Porter County, Indiana - Statistical Review, 1912

COMJIODOJnC rOKTEK - S1:AJ. of POUTKK CIliCUIT COUUT - OLD MM' t)l.' .1810-.- LIST OF COUNTY OFFICERS FROM 1836 TO 1910 - ^.PRKSIDE\TIAI> VOTj;,

Porter' county, Indiana, is llie only county of that nanie in the Uuited States. David Dixon I'orter, for wiioiu it was uauied, was a commodore in the War of 1812. Later he was promoted to rear-admiral, then admiral, reaching the highest rank in the United States. His son, Admiral David Porter, served with distinction in the navy in the (vivil war and was nearly caught in a trap by a sudden fall of the Red river in Louisiana, in connection with General Banks' ill-fated expedition in 1864. The Essex, the ship commanded hy Commodore Poi'tcr in the "War of 1812, is represented upon the seal of the Porter county circuit court. Commodore David Porter's wife was the author of the song beginning "Thou hast wounded the spirit that loved tliee."

At the time Indiana was admitted to tlie Ujiion as a, slate in 1816 not much wa.s known of the region now cmlu-aced within the limits of Porter county. An old map, printed about 1810, shows La^C'' Michigan near the center of the state - about where Elkhai't and SI. Joseph counties are now located - instead of at the northwest coijk i-, and on a level prairie near the present city of Valji^iraiso is sliown :i mountain. Many of the names of streams, etc., have lieen clianged hiucu that time, and Ihe course of the ivaukakei' ri\Lr as sbowu ou the map would indicate that it was prepared from iueorrect data, probably largely a matter of tradition and conjecture.

Tlic connly was creaud by the act of January 28, 1836, and the lirst county officers were elected that year. Pollowiuf,' is a list of the officers who have served in the various positions since the county was organized, together with the year iu which they were elected.

Andtlors - George W. Turner, appointed in 18'41 aJid for a time discharged the duties of both clerk and auditor; Philander A. Paine, elected in' 1841 and resigned; Ellis E. Caiiipl)ell, appointed in 184.3; Ruel Slarr, 1843, served for a short Hme only; S. W. Suutli, 1844; Reason Bell, 1858; Z. B. Field, 18G6; Reason Bell, 1870; William E. Brown, 1878; Joliu W. Elam, 1886; i\Ielvin J. Stinchfield, 1894; Stephen P. Corboy, 1902; Cornelius A. Blachly, 1910.

Kccorchrs - Cyrus Spurlock, 1836; George W. Salisbury, ai:)poiuted in 1839 to fill the vacancy caused by the rouoval of Cyrus Spurlock Obadiah Dunham, 1850; Edna L. Whiteomb, 1854; Thomas Jewell, 1858 Henry Stoddard, ]866; Thomas C. Shepard, 1874; William C. AVells 1878; Joshua B. Bissell, 1886; Thomas II. Patrick, 1890; Anton R. Oustafson, 1894; William Gates, 1902; Harrison Al. Castle, 1906, and reelected in 1910.

Surveyors - The statement regarding the office of coroner also applies to that of surveyor. An aullieutic list of the surveyors in'ior to 1880 could not be made x\p and it is therefore ouuttcd. Billa Stoddard was elected surveyer in 1880, but did not qualify and Henry Rankin was api^ointed. The list since then is as follows: Henry Rankin, 1882; Armanis F. Knotts, 1886; Albert H. Cleveland, 1888; Henry Rankin, 1S90; Thomas H. CHvv<-r, 1894; Henry Rankin, 1898; Alfred R. Putnam, 1904; Guy F. Stinchfield, lHOe. Mr. Stinch6eld still holds tlic office in 1912, having l)een twice re-elected.

