Westchester Township (part 1 of 2)

Westchester Township

WILLIAM BEAM, Superintendent of the T. Molding Brick Yards at Porter Station, and was born October 18, 1833, in Buffalo, N. Y. He is the youngest of four children born to Christian and Henriette (College) Beam, both natives of Germany. When sixteen years of age, Mr. Beam began life for himself, working at the brick business from that time on to the present, first in Buffalo, till his twenty-first year ; Erie, one year ; Detroit, four years ; Chatham, Canada, three years ; Chicago, three years ; Arkansas, four years ; Chicago again, and Otis four years, when he came to Porter Station and took his present position as Superintendent of the brick yards above mentioned. Mr. Beam owns forty acres of land in Salt Creek, with fine brick houses, and town lots in Porter. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. While in Arkansas, he was pressed into the rebel service, but was soon discharged on account of sickness. In political belief, Mr. Beam has been a Democrat, but has voted the Greenback ticket and Republican, and is independent in local matters. He is a thorough business man, and one of our influential citizens. He was married in 1863, to Catherine Ackerman, a native of Germany. They have had five children - Bertha, Ernest (deceased), William, Paul and Frank.

FRANK BERGSTROM was born in 1836, in Sweden. He is one of three children born to Swan and Mary E. (Millson) Bergstrom. When sixteen years of age, Frank began his trade, and in four years began business for himself. Two years later, he married Louise Johnson, a native of Sweden. They have four children living - Fena, Minnie, Frank J. and Albert. After his marriage, he came to America and settled at Bailly Town, and also worked at his trade in La Porte about two years. He enlisted in the Seventy-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served nearly three years through all the operations of the regiment. Ho then settled at Chesterton, and has carried on his present business of harness and shoe making here ever since. He has a fine trade, always supplying everything in his line ; his is the only establishment of the kind in the northern part of the county. Mr. Bergstrom is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. He has always been a Republican, but has voted a few times with the Greenbackers. He is an industrious, thorough business man and first-class citizen. His first wife died in 1874. The following year he married Mrs. Ann E. Johnson, a native of Sweden. She has three children - Frank J., Gust, and Tilda.

THOMAS BLACKWELL, proprietor of the Chesterton Mills (or Poplar Tree Mills), was born in 1845, in Isham, England. He is one of seven children born to George and Mary (Brains) Blackwell, both natives of England. The elder Blackwell was a shepherd, and from near the home of Oliver Cromwell. The ancestors all led a pastoral life. When ten years of age, Mr. Blackwell was apprenticed to learn his trade, and went to school no more, on account of a distaste for an overbearing "master " of the times. His indentures provided for seven years, but the firm failed, and he was given his liberty at fifteen years of age. From that time until his twenty-first year, he worked as journeyman miller in England, and was always successful and determined in anything he essayed. He was now in poor health, on account of hereditary consumption, so he emigrated to America and spent a year and a half in studying American systems of milling, and with health improved returned to England expecting to stay. He married Milicent H. Leeson, a native of England, and a lady of taste and refinement. His health failing, he went to Canada, and had charge of two mills, one "three-run " and one " five-run," but after about two years he came to Illinois. He was at St. Charles about six years engaged in his trade, including millwrighting, as all apprentices of that time had to learn. In December, 1875, he came to Chesterton and bought his present mills, including a grist of "three-run,"- saw-mill, planer, matcher and machine shop, now valued at over $10,- 000. His residence, situated near the mill, is a fine two-story frame,, valued at over $2,000, finely situated. In politics, he has always been thoroughly independent.

JASPER B. BOSTWICK, ex-Postmaster, and retired, was born March 27, 1810, in New York. He is the youngest of four children born to Joseph M. and Loraine (Wheaton) Bostwick, both natives of Connecticut. Mr, Bostwick, our subject, lived on a farm in New York with his parents until twenty-one years of age. He built a tannery, but in about two years it burned, and he soon built another on the same site, but in one year nearly it was also burned, both supposed to be the work of an incendiary. He then came to La Porte County, settling in Michigan City, when in about two years he went to Wisconsin with a company to found a town, and named it Washington. In about a year, he came back to La Porte County and farmed for about three years, when he returned to Michigan City ; after a time went to Ohio, South Toledo, and engaged in merchandising for about ten years. He then came to Chesterton, and was associated with Mr. Hopkins as merchant for a time ; then appointed as Postmaster of Chesterton, continuing for about ten years. He has since retired from business on account of his deafness. While in Wisconsin, Mr. Bostwick was County Sheriff. He has always been a stanch Republican, but now favors the Greenback faith. He was married, January 19, 1834, to Elizabeth Eldridge, a native of Connecticut. She was educated at an academy in Pittsfield, Mass., and is a refined, affable lady. They have three children, all married - Ellen St. Clair, of Kansas City ; Joseph W., of Central City, Colo., engaged in mining, and Samuel E., in Golden, Colo., conductor on the Colorado Central Railroad.

JAMES S. BRADLY, carpenter and retired farmer, was born September 1, 1827, in Hamilton County, Ohio, near Cincinnati. He is the younger of two children living, born to David and Currance (Piatt) Bradly, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Connecticut. They lived in Ohio until James was about sixteen, when they came to Clinton County, Ind. Two years later, the elder Bradly died. James and the family soon went to Chicago, where he remained about seven years, engaged in carpentering. He then came to Porter County and worked at his trade for about four years in Chesterton (then Calumet), and then moved on his farm in Liberty Township. He farmed there from 1856 to the fall of 1S81, when he moved to Chesterton and again began his trade with his son, Charles D., who has worked at the trade for two years. They both have a lively run of business, and are first-class workmen. Mr. Bradly still owns his Liberty Township farm. In 1863, he entered service in the Twelfth Indiana Cavalry and served in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, and was mustered out at Vicksburg at the close of the war. He has been a member of the Sons of Temperance, the Grange, etc. He has been Township Trustee for two years. He was a Free-Soil Democrat, but has been a stanch Republican since the formation of that party. He was married, June 8, 1853, to Elizabeth M. Jones, a native of Ohio. They have three children living - Charles D., Martha E. and Lavantia. Charles D. Bradly was born March 26, 1858, in Liberty Township. He was married, June 26, 1881, to Minnie D. Dettman, a native of Chicago. James Bradly's first wife died in 1877, and in 1878 he married Mrs. Lavina Parker, a widow, and a native of New York.

FRANCIS BROWN was born in 1832 in Ireland. He is one of four children, living, born to David and Mary (McMahn) Brown, both natives of Ireland. Francis lived with his father until eighteen years of age, when he came to the United States and settled in Chicago, engaging as foreman in a lumber yard. He continued in this position for a number of years, when he came to Chesterton, and was engaged in business for twenty-four years, and has, as his present standing shows, been a successful financier. He retired from active life in the spring of 1881, and has since occupied his leisure in superintending his three farms. He has one of the finest residences in Chesterton, richly furnished. He held the office of Corporation Treasurer for two years. Mr. Brown has always been a Democrat, but of late years has concluded that men, not parties, should be the object of a citizen's vote. He is one of Chesterton's most successful financial men, and is of very active habits. He was married, May 14, 1857, to Catherine Young, a native of Ireland. They are both members of the Catholic Church. They have six children living - Sam-

FREDERICK BURSTROM was born June 17, 1826, in Sweden, and is the youngest of ten children born to Andrew and Caroline (Linburg) Burstrom. The elder Burstrom took the degree of M. D., but never practiced, while both were well educated. The grandfather, Burstrom, was a government ship-builder, but lost everything in one of the Russo-Swedish wars. When twenty-one years of age, Frederick Burstrom left home. He had received a collegiate education, but on account of his father's old age, he was persuaded to superintend his father's tannery for about four years ; he then came to the United States and settled in Chicago, engaged at his trade, but he soon had to stop the work, and came to Bailly Town and lumbered for about two years. He bought about 100 acres of land and began farming; he has since lived on this land, with the exception of three years in Illinois, engaged in the grocery business with a brother-in-law. In 1879, he spent six months visiting in Europe. He enlisted in the Thirty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served in ponton service and guarding in almost all the Southern States for eleven months. His farm is all improved and excellent land, and has been brought from its primitive state by himself. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and has been an active worker in temperance. He was Trustee for two years, and is now County Commissioner. He has always been a Republican. Mr. Burstrom was among Westchester's first settlers. He was married, in 1848, to Catherine Westrond, a native of Sweden.

