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From the Steuben Republican December 1929

MERCHANTS OPEN CHRISTMAS SHOW

CITY GLITTERS WITH COLORED LIGHTS AMONG GREENS

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Stores Open Each Evening Until Christmas - Free Picture Shows Offered Children Saturdays

The merchants of Angola Formally opened the 1929 Christmas trading season Thursday evening by the unveiling of show windows and special lighting of the streets.  Angola certainly presented a handsome appearance on this occasion, and will continue to do so throughout the season.  Each one of the thirty-six lamp posts in the streets has been transformed into a Christmas tree, lighted with brilliantly colored lamps, surmounted by the large street globe.  Four handsome trees adorn the public monument place with strings of lights running from each post to the top of the monument, and a circle enclosing the mound.  Each tree has it's share of colored lights.  All of this has been prepared by the ingenuity of Cleo Gibson, city light superintendent.

Prof. Jackson's carol singers from the high school and David Hughes small band from the county schools discoursed music as the lights were turned on and the show windows unveiled at the signal of the ringing of the court house bell at 7:30 o'clock. The musicians then serenaded various business places, while merry throngs gazed in the beautiful store windows or visited the stores.

How the lights were taken to the top of the monument is a matter of inquiry from many sources.  It was first proposed to shoot an arrow carrying a piece of twine over the monument, and John Estrich was enlisted to do the Willliam Tell act.  John's aim going up was good, but the arrows were not heavy enough and the twine became entangled about the metal work of the statue.  After two arrows were hung up there in this way, the query arose, how to get them down?  This required some expert angling from a tall ladder, which was successful.  Then Virgil Wisner offered to throw a baseball over the statue, and his third attempt was successful, the ball carrying the twine which later pulled a rope over the shoulder of Miss Liberty, which sustains the light wires.

Merchants Ready For Large Trade

A visit through the stores reveals a fine array of Christmas goods brought here by our merchants.  A larger line may be found of course in large cities, but not a better line of the things that our people want.  Local shoppers will do themselves an injustice if they do not look over these stocks.

Many of the merchants are using these newspaper columns freely in carrying the message of their Christmas offerings direct to the home buyer in the home. Look over these advertisements while in the comfort of your home and make out your Christmas list.  More ads will appear next week.  

Stores Open Evenings

The Angola stores will be open evenings on every business day from now until Christmas.  In these comfortable well lighted stores you can do your shopping as conveniently in the evening as well as in the daytime.  Early purchasing is urged as it saves the customer much unnecessary last hour worry.

Free Picture Show Saturday

Angola merchants have arranged for free picture show matinees for the children commencing at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoons, at the Angola Opera House.  The theater was filled last Saturday afternoon with happy, merry children who greatly enjoyed this courtesy of the merchants and Mr. Brokaw.  Every child of fourteen or under will be admitted free again next Saturday afternoon.  The show will be "The Avenging Rider" with sound news.  Any adult who wished to attend will be admitted at the regular admission charges.

Free Poultry on Saturday Dec. 21 

The merchants committee is arranging for free distribution of poultry on Saturday afternoon Dec. 21 at 1:30 o'clock.  You may have your choice of turkey, geese, ducks, chickens, guineas, all free of charge except you must catch them youself.  They will be released on the streets - be here and get them and watch the fun if you don't get a bird.  There will be plenty of chances.

It will be to your interest to do your Christmas trading at home.

Steuben Republican December 11, 1929

"LITTLE MARY HARP"

Little Mary Harp, 97 Years Old, Wants a Doll Cab from Santa

"Little Mary" Harp has lived at eighty-three of her ninety-seven years as a patient in the Steuben county infirmary, and she establishes a record for age among Indiana infirmary residents.  She entered the Steuben

County Institution at the age of fourteen years in the year 1854.

The home that "Little Mary" entered was not a public infirmary.  At that time those needing assistance were boarded out and Mary was placed in the home of Mr Cobb, who occupied the little log house on the west side of the road which runs past the present county farm.  In 1863 the county purchased the land for a county farm and built a white frame house, the construction of which Little Mary watched with interest.  Some of that house still exists as a portion of one of the barns. Later she saw the erection of the fine brick building, which has been her home since then.

