Second and Third Pages:
Copyright, 1891.
By T. H. Ball.

"Whoever occupies a station of moral influence---a station where his labor lies among the most perilous material with which man can intermeddle, the affections and dispositions and wills of other people---must have amazing self-reliance or deplorable callousness, if he is not frequently crushed down by the solemnity of his position."
Rev. James Hamilton

"By cool Siloam's shady rill
How fair the lily grows!
How sweet the breath, beneath the hill,
Of Sharon's dewy rose!

"Lo! such the child whose early feet
In wisdom's ways have trod,
Whose youthful heart, by influence sweet,
Is upward drawn to God."

Page Four:
Perfect history, including the events of many years, has not been written. Man does not in anything easily attain perfection.

A good degree of accuracy may be attained in historical research; but written records, made at the time the events took place, may bear some traces of the imperfection of human observation, and the recollections of past events are liable to be more or less imperfect.

I believe this book is the first of its kind in the State of Indiana, and have endeavored to make it as accurate and as near to perfection for such a work as the circumstances would permit.

~T. H. Ball.
 

(pg. 5)
Wednesday, August 27, 1890, the 25th Anniversary of the Lake County Sunday-school Convention, was observed as also the 50th Anniversary of Sunday-school work in Lake county. To the observance of this double anniversary this memorial volume owes its existance. The records in this volume were prepared for that occasion or arranged for this work on account of that occasion.

The exercises of that day were held at the Fair Ground. The weather was all that could be desired for an out-of-door gathering. For the closing of August it was a perfect day. And as enjoying such a day in this grove, where the crowds gathered on three memorable days in 1884; where some, whose memorials will be found on these pages, have enjoyed with many of us the basket dinners of past years; where children, who will meet here no more, have mingled their sweet young voices in prayer and praise; as though on this ground, with these associations, and in this presence of a large assembly, let the readers of these pages imagine themselves hearing on one long, delightful, August day, the story of our Sunday-school work for fifty years.

"Mr. President: As this year of 1890 is, according to our reckoning, the fiftieth year of our Sunday-school work, and as I seem to be left almost the only remaining member of the earliest schools organized in our county which have continued to this year and day, it seems appropriate for me to offer a few introductory word. We hold this year, for our twenty-fifth anniversary exercises,

(pg.6)
a Semi-Centennial celebration of the Sunday-school work in Lake county; and if any were present here of the Sunday-school poineers---so far as I know there is not one of them now living---I think they would be disposed to say, 'We came here into this beautiful and fertile region, not long after the Indian title to the land was extiinguished, and before it could be owned by any individual white man, and we brought with us our Bibles and the Christian Sabbath, and our love for the spiritual welfare of others. And where those Indians had so lately worshiped the Great Spirit we gathered our children and our neighbor's children into schools on the first day of the week, and began to teach them the teachings of the Bible; and now, as fifty years are closing, there can be named and counted ninety schools that are or have been in this county of Lake organized by ourselves, our children, and our successors. Truly may it be said, in an ancient form of words, "What hath God wrought?""

The Secretary continued:

"Mr. President: As appropriate for such a celebration, quite largely,--- I hope not too largely, for we all are interested, or ought to be interested, in reviewing sometimes work that has been done by others, --- quite largely the exercises for this day are to be historical and commemorative; and, if we may speak of our Sunday-schools as bulwarks and towers, as we might call our churches palaces, we may use again to-day an ancient form of speech and say, "Walk about Zion and go round about her; tell the towers thereof; work ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God forever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death."

This was the introduction to the exercises of the day.

(pg. 7)
The singing of the day was by the Crown Point Methodist Episcopal school, the Crown Point Presbyterian, the Merrillville school, the Cedar Lake Union school, the Ross Congregational, the Lake Prairie Presbyterian, and the Dyer Union school.

There was also a song by fifty girls, which will be given near the close of these records as here arranged for this bright summer day.

Lake county occupies the northwestern corner of Indiana. The city of Chicago, which once was twelve miles from the State corner-stone on the shore of Lake Michigan, now extends for more than four miles along the west side of the county of Lake. The width of this county is sixteen miles, according to its sections. Lake Michigan, with its grand waves and its huge blocks of ice in spring time, washes it on the north and gives it a beautiful beach of pure sand, with some magnificent sand hills, along which grow the native white pines. The Kankakee River forms its southern boundary, a river that, with its broad northern expanse of island grove-dotted marsh land, and with its many bayous, has been for more than fifty years almost inaccessible from the north to horsemen or to footmen. Between river and lake on the east side the distance is about twenty-eight miles. On the west side it is nearly thirty-seven miles. The entire surface area is about five hundred square miles.

In 1832, the year of the Black Hawk War, the Indian title, except to some floats, was here extinguished.

In 1834 permanent settlement here by pioneer families commmenced. These settlers were called "squatters."

(pg. 8)
In 1836, January 28th, by an act of the Indiana Legislature, the county, as a civil division, was formed out of then existing counties, Porter and Newton, and the infant county of Lake was attached to Porter in respect to civil jurisdiction.

By another legislative act, January 18, 1837, it was declared that Lake should be an independent county after February 15, 1837.

The land had been laid out into townships and sections by United States surveyors in 1834.

In 1839, the land came "into market," and the United States land sale was opened at La Porte, March 19th of that year.

In 1840, by a re-location, Crown Point became the county seat.

Of the five hundred square miles of surface here, about one hundred are in the noted Calumet Region; and seventy-five are in the Kankakee Region, in that remarkable valley of lowland and sand ridges and island groves, of which Indiana there are about five hundred square miles.

Upon the newly surveyed Government lands, before Lake county was formed, a very few families made claims, erected log-cabins, and became pioneer settlers in 1834. Other families came in 1835. And into the new county of 1836, and the organized, independent county of 1837, laying claim to some of the beautiful prairie and to more of the open woodlands, many more families came and established homes for their women and children, by building, with axe and hammer, their cabins, with stick and mud chimneys, in the woodlands and in the groves. The open prairies, the home of

(pg. 9)
tens of thousands of pinnated grouse, where roamed the prairie wolves and fed the deer, remained tenantless. In a strip of woodland, some six miles south from the center of the county, named by one of the pioneers Pleasant Grove, a settlement was formed in 1835 by some Bryant families and others, and the locality for a few years was called Bryant Settlement. Among these were E. Wayne Bryant, one of the early Methodists, and Elias Bryant, one of the earliest Presbyterians.

In 1837 Ephraim Cleveland, a Methodist, settled in this grove, other Methodist families having already settled northward. Pleasant Grove therefore became an early church and Sunday-school center. Here was organized, probably, the first Methodist class in the county. The date assigned by Mrs. S. G. Wood, who has studied the Methodist history of this county, is 1836. According to official authority, the Conference Minutes, which the writer of this had the privilege of examining at the home of Rev. W. J. Forbes, in Valparaiso, not long before his death, in 1834  Stephen R. Ball was stationed on the South Bend Circuit, and in that year there were no settlements, properly so called, and but few settlers in what became Lake county. In 1835 Deep River Mission was formed, Stephen Jones Missionary, and in the latter part of that year some small neighborhoods were found by him in this county. In 1836 Jacob Colelazer was Missionary.

In 1837 Hawley B. Beers. (The Conference appointments, it should be borne in mind, do not begin with January and end with December; and also, men are appointed sometimes and the labor is performed by others. The Conference Minutes, therefore, and our own pioneer knowledge of the actual facts do not always seem to agree.)

(pg. 10)
In 1838, Samuel K. Young was Missionary. Settlements had extended southward, and in 1839 Kankakee Mission was formed, William J. Forbes Missionary. On his entire field, taking more than Lake county, were then about one hundred members. The pioneers had come, but as yet no mention appears of Sunday schools.

Near the southwest part of the up-land of the county, on West Creek, a little neighborhood was formed of Hathaway and Hayden families with some others, and here was another early Methodist center. Still another, a third, was in the eastern part of the county at Hickory Point.

Another early church and Sunday-school center was at Orchard Grove, in the south part of the county, where Charles Kenney, who had been a Sunday-school man in Maine, near Augusta, and afterward near Bangor, made his home in January, 1838, with two sons and other members of his family, coming the whole distance from "down east" in Maine, in a wagon drawn by four horses.

A family that would thus travel that distance, in the winter time, over the roads that then were or were not, would be expected to bring with them New England hardihood and enterprise, intelligence and religious principle. Well may such be numbered among our Sunday-school pioneers.

In the summer of 1837 claims were made about five miles southwest of the center of the county, at Cedar Lake, on the west side, by Hervey Ball, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, on the southeast and south by Lewis Warriner and Norman Warriner, also natives of West Springfield, these being three of the Baptist pioneers of the county. These, in connectin with the Church and Cutler families, of Prairie West, two miles

(pg. 11)
north of Cedar Lake, settlers from New York in 1836, commenced immediately to hold religious meetings. They united together as a church June 17, 1838, Elder French, of Porter county, being present and conducting the business exercises. This church was officially recognized by a "council" as the Cedar Lake Baptist church, May 19th, 1839. Norman Warriner was soon ordained as pastor here. And here, so far as may now be known, was organized, was probably organized, the first Lake county Sunday school. (Other schools will assert their claims to this distinction, and by the readers all the claims should be fairly weighed.) Of this Cedar Lake school, Hervey Ball was superintendent. It was organized as a Union school, and a Union school for fifty years in has remained.

As the history of these Baptist pioneers has been given in "The Lake of the Red Cedars," a volume of 357 pages, and as the history of their school will in this volumes be given, no further mention need be made of them here. Whether their school should date 1839 or 1840, cannot now be determined.

Passing now to the center of the county, where the earliest settlement was made in 1834 and 1835, by men not members of any church, Mrs. Fancher, wife of Richard Fancher, of Fancher's Lake, and Mrs. Harriet Warner Holton, both among the settlers of 1835, were the first Presbyterian pioneer women. Mrs. Holton was a widow coming here with two sons, known as Warner and William, and one daughter. She was born in Massachusetts, January 15, 1783. In some repects she was the most remarkable woman ever a resident in Lake county. In addtion to these two, there came in 1836 Mrs. Eddy, the first wife of Russell Eddy, with one son and two daughters. She was then a Baptist from Troy, New York, but soon became a Presbyterian,

(pg. 12)
and one of the most active members of the Presbyterian church when that church was at length organized. To her credit probably belongs of giving Bible instruction to children before any others had commenced this work in the county. Her husband, who outlived her for many years, stated that she gathered her own children and those of her brother, Henry Wells, and some other children, into her room at some hour on Sunday, and together they read and studied the Scriptures. This was in 1838, or possibly 1837. But this gathering was not called a Sunday school, and no formal school was opened in the hamlet days of "Lake Court House." Soon, however, a shepherd came. Rev. J. C. Brown, Presbyterian pastor at Valparaiso, came into Lake county in January, 1840; preached at Cedar Lake (then, probably, the most prominent religious center in the county, where the first Baptist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran sermons were preached); found Elias Bryant, at Pleasant Grove, Mrs. Woodruff at Orchard Grove, the Woodbridge and Humphrey families from New England, on Eagle Creek Prairie; found Mrs. Fancher, Mrs. Holton and Mrs. Eddy, and commenced meetings in the "Old Log Court House." This building, erected by the enterprise of Solon Robinson and others, in 1837, became not only the county court-house, but was church and lecture hall for the village and county for ten or more years.

Here Elder Warriner, of Cedar Lake, who became a resident of Crown Point, and Mr. Brown, both of whom began to preach regularly in the audience room, with the Baptist pioneers of Cedar Lake, and the Presbyterian women who have been mentioned, organized and carried on the Crown Point Union Sunday school, whether in 1840 or 1841 can not now with certainty be determined. Mrs. Strait, of Chicago, formerly Miss Josephine Robinson,

(pg. 13)
daughter of Solon Robinson, then a child and member of Mrs. Eddy's class in that school, can not with certainty place the school earlier than 1841. Mrs. Susan Clark, a niece of Mrs. Eddy, also a member of that school, can give no date with certainty. Three of us remain who were children in that school then. The teachers, the officers, the founders, have passed away, and written records are not to be found. One early member of the Presbyterian church remains, known for these many years as Deacon Mason, severty-nine years of age, and he attributes largely the organization of the school of Elder Warriner, the first resident minister in Crown Point, but cannot give a certain date. Early in 1843, Elder Warriner removed to Illinois, and in the spring of that year, Rev. M. Allman came from Michigan, and became a resident in Crown Point. He was a Methodist, English by birth and training; "a local preacher of more than ordinary ability;" and he, for a time, took part in this Union school.

The fifty years history of this school will be given in its place by one of its present active members.

The third school to be noticed here, it may possibly have been the first in the county, was in that growing neighborhood of Pleasant Grove. As some are yet living who were interested here, and as illustrating the difficulty in determining among seven pioneer schools, which was in reality first, the date of orgainzation of not one of the seven having been found, the full evidence in regard to this school will be presented. Ephraim Cleveland, who died in 1845, was the first, and until his death, the only superintendent. His son, T. Cleveland, a lawyer of Crown Point, thinks the school was organized in 1842 or 1843. E. W. Bryant, an active Methodist, who settled here in 1835, has already been named. His daughter, Mrs. Maria McCarty,

(pg. 14)
now of Indianola, Iowa, thinks the school was organized in 1840 with Ephraim Cleveland as Superintendent. She says that "he and her father, Mrs. Cleveland, Mrs. Bryant and two others" were the teachers. Mr. B. Bryant, a son of E. W. Bryant, writes, that in the summer of 1835 John Kitchel arranged with E. W. Bryant for the two families to meet in the home of the latter "every Sabbath and read the Scriptures and have something like a Sunday school." Referring to this his sister, Mrs. McCarty, writes: "I do not think there was any organization at that time."---Young readers may be reminded that the question now under consideration is connected largely with the memory of children. These living and giving testimony now were quite young children then.--Now, according to the Claim Register, the oldest documentary evidence in Lake county concerning its early settlers, E. W. Bryant came here as a settler in 1835, but the evidence from that Register is that John Kitchel came in 1836. But Mr. Bryant further says, that the first regularly organized Sunday school, according to the best of his recollection, was held in the house of Ephraim Cleveland. He says, "This was, I think, in 1837." But he adds, "It was the summer following the fall that Mr. Cleveland came to Lake county." There is no conflict of testimony, it is perfectly established that the Cleveland family came in 1837. Mr. Bryant's last statement, therefore, will place the organization of the Pleasant Grove school in 1838. Here again, Mrs. McCarty says, "When the Sunday school was organized I think there was fifteen or twenty scholars and perhaps five or six teachers." To this date of 1838 there appears one objection. That summer was one of "severe drouth and great sickness." In proportion to the number of inhabitants it was a summer of many deaths. "The summers of 1838 and 1846 are

(pg. 15)
the two most noted for sickness in the annuals of Lake." At Cedar Lake, where there was quite a strong church organization, the record for the summer of 1838 says, "From continued distressing sickness, no meetings were held until the latter part of winter." This is after a record of meetings for five Sabbaths. And this sickness was very general in all the neighborhoods and settlements. Judging from the fact of that prevailing sickness, which some of us yet living remember well, it would almost seem that the Pleasant Grove school could not have been earlier than 1839.

The fourth to be noticed, among these seven schools, was at West Creek, where the Hathaway and Hayden families settled. A Methodist church building was erected here in 1843, and in this building probably in the same year, a school was organized. Peter Hathaway had three sons, Silas, Abram, and Bethuel. Of Silas it is said, "He was a good man, a useful citizen, a beautiful singer;" and as a singer he would surely find a place in the school. His father, probably his borthers also, took an active part in the school. Others who are named as active members by almost the only survivor of these early settlers, Mrs. Spalding, were, John Fisher and wife, Cooper Brooks and wife, Lyman Foster and wife, A. D. Foster, and Mrs. Hayden, wife of Nehemiah Hayden, one of those early settlers; also Andrew Moore. The Superintendent was Adam Hamilton, called "Father Hamilton," and he seems to have continued in office most of the time till he removed to Momence. He at length removed over the river, and then passed over the viewless river. He was evidently another of those good and useful men whose names as pioneer, church, and school workers should be kept by their descendants in lasting remembrance.

The fifth of these schools was at Hickory Point,

(pg. 16)
where a Methodist church building was erected about 1844. The facts gleaned in regard to this school will be elsewhere given. In that neighborhood great changes have taken place. It does not look like a church center now.

The sixth of these seven schools recognized as our earliest organizations, is the school at Orchard Grove. Charles Kenney, the Sunday-school worker from Maine, opened a school in his home with eight or nine children as the scholars, about 1842. He also conducted a school in the log school-house at Plum Grove about the same time, but that school was not kept up. The one commenced in the Kenney home is the present Orchard Grove school.

The last of these pioneer schools to be here named was organized at Southeast Grove, by Orlando V. Servis, perhaps in 1839, perhaps in 1840. Among the Grove Schools its history will be given.

There are found, then, thus far, as the family names of our Sunday-school pioneers, men, women, and children, among the Methodists, Bryant, Cleveland, Hathaway, Hayden, Hamilton, Allman, Servis, Kenney; among the Presbyterians, Holton, Fancher, Eddy, Humphrey, Woodbridge, Bryant; among the Baptist, Warriner, Church, Cutler, Ball. Of the Methodists there were probably others whose names in other connections will be found, and especially the name of Rev. Robert Hyde, a local preacher, if not an appointed missionary, active and young in 1839, who lived in this county several years and died in Chicago in 1883.
 

One of our early schools, commenced perhaps as early as 1842, was held at the home place of William W.

(pg. 17)
Paine. Here was for a few years a place for regular Methodist preaching. A class was organized, of which W. W. Paine was leader. Of the school J. Foley was Superintendent. This locality is a little more than two miles south and west from Crown Point, on the road to Creston and Cedar Lake. The school was not in existence long, as all those early families soon removed from the county. At this school took place an instructive incident. The lesson for the day was in Acts, chapter 23. They had reached verse 23, where mention is made of two hundred soldiers, of three score and ten horsemen, and of "spearmen two hundred," and about the latter, which they called sparemen, they began to talk. Some wondered if these were men they had to spare, so were sending them away, or perhaps they were thin, lean, spare men. At length, the Superintendent himself is credited with asking, "What does s p e a r spell, anyhow?" And some one suggested the ordinary pronunciation, spear. They were of a class that knew well what spears were, and in an instant the meaning of the whole verse was clear. This school was composed mainly of those whom the settlers from the East called hoosiers. Their school advantages had been few. The instruction is this: If a knowledge of the English alphabet and of the proper pronunciation of common words is needful to enable Sunday-school teachers and scholars to understand the meaning of the English Scriptures, may not yet more knowledge be desirable and needful? May it not be desirable to gain a fair knowledge of the ordinary laws of language, of the general principles of interpretation, even of Orientalisms, of poetic, of rhetorical figures, of the deeper principles involved in the structure of language? To state the deeper, underlying principle on which many now profess to rely, is it safe to expect the Holy Spirit to

(pg. 18)
teach one and to guide one, in reading the Scriptures, in respect to those things ordinarily taught in the schools? Ought not all Sunday-school teachers to learn, or try to learn, how to read well, how to pronounce words correctly, and to gain all the knowledge practicable from the ordinary lesson helps? Can one become too intelligent for obtaining and explaining correctly the meaning of Scriptures? The members of the Center Prairie school were zealous, they were in earnest. Their devotion and their earnestness entitled them to large respect. They would have welcomed gladly the "helps" of our day. They improved their opportunities for gaining knowledge. Their leaders have a right to place among our pioneers.

A FIFTY YEARS' RECORD. BY MRS. J. FISHER.
Fifty years ago Elder Norman Warriner, a Baptist clergyman; J. C. Brown, a Presbyterian minister; Mrs. Russel Eddy, Mrs. Richard Fancher, Mrs. H. Holton, and Miss Harriet Holton, elect women, moved by a desire to serve the Master and save perishing souls, met in the old log court house in Crown Point, and organized the first Sunday school in the county, in 1840. It was a Union school in which Baptist, Methodists, and Presbyterians labored together for the Lord, the ministers superintending when present, and Mrs. Eddy in their absence. The Cutler and Church families of Western Prairie and the Ball family of Cedar Lake also attended. In 1843 the Methodists, under the leadership of Rev. Major Allman, withdrew and formed a school of their own. The Baptists and Presbyterians continued the school until 1846, when the Presbyterians, under pastorate of the Rev. William Townley, having built a

(pg. 19)
new church, left the court house, retained the name of Union till about 1856 (and then continued as a Presbyterian school), superintended by the pastor, who remained ten years.

In 1859 J. L. Lower was installed as pastor of the church. He was an earnest worker in the Sunday school, and being a fine musician, did much to improve it. He was ably assisted by Mrs. Sarah Robinson, a loving worker for the little ones; Rev. John Binney, a Baptist minister who took a deep interest in Sunday school work, and Miss Mary E. Parsons, principal of a young ladies' school, a devoted Christian woman of high culture and strong influence, of whom the church record of a revival in 1860 says: "A remarkable fact respecting this revival is that nearly all who came forward are or have been pupils of Miss Parsons' school."

The school was usually superintended by the pastors. Mrs. Almon Foster was Superintendent in 1865 or near that time.

In later years Mr. Charles F. Griffin was for ten years our efficient and beloved Superintendent, laboring faithfully for the upbuilding and advancement of the school, only resigning when called to serve the State as Secretary. He was followed by Professor Voorhees, principal of the public school, who was succeeded in 1889 by our pastor, Rev. L. W. A. Luckey, under whose fostering, prayerful care the school is gaining in numbers and, we trust, in spirituality.

For many years Mrs. N. C. Cornell did excellent work both as organist and teacher, first of a boys' class and then of the young ladies' class.

From 30 pupils in 1861, 35 in 1863, 40 in 1865, the school now numbers 103 pupils and 10 teachers. For several years we have had a birthday box in which teachers and scholars deposit as many pennies as they

(pg. 20)
are years old, which is sent to aid the Sunday-school work in needy portions of the country. We have also taken a collection for this work Children's Day, and for two years the school has sent a Christmas offering to the Waifs' Mission, in which all have joined, even the infant class. What are the results of this work? Only the Master can tell. Of its pupils one, Mrs. Annie Turner Morgan, spent eight years in India as a Baptist missionary. Two are leading ministers of the Gospel; Henry Johnson, D.D., pastor of a large Presbyterian Church in South Bend, a man of culture, piety, and wide influence; and Edwin A. Schell, a prominent Methodist minister now in Yonkers, N.Y. Hon. Charles F. Griffin was associated with the school as scholar and superintendent many years, and many others who, through not so prominent, are doing good work in the Lord's vineyard.

The addtions to the church membership have come largely from the Sunday school. Of one class of young ladies (Mrs. Ainsworth's) all but one united with our church, and she with the Epsicopal. So we labor in hope, knowing that God will bless us if we do our work faithfully. Of those who first organized the school not one remains. All have gone to their reward, and their works do follow them.

MRS. HARRIET WARNER HOLTON. It is fitting that somewhere, amid the records of Lake county, should be found more than a passing notice of one, who, fifty-five years ago, then in middle life, came with a little band of pioneer settlers into this almost unbroken solitude.

As authority for reviewing, even briefly, such a life as was hers, I might refer to the Scripture narrative, as given by Mark, of that woman who anointed the Saviour of the world before he suffered, and of

(pg. 21)
whom he said: "She hath done what she could." Of her a record was made to go down through all the coming time. Of other women since that day, following the example, not only of the New Testament, but also of records in the Old Testament, memorials have been preserved of their virtues, and trials, and good deeds, by those who had no special guidance to teach them what to say, and what to leave unsaid; and these memorials form choice portions of the wealth of biographic literature. The example and the lessons of a long life may have for us and others a permanent value. The teaching which I would interweave in this brief review may be drawn from the record given us by John concerning Mary of Bethany, who, in Bethany, anointed the Saviour's feet with a pound of very costly ointment. Surely, it was this same Mary, who is mentioned by Mark, who was in Simon's house, and who anointed also the Saviour's head. The teaching is this: That relationship with Jesus of Nazareth in heart, in life, in good deeds, forms the choicest and most imperishable memorial that can immortalize a woman. Station, wealth, power, beauty, talent, may cause names to live long in time's annals; but if a woman's name is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, the time is coming when it must sink into darkness, if not into oblivion forever.

It may not be possible, as an actual fact, for any member of the human race to pass into absolute forgetfulness; for, in the unending ages of the existence before us, in that mighty future which we sometimes call eternity, there may be recalled, in perfect memories, one by one, an image and a thought of every loved and lost one of all this unnumbered race. As to this I know not; but I have a right to be sure, whatever comes, whatever yet may be, that the Life Book names

(pg. 22)
will shine in resplendent glory in the great kingdom of the future.

HARRIET WARNER, daughter of General Warner, was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, January 15, 1783. It was that eventful year which witnessed the closing scenes of the American Revolution; the year in which, on the historic 19th of April, the cessation of hostilities was proclaimed in the American Army; in which, on September 3d, the treaty of peace was signed at Paris; and in which, the army disbanding November 3d, Washington, taking leave of his officers at New York, resigned to the Congress at Annapolis his commission as Commander-in-Chief, December 23d, and retired to Mount Vernon.

Commencing her infant existence before any of these events, Harriet Warner, who became Mrs. Holton, remained among us as one of the very few connecting those times with our own until the autumn of 1879.

Of the incidents of her childhood and youth almost nothing is now known. She had two brothers, William Augustus Warner, years ago a wealthy citizen of Massachusetts, and Jonathan Warner, a business man of Boston. She had seven sisters. Miss Harriet Warner commenced active life as a New England teacher in Westminster. She there became acquainted with a young law student, Alexander Holton, to whom she was married about the year 1804. In 1816 the young Holton family left the comfort and cultivation of New England for the Western wilds. It was the year in which Indiana became a State. Among the Seneca Indians, in Big Valley, whose chief was called Corn Planter, who were engaged in January, 1817, in making maple sugar, the migrating party spent two weeks. Then they continued their route through the woods to the Alleghany river. Fifteen miles back from the

(pg. 23)
river sugar making was again carried on. Along the bank of the river cabins were built for a brief sojourn; but in March they moved down to Vevay, Indiana, laid out as a town in 1813, and there settled in 1817. A law office was there opened, and among the law students in that office were John Dumond and Samuel Merrill, the latter of whom was afterwards a citizen of Indianapolis. Perhaps wealth did not rapidly accumulate, for in 1820, the Holton family removed to Vernon, in Jennings county, where Mrs. Holton resumed for a time her early occupation of teaching. Here, in 1823, her husband, the lawyer, died, having then five law students in his office, leaving Mrs. Holton with two sons and one daughter, and with no large accumulation of property. Here for eleven more years the family remained. The sons had reached manhood, the one daughter had become a woman. Then, through Solon Robinson, who left Jennings county and found the wild, inviting, attractive region that became Lake county, in October of 1834, tidings came to them that a fine opening for enterprise and for securing new homes in a fertile, prairie region was then waiting for adventures; and with little delay, even in midwinter, joining William Clark and family, Mrs. Holton, with her daughter and son, W. A. W. Holton, set out from Jennings county for the northwestern corner of Indiana. Something of the hardship and suffering of that February journey, in wagons drawn by oxen, may be found recorded in "Lake County, 1872" pages 27 and 28. That month of February, 1835, was, as a winter month, unusually severe; it was no sugar making month, like the January of 1817; and that they actually crossed the Kankakee Marsh Region with their ox teams, and came up into the southwestern part of this Lake county, amid the cold, fierce, freezing winds of that February, is remarkable.

(pg. 24)
The Holton family, the other son, J. W. Holton, with his wife and two little children, arriving a few days after the others, settled where is now Crown Point, making the third family for the little hamlet.

Here, once more, Mrs. Holton, then fifty-three years of age, resumed the occupation of her early life, and became the first teacher in Lake county. She taught throught the winter of 1835 and 1836. From this time until the infirmities of age came on, Mrs. Holton was active in doing whatever her hands found to do.

About 1840, perhaps a little earlier, or a little later, she made a visit to New England, at the time of her mother's death. That mother was about ninety-four years of age. Then, at Enfield, once more the eight sisters met. These were: Mrs. Robinson, wife of wealthy Governor of Vermont; Mrs. Stuart, wife of Judge Stuart, of Vermont, a man of wealth as well as of position; Mrs. Bradley, wife of a Vermont lawyer; Mrs. Brown, wife of a Massachusetts lawyer; Mrs. Hitchcock, wife of another Massachusetts lawyer; Mrs. Jones, whose husband was a fine penman, a copyist before the days of type-writing; Miss Warner, who never married; and Mrs. Holton, the pioneer woman at Vevay, the pioneer woman at Crown Point, a widow then, and the earliest teacher of children in Lake county; worthy to hold a sister's place among women of wealth and social position in cultivated New England. These eight sisters were all members of the Presbyterian church; and all died of old age, two of them while sitting in their chairs.

After the return of Mrs. Holton to Crown Point, after the organization of the Union school in the log court house, after the organization of the Presbyterian church at Crown Point in 1844, and of the completion of the church building in 1847, she still remained an active and

(pg. 25)
a useful woman. As the years passed and changes came, her home was transferred from Crown Point to the farmhome of her son, J. W. Holton, usually called Warner, some four miles northeastward from Crown Point on Deep River. Here there was but little for her to do except to engage in household duties. The infirmities of age came creeping on. A letter from Capt. Woodbury, a neighbor, written before March, 1878, says: "My acquaintance with Mrs. Holton commenced about twenty years ago or over, perhaps twenty-four years. She then would walk from her son Warner's to my house, two miles, with apparent comfort. She being a special favorite with my wife it was a great pleasure to have her visit us. What made it more interesting, she having a retentive memory and a well stored mind, all her natural faculties improved, she could converse on any topic; and as I had plowed the sea most of my life she was fond of inquiring of different parts of the Old World. Indeed, it was a great pleasure to converse with one that could go so far back in the past. She was specially fond of vocal music, of course the tunes of her younger days. My wife and myself would sing for hours for her. As she had at that time lost her voice I asked her if she regretted losing her voice. She said, 'No, I can hum it over in my mind and it sounds to me as well as it ever did.' Whe we would urge her to partake of a more hearty meal, she would reply that eating was like conversation. You could have too much to be digestible. In 1864 was the last time she visited us. We have been several times to see her." Mentioning a visit in August, 1875, the letter continues: "She had lost her sight and was hard of hearing. Her son, William, asked her if she knew different neighbors, naming them. She replied, 'Yes,' then correcting herself said, 'No, I guess not.' He then asked her if

(pg. 26)
she knew Mr. Woodbury. 'Yes, I guess I do.' was the quick reply. 'Where is he? I must see him. Oh dear! I can not see you either. Give me your hand.'  ************

'On that blissful shore we shall see each other there, where this mortal body shall put on immortal bloom. I shall see you there.'" There is to the letter a postscript, 1878, March 23d. The last visit. "Her daughter-in-law asked her if she remembered Mr. Woodbury. 'I guess I do. Where is he? Give me your hand, I want to see you. Oh, I shall never see you in this world again. Oh, I am so impatient to go; but the Lord does all things well. We shall meet in the other world, and we shall know each other there.' "

This is the last recorded interview. Mrs. Holton died October 17, 1879, almost ninety-seven years of age. As the burial procession came in sight of Crown Point from the Deep River home where she died; the then new court-house bell was tolled; the first and the last time its deep tones have been heard at any of our burial processions. A fitting tribute it was on that day, as it announced the fact that the mortal remains of no ordinary woman were nearing the place of burial. Such a woman, in such a long life, the daughter of an army leader, with her native intelligence, her New England training, her granitelike, Presbyterian principle, her devotion, her meekness, her love, must in various ways have accomplished no little good. As I am glad that among our Sunday-school pioneers, in this county of Lake, we may record the name of Harriet Warner Holton.
 