REV. ANDREW CHALLMAN, minister of the Bailly Town and Chesterton Swedish Lutheran Churches, was born January 1, 1841, in Gottenborg, Sweden. He is the youngest of six children born to Andrew and Christan (Anderson) Kj oilman (Swedish spelling), both natives of Sweden. When fifteen years of age. Rev. Challman began for himself, and was engaged for the first four years in Gottenborg, in a carriage factofy, and then entered a seminary, in the same place, to prepare himself for a teacher, remaining one and one-half years. He then entered a more advanced institution at Ahlsborg, and studied for two years. He then began teaching 'in a private school for a personage corresponding to an English earl - Adolph Stackelberg - ^for two and one-half years, when he came to the United States in 1868, and settled in Bailly Town, and taught in the Swedish congregation one and one-half years, and then went to Chicago, intending to go iato business, but he was induced to teach in the Immanuel congregation for three years. He then entered the college at Paxton, 111. (now Rock Island), to prepare himself for the ministry, and was then called to several congregations - among others, Hobart, Ind. - until; in 1875, his call to Bailly Town necessitated his settling here, where he has since resided in his fine residence in close proximity to the church. Rev. Challman has always been a Republican, but is independent in local affairs. He was married, in 1866, to Gustafa A. Johnson, a native of Sweden. They have seven children - Samuel, Gust A., David, Anne G., Mary, Robert and Esther.

in New York. He is one of six children born to Roswell and Mehitable (Fox) Couch, both natives of MassachusettP. The elder Couch was a cooper by occupation. When William was eleven years old, his mother, who had been a widow for two years, went to Wellington, Ohio. He now began to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner, in Elyria, and Cleveland and Medina, under instruction, for about seven years. He then began traveling, and working at Detroit, Grand Rapids, Akron, Wellington (Ohio), and other smaller places, Delaware, in Canada, Norwalk, etc. At Norwalk, he worked for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Company for eight years, in different capacities ; at the end of which time he went to Cleveland, where his family still resides. After two years, he was appointed agent at Holmesville, Ind., for four years, when he was sent to Chesterton, where he has had control ever since. There are five by the name of Couch on the road, two cousins, our subject and his two sons. In Ohio, he was Justice of the Peace, County Sheriff, City Marshal, etc. He has been a Mason for over thirty years, having taken all the degrees in Oriental Masonry, and was Master for five years in Lorain County, Ohio He was a Whig, Free- Soiler, Abolitionist, and is now a Republican. In his earlier days, he took an active interest in politics. He was married, in 1838, to Catherine Patch, a native of Connecticut. They have three children - Edgar, Frank L. and Mary L. Kirtland, book-keeper in a wholesale furniture store in Cleveland.

JOHN C. COULTER was born June 28, 1824, in Berks County, Penn. He is the only child of Robert and Ann (Cooper) Coulter, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Maryland. The elder Coulter was a teacher by occupation, and a self-made man. The Coulters mentioned in the early history of Oregon are said to be connected with the ancestors of our subject. Mr, Coulter's maternal ancestors were Quakers, and early settlers of Maryland. When young Coulter was seven years of age, the parents moved to Crawford County, Ohio, and bought land ; young Coulter, in 1850, came to Indiana, his parents having died. He engaged in farming in Lake County for about one year, when he came to Calumet (now Chesterton), teaching and working at other things until the war began. He enlisted in 1861 in the Fortyeighth Indiana Volunteers, participating in the battle of Corinth, the siege of Vicksburg, and afterward under Sherman on his famous " march to the sea," through to Washington, then on to Louisville, where he was discharged. On his return to Chesterton, he engaged in railroading at the station for three years, when he taught three terms. He now began working in the brick yards, burning the kiln. On the day the great Chicago fire began, he was installed as station agent at Chesterton, continuing in that occupation until April, 1882, when he resigned. He still holds the express office. He also engaged in manufacturing a vegetable root beer. Mr. Coulter is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace, etc., and is at present a candidate for County Recorder on the National ticket. In polities, he is a strong Greenbacker. He was married, February 1, 1843, to Sarah Mc- Henry, a native of Ohio. They had four children, all living - William, Artelissa J., Sarah and Lana. His wife died in . October, 1874, and.

about two years later, he married his present wife, Mary Cook, a native of Columbiana County, Ohio. His parents are living at Helena, near Toledo.

HENRY DABBERT, merchant and Postmaster at Hageman, was born in 1841, in MecklenbergSchwerin, Germany. He is the youngest of three children living born to Fred and Christina Dabbert, both natives of Germany. The elder Dabbert had charge of the Duke's race-horaes. When fifteen years of age, Henry worked for himself at different things, until he came to the United States in 1864. He settled in Chicago, and was engaged for eight years following in a chair factory. He then went into the wholesale grocery business in Chicago. At the end of five years, he came to Hageman, and bought his present store. He keeps a full line of groceries, dry goods, boots and shoes, provisions, hardware, notions, etc. His stock at first was worth about $500. He has built the only brick store in the place, with his dwelling in the second story ; now, his stock is increased to about $3,000, with an extensive trade. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church. In 1875, he was made Postmaster, and has held the ofiSce ever since. In political belief, he is a Republican and is an enterprising, industrious man and public-spirited citizen. He was married, in 1864, to Maria Zulke, a native of Germany; they have six children - Ida, Henry, Annie, Emma, Emilia, Frank.

NATHAN DEMASS was born August 4, 1840, in Akron, Ohio. He is one of eight children born to Nathan and Elizabeth (Nye) Demass, both natives of New York. The elder Demass was in the battle of Sackett's Harbor, in the war of 1812. In 1853, the family moved to Chicago and Nathan began his trade of carpenter, working at it until 1857, when they came to (Old Porter), now Porter, Porter County, and bought eighty acres of land ; Nathan stayed on the farm until 1862, when he enlisted in the Seventy-third Indiana ; he was with his regiment during all its experience, through to Lexington, Nashville, Alabama, on the Col. Straight raid, captured, exchanged, kept at Belle Isle, City Point, guarding prisoners at Indianapolis, building forts at Nashville, about a year on a Government cotton farm in Alabama, being mustered out 1865. He now returned to Chesterton, engaged in his trade, and was married in January 24, 1866, to Marcia Brush, a native of Vermillion, Ohio, and daughter of a ship-builder. He began carpentering, increasing his business constantly, hiring two men, then three or four, and so on until he has under his supervision from seventeen to twenty men constantly, also fivei horses for teaming; he contracts for anything in the carpenter line, such as bridge-building, schoolhouses, churches, house-moving, etc. His residence is one of the best in Chesterton, and finely situated. He is a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity. Mr. Demass has always been a stanch Republican. He has five children - Charles, Elmer, Gracie, Ray and

EDWIN L. FURNESS was born May 9, 1832, in Portland, Me. He is the youngest of three children born to Benjamin C. and Mary J. (Roberts) Furness, both natives of Maine. The elder Furness was a sea captain. His maternal great-grandfather was in the Revolutionary war, and donated a vessel for the Government war service, but refused a pension he was entitled to. His paternal great-grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier and one of the founders of South Berwick (Me.) Academy, a, college well known in the East. Thomas Leigh, an uncle, was a Major in the war of 1812, and founded the town of Leigh's Mills. Nearly all of Mr. Furness' ancestors were sea-faring men. When our subject was about eight years old, the elder Furness was lost at sea, and his mother died a short time after. He then went to live with his grandmother at South Berwick. When thirteen, he was attacked by the prevalent " sea fever " among boys, and ran away to sea, on board the " California," to the Carolinas, to London, to Wales and back to New York. - He was now persuaded to go to school, to the above-mentioned academy, where he took a classical course. He then began teaching and farming for two years, when he came West to Kane County, 111., where he taught two years. In 1853, he went Bast, and was married to Louise M. Graves, of Thomaston, Me. He then went to Batavia, 111., where he bought a. store and stone quarry. In 1856, he came to Furnessville, and engaged in lumbering, in the firm of Morgan, Furness & Co., continuing until 1862, when the firm dissolved, and he has continued in the same business ever since, in connection with farming, and about three years in a stave factory, in which he lost considerable money. His attention is now devoted principally to farming his possessions, of between two and three thousand acres in Westchester and Pine Townships. Through the eiforts of Mr. Furness, the station and post office of Furnessville was established, of which he was the first agent and Postmaster, and near which his residence is situated. He was a member of the Grange and Good Templar orders. He has always been a strong Republican, and was a candidate in 1874 for State Senator, but was in the then unpopular temperance movement and was defeated. He is the father of six children living - Clara N. Leigh, of St. Louis ; Winnie F. Rose, of Valparaiso ; Leigh, of St. Louis ; Martha, Dwight, Mary.

JOHN GONDRING was born April 15, 1831, in Treves, in Rhenish Prussia. He is one of six children born to Michael and Catharine (Pfiffer) Gondring, the former a native of Luxemburg, and the latter of Alsace. The elder Pfifi"er was a subaltern oflBcer in the French Army in 1812. The elder Gondring was a Prussian Government contractor. When Squire Gondring was thirteen years old, he left Loraine, in one of the French Catholic pilgrimage companies, to Treves, and went to Paris, and was employed in one of the large railroad car-spring manufacturing companies of Paris as errand boy for four years. He then made application to the French Government to go to Algeria to join a colony ; he was successful, and went through Marseilles, across the Mediterranean, and was given charge of twenty Spanish jacks, to carry merchandise, etc.. and was often called out to fight the native tribes. After about nine months, he went back to France and worked for his old company until the Revolution of 1848; he joined the Paris temporary guard until Napoleon was elected President, in 1849, when he went to Italy, intending to go to Rome to join Garibaldi's army, but stopped in Piedmont. Here he joined the Italians, but after the defeat at Novara, they were given choice of passes to Hungary or Baden, where there were revolutaons, and they went to Baden. He joined the German revolutionists. He was taken prisoner at Rastadt, and sentenced to over three years at.

V isolated labor at the spinning wheel. After his release, he was compelled to join the Huzzars, but in about three days he deserted and went to Antwerp, where he was engaged as hotel porter, on account of ability to speak French and German, until he made enough to take him to America, three months later. He soon went to work on the Sault Ste. Marie Canal at Lake Superior, then soon to Detroit, Chicago, then to different places, and on steamers on Lake Michigan. In 1854, he began work for Hiram Joy, the Chicago ice king, remaining nine years, when he bought land near Chesterton ; for a year was in Chicago, also at Lake Superior, where he made considerable money. For some time, he was Deputy Sheriff in Houghton, Mich., near Lake Superior. He is the originator of the present brick-yards at New Porter. Since 1875, He has farmed. For four years before, he kept store at New Porter. He has been a member of the I. 0. 0. F. Lodge. Since 1876, he has been Justice of the Peace. He was married November 15, 1855, to Elizabeth Foederath, a German. She died exactly ten years after her marriage. In 1868, he married Theresa Kuhn, also a German. He has five children living. He is Independent in politics, a public-spirited citizen and a live business man.

