The Chesterton Tribune - December 24, 1885
VALPARAISO
Several of our young people attended the Ladies' fair at Kouts the past
week.
The 2nd annual anniversary of the A.O.H. was held in their hall cor. of
Washington and Main sts. Monday night and the members and friends in
large numbers attended.
Several of our merchants regret the departure of one of the citizens who
skipped the town Sunday night, leaving debts amounting to several
hundred dollars.
F. W. Hunt's horse ran away last Monday morning throwing the old
gentleman out, but not injuring him in any way. The horse returned
home.
Jeff Magee who has been very sick is now recovering.
Miss Lulu McCormick is here to take a part in the drama of the Columbian
Society.
Chesterton was well represented here Saturday: amongst the number we
observed was Prof. M. Phares, Edward Bowser, V. Tratebas, john Morgan,
Geo. C. Morgan, and H. H. Loring.
Mr. and Mrs. T. C. White and Mr. F. M. Frasier starts tomorrow for
Florida where they expect to spend the winter.
Messrs. Jacob Horn and John Moran, of Notre Dame, will be home to spend
the holidays with their parents.
Our City Orchestra received much praise from the Earle Co. He said that
in cities five times as large he has not heard their equal.
The funeral of Mrs. Emily Skinner, mother of Ex-Senator Skinner, who
died the past week, was held at the Methodist church last Sunday and was
largely attended.
Rev. Kroll, of Chesterton, was in the city last Sunday. We had the
pleasure of meeting him and find a very agreeable gentleman.
The Columbians will present a drama the evening of Dec. 29th. Colleen
Bawn is the title of their play and will be presented as all former
dramas the Columbians rendered in first class style.
C.W. Dickover started for Indianapolis last Saturday to bring home
Samuel Herher from the insane asylum.
A number of cheap book stores are now occupying all the empty store
rooms and the auction bell can now be heard at all time.
Mr. Alf Banister our genial hardware man is now the proud father of a
10th girl.
[ typist note: The following pertains to the building of a home for
George Brown. There was a drawing on the top of the page of this
wonderful home. Anyone researching this family would be advised to
obtain a copy of the drawing in the issue of December 24, 1885.]
Description
This home has been built during the present year in a charming location
adjoining Chesterton, Ind. It commands a beautiful view of the
surrounding country. The front and side shown in the above sketch faces
south and east. The outside walls are built of selected cheery colored
brick with moulded brick at window and door openings, and angles of
chimneys. The walls are relieved by bands of stone, as are also
windows. There are two panels of raised tile in front chimney, in blue
and brown; chimney is braced by handsome wrought iron brace. There is a
wide veranda on South and east sides. On east side, on level with roof
is a balcony commanding a beautiful view of surrounding country from the
south, north, east, and west. On roof are gables facing west and east.
Ornamented with raised tiles and colored hammered glass. The house
inside has a spacious hall and doorway. The hall opens into parlor by
large sliding doors, which in turn is connected with the sitting room by
similar doors; both of these rooms have large bay windows. The hall
parlor, sitting room and front bed-room up stairs are finished in
cherry, hammered bronze finish to doors and windows of above rooms.
Also to front and side outside doors; stained and beveled glass in front
door and transom; stained glass in hall doors and transom of parlor,
sitting room and front bed-room; cherry mantel in parlor and bed-room,
overlaid with tile. The stairway is finished in oak and cherry, with an
elaborate carved newel post. The finish on the wood work in parlor,
sitting room and hall is in cherry; the kitchen and dining room is in
oak. The finish on the wood work of the other rooms is in different
colors. The ceilings in hall, parlor, sitting room, and four other
rooms are richly frescoed. The walls of these rooms are relieved by
paper of very rich material and color. Bathroom in the second story;
hot and cold water. There is a large room in the attic, neatly
finished, which can be used as a ball room. The house is heated
throughout by furnaces; hot and cold water supply throughout. In the
basement is the laundry with all conveniences.
The plans of this building were made by Cicero Hine, Architect, of
Chicago. The contractors are: Nathan Demass, Chesterton, Wood-work;
Henry Lembster, Valparaiso, Brick-work; Chris Lembke, Plaster; Swan
Nilson, Chesterton, Painter and Frescoer. The work under the charge of
these respective gentlemen, has progressed admirably, and according to
the wishes of the architect. All material in the building is of
superior quality and is put in place with a masterly manner. The
furnishing of the house has not been accomplished, but will in all
probability be done by next spring. The furniture will be made
expressly for the house by a Grand Rapids firm.
