Boone Township (part 1 of 2)

Boone Township

PORTER AYLSWORTH is a native of Ohio, and a son of Giles and Mary Aylsworth, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Pennsylvania. His parents came to this township in 1842, where his father taught school in the winters of 1842 and 1843. They had 440 acres in a home farm and 102 acres in various tracts. His father died in June, 1880, and his mother in October, 1879. Porter Aylsworth received but a spare education. He was married in 1856 to Miss Catharine Shinabarger, a native of Ohio. To this union there were six children - Elva, Giles C., Thomas M., Mary, Corbin and John. Mr. and Mrs. Aylsworth commenced housekeeping on his present place, in a house burned three weeks afterward. He now has a fine farm of 106 acres, with good buildings and improvements. He was Justice of the Peace seven years in Iowa, where he lived eleven years, and held the same oflBce about two years in this township. Mr. and Mrs. Aylsworth are members of the Christian Church.

JOHN L. IJAKER was born in Kosciusko County, Ind., and is a son of Philip and Maria Baker, both of whom died in Kosciusko County. He received a common school education of the day, and at the age of seventeen learned the trade of a shoemaker, which he abandoned soon, but again returned to, and has since foUowsd as a life-business. la 1869, he came to Hebron, Porter County, Ind., where he now has a leading shop, most centrally located, and which does as large a business as aay other shop in the town. On the 1st of October, 1874, he was united in marriage to Miss Florence Thomas, a daughter of Eugene Thomas, a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have a family of two children, both living - Irvin E. and Maud F. Mr. Baker is a member of the order of Free and Accepted Masons. He is a good and worthy citizen.

HENRY BERDINE was born in the State of New York June 20, 1831, and was a son of Nicholas Berdine, who was also a farmer. Henry Berdine came to Lake County, Ind., where .he obtained a fair education at the common schools, and grew to manhood. On the 2d of October,

1856, he was united in marriage to Rachel Sherwood, a daughter of William and Jane (McCullough) Sherwood ; her parents came to Porter County about the year 1847. This union was blessed with eight children - William N., Willis, Amos, Harry, Carrie A., Ralph, Clark and Leroy. After marriage, Mr. Berdine commenced farming on 100 acres, to which he added 140 acres ; this land he improved by the necessary buildings and appurtenances, and was prepared to enjoy life when removed by death, October 14, 1880, since which event Mrs. Berdine, aided by her children, has managed the business successfully. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. -

JOHN K. BLACKSTONE, physician and surgeon, is a native of Ohio, and the second of the eight children born to William and Julia M. (Doddridge) Blackstone ; the former was a physician, and a native of Virginia ; he died March 17, 1877, aged eighty-three years ; the latter a Pennsylvania, who is still living, aged seventy-six years. John K. Blackstone commenced his education in a common school at Waverly, Ohio, and afterward attended the Ohio University for five years. In 1846, he enlisted for the war with Mexico, in Company E, Second Ohio Regiment, and became Second Lieutenant. On his return, he read medicine with his father, also attending a course of lectures at Louisville, Ky., and afterward at Cleveland, Ohio, where he graduated in 1848. He commenced practice in Athens County, Ohio, but came to Hebron, Ind., in 1856, where he is now the oldest living practitioner, and has limited the practice among his former friends. On February 11, 1858, he married Miss Margaret J. Bryan, a native of Boone Township, and the first white child born therein, a daughter of Simeon and Elizabeth Bryan. Mr. and Mrs. Blackstone have four children - William B., John K., Lilian E. and Benjamin E. Mrs. Blackstone is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

GEORGE BROUGH was born in Derbyshire, England, June 19, 1817, and is the third of the twelve children of George and Ann M. Brough. The school privileges of our subject were much straitened, he being needed to labor at home. On coming to America, he hired by the month, and in sixteen years was enabled to purchase eighty acres in Boone Township, in the year 1850 - a portion of his present farm. In October, 1849, he was married to Miss Mary J. Oliver, a native of Ohio, daughter of John and Elizabeth Oliver. To this union succeeded ten children - Peter, William, Charles, Mary, Abigail, David, Margery, Sarah (deceased), Eliza (deceased) and George. For a time, Mr. Brough farmed on rented land, until he could improve his own, to which he has added, and now he numbers 207 acres, well developed and improved. He raises hogs, cattle and horses, as well as the staple products, likewise making annually about one hundred tons of hay. Mrs. Brough is a member of the Christian Church.

JOHN B. RROUGH is a native of England, and a son of George and Ann M. Brough, both natives of the same country ; his parents came to America in 1831, and located in Susquehanna County, Penn.; his father came to Indiana in 1844, and established his claim to the present homestead, and broke thirteen acres, but did not live to occupy it. John B. Brough came to his present place in 1845, where he has since lived ; he began the business of milling before he became of age, in Lake County, which was the first effort there begun. On September 19, 1847, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Castleman, a native of Ohio, by whom he had thirteen children - Ellis (deceased), Maria, George P., Elizabeth, Ann C, Emma, Alice, Rebecca, James, William, U. A., John (deceased) and Elizabeth (deceased). Mr. Brough owns 120 acres in his present farm and fifty-two in Lake County ; he has a good frame residence, and good water privileges. Mr. Brough's parents endured the hardships and privations of the pioneers, who broke the sod and cleared the land in the early days.

DAVIS BRYANT is a native of Ohio, and was born September 26, 1824 ; he attended a subscription school some little time in Ohio, being eleven years of age when his father came to and located in Lake County, Ind., where he went to school for a part of two winters, and remained on the paternal farm until manhood. On October 21, 1858, he was married to Miss Mary E. McGill, daughter of Robert and Susan McGilL Mr, Bryant then began farming on his own land, and, together with his brother, Robert, purchased 480 acres adjoining, and again 100 acres. At present he gives much attention to raising sheep, of which he has 280 head, and handles fifty head of hogs annually, with from twenty to twentyfive head of cattle. Mr. Bryant has one of the finest farms in the county, with a fine brick house, commodious buildings, and many needful improvements, all of which he greatly enjoys. He has one child by adoption, Nettie M. Bryant. Mrs. Bryant is a member of the United Presbyterian Church.

ROBERT BRYANT is a native of Richland County, Ohio, born December 17, 1826, and is a son of Elias and Ann (Vance) Bryant. His parents moved to Lake County, Ind., about 1835, locating on the farm on which they died, being pioneers in the county. The advantages of schooling enjoyed by Robert were sparse. The nearest mill was 150 miles distant, and many things were to be obtained only at Michigan City. Robert Bryant remained at home until twenty-one years old, after which he labored for two years by the month, at $12 and $13. On September 20, 1853, he was married to Miss Mary 6. Herriss, by whom he has two children - Daniel R. and Charles. Our subject and his brother had purchased eighty acres, which was sold, with half-interest in father's farm, when he moved to Porter County, Ind., in 1854, where, with his brother, he purchased 480, and later 100 acres more. This remained undivided until about 1861 ; since then he has bought forty acres and forty more of timber. He has now, where he lives, 310 acres of the finest land in the county, one and a half miles from Hebron. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOSEPH BRYANT, farmer, is a native of Ohio, and the eldest of six children born to Simeon and Elizabeth Bryant. His parents were pioneers of Boone Township, moving hither when Joseph was a year old. His education consisted of what the time and locality afforded, the simplest of its kind. He remained with his parents until his marriage, December 8, 1859, in Boone Township, to Miss Mary Same, daughter of John and Cynthia (Denny) Same. By this union they had five children - Harriet, Simeon, Adaline, Schuyler and Maryette. Mr. Bryant made farming his life business, and continued the same until his death, which took place on July 7, 1875, at which time he owned 145 acres. With the aid of hired help, Mrs. Bryant has maintained the business. She has a good residence and a wind-mill on the place, also from twenty-five to thirty head of cattle, about 100 sheep and four horses. Mr. Bryant was and his wife is a member of the Christian Church.

ELIAS BRYANT is a native of Boone Township, Porter Co., Ind., and is a son of Simeon Bryant, who came to Porter County in 1835, and located on the land now owned by his son. At that period, the nearest white neighbor was four miles distant, and his sister, Margaret, was the first white girl born in the county. Simeon Bryant died on the farm; his widow is yet living and active. The education of our subject was but that of the day, and poor. On November 20, 1867, he was married to Miss Fannie Adams, daughter of George W. Adams, a carpenter and farmer. Mr. Bryant continued to farm on the old homestead ; afterward he received thirty acres from his father; he then purchased fifteen acres, and later forty acres, making, eighty-five acres, and he has fifty acres of pasture and timber land one-half mile distant. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant have four children - Julia, Emma, Lorentine and E. Edmond. Mrs. Bryant belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Chiirch.

JAMES E. BRYANT, stock, hay and grain dealer, is a native of Boone Township, Porter Co., Ind., and is one of the seven children of Simeon and Elizabeth (McCauley) Bryant, the former a native of Pennsylvania, the latter of Ohio. The first instruction of James E. Bryant was in a log house in this township ; later, he attended college in Valparaiso for two years, and finally Bloomington University for one year. In 1862, he enlisted in Company I, Fifth Indiana Cavalry, in which he served nearly three years, during which he was a prisoner seven months, having been captured at Sunshine Church, Ga. He was discharged June 7, 1865, at Indianapolis. On April 27, 1871, he was married to Miss S. S. Pratt, daughter of C. N. and Sophia Pratt. They have one child, Nellie M. In 1869, he engaged in the hardware line with his brother, D. L. Bryant, of whom he purchased the stock and continued the business until 1878, when he adopted his present one. Mr. Bryant now owns the warehouse and half-interest in a hay barn with M. J. Stinchfield, under firm name of J. E. Bryant & Co. Mr. Bryant owns 320 acres, having disposed of 240 in 1881. He has been Township Trustee two years, and Postmaster at Hebron for twelve years. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JAMES N. BUCHANAN, United Presbyterian minister, was born December 10, 1824, in the State of Ohio, and is the fourth child of Thomas and Nancy (Reed) Buchanan, both of Scotch-Irish descent. The boyhood of James N. Buchanan was passed partly in Licking County, and partly in Muskingum County, Ohio, where he entered Muskingum College at New Concord at fourteen years of age, where he remained nearly ten years. In the interim he taught a school, and graduated in 1848. He then entered the Theological Seminary at Oxford (now Xenia), Ohio, remaining until graduation in 1851, when he was licensed to preach. He removed to Hebron, Porter Co., Ind. In 1845, while in college, he was married to Rosanna S. Alexander, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Lorimer) Alexander, of New Concord; she died in 1869, leaving eight children - William T., Nancy, Oscar R., Mary 0., Emma A., Samuel A., Carrie M. and James H. His second marriage, to Mrs. Mary A. McCracken, took place in 1870. By the second marriage, he has four living children - Martha A., Rosanna M., Anna G. and Jay T. Mr. Buchanan is a pioneer of Porter County. He now resides on a farm one mile from town, in which he is assisted by his sons.

