forbes. Hon. J. N. Skinner then welcomed the old men and women to Valparaiso. After the song, " The World is Moving On," Joseph Peirce read all the records of the association up to that time, and was then followed by five-minute speeches from Hon. Mark L. De Motte, Jesse Johnson, Rev. G. M. Boyd, William McCool, Russel Cohoon, George C. Morgan, S. P. Robbins, David Merriman, E. S. Merrifield, Firmin Church, Nelson Barnard, H. V. Bartholomew, James M. Buel, Thomas G. Lytle, A. Lytle Jones, William Thatcher, Simeon Pierce and Rev. W. J. Forbes, the speeches being interspersed with old-fashioned singing. A. V. Bartholomew was made President of the association for one year, and Reason Bell, Secretary, but the latter failed to serve, and Joseph Peirce was appointed. The following were elected Vice Presidents : Nelson Barnard, of Jackson ; T. C. Sweney, of Boone ; Ira Corwell, of Porter ;

Isaac Hardesty, of Union ; William McCool, of Portage ; George Morgan, of Westchester ; Samuel Hackett, of Pine ; Simeon Witham, of Pleasant ; Charles R. Luther, of Washington ; William J. Forbes, of Centre ; Blias Cain, of Morgan ; and William Henry, Sr., of Liberty. The meeting was very enjoyable, and it was fully decided to continue the meetings annually.

At the second regular meeting in September, 1882, A. V. Bartholomew called the meeting to order, and Rev. Robert Beer offered prayer. The address of welcome was delivered by T. G. Lytle, Mayor. Short speeches were delivered by Rev. Boyd, S. P. Bobbins, John Hansford, S. W. Smith, R. P. Wells, Hiram Loomis, Rev. Forbes, N. S. Fairchild and others. Hubbard Hunt read a list of old settlers of the county, who had died within his recollection. On motion of T. G. Lytle, all oflScers of the association were re-elected for the coming year. A large crowd was present, and much interest, pleasure and enthusiasm were manifested.

County Press. - In 1842, James Castle, who had purchased of Solon Robinson, of Lake County, a small press and a small quantity of type, began issuing a small folio sheet entitled the Republican, a weekly newspaper, 12x16 inches, devoted to the dissemination of independent political views and the diffusion of general knowledge. In 1844, the office was purchased by William M. Harrison, who changed the name to the Western Ranger, and the politics to Democratic, and continued the paper with moderate success until the 24th of April, 1847, when William C. Talcott bought an interest, and under the joint editorship and management of Harrison & Talcott, a new series of the Ranger was begun, the first issue being No. 39, Vol. III. The paper was a small, five-column folio ; subscription price, f 1 per year if paid in advance, and if not paid before the end of six months, fl.50. The editors differed somewhat, politically and otherwise, and, owing to this circumstance, the paper presented the singular appearance of having the initials of each editor signed to the articles written by himself. On the 16th of August, 1848, the venture had become so prosperous that the paper was enlarged to a six-column folio, and the pages were considerably lengthened. Mr. Talcott was a " Free-Soil Democrat," while his partner was a "Free-Soil Whig," or, in other words, an Abolitionist. The editorial relations of the two were always pleasant and no doubt profitable, as they prevented that extreme partisan bitterness which too often engenders permanent estrangement. In June, 1849, Mr. Talcott purchased his partner's interest, and on the 20th of June issued the first number owned and edited exclusively by himself. On the 25th of July, 1849, at the end of Vol. V, the name of the paper was changed, and on the 1st of August appeared the first number of the Practical Observer, a Democratic newspaper. A few weeks later, the page was enlarged to a seven-column folio, and the name changed to the 1^«^«- raiso Practical Observer ; subscription, $1, if paid in advance, and $2 at the end of the year. On the 15th of March, 1852, the word " Valparaiso " was dropped from the name, and on the 10th of January, 1853, the entire paper was changed, so that a tri-weekly was issued on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and the usual weekly on Thursday, both issues being furnished one year for the very small sum of $1. At this time, the paper was issued as a five-column folio. On the 3d of September, 1858, Mr. Talcott began issuing a one-page daily after the following fashion, still continuing the tri-weekly and weekly : One page was issued Monday, and the same page and another on Tuesday, constituting the first issue during the week of the tri-weekly ; then one page was issued for Wednesday, and the same page and another constituted the tri-weekly of Thursday, and so on for Friday and Saturday. At the same time, the weekly of Thursday was issued from the six pages of daily matter which had been kept in type for that purpose. The daily, tri-weekly and weekly were furnished for $5 per year. The paper at this time was a credit to the town and to the unwavering enterprise of Mr. Talcott. The pressure which the editor brought to bear upon the county on all worthy social and political problems assisted largely in creating a complete transformation of public opinion on the question of the extension of slave territory. Mr. Talcott had formerly been a Democrat, but even then had advocated the limitation of slave territory, though wishing the result accomplished by Democratic agencies. When the Free-Soil movement was inaugurated, and the old parties began to yield up their brightest elements to the new, which was slowly forming, Mr. Talcott entered zealously into the work, and it was mainly due to the light which he concentrated upon the popular political issues of the day that the county took an early and decided Republican stand.