HIRAM GREEN, M. D. and druggist, was born July 19, 1829, in Oneida County, N. Y. He is the youngest of three brothers living, born to Tillinghast and Theodosia (Kellogg) Green, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New York. The elder Green was a minis^ ter of the Baptist faith, and a regimental musician of the war of 1812, He died at the advanced age of ninety-one. The Doctor lived with his father until twelve years of age - six years in New York, and the follow^ ing six in Ohio. In his twelfth year, he entered a normal school, hiring out for four months at $7 a month, at the end of which time his $28 was partly invested in clothes, books and tuition. He continued thus for two years, working for his board and tuition, and had 30 cents of the original $28 left at the end of the time ; he immediately began the study of medicine with his brother in New Lisbon, Ohio ; he had peculiar advantages with his brother that enabled him to begin practicing at the end of six years ; he then went to Birmingham, opposite Pittsburgh, where the cholera was raging to the extent that half the town had died or left. He very fortunately received the practice of a well-established physician who was compelled to leave. Dr. Green soon went to Warren, Ohio, to take care of his brother's family, the brother having died. About one year later, he went to Somerset, Hillsdale Co., Mich., and after a residence of six months was attacked by the " California gold fever," a company offering inducements if he would go and give medical aid. He started, but on arriving at Michigan City, he was taken sick, ill health following for two years. As soon as able, he came to Chesterton and took a school, but soon gave it up to practice, living at Gosset's Mill for about four years, when he came to Chesterton, the war having begun, and recruited a company, of which he was commissioned Lieutenant, and afterward Captain ; about three months later, he was re-commissioned Assistant Surgeon on the medical staff at Nashville, serving under trying difficulties. After a time, on account of ill health, he resigned and returned to Porter County, locating in Wheeler, where he remained about three years, -and then came to Chesterton. For about fifteen years, he answered every call, but his wife's health compelled him to confine his practice, and he soon went into the drug business, though of late years he has done much riding. His drug store, one of the most tasteful in the county, is of his own design. Dr. Green is a member of the F. & A. M. Commandery, and of the I. 0. 0. F., and at present Township Trustee. He was formerly a Republican, but is now a Greenbacker. He was married, in the spring of 1854, to Elsie Corey, a native of Michigan City, and a niece of Jesse Harper, Chairman of the National Greenback Central Committee. They have had three children - Florence A. (deceased) Cora B. and Aylmer E.

HENRY HAGBMAN was born November 21, 1816, in Union County, Ind. (then Indiana Territory). , He is the youngest of two children living born to John and Hannah (Batton) Hageman, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Virginia. Henry Batto'n, grandfather of our subject, was a Revolutionary soldier, and the father served in the war of 1812 as Major. Grandfather Batton lived to the advanced age of nearly one hundred years. Mr. Hageman, our subject, lived but a short time in Union County, Ind. ; went to Montgomery County ; then to Fountain County, where he received the most of his education, in the town of Robroy, laid out by a brother-in-law. When about twelve years old, he came to La Porte County, and after a year came to Porter County, and the family soon followed. Mr. Hageman has farmed almost continuously since, with the exception of two winters at Indian trading, in which he spoke two Indian languages. He lived two years in Bock Island County, 111., where he owned land. Before Mr. Hageman divided any of his property among his children, he had about six hundred acres, all in Westchester and Portage Townships. In 1879, he laid out the town of Hageman, at the Michigan Central and L. S. & M. S. crossing. He has been a member of the M. E. Church for about forty years, and is now Recording Steward and District Steward. He has been Trustee and Assessor of the township and was a delegate . to the Congressional Conventions in 1880 and 1882. He has been a Republican since about 1854. He is a man of great energy and enthusiasm, and is one of our most public-spirited citizens and among our leaders in public affairs. He was married, in 1836, to Hannah J. Gosset, a native of Indiana. They have six children living - Sarah J., John, Mariah, Rosa, Lilan and Hannah F.

JOHN HALLBERG was born May 30, 1825, in Sweden. He is the youngest of three brothers born to John and Mary (Danielson) Johnson, both natives of Sweden. John's name, Hallberg, was. given him on account of his being a soldier ; otherwise, it would have been Johnson. When twenty-one years of age, he began working for himself at the trade he had learned under his father, viz., shoemaking. When thirty years old, he began farming and continued up to 1866, when he came to the United States, stopping in New Jersey six months, and Chicago six months, and finally settling on his present farm of forty-five acres of fine land, mostly improved, and his son's - Pehr Afred's twenty acres since added. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. He was a Republican in politics untjil 1876, when he adopted the Greenback faith. He is one of our first

Swedish farmers, and among our best citizens. He was married, in 1846, to Eliza Maria Swanaon, a native of Sweden. He has two children - John A. (who was given the name "2000 " in Sweden, but adopted his father's name on coming to America), and Pehr A.

MICHAEL C. HEFRON, telegraph operator, was born March 10, 1861, in Chesterton. He is the youngest of two brothers born to Morris and Elizabeth (Ryan) Hefron, both natives of Ireland. The elder Hefron was one of Chesterton's early merchants and Justice of the Peace. He came to the United States and settled in La Porte, and then came to Chesterton, where he was married, and lived until his death, which occurred in 1863. M. C. Hefron has always made his home in Chesterton, and was connected with the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern grain house for several years. He learned telegraphy in Chesterton, and has become among our first-class operators, with a talent and business capacities peculiarly adapted to his chosen profession. He was educated first at Chesterton, and afterward at the St. Paul Academy at Valparaiso, Ind., and, as a consequence, is well prepared for business life. He is a student, with a library of 150 volumes and periodicals. He takes an interest in political questions, is independent, partaking of the prevailing opposition to the old parties. He is a land-holder, and has already laid the foundation of a future fortune.

DAVID H. HOPKINS (deceased) was born July 29, 1820, in New York. He was the elder son of David and Susan Hopkins, both natives of New York. Our subject lived at home until 1844, when he was married to Cynthia C. Barney, a native of Ohio, They went to Chicago and lived for three months. He had learned his trade of cooper of his father and now began business extensively. They went to Michigan, but in a year went to Bailly Town and then to City West, Porter County, where he employed forty or fifty men. In about two years, he went to Chesterton, and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1870. Besides coopering he kept a general merchandise store. Mr. Hopkins was a member of the Odd Fellows order. He was a stanch Republican and took an active interest in politics, and an energetic, able business man and financier, and an enterprising public-spirited citizen. The Methodist Episcopal Church was built mainly through his efforts. He was one of Chesterton's earliest settlers, and built some of its first bouses and owned much of its property. With the exception of two years in Valparaiso, the Widow Hopkins lived in Chesterton until the fall of 1881, when she went to Michigan City, where she resides at present in quiet retirement. She has four children living - Laura E. Pinney, Gurdon H., Albert E. and Maud.

GEORGE E. HOUSER, photographer, was born May 16, 1863, in Wells County, Ind. He was one of ten children born to William and Nancy (Mygrants) Houser, both natives of the Buckeye State. The elder Houser was among the early settlers of Wells County, and at present owns 160 acres in Huntington and Wells Counties, where he still -lives, on the county line. When about seventeen, George began learning his trade in Westville, La Porte Co., Ind., and after an apprenticeship of about four months he went to Michigan City, and there finished. In April, 1882, he came to Chesterton and established his present studio, where he is prepared to do anything in his line, such as photos, Indiaink, enlarging, etc. He is a first-class workman of good taste and ability, and a promising young man of refined habits. In politics, he has been under Democratic influences, but considers himself independent. He has been a member of the Albright Church.

CHARLES HYLANDER, of the firm of Hylander Bros., was born May 2, 1849, in Sweden. He is the youngest of nine children born to J. M. and Anna S. (Malmberg) Hylander, both natives of Sweden. Charles lived with his father until sixteen years of age ; he then entered a store in Helsingborg for three years, when he came to the United States and settled in Porter County; here he worked at different things until 1874; he then ran a restaurant for some years. In June, 1881, he, with his brother, bought their present building and established a dry goods, grocery, hat, cap and queensware store, and have built up one of the best trades in the city. He was elected Justice of the Peace, but did not qualify. He was a Republican until Grant's second administration, when he joined the Democratic ranks, but on the formation of the Greenback party he voted with that; he is now independent. The brothers are both excellent business men, and among our enterprising citizens. Charles was married in 1874, to Lina Swanson, a native of Sweden. They have three children - Ida M., Matilda M. and Charles 0., Jr.

August Hylander, the other member of the firm of Hylander Brothers, was born August 21, 1838, in Sweden ; he lived at home until thirteen years old, when he entered as clerk in a store in Helsingborg, remaining for eighteen years. He then came to America and settled in Porter County and has been here ever since, with the exception of a short time in Chicago. In 1876, he began clerking for Jay Pinney, and continued until he, with his brother, established their present firm. He is a member of th,e Swedish Lutheran Church. The brothers are of similar belief in politics. August was married in 1881, to Matilda Swanson, a native of Sweden ; they have one boy - Ernst W.