(pg.26)

The date of the organization of the Cedar Lake Union Sunday School has not been exactly ascertained. The shadow of obscurity and of uncertainty that covers

(pg.27)
so many events in the far distant and mighty past comes very near, sometimes, to this present in which we live. In an early Lake county diary has been found the exact date of the opening of one of our earlier schools. Diaries are not very generally kept by children, and the date of many an event that may sometimes be of interest is left solely to a fading or an overburdened memory. Annalists become therefore useful in a community. Well said a writer in the Sunday School Times, "The collection and preservation of perishable memorials of local antiquarian hisotry is one of the most praiseworthy of literary tasks." To rescue what can yet be saved from oblivion of our earliest Sunday-school work in this county is one of the objects proposed for this anniversary.

A few only are now living who, as children, true pioneer children, living here in those interesting years of frontier life before 1840, were present at the first singing and first prayer and first reading of Scriptures when was organized the Cedar Lake Sunday school. This may have been in 1839. It may have been in 1840. And, in view of the probabilities, so far as the circumstances, it is assumed that this school was the first of the pioneer schools of the county. It was organized on the northwest side of Cedar Lake, at the home of Hervey Ball, who was the first Superintendent, and who continued to be superintendent through most of the years until 1867. The school was continued in the same locality (the large log school house, built in 1838, being occupied as church and Sunday-school room) until 1849 or 1850, when the school house southeast of the lake, near the home of Mr. Horace Edgerton became the place for Sabbath preaching and for Sunday

(pg. 28)
school. In the ten years of school life on the west side much good had been accomplished through the faithful teaching of the Scripture. Not long after the organization of the school a visitor came in, who seemed to enjoy the exercises, and who was evidently interested in the frontier Sunday-school work. Soon after his return to his New England home a gift of library books came to Cedar Lake from a school in Massachusetts. Afterwards funds were raised and a well selected library was obtained from the American Sunday-School Union. One of the Ball family became school librarian (According to the memory of one member of this family, Mrs. E. H. Woodard, of Grove Hill, Ala., born in 1829, in these books was written, "Cedar Lake Union S. S., 1840." If this recollection is correct---no book can now be found to verify it---the school must have been organized in 1839. The reader has already been reminded that in regard to many facts connected with our pioneer schools the only dependence is the memory of childhood.) These books were diligently read, and for many years carefully kept. Several of the members of the school became church members, and one remarkable instance of conversion took place apparently in connection with one Sunday-school lesson. (Lake of Red Cedar, page 68.)

In the new locality the school continued to prosper. Within five years, from January, 1850, to April, 1855, some twenty-two members of the school became members of the Cedar Lake Baptist church. These twenty-two were:

Enoch S. McCarty, Daniel Davis, Polly Jane Edgerton, Calvin Taylor, Judson Cutler, Lucy Taylor, Esther Edgerton, Martha Cutler, Jonathan McCarty, Heman Ball, Elisabeth Vinnedge, Laura Thompson, Alvin Taylor, Mary Jane Ball, Catherine Scritchfield,

(pg. 29)
Jane Scritchfield, Susan Davis, Nancy Ann Scritchfield, Sophia Palmer, Catherine Taylor, Amy Mann, and Henrietta Ball. Some of these are not living now and some are still active Christian workers in this busy world. That Cedar Lake church disbanded January 17, 1856, but the Union Sunday school continued. It seems to have had the "grace of continuance."

A new school house was erected a half mile further wouth, and to this, as its place of meeting, the school was removed. The west side library went along with the school. At this, its third locality, the following persons were superintendents: Mr. Pratt, 1868; Philander Cross, 1869; Samuel Love, 1870-74; Elsie Palmer, 1875; Mrs. B. Stuppy, 1876.

Hervey Ball, then known as Judge Ball, died in 1868, having been for more than twenty-five years a Sunday-school superintendent, and surely one of the earliest in the county. Ephraim Cleveland, of Pleasant Grove, who died in 1845, and O. V. Servis, of South East Grove, who also died many years ago, share with him the honor of having been our earliest pioneer superintendents; and it seems impossible to determine now in which of four localities, whether at Pleasant Grove, at South East Grove, at Cedar Lake, or in the log court house, was really opened the FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL.

When the church building at Creston was ready for use, in 1876, the locality of the Cedar Lake school was again changed. Superintendents at the church building since 1876: Victor Gear, 1876; Reuben C. Wood, 1877-1880; Aleck Scritchfield, 1881; Alfred Edgerton, 1882; O. G. Taylor, 1883; M. A. Nichols, 1884; J. E. Love, 1885; Mrs. J. Hill, 1886; George Edgerton, 1887; Edward Stonix, 1888; B. F. Cross, 1889, 1890; George Taylor, 1890.

(pg. 30)
The school had shown its ability, in accordance with the impulse and tendency given it by its founders, to remain undenominational for some sixteen years in connection with a living and growing Baptist church. For twenty years it lived without any church life near it. And that same ability it has possessed for now fourteen years in connection with the Methodist church at Creston. Its members work in harmony with the church; but in electing its officers, in carrying on its affairs, it is independent of church action.

Throught the first ten years of its existence this school was at the religious center of a community livng on Prairie West, on the west side of West Creek, and on the east of Cedar Lake. Some came in wagons, some on horseback, some crossed the lake in boats. Sabbath boat rides were taken in those days by members of that community, but not for pleasure. They were going to the place of meeting or returning to their homes; and some of the children were reminded of the boat rides and the fishing, in the Saviour's time, on that noted lake in the Holy Land. Those who carried on the school had been accustomed to Sunday schools in other and older settled States. Of the helps used in those days, question books, commentaries, Bible dictionary, there was no lack. The teachers had shared largely in literary and religious training. The best Sunday-school books published were read by the children. It was a New England school of those days transplanted into a new, wild West.

In its second locality it was still attended by those on the west side, and it became here a very important agency in the training of quite a group of enterprising young people.

Among its members now are children and grandchildren of those who were members in the earlier years.

(pg. 31)
Inheritors of the traditions, although not of the pleasant associations of the past, may many of these live to reach our hundredth year.

The following belongs to the later records of this school:

Every year, month and day, has its joys and also its sorrows. The Cedar Lake Union Sunday school, one of the oldest in the county of Lake, has lately lost one more of its members----a pupil in the years of her childhood and youth, a teacher in her early womanhood. Miss E. JENNIE TAYLOR, on the last day of the past year, on Tuesday morning, Dec. 31, 1889, passed from the confines of time; passed from her Creston home to the great home of the redeemed. Her grandmother, Mrs. Lucy Taylor, a woman of more than ordinary endowments of person and mind, was a pioneer settler at Cedar Lake in 1836, and died Dec. 10, 1869, 77 years of age; her mother, a pioneer child, a winsome Cedar Lake girl in 1840, now Mrs. Julia A. Taylor of Creston, is still living with her husband, O. G. Taylor, in their village home; but from out that home, ESTHER JENNIE, born May 11, 1868, like her grandmother and mother, a Christian, a church member, winsome in her social relations, pleasant in her home as a daughter and sister, has passed into the relations of another and to us a viewless life. She dwells among those that are unseen by mortal eyes. Six sisters and three brothers went forth into homes of their own, and their little children, growing up around them, are, many of them, members of the Cedar Lake Sunday school.

A few only of the early members of that school are now living, but the little children come trooping in. So broken ranks are more than filled. Although in

(pg. 32)
failing health for the last year, even for the last three years, sister Jennie attended at Crown Point the last county Sunday-school convention, the meeting of the Old Settlers' Association, the county fair, and the Grand Army encampment at Lowell, rideing out and meeting her friends so long as strength would permit. On Thanksgiving day she was out of the house and played once more upon her organ. She knew she was soon to leave this earth. She made what arrangements she wished to make, and patient, resigned, hopeful, trustful, as became a Christian girl who had just entered womanhood, conscious to the last and true in her kindred and church relations, she fell asleep in Jesus.

Belonging to the fifty years of teaching the children around Cedar Lake there should not be omitted a record of the RED CEDAR SCHOOL. This was held at the Binyon school house on the east side, nearer to the lake shore than any other school, not far away from Cedar Point, and fittingly it bore the name of Red Cedar. It was probably first commenced by Andrew S. Cutler, now Dr. Cutler, of Kankakee, and his first wife, an active, energetic Christian woman, who died in 1865. This school was carried on by these two young and zealous workers, in 1864.

It was re-opened by T. H. Ball and Mrs. M. K. Hill, with others, in 1884. Cedar Lake had now become a great pleasure resort, yet a very interesting school was for a time kept up here, and many children and young people received the precious, life-giving teachings of the Scriptures.

Changes among the families soon took place, and it was impracticable longer to to continue the school or any

(pg. 33)
religious services at the Red Cedar school home. Mrs. Hill found other Sunday-school work to do at Oak Grove, where her short life soon closed. The Red Cedar school, like several others that have been in our county, belongs now only to the past.

Under the heading of "Sunday-School Pioneers" seven schools were named as having been organized somewhere between 1838 and 1843. A certain date was found for none. Assuming 1840, or, according to the recollections of Mr. B. Bryant, then a boy about ten years of age, 1839 or 1838, as the date of organization for Pleasant Grove, it remains now to place on record what further facts have been found concerning this early school. It is placed beyond question that Ephraim Cleveland was the first superintendent and that he continued in office until his death in 1845. E. W. Bryant was his successor and the school was still at the Cleveland house. It is in the personal knowledge of the writer that in 1847 William Pleasant McCarty, then a young public school teacher and Methodist church member, was Superintendent. The following is a diary record: "September 26, 1847. Went to Pleasant Grove in the morning. Delivered an address to the Sunday school." "After the school attended a prayer meeting. Most all were young. Quite interesting." That address, as delivered, written out in full, now lies on this manuscirpt copy. It was, perhaps----------that word is very needful in the statements which these researchers authorize----- the first address to a Sunday school written in this county. Another diary record is, date October 11th: "Yesterday went down to the Pleasant Grove Sunday school again. A person was expected to address the school, as it was then to close, but he did not come."

(pg. 34)
So the dairy writer gave an unwritten address. The closing referred to in the diary record was probably in order to go into winter quarters. Evergreen schools in Indiana were not so common then as now. Echo says, not too common now.

In this summer of 1847 the school was held in the Grove school house, and when removed, either in the spring or in 1846, it had been reorganzied by Rev. Robert Hyde, the then young Methodist preacher of the county. Who succeeded W. P. McCarty is not known. Rev. G. W. Taylor was then living near the school house in Pleasant Grove---from 1845 to 1849---and he and his large family would naturally be interested in keeping up the school. Probably no change in officers for some time took place.

In a few years a church building was erected south of the school house, in the same grove, and to this the school was removed. Two dates are found for this church building, 1851 and 1853. Here the Pleasant Grove Sunday school was kept up (superintendents T. Cleveland, Adam Hamilton Jr., and C. Templeton, perhaps others) until the present town of Lowell was founded and that began to be a school and a church center. In 1863, at Pleasant Grove, C. Templeton was Superintendent, and this school commenced, at his suggestion, visiting the neighboring schools at Lowell and Orchard Grove for the purpose of gaining more knowledge in school methods, and for stimulating each other in the work. This exchange of school courtesies led to the large Sunday-school assembly at Lowell in August of 1863. Then, it is said, Judge Ball, of Cedar Lake, proposed that a similar assembly should be held every year. This led to the county organization in 1865; after the summer assembly that year on the east side of Cedar Lake. Thus singularly the two pioneer schools

(pg. 35)
of Pleasant Grove and Cedar Lake co-operated in forming the Lake County Sunday-school Union.

Mrs. S. G. Wood says: "Lake County, 1884." page 196: "In 1870 the M. E. church of Lowell was built, and accordingly the Pleasant Grove church was abandoned and all concentrated in this new one in Lowell." At this time, it would seem, if not before, the Pleasant Grove school, as such, ceased to exist. The Cedar Lake school changed its locality three times, but it has preserved its name and kept not very far from the lake. A church center Pleasant Grove has ceased to be. For thirty years such a center it truly was.

It is taken for granted that all readers of this book have access to a map of Lake county. The location, therefore, of these schools need not be marked out. Of South East Grove it may be said that it is rather the finest upland grove of the county, nearly circular in form, covering an area of about one mile, and comprising parts of four sections. Here an early settlement of enterprising families was made. Early family names of this grove are: Morris, Parkinson, Smith, Servis, Flint, Ketchum, Thompson, Brown, Wallace, Crawford, Bray, Fisher, Cochran, Durland, Kingsbury, Post. These are found between 1835 and 1850. Some of these families were Methodist and some Presbyterian.

The date once found for the organization of the first school here was 1845; but researchers made this year lead to an earlier, yet an uncertain date.

From Louis Parkinson, a resident in 1837, it has been ascertained that the first school was orgainzed by Orlando V. Servis in his own log cabin, which "cabin," Mrs. William Brown, of the Wallace family, states,

(pg. 36)
"with eighty acres of land, was purchased by Lyman Wallace in 1842." Mrs. Brown further says, that when the family came in 1843, a log building, on land then or afterward owned by Gibson Parkinson, was used for school, church, and Sabbath school; and that O. V. Servis or Robert Thompson generally superintended the school. The school, then, was in existence before 1842, and had its second locality in 1843. The date of settlement of O. V. Servis is 1837. The very sickly season of 1838 followed, and the probability is that the school could not have been opened and carried on before 1839 or 1840. Here again, unexpectedly, we find a school that may claim, with three others, to have been the first. O. V. Servis "was an Episcopal Methodist and one of the live workers in the church." Robert Thompson was a Methodist local preacher. We can not well place this school later than 1841. How much earlier it was is not sure.

In 1850 was built the frame school house and again the locality of the school was slightly changed. After the removal from the grove of O. V. Servis, Joseph Bray was chosen superintendent and he was succeeded by John Martin, Samuel Parkinson, Leroy Doak, Alexander Turner, and H. Boyd. Mrs. Parkinson, now living in Hebron, was an active member of this school, and gave the children a strawberry festival, one summer,  in her own shaded yard, from her own productive vines. The Crawfords, Brown and Doak families were also active in carrying on this school, and for several years it ranked among the first and the best of the country schools of the county. With Orchard Grove, Plum Grove, Lake Prairie (and Robinson Prairie and Center while they were in existence), it was always reliable for sustaining the County Convention. For making pastoral "donations" there was not a better school in the

(pg. 37)
county. This school closed in 1885, the schools in the church buildings at Le Roy taking, to some extent, its place. It is probably that South East Grove, so long a church and social center, where so many gatherings of various kinds have been, with all its native beauty and its sheltered situation, will be added to the other places in the county, where, in this generation, there will be no more Sunday school and no more church.

At Orchard Grove, also, there was an early settlement of intelligent families. The organziation of the school here by Charles Kenney in 1842, has been mentioned. When the small frame school house was built, the school was held there with the same Superintendent; one of the sons of J. M. Kenney, who is still living; and is the Orchard Grove merchant and postmaster, succeeded his father in the same position, and the office has, since his retirement from its active duties, been filled by G. W. Handley, the constant and faithful Superintendent for many years, by L. Wallace, and by G. Ragon.

It has been quite a large and useful school. As Orchard Grove, where Rev. J. C. Brown preached for a time, soon became an established point for Methodist class meetings and preaching and quarterly meetings, the school has been denominational. The school house location is pleasant.

The third of these schools bears the name PLUM GROVE, and in regard to its organization there is no uncertainty. It was organized in the fall of 1852 by the Rev. William Townley, Presbyterian pastor at Crown Point, but organized as a Union school. So far as is now known Joseph Bray, of Southeast Grove, Dr. Brownell, and Allen Hale, were the earlier superintendents. About 1856 the main charge of the school

(pg. 38)
came upon Mrs. M. J. Dinwiddie, who was generally Superintendent and a teacher until about 1882. Superintendents since have been Martin Nichols, Mrs. Nettie Henderson, and Mrs. L. V. Pearce. Although first opened in the fall, the school was for many years, like most other of our country schools, only a summer school; but in the fall of 1875 it was proposed to make it "evergreen," and T. H. Ball, who since 1864 has usually been the Plum Grove pastor, acted through the winter as Superintendent. E. W. Dinwiddie was Secretary. Eighty members were in attendance. The experiment proved to be a success. There were cold winds on the ten miles of prairie between Crown Point and Plum Grove, but the Superintendent and his trusty steed, the dar brown "Zella," did not fear winter storms.

From the school at Plum Grove many have gone forth to become active Sunday-school workers in Kansas and Nebraska, in Missouri, and in other points of the great West.

It was a beautiful sight on one of those memorable Sundays, years ago, when the then sixteen members of the Dinwiddie family, the mother, the children, the grand-children, were all present in the school. The grand-children of the Dinwiddie and Pearce families, numbering now some thirty-five, form not a small portion of the Plum Grove Union school. **  The Superintendent and Treasurer of this year, Mrs. Pearce and Miss Jessie Bryant, are members of the one family; and the secretary until August, John A. Dinwiddie, and the

(**Note---Mrs. Pearce, who is still living, and the husband of Mrs. Dinwiddie were brother and sister, both among the pioneer settlers of Lake county. So these thirty-five children all are cousins. Of these children, too young to be even in the infant class, Herbert Ray Dinwiddie, son of E. W. Dinwiddie, passed up to Paradise, out from his mother's arms and love, September 17, 1890.)

(pg.39)
secretary since August, Elmer Dinwiddie, are members of the other.

The McCann and the Hale families, though not equalling the other two in numbers, have for long years borne their parts well in this school. And members of other families have for a longer or shorter time taken a deep interest in the school, and aided nobly in sustaining it. An interesting record of a  young and remarkable child member, Juno Henderson, may be found in "Lake of the Red Cedars," pages 297-301. She died when between nine and ten years of age, probably the most mature Christian child that has been trained in any of our schools.

Many have gone from this school to become active workers in the newer States.

The following, copied from "Our Banner," of May, 1888, may fittingly close the record of this school:

"Friend after friend departs;
Who has not lost a friend?"

Lake county has lately lost another very active and devoted Sunday-school teacher, superintendent and friend. Mrs. M.J. Dinwiddie, a daughter of Joseph Perkins and of Mrs. Elizabeth Cook Perkins, was born in Rome, New York, May 5, 1818, became a Christian and a church member in youth, commenced active life as a teacher, was planning to become a foreign missionary, but came to Illinois on a visit, and was married there, Aug. 19, 1844, to John W. Dinwiddie, of Lake county, Indiana. Settling in Lake county, and in 1852 at Plum Grove, her active disposition found, besides family duties, work to do in advancing temperance Sunday schools and home and foreign missions. She became a member of the Cedar Lake Baptist Church, May 3, 1851, and was, for the last ten years of her life,

(pg. 40)
a member of the North St. Baptist Church, at Crown Point. Quite a view of her life, of her home, and of her children can be found in "The Lake of the Red Cedars," and need not be repeated here. Her special school work commenced in 1852, at Plum Grove, and her interest and active efforts in behalf of the county work ended only with her life. She died March 15, 1888, leaving five children and nineteen grand-children. The writer of this sketch, who is himself three-score years of age, who began Sunday-school life in this county some forty-eight years ago, feels that his earlier associates in this work are passing, one by one, away. During the few years that he may yet live, while there are in his field thousands of children whom he loves, and for whom, in part, he lives, he will not cease to cherish the memory of Mrs. Dinwiddie of Plum Grove.
 

This school, a record having been kindly furnished a few years ago by an early secretary, J. P. Downs, was first organized by Mrs. Bell Mitchell, wife of Simeon Mitchell, in 1864. It was re-organized in 1869 by Joseph Bray of South East Grove, who died May 24, 1890, at the home of his son in Jasper county, sixty-eight years of age.

Miss Melissa Hain afterward carried on this school successfully for some time---Superintendent in 1870 when quite a large number of young people attended the school----and the last Superintendent was Mrs. L. V. Pearce.

It seems impossible now to find out when or by whom the first school was organized in Merrillville. Mr.

(pg. 41)
Hiram Barton reports a school in existence in 1851, and that he, only twelve years of age then, was a teacher, and that one of the now well known business men of Crown Point, Paul Raasch, was a member of his class. He names as interested in this school Mr. Francis Pinnell, who perhaps organized it in 1850, who afterward died in Michigan, being 96 years old. The burial services, H. Barton, in September, 1881, attended. Concering this, probably, first superintendent in Merrillville, Francis R. Pinnell (P. M. Knoll having been the second), quite a record, published just after his death, is now before me. According to this record his father, James Pinnell, born in England, having resided in London, came to this country in 1733, settled in Jamestown, Virginia, served seven years in the Revolutionary War, a member of General Washington's body guard. In Jamestown Francis R. was born in 1785, became a member of the Methodist church in 1800, was educated at Stanton College, Virginia, was licensed to exhort in 1803, took part in political life, was sheriff of Logan county, was Judge of the County Court, was a member of Colonel R. Buckely's Light Horse Company in the War of 1812, and in 1835 settled in Berrien county, Michigan. In that county he was township clerk, school inspector, justice of the peace, and county surveyor, having been assistant surveyor of the Michigan Central railroad from Niles to Michigan City. When he became a resident of Merrillville in this county does not appear, but he could hardly have remained here many years. Mr. Barton is quite sure that he was not only interested in Sunday-school work but was actually Superintendent about 1850. While therefore he was not one among our pioneers---in Michigan he was a pioneer---he was quite an early laborer here, and should be remembered by us in this semi-centennial years. His

(pg.42)
name does not appear in the record soon to be given, but the name of one of his sons is there found.

The school of 1851 could not have been a permanent school. While searching for facts in Merrillville, an old Sunday-school secretary's book was placed in my hands in which was the following:

"This is to certify that the Merrillville Sunday-school was organized by the Methodist church, May 5, 1862, in Merrillville, Lake county, State of Indiana, at nine o'clock."

First Officers and Teachers:
Superintendent, Thomas Pinnell; Assistants, John Underwood and Mrs. Lucinda Green; Secretary, James Hemenway; Librarian, I. B. Pierce; Treasurer, George Nicholson.
 

This school having twelve classes in 1862, has no doubt continued through varied experiences until the present time. Its members have taken not a little interest

(pg. 43)
in the annual gatherings of the county Convention, and have shown interest in the county institute and mission work. Of this school from 1864 to 1872, Hiram Barton was Superintendent. Since 1872 the superintendents have been: Mrs. M.J. Hyde, 1872-1879 by whom it was made an evergreen school; Myiel Pierce, 1880-1888; S. Wayman, 1888-1889; C. L. Merrill, 1890.

It has been among the substantial, reliable, evergreen schools, a power for good in the community.

The date of 1851 is assigned to the organization of the first school at Hobart. This was organized by H. N. Wheeler and did not long continue. The second school was organized in 1863, by S. Stilwell and W. H. Rifenburg. It did not prove to be permanent. In 1864 or 1865 a school was organized by Mrs. Nickerson, by Mrs. Wadge, the wife of one of our State Senators, and by some others with them, at the Hobart school house. This school has been kept up year after year until the present time. It was a Union school. After the completion of the Methodist church building the school was held in the church. When the church needed repairs in 1876 the school was again held in the school house, and then removed to the Unitarian church, as a denominational school was commenced in the Methodist church. The Hobart Union school became practically, if not for a time in name, a Unitarian school, and has generally been the leading school of Hobart. Mr. W. H. Rifenburg has usually been its Superintendent, and as he is an active, popular, influential, genial, business man, the school would naturally have material prosperity. Each summer this school goes on a pleasure excursion to the shore of Lake Michigan, accompanied

(pg. 44)
usually by the other schools of the town. The school has had quite a large library.

The Hobart Methodist school was organized after the re-opening of the church building in 1876. Mrs. S. Kean, now Mrs. S. K. Rice, was Superintendent. Her daughter, now Mrs. J. M. Whitmore, was Infant-class teacher, her class at one time numbering eighty-five, being then the largest in the county. This was a large and flourishing school in 1881, and has continued to maintain much interest and life, with some decrease at times in number. Superintendents have been: Mrs. Rice, Abel Wood, Mrs. Whitmore, and H. C. Hanson. Twelve members of the school have this year become church members.

In 1883 was organized the Christian Union Sunday school, of Hobart. Superintendent, Abel Wood; Assistant, W. B. Ballentyne; Treasurer, A. K. Garhart. The sessions of the school were first held in the old brick school house, afterward in what is known in Hobart as the Chapel room, and finally the school was removed to the tabernacle church, after that building was erected. In the Band tabernacle building a Congregational church was organized  May 16, 1885, and the school was adopted by the church, and soon became the Hobart Congregational Sunday school. It is now quite large and flourishing. Superintendents, A. Wood and E. Stelow.

The German Methodist school at Hobart was organized about 1874.

F.F. Frank, who was this year married to the cultivated organist of the Crown Point German Methodist schoo, has been for many years the Superintendent.

The Swedish Methodist school was commenced about 1887 by J. E. Mannder, an educated and cultivated Swede, who was this year nominated for State Senator of Lake and Porter counties.

(pg.45)
The school is now prosperous. Superintendent, Ellis Anderson.

The Swedish Lutheran school in Hobart is prosperous, having sixty members. This is the only Lutheran school in the county that has taken any part in a Convention anniversary. This school united in the exercises at Hobart in 1888. It seems to the writer that ll Evangelical schools, all that could be represented in the Evangelical Alliance, might, if sufficiently Americanized, unite in a county Sunday-school inter-denominational convention. Are denominational lines to separate us in everything? How fittingly at such a convention might be sung No. 198, in Gospel Hymns:

"Lift up, lift up thy voice with singing,
Dear land, with strength lift up they voice!
The kingdoms of the earth are bringing
Their treasures to thy gate----rejoice!

Chorus---Arise and shine in youth immortal,
Thy light is come, they King appears!
Beyond the Century's swinging portal
Breaks a new dawn---the thousand years.

And shall his flock with strife be riven?
Shall envious lines his church divide,
When he, the Lord of earth and heaven,
Stands at the door to claim his bride?

Lift up the gates! bring forth oblations!
One crowned with crowns a message brings,
His word, a sword to smite the nations;
His name, the Christ, the Kind of kings.

He comes! let all the earth adore Him;
The path his human nature trod
Spreads to a royal realm before Him,
The Life of life, the Word of God."

The following Memorial will give the organization of this school and other items of interest concerning it.

It is taken from OUR BANNER of October, 1887, and is part of an official report as made at the twenty-second anniversary of the county Convention.

The following was the closing part of the Secretary's report at Lake Station, August 31, 1887:

Death has visited our ranks more frequently than usual within the part year. On Sunday morning, February 6th, of this year, Carrie D. Hipsley, fifteen years of age, a girl of much promise, a member of the Salem school, was called away from earth; and three days after, on Wednesday, there followed into the unseen world Clara Isabel M. Davis, not quite fourteen years of age, a member of the Dyer school. Clara when only nine years of age made public profession of her faith in the Saviour and her love to him, and became at that early age a church member, leaving thus a bright example for all our children/ She was a well beloved young sister in the Lord. We miss these bright and loved ones, young Carrie and Clara, from our throng to-day; and there is yet one more whom largely we all must miss, the energetic, active and beloved superintendent of this Lake Home school, sister Ella Lincoln. Her death was truly here as when a standard-bearer falleth. It seems appropriate to present the following brief memorial:

Ella M. Mabiey was born March 4, 1854, near Fayetteville, in North Carolina. After the war, while she was yet in early youth, her father's family removed to Indiana, and having gained knowledge somewhere, in 1871, when only seventeen years of age, she began to teach in the public schools of Indianapolis, where she continued to teach for six years, until her marriage. While a teacher in Indianapolis she was baptized by

(pg.47)
Dr. Henry Day, then pastor of the First Baptist church of that city, of which church she became a member, in the choir of which church she was one of th singers, as was also T. E. Lincoln, whom she afterward married. She was a member also of the Sabbath school of that church when J. R. Osgood, a large manufacturer of that city, was superintendent, the most noted Baptist superintendent of his day in the State. She was married by Dr. Day June 24, 1877, when twenty-three years of age, and went immediately to reside in Joliet, but not long after her residence was changed to Chicago, where she attended the Baptist church known as Dr. Lorimer's. In February, 1881, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln made their home on a farm a little south of Lake, the other side of Deep River. In January, 1882, was organized through her influence this Lake Home school, and through her energy and influence (an influence that is not yet spent, that we all may feel with us to-day, that will be felt by some of these children while they live), through summers and winters, through heat and cold, and storms and freshets, the school life has been maintained.

It is safe to say that no superintendent in Lake county has exhibited  more resolution or needed more energy in reaching his school than did she across a sometimes frozen, sometimes swollen and apparently bridgeless river. And in the night-time of April 18, 1887, she attempted the passage of a very different river, the viewless river, in the deep waters of which we are sure she did not sink, for she had a stronger arm to lean upon than the arm of any man, and she passed over that river safely into the heavenly land. At the early age of thirty-three her life-work was done. It was a sad day when on April 21st the children of this Lake Home school gathered for the last time around her no

(pg. 48)
longer living form, and amid their grief and tears placed above her remains their little gifts of flowers. And from among them for all life she passed away.

