Welcome to Lake County, Indiana's Historical Notes Page

I wasn't quite sure of what to name this page so it's Historical Notes for now. It contains various information that doesn't fit on the other pages but not enough of one subject to have it's own page. These are tidbits of info that I have found in various non-copyrighted sources. Even though it is not copyrighted, the contents of this page are now the intellectual property of me and/or Rootsweb and therefore permission to use it should obtained beforehand. My objective is to get as many names as possible on these pages that will be of use to someone researching their family history. Hopefully this page will answer some "where's", "when's" and "who's" for someone out there and give more clues as to the approach they should use in researching.

Suggestion: Click your right mouse button, click on "view source" or whatever sounds close, and search/find the name in the document faster.

Excerpts from family histories and biographies found in T.H. Ball's 1873 book "Lake County 1834-1872"

The Holton Family

William Holton came from England in the ship Francis in 1634; he died 1691; John Holton died 1712; William Holton died 1757; John Holton died 1797; Joel Holton born 1738; Alexander Holton born 1779; J.W. Holton born 1807.

The Dinwiddie Family

David has been the favorite of this family line. Records have been burnt or lost containing the dates of David Dinwiddie, 1st; 2nd; 3rd; 4th. Then follow David Dinwiddie 5th born 1724; David 6th born 1755; Thomas Dinwiddie 1787; a brother of Thomas, David Dinwiddie 7th, 1792; John W. Dinwiddie 1813(wife-M.J. Dinwiddie, plus 3 sons); a brother of David Dinwiddie, the 8th, 1816; Oscar Dinwiddie 1845. In the time of Washington someone with this family name was also the Governor of Virginia.

The Ball Family

Francis Ball came from England in 1640; Jonathan Ball born 1645; Benjamin Ball born 1689; Charles Ball 1st, born 1725, Charles Ball 2nd born 1760; Hervey Ball born 1794; T.H. Ball born 1826; Herbert S. Ball born 1856.

Sketches of Early settlers where other family members are mentioned. If a family member is not mentioned I do not have information on them.

  • Solon Robinson's wife-Maria Robinson.

  • Hon. Lewis Warriner..."His wife, an estimable woman, Mrs. Sabra Warriner, two sons and two daughters, composed the family." Mentions the "sickly season" of 1838 where mother and youngest daughter were laid to rest "in that now neglected mound on the bank of the lake." (Cedar Lake) "His surviving children both having married and left the county, he, in 1856, went to reside with his son, Edwin B. Warriner, at Kankakee, Illinois, and afterwards with his daughter, Mrs. James A. Hunt. He died at his son-in-laws residence at Prairie grove, Fayette County, Ark., May 14, 1869."

  • Samuel Turner Sr. mentions-Samuel Turner Jr. married daughter of W. G. McGlashon of Crown Point. He died of a lingering disease in 1864. Another son, James B. Turner Esq. of Crown Point died Aug. 14, 1866. One daughter, Miss S.P. Turner, still lives at Eagle Creek. One son, T.J. Turner, prominent politician and lawyer in City of Chicago. Third of the survivors of this family is Judge David Turner of Crown Point.

  • David Bryant- Came to Pleasant Grove 1835. Wife died in March, 1836 and was buried on Morgan Prairie. He married again Dec. 2, 1837. This was the first marriage ceremony, so far as records show (in 1873) in Lake county. License obtained in Valparaiso.

  • Hon. Bartlett Woods. May 25, 1836, Bartlett Woods left London, England, landed at New York and came to Michigan City IN. in August. March 1837 he made claim in Lake Co., made improvements in 1838. Married a daughter of Samuel Sigler.

  • Charles Hayward-settled in 1837. Another Hayward family settled near, both from England.

  • Samuel Sigler-Made a claim near Turkey Creek 1837. He had four sons and three daughters. One daughter marrying Bartlett Woods, another marrying Joseph Mundell, and another --- Walton on Twenty Mile Prairie. Son Samuel is a merchant at Wheeler, Eli and Daniel merchants at Hebron, and William a merchant at Lowell. Samuel Sr. died before 1872.

  • Dudley Merrill and his brother William came in 1837. William died many years before 1873. One of Dudley's two sons, John P. Merrill, was Township Trustee. L. Merrill carried on a cheese factory and farm west of the village. Centreville was changed to Merrillville after this family.

  • William N. Sykes never married. Died August, 1853. "His brother, who has a large family, now resides upon the farm(1873).

