In 1837 Lake county was organized. The mail was slow, and a special messenger, John Russell, was sent to Indianapolis to obtain the appointment of a sheriff, and authority to hold an election. He made the trip on foot and outstripped the mail. Henry Wells was appointed, sheriff. An election was ordered and held. Officers elected: Wm. Clark and Win. B. Crooks, associate judges; Amsi L. Ball, Stephen P. Stringham, and Thos. Wiles, county commissioners ; W. A. W. Holton, recorder ; Solon Robinson, clerk. First assessor, John Russell. Justices of the peace elected : in North township, Peyton Russell; in Center, Horace Taylor; at Cedar Lake, Milo Robinson, and in South, E. W. Bryant.

In August Luman A. Fowler was elected sheriff, and Robert Wilkinson, probate judge.

The log building used for several years as a court house and place of worship, connected with which are many interesting associations, was erected this summer by Solon and Milo Robinson, who also erected a frame building, one of the first in the county, which was used as a hotel for several years. It became a part of the home of H. S.. Pelton. Other frame buildings were, during this summer, erected.

The first Methodist class was probably organized this year at Pleasant Grove; and there was preaching several times at Solon Robinson's and in the court house. Lake county being this year a part of the Porter County Mission, Rev.  Beers minister in charge. Claims were taken up during this year very rapidly, and the year 1837 closes up the entries in the Claim Register. .
Of the many settlers this season I name here especially, Bartlett Woods and Charles Woods, natives of Winchel, sea, England; Harvey Ball and Lewis Warriner, of Agawam, Massachusetts; George Flint, Benjamin Farley,, Henry Torrey, and Joseph Jackson; Henry Sanger, Ephraim Cleveland, William Sherman, A. D. Foster; and,, first of the German settlers on Prairie West, John Hack, with his large family and, according to current report, a chest well filled with five-franc pieces. Among so many it is difficult to select any out, as most of the permanent early settlers became well known over the county. I therefore insert here the names, in the order of the years, of those whose early citizenship can be established by.documentary evidence.

Settlers in 1834.

According to Robinson's Records there was a settler, probably, by the name of Ross this summer on Sec. 6, Township 35, Range 7, and on the same section one was seen by S. Robinson, in October, "in a little shed cabin," whose name he was unable to record, his claim afterwards becoming "Miller's Mill." From the Claim Register I extract the following: "Wm. Crooks and Samuel Miller in Co. Timber and Mill Seat." Claim made June, 1835. Settled Nov., 1834. Sec. 6, Township 35, Range 7, Crooks, from Montgomery county. It is probable that this W. Crooks was the settler there seen in October.
Also, those Records state, that an old man named Winchell, from La Porte county, settled, in the summer of this year, and commenced a mill near the mouth of Turkey Creek, which claim and mill he afterwards abandoned. Naming those, I now record as settlers in fact :
October. Thomas Childers. November.  Solon Robinson. Luman A. Fowler,    Robert Wilkinson, December. Jesse Pierce,    David Pierce.
The last two settlers, according to the Claim Register, on Deep River and Turkey Creek.

Settlers in 1835.

January. Lyman Wells,  John Driscoll, February. J. W. Holton,  W. A. W. Holton, Wm. Clark, from Jennings County.
March. R. Fancher,    Robert Wilkinson, Attica. Spring. Elias Bryant,  Nancy Agnew, widow, J. Wiggins,  E. W. Bryant. May. Elias Myrick,  Thomas Reed, Wm. Myrick,    Aaron Cox, S. P. Stringham, Vermillion, Ill. June. Peter Stainbrook. November. David Hornor,  Jesse Bond, Thomas Wiles,  Jacob L. Brown, Thomas Hornor,  Milo Robinson. December. Henry Wells,  John G. Forbes, Wm. S. Thornburg,  R. Hamilton, R. Dunham,  John Wood.

Settlers in 1836.