"Little Mary" was the third patient to be cared for by the public, and came there with her brother, David.  In their early years, because of their small size, they attracted much attention at the local fairs and public gatherings.

"Little Mary's" mother is buried in a grave at Golden Lake.  Her father was killed in the gold fields of California in 1849, and it was two or three years afterwards before the letter carrying information of his death reached this community.  She remembers the presence of Indians in this vicinity, and incidents of the Civil War.

However, "Little Mary" in spite of her advanced years, is still very active to the extent of her strength.  She is happy, contented, loyal and honest.

"Little Mary" acquired her name because it is a description of her interests.  She is a dwarf of about the size of s 100 year old girl and lives in the same period of mentality.  She is three feet, ten inches high and weighs fifty-four pounds.  Her chief  happiness is found playing with her doll "Vera," which appears in the above picture.  She still believes in Santa Claus, and is sure he will bring her on this coming Christmas day, a doll cab for "Vera."  **

 Steuben Republican December 8, 1937

* * Mary Harp died in December 1945 just a few days before her 105th birthday.  She is buried with her brother David at Old Angola Cemetery.

ANGOLA'S FIRST CHURCH

ANGOLA'S FIRST CHURCH

By A. W. Long

Among the many eminent pioneer preachers of Steuben county, the name of Brother Hutchinson stands preeminent! He was a large strong, powerful man, filled with the spirit and inspiration of his Divine Master!  He rallied to his support the best people of Angola and Steuben county.  Under his inspiring leadership the first church was erected during the year 1856.  The rough materials necessary for the construction of the church was largely contributed by the pioneer sawmills around Angola.  In the old sawmills on our farm I helped my father  saw the studding, joists, and rafters for this church.  On the same stream, flowing southward from Fox Lake, situated a half-mile north of our mill, stood the mill of Enoch Ayers, who was a contemporary of my father in building up a powerful Methodist class in Steuben Township.  Brother Ayers also contributed much material for the new church.  Other similar saw mills around Angola contributed rough lumber.  The church was shingled with white ash shingles from the Chard shingle mill, southeast of Angola, for pine shingles were still unknown.  Thus this church, fifty feel in length bu about thirty feet wide was built with only a cash expenditure of $1400.00.

 It stood on a hill west of the present home of John B. Parsell, fronting the to the southward, where one big big door was the only means for ingress or egress.  Entering at this door you found yourself in a hall about ten feet wide and extending across the building from east to west. with smaller doors at each end of the hallway entering the auditorium.  Inside these entrances stood the two big box stoves that warmed the building, fed with beech and maple wood furnished by surrounding Methodist farmers.  The stove pipes soared upward and then turned to the northward, finally entering the chimney above the minister's head.  A gallery was built above the hallway to accommodate the church choir and for many years this was the only church building in Angola.  Devout men and women of various denominations have since built several beautiful churches of brick and stone but I doubt whether the dedication of these later churches could possible equal the enthusiasm with which we dedicated to this pioneer church to worship God!  I was only ten years old at the time, but I can still feel the thrill and the exaltation of that hour.  The auditorium was filled to the doors,  Even the aisles were filled with chairs all the standing room was taken. 

A choir of the best pioneer singers of Angola filled the gallery and were led by Miss Angeline Killinger, eldest daughter of a pioneer German family.  Miss Killinger possessed the finest soprano voice that I have ever heard in Angola!  Clear, powerful yet as sweet as the chime of silver bells!  Dear girl; I have no doubt that she is now singing in the angel choir above.  Other members of the choir were: Mr and Mrs Jesse M. Gale.  Mrs Gale was Elizabeth Metzger from a pioneer Methodist family of Angola.  Also Elizabeth Freypang and her sister, Mrs Freypang Carpenter, both cousins of Miss Killinger. Mr and Mrs Eldridge, Anna Eldridge, Edward Fitch, George W. and Mrs McConnell, both staunch Presbyterians were in that choir with the splendid tenor voices of Jacob Stealey and Mr Day, father of the large Day family.  Among the bass singers were: Gilbert and Jesse Mugg and William Kirchoff and many other singers for that gallery was full and all distinctive denominations of that time were represented in choir and congregation.