DANIEL P. INGRAHAM, lumberman, was born November 24, 1834, in Providence, New Brunswick. He is one of nine children born to Charles and Betsy (Courser) Ingraham, both natives of New Brunswick. The elder Ingraham was of English parentage and a member of the Christian Church. Young Ingraham lived in New Brunswick until about sixteen years of age, when the family came to Batavia, 111., and engaged in farming and lumbering for about four years. The family there separated, and Daniel went to Marengo, 111., where he engaged in railroading and farming for several years. After a journey to the West and back, lasting about a year, he engaged in lumbering for about a year in Michigan. In January, 1861, he came to Chesterton, where he has lived ever since, and has built up the most extensive lumbering trade in the northern part of the county, outside of Valparaiso. He buys, manufactures and ships lumber to the Chicago market. He has two portable saw-miUs in Jackson and Westchester Townships. He has been a member of the Good Templars, Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, and also a member of the M. E. Church. He was Township Trustee for four years. He has always been a stanch Republican, and has been an Abolitionist, and now favors the Prohibition movement. He is Superintend- ent of the M. E. Sunday school. He was married, in June, 1859, to Lois A. Bulard, a native of Marengo, 111. They have five children - Minnie, Frank, Maud, Harriet and Charles.

GLAUS JOHNSON, one of Chesterton's business men, was born March 29, 1850, in Sweden. He is one of three children living born to John S. and Mary (Swanson) Johnson, both natives of Sweden. When about twenty years old, Mr. Johnson came to America, and settled in Bailly Town, Porter County. With the exception of two summers in Michigan and three summers "in Elkhart, Ind., he has been in Porter County ever since, working on the railroad until Jalnuary, 1878, when he began his present business, where he has rooms equal to any of the kind in the place. He has been a member of the Swedish Lutheran . Church and was a Republican until 1878, when he became a Democrat, and still believes in that party. Mr. Johnson is one of Chesterton's property owners and alive business men. He was married, in 1879, to Sophia Linden, a native of Sweden. They have one child - Edgart T.

GUSTUS JOHNSON was born November 4, 1836, in Sweden. He is one of nine children born to John P. and Johannah Johnson. When Gustus was twenty years of age, he came to the United States and settled in Porter County, and after teaming for about two years in Westchester Township, he came to Chesterton. In 1862, he enlisted in the Seventythird Indiana Volunteer Infantry as teamster, but in a short time, enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Indiana, and served under Thomas, in the West ; then was sent to North Carolina, where he served for a year, after the close of the war, on garrison duty. After a short time in Chesterton, he went to Kansas, but after about one and a half years he came back, and has been here ever since, engaged in different things until June, 1881, when he bought the "Indiana House" (now Johnson Hotel). Having taken it when badly out of repair, he has made a thorough cleaning, papering, painting, etc., and built an addition 16x32 feet with two-stories, at an expense of probably $500. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. In politics, he has always been a Democrat, but voted a few times the Greenback ticket. He was married, in 186P, to Christina Swanson, a native of Sweden. They have three children living - Johannah C. E., Oscar W. L. and Ida C.

P. A. JOHNSON was born February 27, 1851, in Sweden. He is the youngest of nine children born to Johnnis and Johannah (Donnoldson) Johnson, both natives of Sweden. Young Johnson lived with his father in Sweden until his seventeenth year, when he emigrated to the the United States, locating for a time in Paxton, 111.; thence went to Water Valley, Miss., for about five years, engaging in work in a sash and blind factory ; he then came to Chesterton, and, in March, 1881, bought the stock of dry goods and groceries kept in his building by a Mr. Diddie, and has built up a rapidly increasing trade ; he has probably one of the best-selected stocks in the place, with a trade second to none ; he is a moderate Republican ; he is an enterprising young man, of quiet habits and good taste.

DR. ERASMUS J. JONES, physician at New Porter, was born, in 1814, in Ohio ; he is one of twelve children born to Erasmus and Mary (Sellarsj Jones, both natives of Virginia. The elder Jones was one of the first settlers of Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1778. Dr. Jones' mother was -well educated, and, as there were few or no educational facilities in those days, she educated her son to nearly all he received, but, as the Doctor is a self-made man, he early became interested in the study of medicine before he had the least idea of making it a profession, and did so only because he was urged to. The Doctor lived, married, studied and practiced medicine in the house in which he was born until 1846 ; he had studied and reported progress to a physician near, but as M. D.'s were "few and far between," and it was a sickly season, he was pressed into practice when sixteen years old. In 1840, he went to Philadelphia and attended the Jefferson Medical College. In 1846, he went in partnership with his brother-in-law. Dr. J. Gr. Kyle, an excellent physician in Southwestern Ohio, but, on account of his wife's health, he concluded to go West in 1851, and procured a "four-horse" team and driver and started, intending to go to Iowa. Upon arriving in Porter County, his family took sick, which caused him to stop, and, on account of inducements offered by the people of Gosset settlement, he located there, intending to stay but a short time, but remained until 1859, when he was elected County Clerk, and lived in Valparaiso for two terms. He then removed to Chesterton, where he resumed practice, and was in the drug business until 1881 ; then came to New Porter, where he still resides and practices. Ilis robust constitution enables him to do more than the share of one physician. He has been a member of both F. & A. M. and Odd Fellow fraternities. He was elected Justice of the Peace before he was twentyone, and had to wait till of age for his commission. Dr. Jones has always been a strong Abolitionist and a Republican. He was married, in 1836, to Susan McCafferty, a native of Ohio. She died in 1839. In 1846, he married Elizabeth BuUard, a native of Xenia, Ohio. The Doctor has six children, living - Laura Terry, Theo. C, Mary J. Sovereign, Joseph A., Schuyler C. and Willie.

REV. H. F. J. KROLL, priest of the Catholic Church at Chester ton and its surrounding missions, was born October 4, 1855, in Baltimore, Md. He is the elder of two brothers born to Henry and Theresa (Freimuth) Kroll, both natives of Hesse-Cassel, Germany. The elder Kroll still lives in Baltimore, engaged in the grocery business. Father Kroll was in the Baltimore Parochial Schools until thirteen years of age ; then attended a priesthood preparatory college in the same city for two years ; he then entered St. Vincent College, in Westmoreland, Penn., conducted by the Benedictine Fathers. After two years, he went to Milwaukee St. Francis Seminary, where he finished his preparation for the priesthood in five years ; he was now ordained by Bishop Dwenger, of Fort Wayne, Ind., June 31, 1879, and given the Chesterton parish and its missions. When Rev. Kroll took the charge, it was encumbered by a debt of $1,560, the church poorly furnished, and a membership of thirty-five families, etc. The debt was paid over a year ago, the church well furnished, th« number of families increased to fifty-five, the cemetery improved, a fine brick parsonage, 24x44 feet, erected and paid for ; this is the fruit of the untiring and persistent energy and ability of its pastor. The intention of Rev. Kroll is to establish a Catholic school this coming winter. These facts show the church to be in excellent conditon. He has a fine library

ROBERT B. LANSING was born January 10, 1810, in Vermont. He is one four children, living, born to Robert and Martha (Bingham) Lansing, the former a native of New York City, and the latter of Vermont. The Van Rensselaers, of New York fame, and the Lansings were related. The elder Lansing was in the war of 1812. The city of Lansing, Mich., derived its name, it is said, from relatives of our subject. When Robert B. was quite young, his parents moved to Ohio. Robert followed millwrighting for about twenty-seven years in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. He educated himself in advanced studies, and was enabled to teach for five years. In 1849, he came to Chesterton and bought eighty acres of land in Liberty Township, where he farmed until 1880, when he sold out and has since lived in Chesterton. He was Trustee for about four years, and Justice of the Peace for about the same time. He has been a strong Republican and an Abolitionist. In 1861, he enlisted in the Thirty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served three years under Buell and others in the West, and was injured by an accidental fall while charging breastworks at Green River. He was married, in 1828, to Amy A. Burlingame, who died about eight years later. In 1841, he married Sarah A. Cox, a native of Tennessee. Mr. Lansing has three children living - Caroline Dille, Mary J. Young and Isaac.

CHARLES LAWSON, farmer, was born in 1825 in Sweden. He is one of seven children born to Carl and Lora M. (Anderson) Lawson, both natives of Sweden. The elder Lawson was a soldier of the Swedish regular army for thirty years. When ten years old, Mr. Lawson left home and worked out at farming until twenty-one years of age, when he married Hannah Nelson, of Sweden. She died four years later. He had 160 acres of land on which they lived. They had one child. About one year later, he married Charlotte Anderson, of Sweden. He now farmed about two years, when he came to the United States and settled in La Porte, Ind., near which he rented 160 acres for five years. He then came to Porter Post Officesettlement, and bought and cleared the farm owned at present by Mr. Engberg. He then bought his present farm of about 190 acres of good land. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. In political faith, he has always been a strong Republican. He is one of our most enterprising farmers and publicspirited citizens. He has three children living - Charles W., Emma C. and Gust A.