William A. Purdy, New York. Elisha Chapman, Michigan City, S. Havilance, Canada,  William N. Sykes, David Campbell,  W. Williams, La Porte, Benj. Joslen,    John Ball. Richard Church, Michigan, Darling Church, Michigan. Leonard Cutler,  "Charles Cutler "  B. Rhodes, La Porte,  J. Rhodes, La Porte, Jacob Van Valkenburg, New York. Jas. S. Castle, Michigan City, Hiram Nordyke, sen., Tippecanoe. Charles H. Paine, Ohio. Hiram Nordyke, jr., Tippecanoe County, Joseph C. Batton, Boone County, James Knickerbocker, New York, John T. Knickerbocker,  G. C. Woodbridge, H. Bones,  John J. Van Valkenburg, Horace Taylor,  S. D. Bryant, Daniel E, Bryant,    Peter Barnard, Jonathan Brown,  E. J. Robinson, David Fowler,  Cyrus Danforth, M. Pierce, State of New York, Sprague Lee, Pennsylvania, John A. Bothwell, Vermont, Peleg S. Mason, Adonijah Taylor, " Timber and Outlet." The last according to Claim Register, "May 15th." John Cole, New York,    F. A. Halbrook, New York, Stephen Mix, New York,   Silas Clough, New York. Rufus Norton, Canada,    Elijah Morton, Vermont, Francis Barney,    Hiram Holmes, Samuel Halsted "Timber and Millseat." " Nov. 29th   transferred to James  M. Whitney   and Mark Burroughs for $212." Calvin Lilley, South Bend, Samuel Hutchins, La Porte, Jacob Nordyke, Tippecanoe. Hiram S. Pelton, New York, Ithamar Cobb, J. P. Smith, New York, settled  July 5th. G. Zuver, Bartholomew County, H. McGee, Henry Farmer, Bartholomew County. William  S.  Hunt,  " blacksmith," Wayne County. George Parkinson, S. Wilson,  James Farwell, Abel Farwell,  Carlos Farwell, M. C. Farwell,  Henry Horner, Ruth Barney, widow,  J. V. Johns. James Anderson,  E. W. Centre, Simeon Beedle,  Isaac M. Beedle, William Wells,  S. D. Wells, W. W. Centre,    T. M. Dustin, E. Dustin, Jun.,  C. L. Greenman, Charles Marvin,  Mercy Perry, widow, Peter Selpry,    Jacob Mendenhall, H. M. Beedle,  B. Rich, D. Y. Bond,  S. L. Hodgman, John Kitchel,  Henry A. Palmer, Paul Palmer,  H. Edgarton, D.  Barney,  Wm. Hodson, George Earle,  Jackson Cady, A. Hitchcock,  E. H. Hitchcock, O. Hitchcock,  J. V. Johns, Russell Eddy,  C. Carpenter, Wm. Brown,  R. S. Witherel, Charles Walton,  Wm. Farmer, Jonathan Gray,  Nathan D. Hall, Edward Greene,  S. T. Greene, Elisha Greene,  W. Page, R. Wilder,  John McLean, Solomon Russell,  Daniel May, A. Albee.

Settlers in 1837.

James Westbrook,  Samuel Sigler, John Bothwell,  John Brown, Henry Torrey,  S. Hodgman, Joseph Batton,  John Kitchel, N. Hayden,  H. R. Nichols, N. Cochrane,  A. Baldwin, Lewis Warriner,  Josiah Chase, E.  T. Fish,  Charles R. Ball, John Fish,    Hervey Ball, George Flint,  Lewis Manning, Benjamin Farley,  Ephraim Cleveland, D. R. Stewart,  Wm. Sherman, H. Galespie,  T. Sprague, J. H. Martin.  John Hack, T. Sprague,  G. L. Zabriska, J. Hutchinson,  John Hutchinson, E. L. Palmer, N. Reynolds, B. Demon, Joel Benton, John L. Ennis, Dennis Donovan, Patrick Donovan, Thomas Donovan, Daniel Donovan, Oliver Fuller, Thomas Tindal, Orrin Dorwin, H. Severns, Hiram Barnes, Bartlett Woods, Charles Woods, Dudley Merrill, J. F. Follett, A. D. Foster, Adam Sanford, Charles Mathews, James Carpenter, Jacob Ross, Patrick Doyle, Lewis Swaney, Francis Swaney, O. V. Servis, Thomas O'Brien, Orrin Smith, D.B. Collings, Z. Collings, Timothy Rockwell, Jesse Cross, E. Cross, R. Cross, A. L. Ball, Daniel Bryant, Wid. Elisabeth Owens, E. D. Owens, N. Pierce, Wm. Vangorder, G. W. Hammond, J. Rhodes, Joseph Jackson, O. Higbee, Z. Woodford, Wm. Hobson, P. Anson. W. J. Richards.