Than when all was ready Brother Hutchinson arose and read the dedicatory hymn, selected for the occasion adding at the close of the reading "Now brethren and sisters when the choir rises to sing this beautiful hymn, please rise also and turn halfway round to face the singers and sing also"  aAnd this is what that first Angola choir sang, for after seventy-three years I am writing from memory and humming the beautiful music as I write:

"Come thou, almighty king,

Teach us thy fame to sing,

Help us to praise, 

Father all glorious,

O'er all victorious,

Come and righn over us,

Ancient of Days.

Then followed the wonderful impassioned prayer of dedication and the sermon based on "And God said let there be light, and there was light.  It was a very eloquent and forceful development of the  theme: Light versus Darkness!  A beautiful custom sprang from this service in the new church and for many years the entire congregation arose and turned to face the choir in the gallery and sang with them.  It was an inspiration as well as a compliment to the choir.

Steuben Republican April 17, 1929

THE MYSTERY OF STEUBENVILLE

 Early Steuben County history tells us that in 1837 there was a competition between Steubenville and Angola to become the county seat.  Why would Steubenville be chosen for the county seat when it was nearly in Dekalb County, certainly not central to most of Steuben County?  The answer to this lies in the early county history.

Steuben, commonly called Steubenville was the first village in Steuben Township. It was located in the area of today's 400 South and 150 West, north of Pleasant Lake.  A dam was constructed and several mills.  A number of business places were constructed and in all,dwellings and business places, there were about thirty buildings. (1)
Steubenville, which was platted in November, 1835, was the competitor of Angola for the location of the county seat, early in 1837,  Isaac Glover, Abner Winsor, and others endeavoring unsuccessfully to have the county buildings in their town.  Steubenville was situated not far from the present village of Pleasant Lake.  When the county seat was located at Angola, in 1837, Steubenville commenced declining, and was never destined to fulfill expectations of its pioneer proprietors. (2)

Another Steubenville was laid out March 10, 1873, on section 34, township 36, range 13, by Daniel Till and Samuel Teeters.  It was started when the Canada Southern Railroad was surveyed, and was located at the crossing of that road and the Fort Wayne & Jackson Railroad, but since the former road failed to be built it has rapidly declined.(2)

 The first schoolhouse in Steuben Township was built in the village of Steubenville, which was located about one mile north of Pleasant Lake on land later settled by Dr. A.P.Clark and now owned by Allan Landis.  Lucy Avery was the first teacher.  The landowners on this locality desired very much to have the County Seat at this place but others outbid them and Angola was chosen, and soon thereafter Steubenville was abandoned.
In March, 1873 another town by the name of Steubenville was platted by Daniel Till and Samuel Teeters where the survey for the Canada Southern Railroad crossed the Fort Wayne and Jackson branch of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, now (1955) known as the New York Central.  As the Canada Southern was never built the town failed to grow and when the Wabash Railroad later built along this route and established a round house and shop about 4 or 5 miles west of the crossing, they platted the town of Ashley.  Steubenville gradually grew smaller until now there are only a few houses remaining. (3)


The original Steubenville was located near the intersection of 400 S. and 150 W. south of the Clark Matson Cemetery.

1. Centennial of Pleasant Lake and Steuben Township Indiana, pg 8
2. The History of Steuben County 1885,  pg 767   
3. 1955 History of Steuben County, pg 81
Pictures from the Carnegie Library Collection

ANGOLA, ORIGIN OF A TOWN'S NAME

 How Angola Received It's Name

Angola received it's name about the time the place was chosen as the county seat and it is said, before there was no other known place called Angola in this country or anywhere else, save in Africa.  The name is supposed to have been chosen simply as being new and uncommon and one that pleased the chooser of it.

The late Dr. G.W. McConnell is authority for the statement that Judge Thomas Gale selected the name, while the late Jacob Stealy contended that it was Mrs. Cornelius Gilmore who first suggested Angola as the name of the town as his (Mr Stealy's) mother did that of the township, Pleasant.

