Henry R. McDonald, farmer and lumberman, was born in Canada in 1831. He is one of nine children, living, born to Walter and Betsy (Dean) McDonald, the former a native of New Brunswick and the latter of New York. The elder McDonald was drafted into the British service in the war of 1812, and two of his sons were in the Canadian rebellion. The McDonald’s came from Scotland and settled in New York, but at the Declaration of Independence they went to Canada; but the last generation has settled under Uncle Sam’s protection. Senator McDonald is a distant relative, and the name is well known in Scottish history. When Mr. McDonald was thirteen years old, his father died, and three years later he went to New York and farmed for five or six years, with the exception of one year in Michigan. He then spent about a year in Wisconsin. He was married in 1850, to Martha Wilson, born in Dublin, Ireland. He then went to St. Paul, Minn., but in about a year he came to his present settlement, now known as Furnessville, and is the oldest settler now living there. He was employed about five years at lumbering, and then began lumbering for himself, and is now one of our largest land owners, and is the largest tax payer in Westchester; a member of both the F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F. He was, up to the Garfield campaign, a Democrat, but has since been a Republican. He has six children living - Charles, Martha Jones, Fannie Lynn, Abbie, Henry and Mary.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 304 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Hugh Fickle is a native of Perry County, Ohio, and is a son of William and Ann Fickle. His grandfather was a native of Germany; came to America and purchased land, for which, owing to previous claims, he had to pay a second and third time. Hugh Fickle received but a meager education in Ohio, among the hills; he was married in Perry County, Ohio, to Miss Isabella Hazlett, who died February 12, 1862, leaving two children - Sarah J. and Martha A. (both deceased). Having received 320 acres of woodland from his father, he built a house and began clearing, on which he lived until 1864. Of this he gave 160 acres to each of his daughters, sold the balance, and removed to Porter County. In 1864, he purchased 340 acres; then went to Ohio, where he purchased the old farm. On returning, he purchased his present place; he has considerable stock, and usually ships two car-loads of hogs every year; his second marriage was to Mrs. Oliver, to which union there have been born three children - David B., Charles A. and John H. Mr. and Mrs. Fickle are members of the United Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Fickle has been a Ruling Elder for thirty years.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 320 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

James E. Bryant, stock, hay and grain dealer, is a native of Boone Township, Porter Co., Ind., and is one of the seven children of Simeon and Elizabeth (McCauley) Bryant, the former a native of Pennsylvania, the latter of Ohio. The first instruction of James E. Bryant was in a long house in this township; later, he attended college in Valparaiso for two years, and finally Bloomington University for one year. In 1862, he enlisted in Company I, Fifth Indiana Cavalry, in which he served nearly three years, during which he was a prisoner seven months, having been captured at Sunshine Church, Ga. He was discharged June 7, 1865, at Indianapolis. On April 27, 1871, he was married to Miss S. S. Pratt, daughter of C. N. and Sophia Pratt. They have one child, Nellie M. In 1869, he engaged in the hardware line with his brother, D. L. Bryant, of whom he purchased the stock and continued the business until 1878, when he adopted his present one. Mr. Bryant now owns the warehouse and half-inters in a hay barn with M. J. Stinchfield, under the firm of J. E. Bryant & Co. Mr. Bryant owns 320 acres, having disposed of 240 in 1881. He has been Township Trustee two years, and Postmaster at Hebron for twelve years. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 317 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

James N. Buchanan, United Presbyterian minister was born December 10, 1824, in the State of Ohio, and is the fourth child of Thomas and Nancy (Reed) Buchanan, both of Scotch-Irish descent. The boyhood of James N. Buchanan was passed partly in Licking County, and partly in Muskingum County, Ohio, where he entered Muskingum College at New Concord at fourteen years of age, where he remained nearly ten years. In the interim he taught a school, and graduated in 1848. He then entered the Theological Seminary at Oxford (now Xenia), Ohio, remaining until graduation in 1851, when he was licensed to preach. He removed to Hebron, Porter Co., Ind. In 1845, while in college, he was married to Rosanna S. Alexander, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Lorimer) Alexander, of New Concord; she died in 1869, leaving eight children - William T., Nancy, Oscar R., Mary O., Emma A., Samuel A., Carrie M., and James H. His second marriage, to Mrs. Mary A. McCracken, took place in 1870. By the second marriage, he has four living children - Martha A., Rosanna M. Anna G. and Jay T. Mr. Buchanan is a pioneer of Porter County. He now resides on the farm one mile from town, in which he is assisted by his sons.