  • John Hack- from Hanover, Wurtemburg Germany. Born in 1787 in a Rhine province that passed from possession of France to Prussia. Settled with a large family in 1837 on the western part of Prairie West. Died in 1856. Two of his sons were residents of Crown Point. One, M. Hack, kept the hotel and died before 1873. The other, J. Hack, carried on a blacksmith and wagon shop.

  • Henry Sasse, Sen. came from Michigan with a small family. His oldest son Henry Sasse Jr. lived on the Farlow farm on the west side of Cedar Lake.

  • Joseph Schmal, one of the four Germans who settled on Prairie West in 1838...died before 1873. Son Joseph Schmal, resident farmer at Brunswick. Another son, Adam Schmal, county Treasurer, moved to Crown Point in 1866.

    John Krost
    Became a resident in April, 1853, first as clerk in the store of Sanders, at Hobart, for a year, then as clerk in the store of Hale and Kenney at Merrillville for about six years. Then for the next two years as farmer. Elected in 1862 as County Treasurer and held the office until 1867. In 1868 he was elected Auditor for at least two terms. He has a pleasant home on Main street and enjoys with his family the advantages of position, comforts and refinement. His three sons, Frederick, Joseph and John, are distinguished among the boys at Crown Point for their politeness; and if they continue to practice their present qualities they will be quite sure to unfold a noble type of manhood.

    Zerah F. Summers
    A son of Benjamin Summers, of Ohio, came to Crown Point in Nov. 1854. County Surveyor in about 1856, County Clerk from 1859 to 1867. Married daughter of Ambrose S. Thomas, of New York.

    James H. Luther
    Settled in LaPorte County in 1833 and married a Lake County girl, Miss P.A. Flint in 1840. Became a resident in Lake County in 1849. Married as a second wife Mrs. M.M. Mills. In 1852 he was elected Justice of the Peace.

    Mrs. Mariah Robinson
    From Crown Point Register March 7, 1872- "Mrs. Robinson was born November 16, 1799, near Philadelphia, in which city her early life was spent. She was married to Solon Robinson Cincinnati on the 12th of May, 1828..." "In 1852 her desertion by her husband, leaving her with the care of her four children, at an age when a father's influence is most needed, left her worse than widowed. Yet through the twenty remaining years of her life, in which griefs have multiplied, having buried both her sons in early manhood, she has nevertheless maintained her characteristic cheerfulness..." She died February 28, 1872 at the residence of her son-in-law Frank S. Bedell. Her two daughters, Mrs. J. S. Strait, of Minnesota, and Mrs. L.G. Bedell, were with her during her last days.

    Teachers

    "Teachers of Lake, remember your mottoes, act with diligence, and let us do something worthy of ourselves and of our enterprising age" -T.H. Ball 1872

    J.W. Youche, Mary Martin, Jennie Belshaw, M.A. Foster, Helen Granger, Jas. M. Wise, E. McCaulay, W.E. Abbott, Jas. T. Herrick, N.A. Sturges, C.R. Jarvis, Clemmon Granger, L.R. Thomas, Charlott Holton, S.S. Erb, A.L. Thompson, A.J. Beatie, O.F. Benjamin, F. McDonald, Anna Wilcox, M.L. Clark, E. Lathrop, Henry Sasse Jr., A.F. Coffin.

    O. H. Spencer
    Came to Lake County in 1848 living in or near Hobart. Taught his first school in 1852, when near 16 years of age, and has taught in this and in Porter County for forty-seven terms. His wife has taught in the same region twenty-seven terms.

    Rev. H. Wason
    Native of Massachusetts, for many years a resident pastor at Vevay, Indiana, became the first pastor of Lake Prarie Church in 1856. Both he and his wife, (who is a woman of sterling qualities, an excellent pastor's wife, a good singer), have been successful teachers. Their eldest daughter graduated at Oxford recently and the younger is now a student at that seminary. Their son, attending the Wabash college for a season now concentrating on the cultivation of the farm.

    Melvin A. Halstead
    In 1845 he settled at the south end of Lake Prarie. Went to California when the gold discoveries were made. Erected as trustee, the Lowell Schoolhouse, and building with others, the brick factory, he disposed once more of all his Lowell interests and returned to the Pacific coast to resume his business of accumulation.

    From: BKCURTIS@prodigy.net (Kenneth R Curtis) Joseph Louis Kertesz was an original member of Gary Police Force c1908. Was one of the two dectectives appt. to force in Jan. 1911. Brothers Stephen J. and John. Married Elizabeth Rose Aszmongya. She died in 1919 and he in 1922, both of TB.