By an act of the General Assembly of Indiana dated Jan 18, 1837, Steuben was to "enjoy all the rights and jurisdictions which belong to separate and independent counties,"after the first day of May of that year.  Those were times when men entertained strong feelings pro and con and sometimes used strong expressions on the subject of "abolitionism."  There were those who did not exactly like this name, Angola, perhaps thinking that it had too much the appearance of giving an African name to a white community.

Steuben Republican  June 24, 1931

I look back to the time I arrived in Lima (Howe), October 14, 1835.  The winter after I came, Thomas Gale, then living in Lima, conceived the idea of starting a town in Steuben county.  Angola was the name selected, and some of the old settlers in Lima remarked the the name would be a good one for a dog.

J. M. Keith Ontario Indiana Aug 4, 1890 ---- taken from minutes from The Steuben County Old Settlers Meeting.

There has been much discussion about where the name of Angola came from, the most popular being that it was named for Angola, New York, because the people who founded it came from there.  The two men who founded Angola, Cornelius Gilmore and Thomas Gale were both from New York, but they came from eastern New York state, near the Hudson River.  They both lived in Ohio before coming to Indiana.  Interesting enough at the time Angola was platted Angola, New York was called Evans Station.  The following quote is from the Angola, New York village website.
 "Many years ago when the trains came through this area, it was called Evans Station. The people applied to the Federal Government to put a post office in this area. The Quakers had started a Colony this side of Gowanda in the Collins area and were known to help many in need. The same Quakers also helped people of Angola, Africa. In 1855, when the Angola Post Office located in Taylor Hollow (used by the Quakers) closed, the Federal Government offered it to this area and said “here is your post office” and authorities thought it best to move the post office to this area… hence the name “Angola” 

It seems highly unlikely that Angola was named for Angola, New York but than why was it named that?  It is commonly known that Thomas Gale was an abolitionist.  Could he have named the town after Angola, Africa?  We may never know for sure but the old story that Angola was named after Angola, New York seems to be just that, a story.   

Local History Dept  
 






    

DR JAMES MCCONNELL

Among the men who took an active and prominent part in the early history of Steuben County, few are more worthy of mention than Dr. James McConnell.  He was born in Morefield, VA., September 17, 1810, and was the second in the family of James and Elizabeth McConnell.  He received his education at Lovingston, New Glasgow and New London, VA., under his father's watchful care, and soon after, entered the office of Dr. Lamb, of  Brownsville, Fayette Co., Penn, completing his medical studies with Dr. Porter, formerly Professor of Anatomy in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia.He began practice at Brownsville, Penn, and about 1833, moved to McConnellsville, Ohio and in May, 1835 came to Lima, La Grange County Ind. The territory of which Steuben County, Ind., now consists, was then a part of La Grange County, and it will thus be seen that he was identified with Steuben County from the very commencement of his career in Indiana.  He remained at Lima until November 1, 1836, when he moved to the "Vermont settlement," now Orland, where he continued the extensive practice he had enjoyed in Lima.  He was the first physician of Steuben County, and a man of fine education and undoubted ability. In April, 1837, he was elected Clerk and Recorder of Steuben County for the term of seven years, and located his office int he log cabin of Jacob Stayner, on Jackson Prairie, removing to Angola in the fall of 1837, where the county seat had been located and a frame office erected for his occupancy.

He was married in Angola, in January, 1841, to Mrs Julia Whitaker, sister of Judge Thomas Gale, one of the pioneers of Angola.

In 1843, Dr McConnell resigned his office and began practice as an attorney, but death cut short his labors, he dying October 9, 1844.  Most of the old settlers remember him as a man of integrity and true worth; energetic, obliging and capable; possessed of the finer attributes of manhood and endowed with a strong, logical brain.  Although first settling in Lima, he was from the beginning, intimately associated with the early, sturdy pioneers of "Old Steuben," of whom their descendants may well feel proud.  De James McConnell, though dead nearly forty years, is still spoken of in words of kindness and honor.

Atlas of Steuben County 1880