    The register is not entire, and the names of all the settlers of 1837 cannot now be ascertained by any means at my command.
In the winter of 1837-38 Congress established some mail routes through this county, which had been crossed till now by only the Detroit and Fort Dearborn mail, carried in coaches along the Michigan beach, then by way of Liverpool, and again removed to the Bradley route. The new ones of 1838 were: first, from La Porte to Joliet, taken by H. S. Pelton, and the principal mail line of the county for a number of years, probably till the railroad era commenced; and the second, from Michigan City to Peoria, let to be carried in four horse coaches, but the coaches did not run, and a remnant of that route, from City West to West Creek, gave us a mail carried on horseback, which continued for several years, its western terminus being Bourbonnois Grove, near Kankakee City; and the third, from Lake Court House to Monticello, in White county. This last was also taken by H. S. Pelton, "but was afterwards found to be through such an interminable wilderness that it was discontinued." Congress had not at that time studied the geography and history of the Kankakee Marsh, and of the counties of Iroquois and Newton and Jasper.

    This year marked the beginning of bridge building in our borders. The two northeast of Crown Point were built by Daniel May and Hiram Nordyke, at an expense of $500. The bridge across West Creek, near Judge Wilkinson's, built by N. Hayden, cost $400. The one across Cedar Creek, near L. Warriner's, by S. P. Stringham and R. Wilkinson, cost $200. The Deep River bridge, at B. Wilkinson's, cost $400, built by A. L. Ball. Several smaller ones were also built. Our streams were no longer " bridge less," like the modern Euphrates. The money for building came from "the three per cent, fund."
It was also a year of saw-mill building. Accredited to this year are Walton's, Wood's, Dustin's, and Taylor's.

    Only one of these, Wood's, furnished much lumber. Of one of them it was expressly said, it was " about half the time without water, and the other half without a dam." The first mill-builders found great difficulty in making their earth dams secure against the freshets. The beavers of this region, in the days before the fur traders came, seem to have been more successful. The remains of their earthen works may still be traced west and south of Crown Point.

    In October of this year was held the first term of Circuit Court, Judge Sample presiding, Judge Clark associate. The session was very quiet and peaceable. There were then no drinking places. Men were not cross, nor quarrelsome, nor drunk. Nine lawyers were present. Of the members of the first grand jury, only John Wood and Henry Wells remain among us. Of the first petit jury, Richard Fancher alone remains. On the docket of that term were thirty cases.

    The first marriage license here issued seems to belong to this year. It was for John Russell and Harriet Holton. The first citizen married in the county was David Bryant (the bride's name is not given), the license having been obtained in Porter county. The ceremony was performed December 2, by S. Robinson, who says, "Another of my official acts, as a Justice of the Peace. Done on a most excessive cold day."

    The second marriage was that of Solomon Russell. The fourth, that of John Russell, has just been mentioned ; and the second and fourth parties married became the first and second to obtain divorce, an example which has been followed by far too many ever since.

    The year 1838 marks the commencement of Baptist meetings in Lake. A church was constituted in the Cedar Lake school-house, June 17th, nine Baptist members from Massachusetts and New York entering then and there into self constituted church relationship. Elder French, of Porter county, was present and acted as moderator of the meeting.