MR.GEORGE BROWN
For whom this magnificent building is being erected, is a farmer,
well-known throughout the northern part of the state. In life he has
been a successful man. Starting with nothing but his hands and brain,
he has risen to the possessing of a handsome fortune. He is a pioneer
settler of Jackson township, having settled there when it was a
wilderness. When land was cheap, and covered with forests he secured
much of it, and then cut off the timber into lumber and wood. Some
years he sold as high as three and four thousand cords of wood to the
brick yards. He also dealt largely in grain and stock. About two years
ago Mr. Brown concluded to partially retire from the active life he had
been leading and secured a handsome farm adjoining Chesterton, and on
his he has erected the above residence in which to spend the remainder
of his days. George Brown is an Englishman by birth. He emigrated to
the United States in 1852. For a time he lived in New York, state, but
then being a shrewd, energetic young man, was attracted to the "New
West" by the superior inducements then offered. He first landed in
Indiana at Laporte, but shortly after settled in Jackson township, this
county. Here he thrived, and reared his family. His marriage was in
1855, to Charity A. Carter. The children are: Mary J., Josiah J.,
Jerome, George M., James, Elizabeth C., Charles W., Anna M., and Carrie.
Three of these children are married and possess handsome farms in
various parts of the county.
The politics of the subject of this sketch is unmixed, Jacksonian
democracy. As a partisan, he has always been recognized as one whose
position was known in the world outspoken, uncompromising, and an
indefatigable worker. At the time of the candidacy for congress of the
late Hon. John N. Skinner, on the Greenback and Democratic ticket, Mr.
Brown, Mr. Skinner's ardent advocate tireless in his efforts, and ever
alert to improve a fair opportunity for vantage ground. All efforts,
however, of the supporters of Mr. Skinner were futile, and Mr. Brown,
with his co-workers, accepted with the dignity of a philosopher, the
defeat, the inevitable result of the political landslide. However, the
success of the democrats in 1884 in electing Cleveland, Hendricks and
Gray, wiped out all previous disappointment. Although a great worker in
politics, Mr. Brown is no office-seeker. He wants no office within the
gift of man, and would under no circumstances accept one, were it
offered.
SHE WANTED TO RUN THE SCHOOL
Lib Willis, famous for her temper and her love for her boy, is again in
trouble. Last Friday she closed up the Chesterton Public school, and
furnished much trouble for the teachers. The cause of the whole trouble
is "that boy of hers". He is a ten-ton package of dynamite done up in a
forty pound bundle. Full of the old Nick, he can make more trouble in a
minute than a whole school could in a month. But the worst of it is that
the mother backs him in every thing he does. If he picks a fight, she
will sail in with him and lick the whole community, if necessary to
obtain the rights(?) of that precious boy. It was this course of action
that brought on the crisis last Friday. The teachers of the school were
driven almost crazy by the pair, and at last the boy was suspended.
When Mrs. Willis heard of this, her rage knew no bounds. Thursday
evening she went to Prosecutor Coulter and vened her wrath on him, and
told him what she would do. The next day she sent the boy to school,
and shortly after school had called in the morning, the mother came
marching into the school-room to see that those teachers taught "her
boy." Her first act was to slam the book-case door shut, and seat
herself in a chair. When the arithmetic class was called up to recite,
Mrs. Willis ordered Johnny to go up and recite, the teacher forbid him
coming to the class, and ordered the woman out of the building. She
allowed she didn't have to go, and go she didn't. The woman then began
insulting the teachers, threw snow at them, and finally, it was
necessary to dismiss the children. In the afternoon the scene was
repeated. The principal, Mr. Phares, finally swore out a warrant for
her arrest. The trial was before Justice Gondring Friday, late in the
afternoon. Mrs. Willis was ably defended by Homer Tilottson, but the
Justice after hearing all the evidence, fined her $25 and costs. On
conviction the woman went hysterics, the scene for a time was frightful.
Although guilty of the charges against her, and nothing to offer to
excuse her conduct the prosecuting attorney asked that the find be
remitted on condition that she would sign a paper, to the effect that
she would never disturb the school again. The Justice consented, but she
indignantly refused to do so. The fine was the lightest that could be
imposed under the law, so as she would not accept mercy, and had no
money to pay the fine, she was taken to jail.
On reaching Valparaiso, Mrs. Willis consulted Lawyer Jones, who obtained
for her an appeal bond, and through the kindness of Constable Tratevas,
she was allowed to return to Chesterton to get signers for it. Up till
Tuesday she was unsuccessful in her efforts to get bondsman, and unless
it is speedily done, she will be taken back and placed in jail. It is
very probably that the boy will be sent to reform school. Should he be
placed in that institution, it would prove a blessing, not only to the
town, but to the mother and boy himself, for then he might turn out to
amount to something.