She was a natural teacher. She had a natural talent not bestowed on all, of easily governing children. She loved to be with them. That she was successful as a public school teacher is evident from her position for six years in Indianapolis. She loved music and was a good musician. This also is evident from her position in that city choir. And many of us have heard her voice at Crown Point, at Hammond, and at Lowell, a voice which on earth we will hear no more. She now rests from her labors and her works will follow her; and perhaps, although she spent those years of girlhood's prime in the capital of our State, and those earlier years of womanhood in the city of Chicago, perhaps her choicest years of labor were these last five with the boys and girls of Lake. She was not fully satisfied with her work, yet she believed that it was for good. Let us imitate her example and emulate her virtues.

Since the death of Mrs. Lincoln, her husband, T. E. Lincoln, Mrs. E. Corey, and Le Grand T. Meyer have been superintendents. Miss Tillie Grimshaw as organist has been very helpful in the school; and members of the Hazelgreen, Burt, Moore, and other families have aided in carrying it on.

In 1887 the Convention met with this school, of which anniversary as quite an unusual one, a record will elsewhere be found.

An earlier school than this of Lake Home was organized at Lake Station, as early as 1872, when twenty-five members were reported, but of this school further records are not found. The first Lake Station school belongs only to the past.

(pg. 49)

May 6, 1848, there was organized the second Baptist church in Lake county, called the Baptist church of West Creek, ten years after the organization of the Cedar Lake Baptist church. The place of meeting of this church was a school house in the neighborhood of what is now called Pine Grove. According to the recollection of the writer that school house, then a central place for holding religious meetings, was on the State road in section 5, it may have been on section 4; township, without any doubt, 32, and range 9 west. It would seem that a Sunday school was carried on by the members of this church, although the only trace of it that now appears is the following associatinal record for 1852: "This church, though small in number, is strong in missionary efforts; their contributions are large. *****Sabbath-school instruction continued with zeal; library of seventy volumes." This school will remain without being "named" or "counted" in the memorial records of this book; but it leads up to Lowell. In January, 1856, this West Creek church, having been for some time without a pastor, ceased to exist as an organization, a part of its members uniting with others in a new church known as the Baptist church at Lowell, organized January 20, 1856, in the new brick school house. Here, in 1857, so far as any records show, was organized the LOWELL UNION SUNDAY SCHOOL. Whether that West Creek library of seventy volumes came to this school, or where it went, is not known. June 28, 1857, the Baptist church building at Lowell was dedicated, and in this building the Union school was held until it ceased to exist in 1871. H. B. Austin, of Buncombe Street, was for years the Superintendent. D. Fry, still a resident of Lowell, was chorister, and the school was noted for its excellent

(pg. 50)
singing, for the many child voices that joined always in song. In 1867 this school was the largest in the county. So long as it existed it was no little part of the county Convention force. For about fifteen years it carried on as a Sunday school a noble work. It was evangelical and union and the different denominations represented worked together harmoniously. Many children in those fifteen years gained in that school much good.

The Pleasant Grove school was traced down to 1870. In that year two new church buildings, Methodist and Christian, were erected at Lowell. A record exists that in 1871, the original or first Lowell Union school ceasing to exist, denominational schools commenced. There is some obscure Sunday-school history here; but some records which have just been found will harmonize, it is hoped, the somewhat conflicting individual recollections. From the report of 1872, in August, the following is an extract: "As Secretary of the Convention I have endeavored to visit all our schools. I commenced September 3rd and closed August 25th. Have succeeded in visiting nearly all. The northern and central schools seem to have been more prosperous this year than those of the southwest. The Lowell Union, one of the largest and best in the county during former years, closed up last fall and has not since reopened."

"Its place is in part supplied by the Lowell Methodist."

In August of 1870, this record was made: "The Lowell school has felt the loss of its former superintendent, Mr. Austin, one of the zealous, earnest workers in this cause, now an inmate of the Insane Asylum at Indianapolis." The school continued, it appears, through the summer of 1871. In August, 1872, it was not reopened.

In August, 1873, the report stated, "At Lowell the Union school, discontinued in 1871, was reopened at the
 

(pg.51)
Christian meeting-house, June 1; though not so large as in former years it seems to be prospering." In that year the Lowell Union and Lowell Methodist Episcopal were reported. From the diary or journal of school visitations, the following is the entry for 1873: "June 8, visited the school at Lowell, the M. E. school; present about 70; school increasing; meets at 9:30 A. M." "3 P.M. Visited the Lowell Union S. S.; present 57; school lately reopened." Again from that journal: "July 13, Morning, M.E. S. S. at Lowell. P.M., Union S. S. at Lowell." That there were, in 1873, these two schools at Lowell certainly can not be questioned.

In 1875 the secretary reported thus: "My own labors mostly in southeastern part of county. Visited a few schools, "attended the re-opening of Lowell Union;" and he reported that year "Lowell M. E., Lowell Union, and Lowell ________;" three schools, one without a full name. It seems to be the fair inference from this report that in 1875, at the Baptist Church in Lowell, a school called Lowell Union was opened or reopened. That this inference is correct is made eveident by the official reports from the individual schools for 1877. These are all on file and can be examined at any time. The three Lowell schools are reported thus:

Union S. S.: Superintendent, Rev. J. Bruce; Teachers and officers, 11; Whole number of scholars, 90; Number of church members, 25; Under twenty-one years of age, 79; Sec., M. E. Discoll.

(pg.52)
Christian Sabbath School: Superintendent, Henry Dickinson; Teachers and officers, 10; Whole number of scholars, 41; Under twenty-one years of age, 21; Sec.,  Julia Lawrence.

Lowell M. E. S. S.: Superintendent, Alonzo Martin; Teachers and officers, 17; Whole number of scholars, 90; Number of conversions since last August, 16; Number of church members, 26; Under twenty-one years of age, 70; Sec., Clara Metcalf.

These are official reports and can not be questioned, and it is evident that in each of the three churches there was a school. How long the three continued does not fully appear in the reports. (Some are not on file.) But the secretary's journal for 1882 contains the following: "July 23. Visited Lowell M. E. school in the morning, and attended meeting at Christian church. 2 1/2 p.m., Band of Hope. 4, Lowell new Union school. Some life apparent here. Expect the Convention."

To infer again, it seems that between 1877 and 1882 two of the schools, the one in the Baptist and the one in the Christian church, had united, and that thus was formed the present Lowell Union; or perhaps the Christian school was discontinued, and the Lowell Union of the Baptist was transferred to the Chirstian church. These seem now to be the historic facts; that the Lowell M. E. school was organized in 1871; that in 1873 a school called Lowell Union was opened in the Christian church, the name afterwards being the Christian school; that in 1875 a school was opened again in the Baptist church and called Lowell Union; and that

(pg. 53)
before 1882 this school was removed to the Christian church or united with the Christian school, and the original name of each school was retained, the Lowell Union Sunday school.

The Lowell Union, with its present enrollment membership of 124; and with such sturdy workers as the two Dickinsons, father and son (the son, Cyrus F. Dickinson, a leader of church music); as brethren J. L. Worley and James Pinkerton; with such zealous assistants as are the whole membership of the Christian church, has been for years one of the strong, reliable schools of the county.

The earlier superintendents were, Rev. J. Bruce, C. F. Dickinson.

Superintendent for several past years, James Pinkerton; for the last few years, Cyrus F. Dickinson.

Many members of this school have become members of the Church.

The Lowell Methodist Episcopal school reports a membership of 106. The superintendents for nineteen years have been:

George W. Waters,  _______ Jones, Evi Fuller, Alonzo Martin, 1877; George W. Waters, John McCabe, Perry Jones, Mrs. P. D. Clark, J. W. Viant, 1883; C.E. Chaffee, 1884; J. H. Spindler, Charles Ketchem.

The first school at Lowell (the town plat of that place as recorded bearing date May 13, 1853) was carried on by Mrs. Mahala Van Slyke, a sister of Mrs. S. J. Clark, in either 1852 or 1853; Mrs. Van Slyke was a day school or secular school teacher. She was one of the teachers in a large school taught at Crown Point in the old Methodist church building. She cared for the spiritual welfare of her pupils. In Lowell, having built a small house and opened a school there, she also commenced a Sunday school. This school did not continue long.

(pg. 54)

The Lake Prairie Sabbath-school (in West Creek township) was organized in the log house of Mr. Abiel Gerrish May 17, 1857. The next Sabbath, May 24th, was the first school, with forty in attendance. Rev. H. Wason was first superintendent and held the office for several years. The majority of those connected with the congregation, both old and young, attended Sabbath-school, many coming a long distance. The venerable Dr. Peach, who lived to be ninety-eight years old, was a scholar as long as he was able to attend. For several years it was a large school. Samuel Ames, E. N. Morey, Rev. H. Sheeley, J. D. Baughman and T. A. Wason have been superintendents. The present one, who has served for some years, is Lewis G. Little. The

(*Note: I was desirous that the record of the Lake Prairie school, for this anniversary and this volume, should be written by one who for so many years was pastor in the southwestern part of the county, when the "parish" (to use a New England word) was larger than it is now; by one who could say of his record, as Virgil's Æneas says of what he rehearses, a great part of which I was---magna pars fut---and that desire has been gratified. But the writer modestly refrained from saying some things which justly ought to be said in regard to this school. As already suggested, the field or area over which this school extended, for several years after 1857 was much larger than it has been in these later years. This naturally made the school a larger power for good; a larger community felt its influences. Its earlier workers were then in the prime of lief. Captain Little was there. Mrs. Gerrish was there. Mr. and Mrs. Ames were there, and Miss Sarah Little; and it is safe to say that a more cultivated school choir was not then in the county, when Mrs. Wason, Mrs. Ames, and Miss Little were leading vocalists. Also the Fuller and Blayney families from over West Creek were there. And when the school met in the Convention gatherings we all knew there were trained New England voices to give us the sweet Sunday-school songs. There are younger singers, younger teachers, younger leaders there now, and they might say, the county Secretary and Editor is growing old, if he here suggests palmy days were in the past. And so, recognizing what a power for good this school now is, with its compact phalanx of Christian young people, and its comparatively youthful leaders, I may close this long note with these words of the old gladiators: "We, who are about to die, salute you.")

(pg.55)
school has been kept up most of the time since its organization; the present number is about seventy.

The Buncombe Union Sunday-school was organized in 1861. One of the first superintendents was a Mr. Morgan, who afterwards went West. Mr. Worley also had charge of it for some time, and others whose names I am unable to learn. It was usually well attended and did much good; has not been in session for some years. It was held in a school house on the township line between Cedar Creek and West Creek, near the marsh.

THE PINE GROVE UNION SCHOOL was organized in 1883 by Mrs. Minnie Ells, then a teacher in the public school in that district. After she left the school Hon. Joseph A. Little was Superintendent, also W. H. Bradley and Alexander Burhans. A sad calamity came in the spring of 1885. On Sunday afternoon, May 24, thunder clouds came over the southern part of the county; the superintendent was out in his dooryard observing these clouds. he was near a tree to which was attached a wire clothes-line. A bright flash of lightning came from the clouds, and from the tree and the wire the lightning passed to the human form. In that flash was death, and a lifeless form was all that remained here of one who had been an earnest and faithful Sunday-school worker. A few moments before he had been reading with his family in his home. Suddenly he was called up to the great Home.

For the last five years Lewis G. Little, of Lake Prairie, has been, for most if not the entire time, the efficient Superintendent of this school. The Little family of Lake Prairie, some of whom became residents in this county in 1855, have aided largely in keeping up

(pg. 56)
this school; as they have also done much for the Lake Prairie school; showing that zeal and that energy in a good cause which have characterized this large American Little family for two and a half centuries; a family descended from George Little of Newberry, Massachusetts, who came from London in 1640, whose descendants in these years have numbered more than six thousand and five hundred Americans. The three brothers, and three sisters of this Lake county generation, members of these two schools near their prairie home, are, through their mother, who was Mary Gerrish of Lake Prairie, descendants, of the eleventh generation, of John Rogers the martyr, who was burned at Smithfield, February 14, 1555. Inheritors of the traditions and associations that come through a Puritan and also a martyr line, all these would be expected to find a place and work in our Sunday schools.

In the neighborhood of Pine Grove school are families also of active, intelligent young people whose zeal in promoting their own moral and religious welfare has made for themselves a good record. Their names will all be found on the enrollment page.

A member of the infant class, whose name is there enrolled, passed away this year from her home and school life. ELLA E. BELSHAW, the younger daughter of Edward and Rosina Brannon Belshaw, was born on Tuesday, May 26, 1885, and died of diphtheria, on Monday, March 3, 1890. Not quite five years of age, she was a winsome little child, was a joy and a light in her home, attended the Sunday school, learned something of earth and life, of a Saviour and his love, enjoyed and suffered here, disposed of her playthings and earthly possessions, and went to sleep in death. Surely some time will her hour of waking come. Her sleep in death is not a sleep for ever.

(pg. 57)

About 1865 a school in the neighborhood two and a half miles south of Lowell, known as Egypt, was conducted by James Wells. He was a son of that William Wells who lost his life in the severe snow storm of November 17, 1842. He became a Methodist minister and left this county many years ago. How many seasons this school continued has not been ascertained; but in 1878 the Egypt school was again in session, with John Burge as Superintendent and Nathan Worley as Assistant. There is again an uncertainty as to the number of summers in which the school was now kept up but in 1883 Ellis Cross, then a young man and student, whose home was near Lowell, was found here carrying on the school. When visited that summer by the county Secretary it was a very pleasant, quite large, and properous school. The young Superintendent attended the normal school at Crown Point in 1884, went afterward to Valparaiso as a student, became a minister of the "Christian" denomination or church, was a successful evangelist in Porter and Starke counties, and is now preaching in the State of New York. Again, in 1889, the school was re-organized, Mrs. Susie Allen, a daughter of Mr. Dickinson, Superintendent. Again the school was interesting and prosperous. Whe opened in the spring of this year, 1890, J. L. Worley was choosen Superintendent. Miss Ida A. Anderson and Miss Gracie B. Ebert have been its Secretaries. As in 1883 so now it is a school, as to locality and membership, to interest a visitor.

The Butler Union school, like many others, takes its name from the name of the school house where it is held, which is on the Joliet wagon-road nearly two

(pg. 58)
miles west from Merrillville. The name came from the Butler family, a pionerer family in Lake County. There is good evidence tha William Butler erected some cabins, where is now Crown Point, in the summer or early fall of 1834, but he made there no settlement. The Sunday school at what has been long known as the Butler school house was organized, in the spring of 1880, by A. T. Davis, now residing in Dyer, who was its superintendent for some years, all the family taking an active part in the school. After the removal of this family to Dyer, Mrs. Nicholson  was Superintendent for some four years, and now the office is filled by her husband, E. J. Nicholson, while she still remains as Assistant, "the power behind the throne." This school has been noted more for earnest steady study of the Scripture, than for anything in the line of show or display. The Secretary, who is about eighteen years of age, has this year become a living Christian. The acting and active Librarian is as yet but a child, a child learning to work in the "vineyard."

The present school at Dyer was commenced in 1880 by Mrs. F. N. Biggs and Mr. George Davis. The inhabitants of Dyer are, for the most part, German Catholics, but a few Protestant families having their homes in that town desired for their children the advantages of a Sunday school. For some time this school was carried on by the two named above; but Mrs. Biggs after a time removed to Crown Point, and Mr. A. T. Davis removed from the Butler school neighborhood to Dyer. He then became Superintendent at Dyer, and continued in that position about four years. Through the year, or for most the year 1889, Dr. S. Turner was Superintendent. The school

(pg. 59)
is this year carried on by Mrs. Flanagan, the teachers being Mrs. Johns, Mrs. Brewer, Mrs. Templeton, and Mrs. Smith. While not large, this is a very interesting and useful school, and ther reports from year to year show that, for its number of members, it is the best school in the county for its mission contributions in aid of home work. It is the only school now in the county contributing regularly for that excellent institution, the Foreign Sunday-School Association, of Brooklyn, N.Y. It also contributes regularly for the Orphans' Home, in Chicago. It is a pleasure to spend an hour in this school.

Some facts have been gleaned in regard to a much earlier school in or near what is now the town of Dyer. Mrs. Babcock is named, and also the Wolcott, Park and Bower families are mentioned as interested in a Sunday school before the Hart family came from Philadelphia to Dyer.

A peculiar school was held at Clarke Station for two or three winters. It was not in session in the summer. It was carried on by a benevolent lady whose husband had business interests in Lake county in the winter sessions. Unfortunately her name can not now be obtained. The school was reported in 1883 with twelve members. The wife of the station agent at Clarke for that year, Mrs. Cole, aided in the school. That family soon moved away, the business interest was closed, and no more sessions of the Clarke school were held.

In a school house north of the Little Calumet, southeast from Hessville, some members of what was called the "Band," from Ross, organized a Sunday school and

(pg. 60)
carried it on for about eighteen months. In 1882 a school was again organized here.

In 1887 and 1888 the school was carried on by Miss Grace Ousley, a noble-hearted young Christian, a teacher for a few years in our public schools. Miss Ousley has spent this summer in the British Isles, recruiting health, enjoying the beauties of nature and art in that old home of Anglo-Saxon civilization.

In the fall she returned, and commenced in Chicago the study of pharmacy. The place of one so true and unselfish and devoted is not easily filled again in our county of Lake.

The HANDLEY SCHOOL a few miles east and north from Crown Point, was organized when the "Band" movement was meeting with such success in Lake county. Preaching was regular at that school house in 1880, and probably then the school was organized. It continued some two or three seasons and was quite a flourishing school. S. H. Gehr was Superintendent. It is now among the discontinued schools, along with Deer Creek and Vincent, its near neighbors.

The JONES SCHOOL, called for a time North Pleasant Grove school to distinguish it from the early Pleasant Grove, was organized about 1859. At first it was Protestant Methodist, but afterwards became, with the agreement of all who were connected with it, Methodist Episcopal. The school was prosperous and useful for many years, numbering from forty to sixty members. It was closed about 1881. Perry Jones, now of Lowell, Treasurer of the County Convention, was its only superintendent.

This school was re-opened, or rather a new one organized, at the same school house in 1888, James

(pg. 61)
Westbay, Superintendent; Secretary, Miss Daum. But it was not largely prosperous, and has not this year been in session.

Let us imagine another voice to come in here, another reader now, who takes us back again to the earlier times, and to a little cluster or rather line of schools no longer in existence.

A part of Lake county on the Illinois line, averaging a mile in width, lies on the west side of West Creek. Five schools, or perhaps more accurately, two schools, becoming afterwards three, in the history of our past, belong to this locality. The first of these was organized in the home of Mrs. Sarah Farwell, July 14, 1846, by members of the Ball family of Cedar Lake, Elder Benjamin Sawin, of La Porte, being present. This statement is taken from a diary record, and so is free from all uncertainty. Members of the Ball, Church, and Cutler families united with the Farwell family in carrying on the school, which proved to be a very pleasant one, and in which were some more than ordinarily promising children. Where those are now, no one is Lake county knows. Seed was sown, and that Great Father who was once called by our Saviour the "Husbandman," surely watched over and controlled the results. There are living now of those who were young and active then as members of the Cedar Lake church and school helpers in this first church mission school of the county: Mrs. E. H. Woodard, of Grove Hill, Alabama, who for now about forty years has been a teacher in tha Southland; Eli Church, of Oregon; and Mrs. Sophia Cutler-Brownlee, of Illinois, the wife, and now the widow of a Presbyterian clergyman. Mrs. Farwell died in 1848, and this school, probably, was

(pg. 62)
closed for a time, but was reopened in 1849 at Brunswick, in a log house near the residence of Mr. Joseph Schmall.

Judge Ball, with the younger members of his family, kept up this school for some time, aided by Mrs. Carlos Farwell, who took charge of the school in his absence, members of the Burns, Robbins, Farwell, and other Brunswick families, attending. A library was kept here which was well read, and especially in later days by young Stillman A. Robbins, who, when a soldier in the 12th Indiana Cavalry, died at Huntsville, Alabama, July 18, 1864. (See "The Lake of the Red Cedars," page 243.)

In 1849 Mr. H. S. Fuller, with quite a family of sons and daughters, became a resident on one of this row of sections, in range 10, bordering on the Illinois line. West of him was then the almost boundless prairie, without a railroad, extending to the Mississippi River. East of him was the almost impassable stream called West Creek, with its broad, marshy valley and its quicksands. He was a staunch Presbyterian, and no church or school privileges being near, in the spring of 185 he opened a Sunday school in his own house. In the summer of 1851 this family school was transferred to the Graves school house, then newly erected. H. S. Fuller was Superintendent. For some ten years, each summer, a school was continued here, J. Milton Blayney and Mrs. Blayney being some of the time superintendents. Forty and sometimes more than this number, were in attendence, including the Marvin, Gordinier, Graves, Blayney, Bliss, Fuller, Pattee, and DeGroff families.

Then the school house was burned. In its stead two others were built; one north of Mr. Marvin's, the other south of Mr. Blayney's, on the east and west road near

(pg. 63)
the State line. In each of these new houses a Sunday school was organized. The one school which closed with the burnt school house was divided and became two. At the northern school Elliott Graves, Mrs. Marvin, Mrs. Blayney, were the superintendents. At this school house Rev. H. Wason preached every other Sunday afternoon, at the close of the school session. This school continued till about 1871. At the other school house, which was near his home, H. S. Fuller was the one superintendent. Different ministers preached here and good results followed.

One of these pastors had an experience in reaching his afternoon appointment. He had preached at Lowell in the morning and was to ride over, crossing the Torrey bridge, with the Graves family. But, by some disappointment, the conveyance was not present. Riding westward, therefore, as far as he had opportunity, he left the buggy and took a direct course through the West Creek woods to a spot where he hoped to find a boat. The boat could not be found. It was almost time for the services to commence. But the creek, with its then marshy valley of tall grass and rushes, with its quicksands here and there----and to step inot one of these concealed spots was dangerous---with its water snakes and other perils, was between him and the school-house. He hesitated not long, but crossed over in a way that only those having some knowledge of frontier life would understand and appreciate. It would be safe to say that no minister ever crossed that then dangerous valley in that way before or since.

(That same missionary pastor has, in the winter, in the same manner, passed a barrier in the Kankakee valley region, when the ice would in places support his weight, and in place would give him the full benefit of the cold water.)

(pg. 64)
This school closed about 1873, the Fuller family removing to a more western home.

About twenty-seven years then, from 1846 to 1873, will measure the life of the west side West Creek schools, in which Baptist and Prebyterians worked ever harmoniously together.

It may be noticed by the observant reader that the early Baptists, and to quite an extent the Presbyterians, established only Union schools.

From 1850 to 1873, almost continuously, H. S. Fuller was a superintendent. Constantly for twenty-three years he was active in the Sunday-school cause and work; and to him along with members of the Graves, Blayney and Gordinier families, the credit largely belongs to three and twenty years of diligent Sabbath instruction. Of the members of the Fuller family, Mrs. Marvin only remains among us.

Some of those once so active in those schools are yet among the living, and many are among the dead. Surely many names of those in the West Creek schools will be found written in the "Life Book."

(pg. 65)
changed. In later years Superintendents have been Hugh Moore, C. T. Bailey, and Charles Belshaw. It has always had a church building in which to meet. It contains some good workers, some interesting children.

Others schools, of which little can now be learned, are: The ADAM's, reporting forty members in 1872; LIVINGSTON's, also numbering forty; HESSVILLE, numbering thirty; LAKE STATION of 1872, numbering twenty-five; ENSIGN's, numbering twenty-five; HICKORY TOP, afterward Ainsworth, numbering forty; VINCENT's, then numbering sixty; PRAIRIE VIEW, also numbering sixty; PLEASANT PRAIRIE, numbering fifty. These numbers are all for 1872. I am sorry that so little can now be placed on record of schools that were flourishing only eighteen years ago.

Of the schools once held at the CLARK and BUCKLEY school houses no report as to numbers has for any year been found.

The Prairie View school, named above, was for several years quite prosperous. The date of organization has not been learned. It was in existence before 1859. About that time Dr. Vandewalker, of Hammond, thirty years younger than he is now, was one of the superintendents. Mrs. R. Fancher, the family residing in the neighborhood for five years, was Superintendent and teacher here. There were others whose

(pg. 66)
names are not at hand for this record. The school house was one of the many in our county, where, in earlier days, regular preaching appointments were kept up. The later School Grove school, was new. Horace Bliss, a youth in one of the West Creek schools, a young merchant in Crown Point sixteen or seventeen years ago, aided in religious work at School Grove.  He was a noble, Christian young man, and set an example worthy of imitation for the young men of to-day. Here the Williams, Chapman, and Farmer families of School Grove also helped to maintain Sunday-school life; but all are gone from that neighborhood now. As families change Sunday schools start into existence or go down. Families make the neighborhood life.

The Pleasant Prairie school, held at what is now the Winfield school house, was a prosperous summer school. When this was first organzied is uncertain. Perhaps about 1870. A school had been held at Eagle Creek Prairie, now Palmer. Mr. Jacob Wise, now a resident of Crown Point, Superintendent. This school was commenced about 1863 or 1864. The attendance was quite large. The school was kept up for a few summers, quite a library having been obtained, and attention being given to singing. After this closed about the same community opened a school at the then new school house, and Mr. Wise was Superintendent. The young people here gave large attention to singing, their Superintendent being a leader and teacher of vocal music. Probably the second Superintendent was Joseph Patten. The last school session here was about 1885, Mr. Isaac Handley Superintendent. The name of Elliott Bibler belongs somewhere in connection with this school; the Baldwin, Smith, Crisman, Bibler and Blakeman families, the two Handley and the two Patten families, and some others, aiding in making it interesting and prosperous. In

(pg.67)
1885 changes commenced in the neighborhood, and it ceased to be a center for preaching and for school. For a part of one term the public school had but two pupils. A few particulars have been gathered in regard to the Vincent school. As early as 1856 the school house was one of those used on Sundays and evenings for religious meetings. There was regular Sabbath preaching here for several years. Brother Hines, a Methodist minister, not Episcopal nor Protestant nor Wesleyan, simply "Methodist," resided for a time in the neighborhood. His wife was an excellent singer, and it was pleasant to hear them sing in Sunday school or church that beautiful song, "The Only Way to Heaven is the Royal Way of the Cross." The date of school organization is here also uncertain. Perhaps in 1865.

An early Superintendent, the only one whose name has been obtained, was Frank Larabee. He was an earnest, living Methodist, and for a time no little religious life was manifexted in this Vincent neighborhood. The Holton families and others were here; Captain Woodbury lived here; and the social life was pervaded by the religious element. A live Sunday school would naturally follow, if it did not precede; and sixty members are reported for 1872.

The second school house here was known as the "Red" school house, and a third one has been built. The last Sunday school here was carried on by Superintendent G. Handley and others in the summer of 1886.

Some have been found---Mrs. Underwood, Miss Lathrop, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Blachley---who have recollections or traditions of the Hickory Top school before 1860. It is probable that Mr. Booth, then living in the neighborhood, and Mr. Brown were superintendents or active in the school. The school house was a center for religious meetings and other social gatherings. About

(pg. 68)
1863, the Harper family came, and soon Mrs. Ruth Harper became and continued for many years active in this school as teacher or superintendent. She died March 9, 1884, having been a wife for forty years, and having been an earnest, useful Christian woman for about twenty years at Hickory Top in our county.

For the last few years Rodney A. Castle has been superintendent. The name was changed to Ainsworth, none were left to sing, he removed to Hobart, and the school was closed.

In 1847 Miss Esther Castle opened a school in a private house, not then occupied, on the farm of Mr. Lathrop,Mrs. Underwood's father, where for those days, a large number attended as many sometimes as forty. Miss Castle was a neice of R. A. Castle, evidently an active woman, and kept up this school for some years. Out of this school probably grew, when a school house was built, perhaps much earlier than 1860, the Hickory Top, the Ainsworth school.

Another quite early school, of which one trace has been found, was also in a private house, west of Merrillville. The one who remembers it is not quite sure whether it was in the Butler house or in another house near by. Mr. Julius Demmon was either Superintendent or a principal teacher  in this school. The year has not been determined but it must have been before 1850.

The Hickory Point school was commenced in 1847. Superintendents: W. A. Nichols, 1847-1849; W. Gibbs, 1849-1854. Average attendance 40. Interested in the school were the Beebe and Gregg families among others. In the early church here were at one time some seventy-five members. The religious interests closed here about 1887. The school closed much earlier.

(pg. 69)
In 1843 Rev. Major Allman, who has been already mentioned, came to Crown Point and became a resident among us, not as a pastor but as a local preacher, and a helper and worker in Christian activities, and especially in building up the Methodist church. He concluded it was well to organize a denominational school, and soon therefore left the Crown Point Union school, and, according to the best authority we now have, in this same year of 1843, encouraged and assisted by Silas Hathaway, he orgainzed the Methodist Episcopal Sunday school of Crown Point. It is probable that he was the first superintendent. He soon became county recorder, and held that office from 1845 to 1856, preaching occasionally and doing school and church word as occasions required. In 1847 the school began to be held in the then new Methodist church building, and there continued until the present building was erected in 1860. In this year of 1847, when the two schools of Crown Point were each in church buildings, there were in the county five church buildings, --- the county was now ten years of age--- seven postoffices, aobut fifty frame houses, two brick dwelling houses, and four or five stores. There were five local preachers, one circuit preacher, one Presbyterian pastor. There were two lawyers, six or seven physicians, fifteen justices of the peace. There were two saloons. There was one village. Crown Point contained about thirty families.

The Sunday school, of course, was not very large. The school increased in number with the growth of the town, for some years, and then for a time declined, and in 1857 its members were quite discouraged, but one woman began to give her energies more fully to the work; a new pastor, Rev. J. W. Green, came into the field, church and school revived, and the school has continued

(pg. 70)
to grow as the population of the town has increased. Seasons of declension and seasons of revival have had their day; but in the main the school has held steadily on.

The superintendents, so far as can be ascertained, have been the following: Samuel Cade, elected in 1849; Sylvester Green, the years not certainly known; Martin Wood; the different pastors for a time succeeding, till 1857; Mrs. S. G. Wood, if not by election, became for a time largely the life of the school. There followed as elected superintendents, ----Upthegrove, about 1858; Geroge Krinbill, 1859, in office eight years; Andrew Krimbill; J. Hauk; W.T. Horine; again for some time J. Hauk; Mrs. S. G. Wood, 1886; S. Witherell, 1887, 1888; Dr. Gibbs, 1889, 1890.

The names of the teachers can not all be given, but the following have been obtained for this record. First of all is the name of Mrs. S. G. Wood, a daughter of Rev. George W. Taylor, of Pleasant Grove, married to Martin Wood in August of 1849, and entering upon home and church and other duties in Crown Point in 1855.