A. A. BURWELL is a native of Richland (now Ashland) County, Ohio. His parents were natives of Connecticut. Our subject attended the usual schools, and afterward three terms at the Loudonville Academy in Ohio. He remained at home until after manhood, working on the farm in summer and teaching school during the winter. On April 10, 1851, he was married to Miss Rebecca J. Oliver, a native of Ashland County, Ohio. In May, 1851, they came to their present location, and lived in a log hoase during the summer, but afterward built on land belonging to his father. Subsequently he purchased 160 acres of farming land, and also sixty of timber. The home farm now comprises 240 acres, with a good house and other needed improvements. He handles hogs, cattle and has several head of horses. Mr. Burwell has been Trustee of Boone Township three terms. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, having joined said church before its organization at Hebron, since which event he has been an Elder.

A. Gr. CARMAN is a native of Tompkins County, N. Y., and a son of Harris and Annie Carman. The amount of learning acquired from the schools by our subject was very meager, in consequence of the circumstances of his father. His parents emigrated to Lake County in 1837, where neighbors were scarce, but deer, prairie chickens and wolves were plentiful. He was married, at Hebron, to Miss Hannah Young, who died October 2, 1848. His second marriage was also at Hebron, to Miss Cornelia A. Hoffman. To this union there succeeded four children - Jay, Charles H., Morris and Jason. He came to his present home in May, 1848, where he has since mostly lived. His farm is productive, and he feeds fifteen to twenty hogs each year, besides horses and cattle. He is well established in all pertaining to the demands of a farm. Mr. and Mrs. Carman are members of the M. E. Church.

C. G. CARMAN is a native of New York, and son of Morris and Ann (Gregg) Carman, who were both natives of New York, but died in this township. C. G. Carman was brought to Lake County by his parents in 1834, when four years of age, and is one of its pioneers. In his early youth, he attended a subscription school, and at the age of sixteen years he began the trade of a carpenter, serving two years, and which he followed until the war. In 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Twentieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for three years, and was engaged in many important battles up to Gettysburg, and was discharged at Wilmington, Del., in 1865. He was twice wounded by the same ball - in the hand and left side of upper jaw, which caused much suffering. On returning, he engaged in carpentering for several years, and came to Hebron in its early days. On January 28, 1867, in White County, Ind., he was married to Miss Elizabeth 0. Carson, daughter of James and L. A. Carson. By this union they have had two children - Mary and Loren. Mrs. Carman is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

JOSEPH C. CARSON, physician and surgeon, was born at Malvern, Ohio, November 29, 1850, and is a son of Matthew and Margaret J. (Knox) Oarson, natives of Ireland; the former died in Indiana in 1863, whither he came in 1861, and the latter is yet living in Porter Township, Porter Co., Ind. Joseph C. Carson first attended school at Hickory Point, then at Hebron, and later the high school at Valparaiso ; he then commenced teaching and attending normal school, so continuing until 1876, when he graduated in the scientific course and became Principal of the school at Hebron for two years. During this period, he studied medicine and the branches appertaining thereto, and attended a course of lectures at Columbus, Ohio, in 1878 - 79. He graduated in the Medical Department of Butler University at Indianapolis in 1880. He then returned to Hebron, where he has now a good practice. Qn April 22, 1880, he was married to Miss Lizzie Cain. They are both members of the M:. B. Church.

THOMAS CLOWES was born in 1840, in the State of Michigan, and is a son of Charles L. and Edith Clowes, both natives of Virginia ; both died in Michigan, where the boyhood of Thomas was passed, and where he attended school - in Cassopolis - and where he remained until twenty-two years of age. At fourteen years of age he commenced to learn the trade of a painter. In 1864, he came to visit in Lake County, and afterward removed to Hebron, where, on June 12, 1866, he was married to Miss Mattie E. Johnson, of the family of Eli and Sarah Johnson. They have but one child - Edith. Mr. Clowes now made farming his principal business until 1882, when he procured a stock of groceries and provisions ; he also has a room for serving ice cream and lunches. Mr. and Mrs. Clowes are members of the Christian Church and most generally respected.

ROBERT DOUGLAS is a native of Burns, Scotland, and is a son of Samuel and Martha (McNabney) Douglas; his father was a native of Scotland, where his mother died. In company with three sons, his father landed in America at New York in 1879. Our subject had preceded him in 1872. He had been in the civil service in England. On the 16th of June, 1872, he reached Porter County, Ind., with but $5 as his capital; notwithstanding this, however, by economy, perseverance and thrift, he got together money enough to purchase his present property, consisting of eighty acres, and also the necessary amount of stock found upon likesized farms. On the 6th of April, 1875, in Porter County, he was married to Miss Alice McNabney, a native of Porter Coijnty, whose father was a farmer and had been a soldier in the Mexican war. This union was blessed with four children - Andrew M., Mary, Roscoe and Ida.

CONNER DOWD was born in Ohio, and is the seventh of the nine children of Conner and Hannah (Graves) Dowd ; his father was a native of Ireland, his mother, of North Carolina; both died in Ohio. The boyhood of our subject was passed in Ohio, where he received the learning of the common schools. In 1835, he was married to Miss Cynthia Pratt, daughter of Rufus and Martha (Merritt) Pratt, by whom he has two children living - Lucretia and James H. Mr. Dowd began farming on sixty acres, to which he afterward added forty acres; this he sold and emigrated to Lake County, where he purchased 120 acres, on which he lived and which he cultivated for twelve years, when he removed to 400 acres on Eagle Greek. He came to Hebron in 1873, where he is engaged m the hardware trade, and has a stock of $4,000 to $5,000 ; he owns his store site, as well as a house and lot. Mr. Dowd was Township Trustee several years in Vinton County, Ohio. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which they united about 1832.

HUGH FICKLE is a native of Perry County, Ohio, and is a son of William and Ann Fickle. His grandfather was a native of Germany; came to America and purchased land, for which, owing to previous claims, he had to pay a second and a third time. Hugh Fickle received but a meager education in Ohio, among the hills ; he was married in Perry County, Ohio, to Miss Isabella Hazlett, who died February 12, 1862, leaving two children - Sarah J. and Martha A. (both deceased). Having received 320 acres of woodland from his father, he built a house and began clearing, on which he lived until 1864. Of this he gave 160 acres to each of his daughters, sold the balance, and removed to Porter County. In 1864, he purchased 340 acres ; then went to Ohio, where he purchased the old farm. On returning, he purchased his present place ; he has considerable stock, and usually ships two car-loads of hogs every year; his second marriage was to Mrs. Oliver, to which union there have been born three children - David B., Charles A. and John H. Mr. and Mrs. Fickle are members of the United Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Fickle has been a Ruling Elder for thirty years.

D. A. FISHER is a native of the State of Indiana, where he was born in 1855 ; he is the eldest of the four children of William and Nancy (Bryant) Fisher, both living in Lake County. The schooling obtained by I). A. Fisher was first received at a district school, and afterward at the Normal School of Valparaiso, which he attended five terms ; he then engaged in farming. On June 7, 1876, he was married to Miss E. L. Bliss, daughter of W. 0. Bliss, native of the State of New York, and a farmer. Mr. Fisher continued farming until 1881, at which time he engaged in his present business of hardware dealing at Hebron, where he has a fine location and an excellent trade, carrying a stock worth $1,500 to $2,000. In 1879, Mr. Fisher visited Colorado and other Western points, being absent about eight months.

WILLIAM FRY, was born in Crawford County, Penn., March 7, 1833, and is a son of John and Hannah (Meeker) Fry. His parents moved to Porter County in 1846, and wintered near Valparaiso, where his father died; his mother, with the children, soon moved to Boone Township, where she died. William Fry's opportunities for acquiring education were very narrow; he remained on the farm until twenty-four years old, when he went into the lumber business in the pines of Indiana, at which he continued two years. While there, he was married to Miss Sarah J. Wallace, daughter of James and Sarah A. Wallace. Mr. Fry returned and sold his heirship; he now owns 200 acres of his homestead, and sixty-four acres in another tract; his farm is well improved and stocked, and very productive; he raises from twenty-five to thirty hogs and cattle every year, with five or six horses ; likewise a full line of staple crops. Mr. and Mrs. Fry have had seven children - Orville M., Ira V., Harriet E., Ancil C, John W., William (deceased), and Florence J. Both himself and wife are members of the Congregational Church.