DAVID LONG, one of Porter Station's business men, was born in 1839, in Bufialo, N. Y. He is one of five children born to Benjamin and Seba (Stayle) Long, both natives of Pennsylvania. When David was thirteen years of age, they came to Porter Station, and engaged in farming and milling; when David was eighteen, he owned the present Pierce Mills, of Union Township, until about twenty-four years old, when he went to Jackson Township and engaged in saw-milling. In 1869, he and others built the Liberty Mills, at present owned by Mr. Wheeler. In 1877, he went to Millersburg, Ind., and remained about two years. He then came to Porter Station and embarked in his present business. He has the only rooms of the kind in town, kept in an orderly manner. In politics

JOHN B. LUNDBERG was born January 13, 1840, in Sweden, and is one of seven children born to Charles and Eva C. Lundberg. The elder Lundberg was a tailor and afterward farmer. The mother of our subject having died at his birth, the father married again, and when Mr. Lundberg was about twelve years old they came to the United States and settled in Chicago, where the father soon died. Mr. L. lived with his step-mother, she having married again, until 1866, when he came to Chesterton. He had learned cabinet-making in Chicago, and now began business for himself; besides the furniture business, he erected a turning factory, by which he expected to furnish turned work for the Chicago market, but, after about four years, the buildings burned ; he rebuilt them, and in addition to that went into the broom-handle business. He also bought land, cutting and shipping the timber. In 1875, he sold his other interests, and has since confined himself to undertaking and dealing in furniture. He belonged to a Chicago Swedish society for the promotion of education, charity, etc. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken all the Blue Lodge degrees. He has been Township Trustee for six years, also Township Assessor for four years. He has been a Republican, but is now a member of the National party. He was married in the spring of 1871 to Phebe A. Hammond, a native of New York. He has one child - Eva. C.

HENRY R. McDonald, farmer and lumberman, was born in Canada in 1831. He is one of nine children, living, born to Walter and Betsy (Dean) McDonald, the former a native of New Brunswick and the latter of New York. The eldei* McDonald was drafted into the British service in the war of 1812, and two of his sons were in the Canadian rebellion. The McDonalds came from Scotland and settled in New York, but at the Declaration of Independence they went to Canada ; but the last generation has settled under Uncle Sam's protection. Senator Mc- Donald is a distant relative, and the name is well known in Scottish history. When Mr. McDonald was thirteen years old, his father died, and three years later he went to New York and farmed for five or six years, with the exception of one year in Michigan. He then spent about a year in Wisconsin. He was married, in 1850, to Martha Wilson, born in Dublin, Ireland. He then went to St. Paul, Minn., but in about a year he came to his present settlement, now known as Furnessville, and is the oldest settler now living there. He was employed about five years at lumbering, and then began lumbering for himself, and is now one of our largest land-owners, and is the largest tax payer in Westchester ; a member of both the F. & A. M. and I. 0. 0. P. He was, up to the Garfield campaign, a Democrat, but has since been a Republican. He has six children living - Charles, Martha Jones, Fannie Lynn, Abbie, Henry and Mary.

MRS. MARTHA McDONALD, hotel proprietress at Hageman, was born in New York City in 1835. She is the youngest of thirteen children born to William and Mary (Dale) Wilson, both natives of Dublin. When Mrs. McDonald was about nine years old, her parents moved to Watertown, Wis. In 1851, she married Mr. McDonald, and went to St.

Paul, Minn. They then went to Michigan, then to Michigan City, then to Furnessville, where they remained until the fall of 1881, when they separated and she went to Illinois, but soon came to Hageman and established a hotel, the only one in the place, where the traveling public are cordially welcomed and cared for. . Mrs. McDonald is a lady of some wealth and taste. She has six children living - Charles, Martha, Fannie, Abbie, Henry and Mary.

FREDERICK MICHAELS, merchant and Postmaster at Porter Post OflSce, was born April 27, 1829, in Prussia, Germany. He is the only child living of Frederick and Wilhelmine (Mix) Michaels, both natives of Germany. The elder Michaels had a trade, not common as a trade in this country, viz., the finishing and adjusting ornaments, crosses, etc., on towers. Mr. Michael's father died when the former was ten years of age ; and four years later our subject began shoemaking in Breslau, and traveled in Germany until 1853, when he came to the United States and settled in La Porte, where he remained until 1855, engaged as tailor, shoemaker, etc. He then came to Porter Post OflSce without money, and engaged in railroading and carpentering, and took his present store, then very limited. He has been engaged as merchant, exclusively, for about twenty years, and has built all his buildings himself. He has two dwellings, store and dwelling, green house, windmills, etc., in " Old Porter," and nearly a quarter section of one of Westchester's finest farms, known as the Frayd farm, what is known as the " depot grounds," and town lots, etc. He has a fine family vault in the Bailly Town Cemetery, value about $1,000. He was made Postmaster January 15, 1873, and has held the office ever since. He is a member of the Valparaiso Commandery, No. 28, and also of the Consistory. He owns a business block in Chicago, on Ogden and Central Park avenues. Since the birth of the Republican party, he has been one of its stanch supporters. He married, after he came to Porter County, Mrs. Henriette Dedskind, a native of Saxony, now deceased. In 1876, he married his present wife - Bertha Fleming, a native of Saxony, and sister of his late wife. He has an adopted child - Paul F., and five step-children - Hilmar, Mrs. Franciska Faust, Mrs. Emma Lyon, Martha Fleming and Curt.

ROBERT E. MILLER, M. D., was born May 26, 1846, in Norwalk, Ohio. He is the eldest of four children born to Robert and Harriet (Wilkinson) Miller, the former of Connecticut, and the latter of Pennsylvania. Dr, Miller's grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. The elder Miller soon went from Norwalk to go to Illinois, but stopped in Hobart, Lake Co., Ind., working at his trade of blacksmith. He entered near there 240 acres of land, and moved onto it, living there and clearing until 1852, when, as one of the victims of the "gold fever," he went to California. He left his family on the farm, the mother taking care of it, and struggling to educate her family - she having been a teacher. After a stay of six years in California and one year in British Columbia, along the Frazer River, he came home, and died March 21, 1882, at the age of seventy-seven years. The mother is still living on the old homestead. Dr. Miller had but few advantages of education before of age, but he possessed a love for reading. Five months before he was twenty-one, his father reluctantly consented to his entreaties to attend school, without any help from him. He went, and by cutting wood, boarding himself, working odd hours, etc., succeeded in paying his way. He then came home and worked for his father, doing this a part of the season, and acting as agent another part, for about two years; then alternated teaching and farming the two following years. He then began the study of medicine in the fall of 1871, with Dr. Morrical, of Chesterton, for three years, when he entered the Rush Medical College of Chicago, taking one term of lectures. He then practiced over four years in Hobart, his old home, when he sold his practice, and, returning to Chicago, graduated. He remained in the city taking post-graduate studies, experimenting and studying city practice, for about eighteen months. In 1881, he returned to Chesterton, his preceptor having moved away, and began building up a practice, and has succeeded remarkably for a young physician. He is a member of both F. & A. M. and I. 0. 0. F. fraternities, of Hobart, Ind. He has held all the different oflSces in the Odd Fellows Lodge, including Grand Representative. He is a moderate Republican ; a very conscientious man, of studious habits and one of our best citizens. In June, 1876, Dr. Miller laid out the village plat of Crisman, at the junction of the M. C. and B. & 0. R. R.'s. It comprises thirtysix acres.

JOHN G. MORGAN was born September 12, 1832, near Kingsbury, La Porte Co., Ind. He is the youngest of five children, living, born to Jesse and Jane (Cisna) Morgan, the former of Virginia, and the latter born near Detroit, Mich. (For account of the settlement of the elder Morgan, see the general history of Westchester and the county). When John was but six months old, they moved to what is now Porter County, and settled in the present Morgan settlement, and bought a quarter section of the finest land in the county, and pre-empted another quarter. Here the family was reared, inured to the hardships of pioneer life, with limited means of education, but with a love for reading that supplies the want. Jesse Morgan died when John G. was twenty-one years old ; the latter still lived with the family up to 1867. In 1860, he was married to Mary A. Holland, a native of Canada. Her parents came from Ireland. The homestead was divided in 1867, and our subject received 177 acres, and has since added until he now owns about 381 acres, with good buildings ; he has a fine grove, much used for picnics, etc. He is a member of the I.,0. 0. F. of twenty-six years' standing. He has always been a Democrat, but is liberal in local afiairs. He is one of our most intelligent and thoroughgoing farmers, and among our first citizens. He has three children living - Bently J., Agnes C. and Annie H.

JOHN MURPHY, cooper, was born June 15, 1823, in Ireland. He is one of three children born to Martin and Mary (Byrne) Murphy, both natives of Ireland. When nineteen years of age, Mr. Murphy came to the United States and settled in South Hero Island, Lake Champlain, for two years, when he went to Montezuma, N. Y. After about two years, he went to a town near Auburn, N. Y., and stayed until he came to City West in the fall of 1857. After a four years' residence here, he went to Chicago and remained a year. He then came to Chesterton and was engaged as foreman in Mr. Hopkins' shops for about six years, when he established shops of his own, but was at one time in partnership with

Messrs. Thomas & Hopkins. He is an excellent workman and ships a large amount of stock to the Chicago market. He has been a member of the I. 0. 0. F. fraternity, and has been trained in the Catholic Church. He has held the oflSce of Township Trustee and other offices. He has always been a Democrat, with the exception of the Whig and war periods. He is a thoroughly conscientious man, of broad information and good judgment, and a citizen of sterling worth. He was married, June 18, 1848, to Mary Dooley, a native of Rochester, N. Y. They have seven children living - Mary R., Edward, James, Frank, Joseph, Lucy and Ella.

