Unconnected History Tib Bits

These are notes that might be lost in a notebook or thrown away if handwritten into a notebook. Url's can be listed better here and accessed better from here than handwriting out and re-typing in and no room for error in the transcription both times as is copied and pasted in as an "anchor link" direct from site when visited.

William Herschell In the poem “The Borrowed Cottage” describes a trip to a friend’s cottage on Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver , Indiana, a small town in the northwestern part of the state.

Otto Stark professpr in the Herron Art Insitute "The storm on Lake Maxinkuckee" - a painting - Oct 38 1915 - Richmond Item (Indiana)

... No. 2 Eighteen and a half years ols. Student at Culver. Has an income of $7000 per annum from investments, presumably in Lake Maxinkuckee fish. Play a victrola and wants to liv in Scranten, Pa. Discribes himmself as loveable. - Salt Lake Tribune (Utah) Jan 16, 1919

Kill a Catawampus...[From the Cuervi, N. M. Clipper] A ctawompus, a hideous animal rarely seen in North America...The monstor resembles a crocodile, except that it has a long neck and long, narrow head with a sindle sharp horn extending out of the Crown. Its. teeth are song and sharp, and it is large brilliant eyes stand out on either side of its heard, not unlike those of a girafeee. Its legs are much longer than those of a crocodile, enabling it to travel at a rapid rate of speed, so fast that it would require a speedin horse to keep pace with it. Its tail is about eight feet lone, tapering down to a sharp p oint at the end. Nearly two feet of the point of the tails is a hard, bone-like substance, which is used by the animal as a weapon of offense and defense. Its four feet resembeles those of a bear, the toes having long, sharp claw. The animals back and sides are coverd with circular, oval-like plates of verious ziesa, not unlike as old roman shield, from the center of which exrends a spear-like point... This is the second catawampus know to been killed in North America. The first was killed by the late Capt. Edward Gardner, at Lake Maxinkuckee, Indiana, in 1884 - - Dec 15, 1930 Culver Citizen

Art Insitute Notes

Chat & Chatter

Aubee-Naubee

Stereograph Collection ca. 1860–1939; Indiana Historical Society.
Collection # P 0402
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

Scope and Content:
The collection contains stereographs of scenes taken in various parts of Indiana. Most were made by Indiana photographers, but some were published by companies outside of Indiana.

Series 13: Chas. P. Curtis (Argos, Ind.), ca. 1900–36
People standing outside rural house with windmill (2 views); Lake View Hotel, Lake Maxinkuckee, Culver , Ind.

Series 32: Keen Bro. (Culver , Ind.), ca. 1890s–ca. 1910
Cannons on a lawn [Culver Military Academy?]; the Vandalia Railroad Station and Colonnade Hotel in Culver ; railroad track by Lake Maxinkuckee; the Culver Cottage; [ice by the lake?].

Series 60: Unknown photographers, larger size (4 x 7), ca. 1870s–1898
... people waiting at train depot. [Culver , Ind.?]: boaters on Lake Maxinkuckee with the Union View Co. Photo Pavillion [Pavilion] in background, 1883....

14 Jan 1931 pg. 8 James W. Beatty cottager pays tribute to lake and are with poem - "Barren Monuments" - reference to the Southeast side of the lake and Washington Cemetery.

Friday, February 6, 1925
Rocherster Sentinel
Thaddeus TOLCOTT, 78 a retired manufacturer of Buffalo, N.Y., died at 11:40 o'clock Thursday night at the home of his friends, Mr. and Mrs Carl PFEIL, south Jefferson street, whom he came to visit last November with his daughter. He had spent the summer of 1924 at Lake Maxinkuckee. Death was due to complications incident to old age.

Mr. Tolcott is survived by a daughter, Louise [TOLCOTT], of this city, and a son, Rodney [TOLCOTT] of South Bend. The deceased was a member of the Masonic lodge. The body will be taken to Buffalo, N.Y, where burial will be made in Forest Lawn cemetery.

25 Feb. 1931 Culver Citizen - George H. Thayer Jr., pioneer cottager at south end of Lake Maxinkuckee extrolled by Plymouth Church....St. Thomas Church....