Cmnmissioners - Benjamin Spencer, Noah Fowls and John Sefl'ord, 1836; J. Y. Wright, 3837; James Walton, Jmiathan Griffin and John Jones, 18HS; Joshu;) Ilobart and John II. Wi: ;slli'i', 1S;iI); Reason Bell, 1840; Jesse IMorgnn and John Diuwiddie, 18J1; Russell Don- and Nathaniel Sawyei-, ]S42; Thomas -1. Field, itr>p(iinte(l by llic probafe court in 1S43 to fill the unexpire'l term of Colonel Wliistler; Richard W. Jones and Samuel dinger, 1844; Isaac Morgan and John Din- widdio, IS-ib: Wnlker 31. ('..u) and Azariali Freeman, 1848; Ruel Starr, Asa C'obl) and AUxander Gliambers, 1850 ; Ira Cornell, 1852; H. E. Woodruff find Jodn llnrdosty, 1854; Asa Cobb, 1856; William Williams, 185G; Eli E. Lansing, 1858; S. P. Robbins, A. B. Price and William Stoddard, 1832; Edward C. Osborn, 1804; T. B. Cole, and A. B. Price, 1860 ; A. T. Bai'lholoniew and S. P. Robbins, 1868 ; Andrew J. H.'srrison, 1874; L. P. .Scott, 1876; Frederick Bui-stroni, Nicholas Pickrell and L. P. Seott, 1880; (It was this board of commi&sioners that ordered the erection of the present conrt-honse. All tlu-ee were re-elected in 1S82.) James E. Carson, 1884; Jacob Link, 1886; James E. Carsan and James S. Fulton, 1888: James S. Pnltou and Jacob Link, 1890; James E. Carson and Peter J. Lindahl, 1802; Lee C. Howell and James S. Fulton, 1894; James S. Pulton and Peter J. Lindahl, 1896; Hans Bornholt and Frank Quick, 1898; John Bornholt and Charles W. Benton, -1900; Charles W. Benton and Prank Quick, 1902; Hail Bates and Charles A. And.'fson, 1901; Andrew Biekel and Hail Bates, 1906; Amos B. Lantz, Andrew Biekel and Cliarles A. Anderson, 1908; x\mos B. Lantz and C. A. Anderson, 1910.

Under the tirst constitution of Indiana, which was adopted and ratified by the people in 1816, representatives to the state legislature were elected annually. When Porter county was organized in 1836 it included the present county of Lake and was attached to Newton county to form a representative district. The constitution of 1850 provides for the election of representatives biennially. Therefore, the following list shows the election of a repi-esentative every year for fifteen years after the organization of the countj% and one every two years from that time until 1910. This list is complete -with the exception of a few instances where the records were missijig or defective. » These exceptions are noted.

h'eprcscnlalircs - Benjamin McCarthy, 18;!6; Jeremiah Hainell, 1837; (No repoi't lor 1838 and 1839.) Seneca Ball, 1810 (the district was now eoui])Osed of Porter and Lak'c counties) ; Lcv.is Warriner, 1841 ; Adam S. Campbell, 1842; Alc.<ande)- JIcDonald, 1813; Samuel 1. Anthony, 1841;

When the county was first cslablished it was made part ol' a senatorial district comi30sed of L;i|i(Mre, Porter, Newton, Wliifi- and Pulaski counties. In 1842 the district was changed to consist of the counties of Porter, Lake and Laporti-. A new district was formed in 1859, embracing Porter, Lake and Ja.sjur counties, and in 1863 the county of Newton was added. This arraut;cment lasted until 1871, w-heu Lake and Porter were constituted a senatorial district. Porter county has been represented in the state senate by the following : ,

Assessors - The office of county assessor was created by the legislature of 1891. Pur.suaut to the provisions of the act, the county coniuiissioncrs of Porter county, on June 12, 1891, appointed Edwin L. Furness to fill the ol'fici; until the next general election. Andrew J. Zorn was elected in JSI)2; William L. Freeman in 1S9G and ayaiu ia 1900; Cor- ]ieiius A. BlaclUy, 1904; Eli N. Norris, 1908.

Cuuiify Cnuncil - On IMarch ?>. 1899, Governor Mount approved a hill providing lor a county council in each of the ninety-two counties of the state, the members of which were to meet annually in Septcml)er, make levies and estimate appro])riations for the couiing >'ear. By the provisions of the act the county Avas to be divided into four dislricts. one eouncilmaii chosen from each district, and three from the county at lai'ge, making seven members in all. The first council was to he appointed by the judge of the circuit court, and on May 23, 1899, Judge John II. Gillctt appointed the following members of the council in Porter county : Glaus Specht, A. L. Harper, Warren Harris, Fletcher White, Oliver P. Kinsey, James R. Malone and Sandford Hall. IMr. Specht declined to serve and William G. Windle was appointed in his stead. Subsequent councilmeu have been chosen l)y vote of the people at general elections as follows :

Of the minor party Candida t'-. Van Buren and Adams, on ttie Freesoil ticket in 1848 reeeivt-d 77 v ,: (Tale and Julian, the Free Democratic candidates in 1852, rrtuivcd GO ^-oteR; Breckenridge and Lane, representing the ultra slavehfiKiiir; s-'riiiisient in 1860, received 28 votes; General J. B. Weaver receivtHl 11 7 wtcy^ in 1880 a.s the candidate of the Greenback party, and in 18i*2 ho received 129 as the candidate of the Popnlist or People's party. The saiix* year Bidwell, the Prohibitionist candidate received 145 votes.