- W. B. OWEN, Sr., of the firm of Hinchliff & Owen, brick-yards, at Porter, was born June 5, 1834, in Crown Point, N. Y. .He is the only child of Hiram and Betsy Owen, both natives of New York. The elder Owen was a stone-cutter ; the ancestors were purely Yankee. Mr. Owen's father and mother both died when he was nine years old. He was thrown on his own resources without even a guardian, and worked on farms until about seventeen, when he entered the machine shops at Springfield, Mass., for about ten years. At Boston, he worked for the next five years at the same trade. At the-end of this time, he went to Salt Lake City, having traveled with mules 1,700 miles to Virginia City, where he worked in the mines one summer. In the fall he came to Chicago, where he remained about five years, engaged in the machine shops about two years, and afterward in the brick-yard business. On December 12, 1867, he married Annie Pride, a native of Glasgow, Scotland. He then went to Champaign, 111., and began farming 640 acres of land, one of the best farms of the county, but it being the dry year of the great fire, he remained but twelve months. He then went to Porter Station and started what was known as the old " Kellogg " brick-yard. He soon bought a third interest in one of his present yards, owned at that time by Moulding & Harland ; after being partner for a time, he sold out and was their foreman for about seven years. He then bought out the senior member, and fourteen acres of brick-yard land of a Mr. Tuttle. The firm then bought nineteen acres of Mr. Hageman, on which they established a steam yard, with the capacity of 30,000 brick per day. The firm then bought 200 acres woodland of George Morgan, and also the Waterbury & Mills brick-yard, at Hobart, Ind., where they put in steam appliances ; capacity 40,000 per day. Harland then sold his interest to Hinchliff, of Chicago, with whom Mr. Owen is at present partner. The firm put in a 2,200-foot side track connecting the yards with the L. S. & M. S. Ry. The firm now have 150 hands employed in Porter and Hobart (100 in Porter), all steam yards, with a capacity of 65,000 per day in Porter, and 105,000 per day in Porter and Hobart. Mrs. Owen kept from fifteen to twenty-five boarders in Porter for about seven years, and in the interim built a residence in Chicago, and bought 110 acres of woodland near Porter Station, the latter through Mrs. Owen's personal efforts. Mr. 0. is a member of the F. and A. M. order and a stanch Republican. He has three children - Jesse C, Leonard and an infant. OSCAR S. PETERSON, retired farmer, was born in 1837 in Sweden. He is one of eight children born to John and Anna (Lindstadt) Peterson, both natives of Sweden. When sixteen years of age, Mr.

Peterson left home and came to the United States, and settled in Chicago, and was engaged in building the early Chicago "plank streets." In a short time, he went to Aurora, 111., and learned and worked at upholstering for about three years. He then went to Lyons, Iowa, and established his business there, but failed, and as he was but nineteen years of age, and lost all, he shipped on a steamboat as " roustabout " to St. Louis, where he was without work and food for about three days, but soon got work near, on a farm, for all winter. He afterward bought a team, and began farming in Madison County, 111. After two years, he moved to Westchester Township, and began farming in Waverly, remaining there eleven years, when he bought his present farm of 209 acres of fine land, near Chesterton, on which he lives in a beautifully situated brick, nearly hidden by a fine grove. He has altogether about three hundred and thirty acres, indicating him to be a successful farmer and financier. He has been a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church. He has always been a Republican, bjit in local affairs is liberal. He was married, in 1861, to Christina S. Carlson, a native of Sweden. They have four children - Charles A., Ida B., Arthur 0. and Cora M. In 1863, he went to Sweden on business, and on the way there and back he visited and traveled through Norway, Germany, France, Denmark, all Great Britain and Ireland, to see the countries.

MARTIN PHARES, Sk., farmer, was born May 16, 1816, in Greene County, Ohio. He is the youngest of ten children born to Robert and Mary (Clevenger) Phares, both natives of New Jersey. Martin lived with his father until twenty-two years old, and received the usual early educational advantages. He married, October 24, 1837, Maria Shafer, a native of Luzerne -County, Penn. In 1841, they came to Porter County, and bought eighty acres of the present farm, now consisting of 124 acres of good land, well improved, and farmed by their son, Fremont. Martin Phares taught a few terms of school here, held the oflBce of Township Trustee, and in politics was a Whig, then joined the Republican ranks, from which he never separated. He died February 21, 1882, and his widow is living on the old farm with her son. She is an intelligent elderly lady, respected by all who know her. They have eight children - Samuel M., Emeline Biggs, Mary A. Wheeler, Adam P., Martin L., Lydia M., John C. F. and Amy C.

MARTIN LUZERNE PHARES was born in Liberty Township, Porter Co., Ind., March 28, 1854. From the age of six until in December, 1872, he attended the district school, at which date he was engaged to teach at Salt Creek, four miles away. Teaching at this place three terms, he went, in the spring of 1874, in company with a friend, A. P. Bond (the winter previous, Mr. Phares' pupil) to the "pineries" of Oceana County, Mich. Here Mr. Phares taught one term, then returned and took charge of the school in which two years before he had been a pupil. Here he was engaged four or five terms; also again at Salt Creek, and in other schools of the county, until, in 1881, he accepted the Superintendency of Schools at Chesterton. This position he now holds. Mr. Phares' higher schooling was principally at the Valparaiso Normal, beginning with the first term of that institution, in September, 1873, and continuing, alternately with teaching, until in the spring of 1880. His attendance here amounted to about three years, his work being such as he believed would be of greatest practical utility. Politically, with the principles of the Republican party taught him from early childhood, to which principles and their triumphs he continues warmly attached, he became an early convert to the National party, first voting with it in 1880. At this writing, he is the candidate of his party for the office of County Clerk, and was made a candidate a few years ago for County Superintendent, making a remarkably good race, but, on account of the weakness of his party only, was defeated. Mr. Phares is a young man of more than ordinary ability and promise; being a hard, thorough student, he has become one of the best teachers in the county, taking an active interest in, and studying political, questions in a logical manner. As a writer he uses logical reasoning, and accurate, exact expressions, having been connected with newspaper work for some time. He has been one of the leaders in the County Teachers' Association, standing high in the esteem of those who know him, as a strictly moral and conscientious young man.

PILLMAN BROTHERS. August Pillman, junior member of the firm of Pillman Bros., in Porter Station, was born July 23, 1854, in Sweden. He is one of four children, living, born to Andrew and Mary (Peterson) Pillman. The elder Pillman came with his family to the United States, in 1864, and settled in Liberty Township. August lived at home until the spring of 1882, engaged in farming. He, with his brother, then bought their present store, furnished with a stock worth about $700. Their trade has grown very rapidly, so that their stock is increased to about $3,000, and includes a full line of groceries, provisions, dry goods, boots and shoes, crockery, hardware, etc., and they are increasing their stock daily, and do a very extensive trade. Mr. Pillman is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and has always been a Republican in political faith.

John Pillman, senior member of the firm of Pillman Bros., at Porter Station, merchants, was born July 23, 1851, in Sweden. He is the eldest son of four children born to Andrew and Mary (Peterson) Pillman, both natives of Sweden. The elder Pillman's father was a Swedish soldier in the early part of the nineteenth century. John lived at home until of age. In 1872, he married Hannah Johnson, a native of Sweden, and began farming one of his father's farms. At the end of three years, he began railroading, until he and his brother formed their present firm. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and in political faith is a Republican. He is a public-spirited citizen, and is interested in promoting temperance and' other public benefits. His wife died in October, 1881. They had two children - both dead.

JAY PINNEY, merchant, was born January 20, 1847, in La Porte County, Ind. He is the eldest of nine children, living, born to Horace ' and Angeline (Haskill) Pinney, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania ; the elder Pinney and his father-in-law were among the first settlers of La Porte County. A peculiar fact concerning the elder Pinney and wife was that she was born without a palate, and his palate was eaten off. by medicine. Young Pinney lived with his father in La Porte County until about twenty-three years of age ; he was an unusually bright child, and learned very fast. He has had the advantages of High

School education ; he then went to Kansas for health and business^ and after a residence of about fourteen months, bought two car loads of Texas cattle and brought them to Chicago. He now bought a half-interest in a store in Wanatah, La Porte County. After about fourteen months, he came to Chesterton and purchased his present general merchandise store. Mr. Pinney has built up one of the finest trades in the township ; his sales, the first pear, amounted to $26,000. He carries an average stock of $6,000 ; he has been City Treasurer, and has been a Democrat, but votes for the man and principle rather than party. Mr. Pinney was married, June 9, 1874, to Laura E. Hopkins, a native of Chesterton. They have one child, Clara B., born September 9, 1875. Mrs. Pinney is daughter of Hamilton Hopkins, one of the first merchants of Chesterton, and one of the old settlers ; he died in July, 1870. Mr. Pinney is agent for the Studebaker Wagon Company.

GEORGE H. RILEY, M. D., was born in Cherry Valley, N. Y., April 12, 1853. He is one of nine children, living, born to Nelson and Hannah (Wing) Riley, both natives of Cherry Valley. The elder Riley is a retired farmer, living in La Porte, Ind.; was a high school teacher for fourteen years in New York, and has taken pains to educate all his children. When Dr. Riley was about seven years of age, the parents moved to La Porte County, living on the farm until the Doctor was seventeen ; he had graduated at the La Porte High School, and now began teaching and studying medicine, paying his.own way through college after two years in the school room. He graduated at the Rush Medical College, of Chicago, in the spring of 1875 ; he then began the practice of medicine in New Bufiulo, Mich. After four years of successful practice, he found a better place in New Troy, where he built up a lucrative practice, but, having lost his wife, he came to Indiana, and has been associated with Dr. Green in the practice of medicine and the drug business. He is a member of the I. 0. 0. F., and has taken all the degrees. Dr. Riley held the ofiice of School Superintendent in Michigan ; he is a moderate Republican, but favors the financial theories of the National party. He married Mary E. Phillips, a native of Michigan, and an educated lady, having been a teacher for several years. They had one child, Carrie E.