Rochester Sentinal Saturday, October 1, 1881
A wedding occurred at the residence of Isaac ALEXANDER, Tuesday evening, at which his daughter, Ilda [ALEXANDER] was united in marriage to David SMITH, of Maxinkuckee lake. Rev. Dr. Wm. HILL, of this city, officiated. There were only a few invited guests. . . .

From the Rochester Sentinal, Wednesday, September 9, 1885:
Mrs. Ilda (ALEXANDER) SMITH, daughter of Ike ALEXANDER, died last Tuesday night. She had been married but a short time over a year, when the angel of death came and carried her away. The services were held in the Baptist church. We sympathize heartily with the friends and relatives who have been brought to mourn the loss of one f ull of life and vigor, but we must all sooner or later succumb to the inevitable.

[Rochester I.O.O.F. cem records show she was bur September 3, 1885; F ulton Co Ind M.R. show Mary Ida ALEXANDER m., October 30, 1883, David H. SMITH]

volume III, part 1 of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar. ---------------------------- Count Sobieski Steel, justice of the peace at Uniontown, Kan., was born at Port Byron, Cayuga county, New York, Oct. 30, 1833, son of Elisha and Mary (Hadden) Steel, the former born in Connecticut in 1801, and died at Logansport, Ind., May 29, 1848, and the mother was born in New York in 1804 and died at Mishawaka, Ind., April 28, 1860.

The Steel family camefrom Essex, England, the first American member of the family being John Steel, who immigrated to this country, in 1631, and located in New Town, now Cambridge, Mass. His fifth descendant was Jobe Steel, Count S. Steel's grandfather. Jobe Steel married Olive Stoddard, served in the American army during the war of 1812, and died in February, 1813, while home on furlough. His first child was Elisha, Count's father. Elisha Steel was reared on the lake and learned to be a boat builder on the Erie canal and at Port Byron. In 1825 he married Mary Hadden and in 1843, accompanied by his wife and seven children, went by way of the canal and the great lakes to Loganport, Ind., where he built canal boats until his death. Count S. Steel secured very little early education, as he attended school only seven terms—two in New York state and the rest at Logansport. Since that time his education has been acquired by his own efforts, and he is a well informed man.

Soon after his father's death Count S. started out in life for himself. He first shipped as cook on a canal boat, the "Mill Boy," which ran to Lafayette and Toledo, and on the homeward trip served as boat driver on the "S. Taylor." He then returned to Logansport and gave his savings to his mother. During the winter of 1848-49 he attended school, and in 1851 shipped on a canal packet as cabin boy, making the run from Toledo, Ohio, to Terre Haute, Ind., on the Wabash and Erie canal. In 1852 his mother married James Pratt and the family moved to the latter's farm in Marshall county, Ind. In August of that year, Count S. returned to Logansport and started to learn the blacksmith trade, but in May, 1853, became steward of a hotel at Logansport. In June he gave that up and went to Rochester, Ind., and started in again to learn his trade, and also to make wrought iron from the ore. In November he left the forge and went to Peoria, Ill., and commenced smithing for Shepler & Reding of that city, but soon left to become engineer on a boat called the "Chief Engineer." With it he made the trip to St. Louis, Mo., where the boat was laid up for the winter and Mr. Steel became caretaker or watchman. In the spring of 1854 he shipped on the same boat, as assistant engineer, and worked in that capacity until the close of navigation in the fall. He then returned to Indiana and opened a blacksmith shop about one mile from MAXINKUCKEE LAKE. He became convinced that there was still much to be learned about his trade and, with forty-five cents in his pocket, started and walked to LaPorte and secured a job in a carriage shop. In October he reached Chicago and, having no money, hunted for work at his trade. Not being successful , he shipped on a canal boat as steersman. He made the trip from Chicago to LaSalle, Ill., where he left the boat and went down the Illinois river to Peoria. He began work in a carriage shop there, and it was in Peoria that he cast his first vote, for John C. Fremont. He remained in Peoria until the spring of 1857 and then returned to Marshall county, Indiana. He worked in a carriage factory there for a year and then moved his mother and sisters to Mishawaka, Ind. The next year the Mishawaka Carriage & Wagon Company was organized and Mr. Steel became a member of the firm and stockholder, but continued to work at the forge. In 1858 he ironed a two-seated cutter that took the highest award at the United States Fair at Chicago.

