This article was one of a series of articles

published during the year 1879, in

The Lake County Star called “Progress In Lake County.”

 

Transcriptions were done by Chi (Rouse) Benedict, unless otherwise credited.  If you would like to contact the transcriber,

Please contact her by E-mail.

 

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Appeared in:  The Lake County Star

Date Published:  April 24, 1879

Volume:  VI  Number:  LII  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.

 

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Henry Coolidge—Purchased the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter section 36, Pinora township, and settled, in the Spring of 1878..  The soil is sand loam; water from a well 8 feet deep; besides two spring streams.  There are about 15 acres improved; and a frame house.  In 1878, he had 3 acres wheat, ½ acre corn, 1 acre oats, ¼ acre potatoes (50 bushels) and 10 acres timothy.  Sowed 4 acres wheat, last Fall.

 

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Wm. CharlesworthHomesteaded the east half of the northwest quarter section 28, Chase township, in the Spring of 1872.  The soil is sandy loam; water from spring. Has about 25 acres improved; log house and barn.  There are about 50 apple trees (some bearing) and some cherry, plum and small fruit.  Keeps 2 horses, 2 cows, 3 young cattle, 4 hogs, 3 sheep and poultry.  In 1878, he had 5 acres wheat, 4 acres corn, 2 acres buckwheat (30 bushels) ½ acres potatoes (55 bushels) and 8 acres timothy, yielding about 12 tons.  Mr. C. has sold this place with 20 acres additional on same section to John Harmon, last Fall.  Mr. H. has erected a large frame house.

 

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THE HARMON SAWMILL.

     Was erected in 1878, by John Harmon, on section 28, Chase township.  The engine is 4-0-horse power, and the capacity of the mill about 15,000 feet per day.  The building is 30x100 feet; water for steam from a spring.  Mr. Harmon has been shipping lumber from Crapo, on the G. R. & I. R. R., but we understand, expects shortly to commence shipping from Chase, by way of the F. & P. M.

 

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Wm. Torpy—Bought 20 acres on the southwest quarter section 3, Chase township, in the Winter of 1875.  The soil is sandy loam; with about 15 acres cleared.  Is now building a frame house.  Left some original maples for shade.  In 1878, he had 2 ½ acres wheat (40 bushels), 2 ½ acres corn, 1 ½ acres potatoes, yielding 130 bushels.

 

 

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E. J. McLaughlin—Settled, in the Fall of 1874, on 70 acres of the north half of southeast quarter section 28, Pinora township.  The soil is sandy loam; water from a well 28 feet deep and two springs.  Has a frame house, frame granary, and material for a frame barn, 24x36 feet.  Has some 40 apple trees, with cherry, pear, plum and small fruit.  Keeps 2 horses, 2 cows, 2 hogs and poultry; and in 1878, had 4 acres wheat (64 bushels), 6 acres corn, 2 acres buckwheat, 1 ½ acres potatoes (200 bushels) and 4 acres timothy; yield, 5 tons.

 

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A. J. McLaughlin—Homesteaded the southeast quarter section 28, Pinora township, in Fall of 1871. Has sold 115 acres to P. and E. McLaughlin.  Has about 20 acres girdled and 10 acres chopped on the 45 acres reserved for himself.

 

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P. McLaughlin—Settled, in the Fall of 1870, by homesteading the east half of the southeast quarter section 34, Webber township.  Has sold the south 30; and now owns and is living on 45 acres of the southeast quarter section 28, Pinora township.  Has a frame house and frame barn, 28x35 feet.  Rented his place last season, but intends to work it himself this year.  Has 4 acres of wheat on the ground, with 31 acres seeded to timothy and clover.  Water from spring.

 

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Gideon RussellSettled on the west half of the northeast quarter section 4, Chase township, in the Spring of 1873.  The soil is sandy loam and clay; water from well 43 feet deep.  Has a log house, log barn, and some small fruits; about 40 acres improved.  Keeps 2 oxen, 3 cows, 7 young cattle and poultry.  In 1878, he had 4 acres wheat (50 bushels) 1 acre corn (100 bushels ears), ½ acre potatoes (50 bushels) and 6 acres timothy, yielding from 8 to 10 tons.