Porter connly has never oxp; li^.-ncod a ))oom, but the increase in population has been steady from the liti.c flic (bounty was organized in 1836 to the present time. The United Stales census of 1840 - the first after the formatioii of the county as a separate political division - reported the population to be 2,155. The next deiadf witnessed the greatest proportionate increase in the history, the jinjitilation in 1850 being 5,229, or an increase of more than 100 pei- cent. In 18<i() the population had reached 10,295, aji increase of almost 100 |)ec cent iluring the preceding ten years. In 1870 it was 13,903; in 18Si) i! vwis 17,229; in 1890 it was 18,052; in 1900 it was 19,175, and in llt]0 it \va.. 20,540. Taking the state D^ a whole, in 1910 the increase in ])(ii>!ii:'ti"n was 7.3 per cent over the census repoi'ts of 1900, the sni.Jl.'si iti \rr\ di'cade .since the admission of Indiana into the Union in 181(1. hi 'y2 iinmiies, or more than one-half the number in the state, there >.;!-: .I'l :i.tiial decrease of from one to sisteen per eont. Porter connly li. Ii hiM- (ilafi' above Ihe averaice, the increase during the decade beii:;: i .::!'!. :)r a. little over seven per cent.,

The increase in the value oJ' property has kc;pt pare wil.li, or even outstrip]>ed, the growth in population. Figurc-s pi'ior to 1870 are not available, but since that time the valuation of all classes of property lins grown from $5,245,055 to $21,805,960, (he latter iigiires beinfr taken fi.^ui the tax duplicate for 1911. Tliis wealth is distriliuted among the townsliips and towns as follows :

According to a statement compiled by the county auditor in the spring of 1912, the county, in its corporate capacity, is the owner of the following property:

One of the largest nioi-tgagcs ever recorded in the st.ate, if not the largest, was entered upon the records of Porto- county in Novcml)er, 1899. It was executed by the Baltimore & Oliio Railroad Company to the United Slat^cs Trust Company, of New York, and covered all tlie la lids of tlie eorapiiny Jroni l^Jaj-ylcUid to Chicago. The amount represented by the inorigage was $165,000,000. It was presented to Eecoi-der Gustai'son by a special agent, whose duly it was to see that the mortgage was properly rt-eorded in evtry county throiig-h which the line ol the Baltimore & Ohio ruad passed. The douunu-ut contained some 40,000 words, was printed and bound iu book form, an<l attached to it wei-e revenue stamps to the r.moinU of ^S2,.500.

Statistics are void of poetry or romance ami ai-e offen dry and uniutei-esting to the reader. J)ut it has been said Dial " ligxires do not lie,"' and the story of pi'ogrcss, the achicvcnients of a people, can be told 'with greater accuracy in iigures than in any I'h.yiuc or romantic strain. Even a casual analysis of the foregoing tables will give the analyst a faii'ly definite idea of what the people of Porter county have accomplished duj'ing the tliree-(pia)'tei'S of a century of her corporate existence.

Ninetj' years have passed since Joseph Bailly - the first white man to settle within the limits of the county - built his lonely cabin upon the banks of the Calumet I'ivcr. Porti.'r county was then a wild region of sandhills, marshes and unbroken praiiie, iidiabited only ]>y wild Ijcasts and uncivilized aborigines. Tlie war-whoop of the Indian was heai'd by day, and at night the howl of tlie wolf reverberafed through the primeval forest. Across the prairies and through the glades, always fo'lowing the line of least resistance, wound the sinuous trails of the red man. His rude canoe, ijropelled by his bi-awny arm, glided along the shores of Lake ]\Iichigan, or traversed the waters of the Calumet and Kankakee rivers, as he passed from village to village or sought fish or game for food.