Lake County IN Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biography of Owen Jason Wood

Owen Jason Wood is a lawyer by profession, had been a resident of Topeka since 1890, and for many years had been assistant solicitor for Kansas of The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company. He gained his first knowledge of life in the world in the northwest corner of Indiana, in Lake County. He was born at Crown Point, the county seat, August 10, 1853. His parents were Martin and Susan G. (Taylor) Wood. His father owned a farm and represented one of the early pioneer families of Northwestern Indians and he was a lawyer by profession, and was … Read more

Slave Narrative of John Eubanks

Interviewer: Archie Koritz Person Interviewed: John Eubanks Location: Gary, Indiana Age: 98 Place of Residence: 2713 Harrison Boulevard, Gary, Indiana Archie Koritz, Field Worker 816 Mound Street, Valparaiso, Indiana Federal Writers’ Project Lake County, District #1 Gary, Indiana EX-SLAVES INTERVIEW WITH JOHN EUBANKS, EX-SLAVE John Eubanks, Gary’s only negro Civil War survivor has lived to see the ninety-eighth anniversary of his birth and despite his advanced age, recalls with surprising clarity many interesting and sad events of his boyhood days when a slave on the Everett plantation. He was born in Glasgow, Barron County, Kentucky, June 6, 1839, one of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. P. Jacobs

Although death claimed W. P. Jacobs in 1906, a year after his arrival in Bartlesville, he had already gained a well established position in business circles here, his enterprise and integrity winning for him the respect and confidence of all with whom he was brought into contact. He was born in Hammond, Indiana, in 1866, and acquired his education in Danville College, after which he became connected with the lumber business at Toledo, Ohio. From there he went to Findlay, Ohio, where he was identified with the same line of activity, and he subsequently removed to Lima, that state, where … Read more

Pioneer Women of Lake County, Indiana 1834 – 1850

This small manuscript features biographical sketches of pioneer women of Lake County, Indiana who lived within the county in 1834-1850. These 45 sketches were written by their direct descendants and compiled by historians Avis Bryant Brown of Crown Point, Indiana, and Ethel Alice Vinnedge of Creston, Indiana. These biographies will provide insight for the genealogist into the lives of the women and are listed below the digital book.

Slave Narrative of Rev. Wamble

Interviewer: Archie Koritz Person Interviewed: Rev. Wamble Location: Gary, Indiana Place of Birth: Monroe County, Mississippi, Date of Birth: 1859 Place of Residence: 1827 Madison Street, Gary, Indiana Occupation: Wagon-maker Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project Porter County-District #1 Valparaiso, Indiana EX-SLAVES REV. WAMBLE 1827 Madison Street Gary, Indiana [TR: above ‘Wamble’ in handwriting is ‘Womble’] Rev. Wamble was born a slave in Monroe County, Mississippi, in 1859. The Westbrook family owned many slaves in charge of over-seers who managed the farm, on which there were usually two hundred or more slaves. One of the Westbrook daughters married a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mrs. Hockaday

Interviewer: Archie Koritz Person Interviewed: Mrs. Hockaday Location: Gary, Indiana Place of Residence: 2591 Madison Street, Gary, Indiana Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project Porter County-District #1 Valparaiso, Indiana EX-SLAVES MRS. HOCKADAY 2581 Madison Street Gary, Indiana Mrs. Hockaday is the daughter of an ex-slave and like so many others does not care to discuss the dark side of slavery and the cruel treatment that some of them received. After the Civil War the slaves who for the most part were unskilled and ignorant, found it very difficult to adjust themselves to their new life as free persons. Formerly, … Read more

1966-2015 Munster High School Yearbooks

1966 Munster High School Paragon Yearbook

The Lake County Public Library has digitized all the yearbooks of Munster High School from it’s inception up until 2015. These yearbook images they have placed online for everyone at Internet Archive. To facilitate your access we have provided links to the individual yearbooks below, by year published, oldest to newest. All 50 of these yearbooks, can be read, and/or downloaded from the following links for free!

Herman, Richard Louis “Dick” – Obituary

Richard Louis “Dick” Herman, 61, of Baker City, died peacefully on May 22, 2005, at his home with his family at his side. His funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Jon Privett of the First Nazarene Church will officiate. He will be buried at Mount Hope Cemetery next to his daughter, Dr. Suzanne Farebrother. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Dick was born Dec. 13, 1943, at East Chicago, Ind. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Calumet … Read more

Biography of George L. Banks

George L. Banks. A sterling pioneer and citizen who is now living virtually retired in the City of Independence, Mr. Banks is specially entitled to recognition in this history. He was one of the early settlers of Montgomery County and has contributed his full quota to its civic and industrial development and progress, and he was long one of the prominent and influential exponents of agricultural industry in this section of the state. High honors also are his for the valiant service which he gave as a soldier of the Union in the Civil war. Mr. Banks was born in … Read more

Calumet District Telephone Directories

1923 Calumet District Telephone Directory

The Merrillville Branch of the Lake County Public Library have placed online several telephone directories for the Calumet District that previously were only available on Microfilm. The communities represented are Dyer, East Chicago, Griffith, Hammond, Highland, Indiana Harbor, Munster, St. John, and West Hammond in Indiana and Burnham, Lansing, and Whiting in Illinois.. These 28 directories were published by the Reuben H. Donnelley Corporation of Chicago twice annually, and those digitized cover the years of 1909-1960.

Biography of William J. Stewart, M. D.

William J. Stewart, M. D. His first years in. Kansas Doctor Stewart spent in the role of a practical farmer, but since finishing his medical course had been in successful practice as a physician and surgeon at Summerfield, Marshall County. Doctor Stewart is of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His grandfather, William Stewart, was born at Strabane, Ireland, in 1808, and married Nancy Wilson, a native of the same place, born in 1806. Both of them were of Scotch-Irish families. They married in the old country and all their children were born in Ireland as follows: Charles, who became a farmer and died … Read more

Biography of Oliver Morton Williams

Oliver Morton Williams, one of the younger citizens of Kansas, has played his part efficiently as a teacher and business man, and is now manager and part owner of the Coffeyville Business College. This college is an institution noted for its thorough work in training young men and women for responsible positions in commercial affairs. A native of Kansas, Mr. Williams was born at Oak Valley, October 24, 1887. Several generations back his ancestors were living in Wales, and after coming to the United States settled perhaps first in New York, and afterwards went to Maryland. The great-great-grandfather’s name was … Read more

Biography of Fred L. Lowman

Fred L. Lowman. One of the most capable educators of Champaign County is the present superintendent of the Fisher public schools, Fred L. Lowman. He is a man of varied and versatile gifts and accomplishments, and well fitted for his place in the educational system of this leading Illinois County. He has come in close touch with the facts and problems of life, is a man of broad sympathies and enthusiasm and is in every way qualified to direct and administer a school and have charge of the training of the men and women of the next generation. Mr. Lowman … Read more

Slave Narrative of John Eubanks & Family

Interviewer: Archie Koritz Person Interviewed: John Eubanks Location: Gary, Indiana Place of Birth: Barren County, Kentucky Date of Birth: June 6, 1836 Age: 98 Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project Lake County-District #1 Gary, Indiana EX-SLAVES JOHN EUBANKS & FAMILY Gary, Indiana Gary’s only surviving Civil War veteran was born a slave in Barren County, Kentucky, June 6, 1836. His father was a mulatto and a free negro. His mother was a slave on the Everrett plantation and his grandparents ware full-blooded African negroes. As a child he began work as soon as possible and was put to work … Read more