WILLIAM GIBBS was born in Athens County, Ohio, April 6, 1829, and is a son of Hiram and Elizabeth (Shanks) Gibbs, the former a native of Vermont, the latter of Virginia. The father died at Hickory Point ; the mother is yet living in Lowell, Lake County. William Gibbs had but meager opportunities to acquire learning from the schools. He came to Porter County, Ind., with hia parents, in 1845, and located on a farm. In 1846, he came to Lake County. After his father's death, he was commissioned to manage the farm, which he did until he was twentyeight years old. at which time he was married to Miss Mary Gordon, daughter of Joseph and Ruth Gordon, by which marriage he had one child - Laura. After this, he farmed for five years, then peddled dry goods and notions, and later, in 1868, settled in the furniture and agricultural goods business at Hebron ; this he continued until 1878, when he moved West to improve his wife's health ; this failing, he returned in 1879, and in 1880 she passed away. He was made Justice of the Peace in 1878, and in 1879 engaged in the insurance business, in which he has remained. His second marriage was to Miss Mary A. Guinn, daughter of John D. and Eliza Guinn, by which union there was one child - Otto W. Mr. Gibbs is a correspondent for several newspapers. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN GIDLEY is a native of England, and a son of John and Mary (Maddock) Gidley, both natives of England. His parents came to America in 1833, and moved to Porter County, Ind., in 1840, locating one mile east of Hebron, where they died. Owing to the early apprentice system of England, our subject obtained but a meager education before his tenth year, when he was bound to a farmer, from whom his unexpired term of six vears was purchased when he came away. On coming to this country, he engaged in boating on Lake Erie, and afterward drove stage in Michigan, and reached Porter County, Ind., in 1838. At Shelbyville, Shelby Co., Ind., December 12, 1837, he was married to Miss Mary Davis, daughter of Archibald and Sandal Davis, a native of Kentucky. To this union succeeded eight children - Mary S., Elizabeth A., (deceased), Sarah (deceased), John A., Louisa P., Andrew B., Henry W. (deceased) and George W. Mr. Gidley first farmed on rented land, afterward purchasing twenty acres, and adding forty, and later, eighty acres thereto, until he had 180, on which he lived until 1879, when he retired to Hebron, to live in ease and comfort. Mr. and Mrs. Gidley are members of the' Methodist Episcopal Church, and among the first in Hebron at its organization. Mr. Gidley has been Steward and Trustee for thirty years.

DAVID HTJRLBURT was born in Athens County, Ohio, March 4, 1816, and is the eighth of the nine children of Reuben and Rachel (Johnson) Hurlburt, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Pennsylvania. His parents moved to what is now Porter County in 1834 ; both died in Porter Township. David Hurlburt was seventeen years of age when he settled in the wilderness, and his opportunities for schooling were the very worst. In 1851, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Spafibrd, a native of Wayne County, Ohio, and daughter of Chester and Margaret Spafford. This union was fruitful by three children - Chester, Edith A. and Ruth S. Mr. Hurlburt continued farming in Porter

Township, where he owned 160, and to which he added forty-five acres ; this he sold and purchased eighty acres, to which he added, by degrees, until it embraces 320 acres. He came to his present farm in 1872, and before giving his children portions, he possessed 700 acres ; he also has thirty head of cattle, 100 hogs and twenty-five milch cows, and will average 200 tons of hay per year. Mrs. Hurlburt is a member of the Christian Church.

SAMUEL IRVIN is a native of Ohio, and a son of William and Martha (Brooks) Irvin, his father a native of North Carolina, and his mother of Virginia. The opportunities for education by the schools were very few to S. Irvin, who could not attend after his tenth year. In 1845, he moved to Porter County, Ind., locating in Porter Township and farming there, where he lived nine years. He was married in Montgomery County, Ohio, to Miss Ann C. Keller, daughter of John and Magdalene Keller. In 1854, Mr. Irvin removed to Chicago, where he engaged in brewing until 1857 ; then returned to Valparaiso, where he erected the first brewery in the county, and afterward engaged in railroad carpentering on the railway through Hebron, and also general carpentering. Mr. and Mrs. Irvin have had four children - William G., Alpheus A., Eddie S. and Annie B., living ; and Luman, Alice and Sarah, deceased. Mr. Irvin was County Assessor three years, and Assessor of Boone Township fifteen years. Both himself and wife are members of the Christian Church.

JOSEPH KITHCART was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., in 1819, and is the eldest of the ten children of Thomas and Deborah (Wright) Kithcart, both natives of Pennsylvania; they died in Ohio, having been pioneers- of Richland, now Ashland, County. Joseph received what education was afibrded at a district school, and, as soon as he became able, took charge of the farm, remaining until his twenty-fifth year. On August 29, 1844, he was married to Miss Mary J. White, a native of Ohio. Joseph Kithcart commenced farming on the forty acres given to him by his father, and which he improved. This he sold and removed to Auburn, De Kalb Co., Ind., and engaged in the grocery business. His wife died in Ohio, leaving two children - Thomas W. and Martha. His second marriage was to Phebe A. Barber, a native of Ohio ; this wife died in Auburn, leaving two children - Mary J. and J. C. His third marriage, in Ohio, was to May G. Tannehill, of Ohio, by whom he has four children - L. Ella, Charles T., Clark and Goldie. In 1868, Mr. Kithcart came to Porter County, where he bought 257 acres and made improvements. Mr. and Mrs. Kithcart are members of the Christian Church.

G. W. MAXWELL is a native of Franklin County, Ind., and a son of James and Mary (Thorn) Maxwell, the former a native of Pennsylvania, the latter of Maryland. The education of G. W. Maxwell was limited to what could be acquired in pioneer days, his father dying when he was two years old. In February, 1853, he was married, in Decatur County, Ind., to Miss Martha A. Belt, a native of Ohio ; her father was a farmer, and her mother a nurse. . Mr. Maxwell moved to Lake County in 1856, and engaged in farming, purchasing 80 acres, and also 40 in Porter County, where he removed in 1871, and located one mile south of town on 120 acres, on which he lived until removing to Hebron, one year ago, leaving the faVm to the care of his son. His wife died July 9, 1853. His second marriage was to Miss Margaret Downs, a native of Franklin County, Ind., by whom he had five children - William, George R., Albert F., Mary B. and Bertha. Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell are members of the Christian Church, of which the former is a Deacon and likewise Treasurer.

J. L. McALPIN is a native of Highland County, Ohio, where he lived until eighteen years of age, his father dying when he was one year old. The advantages being poor, he got but a scant education, being necessitated to work on bis mother's farm, and with whom he came to this State and located in Boone Township in 1844. In 1848, he was married to Miss Sarah Dinwiddie, daughter of Thomas Dinwiddie, farmer. By this union there were born nine children - Mary L., Augusta, Eliza J., Susie I., Emma (deceased), Maggie, John S. (deceased), James P. (deceased) and J. D. Mr. McAlpin commenced on sixty acres, then sold, and purchased his present farm of sixty acres, on which he has since lived. To this he has added until his farm now embraces ninety acres, with twenty acres of timber in the wet lands. This farm is one mile south of Hebron, and fine soil. In 1862, Mrs. McAlpin died, and he was married to his second wife, Miss Mary J. Morrow, by whom he has had seven children - Harry, William, Bernard, Carl, Freddie, Ina and Benjamin (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. McAlpin belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN McINTTRE is a native of Washington County, Penn., and moved to Ohio with his parents, where he resided from the time of his tenth year until manhood. In the month of March, 1 848, he was married to Miss Rebecca Carson, a native of Ireland, whose parents were farmers. In 1852, Mr. Mclntyre settled on his present farm of 120 acres, which he had recently purchased. He has a good place, and cultivates corn, oats and hay. Mr. and Mrs. Mclntyre have had a family of six children - Samuel, who is in Colorado ; Robert, deceased ; James, deceased ; William A., Robert and Rebecca A., who are singlje and live at home.

WILSON B. MORROW is a native of the State of Ohio, and the second of the six children of William and Eliza (McAlpin) Morrow, the former a native of Ohio, the latter of Virginia, who died in Boone Township in 1872, where Mr. William Morrow is now living. Wilson B. Morrow, when two years old, came with his parents to Boone Township, Porter County, Ind. His school days were passed in a log structure. He remained on the farm until 1872, when he came to Hebron and engaged in the stock, hay and grain business with Mr. Bryant, under the firm name of Bryant & Morrow, which was continued nearly ten years. In 1882, he purchased the entire stock of general merchandise of William E. Sweney, having $5,000 worth of goods, and leading in his business. On January 8, 1863, he was married to Miss Margaret G. Hildreth, daughter of Gabriel and Betsey J. (Wilson) Hildreth. Mr. and Mrs. Morrow have five living children - Ninetta, John, Elsie, Ernest and Charles.

died in Germany. In 1838, Q. G. Mosier came to Indiana and located in La Porte City, where he learned carriage painting. On October 26, 1856, he was married to Miss Christina Fehrman, daughter of George and Christina Fehrman, by whom there succeeded five children - George, Rose (now Mrs. McKay), Samuel, Lucy and Alfred. Mr. Mosier now commenced farming in Union Township, Porter County, where he owned 320 acres, and on which he lived seven years. This he sold and went to Valparaiso and engaged in real estate business. Seven years later, he removed to Hebron, Porter County. Here he deals in real estate, but engaged in merchandising for one year. Mr. Mosier owns two acres in the central part of town and some town lots on the west side of Main street. He served as Justice of the Peace in Union Township for four years, and six years in Hebron, also seven months in Valparaiso. In the spring of 1882, he was elected to the same position.

WILLIAM M. NELSON is a native of Bedford County, Penn. His father was a native of England and his mother of Pennsylvania. William received the usual amount of education at the common schools, and, before manhood, learned the trade of blacksraithing from his father. At the age of twenty-two, he took charge of his father's shop in Andersonville, Franklin Co., Ind. On October 1, 1864, he was married to Miss B. M. Scott, born in Rush County, Ind., of which county her parents were pioneers. This union was blessed with four children - John S., Leora B., Alpha A. and Jennie. In 1867, Mr. Nelson came to Hebron, where he has since lived, and formed a partnership with Mr. Paramore in the blacksmithing trade ; this continued two years, when he rented and afterward purchased a shop of his own, and which is one of the leading ones in the town. He is a much-respected citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are members of the Christian Church.

