This article was one
of a series of articles
published during the year 1879, in
The Lake
County Star called “Progress In
Lake County.”
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Transcriptions were done by Chi (Rouse) Benedict, unless otherwise
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Please contact her by E-mail.
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Appeared in: The Lake County Star
Date Published: March 13, 1879
Volume: VI Number: XLVI Page: 1
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Progress in Lake County.
[Under this title we give a
series of short sketches, descriptive of the time of immigration of each settler
in the county, with amount of improvement, present and future prospects; crops raised in 1878; grain sown last
Fall, &c. Also, sketches of
manufacturing and business interests.
Correspondence is solicited from all interested in the growth and prosperity
of our county. We would suggest to
our readers that they cut out and preserve,in scrap
books these sketches; as they will doubtless find them of more interest in the
future than at this time].
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Elnathan West—Settled on the northeast quarter section 18, Cherry Valley township, in Fall of 1871;
and now has about 58 acres under improvement. The soil is plains, and water easily
obtained at a depth of from 8 to 10 feet. The
house is frame; and Mr. W. has part of material on hand for building a new
house and a barn. Last year he had
the misfortune to lose 2 horses; but has one now, with 1 cow, a heifer, 3 hogs
and chickens. Has not got fruit
trees started yet; left oaks, for shade.
In 1878, raised 5 acres corn, 5 acres oats, 4 acres buckwheat, ½ acre potatoes, ¼ acre
beans, 16 acres ryd, 10 acres millet; and sowed 37 acres rye, 10 acres millet, and sowed 37 acres rye, and 7 acres wheat, last Fall. Thhiks he can
succeed on the plains.
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Phillip A. West—Also,
settled in Fall of 1871 on the southwest quarter of section 8, Cherry Valley township.
The soil is plains, with exceptions of 40 to 50 acres of pine.
About 40 acres are improved.
The water is from a well 11 feet deep. Mr.
W. has a log house, and log barn, 27 by 37 feet, and stable addition 16x37 feet. Has a small
nursery of seedlings, and some small fruit; and has left some of the original
oaks for shade. Phillip has sold 80 acres to John West his son, and Elnathan
has sold 40 of his to same. John resides
on his father’s place. The
stock consists of 2 horses, 1 cow, 1 yearling, 2 hogs; poultry. In 1878, there were 5 acres wheat, 3 ½ acres corn, 2 acres oats, 4 acres buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes and 3 ½ acres millet; and 10 acres wheat were sown, last Fall. Mr. W. intends to build a frame house,
and has some material on hand.
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David A. Lathrop—Settled on the west
half of the southeast quarter section 34, Pinora
township, in the Spring of 1868. The
soil is sandy loam; with beech and maple timber. water is supplied from spring. Mr. L. has about 40 acres of his place under improvement; comfortable log house
and barn. Has about 40 apple trees
now producing fruit, and plum, and small fruits, in abundance. For ornament and shade, he has maples
and elms. His stock consists of a
yoke of oxen, 3 young cattle, 2 cows, 3 hogs; and poultry. In 1878, he raised 6 acres wheat, 2 ½ acres corn, 1 acre oats, 1 ½ acres potatoes (yield, 250 bushels),
one-sixth acre beans, 14 acres timothy, ½ acre rutabagas, (250 bushels), 1 acre turnips (200 bushels). Intends to set out 50 fruit trees this
Spring. Mr. L. is making a fine
farm.
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Geo. N. West—Bought lot 1 of section
26, Webber township, in the Spring of 1878. This place was originally entered by W.
J. McCausey, the first settler in the township. The soil is sand (plains and stump
land). There are 62 ½ acres;
about 25 of which are improved.
There is a fine well of water, 36 feet deep, and a beautiful lake with firm hard margin,
supplies great abundance of water for stock. The buildings are log, with a frame
addition to dwelling; built last Summer by Mr. West; 13 by 32 feet. There
are about 50 fruit trees, apple commencing to bear; and a nice lot of small
fruits. Mr. W. has a yoke of oxen,
a cow and keeps poultry. In 1878,
had 2 acres
corn, 1 acre
buckwheat, ½ acre potatoes (yield 31 bushels); and last Fall sowed 10 acres wheat.
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Geo. West—Father of Frank and Geo.
N., has recently purchased the northwest quarter of section 26, (Kilpatrick
place), Webber township, and intends to remove here from Ypsilanti; this Spring. The soil is plains; about 100 acres improved; 80 acres being “grubbed.” There are some fruit trees. The buildings are comfortable log; and
water is obtained from well, 37 feet deep.
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O. S. Beebe—Settled, by homestead
entry, on the west half of the southwest quarter section 20, Webber township,
in Spring of 1875. The soil is
plains; 14 ½ acres improved.