SAMUEL A. SAMUELSON was-born, in 1839, in Sweden. He is the youngest of seven children born to Samuel Ericson and wife, both natives of Sweden. When thirteen years old, Samuel and parents came to the United States and stopped a year in Chicago, then settled in Westchester Township. Our subject left home at about his twenty-first year, and worked out until the war began, when he enlisted in the Seventythird Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served at Stone River, Perryville, Murfreesboro, etc., for eight months, when he was discharged on account of a wound received. H e was disabled for over three years, but soon worked his own farm alone up to the time of his marriage, in 1871, to Mary Swanson, a native of Sweden. She died in 1879. They had five children - John V., John L., Alfrida, Badea and Gustof. He has 219 acres of land, partly improved. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and has always been a Republican in politics ; he is an enterprising farmer, and a good citizen.

EDWARD F. SCHAPER was born January 25, 1851, in Hanover. Germany. He is the eldest of four children living born to Gottlieb and Johannah (Martens) Schaper, both natives of Germany. The maternal grandfather was an oflBcer and served in the Franco-Prussian war, and his wife was of French birth. Edward lived in Germany until his seventeenth year, when he emigrated to the United States and settled in Fond du Lac, Wis. Here he began learning his trade of jeweler, and finished in Milwaukee. He then went to New Orleans, and worked for about eighteen months, when he came to Crown Point, Ind., where he was in ill-health for nearly a year. Hobart was his next home for three years. In February, 1876, he came to Chesterton, and established his present firm. He keeps a fine stock of clocks, watches, jewelry, plated ware, musical instruments, etc. ; also, a line of tobaccos and cigars. He has built up the finest trade in the country around outside of Valparaiso or Michigan - City. He began an apiary, and expects to enlarge it in the future. He has been a member of the I. 0. 0. F. fraternity, and is a member of the Bee-Keeper's Association of Chicago. He has always been an Independent in politics, having voted with all the different parties, and is an intelligent man of quiet habits. He was married. May 6, 1877, to Amalie Koehne, a native of Fond du Lac, Wis. They have two children - Clara and Matilda.

CHARLES 0. SEAMANS, Justice of the Peace, was born November 15, 1841, in Wheaton, 111. He is the eldest of eight children born to Alvin and Almira (Munyan) Seamans, the former a native of Connecticut, and the latter of Massachusetts. The paternal ancestors of our subject have been traced back to the Pilgrim Fathers. His grandfather, Munyan, was in the war of 1812, and great-grandfather Munyan was a soldier of the Revolution. The gun he carried in that war is in possession of our subject. Esquire Seamans lived with his father in -Wheaton until about twenty years of age ; he attended the college at Wheaton, and when twenty years old he began teaching. After a year, he entered the Chicago School of Trade, to prepare himself for a book-keeper ; after his course was finished, he entered a retail grocery establishment in Chicago as clerk, and in six months had worked up to the position of book-keeper, continuing in their employ for about five years. He then came to Chesterton and purchased the " Railroad House " (now Johnson's Hotel), and oflSciated as "mine host" for five years. He then engaged in blacksmithing for three years nearly, when he received an injury in horseshoeing, and was an invalid until March, 1881 ; he again took charge of the hotel for about three months. He then traded the hotel for his present farm, and has since heeri engaged in superintending it. He is a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity and the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace in the spring of 1880, and has served with ability ; he was a Republican, but has adopted the Greenback faith ; he was married in October, 1864, to Jennett Odell, a native of New York, and born within a mile of Niagara Falls.

CALVIN T. D. SHANKS was born June 29, 1837, in Ontario, Ohio. He is the eldest of eight children born to Simon P. and Elizabeth (Border) Shanks, both natives of Pennsylvania. The elder Shanks was both carpenter and mason. When Calvin was fourteen years old, his parents moved to Noble County, Ind.; then to Wolcottville, La Grange County, where our subject received the most of his education at the Greggs Seminary. They soon went to the well-known watering place, Rome City, about three miles south of the former place, remaining there about eight years ; he, now of age, went into the northern part of Michigan, where he lumbered for about two years ; he then returned to La Grange County, farming for about two years. He married, September 20, 1861, Rachel Lownsbury, a native of La Grange County. They began keeping hotel at Newburg, La Grange County, remaining about eighteen months, when he moved to Tecumseh, Mich., where he farmed and lumbered for a few years. In 1866, he came to Chesterton, farming for about a year, when he engaged in cabinet work in Mishawaka for three years ; he returned to Chesterton and engaged in different occupations until 1875. when he founded the Central House, and, through bis energy and efficiency as " mine host," has made one of the finest hotelsof its size in the county. In the summer of 1882, he made some fine improvements, and the public may always expect a cordial reception and an excellent culinary department under the management of Mrs. S. He has been a member of the I. 0. 0. F. Mrs. S. is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Shanks was a Democrat up to the Garfield campaign, but is now a Republican.

JOSEPH SWANSON, merchant, was born in 1826 in Sweden. He is one of twelve children born to Eric and Mary Swanson, both natives of Sweden. When twenty-three years of age, Joseph left home, where he had been clerking in his father's store, and came to the United States and settled in Boston, where he remained a year and a half, engaged in coopering ; he then went to New Bedford, Mass., and after a year he joined a whaling vessel, and was on the ocean for twelve years, mostly in the Pacific, leaving the Arctic Ocean in August and going South to the Sandwich Island, New Zealand, Australia, African coast, etc. He was in the Atlantic the first two years ; he made two Arctic Ocean trips, and then returned to New Bedford, and went to Sweden, on a three weeks' visit there and in other countries bordering on the Northern waters ; he then came back to New Bedford and started for California, remaining in San Francisco for about fifteen months, when he came to Porter P. 0. and started his store with a stock of $400 or $500. In 1879, he built his present store and dwelling, a large, fine frame, in which he has a stock of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, hardware, etc., worth about $1,000, with a good trade. He has always been a Republican ; he is a man of extensive experience and travel, and one of our leading business men. He was married, in 1865, to Johannah Pillman, a native of Sweden. They have five children - Gust, Charley, John, Ida and Emily.

JOHN T. TAYLOR, merchant, was born December 28, 1844, in Philadelphia, Penn. He is one of eight children born to William and Ann (Jenkins) Taylor, both natives of Wales. The elder Taylor was a machinist by occupation. When our subject was about seven years old, they moved from Philadelphia to Cincinnati, where they remained three years. In 1855, they removed to La Porte, Ind., and the following year to Michigan City, where they remained until they came to Chesterton in 1860. John T. had the advantages of the city schools in the above- named places. At Chesterton,' they engaged in farming until February of 1861, when he entered his present store as clerk. It was then owned by L. B. Osborn, afterward by other parties. After a clerkship of nearly three years, he went to Chicago, and soon enlisted in the One Hundred and Eorty-seventh Illinois ; was soon promoted to the oflSce of Second Lieutenant, and was mustered out February, 1866. On returning to Chesterton, he entered into partnership under the firm name of Taylor & Osborn, which existed one year ; then Taylor & Quick, which lasted ten years. It then changed, and took the name it bears at present - Taylor Brothers - consisting of our subject and his brother, Richard 0. Taylor, who was born August 18, 1856, in Michigan City. He clerked in South Chicago for a time before this firm was formed. They are the only grain dealers in the place, carrying a stock of from $10,000 to $20,000. Mr. Taylor is a member of both Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. In 1866, he was Postmaster. Mr. Taylor has been a Democrat, but of late years is independent, rather favoring the National principles. He was married December 28, 1866, to Mary E. Segar, a native of New York. They have two children living - William A. and Mabel C.

JOHN THOMAS, ex-merchant, and retired, was born in 1822 in Ohio. He was one of eight children born to William and Ann (Armstrong) Thomas, both natives of Ohio. They came from Ohio to La Porte (city) when John was quite young ; here they bought land, but after about two years they came to Westchester, and, with the Morgans, were the first families to settle in the township. The Thomases owned considerable land, including the present plat of Chesterton, of which they gave to the roailroad company its present grounds, and then laid out the surrounding land in lots, which have grown into the present Chesterton. The town has grown around the old homestead, in which Mr. Thomas' sister is now living. John lived at home till nearly thirty-five years of age. The three brothers - John, William and Vincent - were partners in a saw mill, and as merchants in the building at present occupied by Taylor Bros., and had the leading business for years. The three dissolved ; then John and William were partners until the death of the latter. They also carried on a coopering business for a number of years. John carried on the milling and farming until about 1877, when, on account of ill health, he retired from business. He has been a member of both Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities, and was among the founders of the lodges in Chesterton. In religious belief, he has been a Universalist. In politics, he has been a firm Democrat. He was married, November 18, 1836, to Jane Scott, a native of La Grange County, Ind. She lived for a time with a Mr. Arnold's family in Constantine, Mich., a member of the noted Constantine Band ; S. D. Crane, ex-County Superintendent of La Grange County, a lawyer, is a half-brother. She is in religious belief a Presbytef ian. They have two children - Louis and xinsp A

MARTIN YOUNG was born May 13, 1841, in Erie County, Ohio. He is one of ten children born to Ira and Sophia (Crippin) Young, both natives of New York. The elder Young was a fisherman on Lake Brie for thirty years. Maternally, Mr. Young is of English descent, and paternally from Holland. When Martin was about five years of age^ they came to Porter County, settling on " Twenty-Mile " Prairie. A sister of our subject was about the first school teacher of that settlement, and Judge Field was among her pupils. When about twenty-one years of age, Mr. Young enlisted in the Seventy-third Indiana, serving nearly three years, and participating in the famous battles of Stone River, Nashville, and on Col. Straight's raid through Georgia. After he was discharged, returning to Chesterton, he engaged in the meat market business ; he has built up the leading trade in this part of the county. He is a member of the I. 0. 0. F. fraternity. Mr. Young is a Republican, but favors the financial theories of the National party. Mr. Young has one of the finest brick residences in the county, richly furnished, and with the luxuries of piano, organ, etc. He was married in 1862 to Mary J. Lansing, a native of Porter County. She is well educated, having been a teacher. They have one adopted child - Arthur.