HERSCJSEL J. NICHOLS was born in Ohio December 22, 1849, and was the first child of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hite) Nichols, both of German descent; his father lives at Creston, Lake Co., Ind.; his mother died in Lake County in June, 1871. The boyhood of Herschel J. Nichols was passed on a farm ; he attended the district schools, and also Ball's school, at Crown Point, one year ; then engaged as a clerk at Lowell for five years, afterward beginning for himself as a merchant at Leroy, and then came to Hebron, where he managed a store for Mr. Sweney two years, after which he purchased the present entire stock of Bryant, and has continued the business. He has now an $8,000 stock and one of the principal stores in the place. He is also in the regular shipping business, shipping hay at all seasons of the year. In 1872, he was married to Maria Lambert, daughter of Cornelius Lambert, a union blessed with three children - Virgil, Marshall and Floyd. Mr. Nichols was elected Township Trustee in 1882.

H. J. RATHBUN is a native of New York, and a son of Harry and Mary (Malatt) Rathbun, both natives of New York ; his parents became residents of Ohio when our subject was two years old, where they afterward died. H. J. Rathbun's boyhood was passed in Ohio, where he obtained some education from the common schools, remaining with his parents until he was twenty-four years old ; he moved to Lake County, Ind., on February 22, 1854 ; he was married June 5, 1860, to

Miss Alice Bates, a native of Michigan, but a resident of Porter County. Four children blessed this union - Harry (deceased), Grace, Augusta < deceased) and Roy. Mr. and Mrs. Rathbun have lived in Boone Township since their marriage, except a three years' absence in Porter township. Mr. Rathbun has a charming farm of 383 acres, all in the home place except thirty-eight acres ; he makes seventy-five tons of hay annually ; has twelve to fifteen horses, and has raised many sheep. Mr. and Mrs. Rathbun are members of the Christian Church.

L. P. SCOTT, station agent at Hebron, is a native of Cavendish, Windsor Co., Vt., and a son of Isaac and Polly (Eaton) Scott - the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of Connecticut, both of whom died in Welshfield, Ohio. L. P. Scott received a fair education, having attended, in addition to the common schools, a select school in the winters ; he afterward learned the trade of a carpenter. On September 1, 1852, at Ravenna, Ohio, he was married to Miss Emma M. Pool, a native of Eastern New York. Mr. Scott engaged in stock dealing for a number of years, and afterward in merchandising at Welshfield, Ohio; he moved to Hebron, Porter County, in the spring of 1869, and became station agent, which office he now holds ; he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and likewise a member of Valparaiso Commandery, No. 28, of Indiana.

H. W. SHAFER was born in Knox County, Ohio, October 17, 1834, and is the eighth of the twelve children of Michael and Nancy (Ireland) Shafer; the former a native of Pennsylvania, the latter of Ohio ; both died in Hancock County, Ohio. The early education of H. W. Shafer was begun in the county school of Hancock County ; he remained with his parents until his eighteenth year, when he became a clerk at Huntsville, Logan Co., Ohio, where he remained five years, during which time he bought considerable stock, and thence went to Chicago, where he dealt in horses and cattle for four or five years. In 1860, he came to Crown Point, Lake Co., Ind., and engaged in stock dealing and shipping, and purchased eighty acres. At the blast of war, he enlisted in Company A, Ninety-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, but before being mustered in was commissioned First Lieutenant; he served nearly three years and was wounded at Resaca, Ga., captured at Sunshine Church and imprisoned, but escaped on the road to Columbia, S. C; he was retaken after seventeen days, and returned to Columbia Prison; he subsequently escaped and was re-captured several times, and finally got away from rebeldom and was discharged at Indianapolis ; he was afterward married to Miss Louisa Skelton, who died in 1872, leaving three children - Owen, Erwin and Robert ; his second marriage ' was to Miss Nan B. Reicketts, of Hancock County, Ohio, by which union he had three children - Clara, Ray and May. Mr. Shafer now owns 200 acres, all under cultivation.

JOHN SKELTON is a native of Pennsylvania, and a son of Robert and Susan Skelton, both natives of Pennsylvania. The grandfather of our subject was a Revolutionary soldier. The early education of John Skelton consisted only of what he learned in a country school. When thirteen years of age, he went to learn blacksmithing in Philadelphia, at which he served four years. This he followed' for eighteen years, when he was compelled to seek a less laborious vocation, and he commenced a general store in Kewanna, Fulton Co., Ind., continuing eight years. In 1865, he removed to Hebron, Porter Co., Ind., where he sold hardware and groceries. In 1877, he dropped hardware, and three years later commenced his present business, where he is always on hand for trade. On March 4, 1845, he was married to Miss Emily C. Norris, daughter of Arthur and Catherine Norris. To this union were born four children - John, Leah and Charles (all married) and Louisa (deceased). Mr. Skelton was Township Trustee two years and Justice of the Peace in Fulton County four years. Both himself and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

J. C. SMITH was born in Pennsylvania, May 4, 1846, and is one of the ten children of William and Philista Smith ; the father a native of New York, the mother of Maine. J. C. Smith was brought by his parents to Porter County, Ind., when seven years of age, locating in Valparaiso, where he attended the common schools. He afterward learned the coopering trade, which he followed for ten years in the village of Hebron. He then engaged in the restaurant business for one year, and in his present business (grocery) in 1879 - at that time with a stock of but $100, but now with one of $2,000 ; he has the leading trade in his line in the town, sales for the year reaching $15,000. On February 22, 1871, he was married to Miss Calista Allen, daughter of Benjamin and Clarissa Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Christian Church- Mr. Allen is a Republican, and a strong political worker.

THOMAS C. SWBNBY, farmer and surveyor, was born August 7, 1807, at Gettysburgh, Penn. His parents died in Ohio. His early education was begun in a log schoolhouse in Adams County, Penn. At the age of eighteen, he began teaching, and at the age of twenty-one was appointed Surveyor of Crawford County, Ohio, which position he filled for ten years. In 1835, he was united in marriage to Margaret Dinwiddle. To this union there were born three children - William E., John M. and H. D. Mrs. Sweney died in 1874. In 1837, he emigrated to Porter County, Ind., locating near Hebron, on Horse Prairie. Mr. Sweney left the prairie in 1875, and divided his property with his children. In the beginning, one had to drive forty miles to a mill, and to Michigan City and Chicago for marketing and produce. The nearest post office was at La Porte, forty miles distant. Mr. Sweney was appointed Surveyor in 1839, and held the office twelve years, during which period he selected the swamp lands of the county. Previous to dividing among his children, he owned 400 acres ; he now owns a fine brick business room, with hall above and basement. Mr. Sweney is a member of the Presbyterian Church, as was also his wife.

D. L. SWENEY is a native of Crawford County, Ohio, and the youngest of the three sons of Isaac and Emily (Fading) Sweney. His father was a native of Pennsylvania ; his mother died when he was one year and a half old, and he was brought up by a step-mother. His father and family moved to Porter County, Ind., about the year 1839, when our subject was four years old, where he attended a district school ; he also received instruction for two winters at the Valparaiso Seminary. When he was twenty-one years of age, he took charge of and managed his father's farm. On April 10, 1860, he was married to Miss Hannah J. Fry, daughter of John and Hannah Fry. Mrs. Sweney died January 23, 1879, leaving five children - Emily, John, Ida, Bertha and Ora. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as is also her husband. After his marriage, Mr. Sweney lived on his father's farm twelve years, when he moved to Hebron, where he has since remained; he now has about one hundred acres, also a good town property.

C. L. TANNBHILL was born in Richland County (now Green Township, Ashland County), Ohio, September 26, 1825, and is the sixth of the twelve children of Charles and Mary (Oliver) Tannehill, the former a native of Pennsylvania,, the latter of Maryland. The education of our subject comprises the curriculum of the common schools ; he learned farming and the trade of a currier before manhood. In 1850, he went to California and engaged in mining, at which he saved enough to come back and purchase 160 acres of his present farm. On September 8, 1853, he was married to Miss Nancy A. Burwell, a native of Ohio. To this union followed eight children - Mary R., Eugene (deceased), Eliza E., Candas L., Sarah A., Ora A., Charles B. and Annie J. Mr. Tannehill moved to his present home in 1853, comprising, by recent additions, 428 acres ; he has been a very successful farmer, and feeds fifty head of hogs and thirty of cattle ; he also has ten horses, and produces yearly about one hundred tons of hay. Mrs. Tannehill is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

N. B. WARD is a native of the State of Ohio, and the fifth of the six children born to Alfred and Fannie Ward, both of whom died in Ohio, when our subject was in tender years. N. JB. Ward remained at home until he was seventeen years of age, when he commenced to hire out by the month. In Lake County, Ind., at Hickory Point, he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Nichols, daughter of William and Parmelia Nichols, whose father was a farmer, and whose mother died at Hickory Point. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have two children - Schuyler and Harris. Mr. Ward now began farming on 120 acres, which he owned in Eagle Creek Township, Lake County, on which he lived five years. This he sold and removed to Hickory Point, and farmed land of his father-in-law ; he afterward purchased 108 acres of his present farm, which now comprises 160, within half a mile of town, and very productive in hay ; he also has considerable stock. Mr. and Mrs. Ward are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

E. WARD was born in the State of Ohio March 10, 1835, and is the youngest of the seven children of Alfred and Fannie (Loomis) Ward ; both died in Ohio when our subject was very young. E. Ward, not having a strong love for school, did not receive a very high education in his youth, having to labor on the farm. When sixteen years old, he came to Lake County, Ind., and when twenty years old began business for himself. He owned 159 acres in Horse Prairie, of which he has since sold ten acres. . He has three lots in Hebron, on one of which he has a residence, business room, barn and outbuildings. On December 16, 1860, he was married, at Hickory Point, to Miss Sarah A. Nichols, daughter of William A. and Parmelia Nichols. To this union followed two children - Alfred G. and Addie B. Mr. Ward carries a fine general stock, and

OLIVER S. WOOD, M. D., was born in Lake County, Ind., and is the youngest of the eight children of John and Hannah E. (Pettee) Wood, both of English descent and American birth ; his mother died in Lake County, where his father is yet living. Dr. Wood's earliest lessons were had at the district school ; he afterward, at the age of twelve, entered an academy at Valparaiso, where he continued three years, thence going to Chicago and graduating in book-keeping ; he afterward returned to Valparaiso, "and engaged in the grocery business for four years ; he enlisted, in 1861, in the Ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he was band leader, but quit the service after nine months, on account of defective hearing ; removed to Kansas, where he conducted a stock-farm for four years. In 1876, at Deep River, Lake County, he commenced the practice of medicine, but came to Hebron in 1879, where he has since been in active practice. In 1864, he was married to Miss Charity R. Farnham, daughter of Charles and S. A. Farnham. Their union was blessed with four children - Lottie B., Clayton, Carlton and Leta. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are members of the Unitarian Church.