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 317, 318 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Jay Pinney, merchant, was born January 20, 1847, in La Porte County, Ind. He is the eldest of nine children, living, born to Horace and Angeline (Haskill) Pinney, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania; the elder Pinney and his father-in-law were among the first settlers of La Porte County. A peculiar fact concerning the elder Pinney and wife was that she was born without a palate, and his palate was eaten off by medicine. Young Pinney lived with his father in La Porte County until about twenty-three years of age; he was an unusually bright child, and learned very fast. He has had the advantages of High School education; he then went to Kansas for health and business, and after a residence of about fourteen months, bought two car loads of Texas cattle and brought them to Chicago. He now bought a half-interest in a store in Wanatah, La Porte County. After about fourteen months, he came to Chesterton and purchased his present general merchandise store. Mr. Pinney has built up one of the finest trades in the township; his sales, the first pear, amounted to $26,000. He carries an average stock of $6,000; he has been City Treasurer, and has been a Democrat, but votes for the man and principle rather than party. Mr. Pinney was married, June 9, 1874, to Laura E. Hopkins, a native of Chesterton. They have one child, Clara B., born September 9, 1875. Mrs. Pinney is a daughter of Hamilton Hopkins, one of the first merchants of Chesterton, and one of the old settlers; he died in July, 1870. Mr. Pinney is agent for the Studebaker Wagon Company.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 309, 310 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

J. L. McAlpin is a native of Highland County, Ohio, where he lived until eighteen years of age, his father dying when he was one year old. The advantages being poor, he got but a scant education, being necessitated to work on his mother’s farm, and with whom he came to this State and located in Boone Township in 1844. In 1848, he was married to Miss Sarah Dinwiddie, daughter of Thomas Dinwiddie, farmer. By this union there were born nine children - Mary L., Augusta, Eliza J., Susie I., Emma (deceased), Maggie, John S. (deceased), James P. (deceased) and J. D. Mr. McAlpin commenced on sixty acres, then sold, and purchased his present farm of sixty acres, on which he has since lived. To this he has added until his farm now embraces ninety acres, with twenty acres of timber in the wet lands. This farm is one mile south of Hebron, and fine soil. In 1862, Mrs. McAlpin died, and he was married to his second wife, Miss Mary J. Marrow, by whom he has had seven children - Harry, William, Bernard, Carl, Freddie, Ina and Benjamin (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. McAlpin belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 323 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John B. Brough is a native of England, and a son of George and Ann M. Brough, both natives of the same country; his parents came to America in 1831, and located in Susquehanna County, Penn.; his father came to Indiana in 1844, and established his claim to the present homestead, and broke thirteen acres, but did not live to occupy it. John B. Brough came to his present place in 1845, where he has since lived; he began the business of milling before he became of age, in Lake County, which was the first effort there begun. On September 19, 1847, he married to Miss Elizabeth Castleman, a native of Ohio, by whom he and thirteen children - Ellis (deceased), Maria, George P., Elizabeth, Ann C., Emma, Alice, Rebecca, James, William U. A., John (deceased) and Elizabeth (deceased). Mr. Brough owns 120 acres in his present farm and fifty-two in Lake County; he has a good frame residence, and good water privileges. Mr. Brough’s parents endured the hardships and privations of the pioneers, who broke the sod and cleared the land in the early days.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 315, 316 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John B. Lundberg was born January 13, 1840, in Sweden, and is one of seven children born to Charles and Eva C. Lundberg. The elder Lundberg was a tailor and afterward farmer. The mother of our subject having died at his birth, the father married again, and when Mr. Lundberg was about twelve years old they came to the United States and settled in Chicago, where the father soon died. Mr. L. lived with his step-mother, she having married again, until 1866, when he came to Chesterton. He had learned cabinet-making in Chicago, and now began business for himself; besides the furniture business, he erected a turning factory, by which he expected to furnish turned work for the Chicago markets, but, after about four years, the buildings burned; he rebuilt them, and in addition to that went into the broom-handle business. He also bought land, cutting and shipping timber. In 1875, he sold his other interests, and has since confined himself to undertaking and dealing in furniture. He belonged to a Chicago Swedish society for the promotion of education, charity, etc. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken all the Blue Lodge degrees. He has been Township Trustee for six years, also Township Assessor for four years. He has been a Republican, but is not a member of the National party. He was married in the spring of 1871 to Phebe A. Hammond, a native of New York. He has one child - Eva C.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 304 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John Gidley is a native of England, and a son of John and Mary (Maddock) Gidley, both natives of England. His parents came to America in 1833, and moved to Porter County, Ind., in 1840, locating one mile east of Hebron, where they died. Owing to the early apprentice system of England, our subject obtained by a meager education before his tenth year, when he was bound to a farmer, from whom his unexpired term of six years was purchased when he came away. On coming to this country, he engaged in boating on Lake Erie, and afterward drove stage to Michigan, and reached Porter County, Ind., in 1838. At Shelbyville, Shelby Co., Ind., December 12, 1837, he was married to Miss Mary Davis, daughter of Archibald and Sandal Davis, a native of Kentucky. To this union succeeded eight children - Mary S., Elizabeth A., (deceased), Sarah (deceased), John A., Louisa P., Andrew B., Henry W. (deceased) and George W. Mr. Gidley first farmed on rented land, afterward, purchasing twenty acres, and adding forty, and later, eighty acres thereto, until he had 180, on which he lived until 1879, when he retired to Hebron, to live in ease and comfort. Mr. and Mrs. Gidley are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and among the first in Hebron at its organization. Mr. Gidley has been Steward and Trustee for thirty years.