Water from well, 43 feet deep. Has a log house with a frame addition, and has
50 apple trees ready to set out this Spring. For shade, has left oaks. Keeps a cow and poultry. In 1878, he had 4 acres buckwheat (85 bushels), 2 acres potatoes (140 bushels), ½ acre beans, 4 acres rye, and 75 bushels of rutabagas from less than half
an acre. Also, had an excellent
garden. Mr. B. is doing well
considering the fact that he has no team, and thinks he will be able to get a
living from the plains.
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V. E. LACY’S MILL.
This mill is situated
about ¾ of a mile south of Nirvana, and was erected by Mr. L. in the
Summer of 1875. The building is
30x120 feet, and motive power is furnished by an engine of about 75 horse
power. A new engine was put in last
year. Abundance of water for steam
is easily obtained from a stream (a branch of the Pere
Marquette). There is a saw mill
with capacity for cutting about 25 thousand; and a shingle mill capable of
cutting 30 thousand per day. Mr.
Lacy has some 720 acres of pine land adjacent to the mill, which he is
manufacturing into lumber and shingles.
He gives employment to 16 men.
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THE BUCKEYE MILL,
as we have before stated was
built by Hicks & Benjamin, at Nirvana, in 1874. The building is 30x80 feet. There is a lumber mill of a capacity of
8 to 12 thousand; and a shingle mill, capable of cutting 20 to 25
thousand. This mill is now run by
Messrs. Williams & Co., who took possession in the Spring of 1878. They are cutting shingles at present.
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Numan
Terry—Bought the north half of the southwest quarter
of section 83, Cherry Valley township, and settled in 1875. There are 4 acres under improvement; the soil, sand plains. Buildings, frame house and log
barn. Keeps a cow, a hog and
poultry; and built the
TERRY GRIST MILL,
located on the above named ground, in the Summer of 1878; and
the first grain ever ground by a mill in Lake
county, was ground there, on the 22d day of August, 1878. There is but one run of stone at
present, capable of grinding 12 bushels of grain per hour. It is a water mill; power being supplied
from Farnsworth Creek. Size of building, 40x26 feet. Up to Dec. 31st, 1878, the mill had ground 1,000 bushels of grain; and
during January and February, 1879, ground 500 bushels. This, first mill in the county, was
hailed with much satisfaction by the people, who had long felt the need of
it. It no doubt stimulates our
farmers to greater exertions in grain raising, besides
being a great convenience to many.
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C. A. Swain—Purchased of Chas.
Winters, in Fall of 1876, the northeast quarter of section 4, Yates
township. The soil is sand plains,
with 50 acres
improved. There is a frame house
and board barn. Small fruits. Original oaks and pine have been left
for ornament and shade. Mr. Swain,
has a span of horses, 1 cow, 2 young cattle, 1 hog, poultry. In 1878, he had 10 acres wheat, 6 acres buckwheat (120 bushels) 1 ¼ acre potatoes (100
bushels), 10 acres rye, 4 acres millet, (2 tons to acre). Last Fall, sowed 10 acres wheat, 12 acres rye, and seeded the entire 22 acres to timothy.
(This is the farm lying on the “open plains,” alongside of
and north of F. & P. M. R/y, west of Nirvana). Excellent water is obtained from well 24 feet in depth.
Mr. S. lives in Nirvana, and there had one of the finest of gardens,
last season.
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Morris L. Swain—Son of C. A. Swain,
has purchased the 160 acres formerly owned by McDonald, (northwest quarter
section 4, Yates), and intends to improve it. It is evident they have faith in the
plains, and with some show of reason.
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Horace Terry—Homesteaded
the northwest quarter of section 36, Cherry Valley township, in Fall of 1871,
and now has about 25 acres improved.
The soil is sand; plains and pine land. The house is of log, with frame barn. Fruit, apple, plum,
currant, &c. For
ornament has set out Balm of Gilead, and left original oaks. Keeps a horse, cow,
and poultry. In 1878, had 8 acres wheat, 1 ½ acre oats, ½
acre potatoes. Sowed 5 acres wheat, last Fall. The Farnsworth Creek supplies excellent
water for stock; and a good well, 14 feet deep, the best of water for culinary uses.
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Henry A. Bray—First settled in Lake
county in 1872, going into the mercantile business at Baldwin; and in the
Spring of 1876, homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 26, Webber
township. The soil is plains, and
he now has 15 acres improved.
Buildings, frame house and frame barn; some small fruits. Has planted evergreens, and left
original oaks for shade. Keeps at
present, a cow and poultry, only.
In 1878, had 2 acres wheat, ½ acre corn (30 bushels), 2 acres oats and rye mixed, 2 acres buckwheat (on H. Pocklington’s),
½ acre potatoes (60 bushels), ¼ acre beans, 10 acres rye (partly on Wheaton place). Sowed an acre of wheat, last Fall. Has plenty of water for house, from a
spring, and also, has a lake, containing about 20 acres. There is
abundance of marl, and a bed of limestone, and Mr. B. talks of erecting a kiln
next Summer. Estimates about 200,000 feet of pine on place.