Source changes here: from History of Porter County, Indiana : a Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People and Its Principal Interests, by Lewis Publishing Company. Cn, published 1912; 8,195 words in this source stream.

Boone Township

Boone township, situated in the southwest corner of the county, was created by the county commissioners at their first meeting in April, 183G, though the boundary lines were changed several times before the township assumed its present form. It is hounded on the north hy Porter township; on the east by Pleasant; south by the Kanlcakee river, which separates it from Jasper county, and on the west by Lake county. Its area is approximately thirty-six sipiare miles. The surface slopes gently tow-ard the Kankakee river on the tioulh. At first, the township was a fine prairie, with fine groves of timber scattered liere and there, soft maple, elm, hickory and black walnut being the principal varieties of forest trees. Some of the land lies iu the Kankakee swamp region, but by scientific and systematic ditching much of this land has been reebumed, and practically the entire township is under cultivation. There are no mineral deposits worthy of mimtion, hence agriculture is the principal occupation of the inhabitants. The soil is above the average in fertility and large ci'ops of hay, cereals, potatoes and other vegetables are raised.

. The first permanent settlers in the township -ivere Jesse Johnston, Isaac Cornell and Simeon Bryant, all of whom came in the year 1836 in the order named. The next year Thomas IDinwiddie, Absalom Morris, Orris Jewett, Solomon and James Dilley brought their families and settled near those who had come the preceding ^ear. Other early settlers were John Priu, Thomas Johnson, Jennings Johnson, Frederick Wineinger, William Bissell, George Eisley, William Johnson, A. D. McCord, John, Moore, John W. Dinwiddle, John Oliver, Amos Andrews, Joseph Laird, T. C. Sweeney, E. W. Palmer and a man named Bricer, all of whom had located in the township by the close of the year 1837.

When the board of county commissioners established the first townships, an election was ordered in Boone for the last day of April for one justice of the peace. This election was held at the house of Jesse Johnston and seven votes were cast, of which Mr. Johnston received six and Aschel Neal, one. Another election was held at the same place on September 24, 1830, for one justice of the peace, when John W. Uinwiddie -was elected without opposition, receiving the seven votes cast. At this election Jesse Johnston was inspector; Jose])h Laird and William Bissel were judges; John W. Dinwiddie and Isaac Cornell, clerks.

Besides these five members of the eleetioii l)oard, the only two voters were A. D. JMcCord and John ]\Ioore, tlioiigli tliere were then in the township twenty men who were entitled to vote.

The first birth was that of jMargaret Bryant - April 16, 1837. Harriet Dinwiddle, the youngest child in a large family, died the same year and was the first death in the township. The first marriage is believed to be that of James Dilley and Sarah Richards, though the date cannot be ascertained. Orris Jewett, one of the early settlers above mentioned, was a blacksmith, and for several years his shop was the only one in Boone township. The few settlers Avho brought then- families with them felt the need of educational facilities for their children, and In 1837 they erected a log school house of the most primitive pattern in which a school was taught in the fall of that yeai-, but the name of the teacher seems to have been forgotten. A Presbyterian church was organized in July, 1838, by a minister named Hannan, and after a few years the old school house was abandoned and the churcii building used for school purposes. In 1840 a second school house was built about a mile and a half southwest of the present town of Hebron. It was also a log structure, about 18 by 20 feet in size. The third school hou.se in the township was built on the northeast corner of section 15, township 33, range 7, in 1842, and Mary Grossman was the first teacher. Two years later the building was burned. Some of the early teachers were Ellen Hemes, Amos Andrews, James Turnei", Eliza Russell, Sarah Richards, Rhoda Wallace, George E.spy and Alexander Hamilton. ]\Ir. Hamilton afterward studied law and became a prominent attorney in the city of "4-!hicago. The first frame school house in the township was located two miles east of Hebron. In May, 1853, a meeting was held for the purpose of determining whether a special tax for the support of- free schools should be levied. Fourteen votes were cast, ten of which were against the levy and four in favor of it, so the proxiosition failed to carry and the old school system was continued in operation. In 1854, the highest amount received from the state school fund b}' any district in the township was $43.00, and the lowest was $12.62. For the school year of

At the time the first white ineii came to Boone township, there were still a iinml;:n' of Indians liviir;- there, and in a few instHuces they showed a disposition to make trouble for the settlers, notwithstanding they had ceded their lands to tlie United States in 1832. A story is told of how old chief Sha\v-ne-i|no-ke came to the cabin of Simeon Br3''ant one day in 1836 wliile the "men folks" were abseirt and demanded that the white men varate the Indian "hunting grounds." Takiug a piece of chalk, the old chief drew a rude circle upon the floor, and then explained in the Indian tongue that all the land within a radius of five miles belonged to the people of his tribe. As Mrs. Bryant made no move toward giving u]i her frontier home, the Indian grew incensed, and seizing a butcher knife threatened to kill her if she did not If ave immediately. The \\oman 's screams awakened two large dogs that lay asleep in the cabin, and this fortunate circumstance doubtless saved her life. The dogs attacked the Indian with such vigor that his designs upon Mrs. Bryant were thwarted, and as soon as he could get away from the ferocious animals he beat a hasty retreat to the Indian encampment. A few years lalei- llie I'ed men were removed to their reservations west of the Mississij)])! livei-, leaving the white men in undisputed possession of their homes.

For a quarter of a century after the first settlement, the population increased but slowlj', with the exception of a tide of immigration in the latter '40s. Dr. Griffin, who settled at Walnut Grove in 1838, was probably the first phy.sician in the township. When the railroad came through in 1863 a large number of people came with it, most of tlii'iii sctlliiin; in the vicinity of Hebron. Since then the growth has brrii ^'radunl but substantial.

The town of Hebron had its beginning in 1844, \\'he)i .Johu Alyea laid out three lots of one acre each at the cross-roads a mile east of the Jjake county line, where the Presbyterians had erected a small ebureli some four of five years before. The next year a man najurd I'.aglcy l)uilt a log house there - the first dwelling in Hebron. That year Mr. Blain, the Presbyterian mininster, succeeded in havijig a jjostoflicc located at the "Corners," as the place had been known up to that time, and the name of Hebron was given to the postoffice, i\Ir. Blain being appointed the first postmaster. In 1846 Samuel Alyea built the second liouse and jnit in a small stock of goods. His store was about forty yard.s lioiu tbr cross- I'oads, but a year or two later he formed a pai'tno'sbip witli E. W. Palmer and a new store was erected near the junction of tbc roads. An addition was made to the town in 1849 by Mr. James, who laid out several half-acre lots south and east of the cross-roads. West of this addition the Siglar brothers laid out a tier of lots in section 15 in 1852. In 1864, when the railroad was completed "through the town, the Siglars also laid out a considerable addition in sections 10, 11 and 15. Three years later, Patrick's addition was laid out in the southeast quarter of section 10. The first brick building in Hebron was the residence of Daniel Siglar, which was built in 1867. Sweeney & Son built the first brick business building in 1875. It was two stories in height, the upper story being used as the tovni hall. The first hotel was opened by Samuel McCune in 1849. »- After him the house was succes.sively conducted by Tazwell Rice, Harvey Allen and John Skelton. In 1865 the Pratt House was opened by Burrell Pratt. About two years later he sold the house to anotlier Sir. Pratt - no relation of hi.s - who kept it for two years. The house then changed hands several times, being conducted by John Brey, John Gordon, Harvey Allen and John Siglar, the last named taking chai-ge in 1879, when he changed the name to the Bates House. Henry Smitli stai'tcd a hotel near the railroad station in 1866. He was succeeded by a Mv. Winslow, and when he went out of business the house was purcliiised hy ;i man named Poole, who converted it into a dwelling. The Cential House, built in 1878 by John Skelton, was operated as a hotel i'oi' ovei' Iwo years, when it was also turned into a residence. Bumstead's County Directory for 1911-12 gives but one hotel in Hebron - the Conimercial, kept by Otto Wharton. A newspaper called the Free Press was slarlcd at Hebron in September, 1878, by H. R. Gregory. The ne.xt \iar I he name was changed to the Local News, and in 1880 the publication office was removed to Lowell, Lake county. Dr. John K. Blackstonc A\as th(! "^rst physician to locate in the town. He was soon followed by Di'- H. R. Pratt. Other early phj'sicians were Andrew J. Sparks and Dr. Sales. In July, 1838, Bethlehem church of Associate Reform Presbyteiians was organized by a minister named Hannan. The Methodists had been bold ing meetings for a year or more previous to that date, and a eoi]<^iega tion was regularly organized by Rev. Jacob Colclasier in the latter pari of 1837. The Old Style Presbyterians organized in 1860; llie Union Mission Church in 1877; a Congregational church in 1882, and a Chris-