Commencing her work as a Sunday-school teacher before her marriage, as many others do and have done, she has continued it till the present time, a teacher for forty-three years. As might well be supposed she has been active also in other kindred work. Other teachers are: Mrs. R. Fancher, a superintendent and teacher from 1860 for about twelve years, and for the last eighteen years kept out of the school by bodily afflictions; J. Hauk, Mrs. Horine, Mr. and Mrs. Upthegrove, Mrs. Griggs, Miss Cordelia Wood, now Mrs. Judge Herrick, of Kansas; Miss Addie Meeker, now Mrs. J. Rockwell, for three years teacher of the infant class; Miss Mattie Dresser, now Mrs. Dr. Gibbs, teacher for five or six years; Mrs. Witherell, Miss Ann M.

(pg. 71)
Millikan, George Krinbill, Jr.; Miss Julia Krinbill, Miss Lily Krinbill, T. A. Muzzall, Arthur Griggs, Benton Wood, and Miss Ada Griggs. There have been other teachers for a longer or shorter time in this school.

For several years George Krinbill, Jr., now teacher of vocal music in the Public school of Red Wing, Minnesota, was chorister in this school.

T. A. Muzzall has done not a little for several years in building up the material interests of the school. He has been Secretary, Treasurer, a leading singer, as well as teacher, and has put his prompt, active, business habits into the life of the school.

Professor O. J. Andrews, Principal for some years of the Crown Point Public school, was an active member of this Sunday school.

In numbers this school has been for many years one of the large schools of the county.

In these forty-seven years of school life additions from time to time have been made to the church membership from the classes in the school.

The first school in the Baptist church house at Crown Point was held by T. H. Ball in 1857.

Rev. J. Benney became pastor in 1857, but did not continue the school. Rev. A. E. Simons became pastor in 1860 adn conducted a Baptist school till April 19, 1863. In the fall of 1863 the school was reopened by T. H. Ball and continued till 1870. The teachers were: Mrs. Ball, Miss Mary Bacon, Mrs. L. G. Bedell, now Dr. Bedell of Chicago, and Mrs. Sarah Robinson. In 1865 three members of the school, and in 1867 ten, became church members.

After 1870 a school was again opened in the church building by Mr. and Mrs. Abrams and Mrs. Whipple.

(pg. 72)
In 1877 Rev. R. P. Stephenson was pastor, and he with others carried on the school.

In 1880 and afterwards Rev. E. H. Brooks was pastor and Mr. and Mrs. Osborne and Mrs. E. Church were for several years active in this school. The school was transferred from East Street to Main Street, after the erection of the brick Baptist church on Main Street in 1881, and was kept up here until after the resignation of Rev. L. A. Clevenger in the fall of 1884. It has been revived once or twice since by Mrs. Church and others, but has not been in session for some considerable time.

In 1875 was organized in the North Street Baptist church building the North Street Sunday school, which school continued till 1888. T. H. Ball was superintendent. Teachers at different times were : Mrs. E. Hodson, Mrs. Hartupee, Mrs. Mary Thompson, Miss Georgie E. Ball, and constantly Mrs. M. C. C. Ball. In this school was a mission cirlce which sent the first funds from this county to the Foreign Sunday-School Association at Brooklyn, New York. Funds were sent to a school at Copenhagen in Denmark and various interesting missionary letters were received. A record of two of the members of Mrs. Ball's Infant class, who died in 1877, one seven and one six years of age, may be found in "Lake of the Red Cedars," pages 285-296. This North Street school was prosperous for several years and gave its peculiar training to many children, but finding its mission accomplished it was closed in the spring of 1888.

There has been for the last few years, therefore, no Baptist school in Crown Point.

(pg. 73)
The German Methodist school was organized soon after the erection of their building, which was in 1874. It is a true church school, composed of the younger members of the church, the school sessions being held before the morning service. As most of the members of this church live in the country, they come early as families together, and attend the school and then the church services. The school is well conducted. J. Knoedler is Superintendent. The school contributes well for missions. As the members so largely live in the country, they hold their Christmas tree exercises each year in the daytime with darkened windows. These exercises are very interesting. As might be expected, this is an evergreen school, and the members are very regular in their attendance.

In the same year, 1874, the German Evangelicals erected a church building and also organized a school. Theirs is also a church school, and some of their members come from the country. C. Weis has been one of the officers of the school. The exercises of both these schools are conducted in the German language.

In 1876, in the summer, and at Ross, a new religious movement commenced in this county. An appropriate name is the "Band work." Meetings were held daily at Crown Point during most of the winter of 1876 and 1877. As one result of these meetings a church was constituted in 1877, in the North street church building, called the Band church. In October, 1880, the name chosen was the "Union Mission Church" at Crown Point.

Not long after, in 1881 or 1882, the church became Free Methodist. A house of worship was erected and

(pg. 74)
a Sunday school organized. The date of organization can not be earlier than 1881. The Superintendents have been, about one year each holding office, Rev. T. Westerdale, Rev. C. S. Spalding, Miss Phoebe Colby, Mrs. F.E. Fessenden, Rev. W. Ferries, Mrs. M. Ross, Mrs. Ida Day, wife of the pastor, and Mrs. M. Ross. The school has not been large, but quite prosperous. T. Cleveland, Esq., an earnest Christian man, has usually attended this school.

The "Cheshire Hall" school is peculiar among the schools of the town and county. It has three teachers, no officers, no records. It is a Bible school, conducted by a congregation of Believers, or Plymouth Brethren. It is suppose to number about twenty.

(pg. 75)
children, to learn each day "something new about Jesus."

"One delightful Christmas gathering was held in Lake County, 'in the woods,' between Crown Point and Cedar Lake, in the White school house. This school was lately organized by the missionary of the American Sunday School Union. It is the youngest school in the county. There were present in the school house, on Christmas night, eighty persons ---- fathers and mothers and children; some of the children had not before seen a Christmas-tree. The tree, procured by the boys, was a very fine red cedar. Little children were placed under the tree and the whole was illuminated with red chemical light. The tree was beautifully decorated. The children received oranges, candy and pictures and little books. Miss May Williams, teacher in the public school in that district, gave valuable aid. The exercises seemed to be enjoyed by all."

The pioneer German Methodist west of Cedar Lake was John Beckley, Sr. He made his home in the edge of that long strip of West Creek woodland, in which then the deer were so abundant, about 1845. He had a quite large family. About 1848 he opened a Sunday school in his own house. Other families came in. In 1851 George Krinbill, Sr., made his home in that neighborhood. He had a store. As the neighbors were together here, Mr. Beckley proposed that they make a "bee," and erect a little log school house. This was done and in about 1852 the school was held in this school house. Other families came. A church was constituted, then a church building was erected, and in

(pg. 76)
1855, perhaps earlier, the school was removed to the church, where for thirty-five years it has been kept up. The second Superintendent was George Krinbill, Sr., about 1850. Superintendent Stitzel was the third, in perhaps, 1856. Superintendent Rudolph and Locker followed. And then at times the pastors of the church would take charge of the school. George Krinbill, then young, now known as Senior, before his removal to Crown Point in 1858, taught singing to the members of the school; and as they could not well understand the common notes, he taught them by figures. Vocal music seems to belong to his family line.

The names of the superintendents of this Cedar Lake German school, for the last few years have not been obtained. The school was quite large for several years; the members attended the convention anniversary at Crown Point in 1880, singing two pieces, and their pastor Rev. Mr. Doering, giving an address; and they have contributed for the county and mission work. So many families have removed of late years that in numbers the school has declined. It has been doing good work and valuable in the community and county for some forty-two years. Such schools are needed, as forts, as bulwarks, to help in holding for the Lord of earth's great battlefield our county and State. Often have we sung in various gatherings that stirring battle song, "Hold the Fort."

There are now living in a home by themselves, in the eastern limit of Oak Grove, three brothers by the name Allbright. They are of that family connection that gave the name Allbright to what is now called the German Evangelical church. Their date of settlement in the grove is 1863. The other members of this family

(pg. 77)
are gone. From these brothers it has been learned that a school was organized here by Lewis Guise, and afterwards re-opened and carried on by Mrs. Shafer, and their mother, Mrs. Allbright, perhaps in 1876. In March, 1880, Mrs. Allbright died.

Mrs. Shafer left the county and state. The Oak Grove neighborhood was found without any school, and with another group of children then living, by a missionary of the American Sunday School Union, who organzied as a new school, not building on any one's foundation, the present Oak Grove Sunday school, April 1, 1888. Mrs. M. K. Hill was elected Superintendent, This family had removed to the grove from the east side of Cedar Lake. Mrs. Hill died May 28, 1889, then thirty-five years of age. For a time Miss Jennie Sanders was the superintendent, but the difficulties of the situation were too great for a girl so young to overcome and the school was closed. In July, 1890, it was re-opened, and the enrollment page will show the officers and the membership.

In this once truly island grove, where is situated a Chicago club-house, "Cumberland Lodge," there ought to be a permanent school.

"The Shelby Union Sunday school, the first school near the Kankakee river in Lake county, the second school south of the marsh "shore" line, was organized in its present form July 24, 1887. There were present and taking part in the organization, besides those residing at Shelby, two young men, Mr. Adolph Pfender, of New York city, and Mr. Melvin A. Brannon, a student from Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indian. Such young men as these, having their Bibles with them

(pg. 78)
where they go, ready to aid in Sunday-school work at any place, are bleassings in any community where they may reside even for a day. One of these, Mr. A. Pfender, has for two seasons spent considerable time at Shelby, aiding materially this school and one organized in the spring of 1888 at River Ridge."

"Children's Day was duly observed at Shelby on Sunday afternoon, June 10th. Some of the girls had provided flowers, some of the beautiful wild flowers of that locality, with which to decorate the room, and the beautiful concert exercise, entitled "Scattering the Seed," prepared and published by the America Sunday School Union, was rehearsed by the school. The collection taken was for the mission work of the American Sunday School Union, 'the society that takes care of the children.'  Of course, thousands of children brought their offerings. None could appropriate them for the use of a grander society or for a nobler work." 1888.

"Although the evening was dark and rainy, as it was generally in northwestern Indiana, some pleasant hours of the afternoon had been spent by the teachers and some of the young people of the school in preparing a tree and loading it for the children, and in the evening very pleasant exercises were held. Of course there was singing, and other appropriated services were conducted by the Superintendent; a beautiful poem and an instructive story were read; some of the children had recitations; and some solos were neatly rendered by a temporary resident of Shelby, a man from Scotland, who in his native land had heard "the sweetest of all Scotia's holy lays." Songs from the old countries and

(pg. 79)
of the olden times are pleasant amid the freshness of our new life. Those representing at least four nationalities could rejoice for the Christmas time and for the gift long ago of the Bethlehem Babe. The young men and the young ladies of this Shelby school deserve praise for their hearty efforts in aiding to sustain public worship, and the probability is that they will soon take steps towards securing a permanent place for a Sunday-school home."

"Present officers: Superintendent, T. H. Ball; Secretary, Miss Ida Gorde; Treasurer, Miss Jennie Larson; Librarian, Miss H. Lange. Trustees elected March 18, 1889, R. Fuller, G. Peterson, J. Lange, J. W. Cox, and B. Erickson.

A lot has been promised to the school by the President of the Lake Agricultural Company, Mr. W. R. Shelby, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it is expected that the Committee to solicit funds for the erection of a building will soon be ready for their work."

Of all our schools, this one alone, situated near the south part of the large prairie area of the county, has perpetuated the name at first given to this wide prairie, the name of the founder of Crown Point, Solon Robinson; a name that may fade out entirely from the prairie to which it was given, but which will always remain in the true annuals of Lake county.

This school was organized as early as 1870, perhaps earlier, by Mr. John Bates. The members of this family had more than ordinary musical talent. The son, Kossuth Bates, played on an instrument which he took to the school house; the daughter, Miss Alice, was

(pg. 80)
a very good child vocalist; and, aided by Miss Jennie Fuller, now Mrs. Dickinson, then a young girl; by Mary Wood, now Mrs. Gregg; Miss Ida Foote, now Mrs. Tillotson; Miss Annie Wimple, and Mary Tilton, and others, the singing in this school was excellent. For a few years the school was prosperous, Mr. Warner and his family taking a large interest in it, and all in the neighborhood giving it good support.

T. H. Ball, who has, at different times, been superintendent of eight schools in this county, conducted this school one season. Some of the young members then were, beside those already named, Ida Crawford, Ella McCann (not now living), Etta Warner, Ella Warner, Rhoda Antrim, Lydian Antrim, Adelaide Fuller, Emily Fuller, and others who were still younger children. F. A. Ewer was active in helping to keep up this school. Here, as in many other neighborhoods, family changes came. There is here now only a small Lutheran school.

Dora Seegers, a winsome little girl, eight years of age, was on Thursday, July 18, suddenly called away from earth, called up to the other world. Her father's home is about nine miles southeastward from Crown Point, in Lake county, Indiana. Her father and his men were at work in the hay field, to them she was carrying water from the house. Northward it was cloudy and rather dark. At Crown Point it was raining. But it was not cloudy to any extent over that locality. A small cloud was observed over the head of the young child as she drew near to the men in the field, and , as they were very thirsty, her father called to her that she

(pg. 81)
might hasten a little her brisk footsteps. It was his last call to her; for her other Father, the great and good Father, whose claims and rights are first, also called her. Forth from that little cloud the quick lightning flashed, but the men observed it not. The next instant they heard the thunder crash and saw their little water bearer fallen on the earth. In a moment or two more, for she was not far away, that father raised from the ground the dear young form, but the outher unseen messenger, God's good angel, was even then bearing upward the soul of little Dora.

The lightning flash, strangely unseen, had separated soul and body, and what the sorrowful father raised from the ground was only a lifeless form. God has many ways in which to call His children home. Sometimes it is diphtheria, sometimes the typhoid fever, sometimes the scarlet fever, and many other forms of what we call disease. Sometimes it is water; sometimes wind; soemtimes the gun or pistol shot; sometimes the railroad crash; sometimes the lightning's flash. All are equally and alike under God's control, held firmly by His own strong hand. And not one electric spark can flash beyond His permission. He, without whose notice and care not on sparrow falls on the ground, was then watching little Dora as she started from the well with the water. He knew of that little cloud and the lightning hid away in its foldings. He cared for Dora and took care of her. Does any child ask, "Why did God permit little Dora to come under that cloud just then?" Why? Why did He permit the gunshot that took the life of a little girl? Why did He permit diphtheria to take all the children and darken a bright home? Why does he permit the measles, and the scarlet fever, and the typhoid? Why does He permit any little child to suffer, any little child

(pg. 82)
to die? We need not ask "Why?" to God, "What?" is generally the form of question which it is proper to ask of Him. "What is this lesson for me? What is my duty? What shall I do? What is Thy will concerning me?" Let us leave the "Whys?" for a future explanation, and rest now lovingly, trustingly, in the hands of that great and good Father, without whose action or permission not one event on earth takes place. Children have died in various ways in the county of Lake, but very seldom has one fallen to the earth beneath the lightning's flash. None are more safe here than birds and little children.

A family pictured group, the picture but recently taken by the artist, may be seen in the home of the Seegers' family. It is a fine picture. And as little Dora stands there beside her father, she will stand no more. The pictured image of herself will remain; the living reality has passed out of this life.

(pg. 83)

This school most probably was commenced by Dr. W. B. Anderson, who resided for a time at Le Roy as a physician. He was an active Christian man, and zealous in the Sunday-school cause. The school was reported in 1875 and may have been organized in 1874. It soon became quite  a strong and prosperous school. It was a union of United Presbyterians, Reformed Presbyterians, and Methodists.

Dr. Anderson soon left the county, and the school was kept up by the families of the neighborhood around Le Roy. The school house was large, central, and quite well seated. Active in the school, as officers, teachers, and scholars were members of the McKnight, Love, Baldwin, Wilson, Ross, Turner, Thompson, Stewart, Gibbs, and Nethery families. And this is not a full list of names.

At length the time came for the erection of two church buildings in Le Roy, and then the school was divided. The Methodists occupying their house in 1888, all united for a time in the school there. In April, 1889, a United Presbyterian school was opened in the Presbyterian house, the other school becoming Methodist Episcopal. Both schools have been prosperous.

The date, "about 1860," is assigned, in the annual report, for the organization of the first school at Eagle Creek. In those years the lower Eagle Creek school house was the center for quite a large community. In the first five months of the year of 1862 a Baptist church was gathered there of sixty-four members, forty-four being there and then baptized. A Sabbath school should have prospered. "The ingathering was rapid; the young men went into the army; the pastor went as

(pg. 84)
chaplin; growth ceased." In 1868 eleven of those sixty-four were found; but in 1872 twenty-five are found still in Sunday school. The only name yet secured for a superintendent here is that of E. M. Robertson. The Fisher, Sarjeant, Ludy, and several other families must have been interested in this school. When it closed is not known.

The present Eagle Creek school, organized as a new school in 1888, has been doing a good work.

In the western part of Porter county, near Blackley's Corners, has resided for many years a zealous and faithful Sunday-school worker, ISAAC HARDESTY; and not far from him resided his friend and fellow-laborer known as DEACON PECK. These both aided in keeping up several schools near the county line, and finding a neighborhood in Lake county without a school, one, if not both, of them came one mile within our borders and established one. These men were members of the farming community. They were in good circumstances. They were stout, heavy-built men, and then in middle age. They sought the good of the people. They were patriotic. They believed in the Bible teachings, and were sure those teachings would benefit every neighborhood. They could sing, and pray, and teach. They became true Sabbath-school men. Associated with them was DAVID HARDESTY. In what year they organized the Hurlburt school, Mr. Hardesty, who is still living, can not now tell. Quite surely before 1870. Perhaps in 1867. The writer of this record, on his first visit to the school, found two of these noble workers carrying it on. In 1872 the school numbered about fifty members. A young man grew up in the neighborhood, MICHAEL WAHL, and he was induced at

(pg. 85)
length to act as Superintendent. He has been kept in the office for many years. The school has grown to be the largest country school in the county, and only one or two town schools exceed it in numbers. Two of the sons of the Peck family, themselves men of middle age now, are, with their children, interested in the school. The names of the families of the neighborhood sustaining this school will be found in the enrollment list. The school owns an organ and has quite a large and new library. Some further mention of this school will be found in the Convention records. It has been up to this time a Union school.
NOTE.--It is but justice to state that a note from the present Superintendent, M. Wahl, says: "The first school was organized at Hurlburt's corner as early as 1856 or 1858." He says it was organized by Orrin Peck, that John L. Riecker succeeded him and had charge about four years, till 1883, since which time he has himself had charge of the school.

In September of the year 1852 Rev. George Woodbridge removed with his family from Crown Point to Ross station. The Michigan Central railroad had been running trains on the newly constructed Joliet cut-off but a short time, and the station agent there was Mr. ____ Wheeler. Mr. Amos Hornor became a resident in Ross in 1853. The railroad agent, who was different, surely, from many railroad men, organized here the first Sunday school, probably in 1853. Mr. A. Hornor, probably, was the second Superintendent. The custom was, for a time, to have Sabbath preaching every other Sunday morning at seven o'clock, and Bible class and prayer meeting every Sunday at four p. m. Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Hornor and Rev. G. Woodbridge took turns in conducting the prayer meetings. Soon Mrs. Woodbridge became Superintendent, and she and Mrs.

(pg. 86)
J. Muzzall, then Miss Irish, carried on the school. They raised over $20 in money and obtained a good library. The death of a relative, Mrs. Humphrey, called Mrs. Woodbridge away, and this, which had been a Union school, was for a time closed. While carried on by Mrs. Woodbridge and Mrs. Muzzall the school was evergreen.

A school was again opened at Ross by Rev. Mr. Bacon and Rev. Mr. Rutherford, of the United Brethren Church. These made it a denominational school. The United Brethren school did not continue long, and then the school was reorganized, again Union, A. Hornor, Superintendent. About 1877 Eugene Kongright was elected, again A. Hornor and then L. T. Loucks. In 1878 a church building was erected and the school was held there. After the Band organization at Ross became a Congregational church, the school became denominational, and Mrs. N. C. Gallagher has since had charge of the school. The present membership is forty-five. This school was noted at the "twenty-fifth anniversary," on the street and at the Fair Ground, for its fine appearance. After returning home from the anniversary, the school sent $4 to the missionary of the county for his special mission work, a contribution which he thoroughly appreciated.

This has been for several years an evergreen school.

An interesting institute was held here December 2 and 3, 1887, the children of the public school and of the Sunday school having been then diligently trained by Miss Lida Smith and entering heartily into the institute exercises.

This school was organized in August, 1888, by the evangelist "Christian" minister of this district, Rev. Ellis B. Cross. First Superintendent, R. C. Mackey;

(pg. 87)
second, William Prichett; third, George Billings; fourth, Charles Longshore; fifth, B. H. Wood. The school is prospering.

This year is noted for the number of new schools. Some of these are mentioned elsewhere, but a brief notice of organization is inserted here, taken from OUR BANNER for the most part.

1. The Bruce Union school was organized February 5, 1888. Classes, 4. Enrolled, 27. Rev. J. Bruce, Superintendent; Miss Lois Kaplin, Secretary; Miss Mirtie Hayden, Treasurer.
2. The Oak Grove Union school was organized April 1, 1888. Classes, 3. Members, 20.
3.The Morrison school was organized April 15, 1888. William Gibbs, of Hebron, Superintendent. Number of members, 30.
4. The Eagle Creek Union school was organized April 22, 1888. Palmer Temple, Superintendent. Classes, 7. Enrolled, 43. Secretary, Miss Maggie Ludy.
5. River Ridge Union school opened May 20, 1888, more fully organized May 27. Mrs. Eva Latta, Superintendent; Miss Lettie Stowell, Secretary; Miss Hattie Gale, Librarian; George Stowell, Treasurer.
6. The Sand Ridge school was organized May 27, 1888. Superintendent, Amos Hornor.
7. In June, 1888, was organized the Episcopal school at Hammond.
8. August, 1888, was orgainzed the Deep River Union school, by Rev. Ellis B. Cross.
9. In November, 1888, was organized the East Chicago Methodist school.

At a few of these localities there have been schools in past years, but these are all essentially new schools.

10. "On Sunday, December 23, 1888, was organized

(pg. 88)
at Hammond the Hammond Christian Sunday school. Superintendent, J. L. Adams; Secretary, Mrs. M. E. Burrows. Classes, three. No. (of members) twenty."

In 1884 a school was held in the northwestern school house of the county, conducted by Miss Minnie Chapman (now Mrs. Jenks, of Illinois), then a Lake county girl and a public school teacher. This ws called the Sheffield school. The first school house was very near the shore of Lake Michigan, sheltered by trees and by sand ridges. In the summer it was a pleasant, secluded spot of the gathering of the few children who met there, the clear waters of the lake washing a beach of pure, white sand only a few rods away. The present school house is further away from the great lake.

A few years ago comparatively few families were living in the north part of North township. South of Whiting Station, near the easter shore of Lake George, called on the map of 1873 Berry Lake, was kept up for a short time a little neighborhood Sunday school, conducted by Mr. Gallagher, now living near Ross. The Secretary of the county Union, in his visits to the school, once reached this then secluded place in the wilds of our North township, little thinking that in a few years one of the great oil refineries of the world would gather so many people within that one square mile of surface.

At the time of this writing it is claimed that there are in Whiting, a town built up by the Standard Oil Company, in round numbers, "1,700 men" and "700 women," and that "some 45 houses are in process of

(pg. 89)
construction." To look at the oil tanks in hundreds and at the buildings there, at the rows of neat dwelling houses, at the church and Sunday-school life, one would think that the days of the GALLAGHER Lake George Sunday school must have been half way back to the old Indian times. Improvement of some kinds is making here the real giant strides.

Settlements were not made very early along the Calumet and the State line, where is now the city of Hammond. A few families, among them the Hohman, Sohl, Drecker, Miller, Goodman, and Wolf families found homes there between 1850 and 1865. About 1869 the George H. Hammond Company located a slaughter house here and commenced shipping beef to Eastern, and soon to Foreign, markets. Families from New England connected with this new enterprise made homes in this locality, and in 1872 they organized a Sunday school in a small school house near the Calumet river. The officers were: M. M. Towle, Superintendent; Miss Dow, now Mrs. C. C. Smith, Secretary; Miss Louisa Sohl, now Mrs. Beall, Treasurer. And these, with Mrs. M. M. Towle, were the teachers. Religious services were also held at the school house (Hammond has now its third school); Brother Williams, a farmer, who became a student at Evanston, also afterwards, Brother Baker, from Evanston, aiding in the school and preaching to the people. The school increased in numbers as the group of clustered families grew into a town, and the locality was changed to the second school house. Here the school was re-organized in 1879, by Porter B. Towle, now a well-known editor and newspaper publisher in the city of Hammond, having then just come into Lake county from Massachusetts,

(pg. 90)
and taking an active interest in Sunday-school work, and in giving literary and moral lectures. By him the school was kept up at the school house until it was removed in 1880 to the Union chapel that was erected.  There the school was continued, as it had been carried on at the school house, being the one Sunday school in Hammond, others also aiding in the school, among them A. A. Winslow and Mrs. Winslow. In 1882 a Methodist church organization was perfected, and the next year a church building was erected, dedicated in December, 1883, where the school has since been held, as the Methodist Episcopal school of Hammond. A. A. Winslow, editor of the Hammond Tribune, and F. H. Tuthill, have been the superintendents. Mrs. Dr. Vandewalker has been one of the active and earnest teachers, and Miss Alice Sohl has had charge much of the time of the infant class. This has become, by far, the largest class of little children, and this school the largest school in the county.

October 2, 1887, was organized the "Hammond Congregational Sunday School." Officers were: Superintendent, J. B. Guthrie; Assistant, Mrs. E. C. Gero; Librarian, Mrs. P. B. Towle; Secretary and Treasurer, Mrs. W. Gostlin. "The meetings have been held in the rink, but are now to be in the city court room." "Now" is November, 1887.

"A third Sunday school was organized October 16th, with six classes and some thirty scholars. W. R. Jones, Superintendent; Mrs. P. B. Towle, Assistant Superintendent; Miss Lesta Jones, Secretary. This is called the Hammond North Side Congregational school."

This school was held in the home of Brother E. R. Williams, through the first winter, in two very pleasant rooms, kindly furnished by this pleasant Christian, Americanized, Welch family. Brother Williams soon

(pg. 91)
became the leader of the school, and its name was slightly changed. Editor P. B. Towle, Miss Ousley,J. B. Guthrie, and others took an active interest in both these schools. The number in the north side school increased, and a chapel room was built, adjoining the Williams home, which became the Sunday-school home. The school has manifested a vigorous life. Eighty members were reported this year, and now a Congregational church building has been erected, to be, perhaps for years, the assembling place for this school, its third home spot. An excellent religious or Christian spirit seems to prevail in this school. A grand mission work it may yet accomplish.

"A fourth school was organized November 13th, with about twenty scholars. C. D. Varney, Superintendent; Miss Clara Irish, Assistant; C. J. Gillett, Secretary and Treasurer. This is a Baptist school, at present the second Baptist school in Lake county."

The above is a journal record of the organization of the present Baptist school of Hammond. For some time the school sessions were held in a hall. In 1888, a church building was erected, in which, since then, the school, with a large increase in numbers, has been held.

The Episcopalian school, known as St. Paul's Mission Sunday school, was opened in June, 1888. Of course the members of this school do not use the International Series of Lessons, but study the lessons of the church year. Those who know the forms of worship of this church, of which this is the only Sunday school in the county, need not to be reminded that in this school are observances which are impressive and attractive.

In this same year of 1888 was organized a "Christian" Sunday school. A church of this denomination, the Hammond Christian church, was organized December

(pg. 92)
23, 1888, by Rev. Ellis B. Cross, with twenty-four members. The school numbered sixty members, but having no house of worship, and rents being high in that young, growing city, financial reasons caused a discontinuance of the school. It was re-organized December 21, 1890. Superintendent, _________ Wilson; Secretary, H. E. Ball; Treasurer, Mrs. Isaac Hammond.

A German Methodist school was organized as early as 1883, and conducted for a time in the Hammond Methodist church; but this school, small yet pleasant and for a time prosperous, was discontinued. The present school was organized after the German Methodist house of worship was erected in 1889, and it is a growing, prosperous school.

The Plymouth Congregational school, taking, in some sort, the place of the South Side Congregational school, was organized in the summer of 1890. It is, therefore, a new school. As the church with which this school is connected has erected this year a house for religious worship, the school may be expected to continue, to grow, and to be an instrumentality for good in the coming years.

The first family making a home in what is now quite widely known as East Chicago was the family of Mr. Penman. Mrs. Penman came August 2, 1888. Now East Chicago has three church buildings, one hundred and sixty-four children were enumerated in May last, and already the place has the appearance of a city. In a region of remarkable growth its own growth has been surprising.

The East Chicago Methodist Episcopal school was organized in November, 1888. Its membership is about thirty. Superintendent, Mrs. J. V. Richardson.

(pg. 93)
The East Chicago Congregational school was organized in November, 1889. Membership about forty. Superintendent, L. T. Loucks.

At Whiting, on Easter Sunday, 1890, was organized Plymouth Congregational Sunday school. In this Standard Oil Company young city there will surely soon be room and need for more.

Having finished our anniversary review of the schools of the county, let us listen to a brief rehearsal concerning the county organization.

The County Union, called Convention, was organized at Crown Point, September 16, 1865. Those taking an active part in the organization were, Rev. J. L. Lower, Rev. R. B. Young, Rev. T. H. Ball, perhaps a few others, of Crown Point; Judge Ball of Cedar Lake; H. B. Austin and M. A. Halsted, of Lowell. The first officers were : Hervey Ball, President; Rev. R. B. Young, Vice-president; Rev. J. L. Lower, Secretary, and M. A. Hulsted, Treasurer.
 

(pg. 94)
 

Judge Hervey Ball, the first President of the Lake County Sunday School Convention, was elected to that office at the first meeting of the Convention, September 16, 1865, that meeting being held, as this one is, at the

(pg. 95)
county seat. A better presiding officer could not have been chosen, Judge Ball being a man of education, refinement, and ability, a lawyer of no small caliber, and an earnest Christian worker. He was a native of Massachusetts, but in 1837, with his family of little ones, he came West and took up land on the west side of Cedar Lake. The country was new at that time, and men of learning and ability were in great demand. School advantages were limited, and for this reason the Judge and his accomplished wife decided to open a private school for their own and the children of other settlers.