In December, 1858, the prices of the paper became $5 per year for the daily, $1.50 for the semi-weekly, and $1.50 for the weekly. In May, 1854, Dr. R. A. Cameron became associate editor, but severed his connection with the paper in December of the same year. Various changes were afterward made in the prices and forms of the various issues. In January, 1855, Mr. Talcott, who had long felt the need of assistance, took in as associate editors Lucius Hawkins and W. B. Talcott, but neither remained long. In April, 1857, R. A. Cameron bought the entire office and outfit, and issued his first number on the 14th of that month. With Vol. I, Number 15, of this series, the name of the paper was changed to the Republican, and the sheet continued an earnest exponent of the principles of the new party from which it derived its name. J. F. Mc- Carthy became associate editor September 19, 1857, but left March 23,

1858, and Thomas McConnell went in with Cameron as joint editor and proprietor. July 15, 1858, Mr. McConnell became simply assistant editor, but on the 29th of the same month purchased the paper conditionally, and took as an associate, Henry W. Talcott. On the 14th of October, 1858, William C. Talcott, the- veteran editor, went in with McConnell and H. W. Talcott, as joint editor and proprietor. On the 3d of January, 1859, the Republican, under this able management, began a new series, issuing a one-page daily, a four-page semi-weekly, and an eightpage weekly, Henry W. Talcott being publisher and proprietor. In March, 1859, R. A. Cameron again became owner and publisher, with R. A. Cameron and J. C. Thompson editors. On the 31st of March, the weekly was enlarged, the daily having been discontinued some time before. In September, the last two letters of the paper's name having been lost or stolen during a fire, the name became the Republic. In March, 1860, Mr. Thompson severed his connection with the paper, and on the 25th of April, 1861, with Vol. V, Number 17 (of the Republican and the Republic), E. R. Beebe went in as editor and proprietor. Mr. Cameron having sold out and "gone to the war," Thomas McConnell became publisher with Vol. V, No. 31, and on the 1st of August, 1861, the editors became McConnell, Cameron & Beebe. Mr. Cameron was corresponding editor, and sent home long, spicy letters from the field of war. His interest in the paper at this time was owing to the fact that Mr. Beebe could not meet the payments according to the contract. In a short time McConnell bought the entire paper, Mr. Beebe stepped down and out, and Mr. Cameron, who probably held a mortgage on the office, remained corresponding editor. On the 10th of April, 1862, as Mr. Mc- Connell had failed to meet the requirements of the contract of purchase, the ownership of the paper reverted to Mr. Cameron, and Mrs. -Jane B. Cameron, wife of the owner, assumed control, with Mr. Beebe as associate editor. Mr. Beebe went out December 11, 1862, and the paper was advertised for sale, though the issues appeared regularly, mainly through the efforts of Mrs. Cameron. June 18, 1863, Aaron Gurney went in as joint editor, Cameron & Co. publishers, R. A. Cameron corresponding editor, but in December of the same year the issue was discontinued, Mr. Gurney having withdrawn, and the paper having no one to properly manage it.

On the 4th of January, 1866, Mr. Cameron having returned from the war, issued No. 1, Volume X, of the Valparaiso Republic, and continued this until May 24, 1866, when Thomas McConnell became joint editor and publisher. In November, 1866, G. A. Pierce bought the office, but immediately sold the same to Aaron Gurney, who was issuing the Vidette, and the two papers were merged, and issued under the title of" Vidette and Republic" a nine-column folio newspaper; Aaron Gurney, general editor; B. W. Smith, educational editor, and Pomeroy, Kimball & Co., publishers. The first number of the Porter Qounty Vidette had been issued January 24, 1866, Gurney & Pomeroy, proprietors ; Aaron Gurney, general editor, and A. D. Cunningham, editor of the educational department. March 19, 1867, J. F. Heaton went in with Gurney as joint editor, and, in May, Kimball became joint proprietor with Gurney. August 27, 1867, Mr. Heaton left, Gurney continued sole editor, and the paper was reduced in size, and thus remained until July,

Mr. Pierce, after buying the Mepublic and immediately selling it to Mr. Gurney, issued during the same month, November, 1866, the first number of the Republican, a new venture, or perhaps a continuation of the old Republic, with J. Harper, associate editor, and Orrin E. Harper & Co., publishers. April 4, 1867, G. A. May became joint editor, but went out October 31, 1867, as also did J. Harper. About this time, W. H. Calkins became associate editor, but on the 5th of March, 18168, left, and in July, 1868, the Republican was consolidated with the Vidette and Republic under the latter name, Gurney & Pierce, editors and proprietors. Not long after this, Mr. Pierce sold out to Mr. Gurney, who continued to issue the paper until June 4, 1874, when the office was bought by William C. Talcott, who, two issues later, changed the name to Vidette, and thus it has remained until the present. December 1, 1874, 0. R. Talcott secured a half-interest, and the paper was continued thus with abundant success until November, 1879, when C. R. Talcott bought his father's interest and assumed exclusive management, but December 16, 1880, William C. Talcott repurchased a half interest, and thus the paper remains at the present writing.