The first attempt to incorporate the town of Hehroii was in llu: year 1874. This was followed by two other unsuccessful ell'oi'is. mul il was not until 1886 that the town was incorporated. On Aiijiisl 1, 1880, a census was taken by Aaron W. Fehrmau, and a petition sigiud ]>y s<'Venty-four residents was filed with the county commissioners pi-aying for incorporation. With the petition was also filed a map of Hie projjosed town, embracing 186.08 acres in the southeast quarter of scclioii 10, tlie southwest quarter of section 11, tlie northwest quarter of sictiou 14, niul the northeast quarter of section 15, all in township 33, range 7. The census report showed a population of 668 within the corpoialc liniils as defined by the map. At the September term the board of coinmissiouers granted the petition, subject to a vote of the people, and ordered au election to be held for that purpose on Saturday, October 2, 1886. At Hint election a majoi-ity of the electors expressed themselves as in favoi- of the project, and Hebron became an incorporated town. Since llial time the growth of Hebron has been gradual, the United States ci'usus reports showing a population of 689 in 1890; 794 in 1900, and 821 in 1910. A number of the leading secret orders are represented in the town, to wit: Hebron Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Spencer-Baker Chapter, Order of th^ Eastern Star; Hebron Tent, Knights of the ^laccabecs; Court Hebron, Independent Order of Foresters; Hebron Camp, ^lodern Woodmen of America; Hebron Lodge, Knights of Pythias; Hebion Temple of the Pythian Sisters; Shiloh Camp, Sons of Veterans, and Post, Grand Army of the Republic. A lodge of tlie Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized there at a comparatively early date, but it was allowed to lapse, and the records concerning it have apparently been lost. According to Bumstead's County Directory, already referred to, the to^vn government for 1911-12 was C(>in])Osed of A.. W. Blanchard, president; Roy Rathburn, clerk; 0. B. Ba-I.y, treasurer; I. V. Fry and B. F. Nichols, trustees, and E.F. riiillips, marshal. Among the business concerns are the Citizens' Bank, tlie lli 'ndii Teles.-Cf

Boone township is well supplied with tr;iiis|X)rtation facilities by the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Uailroad Company, which operates a double track line through tlie township, entering on the east two miles south of the northern Ijoundary mid running due west to Hebron, where it turns northwest and eiosses the west line of the county one mile north of Hebron. Aylesworth is a flag station on this road, four miles east of Hebron, and with the exception of a small portion of the southwest corner, no part of the township is more than three miles from the railroad. There are over twenty miles of macadamized road in the to^^oiship, most of the lines leading to Helu'on, so that the farmers have splendid opportunities for marketing their produce.

Center Townsuii'

This township, one of the original ten organized on April 12, 1836, was so named because it occupies the ceidral portion of the coiinty. Several changes have been made in the original boundaries, and at the present time the dimensions of the township iwc. five ndles east and west and six miles north and south, 'giving it an area of thirty square miles. It is bounded on the north by .thetowiiship of Liberty; east by Washington; south by Morgan and Porter, and west by Union. Being situated upon the high ridge or moraine that separates the valley of the Calumet river on the north from the valley of the Katikakee on the south, the surface is undulating and the soil is gejierally of clay, or of clay and sand alternately. Marl beds and peal liogs are found in the Salt creek valley, and iron ore exists in small ijiKintiiics; near the cit.y of Valparaiso, but none of these deposits has Imth (Ii'V( Icipcil. Flint Lake lies near the northwest corner. Bull's Bye or Jiound 1/ake is just west of the Chesterton road, about two miles northwest df \'iili)araiso, and Sager's Lake is situated in the southeastern suburhs of that city. "When the first white men came to the township, they I'onnil ciiiisidciable forests of hard and soft maple, black and white walnut, liickdi'y, elm, basswood and several varieties of oak, but most of the native limlier has been cleared off to make way for the fields of the husbandmen. Agriculture is the chief ocQupation of the inhabitants, and the crops grown are of the same general character as those of the other to\\iisliij)s in the central and southern parts of the county.

During the Indian occupancy of the region now comprising Porter county, there M'as in the western part of Laporte county nn opening between two tracts of timbered^aud. To this opening the early French traders gave the name of La Porte - -"The dale." Over the prairie thus named ran the trail leading from the Kankaliee river in Illinois to the

Great Lakes. Later the Englisli eonferred upon it the name Door Pi'airiv , and the little town which grew up there took the name of Door Village. Some of the early settlers, as they worked their way westward into Porter county, passed through the "Door" and established their frontier homes, some of them locating iji Center township. At that time there was a small Indian village of some dozen lodges located on the west side of section 19, township 35, range 5, between the present Laporte ])ike and the Grand Trunk railway, less than one mile east of Valparaiso. This village was known as Chiqua's To^^^l, from an old Pottawatomie Indi.-m bearing that name. Chiqua had at one time been an influential chief in his tribe, but a few years before the treaty of 1832 his love for 'ii rewater" had led him to indulge in a protracted drunk, and while hiloxi Gated his hut Avas destroyed by fire, his squaw losing her life in the flames. For his dissolute habits he was deprived of his ehieftnntslii]), but a fe-w of his friends I'emaiued true to him, and these, seceding from the main bod.y of the tribe, established the village under Chiqua's leadei-- ship.

Some time in the l9te summer or early fall of 1833 Seth Hull located a claim on or near the site of this village, thereby becoming the first white settler in Center township. He remained but a short tiuu',, selling his claim to J. S. Wallace and going on farther west. Thomas A. E. Campbell tpok a claim east of Hull's, near the Washington township line, and built a cabin, but soon afterward went back to New York state, where he remained until 1835. Some of the settlers who eame in the year 1834 were Benjamin McCarty, who settled on section 22 on the Joliet road ; Ruel Starr, who located his claim in the eastern part of the tovsTiship; "^Philander A. Paine, who built his cabin on the northeast qiuirter of section 23, and his father, who located east of the Salt creek, bridge on the Joliet road and began the ereetic^n of a sawmill, which was never finished. The same year a man named Nise settled on the northwest quarter of section 24, about three-quarters of a mile northeast of the public scjuare in Valparaiso, but soon afterward sold out to a German by the name of Charles Minnick. In this year came also J. P. Ballard, who creeled the first building within the present city limits ul \',ilp;ir;iiso. Among those who came in 1835 may be mentioned ('. A. I'.alhivd, Alansou Finney and Samuel A. Shiglcy. The first scttli'd on llir jiorthwest quarter of section 25, Mr. Finney located his claim west ol' Kucl Starr's, and Mr. Shigley built a sawmill on the site ailcrward (icinpiiMl by William Sager's flour mill, the first sawmill in the townsliij) AN'licn Tliomas A. E. Campbell returned to the county in 18'ir), insliad of inrTccting title to his claim in the eastern part of Center townsliip, he bou^'bt out Philander A. Paine and settled on the northeast qiiaiicv of .section 23, where he passed the remainder of his life.

1836, for justices of the peace. In Ccnlcr towjisbiii Ihe election was held at the house x)f C. A. Ballard. Thirteen votes wei-e jiolled, of which Ruel Starr received nine votes and was declared elected. His opponents were G. Z. Salyer and John McConnell. At the May meeting of the board it was decided to give Center .township an additional justice of the peace, and an election* was held at the same place on May 28, 1836, when G. Z. Salyer received eight out of fifteen votes. At the presidential election on November 8, 1836, General Harrison leceived fifty-nine votes and Martin Van Bureji received forty-five. At the state election in August,

1837, there were 126 votes cast, of wliicji David "Wallace received 101. In 1840 the total number of votes cast at the presidential election was 287, General Harrison receiving 149. This increase in the voting'strength during the first five years of the township's history will give the reader some idea of the growth in population diii-iii<,' the same period.

The first birth and the first death in the township are uncertain. The first marriage was that of Richard Ilcnthoi-ne to .lane Spiirlock, May 5, 1836, Rev. Cyrus Spurlock, who was also county recorder, officiating. About 1838 a man named Kinsey ])nt uji a wool carding mill about a mile and a half south of Valparaiso. It was operated by water power, the water being conveyed through a large hollow log to an overshot wheel. Mr. Kinsey also put in a small pair of buhrs for grinding wheat and corn on certain days. A year or two later a second carding niill was erected by Jacob Axe on Salt ci-eek, ii short distance above Shigley's sawmill. The- flour mill later owiud by William Sager was built by William Cheney in 1841. Eleven years later Mr. Cheney and Truman Freeman built a small flour mill in the southern part of Valparaiso, though at that time the mill site was outside the corporate limits of the town. Another pioneer mill was a steam sawmill at Flint Lake, ei-ectcd by a man named Allen, though the exact (i.ite cannot be learned. It was supplied with two boilers, each tweuty-cight feet long and forty-four inches in diameter. In 1863 one of the boilers blew up, the boiler being thrown some 500 feet and landing in th'^ mnrsh at the lower end of the lake. The remaining boiler was subsci|iiciitly I'emovcd to Valparaiso to be u.sed in the paper mill. The flrst taii-yaitl in the township, and probably the first in the county, was establishoil b.y a Mr. Hatch just south of Valparaiso in 1843. A steam tannery was started by a man named Gerber on a lot south of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad about a year before the beginning of the Civil war. The entire plant was destroyed by fife in 1874, and since that date there has been no tanning "done in the city.

When the corner-stone of the court-house was laid in October, 1883, Aaron Parks was township trustee; Temple Windle, John Dunning and Morris B.obinson, justices of the peace, and David G. Herr, assessor. These officers were elected in April, 1882, before the spring elections were abolished by laAV. At that time there were eight school districts in the township outside of the city of Valparaiso. In the school year of 1911-12 there were six districts in the township, the schools being taught by the following teachers: District No. 1 (l<'iiiit Lake), Grace Banta, No. 2 (Cook's Corners), Mabel Laforee; No. 3 ^St. Clair), Rebecca Bartholomew; No. 4 (Clifford), Hazel McNay; No. 6 (Hayes), Stella Bennett; No. 7 (Leonard), Kathryn Anderson.

persons who tan remember tlie conditions, the labors nud llie amusements of those early days. Game was abundant and tlic trusly rifle of the frontiersman was depended upon to furnish a goodly iioitioii of the family's meat supply. The log-i-olling, the house-raising and the holiday shooting match afforded opportunities for the settlers lo get together, and on such occasions there were wrestling or boxing malches and other tests of physical strength. The few Indians who rcniaiued in the country were generally peaceful, and tliei'e were no hair-raising exjieriences of savage raids, accompanied by burning cabins, murdered women and children, or stolen live stock. Upon the whole the life of the Center township pioneers ^,-as uneventful. Through the spring and summet they toiled amid their crops. When the wheat was threshed - with the flail or the old "ground-hog" - it was hauled to Michigan Oily, where it was rarely sold for more than fifty cents per bushel.