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 321 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John G. Morgan was born September 12, 1832, near Kingsbury, La Porte Co., Ind. He is the youngest of five children, living, born to Jesse and Jane (Cisna) Morgan, the former of Virginia, and the latter born near Detroit, Mich. (For account of the settlement of the elder Morgan, see the general history of Westchester and the county). When John was but six months old, they moved to what is now Porter County, and settled in the present Morgan settlement, and bought a quarter section of the finest land in the county, and pre-empted another quarter. Here the family was reared, inured to the hardships of pioneer life, with limited means of education but with a love for reading that supplies the want. Jesse Morgan died when John G. was twenty-one years old; the latter still lived with the family up to 1867. In 1869, he was married to Mary A. Holland, a native of Canada. Her parents came from Ireland. The homestead was divided in 1867, and our subject received 177 acres, and has since added until he now owns about 381 acres, with good buildings; he has a fine grove, much used for picnics, etc. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. of twenty-six years’ standing. He has always been a Democrat, but is liberal in local affairs. He is one of our most intelligent and thoroughgoing farmers, and among our first citizens. He as three children living - Bently J., Agnes C. and Annie H.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 306 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John K. Blackstone, physician and surgeon, is a native of Ohio, and the second of the eight children born to William and Julia M. (Doddridge) Blackstone; the former was a physician, and a native of Virginia; he died March 17, 1877, aged eighty-three years; the latter a Pennsylvania, who is still living, aged seventy-six years. John K. Blackstone commenced his education in a common school at Waverly, Ohio, and afterward attended the Ohio University for five years. In 1846, he enlisted for the war with Mexico, in Company E, Second Ohio Regiment, and became Second Lieutenant. On his return, he read medicine with his father, also attending a course of lectures at Louisville, Ky., and afterward at Cleveland, Ohio, where he graduated in 1848. He commenced practice in Athens County, Ohio, but came to Hebron, Ind., in 1856, where he is not the oldest living practitioner, and has limited the practice among his former friends. On February 11, 1858, he married Miss Margaret J. Bryan, a native of Boone Township, and the fist white child born therein, a daughter of Simeon and Elizabeth Bryan. Mr. and Mrs. Blackstone have four children - William B., John K., Lilian E., and Benjamin E. Mrs. Blackstone is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 315 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John L. Baker was born in Kosciusko county, Ind., and is a son of Philip and Maria Baker, both of whom died in Kosciusko County. He received a common school education of the day, and at the age of seventeen learned the trade of a shoemaker, which he abandoned soon, but again returned to, and has since followed as a life business. In 1869, he came to Hebron, Porter County, Ind., where he now has a leading ship, most centrally located, and which does a large a business as any other shop in the town. On the 1st of October, 1874, he was united in marriage to Miss Florence Thomas, a daughter of Eugene Thomas, a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have a family of two children, both living - Irvin E. and Maud F. Mr. Baker is a member of the order of Free and Accepted Masons. He is a good and worthy citizen.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 314 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John McIntyre is a native of Washington County, Penn., and moved to Ohio with his parents, where he resided from the time of his tenth year until manhood. In the month of March, 1848, he was married to Miss Rebecca Carson, a native of Ireland, whose parents were farmers. In 1852, Mr. McIntyre settled on his present farm of 120 acres, which he had recently purchased. He has a good place, and cultivates corn, oats and hay. Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre have had a family of six children - Samuel, who is in Colorado; Robert, deceased; James, deceased; William A., Robert and Rebecca A., who are single and live at home.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 323 Boone Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John Murphy, cooper, was born June 15, 1823, in Ireland. He is one of three children born to martin and Mary (Byrne) Murphy, both natives of Ireland. When nineteen years of age, Mr. Murphy came to the United States and settled in South Hero Island, Lake Champlain, for two years, when he went to Montezuma, N. Y. After about two years, he went to a town near Auburn, N. Y., and stayed until he came to City West in the fall of 1857. After a four years’ residence here, he went to Chicago and remained a year. He then came to Chesterton and was engaged as foreman in Mr. Hopkins’ shops for about six years, when he established shops of his own, but was at one time in partnership with Messrs. Thomas & Hopkins. He is an excellent workman and ships a large amount of stock to the Chicago market. He has been a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, and has been trained in the Catholic Church. He has held the office of Township Trustee and other offices. He has always been a Democrat, with the exception of the Whig and war periods. He is a thoroughly conscientious man, of broad information and good judgement, and a citizen of sterling worth. He was married, June 18, 1848, to Mary Dooley, a native of Rochester, N. Y. They have seven children living - Mary R., Edward, James, Frank, Joseph, Lucy and Ella.