In 1840 the Cedar Lake Sunday school was organized with Judge Ball for Superintendent. He was the first and oly Clerk of the Cedar Lake Baptist Church, the Clerk and Moderator of the Northern Indiana Baptist Association, a Trustee of Franklin College, Judge of the Probate Court, President of the Agricultural Society, Master of a Masonic Lodge, and an officer in the Good Templars' Lodge.

He possessed an excellent library, which he generously threw open to the youth around him. On account of his health he ws obliged to decline a second re-election in 1867, and in a little more than a year afterward, when nearly seventy-four years of age, he passed to his long home, his life having been most salutary in its impression upon those with whom he mingled.

Rev. Hiram Wason, of Lake Prairie, was the second man to be elected President of the Convention, which position he held from 1867 to 1872.

Mr. Wason was born in New Boston, N.H., in 1814. He was a graduate of Amherst. In 1857, after a long pastorate at Vevay, Ind., he removed to lake county, and for seven years acted as pastor of the Lake Prairie Presbyterian Church, during which time twenty-three were added to that church by profession of faith and

(pg. 96)
thirty-one by letter. He was also Superintendent of the Sunday school, which, under his efficient leadership, became one of the largest and most prosperous in the county.

He was a member of the State Legislature during '67 and '68. To him belongs the credit of securing the passage of a bill by which the township trustee may be allowed to draw a tax of 25 cents on $100 for school purposes. Since the close of his ministry at Lake Prairie he has continued to live upon his farm in that place, and now, though well along in the seventies, he is still a regular attendant of the Sabbath school and a willing witness to the truth and beauty of the Christian religion.

Rev. R. B. Young, after having served as Vice-president of the Convention seven years, was in 1872 elected President and served one term. Mr. Young came into Lake county in 1853 as a circuit preacher. After being on the circuit one year he settled in Crown Point where he opened a drug store. In 1861 he was the preacher at Crown Point and in 1872 preacher at Lowell. He was a man of strong temperance and religious principles, and very active for his age. He died April 24, 1879, being at the time of his death seventy-five years of age.

The fourth president of the Convention, for the years '73 and '74, was Rev. Dr. S. Fleming, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Crown Point. he died in Michigan a few years ago, age and date of death unknown.

"Died at his home in Crown Point, Ind., February 14, 1890, David Turner, aged 73 years, 1 month and 28 days." Judge Turner, concerning whom this notice was given in a February number of the "Star," was President of the S. S. Convention for the year '74 and '75.

(pg. 97)
He was born in Ohio, but in early youth removed to this county, with his parents. The pioneer of those early days had few of the advantages of a Lake county boy of '90, and so the education of young David was acquired mostly by wise home training and by personal investigation of those subjects which his thirst for knowledge led him to study without a teacher. He held in succession the positions of probate judge, county representative, State senator and assessor of internal revenues. His political career was marked by a purity of motive and action which may well serve as a model to the youth of our county. His character can, perhaps, be best expressed when we say that he passed his earthly pilgrimage, "doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with his God."

Mr. Hugh Boyd, presiding officer from 1875 to 1877, came to Lake county in 1865, and in 1874 purchased the farm near Southeast Grove where he now resides. Mr. Boyd has paid considerable attention to dairying. He has served as township trustee two terms and for several years has been superintendent of the Southeast Grove S.S. He is a Presbyterian and a man of stanch principles.

To John L. Worley, of Lowell, belongs the honor of serving the convention as president for the longest term of years, from 1877 to 1886, when he declined another re-election. Also he is the first native born of the State to hold that position, his birthplace being near Union City, and the date of his birth being April 28, 1820. His education in the school room was limited, as that of many of his companions, but this deficiency was remedied by private exertions. Coming to Lake county in 1839, and, therefore, one of its pioneers, he entered the tract of land where he now lives, several miles south of Lowell.

(pg. 98)
He has been a  prominent member of the Christian Church at Lowell and an enthusiastic Sabbath-school worker and teacher. Mr. Worley has also gained quite a reputation as local preacher.

Mr. A. A. Winslow, of Hammond, presiding officer for the year 1886 and '87, was thr first of the second generation of Sabbath-school workers, as also the first native of Lake county to hold that office. His boyhood home was Crown Point. After spending a number of years in the capacity of a public school teacher, he entered upon his career as editor and publisher and settled in Hammond. At the time of his presidency the Hammond Methodist S. S., of which he was Superintendent, was the largest in the county. He has always been a faithful teacher, and the school has shown its confidence in his abilities by electing him again as Superintendent.

Our present presiding officer, Mr. Cyrus F. Dickinson, of Lowell, has held the position since 1887. He is a member of the Christian Church, and Superintendent of the Lowell Union S. S. He is well known as a man well versed in music and, as such, has often added to the interest of our conventions.

These are our nine presidents, and though they have been men of diverse vocations and of various religious denominations, in regard to the Sunday-school work they have been as one.

(pg. 99)
4-Rev. Dr. Fleming, 1873-1874. Died in Michigan, age unknown.
5-Judge David Turner, 1874-1875. Died February 14, 1890, seventy-three years of age.
6-H. Boyd, 1875-1877
7-J. L. Worley, 1877-1886
8-A. A. Winslow, 1886-1887
9-Cyrus F. Dickinson, 1887-1890

Vice-Presidents.
1-Rev. R. B. Young, 1865-1867
2-Rev. R. B. Young, Rev. John Bruce, Rev. B. Wells, Dr. A. Brownell, H. Meyer, J. S. Sanders, H. B. Austin, 1867-1869
3-Rev. R. B. Young, 1869-1872
4-O. R. Spencer, J. Underwood, C. L. Hannaman, J. S. Sanders, H. Frevert, Rev. H. Wason, G. W. Handley, E. M. Robertson, 1872-1873
5-Rev. H. Wason, J. L. Worley, 1873-1874
6-Rev. H. Wason, Rev. J. Bruce, 1874-1875
7-Dr. W. B. Anderson, 1875-1877
8-No record, 1877-1881
9-Rev. J. H. Dueringer, J. Curtis, Mrs. M. J.  Dinwiddie, Orson Bacon, H. Farmer, H. Meyer, Amos Hornor, Mrs. S. Kean, A. A. Winslow, 1881-1884
10-Rev. H. Wason, 1884-1886
11-Cyrus F. Dickinson, 1886-1887
12-T. E. Lincoln, 1887-1888
13-Michael Wahl, 1888-1890

When several were elected, one was for each township. In 1884 or 1885, the title was changed and these were called Presidents.

Township Presidents.
Elected as early as 1885 and re-elected up to 1890; North, Mrs. Dr. Vandewalker; Calumet, L. T. Loucks;

(pg. 100)
Hobart, Mrs. S. K. Rice; Ross, Mrs. M. J. Hyde; St. Johns, Mrs. A. Davis; Hanover, A. Einspahr; Center, Mrs. S. G. Wood; Winfield, J. P. Baldwin; Eagle Creek, M. Nichols; Cedar Creek, H. Dickinson; West Creek, Lewis G. Little.

Secretaries.
1.Rev. J. L. Lower, 1865-1866
2.Rev. T. H. Ball, 1866-1877
3.Prof. O. J. Andrews, 1877-1879
4.Rev. T. H. Ball, 1879-1890
5.Rev. L. W. A. Luckey, 1890

Treasurers.
1.M. A. Halsted.
2.M. L. Barber.
3.Rev. H. Wason, 1879-1884
4.Perry Jones, 1884-1888
5.F. H. Tuthill, 1888-1890
6.Perry Jones, 1890

So far as known the first Sunday-school celebration of the county was held at Crown Point about 1847. Another was held at Crown Point in 1854. This gathering was not what would now be called large, as the schools all met within the walls of the Presbyterian church. There were five banners then present and "several small schools," among which was the Plum Grove school, all meeting with the Union Sunday school of Crown Point. But two names can with certainty be given of those then present----Rev. William Townley, of Crown Point, and Mrs. M. J. Dinwiddie, of Plum Grove.

With her some of the children of that school who are now, probably, men and women somewhere in the land.

A third was held at Lowell, in 1863, of which mention

(pg.101)
has been made. The fourth was at Crown Point in 1864. The fifth was at Cedar Lake in 1865. And soon after this very pleasant celebration the county organization was formed and anniversary meetings began to be held.

These are taken, mainly, from "Lake County, 1884," a book now "out of print," scarce a copy of which could be obtained "for love or money;" and as many of the present and future Sunday-school members in the county can have no access to copies of that work, a few extracts are inserted here.

Second Anniversary, 1867:
"Thirteen schools reported, twelve of them more or less fully represented on the ground. Among these, the Lowell Union reported by far the largest number of scholars; the Lake Prairie school, the largest number of church members; the Lake Prairie and Methodist Episcopal of Crown Point, the largest number of volumes; the Crown Point Baptist school, the largest number of conversions during the year. The Orchard Grove and Lowell schools displayed upon the grounds its four-horse team, banner, and "stars and stripes," appeared on the street as the strongest force."

The first annual report which was now made, August, 1867, gave the following: Sixteen schools in the county, thirteen reported. Of these, three were Methodist, one was Presbyterian, one Independent Presbyterian, one Baptist, seven Union. Number of teachers, 110; scholars, 790; volumes in libraries, 2,020; died in the year, 6; converted, 32; church members, 133; inhabitants in the county, 9, 145; school children enumerated, 3, 588; Number of school districts, 80.

(pg. 102)
Fourth Anniversary, 1869:
"E. Payson Porter, of Chicago, was present, and by request spoke concerning the Newsboys' and Bootblacks' Mission, of Chicago."

"The three Grove schools, Orchard, Plum, and South East, seem deserving of special notice for their four-horse teams, banners, and large representations."

Fifth Anniversary, August 31, 1870, at Plum Grove:
"The gathering at Plum Grove was very large. Thirty schools were reported and thirty places of Protestant Sabbath preaching."

Seventh Anniversary:
"For the first time a dark and rainy morning. The Secretary reported that he had, between September 3d of last year, and August 25th of this year, visited nearly all the schools of the county. He reported in Deer Creek school fifteen conversions."

Eight Anniversary:
"The Secretary reported twenty-seven schools and whole number of members, 1,162."

Tenth Anniversary:
"Thirty schools reported."

"The Le Roy Union school from Cassville arrived first at Crown Point. Soon after came the Plum Grove and Robinson Prairie schools. Next in order arrived the South East Grove and Center schools. These schools came in strong force, the Le Roy school procession led by a six-horse team, the Plum Grove banner wagon being drawn by four horses and carrying twenty-four persons, the Prairie school having two four-horse teams."

Fifteenth Anniversary, 1880:
As this year was celebrated by the Sunday-school world as their first hundredth year, the following from the Secretary's book is inserted in full:

(pg. 103)

The following was thr order of exercises at the North Street Concert Monday evening, August 23.

1. Opening words, among which the Saviour's teachings from the lilies and the birds were named. A beautiful lily, from the greenhouse, of the variety called amaryllis, with five flowers in full bloom, with large bouquets of beautiful flowers, adorned the room.
2. Prayer.
3. Singing.
4. A Scripture exercise, Ps. 136 and 107 read by four voices.
5. A recitation by Miss Addie R. Woodard, "The Old Story."
6. A poem read by Miss Cynthia Wood, "Coming."
7. Singing.
8. An article from the Sunday-school Times, "Tempted to give up," read by Rev. T. H. Ball.
9. A recitation by Miss Alice Palmer, "The Land of Light."
10. A recitation by Miss Ella Clay, "All in Bloom."
11. A song by Miss May Saylor.
12. Recitation by Miss G. E. Ball, "The Seen and Unseen."
13. Singing.
Closed with a prayer by Rev. O. C. Haskell.
A good and appreciative audience was present; and the exercises, occupying one hour and a quarter, were of choice selections, well prepared and well rendered.

TUESDAY AFTERNOON EXERCISES.
A number met for Sunday-school institute work at the M. E. church.

The President of the County Convention, J. L. Worley, occupied the chair. Rev. H. Sheeley, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Lake Prairie, was present;

(pg. 104)
also Mrs. Dinwiddie and Miss Mary Dinwiddie from Plum Grove. Three of the schools in Crown Point were represented by teachers present. After a season spent in devotional exercises, an essay was read by O. J. Andrews. Remarks were made by Rev. H. Sheeley.

The following question was then presented: What means can we employ to secure more conversions among the children?

Remarks were offered by Judge Turner, Mrs. Wood, and others. The discussion was ernest and instructive.

The question of uniting with the State Union was deferred till Wednesday.

TUESDAY EVENING.
An essay was read by Rev. M. Carson, and questions concerning the creative days, the first man, the deluge, and the work of the Holy Spirit, were discussed by Judge Turner and Rev. T. H. Ball.

WEDNESDAY, MASS CONVENTION EXERCISES.
1. Opened with Singing. Ps. 24 and 23, and prayer by Rev. O. C. Haskell.
2. Address of Welcome by Rev. T. H. Ball, in the absence of others, with a response from the President.
3. Singing by the Lowell M. E. school.
4. Report of the Secretary.
5. Singing by the Crown Point schools.
6. Basket Dinner.
7. Singing by the Cedar Lake German school and the Handley school.
8. Ps. 121 and 122 and the Lord's Prayer by the North Street Baptist school.
9. Address by Rev. Mr. Doering, German Methodist pastor.
10. Singing by the Plum Grove school.
11. Catechetical exercise on the first twelve most

(pg. 105)
noted men of the Bible narrative. The following were named as these men:
Adam, because he was the first man;
Abel, because his name stands first in the eleventh of Hebrews as eminent for faith;
Enock, because he walked with God and was translated;
Noah, because he was the one righteous man when "the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished."
Abraham, because he was the father of the faithful, with whom the great covenants were made;
Melchizedec, because he was the priest of the most high God, the kind of Salem, greater than Abraham, the one priest aafter whose order Jesus Christ as an everlasting priest was made;
Isaac, because he stood next to Abraham in receiving the Messianic promises;
Jacob, because he received the same promises, the land grant being confirmed to him "for an everlasting covenant."
Judah, because he was the head of the kingly tribe, in whose line came the Messiah;
Levi, because he was the head of the priestly tribe;
Joseph, because he became ruler of Egypt and his sons Ephraim and Manasseh were adopted by Jacob to become the heads of Jewish tribes;
Moses, because he was a great prophet, the leader chosen to deliver his nation from Egyptian bondage, with whom God spake face to face as a man speaketh to his friend.
12. Singing by the Cedar Lake German school.
13. The question in regard to becoming auxiliary to the State Union was referred to the superintendents of the county, to report to the Secretary.

(pg. 106)
14. The present officers were re-elected.
15. Singing by Crown Point schools.
16. Appointed the next anniversary to be held at Cedar Lake, the next quarterly meeting to be at Merrillville.
17. A vote of thanks to Mr. Prier, for the use of the old Fair Ground, was passed. Adjourned.

Sixteenth Anniversary, 1881:
"Most all of the older members of the Convention, now in the county, were present. It was, indeed, a re-union of Sabbath-school friends, some of whom had not been able to attend such a meeting for nine years. The Secretary reported twenty-five schools, eighteen of which he had visited when they were in session. He reported the largest infant class in the Methodist school at Hobart, numbering eighty-five, and the second at Lake Prairie, numbering thrity-three."

Eighteenth Anniversary, 1883:
"Many of the schools were present with large delegations, the Hammond school representatives numbering 170. Among the others may be named Plum Grove and Orchard Grove, the South East Grove and Center, the Lake Prairie, the Cedar Lake, the Crown Point Methodist and Presbyterian, the Merrillville and Butler, and the Lake Home. Other schools were represented by smaller numbers. The Lake and Hammond schools were present for the first time." The following was one address delivered:

Subject: The Desirableness of Cultivatin a Missionary Spirit.

We recognize these facts: That God "hath made

(pg. 107)
of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth," all the families of man having a common origin, all being descendants from one human pair:

That a Saviour was provided for all mankind, according to that early promise made to Abraham, "and in they seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed;"

That, as yet, millions of human beings have no knowledge of a Saviour, and are living still, after almost nineteen hundred years of the Christian age have passed, in the dark night of heathenism, worshiping idols and false gods; and

That it is a duty pressing upon all persons in the Christian lands to send the light of life to the benighted nations of the earth. As the missionary hymn of Bishop Heber says:

I have now stated four great facts, and who can doubt that the grandest object for which we can live here, after having begun to love and obey Jesus Christ, is to strive to lead others to love and obey Jesus Christ? Our Saviour said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations." We have his express command to carry and to send this glorious Gospel over all the earth, to bring it to the ears, and, if possible, to the hearts of all mankind. And this is what we call "missionary" work, a work which is all one in its two special departments

(pg. 108)
at home and abroad, in our own land and in other lands, wherever on the face of the earth human beings dwell. It is a work that has now, for the last hundred years, enlisted the love and the sympathies, and called forth the energies of many of the noblest, of the most grandly endowed, of the loveliest, of the men and women and children of Christian lands. The chapters in the world's hisotry that will tell of the carrying of the Gospel to the islands of the South Seas, to Madagascar and to Africa, to the frozen regions of the North, to the Karens and Brahmins and Buddhists of India, to the crowded millions of China and Japan, will be far more grand than any chapters that will tell of national conquests, of battles lost and battles won. There is no work on earth so grand as that which has for its object the winning of souls, the winning of this world, to Christ. And in the coming fifty years there is to be done a mighty work in, perhaps, fiinishing up or almost finishing up, the preaching of the Gospel among the tribes and nations of the earth. Privileged will those be who have an active part in this great work.

We need to cultivate, as Sunday-school friends and workers, a more earnest and richer missionary spirit. What is life worth in the great reckonings of the universe, that is spent, as to its few brief years on earth, in selfish pursuits, in seeking pleasure, in gaining riches, in securing fame? "Nothing but leaves," "no garnered sheaves" to present to the Lord of the soil! When the harvest time comes we will all want some few full sheaves, some bundles of grain, in our arms to bring when the angels shout the "harvest home." What can be so pitiful, when the Saviour comes and the angel bands, as to have lived here for self, to have lived in vain, and to gain not one smile from an angel then, not one look of love from the Lord of all? When, instead

(pg. 109)
of putting on the beauty of immortality, it will be the shame and the disgrace of an everlasting defeat; of having wasted life and lost the enduring rewards of faithful service to be bestowed upon multitudes by the eternal King, when the arches ring of the world of light with the songs of praise to the Ancient of Days. The thought of opportunities lost must eat into the soul forever.

We need to cultivate, I have said, a richer and more earnest missionary spirit. The world is open for effort. There are brave and loving hearts now in almost every land. They are struggling on, bearing sometimes many burdens, and they need help----they need helping hands as well as praying hearts.

I have here a small map of a great kingdom, the kingdom of China. The Chinese Empire, you know, is the second in area and the first in population among the kingdoms and empires of the earth. We are told that it contains more than one-third of all the inhabitants of the earth. And in Christian England an effort has been commenced to evangelize it, to win some of its vast throngs for Christ. In 1865 was formed The China Inland Mission, including members, it is said, "of all the leading denominations of Christians." They have already opened more than seventy stations and out-stations, they have one hundred and one missionaries on the field, thirty men and their wives and forty-one unmarried, and about one hundred native helpers. This mission work is sustained by donations from various sources, one family donation in the year just passed amounting to three thousand pounds sterling, or about fifteen thousand dollars. Many Chinese have been converted and baptized, and many copies of the Scriptures and many religious tracts have been distributed, and the work is going successfully on. Japan and

(pg. 110)
India are also now great missionary fields, and the doors of entrance into all the heathen world seem to be open wide. It is an age and it is a time calling for workers and for means to aid the laborers in their work. Crown Point has one representative in the mission field in distant India, that land of teeming millions, of mighty resources, of great historic events. Mrs. Annie Turner Morgan was a few years ago a member of the Crown Point Presbyterian Sunday school, with a little thought that she would ever leave home and friends and native land and give her life to the Saviour's cause on the other side of the world as any young girl who is a member of our schools to-day. There may be girls here to-day who will also go to some far-off land to aid in extending the glad news of salvation. There may be here some boy who will yet preach Christ in, to us, an unknown tongue and on a far-off shore. We do not know what for us God has in store, but it is time for us to think of these things, to thing and also to do, in sending the blessings of the Gospel, of a Christian civilization with all that it means of home and comfort, of virtue and intelligence, of the spread of science and of art, of manufactures and of commerce, of railroads and telegraphs and telephones, of the healing art and of charitable institutions, of the uplifting of woman, and the caring for helpless childhood, of a true and polished literature as well as a true religion---in sending all these to the now low and degraded tribes and families of man whether in the wilds of Africa or on the islands of the sea. If we do not go we can send, we must send, send our prayers up to Heaven's glorious Throne, to the listening ear of the everlasting God, and send our means, to aid those who do go, in carrying on this great work. The women and the children in all heathen lands need help,

(pg. 111)
they need lifting up, they need love, they need a share in the blessings of a Christian home. In Christian lands the joys of home "are passing lovely;" but what can a home be in a heathen land where woman is well-nigh or quite a slave, where she knows no Saviour whom she can love, can lean on, no strong arm to hold her up? We must send, sent to such as these, the means of help. Two of our three and thirty schools report nine dollars each, one reports sixteen dollars, and one seventeen dollars, the past year for missionary work; but most of our schools report nothing. Let me urge every school and every member of every school to do something this coming year in sending the blessings which we enjoy to some far-off land in Asia or in Africa, or to some island of the sea.

Through our various church organizations we can send direct to missionaries in heathen lands, and let us not be content, while we enjoy and women and children suffer, unless we do something to life them up. One penny apiece, or one nickel or dime apiece we each might send; and the good for suffering humanity, for improving, were it only the earthly condition, the home life condition, of women and children in heathen lands, saying nothing of the men, only eternity could tell. Let me then again urge each school, through some channel of missionary work, to do something this coming year, in behalf of and for the Lord of the vineyard, the Lord of the harvest, in sending the knowledge of his name into some dark and distant realm of earth. For the time is coming when it will be found to have been the noblest of all work to do something for the cause of Christ.

"Give me a motive," said once a young and enthusiastic girl, to a minster of Christ; "give me a motive

(pg. 112)
and I can do anything." Well, motives are various; but if a girl here would be somewhere long and lovingly rmembered and praised, she need not, it is true, follow the footsteps of Annie Turner Morgan to India, she need not go herself to a foreign land, but she must see that her loving deeds will cause her name to be written under the name of that loving woman who brought her "alabaster box of very precious ointment," and poured all that ointment out upon the person of her Lord.

(pg. 113)
to be the following: "1. To keep up our acquaintance with each other, and to form new acquaintances, as fellow-workers in a great and good cause. 2. To learn the welfare and progress of all our schools and encourage and aid each other in this work. 3. To make an impression; to create and increase general interest in this cause." These objects have been kept quite steadily in view for some thirty years, and have made our August gatherings different in character from the "conventions" of many counties of our State. The four things to which we give prominence are: to secure as large an attendance as practicable of individual schools with the children and their banners; singing by the individual schools of their favorite pieces; a full report of all the schools as furnished by the secretary of each school; and the social basket dinner in the grove, to which about two hours is devoted.

The morning exercises were: A song of welcome by the Lowell schools, devotional exercises, an address of welcome and response, singing by all the schools, singing by the Lowell Union school, the Lake Home school, the Hammond, the Cedar Lake Union, the Lowell M. E., and reports from all the schools.

In the afternoon there was singing by various schools, there were devotional exercises, an address by Rev. E. S. Miller, of Crown Point, on the preparation of teachers for their work; a recitation by little Dora Hogue, of Hammond, three years of age, "Grandpa's Spectacles;" also recitations by Arthur Pattee, of Lowell, "The Burial of Moses;" by Lucy May Cutler, of Cedar Lake, "The Blind Man;" by Miss Allie Dumond, of Lowell, "Oh, why should the spirit of mortals be proud;" also, "Three little children," by Julia and Edna Michael and Emma Little; "Papa's Letter," by Kittie Gerrish; a song by the children

(pg. 114)
of Lake Prairie school, "Singing as we journey;" Psalms 121 and 122 by all the schools; the Beatitudes by the little children, after which they joined in singing No. 282 G. H., and united their voices in the Lord's Prayer. Brief addresses then followed, officers were elected, institutes were arranged to be held at Merrillville in October, at Hobart in January, at Orchard Grove in April, and at Creston in June.

The following is a tabular view of the Secretary's report as read at the anniversary with corrections in fifth column.
 
 

(pg. 115)
Of the twenty-six schools all use the International series of lessons; two, the Crown Point Presbyterian and the Lowell M. E., report teachers' meetings held; and two, the Lake Home and Hammond schools, report "house to house visitation."

Some changes were made in the county officers. The President, J. L. Worley, who has held the office nine years, declining another re-election, A. A. Winslow, editor of the Hammond Tribune, was elected President; Cyrus Dickinson, Vice-president, and the other officers were re-elected.

The following ministers were present and took some part in the exercises: J. F. Smith, H. Wason, J. Bruce, W. H. Broomfield, E. A. Schell, S. Hathron, E. S. Miller, M. F. Stright, of Hebron, and the Christian pastor of Lowell.

The morning exercises were: Song of welcome by the Lake Home school; prayer; singing by all the schools, No. 14 G. H.; address of welcome; signing by the Hammond school; address by J. B. Hawkins, President of Porter County Union; address by Rev. S. P. Edmondson, of Hammond; siinging by the Hobart Methodist Episcopal school; secretary's report, and singing by Dyer school and Lake Home school.

A collection was then taken, amounting to $5.52, and the usual basket dinner followed.

The afternoon exercises were more varied and as

(pg. 116)
there was one not on the programme that quite overwhelmed the secretary with surprise he will hope to be excused for not presenting an orderly record.  After singing by all the schools No. 391 G. H., psalms 23 and 24 were recited in concert; there was singing by the Hurlburt and Merrillville schools; a reading by Miss Lillie Davis, of Dyer school; recitations by Mabel Sydel, Maggie Burt, Kitty Fabian, Orpha Eastwood, and Nellie Patterson, of Lake Home school, and a Scripture recitation by the Dyer school was to follow. But about this time Superintendent Davis, of Dyer, came upon the platform and began an address to the secretary, with a large morocco pocket-book in his hand. His words were surely appropriate and well chosen, but the astonished secretary could hardly comprehend their meaning. Yet when the pocket-book changed hands and he felt its weight, he soon took in the situation, and then returned thanks as best he could, holding such a testimonial of the appreciation of his services by the schools of his county. As will be seen elsewhere, the amount of the "testimonial" was nearly $60, a surprise as great and complete to the secretary of Lake county, in office nineteen years, as was the one to President Levering at Lafayette, and of which he had no warning.

As might be expected, the interest in the exercises was not diminished by the suddenness and completeness of the "surprise and capture" of the secretary, and a recitation followed by Miss Emily Haywood, of Merrillville; a solo by Henrietta Peck, of the Hurlburt school; recitations by Eva Page, May Gordon, and Lulu Mitchell, of Hobart; Infant class exercises, Scripture recitation, singing 282, and the Lord's Prayer; singing in which the Lowell Union school was represented; election of officers, appointment of institutes, place for next anniversary selected, closing with psalm 133 and

(pg. 117)
benediction. Thanks were voted to the Chicago & Atlantic road for their proffered courtesies, and to the people of Lake Station for their great kindness."

Reported for 1887: Schools, 35; using Int. lessons, 34; officers and teachers, 295; number of scholars, 1,901; average attendance, 1,413; received into church, 118; amount for missions, $165.11; expended for schools, $453.28

The report for 1888 contained the following: "Edith V. Halsted, born August 8, 1877, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Halsted, of Lowell, Lake county, Indiana, died Monday, May 7, 1888. She was a member of one of the Lowell Sunday schools; was a bright, active, gentle, affectionate child, and when she went up to Paradise much of the light of earthly love departed from her home. An only brother, some two years older than herself, is left to walk the paths of life without the help of a gentle sister's life and love.

From one of the Hobart schools also death has removed a choice little child. Hattie E. Ford, nearly nine years of age, daughter of Brother and Sister Ford, a sweet little singer, intelligent and interesting as a child, dearly beloved and cherished as a daughter and a sister, died at her home in Hobart on Monday, May 21, 1888. God's ways are not as our ways; His purposes and plans are far beyond our plans."

From report for 1889:
"Death has been among our schools since we met at Hobart. Miss Lois Foote, an estimable young lade, a teacher in the Lowell Union school, died at her home in Lowell October 7, 1888."

"A sad accident has removed from the Shelby Union school and from this life one of our most active, manly boys. John Criss Lange was born May 19, 1871. On Thursday, October 25th, he was driving the horses where

(pg. 118)
some neighbors were pressing hay. A trace broke, he was struck by a whipple-tree, and died on Saturday morning, October 27, 1888."

The report also contained a notice of the death in Oak Grove of the Superintendent there, Mrs. Mary Kesiah Hill, on Tuesday morning, May 28, 1889.

"One school, the Hurlburt Union, now the largest country school in Lake county, besides other conveyances, came with two four-horse teams; and in one of these large wagons were fifty-eight children. It does not take many schools like this one to bring together a thousand children." This school reported for school expenses of 1889, $92.00; the Hammond M. E. school, the largest in the county, reporting 199 scholars, reported for expenses, $104.16."

From report of 1890:
Officers, 160; teachers, 230; scholars, 2,180; averager attendance, 1,345; received into church, 24; contributed for foreign missions, $129; Sunday school mission, $20.20; expended for schools, $690.79; church members under 15 years of age, 55; scholars under 15 years of age, 999.

Sunday-school institutes have been held by the county Secretary, aided by others, at the Butler school; at Ross, Merrillville, and Hammond; at Hobart, Lake Station, and the Hurlburt Corners; at Le Roy, Eagle Creek, and Plum Grove; at Orchard Grove, South East Grove, and at Lowell; at Pine Grove, Creston and at Crown Point. Institutes have been held by others, especially by W. H. Levering and Rev. L. L. Carpenter, at Lowell; W. H. Levering, at Hammond, and by some visitors at Crown Point. Some of these were denominational.

All of these institutes have been interesting; surely all profitable. Some have been of special interest; but these on this day we can not review. We are here now in the present.

(pg. 119)
One of the papers specially prepared for this anniversary of 1890 was the following address by the Secretary, T. H. Ball.

These words, spoken by our Saviour to his disciples beside Jacob's well in Samaria, where he had been resting in the noon-tide hour, seem to be an old Jewish proverb. They had been true many times before, according to Jewish observation; they have been true many times since. Who knows in the time of seeding when the wheat, the rye, the barley, the oats, are carefully buried in the prepared soil --- who knows how many of those that did the sowing will be in the field in the time of harvest? Some may have gone to other homes, to other lands, or to another world. We do not know in sowing time who will live to see the reaping. But what matters it, if the main thing is having ripened grain to gather? Some one will see that the golden grain is safe within the barn.

