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History of St. Joseph County, Indiana
Over half a century has rolled its years away since this section of Indiana was first chosen for a home by the white man. Trials, sufferings and struggles which were experienced in converting even this fertile land from its virgin wildness into the luxuriant and densely populated country now existing can never be fully portrayed. Although, as in many frontier settlements, the ground was not consecrated by the blood of pioneers and their families, yet human tongue or pen can never accurately picture the vicissitudes and trials of the van-guard of civilization who "pitched their tents " in St. Joseph county. Their labors were as trying to their minds as to their bodies. Physical and mental strength waste together, and the memory of names, dates and events is gradually lost under the confusion of accumulating years. Events that were fresh in memory ten to twenty years after their occurrence are almost if not entirely forgotten when fifty years have passed.
As a consequence there will be many irreconcilable statements concerning the matters of pioneer history, and it becomes a laborious task to compile a full and satisfactory account of many affairs in the career of the community. We have particular trouble with the spelling of names. We once saw in a cemetery the name "Orvillee" on the headstone of a certain grave, and "Orval Lee" on the footstone. Of course, then, some errors will be detected here and there by parties who happen to know the truth concerning such and such little items. We have not flinched from the labor and expense required to make the history as full and accurate as any history ever published, — indeed, we have the satisfaction of knowing that our local histories are more reliable than general histories are, as we are exposed to the crucial test of a local patronage.
We desire our readers first to scan the table of contents, to become acquainted with the arrangement, and to make it easy for themselves to find anything in the volume. The history of the respective townships is given alphabetically, and the biographical matter is also arranged alphabetically under the respective headings of the townships. For example, the sketches of South Bend parties will all be found under the general heading of "Portage Township," and under the specific heading of "Biographical." The first portion of this work gives the most complete history of the State of Indiana yet published, while the remainder of the volume, by far the largest portion, is strictly the history of St. Joseph county.
As one of the most interesting features of this work, we present the portraits of several representative citizens. It has been our aim to have the prominent men of the day, as well as the pioneers, represented in this department. Of course we could not give portraits of all the leading men of the county, nor even half, but we have done our best to give a fair representation.
In conclusion, we render our heartiest thanks to those who have so freely aided us in collecting material. To the county officials, pastors of churches, officers of societies, pioneers, and the editors of the press, we are particularly grateful for the many kindnesses and courtesies shown us while laboring in the county; but most of all, we wish to thank those who have so liberally and materially aided the work by becoming subscribers for it, for without such aid no history of St. Joseph county could have been published.
Table of Contents
HISTORY OF INDIANA
FORMER OCCUPANTS 17
EXPLORATIONS BY THE WHITES 87
NATIONAL POLICIES 41
EXPEDITIONS OP COL. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 52
GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST 67
MILITARY HISTORY, 1790 TO 1800 75
TERRITORIAL HISTORY 82
GOVERNOR HARRISON AND THE INDIANS 87
WAR OF 1812 101
TECUMSEH 111
CIVIL MATTERS 1813-'5 116
ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE 121
BLACK HAWK WAR 123
LAST EXODUS OP INDIANS 131
INDIAN TITLES 132
LAND SALES 133
HARMONY COMMUNITY 134
PIONEER LIFE 136
MICHIGAN BOUNDARY 185
MEXICAN WAR 186
SLAVERY 194
THE WAR FOR THE UNION 198
DIVORCE LAWS 250
FINANCIAL 251
GEOLOGY 262
COAL 264
AGRICULTURE 266
EDUCATION 272
BENEVOLENT AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS 291
STATE CAPITOL 301
STATE OFFICERS 302
U.S. SENATORS FROM INDIANA 306
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS 307
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
THE SUPREMACIES 319
STATES OF THE UNION 319
HISTORY OF ST. JOSPH COUNTY
CHAPTER I
First White Men In the County 331
Original Inhabitants 333
Area of the County 336
Topography 337
The Watershed 337
Rivers of St. Joseph County 388
First Entries oŁ Land 338
First Road 339
CHAPTER II
NATURAL HISTORY 340
CHAPTER III
Organization of St. Joseph County 358
Acts of the Board of Justices 359
Acts of the Board of County Com'rs 361
CHAPTER IV
PIONEER LIFE 370
CHAPTER V
Circuit Court 374
Common Pleas Court 377
Probate Court 378
The Bar 378
The Present Bar 380
St. Joseph Bar Association 381
The Bar In a New Role 386
CHAPTER VI
Northern Indiana Medical Society 389
St. Joseph County Medical Society 390
St. Joseph Valley Medical Society 395
Diseases of the St. Joseph Valley 397
CHAPTER VII
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY IN THE WAR 408
CHAPTER VIII
Railroads 454
Terrible Railroad Accident 459
The Telegraph 460
Ferries 460
CHAPTER IX
BIOGRAPHICAL
CHAPTER X
REMINISCENCES
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
CHAPTER XI
PubUc Buildings 534
Navigation of the St. Joseph River 535
Marriages Licenses 536
A Counterfeiting Reminiscence 536
Still-Born Villages 537
Flood 539
Gold-Hunters 540
Map and Atlas of the County 543
CHAPTER XII
POLITICAL HISTORY 544
CHAPTER XIII
AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY 561
CHAPTER XIV
THE PRESS 671
CHAPTER XV
COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY 580
CHAPTER XVI
DARK DEEDS 586
ST. JO. RIVER AND ITS VICTIMS
CHAPTER XVII
County Historical Society 601
The First Brick House In South Bend 603
Pioneer Meetings 608
CHAPTER XVIII
SOUTH BEND FUGITIVE SLAVE CASE 618
CHAPTER XIX
University of Notre Dame 627
St. Mary's Academy 634
Northern Indiana College 636
CHAPTER XX
AUTHORS AND SELECTIONS
CHAPTER XXI.
Public Schools 656
County Examiners and Supts. 658
County Seminary 669
Congressional Representation 660
State Senators and Representatives 661
County Officers 662
A Retrospect 664
St. Joseph County of To-Day 666
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
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Scientists have ascribed to the Mound Builders varied origins, and though their divergence of opinion may for a time seem incompatible with a thorough investigation of the subject, and tend to a confusion of ideas, no doubt whatever can exist as to the comparative accuracy of conclusions arrived at by some of them. Like the vexed question of the Pillar Towers of Ireland, it has caused much speculation, and elicited the opinions of so many learned antiquarians, ethnologists and travelers, that it will not be found beyond the range of possibility to make deductions that may suffice to solve the problem who were the prehistoric settlers of America. To achieve this it will not be necessary to go beyond the period over which Scripture history extends, or to indulge in those airy flights of imagination so sadly identified with occasional writers of even the Christian school, and all the accepted literary exponents of modern paganism.
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