Now, all is changed. The market is at the farmer's door. The Pittsburg, Fort "Wayne & Chicago, the New York, Chicago & St. Louis, and the Grand Trunk railways traverse the county, all passing through Valparaiso, and in the township there are more than forty miles of excellent macadamized highwaj^, most of the roads centering at the county seat. AVhere the farmer formerly hauled twenty bushels of wheat thirty or forty miles to Michigan City, he can now take sixty linshcls over an improved, modern highway a distance of from two to four miles, and in a few hours that wheat is in the great grain mart of Chicago, where it commands the highest market price. The log cabin has given way to the brick or frame dwelling house; the tallow candle has been sHp]'lanted by the kerosene lamp, acetylene gas or the electric light, and the automobile now skims across the country where the ox-team was -' wont to plod its weary way. Such has been the march of civilization ''' ^' and progress in Center township. Including the city of Valparaiso, ' '>fl';ithe population of the township in 1850 was 1,012; in 1860 it was 2,745; by 1870 it had increased to 4,159; in 1880 it was 5,957; in 1890 it was 6,062; in 1900 it had reached 7,222, and in 1910 it was 7,971.

-Jacksou township, one of the ea«torii tier, is lioumlctl on tin- nortli by the- townships of Pine and Westchester; on the east by Laporte county; on the south by Washington townshii), and on the west by Liberty and Westchester. Its greatest extent iJxmi noiih to soiilh is six miles, and from east to west, five miles. The norlhcrn Ijoundary is somewhat irregular, two sections in the northeast eonicr luiviiig been given to Pine township when it was organized, and one seition in the northwest corner has been added to the township of Wcslchrster. The township was esta])lished by the first I)oard of county eoimnisfiioneis on April 12, 1836, and with the slight changes in boundary lines as above noted remains as oi'iginally created. The area* of the township is twenty-seven square miles. As Jackson towiiship lies in Ihc irioi-.-dnir belt,, the surface is hilly, and in some places broken. Especially is this true of sections IB, 14 and 15, where the many bowlders show the glacial origin of this section of the county. On section 16 there is a small lake, some five acres in area, the waters of which are quite deep. South of the Cady marsh in the same section is another small lake. Through the southern part of the township runs the water-shed Avhich divides the basin of the Great Lakes from the Mississippi valley. The soil is variable, owing to the rough, hilly surface and the glacial formation, several kinds of soil often bein^ found in the same field. As a rule, the to\raship is better adapted to fruit growing and stock raising than to the ri'gular lines of agriculture, though in some portions good crops of wheal, oals and corn are raised -wathout difficulty. Heavy timber covered the entire surface at the time the first settlers came to the to\vqiship. Tin's timber was in the way of the pioneer farmer and much of it was felled and burned to bring the land under cultivation. After the completion of tlie Wabash and Baltimore & Ohio railroads, a great deal of cord wood was slil])ped to Chicago. There is sfill some timber, but enough has been wasted to buy all the land in the township, had a suitable market been a\ailable in the early days. According to the historical sketch deposited in the corner-stone of the court-house in 1883, the towusliip was named "for ami in hoiidi- of an old settler, Lemuel Jackson." This statement has been ((ucsliomil liy old settlers, who claim that it was named for Andrew Jaekson, the Ikio of New Orleans and president of the United States at the lime Porter county was created. The latter theory is borne out by the follow iu^' from the Western Ranger of August 11, 1847: "The strong Pnlnal 1o\viislii)i in this county is called Jackson. This is disgraceful. A townsliip in which three-fourths of the people are Federalists and Abolitionists should never bear the name of the illustrious Jackson ! Some of our friends have suggested that the name be changed to Tom Corwiu, and we go for it distinctly. No name would be more suitable." Early in the year 1834 Asahel K. Paine selected a claim and built the first cabin in Jackson, thereby becoming the first settler in the lownshij). The second settler was John P. Noble, who came in April, 1834, and in June H. B.' Woodruff located in the township. 'Befoi'e the close of the year the colony had been increased by the addition of Calvin Crawford, Joseph Wright, Jolmson Crawford, Samuel dinger, Lemuel Jackson, E. Casteel and a few others. A number of settlers came in 1835, among them William Barnard, Benjamin Malsby and William Eaton. Pursuant to the order of the board of county commissioners, an election foi' justice of the peace was held at the house of Asahel K. Paine on April 30, and H. E. Wdodruff was elected to the office. Lemuel Jackson, who had been elected associate judge, resigned his position, and on Decend:ier 24, 1836, a special election was held at the hou.se of William Eaton to choose his successor. At that election forty Votes were cast, showing the steiidy ti4.e of immigration, to Jackson toAvnship during the preceding two Vfars. Seneca Ball received every one of the forty votes. In 1837 Jesse ]\le('oid arrived in the township and established a blacksmith shop on section 2n, about a mile and a half southwest of Clear Lake. The first tavern «as opened by a man named Page in 183G. It M-as located south of I'age marsh, M'hich was named for him, was a log structure, and hail in connection a large log stable for the accommodation of the horses ridck'n or driven by travelers. George A. Garard says this was tiic only tavern

The first school was taught in a \u<j; ea.lnn locati d on section 26, on the farm afterward owned by John !'. Wililc. I'lie first regular school house was erected in 1838, alwut a inih and a lialf easi of the center of the to^mship. It was a log cabin, 16 by IS feet in si/.c, equipped M'ith the customary "Yankee firei^laee" ami gr-cascd jiajier for windows. Jane Jones was the first teacher in this iKuise. The second school house was built in 1846. ,In 1883, when the eorner-stone of the court house was Igid, there were seven districts in the township. Tlie liistorical sketch deposited in the corner-stone was written by Oliver Stell, who was at that time trustee of the township. He was horn in AVarriii county, Ohio, December 30, 1816, came with liis parents to Indiana in 1821, and to Jackson township, Porter county, in lS-14. In tlie conrsf of that sketch he says: "In the year 1882 the acrea^" <>\' wlu-al was l2,(J43; oats, 755; corn, 2,468, and potatoes, 150. The mnnlior of iiomuls of pork raised was 931,400 ; wool, 4,593, and butter, 36,450. At I lie elc.'t inn of 1882 there were 263 votes polled; at the election of 1836 tlaTe wvvi J2 votes polled, showing an increase of 221 votes in forty-six years."

central location therein. A postoffice was eshiMislird Diore in ISHO, with. E. H. Johnson as postmaster. The first stoiv thcie was 0]>rni'd l)y J. S. Sanders in 1874. Two years later he sold out 1o a I\Ir. Hill, who in turn sold to John Sacknian in 1881. Steainliiii;;' was Im-ated near the southern boundary, aliout two miles west of 1h'' ]j;i|i(ir1r line. "When the Raltiinore & Ohio railroad,was l)uilt, about IST'i. ;i railroad station wfis established at Coburg, just across the line in "\\ ashiuLitcin township. The people of Steamburg nearly all moved over to the new station, and Steamburg ceased to exist. Suman, or Suniauville, is a small station on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, altout three mill s iioi-thwest of Coburg. It was established as a postoflice about the timr the railroad was com-" pleted, with Col. I. C. B. Suman as postmaster, from wliom it derived its name. A store was started by a man named Jones when the railroad was built, but npt meeting with the patronage he expected, he gave up the enterprise after a few months. Another store was started in 1881 and met the same fate. Burdick is the most important village and the only postoffice in the township^,, the other offices having been discontinued upon the introduction of the rural deliveiy system. It is located on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad in the northwestern part of the to^\^lship and has a population of about seventy-five. A public school is located here, the postoffice is authorized to issue money orders, and the village is a trading and shipping point for the surrounding rural districts.

For the school yeai-s 1911-12 there were nine teachers employed in the public schools. In the township high school at Jackson Center Ida Reckteuwall was principal and Hazel Bundy, assistant. In the district schools the teachers Avere as follows: No. 1 (Quakerdom), Louisa Malchow; No. 2 (Carter's), Judith Lindwall ; No. 4 (Taylor scliool), Ethel Rands; No. 6 (Coburg), Liicy Mander; No. 7 (Rogue), Alia Ilerrold; No. 8, (Burdick), Mary Belger; No. 9 (County Line), Carolyn Whitlock.

School No. 1, known as the Quaker scliool, or Qualcerdom, takes its name from the fact that at an early date a nuinber of Fi-iends, or Quakers, as they are commonly called, settled in that locality and estaljlished a church. It was a double hewed-log structure and was used for a number of years as a "meeting-liouse." Little can be learned concerning this old Quaker settlement, as the old settlers are all dead and most of their deseendanis have removed to other fields of labor. Some years before the Civil war, the Methodists purchased the old school liouse at Jackson Center and enlarged it by an addition so as to render it available for church puri)oses. Chancey Moore, one of the early leacliers, was class leader here for several years.