A youth has been toiling diligently in the time of seeding in the great grain field. He has worked faithfully. Nobly along with his father and his brothers has he done his part in preparing the soil and in putting in the seed. That season passes and another comes. But while the rain and the sunshine are doing their work, and the wheat is already promising a yield of thirty or of sixty-fold, and there is now no more work to be done in the field, the vigorous form of a young husbandman is lying in his father's home with the typhoid fever rapidly consuming his young life. He looks out from his window upon that field of grain and he says: "Oh Mother! I wish I could live and do that harvesting. I wish I could take my seat next month upon the reaper. I wish I could help to put the bundles in the shock.

(pg. 120)
I wish I could measure the grain from the thresher." And the mother says, "Rest satisfied, my son, you have done your part. It was much, very much to do all that sowing. If no sowing there could be next month no harvest. That was an important part of the work to be done in securing a barn full of grain. God thinks that you have done enough. Rest satisfied, and let others do the reaping. The grain will be safe. The harvest is now quite sure. We shall not forget your part of the work when the bushels are all counted."

Saying nothing, now, of the mere enjoyment of earthly life, saying nothing of social enjoyment, having present with us those whom we love, if the main thing is having ripened grain to gather, then should not that mother's words have been sufficient comfort for her son? And if so in literal sowing and reaping, how much more in the spiritual realm of work? "One soweth and another reapeth" said the great Teacher. "I have chosen you and ordained you," he said to his first disciples, "that ye should go and bring forth fruit." "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations;" "He that reapeth receiveth wages and gathered fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." If bringing forth fruit, if teaching, if sowing, is a great part of a Christian's workd
 on earth, then how fitting as well as beautiful are those words of a modern poet,

"Sow good --- and tend it with steadfast care --
And beyond all dreams shall the fruit be fair;
What matter --- you helped the fruit to bring ---
If you fall asleep ere the harvesting?"

Bye and bye, yes, bye and bye, the sowers and reapers will together rejoice. He who taught that certainly

(pg. 121)
knew full well those older words, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

While this day we ought surely to remember our early sowers, we need not, then, lament their departure. Their work was well done. Their joy is sure. Some of their names have been sounded in our ears today; although in regard to most of us their names bring not back the aspect of their living forms. Another generation has already taken their places. And to you, who have no remmembrance of our earliest workers, let the Saviour's words sink to-day into your hearts, "Other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors." Long have the voices been silent of Norman Warriner and J. C. Brown; of Thomas L. Hunt and Phillip Reed; of George W. Taylor and Charles Barton; of William Townley and Major Allman; of George Woodbridge and William Forbes; of Alexander Hastings and Daniel Crumpacker; of Robert Hyde and of R. B. Young. And these are only a part of those that years ago preached the word of God among us. The superintendents, the teachers, the active workers in our schools for these fifty years, no one now living can name them all. Truly, some are sent to reap that whereon they bestowed no labor. Into the labors of others most of this generation have entered. Brothers and sisters, somebody sowed where you now reap. And in these fifty years have many fallen asleep. They are resting from their labors, and their works will follow them. They sleep in death to wake in glory. Some of us remain who were children in the earliest schools. But on our heads the hair is gray. The young are almost crowding us aside, and soon we shall cease to sow. Said that same poet, E. Nesbit, who combines so well truth and beauty:

(pg. 122)
"Youth will be, though our youth go by;
Life will last, though our life be done;
Love will live, though our love should die;
And the strife go on, though our rest be won."

Let us who are soon to pass away be content in having done the sowing. Let us be glad that our eyes may see the coming of the reapers. For we can not forget that by and by, when the full harvest of the earth is ripe, that then, not others younger and fresher than ourselves, but the strong angels, the great angels of God, will be the reapers. As some used to sing:

"Sow in the morn thy seed;
At eve hold not they hand;
To doubt and fear give thou no heed;
Broadcast it o'er the land.

Beside all waters sow;
The highway furrows stock;
Drop it where thorns and thistles grow;
Scatter it on the rock.

And duly shall appear,
In verdure, beauty, strength,
The tender blade, the stalk, the ear,
And the full corn at length.

Thou canst not toll in vain;
Cold, heat and moist, and dry,
Shall foster and mature the grain
For garners in the sky.

Thence, when the glorious end,
The day of God, shall come
The angel reapers shall descend,
And Heaven shout, "Harvest home!"

Following this address was a song given by fifty young girls, each wearing a badge on which was printed, "Lake Co. S. Schools. 50 Years. 1890;" and each ten having a banner, these bearing the dates 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890. The girls, during the address,

(pg. 123)
had been seated in chairs at the south of the speakers' platform, in a beautiful semicircle, or, rather, in a semicircle of beauty.

The other badges worn that day had printed on them "L. C. S. S. U., 25th Anniversary, 1890."

(From these two sets of badges comes the form of the opening sentence of this book.)

The words of the song pass away into the August sunshine, and up into that deep blue that is above us.

(pg. 124)
There is not even an echo left, only in human hearts, of the last words that came from the lips of childhood.

"The sowers have gone to dwell in light,
Where comes no discord and falls no night."

The white-robed girls are no longer grouped before the Fair Ground Platform. The sun of this long August day has passed the midday hour. And so we close here our listening attitude as in the presence of that large assembly. And the further gathered facts in this book we examine in our own peaceful homes where earth's night will surely come.

(pg. 125)

In 1873 twenty-seven schools were reported. Among them were two only in North Township, Hessville and Sand Ridge, the latter reported as Episcopalian.

In West Creek were three as reported: the West Creek M. E., Mrs. Bonham's, and the Livingston school.

The Prairie View and Orchard Grove schools were reported as having been kept open all the past winter.

The total school membership as reported that year was, according to townships, North, 50; Hobart, 75; Calumet was not; Ross, 212; Winfield, 140; Center, 230; Hanover, 50; West Creek, 85; Cedar Creek, 205; Eagle Creek, 125; total, 1,162.
 

The journal for that year said, "April 22d, organized the Pleasant Hill Sabbath school. Superintendent, W. Mikel; Assistant Superintendent, Mrs. Ferree; Secretary, Miss M. Collins; Treasurer, Miss A. Patton; Librarian, Miss Collins; Teachers, Mrs. Blowers, Mrs. Ferree, Mrs. Collins, W. Mikel."

Thirty-nine schools are named in the report, but three as being not then in session.

Among these the Whiting school is mentioned as having been organized in 1877 with sixty members, and the report says: "During the past year an unusual religious interest has spread over much of our county."

(pg. 126)
The name following each school name in this abstract is that of the superintendent. The Ross "Union Band," E. M. Kronkright, reports members 25; conversions, 5; Merrillville, Mrs. M. J. Hyde, 57, 13; German M. E., Crown Point, Daniel Behrens, 24; Emanuel, Frank Basel, 25; Crown Point M. E., J. Houk, 125; infant class, 40; under twenty-one years of age, 80; Sec. Daniel Krinbill; Crown Point Baptist, J. H. Abrams, 80, 14, Sec. Hattie Austin; North Street Baptist, T. H. Ball, 35, infant class 20, under twenty-one 34; Crown Point Presbyterian, Charles F. Griffin, 80, conversions 25, Sec. Mellie Vilmer; "Union," G. Handley, 60, conversions 25, Lewis Dresser; School Grove, George Averill, 44; Pleasant Prairie, G. W. Chapman, G. Williams, 30, 6; Pleasant Hill, Mr. Bacon, 30, Sec. Bell Collins; S. E. Grove, H. Boyd, 40, 9, Sec. Mat Brown; Center, Jerome Temple, 30, 14, Sec. W. Turner; Robinson's Prairie, H. B. Wood, 43, 2, Sec. Mary B. Wood; Plum Grove, Mrs. M. J. Dinwiddie, 87, 4, under twenty-one 70, Sec. Aaron McCann; Lowell, Alonzo Martin, 90, 16, 70; Lowell Union, Rev. J. Bruce, 90, 3, 79; Lowell Christian, H. Dickinson, 41; Pine Grove, S. R. Tarr, 48, 3, 45. Sec. E. W. Booth, number of verses recited 2,400; Lake Prairie, T. A. Wason, 65, under twenty-one 45; Cedar Lake Union, Victor Gear, 40; Ewen, Mrs. Ewen, 30; Oak Ridge, James Woodberry, 30, 5, 20, Sec. Henry G. Klinefelter; Hammond, W. H. Goodman, 23, children in infant class 11, under twenty-one 18, Sec. J. B. Smith, teacher of infant class Miss Alice Sohl. It appears from the above, which are all from the official reports now on file, that the largest school in Lake county now was the smallest in 1877; and that the infant class, having the same teacher now, has increased from eleven members to one hundred and forty-seven.

(pg. 127)
As the names of the infant class teachers were nearly all given in the reports for this year, it may be a matter of interest to have them recorded here. The names are in the order of the schools as given above. The figures annexed are the number in each class:
Miss C. E. Hayward, 10; Mrs. G. Morgan, 12; Miss Philopene Rittmuller, 8, _____10; Mrs. Griggs, 40; Miss Addie Ferguson, 25; Mrs. M. C. C. Ball, 20; Miss Mamie Turner, 15; Miss Albertha Mann, 10; Mrs. C. Chapman, 9; A. Bacon, 5; Mrs. Blowers, Miss Mary Patten, 16, no infant class; Miss Rhoda Antrim, 11; Mrs. M. J. Dinwiddie, 11, Mrs. M. N. Dinwiddie, 12, 23; Mrs. Emma Grogg, 20; Miss Alta Fry, 10; Mrs. Jane Sanger, 12; Mrs. Olive Booth, 12; Miss Mia L. Wason, 11; Mrs. Anna Taylor, 8; Miss F. Reed, 17; Charles Vincent, 9; Miss Alice Sohl, 11; 324. The reports for 1883 and 1884, besides the other usual particulars, gave the number in the girls' classes and the number in the boys' classes. In combining these reports in this abstract, the numbers are for 1883, and are for the whole number, for the girls' classes and for boys' classes. Crown Point Ev. Ger., C. Weis, 30, 12, 7; Crown Point German M. E., J. Knoedler, 31, 10, 10; Crown Point F. M., S. C. Spaulding, Sec. Ruby Underwood, Supt. 1884 Mrs. F. Fessenden, 38, 8, 4; Crown Point Baptist, J. H. Abrams, Supt. 1884 Rev. L. A. Clevenger, Miss Mabel Northrup Sec. 30, 12, 10; C. P. Pres., C. F. Griffin, 120, 17, 17, Sec. Jules Jouvenot, 1884 Miss May Northrup; C. P. M. E., W. S. Babbitt, 1884  Jacob Houk, 119, 33, 18, Sec. Mrs. C. L. Ingersoll; North Street Baptist 1884, T. H. Ball, Sec. Miss Georgie E. Ball, 30, 10, 8; Red Cedar, Marshall Nichols, Sec. Willie Haan, 1884 Mrs. Hill, Sec. Miss R. Brown, 32, 6, 8; Cedar Lake Union, M. Nichols, 60, 15, 15; Cedar Lake Ger. M. E., Charles Sauter, 1884 F. L.

(pg. 128)
Sunderman, 70, 32, 38, Sec. Miss Louisa Mondernach; Lake Prairie, Rev. H. Wason, 1884 L. G. Little, 80, 10, 10; Pine Grove, J. A. Little, 1884 W. H. Bradley, Sec. Mrs. Delia Burhans; Oak Grove, H. W. Dodd, Sec. C. Cushman, 12, 6, 3; Egypt Union, Ellis Cross, Sec. Wm. Dickinson, 60, 6, 9; Lowell Union, C. F. Dickinson, Sec. Miss Lois Foote, 70, 10, 12; Lowell M. E., J. W. Viant, 1884 C. E. Chaffee, Sec. Mrs. R. A. Haskin 1884, 70, 20, 20; Orchard Grove M. E., G. W. Handley, 56, 15, 8, Sec. 1884 Miss Olive J. Kenney, 1883 Miss Effie Kenney; Plum Grove, Martin Nichols, Sec. Ellis Shoup, 100, 16, 6 (August 19, 1883, 70 present); Center, J. M. Temple, Sec. M. J. Brown, 34, 0, 7; S. E. Grove, H. Boyd, Sec. Miss Amy Crawford, 1884 Miss May Doak, 52, 5, 5; Handley Union, 1884 S. Gehr, Sec. W. Skinner, 25, 7, 7; Winfield, 1884, J. P. Baldwin, Sec. Miss Eda Williams, 28, 10, 9; Deer Creek M. E., G. Handley, 30, 12, 0; Hurlburt Union, John L. Riecker, 1884 Michael Wahl, 60, 10, 6, Sec. M. C. Riecker, 1884 Miss Lena Wahl; Hickory Top Union, R. A. Castle, 50, 15, 12, in 1884 called Ainsworth, 1884 E. Harper, Sec.; Merrillville M. E., Mrs. M. J. Hyde, 1884 M. Pierce, 55, 6, 6, Sec. Mrs. C. L. Merrill; ---a revival seems to have come, for in 1884 the members were 72, 24, 8; ----Butler Union, A. T. Davis, Sec. Miss Lillie Davis, 40, 8, 7, in 1884 Mrs. Mary E. Nicholson, Sec. Frank Paine; Dyer Union, Mrs. Briggs, 1884 George Davis, 40, 6, 2, Sec. Miss Lillie Davis in 1884, numbers 45, 18, 16; Ross Band, Alfred Hayward, 35, 5, 5, Sec. Leroy Holmes, 1884 Supt. John Muzzall; Hobart Ger. M. E., F. Hamann, Sec. Jacob Lutz, 1884, F. F. Frank, 40, 5, 9; Hobart Christian Association, W. Ballantyne, Sec. Alice Cowlin, 57, 32, 15; Hobart M. E., Mrs. M. Higgins, 116, 25, 20, Sec. W. W. Truesdell, 1884 Sec. H. C. Hanson; Lake Home, Mrs. T. E.

(pg. 129)
Lincoln, 40, 15, 8, Sec. E. E. Willis, in 1884, 112, 24, 27; Hammond M. E., A. A. Winslow, 130, 42, 11, in infant class 65; Sec. A. T. Robinson, numbers in 1884, 200, 70, 37, in infant class 75, Sec. Miss Rettie E. Kirkpatrick; Hammond Ger. M. E., Emiel K------, 30, 16, 14. A note appended says, "Mostly members also of the American Hammond M. E. School. Some of the girls good singers." 1884 Supt. Fred Mahlee, 20 then reported, 5 attending also the other school; Sheffield, 1884 Miss Minnie Chapman, 28, 8, 9, infant class 11, Sec. Miss Amelia Kreuter; Clarke, Mrs. Hoyt, 12, 4, 8. A note says, "A winter school. Mrs. Hoyt, a Congregationalist from Morris, Ill., spending her winters in Lake and wife of the station agent, a Baptist, Mrs. Cole, carry on this school." No American families, or very few, around Clarke." Total of the above members, whole number 1844, girls 452, boys 345. In infant classes 450.

In 1885 James Pinkerton and C. E. Chaffee were Superintendents at Lowell, A. A. Winslow at Hammond; J. Muzzall at Ross, W. H. Bradley at West Creek, and Louis Locker at the Cedar Lake German school.

"We held institutes the last year at the Hurlburt school house, at Ross, at Hammond, at Le Roy, and at Lowell. All of these were interesting and profitable. At Hammond we had the presence and help of B. F. Jacobs, of Chicago, for one evening. At Hurlburt, Ross and Lowell rich basket dinners were furnished, and a bountiful vestry supper at Hammond. At Le Roy the families entertained at their homes."

(pg. 130)
S. Convention in 1884 and in 1887. At Louisville he took the responsibility of pledging twenty-five dollars from Lake county to the International fund, the delegate of one other county only in Indiana, Rush county, doing the same. The following is the receipt from the treasurer showing that Lake county enabled the secretary to make good that pledge:

"Chicago, June 1, 1887. Recieved from Rev. T. H. Ball twenty-five dollars, being for subscription to International S. S. Convention by Lake county, Indiana, made at Louisville, Ky., 1884.

L. H. Biglow,
Treas. In. S. S. Con."  -- $25

This money had been saved out from the annual county collections of 1884, 1885, and 1886. Secretary.

This journal was kept in quite an abbreviated form and is given here, for the most part, as originally written. Some of its statements may correct inaccuracies that have come from personal recollections, and some new particulars will appear which it is hoped are worthy of preservation in these school records. From September 3, 1871 to August 25, 1872.

September 3. Visited Presbyterian school at Crown Point; present, 75.
September 24. Prairie View; one large Bible class; few children out on account of sickness.
October 15. S. E. Grove. Found that little Mary Sprague had lately died.
October 22. Lake Prairie; 40. Few children. National series of lessons.
May 5, 1872. Organized a school at Pleasant Prairie. Superintendent, J. Patten; Assistant, Mrs. Williams; Secretary, G. Wise. Teachers: J. P. Baldwin,Mrs.

(pg. 131)
Baldwin, Miss Wise. Hour, 3 o'clock. Also, May 5, S.E. Grove and Deer Creek were re-opened.
May 14. Hickory Top school. Present, 40. A good library. Take several copies of papers. Brother Hines, pastor.
May 26. S. E. Grove. Fair attendance. Lesson in the Gospel by John. Consecutive Union Question books. Union school. Evening. Attended Pres. S. S. concert. T. J. Turner addressed the school.
June 23. Bryant's school house, 3 p.m. Present, 50. Nearly all young. Have different lessons. Quiet and attentive.
June 30. Cedar Lake. Present, 40. Using Union Question Books. Lesson in John's Gospel. Library volumes, 150.
Jone's school house. Present, 40. 2 p.m., Robinson's Prairie, 30. Good voices and cultivated in singing.
July 14. 9 a.m., Deer Creek. A very hot morning. Number about 40. Lesson in John, 6. School sing --- Several girls. Not many small boys. Quiet and attentive to the exercises.
Hurlburt's school house, 10:30 a.m., O. Peck, Supt. Present, 36. Union S. S., 1867. Whole number, 50.
Pleasant Prairie, 3 p.m. Present, 50. Seven classes. Supt. J. Patten. Use "Fresh Laurels."
July 21. At South East Grove. Small school. Morning wet. 3 p.m., Bryant's school house. An excellent class of young men, attentive and thoughtful. A small library of about 75 volumes. [School at Vincents. Members, 60. Not visited.]
July 28. Lake Station. Present, 18, but the school numbers 25. Supt. ____ Pelham. Children quite attentive.
12 m., Hobart. Whole number, 62. Officers, 10.
Ensign S. S. Close by county line. Members, 25. Met at 11 a.m., August 4.

(pg. 132)
Centerville S. S. (now Merrillville), 9:30am. Four classes. Solicited their attendance at the anniversary. 10:30 o'clock, at Adams school house. Present, 26. Classes, 4. Number, 40. Sup't. R. Randolph. Repeated verses commencing with the letter J.
1 o'clock, Underwood school house. Whole number, 60. Present, 45.
3:30 or 4 o'clock, at Pleasant Prairie. Present, 60.
Aug. 11. 9 o'clock, M. E. school at Lowell. 50. Large infant class. 10:30 o'clock, Lake Prairie. 40.
3. Buncombe, at Burhan's school house. Whole number, 30. Present, 23. School recited during the season 2326 verses.
Aug. 18. Eagle Creek. Rainy morning. School meets at 3 o'clock. Whole number, 25. E. M. Robertson, Sup't. Good singing.
Aug. 25. Visited Orchard Grove. Sup't. G. W. Handley. Present, about 30. Aug. 28 Covention.

Another school year.
Sept. 1, 1872 Visited the Jones school. A small attendance. Some good teachers. Use question books.
Sept. 15. Visited school at South East Grove. 3p.m. visited Bryant school. Good attendance. All young.
Sept. 22. Visited M. E. school at Crown Point. The new pastor made some remarks. Number present, 84. Election of officers for the year. Sup't. elected, Andrew Krinbill. Sec., W. T. Horine.
September 29. Visited Presbyterian school at Crown Point. No session on account of cold and storm.
November 3. Visited Vincent school. Present, about 30. Adjourned until April.
1873. April 27. Bryant school re-opened.
May 4. Visited Presbyterian school. Present, 60. Using Westminster leaves. South East Grove to re-open today.

(pg. 133)
May 25. At South East Grove. School prospering. Union. Mr. Parkinson, Superintendent.
June 1. Visited Methodist school at Deer Creek. Present, 50. Mr. Coffey, Superintendent. Use Berean Lesson Paper. 2:30 p.m., visited German Union school at Deer Creek. Number, 30. 3 o'clock, visited Pleasant Prairie school. Superintendent, Albert Bacon. Number, 60. Lesson in Luke. No lesson papers.
June 8. Visited the M. E. school at Lowell. Present, about 70. School increasing. Meets at 9:30a.m. 3 p.m., visited the Lowell Union school. Present, 57. School lately re-opened.
June 15. Visited the Jones school.
June 22. At South East Grove in the morning. Subject came up of two anointings. 3:30 p.m., at Bryant's. Present, 49. The Superintendent says, "The object of the Sabbath school is to bring the scholars to Christ."
July 6. Visited Orchard Grove. p.m., visited Eagle Creek. Good attendance. Several classes.
July 13, 20, 27. August 17, records omitted.
August 24. Vincent school, 9:30. Number, 52. 1 o'clock, Underwood school. Number, 52. 50 papers. Library of 150 volumes. 3 p.m., Centerville school. Number present, 40.
Saturday, 23. At Hobart. Number in school, 50.
The journal for 1874 opens with that quotation from Rev. James Hamilton, which is on page two of this book, and the remark is added, Solomon's prayer, an example of right feeling. Visiting the schools was commenced May 10th. There are entries in the journal for May 17, 24, 31, and the following for June 7. Visited Robinson Prairie school house. Conducted a Sunday-school exercise, Acts. 1:1-12. Those present agreed to meet and endeavor to organize ----re-organize it

(pg. 134)
means --- next Sunday, at 2 p.m. 5 o'clock, Center school arranged to meet next Sunday.
June 14, 3:30 p.m. Met with the Center school. School re-opened. Officers appointed: Supt. T. H. Ball; assistant, Mrs. L. V. Pearce; Secretary, Seth Pearce.
June 21. Attended at the Center school. Lesson 1, of Acts.
And further record for that summer there is none. In the annual report made August, 1874, is found the following: "When the spring-time came and the schools were re-opened, I commenced my usual visits, but was prostrated by disease; left the county for eight weeks, and returned last Saturday evening."
With that Center school the Convention was that year to meet, and did meet in South East Grove.
Of that Robinson Prairie school the report from the Superintendent, F. A. Ewer, said, among other encouraging things, "The school commenced" ----was reopened----"on July 5th, 1874, with 15 members. During that month, the names on record increased to fifty-three."
"* * there is an increasing interest shown in the school and a desire for its welfare and prosperity."
"The heads of families take a lively and active part."
A few extracts are here recorded from journal of eight years later. SCHOOLS VISITED, July 9, 1882. Free Methodist, Presbyterian, and M. E. schools, all at Crown Point. July 16. Baptist and Lutheran at Crown Point.
July 23. Visited Lowell M. E. in the morning. 2:30 p.m., Band of Hope. 4 o'clock, Lowell new Union school.
July 30, 2:30 p.m. Visited school at Hammond.
July 31. Visited Whiting. Obtained report from a man on Mud Lake. Got lost in the tall grass and un-

(pg. 135)
dergrowth wouth of Whiting. Walked about twenty miles.
August 6. Visited school at Merrillville in the morning. In the afternoon visited the Butler school.
August 13. Visited South East Grove school in the morning. In the afternoon the LeRoy Union. Walked fifteen miles.
August 20. Visited Orchard Grove in the morning. At 3 p.m., Plum Grove. Interesting schools and exercises. Plum Grove the large country school of lake.
August 27. Ten in the morning at the Cedar Lake school. Superintendent sick. Assistant Superintendent not present. 2:30 p.m., at Lake Prairie. A New England like assembly. School prosperous.
Another year. 1883. July 1. Visited M. E. school at Crown Point. As the next entry is peculiar I quote it entire.
"July 8. Visited the Free Methodist at 9:30 a.m. A pleasant, earnest school. 12m., visited the Presbyterian school. Ten classes. Both of these at Crown Point. at 2:30 p.m., visited the South Crown Point school. Small, earnest, interesting. Prayers. Tears. The most attractive for real work. There are those, even in Crown Point, for whose souls it would seem no man cares."
July 15. Visited the Crown Point Baptist school.
July 22. Visited the German M. E. school of Crown Point. A very pleasant school.
July 29. Visited the Lowell Union, Lowell M. E., and Egypt Union schools. All prosperous.
August 3 and 4. Walked twenty-five miles in getting reports at Clarke, Miller's Station, Lake and Hobart.
August 5. Visited school at Hammond.
August 12. Visited South East Grove and Center

(pg. 136)
schools. Walked fifteen miles. Another record says: "Walked ten miles in getting reports. Hae been in every township except St. Jolin."
Perhaps thus the schools were educated up to make out and to send reports.
Note. Perhaps as editor I might say for the Secretary, what he would not like to say for himself, that since the dark-brown "Zella," so gentle, so trusty and true, so useful in aiding to do missionary work, was killed by a freight train, he has scarcely cared to keep a buggy and horse; and that for the last few years, as Secretary of the County Union, as President of the 22d District, as Missionary of the American Sunday School Union, he has walked from a thousand to fifteen hundred miles each year in the counties of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte, of Starke, and Jasper and Newton.

Superintendent: L. G. Little; Assistant Superintendent: Rev. J. F. Smith; Secretary and Treasurer, Miss Sadie Morey.
Bible Class, Rev. J. F. Smith, Teacher.
Rev. H. Wason, Mrs. H. Wason, Mrs. S. Dyer, E. N. Morey, W. H. Michael, Mrs. W. H. Michael, L. G. Little, Mrs. L. G. Little, E. Michael. -9

(pg. 137)
Young People's Class, Mrs. Smith, Teacher.
Maggie Michael, Cyrus Kettenring, Mrs. C. S. Kettenring, James Robinson, Willie Kobelin, Laura Kobelin, Anna Cover, Minnie Kobelin, Ella Rollins, John Avis, Maggie Sunderman, Fred Sunderman, Axel Johnson, Bertha Maxwell, Abby Maxwell, James Little, Jesse Little, Henry Gerrish. -18

2d Young People's Class, Mrs. M. G. Little, Teacher.
Myra Little, Emma Livingston, Loren Michael, Sadie Morey, Lena Sunderman, Fred Einspahr, Ida Michael, Kittie Gerrish, Hattie Fuller. -9

Children's Class, Miss Ellen Little, Teacher.
Julia Wason, Emma Little, Lena Sunderman, Kittie Robinson, Hannah Dahl, Frank Avis, Orville Edmonds, Melvin Robinson, Otto Dahl, William Morey, Will Einspahr, Ernest Livingston, John Kobelin, Frank Kobelin, Emma Dahl, Julia Michael. -16

Infant Class, Miss Nellie Morey, Teacher.
Edna Michael, Carrie Morey, Jessie Michael, Alice Livingston, Blanche Plumer, E. Louise Robinson, Gilbert Maxwell, Herbie Michael, Esther Dahl, Reana Dahl, Bessie Burhans, May Burhans, Edith Burhans, Frank Robinson. -15
Total Membership - 72.

(pg. 138)

Superintendent: Rev. J. Bruce; Secretary: Miss Myrtie Hayden
Bible Class, Rev. J. Bruce, Teacher
William Sautter, Sarah Sautter, Emma Sautter, Bertha Rudolph, Johnnie Rudolph, Frank Rudolph, Annie Bruce, Nora Stowell, Ella Stowell, Cyrus Hayden, Caroline Hayden, John Timm, William Hayden, Maria Hayden, Vina Koplin, Geroge Koplin - 16

Childrens' Class, Miss Myrtie Hayden, Teacher.
Freddie Sautter, Thuel Hayden, Jodie Hayden, Edna Hayden, Lydia Rudolph, Clifford Stowell, Frankie Stowell - 7
Total Membership - 25

Superintendent: L. G. Little; Secretary and Treasurer: Miss Minnie Miller
Young People's Class, Rev. S. F. Smith, Teacher
August Miller, Albert Maxwell, Bertha Maxwell, Charley Pulver, Will Spry, Mollie Spry, Fred Miller - 7

Second Young People's Class, Mrs. Sanders, Teacher
Lena Miller, Willie Belshaw, Elsie Shirley, Eunie Shirley - 4

Girls' Class, Miss Bessie Spry, Teacher
Mary Rosenbrook, Mary Bixermann, Lula Pulver, Mertie Pulver, Grace Pulver, Anna Miller, Emma Miller, Vinnie Shirley - 8

(pg. 139)
Boys' Class, Miss Cora Pulver, Teacher
Eddie Bixermann, Louis Belshaw, Albert Belshaw, Solomon Spry, George Miller, Howard Slocomb, Clement Spry - 7

Infant Class, Miss Ellen Little, Teacher
Marshall Brannon, Willie Brannon, Caroline Bixermann, Earl Pulver, Julia Belshaw, Willie Bixermann, Anna Miller, Ella E. Belshaw* - 7
Total Membership - 40 ; *Died March 3, 1890

Superintendent: Miss Clara Barrett; Secretary: Miss Jennie Sanders; Treasurer: Miss Ella Sims; Librarian: Miss May Bryant, Before September- Miss Anna Bailey.
Bible Class, Mrs. Barrett, Teacher
D. Hoover, Mrs. Ella Hoover, Cora Saylor, Harry Meadows, H. Barrett, J. Sangers, L. Mayard, T. Sims, Tiny Uhter - 9

Childrens' Class, H. W. Dodd, Teacher
Alta Dodd, Ella Sims, Anna Bailey, Daisy Bailey, Ada Doty, Andrew Childers, May Bryant, George Sims, Anna McCaskey -9

Infant Class, Miss Jennie Sanders, Teacher
Bell Bryant, Mertie Dodd, Etta Dodd, Gertie Sanders, Edna Dodd, Sadie Childers, Searl Childers, Edna Doty - 8
Total Membership - 30

(pg. 140)

Superintendent: Charles Belshaw.
On account of diphtheria, school was closed in the spring. The enrollment is probably not perfect. Names: Roy Nelson, B. Nelson, Jessie Hayden, Grace Hayden (a winsome girl, about eleven years of age, died of diphtheria in May, 1890.), Abby Hathaway, Harry Hathaway, Sylvia Hayden, A. Hayden, Carrie Hayden, Floyd Hayden, Stella Foster, Clyde Foster, Kittie Foster, Betha Foster, Wayne Foster, Blanche Hathaway, Carrie Hathaway, Nannie Bailey, ___ Bailey, Arthur Trump, Jodie Hayden, Edna Hayden, Edith Hayden, Helen Moore, W. Moore, West Moore.
Teachers' names not given, 30.