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; 1,888 words in this source stream.

Westchester Township

When the board of count}' uoniiuissionei'S issiK-d tlii' order of Apiil 12, IS'dG, dividing the county into ten civil tOAMislnps, the t.Miitoi-v now comprising Westchester was included in the townships of l,;ili, Ijihciiy and Wiiverly. Two months later Hie citizens of L;ilce and Wavcrly tnuiiships petitioned the board of county commissioners f<n' Die consolidatioii of the two townships. Tlie pefition was granted and the nrw township thus formed was called Westcliester. As thus created, it iiiclinli'd all tluit portion of tlie county lying north of the line dividiiiL' lowiisliip HG and 37. Subsequent changes Avere made by the erection of Piiu; to\\;nship, and changes in the boundaries of Liberty and rorlafjr. milil Westehe.stei' was reduced to its present size. It is bounded on Hie n(n-th by Lake JMichigan ; on the ea.st by Pine and Jackson townships ; nti the south by the townships of Jackson, Liberty and Portage, and nn the west by Portage. Its area is about thirty-three square miles. In the nortberu part are the sandhills so common along the shore of Lake Miehij.'an, bat the central and southern portions have a more fertile soil and are well adapted to agriculture. Originally the surface was cnvered with a heavy forest growth, but the poi-ta])le sawmills have used up jn-actically all the native timber suitable for lumber. A great deal of sand has been shipped to fihicago, and in the vicinity of Chesterton ai-e fine beds of clay which has been utilitized extensively in the maiuifaetiDc of briek both common and pressed. These elaybeds and the sandhills are the oniy mineral deposits of commercial impf)rtance in the township.

It was in Westchester township that the first white settler in Poi'ter county built his cabin. In 1822 Joseph Bailly loe;itcd on the Calumet river, at the place later known as Lailly Town. A moi'e eoiui'lele account of Mr. Bailly and his frontier post will be found in Chajitei- 111. In 1 S:i.':> Jesse I\Iorgan came with his family and settled in what is nnw AVestchester. His daughter Hannah, born in February, IsiiM, w;is the iii-st wlute child born in the township. In 1835 William Tlionii.s. Sr.,W)lliani Cosset, Jacob Beck, John Ilagenian, John Foster, Willi^mi b'l'ame and

In the winter of 1833-34 a pi'ivate school was taught at the home of Jesse Morgan, but the name of the teacher cannot be ascertained. Two years later a school was taught in a vacant trading post on section 5, township 36, range 5, about a mile and a half east of the present town of Chesterton. As the population inei'eased regular school districts were organized, school houses erected and teachers employed under the public school syslem. In the year 1911-12 tliere were twenty-three teachere employed in the public schools of the township and the incoi-porated towns of Chesterton and Porter. Eleven of these teachers were iu the conimissoned high school at Chesterton, viz ; P. M. Goldsborough, superintendent, Galeman Dexter, principal, Matilda Swanson, Agnes Long, Helen Miller, Etta Oslicrn, Jennie Crane, Dott Osborn, Agnes Morgan, Rose Murphy and Mabel Pelham. E. E. Stultz was princii)al of the grammar school at Porter, and his a-ssistanls were Emily Peterson, Tennia Osborn, Mary Bradt and Anna Kossakowski. Of the ten school districts at one time, three have been discontinued through consolidation, etc. The teachers in the disti'ict schools for tlie year 1911-12 were as follows: No. 3 (Furncssville), Edith Lindslrom ; No. 4 (Waverly), Edna Doyle; tlicre are two schools in District No. T), that at P>ailly Town taught by Ennna Peterson, and the one at City West b_v Bertha Carlson ; No. 6 (Old Porter), P. M. \Vnni)le; No. 7 (Kalt Creek), Mabel Brum- mitt; No. 10 (Mfisqiiilo Tonn), Oral Ilaslotl. Tlic srlmol liouses in all these clisfvicts are luodern iji their design, avoI! with working apparatus, etc., showing that the people of Wcslclnsl fr are not behind in their ideas pertaining to tlie education of their rliihin'ii.

John Poster, who was a sur\'eYor, laid out the town ol' \V;i\erly on land belonging to William Gossd about two miles tuirthwisl ul' the present town of Chesterton. Several thousand dollars were expended in making improvements, bnt in 1838 a forest fire destroyed the work tliat had been done and the town was abandoned. City West was sl.nl. d aliout a year after Waverly. It was loeaied near tlie mouth of ]''ort reek and for a time promised to become a town of considerable iii'iipdrl ioir , but a change ill the main route of travel iuflictcd sucli an injury n|i(in thr town tliat it sank into decay. Porter (al'terward called Old I'n-lei) was s(:irtcd when the ilichigan Central railroad was built in Ihc cavly ''>().<. The first house there was erected lij' John Richards and us-d J'oi- ;i sin i Tlie second and third were built by Frederick Michael aiid used lor store and dwelling, respectively. A postottice was establi-slird at J'uiirf soon after it came into existence and continued there until l.S7'J, win u it was removed to Ilagemau, which was started in that year !iy Henry ! la'j-cmau. A new postoffice was cBtablished at Porter the followiiuc y.'ai-. Tlie two offices being onlj^ a mile apart there was considerable coiu'iisioji ui Ihe distribution of mail, and the office at Hageman was finally disi'onliiuied. The present town of Porter was incorporated early in ilic year 1908, with a population of about 500. Furnessville, iu the nuriiuastfrn part, takes its nanw froia Edwin L. Furne.ss, who was appoint' -d postma.ster when the postoffice was established there in ]8G1. This place was formerly known as IMurraj^'s Side Track. No I'egular plat of this jjlace was ever recorded. A Mr. Morgan built the first house there in IKi'i. Two years later Mr. Furness built a frame house and opened a store.

Chesterton, the largest town in the township and second largest in the county, was at first, known as Coffee Creek, from tlie stream of that name. It is said that the creek is so called because a teamslcr lost a bag of coffee in it while ti'ying to ci-oss at a time of high water. A postoffice was establislied there as early as 1833 and was kept by Jesse IMorgan for nearly twcntj' yeai-s. It was first located on section G, southeast of the present town, and was called Coffee Creek postoffice. After several years the people gi-ew tired of the name Coffee Creek and changed it to Calumet, after the river which flows just north of the town. 'When the Lake Shore & Michigan Soulliern railroad was completed in iS.'i'J, llie town moved northward to the railroad and by the close of tliat ycai- there were some twentj' or more houses in Calumet. The ne.\t year the jiostoffiee was removed from Coffee Creek and the name changeil (a coii(-;pt>nd to that of the town. In the meantime a postoffice had lieeii es!al)li; lied at New City AVest, about a mile south of the old City AVesI, ;\iu\ tliis office was consolidated with the one at Calumet, with D. 11. ll(i])lviiis as postmaster. The first house in the present town dC (Ui'-slci'lini was erected by Lnther French in 1852 and was used foi' a IkiIcI muh t the name of the Sieger House. The second was b\iil( hy a man ii;ii h.I ImiucIi. The first brick building was erected by Young & AVolt in I' 7!- -lust when the name was changed to Chesterton is a matter oi' soni. (jiiiVriiicc of opinion. The adjutant-general's report of enlistment.'^ i'i>r si rvic m the Civil war shows a Porter county companj^, most of the iin'iiiher.s ol' which came from' Calumet, so it is probable that the name Oliesterlou was not adopted until during or after the war. It is said that Ibe name was clianged to avoid eonfiision wilti tlie town of the same u.ime in the" State of Illinois. The present name was derived fi'om that ol' the township. The Northern Indiana House was Ijuilt by Leroy iJi'irwu jilioul 1855, and kept as a hotel by him for several years. In the early Tids Mr. Hopkins removed the Central Hotel from City West to Calumet, wlieie it was remodeled and used as a house of entertainment fur iti;iny years. In the early days Calumet (or Chesterton) was known as a "tough" town, having at one time nineteen saloons, thoxigh the pojuilatiou numbered only about 300. That has all been changed, and the Chesterton of the present is as orderly a tOAvn as there is in northern Indiana

On March 31, 1899, a petition was filed %vith the board of county commissioners asking for the incorporation of Chesterton, A census taken according to law, showing 198 votei*s and a total jiopulation of 716. At a special meeting of the commissioners on April 24(h, an election was ordered for I\Iay 4, 1899, when the people should vote on ths" question of incorporation. The proposition was carried by a vote of three to one, and since then Chesterton has been an incorporiiliil town. Chesterton has a bank with a capital of $25, 000, an ice rom])aiiy, a telephone exchange, a number of well appointed retail stores (-nering all lines of merchandise, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran and Swcdisli Methodist and Lutheran churches, and lodges of a number of th>' Ir.idiiii: secret and benevolent organizations. The population w;!s 1,400, an