On March 4, 1859, Mr. Steel married Elizabeth M. Collins, of Mishawaka, and the next year they started to drive from Indiana to Kansas, arriving at Fort Scott, June 16, 1860. On July 12, they came to Marion township and Mr. Steel opened a blacksmith shop at Rockford, but in the fall of 1861 began farming on a homestead, which he preëmpted.

On Aug. 22, 1862, he enlisted in the Second Kansas battery, commanded by Maj. C. W. Blair. On Oct. 28, 1863, he was commissioned first lieutenant of Company G, Fourteenth Kansas cavalry, which served in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and the Indian Territory. Among the engagements in which Mr. Steel took part were Jenkins' Ferry and the many skirmishes along the border. On June 2, 1865, he was commissioned regimental commissary, with rank of first lieutenant, and was honorably discharged and mustered out of the service, June 25, 1865, at Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation.

After the close of the war he returned to his farm and remained there until March 14, 1874, when he came to Uniontown and started a blacksmith shop, where he has continuously been engaged to the present time. Mr. Steel has always been a Republican; he has served as school director, road overseer, and township trustee; in 1873 represented his district in the state legislature, and he has been justice of the peace at Uniontown for twelve years. He studied law and, in 1890, was admitted to practice at Fort Scott.

Four children have been born to Mr. Steel and his wife: Mary E., wife of Dr. C. J. Helm, of LaHarpe; Maude, wife of Roland Hughes, of Kansas City; Nettie S., wife of George Cawden, of LaHarpe; and Katie, deceased, who was the wife of W. J. Waters, of Uniontown. Mrs. Steel died in 1893, and on April 28, 1896, Mr. Steel married Mrs. Emma R. P uliam, of Fort Scott.

He is a Mason, belongs to the United Workmen, Degree of Honor, and the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Steel came to this state when it was little settled and in his day has seen many changes; the Great American Desert has become fine farm land and today Kansas is one of the leading agric ultural states of the Union. Having had a hard fight to start in life himself, Mr. Steel has taught fourteen boys his trade, in order to encourage and give them the start for which he had to work so hard.

Wednesday, June 8, 1932 Rochester Sentinel

Mrs. Sarah HISSONG, 80, died at two o’clock Wednesday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bertha Allertin, one mile east of Lake Maxinkuckee. Death was due to heart trouble and followed an illness of only an hour.

The deceased was born on a farm near Lake Maxinkuckee on February 28, 1852 and all of her life had been spent in that community. Her husband, Samuel HISSONG, died in 1894. She was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church.

Surviving are three children, Mrs. Bertha ALLERTIN, and Harry HISSONG, of Lake Maxinkuckee, and Mrs. Daisy SOUTH, of South Bend; one sister, Mrs. Flora MILES, of Cabool, Missouri, and two brothers, Dan MARKS, of Culver , and George MARKS, of Plymouth. Funeral arrangements have not been made.

Thursday, June 9, 1932 Rochester Sentinel

Funeral services for Mrs. Sarah HISSONG, who died Wednesday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bertha ALLERTIN, near Lake Maxinkuckee, will be held Friday afternoon at two o’clock at the Poplar Grove [church]. Rev. WOOTEN will be in charge and burial will be made in the Poplar Grove cemetery

Monday, April 17, 1944 Rochester Sentinel

Mary Ann SAVAGE, 83, of near Culver , died at 11:00 p.m. Sunday at her home on the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee, death being attributed to complications.

The well-known Marshall county resident [Mary Ann LISTENBURGER] was born March 4, 1861, in Kosciusko county, the daughter of John and Liva LISTENBURGER. She was united in marriage to Daniel SAVAGE, March 4, 1883, who preceded her in death in 1925.

The deceased left a host of acquaintances throughout northern Indiana and was a member of the Santa Ann Methodist church.

Survivors include six children: Charles [SAVAGE] and Millie SAVAGE, at home; Stephen SAVAGE, Alan SAVAGE and Mrs. Lettie OVERMYHER, all of Culver , and Lloyd SAVAGE of South Bend; two sisters, Mrs. Callie ALEY of Culver and Mrs. Amanda KING of Los Angeles, Calif.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at the Maxinkuckee church. Burial will be made at the Poplar Grove cemetery east of Culver .