Not now in session on account of two or three great wants, largely for the want of a suitable room in which to meet. The school has a small library, and the children are furnished with papers.

Members, not numbered in the attendance of this year:
Mrs. George Cole, Mrs. Latta, Lizzie Gale, Hattie Gale, Mary Gale, Annie Gale, George Gale, Alta Thullen, George Stowell, Lettie May Stowell, Jes. Stowell, Floyd Stowell, Icie Stowell, Katie Cheever, Marvin T. Latta, Edward Latta, Mary Blanche Latta, Alexander Black. - 18
Total membership for township - 197.

(pg. 141)

Location at Creston.
Superintendent: George Taylor. Before Sept., B. Cross; Secretary: Mrs. Martha Love; Chorister: Byron Cross; Organist: Ora B. Cross.

Bible Class, J. E. Love, Teacher.
Mrs. Emma Nichols, Mrs. Ella Barber, L. G. Cutler, M. A. Palmer, Mrs. Susan Taylor, C. A. Taylor, Mrs. Ella Taylor, George Taylor, C. N. Barber, Mrs. Alice Palmer, Mrs. Martha E. Love, B. F. Palmer. - 12

Young People's Class, B. Cross, Teacher.
John Wheeler, Mattie Garrison, Ruth Edgerton, Ora B. Cross, Jasper Palmer, John Thompson, Henrietta Palmer, Alma Edgerton, Robert Scritchfield, Lucy Cutler, Alla Garrison, Ernest Cross, Charles Cutler, Theodore Cutler, George Edgerton, Carrie Garrison. - 16

Infant Class, Mrs. Mary Cross, Teacher. Former teacher, Mrs. Scritchfield.
Belva Cross, Grace Love, Mertie Barber, Edna Taylor, Bessie Love, Mollie Love, Fannie Edgerton, James Hill, Blanche Nichols, Hattie Nichols, Owen Taylor, Robert Palmer, Florence Palmer, Grace Palmer, Warren Meyers, Harry Meyers, Maggie Vinnedge. - 17

(pg. 142)
Girls' Class, Mrs. Dora Palmer, Teacher.
Mand Hill, Ella Vinnedge, Emma Stuppy, Mary Palmer, Clara Nichols, Mary Hill, Lula Heath, Grace Spaulding, Nellie Taylor, Bessie Palmer, Celina Nichols. - 11

Boys' Class, Miss Annie Taylor, Teacher.
Harry Taylor, Cordie Cross, Arthur Taylor, Earle Taylor, Elmer Vinnedge, Henry Cutler, James Palmer, Fred Scritchfield, Cassius Scritchfield, Edward Stuppy, Cal. Pixley, Edward Garrison, Clifford Thompson. - 13
Total Membership - 75.

Bible Class No. 2, Mrs. Anna Davis, Teacher.
Stella Wallace, Flora Craft, Addie McNay, Myrtle Hill, Locena Hill, Alice Kenney, Cora Kenney, Bertha Wallace, Isabel Spalding, Laura Cottrill, Alice Ebert, Minnie Fuller, Cora Davis, Addie Wallace. - 14.

(pg. 143)
Children's Class, Miss Minnie Ebert, Teacher.
Merl Kenney, Maggie Ebert, Alice Spalding, Jessie Kenney, Kate Kenney, Edith Ebert, Georgie Davis, Gretna Norton, Georgia Norton, Grace Norton, Vern Kenney, Harry Hill. - 12

Infant Class, Miss Grace Ebert, Teacher.
Ethel Davis, Roy Kenney, Charley Kenney, Anna Ebert, Nellie McNay, Walter Craft, Vera Hill, Joe Ebert, Frank Ebert, Vada McNay. -10
Total Membership - 50

Young People's Class, Mrs. Baughman, Teacher.
James Grant, Mrs. Katie Handley, Mrs. Alice Klein, Miss Bessie Driscoll, T. Collins, F. Weakly, Miss G. Tuthill, Miss Lizzie Grant, Miss Grace Gordon, Mrs. Susie Allen, Arthur Dickey, Miss Fanny Vosburg, Mrs. Weakly, Mrs. W. Clark, H. Dumond. - 15

(pg. 144)
Young Ladies' Class, Mrs. Pinkerton, Teacher.
Bessie Purdy, Maggie Smith, Elsie Gordon, Lottie Field, Daisy Moore, Eva Spry, Dollie Smith, Cora Pattee, Cora Harrison, Mamie Witt - 10

Girls' Class, Miss Dora De Witt, Teacher.
Pearl McNay, Mable Purdy, Maud Nichols, Lola Ragon, Lillie Wood, Nora Pattie, Veva Castle, Ida Berlun, Kittie Marmon, Ada Sanger, Jessie Nichols, Mamie Jeffrie. - 12

Second Girls' Class, Miss May Deathe, Teacher.
Zoda Ackerman, Lotta Metcalf, Laura Bates, Ora Wood, Jessie Deathe, Ina Klein, Icie Fross, May Cottrell, Sadie Nichols, Hattie Smith, Irma Collins, E. Nichols, Helen Peterson, D. Marmon, Bessie Post, Ella Anderson, Dora Witt, Pearl Nichols, Bernice Allen, Alice Shurte, Grace Pinkerton. - 21

Infant Class, Boys' Division, H. Dickinson, Teacher.
Clyde Hill, Lint Wood, Earl Fross, David Lee, Jeddie Sanger, Harry Peterson, Cordie Ragon, Clay Chitwood, Bert Wood, Mint Clover, Fred Lee, Harry Lloyd, Hal Handley, Arthur Fisher, Walter Powell. - 15

(pg. 145)
Boys' Class, Miss Pinkerton, Teacher.
Will Smith, Alva Wood, Charles Fisher, Fay Pattee, Samuel Babcock, Lute Smith, Daniel Klein, Fred Tillotson, Freddie Kyle, Cal Nichols. - 10

Infant Class, Girls' Division, Miss Bessie Ackerman, Teacher.
Minnie Spry, Viola Spry, Bessie Chitwood, Mabel Hitt, Abby Simpson, Jennie Witt, Jessie Fisher, Edith Dickinson, Ella Ackerman, Bessie Fross,  Susie Gordon, Mira Mee, Alice Spry, Ella Atwood, Bessie Peterson, Mabel Simpson, May Ault, J. Klein, Neva Deathe, Alice Sprague, Ethel Sprague, Madeline Driscoll, Luella Spry, Florence Mulliken. - 39
Total Membership - 124

Class No. 2, Mrs. S. J. Clark, Teacher.
Luella Fuller, Clara Spindler, S. Dwyer, Mrs. Gregg, Mrs. R. Cullum, Clara Webb, Clara Horhan, C. C. Dwyer, Mrs. Chs. Ketchem, John Ault, Oscar Hill. - 11

(pg. 146)
Class No. 3, Mrs. D. Burhans, Teacher.
Gracia Nichols, Ruth Bacon, Ruby Bacon, Ora Sarjeant, Cora Sarjeant, Winnie Deathe, Blanche Dickinson, Etta Clark, Bertha Maxwell, Maud Sanger, Hiram Gregg, Bernard Robson, Kill Davis, Albert Post, Irvin Spindler, Mattie Hill, Merle Ashton, Mattie McMinimy, Lucian Brannon, Walter Sanger. - 19

Class No. 4, Mrs. Etta Davis, Teacher.
Vira Harris, Annie Johnson, Norma Cullum, Sylvia Dwyer, Jennie Ault, Gracie Bacon, Mamie Nichols, Ida Hoshaw, Maud Hoshaw, Myrtie Chapman. - 10

Class No. 5, Mrs. Sarah Sherrat, Teacher.
Bernie Burhans, Mellie Nichols, Willie Kyle, Clyde Cullum, Willie Lawrence, Charlie Sherrat. Willard Farwell. - 7

Class No. 6, Sylvia Bacon, Teacher.
Juddie Davis, Charlie Warner, Ernest Dickinson, Clifford Halsted. - 4

Class No. 7, Miss Eva L. Waters, Teacher.
Jessie Hill, Flourrie Waters, Dollie Lee, Lillie Tillotson, Carrie Castle, May Lawrence, Ella Ketchem. - 7

Class No. 8, Mrs. Mary Warner, Teacher.
Cordie Burhans, Freddie Kyle, Juddie Sanger, Hermia Purdy, Hall Viant, Willie Davis, Willie Purdy, Sammy Babcock, Harry Sanger, Bird Viant, Don Driscol. - 11

(pg. 147)
Infant Class, Class No. 9, Maud Sherrat, Teacher.
George L. Foster, Blanche Cullum, Lena Kyle, Madeline Driscol, Eddie Johnson, Myrle Belshaw, Lillian Kyle, Ione Chapman, Willie Nichols. - 9
Total Membership - 98

Men's Bible Class, J. L. Worley, Teacher.
Herman Trahm, S. E. Dickinson, A. L. Gronberg, Albert Anderson, Cyrus Griesel, Charles Sanders, John Griesel, Irvin Spindler, Frank Fisher, W. Worley, Will Uhter, P. R. Dickinson, John Uhter, Lew Uhter, Perry Worley, Nathan Worley, Ben Worley, Lewis Wood, Ovid Westberg, E. Watson, C. Dickinson, Sam Worley. - 22

Young Ladies' Class, Mrs. Allen, Teacher.
Ida Anderson, Dora Griesel, Hattie Griesel, Mrs. Uhter, Dollie Smith, Mrs. Hayden, Mrs. Worley, Minnie Fisher, Maggie Smith, Grace Ebert, Wildie Fisher, Hattie Sanger, Maud Hill. - 13

(pg. 148)
Boys' Class, Henry Worley, Teacher.
Melvin Griesel, Forest Griesel, Cecil Johnson, Fred Worley, George Bartholomew, Alva Hayden, Frank Worley, Otto Johnson. - 8

Girls' Class, Mrs. Rosa Worley, Teacher.
Carrie Castle, Myrl Griesel, Bessie Allen, Sylvia Worley, Eliza Ebert, Polly Watson, Carrie Johnson, Hattie Smith, Florence Fisher, Ellen Fisher, Emma Uhter. - 11
Total Membership - 64
Total Membership for Township - 411

(pg. 149)
Children's Class, Mrs. I. Bryant, Teacher.
Joe Dinwiddie, Belle Dinwiddie, Daisy Dinwiddie, John Brownell, Claud Brownell, Katie Brownell, Matie Brownell, Jessie Hole, Blanche Bryant, Charley Henderson, Lettie Ewer, Myrtie Ennis. - 12

Infant Class, Mrs. O. Dinwiddie, Teacher.
Lorraine Dinwiddie, Edith Dinwiddie, Guy Brownell, Ruth Brownell, Eddie Brownell, Cora Dinwiddie, Ina Buchanan, Roy Shoup, Harry Tatman, Willie Tatman, May McCann, Lottie McCann, Maggie Stahl. - 13
Total Membership - 52

Class No. 2, P. Temple, Teacher.
Libbie Hughes, Tillie Nethery - 2

(pg. 150)
Class 3, O. Snider, Teacher.
Mrs. Morrow, Lillie Hughes, Nettie Hughes, Minnie Thomas, Marguerite Ludy, Bertha Heise, Carrie Berdine, Minnie Wilson. - 8
Class 4, Miss Hughes, Teacher.
Bertha Ludy, Dora Blanchard, Josie Nethery, _____ Hughes. - 4
Total Membership - 33
Total Membership in township - 85

(pg. 151)
Mrs. R. Wilson's Class.
Willie Baird, Lizzie Baird, Charles McCay, Delbert McCay, Eddie Wilson, Albert Wilson, Nannie McKnight, Jimmie McKnight
(younger people) - 8
D. H. Thompson's Class.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Nethery, R. Wilson, Mrs. J. Wilson, Mrs. Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. McKnight, Mrs. Baldwin, Mr. and Mrs. West. - 10
Mrs. Stewart's Class.
Edith McCay, Ella Stewart, Sammie Thompson, Jennie Thompson, Mattie Baird, Phoebe Baird (children) - 6
Superintendent: James McKnight; Secretary: Miss Mary Baird.
Total Membership - 40. Membership in township - 80

(pg. 152)
Class 5, Mr. Kuehl, Teacher.
Willie Bach, Wesley Peters - 2
Total Membership - 32

(pg. 153)
Boys' Class, Mrs. Fessenden, Teacher. Part of the year, Mrs. D. Ross.
Melvin Ross, Dennis Brown, Arthur Brown, Clay Foster, B. Foster, Harry Ross, Carson Ross, John Wise, James Wise, T. Moriarity. - 10
Girls' Class, Mrs. Wise, Teacher.
Pearl Wheaton, Jessie Ross, Bertha Didie, Ida Ludwig, Delia Conway, Sarah Shafer, Addie Smith, Allie Brown, Susie Ludwig, Clara Conway, Edna Rhodes, ______ Shafer, Myrtle Day. - 13
Infant Class, Miss Allie Fessenden, Teacher.
Willie Didie, Charlie Didie, Gilbert Ross, Gouldie Ross, Clarence Bush, Hattie Hall, Arthur Bush, Eva Bush, Hattie Delcamp, Ruth Fessenden, George Fry, Eldridge Hall, Victor Day. - 13
Total - 54

(pg. 154)
Allie Fuller, Ida Lisbern, Richard Scoates, Minnie Sholtz, Ruby Flemming, Hazel Sanders, Delia Conway, Lizzie Sage, Hans Cook, Bessie Rosenbar, Jennie Westphall, Edna Maynard, Edith Fuller, Ray Rockwell, Blanch Salisbury, Rae Lathrop, Ora Farley, Floy Vincent, Marie Ames, Georgia Crawford, Ruth Fessenden, Louera Steb, Mattie Hall, Edith Steb, Louis Coffin, Lizzie Cook, Freddie Cook, Winnie Hack, Bessie Hildreth, Margaritte Allison, Bessie Scoates, Gertie Fisher, Ernest Pierce, Charlie Westphall, Ernest Hall, Willis Wood, Clarence Flemming, Willie Ainsworth, Harry Houk, Frank Beck, Willie Stolz, Wells Ainsworth, Georgie Fry, Dan Scoates, Wesley Peters, Ballard Hale, Frank Muzzall, George Perleywitz, Emil Blinkhaan, Robert Henry, Charles Wise, George Peters, William Peters, Earl Caswell, John Melcher, Claude Roller, Ward Marble, Harry Hayward, Eugene Cooper, Toots Moriarity, Johnnie Letterer, Harry Hart, Carson Ross, Burr Wheeler, Johnnie Houk, Harry Ross, Willie Tuttle, Roy Klinefelter, John Kenny, Henry Fredrick, Malvin Ross, Arthur Brown, Willie Hagedorn, Nina Hayward, Maud Smith, Anna Westphal, Martha Jones, Allie Fessenden, Ula Hall, Jena Case, Mable Stolz, Bessie Roller, Hannah Ketzman, Phebe Anesworth, Ida Fredrick, May Melcher, Hannah Diddee, Grace Ross, Frank Houk, John Wise, Henry Wise, Walter Atwell, Albert Killborn, Archie Farley, A. M. Markle, W. A. Scheddell, E. J. Muzzall, T. A. Muzzall, Joe Patton, W. D. Jones, F. M. Armstrong, Olive Jones, Jennie Patton, May Fancher, May Lathrop, Clara Houk, Flora Houk, Cleo Wolf, Emma Handly, Bessie Harmon, Pearl Mallery, Lilly Fredrick, Lydia Peters, Juno Henderson, Essie Handly, Emily Hayward, Lulu Baker, Nellie Luther, Lilly Furneld, Flora Wood, Nettie Teeple, Della Killborn, Birdie Smith, Della Flemming,

(pg. 155)
Grace Francher, Hattie Kenny, Daisy Phelps, Myrtle Phelps, Anna Imhoff, Tracy Koupal, Clara Sherman, Mamie Melcher, Myrtie Fellman, Allie Merrill, Ruth Marble, Mamie Swartz, May Barton, Kittie Swartz, Tillie Griesel, Eva Wolf, May Wolf, Mertie Westphal, Ruth Lathrup, Julia Maynard, Hattie Haggerdorn, Luella Edgerton, Mertie Crowell, Frankie Wheaton, Maggie Dietel, Bessie Rose, Edna Ames, Ida Maynard, Tillie Letterer, Mary Steeb, Bertha Keitzman, Mary Vincent, Floy Coffin, Anna Wheeler, Effie Crawford, Edith Rudolph, Amy Sailsbury, May Kenny, Neva Hayward, Alice Wise, Lilly Goff, Jennie Simon, Maggie Mulcher, Pearl Wheaton, Clara Conway, Ada Edgerton, Barbara Clement, Alvira Brown. Total 188.

(pg. 156)
Williams, Ray Ames, Carl Ames, Delbert Shirland, George Jarrard, Birch Wells, Howard Hack, Bernie Foster, Clay Foster, Myra Wheeler, Jennie Wells, Bertie Lee, Daisy Barr, Myrtle Phelps, Daisy Phelps, Julia Hughes, Mabel Holton, Alice Williams, Eva Pierce, Josie Pratt, Elizabeth Hickcox, Flora Wood, Jessie Doak, Claribel Clark, Mrs. Rockwell, Jennie Northrup, May Northrup, Mrs. Clara Clark, Mrs. Atkins; Mr. Gromann, superintendent; Mrs. Gromann, Mrs. Thomas Fisher, Mrs. John Fisher, Florence Pratt, Lizzie Pratt, May Williams, Mrs. Biggs, Miss Flora Stout, Dr. Ma Whinney, Celia Jewett, Rev. Luckey, teachers. -- 107

(pg. 157)

Bible Class: Dr. Turner, Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Dustin. -3
Young Men's Class, Mrs. Brewer, Teacher;
Frank Scidler, George Scidler, John Dustin, Thomas Flanagan, Frank Jenks, Barney Flanagan. -6

(pg. 158)
Young Ladies' Class: Mrs. Johns, Teacher;
Alice Davis, May Davis, Maud Dustin, Willie Davis, Katie Johns, Zippie Davis, Minnie Stadfield, Flossie Davis. -8
Boy's Class No. 1, Mrs. Templeton, Teacher;
Herman Ohld, Fred Sanders, Charley Scidler, George Claud Smith, Claud Dustin. -5
Boys' Class No. 2, Mrs. Smith, Teacher;
George E. Young, Freddie Young, Charles Stommel, Dana G. Smith, Eddie Young. -5
Infant Class, Mrs. Flanagan, Teacher;
Alfred Davis, Louisa Davis, Tillie Scidler, Katie Young, Clara Davis, Annie Kruse, Bessie Smith, Verna Jessie Brewer, Susie Turner, Emma Scidler. -12
Total Membership: 42.

(pg. 159)
Thomas Frame, Solon French, B. Clifford, David Guernsey, Chester Guernsey, Jr., Isaac Hardesty, Orrin Burge, Chauncy Bacon, F. Williams, Samuel Campbell, Dr. Peck, Dr. Mackey, D. M. Daum, Otis Guernsey, Mr. Dollhoover, Mr. Plumer. -30
Bible Class No. 2. John Peck, Teacher:
Mrs. M. C. Wahl, Mrs. J. Sturtevant, Mrs. P. Strong, Mrs. A. Hurlburt, Mrs. L. Sargeant, Mrs. C. Burge, Mrs. J. Pitt, Mrs. S. Guernsey, Mrs. A. Frame, Mrs. W. Clifford, Mrs. S. French, Mrs. Tabor, Mrs. F. Jones, Mrs. F. Campbell, Mrs. I. Peck, Mrs. I. Wieler, Mrs. A. Furgeson, Mrs. J. Sheffield, Mrs. G. Guernsey, Mrs. E. Peck, Mrs. J. Williams, Mrs. N. Hardesty, Mrs. J. Beam, Mrs. C. Stegmeier, Mrs. S. Hurlburt, Mrs. V. Hollister, Mrs. Emma Wert, Mrs. Emma Dollhoover, Mrs. J. Riecker, Mrs. E. Plumer, Mrs. R. Guernsey. -31
Class No. 1. D. B. Peck, Teacher:
Orrinda Peck, Rosa Stegmeier, Abbie Smith, Calla Sargeant, Annie Peck, Flora Patton, Lena Wahl, Cora Burge, Susie Guernsey, Etta Campbell, Clara Yager, Nellie McKinny, Lyda Hutton, Stella Strong, Eda Williams, Libbie Sykes, May Moran, Carrie Hollister, Martha Maybaum, Ada Peck. -20
Class No. 2. Clinton Peck, Teacher:
John Sturtevant, Randolph Guernsey, James McKinny, James Frame, William Furgeson, Grant Peck, Orrin Peck, James Patton, Mark Philips, James Tabor, Archie Kinworthy, Asa Strong, George Chandler, John Campbell, Am. Peck, Frank Bellsoover, Schuyler Hardestey, Fred Bragington, Burton French, Amel Knoblock. -20
Class No. 3. Mrs. Rachel Smith, Teacher:
Howard Smith, Edward Clifford, Jacob Hurlburt, William Clifford, Harry Tabor, Vance Peck, Henry Lipp,

(pg. 160)
David Young, Charles Sargeant, Robert Clifford, Cal Bellzoover, Walter Hogberg, Clarence Hogberg. -13
Class No. 4. Rose Hurlburt, Teacher:
Etta Peck, Celeste Peck, Ida Roper, Rhoda Smith, Addie Guernsey, Sophie Meyers, Melissie Melcher, Lottie Story, Jennie Hurlburt, Carrie Young, Maud Moran, Mary Huepel. -12
Class No. 5. Mrs. Sarah E. Niles, Teacher:
Clayton Strong, Lawrence Cooper, Harry Beltzhoover, Henry Hogberg, Jimmy Hutton, Richard Nantz, Irvin Frame, Burton Frame, Jesse Porch. -9
Class No. 6. Nancy Peck, Teacher:
Millie R. Smith, Carrie Sturtevant, Ella Guernsey, Emma Guernsey, Ora Peck, Mary Roper, Ella Wert, Mary Peck, Anna Keuphal, Lizzie Moran, Bettie Chandler, Teny Huebel. -13
Class No. 7. Mrs. E. Guernsey, Teacher:
Chester Hurlburt, Arthur Strong, Theodore Yager, Hazzy Guernsey, George Plumber, Albert Morehouse, Edward Maybaum, Albert Maybaum, George Hurlburt, George Murray. -10
Class No. 8. Malita Young, Teacher:
Lucy Niles, Fanny Strong, Emma Stegmeier, Charlotte Roper, Jennie Keuphal, Ray Guernsey, Jennie Maybaum, Herbert Morehouse, Altie Williams, Ada Williams, Malita Wert, Ollie Beam, Clara Beam, Ora Peck, Ella Beam, Gracie Hollister, Mina Plumer. -17
Class No. 9. Mrs. Mary Wert, Teacher:
Gracie Wahl, Frantie Guernsey, Fannie Hurlburt, Maudie Hollister, Arthur Wieler, Robbie Morehouse, Harry Williams, Nathan Wert, Jay Beam. -9
Total membership: 196

(pg. 161)

(pg. 162)
Boys' and Girls' Class: Mrs. Yager and Mrs. B. H. Wood, Teachers.
Celesta Peck, Mella Peck, Ida Johnston, John Christman, Bettie Chandler, Allie Chase, Stella Casbon, Martha Carbein, Lula Wood, F. Chandler, John Johnston, Theodore Yager. -12
Infant Class: Mrs. R. C. Mackey, Teacher.
Wood Mackey, Wright Mackey, Freddy Carbein, L. Yager, Jerald Billings, Grace Billings, Willie Strong, Lottie Strong, -8
Total membership: 65

(pg. 163)
Class No. 2. Mrs. Maria Pierce, Teacher.
Phoebe Glazier, August Laison, Floyd Pierce, Bert Pierce, M. D. Ragon, _____ Whiteside, Marion H. Pierce, Claud M. Pierce, Ed. Niksch. -9
Young Ladies' Class. Myiel Pierce, Teacher.
Clara Saxton, Lulu Pierce, Anna Klinefelter, Sabra Zuvers, Emma Niksch, Lillie Niksch, Frances Hyde, Eva Harper, May Nicholson, Jessie Bothwell, Alice Demmons, Nettie Hanson, Ollie Banks, Rosa Fortune, Stella Ragon, Viola Richerson. -16
Class No. 4. S. Pierce, Teacher.
G. Nessenhahn, Lawrence Niksch, Arthur Merrill, John Iddings, Willie Smith, George Boyd, Eddie Undine, Jimmie Undine, Albert Halsted, Teddie Zuvers. -10
Girls' Class. Miss Alice Coffey, Teacher.
Cora Pierce, Isabella Harper, Jannetta Cangerty, Arminta Burge, Louisa Gertz, Ella Ragon, Maud Bailey, Alta Halstead, Maggie Undine, Mabel Randolph, Della Demmons. -11

(pg. 164)
Infant Class. Miss Angie Glazier, Teacher.
Nora Pierce, Dora Pierce, Pearl Pierce, Maud Zuvers, Grace White, Carrie Harper, Willie Nessenhahn, Minnie Hessenhahn, Mabel Hewitt, Lawrence Hewitt, Herbert Saxton, Edna Saxten, Guy Merrill, Harold Iddings, Harry Iddings, Della Undine, Ura Halstead, Willie White, Grace Demmons, Clarence Demmons, Celia Demmons, Maggie Demmons, Florence Bothwell, Floyd Bothwell, Alice Boyd. -25
Total membership.- 88

(pg. 165)
Infant Class, John Bothwell, Teacher.
Alfred Nicholson, Clara Nicholson, Florence Bothwell, Clifford Bothwell, Alvin Shutt, Willie Shutt, Nancy Shutt, Lizzie Shutt, Tecumseh Freeman, Julia Christianson, Hattie Bothwell, Floyd Bothwell, Harry Bothwell, James Robinson, Esther Robinson, Lulu Newell, Anna L. Newell, Doc Demmon, Chuza Demmon. -20
Total membership. - 43
Total membership in township. - 392

(pg. 166)
Emma Johnson, Minnie Tabbert, Daisy Rowe, Mabel Baker, Lottie Graves, Hulda Peterson, Will Alby, Perley Hunt, Howard McIntire, Robert Roper, Earnest Roper, Luther Roper, Lottie Baker, Liby Wilson, Kate Barney, Emily Newman, Martha Harrison, Myrtie Banks, Ethel Gordon, Rose Truesdell, Nellie Chenney, Jennie Miller, Lida Howe, Alfa Bullock, Bessie Oar, Eddie Gordon, Fletcher Call, Roy Hanson, Eddie Banks, Peter Mickleson, Luther Roper, Mr. Whitmore, H. C. Hanson, Mrs. Hanson, Alex. Ballantyne, Mrs. Rice, Mr. Portiness, Mr and Mrs. Harrison, Howard Gordon, Rob Scholler, Leonard Owen, Mrs. John Gordon, George Scholler, Homer Nearpass, George Stocker, Willie Owen, Allen Orcutt, Rudolph Bofinger, Arthur Newman, Orsewen Spencer, Mortie Miller, Frank Feister, Eddie Feister, Joe Mundell, Paul Schillo, John Roper, Roy Banks, Oliver Bullock, Gilbert Bullock, Harry Miller, Charlie Passono, Floyd Scholler, Owen Roper, Charlie Spencer, Howard Maybaum, Lossie Roy, Emanuel Schillo, Earl Korause, George Burns, Joe Burns, John Howe, Howard Howe, Hartly Howe, Floyd Scoffern, Phonso Smith, Lorie Krause, Jeff Wilkleson, Norma Scholler, May Cheney, Katie Jacob, Julia Jacob, Minnie Rice, Lil Chase, Tillie Brown, Carrie Maybaum, Edna Croxford, May Blackhall, Emma Able, Bliss Roper, Emily McIntire, Blanche Peterson, Plin Truesdell, Christ. Mickleson, Calvin Scholler, May Gordon, Hattie Rice, Cora Ostrander, Bessie Bofinger, May Mundell, Agnes Feister, Maggie Stresser, Carrie Banks, Fannie Nash, Ida Petterson, Mate Reggen, Ada Howe, Carrie Stocker, Carrie Scholler, Etta Henderson, Ida Webber, Maggie McCormick, Fanny Smith, Laura Bofinger, Frona Horner.
Total membership.- 158

(pg. 167)

(pg. 168)

(pg. 169)

(pg. 170)
Intermediate Class, Mrs. W. C. Gallagher, Teacher.
Amelia Schafer, Mary Klahn, Lena Klahn, Minnie Klahn, Steve Reed, Lulu Reed, Mary Prott, Olie McGary, Eugene McGary, Julius McGary, Willie Ewing, Henry Ewing, Earle Newell, May Southworth, Delia Schoon. -15
Juvenile and Primary Class, Mamie B. Gallagher, Teacher.
Hubert Holmes, Arthur Holmes, Eddie Nelson, Willie Nelson, Georgie Nelson, Harold Woods, Charlie Prott, Johnnie McGary, Ray Southworth, Charlie Woodbridge, Eddie Johnson, Mark Newell, Henry Freiwald, Eddie Freiwald, Freddie Reed, Duey Hall, Harvey Hall, Nickie Moss, Ellen Ewing, Minnie Shearer, Blanche Southworth, Rosy Watts, Lulu Newell, Auna Newell. - 24
Total Membership - 61