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A. Ozmun—Bought the L. Bovee place (southeast quarter section 22, Webber
township), and settled in Spring of 1878.
The soil is plains, with 50 acres improves.
There is a frame house and barn.
About 50 apple trees, with peach, and nearly ½ acre of small
fruit. There are 8 or 10 walnut
trees started, for shade, and original oaks and pine have also been left. Mr. O. keeps a cow and poultry. In 1878 there were 2 acres buckwheat, ½ acre potatoes, 8 acres rye, 5 acres timothy.
Also, had a fine garden.
Sowed 2 acres wheat, last Fall. Good water is had from a well 36 feet deep. Mr.
O. has now gone to Indiana, and expects to return with a span of horses.
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G. W. Helms—Bought of Sam’l Shafer, in Fall of 1878, the north half of the southwest
quarter section 7, Dover township, and intends to make a farm out of it. The soil is heavy clay; with beech and
maple timber. There is abundance of
water from a spring brook.
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Errata—In
making the statement of the time of settlement of Harry Eldredge,
Yates township, last week. we
should have said that he settled in the Fall of 1874, instead of 1876.
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Wm. Case—Settled on the northeast quarter of section 32,
Yates township in the Spring of 1874, and now has 25 acres improved.
The soil is plains, with about 300,000 feet of pine.
This place was originally entered by Moses Collins. The water is from a well, 29 feet deep.
Buildings, log house and barn.
Has some small fruit. Keeps
a cow, 2 young cattle, 10 sheep, poultry, and is about to purchase a span of
horses. In 1878, had 2 acres wheat, 4 acres corn, ½ acre potatoes (70 bushels), ¼
acre beans, 7 acres timothy, 1 ¼ acres rutabagas (140
bushels). Seeded 4 acres to timothy, last Fall.
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Joshua J. Howell—Settled by homestead
entry, on the southeast quarter of section 32, Yates township, in Fall of 1873;
the soil being plains, with about 350,000 feet of standing pine. The water is from a well 40 feet deep; and there is a fine spring stream. He now has 20 acres improved; with log house and frame barn. Has some small fruits, and for shade has
left original oaks standing. Has a
yoke of oxen, 2 cows, and poultry; keeps bees. In 1878, he had 7 acres wheat, 1 acre corn, 3 acres buckwheat, 1 acre potatoes (75 bushels), 2 acres seeded to timothy, and from less than 2 acres had 300 bushels of rutabagas. In Fall of 1877 he seeded 5 ½
acres, and last Fall, sowed 7 ½ acres wheat.
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John Howell—Settled, in Spring of
1875, on the northeast quarter section 30, Yates township.. The soil is plains, with about 30 acres improved.
Water at a depth of 17 feet. Has a
log house and barn, some seedling fruit trees. Has planted maples, and left original
oaks for shade. Had 4 acres wheat, 1 acre corn, 1 acre buckwheat, and 2 acres timothy, in 1878. Sowed 2 acres wheat, last Fall.
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Errata—John Ballinger—Settled
in Fall of 1871, on the northwest quarter section 26, Cherry Valley
township. The soil is gravel, sand
and clay. Has 40 acres improved.
The house is part frame and part log; barn, log. Has about 30 apple trees, and variety of
small fruits. For shade and
ornament, has left original oaks standing, and a fine grove of oak, wild
cherry, &c. Has 2 oxen, 3 young
cattle, 3 cows, and poultry. In
1878, had 7 ½ acres wheat, 3 acres corn, 2 ½ acres oats, ½ acre buckwheat,
1
acre potatoes (100
bushels), 1 acre rutabagas (over 200 bushels), and 7 ½ acres
timothy. Sowed 7 acres wheat, last Fall. Has a well 30 feet deep, and water for stock, from spring. Is making preparations to build a barn
36x50 feet, with basement. Intends
to build ½ mile of board fence, this season. Has from 60,000 to 100,000 feet of pine.
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[Note—Should any of our readers find an error in any of the
above sketches, they would confer a favor by sending us the proper correction].
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Notice:
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These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed transcriber with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the transcriber to store the file
permanently for free access.
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Page Notes:
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All of these sketches are typed as they appeared in the newspaper
(spelling and so on).
Errata means that the item is a correction to a previous article or
an addition.
- - - = Is missing some lines.
I will be making another trip to be able to get the missing items of
this article, image for this name became blurry in sections.
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Contact Information:
The contact information below is provided for people related to those
pioneers named on this page to provide to each other so contact with one
another is established. If you have
an ancestor listed on this page, please contact the transcriber/web mistress
and she will add your name to the list with the appropriate ancestors!
Don’t forget to let the transcriber/web mistress know if your
e-mail address changes at any time!
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Name:
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Contact E-mail:
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West, Phillip A.
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Linda Dankert
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West, Elnathan
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Linda
Dankert
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