The body will be returned to her home from the Grossman funeral home in Argos Tuesday afternoon.

Monday, November 27, 1944 Rochester Sentinel

Mrs. Jemima RAILSBACK, 89, a pioneer resident of Argos and Marshall county, and known to a great many citizens of this vicinity passed away in Bremen, Ind., Sunday morning. Death res ulted from complications attendant to age.

Mrs. Railsback [Jemima CALETT], daughter of Victor and Caroline CALETT, was born on the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee, Oct. 16, 1855.

She was united in marriage Feb. 22, 1877, to Benjamin Franklin RAILSBACK, who preceded her in death in 1920. Four daughters and one son, the fruits of this marriage, survive. They are: Mrs. Mertie C. BROWN, Anderson; Mrs. Mabel WILLIAMS, Argos; Mrs. Maud OLDS and Mrs. Victoria DUNN, Concord, Calif., and Victor RAILSBACK, Argos.

Funeral services will be held at the Umbaugh funeral home, Argos, at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, with interment in Maple Grove cemetery

Tuesday, June 19, 1945 Rochester Sentinel

Rev. F. E. Zechiel

County Recorder and Mrs. Lee MOORE, today attended the funeral rites at Culver for the Rev. F. E. ZECHIEL, 90, who passed away a few days ago at his home on Lake Maxinkuckee.

Reverend Zechiel was the oldest of three brothers who are well known in the ministry throughout Northern Indiana. He was born and reared in the western section of F ulton county, but after receiving his initial pastorate in Marshall county, served many different charges before retiring to his home in Culver .

The deceased was a devout member of the Evangelical Reform church. One brother, the late Rev. S. I. ZECHIEL, also of Culver , was a Methodist minister, and held charges in F ulton county at Richland Center and Sand Hill, at the time of his death, a few years ago. The remaining brother, the Rev. D. E. ZECHIEL is an Evangelical pastor now at New Carlisle, Ind.

In all, the Zechiel families have contributed eight sons to the ministry. Rev. F. E. Zechiel was a brother of Mrs. Moore's father.

Tuesday, January 29, 1946 Rochester Sentinel

Mrs. Anna E. EDGINGTON, 88, life-long resident of the Lake Maxinkuckee neighborhood passed away Monday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Carson POTTER, of Pottstown, Pa. Mrs. Edgington, who has been in failing health for the past few years, had gone to visit her daughter during the latter part of December.

For the past 68 years she resided at the Edgington farm home which is located about five miles south of Culver . Mrs. Edgington was a member of the Mt. Hope Methodist church. Her husband, Isaac EDGINGTON, preceded in death.

Survivors are three daughters, Mrs. POTTER; Mrs. William HEETER, of Delong; Mrs. Elva C. LEININGER, of Chicago; a sister, Mrs. A. J. MEREDITH of Bakersville [sic], Calif., 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon two o'clock at the Mt. Hope church and burial will be made in Leiters Ford cemetery. The body will be removed from the Easterday funeral home to the Edgington residence at noon Wednesday where friends may call until the hour of the services.

Saturday, April 10, 1948 Rochester Sentinel

Henry Milo WILHELM, 63, former F ulton county resident, died Friday morning at the Howell cottage on the East Shore road at Lake Maxinkuckee after an illness of three weeks.

His residence was at Culver but he had been employed at the Howell cottage.

Mr. Wilhelm was born Feb. 21, 1885, in Wabash county, and lived in F ulton and Marshall counties most of his life. He was a gardener.

He is survived by the wife, Katie [WILHELM], two sisters Mrs. Dessa BRUGH of Culver and Mrs. Clara HAUGHTON of Seattle, Wash; three brothers, Melvin [WILHELM] of South Bend and George [WILHELM] and Donald [WILHELM] of Argos.

The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Easterday funeral home at Culver with the Rev. George BEATTY officiating. Burial will be in the Richland Center cemetery.

The body will lie in state at the funeral home until time of service

Thursday, January 22, 1903 The Rochester Sentinel

Elizabeth WINGERT [KLINE] was born November 19, 1822 at Neider Weinheim, Grand Duchy Hess, Darmstadt, Germany.