 

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John BigbeeSettled on the south half of southwest quarter section 34, Pinora township, in the Spring of 1866.  The soil is sandy loam and clay; with water from spring and stream.  Has a frame house, log barn, and about 20 acres improved.  There are 100 apple trees (some bearing) and small fruits.  Left original maples, wild cherry and hemlock for shade and ornament.  Keeps 2 cows, 2 young cattle, 7 hogs, 8 sheep and poultry.  In 1878, he had 4 acres wheat, 2 ½ acres corn, ¾ acre buckwheat (25 bushels), ¼ acre rutabagas (50 bushels) and 4 acres timothy.  Sowed 2 acres wheat, last Fall.

 

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Alex. Craig—Settled, in the Fall of 1878, on the east half of the northwest quarter section 4, Chase township.  There is a frame house, and a small clearing.  Intends to make a farm.

 

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Erastus HainesSettled on the north half of the southwest quarter section 34, Pinora township, in the Winter of 1866.  The soil is sand; water from a well 68 feet deep, and several springs and a spring stream.  Has a fine frame house and frame barn, and some 67 acres improved.  Has 25 apple trees and small fruits; but intends to set out 100 apple trees this season.  Keeps 1 horse, 2 cows, 2 young cattle, 2 hogs and poultry.  In 1878, he had 10 acres wheat (187 bushels), 6 acres corn, 4 acres oats, ½ acre potatoes (70 bushels) and 28 acres timothy.  Sowed 9 acres wheat, last Fall.  Mr. H. has, probably, the leading farm in the township. 

 

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Mrs. A. HainesAlso, settled, in the winter of 1866, on the south half of the northwest quarter section 34, Pinora township.  The soil is sand; with water from springs and stream.  There is a log house, and 11 acres improved.  Lives with her son, E. Haines.

 

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Samuel SmeedSettled on the south half of the northeast quarter section 34, Pinora township, in the Summer of 1878.  The soil is sand, water from spring.  There is a log house and barn, and some apple, pear, cherry and small fruits; about 18 acres improved.  This place was originally entered by John Decker, in the Spring of 1868; the last named making improvements.

 

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Zachary BloodSettled on the north half of the northeast quarter section 2, Chase township, in the Spring of 1867.  The soil is clay.  Has a log house, frame barn, and about 16 acres improved.  Is at present living on Winfield Blood’s place, Pinora township.  Keeps 3 horses, 1 cow, 1 yearling, 1 hog, 8 sheep and poultry.  Had 4 acres wheat and 8 acres oats, in 1878.

 

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Geo. W. MillsSettled on the west half of northeast quarter, northwest quarter of southeast quarter and northeast quarter of northeast quarter section 32. Webber township, in the Summer of 1878.  The soil is sand—plains and pine.  Has about 2 ½ acres cleared, and is building a log house, 25x29 feet.  Also, owns the Wm. Goff homestead, same township, where there are 5 acres cleared and 15 to 20 acres chopped.  Soil, sand.  Frame house, 20x28 feet; well, 10 feet deep, good water.  On the last named ground, he had, in 1878.  2 acres corn, 1 acres potatoes (80 bushels) and 1 ½ acres millet.  Thinks he can get a living from the plains.

 

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E. DeckerSettled on the west half of the southeast quarter section 22, Yates township, in the Spring of 1873.  The soil is sand—part plains, part pine; water from a well, 24 feet deep.  Has a hewed log house, log barn.  For fruit, has cherry, plum and small fruits; and has left pines for shade.  Mr. D. has been off his place for nearly three years; returning last Fall, and sowing 2 ½ acres wheat and seeding the same to clover and timothy.  Says he made a mistake in ever leaving his place.  Keeps a span of horses.

 

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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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Page Notes:

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.

 

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! 

 

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Name:

Contact E-mail:

Bigbee, John

Gordon Rolston

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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