Two lines of railroad cross the towiiship in a northAvestrrly direction, almost parallel to each other. The Wabash crosses the eastern boundary of the county near Clear Lake, runs thence northwest to Morris, and thence we.st, leaving the township near the northwest corner. The Baltimore & Ohio entei's the township on the south, two miles west of the Laporte county line and runs northwest, crossing the western boundary one mile east of Woodville. A third railroad - the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern - crosses the extreme northern part, through Burdick. These lines, with the stations of Coburg, Suman, Monis, Burdick and "Woodville within easy reach of all parts of the townsliip aft'oul ample transportation facilities. There are about twelve miles of macadamized road in Jackson township. For some time after the organization of the township there was a gradual increase in the population, but in the last twenti^ years there has been a slight decrease. This is due to the same causes that have affected so nuiny rural communities. Young men leave the farms to seek their fortunes in the cities, and othens, lui'ed by the prospects of cheap lands in the West, have removed to the newer states beyond the Mississippi. In 1890 the population of the township was 1,009 ; in 1900 it was 938, and in 1910 it had fallen to 894.

Liberty Townsuip

This township was created by the board of county coiiinnssioneis at its first session in April, 1836. It lies in the northern jiart of the county and is bounded on the north by Westchester to^\ais]iip ; east Ijy Jackson; south by Centei", and west by Portage. It is exactly five mill's sinunc jiiul contains an area of twenty-five square miles. The surf;ice is j.'('nii;illy level, -with some swamp lands in the western and northwislciu jMnlions. When drained this land produces large crops of grain and lia.') . Tlir soil is a dark loam, running to clay in places. Long Lake, in the soiillK'.i.st corner, is coiniected with Flint lake in Center township by a iiarrdw cliannel; Coffee creek flows across the northwestern portion, ;iikI S;dl en^'k runs along the western border, or rather across the soutliwcsl eoiiur and thence along the western border. The latter stream funiislus some water-power, and in one place widens to form a pond of cousiderabli' si/.c. Originally, the land was heavily timbered with oak, hickory, iiuiple, ash, elm, black walnut, butternut, white wood and souh' minor varieties, but very little of the native timber remains, except in llii' swamji districts which have not yet been brought under cultivation.

Probably more trouble occurred over the land titles and claims in Liberty township than in all the rest of Porter county. Throu^di the treaties with the Pottawatomie Indians, the government granted to certain individual members of that tribe small reservations, known as "floats," varying in size from a quai'ter section to a section, and in some cases even more. These "floats" could be bought of the Indian or halfbreed ownei's for a trifle, and shrewd speculators took advantage of the situation to ^Durchase a number of them for the purpose of selling thein to actual settlers at a handsome profit. As the Indians to whom they had been reserved rarely occupied them, white men located upon thein, not knowing the real state of the title. After the occupant hud made .some improvement the speculator would appear upon the scene and demand a pi'ice that was often beyond the means of the scttlei" to pay, or his immediate removal from the land. In the one case the speculator could receive a price for the land much greater than he had jiaid for it, and in the other he became possessed of the improvements niiidc by the settler without cost to himself. Several petitions were sent to W'asliington praying for relief, but the government was slow to act jind llic jhi-- nicious system went on until it culminated in what is known as the

"Suavely war." William Ci-uwford located upon one of these Indiau tracts - a quarter section in flic northeast part of the township - but suKsequently sold it to William Suavely. A little later Peter White laid claim to the land and asked tlie assistance of the law to dispossess Suavely. Charles G. Merrick, wlm had been elected sheriff of the county in 1838, organized a posse, and, pursuant to the order of the court, went to Suavely 's for the purpose of evicting him. Suavely barricaded himself in his cabin, and he and his .sons, well armed, put up a spirited defense. Unable to gain admit fa nee through the doors or M'indows, the sheriff ordered some of his men to cliinb to the top of the house and tear off the roof. No sooner had I hey begnji to remove the clapboards than Snavely fired through the o])euing and wounded one of the men. This had the tendency to .stop acti\e operations on the part of the sheriff and his men, and Snavely, thinking lu- had killed the man, made an attempt to escape. He was overtaken, captured and taken to the count}' jail, where he remained until his victim i-ecovered from the wound, which was only a slight one, when \w was released upon payment of a fine and a promise to relinqili.sh the land. Some years after his death, his heirs received a portion of the value of the improvements made by Snavely while ill possession.

Trouble also resulted thi'ough the methods practiced by speculators at the public land sale at Lapoite in 1835. The "land-sharks" were there with long purses, anxious to get possession of the most valuable tracts, not for the puq^ose of establishing homes upon them and bringing them under cultivation, but merely to hold them until some actual settler would be forced to buy at a large; ]jrofit to the original purchaser. Liberty township, with its hea\y growth of timber, offered special attractions to these men. In order to gain an opportuhity to purchase the lands at a low price they fre(iuentl.y gave a quarter section to those seeking a home not to bid against them. Then by collusiou anmng themselves they "bought the lands for a song." Those to whom the quarter sections had been given as bribe not to bid went upon their lands, built houses and founded homes. Everj' impruvement of this character created a demand for othci" lands in the town.ship i ;! gave llie speculators an excuse for advancing prices. As most of lii. :. ml in the township was owned by the speculators, settlers sonylil c'. - . lsin\here, and Liberty was slow in developing.

Owen Crumpacker is credited willi Iumi:;: jii-st settler in the townsliip. He came from Union countj', ludi.in:.. n. ,'u)a\ 1834, and was soon followed by William Downing and Jerry Id.iiii.'ntoi'. During the next two years John Dillingham, E. P. CiAc, William Gosset, George Hesing, Asa Zane, Ira Biggs, David Hnghavt, S(>lo:iini Ilabanz, John White, Abrara Snodgrass, Frederick Wolf, Joliii S.fl'oicl, William Calhoun, Daniel Kesler and a few others located wiUiin 'Aw present limits of the township. Three settlements were formei! Ky lliese ])ioneers. One known as the Dillingham settlement was in the rash i li part ; the Zane settlement near the center, and the Salt creek si'ltlemriit in the western portion. Soon after his'arrival in 1836, William Go.ss' I buiU a saw and grist mill on Salt creek, and with the first lumber sawed lie erected the first frame house in the township. It. was a one-story stiuctiire, about 24 by 32 feet in size, and later was used for a churcli ami house. Gosset's mill was for years a landmark in that portion "I l\>rter county. The people of the Zane settlement patronized Elijah Caslic) V; mill, which was located on Coffee creek, just across the line in Jackson icwnship.

The first death was that of William Ilugliarl's wife, and it was due to the escapades of some drunken Indians. One day, in the fall of 1835, some four or five Indians visited Joscjili lliiHs's trading post on the Calumet river, where they took on a cargo o: "fire-water," and then Started out to annoy the settlers. William anii i );.vid Ilnghart, who lived together, were absent on a hunt and tin !>;;.. 'is tried to force an entrance to the house. The women, though ha.iiy iiightened,' managed to bar the door, after which they sought r^ fiu-i' hi iho loft of the cabin. After beating the door awhile with tlicii- tuinaUawks, the Indians left, and. none too soon for their scalps, for in a :i,tle while the brothers returned. Mrs. Hughart died not long aftej'A.iicl i>om the effects of the shock. On June 14, 1836, William iri,i.;,,.i> i arried Elizabeth Zane, which was the first wedding in liilicrly t(n\TJship. A wedding in the pioneer days was usually llu- occasion for a neighl)orhood gathering and nearly always wound up \\il!i a dance. The following story is told of the festivities aceoinpan.\ing tlic niarrijige of George Humes and Sarah Crawford in April, 1837. 'i'in' ceremony was performed in a log cahin about 14 by ij6 feet feet, by 'I'honias J. W.vatt, justice of the peace. As there were some thirty or forly invited guests present, and the cabin contained two beds, besides other articles of furniture, the crowded condition of the room can readily be imagined. After the wedding the justice and the bride's father c(>l('l)rated by looking too frequejjtly upon the "flowing bowl," and in a short time were hopelessly intoxicated. The yoimger guests insisted uj)on having "just a little dance," but the two dnniken men were in the way. The two beds were piled full of hats, wraps, etc., but a bright young woman solved the difficulty by proposing to 'roll the two meu under llie beds. Tier suggestion was carried out and by this means the larger part of the floor could be given to the dancers, who continued the merriment until the "wee sma' " hours.

In Liberty, as in the other original towTiships created by order of the board of county commissioners, April 12, 1836, an election was ordered to be held on April 30th. Following is a copy of the election returns from Libert}' township :

"At an election held at the house of Daniel T. Kcsler, Liberty township. Porter Co., Ind., on the 30tli day of April, A. D., 1836, for the purpose of electing one Justice of the Peace for said township, the following named persons came forward and voted, to wit: Peter Ritter, Thomas J. Wyatt, William Downe.y, Daniel W. Lyons, Joel Crumpaeker, Joel Welker, John Sefford, M. Blayloch, Fretlerick Wolf, Richard Clark, William Calhoun, Isaac Zane, Owen Crumpaeker, Iliram Snodgrass, Jerry Tot'hunter and Solomon Ilalianz. We, the undersigned Inspectors and Judges of an election held at the house of Daniel T. Kesler, in Liberty Township, Porter Co., Ind., on the 30th day of April, 1836, for the pur- pose of electing one Justice of the Peace, do hereby certify that for the office of Justice of the Peace, Peter Rillo' got thirteen votes, and Thomas

These returns were signed by Jerry Todbnnter, insprckn-, and by John .Sefford, Joel Crumpacker, William Suavely and Snliiiiioii Ilabauz, judges. At the spring term of court following this elcftion, Daniel W. Lyons was appointed the first constable for the townslii]i; -b ss;e IMorgan and Richard Clark, oveVseers of the poor; Edmund Tratcbas and William Downey, fence viewers, and Solomon Ilalianz, suix'rvisur of roads. About the same time, Peter Ritter, Samuel Olinger and William Thomas were appointed to lay out a road from Casteel's mill, on Coffee creek, to Gosset's mill, on Salt creek. The road as established bv them is still in existence and follows very closely the original line. Tlie ^'^aIJ)araiso and Michigan City plank road, built in 1851, ran throught the eastern part of the township, 0)i the line now occupied by the Valparaiso and Chesterton road, a fine, macadamized highway, and there are about ten additional miles of improved road in Liberty township.