In the month of June, 1856, Mr. Berry issued the first number of the Porter Democrat, and after continuing the same with moderate success until February 17, 1857, sold out to J. T. Rock and A. Lytle Jones, who issued No. 40, Vol. I, February 24, 1857. At this time the paper was a six-column folio ; subscription, $1.50 in advance, $2 at the end of six months, and $2.50 at the end of the year. Seven weeks later, Mr. Jones went out, and Mr. Rock continued alone until No. 6, Vol. II, when H. P. Lynch became publisher, and writer of poems and miscellany for the paper. Lynch left with No. 37, Vol. II, and in December, 1858, B. D. Harper became publisher. In January, 1859, S. R. Bryant became associate editor, and Harper left with No. 44, Vol. III. R. C. Nash became assistant publisher with No. 5, Vol. V, and three numbers later sole publisher, but four numbers afterward left Rock exclusive publisher. The last number of the Democrat appeared November 22, 1860, with No. 16, Vol. V. Rock & Bryant then issued the Porter Grazette, but after continuing the same a short time with some changes, abandoned the venture.

In the year 1871, Engelbert Zimmerman, an able and experienced newspaper man, issued at Valparaiso the first number of the Messenger, a spicy, bright-faced Democratic journal. The ability, enterprise and skill of the editor soon placed the paper on a permanent and substantial footing, and its circulation and influence rapidly increased. The paper continued without noteworthy event under the exclusive ownership and management of Mr. Zimmerman until A.ugust, 1881, when H. B. Brown, Principal of the Normal School, purchased a half-interest, and thus th paper remains at present.

The last journalistic venture in the county is the Valparaiso Herald, an independent newspaper, started September 29, 1881, by P. O'Sullivan, a young man of bright intellect and promise. It is newsy, spicy, and a credit to the mind and heart of its editor and manager. It has met with satisfactory patronage from the citizens of the county.

The Normal Mirror, a literary pamphlet, was conducted by the students of the Normal School in 1875-76-77. In its place is now the Northern Indiana School Journal, edited by W. J. Bell.

In September, 1878, H. R. Gregory issued the first number of the Hebron Free Press, a small local paper, independent in politics. He conducted the paper with moderate success until October, 1879, when the office was sold to W. H. Mansfield, who changed the name to Hebron Local News, and the politics to neutral. In 1880, the office was removed to Lowell, where the paper is at present issued.

Qounty Polities. - The political features of Porter County since its organization are not peculiarly striking or noteworthy. From the subjoined exhibit of the county vote for Presidential electors, it will be seen that the Whigs or Republicans carried the county on every occasion, except the years 1848 and 1852 ; but this does not fully explain the political past of the county. From 1836 until about 1845, either party lines were not strictly drawn, or else the Whig and Democratic parties were equally matched numerically ; for, during that period, sometimes one party triumphed and sometimes the other, and it was next to impossible for the friends of any candidate to predict with any degree of certainty the future result of an election. The result was that, during the period mentioned, the county offices were filled with men from both parties, and even from mongrel or doubtful political organizations, if the candidate was of unusual prominence and worth. It is found upon examination of the election returns that during the first three years of the county's existence, the Whig party was slightly in the ascendency where test votes were given. This was the case in the election of Congressmen and Representatives to the State Legislature. But in the election of county or township officers, the elections even during those years were just as apt to go Democratic as Whig. After about 1840, it seems that the Democrats became stronger, numerically, than the Whigs, though still for a number of years the two were so equally matched that great interest was shown in the elections, owing, perhaps, to the doubtful results. After about 1846, the superior strength of the county Democracy became so decided that usually every county office was filled with representatives of that party. The Western Banger and its successor, the Practical Observer, were Democratic sheets, and the growth of Democracy at the expense of all other political ocracies was doubtless owing to the dissemination by these papers of Democratic principles. The Observer advocated that phase of Democfacy known as Free-Soilism, and prior to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise steadfastly maintained this position. But, in 1854, when the real results of the repeal became apparent and the extension of slavery into all the Territories and even into the Northern States seemed probable, the editor of the Observer, still upholding Free- Soilism, found himself, almost ere he was aware, an earnest worker in the new party - Republican. Through the influence brought to bear by the Observer upon the citizens, the new party immediately went to the front, and has since had control of the official patronage of the county.

Washington Township were also missing, the remainder of the county being represented in the table under a different arrangement of townships than as they are constituted at present. The following table illustrates the decided Democratic tendency of the county in August, 1847 :

Parties And Candidates

The following continuous exhibit illustrates the political situation in the county from 1836 until the present time, and shows the electoral vote at each Presidential election since the organization of the county, except where the same was unobtainable :