"Meetings on Sabbath appointed to be held at Prairie West, Center Prairie, and H. Balls, alternately." The Church and Cutler families lived on Prairie West and Norman Warriner on Centre Prairie. According to the church records meetings were held according to appointments for five Sabbaths, after which sickness for a season prevented attendance. Says the next record: " From continued distressing sickness no meetings were held until the latter part of winter." The church was not, therefore, publicly recognized until May 19th, 1839, but its constitution dates June 17, 1838. On the record book of that first Baptist church are the names of ninety five members, forty two of them baptized in Cedar Lake.

    The sickness of the summer of 1838 was long remembered. It is probable that more died during that season, in proportion to the inhabitants, than during any other season in our history. Among them were, the wife of Lewis Warriner, who died Aug. 24th, and also his youngest daughter, Sabra. This was a summer also of excessive drought.

    Many improvements were made in the county this year, notwithstanding the sickness. An addition was made to the German settlement on Prairie West.    The town house at Liverpool was completed, a line of daily stages running then through that city.

    Russell Eddy completed his frame house and moved his family up from Michigan City. In that house, which is now standing just north of the new residence of E. C. Field, was, without much doubt, the first piano of the county, brought with the household goods from Michigan City, and over its keys presided the graceful Eliza, fresh from the schools of Troy, N. Y., the most polished and accomplished, at that time, of the young ladies of Lake. She soon married and left us, and her place was filled by the less accomplished but lovely and beautiful Ruth Ann.

    She grew up, married D. K. Pettibone, soon after died, and by most is probably forgotten, or I should not have named her here in mentioning her father's first home.

An addition was made this year to the settlement over West Creek. Solomon Burns and family, with his brother, Harry Burns, a brother-in-law named Hazelton, and George Willey and family, came together, with four wagons drawn by horses, from the State of New York. They were on the road four weeks. They crossed on the Torrey bridge, then went northward and bought claims of the Farwell family. The Hazelton family afterward removed westward. The Burns family settled where Abel Farwell, who married a daughter of S. Burns, now resides. For the claim a pair of valuable young horses had been transferred to James Farwell. These the lightning, not long afterward, struck and killed. George Willey was then commencing life, when he settled on a claim just east of the present village of Klaasville. He remained there many years, accumulated property, sold his farm, purchased land near Crown Point, and built one of the five best country residences in the county in which he now lives, surrounding himself and family with those conveniences and elegance's which wealth procures. His is more properly a suburban than a country residence.

    Another daughter of S. Burns married H. P. Robbins, who some years ago, having lost both his sons in the war of the Rebellion, removed to Lowell and became one of its business men, and now also marshal of the town. Solomon Burns died in 1847, at the age of 47, As a somewhat singular coincidence it may be noted here, that a cousin of his, Clark Rice, who came out to make a visit in 1846, died there, at the home of George Willey, at the age of 46. The remains of the two cousins lie side by side in that neglected West Creek burial place, both born in 1800. This little West Creek settlement, consisting of the families, Rankin, Hitchcock, Gordinier, Marvin, Burns, Far-well, Willey, Fuller, remained quite isolated until the building of the Hanover bridge.
   
Among the German settlers of this summer on Prairie West were Joseph Schmal and Peter Orte, Michael Adler and Matthias Reder. These four families came over together.

Another settlement was commenced this year in Hanover. The pioneer of the Lutheran Germans was Henry Sassesen., who bought the claim of A. Cox, and also one made by Chase and Taylor, paying for the improvements on the latter $150. In the same year came H. Van Hollen, and other families soon followed these until a large settlement occupied the northern part of Lake Prairie, and along the West Creek woods made farms of the choice hunting grounds.

    The privilege had been granted to the State of selecting a certain amount of government lands for the benefit of the Wabash Canal. This selection in Lake was made in the month of June, this year, and Col. John Vawter, one of the commissioners, while here, preached in the log court house "to a very respectable congregation."
"The Methodist Episcopal Church," says an old manuscript, " may be considered as regularly organized in the county from this time;" that is, from the summer of 1838, " forming with Porter county a circuit, and supplied with preaching at stated times." I find no early documents or records in the hands of any of this denomination, and am obliged to glean my information from other sources. It seems strange that such a large and growing body have preserved so little of their early history.
 