At a young age she came to Buffalo, N.Y., to be with her three sisters. There she met Debolt KLINE, who formerly came from Wickersheim, Alsace, France, now a part of Germany. In the summer of 1848, they were married and came to Lake Maxinkuckee, then a wild, unsettled country, and endured many of the hardships of pioneers.

Born to them nine children: Theodore, George, Frank, Mary, Debolt, Henry, John, Will and Sarah [KLINE]. Mary and Henry are deceased.

Her father came from Germany in 1849 and made his home with her, but died soon afterwards, and was the first person buried in the cemetery that is now her earthly resting place.

After 37 years of married life, her husband departed, leaving her with her children with whom she made her home until her death, January 20, 1903, aged 90 years 2 months and 1 day.

Brought up a Lutheran, but after coming here she became member of Evangelical church. Funeral January 22 at Washington church and burial at Washington cemetery, at her hold homestead.

Wednesday, January 27, 1904 The Rochester Sentinel

Ray BABCOCK is not at his work at the Fair store today, on account of the death of his grandfather, O[liver] P. DILLON.

Oliver P. DILLON, a F ulton county pioneer died at 10 o’clock last night of complications incident to old age at the age of 82 years and some months. He had been failing for a year and death came as gently to him as if lapsing into a
peacef ul sleep.
Deceased was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, and came to Maxinkuckee Lake neighborhood fifty years ago. He was a farmer and a good one and accum ulated considerable property. He married when a young man and his wife lived until a few years ago since which time his energy failed and he was anxious to be at rest. He was an active member of the Baptist church for forty years and was always a man of sturdy honesty and an open champion of the dictates of conscientious scruples. He was the parent of five children -- Thomas, William, Rebecca, Cass and Andrew J. [DILLON], and was always much interested in their welfare.

The time of the funeral has not yet been decided on.

Mr. Bryan will stop in Culver ten minutes on Wednesday at 1:10 o'clock. He will doubtless give a brief talk from his car. His son, William Jennings Bryan, Jr., who is a cadet at the academy, will join him here and accompany him to Plymouth.
Rochester Sentinel, Friday, October 19, 1906

RAY HARROUN AT LAKE
Culver Citizen.
Ray Harroun, accompanied by his mechanic, is here with his hydro-aeroplane and today will do some experimental work, both in the morning and afternoon. Mr. Harroun has had experience in air flying, but this is his first attempt to make flights from the surface of the water. His machine is a monoplane of the Bleriot type, fitted with pontoons for resting on the surface of the water. Observers at any point around the lake can see all the work of the aviator.
Rochester Sentinel, Friday, August 25, 1911

GOSSIP CREATES MUCH EXCITEMENT AT Culver Great excitement was created in Culver and the vicinity, Wednesday and Thursday by gossip and rumors which were passed from mouth to mouth without anyone seeming to know where they came from or by what authority they were started. First rumors indicated that a race riot was on but persons passing the rumors on were unable to tell from whence they obtained their information and the rumor was soon discredited by citizens of Culver . The rumors spread with such rapidity the Chicago Herald and Examiner got word of it and sent a special correspondent to investigate the matter.
According to all information that could be gathered it was mostly idle gossip and parties, said to have been implicated in the matter, were innocent of all the charges which rumor sought to fasten upon them.
The News-Sentinel, Saturday, May 15, 1926

Johndon, Gerald H et al
GLACIAL GEOLOGY AND SOILS OF THE AREA AROUND LAKE MAXINKUCKEE
Indiana Geological Survey: 1965 Indiana Geological Survey: 1965. 11 x 8.5", wrappers, 27pp, vg. First edition Book Id: 96-6075

Albright, Clapp, Burk Families, including Philip and Anna Christina (Clapp) 1987 by Joseph Harvey Vance pg. 180

Chester and Madge had a cottage on Lake Maxincukee)> then to Dartmouth. He was very interested in photopgraphy. After marying Edith Conklin,__ mother, who was at nearby Bennington, he moved to Culver where he tried to make a go of a photography free-lance buisnss. I was born there.

Lake Maxinkuckee Its Intrigue History & Genealogy Culver, Marshall, Indiana

Unconnected History Tib Bits