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 306, 307 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John Thomas, ex-merchant, and retired, was born in 1822, in Ohio. He was one of eight children born to William and Ann (Armstrong) Thomas, both natives of Ohio. They came from Ohio to La Porte (city) when John was quite young; here they bought land, but after about two years they came to Westchester, and with, the Morgans, were the first families to settle in the township. The Thomas’s owned considerable land, including the present plat of Chesterton, of which they gave to the railroad company its present grounds, and then laid out the surrounding land in lots, which have grown into the present Chesterton. The town has grown around the old homestead, in which Mr. Thomas’ sister is now living. John lived at home till nearly thirty-five years of age. The three brothers - John, William and Vincent - were partners in a saw mill, and as merchants in the building at present occupied by Taylor, Bros., and had the leading business for years. The three dissolved; then John and William were partners until the death of the latter. They also carried on a coopering business for a number of years. John carried on the milling and farming until about 1877, when, on account of ill health, he retired from business. He has been a member of both Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities, and was among the founders of the lodges in Chesterton. In religious belief, he has been a Universalist. In politics, he has been a firm Democrat. He was married, November 18, 1836, to Jane Scott, a native of La Grange County, Ind. She lived for a time with Mr. Arnold’s family in Constantine, Mich., a member of the noted Constantine Band; S. D. Crane, ex-County Superintendent of La Grange County, a lawyer, is a half-brother. She is in religious belief a Presbyterian. They have two children - Louis and Rose A.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 313 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

John T. Taylor, merchant, was born December 28, 1844, in Philadelphia, Penn. He is one of eight children born to William and Ann (Jenkins) Taylor, both natives of Wales. The elder Taylor was a machinist by occupation. When our subject was about seven years old, they moved from Philadelphia to Cincinnati, where they remained three years. In 1855, they removed to La Porte, Ind., and the following year to Michigan City, where they remained until they came to Chesterton in 1860. John T. had the advantages of the city schools in the above-named places. At Chesterton, they engaged in farming until February of 1861, when he entered his present store as clerk. It was then owned by L. B. Osborn, afterward by the other parties. After a clerkship of nearly three years, he went to Chicago, and soon enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-seventy Illinois; was soon promoted to the office of Second Lieutenant, and was mustered out February, 1866. On returning to Chesterton, he entered into partnership under the firm names of Taylor & Osborn, which existed one year; then Taylor & Quick, which lasted ten years. It then changed, and took the name it bears at present - Taylor Brothers - consisting of our subject and his brother, Richard O. Taylor, who was born August 18, 1856, in Michigan City. He clerked in South Chicago for a time before this firm was formed. They are the only grain dealers in the place, carrying a stock of from $10,000 to $20,000. Mr. Taylor is a member of both Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. In 1866, he was Postmaster. Mr. Taylor has been a Democrat, but of late years is independent, rather favoring the National principles. He was married December 28, 1866, to Mary E. Segar, a native of New York. They have two children - William A. and Mabel C.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 312, 313 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing

Joseph Swanson, merchant, was born in 1826, in Sweden. He is one of twelve children born to Eric and Mary Swanson, both natives of Sweden. When twenty-three years of age, Joseph left home, where he had been clerking in his father’s store, and came to the United States and settled in Boston, where he remained a year and a half, engaged in coopering; he then went to New Bedford, Mass., and after a year he joined a whaling vessel, and was on the ocean for twelve years, mostly in the Pacific, leaving the Arctic Ocean in August and going South to the Sandwich Island, New Zealand, Australia, African coast, etc. He was in the Atlantic the first two years; he made two Arctic Ocean trips, and then returned to New Bedford, and went to Sweden, on a three weeks’ visit there and in other countries bordering on the Northern waters; he then came back to New Bedford and started for California, remaining in San Francisco for about fifteen months, when he came to Porter P. O. and started his store, and dwelling, a large, fine frame, in which he has a stock of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, hardware, etc., worth about $1,000, with a good trade. He has always been a Republican; he is a man of extensive experience and travel, and one of our leading business men. He was married, in 1865, to Johannah Pillman, a native of Sweden. They have five children - Gust, Charley, John, Ida, and Emily.

Source: “Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” Goodspeed and Blanchard, 1882 page 312 Westchester Township
Data entry volunteer: Suzan Schaeffing