   A number of the settlers, late in the fall of this year, proved up their preemption rights and entered their land before the public sale. The first of these, probably, were S. Robinson and Judge Clark.

As the first of January, 1839, opened, death for the first time visited the little settlement at Lake Court House. It came in the form of consumption and laid low one of the active business men, Milo Robinson. After his death Luman A. Fowler kept the tavern house until the next fall, when he removed to Lockport, Illinois, where canal building was going on. After his removal H. S. Pelton married, took the house, afterwards purchased it, and occupied it until his own death.

    In March of this year that event of so much interest to those early settlers, the sale of United States Lands, took place at La Porte. The sales commenced on the 19th. The squatters of Lake were in large force gathered there. The hardy pioneers, accustomed to frontier life and to depend on their strong arms and trusty rifles; the New Englanders and the Yorkers, almost direct from those centers of culture, and possessing their share of the intelligence and energy of those regions; and the firm, sturdy, solid Germans, like those that of late broke the power of the third Napoleon, Germans who had just left the despotism's of the Old World and had received their lessons of freedom in the New, amid the wildness of untroddened Western prairies ; all were there, determined that no speculator should bid upon their lands. Some trouble had been anticipated. The principle upon which the squatters insisted was of importance to them. They were probably prepared, from what I heard in those days of my youth, I am satisfied they were prepared armed men were among them to use force, if it should be necessary, to secure the right which each squatter claimed of buying his own quarter section at one dollar and a quarter an acre. They knew that in the wilds of Lake, in the retreats of the Kankakee marsh, no officers of justice would search for them if their mode of enforcing their claim should be called lawless. But there arose no necessity. The impression was strongly made that it would not be safe for a speculator to overbid a squatter, about five hundred of whom had solemnly pledged themselves to each other to abide, in the most faithful manner,  by their own assertion of squatters' rights. The moral force employed was sufficient. Solon Robinson was bidder for one township, William Kinnison for another, and A. McDonald for the third. The sale passed off quietly, and the sons of Lake returned peacefully to their homes. But unfortunately for some of them, they had expended their silver and gold in making improvements and amid the sickness, and suffering, and death of 1838, "the wild cat" money was not current at the land office, and now what the speculators could not effect in one way they easily accomplished in another. They offered to loan these men money for entering their claims, on the security of their lands,, and charged them twenty, thirty, or more, per cent. And thus, after all their care, considerable tracts of Lake county land came into the hands of non-residents.

    Another event of some importance took place this year, the location of the county seat at the town of Liverpool by commissioners appointed by the Indiana Legislature. Cedar Lake and Lake C. H. had both sought the location; and the actions of these commissioners produced much dissatisfaction. Before a petition for a relocation could be granted, before this summer closed, the proprietor on the east of Cedar Lake, Dr. Calvin Lilley died, and his place passed into the hands of another.
During these years, from 1834 to 1839, while there were the quiet of peace among us and friendliness on the part of the Pottawatomies, and the activity of new settler life, the Black Hawk War having terminated in 1832,. after which nearly all of Iowa and Wisconsin was ceded to the United States-in Florida the Seminole War was raging, commenced in '35, and not actually ended till '42.

  In one of these years, 1836, Arkansas was admitted into the Union, and in 1837 Michigan was admitted, and in 1837 took place the Canadian Rebellion. The short war with the Creek Indians took place in 1836.

    Amid such events of national interest the squatters of Lake formed a community by themselves; feeling most of all, probably, the great financial crash of 1837, when the banks suspended payment, when in two months in the city of New York were failures amounting to more than a hundred millions of dollars, the effects of which "were felt to the remotest borders of the Union. "In that crash our two youthful cities, Liverpool and Indiana City, also died.