(pg. 171)
Scholars:
Lena Weed, Bertha Bump, Eva Bump, May Barton, Myrtle Prichard, Sadie Beck, Lydia McKnight, Cynthia Snodgrass, Nora Snodgrass, Maggie Stevens, May Tilton, Hattie Wilson, Laura Hildebrand, Jessie Hinds, May Lancaster, Ida Hisey, Allie Hisey, Lizzie Munchenburg, Mary Munchenburg, Bertha Vanness, Letha Gillett, Lulu Gillett, Lottie Corwin, Addie Jordan, Edith Wall, Mary Gutschlag, Maud Bell, Addie Bump, Idabelle Dougherty, Lotta Wendrinsky, Mytle Wakefield, May Wakefield, Will Newman, Hal Jones, Harry McCoy, Colifax Duncan, Duncan Hunter, Ezra Railsback, Frank Stevens, Chas. Dougherty, Emma Weeks, Nellie Weeks, Effie Orcutte, Clara Knuchal, Cleora Webb, Leely Carson, Mary Kepert, Edith Flint, Anna Schweiger, Sadie Morrison, Nellie Smiley, Lulu Parker, Grace Bell, Alice Bump, Ethel Campbell, Gertie Bostwick, Alice Green, Barbara Schweitzer, Ed. Newman, Guy Jones, Bert McCoy, Leo Beck, Dick Jenkins, H. A. Kendall, Mr. Decrow, Henry Dougherty, Mamie Ramey, Inez Carson, Maud Borein, Abbie Griswold, Laura Hatch, Kittie Gerrish, Eva Paine, Gracie Miller, Alta Parker, Myrtle Ramey, Carrie Wolf, Anna Parker, Beatrice Ross, Emma Paine, Mable Wilson, Estella Stacy, Nellie Green, Linnie Towle, Will Mead, Sam Malo, Harry Stowman, George Borem, Mel Fleming, Archie Ballard, Will Ranrey, Mr. L. A. Thayer, Roland Lewis, Verne Odell, John W. Reed, Elmer Malone, F. O. Robinson, Geo. Peters, G. Hunter, G. Taylor, Robert Ball, J. W. Hardesty, Frank Warren, Arnold Lusher, George Hinds, Mr. Snodgrass, Mr. Meeker, Thomas Jenkins, Chas. Hunt, Willie Hocker, Chas. Washington, Eddie Mashim, Dan Scoates, Fred Wendling, Louie Carrigan, Leslie Skellenger, Bertie

(pg. 172)
Skellenger, Oliver Wakefield, Jessie Glover, Bertha Bouser, Emma Bouser, Della Seigrist, Freda Seigrist, Calvin Beck, Willie Beall, Bennie Mead, Clayton Root, Wilber Abbott, Zora Carrigan, Willie Hunt, Harry Stamon, Dena Malo, Chas. Borem, Mr. J. G. Ibach, Lizzie Heeren, Mr. T. M. Smith, Mr. H. C. Zoll, Mrs. L. Beck, Miss N. A. Pattee, Jimmie Mead, Thos. Malo, Frank Malo, Arthur Porlier, Claude Campbell, Clarence Ketchel, Elmer Wolfe, Robert Stature, Ethel Streeter, Julia Logan, Mable Benedict, Bertha Hayes, Lotta Post, Millie Flagg, Mellie Points, Nellie Fowler, Daisy Clark, Fay Carson, Rilla Flagg, Beana Zander, Anna Anderson, Jennie Oleson, Mary Hansen, Myrtle Crowell, Chas. Gehrke, Willie Jones, Alfred Borman, Ford Hunter, Carl Vermett, Geo. Shelenger, Ellis Dake, Orland Parks, Morton Towle, Harry Newman, Bert Newman, Chas. Mead, Ralph Streeter, Georgie Towle, Johnnie Malo, Elbert Zoll, Lelia Zoll, Katie Walters, Anna Sesser, Emma Kungs, Mary Kahler, Odra Hunter, Ella Workinger, Anna Dunke, Ethel Dake. - 208

Infant Class, Miss Alice Sohl, Teacher.
Jimmy Mead, Berly Woods, Edith Goodman, Volney Post, Ethel Crowel, Linnie Crowel, Arlie Parker, Vernie Parker, Willie Keizer, Hattie Crumpacker, Charlie Crumpacker, Maud Cleveland, John Simon, Clarence Simon, Willie Hooker, Myrtle Phillips, Charlie Walker, Dora Hogue, Anna Haines, Pearl Thompson, Florence Thompson, Warren McMannis, Frank Bradford, Lulu Baldwin, Willie Mattis, Hattie Holtz, Edna Randolph, Robbie Martin, David Martin, Jessie Vanness, George Miller, Claude Beall, Ethel Merrill, Virginia Stamm, May Neuman, Oliver Wakefield, Freddy Towle, Katie Flint, Joe Schweitzer, Frank Schweitzer, Gotlieb Vomsh, Rosa Vomsh, Pearl Beck, Minnie Mead,

(pg. 173)
G. S. Mead, Anna Dumpke, Mary Keizer, Ernest Keizer, Mary Goodslaugh, Anna Schweeger, Emma Schweeger, Mary Kaler, Mathew Hutchinson, Maggie Hutchinson, Willie Hutchinson, Guy Merrill, Albert Gauger, Richard Gauger, Ida Gauger, Evaline Horn, Willie Huttel, Anna Schultz, Amelia Schultz, Mamie Morrison, Carrie Schneider, Hattie Schneider, Alvin Green, Frankie Beck, Allie Cole, Pearl Hast, Laura Bell, Mabel Green, Adine Lenz, Elenor Lenz, Louisa Rich, Lillie Rich, Lulu Kitchall, Clarence Kitchall, Ora Thatcher, Charlie Schneider, jessie Boyd, Martha Kimball, Willie Behring, Freddy Behring, Elrie Fisher,  Hiram Green, Nellie Walker, Amelia Mundt, Minnie Mundt, Rindie Kergon, Emma Miller, Mary Hermon, Amelia Fromer, Mary Fromer, Birdie Stein, Ida Gutslaugh, Walter Sohl, Edith Nason, Gracie Wilson, Arthur Hillman,  Robbie Hillman, Clarence Porlier, Charlie Kuhn, MAry Hoover, Henry Hoover, Roy Hatch, Frank Baker, Willie Hudson, Eugene Davis, Ava Flickinger, Gracie Du Comb, Mabel Wilson, Eva Kinnie, Claude Hunt, Ray Hunt, Laurine Washington, Emma Sweeger, Minnie Sweeger, Lizzie Huckleberg, Lizzie Fromer, Emma Jones, Vada Marshall, Maggie Livingston, Jimmie Hatch, Ollie Dumpkie, Eliza Schneider, Elma Schneider, Weedie Jones, John Kunz, Paul Kunz, Lizzie Hohn, Altie Parker, Mamie Mashino, Delia Johnson, Willie Jones, _____ Placeby, Willie Green, Clara Jirard, Gracie Locht, Earl Cole, Lona Fisher, Vada Marshall, Lila Shields, Jessie Glover. - 145
Total: 353

(pg. 174)
Baldie Miller, Albert Ellis, James Body, Fred Brose, Luther Wartena, Richard Sager, Albert Body, Benj. Crawford, Harry Voight, Thos. Jenkins, Rob't Boiley, Arthur Hunt, Theodore Ahlendorf, John Kurker, Willie Stevens, Eddie Jenkins, Chas. Eckman, Harry Holmes, Shnit Deveries, Otto Tieshner, Doll Newman, Tom Kurker, Earnest Bliss, Leroy Eastus, Harold Holcomb, Thos. Johnson, William Lewis, Mr. Williams, H. Williams, M. H. Herman, Wm. Sprunce, Stephen Ripley, Geo. H. Lewis, Mary Six, Olie Hunt, Pearl Irish, Lily Eckman, Emma Ripley, Annie Herring, Emma Cubean, Caroline Bliss, Ida Peterson, Josie Albright, Daisy Ellis, Murtle Fisher, Bessie Fisher, Flora Brose, Ida Bathlomn, Jessie Ripley, Sallie Plumber, Mamie Ahlendorf, Anna Mayfield, Bertha Williams, Iva Irish, Mamie Irish, Mamie Miller, Nellie Holmes, Jennie Devries, Elge Irish, Grace Parker, Minnie Kurker, Susie Kurker, Ida Barnes, Annie Barnes, Lucy Eastus, Lutie Holmes, Mary Eckman, Lizzie Eckman, Minnie Voight, Grace Eastus, Clara Holcomb, Nora Holcomb, Katie McManus, Mrs. Holcomb, Jessie Crawford, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Irish, Mrs. Voight, Bertha Cobean, Ida Tamm, Alice Wartena, Lulu Herring, Clara Sherman, Lizzie Ripley, Miss Rathfone, Miama Laws, Lizzie Muchenberg, Lettie Good, Etta Druley, Miss Kurher, Miss Guthrie. -99

(pg. 175)
Sadie Morrison, Katie McManis, Eliza Snyder, Myrtle Crowell, Nellie Fisher, Jessie Harfuel, Anna Emery, Mr. Teetzel, Mr. Towle, Mrs. Towle, Mrs. Railsback, Mr. Mather, S. W. Snider, Mr. Gray, Helen Nason, Mrs. Teetzel, Mr. Varney, S. B. Thornton, Mrs. Thornton, S. Hunter, Mrs. Fuller, Charlie Ewing, Otto _____, Bessie Mather, Vada Marshal, Jimmy Hatch, Daisy Emery, Florence Valient, Bertie Bradford, L. Eastwood, Joy Golden, Mamie Irish, Charlie Ellis, Joe Stebbins, Elmer Schofield, Mrs. Oalman, Grace Schofield, Georgie Schofield, Madge Bloss, Johnie Bloss, Albert Towle, Madge Stebbins, Luceille Stebbins, Miley Flagg, Edith Nason, Cora Abbott, Ray Abbott, Warnie McManus, L. Pugh, Freddie W____, Freddie Golden, Willie Golden, Arthur Ellis, Daisy Conroy, Cora Morrison, Pearl Beck, Mamie Valient, Elmer Keley, Jimmie Mead, Elma Snider, Helen ____, Willie Haskins, Lena Fisher, Maudie Bear, Ethal Crowell, Willie Haston, May Champane, Francis Champane, Freddie Champane, Roy Woodford, Robert Mortimer, Ray Voliar, Linnie Crowell, Annie Bell, Emma Green, Hiram Green, _____ Green, Allie Cole, Charlie Dyer, Victor Dyer, Hattie Aber, Montie Cline, Charlie Cline. -104

HAMMOND EPISCOPAL SCHOOL.
Names not obtained. About 40.

(pg. 176)
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL.
Names not obtained. About 50

HAMMOND CHRISTIAN
Lately re-opened. About 30.

EAST CHICAGO CONGREGATIONAL, 1889.
Superintendent, L. T. Loucks; Secretary, Miss Ida Cornthwaith
Names not obtained. Membership, 40.

WHITING CONGREGATIONAL, 1890.
Names not obtained. Probably 40.

(pg. 177)

Attending at Salem schools:
Lucy Westbay, Edith Westbay, Cora Westbay, Ida Gordon, Minnie Gordon, Walter Stonax, Ruth Nichols, Ray Nichols, John McFarlon, Robert McFarlon, Maud McFarlon, Charley Porch, Mary Porch, Jessie Porch, Mark Palmer, Sadie Wilkinson, Geora Wilkinson, Florence Teeple, John Hipsley, Harry Hipsley, Ida Hipsley, Bessie Hipsley, Emma Hipsley.

(pg. 178)
I am glad to have succeeded so well in obtaining the names of the members of our schools, and I here heartily record thanks to those who have so kindly and faithfully aided in this effort. For all the townships except North the enrollment is complete and satisfactory. A perfect enrollment in North township for the year 1890 could not be obtained. There are eleven schools and many children attending more than one school. the enrollment and estimate give to this township a larger number in school than did the official August report, and so a discrepancy in results will necessarily appear. I may fittingly claim a large acquaintance with the past as well as the present members of our schools; and as I look at the names of so many of our gifted young children recorded here, and feel sure that some at least of them will fill high and honorable positions, I long to say, Beloved children, be sure to give to the coming King your choicest, richest, best. Like the children that were once in the Jewish Temple, be ready to say, Hosannah to the Son of David!

(pg. 179)

2.- In Cedar Creek township there are five church buildings; The Baptist in Lowell, 1856, no pastor; the Methodist Episcopal at Lowell, built in 1870, pastor Rev. J. J. Thompson; the Christian at Lowell, 1870, pastor Rev. W. A. Hennegar; the Catholic at Lowell, 1869, pastor Rev. Charles A. Ganzer; and the Creston church, 1876, occupied mainly by the Methodists, the pastor being the resident Methodist pastor at Lowell.

3.- In the West Creek there is no saloon and its only village is a part of Creston. Church buildings two: The West Creek Methodist Episcopal, present building dating 1869, the earlier one 1843, the pastor being the resident pastor at Lowell, and the Lake Prairie Presbyterian church, 1872, pastor Rev. J. F. Smith. The first pastor of this church, Rev. H. Wason, who became pastor in 1857, still resides near the church and school

(pg. 180)
house, in his beautiful Lake Prairie home. He has seen many changes and has been a part of much of the improvment that has been made during his residence on Lake Prairie of three and thirty years. A pastor, a Christian minister, residing in one place for a third of a century becomes a great power for good.

4.- In Hanover are four church buildings: The Cedar Lake German Methodist, 1855, pastor Rev. A. Peters, residing in Crown Point; Zions Church, Reformed, 1859, pastor Rev. H. C. Schmidt; the Catholic church of St. Anthony at Klaasville, 1861, pastor Rev. Charles A. Ganzer, and the Church of St. Martin, Catholic, at Hanover Center, 1869, pastor Rev. M. Zumbuelte.

5.- In St. Johns township the churches are three, all Catholic: Church of St. John the Evangelist, at St. Johns, first chapel 1843, present brick church 1856, pastor Rev. A. Heitmann; Church of St. Joseph at Dyer, 1867, pastor Rev. Joseph Flach; and Church of St. Michael, at Schererville, 1874, pastor Rev. W. Berg.

6.- In Center township are ten churches: the Presbyterian, 1847, the present building 1885, pastor Rev. L. W. A. Luckey; the Methodist Episcopal, 1847, present building 1860, pastor Rev. Demetrius Tillotson; the Church of the Blessed Virgin May, Catholic, 1867, a large brick edifice in process of erection this year, spire one hundred and forty-one feet in height, to be completed in 1891, pastor Rev. Phillip Geuthoff; the Trinity Church, Lutheran, 1869, present large brick structure, 1886, pastor Rev. G. Heintz since 1871, succeeded this fall by Rev. August Shuelke, but continuing a resident in Crown Point; the North Street Baptist, 1873; German Methodist, 1874, pastor Rev. A. Peters; German Evangelical, 1874, pastor Rev. John Lutz; Main Street Baptist, 1881; Free Methodist, 1881,

(pg. 181)
pastor Rev. George Day; all of these in Crown Point; and Evangelical Church of St. Paul, 1883, pastor Rev. J. A. Reller, since August Rev. P. Weild.

7.- In Winfield are four churches: the Le Roy Methodist, 1888, pastor the resident Methodist pastor at Hebron; the Le Roy United Presbyterian, 1888, pastor Rev. J. N. Buchanan; the Deer Creek Methodist Episcopal, 1880, pastor Rev. D. Tillotson; and St. Paul's Church at Deer Creek, 1886, pastor Rev. G. Heintz.

8.- In Ross township are two churches: the Methodist Episcopal at Merrillville, 1879, pastor Rev. Robert Wilkinson; Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Catholic, at Turkey Creek, first building 1852, present building of Joliet stone, 1864, pastor Rev. Charles V.
Stetter, D. D.

9.- In Hobart township there are ten churches; in the town of Hobart eigth; the Methodist Episcopal, 1869, pastor Rev. R. C. Wilkinson; the Unitarian, 1876, pastor Rev. T. G. Milford; Trinity Church, German Lutheran, 1874, pastor Rev. E. H. Scheips; Swedish Lutheran, 1873, pastor Rev. A. J. Malmquist; German Methodist, 1874, pastor Rev. A. Peters; Swedish Methodist, 1889, pastor Rev. John Swanson; the Congregational, 1880, remodeled 1889, pastor Rev. D. W. Andrews; Church of St. Bridget, Catholic, 18--, pastor Rev. C. V. Stetter. In Lake Station, two, Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Catholic, 1861, pastor Rev. C. V. Stetter; the People's Church, undenominatinal, 18--.

10.- In Calumet are two churches: German Evangelical St. John's Church at Tolleston, 1869, pastor Rev. A. Rump; Congregational at Ross, about 1880, a "Union Mission Church" or "Band" organization and house having lately become Congregational, pastor Rev. D. W. Andrews.

(pg. 182)
11.- In North township are fourteen churches: In Hammond nine, Church of St. Joseph, Catholic, 1879, new, two story brick building for church and school, 1889, pastor Rev. H. Plaster; Lutheran, 1883, new brick building, south side, 1889, pastor Rev. F. W. Herzberger; Methodist Episcopal, 1883, pastor Rev. G. R. Streeter; German Methodist, 1889, pastor Rev. ____ Haas; Baptist, 1887, pastor Rev. B. P. Hewitt; Congregational, 1890, pastor Rev. W. A. Boroughs; Episcopalian, 1890, pastor Rev. R. C. Wall; Plymouth Church, Congregational, 1890, pastor Rev. H. A. Holcomb; Lutheran Church, north side, 1889, pastor Rev. W. A. Braner; three in East Chicago, Methodist Episcopal, 1890, pastor Rev. Reno; Congregational, 1889, pastor Rev. J. H. Simons, August 16, 1890; Catholic Church, consecrated October 26, 1890, Rev. ___ Trembler, pastor; at Whiting, one, Congregational, 1890, pastor Rev. D. A. Holman, and Hollander Reformal Church, near Lansing, 1876, pastor Rev. William Dunnewold.
Total number of church buildings: fifty-six.
Number of resident ministers, thirty-nine; twelve of these residing in North township where a few years ago there was not one. In Center township there are now ten, the first resident minister and pastor, Rev. Norman Warriner, having had a home in Crown Point as early as 1841. In Hobart there are five; in Calumet only one; in Cedar Creek, one; in Ross, one; Eagle Creek and Winfield have no resident ministers. The other townships have three each.

(pg. 183)
In 1870 twenty church buildings, ten resident pastors, forty places for religious meetings, thirty Sunday schools, about twenty-five hundred families. Population: 12,339.

In 1890 forty-five schools, fifty-six churches, resident ministers thirty-nine, sixty places for Sabbath meetings. Population: 23,886.

(pg. 184 & 185)
14. Swedish Lutheran at Miller's Station (estimated), 20. Total, 571.

Children in Catholic schools:
 

In Calumet, Hobart, Winfield, Eagle Creek, Cedar Creek, West Creek, there are no church schools.
Estimating the instructed children at Lowell, Hobart, Lake, and East Chicago at 174 and we have a total of 800.

Lutheran and Reformed --- 571; Estimating instructed children at Whiting and Miller's Station --- 59 and we have a total of 630.

In all, of schools not connected with Convention --- 1550; Reported in August in our schools, including teachers and officers --- 2570.
Total of 4120.

Number of children in the county between six and twenty-one years of age --- 6753. Children then with no school instruction: 2633.
These are children all, and they are in number more than all in our Convention schools, officers and teachers included.

(pg. 186)

(pg. 187)

(pg. 188)
West Creek Township: Fuller's or Lower West Creek, 1st Oak Grove, Buncombe, River Ridge, Livingston's = 5
Total: 45

Several of these schools, not now in existence, have been briefly noticed. In regard to others of these forty-five schools, the names of their officers and even the facts of their very existence have already passed out of the knowledge of most of the present generation of our Sunday-school army.

Their names are rescued from oblivion. The good they did yet lives on earth, is known in heaven. A few of these are only closed at present for the want of officers to carry them on.

But now we count forty-five schools of the past and forty-five of the present.

If a stranger should ask, "Why are so many schools discontinued, in only fifty years, in so rapidly growing and prosperous a county as Lake?" the answer would be: Because the early pioneer centers for schools and religious meetings are not our centers of population now, in these days of fourteen railroads; and because in many neighborhoods the pioneer American religious families, who sustained Sunday schools, have given place to other families from the Old World, some of whom have their church schools in the large railroad centers, some of whom have no schools.

Christianity is not dying out in Lake county. As will be seen in the church directory, we have built fifty-six churches in fifty-six years of Christian occupancy. We have now forty-five Sunday schools, and eight Catholic schools, and fourteen Lutheran and Reformed schools, in all sixty-seven schools where the Christian

(pg. 189)
religion is taught. Adding to these the forty-five of the past and we have had in fifty years one hundred and twelve schools. Adding to our fifty-six church buildings twelve others removed or used for other purposes, and it appears that we have had in fifty-six years, schools, 112; and church buildings, 68.

The exact figures of the last May enumeration of children between six and twenty-one years of age, as kindly furnished for this work by the Superintendent of the Public Schools, F. E. Cooper, are the following:
North Township:  1,945
Calumet Township: 301
Hobart Township: 653
Ross Township: 504
St. Johns Township: 650
Hanover Township: 328
Center Township: 1,051
Winfield Township: 187
Eagle Creek Township: 184
Cedar Creek Township: 546
West Creek Township: 404
Total: 6,753

These may be placed at the present time, October, 1890, in round numbers thus:
North Township:  2,000
Calumet Township: 300
Hobart Township: 650
Ross Township: 500
St. Johns Township: 650
Hanover Township: 330
Center Township: 1,050
Winfield Township: 190
Eagle Creek Township: 190
Cedar Creek Township: 550
West Creek Township: 400
Total: 6,800

And all these, it should be remembered, are over six and under twenty-one years of age, while in our Sunday

(pg. 190)
schools are many under six and more than twenty-one years of age.

The number in the schools in the different townships, including the Catholic and Lutheran children, is the following:
North Township:  1,425
Calumet Township: 115
Hobart Township: 670
Ross Township: 436
St. Johns Township: 370
Hanover Township: 150
Center Township: 597
Winfield Township: 96
Eagle Creek Township: 85
Cedar Creek Township: 431
West Creek Township: 192
Total: 4,567

Hundreds of these are over twenty-one years of age. In Ross township the proportion of men and women to the children is large.

The entire population of Lake county, according to the United States Census of this year, is the following, and, as it may be a matter of interest to see our changes, the population for 1880 is also given:
 

The population of our towns is the following:
 

(pg. 191)
It may be well for us, while examining our religious work and growth, to look at a few more facts as brought out by the Census reports. In 1880 there were twenty-one counties only in Indiana, with less inhabitants than Lake county. Or, from the head of the list of counties, ranged as to population, Lake county was the seventy-first. Now Lake county is thirty-fifth in rank, with fifty-seven below in population.

In ten years Lake county has increased in inhabitants 8,795. Five counties only, Allen, Madison, Marion, St. Joseph, and Vanderburg, have increased more in number. The per cent of increase for Lake county is 58.28. The next largest per cent is 43.76. Porter county has increased in the last ten years in population only 825, and has a population of only 18,052. Ten years ago La Porte county had twice the population of Lake (30,985). It has increased in these years only 3,460, or 11.17 per cent. In railroads, in growth for the last ten years, in a continuous organized Sunday-school growth and work, Lake county stands first in Indiana.

Some curious results appear in dividing the number of the population in each township by three and comparing the quotients with the number of children in each township. In Hanover and West Creek the numbers are nearly the same. But in North Township, to obtain the approximate number of children, the population must be divided by five. And the population of St. Johns township needs to be divided by two and a half, or more accurately by two and six-tenths.

Let us look once more over our eleven townships, at some figures, in their connections, not flattering.

(pg. 192)
Number of children without religious instruction:
North Township:  520
Calumet Township: 186
Hobart Township: 000
Ross Township: 68
St. Johns Township: 280
Hanover Township: 178
Center Township: 453
Winfield Township: 91
Eagle Creek Township: 99
Cedar Creek Township: 115
West Creek Township: 212
Total: 2,202

This total from August report was 2,633.
Take, now, from the reported school attendance the number of those over twenty-one and under six years of age, and also the number counted twice in Hobart, Hammond, and Crown Point, where many attend two schools, and add those two numbers to the smaller of the above totals, and then add also the number of children under six years of age yet having sufficient maturity to receive religious instruction, and there will be a total of fully 3,000.

After fifty years of effort ---- may it be called diligent and prayerful effort? --- in one of the best school and church counties of Indiana, here is an unpleasant array of figures.

The enrollment of most of our schools, name by name, is here; the numbers given for the Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed are, for the most part, official; and the public-school enumeration can not be question. Figures and facts are sometimes stubborn things. We of Lake county will do well to look these in the face. In Crown Point we have Young People's Christian Endeavor Societies, and King's Daughters, and send yearly our special contributions for foreign missions, ---and this is surely well, ---and have sent missionaries to India, and have had in 1890 one small school in the township outside of Crown Point, among four hundred children, six hunderd and fifty being

(pg. 193)
within the town. It is true that in all our townships there are some extenuating circumstances; but it is also true that we are not doing what we easily might do, what we surely ought to do, for the hundreds ---the THREE THOUSAND --- for whose spiritual welfare few seem to care. There is not one Mission Sunday School in Lake county.

Yet the Sunday-school work in Lake has surely not been in vain. The Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian pioneers laid foundations that are enduring. Among them were men and women of thorough education, of strong force of character; others were uncultivated but strong in religious principle; and in the name of the Lord they set up their banners. The results of the teachings, of the prayers, of the Christian songs, of the good examples set, by those who have already entered into rest, and by those who are soon to cease from thier labors, can by no human mind be estimated. But well do we know that of such, their "labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Under the heading "Schools of the Past," page 65, forty-five schools are named. To these may be added, in Center township, School Grove; in Winfield, Pleasant Hill; in West Creek, Mrs. Bonham's; in North, Ewen's; in Hobart, Oak Ridge; at least five more, making fifty of these schools. See extracts from reports and from secretary's journal where these are mentioned.

(pg. 194)
If some inquiring young reader should ask why this correction was not made when "Schools of the Past" was written, the answer is, because this book was not written nor the type set up in the order of the pages.

The American Sunday-School Union in 1888 gave a commission to the Lake county Secretary, appointing him as Missionary for that society in northwestern Indiana. In Lake county he had the Lake county portions of those two noted river valleys known as the Calumet Region and the Kankakee Region. Both of these have been noted in many past years for fur-bearing animals and for wild water fowls. The Calumet Region of late has come into note for commerce and manufactures.

In the Kankakee Region of Lake county, between the "shore" line and the river, are now living about sixty families. Nearly every family the Missionary has visited. There are now four district schools, and three Sunday schools are or have been. When land can be bought here and residents can all become landholders, there may then soon be five times sixty families, and then the era of church-building will surely commence. There will be five, perhaps seven, centers for schools and for religious meetings, and a few hundred children will need care and cultivation. If the large land owners of the present prove to be patriotic and philanthropic, this large area of lowlands, of island groves, of sandy ridges, of bayous, and of muskrat and mink and raccoon homes, of trees stored with the wild bees' honey, of long reaches of river solitudes, with bright, sunny bathing places and fishing grounds in summer time, will soon be a prosperous adn highly desirable portion of the county. Here, in a few years, may be found the gardens and the

(pg. 195)
pasture grounds to supply the manufacturers in the Calumet Region with vegetables and fruits and melons, with milk and butter and honey, with flowers and beef and hay. Here, too, will be large and rich fields of grain.

The temptations in this region will be somewhat peculiar, and here will be needed those safeguards and restraints which faithful Sunday-school teaching will place around the homes, that now are and are yet to be, for securing the virtue of children and youth. It will never do to give up the precious, promising young children, that even now are here, to the temptations around them, to the forces of evil. Sunday schools and churches must be here, and who will help in this "Mission Work?" Contributions for this Kankakee Valley work have been received by the present missionary of the American Sunday-school Union from the near Chicago and from distant Boston, and from New York City a subscription promise has been received for aid in building the first proposed church. Near by are men of means who have financial interests along this Kankakee, and they ought to show an interest in the welfare of the children.

Contributions for this work can be made direct to the missionary at Crown Point, whose field extends into Newton and Jasper and Starke counties, and into La Porte and Porter. In the valley portion of these counties there is work in abundance for more than one to do.

Contributions may be sent also to the society. The American Sunday-School Union, 1122 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, a society that sustains about one hundred missionaries, that publishes excellent library books, and that furnishes the best of undenominatinal papers, quarterlies and lesson helps for hundreds of thousands of

(pg. 196)
children. It is recognized by very many that this society, with "its long and honorable history," is "the most effective agency in our land for the gathering and saving of the neglected children." Business men of Chicago, like Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company, like Marshall Field, adn many others, give nobly to sustain its missionaries. Will not the properous citizens of this rapidly growing Lake county look after the interests of their own Kankakee Valley field?

-T. H. Ball, Missionary.

Pages 197 & 198:
 
 

Author's (T.H. Ball) note: --The last date on page 68 should be 1867.--

At bottom of page:

---Picture of Grace M. Hayden.---
GRACE M. HAYDEN
Born January 25, 1881; Died May 19, 1890
Member of West Creek School
 

Page 199:

---Picture of Mrs. M. J. Dinwiddie--

MRS. M. J. DINWIDDIE
Died March 15, 1888; about 70 years of age.

Gone in the ripeness of a rounded life;
Gone in the fulness of a goodly age,
Gone from this world of sorrow and of strife;
Gone to receive a deathless heritage.

Gone from earth's joys, and from its pain and cares;
Gone from its broken bands, its light and love;
Gone from its beauties, and its toils and snares;
Gone to a brighter, lovelier world above.

In all our gatherings one more vacant place;
She will go in and out at home no more;
But she now sees the Saviour's glorious face;
She rests in peace upon the deathless shore.

For her we need not mourn, we need not weep,
So safe, so blissful in that 'better land,'
Let us make sure that when in death we sleep,
We too, may enter 'mid the 'happy band.' "
-"Poems and Hymns," page 131

Page 200:

When I Am Dead

"How much would I care for it, could I know
That when I am under the grass or the snow--
The ravelled garments of life's brief day
Folded and quietly laid away,
The spirit let loose from mortal bars,
And somewhere away among the stars--
How much do you think it would matter then
What praise was lavished upon me, when,
Whatever might be its stint or store,
It neither could help nor harm me more?

If, while I was toiling, they had but thought
To stretch out a finger, I would have caught
Gladly such aid, to buoy me through
Some bitter duty I had to do: --
Though when it was done they said (maybe
To other), they never said to me,
The word of applause, so craved, whose worth
Had been the supremest boon of earth,
If granted me then--'We are proud to know
That one of ourselves has triumphed so.'

What use for the rope, if it be not flung
Till the swimmer's grasp to the rock has clung?
What help in comrades' bugle blast,
When the peril of Alpine heights is past?
What need that the spurring pæan roll,
When the runner is safe beyond his goal?
What worth in eulogy's bluntest breath,
When whispered in ears that are hushed in death?
No! No! If you have but a word of cheer,
Speak it while I am alive to hear."

~THE END~

Transcribed by Ronnie Aungst [grmira@yahoo.com]

Project began June 23, 2001; Completed November 17, 2001
Source Location:
 The Grand Rapids Public Library
 Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan