History of Michigan City, (LaPorte County) Indiana United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Michigan City, (LaPorte County) Indiana, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

Charles W. Cathcart, senator, was born in the island of Madeira in 1809. He received an English education, and for some years was a sailor. He settled as a farmer in Laporte, Ind., in 1831, where he was land surveyor for the United States; he was also a member of the state assembly. In 1844 he was a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket. In 1844 he was elected as a representative to the 29th Congress; he was re-elected to the 30th Congress, and served until March 3, 1849. On Dec. 6, 1852 he took his seat in the United States senate, having been appointed by Governor Wright to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator James Whitcomb, the state legislature electing at its next session John Pettee to succeed him for the unexpired term ending March 3, 1855. He died in Michigan city, Ind., Aug. 22, 1888.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Henry Hackley, lumberman, was born in Michigan City, Ind., Jan. 3, 1837; son of Joseph H. and Salina (Fuller) Hackley. When quite young his father removed from New York state to Indiana and became a contractor and railroad builder. About 1840 the family removed to Southport, afterward known as Kenosha, Wis., and when fifteen years old Charles Henry left the district school and engaged with his father in railroad building. In 1856 he left home and by working his passage on a schooner reached Muskegon, Mich., where he was employed in a lumber yard and in the fall went into the woods scaling logs. He then took a course at a commercial college at the expense of his employers and in 1858 he was made their book-keeper. In 1859 with his father and his employer he purchased the property of the former firm, then in the hands of a receiver, and established the firm of J.H. Hackley & Co., and in 1866, with his father and brothers Edwin and Porter, organized the firm of Hackley & Sons. In 1874 his father died and the firm of C. H. Hackley & Co. succeeded to the business and in 1880 was changed to Hackley & Hume and their mills were the largest on Muskegon Lake and soon became the largest in the state of Michigan. Mr. Hackley became vice-president of the Muskegon shingle and lumber company; president of the Muskegon national bank; vice-president of the Lumberman's national bank of Muskegon; and a director of various other financial institutions. He was a member of the board of education of Muskegon and placed in the hands of the board the sum of $100,000 for the erection and maintenance of a public library and reading room in the city of Muskegon, and on the completion of the building he made an additional donation of $25,000 to furnish the building and purchase books. The institution became known as the Hackley public 'library and it was opened and dedicated on Oct. 16, 1890.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor